SEScoops

Author: Steve Russell

  • Lana “Declares” She Is Facing Asuka At WrestleMania 35

    Lana “Declares” She Is Facing Asuka At WrestleMania 35

    Lana is back with another YouTube video, and she’s just as salty as ever.

    Taking to her personal YouTube channel, she would once again share her unhappiness and disgruntlement with her current position with the company — with the assistance of a prop salt shaker, just to really hammer the point home.

    “I Don’t Need The McMahon Family To Make Announcements For Myself”

    Wanting to address the “elephant in the room,” Lana would confirm she is still injured, indicating at her foot. She then turned to the unjust nature of Mandy Rose inserting herself into a matchup with Asuka at Fastlane.

    “Now, to my understanding, there was an announcement made on RAW saying only the McMahon Family could make title matches. Only the McMahon Family – Shane McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, Vince McMahon, Triple H because he’s a part of the McMahon Family — can make official title matches that are on RAW or SmackDown or pay-per-views. So, how is Mandy making a declaration that she has a title match at Fastlane versus Asuka?”

    She stated that she is salty that she was “so dumb and stupid not to pick up that I could declare, I don’t need to just wait for the McMahon Family to make announcements for myself, to declare that I’m going to have title matches.”

    Lana then shared what she described as “breaking news,” saying that she is “declaring that I am going to face Asuka at WrestleMania for the Women’s SmackDown Live title.”

    Doubling down, she would continue, “I’m declaring, I’m grabbing the brass ring. Yes, I am. Right now, from YouTube. I’m grabbing the brass ring. And all the people that are getting all mad, all this and that, you’re salty, too.”

    Utilizing YouTube to try and engage with a fanbase isn’t new — just look at what Zack Ryder achieved for a short while years ago. But it’s an interesting attempt on Lana’s part to try and stay on the WWE Universe’s radar whilst injured. Whether WWE management feels the same way is a different discussion entirely.

    https://youtu.be/nOP0GQVfV3Y

  • Eminem’s Reps Deny Report He Is Working With WWE This Fall

    Eminem’s Reps Deny Report He Is Working With WWE This Fall

    Rapper Eminem will be working with WWE later this year, according to Fightful. The Detroit native is said to be producing music for the WWE 2K20 video game sound track. The deal would also reportedly include Eminem appearing on an episode of WWE SmackDown Live once it moves to the Fox network this fall.

    Fightful states, “The deal, reached today [Tuesday], was put together in part to promote the launch of WWE SmackDown Live on the Fox Network. WWE is also planning on having a championship belt produced for Eminem.”

    Eminem’s reps issued a denial about the report. In a statement published by Pro Wrestling Sheet:

    “There was a very brief, exploratory conversation that involved a third party and 2K Sports, not Eminem’s team. It has not gone beyond preliminary discussions, and any reports to the contrary are false. Right now there are no plans to further pursue it.”

    Sean Ross Sapp, who broke the story for Fightful, claims he has received the “threat of a legal threat” for reporting the Eminem-WWE story. However, he stands behind the report and maintains that he has no legal exposure here as a journalist.

    https://twitter.com/SeanRossSapp/status/1105667203007959041

    https://twitter.com/SeanRossSapp/status/1105670313319321602

    A partnership with Eminem would be a big get for WWE. With his legions of fans around the world, Eminem would bring significant attention to WWE’s annual 2K video game. Additionally, an appearance by Eminem would certainly draw interest to SmackDown Live on Fox. It wouldn’t be the first time WWE has leveraged a celebrity’s popularity to draw new viewers.

  • NJPW New Japan Cup Results (3/11)

    NJPW New Japan Cup Results (3/11)

    New Japan Pro Wrestling’s annual New Japan Cup tournament is underway.

    The winner of this year’s single-elimination tournament will earn the chance to face “Switchblade” Jay White for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. This matchup is scheduled to take place at their upcoming show, co-promoted with Ring Of Honor (ROH), G1 Supercard. The event takes place on April 6th and emanates from the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York.

    This stage, including the last first round matches of the New Japan Cup, took place on 3/11 from Kagawa, Japan.

    New Japan Cup Results (3/11)

    Taiji Ishimori, HIKULEO, Bad Luck Fale, and Chase Owens defeated Yuya Uemura, Michael Elgin, Juice Robinson, and YOSHI-HASHI via submission.

    Bullet Club would start the night strong with a tap out victory, courtesy of Ishimori.

    Shingo Takagi, BUSHI, EVIL, and Tetsuya Naito defeated Ren Narita, Manabu Nakanishi, Yuji Nagata, and Hiroyoshi Tenzan via submission.

    BUSHI would force the Young Lion, Narita, to tap out to the Boston Crab, giving LIJ the win.

    Tomoaki Honma and Kota Ibushi defeated TAKA Michinoku and Zack Sabre Jr. via pinfall.

    TAKA goes back to his pin-eating ways after a Kamigoye from Ibushi.

    Will Ospreay and Tomohiro Ishii defeated Lance Archer and Taichi via pinfall.

    With Ishii’s help, Ospreay turned a bad situation into a crucifix pinning combination, surprising Archer for the win.

    Toa Henare, Mikey Nicholls, and Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Shota Umino, Kazuchika Okada, and Hiroshi Tanahashi via pinfall.

    Another Young Lion takes the loss as Mikey Nicholls pins Umino following a Mikey Bomb.

    Tournament Matches

    Toru Yano defeated Davey Boy Smith Jr. via pinfall.

    The “Master Thief” Yano steals another victory over an impressive Smith Jr.

    Colt Cabana defeated Togi Makabe via pinfall.

    Cabana would secure his Superman pinning combination over Makabe, setting up a match with Yano.

    Minoru Suzuki defeated Satoshi Kojima via pinfall.

