Over the last week multiple reports have surfaced stating that there have been a number of backstage issues going on in AEW, specifically citing the CM Punk promo on Adam Page as Punk “going into business for himself” for being upset at something Page said during their Double or Nothing match build.

Aside from that there were rumors that things were incredibly hectic backstage and several talents were unhappy. However, one top AEW name refutes those rumors.

Tony Schiavone, who recently got promoted to a Senior Producer and Special Advisor to Talent, appeared on the What Happened When podcast with Conrad Thompson to discuss the matter and to confirm that most of the reports have been completely overblown.

“There are some challenges, as you know, and of course the internet is going crazy about this or that. I’m not going to get into it because… I’m going to say this right now, things are not as bad as bullshit people on the internet would say. Not even close to it.”

Schiavone Enjoying His New Role with AEW

Schiavone adds that certain plans are in motion that are going to make thinks in AEW better than ever.

“We’ve got some things in place now that I think are going to make us better than ever.”

The backstage turmoil wasn’t the only thing Schiavone touched on. He also spoke about his his new position and how much he’s been enjoying the new responsibilities.

“[I] enjoy my job, enjoy my new responsibilities with the company. They are challenging, but those are challenges that I readily accepted when I took the job. I’m seeing a whole new part of wrestling and wrestlers that I didn’t see before.”

This interview with Schiavone came out ahead of this evening’s AEW Dynamite, which will featured the highly anticipated undisputed world title matchup between CM Punk and Jon Moxley.

(Quotes via Fightful)

John Morrison says his Drip Stick gimmick came about after Vince McMahon saw him reference ‘drip stick’ in a promo and saw dollar signs.

During a conversation with SEScoops correspondent Steve Fall for NBC Sports Boston earlier this week, Morrison says he planned for an elaborate ring entrance that wasn’t meant to be.

“First of all, I wrote, ‘I’m gonna moisten somebody up with my drip stick’ in a promo as kind of a joke. So Vince reads that and he goes, ‘Drip Stick? We’re gonna make a fortune on these drip sticks!’ He loves it.”

“I wanted to have my entrance and then stand on the turnbuckle and have everyone shoot me with their drip sticks. It was going in that direction until people realized the arena would then be soaking wet and we decided we can’t sell drip sticks.”

Drip Drop vs. Drip God?

Later during the discussion, Steve Fall asked Morrison if he was bothered by Seth Rollins calling himself the Drip God. “As far as the drip stuff goes, I don’t know if he knows what drip is, even,” he said.

“I feel like I got pulled back on because Miz left and for some reason, I had like 3 different plans that got changed at the last second.”

“So, I was just sitting, and at TV, if you’re sitting for a couple weeks, then you start getting troubled, because you haven’t been on TV for a month or two, and suddenly it’s like.. ‘What are we doing with John? I don’t know, he hasn’t been on in a while. We need somebody to put over this guy, how about John?’ I think that’s kind of what happened, more than Seth Rollins being the cause of it. “

Watch John Morrison’s interview with Steve Fall for NBC Sports Boston:

CM Punk and Jon Moxley go to war tonight on AEW Dynamite to determine the Undisputed AEW World Champion.

This will not be the first time the Chicago Savior and the Purveyor of Violence have clashed inside the squared circle. They worked together extensively on WWE television, but many fans may not be aware that they once wrestled in WWE’s former developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling.

This match in FCW convinced him that Moxley was no ordinary talent. Punk saw something very familiar in Mox. He saw himself.

The Next CM Punk

CM Punk spoke about Jon Moxley’s potential in a resurfaced video from 2012’s Wizard World Comic Con event. Punk raves that the Cincinnati fighter has all the tools to make it to the top of the industry, including just the right amount of crazy.

“[Moxley] is special. I say that and I mean it both ways,” said Punk. “He’s a little touched up here (points to head), but I think you have to be to do what we do. I hate saying that anybody is the next CM Punk. I don’t wish that upon anybody, but I think if anybody was it’s this guy. He’s got it.”

Punk continued, “Something about him. He can talk, he can work. I’m fortunate that I got a chance to work with him. I actually got in trouble for wrestling him. I wasn’t suppose to.”

“I went down to FCW to do an autograph signing and it was just an opportunity, and when opportunity strikes I always take a hold of it. I was like, ‘I’m gonna work the kid.’ It was fun, and now we got him on television.”

You can watch a clip of the interview here:

Moxley’s WWE main roster debut came in 2012, when The Shield arrived on the scene as mercenaries for none other than CM Punk. Fast forward a decade, Punk and Moxley have crossed paths once again in AEW.

Punk captured the AEW World title back in May from Adam “Hangman” Page at Double or Nothing. The following week, he’d be sidelined with a foot injury. During his absence, Moxley was crowned Interim champion, his second AEW World reign since the promotion launched back in 2019.

New details have emerged about WWE storyline plans for Edge before his heartbreaking retirement in April 2011.

