SEScoops

Author: Jon Fuentes

  • Ric Flair Addresses Injury Ahead Of Last Match

    Ric Flair Addresses Injury Ahead Of Last Match

    Two-time WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair addresses his injury ahead of his last match later this month.

    It was recently reported that Flair was dealing with a foot injury ahead of the Nashville, Tennessee event on July 31. Appearing on Busted Open Radio recently, Flair addressed the reported injury and the potential concerns about competing with it.

    Flair admits that the foot is very uncomfortable but doctors will soon be injecting him with medication to numb the pain.

    Flair says he’ll deaden the foot if he has to, and the fact that the match is a tag team match should definitely help things, as he’ll be able to hide it a bit better.

    “The Nature Boy” will be teaming up with his new son-in-law and All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star Andrade El Idolo to take on the team of Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal. The show goes down from the Municipal Auditorium and will air live on pay-per-view (PPV).

    Ric Flair Accompanied By Big Card

    Aside from Flair’s headlining bout, there will be several other talents competing on the card from promotions such as Impact Wrestling, MLW, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and AAA.

    The current card for the show is as follows:

    • Ric Flair’s Last Match: Ric Flair and Andrade El Idolo vs. Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal
    • IMPACT World Championship Match: Josh Alexander vs. Jacob Fatu
    • Impact Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace vs. Deonna Purrazzo vs. Rachael Ellering
    • The Wolves vs. The Motor City Machine Guns
    • Killer Kross vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr.
    • The Briscoe Brothers vs. The Von Erichs
    • Clark Connors vs. Ren Narita
    • Laredo Kid vs. Bandido vs. Taurus vs. Rey Fenix

    Quotes via Fightful

  • Kevin Nash Claims Some Wrestlers Look Like They Can’t ‘Throw A F*cking Punch’

    Kevin Nash Claims Some Wrestlers Look Like They Can’t ‘Throw A F*cking Punch’

    WWE Hall Of Famer Kevin Nash believes that some wrestlers today look like they can’t “throw a f*cking punch.”

    Nash took to his new podcast, “Kliq This,” to give his thoughts on the current professional wrestling landscape. The WWE Hall of Famer critiqued that nobody in the business today has any real heat. He also said that nobody truly stands out to him.

    While many guys look athletic they also look like they can’t throw a proper punch.

    “The thing that I found out or realized was nobody has any heat. There’s nobody on the television show that I look at and say, ‘That person, if this was real and kicked my door down, I’d be like, oh f***.’ They’re athletic but they don’t look like they can even throw a f***ing punch.”

    “I realize now that both companies do it when they go to commercial break, the action is in a small box. And I actually enjoy that more because they’re going so f***ing fast on a large screen TV, you’re like, ‘Slow the f*** down!’ It’s too just too fast, nobody sells sh**.”

    Kevin Nash & Bryan Danielson See Eye-To-Eye

    Nash doesn’t seem to be alone in his thinking. All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star Bryan Danielson said in a recent interview that he’s more impressed by in-ring performers who get the basics right rather than the high spots they can pull off.

    “How you view wrestling evolves as you become a bigger fan. When I was in school, I saw Juvie do a 450 splash and I was like that’s the greatest thing I’ve ever seen! Now it’s watching Jerry Lawler punching someone in the face is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen”

    Kevin Nash certainly knows a thing or two about being successful in professional wrestling. Not only is he a two-time WWE Hall Of Famer, but Nash is a former WWE Champion, an Intercontinental Champion, and a two-time Tag Team Champion.

    Now, retired from in-ring competition, Nash offers his take on the landscape of the business regularly on his podcast.

  • Ric Flair Reportedly Dealing With Injury Ahead Of Last Match

    Ric Flair Reportedly Dealing With Injury Ahead Of Last Match

    Ric Flair is reportedly dealing with an injury ahead of his last match ever.

    Wrestling Observer Radio is reporting that Flair is dealing with an injury as his last-ever bout approaches at the end of the month. Dave Meltzer reports that Flair is dealing with a foot injury ahead of the bout.

    The show is slated for July 31 in Nashville, Tennessee from the Municipal Auditorium that will take place live on pay-per-view (PPV). Flair has noted that he’ll be competing with a pacemaker, which has draw some concern from many within the professional wrestling community ahead of the bout.

    However, “The Nature Boy” claims he has consulted several doctors on the matter that have given him the green light to compete. Aside from his health, Flair’s age of 73 alone is enough to worry some about him competing inside the ring.

    Ric Flair Accompanied By Big Card

    Aside from Flair’s headlining bout, there will be several other talents competing on the card from promotions such as Impact Wrestling, MLW, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and AAA.

    The current card for the show is as follows:

    • Ric Flair’s Last Match: Opponent(s) TBD
    • IMPACT World Championship Match: Josh Alexander vs. Jacob Fatu
    • Impact Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace vs. Deonna Purrazzo vs. Rachael Ellering
    • The Wolves vs. The Motor City Machine Guns
    • Killer Kross vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr.
    • The Briscoe Brothers vs. The Von Erichs
    • Clark Connors vs. Ren Narita
    • Laredo Kid vs. Bandido vs. Taurus vs. Rey Fenix
    https://youtu.be/K1SeuJfu-Kk
  • Shawn Michaels Discusses His Love For Training NXT Talents

    Shawn Michaels Discusses His Love For Training NXT Talents

    WWE Hall Of Famer Shawn Michaels is loving his role as a trainer for NXT talents.

