WWE releases former NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose over racy photos and videos on her FanTime page that break the company’s social media policy.
In a surprise move, WWE fired superstar Mandy Rose over her FanTime content.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful reports that the former NXT Women’s Champion was released by WWE due to posting risqué photos and videos that were against her contractual terms. The move comes after last night’s NXT broadcast where Rose’s 413-day reign as Women’s Champion ended at the hands of Roxanne Perez. According to Sapp, “WWE officials felt they were put in a tough position based on the content she was posting on her BrandArmy page. They felt like it was outside of the parameters of her WWE deal.”
The now-ex-WWE star, whos real name is Amanda Rose Saccomanno, began her career as a bodybuilding competitor and won the title of World Beauty Fitness & Fashion Bikini Champion in 2014. Saccomanno turned her attention to pro wrestling when she became a contestant in the sixth season of WWE Tough Enough in 2015. It was in the season finale when Saccomanno renamed herself “Mandy Rose,” after which she lost to Alicia Fox in a tryout match, ranking second in the overall competition.
Mandy Rose’s WWE Main Roster Path
Despite the Tough Enough loss, Rose signed a five-year deal with WWE. She competed in the NXT brand before getting called to the main roster as part of the faction Absolution alongside Sonya Deville and former WWE star Paige. Eventually, Rose and Deville broke off from Paige to become the stand-alone tag team called Fire and Desire.
After a failed attempt at winning the WWE Women’s Tag Team titles, Rose and Deville gradually separated as a result of a romantic crush storyline involving WWE superstar Otis. The high point of their feud was the July 31, 2020 edition of SmackDown when Deville cut Rose’s blonde hair in a backstage assault. They had a memorable Loser Leaves WWE match at SummerSlam 2020 where Rose was victorious.
Shortly before the SummerSlam match, Rose and real-life friend Deville were involved in a cyberstalking incident that turned into an attempted kidnapping by a South Carolina man. The man broke into the stars’ shared home to kidnap Deville and murder Rose. He was arrested and charged with aggravated stalking, armed burglary of a dwelling, attempted armed kidnapping and criminal mischief.
In 2021, Rose was moved back over to the NXT brand where she formed the group Toxic Attraction with Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne. She defeated Raquel Rodriguez in a “Chucky’s Choice Trick or Street Fight” match at Halloween Havoc to win the NXT Women’s Championship. The win eventually led to Rose becoming the third woman to hold the title for an entire one-year reign.
What’s next for the self-proclaimed Baddest Woman On The Planet and new SmackDown Women’s Champion?
One of WWE’s biggest pay-per-views of the year, Survivor Series, is looming just over the horizon and the Nov. 26 show promises to be star-studded. Traditionally, the Survivor Series event pits Superstars from RAW against the stars of SmackDown in five-person elimination tag team matches and champion versus champion matches. Although WWE’s new Head of Creative, Triple H, announced that Survivor Series will look a little different this year thanks to the debut of the War Games match in WWE, fans can still expect a handful of dream champion versus champion matchups.
One of the most highly anticipated matchups of every Survivor Series event is the RAW Women’s Champion taking on the SmackDown Women’s Champion in a battle of brand supremacy and bragging rights. On the latest episode on her YouTube channel, which has now amassed more than 1.5 million subscribers, the self-proclaimed Baddest Woman On The Planet and new SmackDown Women’s Champion, Ronda Rousey, teased fans by hinting at a possible matchup against RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair at the show.
“What’s next though … Survivor Series. It could be Bianca. That would be freaking awesome!” Rousey said.
Belair has been at the very top of many dream match lists as of late, and a battle against the former UFC Bantamweight Champion would be undoubtedly legendary. Both Superstars overcame their respective foes at Extreme Rules last week with Belair defeating Bayley in a thrilling ladder match and Rousey recapturing her title from the underdog Liv Morgan. In addition, Belair seems poised to be the next big WWE star while Rousey’s star power and accomplishments make her a living legend already. What’s next for the two champions could be each other, and the WWE Universe can’t wait to see if a match between the two is made official.
It turns out Dexter Lumis has been torturing The Miz due to a huge secret — one that Johnny Gargano knows all about.
