Superstars Reax - 1/30/16, NXT and NJPW live event notes, WWE Network is binge-approved, more on Stardust feud, Mojo profiled, TNA statement on Kong, ROH names advertised for Japan, NXT injury, and Questions on Kong vs. Reby, WWE losing faith in Owens, HHH on live events, Del Rio's injury, and clearing Bryan

Superstars:
- Stardust vs. D. Young:
I guess if Stardust can't beat Titus, he's focusing on his (former?) partner.

Stardust is very entertaining in the ring. I wish more wrestlers did the "little things" that make a match more than a series of moves.

Young's a solid competitor in his own right.

Nice match overall.

- Breeze vs. Titus:
I like how these two interact. Tyler's more of a technician where Titus is just a hoss.

Good ending sequence. Honestly, I really like Breeze's gimmick, but he could use more experience at this level before being a contender to any titles.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

WWE Network March special update, Interview with TJP, new faces in TNA, upcoming WWE lineups, WWE+NXT press, another way to get the Network, injured NJPW name still on for ROH PPV, Daniels-ROH update, ROH TV taping preview, NXT name to compete in Olympics, yet another former WWE Champion hurt, NXT sells out, another NXT exec at EVOLVE, more WCW on the Network, Smackdown audience, top Knockout sent home after altercation, and Questions on TNA not getting the NJPW names, introducing AJ to WWE, Grado to WWE, and HHH as the 2016 Eric Bischoff

Currently advertised for WWE's "March to WrestleMania" special on March 12:
- Roman Reigns vs. Sheamus (this could easily change due to Sheamus' tendinitis).
- Brock Lesnar vs. Luke Harper (which could be INCREDIBLE if they don't just have Brock give him a bunch of suplexes as the entire match).
- Chris Jericho hosting the Highlight Reel
- AJ Styles appearing

TJ Perkins, formerly Manik/Suicide in TNA, discussed leaving TNA and possibly heading to ROH and NXT:
- The Matthews situation definitely gave TNA a black eye. He hasn't really left a positive impression with some of his Twitter comments.

- I would be surprised if he's not on the radar for ROH and NXT. He's been working EVOLVE lately, so HHH must have seen his work. He's worth checking out by either group.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Possible next steps for ROH under Sinclair, ROH PPV attendance note, match announced for next ROH TV taping, WWE signs deal for more video games, update on "fired" TNA star, more on HHH at EVOLVE, Nakamura officially dropped from ROH PPV, another top WWE name hurt, top ROH names signed to new contracts, NJ NXT show sells out, more on Nikki, Owen-HoF update, Bo promotes live events, NXT preview, and Questions on WWE changing its look, WWE "burying" AJ, HHH winning the Rumble, and ROH on the Tennis Channel

Now that  Sinclair Broadcasting has bought The Tennis Channel, there's talk of rebranding it as the American Sports Network. This would be an ideal home for ROH to reach a greater audience than they do now, like the run on DA provided them. Having a regular cable home would allow ROH to do live specials, potentially expand the shows it offers, and so on. It's far too early to put a timetable on any of this, but those are options in the future.

ROH is very close to selling out the venue for its 14th anniversary show. That's great news for a show that's still nearly a month off.

Adam Cole vs. Matt Sydal has been announced for ROH's Feb. 6 TV taping. I really want to see Cole as the next ROH Champion.

WWE announced a new multiple-year deal to continue the WWE 2K series. That's an important driver of revenue for them, so stockholders should be pleased.

Grado is still advertised for TNA's UK tour. I suspect he'll end up "winning his job back" or something. I'd be very surprised to not see him used in some fashion.

Triple H introduced himself to the entire EVOLVE locker room at the event he attended, and met with a number of talents specifically. That's really classy and professional of him. I think it's safe to say we'll be seeing more EVOLVE names working NXT, and some people there could become full-on WWE employees down the line. That's exciting news for both sides.

Shinsuke Nakamura has been officially dropped from ROH's 14th anniversary show, as was expected. Another, as-yet-unannounced NJPW performer will work the show in his absence. It's worth noting neither Karl Anderson nor Doc Gallows are advertised for the event. Their status for the show is up in the air at best as they work out the end of their NJPW run ahead of a likely WWE signing.

Sheamus recently posted a picture of himself in a cast. Jesus, is he going to miss WM32 as well?

Update: Sheamus is dealing with tendinitis. He's expected to remain on TV, but has been pulled from the ring for the time being.

Jay Lethal and reDRagon have re-signed with ROH. They're some of the most important wrestlers there. There were rumors of Fish and O'Reilly looking for offers from other companies, but ultimately they stayed in ROH. NXT and TNA should have both made plays for that duo.

NXT's March 15 show in Asbury Park, NJ has sold out. I all-but-expect at least one ECW cameo that night.

John Cena, Brie Bella, and Natalya were on-hand for Nikki Bella's surgery. I'm guessing E! cameras were, too.

Owen Hart will not be going into the Hall of Fame this year, due to the wishes of his widow. I hope someday Martha has a meeting with WWE execs and they bury the hatchet for everyone's sake.

Bo Dallas promoted WWE live events in Mississippi and Alabama. It's a good sign WWE likes him that he got to promote the company in that way.

On this week's NXT:
- Finn Balor vs. Apollo Crews in a non-title match.
- The Vaudevillains vs. the Hype Bros
- Carmella vs. Emma
- Asuka vs. Santana Garrett (former TNA talent Brittany)
- Enzo and Big Cass in action.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Can you imagine if that was happening today? There'd be boycotts left and right because "WWE hates America." Lord.

2. That's pretty concerning. He should probably see a doctor about that.

3. This is literally one of the dumbest questions I've ever seen. He literally competed for the WWE Championship his first night in the company. He didn't have to go through NXT, he didn't have to get a name change... he just went right into one of the biggest matches on the WWE calendar, where the announcers put over his accomplishments and treated him as a big deal. The idea of WWE spending that much money just to mess with TNA is asinine. TNA is barely on WWE's radar at this point. "Smart marks," my ass!

4. WWE Hall of Famer Pete Rose approves.

5. It's worth noting ROH is just one brand under the Sinclair umbrella. I'm under the impression they're going to turn the Tennis Channel into an all-out sports network, with ROH just one part of that. This isn't WWE and NBCU we're talking about; it's going to take them some real time to put things together. I think we could be on the cusp of a really big moment for ROH once Sinclair gets all their ducks in a row.

More wrestling tomorrow. 

Smackdown Reax - 1/28/16

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Smackdown.