    A hard Gotch Style Pile Driver to Kojima saw Suzuki progress in the tournament.

    SANADA defeated Hirooki Goto via pinfall.

    The longest match of this night’s New Japan Cup matches, SANADA managed to get the win after a Cold Skull/Moonsault combination.

  • NJPW New Japan Cup Results (3/10)

    NJPW New Japan Cup Results (3/10)

    New Japan Pro Wrestling’s annual New Japan Cup tournament is underway.

    The winner of this year’s single-elimination tournament will earn the chance to face “Switchblade” Jay White for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. This matchup is scheduled to take place at their upcoming show, co-promoted with Ring Of Honor (ROH), G1 Supercard. The event takes place on April 6th and emanates from the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York.

    This stage of the New Japan Cup took place on 3/10 from the Amagasaki Memorial Park Gymnasium, Japan.

    New Japan Cup Results (3/10)

    TAKA Michinoku and Minoru Suzuki defeated Yota Tsuji and Satoshi Kojima via submission.

    TAKA finally comes out on top, securing a submission win over the Young Lion.

    Manabu Nakanishi, Yuji Nagata, Juice Robinson, and YOSHI-HASHI defeated Taiji Ishimori, HIKULEO, Bad Luck Fale, and Chase Owens via pinfall.

    Bullet Club was unsuccessful in putting away this random team of NJPW talent. And Juice Robinson. Robinson would manage to hit Pulp Friction on the giant HIKULEO for the pinfall.

    Shingo Takagi, BUSHI, and SANADA defeated Ren Narita, Tomoaki Honma, and Hirooki Goto via pinfall.

    Los Ingobernables de Japon picked up the victory thanks to Takagi’s Pumping Bomber.

    Taichi, Davey Boy Smith Jr., and Lance Archer defeated Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, and Will Ospreay via pinfall.

    Smith Jr. avenges some losses to Yano by nailing him with the Bulldog Bomb. He has new momentum heading towards their elimination match up.

    Michael Elgin, Colt Cabana, and Mikey Nicholls defeated Toa Henare, Togi Makabe, and Kazuchika Okada via pinfall.

    Mikey Nicholls manages to pull off the Mikey Bomb onto Henare for the win.

    Tournament Results

    Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan via submission.

    Jr. Heavyweight, Taguchi, pulled out a victory over Tenzan with the Kido Clutch.

    Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Shota Umino via submission.

    Though an unsurprising result, Umino continues to impress as he managed to hold his own with ‘The Ace’ for over 16 minutes.

    Zack Sabre Jr. defeated EVIL via submission.

    A great back and forth from two competitors who have recent history in NJPW. ZSJ, however, was able to advance in the tournament after submitting EVIL.

    Kota Ibushi defeated Tetsuya Naito via pinfall.

    Probably the best first round match of the tournament so far. These two brought it to each other, wrestling as though it were already the finals. A fantastic sequence would culminate with Ibushi executing the Kamigoya, eliminating Naito for the tournament.

  • Teaser Trailer For Kenny Omega Documentary, ‘Omega Man,’ Released

    Teaser Trailer For Kenny Omega Documentary, ‘Omega Man,’ Released

    There’s not much more time to wait for fans eagerly anticipating TSN Sport’s documentary special on Kenny Omega. The documentary, entitled ‘Omega Man: A Wrestling Love Story,’ will air later this month.

    In anticipation of the documentary, the team behind it has released an official teaser trailer in order to further hype it.

    The teaser features a number of key names from the wrestling industry, the majority of whom have had a major impact on Kenny Omega’s career. Don Callis, Chris Jericho, and, of course, his Golden Lovers tag team partner, Kota Ibushi, will all feature.

    Omega Man

    There’s no word on how long the crew was following Kenny Omega for. Because of this, it’s unknown whether ‘Omega Man’ will include footage of his epic feud with Hiroshi Tanahashi. This feud culminated with “The Best Bout Machine” losing the IWGP Heavyweight Championship to Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom 13 in January. It’s also unknown if his eventual involvement and signing with All Elite Wrestling were captured in any way.

    Still, with the documentary airing at the end of the month, fans don’t have to wait long to find out.

    ‘Omega Man: A Wrestling Love Story’ airs as a part of TSN’s Engraved On A Nation series. It will air on Wednesday, March 27th.

  • Roman Reigns Addresses WWE’s Use Of Leukemia In Storylines

    Roman Reigns Addresses WWE’s Use Of Leukemia In Storylines

    On the very same night that Roman Reigns revealed that he was once again battling leukemia, WWE would pull the trigger on turning Dean Ambrose heel. Ambrose and Seth Rollins, Reigns’ Shield partners, would successfully capture the WWE RAW tag team championships prior to Ambrose assaulting Rollins.

    Rolling from a harsh, real-life announcement, and then folding aspects of it into a storyline would always prove to be a divisive creative choice. It’s something that Reigns is acutely aware of.

    “The Show Must Go On”

    Speaking with Yahoo! Sports, Reigns reflected on that night, relinquishing the Universal Championship, and then watching this new chapter to the Shield’s legacy unfold.

    “[…] it’s hard,” Roman confessed. “The majority of the time, we’re just factoring in Roman, the character, but who I really am, Joe, was all over that first segment. We really broke the fourth wall down and it was so real it changed the dynamic of the crowd and emotion. It’s like hitting a wall almost in a car wreck, getting that kind of news.”

    He continued, “ For me, as Joe, it was hard to tell, but as Roman, I just thought ‘next man up’ like in any professional sport or form of entertainment, the show must go on. I felt comfortable with that fact that we need to continue to entertain our fans, push these storylines and our product. As long as I was on board with it, it wasn’t going to be tasteless. I think it came off great, it had such a huge impact that night.”

