All articles tagged with #dave meltzer
Seth Rollins is recovering from a minor injury, not a creative hiatus, and will attend Money in the Bank in New Orleans only as a spectator for his wife Becky Lynch's title match. Rollins confirmed he will not wrestle or appear on-screen at the event, while WWE plans to reintroduce him when the timing is right for maximum impact. Lynch is returning from a six-week layoff caused by a previously undisclosed vertebral fracture.
Sami Zayn’s September SmackDown win over CM Punk drew initial skepticism in WWE, but Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer reports the reasons for recapturing the title will make sense in the end, as Zayn is positioned to face a rotation of rivals (Owens, Gunther, Balor, Punk, Rhodes, Orton) and could headline Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia; this marks the fifth WWE Championship change of the year.
A backstage report from the "Wrestling Observer Newsletter" details the tentative match order for WWE WrestleMania 40, with Night 1 featuring four long matches and Night 2 planned around the two big world title matches. Dave Meltzer notes potential for significant interference in the main event and anticipates "a lot of booking twists and turns" for the weekend, with the possibility of a showdown between Roman Reigns and The Rock.
AEW's Malakai Black and his faction mates Brody King & Buddy Matthews were booked in a cage match on AEW Collision, with Dave Meltzer implying that the "Escape" stipulation came about because no one in House of Black wanted to do the job. However, Black's teammates and AEW's Wrestling Administration Coordinator refuted Meltzer's assessment, stating that the wording change in the match graphic was just for clarity and that the format and stipulation of the cage match was always what it was going to be.
WWE's plans for WrestleMania 40 include Cody Rhodes challenging Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, with The Rock's involvement in the match currently off the table. However, The Rock is still expected to return to WWE for a match against Reigns in the future, with ongoing discussions between the parties. Reigns aims to continue his record-setting championship reign, while Rhodes looks to finally capture the title after failing to do so at WrestleMania 39.
Dave Meltzer criticizes WWE's Paul "Triple H" Levesque for his response to the sex trafficking allegations against Vince McMahon, expressing disappointment in Levesque's handling of the situation. Many within WWE were surprised by the fallout and the quick resignation of McMahon, with speculation that Endeavor may remove others in the boardroom who were close to McMahon. McMahon's profile has been removed from WWE.com in light of the allegations, a rare move for the company.
WWE's streaming deal with Netflix for "WWE Raw" could impact AEW's negotiations with Warner Bros. Discovery, potentially giving AEW a unique bargaining chip. Dave Meltzer noted that AEW and WWE securing lucrative deals could benefit talent and provide negotiating power in free agency. The Netflix deal will also affect WWE's international broadcasting, potentially opening avenues for AEW content internationally.
Wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer speculates that WWE accepted a lower price for the Raw Netflix deal due to the elimination of localized international rights deals, but believes the exposure on Netflix will be beneficial. Other wrestling personalities, including Eric Bischoff and Bully Ray, see the move as a big opportunity for WWE to grow internationally and anticipate an adjustment period for fans once the show moves to Netflix in 2025.
Wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer anticipates that Andrade El Idolo, whose AEW contract recently expired, will appear on WWE Raw, following a tease by WWE executive Paul "Triple H" Levesque about a former champion returning. Andrade's departure from AEW and potential WWE comeback align with his past as a WWE "NXT" and United States Champion, and his personal ties through his wife, Charlotte Flair, who is a current WWE star.
Journalist Dave Meltzer believes that WWE may have CM Punk lose his first match to test his attitude and willingness to "do business." While Meltzer acknowledges that, from a business standpoint, Punk should win, he suggests that Punk needs to prove himself to everyone. Meltzer also expresses caution about planning Punk's matches too far ahead due to his history of injuries. If WWE plans a major match between Punk and Roman Reigns, it may be wise to keep Punk booked strong in the coming months, depending on when the match is scheduled.
The outcome of the WWE Raw fatal four-way match to determine the #1 contender for GUNTHER's Intercontinental Championship did not go as planned, with Ricochet unexpectedly kicking out of Ivar's moonsault. It is speculated that Ricochet may have suffered a head injury earlier in the match. The Miz emerged as the winner, but it remains unclear if Ivar will be added to the championship match or receive his title shot later on.
Dave Meltzer has revealed his match ratings for the first night of WrestleMania 39, with the main event between Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn vs. The Usos for the Undisputed Tag Team Titles receiving a five-star rating. Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women’s Title was also highly rated, while the lowest-rated match was Pat McAfee vs. The Miz.
CM Punk took to Instagram to share since-deleted grievances with Jon Moxley, Chris Jericho, and Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer. Punk appears to be blaming former AEW Champion Chris Jericho for the stories of Punk's dealings with Moxley, Khan, and others. Punk has not been seen in All Elite Wrestling since the waning hours of September 4, 2022, after an enraged and injured Punk unleashed a vitriolic tirade against his AEW co-workers, which led to a backstage brawl between Punk, Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, Ace Steel, and other members of the AEW talent relations and legal staff.
CM Punk took shots at Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley in a now-deleted Instagram post responding to comments made by Dave Meltzer. Meltzer claimed that Punk agreed to a short build for his AEW World Title match with Moxley at All Out 2022, but then backed out until Tony Khan intervened. Punk disputed this and said he wasn't cleared to wrestle yet due to a broken foot. He also called Meltzer and Jericho liars. Jericho responded with a GIF of Matt Hardy yelling "Delete!" on his Instagram Stories. There's been speculation on Punk returning to AEW, but nothing is official.
Bray Wyatt's status for WrestleMania 39 is uncertain as he has been off television for a week or so, and WWE has made no mention of his match against Bobby Lashley. Dave Meltzer noted that it looks like Wyatt is off the show, possibly due to a health issue that hasn't cleared up yet. WWE's silence on the matter is saying a lot, and it remains to be seen if Wyatt will make an appearance at WrestleMania.