SEScoops

Author: Jon Fuentes

  • WrestleMania 36: Backstage Notes On Two-Night Lineup Structure

    WrestleMania 36: Backstage Notes On Two-Night Lineup Structure

    WrestleMania 36 kicks off tomorrow, and for the first time ever, it will take place over the span of two days.

    Due to the current coronavirus pandemic, no fans will be in attendance for Wrestlemania, another first-ever for the WWE. According to a recent report from the WrestleVotes Twitter account, we have some more details to pass along regarding the two-night lineup. WWE officials were still working on the lineup for the event as of this week. It’s likely the two gimmick matches will air on separate days.

    Those being the Boneyard match between The Undertaker and AJ Styles, and the Firefly Funhouse match between John Cena and Bray Wyatt. Also, it’s believed that the two World Title matches will also air on separate nights. Goldberg will defend his Universal Championship against Roman Reigns’ replacement opponent, after Reigns pulled from the card due to health concerns.

    Also, Brock Lesnar will defend his WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre. The same is expected for the two Women’s Championship matches. Charlotte Flair challenged Rhea Ripley for the NXT Women’s Championship. Becky Lynch will also be defending her Raw Women’s Championship against Shayna Baszler. SEScoops will be providing you with live coverage of WrestleMania 36 both nights.

    Coverage on Saturday and Sunday will begin at 6:00 p.m. ET. We’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available.

  • Jim Ross Would Have Postponed WrestleMania 36

    Jim Ross Would Have Postponed WrestleMania 36

    There has been a lot of criticism over WWE deciding to go forward with WrestleMania 36 despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

    WWE will be holding WrestleMania 36 in front of an empty crowd inside the Performance Center from Orlando, Florida. Many talents have been pulled from the card due to health concerns. Roman Reigns, who has battled leukemia twice now, was removed from his scheduled Universal Title match with Goldberg. Braun Strowman now takes his place.

    Also, WrestleMania is being stretched out over two days. The first will be Saturday, April 4, and will conclude on Sunday, April 5. Like many other major sports leagues, WWE is being called on to postpone their biggest event of the year until things subside. However, Vince McMahon has opted for the show to go on. Now, speaking on the Wrestling Observer Radio program, WWE Hall Of Famer and All Elite Wrestling (AEW) commentator Jim Ross has offered his thoughts on the situation.

    If it were up to Ross, he’d pull the plug on WrestleMania and save the event for a later date.

    “I would’ve waited until I could’ve got it to an arena, or a stadium, and I would’ve made a big celebration out of it that we’re back, America’s back, the virus is gone, celebratory WrestleMania probably,” Ross said. “But here’s the problem with that, that’s already been, I’m sure, budgeted in for a certain amount of money, and because of the uncertainty of the virus we don’t know when that date would be to run the stadium show as the make good, the celebratory WrestleMania as I call it, and so I can understand it budgetarily, they’re a publicly traded company, they have to make money for their stockholders, their stock needs to rebound, blah blah blah.

    “So I don’t know if my suggestion is a great one whatsoever, but I can tell you it would be so easy to replicate amazing enthusiasm, anticipation and excitement in a make good, celebratory WrestleMania, vis-a-vis it’s a television vehicle like we’ve done on AEW the last few weeks, like WWE has done, in a closed set. The empty arena thing. The empty arena thing is okay to keep programming on, but it’s not much fun to work at because you get used to that adrenaline that the fans provide. There’s nothing like that.”

    H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

  • The Big Show Show On Netflix Gets New Trailer (Video)

    The Big Show Show On Netflix Gets New Trailer (Video)

    We finally have a trailer to pass along for The Big Show Show, the show that stars former WWE Champion The Big Show.

    The series will make its debut on Netflix on Monday, April 6, the day after WrestleMania 36. You can check out the trailer for the series in the video player below. Netflix describes the series as “When the teenage daughter of Big Show, a retired world-famous WWE Superstar, comes to live with him, his wife and two other daughters, he quickly becomes outnumbered and outsmarted. Despite being 7 feet tall and weighing 400 pounds, he is no longer the center of attention.”

    It has been announced that the first season will be 10 episodes long. Allison Munn, Reylynn Caster, Juliet Donenfeld, and Lily Brooks O’Briant all join “The World’s Largest Athlete” on the program. The Big Show probably has some of the most extensive acting experience of any WWE Superstar on the roster. He has appeared in films such as Jingle All The Way, The Waterboy, MacGruber, Knucklehead, and more. He has also appeared on a plethora of television shows dating back to 1994.

    Now, he gets his own television series on the world’s leading streaming platform.

  • WWE Announces Two New Matches For WrestleMania 36

    WWE Announces Two New Matches For WrestleMania 36

    WWE has just announced two new matches for the WrestleMania 36 card.

    First, the Raw Tag Team Championships will be on the line when The Street Profits, Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford, put their titles on the line against Andrade and Angel Garza, who will be accompanied by Zelina Vega. Also, it has been announced that Aleister Black will be taking on Bobby Lashley in a singles match. Lashley will be accompanied by Lana.

