SEScoops

Author: Jon Fuentes

  • Jay White Pulled From NJPW Events for ‘Abundance Of Caution’

    Jay White Pulled From NJPW Events for ‘Abundance Of Caution’

    Jay White has been pulled from upcoming New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) events.

    NJPW made an official announcement, revealing that White has been removed from the promotion’s upcoming shows on August 9 and 10. White is apparently suffering from “heat stroke like symptoms” and his removal is a precautionary matter.

    It was also noted that White tested negative for COVID-19. Check out the official announcement below.

    “Jay White, who was scheduled to wrestle in Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall this evening, has been affected by heat stroke like symptoms and as a result will be removed from August 9 and 10 cards due to an abundance of caution.

    “As an additional precautionary measure, White has undertaken COVID antigen testing, which has returned negative.

    “We apologise to fans who were looking forward to seeing White wrestle, and appreciate your understanding.”

    White has been competing for NJPW for the past several years, making a name for himself as the head of The Bullet Club. He currently reigns as the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.

    Jay White
    (WWE)

    He’s also won several other titles during his time with NJPW; including the IWGP Heavyweight Title, IWGP United States Heavyweight Title, and many more. White recently began making appearances for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) back in February.

    He was able to retain his IWGP World Heavyweight Title at the AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view (PPV) in June.

  • CM Punk Walking Without Assistance (Photo)

    CM Punk Walking Without Assistance (Photo)

    CM Punk looks to be recovering well from his foot injury.

    A fan recently snapped a picture of Punk in a Chicago airport, in which he’s seen walking on his own power without any sort of assistance. Punk was accompanied by Danhausen. Check out the photo below.

    Punk was also spotted at C2E2, where he also did not need crutches or a walking boot. The All Elite Wrestling (AEW) World Champion is just two months removed from surgery, and seems to be recovering well.

    AEW president Tony Khan recently noted that he’d like to have Punk back for All Out next month, however, he was unsure if that was realistic.

    CM Punk

    CM Punk won the AEW World Title at AEW Double Or Nothing earlier this year against Hangman Page. However, he later announced on the June 3 edition of AEW Rampage that he will need surgery to repair the injury, seeing him sidelined for several months. 

    In his absence, Jon Moxley has been crowned the interim AEW World Champion, which will set up a unification bout with Punk once he’s healthy enough to return. Of course, that’s if Moxley is able to retain the title until Punk finally is healthy enough to compete.

  • Johnny Gargano Teases Wrestling Return Soon: ‘Keep Watching’

    Johnny Gargano Teases Wrestling Return Soon: ‘Keep Watching’

    Johnny Gargano teases that he could be returning to professional wrestling soon.

    Gargano recently took part in the Asylum Virtual signing, where he discussed several professional wrestling topics.

    One such question was regarding Triple H taking over WWE creative, and former NXT talents returning to WWE as a result.

    The former NXT star admitted he has been watching and keeping up with what’s going on in the professional wrestling world. He then concluded by saying he and his wife, Candice LeRae, will be showing up at someplace somewhere.

    When is Johnny Gargano Returning?

    “I’ve seen. I’ve noticed. It’s exciting times all around. You never know what could happen. Keep watching, we’re [him and wife Candice LeRae] going to show up at some point, wherever that may be.

    “We’re living in a crazy world where anything can go down. You never know what can happen on Mondays or Fridays anymore. We’ll be making some magic at some point in the future, I promise.” 

    Johnny Gargano

    Gargano was previously with WWE from 2015 to 2021. He became a key piece of the NXT brand throughout his entire run, not moving up to the main roster during that time.

    His run resulted in an NXT Title win, three NXT North American Title wins, and an NXT Tag Team Title win. His contract with WWE expired this past December and he decided not to re-sign.

    Currently, Gargano is a free agent and has not signed with any major professional wrestling promotion as of this writing.

    However, due to his good relationship Triple H in WWE, and the fact that “The Game” is now head of creative, many expect Gargano to return soon.

    Quotes via Fightful

  • Bobby Lashley Has ‘Unfinished Business’ with Brock Lesnar

    Bobby Lashley Has ‘Unfinished Business’ with Brock Lesnar

    Bobby Lashley has “unfinished business” with Brock Lesnar.

    Lashley was recently interviewed on the “Out Of Character” podcast with Ryan Satin, and touched on the subject of Brock Lesnar. Specifically, Lashley spoke on finally getting his long-awaited match with “The Beast” at the 2022 Royal Rumble event.

    That night, Lashley defeated Lesnar to win the WWE Championship. Of course, Lesnar would go on to win the Royal Rumble match later that night.