Last night on RAW, The Miz’s biggest fear came true when he was finally scheduled to face Dexter Lumis one on one later in the episode. A cowardly Miz stayed true to character, clearly faking a knee injury prior to the bout in hopes of not being medically cleared. The A-Lister sat in a puddle of water, screaming and holding his knee before being moved to the trainer’s room. In the office, Byron Saxton asked Miz if he would be able to compete, to which he predictably answered, “No.”
Just then, Johnny Gargano screamed “It’s Dexter Lumis,” evidently scaring The Miz and causing him to jump out of his seat. With that fatal error, Saxton and Gargano realized Miz’s knee was fine, and Miz was thrown back into his long-awaited match with Lumis. For the first time in the pair’s long rivalry, however, the WWE Universe has been given a clue as to why Lumis has been terrifying The Miz, and how he can get it to stop.
As The Miz stretched out prior to his match, Gargano confirmed that he’s known Lumis for a long time and because of it, he knows the “real story” between the two. The Miz played dumb, but Gargano alluded to the fact that he knows The Miz lied or wronged Lumis in some way to cause this to happen. He reminded Miz that he can always come clean, and Lumis and his stalking would stop. The Miz, though, still denied everything.
RELATED: ‘It Means Everything’: The Miz On The One Thing That Fills Him With Confidence In The Ring
When it came time for the match, Lumis entered first. His ice-cold stare pierced our TV screens and mesmerized us once again, but suddenly, The Miz attacked him with a steel chair from behind, effectively canceling the match and saving himself from his biggest fear. Backstage, The Miz wasn’t in the clear yet, though, as Gargano came back again to urge him to come clean about what he did. The former NXT Champion then threatened Miz with a whistle, saying he will tell the world what Miz did if he doesn’t come clean. The Miz still acted like he had no idea what Gargano was talking about.
The storytelling in this segment was complex, but genius as it not only provided the WWE Universe with a clue for why this has been happening, but a mysterious way for The Miz to make it stop. In addition, Miz faking an injury to get out of the match added to the cowardice of his character while Lumis remained quiet, powerful, and mysterious. The Most Frighteningly Memorable Moments In Halloween Havoc History
We can only hope to find out what The Miz is hiding from us, but we’d advise him to come clean about his lies to save himself and his family from Lumis! In the meantime, you can relive all the creepy stuff Lumis has done to Miz, like stalking him or ruining his birthday party, on the WWE Network on Peacock.
Conor Benn’s fight with Chris Eubank Jr was dramatically cancelled on Thursday amid scenes of bitterness and acrimony in the wake of his failed drugs test.
Benn’s team, led by promoter Eddie Hearn, had remarkably attempted to push Saturday’s bout through a legal loophole, but Sportsmail understands they finally shelved plans for an injunction against the British Boxing Board of Control before even getting to the High Court.
The abandonment of one of the most-hyped fights of the year follows our explosive revelation on Wednesday that Benn had tested positive for the banned substance clomifene, prompting the Board to block the showdown at The O2 ‘in the interests of boxing’.
It has sparked outrage within the sport that the camps for both boxers then resorted to legal technicalities in an effort to save a fight worth an estimated £15million, before ruling it out on Thursday on the grounds that the timeframe until the first bell was too limited.
On another day of chaos for boxing, Sportsmail first broke the news of the cancellation at 3pm before Matchroom later confirmed it in a statement that outlined their plans to resume the legal battle in efforts to reschedule the fight.
In continuing to heap blame on the Board for the fiasco, the statement read: ‘It is undeniable that the British Boxing Board of Control’s decision to withdraw their sanctioning was procedurally flawed and without due process. That remains a legal issue between the promoters and the Board which we intend to pursue.
‘However, whilst there are legal routes to facilitate the fight taking place as planned, we do not believe that it is in the fighters’ interests for those to be pursued at such a late stage, or in the wider interests of the sport.
‘As promoters, we take our obligations and duties very seriously, and a full investigation will now need to take place. We will be making no further comment at this time and news for ticket holder refunds will follow.’
This weekend’s fight between Chris Eubank Jr (left) and Conor Benn (right) is officially off
Benn tested positive for banned substance clomifene in the build-up to the mega-fight
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn initially remained adamant the fight should still go ahead
That Matchroom still want to push on despite knowing Benn has failed a drugs test will only inflame the sense of incredulity around such a dangerous issue. Hard questions will also persist for the Board of Control, given our revelation that all parties were notified by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association of the positive test on September 23, with the Board only voicing their objections publicly once the story had broken.
