WWE News Roundup: Legendary name confirms retirement, Former champion has joined AEW, Top star praised amidst Becky Lynch and Rhea Ripley's absence
Greetings and welcome to yet another edition of Sportskeeda Wrestling's WWE News Roundup. Today, we will cover splendid topics related to top names like former WWE Women's Champion Rhea Ripley, Becky Lynch, and Liv Morgan.
The Man Becky Lynch is no longer a part of WWE, as her contract with the company has expired. She is currently a free agent, and it is not known if and when she will return to the company. Rhea Ripley has also been absent owing to an injury she sustained. The weight of the RAW Women's division has been on Liv Morgan's shoulders, and she has received praise for it:
#1. Liv Morgan praised in the absence of Becky Lynch and Rhea Ripley
On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said he was impressed by the 29-year-old star's performance on RAW. He mentioned that with The Man Becky Lynch and Rhea Ripley not on RAW, WWE is focusing on the romantic storyline between Mysterio and Liv Morgan, and Morgan is ''pulling it off''.
"She was really a star on this show. I wanna say, I’ve never seen Liv Morgan come across more like a star than she did tonight. I think with Rhea Ripley gone and Becky Lynch gone you know they really focused on her and they’re giving her this story with Dominik which is… a challenging story and she’s really pulling it off," he said.
Liv Morgan became the Women's World Champion after she defeated Becky Lynch at King & Queen of the Ring. She has vowed to take everything away from Ripley including the Women's Title and her on-screen love interest, Dominik Mysterio. There is no timeline for the return of Rhea Ripley yet.
#2. Former WWE star Lio Rush has joined AEW
Former WWE Cruiserweight Champion Lio Rush made his AEW Collison debut last week in a match against Roderick String. Rush had signed with the Stanford-based company in 2017 and was part of the cruiserweight division. He also served as the manager of Bobby Lashley for a brief period before being let go by the company. He had joined AEW for a brief time before exiting in 2022.
Leo made his return to the company last week and was featured on Collision and Dynamite. Rush is a fast-paced star who is known for his high-flying abilities. The former WWE Superstar is a good fit for AEW and could have stellar matches against the likes of Will Ospreay and Darby Allen in the future.
#3. Dutch Mantell confirms that he has retired for good
Legendary wrestler and manager Dutch Mantell made it clear on social media that he is done as a wrestler and will not be returning after a video of him beating former World Champion Alberto Del Rio was shared. When a fan asked if we could expect him back, this is what Jack Swagger's former manager had to say:
"No. I'm done. Lock the doors... turn out the lights...the party's over," Mantell said.
Mantell started his career in 1972, and even though he was a tremendous wrestler, he gained more fame as a manager. In WWE, he was known as Zeb Colter and had managed Cesaro and Jack Swagger as The Real Americans. He also trained The Undertaker and Kane.