AEW President Tony Khan has addressed the chatter that certain performers are unhappy with their roles in the company.

Khan spoke with Josh Martinez of Z100’s Superstar Crossover this week to promote Wednesday’s Quake by the Lake edition of AEW Dynamite.

In addition to hyping up the latest themed Dynamite, Khan was asked about disgruntled members of the AEW locker room.

According to TK, “the vibe is really positive” in AEW and he believes people are excited for the big season ahead. He touted AEW’s recent management hires and promotions and said they’re focused on continuing to improve communication with talent.

Listen to Josh Martinez’s interview with Tony Khan on Superstar Crossover for Z100:

Improving Communication

“Well, we have a great crew, we’re very happy with the shows we’ve been doing,” said Khan. “I think we’ve got a great team of people. I recently did some promotions and added to the team, and I think with the new group, hopefully, communication is only going to get better, because I can only be in so many places at one time and talk to so many people on such a big team.”

He continued, “I think that will help, but also, I jus tin general think we have a really great environment and a really great backstage, and overall it’s been a really great summer for us and it’s only going to get better. A lot of the big stars in AEW have been out, so it’s been great for us to maintain position.”

“The Vibe is Really Positive”

AEW Dynamite has been the top show on cable on Wednesdays for 6 of the past 7 weeks, a feat that Khan feels deserves some attention. That consistency has been thanks to the wrestlers and staff they have, and of course, wrestling fans.

Khan says there’s a lot of good camaraderie and momentum in AEW, but it’s been challenging to feature everybody regularly when they only have 3 hours of cable TV programming each week.

“I can’t get everybody on to the show,” said Khan. “It is challenging in some ways when you have 3 hours of television. I get that if you’re looking at a competitor that has 7 hours of television, that really, the people in that company are more than twice as likely to be on TV, if you look at it that way.”

“So, I think it’s very competitive for spots, but it also means that people have to do the most to maximize the time they do get, wherever it is, whether its on TV or streaming.”

He added that overall, there are no serious morale issues in AEW.

“Overall, I think the vibe is really positive and we’re all really excited.”

– Tony Khan

AEW has a big couple months coming up, with All Out taking place in early September and Grand Slam, the company’s biggest TV event of the year, just a few weeks after that.

AEW Morale Issues?

Here are some recent articles related to possible morale issues in AEW:

• Miro Suggests He ‘Had It Better’ In WWE
• Another Big AEW Star Seemingly Unhappy With The Company
• Dustin Rhodes has had it With Wrestlers Being Unhappy in AEW
• Ex-AEW Star Calls Tony Khan ‘King Of Last Minute Mind Changes’

Solo Sikoa was diagnosed with a sprained PCL on Tuesday’s edition of NXT 2.0. The PCL (Posterior Cruciate Ligament) is a ligament in the knee.

According to the WWE medical professional who examined Sikoa, he’ll be out of action for 4-6 weeks while he heals up. Thankfully, it’s not torn or broken. As a result, he will miss next week’s NXT Heatwave special.

It’s believed that Sikoa tweaked his knee during his Falls Count Anywhere match against Von Wagner next week. On this week’s NXT 2.0, Cameron Grimes visited Sikoa in the trainers room to congratulate him on that match.

Sikoa made it clear that he’s got his sights set on the NXT North American Championship, currently held by Carmelo Hayes.

Solo Sikoa (Joseph Fatu) is a member of the legendary Anoa’i wrestling dynasty. He’s the real-life brother of The Usos and son of Attitude Era star Rikishi.

Below, you can watch highlights of the hard-hitting war between Sikoa and Von Wagner from the August 2nd episode of NXT 2.0:

Fans of the WWE 2K video game series have reason to be optimistic about the franchise’s future.

WWE 2K22, released back in March, promised to “hit different” after WWE 2K20 was so buggy that the following year’s installment was scrapped entirely. Thankfully, it lived up to the hype and was well-received by critics and gamers alike.

WWE 2K20 on PS4 had an aggregate critic score of 43/100 (via Metacritic), while the PS5 edition of WWE 2K22 earned a 77/100.

The fate of the WWE 2K franchise hinged on the success of this year’s game. According to Take-Two Interactive, WWE 2K23 is already in the works.

• Check out our official WWE 2K22 Review

WWE 2K23 Release Date

Take-Two Interactive released its fiscal 2023 first quarter earnings report earlier this week. It cited WWE 2K22 as one of its best-selling games for the quarter, contributing to the company’s healthy sales figures and net revenue:

“The largest contributors to GAAP net revenue were NBA® 2K22; Grand Theft Auto® Online and Grand Theft Auto V; Red Dead Redemption® 2 and Red Dead Online; Empires & Puzzles™; Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands®; WWE® 2K22; Rollic’s hyper-casual portfolio; Toon Blast™; The Quarry®;and Top Eleven®.“

More importantly, Take-Two Interactive lists WWE 2K23 as one of the games scheduled to be released by the end of its fiscal 2023 calendar.

Take-Two’s fiscal year ends March 31, 2023, so it looks like WWE will be sticking with the format of releasing the new video game at the height of WrestleMania season.

We’ll keep you posted as more details become available regarding WWE 2K23.

WWE 2K23 is not not the only wrestling video game in development. As we’ve been covering, All Elite Wrestling is also working on its first console video game, titled AEW Fight Forever.

AEW has yet to confirm the release date, but Fight Forever is due out some time before the end of this year. Instead of directly competing with WWE’s simulation-style offering, Fight Forever looks to be more of an arcade-style game that fans can pick up and play.

