WWE boasts one of the largest and most impressive rosters in all of wrestling, constructed of talented individuals from across the globe. Now, one name fans can expect to see much more of in WWE from here on is The Wyatt Sicks’ Nikki Cross.

The 35-year-old from Glasgow, Scotland has signed a new contract with WWE, Fightful Select reports. Negotiations between the two sides had been ongoing since spring, the report adds, before the debut of The Wyatt Sicks on Monday Night RAW.

While Cross hasn’t wrestled for WWE since November of last year, her role in the Uncle Howdy-led faction has ensured her regular TV time. The group

There’ll be no shortage of people in WWE pleased to see Cross re-sign with the company. Sources within WWE who spoke to Fightful have had positive things to say about her. During the pandemic, numerous extras reached out to Fightful to speak about how welcoming Cross had been.

WWE Re-Signings

Cross is the latest notable name to put pen to paper and reportedly re-sign with WWE this year. In June, fellow Scotland native Drew McIntyre re-signed with WWE after lengthy speculation that he could be leaving. McIntyre’s new deal was publicly confirmed by Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson of TKO’s Board of Directors, who gifted McIntyre a sword.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Randy Orton has re-signed with WWE. With a reported five-year length, this new contract will keep the 14-time WWE World Champion on the roster until summer 2029. Angel and Berto signed new contracts with WWE. The pair currently appear on SmackDown as part of Legado Del Fantasma.

Kayla Braxton entertained wrestling fans for years as part of WWE’s broadcast crew, but her time in the wrestling business has come to an end. On the Insight podcast, Braxton was asked if her time in wrestling is up now that she’s no longer part of WWE.

“Yeah, I think so… I mean, there’s always the possibility that maybe I pop back in for a fun cameo or something down the road. But yeah, I think my time is done.”

Braxton noted that when a woman leaves WWE, fan speculation immediately turns towards AEW or a future on Only Fans, but she is pursuing neither. While news of Braxton’s departure only broke in June, it had been something she’d been mulling over for some time.

“I think it’s something I’ve been kind of contemplating for a while. I think once I stepped down from The Bump, I moved to Los Angeles, it was very clear I was kind of trying to find what my next phase of life was going to be, career-wise.”

Braxton praised WWE for being supportive of her plans and described her exit as “amicable.” While she doesn’t have any plans currently for a full-time return, she acknowledged that the “door is always open” which she said was “very nice to hear.”

What’s Next?

With Braxton’s time in wrestling over (at least for the time being,) the 33-year-old is now focusing on making a name in acting. Last month, Braxton, now working under her real name Kayla Becker, wrapped her scenes in a new film titled Stranglehold.

On the podcast, Kayla was coy about plot details but shared it’s based in a strip club before making it very clear that she does not strip. Braxton’s character of Crystal will be joined by some notable names in acting including Ashley Benson (Pretty Little Liars,) Ron Perlman (Hellboy,) and Justin Long (Tusk.)

The WWE Performance Center opened its doors in 2013, and ever since, the facility has been a haven for talent looking to hone their skills. Now, NXT head Shawn Michaels has shared his huge vision for the center that he also calls home. Speaking in a video from WWE’s parent company TKO, Michaels shared his plan for a future where all of WWE’s main roster will have come from the PC.

“In a very short amount of time, 100% of the WWE roster is going to be from people who have walked through the doors of the Performance Center.”

WWE’s main roster is currently home to a mix of homegrown talent crafted in the Performance Center as well as talent who made their names before signing with WWE. In the latter case, even talent who’ve established themselves outside WWE will typically spend time in the Performance Center as part of NXT being called up.

Staying in Florida

One change fans shouldn’t expect from the WWE Performance Center is a move to Las Vegas, Nevada. This week, it was reported that the center would be moving soon after eleven years in Orlando, Florida. In a statement to Fightful Select, WWE denied that a move was coming. Explaining reports that Endeavor President Mark Shapiro had shared ‘news’ of the move at a meeting in WWE Headquarters, it was said that Shapiro was speaking of “having a presence” in Vegas and that idea being “on the table.”

Outside the ring, Chris Jericho has held many roles in entertainment, from Dancing with the Stars to leading Fozzy and now the AEW original is returning to the Terrifier film series. On August 28, a new trailer was dropped for Terrifier 3, which will take place five years after the event of the previous film. Jericho appears around halfway through the trailer, though based on the expression on his face, things aren’t going well for the Learning Tree.

Jericho appeared in Terrifier 2, which was released in cinemas in October 2022. For the film, Jericho portrayed a psychiatric hospital nurse called Burke and is reprising the character for the upcoming movie. Terrifier 3 will have its premiere at Fantastic Fest next month and will be released in cinemas on October 11.

