The Kannapolis Police Department welcomed a new member to the team on Friday.
K-9 officer Roman, a German Shepherd born in Germany, will be working alongside his partner, Devin Steele.
Roman celebrated his first birthday in July and has been training for police work since birth.
He is named after WWE wrestler Roman Reigns, according to the police department, and his favorite treats are carrots.
Officer Steele has been with the Kannapolis Police Department for four years. He completed the Basic Law Enforcement Training Program at Rowan Cabarrus Community College and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Criminal Justice from Shaw University.
WATCH: Heartwarming homecoming: Air Force Sergeant returns from deployment, surprises son at school
Calvin Johnsonsays it’s no surprise to him that Roman Reignshas become one of the most legendary WWE Superstars of all time … telling TMZ Sports the dude was a total “badass” at Georgia Tech.
Believe it or not, the guys were actually teammates for the Yellow Jackets’ football team in the mid-2000s … and Johnson says he knew right away that Reigns had mega-star potential.
“He was just always like a badass,” the Hall of Fame wide receiver explained. “He didn’t say much, but when he did say something, you listened.”
Reigns went by his real name, Joe Anoa’i, when he was playing defensive line at the time … and he performed so well alongside Johnson, many believed he had a bright future in the NFL.
His battle with cancer derailed those aspirations, however — but Johnson said that all clearly ended up being “a blessing in disguise” for him … as he’s now poised to break numerous records in the squared circle.
“My man is killing it out here,” Johnson said.
March 2021
TMZSports.com
Of course, Reigns has remembered his time at Georgia Tech with Calvin fondly as well … telling us back in 2021 Megatron’s potential was evident even when he was just a true freshman.
Before these 3 sisters dressed in matching Christmas ‘fits were on your television screens, they were getting stoked for the holiday season — while livin’ their best lives in Beverly Hills — going to high school in Bel-Air and hanging out with their famous friends.
All 3 of these lavish ladies are not your regular moms … they’re known for their fashion sense and will definitely pull up in a blinged-out whip! And, with so many brands and companies under their belt … if they were to own Christmas, it’d be called Kristmas!
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will team up to form a new company in a blockbuster deal announced Monday.
Endeavor Group Holdings Inc., which already runs mixed-martial arts promoter UFC, will take a 51 per cent stake in WWE, while existing shareholders of the publicly traded company will retain 49 per cent control.
WWE’s executive chairman Vince McMahon, who made a return to the company in January to lead talks for a sale after stepping down amid sexual misconduct allegations last year, will remain chair of the board at the newly merged company. UFC president Dana White will retain his role, Nick Khan will transition from CEO to president of WWE, and Endeavor CEO Ariel Emanuel will hold the same role in the newly merged company.
The deal values UFC at US$21.3 billion and WWE at US$9.3 billion. Last year, WWE booked revenue of US$1.3 billion.
Rumours swirled about who would possibly be interested in buying WWE, with chatter focusing on companies such as Endeavor, Disney, Fox, Comcast, Amazon and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
Media industry analysts viewed WWE as an attractive acquisition target given its global reach and loyal fanbase, which includes everyone from minors to seniors and a wide range of incomes.
The deal with UFC comes a day after WWE’s marquee event, WrestleMania, ran over two nights at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
The weekend’s matches included performances from not only WWE mainstays such as Roman Reigns, Rey Mysterio, John Cena and Cody Rhodes, but also mainstream stars including social media influencers Logan Paul and KSI, pop superstars Snoop Dogg and Bad Bunny and San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle.
Canadian wrestlers Edge, Trish Stratus, Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens were also among the top-billed combatants at WrestleMania 39.
A synergy already exists talent wise between WWE and UFC, with stars such as Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey crossing over between the two businesses.
The newly created company would seek to capitalize on consumers’ desire to participate in live experiences — a trend that has resumed since the height of the pandemic — and on their appetite to bet on sports, said Endeavor President Mark Shapiro, who will serve in the same capacity in the new company.
