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Sunday, December 15, 2024 Issue #7432
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Visit our website at http://www.wrestling-online.com
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//->> OPENING WORDS FROM THE EDITOR

I really enjoyed SNME last night. Yeah, lots of commercials but that was to be expected. Thought the flow of the show was great. Was good to have McAfee back and Ventura was entertaining as well.


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//->> NEWS FROM THE WRESTLING-ONLINE NEWSWIRE
Web version at http://www.wrestling-online.com/

SATURDAY NIGHT'S MAIN EVENT RESULTS

- The red, white, and blue ropes, bow ties and light blue referee shirts, the iconic Saturday Night's Main Event theme song, steel barricades, and Jesse Ventura's feather boas were all on display last night on SNME as WWE returned to NBC for the first time since 2008. Over 15,000 fans turned up for the event, held at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Long Island, New York, the same location of the first-ever Saturday Night's Main Event on NBC held on May 11, 1985. Joe Tessitore opened the broadcast as a host running down the card, sporting a red bow tie as a tribute to Mean Gene Okerlund. He then brought out Jesse "The Body" Ventura for some added flair before the action was thrown to ringside, where Pat McAfee was introduced as the guest commentator for the night. The two-hour night had five big matches which started with Drew McIntyre keeping his 100% record against Sami Zayn. Liv Morgan and Iyo Sky for the WWE Women's World Heavyweight title was up next and despite Morgan b
eing on the receiving end of a nasty knee to the face, she still won with the Oblivion. A triple threat for the WWE World Heavyweight title followed, with Gunther against Damian Priest and Finn Balor. It was a very good match which Gunther won. Chelsea Green then made history by becoming the inaugural WWE Women's United States champion, defeating Michin in the tournament final with the Unprettier. The Long Island crowd was certainly behind Green and popped huge for the victory. The main event had the extra color commentary of Jesse "The Body" Ventura, who informed Cole and McAfee that the snake skin on his jacket used to be Damien, the pet snake of Jake "The Snake" Roberts, who he said stole and turned it into a jacket! Yikes! Cody Rhodes, who came out with the beautiful Winged Eagle WWE championship for one night only, then defeated his frenemy Kevin Owens after a Cross Rhodes on a steel chair in a match which also saw two referee bumps.

KEVIN OWEN ATTACKS CODY RHODES AFTER SNME ENDING

- Cody Rhodes might have won the match last night against Kevin Owens but Owens had the last laugh after Cody had to be stretchered out of the arena following the ending of Saturday Night's Main Event. With Cody in the ring cutting a promo for the crowd, Owens attacked from behind and delivered a nasty package piledriver, a move which is rarely seen on WWE television. Several WWE officials and EMTs rushed to the ring and placed Cody in a neck brace and stretcher. Owens stole the title and walked back with it, only to be confronted by Triple H, who came out of Gorilla and pushed Owens for his actions. The two then had a shoving match and went face-to-face several times before Triple H then gave Owens a big push to his chest which angered Owens. Referees had to split the two apart before it got worse. You can see what happened at https://www.wrestling-online.com/wwe/cody-rhodes-stretchered-after-match-following-kevin-owens-attack/.

WINGED EAGLE WWE CHAMPIONSHIP RETURNS FOR ONE NIGHT

- The Winged Eagle WWE championship, considered by many the most beautiful design among all WWE titles, was back last night during Saturday Night's Main Event, albeit for one night only. Cody Rhodes, who in the past promised to try his best to bring back the popular title, walked out for his SNME match against Kevin Owens wearing the championship made famous by the likes of Hulk Hogan, Macho Man, and Ultimate Warrior as part of the nostalgia for the show. The particular design, by belt maker Reggie Parks, made its debut in February 1988 carried by Hulk Hogan and was last seen on WWE television in 1998 after Steve Austin won the title from Shawn Michaels. The design was replaced by the Big Eagle championship, a somewhat similar, but not as popular title. An autographed version of the title that Rhodes carried last night is being sold by WWE Shop for $699 (https://wwe-shop.sjv.io/WyyjE3). It has a gold Cody signature on the left side of the title and this special event item will be shi
pped no later than February 21, 2025. Orders for this item will be only be available until December 16. A non-autographed title is available for sale for a much cheaper price of $429 (https://wwe-shop.sjv.io/WyyjE3) and is basically the same replica belt while a modified, dual-plated version of the title, is on sale for just $300 (https://wwe-shop.sjv.io/WyyjE3). The title's strap measures 49.5" x 10.13" with the main center plate approximately 11.3" x 8.8". The title replica weighs almost 6 pounds and includes a cloth carrying bag. If you're still thinking about a Christmas present, this is the perfect gift for any wrestling fan!

