SEScoops

Author: Jon Fuentes

  • Jim Ross Calls RAW 25 A ‘Class Reunion’

    Jim Ross Calls RAW 25 A ‘Class Reunion’

    Just prior to the Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV) last month WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross did an interview with Philly Voice to talk about his appearance on RAW 25. “Good Ole’ JR” said he had a great time and addressed the controversy surrounding the event:

    “I had a great time. When people read this, they’re going to think, ‘Well, how can J.R. say that he had a great time because of the controversy surrounding the presentation?’ I looked at is as going to a family reunion or class reunion, and you know at your class reunion, you’ve got all kinds of crazy classmates and you love to see them every now and then. That’s kind of how we all – we had a small crew at the Manhattan Center – so everybody got the chance to have plenty of time to visit and see how everyone’s doing and all that good stuff.

    “It was very entertaining and very good for all of us. You just can’t take for granted that you’re going to be there next time. I said on my podcast tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, and it certainly fit true on Monday in New York City. You know, as a broadcaster, I would have loved to call more matches. Of all the things I’ve done in wrestling, broadcasting and doing play-by-play is my favorite. So why wouldn’t I want to do more of what I believe I have the most fun doing? That’s how I looked at it. But it was a great day, you know, we were treated good at the hotel, the stuff us old guys like catering was good, no travel issues.

    “It was a good trip and I was happy to be invited. And it was good to catch up with as many of the guys as I did. I was happy to call – I’m a big fan of Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt, both of those kids, kids to me – and I got to call that match. That was kind of neat. That tag match was kind of short, it was kind of backloaded. The Undertaker’s promo. So, you know, it’s just what it was. It’s no big deal. Some people are hell-bent on finding something to bitch about. I can’t find that, I don’t have that in me. It’s not how I feel.

    “I went there for a different reason than people watching it on television or watching it in the arena. I went to work. And as a worker, so to speak, I’d like to have done more work. That’s all. Chalk it up to ego or whatever, but I would’ve liked to have done more work because it’s the most fun thing I do. And if people can’t get that, then they’re just not paying attention and I can’t help you.”

    Ross and the WWE has had their fair share of ups and downs over the years, but through all their issues the longtime commentator is still able to remain loyal to the company:

    “I was only reacting to how I was raised. My parents were both in my household under one roof until long after I got out of high school. That helped me. I had grandparents alive for most of my teenage years. So, it was how I was raised. I believe in commitment. I still believe in commitment. People have a different perception of this than I do. Life is way too short to worry about some of those experiences in my way of thinking. And there are things in my life that have happened that are a whole lot more significant and important than my reaction as to when I got let go or terminated.

    “I had strong opinions, I wanted to change the world, revolutionize the business, all these glorious images in my head, so I wasn’t the easiest guy in the world to manage, either. So, if I had some of those situations with somebody else under my watch, I would’ve fired me, too. Second thing is, Vince [McMahon] kept his word with everything he’s ever told me. All my financial dreams were achieved thanks to my working in WWE. So, I’m very grateful for my situation there whether I’m part-time, full-time, or no time. I don’t see any other way to react and I don’t know why I would react any other way. That’s just me, man. I’ve had great experiences there and at 66 years of age, I’m still enjoying my relationship with WWE. I have no bitterness whatsoever.”

    Ross also revealed his pick for this weekend’s Super Bowl matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots. Ross said he’s rolling with the “Bird Gang”:

    “Here’s always been my philosophy – all the time I was married to my wife, she was a Steelers fan. Grew up in Pittsburgh, got a lot of Steelers stuff here in my house. There’s just no damn way if you’re a Steelers fan anytime in your life that you can ever cheer for the Patriots. So, I would not feel like I was honoring my wife’s memory very well if I cheered for the Patriots. But the other aspect of that is, is that the Eagles – I’m more of an NFC guy than an AFC guy quite frankly – and big Lane [Johnson] playing tackle and doing a hell of a job, by the way, that’s my dog in the hunt.

    “He’s my “Big Dog” in the hunt, so I’m going to be cheering for the Eagles and it’ll be great to see a Sooner win a Super Bowl ring. That’s about as transparent as I can get. It’s all about the lines of scrimmage, offense and defense. That’s the whole ball game. The Foles thing is overthought. He’s a good quarterback and he’s not playing by himself. He won some games down the stretch that they needed to win, so I’m not worried about the quarterback play. I think the game is won and decided at the line of scrimmage, and I just think the Eagles have the advantage in that area.”

    You can read Ross’ full interview with Philly Voice by clicking this link here.

