SEScoops

Category: AEW

  • Being The Elite (Ep. 131) Recap: “BTE On Christmas Eve”

    Being The Elite (Ep. 131) Recap: “BTE On Christmas Eve”

    It was a Christmas Eve special this week on Being the Elite. While much of the episode focussed on the cast’s memories of 2018, Cody also sent out a message regarding where they plan to go in 2019.

    “I know a lot of people think what we’re getting ready to do is a big gamble. Some people think it’s very stupid but I’m not filled with false-hope,” Cody said on the episode. “You the fans have given me real hope and that’s what it takes for a revolution.”

    In this week’s episode, members of the Elite shared their favorite and least favorite memories from BTE in 2018.

    Matt Jackson Watches Scorpio Sky Eat A Candy Cane

    Members of the Elite and SCU are enjoying the holidays at the Young Bucks house. Scorpio Sky then announced he was going to make a toast. He said this was the best year of his career and he owes it to everyone there. This led to Matt Jackson slowly walking up to Sky and offering him a candy cane. Jackson has been gifting Sky candy bars for several weeks now on the show. Then Jackson just watched Sky eat the candy cane for several awkward moments.

    Hangman Page Shares His Favorite and Least Favorite Moments Of 2018

    Adam “Hangman” Page was shown sitting by a Christmas tree. He shared several of his favorite stories from BTE in 2018. He enjoyed the episode where Cody got “the Money Shakes” and also the one where Marty Scurll sang “Complicated” when the rivalry between Kenny Omega and Cody had broken the faction apart.

    Marty Scurll Shares His Favorite BTE Episodes

    Scurll then shared a few of his most notable ups and downs from Being the Elite this year. He mentioned getting fired from his recording contract as particularly memorable.

    Cody On His Favorite And Least Favorite BTE Moments In 2018

    Cody is shown smoking a cigar while holding his front door open, seemingly because someone doesn’t want him smoking in the house. He listed his favorite moment from BTE this year as having been when the words “Bullet Club is Fine” were first uttered. Cody said he felt that saying defined the rivalry he was in at the time.

    He also mentioned an unaired bit from BTE that was apparently filmed on the Chris Jericho cruise as his low point on BTE This year.

    Cody then addressed the Elite’s future in 2019 with the quotes referenced above.

    Kazarian Gets His Holiday Bonus

    Kazarian was concerned he didn’t get his holiday bonus. Then, Christopher Daniels found a letter addressed to him. When he opened up what was his holiday bonus, however, it was only a one-year subscription to Honor Club.

    Kazarian then chugged a Monster Energy drink and said he wished his boss was there so he could tell him off. I’m pretty sure this was from the Christmas Story movie.

    Kenny Omega In An Ugly Sweater

    Omega shared a message on Christmas Eve from Winnipeg. He calmly spoke of his favorite moments on the show. Omega then asked the fans to comment on their favorite episodes.

    The Young Bucks Tease A Big Announcement

    The Young Bucks reminded everyone that the next episode is due to be released on New Year’s Eve. It seems as though next week’s episode could be a particularly interesting one. Earlier this week, Matt Jackson posted a countdown clock on Twitter that expires on January 1st.

    Being The Elite: “BTE On Christmas Eve”

  • AEW Reportedly Turned Down Offer To Purchase Impact Wrestling

    AEW Reportedly Turned Down Offer To Purchase Impact Wrestling

    The parties behind the All Elite Wrestling upstart promotion have reportedly turned down an offer to purchase Impact Wrestling, according to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter. “It is not a secret that there were forces attempting to sell Impact to AEW a few months ago,” wrote Dave Meltzer. “But that proposal was turned down.”

    We’ve reached out to Impact Wrestling for their comment on the matter.

    Impact Moving to Pursuit Channel

    Impact Wrestling recently announced they will be moving to the Pursuit channel in 2019. Anthem owns a minority stake in the channel as well. The promotion will debut on their new channel on Friday, January 11th, 2019 at 10 PM. Once WWE Smackdown moves to Fox Sports in October, Impact’s new timeslot would air right after it.

    One possible outcome of the switch to the Pursuit channel is the potential for edgier content. This was addressed in a recent company press release.

    “With IMPACT Wrestling coming off a tremendous year of audience growth globally and positive fan engagement,” an Impact press release reads. “We look forward to leveraging our respective resources to bring fans more of the wrestling content they want to see: tougher, edgier action.”

  • Jim Cornette Discusses The Future Of Cody And The Young Bucks

    Jim Cornette Discusses The Future Of Cody And The Young Bucks

    Jim Cornette thinks Cody and The Young Bucks are about to go all in.

    With The Elite set to hit free agency and start their own promotion, all manner of wrestling pundits are chiming in with their predictions as to the success of a potential WWE competitor.

    Jim Cornette appeared on a recent episode of Talk Is Jericho to give his take on the state of the wrestling business, and what the future may hold for The Elite.

    “Six months ago, I would have said wrestling sucks, for reasons including the things people send me,” Cornette said. “But Vince just got two billion dollars for a TV deal. That’s gonna be the biggest thing.”

    Cornette went on to explain what FOX’s large investment in WWE Smackdown means for the wrestling business as a whole.