• New AEW Fight Forever Screenshots & Game Mode Details

Major League Wrestling has announced the main event for the upcoming MLW Super Series event from the greater Atlanta, GA area.

MLW World Champion Alex Hammerstone will put his gold on the line against high-flying luchador, Bandido.

The following is from MLW’s official match preview and provides backstory on this championship showdown:

“With no man having pinned or submitting Bandido since debuting in MLW in January, this luchador has put himself in contention for a championship bout, a bout that was originally set for the Battle Riot IV.”

“Collecting championships from Mexico to the United Kingdom, Bandido now has MLW’s most cherished gold on his mind. Grabbing this prize wouldn’t just bring him bragging rights for AAA and his homeland but make him the World Champion.”

MLW Super Series ’22

MLW Super Series goes down Sunday, September 18th at the Space Event Center at in Norcross, GA. The card is a FUSION TV taping, airing on beIN SPORTS nationwide.

Super Series has been dubbed a “cross-promotional summit” and will feature talent from Mexico’s Lucha Libre AAA promotion.

For more details on this event, visit MLW.com.

Hammerstone has been the reigning MLW World Champion since battling Jacob Fatu in a title vs. title clash last October. Watch the full match here:

Lex Luger is one of the most successful wrestlers of the past 30 years. The Total Package is the subject of the latest Biography: WWE Legends, premiering on A&E this Sunday night at 10/9C.

WWE has released a few teaser clips from the episode, including one of Luger telling a captivating story about how he chose his in-ring name.

Lex Luger Name Origin

Lex Luger is objectively a great ring name. Lawrence Pfohl had the look, the athleticism and the charisma to back it up. According to Luger, he came up with the name less than an hour before his debut match.

Right before his television debut for Championship Wrestling from Florida (1985), he was sitting in the office and they asked what his wrestling name would be. He replied that he didn’t have a ring name. With his in-ring debut fast approaching, everyone began scrambling of what to call him.

Lex raised his hand timidly and said, “I’ve got a name.” His favorite television show at the time was Magnum P.I. Everybody just called him Magnum. If Tom Selleck could be called Magnum, Lex figured, “I should be called Luger,” after the German firearm.

They asked if he had a first name, he took a moment and replied, “Lex,” an homage to comic book supervillain Lex Luthor.

In a humorous humble-brag, he quipped, “It kind of worked out pretty good.”

Hall of Fame Bound?

Despite a storied career that includes 2 World Heavyweight title reigns in WCW, Luger is one of the biggest names who is not part of the WWE Hall of Fame.

Luger was on bad terms with WWE for many years due to the abrupt nature of his departure in 1995. At the time, he had been working for WWE without a contract. To the dismay of his former boss Vince McMahon, Luger shocked the world by making a surprise appearance on the debut episode of WCW Monday Nitro. It was the first shot fired in the Monday Night War.

Many legends have advocated for WWE to bestow this honor on Luger, including Jim Ross and Mick Foley.

Jim Ross said, “If they want to tell stories and they want a visual, Lex is obviously, thank God, still alive. Here’s a guy that will be rolled onto the stage to tell his story, he’s in a wheelchair. If you’re looking for a story, this could be a great story and a story of success because Lex found true happiness in his faith. I think that he’ll be in and I think it will be a great induction, I truly believe that. I think that some old wounds just don’t heal as quickly as others when you embarrass the company to some degree.”

Luger recently told Sports Illustrated that he’d be so honored by a WWE Hall of Fame induction, “I might pop out of the [wheel] chair for that. I would take that chance if that moment comes. That honor would be the cherry on top of my career.”

Catch Biography: WWE Legends on A&E Sunday nights at 10/9C.

Sasha Banks and Naomi made their first public appearances on Saturday since ‘walking out’ of WWE back in May.

The duo held autograph signings at the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2) at McCormick Place, the largest convention center in North America.

Wrestling fans were eager to see the former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions for the first time in months. They will be back again on Sunday for another round of signings.

It’s interesting to note that Sasha Banks is advertised by her real name, Mercedes Vernado. However, as seen below, she’s sporting multi-colored hair, a signature of WWE’s Sasha Banks character.

Sasha Banks and Naomi were ‘suspended indefinitely’ by WWE after reportedly walking out of a Monday Night Raw taping due to creative difference. A lot has changed since then, most notably Vince McMahon’s retirement. More recently, it’s been rumored that Sasha Banks and Naomi are in talks for a return.

Other WWE legends in attendance for C2E2 include Mick Foley, Trish Stratus and Lita, who participated in a panel.

Here are some photos of Sasha Banks and Naomi from C2E2 2022:

All Elite Wrestling presented AEW Dynamite on Wednesday night from Columbus, Ohio at the Schottenstein Center. The main event saw Chris Jericho defeat Wheeler Yuta to earn a shot at AEW World Champion Jon Moxley next week at Quake by the Lake.

Dynamite went off the air with Moxley and Jericho talking trash about the upcoming title match.

Rick Ucchino of Cageside Seats was in attendance and tweeted throughout the show. He provided an update about what happened after Dynamite and before AEW began taping Friday’s episode of Rampage.

Moxley Mentions Cody’s Rhodes

According to Ucchino, Jon Moxley cut a promo after Dynamite went off the air.

While Moxley was talking, he was interrupted by QT Marshall. This led to Mox to name-drop none other than Cody Rhodes while burying the leader of The Factory.

The main event of Friday’s AEW Rampage will see Jon Moxley vs. the debuting Mance Warner.