WWE wants Styles feedback, Lana-Paige update, WWE gets press for new partnership, Nikki has surgery, NXT tapings update, more on Bullet Club members potentially coming to WWE, WWE taping guests, more ECW headed to the Network, WWE charity approaching big number, TNA and Total Divas audience, new potential channel for ROH, Naomi update, Simmons on WWE Network show, Rock on Raw appearance, Nakamura heading to NXT, and Questions on saving title changes for PPVs, asking Vince three questions, RVD returning, USA dropping Raw, and Vince making things like the old NWA

WWE sent out a questionnaire about the Royal Rumble, asking fans how familiar they were with AJ Styles before the show and gauging interest in seeing him compete with other WWE stars. I do wonder how much of the total WWE audience knew who he was before 2016. Believe it or not, not everyone reads dirtsheets and follows other promotions.

Lana and Paige took a photo together after Smackdown, suggesting there's no more heat between them (as a previous Lana tweet months ago suggested there was). It's good to get along with your coworkers, although that's easier said than done.

SportingNews covered WWE's new partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. That's important for WWE Corporate.

Nikki Bella successfully underwent surgery yesterday for her neck issues. It will be several months before she knows if/when she'll be able to get back in the ring. If she does return, I wouldn't expect her to do the Rack Attack anymore.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Following last night's taping, NXT now has footage up until Takeover in Dallas the night before WM32. So, Triple H can focus on his main roster duties as WWE Champion for the next few months.

Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows are expected to be signed to main roster deals, as opposed to working NXT first. I can't say I'm surprised at that. It's entirely possible we see them team with AJ at WM32, but they're not officially on-board yet.

Brian Knobbs of the Nasty Boys was sitting ringside at Smackdown. Thank God he doesn't work for WWE.

Update: There were reports of Hulk Hogan being backstage at Smackdown. There's nothing to those stories. WWE's remaining distanced from Hogan while his trial continues.

Wale was at Raw. He's been at a number of WWE shows over the years.

WWE is preparing the rest of ECW Hardcore TV and the entirety of ECW on TNN for the WWE Network. Content from that era is definitely sought out by fans. Digitization is a time-consuming process, though.

WWE's Connor's Cure charity has raised close to $900,000 to combat pediatric cancer. That's really amazing. Hopefully those funds are really helping the cause.

Impact Wrestling drew 339,000 in its first timeslot and 103,000 for its replay. The first showing was slightly up from last week, but the replay and overall audience were down. It will be interesting to see where they are by Lockdown. Hopefully they can pass 500,000 a week regularly and keep growing from there. One step at a time.

The most recent episode of "Total Divas" drew 939,000 viewers, a notable drop from the previous week. I'm not sure how many seasons the show is contracted for, or what kind of ratings E! wants.

Sinclair Broadcasting, owners of ROH, are officially purchasing the Tennis Channel. I mean, if WWE can be on SyFy, I don't see why ROH can't be on the Tennis Channel. There's no talk of that at this time, but it could easily happen if Sinclair wants it to.

Naomi addressed her health. It looks like she won't be out much longer.

"Legends with JBL" with Ron Simmons will air after Raw. Obviously those two have a lot of history.

The Rock talked about his appearance on Raw. I hope it meant good things for New Day.

WWE has announced Shinsuke Nakamura for NXT: Takeover: Dallas. I'm a little surprised they "jumped the gun" and made that announcement before Nakamura has even left NJPW. And using a photo from ROH? Whoa. Both sides are obviously really confident in him passing medical tests and coming to terms on an official contract. This is a really big signing for WWE given his prestige in Japan. I'm excited to see what he does. Now we're just waiting on Gallows and Anderson to officially finish up their NJPW dates.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. PPVs used to be a REALLY big deal. Heck, title changes in general used to be saved for important occasions like that. The title changed hands because it needed to, not because they "needed a title change." Then ratings became more important, and the competition with WCW meant they put more big matches on TV. Instead of four big PPVs a year, there are now 12, in addition to specials like Beast in the East. So, yeah, things have changed from when PPVs were king.

2. Some of Dave's wording is confrontational, which probably would put Vince on edge and make him defensive instead of getting the answer he wants. Here are my three:

a. What would your father think of what you've done with his company? If you could talk to him about anything, what would you discuss?

b. What do you want your legacy to be? How do you want to be remembered in 50 years, and how do you think you will be remembered?

c. Do you wish there was a "WCW" around today? How would you change things if there was another company going up against WWE like they did?

3. Probably smoking weed and waiting for someone to "recognize his greatness" enough to offer a big-money contract so he can be the center of attention and go over younger talents. Pushing him as anything higher than a credible IC Title-level veteran (who shouldn't actually win a title on a 90-day contract) wouldn't be wise, and he'd probably want more than that.

4. Vince would absolutely try to get a new TV home for Raw and Smackdown. And NBCU wouldn't keep three hours of Raw and two hours of Smackdown if they didn't like the ratings. WWE is a flagship brand for them. Obviously Raw ratings are down from 15 years ago, but they're in no danger of being dropped anytime soon.

5. I doubt he watches old footage on the Network. He's incredibly busy. And, honestly, he probably wouldn't care about how they did things back in the "rasslin'" era. He's doing sports entertainment, and he's not going to change that unless he faces real pressure to do so.

More wrestling tomorrow.

NXT and ROH Reax - 1/27/16, 1/28/16

Read on for my thoughts on last night's NXT and this morning's ROH.

ROH-NJPW updates, Highlight Reel for Smackdown, Nakamura-WWE update, more Raw guests, the end of Stardust?, NXT ref gets nod, Dreamer note, Jeff Hardy-TNA update, Raw audience, another WWE injury, reaction to HHH at EVOLVE, and Questions on Aries-NXT, One vs. All at the Rumble, Styles-WWE, Brock at Mania, and pushing Shamrock

ROH's Feb. 19 and 20 shows in Japan will be shown live on NJPW's streaming service. It will be interesting to see who works those events.

On Smackdown, Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns are set to appear on the Highlight Reel to discuss the main event of Fast Lane. I'm sure they'll do the "what if it comes down to the two best friends" card, teasing one man turning heel. I don't see why either man should turn. 

Shinsuke Nakamura is set to be at the WWE Performance Center in the first week of February. If execs like what they see there and he passes medical testing, he's all set to be signed. It's not set in stone yet and there's no timetable for a main roster debut, but things are moving forward.

Rick Ross and MLB's Anthony Rizzo were at Raw. It was a big event!