While they have been conspicuous by their silence, beyond the publication of their short statement on Wednesday, they have been pressed into a corner by boxing’s peculiar structures.
Hearn and Eubank Jr’s promoters Wasserman attempted to exploit those shortcomings by arguing the fight should go on because the positive test was collected by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association and not UK Anti-Doping Agency – the body formally recognised by the Board of Control. That position has been advanced trenchantly by Hearn’s lawyers despite the VADA agency being recruited by the promotion for this fight at an estimated cost of £30,000.
As rival promoter Frank Warren told Sportsmail: ‘Why sign up to VADA if you will not recognise their findings?’
It is a question that has cut to the heart of an extraordinary saga.
Speaking about it all, Benn said: ‘I am truly gutted they we are unable to make this fight happen. And I am sorry for everyone that has been affected by the postponement.
‘I am still completely shocked and surprised by this and it has been a tough couple of days. My team and I will consider the next options, including rescheduling the fight. But my immediate focus in on clearing my name because I am a clean athlete.’
Eubank Jr reacted to the cancellation by tweeting: ‘Conor got caught using an illegal substance so the fight is off. Can’t believe it. I really apologise to the fans and everyone that bought tickets, travelled & booked hotels, this should not of happened. He has escaped his schooling… for now.’
Matchroom confirmed that the fight has been ‘postponed’ on Thursday afternoon, revealing news on ticket refunds will follow
Eubank Jr responded shortly after, insisting his British rival Benn has escaped a schooling
Efforts to keep the fight alive in the absence of Board licences included the exploration of a foreign sanctioning body by figures connected to the fight. Hearn told Sportsmail on Thursday that was never an option in his view, but multiple sources claimed it was a live possibility in the eyes of others connected to the fight, with as many as three overseas authorities considered possibilities.
It is also understood that discussions were held in the past 24 hours about revising Eubank Jr’s weight requirements for the bout in response to Benn’s situation. Eubank Jr’s weight was already an area of concern because the middleweight was due to benefit from a two-division advantage over welterweight Benn for the 157-pound catchweight encounter.
Hearn has been quick to point out that Benn is not currently suspended nor has he been charged with a violation, and it remains unclear if he has requested a test on his B sample, having triggered a positive for a fertility drug for women that can boost testosterone in men. UKAD, the national anti-doping agency who will ultimately determine if an offence has been committed, are looking at the case.
In a brief statement, their CEO Jane Rumble said: ‘UKAD notes the reporting of a failed VADA test by the boxer Conor Benn with concern. UKAD acts on all reports of doping and always encourages anyone with information on suspected doping activity to come forward and share that with us.’
Sportsmail’s Riath Al-Samarrai broke the exclusive of Benn’s positive drugs test on Wednesday
Eubank Jr was present at Wednesday’s public workout and insisted he was still willing to fight
Eubank Jr vs Benn OFF: A timeline
Wednesday
11:47am: Sportsmail reveals Conor Benn has failed a drugs test conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA), plunging Saturday night’s scheduled fight into doubt. Benn tests positive for Clomifene – a banned women’s infertility drug that triggers testosterone production for men.
12:25pm: Matchroom announce they are aware of the drug test but that Benn has not been charged with any rule violation and remains free to fight. They state that Benn has since passed a doping test conducted by the UK Anti-Doping Agency and that the fighters wish to proceed with the bout, which will earn both a seven-figure fee.
2:24pm: The British Boxing Board of Control release a statement stating the contest’ is prohibited as it is not in the interests of boxing’ and that they will no longer sanction the fight.
6pm: Benn says that he had spoken personally with Chris Eubank Jr about the positive test but Eubank Jr confirms that no conversation has taken place between both parties.
Thursday
10am: Sportsmail reveal that both figures in the fight explored the possibility of using a foreign sanctioning body to allow the fight to go ahead.
1:19pm: Eddie Hearn tweets he ‘will not be promoting the fight with a foreign commission or alternative governing body.’
3:01: Sportsmail breaks that the fight is officially off.
4:05pm: Matchroom confirm the fight is postponed. Their statement says, ‘It is undeniable that the British Boxing Board of Control’s decision to withdraw their sanctioning was procedurally flawed and without due process. That remains a legal issue between the promoters and the Board which we intend to pursue.’
