SEScoops

Author: Staff

  • The Rock Developing New Tequila Brand

    The Rock Developing New Tequila Brand

    Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is developing his own brand of tequila, the popular alcoholic spirit derived from the blue agave plant.

    The WWE legend turned box office kingpin says he spent all weekend taste testing every batch of his new tequila fresh out of the barrels from Mexico.

    In a message posted on Instagram Monday morning, he wrote:

    “I’m very passionate about my new tequila we’re developing. It’s been years in the making and every road has led here. Lots of growing excitement. Mana, passion, positivity, hard work and fun. This ones for you world, let’s have a drink. “

    The accompanying photo (seen below) shows tester samples of silver, reposado and anejo tequilas.

    Although The Rock did not reveal the brand name of his new tequila collection, his #2019 hashtag implies us non-Rock mortals will get to sample it later this year.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvttc3MhF66/
  • Former WWE Superstar Calls Wellness Policy Is A Sham

    Former WWE Superstar Calls Wellness Policy Is A Sham

    Paul London is speaking out about WWE’s alleged mistreatment of talent.

    London, a former WWE tag team champion, is the latest wrestler to comment on Sunday night’s highly controversial anti-WWE segment on HBO’s Last Word Tonight With John Oliver. (You can watch that entire segment here.)

    John Oliver’s takedown of WWE covered a lot of ground, including wrestler deaths, questionable behavior by WWE Chairman Vince McMahon and the farcical classification of WWE talent as independent contractors.

    Paul London posted a series of tweets Monday afternoon taking WWE to task for not giving a damn about their talent. He called WWE’s policy of sending current and former wrestlers to substance abuse rehabilitation “for free” a “total sham” and a PR scheme.

    London also called WWE’s Substance Abuse and Drug Testing Policy (‘Wellness Policy’) a sham, accusing the company of using the drug policy of as a means of weeding out wrestlers who don’t “play the game.”

    London did not elaborate further on his accusation that , but urged fans not to buy into WWE’s propaganda.

    You can see Paul London’s comments below:

  • WWE Invites John Oliver to WrestleMania After Scathing Takedown

    WWE Invites John Oliver to WrestleMania After Scathing Takedown

    WWE has issued a response after a scathing story on ‘Last Week Tonight with John Oliver’ criticized the organization for athlete treatment and boorish business practices.

    The segment aired on Sunday night as Oliver took aim at WWE for several issues including athlete related deaths and flat out calling WWE CEO Vince McMahon ‘an a—hole’.

    Oliver took particular aim at the WWE’s practice of signing athletes to lengthy, exclusive contracts yet calling them independent contractors, which prevents the promotion from having to provide basic health insurance, pensions or long-term medical care for injuries suffered on the job.

    “Maybe when wrestlers might work years ago for multiple, different [wrestling] organizations, it made sense to call them contractors,” Oliver said. “But now that WWE has a choke hold on this industry, it makes just as much sense to call them that as it does to call Jimmy Carter a ‘panty-dropping f–k machine.’ It’s just clearly not true, anymore.”

    On Monday, WWE issued a response to Oliver’s segment while stating that they responded to his producers putting the segment together and then invited the popular host to attend WrestleMania 35 this weekend in New Jersey.

    “John Oliver is clearly a clever and humorous entertainer, however, the subject matter covered in his WWE segment is no laughing matter,” WWE officials said in a statement. “Prior to airing, WWE responded to his producers refuting every point in his one-sided presentation. John Oliver simply ignored the facts.

    “The health and wellness of our performers is the single most important aspect of our business, and we have a comprehensive, longstanding Talent Wellness program. We invite John Oliver to attend WrestleMania this Sunday to learn more about our company.”

    Oliver has won several Emmy Awards and been praised for the meticulous research that goes into the pieces that air on the show each Sunday night on HBO.

    Obviously many of the criticisms that Oliver had about WWE are well known issues within the professional wrestling industry but those specific problems were not addressed in the response to the show’s story.

    Oliver has taken aim at the WWE in the past, particulary when the company planned — and cashed in — on a lavish show in Saudi Arabia just after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

    While Oliver doesn’t typically get into a back and forth with subject matters he covers on his show, he will often times do a follow up and it’s entirely possible he addresses WWE again on his latest episode that will air in direct competition to WrestleMania on Sunday night.  

  • John Oliver Dismantles WWE Over Athlete Treatment, Rips Vince McMahon Ahead of WrestleMania

    John Oliver Dismantles WWE Over Athlete Treatment, Rips Vince McMahon Ahead of WrestleMania

    There might be a few interesting chants and signs in the crowd during WrestleMania 35 this weekend in New Jersey.

    On Sunday night, HBO’s Emmy Award winning news and comedy series ‘Last Week Tonight’ spent the majority of the show dismantling the WWE and their business practices including the treatment of wrestlers, the lack of long-term care for the athletes and taking shots at WWE CEO Vince McMahon for his boorish behavior over the years.

    When it came to McMahon, Oliver showed the kind of power he wields over the WWE universe including final say on everything from matchups to the scripts used during live television — and then he aired a clip from several years ago where he actually used the N-word live on television in a poor attempt at comedy.

