SEScoops

Author: Steve Russell

  • Mark Henry Addresses Diversity In WWE

    Mark Henry Addresses Diversity In WWE

    Kofi Kingston’s momentous title victory over Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 35 is still receiving waves of positive feedback—not only in regards to the story told but also for what it means to Kofi and representation within WWE.

    WWE Hall Of Famer, Mark Henry, spoke with TMZ Sports about Kofi’s WWE Championship win. “The World’s Strongest Man” would candidly discuss the importance of Kingston becoming champion after a well-documented 11 years with the company. He labelled Kofi an inspiration for future generations of black Superstars.

    “It’s very significant,” Henry said on Kofi becoming champion. “I said it best from Ron Simmons to myself, it was a 15 year period of black champions, with me and Booker T and The Rock and Ron Simmons, in that time-frame. 15 years from now there might be another 2 or 3 black wrestlers that come into the industry, and they were inspired by Kofi Kingston.”

    “It’s A Powerful Thing To Have Representation”

    Henry would go on to talk about the importance of representation and diversity within WWE, saying:

    “[…] it’s a powerful thing to have representation, and it’s also a powerful thing to be able to see somebody that looks like you, and have them tell you, first-hand, the struggle and what it took to get there. And I think it’ll be balanced and great for the sport of wrestling, not from just a color standpoint but from an exposure standpoint. We need to have our kids exposed to seeing great talents like Kofi Kingston.”

    When asked about diversity within the company, Henry reflected on when he first signed with the company, juxtaposing that with WWE’s current roster.

    “I don’t think they have a diversity problem,” he added. “[…] When I came into wrestling there were 3 people, 3 black people in the company. There is growth. There is a future for the African-American in pro wrestling, and ya know, I want to be a part of that as much as I can.”

    Henry recently posed in a photo, one shared by NXT’s Kieth Lee, that shows off the sheer depth of black talent within WWE today.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BwCnpA5HmQP/

  • Nikki Bella Reveals The One Thing That Would Bring Her Out Of Retirement

    Nikki Bella Reveals The One Thing That Would Bring Her Out Of Retirement

    Despite her official retirement still being relatively new, Nikki Bella clearly still has an interest in pro wrestling, and the allure of an in-ring return remains an attractive prospect to her—but only if she can wrestle the right person.

    In a recent episode of her podcast, The Bellas Podcast, hosted with twin sister Brie, Nikki divulged that there is one thing that would bring her out of retirement and get her back in the ring despite how busy she is now with her other endeavors.

    That one thing? A matchup with Stephanie McMahon.

    “Yes, everyone, I am retired,” she reiterated. “Right now I feel like I need to prioritise my life and my companies: Bella Radici Winery, Birdiebee Clothing Line and Nicole and Brizee. They’re number one, as well as this podcast, because I love connecting with you in my life.”

    Nikki explained that, although she can no longer connect with her fans in the ring or on TV, she loves that she can maintain a connection through their podcast.

    “I can’t connect with you guys in the ring. I can’t connect with you guys on TV, but I can connect with you on this podcast, and that is prioritising that my fans come first. But I’m thinking [about] my life in a different way,” Nikki confesses.

    “I’m 35, and that is how I want to think of it, so yes [I’m still retired]. But if Stephanie McMahon wants to call me out, you damn right I will get back in that ring and take my boss on.”

    Nikki Bella would wrestle her last matchup in a losing effort to then RAW Women’s Champion, Ronda Rousey. The two competed on WWE’s first ever all women’s PPV, WWE Evolution. She would make her official retirement announcement during the March 24th episode of her reality show, Total Bellas.

  • Paige Has “No Doubt” Asuka & Kairi Sane Will Be Women’s Tag Team Champions

    Paige Has “No Doubt” Asuka & Kairi Sane Will Be Women’s Tag Team Champions

    Paige delivered on the promise she made last week on SmackDown Live this past Tuesday. During the show, she brought in new challengers for the IIconics’ Women’s Tag Team Championships. She would reveal the new team of Asuka and (now former) NXT Superstar, Kairi Sane.

    After their first matchup on the blue brand, Kayla Braxton caught up with the three backstage. She asked Paige why she wanted to bring Asuka and Kairi together as a team.

    “Uh, they’re both incredible athletes,” Paige said. “I mean, she [Asuka] was a SmackDown Women’s Champion already; Kairi, you were NXT Women’s Champion too, right? And they’re absolutely killing it. I mean, why wouldn’t you put them together? I mean, this is genius, right? Are you guys having a good time already? They won their first match already, hello?”

    When asked about their motivations and goals on SmackDown, Paige revealed they were “[…] going to become WWE Women’s tag team champions, that’s all I’m going to say. Right? You’re going to be tag team champs, ladies. 100%, there’s no doubt in my mind.”

    The team partnered with other SmackDown newcomers, Ember Moon and Bayley, emerging victorious in an 8-woman tag team match. They defeated the IIconics, Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose.

  • Sami Zayn Has Words For Twitter “Scum”

    Sami Zayn Has Words For Twitter “Scum”

    He may have only recently returned, but Sami Zayn is already making an impact for himself. These past few weeks have seen Zayn lambast the WWE Universe on Monday Night RAW, insulting the crowd as he has highlighted the “toxic” environment that he has returned to.

