SEScoops

Author: Jon Fuentes

  • Eric Bischoff Reacts to Steve Austin & Vince McMahon’s WrestleMania Segment

    Eric Bischoff Reacts to Steve Austin & Vince McMahon’s WrestleMania Segment

    Perhaps the biggest story out of WrestleMania 38 in Dallas, Texas this past weekend was the long-awaited return to the ring of Stone Cold Steve Austin.

    Austin was scheduled to be a guest on Kevin Owens’ “The KO Show,” however, it ended up being an official No Holds Barred match between the two after Owens challenged Austin. “The Texas Rattlesnake” accepted Owens’ challenge, and wound up victorious after hitting Owens with the stunner. It was Austin’s first match in 19 years.

    The former WWE Champion wasn’t done there, however, as on Night Two of WrestleMania, Austin got involved in the Pat McAfee vs. Austin Theory matchup. After McMahon defeated McAfee in an impromptu match in retaliation for beating Theory, Austin hit the ring to confront “The Chairman Of The Board.” Austin gave McMahon a stunner, which was one of the worst sold stunners of all time, before also stunning McAfee and engaging in his signature celebratory beer bash.

    One man who was watching along with the rest of the world was none other than former WCW president Eric Bischoff. Bischoff took to his “83 Weeks” podcast to describe the entire ordeal as simply – awesome.

    “I know I’m older, but to see Steve in there doing what Steve is so great at doing – even beyond that, forget about the fact that Steve and I are friends and spent a lot of time in the same industry together and were peers in that era,” Bischoff said (via 411Mania).

    “Forget about all of that. The crowd reaction was just awesome. It was just awesome. I just got back home and picked up in the Pat McAfee/Vince McMahon stuff and I can’t say enough good things about it. It was so much fun.”

    As for the segment between McMahon and Austin in particular, although Eric Bischoff admits the stunner on McMahon was “horrible,” the former Monday Night RAW General Manager maintains the segment still did its job and was fun for the entire audience.

    “I know people are gonna be laughing about the Stunner or whatever, but c’mon, man. You said it, one word – fun. You pay money to be entertained and having fun is a part of that. That whole segment was nothing but fun.

    “Yeah, the Stunner looked horrible and I would imagine Vince is very angry with himself [laughs]. But hopefully he gives himself a break because he entertained the hell out of me and a lot of people. Hats off to Vince and the entire team. What an incredible event. In many ways, I think it was one of my favorite WrestleManias in a long time.”

  • Cody Rhodes Reportedly Scheduled to Be at SmackDown Live This Week

    Cody Rhodes Reportedly Scheduled to Be at SmackDown Live This Week

    Despite appearing on Monday Night RAW earlier this week, Cody Rhodes might not officially be a member of the red brand just yet.

    According to a report from PWInsider, Rhodes is scheduled to be at SmackDown Live this Friday. There’s currently no word yet if he’s expected to be a part of the broadcast or work a dark match, however, he is set to at least be there backstage. It certainly wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibilities for Rhodes to compete on SmackDown Live, as he hasn’t been assigned to either brand officially as of this writing.

    Cody Rhodes made his return to WWE at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend in Dallas Texas. “The American Nightmare” was introduced as the surprise mystery opponent for Seth Rollins. After an excellent bout, one of the best of the entire weekend, it was Rhodes who walked out of WrestleMania with the victory. The following Monday on RAW, Rhodes cut an emotional promo about his father, the late WWE Hall Of Famer Dusty Rhodes.

    In the promo, Rhodes made it clear that he intends on chasing a World Championship upon his second run with the company. As for he and Rollins, that program seems to have been put to bed as Rollins came out after Rhodes’ promo on RAW to shake his WrestleMania opponent’s hand. Rhodes did, however, work a dark match against Kevin Owens later that night.

    We’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available regarding Rhodes’ SmackDown Live involvement, and his brand situation.

  • Corey Graves Wants a Match With Pat McAfee, Shane McMahon’s Son Set to Play College Football

    Corey Graves Wants a Match With Pat McAfee, Shane McMahon’s Son Set to Play College Football

    Corey Graves Wants a Match With Pat McAfee

    Pat McAfee made his in-ring debut at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend. McAfee took on Austin Theory, while Vince McMahon watched ringside. When it was all said and done, however, McAfee emerged victorious over Theory. Of course, McAfee found himself immediately in another match, as McMahon entered the ring and ordered the referee to ring the bell, shortly thereafter pinning McAfee for a WrestleMania victory of his own.

    Seeing McAfee compete in the ring, and in quite impressive fashion, seems to have inspired fellow WWE commentator Corey Graves. Graves recently did an interview with Wrestling Inc., and mentioned the possibility of sharing the ring with McAfee one day. However, it would have to be on the only day that RAW and SmackDown Live go head-to-head inside the ring, given they commentate on different brands, Survivor Series.

    “Not to my knowledge was it ever discussed with any sense of legitimacy. But you’ve got to remember, there’s only one night a year Raw and SmackDown competes in head-to-head competition, Survivor Series.

    “I hope, I am going to start politicking now,” he said on a possible match. “I think McAfee and Graves at Survivor Series, I think we have to pass the bar that was set by Cole and Lawlor at WrestleMania.”

    Shane McMahon’s Son Set to Play College Football

    Shane McMahon’s son, Declan James McMahon, has announced that he will be playing college football for Indiana University. Declan’s Twitter bio notes that the running back is six-feet tall and 190 pounds, although he played quarterback as well for Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn.

