SEScoops

Author: Thomas Lowson

  • Thunder Rosa & Marina Shafir Make Amends After Sabotage Claims

    Thunder Rosa & Marina Shafir Make Amends After Sabotage Claims

    AEW Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa and Marina Shafir aren’t going to let recent claims cause problems between them.

    Recently, the pair made news after there were accusations of Rosa sabotaging a match between them.

    The reigning AEW Women’s World Champion responded to the claims when speaking to Ariel Helwani, and said that people will always talk, but she will move forward.

    On Twitter, Rosa shared a couple of photos of herself and Shafir breaking bread, a sign that they have made amends.

    The Accusations

    On last week’s AEW Dynamite, Rosa defended her title against Shafir in a match that saw the champion retain.

    During the match though, several spots didn’t go as planned, and at one point, Shafir struggled to lift the Women’s World Champion.

    Online, some accused Rosa of ‘sandbagging’ making her body go limp and as difficult to maneuver, in an attempt to make Shafir look bad.

    A fan who tweeted about the match, claiming that Rosa had sabotaged the match had their tweet liked by both Shafir and former Women’s World Champion Dr. Britt Baker.

    The Past

    This is the latest accusation against Rosa, after ex-AEW star Ivelisse had a match with her in 2020 in which both women were not on the same page.

    After departing the company, Ivelisse claimed that Rosa had sabotaged the match and said the bout had been a factor in her departure.

    Thunder Rosa’s Reported Next Challenger Won’t be from AEW
  • Latest on Vince McMahon’s Status for this Friday’s SmackDown

    Latest on Vince McMahon’s Status for this Friday’s SmackDown

    Vince McMahon is once again in the news, and not for the reasons the Chairman of WWE is hoping for.

    This week, it’s been reported that McMahon is under investigation by WWE’s board over an alleged $3 million payment to a paralegal.

    The payout was allegedly made as ‘hush money’ over an affair between the two following the paralegal’s hiring in 2019.

    McMahon is said to be cooperating fully with the investigation and is working as if nothing has changed.

    McMahon at SmackDown

    Given the accusations against McMahon, many have questioned whether he would be at this Friday’s SmackDown on FOX.

    According to a source who spoke to PW Insider, McMahon will be at this Friday’s show and claimed that things will be business as usual.

    Staff have also been informed that McMahon will be at the show and that nothing has changed about his role in production.

    As for John Laurinaitis, whose name also came up during the allegations, his role is said to be “unchanged” as of this time.

    The allegations

    McMahon is alleged to have had a sexual relationship with the paralegal who was hired in 2019.

    It’s claimed that the woman was paid $100,000 as part of her WWE contract, which was increased to $200,000 after their relationship began.

    After leaving the company earlier this year, it is reported that WWE organized a $3 million payout for her silence, with the first $1 million paid up front.

    The remaining $2 million was set to be paid in installments over five years.

    Vince McMahon Under Investigation for Secret $3 Million Hush Pact
  • Mike Tyson Already Pulled from the Roast of Ric Flair

    Mike Tyson Already Pulled from the Roast of Ric Flair

    Next month, Ric Flair will end his wrestling career for good at the upcoming Starrcast V event.

    On July 31, Flair will compete in his last ever match, but that’s just one part of the festivities for the “Dirtiest Player in the Game.”

    Two days before he hangs up his boots and robe for good, Flair will be the subject of a comedy roast featuring several legends of wrestling and comedians.

    With decades in the industry, there’s a lot of material, but one major name reportedly won’t be appearing.

    Tyson is out

    Earlier this week it was reported that boxing legend Mike Tyson would be at the roast of the 16-time World Champion.

    Tyson, who was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012, is a known wrestling fan, and has appeared for All Elite Wrestling in recent years.

    However, it now looks like “Iron Mike” won’t be appearing after all.

    TMZ is reporting that Tyson’s representatives confirmed that he will be missing the Roast of Ric Flair.

    “Due to unforseen circumstances, Mike will not be participating in the roast.”

    Mike Tyson’s representative, speaking to TMZ.

    The end of Ric Flair’s career

    Even without Mike Tyson, The Roast of Ric Flair will be an epic celebration of the legendary wrestler.

    Details are still scarce about Ric’s last match, as it had initially been reported that he’d be facing his long-time rival Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat.

    Steamboat has since declined the match, and the current belief is that Flair will team with FTR to face the Rock ‘n Roll Express and a mystery partner.

    The match hasn’t been confirmed by Starrcast themselves at this time.

  • Thunder Rosa Responds to Claims of Sabotaging AEW Women’s World Title Match

    Thunder Rosa Responds to Claims of Sabotaging AEW Women’s World Title Match

    AEW Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa isn’t too worried about claims that she deliberately sabotaged a recent title match on AEW Dynamite.

    During last week’s show, Rosa defended her title against Marina Shafir in a match that left fans scratching their heads.

    One fan thought the clunky spots in the match were a perfect example of a wrestler ‘sandbagging:’ deliberately making it difficult to work in the ring.

    Both Shafir and former Women’s World Champion Dr. Britt Baker liked the tweet from the person that was accusing Rosa of sandbagging.

    Thunder Rosa’s response

    Sitting down with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Rosa was asked about the accusations against her.

