Former WWE stars Bobby Lashley, MVP and Shelton Benjamin could soon reunite outside WWE, perhaps in AEW. They could soon be reunited as The Hurt Syndicate, judging by a trademark filing last month.
A trademark filing was made for the term The Hurt Syndicate for use in pro wrestling and entertainment services. Totally Harmless Concept LLC filed to trademark “The Hurt Syndicate” a couple of weeks ago, after previously filing for trademarks on other MVP-related phrases and names.
There’s been speculation that the faction might join AEW, and Fightful now reports the company has had talks with the group in recent weeks.
MVP has made it clear that he won’t return to WWE during a Bloodsport event. Since then fans have anticipated what he and Bobby Lashley have in store for them. Shelton Benjamin, who was released from WWE in September last year, has also been a free agent. However, another former Hurt Business member, Cedric Alexander is unlikely to be a part of the plan.
Cedric Alexander recently re-signed with WWE as per Fightful Select. He has inked a new multi-year deal with the company. Alexander has been teaming with Ashante ‘Thee’ Adonis. His most recent match took place at the NXT Great American Bash 2024: Night One a couple of months back where he defeated Brooks Jensen.
Given the indications, Hurt Syndicate could be on its way to AEW and be a great addition to the promotion’s stacked roster. The former Hurt Business faction has had an incredible run in WWE and has won several championships. The veterans bring a lot of experience to the table which could benefit AEW. Moreover, they could even target the coveted AEW Trios Titles, currently held by the Blackpool Combat Club.
WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle is set to make an appearance on an upcoming Game Change Wrestling (GCW) show.
The promotion has announced on social media that ‘The Olympic Gold Medalists’ has been booked for an appearance at the promotion’s Dream On event on Saturday, November 23. The show will take place at American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Tickets will go on sale this Friday at 10:00 am ET.
*AMERICAN DREAM UPDATE*
GCW comes to The American Dream Mall on Saturday, November 23rd!
Just Signed:
WWE Hall of Famer KURT ANGLE comes to GCW for the first time on 11/23 at #GCWDream!
Angle will be a part of the show which is set to feature the likes of Ricky Morton, Matt Cardona, Mance Warner, Masha Slamovich, Effy, Gringo Loco, and Sonny Kiss.
The former World Champion has not been advertised to wrestle for the event. Kurt Angle retired following his “farewell match” against Baron Corbin at WrestleMania 35 in 2019. Since then he has maintained that way and has not wrestled.
Most recently, another WWE Hall of Famer John ‘Bradshaw’ Layfield shocked fans when he made an appearance at GCW’s Homecoming event. Earlier this month, JBL was at AAA TripleMania XXXII: Mexico City. The former World Champion was accompanied by fellow former WWE star Nic Nemeth for his AAA Mega Championship match against Alberto El Patron.
Earlier this year, Angle revealed that he was still under contract to WWE. It is not clear whether that is still the case given the GCW booking. However, a handful of WWE stars who are under their contract have stepped through the ‘forbidden door.’ It includes Shayna Baszler and WWE NXT’s Charlie Dempsey who competed at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X. This possibly indicates that WWE might have also allowed Kurt Angle to step through the ‘forbidden door.’
Natalya recently revealed that she had been busy with different projects which led to her absence from WWE for several months. “The Queen of Harts” returned on the latest edition of WWE Raw. This marked the season premiere of WWE’s flagship show, where she was revealed as the mystery partner of Lyra Valkyria and Zelina Vega.
Neidhart had a triumphant return as her team defeated the Pure Fusion Collective trio of Zoey Stark, Shayna Baszler, & Sonya Deville. Making an appearance on Growing Up Von Erichs, she reflected on her return to her hometown, Calagary, Alberta, Canada. She then revealed that she had been working on a couple of projects which kept her away from the programming:
“Yesterday, Monday Night Raw, I made my return back to the ring. I took the summer off, I was working on a couple of projects. We were back in Calgary, and that’s where my family started. It was so cool to make my re-debut in WWE back in Calgary. My whole family was there, Bret (Hart) was on Raw. I was able to win my match for my team. It was cool. It’s always nice to be back home.”
She also revealed that she underwent eye surgery and how WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H granted her the time off.
“I took a little time off this summer and the company was so great about it. They were like, ‘Take as much time as you need.’ It’s really changing so much in the best way and the culture is so different now. Our boss, Triple H, he is such a cool boss. I just recently got eye surgery to correct astigmatism in my eye and I needed a little bit more time off to get that done. He’s like, ‘Go get your eyes fixed.’ He’s like, ‘Don’t even worry about it.’ He’s like, ‘Take care of yourself’ and it was like, it’s just so cool to have a boss that’s human.”
