More has come to light about the WWE status of Jacob Henry following his signing with the promotion in recent weeks. Henry is on an NIL deal, Dave Meltzer reports, meaning he’ll be paid by WWE while he goes to college. Henry, the son of WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry, will compete as a heavyweight for the University of Oklahoma, which Meltzer called “one of the best programs in the country. In February 2024, Jacob committed to wrestling for the University of Oklahoma.

The younger Henry will reportedly also try out for the University’s football team in the spring. If successful, Henry won’t be the first WWE name to play for the University of Oklahoma team as ‘Dr. Death’ Steve Williams played for the team before entering the squared circle.

Expectations are high for Henry who has already seen success in the world of amateur wrestling. Last month, Mark Henry said that his son plans to headline WrestleMania one day, a feat the World’s Strongest Man did not accomplish in WWE. Jacob also aspires to be an Olympic champion, his father also told TMZ, so it may be some time before we see him in a WWE ring.

WWE has seen several multi-generational Superstars reach or even eclipse their parents, with Randy Orton, Charlotte Flair, The Rock, and Roman Reigns all seeing massive success. Time will tell if Jacob Henry will join that list, but the young athlete has plenty of tools to make a name in the world of professional wrestling.

Scott D’Amore has spoken with TNA higher-ups since being unceremoniously cut from the promotion in January of this year. Appearing on the Busted Open Radio, D’Amore shared that two days before the Hard to Kill pay-per-view, he was informed that he would be replaced as TNA President.

“I was about to get on a plane, I found out kind of what was in the cards. [Anthem CEO] Len Asper and I had a chat about it. Even though I had seen some signs, it still hit me pretty hard, but I did what professionals do.”

What professionals do, as D’Amore explained in the interview, was fly to Las Vegas and do his best to make TNA Hard to Kill a success. The event marked the relaunch of TNA after years as IMPACT Wrestling and saw the debuts of Ash By Elegance and Nic Nemeth. Speaking to SE Scoops after the event, Killer Kelly said morale had been very high as the show was considered a rousing success.

Speaking With TNA

While D’Amore’s time with TNA has ended, he’s not entirely left the promotion behind. In the interview, Scott said he’s spoken with Asper, but that things are not entirely fine between the two men.

“I’ve spoken with Len Asper since then. Like as I said to him the day we talked about it, or it might have been the day the announcement went ahead, he said I hope there is no hard feelings. I said I can’t say there are no hard feelings, but there are no personal feelings.”

D’Amore has since relaunched Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling in his native Canada. The promotion will host its first two events this October and will stream live on Triller TV on pay-per-view. TNA’s Josh Alexander, Gisele Shaw, and KUSHIDA have been announced for these tapings, as well as former WWE World Champion Rah Dhesi.

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson surprised attendees of D23 with an appearance to reveal the latest trailer for Disney’s Moana 2 animated film. The ‘Final Boss’ of WWE was at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California and danced with others on stage.

After the performance by Johnson, fans saw the newest trailer for Moana 2 which was later shared online. Johnson, as Maui, appears half way during the trailer and delivers quips amid clips of action scenes from the film.

Moana 2 follows on from 2016’s Moana and sees Johnson return as the voice of Maui, a legendary demigod who works alongside Moana (Auli?i Cravalho) to recover a missing relic that she believes will save the people of her island. Much like its predecessor, Moana 2 takes inspiration from Polynesian myths. 

Another Moana Project

Moana 2 won’t be Johnson’s only project related to the popular Disney franchise, as he will also be starring in a live-action remake of the first film. Johnson will reprise his role as Maui, hardly a surprise given that like the demigod, he too is an impressive specimen. Catherine Laga‘aia will portray Moana herself, replacing Cravalho in the role. The live-action Moana will follow a trend of other animated projects brought to life by Disney including The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Lion King, and Cruella. Live-action adaptations of Lilo & Stitch and Hercules are also in the works.

Johnson’s Other D23 Announcement

Dwayne Johnson wasn’t at D23 just to promote Moana 2. During the event, it was confirmed that a Monster Jam project is in the works and that The Rock will be involved.

During the conference, Johnson shared his love for motorsports and monster trucks and said he wants to create something that is “immersive and fun.” A logo was shown for the projects well as some of the trucks that’ll make up Monster Jam.

The women of WWE will have a new championship to compete for soon with the impending introduction of the WWE Speed Women’s Championship. A tournament will kick off on the September 4, edition of the Twitter/X exclusive show, which will premiere at the usual time of 12 PM ET/9 AM PT.

In May, WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque shared that there were plans for women’s matches on episodes of WWE Speed. After the Game shared plans for women’s matches on WWE Speed, Piper Niven poked fun at the women of the company being granted only a handful of minutes for their matches.

