SEScoops

Author: Jon Fuentes

  • Adam Cole Comments on Triple H’s Recent Health Issues

    Adam Cole Comments on Triple H’s Recent Health Issues

    All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star and former NXT star Adam Cole has offered his comments on Triple H’s recent health scare.

    “The Game” recently opened up about his near-death experience and also admitted that he is now retired from in-ring competition as a result of his health complications. Cole, who worked closely with Triple H in NXT over the years, offered his thoughts on the situation during an interview with Fightful.

    Cole noted that he thinks the world of Triple H after the time they spent together at NXT, saying he learned a lot from him and considers him a mentor. He added that he was very disheartened to learn that Triple H was forced to retire due to his health concerns because he knows how much wrestling means to “The Game,” however, his health is what’s most important.

    “So truth be told, with the way stuff has been going lately, I’m just happy he’s okay,” Cole said. “But yeah, I mean, everything that he’s given to the wrestling industry and the wrestling business will never be forgotten, whether it be his in ring career, or the countless amount of people he’s influenced within NXT and the countless people he’s taught within NXT. So I really do, I love Triple H. I admire the hell out of him, and I’m glad he’s alright.”

    Adam Cole left WWE back in 2021 after his contract with the company expired. He later made his debut for AEW at their All Out pay-per-view (PPV). During his run with NXT, Cole became an NXT Triple Crown Champion, winning the promotion’s World Title, North American Title, and Tag Team Titles.

    As for Triple H, the 13-time World Champion can hang his hat on a career that will surely go down as one of the greatest of all time. After helping shape the professional wrestling industry in the ring, he now helps shape it behind the curtain, playing a huge role in molding the stars of the future.

    Quotes via WrestlingNews.co

  • Kurt Angle Reacts to Vince McMahon’s Botched WrestleMania Stunner

    Kurt Angle Reacts to Vince McMahon’s Botched WrestleMania Stunner

    WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle is the latest professional wrestling legend of note to chime in on Vince McMahon’s horrendous sell job of Steve Austin’s stunner at WrestleMania 38.

    Angle took to his podcast, “The Kurt Angle Show,” to reflect on WrestleMania 38 weekend and all of its big surprises. One of those surprises being Stone Cold Steve Austin making his in-ring return. Austin took on Kevin Owens in a No Disqualification match, his first official bout in over 19 years, winning with a stunner to close out the show.

    The following night, Austin returned for Night Two, interrupting Vince McMahon’s celebration for his win over Pat McAfee. Austin hit stunners on Theory, McAfee, and McMahon – the latter being one of the worst sold stunners of all time. “The Olympic Hero” described the moment as a “disaster.”

    “I gave him a hug and said good luck to him. I didn’t see him afterward. I’m sure he was a little pissed off about Vince and the way he took the Stunner,” Angle said. (via Fightful). “Yeah, it was crazy because Austin was chugging these beers and you could see his lips say ‘That motherf***er.’ Vince’s timing was just bad.

    “You know, he didn’t know when the jump. He didn’t know where you’re gonna go down, up and down. He just thought you’re gonna go up and down and with Austin, he didn’t expect the boot to the gut, he thought he’s just gonna Stun him.

    “So when Steve booted him, Vince went to his knees… Steve had to pick him back up and then he tried to get him and Vince backed up into the ropes, and he bounced off the ropes. It was like a disaster.”

    Although the stunner was terrible, it was still nostalgic for fans to see Austin and McMahon rekindle their rivalry that helped make “The Rattlesnake’s” run during the Attitude Era so iconic. Not to mention how shocking it was to see Austin make another appearance after everyone thought he was done following his victory the previous night where he closed out Night One of WrestleMania 38.

  • Booker T Wants Cody Rhodes to Dethrone Roman Reigns

    Booker T Wants Cody Rhodes to Dethrone Roman Reigns

    WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T knows exactly who he wants to be the one to finally dethrone Roman Reigns.

    The two-time Hall Of Famer took to his podcast, “The Hall Of Fame,” to offer his thoughts on the current World Title picture. Booker explained that he’d like to see Rhodes get a World Title reign by defeating Reigns, even if it means getting the title back around “The Tribal Chief’s” waist before the next WrestleMania.

    “I don’t see why Cody can’t take the title off Roman in the meantime,” Booker said (via WrestlingInc.). “Roman could easily get it back by the time WrestleMania comes back around, we’ve got plenty of time to be able to switch that back, if that’s the route we are going to go in. If that’s the route they’re thinking, I suggest yes, we go that route of Rock and Roman, because it’s money.”

    Reigns comes off of a big WrestleMania 38 win over Brock Lesnar, capturing the WWE Championship to unify with the Universal Title he already held. Now, having topped “The Beast” in Dallas, it remains to be seen who will be Reigns’ next big opponent. In the meantime, he’s focused on collecting more gold for The Bloodline in the form of getting The Usos to capture the RAW Tag Team Titles.

    Rhodes finally made his return to WWE at WrestleMania 38, being introduced as Seth Rollins’ mystery opponent. “The American Nightmare” came out on top in the matchup, which was undoubtedly one of the best of the entire weekend. Now, Rhodes has made it clear he came back to WWE with his sights set firmly on a World Title. And right now, that road goes through Roman Reigns.