    Lashley admits that even though he finally got the match he always wanted against Lesnar – it wasn’t what he thought it would be.

    “It wasn’t the match I wanted because like, there’s a lot of things that were involved there, man,” Lashley said.” “It’s a bigger story than just a couple of weeks and a random pay-per-view, and it’s more than just that.

    “I want to train for that match like I’m training for a fight … People want to see us fight, people want to see us wrestle … There still is a lot of unfinished business there.”

    A month later, Lesnar recaptured the WWE Title at Elimination Chamber after Lashley went down with an injury. Lesnar went on to WrestleMania 38 to unify the World Titles with Roman Reigns in the main event, with Reigns coming out on top.

    Lashley is currently on Monday Night RAW and is in the reigning United States Champion.

    Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

  • Backstage News on Karrion Kross & Scarlett Making WWE Return

    Backstage News on Karrion Kross & Scarlett Making WWE Return

    We have some news to pass along regarding Karrion Kross and Scarlett returning to WWE.

    PWInsider reports that, after Karrion Kross and Scarlett were released last year, they maintained regular communication with WWE. With that being said, the regime change worked out in their favor.

    Also, Kross and Scarlett have been added to the WWE’s internal SmackDown roster. Kross is to be positioned as the number two heel on the program behind Roman Reigns. As for Scarlett, she’ll be managing Kross and isn’t expected to wrestle regularly.

    Of course, that could always change down the road. It’s also believed that the pair will fulfill their remaining obligations on the independent circuit as much as possible. Kross and Scarlett made their returns on last week’s episode of SmackDown Live.

    Kross attacked Drew McIntyre during a promo segment with Roman Reigns. His return, alongside Scarlett, closed out the show. Kross had initially signed with WWE in February of 2020.

    Karrion Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux
    Karrion Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux

    During his run with the company, Kross was assigned to the NXT brand along with Scarlett, where he reigned as NXT Champion twice. They were later granted a release from their contracts in November of 2021.

    Since, Kross has been competing on the independent circuit; as well as for various other promotions such as Major League Wrestling (MLW), New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), and others.

    Now, it seems Kross has found himself a favorable position in WWE on the main roster.

  • WWE Hall Of Famer Teases They Have One Match Left In Them

    WWE Hall Of Famer Teases They Have One Match Left In Them

    One WWE Hall Of Famer has teased that they have one last match left in them.

    Stevie Ray, one-half of the WWE Hall Of Fame tag team Harlem Heat, took to Twitter recently to share a video of himself working out at the gym. He captioned the video by suggesting he may have one last match left in him.

    “I think I have one last match in me”

    Ray is a longtime veteran of the professional wrestling industry. After getting his start in the business back in 1989, Ray and his brother, Booker T, joined WCW as Harlem heat in 1993.

    Together, he and his brother racked up 10 WCW World Tag Team Championship runs. As a singles competitor, Ray captured the WCW World TV Championship. Ray then became a color commentator for WCW Thunder before the promotion went under in 2001.

    harlem heat

    WCW was bought by WWE, but Ray was not one of the talents who joined WWE. He worked sporadically over the next several years, with his last match taking place in 2017 for Booker T’s Reality Of Wrestling.

    Ray and Booker T were inducted into the Hall Of Fame in 2019. Should Ray return to the ring, it will be his first match in over five years.

  • Lana Reacts to Vince McMahon Allegations, Retirement

    Lana Reacts to Vince McMahon Allegations, Retirement

    Former WWE star Lana (real name CJ Perry) has offered her thoughts on the current situation surrounding Vince McMahon and his retirement.

    During a recent interview with Liam Alexander-Stewart of ITRWrestling.com, Perry was asked for her thoughts on the situation with McMahon. While Perry said she had a great relationship with McMahon, that doesn’t mean everyone else has.

    “Oh, gosh, it’s I feel like such a controversial issue right now and it’s really unfortunate everything, to be honest.

    “I’m a big believer that we should bring things into the light and even though I had amazing relationship with Vince, and he was very kind to me and taught me so many things that I’m going to take with me for the rest of my life, It doesn’t mean that other people didn’t have a very different experience.”

    “I… in general, not with people in WWE, but in general, but being a victim of sexual harassment and being a victim of people trying to pull favors from you that I really just don’t ever really talk about, and maybe one day will be more comfortable with talking about at a bigger on a bigger level.

    “But, you know, I have compassion and empathy for those women, and I think it does need to be handled properly, however it is.”

    Lana
    Lana

    McMahon was forced to step down as WWE CEO after several allegations of sexual misconduct came against him. This left his daughter, Stephanie McMahon, and Nick Khan to step up as co-CEOs.

