SEScoops

Author: Jon Fuentes

  • Reason For Chant During SummerSlam Main Event, Lashley Congratulates Reigns

    Reason For Chant During SummerSlam Main Event

    Last night’s main event of SummerSlam crowned a new Universal Champion. Roman Reigns finally defeated Brock Lesnar to win the World Title. During the match, however, fans began chanting something rather interesting.

    A chant of “a**hole” broke out while Lesnar was taking Reigns to Suplex City. It turns out, a SummerSlam security guard confiscated a beach ball that was brought out by some fans. WWE has had several issues with beach balls in the past and have really been cracking down on them at shows.

    Another notable chant that broke out during the show was “TNA” during the WWE Championship match between AJ Styles and Samoa Joe.

    Discussion: What do you think about WWE’s issues with beach balls? Should they be banned? Let us know in the comments!

    Lashley Congratulates Reigns

    As mentioned, Roman Reigns won the Universal Title in the main event of SummerSlam last night. In his fourth World Title match-up against Brock Lesnar, Reigns finally got his hand raised.

    Reigns’ former rival and Universal Title hopeful, Bobby Lashley, took to Twitter to congratulate Reigns. Lashley gave Reigns props for “slaying The Beast”:

    “Congrats Big Dog on slaying the beast and winning that .”

  • SmackDown Live Star Rumored To Turn Heel

    SmackDown Live Star Rumored To Turn Heel

    A popular wrestler on SmackDown Live is expected to turn heel in the coming weeks.  SummerSlam wrapped up last night and we’ll see the aftermath on tonight’s Monday Night RAW and tomorrow’s SmackDown Live. One notable moment on the show was Becky Lynch turning heel. Lynch attacked Charlotte Flair after “The Queen” won their Triple Threat match with Carmella for the SmackDown Live Women’s Title.

    With SummerSlam in the rear-view mirror, the build towards Hell In A Cell begins. It looks like another woman could be getting in on the SmackDown Live Women’s Title mix – as a heel. According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, that there have been talks of turning Asuka heel. Meltzer even said that he thinks there was a photo going around showing a heel Asuka.

    He also mentioned that Asuka has been in a tough spot for the past several months. Back in April she dropped her undefeated streak to Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 34. She failed to capture the SmackDown Live Women’s Title. Asuka also suffered a pair of losses to Carmella. Since having her streak ended, Meltzer said the Japanese star has looked “terrible” because of her booking.

    Perhaps Tuesday night Asuka could begin her transition into becoming a heel. It’s undoubtable that she needs some sort of shake-up since having lost her undefeated streak at WrestleMania to Charlotte Flair.

    A heel turn worked nicely for Shinsuke Nakamura. He turned at WrestleMania 34 after losing his WWE Title opportunity to AJ Styles. In the following weeks Nakamura really hit new strides with his character.

    Fans seem a lot more invested in the former New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) star as a heel. Hopefully the same response would occur for Asuka.

    Discussion: What do you think of Asuka potentially turning heel? What do you think of Asuka’s booking since WrestleMania? 

  • Triple H On The Meaning Of Velveteen Dream’s “Call Me Up Vince” Tights

    Triple H On The Meaning Of Velveteen Dream’s “Call Me Up Vince” Tights

    Last night’s WWE NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 event was truly amazing.

    The card, from top to bottom, featured some extraordinary matches from the future stars of WWE. One such match was that between The Velveteen Dream and EC3. The pair put on an extremely physical performance that resulted in Dream leaving with the victory.

    One hot topic of discussion in regards to the match was the message Dream had printed on his tights. During his entrance, fans could read the phrase “Call Me Up Vince” on Dream’s tights.

    This is obviously a message to Vince McMahon to call the 23-year-old up to the WWE’s main roster. After the event, Triple H took part in a post-TakeOver media call to talk about the event’s success.

    Triple H On The Meaning Of Velveteen Dream’s Tights

    Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet asked Triple H about the message on Velveteen’s tights. “The Game” initially joked, after a long pause, that Dream was sending a message to a friend of his (also coincidentally named Vince) who lost his phone. He wanted his friend, Vince, to give him a call:

    https://twitter.com/ryansatin/status/1031006255605678080

    Triple H then said that if Dream was truly talking about Vince McMahon, there’s one of two calls he could get from “The Chairman Of The Board.” One he’ll like, and one that he won’t. You never know which one it will be:

    https://twitter.com/ryansatin/status/1031006659353632770

  • Triple H On Why WWE Signed Matt Riddle After Initial Hesitation

    Triple H On Why WWE Signed Matt Riddle After Initial Hesitation

    Following NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 last night, Triple H participated in a media conference call to answer some questions.

    Of course, one hot topic was WWE’s official announcement on the signing of Matt Riddle. Riddle will be a part of the NXT roster in the coming weeks. WWE was initially hesitant to sign Riddle in the past due to his history of marijuana use.

    Triple H On WWE Signing Riddle

    Now that they’ve signed Riddle, it appears as though that is no longer a concern for the promotion. Triple H had this to say about Riddle’s signing:

    “I think he’s ready to come in and get brought the rest of the way,” Triple H said. “I also think he’s matured as a person which, we’ll find out.