Also on Rampage, the legend Madison Rayne also debuts, and AEW World tag team champions Keith Lee & Swerve Strickland are in action against Tony Neese and Josh Woods.

• Former Impact Knockouts Champion Joins AEW to Coach Women’s Division

WWE brings WrestleMania to Hollywood in 2023. WrestleMania 39 is scheduled to take place Saturday April 1st and Sunday April 2nd from Sofi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. The venue holds an estimated 70,000 fans.

WrestleMania Hollywood tickets go on sale to the general public Friday, August 12th.

The day before (Thursday, August 11th), a WrestleMania ticket launch event will be held at Sofi Stadium. The free event will feature live in-ring matches, as well as celebrity appearances from Snoop Dogg, JoJo Siwa and Gabriel Iglesias. WWE superstars advertised to appear include Seth “Freakin” Rollins, The Miz, Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, The Usos, Theory and more.

WrestleMania Hollywood Front Row Tickets

If you want to score front row or ringside tickets for WrestleMania Hollywood, your best bet is WWE Priority Pass. WWE has partnered with On Location to offer premium all-inclusive ticket packages for WrestleMania.

• Find out more information about WWE Priority Pass packages here

“A limited number of the top-tier packages remain available and are the only way to guarantee a front row seat today to WrestleMania.”

– WWE Priority Pass

“Also included is the most robust offering in history of WWE’s all-inclusive ticket packages, including a selection of private event transportation, an exclusive backstage experience, an evening event with a WWE Superstar and an excursion at Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Brewery or Mattel’s Design Studio where WWE’s Action Figures have been developed for over a decade.”

There are five tiers of ticket packages available, all including lots of perks, starting at $675 per person.

Becky Lynch won’t be wrestling for several months due to a shoulder injury, but that isn’t stopping Big Time Becks for kicking Big Time Butt in the gym.

Lynch last competed at Saturday’s WWE SummerSlam event, where she challenged Bianca Belair for the Raw Women’s Championship. Lynch sustained a shoulder injury during the match.

After the event, Fightful was first to report that it was a separated shoulder.

Becky Lynch “Back” in the Gym

Becky Lynch is not really “back” in the gym, because she doesn’t appear to have missed much if any time since her pre-SummerSlam training.

The Man checked in on social media Wednesday afternoon to show the injury will keep her from wrestling, but not training.

WWE’s injury report stated that she’s expected to be out for several months.

Wrestling podcaster and author Eric Bischoff spoke with SEScoops correspondent Steve Fall this week for NBC Sports Boston.

During their discussion, Bischoff spoke about some of the financial ups and downs he’s experienced over the years. After filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy just a few years ago, he’s proud to say he’s currently worth “seven figures” once again.

Here’s video of the 40+ minute interview, with highlights below:

From Chapter 11 Bankruptcy to Millionaire

“I filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which is a corporate bankruptcy, not a personal one, because I invested a massive amount of my own money into a new venture that we had every right to believe was going to be a successful one, we had high quality people involved, did the work, blah blah blah. But the market changed and I lost a fortune.

And it was like, ok, because I’m a risk taker, I’m an entrepreneur, that’s what we do, we lose 7 or 8 times out of 10, but those 2 or 3 times we win, we win big. That’s just the nature of the game, it’s like being a professional gambler in a way. I took the risk, I knew it was a risk going in, I knew I was too old to be taking that risk, by taking all of the money and all of the assets I had and putting it up against this idea, but I believed in it, so I did and it didn’t work.

So, I’m filing Chapter 11. I’m 60 years old and I’m filing for Chapter 11. I didn’t want to talk about that. But, I now have a net worth in the 7 figures, I’m all good, I paid off every one of my debts 100%, that is in my rear view mirror. I reinvented myself at 60 years old and in really less than 3 years, I’ve paid off all of my debts and like I said, have a net worth in the 7 figures.”

• Eric Bischoff on Vince McMahon Retiring, WWE’s Future

It’s all about Gratitude

Bischoff’s upcoming autobiography is titled Grateful, so it should come as no surprise that he speaks passionately about the importance of practicing gratitude each day.

“Learn, discipline yourself, learn to start your day recognizing what you have to be grateful for. It wasn’t easy for me, you know, when I filed for Chapter 11, it was a bad time for me. But, fortunately, I’ve got a great wife, and she reminded me every day.

I’ve got it tattooed on my wrist – it says, ‘Grateful.’ We all.. whether its your health, whether its the fact that you get to see another sunrise, because a lot of people don’t, a lot of people I know don’t, a lot of people I’ve been close to for years, can’t anymore. We all have something to be grateful for, but once you start recognizing, as insignificant as it may feel in the moment, but then you look at it differently, all of a sudden, you’ll start realizing all of the other things you have to be grateful for, and the more grateful you are, the more positive you are. The more positive you are, the more likely it is you’re going to come out of your crap. That’s what worked for me.”

“It sounds so simple, we’ve all read those books, we’ve all seen those bumper stickers, we’ve all heard those conversations, and it seems so simple, but man, when you’re down, things are going against you, you’re emotionally getting your butt kicked, it’s not as easy as it sounds. But once you master that art, and you start off every day that way.. again, I’ll speak for myself, I’m not trying to tell other people what to do. What I learned, and what you’ll read about in the book, is just waking up every day being grateful changes everything.”

Grateful byEric Bischoff is due out November 11th. You can pre-order it now.

