SEScoops

Category: NXT

  • NXT Talent Still In the Dark Over WWE Royal Rumble Status (Report)

    NXT Talent Still In the Dark Over WWE Royal Rumble Status (Report)

    The talent from WWE NXT are still in the dark as to whether they will be used for tomorrow’s Royal Rumble Premium Live Event.

    The show will be the 36th Rumble event (37 if you include the Greatest Royal Rumble) and will be the sixth year in a row that there will be a men’s and women’s match.

    This will also be the first Royal Rumble for Triple H following his appointment as WWE’s Head of Creative and Head of Talent Relations last July.

    NXT Power

    At this time, just seven spots in the Women’s Royal Rumble match have been filled, while 16 for the men’s match have been claimed.

    In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it is reported that as of midweek, NXT talent, particularly the women, were waiting to hear if anyone was being brought into the Rumble.

    WWE has previously used NXT talent to boost the numbers in previous Royal Rumbles.

    It was reported ahead of last year’s Royal Rumble event that WWE did not want to use women from NXT for that year’s match, following the brand’s relaunch as NXT 2.0.

    The belief at the time was that with NXT 2.0 once again being a developmental brand, it didn’t make sense for these ‘rookies’ to be put in the Women’s Rumble.

    No Rousey

    The women of NXT may not be sure of their Royal Rumble fates, but we do know that Ronda Rousey will not compete.

    The Observer adds that as of mid-week, the former SmackDown Women’s Champion was not going to be in the Rumble match.

    The feeling is that they didn’t want to marginalize Rousey’s star power by making her just one of 30 names in the match.

    Ronda Rousey returned to WWE after a near three-year hiatus at last year’s Royal Rumble event, winning the Women’s Rumble match.

    WWE Royal Rumble 2023 Staff Predictions
  • Wes Lee on How He Honed In His Athletic Skills

    Wes Lee on How He Honed In His Athletic Skills

    Wes Lee is one of the most athletic talents on the current NXT roster. Though he didn’t start out as such and according to the current NXT North American Champion himself, a lot of the things he is able to do are self-taught.

    The 34 year old was recently interviewed on The Mark Moses Show. Wes was asked if he has always been this athletic. Replying to it, the high-flying star revealed that he couldn’t play a lot of sports during his childhood due to a heart condition:

    “So my mother was rather protective of me growing up. I was a smaller kid growing up, so I didn’t really have the opportunity to play too many sports, basketball was out of the question. Football was somewhat out of the question as well because I was born with a heart murmur. So there were a lot of medical reasons why I could not play sports.”

    Heart murmur is a condition where blood does not flow through heart valves how it should. It could cause serious problems in many patients but some do have the ability to live a normal life without getting surgery for it. The NXT star did not mention going through one.

    Old Mattresses and Love For Professional Wrestling

    The former Impact Wrestling star then revealed how he honed his athletic ability and learned to wrestle. According to Wes Lee, it became possible by ignoring the disclaimers before wrestling shows:

    “So a lot of the things that I ended up learning were self-taught from either movies or just from common knowledge between shared friends. I lived in an area where I had many athletic friends as well. Tumbling was a thing that we used to do in our neighbourhood. We’d grab old mattresses and sit them out, run and jump off of those and practice our flips.  So that was the way that I really honed in on my athletic ability was starting out on that.

    Then that led to the growth of my love for professional wrestling and sports entertainment. Once that happened, I started to you know, not listen to the disclaimer at the very beginning of our shows and stuff like that of not trying this at home. That was the early stages of me, breaking into the love of professional wrestling and starting to really expand on my expertise when it comes to my athleticism.”

    You can check out Wes Lee’s full interview below:

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    If you use any quotes from the article, please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

  • Nikkita Lyons Announces Injury: Torn ACL & Meniscus

    Nikkita Lyons Announces Injury: Torn ACL & Meniscus

    One of the top up and comers in WWE’s developmental system is taking a positive outlook on an injury that will keep her out of the ring for several months.

    On Wednesday, Nikkita Lyons announced specific details regarding her knee injury. Unfortunately, her she’s torn her ACL and meniscus.

    Despite the setback, she remains full of love, light and positivity. Many athletes would see this as a serious career setback, but Lyons is taking a different outlook. Instead of focusing on the injury, she sees this as a life lesson and is laser focused on making a comeback.

    Nikkita Lyons Announces Knee Injury

    Lyons’ most recent match for WWE took place on the January 20 edition of NXT Level up. In her Level Up debut, the 23-year-old from Las Vegas defeated Jakarta Jackson. 

    SEScoops wishes Nikkita Lyons a speedy recovery from this injury.

  • WWE NXT Preview (1/24): Matches, Vengeance Day Summit

    WWE NXT Preview (1/24): Matches, Vengeance Day Summit

    WWE presents a new episode of NXT tonight on the USA Network live from Orlando, Florida.

    We’re less than two weeks out from NXT Vengeance Day, which takes place next weekend on Saturday, February 4. The event will stream live on Peacock at 8pm (Eastern).

    Tonight’s broadcast will see an NXT Vengeance Day Women’s Championship Summit. What will happen when Gigi Dolin, Jacy Jayne and NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez go face-to-face (to-face) ahead of their clash on 2/4?