‘Mental reset’
During the conversation Natalya revealed that she took time off for her mental health as well. This marked Natalya’s first match since the June 4th edition of NXT where she faced Izzi Dame. Nattie explained that she wanted a little break to refocus as mental health is as important as physical health. She said:
Even for me, just taking this break from WWE… I had my last match in June, so it was like, not even three months but, I took a little break because I was like, ‘I need a little mental reset.’ Or I just need some time to regroup, recalibrate, refocus… Again, it’s for my mental health because it’s one thing to be healthy and fit, like on a treadmill or you look great or you got abs but, if you’re not right up here, if your head isn’t right, you can’t do any of the fun stuff… And I always try to take the experiences that I’ve gone through and try to be there for the other girls in the locker room that may need guidance or help because life, whether you’re wrestling in WWE or you’re a mom or you’re a teacher or whatever it is that you’re doing, it’s hard. It’s day-to-day. Everything for me is just day-to-day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrt5jip3mpw
The former WWE Women’s Champion’s return on Raw was quite emotional and a ‘full circle moment’ for her. This week’s Raw emanated from the Scotiabank Saddledome in her hometown of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and it also featured an appearance by her uncle and WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart.
It’s worth noting that the venue was where Natalya first stepped inside a WWE ring when she joined the celebration of The Hart Foundation’s victory at 1997’s In Your House: Canadian Stampede.
My very first time in a @wwe ring was in 1997 at the IN YOUR HOUSE Canadian Stampede PPV in Calgary. It was the last time my whole family was together. Last night was a full circle moment, being back in that same building, with @BretHart, The Hart family and my @wwe family.… pic.twitter.com/NheGt6W4rj
During her absence, there has been speculation that the third-generation wrestler might be jumping ship to AEW when her contract expires. However, she is not leaving WWE anytime soon. It has been reported that Natalya re-signed with WWE. She received a new deal from WWE in late June and it is reportedly a multi-year deal.
Natalya has been with WWE for more than a decade and she holds a key place on the high-talented Women’s division. The veteran is in the later stages of her pro wrestling career and also exploring different avenues.
AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam from Arthur Ashe Stadium is just weeks away and Ricochet has taken a shot at former rival Will Ospreay. The duo has continued to tease fans for a match and it seems they could be sharing the ring at the aforementioned show on September 25th.
As we move closer to the show, AEW International Champion Will Ospreay has expressed his excitement on social media. He said that he wanted to perform on the show since he witnessed the classic between Bryan Danielson and Kenny Omega at AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam 2021.
Ricochet, who is set to return to Japan, noticed the post and replied with a brief message. He told Ospreay that he would see him there and called him “little bro.”
Ospreay recently confronted Ricochet on the latter’s first night on AEW Dynamite. However, before ‘The Aerial Assassin’ could go face to face, Pac attacked him. At AEW All Out, Ospreay went face to face Ricochet in a backstage segment. The Brit told Ricochet to start racking some wins and the latter responded by saying that he would see him soon.
Ospreay and Ricochet are two of the most incredibly talented wrestlers. They have a fair share of history together as they had some classic matches across NJPW, RevPro, WCPW, and EVOLVE before Ricochet signed with WWE in 2018.
The two high-flyers showcased some memorable matches which put them on the map in 2016. Their last match took place in August 2017 when they competed in WhatCulture Pro Wrestling. After going separate ways, the duo is back together in the same promotion which opens the door for yet another encounter.
A few months back the possibility of Ricochet and Will Ospreay going head-to-head looked slim. However, fast forward to today, ‘the human highlight reel’ is signed with AEW and a match with Will Ospreay is on the horizon. This comes after Ospreay candidly expressed his interest in facing Ricochet again in AEW.
Trick Williams has got a step closer to reclaiming the NXT Championship after earning a shot at the coveted title against Ethan Page.
Last week, NXT Champion Ethan Page, fresh off his victory over Joe Hendry, said that he wanted to defend his title on NXT’s debut episode on CW. After Pete Dunne’s assault on Williams set up a match between the two which resulted in a double count-out. NXT GM Ava announced a Last Man Standing rematch for last night’s show.
Williams defeated Dunne in a Last Man Standing match on the September 10th episode of NXT. The final moments of the match saw both men going through tables after a Russian Leg Sweep off the platform in the audience. Williams managed to make it to his feet and hit a backbody drop on NXT Champion Ethan Page through the announce table. Williams managed to beat the 10-count and won the match.
Trick Williams had all the momentum by his side when he put an end to Ilja Dragunov’s 206-day reign at NXT Spring Breakin’. He became the 30th man to capture the coveted title. During his title reign, he even successfully retained the title against Ethan Page. However, it was also ‘All Ego’ who dethroned Williams at NXT Heatwave.
In his reign, Page has successfully defended his title against the likes of Dante Chen, Oro Mensah, and TNA Wrestling’s Joe Hendry. On the other hand, Williams has been in pursuit of the NXT title for several months. He has now earned an opportunity to reclaim his title and become a two-time NXT Champion when NXT moves to CW on October 1. The first two weeks of the show on CW are lining up to be massive as CM Punk and Randy Orton are also scheduled to make appearances.
Jey Uso is all hyped up after winning the No.1 Contender’s fatal-four way match for the Intercontinental Championship on last night’s season premiere of Raw.
‘Main Event’ Jey Uso defeated Pete Dunne, Ilja Dragunov, and Braun Strowman to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship Number One Contender’s Tournament. With the win, he has secured a shot at Bron Breakker’s WWE Intercontinental Championship. After WWE Raw went off the air, Jey Uso reflected on his victory and said that he feels ready to finally win a singles title. He stated that he is gearing up to win the Intercontinental title for the fans, his family, and himself.