    You can check out Declan’s announcement, as well as reactions from Shane McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, and John Cena below:

  • Logan Paul Reveals What Vince McMahon Told Him After WrestleMania Debut

    Logan Paul Reveals What Vince McMahon Told Him After WrestleMania Debut

    Logan Paul certainly impressed a lot of people with his performance at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend, including Vince McMahon himself.

    Paul recently joined Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour this week to discuss what it was like making his in-ring debut for WWE on “The Grandest Stage Of Them All.” During the interview, Paul revealed that he got quite the reception from Vince McMahon backstage.

    “Not yet [when asked if WWE had offered him a longer-term deal],” Paul said (via Wrestling Inc.). “Maybe they will, I don’t know. I swear. I will say this. Vince McMahon after my match. He was stoked. I go backstage, we shook hands, it was the good old stepdad Vince thing. He’s like, he goes, ‘trust me, your future is here!’ I was like, ‘cool, sure.’

    “That’s Vince McMahon. He’s a legend. Him being excited about, you know, the new guy’s performance, it’s so validating. Like, even just the response and feedback online after the match, haters or lovers, not one negative comment, man. I think people were surprised by my performance and I’m so grateful that they liked it.”

    Paul teamed up with The Miz to take on the team of Rey and Dominik Mysterio. The pair put on a surprisingly entertaining match, but what was the most surprising of it all was how well Paul performed inside the ring. Social media was buzzing about how natural the social media star looked inside the squared circle after his weeks of preparation alongside The Miz.

    It remains to be seen if Logan Paul has any interest in doing anymore matches with WWE down the line, as he keeps busy with other ventures such as boxing, YouTube, and more, however, it sounds like McMahon would definitely be happy to have him. After The Miz turned on Paul following their win over the Mysterios, there’s certainly a story for Paul to return to should he choose to do so.

  • Rick Boogs Reportedly Undergoes Successful Surgery

    Rick Boogs Reportedly Undergoes Successful Surgery

    It looks like Rick Boogs underwent successful surgery on his torn quad, per a recent report from PWInsider. The report notes that the operation took place earlier this week in Birmingham, Alabama. Boogs is expected to return home this weekend to begin his rehabilitation process.

    There’s no official timescale on how long Boogs will be on the sidelines, however, the expectation is anywhere from six to 12 months. Boogs suffered the unfortunate injury as part of the opening matchup of WrestleMania 38 this past weekend in Dallas Texas. He and partner Shinsuke Nakamura challenged The Usos for the SmackDown Live Tag Team Championships.

    Although the opening minutes of the contest were fairly back-and-forth, the tables turned when Boogs attempted to lift both Usos up on his shoulders, until his leg gave out from under him. After hitting the mat and tagging Nakamura back in, The Usos would take out and pin Nakamura to retain their titles. After the match, Boogs needed to be assisted backstage, as he couldn’t walk under his own power.

    While Rick Boogs has yet to comment on the early reports of his surgery, he did take to Instagram earlier this week to address the injury, seemingly in good spirits. Here’s what he had to say:

    “From the highest of highs to lowest of lows. Having my beautiful wife with me to experience my first Wrestlemania. Getting the incredible opportunity to open the show! Being able to demonstrate brute strength in front of millions of viewers! Unfortunately, the doctor told me my quad was too strong for the tendon and it was flexing so hard, it ripped the tendon totally off the bone. I’m still incredibly grateful for the experience and for all the love and support. History proves I will come back bigger, better, and stronger. IT’S A MINDSET.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb5c50hrgo9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
  • Paul Heyman Doesn’t Want to Set Up Roman Reigns vs. The Rock Yet

    Paul Heyman Doesn’t Want to Set Up Roman Reigns vs. The Rock Yet

    In the fallout of WrestleMania 38, the next big match everyone has their eyes on for WrestleMania 39 next year in Los Angeles is a bout between Roman Reigns and The Rock. Reigns has reigned as WWE Universal Champion for nearly 600 days, and recently defeated Brock Lesnar to capture the WWE Championship as well, unifying the promotion’s two top titles.

    Now, with Reigns holding the two top titles in WWE, and establishing himself as the “Tribal Chief” of his legendary professional wrestling family, many have wondered if The Rock could return to challenge that moniker. Some have even speculated at the possibility of doing something similar to The Rock vs. John Cena, which was set as the main event of WrestleMania one year out from the show.

    However, if Reigns’ current advocate Paul Heyman has anything to say about it, he’d go a different route. Speaking to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour recently, Heyman noted that he isn’t a fan of setting the stage a year out from WrestleMania, as so much can happen in between now and then.

    Why? Why would you do it? Because then they’re telling everybody that for the next 364 days nothing [that Roman does] matters until The Rock,” Heyman said (WrestleZone). “If Dwayne Johnson wants to step up to Roman Reigns, then Dwayne Johnson should step up to Roman Reigns, and we’ll set the match, and we’ll go for it. But to go for it a year from now? That’s a long time.

    “A lot can happen in a year. What if I say to Roman Reigns, ‘take 30 days off and do a movie’ just to show Dwayne Johnson who’s a bigger box office attraction in film? Which, it would be Roman Reigns, and Roman Reigns is a better actor than Dwayne Johnson, to be blunt. I mean there’s a lot that could happen. You got a year.”

