SEScoops

Author: Jon Fuentes

  • Tony Schiavone On The One WWE Match He Wishes He Called

    Tony Schiavone On The One WWE Match He Wishes He Called

    Tony Schiavone is one of the best professional wrestling commentators of all time. He is better known for his work during the Monday Night Wars for WCW. Now, while still doing broadcast work, Schiavone hosts his podcast, “What Happened When.” During a recent episode of the podcast, Schiavone did a Q&A with his listeners. One fan asked Schiavone which match he wishes he could’ve called that he never got to.

    Schiavone named The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 18 back in March of 2002. The match was one of the biggest of its time, as it featured the old face of the company, Hogan, against the current mega-star of the professional wrestling world, The Rock. Schiavone said he would’ve loved to call the match, especially because he never called a Rock match before:

    “I would have loved to have called the [Hulk] Hogan [vs.] Rock from WrestleMania match,” said Schiavone. “I think that would have been a lot of fun. Talking about the history of Hulk Hogan, and being in Toronto, and I never got to call a Rock match. I really think [calling] that match would have been great.”

    For those of you who don’t know, Schiavone actually did have a brief WWE run before his time with WCW. He worked for the promotion from 1989 to 1990, calling events such as SummerSlam and the Royal Rumble. However, he eventually returned to WCW, staying with the company until its collapse in 2001.

    Would you have liked Schiavone to have called The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 18?

    H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

  • Batista & Titus O’Neil Reunite, Strowman Shares Roman Reigns Photo

    Batista & Titus O’Neil Reunite, Strowman Shares Roman Reigns Photo

    Batista & Titus O’Neil Reunite

    Titus O’Neil recently noted that he was heading to Hollywood to possibly get some film work alongside his good friend and former WWE Superstar Batista. The pair recently reunited, and O’Neil shared the following photo on Twitter:

    “No matter if we’re home in or Out in Hollywood me and My brother make time for each other, Uplift,Encourage,Support and Motivate one another and LOVE EACH OTHER!! Thanks for being a Friend and A Brother for Years!! Love ya. ”

    “Always my brother! ”

    Batista has seen a tremendous amount of success in his acting career. He has picked up several high-profile roles, but none bigger than his role as Drax The Destroyer in Marvel’s cinematic universe. He even scored another big role recently, but it could affect his ability to participate in a match at WrestleMania 35.

    Strowman Shares Roman Reigns Photo

    As many of you know, Roman Reigns has been out-of-action for the past several months as he battles leukemia. Reigns was forced to relinquish the Universal Championship before taking his hiatus. One of his biggest on-screen rivals, Braun Strowman, shared a photo of himself with Reigns inside the ring.

    In the photo, Reigns looks to be gearing up for a Superman Punch. However, Strowman’s arms are extended upwards, making it look like the iconic scene from ‘Dirty Dancing.’ Strowman captioned the photo with the film’s name. Check it out here:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BslH3ebF_ok/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading

  • Kevin Owens Looks Slimmed Down In Recent Photo

    Kevin Owens Looks Slimmed Down In Recent Photo

    Its been several months since Kevin Owens has been seen on WWE TV. “KO” has been sidelined since undergoing knee surgery in October. Initially, Owens was given a return timeframe of around eight months. That would put his return around February. However, WWE began promoting Owens’ return as early as last month. There hasn’t been much news in regards to his return since.

    The former WWE Universal Champion hasn’t been seen since the Monday Night RAW after WWE’s Super Show-Down event in Australia. He was attacked by Bobby Lashley in order to write him off the program. It will be interesting to see what WWE has planned for Owens upon his return from injury. However, when he does finally return, it looks like Owens will be sporting a new look as well.

    A recent photo of Owens has been making the rounds on social media. “KO” is sitting down for a signing, but is looking a lot slimmer since the last time fans saw him. Check out the photo here below:

    Perhaps Owens will be making his return at the 2019 Royal Rumble in Arizona. He’ll likely get a big pop as a surprise entrant in the 30-man Battle Royal.

    What do you think about Owens’ new look ahead of his in-ring return?

  • Trevor Lee Announces He Has Signed With WWE

    Trevor Lee Announces He Has Signed With WWE

    After months of rumors, Trevor Lee says he ha officially signed with WWE. The former Impact Wrestling X-Division Champion dropped the news on Saturday night at the CWF Mid-Atlantic event in Gibsonville, North Carolina.

    Trevor Lee was trained by Matt and Jeff Hardy. He wrestled for various independent promotions including OMEGA Championship Wrestling and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG) before joining Impact Wrestling in 2015, where he was a 3-time X-Division Champion.

    Lee announced his free agency earlier this month. He is the reigning CWF Mid-Atlantic Champion. His next title defense will be a 6-pack-challenge at CWF Mid-Atlantic’s February 2nd show.