    We’ve also got several matches advertised, including:

    • Alba Fyre will battle NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Kayden Carter and Katana Chance in a 1-on-2 handicap match with the titles on the line.
    • Tiffany Stratton vs. Indi Hartwell
    • Elektra Lopez vs. Wendy Choo.
    • Fallon Henley and Kiana James be in action

    Check back later tonight for our weekly NXT Results feature. Catch up on all the happenings from last week’s show right here:

    Here’s WWE’s video preview for tonight’s NXT broadcast on the USA Network:

  • Karl Fredericks Makes WWE Debut at NXT Live Event – Confronts Axiom

    Karl Fredericks Makes WWE Debut at NXT Live Event – Confronts Axiom

    New Japan Pro Wrestling alum Karl Fredericks has confirmed his signing with WWE by making an appearance at an NXT live event.

    Fredericks signed with WWE earlier this month, with the news broken by PW Insider.

    His deal with the McMahon-led promotion comes after he confirmed last summer that he would not be re-signing with NJPW, ending his four years with the promotion.

    WWE NXT

    At the WWE NXT live event in Fort Pierce, Florida, Fredericks made his debut, confronting Axiom in the ring.

    Fredricks’ demeanor garnered boos from the crowd, and teased saying something, but left without saying a word.

    Footage of Fredericks’ debut was later shared by WWE on its Instagram Stories.

    Karl Fredericks

    In 2018, Fredericks entered New Japan’s LA Dojo along with Clark Connors and Alex Coughlin, and would represent the Dojo the following year in the NJPW Young Lion Tournament.

    Fredericks would win the 2019 tournament with a total of 12 points and would team with Hirooki Goto that same year in the World Tag League.

    In August 2020, Fredericks competed in the inaugural New Japan USA Cup Tournament, with the winner earning an IWGP United States Heavyweight Title shot, but lost to KENTA in the first round.

    The next year, Fredericks challenged Tom Lawlor for the Strong Openweight Championship but came up short.

    Fredericks was first spotted at the WWE Performance Center in September 2022, a month after his deal with New Japan expired.

    Interestingly, Fredricks said that he did not see himself going to any other company than New Japan prior to his contract expiring.

    Ex-NJPW Star Karl Fredericks Signs with WWE
  • Finn Balor Calls Losing the NXT Championship a Career Highlight

    Finn Balor Calls Losing the NXT Championship a Career Highlight

    Finn Balor was once the name and face of WWE’s NXT brand, but losing the NXT Championship was hardly a sad moment for the Judgment Day member.

    Balor, who debuted for WWE in 2014, captured the title from Kevin Owens in Japan at WWE’s Beast in the East event in July 2015.

    The Irish Superstar would hold the title for 292 days, a record that was only broken in 2020 by Adam Cole.

    Winning the Gold

    Balor’s victory inside Sumo Hall in Tokyo would at the time be Finn’s biggest victory as part of WWE.

    While speaking to Rob Armstrong for BT Sport, Balor recalled his ascension to the throne of WWE’s gold brand.

    “That was one of the most full-circle moments that I’ve had in my career because not only it wasn’t in Japan, but it was in Ryogoku, which was Sumo Arena, where we wrestled for New Japan quite a lot. I actually had my final match for New Japan, in that arena, in the paint.”

    Finn Balor.

    Balor’s victory would end the 142-day reign of Owens, who won the title from Sami Zayn at February 2015’s NXT TakeOver: Rival.

    Career Highlight

    Balor’s reign on top would end off-screen at an NXT Live event in Lowell, MA at the hands of Samoa Joe.

    In the interview, Balor spoke about how special the title loss off-screen meant to him.

    “We’d done that on a house show. That was something that was so rare, and I remember this sheer surprise and shock of the people in the front row that just couldn’t believe what they had witnessed on a house show.

    “After [292 days], I had been champion, and Joe pins the champion at a house show in Lowel. That was a special night. That, for me, is probably the coolest moment of my career.”

     “That was one of my favorite nights of my career.”

    Finn Balor.

    Joe would lose the title to Shinsuke Nakamura before later winning it back, and along with his brief 2021 victory is the only three-time NXT Champion.

    Finn Balor Believes This Judgement Day Member Will Be A ‘Huge Star’

    h/t – eWrestlingNews

  • Jinder Mahal Reacts to WWE NXT Return at New Year’s Evil

    Jinder Mahal Reacts to WWE NXT Return at New Year’s Evil

    Jinder Mahal is back in WWE NXT with a mission after returning to the gold brand during last night’s New Year’s Evil event.

    For the show, Indus Sher (Veer Mahaan and Sanga) were scheduled to face the Creed Brothers, but Sanga said Veer was not present for the show.

    Despite teasing a two-on-one handicap match, Sanga and the returning Mahal attacked Brutus and Julius Creed.

    Reaction

    Mahal’s appearance this week comes two months after his most recent televised match, and years after the former WWE Champion last competed in NXT.

    Speaking in a backstage interview, Mahal highlighted his success in wrestling, including his reign as the first Indian WWE Champion.

    Mahal said that the only thing he has not done in the wrestling industry is “give back,” which is exactly what he plans on doing.

    Speaking about Veer and Sanga, Mahal said the two fight with honor, but he will teach them that being respectful and obeying the rules won’t get them far in WWE.

    Mahal in NXT

    While Mahal shocked everyone with his appearance on WWE NXT this week, he is no stranger when it comes to the gold brand.

    As Mahal pointed out in his interview, he was close to becoming the very first NXT Champion in 2012.