The Rated R Superstar’s career was cut short abruptly over a decade ago after he was diagnosed with cervical spinal stenosis. In an emotional address to the WWE Universe (seen below), Edge said doctors warned him he risked paralysis or even death should he continue wrestling.

The Toronto native never gave up on his dream to wrestle again. Nine years after stepping away from the ring, he made a shocking return to WWE at the 2020 Royal Rumble.

With Edge pondering retirement once again, this time on his own terms, we’ve now learned about a major angle WWE creative had in store for him in 2011.

Plans for Edge before 2011 Retirement

On the latest episode of his Wrestling With Freddie podcast, former WWE writer Freddie Prinze Jr. shared a storyline he wrote for Edge that wound up getting scrapped.

“I actually wrote the story for Edge that he ended up having to pull out of because he retired. We wrote this whole thing where, and it was creepy because it was kind of actually what happened to him.”

“He wanted to get the belt on Christian, and Christian was gonna turn on Edge. [He was going to] just for weeks, smash him. It was going to be like when Dave Chappelle spoofed Sesame Street. He was going to do something like that, and they were gonna spell the word spine and what each letter stood for. Just mock what he did to this dude’s neck. It was this whole thing.”

“Then Edge ends up actually hurting his neck. He couldn’t do the story. So they just wrapped it around Alberto Del Rio. [Christian] ended up getting [the title] for a day.”

WWE Raw was back in Edge’s home town of Toronto this week. After Raw went off the air, he addressed the crowd and spoke about his plans to retire once and for all in the near future. More on that story (including video of Edge’s speech) here:

• Watch: Edge Makes Massive Career Announcement After Raw In Toronto

Listen to this week’s full episode of Wrestling with Freddie:

Please link to SEScoops if you use any of the quotes transcribed in this article. New episodes of Freddie Prinze Jr.’s podcast Wrestling With Freddie drop Wednesdays.

John Morrison spoke with SEScoops correspondent Steve Fall this week for NBC Sports Boston. During their discussion, Morrison spoke about his unceremonious release from WWE, karma catching up to John Laurinaitis and early impressions of Triple H’s new regime.

Morrison believes there’s a “crazy shift” going on right now in wrestling and certain performers stand to benefit from the changes.

“There is a crazy shift going on right now in the wrestling world,” he said. “I don’t know exactly what that means for me, but for pro wrestlers out there like me are are unsigned, it means opportunity. Where? I don’t know. When? I also don’t know.

“Sometimes, like with [Karrion] Kross, and Dexter Lumis, the time was right and I think they made the right move. Sometimes it’s better to wait and sometimes it’s better to go to the other place. It just depends on who you are and what your style is.”

He said there are people in WWE he’d like to work with, including Seth Rollins.

Miz Program Cut Short, No ‘Future Endeavors’

Morrison reveals derailed plans for a feud with the Miz and shares how he coped with his WWE release.

He continued, “The thing about it is, after [his wife] Taya was gone, I didn’t want to be there anymore. When I heard I was going to be released, I went through the 8 steps of grief, 10, however many, in the like 30 seconds. From surprise to shock to regret to ‘ok.’

Morrison joked that he was never wished ‘the best in his future endeavors’ when he left WWE. “I thought he said that to people? I didn’t get that out of Laurinaitis.” He questioned if anybody said to him recently and laughed.

“He created his own problems.”

– John Morrison on John Laurinaitis

He continued, “I could talk about .. this subject, for hours, the litany of poor decision making. I think that’s what most wrestling fans do, and what the wrestlers do. When you’re actually behind the wheel and you’re making those decisions, it’s not that you’re making a decision in hindsight like we are now.”

Watch John Morrison’s interview with Steve Fall for NBC Sports Boston:

When Cody Rhodes left WWE, he started a chain reaction that ultimately led to the creation of All Elite Wrestling. The former AEW star believes that the company wouldn’t exist without him.

The former IC Champion started his wrestling career in WWE in 2006. He had a decade-long run with the promotion, where he went through various phases.

However, after being repackaged as Stardust, Rhodes became increasingly frustrated with his creative direction and he finally left WWE in 2016.

He went on to make a name for himself in the independent circuit. Cody joined The Bullet Club and made friends with the Elite and the rest is history.

• Update on Plans for Cody Rhodes When He Returns from Injury

Cody Rhodes and AEW

A fan recently tweeted how people seem to underestimate Cody Rhodes’ importance in the creation of AEW. Replying to it, the former TNT champion said that the facts are there for everyone to see:

“Facts are all out there to see…without Brandi or I it wouldn’t exist. Look no further than some of the infrastructure in place or even half the names of the events. Tony, Bucks, Kenny, Jericho, Dana, Hang…pioneers. I’ve moved on to the next stage for me, but beautiful memories.”

