SEScoops

Author: Jon Fuentes

  • Cody Rhodes Does Something Amazing For “All In” Fan, NJPW Star Off G1 Tour

    Cody Rhodes Does Something Amazing For “All In” Fan, NJPW Star Off G1 Tour

    Cody Rhodes Does Something Amazing For “All In” Ticket-Buyer

    Ring Of Honor (ROH) star Cody Rhodes is an absolute class act. Rhodes and The Young Bucks’ self-funded “All In” event will go down from the Sears Centre in Illinois on September 1st.

    The event sold out extremely quick and will hold over 10,000 fans. One fan, however, recently found themselves in quite a predicament. While they purchased a ticket, they didn’t have the financial means to travel to Illinois for the show.

    He expressed his devastation on Twitter but noted that he’s still glad he bought the ticket because it helps out Rhodes and The Young Bucks. In response, Rhodes PayPaled the fan some money and covered their travel and hotel fees so they can attend the show:

    NJPW Star Off G1 Tour

    New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) star Jado, who has been out-of-action since July 20th, will miss the remainder of the G1 Climax tour. An injury to his left foot has forced him out of the tournament.

    Jado was scheduled for a Six-Man Tag Team match in which he’d partner with YOSHI-HASHI and Kazuchika Okada against the team of Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma. He will be replaced by Gedo in the match.

  • Charlotte Flair’s Expected Return Date, Bray Wyatt’s New Chest Tattoo (Photo)

    Charlotte Flair’s Expected Return Date, Bray Wyatt’s New Chest Tattoo (Photo)

    Expected Return Date For Charlotte Flair

    Charlotte Flair’s WWE return is right around the corner. The former SmackDown Live Women’s Champion has been out-of-action for the past several weeks. She underwent surgery recently to repair ruptured breast implants.

    Flair hasn’t been seen on WWE TV since losing to Carmella at Backlash in her rematch for the SmackDown Live Women’s Title. Since the beginning of her layoff Flair was always expected to be back in time for a SummerSlam build.

    Cageside Seats reports that Flair is expected to be cleared to return to WWE this week. Flair’s return may take place as soon as tomorrow’s episode of SmackDown Live.

    Bray Wyatt’s Big New Chest Tattoo (Photo)

    Yesterday Monday Night RAW star Bray Wyatt defeated Kevin Owens at a live event in Daytona, Florida. After his victory, Wyatt celebrated inside the ring with his shirt off.

    It revealed a new tattoo on “The Eater Of Worlds’” chest. The tattoo looks to be a Baron Corbin-esk wolf. Check it out:

    https://twitter.com/FLWrestlingFan/status/1023693888060641282?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1023693888060641282&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.iwnerd.com%2Fphoto-bray-wyatt-has-a-new-chest-tattoo%2F

  • Triple H On Brian Christopher’s Passing, WWE Star Returns To NXT (Video)

    Triple H On Brian Christopher’s Passing, WWE Star Returns To NXT (Video)

    Triple H Comments On Brian Christopher’s Passing

    Yesterday (Sun. July 29, 2018) Brian Christopher (Grandmaster Sexay) sadly passed away. The son of WWE Hall Of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler reportedly attempted to hang himself in prison.

    He passed away in a local hospital several hours later. The news stunned the professional wrestling world. WWE COO Triple H broke his silence on the matter. “The Game” said he and his wife, Stephanie McMahon, are thinking of the Lawler family at this time:

    Tyler Breeze Returns To Face Adam Cole In NXT (Video)

    Over the weekend Tyler Breeze returned to NXT. He came face-to-face with NXT North American Champion Adam Cole. The pair exchanged some funny “Bay Bay” chants before Cole attacked Breeze once again.

    Some video highlights can be seen below courtesy of WWE NXT’s Instagram account:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl1tym5nHfe/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_loading_state_control

  • Ember Moon Reveals Her Dream Match

    Ember Moon Reveals Her Dream Match

    Ember Moon’s ultimate dream match is certainly an interesting one.

    The former NXT Women’s Champion spoke to Post and Courier about her professional wrestling career and WWE run. During the interview Moon was asked who she still wants to share the ring with.

    After naming several names such as Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Bayley and Natalya, Moon named one woman who would be her “ultimate dream match.” None other than WWE Hall Of Famer Beth Phoenix:

    “There are so many people I have yet had the opportunity to work with. I’d love to have a match with Charlotte, Sasha, Bayley — the women who were at the forefront of the women’s revolution.