    “The Heartbreak Kid” recently spoke on “The Bump” and reflected on his role at the WWE Performance Center and how much it means to him. Michaels admits he had the time of his life competing inside of the ring during his day.

    However, now, the biggest thing he appreciates is the trust he earns from the young talents he works with today.

    “It’s so much more meaningful to me outside of the ring. Again, I got a great deal of joy from performing in my day. Working with these young men and women, I guess the biggest thing is appreciating their trust, and I don’t wanna mess that up.

    “I can get emotional about that because they come in here, they’re not sure, they’re hungry, they wanna know the way to get to WrestleMania. I take that trust so incredibly seriously, I don’t wanna betray that. I love coming here to work, it is not hard for me to do this job.”

    Michaels certainly has a wealth of knowledge to pass along to the next generation of WWE Superstars. He’s a two-time WWE Hall Of Famer, and for good reason. Michaels has recorded four WWE World Titles, three Intercontinental Titles, two Royal Rumble wins, and so much more.

    He’s also part of one of the most famous factions in professional wrestling history, D-Generation X. Shawn Michaels is regarded as one of the best in-ring workers of all time. Now, he’ll pass on his knowledge to tomorrow’s WWE Superstars.

    Quotes via Fightful

  • Santino Marella Seemingly Reacts To Marty Scurll Booking Backlash

    Santino Marella Seemingly Reacts To Marty Scurll Booking Backlash

    Santino Marella has seemingly responded to the criticism he has received for booking Marty Scurll.

    Marella announced that he booked Scurll for his upcoming Battle Arts promotion show in Toronto on August 13.

    The announcement came via a now deleted Tweet on Marella’s Twitter account. Scurll himself also appeared in the video Marella posted, saying fans will see a side of “The Villain” that they’ve never seen before.

    The reason for the backlash over the booking comes from accusations made against Scurll back in 2020. He’s accused of sleeping with a 16-year-old girl in the UK.

    After the accusations, Scurll was essentially black balled from professional wrestling, only appearing sporadically at events, finding it difficult to get bookings.

    However, in the wake of the criticism Marella has received from fans online for booking Scurll, he responded momentarily with a Tweet that read, “Everyone deserves a second chance to redeem themselves.”

    Santino Marella quickly deleted the Tweet. It remains unclear whether or not he will keep Scurll booked in the wake of the blowback.

    Scurll himself has since responded to the accusations with the following statement.

    “I am aware that a young woman has bravely come forward with her account of sexual abuse by some members of the wrestling community in the UK 5 years ago, a community I was a part of.

    “Although I truly believe that our encounter that evening was consensual, and the fact that the encounter was legal; is almost not the point. I understand that she now views our encounter as part of a bigger problem within the wrestling community.

    “What concerns me at this moment is that from what I have been reading, she is a fan of wrestling and was made to feel unsafe within that community. This is not acceptable. I also understand that people have been attacking her on social media, and I implore you to please stop. She has a right to her voice and it is our responsibility to listen.”

  • Tito Ortiz Discusses Shane McMahon Inviting Him To WWE Tryout In 2019

    Tito Ortiz Discusses Shane McMahon Inviting Him To WWE Tryout In 2019

    Former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz was once invited to tryout for WWE in 2019 by Shane McMahon.

    Speaking in a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet, Ortiz was asked about a potential run in professional wrestling. Ortiz detailed an opportunity he had back in 2000, when he was UFC champion, during an interview he did on WWE programming.

    Initially, Tito Ortiz believed it would be a standard interview, but later found out the WWE were hoping to see his personality, or perhaps some theatrics from “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy.”

    “I went to WrestleMania, they came through Anaheim, I was champion at the time. It was 2000. I went and did…I thought it was going to be a normal interview like this, sit down and talk, but they were looking to see what kind of personality and character I had.

    “I didn’t know that. I wish I would have known that because I would have sold myself way better. I was too mellow [mild] mannered. They wanted to see the crazy Huntington Beach Boy, and no one told me anything or said a word to me. I went and was being polite and respectful. Never heard anything back.”

    In 2019 he was again interviewed by WWE, but made the same mistake of not showcasing his personality. However, he was contacted by Shane McMahon to work out at the WWE Performance Center.

    After some good in-ring work, Ortiz was optimistic about the possibility of doing something with WWE moving forward, but after the COVID 19 pandemic, he heard nothing back.

    “2019, Shane McMahon reached out to me and said, ‘What do you think about coming in and trying out?’ I went and did it and, once again, I didn’t think about this, ‘that’s why they didn’t do it.’ I wasn’t over the top. They want someone over the top and be, not crazy, but be an eye-catcher.

    “I went to [The Performance Center], and went and trained with Norman Smiley, an amazing teacher. I was learning stuff that it took some guys six months to learn. he was like, ‘Wow, you really got this.’ Then COVID came and I never heard anything.

    “I would like to do some matches. I think I have what it takes. It would take a lot of hard work, I get it, but it’d be fun. It’s a lot of training, but I did it. I did the two weeks, training twice a day.

    “I put myself through it and it was hard, but it was like being in college wrestling again. My body is subdued, no problem at all. I had no pain. After I was done, I thought I’d have neck problems, I’ve had four neck surgeries, but I didn’t have any problems. It was good.”

