SEScoops

Author: Steve Russell

  • Steve Austin Responds To Fan, Comments On Modern Kayfabe

    Steve Austin Responds To Fan, Comments On Modern Kayfabe

    “Stone Cold” Steve Austin has previously shared his love of the way Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson would sell his finishing move, the Stone Cold Stunner. 

    In an interview with KFC Radio, Austin recalled how The Rock would be “flip-flopping” around there ring, his legs careening off the ropes and hitting him in the head as he sold it. 

    “I hit him with that damn stunner, and half the time I’d have to watch out because he’d crash over me,” Austin said. “And The Rock, I mean he’s always been like 275, and when his legs or whatever careened off the ropes and hit you in the head, it’s like, ‘Goddamn, that hurts!’”

    Since then, Austin uploaded a Gif to his Twitter account showcasing The Rock’s selling skills, accompanied by the following:

    “And the Academy for best selling of a Stunner goes to @TheRock. #goodtimes TCB. RT @90sWWE: Legendary. @steveaustinBSR @TheRock”

    This post led to a social media interaction between himself and a fan, with Austin ultimately sharing his take on modern-day kayfabe attitudes.

    A fan decided to share their opinion on the video, highlighting his dislike of Austin’s usage of the words “academy” and “selling.”

    “Love SCSA but hate this tweet. ‘Academy,’ ‘selling ‘… ugh. Yes, I realize kayfabe is dead, but can’t you just say it’s a devastating move and that’s why it f****d Rock all up?”

    Steve Austin responded, writing: 

    “Wake up bruh. It’s almost 2020. People kinda know what’s up.”

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the KFC Radio transcription.

  • Cody Rhodes Talks About Why Stardust Didn’t Work

    Cody Rhodes Talks About Why Stardust Didn’t Work

    All Elite Wrestling (AEW) Executive Vice President and wrestler, Cody Rhodes, recently spoke about portraying the character of Stardust in WWE.

    When a fan suggested on Twitter that the blame could be attributed to Vince McMahon, Cody was quick to shoulder blame as to why Stardust didn’t work in the way WWE had hoped.

    “I don’t really blame him more than I blame myself. I worked hard, but at the time…not hard enough. To go from undesirable to undeniable took a lot sacrifices, reality checks, & most importantly I had to do the damn work. I don’t want to be anything less than the guy at the top.”

    The Stardust conversation stemmed from a question asking why he doesn’t use the Bionic Elbow—a move synonymous with his father, Dusty Rhodes. Cody replied that as the move isn’t his, he doesn’t want to use it and he has no interest in being a “tribute act.”

    “It’s not mine. I can’t be a tribute act. However, I do save it for the rare occasional moment when I really feel it in my bones/heart. Not sure if I can really pull it off even.”

    Cody Rhodes is scheduled to face off against Shawn Spears at AEW’s next major event All Out on August 31st.

  • KENTA Responds To Daniel Bryan And Kofi Kingston Using The GTS

    KENTA Responds To Daniel Bryan And Kofi Kingston Using The GTS

    During a WWE Live Event in Lima, Peru on Saturday night, WWE Champion Kofi Kingston and Daniel Bryan decided to incorporate the GTS into their matchup. The decision was based on the crowd’s chants of CM Punk after Bryan asked them who the best was.

    However, another wrestler has taken issue with their usage of the move—one he claims to own. 

    Former WWE Superstar and current New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) star KENTA tweeted his reaction to the usage of the GTS:

    “Just letting you know © 2004 KENTA”

    Both Kingston and Bryan would nail each other with the move CM Punk popularized in WWE. Bryan would hit Kingston twice with the move but would be unable to get the three count. With the crowd wanting more, Kingston would also utilize Punk’s former finisher.

    Bullet Club

    KENTA has been actively using the GTS now that he has returned to NJPW. He ended numerous matches during the promotion’s recent G1 Climax 29 tournament with the finisher. He would finish the tournament with 8 points based off of 4 victories.

    During the G1 Climax finals, KENTA shocked fans by aligning himself with Bullet Club. Alongside his new affiliates, he attacked his friend Katsuyori Shibata, posing cross-legged atop Shibata’s chest once they were finished with the attack. 

  • Kurt Angle Talks About The Importance Of Winning The King Of The Ring Tournament

    Kurt Angle Talks About The Importance Of Winning The King Of The Ring Tournament

    For many WWE Superstars, winning the King of the Ring tournament acted as the catalyst for their career, propelling them into main event status. 

    In a recent Q&A session conducted on his Facebook page, former WWE Champion and Hall of Famer, Kurt Angle, shared his thoughts on WWE bringing the vaunted competition back. 

    He explained how the winner of the tournament may end up in the championship picture, like so many Superstars before them. 