    This year’s WrestleMania will be very different from year’s past. Due to the fact that it’s taking place smack in the middle of the coronavirus outbreak, some major changes have been implemented. WrestleMania 36 has been moved from its original venue, expected to hold around 70,000 inside the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando.

    WrestleMania will have no audience for the first time ever, as all matches will take place in front of an empty crowd. Also, WrestleMania will be a two-night event. The festivities start on Saturday, April 4, and the second half of the card will take place on Sunday, April 5. Lastly, the show will not be live. Most of the matches and segments will be filmed this week. It’s certainly a big change the company has had to make given the state of the world during the coronavirus pandemic.

    With all that being said, you can check out the updated WrestleMania 36 card below.

    WrestleMania 36 Card

    • WWE Championship: (C) Brock Lesnar vs. Drew McIntyre
    • NXT Women’s Championship: (C) Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair
    • WWE Raw Women’s Championship: (C) Becky Lynch vs. Shayna Baszler
    • WWE Universal Championship: (C) Goldberg vs. Roman Reigns
    • John Cena vs. “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt
    • The Undertaker vs. AJ Styles
    • Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins
    • WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship – Six-Pack Challenge: (C) Bayley vs. Lacey Evans vs. Dana Brooke vs. Tamina vs. Naomi vs. Sasha Banks
    • WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships: (C) The Miz and John Morrison vs. TBD
    • WWE Raw Tag Team Championships: (C) The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) vs. Andrade and Angel Garza (with Zelina Vega)
    • Aleister Black vs. Bobby Lashley (with Lana)
  • WWE ‘Very Negative’ On Idea Of CM Punk Wrestling Again

    WWE ‘Very Negative’ On Idea Of CM Punk Wrestling Again

    It sounds like the possibility of having CM Punk jump back in the WWE ring is getting less and less likely.

    Recently, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer discussed Punk’s current relationship with the company. Meltzer noted how often Punk has been featured on the WWE Backstage program on FOX. It was noted that Punk’s contract is through FOX, not WWE, meaning he is not an employee of the Vince McMahon-owned company. It was also speculated that the former WWE Champion’s contract is likely for one show a month.

    With that being said, ever since Punk came back into the WWE fold, there has been a lot of speculation regarding whether or not he’ll return to the ring. Meltzer noted that WWE is actually “very negative” on the idea of Punk wrestling for them again. This is due to a mixture of several reasons. First, WWE believes they already have enough part-timers with the likes of WWE Hall Of Famers Goldberg and Edge, amongst others.

    Also, there is still bitterness between the two sides given how toxic of a falling out they had all those years ago. However, Meltzer added that there appears to be “more bitterness on WWE’s side.”

    All that being said, it doesn’t sound like the highly-anticipated WWE return is in the cards for Punk anytime soon. Of course, crazier things have happened in the professional wrestling business. Perhaps it’s only a matter of time before all the chips fall into place.

    Punk departed WWE back in early 2014 shortly after the Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV). He cited several issues with the company as his reason for leaving, and has since gone on to do more acting, comic book writing, and even dabbled in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) with two UFC fights under his belt.

  • WrestleMania 36: Reported Initial Plans For Becky Lynch’s Entrance

    WrestleMania 36: Reported Initial Plans For Becky Lynch’s Entrance

    A lot of plans have changed for WrestleMania 36 amid the coronavirus outbreak.

    First, “The Show Of Shows” has been moved from the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando. This is due to the mass gathering bans imposed on the country due to the coronavirus pandemic. For the first time ever, WrestleMania will be held in front of an empty crowd.

    Also, WrestleMania is typically the time WWE Superstars utilize some spectacular ring entrances. It turns out WWE had quite the entrance planned for Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch in Tampa, involving the custom semi-trailer truck we saw on this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw. Lynch arrived at Raw in the truck, but according to PWInsider, this was originally to be used in her WrestleMania entrance.

    The truck was also to be featured at WrestleMania 36 Axxess. WWE likely went ahead and used it this week on Raw since they’re not going to be able to do so in the way they had hoped at WrestleMania.

    View this post on Instagram

    #TheMan arrives to #Raw in style! @beckylynchwwe

    A post shared by WWE (@wwe) on Mar 16, 2020 at 5:57pm PDT

    //www.instagram.com/embed.js

    Lynch is currently slated to put her Raw Women’s Championship up for grabs against Shayna Baszler at “The Showcase Of The Immortals.”

  • Alberto Del Rio Reportedly Not Contacted By WWE

    Alberto Del Rio Reportedly Not Contacted By WWE

    Former WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio recently claimed during an appearance on Nos Cayó La Noche in Mexico that he was in contact with WWE about a potential return.

    Del Rio and WWE’s relationship over the years has been rocky, to say the least, but the Mexican Lucha star claims they have mended that bridge and he’s hoping for a return to the company sometime in 2020.

    “We have been in communication, ” Alberto said. “We have rebuilt the bridge. On their part, they were wrong on some decisions and I also did some things wrong on my part. I am hoping that we can reach an agreement sometime this year or by the middle of this year I’ll be back there.”

