SEScoops

Author: Steve Russell

  • Bully Ray Offers Advice On How Bray Wyatt Can Achieve Longevity As ‘The Fiend’

    Bully Ray Offers Advice On How Bray Wyatt Can Achieve Longevity As ‘The Fiend’

    Bray Wyatt finally returned to Monday Night RAW this past week. He appeared after a match between Samoa Joe and Finn Balor. Wyatt proceeded to attack Balor, nailing him with his Sister Abigail finisher.

    He returned in the creepy mask that has become so popular thanks to the Firefly Fun House segments.

    Speaking on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio, Bully Ray offered some advice to help Wyatt’s latest iteration achieve longevity in WWE.

    “The key to this working and having longevity is going to be Bray Wyatt and his willingness to protect the character and every last thing the character does,” he said. “The same way the Undertaker protected the Undertaker. You have to. This is a special character that cannot be overexposed, it can not be allowed to get burnt out. If you pick and choose your spots with Bray Wyatt, just like they did on Monday night, you will have something special.”

    Bully Ray continued this juxtaposition between The Fiend character and The Undertaker:

    “If I’m Bray Wyatt, I’m looking at a couple of the hurdles that the Undertaker had to get over with that character, that is very similar to the Fiend character, and I’m going to try and avoid those hurdles and pitfalls right now. I want to keep myself special at every turn, that’s what Bray needs to do with his entire act. Nothing can be prostituted, nothing can be given away, nothing should be done with the Fiend that is a throwaway and really didn’t matter. Everything has to mean something, and that’s how you protect it and get longevity out of that.”

    Bray Is The Key

    Bully Ray compared the Fiend to Doink The Clown if he had been turned up to the “millionth level.”

    He then stated that the key to the Fiend’s success is in not allowing it to become stale.

    Ray argued the way to combat that risk is to use the character sparingly, and that WWE needs to trust Bray to make the right decisions for the character.

  • Ricochet Discusses Connection With Fans, If Backstage Is Different Under Paul Heyman

    Ricochet Discusses Connection With Fans, If Backstage Is Different Under Paul Heyman

    Ricochet may have lost his WWE United States Championship to AJ Styles at Sunday’s Extreme Rules event, but that hasn’t affected his popularity amongst the WWE Universe.

    Speaking with 969 The Game, Ricochet discussed his move to Orlando, his connection with the fans, and if backstage feels any different now Paul Heyman is Monday Night RAW’s Executive Director.

    Addressing his connection with the WWE Universe, Ricochet said that “The very first thing is my in-ring ability that I give to fans. The acrobatics and the style that I have is what catches everyone’s eyes. I’m hoping since people see that I’m just a normal dude, a kid from Kentucky living his dream. I think people can see that and understand that. That helps them connect with me a little bit more. Obviously, at first it’s the visual aspect, but then it’s more…which is awesome.”

    “Everyone Has Started To up Our Game”

    He confesses that not much has changed backstage since Heyman stepped into his new role, though it’s still early days. That hasn’t stopped himself and other Superstars from pushing themselves, performing to their best ability.

    “I feel like all the boys in the locker room, everyone has started to up our game and make the most of what we can get. To do our roles the best we can and make the show the best it can be. Nothing crazy dramatic, but a little bit over time since I’ve been here … slowly we have all tried to do everything we can to the best of our abilities.”

    This past Monday night on RAW, Ricochet teamed up with the Usos, defeating The Revival and Robert Roode.

    H/T to Wrestlezone for the transcription.

  • Seth Rollins Calls Baron Corbin A “Huge Contributor” To WWE

    Seth Rollins Calls Baron Corbin A “Huge Contributor” To WWE

    The WWE Universe may not be entirely behind Baron Corbin, but one of his Superstar colleagues appears to be.

    Former Universal Champion, Seth Rollins, spoke with the Tampa Bay Times and had some high praise for his rival, Corbin.

    “You know what, he’s come a long way,” Rollins stated. “For a guy who came into the developmental system with no clout, he wasn’t from the indies, and he never wrestled a match before, he stepped into the doors in Tampa, and he learned very quickly from some of the best guys we have in our industry.”

    Rollins explained that Corbin wasn’t given much of a chance by people, including himself.

    “He comes from a different world and sometimes you can be ostracized for that. He’s a guy who took a bit of the hazing, but he pushed through, persevered, and he grew really love the industry, and he has dedicated the last four years of his life to being on the road nonstop.”

    Seth argued that Baron Corbin works just as hard as anyone else on the WWE roster. He went on to call him a “huge contributor to our roster and the product we put out every week.”

  • Brandi Rhodes Talks About Balancing In-Ring And CBO Duties, Tagging With Awesome Kong

    Brandi Rhodes Talks About Balancing In-Ring And CBO Duties, Tagging With Awesome Kong

    Following her successful in-ring debut for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) at their recent Fight For The Fallen event, Brandi Rhodes took part in a media scrum.

    One of the questions asked addressed the balance Brandi has to maintain between her role as an active in-ring competitor and as AEWs Chief Branding Officer.