4:34pm: Eubank Jr tweets that ‘Conor got caught using an illegal substance so the fight is off… He has escaped his schooling… for now.’
From “Rowdy” Roddy Piper to Scott Hall, these are the best WWE Superstars who never quite took home the biggest title in the game.
‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper is one of the many WWE Superstars who have reached acclaim despite never winning a world title.
Winning a world title in WWE means you have reached the top of the mountain. There is arguably no greater accomplishment in wrestling, and the title serves as proof nobody else is on your level. Household names like The Rock, John Cena and Hulk Hogan held the WWE title in the past, making it the most prestigious in wrestling.
Some legendary WWE stars, however, have never won a world title, yet are still recognized as some of the greatest wrestlers of all time. Who are those athletes and how did they reach icon status without ever being a world champion? Let’s find out.
Scott Hall
For many, Scott Hall is the first name that jumps to mind when it comes to legendary wrestlers who never won a world title. Razor Ramon was a classic bad guy. He made being mean look cool, and won four Intercontinental Titles while cementing his legacy in the industry. Despite his success in and out of the ring, he never reached the true pinnacle of WWE by raising the world title above his head.
Hall wrestled for almost every major company in the world at the time including NJPW, WWF and WCW. He was a leader of the NWO, and often found himself in title contention with the likes of Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart and Randy Savage. Although he came close many times, Hall was never able to win the big one and found himself in major roles with wrestling’s biggest tag teams and factions. To most wrestling fans, though, that doesn’t matter at all and Ramon is still widely regarded as one of the most iconic wrestlers of all time.
Cesaro
Cesaro becoming the world champion seemed like a possibility that was always on the horizon, but never came to fruition before he eventually left WWE.
Cesaro is a world-traveled performer and one of the smartest wrestlers in and out of the ring. It isn’t his brains that attract fans to him from all corners of the globe, but his incredible in-ring prowess and strength that is unmatched by anybody else. Dubbed “Pound for pound the strongest man in WWE history” by Michael Cole, Cesaro performed seemingly impossible feats of strength in the ring night after night while also showcasing his technical wrestling ability.
Cesaro did see lots of success in WWE as a Tag Team Champion and even United States Champion, but he never won the big one. He was one of the most beloved and talented WWE superstars of the modern era, and of all time for that matter, which is why he was always able to stay relevant, world title or not.
Hopefully, Cesaro can win his first world title soon and disappear from lists like these. Until then, he will continue to prove to management and fans that he is the strongest, and one of the most talented in-ring performers of all time.
“Rowdy” Roddy Piper
Roddy Piper is one of the most influential and recognizable stars in wrestling history, and he did it all without ever winning a world championship.
He established himself early in his career as one of the best in-ring technicians in the business, but his true money-maker was his ability to hold the crowd in the palm of his hand with nothing more than a microphone. Piper consistently cut the best promos in wrestling at the time, only rivaled by big personality stars like Ric Flair. He had an almost endless amount of charisma and his passion and hard work translated through television. Piper was one of the most entertaining villains of all time and one of the first to be so good that fans still cheered for him regardless of his attitude and disposition.
He didn’t need a title around his waist to navigate one of the most storied careers in all of wrestling. Piper was already a renowned performer both in the WWF.
Today, Ronda Rousey carries on Piper’s legacy with the leather jacket she wears being the exact same one Piper wore to the ring. The jacket was given to Rousey by Piper’s children — a true passing of the torch moment.
Jake “The Snake” Roberts
Despite being one of the most recognizable characters in wrestling history, Jake Roberts never won a world title in WWF. Roberts had a strong character and presence in the ring, and the real Python that he would bring out in a bag added an element of unpredictability and legitimate danger to his character that nobody else had. Even with an intimidating Python by his side, Roberts couldn’t seem to reach that next level in the ring.
If you look at Jake Roberts’ WWE accomplishments, you may think he was unsuccessful or even had a boring career, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Roberts was one of the first wrestlers to prove that you don’t need a title to be considered successful, or credible in wrestling. He never held any titles within WWE, but always remained relevant. He played integral roles in many storylines and worked with some of the greatest of all time like The Undertaker and The Ultimate Warrior.
For some, Roberts transcended wrestling and became a part of pop culture. Arn Anderson was quoted saying, “Jake was such a strong character, such a strong persona, he never needed to be champion, he just needed to be Jake The Snake.”