    Back in November, Lee told Sports Illustrated that he’d love to land with either WWE or New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW):

    “I would love to go to WWE or New Japan,” Lee said. “I’ve done a lot in the United States in terms of big independent companies, I’ve wrestled in Mexico, Canada, England, and India, but I’d love to go to Japan. …

    “I’m not chasing my father’s dreams, but I do want to do something for him. And it’s for me, as well. Ultimately, I would like to go to WWE. That’s the dream. It’s always something my father really wanted for me.”

    Trevor Lee is expected to begin training at the WWE Performance Center in the coming weeks and will be a strong addition to the NXT brand.

    https://twitter.com/mitchellpwtorch/status/1084320409368096768

  • Charlotte Flair Believes It’s Her Destiny To Main Event WrestleMania

    Charlotte Flair Believes It’s Her Destiny To Main Event WrestleMania

    WWE recently launched their brand new Performance Center in the UK. During the launch, former SmackDown Live Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair did an interview with “Inside The Ropes.” “The Queen” discussed her WWE career and all that she has been able to accomplish in such a short time. Flair is a former WWE Divas Champion, a four-time RAW Women’s Champion, and a two-time SDL Women’s Champion.

    She has been a huge piece of WWE’s Women’s Evolution in the past several years. However, due to Charlotte being the daughter of two-time WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair, many attribute her success to her bloodline. Flair admitted that this notion used to make her feel bad. It wasn’t until around December when Flair stopped apologizing for being “that good.” She also said it’s her destiny to main event a WrestleMania:

    “For so long, I’ve felt like I couldn’t brag or be proud of my accomplishments, that so many people were like, ‘Well why is Charlotte flair this many times champion, why is she always in the title picture, why has she main evented RAW and SmackDown?’ And when people kept saying that, it made me feel bad,” Flair said.

    “I actually felt bad for everything I had accomplished. And certain individuals made me feel bad instead of saying like, ‘Why can’t you just be proud of me knowing that, whoever talent I face is on the journey with me?’

    “And I think once December rolled around, I had just had enough of where I can’t apologize for being good. I am that good. And I am going to continue to prove to people that I am the baddest woman on the planet, and nothing’s gonna stop me, and it is my destiny to main event WrestleMania.”

    Becky Lynch was scheduled to face RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey at WWE’s Survivor Series pay-per-view (PPV) in November. Unfortunately, Lynch suffered a broken nose and concussion during an angle on RAW. Flair took Lynch’s place in the match, sparking a rivalry between “The Queen” and the former UFC champion. Recent reports suggest the first-ever women’s match to main event a WrestleMania will be Lynch vs. Rousey.

    However, it’s possible Flair finds her way into the match once WrestleMania rolls around:

    “I don’t care what woman is standing in front of me,” Flair said. “WrestleMania is my goal because I am the main event.”

    H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

  • Shawn Michaels Has High Praise For WWE NXT UK Star

    Shawn Michaels Has High Praise For WWE NXT UK Star

    WWE Hall Of Famer Shawn Michaels has been doing quite a bit of work with NXT as of late. “The Heartbreak Kid” has served as a trainer at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando. He also regularly helps produce NXT programming. Recently, “HBK” spoke to international media to help promote WWE NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool. Throughout his time working with NXT, Michaels has gotten a first-hand look at WWE’s future stars.

    In his comments, Michaels had quite a bit of praise for WWE NXT UK star Jordan Devlin. Michaels said that Devlin is oozing confidence at the moment, and is really getting into a groove:

    “One guy who I didn’t know, or hadn’t seen was Jordan Devlin,” Michaels said. “He was good when he came in, but now he is really starting to feel it. [Jordan] is oozing confidence.

    “And I hate to pinpoint one person, but I have seen him grow exponentially He is a real talented kid, and his ceiling is pretty darn high.”

    Michaels went on to talk about what it has been like helping the young WWE talent in NXT. While he enjoyed being front-and-center on camera during his heyday, Michaels truly enjoys helping these young men and women blossom into big stars in the industry:

    “As much as I loved being in front of the camera and having my moments, I have found watching these men and women have their’s is almost like watching your kids,” Michaels said.

    “Seeing the joy on their face when they come back. It’s impossible to work with someone so much and not get attached to them. And we want that for these young guys, and we want to build these facilities who allow them to do that.”

    H/T The Daily Star for the transcriptions

  • Alexa Bliss Provides Update On WWE In-Ring Return

    Alexa Bliss Provides Update On WWE In-Ring Return

    Its been quite some time since former RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss has competed inside the ring. Bliss was forced to miss October’s first-ever all-female WWE pay-per-view (PPV), Evolution. She was expected to face Hall Of Famer Trish Stratus in a singles bout. Instead, Bliss was ringside for a tag team contest between Alicia Fox and Mickie James against Stratus and Lita.

    There have been several reports over the past few months in regards to Bliss’ in-ring return. The latest indicating she was taking bumps on crash pads to make sure she could bump without getting vertigo. It was also mentioned that Bliss might not be back until the Royal Rumble, which is two weeks away.