    “I’d love to have another match with Asuka, I’d love to have a match with Natalya. But my ultimate dream match of all time would be versus Beth Phoenix.

    “She has been such an inspiration for people who are different and were told that they would never be here. She kept that dream alive for me.”

    With WWE’s Evolution pay-per-view (PPV) right around the corner a match between Moon and Phoenix isn’t too far out of the realm of possibilities.

    Moon also discussed Ronda Rousey in WWE, training everywhere she possibly could and her experience with Booker T in the full interview. Check it out by clicking here.

    Moon’s WWE Run

    Moon began training at Hall Of Famer Booker T’s wrestling school, Reality Of Wrestling, back in 2007. After several years of working shows, Moon signed a developmental deal with WWE in 2015.

    She quickly emerged as one of NXT’s most gifted women inside the ring before capturing the brand’s Women’s Title in 2017. Moon debuted on the main roster on April 9th of this year, the Monday Night RAW after WrestleMania 34.

  • The Street Profits On The Origin Of Their Tag Team Name

    The Street Profits On The Origin Of Their Tag Team Name

    WWE NXT tag team The Street Profits, Angleo Dawkins and Montez Ford, recently spoke to the The Miami Herald. Dawkins and Ford explained during the interview where their “Street Profits” name originated from, and how they feel they’re helping WWE advance:

    Dawkins:

    “That was definitely us. We were like, ‘Yo, what would be hot right now? What should we name ourselves?’

    “We went down the list, and as soon as we both said Street Profits, we were like, ‘Oh man. That gotta nice little ring to it.’”

    Ford:

    “We’re profits – we’re advancing in life, we’re advancing the tag team division, we’re advancing the goal.

    “We’re advancing the skill, we’re advancing the style, we’re advancing everything. The profit is an advance, and that’s what we do.”

    Dawkins and Ford also discuss how they formed as a team and their experiences with fans at live events. Read the full interview by clicking here.

  • Rocky Romero Explains Big Difference Between WWE & NJPW

    Rocky Romero Explains Big Difference Between WWE & NJPW

    New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) star Rocky Romero believes there’s one big thing that sets NJPW apart from WWE.

    Romero recently spoke to The Orlando Sentinel and discussed the different mindset between WWE and NJPW’s business models. Romero explained that NJPW isn’t about “selfishness,” as opposed to WWE.

    NJPW strives to all work together to put on an excellent show. Romero notes WWE wants their talent to reach for the “brass ring” and compete with one another for top spots:

    “We’re not about selfishness. It’s different with WWE. They’re telling wrestlers to reach for the brass ring and compete with each other for top spots.

    “The Japanese mentality is to work together to make the ship run better. It’s been instilled in me for a long time and now I’m passing it on to Sho and Yoh [of Roppongi 3K] to guide them, let them learn from mistakes and make them the best.”

    Romero’s Career

    The 35-year-old Cuban vet has been in the business since 2003. He worked for several years in Mexico and also did work for Ring Of Honor (ROH). In 2010 Romero signed on with NJPW.

    He has seen extraordinary success with the promotion; including and IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title run, eight IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Title wins, and won the 2016 Super Jr. Tag Team Tournament with Beretta.

    Romero also had a one-off mixed martial arts (MMA) career. He was submitted in 2004 in 20 seconds of the first round via kneebar.

  • PJ Black (Justin Gabriel) Opens Up About His Horrific Accident Last Year

    PJ Black (Justin Gabriel) Opens Up About His Horrific Accident Last Year

    PJ Black (better known as Justin Gabriel) has had a ton of injury woes over the past year.

    Last year Black broke his leg and lost a finger in a base jumping accident. It was the third base jumping injury Black had suffered. He previously had broken both his ankles the fall before the incident.

    For those who don’t know, base jumping is when one jumps off a cliff or high surface while wearing either a wing-suit or a parachute.

    Black recently spoke to Interactive Wrestling Radio about the injury he suffered last year. He was unable to wrestle the entire year and described it as “the hardest year of my life”:

    “Oh, bro. It has literally been the hardest year of my life. I was out the whole year. Six months in the hospital… I had to re-learn how to walk. It was literally the toughest year of my life.

    “But, this year has been the most rewarding year of my life! I’m back to 100%! I don’t think I’ll ever be back to a full range of motion in my leg but that hasn’t stopped me from doing anything.

    “But, right now, I’m great! I’m super happy to be alive, I’m super happy to be working! I’m super happy for the new season of Lucha Underground to be airing!” 

