SEScoops

Author: Jon Fuentes

  • WWE No Longer Penalizing Talents for Marijuana Use (Report)

    WWE No Longer Penalizing Talents for Marijuana Use (Report)

    WWE Superstars shouldn’t have to worry about being drug tested tomorrow, as the company reportedly no longer penalizes talents for the use of marijuana.

    Today is “4/20” and Fightful reports that WWE stars haven’t been fined or suspended for the use of marijuana in “years.” The company used to fine talents $2,500 for the use of marijuana. The report did add that talents are still tested for “everything” but as for marijuana in particular, there will no longer be fines handed out.

    WWE’s corporate website still officially lists a $2,500 fine for marijuana use, however, it’s rumored the section was quietly removed from the Wellness Policy. You can read that section for yourself here below:

    “B. FOR POSITIVE MARIJUANA DRUG TESTS

    In the event of any positive test for marijuana, the WWE Talent shall be fined Two Thousand Five Hundred US Dollars ($2,500.00) per positive test, which shall be deducted from the WWE Talent’s downside guarantee.”

    It’s also rumored that Randy Orton was a big advocate for getting the policy amended for marijuana use. Additionally, his current tag team partner and one-half of the RAW Tag Team Champions, Matt Riddle, also was very outspoken about abolishing penalizations for marijuana use during his time in NXT. Another star who was outspoken on the matter in NXT was Kona Reeves.

    Reeves was released from the company in August of 2021. Interestingly enough, the first major push-back from WWE talents came back in the 90s, championed by WWE Hall Of Famer Bret Hart. Hart noted that the use of marijuana was a far better alternative to the other methods wrestlers would use to cope with pain.

    Now, on 4/20, the likes of MVP and RK-Bro are openly celebrating the holiday. MVP recently released a 4/20-themed rap, while RK-Bro just dropped a shirt for the holiday.

  • MVP Releases New Rap Song in Honor of 4/20

    MVP Releases New Rap Song in Honor of 4/20

    Former WWE United States Champion MVP has released a new rap song in honor of 4/20 today.

    The song is called “Legalize It” featuring Smoke DZA and 80 Empire. He encourages the United States government to legalize weed across the country. 18 states currently have it legalized for recreational use. You can listen to the song on Apple Music, Spotify, and other streaming platforms.

    Check out MVP’s announcement here:

    https://twitter.com/The305MVP/status/1516768633275437061

    MVP is currently serving as a manager on WWE TV. Initially, he was the manager of former WWE Champion Bobby Lashley. However, MVP turned on Lashley the night after WrestleMania 38, attacking “The Almighty” alongside Omos. Lashley bested Omos the night before in singles competition. Now, Lashley and Omos are scheduled to have an arm wrestling contest on next week’s episode of Monday Night RAW.

    The former US Champ offered the following explanation for why he turned on Lashley:

    “The All Mighty Bobby Lashley, this force of nature. Somewhere along the line he forgot about the conversation we had in that warehouse all those years ago. See, all I did was help the All Mighty remember what he was capable of doing.

    But somewhere along the way he forgot about who helped him get back on that path.” said MVP, “Now it’s all about, ‘What I did. I’m the Almighty, I did this, I did that.’ Omos, he’s in need of someone that can help him unlock his potential. To truly be the monster that he is. I think I’m just the man to do that.”

  • Interesting Note on Bray Wyatt’s Hiatus from Wrestling

    Interesting Note on Bray Wyatt’s Hiatus from Wrestling

    Its been quite a while since professional wrestling fans have seen Bray Wyatt compete inside the ring.

    Wyatt hasn’t done much professional wrestling-related ventures since his WWE release last July. Since, he’s only done a Wrestlecon appearance during WrestleMania weekend in Dallas, Texas earlier this month. Many have wondered if Wyatt would consider a return to WWE, or even joining All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

    However, according to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer, there is a good reason why Wyatt hasn’t signed with anyone yet. Meltzer reports that Wyatt’s asking price to return to the ring is simply too high right now.

    Bray Wyatt is one of the hottest free agents out there, but his services don’t come cheap. AEW has been on a hiring spree, but they still have to be mindful about their pay structure. The company brought in some huge names last year, including CM Punk, Daniel Bryan and Adam Cole. Cody Rhodes’ recent departure should serve as an example of Tony Khan having limits on how much he’s willing to offer people.

    Wyatt hasn’t been seen on WWE TV since the night after last year’s WrestleMania. However, he did recently hint on social media that he couldn’t imagine never stepping into a professional wrestling ring again. As for his health, with all this time he’s spent away from the squared circle, he’s likely in great shape for an in-ring return.

    It will be interesting to see where Wyatt ultimately ends up if he does decide to sign with a major promotion again.

  • Vickie Guerrero Admits She Misses GM Role

    Vickie Guerrero Admits She Misses GM Role

    Vickie Guerrero might be with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) now, but she still has fond memories of her time with WWE.

