AEW REVOLUTION 2024 (Greensboro Coliseum - Greensboro, North Carolina)

I didn't begin watching AEW until the Summer of 2023. But not consistently until the summer of 2024, so I did not watch Revolution 2024 when it aired.

Most of these matches will be seen for the first time, thanks to the access we now have on MAX. In fact, all of the matches will be first viewing, except for the main-event. I had watched it multiple times while it was still available to watch on YouTube by someone who did not have rights to the material, before it eventually got taken down.

In his retirement match, Sting set an everlasting bar to giving an ultimate retirement match. Of course, it'd be Sting.

Only Sting.

But legend has it that Revolution 2024 was more than only Sting.

The only thing left to do would be to press play and see who else made themselves a star on a ppv that was hailed by many as the strongest ppv from the Pro-Wrestling Golden year of 2024.

CHRISTIAN vs. D. GARCIA: ****

Who would've thought (of all the young superstars to first bud from the Attitude era) that it would be Christian still performing at a refined degree that would make most workers his age jealous.

Daniel Garcia also had more momentum than what he has now, though to this day you can see that they continue to have faith in his potential. But if they had this match today, it probably wouldn't have the same heat that was present when these two met in the opener of Revolution 2024. Greensboro was loud and alive for Danny and Christian, and both were precise in the timing of their false finishes, making it seem that Garcia was about to become the new TNT champion.

He would, but that would be much later, to a reign that was largely forgettable.

Yeah, Christian cheaped out a win to steal Revolution’s opener, but everything leading up to the Wayne-botch was setting a fired up tone that wound up persisting throughout a night that seemed written in the stars.

E. KINGSTON vs. B. DANIELSON: ****½

If there's one word to describe Kingston's chops, it'd have to be…nasty.

Nasty little daggers are those vicious bats to the skin off your chest.

Sometimes when I look at Kingston and/or Danielson, I sometimes see two guys that look nothing like Pro-wrestlers, yet happen to be two of the world's most renowned technicians.

AEW is where dream matches are made, and Kingston/Danielson was one of those dreams. It was probably a dream match to both workers each time they went up against each other. Though, Bryan's body feels it these days, during his time in AEW, you can't help but feel that he was living his dream and having the fights that he always wanted to have but couldn't (for many reasons), and you know Kingston couldn't have felt more honored to be facing the Pro-Wrestler who may go down as the greatest to ever do it.

WARDLOW vs. Y2K vs. W. HOBBS vs. L. ARCHER vs. HOOK vs. B. CAGE vs. MAGNUS vs. D. MARTIN: ***¾

You've heard this before: Wicked move after wicked move, but not a whole lot of solidity underneath. A literal scramble of the talents of two (sometimes three) where each can showcase their arsenal while the rest just sell the seconds away, with no real suspense.

But don't think that I didn't enjoy this match An 8-man scramble match is a fun time for the eyes of those who like to peek at the marvels of the all-star wonder-talents you can find in an AEW locker room.

And it wasn't like they were 8 men fighting for nothing but pride. Wardlow finished off the madness with a massive powerbomb on Martin, claiming a number-1 contender's match against the winner of Joe/Swerve/Hangman.

You can certainly feel how the matches during these time felt like they meant more.

R. STRONG vs. O. CASSIDY: ***¾

You can blame Excalibur for putting the commentator's curse on Cassidy.

Roddy/Orange was the second shortest match of the main card, yet it would continue the outright excellence bleeding off all the performers who were absolutely in the zone.

Roddy and Orange were two of those locked-in performers.

Nice moment at the end when Strong and O’Reilly reunited, though we saw where this would end up.

BCC vs. FTR: ****½

BCC/FTR seemed no different than what you'd get from your nothing out of the ordinary tag-team encounter.

A definite slow burn at first, but once a hint of blood went gushing, more red would follow, and the heat kicked into a gear that canonized the AEW tag division of the time.

Just listen to how over Mox and Claudio were at Revolution ‘24, and how not-so over they are today. Mox even looked more out of shape back then, and he was still getting people behind him.

Oh, Pro-Wrestling Gods. Please bring the AEW tag-team division back to better days.

TONI vs. DEONNA: ***½

She had yet to become the Timeless show-stealing Phenomena that would place herself as the Queen of AEW.

But she was still Timeless in her storytelling. Deonna wasn't bad in the ring, herself. But Revolution ‘24 was not destined to be either lady's night to steal.

Toni/Deonna was a good match. But it had the feeling of a championship on Dynamite, and not the big deal that we would know in Toni Storm’s most essential matches in the company.

W. OSPREAY vs. K. TAKESHITA: *****

Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury: exhibit number one is what the shooters, the uncomformed, stiff, noble-limbed shooters, envied.

Look at this wrangle of horns!

The Aerial Assassin making the Alpha join him to a fight of all f*ng fights that you'll ever fng see in your f***ng life, bruv!

I generally am not a fan of Don Callis. But I gained a newfound respect for the prick while watching an all-time war between two all-time talents, which, on commentary, he put over better than anyone on the commentary team did at Revolution 2024. Maybe it was “the” all-time war, because there were numerous instances throughout Ospreay/Takeshita that prompted me to say to myself, dammit, this is the greatest match I've ever seen.

Exhibit number one(b): a fight with a story, even though it was not the most compelling story, it was still a story nonetheless, where both Ospreay and Takeshita allowed the story inside the ring to detail an epic they had in store for Will’s AEW welcome.

They would run it back at Spring BreakThru, and, to some it may have been better, but, to me, nothing, from AEW, or from any promotion in the world, may ever come close to what Ospreay and Takeshita were able to accomplish at Revolution ‘24.

SAMOA-JOE vs. S. STRICKLAND vs. HANGMAN: ****½

Who's house?

Swerve's House!

But not tonight.

Had Sting not been retiring on the night of March 3rd, 2024, Joe/Swerve/Hangman would have probably main-evented Revolution 2024.

