WWE Considering Major Stadium Event In Ireland; May 12th Live Wrestling News Round-Up

‘The Mastodon’ is one of WWE’s most feared competitors in history, with tales of his strength and toughness transcending generations.

However, according to WWE Hall of Famer Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts, Vader was “a bully” during his time with the WWE.

During an “Ask Jake Anything” episode of The Snake Pit, Roberts was asked if he has any legitimate heat with other Superstars.

Roberts shared that during his Royal Rumble return, Vader broke his sternum, which led to him demanding never to work with the monster heel again.

The Hall of Famer would go on to call Vader a bully and discuss how Shawn Michaels was among those who had issues with the former WCW Champion.

“Vader was one. Vader was a bully.”

“He would pull s*** when he knew he could pull s***. I believe Shawn Michaels and him had a little problem too.”

You can read Robert’s full statement, here.

A new report has given an update on AEW’s impeding new television deal, and what it could mean for Being The Elite.

It has been widely reported that this news will be the launch of a new show titled Collision, and a new media rights agreement with Warner Bros Discovery.

While the future home of AEW’s pay-per-views remains uncertain, all programming will now come under the WBD banner. This is reportedly at least one of the reasons that AEW Dark and Dark: Elevation have been brought to an end.

Writing in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer noted that the deal will include all AEW programming, but not Ring of Honor which is seen as a separate company. Popular YouTube show Being The Elite will also stay independent.

You can read the full report, here.

Despite rumours of unrest, it has been reported there are multiple WWE Superstars who are happy Vince McMahon is back.

Despite former reports to the contrary, it has now been suggested that McMahon does have some support on the roster. Speaking on a recent PWTorch audio show, Wade Keller noted that some people he’s spoken to are “at least happy Vince was back contributing to creative.”

Keller added that some feel they are getting a better push now McMahon is back involved once again.

Continuing on, Keller stated that one person backstage said McMahon was more focused on building babyfaces while Triple H is focused on heels.

You can read the full details of this report, here.

Are you glad Vince McMahon  is back in WWE? Let us know by hitting the thumbs down below!

Ahead of tonight’s generational WWE SmackDown main event between Edge, AJ Styles and Rey Mysterio, ‘The Rated R Superstar’ has admitted that he knows his career is going to end soon!

Speaking in a clip on social media, he addressed the two men he will face in the Triple Threat match part of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship tournament.

Hi everybody. So, this isn’t some kind of mapped out wrestling promo or anything. I’m sitting in what is my second home, a wrestling ring, trying to get in some reps before SmackDown tomorrow night where I face Rey Mysterio and AJ Styles.

“I can’t say enough about those guys, I know AJ and I have had our differences in the past, you know the history of me and Rey Rey. Those two guys are the reason a lot of people are in our industry and I expect to have one hell of a match. I also expect to win it, I have to.”

The star went on to explain how the creation of the World Heavyweight Championship feels like his career going full circle as he can recapture the title he never lost.

“Some people have been running around saying they’re gonna finish their stories, and good for them, but it made me think a little bit about my story. The introduction of the WWE Heavyweight Championship, look at that thing, it even looks like the title that I never lost, looks like Big Gold.

“12 years ago, I was forced to give that thing up, never had a chance to get it back. Now I have a chance, and it all comes full circle. This ride, it’s gonna end sooner than later, let’s face it, we all know that. I gotta get this done, it’s the last thing to do, it’s the period on the end of the sentence, right? It’s the last sentence in the book. I gotta get that stuff outta the basement, and I just gotta do it.”

You can read more about Edge’s potential retirement, here.

Bobby Fish has given a positive update on Kyle O’Reilly’s recovery from neck surgery.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Nick Hausman for Inside The Ropes, O’Reilly’s former tag team partner Bobby Fish gave an update on his progress. Fish has been teaming with O’Reilly on and off since they were in Ring of Honor together back in 2012.

Over the following decade, the pair won tag team gold in ROH, NJPW, and WWE.

