SEScoops

Author: Steve Russell

  • Ric Flair On WCW Wanting To Repackage Him, Turning Down WWE In 1988

    Ric Flair On WCW Wanting To Repackage Him, Turning Down WWE In 1988

    WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair caught up with Chris Jericho for an episode of Talk is Jericho. The two sat down with each other during Chris Jericho’s Rock’ N’ Rager At Sea: Part Deux cruise. One of the topics that were broached during their conversation was Flair’s decision to leave WCW for the the-WWF in 1991. 

    Flair shared how WCW had plans in place to repackage him. This gimmick change would have included a hair cut and a name change to ‘Spartacus’, an idea he attributed to Jim Herd.

    “He wanted me to… the worst thing I ever did was cut my hair. Like, I remember walking through the airport. Nobody knew me,” Flair divulged. “I mean, I was frightened because he wanted to call me ‘Spartacus’. They wanted me to change my name and put in an earring. You know that story, Chris. They wanted to call me ‘Spartacus’. You saw that haircut. What other explanation could there be? I looked like a 12 year old kid with a surfboard shoved up my butt. It was that bad.”

    Ric Flair On Turning Down WWE In 1988

    Ric Flair also talked about turning down the chance to compete against the late ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage at SummerSlam 1988. He shared how WWE wanted him to come in for the match, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave his friends, including Tully Blanchard, Barry Windham and Arn Anderson. They were “selling out everywhere” and Flair couldn’t have been happier, so had no real interest in dropping that to wrestle Savage.

    “I just had a deposit on the belt and I was with Arn [Anderson] and Tully [Blanchard] and Barry [Windham] and we were selling out everywhere and I was happy. It was never about not going up there [to WWE] and having fun,” he said. “A lot of guys that I was friends with were there. I just couldn’t bring myself to leave that circle of friends that I was with.”

    He continued, “And then, we had talks again and that didn’t do anything, so when I quit, I just called them and I said, ‘I’m here and by the way, I’ve got the belt.’ I tried to give it back. [WCW] said they wouldn’t take it. That’s the truth. I said, ‘take it’ and he said, ‘shove it up your ass.’”

    H/T to Talk is Jericho for the transcription.

  • Matt Hardy Hints At NXT Rumors, Thanks Randy Orton

    Matt Hardy Hints At NXT Rumors, Thanks Randy Orton

    Matt Hardy is on the cusp of a major career decision. With his WWE contract reportedly expiring soon, several promotions are said to be interested in the WWE Superstar. WWE has allegedly made “overtures to him” in their efforts to keep him, one of which includes him becoming a part of the NXT system in some capacity. Taking to his Twitter account, Hardy teased the NXT rumors currently revolving around him.

    “With a hand of days remaining, nothing is yet written in stone. Every major player is currently on the board, everyone’s at the table. I must rePROCURE. I must be RESURRECTED. I must seek out my ARCADIA.Then what’s NeXT? #FreeTheDELETE #FreeTheDELETE.com”

    He also uploaded a YouTube video to his channel called “DEAR DR RKO” where he addressed the brutal attacks at the hands of Randy Orton. He spoke about how he should be livid at Orton but isn’t. Rather than the attacks being a curse, he instead considers them to a blessing, thanking Orton for his actions.

    Exalted Matt Hardy?

    There has been speculation that Hardy would be revealed as the Dark Order’s “Exalted One” in AEW. Raven appeared on a recent episode of AEW Dynamite in the background, hinting at his potential involvement. However, some have theorised he was just a distraction to Hardy’s arrival.

    If Hardy elects to stay with WWE, that would obviously scupper any plans that may exist. With the Superstar eager to work somewhere the allows him greater creative control, the answer may come down to which promotion will grant him his request.

  • Cody Rhodes Talks About AEW’s Women’s Division, Fan Criticism

    Cody Rhodes Talks About AEW’s Women’s Division, Fan Criticism

    All Elite Wrestling’s Cody Rhodes has shared how the promotion’s Women’s Division is still “growing.” He made the comments during a recent media call. Cody noted how he is aware of the fan criticism, and that it’s something the company is open to as they work towards improving.

    “The women’s division is growing. I actually would say when you hear the criticisms—you hear the good things about your show, things people don’t like and you’ve got to keep your ears open. You can’t be close-minded to it,” he said. “One thing that is going to take time is the women’s division in particular. It’s a merit-based show. It’s a merit-based wrestling show and the best wrestlers are going to wrestle on that show.”

    He continued, “I think we have some of the best wrestlers and some of the best women’s wrestlers. I’d really like to see Big Swole emerge. Britt Baker is on absolute fire. Nyla Rose becoming the second AEW Women’s World Champion, an amazing moment and maybe the best match on the best show we’ve done all year. That speaks to the talent level of Nyla and Riho and that international involvement that will always be there as far as bringing in the Joshi talent.”

    Cody Rhodes’ Request

    Cody Rhodes then asked fans to be patient with AEW as they are “doing everything” possible to further grow the division. He reflected on how popular women’s wrestling has become in recent years. AEW’s ultimate goal is to cultivate the division and make it a big part of their brand going forward.

    His brother, Dustin, recently shared a similar sentiment. He acknowledged how the division is taking a “slow, steady” approach towards building and establishing itself.