    “While the character Vince is an a–hole, it’s important to know that the real Vince is also an a–hole,” Oliver said. “Many fans legitimately hate him because while the WWE has made him a billionaire, many wrestlers say he’s treated him terribly.”

    The biggest part of the segment was spent on the way WWE treats its athletes, particularly while calling them independent contractors rather than employees.

    The reason behind that distinction is that WWE is then allowed to deny the athletes basic health care, pensions, and paid leave yet the wrestlers are held under long-term, exclusive contracts that prevent them from working for any other organization.

    “Maybe when wrestlers might work years ago for multiple, different [wrestling] organizations, it made sense to call them contractors,” Oliver said. “But now that WWE has a choke hold on this industry, it makes just as much sense to call them that as it does to call Jimmy Carter a ‘panty-dropping f–k machine.’ It’s just clearly not true, anymore.”

    Oliver also focused on numerous wrestlers who have died young while pointing out that there is no off season for WWE performers where they are allowed to let their bodies rest and recover.

    He pointed directly towards the large number of athlete deaths amongst past WWE superstars including stats that show professional wrestlers die much younger than even past football players from the NFL.

    Oliver also noted that many past performers from WWE have almost become destitute after leaving the organization because wrestlers don’t have any sort of pension benefits and many of them have been forced to turn to fans to help them pay for expensive medical procedures like a fund that was set up to help Jake “The Snake” Roberts get surgery a few years ago.

    Oliver closed the piece by pointing out that WWE had attempted to make some changes to their health and wellness program over the years but ultimately the promotion was far behind every other major sports organization out there when it came to the treatment of their athletes — even worse than the NFL.

    “Even the NFL, for all its massive faults, now offers players health reimbursement accounts and have established a legacy fund for older players who may be dealing with health issues,” Oliver stated “And when you have lost the moral high ground to the f–king NFL, you are morally subterranean.”

    As he finished the story, Oliver mentioned how much power fans have over the WWE and he suggested that perhaps the people attending WrestleMania 35 this weekend could come up with a few new chants or perhaps some interesting signs to carry into the stadium with them this weekend.

    WWE has not made any public statement regarding the piece since it aired on Sunday night.

  • Rusev Says, “Rusev Day Is Dead” & It’s Time To Move On

    Rusev Says, “Rusev Day Is Dead” & It’s Time To Move On

    Rusev Day is no more, according to the Bulgarian Brute himself.

    WWE fan Steven Garcia posted a photo on Twitter of a “Happy Rusev Day” sign that he was bringing to Sunday night’s WWE live event from Hershey, PA. He tagged Rusev and Lana in the tweet and gushed about how they are among his favorite acts in WWE.

    The usually-jovial Rusev replied with a message that is a sure-fire candidate for The Solomonster’s ‘sad tweet of the week.’ Rusev wrote, “My friend RusevDay has been dead for a while. It’s time to move on…..”

    Rusev is not currently scheduled to compete at WrestleMania 35 this Sunday, despite the show featuring upwards of 17 matches, including a 30-man battle royal.

    Rusev & Lana’s Status With WWE

    Rusev and Lana have vented about their frustrations with WWE over the past few months. During an appearance on Lilian Garcia’s Chasing Glory podcast back in February, Lana revealed Rusev dropped 50 pounds and changed up his look in hopes of getting winning the favor of Vince McMahon. Nothing really changed about the way Rusev is booked. “I would be pissed if I was him,” Lana said.

    Rusev added, “I do all these things but nothing changes. I’m trying to catch Vince’s eye. We pitch, we talk and it never comes to anything.”

  • Tommaso Ciampa Comments On Missing NXT Takeover, His Future

    Tommaso Ciampa Comments On Missing NXT Takeover, His Future

    Tommaso Ciampa has issued a statement addressing his future in wrestling as he recovers from neck surgery.

    Ciampa was scheduled to defend the NXT Championship this weekend against Johnny Gargano in the main event of NXT Takeover: New York. Unfortunately, he suffered a neck injury that required surgery. As a result, he was forced to surrender the championship. Gargano will now face Adam Cole for the vacated title.

    Ciampa underwent successful anterior cervical fusion surgery on March 7th in Birmingham, Alabama. He will miss significant ring time.

    According to the Mayfield Brain & Spine Clinic, “Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a surgery to remove a herniated or degenerative disc in the neck. An incision is made in the throat area to reach and remove the disc. A graft is inserted to fuse together the bones above and below the disc.”

    Ciampa’s Statement

    On Monday, Ciampa posted the following message on Twitter reflecting on this moment in his career. He talks about the disappointment of missing Takeover and his long history of coming back from injuries. He wrote,

    “In May of 2017 they told me that no one has ever had 3 major surgeries in a 12 week span and returned at a competitive level.

    I returned to the most successful run of my career.

    This week I should be preparing to walk into the main event of Takeover New York on Wrestlemania weekend as the NXT Champion. This match meant more to me than anyone will ever understand.

    The opportunity was taken away from me.

    In March of 2019 they told me that if I return then I will be on borrowed time.