    Thankfully, Roman Reigns has since returned, announcing he is in remission. In another interview, he discussed this ‘show must go on’ mentality, so it’s no surprise that he was understanding of WWE’s intentions.

  • More Information Regarding Luke Gallows And Karl Anderson Declining WWE Offer

    More Information Regarding Luke Gallows And Karl Anderson Declining WWE Offer

    We have some new information regarding our report on Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson’s WWE offer.

    With the tag team’s WWE contracts set to expire in September this year, the Good Brothers have decided to not take up WWE on their offer. This comes in the wake of a number of Superstars vocally sharing their frustration with their position in the company, with some even requesting their release.

    According to PWInsider.com, the duo was offered quite the lucrative deal to stay. However, it appears that the money on the table just wouldn’t satiate their creative frustration. It’s reported that the team were offered a five-year offer and that, if you factor in WWE offering its talent raises, it would mean the offer would have ranged in the multi-millions when accumulated.

    WWE has been on an aggressive hiring streak recently, actively trying to lock down talent in the process. This has been done in retaliation to All Elite Wrestling’s intentions and bankroll — factors the WWE are obviously aware of.

    The Club

    Anderson and Gallows made their initial debut on WWE during an episode of Monday Night RAW in 2016. They were initially paired with their former Bullet Club comrade, AJ Styles, forming The Club. WWE would soon split this group up, however, and the team have struggled to gain consistent traction since.

  • Jim Ross Discusses The Undertaker’s Starrcast II Booking

    Jim Ross Discusses The Undertaker’s Starrcast II Booking

    We’ve reported previously that The Undertaker is now taking bookings outside of WWE. He will be making an appearance at the Starrcast II event later this year in May. According to Jim Ross, this announcement supposedly rankled a number of WWE officials.

    Ross would once again discuss ‘Taker’s Starrcast II booking on his podcast, The Jim Ross Report. His guest for this particular episode was Conrad Thompson, who trademarked the name ‘Dead Man Talking.’

    In the past, JR has supported The Undertaker’s decision to take these bookings, saying “I’m not surprised about it and to me, it’s just a third-party booking. He’s still under contract to WWE and I’m sure WWE gave him the blessing to go make a payday.”

    Elaborating on WWE’s feelings on this, Ross would now comment on ‘Taker’s decision from a personal and business standpoint.

    “They’re not happy in the front office, apparently,” Ross said. “How mad can you get at The Undertaker? And secondly, you’ve got a 50-year-old guy with young children, a son in college. His track record with marriages is much like mine. It takes a while sometimes to find the right one and he has. But he has got to make a living and if he’s at a point age-wise where WWE doesn’t want to use him in the ring, or if he doesn’t feel able to compete in the ring, and you want to keep him around, then you’ve got to pay him something! But you might not pay him the same if you can’t get the one, two, three matches a year out of him.”

    Conrad would confess to Ross that he was “shocked” when he learned Undertaker was available for appearances. He, somewhat fairly, assumed that ‘Taker would simply be an instrumental part of WrestleMania, and therefore be locked down by WWE.

    “I understand how that got people talking,” Conrad said. “The publicity alone when we announced, or when we had Sports Illustrated announce that he was coming, I mean it was a worthwhile investment just for all the attention it brought our convention just because he hasn’t done anything like this before.”

    Starrcast II takes place from May 23rd to 26th. It will emanate from Las Vegas, Nevada, and already has a number of top tier talent involved. The Young Bucks, Cody, Lita, and Bret Hart are all scheduled to appear.

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • NJPW New Japan Cup Results (3/9)

    NJPW New Japan Cup Results (3/9)

    New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) has begun their annual New Japan Cup tournament. The winner of this year’s single-elimination tournament will earn the chance to face “Switchblade” Jay White for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. This matchup is scheduled to take place at their upcoming show, co-promoted with Ring Of Honor (ROH), G1 Supercard. The event takes place on April 6th and emanates from the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York.

    This stage of the New Japan Cup took place on 3/9 from the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Aichi, Japan.

    New Japan Cup Results 3/9

    Chase Owens and Taiji Ishimori defeated Tomoaki Honma and YOSHI-HASHI via pinfall.

    Chase Owens continues to put people away with his Package Piledriver. He would pick up the win after nailing it on Honma.

    Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, and Satoshi Kojima defeated Taichi, Davey Boy Smith Jr., and Minoru Suzuki via pinfall.

    Toru Yano would reverse a powerbomb attempt, ending up in a pinfall situation with Davey Boy Smith Jr. A three count later, and CHAOS walks away victorious.

    Shingo Takagi and EVIL defeated TAKA Michinoku and Zack Sabre Jr. via pinfall.

    The Los Ingobernables de Japon members made short work of TAKA and ZSJ. TAKA would eat the pinfall after Takagi’s Pumping Bomber lariat.

    Juice Robinson, Hiooki Goto, and Kota Ibushi defeated BUSHI, SANADA, and Tetsuya Naito via pinfall.

    This random team were able to best LIJ after Juice nailed BUSHI with his Pulp Friction finisher.

    Yuji Nagata, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Togi Makabe, and Hiroshi Tanhashi defeated Manabu Nakanishi, Ryusuke Taguchi, Colt Cabana, and Shota Umino via pinfall.

    The Young Lion, Umino, wouldn’t be the one staring the lights this time. Makabe would manage to land his King Kong Knee Drop to Nakanishi, giving his team the win.

    New Japan Cup Tournament Results

    Lance Archer defeated Toa Henare

    Archer would pick up the victory after only 11 minutes after pulling off Black Out for the pinfall.

    Mikey Nicholls defeated HIKULEO

    The former member of WWE’s TM61, Nicholls picks up the win over the gigantic HIKULEO after a Mikey Bomb.