Terrifier 3

The new film follows siblings Sienna and Jonathan, who survived the demonic Art the Clown’s Halloween massacre from the previous film in the series. The pair’s efforts to put the past behind them and focus on the approaching holiday season prove impossible when Art returns to unleash his twisted brand of terror on all those unfortunate to come across him.

Chris Jericho And Horror

The first-ever AEW World Champion is no stranger to stepping into the world of horror. One of Jericho’s first feature film roles saw him play Levi in 2009’s Albino Farm, a horror film in which four college students are hunted by cannibals on the titular farm. Unfortunately for Jericho, his first foray into horror was met with negative reviews, and the film has a disappointing 14% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

In April of this year, Jericho was cast in an action-horror film about pro-wrestling, blending two of the 53-year-old entertainer’s passions. Dark Match will tell the story of a small-time wrestling company that accepts a well-paying gig in a remote town only to learn the town falls under a cult leader. In addition to Jericho, the film will star Steven Ogg (The Walking Dead) and Ayisha Issa (Transplant.)

Rey Mysterio has been competing in the ring since he was a teenager, but his legendary career has taken a toll on the WWE Hall of Famer. While Mysterio knows that the end of his wrestling career is coming, he has taken steps to carry on forward in the ring.

On Instagram, Mysterio shared that he visited the RejuvStem facility in Cancun this past July to “enhance my body’s well-being” through stem cell therapy. In just one day, Mysterio underwent the following:

• Stem Cell IV
• The Myers Cocktail IV
• Stem Cells Left Knee
• Stem Cells Right Knee
• Stem Cells Left Shoulder
• Stem Cells Right Wrist
• Stem Cells Left Wrist
• Shockwave Therapy
• 1 Hour Hyperbaric Chamber

It may sound like a lot, but the results of this treatment speak for themselves as Rey is without pain for the first time in a long time.

“On Monday August 19th, 32 days exactly after the treatment was my first day waking up completely pain free. No soreness or tightness around the ankles and the pain on my shoulder vanished as well. My body feels incredible and this is only the beginning stage, I know my body well and understand that it is going through the healing process as we speak.”

ReJuvStem

Mysterio is just one of several WWE Superstars to work with the RejuvStem Medical Center. Rey Mysterio has also worked with the center as has Big E, who has been out of action since March of 2022 with a broken neck. More recently, Shotzi has been working with the RejuvStem team to heal up from her ACL tear suffered earlier this year. Viking Raider Erik, who underwent neck fusion surgery last year, has also worked with RejuvStem as has his tag-team partner Ivar. Sami Zayn has also joined the ranks of Stem Cell therapy recipients to deal with nagging injuries that have accumulated throughout his years in the ring.

At WWE SummerSlam, Bayley’s time as WWE Women’s Champion was ended by Nia Jax, ending the Role Model’s 117-day reign that began at WrestleMania 40. Since then, Bayley has not competed or even appeared on WWE programming, but now we have an update on the former champion.

Though Bayley has been off-screen, she’s fine and healthy, Fightful Select reports, and has been participating in WWE’s ongoing tour of Europe. On the tour, Bayley has been competing in title rematches with Jax and has been working tag-team matches with Naomi against Jax and Tiffany Stratton.

While Bayley thankfully isn’t hurt, she is seemingly growing restless about her booking, or lack thereof, on WWE TV. On Twitter, Bayley shared the following post about being forgotten.

In the comments, many fans of the Role Model saw this post as a nod to her current absence from WWE programming and believe she deserves more. Some even suggested Bayley make a move to AEW though that seems unlikely. The Role Model signed a new multi-year contract with WWE last December, meaning unless something major occurs, she’ll be a WWE Superstar for a long time to come.

Bayley has held gold throughout her career and has worked with top names including Becky Lynch, Trish Stratus, Alexa Bliss and others. While there’s no sign yet on when fans can expect to see her on WWE TV again, there’s plenty of fans who are itching to see more of the Role Model in the ring very soon.

AEW All In: London 2024 marked the end of MJF’s time as AEW American Champion, as well as the end of that star-spangled strap. Now, not only will MJF not be known as the AEW American Champion, but he doesn’t want to be known as an American at all.

On the August 28, edition of AEW Dynamite, a visibly frustrated MJF arrived on the scene and complained about a splitting headache. To chants of “shut the f*** up,” MJF lamented his loss inside Wembley Stadium and claimed he now has herniated discs in his spine.

In stark contrast to his jingoistic title reign, MJF renounced his American citizenship, claiming he wanted nothing to do with “this garbage country.” The only exception MJF made was for his native Long Island, for which his love remains unwavering.