With regard to his friend’s recovery, Fish said that it’s a slow process, but he’s doing much better, describing the neck surgery as “overdue.”

You can check out Fish’s full statement, here.

It has been claimed that Eddie Guerrero wanted to quit wrestling and spend more time with his family before he sadly passed away in late 2005.

In the years since he passed away, it has often been said that the star was determined to do everything he could for his family and had become acutely aware of how much time he was spending on the road.

Speaking in a new interview with Chris Van Vliet, Guerrero’s nephew Chavo, explained that the former World Champion was feeling burned out by the industry. Chavo said that his uncle had discussed retiring, but felt he didn’t know how to do anything else other than be a wrestler.

 “I remember him coming to me and saying ‘I don’t want to be here anymore.’ I said what do you mean? He said ‘I don’t want to wrestle anymore.”

You can read Chavo’s full statement, here.

AEW is smashing records left and right as they build momentum for their first UK event this August as they take over Wembley for AEW All In.

The young promotion is heading to Wembley Stadium for the first professional wrestling event at the famous venue since SummerSlam in 1992. While there are yet to be any matches announced for the huge show, tickets have proved to be in high demand.

The pre-sale saw 50,000 tickets sold and that figure has continued to grow since the general sale began.

Writing in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer stated that the event has now sold around 62,000 tickets.

You can read the full ticket sale breakdown, here.

Do you think AEW All In will be a success? Let us know by hitting the thumbs below!

Sonya Deville is one of WWE’ most charismatic stars and a fan favourite for her infectious personality and unique style, and now she has taken to Celtic Warrior Workout’s to give Sheamus a taste of what it takes to train with the ‘Jersey Deville’

You can check out the incredible video below ⬇️

Ahead of tonight’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown let’s take a look at everything announced for the first show following Saturday’s blockbuster Backlash PLE in Puerto Rico.

• Roman Reigns returns with a purpose
• Edge, Rey Mysterio and AJ Styles collide in chance for another taste at World Championship gold
• Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez defend their Women’s Tag Team Titles against Damage CTRL
• Sheamus vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Austin Theory to battle it out in World Heavyweight Title Tournament

Earlier reports have also confirmed that multiple NXT call-ups will be showcased during the show including Cameron Grimes.

You can read more about these reports, here.

Robert Roode hasn’t wrestled since appearing at a WWE live event in Amarillo, Texas back on June 25th, and it seems that he won’t be back any time soon.

In November it was revealed that the star had undergone spinal fusion surgery on his C5-C6 vertebrae and the man himself has now confirmed that he underwent a second surgery on May 11th. Writing on Instagram, Roode wrote that he had undergone C4-C5 fusion.

The update from the former TNA star comes just weeks after it was reported that he wouldn’t be back in the ring any time soon. Roode only appeared in 12 televised matches in 2022 as his long-time partnership with Dolph Ziggler appeared to fizzle out.

You can read Roode’s full statement, here.

Do you think we will ever see Roode back in a WWE ring? Let us know by hitting the thumbs below!

Roman Reigns is heading back to SmackDown, but what’s next for the Tribal Chief?

In a report on social media, WRKD Wrestling stated that Reigns will continue to lose trust in The Usos, and “take matters into his own hands” at Night of Champions. The show in Saudi Arabia is WWE’s next Premium Live Event and is believed to be the next time Reigns will get in the ring.

The report also notes that a number of NXT stars will make their main roster debuts. It has already been announced that Cameron Grimes will make his in-ring SmackDown debut when he takes on Baron Corbin.

You can read the full report, here.

Kurt Angle was told not to compete in professional wrestling by someone close to them.

One of the most frustrating things about being a professional wrestling fan is being told that it is fake by those that are not fans of the industry. Despite the rise in popularity, wrestling has still been met with scepticism, with people still arguing that it is not a sport and should not be taken seriously.

This was also the case back in 1998, when accomplished freestyle wrestler Kurt Angle was looking to transition from the Olympics to the squared circle.