    “The women’s division is developing,” Dustin said. “It is slow, but it is developing, and we will get there over time. You know, this isn’t a race, it’s not a sprint, it’s a slow, steady build, like simmer on the stove, man.”

    H/T to WrestleZone for the transcription.

  • Superstar Billy Graham Slams Vince McMahon Over WWE Banning Talent From Vickie Guerrero’s Podcast

    Superstar Billy Graham Slams Vince McMahon Over WWE Banning Talent From Vickie Guerrero’s Podcast

    “Superstar” Billy Graham has reacted to Vickie Guerrero’s recent revelation that WWE Superstars are no longer allowed to appear on her podcast. The decision was reportedly made after Vickie appeared on an episode of All Elite Wrestling’s YouTube show, Dark. She joined Excalibur in a guest commentator role. She was also present during Chris Jericho’s recent Rock’ N’ Wrestling Rager cruise.

    Taking to his Facebook account, Graham lambasted the decision, labelling Vince McMahon a “scumbag bastard.”

    Superstar Billy Graham Lets Loose

    “[…] This man has to be the single most evil human being walking the face of the earth. To deny a woman’s right to make a living when her husband gave his life for this unworthy pile of dung,” Graham wrote. “He won’t let her have any of his talent to simply sit and talk on a Podcast, while this coming Thursday, Febuary 27 he will be putting on a show in Saudi Arabia with his partner the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohamed bin Salam who will be paying 50 million dollars for this one night show and oh yes, personally ordered the murder and dismemberment of American journalist Jamal Khashoggi.”

    Graham vented his frustration at Vince’s refusal to allow Vickie to “make some nickles and dimes” with her podcast. He stressed the point, highlighting how Vince is about to make “50 million dollars soaked in Khashoggi’s blood.”

    Billy Graham accompanied his post with a picture of himself next to the late-Eddie Guerrero.

    Vickie had previously shared her shock at WWE’s decision: “I was just like, ‘Wow. They’re gonna be like that.” So you just quietly move on and you see how they are and you just have to take care of your own business.”

    She appeared on the 12/11 episode of AEW Dark, which you can watch below:

  • Kurt Angle Clarifies Recent “Quality Of Life” Comments

    Kurt Angle Clarifies Recent “Quality Of Life” Comments

    WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle has addressed his “quality of life” comments. Angle recently confessed how his “quality of life right now sucks,” admitting that he’s hurting pretty badly. 

    Angle addressed his words during an interview with the Table Talk with D’Von and Mo Podcast. He shared how he was “utterly surprised” at the reaction his statement garnered. He noted how the sentiment was taken out of context and blown out of proportion. 

    “I competed from a very young age, from 7 years old all the way until I was 50, either amateur wrestling to pro wrestling, that’s a lot of years, that’s going to do a lot of damage to your body,” Angle stated. “My quality of life, it does suck, I’m not going to lie to you, especially staying clean, which I continue to do and always will. Your knees, your back, your neck, your shoulders, as you age and get older it catches up to you.”

    Kurt Angle On Dealing With Injuries Then Vs. Now

    Angle also spoke about the differences that exist now in how current talent deal with injuries. Angle divulged how, in his era, “we worked through it and finished the match.” He pointed to Triple H’s quad injury as an example of this, as well as breaking his own neck while wrestling Brock Lesnar. 

    “We were having a match and I knew right away, I knew something was wrong but we worked through it. That’s not the smartest thing in the world to do. There’s a big difference now and I think they’re doing the right thing with that. Injuries occur, you can’t pretend they never occur, they do.”

    Kurt Angle wrestled his “Farewell” matchup at year’s WrestleMania 35. He lost to Baron Corbin. 

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription. 

  • Booker T Discusses Modern Wrestling’s Scripted Promos

    Booker T Discusses Modern Wrestling’s Scripted Promos

    WWE Hall of Famer Booker T joined Lilian Garcia on her podcast, Chasing Glory. During their conversation, Booker T shared his thoughts on WWE’s heavily scripted promos.

    He compared these scripts to how things were when he was an active in-ring competitor. Booker noted how scripts can “take away a lot of the originality.” Despite this, however, Booker T also addressed the positives scripts can provide. He pointed to his experiences as King Booker as an example.

    “I remember back in the day, John Laurinaitis, he used to write a lot of my matches for me. Just the finish, he would write the finish for me,” Booker T explained. “In the beginning I told him, I go, “Man, I don’t work like this. I’m an artist.” He’d go, “Just look it over and just try it.” I went out and I was like, “All right, I’ll try it.” I went out and I did, and I was like, “Wow, man, I look like a million bucks.””

    He continued, “If I got someone working with me and I know they can make me look better and then they give me the liberty to say, “Hey, use it if you like it. If you don’t, throw it out,” that’s going to make me a whole lot better, opposed to someone just telling me, “Hey, this is what you got tonight.” For me, I had Brian Gewirtz, back when I was doing the King Booker.”

    Booker T has previously praised Gewirtz for helping him with the King Booker character. With his notes, Booker T was able to embrace the gimmick and deliver his promos with a little ad-libbing thrown in.

    H/T to WrestleZone for the transcription. 

