SEScoops

Author: Thomas Lowson

  • WWE Has WrestleMania Weekend Plans for SmackDown Stable

    WWE Has WrestleMania Weekend Plans for SmackDown Stable

    WrestleMania 39 is now just 20 days away, and one SmackDown stable is expected to make their presence felt at the show.

    WrestleMania 39 will mark WWE’s fourth two-night WrestleMania, which was introduced in 2020 due to restrictions surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Matches confirmed for the show include Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns Vs. Cody Rhodes, SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair Vs. Rhea Ripley, and Seth Rollins Vs. Logan Paul.

    WrestleMania Plans

    One stable that hasn’t been confirmed for WrestleMania 39 is Legado Del Fantasma, but that is expected to change in due time.

    Fightful Select reports that while details are still scarce, there are “plans” for the factions over WrestleMania weekend.

    In recent weeks, the group has turned face, aiding Rey Mysterio in his issues with Dominik Mysterio and the Judgment Day.

    On the most recent episode of SmackDown, it was confirmed that until their battle with the Judgement Day is over it was official that Rey is an associate of the group.

    Legado Del Fantasma

    In June 2020, El Hijo del Fantasma, fresh off his NXT Cruiserweight Championship win, aligned himself with Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza.

    This heel turn saw Fantasma demask and rebrand himself as Santos Escobar, and the group would be dubbed Legado Del Fantasma.

    As part of the gold brand, Escobar would later challenge for the NXT and NXT North American Championships, but would be unsuccessful in both pursuits.

    In mid-2022, the group began a subtle face turn as part of their feud with Tony D’Angelo, which resulted in Escobar losing a loser-leaves-NXT match to the Don.

    In October 2022, the group was called up to WWE’s main roster as heels, but with Zelina Vega replacing Elektra Cruz in the faction.

    “Hit Row Is Wack” – Legado del Fantasma Brag About Successful Debut On WWE SmackDown
  • Who Will Induct Rey Mysterio Into the WWE Hall of Fame?

    Who Will Induct Rey Mysterio Into the WWE Hall of Fame?

    One of the biggest names in Mexican wrestling will make his return to WWE to induct Rey Mysterio into the WWE Hall of Fame.

    It was confirmed this week that Mysterio will be the first inductee into this year’s class, after a celebrated career both in and out of WWE.

    The three-time former World Champion is also a WWE Grand Slam winner, Royal Rumble winner and has held various accolades outside of WWE.

    Inductor

    With such a lengthy and celebrated career, there is no shortage of wrestlers who’d make sense to induct Rey into the Hall of Fame.

    The Los Angeles Times reported this week that Konnan will be doing the honors, and in a tweet, Dave Meltzer confirmed that report.

    Meltzer explained that Rey personally asked for Konnan and the company approved it, adding that it was “the only choice.

    In the early 90s, Konnan was brought into the WWF to play the Max Moon character but would leave the promotion after three televised matches.

    In interviews, Konnan has said the cost of the costume ($13,000, equivalent to $27,000 today) immediately caused friction with the company’s higher-ups.

    Konnan and the Mysterios

    In WCW and in Mexico, Rey and Konnan worked together, but the latter has kept a close eye on the Mysterio family.

    It has been reported that Konnan has been helping Dominik Mysterio throughout his career, but especially since his heel turn last September in Cardiff.

    Konnan is a godfather to Dominik, and many have said that Dom’s ex-con attire and character have been influenced by Konnan.

    Reason Why Rey Mysterio Missed WWE’s Royal Rumble
  • Japanese Wrestling Legend to be Inducted Into WWE 2023 Hall of Fame (Report)

    Japanese Wrestling Legend to be Inducted Into WWE 2023 Hall of Fame (Report)

    One of the biggest names in the history of Japanese wrestling will be part of this year’s class of WWE Hall of Famers, it has been claimed.

    Contrary to previous years, which have seen WWE announce inductees in the months prior to WrestleMania, the promotion has waited very late this year.

    Yesterday, WWE confirmed that Rey Mysterio will be part of this year’s class, making him the third active Superstar to be inducted (behind Ric Flair in 2008, and Bill Goldberg in 2018.)

    The Great Muta

    Japanese wrestling legend The Great Muta will be joining Rey as part of this year’s Hall of Fame, according to PW Insider.

    Muta, aka Keiji Muto, recently finished his wrestling career, losing to Masahiro Chono at a Pro Wrestling NOAH event last month.

    Despite Muto’s success across various promotions both in his native Japan and internationally, the four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion never competed in WWE.

    For his retirement tour, WWE allowed Shinsuke Nakamura to compete in a match against Muta, which at the time was reported as part of a “trade-off” between WWE & NOAH.

    There is no word on who will be inducting the legendary wrestler into the Hall of Fame.

    Who Else Is In?

    More inductees are expected to be announced in due time, though details are scarce as to who will be going into the Hall of Fame.

    Trish Stratus who was inducted in 2013, said last month that Victoria and Impact Wrestling Knockouts World Champion Mickie James both deserve the nod this year.

    It is believed that Batista will also be inducted this year, after withdrawing from the 2020 class due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Mick Foley has said he has been contacted about inducting someone into the Hall of Fame this year, but has not said who.

    WWE Hall of Fame: Latest Update on Plans for This Year’s Ceremony

  • GCW Opposing AEW’s Fight Forever Trademark in Settlement Negotiations

    GCW Opposing AEW’s Fight Forever Trademark in Settlement Negotiations

    Fight Forever, the much-anticipated console video game has yet to hit shelves, and Game Changer Wrestling may have played a role in this.

    AEW: Fight Forever was first announced in late 2020 and will mark the promotion’s first foray into the world of console gaming.