  • Brian Christopher Passes Away

    Brian Christopher Passes Away

    Former WWE Superstar Brian Christopher has passed away at 46 years old, according to multiple reports. Christopher was best known for his role as “Grandmaster Sexay” during the Attitude Era. Along with tag team partner Scotty 2 Hotty, the “Too Cool” – along with Rikishi – were one of the hottest acts during a wild time in WWE. He was also the son of WWE Hall Of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler. SEScoops extends our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Brian Christopher.

    Christopher was arrested this past week in Memphis and charged with DUI and attempting to evade police. The 46-year-old was reportedly speeding and swerving around at 1 A.M. on July 7th. Cops attempted to pull Christopher over, but he refused. Police say Lawler told them he initially refused to pull over was because he was trying to get home.

    One police pulled him over, they smelled alcohol in the vehicle and found an open container in the center console. Christopher was arrested immediately. He was booked on DUI and evading police. Bail was set at $40,000. Last month, Christopher was arrested for [allegedly] attempting to run out on a hotel bill in Memphis.

    Remembering Brian Christopher

    Some of Brian Christopher’s former colleagues and other members of the pro wrestling community have commented on his untimely passing.

    https://twitter.com/mitchellpwtorch/status/1023616338173022208

  • Why Vince McMahon No Longer Likes To Appear On WWE TV

    Why Vince McMahon No Longer Likes To Appear On WWE TV

    Vince McMahon doesn’t appear on WWE TV as often as he used to.

    “The Chairman Of The Board” was prominently featured on weekly WWE programming during the ’90s to mid/late ‘2000s. Today, McMahon primarily runs the show from backstage while Triple H and Stephanie McMahon appear regularly on TV instead.

    Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez recently discussed this on Wrestling Observer Radio. Alvarez pointed out that McMahon is looking very old these days. Meltzer responded by revealing that’s the reason McMahon doesn’t wan’t to be on TV so much.

    Instead, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon have been made the new faces of the company. In fact, Vince McMahon wasn’t heavily involved in the negotiations for WWE’s new TV deal. That was handled by “The Game” and Stephanie. Meltzer described the ordeal as a “transition.”

    McMahon On WWE TV

    In recent months McMahon has been featured a bit more on WWE TV, but not regularly. He was briefly involved in Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar’s WrestleMania 34 build. McMahon also was attacked by Kevin Owens last year on SmackDown Live.

    McMahon was on TV for the WWE’s Greatest Royal Rumble trophy presentation and the announcement of WWE Evolution on last week’s Monday Night RAW – but said very little.

    Discussion: How do you feel about Vince not being on TV as regularly as he used to be? Is it time to hand the reigns over to Triple H and Stephanie?

  • WWE Hall Of Famer Nikolai Volkoff Has Passed Away

    WWE Hall Of Famer Nikolai Volkoff Has Passed Away

    WWE Hall Of Famer Nikolai Volkoff (real name Josip Nikolai Peruzovi?) has sadly passed away.

    PWInsider has confirmed the news. Volkoff was 70-years-old. He had been hospitalized in Maryland several days before his passing. Volkoff was being treated for dehydration in addition to some other issues.

    Volkoff made his professional wrestling debut back in 1967. He did work for the NWA in addition to having several WWE runs. After a run with AWA, Volkoff returned to WWE. He portrayed an evil Russian who teamed up with The Iron Sheik. The pair captured the Tag Team Titles in 1985.

    In 2005 Volkoff was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame by Jim Ross. It is one of the most star-studded HOF classes of all time; as it also included Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper, “Cowboy” Bob Orton, Jimmy Hart, Paul Orndorff and The Iron Sheik.

    We here at SEScoops offer our thoughts and prayers to Peruzovi?’s family during this difficult time.

  • Kenny Omega Explains How He Connects Differently With Fans Than Roman Reigns

    Kenny Omega Explains How He Connects Differently With Fans Than Roman Reigns

    Kenny Omega and Roman Reigns connect with professional wrestling fans very differently.

    Both “The Cleaner” and “The Big Dog” spoke with Mel Magazine to offer their philosophies on how they connect with their audiences. Reigns noted that he likes to project an image of self-confidence when he’s in the ring:

    “That’s what makes me appealing— that I’m confident, I believe in myself and I think everybody can relate to that,” Reigns said.

    “That’s something everybody should relate to. It’s called self-esteem for a reason. You can’t get it from anybody else.

    “If I project that, if I portray that, it’s empowering to so many people who are a little insecure, who get nervous.”

