SEScoops

Category: NXT

  • How WWE Officials Feel About LA Knight And Other NXT Stars

    How WWE Officials Feel About LA Knight And Other NXT Stars

    WWE’s development brand in NXT is now directly under the control of Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard. There are several names they see as future megastars.

    Dave Meltzer talked about the revamped brand on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Newsletter. He revealed how the officials feel about certain names.

    Per Meltzer, officials are ‘very high right now’ on LA Knight. The former Impact world champion was originally supposed to be called up to the main roster in spring.

    However, he has recently been competing in dark matches on SmackDown and Raw. WWE even posted a video of Knight having a confrontation with Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode. So it’s possible that his progression may have been sped up.

    A couple of other names the officials seemed to be impressed with are Brutus Creed and Julius Creed, the Creed Brothers.

    Internal comparisons have been made between Julias and a young Kurt Angle. The Idea internally is that ‘both will at some point be WrestleMania headliners.’

    Finally, the officials are high on Von Wagner and Xyon Quinn because of their look and size. They are ‘very forgiving’ of the young star’s inexperience in the ring and the management is hoping that they will pick things up in time.

    Only time will tell which one of these talents actually end up becoming big stars, but it’s still good to know that officials are looking at names that can be future champions.

    WWE Royal Rumble 2022 Predictions
  • Update On Who Is In Charge Of NXT Creative

    Update On Who Is In Charge Of NXT Creative

    Shawn Michaels is in charge of NXT creative at the moment. WWE rebranded NXT to NXT 2.0 back in September. This is when Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard were said to have taken a larger role backstage in NXT. According to a recent report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, however, McMahon and Prichard do not play a major role in creative in the same way they do for RAW and Smackdown.

    “We are told that even with the perception that Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard are running NXT, it’s really not the case. When it comes to creative, the guy basically in charge is Shawn Michaels,” wrote Dave Meltzer.

    Vince McMahon is said to be more involved than he used to be in NXT, however. While he will look at run sheets, he does not change the show last-minute as he often does with RAW and Smackdown.

    There are some directions that come from the top that Michaels has to follow. One of those directives is said to be the pushing of Joe Gacy. McMahon apparently believes that Gacy’s gimmick will earn the company mainstream publicity.

    Also, there are several NXT talents who could be called up to the main roster shortly. LA Knight is slotted to get called up after WrestleMania, but that may have gotten pushed up. The Creed Brothers have reportedly earned praise as well, with Julius getting some Kurt Angle comparisons.

    Currently, there are no plans for Triple H to return to creative for either WWE or NXT due to health issues. WWE officials are pleased with the job Shawn Michaels has been doing in his absence. Michaels is being praised for turning guys like Bron Breakker, Carmela Hayes, Knight, Grayson Waller and Tony D’Angelo into stars.

  • Tiffany Stratton Reacts To Fans Booing Her on NXT 2.0

    Tiffany Stratton Reacts To Fans Booing Her on NXT 2.0

    WWE newcomer Tiffany Stratton was in action once again on Tuesday’s episode of NXT 2.0. “The Buff Barbie Doll” battled former NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai in a hard-hitting match. Shirai picked up the win.

    You can watch highlights from the match here:

    Stratton is a bit green, but she showed promise despite this being only her second match in NXT.

    WWE spent several weeks building her ‘Daddy’s Girl’ character with a series of throwback vignettes, so you can be sure the company will be patient as she develops her act.

    Ryan Pappolla, host of WWE’s The Bump digital certain, sees her potential:

    Tiffany Stratton is a heel character and she wrestled a fan favorite in Io Shirai this week, so she should expect to be booed. However, that doesn’t mean she takes the negative feedback lightly.

    In response to fans who booed her on this week’s NXT, Stratton has a message:

  • Watch: OllieJayy Performs “Make Em Fall” on NXT 2.0

    Watch: OllieJayy Performs “Make Em Fall” on NXT 2.0

    Recording superstar OllieJayy appeared on this week’s NXT 2.0 to perform the show’s official new theme song, Make Em Fall.

    OllieJayy (real name: Olivia Johnson) is a popular singer and fashion blogger.

    Some of her best known songs include Spooky SZN, Posin, Just a Perk and Slow Ride. Her music can be heard on Spotify, Apple Music and other major streaming platforms.

    You can also watch her latest music videos on YouTube.