    “The winner of the King of the Ring will most likely be in the hunt for the World Title,” Angle said. “I’m not going to mention who needs to win it because every single athlete in the tournament will need to win it. If you look at previous winners, most of them conquered the WWE after they won the King of the Ring.”

    Angle would know. He previously won the tournament back in 2000, defeating Rikishi in the tournament finals.

    The King of the Ring tournament is already underway, with brackets taking place on both RAW and SmackDown Live. The finals are reportedly set to take place during WWE’s upcoming Clash of Champions pay-per-view on September 15th. 

    At the time of writing, Samoa Joe and Cedric Alexander have advanced on RAW. Andrade and Elias have both advanced on SmackDown.

  • Braun Strowman Opens Up About Creative Frustrations, Vince McMahon’s Reaction

    Braun Strowman Opens Up About Creative Frustrations, Vince McMahon’s Reaction

    Braun Strowman has previously admitted how being left off SummerSlam was a “tough pill to swallow” for him.

    With WWE not having anything for him at the time, he knew there was no narrative reason to include him on their big summer pay-per-view. Now in an interview with Sam Roberts, Strowman has opened up about his creative frustrations with WWE. He even revealed how Vince McMahon reacted when he shared them. 

    “I was like, ‘Vince, what is going on? I’m miserable.’ And he talked me off a ledge. He was like, ‘Look, big man, I want you for the long haul. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing right now. I care about what you’re doing ten years from now. I’ve invested in you, you’re one of my guys. Don’t worry. You’re fine.’ And just hearing that, coming from that man … I dunno …”

    “I’ve Had Enough”

    Strowman recalled being so fed up with his lack of momentum that he marched into a production meeting. Instead of having a future meeting scheduled, Vince McMahon instead took the time to clear the room and speak with him for 45 minutes. 

    “[…] legitimately I walked into the production meeting one day, and I was like, ‘I’ve had enough.’ I was just mad about everything. He kicked everybody out of the production meeting — like two hours before Raw was about to start, the show wasn’t even done — and talked to me for forty-five minutes, heart-to-heart, man-to-man conversation and opened my eyes to the picture of like ‘wow, why am I worrying about this?’ Vince doesn’t get the credit that is due to him. And if he hears this, he’s gonna get pissed off that I’m saying his name and putting him over.”

    Strowman is supposedly primed for another major push in WWE. The intention is for him to once again become a hulking force. He has previously predicted that he will headline WrestleMania and that it is inevitable he will become Universal Champion.

    H/T to Reddit user hall198 for the transcription. 

  • Alexa Bliss Opens Up About Suffering From Concussions

    Alexa Bliss Opens Up About Suffering From Concussions

    Alexa Bliss has opened up about her issues with concussive damage. She also spoke about the understanding she now has of how to better protect herself in the ring.

    She divulged the information in an interview with SkySports.com. Bliss spoke openly on how, having suffered one concussion, it’s easy to become re-concussed if not careful. 

    “Once you have a concussion it’s easier to get re-concussed and I found that out very clearly,” she explained. “It’s the brain, it’s not like an ankle you can tape up and you know the time frame that it’s going to heal – the brain is a completely different thing.”

    Thankfully, WWE partnered her up with “the best doctors possible, the best neurologists, [and] physiologists” in their efforts to help her recover.

    “I feel a lot better now with the information and the education I was given when it comes to concussions because of what WWE provided for us and I feel a lot better about being in the ring and it makes me appreciate the time in the ring a lot more than maybe I did before.”

    Having this new information has helped Bliss protect herself better when it comes to in-ring competition.

    She admitted that it’s been a long year, but is “happy that I was given the information I was because now I can be more pro-active when it comes to protecting myself when it comes to a concussion and be safer in the ring.”

    Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross defeated The IIconics to become the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions earlier this month.

  • Chris Jericho Believes WWE Will No Longer Grant Requested Releases

    Chris Jericho Believes WWE Will No Longer Grant Requested Releases

    All Elite Wrestling (AEW) wrestler Chris Jericho doesn’t believe WWE will be granting anymore releases to its Superstars.

    Speaking with Busted Open Radio, Jericho discussed AEW’s acquisition of Shawn Spears (formerly known as Tye Dillinger in WWE). He highlighted how he championed Spears into AEW, believing him to be a main event player.

    “I don’t know why [Shawn Spears] sat on the sidelines for eight months,” Jericho said. “I don’t know why a lot of guys sit on the sidelines for eight months. But you know how it works up North, brother. If you fall out of grace, you’re finished being played with as Vince’s toy, you get put in the corner.”

    He continued, “Thankfully, Shawn got his release. He’s the last one that will. Nobody will ever get their release from WWE again. Nobody. He got his release, Cody and him are friends. Cody knew what he was capable of. I knew what he was capable of. I championed to get him. The guy is a tremendous heel. He’s an old school heel. He looks the part. Putting him with Tully Blanchard is a great idea. He’s a main eventer. We’re going to make him into a star, just by putting him with Cody Rhodes.”

