SEScoops

Author: Steve Russell

  • PCO Talks About ROH Morale, Wanting To Compete With WWE And AEW

    PCO Talks About ROH Morale, Wanting To Compete With WWE And AEW

    Ring of Honor (ROH) wrestler PCO has opened up about the current morale within ROH during an interview with Main Event Radio. During the interview, the number one contender to RUSH’s ROH World Championship also spoke about wanting ROH to be more competitive with WWE and AEW. 

    “We got a great team spirit in Ring of Honor,” PCO said. “Overall, you don’t see jealousy much. We don’t always travel everyone together, but when we all get together we all get along. The atmosphere in the locker room right now is excellent and we are all there to steal the show and do the best that we can do. We had a big meeting in Baltimore two weeks ago with the office talking about the future. The big Sinclair Broadcasting office, it’s like Titan Tower. They own 217 TV stations across the US. The current state of Ring of Honor is very good.”

    He noted that, even though ROH attendance has been down recently, the company is still doing well and is “healthy.” PCO added that they have plenty of people subscribing to HonorClub and are making a lot of merchandise sales. He then stressed how ROH takes cares of its wrestlers, sharing how they have previously covered all medical costs for him and Villain Enterprises leader Marty Scurll. As far as he is concerned, not even WWE treated him as well as ROH.

    “We all stay in first-class hotels, they ask you which airline you prefer to fly with. They are so professional, it’s unbelievable. [ROH COO] Joe Koff comes up to you and shakes your hand and asks you how everything is going. They have a lot of heart, and I could only see this company growing and getting better. We have been hurt by losing a lot of talents in a short span of time. We are rebuilding and some new things are coming up for 2020.”

    PCO explained how they actively want to compete with promotions like WWE and AEW. He claimed there is a plan in place to allow them to achieve this going forward.

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

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Steve Austin Believes Modern Wrestling Has “Regressed”

    Steve Austin Believes Modern Wrestling Has “Regressed”

    WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin has argued that the modern in-ring product has regressed over recent years as the business has “sped up.”

    Speaking on a recent episode of his podcast, The Steve Austin Show, Austin addressed his take on the current landscape of pro wrestling. 

    “There’s a lot of demand for new people in the business, so sometimes they’re not as honed up as they need to be, so you see a lot of holes out there,” he stated. “It’s not an indictment on the system or anybody because you still have your veterans out there doing a lot of solid work and people doing athletic things and that’s cool, but the work – the work – has regressed as things have sped up, just as far as being able to see through the illusion.”

    He continued, “When you’re green, you think bumping is the ticket. I’ve got to bump a lot because that’s what’s going to elicit a response,’ or ‘taking bumps is the ticket,’ or ‘that’s the way to do it.’ Eh, it’s a means to an end and there needs to be a reason that you’re taking all those bumps. The biggest mistake that green guys make is doing things too fast.

    Austin further explained how the second biggest mistake current talent makes are their willingness to take too many bumps. He claims nobody wants to give the bumps, they all want to impress management and fans by taking them. He noted, however, that bumps are great as long as they serve a purpose and are used only when they are needed.

    Steve Austin recently began working with WWE again on a new studio interview series titled, ‘Steve Austin: The Broken Skull Sessions.’ The first episode featured a lengthy discussion with The Undertaker. It aired after November’s Survivor Series pay-per-view.

    Austin recently confirmed that Bill Goldberg will be his next guest. The episode with Goldberg premieres this Sunday night (December 15th) immediately following WWE’s Tables, Ladders & Chairs (TLC) pay-per-view.

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription

  • WWE Superstars React To Recent Releases

    WWE Superstars React To Recent Releases

    In the wake of several WWE Superstars being released from the promotion, other Superstars have since reacted to the news. Luke Harper, who has been lobbying for his release for some time, was one of those who have finally been granted it. Sin Cara, who recently took to social media to inform his followers he had requested his release was another. Both Konnor and Viktor of the tag team The Ascension have also been released by WWE.

    Their former colleagues Zack Ryder, Dolph Ziggler and Rusev, were just some of the few WWE Superstars who reflected and commented on their departure.

    Ryder posted pictures from different moments featuring each of the released Superstars. One shows him and several Superstars about to have Sin Cara land on them during WrestleMania 32. Another has Harper clotheslining him, and the last is Ryder in makeup posing with The Ascension. He accompanied the memories with the caption, “Gonna miss these brothers.”

    Ziggler uploaded a post similar to Ryder’s, thanking them. He also shared photos of him in-ring with Harper and Sin Cara as well as a picture of The Ascension with Tyler Breeze during a backstage segment.

    Rusev addressed their leaving WWE by paying respect to Harper, writing “Salute to one of the Best @LukeHarperWWE.”

