The Undertaker has finally taken his rightful place in the WWE Hall Of Fame after an illustrious wrestling career spanning over three decades. WWE chairman Vince McMahon himself inducted the Dead Man. This was only the second time the boss took the time to do so after Stone Cold Steve Austin.

For the induction, the ring had several mannequin-like silhouettes, displaying the various looks of The Phenom over the years. McMahon first claimed that HOF is his favorite night of the year because fans and performers get a chance to say thank you to the inductees. Mr McMahon said that of all the performers of the past, there is no one more deserving of an induction than the one he is going to induct tonight.

He listed some of The Undertaker’s greatest opponents. He praised Taker for his loyalty to WWE, mentioning how even at the height of Monday Night Wars, WCW never bothered to call because they knew the former world champion would not leave.

The Undertaker then came down the aisle. He received a huge standing ovation. He hugged Vince McMahon and told the chairman that he loved him. The ovation continued when the lights came back on. The moment made the wrestling legend emotional alongside all the fans.

Taker mentioned how he loves the business but it doesn’t come without sacrifice. He said that he wouldn’t be here without all the people that helped him in and outside the ring. The Undertaker said that his first thank you is to the WWE Universe. He said that fans’ passion is the motivation he needed on many nights to push through the pain to perform. Taker said that the night is not only about him, it’s about each and every one of the fans.

The Last Outlaw told the story of how he got into wrestling. He recalled how he had a promising career ahead of him in basketball before graduating school but his heart was already into wrestling. He was worried about what his parents and teammates would say if he chose pro wrestling. This is when his brother David told him that he can’t live his life for what anyone else wanted him to do. He can only live his life for himself. This moment made everything clear for him. The journey of becoming a wrestler was not glamorous but it was the way he found his true identity.

• The Undertaker Puts Over Current WWE Roster In A Major Way

Taker detailed the life lessons he has learned from his father and Mr McMahon. He mentioned Stephanie McMahon and joked that she is the little sister he never wanted. He thanked Shane McMahon before remembering the many names he spent time with on the road. The list included people such as The Godfather, Yokozuna, Brian “Crush” Adams and more.

The Undertaker remembered the importance of Paul Bearer in his career. He also recalled how Bearer used to put cucumbers in his drink if he left them alone. He said his story with Kane is the greatest wrestling story ever told. He claimed that Kane has the gift of making everything around him better, including Taker. He talked about his family and mentioned how he loves all of them. He remembered his parents and said that they were his biggest fans.

He finally talked about Vince McMahon. He remembered how the boss wasn’t completely sold on him at first but he gave him a shot. Taker said that he is standing here because of Vince and Mr McMahon changed his life. He thanked the fans once again for their unwavering support. He said that now that he has entered the Hall Of Fame, we can be rest assured that he will Rest In Peace. The Undertaker bowed to the crowd to another big applause.

His music began as he started leaving. But he came back and put on the leather jacket and black hat from one of the mannequins. He says ‘Never say Never!’ He stopped midway to raise his fist in his signature gesture. The Undertaker then marched back as the Hall Of Fame ceremony went off air.

Samoa Joe is All Elite!

Tony Khan had promised a big show-closing surprise to the fans attending the Supercard Of Honor event and he delivered with the Samoan Submission Machine.

The main event of the first ROH PPV under the new owner saw Jonathan Gresham defeating Bandido to become the Undisputed ROH champion.

Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt however, hindered his championship celebration. They attacked the champion and Lethal stood tall with the belt.

Samoa Joe then made a surprise appearance. Lethal escaped the former NXT star but Joe choked out Dutt to end the show.

Tony Khan took on his Twitter to announce that the wrestling veteran has signed with All Elite Wrestling. He also revealed that the former world champion will be making an appearance on Dynamite this coming Wednesday:

Samoa Joe is the longest-reigning world champion in the history of ROH. He was the third world champion of the promotion and he held the title for a record 645 days.

The heavyweight star had been a part of the WWE roster since 2015. He won the NXT title three times during his tenure. Joe was released from his contract in January earlier this year.

• Ring Of Honor Supercard Of Honor XV Results (4/1): New Tag Team, Pure, And TV Champion & Samoa Joe Debuts

Samoa Joe is back in ROH.

