RAW Superstar Seth Rollins has shared his thoughts on the recent NXT debut of Karrion Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux. The duo made their official in-ring debut last week on NXT. Kross competed against Leon Ruff in a squash match, easily defeating Ruff. Their entrance prior to matchup captured the imaginations of the WWE Universe, and even impressed Rollins.
Speaking with Planeta Wrestling, Seth Rollins divulged how he remembered Bordeaux from the Chicago independent scene. He noted how he is impressed her her notable improvement, highlighting the potential that the pair have to make an impact on the black-and-gold brand.
“Karrion is someone that I’m starting to become familiar with,” Seth Rollins admitted. “Scarlett is from Chicago, she came up in the Chicago indies. I was there before she was even training to be a wrestler. I remember she was this annoying little girl that wouldn’t go away at the shows in Chicago, and now to see what she’s turned into, it’s awesome, man.”
Seth Rollins confessed that it is “inspiring” to see someone he didn’t see much initial potential in flourish. He added how she’s made it to the “big time” and that Kross has all the potential in the world.
Looking back to their captivating entrance from NXT, Seth Rollins stated how it was “something to behold” and is looking forward to see what comes next. According to him, Superstars only have one chance to make a powerful first impression, something that did with “flying colors.”
WWE ran an injury angle with Rey Mysterio on Monday’s RAW. Father-to-be Seth Rollins snapped and violently assaulted Mysterio. He drove the masked legend’s eye into the ringside steps, drawing blood and putting him on the sidelines for the foreseeable future.
With his contract reportedly set to expire in September, the question arises if WWE was taking Mysterio off television to begin contract negotiations or deal with an injury. According to Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com, Rey Mysterio “isn’t going anywhere.”
He’s not the only one to think that Mysterio will be staying put. All Elite Wrestling’s Jim Ross recently spoke about Mysterio’s contract status during his podcast. During a discussion with co-host Conrad Thompson, Ross believed Mysterio had signed a new contract WWE. He shared how he felt that was a good call for Mysterio “at this stage of the game.”
Ross stressed how Rey Mysterio was a “different breed of cat” compared to other cruiserweights and Superstars. He stated how Mysterio was simply “that much better and on a different level” in his opinion.
WWE Superstar AJ Styles was unsuccessful in his attempts to claim the Money In The Bank briefcase during this past Sunday’s pay-per-view. Despite having the briefcase in his hands, “The Phenomenal One” would fumble the prize, dropping it into the waiting hands of Otis.
Although he wasn’t able to secure the win, AJ Styles still has his eyes set on some of WWE’s top Superstars including Seth Rollins and WWE Champion Drew McIntyre. Those two clashed at the event in a title match, with McIntyre successfully defending his belt.
Joining WWE show The Bump, Styles discussed both men and whom he’d prefer to face for the championship if it came to it. AJ Styles admitted he didn’t have a preference, praising both as “super athletic” and “super on fire” when it comes to their performance. “They have what it takes to get the job done. There’s no doubt about that, they obviously have one who’s the champion what has been the champion.”
AJ Styles On The “Biggest Threat” To Championship Contendenders
AJ Styles then singled out current WWE Champion Drew McIntyre. He highlighted how McIntyre is on a “different level” at this time.
Acknowledging his extensive experience in wrestling, Styles stated how McIntyre has also been wrestling for a long while. He believes that McIntyre is the “biggest threat to anyone who wants to go after the WWE Championship.”
AJ Styles recently referred to the events at Money In The Bank as a “travesty,” perhaps hinting that he intends to take his issues with Otis further on-screen.
The Undertaker’s WWE documentary series The Last Riderecently debuted on the WWE Network. As part of WWE’s promotional push for the series, the WWE Legend sat down with People Magazine for an interview.
During their conversation, “The Deadman” opened up about his reluctance to retire from in-ring competition. He also shared his ambition to wrestle a perfect final match.
Reflecting on his historic career, The Undertaker acknowledged how he has been blessed to have exceeded any and all expectations since his debut as the character. That being said, he stressed how he wants a “John Elway ending.”