    Recently, “Little Miss Bliss” took part in a Q&A  at the ACE Comic Con in Phoenix, Arizona. The Q&A included former WWE ring announcer Lilian Garcia. Bliss confirmed she suffered a concussion a few months back. She got back into the ring too soon and aggravated it, thus resulting in her long hiatus:

    “It was one that happened, and then I went back too soon and aggravated it,” Bliss said.

    Return Timeframe

    Bliss revealed that she will be returning to the ring “soon” and noted WWE is very careful when it comes to concussions and injuries:

    “Well, I plan on coming back pretty soon,” Bliss said. “WWE is very careful with us when it comes to concussions and any injury. We have the best taking care of us and you have to go through concussion protocol. Everybody is being cautious, it’s the brain, you only get one, can’t trade it out for another.

    “So, I’ve been doing well, training at the [WWE] Performance Center. I’ve been training in the ring there. There’s hope for me getting back in the ring relatively soon. It just depends on—it’s a brain, you can’t really tell it to heal, my MRIs and everything look good.

    “Neurologists say I look good and as long as I don’t have symptoms—that’s the thing, if you feel good, know you’re good, and go in the ring, but feel a symptom (headache or memory loss), you have to start all the way from square one.”

    Do you think Bliss will be back in time for the Women’s Royal Rumble match?

    H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

  • Chris Jericho On His Relationship With Triple H

    Chris Jericho On His Relationship With Triple H

    Triple H and Chris Jericho have come a long way in their professional wrestling careers. Both men are former WWE Champions and first-ballot future Hall Of Famers. “Y2J” and “The Game” were major parts of WWE’s success in the Attitude Era. They briefly feuded with one another during that time and met inside the ring dozens of times in the decades following. At this point in their careers, Jericho and Triple H are in very different spots.

    Jericho has been doing a lot of work with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), fresh off a run as IWGP Intercontinental Champion. He recently signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and will be one of several big names joining the startup promotion’s roster. Triple H is currently one of WWE’s top executives. He’s the frontman of the company’s developmental brand, NXT.

    “The Game” occasionally performs inside the ring from time-to-time on special occasions as well. Recently, Jericho took to his Instagram and posted an old photo of himself and Triple H. Jericho called his former in-ring foe a “true brother” through the good times and bad. Check out the photo and caption here:

    “Here’s to a true brother, through good times and bad! @tripleh…much respect! #goodbrother @wwe”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Bshr4iLlbEP/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading

    What do you make of Jericho’s comments on his relationship with Triple H?

  • Undertaker Joins Twitter, Ambrose Saves Renee Young’s Phone During Match (Video)

    Undertaker Joins Twitter, Ambrose Saves Renee Young’s Phone During Match (Video)

    Undertaker Joins Twitter

    Times are certainly changing for the professional wrestling world. Recently, The Undertaker joined Instagram. Now, it looks like “The Deadman” is on Twitter as well. Undertaker joined back on December 4th last month. However, his account didn’t get noticed and verified until this week. His first post read “Rest In Peace” along with a photo of himself in the ring:

    He was then welcomed to the Twitterverse by former heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield:

    Its been a few months since Undertaker appeared on WWE TV. He and his storyline brother, Kane, lost to D-Generation X (Triple H and Shawn Michaels) at WWE’s Crown Jewel event from Saudi Arabia in November. It remains unclear if the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion will return to compete at WrestleMania 35 in April.

    Ambrose Saves Renee Young’s Phone During Match (Video)

    This week, Dean Ambrose successfully defended his Intercontinental Championship on Monday Night RAW. He defeated Seth Rollins in a Falls Count Anywhere match. During the match, Ambrose and Rollins fought near the announce table. Ambrose’s wife, Renee Young, serves as one-third of RAW’s announce team.

    During his brawl with Rollins, Ambrose saves his wife’s phone during the brawl, tossing it to Michael Cole for safe keeping. Check it out here:

    https://twitter.com/dirtyben49ers/status/1083911244095127552

  • Jason Jordan Update, Road Warrior Animal Wants To Help AEW

    Jason Jordan Update, Road Warrior Animal Wants To Help AEW

    Jason Jordan Update

    Former RAW Tag Team Champion Jason Jordan has been on an in-ring hiatus since early last year. Jordan underwent surgery on his neck to repair an injury. Unfortunately, his return has been continuously stalled due to setbacks. Wrestling Observer Newsletter points out that Jordan is currently working as a producer with WWE.

    His in-ring return is still getting pushed back, but Jordan is said to be doing fine overall. However, Jordan has been having issues with his gripping power. He can’t make a full fist and can’t fully control one of his hands.

    Road Warrior Animal Wants To Help AEW

    A lot of news has been making the rounds about the new All Elite Wrestling (AEW) start-up promotion. The likes of The Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes, Adam Page, Chris Jericho, and more are involved. The promotion is being funded by Jacksonville Jaguars co-owner Tony Khan. It looks like WWE Hall Of Famer Road Warrior Animal is intrigued by AEW.