    “People are looking at All In, and what The Bucks and Cody have done, the resurgence of New Japan, and this and that. Vince’s deal is going to be the most important thing,” Cornette said.

    “Because now, people with platforms are interested in wrestling again. There’s a lot of money in wrestling again.”

    A WWE Competitor

    Cornette believes that the time is perfect for a WWE competitor to hit it big.

    “For 20 years, WWE has trained the people that the McMahons that run the company are the evil empire, they keep our favorite wrestlers under their thumbs, they threaten them with their livelihood,” Cornette said.

    Cornette believes that the storyline portrayal of the WWE promoters as heels may have consciously, or subconsciously, contributed to the mainstream breakthrough of The Elite.

    “So now 20 years later, these guys are starting to get hot… [With All In] they’ve hit on the brilliant idea that the boys are going to run their own show… And for once, the wrestlers get the money,” Cornette said.

    Cornette’s full comments on Cody and The Young Bucks can be heard in context below.

    When referencing this transcript, please credit SEScoops.com. This transcript has been edited and condensed for clarity. 

  • Eric Bischoff Tells The Young Bucks To Go Slow With All Elite Wrestling

    Eric Bischoff Tells The Young Bucks To Go Slow With All Elite Wrestling

    It’s no secret now that the Young Bucks are involved with the new All Elite Wrestling Promotion and with the new year approaching fast, the official announcement for it should be coming soon as well.

    With all the signs pointing towards the rise of this promotion, various people related to wrestling world have been giving their opinion on this move, and now Eric Bischoff has joined this list as well.

    Bischoff who himself is quite familiar with running a wrestling promotion talked about AEW during the latest episode of his After 83 Weeks podcast.

    Eric first discussed the success of All In event which will probably be remembered as the show which started all this and said that what’s really cool about it is that they did it without television.

    He then explained how as someone who has grown up in the wrestling industry and someone who couldn’t imagine being involved in the wrestling industry without a solid TV platform underneath you, the success of the show was mind-boggling.

    When asked if he has any advice for the Young Bucks over the new promotion, Eric Bischoff said that they are in a zone right now and this zone doesn’t come easily.

    Revealing his advice for the duo, the former WCW Official said that they should be smart, go slow and shouldn’t let it get to their head. Finally, he said that the brothers should always surround themselves with people they absolutely trust

    Apart from this, Bischoff also hoped that he would get an invitation to watch shows of AEW and more. You can check out the full episode of his podcast here.

  • All Elite Wrestling Files For New Trademark

    All Elite Wrestling Files For New Trademark

    The LLC “All Elite Wrestling” has filed for a new trademark. The trademarked term appears to be for a potential charity wrestling event. Both the term “Fight For The Fallen” and an accompanying logo were filed on Friday.

    All Elite Wrestling Trademarks

    Previously filed trademarks for All Elite Wrestling also include:

    • All Elite Wrestling and AEW
    • Tuesday Night Dynamite
    • AEW Double Or Nothing
    • AEW All Out

    All Elite Wrestling and Members of The Elite

    One of the bigger questions surrounding the newly formed LLC is if wrestlers from the Elite will be permitted to perform for both NJPW and a new wrestling promotion based in the United States that isn’t Ring of Honor.

    “Obviously, both AEW and ROH will want a business relationship with New Japan,” Dave Meltzer wrote recently in the Wrestling Observer.

    “New Japan has blocked its talent from working for Impact, even though Don Callis is an announcer for New Japan, because of the ROH relationship,” he continued. “They have not blocked people from working for MLW.”

    As it stands now, several members of the Elite have matches scheduled at Wrestle Kingdom 13. Kenny Omega will face Hiroshi Tanahashi, the Young Bucks will be in a 3-way for the heavyweight tag titles, and Cody will face Juice Robinson.

  • NFL Analyst’s Breakdown References The Elite Throughout

    NFL Analyst’s Breakdown References The Elite Throughout

    If you’re still not sure about how far independent wrestling has permeated into modern pop culture, you should watch the video embedded below:

    Adam Rank uploaded the video with the hashtag “#theELITE” attached. It wasn’t long before it began to gain attention from wrestling fans on Twitter. Its reach even extended to members of The Elite, including Matt Jackson and “Hangman” Adam Page.

    Matt Jackson commented that “This is the greatest” whilst ‘Hangman’ playfully said, “This all sounds familiar but I can’t quite put my finger on it.”

    https://twitter.com/MattJackson13/status/1075898373348020224

    https://twitter.com/theAdamPage/status/1075899019803676672

    The video is a nice piece of referential journalism, snuck through onto a broadcast that wouldn’t have raised any attention unless you were a wrestling fan.
    To the uninitiated, it’s an analytical breakdown. But for those in the know, it probably wasn’t long until you resonated with every reference dropped. All within thirty-six seconds.

    An Elite Influence

    The Elite’s popularity is undeniable.

    With their products readily available in Hot Topic, their reputation built across multiple international companies, and their name recognition ever growing since their disassociation from Bullet Club, The Elite are on a precipice of integrating wrestling into mainstream pop culture that probably hasn’t been seen since the hey-day of the New World Order and Degeneration X.