    Mahal went through Bo Dallas and Richie Steamboat in the quarter and semi-finals before losing to Seth Rollins in the finals.

    Jinder Mahal Denies Being Experimental WWE Champion
  • Current Champion in WWE NXT Not Medically Cleared to Compete

    Current Champion in WWE NXT Not Medically Cleared to Compete

    It may be some time before fans see the New Day defend their WWE NXT Tag Team Championships as Xavier Woods is reportedly injured.

    Woods, alongside Kofi Kingston, won the titles at WWE NXT Deadline, dethroning Pretty Deadly and ending their reign at 97 days.

    With their victory, the New Day becomes the third team to capture the WWE Tag Team triple-crown, after The Revival in 2019 and the Street Profits in 2020.

    Injured

    Since winning the titles, the New Day has had just two matches: a title defense on the December 14, 2022 episode of NXT, and a six-person tag-team match at the December 27, WWE live event.

    PW Insider reports that Woods is “banged up” and “not yet 100% cleared,” which is why New Day hasn’t been seen more inside the ring.

    Details of his injury remain unclear, but he is not expected to miss much more time in the ring.

    The expectation within WWE is that the UpUpDownDown host should be good to go by this month’s Royal Rumble, if not sooner.

    While he has not been wrestling, Woods has continued to appear at WWE events, and was in Kofi’s corner for a house show in Huntsville, Alabama.

    The Rumble

    If the backstage talk is right, Woods will be healed in time for the Rumble, and would likely be a member of the Men’s Royal Rumble match.

    The Men’s match is coming together, with Kingston, Ricochet, and Santos Escobar coming from SmackDown.

    On last night’s Raw, it was confirmed that Seth Rollins, Bobby Lashley, and WWE United States Champion Austin Theory will also be in the Men’s Rumble match.

    WWE & AEW Stars Drop “Can’t Stop Da Party” Music Single
  • Cora Jade Recalls Crazy Experience With Fan On The Road After Controversial NXT Segment

    Cora Jade Recalls Crazy Experience With Fan On The Road After Controversial NXT Segment

    Cora Jade angered a lot of fans when she re-created a classic moment from history and threw the NXT Women’s Championship belt in trash. The heat she received wasn’t limited to social media either and she actually had a crazy experience on the road.

    The 21-year-old recently appeared on the Mark Moses Show. Among other things she also talked about her recreation of the famous moment by Alundra Blayze.

    Revealing the reactions to it, Jade recalled how her mom, who had seen the original clip thought that it was really cool. Though the fans didn’t think the same. When asked if she received heat for the moment, Cora Jade revealed an incident that happened with her during a drive:

    “Definity. I looked at my Twitter and I was like ‘I’m gonna close it’. As soon as I opened it, [I] closed it. They were pretty mad at me that day. You know what’s crazy? The other day I was driving and I was stuck in traffic and someone kept honking their horn at me.

    I looked up and it was somebody with a Mandy Rose Toxic Attraction sign out the window. They were just booing me. I was just in the front seat of my car and I was like ‘Is this actually happening right now?’ Even on the road they hate me.”

    Alundra Blayze jumped ship from WWF to WCW back in 1995. She was the WWF Women’s Champion at the time. While the company stripped her of the title upon the switch, she never officially lost the belt. During her WCW debut on Nitro, Blayze threw the title belt into a trash can and was subsequently blacklisted by WWF.

    Cora Jade recreated this moment with the NXT Women’s Tag Team titles during an episode in July. She had won the title with Roxanne Perez but Jade turned on Perez. She then threw the title belt into trash.

    You can check out a video of the segment below:

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    If you use any quotes from the article, please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

  • Mandy Rose’s FanTime Generates a Fortune After WWE Release

    Mandy Rose’s FanTime Generates a Fortune After WWE Release

    Mandy Rose’s agent says the former NXT Women’s Champion has made a whopping $500,000 on the subscription-based platform FanTime in just one week after WWE released her.

    Rose’s agent, Malki Kawa, tells TMZ Sports that the 32-year-old is on track to become a self-made millionaire by Christmas, thanks to her successful content on FanTime. They expect Rose’s income on the platform will only continue to grow in the coming months.

    Prior to her release, Rose had a successful career on NXT’s roster, holding the Women’s Championship for over 400 days. She lost the title to Roxanne Perez on December 13 and WWE released her from her contract the next day.

    The controversy surrounding Rose’s firing comes from WWE’s policies regarding third-party platforms. In 2020, Vince McMahon, then-CEO and chairman of WWE sent a letter to all wrestlers stating they must stop using any platforms that could potentially harm the company’s image.

    Rose’s firing has sparked debate among wrestling fans. Some believe that WWE made the right decision in upholding its strict policies, while others argue that wrestlers should have the freedom to pursue income outside the company.

    Her success on FanTime has proven that she has a dedicated fan base and the talent to attract new followers. It’s possible that her time with WWE may have helped her build a strong foundation for her personal brand, and now she can take that success and run with it on her terms.

    Regardless of where one stands on the issue, it’s undeniable that Rose’s earning power has not diminished since her departure from WWE. In fact, it appears that her firing has only served to boost her income and visibility.

    Despite her release, Mandy Rose has received support from fans and fellow wrestlers, including AEW star Saraya. Rose’s success on FanTime suggests she has a bright future ahead of her, even without a WWE paycheck.