    Spears would make a major impact in AEW after striking Cody Rhodes in the head with a steel chair at Fyter Fest. This assault not only saw Spears adopt the ‘Chairman’ moniker, but also set up an anticipated grudge match between himself and Rhodes at AEW’s All Out event at the end of the month. 

    H/T to Fightful.com for the transcription.

  • Kofi Kingston Recalls Fearing A “Shockmaster” Moment As He Destroyed Randy Orton’s Car In 2009

    Kofi Kingston Recalls Fearing A “Shockmaster” Moment As He Destroyed Randy Orton’s Car In 2009

    Current WWE Champion Kofi Kingston is once again embroiled in a feud with long-time rival Randy Orton. The two have reignited their issues which stretch all the way back to 2009, during one of Kofi Kingston’s initial surges in popularity.

    One moment, in particular, helped Kofi to stand out: destroying Randy Orton’s car. During the segment, however, Kingston recalled being worried the whole thing could have turned into a “Shockmaster” moment.

    Speaking with Fightful.com, Kingston looked back at the damage he did to the car, and the moment he almost slipped live on RAW. 

    “My God! I talk about that moment all the time. That was a career-defining moment for me, people are like ‘Oh my god, Kofi Kingston’s not just happy-go-lucky Jamaican guy, he’s doing some damage to this car.’ I feel like if I would have fallen, it would have been a Shockmaster-esque moment,” he admitted.

    “It was almost slow motion for me. They told me the NASCAR was indestructible. They gave me a crowbar, with the first hit, it broke the window. That wasn’t supposed to happen, but it’s live TV. I keep on breaking it, I go and step, and now I’m on the dashboard.”

    He continued, “I go to slam [the bucket of paint], and I feel myself falling. It’s like The Matrix. I’m like ‘No! My career! No!’ I stuck the pose, and it was really close. It could have went [down] really quick, but it went [up]. No multiple cars, no multiple buckets of paint. It was a one time deal. There’s no mirrors, I had to figure out ways to destroy it. I threw a crate into it, I used a crowbar to scratch up the paint job. Luckily it went the way that it was supposed to go and here we are ten years later, me and Randy going out there and doing it.”

    The two recently wrestled to a double count-out during their clash at SummerSlam, leaving fans unhappy and wanting to see more. Given Randy’s attack on The New Day on RAW, followed by Kofi’s revenge on SmackDown, it appears the two are far from finished with each other. 

  • Jon Moxley Reportedly Dealing With Elbow Injury

    Jon Moxley Reportedly Dealing With Elbow Injury

    Jon Moxley is reportedly suffering from a potentially serious elbow injury, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

    Dave Meltzer speculated it could be an infection developed during his time wrestling for NJPW’s G1 Climax tournament. This hasn’t stopped him from his scheduled bookings. However, Moxley has apparently been wary about taking bumps, avoiding doing so whenever possible as his elbow heals.

    “Jon Moxley has some kind of an elbow injury,” Meltzer stated. “It may be an infection that he got in Japan. He worked shows this weekend for Northeast Wrestling and with the exception of the 8/16 show in Poughkeepsie, his singles bouts were made tags. He pretty much insisted on doing his singles match with Pentagon Jr., and was very careful not to bump on the elbow.”

    Moxley will be participating for a number of All Elite Wrestling’s initial TNT shows and is still slated for the debut show on October 2nd. Next up, however, will be his All Out bout against Kenny Omega on August 31st.

    If it is an infection that he is currently dealing with, Moxley may take the necessary time to heal. Doing so will at least ensure that he is fully healed for the slew of AEW shows that are fast approaching. 

  • Chris Jericho Doesn’t Believe Vince McMahon Will Stay Away From NXT on USA Network

    Chris Jericho Doesn’t Believe Vince McMahon Will Stay Away From NXT on USA Network

    After the announcement was made official that NXT was moving to USA Network, several wrestlers reacted to the news. One of those was All Elite Wrestling (AEW) wrestler Chris Jericho. He provided a sarcastic “#YoureWelcome” in a tweet claiming he was instrumental to this happening. Now, the former WWE Superstar has opened up more about his feelings regarding NXT’s move.

    Speaking with SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio, Jericho addressed WWE’s announcement. During the conversation, he confessed he doesn’t believe Vince McMahon will be able to stay away from involving himself with the show. Jericho argued that, if he does get involved, NXT will simply become another RAW or SmackDown.

