SEScoops

Author: Steve Russell

  • Booker T On CM Punk And WWE Backstage Rumors

    Booker T On CM Punk And WWE Backstage Rumors

    WWE Hall of Famer Booker T recently shared his thoughts regarding rumors of CM Punk’s reported interest in the show, WWE Backstage on FS1.

    Speaking on his podcast, The Hall of Fame, Booker T shared that he knew nothing about Punk’s alleged screentests for the show, calling it the best kept secret FOX has ever pulled off.

    “[…] my thing is it must have been the best kept secret FOX ever pulled off. It must have been one of those deals — Now, you know what? The one I read said that he was brought in to do test shots with Renee Young. No Booker T. I know nothing about this at all.” 

    Booker T explained how he and CM Punk had no problems during Punk’s time in WWE. He even brought Punk into his wrestling promotion, Reality of Wrestling, when he was a “young, young kid.” He confessed he would be surprised if Punk ever returned to pro wrestling as, “[…] he seemed like that guy that when stepped away from it, he said, ‘I’m done with professional wrestling, and I never want to see a professional wrestler ring ever again.”

    “I’d Slap Him Up Good”

    He then recalled how Corey Graves became legitimately upset with CM Punk for deleting his contact details. 

    “[Punk] pretty much deleted all of his contacts from all of his buddies in the business or anything like that. I remember some of the guys — I remember one of the guys, I mean actually one guy, Corey Graves, was real cool with CM Punk, and Corey was real hot at him because he deleted him [Graves]. And he said, ‘I don’t want to talk to this guy anymore.’ I don’t know what it was. I think it was the tattoos! I think it was the tattoos.” 

    Booker T then added that “if I saw Corey Graves, you know what I’d do to him. I’d slap him up. I’d slap him up real good. That’s just because I don’t like the guy. You know what I mean? It doesn’t matter where we was in. It could be in Whole Foods. If I see this guy, I’d slap him up. That’s another story.”

    H/T to 411Mania.com for the transcription. 

  • Taz Comments On Three-Person Announce Teams, Working With Vince McMahon

    Taz Comments On Three-Person Announce Teams, Working With Vince McMahon

    Former WWE commentator, Taz, has shared his thoughts on three-person announce teams. In an interview with Wrestling Inc., the former SmackDown announcer shared that he is a “firm believer in the two-man booth.”

    “To me, it’s a better and easier listen. In some cases, a three-man booth is important, for example AEW because they’re a new brand and there’s a lot of stories that need to be told. I think that’s important as long as the announcers in AEW can get their cadence right,” Taz said.

    “I’ve worked in both but I’ve always preferred a two-person booth. Everyone needs to know their role when it’s a three-person booth. There has to be a lead and you can’t step on each other or it will be a horrible listen.”

    Reflecting on his time commentating in WWE, Taz brought up his working relationship with Vince McMahon. He explained that Vince was always “more helpful than hurtful.” Taz added that he thinks all announcers need to be produced as it helps the announce team to be prepared.

    “I learned more from Vince in my headset. But he would often get upset in a segment cause of the guys in the ring or the ref, and he’d then get on the announcers,” he said. “He was always a little harder on the play-by-play guys than the color commentators because back then the commentators were former champions or former wrestlers. Now the business is different where many commentators weren’t champions or never wrestled much. But back then he did have a little bit of a different respect for guys who laced up boots.”

    WWE recently revealed new commentary line-ups for both RAW and SmackDown. Both are comprised of three-person teams.

  • Steve Austin Offers Advice To Current WWE Superstars

    Steve Austin Offers Advice To Current WWE Superstars

    WWE Hall of Famer ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin has shared some advice for WWE’s current roster of Superstars.

    In an interview with SI.com, ‘The Rattlesnake’ spoke about the importance of connecting with fans through emotion. He explained that if the WWE Universe doesn’t care, then they have no reason to watch.

    “Emotion sells tickets and draws ratings,” Austin explained. “If you don’t care, then why watch? If you care, you’re invested in those characters. So slow it down a little bit.”

    He continued, “You can move as fast as you want in the ring, but to me, the business is built on characters, emotions, and depth. When you have great action on top of it, that’s even better. Right now, those guys and gals are operating at such a high speed and high level of athleticism. It can’t get any higher than it is right now, so they need to keep finding ways to make people care about them. That will elevate the business and make it resonate with the audience.”

    Another former WWE Superstar, Ryback, also recently vocalized his concerns over the lack of psychology and emotion.

    WWE goes head-to-head with All Elite Wrestling’s Dynamite TNT premiere this Wednesday night. It will be the first time the two shows compete.

  • Ryback Shares Concerns Over AEW Vs WWE

    Ryback Shares Concerns Over AEW Vs WWE

    Former WWE Superstar Ryback has discussed his concerns over the Wednesday Night Wars between NXT and All Elite Wrestling (AEW). 