During a press conference in Las Vegas, WWE officially announced that Logan Paul will challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia.
Michael Cole kicked off the press conference and said that the press conference came about at the last minute after Logan Paul’s appearance last night on Friday Night SmackDown.
Cole introduced Reigns (with The Bloodline) and Logan Paul and then Paul “Triple H” Levesque was introduced. He then announced the match for Crown Jewel.
Hunter put over Paul’s work ethic and said that Logan has earned his respect for going the distance with Floyd Mayweather. Hunter put over Reigns as someone who is on a God-tier level and is performing on a different stratosphere because he’s been champion for over 2 years.
Reigns said he plans on smashing Paul at the pay-per-view and he won’t go easy on him and he plans on showing him what God mode really looks like. Paul spoke on the podium and said he is a disruptor and he welcomes any challenge. He mentioned that his brother Jake will face Anderson Silva a week before Crown Jewel and this is “simply what we do.” Paul said that wrestling is “my sport, my industry” because WWE is his home and that is why he called out the GOAT.
The press conference closed with some questions and some comments from Paul Heyman talking about Logan Paul only fighting people who are over the hill. Logan took offense to what Heyman said and then a fight almost broke out between Roman and Logan put Triple H stepped in between them.
WWE Crown Jewel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is set to happen on Saturday, November 5, and will stream live on Peacock in the United States and on the WWE Network internationally.
If you missed it, click below to watch the press conference.
A Frank Warren promoted show goes ahead at York Hall, Bethnal Green this Friday evening, and the top of the bill sees Denzel Bentley defend his British middleweight title for the first time against Marcus Morrison.
BT Sport televise Bentley vs Morrison, live in the UK.
Bentley (16-1-1, 13 KOs) is a heavy-handed type, and first came into prominence during the first COVID-19 enforced lockdown in a cracking contest in September 2020.
The 27-year-old dropped Mark Heffron in the second round, and the pair fought to a thrilling draw.
A rematch was a natural, and this time with the vacant British title on the line, ‘2 Sharp’ forced Heffron to retire after four rounds.
Bentley beat Udofia in May to regain the British title Photo Credit: Leigh Dawney/Wasserman Boxing
The Battersea man attempted to add the Commonwealth belt, but found Felix Cash too much to handle in April last year, with Cash storming to a third round stoppage win.
After a comeback win, Bentley regained the Lonsdale Belt in May, as he took a split decision win over Linus Udofia for the vacant title in another breathless display.
Bentley is a two-time British middleweight champion Photo Credit: Leigh Dawney/Wasserman Boxing
Morrison (29-5, 16 KOs) suffered back-to-back losses in 2017, and it looked like his career was finished when upset by journeyman Alistair Warren in June 2018.
The 29-year-old rebounded with seven straight wins before a spirited points defeat to Chris Eubank Jr in May last year, but he was halted for the first time in his career in November 2021 by Zach Parker.
That was at super middleweight, and he returned last month with a four round points win to secure this title shot.
Prediction: Morrison’s early defeat to Parker could well tell us all about his punch resistance, and Bentley is a big puncher. Once the Londoner catches up with ’Sweet MNM’, I think it could be over swiftly, and I expect Bentley to retain before halfway.
Zorro tackles Spelman
Ellis Zorro makes his debut under the Frank Warren banner, and he has a tough eight rounder with former Commonwealth title challenger, Dec Spelman (18-5, 9 KOs) at cruiserweight.
Zorro (14-0, 6 KOs) is a former Ultimate BOXXER winner, but has never been past six rounds.
Prediction: He can overcome early scares here to take a points win.
Remaining Undercard
The other eight rounder should see a points win for Frank Arnold (9-0-1, 3 KOs) who takes on the tried and tested Nicaraguan, Brayan Mairena (11-30-1, 5 KOs) at super featherweight.
Six round action sees Adan Mohamed (6-0, 1 KO) make his third appearance of the year, and he can bank a points win at super bantamweight against Reiss Taylor (3-17, 1 KO).
Khalid Ali (3-0, 2 KOs) can also take his welterweight contest with Croatia’s Dario Borosa (1-19) on the scorecards.
Masood Abdulah (5-0, 4 KOs) is also in action, and the Islington-based super featherweight can score another early win, this time against Stefan Nicolae (3-37-2, 1 KO).
