SEScoops

Author: Chris Stephens

  • WWE Discloses Separation Agreement With Former CFO

    WWE Discloses Separation Agreement With Former CFO

    WWE has disclosed details of its agreement separation with former CFO Kristina Salen. Financial settlement terms were made public in a recent SEC filing.

    Salen will receive $413,000 for forfeited restricted stock units. She will also receive her incentive bonus for 2021 which is determined by the company’s Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors. The bonus is currently estimated at $431, 2000. She will also receive her base salary and health insurance coverage for a period of 12 months.

    Salen was the company’s Chief Financial Officer from August 2020 until November of this year. Prior to joining WWE, she had been the CFO for Etsy.

    “On November 23, 2021, World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into a separation agreement with Kristina Salen, formerly the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, in connection with her previously announced departure from the Company,” the filing reads.

    Following her departure from WWE, Salen wrote on her LinkedIn page:

    “Today I’m tagging out at WWE. I started at WWE in the midst of the global pandemic and I am proud of what I accomplished with Vince McMahon’s leadership and the tremendous team. We returned to live event touring, exceeded expectations, raised guidance for 2021 and laid a strong foundation for the future. I look forward to WWE’s continued success in and out of the ring!”

    Kristina Salen Departs As WWE’s Chief Financial Officer
  • Rhea Ripley Comments On Nikki Cross Survivor Series Snub

    Rhea Ripley Comments On Nikki Cross Survivor Series Snub

    Rhea Ripley was on Team RAW at the Survivor Series this year. At the time, she was one-half of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions along with Nikki ASH. They have since lost the belts to Carmella and Queen Zelina, however. Nikki was not on the Team RAW Survivor Series team. Rhea Ripley recently commented to Sportskeeda that she felt the snub was a little disrespectful.

    “I think I am more disappointed than Nikki is because she’s such a positive person,” Ripley said about Nikki not being on the Survivor Series team. “Yes, I know she’s upset. But I am very upset for her because I know that she’s worked so incredibly hard for everything that she’s accomplished. She’s been in this business for a lot longer than I have.”

    “To not have her on the team is a little bit disrespectful,” Ripley continued. “To have one half of your Tag Team Champions on the team and not the other half, it seems a little bit silly to me. We obviously work well enough together to be champions, so why not half Nikki on the team with us? I think we could really make some magic. I’m just disappointed, I really am.”

    Ripley and Nikki won the WWE Women’s tag-team titles on the September 20th, 2021 edition of WWE Raw from Natalya and Tamina. It was the 3rd time Nikki has held the titles, as she twice won the belts along with Alexa Bliss as “Bliss Cross.” Ripley and Nikki would hold the belts for 63 days before dropping them to Queen Zelina and Carmella on the November 22nd edition of RAW. Nikki is the only wrestler to hold the titles 3 times.

    H/T To Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions.

  • Kofi Kingston’s Family Welcomes Birth Of Baby Girl

    Kofi Kingston’s Family Welcomes Birth Of Baby Girl

    Kofi Kingston is the proud father of a new baby girl.

    The former WWE Champion announced the news on social media on Friday. Kingston announced his wife gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Lotus Selene Sarkodie-Mensah.

    This is the third child for Kofi Kingston and wife Kori Campfield, who have been married since 2021.

    Here are some photos of the happy family:

    Kofi Kingston on why New Day are the Greatest Team in WWE History

    Kingston noted recently on the Into the Danger Zone with Chris Denker podcast, that he believes New Day is the greatest team in WWE history.

    “We’ve just been able to do a lot of things that are groundbreaking,” Kingston said. “I haven’t even gotten into our accolades. The longest reigning tag-team champions, 11 times. I look at all that stuff, and not that you compare yourself to anybody else, but being a group that never had the desire to turn on one another.”

    He continued to say that when one member of the group accomplishes something, they all have.

    “Woods is the King, I’m the King. E is the WWE Champion, I’m the WWE Champion. We have that actual mentality of all for one and one for all. From all of those perspectives, I can’t think of another group that embodies most of those things, let alone all of those things, like we do. On top of it, WWE.com voted us the greatest tag-team/faction of all time anyway, so it’s official.”

    Kofi Kingston On Why New Day Is The Greatest Team In WWE History
  • Tony Khan Comments On Possible Bidding War For MJF In 2024

    Tony Khan Comments On Possible Bidding War For MJF In 2024

    During a recent promo, MJF noted that he is going to cause a bidding war to occur in 2024 when his AEW contract is up. AEW President Tony Khan recently appeared on Busted Open Radio and noted that he was aware MJF was going to make those statements and he’s also prepared to engage in such a bidding war.

    “Yes, I knew he was going to say that, he’s been saying it for a long time,” Khan said on the show. “I have no problem with it. I signed him to a five year contract two years ago, he has three years left. I’m totally fine. There may be a bidding war in 2024, I’m fine with that.”

    Khan continued to say during the conversation that anyone who signs with WWE these days is only signing a temporary arrangement, not a real contract.