  • Cody Rhodes Reflects On His Moonsault During Last Week’s Steel Cage Match

    Cody Rhodes Reflects On His Moonsault During Last Week’s Steel Cage Match

    Last week on AEW Dynamite, Cody Rhodes wrestled Wardlow in a Steel Cage match. Cody would ensure their clash was a memorable one, delivering a moonsault off the top of the cage. Talking with Sports Illustrated, Cody reflected on his matchup and the backstage reaction to his intentions.

    Cody likened his moonsault to one by Terry Funk, noting how “I’m a bigger guy than people think, so the moonsault doesn’t come off easily. The only piece of thinking in my mind was to throw my head back. My body will go where my head will go, that’s something John Laurinaitis and Dean Malenko told me when I first started doing the moonsault. As long as I threw my head back, I knew I’d be OK.”

    He argued how this is what he brings to AEW. Cody compared himself to his Elite teammates. He highlighted how Matt and Nick Jackson have introduced a new style of tag team psychology. Kenny Omega delivers a “different way of doing wrestling” that Cody considers important to the evolution of the sport. Hangman is a “big run-and-gun heavyweight.”

    What Cody believes he brings is his ability to “plug into the wrestling I grew up on” from the late ’80s to early ’90s. “That style was a little bit more disciplined, a little bit more deliberate, and I complement those guys by doing that.”

    Not Everyone Wanted Cody To Do It

    Having thought about the moonsault all day leading up to the matchup, Cody shared how there were some backstage who didn’t want him to do it, including AEW President Tony Khan. According to Cody, Khan was “adamant” he didn’t deliver such a dangerous move from such a height.

    “I’ve never seen a boss like him and how he leads, and the way he cares about his investments,” he said. “Too many people were trying to talk me out of it. Typically, I’m by the ‘Go position’ during our show, but I stayed away.”

    Cody Rhodes is set to wrestle against his former-best friend Maxwell Jacob Friedman. The two will face off at AEW Revolution on February 29th.

  • Joey Janela On Working With Kip Sabian & Penelope Ford

    Joey Janela On Working With Kip Sabian & Penelope Ford

    All Elite Wrestling’s Joey Janela has opened up about working a storyline with Kip Sabian and his ex-girlfriend Penelope Ford. Speaking with Wrestling Inc. Daily, “The Bad Boy” shared how he doesn’t feel uncomfortable working the feud with the new couple. 

    “Not really at all. I’ve been in the wrestling business for 15 years now so nothing’s really weird or uncomfortable,” Janela stated. “I’ve seen it all and heard it all. I’m trying to find my footing and they are as well. Who knows how all of this will turn out after this is all said and done.”

    When it comes to his in-ring work with Sabian, Janela noted how he isn’t surprised at how well they’ve been working together. He highlighted how they are “polar opposites” and that, despite some doubts, he’s happy with how the feud has been going to date. 

    Joey Janela Wrestling On Dark, Not Revolution

    The two recently clashed in a Falls Count Anywhere matchup. This match will be aired on this week’s episode of AEW Dark via the promotion’s YouTube channel. But would Janela have preferred for this matchup to have taken place at AEW’s upcoming pay-per-view, Revolution?

    “Of course. Of course. That’s what we thought it was going to be but it is what it is,” he revealed. “They wanted to do a match on TV and a match on Dark. There’s so much stuff on the PPV but I would have done a few things differently, not necessarily politic for my match to be on a PPV. But on a PPV you’re a little more lenient – no commercials and more time to tell your story – but I have no issue with the direction it’s gone.”

    He admitted that, once the Sabian feud wraps up, he isn’t sure what’s next. Janela shared how he usually lives “week by week” but is still getting adjusted to having a more stringent schedule to adhere to.

    AEW Revolution takes place on February 29th, 2020 from Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription. 

  • Big Show Thinks The Current WWE Locker Room Is “Too Friendly”

    Big Show Thinks The Current WWE Locker Room Is “Too Friendly”

    WWE Superstar The Big Show recently joined “Stone Cold” Steve Austin on Broken Skull Sessions. During their conversation, Big Show was asked about the current state of WWE’s locker room. Given Show’s extensive career, he has undoubtedly witnessed the ever-changing attitudes within the locker room, making him a knowledgable spokesperson on the subject. Right now, he believes the current WWE roster is “too friendly” with each other.

    “It’s too nice. Too friendly,” he revealed. “People are too comfortable and too happy to be working there. Vince will tell you himself, ‘if you don’t step on toes, you’re never gonna make it in this business.’ I wanna see some toe-stepping.”

    Big Show continued, “I’m not saying be a dick in the locker room. I wanna see somebody that stands up, does business, and has that drive that, if he has to eat through somebody, that’s fine. We’re not all friends. We’re here to make money. I think we’re making good progress with somebody like Drew McIntyre. I’ve always liked Drew.”

    He explained how McIntyre looks like a million bucks with his new attitude. Show noted how he McIntyre isn’t “handing out flapjacks.” He then stressed how he isn’t knocking the New Day before sharing how he’d love to see Big E make an impact of his own and become more aggressive. 