Story continues below advertisement
WWE supertsar Edge makes his return to Toronto
The new company, which does not yet have a name, plans to trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the “TKO” ticker symbol. Its board will have 11 members, with six being appointed by Endeavor and five being appointed by WWE.
The transaction, which was approved by the boards of Endeavor and WWE, is targeted to close in the second half of the year.
Under the deal that a source said was internally referred to as Project Stunner, UFC and WWE will also contribute cash to the new company so it holds nearly $150 million.
The agreement values each share of WWE at $106, representing a premium of 16 per cent to the company’s Friday closing.
Shares of WWE recovered somewhat in trading Monday on the New York Stock Exchange but still ended the day down roughly two per cent, while Endeavor was down nearly six per cent. One analyst said WWE investors may have been disappointed that this was not a cash transaction.
Story continues below advertisement
“Maybe the ultimate structure of this was not with it not aligned with their short term thinking of how it might work,” said John Healy, analyst at Northcoast Research.
Roman Reigns, who comes from a family of wrestlers, was born and raised to take over the wrestling ring. Roman has roots in the Anoa’i family, who have produced many superstars that have been part of the WWE world.
Everything You Need to Know About Roman Reigns, WWE’s Undisputed Star
Roman Reigns, who has been the brand ambassador for WWE for almost eight years, is the company’s top superstar. During his “babyface” run, not every fan acknowledged him. But, after being villainous, Reigns has performed at a higher level and gained recognition after his breath-taking performance. With his unimaginable heights as a heel and ownership of the WWE Title and Universal Championship, the WWE Universe now recognises him as the star.
Does his height serve as an advantage over competitors who are shorter than him?
Roman Reigns, the current WWE Universal Champion, has vanquished numerous superstars who are shorter than him throughout his historic world championship reign, but they were no match for his stature and power for the obvious reason, that his physique over others would be superior. In the traditional underdog position, Daniel Bryan, Rey Mysterio, and Sami Zayn all took the battle to the head of the table and were defeated by Roman Reigns.
Whereas it has been observed that the star trumbles when confronted by opponents who are the same height as him or taller than him. Roman Reigns, whose height is 6′ 3″, faces defeat from those competitors who are taller than him, such as The Undertaker and Braun Strowman, who have towered over him many times due to the height difference that they share. The tribal chief’s weakness is easily discernible due to the height disparity.
With a minor height difference between Randy Orton, who is 6’5″, and Roman Reigns, who only has two inches between them, Orton failed to take over Reigns because of Reign’s bulky body mass, which served as a disadvantage to Orton’s leaner body structure. As a result, Roman gave Randy Orton the look of defeat.
WWE’s undisputed star will appear on the big screen in Hollywood.
Reigns, who has diversely contributed to the wrestling world and is known for his performances, is looking forward to making an appearance on the set of Hollywood. The Tribal Chief, as we know him, recently made an appearance on Jimmy Fallon‘s The Tonight Show as Reigns, who possesses the decent physical skills and drive necessary to break into the movie business and become a Hollywood megastar.
Although his acting career hasn’t yet taken off, his career in wrestling has been noteworthy thus far. With an iron grip, The Head of the Table continues to control his domain in the WWE and “The Isle of Relevancy.” Fans are also looking forward to his appearance on the big screen, which will undoubtedly be well received by the audience.
The 13thWWE Elimination Chamber match has kickstarted at Bell Center, Montreal on Saturday, February 18 (ET). This marks the first Elimination Chamber match in Canada, and the second one which is taking place outside of the United States after 2022. The Elimination Chamber match marks the final major pay-per-view before the much-anticipated WrestleMania 39.
Breakdown of WWE Elimination Chamber 2023
Today’s loaded event will include 5 matches in total with the main event featuring Sami Zayn facing off Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion title in his hometown. Apart from this, fans will also get to see Austin Theory defend his United States Championship as he faces Seth Rollins, Johnny Gargano, Montez Ford, Bronson Reed, and Damian Priest.