    The AEW Women’s World Champion said that she has nothing but respect for her opponents, and while she’ll try harder next time, chalked this experience up to people talking (via WrestlingNews.)

    “I have nothing but respect for my opponents. Anyone who dares to stand in the ring with me, I have nothing but respect to my opponents and send them nothing but blessings. Moving on forward I will continue to work harder to have the best matches I can bring and to bring the most opportunities to all of the women that are behind me. When they step into the ring with me they’re like ‘cool.’ People are going to talk and that’s fine, I’m not worried about that. I will continue to move forward and I will continue to show with my body of work what I’m all about. That’s all I have to say.”

    “People are going to talk and that’s fine, I’m not worried about that. I will continue to move forward.”

    Thunder Rosa on accusations of sabotaging her match with Marina Shafir.

    Past problems

    Rosa may not be too worried about people talking about this match, but it’s not the first time those people have spoken about her.

    In September 2020, Ivelisse had a match with Rosa in which the two failed to get on the same page.

    Ivelisse has even claimed that the uncomfortable Rosa match hastened her departure from AEW, after she was cut in April 2021.

  • Ex-WWE Star Questions Why Matt Hardy Allowed Jeff Hardy to Drive

    Ex-WWE Star Questions Why Matt Hardy Allowed Jeff Hardy to Drive

    Jeff Hardy is once again in trouble with the law, after being arrested last weekend and driving under the influence.

    After being tested by police, who at one point had to pull guns on the AEW star, Hardy’s blood-alcohol level was over triple the legal driving limit at which point he was arrested.

    A lot has been said about Jeff and who should share responsibility for his actions, but one former WWE Superstar has taken aim at Matt Hardy.

    Matt Hardy and Bill DeMott

    It’s been reported that Matt Hardy was with Jeff hours before his arrest, and after AEW President Tony Khan issued a statement about Jeff’s arrest, one fan asked whether action will be taken against Matt.

    “What about @MATTHARDYBRAND who was getting drunk with him and let him drive knowing he was drunk and doesn’t have a license full accountability @TonyKhan right @BillDeMott”

    DeMott responded by saying “it’s a good question.”

    Matt responded, unhappy about DeMott’s insinuation that he bears responsibility for his younger brother’s arrest.

    “Understand your passion on this & agree that DD is unacceptable. I expect speculation from fans, but not you. I haven’t touched a drug in over a decade, haven’t drank since I’ve been a Dad. Saw Jeff last on Sun night & flew early Mon w/@RebyHardy. I can’t be with Jeff every min.”

    DeMott responded by saying he has nothing but respect for the former ECW Champion.

    “No disrespect or anything toward you Matt. Utmost respect, we are all accountable for ourselves.”

    DeMott’s tragedy

    Jeff and Matt Hardy aren’t the only people that Bill DeMott has been especially critical of regarding driving under the influence.

    Earlier this year, DeMott called on WWE to remove Tammy ‘Sunny’ Sytch for the Hall of Fame following her own arrest and being charged with DUI manslaughter.

    Sytch is accused of killing 75-year-old Julian Lasseter via her drink-driving, and DeMott knows what it’s like to lose a loved one.

    In 2015, DeMott’s daughter Keri Anne DeMott was killed by a drunk driver. She was 20 at the time.

    In response, DeMott founded the Keri Anne DeMott Foundation, which looks to reduce the risk of drunk drivers on the road.

  • WWE Had Plans For Troy Donovan Before Sudden Release

    WWE Had Plans For Troy Donovan Before Sudden Release

    Troy Donovan was released from WWE earlier this month, but this wasn’t a decision that been in the works.

    Donovan had served as ‘Two Dimes,’ one of Tony D’Angelo’s ‘family’ on WWE NXT 2.0, but was cut due to what’s being described as a “policy issue.”

    Plans for Donovan

    On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said that WWE had taped several weeks of segments for D’Angelo’s family in advance and that these segments included Donovan (via Sporto.)

    “So they taped the stuff with Tony D’Angelo’s family, so they may have to re-edit this thing because Two Dimes was already taped for two more weeks. Although, I guess they don’t have to. They could probably still show him for those two weeks, it’s not the end of the world. ”

    Meltzer didn’t specify whether the segments will be scrapped entirely, whether they will be edited to remove Donovan or if they will need to be refilmed.

    While this isn’t “the end of the world” as Meltzer has made clear, it does reveal that WWE had no plans on releasing Donovan up until very recently.

    Neither WWE nor Donovan have said what the policy issue was that led to his abrupt release.

    Donovan’s Statement

    We may never learn what led to Troy Donovan’s release, but the former NXT 2.0 Superstar has addressed his departure on social media.

    While he didn’t specify what led to his departure, Donovan did say that mistakes were made and lessons learned during his brief tenure with the company.

    Donovan also thanked fans for their support, calling his release a “bump in the road.”

  • Reby Hardy Fires Back at Claims Of Enabling Jeff Hardy

    Reby Hardy Fires Back at Claims Of Enabling Jeff Hardy

    Jeff Hardy was arrested last weekend and charged with three felonies, including driving under the influence, and that’s Jeff’s responsibility alone.

    Since Hardy’s arrest, his third DUI within ten years, there’s been a discussion about who bears responsibility for his actions and how this arrest could have been prevented.