    With All Elite Wrestling on the horizon, it could only be a matter of it, not when, that happens.

  • Cody & Young Bucks Address Finishing Up With ROH

    Cody & Young Bucks Address Finishing Up With ROH

    Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks are one step closer to realizing their next chapter of their careers, whatever that may be. After Friday night’s Final Battle pay-per-view from New York City, The Elite addressed the live crowd (Video) and gave a farewell address. Matt Jackson teased the formation of All Elite Wrestling and told the fans something big is about to go down.

    Cody and The Elite worked Saturday night’s ROH television taping from Philadelphia, PA. You can check out full results from those tapings here. This is most likely their final appearance for ROH before the big announcements start rolling out following NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom 13 on January 4th.

    On Sunday morning, Matt Jackson of the Young Bucks tweeted that he’s “leaving the territory.” The Bucks have been working for Ring of Honor on-and-off since 2009.

    https://twitter.com/MattJackson13/status/1074310767070101505

    Cody Rhodes posted a heartfelt message thanking Ring of Honor for providing him “shelter from the storm” 2 years ago after he left WWE. Cody, a former ROH World Heavyweight Champion, called his run with the company a beautiful experience.

    “Thank you to all the fans, Cody wrote. “Thank you to a wonderfully talented locker-room. Thank you to an outstanding crew/production top-to-bottom. Thank you Joe Koff & Greg Gilleland. Thank you ROH, I needed “shelter from the storm” & you gave me a home the past 2 years. Beautiful experience”

  • The Elite Bids Farewell To Ring Of Honor After Final Battle (Video)

    The Elite Bids Farewell To Ring Of Honor After Final Battle (Video)

    Members of The Elite bid farewell to Ring of Honor after the conclusion of Friday night’s Final Battle pay-per-view from New York City.

    The Young Bucks, Cody, Hangman Page and S.C.U. (Christopher Daniels, Kazarian and Scorpio Sky) were all in action on the card. All of them are rumored to be departing Ring of Honor and all of them lost their matches Friday night. You can check out our full breakdown of the Final Battle pay-per-view here. The main event saw the Briscoe Brothers defeat the Young Bucks and S.C.U. in a Ladder War to capture the ROH world tag team championships for the 10th time.

    After the show went off the air, The Elite hit the ring to address the live crowd. Matt Jackson thanked everyone for their support and said the Manhattan Center is their favorite venue to wrestle in. Fans chanted, “January 1st” in reference to The Elite teasing a major announcement regarding their future after the new year.

    Jackson said this was not going to be some emotional farewell speech or anything like that, which brought on more supportive chants. The Young Bucks started in Ring of Honor 10 years ago and this past 2-year run as best the best time of their lives. They thanked Ring of Honor executives and their families for joining them each step of their journey.

    Matt Jackson then asked, “We’re all elite, right?” He said “the timer is ticking” and something big is about to go down. He encouraged everyone to stay tuned and keep watching their Youtube series, Being the Elite, for details on their next moves.

    Fans chanted “Double or Nothing” as The Elite signed off and promised they will return to New York City again.

    Check out this video of The Elite saying farewell to Ring of Honor, courtesy of Youtube user Joseph Santangelo.

  • Update On The Evolving Landscape Headed Into 2019

    Update On The Evolving Landscape Headed Into 2019

    As we head into 2019, there are plenty of unanswered questions surrounding what the pro-wrestling landscape will look like in the new year. One of the most burning questions is where will members of the Elite end up?

    Cody, the Young Bucks, Hangman Page, and eventually Marty Scurll (he’s under contract to ROH until the spring) are expected to form the nucleus of the All Elite Wrestling. Still, many members of the Elite are hoping to continue working with New Japan Pro Wrestling next year.

    Will The Elite Continue With New Japan Pro Wrestling?

    What could possibly prevent the Elite from returning to NJPW, is the promotion’s approach to talent-sharing deals. This issue was addressed in the most recent edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

    “Obviously, both AEW and ROH will want a business relationship with New Japan,” Meltzer wrote. He would continue to say every promotion in the United States would like to have such a relationship.

    “New Japan has blocked its talent from working for Impact, even though Don Callis is an announcer for New Japan, because of the ROH relationship,” he continued. “They have not blocked people from working for MLW.”

    The question then becomes whether NJPW will allow their talent to work for All Elite Wrestling as they do for MLW or if they will block them from doing so, as they have done with Impact Wrestling.

    A possible sign the Young Bucks could be staying occurred this week, however. The popular tag-team announced they are finally being flown first-class to Japan for NJPW shows. This was something the brothers had complained about on their YouTube series in recent weeks.

    “New Japan could work with both AEW and ROH,” Meltzer concluded. “The ball really is in their court.”

    We expect to hear some big announcements out of the Elite camp after New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 13 event on January 4th.