    “It’s tiring,” Rhodes admitted. “I pretty much train every day. First of all—I had a lot of people tell me that I looked really good out there. None of you did, but I’m just going to tell you that in my training I really toned up. I lost about ten pounds, so I really take it really seriously, I’m in there all the time, but then the daily work of the CBO never stops. My phone rings at 2 o’clock in the morning, and I generally answer it. We have a lot going on. We are a brand new company; we’re building all of the time, so it’s a lot of work. Sometimes we don’t sleep that much, but that’s what you do for things you love.”

    Brandi Rhodes, accompanied by Awesome Kong, defeated Allie this past Saturday.

    Speaking of her alliance with Kong, Rhodes mentioned that she would “love to tag with her and learn from her [Kong]” in the future, so their partnership in AEW appears to have long-term plans.

    H/T to Wrestlezone for the transcription.

  • Chris Jericho Talks About Being Wrestling’s Renaissance Man

    Chris Jericho Talks About Being Wrestling’s Renaissance Man

    Chris Jericho has continued to successfully reinvent himself throughout his entire pro wrestling career.

    Even now, Jericho remains at the forefront of fans’ minds thanks to his involvement with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW).

    During a recent media event, Jericho was asked how he felt being referred to as wrestling’s ‘renaissance man’.

    “My mission has always been to reinvent and evolve,” Jericho stated. “It’s David Bowie. It’s been one of my inspirations since I was 25 years old, when you realize that you have this guy that’s a genius and who constantly changes what he’s doing, what he looks like to keep the fans guessing. ‘What’s Bowie’s next record going to be?’ Is it going to be ‘Electro’, is it going to be ‘Let’s Dance’, rhythm and blues rock, techno, be whatever. What look is he going to have? And that’s what I always wanted to do, but it’s not something that’s calculated. It’s something that just happens for me. The “Painmaker” in Japan with the makeup and all of that sort of stuff, it just felt right. Some people said “oh he looks like a clown”—I ‘don’t f*****g care what you think.”

    He continued, saying “To me, that’s the way that this character should be, the same thing with the character that you saw tonight with the ‘thank you’. I really do think I should have some kind of a thank you from the company, and then when Adam Page is busted open and there’s blood over everything, that’s my thank you.”

    Y2J

    Jericho went on to say that when fans chant ‘Y2J’ at him, he can no longer relate to the revered character. He explains that Y2J is a 20-year-old character and that he, as an individual, has naturally changed and grown so much in that time.

    Without that continual personal evolution, he exaplins that he would have no interest in continuing in the pro wrestling business.

    H/T to Wrestlezone for the transcription.

  • WWE Allegedly Has Big Plans For The Miz

    WWE Allegedly Has Big Plans For The Miz

    It appears as though The Miz is primed for a renewed push.

    This past week on Monday Night RAW, The Miz would host an episode of his talk show, Miz TV. His guest? “The Showoff” Dolph Ziggler.

    It didn’t take long for the two to go from exchanging words to clashing blows. This would occur after Ziggler involved Miz’s wife, Maryse, in the conversation. Ziggler would manage to roll out of the ring and escape to end the segment.

    Storied Rivalry

    Although the two have feuded in the past, The Miz is allegedly going to receive another significant push off the back of their latest chapter.

    According to Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com, Miz was supposed to be one of RAW’s top guys when first drafted from SmackDown Live.

    Despite this, Miz has been used to get other Superstars over. This has caused his star power to wane, and he is no longer considered to be at that top-tier level.

    WWE’s plan of action will see them adjust Miz’s attitude. Whereas before he wasn’t serious enough, The Miz will supposedly be entering into this feud with a different mindset to elevate him back to top Superstar status.

    This, apparently, is step one of WWE’s new plans for The Miz.

  • Ryback Argues That WWE Should Use Current Superstars Against Legends On RAW Reunion Show

    Ryback Argues That WWE Should Use Current Superstars Against Legends On RAW Reunion Show

    Next week sees WWE host a special RAW Reunion of their long-running Monday night show. Numerous past WWE Superstars and Hall Of Famers will be participating, including Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin to name a few.

    Former WWE Superstar, Ryback, has shared his thoughts on this RAW Reunion. Speaking on an episode of his podcast, Conversation with the Big Guy, Ryback commented that WWE should be pairing their current talent with the returning legends.

    In the past, Superstars have shared interactions with returning legends, usually in promo or comedy segments.

    RAW Reunion

    “You have to use today’s talent with those [classic superstars on RAW Reunion],” Ryback claimed. “This is why I talk about AEW is going to have a real issue making stars, it’s like me when I got to working in the main event scene working with CM Punk. I had wrestled nobody up until that point, but when you put me in the ring with CM Punk, it elevates me instantly because I’m getting the rub of being in the ring with this famous guy and hanging with him. And then you see me in the ring with Chris Jericho, and John Cena, and all these other big names, so that’s what happens with other guys. It’s harder when you don’t have those big, marquee names to help elevate the new guys.”