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Kurt Angle On Wanting To Wrestle Bret Hart, His Toughest Career Decision

    Kurt Angle On Wanting To Wrestle Bret Hart, His Toughest Career Decision

    WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle has lamented the fact he and Bret Hart were never able to have a match together. Angle opened up about the popular dream match during a recent Q&A session on his Facebook account.

    He shared how he had always wanted to work with Bret, but given that Bret “got hurt and then had a stroke” it sadly guaranteed that the two technical wrestlers would never be able to face each other. Angle complimented Hart, noting how he is “one of the best.”

    Kurt Angle’s Toughest Decision

    Angle also answered a question asking him what the hardest decision he’s ever had to make was. For him, it came down to his in-ring career and whether he needed to retire or not. It became a real struggle for him to decide “Whether I should retire after I broke my neck several times. I decided to continue. I was very lucky to be able to.”

    Despite being able to continue his in-ring career, Angle recently revealed how banged up his body is. He confessed how his “quality of life right now sucks.”

    Weight Cutting

    A prolific amateur wrestler, a fan asked Angle what his thoughts were on weight cutting for competitions. Angle was quick to answer, explaining why he doesn’t believe in the practice:

    “I wrestled at 220lbs. I weighed 209lbs. I feel that if you have to cut weight you spend most of your time training to make weight instead of getting the most out of your training regimen.”

    Kurt Angle wrestled his last in-ring matchup at WrestleMania 34. He competed in a losing effort against Baron Corbin in a “Farewell Match.”

  • Fit Finlay On Working With WWE’s Women’s Division, Wrestling Being “In The Family”

    Fit Finlay On Working With WWE’s Women’s Division, Wrestling Being “In The Family”

    Fit Finlay has been working for WWE as a Backstage Producer for a while now. During his time in this role, he has been instrumental in helping to grow and strengthen the Women’s Division. Joining WWE’s The Bump, Finlay spoke about the work he’s done and his hopes for the future of the division. 

    “Well, it first started when I came to WWE in 2001-2002, as a producer. I was given the task of working with the girls,” Finlay explained. “As you know, during those years it was all bra and panties, lingerie matches. Whatever gimmick match it was, I had to work with the girls.”

    He continued, “It was sort of embarrassing to me. I knew I was not what the girls wanted. I started teaching them how to wrestle and got them all together and said ‘Hey, I don’t really like to do this. I don’t like to tell you how to strip yourselves off in a match. It’s alien to me for one, and it’s degrading to you.’ So, I came up with a plan to start putting on wrestling matches and teaching them all the ins and outs.”

    Finlay noted how he would be reprimanded by certain people. According to him, these higher-ups didn’t want their female roster wrestling “like the guys.” He was told how they should be pulling each others hair and not actually grappling.

    Despite the resistance, Finlay remained resolute. He helped to develop it throughout the years, noting how it was a gradual process. Because the women put everything into it and listened to his coaches, the division started to grow and legitimize itself. 

    Fit Finlay’s Family Legacy

    Fit’s son, David Finlay, is currently wrestling in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He is a former IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champion. Finlay shared how wrestling is all David wanted to do with his life, noting how pro wrestling is “in the family.”

    He shared how his daughter is currently training and preparing for an in-ring debut in Japan. His 17-year-old son is also getting experience in the ring. According to Fit, they never want to do schoolwork and instead want to jump into the ring at every opportunity. 

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Stevie Ray Responds To Critics Over Harlem Heat’s Hall Of Fame Induction

    Stevie Ray Responds To Critics Over Harlem Heat’s Hall Of Fame Induction

    WWE Hall of Famer Stevie Ray has responded to critics who don’t believe he should have been inducted. Ray was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame during last year’s ceremony. He was included as a part of the WCW tag team Harlem Heat alongside his brother, Booker T.

    “Yeah, man! It is cool. But, you know, people were always bothering me about the Hall of Fame and I never really had thought about it,” Stevie Ray told Wrestling Epicenter. “I always thought that the Hall of Fame meant that you left a mark in wrestling and people would always remember it and I never thought… You know, it was in the back of my mind. But it is cool that it happened and hey, Harlem Heat is in the Hall of Fame!”

    Stevie Ray stressed how “I could give two sh*ts what people say” regarding his inclusion. He stressed how they were put into the Hall of Fame as a record-breaking tag team. Not only that but for being a tag team that brought tag team wrestling back into popularity and actually got ratings at a time when teams didn’t really draw. 

    Stevie Ray Denied Harlem Heat Rumors

    There had been rumors that a match could take place between The Revival and Harlem Heat. Despite the speculation, however, there has been no firm indication that the match will take place.

    On a recent episode of WWE Backstage, Booker T highlighted how Harlem Heat wasn’t finished with the Revival. Stevie Ray, however, denied this. He stated, “I’m done with the Revival. I never had anything to do with the f***ing Revival. So, whatever sh*t he said, I don’t got nothing to do with it.”

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Tony Schiavone Isn’t Sure If AEW Will “Ever Be As Big As WWE”

    Tony Schiavone Isn’t Sure If AEW Will “Ever Be As Big As WWE”

    All Elite Wrestling’s Tony Schiavone has shared his uncertainty that AEW will ever “be as big as WWE” in an interview with Sportskeeda. He pointed to the WWE Network and the sheer longevity WWE has enjoyed since its inception. Rather than directly competing with the promotion, Schiavone revealed he’d prefer for AEW to become a “viable part of wrestling.”