    Guerrero recently spoke to WhatCulture, and discussed her time in WWE, before now signing with AEW. Guerrero explained that she misses the General Manager role she had in WWE, and doubts something like that is possible in AEW. However, she’d really love to manage more talent with her new company.

    “I’m a little sad that I don’t play the General Manager,” Guerrero said (via Fightful). “I do miss those times a lot because it was so much fun to make out with guys, hire and fire people, and slap women and get away with it. Those were really fun times. It’s a different situation with AEW and I wish I could do that, but hopefully, I can manage more people,”

    Guerrero is the widow of WWE Hall Of Famer Eddie Guerrero, who sadly and unexpectedly passed away back in 2005. Shortly after, Vickie Guerrero started with WWE as an on-screen personality, and carved out quite the legacy for herself in WWE. She eventually became the General Manager of SmackDown, becoming one of the most hated heels in the business in the process.

    She eventually found herself in a controversial, yet memorable romantic story line with WWE Hall Of Famer Edge. Guerrero stopped making regular appearances on WWE TV around 2014, but still made sporadic appearances over the next few years.

    Things took a turn for Guerrero when she made an appearance for AEW in 2019, subsequently provoking WWE to “cut her off,” as she claims. Guerrero then officially signed with AEW in 2020.

  • Nikki Bella Open to WWE In-Ring Return

    Nikki Bella Open to WWE In-Ring Return

    WWE Hall Of Famer Nikki Bella isn’t opposed to returning to WWE for more in-ring work.

    Aside from making a very brief appearance in this year’s Women’s Royal Rumble match, Nikki Bella hasn’t wrestled in a match since 2018. Bella fell short against then-RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey at a live event in Italy. Recently, Bella participated in a Q&A video for “America’s Got Talent: Extreme,” where she serves as a judge.

    During the Q&A, Bella was asked about a potential in-ring return. She responded by saying that, as long as the doctors continue to clear her, she’s open to it. However, she’d much rather wait a few years until her son is a little older, so he can appreciate seeing her wrestle ringside. She also noted that it’d be a dream come true to win the Women’s Tag Team Titles with her sister, Brie Bella.

    “As long as the doctors say yes,” Bella said (via Wrestling Inc.). “And especially with my sister. When we left is when they brought in the tag championships, tag titles. I kind of would like it more when my son is three or four, because it be a dream of mine, especially as a woman, is to have one of the best matches of my career with my son sitting at ringside and being like ‘that’s my mom!’

    “I really would like to go back with my sister one day, fight for the tag titles and win them once in front of our kids. That would be amazing.”

    Bella is one of the most accomplished female WWE stars of all time. During her run with the company she racked up two Divas Championship runs, and also has the longest-ever reign as Divas Champion in history. She also had the opportunity to headline the first-ever all-female WWE pay-per-view (PPV), WWE Evolution back in 2018.

    She challenged Ronda Rousey for the RAW Women’s Title in the main event, ultimately coming up short.

  • Vince McMahon Once Wanted The Rock to Wrestle a Bear

    Vince McMahon Once Wanted The Rock to Wrestle a Bear

    Vince McMahon always looks to put on a massive show, and that was no different back in 2000.

    On the heels of McMahon finally taking WWE to the New York Stock Exchange, McMahon actually had plans to put one of his biggest stars – The Rock – inside the ring smack in the middle of Wall Street. And his opponent? A bear. Yes, an actual, live bear.

    WWE Senior VP Bruce Prichard broke the idea down during an episode of his podcast, “Something To Wrestle,” saying Vince McMahon seemed pretty set on the idea at the time.

    “Vince came into my office on a Thursday, and I believe it was going to be a Tuesday or a Wednesday that we were going to be on the New York Stock Exchange, to ring the bell on the Stock Exchange, and Vince wanted to put a ring in the middle of Wall Street,” Prichard said (via Wrestling Inc.). “Shut Wall Street down and put a ring there and have matches at noon.

    “Huge spectacle, we’re gonna go live on WWF.com, so it’s like, okay, cool. I thought he was just kind of telling me this. So I knew that ‘Okay we need to put on a show, we need to come up with something. But what he was telling me was ‘Hey, I want to do this, get it done.’ As he trails off he goes ‘and I want a bear…! I want The Rock to wrestle a bear.’ The Brahma Bull versus the bear. The honest to God living wrestling bear which used to be an attraction back in the day.”

    Obviously, the idea never materialized. Prichard explained that there likely would’ve been issues with animal rights activists; on top of the fact that you probably don’t want a bear in the middle of Wall Street the day your stock goes public on the New York Stock Exchange.

    “The bear, thank God, was reconsidered on several fronts,” Prichard said. “Because, first of all, you had the animal rights activists that would not look kindly on a wrestling bear. Even though the human rights activists that probably should have been alarmed. Because trust me… the bear always goes over. So anyway, as we’re getting closer to this, the idea becomes ‘well, do you really want a bear hanging around on the New York Exchange the day your stock goes public?’ Well, ‘the bear was out today on the New York Stock Exchange.’