    Tony Khan’s promotion has two other games, AEW Elite: GM, and AEW Casino: Double or Nothing, both of which are available on mobile devices.

    Fight Forever Dispute

    During last weekend’s post-AEW Revolution media scrum, Tony Khan indicated that the game was finished, but stopped short of giving a release date.

    Now, close to one week later, we still have no word on when the game will launch and GCW may have played a role in the holdup.

    Paperwork filed with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office reveals that GCW is formally opposing AEW’s registration of its “Fight Forever” trademark.

    The two sides are said to be in settlement talks, with Michael Dockins, who has aided wrestlers in both companies with trademarks, representing GCW.

    GCW did host their own Fight Forever event in January 2021, which was a 24-hour event with zero fans due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

    The show’s purpose was to highlight indie wrestling during the pandemic, and GCW filed a trademark on the Fight Forever term last year.

    AEW: Fight Forever

    With an eight-digit investment into their gaming department (at least $10 million), a lot is riding on the success of Fight Forever.

    For many wrestlers in the All-Elite promotion, the game will mark their first time being a playable character in a game, as opposed to a CAW.

    The game will feature wrestling game staples, including singles matches, tag matches, ladder matches, and battle royales, as well as more unique match types including the Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch and Intergender wrestling.

    At this time, there is still no word on when the game will be released.

    AEW Working On Video Game Projects Other than Fight Forever
  • Edge Names Former WWE Universal Champion the “Rated-R Superstar of Now”

    Edge Names Former WWE Universal Champion the “Rated-R Superstar of Now”

    Edge may have established himself as the ‘Rated-R Superstar’ but he now believes that a current WWE Superstar is deserving of the moniker.

    In late 2005, Edge debuted his nickname as the Rated-R Superstar, and alongside Lita would perform more and more headline-grabbing actions on TV.

    Perhaps the most infamous came in January 2006, when Edge and Lita had a ‘live-sex celebration’ that was interrupted by both Ric Flair and John Cena

    The Rated-R Superstar of Now

    In 2021, Edge, just over a year after his return from retirement, began a feud with Seth Rollins, with the two men trading victories.

    That feud saw Edge win at that year’s Summerslam, while Rollins would get his win back during an episode of SmackDown.

    In the rubber match, Edge would return to Hell in a Cell, besting Rollins inside the barbaric structure at Crown Jewel 2021.

    Speaking on the latest episode of the After The Bell podcast, Edge heaped praise on Rollins, calling him worthy of the Rated R moniker.

    “we’re so damn similar. We look at things in a very similar way. You know, he’s carved his own path.

    “To me if I look at it, and if I make the comparisons to rosters of yesteryear, like he is the Rated-R Superstar of now, he is firmly his own thing.”

    Edge.

    Continuing the Feud

    Edge and Seth Rollins haven’t faced off in years but that doesn’t mean that a fourth match between the pair could not happen.

    On the show, Edge explained that he remains open to a match against the former Universal Champion.

    “Seth Rollins is a guy that we’ll never fully be through with each other.

    “I just you know, to be honest anytime I can get in there with him I know what it feels like we both know what feels like the minute we touched I was like ‘Ooh okay, all right, we got something here. So hell yeah, I mean I do that in a heartbeat,’ you know, we had a trilogy that doesn’t mean can’t be more.”

    Edge.

    If Edge is planning a rematch, then the window of time is running out, as the Hall of Famer teased last year that he will be retiring the next time WWE comes to Canada in 2023.

    Edge Reflects On The Generations Of Legends He’s Worked With Throughout His WWE Career

    h/t – Inside the Ropes

  • Bayley Proves She’s Been “Studying” Lita’s Strengths & Weaknesses for Decades

    Bayley Proves She’s Been “Studying” Lita’s Strengths & Weaknesses for Decades

    Damage CTRL’s Bayley will achieve a lifelong dream when she faces Lita at WrestleMania 39, and this is a match the Role Model has been preparing for decades.

    On this week’s Raw, a six-woman tag-team match was made official for WrestleMania 39, pitting new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Lita and Becky Lynch, as well as Trish Stratus, against Damage CTRL.

    During an edition of the Broken Skull Sessions, Bayley named Lita as her dream opponent from any era of wrestling.

    Studying

    Before becoming the heel Role Model we know today, Bayley was WWE’s premiere Super-Fan, and this wasn’t just her character.

    A lifelong WWE fan, Bayley grew up watching Lita, and (according to the former SmackDown Women’s Champion) knows her weaknesses.

    Taking to Twitter, Bayley shared an essay she wrote in her youth, showing that she has been studying the WWE Hall of Famer for decades.

    Instead of returning from a career-threatening neck injury in March 2003 as young Bayley had hoped, Lita would return to action that September.

    WrestleMania 39

    This year’s WrestleMania will be an especially special one for Bayley, and now just because she’s facing her hero on the card.

    Bayley hasn’t competed at WrestleMania since 2020, as she missed last year’s event due to an ACL injury that forced her to miss over a year of action.

    For 2021, Bayley was simply not used for a match, which angered fans given how much work she’d done during the crowd-less Pandemic era.

    Instead, Bayley had an on-stage segment where she was attacked by the Bella Twins.

    Given that WrestleMania 36 in 2020 took place without live fans, Bayley’s most recent match at WrestleMania with a crowd was back in 2019.

    Bayley Reveals Additional Stars She Wanted In Damage CTRL
  • The Usos Reach New Milestone in WWE Tag Team History

    The Usos Reach New Milestone in WWE Tag Team History

    Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos are back on the same page and have reached another milestone in the annals of tag-team history.

