SEScoops

Author: Steve Russell

  • Roman Reigns Reflects On His 2019, Thanks The WWE Universe

    Roman Reigns Reflects On His 2019, Thanks The WWE Universe

    Following his New Year’s eve victory over Dolph Ziggler, Roman Reigns joined special guest ring announcer Maria Menounos backstage. Together, they looked back on the year, with Reigns reflecting on his 2019.

    “It’s just been such an amazing year. A bit of a rollercoaster ride. It was just really nice to see the positivity of the world still. Like within this year. If you follow WWE and what we do… [it’s a] bit polarizing. Everybody just dropped that motive, that intention and just helped out Joe. Helped me out, picked me up, let me know that there’s a huge security blanket around me and it’s allowed me to heal and just get back to work and make my life normal again.”

    Roman Reigns’ 2020 Goals

    When asked about his goals for the year ahead, Reigns spoke about maintaining his health and ensuring he enjoys the little moments. He also noted how he wants to work hard and help others take it to the next level.

    Closing out his thoughts on 2019, Reigns turned his attention to the WWE Universe. He thanked the fans, noting how his “life wouldn’t be the way it is without you guys.”

    “There’s a lot of people for me to thank. Countless people back here, but when it comes down to it, the fans that pay their hard-earned money, take the time out of their busy schedules… If it’s not for you guys, the most passionate fanbase in the whole world, the WWE Universe, I wouldn’t be in the position that I am now. I wouldn’t be the man that I am now I wouldn’t be the provider that I am, so it’s just a lifelong of thank yous that I owe you and I’ll never stop.”

    Reigns stressed how grateful he was to the fans and to WWE, reiterating his passion for the wrestling industry. He noted how, even when he’s being the “tough guy Roman Reigns” he is always counting his blessings to be able to wrestle and be in the position he is in, both in and out of the ring.

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  • Jim Ross Calls Tony Khan “The Smartest Young Wrestling Guy I’ve Ever Been Around”

    Jim Ross Calls Tony Khan “The Smartest Young Wrestling Guy I’ve Ever Been Around”

    All Elite Wrestling’s Jim Ross recently joined The Morning Show on News 4 out of Jacksonville ahead of the promotion’s homecoming episode, which took place last night. During the interview, Ross spoke highly about the talent pool within AEW and the approach by promotion’s president, Tony Khan.

    Ross credited Khan as having done an “amazing job of assembling a team” for AEW. He described the promotion as having “very aggressive ownership.”

    Ross added how they have “a lot of really outstanding young wrestlers are still discovering who they are and where they’re going to be, what they’re going to be. It’s fun to see them grow and evolve, but we also got some great veterans. Hall of Fame level guys like Chris Jericho.”

    Jim Ross On Tony Khan’s Contribution To Wrestling

    When talking about some of AEW’s top competitors, Ross turned his attention to Khan’s attitude in bringing in top-level talent. “He’s a fan, and he’s very, very intelligent,” Ross explained. “Tony is the smartest young wrestling guy I’ve ever been around, and I worked for Vince McMahon for over a quarter of a century, so that’s saying something.”

    Asked about what he feels the Khan’s bring to the wrestling industry, Ross stressed how they have provided a “breath of fresh air” to the business. He reiterated AEW’s interest in becoming a more sports orientated alternative and commented on the happiness amongst AEW’s roster.

    AEW Dynamite airs Wednesday nights on TNT. Check out our recap of this week’s episode:

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  • The Nasty Boys Name Their Toughest Opponents

    The Nasty Boys Name Their Toughest Opponents

    Brian Knobs and Jerry Sags, collectively known as the legendary tag team The Nasty Boys, recently joined Bill Apter for an interview for The Apter Chat. During their conversation, the pair shared who they believe their toughest opponents have been throughout their lengthy careers. Knobs also addressed his health issues, detailing his recent problems and concerns.

    Health Issues

    Knobs explained how he recently suffered from an infection that affected his leg. This infection forced him to require a new knee replacement. He shared how he had been in the hospital for two weeks before having to undergo four weeks of rehab.

    “I just got out, doing better, but I got to keep a track on everything because the infection, you know, it spreads, you got to watch yourself, I don’t want to lose my leg or anything,” Knobs said. “Diabetes is a very serious thing and anybody out there, I’d say don’t mess around, get checked, I got diabetic two and right now I got everything kind of normal again, under control, but it was a scary situation.”

    The Nasty Boys Reveal Their Toughest Opponents

    When asked who their toughest opponents have been, Sags reflected on how The Nasty Boys have been fortunate enough to work with so many legendary tag teams. For him, however, there was only one team that answered Apter’s question: The Steiner Brothers.