    Speaking on his podcast, Conversations with the Big Guy, Ryback opened up about his worries over the direction of pro wrestling:

    “I caught a good part of the show [NXT’s USA Network premiere], all the talent, everybody is young and hungry; I love it,” stated Ryback. “My concern is just from – and I was thinking about this earlier – with the direction that pro wrestling is headed with WWE and AEW. You can take all of the talents in the world, the teachings of wrestling have changed from when I was called up where it began as psychology and storytelling to now you can get a room of 100 people and teach people all of those same moves.”

    He explained how “When you go to a movie, or you watch Game of Thrones week after week if it was just an hour every week of senseless killing with crazy, acrobatic moves where people are being killed in crazy ways with no story, just straight up killing every week, would the average viewer be inclined to watch week after week?”

    “There Is So Much More Into Being A Pro Wrestler”

    Ryback added he believes this is why the casual pro wrestling viewer has tuned out:

    “[…] nobody gives a f**k about senseless killings and mindless moves; anybody can do that. There is so much more into being a pro wrestler, and being charismatic and talking, intensity and believability. If you are watching Game of Thrones and it’s a bunch of people who don’t look like they should be fighting will regular people watch the show? This is just me looking at this from a pro wrestler standpoint and what I saw the system and what it is and where I see the direction going; I don’t know.”

    AEW: Dynamite premieres this Wednesday on TNT. It will go head-to-head for the first time with WWE’s NXT brand.

  • The Street Profits Discuss Their Time In NXT, Team Dynamics

    The Street Profits Discuss Their Time In NXT, Team Dynamics

    Former WWE NXT Tag Team Champions, The Street Profits, recently featured on an episode of Lilian Garcia’s podcast, Chasing Glory. The team, comprised of Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins, spoke about their WWE journey so far as well as their team dynamics.

    Before teaming with Ford, Dawkins had been a part of the NXT roster for some time. He recounted watching people leave the black-and-gold brand over the years for WWE’s main roster. He explained how these Superstars had experience honing their craft, competing in promotions across the world. Although he suffered minor envy at their move to RAW or SmackDown, he tried to put everything in perspective:

    “They’ve travelled the world, they’ve wrestled countless, like a bunch of matches, they have all this experience and everything, they already kind of got it figured out, so when they got here, they were like, ‘oh yeah, y’all are ready to go up.’ It was like, they have that experience for a reason and they see that in them for a reason,” Dawkins said. “Me, anytime that happened and I saw it, there would be people who would get mad but me, it kinda sucked but at the same time I was like, yo, they did all that. The furthest I ever travelled was like Arizona for a bowl game so…I always had to put things in perspective because if you don’t, it’ll drive you crazy around here.”

    He continued, “Granted, I’ve been here longer than everybody here at the PC, going on seven years…the day before we go live. Crazy part about it was, I didn’t really start actually doing mediocre okay until [my] fifth year here because I was still learning and I’m still learning now, but I’m a lot more comfortable doing everything than I was when I first walked in.”

    Reflecting on his partnership with teammate Ford, Dawkins spoke about their dynamic as a duo. 

    “It’s just the rapport, we’ve already been cool for so long that it was pretty easy just to mesh. Now, finding moves that correlate, that’s a little bit different. But us talking, very easy. But our movements are very different, I’m athletic but he can out-jump me in any aspect possible.”

    The Street Profits attempt to reclaim the WWE NXT Tag Team Championships from Undisputed Era this Wednesday on NXT. 

    H/T to Wrestlezone for the transcription.

  • Lio Rush Talks About Breaking Stereotypes in WWE

    Lio Rush Talks About Breaking Stereotypes in WWE

    Lio Rush recently returned to WWE during NXT’s premiere on USA Network. The Superstar defeated Oney Lorcan to become the new number one contender for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship. In an interview with The Sit Down, Rush opened up about his career in pro wrestling as well as his interest in music.

    During their conversation, Rush shared his belief that his career may have greater longevity compared to his Superstar colleagues. He credits this to decisions he has been making. He commented that “That’s true – a lot of not smart wrestlers don’t make it to a certain age.”

    When it comes to his WWE character, Rush explained that he had concerns that WWE would rely on lazy stereotypes when it comes to black talent. Rush added that he felt he had avoided these stereotypes by breaking the mold in what he’s doing.

    “I always had that fear getting into it at first,” Rush admitted. “Then I felt like I broke that stereotype just because of the things that I was doing and showing that I’m not your typical stereotype, black wrestler who’s like flipping, and flopping, and dancing around and s***.”

    With his victory on NXT, Rush will receive an opportunity at Drew Gulak’s Cruiserweight Championship. 