    At WWE Royal Rumble 2023, Jey refused to attack Sami Zayn, seemingly leaving the Bloodline and raising questions about the future of The Usos.

    During this week’s Raw, Jey reunited with Jimmy and the rest of the Bloodline by attacking Sami Zayn.

    New Milestone

    Since WWE Money in the Bank in July 2021, The Usos have dominated as the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions.

    Last May, the brothers defeated then-Raw Tag Team Champions RK-Bro to unify the titles, though WWE has since allowed the titles to be defended separately.

    This week, The Usos (already the longest-reigning Tag Team Champions in history) reached 600 days of this latest reign as SmackDown Tag Team Champions.

    If you count the combined number of days The Usos have held tag gold in WWE, the brothers have dominated for 1,527 days.

    The End?

    The Usos may have held the SmackDown Tag Team titles for 600 days (and counting) in their latest reign with the Championships, but will they reach 700?

    It has been reported (though not confirmed by WWE) that the plan is for the brothers to defend their Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania 39 against Zayn and Kevin Owens.

    There have been calls by some for the match to headline Night One of the event, given the popularity of the storyline featuring Zayn and the Bloodline.

    Jimmy Uso Praises Ava Raine & Says She is Ready to Represent The Bloodline
  • WWE To Begin Announcing 2023 Hall of Fame Inductees Today (Report)

    WWE To Begin Announcing 2023 Hall of Fame Inductees Today (Report)

    Fans won’t have to wait much longer to learn who will be inducted into this year’s Hall of Fame, it has been claimed.

    Since 1993, WWE has celebrated wrestlers and icons of the industry with their Hall of Fame, with the first recipient being Andre the Giant.

    WWE also has a celebrity wing of their Hall of Fame as well as the Warrior Award which was introduced in 2015.

    2023 Hall of Fame

    Unlike previous years, WWE has been in no hurry to announce inductees into this year’s Hall of Fame.

    At this point in the calendar, WWE would typically have most, if not all, inductees announced, but so far, nobody has been confirmed for this year’s class.

    According to Wrestle Votes, inductees will be announced later today, given that we are now three weeks away from the ceremony.

    Who’s In This Year?

    While nobody has been publicly confirmed by WWE, there’s no shortage of names rumored to be going into the Hall of Fame this year.

    It has been reported that former World Champion Dave Batista will be headlining this year’s class, after withdrawing from the 2020 class.

    The Animal withdrew given the Covid-19 pandemic, as 2020’s class were bundled with the 2021 class two years ago.

    While some felt that 2022 would be the Animal’s time, the ceremony was (rightly) headlined by The Undertaker.

    Last month, Ric Flair shared his belief that the Midnight Express should be inducted, calling the iconic faction a “great team.”

    Trish Stratus who was inducted in 2013, said last month that Victoria and Impact Wrestling Knockouts World Champion Mickie James both deserve the nod this year.

    John Morrison Thinks Hall of Fame Is ‘Political And Made Up’
  • WWE In Talks to Host Australia Stadium Supershow (Report)

    WWE In Talks to Host Australia Stadium Supershow (Report)

    The Superstars of WWE could be heading down under in due time for a stadium event in Australia.

    In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it is reported that the state government of Western Australia is “negotiating” with WWE to run a major stadium show.

    Dave Meltzer writes that if successful, the likely city for the event would be Perth, which recently hosted a UFC show.

    UFC shows outside the U.S. are, in essence, local governments bringing in UFC for tourism or other reasons, and WWE would bring a ton of attraction to Perth.

    WWE in Australia

    While Sydney may be approximately 10,000 miles from WWE’s headquarters in Stamford, the promotion has a solid history with Australia.

    In 2002, over 56,000 fans filled Colonial Stadium for WWE’s Global Warning event, which saw The Rock defeat Triple H and Brock Lesnar to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship in the main event.

    It would be over 14 years later that WWE would have taped content in Australia, filming matches for NXT in December 2016 that would air the next month.

    70,000 fans packed the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2018 for Super ShowDown, and WWE has done several untelevised tours of Australia, the most recent being in 2019.

    Homecoming

    If this show goes ahead, it will be a homecoming for many of the Superstars in NXT and on the main roster.

    On the main roster, recently returned Superstars Emma and Bronson Reed call Australia home, as does 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble winner Rhea Ripley.

    NXT is also home to some exceptional Australian talent, including Duke Hudson, Xyon Quinn, Indi Hartwell, and Grayson Waller.

    WWE Secures New Television and Streaming Deal in Australia
  • Latest On Ronda Rousey’s Injury – Recovery Time & WrestleMania 39 (Report)

    Latest On Ronda Rousey’s Injury – Recovery Time & WrestleMania 39 (Report)

    Ronda Rousey’s plans for WWE WrestleMania 39 remain uncertain, with the former Raw and SmackDown Women’s Champion still out with an injury.

    During last week’s SmackDown, Rousey appeared in a sling as she accompanied Shayna Baszler for the latter’s match with Tegan Nox.

    While some had initially believed the injury was just part of the storyline as Baszler and Rousey had brawled with Nox & Natalya, it has been clarified that she is legitimately hurt.

    The Injury

    It has been reported that Rousey’s injury is actually a reaggravated injury that she suffered years earlier.

    In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reports that Rousey is believed to be dealing with a “hairline fracture.”

    Meltzer added that the injury occurred during a training session and not from anything physical that transpired on TV or at a WWE live event.

    Typically, a hairline fracture takes a few weeks to fully recover from but can require surgery in rare cases.

    WrestleMania 39 Plans

    This injury could not come at a worse time given that Rousey and WWE are now just 22 days away from WrestleMania 39.