What do you think about Cody Rhodes’ role in the inception of AEW? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

WWE under Vince McMahon had the habit of coming up with the most atrocious gimmicks for the most unlikely of performers. One such gimmick was when Brodus Clay was repackaged as a fun-loving dancing character dubbed as The Funkasaurus. WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker had the most hilarious response to it.

The former WWE star who now goes by the name Tyrus recently appeared on Talk Is Jericho. Speaking about his Funkasaurus character, Clay revealed how the dead man reacted to it before his debut:

“Taker never liked it. Taker’s advice to me was, he came up to me. He was like ‘Fall’. [I’m like] ‘What?’ He’s like ‘When you go out there, you debut tonight, fall. You fall on the stage; they’ll scrap the whole thing and you can get back [to being a monster].’ I just loved that. When I said ‘Would you fall?’, he said ‘No'”

– Brodus Clay

Brodus Clay was originally introduced as a monstrous bodyguard for Alberto Del Rio on Raw in early 2011. This stint lasted for a few months before Clay took time off from WWE programming for a movie. When he returned, Vince McMahon decided to repackage him. Needless to say, the new character never caught on, and he was released from the company in June 2014.

The former WWE star has since made a name for himself in the independent circuit as Tyrus and he is the current NWA TV Champion. He will be looking to add the NWA world title to his collection as well when he takes on Trevor Murdoch at NWA 74.

More Originals From SEScoops:

• ‘People Are Fickle’: Shane Thorne Weighs In On If WWE Can Revert To Old Programming
• Karrion Kross Reveals His Reaction To WWE Return
• Wrestling Veteran Describes His New Role with AEW
• Hangman Page Reveals the Most Difficult Matches of His Career
• Becky Lynch Reveals How Much Creative Freedom She Has On The Mic

If you use any quotes from the article, please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

Bayley has confirmed that she paid tribute to her longtime rival and real-life friend Sasha Banks during her match on this week’s episode of Raw.

The former women’s champion competed in a match against Aliyah. She defeated the young star after a short fight on this week’s episode of the Red Branded show.

She later took on her Instagram to share video of a moment from her bout. It was a recreation of a spot from her famous NXT Takeover: Brooklyn match against Sasha Banks:

Bayley and Sasha Banks

Bayley and Sasha Banks have been crossing paths since their days in NXT. The two alongside Charlotte and Becky Lynch became known as the Four Horsewomen.

It was during this time that the two had a highly praised match at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn in 2015. This bout inspired many young females to pursue a career in wrestling, including a current NXT star as well.

The two continued their love hate relationship after being called up to the main roster. They even became the Inaugural Women’s Tag Team Champions when the titles were first introduced in 2019.

Sasha Banks is currently away from WWE after walking out of the company in May. Bayley on the other hand is leading the faction of Dakota Kai and IO Sky. They recently became the first finalist in the tournament for the vacant women’s tag team titles.

On last week’s NXT Heatwave special, Santos Escobar lost to Tony D’Angelo in a ‘Loser Leaves NXT’ match.

Given that Escobar had teased a call-up to the main roster during the WWE WrestleMania 39 tickets launch event, his lost to Escobar wasn’t too surprising.

The Call-Up

It appears to be just a matter of time before Santos Escobar is called up to WWE’s main roster, but it doesn’t look like he will be going alone.

On last night’s WWE NXT 2.0, Escobar pulled up in his SUV in the parking lot, where he was greeted by Joaquin Wilde, Cruz Del Toro and Elektra Lopez, members of Legado Del Fantasma.

Escobar asked the group if they really thought he’d leave WWE NXT 2.0 without them, and teased the entire group’s call-up.

“You didn’t think I was going to leave without you, did you? La Familia stays together. So, you ready to go?”

Santos Escobar

All members of Legado Del Fantasma got in the SUV and drove away from WWE NXT 2.0, signifying the end of the group on the brand.

A Change of Plans

Legado Del Fantasma are seemingly coming to the main roster soon, but that wasn’t always the plan.

During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said how there were plans in place for Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro to become part of Tony D’Angelo’s ‘family.’

The pair have been appearing as associates of D’Angelo during this past week’s NXT Live events in Florida.

Those plans have seemingly been scrapped based on last night’s episode of WWE NXT 2.0.

In 2019, Chris Jericho joined AEW at the promotion’s launch event and has consistently been one of the company’s top stars.

Later that year, Jericho would become the first AEW World Champion, and his work as part of the Inner Circle and later the Jericho Appreciation Society has kept him a fixture on TV.

Returning to WWE

Jericho has been a fixture of AEW for over three years now, but there are still some fans who hope to see him in WWE again.

It was in WWE that Jericho became a nine-time Intercontinental Champion (a record that stands to this day) and the first-ever WWE Undisputed Champion.

On Twitter, a fan suggested to Jericho that a return to WWE would be good for him, and that matches pitting Jericho against AJ Styles or Kevin Owens would be ‘fire.’

