SEScoops

Author: Staff

  • Brock Lesnar Wins Universal Championship, Sets Up Match at Survivor Series

    Brock Lesnar Wins Universal Championship, Sets Up Match at Survivor Series

    Brock Lesnar is once again the WWE Universal champion. What was originally expected to be a triple threat match, Lesnar ended up in a one-on-one showdown with Bruan Strowman to determine a new champion after Roman Reigns was forced to surrender the belt following the revelation that his battle with leukemia was happening again after going into remission several years ago.

    With Reigns out of the match, the WWE moved forward with a singles contest between Lesnar and Strowman.

    All signs seemed to point towards Strowman finally ascending to the top of the WWE Raw roster with Lesnar expected to return to the UFC in early 2019 to compete for the heavyweight championship.

    That plan may still very well happen but for now Lesnar is champion again after a very short match with Strowman on Friday.

    In a carbon copy to many of Lesnar’s most dominant victories in WWE, he landed several ‘F-5’s on Strowman including one where he tossed the behemoth outside the ring. Finally, Lesnar landed one final F-5 that put Strowman down and out.

    Lesnar was crowned WWE Universal champion and then just a few moments later his next match was officially announced.

    At WWE Survivor Series on Sunday, Nov. 18, Lesnar will return to the ring to face current WWE heavyweight champion A.J. Styles from Smackdown Live.

    Obviously, Lesnar is sticking around WWE longer than anyone expected with his plans to return to the UFC in 2019. There’s still plenty of time for the title to change hands before Lesnar would return to the Octagon.

    There are also rumors that Lesnar may make a surprise appearance at UFC 230 in New York on Saturday night where Cormier defends his heavyweight title against Derrick Lewis in the main event but nothing has been confirmed as of yet.

  • All In 2: Latest On Future Events From Cody & The Young Bucks

    All In 2: Latest On Future Events From Cody & The Young Bucks

    Earlier this week, Cody Rhodes addressed rumors of him returning to WWE and the future of the All In brand. On board the Jericho cruise, Cody assured the crowd that he will not be returning to WWE in 2019. He also promised to do everything in his power to make All In 2 a reality.

    According to the Wrestling Observer, there has been talk of holding two All In events in 2019. The Observer report says the next All In event would likely take place place over a holiday weekend somewhere on the West Coast. We’ve heard more specific details than this which are consistent with this report.

    Cody, The Young Bucks and the other organizers of All In 2 might have to proceed without the support of Sinclair and Ring of Honor. Not only did a lot of Ring of Honor performers work the show, but Sinclair was instrumental in providing crucial logistical support. ROH VP of Operations Gary Juster has been hailed as a “behind-the-scenes MVP” of All In. Juster, a former WCW executive, taught the crew about the inner workings of running a major live event.

    Will Ring of Honor be involved in future All In events? That seems unlikely. The company’s relationship with ROH will be very different come January. For much more on that situation, check out our exclusive report on what’s next for Cody and The Young Bucks.

  • Randy Orton On John Cena Pulling Out Of Crown Jewel: “Does He Still Wrestle?”

    Randy Orton On John Cena Pulling Out Of Crown Jewel: “Does He Still Wrestle?”

    Randy Orton had an interesting response when asked about John Cena’s decision to pull out of WWE Crown Jewel.

    The WWE crew is currently in Saudi Arabia ahead of Friday’s pay-per-view event from King Saud University Stadium in the city of Riyadh. John Cena had been advertised to participate in the WWE World Cup tournament, but ultimately decided against attending.

    Orton was approached by TMZ at the airport this week and said he was preparing for “a long flight, shitty airplane food and a hot plane.” He was asked how the WWE crew felt about going to the Middle East despite all the recent controversy. Orton said, “We’re at the airport, aren’t we?”

    When asked specifically about the 16-time World Champion pulling out of the show, Orton threw some shade his longtime rival. In true heel fashion, Orton asked, “Does he still wrestle? I didn’t know he pulled out.”

    He also commented his decision to wrestle at Crown Jewel, stating that it really comes down to being a company man and a father who has to provide for his family. “I’ve got 5 kids,” said Orton. “I gotta go make that dollar. If they want me in Saudi, I’m going to Saudi.”

    Randy Orton will participate in the WWE World Cup tournament at Crown Jewel. He faces Rey Mysterio in the first round.

    Watch Randy Orton react to John Cena pulling out of Crown Jewel

  • MLW Boss Confirms Open Borders Relationship With Impact, Plans Sushi Dinner With Top Impact Official

    MLW Boss Confirms Open Borders Relationship With Impact, Plans Sushi Dinner With Top Impact Official

    Major League Wrestling CEO Court Bauer took to Twitter this week to address two topics related to MLW: his relationship with Impact Wrestling and the possibility of MLW promoting its first live pay-per-view.

    MLW & Impact Wrestling

    Apparently there have been some fans speculating that the relationship between Major League Wrestling and Impact Wrestling is strained. It’s actually quite the contrary. The two promotions have somewhat of an “open borders” relationship – utilizing some of the same talent (Pentagon Jr., Rey Fenix, Sami Callihan, etc.) and running shows in the same venues (such as NYC’s Melrose Ballroom).