The Undertaker noted how he’s “fighting an uphill battle,” and admitted how time is running out for him. “But that’s the struggle. It has nothing to do with fame, it has nothing to do with money, it has nothing to do with anything other than wanting just that, “Yeah. That’s the match that I needed to go out on.’”
The first episode of The Last Ride is available to stream now on the WWE Network. It documents The Undertaker’s journey into WrestleMania 33. He wrestled Roman Reigns at the event in what was intended to be his final match.
Upon losing the match to Reigns, The Undertaker would symbolically leave his coat, gloves and hat in the ring, signifying the end of his career.
Money In The Bank winner Otis joined Lilian Garcia on a recent episode of her podcast Chasing Glory. During their conversation, Otis opened up about being bullied and dealing with dyslexia while growing up.
When Garcia asked if he had ever been picked on during high school, Otis admitted he had been. He shared how he has “always been made fun of” because of the way he looks. He stressed how it wasn’t always weight-related, noting how he has difficulty reading due to dyslexia.
“I got plenty of stories with me trying to follow kids back home trying to get at them but it’s just I wasn’t the fast one and yeah, reading assessment was weird. These days, like it’s funny to look back now because a lot of those kids that did do that, I don’t think they have the balls to talk to me anymore. I don’t think.”
Otis On Not Having Body Insecurities
Despite having to deal with people trying to make fun of him, Otis admitted he’s never had a problem with his size. He recalled how WWE wanted him to wrestle in trunks after moving away from NXT. He shared how he doesn’t have a lot of insecurities, but remembered thinking “‘Wow that’s not going to look good on camera here. I got a shakey belly, ya know?’”
Having adopted the idea of competing in trunks, however, Otis shared how the WWE Universe went nuts when he first debuted them. “I’m sitting there shaking my belly. So I guess I’m making a living shaking my belly…”
Otis would emerge victorious from this Sunday’s Money In The Bank pay-per-view. He caught the lucrative briefcase after AJ Styles fumbled it at the top of the ladder. At the time of writing, there is no indication as to what title Otis will challenge for. He has the option to compete with any champion from RAW, SmackDown or NXT.
Prior to being thrown off the top of WWE HQ’s roof during Sunday’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match, Aleister Black spoke withNew York Post. During the interview, Black was asked if he would be interested in being managed by his real-life wife, Zelina Vega.
Black stressed he has no interest in having Vega manage him at this time. He noted how “I don’t think she has to because it would be kind of cliché.”
He explained how the idea she would manage him because of their relationship falls in line with expectations, which is something he doesn’t want.
“I don’t think that I necessarily need my wife or my wife needs me on screen because clearly my wife is doing a phenomenal job. She’s basically been the head of Raw for the last two, three weeks.”
Aleister Black revealed how he’d prefer to carve out his own path as Vega continues to flourish on her own merits. That being said, it appears Black isn’t completely closed to the idea:
“Maybe in the future, you know, if they come up with something good and something we would both agree on, who knows. I’ll never say never, but as I’m looking at it right now, no.”
Although unsuccessful in claiming the briefcase during Sunday’s pay-per-view, Aleister Black did defeat Bobby Lashley during last month’s WrestleMania 36. He teamed last night with Rey Mysterio against the pair of Seth Rollins and Murphy.
Former WWE Superstar Christian has reflected on his jump to TNA back in 2005, comparing his move to Jon Moxley’s recent signing with All Elite Wrestling. Speaking with Wrestling Inc. Daily, Christian noted how every person’s story is different but stressed that Moxley has been doing a “tremendous job.”
Christian shared how when he left WWE, he was physically and mentally burned out from WWE’s arduous schedule. He was also frustrated. Christian believed that he could “perform at a higher level” than he was able to showcase.
He admitted that when he left, he knew he was going to go back to WWE at some point. Until then, however, he knew he needed to take a chance on himself and get better. He felt the only way to do that was to “take some risks and go somewhere.”