    Paul Heyman certainly raises an interesting point, as it would also be difficult to have The Rock commit to such a task given his busy Hollywood schedule. Of course, there’s no shortage of opponents for Reigns to keep busy with in the meantime. One Superstar in particular who recently returned to the company already has his eyes on a World Championship, and for now, that road leads to “The Head Of The Table.”

  • Seth Rollins Calls Weekly Three-Hour RAWs ‘Obnoxiously Long’

    Seth Rollins Calls Weekly Three-Hour RAWs ‘Obnoxiously Long’

    Although Seth Rollins thinks WWE is the world’s premier wrestling organization, he’s not a fan of the three-hour weekly episodes of Monday Night RAW. Rollins was speaking on the SI Podcast recently and was asked about RAW being three hours every week. Rollins called three hours “obnoxiously long” for a weekly wrestling program.

    “I think a three hour show is just obnoxiously long every week. Everything gets stretched out, you know, and you’ve got to cram — you got to fill three hours of television, there’s just nothing to be done,” Rollins said (via WrestlingNews.co). “You know, that’s just how it is. So I think two hours is a beautiful kind of number for a pro wrestling show. And I think it’s easier to make everything mean a little bit more.

    “You know, on SmackDown when I was there last year, I hardly ever wrestle on television and so it was kind of a big deal. You look at Roman [Reigns], he hardly ever wrestles on television, I think maybe a handful of times in the last year. So when he has matches at these pay-per-views, they feel like big deals and on Raw I’ve wrestled in like 26 five-star matches in the last two months.

    “It’s just been wild the amount of actual wrestling that I have to do and I’d love to avoid that but it is what it is. I like the fact that I get a lot more screen time on Mondays because you have the extra hour but yeah it’s a apples to oranges type thing. I do think three hours is just a lot to ask every week of a viewer.”

    Rollins seems to be in agreement with a large portion of the professional wrestling community. One of the biggest critiques fans have had for WWE is the three-hour-long runtimes for Monday Night RAW. As Rollins mentioned, three hours is certainly a lot to ask of a viewer. However, it doesn’t seem like that formula will be changing for WWE anytime soon.

    As for “The Architect,” he comes off of a great matchup against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend in Dallas. Although Rhodes was the one to emerge victorious from the matchup, both men put on what was one of the best matches of the action-packed weekend.

    There doesn’t seem to be any lingering issues between the pair, however, as Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes shook hands on Monday Night RAW earlier this week.

  • Charlotte Flair Admits This Title Reign Isn’t One of Her Favorites

    Charlotte Flair Admits This Title Reign Isn’t One of Her Favorites

    Charlotte Flair is no stranger to championship reigns. “The Queen” has held a WWE World Title 13 times throughout her career. Currently, she reigns as the SmackDown Live Women’s Champion. Flair defended her throne against Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend in Dallas, Texas, besting the former UFC champion when it was all said and done.

    Speaking to BT Sport’s Ariel Helwani before the bout, Flair discussed her current title run, and admitted that it isn’t one of her favorites. One big reason being that Flair hasn’t been able to defend the title as much as she’d like.

    “I can’t say that this title reign has been one of my favorites,” Flair said (via Wrestling Inc.). “Because I haven’t had an opportunity, due to unfortunate events to defend the title as many times as I would like. But in terms of when I came back after WrestleMania 37 that I missed, and came back as the Opportunity, I feel like it’s been the most confident my character has been since before, it’s been like a good three-and-a-half years, I think.”

    Flair is undoubtably one of the greatest female professional wresters the WWE has ever seen. The daughter of two-time WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair, Charlotte Flair has certainly lived up to the legendary Flair name throughout her run with the company.

    After helping pioneer today’s Women’s Division in NXT, winning multiple World Titles, and being part of the first-ever all-female main event of a WrestleMania, there’s not much more for her to accomplish in the world of professional wrestling. It will be interesting to see what’s next for Flair this week on SmackDown Live in the fallout from WrestleMania 38.

  • AJ Styles Wants to Face Rey Mysterio At WrestleMania

    AJ Styles Wants to Face Rey Mysterio At WrestleMania

    If there’s anyone on the WWE roster who knows a thing or two about getting their desired WrestleMania opponent when it’s all said and done, it’s AJ Styles. Styles named both The Undertaker and Edge as opponents he’d like to face at “The Show Of Shows,” before ultimately landing each of those respective matches.

    Of course, Styles ended up losing both of those matches, most recently to “The Rated-R Superstar” at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend, thanks to a distraction from Damian Priest. However, speaking to WrestleZone recently, Styles was asked who else is on his list of desired WrestleMania opponents. “The Phenomenal One” seems to be more interested in facing opponents who have been around in WWE longer than him. However, that list is growing shorter by the day.

    With that being said, Styles named former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Rey Mysterio as a potential opponent at WrestleMania down the line.

    “It’s hard to say. I mean, who are those guys that when you think back, is it Rey Mysterio? I’ve never really had a long program or anything with him,” Styles said. “I’ve wrestled him once or twice but I never had a story with him.

    “But, I don’t know, Edge [is this year]… I’ve tried to get Triple H in the ring but it looks like that’s not gonna happen. We’re running out of these guys who’ve been around longer than me.”

    As AJ Styles mentioned, he and Mysterio have shared the ring numerous times before, but it wasn’t in a long storyline. Their last meeting was an Elimination Chamber qualifying match on Monday Night RAW back in January.