The modern-day Benedict Arnold described the promotion as a “circus” without him at its center, emphasizing his belief that he is the key to AEW’s success. MJF then turned his ire to Will Ospreay, the man who dethroned him and became AEW International Champion at All In: London. The scumbag vowed to screw Ospreay over whenever the Brit gets close to winning the AEW World Championship.

Turning On Your Country

MJF joins a select number of wrestlers to turn their backs on the United States, including Sgt. Slaughter who turned on the U.S. to support Iraq in the Gulf War. Years later, Rob Conway would become a French ‘sympathizer’ and align with La Resistance despite being from Louisville, Kentucky.

Now, MJF has joined their ranks, and the former American already has a match confirmed for AEW All Out next weekend. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest on MJF and his plans now that he’s left the good ol’ U.S. of A behind.

Since its live debut in January 1993, WWE Raw has been broadcast from nearly a dozen countries, including Canada, England, Italy, Mexico, Germany, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

WWE’s return to Saudi Arabia in November for Crown Jewel 2024 which will feature the first-ever WWE Raw taping in the country. WWE Crown Jewel will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday, November 2, 2024. WWE will tape a special episode of Raw on Sunday, the day after Crown Jewel, which will air in its usual time slot.

Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, announced the historic event as part of #RiyadhSeason 2024:

WWE’s website does not have a Monday Night RAW listed for November 4, which will be the first Monday of the month and the first after Crown Jewel 2024. The previous week’s RAW will take place in Hershey, PA, and the following week will see the roster travel to Grand Rapids, MI.

Wrestling fans in Saudi Arabia can watch WWE Raw, WWE SmackDown and other WWE programming through the MBC Shahid streaming platform.

WWE has hosted eleven Premium Live Events since launching its lucrative relationship with Saudi Arabia with 2018’s Greatest Royal Rumble. Earlier this year, WWE hosted its first TV taping, the go-home SmackDown before King and Queen of the Ring, in Jeddah.

Reports of Monday Night RAW coming to Saudi Arabia come after the nation’s representatives expressed interest in furthering their ongoing deal. In May, Turki Alalshikh, Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority Chairman spoke of enhancing the current deal and hopes to bring WWE’s biggest events to the Kingdom. Alalshikh mentioned bringing the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania to Saudi Arabia, as well as UFC pay-per-views.

Plans for Dave Bautista’s WWE Hall of Fame induction may have fallen through in 2020, but the Hollywood star still hopes to take his place among the greats. Speaking to Chris Van Vliet of Insight to discuss his new film ‘Killer’s Game,’ the Animal spoke about being approached for an induction years earlier.

“I agreed to do it. Hunter [Triple H] asked me to do it. And I said, ‘Yeah, of course.’ And it was here in LA, and I thought it was perfect. It was storybook, because I won my first title here in LA.”

While an induction in Los Angeles would’ve been perfect for Bautista, it wasn’t meant to be due to his scheduling commitments.

“I was working on a film I was in South Africa, so logistically, we just couldn’t make it happen. But, yeah, I’m still open to it. One day I would like to.”

Bautista was supposed to be inducted in 2020, though that year saw no inductions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, the 2020 inductees, which included JBL, the New World Order, and Jushin ‘Thunder’ Liger, were inducted alongside the 2021 class the following year.

As a former WWE and World Heavyweight Champion, among other accolades, Bautista has certainly earned an induction into the WWE Hall of Fame. So far, no names have been announced for the 2025 class which will take place ahead of WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The two-night show will take place in Allegiant Stadium and mark WWE’s sixth two-night WrestleMania.

Bautista intends to return to WWE for a Hall of Fame induction but has no intention on wrestling again. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest on the WWE Champion turned Hollywood A-Lister.

Hollywood A-Lister Dave Bautista may feel the allure of wrestling again but refuses to let this temptation ruin what he considers a perfect sendoff. Speaking to Chris Van Vliet of Insight to promote his new film ‘Killers Game‘ the Animal addressed a future return to the ring.

“I went out on my own terms the way I wanted with the guy I wanted to go out with [against Triple H.] I will never tarnish that.”

Bautista admitted that though he won’t wrestle again, he does miss the energy of a live wrestling crowd and there’s “always a temptation” to compete again.

“Every time I hear my music, I want that feeling again. It’s like a drug…..I just have to come to terms with my time has passed.”

Bautista’s final match came at WrestleMania 35 where he faced his longtime mentor and friend Triple H. Ironically, had Triple H lost the bout, he would have been forced to retire from in-ring competition. Instead, the Game won their No Holds Barred match, which at 24:45 was the longest match of WWE’s final one-night WrestleMania.