Uso joked that the match had a lot of “Brons” (Braun Strowman, Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker) – but there was only one Jey Uso.
“I’m so ready. I’m so ready, Uce. I’m ready to do it for the WWE Universe, for myself, for my family, really prove myself, Uce. Almost been a whole year since I was on Raw, since I left The Bloodline and started my journey, Uce. We gonna get there. Braun Strowman, me and you gonna dance, Uce. I don’t know if you can dance, Bron Strowman, Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, whole lotta Brons going on, but look, there’s only one Main Event Jey Uso, and you’re looking at him. The new Intercontinental Champion, Main Event Jey Uso. Can I get a YEET?”
Jey Uso’s singles run
Jey has been thriving since venturing out as a singles performer in 2020. His initial run was brief as he competed when his twin Jimmy Uso was sidelined with a knee injury. His proper singles run started last year when he broke loose from The Bloodline.
Jey has managed to showcase some incredible high-profile matches. He competed in the Money in the Bank ladder match and the Royal Rumble. At this year’s WrestleMania 40, he went up against his twin brother Jimmy Uso.
Despite competing in title matches, a singles title has eluded him. However, he could put an end to the title drought next month.
Jey Uso will challenge Bron Breakker for the Intercontinental Championship at WWE Bad Blood PLE on October 5.
Former WWE Intercontinental Sami Zayn wants to honor the legacy set by WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart by winning the world title.
Bret Hart returned on Raw but he was interrupted by the World Heavyweight Champion Gunther. ‘The Ring General hurled insults at ‘The Hitman’ before Canada’s own Sami Zayn walked out wearing a Johnny Gaudreau Calgary Flames jersey. He paid tribute to Gaudreau, who tragically passed away along with his brother Matthew.
Zayn spoke on Raw Talk about the emotional night in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He spoke about Johnny Gaudreau’s passing as well as sharing the ring with Bret Hart. He said:
“You actually caught me at a really strange time because I’m feeling really emotional, to be honest. I’m wearing this jersey, not because I’m a Flames fan, everyone knows I’m a Canadiens guy, but to honor Johnny Gaudreau, who tragically passed away. I don’t know, it just makes you think about the time you have here and what you do with it, and to be able to share the ring with [Bret Hart], he was my hero growing up. To share the ring with him in Calgary, the significance, it’s not lost on me. So I’m in a really strange kind of head space.”
Zayn said that listening to Hart speak about being a champion and Canadian champion in particular has “lit a fire under me.” The 40-year-old wrestler wants to honor Hart’s legacy as he aims to become the World Champion. He said:
“But listening to him talk also kind of lit a fire under me. To hear him talk about what it meant to be a champion, and a Canadian champion. Listening to him, I realized, man, we haven’t had that in a long time, and I want it to be me. I want it to be me. I want to honor his legacy. I want to honor the template that he laid out for guys like me. So Gunther’s got something that, as far as I’m concerned, it’s on borrowed time because I’m coming. I’m coming for the World Heavyweight Championship.”
Zayn challenged Gunther for the World Championship, but the latter turned him down. Hart called Gunther “a gutless yellow coward” for backing down. A brawl broke out between Zayn and ‘The Ring General’ before the officials intervened.
While it is not official yet, it seems that Sami Zayn and Gunther will collide at next month’s Bad Blood PLE for the title. At WrestleMania 40, Zayn ended Gunther’s Intercontinental title run and now he has an opportunity to dethrone him again.
NJPW legend Kuniaki Kobayashi passed away on September 9 at the age of 68. Kobayashi had a legendary career that spanned several decades. He was also known for his rivalry with the first and second Tiger Mask. After 25 years of fighting liver cancer, the Japanese legend passed away.
New Japan Pro Wrestling published an obituary on Medium, and issued this statement on social media:
“New Japan Pro-Wrestling is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, and Noge Dojo manager Kuniaki Kobayashi.
Our deepest sympathies go to Kobayashi’s family, friends and fans.”
We at SEScoops send our deepest condolences to Kuniaki Kobayashi’s family and friends.
Kuniaki Kobayashi’s career
Kobayashi broke into the wrestling scene as a teen when he joined the NJPW Dojo in 1972. He went on to make his official debut in January 1973. Kobayashi went on several international excursions through the 1970s, including to Mexico, and for NWA Los Angeles in the States.
Following his return from the US in 1982, he started his red martial arts gear that would become a signature and set his sights on the rising talent and fan-favorite Tiger Mask. Kobayashi appointed himself as NJPW’s ‘Tiger Hunter’ and competed in memorable matches.
Kobayashi headed to Japan Pro-Wrestling and AJPW, where he battled the second Tiger Mask Mitsuharu Misawa. He defeated Hiro Saito to become the second-ever World Junior Heavyweight Champion. He also had a run in the WWF/E as Chin Kobiashi.
During his in-ring career, Kuniaki Kobayashi was diagnosed with colon cancer. However, he returned to the ring after undergoing surgery. In the latter stages of his career, cancer spread to his liver. He started to wear a tank top to hide the scars from surgery which led to the former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion’s retirement. He also underwent surgeries for lung cancer.