    Not content with just utilizing his TV time, Sami has now harnessed his social media to continue spreading his message.

    Writing via his Twitter account, he picked up his attack against the WWE Universe. He claimed it would be “SO easy to publicly rip the idiots that fill my mentions to shreds,” referring to the people reaching out to him“idiots.”

    He explained that if he were to “rip” into them, he would probably get “thousands of likes, retweets & affirmations like “yaaas drag him king!” […], because Twitter is mainly scum who live for public degradation of others.”

    Zayn signed off with a promise that he wouldn’t “sink to your level.” He was even kind enough to include a few Xs and Os to end the tweet.

    A Moment Of Bliss

    This past Monday, Sami Zayn was the guest on Alex Bliss’ show, A Moment Of Bliss.

    After soaking in the adulation from his fellow countrymen, he would compliment the city of Montreal before launching into a tirade about its citizens. He expressed how they, and the WWE Universe, should be “ashamed” of themselves for projecting their unaddressed issues, anger, and insecurities onto him—baggage he has stated he will no longer accept.

  • ROH’s PCO Talks About nZo And CaZ XL Invading G1 Supercard

    ROH’s PCO Talks About nZo And CaZ XL Invading G1 Supercard

    April 6th saw New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) and Ring Of Honor (ROH) put on a historic co-promoted show at Madison Square Garden in New York. One of the major stories to take place during their G1 Supercard show saw Enzo and Cass ‘invade’ the show.

    The two— now known as nZo and CaZ XL, respectively—jumped the barricade during the ending of the tag team match that would see the Guerrillas of Destiny become the IWGP and ROH tag team champions. The ensuing chaos wasn’t shown on TV, leading people to initially believe that the former WWE Superstars were legitimately trying to make a name for themselves at the expense of the show. It wasn’t long, however, for the angle to be revealed as a work.

    One of the men in the matchup, ROH’s PCO, recently spoke with Wrestling Inc. During their conversation, he would reveal that he had no idea about the controversial invasion.

    “There was a lot of controversy about what happened. For me, I was just worrying about my back because I took a double powerbomb from 12-14 feet in the air straight to the concrete floor,” PCO confessed. “I didn’t know what was going on because nobody knew nothing about this [invasion]. I just came back from TV tapings in Pittsburgh and Columbus…and I got back yesterday, and there was no Enzo and no Cass at those events. I haven’t heard anything from the office, so I don’t know what’s going on with that. Are they signed? Are they not signed?”

    “I’m In The Middle Of This And I’m Confused”

    PCO admitted that he didn’t want to get “politically involved” with the situation when asked if he felt their involvement detracted from the match itself. He then alluded that the ROH office may even be working their own roster.

    “It seems like sometimes the dressing room is getting worked by the office. I’m in the middle of this and I’m confused. I think everything will unfold and we’ll see what’s going on in the future. Maybe it was planned. Maybe it wasn’t planned. We’ll see how everything will evolve.”

    It was initially reported that only the NJPW roster wasn’t made aware of nZo and Caz XL’s appearance—with Tama Tonga expressing how unimpressed he was with the situation. This interview with PCO definitely changes that, adding questions over why ROH would hide it from their own talent.

  • NJPW Reveals Big Names For G1 Climax 29’s Start In Dallas

    NJPW Reveals Big Names For G1 Climax 29’s Start In Dallas

    New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) is currently on their ‘Road To Dontaku’ tour, post-G1 Supercard. This hasn’t stopped them from hyping their upcoming G1 Climax 29 event, which takes place from July 6th. The big difference from this year’s tournament compared to previous iterations is in the companies continued international intent, with the G1 kicking off from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

    With their Royal Quest show taking place in London later this year, and the G1 Climax beginning in the United States, New Japan are clearly still aggressively pushing into Western markets.

    The company has now revealed four wrestlers who will be in Dallas on the first day of the G1 tournament.

    IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Kazuchika Okada, IWGP Intercontinental Champion, Kota Ibushi, Tetsuya Naito, and Jay White, will all be present for the show in Texas. The tweet added that they will be announcing the full list of tournament entrants at a later date.

    G1 Supercard Fallout

    All of the announced talents recently wrestled at the historic ROH/NJPW co-promoted G1 Supercard show.

    The event took place last Saturday from Madison Square Garden in New York. It was during this event that both Okada and Ibushi would emerge victorious as newly crowned champions, defeating Jay White and Tetsuya Naito, respectively.

  • Matt Hardy Addresses John Oliver’s WWE Comments

    Matt Hardy Addresses John Oliver’s WWE Comments

    John Oliver’s comments over WWE’s treatment of its talent continues to be a hot topic of conversation for many. Just recently, Matt Hardy was interviewed by FoxNews.com. During the short discussion, Hardy would defend the company that he has called home for the majority of his career.

    “When I first started here […] the locker room, everything was like the wild wild west then. And the change that has happened in those 20-plus years has been unreal. I mean, now the drug testing is very stringent, […] you have to be here, and you have to be good, and you have to be on top of your game, you have to be a professional,” he explained.