This decision to sign with TNA gave Christian the confidence boost he needed. He knew that when we returned to WWE, he would be “better equipped” than before. This need to leave in order to grow and get better is something he believes Moxley is experiencing during his successful run in AEW.
Speaking on Moxley’s time in AEW, Christian said “Obviously he’s the champion and there was great noise about him and what he was gonna do next. Anytime you can surprise the fan base – which is hard to do these days and he did that – and that gave him a lot of momentum as well.”
Christian and Jon Moxley recently worked together on a new film, Cagefighter: Worlds Collide. Christian produced and starred in the film, which also features Moxley and UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell.
You can read an exclusive SEScoops interview with Jon Moxley regarding his work on Cagefighter: Worlds Collide here.
RAW Superstar AJ Styles has addressed the fallout of Money in the Bank from this past Sunday. Having scaled the ladder, he and King Corbin fought over the unhooked briefcase. Despite his best efforts to secure the prize, Styles would fumble the briefcase. Otis would catch it after Styles dropped it, winning the match in the process.
AJ Styles’ Anger
Taking to Twitter, “The Phenomenal One” vented his frustrations with the situation, believing he was cheated from his victory. He stressed how no one had heard from either Aleister Black or Rey Mysterio at the time of his message.
AJ Styles noted how King Corbin was “running from the law,” acknowledging how Corbin had seemingly hurled both Black and Mysterio off the WWE HQ’s roof. Styles then noted how he was “CHEATED out of #MITB by @otisWWE!” The entire situation is something he called a travesty.
Although AJ Styles wasn’t a featured part of last night’s Monday Night RAW, both Rey Mysterio and Aleister Black were on the show. The Superstars teamed up in a matchup against Seth Rollins and Murphy.
With his win, Otis now has the opportunity to challenge for a championship. It is unknown at this time whether he will be challenging for gold on RAW, SmackDown or NXT, or if AJ Styles will take issue with Otis’ victory on TV.
Having been forced to cancel several events due to the coronavirus pandemic, New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) is now reportedly considering running empty arena shows.
According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio, New Japan was reluctant to cancel further shows. This extended to the postponement of their highly-anticipated Madison Square Garden show Wrestle Dynasty.
The feeling in NJPW was that Wrestle Dynasty would have been its number two event of the year. The only show ahead of Wrestle Dynasty would be its annual Wrestle Kingdom show.
It was noted that they would have to wait until the Japanese government eases off their lockdown before NJPW could consider or implement any plans. Japan is operating under a state of emergency until at least May 31.
NJPW Wrestle Dynasty & Best Of Super Juniors Tournament
NJPW recently officially announced that Wrestle Dynasty was postponed to 2021.
In a statement, the promotion explained:
“In response to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, and its continued effect on social gatherings all over the world, NJPW has arrived at the decision to postpone Wrestle Dynasty, which was scheduled to take place on August 22 2020, to a date in 2021 to be announced.”
As well as postponing Wrestle Dynasty, NJPW recently announced that their annual Best of Super Juniors Tournament would also not be taking place.
WWE Superstar Nia Jax recently joined Kayla Braxton on her show Braxton Beat on WWE’s official Instagram account. During their conversation, Jax addressed the now infamous punch she delivered to RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch back in November 2018.
When Braxton asked Nia Jax if she feels somewhat responsible for helping turn Lynch into “The Man,” Jax deferred, instead praising Lynch and her accomplishments. She stressed that she wouldn’t “take anything away” from Lynch, joking how she’s so boastful of herself anyway.
“She worked hard and granted, that night, however it happened, will go down in infamy, and I’m not gonna say I helped create her,” Nia Jax said. “I think that it was an opportunity that happened that night and she became an icon.”
Nia Jax will compete in this Sunday’s Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match. She will face off against Shayna Baszler, Asuka, Dana Brooke, Lacey Evans and Carmella for the briefcase that contains a championship opportunity.