    To be continued…”

  • WWE RAW Preview (4/1): Batista, Lesnar, Angle vs. Mysterio

    WWE RAW Preview (4/1): Batista, Lesnar, Angle vs. Mysterio

    WWE presents RAW tonight live from Washington, D.C. at the Capital One Arena. With only 6 days until WrestleMania 35, WWE is advertising the following items for tonight’s broadcast:

    WrestleMania main event opponents Ronda Rousey, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair will join forces. The trio will have to put their differences aside when they face the Riot Squad in 6-woman tag team action.

    Kurt Angle will face Rey Mysterio in the penultimate match of his career. Angle and Mysterio put SmackDown on the map in the early 2000’s and will square off one last time in Angle’s final RAW match.

    Batista will be at Raw to deliver a message to Triple H ahead of their match this Sunday.

    Universal Champion Brock Lesnar will make a rare television appearance. What will Lesnar and his Advocate, Paul Heyman, have in store for Seth Rollins?

    The Revival will put the Raw tag team championships on the line against the team o Aleister Black and Ricochet. The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic winners have two wins over the tag champs in recent weeks.

    Beth Phoenix returns to action tonight in 8-woman tag team match. Raw tag team champions Sasha Banks and Bayley team up with Phoenix and Natalya against the team of Nia Jax, Tamina Snukka and The IIconics.

  • Tony Schiavone Says AEW Is Bringing In Another Big Name

    Tony Schiavone Says AEW Is Bringing In Another Big Name

    Major League Wrestling (MLW) announcer Tony Schiavone was Jim Ross’ guest on the latest edition of The Jim Ross Report podcast.

    During the discussion, JR asked Tony what he thinks about All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Tony mentioned how they’ve both known Cody since he was a young kid and said Cody has a great business sense. He talks to Cody a great deal and took a moment to address speculation that he will be involved in AEW.

    Tony said, “I’m not going to AEW. I’ve got too much going on and I don’t want to. Cody and I were doing some work for Starrcast, because I’m doing some work behind the scenes with Conrad. That was a misnomer out there … I ain’t doing that. I’ve got too much going on in my life, I really do.”

    He added that he is still under contract with MLW, although Jim Cornette has filled in for him during MLW’s recent TV tapings due to scheduling issues.

    After setting the record straight that he has no current plans to work with AEW, Schiavone gave his thoughts on the upstart promotion. He also dropped an interesting piece of information about AEW bringing in a major name we have not yet heard about.

    “I think Cody is a smart kid and the Bucks obviously have made quite a name for themselves,” Schiavone said. “Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho, I just think this is a great time for pro wrestling. They’re going to do some great things in wrestling, including bringing in somebody who has a great, great national name for himself, and I’ll just let it go with that. They’re doing things the right way and I’m pretty excited for them.”

    JR and Tony both said they’re excited for any company that can provide more of their friends a payday.

  • Bray Wyatt Wants Gronk In WWE, Shows Off New Tattoo

    Bray Wyatt Wants Gronk In WWE, Shows Off New Tattoo

    WWE Superstar Bray Wyatt and ring announcer JoJo Offerman spoke with TMZ Sports this week about the news of their son together, who is due in June.

    JoJo thanked the reporter for congratulating them and allowed Bray to explain the meaning behind the baby’s name, Knash.

    “It’s just a cool name, man. The ‘K’ is silent,” he said. “My other kids have a ‘C’ and a ‘K’ before their names, so it’s kind of a continuation.”

    When asked if baby Knash will follow in the family footsteps and become a pro wrestler one day, Wyatt said that he’d rather see his son become a professional baseball player. He also joked that Knash could become a “broad-shouldered librarian.”

    The reporter asked Bray Wyatt about the possibility of 3-time Superbowl champion Rob Gronkowski becoming a WWE Superstar. Wyatt said he’d love to see Gronk in WWE and revealed his father (Mike “IRS” Rotunda) played football with Gronk’s dad at Syracuse University.

    “Mojo [Rawley] is like my son, I’d love to have Rob here. I love Rob,” he said. “My father was roommates with his father at Syracuse. I know him a lot more through Mojo but yeah, he’s a cool cat, man. I’d love to have Rob here.”

    Watch: Bray Wyatt talks about Rob Gronkowski joining WWE

    Bray Wyatt’s New Tattoo

    Speaking of Bray Wyatt, he is sporting some serious new ink.

    Artist Miguel Lepage of Studio Tattoo Mania in Montreal, Canada posted the following photo of work he just did on Bray Wyatt’s left leg.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BvjxyjwHAL_/
  • Brian Pillman Jr. Talks New Hart Foundation, Bret & Anvil Joining WWE HOF, AEW

    Brian Pillman Jr. Talks New Hart Foundation, Bret & Anvil Joining WWE HOF, AEW

    Brian Pillman Jr. has been making waves in Major League Wrestling (MLW) part of the new Hart Foundation faction.

    Ahead of next week’s MLW double header at the Melrose Ballroom in NYC, Pillman appeared on the Talkamania podcast this week to discuss training at Lance Storm’s wrestling academy, the Hart Foundation being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame and more

    Here are some highlights from Pillman’s chat with Talkamania host Dezmino, followed by an audio embed of the interview.