    “If it’s another show on the USA Network – not on FS1, and not on the WWE Network. If it’s an official, legitimate, nationwide cable show on the USA Network, do you think Vince McMahon is going to be involved in it? Of course he is!” Jericho exclaimed. “It’s Vince McMahon; he is a genius. But here’s the thing – I think the appeal of it is that it’s its own little entity outside the WWE, and when Vince McMahon gets a hold of it and gets involved with it it is going to become another SmackDown and another RAW.”

    Just Another WWE Show

    Jericho speculated that with NXT on USA Network, all three brands will begin to interact with each other, making NXT “just another WWE show.” 

    “[…] whatever the appeal is with NXT, whatever the specialness of it is is going to be changed to another RAW and another SmackDown,” he said. “I think if you like RAW and SmackDown then you’re going to like NXT on Wednesday nights. If you don’t, then I don’t think you’re going to like NXT on Wednesday nights because there’s no way that Vince McMahon is going to stay home and not be involved with it. That is what he does, so, great. I think it’s another 2 hours of incredible WWE programming on Wednesday nights. If you love WWE, then there’s more for you to love, and if you don’t, then I don’t think it’s going to make a difference.”

    As far as Jericho is concerned, this new war between WWE and AEW was inevitable. When he signed with the promotion, he believes his decision to do so “started a war in Vince McMahon’s mind. I think he likes it, I think he thrives on it which, of course, he does because this is what he has done his whole life, and he wins every war he has been in.”

    He claimed he informed AEW management that there would be impending war. Despite this, AEW EVPs The Young Bucks have shared that they are unafraid of the competition to come. 

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Will Ospreay Reveals When His NJPW Contract Expires, Favorite Career Moments

    Will Ospreay Reveals When His NJPW Contract Expires, Favorite Career Moments

    Will Ospreay recently took some time to answer a series of fan questions via social media. The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion revealed his favorite moment of his career to date, as well his favorite G1 memory. During the course of the Q+A session, he also divulged the current expiration date for his New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) contract. 

    Aerial Assassin Q+A

    One fan was eager to know if Ospreay would ever wrestle WWE Superstar Ricochet again. The two have had previous memorable matches in NJPW. Will responded “Never Say Never. But for the next 5 years Will Ospreay is property of the Lion Mark.”

    https://twitter.com/WillOspreay/status/1164143871607132161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1164143871607132161&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wrestlinginc.com%2Fnews%2F2019%2F08%2Fwill-ospreay-on-how-long-he-with-njpw-658720%2F

    When it comes to the G1 Climax Tournament, Ospreay was quick to name his favorite moment from the gruelling competition: being in the ring with NJPW’s Ace, Hiroshi Tanahashi.

    https://twitter.com/WillOspreay/status/1164145145417273344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1164145145417273344&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wrestlinginc.com%2Fnews%2F2019%2F08%2Fwill-ospreay-on-how-long-he-with-njpw-658720%2F

    As for his top all-time career moment, Ospreay admitted that there were many highlights for him to choose from, but one homecoming moment in particular sticks with him:

    “First time I won Super Jrs and came home to York Hall to such an incredible reception. I remember standing in the ring looking to my left, to the centre of the balcony and saw @BeaPriestley just lip read “I love you.”

    https://twitter.com/WillOspreay/status/1164161830522097664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1164161830522097664&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wrestlinginc.com%2Fnews%2F2019%2F08%2Fwill-ospreay-on-how-long-he-with-njpw-658720%2F
  • Glacier Recalls The Gimmick WWE Pitched To Him In 2000

    Glacier Recalls The Gimmick WWE Pitched To Him In 2000

    Former WCW wrestler Glacier (real name Ray Lloyd) reappeared on pro wrestling fans’ radars after accompanying Cody Rhodes at All Elite Wrestling’s All In event last September. 

    In a recent interview with the WINCLY podcast, he shared a story about the gimmick WWE pitched to him when they were interested in bringing him to their roster back in 2000.

    “When we [WCW] were bought out, [WWE] wanted me to send a tape,” Glacier recalled. “I consulted with Terry Taylor about what I should put together, and he came up with a great idea, ‘If I were you, I would pitch Ray Lloyd in a highlight reel of Glacier to show them some versatility.’” 

    “It Was Just Too Personal”

    WWE responded well to the tape. They offered him not only a contract but a gimmick they thought he would fit. Their idea would have seen Lloyd portray a state trooper, leaning into the law enforcement background he and his family have. 

    The character wasn’t something Lloyd wanted to do, however.

    “It was just one of those things where I didn’t really wanna get that personal because in the wrestling business they have the power to do whatever they want to do. It was nothing against WWE, but it was just too personal to me to put into the wrestling business,” he admitted. “And at the end of the day, I ended up turning them down. I was tired of being on the road, and it wasn’t a great offer because they didn’t have to offer anything great at the time because they owned all of the cards.”