In four action, Royston Barney-Smith (2-0) should defeat Paul Holt (8-14, 2 KOs) on points at super featherweight, and at middleweight, debutant Joel Kodua should deal with Joe Hardy (1-2) inside the distance.
Arnold Obodai (1-0, 1 KO) can also take his cruiserweight contest with Pawel Strykowski (3-18-1) inside schedule.
Jake Paul is set to fight UFC legend Anderson Silva in October.
Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva is actually happening. For real. Rumors had been swirling for weeks that negotiations for the fight were ongoing, but on Tuesday, Paul made it official.
My toughest test yet. I respect the legend, but he must be exterminated. @MostVpromotions presents #PaulSilva from Phoenix, AZ @GilaRiverArena
“My toughest test yet,” Paul said in a tweet. “I respect the legend, but he must be exterminated.”
After a glittering career in the UFC, Silva is arguably the greatest mixed martial artist of all time. At the very least he’s in the top five. Silva broke multiple records during his reign as middleweight champion, but it’s the style with which he destroyed his opponents that made him legendary.
“I know that in life everything has its purpose,” Silva said in a statement sent to ESPN. “Nothing comes just by chance. So I thank God for my health, my family and my team for providing me with this opportunity to continue doing the thing that I love the most. I believe this will be the biggest combat event of the year and will truly make history in the sport forever.”
Is there a press conference?
Of course there is. No massive combat sports event can take place without a wild press conference. Paul has already announced not one but two pressers next week in the US.
#PaulSilva Kick-off press conference Monday September 12th in Los Angeles live on my YouTube.
I wouldn’t expect anything too rowdy from these press conferences. Silva is a middle-age man who doesn’t like to trash talk. I’d expect even Paul to treat Silva with a dash of reverence and respect.
The first one kicks off on Monday Sept. 12 at 11 a.m. PST.
Below is The First Press Conference That has been released.
The Second Press Conference is now posted below:
When and where does the fight take place?
Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva is set for Oct. 29. The fight will take place in the Gila River Arena in Phoenix.
Where can I can I watch?
Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva will be available to watch on Showtime PPV. Details are incoming, but the PPV event is set to kick off at 9 p.m. ET.
As mentioned above, Silva is one of the greatest fighters in UFC history. After defeating Rich Franklin for the UFC’s middleweight title in October 2006, Silva went on to hold that title for a record 2,457 days. His 16-fight undefeated streak in the UFC is a record that stands to this day.
But it was Silva’s fight style that made him an icon. A flashy, elusive counter striker, he did things that felt impossible. Fighting with his hands down, landing outlandish kicks, knees and punches from wild angles, Silva is essentially the Roy Jones Jr. of MMA. For many, he’s the greatest martial artist who’s ever lived.
After eventually losing his title to Chris Weidman in 2013, Silva had a difficult run of losses, resulting in him leaving the UFC in 2020 at the ripe old age of 45. Since then he’s had a remarkable resurgence in boxing. Most notably, he outclassed former world champ Julio César Chávez Jr. in an eight round boxing match.
Who is Jake Paul?
You’re probably aware of Paul, the social media personality who first made it big on Vine before moving across to every platform in existence. He’s moved into boxing in recent years after fighting on the undercard of brother Logan Paul’s viral boxing match with UK YouTuber KSI. He showed a talent for boxing and has been fighting ever since.
Paul has also moved into promotion, co-promoting a huge fight between Ireland’s Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, which was one of the biggest female boxing matches of all time.
Is this a fair fight?
Paul has been selective about his opponents to this point, which is smart. Every new fight is a step up in competition, but this one is unique for a few reasons.
Size is perhaps the most important. Every other Paul fight, until this point, has been against a dramatically undersize fighter. Paul has a fighting weight of 190 pounds, but in his last fight, faced off against Tyron Woodley, who in his prime in the UFC, competed at 170 pounds.
Silva was the UFC’s middleweight champion with a fighting weight of 185 pounds. Not only that, he regularly stepped up in weight to fight in the UFC’s light heavyweight division. Arguably his best ever performance — a spectacular dismantling of former champ Forrest Griffin in 2009 — took place in this weight class, at 205 pounds.
Unlike Woodley, Silva also has previous experience in boxing. Most recently, he’s dedicated his focus to the sport, putting together some extremely impressive wins. Silva is also one of the most lethal strikers in MMA history.