    “But I think he’s matured as a person and he’s realized where he wants to get to in the business as opposed to just having fun being in the business, there’s a difference. So we think now’s the right time, but time will tell.”

    “The Game” also praised Riddle’s talent and said he thinks he’s going to be one of the Superstars who makes it in WWE:

    “He’s a very, very talented guy, the sky is the limit and you know, we’ll see what he can do. It’s an interesting thing because I think sometimes people think that we just bring them in and just go with it, it’s not that simple.

    “Not everybody makes it, not everything works. There are a lot of factors that go into it, so we’ll see. I believe in him and I believe he has a lot of potential and talent, but again just like everybody else as they walk in the door, we’ll see.”

    Discussion: What do you make of Triple H’s comments about WWE’s signing of Riddle? Let us know in the comments below!

    H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

  • Dolph Ziggler Offers Update On His WWE Contractual Status

    Dolph Ziggler Offers Update On His WWE Contractual Status

    There have been a ton of rumors surrounding Dolph Ziggler’s contractual status with WWE.

    Ziggler is currently reigning as WWE Intercontinental Champion. He will defend that title against Seth Rollins at SummerSlam tonight from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

    Dolph Ziggler Offers Update On His WWE Status

    Ziggler was interviewed by PWInsider‘s Mike Johnson at WWE’s Be A Star Rally in The Bronx, New York. Johnson is reporting that Ziggler’s deal with WWE will expire at the end of the summer.

    Here’s what “The Showoff” had to say about the matter:

    “I feel like you’ll have to see Sunday or Monday but I’ve also heard that [his deal was coming up.]  I’ve also heard about several different contracts that I signed but I didn’t sign.”

    Johnson asked Ziggler if that was a “no comment,” and here’s how the Intercontinental Champion responded:

    “So…I’m giving you a comment.  I’ve been doing some great work and looking forward to doing what I do and Sunday or Monday, we’ll see what direction we’re heading in afterwards.”

    Ziggler In WWE

    Ziggler has been with WWE since 2004. He got his start on the main roster as a member of The Spirit Squad after getting called up from Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). Since being called up, Ziggler has proven to be one of the best in-ring performers on the roster.

    He is a two-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Ziggler also won the United States Champion twice and is a six-time Intercontinental Champion. Back in 2012 Ziggler also won the Money In The Bank (MITB) briefcase.

    There have been a ton of rumors recently about his status with WWE. Some say Ziggler feels underutilized with the company and could be looking for a fresh start elsewhere. Others believe he will remain with WWE, as they can offer him the best deal financially.

    As Ziggler says, perhaps things will become more clear tonight at SummerSlam or on tomorrow night’s RAW.

    Discussion: What do you think will happen between WWE and Ziggler? Have your say in the comments below!

  • Charlotte Flair Calls Out Ronda Rousey

    Charlotte Flair Calls Out Ronda Rousey

    There’s potential for a massive WWE women’s match down the road.

    On SmackDown Live, it’s arguable that Charlotte Flair is the brand’s biggest female star. There’s no argument as to who is the biggest female star on Monday Night RAW, however. That spot is reserved for ex-UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey.

    Both women will challenge for titles at tonight’s SummerSlam pay-per-view (PPV) in Brooklyn, New  York. It’s possible they find themselves standing across the ring from one another at some point down the road.

    Flair recently appeared on ESPN’s “Get Up!” to promote SummerSlam. During the interview, Flair was asked by NFL player Keyshawn Johnson who in WWE she hasn’t faced yet that she wants to.

    Flair Calls Out Rousey

    “The Queen” responded by naming Stephanie McMahon and Ronda Rousey. Flair then elaborated on what it would be like sharing the ring with Rousey. She challenged the notion that Rousey is the “Toughest Woman On The Planet”:

    “They keep saying she’s the toughest woman on the planet; but, I think I’m the toughest woman on the planet.”

    Flair was then asked if she thinks she could headline a WrestleMania with Rousey. She admits it would be the right storyline, but is adamant about headlining a WrestleMania regardless of the opponent:

    “Headlining WrestleMania is definitely a dream of mine. Who the opponent is, it really doesn’t matter because I’m headlining WrestleMania; but, I think it would be the right story.

    “She says that she’s a 4-Horsewoman and I’m like, ‘Wait, I’m a Flair. I’m blood.’ So it’s 4 on 4? I don’t know.”

    Dave Meltzer’s Recent Comments

    Furthermore, Flair was asked to offer her thoughts on the recent controversy surrounding Dave Meltzer’s comments about SmackDown Live Superstar Peyton Royce:

    “That’s what’s amazing about our job is that we do have a platform to make a difference and voice our opinions on certain things like that. In terms of her appearance being criticized, I just go, ‘Aren’t we past that?’

    “You wouldn’t see someone sitting here saying, ‘Roman Reigns’ hair is phenomenal, or Seth [Rollins’] abs,’ or people wouldn’t be like, ‘AJ Styles on TNA looked better than WWE.’

    “It shouldn’t be a topic of conversation and I know that we’re Superstars and people see us as untouchable; but, we’re human and when you see negativity like that, it’s gotta hurt her.

