SEScoops

Author: Tyriece Simon

  • Jade Cargill On Being Compared To Goldberg, Chyna’s Influence

    Jade Cargill On Being Compared To Goldberg, Chyna’s Influence

    All Elite Wrestling superstar Jade Cargill appreciates fans comparing her to wrestling legend Goldberg.

    The State of Florida Sports Podcast’s Tim Walters interviewed Cargill about her successful run in AEW. She kept her undefeated streak alive and won her 26th match on Jan. 28 against Julia Hart. The booking of Cargill reminds fans of Goldberg’s undefeated streak in WCW. The AEW TBS Champion finds it flattering when asked about the Goldberg comparisons.

    “It’s amazing. It feels great. Being that I have no type of wrestling background prior to my first match Mar. 3. It’s breathtaking. It feels amazing for me to be compared to somebody with such a stature, and I’m blessed. Our owner Tony Khan put me in a remarkable position, and I’m grateful. I work hard, but I’m very grateful,” said Cargill.

    Jade Cargill’s Undefeated Streak

    AEW has treated Cargill as a dominant force in the women’s division since her first match. She teamed with NBA legend Shaquille O’ Neal to defeat Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet in her debut match on Mar. 3, 2020. Since winning the tag team match, Cargill has defeated the likes of Santana Garrett, Leyla Hirsch, and Thunder Rosa. To become the TBS Champion, Cargill also defeated Ruby Soho at AEW Dynamite on Jan. 5. At 26-0, it is unclear how long her employers will extend her winning streak.

    How Chyna Influenced Jade Cargill

    Later in the interview, Cargill revealed that WWE legend Chyna inspired her before getting into professional wrestling. She praised Chyna for her presence on TV and making her feel comfortable about her body, as Cargill loved to exercise and be fit growing up.

    “…Chyna made you put down whatever you were doing and watch her. Her presence was unmatched. I don’t think anybody else to me, to this day, made me sit down and focus on what she was doing,” said Cargill. She continued, “…She made me love my body more than anything. She was different. She looked different than everybody else that was in the divas’ era. So she looked totally different, her build was different, her confidence was different, and I grew up very muscular, and the fact that she loved herself, she loved what she was doing, she loved her body, it made me love myself more than anything. If anything, she helped my confidence rise to a remarkable chunk, and I felt good about myself growing up.”

    The AEW TBS Champion hopes to continue her success and influence young girls as Chyna did.

  • Dolph Ziggler Teases Match with NXT Champion Bron Breakker

    Dolph Ziggler Teases Match with NXT Champion Bron Breakker

    Veteran Dolph Ziggler has an interest in challenging NXT Champion Bron Breakker.

    After his loss against Angelo Dawkins on Monday Night Raw, Ziggler shared that he is unfazed by his defeat. He also commented on Breakker’s tweet poking fun at his elimination in the Men’s Royal Rumble match on Jan. 29. Ziggler threatened to confront the NXT rookie and defeat him for the NXT Championship.

    “…There’s a lot of people online, who, if you saw them in real life, they wouldn’t say exactly the same thing. I mean, I think it’s Tyson or somebody, Mike Tyson probably has said, everyone runs their mouth until you see him in person. And they shut the hell up, or you punch him in the face, and that changes everything,” said Ziggler.

    He continued, “…A lot of people ask me after matches like this, ‘Dolph, you good’? And I go, not good. I’m the best MFer we got. So maybe one of these days, those people that run their mouths online have to deal with me in person. So maybe, Breakker and his title, maybe I take it away from him. Maybe I stop by. Who’s to say?”

    Dolph Ziggler Teasing NXT Appearance

    Ziggler comments about Breakker isn’t the first time WWE teased his appearance on NXT 2.0. Alongside Bobby Roode, Ziggler confronted NXT 2.0 superstar LA Knight and hinted at competing on the developmental brand.

    Ziggler isn’t the only WWE veteran that wanted to challenge an NXT 2.0 rookie. The company had AJ Styles involved in a quick feud with Grayson Waller and make appearances on NXT 2.0. Waller also showed up on Raw to promote his feud with the veteran and get fans interested in watching their match. The feud ended with Styles defeating Waller at NXT 2.0 on Jan.11.

    It’s unclear if WWE will allow Ziggler to challenge Breakker for the NXT Championship. However, the company hints that Ziggler will appear on NXT 2.0 at some point.

  • Charlotte Flair Wrestlemania Opponent Revealed (Report)

    Charlotte Flair Wrestlemania Opponent Revealed (Report)

    The WWE has reportedly decided on Smackdown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair’s opponent for Wrestlemania 38.

    Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer reports that Ronda Rousey will challenge Flair for the Smackdown Women’s Championship at Wrestlemania 38. The event will be a two-night affair held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on April 2nd and 3rd.

    Meltzer said earlier this week that the WWE considered Rousey vs. Becky Lynch at Wrestlemania. However, WWE seems to have different plans.

    Ronda Rousey & Charlotte Flair

    Rona Rousey Charlotte Flair
    Rona Rousey & Charlotte Flair

    Rousey had a two-year run in WWE before taking time off. However, she quickly became one of WWE’s most featured talents on TV. The report states that the WWE wants Rousey to be a member of the Friday Night Smackdown roster to appease Fox. She could also appear for Monday Night Raw to help their TV ratings.

    “Her being on Smackdown is to throw a major bone to Fox, which had hoped for both Rousey and Brock Lesnar to be regulars on the show,” said Meltzer.

    Lynch recently teased facing Rousey on social media. While the report shares that it won’t happen at Wrestlemania 38, Meltzer doesn’t rule that the matchup could happen at Wrestlemania 39. He also admitted that Rousey vs. Lynch made more sense for this year’s Wrestlemania, but WWE thinks differently.

  • Mustafa Ali Continues Pushing for WWE Release

    Mustafa Ali Continues Pushing for WWE Release

    WWE superstar Mustafa Ali still wants out of the company.

