Latest news with #AlphaAcademy
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Fan-Favorite WWE Superstar Reportedly Out of Action
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. No matter where you look on the WWE card, there is always some who is operating at the top of their game. More Pro Wrestling: WWE Raw Superstar Sidelined With An Injury: Report Such is the case for Otis of Alpha Academy. Despite being featured lower on the card, Otis is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face while still impressing with his powerhouse style. Unfortunately, Otis has been missing from WWE television for some time now, and it now appears we know why. INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06: (L-R) Otis, Maxxine Dupri and Akira Tozawa attend Netflix's Debut of WWE Monday Night Raw at Intuit Dome on January 06, 2025 in Inglewood, California. INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06: (L-R) Otis, Maxxine Dupri and Akira Tozawa attend Netflix's Debut of WWE Monday Night Raw at Intuit Dome on January 06, 2025 in Inglewood, Netflix According to a report from WrestleVotes, Otis isn't just off of WWE television. He is completely out of action and off the internal roster for an unknown reason "I believe he's out of action," WrestleVotes said. "Don't know if it's an injury or personal reasons, however we speak about this roster that shows is currently not on the roster, which means they're not available right now." Otis is currently out of action and reportedly not listed on WWE's internal roster. "I believe he's out of action. Don't know if it's an injury or personal reasons, however we speak about this roster that shows up…Otis is currently not on the roster, which means they're not… — Cultaholic Wrestling (@Cultaholic) June 25, 2025 "For whatever reason, personal, injury, I don't know, I don't want to speculate. However, they're not available for weekly TV at the moment." More Pro Wrestling: WWE Superstar To Undergo Surgery: Report At the moment, there's no telling what this means for Otis or the future of Alpha Academy. However, it appears that Maxxine Dupri and Akira Tozawa will likely be getting some assistance from future WWE Hall of Famer Natalya Neidhart. Neidhart was seen in Dupri's corner for a losing effort against Ivy Nile of American Made. After the loss, Neidhart took to social media to support the former manager of Maximum Male Models alongside a clip from Raw. "You didn't do terrible," Neidhart said. "It wasn't amazing. It wasn't awful. It wasn't incredible. It wasn't bad. You definitely need some work." It will be interesting to see how Neidhart mentors Alpha Academy and what that means when Otis returns. More Pro Wrestling: WWE News: Dominik Mysterio Injured, Match at Night of Champions Canceled After some time as an amateur wrestler, Otis began his career in professional wrestling in 2015 before being scouted for WWE by Gerald Briscoe in 2016. Otis was first a member of Heavy Machinery alongside Tucker Knight on NXT before they were moved to the main roster in 2018. During this time, Otis was part of a massively popular storyline that saw him engaged in a love triangle with Mandy Rose and Dolph Ziggler. Eventually, Otis came out on top, defeating Ziggler and receiving a kiss from Rose. After Heavy Machinery disbanded, Otis soon joined forces with Chad Gable to form Alpha Academy, becoming one of the most popular tag teams in WWE. Eventually, the group would expand to include Dupri and Tozawa and garner even more attention from the WWE Universe. Gable would eventually become more abusive toward the group before they all walked out on him, leading to a fierce rivalry between Alpha Academy and Gable's new stable, American Made. In his time with WWE, Otis won the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship with Chad Gable and also won the Men's Money in the Bank ladder match in 2020. More Pro Wrestling: WWE Hall of Famer Reportedly Stepping Away From Wrestling For Good 'I Didn't Derail His Career': Kevin Owens Reveals WWE Storyline He Refused For more WWE and professional wrestling news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
Time of India
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Exclusive: Veteran writer calls Rusev's latest WWE run 'horrible', reveals what has gone wrong