The matchup will take place concurrently with the Men’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match and has been pre-recorded in a cinematic style, much like WrestleMania’s Boneyard and Firefly Fun House matchups.
Money In The Bank takes place this Sunday from WWE Global Headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut.
All Elite Wrestling’s Darby Allin has stressed how he isn’t happy to just be a part of wrestling and AEW. Extrapolating his point, he explained how if he’s going to wrestle for a living, “I’m just going to give it my all.”
Speaking with WrestleZone, Darby Allin highlighted how he doesn’t want to be a guy who goes around saying he’s just happy to be backstage with pro wrestling legends in the locker room. “That was never the case for me. I never wanted to be just a guy who was just happy to be there.”
He also shared his belief that young talent needs to stop sucking up to more experienced veterans. Darby Allin stressed how “There comes a time where you have to fu–ing not be an ass-kisser and do business and have those people you look up to end up being peers that if you don’t ever take that step you’re going to end up being a little b–ch in a way.”
Darby Allin recently competed in the TNT Championship Tournament on Dynamite. He was able to advance to the semi-finals after beating Sammy Guevara. Allin would subsequently lose to Cody Rhodes, who now goes on to meet Lance Archer in the finals.
Their match to determine the first-ever TNT Champion takes place at AEW’s next pay-per-view, Double or Nothing, on May 23.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s Kazuchika Okada has donated 5 million Yen ($47,010) to the Nippon Foundation’s special coronavirus relief fund. NJPW1972.com reports that his contribution will help doctors, nurses and volunteers currently working in the fronts lines as they combat the coronavirus pandemic in Japan.
Kazuchika Okada has previously founded the Rainmaker Foundation. This foundation and its efforts are dedicated to supporting those afflicted by childhood cancer.
In an official statement, the CHAOS leader expressed his gratitude to New Japan’s fanbase and their support. He noted how he hopes to soon be able to hear the cheers of sold-out crowds again.
He added how “It’s usually me receiving the support and power of the people, but now I feel it’s my turn to lend support to medical staff fighting this disease.”
The former IWGP Heavyweight Champion then urged fans to stay and home and stay healthy. Kazuchika Okada then explained that this will help NJPW get back to putting on shows sooner rather than later.
NJPW Cancellations
New Japan Pro-Wrestling has been forced to cancel a number of events due to the coronavirus pandemic. Several planned tours have been affected by the outbreak.
The amount of rescheduling and cancellations led NJPW President Harold Meij to pen an open letter to their fanbase addressing their decisions.
All Elite Wrestling World Champion Jon Moxley was recently asked about what AEW’s locker room atmosphere is like compared to WWE. According to Moxley, the culture that AEW has cultivated has been great, and has allowed talent to come together and feel like a family.
Moxley told the WINC Daily Podcast how everyone is having fun despite things being different due to the coronavirus pandemic. He confessed there are different challenges that they each face, especially as a new company. Jon Moxley shared how he’s not a business expert. Despite this confession, he is aware from conversations with people that their “situation is not ideal to say the least.”
That being said, he stressed how they are still doing all they can to not only entertain but keep their talent safe.
Jon Moxley On AEW’s Backstage Atmosphere
Moxley highlighted how AEW is comprised of an “amazing group of creative, young, energetic people.”
He believes that the main thing that AEW is providing them is the opportunity to be themselves. This has helped breed organic positivity backstage. He explained how everybody is getting to express themselves creatively without overt censorship.
Jon Moxley then compared AEW’s locker room with an indie locker room. He noted how “Everyone is there on purpose as if they weren’t in AEW, then they would be somewhere else in pro wrestling. It’s the type of people who would do pro wrestling for free.”
Jon Moxley is set to defend his AEW World Championship at the company’s next pay-per-view, Double or Nothing. He will compete against The Dark Order’s Exalted One, Brodie Lee. The match was made after Moxely was assaulted and challenged by Lee and his group this past Wednesday night on Dynamite.