• Eric Bischoff: “Stephanie McMahon Would Kill Tony Khan” in a Fight

All Elite Wrestling sent in the following press release Wednesday morning announcing the expansion of the company’s talent relations and development team.

Former Impact Wrestling Knockouts champion Madison Rayne has signed on to coach the women’s division.

During his weekly appearance on the Busted Open Radio show on Sirius XM, AEW President Tony Khan had this to say about Rayne joining the organization:

“She’s going to be great for the team,” said Khan. “Everyone’s excited to have Madison Rayne as part of AEW. I’m not saying she wouldn’t wrestle anymore, we’re open to it. We have other people in the office who do wrestle as part of their schedule, so I’m open to it.”

In addition to AEW signing Madison Rayne, several existing employees will see their roles expanded under the overhauled talent relations department, including Sonjay Dutt, QT Marshall, Pat Buck and Tony Schiavone.

– – –

August 3, 2022 – AEW CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan announced an expansion to AEW’s talent relations team with the promotions of key staff members including Sonjay Dutt, QT Marshall, Pat Buck and Tony Schiavone. In addition, Madison Rayne will join AEW as a coach in the women’s division.

As AEW continues its meteoric rise, the expanded talent relations team will strengthen the infrastructure required to facilitate the development, health and safety of AEW’s outstanding roster. The following promotions and additions are effective immediately:

Sonjay Dutt (Retesh Bhalla) has been promoted to Vice President of Production and Creative Coordination. In this role, he will coordinate communication of AEW storylines, liaise between post-production and key staff to maintain content workflow, produce ancillary content and mentor new producers. Dutt joined AEW in 2021, bringing more than 20 years of experience in professional wrestling – both in-ring and as a producer – and continues to serve on-screen as manager to Satnam Singh and Jay Lethal.

QT Marshall (Michael Cuellari) has been promoted to Vice President of Show and Creative Coordination. He will help to manage show elements including planning programs and storylines, character development, overseeing extras and live event logistics coordination. Marshall, an AEW original with more than 20 years of experience, will continue to wrestle as the leader of The Factory with Anthony Ogogo, Nick Comoroto, Aaron Solo and Cole Karter.

Pat Buck (Pat Buckridge) has been promoted to Vice President of Talent Development. In this position, he will liaise with talent and production, oversee all coaches, provide input on matches and promos, and lead the talent relations team. Buck brings nearly two decades of experience serving wrestling promotions as a talent, trainer, producer and promoter.

Tony Schiavone has been promoted to Senior Producer and Special Advisor to Talent. In this capacity, he will work directly with talent as part of the Talent Relations team. Schiavone is one

of AEW’s most tenured members and has nearly 40 years of experience, with an iconic voice that has guided fans through professional wrestling’s most incredible moments.

Madison Rayne (Ashley Nichole Lomberger) will join AEW as a coach in the women’s division, and kick-off her new role tonight in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Madison has competed in numerous professional wrestling promotions where she has held multiple championship titles, including 5-time Women’s World Champion. She has more than 15 years of experience in professional wrestling, and is also a proud mom to a daughter.

Christopher Daniels, an AEW original who brings more than 30 years of industry experience, will continue to serve as Manager of Talent Relations. The Talent Relations team will also remain in close contact with AEW’s Legal and Talent Resources team – led by Margaret Stalvey, Chris Peck and Megha Parekh – who help to support the physical and mental health, safety and security of talent. AEW is also committed to supporting talent beyond the ring, and offers access to world- class physicians, trainers and mental health clinicians.

Eric Bischoff spoke with SEScoops correspondent Steve Fall this week for NBC Sports Boston. Bischoff was there to promote his second autobiography Grateful, which is due out November 11 (Pre-order here).

During their discussion, Bischoff spoke at-length about Vince McMahon retiring from WWE, what it was like working directly under Vince McMahon and his personal outlook for WWE’s future with Triple H leading creative and Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan serving as Co-CEO’s.

You can watch the full interview here, with highlights below:

Eric Bischoff on Vince McMahon Retiring

“It’s funny, I just got done talking with Hulk Hogan, we were talking about this. It’s going to be strange for people like us, all of us who have been fans, all of us who have been in the business and have worked with fans, in my case, competed against him, worked for him, covered the gamut,” said Bischoff. “It’s just weird, he’s been there forever, he’s the only head coach the team has ever had since the team was born, for most of us.

It’s going to be weird, but I think it’s going to be better. Look, Vince did amazing things. Anybody that doesn’t give him credit, a lot of it, and respect, not only credit, but respect for what he’s accomplished business wise, let’s separate his personal proclivities from business and what he built.. Anybody that doesn’t respect what he built is just juvenile, child-like. But, I think with new management..

Bischoff on Working Under Vince McMahon

“I’ll talk about this briefly, when I was there in 2019, I worked side by side with Vince McMahon. On a pretty regular basis. I was in way too many meetings with Vince McMahon than I even want to think about, I get PTSD-like symptoms when I do. As amazing as what Vince built is, and how he went about it, his personal way of going about creative, his system, his creative system and approach, doesn’t work for anybody but him. It just doesn’t. It’s well documented, working 20 hours a day, 2 o’clock in the morning meetings, by the way, true, been there, had to do it. It doesn’t work well for a team that you’re relying on.

“I think with Triple H in there now, because Triple H has been in that spot before, he knows how tough it is to work with Vince, because of Vince’s system, and because he knows, I think we’re going to see a new creative system in place in the next few months, I think that new system is going to allow some extremely talented writers that I know are still there, that I had the chance to meet and work with for a few months, incredibly talented people, guys like Ed Koske who’s been there 20-something years, incredible talent. A lot of great talent there on the writing team that will be able to emerge in this new environment, and I think you’re going to see a much better product as a result.”