    “The physicals they do, as far as cardiovascular and just checking you over and over—there have been several guys they caught that have had issues that could have been life-threatening if they didn’t catch it here, and just the way they take care of you…every surgery I ever had, WWE has paid for,” he said.

    “They Take Care Of Everything”

    He went on to address Oliver’s comments more directly, calling his thoughts not only passé but outdated.

    “It’s just some of the stuff that the John [Oliver] talked about was kind of passé, kind of outdated because now they really do [take care of wrestlers’ health],” Matt argued. “They take care of everything, especially stuff that happens in house.

    “As far as the whole health insurance thing, that’s kind of a different argument, because we do a different gig in many, many ways. But WWE has never done anything but be great to me. They’ve taken care of me in every capacity, every front, and they’ve given me a great life.”

    Matt Hardy and his brother, Jeff, recently won the SmackDown Tag Team Championships from The Usos. He also teased the idea of a title unification matchup against current RAW Tag Team Champions, Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins.

  • Stevie Ray Discusses Why He Never Joined WWE

    Stevie Ray Discusses Why He Never Joined WWE

    Harlem Heat, comprised of brothers Booker T and Stevie Ray, was inducted into WWE’s Hall Of Fame over WrestleMania weekend. The two made a name for themselves in WCW, storming the tag team division. The pair would end up winning the WCW World Tag Team Championships ten times throughout their time in the company.

    Once WCW was purchased by WWE, however, only Booker T would end up jumping to the rival, victorious promotion.

    Ryback recently spoke with Stevie Ray on his podcast, Conversations With The Big Guy. The two would end up discussing Stevie Ray’s reasons behind never signing with WWE.

    “I didn’t want to go to WWF; as a matter of fact, the last WCW Nitro I didn’t even attend and they sent me a ticket, but I was always in the mindset of this is competition to me. This is NFL vs AFL or National League vs American League in baseball. WCW vs WWF, to be honest with you bro, I didn’t want to go out like a b****.”

    “I Told Him That He Should Do It, But I’m Done”

    Stevie Ray explains that part of his reasoning was due to the long-term feud between WCW and WWE. When the day came that WWE had bought WWE, he confessed he was “done” and had no interest in auditioning for Vince McMahon and his promotion.

    “We had been fighting for the team, but when I heard Vince McMahon had come in and stuff like that—which I knew was coming—it’s like, you saw the writing on the wall, and you put it in the back of your mind, but at the end of the day I knew it was going to happen. But I didn’t attend the last show because my brother [Booker T] said that they are going to be auditioning people. I told him that he should do it, but I’m done.”

    He was also concerned over WWE changing Harlem Heat, ruining the essence of what made the team so special:

    “I wanted people to remember Harlem Heat as an ass-kicking tag team of color, you see what I’m saying? I didn’t want us to be something else. I didn’t want us to turn into a Doink the Clown, so I’m not saying that they would have done this with Harlem Heat, but I didn’t want to lose the edge that we once had as Harlem Heat.”

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Rush Wants To Bring Los Ingobernables Into ROH

    Rush Wants To Bring Los Ingobernables Into ROH

    One of Ring Of Honor’s more recent signings is Mexico’s, Rush. Since debuting for the company, he has enjoyed a string of success, quickly making a name for himself for those who may have been unfamiliar with him and his style. He also happens to be one of the founding fathers of Los Ingobernables. The group have been one of the top heel factions in CMLL history since their formation in 2014.

    Speaking with SoloWrestling.com, Rush discussed his long-term plans with ROH and broached wanting to bring Los Ingobernables into the promotion.

    “Sure, I’m gonna stay [for a long time] time in ROH,” Rush promised. “Big plans are coming for the ‘Big Ingobernable.’ In Mexico, Los Ingobernables was born. We are in Mexico, in Japan, and in other parts of the world. It would be great to have them in ROH with wrestlers from ROH’s roster. I’d love to do it during my time here. I’m studying English. I need, and I want to form Los Ingobernables here in ROH, too.”

    Los Ingobernables De Japon

    It was in 2015 that New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Tetsuya Naito would have an excursion to Mexico. During that time he would join Los Ingobernables, reinventing himself in the process. The end result would lead to an offshoot from the group, creating one of the most popular NJPW factions in recent memory in Los Ingobernables de Japon.

    LIJ has already wrestled numerous times on ROH programming. It would be interesting to see how ROH would feature both LIJ and Los Ingonberables on their show if they chose to do so. Given their ties to NJPW, and Rush’s recent dominance, it would be a missed opportunity not to have them cross paths in any way.

  • New Information On The Undertaker’s WWE Status

    New Information On The Undertaker’s WWE Status

    It appears that The Undertaker may have signed a new contract with WWE.

    This information comes off the back of his recent Q+A cancellations with United Kingdom-based, Inside The Ropes. However, The Undertaker will still be participating in the agreed upon Meet and Greets with fans.

    According to Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com, The Undertaker is “gonna fulfil his commitments, but I don’t think he’s gonna do new ones because that’s the new deal he signed with WWE. WWE doesn’t want him doing it anymore.”

