SEScoops

Author: Eric Lynch

  • Sheamus Says He Could “Absolutely” Beat UFC Star Conor McGregor

    Former WWE champ Sheamus has made his feelings clear about UFC megastar Conor McGregor in the past and is now back at it. McGregor told him in the past on Twitter that “you will wake up with no teeth and your nose on my mantle,” if the two Irishmen ever fought each other.

    Sheamus, who was sitting down with The Irish Mirror to promote WWE’s upcoming European Tour next month, commented on McGregor again.

    When asked if he would fight McGregor, Sheamus pointed out that they’re in different weight classes, but that he could still “take” the UFC star.

    He was having a go at WWE in these interviews he was doing. The first couple of times I let it go but then I decided to have a bit of craic and banter with him. If someone’s going to have a crack, that’s fine. Would I take Conor McGregor? No, he’s a lot shorter than me. I don’t think we’d be allowed fight—a heavyweight and a lightweight. Would I take him [if I had to]? Absolutely. Course I would. No one could take me. No one’s better than me. I could walk over anyone.

    Related: Conor McGregor, Top Irish WWE Superstar Sheamus Exchange In “Twitter War”

    McGregor will next fight Jose Aldo at UFC 194 on December 12th in Las Vegas.

  • Jim Ross: Cornette Should Be In Hall of Fame, WWE’s Use Of The Dudleys

    WWE Hall of Fame announcer Jim Ross fielded a few new questions in the Q&A section over at JRsBarBQ.com. He discusses how WWE is using the Dudleys, whether Jim Cornette should be in the Hall of Fame or not, and more. Here are some highlights:

    On how WWE is using The Dudley Boyz:

    I happen to like how the Dudley’s are being utilized. Building up the tag team scene in WWE is totally up to mgmt. They can do whatever they choose.

    Why Shelton Benjamin never received a shot at the WWE Title:

    I’d guess it was because we were never able to tap into Sheldon’s charisma because he was an amazing athlete.

    If Jim Cornette should be in the WWE Hall of Fame:

    Jim Cornette is a legit HOFer in any Hall of Fame. I have no idea who would induct JC. That would be his call.

    Related: Jim Cornette Rips Apart Vince McMahon In New Podcast

  • Mick Foley Gives Glowing Review To New Lance Hoyt Documentary

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR4Jmy7UuEE

    WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley recently gave a glowing review to a new documentary on YouTube about wrestler Lance Hoyt. The prject is titled “Bump” and you can watch it above.

    Here’s what Foley had to say of the 8-minute and 26-second film on his Facebook page:

    AN INTERESTING LOOK

    If you have an extra eight minutes in your day, try taking a look at this short documentary about pro-wrestler Lance Hoyt. I watched it last night and was immediately struck by two things: Hoyt’s passion for wrestling – and the film-makers passion for this project. It’s possible that many of you only remember Lance Hoyt as a guy with a bad gimmick in TNA. It’s funny…and sad how long a bad gimmick can stay with you in the minds of fans. I started hearing great things about Hoyt as a wrestler a few years ago – but in my mind, he was still the guy with the bad gimmick. I look at him differently now, after seeing this documentary. You will too. Give it a try.

    The Facebook page for the video describes the film as “a cinematic portrait of pro-wrestler Lance Hoyt.”

  • Two Divas Added To NXT Roster, Austin At Raw, Miz Returning To MTV

    – WWE has added NXT Divas Billie Kay and Peyton Royce to the Divas roster on WWE.com.

    – The Miz will be appearing on an upcoming episode of the show, “Middle of the Night,” which airs on MTV. The Miz first appeared on MTV back in 2001, on the 10th season of their reality television program The Real World.

    – WWE shared this photo on Instagram of Steve Austin preparing to interview Brock Lesnar backstage at Raw:

    https://instagram.com/p/9B5uJdgFNO/

  • John Cena Appearing On ESPN SportsCenter Tuesday Night

    John Cena will be making an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter Tuesday (10/20) night. The appearance will be for WWE’s new weekly segment, hosted by Jonathan Coachman.

