SEScoops

Author: Steve Russell

  • Rikishi Reveals What Vince McMahon Requested Before Getting The Stinkface

    Rikishi Reveals What Vince McMahon Requested Before Getting The Stinkface

    WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi has shared details over the time he had to deliver his infamous finishing move, the Stinkface, to Vince McMahon. 

    Speaking with the WINCLY podcast, Rikishi shared his admiration of Vince McMahon and the product he has created.

    “Vince McMahon is a wonderful dude and I don’t have nothing bad to say about the man,” Rikishi stated. “He’s set up his platform for wrestlers in the past, present and future and he’s taken care of a lot of families.”

    He continued, “For us to be a part of his family, I’m talking about all the way to his father. My family has been there for 75+ years so it’s a family thing to be a part of the WWE. So, I wanna thank Vince McMahon for continuing to put out entertainment for fans around the world.”

    Turning his attention towards the moment he had to Stinkface his boss, he recalled that Vince had a specific request for him.

    “Before we went out there he goes, ‘Hey. I hope you washed your ass today.’ I said just because it’s called Stinkface doesn’t mean my ass stinks,” Rikishi joked. 

    He revealed that he would wrestle in three different thongs. His decision on which thong to wear that night was based on his much he liked his opponent.

    “I have the thong I never take out the sandwich bag. I have the mediocre thong that I air out. Then I have the new thongs,” he explained. “So for those you think I don’t like, which thong do you think they get? So I wanted to give Vince McMahon the new thong. Otherwise I probably would have gotten fired the next day.”

  • Triple H And Stephanie McMahon Comment On WWE’s First-Ever Women’s Match In Saudi Arabia

    Triple H And Stephanie McMahon Comment On WWE’s First-Ever Women’s Match In Saudi Arabia

    Triple H and Stephanie McMahon have both addressed Lacey Evans and Natalya’s history-making match at Crown Jewel. The women will compete in the first-ever women’s wrestling match to take place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia later today for the WWE special.

    Both took to Twitter to address the occasion. Stephanie McMahon stressed how proud she was of both Superstars, as well as all the women who helped pave the way to this “groundbreaking moment.”

    “I’m so proud of @LaceyEvansWWE, @NatbyNature and all the women who have paved the way for this groundbreaking moment, the first-ever women’s match in Saudi Arabia. It’s time to make history again! #WomensEvolution #CrownJewel @WWE”

    Triple H shared Stephanie’s sentiment, reiterating how it’s an incredible moment for Evans, Natalya, the entire women’s locker room and all those that came before.

    “Incredible for both of these athletes, the entire @WWE women’s locker room, and all those who paved the way for this moment. Congratulations @LaceyEvansWWE and @natbynature, continue to show the world what you can do!!!”

    Stephanie McMahon recently confirmed that both women will be competing in full bodysuits, in order to be respectful of Saudi Culture.

    WWE Crown Jewel takes place later today from the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. WWE’s Kickoff show will start at 12PM ET.

  • Ric Flair Shares That He Is Medically Cleared Ahead Of Crown Jewel

    Ric Flair Shares That He Is Medically Cleared Ahead Of Crown Jewel

    WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair was a guest on WWE’s newly launched podcast, After The Bell. During the conversation with host Corey Graves, Flair confessed that he had been medically cleared by WWE officials. His comments suggested that he could be involved in a physical spot during WWE’s Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia. 

    “I’ve been cleared, by the way, Corey,” Flair said. “That’s a secret, I’ve been cleared. I’ve got a medical release. So, never, ever forget who the dirtiest player in the game is, man. I’ll be equipped and ready, in the words of Pedro Morales, for any kind of action!”

    WWE has been teasing a physical confrontation between Flair and Hulk Hogan for the past few weeks. In a recent interview with Bryon Saxton uploaded to WWE’s YouTube channel, Flair once again teased things getting physical between himself and Hogan. 

    The two are managing their teams in a 10-man tag team match at Crown Jewel. Team Flair is comprised of Randy Orton, King Corbin, Bobby Lashley, Shinsuke Nakamura and Drew McIntyre. Team Hogan features Roman Reigns, Ricochet, Rusev, Shorty G and Ali.

    WWE Crown Jewel takes place later today from the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. WWE’s Kickoff show will start at 12PM ET.

    H/T to WrestlingNews for the transcription. 

  • Finn Balor Claims Nobody Watched NXT After He Joined WWE’s Main Roster

    Finn Balor Claims Nobody Watched NXT After He Joined WWE’s Main Roster

    Finn Balor recently returned to WWE’s black-and-gold brand NXT. In an interview with TV Insider, Balor reflected on his return to the show. He claimed that he’s not just a part of NXT, he is NXT, stressing that nobody watched the show after he left for WWE’s main roster.

    “I’m not part of this brand. I am the brand,” Finn said. “When Finn’s gone, nobody is watching. When Finn’s there, everybody is watching. We talk about Johnny Gargano, the heart of NXT. He is this NXT darling. He was champion for 57 days. Finn Balor was champion for 292 days, so if the heart of NXT was a 57-day champ, there are some big issues.”