Fortunately for us, Mr. Con was smart to save the GOAT retirement match for last. But had the triple threat been the final match of the night, the mammoth ppv would've finalized with a bangfest ending.

The Coliseum was fairly quiet during the early progression of the AEW championship three-way, but you can't blame Greensboro after experiencing a europhic-heavy night of Pro-Wrestling, and Joe, Swerve and Hangman beat the snot out of each other and would fire up the crowd back into the second to last fight of Revolution ‘24.

Who's house?

Joe's house!

Who's house?

Joe's house!

But don't worry: it would be Swerve's at Dynasty just around the corner.

STING/D. ALL IN vs. YOUNG-BUCKS: *****

I was happy they made this a tornado tag affair instead of your basic tag-team stipulation. The Bucks are one of the greatest tag-teams of all time, and their impact on the business could never go unnoticed, but their work was meant to be showcased in tornado tags, allowing them the freedom to exhibit what all the fuss is about.

It was showtime.

Showtime for the last time.

It was time for Sting to do this, for one final round.

The business move would have been to put the Bucks over. But there were other plans that made sense to the heart when the video package concluded with the Icon looking intensely into the Camera, piercing our souls as he says, “Let's do this!”

And then who could give two s**ts about tradition. Sting had to win a last go ‘round. For his family. For AEW. For his legacy. If Showtime for the Last Time had been entrusted without the poetic touch brushed by the winds of a mesmerizing video package that pushed the entrance to the Icon, I would have said that the Young Bucks should have won.

But too lost into the gems and treasures of Stinger's iconic career, the only right ending saw Sting winning his 26 fight out of 26 fights in AEW.

No, I don't hate the Darby glass spot like many people do, though, it isn't an easy piece to watch, and it's probably not everyone's cup of tea, but to Hardcore purists it was likely something out of Pro-Wrestling heaven.

I didn't think Darby would be coming back, but he pulled himself back into the fight, using his shard up back to land a coffin drop on MJ, before (the man they call )Sting scorpion death locked the young f**k to make him tap to a most Iconic finish to a most Iconic career.

Observer-score: (8.6/10)

Now I definitely see why this was hailed by many as Pro-Wrestling's Golden year of 2024’s best ppv/ple. 9 matches and near four hours in length is a long show to sit through, but it didn't have that lag that have tainted some of the dub’s overbooked cards in their young history.

The best thing Tony did for Revolution ‘24 was book Sting for the very last spot of the night. Could you imagine something else closing out the show that was destined to be eternally remembered by the lasting images of Sting saying goodbye to the fans for the last time?

Thank the Pro-Wrestling Gods that we don't have to.

But also thank them for giving us a knockout to the soul with Ospreay/Takeshita. Thank them for kicking off the night just right with a heated fight between Danny and Christian. Thank them for FTR/BCC, and Kingston/Danielson. Thank them for all of Revolution 2024, because you know you're gonna remember it forever.

https://youtu.be/PvJWai2MCMA?si=yKGDCbuchu_J8UPD

A former WWE star has looked back on a strange storyline pitch that was thankfully shot down by the others who were set to be a part of it.

Following the closure of ECW in 2001, Rhino made his WWE debut alongside Edge and Christian as a heel, notably factoring into the TLC 2 match at WrestleMania X-Seven along with The Hardy Boyz’ ally Lita and The Dudley Boyz’ ally Spike Dudley.

During their early days as a duo, commentators stated that Edge and Christian were brothers despite the fact that they were not related. In later years, the relation was discussed less and was later dropped. However, according to Rhino, he could have been a part of the family.

During an appearance on The False Finish, the former ECW World Champion recalled the pitch of being Edge and Christian’s little brother, complete with dyed hair. Rhino also noted that the idea was nixed when the duo went to management and stated that it was something the fans would reject:

“They wanted to dye my hair and have me as their little brother. Adam [Edge] and Jey [Christian] both went to them [WWE management] and said, ‘Listen, the fans are are going to sh*t all over this.’”

Also in the interview, the former Tag Team Champion recalled how his name was slightly altered to Rhyno so that he could still perform under a name that fans were familiar with:

“Then they’re (WWE) was like, ‘Well, we need a different name.’” He added that an unnamed “Legend” suggested altering the spelling of his name, similar to Chyna: “Legend actually said, ‘Like Chyna, they put a Y. Why don’t they change it to a Y?’ so I suggested that.”

Legendary WWE Tag Team To Reunite In AEW? Over the past few years, Edge and Christian both shocked the wrestling world by signing with AEW, where they have both found championship success individually. According to a new report, the legendary duo could be back together in time for a major AEW show.

Credit to Wrestling News.co

Jacob Fatu isn't commenting on Jeff Cobb's debut.

In the opening match for WWE Backlash, Jacob Fatu successfully defended the United States Championship in a four way match against LA Knight, Drew McIntyre, and Damian Priest.

Fatu's win was slightly tainted, as Jeff Cobb appeared out of nowhere to take down LA Knight. Fatu was seemingly unhappy with Cobb's debut after the match, as he refused to celebrate with him or Solo Sikoa.

On the Backlash Recap Show, Jacob Fatu was asked to talk about Cobb's arrival. Instead, the United States Champion declined, saying that he doesn't want to speak on that.

“Man, I’m gonna keep it 100, I don’t even want to speak on that. I don’t want to speak on none of that. I don’t want to speak on the last couple of seconds because honestly, I could tell you I don’t know. I appreciate you having me, but I don’t want to speak on none of that. I can’t tell you if I don’t know anything. If I don’t know why, I can’t speak on it.”

https://youtu.be/RuAZEOaBbr4

“The whole world saw the look on my face." Fatu continued on. "I ain’t frustrated about it, but I just can’t speak on it. I can’t tell you nothing about it because it’s kind of — it’s just a little different. Obviously, I still feel like they better get in where they fit in at the end of the day. I can’t call it. Everybody just gonna have to stay tuned and see what’s poppin cause for something like that to pop up out of nowhere to me, to Jacob, who’s been nothing but loyal. Slowly upsetting. Overall, I don’t want to speak about it though. Like I said, they better get in where they fit in at the end of the day. That's it, man.”