    As noted earlier, Cena is taking time off from WWE TV after the Hell In A Cell PPV (10/25) to work on film & TV projects.

    The Coach had this to say about the appearance on Twitter:

    WWE also hyped the ‘breaking news’:

    Related: ESPN SportsCenter to Air A Weekly WWE Segment

  • Possible Raw Spoiler: An NXT Star & An Injured WWE Star Arrive In Dallas

    Tyler Breeze and Erick Rowan were spotted by fans arriving at the Dallas airport last night. There’s no word yet if they’ll be appearing on camera, but they’ll both be at least backstage at Raw tonight.

    We reported earlier today that Breeze is expected to be brought up to the main roster this week, so tonight could be the night. Rowan has been on the injured list since June with a torn bicep.

    We’ll have coverage of tonight’s Raw on SEScoops.com and on our iOS app.

    Ric Flair and The Undertaker, who are both advertised to appear on the show, were also spotted at the Dallas airport:

    https://instagram.com/p/8_v5-NmoA9/

  • WWE & The Texas Lottery Announce Partnership and New Games (Photo)

    WWE and The Texas Lottery issued this press release today, to announce their new partnership and promote some new WWE-themed scratch tickets:

    wwe lottery texas

    “When we found out that WrestleMania 32 is taking place in Dallas, we knew we wanted to be involved,” said Gary Grief, executive director of the Texas Lottery. “We are excited about this opportunity and believe this partnership will be an asset in generating revenue for Texas education.”

    “We’re very excited that two of our close friends – WWE and Texas Lottery – have decided to enter into a partnership,” said Dallas Cowboys Chief Brand Officer Charlotte Jones Anderson. “We’ve built a strong relationship with the Texas Lottery over the years and are encouraged to see WWE replicate the same success as we lead up to hosting WrestleMania 32 at AT&T Stadium on April 3, 2016.”

    “We are proud to partner with the Texas Lottery, a long-standing and valuable Cowboys partner, and help generate substantial funds for educational programs in Texas,” said Stephanie McMahon, WWE Chief Brand Officer. “This new partnership will not only provide fans with a chance to instantly win cash prizes, but an opportunity to win exclusive once-in-a-lifetime WWE experiences.”

    As part of the agreement, the Texas Lottery will be a promotional partner for WrestleMania 32 which includes integration at WrestleMania Axxess – WWE’s four-day, interactive fan festival, presence at WWE live events leading up to WrestleMania, as well as custom digital and social media activations across WWE’s platforms.

    There are a total of five WrestleMania scratch tickets, featuring WWE Superstars and Divas including John Cena®, Seth Rollins®, Undertaker®, Brock Lesnar®, Roman Reigns®, The Bella Twins® and Paige®.

    Fans that do not win instantly can enter their tickets into the promotional second-chance drawings that will be held throughout the duration of the program. Those prizes include:

    VIP WrestleMania Ticket Packages for Two

    Two (2) WrestleMania Tickets.
    Two (2) Tickets to the VIP WrestleMania Pre-Party.
    Two (2) WrestleMania Axxess Tickets with VIP Superstar Autograph Signings.
    Two (2) Tickets to a Private Dinner with WWE Legends.
    Travel and accommodations.

    VIP Trip to WWE’s Performance Center: All Access

    A VIP trip for two (2) to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando. This world-class training facility serves as the home to NXT, the training ground for WWE Superstars and Divas of the future.
    Throughout this day-long immersive experience, winners will tour the facility, interact with NXT Superstars and coaches, watch exclusive live matches and participate in a private NXT live event.
    Autographs, photos and merchandise.
    Travel and accommodations.