  • Josh Barnett On How He Thinks Ronda Rousey Will Transition Into Wrestling

    Josh Barnett On How He Thinks Ronda Rousey Will Transition Into Wrestling

    Former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett recently did an interview with ESPN to talk about several professional wrestling topics. Barnett was asked about making the switch from mixed martial arts (MMA) to professional wrestling, and having his first match with Yuji Nagata:

    “When it came to moves, I mean, moves are moves. I think if you know how to suplex somebody, even in an amateur environment, how to throw people safely from judo, and the concepts of wrestling, it’s not really hard to then pick up [everything else]. It was all very easy to work with Nagata. He’s such a professional and so skilled, and so good at what he does.

    “It was just a matter of learning the ring itself, the environment. There are a lot of subtle things that are very, very important in wrestling, and to pick those up just takes time and experience. The only way that I really feel is best to do that is to go on the road. I learned every day by showing up early and leaving late.”

    Recently former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey has made the jump to professional wrestling after signing with WWE. Barnett offered his thoughts on how he believes “The Rowdy One” will fare in her transition into the wrestling industry:

    “If she’s passionate about it, and serious, her judo background gives her a great starting point. She already knows how to fall, how to throw other people, and move and throw. She’s already an incredible athlete. If she loves wrestling, really wants to be a student of it and make a go of it, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least that she could be a great wrestler.”

    Barnett also explained how professional wrestling and MMA are actually very similar to one another:

    “Honestly, I feel like the more entrenched into professional wrestling I got, it became apparent to me that it was really a part and parcel with MMA. There wasn’t a whole lot of difference at all. If anything, I refer to it as the other side of the same coin. So by treating wrestling more like MMA, in terms of training and in terms of thought process, it made things so much easier.

    “Being able to be out there and live fully in that moment — [being] aware of the crowd, aware of your opponent — wrestling in Japan, going on tour and doing all of those matches, it made me a much better fighter. It allowed me to be more present in the ring, able to pick up on more subtle aspects from my opponent, from the environment itself, and to be that much more comfortable out there.”

    You can read Barnett’s full interview with ESPN by clicking this link here.

  • James Ellsworth Reveals WWE’s Nixed SummerSlam 2016 Plans For Him

    James Ellsworth Reveals WWE’s Nixed SummerSlam 2016 Plans For Him

    After being released from WWE last year following over a year-long run with the company, James Ellsworth appeared on Chris Jericho’s podcast, Talk Is Jericho, to talk about his time with the company. Ellsworth was signed after his July 25th, 2016 squash match appearance with Braun Strowman. He instantly became a fan favorite and was signed to a WWE deal shortly thereafter.

    During the episode Ellsworth revealed some scrapped plans for him at the 2016 SummerSlam pay-per-view (PPV). It was originally pitched to have him defeat Heath Slater for a WWE contract when the pair were both free agents:

    “I get an email that says, ‘Hey, there’s an idea for you for SummerSlam. It’s Barclays Center; you could drive there from Baltimore.’ I’m thinking I’m gonna be a part of SummerSlam for two weeks. The Friday before SummerSlam, they’re like, ‘Hey, creative changed, we don’t have anything for you, hopefully, we’ll have something soon. I found out months after that what the SummerSlam thing was supposed to be. When Heath Slater didn’t get drafted by Raw or Smackdown, and he was a free agent.

    “He was trying to get a contract out of them both, he was supposed to come out at SummerSlam, demanding, ‘Daniel Bryan, I want a contract!’ Daniel Bryan’s trying to make it easy for him. ‘All right, I’ll give you a Smackdown contract, all you have to do is beat this guy,’ and it was me! The idea was I was supposed to go over and I was supposed to win the contract.

    “But what happened was Slater winded up getting babyface reactions before then, he was getting over as a babyface doing that angle. If they ever did anything with me, at first, they wanted me to be a babyface. But I was like, ‘Man, I almost had a SummerSlam match with Heath Slater!’ That would’ve been fun.”

    You can listen to Ellsworth on Talk Is Jericho by clicking this link here.

  • Jason Jordan’s Injury May Be More Serious Than Originally Believed

    Jason Jordan’s Injury May Be More Serious Than Originally Believed

    As many of you may know, Jason Jordan has been dealing with a injury for the past several weeks that has limited his ability to perform inside the ring. At this past Sunday’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV) Jordan left his tag team partner Seth Rollins to deal with The Bar on his own, and they dropped their RAW Tag Team Titles to the duo as a result.