    Watch OllieJayy perform “Make Em Fall” on NXT 2.0:

    Reactions to OllieJayy’s NXT Performance

    OllieJay’s first appearance on WWE television generated a lot of buzz. She was the top-trending topic coming out of the show.

    Fans on social media also seemed to love the performance.

    The official WWE Music YouTube channel has also uploaded the full studio version of “As Close As It Gets – Make Em Fall” –

    OllieJayy Photos

    OllieJay has a very popular Instagram account with nearly a quarter million followers.

    Follow her on Instagram to keep up with her fashion blogging

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CY-Dr2-sCNN/
    https://www.instagram.com/p/CYP5JFIM6IO/
    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXPcJxLMRsa/
  • Odyssey Jones Out Until Late 2022 After Knee Surgery

    Odyssey Jones Out Until Late 2022 After Knee Surgery

    NXT star Odyssey Jones will be out of action for the next several months.

    The big man from Coram, New York sustained a knee knee injury earlier this month. On January 11th, he wrestled in a match taped for 205 live.

    During his match against Grayson Waller’s new bodyguard Sanga, Jones appeared to blow out his knee. He was helped to the back by WWE officials and the match never aired.

    Jones appeared on NXT last week getting checked out in the trainer’s room. He was attacked by Harland, further aggravating the injury per WWE storylines.

    On Tuesday’s NXT, broadcaster Vic Joseph announced that Odyssey Jones recently underwent surgery to correct a ruptured patella tendon.

    The surgery is considered a success, but he will miss significant ring time. Odyssey Jones is expected to be out of action until late 2022.

    This is a tough break for Jones, who is considered to be one of the most talented prospects in WWE’s developmental brand.

    Prior to joining WWE, Jones played football for Syracuse University, where he served as an offensive guard. His college football career was cut short during his senior year, when he suffering a lower leg injury.

    Odyssey Jones made headlines earlier for comments on social media that some considered to be transphobic. You can read about that story here:

  • WWE Royal Rumble: Details on Possible Surprise Entrants

    WWE Royal Rumble: Details on Possible Surprise Entrants

    WWE may have some surprises in store for next weekend’s Royal Rumble premium live event.

    The Rumble is the official kickoff to the road to WrestleMania and surprise entrants are part of what makes the show exciting each year.

    WWE already spilled the beans on several major returns scheduled for the Women’s Royal Rumble. Impact Knockouts Champion Mickie James, The Bella Twins, Lita, Michelle McCool, Kelly Kelly and Summer Rae are among the familiar faces we’ll see back in action.

    Royal Rumble Surprises

    Two wrestlers from WWE’s developmental brand are scheduled to be in town for the Royal Rumble. According to PWInsider, NXT Champion Bron Breakker and are both slated to be in St. Louis.

    This in itself is not a guarantee that Bron & Gunther will be part of the 30-man over-the-top-rope battle royal. However, we have seen NXT stars appear in the Royal Rumble before. It’s a great way to showcase this talent on the big stage.

    Royal Rumble Entrants

    As of this writing, the following 15 people (14 Superstars and Jackass star Johnny Knoxville) have ‘declared’ for the 2022 Men’s Royal Rumble match:

    • AJ Styles
    • Angelo Dawkins
    • Austin Theory
    • Big E
    • Damian Priest
    • Dominik Mysterio
    • Happy Corbin
    • Johnny Knoxville
    • Kevin Owens
    • Kofi Kingston
    • Madcap Moss
    • Montez Ford
    • Rey Mysterio
    • Sami Zayn
    • Sheamus

    The 2022 WWE Royal Rumble takes place Sunday, January 29th from The Dome at America’s Center in St Louis, Missouri.

  • Will Bron Breakker Enter the WWE Royal Rumble?

    Will Bron Breakker Enter the WWE Royal Rumble?

    Royal Rumble season is always full of surprises, so naturally, some are wondering if reigning NXT Champion Bron Breakker will enter the Rumble this year.

    This year’s Royal Rumble takes place next Saturday in St. Louis, Missouri. In year’s past, it hasn’t been uncommon for NXT stars to come out and enter the Rumble match. This year, however, is the first time since NXT rebranded themselves NXT 2.0.

    Breakker was asked about potentially entering the match during an interview with Bleacher Report.

    “If the opportunity presents itself, I’m going,” Breakker said. “That’d be awesome. I’d love to have that opportunity, it’d be freakin’ nuts. I hope it happens.”