    “I just wanted to touch her [Peyton Royce] and be like, ‘Listen, ignore that.’ My Dad always said that if they’re talking about you, you must be doing something right and that’s what they were doing.

    “They were talking about her. Whether it’s her looks or not, you would think that we’re passed that.”

    Discussion: Would you be interested in seeing a match between Flair and Rousey? Should it headline WrestleMania? Sound off in the comments below!

    H/T WrestleZone for the transcriptions

  • Ric Flair Praises Roman Reigns For His Lack Of Fear For Brock Lesnar

    Ric Flair Praises Roman Reigns For His Lack Of Fear For Brock Lesnar

    Two-time WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair had some high praise for Roman Reigns recently.

    Reigns is preparing to challenge Brock Lesnar tonight for the WWE Universal Title. The action goes down from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York at SummerSlam. This will be Reigns’ fourth attempt at dethroning Lesnar from a World Title position.

    Flair Praises Reigns

    “The Nature Boy” was recently a guest on fellow Hall Of Famer Jim Ross’ podcast, The Ross Report. The pair touched on tonight’s SummerSlam pay-per-view (PPV). Flair praised Reigns for his lack of fear towards Lesnar, an ex-UFC heavyweight champion:

    “One of the things that’s cool about Roman is that he’s not afraid of Brock. You know what I mean?

    “A lot of guys are and they can tell you they’re not all day long; but, Roman coming from his mom and his dad and his family – he wouldn’t be allowed in the house if he was afraid of Brock.

    “You and I know that and know what that means. Me, when I had to wrestle Brock I wanted to kill you [Jim Ross] for even listening to Vince [McMahon] and book it.”

    As for what should main event SummerSlam, Flair said Lesnar vs. Reigns should get the nod if the women don’t main event:

    “If it’s gonna be the guys, it’ll have to be them.”

    Lesnar vs. Reigns isn’t the only World Title match on SummerSlam’s card. From SmackDown Live, WWE Champion AJ Styles will defend his strap against Samoa Joe as well. In regards to steam behind the respective matches, Flair says it isn’t even close:

    “There’s just no comparison in the amount of steam. It’s not the individual talent. It’s just the steam on this one.

    “The last two weeks with Brock not even being advertised and doing that and [Paul] Heyman did a great job in the setup.”

    Discussion: What do you make of Flair’s comments? Should Lesnar vs. Reigns main event SummerSlam? Sound off in the comments below!

    H/T WrestleZone for the transcriptions

  • Ronda Rousey Wants Fans’ Help Naming Finisher

    Ronda Rousey Wants Fans’ Help Naming Finisher

    Ronda Rousey wants fans’ help naming her non-submission finisher. Rousey typically likes to finish her matches with her signature armbar. On the other hand, the former UFC champ also has a non-submission finisher she pulls out form time-to-time. Rousey puts her opponents on her shoulders and does a spinning suplex of sorts.

    That finisher has yet to be named. “The Rowdy One” spoke to Yahoo Sports to promote tonight’s SummerSlam pay-per-view (PPV) event. During their conversation, Rousey contemplated a name for the finisher.

    Rousey said she liked the sound of “Plex and Violence.” It’s a play off of the song the UFC didn’t allow her to walk out to before her fights, “Sex and Violence.” She’s not sure WWE would allow the name, so she asked fans for their input:

    “Oh, that throw I keep doing? We keep throwing around names for it. Originally, my walkout song for MMA I wanted to be ‘Sex and Violence’ and they wouldn’t let me. So I thought a cool name would be ‘Plex and Violence,’ like suplex and violence.

    “Yeah, so Plex and Violence I like. Maybe, I don’t know, it’s PG, I don’t know if they’ll let me keep it. What do you guys think? … Or do you have any suggestions? I’m open to suggestions. Name that thing that I do.”

    Ronda Rousey faces RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss tonight at SummerSlam. Ronda Rousey is also rumored to be involved in the WWE Evolution main event.

    H/T Cageside Seats for the transcriptions

  • Ronda Rousey Opens Up On Her Friendship With Natalya

    Ronda Rousey Opens Up On Her Friendship With Natalya

    Ronda Rousey has had a great run with WWE thus far.

    She made her debut back in April at WrestleMania 34. Rousey teamed up with Kurt Angle and defeated Triple H and Stephanie McMahon in a Mixed Tag Team match. “The Rowdy One” returned to the ring at the Money In The Bank (MITB) pay-per-view (PPV).

    Rousey took on Nia Jax for the RAW Women’s Championship. It looked as though Rousey was about to win the title, when Alexa Bliss crashed the party with her MITB briefcase. After attacking both Jax and Rousey, Bliss cashed-in her briefcase and won the RAW Women’s Title.

    This weekend at SummerSlam, Rousey gets her shot at redemption when she takes on Bliss for the strap. Rousey spoke to AMNY.com to promote this weekend’s Brooklyn event. During the conversation Ronda Rousey opens up about her friendship with fellow WWE star Natalya.

    Natalya has been training with Rousey since the beginning of her trials with WWE. Rousey said Natalya really went out of her way to train her for her professional wrestling career in WWE:

    “I’ve known Nattie years before I started wrestling. She teaches me so much technically, obviously but I was coming into a new environment, I was nervous and felt like the new kid in school,” Rousey said.