    Per a report from Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the injury is more serious than it was originally believed to be. The report suggests Jordan is actually dealing with a neck injury, contrary to rumors suggesting he’s dealing with a bad back. Meltzer also noted that Jordan is having trouble with his grip, which is never a good sign. WWE has been protecting him to the best of their ability by limiting the amount of physicality he has inside the ring.

    Jordan was originally planned for this month’s Elimination Chamber match but there’s currently no word if he’ll be left out of the bout due to his injury. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more……

  • The Undertaker & Kane Set To Reunite, Nia Jax Calls Out YouTube Wrestling Personality

    The Undertaker & Kane Set To Reunite, Nia Jax Calls Out YouTube Wrestling Personality

    – WWE Superstar Kane (real name Glenn Jacobs) made the following announcement on his Facebook page:

    Tickets are on sales now to meet The Undertaker and Kane in Knoxville on March 1st. The event will be at Rothchild Catering & Conference Center, 8807 Kingston Pike, from 6:30pm until 8:30pm! Get your tickets here: https://kanetaker.eventbrite.com

    I am pleased to announce another special guest coming to Knoxville on February 16. Multiple time world champion pro wrestler, lead singer of Fozzy and New York Times best-selling author Chris Jericho will be interviewing me for a special episode of the popular Talk Is Jericho podcast. We will conduct the interview with a live audience where you can submit your questions and meet Chris. All of this happens at the Clarion Inn, 5335 Central Avenue Pike, on February 16 from 7pm-9pm.

    Get your tickets for that event here: https://talkisjericho.eventbrite.com

    If you would like to attend both events, we are offering special Combo and VIP packages!

    I’m looking forward to seeing everyone!

    – YouTube wrestling personality, Grim, of Grim’s Toy Show fat shamed WWE Superstar Nia Jax in a recently deleted video. Jax saw the video and called out Grim out on Twitter, leading to a ton of hate being tossed the YouTube personality’s way as a result:

    https://twitter.com/RIDEBLOODSNGUTS/status/958884295187320832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fnodq.com%2Fnews%2F519502624.shtml

  • Terri Runnels ‘Disappointed’ With RAW 25 Appearance, Zack Ryder On Being Left Out Of The Royal Rumble

    Terri Runnels ‘Disappointed’ With RAW 25 Appearance, Zack Ryder On Being Left Out Of The Royal Rumble

    – On a recent edition of her podcast, Cigars, Scars And Superstars, former WWE Diva Terri Runnels talked about her appearance on RAW 25 and explained why she was ‘disappointed’ with it. Here’s what she had to say:

    “To be honest, I was very disappointed, I really was. We were misused. I wanted for a brief moment some sincerity, and I didn’t like that it went straight to this cartoon crap. I felt like you’ve got a lot of talent and we are just standing there waving. We were misused, is the best way to say it, there is a better way for us to be used. It was disappointing because I loved my WWE/WWF family. It was a letdown.” 

    Runnels also said that she wasn’t the only one who felt let-down by the segment given to WWE’s women of the past:

    We all kind of dropped our jaws and were like ‘you’ve got to be kidding me. I didnt hear anyone express anything different than what I just said to you.”

    You can listen to Cigars, Scars And Superstars by clicking this link here.

    – Zack Ryder recently took to Twitter to offer his thoughts on being left out of the 30-man Royal Rumble match this pats Sunday. Here’s what he had to say:

  • Hiroshi Tanahashi Off New Beginning Tour, NJPW Applies For Three New Trademarks

    Hiroshi Tanahashi Off New Beginning Tour, NJPW Applies For Three New Trademarks

    – Following his great match against Minoru Suzuki at night one of New Japan Pro Wrestling’s (NJPW) New Beginning, Hiroshi Tanahashi has been removed from the remainder of the tour due to acute osteoarthritis in his right knee. Suzuki defeated Tanahashi for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship via referee stoppage:

    – Speaking of NJPW, PWInsider is reporting that the company has filed for three new trademarks; U.S.: Strong Style, King of Sports, and Strong Style Evolved. All three of the trademarks were filed for the use of clothing, however, Strong Style Evolved was also filed for categories such as the following:

    “Educational and instruction services relating to arts, crafts, sports or general knowledge; arranging, conducting and organization of seminars; arranging, conducting and organization of conferences, lecture meeting, workshops, symposiums; production of radio or television programs; Production of videotape film in the field of education, culture, entertainment or sports (not for movies or television programs and not for advertising or publicity); organization, arranging and conducting of sports competitions; organization, arranging and conducting of martial arts; booking of seats for show; presentation of live show performances; presentation of magic performances; direction or presentation of plays; presentation of musical performances”

  • Details On How Long Ronda Rousey Has Been Training Before Royal Rumble Debut

    Details On How Long Ronda Rousey Has Been Training Before Royal Rumble Debut

    Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey made her WWE debut after the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble match this past Sunday. Rousey hit the ring to confront Rumble winner Asuka, SmackDown Live Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair, and RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss. Rousey had her extended hand slapped away from Asuka before pointing to the WrestleMania 34 sign. Initial reports suggest the plan is to have a Mixed Tag Team match between Rousey and a mystery partner against Triple H and Stephanie McMahon.

