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Top 10 Wrestling Stories of the Week 2/7: Dog Food Shower, Multiple Returns, New WWE IC Champ, More

TJR Wrestling

Welcome back TJR readers! Did you have to get a second job due to investing all of your money in WWE stock and miss Smackdown? Perhaps you are a mourning San Francisco 49ers fan and missed RAW? Have no fear as I have returned with another edition of The Top Ten Wrestling Stories of the Week to catch you up.

10. AEW Double or Nothing PPV Officially Announced

AEW is doubling down on having their Double or Nothing PPV in Las Vegas once again this year, as the PPV will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday May 23rd. Last year’s Double or Nothing event was the first official AEW PPV, and sold out the MGM Grand in minutes. AEW is betting on a similar result this year with having a strong card and potentially a few aces up their sleeves. Let’s hope that going All In with a second gamble on Vegas doesn’t end up being a flop. (TJRWrestling)

9. Killer Kross and Timothy Thatcher Both Sign With WWE

The WWE Performance Center is about to get two new recruits very soon. WWE has signed both Timothy Thatcher and Killer Kross to performance contracts. Thatcher is a 15-year veteran of the independent wrestling seen, winning multiple championships in many different federations, and is also a former tag partner to NXT UK Champion Walter. As for Kross, he has only been wrestling for a little over five years in the industry but has already made a large impact, competing in many promotions including Impact Wrestling and Lucha Underground. Kross is also in a relationship with NXT Superstar Scarlett Bordeaux, and will now be joining her on NXT. With NXT presently losing the Wednesday Night Wars, WWE is clearly trying to sign All the Elite performers in Wrestling. (TJRWrestling)

8. Cody Rhodes Takes Ten Lashes From MJF

Cody Rhodes came one step closer to facing MJF at AEW Revolution on February 29th. In order for Rhodes to get his match against MJF at Revolution he had to agree to not touch MJF before the match, wrestle Wardlow inside a steel cage and get lashed ten times with a belt from MJF. Last night on AEW: Dynamite Rhodes’ mentor Arn Anderson, brother Dustin Rhodes and wife Brandi Rhodes watched on as MJF brutally whipped Rhodes ten times across his back. Rhodes survived this beating just to have MJF kick him in the lower ding-ding before running out of the ring. Rhodes will now go on to face Wardlow inside a steel cage on February 19th, before finally getting his hands on MJF at the end of this month. Without question watching a man get lashed ten times is disturbing, but I would argue that it is still easier to watch than Lashley. (TJRWrestling)

7. Velveteen Dream Returns to NXT

NXT fans didn’t have to wait very long to find out what last week’s teaser of circles and the numbers 2, 5 and 20 was referring to. The Undisputed Era were beating down Matt Riddle, Pete Dunne and Tommaso Ciampa, when the lights dimmed and the “2, 5, 20“ teaser once again appeared on the big screen. When the lights came back up, Velveteen Dream was on the turnbuckle, jumping off with a cross body to take out the Undisputed Era. Dream has been out of action from NXT since last October with a back injury. Luckily for Dream, the next NXT Takeover event takes place in Portland Oregon, so he should have no problems finding something to dull any pain that he may still be having. (TJRWrestling)

6. Ruby Riott Returns to Monday Night RAW

After Liv Morgan defeated Lana in around one minute this week on RAW, Morgan’s former Riott Squad member Ruby Riott suddenly returned. Riott, who has been out of action since May of last year after having double shoulder surgery, initially hugged Morgan before turning on her and viciously attacking. Lana then took advantage of the down Morgan attacking her as well. This will potentially set up a third match between the two, which may make everybody who has to watch another Lana match Riot. (TJRWrestling)

5. King Corbin Covered in Dog Food on Smackdown

The main event of Smackdown this week saw King Corbin, Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler face the team of Roman Reigns and the Usos in a loser eats dog food match. Reigns and the Usos were victorious in the match and proceeded to handcuff Corbin to the ring post. The Usos and Reigns then poured large buckets of dog food all over Corbin, before finally taking a selfie to commemorate the occasion. Much of the audience was seen taking photos as well, to commemorate the joyous day that the Roman Reigns and King Corbin feud is finally over. (TJRWrestling)

4. Ricochet to face Brock Lesnar for WWE Heavyweight Championship at Super Showdown

A triple threat match was held this week on RAW between Ricochet, Bobby Lashley and Seth Rollins to determine who will face Brock Lesnar for the WWE Heavyweight Championship at Super Showdown. After overcoming interference by AOP and Buddy Murphy, Ricochet was able to pin Bobby Lashley for the victory. After the match, Lesnar made a surprise appearance, Delivering an F5 to Ricochet. Ricochet will now fly to Saudi Arabia on February 27th to try to shock the world and take Lesnar’s title or at least his private jet so he can get home without incident this time. TJRWrestling)

3. Rhea Ripley Makes Her Case for Charlotte to Pick Her for Wrestlemania Match

As Charlotte Flair was giving an in-ring promo on Monday Night RAW about which champion she may choose to face at Wrestlemania, it was NXT Champion Rhea Ripley who came down to interrupt. Ripley reminded Charlotte that she had beaten her on Smackdown last year, making her case for Charlotte to choose her for the Mania match. Charlotte gave no response to this challenge on RAW, but did however show up on NXT this week and interrupt a segment between Ripley and Ripley’s NXT Portland challenger Bianca Belair. Charlotte once again did not commit to challenging anyone at Mania, but was attacked by both Ripley and Belair to end the segment. Charlotte still has almost two months to decide what champion she wants to face at Wrestlemania. Although they may be disappointed if she doesn’t choose Ripley, the WWE Universe won’t Lynch her if she chooses to go in a different direction. (TJRWrestling)

2. Goldberg to Appear Tonight on Smackdown

WWE Hall-of-Famer Goldberg is scheduled to appear tonight on Friday Night Smackdown. Goldberg is highly rumored to be competing at Super Showdown later this month, and most likely will be setting up a match for then. It is unclear at this time on who Goldberg will be facing in Saudi Arabia this time, with his match with Undertaker last year at this event being a complete disaster. Perhaps Goldberg will try to seek revenge for his loss last year at that event, and challenge the ring post to a match. (TJRWrestling)

1. Braun Strowman Wins WWE Intercontinental Championship

After over four years on the main roster, Braun Strowman has finally won a singles title. Strowman defeated Shinsuke Nakamura this week on Smackdown to capture the WWE Intercontinental Championship. Strowman is a former Money in the Bank winner and two time Tag Team Champion, once with Seth Rollins and once with a twelve-year-old boy. So congratulations to Strowman for finally getting those hands on some singles gold, without needing to endanger the welfare of a child to do it. (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 am a lifetime Miami Dolphins fan, so have become an expert on using the F-word.)