Kurt Angle may have had some all-time classics in the ring, but the Olympic Gold Medalist wanted no part of competing for AEW. Speaking to Kenny McIntosh for Inside The Ropes, Angle shared that he turned down multiple offers from AEW because their plans for him involved getting back in the ring.
“AEW did offer me a couple of times. Tony Khan absolutely adores me, from what I heard—I don’t know if that’s true or not. But they did offer me two different deals, and, unfortunately, they both had to do with wrestling, and I knew I couldn’t do it.”
Angle hasn’t competed since WrestleMania 35 where he lost to Baron Corbin in what was promoted as the Olympian’s final match. The match was the culmination of a two-year return to wrestling in WWE, though many fans felt that the Hall of Famer had lost a step or two in the ring. Kurt has since said he wishes John Cena had been his final opponent. Cena also appeared on the show in a non-wrestling segment with Elias.
Ice Williams is the newest signing to the WWE ID program and was personally delivered his contract by two-time WWE Hall of Famer Booker T. Williams was offered his deal at the latest event from Reality of Wrestling, one of the official partners of the WWE ID recruitment program.
Williams, known for his charismatic style and standout performances, has built a career in promotions including ROW, Future Stars of Wrestling, and West Coast Pro. In February 2023, Williams was on the losing episode of a six-man tag-team match that aired on AEW Dark: Elevation. This past February saw Williams in action on ROH Honor Club where he suffered a tag team loss to the Outrunners.
Like his fellow signings, Williams will have access to WWE’s resources, including the state-of-the-art Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. Ring of Honor and Dragon Gate USA founder Gabe Sapolsky will be working closely with the WWE ID Prospects, ensuring that the signings get advice and wisdom forged from Sapolsky’s decades in the business.
Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest from WWE ID as the promotion’s hunt for future breakout Superstars continues to influence the independent wrestling world.
A colossal rendering of the late ‘Sycho’ Sid Vicious has emerged in Manhattan, New York to promote Westside Gunn’s newest album Still Praying. The new 14-track album was released on November 1, and features Sid in the ring on the cover.
Westside Gunn’s wrestling fandom can’t be denied, as anyone who’s listened to his music will attest. Here are some lyrics from the popular music artist.
“Slam you on your neck like Bruno Sammartino / Welcome home Tito, you proud and sippin’ pinot.” – No Vacancy, Pray for Paris
“I’m impactin’ the culture like Eric Bischoff” – George Bondo, Pray for Parris
“Hit the brick with a Claymore kick, rock a Liz Claiborne, it ain’t safe for ’em (Ah)” – Claiborne Kick, Pray for Paris
“Trappin’ out the fiend spot, the b*tch had section 8/One deal went real bad, we had to wet the place (Brr, brr)/Denims Mankind, I’m talking Foley with the leather face” – Undertaker Vs. Goldberg, Hitler Wears Hermes 7
Gunn’s love of wrestling isn’t exclusive to WWE as he’s also shown love to AEW. Gunn was on the September 7, 2022, edition of AEW Dynamite in his native Buffalo, New York.
Sadly, Sid won’t get the chance to listen to the new album as he passed away earlier this year at the age of 63. Despite his passing, Sycho Sid remembers an iconic name in the world of pro wrestling and Westside Gunn’s album cover is a unique tribute to the former WWE and WCW World Champion.
It’s Gal is the latest recruit to the WWE ID program which aims to give independent talent a clear path to a future in Sports Entertainment. On X, the WWE ID account shared footage of Gal receiving the coveted invitation and a graphic confirming he has joined the program.
It’s Gal has been competing since 2020 and puts opponents away with his signature Striations Bomb. With his impressive physique, the Israeli wrestler has dubbed himself ‘The Real Life Action Figure’ and has worked in Beyond Wrestling, Limitless Wrestling, and Blitzkrieg! Pro, among other promotions.
Like his fellow signings, Gal will have access to WWE’s resources, including the state-of-the-art Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. Ring of Honor and Dragon Gate USA founder Gabe Sapolsky will be working closely with the WWE ID Prospects, ensuring that the signings get advice and wisdom forged from Sapolsky’s decades in the business.
Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest from WWE ID as the promotion’s hunt for future breakout Superstars continues to influence the independent wrestling world.
Jade Cargill, Bianca Belair, and Tiffany Stratton have shared what they consider to be the toughest issues when it comes to being a WWE Superstar. Speaking with Jazzy’s World TV, Cargill shared how being away from her family is her biggest issue with life as a wrestler.