    That mystery partner would preferably be The Rock, as he and Rousey had a segment against Triple H and McMahon at WrestleMania 31 a few years back. ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne is reporting that Rousey has been training for months at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando prior to her debut at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV). Rousey reportedly trained at night when nobody else was at the center with names like Natalya, Becky Lynch, and Flair.

    She did this while simultaneously filming her next movie, “Mile 22,” in Atlanta. She did not appear on Monday’s episode of RAW as she flew back to Columbia to continue work on “Mile 22.” Shelburne also said that Rousey is close to “fighting shape” and should be ready come WrestleMania 34. WWE will also not own the rights to her name as Rousey recently applied for three trademarks to the “Rowdy Ronda Rousey” name.

  • WWE Officially Confirms Samir Singh’s Injury, Hideo Itami Reacts To Roderick Strong Match-Up

    WWE Officially Confirms Samir Singh’s Injury, Hideo Itami Reacts To Roderick Strong Match-Up

    – Samir Singh recently underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL he suffered during a ringside altercation with Bobby Roode. The incident occurred during Jinder Mahal and Roode’s United States Title Tournament Finals clash. There has been no official word on Singh’s return but the usual timetable for an ACL tear return is around 6-9 months. Singh recently took to Instagram to thank Dr. Jeffrey Dugas after undergoing surgery in Alabama:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Beb34mWHI-U/?utm_source=ig_embed

    WWE finally acknowledged the injury yesterday during SmackDown Live, and also released the following statement:

    Samir Singh suffers injury

    Samir Singh revealed on Instagram that he recently suffered a torn ACL and will be out of action.

    Singh underwent surgery last week and is already rehabilitating for his return to the ring.

    Stay tuned to WWE.com and Singh’s social media for more news on his recovery as it becomes available.

    – Hideo Itami will be taking on former NXT Superstar Roderick Strong in the first round of the new WWE 205 Live tournament. The tournament will last up to WrestleMania 34 where a new Cruiserweight Champion will be crowned. Itami took to Twitter to comment on his match-up with Strong:

  • WWE’s Original Plans For Adam Cole At The Royal Rumble, Sami Zayn Blames WWE Universe For MMC Loss (Video)

    WWE’s Original Plans For Adam Cole At The Royal Rumble, Sami Zayn Blames WWE Universe For MMC Loss (Video)

    – Adam Cole put on an extraordinary Extreme Rules match with Aleister Black at NXT Takeover: Philadelphia over the weekend. He followed that up with making an appearance in the Men’s Royal Rumble match the following night. It turns out WWE originally had other plans for Cole at the Royal Rumble instead of being in the over-the-top-rope bout. Wrestling Observer Radio reports that the original pitch for Cole had him answering Bobby Roode’s United States Title Open Challenge.

    That plan was cancelled, however, as WWE officials realized it wasn’t a good idea to have Cole lose an eight-minute match on the kickoff show. The United States Title Open Challenge saw a ton of last-second changes, as Dolph Ziggler was also planned to answer the call.

    Instead Ziggler appeared in the Royal Rumble match at number 30 and Mojo Rawley wound up taking on Roode on the pre-show for the strap. Cole entered the Rumble at number 23 and was eliminated by Rey Mysterio.

    – WWE posted the following video of Sami Zayn and Becky Lynch after their Mixed Match Challenge loss to the team of Alexa Bliss and Braun Strowman. Sami blamed the WWE Universe for the loss and also contemplated if their loss was a result of having too much of Lynch’s birthday cake prior to the bout:

  • John Cena’s Updated WWE Schedule Through WrestleMania 34, Wendy’s Twitter Takes A Shot At Ronda Rousey’s WWE Debut

    John Cena’s Updated WWE Schedule Through WrestleMania 34, Wendy’s Twitter Takes A Shot At Ronda Rousey’s WWE Debut

    – On Monday’s episode of RAW John Cena defeated Finn Balor to qualify for the Elimination Chamber match. You can check out Cena’s current WWE schedule through WrestleMania 34 below. He is working mostly RAW events with the exception of SmackDown Live’s exclusive Fastlane pay-per-view (PPV) event. With Cena being on SmackDown Live’s Fastlane it’s likely he’ll be added to more SmackDown show in the near future:

