Former WWE Champion Seth Rollins has weighed in on controversial YouTuber-turned-wrestler Logan Paul once again.

Rumors continue to swirl of a Paul vs. Rollins bout at WrestleMania. Back at the Royal Rumble, ‘The Maverick’ sent ‘The Architect’ packing from the match. During a later interview with Pat McAfee, Rollins proceeded to trash Paul.

To top it all off, Logan Paul cost Rollins last month’s US Champion Elimination Chamber bout. The feud has continued to bubble away on RAW, as ‘The Monday Night Messiah’ has butted heads with The Miz over his connection to ‘The Maverick’ from last year.

Rollins’ disdain for the PRIME Hydration co-founder is only growing, as evidenced by his recent appearance on After the Bell.

Seth Rollins Questions The “Long-Term Value” Of Logan Paul

When asked about Logan Paul, Rollins was immensely critical of vlogging as a whole. Questioning what entertainers such as Paul actually bring to the table, Rollins expressed concern with its potential impact on professional wrestling.

“This idea that you can just, poof, pop on your camera, film yourself, do some crap on social media, and become a star and have some worth in the world is for me, maybe I’m a crotchety old man, but I don’t understand what value you’re giving back to the world. And the Logan Paul situation, I don’t understand what long-term value he’s gonna be able to give back to us.”

Seth Rollins

‘The Visionary’, who owns a wrestling school, opined that Paul’s unconventional entry into pro wrestling could set a bad precedent. He explained that he’d much rather his students enter the business in a more traditional, ring-focused way, steadily working their way up the card.

“That [having a contract] doesn’t make you an ambassador for the business. That’s not what wrestling is. And I don’t want my students, I own a wrestling school, I don’t want the next generation of kids coming up in the business thinking that’s how you make it in professional wrestling because if everybody follows that model, the business is dead.”

Seth Rollins

While it’s likely much of this was in kayfabe given their angle on TV, Rollins’ words are scathing nonetheless.

Do you want to see Seth Rollins wrestle Logan Paul at WrestleMania?

Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.

Popular AEW babyface Ricky Starks recently weighed in on the recurring comparisons he gets to Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.

A lifelong wrestling fan, Starks grew up on Attitude Era WWF. As a child, his wrestling heroes were The Undertaker, Mankind, and none other than The Rock himself.

This Sunday, the former FTW Champion will collide with Chris Jericho. The pair have been feuding for months, involving both jobber-turned-underdog babyface Action Andretti and the rest of ‘Y2J’s Jericho Appreciation Society crew in the process.

For Starks, the Jericho angle has served as character building after his acclaimed feud with MJF.

Turning face last year, the rising star entered a feud with longtime tag partner Powerhouse Hobbs. Along the way, Starks’ impassioned promos and theatrical mannerisms won over the AEW faithful. Revolution will likely serve as another key test in the former Team Taz standout’s gradual rise up the card.

Ricky Starks Talks “Flattering” Comparisons To The Rock

During a recent AMA for Bleacher Report, Starks was asked about the comparisons he’s often received to Dwayne Johnson. One of the most iconic stars in WWE history, The Rock’s charisma and monumental popularity propelled him into a highly lucrative film career.

For Starks, comparisons have often been made thanks to his promo delivery and passing similarities to The Rock’s late ’90s fashion sense. A question on the AMA asked for Starks’ thoughts on the comparisons, as well as if he’d like to move into Hollywood the way Johnson did.

Starks explained that he’d be very interested in a Hollywood move eventually. However, he was quick to point out that while comparisons to Johnson are flattering, he was quick to make clear he’s not trying to emulate the WWE legend.

“I definitely would [go into Hollywood]. I don’t think just because you’re transitioning to Hollywood doesn’t mean you’re trying to be like someone. The comparisons are quite flattering. I excuse the ignorance of people who insult me when comparing me to The Rock. What I don’t like is when I do something creative for my own inspo and someone just says I’m trying to steal it or be like another person. I really don’t care anymore but it is a cool comparison because it’s the highest compliment you can get. At this point, I’m cool with it and I look good.”

Ricky Starks’ rise in AEW has been gradual. His initial promise as a future star was worryingly scuppered for a spell when he broke his neck in a match with Hangman Page. In the years since, his evolving character and high-impact ring work have made him a dependable fan favorite as 2023 rolls on.

Are you looking forward to Ricky Starks’ showdown with Chris Jericho at Revolution?

More info on WCW icon Bill Goldberg’s current deal with the WWE has come to light.

A powerhouse star during the late ’90s wrestling boom, Goldberg wowed audiences with his explosive strength in the ring as well as his general intensity. The big man is renowned for his lengthy undefeated streak and feuds with the likes of Diamond Dallas Page, Triple H, and Brock Lesnar.

The former NFL player’s popularity during his peak years has long been a thorn in the side of similar characters over the years. The likes of Ryback would often get pilloried with Goldberg chants during undefeated streak runs on TV.

More recently, the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion has become a polarizing figure in the WWE. His star power has arguably become outweighed by his odd booking and often subpar match quality. Perhaps most infamous of all was his bizarre two-minute squash of The Fiend back in early 2020 for the WWE Universal Championship.

More recently, the 56-year-old has made his interest in a proper retirement match known.

“He Can’t Work Anywhere Else” – Dave Meltzer On Goldberg’s Contract Status

On a recent edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer revealed Goldberg’s current contract has run out of confirmed matches. However, the contract itself has not expired yet, despite Goldberg’s claims it was almost up back in October 2022. Until the deal expires, the WWE Hall-of-Famer cannot work anywhere else.

“The WWE doesn’t owe Goldberg anymore matches on the very lucrative deal he signed, but the time frame for the contract hasn’t expired, so he can’t work anywhere else.”