    Shortly thereafter, McMahon decided to retire as head of WWE creative. This was shortly after reports surfaced that several investigations into McMahon’s misconduct were now underway.

    His son-in-law, Triple H, has now been named the new head of WWE creative. There have already been several changes made to how WWE operates under the new regime change – positively received for the most part.

  • WWE Easing Policy on Restricting Certain Words (Report)

    WWE Easing Policy on Restricting Certain Words (Report)

    WWE appears to be easing up their policy on restricting certain words for talent that can and can’t be said on television.

    Wrestling Observer Newsletter is reporting that the promotion is easing up on certain terms that have been restricted in the past. Specifically, the words “wrestler” and “wrestling” are not considered to be “dirty words.”

    In the former regime, talent weren’t allowed to use those words without prior authorization. Talent backstage consider it to be a positive change. In fact, since Triple H has taken over as head of creative, morale backstage amongst talent has been positive and fresh.

    However, some people are still taking a “wait and see” approach. Women, in particular, are said to feel like there will be more focus on them. Other talents are said to be worried about their spots now that Vince McMahon is gone.

    Triple H
    (via WWE)

    With that being said, Triple H is said to be someone who comes across as though he cares about the talent. He assumed the role of head of creative after Vince McMahon decided to retire.

    McMahon made the announcement on his retirement shortly after investigations begin into his sexual misconduct allegations as WWE CEO – a position he has also since stepped down from.

  • Backstage Note on Changes Made to WWE RAW MSG Last Week

    Backstage Note on Changes Made to WWE RAW MSG Last Week

    We have some notes to pass along regarding the changes that were made to WWE Monday Night RAW from Madison Square Garden last week.

    As noted, last week’s episode of Monday Night RAW from Madison Square Garden was the first episode of RAW without Vince McMahon. McMahon retired shortly after investigations began into his sexual misconduct allegations.

    It was noted that the show had already been written and approved days before McMahon retired.

    However, there were some slight tweaks made to the show. Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that an in-ring promo between Drew McIntyre and Theory was scheduled before their match.

    However, it was cut after Roman Reigns’ opening segment ran long. Also, because of the change due to time, the match was called in the ring instead of being planned out completely.

    WWE Raw Arena

    WWE has decided to now let their talents improvise more in their matches. The only exception being certain key spots with particular top stars.

    For example, the Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus match on the following SmackDown was called in the ring, with the exception of the key spots and run-ins that were laid out beforehand.

    Thus far, the changes implemented under Triple H as the new head of creative have been welcome ones.

  • Jade Cargill Reacts To Goldberg & Chyna Comparisons

    Jade Cargill Reacts To Goldberg & Chyna Comparisons

    Jade Cargill has reacted to comparisons she’s received to Goldberg and Chyna.

    Cargill was recently interviewed on The Game 92.9, where she was asked about the comparisons she’s received to the likes of Chyna and WWE Hall Of Famer Goldberg. While Cargill is honored by the comparisons, she maintains she’s her own person.

    “I love what these two phenomenal, phenomenal people represent: beauty, posture, dominance, just running through people,” Cargill said.

    “I’m my own person, however. I can take these attributes from these amazing wrestlers, but I’m myself. I’m Jade Cargill. I have a different path than both of these phenomenal people.”

    Cargill has been extremely impressive throughout her run with All Elite Wrestling (AEW). One of the biggest reasons she finds herself compared to Goldberg is because she’s currently undefeated. Her record sits at 35-0 and she reigns as the inaugural TBS Champion for 211 days-straight.

    Goldberg racked up an amazing 173-0 undefeated record before ultimately being defeated by Kevin Nash. As for her comparisons to Chyna, both she and Cargill are physically imposing women whose physicality dominates inside the ring.

    Chyna helped break down barriers, winning the Intercontinental Championship as well as the WWE Women’s Title. Cargill hopes to make a similar impact throughout her run with AEW.

    Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

  • Becky Lynch Calls Triple H Heading WWE Creative ‘Phenomenal’

    Becky Lynch Calls Triple H Heading WWE Creative ‘Phenomenal’

    Becky Lynch thinks that Triple H heading WWE creative now is “phenomenal.”

    There have been a ton of changes within WWE as of late. Following sexual misconduct allegations, Vince McMahon stepped down as WWE CEO, leaving Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan as co-CEOs.

    Soon after, McMahon retired as head of WWE creative after several investigations into those allegations began. In his place, his son-in-law, Triple H, has stepped in to fill the void.