    The IWGP Heavyweight Champion heard Reigns’ comments and rebutted. Omega said Reigns’ style of projection isn’t true. He himself prefers to put himself in a position to feel pain with his audience:

    “[Laughs] It also doesn’t seem true, either,” Omega said. “People go through [heartbreak] in all walks of life, regardless of age, sex, religion or whatever.

    “There are times you break up with a loved one, a friend or whatever. You feel alone. It’s a very easy feeling to understand—the feeling of loss, heartache and pain.

    “So I’ve put myself in a position to feel pain alongside with the fans.”

    In the end, Omega doesn’t put Reigns at full fault. He understands that WWE has a philosophy of keeping things as simple as necessary – so “The Big Dog” can’t take all the blame:

    “[WWE] keeps it simple, because they feel as simple as possible is best. It’s the easiest to book for television as well,” Omega said. “You can micromanage things to the second that way.

    “If there’s real emotion you can’t. … Even if you can’t really understand what’s going on [as a child], you can feel, and as long as you can feel something, it’s better than coming out of it and feeling nothing.”

  • Johnny Gargano On How He Met Candice LeRae

    Johnny Gargano On How He Met Candice LeRae

    One WWE married couple you don’t hear too much about is Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae on NXT.

    The couple married in September of 2016 and met each other on the indies. Gargano recently spoke to AZ Central and told the story of how he met LeRae backstage at a show in California:

    “I remember [Candice] brought her cousin to the back, and they were just hanging out talking, and I decided I was going to try to get to [Candice] by talking to her cousin about her cellphone. It didn’t really work that well, but we developed a friendship.”

    Check out Gargano’s full interview with AZ Central, where he discusses NXT drawing hardcore wrestling fans and being a true nerd, here.

    Gargano In WWE

    Gargano began working with WWE in 2015. He and former tag team partner Tommaso Ciampa were standouts in NXT’s tag team division under the name DIY. DIY won the NXT Tag Team Titles from The Revival at NXT TakeOver: Toronto in 2016.

    They dropped the straps in January of 2017 at NXT TakeOver: San Antonio to The Authors Of Pain. At NXT TakeOver: Chicago several months later DIY failed to recapture the NXT Tag Team throne. After the match Ciampa turned on Gargano, sparking the beginning of an epic rivalry.

  • WWE Reportedly Interested In Ex-Lucha Underground Champ

    WWE Reportedly Interested In Ex-Lucha Underground Champ

    The WWE is always looking for talent to add to their already stacked roster.

    It looks like they may finally get their hands on a prospect they have been chasing for years. 31-year-old former Lucha Underground Champion Angelico is currently up for grabs. He recently announced his departure from the promotion this past April.

    WWE has been speaking to Angelico on-and-off for the past several years, per Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The only hold up has been his deal with Lucha Undergorund – but that’s no longer an issue.

    The South African began his career back in 2007 for WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T’s now-defunct Pro Wrestling Alliance: Africa promotion. In the years following he has worked for promotions such as Lucha Underground, AAA, Westside Xtreme Wrestling, PWG and more.

    In his last match he was defeated by Mike Bailey at the OTT That Ring Really Tied The Room Together show in Ireland on July 7th. He is a former two-time Lucha Underground Trios Champion and a three-time AAA World Tag Team Champion.

  • Bobby Lashley Reveals Conversation He Had With Triple H Before WWE Return

    Bobby Lashley Reveals Conversation He Had With Triple H Before WWE Return

    Triple H apparently deserves some credit for Bobby Lashley’s WWE return.

    The former ECW World Champion returned to the WWE fold this past April. Since his return he has been a force on Monday Night RAW feuding with the likes of Sami Zayn and Roman Reigns.

    Lashley came up just short to punching his ticket to SummerSlam next month and challenging Brock Lesnar for the Universal Title. The former MMA fighter joined German Suplex Talk and discussed his WWE return.

    He revealed a conversation he had with Triple H before coming back to WWE. “The Game” praised Lashley’s physique and said there was a lot of money for him to make with the company:

    “When [Triple H] saw me he was like, ‘Damn, you look almost better than you did when you were here before.

    “He said, ‘There’s a tremendous amount of money to be made and we’d love to see you come back’.”

    Lashley’s WWE History

    Lashley initially signed with WWE back in 2004. His run lasted four years until he was released in February of 2008. Lashley went on to briefly work the independent circuit before signing with IMPACT Wrestling.

    He had two different runs with IMPACT while also juggling a mixed martial arts (MMA) career. Lashley competed as a heavyweight for Bellator MMA for four years. He went undefeated under the Bellator banner and is currently on a eight fight win-streak.