  • Nick Jackson Tells Fans, “Enjoy Us While We’re Still Here”

    Nick Jackson Tells Fans, “Enjoy Us While We’re Still Here”

    Correction: Earlier this week, Nick Jackson of the Young Bucks posted a photo on Instagram hyping their upcoming match at WrestleKingdom 13 against the Guerrillas of Destiny and EVIL & SANADA. The caption included the line, “Try to enjoy us while we’re still here. We don’t have much time left!” Our original article stated that Jackson was referring to the Bucks’ time in New Japan. This was an error on our part – Jackson clarified on Twitter that he was referring to their careers, not just their run in NJPW. We have edited the article to reflect this sentiment and apologize to the Young Bucks and our readers for the misinterpretation.

    Nick Jackson Addresses The Young Bucks’ Future

    The Young Bucks were recently added to the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship match at the upcoming Wrestle Kingdom 13 event. This decision from NJPW management caused some backlash from fans.

    The match was originally expected to be between the champs and Bullet Club Members Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa and World Tag League winners EVIL & SANADA.

    Since the Bucks did not participate in the World Tag League, a lot of people showed their frustration on this decision online, calling their inclusion to the bout unfair.

    Nick Jackson responded to this backlash from his Instagram account recently and he explained that their inclusion in the match was not their decision. He also advised fans to enjoy while they are still here cause they don’t have much time left:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BrM5jgFBW5j/?utm_source=ig_embed

    The Young Bucks still haven’t confirmed what the future holds for them after Wrestle Kingdom. The Elite has vowed to stick together in 2019. Cody recently revealed that he declined an offer by WWE, a strong indication that the Bucks are not WWE bound either. Stay tuned.

  • Young Bucks Tease “Being The Elite” Angle For Final Battle 2018

    Young Bucks Tease “Being The Elite” Angle For Final Battle 2018

    A long-running storyline from the Young Bucks’ “Being the Elite” series could come to a conclusion at Ring of Honor’s Final Battle PPV on Friday.

    On the latest episode of the show, Matt Jackson received another letter from the person known only as “H”.

    “If you choose to be our next hire, all cease and desist orders will expire,” the note reads. “Sign with a stooge, we’ll wipe your slate clean. You remember my last note? It read ‘Final Battle 2018′”.

    Final Battle takes place Friday night, December 14th, from New York. It is available free for Honor Club VIP subscribers.

    You can view the latest episode of Being the Elite below:

    Also this week on BTE, Christopher Daniels received a blood transfusion of blood type SCU+.

    Final Battle 2018 Lineup

    • ROH World Championship
      Jay Lethal (c) vs Cody
    • ROH Tag Team Championship
      Ladder War VII
      SCU (c) vs the Briscoes vs the Young Bucks
    • Women of Honor Championship
      Sumie Sakai (c) vs Madison Rayne vs Kelly Klein vs Karen Q
    • ROH TV Title
      Jeff Cobb (c) vs Adam “Hangman” Page
    • Matt Taven vs Dalton Castle
    • Zack Sabre Jr vs Jonathan Gresham
    • Singapore Cane Match
      Bully Ray vs Flip Gordon
    • Christopher Daniels vs Marty Scurll

    Matches booked for the TV tapings the following night include:

    • Tracy Williams vs Zack Sabre Jr.
    • PJ Black vs Juice Robinson
    • Rush vs TK O’Ryan
  • Jim Ross Says There Are Plans For All In 2

    Jim Ross Says There Are Plans For All In 2

    As The Elite prepare to enter free agency, and get All Elite Wrestling off the ground, Jim Ross says that there are plans in the works for All In 2.

    “I’ve heard through the grapevine that All In 2 will happen, perhaps as early as May 2019,” Ross said on The Jim Ross Report.

    “All on the rumor mill. I can’t imagine, as successful as it seems that All In was there in Chicago, why wouldn’t you want to have another one?”

    All In 2

    Ross cautioned that planning for more multiple All In events in a single year might not be the best idea.

    “I think that one a year is plenty,” Ross said. “You don’t want to wear out the theme.”

    JR went on to discuss the potential of The Elite starting their own promotion, and what may be some pitfalls that they may face.

    “The challenging part of this is for the booker types, like Cody and The Young Bucks, who like to be creative and like to book.”

    Cody’s Booking Legacy

    Ross also mentioned that he feels that Cody has something of a legacy to uphold as the son of a legendary booker.

    “I think Cody feels that’s his life’s work because his dad was so good at it,” Ross said. “He wants to honor his father by being known as a great booker as well.”

    “And hey, why not? Somebody’s got to do it, somebody’s got to be the booker, somebody’s got to create the content.”

    You can hear JR’s full comments in context in the full episode of The Jim Ross Report below.

    When quoting this transcript, please credit SEScoops.com. This transcript has been edited and condensed for clarity. 

    Are you ready for All In 2?

  • ‘Being The Elite’ 128: Preparation For The Forthcoming

    ‘Being The Elite’ 128: Preparation For The Forthcoming

    The Young Bucks had recently said that they have a whole Being The Elite storyline planned to reveal what’s coming next for the group and the latest episode of the show supports these claims.

    The episode 128 of ‘Being The Elite’ titled premonition, consists even more segments teasing their future and reduces the number of other acts.

    It starts with Marty Scurll wondering if anyone would come to his New Year’s party and then Flip Gordon, who recently signed a 2 year deal with ROH becomes the first superstar to agree to it.