    “The Undertaker’s Decision Has Not Been A Popular Front Office Decision”

    The Undertaker’s decision to take bookings outside of WWE reportedly upset the company. Jim Ross has previously discussed WWE’s displeasure over his announced Starrcast II appearance:

    “I heard it through the grapevine that The Undertaker’s decision to appear at Starrcast for Conrad Thompson has not been a popular front office decision.”

    Have A Nice Day

    Inside The Ropes were thankfully able to find a replacement for their Q+A segments for the “Rise Of The Taker” tour in Mick Foley.

    The Hardcore Legend was quick to defend The Undertaker. He claimed ‘Taker flew from Connecticut to try and convince WWE to allow him to do the tour “in some way, shape or form.”

    “I believe WWE was just doing what they felt was best to keep the mystique and aura surrounding the single greatest character in company history alive and well,” said Foley on the matter.

    The Undertaker is speculated to be competing at WWE’s next event in Saudi Arabia, most likely against Elias. The two shared a confrontation last week on Monday Night RAW.

  • Referee Fined Over Controversial WrestleMania Main Event Pinfall

    Referee Fined Over Controversial WrestleMania Main Event Pinfall

    Despite being pre-determined, WWE likes to treat its brand of sports entertainment under a strict set of rules. One of those rules, as enforced by their officials, is to call each match as though it were a shoot. That means only counting a pinfall if a competitor’s shoulders are to the canvas.

    This past Sunday, during the main event of WrestleMania 35, a three-count took place. However, the woman taking the loss, Ronda Rousey, didn’t have her shoulders pinned for a full count of three. This has led to some controversy over the finish of the match itself.

    Turns out that this incident hasn’t been ignored by WWE’s top brass.

    According to Fightful, the referee who made the count, Rod Zapata, has been fined an undisclosed amount by the company for counting the pinfall. This win allowed Becky Lynch to claim both the RAW and SmackDown Women’s Championships.

    Zapata allegedly had some heat backstage due to the finish after the event. This was said to have been minor, at best. The next night on RAW, however, Zapata was taken aside by Vince McMahon himself. A discussion was had, and the referee would end up being fined.

    He was apparently informed that, although the pinfall was meant to happen via the crucifix as witnessed on Sunday, he should have waited for the shoulders to be firmly against the mat. If the performers struggled on the way to that final position, then he, as an official, can’t be held accountable for that.

    Setting An Example

    This isn’t the first time that a fine has been issued to a referee.

    Dan Engler was the recipient of a fine due to an incident during the recent Chad Gable and Bobby Roode vs Ricochet and Aleister Black matchup from Monday Night RAW.

    Although speculated to have been a small mistake, Vince McMahon wanted to set an example for the rest of his officials going forward.

  • Dave Batista Talks About How He Prepared For WrestleMania

    Dave Batista Talks About How He Prepared For WrestleMania

    Dave Batista returned this past Sunday to face off against his Evolution stablemate, Triple H. The two would clash in a No Holds Barred match—the first match Batista has had in five years.

    Catching up with Lilian Garcia on her podcast, Chasing Glory, “The Animal” discussed the preparation he undertook to ready himself for WrestleMania.

    Reflecting on his time away from the squared circle, Batista remembered landing in New York adjust thinking “What the hell am I doing?”

    “I was excited. I had been wanting to do this for years, but this is not the way things are done. 50 years old and you leave wrestling for five years and just come back and go to WrestleMania,” he laughed. “It’s super exciting, but I wish I was a little better prepared. I wish I was a little younger,” he confessed.

    “I went and wrestled for the first time a few weeks ago, and I immediately felt beat up. It’s just all the jolting around. It might be one thing if I had some time to just get used to it, but when you don’t do it for years at a time and then you are being jolted around again…”

    “That’s Always Been My Biggest Struggle”

    “The Animal” was candid on the toll training to return to the ring had on his body. He was open about feeling awful and beat up, admitting that actively wrestling requires a different type of cardio versus a regular workout. He also conceded nerves probably played a part, too.

    “I consider myself to be in decent shape, so it has a lot to do with nerves too when you get in there and are in front of an audience. And for me, that’s always been my biggest struggle, being nervous.”

    Batista has since announced his retirement from pro wrestling and is ready to return to his successful acting career. He will appear in the upcoming Marvel epic, Avengers: Endgame, reprising his role as Guardians Of The Galaxy member, Drax.

    His movie, Stuber, with co-star Kumail Nanjiani, was advertised during the WrestleMania broadcast. Nanjiani made an appearance at the event in support of Batista.

  • Kurt Angle Wishes He Could Have Had “One More Round” With John Cena

    Kurt Angle Wishes He Could Have Had “One More Round” With John Cena

    Kurt Angle wrestled his final WWE match this past Sunday in a losing effort to Baron Corbin. The loss took the WWE Universe by surprise, with many expecting the Olympic Hero to bask in the glory of a victory one last time on the “Grandest Stage Of Them All.” This, unfortunately, wasn’t the case.

    Since then, Angle has taken to his Instagram account to reflect on that night. He uploaded a picture from Sunday of him and John Cena backstage, writing that he wished he could have had “one more round” with him.