  • Corey Graves Explains Why He Thinks Custom Championships Devalues Them

    Corey Graves Explains Why He Thinks Custom Championships Devalues Them

    Speaking on WWE’s podcast, After The Bell, host Corey Graves shared his thoughts on “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt’s customized Universal Championship. Although initially positive with his praise, the SmackDown announcer soon expressed his dislike of customized championships in general.

    “It’s cool. I think it’s very very cool,” he stated of Wyatt’s belt. “I am a big fan of Tom Savini, one of the greatest special effects artists to ever work in the motion picture industry. I think it’s cool that our worlds have collided. The championship in and of itself is very cool, visually. But I have a problem with these customized championships. I always have.” 

    He continued, “I hated when Stone Cold had the Smoking Skull belt. It looked cool, but all of a sudden, the WWE Championship and all of its history is customized to one guy. I didn’t have a problem with the blue Universal Championship because it made sense, it still looks like the WWE Championship. I didn’t hate when Ultimate Warrior would change the strap on his WWE Championship. But all of a sudden, The Fiend is going to defend a title that is just his face? I’m not a huge fan of it.”

    Graves explained that he feels personalized championships actually devalue the championship itself as a whole. He argued how each belt has a distinct lineage and history. For him, that history is cheapened by changing the design of the belt to custom fit a particular Superstar for a finite amount of time.  

    H/T to Fightful for the transcription.

  • Cody Rhodes Explains AEW Letting Talent Work For Other Companies

    Cody Rhodes Explains AEW Letting Talent Work For Other Companies

    One of All Elite Wrestling’s Executive Vice Presidents, Cody Rhodes, has discussed why the promotion hasn’t been running any house shows. Speaking with DallasNews.com, Rhodes explained that the schedule their roster has allows them to be free for independent shows.

    Cody explained that by taking bookings with other conpanies, they “get their reps in” without exhausting themselves with numerous house show dates. He also noted how more experienced talent is already TV-ready, pointing to his brother Dustin as an example.

    “One of the benefits of working for All Elite Wrestling – if you’re a competitor – you’re really only working one day a week. The really die-hard, committed, kind of golden circle of our company is always working, and that includes wrestlers – not just management. Their minds always going. But it’s new to wrestling that Tony’s offered this schedule.”

    He continued, “Some people are free to do independent [shows] on the weekends where they can keep getting their reps in. Some other people don’t need the reps – like my brother [Dustin Rhodes], he’s had 20 years of reps. He’s TV-ready always, as kind of proven by this last week in there with The Young Bucks and Santana and Ortiz. I think it’s the way it should be.”

    Cody Rhodes is currently involved in a feud with former best friend, Maxwell Jacob Friedman. On a recent episode of AEW: Dynamite, Rhodes was doing all he could to entice MJF into accepting his challenge. He offered his car, his watch and even his shoes in his attempts to secure a grudge match.

  • Flip Gordon Reveals Why He Became “The Mercenary”

    Flip Gordon Reveals Why He Became “The Mercenary”

    Ring of Honor’s Flip Gordon has finally revealed why he joined Marty Scurll’s Villain Enterprises. Gordon turned heel in siding with Scurll, embracing a new attitude as “The Mercenary.”

    In an interview with Ring of Honor, Gordon discussed what Scurll did to convince him to join his stable of resident villains. He also revealed why he decided to decline LifeBlood’s offer, doublecrossing them in the process.

    “It simply came down to Villain Enterprises having the better offer, and Marty knew I had multiple offers on the table,” Gordon explained. “However, I had to prove myself to Marty that I could be a villain, and what better way than by putting Lifeblood on life support?”

    https://twitter.com/MartyScurll/status/1153350376512528385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1153350376512528385&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rohwrestling.com%2Fnews%2Fflip-gordon-reveals-why-he-became-mercenary

    Gordon then shared how Scurll showed him a merch check from Pro Wrestling Tees. He accompanied it with the promise that he could be making that kind of money, as long as he was willing to become Villain Enterprises’ mercenary.

    “He showed me a merch check from Pro Wrestling Tees and said this could be you,” he said. “[Scurll is] a very smart businessman and one of the best wrestlers in the world. So he offered me a position as his understudy.”

    Reflecting on what happened in his past that helped him embody “The Mercenary,” Gordon pointed to his time in the Army. He confessed they helped make him who he is today, noting that most of ROH’s roster wouldn’t make it through the Army’s basic training.

  • Alberto Del Rio On Why His New Promotion Provides Health Insurance, Allows Wrestlers To Compete Elsewhere

    Alberto Del Rio On Why His New Promotion Provides Health Insurance, Allows Wrestlers To Compete Elsewhere

    Former WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio recently launched Nacion Lucha Libre, a new pro wrestling promotion founded with Chavo Guerrero. One defining difference between their company and other wrestling promotions is that Nacion Lucha Libre will offer their talent health insurance.