“The travel, being away from home. Just being tired and being okay with being tired. I would say that’s one of the toughest things.”
Bianca Belair agreed that family is a key thing to balance when on the road, but there are other matters a WWE Superstar has to contend with.
“Just trying to be everything. We’re trying to be a mom, and a step-mom and a wife and a Superstar all at the same time. And we’re trying to go out there and put on a show.”
While Belair knows firsthand that life as a Superstar isn’t easy, she is pleased that WWE has come a long way with the positions that women are able to aspire toward.
“WWE is in an amazing place right now where we are showing up and we’re showing out and we’re winning titles and main eventing and doing everything. We can do it all.”
While WWE has certainly made strides in its handling of female talent, Tiffany Stratton shared that her biggest gripe is that women continue to be overlooked.
“Being a female WWE superstar, a lot of times you get overlooked. A lot of times the men are kind of the main focal point and you know, a lot of times it can be hard for the women to get time for their matches.”
This trio of women are certainly kept busy in WWE, with Belair and Cargill currently in their second reign as Women’s Tag Team Champions. As Miss. Money in the Bank, Stratton is poised to have a title match down the line, potentially with her ally WWE Women’s Champion Nia Jax.
While all three are doing big things in WWE, no role is perfect and there are clear pitfalls to being a Superstar, especially a woman, in the company. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on these three and their futures as WWE Superstars.
QT Marshall’s upcoming match with Andrew ‘A.J.’ Befumo of the Costco Guys has been two decades years in the making for the AEW wrestler. Speaking to RJ City on the latest Hey(EW!), Marshall discussed the much-anticipated match and what it’ll do for his career in the ring.
“I’ve known A.J. for 20 years and I knew that if I could convince him to step back in the ring, that it would be a major spotlight for me. I could exploit him to for my own personal game. When I came back to AEW Tony [Khan] and I spoke about me not wrestling and I, you know, I do a dark match every here and there but I knew this would really help me out.”
Befumo and Marshall will face off on the AEW Full Gear 2024 pre-show after Befumo signed a one-match deal with the promotion. A.J. and his son Big Justice were part of the AEW All Out Zero Hour show, while Marshall took their feud to the next level by powerbombing A.J. at CCW Bash 45 last month.
A.J. is no stranger to the world of professional wrestling as he worked until 2005 as ‘The American Powerhouse’ Eric Justice, the namesake for Big Justice. Until his TikTok popularity exploded, A.J. had been working full-time as a regional manager for a nationwide mortgage-lending company. The upcoming match has transcended the world of wrestling media and was discussed when the Costco Guys recently appeared on Jimmy Fallon.
The father-son duo have become viral sensations this year with their charismatic reviews of food products from Costco. With over 1.3 million followers on TikTok, there’ll be no shortage of fans interested to see how A.J. performs in the ring when he takes on QT Marshall. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest from AEW and its place in the world of wrestling.
Darby Allin’s plans to climb Mount Everest may be fraught with risks, but that’s nothing compared to what the AEW star does in the ring. Speaking to Levack and Goz, AEW President Tony Khan gushed about what has made Allin so appealing to fans ever since his arrival in AEW in 2019.
“He wants to try new things. It’s that risk-taking, that energy, these things make him so unique and appealing to the wrestling fans. I like to tap into that.”
Khan later went on to say the risks Allin takes in the ring are bigger than what he’ll face when he climbs the famed mountain in the Himalayas.
“He takes big risks, but it’s the risks he takes in the ring as a wrestler that are even more dangerous than when he climbs Mount Everest or does some of the craziest motorcycle stunts you’ll ever see. The guy is an absolute wizard in the ring.”
Allin planned to climb Everest in March of this year, in spite of an “insane” glass-pane spot at AEW Revolution that same month. Mere days later, Allin suffered a broken foot in a match with Jay White which has forced him to postpone his climb. Nevertheless, Allin remains determined to climb the mountain and plant an AEW flag at its summit and intends to document his perilous journey.
Khan may find that Allin’s AEW work supersedes Everest, but the 29,000-foot mountain is nothing to take lightly. According to Himalayan databases, over 320 people have died attempting to scale the mountain since records began in 1922. Climbers who perish on the mountain are often left there, due to the risks related to removing the body, a sign of their dedication to climbing, and as a somber reminder to others of the dangers of nature.