Stardust is teasing an end to that character. Maybe after losing a match with Stephen Amell at WM32? I like Stardust, so I'm split on the character going away. It's all a matter of what that next step is. And where does that leave The Ascension?

NXT referee and former CZW performer Drake Weurtz (Drake Younger) is going into CZW's HoF for their 17th anniversary show on Feb. 13. Who would have thought he'd go from working CZW to being a referee?

Tommy Dreamer is expected to have finished up his WWE commitments. It was nice to see him pop in for a few shows and work some live events.

Jeff Hardy has signed a new deal with TNA. He had a few months left on his existing deal.With Kurt Angle leaving, I think Jeff is their top "name" talent. He's an incredibly important star for the company.

Shinsuke Nakamura, Doc Gallows, and Karl Anderson are not being advertised for ROH's 14th anniversary show at the end of February. So, presumably, they could be signed by WWE before then. Nakamura finishes up with NJPW this week, while Gallows and Anderson are advertised for shows with the promotion through Feb. 14.

Gedo, KUSHIDA, Hiroshi Takahashi, and Tomohiro Ishii are all advertised for ROH's 14th anniversary and the following TV taping. I definitely expect more interaction between ROH and NJPW in 2016.

Raw's audience Monday was 4.10 million. That's the biggest audience in seven months. A new big World Champion, The Rock appearing, and a big signing in AJ Styles combined to mean a lot of buzz for WWE. I hope they keep a good deal of that audience as things heat up toward WM32.

The three hours of Raw were in the top four most-watched hours on cable TV Monday night. That's great!

Naomi has been confirmed to be out injured. No word on what kind of injury or how long she'll be out. I'm glad Sasha Banks, Natalya, and Paige are back at least. Hopefully Naomi isn't out for long.

HHH and EVOLVE head Gabe Sapolsky had discussions about the future between NXT and EVOLVE during Royal Rumble weekend. No official word on what that will entail. EVOLVE officials were also on-hand at the Royal Rumble. Morale at EVOLVE was said to be really high as a result of a top WWE executive attending their show.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I think it's great! It's a big profile for the former TNA/ROH Champion, and will help continue NXT's rise. Aries is a supremely talented performer, and will contribute highly to the NXT brand.

2. I don't think so. It's all in how they book it in future years. I think as long as it's presented as a really important match, it's not a matter of whether the title is on the line or just a title shot. It's the journey, not the destination.

3. It takes two to tango. AJ will have to show the skeptical members of management he's worth pushing at that big of a level. I can see him being about where Dean Ambrose is unless he really catches fire. That's not a bad spot, really. We'll see how that changes when Balor and the other NJPW names are (potentially) in the picture. The Balor Club could really make a challenge for the WWE Title IF WWE's willing to have guys like Cena and Roman get their asses kicked by the group. Balor vs. Styles for the title could happen, since we did see Ambrose vs. Rollins for the belt.

4. I think a Brock/Family feud could really be fun given the big monsters involved. Strowman doesn't need to be The Undertaker. He just needs to be a big mastadon. Involving Bray and some smoke and mirrors can make that a spectacle.

5. I believe there was talk of Shamrock holding the WWF Title around the time of Montreal. I think Shamrock was a lot of fun as a dangerous, intense competitor, but I don't think he could have been as dominant as the Incredible Brock.

More wrestling tomorrow.

Impact Wrestling Reax - 1/26/16

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Impact Wrestling.

I think Matt's heel turn was well executed. Yes, EC3 was only champion for two weeks in kayfabe, but that worked out better for the longer story. I think people have wanted to cheer EC3 for a while now.

Matt attacking his injured brother would be a one-way ticket to Heat City. Matt vs. Jeff at Slammiversary would be a big deal, if Jeff's able to wrestle then. We definitely won't be seeing him at Lockdown unless they pre-tape(d) something.

Jeff Hardy using profanity is a YouTuber's dream come true. It's one of the most Attitude Era things I can think of. Does someone challenge Reby to a bra and panties match next?

I love the idea of Matt's baby also being in the heel faction. 

The idea of Jeff being "the other Hardy" in Matt's shadow is genius, since that's always been a comment to bury Matt.

Matt vs. Jeff for the TNA Title tonight is huge! I expect it'll just lead to an injury angle, but it's a clever main event. I wonder if WWE would have even cleared Jeff since he said he needs another surgery.

Feast or Fired is fun to shake things up. It's very Russo-esque, but in a charming way.

- Feast or Fired:

O'Shea's my pick to be fired, unless Melendez is hanging up the boots (for now).

Nice continuity with the former Bro-mans fighting.

I kind of want to see Grado cash in vs. Matt and get rekt in the process.

Galloway is great. I hope he's headed for a big World Title match. I'd like to see him hold the title before the year's over. Pencil in Matt vs. Drew at Lockdown in the UK. I could see Grado going for a title there, too.

I like a good crazy multi-man clustermess here and there.

Knowing TNA's history, they might break up Eli and Jessie over the briefcase for a singles championship. I have mixed feelings on that. The payoff would be important.

I like the cruel and powerful heeling of EY and Bram. How long before someone takes a shot at Bram's real-life arrest?

Oooooohhhh interesting.

I'm guessing Drake gets fired, unless they do some ridiculous swerves like people want WWE to do.

I hope we see Angle vs. Matt at some point. Lockdown?

They usually milk the FoF stuff for a week. Although that begs the question of what happens if they open the briefcases before the official ceremony...

Random X-Division Title match to fill time. They need to make the division more than random flippy guys randomly flipping.

- Uno vs. Z vs. Mandrews:

Mandrews incorporating his skateboard is kind of amusing, although it reinforces the stereotype of the division as random stunts. 

Good match overall for what they do.

Good enough segment to set up Helms vs. Uno. They NEED an angle like this to breathe new life into the division.

Kong's eventually going to smash all these underlings, right? That's kind of what she does.

That was pretty harsh by Matt. I hope we see him face Angle before it's all over.

- Kong vs. Sky:

Wow. Velvet's getting woman-handled here.

Thank goodness Kong won. We're at a point where only Kong and Kim are believable champions, but it's not like the others have really shown themselves to be at that level lately.

Knockouts war continues!

They might need to call up Taylor Wilde if they're going to dethrone Kong.

The Wolves are really boring as promo guys. We're talking almost heel Jay Lethal bad.

Kind of a random appearance by Bennett and Maria. I do sort of want to see them challenge for a briefcase, though.

This miracle stuff is getting a little forced.

Ohhhh, boy. This gimmick should end well. 