Dave Meltzer

Goldberg’s final stretch in WWE for now saw him trade wins with Bobby Lashley before falling to Roman Reigns in Saudi Arabia. Arguably his most acclaimed work since returning to wrestling was his feud with Brock Lesnar in 2016 and 2017. The pair’s sub-five minute WrestleMania 33 bout is often considered one of the greatest ever sprint matches.

Despite his interest in another match, Goldberg is yet to reveal an ideal retirement opponent.

If Goldberg were to have a retirement match, who would you like to see him wrestle?

Longtime Bullet Club head honcho Jay White is officially a free agent.

January and February were not kind to ‘Switchblade’ in kayfabe. He kicked the year off by losing the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship back to long-running nemesis Kazuchika Okada. Then, at The New Beginning in Osaka, White was defeated by Hikuleo in a loser leaves Japan bout.

As if all that wasn’t enough, White’s loss to Eddie Kingston at Battle in the Valley had a loser leaves NJPW stipulation attached. To add both insult and injury to the matter, White’s post-match moment with the crowd was scuppered when David Finlay bludgeoned him with a shillelagh.

Now, the downfall of White story arc appears to be the conclusion for ‘Switchblade’s long run in NJPW. A recent tweet from Super-J Cast confirmed that his New Japan contract has expired and he is officially done with the company.

Could Jay White Be WWE Bound?

Despite appearing on AEW multiple times last year, rumors are pointing towards ‘Switchblade’ heading over to WWE.

A natural villain, White’s smarmy promos, over-the-top character work, and heel psychology would likely fit well in WWE. While he’s drawn some comparisons to Seth Rollins in recent years, White is a grittier, more grounded character, portraying a sociopathic ringmaster out to win by hook or by crook.

Interestingly, the official WWE on BT Sport Twitter account teased a Jay White appearance in the Royal Rumble. While that never materialized, the fact he’s getting name-dropped by official company pages has set the rumor mills ablaze this year.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Dave Meltzer has also pointed out that if White were going to AEW, he wouldn’t need to be completely written out of New Japan. The two promotions have a working agreement and White likely could have split his time between the two.

Should ‘Switchblade’ pop up in WWE this year, he’d likely be a perfect heel foil for popular babyface acts such as Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, and Kevin Owens.

Would you like to see Jay White in WWE?

The new season of Pawn Stars is set to feature a longtime WCW and WWE fan favorite.

Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion and 5-time WCW Champion Booker T will appear on the show. On offer during the new season are a pair of his wrestling boots. The owner in question reveals he’s looking to get them pawned off for at least $6000.

Along with longtime star Rick Harrison, the man himself makes an appearance. Booker T is spotted pulling his signature pose, entering the show in a similar fashion to how he would the ring. The Houston-native also readily confirms the authenticity of the boots.

Pawn Stars is set to premiere on March 15th.

Will Booker T Wrestle In WWE Again?

Booker T made a surprise appearance during this year’s men’s Royal Rumble match. The San Antonio crowd gave the spinaroonie master a major pop when his iconic entrance theme hit.

The 2006 King of the Ring only lasted 42 seconds in the bout. Intercontinental Champion Gunther sent the Reality of Wrestling founder crashing to the floor to a chorus of boos.

While the Bad Bunny musical subject looked to be in solid shape, it was clear that decades of explosive action between the ropes have taken their toll. During an edition on his Hall of Fame podcast shortly after the Rumble, Booker T discussed his appearance and high opinion of Gunther.

“Gunther did an awesome job making history,” Booker T said. “That guy’s gonna be a major, major player here for WWE for a long time and it was my honor to do the favor for him and I’ve seen people, stupid people saying, ‘Booker got jobbed out.’ Let me just say this, Booker got jobbed out by Gunther and I wanna say this publicly just so everybody can hear it. I’d rather be jobbed out by Gunther than Gunther be jobbed out by me any day of the week.” (h/t WrestleTalk)

For now, it does not appear there are any angles or more long-form matches planned for the WWE Hall-of-Famer. He does, however, perform on ROW from time to time.

Do you plan on watching Booker T’s Pawn Stars appearance?

Alexa Bliss recently responded to a tweet from WWE about Women’s History Month that curiously omitted her from the graphic.

Back in 2016, Bliss quickly embarked upon a mega-push to the top of the women’s scene upon joining the main roster. First putting an end to Becky Lynch’s inaugural SmackDown Women’s Championship run at TLC 2016, Bliss went on to enjoy a lengthy clawhold on the RAW Championship picture starting in 2017.

Bliss’ reign of terror was essentially terminated by Ronda Rousey in 2018. The pair had two pay-per-view bouts, starting with SummerSlam 2018. There, Rousey squashed ‘Little Miss Bliss’ in a four-minute title bout. A more competitive rematch at Hell In A Cell that year ended with Rousey on top once again.

In the years since, Bliss’ polarizing push has given way to a controversial run as a supernatural character. Tied in with Bray Wyatt’s seemingly endless horror movie hijinks, ‘Five Feet of Fury’ has transitioned into a bizarre, witchcraft-focused gimmick.

“Not Surprised” – Alexa Bliss

WWE’s recent graphic featured several key figures in the company’s women’s division, including Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley, Asuka, and Becky Lynch.

A fan was quick to highlight the omission of Bliss despite her being a key figure in the division for several years now. In response, Bliss simply replied “Not surprised lol.”

Rumors have swirled this year of Bliss taking another break from the company. At the Royal Rumble, she faced, and fell to, current RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair. The feud between them revolved around the return of Bray Wyatt. Along with Wyatt, Uncle Howdy’s potential impact on ‘The Wicked Witch of WWE’ was focused on.

Other rumors have suggested she will soon be fully thrust back into Wyatt’s kooky angles in time for, or straight after, WrestleMania.