When Final Matches Go Wrong

The idea of having one final match is a risky venture for wrestlers of the past, as it may have been years if not decades since they were last in ring shape. One final match also runs the risk of ruining a previous, more fitting sendoff. In 2008, Ric Flair what many would consider a perfect farewell at WrestleMania 24 against Shawn Michaels. After joining TNA years later, Flair would have inferior matches and Ric himself has been critical of his 2022 ‘Last Match,’ so much so that he’s teased having another final farewell.

More has come to light about the passing of former WWE Champion Sid Eudy, who died earlier this week at the age of 63. The passing of Eudy, better known as Sid Vicious, Sid Justice, or Sycho Sid, was shared publicly by his son Gunnar who noted that his father had been fighting cancer for years.

In an update also shared to Facebook, Gunnar shared more about his father’s health in the years prior to his death. Eudy had been dealing with congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation, and had also been battling Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

“Sid was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in 2016 and atrial fibrillation (better known as AFIB) around the same time. He was also given a pacemaker. In April 2021, he was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which was linked to roundup weed killer.

“Although he never told anyone about his fight against cancer, Sid lived his life to the fullest, attending the gym, boxing classes, making appearances for his fans, and of course t-ball games for the kids. He passed away peacefully in his bed, leaving behind a legacy of strength and determination. I’ve never met anyone with a fraction of the strength as my father he truly was one of a kind.“

Gunnar was also appreciative of the wealth of support and tributes to his father that have taken social media by storm since Sid’s passing.

“Thanks everyone for the uplifting words and love we definitely feel it we have received thousands of messages and are grateful for everyone of them. I don’t have time to reply but I have read them all thank you thank you thank you!“

Sid accomplished plenty in his wrestling career though sadly was never inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame prior to his passing. Tragically, Sid said just last month that he felt an induction was more likely now that Vince McMahon is gone from WWE, and suggested doing more with WWE.

Our thoughts remain with the Eudy family and those who knew Sid at this time.

One TNA Wrestling star plans on making the most of his opportunity should he be a part of the promotion’s ongoing crossover with WWE NXT. On the Mark Hoke Show, TNA’s Hammerstone shared his mentality regarding the popular TNA-NXT partnership.

“I’m not expecting the world to be handed to me. I don’t care what I’m asked to do. Whatever it is, I’m going to go in there with my working boots on do my best job. If that means I’m one of the guys who gets an opportunity at NXT, then I’m going to treat it like it’s the most important opportunity in the world.”

WWE NXT and TNA Wrestling

Several names from both promotions have stepped through the ‘prohibited portal’ as part of WWE’s new regime being more willing than before to work with others. From TNA, fans have seen NXT appearances by Jordynne Grace, The Rascalz, and Joe Hendry. The latter appeared on last night’s show and will challenge NXT Champion Ethan Page this Sunday at WWE NXT No Mercy. On this week’s WWE NXT, Rosemary also appeared as the surprise opponent for Kelani Jordan.

On the NXT roster side of things, fans have seen Izzi Dame, Tatum Paxley, and the No Quarter Catch Crew appear on their weekly show TNA iMPACT and at pay-per-views. Both Paxley and Dame have challenged for the TNA Knockouts World Championship though neither won the gold.

What’s to Come?

Before Hammerstone can think of NXT appearances, he first needs to make it to TNA Emergence. At the August 30, show, Hammerstone will be part of an Ultimate X match for the TNA X-Division Championship. Hammerstone will be joined by champion Mike Bailey, Zachary Wentz, Riley Osborne, Jason Hotch, and Laredo Kid. The show will take place at the Old Forester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville, Kentucky.

The ongoing partnership between TNA Wrestling and WWE NXT shows no sign of slowing down after Rosemary appeared on this week’s WWE NXT show. The TNA Knockout was revealed as Wendy Choo’s hand-picked opponent for NXT North American Women’s Champion Kelani Jordan. Despite a strong showing by Rosemary, Jordan got the win but was attacked by Choo after the match.

In a WWE NXT exclusive, Rosemary was asked about her alliance with Wendy Choo.

“Wendy, darling Wendy sent the call, and when your kinsman calls for help, you come to help. Even if we don’t always see eye to eye, even if we rule different realms, demons help demons. Wendy needed a hand. But what do you mean we didn’t get what we wanted from Kelani? Sure, we didn’t get the win, but we got in her head, didn’t we? Was she standing at the end of the night? No. She was on her back, clutched in Wendy’s grasp, just as the future is clutched in ours.”

Rosemary is just the latest TNA Wrestling star to step through the ‘prohibited portal’ and appear for WWE NXT. Other names involved in the crossover include Jordynne Grace, The Rascalz, and Joe Hendry. The latter also appeared on last night’s show and will challenge NXT Champion Ethan Page this Sunday at WWE NXT No Mercy.