    He explained how the shackles have been on him for too long, and he was forced into a little box on the main roster. Now, however, he is free.

    “The shackles are completely off,” he said. “I’m going to go back to what I like to do, which is just being myself and going out there no holds barred and have a little fun.”

    Balor remained coy when asked if the WWE Universe will ever see The Demon again. He teased that fans were about to see a whole new side of him, adding that it’s going to be a wild ride.

  • Jordan Myles Reacts To The Idea Of Apologizing To Jay Lethal, Booker T’s Opinions

    Jordan Myles Reacts To The Idea Of Apologizing To Jay Lethal, Booker T’s Opinions

    NXT Superstar Jordan Myles has returned to Twitter, sharing his thoughts on the controversy surrounding a t-shirt design WWE created for him. Myles reacted to the idea of apologizing to former Ring of Honor World Champion Jay Lethal. He also addressed Booker T’s recent thoughts on how he dealt with the situation. 

    He questioned why he should apologize for being honest, asking why he shouldn’t voice his opinions about pro wrestling. Myles stressed he is proud to be a professional wrestler and even prouder to be African American. He added that people can “Stand with me and stand behind me.#ForTheCulture.”

    https://twitter.com/GoGoMyles/status/1189541620259135488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1189541620259135488&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wrestlinginc.com%2Fnews%2F2019%2F10%2Fjordan-myles-laughs-at-idea-of-jay-lethal-apology-661480%2F

    When told be a fan that he needed to publicly apologize to Jay Lethal, Myles uploaded a video of him breaking into laughter, accompanied by a caption that read: 

    “HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I’ll apologize for not being sorry.”

    https://twitter.com/GoGoMyles/status/1189557659499978759?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1189557659499978759&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wrestlinginc.com%2Fnews%2F2019%2F10%2Fjordan-myles-laughs-at-idea-of-jay-lethal-apology-661480%2F

    Respect

    Myles confessed that he was emotional in his initial approach, adding he had nothing but respect for Booker T. He made a public request to be on Booker T’s podcast, stating that they could “discuss this situation as a whole.”

    https://twitter.com/GoGoMyles/status/1189563853350285314?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1189563853350285314&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wrestlinginc.com%2Fnews%2F2019%2F10%2Fjordan-myles-laughs-at-idea-of-jay-lethal-apology-661480%2F
    https://twitter.com/GoGoMyles/status/1189547680197988353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1189547680197988353&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wrestlinginc.com%2Fnews%2F2019%2F10%2Fjordan-myles-laughs-at-idea-of-jay-lethal-apology-661480%2F

    The WWE Superstar recently released a statement to his Instagram account. In that statement, Myles admitted his initial, emotional response was unprofessional and disrespectful. He has since launched a new shirt of his own, with all proceeds going towards the ADAA (Anxiety and Depression Association of America) foundation. 

  • Stephanie McMahon Comments On Lacey Evans And Natalya’s Crown Jewel Attires

    Stephanie McMahon Comments On Lacey Evans And Natalya’s Crown Jewel Attires

    WWE Superstars Lacey Evans and Natalya are set to make history today as they compete in the first-ever women’s wrestling match in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Stephanie McMahon confirmed that the two will be wearing full bodysuits that will cover most of their bodies. She noted that the decision was made to respect Saudi culture.

    “We need to be respectful of the cultures in the countries we perform in,” she explained to TMZ.

    WWE previously made history in the Middle East in December 2017. They held a matchup between Sasha Banks and Alexa Bliss. Both women wore bodysuits similar to what Stephanie is describing. Their match took place at a WWE Live Event in Abu Dhabi.

    Regarding the historic event, Stephanie said “As a woman, as a mother, as just a person, I couldn’t be more proud. I am ecstatic, I am thrilled, I am many different adjectives to describe how I feel right now.”

    Stephanie added that WWE officials had been working on securing a women’s match in Saudi Arabia for “a long time” and had meetings with numerous powerful Saudi officials behind the scenes to ensure it happened.

    WWE Crown Jewel takes place later today from the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. WWE’s Kickoff show will start at 12PM ET.

  • Dustin Rhodes Praises Sonny Kiss Following AEW Dark, Teases Future Partnership

    Dustin Rhodes Praises Sonny Kiss Following AEW Dark, Teases Future Partnership

    Last night’s episode of All Elite Wrestling’s YouTube show, Dark, saw Dustin Rhodes team with Sonny Kiss. The duo took on the team of Peter Avalon and Q.T. Marshall, who was making his in-ring AEW debut. Rhodes and Kiss ended up walking away the winners of this tag team encounter.

    Following their victory, the two were interviewed backstage, where Rhodes shared some high praise for his partner.

    “The world out there listening right now, this right here is Sonny Kiss. He did awesome, incredible partner tonight to have in the ring for AEW Dark,” Rhodes said. “We killed it out there as always, what do you think, man?”