    Breakker’s father, Rick Steiner, competed in the 1994 Royal Rumble. The wrestling legend and former multi-time tag team champion was in Orlando for his son’s NXT title victory on January 4th.

    “I didn’t really know he was coming,” Breakker revealed. “I invited him down and said ‘hey, do you want to come to the show?’ He drove down and surprised me. He showed up and it was cool. It was the first time he’s ever seen me work and getting to be a part of it in person. I got to cherish that with my dad and my brother was there, too. It’s one of those things you never forget.”

    Rick Steiner and Bron Breakker
    Rick Steiner and Bron Breakker

    Of course, Bron’s father isn’t the only member of the family who once wrestled. Wrestling legend Tommy Dreamer recently stated that Breakker is the perfect mold of his father, Rick Steiner, and uncle, Scott Steiner.

    “If you look at Bron Breakker, he has both characters — it’s like he’s the perfect mold of both Steiner brothers. The Steiner brothers were a money tag team. Rick, like I said was a money babyface, and Scott was a money singles guy as well.

    “So, there’s nothing but a great future for Bron Breakker and he has that charisma, and even last night when he locked in the Steiner Recliner, that place they went nuts for it.

    “He’s got the powerslam, he’s got the military press, but there was a simple spot where Ciampa went for the boot and Bron Breakker pulled himself up and caught him with the Frakensteiner in mid-air. I mean, come on. He’s athletic as can be.

    “He grew up in that home with the Steiners and it’s like he’s a clone of both his father and his uncle and that’s nothing but pure money.”

    Check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube.

  • Watch: Walter Renamed As Gunther On NXT

    Watch: Walter Renamed As Gunther On NXT

    WWE has apparently renamed former NXT UK champion Walter to Gunther which is also the name of a Nazi commander.

    The news of WWE trademarking the name Gunther Stark made some headlines yesterday after the revealation that it was also the name of a German U-boat Commander during World War II.

    Fans had been speculating which star could be given the name since then. It was revealed during this week’s NXT that Walter is the one being renamed.

    The Austrian star faced Roderick Strong in a one-on-one match in the main event of the development show this week. The former NXT UK star won this match after delivering a big powerbomb for the pin.

    As he was being announced the winner of the fight, Walter snatched the mic. He said that the winner of the match was Gunther.

    The duo of Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner then rushed to the ring to attack Strong. The Creed Brothers came in to help the Diamond Mine leader and the show went off air with all 6 stars brawling in the ring.

    The earlier revelation had received a lot of negative reactions. Though the use of the name on NXT is proof that the officials have decided not to back down.

    Reactions to WALTER being renamed Gunther

  • Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic: Every Men’s Team Announced

    Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic: Every Men’s Team Announced

    This year’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic is taking shape, and WWE NXT 2.0 has now revealed all of the teams who will participate on the men’s side.

    The men’s tournament begins next week. The teams will be as follows:

    • MSK (Wes Lee and Nash Carter)
    • Brooks Jensen and Josh Briggs
    • Jacket Time (KUSHIDA and Ikemen Jiro)
    • Malik Blade and Edris Enofe
    • Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson and James Drake)
    • Andre Chase and Bodhi Hayward
    • Legado del Fantasma (Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza)
    • The Creed Brothers (Julius & Brutus Creed)

    Blade and Enofe qualified for the tournament this past Tuesday night on NXT when they defeated Joe Gacy and Harland. Harland was disqualified in the match.

    NXT has since released the brackets for the men’s tournament:

    There will be a women’s tournament beginning in February. This will be just the second year that a women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic has been held.

    The inaugural Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic was held in 2015. On the men’s side, the winners (in order) have been: Finn Balor and Samoa Joe, The Authors of Pain, The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly), Aleister Black and Ricochet, The BroserWeights (Matt Riddle and Pete Dunne), and MSK (Wes Lee and Nash Carter).

    On the female side, the inaugural winners last year were Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez.

    Check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube.

  • Quote: The Black & Gold NXT Would Still Be Around If It Beat AEW

    Quote: The Black & Gold NXT Would Still Be Around If It Beat AEW

    One tag team legend doesn’t believe that HHH’s vision of NXT would’ve been dismantled if the brand had beaten AEW in the ratings.

