Latest news with #Raw
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Exclusive: Veteran writer calls Rusev's latest WWE run 'horrible', reveals what has gone wrong
Rusev returned to the WWE on the Raw after WrestleMania 41 and destroyed the Alpha Academy (Otis and Akira Tozawa) in the cruelest way possible. Many expected this to be the beginning of a dominant run for the star who was previously with the Stamford-based promotion from 2010 to 2020. However, over a month later, he is yet to make a major impact. In an exclusive interaction with Indiatimes, veteran writer Vince Russo called its second stint with the company 'horrible' and revealed why it is not working. Vince Russo is not a fan of Rusev's latest run with the WWE Rusev has had merely two matches since returning to the WWE on the Raw after WrestleMania 41. In the first one, he beat Otis. The other one saw him squash Akira Tozawa in a matter of minutes. There was also a significant time gap in his matches against the lower midcard talents as the WWE relied on packaged promos to build an aura around the powerhouse. In them, the former Miro spoke about wanting to 'redeem' himself. According to Vince Russo– a writer who worked with the WWE in the 90s– the promos are 'meaningless' and Rusev does not have a storyline to work with. '(The run is) horrible. Nothing special. There is no story upon his return. Those vignettes are meaningless,' he told Indiatimes. Rusev was paired with Lana, who later married him in real life in 2016, during his first run with the company. Lana acted as his manager and helped him generate heat through her caustic promos. This established him as a bankable heel and paved the way for him to win the US title on three occasions. Russo feels that Lana's absence too has detailed the second run even before it started. 'They needed him to come back with Lana. He's going to be just another name on the roster,' said the writer. Interestingly, Lana too is currently with the WWE under a 'Legends' deal. As such, there is a possibility of her being paired with Rusev again. What's next for Rusev? As seen on the latest episode of Raw, Rusev is likely to feud with Sheamus now that his rivalry with Otis and Akira is the rearview. The Irish brawler confronted 'The Bulgarian Brute' on the red brand this week and stopped him for doing some permanent damage to Akira. This may pave the way fore meatier feuds down the line
Time of India
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
CM Punk, AJ Styles, and El Grande Americano to lock horns in Money in the Bank qualifier on WWE RAW
The road to the Money in the Bank 2025 Ladder Match reaches its final turn on the June 2 episode of WWE Raw. In a triple-threat match, CM Punk, AJ Styles, and El Grande Americano will clash for the sole remaining spot in the men's ladder match, set to take place on June 7. Solo Sikoa, Seth Rollins, LA Knight, Andrade, and Penta have already secured their spots in the MITB Ladder Match. One spot remains, which will be fought among the WWE Raw stars. The announcement came during the May 30 episode of WWE Smackdown, revealing that AJ Styles and CM Punk will face each other for the first time inside a WWE ring since the 2025 Royal Rumble. While they've never met in a singles or triple threat match in WWE before, their highly acclaimed matches in Ring of Honor back in 2004 make this a must-watch. However, both stars come to the match with rivalries brewing. Seth Rollins remains the key obstacle in CM Punk's title chase CM Punk makes a surprise appearance on #WWERaw to make Seth Rollins GTS. 🔥 CM Punk's road to this qualifier is filled with tension, mainly because of his ongoing feud with Seth Rollins and the newly formed faction, which includes Paul Heyman, Bron Breakker, and Bronson Reed. The rivalry heated up recently when Punk ran from behind to hit Rollins with a surprise GTS on last week's Raw, leaving the faction stunned. This bitter feud dates back to earlier clashes, such as the triple threat match at WrestleMania 41, where Seth Rollins defeated CM Punk and Roman Reigns with Paul Heyman's help. More recently, Rollins' faction, with Bronson Reed's support, secured a victory over Punk and Sami Zayn in a tag team match on Saturday Night's Main Event, adding more fuel to the fire. Seth Rollins has already qualified for the Money in the Bank Ladder Match, where CM Punk may end up facing him if the 'Second City Saint' qualifies in the upcoming WWE Raw episode. AJ Styles and El Grande Americano clash amid rivalry Chad Gable just got cooked by AJ Styles #WWERAW AJ Styles enters this qualifier with his own set of grievances, particularly towards El Grande Americano. Styles suspects that El Grande is, in fact, Chad Gable, who allegedly assisted The Judgment Day in a previous tag team match against Styles and Penta. This suspicion led to a backstage altercation where Styles attacked Gable, further fueling the animosity between them. Chad Gable, having previously failed to qualify on May 26, sees this match as a second chance to prove himself (as El Grande Americano). As the final spot in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match hangs in the balance, the intertwining rivalries and personal vendettas promise a thrilling and unpredictable contest on Raw.