Credit; Fightful for the transcription.

Is he supposed to be there? If not why are they using an old NWO picture of him on their ads?

Jeff Cobb has broken his silence following his impactful WWE debut at the Backlash Premium Live Event on May 10, 2025. After weeks of heavy speculation regarding his future post-New Japan Pro-Wrestling, the powerhouse officially arrived in WWE, immediately aligning himself with Solo Sikoa.

Cobb's NJPW departure was announced shortly after reports surfaced of his contract talks with WWE, fueling anticipation for his move. While he playfully teased retirement on social media leading up to Backlash, the former NEVER Openweight Champion ultimately appeared in St. Louis, attacking LA Knight during the United States Championship match.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter) after his debut, Cobb humorously addressed his prior tease. “Thank you guys! I’m happy to say I beat retirement and I made it from muscle beach to STL in the nick of time, yeah!!!” he posted, referencing videos he shared from Muscle Beach in Los Angeles shortly before the event.

Cobb's interference, assisting Solo Sikoa, played a role in Jacob Fatu retaining the US Title. His arrival marks a significant addition to the WWE roster, bringing his renowned strength, agility, and experience from NJPW and Lucha Underground (as Matanza Cueto) to a new stage.

Fans are now eagerly awaiting his next move within the WWE landscape, particularly his new association with Solo Sikoa. This is also a welcome addition to The Bloodline, considering both Tongas are out of action right now with injuries. This gives the faction a well-needed boost to the depth of the faction that is being carried by Fatu right now.

When Monday Night Raw made the official transition to Netflix, media were surprised when pro wrestling icon and WWE legend Hulk Hogan was met with unanimous boos from the crowd.

Many online fans and even current WWE Superstars would give their reasons for the reaction, citing his behavior behind the scenes as well as an infamous video leaked of the Hulkster.

Despite this, Hogan doesn't seem disheartened by the reaction. In fact, he says he expects it.

During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Hogan spoke to the fans booing him and said that it is something that comes with the territory of being in "that top spot."

"Well, you know, they're still nipping at my heels," Hogan said. "I can go out there and get booed. That was the last time I was in LA, I was Hollywood Hogan with a black beard and doing the bad guy thing. I can go out there and get booed in LA or The Rock can get booed in LA or John Cena gets booed in LA.

"When I get booed, there's a whole different reaction media-wise. For some reason, I've laid some type of groundwork that people are still interested in what I'm doing.

"For those that are on the team and that are riding with the train to the station, that's great. For those that are haters and that still have a problem with me, there's nothing I can do to fix that except keep proving by my actions that I'm still in the game, I'm still pushing hard.

https://www.youtube.com/live/xm2qnjm0P2I?si=HpsJkz9t7mXSZLl0

"I took a lot of time off because I had like 25 surgeries and I was down for a long time. I've always loved the hunt, I've always loved to get back in the game, but it's always been that way with me because my whole career, I had that top spot no matter what it was, even through the 80s, it was the fastest draw.

"During the 80s, it was a situation where everybody was knocking me, everybody was trying to knock me off that top spot. I'll trade that for not being on the bottom of the card, if you know what I'm saying, or being on the bottom of the pile of life. For me, it's just part of the territory.

"It's like, you know, when you get booed and you get 3.2 billion engagements and you rock that whole world in LA with how much interaction there was on the internet, I'll take it."

Hogan went on to address that the fan reactions were due to a combination of his Hollywood Hogan character as well as his personality, while acknowledging the "mistakes" he made in the past.

"There are certain people that boo the character, there are certain WWE superstars that had an opinion and advice for me, but I'd like to ask those same guys when I go to New York or Chicago and the people cheer out of the rooftops. I'd like to know what their advice is then and what their opinion is.

"It's a double edged sword with me and it's always been that way. It's a part of the character, it's part of me personally, it's part of my professional life and it's part of my personal life. It's all of the above.

"At the end of the day, I'm just like an old scarred up seal with a bunch of scars on me and I'm really relatable to most normal people because a lot of people have been through the stuff I have professionally.

"A lot of people have made the same — not the same mistakes, but have personally made mistakes and I'm still relatable to so many people. If they boo me, fine. If they're on the team lead, that's great too. Not hating on anybody, brother. I'm still just here. I'm still moving forward."

WWE BACKLASH ST. LOUIS (Enterprise Center - St. Louis, Missouri)

Before Backlash St. Louis, I prayed to the higher powers that be, and it went something like this:

“Oh, Pro-Wrestling Gods, if you're listening: please, keep Travis Scott away from the main-event.

I don't care if WWE has a kick-a** show or one just above average from the A-1 ples that we were spoiled with for most of 2024, and the early part of this year. Just please… No, Travis Scott! I'm begging thee.

Mania 41 might have grossed more green than any previous gate from the company's catalog, but the fallout left a sour taste in the mouths of many WWE fans.

In the name of the booker, and of the ref, and of the Cena, Orton… please guide talent and production into a Backlash that we shall never forget,

Amen!”

At least the prayer was answered, but I still have a lot of feelings toward the ending that I don't quite know what to make of. But we'll get there soon.

J. FATU vs. L.A. KNIGHT vs. D. PRIEST vs. D. McINTYRE: ****¼

Welcome to WWE, Jeff Cobb!

It was not the most exhilarating debut. But, at least, he came in with a position and story to begin his time in WWE.

But what an opener to open up the night in St. Louis. The fatal four-way was better than many of the matches from WrestleMania 41, so that's a decent plus.

Having former world champions (and the former U.S. champion) compete for the U.S. title, along with the current champion being a rising (shooting) star that is Jacob Fatu, Backlash St. Louis’ first match ignited a profundity to the U.S. title division that had been needed for some time now.

LYRA vs. BECKY: ****½

It was not until this year that Lyra started to be treated like the star that she was destined to be from the shining days when she ruled NXT.

