NXT star Cora Jade recently made an appearance during an NXT Live Event and set her sights on the Women’s title.  

Last night’s NXT Live Event emanated from the Havert L. Fenn Center in Fort Pierce, FL. Cora Jade, who is recuperating from a torn ACL injury, made her return and delivered a promo. The 23-year-old rising wrestler revealed that she will be back in a matter of few months and called out the NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez. 

Cora Jade is back! #nxtftpierce #nxtfortpierce pic.twitter.com/zIxzbmyjwr

— David Schupp (@davidpbg218) May 19, 2024

The reigning NXT Women’s Champion noticed Jade’s message and took to her X account to respond. Perez said that she would be keeping the title “nice and warm” for Jade. 

Lol I heard.. see you in a few months @CoraJadeWWE. I’ll keep it nice and warm for ya https://t.co/KTMMSssNJr

— roxanne (@roxanne_wwe) May 19, 2024

Cora Jade has had the top prize of the NXT Women’s division in her sights for a long time but the title has eluded her. After a 4-months hiatus, Jade made her comeback to WWE last year at NXT Deadline in December. She immediately revealed her intentions to capture the title. However, she had a terrible start to the new year as she suffered an injury during an untelevised show.

•  Cora Jade Suffered Legit Injury At WWE NXT Live Event

On the other hand, since winning the NXT Women’s Championship at Stand & Deliver, Roxanne Perez has already defended her title against the likes of Natalya, former champ Lyra Valkyria, Tatum Paxley, and Chelsea Green.

A trilogy match? 

Cora Jade and Roxanne Perez have been NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions in the past. However, Jade betrayed Perez when she beat her down with her skateboard.

 They went on to have matches at NXT Heatwave 2022 which Cora Jade won, while ‘The Prodigy’ emerged victorious at NXT Halloween Havoc 2022. It seems that the fans could be witnessing a trilogy fight down the road. NXT Heatwave 2024 is set to take place in July and there is a huge possibility that the show could feature the bout. 

Damian Priest recently shed light on the moment when he struggled to stay in character during last year’s WWE Backlash Premium Live Event. 

Last year’s Backlash PLE took place in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The PLE featured a highly-aniticipated clash between Damian Priest and the multi-time Grammy Award-winning singer Bad Bunny. ‘The Archer of Infamy’ has told Squared Circle Pit that he was overwhelmed with the electric atmosphere at the venue when Bad Bunny came out. 

He said that he had experience of floor shaking while being in the crowd but that night with Bunny’s entrance, he could “feel the tremble” while being inside the ring. The reigning WWE World Heavyweight Champion admitted that was one of the wildest things he’s ever witnessed and had to remind himself to stay in character. He said:

“Yeah, that’s exactly what happened (almost slipped out of character during Bad Bunny’s WWE Backlash entrance). I had to be like, hey, cut it out. Stay in it, stay in it… I’ve been in the crowd where you could feel the floor shaking a little bit and whatnot but being in the ring, you don’t really feel the tremble. You don’t really feel that. But I felt it that night. That was wild, in his entrance and I got goosebumps while I was in the ring waiting for him and then but I had to keep a straight face, you know? Angry or whatever but, that was one of the wildest things I had ever seen.”

At Backlash 2023, Bad Bunny came out to his song “Chambea.” As soon as he showed up, the crowd went insane and created one of the greatest entrances in WWE history. ‘Benito’ even hyped up the fans more when he pulled a tarp off a shopping cart which had weapons hidden in it.  

Bad Bunny and Damian Priest put on an epic match at the show. The match even featured the return of Carlito and Savio Vega. In the final moments of the match, Bad Bunny used a steel chair on Priest and went on to hit the Canadian Destroyer to secure the pinfall victory. 

Bad Bunny had a great experience but felt he was going to die following show. Read more below:

The IWGP World Heavyweight Jon Moxley recently surprised the fans with his appearance at Wrestling Revolver Another Friday on May 17. 

The Unit (JT Dunn, Jake Something & Havok) attempted to attack Masha Slamovich following their match. However, Jon Moxley showed up and assaulted Dunn by hitting his finisher, Paradigm Shift. Mox then went on to cut a promo and asked what should be done about JT Dunn. The AEW star suggested that he would fire Dunn if he was in charge of the promotion. Iowa-based promotion Wrestling Revolver was established in 2016 and is currently led by Sami Callihan, who came out and agreed to Moxley’s idea and fired Dunn. 

https://twitter.com/GIFSkullX/status/1791659011802042754

Over the years, Moxley has made sporadic appearances and competed for the promotion. His last match at Wrestling Revolver took place at Lucha Death pay-per-view earlier this year in January. At the show, he emerged victorious against Gringo Loco in an epic match.

Jon Moxley has huge matches lined-up

Moxley recently dethroned Tetsuya Naito to capture the IWGP World Heavyweight title at NJPW Windy City Riot. He has successfully defended his title against the likes of Ren Narita, Powerhouse Hobbs and Shota Umino. He is set to defend his title against Evil at the Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall on June 9. 

• NJPW Star Questions Decision To Put IWGP Heavyweight Title On Jon Moxley

However, ahead of the title defense, he will collide with Konosuke Takeshita in an IWGP World Heavyweight title Eliminator match at the upcoming Double Or Nothing pay-per-view on Sunday, May 26. If the Japanese star defeats the champ, he will receive a shot at the title. 

Mox recently made his return to AEW Dynamite and joined forces with Bryan Danielson to defeat Kyle Fletcher and Jeff Cobb. Following their victory, ‘The Alpha’ assaulted Mox which set up the title eliminator fight. 

Eddie Kingston is hopeful of making a comeback to the ring in a matter of few months.

Reports of Kingston’s injury emerged after his match at NJPW Resurgence last week. PWInsider has confirmed that Eddie Kingston has sustained a leg injury (tibular fracture). ‘The Mad King’ underwent a string of X-rays in California after the event and it detected the injury. 

The former AEW Continental Champion is waiting to be informed on how his injury will be medically dealt with. The outlet has reported that Kingston is hopeful of returning by AEW All In: London which is scheduled to take place in August. However, his return will depend on whether he will have to undergo surgery.