    As one of the biggest mainstream stars on WWE’s roster, Rousey was always booked to be part of the show.

    In his report, Meltzer states that the plan remains for Rousey to compete for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships alongside Baszler next month.

    There is the possibility that WWE Women’s Tag Champions Lita and Becky Lynch will have to compete twice at WrestleMania, as they have been confirmed for a six-woman tag-team match.

    WWE Changed Bianca Belair’s WrestleMania Plans Due to Ronda Rousey
  • Former AEW Star to Make Return on Upcoming Dynamite

    Former AEW Star to Make Return on Upcoming Dynamite

    A former name from All Elite Wrestling will make his return to the promotion next week, Tony Khan has confirmed.

    2022 saw several names depart the All-Elite promotion, the majority of which having signed three-year deals with the company upon its launch in 2019.

    Of course, the biggest loss for AEW last year was Cody Rhodes, who has since become WWE’s top babyface and possibly the next World Champion.

    Stu Grayson

    In May of last year, it was announced that Stu Grayson had left AEW, after he and the promotion failed to come to terms over a new deal.

    In later reports, it was reported that a difference over money had been a stumbling block in negotiations and that a lack of consistent TV time was also a factor.

    While Grayson is no longer under contract, the Dark order alum will make his return to AEW next week as part of a six-man tag-team match.

    Grayson will team with Evil Uno and ‘Hangman’ Adam Page to face the Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, and ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli.

    AEW President announced Grayson’s return on Twitter.

    It shouldn’t be too surprising that Grayson is back, as at the time of his release, it was reported that the door had not shut on his return.

    Next Week’s Dynamite

    The return of Stu Grayson will be just part of a stacked AEW Dynamite, which will be the promotion’s first Dynamite in Winnipeg.

    AEW All-Atlantic Champion Orange Cassidy will face Jeff Jarrett to determine the first AEW International Champion.

    New AEW Trios Champions the House of Black will face The Elite and the Jericho Appreciation Society in title action.

    AEW TBS Champion Jade Cargill will put her title and her strike on the line against a yet-to-be-named opponent, while AEW World Champion MJF will have his ‘re-Bar Mitzvah.’

    Evil Uno Opens Up About Stu Grayson’s AEW Release
  • GUNTHER Weighs Up The Pros & Cons Of Celebrity Wrestling Matches

    GUNTHER Weighs Up The Pros & Cons Of Celebrity Wrestling Matches

    Are matches involving celebrities a good or bad thing for the world of professional wrestling?

    While other promotions do use the occasional outside name, nobody does it quite like WWE, as the promotion often uses celebrities around WrestleMania season.

    In recent years, Bad Bunny, Johnny Knoxville, and Logan Paul (who has since signed with WWE) have all competed at the Showcase of the Immortals.

    Pros and Cons

    To many, celebrities stepping into the ring is an inherently bad thing, as it takes away from a full-time member of the roster.

    Speaking on Superstar Crossover, GUNTHER noted that he understands the frustration from stars who don’t get to wrestle on the card.

    “Somebody that wrestles all year round, and then comes WrestleMania, and it’s somebody who is always working and it’s their drive of ‘I want to be in the big spectacle,’ and some spots won’t be available because we have celebrities come in.”

    GUNTHER.

    The reigning Intercontinental Champion added though that these celebrities do make the effort, and that they bring a lot of good attention to WWE.

    “It helps our business in general to generate way more attention. The only thing I think is important is, whoever comes in from the outside and takes part in what we do, they have to have a passion for it and has to take it as serious to be part of our product.“

    GUNTHER.

    The Imperium leader name-dropped Logan Paul and Bad Bunny as two key examples of the benefit of celebrities stepping in the ring.

    GUNTHER went so far as to claim that Paul (who has competed four times for WWE,) is taking risks he would be hesitant to take himself.

    GUNTHER at WrestleMania

    The reigning Intercontinental Champion does not have to worry about losing his spot at WrestleMania 39, which will be his first WrestleMania.

    On tonight’s SmackDown, a five-way match will determine the Austrian’s challenger for WrestleMania.

    The match will consist of Drew McIntyre, Sheamus, Karrion Kross, LA Knight, and Xavier Woods, who is replacing the injured Kofi Kingston.

    GUNTHER To Receive Huge Main Event World Championship Push in 2023?

    h/t – Fightful

  • John Cena Gives Guest Seminar At Cody Rhodes & QT Marshall’s Nightmare Factory

    John Cena Gives Guest Seminar At Cody Rhodes & QT Marshall’s Nightmare Factory

    John Cena is on the road to WrestleMania 39, and the 16-time World Champion made a stop this week to help the next generation of wrestlers.

    During this week’s Raw, Cena made his return to WWE and after some goading, accepted Austin Theory’s offer for a United States Championship match at WrestleMania.

    This will mark Cena’s first match with WWE since teaming with Kevin Owens to defeat Sami Zayn and Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns in December 2022.

    Guest Speaker

    As a leading man in Hollywood (and now with his new WWE commitments) John Cena is an exceptionally busy man.

    Despite his schedule, the GOAT made time to visit the Nightmare Factory training facility, run by Cody Rhodes and AEW’s QT Marshall.

    In a tweet from the account, Cena can be seen with several of the facility’s trainees.

    https://twitter.com/NF_Training/status/1633984826897313792

    The End of John Cena?

    John Cena will always be one of WWE’s biggest stars, but it is hardly a secret that he is in the latter stages of his wrestling career.

    Cena has wrestled just three televised matches in the past three years, as his claim that ‘You Can’t See Me’ has become painfully true for fans.

    Taking to Twitter after his return on Raw this week, Cena said that for the first time, he felt like this could be the last time he makes a return to WWE.