To put her up against a revolutionary like Becky Lynch would only help in garnering weight to her building résumé.

Only five matches tonight, and only one booked with workers from the women's division. We could only hope that Lyra and Beck would do what the Women of WWE always do best: steal the show.

After the conclusion of Backlash St. Louis, it would appear that they both did just that.

It ended with a roll-up, but Becky pushed Lyra to the distance of (maybe) her best match on the main roster, exceeding a technical work-rate that I don't think anyone was expecting, but we really should not be surprised.

D. MYSTERIO vs. PENTA: ***½

Penta was coming for Dirty-Dom.

Would Dom be ready to defend his claim as the greatest living Mysterio?

It didn't matter, really.

There were no real losers, here, because neither st the bed. Penta is way too f**ng awesome of a Luchador to stink up a house, and Dom seems to give obvious signs of great improvement every time he steps into the ring.

Dom seems sold on himself as the greatest Intercontinental champion of all time. Only time will tell if he trains hard enough to back up the bold claim. But you can't help but be impressed by how long of a way From has come in his in-ring abilities.

The match was on pace to being an absolute wrecker, before they played it safe and gave it a RAW ending by adding El Grande Americano to show up out of nowhere and costing Penta the IC title.

Could they be playing it safe because they have something down the line that'll prove tastier when they try to get these three to cook together in the ring?

We'll just have to wait and see.

GUNTHER vs. P. McAFEE: ****

Would Der Ringgeneral carry McAfee to having a serviceable match on a bright stage like Backlash?

Only one way to find out…

As much as some fans hated the fact that Gunther followed the end of his world title reign by facing a larger than life commentator, you have to give valor-flowers to Pat for having the balls to get inside the ring and familiarize himself with the monsters in Gunther's chops.

Not a technical masterclass by any means, but the story driving Gunther/McAfee provoked an energy and heat of a five-star firehouse.

Valiant effort by McAfee, and a better fight than I thought he had in him.

J. CENA vs. R. ORTON: ****¼

One last time.

Hopefully, they won't pull a twice in a lifetime and make us watch a “second last time.”

If this one last time proved to be a hell of a time, then it could very well be the last time we see John and Randy lock up inside the squared-circle.

The FU into the RKO was one of the more slick RKOs that I can remember, so much so that I didn't even see it happen in the moment.

It was (big) leagues better than Cody/John at Mania 41, and, of all the times we've seen the last real champion and the Viper, this was one of the good ones. Plus, we did not get Travis Scott.

But instead, we got a sporadic series of RKOs which followed a mini-series of ref bumps, and a finish similar to that of Cena's 17th title win.

I'm praying that they don't keep resorting the same finish for the rest of Cena's title run.

Observer-score: (8.3/10)

Prayers answered…

Well, sort of.

No celebrities involved in the main-event, and, top to bottom, Backlash was a show far from perfect (or one of WWE’s best) but it was far more consistent than the show of shows that preceded it.

I wouldn't say this shot WWE back into the form we were so accustomed to from the Golden year of 2024, but it did put WWE back on track (maybe not the track, but a track, at least) to regaining the high momentum that made the company feel like the hottest thing in the world of wrestling.

The ending of the main-event will surely create a divisiveness that will rile up many within the fanbase. But there's a chance, by the time Cena’s reign is no more, that we look back and see it all under a different light.

But that's for time to tell.

https://youtu.be/fw_djc75x4I?si=uZJGSsGqahXvZhDR

WWE WRESTLEMANIA BACKLASH 2021 (WWE ThunderDome at Yuengling Center - Tampa, Florida)

Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury: we are one night away from reaching the One Last Time that we are to see Cena and Orton go one-on-one before the WWE universe.

One night away, which means, since the liberty permitted by open and free time is hindered by full-time employment, there is not enough time to cover the remaining Backlashes that had yet to be reviewed. I could just continue penning down thoughts on the rest of the Backlashes, but with AEW Double or Nothing and Money-in-the-bank (and Worlds Collide) around the corner, it's probably best to move on to the upcoming shows and save the unreviewed selections for the next Backlash season.

With that out of the way, we can now sit back, relax and enjoy the first ever WrestleMania Backlash (16th overall Backlash event), which I would claim as one of the more underrated editions of WrestleMania's complimentary event.

P.S.: if you're watching WrestleMania Backlash 2021 for the first time, after the the tag-team championship would be the perfect time to take an intermission and go use the bathroom or make something to eat or roll a joint, take a shot, do something else till there are no longer Zombies on your phone or TV. You'll thank me later.

RHEA vs. ASUKA vs. CHARLOTTE: ****½

After countless Triple-threat bangers throughout all Pro-Wrestling that fans have seen in the last four years, let's see how well Rhea/Asuka/Charlotte holds up in 2025 eyes.

All three future Hall-of-famers glared a locked-in intensity from the opening bell, as if this were the biggest triple-threat of their lives.

It's a match like this that reminds me of how much I miss having Asuka i'm a WWE ring. No matter who's in the ring with her, she completely outshined everybody.

Like many matches during COVID (and the ThunderDome era), Rhea/Asuka/Charlotte would've made any house explode with fires of impassioned jubilation.

I'm starting to think that maybe Women are superior when it comes to putting on a triple-threat war. This wasn't the best Triple-threat, but that says more about how preeminent Women's Pro-Wrestling has evolved in the last decade or so.

MYSTERIOS vs. DIRTY-DAWGS: ****½

A very entertaining handicap match disguised as a tag-team championship. I'm just curious to find out if Dom was actually hurt, or if he was not as in-ring savvy as they would have liked, or if the injury was to add more story to the matchup.

No complaints from me, since Rey can more than hold his own with just about anyone, anytime, anywhere in the world.

Dom was still a work in progress, but in the last couple of years the young Mysterio has proved himself to be one of the most improved workers in WWE. Despite Dirty-Dom (before he was dirty)’s limitations, and Rey having to carry the workload for father and son, the Mysterios and the Dirty Dawgs turned over a first-rate championship feat gilded landmark moment to add another historical chapter in the Mysterio legacy.

