SEScoops

Author: Steve Russell

  • TJP Vents Frustrations Over NXT Superstar’s RAW Debut

    TJP Vents Frustrations Over NXT Superstar’s RAW Debut

    Not everyone was happy to see NXT Superstar, Ricochet, make their main roster debut last night on Monday Night RAW.

    Former WWE Cruiserweight Champion, TJP, took to his Twitter account in order to vent his frustrations after witnessing Ricochet execute a move TJP claims to have written.

    Responding to a clip uploaded by WWE’s Twitter account, TJP said, “Oh cool I think I wrote this”

    He would follow up with a series of tweets over the situation before responding to fans who were reaching out with support. It’s worth noting that TJP stressed that he was still “happy” for Ricochet as he “deserves a shot.”

    “I wish I was kidding…but literally I wrote that. Be proactive I guess…”

    “I thought someone else turning my homework in with their name on it ended after high school…”

    “Despite all that, I’m really happy for @KingRicochet because he’s really awesome and deserves a shot.”

    “That Was My Best Shot”

    Obviously frustrated, TJP claimed that Ricochet’s spot was the “best shot’ he could have hoped for. He claimed that “they [WWE] just gave the bat I carved myself to someone else for their at-bat.”

    Despite his clear dissapointment, when another fan asked if TJP would be appearing in All Elite Wrestling anytime soon, the 205 Live Superstar said:

    “If it were up to me, literally never. I’m doing everything I possibly can to succeed here on the team I always wanted to play for, both on and off camera.”

  • Elias Tells WWE Legends To “Get Out”

    Elias Tells WWE Legends To “Get Out”

    With D-Generation X being announced for WWE’s Hall Of Fame Class of 2019 and The Undertaker now taking appearance bookings outside the company, it appears that these legendary Superstars may finally be embracing the end of in-ring competition.

    For one current RAW Superstar, it’s about time.

    Elias, speaking to BBC Sounds’ Headliners show, discussed how the time of these established legends is done. He would put a fine point on his thoughts, stating that it was time for them to “Get out” in order to make space for the next generation, namely himself.

    “Get Out Of Here, Man. Get Out!”

    “There was a time when I respected The Undertaker, I respected Shawn Michaels, I respected Triple H, and now they just hang around,” Elias said. “They keep having these matches with each other. I just want them gone, so, any respect I did have for these guys is out the window.”

    “The whole thing, The Brothers of Destruction, DX, any of that stuff, that was an Attitude Era thing. But you’re looking at the guy right now, so, step aside and it’s Elias’ time. Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, Triple H, Kane, get out of here, man. Get out!”

    The interview took place around the time for WWE’s controversial Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia. Despite this fact, it’s probably an opinion Elias still considers true.

    H/T To Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

    Do you agree with Elias’ sentiments? Can you see Elias in the main event spot?

  • Bayley Asks If Trish Stratus And Lita Are “Ready”

    Bayley Asks If Trish Stratus And Lita Are “Ready”

    This past Sunday at WWE’s Elimination Chamber PPV, Sasha Banks and Bayley would make history. The two would survive the Chamber matchup to be crowned the modern era’s inaugural WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions. The duo saw off stiff competition from Nia Jax and Tamina, Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan, Billie Kay and Peyton Royce, and Carmella and Naomi, and Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville.

    Given that these new championships are intended to be defended across multiple WWE brands, it didn’t take long for challengers to step forward, proclaiming their interest in the titles.

    A New Challanger Appears

    The first main roster team who may challenge the Boss ’N’ Hug Connection could be Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose.

    Others have also expressed an interest, including NXT’s Dakota Kai and Tegan Nox.

    Dakota would tweet out her thoughts, saying, “… women’s tag titles defended on all brands including @WWENXT , you say? @TeganNoxWWE_ #TheComeback #FlyKicks”

    Bayley would respond shortly after with a succinct, ‘Please do, we’re ready”

    https://twitter.com/DakotaKai_WWE/status/1097694667301376005

    The biggest interaction, however, took place off the back of a Hall Of Famer’s praise.

    Trish Stratus would reach out to congratulate the team, “My loves!!! I may or may not have tear’d up a little #itsaproudmamathing

    Beyond proud… the right ones for this amazing and historic opportunity… ladies, here’s the ball…. @SashaBanksWWE @itsBayleyWWE the FIRST EVER @WWE #WomensTagTeamChampions”

    Bayley’s response?

    An honest question: “Are you and Lita ready?”

    Could this be teasing a future matchup between these four? Is this a match you’d like to see?

  • Tomasso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano Talk About RAW Debut

    Tomasso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano Talk About RAW Debut

    Last night saw the main roster debuts for a number of NXT’s top Superstars including Tomasso Ciampa, Johnny Gargano, Ricochet, and Aleister Black.