Wolves vs. Steve/Abyss:

I like the dynamic of Steve and Abyss as a team.

That was OK for a match featuring extremely different styles. We'll see where things go from here.

Mist everywhere! What color should Abyss have?

I think that was the best possible outcome for the briefcases. Grado's act has run its course in TNA. I'm just surprised they cut him before the big UK tour. Maybe they have an angle on mind there where he gets his job back?

Matt, EY, Bram, and Tyrus as a group of vicious heels could be pretty fun. Lashley, Beer Money, and EC3 as the opposition works perfectly for me.

Oh, wow, they're just going to have everyone in this brawl.

Good chaos to end the show! They're really progressing some characters now.

More wrestling coming up.

Styles-WWE notes, NXT preview, ROH says farewell to AJ, TNA signs champs to new deal, new big WWE partnership, former WWF/AAA name passes, Nikki injury update, Raw guests, and Questions on Bryan uniting the U.S./IC Titles, Lesnar's WM32 opponent, the Rumble's prestige, and betting on The Game

AJ Styles already had his first WWE shirt available after the Royal Rumble. Other than Sting, I don't remember the last time a talent got to come up to the main roster immediately and keep their name/gimmick. That's a really big endorsement for him, and a sign of something of a new era for WWE.

Update: AJ Styles' shirt sold out both at the venue and on WWE's website, the latter in about two hours. I think people are going to be inevitably disappointed with his WWE run, because a lot of important feuds are already kind of set for WM32.

Set for this week's NXT:
- Sami Zayn vs. Samoa Joe vs. Baron Corbin to declare a No. 1 Contender the NXT Championship
- American Alpha vs. Blake & Murphy
- Nia Jax vs. Liv Morgan
- Alex Riley vs. Bull Dempsey
- Elias Samson vs. John Skyler

Should be a good show, as always.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Raw Reax - 1/25/16

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw.

Styles says goodbye to ROH and hello to WWE, former ECW Champ works ROH show, Rey to Puerto Rico, and Questions on not watching the Rumble, Minneapolis hosting Mania, Styles vs. Del Rio, why the McMahons hate Reigns, and the Wyatts impersonating the Horsemen

AJ Styles cut a promo at his last ROH show, which led to Jay Lethal coming out to do his lame heel shtick. Roderick Strong and the Bullet Club hit the ring in a brawl to set up Lethal/Roderick Strong/War Machine vs. the Bullet Club's Bucks/Gallows/Anderson with all the titles on the line. Bullet Club lost, and did a big "Curtain Call" style sendoff for Styles. The Bullet Club and ROH are both going to be missing someone important with him gone.

Stevie Richards was also at ROH's live event Saturday night. He lost to Adam Cole. I'd like to see him working in ROH, TNA, or NXT regularly. He can still go.

Rey Mysterio will be working WWC in Puerto Rico on Feb. 27. He's been pretty busy post-WWE.

AJ Styles tweeted about coming to WWE. That's something I can't say I expected to see years back.

TNA tweeted about AJ's WWE debut, too. Classy move. This is a really big chapter for the Phenomenal One.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

WWE Royal Rumble Reax

Read on for my thoughts on last night's WWE PPV.

Former TNA/ROH Champion arrives in NXT, Stampede name passes away, more dates for Brock, Regal and HHH at EVOLVE show, Rumble announce team changed, and Questions on the Monday Night War, two hours of NXT, NXT's free agents, and the NJPW names coming to TNA/WWE

NXT's Twitter posted video of Austin Aries' entrance at the latest taping. I hope he's still an amazing wrestler. He could be a REALLY good edition to the brand, and to WWE as a whole.

Update: WWE is already selling Austin Aries T-shirts. My body is so ready.

Canadian star "Mongolian Stomper" Archie Gouldie has passed away at the age of 78. PWInsider remembered the legend. He definitely has quite the pedigree.

Paul Heyman's client, The Conqueror Brock Lesnar has been added to the Feb. 1 Raw, the Feb. 16 Smckdown, and the Feb. 22 Raw. Those last two shows surround Fast Lane. I wouldn't be surprised to see Lesnar face Bray at that show given the rumors of Brock vs. Strowman at WM32.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

WWE Royal Rumble preview

Read on for my suggestions of what to do at tonight's WWE PPV.

Kickoff:

I think each team in the Kickoff match should have a promo segment before the match, even if they're pre-taped. The Rumble and the WWE Title should be so important Young and Sandow are willing to team up to earn a place in the match, despite them barely knowing each other. Heck, Young and Sandow could probably be a fun team. Give it a whirl. The Dudleys can talk about how despite their decadess of experience, neither of them have been WWE Champion. Henry can talk about how he's going to be the World's Strongest Champion, and Swagger can say he's doing it for We, The People. Point being, WWE needs to do more to give us reasons to care about these guys and this match. Anyway, I think Bubba and D-Von have earned this nod. And, hell, they've earned the right to put someone through a table tonight. Maybe Bo can do a victory lap right into a 3D outside of the ring for that spot? That'd be great.

Royal Rumble:

- Charlotte vs. Becky:

Becky also needs a big promo about getting out of Charlotte's shadow and all that kind of stuff. Becky fights valiantly, and gets Charlotte in the DisArmHer. Dad helps the Champion get to the ropes to break it, and a distracted Becky eats Natural Selection or whatever the neckbreaker is called now. The Flairs celebrate after the match, but Becky attacks from behind. Charlotte escapes to safety, but Ric taps to DisArmHer. He shows up on Raw in a sling. This, coupled with Paige returning to taunt her former partners, sets up a PCB triple threat at Fastlane. Meanwhile, Team B.A.D. enjoys their demise and we lead to Sasha going for the title at WM32. Sasha can taunt Charlotte about wrecking her friendships already, etc. 

- Del Rio vs. Kalisto:

Del Rio wins here, but later loses the title on TV due to Wyatt interference to set up LoN vs. the Wyatts at Fastlane and WM32. There's a former TNA and IWGP Champion who could be an ideal champion... I'd pencil in the Dragons to be in the tag team title picture for Mania, so I don't think I'd put the belt back on Kalisto unless Sin Cara's going to be out a while. Kalisto vs. Breeze could be fun while the former Hunico recovers. The "so ugly he has to wear a mask" thing is obvious, but doable.

- New Day vs. Usos:

New Day wins in memory of Francesca. They should be champs going into WM32.