    “No you don’t want that. You want the ‘Brahma Bull’. You know, it’s a bullish market not a bear market, for God’s sakes. So we had the ‘Brahma Bull’ we didn’t have any bears having around there.”

    While The Rock didn’t get to wrestle the bear, he did end up headlining WrestleMania several times – three opposite WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin. And even though his best days inside the ring are likely behind him, “The People’s Champ” might have one more WrestleMania headliner left in him.

  • DDP Reveals Who He Wanted to Induct Him into the WWE HOF

    DDP Reveals Who He Wanted to Induct Him into the WWE HOF

    Diamond Dallas Page was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame back in 2017. Page was inducted by his longtime friend and former boss, Eric Bischoff.

    However, on a recent episode of his DDP Snake Pit podcast, Page revealed he had someone else in mind to perform this honor. If he’d have had his way, the late WWE Hall Of Famer Dusty Rhodes would’ve inducted him.

    “.. and you’ve got to just breathe and keep throwing out into the universe, the Law of Attraction.” said Page. “When he told me, man, I got really choked up and I started welling up, and then I said, ‘I wish Dusty was here.’

    “That’s who should have inducted me. The cool thing about Bischoff was he noticed that and he knew that. And that’s something he put in there, that I’m not supposed to be the guy.”

    Unfortunately, Rhodes passed away in 2015 due to kidney failure. He still leaves a huge print on today’s product in the form of the stars he helped train such as Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, Jon Moxley, and so many more. However, his legacy also lives on in his two sons, Cody and Dustin Rhodes, both of whom still compete regularly inside the squared circle.

    Cody Rhodes recently made his return to WWE after departing All Elite Wrestling (AEW), and has his sights set on winning a World Championship in his father’s honor. As for Diamond Dallas Page, he has gone on to do some work for AEW since his WWE Hall Of Fame induction.

    His last official match took place under the AEW banner in 2020 at Bash At The Teach where he teamed up with Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall, coming up short against MFJ and The Butcher & The Blade.

    Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

  • Backstage News on WWE’s Future Plans for Brand Split

    Backstage News on WWE’s Future Plans for Brand Split

    With so many potential title unifications on the horizon, many have wondered what the future holds for the current WWE Brand Split.

    Roman Reigns recently became both the WWE Champion and WWE Universal Champion by taking the former title from Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 38.

    Reigns holds the top title for both Monday Night RAW and SmackDown, but remains a member of the SmackDown roster. WWE has yet to formally address the next steps of the title unification process.

    Also, with The Usos set to challenge RK-Bro, unifying the SmackDown Live and RAW Tag Team Titles, many are beginning to wonder if WWE is setting up the end of the Brand Split. Dave Meltzer recently touched on this subject during a new episode of Wrestling Observer Radio.

    Meltzer noted that Reigns is currently penciled in to headline WrestleMania Backlash, even though a program hasn’t been started for him just yet. In regards to the rumors about the Brand Split, Meltzer reports there are no plans to merge the roster at this time. However, Meltzer added that Vince McMahon could always change his mind.

    With all that being said, things should become a lot more clear at WrestleMania Backlash. Check out the updated WrestleMania Backlash 2022 card for the updated lineup.

    https://youtu.be/kFS0IC3JtXA
  • Carmelo Hayes vs. Santos Escobar Set for NXT, Table For 3 Set to Return

    Carmelo Hayes vs. Santos Escobar Set for NXT, Table For 3 Set to Return

    Carmelo Hayes vs. Santos Escobar Set for NXT

    Carmelo Hayes vs. Santos Escobar has officially been announced for the April 19 episode of WWE NXT 2.0. Last week, Escobar demanded Hayes go to the back of the line for the NXT North American Title, after the latter dropped the strap to Cameron Grimes at Stand & Deliver.

    In response, Hayes challenged Escobar to a match, leading to their confrontation this week. Check out the updated card for this week’s episode of WWE NXT 2.0 below:

    Table For 3 Set to Return

    • Carmelo Hayes vs. Santos Escobar
    • Natalya vs. Tatum Paxley
    • Tiffany Stratton vs. Sarray

    WWE has announced that their Table For 3 series will be making its return on the Peacock TV streaming service. This will be the first new episode of Table For 3 since 2019. The episode will feature WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle, alongside Alpha Academy, Chad Gable and Otis. You can watch the episode when it goes live on April 22.

    Table For 3 was a staple of WWE’s original content on the WWE Network before being sold to Peacock. It has featured dinners and conversation between some of the business’ most groundbreaking and influential trios of all time. Past episodes have featured the likes of The New Day, The Kliq, The Shield, and so many more.

    This week’s episode will feature Angle, a WWE Hall Of Famer who has made several appearances on the program already. Alongside him will be the former RAW Tag Team Champions Alpha Academy, who recently challenged for the titles at WrestleMania 38 – but came up short to RK-Bro.

  • Three More Big Matches Added to WWE UK Tour

    Three More Big Matches Added to WWE UK Tour

    Three more big matches have been added to the WWE UK tour coming up later this month.