    Many have said that Jeff’s brother Matt and wife Reby should have worked to stop Jeff from drinking, but the latter has hit back at these claims.

    Reby Fires Back

    On TikTok, Reby argued that she and Matt have done more than enough to try and limit Jeff’s proximity to alcohol in a scathing response to critics (via eWrestlingNews.)

    “Oh, so you were there when I booked the event, right? And when I told the promoters to make sure there was no alcohol there and he was not served alcohol? You were there? And you were there when I was trying to make sure all night through the handlers that that was not happening? You were there when we walked into his hotel room that night, right? You were there. You know, because you were there? Oh, you weren’t there.”

    “Short of having him sleep in between me and Matt, there’s really not much more I could have personally done.”

    Reby Hardy

    Hardy added that she will not be speaking about Jeff Hardy’s situation any further and that her brother-in-law is a fully-grown adult and responsible for his own actions, not her or Matt.

    What’s next for Jeff?

    In a statement issued on Twitter, AEW President Tony Khan confirmed that Jeff has been suspended from the company without pay.

    Jeff will have to complete courses and prove his sobriety before Khan allows him to return to the ring.

    Outside of wrestling, Jeff is facing some serious consequences for his actions, as this marks his third DUI arrest within ten years.

    If convicted, Jeff could face a maximum five years in prison.

  • Matt Hardy Breaks Silence On Jeff Hardy’s DUI Arrest

    Matt Hardy Breaks Silence On Jeff Hardy’s DUI Arrest

    Jeff Hardy and those closest to him have been left reeling after the “Charismatic Enigma’s” latest arrest.

    Last weekend, Hardy was pulled over and arrested in Volusia County, Florida, and faces three charges, including driving under the influence.

    When a breath test was administered, Jeff blew an 0.294 on his first and 0.291 on his second, both well over the legal limit to drive a vehicle 0.08.

    Jeff was said to be unsteady on his feet and at one point, officers had to pull their firearms on Hardy to get him to comply.

    There’s been plenty of talk since Jeff’s most recent arrest, and now someone extremely close to the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion has weighed in.

    Matt’s Statement

    Taking to Twitter, Jeff’s older brother Matt said it was “disheartening” to hear about his brother’s most recent arrest.

    Matt added that he will continue doing what he can to support Jeff and that being healthy and well is the most important thing for them and their families at this time.

    Jeff’s trouble with the Law

    This situation is unfortunately not Jeff Hardy’s first run-in with the law.

    In 2009, shortly after his departure from WWE, Hardy was arrested on charges of trafficking in controlled prescription pills and pled guilty the following year.

    In September 2011, Hardy was sentenced to ten days in jail, 30 months of probation, and a fine of $100,000.

    Years later, after returning to WWE, Hardy was arrested in July 2019 for public intoxication and arrested again three months later for driving under the influence.

  • Lucha Libre Ice Cream & Churros Opens in Winston-Salem, NC

    Lucha Libre Ice Cream & Churros Opens in Winston-Salem, NC

    Noth Carolina wrestling fans with a sweet tooth are in for a treat thanks to a new store now open in Winston-Salem.

    Lucha Libre Ice Cream & Churros is the place to be and the creation of Martin Ortega, who works with his sister Carolina and his three sons, Christopher, Anthony, and Jhoan.

    The store, which is the company’s second location, opened this past Sunday at 2021 Griffith Road, not far from Hanes Mall Boulevard and is based on Ortega’s Mexican culture.

    Lucha Libre boasts 20 flavors of ice cream, starting at $6.49 for a small cup and $6.99 for a large.

    In addition to ice cream and churros, Lucha Libre also sells paletas, milkshakes, fruit treats, coffee drinks, and mangonadas (a frozen mango dessert).

    “My brother, going back to his teen years, always loved lucha libre, and he used to work as a promoter for lucha libre back in Mexico.”

    Carolina Ortega, sister of Lucha Libre Ice Cream and Churros owner Martin Ortega (via JournalNow)

    One top seller at Lucha Libre is the ‘Nutella the Giant’ SmackDown: a Nutella milkshake with churros stuck in it named after WWE Hall of Famer Andre the Giant.

    Ortega, a native of Loma Bonita in Oaxaca, Mexico, previously ran a Hispanic grocery store and restaurant called Barrio Latino.

  • Reverse Battle Royal Returns Sunday at Impact Slammiversary

    Reverse Battle Royal Returns Sunday at Impact Slammiversary

    Impact Wrestling is bringing back one of his infamous match types at this Sunday’s Slammiversary event.

    On Twitter, the company announced that the Reverse Battle Royal will be back and part of the Countdown to Slammiversary streaming event this Sunday at 7:30 pm ET.

    The match will stream on Impact Plus and YouTube, and will also feature a Digital Media Championship match between Rich Swann and Brian Myers.

    The Reverse Battle Royal

    While a traditional Battle Royal sees wrestlers toss one another out of the ring to eliminate their opponents, the Reverse Battle Royal isn’t quite so simple.

    Instead, the match starts with all competitors outside of the ring, fighting to enter the ring to qualify for the second half of the match.

    Once half the participants are in the ring, the second part of the match starts, which plays out like a standard Battle Royal until there’s one person left in the ring.

    The match debuted in Impact when Abyss outlasted everyone, in a match poorly received by fans and critics.