  • NXT Preview & Spoiler Results for December 20, 2022

    NXT Preview & Spoiler Results for December 20, 2022

    NXT returns to the USA Network tonight for an all-new episode from the Capitol Wrestling Center in Orlando, Florida. This show was taped last week (December 14) due to the ongoing holiday season.

    Here’s a preview for what to expect on NXT, followed by spoiler results:

    • NXT Tag Team Champions The New Day vs. Briggs and Jensen
    • NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Kayden Carter & Katana Chance vs. Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne vs. Ivy Nile & Tatum Paxley
    • Zoey Stark vs. Nikkita Lyons
    • Elektra Lopez vs. Indi Hartwell
    • Apollo Crews returns

    Ahead of tonight’s NXT broadcast, this video will catch you up on the big happenings from last week:

    NXT Results (December 20, 2022)

    • Carmelo Hayes defeated Axiom. The finish came when Trick Williams interfered. After the match, Axiom hit an Asai moonsault on Williams.
    • Zoey Stark defeated Nikkita Lyons after Stark held on to the ropes for leverage.
    • Kayden Carter & Katana Chance defeated Ivy Nile & Tatum Paxley and Jacy Jayne & Gigi Dolin to retain the NXT Women’s Tag Team titles.
    • Apollo Crews called out Carmelo Hayes and the two exchanged words.
    • Elektra Lopez defeated Indi Hartwell
    • The New Day defeated Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen to retain the NXT tag titles titles.
    • The show closes with an angle involving Grayson Waller calling out Bron Breakker. Breakker made his way to the ring and delivered a spear on Waller, but got knocked out. Waller lifted up his jacket to reveal a metal plate on his chest, a throwback to the infamous WCW Nitro storyline involving Bret Hart and his least favorite wrestler, Goldberg.
  • Velveteen Dream Cusses Out Police In Newly Released Arrest Video

    Velveteen Dream Cusses Out Police In Newly Released Arrest Video

    Former WWE Superstar Velveteen Dream made his views on law enforcement perfectly clear during his arrest earlier this year.

    Dream, real name Patrick Clark, was part of 2015’s WWE Tough Enough and while he did not win, his impressive performance earned him an NXT contract.

    In 2020, Clark was accused of sexual misconduct with minors, and while WWE claimed their investigation provided no evidence, he was quietly released from the company the next year.

    Earlier this year, Clark was arrested after an incident at a gym, where it was alleged that he attacked and bit an employee at the facility.

    The Video

    In a new video published by TMZ, the former NXT Superstar can be seen being taken into custody by law enforcement.

    Clark tells police that he did not commit battery and that they should allow him to call a lawyer.

    The ex-Superstar can be heard ranting at the officers, before admitting that he is “a little drunk.”

    Clark also repeatedly tells the police that he was never told his Miranda Rights and that his lawyer would file a lawsuit, adding that he is a “WWE wrestler.”

    After the Arrest

    After the arrest, Clark was officially charged with two misdemeanor counts of assault and trespassing, charges that he would plead not guilty to.

    The former NXT North American Champion was released from jail on September 9, after posting a $1,200 bail.

    The matter was disposed of in September after the claimed victim indicated he did not intend to prosecute.

    Despite the controversy to his name, Clark has shown interest in being rehired by WWE and believes it could happen one day.

    Velveteen Dream Fires Back at EC3 With Cocaine Use Allegation
  • Grayson Waller Calls Mandy Rose a Pillar of WWE NXT

    Grayson Waller Calls Mandy Rose a Pillar of WWE NXT

    Former WWE Superstar Mandy Rose was one of the four pillars of the NXT brand, according to Grayson Waller.

    Rose was released this week from her WWE NXT contract after the promotion learned of the content she has been sharing with subscribers on her website.

    Her departure from WWE comes just one day after losing the NXT Women’s Championship to Roxanne Perez, ending Rose’s reign at 413 days.

    Pillar

    After returning to NXT in the summer of 2021, Rose would become one of the brand’s most popular stars and one of the most dominant champions.

    Speaking during the latest episode of WWE After the Bell, Grayson Waller was asked about the four pillars of NXT, and namedropped the former Superstar.

    “I’m 100% one of those four pillars. I think it’s me, Carmelo [Hayes], Mandy [Rose], and right on the end is Bron Breakker and it’s a little bit shaky, it’s barely standing up but if that pillar breaks, the other three are just as strong.”

    Grayson Waller.

    Based on how Waller spoke during the show, it is likely that this interview was recorded prior to Rose’s firing.

    Grayson Waller

    Waller has become a mainstay in WWE NXT, but has yet to hold gold in the promotion.

    Speaking about his career so far, the Australian Superstar explained his slow rise, saying others needed a push from the get-go, more than him.

    “I think from day one I was[ready for the top spot,] but I just hadn’t [been] given the platform or the opportunity yet. I think other people were given that straight away because they needed it and I took that opportunity.”

    Grayson Waller.

    Waller, the winner of the Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge, has a guaranteed title match with NXT Champion Bron Breakker.

    Grayson Waller Wins Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge Match at WWE NXT Deadline
  • Apollo Crews Reveals How He Got His First Opportunity In Japan

    Apollo Crews Reveals How He Got His First Opportunity In Japan

    Apollo Crews is one of the stars that found success very early in his wrestling career. His fearless style of wrestling attracted people and made him a star in indies. Turns out, he took the fearless approach not only inside the ring but outside as well. The NXT star took chances despite his limited resources which helped him get opportunities.