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • ROH COO Joe Koff On Exclusivity Contracts, Keeping Talent

    ROH COO Joe Koff On Exclusivity Contracts, Keeping Talent

    Ring of Honor COO Joe Koff recently spoke with Newsweek regarding ROH World Champion Matt Taven as well as ROH’s plans in attracting and securing future talent.

    Referring to Taven as “a little bit arrogant,” Koff explained that despite not having a size advantage, the ROH World Champion isn’t afraid to take on bigger men.

    “Matt is a really good ring technician, and he’s a really smart wrestler and a really good athlete,” Koff said. “[….] he has good instincts, and that’s what I think separates Ring of Honor from a lot of promotions. Just that tacit knowledge and the instincts that our wrestlers have inside the ring and how they respond and tell a story. Matt is really at the top of his game.”

    ROH Culture

    A lot of ROH talent are signed to contracts that permit them to wrestle for different promotions. Koff explained how this mindset applies at different levels, depending on the wrestler.

    “[Exclusivity] is pretty standard in the industry right now, and there are different levels of contract,” Koff said. “But you protect your top stars because it’s your brand and you want them representing that brand. Journeymen wrestlers or guys breaking in who need work and want more work, we don’t mind that. But it’s at different levels.”

    Regarding ROH’s future plans to attract and keep talent, Koff pointed to the culture that ROH wants to provide and whether talent wants to be a part of that.

    “It’s your culture, it’s what you provide to that culture and what part they play in that culture,” said Koff. “Ring of Honor has traditionally been a collaborative culture where input from its wrestlers is greatly appreciated and accepted. It really matters what you want as a lifestyle.”

    He continued, “Wrestling is a very hard business on the body. We don’t wrestle 200 nights a year, and obviously we have big stars who are happy with that. And I’d imagine that the money is good for them to maintain that life and their bodies. We look for people who are interested in that, because that’s what we provide. We provide a warm, stable atmosphere that’s serious, athletic has a ton of integrity… But there are people who still want more, and there are other promotions that can offer that.”

    ROH’s next pay-per-view, Death Before Dishonor, airs tonight. The show takes place from Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall in Las Vegas, Nevada.

  • The Bouncers Open Up About Tag Team Ambitions, The Current ROH Landscape

    The Bouncers Open Up About Tag Team Ambitions, The Current ROH Landscape

    Ring of Honor (ROH) tag team The Bouncers have admitted they are aiming to prove themselves as a legitimate threat. The team, comprised of The Beer City Bruiser and Brian Milonas, spoke with Wrestlezone ahead of ROH’s pay-per-view, Death Before Dishonor about their ambitions. They also discussed the current ROH landscape.

    “We firmly believe we are one of the best tag teams on the face of the planet and we’re serious contenders for the ROH World Tag Team Titles,” Milonas said. “We’re out to show the world, to prove a point not only to Silas and Vincent, but to prove a point to the world at Sam’s Town.”

    ROH Landscape

    Addressing the current landscape in ROH, Milonas explained how there is currently plenty of opportunities for talent to shine. He believes that it is currently an exciting time for pro wrestling and ROH. Milonas added that he doesn’t give much thought to fans who are discussing the end of ROH.

    “When you talk of a company like Ring Of Honor and in this company’s history—how many times has the death certificate been written by the internet wrestling community out there? But, it’s exciting cause for guys like us and for so many others it presents opportunity,” Milonas said.

    He continued, “And what a better time. You can’t ask for a better time to be a pro wrestler in 2019 right now. It’s a question we get asked a lot, especially since the guys from The Elite left and went and started AEW which is a great thing as well, but it’s one of those things that I know and I can comfortably speak for The Bruiser too on this is that we looked around and Jay Lethal is still there. We looked in the other direction and The Briscoe Brothers are still there, and man, that’s the heart and soul of that locker room and that company. As long as those guys are there, to me all is right in the world.”

    Beer City Bruiser agreed, adding that the ROH locker room is an amazing environment to be a part of: “Everyone gets along. There’s no egos. It’s a truly fun locker room to be a part of. The best thing about our locker room, everyone else here wants to prove all the critics wrong. Everyone wants to sign off Ring Of Honor, everyone wants to say that we’re dead, that we’re going downhill and this whole locker room wants to prove that it is not the case.”

    ROH’s next pay-per-view, Death Before Dishonor, airs tonight. The show takes place from Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall in Las Vegas, Nevada.

  • Shayna Baszler Talks Up About Thriving Under Pressure

    Shayna Baszler Talks Up About Thriving Under Pressure

    Current WWE NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler has confessed that she is a pressure player—a fact that she believes will help her thrive as WWE and AEW prime for the Wednesday Night Wars.