    – February 5th in Des Moines, IA (RAW)

    – February 11th in Fresno, CA (RAW live event)

    – February 12th in San Jose, CA (RAW)

    – February 18th in Prescott, AZ (RAW live event)

    – February 19th in Phoenix, AZ (RAW)

    – February 25th in Las Vegas, NV (Elimination Chamber Pay-Per-View)

    – February 26th in Anaheim, CA (RAW)

    – March 3rd in Chicago, IL (RAW live event)

    – March 5th in Milwaukee, WI (RAW)

    – March 11th in Columbus, OH (Fastlane Pay-Per-View)

    – March 12th in Detroit, MI (RAW)

    – March 17th in Tulsa, OK (RAW live event)

    – March 18th in Oklahoma City, OK (RAW live event)

    – March 26th in Cleveland, OH (RAW)

    – April 8th in New Orleans (WrestleMania 34)

    – Famous fast-food restaurant chain Wendy’s took to Twitter to comment on Ronda Rousey’s WWE debut. They threw some shade at “The Rowdy One’s” appearance when answering a question from a fan. Wendy’s then cleared things up and said they were a fan of the show after an exchange with Scott Armstrong:

  • When Brock Lesnar & Ronda Rousey Are Expected To Return To WWE TV

    When Brock Lesnar & Ronda Rousey Are Expected To Return To WWE TV

    After making her highly-anticipated WWE debut at the Royal Rumble this past Sunday, professional wrestling fans are wondering when we’ll see “The Rowdy One” back on WWE TV. Rousey did not appear on Monday’s episode of RAW. It appears that Rousey, and WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar, are not expected back until sometime after February 25th’s Elimination Chamber pay-per-view (PPV) event.

    This comes via a report from Ringside News, who reports that Rousey has returned to her filming obligations for the movie “Mile 22.” Filming for the movie is not expected to conclude until around or after Elimination Chamber. As for WWE’s plans for Lesnar, the company has no reason to bring him back until his next opponent is determined in the Elimination Chamber match. It’s expected that Roman Reigns will be challenging “The Beast” for the Universal throne at WrestleMania 34.

  • The Rock Makes Major Boxing Announcement For HBO (Video), Jonathan Coachman Talks WWE Return (Video)

    The Rock Makes Major Boxing Announcement For HBO (Video), Jonathan Coachman Talks WWE Return (Video)

    – If you’re also a fan of professional boxing then you’re going to enjoy this. The Rock took to Instagram, as a favor to HBO, to announce the highly-anticipated rematch between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin on May 5, 2018:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Bei_dKjFf-z/?utm_source=ig_embed

    – WWE has uploaded a new video in which Mike Rome interviews the newest addition to the RAW commentary team – Jonathan Coachman. “The Coach” will be replacing WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T at the commentary booth. Coach said he is excited to be back and call action with Michael Cole and Corey Graves, and briefly touches on his time with ESPN as well:

  • Two Former WWE World Champions Reportedly Being Inducted Into HOF

    So far WWE has confirmed that former WCW World Heavyweight Champion Goldberg and former WWE Tag Team Champions The Dudley Boyz will be inducted into the 2018 WWE Hall Of Fame class. PWInsider now reports that there were rumblings last night at the Royal Rumble that both former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry and former three-time WWE Women’s Champion Ivory will also be inducted this year.

    Names such as Henry, Ivory, Bam Bam Bigelow and Kid Rock (celebrity wing) have been rumored for this year’s Hall Of Fame, however, WWE has only confirmed The Dudley Boyz and Goldberg thus far. While Mark Henry and Ivory have yet to be confirmed by the company an announcement should be expected soon. Perhaps as early as tonight’s episode of Monday Night RAW.

    The 2018 Hall Of Fame induction ceremony will take place from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana on April 6th, two days before WrestleMania 34.

  • Video: Brock Lesnar Shoot Punches Braun Strowman At Royal Rumble

    Video: Brock Lesnar Shoot Punches Braun Strowman At Royal Rumble

    During last night’s Universal Championship match at the Royal Rumble things got real between Brock Lesnar and Braun Strowman. At one point in the match Strowman actually caught Lesnar with a stiff knee to the head.

    Lesnar is probably the last person you want to let that happen against. “The Beast” gave “The Monster Amongst Men” a receipt in the form of a stiff right hand to Strowman’s jaw:

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/957807219084578817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

    It then sounded like Lesnar said something along the lines of “slow the fu*k down.” Lesnar would go on to pin Kane for the finish and retained his Universal Championship.