    He recently took to his podcast, “What A Rush,” and expressed an interest in working with the promotion. Animal believes his professional wrestling knowledge in the tag team industry could be an asset to the company:

    “They got a great product and I think I’d help them enhance their product with my wrestling knowledge in the tag team industry especially, and I think I could be a good addition other than anything else,” Animal said.

    H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

  • Banks Takes Shot At Rousey & Lesnar, ROH Title Holder Re-Signs With Promotion

    Banks Takes Shot At Rousey & Lesnar, ROH Title Holder Re-Signs With Promotion

    Banks Takes Shot At Rousey & Lesnar

    RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey is currently set to defend her title against Sasha Banks. The pair will meet at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV) later this month (Sun. January 27, 2019). “The Legit Boss” took to Twitter and commented on working live events recently. She then proceeded to take shots at Rousey and Universal Champion Brock Lesnar.

    Banks promised fans that soon enough they’ll have a champion who will come to a town near them:

    “Making towns like it’s 1993”

    “And good morning to all the future towns I’ll be making. Soon enough you’ll have a champion that will actually come to a town near you. Hi Hi ”

    ROH Title Holder Re-Signs With Promotion

    Ring Of Honor (ROH) recently announced that they’ve re-signed WOH World Champion Kelly Klein. The announcement was made official on ROH’s Twitter account. Klein recently captured the WOH World Title in a Fatal Four-Way match against Sumie Sakai, Madison Rayne, and Karen Q at “Final Battle.”

    She had this to say about re-signing with ROH:

    “Time and again I have earned respect. You don’t have to like me. But you’re lying if you say you don’t respect me” –  World Champion  on signing with  and her upcoming defense THIS SUNDAY at ! Read Now: ”

    Klein will defend her title against Jenny Rose this weekend (Sun. January 13, 2019) at the Honor Reigns Supreme live event in Concord, North Carolina. Check out the card for the show here:

    • ROH World Championship: (C) Jay Lethal vs. Dalton Castle
    • ROH WOH World Championship: (C) Kelly Klein vs. Jenny Rose
    • Villain Enterprises (Marty Scurll, PCO, Brody King) vs. Silas Young and The Briscoes
    • The Kingdom (Matt Taven, TK O’Ryan, and Vinny Marseglia) vs. Delirious, Luchasaurus, and Shane “Hurricane” Helms
    • Bandido vs. PJ Black
    • Flip Gordon vs. Tracy Williams
    • Best Friends vs. Juice Robinson & David Finlay
    • Mark Haskins vs. Beer City Bruiser
    • Proving Grounds Instant Reward Match: Jeff Cobb vs. Shane Taylor vs. Rhett Titus vs. Jonathan Gresham
  • News On WWE Talent Interested In All Elite Wrestling

    News On WWE Talent Interested In All Elite Wrestling

    All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is the talk of the professional wrestling community at the moment. A huge rally was held earlier this week in Jacksonville, just down the road from WWE’s SmackDown Live tapings, to celebrate the new promotion. AEW has some big names onboard with the endeavor. Those being Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks, Adam “Hangman” Page, Chris Jericho, PAC, and more.

    Even Kenny Omega is expected to be joining AEW once his New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) deal expires. However, it looks like AEW might be attracting some interest from disgruntled WWE talent as well. Wrestling Observer Newsletter points out many WWE and NXT talents have adopted a “wait-and-see aspect” on AEW. Several frustrated talents have even been given more TV time on RAW and SmackDown as opposed to being ignored.

    There are some talented stars on NXT and WWE’s main roster who aren’t sure of their position with the company, especially tag teams, who are interested. Of course, those who went through Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG) and Ring Of Honor (ROH), and are friends with AEW executives, are the more open-minded of the bunch. Others who don’t have such experience are waiting on news of a TV deal.

    WWE talents who are in the best position at the moment are those whose contracts run out at the end of this year. AEW’s TV situation will be sorted out by then and it will be more evident what level the promotion is at.

    What do you think about WWE talent being interested in AEW?

  • Current Plans For John Cena’s WrestleMania 35 Opponent

    Current Plans For John Cena’s WrestleMania 35 Opponent

    It looks like a very interesting match-up could be in the works for John Cena at WrestleMania 35. Courtesy of Wrestling Observer Newsletter, chatter behind-the-scenes hinted at a bout between Cena and NXT call-up Lars Sullivan. Sullivan was scheduled to make his main roster debut on the January 7th RAW from Orlando.

    The Observer notes that Sullivan didn’t show up at the arena, or he did and wound up leaving shortly after, because of an anxiety attack. It was noted that WWE’s front office is a lot more understanding of mental health issues after their experiences with Mauro Ranallo. Sullivan was spoken to and things were able to be smoothed over.

    Sullivan was then set for a dark match at the January 8th SmackDown Live tapings. However, instead of going to Jacksonville, Sullivan ended up flying back home to Colorado. Not much else is known about the situation other than that. Initially, Sullivan was scheduled to receive a monster push on the main roster. The Cena match was confirmed, and with Cena working a part-time schedule, and Sullivan getting such a big push, logically, one could assume Sullivan were to win the bout.