    Speaking with Sports Illustrated, Baszler explained “I’m a pressure player. Put me in the game at the critical time and I’ll get the job done. It’s something I’ve always done, and that won’t change when I’m wrestling on live TV.”

    Despite NXT going to head-to-head with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) on Wednesday nights from next week, Baszler isn’t focused on what AEW is doing. Instead, she is concentrating on delivering performances to the best of her ability every week on WWE’s black-and-gold brand. She believes that by continuing to strive to compete at their high standards, everyone on the NXT roster can continue to be proud of their work.

    Baszler added, “Our locker room at NXT is very proud of the work we do. Going into Wednesdays on USA, you’ll see us outdo ourselves every week.”

    Baszler is scheduled to defend her NXT Women’s Championship against number one contender Candice LeRae next Wednesday night. That night will also see the premiere episode of All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite on TNT.

  • AEW Talent Discuss Commitment To Diversity And Inclusion

    AEW Talent Discuss Commitment To Diversity And Inclusion

    Ahead of All Elite Wrestling’s TNT premiere next Wednesday, several AEW talents and personnel spoke with The Post regarding the promotion’s core values including their focus on diversity and inclusion.

    WarnerMedia’s Brett Weitz, who is the general manager for TNT, TBT and truTV, spoke about AEW’s aim for their product to “look like the world does.”

    “We expect the ring to look like the world does,” Weitz said. “When you open up the prism and spread the lens out wider and show people that you as a consumer are represented here… that’s really empowering for people.”

    AEW’s Chief Branding Officer, Brandi Rhodes, added to this. She explained that AEW doesn’t look at race, gender or sexuality, they judge the talent purely on their wrestling ability:

    “[We’re] looking at everybody as a wrestling star,” Brandi stated. “Sometimes people see wrestlers for other attributes they have — their race, gender or sexuality — we just see this person as an incredible athlete, and we need them on our team.”

    Safe Space

    One AEW star who is grateful for AEW’s values is Nyla Rose. Despite being a transgender competitor, AEW has never made a point of it or turned it into a storyline. Rose admits this was “huge” for her.

    “That was a huge thing for me,” Rose said, before adding, “transphobic critics who say AEW is shoving [her gender] down their throats couldn’t be more wrong. Nobody said anything!”

    Commenting on dealing with daily hate, Rose said, “It’s a little hard to see such hateful, spiteful vitriol being spewed daily. It doesn’t cost you anything to use my proper pronouns. That’s how I identify, that’s who I am, that’s not a character, that doesn’t go away when the camera stops rolling.”

    Ultimately, Rose is thankful that AEW has her back and are taking steps to make sure AEW is a “safe space for everyone, so everyone feels welcome.”

    AEW: Dynamite premieres on TNT next week, October 2nd.

  • Marty Scurll Addresses Speculation About His Future

    Marty Scurll Addresses Speculation About His Future

    ‘The Villain’ Marty Scurll recently spoke with the Daily Mirror regarding speculation about his Ring of Honor (ROH) contract and where he might end up once it expires. He also discussed his time with the promotion before stressing that as one of the company’s biggest stars, he should have been World Champion a long time ago.

    Regarding where Scurll may call home once his ROH contract ends, ‘The Villain’ said: “As a businessman running a huge enterprise, it wouldn’t be smart for me to discuss my potential business decisions with a journalistic tabloid. That being said, I certainly aim to make waves in the wrestling world, and continue to raise Villain Enterprises stock through the roof.”

    He continued, “ROH has been a great home for me. I’ve had some of my greatest wrestling experiences here. To me it has potential to be everything wrestling should be. I’ve been the biggest star here for a long time. But there’s still a lot I need to achieve – I think everyone agrees I should have won the world championship at MSG – now it’s time to right those wrongs.”

    Addressing his friends from The Elite, all of whom are now in All Elite Wrestling, Scurll was succinct with his response: “All my friends are dead. What the f*** is AEW?”

    Scurll faces off against Colt Cabana tonight during ROH’s pay-per-view, Death Before Dishonor. Their match is a first-round clash in the Final Battle Number One Contender Tournament. The show takes place from Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    https://youtu.be/6Ptx8PRsdbM
  • Kofi Kingston Wants To Prove “Nothing Is Impossible” In Match Against Brock Lesnar

    Kofi Kingston Wants To Prove “Nothing Is Impossible” In Match Against Brock Lesnar

    WWE Champion Kofi Kingston has shared his thoughts ahead of his clash with Brock Lesnar next Friday during SmackDown’s FOX premiere.

    Taking to Twitter, Kingston stated that the championship match is another opportunity for him to prove his doubters wrong. He also aims to prove those who believe in him right and show that nothing is impossible.