    It’s expected he’ll defend his Universal crown against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans this April.

  • Asuka Reacts To Her Historic Royal Rumble Win, WWE’s Four Reasons Ronda Rousey Is A Game Changer

    Asuka Reacts To Her Historic Royal Rumble Win, WWE’s Four Reasons Ronda Rousey Is A Game Changer

    – After making history and winning the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble match last night, former NXT Women’s Champion Asuka took to Twitter to comment on the accolade:

    – Shortly after the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble match ex-UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey made her WWE debut. Rousey signed a full-time deal with WWE and is expected to wrestle at WrestleMania in New Orleans later this year. WWE.com released their “4 reasons why Ronda Rousey is a complete game changer for the WWE Women’s division” list. Check it out here:

    4. She has already proven she can hold her own in a WWE ring

    3. She has an unparalleled competitive nature

    2. She has a diverse set of skills and accomplishments in combat sports

    1. She is on the shortlist of most iconic female athletes of all time

  • Funny Picture Of Triple H Snapping A Photo Of Ronda Rousey, Why Nigel McGuinness Missed NXT TakeOver

    Funny Picture Of Triple H Snapping A Photo Of Ronda Rousey, Why Nigel McGuinness Missed NXT TakeOver

    – After her debut at last night’s WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV) former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey spoke to members of the media about her jump to professional wrestling. A funny picture has emerged of Triple H peeking around the entrance ramp trying to snap a photo of Rousey himself. Check it out:

    https://twitter.com/Zaboman/status/957842826485788673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

    – If you watched NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia then you noticed Nigel McGuinness wasn’t on commentary as he was replaced by Percy Watson. F4WOnline reports that McGuiness missed the event after getting the flu. Mauro Ranallo and Watson took over commentating duties for the show.

  • Ric & Charlotte Flair Teach Bobby Roode To ‘Woo!’, WWE’s Five Top Moments From The First-Ever Women’s Royal Rumble

    Ric & Charlotte Flair Teach Bobby Roode To ‘Woo!’, WWE’s Five Top Moments From The First-Ever Women’s Royal Rumble

    – WWE uploaded a video of Mixed Match Challenge partners Bobby Roode and Charlotte Flair backstage at the Royal Rumble last night. Two-time WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair joined them, and “The Nature Boy” and Charlotte tried to teach Roode how to properly “Woo!” Charlotte and Roode are looking forward to a week six match-up against Nia Jax and Apollo Crews in the Mixed Match Challenge:

    – WWE.com has listed its top five best moments from the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble match. Here’s what they listed:

    5. The return of women from WWE’s illustrious past

    4. Naomi’s huge save

    3. Sasha Banks’ incredible performance

    2. Asuka’s history-making victory

    1. Ronda Rousey’s shocking appearance

  • Original Rumble Plans For Bobby Roode, Why Nikki Bella Eliminated Brie At The Rumble

    Original Rumble Plans For Bobby Roode, Why Nikki Bella Eliminated Brie At The Rumble

    – On last night’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV) pre-show United States Champion Bobby Roode held an Open Challenge for his title. Mojo Rawley ended up answering the challenge, but PWInsider is reporting that wasn’t WWE’s initial plans.

    Apparently Dolph Ziggler was originally supposed to answer the challenge from Roode, however, WWE decided to have him enter the Royal Rumble match at number 30 instead. He’s also expected to appear at SmackDown Live tomorrow night.

    – During the Women’s Royal Rumble match last night Nikki Bella eliminated her twin sister Brie Bella before going down to the final two with Asuka. Bella was eventually eliminated by Asuka and “The Empress Of Tomorrow” became the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble winner.

    Per a report from Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline, Nikki eliminated Brie as a part of a storyline for Total Bellas. The Bella Twins’ brother, JJ, was also backstage at the show along with the filming crew.

  • Kenny Omega Reacts To Being Attacked By Cody Rhodes

    Kenny Omega Reacts To Being Attacked By Cody Rhodes

    Earlier today at New Japan Pro Wrestling’s (NJPW) New Beginning Jay White defeated Kenny Omega to become the new IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion. Following the match Adam Page challenged White by taking the title from him, before Omega took it back and handed it to White again. Cody Rhodes then hit the ring, along with more Bullet Club members, and began to argue with “The Cleaner.”