- Ambrose vs. KO:

These two beat the holy high hell out of each other. Ambrose wins. I'd push for Owens vs. Taker at WM32 so a younger guy gets the rub at that show. Ambrose vs. Y2J makes sense for that night. Jericho will need to bring his heel A game to make up for what we've seen lately.

- Rumble match:

Their hands are pretty tied here. Personally, I like HHH entering when Reigns is at the end of his rope (say, around entry number 25) and throwing over the physically spent hero. "If you want something done right, you've got to do it yourself" says the new champ on Raw. Reigns vs. HHH for the gold in Dallas. I know, I'm not crazy about a part-timer holding the title for WM32, either. HHH won the Rumble 14 years ago. What does it say about WWE's progress that he's a top choice to win this year? I'm hoping for Brock vs. Rock at Mania. Unless Rock's going to prevent HHH from walking into WM32 the champ so the two of them face off instead, that's the direction I'm least resistant to. The other big options are "Super-Roman" winning from number one or another part-timer (Brock) leaving Orlando with the title, neither of which I care for that much. 

More wrestling coming up.

Superstars - 1/22/15, Interviews with Del Rio/Manik/Godderz, HoH going back North, Angle offered new role in TNA, TNA changing contracts, Impact replay audience, winter weather wreaks havoc for GFW, Hart family member diagnosed with cancer, big match taped for NXT, Cena teasing big WWE signing, WWE looking at how to fix Raw ratings slide, TNA claims they had signed NJPW names, Smackdown audience, interesting guest at NXT taping, WWE Q4 2015 conference call set, and Questions on pushing Strowman and Sister Abigail

Superstars:
 - Swagger vs. Fandango:
I like these two as workers and how they work together.

Nice match overall. Fandango has a good sense of putting a match together (hint: it's not about how many cool moves you can do).

I didn't really expect to see Miz and Ziggler on Superstars. Were the Social Outcasts busy?

- Miz vs. Ziggler:
These two know each other pretty well.

Good counter-wrestling here. Two experienced performers who know how to tell a good story in the ring.

Good ending.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Former ECW Champs vs. Green Day, Total Divas debut audience, new WWE Network series, NXT guest debuting for EVOLVE, ROH cancels show, TNA audience, Interviews with Cesaro/Becky/Reigns/Styles, Smackdown attendance note, and Questions on a new nWo, NXT working with NJPW, Sunny, how the NJPW names will do in WWE, and WWE working with WWNLive

Taz told a story about Tommy Dreamer and himself having a run-in with Green Day at a hotel. You know, I really doubt Big Show and Undertaker were traveling with ECW stars. But that's on the artist, not Taz. And Green Day must be pretty short if they had to look up at Taz.

The season debut of Total Divas drew 1.12 million viewers. That's better than the average of last season, so I wouldn't expect it to be canceled if advertisers are happy with that kind of number.

"Ridealong" will debut on WWE Network Monday after Raw. It follows performers on the road together. That sounds kind of dangerous?

Tommaso Ciampa will debut for EVOLVE at this weekend's events. He's been a good addition to NXT.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

ROH and Smackdown Reax - 1/21/16

Read on for my thoughts on yesterday's ROH and Smackdown.

NXT and Main Event Reax - 1/20/16

Read on for my thoughts on yesterday's NXT and Main Event.

Party for R-Truth, Interview with Eva Marie, more on JR calling NJPW, ROH changing their look?, legends at AXXESS, Rumble kickoff match, another former TNA/ROH Champion to WWE?, Nikki to know fate soon, Raw audience, Questions on called spots, inducting the Freebirds, announce teams, Taker's WM32 opponent, and NXT callups jobbing

The WWE roster had a birthday party for R-Truth in the ring at the most recent Smackdown taping.

Eva Marie talked about potentially returning to the main roster and more:
- Is it a conspiracy theory to think Eva was cast as the villain for "Total Divas" and they never REALLY expected her to be a big part of the division so early?

- No way should she be back on the main roster. She's barely ready for NXT TV.

- If it was her decision to go to NXT to get more training, I applaud it. Hopefully she stays there for a while. She's still rough.

- She's a good heel, but mainly in the "fans want her to get out of the business" way. It's like the "please retire" chants Big Show gets.

- Asuka is pretty great. It's mainly a matter of how she'll fit her style in on the main roster.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

What happened after Raw, WWE seeking help for Mania, Sharpe remembered, JR to call NJPW, Bryan to meet with WWE docs, E&C show update, no Nikki, a lot of WWE talents heading to Orlando, HoH returning, TE winner gets heat for Tweet, where's Lana?, ZZ update, WWE cancels event, autobiography updates, another date for Brock, and Questions on Ryder, predictability, matches turning into shoots, booking the Rumble, and a real throwback HoFer

After Raw went off the air, the Wyatts stood over the fallen Brock Lesnar. That could set up something for WM32. That could be pretty interesting.

WWE is looking for volunteers during Wrestlemania weekend in Texas. It's a really big endeavor, so they'll need all the help they can get.

The recently-passed "Iron" Mike Sharpe was remembered by one of his trainees. I like the story about still doing the show for those two paying family members, as well as the one about why Stevie Richards is successful. Some other pretty good anecdotes, too. It sounds like a trip.

Jim Ross will be replacing Mauro Ranallo on the NJPW show on AXS TV. Fox Sports talked to him about the new role. He's definitely qualified and excited about the opportunity.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Impact Wrestling Reax - 1/19/16

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Impact Wrestling.

Raw Reax - 1/18/16

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw.

NXT taping note, TNA India tour update, Pop coverage updates, ROH live event notes, another title for ROH?, regular WWF performer passes away, Styles saying goodbye to ROH, WWEPC guest trainer, Interviews with Alicia/Flair, more on Bullet Club to WWE, new match for Rumble, first Rumble entrant, Smackdown preview, new method for getting merch at events, what's advertised for WWE in MSG, and former tag champ opening wrestling school

The Jan. 22 NXT taping will feature Sami Zayn vs. Samoa Joe and Bayley defending the NXT Women's Championship against Carmella. I expect Asuka or someone to get involved in that title match. Asuka vs. Bayley could be a really good.

The WWEPC will have another all access event on Jan. 23. I need to go to one of those one day.

TNA is looking to go to India this summer after postponing their tour from December. It will be interesting to see how TNA does there.