    As for Mysterio, he’s currently wrapping up a storyline alongside his son, Dominik, where the pair fell to the team of The Miz and Logan Paul at WrestleMania 38 in Dallas this past weekend. Now the pair seem to be angling towards a feud with Veer on Monday Night RAW.

  • Kevin Owens Reveals Plans After Retiring From Wrestling

    Kevin Owens Reveals Plans After Retiring From Wrestling

    Kevin Owens is undoubtably one of WWE’s biggest stars. So much so that the company made it clear they wanted to keep KO around by re-signing him to a new contract recently. Also, Owens got the opportunity of a lifetime at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend, serving as WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin’s first opponent back inside the ring in over 19 years.

    Of course, Owens lost to Austin in front of the Dallas, Texas crowd, but it was a great WrestleMania moment that will live on in infamy. While Owens is still very much in the prime of his professional wrestling career, he does think about what’s next for him once he makes the decision to walk away from the squared circle once and for all.

    Speaking to MackMania recently, Owens admitted he has an interest in doing commentary or working backstage after his time in the ring comes to a close.

    “Once I’m not in the ring actively anymore, I really think I’ll just hopefully have a role backstage somehow. Or even maybe do commentary,” Owens said (via Wrestling Inc.). “Those are all things I really enjoy. So, I don’t see myself going anywhere. And hopefully, I can help, you know, people that are here now. And people that are here in the future like, like others that are helping me now, you know?”

    Now that Owens’ program with Steve Austin has come to a close it will be interesting to see what WWE has planned for him next. He was part of a segment on Monday Night RAW this week that helped re-introduce Elias to the WWE Universe, however, with a complete gimmick change, and the new name of Ezekiel.

    Ezekiel claims to be Elias’ brother, and has taken over all of Elias’ social media accounts as well. Perhaps Kevin Owens and Ezekiel could be working against each other in the coming weeks.

  • Cody Rhodes Reveals The Last Person He Spoke to Before WrestleMania Entrance

    Cody Rhodes Reveals The Last Person He Spoke to Before WrestleMania Entrance

    Cody Rhodes made his surprise return to WWE at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend, as he was revealed as the mystery opponent for Seth Rollins. Rhodes emerged victorious after an excellent bout against Rollins, making quite the statement in his return to the company he left in 2016.

    While many predicted Rhodes was going to be the one to face Rollins at WrestleMania, WWE still tried to keep his return a secret, keeping him in a bus until it was time for him to make his entrance for the match. However, speaking to The Ringer recently, “The American Nightmare” admitted that he actually ran into Triple H just before hitting the ring.

    “There’s no secret Triple H is my favorite wrestler ever, even though I broke his throne, and badmouthed him to the earth,” Rhodes said (via Wrestling Inc.). “He’s the last person I saw before I went out there, and now I have to tell him. But the pedigree itself, everything in there, even the stuff I messed up, I wouldn’t change.

    “That one jab felt good. This is my life’s education, I sat under the greatest learning tree for 20 years. It took me a while to figure this stuff out, but I’ve got it now. I just have to keep getting it now.”

    After the match, Rhodes returned to Monday Night RAW earlier this week, cutting an emotional, unscripted promo about his father, the late WWE Hall Of Famer Dusty Rhodes. He also declared his intentions to win a WWE World Title, a feat that eluded him during his first run with the company. Also, to close out the segment, Rollins hit the ring to confront Rhodes, and the pair ended up shaking hands in a mutual sign of respect.

    It will be interesting to see who Cody Rhodes feuds with first now that he’s back in WWE, and clearly has World Title aspirations to get started on.

  • Three Title Matches Set for Next Week’s WWE NXT 2.0

    Three Title Matches Set for Next Week’s WWE NXT 2.0

    Next week’s episode of WWE NXT 2.0 is shaping up to be quite a jam-packed show. We now have three title bouts set for the April 12 show.

    First, WWE has announced that NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose will defend her title against Dakota Kai, shortly after Rose cost Kai and Raquel Gonzalez the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships to her fellow Toxic Attraction stablemates just a week ago.

    After their confrontation last night, WWE NXT Tag Team Champions MSK will put their titles up for grabs against the team of Grayson Waller and Sanga. Waller still isn’t fully healthy after Stand & Deliver, as he has his arm in a sling, but that won’t hold him back from taking up the title opportunity.

    And lastly, Solo Sikoa challenged newly-crowned NXT North American Champion Cameron Grims on this week’s episode of WWE NXT. Now, the matchup is official, as Grimes will put his title up for grabs for the first time after winning it at Stand & Deliver.

    Also, a pair of singles bouts between Kushida and Von Wagner, as well as Xyon Quinn and Draco Anthony are slated for the show. With all that being said, it’s going to be quite the show next week, live on the USA Network.

    Check out the updated card for the April 12 episode of WWE NXT 2.0 below:

    • NXT Women’s Championship: Mandy Rose (c) vs. Dakota Kai
    • NXT Tag Team Championship: MSK (c) vs. Grayson Waller and Sanga
    • NXT North American Championship: Cameron Grimes (c) vs. Solo Sikoa
    • Kushida vs. Von Wagner
    • Xyon Quinn vs. Draco Anthony
  • Eric Bischoff Reacts to Cody Rhodes’ WWE Return

    Eric Bischoff Reacts to Cody Rhodes’ WWE Return

    The professional wrestling world is still buzzing over the WWE return of Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend. Rhodes was revealed as Seth Rollins’ mystery opponent for “The Showcase Of The Immortals,” and the pair put on an extraordinary matchup. It was “The American Nightmare’s” first appearance in WWE since leaving the company back in 2016.