    However, according to a report from talkSPORT’s Alex McCarthy, that is not the case. McCarthy reports that Triple H, nor anyone else from WWE has contacted Del Rio about coming back to the company.

    Del Rio was last with WWE back in 2016 before ultimately securing his requested release citing empty promises, including a main event push upon his return in October of 2015. He was officially released from WWE in September of 2016, before going on to work with IMPACT Wrestling for a bit, as well as working the independent circuit.

    He also competed in his first mixed martial arts (MMA) fight since 2010 this past December when he was submitted by ex-UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz under the Combate Americas banner in the first round.

  • Bret Hart Blasts Goldberg: ‘He Hurt Everybody He Worked With’

    Bret Hart Blasts Goldberg: ‘He Hurt Everybody He Worked With’

    WWE Hall Of Famer Bret Hart is one of the most honest professional wrestlers you’ll ever come across.

    “The Hitman” isn’t one to mince words, and will tell you his side of things regardless of how harsh they may be. That was no different during Hart’s recent appearance on fellow Hall Of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s “Broken Skull Sessions” on the WWE Network. During the program, Hart went in on WWE Hall Of Famer and current Universal Champion, Goldberg.

    Hart called Goldberg “one of the most unprofessional wrestlers there ever was in the business,” before suggesting the ex-WCW World Champion “hurt everybody he worked with.”

    “I always knew what I was doing and I would hurt myself before I ever hurt another wrestler,” Bret said. “I just wish some of the wrestlers I worked with, especially at the end like Goldberg. Goldberg to me was one of the most unprofessional wrestlers there ever was in the business.

    “For Bill Goldberg to be in the Hall of Fame… he hurt everybody he worked with, so he might as well wrestle a real gorilla. He was the most dangerous guy to work with. He hurt everybody he worked with. I remember Curt Hennig being in pain all the time from the matches they had, and even when I worked with Bill…

    “I always think, the last words I said to Bill before we went out and had that match where he injured, ended my career… I said, ‘Bill, whatever you do out there, don’t hurt me. Do whatever you want, we can do anything, just do not go nuts.’”

    Hart’s beef with Goldberg stems back decades ago during the pair’s time together in WCW. A match between the two ultimately led to a career-ending injury for Hart. As for Goldberg, after a lengthy period of time away from the ring, he has since rekindled his relationship with WWE and is a two-time and current Universal Champion.

    He’s scheduled to put that title up for grabs against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 36 on April 5. This year’s WrestleMania is currently scheduled to broadcast in front of an empty crowd inside the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    https://twitter.com/Mckenzieas93/status/1239594896333443073

    H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

  • CM Punk Calls Out ‘Bully Culture’ In WWE

    CM Punk Calls Out ‘Bully Culture’ In WWE

    CM Punk is no longer an active talent for WWE, but he certainly has some stories from his run with the company.

    Recently, the former WWE Champion-turned-UFC fighter was a guest on Cody and Jennifer Decker’s Swing and Mrs. podcast, where he discussed his professional wrestling career. During the interview, Punk mentioned a recurring elbow injury he dealt with during his WWE run. The injury forced Punk to continuously ice his elbows and knees regularly.

    As a result, Punk claims he was made fun of by other members of the WWE locker room for his icing practices. He was even compared to WWE Hall Of Famer Diamond Dallas Page. Punk discussed how childish he viewed this, and didn’t understand the “bully culture” for doing such a simple thing.

    “It’s a bully culture. I remember somebody — every time I would ice my elbow, because I constantly had a chronically bad elbow. And I would ice my knees and that was more of a maintenance thing. After a while I did get a surgery on my knee. But they would always laugh and make fun of me.

    “And they would look and point and say, ‘Oh, look, it’s DDP!’ And I’d be like, ‘Why are we making fun of somebody for icing?’ It was always the stupidest stuff. The bullies backstage, I would always think like — is that a weakness, really? And look at billion dollar NBA teams that are mandatory icing guys after games and stuff like that.

    “But like, the macho bulls**t. I’m not a man because I’m icing my knees? Okay, cool.”

    Currently, Punk is attached to the WWE brand once again by serving as a frequent guest on the FOX studio show, WWE Backstage. It’s not a return to the squared circle by any means, however, perhaps it could lead to exactly that down the road now that the bridge between Punk and WWE seems to be mended.

    H/T 411Mania for the transcriptions

  • WrestleMania 36: Several Relocation Rumors Reportedly Debunked

    WrestleMania 36: Several Relocation Rumors Reportedly Debunked

    Update: WWE WrestleMania Moved To The Performance Center With No Fans

    Original Story: There are plenty of rumors going around regarding the status of WrestleMania 36.

    Currently, “The Show Of Shows” is scheduled to go down on April 5 from the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. However, due to the current coronavirus pandemic, it has been recommended that, for the time being, people avoid assemblies of more than 10 people. WrestleMania is expected to attract anywhere upwards of 70,000 fans. Other sports leagues such as the NBA, NHL, MLB, and more have decided to either cancel or postpone their seasons for the time being.