    The former US champion recently appeared on Out of Character podcast. During the interview he talked about his run in Japan before his WWE signing. Crews told the story of how he first got the opportunity to wrestle for Dragon Gate Japan:

    “When I did Dragon Gate USA, but we’re trying out for Dragon Gate Japan. 2011 It was. [It was] AR Fox that convinced me. I was wrestling around in Georgia at the time.” recalled Apollo Crews, “He’s like, ‘Man, if you really want to get your name out there, you need to come to this tryout with me this weekend.’ I had $100 to my name. I’m like, ‘Dude, if I drive to Indianapolis from Atlanta, Georgia. It’s like 13-14 hours.’

    I was like ‘$50 is gonna go to gas, the tryout cost $50, I’m coming home broke. I don’t have money to do it.’ I did it. Best decision I made. I remember Ricochet being in there and I think he wrestled on the show that weekend and Rich Swann is another one. Those guys I just immediately like kind of bonded with them. Then shortly after I got to start traveling into Japan with them.”

    You can check out Apollo Crews’ full interview below:

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    If you use any quotes from the article, please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

  • WWE Changing Up Several Championship Belts Soon

    WWE Changing Up Several Championship Belts Soon

    The landscape of NXT is set to change dramatically with the changing of the brand’s championship titles.

    Belt Fan Fan, a reliable source for news on championship titles, revealed this week on Twitter that WWE will be moving away from the rainbow-colored titles.

    Instead of brand new championships, WWE will keep the current belt designs but use the prior color schemes.

    When asked if this change is related at all to Mandy Rose, who was fired this week a day after losing the NXT Women’s Championship, Dan said this decision was made weeks ago.

    Taste the Rainbow

    WWE introduced the rainbow-colored NXT and NXT Women’s Championships to coincide with the launch of NXT 2.0 last September.

    The brand’s bold color scheme was also a point of contention for fans, many of whom saw the change as too far from the original NXT fans had loved.

    Currently, the NXT and NXT Women’s Championships are held by Bron Breakker and Roxanne Perez, respectively.

    New Tag Titles

    While the only changes to the NXT and NXT Women’s Championships will be the color scheme, new WWE Tag Team Championships are in the works.

    In November, Dan confirmed reports that new titles were coming to replace the Raw and SmackDown Tag Titles currently held by The Usos.

    The new Championships will feature the current plates but on a black strap instead of red or blue.

    The titles are expected to be presented to the Usos by Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns on an upcoming episode of Monday Night Raw.

    Kofi Kingston Says WWE Could Introduce Trios Championships
  • Roxanne Perez Reacts to Winning NXT Women’s Championship: “Everything Was Worth It”

    Roxanne Perez Reacts to Winning NXT Women’s Championship: “Everything Was Worth It”

    Roxanne Perez earned a title shot by winning the inaugural Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge this past Saturday night at NXT Deadline.

    At the beginning of this week’s NXT, Mandy Rose hit Roxanne Perez with the NXT Women’s Championship. Perez demanded her title shot in the main event of NXT.

    Mandy connected with the Kiss From a Rose but somehow Perez kicked out at two. Perez then connected with Pop Rox for the pinfall victory and captured the NXT Women’s Championship. Mandy Rose’s reign as NXT Women’s Champion lasted an impressive 413 days.

    Roxanne Perez Reacts to Winning the NXT Women’s Championship

    After winning the NXT Women’s Championship from Mandy Rose in the main event, the 22-year-old was interviewed backstage. Roxanne said that she started wrestling when she was 14-years-old and everything she has gone through to get to WWE was worth it.

    2016 is the year I started wrestling, I was 14-years-old and that was the day I said I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that I get to WWE.

    No matter what it takes, I am going to get there. My whole life revolved around wrestling, up until now.

    Everything I did, literally every single thing I did was to be here and for this championship.

    I’m sure you saw that I just broke down into tears out there but everything was worth it. All the trials and tribulations, the ups and the downs, every single thing was so worth it.

    And this is proof to every little girl out there that no matter what you tell yourself, no matter what doubts there are in your mind. It can happen.

    Please credit SEScoops for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.

    WWE NXT Results (12/13): Deadline Fallout, Women’s Title Match
  • WWE NXT’s Von Wagner Pitched for Possible Main Roster Call-Up

    WWE NXT’s Von Wagner Pitched for Possible Main Roster Call-Up

    WWE NXT Superstar Von Wagner could soon find his way to the main roster, Fightful Select reports.

    Von Wagner, the son of former WWE Superstar Beau Beverly, signed with the promotion in 2019 and debuted in NXT as part of the NXT 2.0 relaunch last year.

    During his first night at NXT, Wagner unsuccessfully challenged for the vacant NXT Championship in a fatal four-way match.

    Main Roster

    Despite being on NXT programming for little over a year, WWE has main roster plans for the second-generation Superstar.

    In their report, Fightful notes that they’ve heard Wagner’s name mentioned as someone WWE considers a main-roster call-up.

    Wagner’s call-up was reportedly approved last year but ultimately did not happen.

    The NXT Superstar has already had multiple main roster appearances, competing on WWE Main Event and also working dark matches for WWE SmackDown.

    Prior to earning the Von Wagner name, the second-generation Superstar competed on an episode of Raw Underground in 2020 in a losing effort to Riddick (now Madcap) Moss.