On the TNA side of things, NXT talent including Izzi Dame, Tatum Paxley, and the No Quarter Catch Crew have appeared on their weekly show TNA iMPACT and at pay-per-views. Stay tuned to SE Scoops to see who is next to appear for the other as this relationship is proving to be a hit with fans.

Machine Gun Kelly had some choice words for Randy Orton, and made his views perfectly clear about the Viper at WWE SummerSlam in Cleveland. For the August PLE, Kelly accompanied Logan Paul for his U.S. title match that saw the Maverick lose the gold to current champion LA Knight. Speaking on Paul’s ImPaulsive podcast, Kelly recalled seeing Orton backstage at the event.

“I saw Randy Orton, and I remember seeing Randy Orton talk s*** about me. And there’s a point where I’m going to practice a new version of myself. 3-2-1, I’m like ‘F*** that! Hey man, f*** you!’ I don’t know where you [Paul] were but all my boys were ‘Is this real? Is this part of the script?’ The amount of people that pinned me as the aggressor in every situation I’m in are so wrong.”

Orton didn’t compete at SummerSlam, but appeared on the following episode of Monday Night RAW where he confronted GUNTHER. Orton will challenge the WWE World Heavyweight Champion this Saturday at the first WWE Bash In Berlin PLE.

Machine Gun Kelly in WWE

Machine Gun Kelly is no stranger to appearing in WWE. In 2015, Kelly performed on WWE RAW, but ate a powerbomb on the stage by Kevin Owen for his troubles. Despite doing nothing to rile up the crowd other than perform his music, the fans cheered when Owens delivered the move and gave the former Universal Champion a ‘Thank You Owens’ chant.

Kelly also appeared at the December 4, 2017 edition of Monday Night RAW and would appear again that same month as part of Tribute to the Troops. In 2022, MGK served as the Executive Producer of the soundtrack for the WWE 2K22 video game. He would be included as a playable character in the game.

Vince McMahon may have approved some unique angles during his time, but the idea of a WWE political party proved too much for the billionaire. On a recent edition of the Insight podcast, WWE Hall of Famer/Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura shared the angle he pitched to McMahon.

 “I went out to him and I said ‘Vince, we can do an angle right now. You can come out with the WWE and say we’re going to have our own nominee for president, the WWE party, the World Wrestling Party.'”

Ventura’s idea included getting ballot access in all 50 states, while on-screen, McMahon would tease that he’d be the party’s official candidate in the race to the White House. Just as McMahon would announce his candidacy, he’d be interrupted by ‘The Body.’

“I’m a governor. I’m the natural WWE candidate for president, then you do a schmoz where Vince and I get two wrestlers to represent us. Whoever wins gets the nomination.”

The match would see Ventura’s representative get the win, confirming Jesse as the official Presidential candidate representing the WWE Party. When asked why the angle didn’t play out, Ventura shared that McMahon didn’t bother to tell him ‘no.’

“He didn’t even bother to call me to turn me down. I thought that was the most disrespectful thing…  If he did just called me and said, Jesse, it’s too crazy. It’s too hokey. I don’t think we can do it. I would have said fine. I gave it a try. But he didn’t even call me back.”

While the WWE Party never left the drawing board, McMahon would be represented in a high-profile match with something on the line at WrestleMania 23. The ‘Battle of the Billionaires’ saw Donald Trump’s representative Bobby Lashley defeat McMahon’s Umaga, resulting in McMahon having his head shaved bald.

Wrestling & Politics

The WWE Party won’t be on the ballot this November, but plenty of wrestlers have attempted to enter the world of politics. Glenn ‘Kane’ Jacobs currently serves as the Mayor of Knox County, TN, and recently shared some strong words for the Democratic Party’s Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.

The late Antonio Inoki was elected twice to Japan’s House of Councillors while The Great Sasuke was elected to Iwate’s Prefectural Assembly in 2003. In 2017, Linda McMahon, who lost two senate campaigns, was appointed Administrator, Small Business Administration, under President Trump.

Perhaps the most internationally recognized wrestler to enter office is known more for his political career than his time in the ring. Before his rise to political history, Abraham Lincoln wrestled in his teens and reportedly trained in catch-as-catch-can wrestling.

The future President held championship gold by the age of 21. According to eyewitness accounts at the time, a frustrated Lincoln once lifted an opponent who was fighting dirty by the neck, raised him in the air, and slammed him into the ground, a move not too different from today’s Chokeslam.

Ventura himself served as Governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003. The WWE Hall of Famer has teased running for President in the past but has never gone much further than that. He has endorsed the Harris/Walz ticket for this November’s election.