    “Anyone who signs a contract (with WWE) these days, is not signing a real contract. It’s a temporary arrangement. People who come wrestle with me, a lot of these people are frankly lifers and they know that,” Khan said.

    Tony Khan: Anyone Signing With WWE Is Not Signing A Real Contract

    “There is a lot more security with a contract here. I can’t say I’m going to extend every contract or bring every person back, but I also haven’t been doing mass layoffs,” Khan continued.  

  • Young Bucks Sign New Long-Term Contracts With AEW

    Young Bucks Sign New Long-Term Contracts With AEW

    Matt & Nick Jackson have signed new contracts with AEW. News that the Young Bucks have signed new long-term deals with the company was reported in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

    Regarding the Young Bucks, Dave Melter wrote that they did “sign a new contract which will keep them with the company through at least 2026.”

    Update: It has since been revealed that their current contracts have only been extended until 2024.

    The Young Bucks are also EVPs with AEW as well. Their signing with the company in early 2019 was one of the catalysts of the promotion starting.

    The Young Bucks hold the record for the longest reign with the AEW World Tag Team Championships. Their 302 day reign lasted from Full Gear 2020 until All Out 2021. They are tied for the most title defenses as well with 9. Kenny Omega and Hangman Page also successfully defended the titles 9 times.

    During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, the Young Bucks commented on what it is like to have Adam Cole in the AEW locker room.

    “I can’t fully express the happiness I currently have, sharing a ring with Adam Cole again,” Matt Jackson said. “His positivity and energy had really helped the morale in our locker room. I haven’t stopped smiling since he showed up. When he arrived, it felt like we finally found that missing piece of the puzzle. The whole gang is finally back together. We hadn’t worked together in five years, but the chemistry was still there. The dude is a star and getting some of the biggest reactions I’ve ever heard.”

    The Young Bucks Comment On Having Adam Cole In The AEW Locker Room
  • Cody Rhodes Deactivates Twitter, Then Gives It To AEW Community Outreach Team

    Cody Rhodes Deactivates Twitter, Then Gives It To AEW Community Outreach Team

    Earlier this month, Cody Rhodes deactivated his Twitter account @CodyRhodes. The account has since been reactivated but with some changes. The name now listed on the account is “AEW Community Outreach”.

    Several people on social media have noted that Rhodes took to Instagram stories to say that his Twitter account will be given to the AEW Community Outreach Team.

    “I know folks were upset I deactivated my Twitter – but I’ve decided to lend those followers and transition the account to The AEW COMMUNITY OUTREACH TEAM! Good people doing good things for each other. Happy Thanksgiving!”

    It’s possible Rhodes decided to leave Twitter in response to negativity from fans. That is just speculation, however. Rhodes has been receiving a negative reaction from fans as of late which was clear in Chicago on Wednesday night. The live crowd in the Wintrust Arena booed Cody throughout his main event match. When Rhodes tossed his weight belt into the crowd, the person who caught it ended up throwing it back. After the show went off the air, Rhodes teased exiting through the “heel” tunnel on the left as well. More on what happened with Cody and the live crowd in Chicago is available in the link below:

    Brandi Rhodes & Aubrey Edwards Comment On Fan Throwing Cody’s Belt Back
  • See How Wrestlers Celebrated Thanksgiving

    See How Wrestlers Celebrated Thanksgiving

    Several wrestlers have posted to social media to show how they celebrated Thanksgiving recently. We’ve curated some of the best posts below.

    John Cena’s posted a special message for Thanksgiving:

    “Gratitude has found its way to the core of my being. Today, many will give thanks and might even express what it is they are thankful for. Challenge yourself to do this more than once a year. It could greatly affect perspective.”

    Jerry Lawler showed off the turkey he devoured:

    “I’m thankful for my family, friends and fans. I love my job and I couldn’t I ask for more. Although there is days I can’t move, I’m tired and I feel I can’t keep going I have to remind myself that I’m blessed and I wouldn’t live my life any other way!” wrote Thunder Rosa.

    DDP sent out a video greeting for Thanksgiving:

    Matt Hardy posted a video of his family’s celebrations:

    Brian Pillman Jr. showed off some of the Pillman family’s celebrations:

    Mia Him showed off some of her cooking:

    As per usual, Dax Harwood is thankful when he has a Bret Hart match on TV:

    Jeff Jarrett posted the following:

    Eric Bischoff showed off the bird he had for Thanksgiving:

    Brandi Rhodes showed off her setup for Thanksgiving as well:

  • Impact Results (11/25): Wrestle House Thanksgiving Special

    Impact Results (11/25): Wrestle House Thanksgiving Special

    It was a rather unique episode of Impact Wrestling this week. Following a big Turning Point event, we were transported back to Wrestle House for some shenanigans. The premise of the show was that John E. Bravo sold his soul to Rosemary (who wants his virgin blood) in exchange for making Johnny Swinger happy again. A bunch of characters were then sent to Wrestle House and were cursed with remaining there until Swinger is happy and thankful again.