    “The breakthrough match for us when we were really young was Ole Anderson paired us off and putting us against The Steiner Brothers,” Sags explained. “At that time, it was still the old school working. Here you have two guys that are amateur wrestlers, old dudes who didn’t want to get suplexed across the other side of the ring. But we let it rip with them, we can work with anybody, and that match was a breakthrough match because at Halloween Havoc we stole the show.”

    He continued, “It was an incredible match that nobody has ever seen something like on a PPV or TV till that time. It was like what we did at those first street fights with Mick Foley in Chicago, and then the Philidelphia street fight. That was never seen before until we did it, that type of match on a PPV or live television situation. So, The Steiner Brothers is what put us to the next level, and then, of course, we got to the big highest level, which is WWE or WWF at the time. The Hart Foundation, rest of ’87, come on, that’s our pinnacle of those two putting us to a different level.”

    Knobs then name-dropped other notable names. He pointed to teams like The Road Warriors, The British Bulldogs and a cavalcade others. Knobs credited their experiences with these teams in helping The Nasty Boys grow as they competed for numerous promotions across the world.

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  • The Godfather Reflects On His Gimmick, Nation Of Domination, Being Inducted Into WWE Hall Of Fame

    The Godfather Reflects On His Gimmick, Nation Of Domination, Being Inducted Into WWE Hall Of Fame

    WWE Hall of Famer The Godfather was a recent guest on Jordan Garber NOW, where he opened up about how his Godfather gimmick came to be. He also reflected on his tenure with the Nation of Domination and his subsequent induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.

    “It was fun because it was just me being me,” he explained about the Godfather character. “Lots of guys came out with girls but they didn’t know what to do with them. I knew what the people wanted, and I knew what to do with the girls working at topless clubs all my life basically. I just put my personality and my flavour out there which created the “Pimpin’ ain’t easy thing” and that really took off. 

    Godfather In Nation Of Domination & Hall Of Fame Induction

    Looking back on his time in the Nation of Domination, The Godfather shared how it was a demanding stable to be a part of. He stressed the significance of the stable and how it provided black Superstars with an opportunity to come together in a major way.

    Despite having fun with it at the time, he reflected on how “[…] you just look back and say wow… It was a lot bigger than I thought it was and it was a lot bigger than I took it at the time.”

    Godfather then addressed his Hall of Fame induction in 2016. He called it a highlight of his career—one that meant more to him than anything besides the birth of his children and his marriage. For him, the recognition was “one of the biggest accomplishments of my life” as he never thought he would be considered. 

    H/T to Wrestlezone for the transcription. 

  • Booker T On Facing The Revival, Wanting To Manage The Street Profits

    Booker T On Facing The Revival, Wanting To Manage The Street Profits

    WWE Hall of Famer Booker T has laid out two goals he would like to keep in 2020. During 2019’s final episode of WWE Backstage, Booker T shared how he would love to team up with his brother, Stevie Ray, to take on The Revival. He also reiterated his interest in managing RAW tag team The Street Profits.

    “You know, since I am a tag team extraordinaire, tag team specialist, fourteen Tag Team Championships throughout my reign in this business, I’m looking forward to the tag team division getting crunk in 2020,” Booker T said. He then added, “And I might even manage The Street Profits somewhere along the year.”

    Renee Young then asked Booker T about his interest in facing off against The Revival. A match between the two teams was initially teased during the WWE TLC Kickoff show last year after The Revival disrespected Booker T. The Revival challenged Harlem Heat to come out of retirement and face them in a one-time matchup. Reflecting on this challenge, Booker T confessed that he and Stevie Ray have spoken about accepting the match. He noted how he has “one left in me” before warning Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson to not “get jacked up, sucka!”

    Booker T On How He’d Manage The Street Profits

    Booker T has previously stated his interest in managing The Street Profits. During an interview with ESPN 97.5 in Houston, he shared how he would help them evolve as a team, stating he would “Just put a little bit more street on em, that’s all. It’d be no playing, no jiving, just business.”

    He explained how, sometimes, a wrestler has to be viewed as more than just an entertainer. When you can make that switch, he noted that you “[…] feel it in the soul, deep down in one’s bones. That’s what I loved about the business and that’s what I think I can bring to the Street Profits.”

    H/T to Wrestlezone for the transcription.

  • Lana Tells Fans Not To “Assume Someone’s Sexuality”

    Lana Tells Fans Not To “Assume Someone’s Sexuality”

    This past Monday night on RAW saw Lana and Bobby Lashley attempt to tie the knot in Holy Matrimony. Their wedding would be unceremoniously interrupted however by a returning Liv Morgan. Upon returning, Morgan shocked the WWE Universe by revealing that she and Lana were, in fact, former lovers. It didn’t take long for things to devolve between them.