    WWE will be running shows from the Utilita Arena on Thursday, April 28 in Newcastle, England; The O2 Arena from London, England on Friday, April 29; the Accor Arena from Paris, France on Saturday, April 30; and finally the QUARTERBACK Immobilien Arena in Leipzig, Germany on Sunday, May 1.

    Earlier today, WWE confirmed several matches for the Newcastle and Leipzig shows. First, former WWE Champions Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre will be going head-to-head. Also, current SmackDown Live Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair will take on Sasha Banks. In what should be a real treat, RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro will be taking on SmackDown Live Tag Team Champions The Usos. And finally, Sami Zayn will go one-on-one with Gunther.

    We also mentioned last week that WWE announced three big matches for their respective shows in London and France. Check them out here below:

    • Undisputed WWE Champion Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre
    • SmackDown Live Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair vs. Ronda Rousey
    • SmackDown Live Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro

    It should be noted that WWE Intercontinental Champion Ricochet, WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Sasha Banks and Naomi, Gunther, and Bobby Lashley are also advertised for those shows. More so, the SmackDown Live taping on Friday, April 22 from the MVP Arena in Albany, New York has a special start time of 6:30pm ET.

    This indicates that the show will be a double taping, meaning the April 29 episode of SmackDown Live will be pre-taped as WWE is running their shows in the UK.

  • Kurt Angle: Today’s Wrestlers Are Better Athletes Than We Were

    Kurt Angle: Today’s Wrestlers Are Better Athletes Than We Were

    WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle agrees that the times are changing in professional wrestling – and the days of the big men being the only ones who can survive at the top of the card, are gone.

    Recently, Angle was interviewed by WhatCulture Wrestling to talk about a variety of professional wrestling topics. During the interview, Angle gave his take on the landscape of the industry today. Angle noted that he believes the days of big guys like Hulk Hogan, John Cena, Batista, and others being at the top of the food chain are over; thanks to guys like AJ Styles and Rey Mysterio helping change that stigma.

    Also, according to Angle, these younger talents who are on their way up are more athletic than he and those who came up with him during his heyday in WWE.

    “I think people don’t buy into the fact that you have to be big to be dominating. There are a lot of athletes like AJ Styles that are undersized, that are doing tremendously well,” Angle said (via Wrestling Inc.). “I credit those guys. These guys today are so much better athletes than we were in our heyday. It’s because of the new training. The core training and the CrossFit training and everything that they have going on.

    “Technology has put them ahead of the game now. Rey Mysterio is still going, and he’s been so undersized. 140 lbs, and look what he’s done in the business. I like where the business is headed. I just wish they would pull it back a little bit. Slow down and take their time in the matches, rather than it being a spot fest.”

    Kurt Angle came up during a time when the likes of The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, and The Undertaker were sitting atop the card. None of those men would typically be described as “high flyers,” however, in terms of pure athleticism, an argument could be made that the talent today has more to offer in that respect.

    Of course, there’s no denying that the likes of Austin, Rock, “The Game,” and Undertaker are athletic specimens in their own right. What do you make of Angle’s comments? Do you agree that today’s talents are more athletic than those of Angle’s generation? Sound off in the comment section!

  • Cody Rhodes Details Moment AEW Star Inadvertently Helped Him Decide on WWE Return

    Cody Rhodes Details Moment AEW Star Inadvertently Helped Him Decide on WWE Return

    Cody Rhodes is back in WWE, and he has one thing on his mind – a World Championship run.

    Rhodes made his highly-anticipated return to the company at WrestleMania 38, introduced as Seth Rollins’ mystery opponent. In a stellar matchup that ended up being one of the best of the weekend, Rhodes came out on top when it was all said and done, making quite the statement in his return to the WWE.

    Recently, Rhodes joined “Out of Character with Ryan Satin” to discuss everything surrounding his WWE return. During the interview, Rhodes explained a moment back in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) when manager Dan Lambert inadvertently helped him make the decision to return to WWE.

    “Dan Lambert handed me the WWWF Championship, he handed me the title that my dad is holding in that picture from 1977, he handed it to me and in that moment, I felt like that decision was almost made for me,” Rhodes said (via Wrestling Inc.).

    “I don’t know if he inadvertently caused this industry-changing moment but there were times when it was, this is what has to happen.

    The night after WrestleMania, Cody Rhodes returned to Monday Night RAW to cut an emotional promo about his father, the late WWE Hall Of Famer Dusty Rhodes, and how he wants to win a WWE World Championship in his honor. It is a goal that clearly means a lot to Rhodes, and is certainly a possibility given the hype around his name at the moment.

    In the meantime, Rhodes will have his hands full with Seth Rollins, who he’ll rematch at WrestleMania Backlash from the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, Rhodes Island on May 8.

  • AJ Styles Reveals Who Is Responsible for Bringing Him to WWE

    AJ Styles Reveals Who Is Responsible for Bringing Him to WWE

    Former WWE Champion AJ Styles is one of the company’s most exciting signings in history.