AEW President and the new owner of Ring Of Honor Tony Khan had been teasing something big for the Supercard Of Honor event this Friday night.

He had told the audience in attendance to not leave before the show was over and asked everyone to keep watching till the end.

The big surprise Khan had promised turned out to be none other than the Samoan Submission Machine and one of ROH originals, Samoa Joe.

The main event of the show saw Jonathan Gresham defeating Bandido to become the Undisputed ROH World Heavyweight champion.

Another ROH veteran Jay Lethal then made an appearance on the show. He challenged Gresham. Lethal and Sonjay Dutt proceeded to attack the world champion. Lee Moriarty tried to make the save but he got laid out by the pair.

Lethal held both the world title belts high and it looked as if that will be the end of the event. This is when Samoa Joe made his return to the promotion. He got into Lethal’s face and Joe choked out Sonjay Dutt to end the ppv.

Tony Khan later took on his Twitter to officially announce the former NXT champion’s signing. He teased Joe’s appearance for next week’s episode of Dynamite:

• Ring Of Honor Supercard Of Honor XV Results (4/1): New Tag Team, Pure, And TV Champion & Samoa Joe Debuts

WrestleMania weekend is the largest wrestling gathering of the year. It sees some of the biggest wrestling names coming together for various events, including Bray Wyatt.

The former WWE star, real name Windham Rotunda noted on Instagram that he has arrived in Dallas for his scheduled WrestleCon appearance. He also took the time to answer some fan questions.

Wyatt, who has mostly been away from wrestling since his WWE release last year was asked about returning to the ring. Replying to it, he said that he couldn’t imagine spending the rest of his life without stepping in the ring again:

“I will always love wrestling. I couldn’t imagine spending the rest of my life without stepping in the ring again and hearing that roar again. I think about it often. Everything has to be in place though. Like I said, timing is everything.”

• Bray Wyatt Confirms Nixed WWE 2K22 Storyline Featuring ‘The Shiend’

‘It Was A Confession’

Bray Wyatt also commented on the origin of the Firefly Funhouse. He claimed that the early Funhouse segments were a story about his life:

“The Firefly Funhouse, at least the early ones, are a story about my life. I told you stories in there that happened live on television and many that you could never know.

It was confessions. They were short, stylized documentaries about my life. That’s why they connected. They weren’t just about wrestling. They were an origin story.”

Per Wyatt, he hid his struggles and his comeback in the segments because he wanted people to feel when they watched the vignettes. He claimed that he felt every emotion fathomable during the making of them.

Apart from this, Bray Wyatt discussed his health. He said that he has never been healthier both physically and mentally. He claimed that this is a happy time for him.

WrestleMania is usually the PPV where big WWE storylines conclude. For someone like Brock Lesnar, it signals the start of another hiatus until he is needed to pump the ratings again.

Though it appears that things are going to be different this year. We’re going to see a lot more of The Beast Incarnate than we are used to after the Show Of Shows.

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter recently provided some update on Lesnar. He revealed Brock’s post Mania PPV schedule.

The WWE champion is expected to work at least two of the next three PPV events post-WrestleMania 38, according to the wrestling journalist.

This includes the WrestleMania: Backlash event scheduled for May 8 from Providence, RI, and the Money In The Bank PPV on July 2 from the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

• Photo: Undertaker Statue Unveiled at WrestleMania Axxess Superstore

Brock Lesnar is currently scheduled to face the Universal champion Roman Reigns. This winner takes all match will main event WrestleMania Sunday.

The former UFC champion’s PPV appearances would make a lot more sense if he comes out of Sunday’s event as the dual champion. Though whether or not it actually happens will only be revealed later this week.

Vince McMahon gets a lot of heat from the fans online. Any bad ideas or controversial programming elements are blamed on the boss. Pat McAfee thinks one is bound to get some bad ideas while running weekly shows for this long. He believes the boss gets criticism for all the bad things, but he doesn’t get the credit for any of his success.

The former NFL player recently welcomed Randy Orton on his podcast. The two first talked about Orton’s relationship with Mr McMahon. McAfee then explained how the WWE chairman doesn’t get enough credit for his good ideas:

“Vince gets all the heat for all the bad ideas that happen. When you’re going live every single week, two times a week on TV. Both the first longest and the second-longest episodic television series of all time, Raw and Smackdown.” said Pat McAfee, “Those are the two. You’re gonna get some bad ideas in there. Every show you watch, there’s some fucking bad episodes. Every once in a while that’s gonna happen.