WWE Speed sees Superstars compete in matches with a three-minute time limit, ensuring there’s no wasted time in these high-octane bouts. Title matches are given a five-minute time limit. Ricochet was the first WWE Speed Champion though he would lose the title to Andrade shortly after. The title is not present on WWE TV tapings and is exclusive to Twitter/X.

WWE’s Fastest Matches

Three minutes may not seem like a lot of time, but there are some matches that more than fit this time limit. On the September 4, 2000, episode of Raw, Chris Jericho and Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler defeated Tazz and Mideon, with Lawler getting the roll-up over Tazz and his team winning in three seconds. 

Aliyah scored a 3.17-second win over Natalya during a January 2022, edition of SmackDown. WWE would lean heavily into the win, with the now former Superstar receiving an ‘Aliyah 3:17’ shirt to celebrate her victory.

Cody Rhodes will be one busy individual for the month of August as he continues to represent WWE as the Undisputed WWE Champion. Fresh off a successful title defense at SummerSlam which saw the return of Roman Reigns, Rhodes shared his WWE schedule for this month.

The American Nightmare will appear at every episode of WWE SmackDown this month, as well as seven WWE live events. Five of these untelevised events will be part of the ‘Road to Bash In Berlin’ tour that will see Cody and others compete in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany ahead of the August 31 show in Berlin. On the August 9, edition of WWE SmackDown, it was confirmed that Rhodes will defend against Kevin Owens at the event.

Rhodes will also be at the final day Fanatics Fest NYC event that will run from August 16, to August 18. The event will continue WWE’s relationship with Fanatics as the latter already produces and distributes WWE merchandise on its website. Despite appearing at the event, Rhodes will still make the WWE live event in Fort Myers, Florida that same day.

Rhodes’ busy schedule represents his desire to be a workhorse champion who is willing to represent WWE as much as he can, whether it be on PLEs, at untelevised live events, or out of the ring entirely. This reign has proven to be in stark contrast to Roman Reigns who competed just eleven times in 2023 and has had just three matches so far in 2024.

The stars came out for this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown which dealt with the fallout of an explosive WWE SummerSlam 2024 Premium Live Event. At the show in Tulsa, Oklahoma’s BOK Center, actor Lou Ferrigno was spotted in the crowd.

Ferrigno is best known for playing The Hulk in the Incredible Hulk TV series that ran from March 1978 to May 1982. The show marked the first live-action portrayal of the iconic MARVEL Comics character who has since been played by Eric Bana, Eric Norton and Mark Ruffalo.

It was a deal in 1984 between MARVEL and Titan Sports that allowed for Hulk Hogan to use the ‘Hulk’ name that the comic book giant owned. This unique situation was referenced in Marvel Comics Presents #45 (1988) when the Hulk threw a wrestler resembling Hogan off of an arena roof as the wrestler had “picked the wrong name.”

Years after playing the Hulk, Ferrigno would appear in I Love You, Man, where he would break out the Tazmission submission hold.

Triple H Reacts

Ferrigno’s appearance at SmackDown got a loud pop from the crowd while Wade Barrett and Corey Graves fought among themselves to see who’d get the actor’s autograph first. On Twitter, Triple H was pleased that his friend made it to the show in Tulsa.

WWE SmackDown – August 9

Ferrigno had quite the view for a massive episode of SmackDown that dealt with what transpired at WWE SummerSlam. Roman Reigns returned on the show and laid waste to the New Bloodline, while Cody Rhodes rejected Solo Sikoa’s demand for a rematch. Instead, Rhodes shared that he plans to face Kevin Owens at WWE Bash In Berlin with the Undisputed WWE Championship on the line. The show will take place from the Uber Arena in Berlin, Germany and mark WWE’s first Premium Live Event in the European country.

Many Superstars have benefitted from the creative direction of Triple H, though Bobby Lashley would prefer the booking of Vince McMahon. Speaking with the Laboratory Podcast, the All Mighty was asked who he “rocks with” between McMahon and his son-in-law.

“Vince understood me. Vince was big on the show. He looked at people that were stars. He saw that in… He looked at me like a star. I like Vince.

“I haven’t really had too much of a connection with Hunter. Hunter has his guys. I’ve tried to, but we haven’t really worked enough together to get to know each other.”

It’s hard to ignore how Lashley’s role has diminished since McMahon’s departure from WWE in January of this year. Since then, the former WWE Champion has been used sparingly with little in the way of significant feuds. Lashley’s most recent match on WWE TV came on an April edition of SmackDown where he lost a triple threat match.

Lashley’s contract with WWE will reportedly expire this weekend and it’s said many in the company believe he will go, potentially to join AEW. Lashley’s name has allegedly come up backstage in AEW, but as he is still under a WWE contract, no offer has been made to the Superstar.

The All Mighty is also said to have interest from Japan and the future looks bright for him should he leave WWE. Lashley, alongside MVP, was reportedly removed from the internal roster earlier this year, which was seen at the time as a sign that he’d be exiting the promotion.

Bobby Lashley Vs. Vince McMahon

It’s not just behind the scenes where McMahon worked with Lashley. In 2007, the pair feuded after Lashley (representing Donald Trump) defeated McMahon’s representative Umaga at WrestleMania, resulting in McMahon’s head being shaved bald.

Seeking revenge, McMahon would capture the ECW Championship from Lashley at the following month’s Backlash, albeit in a three-on-one handicap match. Lashley regained the gold at One Night Stand 2007, ending McMahon’s unlikely reign at 35 days.

WWE icon John Cena hopes to compete in the United Kingdom at least one more time before he calls it a career in 2025. Speaking to TalkSPORT, Cena spoke about his fondness for the UK and shared his aspirations for the tour.

“I’m retiring from in-ring performing next year and we’ll start in January and we’ll do our last match in December 2025. I really hope there are some UK dates involved in that farewell.”

This is arguably the most specific John Cena has been about his farewell tour since announcing his departure during the Money in the Bank PLE. Cena has also stated that despite his lofty status as a WWE icon, he does not feel it’d be right to make specific requests for opponents as part of his retirement.

John Cena and the United Kingdom

The 16-time WWE World Champion has competed in the UK several times, including having an hour-long war on the April 23, 2007, episode of RAW with Shawn Michaels. At WWE Money in the Bank 2023, Cena surprised fans in London’s O2 Arena and shared his aspirations to bring WrestleMania to the UK.

Cena’s comments in the O2 have been echoed by Cody Rhodes and support continues to grow towards an international WrestleMania. WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque and WWE CEO Nick Khan recently met with London Mayor Sadiq Khan, reportedly to discuss a WrestleMania in the UK capital. While Nick Khan had previously said that WWE’s Big Four PLEs would be sticking in North America, anticipating continues to grow, especially among UK fans, that a WrestleMania will come to London down the line.

WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan could sue those behind the planned Gawker lawsuit film if the project goes too far, it has been claimed. Sources who spoke with TMZ claimed that Hogan has no involvement with the film and that he is “indifferent” about the project. With that said, Hogan could sue those behind the film if they broach too far into his private life.

TMZ’s sources added that Hogan is in a “really good place right now,” thanks in part to his recent new wife and reconnecting with religion. Hogan is also doing charitable work with a homeless shelter in Tampa, the source claims.

Killing Gawker

Killing Gawker is being set up with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s Artist Equity and hopes to launch production in January 2025. Affleck is “eyeing” the role of Hogan while Damon is said to be interested in playing venture capitalist Peter Thiel. A screenplay was reportedly written by Charles Randolph based on Ryan Holiday’s book Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker, and the Anatomy of Intrigue.

The Hulk Hogan-Gawker Lawsuit

In October 2012, Gawker posted a sex tape of Hogan with Heather Clem, the wife of Bubba The Love Sponge. In response, Hogan sued the company and several employees and affiliates who had shared portions of the tape. Hogan sought $100 million in damages and in March 2016, a jury of four women and two men voted in his favor. The wrestling legend was awarded  $115 million in compensatory damages, which included $60 million for emotional distress. Three days later, Hogan was awarded an additional $25 million in punitive damages.

Thiel, a co-founder of PayPal, paid $10 million to help finance lawsuits against Gawker, including Hogan’s litigation against the company. In 2007, Gawker had published an article outing Thiel as gay without his consent.

Gawker attempted to file an appeal, but in June 2016, three months after the Hogan verdict, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and put itself up for sale. Gawker CEO Nick Denton would also file for personal bankruptcy.

The recent controversy surrounding Britt Baker and MJF was an isolated incident that doesn’t reflect AEW at large, Deonna Purrazzo has claimed. Speaking to Stephanie Chase, the Virtuosa reflected on the situation that resulted in Baker’s recent suspension from the company.

“I think this was an isolated incident because everything else that I’ve experienced in this locker room is supportive, encouraging, and full of camaraderie. We just recently celebrated people’s birthdays, had birthday cakes, and sang. I feel this locker room doesn’t get as much credit as it deserves for that type of camaraderie.”

The incident in question involved Baker, MJF, and the latter’s girlfriend Alicia Atout. It’s alleged that Baker made comments about MJF in the women’s locker-room that Atout overheard. MJF was not suspended by AEW as the company’s investigation reportedly led to the belief that he was defending his partner.

On AEW programming, Baker’s absence has been explained as a kayfabe suspension by the Young Bucks at the request of Mercedes Mone. The AEW TBS Champion demanded Baker’s suspension following a (planned) altercation between the pair at San Diego Comic-Con. Baker appeared on this week’s Dynamite and shared that this storyline suspension had been lifted by Tony Khan. Mone and Baker will collide for the TBS Championship at AEW All In on August 25.

AEW’s Backstage Issues

This is unfortunately not the first time an incident behind the scenes in AEW has leaked to the outside world. Backstage altercations at AEW All Out 2022 and AEW All In 2023 would cast a dark shadow over both events and result in some of the company’s top names being suspended. Mere weeks after All Out 2022, Sammy Guevara and Andrade reportedly had a fight backstage which resulted in a Career Vs. Mask match between Andrade and Rush being canceled. Andrade would leave AEW in 2023 and has since returned to WWE.

Mission Pro Wrestling, a promotion owned by AEW star Thunder Rosa, will go on hiatus later this month with the hope of reevaluating the company’s structure. In a statement, Rosa shared that this has not been an easy decision but that the break will allow those in MPW the chance to recalibrate the promotion’s structure. An excerpt from the statement reads:

After much consideration, our team has decided that Mission Pro Wrestling will go on hiatus after our Aug. 17, 2024 “Midsummer Blast” show in San Antonio. This will be our last show of 2024, and no future show dates will be announced at this time.

This was not an easy decision. We understand that this is disappointing news to Mission Pro fans, financial supporters and talent. Please know that we are committed to using our time away as an opportunity to reset and recalibrate our organizational structure and goals to better serve the women’s wrestling community.

In the meantime, we look forward to seeing you in person for the last time in 2024 at our Aug. 17 show! Tickets are on sale at MissionProWrestling.com. You can also watch the show live on Title Match Network.

This is not goodbye. This is goodbye for now.

I hope to see all of you again soon.

Sincerely,

Melissa “Thunder Rosa” Cervantes

Co-Founder/Co-Owner

Mission Pro Wrestling

MPW began operating in the Texas area in 2019 and some notable names have made their presence felt in the promotion. In addition to Rosa, reigning NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez has ties to MPW, as does the No Quarter Catch Crew’s latest addition, Wren Sinclair. Ricky Starks, whose future with AEW remains in question at this time, has also appeared for MPW in the past. Izzy Moreno, known to many as Bayley’s superfan, has also competed for MPW.

This is obviously a setback for Thunder Rosa and the MPW roster, but it is hoped that this is not a permanent farewell to the promotion. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for the latest on Mission Pro Wrestling.

More has come to light about Ricky Starks who continues to be absent from AEW programming. Starks hasn’t been seen on TV since the March 30, edition of Collision, where he and Big Bill faced Top Flight in an AEW World Tag Title Tournament match.

Starks suffered a nasty DDT during that match and was pinned, though it was later reported that he and Bill were supposed to advance in the tournament. Since then, Bill has aligned with Chris Jericho and his tag team with Starks has been entirely dropped.

Interest from WWE

There is “certainly interest” in Starks, among other AEW stars from WWE, sources in the company told Mike Johnson of PW Insider this week. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer claimed that “a lot of people” in AEW believe Starks is heading to WWE, which is why the company is not “investing” in a storyline for the former FTW and AEW World Tag Team Champion.

Ricky Starks And WWE

Starks has a handful of WWE matches to his name already, as he has previously worked as an enhancement talent for the company. Ironically, his match on the January 5, 2018 edition of Monday Night Raw would see himself and Aaron Solow collide with future AEW alum FTR, then known as The Revival.

It’s no secret that Starks is a friend of Cody Rhodes, and was spotted at the 2023 Royal Rumble PLE ahead of Rhodes’ return from injury that same night. Starks later told Stephanie Chase that he didn’t care about “tribalism” and wanted to be there to support his friend. Rhodes’ return from a torn pectoral would see him win that year’s Men’s Royal Rumble match.

Starks was also spotted at WrestleMania 40 in April of this year, once again to support his friend. The two-night mega-show saw Rhodes ‘finish the story’ and win his first WWE World Championship from Roman Reigns.

Fans will get to see plenty of Roman Reigns on SmackDown following the Original Tribal Chief’s return at WWE SummerSlam in Cleveland. Reigns is already set to appear at this Friday’s show and PW Insider now adds that he is being locally advertised for the September 16, edition of SmackDown in Orlando, Florida.

Reigns is also being promoted for the first episode of SmackDown on the USA Network. That show will take place on September 13, from the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington, and will serve as the launch of SmackDown on USA following five years with FOX.

Reigns returned to WWE programming at SummerSlam in his first appearance since WrestleMania 40. At the Biggest Party of the Summer, Reigns attacked Solo Sikoa, who had made a series of disparaging remarks about Reigns in the weeks leading up to the show.

Reigns’ Spear and Superman Punch combo ended up benefitting Cody Rhodes, the man who dethroned Reigns as Undisputed WWE Champion at WrestleMania 40. After attacking Sikoa, Reigns stared down the American Nightmare who is ready for a rematch with the Original Tribal Chief.

WWE SmackDown – August 9

Reigns isn’t the only massive name being promoted for tonight’s SmackDown from the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. LA Knight and Nia Jax, who won the United States title and WWE Women’s title at SummerSlam respectively, are also being promoted for the show, as is Cody Rhodes. AJ Styles is also reportedly set to make his return in what will be his first appearance on WWE TV since Clash at the Castle: Scotland.

Bobby Lashley’s time as a WWE Superstar will be over as soon as this week unless a new deal with the company is reached, it has been reported. Fightful Select states that Lashley’s contract will expire this weekend, and those in WWE are under the impression he is leaving the company. No creative plans have been made for the two-time former WWE World Champion who hasn’t competed on WWE TV since April of this year. Lashley and MVP were removed from WWE’s internal roster earlier this year, which fuelled speculation that they were finishing with the company.

Bobby Lashley’s Future Outside WWE

With Lashley seemingly finished with WWE, all attention turns to what’s next for the All Mighty Superstar. Fightful notes that Lashley’s name has been discussed within AEW ever since news of his contract status emerged. Given that Lashley is still under a WWE contract, no offer has been made to the Superstar.

It’s been reported that Lashley and MVP are hoping to reunite in AEW in a move that could possibly see Shelton Benjamin brought into the All-Elite promotion. MVP’s contract with WWE is said to have already expired and he told those at Bloodsport XI that he wouldn’t be going back. Those close to Lashley believe he will make at least an appearance in AEW and stated that he’s ready to return to TV.

Lashley reportedly has interest from the fighting world, as well as from promotions in Japan. After his first WWE run ended in 2008, Lashley transitioned to MMA and joined Strikeforce in 2010. The All Mighty currently boasts an impressive 15-2 record in MMA, with six knockouts and six submission victories to his name.

Lashley has been one of WWE’s top Superstars for years but now those in the company are reportedly expecting him to leave this weekend. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for all the latest on the future of the All Mighty.

TNA Wrestling’s wave of momentum in 2024 will see the promotion travel to Detroit, Michigan this October for the 20th Bound for Glory event. The show will take place on October 26 at the Wayne State University Fieldhouse. Tickets for the show will go on sale later this month.

Fans will be interested to see if the Bound for Glory series makes a return ahead of this October’s pay-per-view. The round-robin tournament sees wrestlers compete against one another over several months to earn points, and the wrestlers with the highest points face one another to determine the number one contender for the TNA World Title. Previous winners include Bobby Roode, Jeff Hardy, AJ Styles, and EC3.

Wayne State University Fieldhouse was opened in November 2001 and has a capacity of 3,000 seats. Bound for Glory will mark TNA’s first event using the venue which is the home of the Wayne State Warriors men’s and women’s basketball teams.

TNA In Michigan

This show will mark TNA’s first pay-per-view in Michigan since Slammiversary 2009 took place at The Palace of Auburn Hills. In the main event of that show, Kurt Angle defeated Mick Foley, A.J. Styles, Jeff Jarrett, and Samoa Joe to capture the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Three years earlier, TNA held Bound for Glory 2006 at the Compuware Sports Arena in Plymouth, Michigan. That show saw Sting defeat Jeff Jarrett to win the NWA World Heavyweight Title.

PRIME, the beverage chain run by Logan Paul & KSI, has been hit by yet another lawsuit with the claimants seeking close to $70 million. Refresco, a supplier of PRIME, is seeking at least $67.7 million over a breach of contract, Bloomberg reports.

The contract in question required PRIME to order at least 18.5 million cases of the drink each year for three years, totaling 55.5 million cases. It’s claimed that PRIME failed to meet its quota in its first year which led to a penalty being issued. Refresco adds that the penalty could be repaid if PRIME meets the full order amount over three years.

Refresco set up a special production line just for PRIME which involved heavy upfront costs and set-up time. PRIME also missed a required test run for new machinery in March and didn’t place any orders by April, resulting in no drinks being produced on the new line.

The complaint adds that PRIME sales were below expectations in 2024 which the supplier puts down to seasonal changes and fading social media hype. PRIME has served as a sponsor of UFC and WWE events and a ‘Hydration Station’ can be found at WWE shows and PLEs. This is hardly a good look for WWE who has had Logan Paul under contract since 2022.

This is hardly the first time that PRIME has faced legal action. Recently, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic committee filed litigation against the beverage chain, claiming that PRIME is misleading consumers into thinking they are sponsoring Team USA at the Paris Games. A new limited-edition drink features repeated references to the Olympics and Team USA which the Committee argues is a deliberate attempt to deceive consumers.

Ironically, Paul himself has threatened a lawsuit of his own against LA Knight, who dethroned Paul as U.S. Champion at WWE SummerSlam. Paul is alleging destruction of property after Knight acquired Paul’s PRIME truck.

Logan Paul’s Controversy

These two lawsuits against PRIME are just the latest in a stream of controversies for Logan Paul. In December 2017, Paul showed the body of an alleged suicide victim at Japan’s Aokigahara Forest. The site near Mount Fuji is known as the place where many people have taken their lives and Paul’s joking and laughing in the video received global condemnation.

In 2021, Paul launched CryptoZoo, a cryptocurrency-based game that promised users the ability to buy, sell, and breed exotic animal NFTs. After paying thousands, players learned that their eggs were not hatching into the animals promised. It’s also been alleged that Paul and his team made misleading claims about the project.

More recently, Paul stirred up controversy after making false claims about Algerian boxer Imane Khelif who is competing in the ongoing Paris games. Paul falsely claimed that Khelif is a man and said she was competing unfairly against women. Paul again faced backlash for his false claim and many found his “oopsies” retraction to be disrespectful.

In his retraction, Paul was again dishonest about Khelif, saying she had failed a gender test. While Khelif was disqualified in 2023 from the International Boxing Association, it ha not been stated the cause for the disqualification. The Olympics severed ties with the IBA following allegations of corruption and bias towards Russia. Nowadays, the IBA is permanently banned from the Olympic Games.

More has come to light about Seth Rollins and Dakota Kai after both Superstars were ambushed on the August 5, episode of RAW. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer claimed that he was told that these attacks were storyline covers for real injuries both Superstars are dealing with. Rollins’ situation is said to be “not bad” and he is still cleared to wrestle but he is “banged up.”

Rollins was attacked by Bronson Reed during RAW in arguably the biggest showcase for the Australian since arriving on the main roster. The former WWE World Champion was leveled with six Tsunami finishers and was seen bleeding from the mouth after the attack. Rollins was out of action with an injured knee earlier this year and did not compete at SummerSlam 2024, instead serving as a guest referee.

Like Rollins, Dakota Kai fell victim to an ambush on RAW, this time at the hands of Shayna Baszler, Zoey Stark, and Sonya Deville. The Kiwi Superstar was supposed to face Sonya Deville on the show but was replaced by ally IYO SKY.

Kai has a history of injuries, including an ACL tear in May 2023 that kept her out of action until March of this year. Her most recent TV match was on the July 8, RAW while her most recent match in WWE was part of the promotion’s recent tour of Japan. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for the latest on these two Superstars and other ongoing injuries in the world of professional wrestling.

Joseph Conners, a talent who worked in WWE NXT UK for years, has passed away according to some, though he’s now feeling much better. Conners was involved in a serious car accident while traveling after a show last month and being hit by a driver believed to be under the influence.

Despite Conners tweeting making it obvious he survived the ordeal, some have shared that the NXT UK alum passed away. In follow-up tweets, which would’ve been difficult had he died, Conners again cemented his place in the land of the living.

Joseph Conners joined WWE in 2016 and competed in the tournament to crown the first United Kingdom Champion the following month, where he made it to the quarter-finals. In addition to NXT UK, Conners also appeared in 205 Live and worked with names including Cedric Alexander and Mustafa Ali. He parted ways with WWE in late 2021 and has since returned to competing in the United Kingdom and Europe.

Conners’ tale serves as a reminder of the importance of being aware online about those who try and deceive for their own personal gain. In 2021, Seth Rollins was assaulted during an episode of RAW after a fan believed they had been scammed by the former World Champion. Instead, a scammer using Rollins’ name and likeness was the perpetrator. Several women in wrestling, including Alexa Bliss, have also spoken about their identities being hijacked by scammers who target vulnerable fans.

Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan has found the funny side to one young fan’s despair over what transpired at WWE SummerSlam 2024. The August 3, PLE saw Morgan retain her title against Rhea Ripley after Dominik Mysterio betrayed his ‘Mami.’

Morgan and Mysterio locked lips after the match, much to the dismay of one young fan who has gone viral on TikTok. The clip in question shows the young fan crying as Morgan and Mysterio celebrate after the match.

When wrestling correspondent Stephanie Hypes pointed the finger of blame squarely at Morgan, the reigning Women’s World Champion found the matter very funny.

Morgan’s reaction marks a significant shift for Liv, who has in the past taken a much gentler approach to fans being upset. In 2023, a fan at an episode of SmackDown was left in tears after Liv was beaten, ironically by Rhea Ripley. The young fan was taken backstage where she got the chance to meet with the then-face Liv as seen in the touching interaction below.

What’s Next?

On this week’s RAW, Morgan was officially welcomed into the new Judgment Day which consists of Liv, Mysterio, JD McDonagh, Carlito, and Finn Balor. The faction launched an attack on Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley in the closing moments of the show though Morgan was lucky to avoid being put through a table by the Australian.

Ripley and Priest have vowed that brutality is coming to the new Judgment Day following what happened at SummerSlam. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for all the latest on Liv Morgan and her role in the Judgment Day.

WWE RAW General Manager Adam Pearce recently sat down with Chris Van Vliet of Insight to discuss a variety of topics. The former NWA Worlds Champion turned authority figure has been a regular on WWE programming for years now as he attempts to lay down the law on the Monday Night RAW roster.

On If He Could Still Wrestle

Outside of a handful of storyline matches for WWE, Pearce hasn’t been a full-time wrestler since 2014. On the podcast, Pearce made clear he could wrestle today if he wanted to, but the temptation isn’t there.

“I don’t want to [wrestle.] I appreciate that though. I’ve been done for 10 years. December 21 of this year will be 10 years to the day I had my last pro match.”

Many fans have speculated on whether Pearce could lock horns with Nick Aldis, the GM of SmackDown who has also held the NWA Worlds Championship. Pearce admitted that there’s “something there” but doubts that this will play out in WWE.

“I think neither one of us neither Nick and I are ever going to angle for a position in the spotlight like that. I think we’re both content very happy and very honored to have the positions we have currently in WWE.”

Instead of wrestling Aldis, or anyone else for that matter, Pearce is satisfied with his role on WWE TV which he called “the pinnacle of my professional career.”

On Chelsea Green

Pearce’s tenure as RAW GM has seem him repeatedly at odds with Chelsea Green who continues to make demands and complaints at the authority figure. Despite their on-screen differences, Pearce is pleased he can work off the naturally funny Canadian.

“She would do her thing and to this day when she does it’s almost like you don’t have to say anything… I always thought let Chelsea be Chelsea and I just have to kind of react without saying anything.”

On Working Backstage

Pearce’s role over RAW isn’t just confined to what fans see on-screen as he also serves as a producer of the red brand. On the podcast, Pearce recalled some of his other work with the company.

“I have been the director of live events, which means I have written and booked the territory brother, so to speak. I did that for a long period of time, which was a lot of fun. I was hired to be a coach and a trainer way back when almost a decade, just about a decade now. So I spent the first 10 months at the Performance Center teaching, which was awesome in and of itself.” 

On Working with Bray Wyatt

In August 2020, Pearce stepped into the Firefly Funhouse to deliver a contract to Bray Wyatt and became ‘Postman Pearce’ in the madhouse. The RAW GM said that he still has the costume he wore for the segment, such is the legacy of working with the late wrestler.

“He was great. I wish we could have done more obviously… I thought, what a creative way in this world of sports, entertainment and pro wrestling, how do you again with the WWE official or the GM being the informational conduit?”

John Cena’s wearing of dog tags in WWE stemmed from him trying to be connected to his family, even if he wasn’t being a great relative. In an appearance alongside Awkwafina for WIRED, the two celebrities were asked some of the internet’s most searched questions. When John was asked for the story behind his dog tags, the WWE icon admitted that they came from a difficult relationship with his family.

“My dog tags used to say the names of my parents, and my brothers. And it was my cop-out way of saying like ‘Hey, you guys are with me.’ But I wasn’t really, this is gonna get deep, I wasn’t really good at being a son and being a brother. So, rather than wear this thing that they could see on TV, what I began to do for them was show up. So I’m trying to be better at showing up and not using a talisman to be like ‘See, I’m there.’ So I ditched the dog tags for more one-on-one time.”

Cena is one of five brothers and is the second oldest in his family. His father John Cena Sr. has made a handful of appearances for WWE over the years and has worked outside of the promotion as a reverse-second-generation star (entering the business after his son.)

John During his relationship with Nikki Garcia, the two were at odds when it came to wanting children, as Cena didn’t want to be an absentee father due to his busy schedule. The couple, who got engaged at WrestleMania 33, split in April 2020. Cena has since married Shay Shariatzadeh while Nikki has married Dancing with the Stars‘ Artem Chigvinstev. Nikki became a mother in July 2020 when she and Artem welcomed their son Matteo into the world.

For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.

The landscape of WWE champions has reached a feat not seen in close to five years following the title changes that unfolded at SummerSlam 2024. The Biggest Party of the Summer saw four titles change hands, as Bron Breakker, LA Knight, Nia Jax, and GUNTHER left Cleveland, Ohio with gold.

With these title changes, WWE is currently in a period where all reigning champions across both the main roster and WWE NXT won their titles this year. The United States Championship was the last title to join the list as Logan Paul had held the gold since WWE Crown Jewel 2023.