Despite being offered a deal worth millions of dollars, Angle’s agent was not impressed. Speaking on Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw, the WWE Hall of Famer revealed that his agent Ralph Cindrich was against the idea as he felt that Angle was a real wrestler and that WWE was not.

“He [Kurt’s agent] says, ‘You’re not doing this c**p. It’s fake. You’re the real deal.’ He goes, ‘I’ll get you a job, don’t worry.’”

You can read the full interview, here.

Fans hoping to see Bret Hart at AEW All In look set to be disappointed.

Bret Hart wrote his name in British wrestling legend with his role in WWE’s historic SummerSlam 1992 PPV at Wembley Stadium in London, England.

With AEW set for their inaugural UK PPV this August, many fans have been calling for ‘The Excellence of Execution’ to make an appearance over thirty years after he and Davey Boy Smith tore the roof off at SummerSlam ’92.

However, according to Dave Meltzer, an appearance for Hart could be impossible.

Writing in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Meltzer said that Hart’s legend’s deal with WWE will likely prevent him from appearing.

You can read Meltzer’s full report, here.

Would you like to see Bret Hart make an appearance at AEW All In this August? Let us know by hitting the thumbs below!

In an interview with Love Wrestling, ‘The Underdog from The Underground’ Sami Zayn would reveal how Chris Jericho inadvertently inspired the creation of his now iconic ‘Helluvah Kick’ finisher.

Zayn would reveal that it was reading the match results inside WCW Magazine that led to him naming his signature Running Yakuza Kick the ‘Helluvah Kick’ decades later.

“If you want the actual history here, I don’t know if I have ever said this in an interview before but what it is, is when I was a kid I had WCW Magazine and I was reading some match results and it said Chris Jericho defeated Syxx, or maybe it was the other way around, with a hell of a kick but it was written ‘helluva’ like that and I thought it was a ‘helluvah kick’. So I thought it was a type of kick. So I told this story to Excalibur, who now does commentary on AEW every Wednesday. I told this story to him at dinner one time at Denny’s after a PWG show and then we started calling the Running Yakuza Kick in the corner that I would do at the time, we started calling it the Halluvah Kick.”

You can check out fantastic interview clip below

@lovewrestlingca

Sami Zayn on Helluva Kick Origins! #wwe #wwetiktok #wwettfam #samizayn #helluvakick #aew #aewdynamite #samiforsyria #lovewrestling #ilovewrestling #elgenerico

♬ original sound – Love Wrestling 🇨🇦

According to a new report the controversy involving Thunder Rosa and members of the AEW women’s locker room is far from over.

Rosa finally made her return to AEW in February when she began working as part of the Spanish commentary team and returned to television on May 10th. During her absence, Rosa revealed that she had apologised to the locker room, and tried to drop the Women’s Title as soon as had to take time off. Her return to television also came as a surprise given her back is still in bad shape, and could even require surgery.

Reporting in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reiterated that Rosa might need surgery, and pointed to comments made previously by others who questioned the validity of the issues. He added that there are still “fences that need to be mended” between the star and others in the locker room.

You can read Meltzer’s full comments, here.

Are you looking forward to seeing Rosa back in an AEW ring? Let us know by hitting the thumbs down below!

Thunder Rosa is best known for her incredible performances as AEW Women’s Champion, however the AEW Superstar has now taken to YouTube to showcase another aspect of her incredible talent.

On May 11th 2023 (Mother’s Day in Mexico) Rosa would release the music video for a new song titled Mi Mejor Escuela, a Mariachi style ballad performed with backing instruments from Mariachi Femenil Reinas de Tijuana.

The video has racked up an impressive 17,500 views in the first day of release and has shocked many fans who were unaware of Rosa’s incredible voice.

You can check out the beautiful ballad below ⬇️

When it comes to telling you what he thinks Vince McMahon is well known for having the grace and elegance of a bull in a china shop and it turns out that is true, even if your name is Kurt Angle.