    Ciampa and Gargano — officially teaming up again for the first time since their initial split as DIY — would wrestle and defeat the current RAW tag team champions, The Revival. This was a non-title matchup.

    NXT Superstars coming in and beating main roster champions may have surprised a number of the WWE Universe. It didn’t, however, surprise Ciampa.

    Catching up with Cathy Kelley backstage, the two discussed their main roster debut, with Ciampa claiming that the fans will “remember us forever.”

    “I don’t know, it’s a weird feeling,” Gargano admitted. “I don’t know really how to feel [about debuting]. I don’t think any of it has set in yet. I’m one of those types of people that kind of takes things as they come. This has all been such a whirlwind — I don’t know, I’m numb right now. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but I’m incredibly numb. Yeah, I don’t know…”

    Ciampa then took the reigns and stated that “This is not a surprise. We’re the two best performers in all of WWE. We turned NXT into the A-Show. We walked into Monday Night RAW and we beat the tag team champions on our first night. This isn’t happenstance. I’m the greatest sports entertainer of all time. He’s Johnny Wrestling. Whether you call us DIY or not doesn’t matter. You will call us champions, you will call us legends, you will remember us forever.”

    Do you agree? What’s next for the NXT champions? Will they become a mainstay on the red brand?

  • Ronda Rousey Names Her Ideal Partner To Challenge For WWE Women’s Tag Titles

    Ronda Rousey Names Her Ideal Partner To Challenge For WWE Women’s Tag Titles

    “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey is set to defend her RAW Women’s Championship against challenger Ruby Riott this Sunday. However, she is already looking to the future — a fact her opponent has taken issue with.

    Rousey is also slated for a potentially history-making matchup at April’s WrestleMania event. However, these marquee matches haven’t stopped her from eyeing up other trophies to add to her list of accolades.

    Posting a video to her YouTube channel, Ronda Rousey hosted a post-RAW Q&A session. During this interaction, she revealed who she would like to tag with in pursuit of the Women’s Tag Team Championships.

    That woman? Natalya.

    “I Want It All”

    Ronda admitted that “[…] I’m disappointed that me and Nattie aren’t even in the running for the tag titles at the moment. I understand there’s a lot going on right now, but I understand there’s a lot of other teams that are much more established than ours, y’know.”

    “There’s, like, a part of me, the competitor, and the Olympian: ‘I want it all, I wanna do it as best as possible, I want to do everything.’

    But there are so many women in this company that have been doing so much extraordinary work for so many years and really, really deserve a shot at those titles to be the first-evers. I would be very honored to be, if not the first challenger that they have with Nattie, then later down the line, and hopefully, we can be champions at some point.”

  • Impact Wrestling Star Departs Promotion

    Impact Wrestling Star Departs Promotion

    Last May, it was revealed that Joe Hendry had signed with Impact Wrestling. At the time he had nothing but praise for the company, claiming that the promotion offered him a level of freedom in “letting me do what I do.”

    Not even a year later, however, and Hendry has now left Impact Wrestling.

    In a post uploaded to his Twitter account, Hendry addressed the situation with a video making light of the situation.

    He accompanied the footage with the following:

    “I am now a FREE AGENT. Thank you to Impact for the oppprtunity.

    Ive chosen to bet on myself with my new project and I need your support!

    Patreon is coming, but for now all I ask is to subscribe:
    https://www.
    youtube.com/joehendry?sub_
    confirmation=1
    …

    Lets get the word out!

    RETWEETS + LIKES are Prestigious!”

    The Scottish wrestler is still a part of the United Kingdom’s World Of Sport Wrestling and has wrestled for a number of different promotions, including Insane Championship Wrestling, Defiant Wrestling, and even Ring Of Honor.

    It’s expected that more departures will be announced in the following weeks as other contracts are supposedly set to expire soon.

    Where does Joe Hendry go from here? Do you think he can make an impact in another promotion?

  • Injury Update On Rey Fenix

    Injury Update On Rey Fenix

    We recently reported on one half of the Lucha Bros., Rey Fenix, suffering an injury during a live event for AAW in Austin, Texas. An MRI revealed that Fenix suffered a muscle contusion. He was told he would need to take it easy for a while to rest and heal up.

    Thankfully, that appears to have done the trick as Rey Fenix took part in the recent tapings for Impact Wrestling.

    He and his brother faced off against LAX, who were accompanied by Konnan. The matchup was for the Impact Tag Team Championships, which Pentagon Jr. and Rey Fenix currently hold. The taping is set to air on February 22nd.

    Fenix originally sustained the damage whilst attempting a stunner and had to be stretchered out of the ring area in front of concerned fans. AAW requested that fans did not take pictures as the unmasked luchador was helped into an ambulance.