    He added that WWE should “[…] put a Finn Balor in the ring with a Stone Cold Steve Austin, or you put Razor Ramon in the ring with Elias, or whoever and you use them in a good capacity with those guys. [….] It elevates them, and I think, especially if the guys are able to work, you’re able to do it even better when you can pay it off with a match. But that’s the whole celebrity thing in wrestling that’s missing that’s very, very important. So hopefully they make some changes on that and do something big.”

    Despite the appearances of legends next week, Ryback remains dubious they will have a significant effect on WWE’s ratings. He believes that the promotion needs to drastically reformat their strategy moving forward.

    With Heyman and Bischoff now Executive Directors of RAW and SmackDown, ‘The Big Guy’ may just see his assertions come true.

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

    https://youtu.be/9KwjzWx92T0
  • Wade Barrett Shares What Brock Lesnar Was Like Backstage, Recalls Story Between Lesnar and Fan

    Wade Barrett Shares What Brock Lesnar Was Like Backstage, Recalls Story Between Lesnar and Fan

    The former “Bad News” Barrett, Wade Barrett, recently appeared onInside The Ropes.

    During their conversation, Barrett would recall how WWE Universal Champion, Brock Lesnar, carried himself backstage, behind the scenes.

    “Brock was a strange one because, first of all, he never really did the live events,” Barrett said. “I know you guys mainly see the stuff that’s on TV which is RAW and SmackDown, but on top of that, we’re doing four, five, six—if we’re on tour—events per week. So the majority of wrestling we do and the majority of time that we spend around WWE, and the locker room, and the guys is on the non-televised stuff, also known as the ‘house shows’.”

    Barrett continued, “He wasn’t at any of those [live events], and even the TV stuff, he’d be there like ten weeks a year or something like that, so he wouldn’t be around very often. So we didn’t spend much time around Brock. When he did get to the arenas, he’d have his own private bus that he would hang out on. And maybe you’d see him for like thirty minutes before he went out for his match, or his promo segment or whatever, but he didn’t really hang around with the guys too much… He wasn’t really a member of the locker room, in that respect. Always a cool guy, but very much kept himself to himself.”

    Fan Following

    Barrett then regaled the audience with a story about a fan interaction with Brock that took place in a gym.

    He explained that he and a few other Superstars were just finishing their workout when Lesnar entered. The entire gym apparently stopped, with people gawking at the size of “The Beast Incarnate”.

    One of those people was apparently a big fan of Lesnar and proceeded to follow him around the gym.

    “Brock walks into the changing room, and he looks at us and goes, ‘This kid keeps following me around every time I go to a machine! He’s next to me every time I go to a bench, he always comes and sits next to me! He’s really pissing me off.’ We go, ‘Oh okay, see you at the building, Brock, whatever,’ And then Brock walks past us and goes into the back room, the toilet area of the changing room. He goes around the corner.

    “Anyway, we’re finishing up and then suddenly, this nervous, sixteen-year-old, nerdy kid pops his head around the locker room,” Barrett continued. “[…] He’s sneaking around, he’s looking past us, and then suddenly, he spots the toilet area which was just around the corner from where we’re at. This kid kind of stumbles past, walks around the corner, and disappears. A small part of me wanted to tell this kid, ‘No, this isn’t the day.’ But another part of my brain thought, ‘Ya know, the boy has to learn.’ So I didn’t say anything; I just kind of looked at Bray Wyatt and he kind of shrugged his shoulders. We all knew that something bad was about to happen. We were just waiting; we were frozen in time. Suddenly, all you hear is, ‘Are you trying to see my f*****g penis?!’ Followed by this terrified sixteen-year-old running out of there, through the door, never to be seen again.”

    Seeing Superman

    Barrett justified that, for the teenager, it was akin to seeing Superman. A real-life hero that he wanted to be close to, forgetting any sense of personal space in the process.

    He added that this incident became a running joke backstage in WWE for a while, explaining that “If you’re using the bathroom and Bo Dallas walks around [the corner], ‘Are you trying to see my penis?!’ Or whatever it was.”

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Trent Seven Reflects On Taking Pride In NXT UK, Kyle O’Reilly Helping Him Broaden His Wrestling Horizons

    Trent Seven Reflects On Taking Pride In NXT UK, Kyle O’Reilly Helping Him Broaden His Wrestling Horizons

    Trent Seven was a recent guest on the popular podcast, E&C’s Pod Of Awesomeness.

    During his discussion with hosts, Edge and Christian, Seven addressed taking pride in performing for NXT UK. He also spoke about which wrestler helped him when it came to understanding wrestling on a deeper level.

    When asked how he felt about NXT UK being WWE’s first international brand, Seven responded that there is a “massive amount of pride.”

    “You can feel it through the product as well, especially in the in-ring performances you see on the Network,” he siad. “There’s a lot of pride. It kind of feels sometimes when you look back that it’s almost like your life’s work.”

    “Just being the first-ever extension of the North American arm of it as well… It all came around very sharp, and there was a bit of a detour as people were working out the logistics and how it was gonna work. Hats off to Tyler and Pete for putting on the caliber of matches and claiming that title the way they did. It’s a very proud thing to look back on and obviously to carry on with.”

    Broadening Horizons

    When it comes to pushing himself in the ring, Seven credits Undisputed Era’s Kyle O’Reilly as the man to help him broaden his horizons.