    There was a time when NXT was the alternative brand of WWE. While Raw and SmackDown generally stuck to the status quo, NXT was filled with established indie and international talent. The brand was also able to garner a passionate fanbase.

    Once AEW came to life, the pressure was on HHH and his crew to hold the new kid on the block at bay. That didn’t happen as NXT got smoked in the head-to-head ratings war.

    Bully Ray Says NXT Black & Gold Sticks Around With Ratings Wins

    • NXT
      NXT

    Ultimately, NXT was moved to Tuesday nights and rebranded. Now, WWE has put emphasis on developing talent to be ready for what the main roster officials want instead of being a competitive third brand.

    Taking to Busted Open Radio, Bully Ray shared his theory that the previous NXT regime would’ve stood in place if it had gotten better ratings than AEW Dynamite.

    “I believe NXT would have still been around, the black and gold, would’ve still been around if it was to continue to win and that’s it. ‘It stopped winning, now we’re gonna strip it down, and now it’s going to become what I originally wanted it to become.’

    “Last night seeing Bron [Breakker] and seeing [Grayson Waller] and the way they’re peppering in guys like AJ Styles to work with these NXT talents so they are accustomed to the Raw and SmackDown work [solidified the new NXT era].

    “Not like a Keith Lee who comes in who’s a 300-pounder who wants to work like he’s a buck and a half. Vince will just look at it and go, ‘What the heck is going on?’”

    PWInsider recently reported that NXT has fully moved into its next phase. Bruce Prichard and Christine Lubrano have now taken over the creative reigns so that the show runs similar to Raw and SmackDown.

    WWE has been releasing many members of HHH’s NXT team. We recently saw the likes of William Regal, Samoa Joe, and Road Dogg being given their walking papers.

    Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any quotes from this article

  • Wendy Choo Makes In-Ring Debut With New “Sleepy” Gimmick

    Wendy Choo Makes In-Ring Debut With New “Sleepy” Gimmick

    Wendy Choo woke up in time to make her in-ring debut under a new gimmick on NXT 2.0 last night. Her rather unique new persona seems to have captured the interest of many fans.

    Wendy Choo is the former Karen Q and the former 1000-year-old woman, Mei Ying. Evidently, performing as her former gimmick really tuckered her out some. In recent weeks, Choo had been shown in backstage segments in pajamas and looking as though she just woke up from a long nap.

    Choo made her in-ring debut last night, teaming with Indi Hartwell and Persia Pirotta. Her team defeated Amari Miller, Kacy Catanzaro, and Kayden Carter.

    Early in the match, Choo appeared to curl up in the corner and rest on a pillow while on the ring apron. When she was tagged in, however, Choo perked up a little and hit a series of suplexes. Then later in the match she appeared to lay down and take a little nap in the ring while she was the legal competitor. Vic Joseph noted that she might be playing possum, however, and sure enough when Miller went to attack her, Choo kicked her off. She then tagged out to Pirotta who delivered a facebuster and then Hartwell tagged in and hit her springboard elbow drop for the win.

    After the match, Pirotta and Hartwell seemed quite pleased with their rather drowsy-appearing partner.

    Fans online have been reacting to this rather unique new gimmick:

  • WATCH: Bron Breakker Gets Custom Plates After Winning NXT Championship

    WATCH: Bron Breakker Gets Custom Plates After Winning NXT Championship

    Bron Breakker has captured his first title in WWE and he’s received the custom plate treatment.

    Breakker challenged Tommaso Ciampa for the NXT gold back in October. The title match headlined Halloween Havoc. It wasn’t Breakker’s night as he was pinned by Ciampa in his first attempt at the championship.

    Things played out quite differently at New Year’s Evil, however. Breakker got his rematch and made the most of it, submitting Ciampa with the Steiner Recliner.

    WWE has posted a video of custom plates being applied to Bron Breakker’s NXT Championship. Take a look at the craftsmanship.

    WWE seems determined to change everything about the NXT brand. Don’t be surprised to see an entirely new NXT Championship belt introduced in the months ahead.

  • Liv Morgan Praises Mandy Roses’ NXT Title Run

    Liv Morgan Praises Mandy Roses’ NXT Title Run

    WWE RAW Superstar Liv Morgan recently discussed Mandy Rose returning to NXT and the former main roster Superstar’s run as NXT Women’s Champion.

    Speaking on Robbie Fox’s “My Mom’s Basement” podcast, the former Riott Squad member said that Rose is doing a “phenomenal” job as Champion.