    However soon after this Kenny Omega confirms that he will be joining Scurll’s party as well. Marty then decides to remove Gordon from it, telling him the spots are full.

    The episode also continues the storyline with Christopher Daniels who appears to be amidst a break up with the other SCU members and a face turn on the same time.

    Overall the episode embraces the feeling that something big is going to happen in near future and hints that they are really going to run with the story in next few episodes.

    What did you think about the latest episode of Being The Elite? Let us know your thoughts in the comment.

  • Cody & Brandi Rhodes Watch Jackson Jaguars Game In Owner’s Box

    Cody & Brandi Rhodes Watch Jackson Jaguars Game In Owner’s Box

    Codi and Brandi Rhodes spent an NFL Sunday inside the Jacksonville Jaguars’ owner’s box yesterday. The NFL franchise is owned by the billionaire Khan family. The Jags also share the same registered address as All Elite Wrestling.

    Cody didn’t publicize the trip on social media as he does for most things, however. Brandi, on the other hand, felt it necessary to discuss her choice in wardrobe with her followers.

    Cody & Brandi Rhodes – All Elite Wrestling

    Cody recently traveled to Australia for a tour with World Series Wrestling. Despite having a torn meniscus, Cody worked the tour doing Meet and Greets. He also defended the IWGP United States title on 3 occasions by defeating Joey Ryan in a staring contest. During the tour, he told fans to expect an announcement regarding All Elite Wrestling in January.

    “At a meet and greet in Melbourne, Australia, Cody was asked about a new promotion and said to wait for January as an announcement will be made, and said the announcement would be bigger than anyone expects,” Dave Meltzer wrote in this week’s Wrestling Observer.

    Last Tuesday, Cody put out a Tweet asking “Who are some of the hottest male/female independent acts not signed anywhere?” Fuelling speculation the Elite is looking to bring in unsigned talent to their new promotion.

  • Cody Announces Charitable Partnership With RedRover

    Cody Announces Charitable Partnership With RedRover

    In 2018, Cody has begun supporting various charities by donating money from Meet and Greets, t-shirts, and other fundraising efforts. Yesterday, Cody revealed a new T-shirt with all proceeds going to the animal welfare charity, RedRover.

    “Pharaoh, Winston, and Ultra Tito present to you this “Elite Dogs” shirt! W/PROCEEDS GOING TO RedRover! RedRover helps animals rescued from disasters/neglect, domestic violence victims seeking safety w/their pets, animals with life-threatening illnesses.

    Cody’s Charitable Work

    Cody also donated his earnings from the NWA 70th Anniversary show to charity. He later posted a receipt to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation for the amount of $2000.

    RedRover Animal Welfare Charity

    RedRover listed the following as their missions statement: “RedRover helps animals rescued from disasters or neglect, domestic violence victims seeking safety with their pets, and animals with life-threatening illnesses. We use innovative solutions to prevent cruelty.”

    The animal welfare organization has put boots on the ground in areas devastated by the Camp Fire, California’s deadliest wildfires in history.

    “RedRover Responders are dedicated to helping these poor animals recover from this horrifying experience,” said RedRover Director of Field Services, Beth Gammie. “We will continue to provide soft hands and warm hearts when animals are in pain and work collaboratively with agencies to help animals recover from trauma.”

  • TGI Fridays Talks Relationship With The Young Bucks, Sponsoring All In

    TGI Fridays Talks Relationship With The Young Bucks, Sponsoring All In

    TGI Fridays recently revealed they have been marketing their restaurant to fans of professional wrestling. A new trend in marketing is for companies to develop “brand advocates” as opposed to paid endorsements. According to TGI Fridays, wrestlers make fantastic brand advocates.

    Amanda Brown, senior manager of digital marketing at TGI Friday’s, spoke with VentureBeat about this new trend.

    “We really do find that when we activate our brand advocates, we see a lot more of a positive lift in sentiment for our brand,” said Brown.

    The Twitter account for Wendy’s often works a similar gimmick.

    Young Bucks and TGI Fridays

    TGI Fridays said they first discovered the Young Bucks when the brothers began Tweeting about their Tokyo location. Matt & Nick Jackson would jokingly refer to it as their favorite local restaurant while in Japan. The restaurant invited the Young Bucks to their headquarters the next time they were back in the United States.

    “This is a true harmonious relationship that we’re building with these wrestlers,” Brown explained. “You could feel the excitement and the authenticity once we actually met them face to face and started engaging with them. That was the biggest opportunity for us to really bring an authentic influencer relationship to life, versus what we had previously been doing in our strategy with influencers, which is strictly paid.”

    TGI Fridays said they wooed the Bucks by giving them VIP service. The Bucks then invited them to help sponsor All In.

    https://twitter.com/MattJackson13/status/1030386709895233536

    “They said, we’d love you to be a part of it because we love you and we know our fans love you,” Brown said. “To have that kind of an approach to a relationship and a sponsorship is completely different than anything I’ve ever seen before with a paid agreement. It also helped us build a bigger relationship with our consumers. Once we did sponsor that event, we got so much love from their fan base saying, ‘thank you so much for supporting our favorite wrestlers.’ We got to see the power of really building and establishing a good rapport with our influencers, treating them well, and really welcoming their fan base.”