    Double Or Nothing

    Looking to the future, The Lucha Bros. are set to wrestle The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson) at AEW’s ‘Double Or Nothing’ event. That show goes down on May 25th from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

    The Lucha Bros. attacked the Bucks during AEW’s recent Ticket Announcement Party, sending a direct message to the Jackson brothers over their intentions come ‘Double Or Nothing.’

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWAUwLHMSbg

  • Jay White Believes He Will Take NJPW To “New Heights”

    Jay White Believes He Will Take NJPW To “New Heights”

    “Switchblade” Jay White recently held a press conference giving everyone the first real opportunity to hear from him as NJPW’s new IWGP Heavyweight Champion. During the course of this event, he would have some harsh words for fans of New Japan Pro Wrestling, stating that “I’m not looking to be judged by anyone, I don’t care about your opinions. The fans talk as if I owe them something.”

    The New Zealander would also address NJPW’s plans for further expansion into Western markets. White claimed that with him at the helm as IWGP Heavyweight Champion, New Japan’s global growth is guaranteed.

    “Just having me at the helm, that’s going to make this company expand as it is. My image, me standing there with this belt is money in itself. I am the hottest asset in all of Pro-Wrestling and including [sneering] sports entertainment as well.”

    He would continue, saying that “Having me as the front man, that’s going to help the company grow. I know certain people may not agree with that, especially fans because, hey, the fans know best don’t they? They think that me as the champion is not going to work? No, no, no, I know best so everybody else just shut up, sit back and do as you’re told and let me take this company to new heights.”

    Jay White is scheduled to defend his newly won championship against the winner of this year’s New Japan Cup, which takes place during March. His first defense will go down on April 6th at Madison Square Garden during the massive G1 Supercard event.

    Do you agree? Is the “Cutthroat” Era the thing to further help establish New Japan in the West? Is Jay White the right person at the top as they do so?

  • Information On Kofi Kingston’s Push Heading Into Elimination Chamber

    Information On Kofi Kingston’s Push Heading Into Elimination Chamber

    The performance that Kofi Kingston put on during this week’s SmackDown Live is still being talked about amongst his fans and peers. Kofi was revealed to be the New Day’s representative, replacing an injured Mustafa Ali. He has suddenly found himself with major momentum heading into this Sunday’s Elimination Chamber matchup.

    However, it appears that Kofi’s booking during SmackDown’s Gauntlet match was also meant for Ali.

    Reported by @WrestleVotes, it seems that the story that unfolded Tuesday night was originally intended for Mustafa Ali. WWE appears to have simply inserted Kofi Kingston into a storyline slated for the former 205 Live Superstar.

    With Ali suffering from an injured tailbone and a concussion, as well as a black eye at the hands of Randy Orton, the Superstar has been the recipient of some heavy damage since moving up to SmackDown.

    It’s been rumored that WWE will lean into the injury angle for when Ali is medically cleared. Given the black eye, this could lead into a natural feud against Randy Orton upon his comeback. There is always the possibility that WWE elects Erick Rowan instead, given how he slammed Ali’s head into the SmackDown announce table.

    What do you make of this? Will Ali be majorly set back now because of it? Is it ‘fair’ that Kofi has stepped into a push designed for Mustafa Ali?

  • NJPW Royal Quest Details Announced (8/31)

    NJPW Royal Quest Details Announced (8/31)

    New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) has released new information regarding their upcoming date in the United Kingdom. The show is scheduled to take place on August 31st 2019 from the Copper Box Arena in London’s East End.

    The event, entitled ‘Royal Quest,’ is being promoted as their “first major event in Europe.”

    NJPW confirmed that “Three of our top Japanese wrestlers have confirmed they will be on the card and they will be bringing New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s fighting spirit to the heart of the UK’s capital.”

    This only acted as a tease. The company then wrote that they would reveal who these three wrestlers are next week:

    “We’ll let you know who they are next week at the same time that we announce the ticket sale!

    They end this short update by informing fans that more information will be released over the coming months in the run-up to ‘Royal Quest’ but promise to reveal more wrestler names, meet and greet information, and more.

    NJPW aren’t strangers to the United Kingdom. They have held numerous events in conjuncture with other promotions, most notably Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro) and Ring Of Honor (ROH). ‘Royal Quest’ will be their first major solo show in the UK.

    You can find more information on their website, NJPW1972.com.

  • Lana Has Some Harsh Words For “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey

    Lana Has Some Harsh Words For “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey

    With the news breaking that “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey might be joining the cast of ‘Total Divas,’ it was bound to garner a reaction. Considering that Lana and Rusev have been axed from the show for being “strongly disliked by the demographic,” you’ve suddenly got yourself the start of a potentially personal feud — despite the fact it’s actually Sonya Deville who is replacing Lana’s spot on the show.