    Having rejected WWE’s offer, Lloyd would ultimately join Dusty Rhodes to help him with his Turnbuckle promotion. He ended up working for the company for four years as Dusty Rhodes’ right-hand guy—an experience he called life-changing.

    H/T: Wrestling Inc.

  • Adam Cole Discusses How Negativity On Social Media Impacted Him

    Adam Cole Discusses How Negativity On Social Media Impacted Him

    Current NXT Champion, Adam Cole, has opened up about the impact negative social media used to have on him as a performer. 

    Speaking with Lilian Garcia on her podcast, Chasing Glory, Cole described how he used to value what the internet thought about him and his matches, stating that “it really meant everything to me.” He explained that his mindset came from the fact that, at the time, the only buzz you could generate as an independent pro wrestler was online. Because of this, he allowed any sort of overt negativity to affect how he perceived himself and his work. 

    “At that point, wrestling on the Independents, your only real buzz was online,” Cole explained. “In the arena, you’d wrestle in front of 200 people tops, so it’s not like the world was talking about it. You would hope that word of mouth, people would speak highly of you.”

    “It mattered to me so much that I would have a match that I loved, the guy I was working with loved, and the boys loved. But if two or three people said, ‘that sucked,’ then the match sucked to me. I was like, ‘I gotta stop doing that.’ It was ruining my perception on what is fun and what I know is good.”

    He continued, explaining that he barely checks his Twitter account anymore. Instead, he stays away from social media in general. 

    “People are entitled to their opinion. But it’s when people take hard and crazy, ‘I wish this person wasn’t alive’ type of stuff. I can’t imagine watching a movie and then going online and being like, ‘This movie sucked! Leonardo DiCaprio! Shutter Island! TRASH!’”

    H/T to Fightful.com for the transcription. 

  • William Regal Has No Sympathy For Mia Yim Following NXT Beatdown

    William Regal Has No Sympathy For Mia Yim Following NXT Beatdown

    WWE NXT General Manager William Regal had little time for Mia Yim following last night’s episode of NXT. 

    In case you missed it, Yim was confronted by NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler and her Horsewomen, Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir. She was offered a spot under Baszler’s “dragon wing,” and was invited to join the three of them. Yim refused their invitation, instead launching an attack before the numbers game caught up with her. 

    After the show, Mia Yim caught up with a preoccupied William Regal, who was on the phone. She demanded a matchup against Shayna Baszler, highlighting that she was just beaten down in a three-on-one assault.

    Regal’s response lacked any sort of sympathy, however:

    “Listen, you had your opportunity at TakeOver,” he said. “You attacked two of them, what do you expect?”

    He then resumed his phone call and walked off, leaving Mia Yim visibly frustrated.

    The matchup Regal referred to was Mia Yim’s recent bout at TakeOver: Toronto. She competed in a losing effort for the WWE NXT Women’s Championship, submitting to Baszler.

    Given the fallout of this match and her rejection to join Baszler and her cohorts, it appears this storyline has yet to run its course. 

  • Isaiah Scott Wants To Make 205 Live “Swerve’s House”

    Isaiah Scott Wants To Make 205 Live “Swerve’s House”

    Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, who has formerly wrestled for promotions such as MLW, EVOLVE, and Lucha Underground, spoke with Catherine Kelley backstage following his second 205 Live matchup. 

    When asked whether the WWE Universe could expect to see him frequent 205 Live more often, Scott replied that he deserves to be amongst the best talent in the world. For him, that means becoming a permanent fixture of 205 Live, going so far as to nickname the brand “Swerve’s House.”

    “Swerve never gets tired of being in this atmosphere. This 205 locker room? It’s incredible. Best talent in the world,” he said. “Swerve deserves to be a part of that. So, me personally, I would love, love to be here permanently. 205 Live, Swerve’s House? It has a ring to it, don’t it? So yeah, let’s listen to the WWE Universe on that one.

    Alongside wrestling on 205 Live, Isaiah has also competed for WWE’s black-and-gold brand, NXT. He was a recent competitor in their Breakout Tournament. He lost in the first round against Cameron Grimes, who would subsequently lose in the finals to Jordan Myles. 

    Despite his insistence to wrestle for 205 Live, Swerve could potentially continue to make sporadic appearances for NXT in the foreseeable future. 

  • The Miz & Maryse Purchase $6.4 Million Californian Mansion

    The Miz & Maryse Purchase $6.4 Million Californian Mansion

    The Miz and Maryse have forked out $6.4 million purchasing a mansion situated in Thousand Oaks, California.

    According to a report by Variety.com, the mansion was “sold before processing” earlier this week to the WWE couple. 

    Described as a “neoclassical English Manor-style house,” the mansion provides 10,400 square feet of living space. It also comes with six bedrooms and nine bathrooms. The previous owners purchased the property just over a year ago in April for precisely $6 million. 