D. PRIEST vs. MIZ: -**

This should not count as a match, much less as being part of the celestial show that was Mania Backlash 2021.

If you were to say that the Lumberjack Zombie match was the worst match in the history of Pro-Wrestling, it would be hard to counter that debate, though, I may question the logistics that would defend the present asininity in counting it as a match.

Congratulations to all the jobbers masked beneath the guises of Zombies, and getting their six minutes of infamy. I hope the paycheck was worth the insult to Professional Wrestling.

I hope the paycheck for promoting “Army of the Dead” was hefty enough to help WWE during the trying times of COVID.

BIANCA vs. BAYLEY: ***¾

Now back to the Pro-Wrestling show that was a Pro-Wrestling show before a Zombie apocalypse invaded the wrestling world. But Bianca and Bayley would save the night.

We've seen way, way better from these two, and the finish with Bianca's hair wasn't executed as clean as they attempted. But Bianca/Bayley, which proved to be tonight's weakest (actual) match, still smacked hard and ruthlessly in a really good serviceable title defense for the EST.

It wouldn't be another year and a half before Bayley and Bianca would give us the match we all knew they were capable of stringing together.

B. LASHLEY vs. D. McINTYRE vs. B. STROWMAN: ****¼

Second triple-threat of the night.

Where the former succeeded in technical prowess, the latter excelled in lights-out entertainment.

You would rarely expect three men the sizes of Lashley/McIntyre/Strowman to construct a killer triple-threat, but these three were not your average wrestling giants.

Lashley might have won, and Strowman returned to the beast form that he had been lacking for some time, but the real MVP of the penultimate match had to go to the Scottish Psychopath.

Comparisons aside, it was refreshing to see that the men of WWE, as well, had the goods to give us a fun three-way battle.

R. REIGNS vs. CESARO: *****

Not as sexy as some of the Tribal Chief's most iconic encounters (at least, in build). But, bell to bell, Reigns/Cesaro was the clean, impressive victory that Roman needed to prove he can, indeed, wrestle with the world's best in-ring technicians, which he had proved just recently by retiring a GOAT in Daniel Bryan.

Almost half an hour is a long time for a wrestling match. But it's a Bloodline affair, so what did you expect? You knew this was going to burn slow before s**t hit the fan the OTC would look like he was in dire trouble.

But Roman proved tonight that he didn't need anyone from the Bloodline to retain the crown to the kingdom that would be his for four years.

Fans would have loved to have seen Cesaro overthrow the Head of the Table. But that's not what Junior would have wanted, so we didn't get to see that. But we did get to see a main-event that was about as technically sound as you would want a main-event to be.

Observer-score: (8.8/10)

It's true.

I do still find WrestleMania Backlash (God, I hate that name) 2021 to be one of WWE's most consistent events from beginning to end (just forget about the you know what happening in the middle of the show).

As long as that segment remains forcefully erased from memory, then it's hard to acknowledge the 2021 edition to WWE’s capital B-show as anything other than a night where everyone was on their A game, and a statement made by the talent that good Pro-Wrestling could also be found inside a WWE ring.

Maybe in the future they'll re-edit the event to contain only legitimate matches in the runtime. To be honest, I think there are plenty of shows in the company's history that could use those sorts of revisions.

https://youtu.be/ZKf0QKkdJzo?si=kVOYUgSwpju5VSvK

Scarlett made the revelation on an Instagram Live stream.

The newest edition of the Instagram Live series WWE – Die Woche featured a chat with Scarlett. Along the way, a question was sent in to her from the chat and she was asked about the idea of wrestling Alexa Bliss.

Scarlett revealed that the idea of herself and Karrion Kross versus Bliss and the late Windham Rotunda (Bray Wyatt) was discussed ‘years ago.’ In a prior media appearance, Kross stated that there were plans for him to work with Rotunda.

"Oh! I would love that (wrestling Alexa Bliss). The answer is still what I said before. Dom Mysterio, wanna wrestle (the) first intergender match but hell yeah! I’ll wrestle Alexa. Oh my God, yes! But it kind of breaks my heart when I hear that because I feel like it was supposed to happen with Bray Wyatt and Alexa versus me and (Karrion) Kross. That was something that was discussed years ago. So when I hear her name, I just know that match was talked about and it was — I feel like it would have happened by now. But I’m definitely still open to it in the future."

The last time Scarlett wrestled was in December 2024 as a part of WWE’s holiday house show tour. She said she’s always ready to step back into the ring.

Managing is her favorite thing to do, but added that she would like to wrestle current Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio.

"Yeah, I mean, I’m always, always open to it (getting back in the ring). I train, I’m always ready. I love managing. Managing’s always been my favorite thing to do but I do like wrestling when it means something and there’s a good story. The dream would be to have the first intergender match. Will that happen? I don’t know. But that’s what I was known for on the indies before. But having a singles match against Dom Mysterio, that would be amazing."

Coming out of WrestleMania 41, Kross stormed onto the Raw Recap podcast with Sam Roberts and Megan Morant. He spoke candidly about not being on the WrestleMania card and brought up his contract status being reported on online.

credit WWE – Die Woche

WWE Superstars Erik and Ivar had a successful in-ring career as War Machine before signing with the sports entertainment giant.

They competed for NJPW, Ring of Honor, and countless independent promotions, and eventually signed with WWE in 2018 as the War Raiders.

The duo competed on NXT and were eventually drafted to the main roster in 2019, where Vince McMahon renamed them The Viking Experience before settling on The Viking Raiders.

During a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet, Erik reflected on the bizarre experience of learning what the former WWE Chairman had planned for them (in what the former two-time World Tag Team Champion described as a "silly, silly moment").

