Ten-Bell Salute For Gene Okerlund At WWE NXT (Video), Braun Strowman's Polar Plunge, Fans On Asuka

By Marc Middleton

- Last night's WWE NXT TV tapings opened with a ten-bell salute for WWE Hall of Famer "Mean" Gene Okerlund, who passed away at the age of 76 on Wednesday. This week's WWE 205 Live also opened with a tribute graphic for Okerlund. WWE posted this video of Kayla Braxton leading the salute for Gene at last night's tapings.

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- WWE has a new poll asking fans who should be the next challenger for SmackDown Women's Champion Asuka, presumably for a title match at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view. As of this writing, 60% voted for Becky Lynch while 23% voted for Carmella and 17% voted for Charlotte Flair.


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Gene Okerlund Admitted Into A Nursing Home Days Ago, More On His Health Following Recent Fall

- Braun Strowman noted on Twitter that WWE will be filming his Polar Plunge to benefit the Boys & Girls Club at 3pm ET today. The stunt will take place at Big Guys on Pike Lake in Hartford, WI, where Strowman's family is from. Braun's GoFundMe campaign has raised $2,283 of the $2,000 goal with 73 backers in 1 day.

Braun did an interview with WWE to promote the plunge and said he's used to taking ice baths but jumping into a 20-degree lake is a lot different. He said, "You know, I just think it's going to be a mental thing, mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter. I do ice baths and stuff like that and cryotherapy, but sitting in an ice bath at 48 degrees, maybe 45 degrees is the lowest I'll get the water temperature in an ice bath. That's a dramatic difference from a 20-degree lake."

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Strowman is set to return to Monday's RAW with WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar to promote their Royal Rumble match. WWE asked him if being face-to-face with The Beast makes him less nervous than doing the plunge. He responded, "Oh, definitely not as nervous as the Polar Bear Plunge. I've been in the ring with Brock Lesnar, so I know what to expect. Jumping into a frozen lake? I do not know what to expect."

Braun also said he's thinking about dressing up in a costume for the plunge, and he originally planned on doing it by himself but now it looks like others will be joining him.

Strowman tweeted the following and promised to take photos with fans who attend & donate:

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