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Welcome to today's edition of the WWE Rumor Roundup, where we take you through the day's top WWE stories. Today, there are some interesting things to look at as Jim Ross takes shots at WWE, Braun Strowman names his pick for Team RAW, and more.
There's also an update on why RETRIBUTION attacked Tucker, but before that, let's look at the two headline-makers of the day:
#5 Mark Henry wants a big match for Ronda Rousey at WWE WrestleMania
WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry wants Ronda Rousey to return to the ring as soon as possible. He wants the former RAW Women's Champion back before WrestleMania next year.
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Mark Henry added that he wants to see 12-time Women's champion Charlotte Flair to face the returning star at The Show of Shows. Talking on the Heavy Live with Scoop B, Henry said:
"I can't wait. I pray in my prayers every night. I pray that Ronda Rousey comes back to wrestle, man. I hope she does. If anybody knows Ronda, please tell Ronda to come back to wrestling. I mean, that was the best part of watching last year's WrestleMania, was to see her development. [It was] the BEST beginning in pro wrestling I ever saw."
"I think that the greatness of Charlotte would even challenge Ronda Rousey. I think that also Becky is at home getting ready to have a baby and she won't be back in time for WrestleMania, so I'm already making the business decision to put her and Charlotte together [laughs]. But the year after next, I want to see Becky get that chance, one-on-one." [H/T: WrestlingINC]
Ronda Rousey has been away from the WWE ring for over 15 months now. She took a break after dropping the title to Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 35 and rumors about her possible return have been going around.
#4 Kofi Kingston unhappy with WWE
Brock Lesnar defeated Kofi Kingston within 10 seconds last year to win the WWE Championship on the 20th Anniversary of SmackDown. WWE on FOX tweeted out the same last night, and Kofi Kingston was far from happy.
The one-half of the WWE RAW tag team champions was not happy with the reminder of what can be termed as his worst defeat in WWE. Kofi Kingston replied with this: 'Why y'all keep bringing up old $&%+?' along with a GIF to show his displeasure.
This is not the first time Kofi spoke about that big loss last year. On the After The Bell podcast, he told Corey Graves:
"This is weird too, a lot of people will be on my social media like, 'Well Kofi, you're acting like you don't care, man. Did you forget that you were the champion?' Well look, you're asking my onscreen character to be angry like he's my real character. I just feel like it's one of those things where it just is what it is. And the reality [is] onscreen I'm a good guy who lost in eight seconds so as far as making a case for a rematch, what would my character have to say? 'Give me another shot, Brock! I lost in eight seconds but I'll get you next [time]!' You want my real-life character to take on this anger and be mad with the way what happened onscreen. It's this weird conundrum." [H/T ComicBook]
Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods will take on the Street Profits at the upcoming Survivor Series pay-per-view later this month.
#3 Jim Ross takes shots at WWE
Jim Ross has once again taken shots at WWE for scheduling NXT on Wednesday nights at the same time as AEW Dynamite. The WWE Hall of Famer claims that Vince McMahon decided to put WWE's yellow brand on TV to see if AEW would cripple.
While talking on his Grilling JR podcast, the AEW commentator said:
"How's that working? How's that brilliant evil strategy? Going head to head is good in a boardroom, it's good in a rah-rah meeting, but at the end of the day, you bring more people to a television set that are wrestling fans at 8 o' clock eastern time on Wednesday night because you've got two brands now that the audience can sample."
"They can watch one, they can DVR one, they can switch back and forth, whatever the hell you do. But to think it's going to cripple it? Look at the bigger picture. It's been the excuse in wrestling forever. Unscrupulous, unethical situations are always justified by saying 'it's just business'. Well, it's just business that we're kicking your a** every [Wednesday] night." h/t WrestlingInc)
AEW have been beating WWE NXT in the ratings for a long time now and the company's viewership seems to be rising.
#2 Braun Strowman wants Drew McIntyre in Team RAW at WWE Survivor Series
Braun Strowman sealed his place in Team RAW for WWE Survivor Series last night after winning a triple-threat match against Sheamus and Keith Lee. The Monster Among Men will now join forces with his aforementioned opponents at the upcoming WWE PPV, with AJ Styles as the captain.
Team RAW needs one more member, and Braun Strowman believes it should be Drew McIntyre. The former WWE Champion does not have a match at the pay-per-view right now after dropping the title to Randy Orton at Hell In A Cell.
Strowman was on RAW Talk and while talking to R-Truth and Charly Caruso, he said:
"You know, honestly, walking around the locker room before I came out to do this, I could see that Drew McIntyre has a fire lit inside of him right now. And you know, there's some history between Drew and I, I've eaten more Brogue Kicks that I care to admit, but at the same time I know that when he goes out there he's got the same mindset, the same mentality as I do - he wants to win and will do anything in his power to do it. So I'd love Drew McIntyre to step up and take that fifth and final spot on Team RAW."
Drew McIntyre joining Team RAW would easily make it one of the best teams in recent history, if not ever.
#1 Why RETRIBUTION attacked Tucker on WWE RAW
Tucker made his return to singles action on Monday Night RAW for the first time since getting drafted to the Red brand. The former member of Heavy Machinery turned on Otis at WWE Hell In A Cell and cost him the Money in the Bank contract.
He was up against Ricochet on RAW, but it was not a night to remember as the former North American champion defeated him. Things got worse for Tucker as he was laid out by RETRIBUTION following the match.
Mustafa Ali, the leader of RETRIBUTION, was a guest on RAW Talk and explained his group's actions. He said:
"No one was attacked. We defended ourselves. We are RETRIBUTION. We protect justice and if you sin, it cannot be forgiven till it is punished. And that's exactly what happened to Tucker. Tucker backstabbed his best friend. You have the nerve to question my actions. Are you questioning what Tucker did?"
R Truth questioned if RETRIBUTION were taking matters into their own hands, and Mustafa Ali replied:
"That man backstabbed his best friend...for what? To get ahead. Judge, jury and executioner. That was the warning that I gave out and that warning is now a reality."
RETRIBUTION have not made a good start in WWE, but with Mustafa Ali as their leader, things could change soon.