Eddie Kingston’s injury 

Kingston unsuccessfully defended his NJPW Strong Openweight Championship against Gabe Kidd in a No-rope Last Man Standing match. In the final moments of the match, Kidd hit a suplex to Kingston through a table which was bridged across the ring to the guardrail. During the move, Kingston’s leg hit the guardrail which might have caused the injury. Reports suggested that the former champion was “limping bad backstage” which raised concerns.

.@GabeKidd0115 "Brainbuster"

Sign up Now & Stay tuned to https://t.co/CeQLGjTmZ5#NJPW #njpwworld #njresurgence pic.twitter.com/CEH3sxc0qt

— NJPW WORLD (@njpwworld) May 12, 2024

Following the defeat, Jack Perry had a stardown with ‘The Mad King’ followed by a blindsided assault by Nicholas and Matthew Jackson. The EVPs then delivered a promo and attacked him with an EVP trigger. 

• Young Bucks Returns To NJPW & Attacks Eddie Kingston

It was recently announced that The Young Bucks will join forces with Jack Perry and Kazuchika Okada and face the team of FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler), Eddie Kingston, and Bryan Danielson in an ‘Anarchy In The Arena’ Match at the upcoming AEW Double or Nothing on Sunday, May 26. Given Kingston’s injury, his replacement was announced earlier this week on Dynamite.

Atlanta-based wrestler Reginald Folks was allegedly killed by a former Atlanta Police officer, Koby Minor, who had been charged with murder and aggravated assault following the tragic incident. 

The New Jersey native moved to Atlanta in 2007 to attend Clark Atlanta University. The 35-year-old had been pursuing his passion for pro wrestling as he trained at World Wrestling Alliance 4 in Atlanta in South Fulton.

The incident

Minor claimed that a ride-share driver picked him up at an Atlanta police officer’s home. He revealed to the cops that they were traveling east on SR 14 and the driver was speaking on the phone in an unknown language. The former APD officer stated that he wasn’t sure what was said on the call.

Minor said that the driver (Reginald Folks) didn’t stop the car when he was instructed to. Minor eventually tried to unlock the door but he couldn’t. According to the accused, the driver even tried to reach to the back seat. Minor then dropped a stunning claim saying that he wasn’t sure whether the driver was gay. The former officer was unable to see the driver’s other hand. Growing suspicious, Minor reached for his gun and “fired approximately three rounds” which allegedly killed the driver. He then somehow broke the window and got out of the car.

Ahead of the police’s arrival, Minor “waved down” another driver on the road for help and told that “the Lyft driver was in a gay fraternity and was trying to recruit” Minor into it. 

Arrest

The Union City Police Department apprehended Koby Minor of Morrow as the officers responded to a shooting call near South Fulton Parkway and Stonewall Tell Road at approximately 12:40 a.m. After reaching the spot, they found an unresposive victim, who was later identified as Reginald Folks. 

Atlanta PD has reported that Minor, who was hired in 2018 resigned immediately immediately. He was on unpaid administrative leave when the incident happened as he was arrested on drug-related charges in Milton in December last year. 

Family and friends ‘Devastated’

Reginald’s mother Marchelle Folks has said that she had not spoken to the cops sine the incident and had a lot of questions. 

“Had no idea it was a cop that killed him, not until someone sent us the article,” Folks told FOX 5. “It’s devastating and on top of it, a black police officer is even worse to me.”

The 35-year-old’s fellow wrestlers are also confused and devastated. 

“Devastated and confused, my main emotion. I can’t understand it still,” said trainer Thomas Ballister.

Jason Spector, victim’s friend and fellow wrestler said: 

“It’s tragic that this is how it had to be for him, that he had to go out this way.”

We at SEScoops send our prayers and condolences to Reginald Folk’s family and friends during this tough times.

Hollywood actor Chris Hemsworth has provided an update on WWE legend Hulk Hogan’s biopic which is slated to be directed by Todd Phillips.

Hemsworth is set to star in the upcoming Furiosa: A Max Max Saga. While discussing his new project, he is gave a tidbit about the Hulk Hogan biopic and it is upsetting for the fans. Speaking with Screenrant, Hemsworth said it would be an honor to work with Todd Phillips, but he’s not sure the project is actually happening. He says it’s been an interesting situation waiting for the ‘green light.’

“To work with Todd Phillips, who we discussed making that film with, would be an honor and a fantastic opportunity. I can’t say it’s officially happening yet. If there was a green light, I’d get to work on it. But it’s interesting. Dementus’ vocal quality was something I could invent and it would be surprising to people, but there wouldn’t be any judgment or comparison.

It’s a tricky thing to play a real-life character. I’ve done it once before, and people immediately have the measuring stick out and the critiques and so on. It’d be nerve-wracking, but if there’s a great script and a story to tell, I’d love to jump into it. But there’s nothing official at this point.“

Earlier this week, actor/wrestler Paul Walter Hauser spoke about wanting to portray hardcore legend Mick Foley and expressed similar concerns about that setup. Hauser has been approached to play several wrestlers over the years, but he’s only interested if the story resonates with him.

Hulk Hogan is one of the greatest superstars to ever grace the squared circle and transformed the pro wrestling industry like very few others have. In recent years, his fame has nearly been overshadowed by his various personal personal controversies.

This Hulk Hogan project has been in development for over five years. It was first announced back in February 2019, with Chris Hemsworth attached as the lead. Helmsworth has spoken about the role, but it’s now mid-2024 and we’re wondering if this thing will ever get made.

Drew McIntyre is thankful to his arch-nemesis CM Punk for their epic promo segment ahead of WrestleMania 40.

On the March 25 edition of Raw, McIntyre, CM Punk, and then-WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins traded personal shots. The segment gained traction due to Punk coercing McIntyre to mention Vince McMahon, who is not mentioned anymore in WWE due to allegations. This happened after the Scotsman referred to himself as ‘The Chosen One,’ the nickname that McMahon gave him.

Punk is one of the best talkers in WWE and he possesses commendable promo skills. Speaking with Alex McCarthy of Mail Sport, McIntyre thanked Punk for the segment and said that he knew that the former WWE Champion would bring his ‘A-game’ during the exchange. He said:

“I have to thank him for that I guess. One thing I can thank him for. If he’s got that microphone you know he’s bringing his A-game and perhaps the first time we were in the ring together he was still finding his feet being back in WWE. I think he realized – I know he realized, I could see it in his eyes – this isn’t the same Drew and I had his number the first time we were in the ring together, and I stomped his stupid little arm.”