Pop has officially been added to Cablevision. So, viewers of that service will be able to watch Impact on Tuesdays going forward.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

ROH+WWE live event notes, GFW holding tryouts, Angle's last TNA match set, what's set for Raw, UK talents booked for TNA tour, and Questions on Reigns vs. HHH, 2016's big feud, this year's Rumble, a Divas MITB, and an NXT name in the Rumble

At a recent ROH live event in Illinois:
- Keith Lee and Shane Taylor defeated Alpha Class (Danny Adams & Paco Gonzalez). Lee and Taylor have worked a number of dark matches and live events for ROH since May 2015, so they could be on the road to a more regular role there. Taylor also had a few dark singles matches for them before that. As for Danny and Paco, they've also worked a number of dark matches and live events in ROH during the past year, both as singles names and as a team. Keep an eye on these four names as potential ROH performers going forward.

- Kevin Lee Davidson lost to Will Ferrara. I don't see any additional info on Davidson.

- ROH booker Delirious lost to Dalton Castle.

Nothing incredibly newsworthy coming out of NXT's second Chicago show, other than it being warmer than the afternoon show.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Superstars Reax - 1/16/16, NXT+ROH+WWE live event notes, TNA announces another match for UK tour, problems for NXT in Chicago, and Questions on this year's female HoF inductee, Hogan returning, remembering Piper, and Y2J's latest run

Superstars:
I'm rather surprised the Dudleys are working Superstars. I expected them to be a bigger part of things.

- Dudleys vs. Ascension:
Bubba and D-Von have still got it! They're doing good work.

Good stuff overall.

I liked that match!

- Breeze vs. Swagger:
Fine wrestling so far.

These two work together rather nicely.

I liked that match overall. At least Swagger can beat someone. I just wish Breeze had more going on; he's already "just another wrestler" instead of a character they can do good things with.

I liked the Outcasts promo well enough. It's a clear case of "well, we don't have anything else for any of you to do," but it's fine for that purpose.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

NXT+WWE live event notes, WWE seeking new exec, Forbes on WM32, Dreamer-WWE update, HoF sells out, Divas' Title update, Show makes a cameo, WWE press in India, Snuka update, more Brock, more Stardust vs. Amell?, Smackdown audience, indie name debuting on NXT TV soon, and Questions on GFW on TV, NJPW names working ROH, Tammy Sytch, E&C's new show, and going to WM32

Here's a report from an NXT live event in Florida this weekend:

- I think Riley made a great fired up babyface during his feud with Owens, but he was a natural heel on the main roster. I'm just glad they're using him.

- Asuka, Emma, and Dana being on this loop is surprising given the bigger crowds they've worked in front of. I hope Asuka and Dana are successful on the main roster. Could we see either or both called up in 2016? I guess that depends on the depth of the division without them.

- Levis could be fun on the main roster as another Carlito/Santino/Fandango/Rose. The roster needs future main eventers, obviously, but it also needs a fun undercard to break things up.

- It's telling how low on the priority list Ryder, Cameron, and Riley are to be stuck in Florida while another NXT group AND the main roster is touring elsewhere.

- Mojo's growing on me in the ring, too. He's still got a way to go before I'd consider him for the main roster, though.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Former TE competitor becomes TNA Knockout, Bullet Club member re-signs with NJPW, Rumble update, Steph training, NXT names working main roster, indie name working NXT tour, Interviews with Ambrose/Bayley/Bloom, and Questions on WWE's own dirtsheet, booking Lesnar, Nakamura's entrance music, future TNA tapings, and Dreamer-WWE

TNA has put out a video advertising a new Knockout, former Tough Enough competitor Gabi Castrovinci. They also had TE's Chelsea Green work their recent One Night Only PPV, but there's no word on her being signed. The Knockouts division needs some fresh blood, so this is a good start.

Bad Luck Fale has signed a new two-year deal with NJPW, so he won't be coming to WWE as part of the "Balor Club." He was a founding member of the Bullet Club. Oh, well. Hopefully we still see some great NJPW names in WWE in 2016.

WWE is trying to work out some surprises for this year's Rumble match. That's part of what makes the match so enjoyable.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

ROH and Smackdown Reax - 1/14/16

Read on for my thoughts on yesterday's ROH and Smackdown.

New WWE trademark, Bryan rumorkiller, Nakamura-WWE update, talents try out for WWE, another tour for GFW, TNA audience, WM33 location update, Austin-WM32 note, and Questions on Charlotte attacking Ric, Bryan not being cleared, the shameful Dudley Booties, a physical WWE HoF, and Austin's podcast

WWE has trademarked the character name No Way Jose, likely for NXT's  Levis Valenzuela, Jr. Given his personality and look, I think they could make something like that work for him. I look forward to seeing what he can do.

There is no truth to the rumor of Daniel Bryan being released by WWE. He remains part of the company and will be a regular part of the next season of "Total Divas." While I'm sure he'd love to be back in the ring, he's not leaving WWE to go wrestle elsewhere at this time.

Shinsuke Nakamura is scheduled to hit the WWE Performance Center in early February for some training. While he's in the U.S., he will also undergo medical testing. If those tests are passed, he'll be in the clear to sign with WWE. He remains under contract to NJPW through the end of the month, and there's no guarantee he'll pass the tests, but he's on the path to being signed. I think the "Balor Club" debuting on the main roster the night after WrestleMania would be really big, but the timing has to line up for such a thing to happen. I think WWE's going to do their best to pick up Nakamura, Styles, and some other Bullet Club members, but nothing's set in stone at this time!

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

NXT and Main Event Reax - 1/13/16

Read on for my thoughts on yesterday's NXT and Main Event.

Nakamura stripped of title, other NJPW notes regarding WWE/ROH, assorted WWE press, Raw injury, Interview with Ranallo/NXT name, new WWE exec, Sting's expected inductor, more on NXT working with EVOLVE, updates on Diva injuries, Raw audience, Raw cameo, ROH name undergoes surgery, former X-Division Champion released, more dates for Brock, and Questions on face Divas, why faces don't get sympy anymore, in memoriam segments, who's not signed by WWE, and Jeff Jarrett's legacy

NJPW has stripped Shinsuke Nakamura of his Intercontinental Championship. He will have his last match in the promotion on Jan. 30. After that show, he's expected to begin medical testing ahead of a possible signing to WWE.

Also advertised for NJPW's show on Jan. 30 are Bad Luck Fale, Karl Anderson, and Doc Gallows. So, if any of them are going to WWE, it won't be until after that show.

Interestingly, Bad Luck Fale, Karl Anderson, and Doc Gallows are also advertised for shows in mid-February. Cards are always subject to change, but it doesn't look like any of their departures are imminent. I'm guessing this is a case of them "hedging their bets," staying with NJPW on a per-show basis while they negotiate with WWE. That way if they don't get signed by HHH, they'll still be able to continue in Japan.