    Ali posted on Twitter this morning that he refused to be in the Men’s Royal Rumble match. He also shared that he’s adamant about wanting to leave the WWE. Ali had requested his release on January 16th. However, the WWE refused to honor his wishes.

    “No, I would not like to be in rumble. I would like my release,” wrote Ali.

    Mustafa Ali Relationship with WWE

    Ali’s Twitter post reconfirms that he and the WWE aren’t on good terms. The company has yet to share if he will participate in the Royal Rumble. While he isn’t on good terms with the company, both fans and wrestlers continue to show their support for Ali. A fan shared that the WWE on FOX’s Twitter account blocked her for voicing support for him, and Ali decided to block WWE on Fox. Based on Ali’s social media posts, it’s unclear if the company will be able to convince him to compete tonight.

    WWE Refusing Releases

    Ali isn’t the only talent that wants to leave the company. PWInsider Mike Johnson reported that Brian Kendrick requested his release several weeks ago and hasn’t appeared at NXT tapings. However, the WWE hasn’t allowed him to go either. It’s unclear why the WWE refuses to grant Kendrick or Ali their releases.

    The WWE faced criticism from fans last year for releasing talent. The company released over 80 wrestlers, claiming that the decision was due to budget cuts. However, they also praised themselves for having a successful year financially. With both Ali and Kendrick requesting their release, WWE fans wonder why they are hesitant to allow them to leave.

  • Kofi Kingston Shares He was Unsure He’d Win WWE Championship

    Kofi Kingston Shares He was Unsure He’d Win WWE Championship

    WWE Superstar Kofi Kingston shared that he doubted that KofiMania would happen until his Wrestlemania 35 entrance.

    CBS’s Shakiel Mahjouri interviewed Kingston ahead of the Royal Rumble on January 29. Kingston will compete in the Men’s Royal Rumble match to earn a title opportunity at Wrestlemania. During the interview, Mahjouri asked Kingston to reflect on his WWE Championship at Wrestlemania 35 on April 7, 2019. Kingston admitted that he was unsure until that day.

    “…It really wasn’t until like I heard my music or rather like when the promotional package right before the match came on I was like oh my god,” said Kingston. He continued, “…I’m looking around making sure no one’s going to come up to me like ‘Oh well, we just changed the plans. Sorry, We are not going to go with you right now, and you know we’re going to do this. Brock Lesnar is going to come in the middle of the match, and you know what I mean, you just have no idea.” Kingston added that Mustafa Ali had a similar situation with Lesnar winning the Money in the Bank match on May 19, 2019.

    Kingston also shared that he didn’t want to get his hopes up to be let down by WWE. Luckily for him, the company decided to have Kingston defeat Daniel Bryan to win the WWE Championship.

    What’s Next for the New Day

    The New Day faction of Kingston, Xavier Woods, and Big E is having a difficult time in the WWE. Woods suffered an injury, and the WWE hasn’t added him to the Men’s Royal Rumble. However, both Kingston and Big E will compete in the match, but it’s unclear if either will win. The former WWE Champion Big E hasn’t won a match since Monday Night Raw on December 6, 2021. Kingston has worked as a singles competitor against Madcap Moss for several weeks. It’s unclear what WWE has planned for The New Day heading into Wrestlemania this year.

  • The Miz Says MJF is No Copycat: “He’s Doing a Great Job”

    The Miz Says MJF is No Copycat: “He’s Doing a Great Job”

    The Miz has some flattering things to say about AEW star Maxwell Jacob Friedman.

    Cheap Heat’s Peter Rosenberg and Stat Guy Grey interviewed The Miz to promote this weekend’s Royal Rumble premium live event.

    Rosenberg asked the Awesome One what he thinks about MJF. Miz praised the Island loudmouth and believes that he’s not an imitation of anybody.

    “I don’t think he wants to be The Miz, to be honest,” said The Miz. “I don’t think any superstar, no matter what company you’re in, wants to be the next this person. You want to be an original,”

    He also believes there are comparisons, but every wrestler strives to be an original.

    “I don’t think he wants to be the next Miz, I think he wants to be the first him, and honestly, I say he’s doing a great job at it.”

    The Miz also praised MJF for what he’s accomplished at just 25 years old.

    Listen to The Miz on the latest episode of Cheap Heat:

    What’s Next for MJF

    MJF is currently in a feud with CM Punk. The rivalry started two months ago, but AEW hasn’t put them in a singles match against each other. However, last night on AEW Dynamite, the company finally booked them in a match for next week.

    AEW’s next pay-per-view, Revolution, takes place on March 6th at the Additional Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida. This match seemed destined to be a PPV attraction, but Punk vs. MJF will go down on TBS in just a matter of days.

  • Deonna Purrazzo Wants to Defend ROH Title Everywhere

    Deonna Purrazzo Wants to Defend ROH Title Everywhere

    Ring of Honor World Women’s Champion Deonna Purrazzo wants to be a fighting champion.

    Sporting News Daniel Yanofsky interviewed Purrazzo about becoming the ROH World Women’s Champion and her plans. She defeated Rok-C to win the title on the January 13th Impact Wrestling episode. Although ROH is on hiatus, the company has allowed there champions to defend the title for different wrestling promotions.

    Yanofsky transcribed the following quotes. He asked Purrazzo if she’d try to represent ROH elsewhere as a champion like ROH World Champion Jonathan Gresham.

    “Absolutely, especially with the unprecedented times, they are in. It’s interesting to have Jonathan Gresham wrestling on Impact, fighting Steve Maclin in a Pure Rules championship match. I love that Ring of Honor is represented, whether on Impact Wrestling, an independent show, wherever it is. It is a brand that means a lot to me personally from my time there,” said Purrazzo. She explained, “It helped develop who Deonna Purrazzo, “The Virtuosa,” was going to be as a wrestler. Now that I have the championship, I don’t know if I will be defending it under Pure Rules, but it does mean the world to me to be the ROH Women’s World Champion. I want to defend it and carry on the ROH brand wherever and however I can.”