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Three NXT champions set for WWE main roster takeover
Jordynne Grace and Stephanie Vaquer (Image via WWE) The WWE world is changing fast, and NXT is right in the middle of it. In just a few days, some of the biggest stars in NXT lost their titles, and now they are getting ready to move up to the main roster. Stephanie Vaquer, Jordynne Grace, and Ricky Saints are all expected to join Raw or SmackDown very soon. These changes show how WWE is building up its future with fresh and talented wrestlers. At NXT Battleground, Trick Williams won the TNA World Championship, shocking fans everywhere. Right after that, Stephanie Vaquer lost her NXT Women's Championship to Jacy Jayne, and Ricky Saints lost the North American Title to Ethan Page. Jordynne Grace, who recently signed with WWE, also had a big match at Battleground against Vaquer but did not win. Now, with their title runs over, all three are moving forward to bigger stages. Stephanie Vaquer and Jordynne Grace lead the way Stephanie Vaquer is expected to join Monday Night Raw. She signed with WWE in 2024 and quickly made a name for herself in NXT by defeating Giulia to become the Women's Champion. Even though she could've gone straight to the main roster, Vaquer chose to stay in NXT first. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Accounting Automation Software Might Help You To Earn More Accounting Automation Software | Search ads Undo She wanted to learn English and get used to WWE's television style and wrestling approach. That smart decision helped her grow into a strong performer who is now ready for the big leagues. FULL MATCH: Stephanie Vaquer vs. Jacy Jayne | NXT Women's Title Match: NXT, May 27, 2025 Jordynne Grace also started in NXT even though she had a main roster deal. She had a strong presence from the beginning and became a top name quickly. She defeated Giulia to earn a title shot at Battleground, where she faced Vaquer in a hard-fought match. Now, Grace is set to join SmackDown and bring her power and skills to WWE's blue brand. As reported by Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter : 'The reason was that both, along with Jordynne Grace are all expected on the main roster imminently. There are reports of Vaquer to Raw and Grace to Smackdown. When asking, we were told that it appeared that way right now. We didn't get a read on where Saints would be going.' Ricky Saints is to join them soon Ricky Saints also seems to be on his way to the main roster. He lost the North American Championship to Ethan Page on the May 27 episode of NXT. While it is not yet clear which brand Saints will join, fans can expect to see him show up on Raw or SmackDown very soon. FULL MATCH: Ricky Saints vs. Ethan Page | North American Title Match: NXT, May 27, 2025 Ricky Saints is actually the ring name of Ricky Starks. Known for his charisma and athletic style, he has been a standout in NXT and looks ready for the next step in his WWE journey. His move to the main roster will give him more chances to shine and compete with WWE's top talent. Also Read: Stephanie Vaquer reportedly moves to WWE RAW after shocking NXT title loss With Vaquer, Grace, and Saints all moving up, WWE's main shows are about to get a lot more exciting. These call-ups prove that NXT continues to be a strong platform for future stars.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
What Is WWE's Goal with the AAA Purchase and Worlds Collide Show?