    After his conversation with Triple H, Lashley signed a deal with WWE and made his return on the Monday Night RAW after WrestleMania 34 this past April.

  • Is CM Punk Interested In ROH’s MSG Offer?

    Is CM Punk Interested In ROH’s MSG Offer?

    If there was ever a better time for CM Punk to return to professional wrestling, it’s now.

    The former WWE Champion’s mixed martial arts (MMA) career is currently on the decline. Punk recently suffered his second consecutive loss under the UFC’s banner in June. After the loss there has been a ton of speculation that he could return to wrestling.

    The possibility of Punk returning to the squared circle has drawn interest from Ring Of Honor (ROH). The promotion is reportedly interested in booking Punk for their upcoming Madison Square Garden joint-show with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) in April.

    Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reports that the chances of Punk returning for ROH are “slim.” It appears those close to Punk say he currently has no interest in participating in pro wrestling.

    Punk’s Recent History

    Punk departed from WWE back in January of 2014. The UFC inked Punk to a multi-fight deal just several months later. The former WWE Champ made his Octagon debut in September of 2016.

    He succumbed to the jiu-jitsu skills of Mickey Gall in the first round. Punk trained for two more years before taking another fight. He squared off with former Houston Golden Gloves winner Mike Jackson this past June.

    Although Punk went the distance with Jackson, he was defeated in a lopsided decision. Now with an 0-2 record in fighting Punk’s MMA career looks unclear. Many professional wrestling fans would love to see him return to the ring, but Punk seems to have no interest.

    Only time will tell if Punk ever wrestles again.

  • Scott Hall Teases NWO Reunion, Tommaso Ciampa Goes Off On Candice LeRae’s Niece

    Scott Hall Teases NWO Reunion, Tommaso Ciampa Goes Off On Candice LeRae’s Niece

    Scott Hall Teases NWO Reunion

    Recently reinstated WWE Hall Of Famer Hulk Hogan took to Twitter today to celebrate Flashback Friday. Hogan Tweeted an old photo of himself with fellow NWO members Scott Hall and Kevin Nash.

    Scott Hall retweeted Hogan’s photo, and added in an interesting comment. Hall asked if the trio should reunite soon. Not only did he ask, but he actually dared “The Third Man”:

    https://twitter.com/SCOTTHALLNWO/status/1022961448979456000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1022961448979456000&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mandatory.com%2Fwrestlezone%2Fnews%2F980579-scott-hall-teases-possible-nwo-reunion-with-hulk-hogan

    Tommaso Ciampa Rips Candice LeRae’s Niece

    NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa is absolutely relentless – inside and out of the ring.

    Ciampa’s rival and former tag team partner, Johnny Gargano, recently Tweeted out a photo of a sign his wife Candice LeRae’s niece made. The sign also contained the following poem:

    “Roses are red, your eyes are blue. We have five fingers. One is for you.”

    Ciampa ran across this on his timeline and let LeRae’s little niece have it:

    https://twitter.com/ProjectCiampa/status/1022961771986833408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1022961771986833408&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mandatory.com%2Fwrestlezone%2Fnews%2F980575-tommaso-ciampa-lashes-out-at-candice-leraes-niece-claims-to-be-sole-reason-for-nxts-recent-success

    Earlier in the day “Blackheart” also put himself over in a big way. He noted that NXT TakeOver: New Orleans and NXT TakeOver: Chicago were the two he two highest grossing and most viewed TakeOvers in NXT history.

    He also pointed out that Wednesday’s episode of NXT, which featured Ciampa’s NXT Title win, was the most viewed episode in NXT history. What do they all have in common? Tommaso Ciampa:

    https://twitter.com/ProjectCiampa/status/1022897695327846400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1022897695327846400&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mandatory.com%2Fwrestlezone%2Fnews%2F980575-tommaso-ciampa-lashes-out-at-candice-leraes-niece-claims-to-be-sole-reason-for-nxts-recent-success

  • Details On WWE’s Evolution Plans

    Details On WWE’s Evolution Plans

    We have some more details on WWE’s Evolution plans.

    Dave Meltzer explained on Wrestling Observer Radio that all of the women on WWE’s main roster will compete on the pay-per-view (PPV). The majority of the female talent on NXT will compete as well.

    Meltzer also speculated that a Battle Royal, Tag Team Battle Royal or Royal Rumble match could take place. He then pointed out a rather interesting aspect about the timing of the PPV.