    “The Phenomenal One” inked a deal with WWE back in 2016 after departing from New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). For years prior there was a lot of chatter as to whether or not fans would get to see Styles, widely regarded as one of the most talented non-WWE performers in the world at the time, compete inside a WWE ring.

    That was finally silenced on January 24 2016, when Styles made his WWE debut at the Royal Rumble. Since, Styles has become one of the company’s biggest stars and now has over six years of experience with the company under his belt. Recently, Styles was interviewed by Wrestling Inc. to reflect on his WWE career.

    During the interview, Styles revealed that it was actually Triple H who is responsible for getting him to WWE in the first place.

    “Yeah, Triple H was here, and I am glad to see him, man,” AJ Styles said. “You’ve got to think, when I think about his retirement I am here because of him. Because he called me, that’s huge for me.”

    Unfortunately for “The Game,” he was recently forced to call it a career due to health concerns. AJ Styles and Triple H never got to share the ring together as opponents in a television match, which is a shame considering they likely would’ve put on a tremendous program against each other.

    For now, Styles is currently busy in the midst of his feud with Edge and Damian Priest. As for Triple H, he will continue to help mold the WWE stars of tomorrow from backstage now that his in-ring career has come to an end.

  • Mark Henry Comments on Potential In-Ring Return

    Mark Henry Comments on Potential In-Ring Return

    WWE Hall Of Famer Mark Henry could possibly step back into the ring again now that he’s with All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

    Henry ran with WWE for over 20 years after signing with the company back in 1996. During that time, he was able to pick up an ECW World Title, a WWE European Title run, and a World Heavyweight Championship run. Henry was later inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame class of 2018.

    In May of 2021, Henry debuted for AEW at Double or Nothing, where it was announced that he would serve as a commentator and coach for talent. Recently, Henry was interviewed by Sportskeeda to talk about a variety of topics, including his jump to AEW. When asked about potentially wrestling again, Mark Henry doesn’t sound too interested.

    Instead, Henry seems more focused on helping mold the top stars of tomorrow from behind the curtains in AEW.

    “I would say don’t hold your breath, because I do not want to get hit. And if somebody hits me, I will call the police,” Henry said (via WrestleZone). “A lot of it is just growing up. As you get older, you start thinking about how you can stay in the business that you love when your body starts to hurt and you don’t want to do whatever the sport is no more.

    “That was my mindset. I wanted to continue to be around the business and make a living, but I also wanted to share my knowledge and I found myself to be one of the most studied people about pro wrestling and how it works. I wanted to share that and you’re not supposed to take gifts to the grave,” Henry pointed out. “So I wanted to, before I go to God, everybody that loves my business the way that I love the business to know what I know.”

    With a wealth of talent currently on AEW’s roster, there’s no shortage of young stars for Henry to mentor. And with over 20 years of experience under his belt; having shared the ring with the likes of The Undertaker, The Rock, Chris Jericho, and so many more, they could learn a lot from the man formerly known as “Sexual Chocolate.”

  • CM Punk vs. Dustin Rhodes Set for AEW Dynamite

    CM Punk vs. Dustin Rhodes Set for AEW Dynamite

    CM Punk and Dustin Rhodes will finally meet inside a wrestling ring.

    Dustin Rhodes threw out the challenge on tonight’s episode of All Elite Wrestling (AEW) Rampage after defeating Lance Archer. Rhodes noted, he acknowledges that his feud with Archer likely isn’t over, but in the meantime, he wants to cross a name off his dream list in Punk next week on Dynamite.

    Shortly after the segment, the broadcast team confirmed the matchup for Dynamite this Wednesday. Check out Rhodes’ challenge here below:

    This certainly works out for both men, as Rhodes looks to prove he’s still got it with a potential win over CM Punk. As for Punk, he’s currently chasing an AEW World Title opportunity, so a win over Rhodes should do him well in the rankings.

    Rhodes will be a great matchup for Punk, but if he truly wants to work his way up to a World Title shot, there’s no shortage of fellow AEW stars who’d like to test themselves inside the squared circle against the “Best In The World.”

    You can check out the updated lineup for Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite below:

    • Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament Qualifier: Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. vs. Danielle Kamela
    • Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament Qualifier: Jungle Boy vs. Kyle O’Reilly
    • Coffin Match: Andrade El Idolo vs. Darby Allin
    • Tony Khan makes “huge announcement”
    • HOOK makes in-ring debut for AEW Dynamite
    • Wardlow vs. The Butcher
    • CM Punk vs. Dustin Rhodes

    We’ll keep you updated as more matches/segments are announced for Dynamite this Wednesday.

  • ROH World Champ Jonathan Gresham Signs with AEW/ROH

    ROH World Champ Jonathan Gresham Signs with AEW/ROH

    Ring Of Honor (ROH) World Champion Jonathan Gresham has officially signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) – and by extension, ROH as well.

    The report comes from Fightful, which confirms that Gresham has signed an AEW contract, that will also see him wrestle for ROH. He’ll also continue to do work for IMPACT Wrestling, as he’s scheduled to compete at IMPACT Wrestling Rebellion on pay-per-view (PPV) on April 23. AEW and new ROH owner Tony Khan continues to allow his guys to work for various promotions, an aspect fans have been enjoying as of late.