For now, there’s no clear reason as to why Bliss was left off the graphic.

What do you think of Alexa Bliss’ booking so far this year?

Sami Zayn’s immense popularity has reportedly become cause for concern behind-the-scenes in WWE.

At WrestleMania 39, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns will lock horns with Royal Rumble-winner Cody Rhodes. ‘The American Nightmare’ has been a big hit with WWE audiences since he returned at last year’s WrestleMania.

Rhodes’ Hell in a Cell bout with Seth Rollins last year solidified him as a top dog in waiting. His return last month was greeted with huge cheers and his segments with Paul Heyman and Sami Zayn in the weeks since have garnered critical acclaim.

However, Zayn’s own rise to babyface stardom appears to be threatening Rhodes’. After a slow-burning run as ‘The Honorary Uce’ in The Bloodline, Zayn turned on faction head Roman Reigns at the Royal Rumble. The segment and subsequent feud between the pair was highlighted as a strong ratings mover for WWE in 2023.

While the rivalry seemingly came to an end at Elimination Chamber, there are concerns that Zayn’s connection with the audience could potentially derail the Reigns/Rhodes build.

“They Were Very Concerned About Sami Chants” – Dave Meltzer On Cody Rhodes Segment

On a recent edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer discussed the segment Cody Rhodes had with Paul Heyman on this week’s RAW. He revealed that the pacing of the segment was designed to give fans little breathing room to potentially launch chants for Sami Zayn into the situation.

“The stuff with Cody and Heyman – they [WWE] were very concerned about Sami chants, which is one of the reasons why they got Heyman out there in seconds. They did not want Cody in there by himself because they thought that – it didn’t happen – but they did everything in their power to make sure they kept that moving, they did not allow the audience a chance to start chanting or anything like that, it was just back-and-forth.”

Meltzer went on to add that the general consensus is that Zayn chants potentially hijacking the show would hinder Rhodes’ momentum.

“It was designed to give the audience no chance to chant because of the feeling that if they did it would hurt Cody’s momentum. And perhaps it would, and then it could create that groundswell [for Zayn] which is exactly what they don’t want right now.”

‘The American Nightmare’ himself later commented on the segment. Seemingly in kayfabe at first, Rhodes joked about the segment being cut short due to Heyman getting under his skin during the exchange. The son of a son of a plumber then made mention of his high merchandise sales of late.

Do you think Cody Rhodes will go over Roman Reigns at WrestleMania?

All quotes from WrestleTalk.

AEW star Andrade El Idolo hasn’t been seen in action since All Out back in September 2022.

The former NXT Champion was a contestant in the casino ladder match won by now-AEW World Champion MJF.

During that time, El Idolo reportedly got into a backstage altercation with Jericho Appreciation Society member Sammy Guevara. The pair had been trading barbs for some time over social media leading up to their confrontation.

The incident led to the Los Ingobernables founding member being sent home and his Rampage bout with Preston ’10’ Vance getting called off. Interestingly, Guevara wound up wrestling soon after the altercation, going ahead with his booked tag team bout on that week’s episode of Dynamite.

While many rumors have swirled of El Idolo being off TV due to backstage problems, it now appears there’s a much simpler explanation.

Andrade El Idolo Not Expected Back Until The Spring

Back in August, the former WWE US Champion injured his pec in a trios bout. Despite performing for some time after, El Idolo ultimately needed time off for surgery.

Earlier this year, El Idolo posted a quick glimpse at some of his rehabilitation work in the gym.

According to a recent report from Fightful Select, El Idolo will not be cleared for action until the spring.

Last year, 2023 Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes suffered a similar injury prior to his Hell in a Cell bout with Seth Rollins. ‘The American Nightmare’ gutted through the bout despite grim swelling and bruising all over the affected area. On average, a fully torn pec recovery period lasts for at least six months.

Given the controversy surrounding him backstage last year, it’s hard to say where Andrade El Idolo goes from here. A reunion with Rush seems like the safest bet for now.

Are you looking forward to seeing Andrade El Idolo return?

After nine months away from the ring, Mercedes Monè, the former Sasha Banks, made her long-awaited return to in-ring action.

Back at Wrestle Kingdom 17 last month, ‘The CEO’ made her NJPW debut, attacking then-IWGP Women’s Champion KAIRI after her match with Tam Nakano.

Over the weekend at Battle in the Valley, Monè got the better of KAIRI in an action-packed 26-minute showdown.

The bout has been met with critical acclaim and saw Monè nail her new DDT finisher, something that had gone awry between the pair at Wrestle Kingdom. The Battle in the Valley closed out with Monè joining IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada in the ring for a post-main event promo.

Now, just two days after the event, it appears Mercedes Monè’s first challenger is already in the wings.

Stardom Champion Challenges Mercedes Monè

Earlier today, Stardom held a press conference during which High Speed Champion AZM staked her claim.

The 20-year-old former Azumi got her hands on the High Speed Title for the second time almost a year ago. At Stardom Cinderella Journey 2022, AZM defeated Starlight Kid for the gold.

The High Speed Championship is typically reserved for Stardom’s high-flying performers, similar to Impact’s X-Division Championship. Considering AZM’s lightning-quick, big-bumping style, a match between her and Monè would likely be a thrilling affair.

At the press conference, AZM mentioned that ‘The CEO’ had mentioned her as a possible opponent previously. Keen to get the match booked, the Stardom sensation made clear the ball is now in Mercedes Monè’s court.

A key issue often cited by fans and pundits with Sasha Banks in WWE was her lack of longevity when it came to singles championship reigns on the main roster. Only the last of Banks’ six WWE Women’s Championship reigns saw her make some successful title defenses.

Considering she’s coming off her first match in nine months, it’s hard to envision ‘The CEO’ dropping the strap to AZM in her first defense. Regardless of the winner, though, this should be a high-octane clash to watch out for in the coming months.