  • Jake Paul Open To Teaming With Logan In WWE

    Jake Paul Open To Teaming With Logan In WWE

    Jake Paul is open to teaming up with his older brother, Logan, in WWE down the line if the opportunity presents itself.

    The younger Paul brother was recently interviewed on “Carton & Roberts” over on WFAN Sports Radio 101.9 FM/66AM New York to promote his upcoming pay-per-view (PPV) clash with Hasim Rahman Jr.

    During the interview, Paul was asked about potentially joining his older brother, Logan, in WWE. Jake said he’s open to the idea down the line, but not anytime soon as he’s focused on his boxing career.

    “The Problem Child” doesn’t want to take the risk of getting injured while he’s still actively competing in boxing. He did, however, note that he believes it’ll be difficult for anyone to defeat a duo of himself and Logan.

    “Maybe someday, I just can’t get injured right now going off the top rope…That could be interesting,” Paul said (via MMA News). “I think we could become the WWE Champions, I don’t think anyone would beat us.”

    While Jake Paul might not be all-in for WWE at the moment, Logan certainly is. He recently signed a multi-year deal deal with WWE, keeping him around for the foreseeable future.

    Logan made his WWE in-ring debut at WrestleMania 38 back in April. He teamed up with The Miz to defeat the team of Rey and Dominik Mysterio. After the match, however, Miz attacked Logan, leaving him in the ring after hitting him with the Skull-Crushing Finale.

    Now, a potential matchup involving Miz and Logan Paul is being teased for SummerSlam later this month.

  • Bianca Belair Calls Out Charlotte Flair For Saudi Showdown

    Bianca Belair Calls Out Charlotte Flair For Saudi Showdown

    Bianca Belair wants a match with Charlotte Flair in Saudi Arabia.

    Belair mentioned the idea during an interview on “The Mayman Show.” Prior to WWE’s last Saudi show, Belair had a match with Flair that ended in a disqualification.

    She’d like to run things back, but this time, in a Last Woman Standing match.

    “What better place to do than Saudi Arabia?” Belair said. “I had a match with Charlotte Flair before Crown Jewel before we flew out, and it ended in a DQ, so we need to do it again … It could definitely be a Last Woman Standing.

    “I mean, I feel like we are both women that would throw it all out there and throw it on the line and really show, like, who has what it takes, who really is the toughest of them all.”

    Currently, Belair reigns as the RAW Women’s Champion on Monday nights and is locked in a feud with Carmella. She successfully retained her title against Carmella at both Money In The Bank and on RAW this week.

    Flair, on the other hand, has been taking some time off after dropping the SmackDown Women’s Title to Ronda Rousey. She recently got married to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star Andrade El Idolo.

    It will be interesting to see how Flair is brought back creatively after her loss to Rousey, who also just dropped the SmackDown Women’s Title to Liv Morgan.

    Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

  • Road Dogg Reveals ‘Bad Habit’ Seth Rollins Had

    Road Dogg Reveals ‘Bad Habit’ Seth Rollins Had

    WWE Hall Of Famer Road Dogg reveals a “bad habit” Set Rollins used to have when he worked with him.

    Road Dogg recently took part in a Q&A over on AdFreeShows, and was asked about “bad habits” that independent stars had when signing on with WWE. He actually used Seth Rollins as an example for this answer.

    The Hall Of Famer explained that Rollins had a “bad habit” of not taking advice from his elders well, seemingly responding in a disrespectful way.

    “He used to do this thing in the corner where he would jump up and down, and jump up and down, and run like he was in a mosh pit, and then just run and hit the guy with the forearm,” James said.

    “And I thought, ‘Man, that’s so anti-climatic.’ It seemed like the build-up to it was bigger than the finish of it. So I went to him and told him that, and he said, ‘No, that’s what I do. I’m not changing it. That’s what I do.’ And I went to [Triple H] and I said, ‘Well, that kid, I’ll never talk to him again.’

    “His bad habit was not saying, ‘Okay, thank you sir,’ or whatever and being respectful and then not doing what I said like every other young wrestler. At least pretend to respect what I’m telling you, you know what I mean? And what I was telling him was right.

    “He did change it, and he did come up with something that was more [of] a bigger pop than the set-up to it. They had a ‘come to Jesus’ speech with him down there. And he changed his whole philosophy and perspective on how he was looking at stuff, and look at him now, man. On top of the world, doing some of his best work too, I might add.”

    Of course, today, Rollins is one of the top stars in WWE. Over the course of his career “The Architect” has racked up four World Title runs, a Royal Rumble win, and so much more.

    He had one of the more compelling rivalries so far thus year with Cody Rhodes, which was cut short due to Rhodes’ injury. Recently, he comes off of a failed bid at yet again becoming Mr. Money In The Bank.

    Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

  • Kevin Nash Details Events Leading To Scott Hall’s Passing

    Kevin Nash Details Events Leading To Scott Hall’s Passing

    WWE Hall Of Famer Kevin Nash has detailed the events that lead up to his friend and fellow Hall Of Famer Scott Hall’s passing earlier this year.

    Hall passed away back in March after being hospitalized for falling and breaking his hip. His hospitalization resulted in several complications that eventually lead to him being put on life support.

    The Hall Of Famer reportedly suffered three heart attacks and was eventually taken off life support. He was 63-years-old at the time of his passing.

    Taking to the debut episode of his podcast, “Kliq This,” Kevin Nash detailed the events that transpired before Hall’s unfortunate passing. Here’s what he had to say.