    “I’m just overwhelmed. I’m excited, I am so happy to the AEW fans—they’ve so receptive. And thank you for being my inspiration. I mean, I did this for him, I did this in homage, obviously,” Kiss replied, indicating to his red-and-black attire. Rhodes admitted he had no idea that Kiss was going to do that and was pleasantly surprised when he first saw it. Kiss then promised AEW fans that they wouldn’t be seeing the last of them as a team.

    https://twitter.com/AEWrestling/status/1189333442279956481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1189333442279956481&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mandatory.com%2Fwrestlezone%2Fnews%2F1147867-dustin-rhodes-praises-sonny-kiss-after-aew-dark-match

    Rhodes added, “Tonight I was up close and personal, and I got to see you actually perform, and you did an exquisite job. A great job, and I was very happy that I got to tag team with you.”

    When asked what their tag team name would be, Kiss suggested they leave it in the hands of the AEW fans. Rhodes stated that he liked that idea before the pair walked away.

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

  • NJPW Permits First-Ever “Social Media Showdown” During Showdown In LA

    NJPW Permits First-Ever “Social Media Showdown” During Showdown In LA

    New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) has announced it will be allowing video recording and social media uploads for the first time ever during their upcoming Showdown event in Los Angeles.

    This is being done to coincide with the company’s inauguration of New Japan Pro-Wrestling of America. The first events of this new branch of NJPW take place on November 9th and 11th. They are titled Showdown in San Jose and Los Angeles, respectively. Only the show in L.A. has been specifically mentioned for this Social Media Showdown.

    In an official statement, NJPW acknowledged that “Normally video recording and social media upload is strictly prohibited at NJPW events. November 11 sees an exception, as for one night only, we bring you a Social Media Showdown! Share the live energy and phenomenal action that only NJPW provides!”

    They have set some ground rules for fans, however:

    • Feel free to film and share the action from all the matches. We ask that fans refrain from filming entrances, after ending the match and the event open due to music rights.
    • When you share video, keep clips to no longer than 30 seconds, and use hashtags #NJoA and #njshowdown to make sure your message gets spread far and wide!
    • Shooting video for commercial use is prohibited.

    If you are interested in attending, tickets are still available for both Showdown shows. The company is also hosting several meet and greets, allowing fans to meet Kota Ibushi, Minoru Suzuki, SANADA and Toru Yano.

  • Sami Callihan Wins Impact World Title, Confronted By Tessa Blanchard

    Sami Callihan Wins Impact World Title, Confronted By Tessa Blanchard

    Impact Wrestling kicked off the AXS TV era in a big way Tuesday night. The show ended with a major title change, as challenger Sami Callihan defeated Impact World Champion Brian Cage.

    The two competed in a no disqualification steel cage match that saw the action pour out into the ringside area. Near the end of the match, Callihan attempted to put the champion away with multiple piledrivers. Cage, however, was able to kick out.

    The end of the match came after Callihan delivered a devastating avalanche piledriver from the second rope. He was finally able to secure the pinfall, claiming the Impact World Championship as his own.

    This marks the first time Callihan has won the title. Cage had held the belt since April at Impact’s Rebellion event.

    Here are some highlights from the bout:

    Tessa Blanchard Confronts The New Champ

    Following the three count, Callihan found his championship celebrations cut short as he was confronted by Tessa Blanchard. The two have previously faced each other, having headlined Impact’s Slammiversary pay-per-view in July. Callihan came away with the victory that night.

    Blanchard’s confrontation appears to tease a future championship feud between the two.

  • Cain Velasquez Comments On WWE Future, In-Ring Style For Crown Jewel

    Cain Velasquez Comments On WWE Future, In-Ring Style For Crown Jewel

    Ahead of his WWE debut at Crown Jewel on Thursday, former UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez and Rey Mysterio sat down with The New York Post. The two discussed Velasquez’s WWE future, as well as what kind of in-ring style he’ll be using against his opponent, WWE Champion Brock Lesnar.

    Velasquez’s pro wrestling debut in AAA saw him under a mask, wrestling a much more acrobatic luchador style. Apparently, that won’t be the case at Crown Jewel.

    “Taking the match to the MMA side now is my strong suit and that’s what I have to do,” Velasquez noted.” But still learning the game, the WWE style as well.”

    Looking to the future, he believes he’ll eventually be able to blend his background and wrestling influences into his in-ring performance:

    “I think in the future for me when I get a little more comfortable with this is to incorporate everything, everything that you can do in combat sports, the MMA, the WWE style of wrestling and also adding the lucha in there as well.”

    Heavyweight Underdog

    Velasquez admits that he is the underdog coming into his bout with Lesnar, given the champions experience and credentials. This fact, however, makes him more hungry to “go out there and show him that he just can’t go around and picking on people. This s–t has to stop.”

    Mysterio reflected on the mixed reaction Velasquez received this last Monday night on RAW opposite Shelton Benjamin. Mysterio believes it’s only a matter of time until the WWE Universe is “mesmerized” by Cain’s abilities.