    Recently, former WCW president and ex-Monday Night RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff offered his thoughts on Rhodes’ WWE return during the latest episode of his podcast, “83 Weeks.” Bischoff noted how proud of Rhodes he was, calling the return “magic” in every aspect. He even revealed that he reached out to Rhodes after it all went down.

    “Magic, just one word, magic,” Bischoff said (via Wrestling Inc.). “Everything from the entrance, the match, the post-match production, the visual reactions to the crowd, what element of that entire presentation was not a 10 on a scale of 1-10. I don’t know, I couldn’t pick it out.

    “That was so good, I was so so happy to be able to watch that live. So proud and I reached out to Cody, we connected afterwards and I’m just so proud for him. I really really am.”

    Rhodes also made his return to Monday Night RAW last night, delivering an emotional promo referencing his late father, WWE Hall Of Famer Dusty Rhodes. “The American Nightmare” made it clear that he has his eyes locked on a World Championship as he begins his second run with the company.

    He closed out the segment by shaking Rollins’ hand in a showing of respect. Rhodes is also slated to be a guest on tomorrow’s episode of WWE The Bump, likely further discussing his return to the company.

  • Bianca Belair Reveals the One Match Stipulation She Won’t Do

    Bianca Belair Reveals the One Match Stipulation She Won’t Do

    Recently, newly-crowned WWE RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair spoke to SHAK Wrestling to talk about a wide variety of topics. One such topic was about what type of match she’d like to compete in that she hasn’t had the opportunity to so far. Belair was quick to answer that she really would like to have the “I Quit” match she missed out on against Bayley back in 2021.

    The pair were slated to meet in an “I Quit” match at Money In The Bank that year before an ACL injury to “The Hugger” forced the match to be cancelled.

    “Oh man, the I quit match that I was supposed to have with Bayley,” Belair said (via WrestleZone). “I still get sad when I think about the possibilities of that match. So hopefully, we can revisit that when she comes back.”

    It’s certainly possible that WWE revisits that match down the line. Bayley has yet to return from injury and went undrafted in the 2021 WWE Draft. Perhaps she can make her return to the red brand and rekindle her rivalry with the newly-crowned champ. Belair was also asked if there were any matches that she isn’t willing to participate in. Belair admitted that she’s too attached to her hair to risk a Hair vs. Hair match.

    “We all know the answer to this one,” Belair stated. “I don’t even want to say it because I don’t want to put it out there.”

    Belair captured the WWE RAW Women’s Championship from Becky Lynch over the weekend at WrestleMania 38. The pair put on one of the best matches of the action packed weekend. Although she emerged victorious on “The Grandest Stage Of Them All,” she didn’t escape unscathed. Lynch left Belair with a nasty eye injury to remember her by.

  • Young Bucks React to KO Using Their Pose After RAW, New Match Added to Tonight’s NXT

    Young Bucks React to KO Using Their Pose After RAW, New Match Added to Tonight’s NXT

    Young Bucks React to KO Using Their Pose After RAW

    As noted, Kevin Owens and Cody Rhodes went one-on-one in a dark match following last night’s episode of WWE Monday Night RAW as it went off-air. The match began with a handshake and hug between Owens and Rhodes, but it was “The American Nightmare” who emerged victorious when it was all said and done. Even The Rock’s mother, Ata Johnson, got involved in the match at one point.

    However, another interesting spot saw Owens taunt Rhodes while he was down on the mat, using All Elite Wrestling (AEW) stars, The Young Buck’s, signature pose. As a result, The Young Bucks updated their official Twitter page, placing “Whaddup Kev” in their bio. Check out the pose, and a screenshot from the Bucks’ bio, below.

    Kevin Owens has also responded, updating his own bio:

    New Match Added to Tonight’s NXT

    A new match has been announced for tonight’s episode of WWE NXT, which will also feature fallout from Stand & Deliver. WWE has announced that Nikkita Lyons vs. Lash Legend will take place on the program.

    It has also been confirmed that New NXT North American Champion Cameron Grimes will speak on the show. Grimes won the title at Stand & Deliver in a Ladder match this past weekend against Grayson Waller, Solo Sikoa, Santos Escobar and Carmelo Hayes.

    Check out the updated lineup for tonight’s show below:

    • New NXT Champion Bron Breakker returns following title win on RAW
    • Tony D’Angelo and AJ Galante continue Stand & Deliver celebration
    • New NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez vs. Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne
    • New NXT North American Champion Cameron Grimes speaks out
    • Nikkita Lyons vs. Lash Legend
  • Title Match, More Set for Next Week’s WWE Monday Night RAW

    Title Match, More Set for Next Week’s WWE Monday Night RAW

    This week’s episode of WWE Monday Night RAW featured all the fallout from WrestleMania 38 this past weekend, but it also set up a few matches for next week’s episode for the red brand as well.

    It was announced that Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan will be granted a shot at newly-crowned WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Sasha Banks and Naomi next week. Ripley and Morgan initially lost out on the titles this past Sunday at WrestleMania, as they; along with the teams of now-former champions Queen Zelina & Liv Morgan, and Natalya & Shayna Bazler, were topped by Banks and Naomi.

    Ripley and Morgan also lost a non-title match to Naomi and Banks on RAW last night, but Ripley convinced WWE officials to grant them a title shot next week nonetheless.