On the women’s side, six wrestlers – Liv Morgan, Asuka, Nikki Cross, Raquel Rodriguez, Natalya, vs, will wrestle it out to find out who will face RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair at the upcoming WrestleMania.
Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley will also face other. The duo have fought singles matches earlier, with Lashley defeating Lesnar at the Royal Rumble Match in January. Edge and Beth Phoenix will face The Judgment Day’s Finn Balor and Rhea Ripley at the Elimination Chamber.
Scroll below to know everything about the 2023 WWE Elimination Chamber
What time is the WWE Elimination Chamber 2023?
The WWE Elimination Chamber is slated to start at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, 18 February (ET), with the kickoff show starting at 7 p.m.
Where can you watch the 2023 WWE Elimination Chamber matches?
The WWE Elimination Chamber matches will be available to stream on Peacock on any device for viewers in the United States. For everyone else in other parts of the world, the match will be available on WWE Networks.
WWE Elimination Chamber 2023 Match Cards
Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Sami Zayn vs. Roman Reigns (c)
Men’s Elimination Chamber match for United States Championship: Seth Rollins vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Montez Ford vs. Bronson Reed vs. Damian Priest vs. Austin Theory (c)
Women’s Elimination Chamber match for a Shot at the Raw Women’s Championship: Asuka vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Liv Morgan vs. Natalya vs. Nikki Cross vs. Carmella
Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley
Edge and Beth Phoenix vs. Finn Bálor and Rhea Ripley
WWE SmackDown advertised The Usos vs. The New Day as The Usos look to break The New Day’s record as the longest-reigning WWE tag team champions of all time. Tonight’s broadcast also featured the debut of the SmackDown World Cup and Santos Escobar vs. Shinsuke Nakamura. SmackDown also advertised a Six-Pack women’s match to determine the new No. 1 Contender for Ronda Rousey’s SmackDown Women’s Championship.
Last week’s broadcast of WWE SmackDown garnered 2.131 million viewers.
WWE SmackDown Results | November 11, 2022
The Usos def. The New Day | WWE Tag Team Championship
Santos Escobar def. Shinsuke Nakamura | WWE World Cup
Shotzi def. Raquel Rodriguez, Xia Li, Liv Morgan, Sonya Deville and Lacey Evans
WWE SmackDown Ratings
November 4, 2022 | 2.131 million
October 28, 2022 | 835,000
October 21, 2022 | 2.231 million
October 14, 2022 | 2.274 million
October 7, 2022 | 2.243 million
WWE SmackDown Venue: Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, IN.)
WWE SmackDown Tickets Distributed: 8,791
Available Tickets: 352
WWE SmackDown Winners and Match Card
The Usos def. The New Day
This was easily The New Day’s most important match in at least a year, and it sure felt like it.
The most over person in this match between The New Day and The Usos was Sami Zayn. Zayn was out with a personal issue, but that didn’t stop fans from chanting “we want Sami” and “Sami Uso” throughout. As Zayn’s popularity grows out of control, WWE may have a problem on its hands.
The New Day began to get frustrated after a few nearfalls, and it made me think that maybe now is the time to turn them heel for the first time in seven years.
If I had a dollar for every time Michael Cole said The New Day was trying to “secure their legacy,” I’d be able to buy Twitter.
This was a great match, but the finish was somewhat underwhelming as The Usos caught Kofi Kingston in a sloppy midair 1D.
Santos Escobar def. Shinsuke Nakamura
The SmackDown World Cup seems to be WWE’s answer to the AEW All Atlantic Championship.
I can’t wait for Legado Del Fantasma to get over enough for fans to sing along with their theme song.
For whatever reason, Joaquin Wilde was dressed exactly like Pee Wee Herman.