    Reigns may sense Rhodes is creeping up on his run as Unified Champion, as he recently destroyed a fan’s Cody Rhodes sign after Monday Night RAW went off-air this week.

  • WrestleMania 38 Producer Joins AEW (Report)

    WrestleMania 38 Producer Joins AEW (Report)

    It looks like a producer who worked WrestleMania 38 earlier this month has jumped ship to All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

    As we reported earlier this month, Pat Buckridge resigned from WWE shortly after WrestleMania 38. Buckridge reportedly made the decision to step away after claiming he had already achieved his goals of producing some of the biggest matches in wrestling, and wanted to spend more time with his family. Specifically, Buckridge produced the Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair matches at “The Show of Shows.”

    Buckridge also worked in WWE’s Talent Relations department. Now, per a report from PWInsider, Buckrige was backstage at AEW Dynamite this week and has started with the company as a producer. While WWE’s rigorous travel schedule was too much for Buckridge given his desire to spend more time with his family, AEW’s seems to be a much better fit for the veteran.

    Shortly after his WWE departure earlier this month, he released the following statement, reflecting on his three years with the company:

    “As a producer/agent, I feel that I have accomplished everything I wanted to do within WWE in the last three years. My endless gratitude beams from working with so many wonderful talents, especially the ultra talented Women’s Division. To my Producer brothers (and sister): You are the greatest collection of misfits that I’ve ever been with.

    “I already miss my second family. Thank you John Laurinaitis for bringing me into this wonderful group and thank you Freebird for being our foul mouthed general. And to my fellow New Yawka, Paul Heyman.

    “Thanks for providing a mitzvah and helping this gentile out. Sending love to the production truck, stage crew, parking, travel, makeup, photo, digital, security, IT, writers, props, social, legal, seamsters, live events, medical, and any other department that I’ve leaned on for something.

    “I look forward to using my new time to return/expand my training schools/promotions, working all over, and sleeping in my own bed more than twice a week. To my darling wife, Lauren and baby Harrison. I don’t know how you put up with this gypsy. I [heart emoji] you both. Dada will be home soon.”

  • Juice Robinson Claims He’s Done at NJPW

    Juice Robinson Claims He’s Done at NJPW

    Juice Robinson appears to be done with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) when he contract expires later this month.

    Robinson recently joined Wrestling Observer Live and revealed that his current contract with NJPW is set to expire on April 30, and when the time comes, he has not plans on re-signing with the promotion.

    “I don’t have plans to travel back over [to Japan],” Robinson said (via WrestlingNews.co). “I am at the end of my contract. I did an extra three month extension and that ends April 30th so that will be that. I will not be wrestling under the New Japan banner any longer.”

    Robinson’s initial contract with NJPW expired back on January 31, however, as he mentioned, he signed a three-month extension through the end of April. Now, Robinson is set to become a free agent, and there’s no telling where he could end up. However, it’s probably easy to guess where he won’t end up.

    Aside from NJPW, Robinson also had a stint with WWE back in 2011. He wrestled for Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) when it was part of WWE’s developmental program, and even saw it morph into WWE NXT before departing from the company in 2015.

    Robinson then joined NJPW in 2015, where he continued working for the next seven years, while also making appearances for Ring Of Honor (ROH). During his run with NJPW, Robinson captured the IWGP United States Heavyweight Title twice, along with an IWGP Tag Team Title win alongside David Finlay. Now that his time in NJPW is behind him, perhaps Juice Robinson has his eyes set on the likes of IMPACT Wrestling or All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

  • The Good Brothers Set for Free Agency Soon (Report)

    The Good Brothers Set for Free Agency Soon (Report)

    The Good Brothers are set to hit free agency soon it seems.

    Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson’s contracts with IMPACT Wrestling will expire on Sunday, July 17th, according to Fightful. The pair inked a deal with IMPACT Wrestling back in July of 2020. As of this writing there is no indication as to whether or not IMPACT is looking to re-sign the pair, or if The Good Brothers want to go elsewhere.

    While under contract with IMPACT, Gallows and Anderson have been allowed to work dates for both New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) and All Elite Wrestling (AEW). They have great relationships with both companies, so seeing them end up in either wouldn’t come as much of a shock. The pair have worked all across the globe, having been signed to WWE, Ring Of Honor (ROH), and NJPW in the past.

    Initially, they signed new five-year deals with WWE back in 2019 but were sadly released by the company as part of their COVID-19 budget cuts. A return to WWE isn’t impossible, however, but doesn’t seem very likely despite having a good friend in AJ Styles still working there. Regardless of what Gallows and Anderson decide to do, they can reflect on a very impressive run with IMPACT Wrestling.

    The pair had two Tag Team Title runs during their recent stint, both over 100 days; 119 and 231 days, respectively. They also took home the promotion’s Tag Team Of The Year Award in 2021. Their last match under the IMPACT Wrestling banner took place at Multiverse Of Matches on April 1, where they defeated The Briscoe Brothers in the main event.

    https://youtu.be/L-PllZljZ_4
  • Paul Heyman Dubs Himself ‘Undisputed’ Best Manager Ever

    Paul Heyman Dubs Himself ‘Undisputed’ Best Manager Ever

    Whether it’s as a manager, advocate, special counsel, or “wise man,” there’s no denying that Paul Heyman is tremendous at what he does.