    Will Ospreay defeated Bad Luck Fale via pinfall

    Ospreay continues to prove he can hang with NJPW’s heavyweights. Reversing an attempted Bad Luck Falls into a Hurricanrana, Ospreay would advance to the second round.

    Kazuchika Okada defeated Michael Elgin via pinfall.

    A lengthy, hard-hitting main event that saw Okada come from behind, nailing the Rainmaker in order to stay in the New Japan Cup.

  • NJPW New Japan Cup Results (3/8)

    NJPW New Japan Cup Results (3/8)

    New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) has begun their annual New Japan Cup tournament.

    The winner of this year’s single-elimination tournament will earn the chance to face “Switchblade” Jay White for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. This matchup is scheduled to take place at their upcoming show, co-promoted with Ring Of Honor (ROH), G1 Supercard. The event takes place on April 6th and emanates from the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York.

    The first stage of the New Japan Cup took place on 3/8 from Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan.

    New Japan Cup 3/8

    Taiji Ishimori, HIKULEO, and Bad Luck Fale defeated Rocky Romero, Mikey Nicholls, and Will Ospreay via pinfall.

    Ishimori would manage to execute the Bloody Cross onto Rocky Romero for the pinfall victory.

    Davey Boy Smith Jr., Lance Archer, and Minoru Suzuki defeated Toru Yano, Toa Henare, and Satoshi Kojima via pinfall.

    An impactful Bulldog Bomb saw the Suzuki-Gun walk away the winners of this encounter.

    BUSHI and EVIL defeated TAKA Michinoku and Zack Sabre Jr. via pinfall.

    In a short match last just over 5 minutes, BUSHI would hit TAKA with his MX finisher and take the pinfall.

    Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Togi Makabe, Kazuchika Okada, and Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Ryusuke Taguchi, Colt Cabana, Michael Elgin, and Shota Umino.

    Unsurprisingly, it was the Young Lion who would eat the pin. This came after Okada nailed Umino with a Rainmaker.

    YOSHI-HASHI defeated Manabu Nakanishi via submission

    The very first round of the 2019 New Japan Cup saw YOSHI-HASHI submit Nakanishi via the Butterfly Lock.

    Taichi defeated Tomoaki Honma via submission

    In a surprisingly hard-fought affair, a valiant Honma just couldn’t away Taichi. After finally locking in the Holy Emperor’s Crucifix Tomb, Taichi would advance.

    Chase Owens defeated Juice Robinson via pinfall

    In an upset, Chase Owens would pick up the win after a Package Piledriver. This is particularly notable as Owens not only advances but now has a clean win over the IWGP US Heavyweight Champion.

    Tomohiro Ishii defeated Yuji Nagata via pinfall

    Hard-hitting throughout, Ishii would manage to best Nagata, ending the match with his Vertical Brain Buster.

  • Roman Reigns Discusses An Off-Season In WWE

    Roman Reigns Discusses An Off-Season In WWE

    Roman Reigns recently returned to WWE Monday Night RAW in order to deliver the good news that he is in remission. Later that same night, Reigns would be inserted into a storyline with his former Shield brothers, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose. He was back to work straight off the back, doing what he loves.

    In an interview with Talksport.com, “The Big Dog” was asked whether WWE and pro wrestling as a whole, might benefit from an off-season being implemented. Reigns’ response was a poised, considered reply, acknowledging the benefits an off-season could provide to both fans and WWE Superstars from a health and creative standpoint.

    He admitted that “This formula has worked and Sports Entertainment is a ‘what have you done for me lately’ industry.”

    Reigns continued, expressing that “Unfortunately, we don’t have an off-season like most sports, or other kinds of forms of entertainment or competition, but, you know, I think if we could make it work, it would give a great benefit to our performers and our fans as well.”

    He explained that “It would definitely give our performers another couple of months, if not a full quarter, to rest and recover, not only just from a physical standpoint, but creatively.”

    “It’s Just A Part Of The Gig”

    From a creative perspective, Reigns contemplates that a break would allow Superstars to grow as characters and further develop the stories they are trying to tell. He admits that “doing it over and over and over” can be tough.

    “I think that’s what makes WWE and its superstars so tough and it’s an accomplishment to get to where we are. Only we can handle this and we’ve proved it, so it’s just a part of the gig. I don’t think it’s something that shouldn’t be looked into, but if the schedule stays the same I’m gonna be the guy that’ll run it.”

    It’s a surprisingly candid take on the concept from one of WWE’s biggest modern era Superstars. Giving their talent an opportunity to rest and heal, whilst still pushing storylines and character development has no real creative pitfall. It would potentially stop Superstars from suffering frequent injuries.

    The constant battle for a top spot, however, across all of WWE’s brands, and this “’what have you done for me lately” mindset is probably enough to ensure that WWE will never adopt an off-season into their structure.

    What do you think? Is an off-season a good idea? Would it be achievable given the current WWE landscape?

  • WWE Superstars React To Ronda Rousey’s Comments

    WWE Superstars React To Ronda Rousey’s Comments

    Ronda Rousey recently set the pro wrestling world abuzz with her damning words towards the WWE Universe. Uploading a video to her YouTube channel, the “Rowdy” one would live up to her name, ripping into fans, the WWE, and other members of the WWE roster. She would commit what many fans and those in the industry consider a cardinal sin by referring to pro wrestling as fake.

    “Wrestling is scripted,” she stated, emphatically. “It’s made up, it’s not real. None of those b****** can f****** touch me. The end.”

    Her words have clearly affected a number of WWE Superstars, as members of the roster took to their social media accounts in order to address Ronda’s comments.