ROH names are also set for upcoming NJPW shows, namely Michael Elgin, The Briscoes, The Young Bucks, reDRagon, and Matt Sydal.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Impact Wrestling Reax - 1/12/16

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Impact Wrestling.

HHH remembers a friend, Cena on being replaced by Reigns, TNA visitor, Pop on new platforms, TNA tryouts, WWE announces first HoFer for 2016, NXT stars at Raw, big tours for NXT this weekend, NXT names to EVOLVE, a new ROH PPV, and matches set for Smackdown

Triple H spoke at the memorial for Motörhead's frontman. HHH and Lemmy really go back a way. I think it'd be completely appropriate to induct Lemmy into the celebrity wing of the HoF in Dallas.

John Cena endorsed Roman Reigns on Twitter ahead of the WWE Champion replacing John on an upcoming Indian tour. WWE is definitely committed to establishing Reigns as a top guy.

John Cena put over Roman Reigns on Twitter for the WWE Champion replacing Cena on WWE's upcoming Indian tour. WWE is definitely investing in Roman as becoming a star at Cena's level, which will be easier said than done.

WCW name Crowbar was visiting at a recent TNA taping. I wonder if he'll ever make a cameo there at a One Night Only show or something.

Pop will launch on Cablevision later this month, and will be part of AT&T U-Verse starting in March. That's good news for TNA potentially expanding their audience.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Raw Reax - 1/11/16

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw.

NXT and WWE live event notes, UK name to be added to TNA tour, and Questions on ADR vs. Kalisto, One Man Gang, whom to push with Cena gone, Brock on Raw, and the date of the Rumble

Here are results from another NXT live event this weekend:
- Swann and Girard (Busick) got some good hype when they were signed, so I'm glad they're working out on live events.

- Sylvester LeFort is just kind of hanging out right now. I don't know where he fits in going forward. There's got to be someone who could benefit from a manager?

- I'm interested in potentially seeing Tino on TV soon.

On a WWE live event this weekend, the team of Rowan/Harper/Strowman beat the Dudleys/Dreamer. Later, when Kane faced Bray Wyatt, the former ECW names prevented the other Family members from getting involved via a kendo stick.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Superstars Reax - 1/9/16, Orton update, Cesaro note, new Vince merch, NXT and WWE live event notes, next Stone Cold podcast set, Network programming note, and Questions on TNA's live PPV, NJPW signings, the Berzeker, Nailz, and an EVOLVE cameo on Raw

Superstars:

- Breeze vs. Swagger:

I like Breeze's personality. He's much more interesting than Mike Dalton.

Good match so far from a psychology perspective.

That was good enough, I guess.

I thought Konnor was out of action?

- Goldust/Truth vs. Ascension:

This is a pretty crazy combination of characters.

Truth does his role pretty well, I think.

Goldust remains a strong worker. I really want to see him do a run in NXT before it's all over.

Konnor isn't doing a ton in this match, so maybe he's still recovering to a degree.

Good match!

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

AAA pilot for the U.S., LU to air in Canada, more on Cena, NXT duo gets team name, NXT commentary change, Diva injuries, Balor on NJPW signings, Smackdown audience, TNA production change, ex-WWE star at Impact, talent on WWE radar re-signs with NJPW, and Questions on old wrestling regulations, Great Kabuki, Taker's WM32 opponent, Hogan at WM32, and Cena's injury

A pilot has been shot for a weekly AAA show with English commentary to air in the U.S. This is believed to be separate from the cult hit LU, but that show's success paved the way for this pilot. I'm interested to see how AAA would catch on in the U.S., and if WWE would change anything if it ended up being a hit. LU's ratings aren't even at TNA's DA level, so Vince and co. aren't exactly breaking a sweat. But it would be good for them to have a big competitor that would force them to up their game. They're lacking in the Latin market right now. 

Lucha Underground will begin airing on a Canadian channel once Season 2 begins. Episodes will air a few days after they're shown in the States. It's a relatively small network, but that's still a good step for them! 

John Cena's recent shoulder surgery was a success. Dr. James Andrews should be in the WWE HoF someday for all the work he's done getting athletes back on their feet.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

TNA One Night Only: Bethlehem Reax

Read on for my thoughts on last night's TNA PPV.

GFW notes, Dreamer-TNA update, Interviews with Heyman/Dixie, more on WWE-WWNLive relationship, WWE alumni to get reality shows on Network?, pilot for new WWE series filmed, Cena's live event replacement, important Bryan tweet, and Questions on NJPW stars to WWE

Bobby Roode is working GFW shows on Jan. 22-23. He's the only TNA talent set for the shows. I think it'd be beneficial for both companies to keep working together. TNA names could get more work/experience, and GFW names could fill out TNA cards.

GFW will be partnering with German promotion wXw for shows on April 22-23. International partnerships are a key part of GFW's plans.

Tommy Dreamer was not at this week's TNA TV tapings, leading to speculation of him being done with the company. Theoretically this opens him up to working regularly for WWE/NXT (rather in the ring or otherwise), although I expect he'll keep HoH as his top priority. I think that's a loss for TNA. He was a valuable addition to live events and an occasionally to TV.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

ROH and Smackdown Reax - 1/7/16

Read on for my thoughts on last night's ROH and Smackdown.

Main Event Reax - 1/6/16, More on NJPW stars potentially going to WWE, Raw and TNA audiences, WWE tag team name injured, Y2J in the mix, Storm-TNA update, original plan for TNA World Title, Interview with Angle, ROH-NJPW notes, lineup for Friday's TNA PPV, Brock set for Fastlane, Jeff Hardy back in the ring, big injury to Cena, and Questions on Sting's next match, part-timers in WWE, the Freebirds in the HoF, Full Sail, and the Attitude Era

Main Event:
J.O.B. Squad 2016. I'm fine with there being a random group of undercard heels as long as it's entertaining. Heck, it gives them something to do!

I enjoyed that opening promo, as silly as it was. I enjoy random undercard comedy heels.

I guess the Usos need some other partners. Kalisto and.... Sandow? That could work.

Kind of weird for Stardust to acknowledge being Cody after actively fighting it for so long. I did like all the references.

I like Titus' promos. He's not a particularly deep character, but he gets the job done.

- Titus vs. Stardust:
Fine match so far.

Both these guys know how to put a match together. This is some good working.

Nice match overall. I like Titus, but I kind of wanted Stardust to win this one. I feel like Titus usually wins these encounters.