    The Miz & Maryse’s new home

    Click here to full a full gallery of The Miz and Maryse’s new $6.4 million California mansion.

    Alongside the grandiose space, the gated property includes garage parking for up to eight luxury vehicles, scenic mountain and golf fairway views, and a grand entranceway. That’s before mentioning the nine-seat movie theatre, wood-paneled billiards room, and formal dining room.

    The Mizanins paid $2.35 million for their former mansion in Austin, Texas. They sold this property last month for approximately $2.64 million. The couple has also previously owned a home in L.A.’s Laurel Canyon; this “mini-estate” sold for just over $3 million. 

    The Miz has been enjoying portraying a babyface in recent months. He was involved in a segment this past Tuesday night that helped introduce the new heel alliance between Shinsuke Nakamura and Sami Zayn. There is no further indication at the time of writing as to whom Miz may end up feuding against out of the two. 

    Both Miz and Maryse also currently star in USA Network’s reality show, Miz & Mrs.

  • Bayley Has Harsh Words For Charlotte Flair, Wants To Elevate The Women’s Division

    Bayley Has Harsh Words For Charlotte Flair, Wants To Elevate The Women’s Division

    During last night’s episode SmackDown Live, Bayley came out during Charlotte Flair’s interview time on A Moment of Bliss. She ended up pushing Flair off her chair.

    After the show, the SmackDown Women’s Champion had some harsh words for Flair ahead of their matchup at Clash of Champions.

    “Come on, you know you want to do that sometimes,” Bayley joked. “She talks a little too much, I know everybody wants to push her just a little bit or shut her mouth. We all knew Charlotte was gonna come after me. It was only a matter of time before she challenged me for the title.”

    Bayley continued, “She’s too wrapped up in her own head to realize what I’m trying to do. And when I say I want to elevate this title and this division, I’m not talking about me, her, or just right now in the current division. I’m talking about 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 years from now. The future. Because what we’re doing right now matters. They’re going to remember what we’re doing right now.”

    She claimed that what she’s trying to do for the women’s division is akin to what Trish Stratus did for them, and that, unlike Charlotte who is too selfish, she wants to help prepare the division for the next generation.

    “Charlotte Flair, you can live on the red carpet. You can rack up all of your appearances, you can have the most appearances of all the women in the division, but you’ll never understand that what I’m doing right now is what Trish Stratus did for us. Right now, I’m helping the division for the next generation, and that is something that Charlotte Flair is too selfish to understand.”

  • Elias Comments On Progressing In The King Of The Ring Tournament

    Elias Comments On Progressing In The King Of The Ring Tournament

    Last night, Elias defeated Kevin Owens to advance in WWE’s King of the Ring tournament. His victory was assured thanks to the actions of his good friend, Shane McMahon. 

    Speaking with WWE.com after his win, Elias kept a wary eye on his surroundings, ready to defend his 24/7 Championship if need be. 

    Elias spoke about his new theme music, commenting on how he wrote, recorded, and brought it to WWE, sharing he was unsure whether he would release it or not. 

    “Big week for Elias. In fact, every week is a big week for Elias, because any time Elias is on television it’s special. […] I’ve gotta believe you’re feeling incredible right now being in the presence of Elias.”

    He then moved the interview to another part of the room, not wanting to be in a position to be trapped in case anybody attempted to win his 24/7 title.

    “[…] then I advanced in the King of the Ring, can you believe it? And sure, Shane McMahon might have helped out. He’s a good guy. A real good guy. He’s always got my back; I’ve always got his. What’s the problem? All I can say, is long live Elias. Long live the King. Long live King Elias.”

    The King of the Ring tournament continues next week. Elias will face off against the winner of Ali vs Murphy.

  • Ali Comments On His Feud With Shinsuke Nakamura Being Dropped

    Ali Comments On His Feud With Shinsuke Nakamura Being Dropped

    WWE SmackDown Superstar Ali has confirmed that the rumored feud between himself and current Intercontinental Champion, Shinsuke Nakamura, has been nixed.

    Responding to a fan question via Twitter, Ali was asked if the feud was simply dropped. Ali, who would have most likely have received a championship match if it had gone ahead, simply responded: “Yes.”

    Ali vs Nakamura had reportedly been in the works for WWE’s upcoming pay-per-view, Clash of Champions. There was no build or development on last night’s episode of SmackDown Live, suggesting the promotion has no interest in it at this point in time.

    Although he was not featured on the show itself, Ali did compete last night during the pre-SmackDown dark match. He lost to Samoa Joe.

    Nakamura & Zayn

    Instead, WWE appears to be going in a new direction with both Shinsuke Nakamura and Sami Zayn.

    “There are so many people on SmackDown that need my help,” Zayn commented before introducing Shinsuke Nakamura during MizTV. It didn’t take long for the two to turn on The Miz and assault him. Their actions firmly established their newfound alliance on the blue brand.