    Taking chagrin with the shakeup to the ‘Total Divas’ casting lineup, Lana took to her social media. Responding to Ronda’s Elimination Chamber challenger, Ruby Riott, Lana would proceed to call Rowsey “overrated,” stating that she “can’t bring ratings.”

    Ruby Riott was initially responding to a Tweet by Rousey, where she would say:

    “Who cares about what’s best for business or what these people want?! You’re so focused on giving the #WomensEvolution what they deserve, that you’re not even looking at #EliminationChamber. So I’ll gladly take your title & main event #Wrestlemania whether they like it or not.”

    It would at this point that Lana would insert herself into the conversation:

    “I would be thrilled if you took her place ! So overrated she is ! I mean she claims to change the game yet she can’t bring ratings …. soooo ummm”

    Given that Lana isn’t even on the same brand as Raw’s Ronda Rousey, it would appear unlikely she is harnessing Twitter to foreshadow a feud in the way that talent has done for, say, a Four Horsewomen confrontation.

    What do you think? Is this just bitterness on Lana’s part? Does she have a point?

  • New Japan Pro Wrestling Suffers Further Visa Issues

    New Japan Pro Wrestling Suffers Further Visa Issues

    New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) recently held a tour in the United States to coincide with their ‘Road To The New Beginning’ show. These US shows were met with heavy criticism when NJPW finally revealed the cards, with fans surprised by the lack of Japanese talent. Instead, the cards were bolstered with Ring Of Honor (ROH) stars and NJPW LA Dojo Young Lions.

    This was reported to be down to visa issues New Japan encountered when trying to secure their talent the necessary rights to travel to, and work in, the United States.

    Turns out New Japan’s travel woes aren’t over.

    Los Ingobernables de Japon member, EVIL, was scheduled to perform for Pro Wrestling Force this past weekend. The “King Of Darkness” however would be turned away at US customs. This, according to Tiger Hattori, was due to further visa issues as the required visas for entry into the States are now different compared to those NJPW secured its roster two years ago.

    Pro Wrestling Force released a statement via their Twitter account, accompanying it with the following:

    “We have some terrible news, we hope that you take the time to read through the statement. We hate to let any fans down, but hope you agree we’ve taken the steps to rectify this situation.”

  • New Japan’s Hiroshi Tanahashi Responds To WWE Poll

    New Japan’s Hiroshi Tanahashi Responds To WWE Poll

    WWE recently took to Twitter in order to ask the WWE Universe, who has the best air guitar?

    The poll featured footage of Undisputed Era’s Kyle O’Reilly and NXT newcomer, Eric Bugenhagen. The two rock out in the video footage, which is accompanied by the statement that they are, supposedly, “The guitar heroes we deserve.”

    Turns out there might be an even better contender for the title of air guitar champion. Another wrestler has stepped forward to claim this particular crown.

    Not “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, no.

    Responding via Twitter, former-IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Hiroshi Tanahashi, would respond to WWE’s question. His response was a simple emoji of a man holding his hand up, the hashtag “#GOACE,” and a guitar.

    It’s rare for New Japan wrestlers to really engage with WWE social media, but “The Ace” couldn’t help himself when it came to this particular challenge.

    Hiroshi Tanahashi has, of course, been thrilling audiences for years by playing the air guitar after his matches, usually to close the show.

    “The Ace”

    Despite reasserting his “Ace” status, Tanahashi has just suffered a major loss to Bullet Club leader, Jay White.

    “Switchblade” shocked the world, much in the same way as Kazuchika Okada did, this past Monday when he bested Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. The victory has firmly established Jay White as the top star in NJPW, with Bullet Club returning to their dominant ways.

    Where does Tanahashi go from here? Is it the twilight of his career, or does “The Ace” have more in him?

  • WWE Superstars React To Kofi Kingston’s SmackDown Performance

    WWE Superstars React To Kofi Kingston’s SmackDown Performance

    Unsurprisingly, Kofi Kingston’s Herculean effort hasn’t gone unnoticed by the WWE Universe. It also, rightfully, garnered a lot of attention from his peers backstage.

    If you happened to miss it, Kofi Kingston was revealed to be New Day’s elected member to replace the injured Mustafa Ali. He would go on to compete in a gauntlet match for the main event of this week’s SmackDown Live. Kofi would valiantly battle through, surviving Daniel Bryan, Jeff Hardy, and Samoa Joe. He would then be eliminated by AJ Styles — but only after a further assault by Samoa Joe.

    It would be Randy Orton, however, who would come out the victor of the gauntlet match.

    Superstar Reactions

    His stellar performance has been getting a lot of kudos from other WWE Superstars including Kevin Owens, Samy Zayn, and Big E to name a few.

    Kofi would Tweet out himself looking towards this Sunday’s Elimination Chamber. Despite not coming away with the win on Tuesday, there’s an undeniable amount of interest and momentum now behind him.