He never gets credit for the good stuff though. Whenever you think like, Stone Cold, The Rock, Brock Lesnar. You go through the list of just success. I know there’s a lot more. Randy fucking Orton is on that list. By the way, you should be pumped. You’ve done the business well, and I think Vince should also probably take a victory lap every once in a while and be like, ‘I saw something in this guy and stuck by this guy. A lot of people didn’t and now he is one of the goats at what he does.’ Man, it’s awesome.”

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

This article has been edited for clarity

Randy Orton’s relationship with Vince McMahon has grown over the years. He had some early encounters with the boss because of his problems but Mr McMahon took a liking to him. It helped him stay in WWE despite messing things up more than once and since then, the chairman has become a father figure for The Viper.

The Raw star recently talked to Pat McAfee. When asked about his relationship with McMahon, Orton mentioned how he has had some deep conversations with him:

“It’s been a long steady growing one. I’d say early on most of our encounters were because I was fucking up, but I was very fortunate because he took a liking to me.” said Randy Orton, “I think it’s kind of like a father figure on the road. I was so young and I think he saw a little bit of something of himself in me because I’m a little batshit crazy.

I think he’s seen me throw a tantrum or two, and get emotional and lose it and I’ve had a couple of deep conversations with the guy. He’s known some of the troubles that I’ve went through. So we’re kind of on a different level. I think he kind of sees a little bit of himself in me and I think that’s why he took a liking to me.”

Will Randy Orton Consider An AEW Move?

Randy also discussed the reports of his interest in AEW before his re-signing in 2020. Orton said that Vince knows that he’s a WWE guy through and through:

“I think he also, he sees that I’m a WWE guy. I started out a WWE guy, and I’m not going anywhere. Even a couple years ago, there might have been some chatter and some talk, but I wasn’t really the guy talking about really going anywhere else.

That was just the internet and everybody. I was like, ‘Oh, this is interesting. I never said that.’ And here I am. My contract’s up in a couple of years and I’ll sign another one. I love this place.”

• Randy Orton Reveals Secret Of His Longevity In Wrestling

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

April 25, 2022 will mark the 20th year of Randy Orton’s first televised WWE match. With two decades of dominance, The Viper undoubtedly has one of the most impressive careers in the history of wrestling. According to him, the secret to his longevity is figuring out how to get a reaction from the crowd without killing yourself.

The former world champion appeared on The Pat McAfee Show. Discussing the secret of his longevity in the business, Orton mentioned how he got injured several times very early in his career. So he had to understand his limitations and figure out how to get people interested without taking big bumps:

“It’s a lot of bumps, lot of traveling, but I feel like I kind of got injured very early in my career several times, boom, boom, boom. And I had to figure out. [I thought] ‘if I’m going to do this for a long time, if I’m going to have any kind of longevity, I gotta figure out how to do that.’ And that’s what I’ve done.

I’ve toned back the physicality to the point where I know what I’m capable of. I know what my body’s capable of, but I also know what I need to do out there in order to get a reaction and I don’t need to break my neck. 220 shows a year bro, you can’t physically survive decades in this industry if you’re killing yourself every night.”

• Randy Orton Slams NXT Talent as Unsafe

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

AEW’s Max Caster has impressed a lot of people with his mic skills in a short amount of time. With his rapper gimmick, the rising star has drawn obvious comparisons to John Cena, who originally got over with the audience with a similar character.

The Cenation Leader discussed a number of things talking to Forbs. He also offered some big praise to the Acclaimed Member. When asked if he could beat Caster in a rap battle, Cena said “I know of Max Caster very well, and the answer is no,”

The 16-time world champion said that hip hop is something that constantly evolves and moves forward. According to John Cena, Max is the better version of what he did:

“Hip-hop constantly evolves, and it constantly moves forward, and he is the better version of what I did. He’s really, really spectacular. As long as he keeps everything in realistic perspective, he shows great potential.”