    WWE will be returning to Saudi Arabia in November. If you remember, at the Greatest Royal Rumble event in the country earlier this year there were no females on the card. This was due to the culture in Saudi Arabia.

    Meltzer noted that Evolution’s October 28th date probably isn’t a coincidence. The PPV will also have some stiff competition on TV. NFL Sunday Night Football and the MLB Playoffs will be taking place on the same night.

    The Beginning

    WWE has been heavily pushing their Women’s Revolution for the past several years. Women have been competing in their first ever Hell In A Cell, Tables Ladders and Chairs (TLC), Money In The Bank (MITB) matches and more.

    As a result; several top female stars have emerged such as Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks. Not to mention the acquisition of, arguably, the biggest name in female sports, Ronda Rousey.

    This past Monday on RAW Stephanie McMahon made the historic announcement about October’s Evolution event. The entire RAW roster and the women of SmackDown Live were all on the entrance ramp for the segment.

    When these women clash with the female WWE stars of the past at Evolution – such as Lita and Trish Stratus – it will certainly be an interesting sight to see.

  • Triple H On If WWE Evolution Will Be An Annual Event

    Triple H On If WWE Evolution Will Be An Annual Event

    WWE Evolution could become an annual event, according to Triple H.

    Triple H spoke with Sky Sports to discuss WWE’s groundbreaking decision to present an all-women’s pay-per-view on October 28th. Triple H was asked about the possibility of Evolution becoming a mainstay of WWE’s PPV calendar. The success of WWE evolution will most likely determine what happens next year.

    “It’s a question to be answered down the road, said Triple H. “Do we need to have a women’s only event? No – just like we don’t need a men’s only event or anything else. I think that the opportunity is there whoever is the best, the most prominent box office attraction that is the main event.

    It doesn’t matter if that’s Raw, Smackdown, NXT, Wrestlemania. So can they have their own event? Can it be a mainstay? Yes, and if our fans want it and it’s the right thing then we’ll give it to them. The WWE universe will dictate to us what the approach is.”

    WWE Evolution

    Monday’s RAW kicked off with Stephanie McMahon (joined by Triple H and father Vince McMahon) making the historic announcement. Women from WWE’s past (legends), present and future (NXT) will be part of the show.

    Mickie James has already expressed interest in working with Trish Stratus at the show. Trish made a surprise return to WWE back in January during the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble match. If Trish does work the show, revisiting this classic rivalry is sure to garner fan interest.

  • Nikki Bella & The Young Bucks’ Twitter Exchange Regarding ‘All In’ Total Divas Promo

    Nikki Bella & The Young Bucks’ Twitter Exchange Regarding ‘All In’ Total Divas Promo

    The cast of Total Divas is “All In.”

    Not to be confused with the self-funded professional wrestling event being put on by Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks. A recent promo for the new season of Total Divas on E! has professional wrestling fans scratching their heads.

    The promo continuously referenced the phrase “All In.” Watch the video here and see for yourself:

    It’s unknown if this was a jab by WWE at the upcoming Chicago show. Perhaps this was simply an unintentional mistake by those at E!. Whether or not it was intentional, professional wrestling fans are certainly talking about it.

    The Exchange

    As a result of the frenzy, this urged Matt Jackson of The Young Bucks to recently respond to the promo on Twitter. He used a GIF of Cody Rhodes motioning to his ear:

    https://twitter.com/MattJackson13/status/1022505267873832961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

    This prompted a response from Nikki Bella, who admitted to Jackson that “we” were just as confused when they saw the promo:

    https://twitter.com/MattJackson13/status/1022610019731165190?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

    “All In” will go down live on September first from the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois on September 1, 2018.

  • Marina Shafir Debuts In NXT (Photos)

    Marina Shafir Debuts In NXT (Photos)

    Former mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter turned pro wrestler Marina Shafir made her NXT debut at Thursday’s live event from Largo, Florida. Shafir teamed up with Nikki Cross to defeat the team of Aliyah and Rhea Ripley.

    https://twitter.com/FLWrestlingFan/status/1022695424325545984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

    Marina Shafir & The MMA Horsewomen

    Marina Shafir, wife of NXT Tag Team Campion Roderick Strong, is a member of Ronda Rousey’s ‘MMA Horsewomen’ faction. The stable consists of Ronda Rousey, NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke and Shafir.

    Shafir’s debut brings us one step closer to all 4 members of the MMA Horsewomen being active competitors in WWE.

    Jessamyn Duke, another Horsewoman, was also expected to debut at the NXT Largo show. Earlier this week, Duke tweeted that she would be making her debut alongside Jessamyn Duke, but she did not appear and later deleted the tweet.