    “As we stare unto the horizon and observe the perils that lie ahead, we step forward, towards the danger…and we fight. Because we just do not know any other way. See you Sunday. #EliminationChamber”

    New Day stablemate, Big E, wrote:

    “Sometimes you forget the dude you’ve goofed off with for the last 4+ years is a legend. Putting in an actual hour against (and DEFEATING) world champs & future HOFers was awe inspiring & humbling. Last night was one we will never forget.”

    What did you make of Kofi’s performance? Do you think he could walk away with the WWE Champion on Sunday?

  • The Bella Twins Won’t Be Returning To Total Divas

    The Bella Twins Won’t Be Returning To Total Divas

    We recently reported on “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey allegedly joining the cast of ‘Total Divas.’ Now, according to Pro Wrestling Sheet, it appears that Nikki and Brie Bella won’t be returning for the next season of ‘Total Divas’ as well.

    Stepping away from the show that helped to popularize them to a wider audience, the Bella Twins are actively choosing to instead focus on their spin-off series, ‘Total Bellas.’

    The Total Divas cast, as it stands now, includes Carmella, Natalya, Nia Jax, Naomi, and the recently announced Sonya Deville.

    From that lineup, it can be assumed that Paige won’t be returning when cameras start rolling for the new season. She is currently promoting her new biopic, ‘Fighting With My Family.’

    Sonya Steps In

    Sonya Deville stepped in to replace Lana. It was revealed that Lana and Rusev would be removed from the show for being “strongly disliked by the demographic.”

    When asked about joining the cast, she responded:

    “I have been through things and I am the person I am for a lot of reasons and I love sharing those stories for the fans because it’s relatable. And on that topic, I’ll be on Season 9 of Total Divas, which is something I am super excited about.”

    For what it’s worth, Pro Wrestling Sheet stated that Nikki Bella will continue on as an Executive Producer.

  • Zelina Vega Reveals New Strategy For Andrade In Feud Against Rey Mysterio

    Zelina Vega Reveals New Strategy For Andrade In Feud Against Rey Mysterio

    This week’s SmackDown Live was apparently meant to further the feud between Andrade and Rey Mysterio. For those that may have missed it, however, the two Superstars did not appear on last night’s show.

    However, utilizing their social media, WWE uploaded a backstage video showcasing an altercation between Andrade, Zelina Vega, and Rey Mysterio.

    Zelina Vega took the lead after being asked to comment on Mysterio and the on-going feud that has been stealing the show for the past few weeks.

    “Well, after a long day of collecting intel, I’ve decided to give Andrade the night off. Because I myself, have my movie ‘Fighting with My Family’ coming out next week, that the critics are already raving about — no doubt due to my performance, of course. But Andrade will be watching Elimination Chamber very closely because it seems to me that Rey Mysterio is just getting—”

    Andrade would take that moment to interrupt his manager, insulting Mysterio by calling him a “coward.” He complained that, despite confronting and sending a “message” to Mysterio in the ring last week, Rey continues to hide from him.

    Vega would listen to her client’s concerns before pitching him a new game plan:

    “Maybe, just maybe, attacking Rey physically isn’t enough. Hear me out. I say we expand. We expand and hit Rey where it really hurts. Because I don’t think it’s a coincidence, Rey, that all of a sudden now is when you decide to call upon the power of your mentor. We will use what Rey considers strength as weakness and destroy him from the inside out.”

  • Tama Tonga Defends Jay White’s Leadership Of Bullet Club

    Tama Tonga Defends Jay White’s Leadership Of Bullet Club

    Bullet Club has been on a roll within New Japan Pro Wrestling. The stable has been picking up notable wins for months now since “Switchblade” Jay White became the leader of the infamous group. Their most recent notable victory, of course, also belongs to Jay White who defeated Tanahashi this past Monday to become the IWGP Heavyweight Champion.

    Although many may have taken issue with Jay White assuming leadership of Bullet Club, one old school member did not. Tama Tonga.

    Tama Tonga, who has once again embraced his “Bad Boy” nature, spoke with WINCLY, discussing White’s ascension to leadership and even briefly speaking on All Elite Wrestling (AEW). This isn’t the first time Tama has addressed White’s critics.

    At one point Bullet Club had become synonymous with The Elite who have now famously severed all ties to their former stable. The current Club lineup has a major Elite-sized whole in it, but it’s not something Tama Tonga cares much about. He explains that nothing much has changed, describing it as “the same as before as they [The Elite] weren’t really here much.”

    “They showed up pretty much not on an everyday basis unlike me, my brother and father. We’re on every tour, every month. They come in sporadically. Guys leave and we just fill the spot and move forward.”

    He refers to himself and Bad Luck Fale as the “heart and soul” of Bullet Club, adding that they “bring in guys that The Club needs and unselfishly step aside to make this whole thing work.”