    What’s Next for ROH

    ROH announced on January 20th that they would return with Supercard of Honor on April 1st. They revealed a unification title match for the ROH World Championship between Bandido and Gresham. However, the company doesn’t plan to sign talent to exclusive contracts. Instead, they will act like other independent promotions and get wrestlers to work dates. It’s unclear if the Bandido vs. Gresham match winner will defend the championship for different promotions.

    Impact Wrestling doesn’t have an event scheduled for April 1st, and Purrazzo could appear for ROH’s return event. Although, ROH would have to figure out whom she would defend the title against now that they don’t have signed talent.

  • Former Women’s Champion Discussed for Royal Rumble Return

    Former Women’s Champion Discussed for Royal Rumble Return

    We are just days away from the 2022 Royal Rumble and the rumor mill is in overdrive regarding potential surprise appearances.

    According to Fightful Select, WWE has discussed Asuka returning to compete in the Women’s Royal Rumble match. This is not a confirmation that she will appear, but the report states that several wrestlers in WWE believe Asuka will be there this Saturday.

    Asuka has been away from WWE for over six months. Her last televised appearance took place at Money in the Bank on July 18, 2021. The report shares that she had been dealing with injuries since her last WWE appearance but can’t confirm if doctors medically cleared her to wrestle.

    WWE surprised fans by adding Impact Wrestling Women’s Champion Mickie James to the Women’s Royal Rumble. The company also announced legends like Lita and Summer Rae as participants.

    Some of the talent in WWE also wouldn’t know if they will be on the Royal Rumble card until that day. While WWE discusses Asuka as a surprise, they could also change their minds.

    The 2022 Royal Rumble premium live event airs this Saturday on Peacock in the United States and the WWE Network everywhere else.

  • Proud and Powerful Discuss not Disbanding the Inner Circle

    Proud and Powerful Discuss not Disbanding the Inner Circle

    All Elite Wrestling talents Santana and Ortiz of Proud and Powerful reveal that they wanted to disband the Inner Circle faction.

    Stephanie Chase interviewed Proud and Powerful to discuss the possibility of the Inner Circle breaking up. The faction of Proud and Powerful, Jake Hager, Sammy Guevara, and Chris Jericho, has teased friction within the group. Chase interviewed Jericho last year, and he also shared that he spoke to Khan about disbanding the group. However, AEW President Tony Khan felt it was unnecessary.

    Proud and Powerful shared that they also wanted to go their separate ways and believed that the group had accomplished all they could.

    “…I just felt like we had done so much, and we have proven to be very successful at being the group and stuff, I just felt like it was it was time for all of us to, like you said, go our separate ways and start establishing our own selves and whatever we’re going to continue doing and stuff like that and then maybe eventually later down the line we could bring it back together for a major moment and rock and roll again,” said Santana.

    Ortiz also believes that while the Inner Circle members have separate feuds sometimes, he likes the option to go back to being a faction.

    WIll the Inner Circle Break Up Soon

    The current storyline with the Inner Circle seems to be setting up disbanding. Eddie Kingston remarked that Proud and Powerful could be AEW Tag Team Champions if they weren’t with the Inner Circle. Both Santana and Ortiz walked away from Jericho during a backstage segment showing that they were having issues. In the interview with Chase, Proud and Powerful acknowledge that AEW could break up the faction soon, but it’s still speculative.

    The entire Inner Circle faction hasn’t consistently worked together in a storyline since their feud with American Top Team and The Men of the Year.

  • Renee Paquette Responds to Bully Ray Comments About Jon Moxley

    Renee Paquette Responds to Bully Ray Comments About Jon Moxley

    Renee Paquette has shared her thoughts on SiriusXM co-worker Bully Ray’s comments about her husband, Jon Moxley.

    On Throwing Down with her co-host Miesha Tate, Paquette recapped Moxley’s All Elite Wrestling return at AEW Dynamite last week. She shared that she got emotional watching him talk about his absence and how proud she is of her husband. Moxley took three months off from wrestling to attend a rehabilitation program for alcohol abuse.

    After praising her husband, Paquette responded to Ray’s critique about her husband’s return and that he believes that Moxley should’ve apologized to fans for taking time off. She didn’t want to address Ray’s comments, but she felt that Ray crossed the line talking about her husband.

    “…The Bully Ray thing, I saw it all over my Twitter, and I was like, do I even address this? But it’s like that thing. People can talk sh*t about me all day long, whatever it’s fine. You talk sh*t about my husband. You talk sh*t about my family that becomes more personal for me,” said Paquette.

    She said it also bothered her because she had a good relationship with Ray. Moxley appeared at Northeast Wrestling Wrestlefest 26 on January 22nd, which Ray also attended. However, it’s unclear if they have spoken to each other.

    More on Paquette Response to Bully Ray Comments

    Ray comment’s about Moxley, which bothered both wrestlers and fans. His SiriusXM Busted Open show co-worker Mark Henry also criticized Ray’s remarks about Moxley. While Ray has yet to apologize, Paquette is not expecting one. She also addressed Moxley’s decision to deal with his issues and that the wrestling business has a troubled history with wrestlers that suffered or died from addiction issues.

    “…He wanted Jon to apologize to the fans, and it’s like yeah, he took time off to take care of himself. Him being there and having longevity in this business is plenty. The guy’s already put his body through the wringer with the job that he does,” said Paquette. She continued, “…Three months is also nothing in the scope of what wrestling is and also the scope of his life. Three months is nothing. So for him to go and do the things that he needed to do for himself, for our family, for our daughter, that’s for us. That’s for us, that’s not for anybody else, and I can not be more proud of him for doing that.”