    WWE Merchandise

    Replica WWE World Heavyweight Championship Belts.
    Tickets to WrestleMania 32, will go on sale Friday, November 6 at 10 AM Eastern/9 AM Central. WrestleMania 32 will take place Sunday, April 3, 2016 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, TX, and will be broadcast live around the world on WWE Network.

    Over the past seven years, WrestleMania has generated more than half a billion dollars in cumulative economic impact for the cities that have hosted the event. WrestleMania is more than just a one day event; it is a week-long celebration as WWE will take over the Dallas region during WrestleMania Week. In addition to WrestleMania 32, other activities will include: WrestleMania Axxess – WWE’s four-day, interactive fan festival at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center; WWE NXT® at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Arena; the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at American Airlines Center; Monday Night Raw® at American Airlines Center and more than a dozen activities designed to give back to the host community including “Be a STAR®” anti-bullying rallies, hospital visits and Make-A-Wish events. Additional information on these events will be announced in the future at www.wrestlemania.com.

  • CM Punk Memorializes Roddy Piper At Movie Screening

    Despite separating himself from wrestling after leaving WWE in January of 2014, former WWE champion CM Punk made a wrestling-related appearance this weekend.

    Punk paid tribute to WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper by memorializing him at a screening of Piper’s film They Live. Piper passed away on July 31 at the age of 61. Here’s what Punk had to say about the screening on Twitter:

    CM Punk is looking to make his UFC debut in Spring of 2016, after suffering a shoulder injury while training.

    Related: Paul Heyman Talks CM Punk’s UFC Debut, Possibility Of WWE Return Down The Line

  • Jim Cornette Rips Apart Vince McMahon In New Podcast

    Jim Cornette ripped apart Vince McMahon on episode 96 of The Jim Cornette Experience. He went into detail about his thoughts on why Vince McMahon makes amends with so many former talents who parted ways with him on bad terms.

    “People sue him, people walk out on him, people f**k him, people say horrible things about him, and he brings them back, not because it’s best for business, but because it’s best for his f**king ego,” said Cornette. “Vince McMahon has the worst inferiority complex of anybody in history. I say that because he wants to prove that he will do anything with anybody. He will reconcile with anybody, supposedly if it’s best for business, but really so he can get them under his thumb again and he can work with them again. He can prove that they needed him.”

    You can listen to the full podcast here.

    Related: Jim Cornette Shares His Thoughts On Working with Kevin Owens And Sami Zayn

  • Report: Rusev May Be Facing Backlash From WWE Creative

    After suffering a quick loss at the SmackDown tapings, F4WOnline.com now reports that Rusev will have an “interesting” week ahead of him and may face creative backlash. We previously reported that Vince McMahon was not happy that word of Rusev’s engagement to Lana got out, as he feels the news screwed up his TV storylines.

    Related: Dolph Ziggler Possibly Turning Heel Soon Due To Lana/Rusev Engagement News

    Even though WWE knew TMZ would eventually break the news, fans were able to figure it out beforehand by a photo Lana posted on Instagram.

    lana ring

  • Jim Ross: “Storm & Roode Can Help Build A Better WWE,” Working On Autobiography

    WWE Hall of Fame announcer Jim Ross thinks former TNA star James Storm should jump on the opportunity to join WWE. He’s also working on his long-awaited autobiography. Here are some highlights from an entry in his blog where he discusses these subjects:

    On WWE potentially signing James Storm and Bobby Roode:

    I’d encourage James Storm to join WWE if the opportunity is there and not ever have to look back some day and say “What if?’ It’s smart of wWE to retain the services of a guy like storm and even a Bobby Roode to see if they can find their way onto the main roster and to help the younger talents to improve their in ring game. ‘Green’ can’t improve with working primarily with other ‘green’ talent. Guys like Storm and Roode, among others, can help build a better overall WWE brand by being there to work with the rookies. This process will take away some of the sting of not having wrestling Territories.