    “She really went out of her way to make me feel welcome and comfortable and part of the family. She’s been amazing since day one and I’m so lucky to have her as a friend.”

    Discussion: What do you think about Rousey’s comments regarding her friendship with Natalya? Let us know in the comments below!

  • Samoa Joe On Which WWE Producer Was A Big Influence On Him

    Samoa Joe On Which WWE Producer Was A Big Influence On Him

    SmackDown Live star Samoa Joe has a big match ahead of him this weekend.

    “The Destroyer” will challenge AJ Styles for the WWE Title this weekend at SummerSlam. The action all goes down from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York Sunday night (August 19, 2018).

    Joe recently spoke to The Vulture Hound to promote his WWE Championship opportunity this weekend. During their conversation, Joe talked about who has influenced his professional wrestling career.

    WWE producer Arn Anderson is apparently a big influence in Joe’s wrestling career:

    “I think a guy, especially after I really started in the business was [WWE RAW producer] Arn Anderson. He had a real good technical acumen, great timing, incredibly explosive, and was able to kind of project an air about himself despite his stature. He seemed like he was ten feet tall.

    “Bouncing back and forth, I caught a little bit of UWFI and I remember early Takada matches and seeing kind of the more shoot style of professional wrestling. It was a very mixed bag.”

    Discussion: What do you make of Joe’s comments regarding Anderson? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

  • Maria Kanellis: WWE Divas Paved The Way For Women’s Revolution

    Maria Kanellis: WWE Divas Paved The Way For Women’s Revolution

    The term Diva has been retired by WWE and carries a negative connotation, but Maria Kanellis is not running away from her former moniker.

    This weekend at the Barclays Center from Brooklyn, New York, a SmackDown Live Women’s Title match will take place. Carmella will defend her title against Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch in a Triple Threat match.

    Recently, Flair took a jab at Carmella by calling her a “Diva.” This is in reference to the old term used to describe the women competitors of WWE. The term was dropped in the midst of the WWE’s Women’s Revolution. Now female WWE stars are simply referred to as “Superstars” like everyone else.

    Carmella owned up to the jab from Charlotte and embraced the “Diva” term. This prompted Maria Kanellis to jump to Carmella’s defense. Maria took part in a Divas Search back in 2004. She came in fifth place but was subsequently signed to WWE.

    Defending The “Diva” Term

    Women’s professional wrestling wasn’t as prominently featured during Maria’s heyday inside the ring. She eventually made her exit from the company in 2010. Kanellis took to Instagram to defend the “Diva” term in a lengthy post:

    “Real Diva. Be careful disparaging the women that fought for what you are getting. Experience is more of a bitch then, entitlement ever will be. We were Divas for a reason, We had to be.

    “We all matter in the marathon called the Evolution of Women Superstars. And it’s not over. I see you. I’m with you. We were in the trenches together in full makeup, dresses and heels everyday, every show.

    “Still fighting with babies, careers, husbands, and a stigma. Is it better to fight for the system or the spot? Both. Love you. Together we push the system forward, apart we forget our past. Those that forget their past repeat it.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Bmg7K1kggNl/?utm_source=ig_embed

    Discussion: How do you feel about Kanellis’ defense of the “Diva” term? Let us know in the comments!

  • Tessa Blanchard Wants To Make A Name For Herself In IMPACT Wrestling

    Tessa Blanchard Wants To Make A Name For Herself In IMPACT Wrestling

    IMPACT Wrestling star Tessa Blanchard recently recently took part in a media call. The IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts Champion talked about wanting to make a bigger name for herself within the promotion.

    Blanchard noted she wants to bring intergender matches to the promotion and also learn as much as possible. She also said she needs to make a name for herself in IMPACT before going anywhere else:

    “I have goals, I have my purpose, I want to build upon what my grandpa and my dad and my stepdad did in the past,” Blanchard said. “I also want to do that while making a name for myself I believe it’s important to do that before I go anywhere else.

    “Impact has given me the platform and the exposure and they’re supplying me with the tools and the teachers to do that and I’m very, very grateful for that. Because not only am I learning so much but I’m also honing my own skills and taking it to the next level in a way.

    “I’m very grateful to be in Impact and honestly, if I’m being completely honest I was just going with my gut and signing with Impact was a feeling I had that was right for me and it will be right for me for the next two years.”

    Discussion: Do you think Blanchard needs to make a name for herself before departing IMPACT Wrestling? Where else would you like to see her work? Sound off in the comments below!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn3WDjtpp4A

    H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

  • Rousey Trains For SummerSlam (Video), Young Bucks To Debut New Entrance Theme

    Rousey Trains For SummerSlam (Video), Young Bucks To Debut New Entrance Theme

    Rousey Trains For SummerSlam

    Ronda Rousey is preparing for her first match at SummerSlam. “The Rowdy One” will challenge Alexa Bliss for the RAW Women’s Title on Sunday. Rousey has the opportunity capture her first WWE Title of her professional wrestling career.