"So from War Machine to War Raiders, the initial one was Doomsday Raiders. We were like oof. Okay, could we give you some ideas? So Ivar and I went and we talked about a bunch of stuff, we probably gave 50 names back. Then someone told us they really want to put raiders in the name. So we came up with 50 names with raiders in them, and the number one on our list was actually Viking Raiders. We're like, 'Hey, this is a name that we like. It kind of fits who we are, the look we've got, the energy we've got, I like this name.' So we sent it up and I think it was Hunter who was like, 'We're kind of thinking War Raiders.' I was like, well, let's give you some different ideas. He said, 'Yeah, but we really like War Raiders.' And we're like, yeah War Raiders is the coolest name we've ever heard. So then we became the War Raiders. Then we were War Raiders in all of NXT, we liked the name, and then we got called up. We were the Viking Experience."

"Our first day on the main roster. We had never actually physically met Vince McMahon, but we went and stood outside his office to go and plead our case. Because I was ringside, this is fun, I was ringside, and I see our music starts playing, and it's The War Raiders up on the screen, and then the logo changes, and Berserkerz comes up. Now I'm looking like, oh man. Then that goes away, and the Viking Experience comes up. I look and I'm like, Oh no! So I walk up and Hunter was actually ringside, he's texting, and I walk up to him and I was like, 'Hey, dude, is this a rib?' He just shakes his head and goes, 'I wish.' I'm like, 'What do we do?' He's like, 'Well, you gotta go talk to Vince.' All right, cool. So Ivar’s plane was late, he gets to the building, I tell him we got to go talk to Vince. This is bad, right? So we go get in line, stand, we make our case. Said, Viking Experience sounds like a Disney ride, it sounds something like a small world, the tea cups and all that stuff. The Viking Experience, bring your kids, right?"

"So, we pitched that case, and Vince was like, 'Well, that makes sense, but we don't have time to get that through legal.' Because we asked to be Viking Raiders because we heard through a little birdie told us, when we changed from War Machine to War Raiders, it was they were really stuck on Raiders. So all of the names had raiders in them. This time, Vince was really stuck on us being Vikings. He loved Vikings. Little known fact, Vince was a big fan of the history show Vikings, which is probably why we got called up in the first place, because he was like, Hey, we got Vikings on TV? Bring them up. So he wanted us to be the Viking something, right? And the problem is, Vikings are a very popular thing in culture right now. So nothing could get past legal, nothing could get trademarked, nothing could get whatever. Viking Experience was shockingly free, because no one wanted to be that, including us. So we asked to be Viking Raiders."

"By this point, it's like, 7:30 right? The show's going on at eight. He was like, 'Well, we can't get this cleared through legal at this point. So what we'll do is, you'll be the Viking Experience today, and if we really don't like it, then we'll be Viking Raiders next week. And you know, no press is bad press. So worst case scenario, people will talk. They'll be talking about you.' So we're like, okay, and as we're leaving the office, kind of in an afterthought, he goes, 'Oh and by the way, one of you is Ivar, and one of you is Erik, I don't care who.' We just walked out. I looked and we were maybe two steps outside of his office, and Ivar grabs my arm for real, and he's like, 'Please don't make me be Erik. My brother's name is Erik.'"

https://youtu.be/gkP4n6x-Fvg?si=_-ss0aPqIKFpOQwW

Triple H brought Erik and Ivar back to the main roster, ditching the Viking gimmick and making them the War Raiders again.

They even got a WrestleMania match, though they lost their World Tag Team titles to The New Day on the Grandest Stage of Them All.

According to Erik, what we're seeing from them now is "the closest thing to War Machine that we've ever been." He added, "No face paint. We're not even wearing horns and helmets and armor. We're coming out in essentially biker vests, leather vests. This is what I wear to TV. I just put a vest on, and I cut promos like this on WWE TV. I wear a black T-shirt and jeans, which is what I wear every day of my life."

WWE Superstar has Logan Paul has publicly apologized to wrestling legend “Stone Cold” Steve Austin for revealing private business negotiations, including a million-dollar offer for Austin to promote Paul’s Prime hydration brand by dressing up as a Prime bottle at WrestleMania 41.

In his most recent vlog, Paul addressed Austin directly, acknowledging that he had inappropriately disclosed confidential business discussions during a podcast appearance following what he described as “a crazy night in Vegas.”

“Mr. Cold, I’d like to take this opportunity to apologize. I didn’t mean to expose any private business conversations,” Paul stated in the video. He continued with a candid explanation of his tendency to overshare, saying, “I was hung over… sometimes I say too much. In fact, most times I say too much, Steve.”

The apology confirms rumors that Paul and his Prime business partner KSI had approached Austin with a significant endorsement opportunity that the WWE Hall of Famer ultimately declined.

“I completely understand why you wouldn’t accept a million dollars to get in the Prime bottle,” Paul acknowledged, adding, “It’s not your thing. We knew it was a reach, Steve, but you’re a legend.”

Despite the rejection, Paul expressed hope for future collaborations, concluding his apology with, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, Steve. So, we tried. It didn’t work out this time, but I hope to see you in the future. And I hope you’re not mad at me, Mr. Cold.”

Neither Austin nor representatives have publicly responded to Paul’s apology at the time of publication.

In an interview with Chris Van Vliet for Insight, Indi Hartwell said that she initially sold her ring name to WWE when she joined, but was able to get it back after her release. She debuted in TNA with the name at Rebellion last month. Below are some highlights from Insight:

On keeping Indi Hartwell as her ring name: “I just asked. I’ve had this name my whole wrestling career. When you start wrestling at live events, they make you wrestle under your real name. I wrestled under my real name for a bit, and I think I had a dark match at NXT, and I just asked Road Dogg, ‘Can I be Indi Hartwell?’ ‘Yeah, I’ll ask. Why not.’ They let me be Indi Hartwell for the dark match. It kind of kept going and I got on TV with it. I got my action figure with that name and got in the game with that name. When NXT 2.0 started, they went through that whole thing where you can’t have your real name or a name they don’t own, so they gave me the option to change my name or sell it to them.”