    On his autobiography:

    Working on our autobiography this week and we are in the territory stage of my career. Many good memories and quite the learning experience for me. The territory experience that I had established my foundation for which I built a 40 year career upon. The erosion of the wrestling territories has been a huge issue as it relates to the growth of pro wrestling and the startling lack of main event, ‘over’ talents in the business today. The Territories won’t return as in having a weekly schedule of towns, producing a local only, quality TV show. WWE is smart to be aligning itself with various indy groups to help them continue to find skilled talent to bring into NXT.

  • This Week’s WWE SmackDown Rating Is In

    The Friday, October 15th edition of WWE SmackDown scored a 1.55 rating. The show, which was taped in Cincinnati, OH at the U.S. Bank Arena on Tuesday, had an average of 2.09 million viewers.

    This is down from last week’s 1.57 rating, with an average of 2.14 million viewers

    This week’s show was main-evented by Dean Ambrose and The Dudley Boyz taking on The New Day

  • Santino Speaks On WWE Main-Eventers Not Sharing The Locker Room, Cena As Leader, & More

    Former WWE United States champ Santino Marella was recently interviewed by the Two Man Power Trip podcast about his WWE experience. You can listen to the full podcast here. Here are some highlights:

    Is John Cena the leader of the locker room?: “Well, he definitely was the locker room leader. But what happens is when guys like get their own bus they are not in the locker room anymore. He has his own bus, Randy has a bus, Big Show has got their buses and you literally don’t see them in the locker room because they have a different bus. But on European tours he’s still in the locker room, but that being said he was definitely the locker room leader or at least I saw him like that and the reason I saw him there was because of his work ethic and he is just a good guy, really good principles and morals and values. Just a standup guy and he works so damn hard. You could not be but awe inspired that this guy can just go and go and go and not complain or whine and he leads by example and that is what a real locker room leader is supposed to be.”

    Do Superstars that have the private buses feel above being in the locker room?: “No, if anyone could afford it they would have one too. It’s an investment in your career. You are pro-longing your career because they have high quality mattresses and they sleep on the same one every night. They’ve got their fridge and their kitchen so they can make their smoothies and they can take care of their nutrition better than us because we actually have to search around for an IHOP and get some egg whites. If John Cena or Randy Orton are putting asses in seats in which I am benefiting from because I am on the same show well then I want my stars and my headliners and main events to be healthy because the more they put asses in seats, the more I get paid. That’s the opinion of the wrestlers in the locker room if you take care of the guy in the main event then he has some leeway because he’s feeding your family.”

    Was playing “Santina” competing in a “Divas” match detrimental to his character: “I’m always up for a challenge and when you get a role like that some people would be concerned like “oh GOD” this is the end of his career because once you dress like a woman that’s it. I thought I was going to do a good job and knock this out of the park, do a good job and kind of reverse the joke. Well like if the joke was supposed to be on me well I did a good job it’s like I got praised for it. I know the girls were pissed. But I was given the job by the boss and you just do the best you can”.

  • Bubba Dudley Speaks On Young Bucks & Velvet Sky Possibly Joining NXT, Why He Left TNA

    Bubba Ray Dudley did a Twitter Q&A with his fans on Friday night. Here are some highlights:

    On The Young Bucks possibly joining NXT:

    On why he left TNA:

    On fans hating John Cena:

    On his biggest influences in wrestling:

    On Velvet Sky possibly joining WWE or NXT:

    The Dudley Boyz will face The New Day on 10/25 at WWE Hell In A Cell. We’ll have full coverage on the website and on the SEScoops iOS app.

  • New WWE Show “Breaking Ground” To Premiere After Hell In A Cell

    The WWE Network has updated its 24/7 streaming schedule for next week. Included in the schedule is the premier of Breaking Ground, a behind the scenes-style show that WWE says will show “the extreme measures taken in the quest to become WWE Superstars and Divas.” Above is a teaser video for the first episode.

    Here’s the list of the new WWE Network content being added, starting Monday:

    Monday after RAW: The Stone Cold Podcast with Brock Lesnar will air.

    Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. CT: A new episode of WWE Rivalries featuring Edge and Matt Hardy.

    Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. CT: Table For 3 with The Miz, R-Truth, and Curtis Axel premieres.

    Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. CT: WWE Unfiltered with Renee Young and Finn Balor premieres.

    Sunday at 6:00 p.m. CT: Tthe WWE Hell in a Cell begins with the one-hour Kickoff Show.

    Sunday at 7:00 p.m. CT: The WWE Hell in a Cell PPV airs.

    Sunday at 10:00 p.m CT: WWE Breaking Ground premieres.

  • Attendance Numbers For Raw & Smackdown Tapings Are Down

    Low TV ratings aren’t the only problem for Raw and Smackdown. The attendance at recent WWE TV events has been dropping. Fans at the Smackdown taping on Tuesday saw that the entire upper arena was tarped off, and at the 10/6 tapings half of the upper deck was tarped off. Only 3,000 fans attended this week’s taping.

    The 10/26 Raw in San Diego has sold 6,000 tickets in an arena set up for 8,500. They did 10,000 fans in Chicago this week, which was a few thousand short of a sell out even though they announced they sold out the building. In the past, Raw usually legitimately sells out in Chicago.

    Related: WWE RAW Rating & Viewership Down Again

  • Video: Watch The Steiner Brothers Destroy A Restaurant In A New Commercial

    Scott and Rick Steiner commandeered a front-end loader and demolished a building in a new ad for a restaurant chain called Shoneys. The legendary tag team recently reunited to film the commercial in Acworth, GA to promote the restaurant, which Scott Steiner is a franchisee of.

    Scott is building a new Shoneys in Acworth, so to get rid of the old one they filmed him and his brother smashing into the building with a front-end loader tractor.

    Scott is currently a member of the GFW roster, and Rick is now a real estate agent in Atlanta.

    Related: Scott Steiner Goes Off On Hulk Hogan, Calling Him A “Lame P.O.S.”

    Thanks to commenter “Vince Russo” for the correction.

  • Vince Softening His Stance On Using TNA Talent, Details On Joe & Storm’s Roles

    With TV ratings declining and Vince McMahon taking full control of his company once again, it appears he is opening up to the idea of putting TNA wrestlers on WWE TV. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that Vince has softened his stance on bringing in TNA talent, which as of earlier this year was that it would not be done.

    Related: Vince McMahon Back To Micro-Managing WWE As Ratings Decline

    With Samoa Joe and James Storm appearing on NXT, it appears the company is using the WWE Network-exclusive show as a platform to transition wrestlers from “TNA guys” to “WWE guys.” Storm is still appearing on TNA on cable TV, as the matches were taped back in July.

    Joe and Storm are reportedly there to help add some experience to the upcoming NXT tours. You can expect to see them continue to be paired up with more inexperienced wrestlers in the ring. The two former TNA stars have yet to be earmarked for the main roster.

  • Dolph Ziggler Possibly Turning Heel Soon Due To Lana/Rusev Engagement News

    With Dolph Ziggler on his own again after separating from Summer Rae in WWE storylines, WrestlingObserver.com reports that a heel turn is likely in his near future.

    The TV storylines saw Summer Rae thinking of leaving Rusev for Ziggler, before proposing to Rusev on the 10/5 episode of RAW. News of the real-life engagement between Lana and Rusev hit the web the same week Summer Rae proposed to Rusev on Raw. In the eyes of WWE management, this “screwed up” their storyline. WWE.com interviewed Ziggler before this week’s Raw and seemed to indicate that Ziggler was done with the Summer Rae storyline.

    Related: Photos: Lana & Rusev Engaged To Be Married

    The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that Vince McMahon was not happy the real-life engagement news hit the web, even though he knew TMZ would eventually cover it. Fans were able to figure out the engagement before the TMZ story because photos got out on social media showing Lana with an engagement ring on her finger.