Seth Rollins has shared his interest in a potential matchup against WWE Hall of Famer Edge. Speaking with talkSPORT’s Alex McCarthy, Rollins revealed he actively wants to face the returning Rated R Superstar.
Rollins stressed how there is “unfinished business” between the two of them stemming from this year’s Royal Rumble. He also recalled how he “threatened” Edge on Monday Night RAW in the past. Seth Rollins believes that these two encounters could provide a good foundation for a storyline between them if WWE decided to pursue the opportunity.
Edge famously returned from a career-ending injury this year to face off against Randy Orton. The former Rated RKO partners clashed at WrestleMania 36 in a Last Man Standing matchup. Edge would eventually emerge victorious. Seth Rollins also competed at WrestleMania, losing his matchup to Kevin Owens.
WWE has been advertising Edge’s return to television next week on Monday Night RAW. He returns to RAW with Randy Orton. Despite the apparent conclusion to their feud taking place at ‘Mania, WWE has alluded to a potential continuation of their feud.
Seth Rollins, however, has his eyes set on his upcoming championship opportunity. He faces Drew McIntyre this Sunday at WWE’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view for the WWE Championship.
AJ Styles has addressed the critical reception to his return to WWE programming. Prior to his inclusion on Monday Night RAW this week, Styles was last seen being buried by The Undertaker during their Boneyard match at WrestleMania 36.
Acknowledging the criticisms over his comeback, Styles agreed that his return “could’ve been more” than what it was.
Styles addressed the topic during a recent MIXER stream. He confessed he had seen people talking about it and how they felt WWE ‘wasted’ their opportunity to bring him back in a more interesting way, whether that was as a different character, mood, or even a different look. AJ Styles agrees. He stated, “I’m with you.”
Also Read: AJ Styles Was Reportedly Expected To Stay Out Of Action Longer
AJ Styles Underwhelmed
He noted how the current coronavirus pandemic may have had a lot to do with WWE’s decision to bring him back.
AJ Styles came back as a surprise entrant in a Gauntlet Match. The competitors were vying for a spot in this Sunday’s Money in the Bank ladder match. Styles would ultimately win the match.
It was a comeback he felt was somewhat lacking, both in terms of return impact and competitors.
“[…] the circumstances, the match… maybe we needed some more star power in the match. Maybe that’s what that was,” AJ Styles said. “I don’t know, I’m not tooting my own horn here, but, I wish we could’ve waited and had times been different, that could’ve been something that we would’ve went [with].”
AJ Styles takes on Daniel Bryan, Rey Mysterio, Aleister Black, King Corbin and Otis this Sunday at WWE’s Money In The Bank pay-per-view.
WWE Superstar The Big Show was the first man to face Drew McIntyre after he won the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 36. McIntyre defeated Big Show in a match that was featured on the post-WrestleMania Monday Night RAW. In an interview with Sportskeeda, the WWE Champion revealed what Big Show told him following their matchup.
McIntyre highlighted how Big Show had watched him grow up since he first came to America when he was 22 years old. He shared how Big Show was proud of what Drew McIntyre had accomplished during his first run with the company. He noted how he is proud of where he has managed to get to “as a performer and as a man.”
Drew McIntyre acknowledged how The Big Show wanted to “test” him in the ring after his win. He noted how Big Show could see he was ready for the opportunity at be WWE Champion. Feeling it, however, was different to simply seeing the potential.
McIntyre then recalled how Big Show told him that he has “the potential to become one of the greatest champions of all time, which meant the world to me, because he is been in (the ring) with the greatest of all time.”
Drew McIntyre is set to defend his WWE Championship this Sunday. He faces Seth Rollins at WWE’s Money In The Bank pay-per-view.
WWE has been sporadically editing out Roman Reigns from recent footage on its shows. The company featured Reigns defeating Triple H during SmackDown’s 25th Anniversary show for “The Game.” They then edited Reigns out of replay footage from WrestleMania 31 on RAW.
Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase during that event, claiming the WWE Championship from Brock Lesnar. However, it was Roman Reigns that would be pinned. Footage of this title change was edited on Monday Night RAW, removing Reigns from the match entirely.