One landmark on Everest is ‘Green Boots,’ which is the body of an unidentified climber on the Northeast Ridge route who is noticeable for his brightly colored boots. While never officially identified, it is believed to be the body of Tsewang Paljor, an Indian member of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police expedition who died as part of a 1996 climbing disaster.
WWE Superstar Asuka is the victim of robbery after parcels delivered by Amazon were snatched from her door. On X, the Damage CTRL member shared that three children had stolen products delivered to her home, but the would-be bandits were caught on security cameras.
Amazon products delivered to our house were stolen by three children. Security cameras caught them stealing ? ??????????????3?????????? ???????????????????????
Championship titles are often the target of thieves. In 2019, the WWE United Kingdom title was stolen during GUNTHER’s reign with the gold at a non-WWE appearance for EVOLVE. It wouldn’t be until 2021 that a fan found the title being listed online, purchased the gold, and promptly returned it to WWE.
Asuka’s Hiatus From WWE
Asuka hasn’t competed since WWE Backlash: France in May, where she and Kairi Sane lost the Women’s Tag Team Championships to Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill. The Empress of Tomorrow underwent knee surgery and has rehabilitating the injury ever since.
Asuka appeared during the WWE live event in her native Osaka back in July, where she welcomed fans to the show and introduced Damage CTRL. While there’s no word on how much longer the Japanese star will be out for, fans are eager to see the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble winner back in the ring very soon.
The road to WWE NXT Deadline will begin in earnest on the upcoming episode of WWE NXT, with two Iron Survivor Challenge qualifying matches announced. On X, WWE NXT GM Ava shared that Wes Lee will face Cedric Alexander in a Men’s Qualifying match, while Cora Jade will take on Sol Ruca for a spot in the Women’s match.
The Iron Survivor Challenge is a 25-minute match featuring five Superstars, two of which start the match. A new entrant enters every five minutes, with the winner being the Superstar who scores the most points, earned by pinfall or submission. While those entering the match later have less time to score points, they’re also considerably fresher than those who started the match.
Roxanne Perez and Grayson Waller won the inaugural matches in 2022, earning a shot at the NXT Women’s title and NXT title respectively. Perez’s victory would lead to her first reign as NXT Women’s Champion, ending the 413-day reign of Mandy Rose. Blair Davenport and Trick Williams on their matches in 2023.
WWE NXT – November 12
Here is the card as it stands for the November 12, edition of WWE NXT:
Sol Ruca Vs. Cora Jade (Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge Qualifying match)
Wes Lee Vs. Cedric Alexander (Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge match)
Adriana Rizzo vs. Nikkita Lyons
Ava meets with the tag team division to settle on a set of No. 1 contenders
Julia Hart’s long-awaited return to AEW programming was highlighted during the latest Collision with a creepy vignette of the ex-TBS Champion.
The vignette starts with Hart doing some cheerleading, a nod to her time with the Varsity Blonds, only to stop as she sees a dark figure sat in the stands watching intently. Hart tries to resume her cheerleading, with flashes of her time in the House of Black appearing on-screen, and is shot with an arrow by the dark figure and collapses in the middle of the field. The promo ends with Hart waking up from a dream.
Many have commended the vignette which hyped Hart’s impending comeback in a unique, thought-provoking way. On X, Dani, a creative photographer, shared that she was the one behind the segment.
Hart has been off AEW television since losing the AEW TBS Championship to Willow Nightingale at AEW Dynasty in April. Shortly after, Hart confirmed that she’d suffered an injury and wore a protective brace on her left arm. Last month, Hart said she was ready to return and was waiting for the call from AEW to come back.
Hart’s work with the House of Black proved to be a hit with fans before her injury and she holds wins over the likes of Anna Jay, Kris Statlander, Skye Blue, and Saraya. While there’s no confirmation on when fans can expect Hart back in the ring, fans are excited to see the wrestler, who recently celebrated her 23rd birthday, make her return in the near future
Seth Rollins may be a regular on WWE programming, but fans did NOT see him in the latest trailer for Captain America: Brave New World. This week, a new trailer dropped for the much-anticipated film, the fourth in the Captain America series. While fans believed they saw a masked Rollins, the Raw Superstar clarified it was not him.