    “People probably don’t know the breakdown as far as what happened as far as Scott passing and the timeline. Scott was in lockdown. It was in a little duplex. It was in Smyrna, Ga. Scott was getting Grubhub and had some Chinese take out place that would bring him back Vodka.

    “He was making some Kool-Aid. He put the plastic pitcher up to the refrigerator. The ice went in it, but a couple of the pieces of ice as always bounced out and landed on the floor. He went over and stirred it. I’m sure it was Crystal Light because he always ate pretty clean. He was going back to get something and one of those pieces of ice caught his heel. He did the fucking whoopsie daisy and fu**ing landed and broke his other hip.

    “He’s in the middle of his kitchen and he’s in so much pain and he can’t move. He tried to move several different times. He can’t move and finally, he passes out. He wakes up and now it’s nighttime and he has no idea. He can see where his phone is by his recliner. He’s in between that and the Kool-Aid. He ends up passing back out, wakes up, and at this point is just like, ‘I’m so dehydrated.’

    “He’s got a defibrillator and a pacemaker in his heart. He’s like, ‘I’m going to croak if I don’t get some fluids.’ So he just turned and gutted it back to the cabinet and reached up the two hands and just drank it through the spout sip by sip. Slowly, he got enough to him that he was able to drag himself and he called 911.”

    “They came and got him and took him to the hospital. So he went to Kennestone hospital which is like a two out of five star hospital. Scott didn’t have insurance. He needed to get the hip fixed. He had some other problems and some other issues.

    “They did some CAT scans. When it would be time to get Scott out of the hospital, he was going to stay with Dallas (Page) and recover there. I got a call on Sunday saying Scott had three heart attacks and it didn’t look good. I tried to get a flight to Atlanta but couldn’t, so I went back to Daytona Beach and then couldn’t get a flight out of Daytona Beach.

    “At that point, they said they were going to pull the plug and the doctor said that it would be maybe 10 minutes that Scott would be alive. So before they pulled the plug, all the Kliq guys got on speakerphone and we all talked to him. We all cried was basically all we did. Seven hours later, Scott was still alive (but then died).”

    Quotes via WrestlingNews.co

  • Santino Marella Receives Blowblack For Booking Marty Scurll

    Santino Marella Receives Blowblack For Booking Marty Scurll

    Santino Marella is receiving quite a bit of blowback for booking Marty Scurll for his upcoming show.

    Marella, real name Anthony Carelli, announced on Twitter that he’s booking Marty Scurll for his upcoming Battle Arts promotion show in Toronto. The announcement also included a video from Scurll saying that fans will see a side of “The Villain” that they’ve never seen before.

    He concluded by saying that “sh*t gets real” on August 13. Check out the announcement here below.

    https://twitter.com/milanmiracle/status/1546514510286127108

    Carelli is receiving quite a bit of blowback for booking Scurll for the show given the accusations made against him back in 2020. He’s accused of having slept with a 16-year-old girl in the UK.

    As a result, Scurll has found it difficult to get booked for wrestling shows, slowly making his return to action over the years. He responded to the accusations with the following statement.

    “I am aware that a young woman has bravely come forward with her account of sexual abuse by some members of the wrestling community in the UK 5 years ago, a community I was a part of.

    “Although I truly believe that our encounter that evening was consensual, and the fact that the encounter was legal; is almost not the point. I understand that she now views our encounter as part of a bigger problem within the wrestling community.

    “What concerns me at this moment is that from what I have been reading, she is a fan of wrestling and was made to feel unsafe within that community. This is not acceptable. I also understand that people have been attacking her on social media, and I implore you to please stop. She has a right to her voice and it is our responsibility to listen.”

  • Gerald Brisco Details Vince McMahon & Brock Lesnar’s First Meeting

    Gerald Brisco Details Vince McMahon & Brock Lesnar’s First Meeting

    Gerald Brisco has shared some details on the first-ever meeting between Vince McMahon and Brock Lesnar.

    Brisco was recently interviewed by Sportskeeda where he detailed the meeting between the three, where McMahon was extremely impressed with the former NCAA Division I Heavyweight Champion.

    Lesnar’s physical appearance certainly impressed McMahon, but it was his determination in his voice that also seemed to get “The Chairman Of The Board” excited about the potential of “The Beast.”

    “We’re at a PPV. Brock has on one of those tight T-shirts for that pull real tight and his bicep looks huge. Vince can’t resist a good bicep. All of a sudden, he (Vince) stopped in his tracks, walks over to Brock, and shakes his hand.

    “Vince said, ‘’Young man, congratulations on winning the national championship. Are you ready for showbiz?’ Brock Lesnar looked him right in the eye and said, ‘I’ve been ready all my life.’ What an answer to give the boss. I see that smile come on Vince. That really showed Vince that this guy is ready to do this and wants to do this,” Brisco said.

    In terms of financials, Lesnar’s asking price was high. So high, in fact, that Brisco claims that WWE’s budget guy would complain that signing Lesnar would kill their entire developmental budget.

    Brisco was of the belief that it was worth the investment, recognizing that Lesnar is a once in a generation talent. As it turns out, he was right.

    “Vince and I got together and he said. ‘What’s it going to take?’ I said, ‘I don’t know. That’s J.R.’s department. I got the guy here, now you guys do your job.’ There was resistance. I know Brock was asking for a lot of money. Looking back, it seemed kind of silly with the numbers. I mean, he’s just looking for a six figure number to sign on.