    Often referred to as one of the best promos in the business, Heyman is also one of the best managers a professional wrestling talent can ask for. And he knows it. During a recent interview with 101 WRIF, Heyman claimed he’s the ‘undisputed’ best manager of all time.

    “I think it’s undisputed that I am the greatest manager, advocate, and special counsel of all time,” Heyman said. “If for no other reason than the first 35 years of my stellar career on top.

    “I am the special counsel for the Tribal Chief Roman Reigns, the Head of the Table, the end all be all, Roman Reigns who smashed, absolutely smashed Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania to unify the WWE and Universal Heavyweight Championships and is now the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world with this entire industry. Just based on that, let alone everything else I accomplished before, I’d say you got a pair of GOATS on your hand now.”

    Heyman certainly makes a strong case. He has been by the sides of the likes of CM Punk, Brock Lesnar, and Roman Reigns, to name a few. His runs with each of those men were legendary, but the latter two are likely what fans will remember him for most.

    During his rise to dominance in WWE, Lesnar had Heyman by his side as his “advocate,” including while he broke The Undertaker’s undefeated WrestleMania streak in New Orleans.

    Now, Heyman serves as the “special counsel” to the unified WWE Champion Roman Reigns, who often refers to Heyman as his “wise man.” Recently, Heyman was ringside with Reigns while he bested Lesnar in the main event of WrestleMania 38, unifying the WWE Championship and WWE Universal Title.

    And although Paul Heyman admits he’s likely the best to have ever portrayed the manager role in professional wrestling, he’s not ready for a WWE Hall Of Fame induction just yet.

    (Quotes via WrestlingInc)

  • Jim Ross Reveals How Steve Austin Felt About WrestleMania 38 Match

    Jim Ross Reveals How Steve Austin Felt About WrestleMania 38 Match

    WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross and fellow Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin have been close friends for decades, so it’s no surprise that Ross has the inside scoop on how “The Texas Rattlesnake” felt about his performance at WrestleMania 38.

    Austin made his highly-anticipated return to in-ring action at “The Show Of Shows” from Dallas, Texas earlier this month, taking on Kevin Owens in a No Holds Barred match. Initially, Austin was scheduled for a special edition of “The KO Show,” where he was to be Owens’ guest on the program. However, after Owens challenged Austin to a No Holds Barred match right then and there, Austin was quick to accept.

    The pair battled all around the arena before Austin ultimately picked up the win with a stunner inside the ring, giving him a victory in his first match in over 19 years. Austin had been very vocal about not wanting to wrestle again up until returning for WrestleMania this year, mainly worried about not being able to perform to his standards given his age and injury history.

    However, on the latest episode of his podcast, “Grilling JR,” Jim Ross revealed that Austin told him he was “really happy” with how things played out.

    “He and I talked going into that thing and we communicated on Saturday after the show,” Ross said (via WrestlingNews.co). “He seemed to be really happy and almost relieved that they pulled it off. He and Kevin Owens deserve a hell of a lot of credit for what they did.

    “To show you what kind of ballplayer Austin is, he hadn’t been on the field for 19 years or something like that and he didn’t look like he missed a step. They kept the match in their lane. I thought that was really smart how they strategized and laid out that match.

    “It was just absolutely a masterpiece in my view, and Kevin Owens deserves a lot of credit as well. You gotta have a dancing partner to make these things work, and Steve had a great dancing partner.”

    Prior to this, Austin’s last match took place in 2003 at WrestleMania 19, where he suffered a loss to The Rock. Austin and Rock were longtime rivals throughout the Attitude Era, headlining WrestleMania opposite each other a total of three times – WrestleMania 19 being their last.

  • Tommaso Ciampa Lists WWE Main Roster Dream Opponents

    Tommaso Ciampa Lists WWE Main Roster Dream Opponents

    In a move that was long overdue, former WWE NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa was called up to the main roster this week.

    Ciampa appeared on Monday Night RAW in a brief segment with Kevin Owens and Ezekiel, but has yet to compete inside the ring on the red brand. However, this is only the beginning of what looks to be a very promising run for Ciampa. Recently, Ciampa spoke to Metro UK on a variety of topics, including recently getting the main roster nod. During the interview, he listed out his names of dream opponents that he’s looking forward to compete against.

    “There’s so many people that I can look at right now on those Raw and SmacKDown rosters and think, ‘Man, what if?’ I haven’t been in the ring with so many of them,” he explained. “Whether it’s Edge or Rey Mysterio, I’ve never really had a singles match with AJ Styles, done stuff with Roman Reigns. There’s so many – you can just go down the list forever and ever.

    “It’s all stuff that now, the more I’ve done it, the longer I’ve been doing it, you keep checking off boxes and keep building that resume. It’s stuff that, if five to 10 years from now, I can check off all those things and have those be part of it, that’d be awesome.”

    Now that Ciampa is on the main roster, any of those matches are certainly a possibility. He brings in quite an impressive resume from his days in NXT, sporting two NXT Title runs and an NXT Tag Team title win alongside current free agent Johnny Gargano. Not to mention Ciampa is also a former Ring Of Honor (ROH) World TV Champion.