But Silva is also 47 years old. That’s pretty old. Ancient in terms of combat sports. To be clear, he’s not a normal 47 year old, but age is still a massive, massive factor.
I guess we’ll find out how much of a factor in October.
WWE Clash at the Castle emanates from Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, on Saturday, September 3, 2022 at 1 p.m.ET /10 a.m. PT. | 8PM UK
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre
Drew McIntyre has his sights on making history. When the WWE Clash at the Castle Premium Live Event comes to Cardiff, Wales, on Sept. 3, McIntyre will look to end Roman Reigns’ more than 700-day reign as champion.
The SmackDown Warrior defeated Sheamus in an absolutely brutal Good Old Fashioned Donnybrook Match to win his the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship opportunity on the July 29 episode of SmackDown. The next night, Reigns survived a hellish Last Man Standing Match against Brock Lesnar to retain his title and set the stage for a title showdown.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan vs. Shayna Baszler
SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan will put her title on the line against the dangerous Shayna Baszler at WWE Clash at the Castle in Cardiff, Wales.
The extraordinary Morgan captured the SmackDown Women’s Title on sheer will. After overcoming six other Superstars in a whirlwind Money in the Bank Ladder Match, Liv cashed-in her coveted contract on the same night to best a war-torn Ronda Rousey and lay claim to the gold. She then followed that up with a controversial victory over The Baddest Woman on the Planet in a rematch at SummerSlam. Rousey was suspended for attacking a WWE official in the aftermath of the matchup, and the WWE Universe instantly began to wonder who would set up to challenge the tough titleholder.
Enter Shayna Baszler. On the first SmackDown after The Biggest Event of the Summer, The Submission Magician overcame Raquel Rodriguez, Aliyah, Shotzi, Xia Li, Natalya and Sonya Deville to win the right to challenge Morgan at the historic event on Sept. 3 in Cardiff, Wales.
Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss and Asuka vs. Bayley, Dakota Kai and IYO SKY
At SummerSlam, the WWE Universe was shaken to its core when Bayley made her ferocious comeback. She wasn’t alone, however, as she brought IYO SKY and a returning Dakota Kai with her.
Since then, they have made one thing clear: They are here to control WWE.
Standing in their way, however, is the Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, along with Alexa Bliss and Asuka. The EST of WWE did not take kindly to having her thunder stolen at SummerSlam and has a bone to pick with Bayley’s new faction after they took out Becky Lynch the night after SummerSlam.
Additionally, Alexa Bliss and Asuka are primed to compete in the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Tournament, as are Dakota Kai and IYO SKY. Now the two trios will head to Cardiff, Wales to battle each other at WWE Clash at the Castle.
Riddle vs. Seth “Freakin” Rollins
In what is sure to be a volatile showdown, Riddle will go one-on-one with Seth “Freakin” Rollins at WWE Clash at the Castle in a quest for payback.
The Original Bro has found himself in the crosshairs of The Visionary since the absence of Randy Orton has left Riddle to battle it out on his own. Although they were supposed to throw down at SummerSlam, Riddle found himself not medically cleared to compete, and the contest never took place.
Riddle has since been sidelined with a stinger injury after Rollins Stomped him into the steel ring steps. Before he could give his return address on the Aug. 15 edition of Raw, however, The Visionary made an unexpected appearance.
After Rollins continued to mock his adversary, The Original Bro ultimately stormed the ring and ignited a huge brawl with his adversary. In the wake of the free-for-all, Riddle challenged Rollins to a showdown at WWE Clash at the Castle.
Intercontinental Champion Gunther vs. Sheamus
Sheamus loves a good fight. He will get that and so much more when he attempts to dethrone Intercontinental Champion Gunther at WWE Clash at the Castle.
After holding the NXT United Kingdom Championship for an astonishing 870 days, Gunther turned his attention SmackDown. With Ludwig Kaiser at his side and a brutal arsenal at his disposal, The Ring General has dominated the blue brand and defeated Ricochet to claim the Intercontinental Title.
Now, he is headed back across the pond to defend the workhorse title at the historic Premium Live Event, and he has made it clear that he considers the title “sacred.”