  • R-Truth’s Graphic Injury Photos

    R-Truth’s Graphic Injury Photos

    R-Truth has shared a graphic photo of his injured shoulder.

    The former United States Champion has missed a lot of ring time over the past year. Last August, R-Truth was injured during a match against Elias. He underwent two shoulder surgeries as a result.

    The shoulder injury kept him out of the ring until until WrestleMania 34, when he returned and wrestled in the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

    R-Truth returned to the ring on Tuesday’s SmackDown Live and was defeated by Samoa Joe. Despite coming up short, the 46-year-old showed that he can still go with one of WWE’s top Superstars.

    R-Truth’s Injury Photos

    Truth posted a photo on Instagram this week showing exactly what he was dealing with during his time away from WWE. He shared several graphic photos of the ‘floating bone’ in his shoulder. He also expressed his love for the business and proclaimed, “I’m back.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Blq1oxDHicH/

  • Jim Ross Wasn’t Surprised WWE Reinstated Hulk Hogan

    Jim Ross Wasn’t Surprised WWE Reinstated Hulk Hogan

    WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently spoke about Hulk Hogan returning to WWE on a recent episode of his Jim Ross Report podcast.

    Hogan was backstage at Extreme Rules earlier this month to offer an apology to the entire WWE roster regarding the racist comments that led to his suspension 3 years ago. Jim Ross said that he’s not sure what Hogan’s punishment should be, but he’s happy that Hulk Hogan is back in the fold.

    “It’s not a surprise,” Ross argued. “Hey look, what Hogan did is just so sad, and unnecessary, and what a major mistake,” Ross said. “I think he knows that. Now, somewhere down this journey of healing, if we find out that Hogan [has] got a different agenda, well, shame on him. I don’t believe that to be true. But I believe I’m willing to stand back and let this whole process play out and see how it works at the end of the day.

    “I don’t know how long we’re supposed to punish somebody for doing something so stupid. It was stupidity and ignorance. How long do you get penalized for stupidity and ignorance? It’s different now than doing bodily harm to somebody. Hey, I watch enough [Law & Order: SVU] with Mariska Hargitay to understand that. So we hope that Hogan has a nice reentry. But congratulations. I’m glad he’s back.

    “Now make me proud that you’re back and do great things. He has an amazing opportunity with his influence and name identity, does Hogan, to leave lasting positive impressions on everybody, no matter their ethnicity.”

    As for what kind of role Hogan could have for WWE going forward, he said he believes it will be more of a PR role and doesn’t expect the former WWE Champion to be wrestling:

    “Without sounding like an asshole, [Hogan]’ll probably have a [WWE] Hall Of Fame role.” Ross explained, “PR, he [has] got a lot of ground to cover. He [has] got some fences to mend, some bridges to repair, but that could be done. I don’t see him wrestling again. He’s 65 years old. Now, I’m not knocking the guy. It’s not. ‘J.R., look at you!’

    “I’m not Hulk Hogan. I never even played him on television. Could Hogan have a one-off somewhere? Of course he could! ‘Well, where do you do that?’ Hell, you do that in New York City at WrestleMania. That’s what you do! But is that what you really need to do? He’s 100 [%]. He’s got a bad back.

    “He’s a warhorse, man. He’s been battered and beat up. So I think it’ll be more of a PR role. I’m glad that he’s back and it give him more motivation to make himself better, without a doubt.”

    H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

  • Eric Bischoff Reveals Why The Hollywood Blondes Broke Up In WCW

    Eric Bischoff Reveals Why The Hollywood Blondes Broke Up In WCW

    Former WCW President Eric Bischoff recently spoke in-depth about the Hollywood Blondes tag team on a recent episode of his 83 Weeks podcast. Bischoff discussed why Steve Austin and Brian Pillman were not kept together as long as some fans would have hoped.

    Bischoff admitted that it was more of a financial decision than a booking one, as Steve Austin and Brian Pillman were pulling in too much on their own:

    “What had happened with Brian and Steve wasn’t so much of a booking decision about them being together as a tag team as it was a financial decision,” Bischoff said. “I could tell you this for sure — later on, when I did have creative control over wrestling operations around 1994-1995 I was not a big fan of tag team wrestling. Not because I didn’t enjoy watching it as a fan, but from an economic point of view.