‘Guns loaded’

‘The Scottish Warrior’ realized that CM Punk would bring his prime version of himself in the battle and the former kept his artillery ready. McIntyre is grateful for the opportunity to go toe-to-toe with Punk on the mic and admitted that the “insane” segment escalated quickly. He said:

“The second time, I could see it in his eyes, ‘Right, I’m back, I’ve got all my guns loaded,’ and this is the CM Punk of old. And I knew I could either step up to his level or I can drown and I don’t belong at his level. So it was cool to have that opportunity to go back and forth and have people go, ‘Oh my god, this is insane.’ When you thought it couldn’t get anymore insane it kept escalating and escalating. You have to be quick on your feet and you have to know exactly who you are in this industry if you’re going to compete at the top level.”

• CM Punk Borrows From Kendrick Lamar To Cut Promo On Drew McIntyre During 5/6 WWE RAW

McIntyre once again thanked Punk for the segment and even praised the addition of Seth Rollins. He said:

“So I can say thank you to him for showing in that segment everybody that said well, Drew just went to-to-toe with Punk in his prime, on fire. And Seth also added to that segment in what has become something of a legendary segment. It’s all people talk to me about recently.”

While CM Punk recuperates from a torn tricep injury, McIntyre is sidelined with an elbow injury. ‘The Scottish Warrior’ was set to face The Judgment Day’s Finn Balor in the first round of The King of The Ring tournament. 

However, he was not medically cleared and was replaced by Jey Uso, who punched his ticket to the next round. CM Punk and Drew McIntyre will lock horns at a later date and reports suggest that it might be at SummerSlam in August.

CM Punk hyped his return to WWE 2K24 in style and he took cheeky jabs at his arch-nemesis Drew McIntyre in the process. However, ‘The Scottish Warrior’ is not a man to hold back his thoughts and fired back at Punk. 

The Chicago legend is making his return to the game as a playable character for the first time in ten long years. ‘The Second City Savior’ is among several other legends as part of the downloadable content, ‘ECW Punk Pack’ that the WWE 2K24 gamers can access with a Season Pass. WWE legends such as Terry Funk, Dudley Boyz, and Sandman are also part of the pack. Taking to his Instagram account, CM Punk posted a video message to promote the game and took a jibe at McIntyre. Here is what he said:  

“Good news, everybody. CM Punk is finally available to play in WWE 2K24. It’s making waves on the internet, so you know Drew McIntyre’s watching it. I’m put in the Punk Pack, that includes myself and some hardcore legends from ECW like Sandman, The Dudleyz, and the most hardcore legend of all, Terry Funk.”

“Now Drew, if you are watching this, let’s face it, it’s on the internet, so you’re watching it. You can finally play as your favorite wrestler and human being, me. CM Punk. Hope you have a terrible day, pal.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C6_zjoxJeKF

Drew McIntyre responds

‘The Scottish Warrior’ noticed Punk’s remarks and responded on X. He played a video clip of Punk in the WWE 2K24 game where he could be seen hobbling after performing a top rope move. ‘The Scottish Warrior’ yet again mocked Punk for his injury and wrote: 

“lol he’s in the game for one day and already hurt”

lol he’s in the game for one day and already hurt ? https://t.co/gddK6pKC67 pic.twitter.com/Gq7dwH4ERC

— Drew (@DMcIntyreWWE) May 15, 2024

CM Punk sustained a torn tricep injury at Royal Rumble 2024 and McIntyre has been taking credit for the same. He has been mocking Punk for the same ever since. Punk is currently sidelined but he has shown impressive recovery after surgery. He even dropped the brace six weeks after undergoing surgery. 

As Punk has showcased a great recuperation, reports suggest that he might be back in a matter of the next few months and even compete at the SummerSlam Premium Live Event in August. 

Damage CTRL member Asuka has revealed to her fans that she is dealing with a knee injury.

Taking to her YouTube channel ‘Kana Chan TV’, the former WWE Women’s Champion stated that she is taking her time off after Backlash: France Premium Live Event to treat recover from a knee injury. In her vlog, Asuka expressed her gratitude towards Damage CTRL teammates, Dakota Kai and Kairi Sane for their help during the European tour. She revealed that he had not been at her best. She wrote the following caption in the video:

“After the Backlash of my European tour, I had to take a break to treat my knee that I had been hurting for a while. My partners Kairi and Dakota helped me a lot during this tour as I could not move at my best. I am very grateful to both of them.”

At the end of her vlog, she wrote “See you soon.”

Injury scare

Back in March, reports emerged that Asuka suffered a possible knee injury and missed house shows due to the injury. It took place during an edition of SmackDown and fans in attendance noted that the Japanese wrestler was hobbling in the ring which raised concerns.

However, at a WWE Live Event in Springfield, Illinois on March 23, Asuka made her return to in-ring action. She joined forces with Damage CTRL teammates, IYO SKY and Kairi Sane, and faced the team of Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair & Naomi in a losing effort. 

• Asuka Returns To In-Ring Action After Injury Scare

Asuka’s last match before her hiatus took place at WWE Backlash: France earlier this month. The powerful team of Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair dethroned Asuka and Kairi Sane to capture the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships. Meanwhile, in the Queen of The Ring Tournament. ‘The Empress of Tomorrow’ was replaced by Dakota Kai, who endured a loss against Lyra Valkyria in the First Round match. Check out the latest results of the tournament below:

Former WWE Champion Drew McIntyre has a request for Mr. Sylus, the landlord of the ground where Soft Ground Wrestling (SGW) Uganda wrestlers perform and make videos.

The Uganda-based wrestling promotion has recently gained some traction on social media and several popular wrestlers have extended their support. However, the ground where they perform is rented and they are experiencing financial strain to continue their operations.  