    After having helped bring NXT to new heights and providing fans with some of the brand’s most compelling rivalries and matches, Tommaso Ciampa is ready to replicate that on an even grander stage – Monday Night RAW.

  • Brock Lesnar Removed from WrestleMania Backlash Promotion

    Brock Lesnar Removed from WrestleMania Backlash Promotion

    Brock Lesnar might not get his rematch with Roman Reigns for the WWE Championship after all.

    Lesnar dropped his WWE Title to Reigns in the main event of Night Two of WrestleMania 38 in Dallas, Texas earlier this month. While WWE WrestleMania Backlash is usually supposed to be focused around WrestleMania rematches, “The Beast” might not be on the show at all. Initially, Lesnar was advertised for both WrestleMania Backlash and Money In The Bank later this year.

    Although he was still advertised for both shows shortly after WrestleMania, now, WWE has updated their events page, and Lesnar is no longer being advertised for Backlash. As of this writing, Lesnar is still being advertised for Money In The Bank, which is slated to go down from the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, July 2.

    It remains to be seen what’s next for Lesnar in regards to his professional wrestling career. There are currently no reports as to whether or not a rematch between he and Reigns is even on the table creatively. Currently, Reigns is on both Monday Night RAW and SmackDown Live, now holding the WWE and Universal Championships. He seem to be focused on accumulating as much gold as possible for The Bloodline, urging The Usos, already the SmackDown Live Tag Team Champions, to unify the Tag Team Titles with RAW Tag Champs RK-Bro.

    It will be interesting to see who WWE decides to pair Reigns with for the WrestleMania Backlash event with Brock Lesnar now seemingly being pulled. WrestleMania Backlash will go down live from the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island on Sunday, May 8.

  • Johnny Gargano Not Ruling Out WWE Return

    Johnny Gargano Not Ruling Out WWE Return

    Arguably the hottest free agent in professional wrestling, former NXT star Johnny Gargano isn’t ruling out a return to WWE.

    Gargano’s contract with WWE ran out back in December, and the former NXT Champion decided not to re-sign. Over the course of his run with WWE, Gargano was a huge part of the NXT brand, racking up an NXT Title run, three NXT North American Championship wins, and an NXT Tag Team Title run with Tommaso Ciampa.

    However, after several years on NXT, Gargano felt his character was getting a bit stale, and decided to set out for greener pastures. Now, a few months after leaving WWE, Gargano opened up about his free agency situation during an interview on Your Story with Mike Wexler.

    In regards to where he could end up next, Gargano says a WWE return is possible, as he has some unfulfilled goals in the company he hadn’t yet accomplished.

    “I mean all my options are open right now, I am very open about that,” Gargano said (via Wrestling Inc.). “I don’t know what I want to do yet. It’s one of those things where I am kind of in a time period of my life where I am figuring that out. I am figuring out what my goal is, what lasting legacy I want to leave. I do have a lot of unfulfilled things in WWE that I still want to accomplish.

    “So, there is WWE, there’s AEW, there’s New Japan, there’s doing a run on the indie scene. There’s a lot of things that I am kind of debating, working at right now. I don’t know when, and I don’t where I am going to return. But, I promise you when I do you all will know.”

    Of course, there’s no shortage of promotions for Johnny Gargano to choose from. Obviously All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is a hot spot for talents leaving WWE at the moment. New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) is also an option for the 34-year-old. It will be interesting to see where “Johnny Wrestling” ultimately lands when it’s all said and done.

  • Booker T: Is Tony Khan Losing His Damn Mind?

    Two-time WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T recently took to his podcast, “The Hall Of Fame,” to offer his thoughts on All Elite Wrestling (AEW) president Tony Khan’s recent controversial comments.

    For those who missed it, Khan claimed that an independent study confirms that an online “bot army” has been deployed to spread negativity about AEW on social media. Khan didn’t name anyone specifically for who was behind the “thousands” of Twitter accounts using bots to derail AEW’s image, but noted “Look closely, these aren’t real people.”

    While the AEW frontman didn’t name WWE as the accused, he did ask “Who’d pay for such a wildly expensive thing?” As expected, Khan’s comments were met with a ton of blowback, and Booker T’s thoughts were no different. The Hall Of Famer asked if Khan is “losing his damn mind?”

    “Is Tony Khan losing his damn mind? I know he’s off into analytics, I think he works in that field, but people are going to hate, okay? Everybody is not going to like ya,” Booker T said (via Wrestling Inc.). “I know Eric Bischoff said that Tony Khan had thin skin, and this came out right after that. I don’t know if that proves that or not.”

    Booker T also went on to suggest that AEW should take such comments as nothing more than exactly that – comments. He also noted that he has only ever seen nothing but positive comments about AEW on social media before all of this. With that being said, despite the controversial comments, Khan seems focused on making sure AEW continues to thrive for years to come.

  • WWE Reportedly Had Plans to Pair Pat McAfee & Aaron Rodgers

    WWE Reportedly Had Plans to Pair Pat McAfee & Aaron Rodgers

    WWE reportedly had a golden idea for a Pat McAfee and Aaron Rodgers tag team that never materialized.