• John Cena On His Character Becoming A Meme

The Hollywood star recalled the first time he heard the AEW star. He revealed that he immediately checked out more work of him and realized that he was spectacular.

Cena also claimed that he can’t give the young star any advice “because he’s punching far above my weight class.” John noted how Caster is gifted enough to rhyme to the beat live while he did his stuff a cappella to let the punchlines sink in.

The storyline of Seth Rollins’ mystery opponent has been one of the most hyped stories of WrestleMania this year. Though some recent reports of an old WWE name coming back have thrown a curveball in people’s way. It has made many wonder if Seth’s opponent will not be who people think it is. Rollins himself is promising that people won’t be disappointed, because he is capable of delivering on the promise himself.

The Architect recently appeared on the Sports Illustrated Media podcast. During the interview, he was asked if he believes his mystery opponent will live up to the hype. Replying to it, Rollins promises that it’s definitely going to be a big moment. Reminding people of his WrestleMania history, Seth said he is a moment in himself. He claimed that after Shawn Michaels he is the new Mr WrestleMania:

“I think, yeah, Saturday, Sunday, either way, I think it’s going to be a moment. One thing that I’ve learned on this journey of trying to find my way to WrestleMania is that I am Seth freaking Rollins. I am the moment. You look at WrestleMania over the last nine years, eight years, ten years, that I’ve been a part of it.” said Seth Rollins, “And all I do is make moments. It doesn’t matter who I’m in the ring with or what we’ve got going on. I find a way to make moments and so I am the moment. I am my own Main Event at WrestleMania.

Anybody who’s lucky enough to share the ring with me has a good chance to steal the show. You can run down a laundry list of my past WrestleMania accomplishments; we can do that all day but it’s right there in front of you. Took me a little while to see that but I am WrestleMania. I am the new Mr. WrestleMania. Shawn, he had his time. He’ll always be the original Mr. WrestleMania, but [if] you look at the track record in the last decade. They don’t get no better than me, baby!”

• Seth Rollins Believes AEW’s WWE Mentions ‘Reek Of Desperation’

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Sami Zayn’s character has gotten more ridiculous at every turn since his heel turn. The Great Liberator has received high praise for his amazing character work in recent times.

Though many have also wondered if we will see him going back to his babyface roots and bringing his NXT gimmick back anytime in future. The former NXT champion explained on The Cheap Heat podcast why he doesn’t want to do that.

Zayn mentioned how people ask him about his old character to this day. He claimed that he takes it as a positive but the guy people want to see doesn’t exist anymore:

“I take this as a positive because they have a lot of fondness towards my good guy days in NXT. There is a kinship there and they felt a connection to that character.

I’ll get messages saying, ‘When are we going to get that guy back?’” said Sami Zayn, “That guy doesn’t exist anymore.”

‘It Wouldn’t Be The Same’

Giving an example, Sami said that even if The Beatles came back today, you wouldn’t recapture the magic from the 60s. According to him it was lightning in the bottle and the Beatles today would be just the group playing songs from the 60s:

“Sometimes, you have to look at things that existed in that time and place and appreciate them for what they were and kind of wish that they wouldn’t come back because if they did come back, it wouldn’t be the same.”

Sami Zayn has not been announced for a match at WrestleMania this year. It’s possible that he will participate in the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal on SmackDown.

Quotes via Fightful

AEW is known to not pull any punches when it comes to referencing WWE. Many AEW stars regularly take shots at the rival promotion and people like CM Punk are known to try and put the company down whenever they get the chance. However, Seth Rollins finds the constant references very tacky and low-brow.

The Monday Night Messiah discussed the difference between WWE’s and AEW’s approach of acknowledging the competition during his appearance on Sports Illustrated Media Podcast. He discussed his own mention of Jon Moxley during his recent feud with Roman Reigns.

Seth Rollins claimed that nobody said anything about it to him backstage. Everybody knows that Mox is a part of WWE’s history and the story of both Seth and Roman. The Architect then compared the moment to CM Punk’s mentions of WWE. He explained that references are fine when they are useful in a story. He went on to describe how AEW’s approach is very different:

“The other side of that coin is the way that it can be used by those guys. They can do whatever they want. I find it very tacky and low-brow, personally. I think it looks and reeks of desperation. I don’t think it’s anything on our television show that we need to go there and talk down about those guys.”