    Also, since Damian Priest cost AJ Styles his WrestleMania matchup against Edge this past weekend, the pair will collide in a one-on-one match next week on RAW as well. Priest seems to have aligned himself with “The Rated-R Superstar,” likely being the first member of his upcoming rumored stable.

    Finally, after beating down both Rey and Dominik Mysterio on RAW this week, Veer will get a one-on-one bout with Rey Mysterio as a result.

    Check out the lineup so far for next week’s RAW below:

    • WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: Naomi & Sasha Banks (c) vs. Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan
    • Damian Priest vs. AJ Styles
    • Veer Mahaan vs. Rey Mysterio
  • Seth Rollins Proclaims WWE As “Premier Professional Wrestling Company” In The World

    Seth Rollins Proclaims WWE As “Premier Professional Wrestling Company” In The World

    If you’re in the professional wrestling business, WWE is where the big boys come to play, according to Seth Rollins. Rollins recently did an interview with the Gorilla Position podcast prior to Monday Night RAW last night, touching on a number of topics. During the interview, Rollins was asked about Cody Rhodes leaving All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and returning to WWE.

    When asked who else Rollins would like to see make the jump to WWE, “The Architect” noted that anybody who wants to work in the “big leagues” and establish themselves as the best in the world needs to be under the WWE’ banner.

    “Oh man, anybody who wants to come work in the big leagues,” Rollins said (via WrestlingNews.co). I said it to him, I’ve said it before, this is the premier professional wrestling company on the planet. I know, ‘Oh don’t say professional wrestling,’ doesn’t matter. We have the best in the world and now we have Cody Rhodes on top of that and he is joining that club. So if you want to be the best, don’t go play rinky-dink, come here, do your thing here.

    “We are the best, top-notch, across the board. I’m not taking anything away from anybody else who is anywhere else, I love it, do what you do, you guys are tremendous and there are great talents out there, but this is where you are the best. This is where you find out if you can hack it on the top top top level.”

    Rollins was one-half of one of the best matches of WrestleMania 38 weekend. Cody Rhodes was revealed as Rollins’ mystery opponent for the Dallas event, and the pair put on a tremendous matchup. Rhodes left WWE back in 2016 before helping establish AEW to where it is today. After becoming a free agent earlier this year, however, “The American Nightmare” decided to return to WWE, where he has his sights set on becoming World Champion.

    As for Seth Rollins, despite taking the loss to Rhodes at “The Show Of Shows,” the pair shook hands following Rhodes’ promo on Monday Night RAW last night, seemingly putting an end to their short-lived encounter.

  • Backstage Note on Elias’ New Ezekiel Gimmick, Cody Rhodes Set for The Bump

    Backstage Note on Elias’ New Ezekiel Gimmick, Cody Rhodes Set for The Bump

    Backstage Note on Elias’ New Ezekiel Gimmick

    On this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW, we saw Elias return to WWE TV with a brand new gimmick. Sporting a clean-shaven look and some new ring attire, Elias, now going by the name Ezekiel, confronted Kevin Owens fresh off his WrestleMania 38 loss to Stone Cold Steve Austin. The man formerly known as “The Drifter” noted that he isn’t Elias, but rather Elias’ brother, Ezekiel.

    According to a report from PWInsider, WWE internally has Ezekiel listed as a babyface for the red brand. Also, the Elias character has been removed from WWE’s internal roster. For now, it seems that the Elias character is dead, and Ezekiel is here to stay. It should also be noted that Ezekiel is now using Elias’ old Twitter account.

    Cody Rhodes Set for The Bump

    Cody Rhodes made his return to Monday Night RAW last night, cutting an emotional promo before ultimately shaking hands with Seth Rollins to close the segment. Rhodes made his triumphant return to WWE at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend, as he was revealed as Rollins’ mystery opponent. Rhodes defeated Rollins in a classic matchup, and made it clear that he intends to win a World Title during his new run with the company.

    Now, WWE’s Kayla Braxton has announced on Twitter that Rhodes will be a special guest on this week’s episode of The Bump, streaming live on WWE’s YouTube channel tomorrow at 10:00 AM ET. You can check out the official announcement below.

  • Cody Rhodes Reveals What He Told Vince McMahon About Stardust

    Cody Rhodes Reveals What He Told Vince McMahon About Stardust

    Cody Rhodes made his anticipated return to WWE in what’s being referred to as “the worst kept secret in pro wrestling,” this past weekend when he was revealed as Seth Rollins’ surprise WrestleMania 38 opponent.

    Rhodes initially left WWE back in 2016 after being subjected to the Stardust gimmick that he has openly stated he was not a big fan of. Since his departure, Rhodes birthed his “American Nightmare” persona, a play on his father, WWE Hall Of Famer Dusty Rhodes’, “American Dream” nickname. After a successful indie run, as well as helping build All Elite Wrestling (AEW) up from scratch, Rhodes decided to return to WWE when his contract with AEW expired earlier this year.

    Now, after having proved himself as a top singles star away from the company, Rhodes is back in WWE with a much different outlook on his potential. When negotiating his return with Vince McMahon, Rhodes tells BT Sport’s Ariel Helwani he told “The Chairman Of The Board” he never wants to hear about the Stardust gimmick ever again.

    “There wasn’t any true guarantees, there was a request,” Rhodes said (via Wrestling Inc.). “I said I never want to ever see Stardust ever again and I never want to see, hear it or talk about it and it was a handshake and that was all I needed.