    “I would get complaints from the budget guy that this guy is going to kill our entire developmental budget with one guy. I kept telling him, ‘He’ll make you more money than that. Overlook this one year. This guy is one of those guys that comes along once in a lifetime’, and sure enough he was.

    “So they threw all that stuff aside and said, ‘Okay, let’s figure out what it’s going to cost and how we can manipulate it into our budget.’ They figured that out and they finally came to an agreement with Brock. It was probably a two or three month negotiation period back and forth.”

    Since signing with WWE, Lesnar has become one of the company’s biggest names of all time. He’s a 10-time World Champion, a King Of The Ring winner, a Money In The Bank Winner, and a two-time Royal Rumble winner.

    He’s currently slated to challenge Roman Reigns for the WWE Undisputed Title at SummerSlam.

    Quotes via WrestlingNews.co

  • Bully Ray: Liv Morgan Was ‘Playing a Pro Wrestler’ In Recent Promo

    Bully Ray: Liv Morgan Was ‘Playing a Pro Wrestler’ In Recent Promo

    WWE Hall Of Famer Bully Ray wasn’t a fan of SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan’s recent promo.

    Ray recently took to his radio show, “Busted Open Radio,” to offer his thoughts on Morgan’s promo this week after winning the SmackDown Live Women’s Title when she cashed in her Money In The Bank briefcase on Ronda Rousey shortly after winning it.

    The Hall Of Famer noted that he feels like the support from the fans has died down a bit behind Morgan, and her prom felt like “somebody who’s playing a pro wrestler as opposed to being a pro wrestler.”

    “I didn’t think it was a strong promo from her. But I will say this, the people were behind her, at first, but then it started to trail off a bit.

    “I believe she was trying to memorize a promo last night – they’re never going to hand Liv Morgan a microphone and say, ‘Here’s five minutes, go say whatever the hell you want to say.’ Unfortunately, when I hear Liv talk last night, I feel like I’m watching somebody who’s playing a pro wrestler as opposed to being a pro wrestler.

    “This whole, ‘We did it guys, if it wasn’t for you guys, you guys got me all the way through,’ it’s uber babyface, chase-the-hug stuff and I understand why they do it. But, I want to see Liv come out there and stand on her own two feet – verbally and physically.”

    It remains to be seen what’s next for Morgan after winning the SmackDown Live Women’s Title. A program with Natalya was teased on Monday Night RAW, however, it’s also expected that Morgan gives Rousey her rematch, likely at SummerSlam.

    Things should become a bit more clear on this week’s episode of SmackDown Live this Friday.

    Quotes via Wrestle Talk

  • Booker T Reacts to Rumors of Street Profits Splitting Up

    Booker T Reacts to Rumors of Street Profits Splitting Up

    WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T has offered his thoughts on the rumors that The Street Profits could be splitting up soon.

    A recent report from Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio indicates that WWE is very high on Montez Ford. In fact, the report suggests that the commentary team’s comments on Ford’s physique during Money In The Bank were meant to lead to a singles push for Ford.

    There are reportedly those in WWE management who are very high on Ford, and his new physique was a big part of that. The commentary team also laid the foundation for a future split of The Street Profits by suggesting there was tension between the two.

    Booker T discussed the possibility of Ford getting a singles push during a recent episode of his podcast, “The Hall Of Fame.” Booker said he hopes this lights a fire under Angelo Dawkins.

    “I’m gonna tell you right now, if Angelo Dawkins ain’t listening to the internet and people talking about Montez Ford being a singles, and people wanting to treat him like a star, if that don’t motivate his ass, nothing will,” Booker said. “If he don’t think the chatter is real, that’s on him, okay?”

    In regards to seeing Ford as a singles star, Booker certainly sees the potential in the young star. However, he believes the tag team division needs a team like The Street Profits right now, and thinks WWE should let them ride things out as a team a bit longer in order for them to find a replacement for them before splitting them up.

    “Montez can definitely be a singles star. But I do think we need a strong tag team division right now, and I think over a period of time, Street Profits can be replaced, but I don’t think they can be replaced overnight. So I say let this thing roll for a little while longer, because we got something now.”

    Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

  • Recently Retired UFC Star Wants to Be ‘Female Undertaker’ in WWE or AEW

    Recently Retired UFC Star Wants to Be ‘Female Undertaker’ in WWE or AEW

    One recently retired UFC star is looking to become the “female Undertaker” of WWE or All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

    A growing number of mixed martial arts (MMA) stars seem to be gaining interest in transitioning to professional wrestling once their fighting days are done. Names that have already made the jump include Shayna Baszler, Ronda Rousey, Valerie Loureda, Paige VanZant, and so many more.

    Now, former UFC flyweight title challenger Jessica “Evil” Eye is looking at a transition to professional wrestling. Eye retired over the weekend after suffering a defeat to Maycee Barber at UFC 276.

    It was Eye’s fourth-straight defeat, thus deciding to hang up the gloves for good. Speaking at the post-fight press conference, Eye expressed interest in becoming the “female Undertaker” of professional wrestling.

    “I’ve always wanted to dabble in wrestling,” Jessica Eye said (via MMA News). “In pro wrestling. I want to be the female Undertaker. I want to ride a motorcycle down to the Octagon and DDT somebody. I’d love to do that.