    Impact Results 11/25:

    1. Chris Sabin defeated Kaleb With A K
    2. Downtown Daddy Brown (Willie Mack) defeated Johnny Swinger
    3. Rosemary, Crazzy Steve, Havok, Taurus & Chris Sabin defeated Eddie Edwards, Alisha Edwards, Kaleb, and Madison Rayne
    4. Johnny Swinger defeated Lawrence D
    5. Black Taurus defeated Hernandez

    Good Looking Chris Sabin defeats Kaleb With A K

    As Kaleb with a K was attempting to hit on one of the Swingerellas, Chris Sabin comes out of the shower wearing only a towel, which draws the attention of many in the house. Kaleb evidently grows jealous of Sabin’s shirtless physique and challenges him to a match. After a quick match, Sabin hits a Cradle Shock in slow motion for the win.

    Downtown Daddy Brown Comes Out of Retirement

    Madison Rayne and Alisha Edwards came up with a plan to cheer up Johnny Swinger. Since Swinger is perpetually stuck in the territory days, they decided to bring back a wrestler from that era. A few years ago, Impact did a throwback show where they pretended to be an old school wrestling territory. On that show, Willie Mack performed as Downtown Daddy Brown. The housemates decided to ask Rosemary to teleport Daddy Brown to the house. When he arrived, however, it turned out him and Swinger had longstanding heat and a match between the two was scheduled.

    After a ref bump, Swinger hit Brown with his own cane but Brown got the shoulder up at 2. Brown came back with a big head butt followed by an elbow drop (which injured his hip) and got the pin.

    Alisha Edwards, Kaleb with a K, and Madison Rayne Given A Chance to Win Their Way Out of the House

    Alisha, Rayne, and Kaleb really want to leave the house but the others wouldn’t go until they had broken the curse and made Swinger happy and thankful again. A match was scheduled and if the heels won, they would be teleported out of the house. Alisha requested that her husband Eddie Edwards join her team and he was teleported to the house as well. Rosemary ended up spearing Alisha and getting the pin. It looks like everyone will be staying put in the house.

    The Demon Brought In To Help Cheer Swinger Up

    The Demon was brought in to help cheer up Swinger. He was told it was Gene Simmons from KISS, however. Swinger told him there was a guy going around trying to impersonate him called the Demon. Demon responded that he heard the Demon was a good guy. The advice Demon gave to Swinger was to find the right woman in order to be happy. Since Swinger thought it was Gene Simmons giving him the advice, it meant a lot to him.

    Johnny Swinger Fights For The Honor Of Swingerella #1

    After receiving advice from who be believed was Gene Simmons, Swinger then went to make a commitment to one of the Swingerellas. Lawrence D confronted him, however. This led to a match between the two. Lawrence tried to gain the advantage by spraying his “Ring Rust” cologne in the eyes of Swinger but John E Bravo smelled it and refused to count the pin after. Swinger then threw powder in his opponent’s eyes and hit a swinging neckbreaker for the win. Swinger then proposed to Swingerella #1 and she accepted. Rosemary then announced the curse wouldn’t be broken until the two go to the altar.

    Hernandez Finds Out Rosemary Is Going To Steal John E Bravo’s Soul

    Hernandez overhears a conversation between John E Bravo and Rosemary about Rosemary taking John E Bravo’s soul in exchange for Swinger’s happiness. This leads to a match between Hernandez and Taurus. Hernandez was forced to wear dress clothes for the match and after his pants tore at the seat, Taurus rolled him up for the 3-count. Rosemary then cast a spell on Hernandez to make him think he’s part of LAX again.

    John E. Bravo Marries Swingerella #1

    A rather bizarre wedding took place to close out this episode. Rosemary’s plan to steal John E Bravo’s soul was uncovered but Bravo then revealed he no longer has virgin blood because he slept with Swingerella #1. This led to Swinger leaving the wedding and looking relieved for having done so. Bravo then proposed to Swingerella #1 and she accepted. The two were then married. Finally, the castmates enjoy a dinner before the show goes off the air.

  • Update On Wrestlers With The Most PPV Matches In History

    Update On Wrestlers With The Most PPV Matches In History

    Recently, Randy Orton broke the record for most PPV matches in a WWE ring with his 177th match taking place at Survivor Series. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, however, when non-WWE PPVs are factored in, there are a few wrestlers who top him on that list.

    When both TNA and NJPW PPVs are included, AJ Styles holds the record with 289 PPV matches. This is including the TNA weekly PPVs from their early days, however. Anyone involved in this era of TNA has a big advantage as a result. James Storm also has 228 PPV matches when TNA’s weekly shows are included.

    Excluding TNA, ROH or NWA shows, however, Chris Jericho tops the list with 187 PPV matches between his time in WCW, WWE, NJPW, and AEW.

    “If you don’t include TNA, ROH or NWA, the top person on the list would be Jericho with 187 between WWF, WCW, AEW and New Japan. Jericho was unaware of this,” wrote Dave Meltzer.