Rusev returned to the WWE on the Raw after WrestleMania 41 and destroyed the Alpha Academy (Otis and Akira Tozawa) in the cruelest way possible. Many expected this to be the beginning of a dominant run for the star who was previously with the Stamford-based promotion from 2010 to 2020. However, over a month later, he is yet to make a major impact. In an exclusive interaction with Indiatimes, veteran writer Vince Russo called its second stint with the company 'horrible' and revealed why it is not working. Vince Russo is not a fan of Rusev's latest run with the WWE Rusev has had merely two matches since returning to the WWE on the Raw after WrestleMania 41. In the first one, he beat Otis. The other one saw him squash Akira Tozawa in a matter of minutes. There was also a significant time gap in his matches against the lower midcard talents as the WWE relied on packaged promos to build an aura around the powerhouse. In them, the former Miro spoke about wanting to 'redeem' himself. According to Vince Russo– a writer who worked with the WWE in the 90s– the promos are 'meaningless' and Rusev does not have a storyline to work with. '(The run is) horrible. Nothing special. There is no story upon his return. Those vignettes are meaningless,' he told Indiatimes. Rusev was paired with Lana, who later married him in real life in 2016, during his first run with the company. Lana acted as his manager and helped him generate heat through her caustic promos. This established him as a bankable heel and paved the way for him to win the US title on three occasions. Russo feels that Lana's absence too has detailed the second run even before it started. 'They needed him to come back with Lana. He's going to be just another name on the roster,' said the writer. Interestingly, Lana too is currently with the WWE under a 'Legends' deal. As such, there is a possibility of her being paired with Rusev again. What's next for Rusev? As seen on the latest episode of Raw, Rusev is likely to feud with Sheamus now that his rivalry with Otis and Akira is the rearview. The Irish brawler confronted 'The Bulgarian Brute' on the red brand this week and stopped him for doing some permanent damage to Akira. This may pave the way fore meatier feuds down the line
Newsweek
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Fan-Favorite WWE Superstar Is Set To Return: Report
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. WWE is reportedly poised to welcome back one-half of the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions, Liv Morgan, with sources indicating she will be factored in creatively imminently. Morgan has been absent from WWE Raw for approximately the last month, a hiatus taken to accommodate a significant acting role. She was overseas filming "Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo," a movie where she reportedly portrays the missing daughter of a politician and co-stars with acclaimed actress Lily James. Morgan returned to her home last weekend after completing several weeks of filming for the highly anticipated project, immediately fueling speculation about her television comeback. According to a report from Fightful Select, her return to Monday Night Raw could be as early as tonight, May 26, 2025. More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation This news has been further corroborated by whose WWE creative sources have confirmed Morgan is written into tonight's Raw. Her return adds another layer of excitement to an already stacked edition of WWE Raw tonight. The show will feature two crucial Men's Money in the Bank qualifying matches ahead of the June 7th premium live event. In the first high-stakes triple threat, former world champions collide as Seth Rollins, Sami Zayn, and Finn Bálor vie for a coveted spot. The second qualifier will see a clash of styles as Alpha Academy's Chad Gable, the high-flying Dragon Lee, and the formidable Penta El Zero Miedo battle for their opportunity. HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 11: Sami Zayn talks to the crowd after winning his match during WWE Monday Night RAW at Toyota Center on March 11, 2024 in Houston, Texas. HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 11: Sami Zayn talks to the crowd after winning his match during WWE Monday Night RAW at Toyota Center on March 11, 2024 in Houston, Texas. Alex BierensChampionship gold will also be on the line in the tag team division. World Tag Team Champions The New Day, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, are set for a massive defense in a triple threat match against two formidable duos: The War Raiders, Erik and Ivar, and Creed Brothers, Julius and Brutus Creed, representing American Made. Additionally, following his recent impactful return and targeting of Alpha Academy, "The Bulgarian Brute" Rusev is scheduled for singles action against the resilient Akira Tozawa. With Morgan potentially rejoining the active roster, this week's Raw promises to be a pivotal episode as it will be the fallout edition of Raw from Saturday Night's Main Event over the weekend. She could qualify for the Women's Money in the Bank ladder match. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Rusev vs Sheamus feud reportedly pitched for WWE Raw return program