    “I tried out a couple of years ago during COVID and I ended up making it. Suffered a lot of health issues — I lost my gall bladder, found out about the parasites so — AEW, WWE lets go. Jessica “Evil Eye” is ready. Jessica “Evil” Eye does not end here, she’s just starting a new journey.”

    Should Eye decide to pull the trigger on the move, it would be interesting to see where she ultimately ends up. WWE has a track record of picking up former mixed martial artists such as Rousey, Baszler, Sonya Deville, and many more.

    However, AEW recently signed VanZant, a former UFC star and current bare-knuckle boxing competitor. Eye certainly has no shortage of opportunities should both promotions show interest.

  • Adam Cole Reveals Which Match Made Him Cry ‘Like a Baby’

    Adam Cole Reveals Which Match Made Him Cry ‘Like a Baby’

    There was one match that made Adam Cole cry “like a baby” during his time with WWE NXT.

    Recently, the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star was a guest on WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle’s podcast, “The Kurt Angle Show.”

    During the show, Cole revealed that he got very emotional both before and after his final NXT match with Kyle O’Reilly.

    “I’m an emotional guy, and I don’t think I’ve ever said this, but I cried like a baby after that match. I’m sitting there, I’m watching this video package before the match, and its pictures of me and Kyle from 2009, and all this Ring of Honor stuff, and us wrestling each other in New Japan, and I know this is my last night at NXT … I was crying before I went out there.

    “Getting to do that with him, there’s no one I would’ve rather wrestled or been in there with than Kyle. Just because I got to close my Ring of Honor chapter with him in a lot of ways, I got to close my PWG chapter and then my ‘NXT’ chapter with Kyle. So it was a very special night and a very emotional night for me.”

    Cole said the video package before the match, showcasing he and O’Reilly together throughout their initial years in the business, as well as knowing it was his last night in NXT, made for an emotional journey.

    Now, Cole has signed with AEW, where he has seen some great success right off the bat. He won the Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament after a string of impressive matches.

    Unfortunately for Adam Cole, however, he’s currently dealing with an injury that could keep him out-of-action for some time.

    Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

  • WWE Stars “Shocked” at AEW’s Offer to Sign Claudio Castagnoli

    WWE Stars “Shocked” at AEW’s Offer to Sign Claudio Castagnoli

    Several WWE stars were reportedly “shocked” at All Elite Wrestling (AEW) signing Claudio Castagnoli (formerly known as Cesaro).

    Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reports that the reason they were shocked was based off of the large offer WWE had made to Castagnoli before he signed with AEW. While this wasn’t a big deal with fans, it certainly was for the talent.

    The feeling going around is that AEW must’ve matched or topped WWE’s offer, which came as a surprise considering the belief was that AEW was no longer doing that.

    Castagnoli could’ve made a substantial amount of money in WWE, however, the likelihood of a push was very small.

    Also, at 41-years-old, Meltzer speculated Castagnoli is likely looking to prove once and for all he can be a top guy before he begins to physically decline with age.

    AEW president Tony Khan has noted before that he was a big fan of Castagnoli’s in-ring work and IQ.

    Talent Benefitting from Competition between WWE & AEW

    WWE AEW

    With both AEW and WWE willing to pay out the big bucks for more talent, wrestlers have more leverage now than ever before. At one point, WWE was offering talents big money just to keep them locked away, only to have them be released mid-contract.

    The landscape of professional wrestling has certainly changed quite a bit in recent months, with the likes of Cody Rhodes leaving AEW for WWE in a big money deal; and the likes of Adam Cole, Bryan Danielson, and now, Claudio Castagnoli, leaving WWE for AEW, it’s a clear indication that it’s a seller’s market at the moment in regards to talent.

    All the fun is only likely to continue, with big names like Sasha Banks, Naomi, and Io Shirai also set to hit free agency soon. With both WWE and AEW seemingly financially stable, the madness doesn’t appear to be ending any time soon.

  • Kurt Angle Reveals His Favorite Match Against John Cena

    Kurt Angle Reveals His Favorite Match Against John Cena

    WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle has revealed his favorite match in which he competed against John Cena.

    Angle knows Cena as well as anyone inside the squared circle, being Cena’s first opponent for his main roster debut in 2002. The pair then embarked on a lengthy rivalry that helped elevate Cena into Superstar status.

    Speaking in an interview with TV Insider recently, Angle was asked about his favorite match that he had with Cena during their feud. Angle named his 2003 No Mercy match against Cena in which he made “The Leader Of The Cenation” tap out.

    “I would say probably where I made him tap,” Angle said. “I believe it may have been No Mercy 2003. We had a really good match. John stayed with me and worked really hard, he hit all his moves. The match was magic and one of my favorite matches. All my favorite matches, though, are when I make someone tap out.

    “John and I also had a great match in No Way Out 2005 where he beat me. It was right before the WrestleMania before he won the WWE championship for the first time. That match might have been a little better. That was when they were really pushing John to be the champion.”

    The latter match Kurt Angle mentioned was their 2005 bout at No Way Out in which Cena defeated “The Olympic Hero” for the first time by either pinfall or submission. Prior, he had only ever beaten Angle via disqualification in 2002.

    It was a massive stepping stone in Cena’s journey to become “the guy” as it made him the No. 1-contender for the WWE Title, where he’d go on to defeat JBL at WrestleMania 21 to capture the World Title.