    “Completely ironic that on the same night, at Wrestlemania35 @johncena paid homage to his “ruthless aggression” thuganomics character, and I wore my “Team Angle” warm up. I wish I had one more round with you John. Regardless, I’m proud of my career. #itstrue #wrestlemania35 #wwe”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BwFqpJMBcUM/?utm_source=ig_embed

    Now that Angle’s in-ring career is over, it will be interesting to see how WWE utilize him going forward.

    He may return to an on-screen authority role, much like when he was RAW’s General Manager. Alternatively, he may end up helping to train the next generation of WWE Superstars, joining Shawn Michaels at the NXT Performance Center to impart his knowledge and experience to eager trainees.

  • Nikki Bella Addresses John Cena’s New Relationship

    Nikki Bella Addresses John Cena’s New Relationship

    Despite having broken up the better part of a year ago, it’s been no secret that Nikki Bella still has feelings for John Cena. This was further confirmed during a recent episode of the Bella Twins’ podcast, wherein Nikki addressed the recent images of John Cena with a mystery woman.

    She revealed that, upon seeing the headline over the two for the first time, her “stomach went into knots,” though her feelings changed when she actually saw the photo.

    “[…] when I opened it up and saw the photo it was weird, I…you know when you get a text or you see a photo or you see your significant other flirt with someone or something, you know how you get those knots in your stomach that hurts? You either want to poop your pants immediately…or you just have the craziest tummy ache, right? So neither of that happened to me when I saw the photos.”

    Nikki admitted she “felt bad” for John during their public breakup. This was due to how only her side was really presented, thanks to the filming of her show, Total Bellas.

    “I felt bad for John, with our breakup, I felt bad because I felt like I embarrassed him. I felt like I disappointed him.”

    Despite stating that she’s “very happy for him” Nikkie promises that “[…] let me tell you, [if] she breaks his heart, wow…I will Rack Attack her in a heartbeat. Still protective of that man.”

    “Try To Be The Right Person”

    Nikki Bella wasn’t the only one to talk about love in recent days. John Cena, who is usually a fan of cryptic messages, wrote the following on his Twitter account:

    “Instead of trying to find the right person, try to be the right person. Get to a point where you love yourself, and you might be surprised at the company you choose to keep.”

    This message, more focused on self-growth, appears to be directly addressing his potentially new relationship, rather than being a petty dig at past loves.

    Cena most recently appeared during this past Sunday’s WrestleMania 35 event. He would interrupt Elias’ performance with a throwback to his rapping Dr. Of Thuganomics gimmick from the early 2000s.

  • Becky Lynch Believes Ronda Rousey Couldn’t Handle WWE Schedule

    Becky Lynch Believes Ronda Rousey Couldn’t Handle WWE Schedule

    WWE’s current champ-champ, Becky Lynch, recently spoke with Sports Illustrated. She discussed her ambitions going forward now that she is both the RAW and SmackDown Women’s Champion and what her thoughts are regarding her rival, Ronda Rousey.

    Her momentous victory on Sunday wasn’t without some controversy. Lynch managed to secure a pinfall onto Rousey for the win. The only problem? Ronda’s shoulders were not securely against the mat for the entire three count. Regardless, only one woman was standing tall at the end of the night with both championships in her possession.

    It’s a position that Becky has been eager to attain. One she feels she was made for, unlike, in her mind, Ronda Rousey.

    “Only four months after having a part-time schedule, after making her debut at WrestleMania [34]—having been on the cover of everything, just handed everything, she was crying in her kitchen about how she couldn’t make her husband breakfast,” said Lynch. “She couldn’t hack our schedule. Yet we do this every single night, 52 weeks a year, yet she couldn’t handle it for four months.”

    Aware of her popularity amongst the WWE Universe, Lynch shares her approach towards her job—in particular, her promo opportunities.

    “I approach this as a political campaign,” explained Lynch. “Any time I’ve the opportunity to get my voice out there, get myself heard and my message across, I use it. I want to make sure I do the people proud.”

    With her next challenger appearing to be former NXT Superstar Lacey Evans, who has interrupted and attacked the champion multiple times since her win on Sunday, Becky admits that “This is when the hard work starts,” said Lynch. “I’ve got two championships to make.”

  • Triple H And Stephanie McMahon Discuss WWE’s Storytelling Process

    Triple H And Stephanie McMahon Discuss WWE’s Storytelling Process

    WrestleMania is often used as a creative reset by WWE. It allows the promotion a perfect opportunity to end feuds or begin new rivalries on the “Grandest Stage Of Them All.”

    In an interview with Sports Business Journal, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon were asked about WWE’s scripting process. They were also asked about how far out they plan their storylines.

    Stephanie explained that “We [WWE] try to have a basic plan a year out, but inevitably things happen and storylines change. Another beautiful thing about WWE is because we are live 52 weeks a year, we have no offseason, we have no reruns, and we essentially have a live focus group every single night at these Live Events telling us what’s working, what’s not working, and what they don’t care about so we can shift our plans as needed.”

    Triple H would add to her comment. He stated that, although they may have plans in place, injuries can force them to change or pivot at a moment’s notice.