    “You Were Untouchable. Now? Not So Much”

    Charlotte Flair, Ronda Rousey’s scheduled opponent at WrestleMania 35, chimed in with her rebuttal via Twitter, writing:

    “Can someone please remind Captain Badass here that her last two fights before coming to WWE ended with her unconscious and sobbing in the cage?

    Four years ago, you were untouchable. Now? Not so much.

    You’re a class act, @RondaRousey”

    The two are currently slated to clash come April 7th. Before that, however, Charlotte Flair will be competing against Becky Lynch at Fastlane. Stephanie McMahon recently added the stipulation that if Lynch emerges victorious tomorrow night, she will be added to the championship match at ‘Mania, making it a triple threat affair.

    She wasn’t the only one to take issue with Rousey, however. Both Liv Morgan and Rusev also expressed their thoughts on the video.

    Morgan would reflect that “my body is sore all the time … that’s not fake. That’s real.”

    Rusev’s tweet would be a little more confrontational, saying:

    “Ronda’s new character is not real. She is playing a badass but we all know she ain’t in REAL LIFE”

    Ronda’s words have clearly disgruntled a number of people in the industry, but the question remains: just how much of a shoot is it? It will be interesting to see if there is any sort of ramification for her vocal, and public, breaking of kayfabe.

  • Former WWE Superstar Joining Impact Wrestling In Producer Role

    Former WWE Superstar Joining Impact Wrestling In Producer Role

    In recent weeks, numerous former wrestlers from Impact Wrestling have joined the ranks of WWE. Abyss, Sonjay Dutt, “Hurricane” Shane Helms, even “Double J” Jeff Jarrett are all officially backstage personnel for the promotion.

    In a twist to this formula, a former WWE Superstar has revealed that he will be joining Impact Wrestling in an agent/producer role.

    It was revealed in Figure Four Daily that Lance Storm would soon begin work with Impact. He spoke with them regarding this opportunity, mentioning he would begin at the upcoming Impact TV tapings in Ontario, Canada. Storm did stress that, at this point in time, it is not a permanent position.

    “I’m going to be doing the agent/producer role for Impact Wrestling in the near future. The March 22 and 23 tapings in Windsor, Ontario, which I think are their next TV tapings,” Storm divulged. “[…] it’s only a couple of weeks away now. It is not a permanent position. It is a bit of a test to see if I like the job and if they like my ability to do the job, but, I will be in Windsor for the next Impact Wrestling tapings.”

    He credited the taping schedule as a key factor in his decision, mentioning that “It’s possible [for me] because they only tape two days a month and it’s a Friday and a Sunday, so I would only have to adjust one day, per month, out of my SWA training schedule. So, it’s doable, and obviously I get along extremely well with both Don Callis and Scott D’Amore.”

    Storm claims he has been watching Impact Wrestling “religiously” for the past month. Pragmatic in his approach, he confirms that “if both sides like it, I will probably do it moving forward for a while.”

    https://twitter.com/LanceStorm/status/1104213875505881088

    Impact Wrestling’s next pay-per-view is entitled United We Stand. It will air live on the company’s Twitch channel on April 4th. The event takes place from the Rahway Rec Center in New Jersey.

    It will be interesting to see what Lance Storm can bring to the company. His wealth of experience and knowledge alone should immediately benefit them, but will his input be enough to entice fans?

  • Cody Shares How AEW Intend To Deliver A Unique TV Product

    Cody Shares How AEW Intend To Deliver A Unique TV Product

    With All Elite Wrestling (AEW) continuing to engage their audience through their ‘Road To’ series to hype their upcoming event, Double Or Nothing, it would be understandable if their attentions were solely on their immediate shows.

    However, in a recent interview with the New York Post, it becomes abundantly clear that this isn’t the case.

    Executive Vice President, Cody Rhodes, would address the unique aspects that AEW aim to deliver in their television show. He believes these factors will help to separate them from their competition.

    Cody admitted that he intends to treat their product like live sports, before highlighting that the “core to that is characters, and I think characters beam across your television set or devices in ways perhaps people have forgotten.”

    “Wrestling used to have these great enhancements matches, these squash matches where you would see these characters and the things he could do,” Cody said. “He’d tell you what you had at the pay-per-view event and things of that nature.”

    He would continue, explaining that “At the core of all wrestling, when it’s done right, is the characters and their connection to the audience. […] It’s really important that the character engage the audience. You don’t just want to be watching a show, you want to be participating.”

    AEW USP

    AEW isn’t interested in simply recycling old talent either. Their mission plan, according to Cody, is to hire “fresh [talent].”

    “To give you an example: We’ve all watched a lot of wrestling where a lot of guys have been recycled and rehashed and reused, and there is always a lot of activation of the legend. I totally get that. I’m not anti it,” he clarified.

    “I just think, if you’re starting a company and not many people have been starting a company in wrestling, you start with people they haven’t seen and people who haven’t gotten the opportunity and get to grow up in front of you and balance it out.”

    He admitted that “It’s ironic that it’s the ex-WWE guy saying it in me, but obviously we don’t just want to do, ‘He’s ex-WWE, let’s throw him the world and hope he comes hang out with us.’”

    AEW clearly want to revitalise the pro wrestling world and aim to deliver a product that listens to its fanbase — something other companies are often loathe to do.

    Their next event, Double Or Nothing, takes place on May 25th 2019 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

  • Rumored Matchup For John Cena At WrestleMania 35

    Rumored Matchup For John Cena At WrestleMania 35

    John Cena is scheduled for a book signing in New York City on April 5th. This happens to be over WrestleMania weekend.

    It has been speculated that this might not be mere coincidence, and that Cena will be appearing at WrestleMania in order to compete.

    His rumored opponent? The new United States Champion, Samoa Joe.

    R-Truth held another US Open Challenge on SmackDown Live this week in honor of his hero, wanting to make him proud. Samoa Joe, however, would emerge victorious this past Tuesday during what became a Fatal Four Way matchup.