    John Cena recently celebrated his 20th year in WWE since his debut on this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW.

  • The Undertaker Sees Megastar Potential in Bianca Belair

    The Undertaker Sees Megastar Potential in Bianca Belair

    The Undertaker believes current RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair has only just “scratched the surface” of her star potential in WWE.

    “The Dead Man” was recently interviewed by Sports Illustrated, where he offered his thoughts on the current landscape of the WWE’s women’s division. Taker spoke on two stars in particular that stand out to him.

    The first being “The Man” Becky Lynch, who Undertaker says is “so dialed in right now.”

    “Becky is so dialed in right now,” ‘Taker said. “You’re on TV as much as they are, you can get used up really fast—but Becky is constantly evolving. She’s doing that on the mic and in the ring.”

    Second, Undertaker praised current RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, who he believes has only “scratched the surface” of her star potential within the company.

    “The women’s division is really, really good,” Undertaker said. “Bianca has only scratched the surface of the star she’s going to be. She’s got such an incredible personality. She’s someone I really want to see succeed.”

    Both Lynch and Belair have big weekends ahead of them. They’ll both be in action at WWE’s Money In The Bank event Saturday from Las Vegas.

    Lynch will compete in the Money In The Bank Ladder match against several other women, while Belair puts her RAW Women’s Title on the line against Carmella.

  • Shayna Baszler ‘Frustrated’ By Criticism Ronda Rousey Receives

    Shayna Baszler ‘Frustrated’ By Criticism Ronda Rousey Receives

    Shayna Baszler is “frustrated” by the criticism her friend and WWE SmackDown Live Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey receives.

    Rousey officially made her WWE debut in 2018, joining WWE full-time as a competitor. She has since gone on to win both the RAW and SmackDown Women’s Titles once each, the latter of which she still holds.

    While Rousey has certainly done some impressive things since making the jump from mixed martial arts (MMA) to professional wrestling, she isn’t without her critics.

    Whether it’s her in ring work, promos, or the way she ended her MMA career, there’s always a group of people who have something negative to say about “The Rowdy One,” and as Shayna Baslzer explains on “Out Of Character” with Ryan Satin, it frustrates her.

    “Here’s the thing, I know Ronda enough to know that she does not spend her time on social media. Anytime she comments is because someone has said, ‘Hey, Ronda, you should comment on this,’ which isn’t often because she’ll still be like, ‘Why? Who cares?’ I get frustrated when – it’s a little more selfish than that. I get frustrated if I ever were to speak out.”

    Rousey and Baszler are great friends, having competed together in the UFC for several years. Both women now have homes in WWE, although a singles title run on the main roster has eluded Baszler thus far.

    She is a two-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion as well as a former NXT Women’s Champion. As for Rousey, she’s slated to put her SmackDown Women’s Title up for grabs against Natalya at the upcoming Money In The Bank premium live event.

    Quotes via 411Mania

  • Booker T Doesn’t Understand Claudio Castagnoli Never Receiving WWE Push

    Booker T Doesn’t Understand Claudio Castagnoli Never Receiving WWE Push

    WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T doesn’t understand how Claudio Castagnoli never received a push in WWE.

    The two-time WWE Hall Of Famer recently took to his podcast, “The Hall Of Fame,” to offer his thoughts on Castagnoli joining All Elite Wrestling (AEW), making his debut at the Forbidden Door pay-per-view (PPV).

    Castagnoli had been with WWE since 2011 prior to signing with AEW, and never really received the big push many fans believed he deserved. As for Booker T, he can’t explain why WWE never decided to pull the trigger on the Swiss star.

    “Cesaro was always my guy. I always felt like him and I had a whole lot in common. Being around for a long time, working your ass off, and waiting on someone to pull your name, and say, ‘This is the guy.’ That happened for me.

    “There were many times we thought that was that moment for Claudio in the WWE, and it really never happened. I mean, me personally, I really don’t know why. But that’s one of the guys that I really feel that could have been made by just giving him a huge push and then after that, it really wouldn’t have mattered how we used him as long as we kept him at a certain tier.

    “He was the guy that we could have made. Once you make a guy like that who can hold it, he’s made forever. I don’t think you’ve ever had to really worry about Claudio from an in-ring perspective, as well as if you put him in the right situation with the microphone, he delivers there as well. He’s one that I wouldn’t have wanted to lose.”

    Of course, Castagnoli’s run with WWE as Cesaro certainly wasn’t uneventful. He racked up seven tag team title runs, a reign as WWE United States Champion, and an Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal victory.

    However, he lacked a real big run as a singles star despite many seeing World Champion potential in the now 41-year-old. Now, he’ll join a stacked roster in AEW; which includes names such as Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, Samoa Joe, Hangman Page, The Hardys, and more.

    It will be interesting to see if Cesaro receives his long-awaited run as World Champion now that he’s with AEW.

    Quotes via 411Mania.com

  • Booker T Would ‘Love’ to See Paige in AEW

    Booker T Would ‘Love’ to See Paige in AEW

    WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T would “love” to see Paige in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) if she doesn’t return for WWE.

    The two-time WWE Hall Of Famer recently took to his podcast, “The Hall Of Fame,” to offer his thoughts on Paige’s pending WWE departure and where he’d like to see her end up.

    If she doesn’t ultimately return to WWE, Booker would love to see her in AEW.