    Speaking to ESPN recently, Becky Lynch has offered her take on the regime change. Although she’s saddened by McMahon retiring, Lynch admits that Triple H stepping in is “phenomenal.”

    “It is the dawning of a new era. For me, it’s crazy and sad because everything I’ve ever known about WWE has always had Vince in charge, and we wouldn’t have WWE the way it is if it wasn’t for Vince.

    “He’s somebody who believed in me and allowed me to do everything that I’ve done. We have the opportunity to change some things that maybe weren’t so great that we didn’t love.

    “I think everybody’s very excited and optimistic because we know that the people in charge [are] some of the greatest minds in the business, you know. Having Triple H at the helm of the ship is phenomenal.

    “There has been a tendency in the past for creative to change last minute, or we don’t know where we’re going. It’s hard to bring everybody along on this journey if we’re rambling.”

    Lynch is currently sidelined with an injured shoulder. She suffered that injury in her matchup with Bianca Belair at SummerSlam. Lynch failed to capture the RAW Women’s Title from Belair at the event.

    On this week’s episode of RAW, Lynch confirmed that she suffered the injury, and was subsequently written off TV after an attack by Bayley and her new stable backstage.

  • Pat McAfee Reveals How Often WWE Is Drug Testing Him

    Pat McAfee Reveals How Often WWE Is Drug Testing Him

    Pat McAfee has revealed how often WWE is drug testing him as a competitor and SmackDown Live commentator.

    McAfee was recently a guest on The Dan Patrick Show, where he talked about his time with the company. McAfee noted that, since joining WWE, he has been tested “numerous” times.

    “They drug test rather often at the WWE,” McAfee said. “Yes, they actually do now. There are always going to be people that talk about some people maybe aren’t getting tested.

    “There’s always conspiracy theories about everything, but I’ve been tested and given my blood to the WWE numerous times.… There was a lot of things that happen whenever you start injecting your body with stuff.

    “And people who were already maybe high energy or very emotional, and then there was some stuff that has happened through the evolution of human and the evolution of WWE where they have had to put in different rules.”

    Pat McAfee
    (via WWE)

    WWE has really ramped up their wellness policy over the years. No matter how big the star, seemingly nobody is given any leeway when it comes to the wellness policy. Names such as Roman Reigns, Rey Mysterio, Randy Orton, and more have faced suspensions over the years for failing drug tests.

    As for Pat McAfee, he’s likely tested more due to WWE also utilizing him as an in-ring competitor as well. Back at WrestleMania 38, McAfee went one-on-one with Theory in a bout that the ex-NFL punter won.

    However, he subsequently lost an impromptu match to Vince McMahon moments later. At SummerSlam last weekend, McAfee returned to the ring, defeating Happy Corbin in a singles contest as well.

    McAfee will remain a regular at the SmackDown Live commentary desk, while likely continuing to return to the ring on occasion.

    Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

  • Dwight Howard Details WWE Tryout Experience

    Dwight Howard Details WWE Tryout Experience

    Dwight Howard has opened up on his experience trying out for WWE.

    Last week, NBA star Dwight Howard took part in WWE tryouts during SummerSlam week. He was arguably the biggest surprise entrant in the entire crop of candidates who got into the ring.

    The Los Angeles Lakers center took part in a variety of drills, including cutting a promo. Speaking on WWE’s The Bump recently, Howard opened up about his tryout experience.

    Howard explained that he’s always had an interest in professional wrestling, and when Titus O’Neil presented him the opportunity to try out, he jumped on it.

    “Well, Titus O’Neil and myself are close friends, and we’ve talked about me being a wrestler one day. I told him that I was very, very interested in becoming a wrestler one day. It’s been a dream of mine.

    “I’ve always wanted to be on the big stage of wrestling, and I have all the WWE games and WCWs on N64 I play. So I just wanted to have an opportunity, and he said if you’re serious about wanting to be a wrestler, make your way to Tennessee, Nashville for SummerSlam and we’ll see how serious you are.

    “So I drove down to Nashville from Atlanta, me and my son and my cousin. We got this show on the road. I showed everybody how serious I was about the WWE and how honored I was about being in the presence of so many great people and just all the people at WWE. It was an amazing experience.”

    WWE is no stranger to signing professional athletes. They’ve inked the likes of various ex-NFL players, mixed martial artists, and various other sporting stars. Names such as Ronda Rousey, Pat McAfee, and Brock Lesnar top that list.

    Should Howard end up signing with WWE, he’ll certainly be one of the biggest names in sports to have made the transition over to professional wrestling.

    Quotes via WrestleZone

  • Liv Morgan Explains How John Cena Influenced Her Career

    Liv Morgan Explains How John Cena Influenced Her Career

    Liv Morgan was heavily influenced by John Cena in her professional wrestling career.