    According to a report from Sports Illustrated, shortly after McAfee’s loss at NXT Takeover: WarGames in late 2020, where he was topped by Adam Cole and The Undisputed Era, WWE had plans to bring McAfee back to NXT. The idea was to have McAfee attack Cole before aligning himself with a new partner. That partner would’ve been Green Back Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

    Of course, the idea never came to fruition, but it certainly would’ve brought some mainstream coverage to NXT. That’s not to say the idea isn’t completely out of the realm of possibilities. McAfee and Rodgers are good friends, as the four-time NFL MVP and former Super Bowl Champion is a frequent guest on “The Pat McAfee Show.” With McAfee so highly regarded within the company, WWE could certainly attempt to make the idea a reality down the road.

    McAfee in particular recently had his WrestleMania debut when he faced Austin Theory in a one-on-one bout at Night Two of WrestleMania 38 in Dallas, Texas last week. Although he won the match, his victory was short-lived as Vince McMahon entered the ring soon after, ordering the referee to begin an impromptu match between the pair that quickly saw “The Chairman Of The Board” win.

    And if a victory at WrestleMania wasn’t enough, McAfee also got to celebrate with WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin, who hit the ring for the save after the matchup with McMahon. Austin shared a beer with McAfee before giving him a stunner for good measure as well.

  • Matt Hardy Reveals First Advice Steve Austin Ever Gave Him

    Matt Hardy Reveals First Advice Steve Austin Ever Gave Him

    With WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin recently making headlines with his in-ring return at WrestleMania 38, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star Matt Hardy took to The Extreme Life Of Matt Hardy to offer his take on the situation.

    Matt and his brother, Jeff, were on the rise within WWE during Austin’s iconic superstar run in the late 90s, so the tag team legends got the opportunity to brush shoulders with “The Texas Rattlesnake” from time to time. During that time, Matt says he developed a great relationship with Austin, and called him to congratulate him on the in-ring return last week in Dallas.

    Austin had an impromptu match with Kevin Owens after what was initially expected to be a special edition of “The KO Show” segment instead. However, after Owens challenged Austin to a No Holds Barred match, Austin accepted and subsequently hit the stunner for the victory in what was Austin’s first match in over 19 years.

    While discussing his relationship with Austin, Hardy also recalled the first bit of advice the Texan ever gave him regarding his in-ring work. It’s a piece of advice he still utilizes to this day.

    “One of the first things he told me from a serious aspect,” Hardy said (via Wrestling Inc.). “I remember when I would make comebacks. I would come in and I would punch, punch, punch, punch, and if guys were bumping and feeding. He was like, ‘man, just think about this. Maybe come in and just clothesline them, and take their head off.

    “To me, it looks a lot more vicious and like, legitimate. And the more legitimate you look, the better it is for you.’ And that’s a piece of advice that I always held dear, and I always followed as well. Like, if I am ever doing something and guys are bumping multiple times in the comeback, I will give a stiff-ass clothesline where I take their head off, as opposed to a punch.

    “It always looks better too, and that came from Stone Cold. That’s one of the first pieces of advice he gave me back when Jeff and I were still wearing tights.”

    As for Hardy, he signed with AEW back in March of 2020 after his run with WWE ended when his contract expired. He and Jeff have since reunited as The Hardys after the latter signed with AEW in March.

  • Tony Khan Would Like to See Conor McGregor & Floyd Mayweather in AEW

    Tony Khan Would Like to See Conor McGregor & Floyd Mayweather in AEW

    Tony Khan isn’t afraid to go all-in with bringing combat sports stars into All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Khan recently signed former UFC and Bare Knuckle FC (BKFC) fighter Paige VanZant to AEW last month.

    VanZant has amassed quite a following over her young combat sports career, and will be bringing those eyeballs over to AEW. However, if Khan would like to, there’s a lot more opportunity to be had when it comes to poaching combat sports stars. Speaking to ESPN, Khan was asked what other combat stars he’d consider bringing into AEW.

    Khan didn’t hesitate to name the two biggest stars in combat sports today – Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather.

    “I’m thinking Conor McGregor or Floyd Mayweather, probably, are the two biggest draws, I think,” Khan said. “I don’t know for sure. I’d probably say one of those two. They’re both huge stars.”

    While only Mayweather has some professional wrestling experience, McGregor has expressed his interest in delving into the world on numerous occasions. Recently, McGregor commented on not attending WrestleMania 38 from Dallas, Texas earlier this month. The Irishman is healing up from a leg injury that he suffered in his last fight against Dustin Poirier last year.

    He’s currently preparing to make his return to the Octagon later this year, making a potential professional wrestling appearance highly unlikely in the meantime. As for Mayweather, now that he’s retired from professional boxing, perhaps Tony Khan could lure him into the squared circle for the right price. “Money” actually competed at WrestleMania 24 back in 2008, defeating The Big Show in a No Disqualification match.

  • JBL Reveals Commentary Advice Vince McMahon Gave Him

    JBL Reveals Commentary Advice Vince McMahon Gave Him

    WWE Hall Of Famer JBL not only had a strong presence inside the ring, but at the broadcast table as well.