    “Then the first thing I did in the match last night was a random Stardust reference, I thought what’re you doing? You’re going back on your own strange request, other than that it was complex to get this all together and maybe one of wrestling’s biggest contracts, which I’m so flattered about. I have a child so yeah.

    Cody Rhodes topped Rollins in an excellent matchup during Night One of WrestleMania 38, and is ready to address the WWE Universe tonight on Monday Night RAW. It will be interesting to see what’s in store for “The American Nightmare” in the midst of the WrestleMania fallout.

  • Gable Steveson Reacts to WrestleMania Moment, GCW Confirms Dates & Venue for the Collective 2023

    Gable Steveson Reacts to WrestleMania Moment, GCW Confirms Dates & Venue for the Collective 2023

    Gable Steveson Reacts to WrestleMania Moment

    Former Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson got his first taste of WrestleMania action this past weekend in Dallas, Texas. Steveson was introduced by Stephanie McMahon during Night One of WrestleMania 38 and received a nice ovation from the fans in attendance, however, Night Two is when Steveson got physical. The former NCAA Heavyweight Champion tossed Chad Gable around the ring following a verbal altercation.

    Speaking in a WWE Digital Exclusive, Steveson called the experience a “dream come true,” and explained the rush of performing in front of 70,000 people.

    “Dream come true,” said Steveson (via WrestleZone). “Hard to describe the emotions that you get, coming from amateur wrestling and collegiate wrestling and Olympic style, to coming to 70,000 people. You don’t get that. You get that with WWE, though.”

    As for getting physical for the first time in the ring with his scuffle against Gable, Steveson said the experience was “heart rushing.”

    “Heart-rushing,” said Steveson. “You know I’m sitting on the sideline, and I’m like, ‘Am I gonna get called in? Am I not?’ I have no clue, I don’t even know what I’m doing. So I go in there, Chad gives me the look and you know what I gotta do, I gotta throw him. And I gotta celebrate with my team, RK-Bro and the Street Profits too.”

    GCW Confirms Dates & Venue for the Collective 2023

    GCW has announced that they will be following WWE to Los Angeles with The Collective next year in 2023. The promotion held The Collective in Dallas, Texas this year during WrestleMania 38 weekend as well. The Collective will go down from The Ukranian Cultural Center in Los Angeles, California from March 30 to April 1, 2023. More information will be made available soon.

    Check out the official announcement below:

  • Pat McAfee Didn’t Know Stone Cold Stunner Was Going to Happen

    Pat McAfee Didn’t Know Stone Cold Stunner Was Going to Happen

    One of the biggest bright spots of WrestleMania 38 this past weekend was Pat McAfee vs. Austin Theory. Theory was accompanied to the ring by Vince McMahon, who was not pleased when McAfee came out on top and pinned Theory for the victory in front of the jam-packed Dallas, Texas crowd.

    After the match, McMahon got into the ring himself and ordered for an impromptu match between himself and the former NFL punter. McMahon ended up defeating an already beaten down McAfee, earning himself a win at “The Show Of Shows” at 76-years-old. However, after the match was over, WWE Hall Of Famer and old McMahon rival Stone Cold Steve Austin hit the ring.

    Austin hit McMahon with, arguably, the worst stunner of all time, before engaging in his signature celebratory beer bash. “The Rattlesnake” then invited McAfee into the ring to share a beer, before hitting him with a stunner too. McAfee got the opportunity to reflect on his WrestleMania moment this morning (Monday. April 4, 2022) on his radio program “The Pat McAfee Show.”

    When co-host AJ Hawk asked McAfee if he knew ahead of time that Austin was coming out after the match, and would stun him too, McAfee claims he did not.

    “Listen, I was sitting there just befuddled with everything that was going on in my life right there,” McAfee said (via WrestleZone). “And I’m not good enough in that business for everything that happened there. There was a lot of trust that was placed upon me, hindsight, that should not have been because I’m in there, like, I should have been given a heads up. I’ve done this three times, like should I have not been given a heads up? Hindsight, like they were really confident in me figuring some stuff out, I guess. But it was cool, AJ.”

    As for Austin, this was his second night in a row getting physical at WrestleMania, as he main evented Night One by defeating Kevin Owens in a No Holds Barred match; his first official match in WWE in over 19 years since retiring in 2003.

  • Paul Wight’s In-Ring Return Announced For AEW Dark: Elevation

    Paul Wight’s In-Ring Return Announced For AEW Dark: Elevation

    The in-ring return of Paul Wight, along with seven other matches, has been confirmed for tonight’s episode of AEW Dark: Elevation. Wight will be facing off against Austin Green on a show that was taped last Wednesday from the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina, which just so happens to be Wight’s hometown.

    Wight is undefeated in AEW since signing with the company back in February of 2021. He made his in-ring debut for AEW against QT Marshall, securing the win at All Out last September. He then emerged victorious from a 3-on-1 handicap match at Elevation against CPA, RSP and VSK last September. Wight won another 3-on-1 handicap match against Cole Karter, Carlie Bravo and Arjun Singh the following month.