    Meltzer noted that, while the match was confirmed, no talk of the bout’s finish had begun this early into the process. All signs indicate that the program would’ve started at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV) this month. Whether or not WWE follows through with the Cena vs. Sullivan program could depend on what happens in Phoenix.

    What do you think about a possible match between Cena and Sullivan?

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyFN0rK8iKU]

  • The Rock Says “Generation Snowflake” Is Hurting America

    The Rock Says “Generation Snowflake” Is Hurting America

    Update: The Rock has vehemently denied he made these comments.

    Original Story: 10-time WWE World Champion Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has an issue with today’s “generation snowflake.” “The Great One” recently spoke to the U.K.’s Daily Star to discuss a variety of topics. Johnson has previously teased a possible run for the United States Presidency in the future.

    When speaking on the overly sensitive climate we live in today, Rock said that “snowflakes” of this generation are doing a disservice to all the men and women who fought for our freedom of speech:

    “So many good people fought for freedom and equality – but this generation are looking for a reason to be offended,” Rock said. “If you are not agreeing with them then they are offended – and that is not what so many great men and women fought for.”

    Rock then pointed out that the United States has progressed tremendously over the years. However, “generation snowflake” is actually moving the country backward with their rhetoric:

    “That’s democracy,” Johnson said. “We thankfully now live in a world that has progressed over the last 30 or 40 years. People can be who they want, be with who they want, and live how they want. That can only be a good thing – but generation snowflake or, whatever you want to call them, are actually putting us backwards.”

    WWE & Politics

    The Rock is currently one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. However, the 2020 United States presidential elections are on the horizon. There’s still time for The Rock to officially announce his candidacy for the race. Many former WWE stars have shown a great interest in politics.

    WWE Hall Of Famer Jesse Ventura is the former Governor of Minnesota. Glenn “Kane” Jacobs, a former WWE Champion, is the current Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee. And, while he may not have been a wrestler, WWE Hall Of Famer Donald Trump is the current President Of The United States.

    Former WWE CEO Linda McMahon serves in his administration as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration.

    What do you make of Rock’s comments on “generation snowflake”?

  • Details On Chris Jericho’s AEW Deal

    Details On Chris Jericho’s AEW Deal

    All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is finally here, and they have compiled some pretty big names as part of their roster. One of those names being longtime WWE star and now-former IWGP Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho. Jericho made an appearance at this week’s AEW rally in Florida. It was there he signed his new contract with AEW.

    Courtesy of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, we now have some more details on Chris Jericho’s AEW deal. The Fozzy frontman signed a three-year deal with with the promotion that will allow him to continue wrestling for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). He’ll also be allowed to continue running his wrestling-themed cruises.

    The inaugural Rock ‘n’ Wrestling Rager At Sea featured talent from Ring of Honor. In light of this arrangement, expect the second cruise to feature matches from All Elite Wrestling.

    Chris Jericho publicly stated that he isn’t in this for the money, but he’s still getting paid handsomely. According to the Observer, Tony Khan signed Jericho to a contract that’s worth more than he ever earned in WWE. When you consider that he’ll still be able to make big money wrestling a few times a year for New Japan, run his cruise and tour with his metal band, Jericho made out quite well for himself.

    Prior to signing with AEW, Jericho had been negotiating with WWE just a few weeks ago.

    What do you think about Jericho signing with AEW?

  • Priscilla Kelly Isn’t Worried About Losing Future WWE Work With Tampon Spot

    Priscilla Kelly Isn’t Worried About Losing Future WWE Work With Tampon Spot

    Priscilla Kelly has made quite the name for herself recently. Kelly went viral on social media for her spot during her match for Suburban Fight Pro Wrestling. The event, held just near Los Angeles, featured a match between Kellly and her opponent, Tuna. During the match, Kelly pulled out a bloody tampon from her trunks. She proceeded to shove it into her opponent’s mouth.

    The clip went viral online, and of course, garnered quite a bit of criticism as well. The likes of WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross, Gail Kim, Jim Cornette, and Road Dogg blasted the spot. However, some stars like Taz, Tommy Dreamer, and Colt Cabana defended it. Recently, Kelly did an interview with The Shining Wizards podcast to talk about the spot. Kelly once worked for WWE in the 2018 Mae Young Classic. She was eliminated by Deonna Purrazzo in the first round.

    Future WWE Work

    When asked if she was worried about the spot possibly costing her future work with WWE in the future, Kelly admitted she doesn’t believe it will be a problem:

    “Honestly, no. I don’t think it blew any chance,” Kelly said. “I mean, if it did, there’s plenty of other opportunity in the world of professional wrestling for me. There’s plenty of other ways to make money in this business.

    “Would I like to go to WWE? Yeah, I’d love to go to WWE. I’d like to go anywhere. I like making money, I like expanding my horizons, I like showing off my work on very large platforms. But at the same time, no, I don’t think it really could have harmed me because I think there’s a lot worse things that have happened.