    Whether the long-term plan is for them to become a tag team or to simply have Zayn act as a mouthpiece for Nakamura is not known at this time.

  • Triple H Talks About What The Move To USA Network Means For NXT

    Triple H Talks About What The Move To USA Network Means For NXT

    With WWE recently confirming that their black-and-gold brand NXT will be heading to USA Network in September, people are still clamoring for information on what it might mean for Superstars, on-air talent, and the future of NXT.

    In a backstage interview posted to WWE’s YouTube account, Triple H discussed what the move to USA Network means for the brand and its long-term plans.

    “It’s been a crazy journey of something that I don’t think most people thought would never happen,” Triple H said. “But this was kinda the vision of it.”

    Regarding the move to USA Network, Triple H confessed he couldn’t be prouder to see the brand move to television, extending to a new two-hour run time in the process.

    “I couldn’t be happier. I couldn’t be more proud. I said it in the beginning, this was gonna be their brand. That’s why we hashtag it ‘we are NXT,’ he said. 

    He then promised that “As good as NXT is now, it’s only gonna get better. This is gonna expose a whole new side of NXT that people haven’t been able to see yet. I can tell you this about it: as excited as everybody is about this moment, this is the start. This isn’t the destination, this is the start. This brand is just getting started.”

    WWE NXT debuts on USA Network on September 18th at 8/7 C.

  • Rusev Debuts New Look

    Rusev Debuts New Look

    The Bulgarian Brute, Rusev, has debuted a new clean-shaven look via social media. This is the first time that Rusev has gone without any facial hair since he debuted for WWE.

    The former three-time WWE United States Champion has not featured on WWE programming since their controversial Super ShowDown event on June 7th. He participated in a 50-man Battle Royal that was won by NXT Superstar Mansoor.

    His wife, Lana, has also been missing from WWE TV, last appearing on SmackDown Live in April. In that time, she has been utilizing YouTube as a means to connect with fans, embracing a ‘salty’ gimmick as she vents about her issues with WWE and her lack of opportunities. 

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B1Zi2uEHwrt/

    “The More You Hang Around, The More You’re Forgotten”

    Rusev’s contract with WWE is reportedly expiring soon, and both he and Lana have been vocal about their frustrations with the company. They have previously expressed their issues during an interview with Lilian Garcia for her podcast Chasing Glory. 

    During this interview they admitted that “We became so strong and we’re featured but the more you hang around, the more you’re forgotten,” Rusev said. “It doesn’t matter how good you are. I think I’m good. It doesn’t matter what I do. It kind of ends up the same thing.”

    After having changed his aesthetic and getting into the best shape of his career, Rusev lamented that he does “all these things but nothing changes. I’m trying to catch Vince’s eye. We pitch, we talk and it never comes to anything.”

    Only time will tell if the WWE Universe will be able to watch this new, clean-shaven Rusev on their screens.

  • Mark Henry Speculates That Vince McMahon Is Looking Forward To Competition From AEW

    Mark Henry Speculates That Vince McMahon Is Looking Forward To Competition From AEW

    WWE recently officially announced that NXT would be debuting on USA Network on Wedneday nights. Now WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry has shared his thoughts on the impending Wednesday night war between WWE’s NXT and All Elite Wrestling (AEW). 

    “Vince looks at wrestling as being his,” Henry stated on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio. “If you try to take something that belongs to him, he’s going to cut your hand off. Reach on my plate while I’m eating and see what happens to your hand. I’m gonna stab you in the top of your hand with a fork. That’s Vince. Wrestling is his plate, and you are reaching into his plate.”

    Henry then speculated that McMahon is actually excited about this impending challenge between the two companies.

    When it was brought up that, maybe, Vince McMahon loves that AEW is trying to ‘reach over to his plate,’ Henry responded “I know he does. I don’t know nobody that likes to fight and be a tough guy more than him. Sometimes you can do it with your fists or a pencil, and Vince can do it with both.”

    WWE NXT debuts on USA Network on Wednesday, September 18th. AEW’s TNT show will premiere two weeks later on Wednesday, October 2nd.

  • Ivelisse Reflects On Her Time In Lucha Underground

    Ivelisse Reflects On Her Time In Lucha Underground

    Former Lucha Underground wrestler Ivelisse has looked back on her time with the company, sharing what she feels is the promotion’s lasting legacy.

    In an interview with Wrestlezone, Ivelisse recalled feeling as though she was being held hostage due to her Lucha Underground contract. Despite this, she still had plenty of praise for the promotion.