    The Undertaker has had 183 PPV matches when his time as “Mean” Mark Calaway in WCW is factored in. Triple H also had 7 PPV matches in WCW, bringing his total tally to 180. Big Show/Paul Wight is also at 180 when his non-WWE PPV matches are included.

    Including TNA PPVs, Jeff Jarrett has wrestled on PPV 179 times and Kurt Angle 178 times.

    The top-10 in WWE history are as follows:

    1. Randy Orton – 177
    2. Kane – 176
    3. The Undertaker – 174
    4. Triple H – 173
    5. John Cena – 163
    6. Chris Jericho – 144
    7. Big Show – 142
    8. Edge – 135
    9. The Miz – 121
    10. Kofi Kingston – 117
    11. Shawn Michaels – 117
  • Ric Flair Wants To See Charlotte Wrestle Britt Baker

    Ric Flair Wants To See Charlotte Wrestle Britt Baker

    Ric Flair wants to see his daughter Charlotte mix it up with reigning AEW Women’s World Champion, Britt Baker.

    On the latest episode of his Wooooo Nation Uncensored podcast, Flair hyped up this potential dream match.

    “Britt Baker is definitely a very nice person but, you know, I wish her nothing but the best,” said Flair. “However, I would love to see her facing Charlotte.”

    As for if we will ever see that match, Flair says it all comes down to business.

    Charlotte & Britt Baker

    We’ll have to see if Charlotte Flair ever leaves WWE for AEW. However, if that were to happen, Charlotte vs. Britt Baker would be a no brainer.

    Britt Baker recently named Charlotte as one of the people who inspired her to get into pro wrestling, along with Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks and Bayley.

    Charlotte Flair also aware that many fans are clamoring for this dream match. During a live podcast with Renee Paquette that took place over the summer, Charlotte was showered with “DMD” chants. You can see how she reacted below:

    Charlotte Flair Showered With “DMD” Chants During Live Interview

    Ric Flair Done With WWE

    Flair has been making a lot of headlines with comments he’s made on the new podcast. Flair lashed out at the treatment he received towards the end of his latest WWE run.

    The Nature Boy so offended by the way he was treated by WWE President Nick Khan that he’s vowed to never work with the company again.

    “I could never work for Nick Khan in my entire life,” said Flair. “Vince McMahon, I could work for. Nick Khan [is] the guy who orchestrated taking me off the show. I’ve got my facts together, orchestrated taking the ‘wooo’ off – never in a million years.”

  • GCW Hammerstein Ballroom Show Sells Out

    GCW Hammerstein Ballroom Show Sells Out

    GCW’s debut in the Hammerstein Ballroom for “The Wrld On GCW” has officially sold out. The show will take place on January 23rd, 2022.

    2,025 tickets have been sold to the event. Over 800 tickets were sold during the pre-sale event. Tickets went on-sale to the general public earlier this week.

    The Twitter account @WrestleTix has been keeping track of ticket sales.

    Eddie Kingston and the Briscoes have been announced for the show. There will also be a “Independent Wrestling Hall of Fame” ceremony the night before the event. So far, GCW has announced that the first two inductees will be Jerry Lynn and Homicide.

    Upcoming GCW Matches

    GCW’s next show will be “So High” from Houston, Texas on December 3rd. The show will air on FITE. The following matches have been booked thus far:

    • Alex Zayne vs Ninja Mack
    • Bryan Keith & Mysterious Q vs. The Second Gear Crew (AJ Gray & Matthew Justice)
    • Sadika vs Effy
    • Allie Katch vs Gino Medina
    • Loko Championship
      Dante Leon (c) vs Jack Cartwheel

    The following night on December 4th GCW will be in Dallas. The show will air on FITE. The following matches have been booked:

    • Thunder Rosa vs Allie Katch
    • Tony Deppend vs Bandido
    • Joey Janela vs ASF
  • Stephanie McMahon Comments On WM31 Angle With The Rock & Ronda Rousey

    Stephanie McMahon Comments On WM31 Angle With The Rock & Ronda Rousey

    Stephanie McMahon says she has many fond memories of working with the Rock. Recently in an interview with Talk Sport, she noted that perhaps her favourite was at WrestleMania 31 when she performed in a segment with both The Rock and Ronda Rousey.

    “I have lots of fun memories on screen with The Rock,” McMahon said. “I think I slapped him the hardest I’ve ever slapped him at WrestleMania 31 at Levi’s Stadium. It was a good one, it was a good one. It felt like I laid it in [laughs]. I was almost like ‘oooh, that was a little too hard!’ But then he brought in Ronda Rousey and ultimately she broke my arm and everything so ultimately, he got back at me.”

    “Always fun going back and forth doing promos with The Rock. He always won, of course, but that’s alright,” McMahon continued.