• Seth Rollins Reveals His Mt Rushmore Of Money-Drawing Wrestlers

The former world champion later acknowledged that AEW is successfully doing their thing and said that he is very happy for them. Though he noted how Tony Khan’s promotion has a long way to go before they catch up with them. From Rollins’ perspective, it’s a step down for them to use this fact as an insult.

Quotes via Fightful

While the majority of the people in WWE refrain from even acknowledging the success of AEW, Paul Heyman has no problem in putting their rivals over.

The mad scientist of wrestling detailed his mindset during an appearance on Sports Media podcast. He said that he has no problem putting AEW over if the company does something that is worth it because he doesn’t live in a bubble.

Explaining why he doesn’t mind putting AEW over, Heyman mentioned how WWE has sold more tickets for this year’s WrestleMania than any previous year. According to him, he is not concerned about AEW until they can match this market dominance:

“They can’t match what we’re about to do next week.” said Paul Heyman, “Until they are in a position to match what we do next weekend, I’m not that concerned with praising the competition because they are still a long way away from what we do and our level of success, and our market dominance.”

• WWE Made Paul Heyman a Contract Offer He Couldn’t Refuse

The advocate also admitted that he watches AEW. He said that he would watch anything out there in the industry if he can get his hands on it.

Heyman said that he would even watch Antarctica All-Star Wrestling if there is such a thing. This awareness of the wrestling world is what allows him to keep up with up-and-coming stars such as Gable Steveson.

Quotes via WrestlingNews

Michael Cole usually gets heat from fans for not focusing on the action inside the ring while calling the matches. Turns out, the longtime WWE announcer is aware of this criticism but he doesn’t have any problem with it, because he considers himself to be a ‘sports entertainment announcer.’

The veteran commentator explained his point of view during his most recent appearance on The Press Box podcast. He explained that WWE is not a wrestling company. It is mainly an entertainment company and so the style that he utilises is sports entertainment announcing:

“We’re not a wrestling company. WWE is an entertainment company. So the style that I utilize and the style that many people that work for me here in WWE utilize, is what I like to call sports entertainment announcing. A lot of people laugh at me about that. They’ll make jokes about it. But what we do here is much different than what they may do in other companies.”

• Pat McAfee On Working With Michael Cole: “He’s The GOAT”

‘We Just Happen To Use A Wrestling Ring’

Michael Cole gave the example of a 70s TV show called Taxi. He explained that people liked the show because they could connect with the characters in it, not because they were cab drivers in a garage. The same thing is true for WWE, where the wrestling ring is used as a focal point to resolve the conflicts. Though their main focus is on the stories and getting people interested in the characters:

“We just happen to use a wrestling ring as our focal point of where our conflicts are resolved. But in order for our business to be successful, you have to become emotionally invested in the characters and what we are selling. The majority of the people that watch our product, they enjoy wrestling of course, but they also get really into the soap opera style of what we do.”

Cole mentioned how there are other companies that strictly do wrestling. He explained that you are going to call a wrestling match differently than you are going to call a sport entertainment match. In WWE, they focus more on stories. According to him, the WWE commentators are storytellers, more than being the play-by-play guys.

Quotes via WrestlingNews

Sasha Banks is one of the most influential women’s wrestlers of recent times. She has become an inspiration to many by rising to this level despite all her struggles. Though this journey has not been easy.

The Boss has gone through many ups and downs in her WWE career. One such low point of her career was the WrestleMania season in 2019, when the former champion even tried to quit WWE.

Banks detailed her mindset during the time in an interview with The Athletic. She and Bayley had just become the inaugural women’s tag team champions. Sasha revealed that she had separated her shoulder in a match against Ronda Rousey in January but she didn’t tell this to anyone:

“I had a Make-A-Wish the next day, and I couldn’t move, couldn’t put my clothes on, couldn’t do my hair, Bayley had to come into my room and do that. I didn’t want to tell anybody. Those titles meant so much to me.”