According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE isn’t necessarily operating under a rule to erase Reigns from its programming. The situation on how WWE is approaching Roman Reigns allegedly “changes on a daily basis, depending on which way the wind is blowing.” This accounts for his inclusion on SmackDown but obvious removal on RAW.
It was recently revealed that WWE had an edict that stated commentators were not to mention Reigns’ name on TV. There was apparently nothing said regarding the use of footage.
It was pointed out how WWE highlighted its work with Make-A-Wish but included no clips of Roman Reigns or the work he has done with the charity. Vince McMahon also avoided mentioning Reigns during a recent investment conference call.
Despite this, FS1 then broadcast a one hour special on the WWE Superstar, leading to confusion and uncertainty over whether Reigns may be being punished.
Roman Reigns’ WrestleMania Choice
Roman Reigns made the decision to not compete at this year’s WrestleMania 36 due to coronavirus concerns. He has previously battled leukemia twice and is immunocompromised.
WWE has previously stated that talent are within their rights to approach them over concerns working during the coronavirus pandemic. The company stressed there would be no repercussions for any Superstars who felt uncomfortable working.
Current NXT North American Champion Keith Lee isn’t beholden to any singular WWE brand, it seems. Instead, Lee is driven by the need for challenges, wanting to go “where the competition is.”
Catching up with Lilian Garcia on a recent episode of her podcast Chasing Glory, Lee acknowledged how the WWE Universe wants him to feud with WWE’s top Superstars whether it’s on RAW and SmackDown. He explained how, ultimately, he wants to go where the best competition is, noting how “it doesn’t matter which brand it is to me.”
If those top-tier Superstars can travel to NXT, then Lee is content to stay on the black-and-gold brand. If, however, WWE wanted him to become a part of the red or blue brand, Lee admitted he would show up with the intention to “make a statement just like I do anywhere else I go.”
Lee stressed that he’s only interested in going to wherever the opportunity is, allowing him to compete against the very best and showcase his skills in the squared circle.
Keith Lee successfully defended his NXT North American Championship on last week’s episode of NXT. He faced off against the “Archer of Infamy” Damien Priest in the main event.
SmackDown Superstar Otis has revealed he is open to a return to WWE’s black-and-gold brand, NXT. He shared how a return to NXT “cries entertainment” to him, especially when there are new teams such as the Broserweights he and his tag team partner, Tucker Knight, can feud with.
“[…] going back to NXT? I don’t see why not,” Otis said during an interview with SPORTBible. “In my eyes, to get the opportunity in the ring I love it. If we were back in NXT [with the likes of] Matt Riddle with Pete [Dunne], let’s get it on, man.”
He believes a return would be an entertaining avenue for him to explore and that he’d be “more than happy to go NXT, Raw, SmackDown, 205 [Live].” He personally didn’t see a problem with him competing on 205 Live, asking “Is there a weight limit at 205 pounds? 205 pounds. Come on, guys. We need 305 Live here.”
Otis Talks About Heavy Machinery
With Otis currently enjoying so much singles success, it’s unsure whether Heavy Machinery will continue as a team going forward. According to him, however, there are no plans to separate the duo. He described their team as a “long brotherhood” born in NXT. Otis noted how their anniversary is coming up on July 22 and that “There’s no word on that [whether we’ll split] because we’re just doing what we love to do.”
Otis is scheduled to participate in this Sunday’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match. He competes for the briefcase against Daniel Bryan, Rey Mysterio, Aleister Black, King Corbin and AJ Styles.
NXT Superstar Johnny Gargano has shared his thoughts on WWE’s recent cinematic matchups during an interview with Mirror. He also brought up his interest in facing Seth Rollins and how he’s been staving off boredom during the coronavirus pandemic.
WrestleMania 36 featured two cinematic matches in the Boneyard Match and Firefly Fun House matchup. Gargano was a fan of both, calling them “awesome.”