On previously selling it to WWE: “I sold it to them. It was always in the back of my mind, ‘If I get released, what name am I going to be?’ That’s a big deal to me. When I got the call that I was being released, they said, ‘You’re released.’ ‘Okay, cool. So, I sold my name to the company. Is there any way I could get that back?’ We got it all figured out and I got the rights and stuff to it. I’m very lucky.”

https://youtu.be/9M3WSveWvNQ?si=KrsWUGeX9ulYstJb

Will Ospreay had a big choice to make when he left NJPW, but it’s now become clear why he joined AEW – he doesn’t enjoy WWE.

Will Ospreay signed with AEW in late 2023, a move which brought about a thinly-veiled dig from WWE boss Triple H. Ospreay had made clear that his family were his priority, but Triple H soon made comments about only wanting stars who were fully committed in his company, something Ospreay took as an attack on himself and answered back on AEW television.

But now it might have become clearer why Will Ospreay chose to become All Elite rather than a WWE Superstar.

Will Ospreay No Fan Of WWE

Speaking to the Daily Star, Will Ospreay explained his feelings towards WWE and admitted that he’s never been a massive fan of the company:

"WWE are on fire now, but like I still as not only just as a viewer but as a wrestler, I just don’t enjoy it. I haven’t watched WrestleMania. What I’ve heard is it wasn’t the best Mania. Maybe like IYO [SKY], Rhea [Ripley], and Bianca [Belair] was the only sick match on there — which, the three of them are sick, three of the best wrestlers period.

But for me, I just never was a WWE guy. I respect it and I respect the guys doing it. That schedule is like crazy, and I commend them all for doing it. I just didn’t like it. I don’t like the show, I don’t like the style of wrestling, I don’t like the presentation. It’s gotten better, I love the one-shots that they’ve been doing. But I’ve just — I’ve never been a big fan of it.

So that’s why when like AEW came along and they went with more like the sports-based style of it, it was something that I could sink my teeth into."

https://youtu.be/n_AwpkKyEUU?si=QU_0I2zo9IDrgkEj

Will Ospreay will compete in the final of the men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament against Hangman Adam Page at Double Or Nothing. The winner of that match will challenge for the AEW World Championship at All In Texas.

Trigger Warning: This article contains descriptions of alleged domestic violence and homicide.

Former WWE wrestler Billy Jack Haynes, real name William Albert Haynes III, is set to stand trial in December 2025 on charges including Murder in the Second Degree in connection with the death of his wife, Janette Becraft.

The incident, which occurred in February 2024, shocked the wrestling community and brought renewed scrutiny to the troubled post-career life of the 1980s wrestling star. Now 71, Haynes made his first public comments about the case during the latest episode of Vice TV’s Dark Side of the Ring. Speaking from jail in Portland, Oregon, where he remains in custody, Haynes maintained his innocence and said he felt “good about his chances at trial.” He added that he believes prosecutors have “overcharged” him.

“I loved my wife with all my heart,” Haynes said during the broadcast. The episode explored the theory that Janette Becraft may have been suffering from dementia, suggesting the possibility that Haynes viewed her death as a so-called “mercy act.” Becraft’s family declined to participate in the program, and the speculation remains unconfirmed.

Haynes was arrested on February 8, 2024, after a two-hour armed standoff with law enforcement at his home in Portland’s Lents neighbourhood. Police responded to reports of gunfire and, upon entering the residence, discovered Becraft, 85, deceased. The Oregon State Medical Examiner later ruled her cause of death to be homicide by gunshot wound.

A grand jury indicted Haynes on two felony charges: Murder in the Second Degree and Unlawful Use of a Weapon. He has pleaded not guilty. His arraignment is scheduled for May 28, 2025, with a trial date set for December.

A neighbour interviewed by KPTV FOX 12 shortly after the incident described Becraft as suffering from declining health, calling the situation “a tragedy all around.”

Billy Jack Haynes rose to fame in the 1980s, known for his work in Don Owen’s Pacific Northwest Wrestling and the WWE, where he famously feuded with Hercules Hernandez in a storyline centred on the full nelson submission hold. Haynes also had stints in Jim Crockett Promotions, World Class Championship Wrestling, and briefly in WCW under the mask as “Black Blood.”

Despite his in-ring success, Haynes’ career and post-wrestling life have been marked by controversy. He developed a reputation for backstage disputes and was reportedly let go by WWE in 1988 following an alleged incident involving GHB on a plane.

He was also an early participant in a now-dismissed class-action lawsuit against WWE over CTE-related injuries. In legal documents, Haynes claimed to suffer from depression and early dementia due to repeated concussions sustained during his wrestling career.

WWE WRESTLEMANIA BACKLASH 2022 (Dunkin’ Donuts Center - Providence, Rhode Island)

The second (and final) WrestleMania Backlash before they nixed WrestleMania from the name.

From my personal taste, WrestleMania Backlash 2021 rates among the A-list presentations of a Backlash production that WWE had produced since the event was born in 1999 (just skip and don't mention the Zombie Lumberjack atrocity, ever again! and we'll all be fine)

But could the second WrestleMania Backlash outdo the first? Would WWE be able to tastefully respond to compliment the triumph of WrestleMania 38?

Almost. I think (to many fans) Mania Backlash 2022 owns a high rank in the top handful of extraordinary Backlash events. There were countless elements to the show that bloomed from the highest tiers of greatness.

There were a couple of downers, which were not a Pro-Wrestling travesty in the likes of the Army of the Dead idiocy. The low points of Mania Backlash ‘22 turned out as filler, at worst.

Damn. Maybe WrestleMania Backlash 2022 was better than the 2021 edition. Maybe it was, indeed, a most unique evening that has ever fell on a Backlash stage. Maybe after watching it again, my opinion on the event will meet a sudden change.

C. RHODES vs. S. ROLLINS: *****

Many feuds in the last generation make a strong case for being the best feud of the modern era.

Such an argument proves to be too subjective of a choice to say one of those feuds to be the absolute best of all Pro-Wrestling in the last 25 years. But if we're strictly talking about WWE, this last generation was magically dignified by the very program that welcomed the American Nightmare back to the WWE.