    “I don’t know if AEW will ever be as big as the WWE; with a Network, and the reach that they have overseas, because WWE has been around for a long time,” Schiavone explained. “But I’d like to see it be a viable part of wrestling [and] I’d like it to be a place where very good professional wrestlers – both men and women – can come and make a good living, and be treated fairly… that’s what I’d like AEW to be.”

    Although Tony Schiavone worked for the then-WWF for a stint in the ‘90s, he is best known for his work in WCW. Since WCW, he also provided commentary for Major League Wrestling, prior to his signing with AEW.

    There was a time that he was hired by coffee chain Starbucks. This history has been turned into an angle on AEW Dynamite, with Dr. Britt Baker often mocking him for his previous job role.

    Tony Schiavone is the co-host of two popular podcasts. He hosts What Happened When along with Conrad Thompson. Last week, AEW launched the new AEW Unrestricted podcast, which features Tony and referee Aubrey Edwards interviewing AEW talent.

  • Tyler Breeze Talks About Moving Back To NXT

    Tyler Breeze Talks About Moving Back To NXT

    Tyler Breeze is one of a few main roster Superstars to have returned to WWE’s black-and-gold brand, NXT. He joined other names such as his Breezango partner Fandango and former WWE Universal Champion Finn Balor in returning. In an interview with The Chris Van Vliet Show, Breeze discussed his journey back to NXT.

    Tyler Breeze Returns To NXT

    “I wasn’t in a very good place in May, and that’s just when it came to a head, and when I kind of dropped a bomb on everything, where I just said, I gotta change my life because I am not happy, you know what I mean, and nobody can change it but you kind of thing.”

    Breeze continued, “So I said, alright, I gotta change my job, I gotta change my life, I gotta change everything that’s going on. It didn’t even start as a ‘Hey, send me back to NXT, I’m not happy,’ whatever. It wasn’t that at all. It was like, ‘Look, I haven’t been doing anything. I’m not enjoying what I’m doing.’”

    He explained how, at that point, it didn’t appear as though his injured partner Fandango would be returning any time soon. Breeze argued that if they didn’t need him, WWE should allow him to “go do something else and either, one, prove that you do need me or that you want me, or I’ll go find something else to do because I’m just not enjoying what I’m doing.’”

    According to Tyler Breeze, he was told by WWE that they didn’t want to let him go. So he was given the option to return to NXT. It was a decision he has previously described as “one of the easiest choices of my life.”

    H/T to WrestleZone for the transcription.

  • Shawn Spears On His Chair Shot To Cody, Becoming “The Chairman”

    Shawn Spears On His Chair Shot To Cody, Becoming “The Chairman”

    All Elite Wrestling’s resident “Chairman” Shawn Spears has opened up about his nasty chair shot to Cody Rhodes and embracing the Chairman character. Speaking on The Chris Van Vliet Show, Spears recounted swinging the chair at Cody, not knowing the damage his attack had caused until he saw the blood.

    “I swang [sic] for the fences, he leaned in, and just that one little bit caught him. I didn’t know he was bleeding,” Spears confessed. “That’s because I kinda had a moment with Brandi [Rhodes], where I looked at her and kinda had a staredown with her. And I looked at him to get that one more shot and I saw the red and I was like, ’S&*%’”

    He argued that, as far as their storyline was concerned, it was a “best case scenario.” Spears noted how, regardless of that, he didn’t want to be responsible for his friend needing 10 stitches in his head. “But it is wrestling, things happen, I’m pretty sure I’ll be on the tail end of a bad shot at some point.”

    Shawn Spears Becomes “The Chairman”

    Shawn Spears reflected on how that one chair shot, and the subsequent damage it caused, helped to put him on the map in AEW. It turned him from a “happy-go-lucky ‘Perfect 10’” wrestler into a monster villain against Cody’s babyface, birthing “The Chairman.” 

    “[…] that’s where ‘The Chairman’ thing was born, so I just kinda kept it, ran with it, and have yet hit someone in the head once again, so it’s a moniker, it’s a tagline that hangs with me for the moment. In terms of what’s gonna happen, I might swing it again soon.”

    He shared how he’s much happier now than he was just one year ago. Spears highlighted how it wasn’t WWE itself that was behind his unhappiness: “It was just, I wasn’t happy being where I was there. So I needed to take ownership. They can’t change to work around you, you need to take ownership of your own situation.”

    Conceding how many are afraid to take that first step in leaving and embracing the unknown, Spears reiterated how taking the gamble has led him to be much happier despite the fact he was “petrified to leave” at the time. 

    H/T to WrestleZone for the transcription. 

  • WWE Won’t Allow Its Wrestlers On Vickie Guerrero’s Podcast Following AEW Appearance

    WWE Won’t Allow Its Wrestlers On Vickie Guerrero’s Podcast Following AEW Appearance

    Late last year, Vickie Guerrero appeared on an episode of All Elite Wrestling’s YouTube show Dark. She joined Excalibur on commentary duties. During a recent episode of her podcast, Excuse Me: The Vickie Guerrero Show, Vickie addressed WWE’s reaction to her guest spot. Turns out they weren’t too happy with her decision, as she is no longer allowed to invite WWE Superstars onto her show.