    In terms of how their sponsorship of All In worked out, TGI Fridays could not have been more thrilled.

    “Sentiment, obviously, was through the roof,” Brown continued. “It was the second-largest spike that we had had all year in sentiment and overall volume and conversation.”

    TGI Fridays and Baron Corbin

    TGI Fridays then mentioned how a Twitter interaction with Baron Corbin helped give the restaurant some cost-effective exposure.

    “We ended up developing a relationship with Baron Corbin and teasing him about getting fired from Friday’s, getting him a severance package of boneless wings,” she continued. “There’s a lot that just comes from embracing this niche audience that we didn’t know existed, and then turning that into not only sponsorships but new and expanded awareness of our brand.”

    You can read the full article here.

  • Young Bucks Comment On All Elite Wrestling Trademarks

    Young Bucks Comment On All Elite Wrestling Trademarks

    From our first report to being an actual registered company who is preparing for its official launch next year, All Elite Wrestling has traveled very far in the last couple of months.

    However, the main people involved with the promotion are still playing with the report. Some of them are like Chris Jericho and Cody Rhodes who are just having fun.

    Then there are people like the Young Bucks who also have legal limitations since they are still under contracts.

    However, this is not going to stop people from discussing it. It also means that whether or not they can answer the questions, the people who are involved with the promotion are still going to be asked about it.

    This was the case during the latest episode of Wrestling Perspective podcast, where the host Petey Williams talked to the Bucks about the promotion, asking them what they can say on the situation.

    Answering the question both the brothers tried to protect the information and work around the question.

    Matt Jackson said that they are in a situation where they don’t really know what they are going to do. Though he accepted that after All In they have offers from investors which they are still thinking about.

    Nick Jackson took a slightly different route and accepted that they have offers from every major company in the world. He explained that they have not said no to anyone since they are keeping their options open.

    Although whether or not they accept it, AEW has already become one of the hottest topics of discussion among fans. It doesn’t look like these discussions will be cooling down anytime soon. For now you can check out Matt and Nick’s comments in the video below:

  • Jim Ross: All Elite Wrestling Will Be Big – If They Secure A TV Deal

    Jim Ross: All Elite Wrestling Will Be Big – If They Secure A TV Deal

    WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has provided some new commentary on All Elite Wrestling. Ross, who has been involved in the early stages of the upstart promotion, calls it a “feast or famine” proposition whose success is predicated on securing a meaningful television deal.

    On the latest Jim Ross Report podcast, Good ‘ol JR addressed the recent development that All Elite Wrestling trademarks have been filed by the Khan family.

    “I certainly want to address the trademark issues filed by the Kahn family,” Ross said.
    “If this thing happens, it’s going to be one of two things, in my opinion. It’s either going to never happen, because a television deal could not be acquired, or the television deal is going to be finalized, and it’s going to be big,” Ross said.

    It’s All About The Two T’s: Television And Talent

    Later in the show, while interviewing Dave Meltzer, Ross again addressed the possibility of an All Elite Wrestling promotion.

    “Two things you have to have to start a wrestling promotion: television, and talent. In that order,” Ross said.

    “If you don’t have viable television, I’m not talking about Pop TV, I’m talking about a real television outlet, a major cable entity that everybody has access to, you damn sure don’t need any talent.”

    “This company, if it ever happens, it’s an idea right now. If they don’t get TV, there is no company.”

    Jim Ross’s Involvement With All Elite Wrestling

    Ross also addressed his potential involvement with All Elite Wrestling.

    “I’ve been rumored to be in every role with this company. It’s just eye-rolling. At one point it’s Jericho and me, which I thought was really stupid. Me and Jericho are going to spend all the money we’ve made over the years to get in the wrestling business? Are you crazy? Are you nuts?”

    (To be clear: Our exclusive report said nothing about Jim Ross or Chris Jericho’s involvement being financial.)

    Ross continued, “And then we’re not involved at all, it’s these other guys that are really the movers and shakers. There ain’t nothing to move here, folks. There ain’t nothing to shake.”

    It’s worth noting that Ross never went so far as to deny his potential involvement with the proposed company, despite all of his bluster. He only stated that the company may not get off the ground.

    The full episode of The Jim Ross Report can be heard below.

    When referencing this transcript, please credit SEScoops.com. This transcript has been edited and condensed for clarity.

  • Cody Hints “All Elite Wrestling” Announcement Coming In January

    Cody Hints “All Elite Wrestling” Announcement Coming In January

    Cody, the Young Bucks, Marty Scurll, and Adam Page are all finishing up commitments in ROH and NJPW at the moment. When 2019 hits, however, it’s looking as though the group will be part of a new promotion, All Elite Wrestling.

    Cody was asked recently at a Meet in Greet for World Series Wrestling in Australia about the promotion. He indicated an announcement would be made in January. Cody also stated the announcement will be bigger than expected.

    Cody’s answer to the question was covered in this week’s Wrestling Observer.

    “At a meet and greet in Melbourne, Australia, Cody was asked about a new promotion and said to wait for January as an announcement will be made, and said the announcement would be bigger than anyone expects,” Dave Meltzer wrote.