Following his retirement from in-ring competition, Kobayashi became the manager of the New Japan Dojo and helped in shaping the future of the emerging talents. He would make occasional special appearances. He also made an appearance at Wrestle Kingdom 11 kickoff Ranbo in 2017. He was extremely active in the management of the NJPW Dojo until his passing.
Tributes
Shinsuke Nakamura and William Regal expressed their remourse over Kobayashi’s passing, with Nakamura sharing that he learned many things at the Dojo.
A ten-bell salute will be held for Kuniaki Kobayashi before Road to Destruction event in Sendai.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, and Noge Dojo manager Kuniaki Kobayashi.
Our deepest sympathies go to Kobayashi's family, friends and fans.
Very sorry to hear of the passing of Kuniaki Kobayashi. A brilliant wrestler who wasn’t heralded enough for his exceptional skills and being a huge part of the early ‘80’s Jr Heavyweight division in @njpwglobal. My deepest condolences to his friends and family. I think every tour…
Former TNT Champion Adam Copeland is confident that wrestling legend Sting’s son Steven Borden could handle the pressure if he entered the pro wrestling business.
Steven and his brother Garrett both appeared during Sting’s retirement match at AEW Revolution earlier this year. Sting teamed up with Darby Allin and defeated The Young Bucks. Steven came out as Wolfpac Sting, and even performed a Stinger Splash that garnered massive praise. Borden has been training with Darby Allin and had a training session with Allin, Copeland, and FTR. There has been speculation that Steven could follow his father’s footsteps.
The Rated R Superstar told Sports Illustrated’sThe Takedown that he feels Steven is eager to be a part of the business, especially after AEW Revolution in Greensboro. He said:
“I think at Revolution there in Greensboro, he got a bit of the itch. He felt what it is. And once you feel that, man, it’s hard to walk away from that. It’s hard to go, ‘Wait, that wasn’t cool.’ You’re going to go, ‘That was really cool and really fun.’”
Copeland praised the 6’3 powerhouse for his physique and believes he has similarities with his legendary father in conducting himself. He added:
“It’s a great gig. So I think he felt that. Also in terms of his physicality, I mean, he’s 6-3. He’s about 230 pounds. He’s probably sitting about eight percent body fat. He looks the part. He’s got a good head on his shoulders, very similar to his dad in how he conducts himself, which is a great thing.”
There have been some second-generation wrestlers who couldn’t live up to the expectations of the fans. On the other hand, some have thrived in the business. The former TNT Champion admitted that there would be a lot of pressure on Steven should he enter the pro wrestling business. However, Copeland reckoned that the former college football player has what it takes to handle it. He said:
“I think now it’s really up to him. What does he want to put into it? Does he want to put in the work that it will take? Because you got to figure it. You might look at it and say, ‘Ok, an easier pathway into the business.’
“But once he’s in the business, there’s going to be a big spotlight on him, and with that comes extra pressures. You’re Sting’s son and trying to break out of that. But, he’s smart. He’s smart, and I think if he wants to do it, he absolutely could do it.”
Adam Copeland is recovering from a fractured leg that he sustained at May’s AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view. He was stripped of the TNT Championship and he has since been on the sidelines recuperating. While Copeland feels better, a timeline for his return is still not clear.
Vinci returned to in-ring action against Apollo Crews. After getting in the ring, the Italian wrestler began taunting the crowd. As soon as the referee rang the bell, Crews rolled him up for the three count as Vinci looked shocked. In a SmackDown Exclusive, Giovanni Vinci shared his thoughts on his defeat. He blamed the ref for not checking whether he was ready. He said if Apollo Crews wants to come from behind then ‘we can play that way.’
“Don’t even ask the question. I got a question for you. When is the last time you’ve seen a match get without the referee checking both competitors if they’re ready. I haven’t seen it either. So Apollo wants to come up behind me, clearly, I still have half my entrance gear on, and roll me up, if he wants to play that way, alright. We can play that way. We can play that way.”
– Giovanni Vinci on his SmackDown debut loss
Ahead of last night’s edition of SmackDown, Vinci had wrestled his last match on April 22 episode of Raw. He had teamed up with former Imperium teammate Ludwig Kaiser to face Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods in a losing effort. Kaiser then brutally attacked and ousted Vinci from Imperium.
After being away from the programming for months, Vinci started teasing his return through various vignettes. The former Imperium member made his comeback last night but things didn’t go in favor of the Italian wrestler as he might have planned.
Sheamus has reportedly inked a new long-term contract with WWE.
WWE has been negotiating with the talents regarding their contract renewals and a handful of stars have already inked new deals. There has been a lot of speculation regarding Sheamus’ future earlier this year. But it seems that the multi-time World Champion is the latest star to extend his contract for a few more years.
PWInsider has reported that the former WWE Champion has committed his future with WWE. He is negotiating a fresh multi-year deal with the company and it’s said to be in the final stages. The report suggests that the deal is “very close to being done or was just completed.”
It was further added that internally, it is believed that ‘The Celtic Warrior’ will be sticking around with the company for at least another three to five years.