    “I love, I absolutely love Mandy Rose as NXT Women’s Champion, I think she’s doing so phenomenal” Liv Morgan revealed.

    “I think she has grown so much too, just in the last couple of months. Being put in this position of, you know, you’re like the ‘top b-tch’ you’re the ‘head b-tch in charge’. You know this is your division. And so, I think that this is cool, I enjoy watching it and it feels refreshing” Morgan added.

    Liv Morgan vs Becky Lynch

    Morgan is expected to be challenging for the WWE RAW Women’s Championship at the Royal Rumble event against Becky Lynch.

    There is a chance however that the match could be changed, as the ending to their WWE Day 1 contest was botched and Lynch appeared to just get a clean pinfall win over Morgan rather than with her foot on the ropes, giving Morgan an out to get another match.

  • Triple H’s Reaction To WWE Gutting His Version of NXT

    Triple H’s Reaction To WWE Gutting His Version of NXT

    The NXT that Triple H spent years developing is no more. NXT 2.0 is a radical departure from his vision.

    Stars like Adam Cole, Johnny Gargano, Keith Lee, Karrion Kross and more are no longer with WWE. The management structure that Triple H spent years to build no longer exists. With William Regal, Samoa Joe and “Road Dogg” BG James and many others getting axed by WWE this week, the ’black and gold era’ of NXT is dead and buried.

    Unsurprisingly, WWE’s decision to gut Triple H’s version of NXT are said to be quite upsetting to him, according to Wade Keller of the Pro Wrestling Torch.

    Keller spoke about Triple H’s reaction to the latest cuts during a recent audio update behind the PWTorch VIP paywall site.

    “I’ve talked with people who had said Triple H was building his team that he would bring with him to the main roster. And if his day came to run the main roster he wanted his group of people,” Keller said.

    “At some point, it was thought that it would include William Regal and Gabe Sapolsky and Road Dogg and they’re gone.”

    Keller added, “NXT just isn’t what it once was. I’ve heard just a little about Triple H’s reaction to all of this and nothing super reportable other than it sounds like he’s bummed out.”

    In addition to the releases of Samoa Joe, Road Dogg, and William Regal, numerous others were let go. These include Timothy Thatcher, Danny Burch, Scott Armstrong, Allison Danger, Hideki Suzuki and more. Reports are that morale backstage in NXT is at an all-time low.

    H/T to WrestlingNews.co for the above transcriptions.

  • Bron Breakker Comments On New Year’s Evil Entrance

    Bron Breakker Comments On New Year’s Evil Entrance

    Many see Bron Breakker’s raise as the new face of NXT as the official end of the indie era of the development brand. This symbolism was at its peak during the New Year’s Evil event, where Breakker destroyed the old NXT logo during his entrance.

    The second-generation wrestling star recently had an interview with Fightful. Speaking of the unique entrance, the NXT champion revealed that he didn’t know about it beforehand. He found out about it when he showed up to the arena:

    “Honestly, I don’t know. I just showed up and that’s what we were doing.” said Bron Breakker, “I have no idea. (I was thinking), ‘I hope nothing messes up’ (with the chains). It was cool. It was a cool thing for me to do.

    The staff here at NXT, the creative staff is fantastic and always coming up with cool ideas and there are cool ways to make everybody further their character and their abilities. They do a fantastic job. It’s great.”

    Talking about his goals, Bron Breakker said that he is a sports entertainer and he just wants to entertain the fans. The heavyweight star claimed that he loves the WWE universe and the fans.

    The 24-year-old claimed that he just wants to show the fans that he belongs in WWE. According to him, he wants people to fall in love with his work.

    Bron Breakker is “The Perfect Mold of Both Steiner Brothers”
  • Bron Breakker Says Title Win Isn’t The”Nail in the Coffin” for NXT Veterans

    Bron Breakker Says Title Win Isn’t The”Nail in the Coffin” for NXT Veterans

    NXT Champion Bron Breakker believes that NXT 2.0 fans aren’t going to lose old NXT veterans.

    CBS Sports Shakiel Mahjouri spoke to Breakker after winning at NXT New Years Evil on January 4th. Breakker defeated Tommaso Ciampa at the event to win the NXT Championship. Mahjouri asked Breakker if his win marked the “Nail in the coffin” for NXT Veterans. However, Breakker rejects that idea.