    “[…] it was never anything ill-intended. I went public with it—I didn’t know what else to humanly possibly do to fix my situation. And just, unhappiness. But it was just, it’s a great show. There is a lot of great people behind it and everything, it’s just, sometimes, when there’s too many people involved some people try to take things into a direction where it just doesn’t fit. And if it doesn’t fit then, you know, there’s nothing wrong or right, it’s just—if it doesn’t fit it doesn’t fit. Not on the same page for the talent.”

    “It really was down to the fact that the whole thing of wanting to keep a talent stuck on a contract to a TV show,” she explained. “Like, that’s just not realistically possible or fair or right. That was just really it. It’s great. Great show, great people, every time you go it’s fun, they treated us very well, and everything. But just that contract part was just too unrealistic, unfortunately.”

    Although she was finally able to receive her release from the company, Ivelisse believes the show still had a positive impact on pro wrestling. She reflected that Lucha Underground’s lasting legacy is defined in how it helped introduce new wrestlers and styles to a mainstream audience.

    Ivelisse will be involved with All Elite Wrestling’s Casino Battle Royal during their next major event, All Out, which airs on August 31st.

  • Sonya Deville Opens Up About Embracing Who She Is, Being An LGBTQ Athlete In WWE

    Sonya Deville Opens Up About Embracing Who She Is, Being An LGBTQ Athlete In WWE

    Sonya Deville performs as a proud LGBTQ athlete and is now completely open about her sexuality. That wasn’t always the case. 

    During her time competing alongside Mandy Rose for Tough Enough, Deville had yet to come out in an open, public way. 

    In an interview with Allure, she recalled being asked by WWE executives whether she was in a relationship. 

    “[…] for any of the other contestants would have been a simple question to answer, right? So not threatening. But for me, I wasn’t openly gay at the time. I had a girlfriend, but I never verbalized being gay. It was a weird, uncomfortable, unspoken thing that my mom and dad knew but not many other people did.”

    “When I came out, I was freaking out and got super awkward. I was like, ‘Yeah. I don’t have a wife yet, but I have a girlfriend,’ some cringeworthy answer. And Triple H started laughing and he was like, ‘Oh, now the whole world knows.’ I was like, ‘Oh, my God.’”

    She admitted that being honest about who she became one of the best things that happened to her, as she was “forced to tell my truth, forced to face it at that point.”

    Pride Fighter

    Since then, Deville has fully embraced who she is as she continues to develop in the ring, incorporating elements of herself into her “Pride Fighter” character.

    “Five years ago, wearing rainbow or doing anything to scream ‘I’m gay’ would have been so uncomfortable for me,” she explained. “A year ago, I got a tattoo on my bicep — me and my mom got it. It’s an equal sign for equality. I’ve had tattoos since I was like 16, but if you would have asked the younger me to get a tattoo that symbolized my sexuality, I would have told you no, because that’s how not okay I used to be with it.”

    “Now I’m so comfortable with who I am,” she continued, “and I’m really just evolving as a person every day. It’s really cool to be able to represent it with the WWE. I like to just have the little rainbow hankie in my back pocket or the shoelaces that I wear sometimes. It’s also just a subtle note to my LGBTQ community.”

    Rumors recently circulated that WWE may introduce a romantic angle between Deville and her tag team partner, Mandy Rose. At the time of writing, however, there is no further indication that WWE will be exploring this potential narrative. 

  • William Regal Responds To Chris Jericho’s Comment Regarding NXT Moving To USA Network

    William Regal Responds To Chris Jericho’s Comment Regarding NXT Moving To USA Network

    The wrestling world continues to react to WWE’s announcement that NXT, will debut on USA Network in September.

    Former WWE Superstar and current All Elite Wrestling (AEW) wrestler Chris Jericho shared a loaded tweet in the wake of the news. He wrote: 

    “Oh by the way… @WWENXT on @USA_Network? #YoureWelcome #IndustryChanger”

    Turns out that NXT’s General Manager William Regal has seen Jericho’s message. It didn’t take him long to respond:

    “Yes,thank you Chris. From us both being on NXT in 2010 until today, being a mentor, announcer and GM, NXT has given huge oppurtunities for many talent who would never of got a chance before, to be real game changers. And it’s all down to you.Thank you so much”

    https://twitter.com/RealKingRegal/status/1163907850332192768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1163907850332192768&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mandatory.com%2Fwrestlezone%2Fnews%2F1127527-william-regal-chris-jericho-triple-h-nxt

    NXT’s September start date puts WWE a few weeks ahead of AEW’s TNT debut on October 2nd. This gives WWE time to try and establish its black-and-gold brand on television before their competitor’s debut.

    With both shows airing on Wednesday nights, the wrestling industry is on the precipice of a new ratings war between the two shows. Despite this, AEW EVPs, The Young Bucks, recently stated they aren’t “scared” of WWE’s counter-programming efforts.

    WWE NXT will be moving up to a two-hour time slot and will debut on USA Network on September 18th at 8/7 C.