Did you enjoy Mercedes Monè’s win over KAIRI at Battle in the Valley?

A major match-up many have been expecting for WrestleMania this year is currently up in the air.

At Elimination Chamber, Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley had their third singles bout. The latest showdown between the pair followed ‘The All Mighty’ making quick work of, and eliminating, ‘The Beast Incarnate’ from the men’s Royal Rumble match last month.

In a sprint-paced brawl, the two heavyweight monsters quickly got their spots in. Lesnar then got DQ’d for a surprise low blow just shy of the five-minute mark. The post-match antics saw the former UFC Heavyweight Champion obliterate both Lashley and the referee with F-5s.

The chaotic finish has left fans expecting a final, blow-off bout between the pair with a decisive finish. Their original clash at last year’s Royal Rumble win ended with a tainted Lashley win after Paul Heyman betrayed Lesnar. Their second bout saw Lesnar win with a surprise pinfall when he was locked in The Hurt Lock at Crown Jewel back in November.

Is Bray Wyatt vs. Brock Lesnar On The Cards For WrestleMania?

On the go-home SmackDown before Elimination Chamber, Bray Wyatt expressed his interesting facing the winner of Lesnar vs. Lashley III.

While Lesnar lost the bout via DQ, Wyatt very curiously specified he wants to face whoever “walks out alive” of the bout. Despite his loss, Lesnar was certainly not the worse for wear figure after his bout with Lashley.

The controversial ending of Lesnar/Lashley III was reportedly booked to keep the feud chugging along this year. However, according to a recent report from Fightful Select, the continuation of the feud may wait until after WrestleMania.

Considering Wyatt’s promo and Lesnar’s curious booking at Elimination Chamber, it looks like the big man may well be butting heads with Wyatt and Uncle Howdy very soon.

Would you like to see Bray Wyatt face either Brock Lesnar or Bobby Lashley at WrestleMania?

An interesting trend among WWE’s viewers has been noticed this year.

The promotion’s TV audience are getting younger on average. The trend coincides with AEW’s audience getting older. Interestingly, until recently, AEW typically had a younger general audience than their competitors.

According to a recent study from Wrestlenomics, back in late 2021, prior to the numerous scandals that came out about Vince McMahon in 2022, AEW Rampage had the youngest viewing audience. The average age was 47. As 2022 wore on, though, the average age moved up to 53 which was also the norm for WWE RAW at the time.

Since Survivor Series last year, WWE SmackDown’s average audience age has started to lower from the mid-50s. The PLE was headlined by The Bloodline’s War Games victory over The Brawling Brutes, Drew McIntyre, and Kevin Owens. A key plotline in the match was Sami Zayn’s standing within The Bloodline.

Sami Zayn A Ratings Mover For WWE

In the 900+ days since he won the Universal Championship at Payback 2020, Roman Reigns finally took the, well, reigns of the company. His ‘Tribal Chief’ heel persona and heated feuds with the likes of Jey Uso, Edge, Brock Lesnar, and Drew McIntyre over the years have made him the top star he was long expected to become.

In Sami Zayn, it appears ‘The Head of the Table’ has found an unexpected box office draw to lock horns with. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Dave Meltzer, Zayn’s booking is up in the air right now due to his proven drawing power in recent months.

The Bloodline’s angle with Sami Zayn has been at the forefront of WWE’s programming for some time now. It’s safe to say the shifts in audience numbers and age range are thanks predominantly to those involved in the storyline.

The long term plan for this year’s WrestleMania is seemingly still Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. That being said, it’s clear that the WWE have stumbled across another surprise potential top star in Sami Zayn as well as possibly Jey Uso, whose character work in The Bloodline has been met with universal acclaim.

Do you think Sami Zayn will continue to be a ratings mover for WWE past his Elimination Chamber showdown with Roman Reigns?

Popular AEW star Eddie Kingston is officially out of DEFY Wrestling’s Year6 event tonight.

After almost 20 years as a stalwart of the US indies scene, Kingston found new life in the wrestling mainstream back in 2020 when he debuted on AEW Dynamite. His gritty, authentic promos and character work have made him a fan favorite in the years since.

Kingston remains a constant presence on the independent scene, and was expected to butt heads with Artemis Spencer at tonight’s DEFY show. In a recent tweet from the promotion’s official profile, it was revealed that the Yonkers-born brawler has had to pull out due to an unspecified injury.

“[ BREAKING ] DEFY has learned that due to injury EDDIE KINGSTON will no longer be able to compete at tonight’s YEAR6. EDDIE is super bummed and we wish him a speedy recovery. We’ll have him back for a future event! DON’T FEAR, Defyance- a stacked card remains, 6 YEARS LOUD!”

Eddie Kingston Lashes Out At AEW Roster

Earlier this week, Kingston had some incendiary words regarding AEW World Champion MJF, Oritz, and The House of Black, before essentially dissing the whole roster. For now, it’s hard to tell whether or not the expletive-laden rant was in kayfabe or if ‘The Mad King’ has genuinely had enough of his peers.

Kingston has had a lot of choice words for MJF in particular on social media of late.

Warning: the tweet below contain explicit content.

In a more humorous jab at ‘The Salt of the Earth’, Kingston likened the Long Islander’s controversial promo on this week’s Dynamite to one of WWE’s worst-ever angles. Backstage, after his match with rising star Konosuke Takeshita, MJF cut a shocking promo. He claimed to have been in a car crash with his then-girlfriend prior to junior prom back in high school. The champ then claimed he’d switched seats with her so it looked like she crashed the car.