Sheamus returned to WWE following WrestleMania 40 PLE and has been featured regularly on Raw. He is currently involved in a feud with his former Brawling Brutes teammate Pete Dunne. He has had some great matches against some top stars of the company since his return. Recently, he faced Ludwig Kaiser and Braun Strowman in the Intercontinental Title No. 1 Contender’s Tournament.
Cody Rhodes will defend his Undisputed WWE Championship against The Bloodline’s Solo Sikoa in a Steel Cage Match on next week’s SmackDown premiere on USA Network.
Last night’s SmackDown marked the final edition of the show on FOX. Cody Rhodes is coming off a successful title defense against Kevin Owens at Bash In Berlin PLE. However, his arch-rival Solo Sikoa still has his sights set on the title.
Sikoa was unsuccessful in challenging Rhodes for the title at last month’s SummerSlam which saw the shocking return of Roman Reigns. Last night on SmackDown, Solo Sikoa once again demanded for a title match against ‘The American Nightmare.’
However, the champ refused and offered a title shot to The Bloodline member Jacob Fatu. Fatu turned down the opportunity and instead endorsed Sikoa for the shot at gold.
SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis then confirmed that Cody Rhodes will put his title on the line against Solo Sikoa on the September 13 edition of SmackDown. However, that will be contested in a Steel Cage to ensure The Bloodline members don’t interfere.
WWE is certainly trying to make SmackDown premiere on USA Network star-studded. A couple of more matches have also been added to the show. Andrade and Carmelo Hayes are set to battle in a rubber match for their Best of Five Serie as both men are tied with two wins.
On the other hand, A-Town Down Under (Grayson Waller and Austin Theory) will face Kevin Owens and a partner of his choosing. Waller challenged KO to this match during a conversation with SmackDown GM Nick Aldis backstage on last night’s show.
Former WWE Undisputed Champion Roman Reigns recently reunited with WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman for a non-WWE appearance. ‘The Tribal Chief’ joined Heyman on-stage for Bloomberg Power Players New York and discussed WWE’s flagship show, Monday Night Raw finding a new home on Netflix, starting January 6th, 2025. Roman Reigns said that Raw airing on Netflix is the biggest deal of all time.
“I think this is the biggest deal of all-time, to be honest.”
– Roman Reigns on WWE’s deal with Netflix
The former WWE Undisputed Champion feels that after leading the live television for decades, the show moving to the streaming network is a huge milestone and a great opportunity to showcase their product. He said:
“… But the thing that changes the whole landscape for us is that we’ve been on linear television for decades now, and we’ve been the leader of that episodically. So, to take our program and to put it on a streaming network like Netflix, it’s just unheard of.
To go all the way back through our history to see where we are now and the growth that we’ve had really since 2020, when the world was upside down has just really been amazing. So it’s a big opportunity for us to not only showcase our product, but just what we’ve mastered with live television.”
– Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns enjoys challenges of PG content
Reigns also shared his thoughts on WWE potentially leaning into edgier content on Netflix. The 39-year-old wasn’t in favor of WWE going beyond PG limits with its move to Netflix. He noted that while WWE made a reputation of edgier content back in the day, he enjoys the challenges that comes with PG rating. He said:
“If we allow Paul to do Hall of Fame speeches non-stop, we’ll definitely push that envelope. But for me, I don’t know. I have always enjoyed the challenges of being PG and no offense to our predecessors and the people who came before us and the ratings that they revolved around, but to me, it’s a, it’s more challenging to be able to tell these stories. It also allows you a broader audience to connect to which I just really feel like. It’s always the goal.”
– Roman Reigns
He believes that there will be a room for experimenting but reckoned that WWE should stick to its core values and morals. He added:
“We want to reach as many people as possible. And I think there’s a fine limit to when you can cross that threshold where you push people off from the product. So I think there’s a nice, there’s going to be a nice little range there that we can play with. And, push the envelope in certain senses. But I think we need to stick to our values and the morals that we’ve set in place in the culture that we have now.”
– Roman Reigns
Raw will join Netflix in January next year and the agreement between the two parties spans ten years and exceeds $5 billion. The exclusive hosting of Raw on Netflix will begin in the U.S., Canada, U.K., and Latin America, with additional territories to be added eventually.
Netflix is set to become the home for all WWE shows and specials outside the U.S., including Raw, SmackDown, NXT, and Premium Live Events such as WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Royal Rumble. WWE’s documentaries, original series, and the forthcoming projects will also be made available on Netflix internationally starting next year.
Long-time WWE lead Production Designer Jason Robinson is reportedly parting ways with the company. Robinson is leaving the company and the belief is that Robinson either finished up at the Bash in Berlin PLE or will be done this week, according to Mike Johnson at PWInsider.
Robinson was reportedly, “highly thought of and was considered incredibly talented by those he worked with.” Having a background in theater and opera in terms of creating and designing, he eventually moved into the television realm.
The veteran was considered “a Kevin Dunn guy” during his run with the company. He has been with WWE for over 23 years and was involved in creating about every modern major event and television set.
“There were a lot of people shocked that he was exiting, noting he was as important as one can imagine when it came to designing the look and feel of WWE’s broadcast product.”