    Facing Rich Swann & MJF Next Week In MLW

    Brian Pillman Jr. will be in action next Thursday at MLW Rise of the Renegades and the following night for Battle Riot II. As he prepares for one of the biggest weekends of his wrestling career, his top priority has been getting back into peak physical shape after a couple injuries derailed his progress.

    “The biggest thing just getting ready for the weekend, is getting back in tip top shape. If I am completely honest, I kind of let myself get out of the ultimate shape I was in.

    I started off my career in very, very good shape but as you all know, the struggles of the road can be very, very trying and trying to eat right and diet and do all these things, while still bumping on the mat and taking blows to the head and stuff like that, is really hard on your body.

    I have had 2 injuries since I started my career, already and you know, I don’t think that’s due to my lack of any safety precautions. I like to think I’m a pretty safe guy out there in the ring but that’s just because of the large amount of workload and the demand for my matches and the demand for me to be booked every single weekend. And you know, you’re going to make mistakes and things are going to happen, but I’m very motivated. Motivated by the Full Gear Challenge that the AEW has proposed. So I decided I am not going to show up to WrestleMania in anything less than my best shape. Especially with two high level opponents.

    Maxwell Jacob Friedman operating at a very high level and of course Rich Swann, ex-WWE, you’ve seen what he can do. You just go to be in real good shape when you go into the ring with these guys. You got to be in very good condition so you don’t get blown up and embarrassed out there.”

    Being Part of the new Hart Foundation

    Pillman is part of the new Hart Foundation faction, along with Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Teddy Hart. The group is arguably one of the top acts in MLW and Pillman says they came about almost due to necessity.

    “Well you know, we had to do what we had to do. It was an organic union and we united against the evil that we were facing. We all had a common goal in mind and that was to rid the geezers of the business, rid those guys, those old schools guys that keep latching on. You know, they are latching on to young talent, trying to stay in the business.

    Its like, how many times do they retire? They always retire because it gets a big pop, then they come back and then they retire again. It gets old and honestly its disrespectful to us guys that are trying to make a name for ourselves. You know, theres only so many spots on a card and when a guy like Kevin Sullivan or Tommy Dreamer takes up a spot on a card, its really just a spit in the face to the guys like the New Hart Foundation, who are still trying to get by.”

    Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart Joining The WWE Hall of Fame

    “That’s a big deal, yea. I think its great timing, you know, its good timing because not only are we doing our thing, but also you know, Natalya is doing her thing. Who knows, maybe TJ comes back to the ring in some wonderful, beautiful fashion. He has been trying to heal himself up for many years now.

    I think it’s great. You know, everybody is like “Your Dad should be in and Owen and everybody else that was in the 97 Hart Foundation,” but in my opinion it doesn’t really matter because we all know what their contributions are. We all know that the hall of fame is more or less symbolic and it’s just a way to honor people even more than they already are. So, it’s not like I don’t realize that my father is remembered for what he’s done, obviously he is. Otherwise I wouldn’t have had such an amazing support system coming into the business, you know what Im saying?

    So It doesn’t affect me at all if he’s put in the Hall of Fame or not and I don’t think he would have cared either, had he been here today.”

    All Elite Wrestling & Cody Rhodes

    Pillman says right now he’s scheduled to appear at Starrcast during Double or Nothing weekend in Las Vegas. He suspects AEW will want to use him for the pay-per-view.

    “Well I think I’ll know more in Vegas, because I’ll be down here in Vegas. So far I’m confirmed for Starrcast, which is the main meet and greet but I don’t know 100%, but I would venture they would like to use me on the show, if they are going to be flying me down there for the meet and greet.”

    When asked if he knows Cody Rhodes, Pillman said he met him early in his career and had a great talk with Cody about what it means to be a second generation wrestler.

    “Its funny, I actually I got very lucky to meet Cody while I was in Canada training with Lance. So there was a pro wrestling show in Calgary known as PWA (the Prairie Wrestling Alliance) and they have a very high level wrestler there, who actually had a short ride in NXT as well. His name is Michael Blais and they brought in Cody Rhodes to wrestle him for the title and Cody brought in a great draw and did a lot for the company and Brandi was there.

    I got to sit down and I actually had a conversation with Cody about you know, what to expect to coming into the business as a legacy and we sat down on the floor and talked for like a good 20-30 minutes, you know he was very, very generous with his time for me.”

  • The Undertaker Looks Amazing After Losing 25 Pounds (Photo)

    The Undertaker Looks Amazing After Losing 25 Pounds (Photo)

    WWE legend The Undertaker recently dropped 25 pounds thanks to a meal prep delivery service.

    With WrestleMania 35 just over a week away, it’s all but guaranteed the Dead Man will be sitting out this year’s show. However, he’s been working hard behind the scenes getting into peak physical shape.

    The Undertaker posted a photo on Instagram, which you can see below. He looks amazing, thanks to Nutrition Solutions.