Backstage, Bray Wyatt interrupted an LA Knight promo. Crazy as it sounds, this was the biggest moment of LA Knight’s WWE career. Unfortunately for LA Knight, the segment ended with Wyatt head-butting Knight.
Shotzi Wins Six-Pack Women’s Match
Poor Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez screwed up a table spot and these fans were furious. Fans immediately started chanting “table,” and it was not used.
Surprisingly, Shotzi won this match and will be a pig to slaughter challenging Ronda Rousey for the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
Braun Strowman def. Jinder Mahal
After the weekend he had, the finish of this match has to be Braun Strowman via moonsault.
This crowd went crazy for Braun Strowman, which is another indication of how little of these paying customers are represented on Twitter.
This match followed a promo on Ricochet, who weighed in on Braun Strowman’s Twitter controversy himself. If this doesn’t result in Sami Zayn winning the World Cup, it has to result in a finals between Strowman and Ricochet.
The Viking Raiders Destroy Hit Row and Legado Del Fantasma
The Viking Raiders attached these two factions from behind after a barefoot Sarah Logan showed up at the top of the entrance.
Among other over-the-top language used to narrate this assault, Michael Cole noted that “the Gods have opened their eyes.”
Triple H seems to be bringing in one stable after another just to beat up the other stable. Next month, I’m sure Tony D’Angelo and co. will beat up The Viking Raiders.
The Bloodline Brawls with Brawlin’ Brutes, McIntyre
Roman Reigns said he had some business to attend to, and with WarGames around the corner, I’m curious if this business will involve Bray Wyatt and the Wyatt 6.
When fans are chanting “Ucey,” I can’t tell whether they’re doing so in support of Roman Reigns or the absent Sami Zayn.
Sheamus returned, and the poor guy was sabotaged by a bad mic. Roman Reigns immediately capitalized by saying “you can’t even get the mic to work! What are you gonna do?!” Barrett also had a great line when he said “Sheamus’ mic doesn’t work, but his fists do.”
WarGames looks to be Drew McIntyre and The Brawlin’ Brutes vs. The Bloodline. The babyfaces will need a fifth, which sounds like a job for Seth Rollins.
Roman Reigns remains WWE Champion heading into Survivor Series. (Credit: Amer HILABI / AFP)
AFP via Getty Images
Roman Reigns has carried WWE as its Universal Champion for more than two years, and despite a hard-fought instant classic against social media celebrity Logan Paul at Crown Jewel, that didn’t change in Saudi Arabia.
“The Head of the Table” defeated Paul via spear to continue his incredible reign with the most coveted prize in pro wrestling. Reigns has now been WWE’s top champion for well over 700 days, and there is no end in sight to his historic run as the unquestioned face of WWE.
A possible dream match with The Rock at WrestleMania 39—likely the biggest drawing match WWE could do right now—would be the ultimate goal for WWE while Reigns eventually battling with the merchandise-moving machine Bray Wyatt seems to be a long-term goal for WWE as well.
Paul’s future isn’t as clear, but what is more than apparent is this: He was built for the world of sports entertainment and has a future in the industry for however long he wants it.
A massive social media star as well as an accomplished boxer, Paul is signed to WWE under a contract that will see him work for the company into 2023. While the exact terms of his deal aren’t known, he’s slated to stick around for “multiple premium WWE live events” and is poised to become a prominent part-time performer for WWE for years to come.
At Crown Jewel, Paul once again demonstrated why WWE brought him in to begin with, delivering a show-stopping performance in Saudi Arabia. Keep in mind that this was just Paul’s third-ever televised match and only his second singles match. His first bout came in a tag team match alongside The Miz at WrestleMania 38, a spectacle that was better than it had any right to be, with Paul displaying one of the most spectacular WWE in-ring debuts in company history—celebrity or not.
A handful of months later, Paul battled The Miz at SummerSlam in yet another stellar performance. His crispness, agility and athleticism in the ring have been nothing short of incredible for someone with next-to-no experience, and despite being awkwardly positioned as a babyface, that hasn’t prevented him from delivering in the ring like virtually no celebrity ever has.