The official SGW’s X account posted the message from ‘The Scottish Warrior’, who was thankful to the landlord, Mr. Sylus. The former WWE Champion showered praise on SGW for their passion which has garnered the attention of everybody in the pro wrestling industry. McIntyre further said that he is hopeful of WWE getting to Uganda and hosting a show. McIntyre also pled Mr. Sylus not to evict the SGW crew and wait for the funds to be raised for the purchase of land. Here is what he said in the video clip:

“Mr. Sylus, Drew McIntyre here, just shooting a little message to say thank you so much for hosting Softground Wrestling on your land. I hear you’re a fan of Drew McIntyre, so I want to say thank you so much for all your support. I can also tell you I’m a big fan of yours. It’s awesome, what you’re doing to help everybody at SGW. Their passion has grabbed the attention of everybody in our industry, and I appreciate you for being such a big part of it. Hopefully, one day, WWE will make its way to your part of the world. We can host a show there. We can feel the passion through the screen from all the lads. Maybe we can grab a picture together. But until then, thank you.”

@DMcIntyreWWE pleads before the landlord Mr Sylus , the owner of the land where @SGWug is hosted not to evict the crew until further notice. He asks him to be patient until the funds for purchase of land are raised of 45000$. Promises one day WWE will show up in Uganda. pic.twitter.com/9cBhNxil2r

— SGW @soft ground wrestling Uganda (@SGWug) May 15, 2024

SGW has become the latest sensation for its endeavors to contribute to the pro wrestling industry. The promotion uses a soil ring and string ropes instead of a traditional wrestling ring and ropes. The ring also has bamboo posts in place of steel posts. The promotion also helps in training the up-and-coming wrestlers as they train over 180 aspiring wrestlers. 

Fans on social media have set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the promotion in their battle against financial strain. Will Ospreay was one of the first wrestlers who got familiar with SGW and even contributed a whopping sum of $2,000. 

• SGW Uganda Star Sanjuki Inks Contract of Honor To Face Will Ospreay

It recently came to light that over $28,000 was raised by the wrestlers and the pro wrestling community for SGW. Former WWE star Mansoor also stepped up and announced that his mother would purchase a van for SGW to show her support for the promotion. While the wrestlers are trying to provide financial assistance to SGW, the promotion is working on crowning their first champion.

CM Punk is set to make his return from injury in the near future. ‘The Second City Savior’ is currently recuperating from a torn tricep injury that he suffered during the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match. He has shown impressive recovery after going under the knife and stopped using the brace just six weeks following surgery.

Punk He is going the extra mile in rehab and there is a huge possibility that he could be back before the time set for this return. An encouraging update comes from Dave Meltzer, who passed along an update on Punk’s recovery this morning on Wrestling Observer Radio. 

Dave Meltzer says he’s expected to be back in the ring this summer, 7-9 months after the surgery.

“Punk’s not that far from being back most likely. If he had his surgery at the end of January, you’re looking at the end of July, August, maybe September. It’s not that far away anymore. He might make SummerSlam. And if he can make SummerSlam, Punk and Drew for the title, that makes a lot of sense. Even if he can’t, you can do it a month after. Punk will be back fairly soon, it’s not as far away as sometimes you think because of that surgery.”

The report certainly keeps the hopes of Punk working WWE SummerSlam alive. The event takes place on August 3.

• Logan Paul Names Celebrities He Wants at SummerSlam

CM Punk’s bitter feud with Drew McIntyre

The feud between Punk and McIntyre is getting more fierce and uglier. There has been blood between the two veteran wrestlers since Royal Rumble 2024. The Chicago legend suffered the aforementioned injury at the hands of ‘The Scottish Warrior and the latter has been boasting it for months.

Punk managed to get even with his arch-nemesis when he cost Drew McIntyre the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40. Punk launched an attack on ‘The Scottish Warrior’ that helped Damian Priest to cash in his Money In The Bank contract. While CM Punk remains away from in-ring action, he has had verbal exchanges with Drew McIntyre. Their feud continues to boil every week and once Punk is back, fans will certainly see them settle the matter in the ring. 

CM Punk made his return to WWE last year in November. Now, he is also returning to WWE 2K24 after an absence of ten long years. 

Former NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov is seemingly unlocking his fierce side following his loss against Jey Uso on last night’s Raw. ‘The Mad Dragon’ headlined last night’s edition of Monday Night Raw when he competed against Jey Uso in the quarter-final match in the King of The Ring Tournament. Dragunov, who was recently drafted to the red brand, suffered a defeat and this marks his first loss on the main roster.

Dragunov was visibly frustrated when he spoke to Cathy Kelley in a Raw Exclusive. When he was asked about his defeat at the hands of Jey Uso, Dragunov said that though the loss was frustrating there is no shame that he lost to ‘Main Event’ Jey Uso. He revealed that he was “tired” and in “pain”. However, he finds beauty in it as he becomes an entire monster when he is in pain. 

“I mean, what should I say? It’s so frustrating, it is. But where is actually the shame to lose to the man the ‘Main Event’, right? All I know right now, I’m tired, I’m in pain, but the beauty of it is that in already very dangerous in this ring. But when I’m pain, I’m an entire monster.”

When asked about sharing his predictions for the semi-clash clash, he showered praise on both Jey Uso and Gunther. He also quoted WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels and said:

“Predictions? I mean, they’re both like the absolute bar. The only prediction I can make is for myself, and this prediction is, no one is safe anymore. To quote Shawn Michaels, ‘I’m what the kids call a real problem.”

Jey Uso is now all set to face Gunther in the semi-final clash on next week’s edition of Raw. 

• WWE King & Queen of the Ring Quarterfinals Results From 5/13 RAW, Updated Semifinals Brackets

Dragunov’s main roster call up

Ilja Dragunov had a successful run in WWE’s developmental brand, NXT. He became the NXT Champion and defended the title against some of the top stars on the brand. His reign came to an end when he was dethroned by rising superstar, Trick Williams. 

During the fourth round on the Night Two of the 2024 WWE Draft, Raw bagged the signing of Ilja Dragunov which was certainly a massive pick. His performance in NXT was pretty impressive and his main roster call-up opens the door for some huge matches in the future. 