    Rousey’s feud with Bliss has turned personal in the past several weeks. It looks like she’s taking her training for SummerSlam very seriously. WWE posted a video on their YouTube channel showing a glimpse into Rousey’s preparations.

    She was working at the WWE Performance Center and drilling inside the ring. Watch the video here:

    Discussion: Do you think Rousey will win the RAW Women’s Title this weekend? Let us know in the comments below!

    The Young Bucks Set To Debut New Theme

    Matt Jackson made an interesting announcement on Twitter. He revealed he and his brother, Nick, will be debuting a new entrance theme at “All In.” The event goes down in Illinois on September 1st.

    The actual song will be heard on August 22nd on Chris Jericho’s podcast. Listen to a small clip below:

    “Nick and I are excited to announce, we will be debuting our new entrance & theme song at ALL IN! Here’s a sneak peak… Tune into @IAmJericho‘s Podcast, Talk is Jericho on Aug 22 to check out the song in its entirety!”

    https://twitter.com/MattJackson13/status/1030296628551331840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

  • Ricochet Intimidated By Adam Cole’s Mic Skills

    Ricochet Intimidated By Adam Cole’s Mic Skills

    WWE NXT star Ricochet will challenge for the North American Title this weekend. Ricochet and Adam Cole will go head-to-head at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 tomorrow night (Sat. August 18, 2018).

    The show will go down from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Ricochet was recently a guest on Edge and Christian’s podcast, E&C’s Pod Of Awesomeness. He was able to share some of his thoughts on his NXT TakeOver opponent during the show.

    Intimidation On The Mic

    Ricoceht divulged that he is a bit intimidated by Cole’s skills on the microphone. “The One And Only” said working with those better than him on the mic has helped him improve in that department of the game himself:

    “Oh man, [Cole] is so good on the mic. It’s crazy. It’s intimidating,” Ricochet said. “Even with [Velveteen] Dream because Dream is very comfortable on the mic as well, so like both of those situations I felt like this was, like, good for me because, again, it’s either make it or break it.

    “Do you know what I mean? So I had this pressure on me and I was like, ‘I’m going to go out there and do my best I can to kill it.’ I guess, especially because I’ve known Adam for so long and we’ve become pretty good friends or whatever, like, I’m comfortable in there.

    “There’s not like the weird awkwardness where I’m uncomfortable speaking to him, I guess. I don’t know. So yeah, especially with him being so good on the mic, I definitely have to step up and show them that I might not beat him verbally, but, like, I can for sure keep up with him.”

    Listen to Ricochet on E&C’s Pod Of Awesomeness by clicking this link here.

    Discussion: What do you make of Ricochet’s comments? Do you think he’ll best Cole tomorrow night? Let us know in the comments!

    H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

  • Seth Rollins Comments On Brock Lesnar’s Current WWE Deal

    Seth Rollins Comments On Brock Lesnar’s Current WWE Deal

    Brock Lesnar has one of the best contracts in the history of professional wrestling.

    Lesnar is currently the WWE Universal Champion on Monday Night RAW. He is likely the highest-paid Superstar on the roster and is only required to show up a handful of times a year. One of those appearances will happen this weekend. Lesnar will defend his Universal Title against Roman Reigns at SummerSlam on Sunday.

    It’s expected to be one of Lesnar’s final appearances on WWE TV for quite some time. “The Beast” will return to the UFC for a fight with Daniel Cormier early next year. Because of this, everyone expects Lesnar to lose the Universal Title in Brooklyn.

    There have been plenty of those within the industry who express displeasure for Lesnar’s part-time status. Also, there are some who credit Lesnar for being able to obtain such a great deal.

    Rollins On Lesnar’s WWE Deal

    Intercontinental Title challenger Seth Rollins is part of the latter. “The Architect” spoke to Sports Illustrated to promote his title match with Dolph Ziggler this weekend at SummerSlam:

    “I think it’s more of the latter. From my perspective, I’m not mad at Brock Lesnar for getting a great deal. The guy got a fantastic deal. In a way, it’s a challenge, it’s inspiring. Part of being inspiring is the frustration that, “I don’t have Brock Lesnar’s deal.

    “I’m not the Universal Champion for 600-and-some-odd days with 12 defenses or whatever it is. You can call it jealously, you can call it envy, but at the end of the day, as long as you don’t get ugly with it, it’s just motivation to work harder.

    “Lesnar’s gonna do what Lesnar’s gonna do, whether he stays or goes. I think the cool part of SummerSlam is that animosity toward him has reached a boiling point. So I think coming into SummerSlam, you don’t know what’s going to happen.

    “That’s what’s interesting to me. That’s the fun part of wrestling. The worst part of wrestling is when it’s super predictable. The best part is when it’s “Honestly, I don’t know.””

  • Alexa Bliss Says Women’s Revolution “Deserves” Evolution PPV

    Alexa Bliss Says Women’s Revolution “Deserves” Evolution PPV

    The WWE’s Women’s Revolution has really made strides over the past several years.

    In the recent years; WWE’s women have participated in their first-ever Hell In A Cell, Money In The Bank (MITB), Elimination Chamber and other gimmick matches. One woman that has played an integral part in the Women’s Revolution is Alexa Bliss.