Rollins is credited with a role in the new film, though it’s been previously reported that he has been edited out of the final render of the film. Brave New World will see Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) continue to adapt to his role as Captain America and try and fill the shoes of Steve Rogers. Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad) and Harrison Ford (Star Wars, Indiana Jones) are also attached.
?URGENTE: O astro da WWE, Seth Rollins, no set de 'Captain America: New World Order' interpretando um membro da 'Sociedade da Serpente'. pic.twitter.com/jdh7J9zLhQ
Whether he appears or not, Rollins isn’t the first WWE name to be attached to the world of Marvel. For years, Dave Bautista played Drax The Destroyer in the MCU, with the character being seen as a breakout role for the former WWE World Champion. In 2002’s Spider-Man, ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage played wrestler ‘Bonesaw McGraw’ against Peter Parker before he became a superhero.
Damian Priest was reportedly cast for a role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and has said he was pulled from the project but not by Marvel. Becky Lynch filmed a post-credits scene for 2020’s Eternals, but it was nixed for reportedly being too depressing.
The WWE ID program has welcomed two new recruits who were given William Regal’s seal of approval at the latest SmackDown. Regal informed Marcus Mathers and Sam Holloway at the show that WWE has kept an eye on the pair on the independents and welcomed the pair to the recruitment program.
Marcus Mathers has been wrestling since 2019 and joins WWE ID after establishing himself in Game Changer Wrestling. Mathers challenged Blake Christian for the GCW Heavyweight Title at Look At Me in January of this year but came up short. In September of this year, Mathers appeared on AEW Rampage, where he and Joe Keys lost to Roderick Strong & The Beast Mortos.
Scouted from the International Wrestling Cartel, Sam ‘Hardway’ Holloway has been competing since 2022. Holloway is the reigning IWC Super Indy Champion, having won the title against Zach Nystrom in the finals of a tournament at IWC Super Indy 23. That tournament saw Holloway defeat WWE alum Elijah and he has also shared the ring with former Superstars including Jake Hager and Matt Cardona.
WWE has partnered with several leading professional wrestling schools across the United States to help identify top-rising prospects. Contracted WWE ID prospects receive assistance with training and mentorship, access to world-class training facilities, athletic trainers, and more.
The women of WWE have wasted no time in laying claim to the United States Women’s Title after the title was announced during this week’s SmackDown. Nick Aldis revealed the new gold during the show and said that the inaugural champion will earn the gold, rather than it be awarded.
Chelsea Green has proven to be a thorn in the side of ‘Sir Nicholas The Nasty’ and despite Aldis’ claim, is ready to be handed the new title.
Green’s tag team partner Piper Niven would likely love for her friend to hold gold, but she also has her eyes on becoming the first Women’s United States Champion.
Natalya, who inked a new contract with WWE this year, is ready to hold her first singles title since 2017, when she held the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
A new title for women in @wwe, I’m beyond excited for this. It’s been 7 years since I’ve won a singles title and I’ve never stopped working towards winning a championship again. I truly believe hard work always pays off. LFG!
While WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque is pleased that the title will showcase the continued effort of the women of the promotion.
The women of WWE continue to show that they are the very best in the business. The Women’s United States Championship will showcase their continued effort.
There have been calls for years for WWE to introduce a mid-card title to its roster, with the likes of Drew McIntyre, Bayley, Tiffany Stratton, and even The Undertaker, being on board. WWE introduced its first Women’s mid-card title earlier this year with the NXT Women’s North American Gold, but now the women of the main roster will have a new opportunity to showcase their talent.
Sean Legacy has become the latest independent wrestler to sign on as a Prospect for WWE ID; the promotion’s newest recruitment program. Legacy has been wrestling since 2017 and has worked in promotions including West Coast Pro, Pro Wrestling NOAH, and Pro Wrestling Revolution.
Fans with a good memory may remember Legacy from the September 5, 2020, edition of AEW Dark, where he lost to ‘Powerhouse’ Will Hobbs. In May of this year, Legacy wrestled fellow WWE ID signing Bryce Donovan at Beyond Wrestling Open: Episode 125 – Krule Intentions, but came up short.
It is an absolute honor and a privilege to be one of the first-ever WWE ID prospects and the only one from Georgia, but l'll be honest – job's not finished yet. ?? #Super#WWEIDhttps://t.co/bb1mj1Kgfe
Legacy is the sixth WWE ID prospect with talent including Jack Cartwheel and Zayda Steel joining the program. This group now has a direct path to WWE’s resources, including the state-of-the-art Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. Ring of Honor and Dragon Gate USA founder Gabe Sapolsky will be working closely with the WWE ID Prospects, ensuring that the signings get advice and wisdom forged from Sapolsky’s decades in the business.
Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest from WWE ID as the promotion’s hunt for future breakout Superstars continues to influence the independent wrestling world.
Dustin Rhodes has made his disgust clear over a new independent wrestling character that makes light of the use of drugs while parodying Kane. In a since-deleted X post, Rhodes spoke about ‘CoKane,’ which has gone viral on social media recently.
“This is disgustingly stupid. All involved should be ashamed. Work or not.”
CoKane wears a white version of the iconic debut first worn by Glenn Jacobs at WWE In Your House: Bad Blood 1997. Like the name suggests, CoKane often makes reference to using cocaine with his ‘Coke-Slam’ finisher and has been nicknamed ‘The Big White Powder Machine.’
CoKane is not the only wrestler out there to parody the WWE Hall of Famer/Knox County, Tennessee Mayor. Earlier this year, Blue Kane went viral online and used snow-themed powers in a parody of Kane’s fire-channeling abilities. After going viral, the character’s name was changed to ‘Blue Pain,’ likely after WWE reached out about copyright.
Gayne made his debut last month as part of TNT Wrestling’s ‘Rainbow Rumble’ wearing a colorful take on the iconic WWE character. The Big Gay Machine. The match was part of Effy’s ‘Big Gay Brunch’ though Gayne was unable to get the win.
Now, fans have a new Kane to watch, though the character has run afoul of Rhodes, who has been open about his past struggles with recreational drug use. While many fans love the character, there are some who think it crosses a line and goes from harmless parody to making light of a serious problem.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has shared his appreciation for being part of WWE once again, amid his commitments to TKO’s Board of Directors. Sitting down with LAD Bible to promote his new movie Red One, Johnson delighted in being able to bring his star power to WWE events.
“Any opportunity I can to go back and not only make appearances, but help to expand the company, whether domestically or globally, I always go back. It’s also part of my obligation that I happily do.”
Johnson is closing in on 30 years as part of WWE after making his in-ring TV debut as Rocky Maivia at Survivor Series 1996. While the company hs changed considerably since then, Johnson remains grateful for all that wrestling has given him.
“I came along in the 90s and wrestled for Vince into the 2000s, so there’s some real connective tissue that goes back generations, and for that I will forever be grateful. It provided me a platform and a way to express myself in ways that nothing else would allow, other than acting.”
Johnson joined TKO’s Board of Directors in January of this year, which the ‘Final Boss’ called “just another way that I could help the company grow.” Whether it’s representing WWE on TKO’s Board or stunning fans with a surprise appearance at WWE Bad Blood, Johnson remains steadfast in his duties to the company.
Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on Johnson who continues to electrify, whether it be on the big screen, in the ring, or in the boardroom.
Zara Zakher is the latest WWE ID Prospect after inking a deal with the promotion’s newest recruitment program. Zakher made her debut in the wrestling scene last year and has been holding her own against both the women and the men.
Zakher joins WWE ID after establishing herself in the California-based Millenium Pro Wrestling. Outside of the promotion, The ‘Petite Powerhouse’ has competed for West Coast Pro, Tokyo Joshi Pro Live, and Game Changer Wrestling. Just one week before becoming a WWE ID Prospect, Zakher competed at GCW Monster Bash where she unsuccessfully challenged Masha Slamovich for the Jersey Championship Wrestling Heavyweight Title.
Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest from WWE ID as the promotion’s hunt for future breakout Superstars continues to influence the independent wrestling world.
More WWE ID Prospects have been announced, including independent wrestling star Jack Cartwheel (Jack Summit). Cartwheel has already made a name for himself outside of WWE with his high-energy performances, innovative move-set, and signature cartwheels that give him his unique name.
The Sacramento native made his wrestling debut in 2019 and has already made his presence felt in Game Changer Wrestling, Ring of Honor, Lucha Libre AAA, PWG, and All Elite Wrestling. Cartwheel’s peak in GCW came at this past February’s Feel No Ways event, where he unsuccessfully challenged Blake Christian for the GCW World Championship.
Cartwheel and his compatriots now have the opportunity to develop their skills in the ring and on the mic from the biggest wrestling promotion in the history of the industry. With the state-of-the-art Performance Center in Orlando, WWE ID signings will have the chance to train with and learn from the very best, including Gabe Sapolsky, founder of Ring of Honor and Dragon Gate USA.
Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest from WWE ID as the promotion’s hunt for future breakout Superstars continues to influence the independent wrestling world.
WWE is always on the hunt for new talent, whether it be collegiate athletes from the Next-In-Line program or the recently launched WWE ID tactic that seeks talent from the independents. Now, WWE has offered contracts to three impressive athletes who attended a recent tryout consisting of 17 Olympians.
Aaron Fara
Fara represented Austria in Judo (100kg or less) at this year’s Summer Olympic Games in Paris, and won gold at last year’s Judo Grand Slam in Antalya, Turkey. The 27-year-old is described in the Wrestling Observer as having ” a good physique” and is said to be charismatic and good at interviews.
Shady Elnahas
Shady Elnahas also competes in Judo (100kg or less) and hails from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Elnahas is the reigning Commonwealth Champion and Pan American Champion and took home the silver medal in the Judo World Championships this past May in Abu Dhabi.
Francois Prinsloo
22-year-old Francois Prinsloo hails from South Africa and represented his country in discus throwing at this year’s Olympics. In 2018, Prinsloo won gold at the African Youth Games in Algiers. Fara is specifically said to have signed, while the others at this point were “offered deals” but without confirmation they’ve signed yet.
Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on WWE’s roster and the new stars fans can expect to see in the future.
WWE is no longer pursuing the possibility of betting on pre-determined matches, as confirmed by TKO COO Mark Shapiro. Joining CNBC’s Alex Sherman this week to discuss a variety of topics, Shapiro clarified that fans won’t be betting on matches from the Sports Entertainment juggernaut.
“It’s not happening. We’re not doing that. We’re scripted. Years ago, I ran Dick Clark Productions. We had enough of a challenge keeping the American Music Awards and the Golden Globe Award winners under wraps with an auditor that was there.
“We’re not going to be asking Triple H/Paul Levesque, who runs our creative, to keep his scripts so under wraps that we can start sports betting. It just doesn’t jive.”
It was reported back in May that WWE was interested in taking bets on matches, which already happens from third parties like BetOnline. Immediately, there was criticism of the idea, with questions raised about whether it was legal to bet on a result that has been already decided.
Many also questioned how WWE would keep creative plans under wrap to avoid leaks, with concerns that talent wouldn’t know results until too late to make adequate preparations. The Montreal Screwjob was brought up as proof the idea wouldn’t work, given the risk of results changing on the fly in the ring.
WWE allows some wagers on aspects of matches via FanDuel, but for now, betting on results is off the table within the promotion. Instead, fans will have to remain hooked on match results due to the storytelling involved, rather than any financial incentive.
Tiffany Stratton already has a guaranteed title opportunity at her fingertips, but Miss. Money in the Bank has pitched new gold for WWE’s move to Netflix. While speaking to Gorilla Position, Stratton pitched a mid-card championship for the women on the main roster, potentially as part of the new era on the streaming juggernaut.
“I think it would be a great idea to introduce a mid-card title, like a Netflix Championship. I think that’d be amazing. What a great idea—it’d be cool.”
WWE Raw will move to Netflix on January 6, 2025, as part of a lucrative deal reached between the two parties. Fans outside the U.S will also receive SmackDown, WWE NXT, and Premium Live Events on the platform. Despite being a SmackDown Superstar, Stratton has her own plans for Raw’s arrival on Netflix.
“I don’t know, maybe I’ll cash in there. Maybe I won’t even have a match. Maybe… maybe I’ll just cash in and become champion on the premiere. Okay, yeah!”
The Call For A Women’s Mid-Card Title
Stratton is just the latest notable name to advocate for a women’s mid-card championship on WWE’s main roster. Here are some examples of others who back the idea.
New footage has come out of the WWE debut of Rodney ‘Yokozuna’ Aanoa’i, who worked under a much different name from the one fans would come to know for years.
The WWE Vault Youtube channel has shared new footage of an interview with Yokozuna, working under the name ‘The Great Kokina’ and his uncle Afa Sr. of the Wild Samoans. The name was also a nod to the superheavyweight’s time in the AWA in the late 1980s, where he worked as ‘Kokina Maximus.’
The Great Kokina’s debut match came in an untelevised match on September 1, 1992, at a WWF Superstars taping in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The match saw Kokina make short work of Ron Neal and would mark the only time he wrestled under the gimmick.
