Daily Update: NXT, SmackDown dark matches, Nia Jax

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SATURDAY NEWS UPDATE

WWE

  • On NXT this Tuesday, NXT Champion Bron Breakker and Santos Escobar will meet for a “championship summit.” The segment will build up Breakker and Escobar’s title match at NXT Vengeance Day the following week. Both of those NXT episodes are airing on Syfy due to the Winter Olympics.
  • Last night’s Royal Rumble fallout edition of SmackDown averaged 2.00 million viewers in the fast national ratings. The fast national rating in the 18-49 demo was a 0.5. The show had competition from the Winter Olympics.
  • Before last night’s SmackDown, there were dark matches where Raquel Gonzalez defeated Io Shirai and Tommaso Ciampa defeated Roderick Strong.
  • Becky Lynch tweeted after it was confirmed that Ronda Rousey will challenge Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 38 this April: “Smart choice, Ronnie. Go for the gazpacho.”
  • Bobby Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship and Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins for the Universal Championship are being advertised for WWE’s house show at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, March 5.
  • Drew McIntyre, Naomi, and The Viking Raiders were interviewed on Talking Smack this week.
  • Paul Heyman appeared on this week’s episode of WWE After the Bell.
  • On After the Bell, Heyman said he thinks Riddick Moss (Madcap Moss) is a future main eventer: “When Riddick Moss has the emergence out of his shell and into his next incarnation, the same way The Big Dog elevated his game and evolved into the Tribal Chief, Riddick Moss’ next iteration in WWE, there will be no stopping him. He’s a main eventer.”
  • WWE’s YouTube channel uploaded Charlotte Flair vs. Sasha Banks for the Raw Women’s Championship from the November 28, 2016 episode of Raw, Asuka vs. Bayley from the February 5, 2018 episode of Raw, and Big E vs. Apollo Crews vs. Sami Zayn for the Intercontinental title from the February 5, 2021 episode of SmackDown.

Other Wrestling

  • Lina Fanene (formerly known as Nia Jax) sent out a tweet yesterday claiming that she knows “a lot of people in many professional sports” who have paid for fake vaccination cards from doctors. Jax also stood by a previous statement where she said that she’ll trust her immune system instead of the COVID vaccine: “Hahaha! I stand by that too. Honey, if you really think that all your favorites don’t feel the same as I do, you’re sadly mistaken. I know a lot of people in many professional sports that just paid & got a real card from a doctor..sooooo”
  • Liiza Hall, Jay Lethal, and Gabriel Kidd have been added to Terminus’ show in Atlanta on Thursday, February 24.
  • Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay got into a Twitter back and forth after Dave Meltzer rated Ospreay’s match against Michael Oku for Revolution Pro Wrestling five stars.
  • Pink News published a story on Anthony Bowens. Bowens spoke about what’s next for him in AEW: “Well, it’s baby steps but Max and I are intent on making sure that we continue to stay on top of the tag division. We want some tag team gold in 2022. But long term, obviously I’d love to be the first gay champion as part of a tag team, but also a champion as a solo competitor too. Once The Acclaimed maybe aren’t a thing anymore — or maybe The Acclaimed will be something forever, you never know — first it would be the TNT championship and then, you know, to be a gay AEW heavyweight champion. I have so many goals [laughs] but it’s one step at a time. Right now, it’s just getting in the ring and going match by match and making sure we win. And, of course, no more cheating from Sting.”
  • Jonathan Gresham vs. Blake Christian is set for GCW’s show at Center Stage in Atlanta on Saturday, March 12.
  • Joey Janela will team with Marko Stunt against AJ Gray & Matthew Justice at GCW’s event in Atlantic City on Sunday, February 20.
  • Matt Binder wrote a story for Mashable about Hook and how Hook became a viral meme before he even had his first match.
  • Kyle O’Reilly was the guest on this week’s episode of AEW Unrestricted.
  • Denise Salcedo interviewed “Speedball” Mike Bailey.
  • Sports Illustrated has interviews with Biff Busick and Lince Dorado.
  • Ric Flair, Dirty Dango, Francine, Sunny, Eric Bischoff, and Candice Michelle are the latest additions to WrestleCon 2022 in Dallas.