    It’s unclear how many appearances on WWE programming Cena will make before his match with Theory at WrestleMania 39 this April.

  • Update on Why AEW Is Changing the Name of All-Atlantic Championship

    Update on Why AEW Is Changing the Name of All-Atlantic Championship

    AEW’s decision to change the name of the All-Atlantic Championship has been a long time in the making.

    During this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, Tony Khan announced that the All-Atlantic title will be renamed the AEW International Championship next week.

    On next week’s Dynamite, Orange Cassidy, the current AEW All-Atlantic Champion, will face Jeff Jarrett to determine the AEW International Champion.

    The Decision

    The decision to rebrand the AEW All-Atlantic Championship was made months ago, according to Fightful Select.

    In their report, it is noted that Warner Bros asked for something big in order to cross-promote Shazam: Fury of the Gods, which releases March 17.

    Tony Khan was the one who had the idea of doing a “level up” of the championship to the International Championship.

    A new championship title was created months ago to prepare specifically for this week and next week in order to promote the new film.

    Shazam: Fury of the Gods is the sequel to 2019’s Shazam, which tells the story of Billy Batson and his adoptive siblings, who an ancient wizard gives god-like superpowers.

    Cross-Promotion

    Next week’s reveal of the AEW International Championship to promote Shazam: Fury of the Gods is hardly the first time AEW has dabbled in cross-promotion.

    AEW hosted a dragon-themed edition of AEW Dynamite in August last year, to cross-promote the Game of Thrones spinoff series House of the Dragon.

    Fightful reports that AEW “is always excited to do the cross-promotional work” and attempts to have newsworthy items in association with them.

    AEW also wanted to put something newsworthy on the Winnipeg show and increase the prestige of a title they put on television often in prime positions.

    AEW Dynamite Results (2/22/23): Orange Cassidy Retains All-Atlantic Title Over Wheeler Yuta, Tony Khan and Adam Cole Make ‘Major’ Announcement
  • Gable Steveson Calls Return to the Olympics “The Top of My List”

    Gable Steveson Calls Return to the Olympics “The Top of My List”

    Gable Steveson’s career in WWE will likely face another delay given the young Superstar’s plans to return to the Olympics.

    In 2021, weeks after winning Gold in Tokyo, Steveson signed with WWE putting rumors to bed that he could join the NFL, UFC, or even AEW.

    That same year, Steveson was drafted to Monday Night Raw, making him the first person in history to be drafted before having a professional match.

    The Olympics

    Steveson has been with WWE for close to two years, but he is yet to wrestle a match for the promotion.

    In an interview with MMAFighting.com, Steveson said that he plans on competing at the Summer Games in Paris, France next year.

    “I’m 22 and next year I’ll be 23 at the Olympic games. It’s definitely a blessing to be able to call yourself an Olympic gold medalist and to be able to have the WWE fans recognize you with that, but in my eyes, there’s always a next and there’s always a bigger show to accomplish. WWE is another show to accomplish, but being a two-time Olympic gold medalist is also on the top of my list.”

    Gable Steveson.

    It has been reported that WWE intended to ‘fast track’ Steveson to the main roster, but he has not shown the level of progress in training that was expected of him.

    Steveson’s one and only offensive maneuver in WWE came at WrestleMania 38, when he suplexed (fellow Olympian) Chad Gable.

    Debut

    If Steveson goes ahead with plans to wrestle in Paris, then it’s unlikely he will be wrestling for WWE before then, and risk an injury.

    That doesn’t mean that Steveson could not show up on WWE TV, and in the interview, said he feels he is close to being on programming.

    “It will be coming really, really soon. And when I mean really, really soon, probably after [WrestleMania] or just a little bit after that.”

    Gable Steveson.

    There are currently no reports that reveal if WWE has plans for Steveson to be used on-screen in any capacity anytime soon.

    Kurt Angle Shares Advice For Gable Steveson Ahead Of WWE Debut

    h/t – NoDQ.com

  • WWE Will Be in “Incredible Amount of Trouble” If Gambling Plans Fail (Report)

    WWE Will Be in “Incredible Amount of Trouble” If Gambling Plans Fail (Report)

    WWE is taking a huge risk with their new gambling proposals which would allow fans to make more and bigger bets on the matches.

    Despite being scripted entertainment, WWE does allow some small bets on matches, and has teamed with popular services including DraftKings and FanDuel.

    This week, it was reported that WWE is speaking with State Gambling Regulators to legalize betting on results.

    Trouble

    While fans do not know the results of matches for certain until they see the bout itself, there are people within WWE who know the results well ahead of time.

    Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer explained that WWE could be risking it all if the match results leak under their proposed gambling initiative.

    “If they do this, legitimately, they can’t tell anyone. It’s not like you’re going to sneak around the system. There’s going to be safeguards and everything. The minute they tell people [the results] and it gets out… they’d be in an incredible amount of trouble for gaming violations. That’s nothing to mess with. They literally can’t do that. So the talent will not be able to know their finishes at least in the stuff that’s being gambled on.”

    “The minute they tell people [the results] and it gets out… they’d be in an incredible amount of trouble for gaming violations.”

    Dave Meltzer.

    Meltzer confirmed rumors that WWE Superstars would not be told the results of their own matches until the last minute, which could cause serious problems backstage.

    “I think it is limited to only the biggest matches, which actually makes it even funnier. Because let’s just say you’re planning a title change. You’re not going to tell the champion, or the challenger about the title change until about an hour or two before the match starts.”

    Dave Meltzer.

    Bryan Alvarez jokingly wished WWE good luck the next time they want Brock Lesnar to wrestle without telling him the result of his own match until the last minute.