    “The first person that comes to mind is Kyle O’Reilly. This was about 2011, I think he’d been wrestling for about a year at that time. He came over as a recommendation from Davey Richards. At that time, I was living and working as a manager of a pub. He was the first international or ‘real’ wrestler I’ve ever wrestled.”

    Trent recalled a tumultuous time having to find a new venue for a show he was putting on after the previous site canceled 24 hours previously. After having miraculously secured a new place, his match with O’Reilly would be the first time he ever called a bout in the ring.

    “I’ve always heard of these veterans saying ‘we’ll call it out in the ring’ and I was like ‘you’re full of it, no one’s ever done that.’ We went out there and he just battered me for about 25 minutes, and somehow, someway, it just kind of clicked for me. ‘Oh, this is actually wrestling.’”

    Trent Seven is currently involved in a feud with WALTER and his stable, Imperium. He recently challenged WALTER to a matchup, claiming that he didn’t care whether the WWE United Kingdom Championship was on the line or not.

    NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff will take place on August 31st from the Motorpoint Arena Cardiff in Cardiff, Wales.

    H/T to Wrestlezone for the transcription.

  • WWE Changes Several NXT Superstars Names

    WWE Changes Several NXT Superstars Names

    WWE has changed the names of a number of their newest NXT recruits.

    The new names were listed on the official WWE Performance Center roster listings, confirming the changes.

    • Malcolm Bivens (formerly known as Stokely Hathaway) will now be called Courtenay Moore.
    • Brennan Williams is now Dio Maddin
    • Dan Matha is now Dorian Mak
    • Nick Comoroto will now be Nick Ogarelli
    • Robert Strauss (formerly Impact Wrestling’s Robbie E) is now Robert Stone
    • The 3.0 Tag Team (Scott Parker and Shane Matthews) are now known by their real names, Jeffrey Parker and Matthew Menard-Lee
    • Rachels Evers will once again be known as Rachel Ellering.

    Ellering is the daughter of Hall Of Fame manager, Paul Ellering. Given that they have reverted her name, it appears that WWE will once again be leaning into this association. The name ‘Evers’ was in homage to Lance Storm (who’s real name is Lance Evers). Storm trained her at his pro wrestling school, Storm Wrestling Academy.

    Breakout

    This isn’t the first time that WWE has changed NXT rookie names. Indie stars ACH, Shane Strickland, and Trevor Lee have all recently been renamed under WWE branding. They became Jordan Myles, Isiah “Swerve” Scott, and Cameron Grimes, respectively.

    They recently debuted on NXT television, participating in NXT’s Breakout tournament.

  • Liv Morgan Promises To Come Back “Real”

    Liv Morgan Promises To Come Back “Real”

    Despite her best efforts, Liv Morgan was unable to upset Charlotte Flair during last night’s episode of SmackDown Live.

    The former Riott Squad member held her own against “The Queen” for the majority of the match—at one point almost coming away with the victory. The end result, however, would see Charlotte Flair leave the ring with another ‘W’ in her win column.

    Afterwards, Liv Morgan would grab Corey Graves headset, before emotionally teasing a change. Making reference to comments made by Flair earlier in the night, Morgan confessed that “Charlotte was right…and when I come back, I’m going to be real!”

    https://twitter.com/tde_wrestling/status/1151291902987264001

    This limited promo time came off the back of Morgan’s involvement in SmackDown’s Town Hall segment that opened the show. It was her statement during this portion of the show that would lead to the matchup between herself and Flair.

    Following her Town Hall participation and post-defeat promise, Liv Morgan was trending on Twitter.

    Given that Morgan on the cusp of a new storyline—perhaps even a gimmick change—this renewed interest and popularity should hopefully bolster WWE’s faith in the Superstar going forward.

    Morgan was one of the Superstars mentioned during Kevin Owens’ explosive anti-Shane McMahon promo, made last week.

  • Dalton Castle Credits Former Radio Career For Preparing Him For Pro Wrestling

    Dalton Castle Credits Former Radio Career For Preparing Him For Pro Wrestling

    Dalton Castle has credited his past radio job for preparing him for a career in professional wrestling.

    The former Ring of Honor (ROH) World Champion recently spoke with Wrestlezone’s Kevin Kallam. It was during their conversation that Dalton opened up about his experiences working as a radio presenter for Q105.7 in Albany, New York. He stated that his time there would influence his in-ring mic style and promo ability.

    “Yeah, I spent some time working on an alter rock station for a few years. Then four-five years on an active rock station in Albany, New York. I loved radio,” Castle said. “I was simultaneously starting my wrestling career at the same time I was doing my radio career. One day radio said goodbye and wrestling said we’ll take ya and make ya into a bigger star and life has been better ever since. I loved radio, I loved doing interviews, I got to go to a lot of festivals and concerts.”

    He admitted that spending time in a microphone helped him understand the proper ways to address and engage with an audience, something he continues to put into effect in ROH.