    Since the revelation, Lana—who is married to WWE Superstar Rusev in real life—has commented on the unfolding situation. She took to Twitter after fans responded critically to her and Morgan being used in an LGBTQ+ storyline. Many noted how WWE had an outspoken LGBTQ+ representative in Sonya Deville but chose not to use her.

    “Don’t assume someone’s sexuality,” Lana wrote. “Just because they are not outspoken in the LGTBQ community doesn’t mean that they’re not pansexual, bisexual, gay, transgender or trying to process their sexuality,” she began. “Even if they are married. For many it’s complicated. Please have compassion.”

    The fallout from their wedding will take place during next week’s episode of Monday Night RAW.

    Relationship Reaction To Lana And Bobby Lashley

    Both Lana and Lashley have recently spoken out about the hateful messages, bullying and racist threats they have each received online for their storyline relationship. Lana described the vitriol as “mind-blowing.”

    “I just want people to make a stand and say that [bullying] is wrong,” Lana said. “Just because you disagree with someone’s lifestyle doesn’t mean that you should come and be mean to them in life or on social media. Go talk to your friends about it if you are criticizing, but don’t come on my social platform and talk about it.”

  • Matt Hardy Addresses Recent Losing Streak

    Matt Hardy Addresses Recent Losing Streak

    WWE Superstar Matt Hardy has responded to a fan online, addressing his current losing streak. This comes in the wake of this past Monday’s episode of RAW, where Hardy lost his matchup against “The Scottish Psychopath” Drew McIntyre.

    The 45-year-old legend acknowledged the lack of wins since his return to WWE television. He promised that this wouldn’t last forever and noted his “countdown to Arcadia” has begun.

    Matt Hardy also shared his appreciation for the love, support and sympathy he has received from the WWE Universe, claiming that without the fans there’s no Matt Hardy.

    “I know the slump & losses won’t last forever, my countdown to Arcadia has begun. I will show up & do my job. We’ll get past this together. I’ve received so much love, support & sympathy tonight from the most vocal audience. Without you, there’s no me. THANK YOU ALL.”

    What’s next for Matt Hardy?

    The veteran Hardy recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of his first televised WWE matchup. His return on the 11/25 episode of RAW concluded a seven-month hiatus away from WWE programming. Hardy has notably been wearing attire similar to that during his Team Xtreme days alongside his brother Jeff and Lita.

    Hardy recently made cryptic comments regarding his in-ring career, explaining how he needed to return to WWE to “finish in the right way.”

  • Hulk Hogan Comments On nWo Hall of Fame Announcement

    Hulk Hogan Comments On nWo Hall of Fame Announcement

    It was recently announced that the 2020 WWE Hall of Fame would be headlined with the induction of the nWo, comprised of Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Sean “X-Pac” Waltman. They join “The Animal” Batista in being honored with their inclusion next year.

    Taking to Twitter, Hogan commented on the announcement, promising that they aren’t coming to take over the Hall of Fame. Instead, he’s looking forward to celebrating their run, get inducted and then party nWo style during WrestleMania weekend. This induction sees Hogan become a two-time WWE Hall of Famer.

    “Very grateful that the four original nWo members HollyWood, Big Kev,X and Scott are getting inducted to the WWE HOF. We are not coming back to take over and change the business again,we are just coming back to celebrate our run ,get inducted and party NWO style at Wrestlemania.HH”

    Triple H commented on their inclusion. He stated “Batista was one of the fastest rising stars ever in WWE with an incredible list of accolades, and the success of the nWo changed the course of sports entertainment history. It is only fitting that they all take their rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame.”

    The 2020 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony takes place on Thursday, April 2nd at Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay, Florida as a part of WrestleMania 36 week. Tickets for the ceremony go on sale this Friday at Ticketmaster.com.

  • Shad Gaspard Responds To ACH With Statement On Mental Health

    Shad Gaspard Responds To ACH With Statement On Mental Health

    ACH, formerly known in WWE as NXT Superstar Jordan Myles, has continued to address his critics online. Taking to his Twitter account, ACH argued how he’s “actually a really nice guy.”

    He explained that “The internet has killed wrestling! It gave ppl’s opinions power or the idea that their opinions actually hold more weight than the next person. I’m not a role model. I’m not the voice of the voiceless. In fact, I’m a pretty damn good human”

    https://twitter.com/ACHisSuper/status/1204412022181396480

    ACH continued, calling himself the “heart of the heartless” and a “leader’ who is a man that couldn’t care less about how he and his actions make you feel. He then gave a shout out to those who support him and reiterated that the shirt that began all of these issues is helping to empower him to make a change. He then stressed that he has no intentions of apologizing because he’s simply standing up for his beliefs.