    Surprise

    WWE’s gambling plans have taken fans by surprise, as well as those in the company.

    Ironically, these plans were kept a closely guarded secret in WWE, but have since leaked to the public. Meltzer explained:

    “This surprised a lot of people, including the company. Because this wasn’t something that people knew WWE was doing, trying to get this stuff done. But what I’m guessing, more than guessing, is that Draft Kings wants to sponsor them. And Draft Kings does sponsor WWE, and they do sponsor AEW as well. And if WWE gets this, would AEW then follow?”

    Meltzer chalked up these big plans to WWE’s CEO Nick Khan.

    “This is Nick Khan’s baby. He’s a sports guy. And there’s a lot of money in sports gambling.”

    Dave Meltzer.
    WWE in Talks With State Gambling Regulators to Legalize Betting On Match Results (Report)

    For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.

  • WWE Once Fined Ric Flair $5,000 for Not Taking a Picture

    WWE Once Fined Ric Flair $5,000 for Not Taking a Picture

    Ric Flair is one of the most recognized professional wrestlers in history, but he will take photos when it is right for him.

    In 2005, Flair won the Intercontinental Championship from Carlito at that year’s Unforgiven Pay-Per-View, marking Flair’s one and only reign with the gold.

    This win would also be Flair’s first taste of singles gold in WWE in 13 years after previously holding the WWE Championship twice in 1992.

    Being Fined

    Ric Flair was on WWE’s roster for years, and it shouldn’t be a surprise that the ‘Dirtiest Player in the Game’ got in trouble backstage at times.

    Speaking on the latest episode of his To Be the Man podcast, Ric recalled being fined for failing the Wellness Policy.

    “I got popped for a steroid test. [John] Lauriniaitis. I said I said ‘I got a prescription.’ He said ‘the doctor said it doesn’t work on a guy your age.’ I said ‘I’m 55 years old wrestling 25-year-old kids!’ And he said ‘you’re fined 40 grand but you’re not going home. Be at work every day I’m just not going to pay you for a month.’”

    Ric Flair.

    Five-Grand Fine

    Being fined for his Wellness Policy violation was hardly the only time Flair would get in trouble with WWE.

    During the show, Flair recalled his Intercontinental Championship win, and being fined almost immediately after his victory.

    “They still don’t have a [studio] picture of me with the Intercontinental belt. It drives them crazy, right? I said ‘I’m not taking a picture with the Intercontinental belt’ and so they fined me five thousand dollars. And I told them. ‘When you guys are so starved for talent, that you’ve got to fine a 55-year-old guy for not taking a picture with the Intercontinental belt, you’ve got a developmental problem with talent.

    “I said ‘I’m not taking a picture with the Intercontinental belt’ and so they fined me five thousand dollars.”

    Ric Flair.

    When co-host Conrad Thompson asked whether the 16-time World Champion felt the IC title was a step-down, Flair refuted the idea.

    “No no no. It wasn’t that. I just didn’t want to take off my shirt any more than I had to. I’m talking about vanity. It wasn’t the belt, I mean that was awesome having the belt. That’s a misconception. I just didn’t want to take off my shirt any more than I had to. Man, I was ducking and diving. Paying Kevin Dunn off to shoot me at different angles.”

    “I just didn’t want to take off my shirt any more than I had to.”

    Ric Flair.

    Flair’s 155-day reign would end in February 2006 when he dropped the title to Shelton Benjamin on Monday Night Raw.

    Ric Flair on His Last Match: ‘It Was The Sh*ts’

    For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.

  • Latest on Brian Cage’s Contract Status with AEW – WWE Interest

    Latest on Brian Cage’s Contract Status with AEW – WWE Interest

    Brian Cage’s time with All Elite Wrestling will seemingly be coming to an end soon enough, despite the promotion’s best efforts.

    In January, a report from Fightful Select noted that Cage’s AEW contract is set to expire in a matter of weeks, but that there was the possibility it could be extended.

    Cage originally signed his AEW contract in 2020 with a two-year deal, but his option year was picked up by the promotion.

    Running Out of Time

    In its update, Fightful Select reports that AEW was hoping to extend Cage’s current deal due to the time he was injured, which would have made his deal last until the end of June.

    Some of the time that was supposed added to Cage’s contract is actually because Cage was signed while injured after leaving Impact Wrestling.

    Cage, a former Impact Wrestling World Champion, “pushed back” on that idea, and said he was “interested in exploring free agency.”

    Fightful was told that Cage has had some “heavy hitters” within AEW in his corner of late, and that Chris Jericho has been putting over his work.

    The head of the Jericho Appreciation Society has spoken publicly about his desire that Cage re-signs with AEW.

    In 2021, Cage reportedly had heat backstage in AEW after his wife Melissa bashed the promotion on social media and said her husband should be used more.

    WWE Interest

    In January, it was reported that “feelers” from WWE had tried to gauge if Cage would have any interest in signing with the promotion.

    Fightful Select has been told that WWE has maintained an interest in Cage in the event he becomes a free agent, and is open to having conversations.

    AEW and Cage have agreed to work together through the end of March, specifically the ROH Supercard of Honor Pay-Per-View.

    Brian Cage Discusses AEW’s Creative Process
  • Ric Flair is “Totally Against” MJF Throwing Drink on Young Fan

    Ric Flair is “Totally Against” MJF Throwing Drink on Young Fan

    Ric Flair may have spent much of his wrestling career as a dastardly heel, but even he knows when a line has been crossed.

    At AEW Revolution 2023, MJF retained his AEW World Championship against Bryan Danielson, winning the first Iron Man match in AEW history.