    In an interview with Wrestling Inc., Del Rio explained his reasoning behind pushing for health insurance as a part of their benefits package.

    “I use to work for a company that for many years that never gave me that privilege. They should be doing it,” Patron stated. “The pro-wrestling business is not fair. They call us independent contractors… if we’re independent contractors why do you not let your wrestlers go and wrestle in Mexico for CMLL or AAA or my lucha company Nacion Lucha Libre? So, you are an independent contractor just so you don’t have to give them the benefits and that’s not fair.”

    He continued, “If I was complaining about it for so many years and go and do the same in my organization… that would make me a liar, a hypocrite, and I’m not any of that. So, the moment that I started the company I started talking to health insurances and companies and organizations to help me get this and give this to all my employees.”

    Del Rio confessed he had no interest in denying his talent the opportunity to work, even if it means wrestling for other promotions. Reflecting on how his own career has seen him wrestle for multiple companies, Del Rio was adamant in allowing Nacion Lucha Libre talent the chance to make money and perform wherever they can.

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Ryback Believes AEW’s “Excitement Period” Is Over

    Ryback Believes AEW’s “Excitement Period” Is Over

    Former WWE Superstar Ryback was declared that All Elite Wrestling’s “excitement period” is officially over.

    Speaking on a recent episode of his podcast, Conversation with the Big Guy, Ryback explained why he thinks people are over the initially boon of interest in AEW’s alternative product.

    “The excitement period is over for the new company, essentially. That was going to happen and there was nothing they can do,” he stated. “I think though, as time goes on, and I think as more names become freed up in pro wrestling and other opportunities arise; say, Rusev’s contract is up and the following week he shows up on AEW or whenever he can, that would be a big deal and that would spark some interest because Rusev has a fanbase. That would kick them up a little notch and you would have more angles that you can do with Rusev, or whoever it is, a Luke Harper shows up. That’s another guy now where you just start slowly building that roster up who has name value.”

    Several WWE Superstars have openly vented their frustrations with the company in recent months. Ryback noted how WWE has been ensuring talent can’t simply jump over to AEW, doing all they can to entice Superstars in staying.

    “[…] the problem is that WWE is really f—g smart. They locked down so many of those guys it’s like, AEW what are you going to do? Because they know how it is to get guys over, you can’t get independent guys over as a group. It is a tough sell so I think as time goes on, I think that AEW is going to continue to try. They have to stay afloat and I think eventually guys will start getting freed up and by then it’s going to create some opportunities for them to be pushing the numbers.”

    You can see the latest viewership figures from this past Wednesday’s NXT and AEW shows here.

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription. 

    https://youtu.be/e3C3DW9oz98
  • Matt Hardy Has More Character Ideas Ready To Go, Discusses Constantly Evolving

    Matt Hardy Has More Character Ideas Ready To Go, Discusses Constantly Evolving

    Veteran WWE Superstar Matt Hardy has shared that he has more creative character ideas ready to go. Over the years, Hardy has successfully showcased his undeniable creative streak, in particular during his tenure in Impact Wrestling as Broken Matt Hardy.

    “I have at least two other good things in mind right now,” Hardy confirmed. “And that’s the important thing, especially for me now. Because I’m much more entertainment driven than I am athletically driven. So it’s important for me to have those things.”

    He continued, “And also, as an artist, that’s very cathartic for me. And I enjoy being able to come up with this cool, creative idea and then apply it to something. And that’s what it takes to survive in this day and age because the people’s attention spans are so short. Characters constantly have to change and evolve, constantly.”

    Hardy recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of his very first televised match in WWE. He recently returned to WWE’s on-screen product after seven months away from TV. Most notably, Hardy returned in attire that echoed his old-school Team Xtreme days. Despite his best attempts, he would ultimately lose his return match to Buddy Murphy in relatively short order.

    H/T to Fightful for the transcription.

  • Seth Rollins Calls His Hell In A Cell Match Against Bray Wyatt “A Mess”

    Seth Rollins Calls His Hell In A Cell Match Against Bray Wyatt “A Mess”

    Former WWE Universal Champion Seth Rollins has addressed his infamous Hell in a Cell main event. Back in October, Rollins competed against “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt in the cage. Their match was flooded in red lights throughout. Speaking on this past Tuesday’s episode of WWE Backstage, Rollins confessed that their clash was “a mess,” citing the lighting as a contributing factor. 

    “So that was a mess for me,” Rollins stated. “Because first of all, you’re in this dark red. The cell is also red and so you’re trying to navigate around the edges of the cell and it’s very tight quarters to begin with. It was a mess. It was very difficult to deal with especially not knowing what was going to happen. I for one am not a fan [of the red light]. I think it affects my performance personally.”