    Layfield joined WWE back in 1995; racking up runs as WWE Champion, Intercontinental Champion, United States Champion, Hardcore Champion, Tag Team Champion, and more. After getting off a full-time schedule as an in-ring performer, JBL joined the WWE broadcast team in 2006. Although he still wrestled part-time, Layfield became a staple in WWE’s commentating team over the next decade.

    Recently, the WWE Hall Of Famer joined The Universal Wrestling Podcast to talk about a number of topics. In regards to his role as commentator, Layfield revealed some advice he got from Vince McMahon himself – who also used to do commentary during the early days of WWF.

    “‘John, it’s not radio,’” JBL said (via Wrestling Inc.). “‘You don’t have to tell them it’s a dropkick. You don’t have to tell them it’s a Saito suplex and show off that you know what it was.’

    “People can see that. They need to know who this character is and why they should care about them. Once you realize that, you understand Vince’s mind for commentary.”

    JBL stepped away from the commentary team in 2017, instead deciding to focus more on his projects outside of the world of wrestling. However, Layfield has made some sporadic WWE TV appearances since then, including his Hall Of Fame induction in 2020. He also served as a panelist for the WrestleMania 38 pre-shows in his home-state of Texas earlier this month.

  • Jim Ross on Vince McMahon’s Possible Succession Plan for WWE

    Jim Ross on Vince McMahon’s Possible Succession Plan for WWE

    For as long as professional wrestling fans can remember the discussion as to what will happen to WWE, after Vince McMahon’s time on this Earth is no longer, has loomed over the industry.

    Of course, McMahon has no shortage of close family members to leave the company to. His children Shane and Stephanie McMahon have been prominent figures within the company dating back to the late 90’s. “The Chairman Of The Board” also has his grandchildren as potential successors. And, of course, who else loves the professional wrestling business more than McMahon’s son-in-law, Triple H?

    However, what if McMahon decides to outright sell the company upon his passing? WWE Hall Of Famer and current AEW commentator Jim Ross believes it’s a legitimate possibility. Speaking on a recent episode of his podcast, “Grilling JR,” Ross noted that McMahon could very well be thinking about doing exactly that.

    “One would hope, I assume he does. I just don’t know. Maybe the succession plan is to package it up and sell it,” Ross said (via 411Mania). I’ve said before and I don’t mean to make it morbid, he’s the genius behind the whole damn thing. He’s very protective of what he’s built and I would be the same way. We want to protect what we’ve built.

    “I think Vince’s succession plan is, he’s the kind of guy who thinks he’s going to live forever and I hope he does. He’ll probably outlive me, and he might outlive you. He still trains hard and eats right and all those things. He’s got good DNA. So, I don’t know about the succession plan, but I think they have to say they have one simply for the stockholders’ sake. I think that it’s such an attractive property with so many diverse tentacles that spread around the world, I think it’s an attractive buy for some big company.

    “It seems like that’s the direction that some big businesses are heading in – they’re selling and consolidating. That might be where his head is at, I don’t know how to answer that question. I just can’t see, today, anybody taking his place at the head of the table. I don’t know who’s there. There’s people who can do it I guess, but I don’t know who they are and what’s available and if Vince trusts them impeccably enough to turn the reins over to them.”

    As Jim Ross mentioned, McMahon has shown absolutely no signs of slowing down despite being 76-years-old. He still trains regularly and even participated in a match at WrestleMania 38 this past week. McMahon won his impromptu match against Pat McAfee and even took a stunner from Stone Cold Steve Austin who made a surprise appearance during the segment.

    What do you think McMahon’s plan is for WWE after he passes? Sound off in the comments section below!

  • Steve Austin Broken Skull Sessions Next Guest Confirmed

    Steve Austin Broken Skull Sessions Next Guest Confirmed

    WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin is set to host his next episode of Broken Skull Sessions on Peacock.

    It has been confirmed that Austin’s next guest will be none other than fellow Hall Of Famer Bully Ray (Bubba Ray Dudley). The episode will premier on Peacock this Friday (April 15, 2022). Bully Ray has been teasing the episode for nearly a month now on social media, but now WWE has made it official with the announcement.

    Ray is a longtime professional wrestling veteran; having competed for several companies such as WWE, ECW, IMPACT Wrestling, Ring Of Honor, and many more. As a member of the legendary Dudley Boyz tag team, Ray and partner D-Von Dudley were inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame class of 2018. He currently co-hosts Busted Open on Sirius XM Radio.

    As for Steve Austin, this has been a busy month for “The Texas Rattlesnake.” After becoming embroiled in a feud with Kevin Owens, Austin found himself making his return to in-ring competition for the first time in over 19 years at WrestleMania 38. Austin took on Owens in an impromptu No Holds Barred match, which he eventually won after hitting the Stone Cold Stunner.

    The following night at Night Two of WrestleMania 38, Austin again got physical for a big spot, hitting Vince McMahon, Austin Theory, and Pat McAfee all with Stunners before engaging in yet another legendary celebratory beer bash. Prior to that, Austin hadn’t wrestled since his retirement match back in 2003 at WrestleMania 19 where he was defeated by longtime rival The Rock.