    However, WWE has yet to make a final decision on their biggest show of the year. With that being said, a recent report from PWInsider has debunked several rumors that are making their way around the internet. For starters, there has been chatter that WrestleMania 36 could be moved to New York inside Madison Square Garden on March 22. MSG has shut down operations, so that is off the table.

    There have also been rumblings that WrestleMania could be headed to Saudi Arabia. The report notes there’s nothing to this rumor. As for the talk of WrestleMania taking place from their Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, the idea has been pitched but it’s unknown if that remains a possibility. Finally, there has been some speculation of WrestleMania being moved to June this year.

    Mike Johnson’s report states June 7 is a date rumored among WWE talent but the report can’t confirm this. Vince McMahon is reportedly adamant that the show goes on on April 5.

  • News On WWE’s Plans For Relocating WrestleMania 36 (Updated)

    News On WWE’s Plans For Relocating WrestleMania 36 (Updated)

    Update: WWE WrestleMania Moved To The Performance Center With No Fans

    Original Story: The coronavirus outbreak has thwarted the sports world, and a decision has yet to be made on WrestleMania 36.

    While leagues such as the NBA, NFL, NHL, and more have all decided to postpone or cancel their seasons altogether, the likes of WWE and the UFC are holding empty arena shows. However, that’s likely not something the WWE would want to do with its biggest show of the year, and the biggest show of the year for professional wrestling overall, in WrestleMania.

    Currently, WrestleMania 36 is scheduled to go down on April 5 from the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. WrestleMania 36 is expected to hold about 70,000 people, which is a very risky prospect given the current coronavirus pandemic. With that being said, TMZ reports that WrestleMania 36 has not been canceled as of today, and WWE is exploring other options. Nothing is set in stone yet, but WWE is considering a no-fan show.

    WWE has already done this with last week’s episode of SmackDown Live, and will also do this for tonight’s Monday Night Raw. Of course, WWE could also postpone WrestleMania to a later date, but that presents an entirely different set of problems. It will certainly be interesting to see what WWE decides to do when it’s all said and done.

  • WWE SmackDown: Several Backstage Notes From Last Week’s Show

    WWE SmackDown: Several Backstage Notes From Last Week’s Show

    We have several backstage notes to pass along from last week’s episode of WWE SmackDown Live.

    Of course, last week’s episode was filmed inside the empty WWE Performance Center from Florida due to the coronavirus outbreak. Sports leagues and major events all over the country have been either canceled, postponed, or relocated due to the pandemic. However, the likes of WWE and the UFC continue on with their events, for now, in front of empty arenas.

    With that being said, a report from Fightful sheds some light on what went down during the “on the fly” episode of SmackDown last week from the empty WWE PC. Friday was reportedly very much a feeling out process for things, and as of Saturday, tonight’s Monday Night Raw is expected to be very different from how SmackDown operated last week.

    WWE also had a crew of dozens at the PC to prep for SmackDown, and there were several Superstars who were not on the broadcast that were brought to the show anyway on Friday. The report adds that, after speaking to numerous NXT talents, they have learned NXT stars were not at Friday’s show and were not given any instruction as to whether or not they were allowed, or should be at the show.

    Fightful also was able to obtain a video of the Israeli broadcast of the program. There, it could be seen that the action stopped during commercial breaks, the likes of Michael Cole on commentary could be heard asking for feedback on how things sounded, the referee was switching tag ropes to different corners – forcing teams to switch accordingly – and Triple H could be heard referencing that the talent was working to the audiences that aren’t there rather than the cameras, suggesting someone buzz them in on that.

    Finally, the report notes that the original plan didn’t have so much Triple H involvement on-screen. Initially, the plan was to have more guests featured instead. However, after seeing the positive feedback on social media and the chemistry “The Game” brought to the table, the decision was made to have him stick around for the entire show.

  • CM Punk Shoots Down Double Or Nothing Travel Theory

    CM Punk Shoots Down Double Or Nothing Travel Theory

    There is a ton of hype behind tomorrow’s (Sat. May 25, 2019) All Elite Wrestling (AEW) Double Or Nothing pay-per-view (PPV). One of the biggest theories from fans about the event is that former WWE Champion CM Punk could make an appearance on the show. Punk has been retired from professional wrestling since 2014 after a bad falling out with WWE.

    However, he returned to the ring in a mask at a recent indy show for a quick spot. Many believe Punk has the itch to get back into the ring again on a bigger stage. The one issue with the idea of Punk appearing at Double Or Nothing is that he is working an MMA show that same day. Punk will be commentating for Cage Fury Fighting Championships (CFFC) 75 from Coachella, California.

    Double Or Nothing begins at around 4 P.M. from Las Vegas, while CFFC 75 begins at 6 P.M. There are 181.71 miles between Las Vegas and Coachella, so an appearance from Punk would likely be impossible. But that hasn’t stopped fans from grasping for straws. One fan on Twitter mentioned Punk’s recent Instagram story, and how he was shown flying “to somewhere dry and mountainous.”