We have a positive medical update on WWE legend Afa Anoa’i after recently going under the knife. One-half of the legendary Wild Samoans underwent his impending surgery and it has come to light that he is recuperating well. posted an update on May 12 revealing Afa’s successful Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedure to replace his Aortic Valve took place on Thursday, May 9. He was released from the hospital on May 11. The Facebook post read:

One-half of the legendary Wild Samoans underwent his impending surgery and it has come to light that he is recuperating well. WXW Wrestling page on Facebook posted an update on May 12 revealing Afa’s successful Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedure to replace his Aortic Valve took place on Thursday, May 9. He was released from the hospital on May 11. The Facebook post read:

“On Thursday, our beloved patriarch Afa the Wild Samoan had a successful TAVR procedure to replace his aortic valve. Yesterday afternoon he was discharged from the hospital! We’re all so grateful that this final hurdle has been passed! Now he has more back rehabilitation to do, but our Pops kicked out again and is one of the strongest human beings in the world! Thank you all for your prayers and concern!”

Afa’s Health

In March, Afa suffered multiple fractures in his back following a fall. He was soon hospitalized and underwent treatment under specialist. Later that month, he underwent successful surgery to fix his back. 

It has been a stressful year for Afa and his family. Before suffering the fall, the 81-year-old had a battle with pneumonia and also suffered a mild heart attack. Another heart attack impacted his health and it deteriorated considerably. However, the WWE Hall of Famer didn’t give up and overcame the setbacks. 

Meanwhile, Afa’s WXW promotion was on the brink of closing amid his health crisis. However, two months later, his son and former WWE wrestler, Afa Anoa’i Jr. (better known as Manu) announced that he is taking charge of the promotion and will continue its operations.

An overzealous fan breached security and entered the ring during the latest edition of AEW Collision. However, the security personnel were able to get the situation under control.

Last night’s AEW Collision emanated from Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia. A video clip surfaced on social media which captured the whole incident that took place during the show. 

Garcia could be seen celebrating after the match against Kevin Matthews as the fan rolled into the ring. While his intentions were not clear, the security personnel and the referee acted promptly to get hold of the intruder. The fans in the arena soon chanted “You f***ed up” while the invader was escorted out of the arena.

https://twitter.com/karlolovenia/status/1789460306785341899

AEW Collision 5/11 results

The show was stacked with some amazing matches. Apart from the aforementioned battle, Bryan Danielson teamed up with Claudio Castagnoli and defeated Top Flight. The crowd was enthralled with the proceedings and it featured some spectacular moments. Following the match, ‘The American Dragon’ showered praise on Top Flight before hyping the upcoming ‘Anarchy In The Arena’ match at Double Or Nothing pay-per-view on Sunday, May 26.

• Kenny Omega Announces ‘Anarchy In The Arena’ Match For AEW Double or Nothing

During the show, Will Ospreay locked horns with Lee Moriarty. The ‘Aerial Assassin’ emerged victorious after hitting Storm Breaker on his opponent. However, things didn’t turn out too well for Ospreay as he was attacked by The Undisputed Kingdom following the win.

On the other hand, Brian Cage joined forces with Gates of Agony and squashed Evan Rivers and The Voros Twins in a quick match.

Dax Harwood continued to gain momentum by defeating Thomas Billington ahead of his match against Kazuchika Okada for the AEW Continental Championship on next week’s AEW Dynamite.

Speaking about the women’s division, the former AEW Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa picked up a win over Robyn Renegade by trapping her in a Cobra Clutch. 

In the main event, Adam Copeland put his TNT Championship on the line against the hometown hero, Kyle O’Reilly. After a back-and-forth affair, ‘The Rated-R Superstar’ successfully retained his title by hitting the spear.  

AEW EVPs The Young Bucks (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson) made their surprise return to the promotion during NJPW Resurgence and Eddie Kingston is the latest victim of their brutal assault. 

Edde Kingston was unsuccessful in defending his NJPW Strong Openweight title against Gabe Kidd in a No-rope Last Man Standing Match. After the disappointing loss, Jack Perry made his way to the ring and had a staredown with ‘The Mad King.’ The distraction led to Nicholas and Matthew entering the ring and launching a blindsided attack on Kingston. After delivering a promo, they eventually went on to take him out with an EVP trigger.

.@youngbucks & @boy_myth_legend show up!

Sign up Now & Stay tuned to https://t.co/CeQLGjTmZ5#NJPW #njpwworld #njresurgence pic.twitter.com/rRCCrC8mFO

— NJPW WORLD (@njpwworld) May 12, 2024

This marks The Young Bucks’ first appearance in the promotion sinch Wrestle Kingdom 13 where they competed for the IWGP Tag Team titles. 

The Young Bucks continue their onslaught

The Young Bucks are abusing their power as EVP and even AEW President Tony Khan has fallen prey to them. After recruiting Kazuchika Okada to The Elite, they recently got Jack Perry on their side to bolster their force. A few weeks back on Dynamite, the Jackson brothers shockingly took out Khan. The Young Bucks have established their control over AEW and they seem to be unstoppable. The duo has also recently attacked a returning Kenny Omega, who was not even medically cleared. 

• The Elite Doesn’t Need Kenny Omega Anymore After Brutal Assault On Dynamite

On this week’s Dynamite, AEW EVP Kenny Omega announced that The Young Bucks will join forces with Jack Perry and Kazuchika Okada to take on the team of FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler), Eddie Kingston and Bryan Danielson in a ‘Anarchy In The Arena’ Match at the upcoming AEW Double or Nothing on Sunday, May 26.

AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland took the fans by surprise when he made an appearance at DEFY Wrestling without prior announcement. 

On Friday, May 10, Strickland showed up at DEFY Here And Now. In a video clip that surfaced on social media, ‘Swerve’ delivered a passionate promo. He said that the Seattle-based promotion played a pivotal role in becoming successful. The Washinton-born wrestler further thanked DEFY Wrestling for providing the platform and said that they are “setting the tone” in the wrestling industry. 

Strickland recalled his headlining match against Cody Rhodes at the inaugural DEFY show and gave a shoutout to ‘The American Nightmare.’ The former WWE wrestler then showered praise on the current members of DEFY roster and expressed his gratitude towards the promotion, where his career started to take off.  