    Ziggler will be feuding with Cena for the U.S. title, and with Cena only having two TV dates left before taking time off, it appears he will drop the belt to Ziggler on one of those two dates. According to WrestlingObserver.com, one idea being tossed around is that Summer Rae may help Ziggler win the title to kick start his heel turn. They could then feud with babyface Rusev and Lana.

    Related: Backstage Update On John Cena Filming New TV Show While Away From WWE

  • Backstage News On The 2016 Hall Of Fame, WWE TV Demographics

    — WestlingObserver.com reports that talk within WWE these days is that The Fabolous Freebirds will in fact be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in Dallas. The Freebirds have a rich history in Dallas because of their feud with the Von Erichs, and it’s likely that Kevin Von Erich will be the man to induct them.

    Related: Austin Speaks Out On Wrestlemania 32 Boycott Rumors

    — Ray Stevens is reportedly removed from plans for the Hall of Fame. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that Vince McMahon doesn’t like to remind people that so many wrestlers have passed away at young ages. Stevens passed in 1996 at the age of 60.

    — According to viewership data, the average Raw viewer is 40 years old, while the average SmackDown viewer is 50. Only 47% of the people 18-34 who watch Raw also watch SmackDown.

  • Hogan Speaks On His Expendables 4 Role: There Should Be Less Young Actors

    Variety reports that The Expendables 4 will film next year, be released in 2017, and feature none other than Hulk Hogan.

    Despite Hogan admitting that he thinks his acting career “sucked,” he has some input for the upcoming action flick: Less young actors.

    “There is one hope I have for the fourth film, it is that they stop populating these movies with young actors,” Hulk told Sports Illustrated. “Like Kellan Lutz or Liam Hemsworth. Nothing against them, but aren’t Stallone, Arnold, Statham, and the more seasoned actors worth the price of admission alone? They are the draw of this series, not the young kids they try to bring in!”

    Hogan previously commented on reports of his involvement in the movie at a Q & A session in England back in May of 2015:

    “Was talking on the phone with Sly [Stallone] about doing The Expendables 4. We’re trying to figure out a way to maybe turn me into the most evil man in the world. Y’know, Stallone gave me my first break and he’s been a great friend for all these years … We had a great conversation, talking about the possibilities. Can I still run, can I still jump? Well, not as fast or not as high, but I think Hollywood could find a good stunt man to help me out.”

    How much screen-time Hogan will actually get is unclear, but his pre-existing relationship with Sly bodes well for his chances of landing a good role in the film. Stallone has previously brought in former co-stars Dolph Lundgren (Rocky IV), Wesley Snipes (Demolition Man) and Antonio Banderas (Assassins) to play key characters the franchise’s past films. The Hulkster and Stallone shared the screen in Rocky III back in 1982.

    Related: Hogan On WWE Status: It’s So Sad That I’ve Been Taken Out of the Hall of Fame

  • Spoilers: Tonight’s WWE NXT Results (10/14)


    WWE taped tonight’s episode of NXT on October 8th in Winter Park, FL at Full Sail University. Here’s what you’ll see on tonight’s NXT broadcast:

    – NXT Women’s Champion Bayley opens the episode with a promo about her match with Sasha Banks at NXT Takeover: Respect. Alexis Bliss hits the ring and they exchange words. Bliss grabbed the title, threw it in Bayley’s face, then walked away.

    – The Vaudevillians defeated Sawyer Fulton and Angelo Dawkins in a non-title match.

    – Nia Jax defeated Evie in a singles match.

    – Apollo Crews won the number contender’s battle royal to secure a future NXT Title Match. The final four were Samoa Joe, Crews, Tyler Breeze, and Baron Corbin.