CHELSEA GREEN WINS THE WWE WOMEN'S UNITED STATES TITLE

- Chelsea Green made history last night at Saturday Night's Main Event by becoming the inaugural WWE Women's United States champion. The title was introduced to the Smackdown brand on November 8 and a tournament to crown the first-ever champion kicked off a week later. 12 women took part in four, triple-threat matches with Bayley defeating Candice LaRae and B-Fab, Chelsea Green defeating Blair Davenport and Bianca Belair, Michin defeating Piper Niven and Lash Legend, and Tiffany Stratton defeating Naomi and Elektra Lopez. In the semi finals held on Friday's Smackdown, Green beat Bayley and Michin beat Stratton, sending both to the tournament final and a rematch from their previously well-received dumpster match of several weeks back. Green was the overwhelming favorite heading into the match, a testament to her hard work and character development over the past several months. Her victory was given the seal of approval from the usually-tough New York crowd who erupted following the Un
prettier finisher. You can see it at https://www.wrestling-online.com/wwe/chelsea-green-wins-wwe-womens-united-states-title/.

HULK HOGAN WALKS OUT WITH COLBY COVINGTON AT UFC SHOW IN TAMPA

- While many thought Hulk Hogan would be part of the return of Saturday Night's Main Event last night, the Hulkster had another gig planned...with another TKO Group company by the initials of UFC. Hogan walked out with UFC fighter Colby Covington and former fighter Chael Sonnen for his fight against Joaquin Buckley in the main event of UFC on ESPN 63. Hulk's WWE theme song Real American was used for the entrance, with Hogan carrying and waving the American flag along the way. "A trio you didn't know you needed," the UFC X account posted along with the video. "An epic walk out for @ColbyCovMMA!" Covington cupped his ears the way Hogan did before he walked into the cage, although unfortunately for him, he lost the fight. The show took place from the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. You can see the whole entrance at https://www.wrestling-online.com/general/hulk-hogan-accompanies-colby-covington-to-the-octagon-at-ufc-on-espn-63/.

WILLOW NIGHTINGALE TO REPRESENT AEW AT WRESTLE DYNASTY

- Willow Nightingale has got her ticket to Tokyo and will be representing AEW in the Wrestle Dynasty International Women's Cup match. The former TBS champion defeated Jamie Hayter in the qualifying match last night on Collision and she now joins Athena, representing Ring of Honor, and Persephone, representing CMLL in the match. Stardom has yet to determine who they will be sending. The winner of the four-way match, which takes place on January 5, will receive a title shot for a title in any of the participating promotions.

CONTINENTAL CLASSIC UPDATE

- Two more Continental Classic matches took place on Collision last night, with the blue league featured during the broadcast. In the first match, Kazuchika Okada, the reigning Continental champion, defeated The Beast Mortos to go to seven points. This loss leaves The Beast Mortos with zero points after four matches, joining Komander as the only one who still has yet to pick up a win. Also last night, Kyle Fletcher suffered his first loss in the tournament with Mark Briscoe beating him for the three points. Up until yesterday, Fletcher was the only one with a 100% record in this tournament. Fletcher still leads the blue league with nine points while Okada is behind with seven points and Briscoe with six. Daniel Garcia and Shelton Benjamin have four and three points respectively and Mortos remains with nothing.

CHRIS JERICHO APPEARS AT GCW EVENT ATTACKING MATT CARDONA

- The issues between AEW and GCW seem to have been ironed out as last night, Chris Jericho showed up unannounced at the GCW Highest In The Room event at UCC in Los Angeles, attacking Matt Cardona. Jericho interfered in the Cardona vs Effy match, showing up in a hoodie and mask and took out Cardona with a bat, allowing Effy to use the rough rider finisher on Cardona to get the pin. After the match was over, Jericho removed the mask to reveal himself to a big pop from the crowd and then hit the Judas Effect on Effy. He also removed his hoodie, revealing that he was wearing a shirt sporting the AEW logo. Jericho then proceeded to beat both Cardona and Effy with the baseball bat before he left the ring. Jericho and Cardona will meet each other at ROH's Final Battle event later in the month for the ROH World title.

LINDA MCMAHON DONATED OVER $21 MILLION TO DONALD TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN

- A report on CNN.COM states that Linda McMahon, the soon-to-be Secretary of Education under President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet, was the largest donor to Trump among his cabinet picks and his second most-generous donor. The person who pumped the most money into Trump's 2024 campaign was Elon Musk, but Musk does not form part of the cabinet. The former WWE President and CEO donated a total of $21.2 million, most of which went to Make American Great Again, Inc., the super PAC that spent heavily on advertising to aid his campaign. In comparison, Elon Musk donated over $262 million to pro-Trump super PACs. After McMahon's $21.2 million in donations, the closest cabinet member with the most donations is Howard Lutnick with a total of $9.4 million. He will be the Secretary of Commerce, a position which was originally thought it was going to McMahon. McMahon served as the Administrator of the SBA in Trump's first presidency and then transitioned to run organizations to help him get re-e
lected into office. She, along with Lutnick, headed up the transition team after Trump won the election. Apart from being a confidant of Trump, McMahon is also a long-time friend along with her ex-husband Vince McMahon.

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