    Morgan was recently interviewed on Complex, where she explained how Cena helped influence her career inside the squared circle as a young fan.

    “I loved John Cena, I thought he was the s***. I had such a crush on him. He would pump his little sneakers, and I’d pump my sneakers, and I didn’t even have pumps. I would just press my little tongue [on her shoe].

    “Yeah, I thought he was amazing. And so, he, I think, has been, whether I know it or not, a subconscious influence on my career, you know, because he wore sneakers for the majority of his career, so I think maybe it’s something that kind of embedded in my mind, and maybe a reason why I like to wear sneakers.”

    Morgan is currently in the middle of her first-ever reign as a World Champion in WWE. She won the SmackDown Live Women’s Title at Money In The Bank against Ronda Rousey.

    Liv Morgan at Money In The Bank

    Earlier in the night, Morgan won the women’s Money In The Bank ladder match. She cashed in the briefcase later that same night after Rousey defeated Natalya to retain the SmackDown Women’s Title.

    Recently, at SummerSlam, Morgan successfully retained her title against Rousey in a rematch, in controversial fashion. As for Cena, he hasn’t been a full-time regular with WWE in several years.

    He will, however, return on occasion for a one-off match every so often. Recently, he returned to Monday Night RAW this past June to celebrate his 20th anniversary since making his main roster debut.

    During his promo, Cena promised he’d be back for another match, but he didn’t clarify when. Whenever that time comes, it’s certain to be a massive event.

    Quotes via 411Mania

  • Claudio Castagnoli Wants a Match with Kazuchika Okada

    Claudio Castagnoli Wants a Match with Kazuchika Okada

    Claudio Castagnoli would love to have a match with Kazuchika Okada down the line.

    Castagnoli recently took part in a media scrum at Starrcast V. During the scrum, Castagnoli discussed the possibility facing New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) star Kazuchika Okada.

    The Ring Of Honor (ROH) Champion said a match with Okada would mean a lot to him, especially given their past.

    “I would just pick Okada. Mainly because I’ve known Okada for over 10 years, actually. When he wrestled at Chikara, he stayed at — me and Chris Hero had a house that a lot of the guys stayed, including Okada, and then I saw him again when he was training in Mexico.

    “So, I think I have a picture of me and him when I still had hair and when he was not ‘The Rainmaker’ yet. So I think there’s definitely a lot of history there. So yeah, definitely. He would be one of many guys that we want to face.“

    Claudio Castagnoli ROH Champion

    Castagnoli has been on quite the roll since leaving WWE. He competed in WWE for over 10 years as Cesaro where he was one of the company’s most promising stars. However, he was arguably underutilized throughout his run, with many seeing World Championship potential in the Swiss powerhouse.

    Throughout his 11 years with WWE, Castagnoli only won one singles title – the United States Championship. However, he signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in June after his WWE contract expired in February.

    He then won the ROH World Title from Jonathan Gresham at Death Before Dishonor in July. As for Okada, he has been one of Japan’s biggest stars for years. He’s a five-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, and also does work for AEW.

    A match between Okada and Castagnoli down the road is certainly a possibility in the near future.

    Quotes via Fightful

  • Wrestling Couple Expecting Their First Child Together

    Wrestling Couple Expecting Their First Child Together

    One wrestling couple has just announced that they’re expecting their first child together.

    All Elite Wrestling star Shawn Spears and former WWE Superstar Cassie Lee (Peyton Royce) shared a video of social media sharing the news. Spears and Lee married back in 2019.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CgzZYpKF46R/

    Spears ran with WWE from 2013 to 2019, during which he spent four of those years with NXT before being called up to the main roster. Unfortunately, Spears never got a run as a champion during his time with WWE.

    However, he was one of SmackDown Live’s most promising young stars at the time. In February of 2019, Spears asked for his release from WWE, and it was later granted. A few months later, he made his AEW debut at Double Or Nothing.

    Shawn Spears
    Shawn Spears

    As for Lee, she had a six-year run with WWE as one-half of the tag team, The IIconics, alongside Billie Kay. The pair had runs on NXT and the WWE main roster, which included a reign as the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.

    However, Lee was released from WWE in April of 2021 along with several other talents, including Kay. She had a brief run with IMPACT Wrestling in 2021 before ultimately requesting her release this past April.

    Now, it appears she’ll take some time away from the ring as she and Spears start their family together.

  • Tony Khan Believes WWE Management Shakeup Will Be Good for Wrestling Fans

    Tony Khan Believes WWE Management Shakeup Will Be Good for Wrestling Fans

    Tony Khan has offered his reaction to the recent WWE management shakeup.