    “Not only on TV, but I think there are a lot worse things that have happened privately in wrestlers’ lives. These things are very public, and I think what I did, it’s simply a stunt at the end of the day. There’s no cruelty behind my actions, and I think that is the most important aspect.”

    What do you think about Kelly saying she’s not worried about losing future WWE work after her tampon spot?

    H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

  • Christian Details Past Lunch With Tony Khan

    Christian Details Past Lunch With Tony Khan

    All Elite Wrestling (AEW) has been the talk of the professional wrestling community as of late. Tony Khan is serving as the President of the promotion. Cody and The Young Bucks have been named Executive Vice Presidents. Names like Chris Jericho, Adam Page, PAC, and more have already been announced as members of the roster. The new promotion has a lot of fans optimistic about the future of professional wrestling.

    Especially with all the big names involved. Recently, Edge and Christian took to their podcast, “E&C’s Pod Of Awesomeness” and discussed AEW. Christian said he has actually met AEW President Tony Khan a few times. “Captain Charisma” detailed a lunch he once had with Khan, who he could tell was a very big professional wrestling fan:

    Meeting Khan

    “Well, I’ve met [Khan] a few times,” Christian said. “I met him, strangely enough, through Chris Nowinski, actually. And, yeah, I had a little meal with Chris Nowinski and Chris brought him and he was telling me about stuff in matches that I had that I don’t even remember happening.

    “I mean, that’s how big of a fan he is and he just wanted to talk to me about wrestling. And I was kind of more interested in the football side of it, so I was talking to him about football and he kept trying to switch the subject back to wrestling, and I kept trying to switch it back to football.

    “Anyways, at one point in the conversation, I tried to talk him into firing his GM and hiring me as the General Manager of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Yeah.”

    It’s nice to hear that someone with a love for wrestling, such as Khan, is overseeing AEW. With the likes of Cody and The Young Bucks at his side, AEW certainly has a ton of potential. AEW’s first-ever show is slated to go down from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 25th. The pay-per-view (PPV) will be called “Double Or Nothing.”

    What do you think about Christian’s story in which he had lunch with Tony Khan?

    H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

  • Tessa Blanchard Details Her Goals For 2019

    Tessa Blanchard Details Her Goals For 2019

    Tessa Blanchard is one of the most talented female professional wrestlers of any promotion at the moment. She is a former IMPACT Knockouts Champion and was named Knockout Of The Year for 2018. Blanchard debuted for IMPACT back in April and began a feud with Kiera Hogan. The following August, she won a Triple Threat match against Su Yung and Allie to win the IMPACT Knockouts Championship.

    Blanchard successfully defended her title against the likes of Gisele Shaw, Yung, Faby Apache, and many more. Recently, Taya Valkyrie defeated Blanchard at IMPACT “Homecoming,” ending Blanchard’s reign of 147 days. Looking back at 2018 for Blanchard, who began her career back in 2014, it was a very successful year for the 23-year-old. Recently, Blanchard spoke to Wrestling Epicenter and discussed her IMPACT run in 2018.

    During the interview, Blanchard was asked about her goals for 2019. The former Knockouts Champion admitted she’s not sure what 2019 holds for her. But one thing is for sure, it’ll be better than 2018:

    “You know, I’m not sure what is going to happen in 2019, but I do know that it is going to be better than 2018. That is a huge statement to make because 2018 was absolutely amazing. But, with the WOW Superheroes on AXS TV, which has Mark Cuban and Jeanie Buss behind that.

    “I’m so excited for people to see that air in January. With Impact, I hope to retain my Knockouts championship. I hope for women to main event an Impact [PPV] event which has not been done yet. I hope to share the ring with Gail Kim one day – I hope that intergender wrestling can make a breakthrough.

    “There are a lot of hopes for 2019. But, you know, I’ve been going moment by moment, match by match, and it seems to be working out so far!”

    What do you think about Blanchard’s goals for 2019?

  • CM Punk Files Motion To Dismiss Colt Cabana Lawsuit

    CM Punk Files Motion To Dismiss Colt Cabana Lawsuit

    In 2014 Colt Cabana and CM Punk released a podcast detailing the former WWE Champion’s departure from the promotion. During the podcast, Punk alleged he was mistreated by one of WWE’s doctors, Chris Amann, who followed up by filing a lawsuit against Cabana and Punk.

    Punk allegedly told Cabana that his own lawyers would handle the situation, however, there seems to have been a misunderstanding between the two. Cabana says he lost over $200,000 in legal fees, fees he thought Punk and his legal team would cover. Cabana then launched a lawsuit against Punk, the first being dismissed before he filed yet another one in December.

    PWInsider reports Punk has now filed a motion to dismiss the second lawsuit as well. The motion was filed in the Cook County Circuit Court in Illinois. Punk’s motion suggests Cabana’s second lawsuit should be dismissed because the “conclusory allegations” won’t legally hold up. Also, Cabana didn’t file amended claims in the second suit.