    Samoa Joe recently won the ROH World TV Championship on the April 13 episode of AEW Dynamite. The week prior, FTR defended their Tag Team Titles against The Young Bucks. It will be interesting to see what Khan decides to do now that he’s inked Gresham, the ROH World Champion, to an AEW contract.

    Jonathan Gresham captured the ROH World Championship by defeating Jay Lethal at the ROH Final Battle PPV this past December. The 34-year-old has worked for several notable professional wrestling companies; such as Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW), NWA, ROH, and IMPACT Wrestling. Gresham is a former CZW World Heavyweight Champion, ROH World Tag Team Champion (with Lethal), and of course the current ROH World Champion.

    He recently added another title to his collection when he defeated Cara Noir at Chapter 130 for the Progress Wrestling World Championship. Now, he’ll have a brand new slew of challengers for the ROH World Title now that he’s inked to the AEW roster. He already has a few names in AEW he’d like to defend the title against.

  • RK-Bro Set for Tonight’s SmackDown Live

    RK-Bro Set for Tonight’s SmackDown Live

    It looks like WWE RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro will be on tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live.

    Currently, Orton and Riddle seem to be embroiled in a feud with SmackDown Live Tag Team Champions The Usos. Riddle confirmed he and Orton’s appearance on tonight’s SmackDown on Twitter, and Orton retweeted it with the following response.

    Shortly after WrestleMania 38, WWE Unified Universal Champion Roman Reigns ordered The Usos to go and take the RAW Tag Team Titles from RK-Bro, and bring them to The Bloodline. Reigns is hell-bent on collecting as much gold for The Bloodline as possible after unifying the World Titles at WrestleMania by defeating Brock Lesnar.

    On Monday Night RAW, The Usos defeated The Street Profits with RK-Bro at ringside. The pair stared each other down to end the show. Now, after The Usos invaded Monday Night RAW this week, RK-Bro is ready to return the favor. Both teams are extremely hot right now coming out of WrestleMania 38. The Usos successfully defended their SmackDown Live Tag Team Titles against the team of Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs in the Night One opener.

    RK-Bro then retained their titles by topping The Street Profits and Alpha Academy in a Triple Threat Tag match to open up Night Two. With both teams on such a tremendous roll at the moment, including Orton seemingly revitalizing his love for wrestling while working alongside Riddle, an eventual match between the two teams should be a treat to watch.

    Make sure to follow along with us at SEScoops tonight for live coverage of tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live from the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts.

  • Pat McAfee Shares Behind-The-Scenes Look at WrestleMania Week (Video)

    Pat McAfee Shares Behind-The-Scenes Look at WrestleMania Week (Video)

    Pat McAfee had a very successful WrestleMania debut earlier this month. The SmackDown Live announcer took on Austin Theory in a one-on-one match and came out victorious when it was all said and done.

    Of course, after the match, McAfee found himself in an impromptu match against Vince McMahon, which he ultimately lost. Although he was beaten by McMahon, he got to witness WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin hit the ring to take out his two foes. After Austin cleared the ring of Theory and McMahon, he shared a few beers with McAfee.

    However, Austin also gave McAfee a stunner to end the segment. Austin’s involvement was especially surprising considering everyone thought Austin’s weekend was done after the previous night. Austin headlined Night One of WrestleMania 38 in a No Holds Barred match against Kevin Owens. Austin was able to pick up the win in his first match in over 19 years. So when Austin’s music hit during Night Two of WrestleMania, the crowd went absolutely nuts.

    It was a tremendous match and segment that Pat McAfee was able to be a part of, and the lead up to the event was just as exciting for him. Recently, McAfee took to his YouTube channel to share a behind-the-scenes look at his WrestleMania week.

    The video includes a bit of McAfee’s training with Jaime Noble, his interactions with various big names backstage; including Steve Austin and Jake Paul, and his immediate reaction to his WrestleMania moment. You can check out the full video from McAfee’s YouTube channel here below.

  • Ronda Rousey Reveals Why She’s Using the Ankle Lock

    Ronda Rousey Reveals Why She’s Using the Ankle Lock

    After making her return to WWE earlier this year at the Royal Rumble, former UFC champion Ronda Rousey decided to add the ankle lock to her in-ring repertoire.

    Rousey already had a signature submission of her own with the armbar, a submission that helped her climb to the top of the UFC mountain several years ago. However, upon returning to WWE, while still using the armbar, Rousey has also been using the ankle lock more. The ankle lock, of course, was the signature move of WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle.

    Angle was alongside Rousey during her WWE debut at WrestleMania 34. Angle and Rousey teamed up to defeat Triple H and Stephanie McMahon in a Mixed Tag Team match. Speaking in a vlog on her YouTube channel, chronicling her road to this year’s WrestleMania, Rousey explained why she decided to start using Angle’s ankle lock more.