    Things have shaken up in a massive way over in WWE. Vince McMahon stepped down from his position as WWE CEO after some sexual misconduct allegations surfaced. This left Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan to fill in as co-CEOs.

    McMahon was then forced to retire from his position as head of WWE creative after investigations into McMahon began. Now, Triple H has been promoted to head of creative in WWE.

    There seems to have been a generally positive reaction to the change, especially from the talent backstage. Now, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) president Tony Khan has offered his reaction to the news.

    Khan spoke on the matter during an interview with Sports Grid. The AEW front-man noted that he believes the change will be good for wrestling fans, making things more exciting – especially when it comes to free agency.

    “I think that’s always been a concern, but now probably more so than ever, I imagine great wrestlers are going to be in demand. And again, I think this is probably going to be good for the wrestling fans because that’s one of the most exciting things about pro wrestling: free agency.

    “It’s one of those things that was really missing from the sport for almost two decades before AEW came in, because there was not a legitimate competitor in the free agent market, and now there is.

    “I think it’s going to be some exciting times ahead, hopefully for many years to come. One of the worst things that happened, I think, in American sports in my lifetime was when WCW closed down. And there should always be another national wrestling company.”

    Tony Khan
    (AEW)

    Free agency has already been a huge deal between WWE and AEW. Names such as Bryan Danielson and Adam Cole leaving WWE for AEW, and Cody Rhodes leaving AEW to return to WWE.

    With Triple H now at the helm of WWE, and considered to be more appealing to work under than Vince McMahon, it will be interesting to see if the tides change in a major way, drawing more talent’s interest in joining WWE.

  • Bryan Danielson Confirms He & Miz Legitimately Don’t Like Each Other

    Bryan Danielson Confirms He & Miz Legitimately Don’t Like Each Other

    Bryan Danielson confirms that he and The Miz “legitimately” don’t like one another.

    Danielson was recently interviewed by Renee Paquette, where he discussed a multitude of topics, including his WWE run. During the interview, Danielson discussed his issues with The Miz.

    Miz was Danielson’s mentor on WWE NXT. This eventually led to a storyline feud between the pair. Years later, things came to a head on an episode of Talking Smack, where things got personal.

    Bryan Danielson
    (via AEW)

    Danielson explained that both men were frustrated and wanted to make a solid segment out of it. He admits that he and Miz “legitimately” don’t like one another. However, he definitely respects Miz.

    “Miz was very frustrated. He was Intercontinental Champion and wasn’t being put on TV too much. I was very frustrated that they weren’t clearing me to wrestle despite numerous doctors having cleared me to wrestle and, you know, I understand why, but that’s a long story anyway.

    “So just getting to the point of my frustration, so we came up with this thing, the original plan that Mike and I had come up with, was I was going to f*cking deck him. We wanted to get under each other’s skin so much that it was plausible that I would legit be angry enough to punch him, and so that was the intent.

    “The idea was either they’re going to fire me, or it’s going to make people want to see the match so much that they’re going to have to clear me to wrestle. But then Mike did such a great job, intuitively, I felt it was better to walk off because it was also like, this is so good.

    “Leave him with his heat. He was so good. Mike and I don’t like each other, legitimately, but Mike is also somebody that I respect a lot for working very, very hard.”

    Now, both men currently work for different promotions. After getting medically cleared to return to the ring, Bryan Danielson had a bit of a run before deciding not to re-sign with WWE.

    He signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and made his debut in September of last year. As for Miz, he’s still with WWE, where he has remained for nearly 20 years.

    He’s currently aligned with Ciampa on Monday Night RAW, feuding against AJ Styles and Logan Paul.

    Quotes via WrestlingNews.co

  • When Ronda Rousey is Expected Back From WWE TV Suspension

    When Ronda Rousey is Expected Back From WWE TV Suspension

    Ronda Rousey was recently handed a storyline suspension after attacking referee Dan Engler at WWE SummerSlam.

    Rousey was upset after the referee ruled in Liv Morgan’s favor at their SummerSlam match this past weekend.

    Morgan put her title up for grabs against Rousey, who she cashed in her Money In The Bank briefcase on to win the title.

    The ending sequence of their SummerSlam match saw Ronda Rousey put Morgan in an armbar. However, although Morgan tapped out, Rousey’s shoulders were on the mat, to which the referee counted to three.

    Rousey was furious with the decision, and decided to take her frustrations out on both Morgan and referee Dan Engler. It was later announced Rousey received a storyline suspension and was “fined.”