    Bauer says it’s “beyond ridiculous” that certain people are trying to portray MLW & Impact’s relationship as negative. In fact, Bauer and Impact Wrestling official Sunjay Dutt appear to be making plans to get dinner together.

    https://twitter.com/courtbauer/status/1057039945959907328

    https://twitter.com/courtbauer/status/1057039946979139585

    https://twitter.com/courtbauer/status/1057039959616643081

    MLW’s Stance on Live Pay-Per-View Events

    Earlier this week, FITE.TV announced that MLW’s weekly television show MLW Fusion will begin airing for free on the over-the-top streaming service.

    New episodes of MLW Fusion will premiere on beIN SPORTS Friday nights at 8pm (Eastern). Those shows will continue to be uploaded to YouTube Saturday nights at 6:05pm (Eastern) and will be added to FITE.TV Tuesday nights at 8pm (Eastern).

    With MLW joining the FITE family, a few fans have speculated if this is the first step towards MLW airing live pay-per-view events. Bauer says that there are currently no plans to get into the live pay-per-view game. For now, MLW will stick to what’s working for them and the fans.

    https://twitter.com/courtbauer/status/1057096673745403905

    https://twitter.com/courtbauer/status/1057251257176522752

    https://twitter.com/courtbauer/status/1057251595291947014

  • Impact Viewership Dips Below 100,000 In New Time Slot

    Impact Viewership Dips Below 100,000 In New Time Slot

    Thursday’s edition of Impact Wrestling on Pop TV, the first episode in the new 10pm time slot, averaged just 98,000 viewers. This was down from 189,000 viewers the previous week, making it the least-watched episode of Impact in history.

    The show featured new Impact World Champion Johnny Impact retaining against Rey Fenix in the main event, Killer Kross attacking the champion backstage, Sami Callihan vs. Trevor Lee, Su Yung in action against Kiera Hogan and the latest chapter of Eli Drake “suing” the company.

    Hopefully viewership rebounds once fans become accustomed to the new air time, because this is a disturbing development for the company. Viewership wasn’t going to increase by moving out of prime time, but this is entering dangerous territory.

    Impact was consistently drawing over 300,000 viewers for the first half of the year, topping out at 399,000 on March 29th. Impact hasn’t cracked 300,000 since July 5th and was doing 180,000-190,000 for the first 3 weeks of October before moving to 10pm.

    Impact’s TV deal with Pop runs through the end of 2018.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9H_uV7qycc

  • Bully Ray Pitches Great Idea for The Finish of Becky-Charlotte At Evolution

    Bully Ray Pitches Great Idea for The Finish of Becky-Charlotte At Evolution

    This Sunday at WWE Evolution, Becky Lynch puts the SmackDown Women’s Championship on the line against Charlotte Flair in a Last Woman Standing match. Their feud has been one of the highlights of WWE television over the past several weeks and Lynch is starting to come into her own as a heel character. Fans are beginning to accept Becky as a villain, but she’s been an underdog fan favorite for so long that getting people to boo her has not been an easy task.

    During an episode of Busted Open Radio this week, co-host Bully Ray pitched a pretty clever idea about how WWE should book the finish of this match. He suggests that WWE should utilize Ric Flair in a way that would all-but-guarantee a negative reaction for the Irish Superstar.

    “So, remember last week how we were talking about how can you possibly get heat on Becky Lynch?” Bully Ray posed. “We were saying you have to do something drastic, and probably the only person you can utilize in this whole situation would be a feeble Ric Flair.”

    “Alright, so what if at Evolution, in the ‘Last Woman Standing’ match, something really, really bad happened to Charlotte at the end of the match. Let’s just say … and I know this is not going to happen … let’s just say Charlotte was bleeding. Let’s just say Charlotte was busted open. Let’s just say Charlotte was in a really bad predicament, and [Ric] Flair came out … ‘Naitch came out because he was really concerned about his daughter. He didn’t put his hands on her, he didn’t try to help her up, he didn’t get involved in the match in any way, shape or form.”

    Bully Ray continued, “But as he’s walking over to his daughter, he were to trip and fall and take a bump. Then we saw him clutching or hurting or something happened. What if Becky Lynch were to take a chair and stand over Ric Flair, threatening to cave his head in unless Charlotte stayed down for the ten count. How would you feel about that?”

    Threatening physical harm against Ric Flair (who is shielding his daughter from harm) would be a despicable move by the champion. Even Becky Lynch fans would question if she’s going too far to score a victory. Sounds like great storytelling to us.

    Becky ‘Balboa’ appeared on Busted Open earlier today (Friday). We will have a report up soon.

    Catch Busted Open on SiriusXM satellite radio weekday mornings from 9am-12pm EST on channel Rush 93.

  • Cody Says He’s Transitioning To A New Role In Wrestling

    Cody Says He’s Transitioning To A New Role In Wrestling

    Cody Rhodes lost the NWA World Heavyweight Championship back to Nick Aldis at the NWA 70th Anniversary pay-per-view. The Best of 3 Falls main event delivered in a big way and the show is getting strong reviews from fans who tuned in.