– Mike Johnson (PWInsider) on designer Jason Robinson’s WWE exit
TKO Group Holdings was formed in September last year and shortly after, over 100 people were cut from WWE’s offices. Several long-tenured employees associated with WWE have also departed the company. The list includes Kevin Dunn, who had been the promotion’s director of production. Reports suggest that WWE reportedly was hopeful for Dunn to stay on as far as WrestleMania 40 but he departed in December 2023. He was then replaced by Lee Fitting.
The biggest departure in WWE over the past year is of former Chairman Vince McMahon, who exited earlier this year following the Janel Grant lawsuit which was filed in January earlier this year.
AEW International Champion Will Ospreay praised Kenny Omega for his contribution to pro wrestling but that doesn’t change his personal feelings for him.
Ospreay told Kenny McIntosh of Inside The Ropes Magazine what Kenny Omega means to AEW. ‘The Aerial Assassin’ stated that Omega represents what AEW initially was. He became a huge star alongside the likes of The Young Bucks and Hangman Adam Page and helped set up AEW. While he respects Omega as a professional, it doesn’t mean they will become friends. He said:
“I think he represents the identity of what AEW initially was. He didn’t need the machine to make himself a big superstar, he made himself a star along with The Bucks, along with Hangman, and everyone else that helped to set up the company. There was an identity about AEW that was different to what American TV was accustomed to.
Those guys really set the bar for what wrestling could look like. It could have a different image and it could have a different identity. Especially when it comes to TV-style wrestling. Those guys completely shifted what it looked like to be TV wrestlers. He’s one of the best and I give him all the flowers in the world, but that doesn’t mean I like him [laughs]. Other than that, he’s a pr—k.”
Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay are two of the greatest wrestlers in pro wrestling. Over the years, they have been involved in feuds and even took personal shots. What could be labeled a dream match, the pair collided at Wrestle Kingdom 17. This marked Omega’s first match in NJPW since 2019 and ‘The Cleaner’ dethroned Ospreay to win the IWGP United States Heavyweight title.
Omega and Ospreay once again battled for the title at last year’s AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door. It was Ospreay who emerged victorious in a match that went on for 40 minutes and walked out of Scotiabank Arena as the IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion.
Giulia is the latest addition to the highly-talented NXT women’s division. She recently made her impactful debut on the white and gold brand. In the main event of NXT No Mercy, Roxanne Perez retained her NXT Women’s Championship against OTM’s Jaida Parker. After the match, the former NJPW Strong Women’s Champion made her debut and had a staredown with ‘The Prodigy’.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) database shows WWE filed to trademark the name ‘Giulia’ on September 3, with various entertainment services related to professional wrestling listed as the ‘Goods and Services’ usage description.
WWE was hopeful to feature Giulia on the NXT Heatwave event in July but she wasn’t cleared. The former STARDOM Champion recently finished her commitments with Rossy Ogawa’s Marigold promotion before arriving in WWE. Giulia is now a part of NXT and she has her eyes on the NXT Women’s title as it was expected.
On this week’s edition of NXT, Giulia once again made it clear what she wants. The main event segment featured Roxanne Perez delivering a promo on her win over Jaida Parker at No Mercy. Chelsea Green interrupted Perez, wanting to be named the new No.1 contender for the title.
However, Giulia made her way and attacked Green. She then demanded a title match with a short message, “Me, you, CW,” indicating NXT premiere on CW network on October 1. Another title match has also been teased for the NXT premiere.
AEW All Out 2024 pay-per-view takes place on September 7 at NOW Arena in Chicago, Illinois. The card has been updated after this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite and you can check it out below:
AEW World Championship Match: Bryan Danielson vs. Jack Perry
AEW International Championship Match: Will Ospreay vs. PAC
AEW TBS Championship Match: Mercedes Mone vs. Hikaru Shida (Kamille is banned from ringside)
AEW World Tag Team Championship Match: Young Bucks vs. Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta
MJF vs. Daniel Garcia
Steel Cage Lights Out Match: Swerve Strickland vs. Hangman Page
AEW Continental Championship Match: Kazuchika Okada vs. Three More TBD
Chicago Street Fight: Willow Nightingale vs. Kris Statlander
New title matches were added to the AEW All Out 2024 card. As Kazuchika Okada successfully defended his AEW Continental Championship against Kyle Fletcher on the latest edition of AEW Dynamite, it was announced that The Elite member will put his title on the line in a four-way match at AEW All Out.
The other three competitors will be determined on the September 6 edition of AEW Collision. The Qualifying matches will feature Orange Cassidy taking on Bryan Keith, Mark Briscoe battling Lance Archer, and Konosuke Takeshita facing The Beast Mortos.
Mercedes Mone is set to defend her TBS Championship against Hikaru Shida at the upcoming pay-per-view but ‘The CEO’ won’t have the services of Kamille in the match. During Mone’s promo segment on last night’s Dynamite, Hikaru Shida and Christopher Daniels appeared on the screen. Daniels announced that Kamille will be banned from ringside for the title match at AEW All Out.
The Number One Contender for the TBS Championship Hikaru Shida has a special message for Mercedes Moné and The Brickhouse Kamille about their match at #AEWAllOut!
Meanwhile, The Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) will defend their AEW Tag Team Titles against Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta) at AEW All Out.
