SEScoops

Author: Steve Russell

  • The Singh Brothers On Working Together, WWE’s Tough Schedule

    The Singh Brothers On Working Together, WWE’s Tough Schedule

    The Singh Brothers both appeared on Lilian Garcia’s podcast, Chasing Glory. During the conversation, Sunil and current WWE 24/7 Champion Samir Singh opened up about working together in WWE. They also spoke about WWE’s gruelling schedule. 

    “In this business, it’s such a cutthroat business, everyone’s looking out for themselves, you know to your point, we have each other’s back no matter what,” Sunil said about partnering with his brother. “Whatever decision’s made, we will ask each other, ‘Hey, do you feel comfortable doing this?” and vice versa so it’s definitely having its pros.”

    Samir added, “It’s having that confidant, best friend on the road, which is so important because, again, it does get lonely and long and, even if we fight, you know at the end of the day, you can patch it up, like we have a common goal, a common interest, we’ve been doing it together since 18, 17, dreaming about it as kids, so you have all this and it’s nice to have that.”

    “You’re Just In The Forest”

    Samir confessed that, despite living their dream, it’s easy to forget due to the sheer amount of travel demanded by their schedule. 

    “You’re on the road four days a week, third day’s a travel day, two days off and you’re back on the road, you kind of forget you’re doing your dream job, you’re just in the forest,” he said. “And I remember Adam, Edge, when we got signed, I remember him telling us, like learn to enjoy it because once you’re in the forest, you’re so deep in that one day you’re gonna look back like, wow, did I do this? And he was so right because, even like two years in, you’re just going and then you’re like, wow, it’s pretty cool to travel the world.”

    Sunil noted how “[…] for us sometimes, we’ll be talking like, ‘Can you believe it’s already been three years for us, including CWC, NXT, 205, three years already, it’s like time just flies, it goes by so fast.”

    Samir then shared how it’s easy to forget to have fun sometimes, mainly thanks to internal doubts. For him, however, he’s adamant that they both enjoy the moment as much as possible while they continue living their dream. 

    H/T to Wrestlezone for the transcription.

  • Arn Anderson Explains His Role In AEW

    Arn Anderson Explains His Role In AEW

    WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson has divulged information over his role in All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Anderson discussed his position with the promotion during a recent Starrcast appearance, sharing that his core responsibilities revolve around helping AEW talent develop their characters.

    “I really haven’t had a lot to do with AEW as far as the nuts and bolts, I’ve just kind of been talent so far. Which has been great; [the talent] is so in tune with the product,” Arn explained to Wrestling Inc. “I’m just – Jesus Christ, guys, I’m 61 years old. To be able to walk through the locker room with these kids and them even know who I am, it’s pretty flattering to be honest with you.”

    Despite still familiarizing himself with the majority of the AEW locker room, Anderson confessed that one talent jumped out at him: Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF).

    “I’m just getting used to all of those guys; I haven’t had a chance to see them perform a lot. MJF, are those the right letters? He is a real asshole!” Arn stated. “Now, I’m pretty good in the locker room about jousting. I’m pretty renowned about getting the last word pretty quickly. I don’t know if I want to get into a verbal joust with that kid – he’s a major smart ass.”

    Anderson then praised AEW Champion, Chris Jericho. He noted how Le Champion has been able to morph himself into the promotion’s lead heel as he has once again successfully reinvented himself.

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Sonya Deville Addresses How She Deals With Haters, Finding Balance

    Sonya Deville Addresses How She Deals With Haters, Finding Balance

    Sonya Deville spoke with Local Los Angeles CBS affiliate KCAL regarding her life as an LGBT WWE Superstar. During their conversation, Deville spoke openly about balancing her sexuality with her WWE character.

    “Sonya, at the end of the day is a fighter, right? She likes to kick ass. She likes to get in there and take names and she sometimes does take unorthodox measures to get there,” Deville explained.

    “So if that’s what you consider a bad guy, then yeah, Sonya’s bad. But she also is someone who represents equality, and that’s something that’s very close to my heart and something that, whether I’m a good guy or a bad guy, I’m always going to represent, because the really cool thing about WWE is there’s always a larger message. There’s so much more to our job than just what you see inside of the ring.”

    “I’m Not Afraid Of The Critics And The Haters”

    When asked if she was concerned over negative fan reactions from the more conservative within the WWE Universe, Deville stressed that she isn’t afraid of those kinds of haters.

    “No matter where you are in the world, you’re going to have people that accept you for who you are and you’re going to have people that don’t,” she said. “And my goal is to show my fans and my supporters that I’m not afraid of the critics and the haters. I’m not going to hide who I am because I make people uncomfortable because of who I love.”

    Deville noted how she doesn’t want her character to be defined by her sexuality, calling it “one piece of Sonya’s puzzle.” She added how she doesn’t want it to take away from her career or what she’s capable of inside the squared circle, stressing that she is an athlete, performer and former mixed martial artist.