    Slow and Steady

    Von Wagner, like all NXT Superstars, is working his way to the main roster, but call-ups could become less frequent in the coming months.

    In their report, sources within WWE who spoke to Fightful said there will be a more “slow and steady” flow of NXT talent brought up to the main roster.

    It is also reported that talent can expect “less years-long evaluation periods in NXT.”

    There’s no word on who else WWE’s backstage team has considered for a main roster call-up from NXT.

    Bron Breakker Retains WWE NXT Title Over Von Wagner
  • Shawn Michaels Doesn’t Rule Out WWE Legend Wrestling in NXT

    Shawn Michaels Doesn’t Rule Out WWE Legend Wrestling in NXT

    Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative Shawn Michaels recently spoke during a media call to promote NXT Deadline this Saturday night.

    During the call, Michaels said he was open to having Sean Waltman (X-Pac) wrestle in NXT in the future. The Heartbreak Kid complimented Waltman on being in the best shape he has been in a long time.

    I know he has been getting back in there here and there and I got to tell you he’s like in the best shape he’s been in a long, long time. He looks fantastic. Obviously, that would be something I had to, run up the flag pole and everything.

    Shawn added that the younger talent would benefit greatly from getting inside the squared circle with Waltman.

    Look, the talent would benefit from that so much. I know he has a blast. So that’s an option that we’re allowed to explore, I jump all over it.

    But I will. It’s amazing, we’re all buddies and all that stuff like it, but it pales to you guys, but he won’t say anything to me about it. I’ll say we’re all busy trying to work.

    We can’t just pick it up and doing it off the cuff like we use to. When we did the panel and everything, he was really focus on helping us out and getting that done.

    I got to tell you, that would be awesome. The talent would benefit from that so much, and clearly, we do as a program. If we have Kid do anything with us, that’s a huge plus for NXT.

    H/T: Ringside News

    Shawn Michaels Announces New Match Type for NXT Deadline

    NXT Deadline will air this Saturday night from the Capitol Wrestling Center (WWE PC) in Orlando.

    The premium live event will be headlined by Bron Breakker versus Apollo Crews for the NXT Championship. There will also be men’s and women’s Iron Survivor Challenge matches at the show.

    Shawn Michaels appeared on a recent edition of NXT to explain the rules for the new match type.

    • Five superstars will compete in the 25-minute match
    • Two superstars will start the match, a new superstar will enter every five minutes
    • The superstar with the most falls after 25 minutes wins
    • Falls can be won via pinfall, submission or DQ
    • One fall is worth one point
    • When a superstar loses a fall, they must get out of the ring and sit in a penalty box for 90 seconds
    • The superstar who wins the match will become the #1 contender for the men’s or women’s NXT Championship
  • William Regal’s Return has been Discussed for Months in WWE NXT (Report)

    William Regal’s Return has been Discussed for Months in WWE NXT (Report)

    William Regal is expected to return to WWE in the near future, but this is something that the NXT roster has been waiting on.

    Regal was released in January of this year from his role with the gold brand, as part of sweeping cuts to the backstage crew in NXT.

    The former WWE Intercontinental, European, and Tag Team Champion would debut for AEW at the Revolution Pay-Per-View in March 2023.

    Discussion

    After being written off AEW TV last week with an attack by MJF, it has been reported that Regal will be finishing up with the promotion this month.

    One popular theory among fans is that Tony Khan had an agreement with Regal, stating that if Triple H took control of the company, then he’d be allowed to return.

    Speaking on Wrestling Observer Live, Bryan Alvarez said that this idea has been discussed for months among the NXT roster.

    “This is a story that goes back in NXT months, and months ago. They believed that story whenever it first happened. Some don’t believe it, but it’s a story that’s been going around NXT for MONTHS.”

    Bryan Alverez.

    Neither WWE, Khan, nor Regal have publicly confirmed reports that he is set to leave All Elite Wrestling and return to WWE.

    Departure

    Regal’s departure from AEW has come as a shock to fans, as the British legend has been featured prominently since arriving as part of the Blackpool Combat Club.

    Speaking to Sportskeeda last week, EC3 claimed that what he was told is that Regal “immediately” regretted joining the promotion earlier this year.

    It is claimed that Regal took issue with the “maturity issue” with management, though sources have labeled the rumor of AEW’s roster not listening to Regal as ‘completely inaccurate.’

    AEW Talent Questioning Recent Tony Khan Booking Decision (Report)
  • Sources: Rumors about AEW roster attitude toward Regal, coaching ‘completely inaccurate’

    Sources: Rumors about AEW roster attitude toward Regal, coaching ‘completely inaccurate’

    All Elite Wrestling and its roster’s attitude toward coaching has been a hotly debated subject since the All Out “Press Conference From Hell,” when CM Punk vented frustrations – among a number of subjects – at Hangman Adam Page for not being open to coaching from the former AEW, WWE, and ROH champ.

    The latest controversy was from Ethan Carter III, who said William Regal was frustrated with talent not taking up offers to coach them prior to AEW shows and said management had maturity issues.

    Several AEW sources said the story wasn’t true and blasted Carter for floating it. One source with the company described it as, “completely inaccurate.” One source noted Carter and James being frustrated themselves at not landing jobs in AEW and neither them or Russo have ever been with the company.

    “There was no formal coaching session, where it was something that was scheduled or anything like that. Usually he would go down to the ring to help someone, and word would spread, like, “Hey, Regal is down in the ring.” The source said Dustin Rhodes trains younger women’s wrestlers on the roster. He also said Danielson has worked with people regularly and sessions included talent that appeared regularly on Dynamite or Rampage.