    “In a business that is so notorious with addiction issues, we’ve seen the untimely passing of so many wrestlers. It has been a thing that has affected the business for such a long time. It’s a stigma that comes with the business, so the fact that Jon is one of those guys in the spot that he is in, and he’s going against the grain and doing the things that he needs to do, I think, speaks volumes to the fans,” said Paquette.

    Paquette made it clear that this is not an angle or a storyline. She also shared that Moxley wasn’t aware of Ray’s comments until she told him.

  • ROH Undisputed World Championship Match Announced for SuperCard of Honor

    ROH Undisputed World Championship Match Announced for SuperCard of Honor

    Ring of Honor has announced its first match for the ROH Supercard of Honor event on April 1.

    Since going on hiatus, ROH Supercard of Honor will be the company’s first event back. After releasing all of its wrestlers last year, ROH planned to revamp its business strategy. To promote their ROH Supercard of Honor event, the company also revealed that Jonathan Gresham would challenge Bandido to decide the undisputed ROH World Champion.

    https://twitter.com/ringofhonor/status/1484181427944136704

    The Undisputed ROH World Championship Situation

    ROH has found itself in an intriguing situation with Gresham and Bandido. The company wanted Gresham to challenge Bandido for the ROH World Championship at Final Battle on December 11, 2021. However, Bandido had tested positive for Covid-19, and ROH had Gresham challenge Jay Lethal for the ROH World Championship. After winning the title, ROH allowed Gresham to defend the title for other promotions like Impact Wrestling and Game Changer Wrestling.

    Bandido returned to successfully defend his ROH World Championship at Terminus against Baron Black on January 16. At the same event, Gresham also retained his title against Josh Alexander. After the match, Bandido confronted Gresham to tease a unification match.

    It’s unclear what ROH plans to do with the ROH World Championship after the ROH Supercard of Honor event. The company plans to book talent for appearances instead of signing exclusive deals. Regardless, Gresham vs. Bandido is an intriguing match that ROH hopes can excite wrestling fans to watch their upcoming event.

  • Matt Cardona Open to WWE Return, Under One Condition

    Matt Cardona Open to WWE Return, Under One Condition

    Former WWE superstar Matt Cardona has shared that he’s open to returning to the company. However, he still wants to be able to do his podcast.

    Cardona appeared on Busted Open with Bully Ray and Dave LaGreca to promote The WRLD on the GCW event on January 23. Ray asked Cardona if WWE called him to appear the following night on Monday Night Raw, would he listen. Cardona responded that he’d be open to talking about a return, but WWE can’t prevent his podcast business.

    “…I’d definitely would listen, but I tell you right now if one of things were you can’t do your podcast, I’ll say thanks but no thanks,” said Cardona. He continued, “That would be a deal-breaker, no way. If there were going to just take away everything that I’ve built with Brian Myers, like something we tried to do in WWE. The Major Wrestling Figures Podcast, they didn’t want it. We pitched it to them. They didn’t want podcasts. They didn’t want anything to do with collectibles. I think they’ve since had a failing podcast network, and they tried something with collectibles, but I’ve had so much fun with this, and this is setting me up for life after wrestling where I would never sacrifice that.”

    Matt Cardona on Leaving WWE

    After more than ten years with the company, the WWE released Cardona on April 15, 2020. However, leaving WWE helped him reinvent himself, and Cardona may be having more success since he became an independent wrestler. In the interview with Busted Open, he shared that he appreciates his time with the company.

    “…I’ve said this, and I don’t mean this as an insult. WWE was my developmental. That’s not a shot a WWE, that is that everything that I learned there the good and the bad I’m using it to make me succeed,” said Cardona. He also shares he has no animosity towards the company.

    Cardona is enjoying his professional wrestling career working outside of the WWE. This Sunday, he has a match with Joey Janela at The WRLD on GCW. Regarding the WWE, the company will have the Royal Rumble on January 29. Based on Cardona’s comments, he could be open to the idea if the WWE asked Cardona to appear.

  • Sami Zayn Signs New Multi-Year Deal With WWE

    Sami Zayn Signs New Multi-Year Deal With WWE

    Sami Zayn has signed a new multi-year deal with WWE, per Fightful and Pat Laprade of TVA Sports.

    The news comes just weeks after Zayn’s longtime friend and rival Kevin Owens signed a new 3-year deal.

    Zayn has been with WWE since 2013. He’s a former NXT Champion and a 2-time Intercontinental Champion.

    WWE was not the only company looking to retains Zayn’s services. Per Fightful, Zayn also had interest from people in AEW and Ring of Honor, before ROH went on hiatus.

    Owens also had interest from AEW, but decided to stick with WWE when all was said and done.

    Sami Zayn will participate in the Men’s Royal Rumble match on January 29th.

    He’s been involved in a program with Jackass star Johnny Knoxville, who will also be part of the Royal Rumble match. It remains to be seen if these two will ever work a singles match, or if their mini-feud will be limited to the Rumble.

  • Don West Provides Health Update About his Brain Lymphoma

    Don West Provides Health Update About his Brain Lymphoma

    Former TNA Wrestling Commentator Don West has given wrestling fans a health update.

    On June 15, 2021, West shared that doctors diagnosed him with brain lymphoma. The professional wrestling community supported West and his family by donating to GoFundMe. Today, his GoFuneMe has reached $24,750, and fans can still help West reach his goal of $40,000 to help him with his costly treatment.

    West announced on Twitter that his cancer had gone into remission on September 4, 2021. However, West and his wife Terri West gave a health update sharing that the brain tumors have returned. While unfortunate, he and his wife stated that they would stay positive, and West will continue fighting to overcome his condition.

    “This is Don, and I wanted to share a health update and a couple next steps with you. After undergoing chemo and radiation treatments, my recovery was on track with a clean bill of health after three months. Unfortunately, I began having symptoms, and the brain tumors have returned. I have now started my second round of chemotherapy with more aggressive and arduous treatments to follow. While this is a setback, Terri and I are staying positive and fighting the good fight! God has blessed us in ways too numerous to list, including your past financial generosity and your many notes and messages of support. It has meant the world to us. I will continue to provide updates, and again, thank you for investing in our future,” wrote West on GoFuneMe.