    “I don’t think it’s a nail in the coffin or anything like that, said Breakker. He continued, “…We are just shifting from black and gold to just 2.0. The veterans from black and gold that are still here, Tommaso, is going to be around man. I’m sure that he and I will cross paths again. That will happen at some point in time. Whether it’s now or later, it’s going to happen again.”

    NXT 2.0 New Direction

    The NXT 2.0 brand is going through drastic changes. In December, NXT veterans like Kyle O’ Riley and Johnny Gargano left the company. The WWE also has released other NXT talent due to budget cuts throughout last year. Yesterday, the company released former NXT General Manager William Regal, Timothy Thatcher, Danny Burch, and Hideki Suzuki.

    While NXT 2.0 has lost talent, they have also introduced new stars. Breakker became one of the fresh talents, and NXT 2.0 immediately put him in the title picture. In less than three months from his debut, he became the NXT Champion.

    Breakker on Winning the NXT Championship

    Breakker wants to create his legacy in professional wrestling. Known as the son of Rick Steiner, he wants to stand on his own without using his family name. Now champion, Breakker is the face of NXT 2.0. While that could be overwhelming for other wrestlers, he welcomes the new role.

    “I want to be for the people. I want to be a fighting champion,” said Breakker. He continued, “…I want people to be on the edge of their seats when I come out because they love me, and they can’t wait to see what I’m going to do next. I just want to be an honorable champion and representation of this company and show what we’re all about here at NXT, and that’s it, man.”

    It’s unclear what WWE will do with NXT veterans this year. However, Breakker is expecting to be ready to defend the NXT Championship against anyone.

  • Gabe Sapolsky Has Reached “The End of the Road” in WWE

    Gabe Sapolsky Has Reached “The End of the Road” in WWE

    Gabe Sapolsky has reached the “end of the road” in WWE. He sent out a tweet Thursday morning letting his followers with a quote by Neil Peart that reads,

    “I don’t regret the ride that has to be over, but rather feel grateful for the miles travelled, for the sights along the way, and to be exactly where I am.”

    https://twitter.com/BookItGabe/status/1479111114369613837

    Sapolsky has worked as a WWE consultant since January 2018. He’s the latest cut as part of WWE’s initiative to clean house in NXT.

    WWE released a dozen people on Wednesday, including William Regal and “Road Dogg” BG James.

    The company released a brief statement addressing the latest round of firings:

    “With the continued evolution of NXT 2.0, we’ve decided to part ways with some of the staff based in our Performance Center. We thank them for their many contributions throughout the years and wish them the best.”

  • William Regal’s WWE Release Is Proof The Old NXT Is Truly Dead

    William Regal’s WWE Release Is Proof The Old NXT Is Truly Dead

    If you needed further proof that the NXT of old is dead, look no further than William Regal’s WWE release.

    Regal appeared to be a WWE lifer. When Regal first made his way to WWE, WCW was still in business. He had a brief stint with the company in 1998 before being released the following year and making his way back to WCW.

    Regal would end up returning to WWE in 2000 and he’d end up sticking with the company for two decades. In more recent years, he was Triple H’s right-hand man in NXT.

    It made sense. After all, Regal and Triple H have been friends since their WCW days in the early to mid-90s. Besides their friendship, Regal is one of the most respected people in the wrestling business and he’s been looked at as a mentor.

    On camera, Regal had served as the General Manager of NXT. There was an angle where Regal teased giving up his position and handing it to Samoa Joe. In storyline, Joe refused to take the position but served as an enforcer before returning to active competition.

    While Regal is a big name who no longer works for WWE, he isn’t the only one. Road Dogg has also been handed his walking papers along with others.

    Reactions to William Regal’s Release

    William Regal has received warm responses from fans and those in the industry. PWInsider reported that Regal is among the names who have been released by WWE as part of NXT cutbacks.

    There are also people who feel this is the final dagger in the old NXT.

  • Bron Breakker is “The Perfect Mold of Both Steiner Brothers”

    Bron Breakker is “The Perfect Mold of Both Steiner Brothers”

    Tommy Dreamer is the latest stalwart in the wrestling business to heap praise on Bron Breakker.

    Breakker, the son of Rick Steiner and nephew of Scott Steiner, is fresh off an NXT Championship victory over Tommaso Ciampa. The title change took place in the main event of New Year’s Evil on Jan. 4.