    Cody posted a message on Instagram reflecting on the event and what’s next for him. The second generation grappler thanked the fans who attended and watched live on FITE.TV. Towards the end of his message, he also states that he is transitioning to a new role in pro-wrestling and implies he will be finishing up with Ring of Honor in the new future. Interesting.

    Cody Rhodes Reacts to NWA 70th Anniversary

    “It’s never pleasant losing a match, not to mention losing a title. However, last night in Nashville was the largest gross in Fairgrounds history (topped the TNA “asylum” 02-04 run, HOFers Dream & Jeff somehow ?) and I know a great deal of folks traveled far-and-wide to be there. That’s not missed on me. Southern rasslin’ and the cities that host it don’t often get that “buzz” like they should and it felt like the days of old last night.

    THANK YOU to all those who attended and watched live on FITE. THANK YOU to all those who attended the meet/greet(we earned several thousand dollars that I’ll be donating to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation! Still waiting on final numbers).

    As I begin a transition to a new role in pro-wrestling, I hope all the fans who’ve discovered the NWA recently…stay on board and continue to watch the likes of Nick Aldis, Avalon, Willie Mack, Jazz and many more. As I continue my remaining dates with the good folks at ROH, I’d like to thank them and The NWA for allowing me to cross imaginary lines and give the fans something special! -CR”

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

  • NWA President Billy Corgan Shares His Thoughts On 70th Anniversary Show

    NWA President Billy Corgan Shares His Thoughts On 70th Anniversary Show

    NWA President Billy Corgan posted a message on Instagram detailing his thoughts about Sunday night’s NWA 70th Anniversary show from Nashville, TN. It was a strong show and the replay can be streamed now over at FITE.TV for just $24.99.

    (Spacing added for clarity:)

    #NWA70 thoughts in no particular order:

    Magnum TA @magnum_ta was an absolute joy to engage with, and showed when speaking live of the NWA’s future why he is so highly regarded with fans and people in the business.

    Jim Cornette, on commentary, reminded why there is no one better with a microphone, and I appreciate him lending his gravitas to the event. His partner, Joe Galli, has such a bright future, and I hope he will remain as our leading voice for decades. As well, I was thrilled to have Tony Schiavone (@tonyschiavone24) call the main event. As this highlights one of the great pleasures of owning the NWA, which is seeing these legends do what they do best.

    On the production side, we fell short on providing a televised event up to the standard that I would consider acceptable. Which reminded me greatly as to why people questioned my pursuit of TNA (in terms of wanting to buy the company, and filed a potential lawsuit to do so). Put simply, building up a culture like Smashing Pumpkins or the NWA, takes time, trial and error, and great risk. And throwing $$$ at the problems doesn’t necessarily correct the issues, and in some cases makes it worse. So last night I was painfully reminded of how hard this journey is, and knew by the time the last bell rung we have much work to do before we’d run another such live event. Which in no way diminishes my appreciation for those who ordered or attended the event. In fact, it increases it.

    Sitting ringside for the main event, I had one recurring thought, which is there are only a few people on the planet (let’s say the number is under 30) who could do what Nick and Cody (@nickaldis @americannightmarecody) did last night. Or, as I used to tell my Mother, ‘this is why they pay me the big bucks, Ma’. Skilled, talented people need the right stage and crowd to show their best, and last night was exactly that. The fans were FANTASTIC. Pushing Cody and Nick to a place I think that surprised them. I remain hopeful for a third, definitive contest.

    Lastly, the vibe backstage with talent was jubilant, and hopeful. From a living legend like Dory Funk, Jr, to the kid in the dark. And that speaks volumes to me.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BpPFlDPFvdh/?taken-by=williampcorgan

  • UFC Double Champ Daniel Cormier Trying Out for WWE Commentary Team

    UFC Double Champ Daniel Cormier Trying Out for WWE Commentary Team

    UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier has always been a massive professional wrestling fan and now he’s looking to turn that passion into a profession.

    On Friday while speaking to the media about his upcoming fight against Derrick Lewis at UFC 230 in New York, Cormier revealed that due to the timing of his short notice bout that he had to cancel a previously scheduled audition with WWE for a commentary position.

    Cormier had planned to travel to Orlando where the WWE Performance Center is located as he was looking to get his foot in the door to work with the commentary team.

    “If I didn’t have this fight, I have been talking to the WWE because they wanted me to go in and do an audition as a member of the commentary team,” Cormier revealed. “But because of the fight, I had to push it back.

    “There may be some DC and WWE s –t coming. After the fight, I’ll go down to Orlando and do my tryout.”

    While his upcoming fight may have delayed things just slightly, Cormier is still expected to try out for the WWE in the near future after his latest title defense.

    Cormier is currently part of the broadcast team for the UFC where he routinely appears on shows such as “UFC Tonight” as well as calling fights as a color commentator alongside the likes of Jon Anik and Joe Rogan.

    The UFC is preparing for a move from FOX to ESPN in 2019 and there have been no announcements on how the broadcast teams might change once the new broadcast deal kicks in next year.