The Firefly Fun House match, in particular, resonated with him. He noted how people could call him weird, but “as a deep dive fan the match was genius. There were so many little deep dives and easter eggs throughout that you can go back and think ‘that was awesome’. They were so different and so cool.”
Johnny Gargano Wants Seth Rollins
Gargano revealed how he had heard Seth Rollins’ promo on RAW, claiming that there wouldn’t be an NXT or Johnny Gargano without him. His words were something Gargano has taken issue with. He admitted he was going to “shoot for the moon” with his challenge, but would love to see Rollins return to NXT and for them to feud.
“So if Seth Rollins is free on any Wednesday and wants to come by, feel free Seth, come on by. I heard his promo from Raw where he said that there wouldn’t be an NXT or Johnny Gargano without him. If he feels that way, he can feel free to come by on Wednesday, anytime.”
Combating Boredom
In an effort to maintain his fitness and combat boredom during self-isolation, Gargano revealed that he now owns a Peloton bike and has become “one of those guys now.”
It’s a purchase made in an effort to adapt to the current self-isolation the world continues to experience. He stressed how you have to “make the best of what you got.” He shared how people are generally good at adapting and that “you just gotta make the best of things.”
Alongside the Peloton, he and his wife Candice LeRae, now own a dog. He explained how they’ve both been wanting a dog for a while but weren’t at home enough as they would want to be. The coronavirus has changed that, allowing them time to train the dog and spend time together.
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre has addressed the status of his former 3MB stablemates Heath Slater and Jinder Mahal. Speaking with Metro, McIntyre acknowledged Slater’s recent release from WWE. He revealed how the former-Superstar already has a “game plan he’s forming.”
Having been fired from WWE in the past, Drew McIntyre used that time away to reinvent himself. He eventually returned and ultimately claimed the WWE Championship. He shared that he is currently giving Slater advice on what to do now he is no longer with WWE.
The WWE Champion is confident that Slater will “really get to show the world what he’s capable of.”
According to McIntyre, there’s no reason Slater won’t take over the world, be brought back to WWE and get another opportunity, just as he was.
Drew McIntyre On a Jinder Mahal Feud
Turning his attention to Jinder Mahal’s recent return to Monday Night RAW, Drew McIntyre confessed he isn’t sure if fans would buy into a feud between them right away. He acknowledged that they have a “legitimate, real story” that can be built on.
McIntyre shared how Mahal needs a bit of a run first, allowing him to “build up some steam.”
Once that’s done and the time is right, only then should they come together. “Aside from what people saw on television, besides the fact he won the title before me and everyone kind of crapped on it, then I won the title and everybody kinda praised it.”
Drew McIntyre is set to defend his WWE Championship against Seth Rollins this Sunday. The two clash at WWE’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view.
WWE SmackDown Superstar Otis has explained the origins of his popular move, The Caterpillar. He divulged how he first started using the movie during an interview with Digital Spy. During their conversation, Otis also opened up about a conversation he had with Scotty 2 Hotty, who was known for his move The Worm.
Otis revealed that the first time he ever tried doing the Caterpillar was during a dance party at Elementary School. According to him, no girls would dance with him so he decided to “get the crowd over with my moves.”
“I started shaking my hips and getting going and I waited till everybody was watching – you know, it was a big circle dance, everybody’s looking in there and checking you out. And that’s when I dropped. Bam! It’s a little bit stiffer on the floor than in the ring. And I got love from doing that move, so I just kept doing it. So now every wedding I get sore ribs the day after.”
Otis On Talking With Scotty 2 Hotty
Considering that his move has similarities to the Worm, Otis shared how he revealed he could do the Caterpillar after being coached at the WWE Performance Center by Scotty 2 Hotty.
Otis stated how he told Scotty how much the move meant to him. He added how he acknowledged that Scotty was the “king of The Worm” but was adamant that he continued using the move, eventually popularizing it as the Caterpillar.