  • Roman Reigns Reportedly Not Injured Following WrestleMania Match

    Roman Reigns Reportedly Not Injured Following WrestleMania Match

    Roman Reigns unified the WWE and Universal Championships by defeating Brock Lesanr at WrestleMania 38 earlier this month. However, many were worried that the “Tribal Chief” may have suffered a legit injury during the match.

    Just prior to the match’s finish, Reigns got caught in a Kimura lock by Lesnar, and after breaking the hold by getting to the ropes, the Universal Champ complained of an arm injury. Given that the finish came shortly after this spot, many began to speculate that Reigns might have legitimately been injured.

    Pair that with the fact that WrestleMania 38 finished a lot earlier than expected, fans also believed the match was called earlier due to Reigns’ injury. According to Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline, this is not the case. Speaking on Sunday Night’s Main Event, Meltzer stated that talk of Reigns being injured is simply not true. The match went according to plan and reflected the violent nature that all other Brock Lesnar matches usually do.

    While Roman Reigns might not be injured, he is in a bit of an interesting position. WWE still has their RAW and SmackDown Live exclusive rosters, however, with Reigns holding both World Titles, it will be intriguing to see how creative handles this situation. “The Tribal Chief” already appeared on Monday Night RAW last week, the night after WrestleMania, to cut a promo and celebrate his win.

    Perhaps Reigns will be defending both titles simultaneously, working both brands until someone can potentially dethrone him from one of the straps. Whatever the case may be, it seems like WWE is still working out the details as they move along.

  • Backstage Notes on Steve Austin Deciding to Have a Match at WrestleMania

    Backstage Notes on Steve Austin Deciding to Have a Match at WrestleMania

    This past weekend, WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin returned to in-ring competition at WrestleMania 38 for his first match in over 19 years.

    Austin was originally advertised to take place in a KO Show segment with Kevin Owens, but it turned into an official No Holds Barred match after Owens threw out the challenge. After brawling all over the arena, Austin finally picked up the victory with a stunner on Owens. It was quite surprising to see Austin compete since he had been adamant that he’s done competing inside the ring.

    His last match took place at WrestleMania 19 in 2003. Austin was defeated by The Rock in what was their third time main eventing “The Show Of Shows” together. Now, 19 years later, Austin finally decided to give it one more go, going out on top with a win at the biggest professional wrestling event of the year. According to a report from Dave Meltzer of F4Wonline, Austin originally only agreed to do an elongated brawl with Owens in Dallas.

    However, after training leading up to WrestleMania, Austin felt confident enough to do an actual match, thus, resulting in the No Holds Barred bout we got at WrestleMania 38. But the action didn’t stop at Night One of WrestleMania for Austin. “The Texas Rattlesnake” also hit the ring the following night, following the conclusion of the Austin Theory vs. Pat McAfee matchup. Austin rekindled his famed rivalry with Vince McMahon, hitting him with one of the worst stunners of all time.

    He also hit Theory and McAfee with stunners before doing his celebratory beer bash. It was a tremendously nostalgic weekend for Attitude Era fans, but it was likely the last official matchup Steve Austin ever participates in.

  • Reported Reason for Alexa Bliss Being Absent from WWE TV

    Reported Reason for Alexa Bliss Being Absent from WWE TV

    Alexa Bliss has notably been absent from WWE TV for the past several weeks. Bliss hasn’t been on WWE programming since the Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event.

    According to a report from PWInsider, Bliss is currently preparing for her wedding with musician Ryan Cabrera. The wedding is slated to go down this weekend in California from an undisclosed location in Palm Springs. The location is being kept so tightly under wraps that those who will be attending won’t even know the location of the venue until closer to the time when it’s scheduled to begin.

    Bliss has been dating Cabrera since 2019 after they were introduced by fellow WWE Superstar The Miz. They then got engaged in November of 2020. It will be interesting to see how much longer Bliss is kept off of WWE TV. Fans have been curious as to where the former RAW Women’s Champion has been for the past several weeks. Bliss hasn’t commented on the matter too much, except noting that she seems to be ready to go, and the ball is in WWE’s court.

    In her absence, the WWE’s women’s division still seems to be in a very strong place. Bianca Belair recently defeated Becky Lynch for the RAW Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend. Charlotte Flair successfully defended her SmackDown Live Women’s Title against the returning Ronda Rousey at “The Show Of Shows” as well.

    And with Sasha Banks and Naomi currently reigning as WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, Alexa Bliss certainly has a stacked women’s division to return to when the time comes.

  • Backstage Notes on Vince McMahon Deciding to Wrestle at WrestleMania

    Backstage Notes on Vince McMahon Deciding to Wrestle at WrestleMania

    One of the biggest surprises from WrestleMania 38 this past weekend was the in-ring return of Vince McMahon.

    McMahon took to the ring after Pat McAfee defeated Austin Theory in their one-on-one match, which “The Chairman” was sitting ringside for. After getting inside the ring, McMahon ordered the referee to ring the bell, starting a new match between himself and McAfee. An already beat down and exhausted McAfee eventually fell to McMahon for the three-count. However, WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin’s music then hit, as “The Rattlesnake” came down the ramp to hit McMahon with a stunner and close the segment out.