Swerve Strickland then thanked the fans for their support and revealed his gift to the fans – a free meet-and-greet session following the show. The segment ended with Strickland asking “Whose House?” as the fans responded: “Swerve’s House.”

https://twitter.com/GIFSkullX/status/1789155920766697817

Strickland parted ways with DEFY wrestling in 2019 and went on to taste success in major promotions such as WWE and AEW. In the past, he has held the DEFY World Championship and has been one-half of the DEFY Tag Team Champions alongside Christopher Daniels.

Igniting a feud with Christian Cage

On this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite, Swerve Strickland was confronted by Christian Cage. They had a verbal exchange which ended in a massive betrayal for the champ. The Gates of Agony (Toa Linoa & Bishop Kaun) and Brian Cage turned on Strickland and launched a gruesome attack. This marks the dissolution of the Mogul Embassy.  

With Christian Cage setting his sights on the AEW World Championship, Swerve Strickland now has a huge challenge at his hands.

Braun Strowman has made his triumphant return to the ring after this week’s WWE SmackDown went off the air. 

This week’s edition of Friday Night SmackDown emanated from Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, PA. The card was stacked with some huge first-round matches of King & Queen of The Ring and it built towards the highly-anticipated namesake PLE in Saudi Arabia later this month. After the show concluded, ‘The Monster of All Monsters’ faced Shinsuke Nakamura in a dark match and emerged victorious in a short match-up. 

Braun Strowman defeats Nakamura in the first dark match of the night.#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/DjMGCG2OUK

— Balor Club Guy (@TheBalorClubGuy) May 11, 2024

After the match, the former WWE Universal Champion took to his Instagram account and posted:

“Damn, it felt good to be back out there!!!! #ThankYou #WilkesBarre #Wwe #TheMonstersBack”

This marked his first in-ring performance after being on the sidelines for over a year due to neck issues.

Braun Strowman’s battle with injury  

In June last year, Braun Strowman underwent neck fusion surgery and was on the shelf while recuperating from it. It certainly took a mental and physical toll on the heavyweight wrestler and he was candid about the same.

• “This is Hard” – Braun Strowman Says He’s Struggling Being Away from the Ring
  

In December, Strowman said that he wouldn’t rule out his return at WWE Royal Rumble 2024 but that did not happen. It wasn’t until April this year that the powerhouse made his return. He made his return after the surgery during the opening night of the 2024 WWE Draft where he was drafted to the Raw. 

He came to the aid of Jey Uso, who was getting brutally attacked by Finn Balor and the United States Champion Logan Paul. Strowman also had a brief confrontation with Patrick Mahomes and his teammates before Jey Uso calmed him down. 

Soft Ground Wrestling (SGW) Uganda is making a mark on the pro wrestling world and one of its wrestlers Sanjuki The Bull is looking for a match against AEW’s Will Ospreay.

SGW, the promotion based in Uganda has gained some massive popularity on social media in recent months and several prominent wrestlers have supported the promotion. They have gone the extra mile as Sanjuki has already inked a contract of honor and has challenged ‘The Aerial Assassin’ for a Forbidden Door Centurion Match. 

In a video clip posted on SGW’s X account, Sanjuki delivered a passionate promo and said that Ospreay has no idea what’s coming for him. He made it clear that he’s not afraid of the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and it’s “bad news” for the latter.

Sanjuki Signs a contract of honor for a match against will ospreay of AEW. Forbidden door. Centurion match. pic.twitter.com/ApVs1Q6rWi

— SGW @soft ground wrestling Uganda (@SGWug) May 8, 2024

SGW features a soil ring instead of a traditional pro wrestling ring. They also use string ropes similar to pro wrestling ropes. The steel posts are replaced by bamboo posts at the four corners. This is a unique setup that garnered attraction on social media. SGW Uganda is not only a wrestling promotion but they also train over 180 aspiring wrestlers. 

Fans on social media were impressed with the effort of the promotion and set up a GoFundMe campaign to extend support. It soon came to light that the ground where they perform is rented and faced financial issues. Will Ospreay was among the first wrestlers who came across SGW. ‘The Aerial Assassin’ had contributed $2,000 to the promotion. 

Will Ospreay is heading to SGW 

Last month, during the AEW Dynasty Media Scrum, Ospreay said that he was eager to wrestle in Uganda. Recently, speaking on Swerve City Podcast, the 31-year-old confirmed that he would make an appearance in the Ugandan promotion. He said:

“You have no idea what’s coming lads. Listen I will come. Don’t you worry”

It was recently revealed that wrestlers have been able to raise a whopping amount for SGW which will help them keep the momentum going for the better things to come.

TNA star Josh Alexander has decided to withdraw himself from independent promotion appearances as he is dealing with health concerns. 

‘The Walking Weapon’ recently took to X and announced that he is forced to pull out his indie dates for the remainder of May. The former 2-time TNA World Champion divulged that he has been dealing with personal health issues that leave him in “constant pain.” Alexander clarified that he is not injured but the time off is precautionary. He further added that he would deal with the issues and return as early as possible. He wrote: 

“Hey all, I’ve had to pull out of my Indy dates for the rest of the month. I’m not injured. It’s all precautionary. I’ve been dealing with some personal health issues that leave me in constant pain. I’ll deal with it & be back ASAP.”

Hey all,

I’ve had to pull out of my Indy dates for the rest of the month. I’m not injured. It’s all precautionary.

I’ve been dealing with some personal health issues that leave me in constant pain.

I’ll deal with it & be back ASAP.

Also ???

Tune into @ThisIsTNA #Impact pic.twitter.com/Z6jKHUlMyc

— Josh Alexander (@Walking_Weapon) May 9, 2024

Prestige Wrestling soon made an announcement on X about Josh Alexander pulling out from their ‘Alive or Just Breathing’ event which is set to take place on May 16 in Los Angeles. Alexander was scheduled to face former WWE star, Shelton Benjamin. However, the TNA star has been replaced by ‘Filthy’ Tom Lawlor. 

? BREAKING NEWS ?

Due to reasons beyond anyone’s control JOSH ALEXANDER will not be able to compete in LA.

With that in mind…

SHELTON BENJAMIN will face “FILTHY” TOM LAWLOR next Thursday (5/16) in Los Angeles!

Limited floor tix still available!