    “If you look at a tag team, and each one of them is breaking close to $200,000 a year and they are in the ring with those of equal value, now you have a million dollars worth of talent for a seven or eight-minute segment, so from an economic point of view to have two high profile guys in a tag team match and you start looking at the economics of it, you look at it like, wait a minute, I can have two separate stories here at two separate segments to fill my content requirements with for the same amount of money that I am spending on one.”

    Bischoff also explained that The Hollywood Blondes would’ve needed opponents on their level, but that would’ve been too costly to maintain:

    “To have equal value or status with guys like Steve Austin and Brian Pillman at the time, you had to have other high-dollar guys with to tell stories with. Being limited in what you can do in singles matches and your storytelling for all of the content that you had to fill and put a real premium price tag on the talent that was involved in a six or seven-minute match, or one match for a pay per view.

    “So it just didn’t make economic sense, which was the reason, from what I can remember early on was that if we can’t afford it we can’t afford it. Let’s get a two for one here. If we have two great guys with lots of talent it made a lot more sense from a business point of view for them to be singles then for them to be a tag team.”

    Listen to Eric Bischoff & Conrad Thompson talk Brian Pillman on 83 Weeks:

    H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

  • Bobby Lashley On Fans Rejecting Roman Reigns, Hulk Hogan’s WWE Return

    Bobby Lashley On Fans Rejecting Roman Reigns, Hulk Hogan’s WWE Return

    WWE Superstar Bobby Lashley recently took part in a media conference call. Alex McCarthy of GiveMeSport was on the call and has provided some details on what Lashley said about a wide range of topics, including his return to WWE earlier this year, Roman Reigns and more.

    Lashley was asked which WWE Superstars have impressed him the most in his latest run with the company. The former ECW champion called Roman Reigns “phenomenal” and also said guys like Elias, Braun Strowman and Finn Balor have caught his eye.

    As for Reigns, in regards to the division on him amongst the WWE Universe, Bobby Lashley doesn’t really understand it. “It kills me to be out in the ring with somebody of his level and the crowd be divided as to whether or not he deserves to be in the position he is – and I don’t get it. He has the look, he’s a great athlete and he’s a great in-ring performer.”

    Lashley said he thinks Apollo Crews is underrated and hopes WWE finds a meaningful role for him. “I hope they find something for Apollo because h has so much untapped potential.”

    After a 10 year hiatus where he proved that he can work with virtually anyone, he is determined to capture another world championship in WWE.

    He also had some very brief comments regarding Hulk Hogan being reinstated by WWE after a 3-year suspension. Lashley said simply, “If he’s in, he’s in. Nothing to do with me.”

    As of this writing, Bobby Lashley does not have an opponent for next month’s SummerSlam pay-per-view. He lost to Roman Reigns on Raw in a number one contender’s match to determine the next challenger to Universal Champion Brock Lesnar.

  • Chris Masters Explains Why He Left IMPACT Wrestling

    Chris Masters Explains Why He Left IMPACT Wrestling

    Former WWE and IMPACT Wrestling star Chris Masters was recently interviewed by WSVN-TV Entertainment Reporter Chris Van Vliet during That Wrestling Event in Orlando. Masters first opened up on why he asked for his release from IMPACT Wrestling back in January.

    Masters was initially with WWE from 2003 to 2007 when he was released from his contract. He had a two year run on the independent circuit before making a return to the company in 2009. That run lasted two years until he was released from his deal again in August of 2011.

    He went on to work for TNA in 2015 and returned in 2017 to IMPACT Wrestling. That run only lasted several months before Masters requested his release from the promotion in January of 2018, and it was subsequently granted:

    “I like that group and I had a lot of fun there with those guys. It just came down to in the end that it wasn’t really enough money once they started cutting the budget for me to really show up to work. That’s all it was. I like Eli Drake but I didn’t favor the way they had me booked as his cheerleader unless it turned out into something we could do with a program and work with him and it eventually led to him being a babyface and me a heel.

    “If we would have done that, it would have worked out great but I would have also wanted to be paid adequately. It just came down to those facts and obviously I just ended up quitting. I literally just after two days at the taping, booked a flight back to Toronto and just decided I wasn’t coming back. I reached out to them when I landed in Toronto and told them I wouldn’t be coming into work and that was it. It was as simple as that.

    “My 35th birthday came around and something in my head just popped in and I said I’m not going to do anything that doesn’t make me feel good or that I don’t want to do at this point and that was one of the starts.”

    Masters also talked about his days working as a bouncer at a bar, named the strongest wrestler he has ever worked with, reveals how often he watches wrestling now and much more in the full interview. You can check it out below: