SEScoops

Author: Thomas Lowson

  • Every Superstar Released By WWE in 2023

    Every Superstar Released By WWE in 2023

    Here is a list of every WWE Superstar who has been released this year.

    Dolph Ziggler

    Final match: Against JD McDonagh – Raw 05/29/23

    Dolph’s 19-year tenure saw him become a two-time World Champion, NXT Champion, and Triple-Crown Champion. 

    Shelton Benjamin

    Final match: Against The Viking Raiders – Main Event 09/11/2023

    The Gold Standard spent much of this latest run in WWE as part of the Hurt Business and tagging with Cedric Alexander

    Elias

    Final Match: #1 Contender Battle Royal – Raw 05/15/2023

    Elias has sung his last tune in WWE. There’s no word yet on what this means for his brother Ezekiel, who remains in a coma. 

    Emma

    Final Match: Against Shayna Baszler – Raw 07/10/2023

    Emma’s release came mere hours after she expressed her delight about WWE heading to Perth, Australia for next year’s Elimination Chamber show.

    Mustafa Ali 

    Final Match: Against Dragon Lee – NXT 09/05/2023

    Ali’s release came during his program with Wes Lee and Dominik Mysterio. There had reportedly been plans for Ali to win the NXT North American title. 

    Rick Boogs 

    Final Match: Slim Jim Battle Royal – SummerSlam 2023

    Boogs has claimed that forces working backstage were behind his release though has yet to name anybody who deliberately made sure he got cut.

    Aliyah

    Final Match: Against Damage CTRL – Raw 09/12/2022

    Aliyah holds the record for the fastest-ever win in a Women’s match and the longest tenure of any woman in WWE NXT. 

    Top Dolla 

    Final Match: Against LA Knight – SmackDown 08/11/2023 

    Top Dolla’s return to WWE may be best remembered for his botched dive, that actually helped save the wrestler’s life. 

    Mace 

    Final Match: #1 Contender Battle Royal – Raw 05/15/2023

    At one point in his career, a feud between Mace (Dio Madden at the time) and Brock Lesnar was teased, but it never transpired. 

    Mansoor

    Final Match: #1 Contender Battle Royal – Raw 05/15/2023

    Mansoor recently spoke about his time in WWE and when he got major backstage heat at the Super ShowDown 2019 event.

    Matt Riddle 

    Final Match: Against the Viking Raiders – 09/04/2023

    Riddle leaves WWE as a former U.S. Champion, two-time Raw Tag Team Champion, and former NXT Tag Team Champion.

    Alicia Fox

    Final Match: Women’s Royal Rumble – Royal Rumble 2022

    While not publicly stated by WWE, Fox confirmed earlier this year that she was no longer working for the company.

    Riddick Moss

    Final Match: Against ‘Big’ Bronson Reed – Main Event 09/11/2023

    Moss, like his fiancee Emma, was released in September. He leaves as a winner of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

    Dabba-Kato

    Final Match: Against Tyler Bate – NXT 09/05/2023

    Before his release, WWE had tested Dabba-Kato as an enforcer for Cora Jade at NXT live events, but the idea didn’t get to TV. 

    Dana Brooke

    Final Match: Against Lyra Valkyria – NXT 09/12/2023

    Brooke had her career revitalized as part of WWE NXT. She leaves WWE as a multiple-time 24/7 Champion.

    Ikemen Jiro

    Final Match: Against Luca Crusifino – NXT Level Up 09/19/2023

    Since leaving WWE, Jiro has been competing for AJPW in his native Japan. He has been teaming with Seigo Tachibana.

    Quincy Elliot

    Final Match: Against Ikemen Jiro – NXT Tampa Live 08/19/2023

    Elliot reportedly had significant heat backstage in WWE and reportedly didn’t show the progress WWE had hoped from them. 

    Shanky

    Final Match: Against GUNTHER – WWE Superstar Spectacle 2023

    Shanky holds the distinction of being released after challenging for the Intercontinental Championship in his native India.

    Yulisa Leon

    Final Match: Against Elektra Lopez & Lola Vice – NXT 08/01/2023

    Leon is a second-generation wrestler. Since her release, she has worked for the Crash Lucha Libre promotion and is a former Crash Women’s Champion. 

    Kevin Ventura-Cortes

    Final Match: Against Sanga & Veer – Raw 05/29/2023

    Ventura-Cortes had just one match during his WWE run. He previously played college football and was signed in 2022.

    Brooklyn Barlow

    Final Match: Against Dani Palmer – NXT Level Up 08/08/2023

    Barlow made her in-ring debut in March of last year. She competed 10 times for WWE and has a 0-10 record. 

    Bryson Montana

    Final Match: Against Hank Walker & Tank Ledger – NXT Largo Live 07/07/2023

    Montana debuted for WWE in May of last year. His sole win came on a July episode of NXT Level Up. 

    WWE also released developmental recruits Alexis Lete, Daniel McArthur, and Melanie Bzezinski this year. More recently, on-screen personality McKenzie Mitchell was released but is excited for what’s to come. 

  • Alex Shelley is IMPACT’s Male Wrestler of the Year: Full List of 2023 IMPACT Awards

    Reigning IMPACT World Champion Alex Shelley has another accolade to his impressive career after winning the promotion’s Male Wrestler of the Year award. 

    Shelley has had a massive year, including winning a number-one-contenders match at Under Seige in May. The following month, Shelley dethroned Steve Maclin as IMPACT Wrestling World Champion at Against All Odds, winning the title for the first time. He has since retained the title against the likes of Nick Aldis, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Josh Alexander, and Jonathan Gresham.

    The Best of IMPACT Wrestling 2023 Awards

    Shelley was one of several wrestlers to take home an award after an impressive 2023. The Bound for Glory 2023 match between ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey and Will Ospreay was named the promotion’s Match of the Year. 

    Bailey also took home the promotion’s X Division Star of the Year, despite not holding the X Division Championship this year. 

    The full awards as as follows: 

    IMPACT Wrestling’s Male Wrestler of the Year: Alex Shelley

    IMPACT Wresting’s Knockout of the Year: Trinity

    IMPACT Wrestling’s Male Tag Team of the Year: ABC (Ace Austin & Chris Bey)

    IMPACT Wrestling’s One to Watch in 2024: KiLynn King

    IMPACT Wrestling’s Moment of the Year (as voted for by fans): The announcement of TNA Wrestling’s return

    IMPACT Wrestling’s Knockouts Tag Team of the Year: MK Ultra (Killer Kelly & Masha Slamovich)

    IMPACT Wrestling’s Match of the Year: “Speedball” Mike Bailey vs. Will Ospreay (IMPACT Bound For Glory 2023)

    IMPACT Wrestling’s X Division Star of the Year: “Speedball” Mike Bailey

    What did Alex Shelley have to say about the reaction to IMPACT’s upcoming relaunch as TNA Wrestling? Check out his exclusive comments to SE Scoops by clicking here. 

  • Scotty 2 Hotty Calls AEW In-Ring Debut a “Personal Career Highlight”

    Scotty 2 Hotty Calls AEW In-Ring Debut a “Personal Career Highlight”

    Former WWE Superstar Scotty 2 Hotty is pleased to have reached a “personal career highlight” after competing this week for AEW. 

    Scotty, real name Scott Garland, competed in a dark match this past Wednesday at AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash. The match saw the former WWE Tag Team Champion team with The Acclaimed & ‘Daddy Ass’ Billy Gunn to defeat Matt Menard, Jake Hager, and The Gunns. Taking to Twitter, Scotty reflected on being able to compete at the show. 

    Scotty 2 Hotty Behind the Scenes 

    After being released from WWE as a talent in 2007, Garland returned to the promotion in 2016 as a trainer in the Performance Center. Garland remained in the role until November 2021 when he was granted his requested release from the promotion. While he enjoyed his time with WWE, Garland was reportedly at odds with the direction of talent development following the launch of WWE NXT 2.0. He has been working backstage for AEW as a producer since having a tryout in July. 

    A Return to the Ring? 

    While this match was Garland’s AEW debut, Garland has remained semi-active in the ring outside of the All-Elite promotion. Garland’s most recent match before this week’s Dynamite was in June and saw him defeat ‘Florida Man’ at a DREAMWAVE Wrestling event. Garland has been open to the possibility of competing more for AEW and has been discussed for matches in the past. Garland was able to use his WWE ‘Too Cool’ theme as AEW acquired the license for it when obtaining the rights to use the Hardy Boyz theme. 

  • McIntyre Mocks CM Punk, Undertaker’s Mt. Rushmore, Dijak Takes Credit & More

    McIntyre Mocks CM Punk, Undertaker’s Mt. Rushmore, Dijak Takes Credit & More

    Drew McIntyre Mocks CM Punk

    CM Punk made his WWE in-ring return earlier this week with a win over Dominik Mysterio, but his ring attire was underwhelming. Since his planned trunks didn’t fit, Punk wore plain black trunks he brought as a spare. In a video on social media, Drew McIntyre mocked the Best in the World for this awkward wardrobe malfunction. 

    “He seems to have forgotten his gear, he was wrestling in under tights, so looked pretty stupid.”

    Dijak Takes Credit

    This week’s WWE NXT saw the gold brand continue to build towards the upcoming New Year’s Evil show. The show pulled in an impressive 670,000 viewers, which is respectable considering it happened on Boxing Day when viewerships across TV take a dive. On Twitter, Dijak, who competed in the main event against Eddy Thorpe, was pleased to take credit for the impressive number. 

    Changes to NXT Broadcasting

    Next year, WWE NXT will begin airing on the CW Network and leave its current home on the USA Network. This week, it was announced that the gold brand has been axed from TNT Sports, which is how it is broadcasted in the UK. The show began airing on Sky Sports and later BT Sports (now TNT Sports) in January 2020. 

    The Undertaker’s Mount Rushmore

    The Undertaker is on many people’s Mt. Rushmore of wrestlers, but who is on the Phenom’s rankings of the greatest stars of all time? On his Six Feet Under podcast, the WWE Hall of Famer named Arn Anderson, The Rock, Ric Flair, and Dusty Rhodes as his Mt. Rushmore. 

  • Mansoor Had Massive Backstage Heat After Mixed Signals About Wrestling Etiquette

    Mansoor experienced significant heat backstage following an event in Saudi Arabia, the former WWE Superstar has revealed. 

    Mansoor was among many Superstars released from WWE in September, alongside his tag-team partner Mace, Dolph Ziggler, Mustafa Ali, Matt Riddle, and others. His release marked the end of Mansoor’s five-year tenure with the promotion. Mansoor joined WWE after being scouted during a 2018 tryout ahead of that year’s Greatest Royal Rumble event. 

    Mansoor’s Backstage Heat

    After being signed by WWE, Mansoor would work a handful of NXT live events to hone his skills and adapt to WWE’s style. Speaking to Instinct Culture, Mansoor recalled committing to a tradition in wrestling in which you shake hands with all those you meet. 

    “I show up at my first NXT show, and I’m shaking everybody’s hands. And who of all people, Mace, pulls me aside and says, ‘We don’t do that here, okay. That’s an indie thing, all right. You don’t have to do that.”

    With this in mind, Mansoor decided against shaking hands when he traveled back to Saudi Arabia for 2019’s Super ShowDown event, though this would be the wrong call. 

    “I end up going to the Saudi show being like, ‘I’m not gonna bother anybody. I’m not gonna shake anybody’s hand. Huge mistake. Huge mistake. Who pulls me aside but my future wrestling dad, Mustafa Ali. He said, ‘Hey brother, I’m looking out for you because you and me, you know, we’re brothers. You got major heat. You got major heat because not only did you not say hi to everybody, you’re winning the damn Battle Royal that everybody got dragged over here for. And you’re not being gracious about it.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, I was freaking out.’ I was like, ‘Oh my God!’” 

    Mansoor’s victory in the 51-man battle royal would mark his biggest victory in WWE. With his non-compete clause over, Mansoor has already been making appearances at independent events. Mansoor and Mace will be part of Effy’s Big Gay Brunch event in January. 

  • AEW Continental Classic: Watch Every Single Tournament Match Here

    AEW Continental Classic: Watch Every Single Tournament Match Here

    Fans of the AEW Continental Classic are delighted as the All-Elite promotion has made the tournament easily accessible on YouTube. 

    During the November 11, edition of AEW Collision, AEW President Tony Khan announced the Continental Classic, a round-robin tournament that would feature 12 AEW wrestlers. The 12 wrestlers were split into the Gold and Blue Leagues with each wrestler facing everyone from their respective leagues.

    All AEW Continental Classic Matches

    With the round-robin format, there have been plenty of matches from the AEW Continental Classic, which fans will have no trouble finding. On YouTube, the AEW account has created a playlist of every match from the tournament in the order they took place. The playlist starts with the kick-off match between Swerve Strickland and Jay Lethal. 

    The final two videos are from this week’s Dynamite and see Jon Moxley Vs. Swerve Strickland Vs. Jay White in the Gold League finals and Eddie Kingston Vs. Bryan Danielson in the Blue League finals. The playlist also features weekly updates of the rankings as well as promos and segments connected to the Continental Classic. 

    The playlist can be found by clicking here. 

    What’s Next? 

    With their respective victories this week, Gold League winner Jon Moxley will face Blue League winner Eddie Kingston in the finals at this weekend’s Worlds End event. The winner will be the new AEW Continental Champion, the holder of the ROH World Championship and the NJPW Strong Openweight Champion. They will also become the first Triple Crown Champion by holding three titles from the three different promotions. 

  • Sonya Deville’s Gun Charge Settled After Completing Intervention Program

    Sonya Deville’s Gun Charge Settled After Completing Intervention Program

    WWE Superstar Sonya Deville has resolved the gun charge against her and will enter the new year without the legal issue over her head. 

    Deville was arrested in February for unlawful possession of a weapon after the gun was found in her vehicle by an Atlantic City casino hotel valet. The gun had been lawfully purchased and registered in another state, but Deville lacked a permit for its possession in New Jersey.

    Sonya Deville’s Gun Charge Dealt With

    In an update, Courier Post Online reports that Deville resolved the charge by completing six months in a pre-trial intervention program. The matter was completed in late November, according to Atlantic County’s Prosecutor’s Office. Superior Court Judge Bernard DeLury Jr. approved her entry into the program in May. This sort of handling of the situation was said to be “routine in cases with this fact pattern”. 

    At the time of her arrest, it was reported that there was no heat on Deville for the arrest as they understand why she’d wish to protect herself. Deville was the victim of an attempted kidnapping in 2020 by Phillip A. Thomas. Thomas arrived at Deville’s home with zip ties, tape, rope, and other equipment that would be vital in the kidnapping. Thomas also taunted Deville with messages including “Look outside, baby, by your pool. I’m here.” In police interviews, Thomas claimed he would make Deville heterosexual.  In May 2023, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison. 

    Sonya Deville Today

    Deville captured her first championship in WWE earlier this year by winning the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles with Chelsea Green. Her time as champion would be short-lived as she would suffer a knee injury that would require surgery. She is expected to return to action at some point in 2024. 

  • Logan Paul is Ready to Take Over WWE, Shares Biggest Accomplishment of 2023

    Logan Paul is Ready to Take Over WWE, Shares Biggest Accomplishment of 2023

    2023 has been a banner year for the reigning United States Champion Logan Paul, who is ready to ‘take over’ and dominate WWE.

    This year has seen Paul compete five times for WWE and boasts a 2-3 win/loss record for the year. Highlights of Paul’s 2023 including capturing the U.S. Championship at WWE Crown Jewel last month, and defeating Ricochet at SummerSlam in August. 

    Logan Paul’s Reflects on His 2023

    With Paul holding the U.S. title to this day, you’d be forgiven for thinking that winning the gold was his highlight of the year. Instead, Paul explained in his latest YouTube video that keeping injury-free is a personal highlight and how that nearly wasn’t the case due to Money in the Bank. 

    “Some of the moments I’ve had this year in wrestling, I will remember for the rest of my life. This is actually my greatest accomplishment this year. I went injury-free, but I did get close to almost breaking my neck at Money in the Bank. Accidents happen.” 

    Paul also recalled protecting Rey Mysterio during their U.S. title match at Crown Jewel and shared his plans for the future. 

    “If you’ve followed my journey for ten years now on the internet, I don’t just do things to take part, I do them to take over, and I fully plan on doing that with WWE.”

    What’s Next? 

    Logan Paul’s next title defense will be against the winner of the ongoing U.S. Championship Contenders Tournament. Kevin Owens and Santos Escobar have advanced to the finals. While not confirmed, the U.S. title match is expected to take place at next month’s Royal Rumble Premium Live Event. Paul has also announced that he will be part of the Elimination Chamber: Perth event in February of next year. 

    Could Tag Team gold be in Logan Paul’s future? Jake Paul is open to teaming up with his brother. Click here to find out more. 

    H/T – Fightful

  • Sammy Guevara Will Be More Selective of “Crazy” Spots Now He’s a Dad

    AEW’s Sammy Guevara will be more cautious with his high-flying spots in the ring now that he and Tay Melo are parents. 

    The couple welcomed their first child last month, a baby girl by the name of Luna. Guevara and Melo announced that they were expecting at Double or Nothing 2023 before the main event four-way match which saw Guevara challenge for the AEW World Championship. 

    Sammy Guevara Will be More Selective

    Guevara could not be happier to be a dad, but his new role will affect his role in the ring. Speaking on the Insight podcast, Guevara spoke about how becoming a dad will likely change his wrestling. 

    It’s pretty cool for sure and now it’s got me thinking differently just in wrestling. Because I’m used to doing all the ‘I’m Crazy ‘ stuff but now I’m like, yeah, I guess I can’t be that crazy anymore… I don’t know if we’re going to dial it back but I think we’ll be more selective with how and when we do the crazy stuff.”

    Guevara recalled some of his ‘crazy’ spots, including a spot from Lucha Underground that the new father will be in no hurry to replicate. 

    “There was stuff in Lucha Underground, doing a moonsault 14 feet in the air to Jake Hager. Who bless his heart, tried to catch me, but there’s only so much you can do.”

    Guevara on Melo’s Scary Situation

    While becoming parents was a joy for Guevara and Tay Melo, it did have a very scary incident. On the podcast, Guevara recalled Melo dealing with health issues immediately following the birth. 

    “When she gave birth, they had to stitch her up, because she had a tear. And then, they almost had to send her to the OR because she was having a reaction from the epidural. So it was a scary moment. She’s holding the kid and then all of a sudden, she’s shaking like crazy. Her skin turns a different color, really pale.  Then she started throwing up… It was scary for a minute.

    “We were there for 25 hours. Crazy. The lead up to it too. Everything at the hospital and the whole pregnancy. I always joked that we’re going to have seven kids. But man, after that first one, it’s whatever she wants to do.” 

    Guevara returned to AEW TV on this week’s Dynamite and turned face against the Don Callis Family. He will compete in an eight-man tag-team match at this weekend’s Worlds End event. 

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

  • The Undertaker On Sgt. Slaughter Getting Death Threats Over Iraqi Sympathizer Character

    The Undertaker On Sgt. Slaughter Getting Death Threats Over Iraqi Sympathizer Character

    Sgt. Slaughter did a complete 180 when he betrayed the U.S. to side with Iraq during the Gulf War, and reportedly received death threats for his character.

    The April 1991 event saw Hulk Hogan dethrone Sgt. Slaughter to regain the WWF Championship, kicking off the Hulkster’s third reign with the gold. The show was originally supposed to take place at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before being moved to the adjacent, albeit smaller, Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. 

    The Undertaker on WrestleMania 7

    Much of the main event was built around Slaughter’s heel turn which had seen the so-called U.S. Marine become an Iraqi sympathizer during the Gulf War. Speaking on his Six Feet Under podcast, The Undertaker addressed using the real-life conflict overseas for the wrestling storyline.

    “Obviously, the more personal you can make a wrestling angle, the better it’s gonna be. And if you throw championships on top of all that, it really makes it even more compelling. But I mean, personal rivalries were always the best. And this is…we’re at war. So that was a bold move.”

    The Undertaker also addressed the claim that Slaughter received death threats for his Iraqi supporting character but admitted he didn’t see anything firsthand. 

    “Not that anything that I witnessed, like as far as physical aggression, but yeah, he was always talking about getting death threats. People threatening him and how could you do that to our country? It’s just like, c’mon man. It was pretty good man you have to say. Honestly, it took for… at that time period for someone of Sgt. Slaughter’s [character] his career and his gimmick and everything else to do that. It was a bold move. It was a real bold move.”

    WWE has always claimed that WrestleMania 7 was moved to the smaller venue due to ‘security risks’. Many have cast doubt on that claim though, and believe the show was moved due to poor ticket sales at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. 

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

  • Carmelo Hayes is Open to Talking “Business” with Bobby Lashley & His Faction

    WWE NXT Superstar Carmelo Hayes isn’t actively seeking a role in Bobby Lashley’s faction, but that doesn’t mean he’ll never join. 

    Earlier this year, Lashley returned to WWE programming and immediately aligned himself with the Street Profits. The faction has proven to be a force to be reckoned with on SmackDown though have so far been unable to capture championship gold so far. 

    Carmelo Hayes On Possibly Joining Lashley

    With Lashley and the Profits making waves, many have been speculating on who could join the group. Odyssey Jones had been considered for the group, though all plans for him to join have seemingly been dropped. 

    Carmelo Hayes is another name that fans have discussed as a possible addition. It was in March that Hayes shared a photo with the Profits and Lashley’s old Hurt Business ally MVP. Speaking to Vibe, Hayes discussed possibly joining the All Mighty and the Profits. 

    “Shoot, that’d be cool. Right now I’m so focused on what I got going on here in NXT. It’s going to take a lot more than just showing up and dapping me up to get me over there. I’m not thirsty for any membership. If they want me, they can holler at me and we can talk business. Respect to them, because they’re my brothers for real.”

    Hayes also spoke about the importance of black Superstars and learning from people of color who have become major players. 

    “I feel like every Black wrestler that I’ve met has just shown so much love. Like Booker T, even Big E, just from top to bottom. It’s just like an unspoken camaraderie in a lot of ways. Booker for example, he wants the best for all talent, but Black talent as well. Booker T’s has been a huge advocate for helping with my progress.”

    Earlier this year, Lashley shared a segment with Hayes and Trick Williams on SmackDown, as seen in the clip below. 

    Did AEW steal a catchphrase of Carmelo Hayes when creating a new piece of merchandise? Click here to find out more. 

  • Watch: CM Punk Receives Special MSG Gift to Celebrate WWE Return Match

    Watch: CM Punk Receives Special MSG Gift to Celebrate WWE Return Match

    This year’s Boxing Day WWE live event was an extra special event for CM Punk, who left Madison Square Garden with more than just a win. 

    At the December 26, WWE live event in MSG, Punk defeated Dominik Mysterio in his first match for WWE since January 2014. This match was Punk’s first bout of any promotion since AEW All In 2023 as he was fired just days after that show. Punk will face ‘Dirty Dom’ again at the upcoming WWE live event in Inglewood, California on December 30. 

    CM Punk’s Special Gift

    With the show taking place just one day after Christmas, the staff inside the World’s Most Famous Arena had a special gift for CM Punk. In a backstage video, Punk can be seen receiving a plaque commemorating his first WWE match in close to a decade. The plaque also highlights this year’s event being a sold-out show, and Punk was moved by the gesture. Punk joked that he was hoping for the key to a ‘secret bathroom’ in the Garden, but the plaque is even better. 

    What’s Next for CM Punk? 

    CM Punk will compete in the Men’s Royal Rumble match on January 27. The former WWE & AEW World Champion is already considered a favorite to win the match, as is this year’s winner Cody Rhodes. Punk’s next appearances have already been confirmed by WWE, as he will appear twice on Raw ahead of next month’s Premium Live Event. 

    CM Punk recreated a spot from his AEW in-ring debut during the WWE MSG event. Click here to find out more. 

  • Jon Moxley Vs. Eddie Kingston in AEW Continental Classic Finals Set for Worlds End

    Jon Moxley Vs. Eddie Kingston in AEW Continental Classic Finals Set for Worlds End

    Either Jon Moxley or Eddie Kingston will be crowned the Triple Crown Champion at AEW Worlds End in the finals of the inaugural AEW Continental Classic. 

    On this week’s AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash. Moxley defeated Jay White and Swerve Strickland in the finals of the Gold League. All three men had earned 12 points in the tournament, leading to a triple-threat match. On the same show, Kingston, the reigning ROH World Champion and NJPW Strong Openweight Champion, defeated Bryan Danielson. Kingston amassed nine points in the tournament to Danielson’s ten. 

    The winner of the match at Worlds End will become the inaugural Triple Crown Champion. This accolade will come about as the victor will be the AEW Continental Champion, the ROH World Champion, and the NJPW Strong Openweight Champion. 

    The Road to the Finals

    Jon Moxley has perhaps been the most impressive performer in the AEW Continental Classic from either league. In week one, Moxley defeated Mark Briscoe to earn three points and defeated Jay Lethal the following week. Moxley defeated Rush via technical submission in week three and earned a hard-fought win over Swerve Strickland in week four. In week five, Moxley took his only first-round loss of the entire tournament when he was defeated by Jay White on the AEW Dynamite: Holiday Bash episode. 

    Eddie Kingston’s road to AEW Worlds End was far less smooth. In his first two matches in the tournament, he lost to Brody King and Bryan Danielson respectively. It wouldn’t be until his third match against rival Claudio Castagnoli that Kingston earned his first win. Kingston would go on to defeat Daniel Garcia and Andrade El Idolo to earn enough points to advance to this week’s Blue League Finals.

  • Watch: CM Punk Recreates AEW Debut Spot In WWE MSG Match Against Dominik Mysterio

    CM Punk’s successful return to the ring saw the WWE Raw Superstar recapture some of the magic from his in-ring debut for AEW. 

    At last night’s WWE live event in Madison Square Gareden, Punk defeated Dominik Mysterio in his first match for WWE since January 2014. This match was Punk’s first bout of any promotion since AEW All In 2023 as he was fired just days after that show. Punk will face ‘Dirty Dom’ again at the upcoming WWE live event in Inglewood, California on December 30. 

    CM Punk Recreates AEW Spot

    Punk held nothing back during his match with the Judgment Day member, and even made reference to his AEW in-ring debut at All Out 2021. During one section of the match, Mysterio took to the turnbuckle and Punk sat up and laughed, replicating a spot from Punk’s match with Darby Allin three years ago. You can check out the spot in question below. 

    CM Punk’s Wardrobe Malfunction

    While CM Punk made an impactful return to the ring at the WWE MSG event, his ring attire for the show was somewhat underwhelming. Rather than his typical Chicago-inspired trunks, Punk wore plain back trunks for the match. As Wrestle Purists noted before the show, the trunks Punk had planned to wear did not fit, meaning he had to don his back-up trunks which were the plain black ones fans saw at this show. 

  • Seth Rollins Gives Touching Tribute to Brodie Lee & Bray Wyatt at WWE MSG Event

    Seth Rollins Gives Touching Tribute to Brodie Lee & Bray Wyatt at WWE MSG Event

    Seth Rollins paid tribute to Brodie Lee and Windham ‘Bray Wyatt’ Rotunda in an emotional tribute in the closing moments of this week’s live event in Madison Square Garden. 

    The December 26 event in the World’s Most Famous Arena has been a staple of WWE for years now and typically features a much bigger card compare to other untelevised shows. This year’s event proved to be no different, with CM Punk defeating Dominik Mysterio in his firstn WWE match since 2014. The show also saw Cody Rhodes defeat Shinsuke Nakamura in the first Bull Rope match in WWE since 2009. The match was Cody’s first Bull Rope match in WWE and the second of his entire career. 

    Seth Rollins’ Touching Tribute

    In the main event of the show, Rollins retained the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Drew McIntyre in a No-DQ, No Count Outs match. Adressing the fans after the match, Rollins reflected on the death of Brodie Lee, who died on Boxing Day in 2020. Rollins also spoke about Rotunda, who died in August of this year. 

    “On the 26th of December, a few years back, my good friend, our good friend Brodie Lee passed away. I miss him [fans chant Brodie]. And just a few months ago we lost Windham Rotunda as well. But earlier tonight when the lights were down, that’s right, I saw some fireflies out there in the Garden. 

    “Yeah, yeah, yeah man. So look, here’s the deal. They’re kicking me out of here. We’ve got a curfew but I’m not leaving this building until you guys light this place up with those fireflies and you sing my damn song so loud Brodie and Windham can hear you! Let’s go New York! [fans sing Rollins’ theme song] I love you forever, get home safe. 

  • Hiroshi Tanahashi Has Big Plans As New Japan Pro Wrestling’s New President

    Hiroshi Tanahashi Has Big Plans As New Japan Pro Wrestling’s New President

    New Japan’s Hiroshi Tanahashi has always desired a management role with the promotion and now he has the chance to make big things happen as President. 

    The former IWGP World Champion was announced as NJPW’s new President last week in a move that took many by surprise. The promotion’s longest-tenured talent, Tanahashi made his debut in October 1999 after graduating from the NJPW Dojo. In addition to his new role as NJPW President, Tanahashi is one-third of the current NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions.

    President Tanahashi On his Appointment

    On their official website, New Japan shared a transcription of a press conference in which Tanahashi discussed his new role. First, he spoke about how happy he is to accept the position of President. 

    “I always carried a dream and ambition to be President as well as an active wrestler. I’m happy to be able to make that happen, and I’m grateful for all the kind words of support that I’ve gotten since my appointment.”

    When asked when the decision was made for him to become the new president, Tanahashi said the matter was discussed during a dinner with Bushiroad president Takaaki Kidani in November.

    Hiroshi Tanahashi Has Big Plans

    Tanahashi then shared some big goals that he has planned now that he is in a position of considerable influence. 

    “I have some key goals that I would like to meet in my time as the President. First of all, I want to sell out the Tokyo Dome. This has always been the goal for me. For a wrestler to walk down the ramp in front of a sold-out Tokyo Dome crowd is something to be proud of forever.”

    Tanahashi added that having more title matches outside of major cities is a major goal of his to strengthen connections across Japan.

    “I want to unite all of Japan’s wrestling fans in their passion and carry that to the Tokyo Dome. I also want to further increase our work with sponsors. Our sponsors are the best tag partners that we have, and as an active wrestler as well as President, I’m in a completely unique position to strengthen that relationship.”

    Tanahashi’s first test as New Japan’s President will come next week with Wrestle Kingdom 18. In addition to NJPW talent, the show will feature stars from AEW and Pro Wrestling NOAH.   

  • Ric Flair: MJF Could Be the Next Randy Orton, He Should Stay with AEW

    Ric Flair: MJF Could Be the Next Randy Orton, He Should Stay with AEW

    MJF could have a career as impactful as Randy Orton if two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair is to be believed. 

    Speaking in a recent interview with The Wrestling Classic, Flair praised the efforts of MJF and compared the AEW World Champion to WWE’s Apex Predator. 

    “He’s got a great interview, he’s got a great look, he’s worked hard. I think he has the confidence in real life that he portrays on TV and I think the future is unlimited for him. He’s really good. He could be the next Randy Orton. That’s about as high of praise as I can give him.”

    Flair also recalled meeting MJF and sharing his positive take on the young wrestler face-to-face, not that the AEW World Champion needed to hear it. 

    “He’s pretty confident in himself. He doesn’t need a pat on the back and that’s what makes him a little bit different.”

    Flair added that he hopes MJF sticks with AEW for the long run. While the Salt of the Earth has teased leaving for WWE multiple times, it is believed he has already signed a multi-year deal to remain with AEW. Despite this, MJF has continued to insist that he has not re-signed with AEW despite his deal being days away from expiring. 

    What’s Next? 

    MJF’s next high-profile match will take place this week on AEW Dynamite. During the New Year’s Smash show, MJF and unlikely ally Samoa Joe will defend MJF & Adam Cole’s ROH World Tag Team Championships against two of the Devil’s minions. MJF and Joe will face off at AEW Worlds End with MJF’s AEW World Championship on the line. Current betting odds from Bet Online state that MJF is the favorite to retain in his native Long Island, New York. 

    H/T – Fightful

  • McKenzie Mitchell Still Supports WWE & NXT After “Blessing” Of Being Released

    McKenzie Mitchell may no longer be employed with WWE, but the former interviewer is excited to see what’s next in her life. 

    Mitchell was released from WWE last month, with her release coming as something of a surprise to fans. Rather than being among a crop of on-screen talent cuts, Mitchell was cut alongside several employees from WWE’s corporate offices to be cut. 

    Why Mitchell’s Release Was a Blessing

    McKenzie Mitchell joined WWE in 2019 and had worked for IMPACT Wrestling before joining. Speaking on the Insight podcast, Mitchell shared her take that her exit from WWE isn’t an end, but rather the beginning of something new. 

    “I think that once the dust has settled, it’s been really, it’s a blessing. I think that there’s so many new beginnings and I’m excited to see what’s to come in the future. The outreach and the support that I’ve gotten from friends, family, co-workers, colleagues, production staff, executives in WWE, and the fans most importantly, has just been insane. 

    “That’s what made me emotional when I got released. Being able to hear from everyone how much I impacted their opinion when watching WWE and when watching NXT. That’s what made me emotional was hearing from all of the people. Their favorite moments from my career. Their favorite interviews that I’ve done and the magic that was made on screen. That made such a big impact on me, to see what I made on them.”

    When asked about how she’s processing her release, Mitchell spoke about how she’s been working hard on her non-WWE ventures and spoke about her husband Vic Joseph. 

    “I think this is a way to say there’s a new beginning in everything and just [be like] okay, what’s next? I have my jewelry business so I’ve been putting all my effort into that and my creativity there. It’s almost my full-time. My husband [Vic Joseph] still works with the company obviously. So that’s really interesting that he’s still there and I’m not. I don’t know if people know that we were the first couple on the announce team. Genuinely, an announcer and an announcer that are married. So we really figured it out there.”

    Mitchell also made it clear that despite her abrupt release, she still supports WWE and is always pleased to see her husband succeed in the promotion.

    “I’m still so supportive of WWE and NXT and I still watch him and I still text him good luck before every show. I’ve still, obviously, all my friends are still there. So I’m still supportive regardless [of my release from the company.]

    Mitchell was recently announced for WrestleCon weekend in early April. The convention will take in Philadelphia during WrestleMania 40 weekend. 

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

  • Watch: The Rock Recreates Iconic 90s Look & Sings in Christmas Video

    Watch: The Rock Recreates Iconic 90s Look & Sings in Christmas Video

    Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has been celebrating this festive season by delivering a throwback to his iconic fanny-pack look from the 90s. 

    The image of a young Johnson, wearing the fanny pack, turtle neck, and gold chain, has been a meme for some time now, with fans loving how quintessentially 90s the ensemble is. 

    This week, Johnson recreated his 90s look to celebrate Christmas. In a video shared to Instagram, the Brahma Bull shared his rendition of ‘Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire.’ Johnson’s version refers to his 90s look and encourages fans to “take a look at my amazing clothes.” Johnson ends his performance with a pat of his fanny pack. 

    https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C1TT5lSLvkv

    Reactions to The Rock’s Video

    The Rock’s Instagram video scored close to 2 million likes in the first four hours after it was published. In the comments, WWE Superstar and fellow third-generation Superstar Natalya described the video as “Epic!” Kevin Hart, who Johnson often collaborates with, shared a wall of crying with laughter emojis. 

    Is a Return in the Works? 

    Following The Rock’s surprise return in September, rumors once again circulated that a return to the ring could be happening. During a recent appearance for Make-A-Wish, the Brahma Bull told a young fan “a little secret that may or may not involve some dude returning to WWE.” It was reported recently that WWE is eager to get The Rock to appear at WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth. The promotion’s first event in Australia since 2018 will take place in February of next year and will be WWE’s final main roster PLE before WrestleMania 40 in April. 

  • Cody Rhodes Went the Extra Mile to Make a Young Fan’s Christmas Even Better

    Cody Rhodes Went the Extra Mile to Make a Young Fan’s Christmas Even Better

    WWE Raw Superstar Cody Rhodes was in an especially generous mood as one very lucky young fan found out on Christmas Day. 

    On Twitter, a fan named Kenny shared that they had sold a figure of the American Nightmare to another fan, who was buying the toy as a gift for their seven-year-old child. Kenny asked if Rhodes could send a signed photo to make the child’s Christmas extra special. 

    In an update, Kenny shared that Cody went the extra mile to make the seven-year-olds Christmas extra special. We don’t know if Cody sent a signed photo, but he sent the kid named Carson a signed Cody Rhodes authentic weight belt. The father would tell Kenny that he had made Carson’s day. 

    Cody’s Generosity Knows No Bounds

    This is hardly the first time that the American Nightmare has shown his generous side. At WWE live events, Cody has been competing in Extreme Rules matches and has been gifting pieces of a broken table to those in the crowd. After last week’s Raw, Rhodes went even further and gifted a Christmas Tree to a fan. 

    What’s Next for Cody Rhodes? 

    Cody will compete in next month’s Men’s Royal Rumble match, the same bout he won in January of this year. If he wins, Rhodes will become the fourth man to win back-to-back Rumbles (the others being Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, and ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin. Win or lose, many have predicted that Rhodes will face Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. 

  • ICW Founder Mark Dallas Confirms He Has Left Promotion

    ICW Founder Mark Dallas Confirms He Has Left Promotion

    Mark Dallas, the founder of Insane Championship Wrestling, has confirmed that he’s not only left the company but has left wrestling altogether. 

    ICW was founded by Dallas in Scotland in 2006 but has since reached international appeal. With its mixture of sports entertainment and hardcore wrestling, only those 18 and older are allowed to attend shows. In 2020, WWE announced that ICW content would be available on the WWE Network. 

    Mark Dallas Leaves Wrestling

    Dallas has overseen ICW’s operations through highs and lows, but he is no longer working with the company. On Instagram, Dallas explained why he stepped away from wrestling recently. 

    6 months ago I decided to leave pro wrestling to look after a family member who had a major operation and to pursue other avenues of entertainment that I never had time to explore whilst involved in wrestling full time.

    When ICWs 6 year long WWE deal ran out I endeavoured to make sure the company found a new streaming deal and sponsor before calling it a day to ensure it would continue on.

    I then left Scott Reid in charge knowing he was the right man to lead the charge for ICWs future.

    I started the company to be an artistic release from my lifeguard job, wanting to run four shows a year in the Maryhill Community Central Halls back in 2006. What followed was a snowball effect that led to me and a group of friends achieving our wildest dreams and then some.

    The memories will always hold a special place in my heart and I look forward to what ICW does next, rejuvenated with Scott at the helm.

    I still own the ICW brand so I will always in some way be attached to the company but I also look forward to what’s next in my life.

    I’m closing I want to say LONG LIVE IC FUCKIN’ W!

    https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C1S4xsiNp5h

    Insane Championship Wrestling has a long list of notable alumni. In 2006, Drew Galloway, today known as Drew McIntyre, became the first ICW World Heavyweight Champion, a title he would hold on two occasions for a total of 658 days. Other names who have worked with ICW include Grado, Joe Coffey, Trent Seven, Noam Dar, Alba Fyre, Kurt Angle, Ricochet, Finn Balor, Pete Dunne, Rey Mysterio, Rob Van Dam, and James Storm. 

  • Zilla Fatu Set to Make GCW Debut at 1/26 ‘Look at Me’ Event

    Zilla Fatu is ready to take Game Changer Wrestling by storm when he makes his debut for the promotion at their upcoming January event. 

    Fatu is the son of the late Umaga, who is best remembered for his WWE run from 2006 to 2009 that saw him become a two-time Intercontinental Champion. Zilla began training to be a wrestler in late 2022 and had been training at Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling training school. In September, Fatu shared that he’d left the ROW promotion, and later explained that there were ‘irreconcilable’ differences that meant he had to leave. 

    Zilla Fatu in GCW

    With a handful of matches to his name, Zilla Fatu is now ready to make his presence felt in Game Changer Wrestling. On Twitter this week, GCW announced that Fatu will be a part of the Look at Me event in Tampa on January 26. Other names promoted for the show include Andrade El Idolo, Nick Gage, Blake Christian, and Maki Itoh. AJ Francis and Mansoor, who were both released from WWE in September of this year, will also work the event. 

    A Potential WWE Run? 

    With Zilla being part of the famed Anoa’i Family of wrestlers, there has been speculation as to whether he could one day join his relations in WWE. After a successful in-ring debut in July of this year, Zilla was asked about possibly joining The Bloodline. Fatu had a different idea in mind for his WWE arrival and said he plans to ‘own’ WWE and the Superstars currently there. 

  • Ricochet Reacts After WWE Higher Up Nixes Special Entrance from Samantha Irvin

    Ricochet Reacts After WWE Higher Up Nixes Special Entrance from Samantha Irvin

    WWE Superstar Ricochet believes that people should stop and think before leaping to assumptions after Samantha Irvin changed one of her entrance announcements. 

    Irvin, who is Ricochet’s fiancee, joined WWE a few years ago and has impressed as an announcer. At this year’s WrestleMania 39, Irvin announced Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes for their Undisputed WWE Universal Championship main event on Night Two. After previously announcing for WWE NXT, 205 Live, and SmackDown, Irvin was moved to Raw during this year’s WWE Draft. 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0RqArr-9Y0

    Ricochet Reacts to Reports

    Part of what has made Irvin a favorite among fans is her unique approach to announcing certain Superstars. On the latest episode of Raw, however, Irvin gave a much more tamed-down announcement of Chelsea Green compared to what fans have heard from her. A WWE higher-up made the call for Irvin’s bubbly announcement of Green to be nixed and while some have pushed for its return, that hasn’t happened yet. 

    Taking to Twitter, Ricochet said that fans should “let things play out” and added that people should “stop making assumptions.” The former Intercontinental Champion added that “we all just want the best for everyone.”

    If Samantha Irvin is allowed to bring her inflection for Green’s entrance back, it won’t be on tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw. Instead, tonight’s show will be a best-of-2023 compilation featuring some of the most exciting matches from Raw over the past 12 months. 

    Samantha Irvin dreamed of being compared to Lillian Garcia, now it happens every day. Click here to find out more. 

  • Seth Rollins Sets Unique 2023 Record No Other WWE Superstar Can Match

    Seth Rollins Sets Unique 2023 Record No Other WWE Superstar Can Match

    2023 has been an incredible year for Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins, who will end this year with a record no other Superstar can match. 

    Rollins is the reigning WWE World Heavyweight Champion, a title he won at WWE Night of Champions in May. The title was introduced due to Roman Reigns’s lax schedule and stranglehold over the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Rollins defeated AJ Styles in the finals of a 12-man tournament to win the gold. 

    Seth Rollins’ Unique Record

    This year will go down as one of the best in Rollins’ wrestling career and he is ending 2023 with a very unique record. The reigning WWE World Heavyweight Champion is the only WWE Superstar to have competed at every WWE Premium Live Event this year. Rollins’ impressive 12 months is as follows:

    • WWE Royal Rumble: Competed in the Men’s Royal Rumble Match
    • WWE Elimination Chamber: Competed in the Men’s Elimination Chamber Match. 
    • WrestleMania 39: Defeated Logan Paul
    • WWE Backlash: Defeated Omos
    • WWE Night of Champions: Defeated AJ Styles to win the World Heavyweight Championship
    • WWE Money in the Bank: Defeated Finn Balor to retain the World Heavyweight Championship
    • WWE SummerSlam: Defeated Finn Balor to retain the World Heavyweight Championship
    • WWE Payback: Defeated Shinsuke Nakamura to retain the World Heavyweight Championship
    • WWE Fastlane: Defeated Shinsuke Nakamura to retain the World Heavyweight Championship (Last Man Standing Match)
    • WWE Crown Jewel: Defeated Drew McIntyre to retain the World Heavyweight Championship
    • WWE Survivor Series: WarGames: Competed in the Men’s WarGames Match and won

    Rollins’ next match will see him defend the World Heavyweight Championship against Drew McIntyre on the ‘Day 1’ edition of Raw. Should he retain against the Scottish Warrior, Rollins will likely defend at the 2024 Royal Rumble on January 27. 

  • Bret Hart Names Unlikely Match As His Best WrestleMania Payday

    Bret Hart Names Unlikely Match As His Best WrestleMania Payday

    Bret Hart may have had some iconic matches at WrestleMania, but it is an unlikely bout from the Showcase of the Immortals that scored him his best paycheck.

    The Hitman’s name is synonymous with WWE’s biggest event of the year. Notable matches for Hart include his WrestleMania 12 Iron Man match against Shawn Michaels which saw the Showstopper capture his first WWF Championship. 

    The following year, Hart would win the critically acclaimed I-Quit match with ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin that would help propel the Rattlesnake to superstardom. In 2010, Hart would compete at WrestleMania for the final time, defeating Mr. McMahon in a No Holds Barred match in Bret’s first WWE match in over a decade.  

    Bret’s Best WrestleMania Payday

    Bret Hart may have had some all-time classics at WrestleMania, but none of the matches listed above earned him the best pay. Sitting down with Inside the Ropes, Hart revealed that it was his WrestleMania 11 I-Quit match with Bob Backlund that earned him the most bank. 

    “For all my WrestleMania matches, I think WrestleMania 13 was one of my worst payoffs. They paid me not very well, nothing special. Funny enough the Ironman match where I wrestled Shawn, the hour match was also one of my worst payoffs I ever got in wrestling, compared to my biggest payoff which was Bob Backlund at WrestleMania 11. Go figure that.”

    The match saw Bret defeat Backlund who rather than screaming I-Quit, instead screamed into the mic held by guest referee Roddy Piper, which was taken as his quitting. The match was the arguable highlight of WrestleMania 11, which is often heralded as one of the worst WrestleManias of all time. 

    CM Punk made a subtle Bret Hart reference during his first Raw promo following his return to WWE. Click here to find out more.