    During the match, MJF took a beverage (believed to be Tequila) from a fan and threw it on a child sitting in the crowd.

    Many have called this a step too far for MJF who has earned praise in the past for his dedication to his heel-wrestling persona.

    Totally Against

    Ric Flair may be no angel (as fans learned from VICE’s Dark Side of the Ring) but he believes that MJF’s actions at Revolution were not warranted.

    On his To Be The Man podcast, co-host Conrad Thompson asked Flair for his thoughts on MJF’s actions.

    “It’s cheap heat. You want to do something to get heat and get the people excited that won’t hurt anybody? You cut yourself so deep that when you swing your hair, you throw blood all over them. I used to do it all the time when I had long hair. Then they feel like they’re part of the action.”

    Ric Flair.

    While Flair did seem to say that last part in jest, he made his stance perfectly clear.

    “I’m totally against throwing anything on a kid.”

    Ric Flair.

    The two-time WWE Hall of Famer said that this sort of behavior would not fly in WWE, the promotion MJF has teased joining next year.

    AEW’s Response

    What happened at Revolution was not an intended part of the show, and both the young fan and their guardian were incredibly upset.

    The fan, Titus, was given AEW merchandise, tickets to this week’s Dynamite, and was able to go backstage at Revolution to meet the wrestlers.

    At the Revolution post-show press conference, AEW President Tony Khan said that he and MJF had a serious talk about the champion’s actions.

    Ric Flair Says He Sees Himself In MJF

    h/t – Wrestling Inc

  • Spoilers on Plans for ROH World Tag Team Championships After Jay Briscoe’s Passing

    Spoilers on Plans for ROH World Tag Team Championships After Jay Briscoe’s Passing

    The future of the Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championships has been made clear after the tragic passing of Jay Briscoe earlier this year.

    In January, Jay died in a car accident minutes from his home in Laurel, Delaware at the age of 38.

    The accident resulted in the death of the driver of the other vehicle, and Jay’s daughters Jayleigh and Grace have both had to undergo surgery.

    ROH World Tag Team Championships

    Since Jay’s passing, Mark Briscoe has continued to be promoted as an ROH World Tag Team Champion during his appearances on AEW and ROH programming.

    During this week’s taping of AEW Rampage (which is set to air on March 10,) Mark announced that a ‘Reach for the Sky’ Ladder match will decide the next champions.

    The match is set to occur at Ring of Honor’s upcoming pay-per-view, Supercard of Honor on Friday, March 31, 2023.

    It was also confirmed that former AEW World Tag Team Champions the Lucha Bros. will be part of this match.

    The Briscoes

    Considered to be the greatest tag team in the history of Ring of Honor, the Briscoes wowed fans for years with their no-nonsense style.

    Together, Mark and Jay became 13-time ROH World Tag Team Champions, with their most recent win coming at Final Battle last December.

    The pair also held the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championships at one time with Bully Ray, and are seven-time ROH Year-End award winners.

    In addition to Jay’s two reigns as ROH World Champion, the brothers were inducted into the ROH Hall of Fame in 2022.

    Matt Hardy Reflects on First Match with The Briscoes
  • NXT’s Sarray And WWE Part Ways (Report)

    NXT’s Sarray And WWE Part Ways (Report)

    Sarray’s tenure with WWE as part of the NXT brand has come to an end, according to the latest report from Tokyo Sports.

    Sarray signed with WWE in 2020, but her debut was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and she would not debut until March 2021.

    When NXT became NXT 2.0, she was given a gimmick where she would transform from a pigtailed schoolgirl to a more glamorous appearance thanks to a medallion.

    The Japanese Superstar’s most recent match came in August of last year, when she lost to then-NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose.

    Leaving WWE

    Sarray will hold a press conference on March 13, to announce the resumption of her wrestling career in Japan

    Her return match will take place at a ‘Sareee-ISM’ event on May 16 at Shinjuku Face.

    The Sarreee part of the show’s name comes from Sarray’s pre-WWE ring name.

    Saraeee Before WWE

    Training under the tutelage of Kyoko Inoue, Sareee would make her wrestling debut in April 2011 aged 15, as part of the World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana promotion.

    After six years with the promotion, Sareee left to join Seadlinnng in February 2017, but would leave the promotion later that year.

    Immediately after leaving Seadlinnng, Sareee announced her return to Diana, and make her in-ring return that October, losing to Kaoru Ito.

    Despite a clavicle injury suffered in the match that should have seen her out for a year, Sareee made a John-Cena-esque recovery and was back after three months.

    Sareee is a one-time WWPWD Tag Team Champion (with Jaguar Yokota) and two-time WWPWD World Champion.

    WWE Talent Misses NXT Despite Being Advertised
  • What Happened with Powerhouse Hobbs After AEW Dynamite Went Off the Air?

    What Happened with Powerhouse Hobbs After AEW Dynamite Went Off the Air?

    New AEW TNT Champion Powerhouse Hobbs had some choice words for the fans after this week’s episode of Dynamite went off the air.

    In the main event of the show, Hobbs dethroned Wardlow to capture the TNT title, marking Hobbs’ first championship as part of AEW.

    The Powerhouse had earned an opportunity at the gold the previous week by winning the Face of the Revolution Ladder match.

    After Dynamite

    Hobbs defeated Wardlow in a Falls Count Anywhere match, albeit thanks to the assist of QT Marshall.

    Marshall attacked Wardlow with a steel chair and a low blow, and he and Hobbs would double power-bomb the former champion to end the match.

    After the show, Marshall told the Sacramento crowd that he and Hobbs were going to go celebrate in a real city, before handing the mic to the Champion.