    SEScoops sends our love and support to West and his family.

  • Former Top Executive Reflects on His 9 Years With WWE

    Former Top Executive Reflects on His 9 Years With WWE

    Former WWE Executive Canyon Ceman has shared his farewell post to the company. Ceman worked with the WWE from 2012 to 2021.

    PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that the WWE released Ceman on July 23, 2021. The company has released talent over the year due to budget cuts. However, it’s unclear if the former executive release is related to WWE’s budget issues. The timing of Ceman’s departure also happened around the time of WWE’s contract issue with Adam Cole. Wrestling Inc’s Marc Middleton shared that timing of Cole’s contract dispute “Very much lines up with the timing of Ceman’s departure.” Although, the WWE hasn’t confirmed Middleton’s statement.

    Regardless, Ceman seems grateful for his time in WWE and shared his appreciation in the farewell post on Linkedin.

    “In the spirit of 2022, and a new chapter about to begin, I want to say thank you and a final LinkedIn goodbye to my past chapter at WWE am grateful to WWE for an adventurous 9.5 year run as a leader in talent development,” wrote Ceman.

    Canyon Ceman Reflects on Accomplishments

    In his post, Ceman detailed his proud accomplishments during his WWE tenure. He shared that he helped scout talent in China, Japan, and Mexico. Ceman also mentioned he played a role in the “Women Empowerment Movement” in the WWE. The former executive brought up talents Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, and Rhea Ripley as people he helped.

    “I am most proud of the efforts we made towards professionalization and globalization of athlete acquisition and development, India, Dubai, Japan, China, Saudi, Mexico, Australia, Chile, Germany,” said Ceman. He continued, “…Our role in the Women’s empowerment movement in WWE, from Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch to Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair, so proud of Sara Amato and all we accomplished. The culture of respect and empowerment we built at the WWE PC, as we launched and grew NXT and NXT UK, and of the superstars launched and stories created through all of these projects.”

    Ceman also thanked his former co-workers like Triple H, Matt Bloom, and William Regal. He ended the farewell post by saying that an announcement was coming soon. It’s unclear if Ceman still wants to work in the professional wrestling business.

  • Briscoes Talk Possible Move to WWE: “I think we could survive and thrive”

    Briscoes Talk Possible Move to WWE: “I think we could survive and thrive”

    The Briscoes believe they could make WWE money if they were to sign with the company.

    The Briscoes appeared on Busted Open with Bully Ray and Dave Legraca to discuss their free agency. Ring of Honor released the team after changing their business model to not signing talent exclusively. Ray asked the Briscoes if they thought they could flourish in the WWE and if they considered signing with the company. Both Mark and Jay Briscoe responded that they believed they could succeed with the company.

    “…I think we’ll definitely survive. At the end of the day, you know you have to get in the ring and ring the bell,” said Jay.

    Mark chimed in and felt that The Briscoes would be a great asset to the WWE. “I think we would survive and thrive because Vince McMahon likes money and shoot if we go out there between them ropes, that what we do. We are going to make your company money,” said Mark. He continued, “I think that’s the bottom line, not trying to sound cocky or anything.” Jay also feels that the tag team is confident in their abilities and performing at their best today.

    The WWE hasn’t revealed any interest at the moment to sign The Briscoes.

    https://twitter.com/jaybriscoe84/status/1481063084559110147

    The Briscoes Want FTR

    After becoming free agents, the Briscoes didn’t waste any time making their presence felt. The tag team has called out All Elite Wrestling tag team FTR for a match in AEW. While the company hasn’t spotlighted the feud on AEW television, both teams have sent messages towards each other on social media.

    It’s unclear if AEW will sign the Briscoes or have them challenge FTR. However, both teams are alluding to a future matchup. The Briscoes will also defend their Game Changer Wrestling Tag Team Championship at The WRLD on GCW. Their opponents for the event are unknown. Although GCW hasn’t stated this, it’s a possibility that FTR could be the challengers.

  • Kofi Kingston Reveals Nixed WrestleMania Match with Mustafa Ali

    Kofi Kingston Reveals Nixed WrestleMania Match with Mustafa Ali

    WWE superstar Kofi Kingston has revealed he almost had a match with Mustafa Ali at Wrestlemania 37. Ali also shared last year that the WWE had considered a feud between Ali and Kingston.

    Metro.co.uk’s Alistair McGeorge interviewed Kingston about Ali and the scrapped match. WWE fans may remember Kingston taking Ali’s place in the Smackdown Elimination Chamber match on February 17, 2019. Kingston’s performance resulted in WWE pushing Kingston to challenge Daniel Bryan and win the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania 35 on April 7, 2019.

    The WWE could’ve had a natural feud between Kingston and Ali. However, Kingston shared that WWE had different plans. McGeorge has transcribed the interview.

    “It was perfect! It was written. You didn’t even have to go out of your way to creatively write anything else, it was perfect! But alas, that’s not the direction that “the office,” I guess, wanted to go in. That’s just kinda the way that it goes! Maybe down the line, we’ll get a chance to revisit that opportunity,” said Kingston.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aaVhI–OOE

    Why the WWE scrapped Kofi Kingston vs Mustafa Ali

    It’s unclear why the WWE decided not to have a feud between Kingston and Ali for Wrestlemania 37. Both superstars wanted the match and looked forward to working with each other. However, the WWE decided to have Kingston with his New Day partner Xavier Woods defend the Raw Tag Team Championships against AJ Styles and Omos at the event.

    Kingston praised Ali in the interview for his creativity and wrestling ability. Kingston doesn’t know why but believes it’s part of the business when discussing why the match didn’t happen.