    That said, Cormier has become an extremely popular part of the UFC’s commentary team and he added that he’ll never look to leave the promotion because that is ‘home’ to him.

    Instead, Cormier may look to take on a dual role with mixed martial arts and professional wrestling similar to what Mauro Ranallo currently handles as the voice of NXT as well as calling professional boxing matches for Showtime and MMA fights for Bellator.

     

  • NWA National Title Unveiled Ahead Of 70th Anniversary Show

    NWA National Title Unveiled Ahead Of 70th Anniversary Show

    The National Wrestling Alliance has unveiled the new NWA National Championship, which will awarded to a new champion this Sunday at the NWA 70th Anniversary pay-per-view live from Nashville, Tennessee.  Eight men will compete in two 4-way elimination matches. The winners of the elimination matches will battle to crown the new champion.

    Elimination Match A:

    • Willie Mack
    • Jay Bradley
    • Mike Parrow
    • Ricky Starks

    Elimination Match B:

    • Sammy Guevara
    • Colt Cabana
    • Scorpio Sky
    • Sam Shaw

    Click here to check out the full card for the NWA 70th Anniversary, which can be streamed live on the FITE app.

    New NWA National Championship Title Revealed:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz5nQgGVAc0

  • Jim Ross & Chris Jericho Working With Billionaire To Launch New Wrestling Promotion (Exclusive)

    Jim Ross & Chris Jericho Working With Billionaire To Launch New Wrestling Promotion (Exclusive)

    The groundwork is being laid for a new wrestling promotion. It involves some of the top players in the industry and financial backing from a billionaire family already involved in professional sports.

    Jim Ross and Chris Jericho have been working with renowned agent Barry Bloom in putting the pieces together. JR’s contract with WWE expires shortly and he has declined an offer to renew. He has been sending out feelers to select WWE performers, while Jericho has been handling the New Japan side. Bloom was recently in Japan taking meetings related to this deal.

    The project is being financed by the Khan family. Shahid Khan, the patriarch, is one of the wealthiest men on the world (and a colorful personality). He owns the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham F.C. of the English Premier League. Shahid’s son, Tony, is a big wrestling fan and has been hands-on with getting this off the ground. He follows a few wrestlers on Twitter, including Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks and Marty Scurll.

    Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks are on board, as are Hangman Page and a few others. Kenny Omega’s status is unclear. For what it’s worth, Bill Goldberg is a client of Barry Bloom, along with JR and Jericho. When The Elite has talked about sticking together next year, this is what they’ve been alluding to. Jim Ross has been coy about this on his podcast, vaguely teasing something big on the horizon without showing his cards.

    With the A-level talent they are getting commitments from, the group will burn through a ton of cash quickly. They are moving forward with the understanding that significant losses are expected for the first couple years.

    Talks are underway with AXS to secure a TV deal. AXS TV executive Adam Swift is fast-tracking this. (Update: A rep from AXS TV has denied this report.) AXS currently airs New Japan Pro Wrestling and recently announced Jeanie Buss’ Women of Wrestling premieres in January. Sinclair Broadcasting, which provided logistical support for All In and has been acting in good faith, has been in the dark about this story.

    The timeline for this going live is 12-16 months from now (late 2019 / early 2020).

    We’ve reached out to the involved parties for comment and will update this article if necessary.

  • WWE Welcomes New Class Of Performance Center Recruits

    WWE Welcomes New Class Of Performance Center Recruits

    The future looks bright as ever as WWE welcomes the latest class of recruits to the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.

    Matt Riddle: The “Super King of Bros” is a former UFC fighter turned pro wrestler. He’s been a standout performer on the independent scene for the past several years. Riddle made his first appearance for WWE at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn during SummerSlam weekend and is now a full-time member of the NXT roster. Click here to learn more about Matt Riddle.

    Mia Yim: Mia Yim has competed in the Mae Young Classic tournament two years in a row. She’s a former Impact Wrestling Knockout and is set to make her NXT debut on next week’s broadcast.

    Chelsea Green: Another former Impact Wrestling Knockout, Green was trained at Lance Storm’s Storm Wrestling Academy in Calgary. She was a participant on the 2015 season of Tough Enough and is dating Zack Ryder.

    Humberto Carrillo: Third generation luchador from Monterrey, Mexico. Carrillo is the latest product of the famed Garza wrestling dynasty and is best known for his work as the masked superstar Ultimo Ninja.

    Luis Martinez: Formerly known as Punishment Martinez in Ring of Honor, Martinez was trained at the Monster Factory wrestling school in in New Jersey. Raised in New York and Puerto Rico, he won last year’s ROH’s Survival of the Fittest tournament.

    Daniel Vidot: Vidot is a former professional rugby player from Queensland, Australia. He’s been in talks with WWE since 2014 and has received several tryouts throughout the years.

    Jordan Omogbehin: Big J.O. is a 7-foot-3, 370-pounder from Nigeria. He played  played college basketball at the University of South Florida and Morgan State University in Baltimore before getting into wrestling.

    Visit WWE.com for more information about each new recruit.

  • Tessa Blanchard Discusses the Austin Aries Controversy At Bound For Glory

    Tessa Blanchard Discusses the Austin Aries Controversy At Bound For Glory

    Tessa Blanchard joined Dave Lagreca and Bully Ray on Busted Open Radio this week to discuss the fallout from Bound For Glory. The Impact Wrestling Knockouts Champion gave an insider perspective on the controversy surrounding Austin Aries, which involved him “no selling” the finish to the show’s main event and flipping off the crowd on his way out of the arena. Here are some highlights of what Tessa said about:

    Her thoughts on the Austin Aries controversy:

    Blanchard is taking the position that she’s not sure what to think about the situation.

    “I agree with a lot of what Brian [Cage] said earlier. I think it was just a lot of Austin being Austin. I honestly don’t really know what to think about it. Just watching it, I’m kind of at a loss for words, I guess? ‘Cause I don’t know what to think”

    If she questioned what transpired:

    Lending credence to our report that Impact performers were left in the dark about whether the Aries situation was a shoot or a work, Blanchard says there’s a lot of uncertainty going around and she doesn’t know quite what to think.

    “To myself, yeah, of course. I’m sure everyone had a lot of questions. There’s a lot of uncertainty. The whole locker room was kind of not really sure what was going on, I guess. But yeah, I honestly I’m very indifferent ’cause I don’t know what to think.”

    If she feels Austin Aries disrespected the locker room and the fans:

    At the end of the day, Blanchard feels that Austin Aries’ actions were disrespectful and wonders how he would feel if he was on the receiving end of what he did.

    “To an extent, yes. I’m not really sure what Austin was trying to accomplish. Brian said it before, I think if the roles were reversed and Austin was sitting in the locker room watching that happen, I’m sure he would feel disrespected, I’m sure he would not be so happy. He would have some things to say and some questions. So if the roles were reversed, I’m sure he would be in the same position as the whole locker room kind of felt, I think.”

    Listen to Tessa Blanchard’s appearance on Busted Open Radio:

  • PCO vs. Brody King Signed For MLW Fightland (11/8)

    PCO vs. Brody King Signed For MLW Fightland (11/8)

    Major League Wrestling has signed another big match for next month’s MLW Fightland event from Chicago.the “The French Canadian Frankenstein” PCO will square off against bounty hunter Brody King in a no disqualification match when MLW holds the next round of Fusion tapings on November 11th from Cicero Stadium.

    If you’re in the Chicago area, tickets are on sale now at MLWTickets.com.

    PCO and Brody King first clashed in September at MLW War Games from Ft. Lauderdale, FL. That match ultimately ended in a no contest when the action could not be contained. The two men brawled all around the ringside area and later backstage, sending chairs, bodies and bottles flying in every direction. At Fightland, there must be a winner.

    Updated Card MLW Fightland

    – MLW Tag Team Champions Pentagon Jr. & Rey Fenix vs. LA Park & Hijo de LA Park presented by (Salina de la Renta)

    – MLW World Heavyweight Champion Low Ki vs. Shane “Swerve” Strickland

    – CMLL star Rush debuts vs. Sammy Guevara

    – PCO vs. Brody King (No Disqualification)

    – Ace Romero debuts

    The card will also feature Battle Riot winner “Filthy” Tom Lawlor, World Middleweight Champion MJF with Aria Blake, Kotto Brazil, Sami Callihan and many more.

  • John Cena’s Book ‘Elbow Grease’ Is A New York Times Best Seller

    John Cena’s Book ‘Elbow Grease’ Is A New York Times Best Seller

    In addition to being a 16-time world champion in pro wrestling, John Cena can add “New York Times Best Selling Author” to his long list of accolades. John Cena’s new book, Elbow Grease, has topped the New York Times’ Children’s Best Sellers list.

    The picture-book about a little monster truck named Elbow Grease is the first installment of what will become a multi-part series. The synopsis from Amazon.com reads,

    “Meet Elbow Grease, a little monster truck with a big problem! He’s smaller than his four brothers, but wants to prove that he has the guts and the grit to do big things. He decides that entering the Demolition Derby is the perfect way to show everyone that what he lacks in horsepower he makes up for in gumption. From multi-talented mega celebrity John Cena comes this exciting story about the importance of believing in yourself and never giving up. Full of high-octane illustrations and a new character kids will cheer for, this fun and fast-paced book proves that a little Elbow Grease . . . can go a long way!”

    Cena has been doing the media rounds to promote the book release, including book signings across the country. He thanked everybody for making his dream of writing children’s books a reality and called this accomplishment a “truly surreal moment.”

  • 2 New Matches For MLW’s Chicago Debut, Stokely Hathaway Resurfaces & More

    2 New Matches For MLW’s Chicago Debut, Stokely Hathaway Resurfaces & More

    – MLW CEO Court Bauer appeared on ESPN Chicago with Jonathan Hood on Tuesday night and revealed 2 new matches for MLW’s big Chicago debut on November 8th:

    • Brody King will fight PCO in a rematch where there will be no disqualifications.
    • The Dirty Blondes will square off against the debuting tag team “Size Matters” featuring Joey Ryan and Swoggle.

    In addition to these two matches at MLW Fightland (11/8), MLW newcomer Puma King has signed to appear and super heavyweight pounce machine Ace Romero will make his MLW debut on the card.

    – CMLL star Rush will hit Miami for the first time ever this December. He is confirmed for MLW’s shows on December 13th & 14th. Tickets for MLW’s Miami double-shot go on sale this Friday at 10 a.m. ET at MLWTickets.com.

    – A few days after last week’s MLW.com article on the disappearance of Stokely Hathaway, a video was sent in to MLW’s production team. It was brief and blunt: Stokely Hathaway is back. What happened when he was seemingly kidnapped? Where was he? Why is he back? So many questions and no answers – yet. One thing is for certain: Mr. Hathaway’s return is upon us. Is MLW ready? We’re about to find out:

  • NWA 70th Anniversary: Final Card For Sunday, Watch On FITE

    NWA 70th Anniversary: Final Card For Sunday, Watch On FITE

    This Sunday night, the National Wrestling Alliance presents the NWA 70th Anniversary pay-per-view live from Nashville, Tennessee. The 70th Anniversary special will feature Cody Rhodes defending the NWA World Heavyweight Champion against Nick Aldis in a best of 3 falls match. Jazz will put her NWA Women’s Championship on the line and the vacant NWA National Championship will be decided from a pool of 8 competitors.

    SEScoops will have Live Coverage results of the NWA 70th Anniversary special. 

    The event is now available for purchase on at FITE.TV for just $24.99.

    NWA 70th Anniversary Card

    – NWA World Heavyweight Champion Cody Rhodes vs Nick Aldis (Best of 3 Falls)

    – NWA Women’s Champion Jazz vs Penelope Ford

    For the Vacant NWA National Heavyweight Championship:

    – 4-Way Elimination Match A: Willie Mack vs Jay Bradley vs Mike Parrow vs Ricky Starks
    – 4-way Elimination Match B: Sammy Guevara vs Colt Cabana vs Scorpio Sky vs Sam Shaw
    – Championship Match: Elimination Match A Winner vs. Elimination Match B Winner

    – Storm vs. Avalon III (Grudge Match)

    – Tim Storm vs Peter Avalon

    – Open Challenge: Jax Dane and Crimson (w/Road Warrior Animal) vs. ???

    – Laredo Kid vs. Barrett Brown

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spx0D1x80Mc&feature=youtu.be

  • James Ellsworth Reacts To Being Left Off SmackDown 1000 (Video)

    James Ellsworth Reacts To Being Left Off SmackDown 1000 (Video)

    Former WWE Superstar James Ellsworth was backstage at Tuesday’s SmackDown 1000, but did not appear on the televised broadcast. He was interviewed by Mike Rome for WWE’s YouTube channel and explained why he didn’t appear on TV.

    Ellsworth proclaimed, “I’m a SmackDown Legend, I should’ve been on this show.” He showed up to the arena with his gear and was ready to wrestle, just in case. Ellsworth says SmackDown General Manager Paige saw him behind the scenes and was confused why he was there. He recalls Paige questioning, “What are you doing here, James? I fired you on SmackDown episode 988.”

    Ellsworth says he deserved to be part of SmackDown 1000 and it’s not fair that he was excluded. “As a matter of fact, I should be on SmackDown 1001, 1003, 1003, SmackDown 1004, SmackDown 1005, SmackDown 1006, SmackDown 1007, SmackDown 1008, 1009, 1010, 1011, 1012, 1013, 1014, 1015…”

    As noted over the weekend,James Ellworth made a surprise appearance at Impact Wrestling’s Bound For Glory pay-per-view. Impact officials were hoping to lock him in to a contract, but Ellsworth politely declined the offer.

    Watch James Ellsworth complain about not being featured on SmackDown 1000:

  • Report: Jordynne Grace Signs 2-Year Deal With Impact Wrestling

    Report: Jordynne Grace Signs 2-Year Deal With Impact Wrestling

    Popular independent wrestler Jordynne Grace made her Impact Wrestling debut at Tuesday night’s Impact TV tapings from Queens, NY at the Melrose Ballroom. According to PWInsider, Grace is said to have signed a two-year deal with the promotion.

    Grace is 22 years old and hails from York, PA. She made her professional debut back in 2012. Grace has been wrestling for SHINE since last year and was one of the standout competitors in the ALL IN Over Budget Battle Royal last month.

    Jordynne Grace joins Impact’s growing Knockouts roster. In addition to Knockouts Champion Tessa Blanchard, the division also features competitors such as Taya Valkyrie, Scarlett Bordeaux, Su Yung, Kiera Hogan, Rosemary, Allie.

    The self proclaimed “Thick Mama Pump” is a great signing for Impact. Follow her on Twitter @JordynneGrace.

    https://twitter.com/metalhead100117/status/1052460475437522944

  • Kevin Owens Undergoes Double Knee Surgery (Photo)

    Kevin Owens Undergoes Double Knee Surgery (Photo)

    Kevin Owens underwent surgery on both his knees this week knee surgery this week. WWE.com noted on Wednesday that both of his knees were operated on. The former Universal Champion tweeted a photo on Wednesday of both his knees wrapped up and the caption, “They had a 2 for 1 sale going at the surgery store!

    It’s unclear exactly when Owens was injured, but he was working through knee pain prior to WWE announcing he was hurt during his match against Bobby Lashley last week on RAW. Owens was written off television in an angle that saw Lashley turn heel by attacking his knee after the match. He was subsequently pulled from Mixed Match Challenge. Bobby Roode is now teaming with Natalya in his place.

    Kevin Owens Out For The Remainder of 2018

    Kevin Owens’ return timeframe will depend on the progress of his physical rehabilitation. Unfortunately, he’s out for the remainder of the year. Owens should be out of action for 4-5 months, which could see him back in the ring in the heat of WrestleMania season.

    A March return would allow him to get involved in match for WM35, which takes place on April 7th, 2019 from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. For now, you can be sure Kevin Owens is laser focused on getting healthy.

    We wish Kevin Owens a speedy recovery!

    https://twitter.com/FightOwensFight/status/1052536587521839106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1052536587521839106&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pwinsider.com%2FViewArticle.php%3Fid%3D121050

  • Impact Looking To Bring Alberto Back, Ellsworth Turns Down Impact Deal, More

    Impact Looking To Bring Alberto Back, Ellsworth Turns Down Impact Deal, More

    Here are several Impact Wrestling news items coming out of Sunday’s Bound for Glory pay-per-view and Monday’s Impact tapings from Queens, NY:

    – Impact is looking to bring back Alberto El Patron. The company feels his personal issues have calmed down and the upside of his name recognition outweigh the risks. The hope is to have him work the November Las Vegas TV tapings (11/11-13). Alberto has been keeping busy lately with bookings in Mexico and his role with the Combate Americas MMA promotion.

    – James Ellsworth, who made a surprise appearance at Bound For Glory as Eli Drake’s mystery opponent, has turned down an offer to join the Impact roster. Ellsworth was said to be very appreciative and gracious about the offer, but is still on WWE’s radar and will be working SmackDown 1000 tonight.

    – There was heat on several wrestlers for arriving late for Bound For Glory at the Melrose Ballroom. Pentagon Jr., in particular, arrived very late.

    – Impact is planning to run more “undead realm” vignettes and some sort of cosmic-themed stipulation match for TV in December.

    Click here to read spoiler results from Monday night’s Impact Wrestling TV tapings from Queens, NY. Impact will be running another round of tapings tonight. Check back later for those results.

  • Impact Hires Former WWE Exec After Getting Bumped from Primetime

    Impact Hires Former WWE Exec After Getting Bumped from Primetime

    The future of IMPACT Wrestling’s future on television has grown uncertain after it was announced that Pop TV was moving the company’s flagship show out of primetime.

    Last week, news broke that Impact TV was being moved from the Thursday night’s 8PM time slot to a less desirable 10 PM start time. As a result of this setback, Impact hired former WWE executive Andrew Whitaker to help manage the PR fallout of the story.

    Whitaker has a bit of a checkered past with the wrestling industry following his exit from WWE and previous occupation with GLORY kickboxing before he let go from that organization as well. More recently, Whitaker has been consulting from his own company based out of Stamford, Connecticut.

    Interestingly, Whitaker has ties to the former SPIKE TV — now the Paramount Network — and the hope is that perhaps he could potentially spark interest in bringing IMPACT wrestling back there again. Unfortunately, Paramount Network has largely shifted away from the programming parameters at the old SPIKE TV with the network launching several high profile original shows including ‘Yellowstone’, which was one of the highest rated new series in 2018.

    Sources close to Paramount Network have stated that the network is staying focused on that original programming rather than adding elements similar to what previously aired on SPIKE TV. Then again nothing is written in stone so it’s impossible to tell what the future might hold now that Whitaker is involved with IMPACT.

    In addition to the tumultuous situation with the television deal, production is also suffering right now at IMPACT.

    Michael Vettor, the head of IMPACT TV, had apparently reached out to several MLW production personnel over the past 10 days to contract them to work the Bound for Glory pay-per-view and subsequent television tapings. Several people were contacted including at least two producers and several cameramen but only one person ultimately accepted the job due to Vettor’s reputation and aggressive approach when trying to secure production staff.

    This all adds up to a volatile time at IMPACT wrestling, especially after holding their biggest pay-per-view event of the year and now the company faces a ton of uncertainty going forward into late 2018 and beyond.

  • Austin Aries’ Status With Impact, Loose Cannon Angle

    Austin Aries’ Status With Impact, Loose Cannon Angle

    We have an exclusive update on Austin Aries’ status with Impact Wrestling, company attempting to ‘work’ the wrestlers backstage at Bound for Glory and plans for a ‘loose cannon’ storyline in the months ahead.

    Aries had everybody guessing whether his bizarre from IMPACT’s Bound for Glory pay-per-view was a work or a shoot. The situation unfolded following the main event, which saw Johnny Impact capture the Impact world title. Following the finish, Aries immediately leapt up, exited the right, shouted a profanity at commentator and IMPACT executive vice president Don Callis before flipping off the crowd as he exited the arena.

    Aries’ reaction had a lot of people questioning how much of what transpired was scripted.  Aries’ feud with Johnny Impact grew increasingly personal in the days leading up to the show, which included deleted tweets about Johnny Impact’s wife Taya Valkyrie.

    According to sources backstage at the Bound for Glory pay-per-view, Impact wrestlers were not told about the finish to the BFG main event and felt like they were being worked by management. One source who has been with the company for years told us it felt like a move the old TNA regime would have orchestrated.

    Immediately after the pay-per-view broadcast ended, IMPACT media relations personnel were shopping the story to outlets such as TMZ, which had covered Aries & Johnny’s social media feud last week.

    Apparently the entire program was set up because Aries wants to do his own take on the classic ‘Loose Cannon’ storyline that Brian Pillman did several years ago in WCW before leaving to join ECW. During that time, Pillman’s behavior got so out of line that he was ‘fired’ by Eric Bischoff but he later admitted that the entire situation had been planned so he could exit WCW and earn some legitimate heat when he showed up in ECW.

    As of Sunday night, the plan was for Aries to start showing up in other promotions such as Ring of Honor to sell the idea that he really did ‘walk out’ at Bound For Glory. Eventually, he would return portraying a loose cannon character. Aries did not work Monday night’s Impact TV tapings and is not scheduled to be at tonight’s tapings either.

  • Report: Austin Aries Not Working This Week’s Impact Tapings

    Report: Austin Aries Not Working This Week’s Impact Tapings

    Former Impact Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion Austin Aries will not be working Monday and Tuesday’s Impact tapings from Queens, New York.

    Aries was involved in a controversial scene at the conclusion of Sunday night’s Bound For Glory pay-per-view at the Melrose Ballroom. After losing the belt to Johnny Impact in the main event, Aries immediately stood up and effectively no-sold Johnny’s finishing move. Aries flipped off the crowd as he exited the arena. Fans were left to wonder if this incident was scripted or a shoot.

    On Monday’s edition of Wrestling Observer Live, Bryan Alvarez speculated that aspects of this feud have gone off-script, but the majority of what’s transpired has been part of the storyline. We’ll keep you posted as this situation continues to unfold, but the biggest takeaway here is that Austin Aries won’t be on television for the next several weeks. Based on how much television Impact tapes tonight and Tuesday, he could be off TV through December.

    Check back later tonight for Impact Wrestling tapings results.

  • Terry Funk Reacts to Shawn Michaels Coming Out of Retirement for WWE Crown Jewel

    Terry Funk Reacts to Shawn Michaels Coming Out of Retirement for WWE Crown Jewel

    Terry Funk knows a thing or two about retiring and then making a comeback.

    The legendary wrestler had more than a few exits and subsequent returns to the ring over the course of his career.

    Funk, 74, was a big part of Paul Heyman’s initial push with ECW and even appeared on the company’s first pay-per-view. Since that time, Funk has retired on several occasions only to get drawn back into the ring again and again.

    “Paul Heyman is a wonderful manipulator, and I mean that in a good way,” Funk told The Ringer about his comeback from retirement. “He’s probably the greatest one around at this point in time. He was a pain in Vince [McMahon]’s side and Vince finally hired him, and I truly believe Paul Heyman is doing a great deal up there [in WWE] that no one knows about.

    “They knew they were gonna have to keep increasing the salary, and I loved what I was doing. Whenever I was up there [in ECW], we were pounding out new ground.”

    In November, WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels will make his first in ring appearance in eight years after he called it a career back in 2010.

    Michaels has made sporadic appearances in WWE over the years but he hasn’t wrestled in a full match since announcing his retirement.

    That hiatus will come to an end in November when Michaels teams up with his old friend Triple H for a tag team match against the Undertaker and Kane at the WWE’s upcoming ‘Crown Jewel’ event in Saudi Arabia.

    Funk points to two key elements that likely brought Michaels back to the ring and that likely plays a huge part in any professional wrestler choosing to return after retirement.

    “I’m sure he has plenty of money, but money changes constantly. You love the business, but you love it a whole bunch more if you’re getting more money,” Funk said. “I’m the same way. I think we all are.

    “I don’t think I’m talking about some guy that’s just money-hungry. It’s his love for the business and the money.”

    As far as Michaels somehow tarnishing his legacy by making a return for this match, Funk downplays that possibility because it’s a different animal coming back for pro wrestling versus any sport where athletes just can’t seem to stay away after retirement.

    Ultimately, Funk says Michaels is making his own choices and no one can begrudge him for that decision.

    “Truthfully, it’s really not a risk at all,” Funk said about Michaels coming back. “Of course, that depends on what level you come back at. Are you going to come back at a high position of a main-eventer? If Shawn Michaels came to the ring and was in the opening match and lost, I don’t think he’d have much longevity. It’s [dependent on] the manipulation of his character after he is there.

    “Shawn will definitely do business. Shawn is controlling his destiny and can control it at any time.”