For Eddie Kingston, the promo, rather than effective heel work, was reminiscent of the infamous Triple H/Kane rivalry from ’02. The notoriously tasteless angle involved a deceased cheerleader named Katie Vick who Kane had a bizarre, highly improbable history with. One portion of the bizarre story involved a fatal car accident.

Whether these tweets are all part of an angle Kingston’s working remains to be seen. It’s worth noting that a Kingston vs. MJF feud has been rumored for later this year.

Would you like to see an Eddie Kingston vs. MJF feud this year?

Impact Wrestling’s upcoming No Surrender event recently had another star added to its line-up.

Former IWGP US Champion KENTA has been confirmed for the show. The colorful heel will tag with fellow Bullet Clubbers Chris Bey and Ace Austin to take on KUSHIDA, Chris Sabin, and Alex Shelley.

Sabin and Shelley, the Motor City Machine Guns, have both teamed with KUSHIDA in NJPW in the past. As the Time Splitters, the former 6-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and Shelley were a major act in New Japan’s junior tag team division.

Since joining New Japan back in 2019, KENTA has found new life as a despicable but often funny heel act. Betraying longtime pal Katsuyori Shibata to join the Bullet Club, the former Pro Wrestling NOAH ace has found his niche in NJPW as an upper midcard villain in recent years.

KENTA Set For Grudge Match In NJPW

Before he makes his way over to Impact, KENTA will lock horns once again with his nemesis in New Japan: Hiroshi Tanahashi.

Tanahashi, the long-running ace of NJPW before Kazuchika Okada, has been butting heads with KENTA since the 2019 G1 Climax. Last year, the pair’s on-and-off feud hit a new peak with a hard-bumping, bloody no-disqualification bout at Wrestle Kingdom 16. There, Tanahashi seemingly vanquished the GTS creator once and for all for the IWGP US Championship.

However, at last year’s G1, KENTA got another win over the longtime babyface favorite. Needless to say, regardless of who wins at The New Beginning in Osaka tomorrow, this rivalry is likely far from over.

Considering New Japan’s penchant for booking grudge matches to set up title challengers, the winner here could enter a singles championship race. Whether it’s the US, NEVER or World Heavyweight Championship remains to be seen.

Which show are you looking forward to more out of The New Beginning and No Surrender?

Two cities in the United States are currently being eyed up by the WWE for blockbuster events in the near future.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the WWE are reportedly looking at both Atlanta, Georgia and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Interestingly, Atlanta was expected to host Day 1 last month but the event was ultimately cancelled, with Royal Rumble resuming its role as the first PLE of the year.

Minneapolis, meanwhile, has the US Bank Stadium. The home of the Minnesota Vikings was opened in 2016 and boasts a whopping 73,000 capacity. Nearer the time of its initial opening, WWE had reportedly considered it for a future WrestleMania. Considering today’s news, it’s not implausible that such an announcement might be made in the near future.

Why Did WWE Cancel This Year’s Day 1 Event?

Last year, the WWE kicked things off with a bang with a brand new PLE in Day 1. The main event saw Brock Lesnar get his hands on the WWE Championship in a five-way bout after he pinned then-defending champ Big E.

The event was initially slated to host another instalment in WWE’s long-running Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns rivalry. Reigns was forced to pull out due to illness, leading to ‘The Beast’s WWE Title win and the title-for-title main event at last year’s WrestleMania between them.

This year’s Day 1 event was expected to happen at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. However, WWE’s streaming partner Peacock cancelled the event due to it coinciding with a Sunday night football game being televised by parent company NBC.

Initially promoted as having Brock Lesnar bout on the card, the cancellation of the show was considered disappointing by many fans. For now, WWE’s attempt at kicking off a year immediately with a PLE appears to be on hold.

Do you think Day 1 was a good idea for a PLE?

Legendary commentator Jim Ross recently took to Twitter to provide more info on Jerry Lawler’s current situation.

The Memphis wrestling icon suffered a stroke at his home in Fort Meyers, Florida on Monday. ‘The King’ has since undergone emergency surgery and is currently recovering at a Florida hospital.

Former WMC-TV chief meteorologist Dave Brown, a close friend of Lawler’s, provided an update on the matter.

“Some of the initial reports were just horrible, so I feel much better than I did 18 hours ago when I felt like I got hit in the face with a shovel,” he said. “I was incredibly encouraged after I did a FaceTime. Jerry was alert. He talked to me. He could only say a couple words at a time, which is pretty normal. But [he] was able to move both legs and both arms.” (h/t Commercial Appeal)

Now, another good friend of Lawler’s, AEW commentator Jim Ross, has provided additional info.

“He Needs All Our Thoughts And Prayers” – Jim Ross On Jerry Lawler

Taking to Twitter, Jim Ross revealed he recently spoke to Lawler. Ross revealed he could understand ‘The King’ well despite his affected speech at the moment.

“I spoke very briefly with ?@JerryLawler tonight. He’s obviously weak but I could understand his affected speech. Jerry’s prognosis is positive but he needs all our thoughts and prayers. #LoveYaKing”

Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross’ commentary as a duo was a staple of both the Attitude and Ruthless Aggression Eras in WWE. Where Ross offered serious play-by-play announcing,’The King’ would often heel it up on color commentary with a variety of zingers and one-liners.

Before his acclaimed commentary run in WWE, Jerry Lawler was one of the biggest drawing stars from the territory days in the ’70s and ’80s. His feuds with the likes of Austin Idol and comedian Andy Kaufman are the stuff of wrestling legend.

SEScoops wishes Jerry Lawler a quick recovery.

Major League Wrestling held their Superfight tapings over the weekend in Philadelphia.

The tapings were packed with title bouts and will air on upcoming episodes of MLW Fusion and Underground. Underground is coming to REELZ starting this week.

Warning, spoilers ahead:

Billie Starkz bested B3CCA.