    “I would say addressing a crowd, talking into the microphone is probably the best thing that radio had prepared me for in the world of wrestling. With a broadcast degree, I know the appropriate length to hold a microphone from your mouth. I know how to not pop my p’s. I am certainly not popping p’s. What am I? Some sort of two years in the business rookie wrestling on the indies popping my p’s into a microphone? Pacing around and pulling on the XLR cable? No, I’m a damn pro.”

    Castle recently picked up a victory against Dragon Lee at ROH’s Best In The World PPV.

  • Reason Behind Street Profits Appearances On RAW

    Reason Behind Street Profits Appearances On RAW

    WWE is actively attempting to recapture their lost 18-34 year old demographic. Part of their plans to do so included hiring Paul Heyman and Eric Bischoff as Executive Directors.

    The promotion is also looking to inject their on-screen product with fresh talent and young blood. This is one of the reasons Superstars like Ricochet have been given an opportunity and grander platform in recent weeks. Street Profits are another pair of WWE Superstars who have benefited from WWE’s latest efforts.

    Although not yet embroiled in a main card feud, WWE is hoping to use the Street Profits as a way of enticing a younger audience back to RAW. This is why they have been appearing backstage.

    Further, it appears as though the Street Profits are being allowed to do their segments live, according to PWInsider. The majority of backstage segments are usually pre-taped earlier in the day.

    Part of the reason behind this decision is to allow them to infuse their promos with as much energy as possible.

    The team are the current NXT Tag Team Champions. Despite their inclusion on RAW, they are not yet considered to be a part of the main roster. Rather, they are being utilized in a similar way that Aleister Black, Ricochet, Tommaso Ciampa, and Johnny Gargano were a few months ago.

  • Sean Waltman Names The “Guy” That Will Help With NJPW Global Expansion

    Sean Waltman Names The “Guy” That Will Help With NJPW Global Expansion

    Sean Waltman recently shared his thoughts on the opening night of New Japan Pro Wrestling’s G1 Climax and named the wrestler he believes to be the “guy” to help propel their global expansion plans.

    Speaking on his podcast X-PAC 12360, Waltman pointed to Will Ospreay as the individual that NJPW shoul push to help them grow and reach a wider audience. From his in-ring ability to his physical look, Waltman is clearly a fan of what Ospreay can bring to the table.

    “As someone that’s specialty was that style of match, a David and Goliath match, I just thought it was done really well,” Waltman said. “Ospreay, I think he’s the best guy they have especially for the global expansion here in the States. You know, a blond-haired f*****g kid with blue eyes. Good looking f****r, too. His gears are all on point – I was hoping he would win. Lance [Archer] did great though, I was really happy for Lance. I hope they use Lance more moving forward. I hope they use him better.”

    The G1 Climax continues on July 13th with the opening night of B Block action. Ospreay will be competing in a tag team match alongside Young Lion, Yuya Uemura, and an injured Kota Ibushi. They will face off against Los Ingobernables de Japon members BUSHI, EVIL, and SANADA.

  • Jim Ross Critical Of Fyter Fest Pre-Show

    Jim Ross Critical Of Fyter Fest Pre-Show

    Jim Ross has never been one to shy away from voicing his opinion, even if it’s an observation on the company he’s working for.

    Despite the hype and goodwill surrounding All Elite Wrestling (AEW), especially ahead of their October television debut and All Out event, Ross isn’t afraid to criticize if he thinks a match or segment isn’t up to scratch.

    That’s precisely what he did when speaking to Sirius XM’s Busted Open Radio regarding Fyter Fest’s pre-show.

    “Honestly, I wasn’t crazy about it,” Ross admitted. “I do not think it sold enough of what we were doing on the main show. I didn’t think it was what we needed to be doing.”

    He continued, “Now, I like comedies—when I’m drinking those are my go-to. I think we have to be selling a good sampling of what we do in the main show. If you have a pregame show for a pay-per-view, those matches shouldn’t just be filler, they should be something.”

    Wanting to improve the pre-show output from AEW isn’t the only thing Ross intends to focus on. He also wants to ensure that the entire AEW locker room is prepared for the reality of live TV and a touring schedule, something he claims the majority of wrestlers with an independent background are unfamiliar with.

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Backstage News On Cedric Alexander Being Reigns’ Partner On RAW, Graveyard Dogs Merch

    Backstage News On Cedric Alexander Being Reigns’ Partner On RAW, Graveyard Dogs Merch

    Roman Reigns faced off against Drew McIntyre and Shane McMahon this past Monday on RAW. His opponents had spent the night searching for a tag team partner for Reigns and ended up finding janitor, Gary “The GOAT” Garbutt.

    Garbutt, donned in a luchador mask to conceal his identity, would reveal himself to be former 205 Live Superstar and current RAW roster member, Cedric Alexander.

    Turns out that WWE was initially going to use a local wrestler as enhancement talent for the match but decided to go with Alexander instead, according to Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com.

    He noted that “over the course of the day, there was a pitch for Cedric Alexander to do the spots instead. We are told there will be a follow-up to Alexander’s involvement on RAW Monday.”