This Saturday, FOX will be airing a two-hour special on WWE’s Greatest Ladder Matches. The announcement was accompanied by a Tweet highlighting how the special will feature top Superstars who competed in “the best of the most high-flying, crowd-wowing battles in sports entertainment — the ladder match.” Although the message listed a number of top stars, a few names were noticeably missing, including Matt Hardy’s.
The former WWE Superstar has since responded to the apparent slight by WWE. When a fan tagged him in a tweet complaining at Hardy’s omission, Hardy replied: “It’s all good.”
Hardy wasn’t the only Superstar to be missing from their advert. Shawn Michaels, Scott Hall, and Matt’s brother, Jeff, were also noticeably absent.
Matt Hardy wrote:
“In 2020, wrestling fans know you can’t talk about @WWE’s greatest ladder matches without the names HBK, Razor, Christian, Bubba, D-von, Matt & Jeff included.. Hopefully, those matches are included for keeping the actual history credible.”
It’s all good. In 2020, wrestling fans know you can’t talk about @WWE’s greatest ladder matches without the names HBK, Razor, Christian, Bubba, D-von, Matt & Jeff included.. Hopefully, those matches are included for keeping the actual history credible. https://t.co/BzkI4PCKuj
He teams with Elite member Kenny Omega. The pair will take on the team of Inner Circle members Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara. This match marks Matt Hardy’s in-ring debut with the company since his first debuted on the show.
Recently furloughed WWE Producer Shane Helms believes he knows why WWE’s ratings have been struggling as of late. Responding to a tweet regarding WWE’s flagging ratings, Helms bluntly relayed how ratings have been impacted because wrestling “sucks without an audience.”
Shane Helms stressed how watching wrestling without a crowd is an undeniable struggle for him. He credited the fans as being an undeniably vital component before juxtaposing the current product with watching a stand-up comedy show without an audience. Regardless of the quality of the comedian, without a crowd “it just won’t be as funny.”
“Because it sucks without an audience. It just does. Nobody loves wrestling more than me but I struggle to watch it while it’s missing one of it’s most vital components, the fans!”
Because it sucks without an audience. It just does. Nobody loves wrestling more than me but I struggle to watch it while it’s missing one of it’s most vital components, the fans! It’s like watching Standup without a crowd. No matter what, it just won’t be as funny. https://t.co/iUeW2rMJmG
Another fan reached out to him to ask his thoughts on All Elite Wrestling. Whereas WWE has been putting on RAW, NXT and SmackDown with no audience or noise, AEW has been performing Dynamite in front of a small crowd comprised of talent.
This small amount of noise creates a different atmosphere for the shows, and Helms was asked from a “producer and talent standpoint” what he thought.
AEW’s approach appears to be something that Helms is enjoying. He replied to the fan, sharing how AEW has “done some things that I really like.”
All Elite Wrestling’s Cody Rhodes has recalled a few rejected gimmicks he had pitched during his time in WWE. Speaking with The Dan Le Batard Show, Cody shared details about two ideas he had worked on with his father, Dusty Rhodes. Both concepts were ultimately shot down.
Cody recalled how, prior to leaving WWE, he went through a phase of going to the WWE Performance Center. He explained how he had been working on different projects with Dusty at the time, noting he was blessed he got the chance to do so. He noted how “none of them got green lit” before revealing how one was based on Iron Man’s Tony Stark. The gimmick would have seen Cody act as a “prince in the industry, the opposite of the common man which Dusty was.”
Another idea saw Cody Rhodes‘ Stardust character accompanied by a hairless cat. He recalled how Dusty was once trying to produce a promo with him as he held a hairless cat adorned with makeup and glitter.
“At the end, everything I flew against the wall didn’t stick, which the ultimate answer of that was why don’t I try being myself and see if that sells any tickets. And that’s where I’ve been fortunate and blessed enough to have the most success.”
Cody Rhodes is set to compete this Wednesday night on Dynamite. He will be participating in the finals of the TNT Championship Tournament. He faces off against Lance Archer to determine who will be the inaugural TNT Champion.