Last night, Claudio challenged the Young Bucks after The Elite members attacked Claudio, Yuta, and AEW World Champion Bryan Danielson. Claudio said that after winning the CMLL Grand Prix and the AEW Trios Titles with Yuta & PAC, the Swiss superstar wants the AEW Tag Team Titles. The match was soon announced on the show.
WWE officials had been optimistic that Giulia would recover for the NXT Heatwave event in July but that didn’t happen. The former STARDOM Champion had been competing in Rossy Ogawa’s Marigold promotion before arriving in WWE. She has finally made her way into NXT and has her sights set on the top prize in the women’s division as expected.
The Judgment Day’s Dominik Mysterio is one of the most hated heels in WWE and he might be the only wrestler to ‘turn heel while being a heel.’ ‘Dirty Dom,’ the son of WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio has perfectly embraced his villainous role since September 2022 and he is showered with boos whenever he shows up.
Dominik Mysterio took his heel status up by a notch when he betrayed his ‘Mami’ Rhea Ripley and shockingly kissed Liv Morgan at SummerSlam. Speaking with the NY Post, the second-generation wrestler said that locking lips with Morgan fueled his heel run and he is blessed for the opportunities. He said:
“I think I’m one of the only people, if not the only person to turn heel while already being the heel. It’s kind of just pouring more gasoline on the fire at that point. It’s just really cool. I’m just blessed for all the opportunities and I’m thankful for them. I’m just doing me. They hate me because I’m pretty.”
– Dominik Mysterio
The Judgment saga is not yet over and Rhea Ripley & Damian Priest (The Terror Twins) are trying to seek revenge on Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio. Mysterio and Morgan will team up to face Ripley and fellow former Judgment Day member Priest at Bash in Berlin. WWE’s first PLE in Germany will emanate from the Uber Arena on Saturday, August 31.
The Netflix docuseries on former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon will release next month and the director has revealed the goal he had in mind while making the series.
Series director and executive producer Chris Smith recently shared the goal behind the series. He said that the goal behind the series was to bring out the real side of Vince McMahon amid the allegations he has faced. Smith said:
“The goal behind ‘Mr. McMahon’ was to pull back the curtain and reveal the true Vince McMahon, obscured beneath the persona he presented to the world. Over the four years of production, the story evolved in truly shocking ways, culminating in some extremely harrowing allegations. The final product is a revealing documentary that we believe offers a rich and nuanced portrait of the man and the complex legacy he left behind.”
Mr. McMahon, a documentary series chronicling the rise and fall of the WWE's controversial founder, is coming to Netflix on September 25. From Chris Smith, Executive Producer of Tiger King, and Bill Simmons.
Mr. McMahon docuseries will capture the rise and fall of Vince McMahon. The six-part series will depict how Vince transformed WWE from a small, regional business into a global juggernaut as well as the shocking sexual misconduct allegations that led to his eventual resignation.
Former WWE wrestler Donovan Dijak recently made his impactful Major League Wrestling (MLW) debut at the promotion’s Summer of the Beasts event.
Earlier, a Doomsday clock was shown that counted down from roughly two hours. Little Guido, Nolo Kitano, Jimmy Lloyd, LSG were competing in a four-way scramble and the clock hit zero. This led to Dijak’s debut in the promotion.
The former RETRIBUTION member surprised the fans as he interrupted the match and took out all the competitors. Dijak had Mister Saint Laurent by his side and he went on to brutally attack all four wrestlers.
After wreaking havoc, Dijak said that he was going to be the next MLW World Champion and called out the likes of former WWE star Matt Riddle and Minoru Suzuki.
Last month, the 37-year-old captured the Ryse Wrestling Grand Championship. Before that, the last time Dijak won a title was seven years back when he won the Pro Wrestling Resurgence Heavyweight Championship. Dijak has also made his presence felt backstage at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door this year.
SEScoops recently caught up with Donovan Dijak following his departure from WWE. You can check it out below:
USA Network’s show, ‘Scare Tactics’ is making a comeback next month. It has come to light that the show will feature guest stars such as WWE’s The New Day, and the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.
A trailer suggests that Cody Rhodes scared The New Day. Kofi Kingston shared the trailer on social media and revealed how ‘The American Nightmare’ pranked them.
The return of the series was originally announced in July. The upcoming ‘Scare Tactics’ reboot has set its official premiere date. It has been announced that the horror-comedy prank series will premiere on October 4 at 10 p.m. ET on USA Network and it will also air simultaneously on fellow NBCUniversal networks Bravo, Syfy, and E!.
Flip has been named the host of the new season. He is described as “a spectral pre-teen obsessed with horror movies and fascinated by human fear.” He creates horrific cinematic scenarios and puts real people into the leading roles.
Scare Tactics
‘Scare Tactics’ is one of the most popular horror-comedy prank series. Each episode follows unsuspecting people as they are set up by family and friends to enter staged horror scenarios that are captured on hidden cameras.
The original ‘Scare Tactics’ aired for five seasons between 2003 and 2013 on Syfy. Shannen Doherty was the original host of the show, succeeded by Stephen Baldwin and Tracy Morgan.