The last time all WWE champions held titles they’d won in the same year was all the way back in late 2009. The champions at the time were:

• WWE Champion: Sheamus (Won in December 2009)
• World Heavyweight Champion: The Undertaker (Won in October 2009)
• ECW World Champion: Christian (Won in July 2009)
• United States Champion: The Miz (Won in October 2009)
• Intercontinental Champion: Drew McIntyre (Won in December 2009)
• Unified WWE Tag Team Champions: DX (Won in December 2009)
• WWE Divas Champion: Melina (Won in October 2009)
• WWE Women’s Champion: Michelle McCool (Won in May 2009)

H/T to @WWEStats for uncovering this stat. Stay tuned to SEScoops for more interesting wrestling facts and statistics.

The question now is which of WWE’s current champions will be able to keep their gold the longest, and who will be the first to drop their gold. Coming out of SummerSlam, only one title match has been confirmed as new World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER will take on Randy Orton at WWE Bash In Berlin on August 31.

Kristen Altman, a high-ranking name with WWE, is the latest notable name cut from the company’s offices, it has been reported. PW Insider Elite notes that Altman was “let go” from the company earlier this week.

Altman’s tenure with WWE began in 2007 as a receptionist and she transitioned into Talent Relations in 2008. She would go on to become Senior Manager, then Director, and then Senior Manager before becoming WWE’s Vice President of Talent Relations Operations in August 2022. On her LinkedIn profile, Altman describes her latest role with WWE as the following:

“Develop and manage WWE Talent’s Professional Development Program to assist with our Talent’s personal and professional growth beyond the wrestling ring. Provide educational tools and resources in Money Management, Media Training, Continuing Education, Language Courses, Life Skills Seminars, Rookie Success Initiatives and more.”

Altman joined WWE shortly after graduating from the University of Vermont with a degree in Business Administration. She also served as a Student Supervisor at the University during her studies.

More On WWE Departures

Altman’s reported exit comes after several departures from WWE’s corporate side. In February 2024, John Paco, formerly EVP of Live Events, left the company, though news of his exit didn’t surface until the next month. Paco had been in several roles with the promotion since 1999.

In December 2023, Kevin Dunn ended four decades with WWE as a leading figure in production. While WWE reportedly wanted Dunn to stay on until the Royal Rumble (and potentially WrestleMania 40) Dunn felt it was better to make a clean break. He has since been replaced by Lee Fitting who’s work has received praise from fans.

Last September, WWE officially merged with UFC to form TKO Group Holdings, a merger that had been in the works since Endeavor announced its acquisition of WWE in April. That merger saw over 100 employees lose their jobs in efforts to streamline WWE’s offices under TKO and morale was said to have been hit hard by those remaining.

Hiroko Suzuki, a name that fans of WWE’s Ruthless Aggression era may remember, is set to make her return to the ring after a near-20-year hiatus. Suzuki will be part of Southern Honor Wrestling’s RumbleJack event on August 9. This will mark her debut for the promotion.

Hiroko After WWE

In July 2005, both Hiroko and Kenzo were released from WWE as part of cost-cutting measures, despite being drafted to Raw mere days earlier in the 2005 Draft Lottery. After WWE, the pair returned to Japan where they worked for Hustle and Hiroko would be the General Manager of the promotion by the end of the year. Outside of the ring, Hiroko has established herself in the world of politics. In 2015, the WWE alum was elected to the Funabashi city council.

Randy Orton proved his sporting skills outside of the ring this week by throwing the opening pitch for the St. Louis Cardinals team. The 14-time WWE World Champion described throwing the pitch as “one of the scariest things I’ve ever done in my life” but was pleased that the ball didn’t hit the dirt adding that “we did good.” Orton received a signed ball for his troubles and proved to be a good luck charm for the team that defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 5-2.

With his St. Louis Cardinals appearance a runaway success for Orton, the WWE veteran’s attention will now turn to Berlin, Germany. At WWE Bash In Berlin on August 31, Orton will challenge World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER. The match will mark Orton’s first singles opportunity at a WWE World Championship since facing Bobby Lashley on the September 13, 2021, edition of RAW. GUNTHER and Orton met in the King of the Ring finals earlier this year which saw the Austrian score a controversial win, earning his World title opportunity at SummerSlam.

The Viper will be back in his hometown of St. Louis later this year as part of WWE NXT’s move to The CW Network. Orton will be part of the second show of the CW era on October 8, which will take place in St. Louis. The premiere episode of WWE NXT on The CW will see CM Punk appear in Chicago, Illinois.

After missing over a year and a half of his career due to injury, Randy Orton is back and ready to take WWE by storm once more. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for the latest on the Legend Killer.