    These comments came after ACH uploaded a photo of former WWE Superstar Shad Gaspard. He photoshopped the controversial Jordan Myles smile logo over Gaspard’s face, posting the image to Twitter.

    Gaspard, however, wouldn’t rise to the bait. Instead, he issued a statement that addressed mental health and his own personal battles with depression. You can read the full statement below:

  • Ken Shamrock Shares Why He Refused To Compete In Brawl For All

    Ken Shamrock Shares Why He Refused To Compete In Brawl For All

    Former WWE Superstar Ken Shamrock has revealed why he didn’t participate in WWE’s Brawl for Fall competition during the ’90s. Speaking with the WINCLY podcast, Shamrock shared that, given his notable history in mixed martial arts and combat sports, it simply wouldn’t have been fair if he had competed. 

    “I chose not to. I worked hard to gain trust in the wrestlers,” he said. “I just came from the world of fighting and they went me to get into this Brawl For All. I thought to myself, ‘I’m a professional fighter.’ It’s not fair to those guys to get involved because I’m at a different level.”

    He continued,” I respectfully declined. They were gonna pay me $50,000 to fight for real when I make over $1 million to fight in something like that. Then I’m gonna have to fight multiple times to win it? You’re not gonna give me 50 grand. It was about me being a professional fighter and them being amateurs.”

    Shamrock is currently wrestling once again for Impact Wrestling. He recently competed against Joey Ryan, where he ended up involved in the infamous spot that Ryan is known for. He reflected that he was “pleasantly surprised” working with Ryan, noting that he is a great person with a popular and unique gimmick. 

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription. 

  • Kurt Angle Reflects On Working With Triple H And Shawn Michaels

    Kurt Angle Reflects On Working With Triple H And Shawn Michaels

    WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle recently took part in an online Q&A session on Facebook. When asked about working with WWE Legends, and fellow Hall of Famers, Triple H and Shawn Michaels, Angle revealed how much the two helped him grow as a performer, thanks to their willingness to share their knowledge.

    “HHH and Shawn were not only extremely talented in the ring, but they shared so much of their knowledge of the business. I took their advice on many occasions. DX will always be the hottest clique in sports entertainment.”

    When a fan asked him if he would still be performing in the square circle given a chance, Angle replied: “No more wrestling for me.” He explained that he is now a WWE Producer and enjoys helping current Superstars structure their matches. However, Angle admitted that, if he had a preference, he would still choose to compete in the ring. He added how he is now 51 years old and that it’s time for him to “step aside and allow the young guys to do their thing.”

    Angle wrestled his farewell match during this past April’s WrestleMania 35 event in New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. Despite his best efforts, he eventually lost his final bout to Baron Corbin.

  • CM Punk Details How He Would Book Current Lana, Bobby Lashley, Rusev Storyline

    CM Punk Details How He Would Book Current Lana, Bobby Lashley, Rusev Storyline

    WWE Backstage analyst CM Punk returned to the show during last night’s episode. Joining fellow hosts Paige, Renee Young and WWE Hall of Famer Booker T, Punk detailed how he would book the current storyline featuring Bobby Lashley, Lana and Rusev.

    “They have a match, they have a blow-off, right? I don’t think Rusev wants to be involved with Lana anymore on-screen,” Punk said. “So, Lana and Bobby go off, they do their thing, but, eventually, y’ know what, Lana grinds on the nerves. Bobby is sick of her. So what they do is, he leaves Lana too, they have another divorce, okay? They’re out. She gets another tag team to go after Rusev and Bobby, who have become best friends because they have the familiar: the ex-wife.”

    He continued, “They become drinking buddies. This new tag team with Lana in tow go after them, and what they do at WrestleMania…they put Lana in a shark cage, okay, because by WrestleMania the new tag team is already so sick of Lana that the loser of the match gets what’s in the shark cage.”

    Punk added that WWE could continue this story past WrestleMania if they wanted to. He noted how he has ideas for Lana, especially for when WWE returns for another show in Saudi Arabia.

    After he provided his fantasy booking on-air, Punk took to Twitter to share his suggestion: “Loser keeps @LanaWWE match. Just booked you through mania, chica. You’re welcome. @RusevBUL #WWEBackstage”

    This past Monday night on RAW, Rusev and Lana took part in a divorce segment on the show. Rusev ended up putting Lashley through a table, setting up a Tables match between the two of them at this Sunday’s TLC pay-per-view.

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  • Jimmy Jacobs Discusses WWE’s “Faux Corporate Environment”

    Jimmy Jacobs Discusses WWE’s “Faux Corporate Environment”

    Former WWE creative Jimmy Jacobs recently joined Jordan Garber’s NOW podcast, where he discussed his time working with the promotion. Jacobs, now a part of Impact Wrestling’s creative team, shed light on what he calls WWEs “faux corporate” environment.