    In the 2006 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards, that year’s Reverse Battle Royal earned the dubious honor of ‘Worst Match of the Year.’

    A year later, Eric Young won the match as seen below.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJyG0v9jXdU

    Slammiversary 2022

    The return of the Reverse Battle Royal is just one part of a stacked card for this Sunday’s Pay Per View.

    In the main event, Impact World Champion Josh Alexander will defend against two-time former champion Eric Young.

    In his first match for Impact since suffering a broken ankle in September 2021, Sami Callihan will face Moose in a Monsters Ball match.

    Knockouts World Champion Tasha Steelz will put her title on the line against Chelsea Green, Mia Yim, Jordynne Grace, and Deonna Purrazzo in the first Queen of the Mountain match.

  • Roman Reigns Would Dominate the UFC “in a Heartbeat”

    Roman Reigns Would Dominate the UFC “in a Heartbeat”

    This November will mark a decade since Roman Reigns debuted on WWE’s main roster, and the “Head of the Table” is no stranger to championship gold.

    A former United States, Intercontinental, and Tag Team Champion, he is also the reigning Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, now in his 653rd day of this reign.

    Whether fans cheer him or boo him, Roman Reigns has proven to be a success in WWE and he could take his success to another industry.

    Reigns in the UFC?

    Speaking with The Philadelphia Inquirer, Roman Reigns’ special counsel Paul Heyman praised the “Tribal Chief,” saying that he would fit right in in the UFC.

    “He has the agility and aptitude of a Division I athlete, and don’t ever lose sight that Roman Reigns could be the UFC heavyweight champion in a heartbeat.”

    Roman Reigns

    Heyman added that the mystique around Reigns as “The Tribal Chief” betrays what an extremely “tough man and athlete” he is.

    Interestingly enough, Reigns’ next challenger for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship knows all about competing inside the Octagon.

    Reigns Vs. Riddle

    While Reigns could hold the UFC Heavyweight Championship, at least according to Heyman, the Tribal Chief’s focus will be on this Friday’s SmackDown.

    On the show, Reigns will defend his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Riddle, a match that was originally scheduled for Money in the Bank 2022.

    On Raw, it was announced that if Riddle loses, he will no longer be able to challenge for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship as long as Reigns is champion.

  • Who was WWE’s Original Paul Heyman Guy Before Brock Lesnar?

    Who was WWE’s Original Paul Heyman Guy Before Brock Lesnar?

    Brock Lesnar is perhaps the most successful WWE Superstar to be deemed a ‘Paul Heyman Guy,’ having won several World Championships alongside his advocate.

    In March 2002, Heyman debuted Lesnar on WWE TV and it would be mere months later that the “Next Big Thing” captured the WWE Undisputed Championship.

    While the two would split at that year’s Survivor Series, they would reunite upon Brock’s return to the company in 2012.

    Lesnar’s career will always be tied to Heyman, who now serves as the special counsel to Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, but there was someone else considered for Heyman.

    The Other Paul Heyman Guy

    Speaking to Inside The Ropes, Heyman said that while he eventually got to work with Lesnar, WWE at first wanted him to be the manager of Chris Benoit (via Sportskeeda)

    “I was off-air, I was behind the scenes. I was supposed to come back on the air, in 2002, at WrestleMania, with Chris Benoit.”

    Paul Heyman.

    Heyman had last appeared on WWE TV on the Raw after Survivor Series 2001, where the WWF defeated the Alliance in a Winner Takes All match.

    While McMahon had seemingly forgiven Heyman, this was a ruse, as the WWE Chairman fired Heyman and replaced him on commentary with the returning Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler.

    Benoit had missed the entire Invasion storyline after a serious neck injury that occurred during a TLC match on the May 24, 2001, SmackDown.

  • Ex-WWE Superstar Wishes She Got her Day in Wrestler’s Court

    Ex-WWE Superstar Wishes She Got her Day in Wrestler’s Court

    Former WWE Superstar Shelley Martinez regrets never getting the chance to go one-on-one with The Undertaker, albeit in a courtroom setting.

    Working with WWE from 2006 to 2007 and while a trained wrestler, worked primarily as the valet of Kevin Thorn.

    Shelley’s case

    Speaking with Wrestling Shoot Interviews, Martinez spoke about having issues with Batista, though the pair eventually patched things up.

    Martinez reportedly had heat backstage for confronting several top-tier Superstars at the time, but never got the chance to defend herself in Wrestler’s Court (via Wrestling Inc.)

    “I used to think for a long time that he [Batista] was responsible for my firing, but then I remembered, ‘Dude, I told off Shawn Michaels, dude, I told off Randy Orton.’ Like, that was the last straw, and my reasoning behind telling all three of those guys off was all for me sticking up for myself, so I figured, ‘That’s just not the place for me if I get punished for sticking up for myself.’”

    “How come if people had all these problems with me, I wasn’t allowed to go to Wrestler’s Court? I don’t get it and that still bothers me to this day.”

    Shelley Martinez.

    Wrestler’s Court

    A staple of wrestling, Wrestler’s Court was reportedly the invention of Dutch Mantell (WWE’s Zeb Colter) and would see wrestlers settle disputes among themselves.

    In WWE, cases would be presided over by The Undertaker acting as judge, with John ‘Bradshaw’ Layfield serving as the prosecutor.