• Sasha Banks Wants To Follow In Footsteps Of The Rock & John Cena

Sasha Banks On Why She Took Time Off

Sasha Banks wanted to make the title reign something special to put the championship on the map. That’s why it was a real blow to her when they had to drop the belts to The IIconics at WrestleMania 35, less than two months into their reign:

“I felt so sad every day, and I didn’t know why, I had to take myself away from a situation and such a fast world where I had to stop and realize who Mercedes was and who Sasha Banks was. I had no time off. I never got to see myself, my family. I took that time to figure out what I loved besides wrestling.”

Thankfully, Vince McMahon declined Sasha’s request for a release. The chairman offered her some time off instead. The Boss returned to the WWE programming after rediscovering her passion four months later.

John Cena is one of the most recognizable wrestling faces of all time. One of the biggest factor’s in his rise to this popularity has been the emergence of the meme culture and their love for the Cenation Leader.

The 16-time world champion recently spoke to GQ. He discussed how he wore the Peacemaker costume everywhere he went for the promotion of Suicide Squad so that people can get familiar with the character.

Cena revealed that it’s something he learned during his time in WWE. The former champion explained that the greatest wrestling characters with the most long-term success are the ones that remain the same:

“We just dropped a show on Peacock called Evil, which profiles eight of the top WWE quote-unquote “heels” — and a constant thread in all of that is dedication to character. And the reason, like, there’s the perception of John Cena, “Oh, he never changes” — yeah, I don’t. Because it’s the concept of uniformity.”

• John Cena Praises The Miz For WrestleMania 27 Match

John Cena mentioned how he wore the same jean shorts and t-shirt everywhere during his time in WWE. It made people feel like they knew him. He also discussed the meme culture’s love for him:

“I was so dedicated to it that meme culture ran with it, in multiple different varieties: the invisible John Cena meme, the unexpected John Cena meme. And a lot of that is based on being so familiar with the look.”

Apart from this, the Hollywood star talked about The Undertaker. He explained how the Dead Man was backstage and revealed that he has changed in recent years.

The Undertaker had a lot of influence on John Cena’s career. From the famous handshake segment that told people he was someone to keep an eye on, to the multiple matches they had, The Dead Man helped Cena become the wrestler he is today in a big way.

The Cenation Leader had a Q&A with GQ. He discussed things such as donning the Peacemaker costume everywhere for the promotion of Suicide Squad and more.

Speaking about the last Outlaw, Cena revealed what he is like backstage. He claimed that there wasn’t much difference between Taker’s on screen and off-screen character, up until a couple of years ago:

“Mark backstage is very much like The Undertaker — like, that’s how dedicated he is. He’s very stoic, and very calculated, and does speak softly and carry a big stick, until like now.

Two years ago, he started relaxing, letting loose, and having fun.” said John Cena, “But that role consumed him. And that’s what led to his long-term success.”

The 16-time world champion continued by saying that he has great respect for The Undertaker’s ability to be the same person on and off-screen.

He explained that Taker knew he wouldn’t have the same opportunities to live in a sense of normalcy but he believed that he was going to have the opportunities that normalcy doesn’t provide.

Tony Khan is once again teasing the debut of a new female talent for the Owen Hart Cup Tournament qualifier on Dynamite this Wednesday.

The tease has fired up the rumor mill once again with people wondering if we could see another former WWE talent showing up in the rival promotion.

Fightful recently provided some update on potential names that could sign with the company. AEW talent believes Toni Storm will be joining the roster sooner than later.

There have been ‘at least light talks and gauging interest’ between the AEW officials and Ember Moon.

The former NXT women’s champion who now goes by the name Athena has apparently been very selective about her indie bookings since her release in November last year.

One name that doesn’t seem very likely to join AEW in the immediate future is Tegan Nox. She has been dealing with visa issues since her own WWE release in the same month as Athena.

• Tony Khan Makes A Promise To AEW Fans Regarding Owen Hart Cup

While she could still show up in Tony Khan’s promotion at some point, the star now going by the name Nixon Newell was ‘very busy’ trying to sort out the situation as of a couple of weeks ago.

Which star would you like to see debut in AEW this Wednesday against The Bunny? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.

Johnny Gargano lived through not one but two generational changes in NXT. When he originally signed with WWE in 2015, people from independent wrestling circuits were still looked down upon. Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa were some of the top names who wrestled against the stigma. They paved the way for other indie names to come in and leave their mark on the development brand.