In response, Jericho pointed out that these matches have happened, multiple times.

Jericho was the first major feud for Styles after the former TNA Wrestling star joined WWE in 2016.

Jericho Vs. Owens

Fans won’t be seeing Chris Jericho face Kevin Owens in WWE, but this is a match fans have seen before.

In 2017, the former friends feuded after Jericho cost Owens the Universal Championship, payback for Owens attacking Y2J during the Festival of Friendship.

In an interview with TalkSport last year, Jericho said that there had been plans for him Vs. Owens for the Universal Championship as the main event of WrestleMania 33.

After realizing WWE did not care about the feud, which saw Owens beat Jericho for the U.S. Title at WrestleMania, the AEW star said he knew it was time to finish with WWE.

Not everything has been right in AEW. Tensions have been brewing in the promotion over the booking of the company originals and the spotlight shifting towards ex-WWE talents for a while now. According to Konnan, people have actually complained to him about their bookings.

The wrestling veteran recently discussed the reports of talent being unhappy in AEW during his Keepin It 100 podcast. He first mentioned how he loves talking to Tony Khan because they both are fans of the same things.

Speaking about the situation in AEW, Konnan actually claimed that a lot of people complained to him about their spot the last time he visited a show:

“Then the last time I was there, bro, you have no idea how many people came up to me and they were pissed about the booking. They weren’t happy how they were being used. They were very, very vocal about it.”

• What’s Happening with CM Punk and Hangman Adam Page?

According to the Mexican star, people believed that Konnan may be joining the AEW creative team. So talents talked to him openly about their frustrations. Though the AAA promoter made it clear that he is not trying to get a job with ALL Elite Wrestling

What do you think about the influx of ex-WWE talents and how it has changed the booking philosophy in AEW? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

WWE has announced not one but two NXT title unification matches for the upcoming Worlds Collide event on September 4.

It all started when multiple NXT UK stars made their presence felt at the NXT 2.0 brand during the Heatwave special last week.

The show saw NXT UK champion Tyler Bate confronting the NXT Champion Bron Breakker after the main event. The two have been taking shots at each other since then.

This week’s episode of the development brand then saw Breakker issuing a challenge to Bate. The title unification match was made official after Tyler, who referred to himself “the last ‘NXT UK’ Champion” agreed to the bout at Worlds Collide.

Tensions had also been brewing between the NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose, Blair Davenport and the NXT UK women’s Champion Meiko Satomura.

This Tuesday’s episode of the show featured a segment between Rose and Davenport. Satomura interrupted this segment. A triple threat match to unify both the women’s championships was then announced for the upcoming show.

This comes after WWE officially confirmed the end of NXT UK. They have announced a new NXT Europe brand to replace the previous show. It’s set to launch sometime in 2023.

• WWE NXT Results (8/23): Lights Out Match, Dexter Lumis Appears

AEW surprised the wrestling world last week when they announced the much-anticipated AEW Championship unification match between CM Punk and Jon Moxley for this Wednesday night on Dynamite.

The match was previously thought to be taking place at All Out during Labor Day weekend. Instead, someone will likely walk away with both belts this Wednesday night. Will the match result in a large television ratings bump? That remains to be seen. And who will be involved in a title match at All Out? That also remains to be answered.

With all of that being said, oddsmakers see one of these men as the heavy favorite to walk out of Cleveland this Wednesday night the undisputed champion: CM Punk. With All Out taking place in his hometown of Chicago in less than two weeks, Bet Online forecasts Punk’s chances at victory at -400. They have Moxley as the underdog at +250.

The Summer of Punk That Wasn’t

CM Punk captured the AEW World Championship from “Hangman” Adam Page back at AEW Double or Nothing Memorial Day weekend in Las Vegas. It was expected to lead to a “Summer of Punk,” with the former multi-time world champion having high profile matches throughout June, July, and August.

Instead, a foot injury sidelined Punk for over two months and Moxley was crowned interim AEW World Champion after a brief tournament.

Since Punk’s surprise return to AEW at Dynamite in Minneapolis two weeks ago, there’s been no shortage of headlines. Last week, Punk took a shot at Page during his promo to start Dynamite, and there have been conflicting reports of real-life animosity between he and Page, as well as he and Moxley.

Nevertheless, Punk has tried to quell some of the rumors that he is unhappy at AEW through postings on social media of late.

Last weekend on Instagram, Punk wrote, “One year ago began the best year of my professional career. Too many great moments, not enough space to post all the great pics. Rekindled passion, made new friends, reunited with old ones. Can’t stop smiling, won’t stop until the wheels fall off. Thank you most of all to all the fans who made it possible. I’m having the time of my life.”

• Tony Khan Reveals That Recent AEW Special Did Record Viewership In The U.K.

Who do you think will walk out of AEW Dynamite as the undisputed world champion? Let us know in the comments section below.

Make sure to check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube. 

The August 23, 2022 episode of WWE NXT aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. 