? https://t.co/UdoxIwFXiG pic.twitter.com/lve2ge1h7k

— Prestige Wrestling (@WrestlePrestige) May 9, 2024

Ahead of the announcement, Alexander’s last match took place at TNA Under Siege on May 3. At the show, he joined forces with Eric Young and defeated Frankie Kazarian and Steve Maclin.

There had been speculation surrounding Alexander’s future with TNA Wrestling. However, he will remain with the promotion for at least another year as he recently signed a new deal in February. He also cleared the air regarding the contract situation. Read more below:

Pro wrestling legend Rob Van Dam has shed some light on his future at AEW after making only a handful of appearances. 

Since making his debut in August 2023, he has competed in only six matches. This sparked concern for his future with the promotion but RVD is not ruling out a longer run with AEW. Speaking on 1 of A Kind Podcast, he said that he would consider an offer but he is yet to have discussions for a possible extended run. He said:

“I would like to think that I’m open to any conversation. So anything’s worth considering. Let’s hear what you got in mind, whatever. But no, I don’t have any of those talks. What you see is what you get, and that’s all anybody is talking about. All anyone is talking about doing, let me put it that way.”

He further said that taking time off and not wrestling full-time has a disadvantage – it impacts the conditioning. RVD has explained that if he wrestled more often then fans could see a more ‘fluid’ version of himself. He said:

“One thing the fans don’t take into consideration that I do, it’s cool having time off and I don’t want to be full-time, anything like that. But it is a big disadvantage, being in the ring, because no matter how much conditioning that I do, there’s no wrestling conditioning like wrestling. So if I was wrestling like every week, instead of sometimes every six weeks, maybe eight weeks, whatever, then you would have a little bit even more fluid RVD.”

Rob Van Dam’s AEW career

The 53-year-old has been making sporadic appearances in AEW. He immediately made a mark after his debut when he went up against then-FTW Champion Jack Perry. Though he was unsuccessful in dethroning the champ, he received massive praise for the match. RVD then went on to team up with Hook for a couple of matches over two months.

• Jack Perry Praises RVD: Still A World Class, One Of A Kind Freak Athlete

Earlier this year in January, the veteran wrestler faced Sean Strickland in a Hardcore match but endured a defeat. RVD competed in a six-man tag team match joining forces with Adam Page and Hook in February. His last match for the promotion took place a few weeks back when he picked up his maiden win after defeating Isiah Kassidy, Komander, and Lee Johnson.

While fans might wonder why RVD is not heading to WWE, the veteran star blames the lack of connection with WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H. Read more below:

Chris Jericho is focused on storylines and characters which he believes are the major aspects of pro wrestling. 

The former AEW World Champion has portrayed several interesting gimmicks during his illustrious career, the latest being ‘The Learning Tree.’ Chris Jericho recently joined the Kevin Karius Show to outline the significance of evolving gimmicks over time. The 53-year-old veteran said that the matches are important but the stories and characters draw the attention of the fans which remains  “the most important aspect” to him. He said:

“I just started doing this Learning Tree gimmick a few weeks ago. That’s the best thing about wrestling, when people start to get mad at you, you turn into a bad guy and when people like you, you turn into a good guy. This is the start of this whole new persona as we continue the story. That’s the most important thing about wrestling, the story. The matches are important, but the characters and the storylines are what really draws people into watching you and draws people into following what you’re doing. To me, that’s always been the most important thing.”

‘The Learning Tree’

Chris Jericho further explained that ‘The Learning Tree’ gimmick is based on the role of a teacher. Being a seasoned veteran of the game and with extensive pro wrestling knowledge, Jericho’s persona is a reflection of his real life. He aims to teach and guide the up-and-coming AEW stars. However, he possesses heel traits as he gets people “mad,” given the fact that he is a treasure of knowledge. He explained:

“The teacher. I’ve been doing this for a long time. I thought, what’s a cool way to personify that and make people mad? I’ve been doing this at a high level, I thought, I’ll adopt this persona of being the seasoned vet that teaches the rookies the ways of the game. That’s how it started, and the way we’ve portrayed it, people get really mad at me for it. That’s what you want. By being the seasoned vet who knows everything, that makes people mad at me. That’s wrestling for you.”

The Canadian legend had wanted to take Hook under his wing which the latter rejected. ‘The Learning Tree’ dethroned Hook and captured the FTW Championship. However, the veteran got ‘Go-away heat’ after the title win. On last week’s Dynamite, Jericho retained his title against Katsuyori Shibata.

AEW star Big Bill has been trying to learn from the veteran star, who agreed on last week’s Rampage. It has been announced that Chris Jericho will join forces with Big Bill on tonight’s AEW Dynamite.

Jericho is not only enjoying his title run but he is also gearing up for an acting role in an upcoming action horror movie. Read more below:

NXT ring announcer Alicia Taylor’s hard work has paid off as she will soon take over her announcing duties on SmackDown.

Reports floated that Alicia Taylor would be called up to the main roster and NXT Creative Head Shawn Michaels recently took to X and confirmed the move. He said that Taylor is an “irreplaceable part” of NXT and acknowledged her for the “countless unforgettable moments” on the brand. HBK is delighted that “she’s bringing her endending passion” to SmackDown. He thanked her for her valuable contributions and congratulated her on her next step.

Following last night’s edition of NXT, on-air personnel, wrestlers and the broadcast team assembled to give a farewell to Taylor. Michaels also posted a video clip of the announcement being made to the NXT locker room about Taylor’s main roster move. 

An irreplaceable part of the soundtrack for countless unforgettable #WWENXT moments, and now she's bringing her unending passion to #SmackDown.

@AliciaTaylorNXT, thank you for everything you've brought to the #NXTUniverse… and congratulations on your next step! #WeAreNXT pic.twitter.com/3d4IIgaruD

— Shawn Michaels (@ShawnMichaels) May 8, 2024

Alicia Taylor has gained massive popularity for her unique announcing style. The 43-year-old has a heavy metal background which has a major influence on her voice. Taylor is also a drummer and has played drums for Kate Nash, Kelly Osbourne, Colton Dixon, Selena Gomez, and more. 

Alicia Taylor signed with WWE in 2018 and has ever since been the lead announcer of NXT.  However, she has filled in on the main roster as per the requirements. Now, she has secured her move to the blue brand permanently. 