However, things started changing once again towards the end of his run. In terms of preferred talents, NXT is now back to where it used to be with more focus on outside athletes than indie names.

The former NXT champion opened up about this change on The Sessions with Renee Paquette. He claimed that he totally understands the mindset of bringing people from other sports because it’s basically a lottery ticket:

“From what I understand they’re still going to sign indie people, but they want to go away from just the sole, full classes of indie people. Which is how it was originally as well, which I completely understand in the sense of where any NCAA person they sign, someone that comes from a different walk of life, that are just genetic freaks.

That’s basically a lottery ticket.” said Johnny Gargano, “You’re buying a lottery ticket. This person could turn out to be the next Kurt Angle, you never know. So I totally understand bringing those people in, giving them opportunities and seeing what they turn out to be.”

• Johnny Gargano Says He Left NXT Because His Character Felt Stale

‘You Cannot Pay Someone To Love This’

Though later in the interview, Johnny Gargano claimed that he is always going to lean towards the talents from independent wrestling scenes. According to him, they are the people who really love wrestling, and it’s not something that you can teach:

“I am always going to go more towards the indie wrestling route because that’s where I’m from. That’s my background. That’s what I believe in. I believe in my heart. That’s why I kind of lean towards the more Indie Hartwell, Cora Jades of the world. Again, that’s not taking anything away from those guys, but I firmly believe that you can pay someone to learn a headlock, you can pay someone to learn a wrist lock. You cannot pay someone to love this.

You cannot pay someone to love wrestling. When you’re an indie wrestler, and you had to pay to train, you had to travel all over and take $5, you have to love this. Because if you don’t love this, you ain’t gonna be doing it. So I’m always gonna lean towards more, giving those people opportunities that I feel like they just want it. I relate to them so much. “

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WWE has always been open to outside collaboration and bringing in celebrity guests or talents from other sports. However, such partnerships also attract criticism for stealing the spotlight from regular hard-working talents.

One such star who has received criticism for taking the spots from the more deserving talents is Ronda Rousey who will be facing Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania.

The Queen recently had an interview with Bleacher Report where she discussed a number of things. When asked about the complaints about Rousey, Flair mentioned how the former UFC champion was the one who wanted to join WWE. She then explained why she welcomes such collaborations:

“Sometimes people get critical of outside talent coming in, but she wants to be a part of what we’ve done here, that should make you feel good, and she does bring more eyeballs to people who aren’t necessarily familiar with the product, like Total Divas.” said Flair.

“Total Divas brought outside viewers and that’s great for us,” she added. “I want Bad Bunny to come back! He was incredible. It’s an entertainment show. That’s what we do!”

Charlotte also mentioned how the special attractions have led to more spotlight and main events for the women’s division on the whole. She also responded to people who are critical of her constant push.

You can check out Flair’s comments on the matter here.

• Charlotte Flair Targeting Bianca Belair & Rhea Ripley After WrestleMania

Despite claiming that he wasn’t done with the business, Bo Dallas has not been seen inside a wrestling ring since his WWE release in 2021. However, he is now promising to return very soon.

The former NXT champion recently took part in a virtual signing with Captain’s Corner. Among other things, he also provided some update on his in-ring future.

Dallas first mentioned that he has been busy with other business ventures since his release. He then claimed that he will be back in the ring within the next couple months:

“Not saying I’m done with wrestling or that’s what I’ve been saying for the past year and now that I’ve got that squared away and that’s in the works, I can get back to my passion.

I will be back in the ring in the next couple of months” revealed Bo Dallas, “And that’s a guarantee because I don’t make promises I don’t deliver on.”

• Details On MLW Trying To Sign Braun Strowman And Bo Dallas

The former WWE star also responded to a comment saying that he belongs in AEW. He said that while he appreciates the remark, he is not sure anyone knows what to do with him.

Though continuing on the topic, Dallas said that he takes the remark as a compliment. He noted that showing up in AEW is not out the realm of possibility.

Quotes via PostWrestling

Bret Hart has heard only good things about Brock Lesnar’s abilities in the ring, which is the complete opposite of his own experience with another monster athlete – Goldberg.

During a recent appearance on Sports Guys Talking Wrestling podcast, Natalya had discussed how The Beast Incarnate told her that Hart was a dream match for him.