WWE NXT Results 

• Gallus defeated Briggs and Jensen via countout 
• Cameron Grimes defeated Javier Bernal 
• Blair Davenport defeated Indi Hartwell 
• The Dyad defeated Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro
• Tyler Bate defeated Von Wagner
• Wendy Choo defeated Tiffany Stratton in the Lights Out match

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Opening Segment

WWE NXT UK Champion Tyler Bate and NXT Champion Bron Breakker opened the show. 

Heatwave’s main event last week featured Breakker defending his NXT Championship against JD McDonagh. Following the contest, Bate entered the ring wearing the NXT United Kingdom Championship ring. Breakker and Bate held up their respective title belts as the night came to a close. Breakker and Bate’s champion-versus-champion contest appears to be scheduled for WWE’s Worlds Collide event on Sunday, September 4.

Breakker opened the show by calling out Bate so they can talk. Bate cut a promo about how he has respect for Bron and he’s not here to collect air miles. He said he will be the first and last NXT UK Champion. He said with NXT Europe around the corner, he wants to unify the NXT UK and NXT Titles. 

Bron said he knows how good Bate is and such a threat to his title. When he thinks of NXT UK, he thinks of Bate. Bron said this isn’t NXT UK, but rather NXT where the greatest superstars are at. Bron said there should be one NXT Champion and said let’s make some history by doing a unification title bout at Worlds Collide. 

After Ilja Dragunov had to relinquish the championship due to injuries, Bate was named NXT United Kingdom Champion. At an NXT UK television taping in July, Bate won the championship, but the victory has yet to be broadcasted.

WWE also booked a non-title bout between NXT UK Champion Tyler Bate and Von Wagner. This match between Bate and Wagner featured 

Lights Out Match

Wendy Choo and Tiffany Stratton met in the Lights Out match. 

On last Tuesday’s episode, Stratton and Choo discussed their ongoing feud, including Choo’s attack on Stratton two weeks ago while the lights were off in her dressing room. In addition to the arena being darker during the bout, Choo said that everything she did to Stratton would be permissible in the Lights Out match.

The match was saved for the main event. They darkened the arena and used various weapons. It was basically a hardcore match in the dark. Wendy hit a splash off the top rob for the win. 

NXT UK Tag Team Title Bout

Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen defended the NXT UK Tag Team Titles against Gallus.

On last week’s program, Gallus made their NXT debut by attacking Diamond Mine when they were talking in the ring. In a later backstage interview, they confronted Briggs and Jensen, claiming they had held the crowns for 497 days. 

The match ended in a no contest after eight minutes. Diamond Mine ran out to brawl with Gallus. Security ran out to separate the two factions.

Triple Threat Match

NXT UK Women’s Champion Meiko Satomura vs. NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose vs. Blair Davenport in a title unification bout at Worlds Collide in a promo segment following Davenport’s match against Indi Hartwell. 

During the segment, Dexter Lumis showed up. Lumis and Hartwell hugged in the ring and kissed to pop the crowd. Lumis handed Hartwell a caricature painting before being arrested.

AEW star Jungle Boy and Christian Cage have been in a feud on Dynamite for the past two months. Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus were known as Jurassic Express in the promotion, and Christian served as their manager during their reign as AEW Tag Team Champions.

However, the 48-year-old betrayed Jungle Boy at AEW Dynamite: Road Rager and even convinced Luchasaurus to turn heel for a couple of weeks. Christian has made it even more personal with references to Jungle Boy’s mother and his recently passed father, famous actor Luke Perry.

He recently challenged Christian to a match at AEW All Out on September 4th and brutally attacked him on this past Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite. Jungle Boy has since responded with a promo of his own and beat Christian down on last week’s episode of Dynamite.

Jim Cornette Wonders If Jungle Boy Will Figure It Out

On a recent episode of the Jim Cornette Experience, he was very critical of Jungle Boy and wondered if he was ever going to “get it”.

Co-host Brian Last suggested that Jungle Boy may find more success down the road as a heel but Cornette wasn’t optimistic. Jim claimed that the only way he could pull that off was if Jurassic Express reunited as heels, and Jungle Boy played the role of an instigator hiding behind Luchasaurus.

While Jungle Boy may not be dynamic on the microphone yet, he’s already established himself as one of the talents with the most potential on the AEW roster. The 25-year-old’s match against Christian Cage at all All Out will be the biggest match of his young career.

Do you agree with Jim Cornette’s assessment of Jungle Boy or do you believe he will be one of AEW’s biggest stars down the line? Let us know in the comments section below.

NJPW and Stardom will be introducing the IWGP Women’s Championship belt. The inaugural champion will be crowned via a tournament. 

New Japan Pro Wrestling announced that the tournament will begin with the first quarterfinal matches at Royal Quest II night two in London, England on October 2. It will continue with the quarterfinals at Stardom’s October 22 event while the semifinals will take place on a Stardom card in Tachikawa on October 23. 