    Cody said Omega wasn’t being a leader before hitting Omega with the Cross Rhodes. Page held Omega while Cody got a chair to hit him with. Koto Ibushi then came out for the save and chased everyone off. Ibushi and Omega hugged before heading to the back. Check it out here:

    Shortly after everything transpired, Omega took to Twitter to react to everything and teased ‘a new beginning’:

  • Kurt Angle Tweets Royal Rumble Poster Featuring Ronda Rousey, Ex-WWE Champ Says He Wasn’t Invited To RAW 25

    Kurt Angle Tweets Royal Rumble Poster Featuring Ronda Rousey, Ex-WWE Champ Says He Wasn’t Invited To RAW 25

    – Monday Night RAW General Manager Kurt Angle may have just given away a major spoiler for tonight’s Women’s Royal Rumble match. The WWE Hall Of Famer posted the following blurry poster for the Women’s Rumble, featuring former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey – who has been speculated for the event for some time now:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Bef_r23hzUv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_ufi_control

    The poster looks to be a fake but WWE actually retweeted Angle’s post on Twitter rather than telling him to take it down. We’ll keep you updated….

    – Sports Illustrated recently caught up with former WWE Champion Rob Van Dam who revealed he didn’t receive an invite from the company to return at RAW 25. He also said he prefers wrestling sporadically on the independent circuit compared to working for WWE:

    “I know some people can’t understand that, but I’m wrestling overseas and I’m wrestling way less matches,” said RVD. “I don’t enjoy the road life or WWE’s really hectic schedule.”

  • Undertaker & Michelle McCool Spotted In Philadelphia, Big Cass At WWE Reading Event

    Undertaker & Michelle McCool Spotted In Philadelphia, Big Cass At WWE Reading Event

    – The WWE always likes to bring in some big names for the Royal Rumble each year, and it seems that they’ve brought in one of the biggest for tomorrow night. PWInsider is reporting that both The Undertaker and Michelle McCool are in Philadelphia for the Royal Rumble.

    It’s possible that the couple is just there for McCool’s appearance in the women’s Royal Rumble, as WWE did reach out to her for an appearance. As for The Undertaker there’s no word yet on if he’ll be competing in the men’s Royal Rumble. Here is a photo and video of Taker and McCool in Philadelphia earlier today:

    – Big Cass appeared alongside NXT Women’s Champ Ember Moon, Mandy Rose, Dana Warrior, and No Way Jose at the WrestleMania Reading Challenge in New Orleans this week as they read to over 300 students for National Reading Day. Here are some photos:

  • Elias Talks His Interaction With Chris Jericho At RAW 25

    Elias Talks His Interaction With Chris Jericho At RAW 25

    WWE Superstar Elias recently did an interview with he Baltimore Sun to talk about his time with the company on the main roster. Several weeks ago Elias got the opportunity to work with John Cena on Monday Night RAW, and it looks like a feud between them is brewing. The man formerly known as “The Drifter” said when you’re working with John Cena in WWE – that’s where you want to be:

    “That’s where you want to be in the WWE. John Cena has been the franchise for so long. In the ring across from John, you know you have a lot of eyes on you. As a performer, that’s where you want to be as far as I’m concerned.”

    Elias also had the opportunity to work a small segment on RAW 25 with Chris Jericho. He said that Jericho annoyed him by trying to play the guitar and the whole situation rubbed him the wrong way:

    “Well, I gotta say that the guy who really annoyed me on Monday Night Raw, Chris Jericho. He shows up, he wants to make some sort of claim that scarves are gimmick infringement. Though if you go back and look, I was wearing it long before him … but that’s OK. But then he pulls out a guitar and tries to play a song. So I’d definitely like to get in the ring with him. Something about the way that interaction went down on Monday rubbed me the wrong way.”

    He was then asked about getting a bigger reaction on the main roster than he did in developmental on NXT:

    “You know, I’ve heard that. In fact, I’ve heard Triple H himself say that in interviews, that Elias is maybe made for Monday Night Raw. But I can remember very clearly times in Full Sail where I’d sing songs and I couldn’t hear myself sing because the crowd was so loud for it. So it’s definitely an interesting dynamic, that’s for sure, being on Raw and hearing the way the crowd interacts with me. So I don’t know if that’s how I’d describe it, but I’m on Raw now and I’m doing my thing.”

    You can read Elias’ full interview with The Baltimore Sun by clicking this link here.