    Alexander wouldn’t manage to participate too much in the matchup past an impressive initial flurry. He would eventually receive a Claymore Kick courtesy of Drew McIntyre before being pinned for the three count by Shane McMahon. After Reigns helped him to unlace his mask, Alexander removed it and showcased that he had become a little bit bloody during the in-ring exchange.

    Graveyard Dogs

    Speaking of Roman Reigns, WWE has released some official merchandise ahead of his matchup at this Sunday’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view.

    Reigns will be teaming for The Undertaker to take on Shane McMahon and Drew McIntyre.

    Riffing off of both Superstar’s insistence to refer to the ring as their “yard”, the shirt is emblazoned with the slogan “We Run This Yard”.

    The back of the shirt also seems to reveal that WWE has given the pair a name—one that they may be referred to as by commentary on Sunday: Graveyard Dogs.

    Their tag team is being treated as a one-time partnership at this point in time, with no plans to have the two continue wrestling together past Extreme Rules. In theory, that makes this shirt somewhat limited edition.

    Extreme Rules Card

    Last Chance Winners Take All Mixed Tag Team Extreme Rules Match for both WWE Universal and WWE RAW Women’s Championship

    Seth Rollins (c) and Becky Lynch (c) vs Baron Corbin and Lacey Evans

    The Undertaker and Roman Reigns vs Shane McMahon and Drew McIntyre

    WWE Championship Match

    Kofi Kingston (c) vs Samoa Joe

    Handicap Match for SmackDown Women’s Championship

    Bayley (c) vs Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross

    WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match

    Drew Gulak (c) vs Tony Nese

    Triple Threat Tag Team Match for WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship

    Daniel Bryan and Rowan (c) vs The New Day (Big E and Xavier Woods) vs Heavy Machinery

    Aleister Black vs Cesaro

    WWE United States Championship Match

    Ricochet (c) vs AJ Styles

    Last Man Standing Match

    Braun Strowman vs Bobby Lashley

    WWE RAW Tag Team Championship Match

    The Revival vs The Usos

  • R-Truth Discusses His Intitial Thoughts About The 24/7 Championship, How It Has Impacted The Locker Room

    R-Truth Discusses His Intitial Thoughts About The 24/7 Championship, How It Has Impacted The Locker Room

    R-Truth continues to enjoy the latest resurgence in his WWE career as he once again attempts to reclaim the 24/7 Championship.

    In an interview with Yahoo! Sports, Truth shared his initial thoughts about the title when he first found out about it as well as the effect the 24/7 Championship on the locker room.

    “From day one when they introduced it to us I had my eyes set on it and wanting to take the title to the level that it is at now and beyond,” Killings admits. “The title is getting to be known very well, I’m glad I get to be a part of it.”

    Locker Room Impact

    It’s not just R-Truth that has benefitted with more TV time since the introduction of the championship.

    Drake Maverick, Jinder Mahal, and EC3 are all Superstars R-Truth names that the new title has helped.

    “I like the fact that it gives a lot of guys in the back a lot more TV time, a lot of the talent that people don’t get to see, they’re getting exposure now because of that title,” Killings explained.

    He continued, “Guys like Drake Maverick, Jinder Mahal, EC3, these guys came up with their own gimmick with regard to the title. Drake Maverick came up with the poster idea on his own, he took that leap. The company takes notice of that. When the opportunity is there, you have to let your creative juices start flowing and reach and grab for it.”

    At the time of writing, Drake Maverick remains the 24/7 Champion—though that could change at any time.

  • WWE Announces Partnership With Quibi For New ‘Fight Like A Girl’ Series, Featuring Stephanie McMahon

    WWE Announces Partnership With Quibi For New ‘Fight Like A Girl’ Series, Featuring Stephanie McMahon

    WWE has officially announced that they will be teaming up with Quibi. The two will be creating a new ‘Fight Like A Girl’ series, featuring Stephanie McMahon.

    The series of videos are intended to inspire young women to become stronger, healthier version of themselves.

    In each episode, Stephanie McMahon will partner a WWE Superstar with a young woman who is struggling. The Superstar will then help the woman. They will draw from their own life experiences in order to help their trainee become a better person.

    The show will be shot at the WWE Performance Center and will showcase the transformation that each woman undergoes before a “heart-pounding reveal.”

    Stephanie McMahon addressed the recent partnership on her own Twitter account, writing:

    “So proud to be part of the new series on Quibi, #FightLikeAGirl. Behind every woman is a story of hard work, failure & triumph. @WWE female Superstars draw from their experiences to help trainees overcome obstacles to become all around stronger & healthier versions of themselves!

    Produced by WWE Studios and Critical Content. Executive Producers are Stephanie McMahon, Susan Levison, Ben Zierten and Richard Lowell for WWE Studios, and Tom Forman, Jenny Daly and Jon Beyer for Critical Content.

  • Cody Rhodes’ Second Children’s Book Comes Out On July 15

    Cody Rhodes’ Second Children’s Book Comes Out On July 15

    Cody Rhodes has been busy ever since leaving WWE. In between establishing himself on the independent circuit and becoming acquainted with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), he would also help to birth All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

    Somehow, despite his calendar being so full and his time so in demand, Cody has managed to find the time to write another children’s book.