    Ronda Rousey recently addressed whether or not she is still under contract with WWE recently. While streaming video games on her Facebook page, someone asked Rousey if she was still under contract with the company. Rousey explained that she doesn’t really know if she is or not.

    “I don’t think I am. But who knows? That’s a question for the lawyers,” Rousey said. She would also say that she still keeps in touch with Stephanie McMahon.

    H/T to Post Wrestling for transcriptions of Ronda Rousey’s comments.

  • Seth Rollins’ Attacker Explains Why He Tackled Him On RAW

    Seth Rollins’ Attacker Explains Why He Tackled Him On RAW

    Elisah Spencer jumped the guardrail and tackled an unsuspecting Seth Rollins this Monday night on RAW. The 24-year-old recently spoke to the New York Daily News about why he did what he did. He is now facing criminal charges for his actions.

    “I apologized to the WWE for my actions,” Spencer said. “I had a legitimate beef but as a grown man I could have settled it a different way … If I saw him today I wouldn’t attack him. I’ve moved on.”

    He would continue to explain that he ended up being “catfished” online by a fake Seth Rollins account. The fake Seth Rollins asked him to send money and Spencer felt that he could work his way up in the business as a wrestling blogger in exchange.

    “He was asking me to send him gift cards in exchange for money, mostly $500 or more to see if I was loyal,” Spencer said. “He asked me to be a wrestling blogger for him. I wanted to work my way up.”

    According to comments made on Wrestling Observer Radio, Spencer asked his girlfriend to write the checks since he didn’t have the funds. His girlfriend’s checks then bounced and she was arrested.

    Spencer also continued to say that not only was he seeking revenge on Rollins for the money that was sent, he also wanted to help Finn Balor. On RAW, Rollins had just attacked Balor in a segment.

    “My plan was to help Finn Balor. I’m a fan,” Spencer continued. “I like his aura, his attitude, I like everything about his charisma, I like everything about him.”

    https://twitter.com/Machobeard4life/status/1463251158861066249

    The attack occurred in the Barclay’s Arena, the same venue where Bret Hart was tackled during the Hall of Fame ceremony in 2019.

    More on Seth Rollins being tackled by a fan on RAW:
  • Darby Allin Pays Tribute To Recently Deceased Punk Singer On Dynamite

    Darby Allin Pays Tribute To Recently Deceased Punk Singer On Dynamite

    This week on AEW Dynamite, Darby Allin’s facepaint was a little different than usual. There was a notable design change around his eye. The design is similar to the one often worn by Hank von Hell (Hans-Erik Dyvik Husby), who at one time was the lead singer of the Norwegian Death Punk band Turbonegro.

    Von Hell died on November 19th, 2021 and Allin’s facepaint change was a likely tribute to him. He was 49. No cause for his death has been revealed.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CWeavVjME2N/

    “It is with immense sadness we received the tragic news that Hans-Erik «Hertis» Dyvik Husby has passed away,” reads the band’s tribute to their singer on Instagram. “We are thankful for the times, the moments and the magic we shared with Hans-Erik in Turbonegro during the years 1993-2009.”

    Footage of Van Hell performing is available in the player below:

    Darby Allin appeared on AEW last night as him and Sting confronted The Gunn Club. Billy and Colten Gunn had just defeated Bear Country when Sting appeared on the ramp. On Rampage last week, Darby Allin had defeated Billy Gunn in single’s action before The Gunn Club attacked both him and Sting after the match.

    As Austin Gunn ran after Sting, Darby Allin came out of nowhere and took him out. Sting and Darby Allin then attempted to enter the ring but the remaining members of The Gunn Club bailed.

  • Thunder Rosa Says She’d Like To Face Ember Moon In AEW

    Thunder Rosa Says She’d Like To Face Ember Moon In AEW

    Thunder Rosa was a guest on Busted Open Radio recently and spoke about wrestlers she would like to face in AEW. She noted that Ember Moon, who was released by WWE earlier this month, is someone she’d like to get in the ring with.

    “Ember Moon. I have not had the opportunity to work with her. She’s one of the Dallas veterans, I mean Texas veterans,” Rosa said. “She worked for so long in NXT and I don’t think they gave her the platform she deserved. Because she’s so good and so underrated. So, hopefully, I get the opportunity to work with her. It would be a banger.”

    Rosa also spoke about how she is thankful to have Tony Khan’s support in AEW.

    “I just want to say I am really thankful that I found somebody like Tony Khan. To believe in what I can bring to a company like this. I don’t think that if he didn’t see what my team and my husband and everybody has seen. I wouldn’t be able to be where I am right now, I was given so many tools and so many opportunities and such a great platform,” Rosa said. “I am so blessed that I get to surround myself with positive people that want the best for me and want to see me succeed. I don’t think I would have done this by myself.”

    The entire interview with Thunder Rosa is available in the player below:

    Thunder Rosa was in action last night on Dynamite. She defeated Jamie Hayter in quarter-finals action from the TBS title tournament. Rosa will now face Jade Cargill in the tournament semi-finals.