    According to a report from Fightful Select, many people backstage weren’t too keen on the idea of McMahon wrestling at WrestleMania this year. However, McMahon made the decision a few months ago and stuck to it despite many being vocal that they thought it was a horrible idea. Of course, after the match McMahon made a few botches; first reacting to Austin Theory’s music as if it were Stone Cold’s, before Stone Cold came out. Also, when he did take the stunner from Austin, it was one of the worst sells of a stunner in history.

    However, the report adds that McMahon took it all is stride, laughing about it with everyone backstage. McMahon is of the belief that “as long as people were laughing and entertained, it’s OK.” It’s highly unlikely that Vince McMahon wrestles again anytime soon at 76-years-old, making WrestleMania 38, likely, his last match.

  • Logan Paul Reveals How Much He Really Trained for WrestleMania

    Logan Paul Reveals How Much He Really Trained for WrestleMania

    Logan Paul really impressed the WWE Universe with his performance at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend in Dallas, Texas.

    Paul teamed up with The Miz to take on the team of Rey and Dominik Mysterio. Paul and Miz actually came out on top, with the talk of the match being how natural Paul looked inside the ring for his first time. Even Vince McMahon gave Paul some praise backstage after the match for his in-ring work. However, it appears that Paul barely even trained for the match.

    Speaking to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour this week, Paul admitted that he only trained two days for his WrestleMania match. And each session was two hours long.

    “No, no bro I trained for two days,” Paul said. “For two hours each day. I swear to God. I didn’t train at all. That’s why I’m like ‘Holy sh*t, if I did that with four hours of collective training, imagine I dedicate some real time to this.’ What can I do?”

    Paul also noted that he had a bit of training in Orlando before going to Texas where the two days of training occurred, but it still wasn’t anything close to what could be described as extensive preparation.

    “I had two days in Orlando a couple weeks earlier. Then in Texas we practiced a couple of moves a couple of times, but like, nothing dude. Nothing. No serious training.”

    After his match, The Miz turned on Logan Paul, hitting him with the Skull-crushing Finale. Paul said his feud with Miz isn’t going away, as he plans to get the former WWE Champion in the ring and show him who the true “king of Cleveland is.”

    “I’m gonna f*ck him up. I’m gonna f*ck him up bro. That was cold. That was cold. Miz is Miz dude, and evidentially I thought I got over the Miz barrier, but he only cares about The Miz. Miz cares about The Miz and that’s it. So, you know, we’ll see when I can get in there and show him who the real king of Cleveland is.”

  • Cody Rhodes No Longer Scheduled For Friday’s SmackDown

    Cody Rhodes No Longer Scheduled For Friday’s SmackDown

    Yesterday it was reported that Cody Rhodes was scheduled to be at tonight’s taping of SmackDown Live in Milwaukee. Rhodes recently made his return to WWE at WrestleMania 38, defeating Seth Rollins in Dallas, Texas this past weekend.

    However, according to an updated report from PWInsider, Cody Rhodes is no longer scheduled to be in attendance for the taping. Instead, the report adds that WWE is planning on having a lot more crossover between brands. Three to four unnamed SmackDown stars are slated to be at Monday Night RAW next week. The reasoning is said to be so Superstars can work dark matches.

    Also, now that Roman Reigns is both WWE Champion and WWE Universal Champion, he’s expected to be working both brands as well. This seemed to already be the case on this week’s episode of RAW. Reigns, who is officially a SmackDown star, appeared on RAW to close out the show with a promo. The Usos also were involved in a six-man tag team match.

    Both Sasha Banks and Naomi, the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, also appeared on the show, defeating Liv Morgan & Rhea Ripley in a Championship Contender’s match. Natalya and Shayna Baszler also made appearances.

    In addition to that report, it should be noted that Lacey Evans will be in Milwaukee for tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live. However, there’s no word yet on what her involvement will be. Evans hasn’t been on WWE TV since going on maternity leave last year. We’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available.

  • Why were the NXT titles vacated?

    Why were the NXT titles vacated?

    WWE has announced the NXT Tag Team Championships have been vacated.

    New champions will be crowned this Tuesday night on NXT’s weekly TV show on the USA Network. WWE has yet to address how the new champions will be determined.

    WWE Vacates the NXT Tag Team Championships

    As we’ve reported, WWE released Nash Carter of MSK earlier this week following allegations of abuse from his wife, IMPACT Wrestling’s Kimber Lee. On Monday, Lee took to social media, alleging that Carter “got wasted” and struck her in the face, busting her lip open. She also Tweeted out the following, tagging the official WWE NXT Twitter account (the Tweet has since been deleted):

    “Hey @WWENXT this is my face after your tag champ @NashCarterWWE got wasted and hit me so hard he split my lip open. He told me I’m a wrestler so I’m always marked up. I’ve hid this for a year and even forgave him. But I can’t hide it anymore.”

    The timing couldn’t be any more significant, as Carter and tag team partner Wes Lee recently captured the titles at the NXT Stand & Deliver event over WrestleMania 38 weekend. Of course, the announcement of the titles’ vacancy did not mention Carter.

    WWE also hasn’t publicly addressed Carter’s release, nor the allegations as of this writing. Prior to this announcement, MSK was scheduled to defend their titles against Grayson Waller and Sanga on Tuesday’s event. WWE has not yet announced who will be competing for the vacant titles.