Jordan Peele is the executive producer of ‘Scare Tactics’ with Win Rosenfeld and Jamal Watson under their Monkeypaw Productions banner. On the other hand, Scott Hallock is the executive producer for WMTI Productions, Inc. while Elan Gale is the executive producer and showrunner. WMTI Productions, Inc. owns the “Scare Tactics” format and Universal Television Alternative Studio produces in association with Monkeypaw and WMTI.
WWE is heading to Germany for this weekend’s Bash In Berlin PLE and former NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov is quite emotional on his return to the city. Dragunov was born in Russia but raised in Berlin, where he kicked off his career.
Speaking to Metro, Ilja Dragunov said that his career is bringing him back to the city where he ‘made his beginnings in this business.’ He spoke about WWE making history in Germany where he not only grew up as a human but also as a performer. He said:
“It is such a wonderful emotional, wild time right now for me, because everything for me is like a whole circle. We’re making history in my country, where I grew up, and not only grew up as as a human, just grew up as a performer. I competed in all those cities.”
Dragunov started his training at the German Wrestling Federation (GWF) training school under veterans Axel Tischer (Alexander Wolfe in WWE) and Rick Baxxter. The 30-year-old gained popularity in wXw and PROGRESS Wrestling before signing with WWE. Now, Ilja is a part of WWE’s ongoing Road To Bash In Berlin tour and performing in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. He faced his arch-rival the World Heavyweight Champion Gunther during WWE’s stop in Oberhausen, Germany, on August 27.
During the interview, Dragunov said that it’s the beauty of pro wrestling that his career is coming full circle. He added:
“And just this comparison from back in the day, from the indie scene where I made my first touches with this business, to now where I’m at the peak of my career. It just shows me how beautiful this, this, this profession is, and how proud I am to be a part of it.”
On next week’s Raw, Ilja Dragunov will compete against Dragon Lee and Dominik Mysterio in a triple threat match in the Intercontinental Title No.1 Contenders Tournament Match. The winner will advance to join Jey Uso and Pete Dunne on their quest to capture the Intercontinental title, currently held by Bron Breakker.
AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Mone recently revealed that Royal Corgis were part of her entrance at AEW All In London.
During the latest edition of her Mone Mag newsletter, Mercedes Mone revealed that the Corgis who were part of her entrance at the show in Wembley were actually the Royal Corgis. She named Snowdon, Honey, and Jam who were the Corgis for her entrance and revealed that they were descendants of Queen Elizabeth’s Corgis. ‘The CEO’ also revealed how they had a great time backstage. She said:
“Snowdon, Honey, and Jam, were the name of the corgis who I shared my entrance carriage with. These were not just any corgis mind you, they were corgis from actual royal lineage. Snowdon, Honey and Jam were descendants of the Queen’s corgis (as in Queen Elizabeth). Like most corgis, they were so loving and connected. They hung in our dressing room all day and really added a lot of calm and love. Big shoutout to @?corgis_of_eton!“
Mercedes Mone also revealed that she spent over $10K on her outfit. She revealed:
“My hair wasn’t the only thing that cost a pretty penny. My robe, which was so beautiful, grand, and regal, was also my most expensive in my 14 years of wrestling. The whole outfit, in total, cost me over $10,000, All In (no pun intended).”
AEW All In London 2023 She was watching over the competition. AEW All In London 2024 She defends the TBS Title.
Can the TBS Champion Mercedes Moné leave Wembley Stadium #ANDSTILL?
Last year, Mercedes Mone was in attendance for All In London and this year she managed to retain her title at the show. She defeated Britt Baker D.M.D to retain her TBS Championship. This marked Mone’s sixth defense of the title that she won back at the Double Or Nothing pay-per-view in May. ‘The CEO’ will return to the ring at NJPW Capital Collision when she defends her NJPW Strong Women’s Title against Momo Watanabe.
AEW wrestler recently Tay Melo has positive news for the fans. She has announced that she has been cleared to return to in-ring action.
Last month, Sammy Guevara revealed that they were training for their return to action. The recent edition of her husband, Sammy Guevara’s vlog documented what went down behind the scenes at AEW All In London. The Brazilian wrestler said on the vlog that she wants to wrestle. Guevara asked, “That might be soon?” Melo said that she has to ask the AEW President about it and revealed that she is cleared to wrestle.
Tay replied:
“You gotta call Tony Khan and ask him because I don’t know about that. I’m cleared, though. I’m cleared. Mama is cleared. Just got cleared.”
Her last AEW match took place in January last year when she joined forces with Anna Jay and faced the team of Ruby Soho & Willow Nightingale in a street fight. Tay has not competed in the ring since last year’s March. At AEW Double or Nothing 2023, she and Sammy announced that they were expecting their first child and in November, the couple was blessed with a baby girl, Luna.
Meanwhile, Tay’s husband, Sammy Guevara had been away from the promotion for quite some time after being suspended. On the February 16 edition of AEW Rampage, Jeff Hardy suffered a broken nose during a No DQ match against Sammy Guevara. During the match, Hardy suffered a concussion as well.
However, the former TNT Champion didn’t follow the concussion protocol. ‘The Spanish God’ still performed his finisher which led to his suspension. Sammy Guevara finally returned in ROH earlier this month and he is currently one-half of the ROH World Tag Team champions with Dustin Rhodes.