    “WWE is such a faux corporate environment and Vince wants it to appear as corporate,” Jacobs stated. “It made me feel like I couldn’t be myself. I missed having nail polish on and being kind of like a maniac. I felt like I was in a shell.”

    He explained how when he first started working for WWE, he wasn’t scared of Vince McMahon. To him, Vince was just “a dude.” However, after working there for a few months, he grew to understand why people feared him.

    “I spent the majority of my time there basically scared of Vince and ultimately afraid of losing my job,” he admitted. “It wasn’t until the last couple of months of my time there where I was so sick of feeling just tied and boxed up that I wasn’t scared of getting fired anymore. Which I spent most of my time doing. Maybe I would last longer if I wasn’t scared of Vince. It’s his sandbox …he’s just letting you play in it.”

    Jimmy Jacobs in Impact Wrestling

    Jacobs’ time in Impact Wrestling so far has been much more positive. He noted how he is “one of the guys steering the ship” and that he hopes the direction he is guiding the promotion in is a good one.

    He pointed to talents like Rich Swann and Tessa Blanchard as stars within the company, and that their long-term booking for certain stories will have satisfying conclusions, reiterating his confidence that they have “some good stuff happening.”

    https://youtu.be/M804go4oNE0

    H/T to Jordan Garber & Wrestlezone for the transcription. 

  • Bayley Shares Her Dream Match, Reflects On Heel Turn

    Bayley Shares Her Dream Match, Reflects On Heel Turn

    Current WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley recently joined Booker T for an episode of his Hall of Fame podcast. During their conversation, she revealed what her current dream match would be and opened up about her heel turn. 

    Bayley shared how her old dream match used to be her versus Lita. Now, however, that matchup has changed into a tag team affair featuring her and “The Boss” Sasha Banks against Lita and Trish Stratus. She noted how, if she were able to secure this matchup, she could happily retire from in-ring action. 

    Having her best friend by her side has helped Bayley throughout her career. She explained to Booker T how WWE’s schedule is so fast-paced she’s glad to have someone like Banks helping her to stay focused.

    “All the women are so good that I want to be as good or be better,” Bayley said. “Having Sasha, honestly, is probably my main help. I think she is the greatest and she’s always really focused. Even though she’s younger than me, she’s always the bigger sister or mom to me where she holds me down. You definitely need that person on the road with you to keep you sane, focused, to be your friend or be your ear or shoulder.”

    “I Want To Be Bad, I Want To Be Mean”

    When the Hall of Famer asked her about her recent character changes, Bayley acknowledged how she had been stuck doing the same gimmick for seven years. For her, she was interested in doing something totally different, especially near the end of her babyface run. She admitted that she wanted to embrace that mean streak but, after finally being given the opportunity, found herself initially confused about how to embody her new persona. 

    “I want to be bad, I want to be mean. It’ll be easier, I know exactly what I would do, how I would act, how I would talk.’ Then, I get here and I’m like ‘Uhhh, what the hell am I doing? Now what?’ It’s all a learning process, but it’s fun. In my career, I want to be able to do everything and go through all the different avenues and the humps and waves. I don’t want to just stay on the same road the whole time.” 

    She attributed the idea of turning heel to herself and creative, sharing that she had always had an idea saved if the chance ever presented itself for her to commit to a new direction.

    This Sunday sees WWE host December’s pay-per-view, TLC. At the time of writing, Bayley is yet to be scheduled a matchup despite being SmackDown Women’s Champion. Both her and “The Boss” are currently feuding with Lacey Evans. 

    TLC takes place on December 15th from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

    H/T to Fightful for the transcription.

  • Chris Jericho Defends Disco Inferno From Online Attack

    Chris Jericho Defends Disco Inferno From Online Attack

    All Elite Wrestling World Champion Chris Jericho has defended his former WCW colleague Disco Inferno after a fan lashed out with an online outburst. The two frequently worked together during the ‘90s when both were a part of WCW—a time that Jericho clearly looks back fondly on.

    When a fan insulted Inferno via social media, claiming that nobody has ever paid to see him wrestle before calling him a joke and an embarrassment to wrestling, “Le Champion” refused to stay silent. He replied to the disparaging remarks, commenting “Totally not true jerkoff. @TheRealDisco was great at what he did and I LOVED working with him. So shut your ass and eff off.”

    Championship Inferno

    The fan also incorrectly argued that Inferno had never held a title for any promotion. In WCW alone, Inferno held the company’s Cruiserweight, Television and Tag Team Championships.

    The critical comments were initially made after Inferno shared a GIF of a missed spot between Bea Priestley and Mayu Iwatani. Inferno has been outspoken in the past over his personal views on women’s wrestling, something that Impact Wrestling decided to turn into an on-screen storyline—one that has seen him competing against numerous female talent in several intergender matches.