    “You’re dealing with athletes, and you’re dealing with injuries, and the ability to shift and pivot on a moment’s notice to where you want to go,” he said. “The beautiful thing for us—I was told this early in my career—beauty comes out of chaos. Sometimes when you get into a situation where the worst possible thing can happen leading into a big event, somebody gets injured [for example], it leads you to come up with something even better.”

    Of course, injuries aren’t the only thing that could see a storyline plan change.

    Vince McMahon is well-known for changing his mind as stories progress—often making decisions on the day of an event. This was recently evidenced by Charlotte Flair’s SmackDown Women’s championship victory over Asuka a few weeks ago.

  • Ricochet Discusses Dating NXT’s Kacy Catanzaro

    Ricochet Discusses Dating NXT’s Kacy Catanzaro

    Ricochet has been tearing it up on the main roster ever since moving from the ranks of NXT. Despite this, he has been working extensively. He has appeared on not only RAW and SmackDown, but also NXT shows and their subsequent TakeOver events. 

    NXT wasn’t only the place where he began to develop himself as a WWE Superstar—it was also the place he met his girlfriend, Kacy Catanzaro

    Speaking with Lilian Garcia on her podcast, Chasing Glory, Ricochet reminisced on his time with the yellow-and-gold brand. He discussed meeting Catanzaro, and how their relationship began.

    “She Has This Personality You Can’t Ignore. It’s Awesome”

    He divulged that they “actually came in the exact same class and started the same day. She was always so nice and kind, and helpful to everybody in any way that she could be, and that was something that I had always admired about her.”

    Ricochet complimented not only Catanzaro’s ability in the ring, but her natural aptitude for it:

    “On top of that, as far as the physical part of the wrestling, she got that part so quick and is just so fun to see in the ring. I feel like, not only me, but everyone is drawn to her because she has this personality that you can’t ignore. It’s awesome.”

    America Ninja Warrior Fame

    It turns out that, despite being related to a WWE Superstar, his family were “giddy” to meet Catanzaro over the Christmas period. He recalls that his brother was incredibly “happy and excited” over meeting her as he “never met anyone famous before.” 

    The reason being? 

    “My family, even before me and her knew each other they watched America Ninja Warrior for years now so they knew all about her and were really excited to meet her,” Ricochet said.

    Kacy Catanzaro made her PPV debut during January’s Royal Rumble event. She would enter the Women’s Royal Rumble matchup at number 19, before being eliminated by NXT UK’s Rhea Ripley. 

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.


  • Tama Tonga Unimpressed With Big Cass And Enzo Invading G1 Supercard

    Tama Tonga Unimpressed With Big Cass And Enzo Invading G1 Supercard

    WWE wasn’t the only promotion to offer a “Winner Take All” stipulation to one of their matches this past weekend. Ring Of Honor (ROH) also implemented the condition into their tag team championship title matchup. This decision would see both the ROH and New Japan Pro Wrestling’s IWGP tag team championships up for grabs, with only one team walking away with all the gold. That team would be Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa, the Guerrillas of Destiny.

    Their victory would be cut short, however, as both Enzo and Big Cass would “invade” the G1 Supercard show. The duo jumped the barricade and brawled with The Briscoe Brothers, the cameras refusing to show the action. Bully Ray would eventually come out from the back and insert himself into the fray. This invasion initially confused a lot of fans—but there was one individual who was simply unimpressed: Tama Tonga.

    The newly crowned IWGP and ROH tag team champion commented on the situation on his Twitter account, saying:

    “I love the fact that Enzo and Cass came and jumped the losers of our match. @ringofhonor booking at its finest.”

    The broadcast refused to show the brawl taking place. Additionally, neither Enzo nor Big Cass were mentioned by name.

    Despite this angle, it’s worth noting that, at least according to Wrestling Observer Radio, the former WWE Superstars have yet to officially sign with ROH.

  • Becky Lynch Discusses WrestleMania Finish, Unifying The Championship Titles

    Becky Lynch Discusses WrestleMania Finish, Unifying The Championship Titles

    Becky Lynch came away from WrestleMania 35 with both the RAW Women’s Championship and the SmackDown Women’s Championship. Her historic victory has earned her the nickname Becky Two Belts. The matchup, however, wasn’t without a little controversy. In particular, the ending of the match which saw Lynch pinning Ronda Rousey with a crucifix pin. The only problem? Rousey’s shoulders coming off of the mat during the final count.

    Speaking with Gorilla Position, Becky Lynch addressed the finish of her ‘Mania main event match up.

    When asked about the supposed controversy regarding that pinfall, Lynch would reply that “I’m happy I beat her with a wrestling move after she talked about how…she insulted my business. She insulted my business and I beat her with a wrestling move. That’s all we need to know. The ref counted to three and I became Becky Two Belts.”

    On the subject of being dubbed Becky Two Belts, WWE’s chosen modern vernacular was brought up. Lynch would poke light fun at the ‘Belts vs Title’ debate and the banned words issue within WWE, claiming: “I’m the double champ, I can say whatever I want. I can say whatever I want.”