Brock Anderson believes that AEW’s ‘just TV’ nature has resulted in no ‘setup’ for young talent signed to the promotion to learn the basics. On the Under the Ring podcast, Brock spoke about his time with AEW and his belief that he needed more time to learn away from televised wrestling.

“Looking back now, I wasn’t ready for that because it — for young guys, there is no setup to really learn and grasp the business. It’s just basically just TV.”

Anderson signed a contract with AEW in 2021 and news of this was broken in March of that year on his father Arn’s podcast. Brock’s legendary father helped with his training, as did Q.T. Marshall, Glacier, and Lodi. Brock wrestled 38 times for AEW and shared the ring with notable names including Cody Rhodes, The Acclaimed, and the Blackpool Combat Club. Anderson racked up an impressive 22-16 win/loss record before parting the promotion in late 2023.

AEW and Developing New Talent

Since launching in 2019, AEW has been almost exclusively a broadcast promotion, with only a handful of live events, dubbed ‘House Rules’ shows to its name. Unlike its competitors at WWE, AEW does not have an official in-company developmental system.

The closest Tony Khan’s first promotion got to this was its Dark and Dark: Elevation shows, though these were still broadcast and neither exists today. In 2022, Khan acknowledged that Dark shows were supposed to be “somewhat of a developmental show” before the COVID-19 pandemic changed things.

Khan’s reasoning, as he told the Pro Wrestling Torch podcast, was that the pandemic left plenty of already-trained independent talent itching for a chance to work on a show that was still being broadcast, such as Dark. With a bounty of developed talent ready to work, Khan made use of these already-trained wrestlers, shifting away from the ‘developmental’ intentions of the show.

WWE has announced significant shakeups to the commentary teams of its two flagship shows, WWE Raw and WWE SmackDown. The changes take effect over the next couple weeks, starting with next week’s Raw and completing the following Friday, when SmackDown returns to the USA Network after a 5-year run on FOX.

Michael Cole Shifts to SmackDown

Corey Graves filled in for Pat McAfee at the commentary booth for this week’s WWE Raw. McAfee is on hiatus and is returning to his other gig hosting ESPN College GameDay. Graves and Cole will reunite on September 13 for WWE SmackDown’s big homecoming on the USA Network. The duo has worked extensively together over the years and is regarded as one of WWE’s strongest teams.

Enter Joe Tessitore

With today’s “Voice of WWE” changing brands, WWE has tapped veteran broadcaster Joe Tessitore to serve as the new lead announcer for Raw starting next Monday, September 2, 2024. Tessitore has decades of experience in broadcasting, including working with ESPN doing play-by-play for Monday Night Football and coincidentally College Game Day.

Wade Barrett joins Tessitore on Monday nights. Former Nexus leader has proven himself to be an asset in recent years; calling action on Raw, SmackDown and NXT.

More has come to light about plans for the recent AEW All In: London pay-per-view that ultimately didn’t make it to the show in Wembley Stadium.

Last weekend’s event saw The Young Bucks retain the AEW World Tag Team Championships against The Acclaimed and FTR. On Wrestling Observer Radio, it was reported that not only were the Lucha Bros. set to challenge for the titles in London, but they were originally planned to win the gold.

The Lucha Bros. haven’t competed for AEW as a team since the July 17, 2024, taping of AEW Rampage. Their absence from All In: London comes amid reports that the duo is wrapping up their time with AEW to jump to WWE. Their Death Triangle ally PAC won the AEW Trios titles in Wembley alongside Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta.

TNT Title Time Cut

Jack Perry retained the AEW TNT Championship at All In: London 2024 in a coffin match that went 10:40. The match was the second shortest bout on the main card, only being surpassed by Chris Jericho and HOOK’s FTW Championship battle which went 10:15.

The Observer adds that the TNT Championship match got several minutes cut off as the show had a strict 10 PM BST deadline. This explains why the pair went quickly into glass spots, rather than build up to such violent portions of the match. After the match, Sting made his first appearance since retiring to prevent Perry from setting Allin on fire.

WWE Hall of Famer Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura has reached a new contract with WWE that just needs a handful of signatures to be made official. On the Insight podcast, Ventura was asked about his status with the company.

“I can say this, contracts have been written, contracts have been agreed upon. And all it requires is two signatures, one from them, and one from me. And I will be back with the legends.”

When asked if there’s a time frame on when this deal will be finalized, Ventura added that it’ll be “fairly quickly” and agreed with the age-old adage that “time is money.” The WWE Hall of Famer agreed with the suggestion that this new contract has been helped by the exit of Vince McMahon.