    Titled ‘Cody Heart of the Mountain,’ it is the second in the Elite Team Series. The story will feature younger versions of Cody and his Elite stablemates experiencing another adventure—this time dealing with the magical properties of a mystical summit.

    Speaking on the release of the book, Cody said:

    “Bringing this story to life was a labor of love. It was truly special watching Dylan Coburn masterfully bring the words to life as well as working with Trism Books to provide a positive message to children and adults alike. I hope you enjoy.”

    Cody Heart of the Mountain will come out on July 15th for a suggested retail price of $16.95.

    Both Cody and Brandi Rhodes will be attending book signings in support of its release for the next few months. They will be in Jacksonville, FL; Atlanta, GA; and Chicago, IL. Future cities are still to be announced.

  • Backstage Reason Behind Kevin Owens’ SmackDown Promo

    Backstage Reason Behind Kevin Owens’ SmackDown Promo

    Kevin Owens received a lot of praise in the wake of his promo from this week’s SmackDown Live. He would lambast Shane McMahon for taking up valuable TV time from Superstars deserving of the time to shine, saying:

    “I would never call myself the best in the world, and there’s a hundred people back there who’ve got a legitimate claim. And you take up TV time from Apollo Crews, Buddy Murphy, Ali, Liv Morgan, Asuka, AOP, Kairi Sane.”

    Turns out the reason behind Owens’ promo is to usher in a new storyline. This narrative will eventually phase Shane McMahon out of WWE’s weekly programming.

    The trigger behind the alleged shoot promo stems from WWE’s awareness that Shane McMahon has featured far too prominently across RAW and SmackDown in recent months.
    The growing negative reaction online to his increasing role became something that WWE couldn’t ignore.
    Coupled with the promotion’s declining ratings, it’s been reported that Vince McMahon is more willing than ever before to listen to the negative feedback.

    WWE will be leaning into the idea that Owens is a representative for the fans. He will act as a mouthpiece as he adopts a more anti-authoritative stance against Shane McMahon.

    Despite his latest face turn and push against Shane, at the time of writing, Owens has yet to be booked for Extreme Rules.

  • Jim Ross Calls Jon Moxley AEW’s “Biggest Get,” Talks About Getting AEW Roster Ready For TNT Debut

    Jim Ross Calls Jon Moxley AEW’s “Biggest Get,” Talks About Getting AEW Roster Ready For TNT Debut

    Jon Moxley’s departure from WWE has allowed him to explore new opportunities. Since leaving, he has appeared in both New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

    Despite a roster showing off Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega, Cody, and The Young Bucks, he was an undeniably significant acquisition for the burgeoning AEW.

    According to Jim Ross, he may just be the “biggest get” for them.

    Speaking to SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio, Ross explained how Moxley’s presence in the locker room will bolster the company, both backstage and in the ring.

    “[…] it’s the biggest get yet, for us,” Ross claimed. “Because of the timeliness of him coming fresh off WWE television, I know he wasn’t always overwhelmed with his creative, but he got a lot of TV time, he has a lot of name amenity, and more importantly he’s young, athletic, and passionate. And he seemingly comes into work with a chip on his shoulder, he’s perpetual motion at TV, he’s full of energy. He’s a big get, man.”

    “They Ain’t Been To The Big Dance, Yet”

    Looking to the future, Ross opens up about the reality facing the locker room when AEW debut on TNT.

    “They [the AEW roster] may have great reputations in the independent scene. They may have cult followings with a small smattering of fans here, there, and yon because of their work in the indies, but they ain’t been to the big dance, yet,” Ross explained.

    “We’re gonna get them to the big dance in October when we go on TNT every week. Live television, prime time, every week, in October. So hopefully we can help continue to mold, mentor, coach ’em up, be a good listener, give ’em some love and some positive attention and motivation, and by October, whoever sticks with the roster by then, is going to have a whole different perspective.”

    He stressed that come October, the entire roster are in for a shock if they aren’t prepared for the schedule and reality of what a live TV show entails, and so they are working towards helping them adjust to that ahead of time.

  • Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, and WWE Talent Participating In VidCon Panel

    Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, and WWE Talent Participating In VidCon Panel

    WWE will be in attendance at the 10th annual VidCon convention this week in Anaheim, California. This is the first time the promotion has ever attended the YouTube-centric convention.

    It has been revealed that Triple H and Stephanie McMahon will both be present. Joining them will be a number of WWE Superstars and talent including Charlotte Flair, Cathy Kelley, and Xavier Woods.

    Triple H, Woods, Kelley, and Flair will participate in a panel entitled “From The Top Rope: A Look Inside the WWE Content Innovation Lab.”
    The panel is scheduled for one hour. It takes place today at 1PM inside Ballroom A within the Anaheim Convention Center.

    The official synopsis highlights how the WWE Content Innovation Lab can be thanked for helping WWE Superstars to grow their fan bases “faster than ever due to the unique content they’re creating.”

    Additionally, they will “discuss how WWE is using the Content Innovation Lab to foster the next generation of Superstars and how it’s using content to expand into global markets.”