    Punk responded to the fan, shooting the theory down:

    Punk had fun with fans about the AEW rumors on Twitter a few days ago as well:

    Do you think Punk will be a surprise guest at Double Or Nothing tomorrow?

  • Lio Rush Wonders What Could’ve Been In Now-Deleted Video

    Lio Rush Wonders What Could’ve Been In Now-Deleted Video

    There has been plenty of speculation going around in regards to Lio Rush’s status with WWE. Rush recently removed all references from WWE on his social media accounts and shared an email for booking inquiries. Now, he has taken things a step further.

    Rush posted a video on his YouTube channel in which he talked about ‘what could’ve been,’ shortly before deleting it. Here are a few of his comments:

    “Sometimes I wonder what life would be like if I didn’t pick up that phone. If I didn’t say yes. If I would’ve stuck to the plan that I had for me. If life would’ve been easier or harder. I wonder if they would’ve even noticed me.

    “If I would even be in the position I am right now. Don’t you ever wonder if you made the right decision, the right choice? If you would’ve acted off your mind instead of your heart? I wonder.”

    Rush’s Recent Issues

    Rush has been subject to backstage heat in WWE, with several reports citing numerous issues. Reports include Rush refusing to take advise from a veteran backstage, and going to WWE officials to complain about being pulled aside and talked to.

    He also reportedly allowed his wife to change in the female locker room, and some backstage guests he brought, who were not properly credentialed, were unkind to a member of WWE’s security team. Rush has been missing from WWE TV for the past several weeks.

    Previously, he served as the manager to Bobby Lashley. The pairing was rather successful, as it included an Intercontinental Title run for the former ECW World Champ. However, Rush was said to be less than satisfied with the managerial role, voicing his frustrations backstage as well. It remains to be seen what will become of Rush, but we’ll keep you updated.

    What do you think about Rush posting and then deleting the clip?

    H/T WrestleZone for the transcriptions

  • AEW Double Or Nothing Weigh-In & Press Conference Scheduled For Today

    AEW Double Or Nothing Weigh-In & Press Conference Scheduled For Today

    Tomorrow night (Sat. May 25, 2019) All Elite Wrestling (AEW) will host their Double Or Nothing pay-per-view (PPV) from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The highly-anticipated card will have a weigh-in and press conference prior to tomorrow’s show later on today.

    The event gets underway at 7:00 P.M. ET and can be viewed on FITE. A similar weigh-in and press conference was held for the All In PPV last year in Chicago.

    AEW Double Or Nothing PPV Card

    • Six-Man Tag Team Match: SoCal Uncensored (Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, and Scorpio Sky) vs. Strong Hearts (Cima, T-Hawk, and El Lindaman)
    • Chris Jericho vs. Kenny Omega **Winner faces Casino Battle Royale winner for AEW World Title**
    • Triple Threat match: Britt Baker vs. Nyla Rose vs. Kylie Rae
    • 21-Man Casino Battle Royale: Sonny Kiss vs. Brandon Cutler vs. Ace Romero vs. Glacier vs. Brian Pillman Jr. vs. Sunny Daze vs. MJF vs. Joey Janela vs. Dustin Thomas vs. Billy Gunn vs. Jimmy Havoc vs. Michael Nakazawa vs. Jungle Boy vs. Isiah Kassidy vs. Marq Quen vs. Luchasaurus vs. Shawn Spears vs. TBA **Winner faces winner of Jericho vs. Omega for AEW World Title**
    • AAA World Tag Team Championships: (C) The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) vs. The Lucha Bros (Penta El Zero M and Fénix)
    • Kip Sabian vs. Sammy Guevara
    • Six-Woman Tag Team match: Aja Kong, Yuka Sakazaki, and Emi Sakura vs. Hikaru Shida, Riho Abe, and Ryo Mizunami
    • Best Friends (Chuck Taylor and Trent Beretta) vs. Angélico and Jack Evans

    Will you be tuning in for Double Or Nothing this weekend?

  • Charlotte Flair Reacts To MITB Cash-In, Roman Reigns Unsatisfied With Elias Victory

    Charlotte Flair Reacts To MITB Cash-In, Roman Reigns Unsatisfied With Elias Victory

    During the second of Becky Lynch’s title defenses at last night’s (Sun. May 19, 2019) WWE Money In The Bank (MITB) pay-per-view (PPV), “The Man” was unsuccessful in retaining her “Becky Two Belts” moniker. Charlotte Flair bested Lynch to capture the SmackDown Live Women’s Title, following Lynch’s successful defense of the RAW Women’s Title over Lacey Evans.

    However, after her match, a beaten Flair was cashed-in on by Women’s MITB Ladder match winner Bayley. “The Hugger” came out and successfully cashed-in her briefcase before defeating Flair to become the new SDL Women’s Champion. Shortly after her defeat, Flair took to Twitter to react to the situation.