Speaking on Stories with Briscoe and Bradshaw, Angle would reveal a conversation he had with the then WWE CEO over how best to portray Kurt’s character to the WWE with  ‘The Olympic Gold Medallist’ wanting to focus more on his wrestling, something McMahon shot down in spectacular fashion, warning Angle that when it comes to the WWE he is going “f*cking sink or swim.”

You can read McMahon’s incredible rant in full, here.

Is Kurt Angle the greatest pure wrestler in WWE history? Let us know by hitting the thumbs down below!

Make that three CM Punk updates this afternoon!

Following on from the news that a member of the AEW roster is legally prevented from apologising to Punk and the news that he has set his sights on a Championship match against Samoa Joe, we now have an update on CM Punk’s AEW return itself.

Writing in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer stated that the announcement of Collision is imminent, and the debut episode will be known as “The Second Coming”, a clear and obvious reference to CM Punk’s AEW debut on the inaugural episode of AEW Rampage titled “The First Dance.”

“With that show will come a new deal with WBD, the announcement of the 6/17 debut date, believed to be at the United Center in Chicago, and the return of C.M. Punk on a show called “The Second Coming.

You can read Meltzer’s full report, here.

Are you looking forward to CM Punk’s AEW return or are you over it? Let us know by using the ‘get involved’ button at the top of the page!

Throughout this afternoon we will be sharing with you Dave Meltzer’s ratings for various matches from WWE Backlash 2023.

We are looking for your thoughts on the ratings, if you agree, disagree and what you would have rated the match.

Bad Bunny and Damian Priest stole the show with their incredible Street Fight with the returns of Carlito Colon and Savio Vega being met with electric pops and many fans labelling the match as the greatest celebrity appearance in WWE history.

Dave Meltzer has rated Bad Bunny vs Damian Priest at WWE Backlash 4.5 stars.

What do you think of Meltzer’s rating? Do you agree or disagree with the rating? Let us know by hitting the thumbs down below and write in with your ratings for the show using the ‘get involved’ button at the top of the page and we will share them throughout the afternoon!

During the main event of NJPW Best of the Super Juniors day one, ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey showed why he is one of wrestling’s fastest rising stars as he toppled the phenomenal Hiromu Takahashi in an incredible match.

Here are the full results form NJPW BOSJ Day 1:

• Clark Connors def. Kevin Knight
• Taiji Ishimori def. Ryusuke Taguchi
• Dan Moloney def. Bushi
• Douki def. Kushida
• Master Wato def. Francesco Akira
• Lio Rush def. Sho
• Robbie Eagles def. Yoh
• Titan def. TJP
• Yoshinobu Kanemaru def. El Desperado
• Mike Bailey def. Hiromu Takahashi

What did you think of BOSJ Day One? Let us know by hitting the thumbs down below!

As rumours about his WWE future continue to swirl, a new report has given an update on speculation Drew McIntyre could feature at AEW All In.

Many fans have begun to speculate that with a WWE exit seemingly on the horizon, that Drew McIntyre could be AEW’s ace in the pocket to help ensure AEW All In is a major success when it comes to Wembley in August 2023.

Writing in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer offered something of a rumour killer. Meltzer noted McIntyre wouldn’t become a free agent until 2024, and it’s likely that WWE will be adding time to his deal due to the time he’s spent out with injury.

You can read the full details of the report, here.

Do you think McIntyre will re-sign with the WWE? Let us know by hitting the thumbs down below!

Why have just one CM Punk AEW update when you can have two!

With reports that CM Punk is on his way back to AEW, speculation is swirling as to who his first opponent will be.

A May 10th report from Fightful Select indicated that Punk was pitching for a “huge match” upon his return, and that he had an opponent in mind that wasn’t Chris Jericho. Now, Fightful Select provides an update, reporting that Punk has been pushing to face current ROH World Television Champion Samoa Joe.