  • Kofi Kingston Talks About Creative Freedom, Power Of Social Media

    Kofi Kingston Talks About Creative Freedom, Power Of Social Media

    Former WWE Champion Kofi Kingston has talked about his relationship with Vince McMahon and the extent of the creative freedom he is allowed in WWE in an interview with Muscle & Fitness. Kingston also touched on the importance of social media and how the platform has impacted his character and persona.

    “I think it is just a matter of going out and having a good performance and the crowd reacting to you,” Kingston stated. “People will then leave you alone because they trust you. We earned that trust with Vince. If the character that somebody writes is not getting over, it’s gonna be on us. Nobody will say the writer is to blame for not writing correctly. We take pride in going out to live and die on our swords.”

    Regarding the power of social media and modern technology, Kingston said “This is something you did not have in the 80s and 90s. There were no cell phones, no pictures, you did not know people went out to party. But today you are in a time where you can literally see what the people want.”

    He continued, “My social media is not monitored by WWE. It kind of was at one point. It’s great because you can control where you want your character to go. You often don’t have that control on TV on where storylines are going. You can control how you want to sound on social media.”

    Looking to ventures outside of the ring, Kingston claimed how “You’d be a fool not to in this day and age,” pointing to how New Day teammate Xavier Woods has his UpUpDownDown YouTube channel.

  • Charlotte Flair Discusses Her Favorite Match, Friendship With Becky Lynch

    Charlotte Flair Discusses Her Favorite Match, Friendship With Becky Lynch

    During an interview with News 18, WWE Superstar Charlotte Flair opened up about her career and friendship with RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch.

    When asked to pinpoint her favorite match, Flair confessed it’s hard to pick just one. She explained that every opponent brings out something different in her and their subsequent matchup. “Like when I faced Becky in Evolution it was different from when I was up against Ronda Rousey at Survivor Series. It was again different when I faced Sasha Banks at Hell in A Cell.”

    She continued, “Every fight is so different for me, I think that’s what keeps me always in the picture because I’m able to adjust depending on the storyline. But I think the most pressure I’ve had in any fight was wrestling Asuka at WrestleMania 34 because she didn’t have anything to prove and I felt like this was my one opportunity to show what I’m made of and I’d had many history-making moments before that, but that was a defining moment in my career.”

    With rumors circling that Flair will partner with Lynch to take on the Kabuki Warriors, she wasn’t entirely convinced the two made better enemies than allies.

    “You know, it’s one of those things when it comes to Becky, we will come together to face a common enemy,” said Flair. “The enemy, for instance, the Kabuki Warriors. If we have to get along for those 20 minutes, I think we can make that happen.”

    She noted that she couldn’t be prouder of Lynch for her success. Flair added that the RAW Women’s Champion deserves everything and more as she has asserted herself as the “face of the company.”

  • The Young Bucks Talk About AEW Listening To Fans, Monitoring Social Media For Talent

    All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is committed to providing an alternative to wrestling fans. In an interview with The Herald Bulletin, The Young Bucks divulged how part of their strategy to help deliver on this is by actively listening to their audience.

    The promotion’s Executive Vice Presidents have previously expressed how they want to always capitalize on a wrestler’s popularity. EVP Matt Jackson of The Young Bucks reiterated this sentiment, stating “You can’t ignore that stuff in wrestling, you have to go with it. We want to be different than other wrestling companies. We want to listen to our audience and give them what they actually want.”

    Matt admitted that AEW keeps their fingers on the pulse of what’s happening with the wrestling world via social media. He pointed to how wrestlers can use these platforms to gain exposure and make a name for themselves and how they monitor these moments for potential new talent.

    “Going on Twitter and seeing who’s blowing up, you know, who’s making waves, whose gifs are circulating,” Matt said. “It’s the easiest time ever to have something go viral so like we keep our eyes on everything. That’s how a lot of these stars are being made these days is through social media.”

    This method is how Private Party ended up as a part of the AEW roster. Matt Jackson recalled watching a 60 second YouTube clip and immediately wanting to sign them. He noted how only a few months ago, most wouldn’t know who Private Party were. Now, however, when a graphic of the team appears on their big screen “the entire arena goes nuts.”

  • Tommaso Ciampa Discusses His Time On WWE’s Main Roster

    Tommaso Ciampa Discusses His Time On WWE’s Main Roster

    Tommaso Ciampa has returned to WWE’s black-and-gold brand, firmly reestablishing himself in NXT’s main event picture since his comeback from injury. Earlier in the year, however, Ciampa made a few appearances on WWE’s main roster. During an interview with State of Combat podcast, Ciampa addressed these appearances where he reunited with former DIY partner, Johnny Gargano. This occurred despite the two feuding on NXT at the same time. 