    Here’s what she had to say:

    Roman Reigns Unsatisfied With Elias Victory

    Also at last night’s MITB PPV, former Universal Champion Roman Reigns made very quick work of Elias inside the ring. It only took “The Big Dog” 10 seconds to dispatch of the man formerly known as “The Drifter.” Following his victory, Reigns did an interview backstage with Cathy Kelly for WWE’s YouTube channel.

    Reigns said he’s unsatisfied with the quick victory over Elias, as he was prepared for a competitive contest:

    “It really wasn’t at all (satisfying) to be honest,” Reigns said. “I geared up for a match tonight. I was ready to rock n’ roll, give Hartford a great match, give them what they paid for. Considering, I’ve been here for a long time. I’m an established Superstar.

    “It would’ve been a great opportunity for a guy like Elias to be in the ring with me, and to feel what top competition feels like. What a championship fight feels like. But, he made the wrong choice. He pulled the trigger early. Therefore, I pulled it late. That’s why I’m standing here.”

  • WWE Star Reportedly Busted Open During MITB Ladder Match

    WWE Star Reportedly Busted Open During MITB Ladder Match

    Last night’s (Sun. May 19, 2019) Men’s Money In The Bank (MITB) Ladder match certainly took an interesting turn. After a great bout, just when it looked like Ali had things won, former WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar made his way out to the ring. “The Beast” destroyed everything in his path, including Ali, before climbing the ladder and retrieving the briefcase.

    Lesnar is now “Mr. Money In The Bank.” However, upon making his way to the ring and clearing out the path to the briefcase, Lesnar reportedly busted open one of his fellow WWE Superstars. According to F4WOnline‘s Bryan Alvarez, when Lesnar tossed one of the ladders, he actually busted open Ali. Cameras were then instructed not to film him from that point due to the blood:

    It will be interesting to see how WWE handles Lesnar with the MITB briefcase. Currently, Lesnar is being advertised to take on Seth Rollins at the WWE Super Showdown in Saudi Arabia. However, it remains to be seen whether or not that will be as a result of Lesnar’s cash-in option. As for Rollins, he successfully retained the Universal Title after a great bout with AJ Styles last night.

    What do you think about Lesnar’s assault busting open Ali at MITB?

  • Ashley Massaro Passes Away

    Ashley Massaro Passes Away

    Former WWE star Ashley Massaro has reportedly passed away. The Blast reports that the 39-year-old died Thursday (May 16, 2019) early morning. A “rescue call” came around 5:23 A.M. from her home in Smithtown, New York. She was subsequently transported to a local hospital where she later passed away.

    No foul play played a role in her death, as police are classifying it as “non-criminal.” The Suffolk County Medical Examiner has yet to confirm the cause of death. Massaro is better known for winning WWE’s “2005 RAW Diva Search,” which included a one-year $250,000 contract. She’d go on to become the valet for the tag team of Paul London and Brian Kendrick.

    She was also featured on the cover of Playboy Magazine in 2007. Massaro later left WWE in 2008. WWE released a statement shortly after the announcement of Massaro’s passing. It reads as follows:

    “We are saddened to learn of the tragic death of former WWE Superstar Ashley Massaro. She performed in WWE from 2005-2008 and was beloved by her fellow Superstars and fans around the world. WWE offers its condolences to Ashley’s family and friends”

    We’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available…

  • Conflicting Reports Regarding Alexa Bliss Being Removed From WWE MITB

    Conflicting Reports Regarding Alexa Bliss Being Removed From WWE MITB

    It was recently announced that Alexa Bliss has been replaced by Nikki Cross for this weekend’s (Sun. May 19, 2019) Money In The Bank (MITB) Ladder match. The announcement revealed Bliss wasn’t medically cleared to compete, and had been pulled from the contest. However, the announcement did not specify what exactly was wrong with the former RAW Women’s Champion.

    F4WOnline’s Dave Meltzer subsequently reported that Bliss was removed from the match for injury reasons. While Meltzer was unable to report the exact nature of the injury, he did note he was told it was not serious and Bliss being pulled was a precautionary measure since it was a Ladder match.

    But according to a report from Mike Johnson of PWInsider, Bliss was pulled after suffering another concussion. This is concerning due to Bliss having suffered several concussions over the course of her run with WWE. She hasn’t competed in the ring since losing to Naomi on the April 29 episode of Monday Night RAW.

    We’ll keep you updated as we learn more…

    Updated WWE Money In The Bank Card

    • WWE Universal Champion Seth Rollins vs. AJ Styles
    • WWE Champion Kofi Kingston vs. Kevin Owens
    • WWE RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. Lacey Evans
    • WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair
    • Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Sami Zayn vs. Ricochet vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Baron Corbin vs. Randy Orton vs. Andrade vs. Finn Balor vs. Mustafa Ali
    • Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Nikki Cross vs. Natalya vs. Naomi vs. Dana Brooke vs. Mandy Rose vs. Bayley vs. Ember Moon vs. Carmella
    • The Miz vs. Shane McMahon – Steel Cage Match
    • Roman Reigns vs. Elias
    • WWE United States Champion Samoa Joe vs. Rey Mysterio
    • WWE Cruiserweight Champion Tony Nese vs. Ariya Daivari
    • WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions Daniel Bryan & Rowan vs. The Usos – Pre-Show

    What do you think about the conflicting reports regarding Bliss’ status?