WWE’s Bright Future

“The rest of the company, you know, one of the old things that I think anybody that is honest about Vince, has to acknowledge and respect, is that he built the public company that is now WWE, is a blue-chip public company. There are seasoned executives that are highly credentialed, their bios, their history, their success, their resumes are off-the-charts good, in every part of the company, whether it’s the CFO’s, Nick Khan, Stephanie could not be a better person to be in the position she’s in, it’s a very solid company that will survive the former CEO. Not only survive it, but surpass it.”

“The stock market reflected that. The stock is up 10%. Everybody on Friday, the Dave Meltzers of the world, ‘Oh my god, he made the announcement after the market closed because he knows the market is going to crash’ – not only is this piece of garbage trying to pretend to know what’s going on in the wrestling business and the television business, now he’s a stock market analyst, and what did the stock market do? It went up. Vince is gone, ‘Ok, I’m in!’”

Pre-Order Eric Bischoff’s second autobiography, Grateteful, now at GuyEvansBooks.com.

If you use any of the quotes above, please credit the original source with a h/t and link back to SEScoops for the transcription.

All Elite Wrestling sent in the following press release providing lots of new information about the upcoming video game, AEW Fight Forever.

• Pre-Order “AEW Fight Forever” Now from Amazon

THQ Nordic Gives AEW: Fight Forever The Push Fans Have Been Waiting For!

Vienna/Austria, Jacksonville/Florida, Tokyo/Japan August 3, 2022: THQ Nordic GmbH and All Elite Wrestling, LLC (AEW) and YUKE’S Co., Ltd. today confirmed that the release of AEW: Fight Forever will be the tag-team event of the century! The two companies have joined forces to bring developer YUKES’ latest creation to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Nintendo® Switch.

“One of the first things I did after signing with AEW was to ask Tony Khan to let me help assemble the best gaming team on the planet, to make the best wrestling game ever,” said Kenny Omega, EVP of AEW and former AEW World Champion and AEW World Tag Team Champion. “Well, we just landed the perfect finisher by partnering with global publishing and distribution powerhouse THQ Nordic for AEW: Fight Forever. The THQ brand has long been synonymous with wrestling games – there is simply no more qualified partner to bring AEW: Fight Forever to the millions of wrestling fans the world over.”

YUKE’S president and CEO Yukinori Taniguchi said, “I am both gratified and excited to have the opportunity to work with AEW—who is breathing new life into the pro wrestling industry—and the THQ Brand, with whom we have created an entire era of pro wrestling games. Using the expertise we have cultivated over the years, we are taking on this project with the ultimate staff from the YUKE’S Development Team in order to recreate AEW’s appeal within a video game to the highest degree. We hope that fans will enjoy experiencing the most cutting-edge technology, and the next evolution, in pro wrestling gaming.”

“Kenny’s incredible vision for AEW: Fight Forever is informed by his wrestling pedigree both inside the ring and on the controller,” said Executive Producer Reinhard Pollice, THQ Nordic. “Combine that vision with YUKES’ unparalleled wrestling game development history is resulting in an AEW experience that draws heavily on the arcade feel that first won wrestling gamer hearts more than two decades ago.”

A touch of nostalgia is just the beginning in AEW: Fight Forever. Players can look forward to pulling off the most current wrestling moves seen on wildly popular AEW programming. This, in addition to innovative, tandem offensive moves. Online co-op wrestling is going completely next level with Tag Team matches that feature sequences of team maneuvers performed with simple commands. A long roster of the most popular AEW wrestlers, deep career mode, create-a- wrestler, signature AEW arenas, multiple match types and even some good ol’ fashioned, unsanctioned fun await!

AEW Fight Forever Screenshots:

AEW: Fight Forever Features:

Match Types

o Single Matches
o Tag-Team
o 3-Way
o 4-Way
o Ladder Matches
o Casino Battle Royale
o Falls Count Anywhere
o Unsanctioned Lights-Out (allows use of weapons)
o Exploding Barbed Wire Death Matches

• Career Mode

• Wide Range of Customization Modes

o Custom Wrestlers (attire and appearance)
o Custom Move-Sets
o Custom Entrances
o Custom Teams
o Custom Arenas

• Online Multiplayer

• Leaderboards

All Elite Wrestling has filed a new trademark application that will interest fans of women’s wrestling.

On Monday, AEW filed to trademark the term, “All Elite Women” for usage in the production of television programming.

The trademark application does not yet appear in the USPTO database, but was first reported by PWInsider.

Among the ‘Goods and Services’ usage, “All Elite Women” will be used for:

• Entertainment services in the nature of creation, development, and production of television programming;

• Entertainment services in the nature of professional athletes competing in wrestling;

• Streaming of pay-per-view events material on the Internet; Streaming of audio material on the Internet; Streaming of video material on the Internet;

The application notes, All Elite Wrestling “has a bona fide intention, and is entitled, to use the mark in commerce on or in connection with the identified goods/services.”

All Elite Wrestling currently features four weekly shows in its programming lineup, including AEW Dynamite (TBS), Rampage (TNT) and Dark/Dark Elevation on YouTube.

Stay tuned for more when we gather more information about All Elite Women.