    The Court has been fizzled out of WWE in recent years, and the process has faced criticism for the treatment of Superstars.

    In 2006, a young Miz was banned from the locker room due to getting a few crumbs on a veteran Superstar’s bag, and legendary announcer Howard Finkel was reportedly left in tears after being humiliated in Wrestler’s Court for ‘not selling enough.’

  • Trish Stratus is Ready to get Back in the Ring

    Trish Stratus is Ready to get Back in the Ring

    The WWE Universe may be feeling a new wave of ‘Stratusfaction’ very soon as Hall of Famer Trish Stratus seems eager to get back in the ring.

    Often considered one of the greatest female wrestlers in WWE history, its no wonder why countless fans want to see one more match from the Canadian legend, and their wish may soon be granted.

    Trish Vs. Lynch

    Speaking with Bill Apter, the seven-time WWE Women’s Champion was asked about a possible return given that she remains in incredible shape.

    Trish explained why she would return, and that she’d like to face off one-on-one with Becky Lynch.

    “If someone’s out of line – Becky Lynch – I might… She’s a little out of sorts right now, got a lot on her mind and I think I could take advantage of that.”

    Trish Stratus on her strategy for a match with Becky Lynch.

    This is the latest escalation between the two wrestlers, who recently went back and forth on social media.

    After tweeting that Lynch is a “bit off” at the moment, Lynch responded that she’s “off the charts” and warned Trish not to test her.

    Stratus’ Other Returns

    While Trish Stratus officially retired in 2006, defeating Lita in her native Canada to win her seventh Women’s Championship, that didn’t keep the WWE Hall of Famer away.

    In December 2008, Trish returned as the mystery partner of John Cena, and the pair defeated Santino Marella and Beth Phoenix on Raw.

    Stratus would also have a one-night return in September 2009, and had a handful of matches in 2011, including getting a victory at WrestleMania 27.

    Returning to the ring for the inaugural Women’s Royal Rumble in 2018, Trish would also wrestle at that year’s Evolution event.

    Her most recent match came at Summerslam 2019, where she lost to Charlotte Flair.

    Another opponent?

    Sasha Banks and Trish Stratus
    Trish Stratus has said she’d love to face Sasha Banks if given the opportunity against “The Boss.”

    Trish may be ready to throw down with Becky Lynch, but that’s not the only opponent that Stratus is eyeing up.

    Speaking with ET Canada in March, Stratus said she’d love to face Sasha Banks under the right circumstances.

    Trish and Banks did collide in the 2018 Women’s Royal Rumble match but have never faced off one-on-one.

    This match seems unlikely at this time though, given that Banks has been suspended after she and Naomi walked out of Raw last month.

  • Rob Van Dam Finds A Lot of Modern-Day Wrestling ‘Offensive’

    Rob Van Dam Finds A Lot of Modern-Day Wrestling ‘Offensive’

    For countless wrestling fans, the action they see on WWE TV these days can’t compare to what was going on just a few decades earlier.

    In 2008, WWE implemented a PG rating, banning chair shots to the skull, blood, and other staples of the industry, and the consensus among audiences is that the rating has only hurt the wrestling fans see from Vince McMahon’s promotion.

    Viewerships and attendances are certainly down from the days of the envelope-pushing Attitude Era, and it’s not just the fans who think things have changed for the worse.

    What offends Rob Van Dam?

    Speaking on the Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam spoke about how wrestling has changed, not just in WWE but throughout the entire industry.

    RVD explained how things are entirely different today compared to when he was competing full-time (via WrestlingInc.)

    I’m still offended by a lot of the stuff that I see nowadays… I hate it when people say, ‘Oh, I wasn’t brought up that way,’ no one was brought up that way, we have to adapt. Your perception changes when you’re an adult.”

    Rob Van Dam.

    Van Dam added that when he was breaking into wrestling, the number one rule was to protect the business, but that’s changed in recent years.

    “Somewhere way down the road, it became, ‘number one rule: safety first.’ Like, what?”

    Rob Van Dam

    The future of wrestling

    While AEW has proven to be a hit with fans, offering an alternative to WWE and a more unsanitized product compared to Vince McMahon, RVD isn’t hopeful for the future of the industry.

    “What’s it gonna be, eventually? Unless it just goes straight up to a broadway play.”

    Rob Van Dam.

    RVD’s most recent match came at Ireland’s Over the Top ScrapperMania VI event this past March, where he defeated Scotty Davis.

  • Eddie Kingston’s Mom Knows Best When it Comes to Her Son’s Career

    Eddie Kingston’s Mom Knows Best When it Comes to Her Son’s Career

    Eddie Kingston has been with AEW for two years now, after years of toiling in several promotions.

    Before signing with Tony Khan, Kingston honed his craft in CHIKARA, CZW, and Ring of Honor to name just a few.

    After becoming a mainstay on the independent scene, Kingston signed with AEW, but nearly made what he now considers a terrible mistake, and would have made that choice if not for a relative.

    Mother knows Best

    Kingston has proven to be a popular act in AEW, but that may not have happened if not for his mother’s intervention.

    Speaking this week to Weekend Joe, Kingston said that after his AEW debut match against Cody Rhodes, both AEW and WWE showed interest in signing him.