    Cody and All Elite Wrestling

    Cody has also doubled-down on his statements that he will be finishing up with Ring of Honor after Final Battle. He has said his title match with Jay Lethal will be his final match with the promotion. The angle is if Cody wins he’ll bring the title with him into free agency.

    Cody also appears to be scouting talent. He sent the following out on Tuesday evening:

    What top unsigned talent would you like to see Cody bring to All Elite Wrestling?

  • CM Punk Open To Working With All Elite Wrestling

    CM Punk Open To Working With All Elite Wrestling

    Former WWE Superstar CM Punk is aware of All Elite Wrestling and would consider working for the upstart promotion if they made him a solid offer. During an interview with MMAFighting, Punk said, “If those guys all go and start their own thing, more power to them,” Punk said.

    When asked directly if he’d entertain an offer to work for All Elite, Punk replied, “I would always listen. I would listen to them because … I like the Young Bucks, I text with Matt on and off. But business is business.”

    Prior to All In, there was speculation as to whether or not he would be involved in that show. Cody Rhodes stated at one point that they reached out to CM Punk to appear, but Punk says an official offer was never made.

    “I know Cody was out there in the media saying that an offer was made,” Punk said. “An offer was not made. Calling me up or texting me saying, ‘Hey, if you want to come to the show and do something, we would love that’ is not an offer. That’s not an offer.”

    While the signing of CM Punk would be a huge deal for All Elite, Punk is pretty adamant that his pro wrestling days are most likely behind him.

    “There are a couple more loose ends that I’m still trying to tie up to fully absolve me from the world of pro wrestling,” Punk stated. “I feel like I’ve still been attached to it since the day that I left it and that’s mostly because of fugazi lawyers and such. But we’re wrapping all that up and that’ll come to an end. And once I’m truly free, we can explore the world and just float and hang out and I can walk my dog and drink coffee and do commentary for Dave Sholler and continue to train at Roufusport and do all kinds of stuff. I’ve earned it, I’ve paid my dues.”

    You can read the full interview here. 

  • All Elite Wrestling (AEW) Trademarks Linked To New Promotion

    All Elite Wrestling (AEW) Trademarks Linked To New Promotion

    An entity called ALL ELITE WRESTLING, LLC has filed several new trademarks linked to a new upstart wrestling promotion launching next year.

    Last month, SEScoops.com broke the news that a new wrestling promotion is in the works involving members of The Elite (Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks), Jim Ross, Chris Jericho, agent Barry Bloom with financing by the billionaire Khan family. There were denials by the parties involved, there was skepticism, but our friends at WrestlingNews.co have uncovered trademarks that provide a lot more information about what’s coming next.

    AEW: All Elite Wrestling

    Based on the trademarks filed November 5th, the new promotion will be known as All Elite Wrestling (AEW). All Elite Wrestling, LLC is based out of Jacksonville, Florida with the same address as TIAA Bank Field, the home of the Jacksonville Jaguars.  The Jaguars are owned by the Khan family, co-owner Tony Khan heavily involved in AEW’s formation. The company also owns AllEliteWrestling.com.

    The trademarks held by AEW’s parent company include:

    • All Elite Wrestling and AEW
    • Tuesday Night Dynamite
    • AEW Double Or Nothing
    • AEW All Out

    Tuesday Night Dynamite indicates the promotion will be going with a weekly television series. As noted in our original report, AXS TV was fast-tracking plans to work with this new upstart wrestling organization. A rep from AXS TV denied this aspect of our report and we do not have any further details regarding the television home of AEW.

    The following artwork was also trademarked for AEW: Double or Nothing and AEW: All Out (presumably events that will be taking place in 2019):

    2019 is already shaping up to be a very interesting year for pro wrestling fans. We’ll keep you posted as more details are available regarding this new promotion.

  • Jim Ross Calls WWE Treatment Of Rey Mysterio “Embarrassing” On Jericho Cruise (Video)

    Jim Ross Calls WWE Treatment Of Rey Mysterio “Embarrassing” On Jericho Cruise (Video)

    WWE is said to have attempted to stop Rey Mysterio from appearing on the Chris Jericho Rock N Rager at Sea. The ongoing cruise docks back into Miami tomorrow. Mysterio has been a guest on the cruise but has not competed or performed. After the cruise, Mysterio will head to Saudi Arabia to perform at Crown Jewel with WWE.

    “Chris is here bringing brands together, that stuff that’s going on is embarrassing…somebody along the way is going to create another company and they won’t have to worry about that bullsh**,” Ross said on the cruise.

    The following video from a Q&A session on the cruise features Jim Ross calling WWE’s attempt to stop Mysterio from going on the cruise as “embarrassing.”

    Jim Ross on WWE Trying To Prevent Rey Mysterio From Appearing On Chris Jericho’s Rock N Rager At Sea

    Jim Ross is no stranger to mistreatment from the WWE. He’s been fired from the company 3x already after all. Ross has made no secret of the fact that he believes members of the Elite will not be at the Madison Square Garden show in April and that things in 2019 could get interesting.