Jesse Ventura and WWE

Ventura has had a contested relationship with WWE in the past, stemming from his attempts to form a wrestling union. Vince McMahon was informed of these plans by Hulk Hogan, according to Ventura, who promptly fired ‘The Body’ from the company.

Ventura’s relationship with McMahon was also soured when Jesse sued for royalties in 1991 when he learned that other non-featured performers received royalties for videotape sales. Jesse had previously been told that only featured performers received such royalties. Ventura won $801,333 on a jury verdict from Titan Sports and the judge awarded him $8,625 in back pay for all non-video WWF merchandising.

Ventura was at the July 29, 2024, edition of WWE RAW, which took place in his beloved Minnesota. Borrowing a line from CM Punk, Ventura said that “hell froze over” again, referencing his previous issues with the company.

Ventura has decades of experience in the wrestling industry and has been able to make a name for himself in politics and entertainment out of the ring. With this new contract seemingly finalized, fans can expect to see much more of ‘The Body’ in WWE projects.

Rey Mysterio had some choice words for Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan during this week’s RAW, which have now been translated into English. In the show’s opening segment, the Judgment Day was interrupted by Rey and the other members of the Latino World Order.

Rey delivered a promo that saw him switch back and forth between English and Spanish. Thanks to Alfred Konuwa of Forbes, we know exactly how much Rey disapproves of his son’s relationship with the WWE Women’s World Champion.

Ironically, this isn’t the first time that a Mysterio has used being bilingual to get comments to air that may not have been broadcast in English. In the run-up to SummerSlam 2024, Dominik had some scathing words for Morgan, as he called her a “dumbass” and a “b***.” This would ultimately turn out to be a ruse as the pair confirmed their relationship at the PLE in Cleveland, Ohio.

WWE RAW’s Move to Netflix

Mysterio may not have to self-censor on Monday Night RAW next year when WWE’s flagship weekly show moves to Netflix. The blockbuster deal will see RAW move off broadcast television and is estimated at $5 billion over ten years.

Much has been said about potential changes to the red brand once the moves occurs. The show will no longer be held to network rules regarding censorship or adhere to strict timing cues that they currently have to work with on the USA Network. John Cena has confirmed his role as part of RAW’s move to Netflix, as the WWE icon will be kicking off his retirement tour.

Bianca Belair is set to appear in an upcoming episode of Bel-Air when the new episode of the hit show drops later this week. The EST has been confirmed for season three of Bel-Air, a modern-day spin-off of the 90s TV classic The Fresh Prince of Belair. Belair will appear in the season’s seventh episode titled Black Lotus. A description for the episode in question reads:

Viv and Phil spend some quality time together at a resort in Mexico; Will is stuck in a hard place between his family and chosen family.

WWE has shared a clip of Belair’s involvement with the episode.

This marks Belair’s acting debut on TV but not her first role outside of the squared circle. Belair is one of the lead names in the reality TV series Love & WWE: Bianca & Montez. The show’s eight episodes detail the careers and lives of Belair and her husband Montez Ford with episodes ranging from dealing with the stress of WrestleMania to deciding about possibly having children of their own.

What’s to Come?

Belair is currently competing as part of WWE’s ongoing tour of Europe and will be in action this Saturday at WWE Bash in Berlin. In Germany’s Uber Arena, she and Jade Cargill will challenge the Unholy Union (Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn) for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships. Belair is also being promoted for the SmackDown in Berlin that’ll take place the night prior to the PLE.

Belair has a somewhat mixed experience competing in Europe. She and Cargill won the titles at WWE Backlash: France but lost the gold to Fyre and Dawn at WWE Clash At The Castle: Scotland. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest on WWE Bash in Berlin including breaking news and live results this week.

The buzz surrounding Uncle Howdy didn’t stop or waver once this week’s episode of WWE Monday Night RAW went off the air. In the show’s main event, Howdy defeated Chad Gable in the dark character’s in-ring debut. This match comes close to two years after Howdy was first introduced on WWE TV as part of Bray Wyatt’s 2022 return to the promotion. This was Bo Dallas’ first match in WWE since November 13, 2019, when he was part of a tag-team match that ironically also included Gable.

After his victory over Gable and once the cameras stopped rolling, Howdy remained in the ring and struck poses associated with his late brother. The crowd played their part, as they shone the ‘fireflies’ associated with Wyatt. As Howdy made his way to the entrance, he raised one hand, clearly in memory of the former WWE World Champion.