    “That’s How New Japan Is”

    Addressing the critics of White’s leadership, Tama Tonga countered by highlighting Okada’s youth during his initial surge to the top.

    “Those same people said Okada was way too young,” he argued. “You put somebody in a position and you get them ready for it. They grow to that responsibility. That’s how New Japan is.”

    The “Bad Boy” praised Jay White for handling the pressure so well, calling him a “natural” and that he tends to treat it as “just another day at the job.”

    Insofar as AEW is concerned, Tonga confessed we won’t be seeing him in another other promotion than NJPW for a long while:

    “No, no. I’m locked here in New Japan for a very long time.”

    Do you think Jay White has earned his place as leader of Bullet Club? Would you want to see Tama Tonga/GOD in AEW?

    H/T to Wrestle Inc. for the transcription. 

  • Final Card For WWE Elimination Chamber

    Final Card For WWE Elimination Chamber

    This week saw the final shows in the build-up to WWE’s Elimination Chamber pay-per-view event this Sunday. The show takes place from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

    This week saw a change to SmackDown’s Chamber match, with Kofi Kingston coming in to replace an injured Mustafa Ali. Ali has not been medically cleared by WWE after suffering a recent concussion — something they may turn into a storyline upon his comeback.

    WWE has also been sharing on social media that Sasha Banks, unfortunately, aggravated an old shoulder injury during her match on this week’s Monday Night Raw. She is still scheduled to participate in her match.

    Barring any further last-minute changes, the following 7 matches comprise this Sunday’s finalized card for Elimination Chamber.

    WWE Elimination Chamber 2019

    WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match
    Buddy Murphy (c) vs Akira Tozawa

    Tag Team Elimination Chamber Match for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships
    Nia Jax and Tamina vs The Riott Squad (Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan) vs Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville vs The IIconics (Billie Kay and Peyton Royce) vs Bayley and Sasha Banks vs Naomi and Carmella

    WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match
    The Miz and Shane McMahon (c) vs The Usos

    WWE Intercontinental Championship Handicap Match
    Bobby Lashley (c) and Lio Rush vs Finn Balor

    Braun Strowman vs Baron Corbin

    WWE RAW Women’s Championship Match
    “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey (c) vs Ruby Riott

    Elimination Chamber Match for the WWE Championship
    Daniel Bryan (c) vs AJ Styles vs Jeff Hardy vs Randy Orton vs Samoa Joe vs Kofi Kingston

    Who do you think is walking out the Chamber as WWE Champion? Which team will become the modern era’s inaugural women’s tag champions?

  • Chad Gable Reacts To The Revival Becoming Raw Tag Team Champions

    Chad Gable Reacts To The Revival Becoming Raw Tag Team Champions

    In case you missed it, WWE has new RAW tag team champions. Despite being surrounded with rumors regarding their status, The Revival, have come away from last night’s Monday Night RAW victorious. They bested the team of “Glorious” Bobby Roode and Chad Gable to claim their first tag team championships on the main roster.

    After numerous weeks of speculation and whispers — extending to an attempt to ban Lucha House Rules — Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder can finally call themselves champions as WWE continues to try and reignite their tag team division.

    Taking to Twitter, Chad Gable addressed their loss, taking it in his stead and congratulating The Revival. He did add a caveat, saying that this isn’t the end between the two rivals teams. He promised that “We’re coming…#Glorious”.

    “Fair and square. Congratulations, Revival.

    But there’s nothing I love more than a good chase.

    Get your running boots on. We’re coming…#Glorious”

    Revival’s Revival

    Despite putting in a great performance and winning the titles clean, it does beg the question over WWE’s stance towards disgruntled talent. With The Revival being given a run with the belts, does this usher in a new wave of unhappy talent getting an opportunity, or is this a case of WWE placating Superstars for the short term?

    Perhaps this is simply the beginning of the revival for The Revival.

  • Seth Rollins On His WrestleMania 31 Shocker, Facing Brock Lesnar At WM35

    Seth Rollins On His WrestleMania 31 Shocker, Facing Brock Lesnar At WM35

    Seth Rollins booked his ticket to WrestleMania 35 after winning this year’s Royal Rumble matchup. This victory will see him go up against “The Beast Incarnate” Brock Lesnar for the WWE Universal Championship.

    It’s not the first time, however, that Rollins will be sharing the WrestleMania stage with Lesnar. Back at WrestleMania 31 in 2015, Seth would cash in the Money In The Bank contract, inserting himself into the main event of Roman Reigns vs Brock Lesnar. This cash in would see him leaving California the new WWE Champion.

    Speaking with Edge and Christian on their podcast, E&C’s Pod Of Awesomeness, Seth Rollins reflected on that momentous cash in and discussed his upcoming match-up against Brock Lesnar in April.