    “As far as Ricochet, Aleister [Black], myself and Johnny Gargano being on the main roster, there wasn’t a lot of explanation, to be honest with you,” Ciampa shared. “Sometimes, there are spots that need to be filled and you just have to be at the right spot at the right time or the wrong spot and the wrong time, whatever it may be and it just so happened that this scenario for us it was one of those things where NXT was not on television at the time and we were heading into WrestleMania weekend and that sprint during WrestleMania season is insane in WWE. I think that they just needed spots filled and thought it was a good opportunity to get more eyes on our product, us four in particular, going into one of our biggest pay per views.”

    “I Kind Of Trust The Process”

    Ciampa addressed the narrative inconsistency between his partnering with Gargano on WWE’s main roster while feuding with him on NXT. He admitted he saw a negative backlash due to the confusion, but shared that he had confidence it would have all played out in the end if he hadn’t required surgery. 

    “I kind of trust the process here, but yeah, I don’t ask a lot of questions, I just go out and do my job and at that time my job was to show up and perform on RAW and perform on SmackDown and do my job.”

    Tommaso Ciampa is scheduled to compete in a WarGames match at NXT TakeOver: WarGames on November 23. He teams with Keith Lee, Dominik Dijavovic and an unannounced partner to take on the Undisputed Era. 

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Corey Graves Thinks Big E Deserves A “Breakout” Singles Run

    Corey Graves Thinks Big E Deserves A “Breakout” Singles Run

    Corey Graves has shared which WWE Superstar he believes deserves a significant push within the company. Talking on the WWE podcast he hosts, After The Bell, Graves spoke highly of New Day member Big E, stating that the Superstar is primed for a breakout singles run.

    “This should be the opportunity for Big E’s big, singles breakout performance,” Graves said. “Now, I’m not saying to break up The New Day. They’ve gone on the record a million times and said, ‘Nope, they want to stay a unit forever’, and I don’t want to be the one to argue. But people forget that Big E was a former NXT Champion, Big E was a former [Intercontinental Champion] very shortly into his WWE career and that was when he was still figuring things out.” 

    Graves believes that after a lengthy career on the main roster, Big E now has the “seasoning” he needs to be working main events. He also believes working alongside Kofi Kingston has done wonders for Big E’s development. .

    “Big E has future WWE or Universal Champion written all over him,” he said. “As entertaining as all three of The New Day members are in front of the camera, we haven’t even scratched the tip of the iceberg of what Big E is capable of as a performer.”

    New Day members Big E and former WWE Champion Kofi Kingston are the reigning WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions. They are scheduled to compete in a Tag Team Championship triple threat match at Survivor Series. They face off against RAW’s Viking Raiders and NXT’s Undisputed Era members Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly. 

    WWE Survivor Series takes place this Sunday night from Chicago, IL.

    https://youtu.be/11FyqdOrTbA

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription

  • Ken Shamrock On What Changes WWE Needs To Make

    Ken Shamrock On What Changes WWE Needs To Make

    Former WWF Superstar Ken Shamrock recently returned to the squared circle, competing for Impact Wrestling. In an interview with the NYPost.com, Shamrock addressed his old employer, listing the changes he believes the promotion needs to make.

    “I think companies like Impact are creating an opportunity for people to work, be on TV and at the same time they have freedom to work other places if they want,” Shamrock shared. “I think all the other companies, except for WWF [WWE], is doing the same thing. I think if that doesn’t change, WWF [WWE] will be in the past because people, at least in my opinion, the future isn’t about wrestlers being locked into one company. They want to be able to have creative freedom to have an opportunity to wrestle overseas or wrestle other places without somebody telling them they can’t.”

    During his time in WWE, “The World’s Most Dangerous Man” won the WWF Intercontinental Championship. Shamrock also claimed the WWF Tag Team Championships with his partner, Big Boss Man. He also won the 1998 King of the Ring Tournament.

    “It Just Seems Like It’s Being Done On Purpose”

    Turning his attention to his impact on the Attitude Era, Shamrock spoke about how he’s left out of the conversation whenever WWE bring Attitude Era Superstars back.

    “When they have a reunion, I’m not there. When they talk about the ankle lock, they put Kurt Angle in there as the great submission holds and the ankle lock at No. 2 and Kurt Angle [is] doing it.”

    He continued, “So it just seems like it’s being done on purpose for whatever reason and maybe that’s why I never got shot at the title because there is a problem somewhere I don’t know about.”

    Shamrock noted that he feels “blessed” to be back with Impact Wrestling and competing at a high level. He added how he feels great, crediting his current run to allowing himself a year to fully recover and heal.

  • Bully Ray Discusses How CM Punk’s Backstage Role Gives Wrestling Fans “Hope”

    Bully Ray Discusses How CM Punk’s Backstage Role Gives Wrestling Fans “Hope”

    CM Punk returned to the WWE Universe earlier this week with his appearance on FS1’s WWE Backstage show. Although he will be appearing periodically on that show going forward, this is no guarantee that Punk will return to in-ring competition. 