  • Rusev Reveals What The Undertaker Told Him After Their Casket Match

    Rusev Reveals What The Undertaker Told Him After Their Casket Match

    Last year, Rusev replaced Chris Jericho in a Casket match against The Undertaker. The bout took place at WWE “Greatest Royal Rumble” last year in April. Rusev was accompanied by Aiden English, but it wasn’t enough to get the job done, as “The Deadman” left Saudi Arabia with the victory.

    After the match, Undertaker had some kind words for Rusev. The future Hall Of Famer apparently told “The Bulgarian Brute” he’s “really good.” Rusev broke down what it was like working with Taker and his post-match comments during a recent interview with Express UK:

    “It was fine, it was fun working with him. It’s not like I have a checklist, but I got to work with him and Hunter and Hogan and few people who I watched growing up and always been a big fan of obviously all of them. And Taker is such a special character and he’s been here for like 30 years or whatnot.

    “He’s a legend, he’s an icon so getting to work with him and talk to him afterwards and pick his brains it was a great opportunity for me. He told me that I’m really good. I’m not even messing around, he told me I’m really good.”

    Undertaker’s Return

    Since his match with Rusev, Undertaker has been working sporadically for WWE. He didn’t compete at WrestleMania 35, nor did he make an appearance. However, he did compete at the Saudi Arabia show in November, “Crown Jewel,” teaming up with Kane in a losing effort to D-Generation X (Triple H and Shawn Michaels).

    Now, he’ll be facing Goldberg, in a dream match for many professional wrestling fans, in WWE’s return to Saudi Arabia for “Super ShowDown” on June 7 from Jeddah’s King Abdullah International Stadium.

    What do you think about The Undertaker’s comments to Rusev after their match?

  • Ric Flair Hospitalized For Medical Procedure

    Ric Flair Hospitalized For Medical Procedure

    TMZ Sports reported this morning that Ric Flair was rushed to an Atlanta hospital for a medical emergency. In an update to this situation, Conrad Thompson spoke on his father-in-law Ric Flair’s condition during today’s Starrcast media call. He noted that the situation is not as serious as first reported by TMZ. Thompson noted that Flair planned to have the medical procedure done before his roast at Starrcast in Las Vegas.

    Although details on Flair’s procedure are not available, Thompson noted that Flair has been dealing with some heart trouble as of late and the procedure was being done to address that.

    The original report from TMZ Sports can be viewed below:

    Ric Flair’s 2017 Medical Scare

    Flair was hospitalized back in 2017. He suffered a ruptured intestine and was placed in a medically induced coma for 11 days.

    Flair was in critical condition at the time and was fighting for his life, at one point being given a small chance of survival. However, the 16-time World Champion pulled through. In the subsequent months, Flair looked to be in great health, even marrying his longtime girlfriend Wendy Barlow.

    “The Nature Boy” also celebrated his 70th birthday on an episode of Monday Night RAW, participating in a big angle to set up Batista and Triple H’s WrestleMania 35 match – which he was also briefly involved in.

    We’ll keep you updated on Flair’s condition as more information becomes available.

  • Details On Braun Strowman Being Pulled From MITB

    Details On Braun Strowman Being Pulled From MITB

    During last night’s (Mon. May 13, 2019) episode of Monday Night RAW, Braun Strowman was replaced in the Men’s Money In The Bank (MITB) ladder match. Strowman was defeated by Sami Zayn, who now takes “The Monster Among Men’s” place in the bout.

    During a recent edition of Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer Radio, it was noted that Strowman’s arm was wrapped up during the match, sparking speculation that he could be dealing with an injury. However, Strowman isn’t injured enough not to work, as he did a 15-minute match with Zayn.

    In regards to why Strowman was removed from the match, Meltzer confirmed that the move was made as part of a longer storyline that will play out over time. No further details were given as to why Strowman was removed from the match.

    Updated Money In The Bank PPV card:

    • WWE Universal Championship: (C) Seth Rollins vs. AJ Styles
    • WWE Championship: (C) Kofi Kingston vs. Kevin Owens
    • WWE RAW Women’s Championship: (C) Becky Lynch vs. Lacey Evans
    • WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship: (C) Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair
    • Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Sami Zayn vs. Ricochet vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Baron Corbin vs. Randy Orton vs. Andrade vs. Finn Balor vs. Mustafa Ali
    • Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Alexa Bliss vs. Natalya vs. Naomi vs. Dana Brooke vs. Mandy Rose vs. Bayley vs. Ember Moon vs. Carmella
    • Steel Cage Match: The Miz vs. Shane McMahon
    • Roman Reigns vs. Elias
    • WWE United States Championship: (C) Samoa Joe vs. Rey Mysterio
    • WWE Cruiserweight Championship: (C) Tony Nese vs. Ariya Daivari

    What do you think about Strowman being pulled from the MITB ladder match?