    Rousey noted that Angle is like a mentor to her, and has been her hero since she was a child. Now, she uses the move inside the ring as a homage to the Olympic gold medalist.

    “I just really wanna be able to put over Kurt as the whole reason that I’m doing the ankle lock, and it’s a way to pay homage to him,” said Rousey (via WrestleZone). “And that’s all I really care about getting out because he was my first mentor in this business, and I never really got to honor him outside of our tag.

    “I mean people compare us all the time because we were athletes outside of WWE and then came to it. As an Olympian, he has been like my hero since I was a little kid, so I love that he gave me the blessing to use the ankle lock.”

    Ronda Rousey may have come up short against Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 38 for the SmackDown Live Women’s Championship earlier this month, but she’ll get her rematch against “The Queen” at WrestleMania Backlash in an “I Quit” match.

  • Brock Lesnar Was Never Booked for WrestleMania Backlash (Report)

    Brock Lesnar Was Never Booked for WrestleMania Backlash (Report)

    Brock Lesnar was recently pulled from WrestleMania Backlash advertisements earlier this week, leading many to believe he had been yanked from the card.

    However, according to a report from Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Lesnar was never actually booked for the show. Meltzer chalked everything up to a “different kind of false advertising” that WWE usually does. The report added that this is not a situation where WWE changed its mind and decided to pull “The Beast” from the show.

    WWE apparently knew Lesnar wasn’t ever going to be at WrestleMania Backlash, but decided to advertise him anyway. It should be noted that, as of this writing, WWE is still advertising Lesnar for the upcoming Money In The Bank show from the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, July 2.

    Brock Lesnar dropped the WWE Championship to Roman Reigns in the main event of Night Two of WrestleMania 38. Now, Reigns rules as both WWE Champion and Universal Champion, appearing on both SmackDown Live and Monday Night RAW. There’s currently no news on whether or not WWE plans for Lesnar and Reigns to meet again somewhere down the line. For now, it seems like Lesnar won’t be getting a rematch anytime soon.

    Aside from a potential rematch, there’s no news on Lesnar’s WWE future at all aside from WWE advertising him for Money In The Bank. It will be interesting to see what’s next for Lesnar now that he’s seemingly out of the World Title picture for the time being.

  • Booker T Reacts to WWE Splitting Up MVP & Bobby Lashley

    Booker T Reacts to WWE Splitting Up MVP & Bobby Lashley

    Two-time WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T has offered his thoughts on WWE making the decision to split up the pair of Bobby Lashley and MVP.

    Lashley made his first in-ring return at WrestleMania 38 since the Royal Rumble, taking on Omos. Lashley defeated Omos in the singles bout, but the giant came out on Monday Night RAW the following evening to challenge “The Almighty” to a rematch. However, MVP attacked Lashley, turning on him.

    This came as a bit of a surprise considering the pairing was doing very well together, as MVP was even by Lashley’s side during his run as WWE Champion. However, WWE made the decision to finally split the pair up, instead aligning Omos with MVP, and the former United States Champion now serving as his manager. Speaking on his “Hall Of Fame” podcast, Booker T offered his reaction to the decision.

    “It’s not for me to like it or not,” Booker said (via 411Mania). “I thought The Hurt Business did some really good work. With MVP at the helm throughout the pandemic, and definitely put a light on that group.

    “I really believe MVP was the spark behind Bobby Lashley, I really do. I always thought perhaps Bobby needed that frontman to actually do that part of the work for him. Then he go out and be the clean-up man in the middle of that ring.”

    While Booker admits MVP did a lot for Lashley’s character, he also notes that Omos might benefit from MVP’s help as well at this point in his career.

    “Omos is definitely a person that may need a little help in that department as well. I think MVP is definitely the right man for that job right now, that he’s doing.”

  • Cody Rhodes Advertised for Upcoming SmackDown Live

    Cody Rhodes Advertised for Upcoming SmackDown Live

    Cody Rhodes might be gearing up to make his first appearance on SmackDown Live since making his WWE return after all.

    As of this writing, WWE’s website is listing Rhodes as one of its featured Superstars for the upcoming SmackDown Live episode on Friday, May 6. This is the go-home edition of SmackDown Live before WrestleMania Backlash, where Rhodes is to rematch Seth Rollins.The May 6 SmackDown will go down from Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, WWE’s first event at the venue in nine years.

    Also advertised for the show are SmackDown Live Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair, Drew McIntyre, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, and Ronda Rousey. Of course, this is all subject to change. Rhodes made his return to WWE after a great run with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) earlier this month at WrestleMania 38.

    He was introduced as Seth Rollins’ mystery opponent, subsequently winning the match. The bout turned out to be one of the best of the weekend. The following night on RAW, Rhodes proclaimed his intentions to chase a World Title now that he’s back in WWE, but first, he has granted Rollins a rematch at Backlash.

    As for his SmackDown Live status, Rhodes has only been appearing on Monday Night RAW since WrestleMania. He was initially reported to be scheduled for the SmackDown after WrestleMania as well, however, that was later scrapped. It should be noted that Cody Rhodes isn’t officially listed as a RAW or SmackDown brand member on WWE’s website.