Crown Jewel was no different. It was there that Paul went toe-to-toe with Reigns in an epic match more reminiscent of someone with three decades of experience than three matches.
Paul, who has been training with arguably the greatest in-ring performer ever in Shawn Michaels, is tightening his in-ring game and perfecting his craft at a lightning quick pace never seen before. He’s clearly committed to developing his skill set and becoming the type of part-time performer WWE needs after the recent retirements of stars like Triple H and The Undertaker.
As the majority of WWE’s go-to part-timers have hung up their boots or moved on to something else, Paul has stepped up and filled a much-needed role—and then some. Paul is young, has a massive social media following that no one in WWE even comes close to rivaling, and even believes that he’s “found his calling” in WWE. The fans at Crown Jewel loved him, too.
Even though many of WWE’s hard fans—as well as stars like Drew McIntyre—haven’t exactly echoed that sentiment and have expressed their disagreement with Paul being positioned to challenge Reigns for the Universal Championship so early on into his WWE career, the reality is that Paul’s placement into such a high-profile feud has been harmless, if not full-on helpful.
Reigns isn’t losing that Undisputed Universal Championship just yet, so Paul was the perfect candidate to face him at Crown Jewel. Given has lack of experience, Paul could afford to take the loss, which would allow Reigns’ championship reign to continue while also helping Paul continue develop into a strong performer who WWE can rely on as a special attraction.
Crown Jewel accomplished both of those things, and Paul put up an unbelievable effort that made everyone involved look good, kept the momentum going for Reigns and The Bloodline, and also avoided WWE having to give one of its top full-timers an inevitable loss to “The Tribal Chief.”
That’s a win-win for all involved, and for Paul, it’s a great way to help solidify him as an elite talent who WWE can rely on as an occasional boost when needed.
Coming off its lowest viewership since the beginning of October, due to stiff competition from Monday Night Football, WWE Raw advertised a star-studded lineup. Both Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns will return to Monday nights to promote their Crown Jewel matches against Bobby Lashley and Logan Paul, respectively. The returning Nikki Cross will take on Bianca Belair in a non-title match and Matt Riddle and Otis will face off in a Street Fight.
Last week’s broadcast of WWE Raw garnered 1.641 million viewers.
WWE Raw Results on October 31, 2022
Bianca Belair def. Nikki Cross
Seth Rollins def. Austin Theory
Karl Anderson def. Damian Priest
Matt Riddle def. Otis | Halloween Street Fight
Mustafa Ali def. The Miz
Alexa Bliss and Asuka def. Damage CTRL | WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles
WWE Raw Ratings
October 24, 2022 | 1.641 million
October 17, 2022 | 1.804 million
October 10, 2022 | 1.824 million
October 3, 2022 | 1.599 million
September 26, 2022 | 1.674 million
WWE Raw Venue: American Airlines Center (Dallas, Texas)
WWE Raw Tickets Distributed: 8,642
WWE Raw Tickets Available: 230
WWE Raw Winners And Match Card
Bianca Belair def. Nikki Cross
I was thinking WWE was going to build to a Triple Threat between Bianca Belair, Nikki Cross and Bayley. Instead, this felt like it was building up toward another six-woman tag team match after Asuka and Alexa Bliss came to Belair’s aid.
By the end of this segment, not only had Nikki Cross lost her return match, but she was an afterthought in a brawl that involved six women. Cross went from having main event buzz to being the seventh-most important woman in the opening segment.
Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley Brawl
Brock Lesnar did not appear in the split screen backstage interview. Instead, he showed up to the ring and called out Bobby Lashley. It was on sight from there.
This brawl was such a big deal, even the security was star-studded as it featured Triple H. Triple H barked that if Lashley and Lesnar touch again after this, the match would be off.