The tournament will conclude with the finals at Stardom and New Japan’s Historic X-over joint show on November 20 in Ariake. The first title defense will take place at Wrestle Kingdom 17 on January 4.

First Look

Courtesy of Tokyo Sports, you can see a photo of the championship belt below:

The two companies have confirmed that the title will be defended in Japan and also in the US on New Japan Pro Wrestling events. It’s slated to be the primary title for NJPW, with Stardom’s main titles remaining the World of Stardom Championship (red belt) and the Wonder of Stardom Championship (white belt).

Stardom wrestlers will begin to be featured on NJPW shows in the United States.

Ric Flair thinks the WWE’s new creative regime led by Paul “Triple H” Levesque will continue to yield significant positive changes.

Triple H took over as head of creative and talent relations following Vince McMahon’s retirement in July 2022. WWE programming has been getting better reviews by industry pundits and fans on social media over the past few weeks.

Flair discussed the new era of WWE on the latest episode of his To Be The Man podcast. He tells co-host Conrad Thompson that he’s enjoying the current product. He is also hearing good things from the WWE locker room.

Flair says it’s a looser environment behind the scenes and he’s confident Triple H has a good support system to lean on.

Big Change Fans Will Appreciate

WWE has relied on part-time performers over the past several years. The company’s top champions and box office attractions are not always working full-time schedules.

“I don’t think he’s crazy about the part-time performers.”

– Ric Flair on Triple H

Flair believes Triple H will want WWE’s champions to be available to appear week in and week out.

“He looks at the big picture totally different than other people do, than other people have,” said Flair. “I don’t think he’s crazy about the part-time performers. That would be my take on it. As he knows.. he worked every day until the day he got more involved in the office.”

Falling out with Triple H

Conrad asked Ric about the status of his relationship with Triple H. Are they still tight and thick as thieves?

“Well, I don’t think we’re thick as thieves, but I cant tell you this. We had a big falling out over the trademark, ‘The Man’ issue, a big falling out. But, I’d be very surprised if I wasn’t in the top 5 people who reached out to Stephanie when he got sick. Certainly, as soon as I became aware of it, I called her and I called him.”

“He is the first person I called when [Ric’s son] Reid died. So, for whatever people want to make about our relationship or not, I feel like everybody has ups and downs. You have arguments, you have disagreements. But I can guarantee you this, I will be at his funeral, and I’ll guarantee you this, he will be at mine. Everybody else can say what they want to say, make of it what they want to make of it.”

When Flair returned to WWE in 2001, Hunter was just as instrumental as Vince in welcoming him back into the fold. They knew he was battling big self confidence issues and helped rebuilt himself by pushing him to be his best and not rest on his laurels.

Flair said everything he has today in wrestling, as far as his ‘redemption’ post-WCW, is because of Triple H and Vince.

Please credit Ad Free Shows with a link to SEScoops if you use any of the quotes transcribed in this article. Visit AdFreeShows.com to subscribe starting at $9/month.

The WWE Draft that was rumored to take place shortly after Clash of the Castle is no longer expected to take place.

Earlier this month, it was reported by Fightful Select that members of the Raw roster were scheduled to appear on the first SmackDown after Clash at the Castle, while while SmackDown superstars were slated for the following week’s Raw.

This led to a feeling amongst talent that WWE will be holding a Draft over the next several weeks. On Tuesday, we got another update that dispels that earlier report.

Conflicting Reports

Per Fightful, Raw talent is no longer scheduled to appear on SmackDown. While some WWE stars still expect a draft to be held, there’s reason to believe that’s not the case.

The latest update is that sources within the USA Network are not aware of any plans for a WWE Draft taking place in September. In fact, April 2023, following WrestleMania 39, is a more likely timeframe for the next roster shakeup.

WWE has yet to announce anything related to an upcoming Draft. For now, it’s safe to say that your favorite Raw and Smackdown talent will be staying put for the foreseeable future. We’ll be tracking this story and will keep you posted if there are any developments.

Tony Khan issued a statement on his personal Twitter account promoting this week’s Dynamite on TBS, a show that will feature the highly anticipated showdown between world champion CM Punk and interim champion Jon Moxley, with the winner being crowned the undisputed AEW champion.

The AEW President writes, “Thank you everyone who watches @AEWonTV! In 48 hours Wednesday Night #AEWDynamite @CMPunk vs @JonMoxley to finally crown an Undisputed @AEWWorld Champion! It’s been a great summer of 12 straight weeks & counting for Dynamite on @TBSNetwork in the top 2 shows on cable in the US.”