    “Yeah, I would. I would love to see Paige on a big stage if she’s going to do it here. If she’s not going to be in WWE, definitely, I could see Paige doing some really, really good stuff there [AEW], I really can. … I don’t look at Sasha the way I look at Paige, I look at those two totally different.”

    Paige signed with WWE in 2011 and had a big impact on the women’s evolution within the company. She’s a two-time Divas Champion and a former NXT Women’s Champion. However, unfortunately, the 29-year-old’s career has bee plagued by injuries.

    She has been out-of-action for the past several years due to not being medically cleared to compete, but still under contract with WWE.

    Paige was used for a few non-physical roles on WWE TV, such as a manager and General Manager, but those soon fizzled out.

    Now, Paige has already booked her first non-WWE appearance following her contract expiring in July. It’s not certain where she’ll ultimately end up, but wherever it is, Booker T is a firm believer that Paige is a star, and has all the makings to be huge for whoever signs her.

    “She’s a star, bonafide. Just that smile alone, I am serious, dog, that little dimple in between her chin … She’s money, so she could definitely make impact.”

    Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

  • Backstage Note on Kevin Owens Missing Monday Night RAW

    Backstage Note on Kevin Owens Missing Monday Night RAW

    Kevin Owens was noticeably absent from last night’s episode of WWE Monday Night RAW.

    Owens was scheduled and advertised for the show, as he was to face off against one of the three brothers; Ezekiel, Elias, or Elrod in a Money In The Bank qualifying match. However, the match never happened, with the commentary team noting that it had to be “rescheduled.”

    Instead, WWE held a Battle Royal, where the winner would qualify for the Men’s Money In The Bank Ladder match, which was won by Riddle.

    With that being said, the match likely needed to be rescheduled as Owens wasn’t on the program at all, while Ezekiel did make a backstage appearance with John Cena.

    Wrestling Observer Radio‘s Dave Meltzer noted that, whatever the situation is with Owens, it’s “minor.”

    Meltzer didn’t check if Owens would be ready to go Friday Night on SmackDown, but he wasn’t ready to go Monday night, but it was “nothing serious.”

    Kevin Owens did take to Twitter to acknowledge his absence, saying he didn’t go because he didn’t want to go to Texas, where the show was taking place.

    This was a reference to his story line with Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 38 earlier this year, where Austin defeated Owens in an impromptu No Holds Barred match – Austin’s first match in over 17 years.

  • Stephanie McMahon Acknowledges Father’s Investigation During ‘All Hands On Deck’ Meeting (Report)

    Stephanie McMahon Acknowledges Father’s Investigation During ‘All Hands On Deck’ Meeting (Report)

    Stephanie McMahon reportedly acknowledged her father’s ongoing investigation during an “all hands on deck” meeting.

    PWInsider reports that WWE held an “all hands on deck” meeting yesterday, in which Stephanie McMahon acknowledged the ongoing investigation into her father, Vince McMahon.

    Stephanie is acting as chairman and CEO of WWE after her father stepped down last week. She reportedly said “everyone” is aware of the investigation by the WWE Board of Directors, clarifying her father has “stepped back.”

    Also, she added that she loves Vince and WWE, and will do “everything she can” for the company moving forward.

    It was also noted that Stephanie McMahon has been “actively involved” in meetings that would usually see Vince involved in the past.

    Vince McMahon is currently under investigation for sexual misconduct, along with John Laurinaitis, for an alleged payout he made to an employee he was having an affair with.

    Although Vince has stepped down as chairman and CEO of WWE, he’s still very much involved creatively backstage on Monday Night RAW and SmackDown Live.

    In fact, its been reported several times that he’s been in great spirits backstage.

    If that wasn’t enough, even after the allegations surfaced and became public, as well as after his stepping down as chairman and CEO, Vince made brief television appearances on both RAW and SmackDown last week.

  • Alberto El Patron Believes He’ll Be in WWE Hall Of Fame One Day

    Alberto El Patron Believes He’ll Be in WWE Hall Of Fame One Day

    Former WWE Champion Alberto El Patron (aka Alberto Del Rio) believes he’ll make it into the WWE Hall Of Fame one day.

    Recently, El Patron was interviewed by Sportskeeda and discussed the possibility of one day getting the nod for a Hall Of Fame induction.

    El Patron said he believes the day will eventually come where he can share what would be a special day with his family.

    “I would love to be there and walk into the scenario and just grab the microphone and from the top, look at my dad, my mom, my beautiful children, my girlfriend, my family, and to finally put an end to this amazing career with my name out there in the stars with the legends of our sport,” Del Rio said.

    “I know one day it will happen. Of course, the decision is not mine. But I know someday, I will get my justice.”

    El Patron debuted in WWE as Alberto Del Rio back in 2010 on SmackDown. It marked the beginning of what would turn out to be a rather successful career with the company overall.

    The Mexican star is a former Royal Rumble winner, Money In The Bank Ladder match winner, a four-time WWE World Champion, and a two-time United States Champion. He’s been featured in big feuds alongside stars such as John Cena, Dolph Ziggler, The BIg SHow, and many more.

    Aside from WWE, Del Rio has worked for promotions such as AAA, Ring Of Honor (ROH), Lucha Underground, IMPACT Wrestling, and many more.

    Of course, Del Rio has no shortage of controversies outside of the ring, which may prevent or delay a Hall Of Fame opportunity with WWE from becoming possible.

    Quotes via Wrestling Inc.