    Hobbs shared the sentiment, saying that he was going to get out of Sacramento and head back to Oakland.

    The new AEW TNT Champion called his win new chapter of the Book of Hobbs and told the crowd to kiss his “black a**” before leaving.

    TNT Championship

    This may be Hobbs’ first reign as TNT Champion, but the title belt he won wasn’t the one Wardlow had been holding.

    Prior to his title loss, Wardlow informed fans that his rental car had been broken into and the TNT Championship had been one of the items stolen.

    Wardlow also had his ring gear stolen, which is why the now-former champion was wearing a makeshift attire for his title defense against Hobbs.

    Powerhouse Hobbs: “A Personal Goal Of Mine Is To Be The First African American AEW World Champion”
  • Saraya Pulling for AEW to Introduce New Championships

    Saraya Pulling for AEW to Introduce New Championships

    Saraya may not have been with AEW as long as others on the roster, but she has big plans for new championship gold to be introduced.

    Later this month, the former WWE Divas Champion will reach her six-month anniversary with AEW, after debuting on last year’s Grand Slam: Dynamite.

    In that time, Saraya has returned to in-ring competition, turned heel, and challenged for the AEW Women’s World Championship.

    New Championships

    It was at last weekend’s Revolution event that Saraya came up short in her pursuit of the AEW Women’s World title match, her first championship match since the Summer of 2016.

    In addition to being the first-ever WWE NXT Women’s Champion, the former Paige is a two-time WWE Divas Champion and plans on adding AEW Women’s Tag Gold to her collection.

    When AEW celebrated International Women’s Day on Twitter, Saraya said the perfect celebration would be to introduce Women’s Tag Team Championships.

    In recent weeks, Saraya has been aligned with Toni Storm, and added Ruby Soho to their clique at Revolution 2023.

    Tag Team Titles

    AEW Women’s Tag Team Titles haven’t been introduced yet, but it is something that has been on the mind of Tony Khan.

    Speaking on the AEW Double or Nothing 2022 media call, Khan was asked by AJ Awesome about the possibility of AEW Women’s Tag Team Titles.

    “Yeah, I have (thought about them). We have a lot of great wrestlers in AEW and a lot of great women’s and men’s wrestlers in AEW. I have thought about doing those and as we continue to expand the roster and hopefully get more teams and get some people who have been injury and on the shelf, back, that would be something I would love to do in the future.”

    Tony Khan.

    Neither Khan nor the AEW account has responded to Saraya’s tweet at this time.

    Saraya Names Free Agent She Wants To See In AEW

    h/t – Fightful

  • WWE Superstars “Intentionally Avoided” Vince McMahon Backstage at Raw

    WWE Superstars “Intentionally Avoided” Vince McMahon Backstage at Raw

    Vince McMahon’s return to backstage during this week’s Raw did not sit well with some members of the WWE roster, it has been claimed.

    During this week’s Raw, McMahon was backstage at the event, marking his first appearance behind the scenes since his July 2022 retirement.

    Upon his return to WWE in January, McMahon and the promotion assured talent that he was back to facilitate a sale, and was not looking to regain control over creative.

    Testing the Waters

    McMahon’s appearance backstage came as a surprise to the vast majority of people working at this week’s Raw in Boston, as his return had not been announced.

    Fightful Select reports that one anonymous WWE higher-up “felt personally” that McMahon was “testing the waters” by showing up this week.

    It is believed that now that McMahon’s return hasn’t sparked a massive backlash from the roster, that he could be showing up more in the coming months.

    The report added that after making his return backstage, “many expect him to be seen at other upcoming events.”

    Fightful reached out to WWE in an official capacity but did not get a statement on Vince’s appearance at the show. 

    Intentionally Avoided

    When McMahon’s return to WWE was confirmed in January, the roster were far from pleased, with morale taking a serious tumble.

    Fightful’s report added that a few talents “intentionally avoided associating” with McMahon during his return at Raw.

    While they didn’t want to see him on this occasion, these talents were of the belief that they will likely have to deal with McMahon in the future.

    Vince McMahon’s is Doing “More Than They’re Letting On” After WWE Raw Visit (Report)

  • AEW TNT Champion Wardlow Robbed – Title, Gear & More Stolen

    AEW TNT Champion Wardlow Robbed – Title, Gear & More Stolen

    Reigning AEW TNT Champion Wardlow has been the victim of a robbery which has resulted in his championship title and other belongings being stolen.

    Wardlow captured the AEW TNT Championship from Samoa Joe at last weekend’s Revolution Pay-Per-View, kicking off the second reign for the powerhouse.

    Joe had dethroned Wardlow to win the title at Full Gear last November, after the former enforcer for MJF first won the gold in July 2022.

    Robbed

    Taking to Twitter, Wardlow shared video footage of his rental car, showing the smashed glass window.

    The TNT Champion explained that all his possessions in the vehicle have been taken, stating:

    “Well, thanks to the person who broke into my rental car and took absolutely everything from me. My TNT Title, my gear, my boots, my whole life, were in those bags. I don’t if this means I’m going to have to beat the sh*t out of Hobbs in these clothes I’m wearing right now, but one way or another I’m going to make my way to Sacramento and we’re going to get this sh*t done. Whoever did do this better thank God I didn’t catch you in the act because your jaw would be as shattered as this glass is.”

    Wardlow is set to defend the TNT Championship against Powerhouse Hobbs during tonight’s edition of AEW Dynamite.

    Hobbs earned an opportunity for the gold by winning the Face of the Revolution Ladder match on last week’s Dynamite.

    AEW President Tony Khan has yet to issue a statement on the matter.

    Wardlow Happy in AEW, but “Never Say Never” About a Future in WWE