    Excuse Me

    “They [WWE] didn’t call me for two years. What did they expect me to do? Just to sit here and wait for them to call so I could do some work?” Guerrero asked. “I love wrestling. I love to work in the ring. And if someone is giving me an opportunity to go and show up and have some fun, then I should be able to because I’m not obligated to anybody.” 

    She argued how promotions should encourage their talent to show off their ability and craft, regardless of who they are signed with. Vickie added how there are now enough jobs and promotions to allow everybody an opportunity to work and contribute to the industry.

    “So when someone told me I couldn’t interview the Superstars because I went to AEW, I was just like, ‘Wow. They’re gonna be like that.” So you just quietly move on and you see how they are and you just have to take care of your own business.”

    Vickie Guerrero appeared on the 12/11 episode of AEW Dark, which you can watch below:

    H/T to Pro Wrestling Sheet for the transcription.

  • Tyler Bate Reportedly Dealing With An Injury

    Tyler Bate Reportedly Dealing With An Injury

    It appears as though NXT UK Superstar Tyler Bate is dealing with an injury. The Moustache Mountain member was set to perform at an upcoming OTT Wrestling event this Sunday. However, the promotion took to social media to reveal that Bate unfortunately not be present at their Dead On event.

    “Due to recent injury, Tyler Bate will no long appear at #DeadOn. This is unavoidable in wrestling, Apologies #OTT.”

    Bate and his tag team partner Trent Seven were scheduled to defend the OTT Tag Team Championships against The True Pros.

    Tyler Bate On NXT UK

    At the time of writing, there are no further details as to what kind of injury Bate is dealing with. He and Seven last appeared on WWE programming on January 25th. They appeared on WWE Worlds Collide, where they lost a matchup to DIY. They also appeared on the WWE Watch Along stream for Royal Rumble. His tag team partner, Seven, would go on to wrestle against Finn Balor on NXT later that same week.

    Although Tyler Bate appeared on last night’s episode of NXT UK, it’s worth noting that the episode was pre-recorded in January. The match saw him face off against Joseph Connors. Bate has not yet commented on or addressed the injury reports.

  • Cody Reveals Who He Thinks Is AEW’s Most Underrated Talent

    Cody Reveals Who He Thinks Is AEW’s Most Underrated Talent

    All Elite Wrestling’s Cody Rhodes has revealed which current AEW talent he considers to be the most underrated on the roster. During a recent medial call, Cody pointed to one half of the Hybrid 2 tag team Jack Evans.

    “Underrated is a dirty word to me because sometimes it means under pushed or undervalued. But taking the word at face value, I think the most underrated guy in AEW is Jack Evans,” Cody revealed.

    He continued, “He walks around backstage super-casual and I don’t think people have any idea what he’s capable of in the ring. He’s just special. He’s someone who I always say that I’d really like to get a singles with Jack. I don’t know if he knows how much we value him, but Jack Evans is underrated.”

    Hybrid 2 On AEW Dynamite

    Jack Evans and his Hybrid 2 partner Angelico both participated in this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite on TNT. They wrestled alongside several other teams, opening the show with a Tag Team Battle Royal. The winners of the match received an AEW Tag Team Championship opportunity at the promotion’s upcoming pay-per-view, Revolution.

    Matt Jackson was eventually able to secure the victory for himself and his brother, setting an Elite showdown for the belts between The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega and Hangman Page.

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Lio Rush Opens Up About Losing Sight Of His WWE Goals

    Lio Rush Opens Up About Losing Sight Of His WWE Goals

    NXT Superstar and former NXT Cruiserweight Champion Lio Rush has opened up about his time away from the ring during his hiatus. Speaking with TV Insider, Rush confessed how he had “lost sight” of his WWE goals before his reemergence on the black-and-gold brand. Prior to this, Rush had been appearing on RAW as Bobby Lashley’s hype man.

    “Last year was all over the place as far as ups and downs, trials and tribulations to get back to the WWE right now,” Rush confessed. “As far as how I approach WWE right now and my position, I’m setting the goal for myself this year in 2020 to just have fun. I feel like last year I kind of lost sight of that, I lost sight of why I wanted to be in WWE in the first place. I tried to control a lot of things that weren’t in my control.”

    He noted how he is focusing on having fun and allowing things to happen organically. He is still working on the things he can control, and it’s a mindset he is bringing with him into WWE.

    Lio Rush On NXT

    Rush spoke about his surprise at receiving a phone call from Triple H, asking him to be a part of NXT. Despite the surprise, he couldn’t deny his excitement at the opportunity. He stressed how it’s an “incredible” time to be a part of NXT.

    “When I got the call from Triple H to be in NXT again, I was a little surprised. At the same time, there was a level of excitement there. A lot of the USA viewers were familiar with me from my time on Raw, so I had an advantage in that sense to be one of a few who have had that exposure before. The level of talent on NXT is incredible. I can’t even wrap my head around how many top-tier athletes are in NXT right now at the performance center training every day.”

    Lio Rush recently fell short in a championship match against the current NXT Cruiserweight Championship, Jordan Devlin.