    Punk also claims that he spent over $1 million in defending himself and Cabana in the lawsuit against Amann. Cabana and his legal team have been given until January 25th to respond to Punk’s motion. In turn, Punk would then have until February 19th to respond, and a status conference would be held the following day.

    What do you think about Punk attempting to dismiss Cabana’s second lawsuit?

  • Poppy Supplying Theme Song For WWE’s Takeover Phoenix

    Poppy Supplying Theme Song For WWE’s Takeover Phoenix

    WWE will be receiving an interesting theme song for their upcoming NXT TakeOver: Phoenix event. The show goes down from the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday, January 26, 2019. It was recently announced YouTube star-turned-pop singer, Poppy, will be providing the theme song for the show. Her song, “X,” will be the official theme song for NXT TakeOver: Phoenix.

    Poppy, who is famous for her strange videos online, made the following clip in reference to her partnership with WWE for NXT TakeOver: Phoenix. Check it out here:

    https://twitter.com/poppy/status/1083124683027841024

    Even NXT frontman Triple H took to Twitter to comment:

    As of this writing, only three matches are confirmed for the card. WWE NXT Tag Team Champions The Undisputed Era will be defending their titles against The War Raiders.

    Also, NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler will be defending her title against Bianca BelAir. And, of course, NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa will be defending his title against Aleister Black.

    WWE NXT TakeOver: Phoenix Card

    • NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa vs. Aleister Black
    • NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler vs. Bianca BelAir
    • WWE NXT Tag Team Champions The Undisputed Era vs. The War Raiders

    What do you think about WWE partnering with Poppy for the NXT TakeOver: Phoenix theme?

  • Billy Gunn Joins AEW, AEW Talent Allowed To Work Elsewhere

    Billy Gunn Joins AEW, AEW Talent Allowed To Work Elsewhere

    Another familiar face has joined the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) crew. Former WWE star Billy Gunn was introduced as AEW’s first and only official producer. Rhodes announced the news in a video uploaded to AEW’s Twitter account.

    Gunn and his son, Austin, were both at yesterday’s AEW rally. They also both competed in Cody and The Young Bucks’ “All In” pre-show in the Over Budget Battle Royal. Check out: Updated list of talent working with AEW.

    AEW Talent Allowed To Work Elsewhere

    There was plenty of news from yesterday’s rally. Some bits of information regarding AEW’s talent were also brought to light. Cody spoke at the post-rally media scrum and commented on select AEW talents, such as Chris Jericho and Joey Janela, being able to work elsewhere.

    Jericho will still be allowed to run his cruises, and Janela can still run Spring Break shows. We spoke with one AEW star who said they will be allowed to work with other promotions, except WWE. This might be a window into AEW’s approach to signing talent.

    Some of their stars might be exclusive, but others could be brought in on non-exclusive deals in order to give AEW access to more wrestlers who have other commitments. This might also lead to AEW forming partnerships with other promotions.

  • Vince McMahon At WWE PC, Bobby Roode On WWE Stars Competing For TV Time

    Vince McMahon At WWE PC, Bobby Roode On WWE Stars Competing For TV Time

    Vince McMahon At WWE PC

    This past Monday, WWE CEO Vince McMahon was in Florida for RAW. During his visit, “The Chairman Of The Board” stopped by Orlando’s WWE Performance Center alongside Triple H, per PWInsider. Such an appearance is likely a rarity for McMahon, who hasn’t been seen at the PC much before.

    Bobby Roode On WWE Stars Competing For TV Time

    One-half of the WWE Monday Night RAW Tag Team Champions, Bobby Roode, was recently interviewed by The Mirror in the UK. Roode opened up about WWE stars competing for television time, and how fortunate he has been to have been involved in storylines on both SmackDown Live and RAW:

    “It’s one of those things, everyone wants that opportunity to show what they can do,” Roode said. “But there are so many hours of television… I have been very fortunate to be at the forefront of that and be in storylines on Raw and Smackdown now.

    “So it is competitive, but I think everybody has an understanding of how it works and how things are going – you have to be patient and stay positive. If you aren’t on TV one week, hopefully the next week you’ll have that opportunity to go out there, whether it be a five minute match or a backstage promo.

    “You just have to make the best of every opportunity you get and hope something sticks.”

  • Cody & Young Bucks On AEW Possibly Offering Health Insurance

    Cody & Young Bucks On AEW Possibly Offering Health Insurance

    All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is looking to change the professional wrestling industry. Tuesday’s AEW rally in Jacksonville answered a lot of questions about the new venture. Particularly who will be involved with the promotion. Names like PAC, Cody, The Young Bucks, Adam Page, and Chris Jericho have already been revealed. One aspect many are particularly interested in is health insurance.