    “For those who don’t know who he is, they will soon find out who he is because what he brought into the octagon every time he stepped in there is gonna be 10 times better when he gets in a WWE ring and faces Brock Lesnar for the first time,” Mysterio said.

    Velasquez confessed that he hasn’t overthought his career in WWE post-Crown Jewel. He acknowledged that winning the WWE Championship would naturally change that.

    WWE Crown Jewel takes place on October 31st from the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

  • Jay Lethal Injured During ROH Honor United Tour

    Jay Lethal Injured During ROH Honor United Tour

    It appears as though former Ring of Honor World Champion Jay Lethal has suffered a broken arm during the promotion’s current Honor United tour in the United Kingdom.

    According to PWInsider, the unfortunate incident took place during their show in Bolton, England on October 27th. This event was the third and final night of ROH’s U.K. tour.

    The injury supposedly occurred towards the end of his match against Villain Enterprises member PCO. Apparently, Lethal shifted as PCO was landing on him, resulting in his arm being broken. The match ended with PCO defeating Jay Lethal via disqualification after Jonathan Gresham interfered.

    Final Battle

    His match against PCO was initially meant to be a tag team matchup. It would have featured Villain Enterprises’ PCO and Brody King teaming up against Jay Lethal and Jonathan Gresham. King, however, had suffered an injury himself, forcing the change.

    Despite breaking his arm, Lethal was still able to participate in the fallout of the match. Gresham claimed that he and Lethal would continue to attack people on every show until ROH officials gave them a shot at the ROH World Tag Team Championships. This brought out the current champs, Jay and Mark Briscoe, who brawled with them.

    After being pulled apart, Jay Briscoe accepted the challenge. He claimed they would defend their belts against Lethal and Gresham at ROH’s December pay-per-view, Final Battle.

    At the time of writing, there is no timeframe as to how long Lethal may be out of action for or whether he will be ready for this matchup in December.

  • Titus O’Neil Offers Advice To Jordan Myles

    Titus O’Neil Offers Advice To Jordan Myles

    In the wake of Jordan Myles calling out WWE over a t-shirt designed for him, WWE Superstar Titus O’Neil has imparted some advice for the NXT Superstar. 

    Taking to Twitter, Titus wrote that although he 100% agrees that the shirt is distasteful, he disagreed with Myles bringing others — such as Ring of Honor’s Jay Lethal — into the conversation as a means to vent his frustrations. He stated that doing so is equally distasteful and that if his cause is ‘For The Culture,’ he shouldn’t be attacking those in it.

    “I AM 100% in agreement that the shirt is very Distasteful. That being said, bringing others into this to vent your frustrations or Issues THAT HAVE NOTHING to do with @WWE or the shirt is also very Distasteful. If it’s #ForTheCulture Don’t attack those in it!!”

    Myles claimed that he had been lied to after WWE released a statement explaining they sought Myles’ approval of the design. He was informed by someone involved in the design process that, as Triple H “wanted this design,” his hands were tied. Myles stated that he then spoke with Triple H, who was under the impression that he had approved the controversial design. 

    Titus isn’t the only one to offer his thoughts and advice to Myles during this time. WWE Hall of Famer Booker T also addressed the situation on an episode of his podcast, The Hall of Fame. 

  • WWE 2K20 Releases “Originals: Bump In The Night” DLC

    WWE 2K20 Releases “Originals: Bump In The Night” DLC

    The first DLC pack for 2K’s latest iteration of their WWE wrestling games franchise, WWE 2K20, has been released. Titled “Originals: Bump In The Night,” it is available now for $14.99.

    Included in Bump In The Night are horror-themed versions of popular WWE Superstars including: ‘Swampfather’ Bray Wyatt, ‘Fed-Up’ Sheamus, ‘Twisted’ Nikki Cross, ‘Survivor’ Mandy Rose, ‘FrankenStrowman’ Braun Strowman, ‘Wicked’ Aleister Black, ‘Demon King’ Finn Balor and ‘Unleashed Apex Predator’ Randy Orton. The pack also includes ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt.

    A new 2K Showcase and 2K Towers mode are included, as are new arenas including the Wyatt Swamp Arena and Cemetery Brawl Arena. New Superstar parts, weapons, moves, and arena parts are also available in the pack.

    With Bump In The Night now available, that leaves three more WWE 2K20 “Originals” to come. Wasteland Wanderers is scheduled for release in late 2019. Both the Southpaw Regional Wrestling and Empire of Tomorrow packs are slated as “Coming Soon.” 2K claim that all of the “Originals” will be available by spring 2020.

    WWE 2K20 Originals are a series of different DLC packs based around a different them and all-new fictional realm. They are included in both the Deluxe Edition and SmackDown! 20th Anniversary Editions of the game. If, however, you didn’t purchase those versions, they are available at $14.99 each.