  • Charlotte Flair On Ric Flair’s Legacy, Her WrestleMania Helicopter Entrance

    Charlotte Flair On Ric Flair’s Legacy, Her WrestleMania Helicopter Entrance

    Charlotte Flair has been paving a legacy of her own since she first began wrestling in WWE. Despite her own hard-earned success, some still point to her living in the shadow of her Hall of Fame father, Ric Flair. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Charlotte broached this topic, and how she uses the slight as fuel and motivation.

    “I never have a hard time motivating myself. Being known only as Ric Flair’s daughter fuels my fire to keep working harder and becoming stronger,” she said. “Being my dad’s daughter is a huge chip on my shoulder. I think that’s why I’ve had so much success—nothing’s ever good enough. I’ll continue to prove the haters wrong.”

    Charlotte Flair On Becky Lynch’s WWE 2K20 Cover

    During the interview, she was asked about her long-time frenemy Becky Lynch. Primarily, Lynch being one the front cover of last year’s video game WWE 2K20 alongside Roman Reigns. Charlotte shared how she was excited for her friend, explaining how having Lynch on the cover in her ‘The Man’ t-shirt, positioned in front of Reigns, sends “such a positive message.” She noted how one woman succeeding and doing well means that the entire division is doing well. 

    WrestleMania 35 Helicopter Entrance

    Charlotte Flair made history alongside Becky Lynch and “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey at last year’s WrestleMania 35 event. For the first time ever, women headlined “The Grandest Stage of Them All.” To capture the significance of the moment, WWE gave the competitors a chance to shine during their entrances. Flair, for example, got to enter the arena via helicopter—something she revealed wasn’t her idea.

    “That was definitely not my idea,” Flair shared. “Do you think I actually went to the boss and asked for a helicopter? I didn’t even know about the entrance until our last go-home show before ‘Mania. They were like, ‘Hey, we have this idea. What do you think?’ And I was like, ‘That is incredible.’ With so many playbacks to my dad, it was very cool.”

    Charlotte Flair is set to challenge NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 36. The event takes place on April 5th from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. 

  • Naomi Reveals She Wanted To Be Moved To NXT

    Naomi Reveals She Wanted To Be Moved To NXT

    SmackDown Superstar Naomi recently returned to in-ring action at WWE’s January event, Royal Rumble. She recently joined the Women’s Weekly Wrestling podcast to discuss a range of subjects. During their conversation, she revealed how she had pitched for WWE to send her to their black-and-gold brand NXT.

    “I asked about a year ago to go down to NXT to work,” Naomi revealed. “I just think NXT is awesome. I love NXT and also, the time I wasn’t being used much on the main roster so, I was like, ‘Dang, can I go down there and just see what I can get into, what could happen, and the talent down there is just so good.’”

    Naomi had one NXT Superstar in mind if she had been granted her request: Bianca Belair. For her, it didn’t matter if they were feeding or teaming together. She revealed she had a dream of them making history as the first-ever African-American WWE Women’s Tag Team champions.

    “I love Bianca, and her personality and her spirit is even more beautiful so, that was one idea I had,” she explained. “I either wanted to go work against her or to be with her or to do this story but it wasn’t the right time and also, ‘B’ is a star all on her own and I think they want her to be that and come into her own but, it’s just a dream of mine because we’ve never officially had two African-American tag team champions.”

    Despite Naomi’s interest in becoming a part of NXT, WWE obviously didn’t allow her to move brands as they have for other Superstars. Following her Rumble appearance, Naomi has since returned to action on Friday nights for SmackDown.

    H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcription. 

  • Shelton Benjamin Reflects On His Friendship With Brock Lesnar

    Shelton Benjamin Reflects On His Friendship With Brock Lesnar

    RAW Superstar Shelton Benjamin has opened up about his long-time friendship with WWE Champion Brock Lesnar. Joining Lilian Garcia on her podcast Chasing Glory, he detailed how he first met Lesnar and how the two became friends and training partners.

    Reflecting on his senior year, Benjamin recalled seeing Lesnar at an amateur wrestling tournament. Whereas Benjamin ended up losing his match, taking third place, Lesnar wound up winning the tournament. He remembered his first impression on seeing “The Beast Incarnate,” sharing “when you see Brock it’s like, ‘holy cow.’ [University of] Minnesota coaches swarmed him…”

    “I was a heavyweight. Even though I was a small heavyweight, I was a heavyweight all through high school and college, so basically me and Brock were in the same weight class,” Benjamin explained.

    “So basically, when Brock finally transferred in, I had stayed on as a coach/I still had another year of my scholarship so I was a coach/sparring partner – so there were only two guys that could give Brock a match in practice, but there was only one full-time guy. So for about, anywhere from three to four hours a day, like with practice, me and Brock would just go at it.”

    Shelton Benjamin’s Finer Points

    Benjamin then recalled their training routine, noting how the first time they wrestled, he went to grab onto Lesnar’s leg. Lesnar would react by thrusting his hip and sending Benjamin flying “halfway across the room.” 