    Bliss has only been on the WWE’s main roster for two years. In her time on the main roster, she has won three RAW Women’s Titles. Bliss is also a two-time SmackDown Live Women’s Champion. She was also the first woman in WWE history to have held the RAW and SmackDown Women’s Titles.

    Now, Bliss prepares for a massive RAW Women’s Title defense this weekend. She’ll defend her crown against former UFC women’s bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey at SummerSlam on Sunday. The action goes down live from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

    WWE Evolution

    “Little Miss Bliss” recently spoke with Sports Illustrated to promote this weekend’s show. During the conversation, Bliss discussed the WWE’s upcoming Evolution PPV. The show goes down in October and will be WWE’s first-ever all-female PPV event.

    Bliss says that WWE’s Women’s Evolution “deserves” the Evolution PPV:

    “This is something our ‘Women’s Revolution’ deserves,” said Bliss. “The women on our roster and our legends have proven that it’s about time that women have the main focus. I was holding a title at the Royal Rumble, so I wasn’t able to compete in the first-ever women’s Royal Rumble.

    “I’m very excited to get in the ring at Evolution, whether it’s against someone from NXT or someone coming back from the past. It’s the perfect addition to our evolution. It’s hard to step back while you’re doing it, but I was actually able to do that during the women’s Royal Rumble.

    “I couldn’t step back at WrestleMania until after the match, but I was able to watch that women’s Royal Rumble from a fan’s perspective. It was really cool to think, ‘Wow, we’re in this amazing movement in WWE.’”

  • Billy Corgan Claims He Was ‘Borderline Criminally’ Deceived In TNA

    Billy Corgan Claims He Was ‘Borderline Criminally’ Deceived In TNA

    Despite the case being resolved back in 2016, Billy Corgan’s issues with IMPACT Wrestling still leave a sour taste in his mouth.

    Corgan sued IMPACT Wrestling for unpaid loans of up to $1.8 million. The company failed to repay Corgan in a timely manner. Corgan became president of IMPACT in August of 2016 after brining in some much-needed money to the company.

    Borderline Criminal

    Eventually, IMPACT decided to link up with Anthem Sports instead for their financial needs. Corgan tells Busted Open what happened to him was “borderline criminal”:

    “The numbers are out there,” Corgan said. “I had put $1.8 million of my own cash into the company. There are literally where if I didn’t put the money in the company would have been shut down. There would be no Impact Wrestling today if I didn’t write a check on that particular day.

    “What was weird to me was not only that I was being deceived in my estimation fraudulently, you know borderline criminal. In fact, I even talked to authorities whether there was criminality involved and there were differing opinions about actual criminality.

    “Then once it went into more of a legal process because that was advised by attorneys the most likely way to recover my money which I ultimately did. What was even more shocking was watching people that you had considered only months before literally inventing stories out of whole cloth.

    “I mean literally inventing situations and scenarios that didn’t happen. Then you start getting into like, ‘wow, I’m in a bad Vince Russo wrestling angle here, like, did Vince book this s–t?’ It was like ‘you’ve got to be kidding me,’ it was wacky world.”

    Discussion: What do you think about Corgan’s comments regarding his issues with IMPACT? Sound off in the comments below!

    H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

  • Triple H Responds To WWE Main Roster Criticisms

    Triple H Responds To WWE Main Roster Criticisms

    Triple H was recently a part of a media conference call to promote this weekend’s SummerSlam and NXT TakeOver events.

    “The Game” answered several WWE-related questions. One being in regards to the reception of WWE’s current main roster compared to NXT. A caller pointed out to Triple H that he’s “burned out” by the main roster.

    Everybody Has An Opinion

    He then claimed he’s more excited for NXT TakeOver this weekend and isn’t really looking forward to SummerSlam. Triple H was then asked if he would like to run the main roster the same way he does NXT:

    “I also wish I could fly and breath underwater. Dude, I wasn’t sure if you were going to ask me a question or you were making a statement about your displeasure. Everybody has opinions on things and positive/negative that’s the beauty in what we do and people are free to express those opinions.

    “I’m happy that you like NXT and I’m happy you’re looking forward to that show. You know some people dislike some things, there are other people who dislike what we do in NXT and there are people that like what we do there.

    “Everybody’s got an opinion and the great thing for us is no matter what it is, positive/negative, we don’t have a shy fan base that is afraid to let us know. They will let us know and whether we decide to take that message immediately or whether it takes us a little bit to hear it, eventually we hear you.

    “So you know, it is what it is but if people dislike something or like something that’s what their voice is for and we encourage that for sure.”

    Discussion: How do you feel about the fan’s comments and Triple H’s response to them? Sound off in the comments!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4ApUq8WZBY

    H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

  • JBL Congratulates AJ Styles For Breaking His Record

    JBL Congratulates AJ Styles For Breaking His Record

    AJ Styles has broken a record during his current reign as WWE Champion.

    Back on a November episode of SmackDown Live, “The Phenomenal One” defeated Jinder Mahal to capture the title. He has reigned as “The Champ That Runs The Camp” on Tuesday nights ever since.