Davey Boy Smith beat Alex Kane in a No Ropes Catch Wrestling Match.

Matthew Justice was confirmed to be the mystery competitor for the show’s Dumpster Match.

MLW National Openweight Champion John Hennigan (best known as John Morrison to WWE fans) retained the strap against former PWG favorite Willie Mack. Sam Adonis and Hennigan’s real-life wife, MLW World Women’s Featherweight Champion Taya Valkyrie, are now coming with him as a packaged deal.

AKIRA beat Calvin Tankman.

MLW World Heavyweight Champion Alexander Hammerstone defeated former (and longest-ever reigning) champion Jacob Fatu,

Sam Adonis picked up the win over La Estrella.

MLW World Middleweight Champion Lince Dorado successfully defended against Delirious.

MLW World Tag Team Champions The Samoan SWAT Team (Juicy Finau and Lance Anoa’i) bested The Mane Event (Midas Black and Jay Lyon).

Alexander Hammerstone And Jacob Fatu Continue To Dominate MLW

Alexander Hammerstone and Jacob Fatu are still running hot as Major League Wrestling’s premier main event acts. For Fatu, MLW has provided a great showcase of his hard-hitting monster talent. The fiery Samoan star appears to be incredibly loyal to the MLW brand. While that’s great news for Court Bauer, it’s been somewhat disappointing for the many fans who’d hoped to see him join his relatives in The Bloodline over in WWE.

Hammerstone, meanwhile, has now been champion for a whopping 490 days and counting. An old school heavyweight star, Hammerstone’s has had a character metamorphosis of sorts during his time in MLW. Now, he’s the kind of charismatic top guy promotions like WWE and AEW should be eyeing.

Who do you think will eventually dethrone Alexander Hammerstone?

Popular AEW star Adam Cole is officially on the road to an in-ring return.

The former Undisputed Era leader was devastated by injury last year. He hasn’t wrestled since Forbidden Door back in June 2022. There, he suffered his second concussion that year, having also been rocked during his Double or Nothing bout with Samoa Joe a month prior.

It was three-for-three in PPV injuries for the former NXT Champion. He also injured his labrum and rotator cuff heading into his Revolution main event with then-AEW World Champion Hangman Page in March.

Worrying rumors concerning Cole’s health swirled in the months after Forbidden Door. Now, with his return on the way, Cole has shed some light on the scary complications he’s gone through on the road to recovery.

Adam Cole On Worrying Memory Loss

During a recent interview with Wrestling Observer Radio, Cole detailed his injury at Forbidden Door. He revealed that he completely lost his memory of what to do mid-match.

”The memory stuff is the really, really scary part to me, when you’re in the middle of a ring and there’s thousands of people around you, and I have no idea what I’m supposed to be doing. That was really scary. So I knew pretty early on after my memory started going that something was wrong.”

Worse still, Cole’s numerous symptoms continued to worsen in the months after. The recovery process proved to be alarmingly long for the Owen Hart Cup winner.

“The crazy thing was that after even a month, it was like that’s when real serious side effects started happening. Everything I said in my return in-ring promo that I did all of that was true, and more. There was a lot of stuff that was happening very late into the healing process, or what I thought was late, like a month-and-a-half, two months.”

Fortunately, the three-time ROH World Champion has turned things around in the time since. He was quick to praise AEW for handling his medical care. He is now passing many of the cognitive tests he initially struggled with last year.

While an official date is yet to be confirmed, many signs seem to be pointing towards Revolution next month for Adam Cole’s in-ring return.

Are you excited to see Adam Cole back in AEW?

All quotes from Cageside Seats.

WWE Hall-of-Famer Bret Hart has popped up in a new trailer for the claustrophobic horror movie Stalker.

The film centers on an actress, played by Sophie Skelton, who finds herself stuck on a malfunctioning elevator. Unfortunately, she’s not alone as her stalker, played by Stuart Brennan, just happens to be on it with her. The trailer revolves around the tensions between the two as the unhinged antagonist grows more aggressive and sadistic.

When the trailer reaches the cast announcements, none other than ‘The Hitman’ is revealed. Curiously, what we see of him in the ad is in black-and-white.

Based on its reviews and iMDB score, the actors involved do a respectable job of the material. However, the editing and pacing have been widely criticized.

‘Stalker’ Marks Bret Hart’s Second Horror Movie Performance

Back in 2021, ‘The Hitman’ turned up in another low budget horror flick titled The Demented. The movie focused on a variety of topics including time travel and different dimensions.

Interestingly, Hart was not the only former professional wrestler to make an appearance. Former TNA/Impact star Angelina Love also had a supporting role in the film. The movie was poorly received by critics and audiences alike.

The most famous film to involve Bret Hart belongs to the documentary genre. Wrestling With Shadows chronicled ‘The Hitman’s closing stretch in the WWF, closing out on the Montreal Screwjob and its immediate aftermath.

The film lifted the lid on the behind-the-scenes politics in the promotion at the time. A seminal release in wrestling history, Wrestling With Shadows is usually considered neck-and-neck with the likes of Beyond The Mat when it comes to all-time great wrestling documentaries.

Will you watch the latest movie to star Bret Hart?

After more than a year of inactivity, inaugural IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kota Ibushi is a free agent.

The former DDT ace finally reached the pinnacle of New Japan back at Wrestle Kingdom 15 in January 2021. After winning the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships from Tetsuya Naito on Night 1, he successfully defended them against Jay White on Night 2. In the months after, Ibushi unified the belts to create one world title moving forward for NJPW.

Even with his success early on in the year, 2021 proved to be troublesome for the former Golden Lover. He shockingly dropped the new world title in his first defense before suffering severe injuries at that year’s G1 Climax.

Now, after well over a year of inactivity, Ibushi is gearing up to return, just not in NJPW.