  • Veteran Indie Wrestler Legitimately Beats Up Opponent During Match (Video)

    Veteran Indie Wrestler Legitimately Beats Up Opponent During Match (Video)

    There are plenty of unfortunate incidents that occur inside a wrestling ring. Sadly, talents can oftentimes take things too far, causing serious injury or harm to their opponents inside the ring. What happened this week at an RWA wrestling event in High Point, North Carolina is another example of exactly that.

    Veteran indie worker Brad Anderson, going by the ring name “Zan Panzer,” was working a match against young opponent Jacob Ryan. However, during their match, Anderson began to legitimately beat his opponent up, choking him out once the got outside the ring. Apparently this was a receipt for something that happened in an angle last month involving Anderson’s son.

    Check out the video here:

    https://twitter.com/MattKoonTE/status/1127945674425761794

    Event attendee Matt Koon provided some insight on Twitter shortly after the incident:

    “True Story: At the show today, Brad Anderson (son of Gene) “Shot” on the kid he was wrestling, started beating him up for real, then was choking him out, and the other wrestlers had to intervene and insisted on Anderson leaving the premises. @mitchellpwtorch was there.

    “The kid wasn’t expecting it, nor should he have. This was apparently a “receipt” for an angle last month that involved Brad Anderson’s son. Every wrestler was outraged, and everyone in the audience was shocked. Again, not an angle. This dude tried to seriously hurt him. For real.”

    RWA Promoter Speaks Out

    Julian Strauss, the promoter for RWA, released the following statement on Facebook (which has since been removed):

    “IMPORTANT: As many of you may know there was an incident that occurred during the RWA event tonight. I hate to even address it publicly but so many untrue rumors are going around. First, we apologize to the fans, to the talent and to Jacob Ryan for the situation. The first rule of the squared circle is to protect your opponent. Whether you like them or not. Whether there is heat or not.

    “Friend or foe, doesn’t matter in the ring. Sadly, an incident happened tonight that crossed that line. But, to shoot down these rumors, Jacob Ryan will be ok. No one is seriously hurt. No one from RWA approved this type of situation. What was supposed to be a realistic looking battle of generations went way too far and crossed many lines. It was unacceptable. It went too far and nothing like this will ever be allowed to happen again.

    “The person who did this should never be allowed back in a ring, anywhere, ever. This is just beyond sickening! We do not want to dwell on this matter. But wanted to let everyone know that we apologize, everyone is ok, and we will be addressing how to make the needed changes with security going forward. Thank you for 3 years of supporting RWA and we apologize for this incident.”

    What did you make of the incident? Let us know in the comments section below!

  • ESPN EVP Reveals They Considered Adding WWE SmackDown Live

    ESPN EVP Reveals They Considered Adding WWE SmackDown Live

    WWE SmackDown Live has its new home on FOX. The blue brand will make the move this October. FOX recently touted WWE as part of its fall lineup at the New York City upfronts. However, prior to striking a deal with FOX, a potential move to ESPN was being discussed for the professional wrestling juggernaut.

    ESPN Executive Vice President of programming and scheduling, Burke Magnus, spoke to The Wrap recently. Magnus revealed that ESPN had spoken to WWE about potentially adding SmackDown Live, but no deal could be reached due to WWE’s extensive schedule. The EVP noted he couldn’t get WWE, let alone anything, cleared for 52 weeks a year of live programming.

    Magnus said he “looked at all kinds of conversations to try and make it fit. It just didn’t work.” ESPN didn’t leave empty-handed, however. Prior to discussions with WWE, Magnus reveals their deal to acquire the broadcast rights to the UFC had already “set in stone.” Talks about SmackDown Live was in an attempt to add on to that.

    Finally, Magnus noted that All Elite Wrestling (AEW) never approached ESPN about bringing their product to their platform, saying “they did not come to us.”

    What do you think about ESPN having considered adding SmackDown Live?

  • Vince McMahon Discusses WWE Not Having An Off-Season

    Vince McMahon Discusses WWE Not Having An Off-Season

    It’s rare that WWE CEO Vince McMahon ever gives interviews. However, “The Chairman Of The Board” recently spoke with Variety to promote SmackDown Live’s move to FOX this October. FOX unveiled SmackDown Live as part of their lineup for the fall at the recent television upfronts in New York City.

    While speaking with Variety, McMahon offered a response to some criticism the company has received for not having an off-season. WWE Superstars have, arguably, the most demanding schedule in all of sports and entertainment. Talents and crew travel over 300 days a year, making things difficult in regards to family and personal life.

    This criticism was elevated during John Oliver’s rant on WWE in a recent episode of his HBO show “Last Week Tonight.” In response, McMahon says that getting time off is “easy” for talents:

    “Anybody who wants time off can get time off. That’s easy. In addition to that, it’s easy to weave a talent in and out of a storyline.

    “If they get injured, you’re not expecting that. Or if they have a family matter. Our characters are real people with real problems. It’s a revolving situation where this talent will work these dates, that talent will work those dates.”

    What do you make of McMahon saying it’s “easy” for talents to get time off?