    On a recent episode of SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio, Bully Ray discussed how Punk’s involvement with Backstage gives wrestling fans hope that he will one day be drawn back to the squared circle. He compared the situation to a relationship, explaining how it’s like a separated couple who are gradually working things out.

    “You’re broken up with somebody for five years, but you want to get back together with that other person, him, her, whatever. And you’ve been reaching out for a long time, you don’t get an answer, and then all of the sudden you send a text that says ‘Hey, just wanted to reach out and say hello, hope you’re doing good,’ and you finally get a return text that says ‘I’m good, hope all is well with you also.’ Does that give you hope? That’s what wrestling fans have right now when it comes to CM Punk. They have hope.”

    He continued, “Finally something has happened. He has finally answered some kind of text, some kind call. He’s back in the fray, his foot is back in the door. Yes, he’s working for Fox, analyzing WWE television, but he’s somewhat back in. He rubbed elbows with a couple of his buds last night. We know he’s friends with Renee, we know that he’s got a good relationship with Joe, I’m sure he knows of Cole. Not sure of his relationship with Booker or Paige, but it doesn’t matter. […] Maybe being back around a couple of the people that you like to be back around will help him through this.”

    Bully Ray then noted how his Starrcast appearance could have helped contribute to Punk’s potential interest. He added that perhaps Punk needed to know that “his fanbase just really wants him back” and stressed that there is now a genuine possibility that Punk could one day return to action.

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

  • Earl Hebner Acknowledges Issues With AEW Officiating

    Earl Hebner Acknowledges Issues With AEW Officiating

    All Elite Wrestling (AEW) official Earl Hebner has addressed the criticisms that have been lobbied at the promotion’s officials. Speaking with the WINCLY podcast, Hebner, who has over 40 years of refereeing experience, addressed his duties and reflected on the other referees’ learning experience.

    “They need to have me in their dressing rooms teaching them,” Hebner said.” Right now I’m just doing PPVs because of travel and everything so I’m fortunate to just do the PPVs. What they have is pretty good. We learn every day so it’s not like we know everything.”

    When it comes to what he believes AEW referees can do to improve and maintain order of their matches, Hebner pointed to tag matches and 10 counts being too slow: “Sometimes I think with the tag matches there’s too much interference and they bury the ref a lot.”

    AEW refereeing has been criticized by some for being inconsistent in what is or isn’t permitted. These flaws have been more noticeable during tag or multi-person matches and are something AEW officials have previously acknowledged in their attempts to improve.

    Having been in the industry as long as he has, Hebner was familiar with Cody Rhodes’ father, Dusty. When asked about his relationship with “The American Dream” and his son, Hebner offered:

    “It’s great. When I was coming through Dusty was the one who gave me a job. I rode in the truck with Cody when he was a baby,” Hebner shared. “It’s just been awesome to see how Cody has progressed and grown-up. He’s in the footsteps of his dad and every step he makes is Dusty. He’s a great kid and God bless him. He deserves everything he’s getting and going after.”

    AEW: Dynamite airs every Wednesday night on TNT at 8/7C. Their most recent pay-per-view, Full Gear, aired this past weekend.

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription. 

  • Booker T On Jordan Myles’ Quitting Video: “He’s Doing Himself An Injustice”

    Booker T On Jordan Myles’ Quitting Video: “He’s Doing Himself An Injustice”

    Booker T has addressed the video that NXT Superstar Jordan Myles uploaded to his social media. That video featured Myles deliver an impassioned, expletive riddled speech, ending with his declaration that he is quitting WWE. 

    Speaking on his podcast, The Hall of Fame, Booker T talked about the controversial shirt design that initially sparked Myles’ ire. He also commented on Myles’ reaction and his own experiences within the wrestling industry.

    “I don’t know if Jordan Myles has quit the company, but on social media, he’s saying he quit the company,” Booker T said. “I’m not going to sit here and judge or anything like that. I’m not going to sit here and say ‘Guy should have did this, guy should have done that.’ I’m going to lay out on that because I don’t need or want any backlash before someone said ‘Well, Booker said this’ or ‘Booker said that.’ I’m just going to say this, man: the situation…it all started with the t-shirt and now it has gotten to this.”

    “He’s Doing Himself An Injustice”

    One of the statements Myles made during his video claimed that the entire company was racist. Booker T highlighted how a comment like this could ultimately damage his Myles’ own message.

    “I don’t know where it’s going to go from here. I have been on this earth for 54 years and if you think one person is something, call them that, or if you think that person is something, call them that, but I cannot judge a group and say everybody is that,” Booker T explained.

    “When you make a blanket statement like that you do no justice for yourself or the culture. I say this because I have had a lot of years and a lot of experience. I do know that I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for a white guy named Bruce Gasarch, who made this all happen for me as far as changing my life, which is another story.”

    Booker T then shared how, if he had judged everyone in the same manner after his personal experience of going to prison, blaming the system and hating “everybody of that color,” he would have done himself a disservice. 

    “[…] being a kid who had never been in trouble before and for the first time being locked up in the back of a police car saying that, ‘the system did me wrong. I hate everybody of that color’, you know what I mean? If I did that, I would have done myself an injustice more than anything and I think that is the situation that I want to make clear here. The way he’s going by this, he’s doing himself an injustice.”

    Myles won the NXT Breakout Tournament earlier this year. In the wake of his video, the Superstar has changed his Twitter handle back to Super ACH. He also stripped all references to WWE from his social media accounts. 

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription. 

  • DDP Opens Up About His Relationship With AEW, Cody Rhodes

    DDP Opens Up About His Relationship With AEW, Cody Rhodes

    WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page (DDP) has appeared sporadically on All Elite Wrestling (AEW). In previous events, DDP has been seen accompanying and helping Cody Rhodes. In an interview with SportsKeeda, DDP addressed his relationship with the promotion and AEW Executive Vice President, Cody.

    “I’m happy for all the guys,” DDP stated. “It’s a great way, great to have more guys be a part and someone like Cody Rhodes to be at the helm of this thing. I don’t charge them anything. I don’t have a contract with AEW. I don’t.”

    Because of this, he explained how if WWE were to call him with a request or idea, he would be open to the discussion.

    “I haven’t heard from them since I’ve done stuff from with AEW but I would do something for WWE tomorrow. I would if they asked me to do something because I’m not a contracted player, I’m doing stuff for Cody Rhodes because he’s like a nephew to me. Without him, without his dad, I wouldn’t have had the career I had.”

    Turning his attention to Cody’s ambitions and accomplishments with AEW, DDP shared how he would do “anything he wants” because of his belief in Cody.

    “I believe in what Cody is doing, I will do anything he wants. I’m super proud of him. I think he’s done an unbelievable job. You can’t watch enough wrestling, I guess. What they are offering is just different. It’s going to be a fun ride to watch, that’s all I know.”

    Cody recently lost to AEW World Champion Chris Jericho at AEW’s recent pay-per-view, Full Gear. This came about after his former friend MJF threw in the towel, ending the match.

  • Roman Reigns On Fans Turning Against Seth Rollins

    Roman Reigns On Fans Turning Against Seth Rollins

    Roman Reigns was a recent guest on WWE’s podcast After The Bell. During the conversation, Reigns talked about his friendship with former Universal Champion Seth Rollins. He also broached the WWE Universe’s current feelings towards his friend.

    “We’ve talked very briefly but just the way with our travel, it’s really separated us,” Reigns told host Corey Graves. “We’re both out to conquer but we have to hold it down for our respective sides. With Seth, he knows what to do. He knows what to do in the ring and how to carry himself. It’s just a matter of riding it out.”

    Looking at how fans have been vocally turning against his former Shield teammate, Reigns said:

    “This is a situation where sometimes it’s, ‘What have you done for me lately?’ You just have to go out the next night and kill it and continue to kill it. That’s all that matters – just bust your ass and work hard.”

    He continued, “The cream always rises to the top and that’s something Cena told me a long time ago. Don’t go out there and stink it up. Have a good match and at the end of the day our fans are passionate but they have respect for what we do. […] Seth is a pro wrestling guy and he’s never going to go anywhere. He’s always had the dream of WWE and a little bit of a roller coaster isn’t gonna scare him away.”

    In order to curtail Rollins’ negative fan reception, WWE reportedly edited the audience reaction to the Superstar for this week’s Monday Night RAW, which was recorded last Friday in Manchester, England.

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Dolph Ziggler Addresses John Morrison WWE Rumors

    Dolph Ziggler Addresses John Morrison WWE Rumors

    Dolph Ziggler has recently addressed the rumors that his friend, John Morrison, may return to WWE. News broke in September suggesting that Morrison had resigned with the company, though he would dispute the claim in a tweet.

    Speaking with talkSPORT, Ziggler shared that he keeps hearing people talk about the rumor. He also joked how Morrison would frequently tell him he’s coming back to the company.

    “He’s a friend of mine. We hang out and do things together. I just did a little cameo in a short movie he did a couple of weeks ago and then he posted these pictures of the two of us, and then I posted them like ‘this is cool’. Then everyone is like ‘Confirmed! These guys are a tag team, they’re dressing like double dragon, they’re back!’ And I’m like ‘guys’…”

    Ziggler continued, “He’s a friend of mine and I was doing him a favour. He keeps it under his coat about what he’s doing but for three years he’s been telling me he’s coming back! So, I don’t know if he’s messing with me or what so I stopped asking him. I hope he comes back. It’s been a really long time, it’ll be so refreshing to see him. He and I 10 years ago on these overseas tours, we’d either start the show or wrestle before the intermission, first-half main event, where we were given free reign to tear it down and have a blast. Hopefully he’s back soon, I don’t know.”

    At the time of writing, neither WWE nor Hennigan have confirmed the signing. Hennigan previously wrestled for WWE from 2002 to 2011. He is a former WWE Intercontinental Champion and multiple-time WWE Tag Team Champion.

  • WWE Reportedly Edited RAW Reactions During Seth Rollins’ Challenge

    WWE Reportedly Edited RAW Reactions During Seth Rollins’ Challenge

    Following the taped edition of this past week’s episode of Monday Night RAW, people in attendance have suggested that WWE has adjusted the crowd noise during the show. One such person is Alex McCarthy of talkSPORT, who was in attendance for that night’s event.

    McCarthy noted, “Just watching #RAW back. Anyone in attendance will back me up here: Seth Rollins’ line ‘I think I am the best wrestler on the planet’ was roundly booed. Yet, they’ve made it sound like a majority cheer on the broadcast. Weird that they do that. And this isn’t about Seth (I’ve been roundly abused before for arguing he is, in actual fact, very good and in the convo of best in the world), I’m just not big on crowd noises being adjusted to fit a narrative.”

    Monday’s edition of RAW and last week’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown were both taped in Manchester last Friday. This would have given the promotion ample opportunity to adjust and change the audience reception to several segments and promos as they saw fit, including the Rollins’ promo mentioned.

    WWE’s next pay-per-view is Survivor Series. The show takes place on November 24th from the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.

  • Ricochet Responds To Complaint About Joining Team RAW

    Ricochet Responds To Complaint About Joining Team RAW

    WWE’s Resident Superhero, Ricochet, has responded to a fan who was critical of his inclusion onto RAW’s Survivor Series team. Engaging on Twitter, Ricochet replied to the fan who wasn’t happy that the Superstar isn’t receiving more championship opportunities.

    “My guy, you gotta remember I just got here not even a year ago and I plan on being here a long time. I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot in 9 months. So just relax, I’ve got this. It’s all apart of the plan.”

    He followed it up with a tweet highlighting his current win/loss record on Monday Night RAW, adding: “For people who are wanting to know why I got added to the #SurvivorSeries team over others. Maybe it’s because I have the best win-loss on Raw? Not a brag, but a visualization of years of hard work and dedication to my craft. This is something I do not take for granted.”

    Ricochet recently commented on his current position within WWE, defending how the promotion has utilized him to date. He noted how he loved being “portrayed as a superhero to hopefully millions of children and people around the world. The entire @WWEUniverse pushes me to be better everyday.”

    Ricochet joins Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre, Kevin Owens and Randy Orton as a member of Team RAW. They face the SmackDown Team of Roman Reigns, Ali, Braun Strowman, King Corbin and Shorty G. There are no announced members of Team NXT at this time.

    Survivor Series takes place on November 24th from the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.

  • Arn Anderson Speculates On Why WWE Doesn’t Push Cesaro

    Arn Anderson Speculates On Why WWE Doesn’t Push Cesaro

    WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson has speculated why current SmackDown Superstar Cesaro hasn’t received a harder push in WWE. Anderson, who is a former WWE producer/agent, spoke about the subject on an episode of his podcast, ARN.

    “He was probably outspoken. He probably stood up for himself, which is not taken lightly or very well,” Anderson stated.

    He continued, “This is a guy that did a giant swing on Khali for God’s sake. If you didn’t see it, pull it up and find it … He had the wherewithal to giant swing Big Show for God’s sakes.”

    Anderson noted how Cesaro was unable to commit to power spots during his time teaming with Sheamus in The Bar. He explained that this decision was made in order to assist Cesaro, as a heel, help to get babyfaces over in the ring.

    Cesaro recently shared his disinterest in moving back to NXT. For him, he would rather succeed on RAW and SmackDown. He has also noted that, although he loved his time in The Bar, he would prefer to pursue a singles career at this time.

    Cesaro said, “I’m really stubborn about trying to be successful as a singles wrestler, so that’s what I’m focusing on right now.”

    H/T to WrestlingNews for the transcription

  • Sasha Banks On Main Eventing WrestleMania: “I Do Not Care”

    Sasha Banks On Main Eventing WrestleMania: “I Do Not Care”

    Sasha Banks made some interesting comments during an interview with Sam Roberts for Ringside Collectibles. When asked about how important being involved in the main event at WrestleMania was to her, “The Boss” explained how she didn’t care as she’s “only about the money.”

    “I’m only about money, I do not care,” she claimed. “I mean, let’s talk about WrestleMania, right? It’s really long. And I show up at what? 8 AM? The main event goes on at what? 11 PM, if that—if we’re lucky! And you know the day is crazy. So I’d rather be first. Actually, just put me on the pre-show and pay me a million-odd dollars so I can go in, do my match, take a shower, get my wine and leave. That’s my deal.”

    After a lengthy hiatus away from the company, Banks returned and realigned her self with long-time ally and current WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley. Banks was recently moved to Friday Night SmackDown following this year’s WWE Draft.

    She is set to compete at this month’s WWE pay-per-view, Survivor Series. Banks joins Carmella, Dana Brooke and two unannounced partners as part of Team SmackDown. Their opponents on Team RAW have yet to be revealed.

    Survivor Series takes place on November 24th from the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.

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

  • Kenny Omega Not Medically Cleared Following Full Gear

    Kenny Omega Not Medically Cleared Following Full Gear

    Following their hellacious unsanctioned Lights Out match at All Elite Wrestling’s Full Gear pay-per-view this past Saturday, Kenny Omega has not been medically cleared to wrestle.

    Taking to Twitter, “The Best Bout Machine” shared the news. Omega wrote, “I lost and doctors won’t clear me for TV. The problem is that you left me alive and I’ll be back. I win. #AEWFullGear #AEW”

    In the run-up to their bout, Moxley shared how he believed their bout would be the “money match” of the night.

    “I’d say this is definitely the money match right now,” Moxley stated. “You can tell when there’s a spark between two guys in the ring and there’s this combustible energy, an electricity you can feel. Our lives intersecting at this exact moment, it’s hugely fortunate for all involved. It seems like fate.”

    The matchup was a long-awaited confrontation between the two. They were originally set to wrestle back in August at All Out. Moxley, however, was forced to pull out of the match due to a case of MRSA in his elbow. This issue following during his time competing in New Japan’s G1 Climax tournament.

    Moxley emerged victorious from their brutal clash that saw liberal use of barbed wire, mousetraps, tables, brooms and even an ice pick.

    Check out our Statistical Analysis of MOXLEY vs. OMEGA (AEW Full Gear).

  • AJ Styles Calls Mauro Ranallo The Best Commentator In The Business, Responds To Negative Fan

    AJ Styles Calls Mauro Ranallo The Best Commentator In The Business, Responds To Negative Fan

    WWE United States Champion AJ Styles recently called NXT’s Mauro Ranallo the best commentator in the business. After being told by a fan that he was acting as though he didn’t know who Jim Ross is because of his allegiance to WWE and its WWE Universe, however, Styles snapped back.

    He admitted that, although he usually doesn’t reply to “morons,” this particular fan had earned it:

    “Normally I don’t reply to real morons, but you’ve earned it. @mauroranallo is one of the busiest commentators not only in wrestling, but in sports that people get knocked out. Why do you think that’s so? You simple minded idiot.”

    AJ Styles recently invaded WWE’s black-and-gold brand alongside O.C. stablemates, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. The trio assaulted Undisputed Era before the show started live and would feature in that episode’s main event. They faced the team of Tommaso Ciampa, Matt Riddle and Keith Lee.

    Styles reportedly pitched for a matchup between The O.C. and Undisputed Era to take place at WWE’s Survivor Series pay-per-view.

    Undisputed Era is involved in a WarGames match on NXT TakeOver on the Saturday. The next day sees Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish participate in a Championship Triple Threat match on Survivor Series. Due to their busy schedule, a matchup between The O.C. and Undisputed Era will apparently take place on NXT television.

  • Cesaro Discusses Crown Jewel Experience, Wanting To “Tear It Up” With Cain Velasquez

    Cesaro Discusses Crown Jewel Experience, Wanting To “Tear It Up” With Cain Velasquez

    SmackDown Superstar Cesaro recently wrestled in a losing effort to Mansoor during WWE’s Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia. During an interview with The Sun, Cesaro addressed his experience wrestling in Saudi Arabia as well as the WWE debut of former UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez.

    “It’s always special when you wrestle somebody in their hometown, but to wrestle somebody in their own country is a whole other level,” Cesaro said. “Especially in that environment in a big stadium with a crowd that are maybe fairly new to wrestling.”

    “It’s a different atmosphere and we were in there,” he explained, “but there was a ‘You can do it’ chant and it was the coolest thing ever. I don’t know if I’ve heard that one before but I just thought that was really cool. People were sat there enjoying what they could see and that’s why we do what we do.”

    When asked about Velasquez’s WWE debut, Cesaro noted how he would like an opportunity to “tear it up” with him. He also stressed that he believes he would have done a better job against Brock Lesnar.

    “Cain came in and wasn’t that successful. I don’t know what he’s doing now, but I’m sat here talking to you,” he said. “It’s a marathon—that’s how I look at it and what I tell myself. Of course, I wish I’d had those opportunities, but when the opportunity comes for me I’ll be ready. And I’ll do better than Cain Velasquez did.”

    He continued, “To be fair, that was just something like his third match, and he was very impressive with the other two. WWE is such a strong learning curve. Even with NXT, which is maybe more like the independents, that’s still a learning curve to adjust to this style. Given time, if I step in the ring with Cain I think that we could really tear it up.”

  • Jon Moxley On When He Realized He Wanted To Leave WWE

    Jon Moxley On When He Realized He Wanted To Leave WWE

    Jon Moxley has spoken previously about being “checked out” of WWE for quite a while before he was able to finally leave the promotion. During a Starrcast IV panel, Moxley spoke with All Elite Wrestling announcer Jim Ross over the moment he knew he wanted to leave. He also addressed why he didn’t leave sooner.

    Reflecting on his time recovering from triceps surgery, Moxley said “It was in July when I started to realize I was not excited to come back [to WWE]. I was excited about wrestling, but I was like do I really have to go back to the WWE? Can I go to CZW or somewhere else?”

    He continued, “I remember I was training with Joey Mercury, and he was with Ring of Honor at the time. He was telling me about how ROH/NJPW just sold-out Madison Square Garden. I was like damn man can you take me with you? I have to go back to the WWE. I was picturing all these terrible ideas they would have for me and it was making me anxious.”

    “I told myself, I was going to give them one last shot, I’ve got this heel turn coming up. They kept putting it off and putting it off. I eventually become a heel and that turned to s**t real quick. I knew I was gone in the summer, while I was off. But I knew I wasn’t going to leave early and deal with the legal s**t. I knew I was going to ride out the contract.”

    Jon Moxley defeated Kenny Omega this past weekend at AEW: Full Gear. The two competed in a Lights Out match to close the show.

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Zelina Vega Recalls Playing AJ Lee In Fighting With My Family

    Zelina Vega Recalls Playing AJ Lee In Fighting With My Family

    Zelina Vega portrayed former WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee for the film Fighting With My Family. Speaking with the Cheap Heat Podcast, Vega recalled the experience of playing Lee. She also opened up about whether she ever thought she’d become a part of the WWE roster. 

    “At one point when we recorded Fighting with My Family at the Staples Center it was an incredible feeling and I loved it but I was playing AJ Lee and I wanted it to be me,” Vega confessed. “I was grateful for the opportunity. If that was all I was going to ever do with the WWE I was incredibly happy to do but deep down inside I knew I had to keep fighting to do this.”

    She explained, “It’s pretty wild to say that I wanted this since I was a kid and to be in this spot here. We did WrestleMania, even Madison Square Garden, seeing the exact spot where I sat with my parents and with my brother it’s been wild for me.”

    Vega remembered getting the call from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, informing her that he had a part for her in the movie. Not only that, but that it would be as AJ Lee. 

    “When he told me that I was going to be playing the Divas Champion, of course, I wasn’t processing any of this yet, and then he said AJ Lee. I was like, oh my God, I can do this. I know I can do this. But you never really know until you step into that person’s shoes. He really showed me how to separate Thea Trinidad and step into AJ Lee.”

    She credited Johnson with helping her adapt and really understand how her character might be feeling in a particular moment, and why. Vega noted that she would talk to people who were working with Lee during that time and ask what her mindset was in order to really hone in on her portrayal. 

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Charlotte Flair Talks About Being Referred To As “Ric Flair’s Daughter”

    Charlotte Flair Talks About Being Referred To As “Ric Flair’s Daughter”

    During an interview with talkSPORT, Charlotte Flair addressed whether it still bothered her to be referred to as “Ric Flair’s daughter.” This past March, Charlotte took issue with ESPN for listing her “career achievement” as being the “Daughter of WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair.”

    “I still get bothered,” Charlotte confessed. “Going into WrestleMania last year we were at ESPN, me, Becky [Lynch] and Ronda [Rousey] and they had both girls’ highlights and mine was like ‘Ric Flair’s daughter.’ I did the Sports Illustrated body issue—first one ever, male or female—Sports Illustrated accomplishments and that’s what you label me as? In this women’s evolution? Seriously? No, it still bothers me.”

    She continued, “It still bothers me when I see my graphics sometimes and I see Ric Flair’s daughter as part of my graphic, what is that got to do with who I am? Yes, he’s my dad. Yes, I’m continuing his legacy. Yes, I have some of my father’s nuances, but my dad couldn’t touch me athletically. It still bothers me. My dad being referred to as Charlotte’s dad will be the biggest history I can make.”

    Charlotte Flair lost the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship to current champion Bayley last month. She had won the title only 5 days previously at WWE’s Hell in a Cell pay-per-view. More recently she has been teaming with Natalya. The pair defeated the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, The Kabuki Warriors, teasing a potential championship challenge in the future.