Bret Hart addressed this during his appearance on Signed by Superstars event. He praised Brock, saying that he has always heard the WWE champion to be a good worker:

“I heard that I was his [Brock Lesnar] dream match. That was just a week ago I heard that. Always heard Brock was a good worker.

I’ve never heard that [Lesnar was stiff in the ring].” said Bret Hart, “Always heard just the opposite, that he looks stiff, but he’s a real pro in the ring. Totally the opposite of Goldberg.”

Hart is of course referring to the botched kicked from Goldberg during their infamous WCW championship match at WCW Starrcade 1999. The wrestling legend suffered a severe concussion due to it.

The injury later forced the Canadian star to retire from active competition. Bret Hart has been critical of Goldberg ever since, and has called the former world champion out on many occasions.

• Bret Hart Looks To Be In Great Shape Amid Return Rumors

John Cena main evented several WrestleManias during his decade-long stint as the face of WWE. One of them was against The Miz at WrestleMania 27.

The A-lister recently took on his Twitter to remind the Cenation leader of his victory on the Show of Shows 11 years ago. In response, the 16-time world champion praised his opponent for his work ethic.

John Cena replied positively while responding to the question of whether he remembers the match. He mentioned how The Miz did his best for the audience and claimed that his passion has not changed:

“I do. Vividly. You worked your a** off on the road to the event and at the event itself. Sacrificing your body during the event to do all you could to give the audience every ounce, even possibly at the expense of your own memory. Your passion and dedication hasn’t ever changed.”

The Miz walked into WrestleMania 27 as the WWE champion. He managed to win the match after The Rock interfered and delivered a Rock Bottom to John Cena.

The Miz is currently involved in a feud with The Mysterios. He is set to face Rey Mysterio on the WrestleMania go-home episode of Raw this Monday. John on the other hand, is not expected to be part of the big event in any way.

• John Cena Reacts To Steve Austin’s WrestleMania Announcement

Bobby Lashley has not been seen on WWE programming since the Elimination Chamber PPV. Latest reports suggest that he might be returning to TV soon.

According to Mike Johnson of PWinsider, the former WWE champion is expected to make his return to WWE on this Monday’s episode of Raw from Pittsburgh.

Lashley is rumored to face Omos in a singles match at WrestleMania 38. It’s likely that this match will be set up during the go home episode of the red branded show.

The All-Mighty has been out of action since the Royal Rumble PPV in January. He suffered a shoulder injury in his match with Brock Lesnar at the show.

While Bobby Lashley was officially a part of the Elimination Chamber match, WWE did an angle to remove him from the bout before the action started.

• Bobby Lashley Reveals Why He Retired From MMA

The former champion has been rehabbing his injury since then. Though he hasn’t had a surgery which is a good sign for the Raw star.

Apart from Lashley, both Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar are scheduled for this week’s Raw. The show will also see RK-Bro going up against The Usos in an inter-brand champion vs champion match among other.

Charlotte Flair has been the chosen face of WWE’s women’s division since her debut in 2015. She always finds herself in the center of the most important stories concerning the division. This constant push, however, has also led to a lot of criticism for the Queen.

The SmackDown women’s champion recently addressed the IWC’s grudge against her in an interview with Bleacher Report. Flair claimed that she has put in an incredible amount of work to stay in the position she has been. Instead of praising her ethics, however, people take the critical approach:

“People don’t realize how much pressure and hard work and dedication and I’ve never been about for a lengthy time. Instead of looking at it as a positive, like ‘Wow, what a consistent performer, what a hard-worker,’ it’s just, ‘Ugh, she’s always in the title picture, she always has the title.'”

• Charlotte Flair Says She Can’t Control Her Father’s Controversial Comments

Charlotte Flair then explained that she must be doing something right if she is always talked about. She mentioned how the male workers of the industry aren’t always met with the same criticism as her:

“I don’t think the same criticism always goes toward men being in the title picture. In this business, you want to be the champion. It’s not like you wake up and say, ‘Today, I don’t want to be the champion.’ No, you should always want to be the champion.”

Flair noted that being the champion means that you have to be the hardest worker in the room. She claimed that while she doesn’t understand the criticism sometimes, her haters make her that much better all the same.