    Their match would end in a referee stoppage. This decision led to confusion and derision amongst the WWE Universe, given that the match was contested under Hell in a Cell rules. Rollins isn’t the only person within WWE who wasn’t happy with the red lights blanketing his match. After The Bell host, Corey Graves, also shared his dislike for the stylistic choice, stressing on a past episode of WWE’s official podcast that he doesn’t look forward to “any more of that damn red light during The Fiend matches.”

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription. 

  • Sean Waltman Discusses NXT Talent Not Wanting To Join RAW Or SmackDown Rosters

    Sean Waltman Discusses NXT Talent Not Wanting To Join RAW Or SmackDown Rosters

    On a recent episode of his podcast, X-Pac 12360, WWE Hall of Famer Sean “X-Pac” Waltman addressed why he thinks some NXT Superstars are reticent in joining the RAW or SmackDown rosters. 

    “There are people that have just started, that don’t have any experience. People that have been around forever. There’s older people, younger people, there are a few people that are pushing 40 on the NXT roster,” Waltman stated. “So there’s going to be different mentalities. And there are some people that have military backgrounds, that have a different mentality because of that. So it depends on who you talk too.”

    He noted how there are certain Superstars that are doing really well on the black-and-gold brand. Despite their success, however, Waltman added how there are still some who are motivated in joining WWE’s main roster.

    Waltman also spoke about how money isn’t necessarily the primary motivating factor for most younger talent. He confessed that his generation has difficulty understanding this mentality. 

    “[…] we all like money, and it’s a big driving force but money doesn’t spend very well if you’re not fn happy. And the younger generations are realizing that there are more important things. And people my age are scratching our heads going ‘wtf’, we don’t know how to deal with that, because you can’t hold things over somebody’s head.”

    Waltman’s take on this situation comes off the back of Tommaso Ciampa’s recent comments. The former NXT Champion allegedly told WWE management that he would rather retire than join either RAW or SmackDown. 

    H/T to Wrestlezone for the quotes.

  • Rhea Ripley On Changing Her Appearance, Being Herself

    Rhea Ripley On Changing Her Appearance, Being Herself

    Back when she first made her WWE debut during the first Mae Young Classic, NXT Superstar Rhea Ripley sported a very different look compared to her current aesthetic.

    Speaking with Yahoo!, Ripley explained how she wasn’t confident during her time competing in the Mae Young Classic Tournament, noting that she “wasn’t being myself.”

    “I went out there and was trying to please everyone, be what they thought I should be,” she explained. “I was trying to make everyone happy, but it wasn’t making me happy at all. At the second Mae Young Classic, I changed everything, I was completely different. I was myself, the person that I know I am and brought the house down.”

    Looking to her recent success in WWE’s black-and-gold brand, Ripley reflected on her successful victory at NXT TakeOver: WarGames. Her team would defeat Team Baszler, despite the odds being heavily against them.

    “WarGames was a match that I’ve dreamt of my entire life,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to have a match where I get to use weapons and I never got that back home. That was my first time being able to use all of that stuff in a match — legally. We put on a match that no one expected from us and helped prove why NXT is the main roster.”

    Ripley is currently scheduled to face off against the current NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler on the December 18th episode of NXT on USA Network.

  • Kofi Kingston Wanted A Longer, More Compelling Match With Brock Lesnar

    Kofi Kingston Wanted A Longer, More Compelling Match With Brock Lesnar

    New Day member and one half of the current SmackDown Tag Team Champions, Kofi Kingston, has spoken about his frustrations following his WWE Championship loss to Brock Lesnar. Kingston would drop the belt to Lesnar in seconds during the premiere episode of SmackDown on FOX.

    “I was in the same boat as everybody else,” Kingston explained to The Sun. “You never know what is going to happen that day when you get to the building. I would have loved to have a longer match because I feel like the story that Brock and I could have told could have been a lot more compelling than it was. At the same time, you realize it is a business and what the boss wants at one point is what the boss wants. I let go of trying to control what I couldn’t control a long time ago. That’s not to say I didn’t try to fight for a longer match or a more compelling story, but that’s not the route they wanted to go.”

    He continued, “That’s the nature of the business. You can be mad and complain and come to work miserable, but I had a six-month title reign, which is few and far between. I got to achieve my dream and I’m all about pushing forward, to strive to achieve great things rather than dwell in this dark space of negative energy. That’s not me. I want to maximize my time here to achieve as much as I can.”

    At the time, WWE highlighted Kingston’s 11-year journey into the championship scene. He would win the title by defeating Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 35—a matchup he credits Bryan for being instrumental in putting together.

  • Kane Discusses Team Hell No, The Undertaker Believing In Him

    Kane Discusses Team Hell No, The Undertaker Believing In Him

    WWE Legend Kane has a new autobiography titled Mayor Kane: My Life in Wrestling and Politics. In an interview with Sporting News, Kane discussed his new book and explained how he is currently semi-retired from WWE. 

    Reflecting on his long career with the promotion, Kane referred to his time working with Daniel Bryan as a part of Team Hell No as the most fun he’s had in wrestling.

    “That’s what I would attribute my longevity to, frankly, is the ability to reinvent myself,” he said. “And I think that’s true for anyone who has a long career. They never stay the same character, quite the same character, the whole way through. Speaking about Daniel Bryan, specifically, that was a blast and some of the most fun I had in my entire career because it was an absolute departure from the character that I played earlier.”

    He continued, “If you asked people in 1998 and again in 2004 would Kane be comic relief on the show, they would have looked at you like you were crazy. All of that was amazing. I hope that I was able to show people that I wasn’t just somebody who had a mask and didn’t talk all the time. There was some depth and I could do some different things and was hopefully a more well-rounded performer than people probably initially thought that I would be.”

    Kane’s long-time on-screen brother, The Undertaker, provided one of the forewords to his autography. He explained how ‘Taker has always been an advocate for him, noting how their first match took place in Smoky Mountain Wrestling in 1995. With their characters so interlinked on-screen, Kane spoke openly about how he would never have had the career he has enjoyed without The Undertaker. 

  • Brandi Rhodes Opens Up About Recent Character Change

    Brandi Rhodes Opens Up About Recent Character Change

    All Elite Wrestling’s Chief Branding Officer Brandi Rhodes has opened up about her character evolution on Dynamite. Speaking with Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Snowden, Rhodes shared the motivations she had for developed this new character. She credited Awesome Kong for approaching her with a different idea—one Rhodes was eager to run with.

    “I have to give a lot of credit to Awesome Kong because she came to me wanting something specific for herself and that’s always a great thing, a great sign from a talent when they come in and say, ‘Hey, this is my vision, this is what I see. Can you help me create this?’” Rhodes explained. “Because nobody’s going to be able to create their own vision better than they do themselves.

    She continued, “It’s always great when somebody has something in mind for themselves because they believe in it and they feel it. And that’s going to come across on the screen. Cody’s a big fan of always saying, ‘we like to let people play their music how they like to play it.’ And this is the perfect example of doing that. She came to me with the sprinklings of this idea, and I worked together with her to make it what it is now and we continue to work on it week after week. I don’t think either of us knew exactly what it was becoming the first time we talked about it, but now we’re really happy with where it’s going.”

    Since Kong and Rhode’s on-screen return, the two women have been making an impact on the AEW women’s roster. Kong has been frequently assaulting female talent, subsequently collecting their hair as a trophy.

  • Kofi Kingston Credits Daniel Bryan For Their WrestleMania 35 Match

    Kofi Kingston Credits Daniel Bryan For Their WrestleMania 35 Match

    Former WWE Champion Kofi Kingston recently shared how instrumental Daniel Bryan was in helping him secure his championship opportunity at WrestleMania 35.

    Speaking with Corey Graves on WWE’s podcast After The Bell, Kingston revealed how Bryan actively pushed to have Kingston face him for the championship.

    “The plans weren’t for me to be at WrestleMania,” Kingston explained. “I’m not sure who it was for Daniel to face, but it wasn’t me, and Daniel went in and went to bat for me and the situation for the title match between us to happen. He had a big part in it too. […] It’s testament to his state of mind as far as advancing the business and doing the right thing for the people and for the match and product.” 

    He gave credit to Daniel Bryan, believing him to be a generational talent amongst the WWE roster. Kingston reflected on how it meant so much to him given how hot Bryan was at the time, praising his mic, character work and generosity for helping develop their story.

    Kingston would eventually lose his hard-won WWE Championship to Brock Lesnar during the premiere episode of SmackDown on FOX. He has since gone on to win the SmackDown Tag Team Championships alongside New Day member Big E.

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

  • Rey Mysterio Talks About Being Pushed And Inspired By Younger Talent

    Rey Mysterio Talks About Being Pushed And Inspired By Younger Talent

    It’s unsurprising to hear modern-day talent talk about being inspired by WWE Legend Rey Mysterio. Turns out that Mysterio holds just as much respect for his current contemporaries. He recently spoke about how they help push him to perform at a high level. 

    Speaking with WWE’s streaming show The Bump, the WWE United States Champion took a moment from receiving praise from Ricochet to share some appreciation for younger talent. 

    “I truly believe that the secret behind still being able to do it and perform at the level that I still perform at is to have people like Ricochet around you know,” Mysterio said. “Like Humberto Carrillo that push me, inspire me to keep doing it and to do it at the level. So I’m honored to have inspired you guys at one point in your career to be where you’re at now and now the inspiration comes from you guys towards me to be able to perform at the level that I do.”

    The discussion eventually turned to Mysterio’s son Dominik. The Bump then played some footage when a young Dominik was involved in the on-screen rivalry between Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero. He commented on Dominik’s ability to convey emotion, recalling how he would just jump into it when needed.

    Rey noted how his son has developed as a performer since then. He highlighted his recent involvement in the recent Brock Lesnar feud as an example of his growth.

  • Joey Janela Discusses Feedback To His Match With Kenny Omega, Being A Technical Wrestler

    Joey Janela Discusses Feedback To His Match With Kenny Omega, Being A Technical Wrestler

    All Elite Wrestling’s Joey Janela recently reflected on the reception he received for his matchup against Kenny Omega. The two competed in a Lights Out match on the 10/15 episode of AEW Dark. Despite Janela’s best efforts, Omega would emerge victorious from their encounter.

    “The response was crazy. Actually, we were supposed to have a straight up, regular match on Dark. Nothing too crazy and I got the call the night before from Tony Khan, changed it to the f— fest that it became, and me and Kenny, we went 30 minutes which wasn’t supposed to be the case and it was kind of a big match for me and one of the main reasons I signed to AEW was to wrestle Kenny Omega and I got it so soon and it came so sudden,” Janela told POST Wrestling.

    “I’m All The Flavors Of Ice Cream”

    Although known for his proficiency in hardcore matches, Janela has faith in his technical wrestling ability. He noted how he has been delivering technical matches for a while, pointing to previous bouts with Matt Riddle and Zack Sabre Jr.

    “[…] people on the indies know I can wrestle because I’ve done it all in front of these fans,” he said. “But the new fans coming into AEW, see me for the first time—saw me as kind of [a] hardcore, car accident, f— fest, f—g fall off a ladder and kill yourself wrestler which is not the case so now it’s me doing the same thing after I got thrown off that building a few years ago and proving people wrong on a larger scale and convert people and say, ‘Listen, this is not what I’m all about. I’m all the flavors of ice cream all rolled up.”

    Joey Janela is set to wrestle Jon Moxley on tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite on TNT. You can watch his matchup against Kenny Omega in the video below:

  • Colt Cabana Talks About Love Of Long-Term Storytelling, Showcasing A Serious Side In NWA

    Colt Cabana Talks About Love Of Long-Term Storytelling, Showcasing A Serious Side In NWA

    Normally associated with a more light-hearted, comedic style of pro wrestling, Colt Cabana has shared his intentions to harness a more serious version of himself for NWA. He discussed his plans during a panel at Starrcast IV in Baltimore, revealing he is more than happy to follow NWA President Billy Corgan’s vision in how to tell their stories.

    “I can wrestle any way. You want me to be serious? I’ll be serious, but if you leave it up to me, I will be the goofball that I am, that’s the wrestling I prefer,” Cabana said, “but Billy Corgan has a vision and that’s his vision and I respect it. I’m in that role and I’m going to do that role for him and I’m going to enjoy it because I love wrestling and so I have no problem doing that and I enjoy it to an aspect.”

    Long-Term Storytelling

    Cabana admitted his love for long-term storytelling, recalling a previous feud he had with Homicide. A self-professed “journeyman” wrestler, Cabana is fully aware of how he hasn’t had many opportunities to develop long feuds with people. He’s hoping that his time in NWA changes that.

    “I do like building stories. Years ago people remember me for a feud I had with Homicide where it started very silly and ended up in this crazy match with the Drain-O and then this crazy barbed wire match and that was a beautiful story and I loved telling that story so I love getting into that long-form and long-term storytelling.”

    He continued, “But the way I kind of pathed out my career in past ten years, I’m such a journeyman and I’m so all over the place so I don’t really have that opportunity to tell those long stories so with NWA, they have it really down. They want to tell these stories and I’m definitely along for the ride and I look forward to maybe doing something super, super, super serious where you didn’t really expect it and you haven’t seen it in a long time.”

    NWA Powerrr uploads to the official NWA YouTube channel every week. You can watch the latest episode below:

    H/T to Wrestlezone for the transcription.

    https://youtu.be/Te3bgqh3Foo
  • The Sandman Reflects On Infamous Crucifixion Angle, Kurt Angle’s Reaction

    The Sandman Reflects On Infamous Crucifixion Angle, Kurt Angle’s Reaction

    Former ECW wrestler and WWE Superstar The Sandman recently looked back on the infamous crucifixion angle between himself and Raven. In an interview with The Hannibal TV, Sandman spoke about the event and even addressed Kurt Angle’s negative reaction to it.

    Sandman claimed that the only reason the storyline “blew up” was because Angle was present that night. If it wasn’t for him and his reaction, he doesn’t believe it would have gained as much traction as it did. 

    “I loved it, dude, I thought it was great,” he confessed. “I made that f—g cross, you know what else I made? Dreamers scaffold match with Brian Lee, I made that by myself, I put that whole thing together because that’s what I do, I do construction.”

    Recalling the reaction the crowd had that night, Sandman noted how “the silence was deafening” in the audience. “I’m starting to realize that if they’re not reacting at all, then it’s f—g heavy, so I’m feeling the heaviness of it.” 

    “Do You Think He Went To Vince And Complained?”

    Following that night’s events, Sandman noted how several people including Paul Heyman, Shane Douglas, Kurt Angle, and others demanded an apology. Raven did eventually apologize—a fact that Sandman took issue with. He pointed to WWE’s hypocrisy when, months later, they aired a similar angle featuring The Undertaker and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.

    “The funny thing is here, that six months later, Kurt’s in the WWE, Austin’s getting hung on a f—g cross just like we did, do you think he went to Vince and complained? But I understand him a little bit then, because…religion was never involved really in wrestling like that.”

    More recently, The Sandman allegedly made disparaging comments regarding women wrestling in the main event at wrestling shows, with several wrestlers from across the industry reacting negatively to his thoughts.

    H/T to Wrestlezone for the transcription.

  • The Undertaker Reveals He Was Concussed During WrestleMania 30 Match Against Brock Lesnar

    The Undertaker Reveals He Was Concussed During WrestleMania 30 Match Against Brock Lesnar


    WWE Legend The Undertaker has revealed he has no recollection of his match against Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 30. It was this match that broke ‘Taker’s WrestleMania undefeated record, ending his 21 match winning streak.

    Speaking with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin on his WWE Network show, The Broken Skull Sessions, The Undertaker talked about that night. When asked by Austin if he thinks he should have retired from in-ring competition following the match, ‘Taker replied:

    “That is the million-dollar question. It could have been. The thing with this match is, not everybody knows but somewhere within the first five minutes I get concussed,” revealed Taker. “I don’t even remember this night. I’ve watched it back now but my last memory happened about 3:30 in the afternoon when my wife came backstage and we had a conversation.”

    “This Shook Me Up”

    He reflected on how he had no memory of being checked on after the match. He recalled walking through Gorilla afterwards and then being in the hospital. Even after multiple viewings of their matchup, ‘Taker revealed he still can’t pinpoint where he became concussed.

    “I watched [the match] back 10-15 times now and I can’t pick out where it [getting concussed] happened,” Undertaker said. “It was nothing Brock did. I think him not knowing I was concussed…when I watch it I can tell I’m lethargic. I’m not moving and thinking normally. This screwed me up. This screwed up my confidence. You would think after a career of 25 years that you wouldn’t get shook up. Well, that’s a false belief because this shook me up.”

    When asked if he has any intentions to return to the ring in the future, The Undertaker stressed how he is going to write his own story. He added that he will be in charge of his own ending in pro wrestling. 

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Mike Kanellis Discusses Whether He Should Have Gone To NXT First

    Mike Kanellis Discusses Whether He Should Have Gone To NXT First

    When he came into the company, Mike Kanellis debuted straight onto WWE’s main roster. In an interview with the Smarks and Stripes podcast, Kanellis addressed whether he believes he should have gone to NXT beforehand. 

    “I think about this a lot,” Kanellis confessed. “I always constantly go back and I think to myself, ‘well, had I’d just gone to NXT, maybe things could have been different,’ but then, I think, like, ‘yeah, but they pushed me right to the main roster, which was really cool – there [are] not many guys they did that with.’ Yeah, so I wear that as a badge of honor, where I was like, ‘yeah, maybe I came out and it was cold, and I fell flat on my face,’ but, again, I started – maybe I sound like this friggin’ guru – I don’t know. I don’t really care.”

    He continued, “I started taking so much personal responsibility and accountability for my actions and some people might say, ‘well, WWE screwed up my debut.’ Maybe, but I look at it as I screwed up. I came to WWE and I was out of shape and I wasn’t prepared. I was addicted to drugs. Maybe they lost faith in my right out of the gate and I had to earn it back. So I wish it went better. Maybe in retrospect I should’ve gone to NXT, but I wasn’t ready period, so I don’t know if NXT would’ve made things any better.”

    Future Ambitions

    Looking to the future, Kanellis shared he has plenty of ambition left to fuel his WWE dreams. He shared how he would love to one day WrestleMania and be a world champion within WWE. 

    Kanellis revealed how he would like to eventually earn veteran status within WWE and be regarded as a locker room leader. He pointed to Roman Reigns and the way “The Big Dog” motivates his fellow WWE Superstars, admitting he would love to emulate what Reigns has accomplished both backstage and in the ring. Kanellis stated that he is also open to the idea of going to the NXT Performance Center to coach, adamant in his goals of working hard and giving back to the wrestling industry. 

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Seth Rollins On CM Punk, Fans Booing Him

    Seth Rollins On CM Punk, Fans Booing Him

    Former WWE Universal Champion Seth Rollins was a guest on last night’s episode of WWE Backstage. Despite having a recent war of words online with Backstage analyst CM Punk, Punk was not present for the show.

    “I’m here, he’s not here. I’m not shocked about that,” Rollins said. “I think I’ve exhausted all of my energy on the subject. I just don’t think it’s going anywhere, I’m not shocked that he’s not here, so I think it’s time to maybe move on to something that matters. I wish he was here. I wish we could have a face-to-face, but it’s not in the cards.”

    “I’m Going To Push Back”

    During his time on the show, Rollins reflected on the reception he has been receiving recently from the WWE Universe, admitting that he is aware of the comments being made about him.

    “You read the comments, you hear the small segment of the audience that boos me. Let’s be clear, this is not everywhere. I go to Little Rock, I go to Germany, I do live events all over the world and I’m not getting booed, alright? It’s not happening,” Rollins said.

    He continued, “There’s a small contingent of our audience that’s very vocal on social media. But you see that, you hear that, you read that, that affects you—and I’m a passionate guy. I love this business. This is my life, so when you put so much into it, to feel like I get disrespected, I’m going to push back.”

    Rollins noted how the “cool thing” right now is to hate on him as he is the “guy on top.” He compared himself to John Cena and Roman Reigns, contrasting his experiences with theirs back when they were WWE’s top Superstars.

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

  • New Day Reflects On Early Comparisons to the Nation Of Domination

    New Day Reflects On Early Comparisons to the Nation Of Domination

    Speaking on the premiere episode of their new podcast, Feel the Power, New Day members Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods and Big E discussed how their group was compared to ‘90s stable the Nation of Domination when they first formed.

    Reflecting on how they came together, Kingston confessed there was a sense of disgruntlement amongst them. He noted, however, that “the difference between us and The Nation was that we weren’t promoting any kind of racial anything.”

    Woods added, “I can understand like shades of it because our shade is brown and so people were like, ‘Oh man, it’s The Nation of Domination.’ I was like, ‘You never called The Wyatts The Godwins and that’s like the same thing.’”

    “And then I think when people started trying to like label it, we took it upon ourselves to be like, ‘No. You don’t get to tell us what it is. We’re going to make it into whatever we want it to be, you know and kind of like took ownership of it that way,” Kingston added.

    PLAN

    Woods then explained how the initial idea of the three of them coming together had its origins back when Big E was in developmental. He shared how their idea was a group called PLAN, which stood for the People’s Liberation Of American Nationalism. Back then, the stable would have consisted of Woods, Big E, Byron Saxton and Abe Washington. 

    “The New Day is kind of an evolved thought of that, but it was essentially people who were not happy with their position in the company and wanted more from themselves and from their job and so that’s when I talked to E about it and we kind of shot a bunch of different things and pre-tapes and kicking back and forth ideas and that’s when it really hit me like ‘none of this is really clicking. None of it is really working.’ I was like, ‘I think we need a third person for this to actually work.’ He was like, ‘Who?’ I was like, ‘I think we need to get Kofi.’”

    Kofi would agree to join the two Superstars. He reflected on how he was unhappy at the time and wanted to redirect his career and help Woods and Big E establish themselves on the WWE roster. 

    H/T to Wrestlezone for the transcription.

  • Lacey Evans Comments On If She Was Called Up To WWE’s Main Roster Too Early

    Lacey Evans Comments On If She Was Called Up To WWE’s Main Roster Too Early

    WWE SmackDown Superstar Lacey Evans has responded to the idea that she was called up too early from NXT to WWE’s main roster. Speaking on 101WKQX in Chicago, Evans disputed the claim, stating that “people get what they deserve.”

    “Too early? Sweetheart, no such thing. People get what they deserve. I’m a hard worker and they saw that I could bring many things, including class, to the main roster,” Evans explained. “To RAW, to SmackDown, any brand that I’m put in, and that’s exactly what I did. A lot of people may be mad because they’re not in my position, making the money that I’m making, but that has nothing to do with me.”

    WrestleMania Ready

    Evans received a championship opportunity against current RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch earlier this year. Although unsuccessful at the time, Evans believes she’s ready to establish herself in the championship scene at WrestleMania, not caring whether it’s for the RAW or SmackDown Women’s Championship.

    “Give me one of the champions. I don’t care which one. I’m on SmackDown now, so whoever that may be at the time, whether it’s Bayley, Sasha Banks, it doesn’t matter,” she said. “Let me get my hands on her and let there be no rules. A lot of women and a lot of people are used to referees rules to stop them from inflicting as much pain as possible, and it’s one of the things that I love to do. I am sick and tired of getting pulled off of these nasty things. So, if I could choose anything that I wanted, it would be a champion. Give me either one of them, I don’t care which and don’t pull me off of them when I get on.”

    Evans recently made history alongside Natalya. The two performed in the first-ever women’s wrestling match in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during WWE’s last visit there for their pay-per-view, Crown Jewel.

    H/T to Wrestlezone for the transcription.