    “One thing I’ve learned about myself is that I enjoy proving people wrong. Not as an “I told you so” but rather as a reminder that nothing is impossible. Next Friday, I get the chance to prove a lot of people wrong. And those who do believe in me, I get to prove them right!”

    He continued, “When I do, hopefully believers and nonbelievers alike will see it feasible that they too can overcome the “impossibilities” they face in their own lives. 8 days…Friday night Smackdown is coming…#BeatBrock #Smackdown #Fox”

    The two have wrestled one another in the past during the 2015 WWE Network special, The Beast In The East, which took place in Tokyo, Japan. Lesnar defeated Kingston during this previous exchange.

    Kingston and Lesnar compete for the WWE Championship on the blue brand’s FOX premiere on October 4th. This show also happens to coincide with SmackDown’s 20th Anniversary.

  • Jim Johnston Returns To Wrestling Industry, Creates New Theme For ROH Star

    Jim Johnston Returns To Wrestling Industry, Creates New Theme For ROH Star

    Jim Johnston has composed some of the most memorable theme songs in pro wrestling. He provided the entrance music for stars such as ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, The Rock, DX, The Undertaker and The Ultimate Warrior, to name just a few. Johnston worked for WWE creating themes for 32 years before being released from his contract in 2017.

    In an official statement, Ring of Honor (ROH) announced that Johnston has created a new theme for Villain Enterprises member, PCO. The theme will be debuted during tonight’s ROH pay-per-view, Death Before Dishonor.

    “It’s been great fun to work on a new theme for PCO and Ring of Honor,” Johnston told ROHWrestling.com. “The energy there has been all positive, and it’s been my honor to hopefully make a small contribution to their continued success.”

    PCO has said he is thrilled with the final result and can’t wait for fans to hear it during ROH’s Las Vegas show.

    “It really brings the essence of PCO and adds another dimension to the immortality,” PCO said. “It reinforces that PCO is not human. Adding this piece of the puzzle on top of everything else, the success of The French-Canadian Frankenstein becomes limitless.”

    PCO battles Kenny King tonight at ROH’s Death Before Dishonor event. Their match is a first-round clash in the Final Battle Number One Contender Tournament. The show takes place from Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall in Las Vegas, Nevada.

  • Enzo Amore Thanks WWE And DDP For Supporting Big Cass

    Enzo Amore Thanks WWE And DDP For Supporting Big Cass

    Former WWE Superstar Enzo Amore has publicly thanked WWE and Diamond Dallas Page for helping his friend Big Cass following an unfortunate incident at a WrestlePro event. 

    Speaking on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio, Amore addressed Cass’ issues. He stressed how depression and anxiety are diseases that can be triggered by a multitude of factors. 

    “I would like to extend a thank you to WWE,” Enzo said. “DDP has gotten in touch with WWE on our behalf and let them know that he’s been helping Big Cass and that there’s an issue here that needs to be remedied. Anxiety and depression is a disease and that disease is on-set by a multitude of things. There’s a company in the WWE that took some responsibility here and did the right thing and sent Big Cass to the best doctors that they could. We’re hoping that this is the solution.”

    He also shared information on how fans can show support for Cass during this difficult time. Amore intends to set up a specific social media account so fans can send letters and positive messages to Big Cass.

    “I will set up a place on social media [for fans] to get their letters over to Big Cass and let him know that you’re going through something similar or you understand what he’s going through because depression and anxiety is a serious battle.”

    He continued, “When someone goes through it, it doesn’t matter how much money they have or what they’ve achieved or how great life may seem. It’s a disease. I do believe there is a remedy to it, and I think it’s prayer. I’m a naysayer of people who say the manifestation of words isn’t all-powerful. I know it is.”

    H/T to Fightful for the transcription. 

  • AEW Reveals Collaboration With DC Comics

    AEW Reveals Collaboration With DC Comics

    Cody Rhodes took to Twitter a few days ago to announce that DC Comics’ Batman was “#AllElite.” He uploaded the post in honor of Batman Day. Now, however, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and TNT have revealed their new partnership with the comics publisher.

    Taking to social media, AEW shared images of both Jon Moxley and AEW World Champion Chris Jericho as a part of their AEW x DC Collaboration. The images were drawn by Howard Porter, who has provided art for DC’s Justice League and Flash comic book series.

    The first upload features Jericho with the AEW Championship slung over his shoulder. He is wearing his Pain Maker spiked jacket, hat and makeup with his hands raised. The following caption accompanied the image:

    “Who can stop Le Champion, @IAmJericho? Stay tuned for more of our @DCComics collaboration and don’t miss @tntdrama Supervillain Weekend all weekend long this Friday, 9/27 through Sunday!”

    Moxley’s image featured the AEW star cracking his knuckles, a toothpick in his mouth and the caption “Unleash the Moxley.”

    At the time of writing, there is no further information as to what this collaboration will include and extend to, be it a comic book run or potentially limited edition art pieces.

    AEW: Dynamite premieres next week on Wednesday, October 2nd on TNT.

  • Potential Spoiler Information On Shane McMahon Versus Kevin Owens

    Potential Spoiler Information On Shane McMahon Versus Kevin Owens

    It appears that WWE is following through in removing Shane McMahon from on-screen action. According to WrestlingNews.co, the current plan is to have Shane McMahon lose to Kevin Owens in their forthcoming ladder match. The two are scheduled to clash in a “loser leaves WWE” grudge match during SmackDown Live’s debut on FOX.

    “I was told that the feud will end with Owens winning and McMahon no longer being involved as an authority figure,” WrestlingNews’ Paul Davis said. He explained the reasoning is because “[…] WWE is going to present a more sports-like product with more conclusive finishes and less interference from non-wrestling characters.”

    There has been months-long speculation that Shane McMahon would be phased out of featuring on-screen. Kevin Owens’ promo highlighted the amount of time Shane took away from current SmackDown talent. His sentiments was said to have been based in reality. His use of bullet points in order to get his point across has been held in high regard. 

    Owens is one of the few Superstars given more free rein when it comes to his promo opportunities, though more have apparently been given greater freedom recently including Rey Mysterio, Bayley and ‘The Boss’ Sasha Banks.

    Kevin Owens and Shane McMahon battle in their “loser leaves WWE” ladder match on October 4th. SmackDown’s FOX debuts also coincides with the blue brands 20th Anniversary. 

  • NXT UK Moving Time Slot From Next Week

    NXT UK Moving Time Slot From Next Week

    Starting from next week, WWE’s NXT UK show will be airing in a different time slot. The news was announced during last night’s episode that the show will begin airing on Thursdays at 3PM ET and 8PM BST.

    NXT UK has been aired on Wednesdays at 3PM ET/8PM BST since the brand launched in October 2018. The brand gave WWE an opportunity to expand its NXT efforts, utilizing talent from all across Europe and the United Kingdom. The company even opened a UK based NXT Performance Center for Superstars to train in.

    The main NXT brand recently moved to USA Network away from the WWE’s own streaming service, the WWE Network. The premiere episode was last week on September 18th. The show is currently split into two halves: the first hour is shown on USA Network; the second on WWE Network. With NXT being shown live on Wednesdays, a replay of the show is scheduled to be added to the WWE Network 24 hours after initial airing. This would see WWE NXT UK join NXT in new dedicated time slots on Thursdays.

    Beginning from next week, NXT UK episodes will be available at 3 PM ET on Thursdays. NXT will then provided on the WWE Network at 10PM ET.

  • Britt Baker Discusses Issues Between Herself And Bea Priestley

    Britt Baker Discusses Issues Between Herself And Bea Priestley

    Ahead of All Elite Wrestling’s TNT premiere next week, AEW wrestler Dr. Britt Baker has admitted there is undeniable bad blood between herself and Bea Priestley. It was thanks to Priestley’s actions that Baker lost out on being involved in the inaugural AEW Women’s Championship matchup.

    “I could say that I would have possibly just washed my hands with it,” Baker told WrestleZone, “but then costing me my title match, my title shot opportunity—which, from day one, all eyes have been on me essentially—because I am one of the faces of the women’s division. And that opportunity, I was essentially cheated out of it because of Bea Priestley. So now it is a war.”

    She continued, “Clearly this isn’t a clean fight anymore because she hasn’t fought clean since day one. The second she stepped into the ring, she gave me a concussion. Her very first offensive move in an AEW ring was giving me a concussion. So, moving forward, I have this whole story just ingrained into my head.”

    Turning her attention to the matchup between Nyla Rose and Riho to crown the first-ever AEW Women’s Champion, Baker tells fans they might be surprised. She called Riho one of the fastest wrestlers she’s ever seen, and that if she can evade Rose’s offense she may just surprise a lot of fans by emerging victorious.

    AEW: Dynamite premieres October 2nd on TNT.

  • Sean Waltman Calls Candice LeRae One Of The Best Babyfaces In Pro Wrestling

    Sean Waltman Calls Candice LeRae One Of The Best Babyfaces In Pro Wrestling

    Speaking on a recent episode of his podcast, X-Pac 12360, Sean Waltman talked about Candice LeRae’s upcoming NXT UK Women’s Championship opportunity. He confessed that he’s really happy for LeRae, adding that she, like her husband Johnny Gargano, is currently one of the best babyfaces working in pro wrestling.