As Alicia Taylor will announce for SmackDown, Mike Rome, who has enjoyed a lengthy tenure on the blue brand, will return to NXT. Meanwhile, Samantha Irvin will continue her duties on Raw. Taylor’s move to the main roster has also scripted history as this marks the first time WWE main roster will feature two black women announcers. 

Jey Uso got “emotional” when the fans reminded him of late WWE star Bray Wyatt during his entrance at last Saturday’s WWE Backlash: France Premium Live Event. 

Jey’s entrance is always a spectacle as thousands of fans groove and ‘yeet’ to his entrance song. Well, Backlash PLE in Lyon, France was no different. However, it was a bit more special as the fans showered love on him with Bray Wyatt-esque ‘fireflies.’ 

Speaking with Cathy Kelley in a Raw Exclusive, the former Bloodline member said that witnessing the fireflies, he felt that Wyatt showed him love from heaven and it was a touching moment for him. He further said that he is “blessed” to have experienced it. He said:

“It was dope, though. Seeing all the fireflies came out, I got real emotional. Ain’t had much [time] to talk about it. But a lot of people were asking me what it was from my point of view. I just felt like Bray Wyatt was showing love to me.

That’s the first time I’ve seen the fireflies appear, I feel like, since he’s been gone. So I was really emotional seeing all of that. For that to happen to me, I was blessed with that.”

Jey Uso is eyeing to win KOTR

Things didn’t go in favor of ‘Main Event’ Jey Uso at WWE Backlash: France. In a high-intensity bout, he came pretty close to dethroning Damian Priest. However, ‘The Archer of Infamy’ successfully retained his title after his stablemates, JD McDonagh and Finn Balor assisted him.

Now, he’s got a new goal. On this week’s edition of Raw, Drew McIntyre was pulled from his first-round match against Finn Balor as he was not medically cleared to compete. Raw General Manager Adam Pearce announced that Jey Uso would replace ‘The Scottish Warrior.’ 

After a gruesome battle, Jey Uso emerged victorious and qualified for the next round where he will face the former NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov.

• Jey Uso Feels WrestleMania 40 Match Let The Fans Down

Check out the full Raw Exclusive clip below:

Drew McIntyre has had enough of CM Punk and has taken a shot back at his rival in unique style. 

‘The Scottish Warrior’ is losing his cool after consistently being at the end of multiple scathing promos from CM Punk. McIntyre left this week’s Raw early but ‘The Second City Savior’ made a surprise appearance on the show a few moments later. He soon seized the opportunity to take jabs at the Scottish wrestler. 

Drew McIntyre did not return to the show. However, he noted CM Punk’s comments on him. Taking to his X account, the former WWE Champion took a shot back at Punk by setting the latter’s autographed photo ablaze and throwing the ashes on the ground. This is the same photograph that McIntyre acquired last week on Raw.  

pic.twitter.com/XG8jQh05GY

— Drew (@DMcIntyreWWE) May 7, 2024

Drew McIntyre was originally scheduled to face The Judgment Day’s Finn Balor in the  King of The Ring tournament’s first round. But, ‘The Scottish Warrior’, who injured his elbow at WrestleMania 40, was not medically cleared to compete. Raw GM Adam Pearce announced that his replacement would be Jey Uso, who went on to qualify for the next round. 

CM Punk-Drew McIntyre rivalry

The Chicago legend has been getting under the skin of McIntyre since WrestleMania 40 where he cost Drew McIntyre the World title as Damian Priest cashed in his Money In The Bank contract. The feud between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre is now intensifying every passing week. ‘The Scottish Warrior’ and ‘The Second City Savior’ have had several verbal exchanges in the past and they don’t seem to stop anytime soon. 

Punk has shown impressive recovery after undergoing tricep surgery but he is yet to be medically cleared. Both Punk and McIntyre are currently injured and it seems we will have to wait a little longer to witness them settle the matter in the ring. 

Kevin Owens’ current deal with WWE runs out in a matter of few months – nine months to be precise. The former World champion recently got fans’ attention when he was not-committal about competing at future WrestleMania events. During an interview with Alistair McGeorge for Metro, Kevin Owens revealed  WWE contract expires in nine months, which puts us around late January/early February 2025. As things currently stand, he’s not certain that he’ll remain a WWE Superstar by WrestleMania 41.

“I really don’t take anything for granted, I’ve nine months left on my contract, and I don’t know what can happen from here on out,” Owens revealed.

Unbreakable Bonds

As he faces this uncertainty, the Canadian grappler can’t help but mourn the loss of the dear friends he’s lost along the way, including Brodie Lee, Bray Wyatt, Jay Briscoe.

“That’s just life,” Owens said. “If I’ve learned anything over the last few years, it’s that nothing is guaranteed. I’ve learned that through some very unfortunate events, we’ve lost so many good people that was never expected. That’s just one example of how I do not take anything for granted, how I look at things now.”

Owens has been a part of the WWE roster for a decade. During that time, he’s developed unbreakable bonds with his peers and has a hard time thinking about these people not being part of his life anymore.

“This has been my home for 10 years and it’s beyond the locker room. There’s some very, very, very special people that work behind the scenes that I’ve become very close with, and I really can’t imagine not seeing them as part of my life.”

Former AEW World Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman took notice of the possibility of Owens becoming a free agent next year.

KO teamed up with Randy Orton and faced The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga) in a losing effort at WWE Backlash: France this past weekend. The match featured the WWE debut of Tanga Loa, Tama’s brother, who interfered and assisted The Bloodline to win.

WWE Contracts: World Champions Re-Sign

There had been concerns regarding the contract renewal of a handful of top wrestlers. Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre, and Finn Balor most recently inked new deals with WWE. However, alongside Kevin Owens, other superstars such as Becky Lynch and LA Knight’s future remains up in the air as they are yet to sign a new contract. Here’s some of our recent coverage of WWE contracts:

• Seth Rollins signs multi-year WWE contract renewal
• Drew McIntyre re-signs with WWE, receives a special gift from The Rock
• Finn Balor re-signs: “I Ain’t Going Nowhere!”

Related: We recently wrote the primary factors that today’s top free agents should consider if they are deciding between wrestling for WWE and AEW: