Athena has established herself as a dominant force within the Ring of Honor women’s division, recently surpassing one year as ROH Women’s Champion. As she looks to continue her reign, though, Athena has some other goals she’d like to accomplish outside of the ROH brand. 

During an interview with Under The Ring, “The Fallen Goddess” discussed her potential next moves, which includes a possible return to AEW programming. 

While Athena’s initial AEW run did not go entirely as she had hoped, she is confident that this go-around would produce a more successful outcome. 

Athena Puts AEW’s Champions on Notice

With an AEW return in her vision, Athena issued a warning to two of the company’s current champions — Julia Hart and Toni Storm.

“I think the next step for me would definitely be to take a crack at AEW TV again,” she began. “My first time around was not great, and I lost to the all-powerful Jade Cargill. I think now with me being the forever ROH Women’s Champion, I want to be a Triple Crown Champion by the end of 2024. I’m going after all of the belts, the TBS Champion Julia Hart, The AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm,”

She continued, “I’m not content with just beating up these fragile broads left and right. This is your warning, I am coming for you guys in 2024. It doesn’t matter what anyone says. You got an X on your back, and it’s only a matter of time before we get there.”

Since the dissolution of AEW Dark and AEW Dark Elevation earlier this year, Athena has been primarily focused on boosting the ROH brand, where she now resides as a regular fixture. Later this week, Athena will defend her ROH Women’s Championship against her former Minion, Billie Starkz, in the main event of ROH Final Battle.

Should Athena retain her title at Final Battle, it appears that Athena will then begin her mission of capturing the TBS Championship and AEW Women’s Championship. 

Many fans erupted in excitement when Johnny Gargano returned to WWE last summer. Upon his resurgence, Gargano also received a promotion to the main roster, assigned to the RAW brand.

Since his return, “Johnny Wrestling” has found himself generally floating between opponents, with his only substantial feud stemming from a storyline involving Dexter Lumis and The Miz. In February, Gargano punched his ticket to the Elimination Chamber, securing himself a shot at the United States Championship. Unfortunately, Gargano championship aspirations would be squandered as he was eliminated second from the six-man Chamber match.

Gargano soon bounced back with wins over Otis and Finn Balor, before making a surprise visit to WWE NXT to resolve some unfinished business with Grayson Waller. As Gargano now prepares for his match at NXT Stand & Deliver, he is poised to maintain his appearances on RAW as well.

The Future Of Johnny Wrestling

During an interview on Busted Open Radio, Johnny Gargano spoke candidly about his time on the main roster so far. While some fans may have hoped for more out of his run, Gargano remains optimistic toward his future on RAW.

“You know how things go, man, you make the most out of the time you’re given. You make the most out of your opportunities. I feel like I had a huge opportunity in the Elimination Chamber match, and I feel like I showed out in that one. I feel like I was able to get there with a guy that I feel is probably the standard bearer on our industry right now. Seth Rollins, I think he is the tippy top of the mountain. He’s where I want to be, and I hung toe to toe with him. I showed the world that I can hang with him. So it’s one of those things where it’s all about time. It’s all about patience,” he said.

“I know a lot of people don’t want to be patient. They want it now. They want me to go out there and have 30-minute matches, 25-minute matches, do my ‘Takeover’ thing. It takes time, it takes equity. It takes getting this other audience that maybe doesn’t know about me — these random casual fans we talk about all the time in these buildings that quite frankly, I haven’t been in before.”

“A lot of these markets I’ve never wrestled in and they’re seeing me for the very first time. This whole past, I’d say six months, I’ve wrestled in so many markets I’ve never been in before because NXT did the main markets, they did the main hardcore wrestling towns and like tonight we’re in Providence, Rhode Island, which is Rhode Island’s a great town. We had a couple indies here as well, but I do feel like it’s just time. It’s equity, as you know. It’s putting your time in making the most out of the time you’re given, and that’s all you can do.”

If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit with an h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.

In the year 2003, WrestleMania XIX hosted only one women’s match on the card — a triple threat for the WWE Women’s Championship. Twenty years later, WrestleMania 39 will feature three, and possibly even more.

Over the course of two decades, women have made a multitude of strides in their television time, overall presentation, and fan perception, and now, they remain some of the most popular and prosperous figures in the company.

“It’s been wonderful to see how far the women’s division has come over the years from being put on the show in bikini matches to main-eventing WrestleMania. It’s just come so far,” former RAW Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley told Richard Deitsch on the Sports Media Podcast.

“The women before us, they persevered and they pushed through and they tried so hard to get the recognition that they deserve as athletes, as performers. It’s finally paying off,” she continued. “We’re selling most of the merch. A lot of people, they stick around for the women’s matches because they want to see us absolutely kill it. A lot of the times I feel like we go harder than the men as well.”

Growth & Goals

Reflecting back on some of evident progressions, Ripley pinpointed the WrestleMania 37 contest between Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair — the second WrestleMania main event for women in WWE history. The match itself has been widely praised as one of the best bouts of the modern era, but for Rhea Ripley, the match holds a deeper significance.

“To watch Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks in the main event a couple of years ago — I remember watching it and I was just like first of all, that’s my friend out there. I was in NXT with Bianca and I’ve watched how much crap she’s gone through and how she’s just pushed through everything. Then riding with her, hearing her backstory and like everything that she’s gone through in life and overcome and to see her go out there and be the main event at WrestleMania with Sasha Banks, who I know has gone through everything as well, it’s just really cool to see. Women are finally getting the spotlight and the opportunities we deserve,” Ripley said.

Over the last year, Rhea Ripley herself has made enormous advancements in her career. Adopting the nickname of “The Eradicator,” Ripley aligned herself with one of WWE’s most dominant factions — The Judgement Day. Through her work with them, Ripley’s confidence has blossomed, as she remains unafraid to square up with just about anyone, including her male counterparts.

“I can only imagine how far we’re going to drive this women’s division in the future because to even just have me going out there and having a match with [Akira] Tozawa, picking up [Luke] Gallows, going out there, beating up the guys, beating up Rey Mysterio, beating up Edge. These are people that I watched as a kid and now me as a female, I get to go out there and punch them in the face. It’s so cool to see how far we’ve all come. I’m so excited to see what the future holds because it’s just going to go up and beyond from here.”

Despite the many advancements, though, the fight for true equality is far from over. As Ripley asserts, she and the entire women’s locker room want viewers to be “fully invested” in their characters, storylines, merchandise, and everything the division is doing. In the meantime, they will keep chipping away at the glass ceiling.

If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit with an h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.

As WWE gears up for WrestleMania in Hollywood, one superstar is hellbent on getting his moment on the grand stage.

Last Friday on SmackDown, five men competed in a number one contender’s match. The winner would then guarantee themselves a shot against GUNTHER at WrestleMania for the Intercontinental Championship. Among the competitors were Drew McIntyre, Sheamus, Karrion Kross, Xavier Woods, and LA Knight. Each participant fought valiantly to secure their spot on the big show, but in a turn of events, it came down to a two-way draw.

At the same time Drew McIntyre pinned LA Knight, another referee counted the shoulders of Xavier Woods, who was in the midst of a pinfall from Sheamus. WWE official Adam Pearce later ruled that both men were co-winners of the five-way contest, but this week, they will square off one-on-one to determine GUNTHER’s sole challenger.

“You Can’t Have An LA WrestleMania Without L-A Knight”

Despite his evident loss last week, LA Knight believes there can’t be a Los Angeles WrestleMania without him. With no clear path to WrestleMania now, Knight took to Twitter to demand his moment.

“EVERYBODY knows you can’t have an LA Wrestlemania without LA Knight,” he wrote. “But [WWE] is late to the game, DRAGGING THEIR FEET on giving Wrestlemania the opportunity for an LA Knight moment. It’s about damn time I get a heads up. I’m done waiting.”

Following his loss to Bray Wyatt at the Royal Rumble, Knight has yet to garner another consistent storyline on television. In recent weeks, he had a one-off match with Kofi Kingston, before setting his sights on the Intercontinental Championship. Unfortunately for Knight, his championship aspirations slipped away from his grasp last week.

Mercedes Moné continues to grow her resume outside of professional wrestling.

As she continues her post-WWE career, Mercedes Moné looks to etch her name in several non-wrestling endeavors as well. Later this year, Moné (real name Mercedes Varnado) will make her silver screen debut, starring in the action-thriller movie, “The Collective.” Besides her ventures into the film industry, the current IWGP Women’s Champion teased the launch of a makeup line and brand this year as well. It appears that there’s much more to come in 2023, though.

On the heels of signing a contract with the United Talent Agency, Moné spoke with TMZ Sports about her upcoming outside projects. Though she didn’t specify the extent of her agenda, Moné revealed she is “absolutely doing more” in television and film.

“I just signed with UTA. I just filmed a movie in October, in the middle of training in Mexico. So, I am doing so much. I am legit booked and busy and 2023 is just going to be the year of making money,” she said. “I wish that upon everybody, I hope everybody has an amazing year of getting the bag and being a boss, banking on yourself. You have to be a CEO of your own life, so, let’s go get the bag together.”

Under the guidance of UTA, Mercedes Moné will seize more opportunities within the landscapes of film, television, theater and more. Within the television realm, Moné previously starred as Koska Reeves in the Disney+ series “The Mandalorian,” and has racked up several other appearances on shows like “Nick Cannon Presents: Wild ‘N Out” and “Barmageddon.”

After capturing the IWGP Women’s Championship at Battle in the Valley, Mercedes Moné promises to take the title around the world.

Speaking with the TMZ Sports, Mercedes Moné reflected on her huge title win last month. “That day was so insane,” she said, “but for it to be in San Jose just a little an hour and a half away from where I was born in Fairfield, California. I had my friends and my family there from legit my blood family and my family in wrestling was there to support me. It was a moment that I’m always going to remember.”

“The CEO” noted that defeating KAIRI for the championship was likely the second favorite moment of her entire career. Her performance there, though, also served as a defining mark in the new chapter of her career. As she turns the page on the Sasha Banks name, she looks to cultivate a legacy for Mercedes Moné as well.

“That day was so incredible,” she continued. “It was in front of a sold-out crowd that was just dying and waiting to see what I was going to do as Mercedes Moné. I had an amazing interest. I had an amazing partner in the ring, KAIRI. She gave me everything, she basically walked me like a dog. She threw me through a table, she threw money at me, she ’bout snatched me bald, but thank God I pulled through. I hit the Money Maker. I hit the one, two, three, and now I am the IWGP Women’s Champion, and I’m making this title global. I’m taking this title all over the world and not just in Japan. So, I’m excited. I’m excited to see what’s next for me in the world of wrestling.”

Making The Title Global

Despite her obvious deal with New Japan Pro-Wrestling now, Moné remains a free agent. With her title alongside her, she plans to explore markets beyond the realm of Japan, and beyond the wrestling scene itself. “Besides taking it on carpets, autograph signings all over the world, to Paris, I’m going to see what little promotions I can pop up to,” she said.

“I know next on my plate is April 8th and Tokyo, Japan for Sakura Genesis, I have a girl named AZM calling me out, so I’ve been putting the offer on the table [for] who’s next on the list. I want to see who’s ready for Mercedes Moné because I turned down to nobody. I’m always here for the check. I’m always here for the bag, and whoever has the biggest bag is where I’m going to go.”

Outside of wrestling, Moné recently brought her championship belt to the red-carpet for the season three premiere of The Mandalorian. Moné, of course, played the role of Koska Reeves in the series, so she wanted to “pay tribute to the character” — with a little bit of (championship) gold as well.

Former IMPACT Wrestling star Larry D shared some unfortunate news Saturday evening.

As revealed via Twitter, Larry D and his family lost their home in a house fire. Luckily, the family, including his dogs and cats, were rescued, but the road to recovery remains long.

“We lost our home to a house fire tonight, everything gone… I’m for the first time at a loss for words and do not know where to start…thankfully our dog an cats were saved and recovered… long road for my wife, our 4 kids and I, I you all, Tia for positive an prayers,” Larry D wrote.

GoFundMe

Following the horrific event, Larry D’s ex-wife, Amanda Caswell, launched a GoFundMe to help the family get back on their feet. Caswell noted that the family is in special need of clothes, furniture, and more assistance in taking care of their four children. The current goal for the fundraiser is $10,000. At the time of this writing, donations have already reached more than half of that goal. Donations to the GoFundMe fundraiser can be placed here.

The description of the GoFundMe reads:

“Hi my name is Amanda Caswell. I started this go fund me page to help my ex-husband Larry Jones and his wife, Paige Jones together we share a 14-year-old daughter and a 12 year old son. Paige has a 15-year-old daughter from a previous relationship and they have a six-year-old daughter together, they’ve just lost their home to a fire. They’ve lost everything and will be starting from scratch. They have no clothes no furniture and no toys for their baby 10,000 isn’t nearly enough but it is enough to get started. Please help me help them rebuild Every little bit will be appreciated. God bless.”

SEScoops would like to send out our best wishes to Larry D and his family during this difficult time.

“The Queen” has spoken.

In 33 days, Charlotte Flair will put her SmackDown Women’s Championship on the line against Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania. Before her meeting with “The Eradicator” though, Flair continues to defend her title amidst the company’s tour of live events.

Through WWE’s most recent loop this past weekend, Flair raised up her championship again, but this time, it was in a fatal four-way. On Saturday, Flair made her way to Champaign, Illinois to battle Liv Morgan, Sonya Deville, and NXT Superstar Zoey Stark. In recent weeks, Flair and Deville sparked an on-screen rivalry, as Deville fell short in two previous attempts at capturing the title.

Last year, Liv Morgan held the SmackDown Women’s Championship for three months after cash-in at Money in the Bank to dethrone Ronda Rousey. For Zoey Stark, though, this marked her first loop of main roster live events.

“The Queen” evidently retained her title in Champaign, and the following night in Rockford, but not without valiant efforts from her competition. Following the double dose of four-way matches, Flair shared her praise for Stark.

“[Zoey Stark] killed it this weekend! Great job woman!” she wrote via Twitter.

Road To WrestleMania

As it appears Stark may soon make way up to the main roster, Charlotte Flair herself has established herself as a history maker in the women’s division. Reigning as a 14-Time World Champion at this point, Flair gears up for a WrestleMania 36 rematch in a few weeks.

On the latest edition of SmackDown, Flair called out her WrestleMania 39 opponent, Rhea Ripley. Instead, she was met by Rhea’s ally, Dominik Mysterio. The two traded some fierce words before “Mami” finally emerged to stand face-to-face with Flair. In five weeks, Ripley looks to redeem herself after Flair unseated her for the NXT Women’s Championship three years ago at “The Show of Shows.”

Upon entering WWE in the late 1990s, a young Edge received the opportunity to tango with some of wrestling’s most illustrious figures.

Under contract, “The Rated R Superstar” has worked through four different eras, including the Attitude Era, Ruthless Aggression, and the PG era. After his surprise return to the sport in 2020, Edge integrated himself into the “New Era,” and continues to run strong today.

Before he made his own mark as a legend, though, the WWE Hall of Famer worked with several other legends during his initial run in WWE. Reflecting on his career, Edge recalled some of the talent who helped shape him during his earlier days.

“It’s not lost on me the amount of talent I’ve had the opportunity to face,” he wrote via Twitter. “Perfect, Owen, Martel, Bad News, Hacksaw, Road Warriors, Funk, Lawler, Flair, Bulldog, Landell, Bossman, Earthquake, Boogy Woogy, Vader just to name a few, let alone the other 2 generations. Blows my mind.”

Legends Meet A Future Legend

Most of the WWE Superstars referenced by Edge did battle with him while Edge was still in his 20s. In early 2002, Edge met the late WWE Hall of Famer Mr. Perfect for the first and only time on Sunday Night Heat, winning the bout by disqualification.

Other notable opponents include Edge’s numerous matches involving fellow Canadian, Owen Hart. In September 1998, a 24-year-old Edge battled Hart at WWE’s In Your House 24: Breakdown, before the two met a few months later in tag team competition.

Of those mentioned, Ric Flair encountered Edge over fifty times throughout their careers in various tag team matches, battle royals, and singles competitions. Within a one-on-one capacity, the two first dueled in May 2004, as Edge gained the victory over “The Nature Boy.”

If it were up to Bayley, there would be even more members of Damage CTRL right now.

Since aligning at SummerSlam 2022, the trio of Bayley, Dakota Kai, and IYO SKY have established themselves as major players in the women’s locker room. Kai and SKY have dominated the women’s tag team division with two title reigns, while Bayley has tackled multiple singles stars, including Becky Lynch and RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair. As it turns out, though, Bayley — the leader of the group — wanted some additional figures to join her in the formation of the faction.

In a new interview with BT Sport’s Ariel Helwani, Bayley revealed that she pitched the group concept “a couple years” before it finally panned out.

“[The idea] had a different group of people as the time went on,” she said. “Peyton Royce was someone that I really wanted in there. Tegan Nox was someone that I wanted in there. There were a lot of people that it just kind of changed throughout time and as people left the company and things like that, but Dakota was always — she’s one of the OG’s that I always envisioned in this group.”

Planting The Seeds

Bayley later explained that she brought the idea up to Paul “Triple H” Levesque a few WrestleMania’s ago, but after receiving feedback, she made some tweaks. And after trading “a million” different name ideas with creative, “The Role Model” said they couldn’t get on the same page. One of the stable names she pitched was called “The Now.”

“To me, I didn’t care about the championships I won in the past, I don’t care about what happens next, these girls right here and what we’re about to do, the present is all that matters. So, ‘The Now’ was my first idea.”

Due to legal matters, however, that name didn’t work out, but eventually, they landed on Damage CTRL. “To me, Damage CTRL is just kind of showing the world how much more there is to offer than what you just see on TV every week,” Bayley said.

Natalya continues to inspire the next generation of WWE Superstars, and in recent years, she’s gotten to work with a few as well.

In April 2022, Natalya returned to WWE’s developmental territory of NXT, surprising Cora Jade with an emotional message. Natalya applauded Jade on making it to WWE, years after the two first met at a WWE live event during Jade’s fanatic days. The former SmackDown Women’s Champion referred to Jade as the “future” of NXT, but “the future is [also] bleak,” she said.

Natalya then delivered a slap to the young superstar, before locking in her signature Sharpshooter submission. The two later met once more, as Cora Jade did her best to dethrone the “Queen of Harts” on the May 10 episode of NXT. Unfortunately for Jade, though, the referee would be forced to call the match as she passed out to the Sharpshooter.

Natalya Heaps Praise For Cora Jade

Recently speaking with Love Wrestling, Natalya commended Cora Jade for making persistent strides to achieve her childhood dream, noting that their storyline was Natalya’s “favorite thing” of 2022.

“It was so much fun,” she said. “She wanted to soak up as much information as she could. She was really a pleasure to work with, and I loved our program together. It was so much fun, and I think that there’s a lot of great things to come for her in the future, too. I think she’s a student of the game.”

“She is also somebody that I pointed to in the crowd [at a live event]. She has this photo of us that we took a selfie in the audience, and she made it. So, it’s really cool again, like [Roxanne Perez], Cora’s a fan. She’s a fan, she loves this, and she’s here. She made it. Cora and Roxy are a great message to little girls, and guys, everywhere, that you can have big dreams and you can accomplish them. You can achieve them. With hard work, dedication, and not ever taking no for an answer, you can achieve your dreams.”

H/T to Spencer Love of Love Wrestling for the transcription

The stakes were never higher for Sami Zayn this past weekend as he did his best to dethrone the long-time Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns. In the end though, Zayn’s quest for glory, and gold, left him empty handed.

As Zayn revved up for Elimination Chamber, he admitted he didn’t know if he could beat “The Tribal Chief.” Despite his own doubts, though, support for Zayn continued to grow, not only from the WWE Universe, but from Cody Rhodes, and those behind-the-scenes as well.

As reported by Wrestling Observer Radio, some higher-ups in the company lobbied for Zayn to pull off a grand triumph over Roman Reigns at the February 18 premium live event. Though the identities of those pushing the agenda weren’t revealed, the possibility of Zayn winning appeared to be actively discussed.

Close, But No Cigar

Though the odds were heavily stacked against him, Zayn pieced together a valiant effort to combat Roman Reigns. At one point, Zayn stunned the champion by blocking a Superman Punch with an exploder. Later on, Zayn kicked out of a vicious spear — a feat rarely seen in Reign’s opponents.

Zayn’s hopes soon came crashing down, though, as Jimmy Uso appeared, delivering a superkick and a splash as the referee laid knocked out to the side. The second referee wouldn’t fair much luck either, as Reigns inadvertently struck him with a punch, paving the way for Jey Uso to make his appearance. As Jey hesitated to wield a chair on Sami, Reigns dodged an incoming spear from the former “Honorary Uce,” leaving Jey in Zayn’s path.

After accidently nailing his only ally left in The Bloodline, Zayn’s fate was sealed. The final blows came at the hands of Roman Reigns, who unloaded a series of chair spots and another spear to lay Zayn’s dreams to rest, and retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.

All roads now lead to WrestleMania 39. WWE held their annual Elimination Chamber event from the Bell Centre this past weekend, delivering a five-match card to a hot crowd in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Headlined by an Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match including one of Montreal’s own, the premium live event proved to be a must-see attraction for the live audience, and for fans watching at home.

After some in-ring shenanigans involving two referees getting knocked out and The Usos interfering, Roman Reigns successfully defended his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship much to the dismay of Sami Zayn’s hometown crowd.

Despite the odds stacked against him, Austin Theory walked out of the men’s Elimination Chamber with his United States Championship still intact. As it was down to the final two — Theory and Seth Rollins — Logan Paul emerged, unleased an attack against Rollins, allowing Theory to seal the victory with an A-Town Down.

Inside the women’s Elimination Chamber, Asuka outlasted her five other opponents as well. She will now go on to face Bianca Belair for the RAW Women’s Championship at WrestleMania in Hollywood.

Producers

Following the Elimination Chamber event, Fightful Select reported the identities of the match producers:

• Women’s Elimination Chamber: Liv Morgan vs. Asuka vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Natalya vs. Carmella vs. Nikki Cross — Tyson Kidd, Molly Holly, Peter Williams
• Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley — Jason Jordan
• Edge & Beth Phoenix vs. Finn Balor & Rhea Ripley — Adam Pearce
• Men’s Elimination Chamber: Seth Rollins vs. Montez Ford vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Austin Theory vs. Damian Priest vs. Bronson Reed — Jamie Noble & Abyss (Chris Park)
• Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Sami Zayn vs. Roman Reigns (c) — Michael Hayes

Following the exit of Mandy Rose last December, Toxic Attraction tried their best to stay afloat, but ultimately, Jacy Jayne decided to sink their ship for good.

After their partnership lingered on shaky terms for several weeks, Jacy Jayne and Gigi Dolin have officially separated. In the final segment of WWE NXT last week, the two gathered form a special edition of ” Ding Dong Hello” hosted by RAW star Bayley. As Jayne and Dolin appeared to patch up their friendship with a hug, Jayne had other ideas — delivering a superkick to her long-time tag team partner before busting Dolin’s head into the “Ding Dong Hello” door.

Following her shocking betrayal, Jacy Jayne issued a series of statements on Monday’s edition of Busted Open Radio. When asked about the buzz her actions generated inside the professional wrestling world, Jayne felt her actions were justified.

“I feel like being in Toxic Attraction, I was kind of always a third wheel. Everybody always talks about Mandy because she’d been here for so long. Everybody always watches everything she does. Then you have Gigi, who had a huge name on the indies before she came to NXT, and everybody kind of looked at me and was like, ‘Well, who the hell is that girl?’ So now for everybody to actually be paying attention and have my name in their mouths and now I’m the talk of the town, that’s huge for me. That’s all I’ve wanted for a really long time. So, I’m happy about it,” she said.

“It’s Jacy Jayne Time!”

Jayne continued, offering more insight into her decision to fully end Toxic Attraction, which primarily began after their leader — Mandy Rose — had been released from the company in mid-December. Jayne admitted the initial split wasn’t easy, but more than anything, she craved the opportunity to finally stand on her own.

“I think recently I’ve been starting to get more credit for everything, especially, honestly, after Mandy left. As sad as that whole situation was and we tried to make the most of it going forward, I feel like that kind of helps me break out of this Toxic Attraction shell,” Jayne explained. People were paying attention to me more and listening to what I had to say. I haven’t gotten a lot of credit while we’re all together, but now I’m starting to show my character and how much I’ve grown over the last year and a half, two years.”

“So, I think this was, honestly, my breakout moment. Even at Vengeance Day, it was kind of sink or swim for us. ‘Now you’re on your own, you have to prove that you can do it by yourself.’ So, I went into that match with that my frame you need to kill this performance, because if not, you don’t know what’s going to happen going forward.”

Peeling back the curtain a bit, Jayne revealed a lot of her recent actions were fueled by some real-life emotion. “I was trying to make a statement. So, when we were doing it, I wanted the cameras to get close to me to hear what I had to say in that moment. I feel like a lot of that was real. Obviously in this business, you need to, at some point, be selfish and put yourself first to get to that next level, and I want to be on that next level,” she explained. “I want people to take me seriously and see me as a heavy hitter in the women’s division. So, that’s what I did. I wanted to make a statement, I wanted to make an impact, and I did it in the best way I knew how.”

“I feel like this was really my breakout moment where now all eyes are on me, and I have the control to make my own destiny going forward. Obviously, I want to be at the top of the division. So, whoever I have to step on to get there, I’m going to do that.

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

With the announcement of the upcoming joint show between IMPACT Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, the “forbidden door” has busted wide open yet again.

Scheduled to take place Thursday, March 30, at the Globe Theater in Los Angeles, the event, titled Multiverse United: Only The STRONG Survive, will feature a stacked card of cross-promotion matchups. So far, three official bouts have been laid out: Will Ospreay versus Mike Bailey, KUSHIDA versus IMPACT World Champion Josh Alexander, and Jeff Cobb versus Moose.

According to the press release, several other stars will be joining the spectacle. X Division Champion Trey Miguel, Ace Austin, and Chris Bey will be amongst those representing IMPACT, while the likes of KENTA, Rocky Romero, and Minoru Suzuki will perform on behalf of NJPW. In addition, most of the Knockouts division will be present — a detail that caught the attention of fans, and talent themselves.

“Ooooh The Possibilities…”

Following the news of Multiverse United, many fans, and Knockouts Champion Mickie James, quickly pointed out a multitude of possibilities for additional matches on the card.

One popular suggestion included the highly anticipated singles meeting between James and NJPW’s newest recruit, Mercedes Moné, and it appears that Moné is behind the idea.

As one fan (Wrestling Galaxy) made their pitch for the match on Instagram, Moné reposted the photo of herself and Mickie James to her personal Instagram story, seemingly indicating her interest in the “dream” affair.

As Moné continues to tease a match between the two, Mickie James spoke with SEScoops last month about Moné’s journey into free agency. Amidst the discussion, James revealed she’s been yearning for a singles match with the former WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion.

“I’ve never had a singles match with Sasha [Banks] and I would really, really love to have a singles match with Mercedes … I’m excited too, because I feel she has an opportunity now to do it her way, and she wanted to do a lot of things, and now she gets to go do them, and she can go test herself against whoever she wants to and show up everywhere. That’s what I hope, she shows up everywhere. Come on over to IMPACT!” James said.

Before this potential contest can even be entertained, though, both women pivot their focus to their upcoming championship matches. On February 18, Mercedes Moné laces up her boots against KAIRI to challenge for the IWGP Women’s Championship at NJPW’s Battle At The Valley. On February 24, Mickie James put her IMPACT Knockouts Championship on the line at No Surrender against “The Russian Dynamite,” Masha Slamovich.

As WWE revs up for Elimination Chamber this Saturday, the betting odds are in.

So far, four matches have been announced for the Montreal, Quebec, Canada pay-per-view, with a bout between Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar likely becoming official tonight on RAW.

Of the two titles on the line at Elimination Chamber, neither are favored to change hands. However, the margin of odds for Austin Theory retaining the United States Championship remain close, with Seth “Freakin” Rollins lingering as a close contender right behind him.

As Bianca Belair looks to lock in her WrestleMania 39 opponent, one name has emerged as the heavy favorite to claim the title of number one contender inside the chamber structure this weekend. 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble winner Rhea Ripley looks to secure some momentum heading into her WrestleMania 39 match against Charlotte Flair. Before she vies for the SmackDown Women’s Championship, Ripley will team with fellow Judgement Day member Finn Balor to take on WWE Hall of Famers Edge and Beth Phoenix in a mixed tag team match on the February 18 event.

WWE Elimination Chamber Odds

The favorites to win are listed as – while the underdogs are listed with +. Here are the current betting odds, courtesy of BetOnline:

• Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) -2000 vs. Sami Zayn +700
• Women’s Elimination Chamber (RAW Women’s Championship #1 Contender): Asuka -1250 vs. Raquel Rodriguez +400 vs. Liv Morgan +900 vs. Nikki Cross +1400 vs. Carmella +2000 vs Natalya +2500
• Men’s Elimination Chamber (United States Championship) Austin Theory -250 vs. Seth Rollins +250 vs. Montez Ford +475 vs. Bronson Reed +1200 vs. Damian Priest -1200 vs Johnny Gargano -1600
• Mixed Tag Team Match: Edge & Beth Phoenix -400 vs. Finn Balor & Rhea Ripley +250

Jamie Hayter has accumulated a winning streak since obtaining the AEW Women’s World Championship at Full Gear last November. Along the way, she reached three tag team victories alongside Britt Baker, and most recently defeated Emi Sakura in a title eliminator match on the January 25 episode of Dynamite.

Perhaps most notably, though, Jamie Hayter battled a former AEW Women’s Champion in the main event of the “Holiday Bash” edition of Dynamite on December 21. The match itself would receive much positive praise, as Hayter dueled back-and-forth with Hikaru Shida, before the current champion picked up the victory with a Hayter-ade.

When discussing the possibility of wrestling Shida again Hayter noted she’d “happily” run it back.

“I would happily wrestle Shida, she is the real deal,” Hayter told Dark Puroresu Flowsion. “She almost made me believe I might not beat her. But I loved the challenge. I think doing it on a bigger stage at a PPV will make things much more intense and raise the stakes even higher. Having that ‘big match feel’ always escalates the situation and I think she has even more to give. I want the challenge.”

STARDOM

In the same interview, Jamie Hayter was asked if there was any talent in STARDOM she’d like to face. From 2018-2020 she aligned with the Oedo Tai faction of the Japanese promotion, capturing the Goddesses of STARDOM Championship and SWA World Championship during her tenure there.

“That’s a tough question because, honestly, I would love the opportunity to wrestle all of the women in STARDOM, so let’s say everybody!” Hayter said. “There is a plethora of talent I’d like to step in the ring with so it’s hard to single anybody out. I feel like it would be interesting to step into a ring with talent l’ve wrestled before to see how much we have grown and evolved. Someone like Utami for instance…”

Candice LeRae made her grand return to WWE in late September, but a month later, she was written off of television for several weeks.

On October 24, “The Poison Pixie” confronted Damage CTRL (Bayley, Dakota Kai & IYO SKY) in a backstage segment. After calling SKY “untrustworthy,” Kai “spiteful,” and pointing out Bayley’s failed attempts at capturing the Raw Women’s Championship, the three attacked LeRae. As a result, LeRae sustained a “shoulder injury” from the ambush, according to commentary.

Candice LeRae would then be sidelined from action for over a month, returning on November 28 and defeating Dakota Kai in singles action. In a recent on The Sam Laprade Show, LeRae provided some more insight into her brief absence.

“I just had a freak accident happen not that long ago,” she confirmed.

LeRae’s New Approach To Handling Injuries

No further details were mentioned, but LeRae continued to explain the inherent risk performers take when they sign up for wrestling. Her approach to handling them has also changed upon entering motherhood. “We’re always taking a risk when we step into the ring. What we do, it is very taxing on our bodies,” she said. “I’m a bit more — having a son now, it’s a bit more scary for me because when I do get hurt, it affects him now. Before, I was like, ‘Well, I don’t care, it’s myself. If it happens, it happens, then that’s the risk we’re taking.'”

“Now, it does affect him as well. It’s a very real thing, but WWE takes such phenomenal care of us. The medical staff that we have, they do so much for us and we do everything we can to prevent anything.”

“Of course, in the back of my head, I’m thinking, ‘I don’t want to get hurt because I want to be a present mother.’ I do feel not as worried as you’d probably think I would be. I feel people got my back, 1000%. I’ve been training for this for 20 years.”

AEW President Tony Khan hopes to keep Double Or Nothing in familiar territory this year.

Upon its inauguration in 2019, the spring pay-per-view for All Elite Wrestling has belonged to Double Or Nothing. In its first four years, the event has gathered in Las Vegas, Nevada for the two years not surrounded by COVID (2019 & 2022).

In a recent appearance on The Mark Hoke Show, the host asked if he should be making plans in Vegas for Memorial Day weekend — the traditional timeframe for the pay-per-view.

“Yes, you should,” Tony Khan said.

Though he didn’t officially confirm AEW would land in Las Vegas again for the show, Khan indicated that is indeed the intention. “I can’t wait. I really believe we’ve built something very special in Las Vegas with Double or Nothing weekend for the local fans in Vegas and fans who travel from all over the world to be part of Double or Nothing every year.”

“Absolutely, as long as I can make it happen, which I think will be for many decades to come, I expect Double or Nothing to be part of the Las Vegas calendar and Memorial Day in Las Vegas is about AEW now.”

Khan continued, explaining that Memorial Day is not only a “very important American holiday,” but a “nice tradition” for AEW and its fans as well. “On Sunday in particular, in recent years, we’ve had a lot of success, so I would love to Double or Nothing in Las Vegas and I expect to,” he said.

Last year, AEW brought Double Or Nothing to the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada — a suburb of the popular Las Vegas city. The main event saw CM Punk defeat “Hangman” Adam Page to win the AEW World Championship.

Last Monday, WWE celebrated its 30th anniversary of RAW with a showcase of memories and moments from the past.

Amidst the festivities, several legends appeared backstage and in front of the live crowd, including The Undertaker, Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, D-Generation X, and many more. Through the sea of former superstars, one name was notably missing: Kevin Nash.

Nash, a founding member of the NWO, recently confirmed he received an invitation to RAW 30, but ultimately declined it.

“Mr. [Bruce] Prichard reached out and asked if I would like to come,” he recalled on Kliq This. “I just said, it’s a really long day to go to TV when you’re doing something, actually on the active roster and going to have a match or a segment. It’s like building the pyramids if you’re going to be playing a hand of cards.”

RAW 30 “Not Worth The Aggravation”

Though he is friends with DX, Kevin Nash believes he wouldn’t fit have fit in with the on-screen segment involving Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Road Dogg, X-Pac, and Kurt Angle as they were confronted by Imperium. “I can’t be out there with DX because I’m too much of a d***,” he said. “They all said they were too old. I would have headbutted that big motherfu**er (GUNTHER) in the forehead. I’m not backing down, so send me home, I’m not doing that.”

“I’m glad I didn’t go because I don’t see where the f*** I would have been used,” Nash revealed.

On top of the uncertainty with his possible placement on the programming, Nash noted that he didn’t “know anybody on the crew really anymore or any of the workers or anything else.” In addition, he emphasized that he “really” didn’t want to suffer through the toll of “people that I don’t know coming up to me saying, ‘I’m sorry to hear about your son‘. Why would I put myself [through that]?” he said.

“I know what the payday is going to be. The payday is going to be…” he trailed off. “Not worth the aggravation,” co-host Sean Oliver filled in the sentence, as Nash agreed.

Charlotte Flair made her grand return to WWE on December 30, confronting an old foe and reclaiming her gold in the process. But that wasn’t exactly how “The Queen” initially envisioned her comeback to unfold.

In a recent appearance on Busted Open, Flair revealed that she “definitely didn’t think” she’d regain the SmackDown Women’s Championship right “off the bat” as she did. From her surprise appearance in Tampa, Florida, Flair evidently stunned the WWE Universe, and Ronda Rousey, with her resurgence. Moments earlier, Rousey defeated Raquel Rodriguez to retain the SmackDown Women’s Champion, but Charlotte Flair issued a challenge for Rousey to put up her title one more time. Rousey accepted, and Flair finally got the retribution she was looking for.

Despite the shock on immediate her title win, Flair stated that she “knew the direction” she wanted to go upon her return. “It felt weird if I didn’t come back and go after Ronda again. If I had just ignored her, even though we’ve been in and out of storylines the past couple of years, I needed to go back to Ronda,” she said.

Reception To Flair’s WWE Return

“Where I went from there, I just didn’t think I was going to have the same reception every week. It almost gets better,” Flair said. “You always get that one good [welcome back] ‘Yay!’ It’s been that way, even on live events. So, I’m committing to it.”

Flair also recently mentioned that the crowd’s feel-good reaction to her victory “overwhelmed” her.

Prior to her return, Charlotte Flair experienced a near eight-month absence from WWE. At WrestleMania Backlash last May, the company wrote Flair off with a storyline injury after her “I Quit” match with Ronda Rousey. In reality, though, Flair took the time off to commence her wedding with AEW star Andrade El Idolo, and address some dental issues. Multiple procedures later, Flair finally gained her clearance to wrestle again.

Rhea Ripley has a big decision ahead of her, but before she can make it, she has another piece of business to tend to first.

Saturday night, Rhea Ripley punched her ticket to WrestleMania 39. “The Nightmare” entered the 2023 women’s Royal Rumble from the number one spot, but that didn’t stop her from outlasting everyone else. The final two saw Ripley clash with former tag team partner Liv Morgan — who entered at number two — before Ripley eliminated Morgan, effectively winning the 30-woman Rumble match. Now, Ripley must declare which championship she will vie for at WWE’s grandest stage, WrestleMania 39.

Before she can weigh her options, however, she appears be caught in the sights of WWE Hall of Famer, Beth Phoenix.

Awakening The Glamazon

At Extreme Rules in October, Phoenix zoomed down to try and save her husband, Edge, from the wrath of the Judgement Day during his “I Quit” match with Finn Balor. Unfortunately for Phoenix though, Rhea Ripley took her down with a pair of brass knuckles and a chair shot to the head. At the Royal Rumble, Phoenix returned with revenge on her mind.

After Edge’s elimination in the men’s Royal Rumble at the hands of the Judgement Day, “The Rated R Superstar” brawled with Finn Balor and Damian Priest up the entrance ramp. Ripley, however, stunned Edge with an attack from behind, kicking him down.

Soon though, Ripley received a surprise of her own. “The Glamazon” Beth Phoenix appeared behind Rhea Ripley, grounding her with a spear.

Following the action, Ripley and Phoenix battled in a war of words on Twitter. Phoenix congratulated Ripley on her women’s Royal Rumble win, promising to drag her to Hell now. Ripley replied seemingly unphased, proclaiming that saying that Phoenix stepped into her playground now. “The Glamazon” answered back with a warning to “The Nightmare.”

The Last Rodeo may have come to an end, but Mickie James vows to make her latest run as Knockouts World Champion the most remarkable of her career.

On January 13th, the “Hardcore Country” legend put her career on the line against Jordynne Grace’s Knockouts Championship at IMPACT Wrestling’s Hard To Kill pay-per-view. The two battled feverishly in the main event, but ultimately, it was Mickie James who prevailed. With her win, James claimed her fifth title run in the company, becoming the brand-new Knockouts Champion.

Following her emotional victory, SEScoops correspondent Ella Jay spoke with Mickie James about her win at Hard To Kill, paying homage to her Native American roots, her thoughts on Mercedes Moné, memories of Jay Briscoe, her full-circle arch with Masha Slamovich, almost quitting in OVW, and more.

Watch Ella Jay’s full interview with Mickie James:

Here are some highlights on what Mickie James said about:

Winning The Knockouts Championship At IMPACT Hard To Kill:

“It’s not often that I’ll look back at a match and I go like, ‘okay, I was happy with that.’ It was a battle. I felt like I just started to feel normal a few days ago, and then we obviously just had [television] tapings again. But I walked in there, I was like ‘I just started feeling normal yesterday’ because we went to war.”

“I knew it had high expectations; a lot of people were excited for the match. I was excited for the match. I had never been in the ring with Jordynne before, and obviously I’ve watched her and she’s so impressive. She was a dominant champion, and I knew that this match — I wanted to give her the best of me that I had. I certainly didn’t want to disappoint her. I don’t think that she wanted to disappoint me, and it was just a lot. It was a very emotional, a very emotional night, I think, for myself and for her and for everyone.”

Paying Homage To Her Native American Roots In Her Hard To Kill Entrance:

“I’ve always wanted to be able to pay homage to my native roots and do it in a respectful way, and also just the awareness of indigenous culture. The fact that I was able to I asked the Chief if they would be willing to come down with the tribe and do the dance and that whole planning of like what song it was going to be and where he and Jody came up with pretty much the song that was a powerful kind of warrior song, but also the emotion and to pay the homage to my Mattaponi nation and my tribe especially now because they’re just doing so many monumental movements right now as far as like getting the federal recognition and this new tribal council, which my mom is a part of, and she was out there in the crowd and it was just beautiful.”

“I thought, if this is going to be my last match, then this is something I’d always wanted to do. The fact that IMPACT — and I went to Scott [D’Amore] with it — I knew it was asking a lot to be able to do something like this. IMPACT doesn’t do this a lot. They don’t do entrances like WrestleMania. You’ll get entrances like that at these big events, but IMPACT very rarely — they did the one with Samoa Joe I remember they did that with the dancers before — but it’s very rare that they’ll do something like this. So, it was a big deal. It was a big deal to get the tribe there. It was a big deal to kind of orchestrate it to where it looked, and it was presented in a very respectful way.”

“I feel like one reason why I never done a whole lot with my native culture in wrestling is because oftentimes, it’s just like in television, I just feel like it’s this false narrative of it’s a campy, comedic version of Native Americans or how we see them. We’re very much alive today in society. It’s just important to me to spread awareness and some love.”

Meeting Masha Slamovich Face-To-Face In IMPACT

“This goes back to Empowerrr, when I invited her to Empowerrr …. and Masha just stood out to me so much because she was so different, and she was so impactful and crisp, and she was cool. She was cool and different. Then when I found out she’s legit. 100% Russian, speaks 100% Russian, I was like, ‘Whoa.’ Then to bring her to IMPACT Wrestling, which I didn’t expect her to get offered a contract that night [at Knockouts Knockdown], but to get brought to IMPACT Wrestling in that Pick Your Poison against Deonna, because obviously Deonna and I are — we’re ‘fight forever’ friends.”

“[I] brought her in for that to be my poison against Deonna, and she had such an impressive showing that Gail [Kim] came out and they offered her a contract right there. I was like, ‘Whoa, this is so cool.’ It was wonderful to see something — it helped validate, my eye for talent of going like, I thought she had something special. Then when it gets validated, on the spot, like right in front of you, you’re like, ‘Oh my God, this is such an amazing moment.’ It was just emotional to see that.”

“Then she’s dominated. She dominated since she walked in the door and she’s destroyed the competition, most women in that locker room. Except Jordynne Grace, because Jordynne Grace beat her. And who beat Jordynne Grace? I did. So, if Jordynne can beat Masha, I can beat Masha now.”

Almost Quitting In OVW

“I always say in life, you’re going to be presented with — there’s going to be game changing moments in your life, and we don’t always recognize them, but they’re usually these real sit-down decision-making moments and what you choose then puts you down one path or the other, right? I feel like we should all be achieving our dreams and all doing the things that we love to do, and sometimes we get off path. But you feel happiest when you are doing those things, because it doesn’t feel like work.”

“A lot of times those hardships of like when you want to quit, when I wanted to quit in OVW and Tommy Dreamer is like, ‘you need to take a break. You need to go home and rethink this decision.’ He watched me from a year I had just been wrestling when I was getting those ECW tryouts and I was not good, but he had already watched me from there to then, this must have been 2004-ish.”

“It wasn’t that I wasn’t good. I was good, and I knew I was good. I think that’s why I was so upset and frustrated because I was like, ‘I know I’m good and I feel like I just want the opportunity, a chance’ I don’t understand why I’m down here training people. I know I’m better than all these people. So I just wanted an opportunity — I don’t mean like the girls on TV — I meant like the girls in developmental where we were. These are my friends and I love them, but most of them, they didn’t come from wrestling. So I was like, ‘Well, did I just come at this the wrong way? Should I have just went down a different path?’ Tried to be a model and then just kind of signed up for wrestling?

“[I thought], ‘because I love it so much or because I desire to be the best — is that the problem? Do I need to stop caring?’ It’s not in me to stop caring about it because I’ve just held myself to high standards. I think my grandma from horse training and showing did that at a young age. It was hard competing because you were competing against professionals all the time. I just wanted to be good, and I wanted to push yourself, and I think that that kind of created that foundation for everything else in life.”

“But nothing great comes without adversity. In fact, most times before you get — that’s where I say that’s what separates people, is that giving up or persevering through, which decision you make right there. Because most times that biggest test, that darkest moment happens right before the breakthrough, right? So, it’s like that last test of if overcoming this frickin’ hurdle that seems insurmountable before you get the blessing that you’ve been asking for. At least I feel like that’s been true for most parts of my life, and sometimes you don’t see it then, because you’re in it.”

How Her Mother Convinced Her Mother Not To Quit

“My mom wasn’t a wrestling fan. She liked Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat, but she wasn’t a wrestling fan. She didn’t love the fact that I was wrestling because she was terrified I was going to get hurt. I was living in Louisville. I was traveling all the time, like weekend warrior-ing it, not making any money, risking injury, no health insurance, all the things, until I got signed. But even then, I think at that point I’d been so committed, and she had asked me if I’d thought about other things, maybe I should consider other things or whatever prior to getting signed in developmental.”

“[She would ask] just more because she would see how disheartened I’d get every time I’d do a tryout and I’d get a no or they’d never call me back. She didn’t want me to feel bad or whatever. She was just being smart, think[ing] about other things. But when [Tommy] told me to go home, which was on the sly, like he didn’t tell my boss that he was letting me go home for a couple of weeks. We were going home for Christmas break anyway, so that was usually like two weeks. So, he let me go home about a week and a half, two weeks or so [early]. I ended up being home for almost a month and I was so homesick because I hadn’t been home for like, I don’t know, it was the longest had been away from my family.”

“I hadn’t been home for like two years, but it was her that as we’re sitting there and we’re talking and she was like about why I’m back early and why I’m staying so long and stuff. She’s the one who said, ‘I may not have loved your idea of it, but I see how much you love it.’ She goes, ‘I watch and I see. You shine out there and you are so good. Please don’t give up now. Don’t give up when you’re almost there because you’ll regret it the rest of your life.'”

“She goes, ‘I never went after the things that I love. A lot of us don’t even have the courage to do it, and you had the courage to go do that. Please don’t give up now. Just see it through. If they let you go, they let you go. You can do a million other things, but don’t quit. Don’t quit on it.’ And I was like, ‘okay.’ That’s really what it was, my mom.”

Mercedes Moné’s Journey To Free Agency

“I’m excited for her. I’ve said this, the world is her oyster. She can literally do whatever she wants. I think any company would benefit from having her on their roster. She is a star. The fact that she doesn’t need to be on a roster because she could go act or she could go do a lot of things, it shows that she has a genuine passion for wrestling and she’s great.”

“I’ve never had a singles match with Sasha [Banks] and I would really, really love to have a singles match with Mercedes. We could just book it at my house [in the barn]. I’ll send her the address. I’ll set up the ring.”

“I love her. I have so much love and respect for her, I do. I think she’s incredible. I’m excited to watch her journey, I really am. I’m excited too, because I feel she has an opportunity now to do it her way, and she wanted to do a lot of things, and now she gets to go do them, and she can go test herself against whoever she wants to and show up everywhere. That’s what I hope, she shows up everywhere. Come on over to IMPACT!”

Memories With Jay Briscoe

“I remember the Briscoes and it’s been so great to see them back, even like when they came to NWA or when they came to IMPACT and just seeing them back out in the scene. But I’ve known those guys since they were kids, since early Ring of Honor days. Obviously one of the greatest tag teams that’s ever been and them being brothers, I think really helped that because they just knew each other better than anybody else. To watch them, it was so seamless and beautiful and just perfect.”

“It was devastating [when Jay passed away]. I think it affected the whole wrestling community because you saw people from every company talking about it because this is a very full circle — wrestling is a very small circle sometimes, and we all have to go through the same places and through the climb up the same ladders together. You cross paths with a lot of people. Those friendships and those brotherhoods that you make along the way, you don’t forget those.”

“Even though we’re separated, doesn’t mean that they’re not important to us. I think that it’s sad. It’s really, really sad because he was so young and I feel like he had so much of a career left for him, but also he’s leaving his kids behind and his wife. It’s just devastating.”

“I just lost my brother, my oldest brother, not too long ago in a car accident. So, it was obviously it was a reminder about that. I called my family a lot and kind of spent the time some time home with D (her son) a little bit to reset. Who I’m feeling for is not just his wife and his kids, but his brother. They’ve been a tag team their whole lives. Not just in wrestling, their whole lives they’ve been a team. I’m sure there’s a bit of — I don’t know how he’s feeling right now and especially how he’s feeling about wrestling, but just I hope he is okay. It’s sad. It’s really sad. It’s sad, too, because I’m like, ‘God, that still felt like there’s so much more they could have done.'”

Over the last year, WWE has expanded their approach talent recruitment to target a new group of people — college athletes.

In December 2021, the company unveiled their NIL (Name, Image & Likeness) program, opening up a route for collegiate athletics to enter WWE. According to Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque the system will properly “ready the NCAA competitors for WWE once their collegiate careers come to a close.” 

15 college athletes officially joined the inaugural class, including track & field athlete Masai Russell. Hailing from Potomac, Maryland, Russell competes out of the University of Kentucky, with some impressive accolades to her name.

In high school, Russell claimed the top ranking in the 300m hurdles, and proved herself as the Gatorade Athlete of the Year in Maryland in 2018. At the 2018 Pan American Junior Games, she also claimed a bronze medal in the 400m hurdles. Now, Russell has unlocked a new achievement.

Record-Breaking Performance

On Friday, January 20, Masai Russell competed at the TTU Red Raider Open. There, she made it to the finals of the Women’s 60m hurdles event, and effectively swept away her opponents.

Clocking in at a time of 7.75 seconds, Russell surpassed Grace Starks 7.78 time to take over the all-time NCAA record.

In response to her impressive feat, Triple H congratulated the NIL athlete via Twitter.

“Congratulations to #WWENIL athlete @masai_russell on setting a new
@NCAA record in the 60m hurdles! An incredible achievement with undoubtedly more to come…” he wrote.

Last fall, WWE introduced a new recruiting tactic: “WWE Campus Rush.”

Throughout October, November, and December 2022, the company explored multiple college campuses as a part of an athlete recruitment tour. Several current WWE Superstars aided in the “campus rush,” including Big E, Bianca Belair, Omos, Madcap Moss and Raquel Rodriguez. Now in 2023, the tour will continue with stops in the University of Florida, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Texas A&M University, and more as WWE looks for the next generation of WWE Superstars.

“The Champ” is back in 2K.

Rumors regarding the potential cover star of WWE’s upcoming 2K23 video game began to circulate last week, and now, they are confirmed.

Monday morning, WWE and 2K unveiled a new commercial featuring Bad Bunny, Logan Paul, and Austin Theory talking with an invisible John Cena, before the camera pans over to the 16-time WWE Champion playing the new game as himself.

Last month, Cena had reportedly filmed a segment with Austin Theory while the two were backstage at SmackDown.

Prior to the game’s official reveal, John Cena had teased his potential involvement on his Instagram, posting a mock, blank cover of 2K23 — alluding to his signature phrase “You can’t see me.” With Cena as the face of 2K23, it marks his first cover position in eight years since 2K15. In addition, Cena will be featured on the covers of the Deluxe and Icon editions of the game as well.

Game Details

Pre-order for WWE 2K23 is now available, and will grant fans three-day early access on starting March 14th, before the game’s official launch on March 17th. With each pre-order, players will also receive the Bad Bunny Bonus Pack, unlocking the Grammy Award-winning artist as a playable character, and his Ruby MyFACTION card.

WWE 2K23 will also include four editions of the game:

• Standard Edition
• Cross-Gen
• Deluxe Edition
• Icon Edition

Several fan-favorite game modes will also be returning, including 2K Showcase, My GM, MyFaction, MyRISE, Universe, and WarGames.

According to GameStop, some other wrestlers confirmed for the game’s roster include “The Tribal Chief” Roman Reigns, Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, Brock Lesnar, Cody Rhodes, Ronda Rousey, Rhea Ripley, and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.

Players can access WWE 2K23 on the following systems: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PC.