    He wrote, “The reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated!! I’ve made some serious lifestyle changes in an attempt to offset the years of physical abuse my body has endured. One of the major changes was losing 25lbs. Goal reached!”

    Taker thanked Nutrition Solutions for helping with his diet and used the hashtags: #iaintdoneyet #neverstopworking #rentsdue #restinpeace #goals #wwe #deathvalley #makeithappen #goodfood

    It’s unclear if “I ain’t done yet” is a reference to losing more weight or his in-ring career.

    The Undertaker is not the only WWE personality to utilize Nutrition Solutions to drop fat and build lean muscle mass. The company’s website displays Rey Mysterio, Jinder Mahal and Michael Cole as clients.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BvmMC6qgFYL/
  • WWE Taping RAW & SmackDown From MSG Later This Year

    WWE Taping RAW & SmackDown From MSG Later This Year

    WWE is planning to hold RAW and SmackDown television tapings from Madison Square Garden in New York City later this year.

    The company recently reserved the iconic venue for two nights in September, according to PWInsider. MSG will host Raw on Monday, September 9th and SmackDown Live September 10th. These will be the first WWE TV tapings at MSG since 2009.

    Madison Square Garden was the unofficial ‘home’ of WWE for decades, but running the venue has been cost prohibitive in recent years.

    WWE still runs live events there once or twice a year (most recently in late December), but WWE has instead opted to hold PPV events, NXT Takeover shows and television tapings from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

    Next weekend, The Garden will host G1 Supercard, presented by New Japan Pro Wrestling and Ring of Honor. This will be the first non-WWE wrestling show at the Garden in a very long time.

    PWInsider also reports that Mexico’s Lucha Libre AAA promotion will be holding a press conference at MSG next week, presumably to announce a show there.

    With other wrestling companies setting up shop in their backyard, it appears WWE has a renewed interest in strengthening their relationship with the World’s Most Famous Arena.

  • Yolanda Adams Will Sing ‘America The Beautiful’ at WWE WrestleMania

    Yolanda Adams Will Sing ‘America The Beautiful’ at WWE WrestleMania

    Gospel singer Yolanda Adams will sing America the Beautiful next Sunday to kick off WrestleMania 35.

    Adams was named ‘Gospel Artist of the Decade” by Billboard in 2009. She has sold over 8 million albums in her career and has won countless awards, including 5 Grammys.

    She posted a video on Twitter announcing the news:

    Yolanda Adams & Titus O’Neil

    Yolanda Adams is a close friend of WWE Superstar Titus O’Neil. They have been seen together at various entertainment industry functions, which fueled rumors that they were dating.

    Back in February, reps of Ms. Adams told TheJasmineBrand.com,

    “We are flattered that people would love for her and [Titus] to be a couple. However, they are only best friends and are enjoying sharing red carpets and outings together.”

    Last June, Titus O’Neil welcomed “the incomparable” Yolanda Adams backstage at a WWE RAW event.

  • Kurt Angle Hypes Retirement Match, Latest On John Cena

    Kurt Angle Hypes Retirement Match, Latest On John Cena

    WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle is set to wrestle his final match against Baron Corbin next weekend at WrestleMania.

    Angle has been on a “retirement” tour in recent weeks, competing against the likes of Chad Gable, Samoa Joe and AJ Styles. The Olympic Gold medalist posted a few messages on social media on Thursday as his career winds down.

    He wrote on Facebook, “WrestleMania is around the corner. My very last match. I know its not the old Kurt Angle everyone has wanted, but I’m proud knowing its the new Kurt Angle thats been clean for almost 6 years. Thank you to all those who have been supporting me through the good and bad. I love you all. #RetirementMatch #itstrue #countdown.”

    Later in the day, he wrote on Instagram, “20 years ago I made my debut on Raw, preaching the 3 Is’, intensity, integrity and intelligence. Next week at Wrestlemania, I will have my final match. #farewelltour #itstrue”

    John Cena As Kurt Angle’s Final Opponent?

    Both posts featured a barrage of replies urging Angle to reconsider his chosen opponent. The overwhelming consensus is that Angle should face John Cena at WrestleMania instead of Corbin. Cena made his WWE television debut against Kurt Angle back in 2002, so it would be a fitting end to Angle’s legendary career.

    The latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter mentioned the dynamic of Kurt Angle being John Cena’s first WWE opponent and the possibility of Cena being Angle’s final opponent:

    “There is the book-end idea of Cena having had his first WWE television match with Angle and Angle having his last match with Cena, but as of 3/25 that was not the plan.”

    John Cena has made several posts on his Instagram page over the past few weeks, including a photo of a fan holding a sign that says, “Baron Corbin is a dumpster fire.”

    WWE has yet to announce a WrestleMania match for John Cena, despite the fact that his featured on promotional material for the event.

  • Charlotte Calls Out ESPN For Labeling Her ‘Daughter of Ric Flair’

    Charlotte Calls Out ESPN For Labeling Her ‘Daughter of Ric Flair’

    New SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair has called out ESPN for downplaying her personal accomplishments.

    Earlier this week, Charlotte, Ronda Rousey and Becky Lynch appeared on ESPN SportsCenter to promote WrestleMania 35. You can see the full video of that segment here.

