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The Top Ten Wrestling Stories of the Week 3/26: The Fiend Returns, WrestleMania Lineup, Kane and Khali in WWE Hall of Fame, More

By Matthew Fowler • Published 26th March 2021

Welcome back TJR readers! Did you spend all day Friday trying to decide how much of your integrity you were willing to give up for the opportunity to host WrestleMania, and miss Smackdown? Perhaps you spent all day Monday putting aloe on your burns and missed Raw. Worry not, for I have returned with another edition of the Top Ten Wrestling Stories of the Week.

10. Cody and Brandi Rhodes to Star in Own Reality Show

Finally TNT is going to fix what has been missing from television programming; more reality shows. It was announced on AEW: Dynamite this week that Cody and Brandi Rhodes will be starring in their very own reality show for TNT. “Rhodes to the Top”, promises to give a look “inside the lives of Cody and Brandi as they navigate their growing family while building AEW’s global wrestling empire.” Cody and Brandi will hope to find the same success that The Bella Twins and Miz & Maryse have found with their reality shows. Hulk Hogan also famously had a reality show as well, but Cody Knows Best not to emulate that one. (TJRWrestling)

9. Retribution Seemingly Disbands

The torture is finally over for Retribution. The ill-fated group seemingly disbanded during the Fastlane Kickoff show. After Mustafa Ali failed to defeat Riddle, Ali began chastising the other members of Retribution. This caused both Reckoning and Slapjack to walk out on Ali. Ali then went to yell at Mace and T-Bar, who then proceeded to hit a double chokeslam on Ali. It is not all bad news for Ali, however, as now maybe he can restart Retribution in someplace that could use more factions, like AEW. (TJRWrestling)

8. Hulk Hogan and Titus O’Neil to Host WrestleMania 37

When you look up the definition of “odd couple” in the dictionary, you may very well see a picture of this years’ guest hosts of WrestleMania. WWE announced this week that both Hulk Hogan and Titus O’Neil will be hosting WrestleMania 37. It is unknown why WWE decided to pair up these two as the host, and also if they will actually be appearing on screen together. What is most likely known, however, is that Brooke Hogan will not be accompanying her father to WrestleMania this year. (TJRWrestling)

7. Charlotte Flair Reveals That She Has Covid-19

For weeks, rumors have been circulating about the reason why Charlotte Flair has not been appearing recently on Raw. This week Charlotte quickly put all those rumors to rest. Charlotte revealed via Twitter that she is currently recovering from COVID-19, and that is why she has been absent from Raw recently. Before contracting COVID, Charlotte seemingly was penciled in to face Asuka for the Raw Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 37. This week it was revealed that Rhea Ripley would be getting the match with Asuka. The next day on Twitter, Charlotte’s father stated “that WrestleMania will not be the same without ‘The Queen.’” WrestleMania is also expected to be without The King this year as well, as he will be attending a Senior Prom. (TJRWrestling)

6. NXT Tag Team Titles Vacated

There will be new NXT Tag Team Champions crowned during night one of NXT Takeover: Stand and Deliver. Last week’s main event match on NXT saw NXT Tag Team Champions Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan defeat Finn Bálor and Karrion Kross. Unfortunately for Burch, however, he suffered a separated shoulder during that match, putting him out of action for several months. As a result, the NXT Tag Team Titles have been vacated and will be decided in a triple threat match during night one of NXT Takeover: Stand and Deliver on April 7th. The match will feature The Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake, Zack Gibson) going against MSK (Wes Lee, Nash Carter) and Legado del Fantasma (Raul Mendoza, Joaquin Wilde). Hopefully, whoever is victorious in this match will be able to shoulder the responsibilities of being champions. (TJRWrestling)

5. WrestleMania 37 Card Begins to Take Shape

This week on Monday Night Raw they announced four more big matches for WrestleMania 37 on April 10th and 11th. Grammy Award-Winning artist and former 24/7 champion Bad Bunny will face off against The Miz in a singles match. Also, Braun Strowman will finally get his match against Shane McMahon, and will get to pick the stipulation. Asuka will defend the Raw Women’s Championship against former NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley. And finally, it was announced that Randy Orton will face off against the crispier “Fiend” Bray Wyatt. With the pace that WWE is adding matches to this year’s WrestleMania, it is going to be a race to see if Wyatt or John Canton gets burned out first. (TJRWrestling)

4. Kane and The Great Khali to be Inducted in the Hall of Fame

Long time readers of this column know that I often try to bring some humor to all of you each week. Sometimes, however, I forget how vastly popular and powerful this website is in the wrestling world. This is why I want to apologize for my joke a few weeks ago about WWE putting The Great Khali into the Hall of Fame. This week it was announced that both Kane and yes The Great Khali are going into the Hall of Fame. Kane, of course, is a no-brainer and well deserved after a legendary career that lasted several decades. As for Khali, it can only be explained that, just like Paul Heyman, Vince McMahon must also visit this website.

So Vince McMahon, if you are reading, I ask, “What ridiculous thing are you going to do next; put Owen Hart in the Hall of Fame?” (TJRWrestling)

3. Andrade Released From the WWE

Just last week it was being reported that Andrade had asked for his release from the WWE, but had been denied. This week things changed as Andrade was officially released from the WWE. Interestingly, Andrade does not have the standard 90-day no-compete clause in his contract, meaning that he is free to wrestle anywhere he chooses immediately. This news likely meant that Tony Khan’s father had to order new checks sooner than he planned. (TJRWrestling)

2. Universal Championship Match at WrestleMania 37 Reportedly Going to be a Triple Threat Match

It could be 2014 all over again at this year’s WrestleMania. At Fastlane this past Sunday, Daniel Bryan faced Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship, with Edge serving as the Special Guest Enforcer. During the match the referee went down, causing Edge to step in as the official. Jey Uso then came down to interfere in the match, but was taken out with a chair shot by Bryan. Bryan then went to hit Reigns with the chair as well, but Reigns moved and Bryan hit Edge by accident. After Bryan accidentally hit Edge with a chair, he locked in the Yes Lock on Reigns, causing Reigns to tap out. Edge then recovered from and saw the tap out. Instead of calling for the bell, Edge proceeded to attack both Bryan and Reigns with the chair. This attack led to Reigns covering Bryan, and get the win. This whole sequence of events was reportedly done to be able to add Bryan to the Edge vs. Reigns match at WrestleMania 37, making the match a Triple Threat. Bryan will now try to crash another Mania main event, and once again walk out a champion. No matter what happens it probably was a smart idea for Batista to not go into the Hall of Fame until 2022, and skip this year’s WrestleMania entirely. (TJRWrestling)

1. “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt Returns at Fastlane

Even Papa Shango fans may have found the Alexa Bliss vs. Randy Orton match at Fastlane just a little bit hokey. The “match” saw Orton chase Bliss around the ring while Bliss shot fire at Orton and even made a lighting rig fall from the rafters. The finish saw a badly burned, monster-like Fiend come up through a hole in the ring. The charred Fiend then hit Sister Abigail on Orton, allowing Bliss to cover Orton for the win. Orton will now go on to face this newer darker version of “The Fiend” at WrestleMania, with it being unknown if Alexa Bliss can pull a Rita Repulsa and magically turn this new monster version of “The Fiend” 50 feet tall. (TJRWrestling)

That will conclude another edition of The Top Ten Wrestling Stories of the Week. As always, if you like what I do, please follow me on Facebook and Twitter @BackseatBookers and listen to my podcast The BackseatBookers. (Please be aware that it is explicit, as I can still swear with a burnt tongue.)