Sheamus reigned supreme over Ricochet, Madcap Moss, Happy Corbin and Sami Zayn a Fatal 5-Way Match on SmackDown to earn the right to face the vicious titleholder. A four-time World Champion, the highly-decorated Celtic Warrior is as tough as nails and would like nothing more than to seize the Intercontinental Title in Cardiff, Wales. Backed by The Brawling Brutes, Sheamus presents an epic challenge to the titleholder.
Edge & Rey Mysterio vs. The Judgment Day
The Judgment Day’s modus operandi has been to eradicate the veterans and so called “old-timers” from WWE.
First was Edge, who they brutally kicked out of his own group with a Con-Chair-To the former leader. Next came Rey Mysterio, who along with his son Dominik, took the fight to the nefarious trio, but were eventually beaten.
At SummerSlam, The Rated-R-Superstar made his fiery return and gained retribution when he defeated Damian Priest in Edge’s hometown of Toronto on the August 22 edition of Raw. Now, Edge looks to seek the eradication of the very group he created.
Edge and Rey Mysterio look to turn back the clock when they face Finn Bálor and Priest in a high-stakes match at WWE Clash at the Castle.
A wrinkle in this match has been Dominik Mysterio, who didn’t take kindly to his father picking Edge over him. Dominik has suffered his fair share of abuse from Rhea Ripley, being left beaten on several occasions. However, Dominik, as well as Ripley, will be ringside, making this matchup even more combustible.
Can Edge and Rey Mysterio, former Tag Team Champions, seek former glory and end The Judgment Day, or will The Judgment Day follow through on their plans to end Edge and Rey Mysterio?
For more than 720 days, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns has stood on the top of the mountain in absolute “God Mode,” conquering the likes of Seth “Freakin” Rollins, John Cena, Brock Lesnar, Edge, Riddle, Kevin Owens, Rey Mysterio and so many others.
One day before going head-to-head with Drew McIntyre at WWE Clash at the Castle in Cardiff, Wales, The Head of the Table will celebrate his epic two years as champion!
Ronda Rousey’s Final Judgment
At SummerSlam, a controversial finish in the SmackDown Women’s Title Match between titleholder Liv Morgan and Ronda Rousey caused the challenger to attack multiple officials, causing her to be fined and suspended.
Refusing to wait for her suspension to be lifted, The Rowdy One brought her special brand of bedlam to the blue brand last week and ended up getting arrested. Although WWE Official Adam Pearce did not press charges and Rousey was released, The Baddest Woman on the Planet will now face a Final Judgment.
Karrion Kross to make his SmackDown in-ring debut
Tick Tock.
Since emerging on SmackDown, former NXT Champion Karrion Kross and Scarlett have been lurking in the shadows and keeping a close eyes on Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and his challenger Drew McIntyre.
Kross will make his SmackDown in-ring debut next week, and the blue brand will never be the same.
The New Day and The Viking Raiders clash in a Viking Rules Match
The viciousness between The New Day and The Viking Raiders will be settled when the two collide in a Viking Rules Match.
The teams have beaten each other in recent weeks with Kendo sticks, shields and a wide variety of other weapons. The Viking Raiders even held a mock “Viking Funeral” for Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods after they put both Superstars on the shelf.
Last Friday, The New Day looked ready to retire The New Day, but it all ended up being a ruse to trick The Viking Raiders. With a stipulation like a Viking Rules Match, nothing is off the table in terms of the punishment that each team will inflict on the other.
Maximum Male Models to compete in first match against Hit Row
ma.cé and mån.sôör of the Maximum Male Models will compete for the first time in a SmackDown ring against Ashante “Thee” Adonis and Top Dolla of Hit Row next Friday night.
The two teams have been butting heads recently, with the Maximum Male Models getting fed up with Hit Row’s partying alongside The Street Profits last Friday night. This led to the model agency teaming up with Los Lotharios and together spray-painting what they thought was Hit Row’s bus. Unfortunately for the combined force, the bus belonged to The Street Profits.
The models and the recording artists will go toe-to-toe in a match to determine tag team supremacy.
Butch to take on Ludwig Kaiser
One day before Sheamus challenges Intercontinental Champion Gunther in a highly anticipated title showdown at WWE Clash at the Castle, The Celtic Warrior’s unhinged cohort Butch will step inside the square circle with Ludwig Kaiser in a one-on-one showdown. (SmackDown preview, Sept. 2, 2022)