  • Austin Gunn Apologizes For Offensive Tweets From 2013

    Austin Gunn Apologizes For Offensive Tweets From 2013

    Austin Gunn has issued an apology after Tweets he posted in 2013 were brought to light recently.

    The Public Enemies Podcast posted a series of screenshots of Austin’s Tweets.

    Big Swole issues a brief comment on the Tweets as well.

    https://twitter.com/SwoleWorld/status/1463688415187197955

    Austin Gunn posted the following last night:

    “Extremely insensitive tweets/replies I made when I was 17 years old in 2013 have been brought to my attention. I don’t have the words to describe how I’m feeling right now. There is no excuse for it, and I am deeply sorry,” wrote Austin.

    “I am trying to become a better version of myself. For that reason, and to make progress towards being the man I want to be, I apologize to anyone I’ve hurt with these tweets. To the wrestlers in the back, to the fans around the world, to everyone, I am so sorry.”

    Gunn also noted that he has attended sensitivity training classes provided by AEW.

    “AEW regularly provides excellent sensitivity programs that I have attended multiple times. I want to continue to learn from my mistakes, improve my view on the world, and strive to be a person my parents would be proud of.”

    His full statement is available in the below Tweet:

    Austin Gunn was in the corner for his father and brother last night. Billy and Colten Gunn defeated Bear Country before being confronted by Darby Allin and Sting. Allin defeated Billy Gunn on Rampage last week.

  • Brandi Rhodes & Aubrey Edwards Comment On Fan Throwing Cody’s Belt Back

    Brandi Rhodes & Aubrey Edwards Comment On Fan Throwing Cody’s Belt Back

    Last night in the main event of AEW Dynamite, Cody Rhodes tossed his weight belt into the crowd as he often does. This time, however, the Chicago crowd chanted for the person who caught it to throw it back.

    The fan obliged and the belt landed on the apron of the ring.

    Brandi Rhodes was on Twitter and seemed to throw shade at the fans that were chanting for the belt to be tossed back in.

    Edwards would later confirm that the belt did not hit her, however.

    Apparently, Cody has given Aubrey advanced warning that the belt getting thrown back is something that could happen. She posted the following to Twitter last night:

    Aubrey also reacted to Brandi’s Tweet about the belt being tossed back in the ring:

    After the show went off the air, Cody teased going through the left tunnel (aka the “heel” tunnel) when leaving.

    Andrade would then put the belt under the ring for some reason. It would later be retrieved and given back to Rhodes. He put the belt back on and later tossed it back into the crowd, although this time it looked as though he was lobbing it at someone specific. It was not tossed back in a second time.

    Some have expressed that the belt getting tossed back in was similar what happened with John Cena and his shirt at ECW: One Night Stand 2006.

    Paul Heyman Reflects On John Cena’s ECW One Night Stand Performance
  • Britt Baker Reacts To CM Punk Saying She’s Replaced MJF In AEW’s 4 Pillars

    Britt Baker Reacts To CM Punk Saying She’s Replaced MJF In AEW’s 4 Pillars

    During the opening segment of last night’s AEW Dynamite, CM Punk told MJF he’s been replaced in the 4 pillars of the promotion by Britt Baker. The AEW Women’s World Champion responded to this recently on social media.

    A user on Twitter quickly put together updated art work for the 4 Pillars of AEW t-shirt:

    https://twitter.com/AllEliteCody/status/1463682619401510918

    Later in the night, after the cameras stopped rolling, CM Punk appeared wearing Britt Baker’s jacket for some reason. Baker also responded to this on social media.

    Mick Foley also commented on Britt Baker on social media last night. He noted that Baker always looks a tad jealous whenever Thunder Rosa is in the ring.

    “Is it just me, or can you see the envy in Britt Baker’s eyes when Thunder Rosa is in the ring?” Foley Tweeted.

    Baker responded to Foley as well.

    The last time Punk was in Chicago, he noted that the crowd sure knew how to make a guy feel like “Britt Baker in Pittsburgh.” Baker commented to ESPN on what that meant to her.

    “So you gotta remember I am a fan. I grew up watching CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, Christian, Matt Hardy.” said Britt Baker, “So all these guys I get to work with now is surreal. It’s like a ‘pinch me’ moment. That my idols are my co-workers.”

    “So I am in the back at the screen watching as a fan, watching CM Punk and he says my name, I am like ‘Did everybody hear that?’ I mean it’s so cool. Sure, we share the stage and we are both stars but that’s somebody that I was a fan of. So that’s a very very cool feeling as a wrestler, as a wrestling fan, for someone you idolize to say your name.”

    Britt Baker On CM Punk Mentioning Her Name During His Debut Promo
  • Dante Martin Joins Team Taz, Baffles Darius Martin & Lio Rush

    Dante Martin Joins Team Taz, Baffles Darius Martin & Lio Rush

    Last night on AEW Dynamite, Dante Martin surprised everyone by officially signing a contract with Team Taz. This move seemed to surprise Lio Rush, who had been managing and teaming with the Top Flight Member as of late. It also seemed to surprise his brother, Darius.