    He recalled that he won the Money In The Bank briefcase after turning heel against his then-stablemates in The Shield. WWE had no immediate plans for him using his opportunity, so he decided to come up with one himself: the WrestleMania 35 cash in.

    “Why The Hell Not”

    His mindset regarding the pitch was “why the hell not” justifying it by explaining that it had “never been done, and strangely, I had a little bit of foresight in the sense that I saw how the momentum with Roman [Reigns] was shifting toward going into that WrestleMania.”

    Seth foresaw the WWE Universe turning against Roman, especially after he won that year’s Rumble. His prediction would quickly come true.

    “[…] I remember the next day, again, having the conversation with Hunter for the second time because I had pitched the idea a little bit at the end of the year before, and I just wanted to remind him that I have this idea on the table. I think it’s a pretty good one and even if it’s not the idea, it could easily be a contingency plan if the main event at WrestleMania doesn’t come together how you see it. Just, keep it in the back of your head, ya know? Yeah, I pitched the idea and I strongly felt like it was a good one. I felt like I was the guy. Again, I went to him and said, ‘I want the ball.’”

    “This Is The One I Want”

    Looking to the future, Rollins admits he “can’t wait” for his scheduled clash against Lesnar at WrestleMania 35.

    “This is the one that I wanted,” he stated. “And whether or not we’re the main event or Ronda [Rousey] and Becky [Lynch] is the main event, to me, this is the one I wanted. When I was fourteen years old and I said, ‘I’m going to main event WrestleMania,’ this is the one.”

    Rollins continued, “I’m almost thirty-three, so to be able to have that, and to be able to go in to the next couple months to build to that moment, and to have the audience on my side, have them really just want me to take that title off of Lesnar, it’s really an exciting time and I’m looking forward to making some magic with him. He’s one of the people, love him or hate him, he’s one of the best performers in the WWE.”

  • Chris Jericho Jokes About Vince McMahon’s Banned Words In WWE

    Chris Jericho Jokes About Vince McMahon’s Banned Words In WWE

    One of WWE’s worst kept secrets is the fact that Vince McMahon enjoys control. It’s an incontrovertible truth that has been apparent for decades. His thirst for maintaining that control over the WWE Universe extends to the very language that is permitted by his roster and on-air talent.

    Catching up with his friend “Diamond” Dallas Page on his podcast, Talk Is Jericho, Chris Jericho shared a number of terms currently banned within WWE.

    The conversation was sparked after Jericho accidentally referred to DDP’s fitness programme, DDPY, as “yoga.” This prompted Page to correct him. That then caused Jericho to remark that DDP sounded like Vince McMahon and his list of banned words.

    Common terms, once accepted, are taboo as far as Vince is concerned.

    Jericho explained further, using championships as an example: “‘Hey Vince, I don’t know if I should lose the belt. [Puts On Vince McMahon Impression] ‘The what?’ ‘Sorry, the title,’” Jericho joked.

    Trying to justify Vince’s logic — the “Vince verbiage” — Jericho added, “You couldn’t say ‘belt’ because a belt is what you use to hold up your pants.”

    As far as WWE’s fanbase goes, they aren’t ‘fans,’ per se. Instead, they must always be referred to (by all on-air talent) as the ‘WWE Universe.’

    “You couldn’t say ‘fans’ because it’s the ‘WWE Universe’ — and never say ‘marks’ because [Puts On Vince McMahon Impression] ‘They’re not marks, they’re our fans!’”

    What do you make of Vince’s banned words? Does it make for a unique product or is it totally unnecessary?

  • Rob Van Dam Shares His Thoughts On All Elite Wrestling

    Rob Van Dam Shares His Thoughts On All Elite Wrestling

    We’ve reported on wrestling veterans throwing in their thoughts and opinions on the forthcoming All Elite Wrestling (AEW), especially when it comes to potentially working with the startup company. One wrestler, however, has taken a more pragmatic approach in how he views AEW.

    Sitting down for a discussion with the WINCLY podcast, Rob Van Dam divulged his thoughts on AEW and spoke about what his future in the wrestling industry might look like.

    When asked if there was a certain promotion he would like to associate with, RVD admitted that there’s not — at least at this point in time. He admitted that, for him, “Money talks.”

    His goal at this juncture of his career is simple: work less and make more money.

    “I’m really looking to do less and less — travel less,” he confessed. “I consider myself semi-retired. At the same time, I stay ready, so I don’t have to get ready.”

    Asked if he saw any similarities between AEW and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), RVD replied that he doesn’t see the comparison. He recalled ECW being a “gradual thing” and not something that made an impact “out of nowhere like this seems to be.” These comments are reminiscent of Kevin Nash’s thoughts, where he shared that AEW should “grow slow.”