Latest AEW Women’s Rankings

Here’s a look at the latest Top 5 rankings for AEW’s women’s division:

• AEW Women’s World Champion: Thunder Rosa
• AEW TBS Champion: Jade Cargill

Contenders

1. Miyu Yamashita
2. Toni Storm
3. Kris Statlander
4. Serena Deeb
5. Nyla Rose

Visit our AEW Roster page to view the full list of women signed with AEW.

WWE has announced a new executive hire.

Craig Stimmel has signed on to be the company’s new Senior Vice President and Head of Global Sales & Partnerships.

Stimmel previously held leadership roles at Snapchat, Procter and Gamble and NCR. According to the press release below, he’ll be responsible for “overseeing day-to-day operations and leading WWE’s sales organization while expanding its roster of sponsors and promotional partnerships.”

WWE^® Names Craig Stimmel SVP & Head of Global Sales & Partnerships

STAMFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– WWE (NYSE: WWE) today announced the appointment of Craig Stimmel as Senior Vice President and Head of Global Sales & Partnerships. Stimmel, who previously held leadership roles across Snapchat, Procter and Gamble and NCR, will report to WWE Chairwoman & co-CEO Stephanie McMahon and WWE co-CEO Nick Khan.

As head of WWE’s Global Sales & Partnerships division, Stimmel will be a key member of the company’s senior management team, responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations and leading WWE’s sales organization while expanding its roster of sponsors and promotional partnerships.

Stimmel spent the last three years as Head of Global Brands at Snapchat, where he was responsible for creating and leading the company’s Global Brand organization. Prior to that, Stimmel served in various leadership positions across Procter and Gamble, including overseeing partnerships and marketing ideation for the company’s Media Investment team.

Stimmel earned his Bachelor of Science in Business-Accounting from the University of Dayton.

WWE has announced a storyline fine and suspension for Ronda Rousey due to her unprofessional conduct at Summerslam.

Rousey unsuccessfully challenged Raw Women’s Champion Liv Morgan at Saturday’s premium live event from Nashville. The match ended in controversy and things went downhill from there.

Liv Morgan pinned Ronda Rousey’s shoulders to the mat and was awarded the victory. However, the referee missed that Morgan was tapping out from Rousey’s armbar submission before counting the pin.

Rousey Snaps, Crosses The Line

An instant replay showed that Rousey should have won the match, but the referee can’t call what he didn’t see.

Rousey became irate, feeling that she’d been robbed at the chance to reclaim the Raw Women’s title. The Baddest Woman on the Planet attacked Morgan and then shifted her attention to referee Dan Engler.

Rousey proceeded to attack referee Engler and applied the same armbar to him that she had just locked on to Liv Morgan.

WWE has taken swift action against Rousey for her conduct. A statement from WWE reads:

“Following her attack on referee Dan Engler at SummerSlam, Ronda Rousey has been fined an undisclosed amount and will be suspended… Due to her suspension, Rousey will not appear on this week’s Friday Night SmackDown.”

This storyline suspension will be a way for WWE to write Ronda Rousey off television for the foreseeable future.

Bianca Belair wants to know why most of the celebrities who crossover to WWE are men, and knows a few famous females she’d like to see inside the squared circle.

WWE’s reigning Raw Women’s Champion appeared on New York’s Z100 radio station earlier this week to promote Monday’s Raw from Madison Square Garden.

While speaking about WWWE utilizing celebrities like Bad Bunny, Johnny Knoxville and Logan Paul, The EST said it’s time for a female superstar to follow suit.

“We were just talking about how there’s been a lot of male crossover into WWE on the male side, and when are we going to have a female? Who’s going to be that female that’s going to crossover into WWE and really show up and show out?”

Let’s collab. Let’s make something happen!

When asked which female celebrities she’d like to see cross over to the WWE Universe, Belair has a few people in mind. In particular, she named hip hop megastars Cardi B, Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion.

“Cardi B, Nicki, Meg, whoever wants to come out, I am a huge fan of them. They can come and get in the ring; we can tag team. They can come and perform, bring me out, let me come out to their music, my entrance music. Let’s collab. Let’s make something happen!

Cardi B & Nicki Minaj

WWE has been outspoken about wanting to work with Cardi B again. Her song “Up” served as the official theme song for SummerSlam 2021.

WWE CEO Nick Khan has expressed interest in Cardi B appearing for WWE. John Cena has even stated, “Cardi B Would Make A Hell of a WWE Superstar”

Back in 2019, Sasha Banks has named Nicki Minaj as an influence who helped inspire her Legit Boss character.

“Being around Snoop Dogg, everyone always called him The Boss,” Banks said.

“At the time, Floyd Mayweather was out there, Nicki Minaj, just all these larger than life characters that were flashy, cocky and flamboyant. That’s who I wanted to be.”

For more on Cardi B-WWE, check out:

The new WWE headquarters that’s currently under renovation just took a big step forward.

After decades at the current company headquarters (1241 E. Main Street in Stamford, CT), WWE will relocate to 677 Washington Blvd in downtown Stamford soon. (As of late 2021, the plan was to move in late 2022.)

The new facility is just two miles away.

Reddit user u/BugOperator was in Stamford this week and photographed the WWE logo now appears atop the building at 677 Washington Blvd.

WWE is leasing several floors in the 13-story tower, and will also have a production center in the adjacent seven-story pavilion (per Stamford Advocate).

New WWE HQ

In WWE’s 2020 annual report, the company had this to say about the move:

“Upon completion of our move to the new global headquarters, we expect to sell our owned and operated corporate facility, exit our leased spaces and will evaluate options for our television production studio facilities based on strategic, operating and financial considerations.”