    “As I said early on, the card for the Ring of Honor Madison Square Garden Show, with New Japan, will probably look entirely different then, compared to what one would assume it look like if it was booked today,” Ross said on his podcast two weeks ago. “I think there’s gonna be a lot of movement with some of the biggest stars in the game.”

  • Jim Ross & Chris Jericho Working With Billionaire To Launch New Wrestling Promotion (Exclusive)

    Jim Ross & Chris Jericho Working With Billionaire To Launch New Wrestling Promotion (Exclusive)

    The groundwork is being laid for a new wrestling promotion. It involves some of the top players in the industry and financial backing from a billionaire family already involved in professional sports.

    Jim Ross and Chris Jericho have been working with renowned agent Barry Bloom in putting the pieces together. JR’s contract with WWE expires shortly and he has declined an offer to renew. He has been sending out feelers to select WWE performers, while Jericho has been handling the New Japan side. Bloom was recently in Japan taking meetings related to this deal.

    The project is being financed by the Khan family. Shahid Khan, the patriarch, is one of the wealthiest men on the world (and a colorful personality). He owns the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham F.C. of the English Premier League. Shahid’s son, Tony, is a big wrestling fan and has been hands-on with getting this off the ground. He follows a few wrestlers on Twitter, including Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks and Marty Scurll.

    Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks are on board, as are Hangman Page and a few others. Kenny Omega’s status is unclear. For what it’s worth, Bill Goldberg is a client of Barry Bloom, along with JR and Jericho. When The Elite has talked about sticking together next year, this is what they’ve been alluding to. Jim Ross has been coy about this on his podcast, vaguely teasing something big on the horizon without showing his cards.

    With the A-level talent they are getting commitments from, the group will burn through a ton of cash quickly. They are moving forward with the understanding that significant losses are expected for the first couple years.

    Talks are underway with AXS to secure a TV deal. AXS TV executive Adam Swift is fast-tracking this. (Update: A rep from AXS TV has denied this report.) AXS currently airs New Japan Pro Wrestling and recently announced Jeanie Buss’ Women of Wrestling premieres in January. Sinclair Broadcasting, which provided logistical support for All In and has been acting in good faith, has been in the dark about this story.

    The timeline for this going live is 12-16 months from now (late 2019 / early 2020).

    We’ve reached out to the involved parties for comment and will update this article if necessary.

  • Jim Ross Comments On The Elite Potentially Leaving ROH & NJPW

    Jim Ross Comments On The Elite Potentially Leaving ROH & NJPW

    On the latest episode of The Jim Ross Report, Good Ol’ JR gave his take on the likelihood of Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks leaving the ROH and NJPW promotions in January.

    Ross also discussed Impact’s Bound For Glory, Evolution, and much more.

    Jim Ross On Kenny Omega And The Young Bucks

    “As I said early on, the card for the Ring of Honor Madison Square Garden Show, with New Japan, will probably look entirely different then, compared to what one would assume it look like if it was booked today,” Ross said. “I think there’s gonna be a lot of movement with some of the biggest stars in the game.”

    While not betraying anyone’s confidence, Ross implied that his opinion is informed, and not just speculation. “Just picking up a little bit here, a little bit there, and I’ll keep you apprised,” Ross said.

    “I’m talking to a lot of these cats that have opportunities to do other things, casually… I think some people’s motors are running and the wheels are turning,” he said.

    JR On Bound For Glory

    Ross also gave his take on Impact’s Bound For Glory event. Specifically, he discussed the angle involving Johnny Impact and Austin Aries.

    “It was a creatively structured event. Got a lot of people talking. I’m guessing that was the goal, because I’ve never known Austin Aries to be unprofessional in anything,” Ross said. “I love what they did because it got people talking about a show that needed positive verbal reinforcement.”

    WWE Evolution

    JR also discussed the upcoming WWE Evolution show. He strongly put over Nikki Bella and Ronda Rousey’s segment from Raw this past Monday, and gave his thoughts on a potential match order for the event.

    “I would pick Charlotte and Becky to close the show, in spectacular fashion, with death-defying athleticisism and physicality, and I would open the show with the tag match, Lita and Trish against Alexa Bliss and Mickie James. That’s a lot of star power and it gets people emotionally invested early,” he said.

    Drew McIntyre

    Ross offered some insight into Drew McIntyre’s booking, his potential, and his future. “It’s really clear to me now that the brass in WWE fully realize how great McIntyre can be as their top champion.”

    JR posited that McIntyre may be headed for a coronation at the upcoming WrestleMania. “Let’s all keep our eye on Drew McIntyre and how he’s booked between now and WrestleMania,” he said.

    “If my intuitions are right, and what seems to be the general direction WWE may be traveling right now, McIntyre is destined for greatness in the most supreme way.”

    Other topics Ross covered on the show include the booking of Braun Strowman and what he would do differently, Bobby Lashley as a heel, Smackdown 1000, and the controversy surrounding Crown Jewel. The show also contains the second part of JR’s chat with Matt Hardy.

    The full episode can be found below.

    When referencing this transcript, please credit SEScoops.com. This transcript has been edited for clarity.

    Do you think The Elite are bound for WWE?