    “I was told a few things, and we start working towards those things that we’re told, and then all of a sudden it’s not those things. But that’s really kind of standard fare for us,” said Kingston. He continued, “It was really disappointing, man, because I think he’s so amazing in the ring and such an innovator. He finds ways to do the littlest things in such a different way, but he puts his own spin on it. He has a great mind for the business and a great mind for storytelling.”

    Mustafa Ali Request WWE Release

    It seems WWE fans may not see a feud between Kingston and Ali. On Twitter, Ali shared that he requested his release from the WWE. On Twitter, he wrote, “I have a message that is much bigger than my dreams in pro wrestling. Despite my best efforts, I will not be able to deliver this message while working with WWE. Therefore, I am requesting my release from WWE.”

    It’s unclear if WWE will honor Ali’s request.

  • Petey Williams Hired as Full-Time Producer for WWE

    Petey Williams Hired as Full-Time Producer for WWE

    Former Impact Wrestling talent Petey Williams is now a WWE employee.

    Fightful Select reported that the WWE had hired Williams as a full-time producer. The report shares that the company has had him working on a trial basis since October 26, 2021. Williams also has worked as a producer in Impact Wrestling.

    “…Williams has been with WWE on a trial basis for several months now, and we’re told that he’s passed that period, and WWE finalized a deal with him to bring him on full-time as a producer,” said the report.

    Petey Williams Work as a Producer in WWE

    Williams is already making a great impression in the WWE. The report states that several WWE talents speak highly of his skills as a producer. Fightful Select also shared that he helped produce the AJ Styles vs. Austin Theory match on Monday Night Raw on January 10th.

    “…Several WWE Superstars that we’ve spoken to since he’s come onboard spoke highly of his producing and noted that they grew up watching his work,” the report shared.

    New Talent Joining Impact Wrestling

    Impact Wrestling seems to be looking to add new talent to their roster. The company signed former Ring of Honor talent PCO on January 13th. Impact Wrestling is also doing an invasion angle with former ROH talent like PCO going against their wrestlers. However, it’s unclear if the company plans to sign the talent involved with the storyline like Mike Bennett and Matt Taven.

    While Impact Wrestling maybe adds new names to their roster, they are also losing some of their veterans. Other than Williams, Impact Wrestling couldn’t keep Kiera Hogan, Matt Striker, and Rohit Raju. Fightful Select reports that Jake Something’s contract will expire on February 28th unless the company can reach a new deal. Luckily, the wrestling business currently has different promotions like the WWE and All Elite Wrestling looking for new talent both in the ring and backstage. Williams is an example of the current thriving wrestling business and will look to contribute to the WWE.

  • Deonna Purrazzo on Mickie James Royal Rumble Announcement

    Deonna Purrazzo on Mickie James Royal Rumble Announcement

    Impact Wrestling talent Deonna Purrazzo has shared her thoughts on Knockouts Champion Mickie James Royal Rumble announcement. The Royal Rumble takes place on January 29th.

    Purrazzo appeared on Instinct Culture with Denise Salcedo to discuss how she learned of James entering the Royal Rumble match. WWE revealed the shocking news of James’s participation during Friday Night Smackdown last week. The announcement also created more intrigue for her Texas Deathmatch with Purrazzo at Hard to Kill on January 8th for the Impact Knockouts Championship.

    When speaking on the WWE reveal, Purrazzo shared that it surprised her.

    “I was equally as surprised, I think, as the entire wrestling world. I didn’t know that was going to happen, and I actually just got to my hotel room in Dallas, and Steve(Maclin) put on Smackdown, and there was that announcement, and I was like, oh, um interesting, okay,” said Purrazzo. She explained, “…WWE has kind of a closed-door policy with playing with others and to hear that I think was like the first time in history that they mainly acknowledge other companies like that.”

    She also discussed the importance of WWE acknowledging Impact Wrestling.

    “…I feel like we don’t get all the credit that we’re deserved and people kind of, you know, let things that happened in the past reflect their opinions on what we are doing now, and it was kind of like a really big thing for us,” said Purrazzo. She also noted that WWE sharing the news first concerned her because they were the main event of Hard to Kill, and they didn’t want new fans to think James WWE’s involvement was the reason. However, she believes that the news created more anticipation for their match.

    The WWE Return of Mickie James

    James will make her return to WWE after the company released her last April. The WWE sent her personal belongings that she left in a trash bag to her to make matters worse. James spoke about the incident in an interview with Chris Van Vliet. SEScoop’s Chris Stephens transcribed the interview.

    “I took it then as they think I am trash,” she continued. “I was with the company for four years, and they think I am trash. All these thoughts were running through my head. If you are already broken, they can be devastating. I am thinking about all of that and all the people who also got released beside me. I see my name on the bag, and it defines which bag is in which box. I’m thinking about the girls, and they wouldn’t say anything because you don’t want to mess up an opportunity for the future. But this Mickie James don’t give a sh*t. I am super grateful for my career and my ability; I couldn’t do it without WWE.”

    It seems both James and WWE have settled their differences. James will make history as the first active Impact Knockout Champion to compete in the Royal Rumble.

  • PCO Signs With Impact Wresting

    PCO Signs With Impact Wresting

    PCO is no longer a free agent.

    TVASports Pat Laprade reports that PCO has signed a deal with Impact Wrestling. The deal will also allow PCO to wrestle for independent promotions. However, Laprade emphasized that the new signee must prioritize the Impact Wrestling dates. It’s unclear how many years his deal is will be with the company.

    “As mentioned on “Les Anti-Pods de la Lutte” podcast, following his appearance at Hard to Kill last Saturday, I have learned that PCO has signed a contract with Impact Wrestling. The contract allows him to work on the indies, but he’ll have to prioritize Impact’s dates,” said Laprade.