    2K recently addressed the negative feedback the recently released game has received from both critics and fans. They shared that they were listening closely to feedback and aware of gamers concerns and promised they are investigating and addressing issues as necessary.

    https://youtu.be/Vg35uxyVpAs
  • John Cena Reveals “Sage Advice” He Received From The Rock

    John Cena Reveals “Sage Advice” He Received From The Rock

    John Cena was a recent guest on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon. During their conversation, Cena spoke about his WWE feud with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. He also shared the advice he received from Johnson as he began to step away from the ring to ramp up his acting career.

    “The Rock and I are most known for our tremendous WWE feud that broke WWE pay-per-view records, and we kind of talked a lot of trash about each other,” Cena confessed. “Now, we also had a follow-up match a year later. So we spent a year making fun of each other, and one night beating each other up, and then we’re like ‘Did we just become best friends? ‘Yep.’ So basically we were able to set aside our differences on that night. In the next year, I began to get more chances at opportunities.”

    Sage Advice

    Cena then reflected on doing a taped audition for the movie Trainwreck. Looking for advice, Cena turned to The Rock for his thoughts on how to best present himself for the audition.

    “He gave me a piece of advice that still rings in my ears like he said it yesterday. I don’t even know if he knows this was such sage advice,” Cena said. “He just turned to me as smooth and casual as he does with everything he says, and in such an inspirational tone, as with everything he does, he was like, ‘Just be yourself, man. That’s why they asked you there in the first place.’ And that message of ‘always be authentically yourself’ has stuck with me, and created the opportunity I have. Thank you, The Rock.”

    John Cena’s new movie, Playing with Fire, is released in theaters on November 8th.

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

  • Booker T Discusses Jordan Myles T-Shirt Controversy

    Booker T Discusses Jordan Myles T-Shirt Controversy

    WWE Hall of Famer Booker T has addressed the recent Jordan Myles controversy. The issues revolve around a design WWE created for the NXT Superstar. Speaking on his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T divulged his thoughts on the matter. He shared how he had always been heavily involved with the designing of all his t-shirts since his time in WCW. 

    “I don’t know how this t-shirt got out without him knowing about it,” Booker said. “It’s not our job to step up and defend Jordan Myles over his t-shirt.”

    Booker noted how the majority of wrestling merchandise tends to be printed on black, stating that there are “[…] a lot of negative people on social media that’s looking for anything that they can possibly find to make racial. It happens all the time.”

    “I’ve Handled Every Situation”

    Booker T rejected the idea that the shirt design was racially motivated, finding it hard to believe that WWE went into the process with that mindset. He added that the issues shouldn’t have been aired online, and instead should have been dealt with in private.

    “I never complained to social media about any racial situation that I’ve been in and I’ll tell you right now if anybody knows me, anybody in this wrestling knows Booker T, they know exactly what I have gone through and how I’ve handled every situation.”

    He continued, “There’s never been a racial issue that has gone over my head or that I’ve swept under the rug. Every single time someone has said anything racial around me, I’ve handled it. And to hear this Uncle Tom crap … I’ve known Jay Lethal. Jay Lethal’s put in almost 20 years in this business, he’s no Uncle Tom. I’ve heard people call me an Uncle Tom and if they do it, I wish they would do it to my face. Don’t do it behind those characters, don’t do it behind social media, don’t do it behind a cloak of anonymity. Do it in my face because I will show you what an Uncle Tom really looks like.”

    He stressed that social media and personal business shouldn’t go together. He stated he’s going to be standing back on this situation, but made sure to add that he believes everything should have been handled differently. 

    WWE released a statement on the issue, claiming that they had received Myles’ approval before proceeding with the t-shirt.

    H/T to WrestlingNews for the transcription.

  • Nyla Rose Reflects On Signing With AEW, Women’s Championship Match

    Nyla Rose Reflects On Signing With AEW, Women’s Championship Match

    All Elite Wrestling’s Nyla Rose has opened up about how she came to be involved with the promotion in a recent interview with Women’s Wrestling Weekly. 

    She recalled how when she was first contacted by AEW, she thought it was a joke. Rose noted that they were very candid in how they were operating, and once she realized it wasn’t a practical joke, she was thrilled to provide them with contact details to begin negotiations. 

    “[…] a lot of people are like, ‘Oh, they are so unprofessional and like passing out deals in tweets.’ No, that’s not what happened. There were feelers,” Rose explained. “People were saying, ‘Hey are you under contract? I’d like to discuss some things with you. You know, are you even at all interested?’ So once we got that of the way, once I realized it wasn’t a practical joke, we exchanged phone numbers and went about things the professional route. But yeah, the very first message I thought it was a joke. I thought somebody was messing with me because here I am, I’m like, who’s going to sign me, little ol’ me, right? Well, jokes on me, because here I am.”

    AEW Women’s Championship Match

    Rose faced off against Riho to determine the inaugural AEW Women’s Champion during the premiere episode of AEW: Dynamite. Riho would end up victorious that night. Reflecting on her loss, Nyla admitted there’s “a lot to unpack.”

    “For those who don’t know me, or are not as familiar with me, I have spent some time in Japan working with Joshi-style. It wasn’t exactly completely foreign to me, so to speak, but after having been in the states for some time, I had to kind of go back and do some tape study on myself and do tape study on Rhio. I kind of shifted gears a little bit in order to just be able to match her, because she’s a squirmy, little speedy spry.”

    She continued, “You know, until this point in my career, that’s probably the biggest thing I’ve ever done. Being crowned a world champion is no small feat. To be crowned the first world champion, especially in a new, blossoming company, you know there could never be another first so it’s kind of like, everything was poetic. You had all that going on, it was in my hometown, there was so much going on. It was very emotional.”

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Tyson Fury Admits WWE Has Taken His Mind Off Boxing, Has No Plans To Wrestle After Crown Jewel

    Tyson Fury Admits WWE Has Taken His Mind Off Boxing, Has No Plans To Wrestle After Crown Jewel

    Tyson Fury is set to wrestle against WWE Superstar Braun Strowman this Thursday at the promotion’s Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia. In an interview with The Telegraph, ‘The Gypsy King’ spoke about the opportunity, confessing that working with WWE has taken his mind off of boxing completely.

    Fury added that has no plans to continue in pro wrestling after Crown Jewel.

    “I’m an entertainer and fast learner, so I’ve been getting the best out of it. It’s taken my mind off boxing completely,” Fury stated. “I wouldn’t be in training camp at the moment, anyway. But it gives me something to do. I didn’t want October and November off. I knew this would be a month-long job and I knew I would be busy.”

    Video: Braun Strowman Attacks Tyson Fury At WWE Performance Center

    He noted that once his bout with Strowman is over, he’ll be returning to professional boxing. Regarding a return to the squared circle, Fury teased “Never say never, but I’ve got nothing planned for the future with wrestling.”

    Triple H has previously noted how Fury is a custom made fit for WWE. He also remarked how he was “blown away” by the boxer’s in-ring ability and speed in picking up pro wrestling. 

    Fury steps into the WWE ring this Thursady, October 31st at WWE Crown Jewel. The event takes place in the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

  • Marty ‘The Moth’ Martinez Shares Ambitions Of Joining AEW

    Marty ‘The Moth’ Martinez Shares Ambitions Of Joining AEW

    Former Lucha Underground Champion Marty ‘The Moth’ Martinez has shared his ambition to become a part of All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

    Speaking with Sports Illustrated, Martinez spoke about being sidelined for the past four months due to two herniated discs. He recently returned to the ring for Support All Pro Wrestling. In the interview, he admitted that his return bout, which took place yesterday, was “[…] a little earlier than I want, but it’s going to be a good test to see where I’m at. I didn’t want to have fusion surgery on my back because I have plenty of years left of wrestling, so I got stem cells shot directly into my spine last week.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B4CsKe-lYMe/?igshid=46xk0bhfj8ay

    Looking to the future, Martinez confessed he would love to sign with AEW. When it comes to a potential opponent in that promotion, ‘The Moth’ was quick to name Jon Moxley.

    “My intention is to get as healthy as I can so I can say what’s up to AEW. It’s going to be a crazy war against WWE. I have friends on both sides, but black and gold are more of my colors. And I’d love to get in the ring with Jon Moxley,” Martinez said.

    He continued, “My goal is to do whatever it takes to get to the black and gold of AEW. I’ll have to do some slight changes to my character, and I’m going to bring some pieces of my Twitch channel into wrestling, too. There will be a little bit different branding, but trust me when I say you’ll still see that same type of crazy.”

  • Booker T Addresses Randy Orton’s “Elite” Tease

    Booker T Addresses Randy Orton’s “Elite” Tease

    WWE Hall of Famer Booker T has addressed Randy Orton’s recent teasing over his interest in All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Speaking on his podcast, The Hall of Fame, Booker T addressed the photo Orton uploaded of himself next to a sign that read “Elite Level.”

    “Look at the talent they [AEW] has,” Booker said. “Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega and Randy Orton is an elite level player. I always said Randy Orton is an elite wrestler, an elite superstar.”

    He continued, “He’s my guy, I always said that and one thing about Randy is he’s always been a rebel, he’s always been a guy that walks to the beat of his own drum. If anybody was to do something crazy it would be Randy.”

    Booker T explained how AEW is “on the edge,” pointing to Jon Moxley as a prime example of somebody pushing the envelope, rebelling, and finding a platform that supports him.

    Ultimately, however, he believes that Orton will end up staying with WWE. He explained how “Randy Orton is safe and he’s taken care of very well in the WWE.”

    Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder of The Revival recently added to Orton’s Elite tease. They had been briefly associated with Randy Orton on WWE television prior to the WWE Draft separating them. 

    This isn’t the first time that Orton has addressed AEW. He was recently heard praising All Elite Wrestling’s premiere episode of Dynamite whilst streaming a video game.

    It’s worth noting that Orton is coming to the end of a 10-year contract with WWE. Unless a new deal has been negotiated in that time, Orton will become a free agent in early 2020.

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Bobby Lashley Reveals He Has Received Death Threats Over Lana Storyline

    Bobby Lashley Reveals He Has Received Death Threats Over Lana Storyline

    Lana has shared a video to her YouTube channel with her current on-screen partner, Bobby Lashley. During the video, the two addressed the kinds of comments they have been receiving online regarding their recent storyline romance.

    “There’s a lot of comments, a lot of this, a lot of that, but a lot of the times most of my comments are ‘When are you and Brock going to fight each other?’” Lashley said. “It’s like, no matter what I post.” Everybody in my DMs, ‘Where’s Lana?’ No matter what I post, ‘Where’s Lana? Where’s Lana? Where’s Lana?’”

    When Lana asked if Lashley had ever received “hating comments,” Lashley confessed that he had. He admitted that some of the comments were incredibly vulgar and even extended to death threats.

    “I get very, very bad [comments]. Things I don’t want to say on camera right now. Vulgar, there’s been death threats, there’s a lot of different things—but, ya know what, I’m not a hard person to find and if anybody has anything to say about me, they can just come and see me. Not saying I’m going to fight every fan that disapproves of what we’re doing, but I’m not going to back down to stupidity.”

    Lana added that she gets “[…] really, really, really mean, horrible comments. People say horrible words to me. They’re really, really mean. By the way, it’s bad to bully, so don’t bully people.”

    You can watch the entire video below:

  • AEW’s Michael Nakazawa On His In-Ring Style, Backstage Role

    AEW’s Michael Nakazawa On His In-Ring Style, Backstage Role

    All Elite Wrestling’s Michael Nakazawa was recently interviewed by Sportskeeda about his time in the promotion and his role both in-ring and backstage.

    Reflecting on how he became involved with AEW, Nakazawa admitted he thought his days competing in-ring were over before he was contacted by Kenny Omega.

    “We met when Kenny had just moved to Japan, I was the only person who could speak in English,” Nakazawa recalled. “And so, we used to talk and hang out a lot. But it wasn’t just because I could speak in English. We used to get along right from the start. We still do, to this day.”

    Although he has only appeared a few times for AEW, Nakazawa divulged he is busier with his backstage duties. His role sees him assisting Omega and helping the Japanese talent.

    When it comes to his in-ring work, Nakazawa tends to incorporate a substantial comedic element into his matches. He confessed he would never be a Kenny Omega or Kota Ibushi, but does his best and enjoys what he can bring to a show.

    “I was very happy, I could work in the US, which is what I always wanted to do, I could work with my friends, and help in any way to make a difference. I’m not Kenny Omega or Ibushi, but I do my best,” he said. “I know those two wrestle at a different level.”

    Addressing their head-to-head Wednesday night competitors, Nakazawa stressed that, although they acknowledge NXT as competition, AEW is more focused on putting out the best show possible every week.

  • Sean Waltman Reflects On Being A Smaller Wrestler, Stresses The Importance Of Being Different

    Sean Waltman Reflects On Being A Smaller Wrestler, Stresses The Importance Of Being Different

    WWE Hall of Famer Sean ‘X-Pac’ Waltman recently spoke about making a name for himself in pro wrestling despite being smaller compared to the majority of his fellow Superstars at the time. He stressed the importance for smaller wrestlers to do something different in order to stand out and make an impact during an episode of his podcast, X-Pac 1,2, 360.

    Referencing the recent discussion surrounding All Elite Wrestling’s Marko Stunt, Waltman highlighted how people used to laugh at him for being smaller and leaner compared to his muscular opponents.

    “The first time I got in the ring, I wrestled Ricky Rice. He’s built very well, I mean not huge but f’n built well. And I was totally pale, skinny af, and so everyone laughed, they were all laughing at me as I come to the ring,” Waltman stated. “So it took about a minute and then they were on their feet because I German-suplexed them, wrestled them, and then I dove out of the ring. No one had ever seen that kind of s**t.

    He continued, “So, it didn’t take long. They took to me really quick, it was something different. Everyone else were these big jacked up guys, and to be honest with you, a lot of them had this sense of entitlement. That they were from Minnesota and they were jacked up on the gas, and that they were gonna get a phone call.”

    Waltman admitted he used to have a chip on his shoulder and wanted to go an extra mile to bring “believability” into his matches. He wanted fans to look at him and think that, although he was skinny, he was also a “buzzsaw.”

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Lance Archer Talks About His Evolution In NJPW, Winning The IWGP US Championship

    Lance Archer Talks About His Evolution In NJPW, Winning The IWGP US Championship

    New Japan Pro-Wresting’s IWGP United States Champion, Lance Archer, recently spoke with Busted Open Radio. During their interview, the Suzuki-gun member spoke about his journey to singles gold in NJPW. He also detailed the moment he found out he would be winning the vacant championship.

    Archer pointed to this past summers G1 Climax tournament as a turning point for him. He ended the tournament with six points, impressing NJPW personnel and fans with his aggressive attitude and in-ring skills. 