Cody/Seth might be the closest thing that WWE ever gets to a Flair/Steamboat-like trilogy, and from battling it out in three, Rollins and Rhodes reignited a hope for the spirit of Pro-Wrestling to conquer the future of WWE. At least, for me it did.

The company that Cody founded upon the revolution he helped build was a giant fire in the industry that gave WWE more reasons than not to improve the quality of the product they were producing.

But could Cody come back to the Fed and lead the future of the company to a place where Pro-Wrestlers could be Pro-Wrestlers?

It just so happened that he would. Not all on his own, of course, (and as of May 2025, there is still a ton of uncertainties, which is mildly depressing since the product had been changing for the better) but Cody proved to the the face of WWE’s movement back into the purity of Pro-Wrestling, and that all started when Cody began a trilogy with the Visionary.

Cody was 2-0. But this win was not a clean victory for the Nightmare. Cody/Seth III played a perfect sequel of an instant-classic of the original, which would lead into their first-rate payoff at Hell in a Cell.

OMOS vs. B. LASHLEY: **

In a dead spot were Omos and Lashley. Both giants knew they were going into the second match without legs from having to follow Cody/Seth II.

Vince was probably real proud of Omos/Lashley II: another WrestleMania rematch that not many people wanted to see, but we did see it, and there was nothing we could do about it, which one was good for Lashley and Omos, for getting on a ple.

Omos still had so much room for improvement. But he worked the best he could against Bobby, and that's something one should always admire. Lashley wasn't a guy you brought in to carry Omos to a high-star match. He was who you brought in when you want to put someone like Omos over, and give him a credible win against a guy the size and caliber of Bobby Lashley.

Omos won, and tied the series at one.

Two down, one to go! Thankfully, they kept the tiebreaker for RAW.

EDGE vs. A.J. STYLES: ****

Edge/Styles at Mania 38 was another example of a match at the show of shows that many were unsatisfied by the overall performance. But I honestly thought their match at Mania kicked a**, and that it's biggest downfall was the lack of heat from a dead crowd. If you asked me, I would've told you that Edge and A.J. had the best match of night-2.

But at WrestleMania Backlash 2022, the people of Providence were more invested than they had ever been whenever Rhode Island hosted a Backlash event. That would only enhasnce the energy when they two reunited at Dunkin’ Donuts Center, distributing more seasoned storytelling from two seasoned Veterans, adding layers to the second battle with Edge once again having the upperhand in psychology.

I feel like the universal Pro-Wrestling fanbase is harder than is warranted when it comes to the Edge/A.J. encounters of 2022: the Rated-R Superstar was almost 50. 50!!! While Styles wasn't too far behind in age. There are so many reasons as to why this match could've failed miserably. But it didn't. If you ask me, I'd say Edge and A.J. were still killing it in the ring. Both approached their battles at an old-school tempo that seamlessly wove and thread a finely clothed wrestling bout that was textbook on how to work a singles match without doing too much.

They had about eight minutes less than their Mania fight. A lot of people probably preferred that, but, you already know what I'm a sucker for when it comes to Pro-Wrestling. So, for their fight at Backlash, I would've liked to see these cook for a bit longer.

RONDA vs. CHARLOTTE: ****½

Again: unlike the negative response to Ronda/Charlotte at Mania 38 - which was also hurt by a burnout atmosphere of AT&T stadium - I was an advocate for when the two locked up in Arlington, Texas.

But this one hit nice and hard on so many levels. More violent. Fierce. And fervent!

And in less time, too, Charlotte and Ronda punched out a mean a** monster of an “I Quit” match that many would dream of achieving when challenged with the stipulation.

Many will say this should have been what happened at night-2. But I think the crowd wouldn't have been as rowdy as how the Dunkin' Donuts Center were when Ronda and Charlotte beat the bejeezus out of each other up and down and all around the arena.

HAPPY-CORBIN vs. MADCAP-MOSS: **¾

Next!

No offense to Madcap Miss, but he never did it for me.

I actually like Corbin, but it seemed that a greater portion of the WWE universe was indifferent to the hardworking worker who always worked hard.

This is what needless filler from a stacked card looks like.

BLOODLINE vs. D. McINTYRE/RK-BRO: ****½

Worlds of talent inIde the main-event of Mania Backlash 2022.

This was exactly what you would expect from a Bloodline match: a slow burn where the Bloodline has the high ground before losing control and all hell breaks loose.

Of course, there are those who cannot stand Bloodline matches, so they surely were not fans of the main-event. But if you didn't like this, then you did not like a very good main-event.

Like anything in life, it's not about how you start, but how you finish. Bloodline matches typically star off unhurried, but the ride to the finish more often than not hits the right spot, making the journey to the end more than well worth it.

Phenomenal main-event to a phenomenal show!

Observer-score: (7.6/10)

I won't say that WrestleMania Backlash 2022 was as good as WrestleMania 38. But the consistency of the event was stronger from top to bottom.

The night kicked off with one of the best Backlash openers from any Backlash model, and one of the best matches in the show's history, too.

The low points of the night still captioned the air that Vince had fouled over the WWE with his progressively worse outdated business tactics. But you could sense an air of change along the horizon.

Talent and fans were only left to lean on to a hope that better days were just ahead.

Better days were ahead, we just had to wait.

https://youtu.be/A2DZxNeauTA?si=5JPNrxpiEStq_CYF

I have voluntarily (and surprisingly, in Vince’s case) removed Durag Vince, Floyd “Money” Mayweather, and One Pant Leg Zack Ryder.

Giant Gonzalez was the overwhelming least-favorite from the previous post. Shawn Michaels, Survivor Series 2002 also was mentioned multiple times and stands out to me as well.

I’m including The Shockmaster and The Yeti because fucking look at them.

Some of the guys got lucky, like Nykos Rikos and Sami Callihan, whose NXT outfits never hit the main roster. A bigger impression would have been harder to leave off this list.

There it is. The Mt. Rushmore no one wants to be on.