    IMPACT Invasion

    ROH Invading Impact Wrestling

    Impact Wrestling’s Hard to Kill event saw the surprise angle of former Ring of Honor wrestlers invade the show. Former ROH talent PCO, Matt Taven, Vincent, Mike Bennett, and his wife Maria attacked Impact Wrestlers during the event. However, PCO is the only wrestler signed to Impact Wrestling, and it’s unclear if the company is interested in signing other ROH talent on their roster.

    ROH New Business Model

    ROH has released its talent and is planning to change its business model. Instead of signing talent to a roster, the company plans to book talent like other independent promotions. While unfortunate for ROH, it has created opportunities for wrestling promotions like Impact Wrestling to work with former ROH talent like PCO. Impact Wrestling also had ROH World Champion Johnathan Gresham defend the title against Chris Sabin at Hard to Kill.

    PCO signing with Impact Wrestling could begin the company plan to look for more former ROH talent. Wrestling fans should also look out if WWE, All Elite Wrestling, and New Japan Pro Wrestling compete with Impact Wrestling to sign ROH free agents.

  • Elimination Chamber Set to Return in February (Report)

    Elimination Chamber Set to Return in February (Report)

    WWE’s Elimination Chamber match is returning soon. The demonic structure will be the headline attraction of WWE’s next live event from Saudi Arabia on February 19th, according to a report by Fightful.

    WWE typically pulls out all the stops on the Saudi Arabia shows. Fans may remember matches like the first-ever match between Goldberg and The Undertaker in Saudi Arabia, along with Shawn Michaels coming out of retirement for a tag match featuring the Brothers of Destruction vs. DX.

    “…The working plan is for the Elimination Chamber match and structure to take place at the February Saudi Arabia show. We’re unsure of the Premium Live Event name will follow that, or if they’ll opt for something different,” said the report.

    More Information on Elimination Chamber Match

    Elimination Chamber

    The report also shares that WWE had planned the match since November. “…Tentative preparation for the Elimination Chamber to take place in Saudi Arabia in February has been going on since the last show there in November.” It’s unclear if the report means October, as Crown Jewel took place on October 21, 2021.

    The date reported makes sense, as the WWE usually has the Elimination Chamber match happen before Wrestlemania. If the match were to occur, it would also be WWE’s opportunity to have a live audience for the attraction.

    Last year’s Elimination Chamber event took place without fan attendance due to Covid-19 precautions. With the Elimination Chamber now headed to Saudi Arabia, fans in the United States will probably have to wait another year to see the attraction live once again.

  • MLW Sues WWE: MLW CEO Says “Anti-competitive behavior has to stop.”

    MLW Sues WWE: MLW CEO Says “Anti-competitive behavior has to stop.”

    Major League Wrestling has filed a lawsuit against the WWE.

    MLW claims that the WWE is continuingly interfering with their business prospects and contracts. Courthouse news was able to obtain the full lawsuit statement. The lawsuit alleges that the WWE attempted to prevent Vice TV from working with MLW in early 2021.

    It also claims that a former WWE executive called Vice TV to tell them that WWE Chairman Vince McMahon was “pissed” that Vice TV started airing MLW programs and wanted them to stop working with MLW. The Wrap’s Tim Baysinger and Tony Maglio report that the former WWE Executive is Susan Levinson.


    The report also says that MLW claims WWE prevented MLW from getting a deal with the streaming service Tubi. According to the MLW, the failure to secure a deal with Tubi resulted in “substantial losses” like not reaching a broader fan base and event cancellations. It also states that the failed deal caused a MLW 40% drop in tickets sales. MLW CEO Court Bauer spoke out against the WWE in a press release. Baysinger and Maglio transcribed Bauer statement.

    “WWE has been wrongfully depriving its competitors of critical opportunities for many years, but its latest conduct has been even more unconscionable,” said MLW CEO Court Bauer. “I think we speak for the rest of the professional wrestling world when we say that this anti-competitive behavior has to stop.”

    MLW Deal with Vice TV

    MLW signed its deal with Vice TV on April 19, 2021. Based on the lawsuit, it’s unclear if MLW alleges that WWE requested Vice TV to stop working with them before the deal. However, the lawsuit says that a Vice TV Executive responded that “WWE’s conduct was illegal and an antitrust violation.” The lawsuit also states that Levinson couldn’t control McMahon from interfering with MLW and Vice TV’s relationship.

    What’s Next for WWE and MLW

    The WWE has responded to the MLW lawsuit. Baysinger and Maglio received a statement from WWE Spokesperson that believes MLW claims have no merit. The spokesperson also shared WWE will defend itself against MLW. MLW seeks compensation for losses they suffered due to WWE interference and wants to prevent future interferences. It’s unclear when MLW and WWE will go to court or if they will settle.

  • John Cena Almost Turned Heel for WrestleMania 28

    John Cena Almost Turned Heel for WrestleMania 28

    WWE superstar John Cena has acted as a babyface for most of his career. However, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon contemplated making him a heel.

    Cena went on Smackdown Announcer Pat McAfee’s show to promote the upcoming show Peacemaker. During the interview, McAfee asked Cena about the challenges of working in WWE as a babyface for so many years and when did Cena know he’d pursue acting.

    Cena admitted that being a babyface for so long is a challenge but embraces it. He also reveals that McMahon almost turned him into a heel in his feud with The Rock for Wrestlemania 28 on April 1, 2012.

    “…In playing a character that, like I said, a character of virtue. A character that started as a generic wrestler and then morphed into this hip hop persona and then morphed into this character of virtue, to play the same character for a long time that’s a challenge, said Cena.”

    He continued, “…I remember Vince toyed with the idea of possibly turning me heel for The Rock 1 in Miami. And I told him, hey, no problem, 100 percent I’ll do it, but just remember that we’re so deep into this point, we can’t do and then jump back because we’ll be sunk at both ends. So if we do it, I’ll have to be the opposite of virtue. I have to be pure evil, and we have to go all in.”