    “I can’t believe this is a story,” another source said. “It’s complete bullshit. There was never some schedule you had to be down at the ring and people blew it off, and (Regal) was never going to flat tell someone they had to come to the ring so he could coach them. Regal would work with someone, people would go down and show up, a lot of people took advantage of it. Other vets do it all the time. It’s always the younger women and men. Sometimes someone would work with someone one on one, other times there could be quite a few people down. It was totally informal.”

    “Regal would even sit in the stands with guys to talk about the fans point of view, or the point of view of watching on TV,” another source said. “He would tell you about making sure to know how you are looking to fans as you come to the ring or how you would look on TV. He said to make sure you’re always really nice to the camera guys, they’re the ones who make you look good (laughing).”

    Regal was the on-screen manager of the Blackpool Combat Club since debuting with AEW in March. Several wrestling news sites have reported Regal will be leaving AEW for a return to WWE and would begin work there in 2023. Regal was released by WWE nearly a year ago.

    Since then, his friend Paul Levesque has been named head of creative after Vince McMahon was investigated for multiple sex scandals and subsequent payoffs within the company. His son, Charlie Dempsey – who had wrestled as Bailey Matthews was brought to NXT from NXT UK in August. Dempsey scored his first win in the company early last month. Regal’s contract status is unknown, but it’s been speculated he will exercise an out clause. Regal’s relationship with Levesque goes back to the early 1990s in WCW, when Regal mentored him when the two were tag team partners. The two have been close friends for 20 years. Levesque was instrumental in bringing Regal to WWE in the early 2000s and making him a mainstay in WWE’s developmental system after he retired from wrestling.

  • Triple H was “Very Unhappy” with William Regal’s WWE NXT Release

    Triple H was “Very Unhappy” with William Regal’s WWE NXT Release

    William Regal is expected to return to WWE soon, after his release in January of this year left Triple H “very unhappy.”

    This week, Regal was written off of TV with an attack by AEW World Champion MJF, who chastised the British veteran for making a deal with ‘the Devil.’

    It was reported not long after that Regal is expected to finish with the company and return to WWE when he is able to.

    Done

    Sources in AEW all are operating on the assumption that he’s leaving the company, Fightful Select has reported.

    On the other side, sources from WWE who spoke to Fightful are all under the impression that Regal is rejoining their promotion.

    One AEW source said that after the MJF angle that ran last week, William Regal was “done” with the company, and will not be appearing on-screen again.

    Unhappy

    Regal’s imminent return to WWE comes after the former King of the Ring was released in January of this year.

    A WWE source said that it does not come as any surprise that William Regal is likely headed back, given how close he was to Triple H.

    Working as a tag team in WCW in 1994, Regal would serve as one of the Game’s groomsmen in 2003, and the pair worked together in NXT until Regal’s release.

    That same WWE source added that Triple H was “very unhappy” when Regal was let go, and those in NXT said they believed the Gentleman Villain would be a “lifer” with the brand.

    Those in WWE expect him to resume an advanced role similar to the one he had before, but that wasn’t confirmed.

    AEW Talent Questioning Recent Tony Khan Booking Decision (Report)
  • WWE NXT Teases Arrival of NXT UK Star with New Name

    WWE NXT Teases Arrival of NXT UK Star with New Name

    The women’s division of WWE NXT will soon see the arrival of Lyra Valkyria, judging by a teaser video during this week’s episode.

    During the show, footage of a woman running in a forest was played, with narration by Valkyria in both Gaelic and English.

    The 26-year-old Superstar said that she is “ready for a new battleground,” namely WWE NXT.

    Lyra Valkyria

    Joining WWE in 2020, Valkyria originally worked under the name Aoife Valkyria and defeated Amale in her in-ring debut for NXT UK in January of that same year.

    The following month, Aoife Valkyria briefly toured with WWE NXT, working with names including Aliyah, Mia Yim, and Taynara Conti (now AEW’s Tay Melo.)

    Returning to NXT UK in September 2020, in a winning effort against Isla Dawn.

    Valkyria remained undefeated before suffering a loss to Meiko Satomura in April 2021.

    Valkyria lost to Jinny in July 2021, thanks to interference by Joseph Conners, but would defeat Jinny the next month in a No-DQ match, in which Conners was in a shark cage.

    The losses to Satomura and Jinny mark Valkyria’s only two defeats since joining WWE.

    Before WWE

    Like many Irish Superstars in WWE, Valkyria cut her teeth in Over the Top Wrestling, where she is a former OTT Women’s Champion.

    Valkyria’s origins in wrestling began in 2015 in Fight Factory Pro Wrestling, where she became the first woman to win the promotion’s Junior Heavyweight Championship.

    The Valkyria name comes from Valkyria Cain, the protagonist of the Skulduggery Pleasant book series by Derek Landy.

    WWE NXT Results (11/29): Hall of Famers Appear, Dijak in Action
  • Wendy Choo: “Okay C*nty Cora”

    Wendy Choo: “Okay C*nty Cora”

    Wendy Choo may not know this, but in professional wrestling, there are very few words that are “off limits” when it comes to insulting one’s opponent. Obviously, there’s the really bad words that we won’t even dare to offer conjecture about.