    Both Darius and Lio Rush have commented on this development recently on social media.

    Dante Martin took to Twitter and simply posted the following:

    This led his brother to respond with the following:

    Lio Rush noted that he has been trying to reach Dante and has been unable to.

    https://twitter.com/TheLionelGreen/status/1463689242522103808
    https://twitter.com/TheLionelGreen/status/1463695613258780675

    “Don’t make me have to do this bro. I’ve been trying to call you all night.”

    https://twitter.com/TheLionelGreen/status/1463715745796341761

    Rush would continue to say he is now accepting submissions to be part of his team.

    https://twitter.com/TheLionelGreen/status/1463716540533067777

    Team Taz

    Brian Cage and Ricky Starks were announced as the first members of Team Taz on July 23rd, 2020. The faction would then spend several weeks recruiting Will “Powerhouse” Hobbs and were eventually successful that fall. Brian Cage would then leave the stable earlier this summer, and Ricky Starks defeated him for the FTW title. Taz’s son Hook would officially join the stable as well in December of 2020.

    Storylines involving Team Taz are often focussed on the FTW title. Brian Cage held the title for a year, defending it against Brian Pillman Jr., Brandon Cutler, and Will Hobbs before dropping it to Ricky Starks. Starks has defended the title once against Brian Cage and then twice on the Jericho Cruise against Sonny Kiss and Chuck Taylor.

  • Melissa Santos Reveals Brian Cage Got Backstage Heat In AEW Due To Her Comments

    Melissa Santos Reveals Brian Cage Got Backstage Heat In AEW Due To Her Comments

    Back in September, Melissa Santos made public statements that her husband Brian Cage was not being used right in AEW. According to comments she recently made to Chris Van Vliet, those comments ended up getting Cage heat backstage in AEW.

    “I got really spicy about it. Maybe I shouldn’t have. But then he got all the heat,” Santos said during the interview. “He didn’t even say anything. I know, I know. He got all the heat. I do feel bad about that because he loves wrestling, he loves AEW, absolutely adores Tony [Khan], loves being there and I feel like all of it came from the love of wanting [Brian Cage] to be more involved and that’s really it.”

    “It was just from a passionate place and because I’m all loud, loud, loud, I got him in trouble and I do feel bad for that because that wasn’t my intention.”

    What Did Melissa Santos Say Originally?

    Santos just put out a short 15-second clip on social media saying that Cage has been a world champion in multiple promotions and is currently being misused in AEW.

    “You see, Brian Cage is a superstar,” Santos said. “Those people who know him from indies, Impact, Lucha Underground where I met him, know that he’s a superstar. All you have to do is Google him and watch all his matches [at] PWG. He’s a superstar, and he’s being misused right now.”

    H/T to Post Wrestling for the transcriptions.

  • Update On Johnny Gargano’s WWE Contract Expiring

    Update On Johnny Gargano’s WWE Contract Expiring

    Johnny Gargano’s contract with WWE was set to expire on December 3rd. This would have meant he would miss the NXT WarGames show on December 5th.

    The latest update is that Gargano has signed a 1-week extension to remain with the company, according to Fightful. This extends him through December 10th and allows WWE to have him officially locked in for that show.

    Earlier this month, we reported that WWE made a strong play to keep Gargano on board with a new long-term deal. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter printed that the company was pushing for him to sign a new deal.

    “Johnny Gargano has not signed a new contract, but WWE is pushing very hard for him to do so and evidently made a very strong offer for him to stay here for a long time,” wrote Dave Meltzer. 

    WWE Has Made A Strong Offer To Keep Johnny Gargano

    Gargano and Kyle O’Reilly recently worked a dark match on Smackdown as well.

    Gargano has been with the company since 2015. He is a former NXT Champion, 3x North American Champion, 1x NXT Tag Team Champion and the first Triple Crown winner in NXT history. He has been a major player in NXT his entire tenure with the company. 

    Gargano was also awarded the “Feud of the Year” award twice back-to-back from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. In 2018, his feud with Tommaso Ciampa won the award. Then in 2019, his feud with Adam Cole did the same. 

  • GCW Hammerstein Ballroom Ticket Sales Off to a Strong Start

    GCW Hammerstein Ballroom Ticket Sales Off to a Strong Start

    GCW will present a show from the famed Hammerstein Ballroom in New York on January 23rd, 2022. So far, pre-sales for the event are off to a strong start. Tickets went on-sale to the general public earlier today.

    The Twitter account, @WrestleTix, has been tracking ticket sales to the event. The estimated capacity for the show is just over 2000. 840 tickets have been distributed thus far after a strong pre-sale showing.

    Hammerstein Ballroom – History of Events

    The Hammerstein Ballroom is the original home of the early Monday Night RAW tapings in 1993. ECW then started taping in the venue in 2000, eventually hosting their big Massacre on 34th Street show there on December 3rd of that year.