- Breeze vs. Ryder:
Good match for the time it had. It is kind of a shame Breeze is already stuck in this place on the card, with no Summer Rae to boot.

- Usos vs. Axel/Bo:
HILARIOUS victory lap spot. I like this group already. Let them have fun with it.

Good match so far. The Usos are really fluid as a team.

Wow, the new faction is already losing. I didn't really expect them to beat the Usos clean, but it's still pretty telling about where those four heels are.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Updates on top NJPW names to WWE, WWE Network in two new big markets, ROH-NJPW notes, and Questions on rebooting TNA, Renee as a commentator, gloves, booking the Rumble, and Divas booking

AJ Styles has worked his final scheduled appearance for NJPW, with the Bullet Club turning on him and dropping him from the group. So, they definitely have an "out" for him if he is indeed leaving. As was said, he's also worked his last scheduled dates for ROH, and has been removed from their advertisements.

Update: Styles bowed for the crowd at the event, which I'm sure

IWGP Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura lost a tag match at that same NJPW show, leading to speculation of him dropping the title soon. He remains under contract for the time being, and is still in negotiations with NJPW, but there is definitely talk of him losing the championship and heading somewhere else (with NXT/WWE seemingly the most likely destination).

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Impact Wrestling Reax - 1/5/16

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Impact Wrestling.

ROH notes from NJPW show, assorted WWE press, WWE developmental names to work main roster, more NXT dates set, Sin Cara update, new open for Impact Wrestling, Nikki Bella update, former KO Champ leaves TNA, Raw pre-show gets new co-host, Smackdown audience, Lesnar to Raw, matches set for Smackdown, top NJPW stars leaving?, big change to 2016 Rumble, and Questions on the Ascension, Rock vs. Owens, Total Divas, touring the WWE office, and future HoF classes

ROH related notes from the big NJPW show yesterday:
- ROH booker Delirious was present.

- Cheeseburger was a surprise in the NJPW Rumble, at the Japanese company's request.Things just get crazier.

- Haku (Meng) was also a surprise in their Rumble, which is really cool. He was representing the Bullet Club, because they'll take anyone, I guess.

- The Young Bucks won the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championships.

- The Briscoes and Toru Yano won the NEVER Open Weight Six Man Tag Team Championships whatever that means.

- Lethal retained the ROH Championship after hitting Elgin with the Book of Truth.

- ROH will have shows in Japan on Feb. 19 and 20.

- AJ Styles lost his IWGP Intercontinental Title match.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Raw Reax - 1/4/16

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw.

McMahons in Dallas, new match for TNA Pop debut, TNA website changing, and Questions on Punk vs. Nash, dropping an hour of Raw, Lemmy in the HoF, the state of the Divas' Revolution, and Roman not helping Ambrose

Fresh out of jail, Vince McMahon joined Stephanie McMahon and Triple H as special guests at the Dallas Cowboys game at the site of WM32. I wonder where Linda and Shane were.

Added to TNA's debut on Pop: The Beautiful People (Velvet Sky, Madison Rayne, and Angelina Love) vs. The Dollhouse (Jade, Marti Bell, and Rebel). I haven't heard anything about Angelina having given birth or anything, so I don't know what they have in mind here. It would be a nice surprise for someone to take her place as an honorary member of BP. Kong?

Update: Taryn Terrell not being part of that match has been noted, leading to speculation regarding her status in TNA. More on this tomorrow.

TNA is in the process of updating their website. They really need to, given how many people were listed on the active roster who had left months previously.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Superstars Reax - 1/2/16, former New Nexus member has new career, another title match for Impact's Pop debut, a look at Florida's territory days, women liking wrestling, Y2J Mania update, how WWE is "dying," and Questions on Angle to WWE, top WM32 matches, and Mantaur

Superstars:
I wonder why this isn't Rose and (say) Slater against PTP?

- D. Young vs. Rose:
Young is definitely a good hand in the ring.

Heck, Rose isn't bad himself.

Nice win for Darren! I think him being in a tag team makes it easy to forget how strong his in-ring work is.

Two former ECW Champions on this team.

- Henry/Swagger vs. Ascension:
That was good for the time it had. Henry's really a "utility player"adding credibility at this point. I like him and admire his years of service, but I think they've gotten just about everything they can from him. I'd like to see one last run in a top position challenging someone like Reigns for the title, but it's all a matter of how much more Mark can contribute.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

WWE live event notes, WWE Future Endeavored Class of 2015 remembered, old ROH name coming back, teaser for TNA debut, and Questions on Damien Sandow, Cena fans, Owens in LoN, CZW, and the Big Bad Booty Daddy

At a recent WWE live event, the team of Sandow/Axel/Fandango/Truth/Lucha Booties beat New Day/Los Matadores/Slater. Sin Cara was kept out of the ring due to his shoulder issues. No word on when he'll be back in the ring again. It's also worth noting El Torito wasn't with Los Matadores, presumably because they're working as heels now. Torito hasn't really done much in months. They should pair him with Slater or someone else who's not doing anything. Torito could be part of the act of the ONE MAN BAAAAAAAAAND like Kid Rock used to have.

On the other set of live event, the Hype Bros teamed with Titus O'Neil to beat Cosmic Wasteland. Darren Young was not in action, despite working a dark match at Smackdown and as part of Superstars. There might not be anything to this, but it's certainly interesting PTP aren't working as a duo lately. It seems pretty apparent WWE wants to use Titus more than Darren, but they already split the team once and it didn't really work out like they wanted it to.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Kliq hand symbol update, new WWE trademark, WWE duo splits, another ROH prospect, end of year NXT poll, TNA special audience, and Questions on WWE PPV markets, the Mass Transit Incident tape, turning the Wyatts, Nailz post-WWF, and ECW's best match

WWE's request to trademark the Kliq/Wolfpack hand gesture has been abandoned due to WWE not responding to the USPTO in time. It could be a matter of not wanting to get negative publicity/give further attention to those using the gesture made famous in WWE and WWE-owned properties.

WWE has applied to trademark the gimmick name "American Alpha." I'm interested in what talent that would be applied to. I don't see Jack Swagger getting that kind of love from Creative. Maybe Jordan and Gable?

WWE has split Tyler Breeze and Summer Rae. It's usually not a good sign when an act is tossed within a few months of being put together. I hope it means they've got better plans for Prince Pretty. Summer Rae will hopefully still be in the picture in another act; she's done well with what they've put her in so far.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Smackdown Reax - 12/31/15

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Smackdown.