  • Randy Orton Comments On Batista Joining WWE Hall Of Fame

    Randy Orton Comments On Batista Joining WWE Hall Of Fame

    WWE Superstar Randy Orton has shared his thoughts on the announcement that his former Evolution stablemate Batista is joining the WWE Hall of Fame.

    Speaking with WWE.com, Orton shared that he felt it was “great news” when he found out. “The Viper” then reflected on the long history he shares with Batista going back to their time in WWE developmental.

    “Dave deserves it. I’ve known him for 20 years; he was the first guy I ever ran into when I reported down to Louisville, Kentucky for developmental back when I was 19 years old,” Orton said. “I remember seeing this 350-pound, jacked-up man and just was thinking to myself ‘What have I got myself into?’”

    He continued, “Of course after that was Evolution, and I saw Dave grow, we became friends, we travelled the world together. My hats off to him, man. I can’t wait to hear his speech, I know it’ll be heartfelt. He’s always been good to me, and I look forward to seeing him on that special day.”

    When asked about his thoughts about his own possible induction into the Hall of Fame, Orton was humble in his response. He admitted he would rather join his Evolution stablemates in the future. Orton believes he how there are a “few more bumps to take in a WWE ring” before he’s ready to join the Legends that have been previously honored.

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  • Toni Storm Reflects On Becoming A Pro Wrestling Fan

    Toni Storm Reflects On Becoming A Pro Wrestling Fan

    WWE NXT Superstar Toni Storm was a recent guest on Lilian Garcia’s podcast, Chasing Glory. During their conversation, Storm reflected on how she became a pro wrestling fan as a girl growing up in Australia. 

    Addressing when she first got into wrestling, Storm shared that she first started watching when Superstars like Mickie James, Trish Stratus and Lita were feuding in WWE.

    “I just fell heavily in love with it,” she confessed. “I’ll never forget the moment where my mum was disgusted with the idea of wrestling and she was just giving me crap one day and she was just like, ‘are you gonna be like one of those wrestlers?’ I was like, ‘….yes. I am actually.’ And then that was the moment that I was like, yes, I am going to just do this and then I was just John Cena obsessed, Jeff Hardy obsessed, Shawn Michaels obsessed.”

    She recalled going to her first-ever WWE Live Event in Brisbane, Australia back in 2007. Storm noted that even though she was in the last row, equipped with binoculars to help her view the action, she loved every second. It was at this point that Garcia mentioned that she might have been there at that time. Storm confirmed Garcia was there, which the host found “insane” to think about.

    Trying to pinpoint what it was about wrestling that appealed to her, Storm confessed she couldn’t quite name one specific aspect. She admitted she’d “never know” before adding “That’s the thing. I was a really strange kid. No one could figure me out. I was one of those kids. So like, wrestling still to me is just something so different and out there so I was just like, ‘Yeah, no, this is me.’”

    Storm recently made her Survivor Series debut, competing as a part of the Women’s NXT team. Team NXT would defeat both Team RAW and Team SmackDown in this 5-on-5-on-5 elimination match.

    H/T to Wrestlezone for the transcription. 

  • The Young Bucks Explain Audio Issues During Last Week’s Dynamite

    Last week’s episode of AEW: Dynamite on TNT suffered from audio issues during the beginning of the show. There were frequent audio problems that made the crowd sound muted during the opening match featuring The Young Bucks and Dustin Rhodes competing against Inner Circle members Sammy Guevara, Santana and Ortiz.

    On the recently released episode of Being The Elite, The Young Bucks openly addressed these audio issues. They shared their disappointment in finding out, noting that the crowd in attendance we “one of the hottest crowds” they had ever performed in front of.

    “This is one of the hottest crowds we’ve ever performed in front of,” Nick Jackson said. “I’ll address the issue right now cause I found out. Satellites in Atlanta actually were out and they had a big problem with the whole TNT network.” 

    His brother, Matt, added how they immediately received complaints from people as soon as they stepped behind the curtain. He shared how he was receiving texts informing him of the audio problems, and that the entire situation was a “downer” for him as he felt they had a great match to kickstart Dynamite.

    “It just sucks because it’s something we can’t control,” Matt stated. “We can’t control it while we’re out there in the ring, we just have to have our best match.

    The Young Bucks and their partner, Dustin Rhodes, would eventually win their matchup defeating the Inner Circle members after a double team Meltzer driver/senton combination. 

  • R-Truth On 24/7 Championship Creative Input, Relationship With Vince McMahon

    R-Truth On 24/7 Championship Creative Input, Relationship With Vince McMahon

    Current WWE 24/7 Champion R-Truth has opened up in a recent interview about his creative input when it came to championship changes. He also spoke about his favorite 24/7 Championship moment to date and addressed his relationship with Vince McMahon and partnership with Carmella.

