Features

The Top Ten Wrestling Stories of the Week 4/16: WWE Superstars Released, Several Title Changes, Charlotte Flair Returns, More

By Matthew Fowler • Published 16th April 2021
Samoa Joe

Welcome back TJR readers! Did you spend all day Friday doing push-ups in catering for your big Battle Royal Match, and missed Smackdown? Perhaps you spent all day Monday icing your hands after writing all weekend and missed Raw. Worry not, for I have returned with another edition of the Top Ten Wrestling Stories of the Week.

10. Kushida Wins the NXT Cruiserweight Championship

The title changes did not stop after WrestleMania 37 this week. During NXT this past Tuesday, Kushida was able to defeat Santos Escobar to capture the NXT Cruiserweight Championship. Escobar just recently unified the Cruiserweight title at NXT Takeover: Stand and Deliver, when he defeated Jordan Devlin in a ladder match. This concluded a crazy week in NXT and WWE, with an incredible nine titles changing hands. Have no fear fellow wrestling fans, however, as Nia Jax was able to retain her title and continue her push! (TJRWrestling)

9. Franky Monet Debuts on NXT

Taya Valkyrie and her Pomeranian both made their debut at NXT this past Tuesday. Valkyrie, now known as Franky Monet, interrupted NXT Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez. Monet then told Gonzalez that her arrival has made the NXT Women’s Division “ a little bit shinier, a little bit bougier and a whole lot better.” Monet was not the only one who interrupted Gonzalez, as after Monet left both Smackdown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair and Raw Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley came to the ring. The three champions then proceeded to pose together as the crowd cheered. A throwback photo of the three women posing together from early in their NXT careers was then shown on the screen. Ironically Charlotte was looking at that same photograph earlier in the day, as she tried to decide who she was going to squash first. (TJRWrestling)

8. Sheamus Wins the WWE United States Championship

Any High hopes Riddle had for a long WWE United States Title run were quickly dashed during Night Two of WrestleMania 37. Sheamus was able to pin Riddle in the match, capturing the United States Championship for the third time. Mania wasn’t a total bust for Riddle, however, as he was given some rolling papers from RVD during a backstage segment. Riddle will have to see if his career can keep on rolling after the loss, or if it will end up being for the birds. (TJRWrestling)

7. Charlotte Flair Returns on Raw

The Queen has returned to WWE. This week on Raw, Asuka and Rhea Ripley competed for the Raw Women’s Championship. Before the match, Charlotte Flair made her return to Raw and cut an incredible heel promo. Charlotte stated that she was not at WrestleMania due to things that were not her fault, and that she doesn’t steal opportunities because she is the opportunity. The Asuka and Ripley match then began, with the finish of the match seeing Charlotte causing a disqualification by attacking both Asuka and Ripley. Charlotte’s promo and actions both cemented her in the title picture once again and proved that Andrade got at least one opportunity while in the WWE. (TJRWrestling)

6. AJ Styles and Omos Win the Raw Tag Team Titles

There is a new Grand Slam Champion in WWE. This past Saturday during Night One of WrestleMania 37, AJ Styles and Omos defeated The New Day to become the new Raw Tag Team Champions. The match saw Omos dominate The New Day in impressive fashion, pinning Kofi Kingston with just one foot to get the win. With this win Styles became a Grand Slam Champion as he has won the Intercontinental, United States, Tag Team and WWE Championship during his impressive career. Omos on the other hand is just getting started in his career and is hoping the Cookies will crumble in his favor and he can become a Famous Omos. (TJRWrestling)

5. Apollo Crews Wins the WWE Intercontinental Championship

Big E and Apollo Crews faced off in the first-ever Nigerian Drum Match this past Sunday during Night Two of WrestleMania 37. The match was basically a street fight with drums and a gong around the ring. The finish of the match saw the former Dabba Kato interfere in the match, assisting Crews to get the win and capture the title. Kato will now reportedly be packaged with Crews under the new name of Commander Azeez, perhaps because Captain Crunch was already taken. (TJRWrestling)

4. Rhea Ripley Captures the Raw Women’s Championship

It did not take Rhea Ripley very long to make a huge impact on the main roster. During Night Two of WrestleMania 37, Ripley defeated Asuka to capture the Raw Women’s Title. With this win, Ripley has become the only woman in history to capture the NXT UK, NXT and Raw Women’s Titles. Making this accomplishment all the more impressive is that Ripley is just 24 yrs old. That makes her both very young to have accomplished so much as well as a few years too old to be Jerry Lawler’s girlfriend. (TJRWrestling)

3. Celebrities Invade Professional Wrestling

It was a big week for celebrity involvement in the wrestling world. During Night One of WrestleMania 37, Bad Bunny and Damien Priest defeated The Miz and John Morrison. Bunny put on a truly incredible performance during the match, even pulling off a Canadian Destroyer and a Cross Body off the Turnbuckle to get the win. During Night Two of Mania, Logan Paul appeared with Sami Zayn for his match against Kevin Owens. After Owens defeated Zayn, Paul ended up getting shoved by Zayn and stunned by Owens for his troubles. Finally, on AEW Dynamite, Mike Tyson was the special guest enforcer for the Chris Jericho and Dax Hardwood match. After Jericho won the match, Tyson joined Jericho in the ring stating that he is now an “auxiliary member” of the Inner Circle. With all these “celebrities” debuting in wrestling, it is only a matter of time before some television network produces the “Masked Wrestler.” (TJRWrestling)

2. Bianca Belair Wins the Smackdown Women’s Championship

History was truly made during Night One of WrestleMania 37. For the first time ever the show was concluded with two African American women. The match saw Bianca Belair defeat Sasha Banks to capture the Smackdown Women’s Title. The finish saw Belair use her hair to hit Banks, before hitting the KOD slam for the win. Michael Cole actually messed up the call for the finish, saying that Banks kicked out. This made no sense as Banks was clearly pinned, and did not kick out by a hair. (TJRWrestling)

https://twitter.com/g0ldenxmelaninn/status/1381089275916251142

1. WWE Releases Multiple Superstars

Christmas morning came early for Tony Khan this year. WWE announced the release of multiple superstars yesterday. Among the names that were released were Billie Kay, Mickie James, Kalisto, Tucker, Chelsea Green, Wesley Blake, Bo Dallas, Mojo Rawley and Samoa Joe. Joe was just replaced on the Raw announce team by Corey Graves and newcomer Adnan Virk. Tom Phillips was also removed from the team and sent to 205 Live. In conjunction with the releases, AEW has announced that they will be forming six new factions for their weekly Survivor Series themed show called Dynamite. (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 not even a blood clot can stop my dirty mouth)