WWE fans may soon witness a clash of titans on Monday Night Raw, as reports suggest that a feud between returning star Rusev and veteran Sheamus is being considered for upcoming programming. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now According to PWInsider, internal discussions have taken place regarding the two heavyweights facing off in what could be one of Raw's most physical rivalries of the year. Rusev, who returned to WWE in April 2025 after a five-year absence, has made an immediate impact. Known outside WWE as Miro during his time in AEW, the former TNT Champion reintroduced himself by attacking Alpha Academy on the April 21 episode of Raw. Since then, he's picked up a convincing win over Otis and is scheduled to face Akira Tozawa on May 26 in Tampa, Florida. A rivalry rooted in history With Sheamus' comeback gaining momentum, speculation has grown around Rusev's next major storyline - and Sheamus appears to be the frontrunner. The Irish powerhouse recently returned to Raw himself following an injury layoff, and like Rusev, has signed a fresh multi-year deal with WWE. Their shared past and hard-hitting styles could set the stage for an intense feud. Rusev and Sheamus previously squared off for the WWE United States Championship in 2014, with Rusev capturing the title on a post-Raw special aired on the WWE Network. They later joined forces as part of the League of Nations faction alongside Wade Barrett and Alberto Del Rio, a group remembered for its clashes with top stars like Roman Reigns. Sheamus vs. Rusev - United States Championship Match: WWE Network Exclusive, Nov. 3, 2014 While the pitched program has not yet been officially confirmed, industry insiders believe it would be a natural fit for both superstars. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now WWE appears to be taking a slow-build approach to Rusev's return, positioning him strongly without rushing into title feuds. Sheamus, meanwhile, continues to be a cornerstone figure on Raw, offering credibility and in-ring intensity to any storyline he's a part of. Backstage reports indicate that WWE values the real-life friendship and chemistry between the two, which could further enhance the storytelling aspect of the rivalry. If the plan moves forward, fans can expect a series of no-nonsense, physical encounters between two of WWE's most seasoned brawlers. With Rusev likely to wrap up his short-term program with Alpha Academy this week, all signs point toward a fresh challenge - and Sheamus may just be the ideal opponent to reignite a rivalry years in the making. WWE is yet to make any official announcements, but anticipation is building for what could be one of the summer's standout feuds on Raw.
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
WWE has already made a mess of Rusev's return to the company, here's why
Rusev returned to the WWE on the Raw after WrestleMania 41 and destroyed the Alpha Academy. Many expected this to mark the beginning of another successful run for the 'Bulgarian Brute'. Sadly, this hasn't happened so far. The Stamford-based promotion has failed to do justice to the hype surrounding Rusev, diluting the impact of his second stint with the company. Here are three mistakes committed by the WWE in its handling of Rusev that should have been avoided. Unnecessarily competitive match first match A few weeks ago, Rusev took on Otis– a lower midcard act) in what was his first match since returning to the company. Ideally, this should have been a short and one-sided affair with The Bulgarian star dominating his physically imposing foe. However, it ended up being a competitive contest in which Otis gave a good account of himself and even got the upper hand on him at several points. Rusev eventually got the win with The Accolade but his aura had been diluted. Not making him appear in person every week Rusev hasn't been seen on WWE programming since beating Otis a couple of weeks ago and his absence is not really helping the cause. The company is relying on video packages, highlighting his 'redeemer' avatar, to keep him in the public eye. Though well-packed, they feel predictable and repetitive. As a result of which the impact is not as strong as expected. The futile feud with Akira Tozawa Rusev is set to take on Akira Tozawa on Raw next week in what will be his second match in nearly a month. The Japanese star is an accomplished star in his own right but he can't really be considered an A-lister. As seen in his feud with Gunther, he is being projected as an enhancement talent. This makes him an unworthy opponent for Rusev especially given the fact that the the former Miro faced off against top-tier stars such as John Cena and The Undertaker in his previous run. As such, the result of the impending match is unlikely to benefit Rusev in any way whatsoever. For all the latest coverage on WWE, track updates here