    The “Mad King” admitted that he was considering joining WWE, a company he said had never shown any interest in him in the past, but it was his mom who swayed him to AEW (via Wrestling Inc.)

    “I had a chance to pick and choose … My mom was just like, ‘Look, you ain’t going to be happy at WWE.’ That was her feeling

    Eddie Kingston.

    Kingston said his mother’s advice meant a lot, given that she’s an “outsider” and despite not knowing either company too well, knew her son would be better suited in AEW.

    Taking his mother’s advice, Kingston would commit to AEW, where he’s faced some of the company’s top stars including Rhodes, Chris Jericho and AEW World Champion CM Punk.

  • Naomi is Spreading Positive Vibes During WWE Suspension

    Naomi is Spreading Positive Vibes During WWE Suspension

    WWE Superstar Naomi is spreading some positive vibes on Twitter, in her first tweet since being suspended by the company.

    During the May 16 2022 Raw, Naomi and Sasha Banks, then the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, walked out of the show.

    The pair did not agree with the plans for them to enter feuds for the Raw and SmackDown Women’s Championships, believing it made their Tag Titles seem unimportant.

    Naomi’s Five Tips

    On Twitter, “The Glow” shared an inspirational video detailing five “things you need to hear today.”

    • 1. Important people come and go. That’s ok.
    • 2. You can look at it as rejection or you can look at it as redirection.
    • 3. You define what fun is. Don’t allow someone to make you feel like what you like is stupid.
    • 4. Sometimes, you’re gonna have to let other people down to make yourself happy.
    • 5. Diet isn’t just what you eat. Your diet is what you watch, listen to and allow around you.

    In the comments, fans responded by referencing Naomi’s walkout, with many believing the video was related to her and Banks’ departure last month.

    Interesting, WWE ring announcer Samantha Irvin tweeted that number 4 was especially important.

    Is Naomi leaving WWE?

    Naomi has been serving her suspension since May 20, but some believe that she may not be returning to TV at all.

    It’s been reported that Naomi’s contract, like Banks’, expires soon, and there’s been no word yet on whether WWE has frozen her deal due to the walkout.

    WWE has taken steps to distance themselves from both former champions, with Banks and Naomi having their merchandise pulled from WWEShop.com.

    The Superstars are reportedly not getting paid during their suspension either.

  • Former WWE Divas Champion Could be Joining AEW Very Soon

    Former WWE Divas Champion Could be Joining AEW Very Soon

    All Elite Wrestling is home to several former WWE Superstars, with both the men’s and women’s divisions hosting several talents who once worked for Vince McMahon.

    While AEW has faced criticism for hiring a lot of former WWE Superstars, one particularly interesting name could soon be signing with Tony Khan.

    Paige to AEW

    This week, former WWE Divas Champion Paige announced that she will be leaving WWE, with July 7 marking her last date with the promotion.

    The announcement has shocked fans who believed WWE would always have a role for Paige, especially as it’s been four years since her retirement due to neck injuries.

    During her first Twitch live stream after the announcement, Paige was asked about the possibility of joining AEW and is open to the idea (via eWrestlingNews.)

    “Sure [I’d Join AEW,] if the money is right.”

    Paige.

    With a net worth of over $1 billion, Tony Khan certainly has enough to afford the inaugural NXT Women’s Champion.

    Khan himself has not publicly commented on whether he’s interested in bringing Paige to the company.

    With no non-compete clause to her name, Paige will be able to work wherever she chooses after her contract expires on July 7.

    Paige’s Huge Revelation

    Paige may soon be appearing on Dynamite or Rampage, but the decision to leave WWE wasn’t her own.

    In that same Twitch Stream, the British Superstar said that it was WWE’s decision not to renew her contract, but that there are no hard feelings.

    In recent years, Paige had remained hopeful that WWE would one day clear her to wrestle again but that never came.

  • WWE’s Omos Is Ready for a 100,000-seat Show in Africa

    WWE’s Omos Is Ready for a 100,000-seat Show in Africa

    WWE is unquestionably the biggest wrestling promotion around and the company’s influence can be felt all around the world.

    While much of the company’s work takes place in the United States, WWE will travel to Cardiff, Wales this September for their Clash at the Castle event.

    Cardiff’s Principality Stadium can hold up to 74,500 fans, but one Raw Superstar is ready for an even bigger event in the continent of Africa.

    Omos’ is Confident

    Speaking on BT Sport WWE, Raw Superstar Omos discussed Clash at the Castle, which is happening after Drew McIntyre promised a Premium Live Event in the UK.

    When asked if a WWE PLE could ever happen in the near future on African soil, Omos was positive that an event will come soon enough.

    “Without a shadow of a doubt, we can definitely have a 100,000 or more sold out show in Africa.”

    Omos to WWE’s The Bump

    Omos gave the South African capital of Johannesburg as an example of where this hypothetical Premium Live Event.

    While Johannesburg is home to the two largest stadiums in Africa, neither has the capacity to sell out 100,000 seats.

    The FNB Stadium in the Gauteng region of Johannesburg has a capacity of 94,736, while the Ellis Park Stadium, also in Gauteng can hold 62,567 fans.

    Wrestling and Africa

    The African continent has a close relationship with Wrestling, including having its own promotions.