    Styles has successfully defended his title in various matches against the likes of Shinsuke Nakamura and Rusev. He’s currently preparing for yet another title defense, this time against Samoa Joe at SummerSlam this weekend on pay-per-view (PPV).

    It looks like he’ll head into “The Biggest Part Of The Summer” with a record under his belt. Styles has now reigned as WWE Champion for over 281 days. With that stat, he’s now the longest reigning WWE Champion in SmackDown history.

    He surpasses future WWE Hall Of Famer JBL in the record books. JBL took to Twitter to react to the news. He praised “The Phenomenal One” for breaking his record and called Styles a world class individual and athlete:

    “My record has been broken and I Could not be more proud of ?@AJStylesOrg? -a world class individual and athlete, looking forward to watching this incredible performer Sunday at @WWE Summerslam.”

    Discussion: What are your thoughts on Styles beating JBL’s SmackDown WWE Title reign record? Let us know in the comments below!

  • Stephen Amell On All In Match With “Middle Aged” Chris Daniels

    Stephen Amell On All In Match With “Middle Aged” Chris Daniels

    Earlier this month it was confirmed who actor Stephen Amell would face at All In next month.

    The announcement came as a bit of a shock to some fans. Amell will go one-on-one with former Ring Of Honor (ROH) World Heavyweight Champion Christopher Daniels.

    Amell recently took to Twitter to show off footage of his training for the bout. In his Tweet, he takes a jab at Daniels by calling him a “middle aged” man:

    https://twitter.com/StephenAmell/status/1029963365441921024

    “All In” goes down live on pay-per-view (PPV) from the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Cody Rhodes and IWGP Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks are self-funding the ground-breaking professional wrestling event. See “All In’s” updated match card below:

    • NWA World Heavyweight Championship: (C) Nick Aldis vs. Cody Rhodes
    • ROH World Championship: (C) Jay Lethal vs. TBD (Winner of The Over Budget Battle Royale)
    • Kazuchika Okada vs. Marty Scurll
    • Adam Page vs. Joey Janela
    • Rey Mysterio, Bandido and Fenix vs. The Young Bucks and Kota Ibushi
    • Stephen Amell vs. Christopher Daniels
    • Madison Rayne vs. Tessa Blanchard vs. Britt Baker vs. Chelsea Green

    All In: Zero Hour Pre-Show

    • The Over Budget Battle Royale (Winner will face Jay Lethal for ROH Title): Jordynne Grace, Moose, Rocky Romero, Colt Cabana, Ethan Page, and TBA
    • The Briscoes vs. Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky
  • Ronda Rousey Is Considering Prolonging Her WWE Career

    Ronda Rousey Is Considering Prolonging Her WWE Career

    Ronda Rousey is really enjoying her WWE career.

    The former UFC women’s bantamweight champion signed with the company earlier this year. She burst onto the professional wrestling scene in April. Rousey teamed up with Hall Of Famer and RAW General Manager Kurt Angle at WrestleMania 34.

    The pair of former Olympians defeated Triple H and Stephanie McMahon in a Mixed Tag Team match. Rousey got her first singles nod for a WWE Title at the Money In The Bank (MITB) pay-per-view (PPV).

    She challenged Nia Jax for the RAW Women’s Championship. Just when Rousey looked to be on the verge of winning the title, her match was interrupted by Alexa Bliss. Bliss, the MITB briefcase winner at the time, attacked both Jax and Rousey.

    Bliss cashed-in her briefcase and left Chicago with the RAW Women’s Title. Rousey will get her shot at redemption this weekend. She’ll challenge Bliss for the RAW Women’s Title at SummerSlam from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on Sunday.

    Rousey recently did an interview with ESPN to talk about her WWE career. “The Rowdy One” noted that she’s absolutely loving her life in WWE right now. In fact, she loves it so much she’s thinking about prolonging her current run.

    Upon initially signing on with WWE, the two sides agreed to a set timeframe for Rousey’s run. Now Rousey is thinking about prolonging that and said she understands why some people have such a hard time leaving the industry:

    “I love this way more than I ever thought I would,” Rousey said. “We had a set timeline set, and now we aren’t so sure about it because I love it so much.

    “I guess that’s the best thing that could’ve happened, that I would love it so much, it would be so hard to stop. I can see why people have a hard time leaving this industry because it’s such a joy to be a part of every day.”

    Discussion: How do you feel about Rousey’s comments regarding her WWE career? Would you like to see her stay in WWE extended? Let us know in the comments!

  • Video: Hulk Hogan Reveals NWO Reunion Teaser

    Video: Hulk Hogan Reveals NWO Reunion Teaser

    It looks like a possible NWO reunion actually could be coming in some capacity.

    For the past few weeks Scott Hall, Kevin Nash and Hulk Hogan have been teasing bringing back the black and white to professional wrestling. Hogan confirmed on Twitter that the trio reunited to film some NWO material.

    He posted the following teaser of himself, Nash and Hall in a black and white video spray painting a WCW World Title. Watch the video from “The Hulkster” here:

    Perhaps this could go hand-and-hand with what Hogan was teasing earlier this month. While appearing at a National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland, Hogan teased a big announcement coming on his website:

    “All the brothers out here with the nWo shirts on, something really special is going to be going down,” Hogan said.