Initial plans for an early-2021 move were delayed in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Seth Rollins is currently without a match for Saturday’s SummerSlam premium live event from Nashville, TN.

Rollins was scheduled to face Riddle on the show, but the match has been postponed after Rollins attacked Riddle on Raw. According to WWE’s storyline, Riddle sustained a ‘brachial plexus’ injury (a stinger) and is not cleared to compete this weekend.

Following the announcement that his SummerSlam match is off, Rollins took to social media to apologize to fans.

“For anyone who purchased a ticket to SummerSlam hoping to see me in action, I apologize,” he wrote. “I did everything I could over the last 6 months to earn my spot on this show, but some things are out of my control. Thank you for always singing my song. They’ll hear ya someday.”

Triple H is Listening

The tweet caught the attention of Triple H, WWE’s new Head of Talent Relations and creative. Triple H informed Rollins, “I hear you!”

Johnny Gargano at SummerSlam?

WWE has yet to announce a new match for Rollins, but speculation is rampant that Triple H will make a call to an old friend to fill in for Riddle.

This is purely speculation at this point, but the prevailing theory is that we’ll see free agent (and former NXT Champion) Johnny Gargano return to WWE to battle Rollins.

Gargano was believed to be “too small” to succeed on the main roster when he made the difficult decision to leave WWE late last year. Of course, there’s now a new regime in place. Gargano thrived under Triple H in NXT, so he’d have a much better shot on Raw or SmackDown with Triple H in charge of creative. Stay tuned!

• WWE SummerSlam 2022 Predictions

The Roast of Ric Flair takes place this Friday night in Nashville, TN. The event kicks off Starrcast V weekend, which culminates Friday night with Ric Flair’s Last Match.

The Roast of Ric Flair streams live on FITE Friday night at 8pm (Eastern).

• Order The Roast of Ric Flair ($19.99)
• Order Starrcast V, including The Roast of Ric Flair, Ric Flair’s Last Match and much more ($99.99)

SEScoops correspondents Webmaster Mike and Ella Jay will be in Nashville this weekend covering Starrcast and SummerSlam weekend. Follow SEScoops on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to see all of our on-site coverage.

Flair Wants Vince to Roast Him

In the lead-up to The Roast of Ric Flair, the Nature Boy asks, who better to roast him than longtime friend and former WWE Chairman, Vince McMahon?

In the fallout of McMahon’s retirement from WWE, Flair joked, “I’m trying to get him to come to Nashville now!”

Starrcast organizer Conrad Thompson quickly added, “He’s welcome, we’d love to have him as the special guest enforcer for the main event.”

Flair and Vince’s relationship goes back several decades. They’ve had their ups and downs, but McMahon has been there for Flair through some tough times he’s experienced.

Ric Flair added, “I want him to roast me, he certainly has in real life enough!”

He then impersonated McMahon and joked, “80’s heels don’t draw you stupid SOB Don’t ever bring a lawyer to see me. I don’t like lawyers, who are these two jack-offs?”

Flair added, “I started crying and so did the lawyers!”

Watch Ric Flair joking about Vince McMahon roasting him here:

Roast of Ric Flair Special Guests

Announced guests for The Roast of Ric Flair:

• Torrie Wilson – WWE Hall Of Famer
• DDP – WWE Hall Of Famer
• Eddie George – NFL Hall Of Famer
• Vickie Guerrero – AEW Superstar
• Tie Domi – NHL Legend
• Brian Knobbs – Multi-Time Tag Team Champion
• Eric Bischoff – WWE Hall Of Famer
• Earl Skakel – Comedian and Host of The Inappropriate Earl Podcast
• Tyler Morrison – Comedian and Host of Fight Stories
• Dan St. Germain – Comedian and Host of Wrestle Roast
• Shuli Egar – Comedian and Host of The Shuli Show
• Corey Ryan Forrester – Comedian and Host of Puttin On Airs
• Casio Kid – Comedian, Morning DJ Rocket 95.1 and Host of Casio’s Cut

Once again, you can order The Roast of Ric Flair now at FITE for just $19.99. The event streams this Friday, July 29th at 8pm (Eastern).

AEW President Tony Khan has provided additional commentary on the fallout from WWE’s big management shakeup.

By now, you’ve probably heard that Vince McMahon is out and Triple H has taken over as the head of Creative and Talent Relations.

The shakeup will bring a revitalized approach to who is hired and how they are booked. We saw an entire generation of NXT stars fail to translate on the main roster, many of whom have left the company and joined All Elite Wrestling. In fact, Fightful reports that one top free agent is now much more likely to sign with WWE, in light of Vince’s departure.

• Vince McMahon’s Retirement Renews Talk of a WWE Sale

Tony Khan: “Good Luck With That”

Tony Khan appeared on Busted Open Radio on Wednesday to promote tonight’s Fight for the Fallen edition of AEW Dynamite.

During his weekly “Tony Time” segment, TK addressed the buzz that certain AEW performers might be interested in returning to WWE now that Triple H is steering the ship.

Khan said, “I am a little amused that, changes in the competition.. people think that it’s just going to magically change the landscape,” and mocked some of the ‘hot takes’ he’s seen on Twitter this week.

“You know, I’ve got people signed for 5 years and people think just because the CEO, the Chairman, the head of creative, those positions change in the competition, people I have 5-year contracts with are just going to magically switch teams? Like, Good luck with that.”