  • Vince McMahon Drops New Rules for Superstar Names (Report)

    Vince McMahon Drops New Rules for Superstar Names (Report)

    Vince McMahon has released new rules when it comes to naming WWE Superstars moving forward.

    The Wrestling Observer Newsletter recently touched on the name changes that have been going on within WWE, revealing the roster recently received a memo about Superstar names. Vince McMahon has instructed that he doesn’t want anyone using their real names anymore, or names they used on the indies before WWE.

    As noted, WALTER recently had his name changed to Gunther. Also, Raul Mendoza is now Cruz Del Toro as of this past week. However, there’s no news on if he’s being called up to the main roster just yet. Pete Dunne also had his name changed to Butch after being called up to the main roster.

    Raquel Gonzalez was also called up to the roster with a name change, now going by Raquel Rodriguez, seemingly being allowed to keep her first name. Of course, there will be obvious exceptions to this rule for the likes of Gable Steveson and Cody Rhodes. But for the likes of Austin Theory, who now goes by simply, Theory, no such luck.

    For those who don’t know, the “Austin” from Theory’s name was dropped as his real name is Austin White. There was speculation the change was due to Stone Cold Steve Austin’s involvement in their WrestleMania angle, but this is said to be untrue.

    WWE has been pretty weird about changing names randomly for some time now, however, it sounds like they’re getting a lot more strict when it comes to naming their Superstars. What do you think about Vince McMahon and his new naming decree? Sound off in the comments!

  • Three Huge Bouts Announced for WWE April UK Tour

    Three Huge Bouts Announced for WWE April UK Tour

    WWE has announced that their WWE London and France shows will have three huge matches during their European tour.

    WWE will hold a show from the Utilita Arena on Thursday, April 28 in Newcastle, England; The O2 Arena from London, England on Friday, April 29; the Accor Arena from Paris, France on Saturday, April 30; and finally the QUARTERBACK Immobilien Arena in Leipzig, Germany on Sunday, May 1.

    However, the WWE London and France shows have had three bouts announced featuring champions, including Undisputed Champion Roman Reigns.

    The shows will feature:

    • Undisputed WWE Champion Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre
    • SmackDown Live Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair vs. Ronda Rousey
    • SmackDown Live Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro

    Also advertised for those shows are WWE Intercontinental Champion Ricochet, WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Sasha Banks and Naomi, Gunther, and Bobby Lashley. Matches for the Newcastle and Leipzig events are expected to be announced soon.

    It should also be noted that the SmackDown Live taping on Friday, April 22 from the MVP Arena in Albany, New York has a special start time of 6:30pm ET. This hints that the show will be a double taping, meaning the April 29 episode of SmackDown Live will be pre-taped while WWE is running their show in London.

    Currently advertised for the Albany, New York show on April 22 are Reigns, McIntyre, Ricochet, Banks and Naomi, The Usos, RK-Bro, Rousey, RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch, and Rhea Ripley. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more.

  • Austin Theory Reveals Backstage Reaction to Vince McMahon’s Stunner Botch

    Austin Theory Reveals Backstage Reaction to Vince McMahon’s Stunner Botch

    Austin Theory was front and center for Vince McMahon’s horrendous stunner sell with Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 38, and knows better than anyone how the locker room reacted once McMahon returned backstage through the curtain.

    Speaking to Mark Andrews: My Love Letter to Pro Wrestling, Theory revealed that the locker room, especially the female talents, teased McMahon for the botched stunner once he returned backstage. However, it sounds like the boss took it all in stride and laughed it off.

    “It was really cool. When Mr. McMahon walked to the back, everyone was screaming at him,” Theory said (via Fightful). “It was a lot of the female wrestlers, they were screaming at him and messing with him. He was like, ‘Okay, okay.’ It was proud, like being proud of your dad.

    “Pat comes through and everyone was proud of what we did out there and everyone enjoyed it. You know it went well when everyone in the back enjoyed it. It was awesome. Even days after and now, hearing so much about it, you know you made that WrestleMania moment, which is really cool to me.”

    McMahon was initially sitting ringside for Theory’s match with Pat McAfee, but angrily entered the ring after Austin Theory came up short against the SmackDown Live commentator. After ordering an impromptu match between himself and McAfee, it didn’t take McMahon long to put the ex-NFL punter down for a three-count. After the match, however, Austin hit the ring to give stunners to all three men – Theory, McAfee, and McMahon.

    “The Chairman” is no stranger to taking stunners, probably having taken more than anyone over the years given his famed rivalry with Austin throughout the Attitude Era, but this one was one of the worst of all time. While Night Two of WrestleMania didn’t offer the best closing stunner, Night One certainly did.

    Austin made his in-ring return after over 19 years, defeating Kevin Owens in a No Holds Barred match after nailing “KO” with the stunner. His appearance the following night wasn’t advertised, nor expected, but it was a tremendous treat nonetheless.