    “I just want to congratulate Candice, ‘cause to me she’s kind of along the same lines as [Johnny] Gargano,” Waltman said. “She’s like that, as far as the women go, and not just women but she’s just one the best babyfaces in the industry, man or woman. And also, not the first choice, she’s not the one that they look at and go ‘she’s the chosen one’ but yet she still comes up and rises up past that … and the people love her and I don’t know I am just really happy for her.”

    Candice LeRae earned her chance to become NXT Women’s Champion during last week’s premiere episode of NXT on USA Network. She defeated stiff competition from Bianca Belair, Io Shirai and Mia Yim in a Fatal 4-Way match. That victory saw her become the new number one contender for Shayna Baszler’s title. Their matchup takes place next week on NXT. 

    H/T to WrestleZone for the transcription. 

  • Shayna Baszler Believes Now Is The Perfect Time For “No-Nonsense Realism” In Pro Wrestling

    Shayna Baszler Believes Now Is The Perfect Time For “No-Nonsense Realism” In Pro Wrestling

    Current NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler believes that now is the “perfect time to bring this no-nonsense realism to wrestling.” Speaking with Sports Illustrated, Baszler spoke about her reign as champion, admitting her run is perfectly timed as she wouldn’t fit into any other era in WWE history.

    “I am the champion of this division for a reason. I don’t mess around, it’s no nonsense, and I know exactly what I’m doing. Now that we’re on USA, everyone is going to know it,” she stated.

    “I Wouldn’t Have Fit Into Any Other Era”

    Reflecting on her rise to the top, Baszler brought up her MMA background. She credited Ronda Rousey as being instrumental in bringing attention to MMA and, subsequently, pro wrestling:

    “No one brought eyes to MMA like Ronda did. She was the perfect storm of ingredients to bring eyes to mixed martial arts, and that snowballed into bringing eyes to professional wrestling. For me, I wouldn’t have fit into any other era in WWE, but Ronda’s success in MMA said this could be done.”

    She continued, “When I started in professional wrestling, dreaming about how big this could get, the important thing for me was to stay true to who I am and what I’ve been brought up in. That’s the style I learned, and that’s the style I love. I’m excited that it was the right time and right place. It’s the perfect time to bring this no-nonsense realism to wrestling.”

    Shayna Baszler is scheduled to defend her WWE NXT UK Championship next week against Candice LeRae. LeRae won the opportunity at the championship during NXT’s premiere episode on USA Network. 

  • Flip Gordon Discusses Working With Marty Scurll, Future ROH Ambitions

    Flip Gordon Discusses Working With Marty Scurll, Future ROH Ambitions

    The Mercenary of Villain Enterprises, Flip Gordon, recently spoke with Sports Illustrated. During the interview, Gordon opened up about working with ‘The Villain’ Marty Scurll, his goals in Ring of Honor (ROH) and who he’d like to wrestle in the Tokyo Dome.

    “This is a chance to work with Marty, who is someone I’m really close with and someone I call a friend, and that’s been really special,” Gordon admitted. “It’s also showed me the opposite side in being a villain, which has been great. And an opportunity with the Television title would give me a chance to elevate that belt even higher. And for those who think I was ‘fired’ by Marty, I have some breaking news: I was rehired, but you need to go watch it on VETV to see more.”

    When it comes to his Tokyo Dome ambitions, Gordon points to fellow ROH talent, and former ROH World Champion, Jay Lethal as his ideal opponent. He added that although he’s wrestled Lethal a few times, he’d want Lethal to be “gunning for me after I win the Television title.” 

    Beyond that, however, is his dream of becoming ROH World Championship: “I see myself being Ring of Honor World Champion someday. That’s something I have to accomplish. Once I set a goal, I go for it until I accomplish it.”

    Flip Gordon receives his ROH TV Championship opportunity this Friday at Death Before Dishonor. He joins Tracy Williams and current champion Shane Taylor in a triple-threat match for the title. 

  • Booker T Addresses Kenny Omega’s Recent Comments Comparing NXT And AEW Talent

    Booker T Addresses Kenny Omega’s Recent Comments Comparing NXT And AEW Talent

    WWE Hall of Famer Booker T recently addressed Kenny Omega’s recent comments stating that All Elite Wrestling has real stars versus NXT being filled with developmental talent. He addressed Omega’s statements on an episode of his Hall of Fame podcast. 

    Booker T explained that Omega has “[…] got two hats he’s wearing in the company, and he made some disparaging comments about the talent in NXT, but I was reading earlier that he was talking in character and that a lot of those guys are his friends. My thing is this, does Kenny Omega have the right to say that? If you’re in character, is it okay to say that? When shouldn’t you be in character? When you’re talking to a reporter or someone in the media, should you be in character or not?”