    “I Want To Defend Them Both”

    She would go on to dismiss the idea of unifying the belts, wanting to defend both instead.

    “[…] I want to defend both of them. I don’t see a point of them being unified because we have two different brands, we have RAW and SmackDown. If we go back to being one brand, meh, maybe.”

    Since her victory at WrestleMania 35, Becky Lynch has celebrated her victory on both RAW and SmackDown. Both occasions, however, were interrupted by Lacey Evans—setting up a potential feud for the two going forward.

  • News On Seth Rollins’ First Universal Championship Challenger

    News On Seth Rollins’ First Universal Championship Challenger

    Being the champion means one thing: a target on your back.

    Not even 24 hours after WrestleMania ended, the new Universal Champion had a challenge set to him by SmackDown’s WWE Champion, Kofi Kingston. That match would ultimately turn into a tag team match against The Bar (Cesaro and Sheamus). Now, however, it appears that WWE has Rollins’ first contender for his newly won championship.

    Advertisements for WWE’s Live Events have listed Seth Rollins vs Drew McIntyre. This suggests that WWE is testing the waters for an eventual challenge from McIntyre for Seth’s belt.

    Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer seemed to confirm this, saying:

    “Seth’s program is going to end up being with Drew McIntyre, it looks like,” Meltzer explained. “There’s advertisements out for matches with Seth and Drew so that’s what it looks like the program is going to be.”

    His loss at WrestleMania 35 to Roman Reigns doesn’t seem to have dented McIntyre’s chances or his main event spot. Originally referred to—by Vince McMahon himself, no less—as “The Chosen One,” it appears that McIntyre has firmly cemented his place as one of RAW’s top Superstars.

    Granted, the Superstar Shake-Up could change these plans if one of the men is drafted to another brand. In lieu of that, however, it seems that The Beast Slayer will have a Scottish Psychopath to contend with.

  • Roman Reigns’ Next Rivalry Revealed?

    Roman Reigns’ Next Rivalry Revealed?

    Roman Reigns would emerge victorious from his matchup against Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 35. Now it seems that “The Big Dog” is set for his next major feud, one that pits him against another wrestler who came away with a win at ‘Mania.

    According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, Roman Reigns’ next feud will be against the man who retired Kurt Angle: Baron Corbin.

    Meltzer explained that “It looks like Baron Corbin is being groomed for Roman Reigns, which least explains his win over Kurt [Angle],” Dave Meltzer.

    Corbin’s victory over Angle shocked many of the WWE Universe. It did, however, give him a huge victory over a living legend. The win arguably raised his stock within the company for big name feuds going forward. It also demonstrates the faith WWE has in him as a talent—hence the purported clash with Reigns on the horizon. The two will supposedly be facing one another during WWE’s upcoming live events schedule.

    Of course, it’s worth noting that Vince McMahon is prone to changing his mind. With the Superstar Shake-Up taking place next week on Monday Night RAW, these plans could change if one of them were to be drafted to a different brand.

  • The IIconics Respond To Paige’s Tag Team Promise

    The IIconics Respond To Paige’s Tag Team Promise

    Paige was present during this week’s episode of SmackDown Live. She was shown backstage watching the IIconics during their first successful title defense against a team named the Brooklyn Belles. She promised that she would be bringing in a tag team. This suggests she will be segueing into a managerial role—something she has spoken about having ambitions for in the past.

    After their victory, Billie Kay and Peyton Royce caught up with Cathy Kelley backstage. Kelley would bring up Paige’s promise, wanting to gauge the IIconics’ thoughts on the matter.

    “Next week is the Superstar Shake-Up, so she’s probably bringing back [or] developing some new tag team, I guess, thinking that we will challenge all newcomers, and sure we’ll do that,” Peyton said.

    Billie Kay would add that “We are defending champions—can’t tell if you saw it there, but we just won in our first title defense.”

    Royce would continue, stating that “[The] Bottom Point is, Paige wants to come out with this hot, hot new tag team…next week, we are ready. We are fighting champions and we are here to make this tag team division absolutely iconic.”

    With the Shake-Up taking place on Monday, it’s not out of the question that we could see some new talent be drafted from NXT. Rumor has suggested that Io Shirai and Kairi Sane could be on the cusp of moving to the main roster, but it could always be a brand new team or two women put together via the Shake-Up.

  • Matt Hardy Suggests A Tag Team “Winner Take All” Championship Match

    Matt Hardy Suggests A Tag Team “Winner Take All” Championship Match

    There must be something in the air in WWE right now. Despite only winning the SmackDown Tag Team Championships last night during SmackDown Live, Matt Hardy has suggested a “Winner Take All” matchup for next Monday’s episode of RAW.

    His tweet was in response to Zack Ryder, who sent out a message proposing “Major Brothers vs Hardy Boyz? #SDLive #TagTeamTitles”.


    Superstar Shake-Up

    The Hardy Boyz would come out victorious in their matchup against The Usos. They would once again claim the tag team championship gold in the process. The win marks their 8th reign in WWE as tag team champions, this being their first with SmackDown’s blue belts. This was also the first time the two teams had faced each other.

    Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins shocked the WWE Universe by defeating The Revival for the RAW tag team championships during the WrestleMania Kickoff show. They would successfully defend the belts in a rematch the next night on Monday Night RAW.

    Next Monday sees WWE’s Superstar Shake-Up take place from Montreal, so there is always the possibility that teams may be split or moved to a different brand in order to provide new, fresh challenges and opportunities. But after ‘Mania’s “Winner Take All” match, then RAW’s teased Kofi Kingston vs Seth Rollins encounter, will we really see another take for the tag team championships next Monday night?

  • Triple H Recalls Vince McMahon Asking Him To Wrestle At WrestleMania

    Triple H Recalls Vince McMahon Asking Him To Wrestle At WrestleMania

    Triple H is scheduled to take on his old Evolution stablemate, Batista, this Sunday at WrestleMania 35. The two will face off in a No Holds Barred match with Triple H’s career on the line.

    Turns out that Triple H’s initial WrestleMania plans were drastically different only a few months ago.

    In an interview with ESPN, Triple H recalled not only being told he would be inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame, but that Vince McMahon would “need” him to wrestle on April 7th. “The Game” had originally believed he was going to have “an easy year this year.”

    “I Need You To be In WrestleMania This Year”

    “I went from a month ago thinking, ‘Oh, this is great — I’m going to have an easy year this year, I just go watch the Hall of Fame and then I get to work behind the scenes at [Wrestle]Manias,” he said. “It will be easy. Then, Vince tells me I’m in the Hall of Fame … and then next thing [I know], I’m working at WrestleMania. So I got busy quick.”

    He shared that he was approached by Vince McMahon in February about actually wrestling on the event, despite not being confident for an in-ring return post-injury. Triple H suffered a torn pectoral muscle during October’s WWE Crown Jewel event.

    “So I didn’t feel that way — Vince came to me and told me, ‘I need you to be in WrestleMania this year,’” Levesque said, recalling a conversation from February. “And I was like, ‘Really? Because I haven’t been cleared to train yet even — I don’t know that I’m going to make that.’ Batista and I had this conversation a while ago about trying to do this … then I had to call him and go, ‘Dude, I tore my pec and I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’ll see.’ To this day, I’m still … I’m going to get in the ring next Sunday, and you and I will both find out at the same time whether my pec will hold on.”

    “At This Point In My Career, It’s all Gravy”

    Although he was eventually cleared to return to the ring, he still has some lingering concerns:

    “[…] until you get in there, lifting dumbbells and getting hit by Batista are two totally different things. So I’ll see how it goes, but I feel good and I’m excited to get in there. And at this point in my career, I don’t ever want to make it sound like it’s not as big as it is, but at this point in my career, it’s all gravy.”

    Triple H’s appearance at this year’s WrestleMania marks his 23rd WrestleMania appearance. This puts him second only to The Undertaker, who holds the record at 26.

  • Kofi Kingston Reflects On Journey To Championship Opportunity At WrestleMania

    Kofi Kingston Reflects On Journey To Championship Opportunity At WrestleMania

    Kofi Kingston sees 11 years worth of gruelling work, commitment, and sacrifice culminate this Sunday. He will face off against the Planet’s Champion, Daniel Bryan, in a match for the WWE Championship. It’s been an arduous journey—a fact that isn’t lost on him.

    Speaking with Yahoo Sports ahead of WrestleMania 35, Kingston shared that it is because his personal journey taking so long to arrive that he can appreciate it all the more.

    “It’s pretty unique to have a singles match at WrestleMania, it’s rare to have it for the WWE championship and to have it be supported by the people at such a high level is also rare,” Kofi said. “I think the fact that I have been doing this for so long, I realize how big it is. I have also been around so long to know that as fast as it went from 0 to 100, it can go from 100 to 0, you just never know what will happen tomorrow. I’m not at that relaxation point yet. We still have a lot of work left to do.”

    “I Am So Proud To Be A Beacon Of Light For People Who Look Like Me”

    Recent weeks have seen Kofi and his partners in New Day tested, with obstacles thrown in their way at every opportunity by Vince McMahon. When Kofi was first cheated out of the opportunity during his Gauntlet match, both Xavier Woods and Big E teased quitting WWE. They have also leaned into race being a contributing factor, with Big E previously stating “people like us will only get so far.”

    When asked about these racial undertones, Kofi highlighted the importance of representation.

    “We always say that it’s very important to have representation,” Kingston said. “As a child, one that would be watching the WWE product, I think it’s very important for children to look at the screen and see somebody that looks like them doing incredible things. I am so proud to be a beacon of light for people who look like me.”

    He extrapolated his point, highlighting that their message extends past a singular community:

    “They can look to TV — regardless of race — as a human and that it is possible to overcome impossible odds,” Kingston said. “I take a lot of pride in being the center of all of that and being the representative for all of that. Being able to identify with so many people, I think that’s the reason why this movement has been so powerful. It’s more than just race, or one particular thing. It’s so many different things, so many elements of hope that we’re able to provide.”

    This Sunday, Kofi finally gets his single greatest opportunity on the “Grandest Stage Of Them All” as he attempts to turn WrestleMania into KofiMania.