Khan mentioned Adam Cole and Malakai Black in particular, as two stars who fit the “NXT mold” under Triple H who fans think might be wandering back to WWE.

“Adam Cole is signed until 2027 now,” said Khan. “I wouldn’t expect to see him going anywhere anytime soon. Malakai Black has almost five years left on his deal. I wouldn’t expect him going anywhere anytime soon.”

Adam Cole and Malakai Black won’t be going anywhere any time soon, but there’s no question that Triple H taking over creative will have an impact on the free agent market. Instantly, stars such as Johnny Gargano, Bray Wyatt and even Sasha Banks have a lot to think about regarding their next career moves.

Listen to Tony Khan’s comments about the big shakeup in WWE:

If you’re in Nashville, TN this weekend for WWE SummerSlam, here’s your chance to meet Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan and the Street Profits.

These Superstars are teaming up with C4 Energy for three special meet and greets taking place Friday and Saturday.

Here’s all the info, sent in by C4:

Following their success at WrestleMania in Dallas earlier this year, C4 Energy is igniting Nashville’s fire, fueling the city before the biggest WWE event of the season – SummerSlam.

C4 Energy is bringing the SummerSlam experience to the fans with a weekend of energized meet and greet events with WWE Raw Women’s Champion, Bianca Belair, and SmackDown Women’s Champion, Liv Morgan. Consumers will have the chance to ignite the fire inside with the energy and performance fuel that both Superstars swear by.

Fans can join C4 Energy for in-person meet and greets with the superstars on:

Friday, 7/29 – Fuel Up with Bianca Belair
6:30-8:30PM at Kroger (5544 Old Hickory Blvd Hermitage)

Saturday, 7/30 – Feel the Energy with The Street Prophets
9:00 – 11:00AM at Twice Daily / White Bison (2112 Charlotte Rd.)

Saturday, 7/30 – Feel the Energy with Liv Morgan
10:30 – 11:30AM at Twice Daily / White Bison (2112 Charlotte Rd.)

It’s essential for WWE Superstars to be in peak condition, mentally and physically, as they head into SummerSlam, and many of the greats including Roman Reigns, Montez Ford, Bianca Belair and more, swear by C4 Energy to give them the mental focus and extra fuel they need to take care of business, in and out of the ring.

Liv Morgan has provided some backstage insight regarding the WWE locker room’s reaction to Vince McMahon’s unexpected retirement.

Morgan is riding high after capturing her first SmackDown women’s championship earlier this month at Money in the Bank. This Saturday, she defends the gold at SummerSlam against former champion Ronda Rousey. The match is seen as a chance for Morgan to solidify herself as a worthy champion.

Ahead of SummerSlam, the 28-year-old grappler spoke with The Mirror about what it was like to capture the gold, WWE’s upcoming Clash at the Castle premium live event and more.

She also discussed the bombshell news of Vince McMahon leaving WWE and Stephanie McMahon becoming the company’s new co-CEO, along with Nick Khan.

• WWE SummerSlam 2022 Preview

How did WWE Superstars react to Vince McMahon’s retirement?

Morgan says the WWE locker room had no idea Vince McMahon was on the verge of leaving the company he had ran for nearly 40 years.

“We were all shocked,” said Morgan. And it felt sudden. But we all owe so much to Vince. So if he felt like it was time, then it was time.”

– Liv Morgan on Vince McMahon retiring

Now that Vince McMahon is no longer with WWE, Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan have taken over as co-CEO’s, while Triple H is the new head of Creative and Talent Relations.

Morgan says WWE Superstars are ready to for the new regime and are excited for what’s to come.

“We’re also excited to be working with Stephanie and Nick,” she said. “Stephanie was born into this business, so there’s literally no one better for the job than her. We’re all so excited and we’re just ready to go to work. We’re all just ready to take it to the next level.”

Head over to Mirror.co.uk to read their full interview with SmackDown Women’s champion Liv Morgan.

Monday’s edition of WWE Raw saw a tense backstage confrontation between Rhea Ripley and Rey Mysterio’s daughter, Aalyah.

Wrestling fans who are “in the know” recognized a unique connection between these two women. Aalyah formerly portrayed the on-screen love interest of Buddy Matthews (Buddy Murphy), Ripley’s current real-life boyfriend.

Buddy Matthews Reacts

The House of Black member became aware of this on-screen interaction and addressed it on social media.

Matthews joked that Aalyah and Rhea can “fight for his custody” in a ladder match, a nod to the infamous Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero match from SummerSlam 2005.

Based on the reaction .GIF posted by Rhea Ripley, she seems ready to fight for her man.

WWE SummerSlam is just days away and we’ve got an updated look at the card for Saturday night’s premium live event.

Note: SEScoops will be on hand for this year’s Summerslam from Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.

• Follow the SEScoops Instagram account so you can follow along with our coverage in the lead-up to SummerSlam, and during SummerSlam/Starrcast weekend.

WWE SummerSlam 2022 Card

WWE has confirmed the following matches for SummerSlam:

• Last Man Standing: Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar
  
• SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan vs. Ronda Rousey
  
• United States Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Theory
  
• Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos takes on The Street Profits (with Special Guest Referee Jeff Jarrett)
  
• Pat McAfee vs. Happy Corbin
  
• Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch
  
• Riddle vs. Seth “Freakin” Rollins
  
• Logan Paul vs. The Miz
  
• The Mysterios vs. The Judgment Day’s Finn Bálor and Damian Priest (No Disqualification)

While we’re talking SummerSlam, you can also check out our WWE SummerSlam event hub for all the latest news related to the show.