    Related: WWE Moving Forward With “NXT Kids” Show

  • Update On WWE Studios’ Gorgeous George Film, Pre-Sale Codes For Upcoming Events


    – Variety reports that WWE Studios will soon begin work on the script for their film about the life of WWE Hall of Famer “Gorgeous” George Wagner. Josh Gad, a Tony Award nominated actor and comedian best known for voicing Olaf in Frozen, has signed on to co-write the screenplay

    President of WWE Studios Michael Luisi commented, “Gorgeous George was a true pioneer in television. Josh is a true talent and we are thrilled to see him and Ryan tackle such a groundbreaking story.”

    – Here are some pre-sale codes for upcoming WWE event tickets:

    Tuesday 12/15 Smackdown in Newark, NJ – Prudential Center: WWE PC

    Monday 12/21 Raw in Minneapolis, Minnesota – Target Center: RAWMINNY

    Saturday 12/26 in Detroit, Michigan – Joe Louis Arena: WWE2015

    Monday 12/28 in Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center: WWEBK

  • Kalisto Credits Dusty Rhodes For Helping Create His Character In WWE


    Kalisto recently spoke with WWE.com about Lucha Libre, and revealed that Dusty Rhodes helped him decide on his WWE character. Here are some highlights:

    On lucha libre:

    “I was amused by the luchadors and the art they wore on their faces. Lucha libre is translated as ‘free fighting,’ but it’s really a different way of presenting wrestling. It’s an aerial art, but it’s also about having a unique presence.”

    On Dusty Rhodes helping him find his character:

    “I did that in the indies, but I didn’t know what it meant. I just did it to have fun. I told Dusty my whole story, about how I grew up as a fighter, and we talked about how lucha means to fight for your dreams. He said, ‘You’re full of life, and lucha excites you. You are lucha.’”

    You can read the entire interview here.

  • Becky Lynch Speaks On Her Hopes For The Divas Revolution, Her Start In Wrestling, & More


    WWE Diva Becky Lynch recently spoke with Irish America about how she got into wrestling, the current crop of Divas, and more. Here are some highlights:

    Becky Lynch on her wrestling beginnings:

    “Me and my brother would watch it [on TV] all the time and I loved it. But if you wanted to be a wrestler, you’d have to go off to England or America to train.

    “It [Devitt’s school] was about an hour and a half away from me. And it didn’t even have a ring at the time. We wrestled for three months on just six blue mats on the floor in this tiny little hall at Saint Andrew’s national school. We’d go down there every Sunday and that’s how we learned, on the mats. We’d go across to England and do these summer camps where you’d train eight or nine hours a day in a gym. You’d sleep on the mats in the ring or under the ring.”

    Lynch on what sets her apart:

    “I think when you’ve got a passion for something, it comes out of you and people can feel it. Then your mind is so geared towards that, and how you can improve on it, and you’re so excited about performing that it comes together….

    Everybody has that thing about them that makes them special, and sometimes we try to dull it down or we don’t always want to expose it, and maybe we’ve been taught that way or whatever. It’s just a matter of letting it out and letting it go and letting people in on it.”

    What does she hope the ‘Divas Revolution’ accomplishes?

    “We want it where it’s not just, ‘Oh it’s a girl’s match, let me go put the kettle on and have a cup of tea,’ or whatever. It’s like, ‘Oh, no, the girls are on. I need to see this. I can’t miss it!’ We want that for women’s wrestling. For the whole state of the division. For women in general, you know what I mean? It should never be an afterthought. It should always be that we are equally as credible as the guys, if not more so.

    When I walk down to the Performance Center, there’s a hallway, and there’s a display of all the pay-per-view posters. It’s all the headliners, all the moneymakers, and they’re all men. All of them. Every single one of them. I walk down and every single time I just kind of shake my head a little bit. Because I know in five years, definitely in ten years, but no, five years, even three years, I know I’m going to be walking down and I’m going to see female wrestlers like Charlotte Flair and Sasha Banks and Bayley, and maybe myself, there on those posters. That’s what it’s going to be, because that is the future.”

    Related: Charlotte Talks About Being Divas Champion, Women Main Eventing WWE Events