    But then there are the words that could be heard on any given Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Friday night. We’re talking the ‘B’ word, the ‘S’ word, the other ‘S’ word, the ‘W’ word, and more. All of these are insults that women offer up to each other in order to antagonize their opponent and shock the viewing audience.

    But there’s one word that has just never really been utilized, and for good reason. It’s, like’ the word. It’s the word that’s reserved for one’s worst enemy (or any Karen that asks to speak to the manager). We’re talking, like, the absolute worst thing you could call a woman.

    Yes, we’re talking about the ‘C’ word and that is one word that you just don’t hear a lot in the pantheons of professional wrestling.

    Which is why it was so shocking when Wendy Choo used it to describe Cora Jade.

    Cora Jade

    Cora Jade Fires the First Shot

    The feud started with a match between the two on last week’s episode of NXT. Jade defeated Choo, which led to the sleepy girl having a bit of a breakdown. She started crying; so much so that one of her fake eyelashes fell off and creepily stuck to her cheek. It was weird.

    The feud continued when Jade posted a TikTok video of herself mocking Wendy Choo’s tears. Following that, Choo decided to display her inner-John Cena on Twitter, offering up one of those weird inspirational quotes that only Cena or the girls you went to high school with who never left town choose to post.

    Jade continued to bully Choo, Quote Tweeting her on Twitter and simply saying ‘STFU.’

    Mean, but funny.

    But Wendy Choo took things to a whole ‘nother level in her response.

    https://twitter.com/therealestwendy/status/1597786465802805249

    So like, wow. We just don’t hear/read that word a whole lot in professional wrestling. It’s such a stigmatized word that we don’t even know if Wendy Choo is genuinely mad at Jade or not, nor whether there will be any real-life consequences for Choo’s choice of verbiage.

    Regardless, the tweet got people talking, which was the idea.

    We can only hope that NXT crowds don’t start chanting “C*nty Cora” at Jade in future shows.

  • Injured NXT Superstar Not Expected Back Until Spring 2023

    Injured NXT Superstar Not Expected Back Until Spring 2023

    Fans of Arianna Grace will have to keep on waiting for the second-generation Superstar, who isn’t expected to return until the spring of next year.

    Grace, real name Bianca Carelli, signed with WWE in February 2022, and received the Grace name in April of this year.

    Last month, Grace suffered an injury, which was later reported to be a torn ACL.

    Recovery

    Grace isn’t just a WWE Superstar, but is a second-generation Superstar, as she is the daughter of Santino Marella.

    Speaking to Fightful, the ex-Intercontinental Champion said that Grace will be sidelined for the remainder of this year, and they are hopeful for a spring return.

    Marella added that he is also fine with his daughter not using the Marella name, as he wants her to carve her own path in WWE, without being compared to him.

    The Marella surname is actually a tribute to Gorilla Monsoon (Robert James Marella) who worked for decades in wrestling before his passing in 1999.

    Santino

    Santino Marella is excited for his daughter to get back in the ring, but don’t expect to see the pair in mixed-tag team action.

    In the same interview, Santino said that while he remains active in the ring, his days as a wrestler are behind him as far as a career goes.

    Marella is open to working as a producer or color commentator but said he wants to raise his children and is worried about the risk of injury.

    Santino made his main roster debut in 2007, being pulled from the crowd as a ‘fan’ and defeating then-Intercontinental Champion Umaga, albeit thanks to Bobby Lashley.

    Plans for Two Recent WWE Signees Debuting for NXT Soon
  • NXT Scrypts Character Inspired by WWE’s Poop-Smearing Stalker (Report)

    NXT Scrypts Character Inspired by WWE’s Poop-Smearing Stalker (Report)

    Scrypts has, at last, arrived in WWE NXT, but the inspiration for the character comes from one of the promotion’s most problematic fans.

    For weeks, voice messages left at WWE’s Performance Center teased the arrival of Scrypts, a seemingly anarchist threat vowing to destroy NXT as we know it.

    On this week’s episode, Scrypts made his in-ring debut, defeating Guru Raaj.

    Stalker

    In 2015, Armando Montalvo was arrested and shot outside WWE’s Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, and charged with trespassing.

    Prior to his arrest, Montalvo had showed up at the center and would make a scene, often smearing feces on the side of the building.

    Speaking on the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that Montalvo proved to be somewhat of an inspiration for the Scrypts character.

    “Do you remember the real stalker who was defecating on the premises and doing all that crazy stuff and he was arrested multiple times? That was the gimmick that inspired [Scrypts.] that idiot inspired a gimmick that’s out there doing flips.”

    Dave Meltzer.

    In 2018, WWE was granted a permanent order of protection, after Montalvo made posts on social media that were perceived to be threats against the company and talent.

    Despite this, Montalvo remains active on social media, often tagging WWE personnel in posts.

    While Scrypts has (thankfully!) not smeared feces on the Performance Center, the wrestler did graffiti his name on the PC in one of his promo vignettes.

    Scrypts

    Despite wearing a mask, many have identified Scrypts as four-time former WWE 24/7 Champion Reggie.

    Originally Carmella’s sommelier Reginald, Reggie got ‘engaged’ to Dana Brooke earlier this year, and the ceremony took place on the April 18, episode of Raw.

    After Reggie pinned Brooke during the ceremony to win the 24/7 title, the two ‘divorced’ in his final appearance before debuting as Scrypts.

    WWE NXT Results (11/22/22): North American Title Match, Scrypts Revealed