    “Just remember, the date, October 27. Go to HulkHogan.com, something very special is gonna happen October 27.”

    When you visit Hogan’s website, the following message appears at the top with a countdown graphic to October 27th:

    “Something big is coming and it’s going to be 2 sweet brother – Hollywood HH
    Save the date, October 27th.”

    Discussion: What do you think Hogan’s big announcement will be? Do you think it’s NWO related? Let us now your thoughts in the comments!

  • Rey Mysterio Pulled From Appearance Due To WWE “Contractual Situation”

    Rey Mysterio Pulled From Appearance Due To WWE “Contractual Situation”

    We have an update regarding Rey Mysterio and his expected return to WWE. The legendary performer was scheduled to appear for Northeast Wrestling next Friday night, but the organization announced he will not be able to appear. As for why he won’t be there, Northeast Wrestling cited his “upcoming contractual situation with WWE.”

    Northeast Wrestling announced on Facebook, “Unfortunately due to his upcoming contractual situation with WWE Rey Mysterio is unable to appear on August 24th. If you purchased Rey Mysterio preordered meet and greet items they will be refunded or can be used towards other superstars.”

    Rey Mysterio will be appearing at the big All In wrestling show on Saturday, September 1st. He is part of one of the featured matches on that card. Mysterio will team with Bandido and Rey Fenix against the Young Bucks and Kota Ibushi.

    As of this writing, Mysterio is still scheduled to appear at Warrior Wrestling 2 from Chicago on September 2nd.

    Mysterio is expected to be back in WWE by October prior to the release of the WWE 2K19 video game. He is a featured character in that game, which will be released on October 5th. If he is back in time for the release of WWE 2K19, Rey Mysterio would be available to appear at WWE Super Show-Down. The stadium show from Australia the following day.

    Rey Mysterio’s WWE Negotiations

    Rey Mysterio and WWE have been discussing a possible deal for several months now. He’s made one-off appearances for WWE at the Royal Rumble in January and the Greatest Royal Rumble in April.

    He recently spoke to the Miami Herald about his negotiations with WWE.

    “We started off with the Royal Rumble at the beginning of the year in January,” Mysterio said. There was another offer on the table to do the Greatest Royal Rumble, and in between those two events, we’ve been going back-n-forth in conversations, trying to work out the right deal…It’s still up in the air. Nothing secure, yet.”

  • Mae Young Classic Finals Reportedly Changed Due To Injury (Spoiler)

    Mae Young Classic Finals Reportedly Changed Due To Injury (Spoiler)

    WWE’s plans for the Mae Young Classic finals reportedly had to be changed due to an injury. WWE held two nights of TV tapings for the Mae Young Classic tournament earlier this month. Click here to read complete results from those tapings.

    The remainder of this article will contain spoilers for the Mae Young Classic tournament.

    Mae Young Classic competitor Tegan Nox (formerly known as Nixon Newell) suffered a bad knee injury during her tournament match against Rhea Ripley. It was a bad situation all around that is now compounded by this latest development. According to Pro Wrestling Sheet, Tegan Nox was originally booked to make it to the finals.

    The news that Tegan Nox was supposed to reach the finals of this year’s Mae Young Classic tournament makes her injury in the quarter finals all the more heartbreaking. However, she is taking the setback with a positive attitude. After she had time to process what happened, she released an encouraging statement on Twitter explaining that she will return stronger than ever. “Freak accidents happen,” she said. “It’s part of the job.”

    The finals of the Mae Young Classic will take place at October’s WWE Evolution pay-per-view. Io Shirai and Toni Storm will compete at WWE’s all-women’s pay-per-view to crown this year’s winner.

  • Sean Waltman Reacts To Colt Cabana Suing CM Punk

    Sean Waltman Reacts To Colt Cabana Suing CM Punk

    Last week news of Colt Cabana suing CM Punk hit the professional wrestling world.

    Cabana filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court against Punk for breach of contract and fraud stemming from a defamation lawsuit they beat a few months ago. The lawsuit claims Punk promised to help Cabana with legal fees that were being accrued during the defamation case.

    Now Cabana claims he has a text message from Punk saying his legal fees would be ‘100% covered.’ The lawsuit claims Punk didn’t live up to his promise. Cabana racked up a legal fee of $513,736.

    Cabana also included an email from Punk saying “whatever my bill is currently will be cut in half and half will be yours. If you choose to make this ugly, that’s fine too. I hope you won’t but I gave up on you doing what is right a long time ago.”

    Now Cabana is seeking $200,000 in general damages as well as another $1 million in punitive and exemplary damages.

    Former WWE Superstar Sean “X-Pac” Waltman recently commented on Colt Cabana suing CM Punk on his podcast, X-Pac 12360. Here’s what X-Pac had to say:

    “It’s worse than [being] at each other’s throat. When you say good friends, that’s an understatement. Punk used to live in Colt’s studio apartment with him. The whole thing is over money right?

    “It’s really sad, especially when you know the two people and you’re fond of both of them, which I am. [CM] Punk, he can be unlikable, he has that quality, but I like him. Part of why I like him is because he’s unlikable. (laughs)”