    “I Sure As Hell Ain’t A Man Who Loves John Cena”

    After his win, Samoa Joe would be interviewed backstage by Kayla Braxton. His words teased a future confrontation with John Cena.

    When Braxton brought up that his fellow WWE Superstars “accused” Joe of being unable to win “the big one,” Joe would interrupt her.

    “Accusations? No gentlemen, they were not making accusations. They were merely unanswered prayers. Because every SmackDown Superstar, they know the lengths I’ll go to win gold and they fear what I’ll do to keep it.

    “You see, gentlemen, it’s quite simple — the champ is not one to come out here and do dance breaks. I don’t pander to the masses of the unexceptional, and I sure as hell ain’t a man who loves John Cena,” Joe claimed.

    “Hustle, loyalty and respect? No, no, no. All my opponents will find is disrespect for any man who has the audacity to come for the king and his crown. And to all you SmackDown Superstars who wanna lie awake at night, every night, having nightmares about the day you might step in the ring against me…rest assured boys, I’ll be along soon enough to make you all go night-night.”

    Despite being off WWE television, John Cena’s name and legacy has been mentioned a number of times, particularly around the United States Championship and R-Truth’s short run of US Open Challenges.

    With all this name dropping, it seems apparent that WWE is prepping the WWE Universe for the return of John Cena. But could it be against Joe for the US Championship at WrestleMania 35?

  • Mandy Rose Offers Her Thoughts On WWE’s Current Brand Landscape

    Mandy Rose Offers Her Thoughts On WWE’s Current Brand Landscape

    Mandy Rose has been making the most of her opportunities recently on WWE programming. “God’s Greatest Gift” recently feuded with Naomi over the latter’s husband’s attention. This storyline has helped to propel her into a new spotlight as she prepares to face off against “The Empress of Tomorrow” Asuka at Fastlane this Sunday. This will be Mandy Rose’s biggest opportunity yet as she competes for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship.

    In a recent interview with Planeta Wrestling, Mandy Rose offered her thoughts on the current state of WWE’s brand split.

    “People Want To See The Women Right Now”

    Whereas the rosters were once completely separated to their respective brand affiliation, it has become more common for WWE Superstars to appear across both WWE’s red and blue brand, with some even travelling to NXT.

    “I think it’s great. Why not mesh the brands more?” she said. “I don’t think anything’s wrong with that. I think the crossing of the brands is great. I think it brings excitement, it brings, you know, anticipation of not knowing who’s gonna be on Monday Night RAW or Tuesday Night SmackDown, so I think it’s really awesome.”

    “In general, the women are just killing it,” Rose stated. “People want to see the women right now, the women are main eventing, they’re breaking barriers, they’re doing everything. It’s an amazing time to be a woman right now. So I think it’s amazing that they are, y’know, crossing brands.”

    In the many years that WWE has seen their roster split into two brands, they would eventually start to cross-promote talent, eventually leading to another defined roster split. WWE seem content at the moment, however, to simply use their talent wherever they deem suitable.

    https://youtu.be/21I33apAtDs

    With a number of NXT talent recently moving up to the main roster, could we on the cusp of another major Superstar Shake-Up? Will WWE simply continue to cross-promote their talent as they see fit?

  • New Information Regarding ‘Dead Man Talking’ Trademark

    New Information Regarding ‘Dead Man Talking’ Trademark

    In an update to the news over a trademark being filed for the name ‘Dead Man Talking,’ Conrad Thompson has clarified the reasoning behind the filing.

    The trademark came up after it was revealed that The Undertaker was now taking appearance bookings outside of the WWE. Not only that, but he would be present at Starrcast II. This announcement was reportedly not well received by WWE officials.

    Speaking with Total Engagement With Matt Koon, Conrad addressed the ‘Dead Man Talking’ title. He confessed that he simply “[…] thought it was a cool name.”

    “I first heard the name years ago, and nobody trademarked it. And there is another podcast with that name out there but they don’t cover anything wrestling-related. I don’t know that I’ll be successful — I petitioned for the trademark, I don’t know that I’ll be awarded the trademark. But I thought it was a cool name.”

    “The Undertaker Is A Contracted Professional With The WWE”

    Thompson would continue, saying, “And we did book the Undertaker for Starrcast, and we have talked about there being the possibility of there being a second booking or there being a stage show or whatever involved with that. Maybe there might be something besides just pictures and autographs, but I don’t have anything confirmed with anyone.”

    He would stress that “The Undertaker is a contracted professional with the WWE. I can’t imagine that he would do something outside of their umbrella besides a one-off appearance here or there at a Comic-Con or something like that, like he’s got coming up in the UK or Starrcast. But I thought it was a cool name. And so, I mean that’s sorta where we are.”

    The Starrcast II convention takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada from May 23rd to 26th. The convention has already booked a number of talent and events, including The Young Bucks, Cody, Lita and Bret Hart.

  • Torrie Wilson Responds To Negative Backlash Over Hall Of Fame Inclusion

    Torrie Wilson Responds To Negative Backlash Over Hall Of Fame Inclusion

    We recently reported on former WWE Superstar, Torrie Wilson, becoming an inductee into WWE’s Hall Of Fame Class of 2019.

    Since then, however, there has been some negative backlash regarding her induction by some members of the WWE Universe. They do not believe that she has earned a spot amongst the other members of WWE’s Hall Of Fame.

    Speaking with David LeGreca and Bully Ray on Busted Open Radio, Torrie Wilson addressed these comments and the fans who have been criticising WWE for wanting her to join her peers like Trish Stratus and Lita.