  • Kaitlyn Reveals If She Has Been Contacted For The Women’s Royal Rumble

    Kaitlyn Reveals If She Has Been Contacted For The Women’s Royal Rumble

    Former WWE Superstar and Divas Champion Celeste Bonin (better known as Kaitlyn in WWE) was recently interviewed by WSVN-TV Entertainment reporter Chris Van Vliet to talk about several professional wrestling topics. She has since announced that she will be returning to wrestling and explained her decision to do so:

    “I retired pretty much 4 years ago and I didn’t really have any intention of going back or making any kind of come back or even wrestling for any other promotion like TNA. I was just super focused on my business and wrestling was kind of just in my past. Then when I got in the ring I was just super rusty which was a little embarrassing but I missed it so much.

    “I had such a tumultuous year in 2017, I went through a divorce and a bunch of changes in my company and moving warehouses and moving where I lived. I kind of fell out of a routine and I wasn’t working out and my life was kind of upside down but when I started wrestling again I kind of felt more purpose and structure and passionate about life in general again.”

    Bonin also explained why she isn’t allowed to wrestle under the name “Kaitlyn” anymore:

    “Kaitlyn is dead. We had her funeral. It’s a name that WWE owns and it’s a character that they own. They built it and they put money into it. I don’t own it.”

    With the Women’s Royal Rumble right around the corner there has been a ton of speculation as to who the WWE will be contacting to participate. Bonin said she hasn’t received a call from WWE to appear but knows they sometimes do so as late as two days before the event:

    “I haven’t got a call or anything. As far I know I’m not going to be there. But they’ve been known to call you 2 days before and that’s what happened to me when I debuted on NXT. They called me on a Friday and told me I was going to debut on a Tuesday. So anything is possible in the world of professional wrestling.”

    Since Bonin has departed from WWE the female division has seen a major revamp in how serious they take women’s professional wrestling. The newfound “Women’s Revolution” is something that she’s really proud of, but not necessarily envious of:

    “It’s really cool to look at the woman’s division now, I’m not envious that I’m not part of it right now because I have so much other sh*t going on with my business and the other projects I’m working on, but it makes me really proud that it’s gotten to the point where it’s at right now. The girls are getting longer matches and cool stories and characters and I’m super proud of it.

    “Last time Smackdown Live was in Miami, I went to see a few friends backstage and I was hanging out in the locker room and it was so cool in there and it’s not always like that. There’s different eras I guess and when I was there, there was some tension and a**holes and whatever. But it’s such a cool, chill vibe in the locker room now and it made me really proud of what they have going on right now.”

  • Bruce Prichard On Reuniting With Vince McMahon At RAW 25

    Bruce Prichard On Reuniting With Vince McMahon At RAW 25

    Former WWE executive Bruce Prichard was recently interviewed by 6-ABC to talk about several professional wrestling topics, including his return to the company at RAW 25 last week. Prichard was first asked about the big news of his former boss and friend Vince McMahon’s revival of the XFL. Prichard said that he’s excited for the return of the franchise, and the fact that McMahon is waiting two years for the relaunch shows maturity:

    “What is there to say about the announcement of the XFL in 2020? Like everybody else, I was highly anticipating this announcement. It was met with I think a little bit of mixed reviews because I think people wanted more. But, at the end of the day, the XFL is returning. Vince McMahon is at the helm, even though he says he’s going to have the best in the business and professionals that know the football game and know that world.

    “Vince will find the best. And Vince will hire the absolute best. I’m excited this time around because I don’t think Vince often makes the same mistakes too many times over. And the fact that he is taking two years to launch this league is a sign of, I don’t want to say maturity, but a sign of knowing the mistakes that he made last time and not wanting to repeat them. So already, he’s not rushing into this.”

    Prichard also discussed his encounter with Vince McMahon at RAW 25 last week and described their brief reunion:

    “I did get to say hello to Vince. I saw Vince right before he went out to start Monday Night Raw, in the hallway, and it was a short ‘Hello. Have fun.’ And at the very end, I thanked him and gave him a hug and that was it. Spoke to Stephanie and Shane [McMahon], as well, and it was great to reconnect with both of them. So all in all, it was an exciting day, a great night, a lot of history made, and, in a word, I had a blast, so it was it was an awful lot of fun.”

    This year there’s going to be two Royal Rumble matches on the pay-per-view (PPV) card, a men’s Royal Rumble match and the first-ever Women’s Rumble as well. Prichard offered his thoughts on having two Rumbles on one card:

    “Having two Rumbles in one show concerns me a little bit because those are two long matches and they’re the same type of match. It’s kind of like having a night of cage matches or a night of the same gimmick matches. It can wear on you after a while, but I’m confident that they’ll be able to make it different enough that people will enjoy it and pretty much be into everything that they do.”

    You can read Prichard’s full interview with 6-ABC by clicking this link here.