    “This business changes on a dime daily,” he stated. “You have your ups and downs, goods and bads. Luckily, I have been a part of New Japan Pro Wrestling for eight years and it’s been a great run with a lot of cool things and amazing experiences. When K.E.S [Killer Elite Squad] ended I didn’t know exactly what was going to happen as far as a single’s wrestler with New Japan and with G1 the opportunity came about and I took every chance.

    He admitted that he looked at the tournament as an opportunity to change himself, evolving as a singles competitor in the process. It was a decision that the company got behind and supported. 

    “I didn’t even know what was going to happen and then the G1 and all the night through it kind of exploded like, holy crap, what the hell is going on? Even with myself, that was a kind of experience. The time and opportunity came about with the opportunity with Jon Moxley not being able to make it out to Japan and then changing the match to a title match between Juice Robinson and me and then ultimately capturing the U.S Title. It has been a whirlwind and a cool one. I’ve worked really had to get to this point so now it’s time to work even harder.”

    Winning The IWGP US Championship

    Turning his attention to his title victory, Archer confessed he “didn’t see it coming.” 

    “I was flying into a typhoon and didn’t know what was going on when I got to Japan,” Archer admitted. “Like everybody, we all had some crazy travel issues and I literally landed at 2 pm on the day of the show and the show started at 5 pm. I didn’t find out anything until I got there as far as the match and all of that that was concerned.”

    Archer stepped into the championship match as then-champion Jon Moxley was unable to travel to Japan due to adverse weather conditions. He defeated Juice Robinson to claim his first major singles championship in his 19-year career. 

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription. 

  • WWE Releases Statement Over Jordan Myles T-Shirt Controversy

    WWE Releases Statement Over Jordan Myles T-Shirt Controversy

    WWE has released an official statement regarding their controversial t-shirt for NXT Superstar Jordan Myles (formerly known as ACH). The promotion claims that Myles was well-aware of the shirt as Myles “approved this t-shirt for sale.”

    WWE added they work collaboratively with their Superstars and ensure to get “input and approval” before proceeding with any merchandise.

    The full statement reads:

    “Albert Hardie Jr. (aka Jordan Myles) approved this t-shirt for sale. As always, we work collaboratively with all of our performers to develop logos and merchandise designs and get their input and approval before proceeding. This was the same process with Albert, and we responded swiftly once he later requested that the logo/t-shirt be redesigned. No t-shirts were sold.”

    #ForTheCulture

    Myles took to his Twitter account over the weekend to bring attention to the racially-insensitive design. He accompanied his tweet with a caption reading:

    “I will keep posting this till my voice is heard. I’m not sorry for anything I say or do. Representation is important. If this is @VinceMcMahon & @TripleH “vision” of me then this is a slap in the face to EVERY African American performer, fan, and supporter.”

    https://twitter.com/GoGoMyles/status/1188393687983759360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1188393687983759360&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fs46315.p1736.sites.pressdns.com%2Fjordan-myles-calls-out-wwe-over-controversial-t-shirt-design%2F

    He then urged fans to protest the design and WWE’s mentality by turning their profile pictures black and white and using the hashtag “#ForTheCulture.”

    https://twitter.com/GoGoMyles/status/1188515132839727105

    The Superstar recently won the NXT Breakout Tournament earlier this year. He defeated Cameron Grimes in the finals, earning himself an NXT Championship match. Myles would subsequently lose in that matchup against current NXT Champion Adam Cole.

  • Hulk Hogan Explains How He Adopted The Leg Drop As His Finisher

    Hulk Hogan Explains How He Adopted The Leg Drop As His Finisher

    WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan participated in a recent episode of WWE’s show, The Story Of. He explained the history behind his finisher, the Leg Drop. Hogan pointed to his time in Japan as being crucial in his decision to use it, turning it into what WWE described as “one of the most iconic finishers in WWE history.”

    “When I dropped the leg, and nobody kicked out, it meant something,” Hogan said. “In the arena nowadays—in professional wrestling—if somebody used a leg drop for a finish, you’d probably have to come off the top of the building to get your opponent to stay down.”

    Hogan explained that the leg drop is off the radar as a finish now, but “[…] at the time, when I dropped the leg and I beat people, it meant something. The place would explode on the one, two, three. Now I see the leg drop as a false finish, or they’ll use it as a high spot in the match, it’s got to the point where everybody does it, and everybody kicks out, it doesn’t mean anything.”

    Big In Japan

    When he first delivered the leg drop in Japan, it was the immediate reaction that made Hogan think “‘Oh my gosh, I might be on to something here.’”

    “So when I brought it back to the States and I started dropping the leg drop, I’d started entertaining the crowd with my look and all this stuff, so they were with me with what I was doing. So when I dropped the leg and the referee started counting, it was like a cannon: one, two, three. So I knew I was onto something. But it was just my luck that I dropped the leg drop in Japan and got the reaction that I did, so I just stuck with it.”

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