    Speaking with Comicbook.com, R-Truth explained how much he loves laughing and being entertained. These core factors helped him bring a creative edge to his reigns as champion. “This title has brought so much creativity out within me. Just coming up with different and new ways to do something entertaining, it’s like, it’s mine, I’ve mastered that,” he explained. “This title, man, does something no other title at WWE does, and it involves everybody.”

    When asked about his favorite moment, Truth listed several memorable exchanges. He noted how “we’ve had so many of them.” For him, however, there’s one that continuously stands out. Unsurprisingly, it’s when he crashed Drake Maverick’s wedding to reclaim the gold.

    “He’s Open To A Lot Of People”

    Reflecting on his relationship with Vince McMahon, Truth divulged that he has a “good relationship” with Vince. He explained, “I’ve been on a lot of trips with Vince, as far as with overseas, going to visit the military. And even at work, man, with ideas, he’s open to a lot of people, everybody, pretty much. If you have a good idea, he wants you to come in there and prepare with it.”

    Although now over, his recent partnership with Carmella helped both get valuable face time on WWE programming. R-Truth revealed how working with Carmella wasn’t his idea and that it “just happened.” He explained how she wasn’t involved in any storylines at the time. With him having just returned from should surgery, they were simply put together and their partnership quickly “blossomed.”

    If you use any of the quotes from this article, please provide a H/T to SEScoops.

  • Tommaso Ciampa Reflects On Sharing The Ring With Randy Orton And Roman Reigns

    Tommaso Ciampa Reflects On Sharing The Ring With Randy Orton And Roman Reigns

    NXT Superstar Tommaso Ciampa has shared who he was most looking forward to sharing the ring with during WWE’s last pay-per-view, Survivor Series. For him, the two Superstars he was eager to compete against were “The Big Dog” Roman Reigns and “The Viper” Randy Orton.

    “[…] for me, personally, Roman has always kind of been a dream opponent and Randy has always kind of been more like a dream mentor just cause we’re so similar in style that I’ve always kind of visioned that if he could take me under his ring or tag with him or something, but either way just the idea of sharing a stage with those two dudes…”

    Ciampa was quick to note that he wasn’t discrediting anyone else in the match. For him, however, Reigns and Orton were the two he was most looking forward to having some ring time against, no matter how long it might have been.

    He added how his going against those two wouldn’t just have been great for him, but for his family as well. He explained how his dad, brother and cousins are all huge wrestling fans, and so for them to get the opportunity to see Ciampa wrestle against top names on such a large platform was “wild” to him.

    Team SmackDown, which featured Roman Reigns, would eventually emerge victoriously from their Survivor Series elimination match featuring both Team RAW and Team NXT.

    H/T to Wrestlezone for the quotes.

  • Details Behind Jungle Boy’s Current Push In AEW

    Details Behind Jungle Boy’s Current Push In AEW

    Jurassic Express’ Jungle Boy is set to face off against All Elite Wrestling World Champion Chris Jericho on an upcoming episode of AEW: Dynamite. For some, his sudden push into the main event scene is somewhat perplexing, given his current record within the company.

    According to Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com, Jungle Boy was one of those on AEW’s roster that had been earmarked for long-term development. He has apparently been given a “no rush” focus in how the company is wanting to help develop and evolve him. This extends to his growth as a character and in-ring talent. Meltzer pointed to how Jungle Boy did well as a featured talent during AEW’s first Battle Royal as an example of their approach.

    When a fan asked about why Jungle Boy gets to wrestle Jericho despite his current record, “Le Champion” answered. Jericho stressed that Jungle Boy gets this chance “Cause it’s my decision. I wrestle who I want because I’m #LeChampion ….and you are a dumb moron.”

    Jericho isn’t the only AEW talent to respond to the question. AEW EVP Cody Rhodes also happened to see the post. He explained that Jungle Boy’s clash with Jericho isn’t a title shot but is “Gonna’ be a great match.”

    Jungle Boy faces off against AEW World Champion Chris Jericho on the December 18th episode of AEW: Dynamite on TNT.

  • Marty Scurll Teases Interest In Having Luke Harper Join Villain Enterprises

    Marty Scurll Teases Interest In Having Luke Harper Join Villain Enterprises

    Villain Enterprises leader Marty Scurll has teased interest in recruiting the recently released Luke Harper into his stable. Harper, Sin Cara and The Ascension were all recently given their releases from WWE. Following the news that Harper had finally been granted his long-sought release, Scurll uploaded a photo to his Instagram account with a teasing question.