You can read more about Punk’s plans and a potential feud with Samoa Joe, here.

Would you like to see CM Punk & Samoa Joe go at it one more time? Let us know by hitting the thumbs down below!

Another day, another CM Punk update.

This time a new report has claimed that someone not named CM Punk is being prevented from apologising as the fallout from All Out continues.

Writing in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer noted that the “legal issues” surrounding the AEW All Out Brawl are still in play meaning that no one can discuss what happened or speak to the ‘other side.’ As such, one person, in particular, has been prevented from making an apology, this person is said to not be CM Punk.

You can read Meltzer’s full report, here.

Throughout this afternoon we will be sharing with you Dave Meltzer’s ratings for various matches from WWE Backlash 2023.

We are looking for your thoughts on the ratings, if you agree, disagree and what you would have rated the match.

Kicking things off we have Bianca Belair and Iyo Sky’s Raw Women’s Championship match – a fan favourite match from the night and one of the hottest reactions of Iyo Sky’s WWE career.

Dave Meltzer has rated Bianca Belair vs Iyo Sky 4.25 stars.

What do you think of Meltzer’s rating? Do you agree or disagree with the rating? Let us know by hitting the thumbs down below and write in with your ratings for the show using the ‘get involved’ button at the top of the page and we will share them throughout the afternoon!

Dwayne Johnson has commented on the deal between WWE and Endeavor as well as his revealing his recent conversations with Vince McMahon.

Appearing on NBC’s Sqwark on the Street, Johnson, AKA The Rock, discussed the deal, commenting that he “connected with Vince the other day.”

With regard to the future of WWE, Johnson said that he was excited about the merger.

“I see smooth sailing. They’ve known each other for a very long time. We all have, as a matter of fact, and I see smooth sailing with this. This has been a long time coming. Think about where Vince started. I often talk about my seven bucks moment, how I had seven bucks in my pocket when I was cut from the Canadian Football League.

Vince had his seven bucks moment as well when he leveraged every dollar he had for the very first WrestleMania. Years later, he creates this merger with Ari that is in the billions of dollars. I see, when I say smooth sailing, these guys are adamant on creating an incredible conglomerate that is going to entertain the masses. Between WWE, UFC, Bullriding, and probably other things that are coming down the pipe, I’m excited about this merger.”

You can read more about WWE’s current plans for Dwayne Johnson, here.

Do you think we will see Dwayne Johnson make his WWE return ahead of WrestleMania 40? Let us know by hitting the thumbs down below!

During a new interview with Mark Andrews, former WWE Raw Women’s Champion, Becky Lynch has revealed that WWE have asked about a potential stadium event in Ireland.

Appearing on Mark Andrews’ ‘My Love Letter to Wrestling’, Lynch would reveal that WWE had asked her about a potential stadium show in Ireland and that she had even given them a potential venue for a show.

“We were just talking about that. Yes, I gave the venue and all, the RDS, we can have one. I don’t know that we have the population to sustain it, but I think when you have the UK and Europe so close, absolutely.”

The RDS Arena is a 18,500 capacity stadium located in Ballsbridge, Dublin, which is currently owned by the Royal Dublin Society.

WWE had previously scheduled an NXT UK TakeOver event in Dublin back in 2021, however the event was initially postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and has since been scrapped due to WWE’s decision to end the NXT UK experiment after four years.

Good Afternoon!

We are back for the final live news blog of the week and it looks to be a busy afternoon as Becky Lynch reveals plans for a WWE stadium show in Ireland, Dwayne Johnson reveals recent conversations with Vince McMahon and Dave Meltzer angers Twitter with his star ratings for WWE’s 2023 Backlash PLE.https://itr.to/ZRDx0Sne

We will be with you from 12pm-6pm BST (7am – 1pm EST) covering all the latest news, rumours and reports from the world of wrestling.

As always if you have anything you would like to ask us, or anything you would like us to provide you an update on, then let us know using the ‘get involved’ button at the top of the page!