    As each woman answered questions from the host, a graphic appeared with their name and a fact about them. For example, Ronda Rousey’s captions read, “1st female to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame” and later, “RAW Women’s Champion (WrestleMania match for her belt).”

    When Becky Lynch was on screen, the on-screen graphic said, “12th person to compete in WrestleMania main event after not being on main card.” and “Won 2019 Women’s Royal Rumble.” That random Becky factoid aside, each of these facts are related to personal accomplishments of the performers.

    When Charlotte Flair appeared on screen, her caption read, “Daughter of WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair.” That statement is true, but it contrasts with the facts displayed about her opponents.

    Charlotte is the most decorated competitor competing in the WrestleMania main event with countless achievements that could have been used in lieu of “Ric Flair’s daughter.”

    The 8-time WWE Women’s Champion let ESPN know the chyron botch didn’t go unnoticed. She reminded ESPN that they have covered her professional accolades in-depth on multiple occasions.

    She signed the message, “Daughter of WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair.”

  • Vince McMahon Sells $270 Million Of WWE Stock To Fund The XFL

    WWE CEO Vince McMahon is cashing in even more of his WWE stock to help fund the upcoming relaunch of the XFL.

    McMahon sold off 3 million shares of his WWE stock — valued at approximately $270 million — as he continues to funnel money to Alpha Entertainment, which is the entity he created to help bring his football league back.

    McMahon still owns over 36-percent of the WWE with over 80-percent voting rights when it comes to decision making for the professional wrestling organization.

    When he first announced plans to relaunch the XFL, McMahon sold off another $100 million worth of his WWE stock to help get the company off the ground.

    At the initial meeting to announced that the XFL would be coming back, McMahon stated that it would take a lot of money invested to get the football league off the ground. The original version of the XFL came out in 2000 but after an initial interest from fans, the league floundered and failed.

    Now McMahon is determined to bring back the XFL in 2020 while promising to keep the focus on the game and giving fans a chance to watch more football during the entire year.

    The timing of McMahon selling off his WWE stock to fund more money into Alpha Entertainment/XFL comes on the heels of the news that the Alliance of American Football (AAF) could be in serious trouble.

    On Wednesday it was revealed that the AAF may considering shutting down its operations without additional support from the NFL Player’s Association.

    “If the players union is not going to give us young players, we can’t be a development league,” AAF chairman Tom Dundon told USA Today Sports. “We are looking at our options, one of which is discontinuing the league.”

    Obviously, McMahon would likely jump at the opportunity to fill that void with the XFL launching next year.

    Regardless of the future of the AAF, McMahon is definitely putting the full brunt of his financial power behind the XFL with this latest cash injection.

  • Rob Gronkowski Appears At Charity Event With WWE Superstars

    Rob Gronkowski Appears At Charity Event With WWE Superstars

    3-time NFL Super Bowl champion Ron Gronkowski appeared with WWE Superstars at a black-tie charity event for the held in Washington, D.C. Tuesday night.

    WWE Superstars Braun Strowman, Mojo Rawley and Mickie James were also on hand for the USO-Metro’s 37th Annual Awards. As seen below, comedian Jon Stewart (no stranger to WWE) was also in attendance.

    Grankowski was awarded with the USO-Metro’s Merit Award, which recognizes individuals of outstanding talent who are dedicated to serving others through volunteerism. Gronk’s acceptance speech is getting a fair amount of media coverage.

    In front of a room full of Army generals, Medal of Honor recipients, donors and military personnel, he spoke about visiting Walter Reed National Military Medical Center earlier in the day.

    “I mean, I thought I went through a lot in my life,” Gronkowski said. “Today, I saw a troop who lost both of his legs tell me he wants to get the movement back in his legs and get prosthetics in, and get back out there and kill some motherf*ckers!”

    Gronk: Future WWE Superstar?

    Earlier this week, Gronkowski announced his retirement from pro football after 9 seasons with the New England Patriots. The 29-year old stud athlete is close friends with WWE Superstar Mojo Rawley. He has has expressed interest in a WWE career once he retired from the NFL.

    Earlier this week, Mojo Rawley told TMZ Sports that he expects to see Gronk in a WWE ring “at some point” in the future. Whether or not he decides to become a full-time WWE performer, it seems inevitable that he’s destined for at least a few appearances.

    Stephanie McMahon sent Gronk a message this week telling him the doors are always open for him to join WWE.

  • Mick Foley Says Becky Lynch Is The Hottest Act In WWE Since Steve Austin

    Mick Foley Says Becky Lynch Is The Hottest Act In WWE Since Steve Austin

    WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley spoke with Sky News earlier this month heaped praise on WrestleMania main event competitor Becky Lynch.

    The interview took place before WWE announced the Women’s triple threat match will be the official main event of WrestleMania 35. Foley predicted that WWE fans would be irate if any other match went on last at Mania.

    Foley went as far as saying there would be a “mass exodus” of fans if the women did not go on last at WrestleMania, which is the last thing WWE needs when All Elite Wrestling is on the verge of launching in less than two months.

