Sasha Banks’ Next Move, New WWE Match Type, Randy Orton Injury Update – News Bulletin – November 16, 2022

WWE

We’ve got news on Sasha Banks’ next move, a new WWE match type has been revealed, there’s an injury update on Randy Orton, and more.

We’ve reached Wednesday and that means we’re half way through the week, so what better way to get over hump day than with your WrestleTalk News Bulletin for November 16, 2022?

Sasha Banks’ Next Move

‘The Boss’ Sasha Banks, real name Mercedes Varnado, has been absent from WWE TV since walking out on the company in May.

Whilst she has recently been seen training with Juventud Guerrera, she also has other business ventures in mind.

A recent report shows that a number of trademarks were filed on behalf of Varnado’s company, Soulnado, Inc.

Those trademarks were Mercedes Mone’, Mone’ Talks, Bank Mone’, and Statement Maker, and they were filed in relation to “purposes including clothing, jewelry and decals”.

 

The trademarks notably play on the wording of Sasha Banks’ ‘The Boss’ gimmick and her finisher, the Bank Statement.

Banks was also recently announced for an appearance at Comic Con Revolution in May 2023 at the Ontario Convention Center.

For this appearance, Mercedes Varnado is being advertised as “fka (formerly known as) Sasha Banks” – the use of “formerly” may have some significance to it.

Banks and Naomi’s WWE statuses remain up in the air as the latest update was that they remain under contract, but there seem to be an increasing number of signs, such as these latest developments with Banks, that suggest their time with WWE may be done.

Whatever the case, we’ll be sure to keep you updated.

New WWE Match Type Announced

The number one contenders for the NXT Championship and NXT Women’s Championship will be decided in a brand new match type that has been announced for NXT Deadline on December 10.

Shawn Michaels confirmed the details on the November 15 episode of NXT, announcing the ‘Iron Survivor Challenge’ match.

The rules of the Iron Survivor Challenge, as announced officially by WWE, are:

Five superstars will compete in this unique 25-minute Match as they battle each other and the clock.

Two superstars will start the match and every five minutes a new superstar will enter the match until all five are in the ring.

The goal is to have the most falls when the clock hits 25 minutes.

Falls can be won at any time via pinfall, submission or disqualification.

When a superstar scores a fall they will earn one point.

However, when a superstar loses a fall, that superstar must pay the penalty. They are forced out of the ring and into a penalty box for 90 seconds.

Once the 90 seconds are up, the superstar can re-enter the match.

The superstar who has scored the most falls when the clock hits 25 minutes will be named the Iron Survivor and become the No. 1 Contender for the NXT Championship and NXT Women’s Championship respectively

This wasn’t the only big thing to take place on NXT, with the episode breaking down like this:

• • Bron Breakker retained the NXT Championship over Von Wagner in the opener
  • Zoey Stark cut an in-ring promo cementing herself as a heel after turning on Nikkita Lyons last week
  • Indus-Sher (Sanga and Veer Mahaan) reunited for their first TV match in over two years, dominating their ‘enhancement’ opponents, then challenging the Creed Brothers to a match
  • Apollo Crews defeated JD McDonagh and looks to be next in line to challenge Bron Breakker
  • Booker T moderated the entertaining contract signing between Wes Lee and Carmelo Hayes, who will have their North American Championship match next week
  • Another video package for T-BAR/Domink Dijakovic who says “hard justice” is on its way
  • Brooks Jensen got distracted by Kiana James, causing Jensen and Josh Briggs to lose their match to the Dyad
  • Shawn Michaels announced the new match type, the ‘Iron Survivor Challenge’, will debut at NXT Deadline on December 10
  • An increasingly heel-ish Indi Hartwell defeated Tatum Paxley
  • ‘Scrypts’ teased an actual debut for next week after weeks of mysterious messages
  • Mandy Rose retained the NXT Women’s Championship in a last woman standing match over Alba Fyre thanks to an attack from the debuting Isla Dawn (formerly of NXT UK) on Fyre

Randy Orton Injury Update

Kim Orton, the wife of Randy Orton, shared a photo to celebrate seven years of marriage to The Viper on her own Instagram account, which featured Orton pictured in a hospital bed.

Whilst there wasn’t any context to the photo itself, PWInsider did follow up with a report that Orton was recently seen in Birmingham, Alabama.

Having not been seen on WWE TV since May and not expected to return until 2023, a visit to Birmingham would potentially suggest that he’s currently undergoing medical procedures for his reported back injury.

Birmingham is the home of the same medical facility that many injured WWE stars have visited for surgery and rehab, most recently Robert Roode who is set to return soon.

Other Stuff

Dave Meltzer reported on Wrestling Observer Radio that there are still “a lot of issues” to be settled between CM Punk and AEW, so Punk’s departure may not be happening any time particularly soon.

Meltzer also said there are people in WWE who “absolutely do not want” CM Punk in the company, but ultimately the decision will come down to Nick Khan, Stephanie McMahon and Paul Levesque (Triple H).

Also on WOR, Meltzer said it’s “all hands on deck” for WrestleMania 39, hence the potential returns of The Rock, Steve Austin, John Cena, CM Punk and more.

And finally from Meltzer, he said that Kevin Owens was planned for an upcoming ‘surprise’ – likely the last spot in WarGames – but that’s now in jeopardy due to his MCL sprain over the weekend.

Jeff Hardy has a pre-trial hearing on Friday, November 18 for his June 13 DUI arrest, for which he is required to appear in court, per PWInsider.

WrestleVotes reported there were talks backstage at Raw of an “international live event” planned for January 18 or 19, but no further details beyond that.

Just as ‘official’ confirmation that the incident did actually happen – the Peoria Civic Center issued a statement after a fan threw their drink over Scarlett during a house show at the weekend.

WrestleVotes told GiveMeSport that WWE’s Paul Levesque (Triple H) and Shawn Michaels both want to re-sign Chelsea Green, and that her husband Matt Cardona (Zack Ryder) could potentially be brought in too as part of a ‘two-for-one’ deal.

According to Fightful Select, several WWE talents that have been rehired and and brought to the SmackDown brand – including specifically Hit Row – are on three-year contracts that run until the summer of 2025.

It was also noted that some of the re-signed talents negotiated the ability to continue with outside projects that they wouldn’t have been able to do under their previous deals in their last run with the company.

Logan Paul said on his podcast that he’s texted Levesque about the possibility of wrestling John Cena t WrestleMania 39.

MLW announced that the nephews of Dynamite Kid – Tom & Mark Billington – have signed with the promotion.

Bryan Alvarez reported that AEW’s Luchasaurus is currently working through a right arm injury.

Announced for tonight’s AEW Dynamite, the final episode before Saturday’s Full Gear pay-per-view, is:

• Ethan Page vs. Bandido – #1 Contender Tournament Semi-Final
• Claudio Catasganolu & Bryan Danielson vs. Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara
• Death Triangle (c) vs. Top Flight & AR Fox – AEW World Trios Championship
• Toni Storm vs. The Bunny
• Anthony Bowens vs. Swerve Strickland
• The Acclaimed Music Video – ‘A Hand For A Hand’
• We’ll hear from Samoa Joe
• We’ll hear from Jon Moxley
• We’ll hear from MJF
• We’ll hear from Britt Baker & Saraya

That wraps up today’s bulletin, but be sure to stay tuned to WrestleTalk.com for all the news throughout the day!

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