What Is WWE's Goal with the AAA Purchase and Worlds Collide Show? originally appeared on Athlon Sports. If you wrestle for WWE, you're not necessarily performing for millions on Raw and Smackdown every week. NXT is the developmental brand, and then Evolve and LFG are new shows that are searching for the next WWE superstar. Advertisement So what's going on with AAA? On the WrestleMania 41 preshow, WWE made the shocking announcement that it was purchasing Mexico's No. 2 promotion. This was surprising because WWE never made a big deal out of Lucha Libre. The company spent two decades looking for the next Rey Mysterio (who still wrestles there), and the answer may be his son, Dominik. WWE's partnership with AAA will begin on Saturday with the Worlds Collide show. Looking at the card will give us some clues about WWE's intentions with the Lucha promotion. Stephanie Vaquer (Getty) Stephanie Vaquer, who lost the NXT women's title in a shocker to Jacy Jayne this week, will compete at Worlds Collide. She will team with NXT's Lola Vice against AAA's Chik Tormenta & Dalys. The latest Worlds Collide match announcement came from an unlikely source. Comedian Gabriel 'Fluffy' Iglesias announced that the Latino World Order (Dragon Lee, Joaquin Wilde & Cruz del Toro) will wrestle Octagon Jr., Mr. Iguana, & Aero Star. This is appropriate because the original Octagon teamed with El Hijo del Santo at the WCW-AAA Worlds Collide show in 1994, beating Eddy Guerrero & 'Love Machine' Art Barr in a double-mask vs. double-hair match. Advertisement The rest of the show includes these WWE vs. AAA matches: · Chad Gable vs. El Hijo del Vikingo · NXT North American champion Ethan Page vs. Je'Von Evans vs. Rey Fenix vs. Laredo Kid in a Fatal Four-Way match · Angel, Berto & Santos Escobar vs. Psycho Clown, Pagano & El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. So it looks like WWE is trying to raise the profile of AAA and introduce the Lucha brand to an American audience. WWE doesn't seem to be challenging CMLL for promotional supremacy in Mexico. Instead, WWE may have purchased AAA as a shortcut to starting an NXT Mexico brand. The company already started NXT UK before folding it into the regular NXT, and it could try again with a new version of NXT Europe. Advertisement The good news for Lucha Libre fans is that they can watch Worlds Collide for free on YouTube in English or Spanish. The show will start at 3 p.m. Eastern on Saturday. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
Metro
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Security drags ex WWE star off daytime TV show after physical clash
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Former WWE superstar Albert El Patron was dragged off a TV set by security after appearing to snap during an interview. The 48-year-old wrestler, best known to WWE fans as Albert Del Rio, was on TV Azteca's morning show Venga La Alegria to promote this weekend's TV tapings in Mexico City. He was on the programme when Vikingo, the father of his opponent El Hijo del Vikingo, appeared and confronted him about the bout. Things took a chaotic turn, as El Patron attacked him and shoved him to the ground, with a woman shouting for security as the former world champion put his hands on a member of staff. He was seen pushing a man who appeared to be a presenter, while security dragged the wrestler away amid plenty of shouting. TV Azteca and the presenters have claimed the incident was real, according to local media, although it appears to have been a stunt to promote this weekend's show. El Patron will defend the AAA Mega Championship against El Hijo Del Vikingo this weekend, when he's expected to drop the title. WWE recently announced it had purchased the AAA Lucha Libre promotion, and the controversial star isn't expected to be part of their plans. Vikingo is set to face Raw star Chad Gable at WWE and AAA's Worlds Collide event on June 7, and an advert ran for the match on Raw this week promoting it as a AAA Mega Championship bout with Vikingo defending, seemingly spoiling this weekend's AAA shows. Announcing the AAA acquisition in April over WrestleMania weekend, Paul 'Triple H' Levesque said: 'AAA has a rich cultural heritage with some of the most passionate fans in the world and it's an honor to work with the Peña family to embark on this journey. 'By bringing together WWE's global capabilities and AAA's amazing tradition, we look forward to an exciting future filled with new opportunities.' And AAA General Manager Dorian Roldán Peña added: 'AAA has been a family-operated promotion for over three decades and our trust could not be better placed than with one of the biggest sports entertainment businesses in the world.' The company, which was founded in 1992 by Antonio Peña, has seen the likes of WWE Hall of Famers Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio, and current Raw star Penta, pass through their doors. More Trending As Alberto Del Rio, El Patron spent four years on the main roster between 2010 and 2014, before being let go 'due to unprofessional conduct and an altercation with an employee'. In 2020, El Patron was arrested and later faced charges of aggravated kidnapping and sexual assault towards his then-girlfriend. View More » The charges were dropped due to a missing witness in December 2021, and the wrestler was cleared. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: TV fans can't stop watching controversial show's new season despite 'hating it' MORE: The White Lotus fans terrified season 4 will be delayed after major announcement MORE: And Just Like That season 3 is fixing my biggest issue with the show