Earlier today, it was confirmed that Ibushi’s contract with Japan’s premier wrestling promotion has expired. Given his notable issues with New Japan management, it’s hardly surprising to see him part ways with the company.

Kota Ibushi Discusses AEW And Wrestling School

In a recent interview with Dark Puroresu Flowsion, Ibushi was asked on whether or not he’d be interested in joining AEW. Ibushi was quick to point out friends of his, as well as younger stars in Japan, are in the promotion. This was likely a reference to Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, and Konosuke Takeshita.

Regardless, Ibushi would like to focus on opening up his own wrestling school first.

“[A] lot of my best friends are in AEW. My younger peers in Japan are also growing up [there]. Nonetheless, I don’t think of going to AEW immediately. I want to have a ‘school’ in Japan. Once that’s been worked out, I think I’ll talk with AEW.”

Ibushi will make his long-awaited return to the squared circle against ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport 9. The now former NJPW star is touring the US this year. In Japan, his future remains unclear though it’s likely promotion such as Pro Wrestling NOAH, AJPW, and his old stomping grounds in DDT could be interested in booking him given his popularity with puroresu fans.

• Update: Tony Khan on Kota Ibushi in AEW: “I Really Want to Work With Him”

Karrion Kross recently reached an impressive milestone in his Brazilian jiu-jitsu journey.

The former NXT Champion was recently promoted to the purple belt rank, which is considered the intermediate level for adult practitioners. In his tweet on the matter, Kross thanked his coaches, training partners, and wife Scarlett. The SmackDown star trains in the popular martial art at Daniel Gracie’s Orange County gym.

“Promoted! Very grateful for my training partners, coaches, my Wife who keeps me fed to kill and everyone at @DGBJJOC. We never stop learning,” Kross wrote.

Daniel Gracie received his black belt in BJJ all the way back in 1996. Along with submission grappling, including at prestigious tournaments such as the ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship, Gracie has fought in MMA and wrestled for New Japan in the past. Needless to say, Kross is in good hands when it comes to mastering ‘The Gentle Art’.

Has Karrion Kross’ Push Come To An End?

After a disastrous run on the main roster in 2021, Kross was brought back to WWE last year for a program with Drew McIntyre. Rumors swirled of a major push being in the wings for him and Scarlett as a double act initially.

While their characters and promos received some acclaim, the duo have noticeably slid down the card of late.

For Kross, much of the criticism has centred on his ring work, with the often slowed pace of his matches and his relatively conservative offensive arsenal drawing the ire of fans.

Kross recently ate a pinfall loss to Rey Mysterio on SmackDown and lasted less than five minutes at this year’s Royal Rumble. He was booted out quickly by old rival McIntyre and was just the second man eliminated in the bout. Kross certainly seems to’ve fallen from the upper midcard-main event-level slot initially rumored for him when he came back last year.

Do you think Karrion Kross can rise up the card?

Former WWE Champions Sheamus and Drew McIntyre’s on-screen reunion has been greeted by respectable fan fare and a rather unfortunate choice of team name.

In a nod to Sheamus’ ‘Banger after banger after banger’ meme, his newly reformed team with Drew McIntyre was initially named The Banger Bros. The real-life pals were previously portrayed as allies back in 2020. At the time, Drew McIntyre was riding high as the lead babyface on RAW.

The usually heelish Sheamus enjoyed a quasi-face turn as the then-WWE Champion’s main ally. ‘The Celtic Warrior’s subsequent betrayal of McIntyre in early 2021 was poorly received by fans, with many feeling it had come too soon and ruined the angle.

Sheamus and the rest of his Brawling Brutes team turned babyface following notable fan support during his acclaimed feud with Intercontinental Champion Gunther last year.

Ahead of Survivor Series, he was reunited with McIntyre to feud with The Bloodline heading into Survivor Series. The pair unsuccessfully challenged The Usos for the WWE Undisputed Tag Team Championships earlier this month. While the team garnered support from audiences, their-ill-fated team name recently caused some trouble.

WWE Drops Banger Bros. Due To XXX Connotations

It turns out there’s a pornographic website with an eerily similar name to Sheamus and Drew McIntyre’s team moniker. As a PG company, the prospect of a WWE act potentially leading to Google searches turning up something adults-only would be disastrous.

With this in mind, WWE have quickly vetoed the Banger Bros. moving forward. A similar incident occurred back in the summer of 2015. Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch were called up from NXT to form a faction with Paige dubbed The Submission Sorority. The name turned out to also belong to a pornographic, leading to a similar slew of search engine mishaps for those who wanted to look the team up.

The Submission Sorority were subsequently renamed Team PCB to sidestep any further confusion.

For now, the new moniker for the team remains unconfirmed. Both Sheamus and Drew McIntyre have joked about the name on social media in recent days.

Former TNT Champion Wardlow has not been seen on TV since his loss to Samoa Joe on Dynamite last month.

The big man was taken out in brutal fashion by ‘The King of Television’. Along with getting the win, Samoa Joe also assaulted him before and after the match. After choking the former champ out, ‘The Samoan Submission Machine’ clobbered Wardlow with a belt shot before cutting off his top knot. Since then, Joe has dropped the TNT belt to Darby Allin. Wardlow, meanwhile, has remained curiously absent.

2022 proved to be a breakout year for ‘Mr Mayhem’. Starting the year as MJF’s trusty henchman, the powerbomb symphony maestro connected with audiences during a slow burn babyface turn on ‘The Salt of the Earth’.

After squashing the Long Island loudmouth at Double or Nothing, Wardlow was moved into the TNT Title picture. His title reign and booking was met with a polarized reception. Regardless, he remains one of AEW’s more over homegrown babyface acts.