    Ronda Rousey’s Return

    Clash at the Castle

    Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reports that Rousey is currently booked to work the upcoming WWE Clash at the Castle event next month.

    With that being said, she shouldn’t be kept off TV for too long.

    WWE Clash At The Castle takes place from Wales on September 3. It will be WWE’s first stadium show in the UK since 1992 – 30 years ago. It all goes down from the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

    The event will be broadcast on Peacock in the United States, and the WWE Network everywhere else.

  • Backstage News on What’s Changed Since Triple H Took Over WWE Creative

    Backstage News on What’s Changed Since Triple H Took Over WWE Creative

    We have some backstage news to pass along regarding what’s changed since Triple H took over WWE creative.

    There have already been a few tweaks to the creative process in WWE since Triple H assumed leadership, according to a report at PWInsider. The past few weeks have seen things “loosen up” when it comes to scripting promos and matches.

    Talents are reportedly allowed to improvise more. Specifically, it was noted that the Sheamus vs. Drew McIntyre match on SmackDown last week.

    A solid bit of the match was called inside the ring as opposed to having everything planned out beforehand.

    Triple H

    Triple H took over the head of WWE creative after Vince McMahon retired from WWE. McMahon stepped down as WWE CEO after sexual misconduct allegations surfaced, following several investigations into the matter.

    McMahon then retired as the head of WWE creative, leaving his son-in-law to take over. There seems to be a general positive reaction to Triple H taking over.

    In fact, the USA Network seemed pretty happy with the direction “The Game” wants to go. Monday Night RAW this week was allowed to go for one-hour without any commercials.

    The first RAW under Triple H also received generally good reviews after it was all said and done. It will be interesting to see how things progress under the former WWE Champion moving forward.

    Talent Losing their Spots?

    Things seem to be off to a great start under Triple H, but not everybody is optimistic about the new regime.

    According to Dave Meltzer from the Wrestling Observer, there are “definitely” some stars who are worried about losing their spots now that Vince McMahon is no longer with WWE.

    With that said there are already talents who are getting featured more under Triple H than Vince McMahon. Mustafa Ali competed on his first Raw in months last night, later tweeting “opportunity” following his loss in the triple threat between himself, The Miz, and AJ Styles.

    The Game also brought back Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai at SummerSlam, two top talents that were cut earlier in the year with Vince McMahon still at the helm.

  • Hall of Famer Sees ‘Brock Lesnar Potential’ in Wardlow

    Hall of Famer Sees ‘Brock Lesnar Potential’ in Wardlow

    Mark Henry sees Brock Lesnar potential in All Elite Wrestling star Wardlow.

    Henry was recently was recently interviewed by Sportskeeda and shared his high opinion of reigning AEW TNT Champion, Wardlow.

    “The World’s Strongest Man” had nothing but praise for the young champion, who he claims has the same potential as past stars such as Brock Lesnar, Goldberg, and even The Rock.

    “I think Wardlow is an unbelievable competitor,” Henry said. “And he’s going to be even better. The Wardlow we see right now, in a best of three, I think a Mark Henry might beat that guy. But in the next two years, Wardlow is going to be the most dominant force in pro wrestling since Brock Lesnar…”

    Henry also compared Wardlow’s upside to megastars like Goldberg, The Rock and even Stone Cold Steve Austin.

    That’s certainly high praise from Henry, a veteran of the industry of nearly 30 years. He’ a former WWE World Heavyweight Champion who was inducted into the company’s Hall Of Fame in 2016.

    As for Wardlow, he has certainly been privy to one particular comparison throughout his run with AEW. That being a comparison to WWE Hall Of Famer and ex-WCW World Heavyweight Champion Goldberg.

    Likely due to both men having such an intimidating size and physique inside the ring. Wardlow has certainly come into his own since splitting apart from the likes of MJF. He captured the TNT Title from Scorpio Sky on a July 6 episode of AEW Dynamite in a Street Fight.

  • Sasha Banks & Naomi Returning to WWE (Report)

    Sasha Banks & Naomi Returning to WWE (Report)

    WWE is expected to be welcoming back two big names very soom.

    According to a report from WrestlingNewsCo, a deal has been struck to bring back Sasha Banks and Naomi to WWE.

    It was recently reported that WWE was attempting to mend their relationship with the former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions. Especially since the pair’s issues were with Vince McMahon, creatively, who is now retired.

    Naomi and Banks walked out prior to an episode of Monday Night RAW several weeks ago after reported creative differences with McMahon. The WWE commentary team went as far as confirming it during the broadcast.