    “I think some of the people that are angry are the same people that are forgetting that this is an entertainment show and I was not calling the shots backstage going, ‘Hey Vince, can I please wrestle in a bikini tonight?’” she explained. “I actually was out there with Fit Finlay going, ‘OK, what’s the most athletic match I can put together with a bikini on?”

    During her tenure with the company, one thing Torrie Wilson was never able to accomplish was becoming a champion — a fact she is acutely aware of after making a list of her accomplishments once she’d received the phone call by Mark Carrano offering her a HOF spot.

    “Immediately when I hung up the phone, I sat there and thought, like…I basically started putting together this list of all the things I’m not. And I was never a champion,” Wilson said.

    “I could do much better than my haters about beating myself up. Then I had to put myself in check but there are a lot of things that I am. I’m not Charlotte Flair, I’m not jumping off ladders, but I am Torrie Wilson and I did have something to bring to the table. I think for most people, we are just too quick to start listening to the negatives and losing focus on what we can bring to the table.”

    Torrie Wilson joins The Honky Tonk Man and D-Generation X (Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Billy Gunn, Road Dogg, X-Pac, and Chyna.)

    This year’s HOF ceremony takes place on April 6th, 2019 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York over WrestleMania weekend.

  • R-Truth Talks About Bringing Back The US Title Open Challenge, Making Cena Proud

    R-Truth Talks About Bringing Back The US Title Open Challenge, Making Cena Proud

    Current WWE United States Champion, R-Truth, returned to television this week on SmackDown Live. He had been been “missing” for a time. R-Truth also announced the return of the United States Championship Open Challenge — a challenge that former US Champion, John Cena, popularized.

    Catching up with WWE.com, R-Truth discussed bringing the challenge back and his confidence in making John Cena proud with his decision.

    “I made him damn proud, you know what I’m saying?” he said. “At first, it was a dilemma, but I had a quick hypothesis after, um — I talked to Carmella and she said, ‘You brave, too. John Cena would fight both of them.’ I was like, ‘No thank you, no thank you,’ but she said, ‘You brave, too.’”

    He continued, saying, “We’re a team like that, you know what I’m saying? She support me, give me that strength, give me that support, you know what I’m saying? My idol, John Cena, would’ve done the same thing, right?”

    R-Truth would successfully retain his US Championship in a triple threat match against both Andrade and Rey Mysterio this past Tuesday night.

    Where does R-Truth go from here? Will he help to elevate the championship as so many before him have done?

  • Mike Kanellis Vents Frustration Over “Blatant Disrespect”

    Mike Kanellis Vents Frustration Over “Blatant Disrespect”

    Despite Drake Maverick giving Mike Kanellis what he wanted, the 205 Live Superstar has still taken issue with his scheduled match next week.

    In a backstage segment, Maverick would grant Mike a matchup on next Tuesday’s episode, which takes place in Philadelphia. Maverick would praise Kanellis’ performance against Cedric Alexander. He claimed that Kanellis took Cedric to “the absolute limit.”

    This performance prompted Maverick to book Kanellis in a match. Maria Kanellis would refer to this as “the match we’ve been waiting for.”

    He would soon learn the bout would not be a tournament matchup for an opportunity to face Buddy Murphy. Mike would then take to Twitter to share his thoughts.

    “I’m Really Sick Of The Blatant Disrespect”

    “So I have a match next week & it’s not a tournament match.I’d like to say I’m surprised,but at this point it’s just par for the course.Nice to know guys who aren’t even on the 205 roster get shots at Wrestlemania over me. I’m really sick of the blatant disrespect.”

    https://twitter.com/RealMikeBennett/status/1100614792266559488

    205 Live are currently holding a tournament to determine a number one contender to face Buddy Murphy at WrestleMania 35. The tournament is being conducted under single-elimination rules and will grant the winner an opportunity at the WWE Cruiserweight Championship on the “Grandest Stage Of Them All.”

    Given the title match and platform, it’s no wonder Mike Kanellis — who, along with Maria, had reportedly requested their release — has taken issue with not being granted a tournament match.

  • Buddy Murphy Issues Statement Regarding His “Immediate Future In WWE”

    Buddy Murphy Issues Statement Regarding His “Immediate Future In WWE”

    Last night, Buddy Murphy promised that he would make an important announcement regarding his “immediate future with WWE.”

    Well, the WWE Cruiserweight Champion kept his word, releasing a further statement via his Twitter account. He would reveal that he will be taking some time off from 205 Live and that he will not be on “205live for the foreseeable future!”

    He explained that he would be returning to his hometown in Melbourne, Australia for the next few weeks, adding that he will be “watching closely” as 205 Live’s tournament to determine a number one contender continues.

    “Since my arrival to 205Live I have loved every moment! Going from nothing to something was a incredible achievement for myself! That being said I would like to officially announce that I will not be on 205live for the foreseeable future!

    The champ is going on a well deserved vacation back to ‘My hometown of Melbourne, Australia!, For the next few weeks! Cause the champ does what he wants! When he wants

    I’ll be watching closely to see who advances in the ‘Buddy Murphy Classic’ – Who wants to try and stop the unstoppable!?

    -BM”

    205 Live are currently running a single-elimination tournament in the run-up to WrestleMania 35. The winner of the tournament will get the opportunity to face Buddy Murphy for the Cruiserweight Championship on the “Grandest Stage Of Them All.”

  • Josh Barnett Discusses Jay White Injuring Jim Ross At G1 Special

    Josh Barnett Discusses Jay White Injuring Jim Ross At G1 Special

    At last year’s New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) G1 Special event in San Francisco, “Switchblade” Jay White ended up enraging NJPW’s English commentator — and MMA fighter — Josh Barnett.

    This incident came about after White suplexed his opponent, Juice Robinson, into the guardrail. The rail would then collide into the commentary table causing Jim Ross to suffer a rib injury. This unplanned spot would prompt Barnett to leave the commentary table and pursue White in defense of Ross.