    Mick Foley is no stranger to WrestleMania main events himself. Back in 2000, Foley was part of the 4-way main event that had a ‘McMahon in every corner.’ He expects an exciting match next Sunday and feels Ronda Rousey’s recent heel turn is working in a big way.

    As for Becky Lynch, he considers her a close personal friend and called her the biggest name in pro wrestling today.

    “I believe their time has come. Becky Lynch has succeeded in becoming the biggest name in our business and I think that’s great,” Foley said. “She’s a good friend, she’s a wonderful person and it couldn’t happen to a nicer lass.”

    Foley also revealed that Becky Lynch came to him for advice last year. She took the advise and ran with it. The result has been a character so hot, it reminds him of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.

    “I go back to my messages about eight or nine months ago and when she came to me for some advice I told her to be patient and to be ready,” Foley revealed. “Then when she got the opportunity, she ran with it like nobody I’ve ever seen, like ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin.”

    Visit SkyNews.com to read the full interview.

  • Alexa Bliss Shows Off Dramatic New Look (Update: False Alarm)

    Alexa Bliss Shows Off Dramatic New Look (Update: False Alarm)

    Alexa Bliss posted a photo on Twitter on Wednesday showing off a dramatically different look. The former Raw Women’s Champion is set to host WrestleMania 35 next weekend.

    With just over a week until the event, Bliss decided to change her signature blonde hair – or did she? Earlier in the day, she posted a video on Twitter asking followers if she should change her look, or keep it the same.

    As seen below, Bliss was sporting dark brown hair with auburn and blonde highlights. It’s a radical departure from what we’ve seen from her.

    Update: It turns out Alexa Bliss was just messing around about no longer having blonde hair.

    She posted a few photos of the “finished product,” which you can see below. Knowing she fooled fans and several wrestling news sites that jumped on the earth-shattering development, she tagged the photos with #GotYa.

    Thanks for visiting SEScoops, your #1 source for pro wrestling hairstyle news.

  • Gail Kim: Impact Is Superior To Vince McMahon’s Sh*tty Booking

    Gail Kim: Impact Is Superior To Vince McMahon’s Sh*tty Booking

    Gail Kim believes Impact’s television product is superior to WWE’s and chalks that up to Vince McMahon’s sub-par booking.

    Late Tuesday night, the Impact Wrestling Hall of Famer admitted she had a few drinks before throwing shade at WWE Chairman Vince McMahon and his “shitty” booking. Apparently there will be more to come later today from the former Knockouts champion.

    A fan responded to Gail Kim’s tweet and disagreed with her. She replied, “You obviously haven’t watched lately. We kill them in creative.”

    As you can imagine, her claim that Impact is superior to WWE was a controversial take and led to a mixed reaction from her followers. She deemed the people who disagreed with her opinion “trolls” and promised to always speak her mind, no matter how unpopular her opinions may be.

    We’ll provide an update if Gail Kim does in fact elaborate on Vince McMahon’s sub-par booking, as she said she would.

  • Joey Ryan Issues Statement Regarding His Free Agency

    Joey Ryan Issues Statement Regarding His Free Agency

    As noted earlier, famous dick wrestler Joey Ryan is among the performers who are finally free from their Lucha Underground contracts.

    Lucha Underground’s contracts were very prohibitive and restricted where talent could work, despite the fact that they haven’t taped TV in a year and there has been no word on a fifth season.

    After filing a lawsuit against Baba-G Productions and the El Rey Network, Joey Ryan is now free agents able to work wherever he pleases.

    On Tuesday afternoon, Joey Ryan released the following statement about the ordeal. He thanked fans for their support and sounds very optimistic about his future.

    “It’s Official.

    I am now a free agent. Free from ay contracts. Free from any bosses. Free from any restrictions. The last few years of my career haven’t been without highlights (being featured in many major media outlets, becoming a top seller on Pro Wrestling Tees, shocking the world at All In, Main Eventing the Cow Palace, a role on GLOW, the growth of Bar Wrestling) but now it honestly feels like I have a new lease on my direction and where I’m going in pro wrestling. Most of my accomplishments have been fan driven due to the overwhelming support I have recived so I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of the fans who have accompanied me on this journey so far and hope you will continue on the adventure.

    – Joey Ryan”

    Now the question is, where will Joey Ryan “pop up” next ?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIMmUT2p4JQ
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1COY1LPfUQU
  • Joan Jett To Perform “Bad Reputation” Live At WWE WrestleMania

    Joan Jett To Perform “Bad Reputation” Live At WWE WrestleMania

    Rock and Roll legend Joan Jett will perform her iconic song “Bad Reputation” live at WrestleMania 35.

    The song, which serves as Ronda Rousey’s WWE entrance theme, will be performed as Rousey makes her way to the ring for the historic Women’s Triple Threat main event.

    WWE sent in a press release touting the news. Neil Lawi, Senior Vice President and General Manager of WWE Music Group, was quoted:

    “The Queen of Rock ‘N Roll, Joan Jett, is a music legend and icon for powerful women everywhere. Her performance at this year’s WrestleMania promises to be both exhilarating and inspiring, and we are honored to watch her join a distinct list of extraordinary performers who have lit up the WWE stage.”