    Stephanie McMahon will be participating in a Fireside Chat with Hollywood Reporter Digital Media Editor Natalie Jarvey. They will be discussing WWE’s growth and strategy for breaking into new markets while “while staying true to itself and its the existing fans that made the company so successful.”

  • Adam Page Discusses Knee Injury Ahead Of All Out Match With Chris Jericho

    Adam Page Discusses Knee Injury Ahead Of All Out Match With Chris Jericho

    Adam Page is slated to face off against Chris Jericho to determine the first-ever All Elite Wrestling (AEW) World Heavyweight Champion. The two will compete for the honor at AEW’s All Out event.

    Page recently competed during AEW’s Fyter Fest, winning a Fatal 4 Way against Maxwell Jacob Friedman, Jimmy Havoc, and Jungle Boy. This win saw him earn even more positive momentum with his match against Jericho on the horizon.

    After the match, he caught up with Alex Marvez backstage and addressed his health status ahead of his championship opportunity.

    “Yeah, knee’s good,” informed Page. “Knee’s 100% healthy, healthy as a damn horse, I’ll say this time for sure. Knee’s good, I’m looking forward to it. A lot of training to do between now and then, but 100% healthy.”

    Before All Out, however, Page will have another matchup against Kip Sabian. Their bout takes place at this coming Saturday’s Fight For The Fallen show.

    Fight For The Fallen takes place on July 13th from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida.

    Fight For The Fallen Card

    • Kenny Omega vs Cima
    • Cody and Dustin Rhodes vs The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson)
    • Brandi Rhodes vs Allie
    • Adam Page vs Kip Sabian
    • Jimmy Havoc, Darby Allin, and Joey Janela vs MJF, Sammy Guevara, and Shawn Spears
    • SoCal Uncensored (Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky) vs Lucha Brothers (Pentagon Jr. and Rey Fenix)
    • Sonny Kiss vs Peter Avalon w/Leva Bates
  • Jim Ross And Steve Austin Discuss Chair Shots In Modern Pro Wrestling

    Jim Ross And Steve Austin Discuss Chair Shots In Modern Pro Wrestling

    After Cody took an unprotected chair shot to head at All Elite Wrestling’s recent Fyter Fest show, discussion has once again resurfaced over the dangers such impact can induce.

    Jim Ross recently joined “Stone Cold” Steve Austin on his podcast. The two eventually addressed Shawn Spears attacking Cody with a weapon.

    Overdone

    “It’s like a lot of things in wrestling,” Ross said. “It’s overdone: A little goes a long way, and some of that stuff that we see and the chair is a perfect example, it’s a shortcut that people use as a crutch, and it’s overused.”

    Ross admits he is not an advocate for people getting hit in the head, saying he’s “[…] not a big fan of it.”

    “I’ll just come out and say what I would do: I wouldn’t do any more chair shots to the head. We’re done with that business. If I can’t have a team around me that are creative enough to get me the results of what I want in this angle or this storyline without having to scramble somebody’s brains for real, then I need to find some more hands cause we got the wrong staff here. Your last original idea died of loneliness, c’ mon.”

    Special Occasions

    Austin agreed with Ross’ sentiment that chair shots are overdone. He added that “In this day and age—a one-off here or there, because if you don’t make it so frequent…and it is unimaginative at this point in time.”

    He continued, saying “[…] I’m not gonna say ‘in defense of it’ I’m just saying when you’re on the receiving end, it is a calculated risk. If a guy is willing to take that risk, I say more power to him, but then there comes that trust factor as well.”

    Jim would give his rebuttal, arguing that the problem lies with everyone wanting to have the chair shot in their back pocket for a “special occasion.”

    The problem being that “a special occasion may be different definitively than their special occasion. So as long as they have that option, they’re going to go to it as often as they because ‘this is my special occasion.’”

    H/T To WrestleZone.com for the transcription.

  • Kota Ibushi Shares Photos Of Injury Sustained Wrestling Kenta During G1 Climax

    Kota Ibushi Shares Photos Of Injury Sustained Wrestling Kenta During G1 Climax

    Kota Ibushi and the returning Kenta (recently known as WWE Superstar Hideo Itami) had a hard-hitting clash at New Japan Pro Wrestling’s G1 Climax’s opening night.

    The two faced off on July 6th in Dallas. Their physical war has clearly affected both men, who still have the rest of the tournament ahead of them.

    Ibushi took to Twitter in order to share the price he paid in his loss to Kenta. He uploaded two photos showing the extent of the damage he suffered. Heavy bruising and swelling are clearly on display.

    In the tweet itself, he reveals that he was able to walk 100 steps. He sets himself the goal of being able up to 200 steps and promises that he won’t give up.

    Ibushi is currently scheduled to compete in a match this coming Saturday. With Block B wrestlers headlining the show, Block A competitors usually open the card in a series of tag team matches.

    He is still advertised as teaming with Young Lion, Yuya Uemura, and CHAOS’ Will Ospreay. The trio will be competing against Los Ingobernables de Japon members BUSHI, SANADA, and EVIL.

    His next G1 tournament matchup takes place on Sunday, July 14th against LIJ’s EVIL.