    Perhaps the biggest promotion is the AWA (African Wrestling Alliance) which was founded in 1995 as the African Wrestling Federation.

    WWE has also made several trips to Africa over the years, with two title changes happening during a tour in 2007.

    During a live event in Capetown, Paul London and Brian Kendrick captured the World Tag Team Championships from Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch.

    On the final night of the tour, Cade and Murdoch won the titles back in Johannesburg.

  • Thunder Rosa’s Reported Next Challenger Won’t be from AEW

    Thunder Rosa’s Reported Next Challenger Won’t be from AEW

    Thunder Rosa has been on a roll since debuting for AEW in 2020 and has dispatched of all challengers for her AEW Women’s World Championship.

    Former Champion Nyla Rosa and wrestling veteran Serena Deeb are just some of the names who have failed to take the title from Rosa, but her next challenger may not be signed to AEW at all.

    Thunder Rosa’s Next Opponent

    According to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there have been talks about Rosa defending her title against Miyu Yamashita, a star from the Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling.

    The idea for the match came about after Yamashita was said to have done extremely well in terms of streaming during a recent run in the United States.

    Yamashita wrestled twice for Prestige Wrestling in Portland Oregon, defeating Impact’s Masha Slamovich on May 28 and fellow TJPW star Maki Itoh the next day.

    Yamashita’s biggest match in the U.S. to date was on the June 1, edition of AEW Dark: Elevation, where she and Skyle Blue came up short against Nyla Rose and Deeb.

    Who is Miyu Yamashita?

    Miyu Yamashita
    Miyu Yamashita

    27-year-old Yamashita began her wrestling career in August 2013 as one of the first members of TJPW.

    In 2016, she became the first-ever Tokyo Princess of Princess Champion and holds the records for the most reigns (3) and the most combined days as champion (1,065.)

    Outside TJPW, Yamashita has a sole reign as Shine Champion with Shine Wrestling, and three reigns as Ironman Heavymetalweight Champion for DDT Pro-Wrestling.

    With her strong kicks and karate-based offense, Yamashita is known as ‘Pink Striker’ in TJPW.

    When videos of her devastating head kick circulated online, Yamashita was compared to AEW’s Malakai Black, and the two met when Yamashita worked on Dark: Elevation last week.

  • Vince McMahon Memoirs Being Shopped to Major Book Publishers

    Vince McMahon Memoirs Being Shopped to Major Book Publishers

    Fans could soon be learning how to make a small-time wrestling promotion into a global Sports Entertainment juggernaut by none other than Vince McMahon himself.

    The WWE Chairman and CEO has certainly proven to be a success, currently boasting an estimated net worth of $2.4 billion, and now McMahon is looking to open up about his life.

    The New York Post reports that reps for McMahon are secretly shopping around for a publisher for his memoirs, which will tell about his early life and rise to the top of wrestling.

    This isn’t the only McMahon book in the works, however, as Simon & Schuster’s Atria Books will release their own bio ‘Ringmaster’ by Abraham Riesman in early 2023

    McMahon’s Memoirs

    One source told Page 6 that the book has been compared to shoe guru Phil Knight’s best-seller ‘Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike.’

    The source added, “There have been other bios on him and WWE in the past, but this is very much his memoir told in his voice about his rise and life.”

    The book is being represented by literary agency Vigliano Associates, who have previously worked with stars including Willie Nelson, Mark Messier, and WWE Hall of Famer Mike Tyson.

    From Trailer Park to Titan Towers

    Outside the ring, McMahon has had a fascinating life, starting with an incredibly difficult childhood.

    Raised as Vinnie Lupton, McMahon’s formative years were spent in trailer parks and has admitted to being beaten by one of his stepfathers Leo Lupton.

    Meeting his biological father Vincent J. McMahon at age 12, Vince Jr. and after founding Titan Sports in 1980, would purchase his father’s Capitol Wrestling Corporation in 1982.

    In addition to being the WWE owner, McMahon has served in multiple on-screen roles including a commentator, wrestler, and authority figure.

  • Mick Foley was Pitched “One of the Worst Things Ever” by Vince McMahon

    Mick Foley was Pitched “One of the Worst Things Ever” by Vince McMahon

    Mick Foley may have gone under several names, including Cactus Jack, Mankind, and Dude Love, but there’s one name the WWE Hall of Famer refused to be known as.

    In 1996, Foley joined the WWF after years of establishing himself in WCW and elsewhere but Vince McMahon wanted a brand new name for the “Hardcore Legend.”

    On a recent edition of his Foley is Pod podcast, the three-time former WWF Champion recalled being given the name ‘Mason the Mutilator’ (via Wrestling News).

     “I felt Mason the Mutilator is one of the worst things I’ve ever heard. It sounds to me like something that would be in a bootleg version of an old Fish card game. It just sounds awful.”

    Mick Foley on his originally pitched WWE name.

    From Mason to Mankind

    WWE Classic of the Week: Undertaker vs. Mankind Buried Alive Match | Bleacher Report | Latest News, Videos and Highlights
    Mankind in 1996, after aligning himself with manager Paul Bearer.

    Foley added that while he hated the name he felt it would be wrong to refuse ‘Mason the Mutilator’ without pitching something in return.

    Foley offered the name ‘Mankind the Mutilator,’ telling the Chairman of WWE that when people spoke about “the future of mankind and the destruction of mankind” it would be related to him.