Along with that, Khan touts the success of AEW’s recent Quake By The Lake television special from two weeks ago, which he reveals scored AEW their record viewership number on ITV4 in the United Kingdom. For those who don’t remember that show was headlined by Jon Moxley taking on Chris Jericho for the AEW world title, with Punk making his surprising return from injury. Khan’s full second tweet reads:

“In addition to a great summer domestically, it’s been a huge summer for @AEW internationally including great news that #AEWDynamite #QuakebyTheLake with @JonMoxley vs @IAmJericho for the @AEW Interim World Title + @CMPunk’s epic return did our UK record viewership on @ITV4 Friday.”

You can check out the tweets below.

In addition to a great summer domestically, it’s been a huge summer for @AEW internationally including great news that #AEWDynamite#QuakebyTheLake with@JonMoxley vs @IAmJericho for the @AEW Interim World Title + @CMPunk’s epic return did our UK record viewership on @ITV4 Friday

— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) August 22, 2022

Some analysts predicts that AEW will score their biggest viewership and demo increase for this Wednesday’s show due to the Moxley vs. Punk match, as well as the trios tournament matchup between the Death Triangle and NJPW’s Aussie Open & Will Ospreay.

The backstage atmosphere has had a “major positive change” since Vince McMahon’s departure according to a recent report.

PWInsider reports that the feeling of “walking on eggshells” that was prevalent in certain departments is a thing of the past. Now, there seems to be a renewed hope and pride for those working in the company.

One department that’s said to have seen one of the biggest changes is the production side of things. The change has been said to be “massively night and day.”

With the likes of Nick Khan, Paul Levesque and Stephanie McMahon now leading the charge, nobody is yelling at the production truck or announcers anymore since the departure of the verbally “extremely heavy-handed” Vince McMahon.

It’s also noted that Mondays and Fridays no longer feel like the worst days of the job for those working in production. Now, while days are still long and hard, nobody is walking in and out expecting some sort of “PTSD” to follow them the next day after TV.

Also, entire departments – announcers, cameramen, producers, directors, etc. – are said to be extremely happy over the past several weeks. One person said that they feel like they’re “allowed to feel like it’s fun to work here.”

Everything has led to a better workflow, allowing the sharing of creative ideas and a more tight-nit department.

Several people who were looking to leave the company just a few months ago are now reconsidering that decision.

Many have described it as the  “honeymoon feeling” of the new regime, which has made a world of difference in their day to day professional lives.

A mystery man tried attacking AJ Styles on Monday’s edition of WWE Raw, but it wasn’t Dexter Lumis who was responsible.

For the last several weeks, WWE has run an angle where Lumis has made numerous attempts to ‘invade’ Raw. He made his main roster return on the Aug. 8 episode of Raw after Styles defeated The Miz. Lumis almost hopped over the ringside barricade until their security guards stop him.

On the Aug. 22 episode of Raw, WWE had the same angle with a slight twist. When Styles was outside the ring for his match, an attacker tried to hop over the barricade. However, the attacker wasn’t Lumis, and WWE security escorted the person away.

To be clear, the company planned this to happen, and it was to set up a surprise for when Lumis did appear. However, people were curious about the identity of the mysterious kayfabe attacker.

Who Attacked AJ Styles on Raw?

The Local Competitor’s social media account helped identify the attacker as local talent Rajan Hustler. He trains at Battle Arts Academy and wrestles in Canada, where Raw was taking place.

On the new @WWE RAW episode: Who was taken away by riot police during The Miz & Ciampa vs. AJ Styles & Bobby Lashley match? Rajan Husher was the man who attacked AJ.

Rajan trained at the Battle Arts Academy @BattleArts_PRO, where he also competes.#WWE #RAW #WWERaw https://t.co/vhbwLxvlAH pic.twitter.com/EV5zwITuds

— The Local Competitor (@LocalCompWWE) August 23, 2022

It seemed like WWE was teasing that Lumis wanted to go after Styles, but it’s unclear after the recent episode of Raw. Instead of going after “The Phenomenal One,” Lumis turned his attention to Miz and kidnapped him.

Lumis has tried to invade in matches with Styles, but it also included Miz’s involvement. The company may be trying to surprise fans with Lumis feuding with Miz, not Styles.

It’s unclear where Lumis took Miz or if that is the feud the company has planned. While the company hasn’t addressed where the Miz is, they may address the situation on the next episode of Raw. It’s unlikely that the “A-List Superstar” would take his kidnapping lightly.

Who do you think Lumis’s first main roster feud will be against?

In 2002, Lisa Marie Varon appeared on WWE TV as Victoria, the bitter ex-friend of then-Women’s Champion Trish Stratus. 

As Victoria, Varon would become a two-time Women’s Champion, holding the title in both 2002 and later from 2003-2004. 

In 2009, Victoria left WWE, but could be on her way back to the promotion soon.

A Return to the Ring.

Since Victoria left WWE in 2009, a lot has changed in regards to the company’s treatment of female talent. 

At the 2021 Royal Rumble, Victoria had her first WWE match in almost 12 years, entering the Women’s Rumble match at #10 and was the fifth woman eliminated. 