WWE Monday Night RAW – August 26

This week’s WWE RAW took place from Providence, Rhode Island and served as the go-home RAW before WWE Bash In Berlin this Saturday. The results of the show are as follows:

• The Judgment Day defeated the LWO in an eight-man tag-team match
• Damage CTRL defeated Pure Fusion Collective
• Jey Uso defeated Kofi Kingston and Karrion Kross in a triple-threat Intercontinental Title qualifier tournament match
• Bronson Reed Vs. Braun Strowman went to a no contest. Reed slammed Strowman with a Tsunami onto a car roof.
• Pete Dunne defeated The Miz and Xavier Woods in a triple-threat Intercontinental Title qualifier tournament match
• Uncle Howdy defeated Chad Gable

WWE could be hosting a Premium Live Event in Belgium down the line if comments made this week by Cody Rhodes are to be believed. Rhodes, like much of the roster, is taking part in WWE’s ongoing tour of Europe that’ll conclude this weekend with the WWE Bash in Berlin PLE on August 31.

On August 26, WWE hosted a live event in Brussels that saw Rhodes defeat AJ Styles to retain his title in the show’s main event. Afterward, Rhodes grabbed a fan’s sign that read ‘Belgium Wants A PLE.’ Cody told the fans that based on the raucous reactions all night long, it feels like Belgium deserves a PLE.

WWE’s International PLEs

This isn’t the first time Rhodes has teased bringing a PLE to outside of the United States. In July, Rhodes advocated for a PLE in Mexico at a live event in Mexico City. Back in April, Rhodes appeared in London and agreed with John Cena that not only does the UK deserve another PLE, but the UK deserves to host WWE’s biggest event: WrestleMania.

WWE has embraced hosting international PLEs in recent years and 2024 has proven to be a pivotal year for that movement. In 2024, WWE will host eight main roster PLEs outside of the United States, while just four events will have happened in the U.S. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest on WWE PLEs as the promotion continues to embrace going overseas for its biggest shows of the year.

Damian Priest shared a unique tribute to Sid Eudy on this week’s RAW, following the former WWE Champion’s passing aged 63. Eudy, better known to fans as Sycho Sid and Sid Vicious, died after a battle with cancer and his passing was confirmed via a statement on Facebook by his son Gunnar.

On WWE RAW, Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley fended off an attack by The New Judgment Day. In the segment, Priest can be heard shouting “We are the masters and rulers of this world!” to the faction he was once part of. This was a line that Sid used throughout his career and Priest and Ripley proceeded to destroy JD McDonagh and Carlito.

Priest is one of several wrestlers to pay tribute to Sid as heartfelt messages have been pouring in from talent who knew the former WWE and WCW World Champion.

What’s Next?

Priest and Ripley will compete this Saturday at the first-ever WWE Bash in Berlin Premium Live Event that will take place in the city’s Uber Arena. On the show, the Terror Twins will take on WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley and ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio. After a tag-team of betrayals at SummerSlam, Priest & Ripley have vowed to bring hurt to the new Judgment Day and plan on doing exactly that in Europe later this week.

The wrestling world is mourning the passing of Sid Eudy, better known as Sid Vicious/Sycho Sid, who passed away this week ahead 63. On Facebook, Eudy’s son Gunnar shared the sad news.

Dear friends and family,

I am deeply saddened to share that my father, Sid Eudy, has passed away after battling cancer for several years. He was a man of strength, kindness, and love, and his presence will be greatly missed.

We appreciate your thoughts and prayers as we grieve this loss. Details for a memorial service will be shared soon.Thank you for your support.

Sincerely, GunnaR Eudy

Remembering Sid Eudy

With his six-foot-nine frame, Sid Eudy seemed built for wrestling, and he literally towered over the top stars of his era including the Ultimate Warrior, Randy Savage, and Hulk Hogan. Sid’s career would see him hold the WWE Championship and WCW World Heavyweight Championship on two occasions apiece.

Something of a journeyman, Sid never stayed in one promotion for long. In the 1990s alone, Sid competed for NWA: WCW, the WWF, WCW again, the USWA, the WWF again, the Independents, in Mexico, ECW, and once more in WCW. Sid’s travels made him an instantly recognizable star who amassed legions of fans throughout his years in the ring.

For all his accomplishments in the world of professional wrestling, Sid has yet to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Just last month, Sid was optimistic about an induction now that Vince McMahon has left WWE, and hoped to do even more with the company. Unfortunately, now any future induction will come posthumously.

Outside the ring, Sid was a father of two boys, Gunner and Frank, and husband to Sabrina Paige. Eudy was a fan of softball, so much so that he played the game briefly during a hiatus from wrestling from 1997 to 1999. Sid also appeared in a handful of movies, including the infamous Ready to Rumble, but it was his efforts in the wrestling industry that fans will always remember the man we knew as ‘Sycho.’

We at SE Scoops would like to offer our condolences to Sid’s friends, family, and those who knew him at this time.