    Fans and professional wrestlers have been calling for health insurance from their respective promotions for quite some time. Perhaps this is something AEW could consider in the future in order to entice potential talent. This was a topic of discussion during yesterday’s rally. Matt Jackson of The Young Bucks had this to say on the matter:

    “I don’t know if it’s something that [AEW President] Tony [Khan] would want to talk about further, but the big thing for All Elite is that we want to take care of the boys,” Matt said

    “So many times you hear stories from wrestlers past or legends where they don’t have anything left and there’s nothing to show for it. One thing that we’ve always wanted to do is, if we started a wrestling organization, we wanted to take care of the guys. So, that’s one thing we’re working on.

    “The executives are gonna have benefits and stuff. They’re gonna get taken care of. We’re in the day one process of that and we’re still working on it. But that’s the plan.”

    Never Say Never

    AEW executives include Cody and The Young Bucks, who are all three Executive Vice Presidents, and Brandi Rhodes, who is AEW’s Chief Brand Officer. When Matt Jackson commented on AEW talents one-day receiving health insurance, the former IWGP Tag Team Champ said “never say never”:

    “Maybe one day. Never say never,” said Matt. “We’re early on. We’re creeping up with that door barely open, so hopefully one day we can swing it wide open.”

    As for Cody, he confirmed that AEW will be “100 percent” take care of talents who are hurt in their ring:

    “A lot of concerns that guys will have is what happens if I get hurt in the ring? Because that’s the one thing WWE covers and we can confirm anyone that gets hurt in an AEW ring will be 100 percent taken care of by AEW,” Cody said.

    Cody also mentioned he’d one day like to see wrestling reach a point similar to Hollywood, who insures their actors through labor unions such as SAG-AFTRA:

    “I’d like to see wrestling just like the television industry,” said Cody. “I’ve done a few bit roles here and there but that treatment and that care you get for your time on-screen, you have a comparable influence as a pro wrestler. You’re just as recognizable and you should be just as taken care of.”

    What do you think about Cody and The Young Bucks’ comments on AEW possibly offering health insurance?

    H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

  • Recent WWE Call-Ups Wrestle After SDL, Lynch Rips Rousey (Video)

    Recent WWE Call-Ups Wrestle After SDL, Lynch Rips Rousey (Video)

    Recent WWE Call-Ups Wrestle After SDL

    A pair of recent NXT call-ups wrestled after last night’s episode of SmackDown Live. Yesterday’s episode ended with Becky Lynch defeating Carmella and Charlotte Flair to earn her way into the SmackDown Live Women’s Championship match at the Royal Rumble. Now, Lynch will be challenging Asuka for the SDL Women’s Title in Arizona.

    After the show went off-air, recent NXT main roster call-ups, Heavy Machinery (Tucker Knight and Otis Dozovic), competed in a dark match. Knight and Dozovic defeated The Colons. Heavy Machinery is one of several recently announced main roster call-ups who have yet to officially debut on the main roster. It remains unclear what brand Heavy Machinery will be debuting for once they officially come up to the main roster on TV.

    That wasn’t the only dark match of the night. WWE Champion Daniel Bryan defended his title against AJ Styles. The match came to an end when Bryan got himself disqualified by hitting Styles with a low blow. After the match, Styles responded with a low blow of his own. He hit Bryan with a Phenomenal Forearm and a Styles Clash to send fans home happy.

    Lynch Rips Rousey (Video)

    As mentioned, Becky Lynch will now be competing for the SDL Women’s Championship at the Royal Rumble. Following her victory on Tuesday night’s show, Lynch spoke to Kayla Braxton backstage. “The Irish Lass Kicker” said she has accomplished everything she said she would.

    She proceeded to call out RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey, who cost her the SDL Women’s Title at Tables Ladders and Chairs. Lynch called Rousey a “coward” for sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong. Check out Lynch’s interview with Braxton here:

  • Update On Chris Jericho’s Decision To Sign With AEW

    Update On Chris Jericho’s Decision To Sign With AEW

    One of the biggest news developments coming out of Tuesday’s AEW Double or Nothing rally was the surprise appearance of Chris Jericho. As we’ve been reporting since October, Jericho has been working behind the scenes with Tony Khan, Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks in helping get the new wrestling promotion off the ground.

    As Jericho put it, “I am a maverick, I am an outlaw. I am a pariah. I am Chris Jericho, baby … I’m not here to just change the world. AEW is not here to change the world. We are going to change the whole universe!”

    Chris Jericho officially signed his AEW contract on Tuesday night, but it Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer reports that Jericho was actually also in talks with WWE about a potential return up until recently. Jericho ultimately settled on All Elite Wrestling, which will give him a lot more freedom to work with New Japan Pro Wrestling, his metal band Fozzy and his Jericho cruise later this year.

    In response to Jericho’s signing with AEW, WWE moved Chris Jericho’s WWE.com bio from the “Superstars” page to the “Alumni” section. Jericho was also removed from the “Then, Now, Forever” opening video package that aired before Tuesday’s SmackDown Live.

    Jericho’s debut for AEW will take place at the promotion’s first event. “Double Or Nothing” goes down from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 25th.

    What do you think about Jericho signing with AEW?