    Looking back on the incident with the WINCLY podcast, Barnett admits they have since gotten past those issues.

    “This Is Heat, Use It”

    “To be perfectly honest, I never wanted to talk about the incident with Jay White, myself and J.R. in a shoot way,” he said. “After it was all said and done, we the principles had sorted it all out, everybody was on board and OK, drinks were had and people became of better use to each other. I figured, it is what it is, but now it’s more useful to be used in a kayfabe manner than it is otherwise. This is heat, use it. He got nuclear heat after what happened. Contrary to what some sources or some critics out there might say, I actually got a huge, gigantic pop when I went after Jay White and went in the ring.”

    Barnett would then explain that his actions had no reflection on wanting to “go in business for myself” and that, despite discussing wrestling for NJPW, knew that “as a commentator that [incident] creates an issue.”

    “That Was A Moment Of Reality”

    “[…] that was a matter of something entirely unrelated to anything that I was interested in terms of doing pro wrestling,” he said. “That was a moment of reality, not of going in business for one’s self. But the result of it was, Jay White got super nuclear heat, Juice Robinson became such a face out of it, got so much of a response, let’s use it. Mistakes are made, you can’t fix that, but we can go forward with something more positive and more beneficial to everyone… If this is how it’s turned out, and people are getting a good, solid heel that’s creating interest and creating conflict, then fantastic. That’s what’s needed.”

    Jay White went on to become the leader of Bullet Club and has recently claimed the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. He would defeat Hiroshi Tanahashi for the championship at NJPW’s recent show, The New Beginning in Osaka.

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Batista Clarifies His Statement Regarding The Rock

    Batista Clarifies His Statement Regarding The Rock

    Dave Batista made an immediate impact upon his surprise return this past Monday on RAW. That wasn’t the only thing that has garnered “The Animal” media attention, however.

    A recent interview with TampaBay.com saw Batista discussing his “hate” of being compared to John Cena and The Rock for moving from pro wrestling into acting.

    Regarding The Rock, in particular, he would admit that “Rock was, in a way, a movie star before he was even a movie star. There is something about him that’s really special. I’d never take that away from him. Would I consider him a great actor? F*** no.”

    Batista has since tweeted out a statement in order to clarify his sentiment. He claims that he was not “bashing anyone” and that he speaks from the heart, which occasionally “comes across harsh.” He ended with a definitive point regarding the interview, saying, “I stand by the interview w/@TB_Times.”

    “The Animal” made his return to WWE this week after months of speculation. He would assault Ric Flair in Flair’s locker room, taunting Triple H once the attack had ended. Batista is scheduled to appear at next week’s episode of Monday Night RAW in the build-up to a potential match against “The Game” at WrestleMania 35.

  • Steve Austin Responds To Kevin Owens’ Use Of The Stunner

    Steve Austin Responds To Kevin Owens’ Use Of The Stunner

    In case you missed it, this week’s episode of SmackDown Live saw the return of Kevin Owens. He would be introduced by Vince McMahon, who informed Kofi Kingston that he would be replaced by Owens in the WWE Championship matchup at the upcoming Fastlane event.

    Owens also happened to bring something else back that Tuesday night: the Stunner.

    Not only that but an effective Stunner that ended the match after he managed to hit it on “The New” Daniel Bryan. This would give the impromptu team of Kevin Owens and Kofi Kingston the victory in their tag team effort against Daniel Bryan and Erick Rowan.

    He would reach out to the man who pioneered the move as a finisher, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin:

    “Hey @steveaustinBSR, I finally figured it out!”

    Now, “The Rattlesnake” has responded to Owens bold claim.

    “Highly effective. When executed properly the results are complete devastation.”

    Austin accompanied the tweet with a nice video comparison of the two Stunners. One is Owens’ from SmackDown, the other is his own from WrestleMania XIV. That particular ‘Mania finish, accompanied by a three count by “Iron” Mike Tyson, saw Austin claim the WWF Championship for the first time back in 1998.

    “Stone Cold” has been critical over the use of the Stunner by other Superstars in the past. He has not only lambasted Owens for his prior attempts but was equally unimpressed when John Cena started using a springboard variation of the move.

  • Boss ‘N’ Hug Connection Responds To The IIconics’ Challenge

    Boss ‘N’ Hug Connection Responds To The IIconics’ Challenge

    The inaugural modern era Women’s Tag Team Champions are set to defend their titles at WWE’s Fastlane event on March 10th. The matchup will see Bayley and “The Boss” Sasha Banks go up against the team of Nia Jax and Tamina Snuka.

    That hasn’t stopped the Boss ’N’ Hug Connection from repeatedly stating that they are ready for all comers, no matter what brand they happen to be on. This has lead to some interesting challenges, including one that Bayley extended to a few WWE Hall Of Famers.

    Now it appears that their next challenge could be the SmackDown Live team, The IIconics.

    Billie Kay and Peyton Royce took to Twitter in order to spark a back-and-forth with the Women’s Tag Team Champions.

    Taunting the Champions seems to have worked, as both Sasha Banks and Bayley would take the bait, responding to the challenge.

    “The Boss” wrote, “Oh don’t worry, once we defeat Nia and tamina at fastlane, we’ll be more than happy to come over to smackdown and handle you two. By the way… How’s the catering? Jajajaja”

    Her partner, Bayley, would also reply, responding to The IIconics question over their whereabouts by stating, “Building this division. You guys want in?”

    She would follow up with a more succinct reply, “Don’t you worry. See you soon…”

    Assuming that Bayley and Sasha Banks manage to retain their championships on March 10th, it seems they’ll be heading to the blue brand next to answer the IIconics’ challenge.