    Benjamin knew at that point that he would have to help Lesnar refine his technique and teach him the “finer points.” Thankfully, Lesnar was ready to learn. Benjamin shared how he was like a sponge from day one. He stressed how some days he would be able to wrestle and wouldn’t be able to do anything to Lesnar. Other days Lesnar wouldn’t be able to successfully wrestle him. He then noted how there were occasions where, for two and a half hours, they were “two bulls locking horns, but that was my life and I loved it.”

    WWE recently referenced their long-term friendship during January’s Royal Rumble event. Shelton Benjamin would be eliminated by Brock Lesnar.

    H/T to WrestleZone for the transcription. 

  • TJP Reflects On Competing In NJPW’s Super J-Cup Tournament

    TJP Reflects On Competing In NJPW’s Super J-Cup Tournament

    TJP has opened up about how important New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s Super J-Cup tournament is to him, calling it his own “WrestleMania moment.” He also reflected on his time in NJPW’s training dojo, and praised their resident “Ace”, Hiroshi Tanahashi, who he believes is the Babe Ruth of the promotion.

    “The Junior division is why I started wrestling in the first place. The J-Cup, that was my WrestleMania moment,” he confessed during an interview with WrestleZone. “I joke with people, but I’m being serious, I never had a Mania moment. Like when I went to WWE, I never cared when I would see ‘Oh, I’m not on the card this year.’ That was fine, I never cared about a Mania moment but I always thought, ‘Man! I’ll never get the J-Cup. There’s only been like five of them in history,’ so when that came up this year and they were like, ‘We’d like you to be part of it,’ it’s like, ‘Man, this does not come up every year.’”

    TJP explained how being in contention for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship has always been a goal of his. He juxtaposed it to WWE’s Intercontinental Championship, explaining how it’s the “[…] most important title for like ‘wrestlers’ wrestlers.’”

    TJP On Hiroshi Tanahashi

    TJP then spoke about Tanahashi, a man he clearly has a lot of respect for. He noted how, when he was training with the promotion as a young boy, Tanahashi was just ahead of him as a Young Lion. To him, Tanahashi is akin to John Cena and Babe Ruth.

    “He was the class right ahead of me when I was a young boy so he was a Young Lion graduating when I came in the dojo. It’s really cool now at this stage to be back a part of the organization,” TJP said, “and he’s been like their John Cena for so long. He’s been the Babe Ruth over there and arguably the greatest babyface of all time.”

    TJP competed during last year’s Super J-Cup. He advanced through to the second round. He was eliminated by El Phantasmo.

    H/T to WrestleZone for the transcription.

  • Rhea Ripley Opens Up About Nearly Quitting, Trades Words With Charlotte Flair

    Rhea Ripley Opens Up About Nearly Quitting, Trades Words With Charlotte Flair

    Charlotte Flair and NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley are set to compete for the gold at WrestleMania 36. Following Flair’s recent promo on Monday Night RAW, Ripley responded to “The Queen” via Twitter, with their feud spilling over onto social media. During their exchange, Ripley revealed how she had considered quitting pro wrestling several times before finally finding success. 

    “I didn’t scratch, claw, and fall down as many times as you did to gain respect?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!” Ripley wrote on her account. “I’ve made my name from absolutely nothing. I didn’t get my WWE contract handed to me on a golden platter because of my last name!”

    Flair responded, dismissing her argument and calling her delusional: “Sweetie, that’s your problem. You’re delusional enough to believe that you’ve ‘made your name’.”

    “So… What you’re saying is that a no named so and so went toe to toe with yourself and Sasha Banks, pinned the self proclaimed “Queen” of WWE for a victory, and then went on to win the women’s Survivor Series match,” Ripley wrote, before adding, “Says a lot about you then…”

    Her WrestleMania challenger replied, saying how her attempts stand toe-to-toe with her “looks an awful lot like rolling up a crucifix from behind while the grownups were wrestling. But yeah, sure. Congrats on that…”

    Rhea Ripley then opened up about how she nearly quit multiple times over the years. She stressed how she’s not a quitter before highlighting it’s taken her seven and a half years to earn her opportunity. Now that she has, she refuses to “stand down to anyone.”

  • Drew McIntyre Wants A Match With AJ Styles

    Drew McIntyre Wants A Match With AJ Styles

    The winner of the 2020 Men’s Royal Rumble match is set to face off against WWE Champion Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 36. However, in a recent interview with Adi Kft & EGO Total from Israel, Drew McIntyre revealed which other Superstar he would love to have a one-on-one match with: “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles.

    When asked whom he’d like to compete against, Drew McIntyre admitted there were several Superstars he’d love to clash with. For him, however, it’s AJ Styles. He noted how, for some reason, they’ve been like ships passing in the night.

    “[…] but the number one guy who I keep missing over the years – we are like ships crossing each other over the night – we missed the chance on IMPACT and the independent scene. Promoters are trying to book this match for a long time, but for some reason or another I couldn’t make it, he couldn’t make it.”

    McIntyre continued, “When I came back to Raw he was on SmackDown. Now we are both on Raw, and that would be AJ Styles. I don’t think, I know we could have great matches and do a lot of cool things together. It’s been years coming so I am looking forward for it.”

    Drew McIntyre challenges Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 36. The event takes place on April 5th from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

    H/T to WrestlingNews for the transcription.