    In the post, he shared a photo of himself posing with Harper. He accompanied the picture with a caption, reading: “Villain Enterprises ?! #villain ??”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B51E3Nrglre/?utm_source=ig_embed

    Despite his interest in bringing in Harper, there is still a question regarding Scurll’s future in Ring of Honor. His current contract with ROH allegedly expired at the end of November, with the expectation currently being that he will join All Elite Wrestling. Regardless, Scurll has agreed to perform at ROH’s next pay-per-view, Final Battle, which takes place this Friday. He will be teaming up with Villain Enterprise’s stablemate “The Mercenary” Flip Gordon in a matchup against Bandido and Flamita.

    WWE is said to be interested in “The Villain,” and if they make him a compelling enough offer, it may not be impossible that Scurll ends up on WWE’s roster. He has also previously expressed his interest in returning to New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

    ROH’s next pay-per-view, Final Battle, takes place on Friday 13th December in Baltimore, Maryland.

  • Dustin Rhodes Names MJF As Wrestling’s Next Top Star

    Dustin Rhodes Names MJF As Wrestling’s Next Top Star

    In an interview with Sportskeeda, All Elite Wrestling’s Dustin Rhodes named who he believes will be the next major star in pro wrestling. For him, it’s somebody on the AEW roster. He confessed that, as a coach, he likes everybody in the AEW locker room, however one name stood out to him: Maxwell Jacob Friedman.

    “Oh, man, a new up-and-comer, who not a lot of people know and they are starting to get to know now is MJF. He is really something special on the mic, and we haven’t seen too much of his ring ability yet but he’s good. He’s really good. I like his style.”

    He continued, “Unfortunately he stabbed my brother in the back so I take that kind of personal when you’re messing with family – but as far as him being something special and big in this business, I think he’s going to be.”

    Rhodes isn’t the only veteran to name MJF as a future star. Diamond Dallas Page recently answered that question with the same answer, noting how talented MJF is. Like Rhodes, DDP highlighted MJF’s ability to connect with the audience comparing his charisma and mic ability to talents like Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Steve Austin and even Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. His ability to make fans react is what has helped him stand out.

    MJF is currently feuding with his former best friend, Cody Rhodes. He recently took credit for the assault Rhodes suffered at the hands of the Butcher, the Blade and the Bunny during a previous episode of AEW: Dynamite.

  • Mark Henry Believes Randy Orton Deserves Another Championship Push

    Mark Henry Believes Randy Orton Deserves Another Championship Push

    Mark Henry believes that WWE Superstar Randy Orton should be a prominent figure in WWE’s championship picture. The WWE Hall of Famer shared his thoughts during an episode of SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio. 

    “I like [the idea of Orton in the title scene] because of the historical reference of Randy Orton,” he said. “He comes from wrestling, he’s a third-generation guy, and when Randy Orton has a title, it’s more exciting because his finish [the RKO] can come out of nowhere.”

    He argued how Superstars like Orton and AJ Styles are good for business when holding a championship belt, whether they compete in the championship scene as a heel or face. Henry explained how putting them in the main event helps to keep the show moving forward, adding drama for the audience.

    Henry juxtaposed his argument with the current All Elite Wrestling World Champion Chris Jericho. He noted how much the AEW fanbase cares about Jericho, and it helped make sense to put the belt on him because of it. He stated how the WWE Universe “give a damn” about both Orton and Styles as well as Seth Rollins. Henry stressed how Orton could outwork 98% of those on competitive rosters, and that when he holds the title he “makes the title, rather than the title making him.” 

    If you use any quotes from this article, please provide a H/T to SEScoops.

  • Booker T Believes The Rock Is “The Best Promo Guy” Ever

    Booker T Believes The Rock Is “The Best Promo Guy” Ever

    WWE Hall of Famer Booker T has named Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as the “best promo guy that ever did it.” He made the declaration during a recent episode of his podcast, The Hall of Fame. 

    “There have been so many great promos,” Booker explained. “The Rock was the best promo guy that ever did it because he really knew how to capture the moment and when I say to capture the moment I mean he talked about the local area where we were, the stadium, where he went to eat, he took you on a story. When you do it like that you’re just standing in awe, man.”

    He claimed that there will never be another Superstar on the same level as Johnson, pointing at his ability to improvise on the fly based on the audience reaction. Booker T also credited WWE writer Brian Gewirtz for helping Rock and himself in bringing their characters to life. He stressed that without Gewirtz, King Booker would never have worked.

    Booker T explained how he often wasn’t comfortable with what he was expected to deliver, believing it would sound “stupid.” With Gewirtz coaching and help, however, he was able to embrace his character and deliver his lines with a little ad-libbing added in. He believes this guidance helped Johnson elevate his promo work as well.

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.