    As far as Booker T is concerned, staying in character is important when “working the masses” because, as a performer, every wrestler wants to make it as real as possible: 

    “When ‘working’ the masses, you always want to try and stay in character and make it as real as you possibly can to try and create something. I think Kenny Omega, when saying something like that and being in character and trying to create something, then all of the sites pick it up. [Omega is like,] ‘Hey, I did my job.’ He didn’t disrespect anybody. When he sees those guys, he goes, ‘Man, I was just playing. I’m working. That’s all I’m doing. It’s a work.’”

    All Elite Wrestling premieres their debut episode of AEW: Dynamite next week on October 2nd.

    H/T to Fightful for the transcription. 

  • Lacey Evans Says She Is Waiting For Cris Cyborg

    Lacey Evans Says She Is Waiting For Cris Cyborg

    Bellator competitor and mixed martial artist Cris Cyborg recently made her pro wrestling ambitions known in an interview with MMA Fighting. Since expressing her interest in stepping into the squared circle, it appears she already has a rival lined up: WWE Superstar Lacey Evans.

    The two exchanged words via Twitter after Cyborg shared out her interview with a caption that called out the RAW Superstar: “2020 @LaceyEvansWWE 2020…”

    Evans would respond, informing Cyborg that she was “Waitin on you sweetheart #NothingButANasty”

    Opportunity

    In her interview, Cyborg highlighted that she loves both All Elite Wrestling and WWE. She shared that she is frequently stopped in the street by fans asking when she’s finally going to have a pro wrestling match.

    She added that “If the opportunity presents itself, and the deal makes sense, I would love to challenge myself with pro wrestling.”

    If she did make the jump, she would join a list of notable fighters who have found success in the squared circle.

    Ken Shamrock, Matt Riddle, Josh Barnett, and of course former UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar and former UFC Bantamweight Champion ‘Rowdy’ Ronda Rousey are all examples of fighters who have crossed over.

    Cyborg ended the interview by stressing that her focus at this time is in becoming the only champion in MMA to win all four major world titles in the same weight class.

  • Latest Update On The Future Of WWE 205 Live

    Latest Update On The Future Of WWE 205 Live

    With SmackDown Live moving to FOX and NXT having recently premiered on USA Network, there is still no definitive announcement regarding the future of WWE’s purple brand, 205 Live.

    It has been speculated by Wrestling Observer’s Bryan Alvarez, however, that this might change in the next few days. In a recent tweet, Alvarez claimed there could be an announcement made within the next 24-48 hours.

    205 Live/NXT

    During a recent media call following NXT’s first episode on USA Network, Triple H stated there were no plans of removing the brand. Instead, it was suggested that 205 Live may be consolidated into NXT.

    With the show now moving to a two-hour time slot, there could be greater opportunity for WWE to utilize their Cruiserweight talent on USA, granting these Superstars a broader platform to showcase their skills.

    Lio Rush recently defeated Oney Lorcan to become the number 1 contender for the Cruiserweight Championship. This match took place on the black-and-gold brand’s premiere on September 18th. This matchup for the 205 Live contendership could be an indication that the brand will eventually become a part of NXT as Triple H suggested.

    If 205 Live continues as a separate brand, the show may be taped ahead of NXT every week. This would at least give the 205 Live Superstars a more engaged and active crowd to perform in front of.

  • NJPW Reveals Full King Of Pro Wrestling Card

    NJPW Reveals Full King Of Pro Wrestling Card

    New Japan Pro-Wrestling has revealed the entire card for their upcoming King of Pro Wrestling event. The show takes place in Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo on October 14th.

    The show is stacked with championship matches including IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada defending against Los Ingobernables de Japon member SANADA. The IWGP United States Championship is also on the line as Jon Moxley faces against former champion Juice Robinson. Lastly, the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship matchup sees Will Ospreay attempt to keep his belt against Bullet Club’s El Phantasmo.

    Joining these huge matches are Kota Ibushi vs EVIL for Ibushi’s hard-won G1 Contract. A personal grudge match will also be resolved as Jyushin Thunder Liger faces off against Suzuki-gun leader, Minoru Suzuki. Suzuki recently pushed Liger too far, with Liger unveiling Kishin Liger for the first time since 2012.

    King of Pro Wrestling 2019

    • IWGP Heavyweight Championship
      Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. SANADA
    • G1 Contract
      Kota Ibushi (G1 Contract Winner) vs EVIL
    • IWGP United States Championship – No Disqualification
      Jon Moxley (c) vs Juice Robinson
    • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
      Will Ospreay (c) vs. El Phantasmo
    • Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Minoru Suzuki
    • Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Jay White, KENTA & Yujiro Takahashi
    • Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi & BUSHI vs Zack Sabre Jr, Lance Archer & Taichi
    • Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tomoaki Honma vs. Togi Makabe & Toru Yano
    • Ryusuke Taguchi, SHO & YOH vs Yoshinobu Kanemaru, DOUKI, & El Desperado