Yokozuna debuted on the Halloween edition of WWF Superstars with the sumo wrestler fans would come to fear, as well as Mr. Fuji as his manager.
Yokozuna’s brief time as The Great Kokina reflect how a wrestler may work under a variety of names or gimmicks before landing on one that works. Seth Rollins even worked as ‘God’ and Gixx early into his career before settling on the Tyler Black name he used pre-WWE. Whether it was as Yokozuna, The Great Kokina, or Kokina Maximus, Rodney Anoa’i forged a legacy in wrestling that won’t be forgotten by fans new and old anytime soon.
Posted November 8th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: Yokozuna.
WWE NXT’s ECW-centric show triumphed over this week’s AEW Dynamite in the battle for rating supremacy when the pair went head-to-head. According to Programming Insider, the November 6 episode of NXT secured 619,000 with 0.17 in the coveted 18-49 demographic. This is an increase from last week’s show, which scored 588,000 viewers and reached 0.14 in the 18-49 demographic.
AEW Dynamite on the other hand drew 523,000 viewers this week and a 0.16 in the 18-49 demographic. This marked a dramatic decrease from the previous week’s episode which saw 628,000 viewers tune in with a 0.19 demographic rating. WWE NXT moved to Wednesday this week to avoid competing with coverage of the United States Presidential Election result.
The November 6, WWE NXT took place at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia and featured plenty of ECW alum. Rhino, Dawn Marie, Francine, Nunzio, and Rob Van Dam all made appearances on the show. In the main event, Bubba Ray Dudley teamed with Trick Williams and reunited with D-Von Dudley in the closing moments of the show.
This week’s AEW Dynamite saw Tony Khan’s first promotion continue on the road to Full Gear 2024. The show saw an appearance by Bobby Lashley, who debuted for AEW the previous week, and a match be made for the pay-per-view against Swerve Strickland. Christian Cage said he wants to make HOOK his new son while Powerhouse Hobbs returned to emerge victorious in the show’s tag-team main event.
Swerve Strickland has debuted some new ink ahead of his showdown with Bobby Lashley later this month at Full Gear. On social video, the former AEW World Champion shared a video of himself getting a neck tattoo. Strickland didn’t specify what design he’s receiving, though a design was seen behind him in the video which may be the tattoo in question. Swerve Strickland captioned the clip with simply one word.
Strickland has run afoul of The Hurt Syndicate as of late, resulting in a beatdown last week by MVP’s crew and the debuting Bobby Lashley. On this week’s Dynamite, Swerve demanded a match against Lashley for AEW Full Gear and MVP obliged.
The feud with the Hurt Syndicate has marked a clear shift for Strickland who has exited the AEW World Championship picture for the time being. The first African-American AEW World Champion, Strickland lost the gold to Bryan Danielson at AEW All In: London. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest on Swerve Strickland and the new ink that fans will soon get to see in the ring every single week.
Lance Anoa’i has become the latest member of his family to join WWE after reportedly singing over the summer. Fightful Select reports that Lance signed but is currently sidelined with an injury and won’t be cleared for a while. There are no imminent creative plans for him on either NXT or the main roster at this time.
The son of Samu and nephew of Afa Jr., Lance made his in-ring debut in 2010 and spent many of his early years in Afa Sr’s WXW promotion. He is a former MLW World Tag Team Champion, having held the gold with Jacob Fatu who debuted for WWE earlier this year. In October 2023, Lance announced on X that he’d been granted his release from MLW.
Lance Anoa’i In WWE
Though he only signed this year, Lance is no stranger to appearing for WWE. In January 2015, he teamed with Rhett Titus to serve as enhancement talent to The Ascension on SmackDown. Two years later, he was on the losing end of a tag team match against The Authors of Pain in WWE NXT.
Lance’s most notable WWE role to date came on the May 27, 2019 edition of WWE Raw, where he faced Shane McMahon. WWE’s Prodigal Son was feuding with Roman Reigns at the time and defeated Lance after Drew McIntyre attacked him. After the match he was beat down by McMahon and McIntyre, before Roman Reigns made the save.
Now a part of WWE, all eyes are on whether Lance will be factored into the Bloodline saga, and if so, whether it’ll be Roman Reigns or Solo Sikoa he acknowledges as his Tribal Chief. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest on Lance Anoa’i as the family’s role in WWE continues to grow.