    Joan Jett was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. Rolling Stone named her as one of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.

    Previous live musical performances at WrestleMania events include Motörhead, Snoop Dogg, Pitbull, Kid Rock, Diddy, Run D.M.C and more.

    WWE WrestleMania 35 takes place Sunday, April 7th at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.

  • Ronda Rousey, Charlotte & Becky Lynch on ESPN SportsCenter (Recap & Video)

    Ronda Rousey, Charlotte & Becky Lynch on ESPN SportsCenter (Recap & Video)

    RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey, Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch appeared on ESPN SportsCenter Tuesday morning to promote WrestleMania 35.

    The host first asked Ronda Rousey about the big sports news of the day: Conor McGregor retiring from the UFC. Rousey seemed a bit surprised by the question, but said McGregor’s tweet was a creative and cryptic way to drop a big announcement like that. She said, “We’ll see how permanent it is” but added that McGregor has more than earned some time away from fighting.

    The discussion then shifted to pro wrestling and WrestleMania. Becky Lynch was asked about the significance of a women’s match main eventing WWE’s biggest event of the year for the first time. Lynch said she’s been working towards this “obsessively” since she was 15 years old. She left home and traveled the world learning her craft. At one point, she quit wrestling, but was drawn back because she felt there was more for her to accomplish.

    When she first signed with WWE, Becky Lynch told one of her friends that she was going to main event WrestleMania. The friend told her it’s good to dream, but be realistic. “And here we are.”

    Charlotte said main eventing WrestleMania is the pinnacle of the women’s evolution. This dream was ‘impossible’ just two years ago, but their progress and their success are undeniable.

    Ronda Rousey said she wasn’t surprised when she learned the women would main event WrestleMania. In fact, she was expecting that. But it still made her happy. This was her ultimate goal when joining WWE. She said “The WWE product copies everything else that’s happening” and feels pro wrestling parallels what we are seeing around the world with female empowerment.

    Watch: Ronda Rousey, Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch on ESPN SportsCenter

  • Kurt Angle on His Retirement: ‘I Had a Great Career…Now It’s Time for Me to Settle Down’

    Kurt Angle on His Retirement: ‘I Had a Great Career…Now It’s Time for Me to Settle Down’

    Kurt Angle has seen everything and probably done even more during his professional wrestling career but he is finally ready to call it a career.

    At WrestleMania 35, Angle will compete in his retirement match against Baron Corbin following an athletic career that stretches back more than 40 years.

    “We’re heading to WrestleMania next month and I will have my retirement match. 50 years old, I’m ready to hang it up and I’m going to have my last match at WrestleMania,” Angle said when making an appearance at the NCAA Wrestling Championships in his native Pittsburgh this weekend.

    Angle has been involved in professional wrestling in one form or fashion since first making his debut back in 1998.

    Just after winning the Olympic gold medal in freestyle wrestling in 1996, Angle was immediately pursued by WWE to join the promotion but he scoffed at the idea of transitioning to professional wrestling.

    It took a couple of years of convincing but Angle eventually came around, tried out for the WWE and eventually became one of the company’s biggest superstars.

    In recent years, Angle has gotten back into the ring despite lingering injuries that put him on the sidelines while once again working with WWE as the ‘general manager’ of Monday Night Raw.

    While he’s been more active in recent months, Angle finally decided that it was time to retire from active competition with one last match at WrestleMania in April.

    “I had a great career. 20 years, I enjoyed every minute of it, I also enjoyed [wrestling] so I’ve been very blessed,” Angle said. “Win 13 world titles in professional wrestling and obviously I’ve won six National Titles and an Olympic gold medal and a World Championship in amateur wrestling. So I’ve been very blessed.

    “I’ve had a great career. Now it’s time for me to settle down and take care of my kids.”

  • The Rock Reflects On 20 Year Anniversary Of Stone Cold’s Beer Bath

    The Rock Reflects On 20 Year Anniversary Of Stone Cold’s Beer Bath

    Today marks the 20th anniversary of Steve Austin’s famous beer bath, one of the most memorable segments in the history of WWE television.

    March 22nd, 1999 was the “go home” edition of Monday Night Raw before WrestleMania XV. The Attitude Era was in full swing and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin had his sights set on The Rock’s WWE Championship.

    With The Rock aligned with The McMahon family and The Corporation, the odds were stacked against Austin. As we all know, people are most dangerous when they are cornered and their backs are against the wall. What unfolded was a moment fans are still talking about to this day.

    With The Rock, Vince and Shane McMahon in the ring, Austin drove a Coors Light beer truck into the arena. He then hosed them down with beer in a scene so wild it has to be seen to be believed.

    On Friday, The Rock reflected on the beer bath 20 years later. The Rock commended Austin for being his “tough SOB” brother, since Austin was dealing with a broken neck at the time. In order to limit their physicality until their match, they had to get creative on the road to WrestleMania.

    As Rock put it, “The result was one of the most entertaining segments ever to take place on LIVE TV.”