    “These Guys Don’t EVen Have A TV Deal Yet”

    Other wrestlers have excitedly predicted a modern Monday Night Wars on the horizon between AEW and WWE. RVD doesn’t think so, saying, “As far as the Monday Night Wars goes, c’mon, these guys don’t even have a TV deal yet. I wish them all the luck in the world — I hope they do well.”

    “They [AEW] have to prove history wrong that they are different and that they’re gonna stick around. People who have a whole lot of money usually don’t waste a lot of money. That’s why they have money. I’m not saying that they are wasteful but if things aren’t set up right and they’re paying guys the rumored reports, then they’ve got to make the money back and I hope they do.”

    Despite all the hype and excitement, however, RVD still believes WWE will stand tall, claiming that he doesn’t see WWE getting “knocked out of its first place position.” He did add a caveat though: “[…] history is what it is and I’m all about breaking tradition.”

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Update On Mustafa Ali’s Elimination Chamber Status

    Update On Mustafa Ali’s Elimination Chamber Status

    SmackDown Live competitor, Mustafa Ali, has been making waves since moving up to the main roster. The former 205 Live Superstar has already been featured in marquee matches against talents like Daniel Bryan, Samoa Joe, and Randy Orton during his short time on the blue brand. This success led him to become one of the competitors to compete for Daniel Bryan’s (100% sustainable) WWE Championship at Elimination Chamber.

    However, according to PWInsider and Fightful, Ali’s Chamber debut could be in jeopardy. We recently reported on Ali working through tailbone issues. Now, PWInsider states that Ali has allegedly suffered a concussion. There is no official statement on when this injury might have occurred, though he did suffer a nasty black eye from his recent bout against Randy Orton.

    As they are wont to do, WWE plans to turn the situation into a storyline pinning the injuries on Orton. This ties into what we saw last week, and also gives Ali a built-in return feud once he is cleared to compete again.

    For what it’s worth, Ali did not work last night’s live event in Canton, OH. He is due to be reassessed prior to SmackDown Live and has supposedly insisted that he is able to work.

    If Ali is removed from the match, who should replace him? Are you still hoping that he’ll be cleared for the Elimination Chamber?

  • Seth Rollins Looks Back On Turning Heel, Breaking Up The Shield

    Seth Rollins Looks Back On Turning Heel, Breaking Up The Shield

    With Roman Reigns sadly battling leukemia and Dean Ambrose leaving WWE after WrestleMania 35, that leaves Seth Rollins as the only Shield member to be on WWE’s roster post-April.

    Speaking with Edge and Christian on their popular podcast, E&C’s Pod Of Awesomeness, “The Architect” opened up on his time in the trio. A major point in The Shield’s history is the moment Seth Rollins would turn heel on his teammates, ruthlessly attacking them. His actions would split the group as Rollins aligned himself with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon within The Authority.

    Rollins confessed that he wasn’t ready for the heel turn and eventual fallout of his character change. He recalled that when WWE informed him that he would be “pulling the trigger” as the heel within The Shield, he almost wanted to decline the turn.

    “I was almost like, ‘No, I was a babyface in NXT. I’m the babyface; [Dean] Ambrose is the heel. It’s not the other way around. It doesn’t make any sense. I don’t know how to do this.’”

    Turning heel had a learning curve for Rollins, who admitted it “took some learning” to adjust his characteristics to match his new persona. “I’d been a heel in Ring of Honor, but it’s just a different world here. It’s a different animal and you’re working with different guys.”

    “[…] it took me a little while to get in my groove trying to figure out who is Seth Rollins? What is this character when he’s not in The Shield? It took me a little while to grow into who that person was, and figure him out, and try on different skins, and sometimes they didn’t work.”

  • Cody Undergoing Knee Surgery Tuesday

    Cody Undergoing Knee Surgery Tuesday

    Along with his fellow AEW Executive Vice Presidents, Cody has had an extremely busy and productive few months. In between wrestling and announcing All Elite Wrestling to the world, Cody has probably had his focus and attention pulled in a million different directions.

    There is one thing, however, that Cody can’t avoid, no matter how much he might want to: surgery. He would poke fun at himself for wanting to do “anything to get out of surgery.”

    Cody admitted that surgery is a necessary evil in order to avoid wrestling another “stinker.” This is in direct reference to his Wrestle Kingdom 13 loss against Juice Robinson.

    Cody made this confession whilst answering a fan’s question via a recent Twitter Q+A session.

    “Surgery is a must, I can’t afford to have another stinker like the dome match.”

    The Good And The Bad

    Cody has been scheduled for knee surgery every since suffering an injury late last year. At the time he highlighted that the “GOOD news is my doctor is fairly confident that my mcl/pcl/acl are structurally sound.

    BAD news is the meniscus is fairly damaged, gonna’ require a scope. No dates will be adjusted at the moment, and I’ll definitely still compete in the final battle main event & at WK.”

    All of us wish Cody the best during this time and hope he has a speedy recovery.