    More on John Cena Almost Turning Heel

    WWE fans in the past had wanted Cena not be a babyface. Former WWE writer Kevin Eck also shared with Pro Wrestling Torch’s Wade Keller that the company almost turned Cena. However, the company never made the change.

    During the interview, Cena pinpointed the conversation he had with McMahon during his feud with The Rock being the deciding factor as to why he never turned heel. While fans never got to see Cena change character, he believes it led to great opportunities.

    “…From a believability standpoint, people always see me in uniform. Go figure that, said Cena wearing the Peacemaker costume.

    He continued, “If you didn’t see me in a suit in WWE, you saw me ballcap, t-shirt, jean shorts, sneakers, you saw me in uniform. I want people to know that what they see is somebody they can relate to. He (Vince) decided against it and it’s at that point he was like ‘Listen I don’t think we’re ever going to do it.’ So that’s me getting okay you have the luxury of playing this character, but you’re always are going to play this character. Which was great, because it got me to dive into nuances that kind of spawned the creation of like the Firefly Funhouse match, were like yo what if I went on a meta-experience through all of my flaws and through all like my timeline, so you know you can do stuff like that.”

    Unfortunately for WWE fans, it seems we’ll never get to see Cena as a heel. However, Cena being a babyface did create moments like his match with Bray Wyatt and his feud with Roman Reigns. In the end, it seems WWE may have made the right decision.

  • Tasha Steelz Shares Origin of Women’s Ultimate X Match

    Tasha Steelz Shares Origin of Women’s Ultimate X Match

    Impact Wrestling made history at Hard to Kill on January 8th with the first Women’s Ultimate X match. According to the winner, Tasha Steelz, she had to push for the match to happen.

    Steelz appeared on Busted Open on SiriusXM with Dave LaGreca and Bully Ray to discuss her win and how the Women’s Ultimate X match happened. She shared that her win on January 8th is one of the biggest accomplishments in her professional wrestling career. The win earned Steelz an Impact Knockout Championship opportunity for a later date. She also revealed she and Jordynne Grace had to repeatedly pitch the match to Executive Vice President Scott D. Amore last year.

    “…This is something that a lot of people weren’t expecting us, women, to do, said Steelz. She continued, “…I believe since last year like Jordynne Grace and I, we were bugging the hell out of Scott. We were just backstage, like, we can do it, we can do it, we can do it. I know we can do it. Slammiversary, we saw that structure go up for the guys, and we climbed up there ourselves, and we were like, Scott, we can do this.” Steelz believes that Amore had to see Grace and her climb the structure to accept the idea. However, once Amore saw Steelz climb, he began to think about when the Women’s Ultimate X match could happen.

    Backstage Reaction After the Match

    Impact Wrestling fans were excited to see the historic match at Hard to Kill, and the anticipation added pressure for the wrestlers to perform well in the match. The company also decided to have the Women’s Ultimate X match start the Hard to Kill event. With the spotlight on the wrestlers, some fans felt that the match exceeded expectations and proved that female wrestlers could participate in an Ultimate X match. After the match, Steelz says all participants were happy with the match.

    “…After it was all said and done, the emotions came out of all of us. I mean, we were all backstage just bawling our eyes out. You know me. I’m a thug. I don’t like to cry, but I couldn’t help it, said Steelz. She continued, “It’s just one of those things where like I said, there were people kind of doubting that we wouldn’t be able to do it and that we did do it and no one got seriously injured. No one got seriously hurt, and we put our bodies on the line, and we accomplished the match, and we got all the chants. We got the Holy ish chants, we got the this is awesome chants, and it just ran through us. It was just something backstage, like that emotion we just grouped hugged and said we did it.”

    Later in the night, Mickie James defeated Deonna Purrazzo to retain her Impact Knockout Championship. James will also compete in the WWE Royal Rumble on January 29th. It’s unclear when Impact will have Steelz challenge James for the title. However, she’s looking forward to getting her opportunity and taking the championship away from James.

  • Breaking News: Samoa Joe Released by WWE

    Breaking News: Samoa Joe Released by WWE

    Samoa Joe is leaving the WWE for the second time in less than a year.

    Fightful Select reports that WWE has released Samoa Joe. Joe has not been on WWE TV since he dropped the NXT Championship due to injury. The company released him the first time due to budget cuts. It’s unclear what the reason is behind the WWE decision this time.

    “…Fightful has confirmed Samoa Joe has been let go from WWE. The company has confirmed the news to us,” said the report.

    Joe has released a statement on Twitter regarding his second departure from the WWE. In the post, he praised the new talent in NXT 2.0 and seems optimistic about his professional wrestling future.

    “Extremely fortunate and grateful to all the young & amazing talent I had the pleasure of working with in the past months. Only saddened at the loss of an “excuse” to see their continued growth & achievement. I am very excited for their future,… and mine,” said Joe

    Recent WWE Releases

    WWE has released both talent and employees in the last two days. Yesterday, the WWE released notable names like former NXT General Manager William Regal, Timothy Thatcher, Danny Burch, Hideki Suzuki, and Road Dogg. This news follows an unfortunate trend that the company has done over the last year, as the company released over 80 talent in 2021. WWE’s reason for letting talent go was also due to budget cuts.

    Samoa Joe Last Run in WWE

    Joe is coming off of a brief run in NXT. He returned to NXT on June 15, 2021, as Regal’s Special Enforcer. However, NXT had Joe challenge former NXT champion Karrion Kross for the title two months later at NXT Takeover 36. He defeated Kross to become a three-time NXT Champion.

    Unfortunately for Joe, he wasn’t able to defend the title because Joe suffered an undisclosed injury that forced him to vacate the championship. During this time, NXT rebranded itself into NXT 2.0 and started to showcase newer talent. While NXT 2.0 introduced new talent like the current NXT Champion Bron Breakker, some NXT veterans have left the company.

    While Joe’s departure from the WWE seems sudden, he seems focused on what’s next for him. It’s unclear how long Joe will be a free agent in the pro wrestling business.