    In 2005 and 2006, the Hammerstein Ballroom hosted the ECW: One Night Stand reunion shows. It would also host a taping for WWE’s ECW brand in August of 2006.

    Ring of Honor would begin running shows in the venue beginning with Final Battle 2006. They have continued to run shows there ever since. TNA once held a house show there in 2010. NJPW ran a show independent of ROH for the first time in 2019 as well.

  • Ric Flair Says He’ll Never Go Back To WWE

    Ric Flair Says He’ll Never Go Back To WWE

    Ric Flair stated on the latest edition of his Wooo Nation podcast that he will never work for WWE again. Flair says he has stated this to Vince McMahon himself. He also said he’s not currently involved in discussions with any wrestling promotion.

    “I have not talked to Tony, haven’t heard a word from him,” Flair said about not being in discussions with AEW.

    “Yes, I would go to work for Tony Khan, I will never go back to WWE,” Flair continued.

    Flair continued to say that WWE is erasing his legacy and he’s upset about being removed from the opening of the show.

    “If you take me off the opening of the show, and take the ‘wooo’ which I own – thank god, cause they’ll never get it back – and replace me with the Ultimate Warrior, a guy that sued the company, held them up for money, I guess the next thing they’re going to do with me is make a DVD with so many people saying how bad I was, like they did with the Warrior.”

    Flair continued to say that he would never want to work with WWE President & Chief Revenue Officer Nick Khan.

    “I could never work for Nick Khan in my entire life. Vince McMahon I could work for. Nick Khan – who is the guy who orchestrated taking me off the show, I’ve got my facts together, orchestrated taking the ‘wooo’ off, never in a million years.”

    “I talk to Vince now. I’ve got no problems with Vince. He just knows I won’t come back,” Flair said.

    Flair also spoke about his trademark “The Man” being used by WWE, his relationship with Tony Khan, Becky vs. Charlotte at Survivor Series and more.

    Ric Flair – Wooo Nation Uncensored

    The full podcast with Flair can be viewed in the player below:

    If you use any of the above quotes please credit the Woooo Nation podcast with a H/T to SEScoops for the transcriptions.

  • Jonathan Gresham Says He’ll Continue With ROH Without A Contract

    Jonathan Gresham Says He’ll Continue With ROH Without A Contract

    Following ROH’s Final Battle PPV on December 11th, it’s not clear what Ring of Honor will look like. Jonathan Gresham says he’s loyal to the company, however, and he will continue to work with them even without a contract. He recently spoke to Fightful about his plans.

    “Everyone who knows anything about me knows that I am on this boat until it sinks. My contract will expire in December, but even with no contract, I am loyal to Ring of Honor until the end,” Gresham said.

    Gresham also said that Ring of Honor changed his life, and he’ll always be loyal to them for that.

    “It definitely has been a huge part of my life and it changed my life. I was on a different path and a different road, getting in trouble, and then I found Ring of Honor. I was already wrestling, but I found Ring of Honor and I became obsessed.”

    Gresham also recently announced he’s starting his own promotion:

    Dalton Castle Comments On His ROH Status

    Former ROH World Champion, Dalton Castle, also recently commented on his ROH status. Castle noted that the most recent television tapings felt meaningless, and that everyone knows they are out of a job soon.

    “I’ve only got two months left on my contract before I am completely fired … Ring Of Honor is giving us all the boot at the end of the year,” Castle said on The Gentlemen’s Club’s Night Cruisin’ Podcast.

    “It all feels meaningless actually. We just did a recording, like, three days ago and it was weird because we showed up knowing our jobs are ending,” he continued to say about the most recent tapings.

    https://twitter.com/ringofhonor/status/1463281629586235394

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions on Dalton Castle’s comments.

  • Update On Lex Luger, Ric Flair, and Vladimir the Super Fan Documentaries

    Update On Lex Luger, Ric Flair, and Vladimir the Super Fan Documentaries

    This summer, WWE announced that a documentary on Lex Luger would premiere on the WWE Network. It was supposed to air on July 4th to coincide with the anniversary of Luger slamming Yokozuna on the USS Intrepid. The documentary then just never premiered. According to a report from PW Insider, there are no plans for the Luger documentary or several others to ever air.

    In particular, it was revealed that “Superfan: the Story of Vladimir” will never see the light of day. The documentary had been advertised but never aired on the WWE Network. There is no word on why the film is not expected to be released.

    There was also a planned documentary on Ric Flair’s health struggles in recent years that is not expected to air. Also, a film on Money in the Bank was once planned but now appears to have been dropped as well.

    The trailer for the Vladimir documentary is still on WWE’s official YouTube page:

    “The relationship that Vladimir has with WWE, it’s part of his moral fiber,” Jeff Jarrett says in the Superfan trailer. “It is part of his identity, and that was taken away.”

    “I felt like he was at just about every show that I watched,” Sam Roberts also said.

    Full Details On WWE Documentary, ‘Superfan: The Story of Vladimir’