    While McMahon didn’t get the idea at first, he jotted it down on a yellow legal pad, and the decision was later made to drop the ‘Mutilator’ title entirely.

    On the post-WrestleMania 12 edition of Monday Night Raw, Mankind debuted by defeating Bob ‘Spark Plug’ Holly, and would never have to worry about the Mutilator name again.

  • Quote: WWE Were “Idiots” for Not Pushing Eric Young as NXT Champion

    Quote: WWE Were “Idiots” for Not Pushing Eric Young as NXT Champion

    As a wrestler of over 30 years, Eric Young is no stranger to championship gold, but one prize that has alluded him is the NXT Championship.

    In 2016, Young signed with WWE after a lengthy run in Impact Wrestling and formed the group Sanity alongside Killian Dain, Alexander Wolfe, Nikki Cross, and briefly Sawyer Fulton.

    The group did hold the NXT Tag Team Championships, but Young never captured the brand’s top prize, despite at least one of his Sanity cohorts thinking he was ready.

    Speaking to the Two Man Power Trip Of Wrestling podcast, Dain said there was a window of time when he felt Young could’ve feuded with Shinsuke Nakamura who at the time held the NXT Championship.

    That feud never transpired which remains a sore spot for Dain who said (via Bodyslam):

    “WWE were idiots for not putting the NXT Championship on Eric Young while we were in NXT.”

    Killian Dain on Young’s push in WWE.

    Young after WWE

    IMPACT: Eric Young si è infortunato | Zona Wrestling
    Young captured his second Impact World Championship upon his return to the company following his April 2020 WWE release.

    Eric Young’s career in WWE may not have gone as he (or Dain) may have hoped, but the Canadian wrestler has done well for him since.

    At July 2020’s Slammiversary event, Young returned to Impact Wrestling and captured the promotion’s World Championship in September that same year.

    Young’s reign would end the following month when he lost the title to Rich Swann.

    At next weekend’s Slammiversary, Young will once again challenge for the Impact World Championship, now held by fellow Canadian Josh Alexander.

  • NXT Champ Bron Breakker’s Next Challenger Revealed (Spoiler)

    NXT Champ Bron Breakker’s Next Challenger Revealed (Spoiler)

    NXT Champion Bron Breakker will be putting his title on the line against Cameron Grimes at the upcoming NXT Great American Bash special.

    This week, WWE recorded both the June 14 and June 21, editions of NXT 2.0 with the current plan being for the show to go back to being live on June 28.

    During the June 14, episode, Breakker will defeat Duke Hudson to retain his title only to be confronted after the match by Grimes.

    Grimes will challenge Breakker for a title match at the Great American Bash on July 5, which the NXT Champion will accept.

    Bron Breakker’s rise to the top

    Bron Breakker is still in his rookie year in WWE, but the second-generation Superstar has made serious waves so far.

    Breakker is already a two-time NXT Champion, having dethroned Tommaso Ciampa and Dolph Ziggler, but has quickly established himself as a bonafide main eventer on WWE’s weekly Tuesday show.

    It’s been reported that WWE has plans to fast-track Breakker to the main roster which explains his brief run on Raw earlier this year.

    Can Grimes win the big one?

    At the recent In Your House special this past Saturday, Cameron Grimes’ reign as NXT North American Champion was ended by Carmelo Hayes.

    This was Grimes’ first reign as North American Champion, which ended at 65 days, but not his first time holding a title in NXT 2.0.

    Grimes previously held the Million Dollar Championship but handed the title back to Ted DiBiase Sr. last August.

    The Great American Bash will mark Grimes’ first shot at the brand’s top prize: the NXT Championship.

  • Don’t Expect to see Forbidden Door Title Match Teased on AEW Dynamite

    Don’t Expect to see Forbidden Door Title Match Teased on AEW Dynamite

    ‘Hangman’ Adam Page isn’t expected to face Kazuchika Okada in singles action at the upcoming Forbidden Door event, despite calling him out on this week’s AEW Dynamite.

    On last night’s show, Page defeated New Japan’s David Finlay and in a post-match segment, said he does not expect to get an AEW World Championship rematch anytime soon.

    Instead of challenging for AEW’s top prize, Page challenged Okada, the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, to a title match at Forbidden Door.

    On the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that there are no plans for a singles match between Page and Okada at the crossover event on June 26.

    While Meltzer had previously reported that this match was on the card, he later corrected himself, stating that the actual match card is being kept top secret.

    It is believed that Meltzer was deliberately given a faked line-up for the Chicago-based event.

    AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door: What do we know?

    AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door won’t see Page and Okada face off in singles action, but the card is coming together for the show.

    As confirmed on last night’s Dynamite, the first AEW All-Atlantic Champion will be crowned at the show, with a tournament already underway.

    Last night’s show saw PAC defeat Buddy Matthews to advance to the semi-finals.

    Forbidden Door will also see the crowning of an interim AEW World Champion while CM Punk recovers from his recent surgery.

    Last night’s show saw Jon Moxley defeat Kyle O’Reilly, who had won a battle royal earlier in the night, to qualify for the title match.

    Moxley will face either Hiroshi Tanahashi or Hirooki Goto at Forbidden Door, with his opponent to be determined at NJPW’s Dominion event.