    There has been a lot of speculation as to the status of both women since their walkout, with some reports suggesting Banks has already been granted her release. WWE has yet to confirm any releases for either Banks or Naomi as of this writing.

    It will be interesting to see what WWE has in store for them creatively. Especially in regards to the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles.

    Of course, we’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available on tonight’s episode of Monday Night RAW.

  • Kurt Angle Reveals Text To Vince McMahon After His Retirement

    Kurt Angle Reveals Text To Vince McMahon After His Retirement

    Kurt Angle has revealed what he texted to Vince McMahon after it was announced that McMahon has retired.

    As noted, there have been a lot of changes within WWE as of late. Vince McMahon stepped down as WWE CEO after some sexual misconduct allegations came to light.

    He then decided to retire, handing the reigns of WWE creative over to son-in-law Triple H.

    Now, various professional wrestling stars have offered up their reactions to the news. Recently, WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle was interviewed by Bleacher Report and offered his take on the situation.

    Kurt Angle and Vince McMahon
    Kurt Angle and Vince McMahon

    Angle revealed that he actually texted McMahon after the news of his retirement broke, and divulged some details on the conversation.

    “I text him five days ago when he decided to retire. I said, ‘Love you, Vince.’ I didn’t want to go into detail, what happened, this and that. He said, ‘I love you too.’ That’s all we said to each other.

    “Vince has always been kind of a father figure to me. We did have a falling out in 2006, but we mended that in 2017 and I love the guy to death. He’s such a great individual.

    “We all make mistakes as human beings and Vince is no different, but he’s an excellent individual.“

    Kurt Angle and McMahon worked closely together when the former Olympic Gold Medalist wrestler was brought into WWE in the late 90s.

    He would go on to become one of the company’s biggest stars of his generation.

    Although he doesn’t wrestle anymore, having retired and been inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame, Angle still regularly gives his take on the current goings on within the business on his podcast, “The Kurt Angle Show.”

    Quotes via Fightful

  • More Details on Situation with Jonathan Gresham and AEW/ROH

    More Details on Situation with Jonathan Gresham and AEW/ROH

    We have some more details to pass along regarding to ongoing situation between Jonathan Gresham and Ring Of Honor (ROH).

    As we’ve noted, there have been some issues between Gresham and All Elite Wrestling (AEW) president/ROH owner Tony Khan.

    Gresham requested his release from the promotion shortly after an incident with Khan before the ROH Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view (PPV). 

    In an update from Mike Johnson of PWInsider, Gresham is not expected back “in any form” with AEW or ROH. That’s unless he and Khan are able to make amends with one another.

    Their last conversation was said to be “ugly and unprofessional.” There are multiple versions of the story going around.

    Jonathan Gresham
    (via ROH)

    One suggests that Gresham “cursed out” Khan, while others say he tried to use his ranking in the Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine’s PWI 500 list as a reason why he should be used better.

    Neither Gresham nor Khan have publicly commented on the situation, however, Gresham’s wife, Jordynne Grace, did write the following on Twitter.

    “I promise that you don’t have to believe everything you read online. 95% of “dirt sheet” news is exaggerated, completely made up, or taken out of context.”

    It should be noted that Jonathan Gresham recently dropped the ROH World Championship to Claudio Castagnoli at ROH Death Before Dishonor on July 23.

  • More Details on Johnny Gargano Appearing on IMPACT Wrestling

    More Details on Johnny Gargano Appearing on IMPACT Wrestling

    We have some more details to pass along regarding Johnny Gargano appearing on IMPACT Wrestling this week.

    As we’ve noted, Gargano made a surprise video appearance on last night’s episode of IMPACT Wrestling. He was one of several talents who did so in order to hype up Alex Shelley ahead of his IMPACT World Title shot at their Emergence PPV on Friday, August 12.

    During his appearance, Gargano called Shelly one of the most underrated wrestlers of this current generation. Check it out here:

    Fightful Select reports that the free agent Gargano’s appearance on IMPACT was more of a favor to a friend. He is not in talks with IMPACT Wrestling as of this writing.

    Johnny Gargano joined WWE in 2015 where he was a key piece to their NXT brand. During his WWE run, Gargano had one reign a NXT Champion, three as NXT North American Champion, and an NXT Tag Team Title reign.

    He departed from WWE after his contract expired in December. Since, he has remained a free agent, with no indication as to where he could be signing any time soon.

    However, with the recent changes in WWE, one could argue that Gargano might be making a return to his former employer relatively soon. With Vince McMahon now retired, Triple H has now assumed the role of head of creative.

    Gargano worked very closely with Triple H during his NXT run, as “The Game” was at the forefront of the developmental brand for quite some time.