Seth Rollins def. Austin Theory
Tonight feels like WWE testing the waters with a Seth Rollins babyface turn, the same way AEW is doing with MJF. I’m all for Seth Rollins turning babyface as long as it means he doesn’t do that damn laugh anymore.
Fans were very much behind Rollins all match, to the point where the announcers called out the chanting of the “battle hymn.” Now that they’ve branded this chant, Seth Rollins has no choice but to turn babyface.
There was an excellent rollup/nearfall sequence between Seth Rollins and Austin Theory toward the end of the match that deserved a standing ovation.
Roman Reigns Addresses Logan Paul and The Miz
Backstage, that pop for Roman Reigns was unbelievable.
Fans continued to chant “Ucey,” which is along the same lines of “we want Sami.” WWE may have created a monster with this Ucey thing.
Fans continued to boo that “outsider” Logan Paul when he was referenced. WWE’s latest attempt to get Paul cheered was to bring The Miz in to vouch for him.
Roman Reigns said to The Miz “why does everyone keep talking about…” and several fans screamed “tiny balls!” Then Roman Reigns gave Miz a Superman Punch. If Reigns vs. Paul was in the states, Paul would be booed out of the business.
Backstage, Mustafa Ali received a pop for making a joke about The Miz’s tiny balls.
Karl Anderson def. Damian Priest
Anderson scored a quick rollup victory, but by the time the long post-match beatdown ended, it was completely forgotten.
Dominik Mysterio, who is rising as a heel, got even more heat by doing the Frog Splash.
Happy Corbin with John Bradshaw Layfield
WWE did no favors to Baron Corbin by making him follow another banger of a JBL promo. After getting Texas on his side with an authentic love letter to the state, JBL turned on these Texans on a dime.
Like the heel he is, JBL continued to rock the baggy fit for his slacks.
The new weekly gimmick with R-Truth seems him to come out whenever somebody—anybody—on any show says the word “truth.”
Everybody involved in this segment was in their street clothes. R-Truth was dressed as a cowboy yet still looked the least ridiculous.
Matt Riddle def. Otis
Alongside Elias, Matt Riddle dressed up like Ezekiel.
Otis and Chad Gable recreated the legendary SNL Chippendales sketch featuring Chris Farley. They tried their best, but fans didn’t sound on board. Still, it certainly got over on Twitter.
Otis got to be Otis again and it was fantastic! He’s even been growing his hair back out. Don’t sleep on Old Otis also making a return in the Triple H Era.
Otis had a pumpkin on his head, so he was unable to properly time taking the RKO. This was about as entertaining as a holiday match like this gets.
Mustafa Ali def. The Miz
After The Miz lost to R-Truth last week, anything is possible in a match like this.
As fate would have it, Mustafa Ali defeated The Miz though the crowd was uninterested.
“WWE Investigates” with Johnny Gargano
Byron Saxton hosted “WWE Investigates,” which was a ripoff of 60 seconds, right down to the ticking clock in the background. Good for Byron.
WWE Investigates should be a weekly segment highlighting different WWE feuds. Seriously. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but they told the origin story of this feud and even advanced the storyline. I love it.
Johnny Gargano revealed The Miz had paid Dexter Lumis to beat him up, prompting Gargano to ask “why would a heel stage an attack on himself?” Assuming The Firm’s beatdown of MJF is all part of a ruse, MJF really is a less famous Miz.
Alexa Bliss and Asuka def. Damage CTRL
This match was very physical, with stiff strikes on display throughout.
To the surprise of nobody, Asuka and Iyo Sky once again had a great exchange.
This wasn’t the best night for Alexa Bliss, who had a few miscues.
There were a couple creative spots from Dakota Kai, including a Scorpion Kick to Asuka.
Bayley hit an awesome-looking Bayley to Belly through two tables before the finish of this match.
Surprisingly, WWE changed the Women’s Tag Team Championships as it continues to be two steps forward, one step back for Damage CTRL.