Wardlow Reportedly Out With An Injury

According to famed wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the angle with Samoa Joe was booked to write Wardlow off TV. ‘Mr Mayhem’ has been dealing with an injury of late. He will remain out of the picture while he heals up. Within the story of the match, his knee was injured due to a pre-bout attack courtesy of ‘The King of Television’.

While the injury is severe enough to warrant giving the former TNT Champion some time off, he reportedly won’t be out for long.

Upon returning, it’s highly likely the Samoa Joe feud will resume, presumably with the babyface getting his revenge. The decision to move the title from Joe to Darby Allin so suddenly becomes even more eyebrow-raising with this in mind.

Will you be excited to see Wardlow return?

A member of popular classic prog rock outfit Kansas has shared his thoughts on The Elite using their music in AEW.

Since returning from their suspensions last year, Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks have used ‘Carry On Wayward Son’ by Kansas as their entrance theme when teaming together. The trio became the inaugural AEW World Trios Champions at All Out last year. The titles were vacated later that same week due to their confrontation with CM Punk and Ace Steel backstage after the show.

The classic track has become a constant on Dynamite thanks to their recent Best-of-7 series with Death Triangle. Kenny Omega has since revealed they picked the song in the hope that it would lend a more theatrical, dramatic atmosphere to their return.

Now, one of the band members has weighed in on The Elite’s use of the track.

“The People Are Going Nuts”

During a recent interview on Paltrocast, keyboardist and vocalist Ronnie Platt shared some thoughts on the song’s use in AEW.

“That’s the original that they’re using,” he said. “I saw that video where they’re walking out in the stadium, and all the people are going nuts.”

Impressed by the crowd reaction to the trio and the song, Platt is optimistic that the exposure will help the song reach another generation of listeners.

“That’s just good for the band,” Platt explained. “That’s good promo and really introducing Kansas, even though the kids might not know who the band is or haven’t heard the song before. It really is initiating young people to that music. So that’s all good. We call that job security.”

The Young Bucks have reportedly wanted to use the song for a long time. Despite the Bucks’ on-and-off attempts to get the rights to it over the years, some interpreted it as a shot at CM Punk.

In the chorus, one of the lines goes “There’ll be peace when you are gone.” Considering the bitter rift between The Elite and ‘The Second City Saint’ behind the scenes, it’s hardly surprising some viewers might jump to conclusions. Especially considering how the trio wound up lampooning the former WWE Champion in the ring early in the Best-of-7 series.

All quotes from Ultimate Classic Rock.

AEW star Saraya recently had some choice words for her critics on social media.

Last year saw the former WWE Divas Champion made a surprise return to the ring. A neck injury sustained in the ring led to Saraya, then known as Paige in the WWE, to announce her retirement from in-ring competition.

Almost five years later, she joined AEW and quickly entered into a program with Britt Baker. Baker, arguably the face of the women’s division in AEW, put Saraya over in her return match at Full Gear in November 2022.

Since then, the Norwich-born star has continued her feud with Baker and her ally AEW Women’s Champion Jamie Hayter.

In a recent tweet, the former Total Divas star lashed out at the hate she gets online. Over the years, Saraya has had to deal with her fair shares of trolls, many of whom have targeted controversies in her personal life.

“Lower That Blood Pressure Brothers” – Saraya On Online Haters

In the tweet, Saraya takes aim at her haters, citing more recent trolling thrown her way. Dismissing it as hate towards her finally getting to wrestle again, she ends the tweet off with some footage from a recent match. On AEW Dynamite, the former NXT ace and Toni Storm teamed up to face Baker and Hayter.

The footage shared by Saraya on Twitter shows her performing a front flip off the apron onto Hayter before screaming her signature ‘This is my house’ catchphrase.

“The amount of neckbeards lately angry sweating while they mad type underneath every post I do just because I’m happy wrestling again is nuts. Lower that blood pressure brothers. Don’t wanna pass out because of lil ol’ me. Anyways. Here’s a clip of me wrestling.”

Saraya has recently expressed interest in potentially venturing into intergender wrestling in AEW. The wrestling subgenre has enjoyed a fair bit of interest at the independent level in more recent years but is rarely brought into play by mainstream promotions such as AEW and WWE. The former Absolution leader cited Chris Jericho as the primary male star on the AEW roster she’d potentially like to work an angle with.

Former WWE Divas Champion Nikki Bella and partner Artem Chigvintsev recently got married on the aptly titled Nikki Bella Says I Do.

The four-part series focuses on the couple’s wedding from August 2022. This is the latest in a long line of reality TV ventures starring the Bella twin. Along with her sister Brie, Bella was a leading star in Total Divas before moving onto a spin-off show about just the two of them. Her relationship with John Cena during the 2010s was often a key focus of both shows.

Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella first met when she went on the 25th season of Dancing With The Stars. Chigvintsev, a dancer on the show, was partnered with the Total Bellas star. In the years since, they have also had a son together.

The new series touches on Bella’s own issues with commitment as she moves forward with getting legally hitched. Now, though, it appears the reality TV series may not be quite as real as viewers might have initially hoped.

I Do?

Fans of the series recently discovered that, according to public records, Artem Chigvintsev is not legally married. Given the nature of the show, this has certainly come as quite a shock to viewers.

Considering the entire show revolves around the pair marrying, it calls into question the realism of the reality TV series. With Total Bellas coming to an end in 2021, this new series was expected to mark Nikki Bella’s return to the reality TV medium.

In more recent years, the former WWE Superstar has been focusing more on game shows. Last year, she was a judge on America’s Got Talent: Extreme and the host of Barmageddon. Bella’s WWE career saw many highlights including the longest WWE Divas Championship reign in history and headlining WWE’s first all-women’s PPV, Evolution.

It remains to be seen what sort of blowback this recent reveal about her news series will receive.

Do you think Nikki Bella’s marriage was just for TV?