    Tonight will be his fourth match with the company since then. You can check out the full lineup for tonight’s AEW Dark: Elevation here below:

    • Red Velvet vs. Brittany Jade
    • Serena Deeb vs. Dani Mo
    • Leyla Hirsch vs. Ella Envy
    • Anna Jay and Ruby Soho vs. Diamante and Ashley D’Amboise
    • QT Marshall and Aaron Solo vs. Brock Anderson and Lee Johnson
    • Chuck Taylor and Trent Beretta vs. JD Drake and Anthony Henry
    • Frankie Kazarian vs. Lucky Ali
    • Paul Wight vs. Austin Green
  • Rick Boogs Breaks Silence on WrestleMania Injury

    Rick Boogs Breaks Silence on WrestleMania Injury

    Things didn’t go according to plan for Rick Boogs at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend in Dallas, Texas. Boogs teamed up with Shinsuke Nakamura in the opener of Night One of “The Show Of Shows,” challenging The Usos for the SmackDown Live Tag Team Championships.

    After a back-and-forth opening few minutes, Boogs began a spot where he would show off his strength by lifting both the Usos on his shoulders. However, his knee buckled and Boogs hit the mat in a significant amount of pain. Following some quick on-the-fly changes, Nakamura would take the pin from The Usos the end the match. Boogs was helped backstage as he couldn’t walk under his own power.

    The result was a torn quad for Boogs, who will need to undergo surgery to repair the injury. He recently took to Instagram to reflect on the situation. Boogs confirmed tearing his quad completely off his tendon, but noted he plans to come back bigger, better, and stronger. Check out his full statement below.

    “From the highest of highs to lowest of lows. Having my beautiful wife with me to experience my first Wrestlemania. Getting the incredible opportunity to open the show! Being able to demonstrate brute strength in front of millions of viewers! Unfortunately, the doctor told me my quad was too strong for the tendon and it was flexing so hard, it ripped the tendon totally off the bone. I’m still incredibly grateful for the experience and for all the love and support. History proves I will come back bigger, better, and stronger. IT’S A MINDSET.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb5c50hrgo9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
  • WrestleMania 38 Main Event Match Producer Quits

    WrestleMania 38 Main Event Match Producer Quits

    After night two yesterday, WrestleMania 38 from Dallas, Texas is finally in the rearview mirror, and it was certainly one for the history books. However, it appears for one backstage producer who helped put together some of the event’s biggest matches, it will be his last run with the company.

    According to a report from Mike Johnson of PWInsider, WWE producer Pat Buckridge has resigned from the company. Buckridge helped put together some of WrestleMania 38’s biggest matches, such as Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair. Per the report, Buckridge noted that after working the matches he did at WrestleMania this year, he has achieved his goals of producing some of the biggest matches in wrestling, and now wants to refocus his energy on his family; something the grueling WWE schedule hasn’t made easy.

    It should be noted that Buckridge was also part of WWE’s Talent Relations department. The report adds that he will not be present for tonight’s episode of WWE Monday Night RAW. You can check out the full list of producers from WrestleMania 38 here below.

    • The Usos vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Rick Boogs – Shawn Daivari
    • Happy Corbin vs. Drew McIntyre – Abyss
    • The Miz & Logan Paul vs. The Mysterios – Adam Pearce & Shane Helms
    • Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch – TJ Wilson & Molly Holly
    • Seth Rollins vs. Cody Rhodes – Jamie Noble
    • Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair – Pat Buck
    • Kevin Owens vs. Steve Austin – Michael Hayes
    • RAW Tag Team Titles match – Abyss
    • Bobby Lashley vs. Omos – Adam Pearce
    • Johnny Knoxville vs. Sami Zayn – Shane Helms & Kenny Dykstra
    • Women’s Tag Team Title match – Tyson Kidd, Molly Holly, Shawn Daivari
    • AJ Styles vs. Edge – Petey Williams
    • Pat McAfee vs. Austin Theory – Jamie Noble
    • New Day vs. Sheamus & Ridge Holland – Petey Williams & Kenny Dykstra
    • Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns – Michael Hayes & Pat Buck
  • Jon Moxley Appears At NJPW Lonestar Shootout, Charlotte Flair & Andrade Set To Be Married

    Jon Moxley Appears At NJPW Lonestar Shootout, Charlotte Flair & Andrade Set To Be Married

    Jon Moxley Appears At NJPW Lonestar Shootout

    Earlier today, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star Jon Moxley made a surprise appearance at New Japan Pro Wrestling’s (NJPW) Lonestar Shootout event. Moxley hit the ring shortly after Minoru Suzuki’s win over Killer Kross. Getting on the mic, Moxley touched on the fact that, despite dealing with some hamstring and concussion issues, he won’t miss the chance to step into a NJPW ring against Will Ospreay.

    Moxley will face off against Ospreay at NJPW Windy City Riot in Chicago, Illinois on April 16, 2022. The former AEW World Champion vowed not to let pride get in his way of teaching Ospreay a lesson. Check out his promo below.

    Charlotte Flair & Andrade Set To Be Married

    WWE SmackDown Live Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair has announced that she and AEW star Andrade are set to be married this summer. Flair broke the news during an interview with BT Sport’s Ariel Helwani. She noted that the wedding will take place in Mexico, and the couple have already bought a dress and set the date. When asked whether or not she would be taking time off for the occasion, Flair was noncommittal in her answer.

    “Who knows? You’re acting like I’m gonna lose the title at WrestleMania [laughs],” said Flair (via WrestleZone). ” I think [he] would be a little angry with me if I walked down my aisle with my title.”

    Flair will defend her SmackDown Live Women’s Championship tomorrow night at Night One of WrestleMania 38 against Ronda Rousey in Dallas, Texas. It is expected to serve as the main event of the evening.