While speaking with Alyx’s World, Varon said she will not rule out a return to the company under the right circumstances (via Wrestling Inc.)

“There’s a lot to consider, like how much time do I have to get ready, because that would be make or break for me. ‘We want you to come back in a week.’ The fans are going to crap on me. I can’t get ready in a week for a match. Not with the caliber of girls they have now. I would need some time to prepare. But you never say never, right?”

“Never say never, right?”

Lisa Marie Varon on a possible WWE return.

“The r-word is bad, retiring, because you never know. It’s almost like ‘I better not say this, because I know it’s going to bite me in the butt.'”

There have been no reports as to if WWE has an interest in bringing Victoria back.

Varon After WWE

After leaving WWE in 2009, Varon joined TNA Wrestling in May that year working under the name Tara (short for Tarantula, a nod to her WWE days as a ‘Black Widow.’

That July, Tara won the TNA Knockouts Championship, a title she’d hold on five occasions.

WWE managed to keep a major surprise under wraps for last night’s Monday Night RAW, as Johnny Gargano made his return.

The former NXT star made his shock return during last night’s show, cutting a promo and declaring his intentions to win multiple titles on the WWE main roster. This led to a confrontation with Theory, who Gargano left laid out in the ring after a super kick.

Gargano returning was a big shock to everyone, as there were no indications that he would be returning this week. PWInsider reports that Gargano was hidden from everyone backstage, and wasn’t even mentioned on the run sheet for the show.

WWE Talent Surprised by Gargano’s Return

Most of everyone backstage didn’t even know he was there until he was brought to the gorilla position. Gargano was reportedly flown into Canada on WWE’s corporate jet in order to keep him from being spotted by fans.

Also, many within the company noted that Gargano was brought back without a name change. This could be an indication that the old Vince McMahon way of refusing to use real names or independent names is now a thing of the past.

It was also noted that Gargano’s wife, Candice LaRae, was not backstage with him. It remains to be seen if she returns alongside him in the near future.

Trish Stratus is regarded as one of the WWE Superstars of all time. Despite her accomplishments, she hasn’t lost sight of her humble beginnings in the business.

Earlier this month, Stratus became the first woman to accept the Lou Thesz Award as part of her induction into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame. The success didn’t come overnight. It was a long road to the top for the 7-time Women’s champion.

Stratus recently sat down with DS Shin for Ring The Belle and revealed she was initially hesitant to present herself as a WWE Superstar.

WWE Rookie

Trish Stratus made her WWE debut in 2000 during the Attitude Era. She started off as a heel manager for T&A (Test and Albert) and Val Venis. It wasn’t long before she was competing in matches. By early 2001, still in her rookie year, Stratus was thrust into the spotlight and featured in a prominent storyline with former WWE boss, Vince McMahon.

Stratus tells Ring the Bell that she initially felt insecure about her role in WWE. She didn’t take the traditional path to the world’s most prominent wrestling organization. As a former fitness model, she bypassed the independent minor leagues. Had she earn the right to call herself a wrestler?

The humility served Trish Stratus well. She found her way in WWE, to say the least. After several WrestleMania appearances and rivalries that are still spoken about until this day, she retired as Women’s champion in 2007.

She was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013 and has competed several times since then, including a ‘dream match’ against Charlotte Flair at SummerSlam 2019.

Stratus was back on Raw this week in her hometown of Toronto and teased that we may not have seen the last of her in the ring.

Watch Trish Stratus’ full interview with Ring the Belle:

Please credit Ring the Belle with a link to SEScoops if you use any of the quotes transcribed in this article.

Finn Balor debuted a new theme song on this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW, and it may be his best one yet.

Balor has been undergoing quite a bit of changes over the past several weeks. Initially, it looked as though a trio was forming between Balor, AJ Styles, and Liv Morgan to take on The Judgement Day.

The original three members of The Judgement Day were made up of Edge, Damian Priest, and Rhea Ripley. However, Balor eventually turned heel, joining Judgement Day and helping Priest and Ripley toss Edge out of the group.

Now, still aligned with Judgement Day, Balor is a full-blown heel on Monday Night RAW, and he’s spicing things up with a new entrance theme.

Finn Balor’s New Theme Music

Prior to his match with Dolph Ziggler, Balor made his way to the ring accompanied by Ripley. It was during this entrance where Balor debuted his new song.

Prior to the matchup, Balor had a backstage segment with Ziggler, in which Ziggler struck Balor, knocking him down to the ground. This set up their matchup just moments later, which Balor would go on to win.

Balor re-appeared later that night, assisting Ripley and Priest in attacking Edge after “The Rated-R Superstar” picked up a big win in singles action over Priest.

Luckily for Edge, his wife and WWE Hall Of Famer Beth Phoenix came to his aid, fending off Judgement Day with a steel chair to close the show.

It’s safe to say Balor and The Judgement Day haven’t seen the last of Edge and Phoenix moving forward.