    Bron Breakker: Clone Of Rick & Scott Steiner

    • Bron Breakker
      (via WWE)

    Tommy Dreamer took to SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio to share his belief that Bron Breakker has the goods in this business thanks to picking up traits from Rick and Scott Steiner.

    “If you look at Bron Breakker, he has both characters — it’s like he’s the perfect mold of both Steiner brothers. The Steiner brothers were a money tag team. Rick, like I said was a money babyface, and Scott was a money singles guy as well.

    “So, there’s nothing but a great future for Bron Breakker and he has that charisma, and even last night when he locked in the Steiner Recliner, that place they went nuts for it.

    “He’s got the powerslam, he’s got the military press, but there was a simple spot where Ciampa went for the boot and Bron Breakker pulled himself up and caught him with the Frakensteiner in mid-air. I mean, come on. He’s athletic as can be.

    “He grew up in that home with the Steiners and it’s like he’s a clone of both his father and his uncle and that’s nothing but pure money.”

    WWE has changed the vision of NXT 2.0 in order to revert back to being a developmental system. Bron now leads the charge as the brand’s champion but many believe it won’t be long before he’s called up to the main roster.

    Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any quotes from this article

  • Rick Steiner and Bron Breakker Reflect on NXT Championship win

    Rick Steiner and Bron Breakker Reflect on NXT Championship win

    The new NXT Champion Bron Breakker has shared his first comments since winning the title last night.

    Sports Illustrated Justin Barrasso spoke to him after defeating Tommaso Ciampa at NXT 2.0 New Years Evil last night. The win earned Breakker his first championship win with the WWE. Alongside Breakker, his father, Rick Steiner, also shared his thoughts on the title win with Barrasso.

    Barrasso transcribed the quotes from the interview.

    “My father and uncle paved this road for me, and I’m here to carry on the legacy they built,” said Breakker. The article referred to Breakker by his real name Bronson Rechsteiner. He continued, “I’m also here to carve my own path and make my own legacy, and that started tonight.”

    https://twitter.com/NXTCiampa/status/1478573687846711300

    Bron Breakker Defeats Tommaso Ciampa in Rematch

    The rivalry between Breakker and Ciampa seems to have ended at NXT 2.0 New Years Evil. Ciampa won their first match with each other at Halloween Havoc on October 26, 2021. However, Breakker got his revenge by pinning Ciampa in the War Games match on December 5, 2021. While it wasn’t a singles match, NXT 2.0 promoted last night’s rematch as their third match. After his loss, Ciampa posted a photo on social media that said thank you as he walked away with Breakker in the background. It’s unclear if NXT 2.0 plans to do another championship rematch.

    Rick Steiner Thoughts on Bron Breakker Championship Win

    NXT 2.0 fans were surprised when Breakker celebrated with his father after NXT 2.0 New Years Evil ended. NXT 2.0 didn’t show Steiner during the event. However, WWE later posted a video on Youtube of both men celebrating in the ring. Steiner shared in the article that he is proud of his son and wants Breakker to have a better professional wrestling career than him and his brother Scott Steiner.

    “I hope he’s even more successful than myself and his uncle. We had such a special time traveling the road as brothers, but this tops all of that. This is his time and his chance to carry the torch,” said Steiner. He continued, “Watching that match was one of the best moments of my life. As his father, I couldn’t be prouder, and so is our whole family.”

    Breakker has begun to add to the legacy of the Steiners. Although, he wants to be able to prove his worth without using his family name.

  • Watch Bron Breakker Celebrate NXT Title Win With Rick Steiner After New Year’s Evil

    Watch Bron Breakker Celebrate NXT Title Win With Rick Steiner After New Year’s Evil

    Bron Breakker defied all expectations when he beat Tommaso Ciampa to win the NXT championship during New Year’s Evil, only a few months after his in-ring debut in September last year.

    The 24-year-old destroyed the old NXT logo while he entered the arena for his main event match, signaling the start of a new era for the development brand.

    Bron Breakker’s father Rick Steiner was in attendance for this big match. Bron also paid tribute to his uncle Scott Steiner by using the Frankensteiner during the bout.

    The new NXT champion finally won the match after nailing a big flying Bulldog. He then made Ciampa tap out using the Steiner Recliner submission.

    The show went off air with Bron Breakker raising the NXT title in the air as Vic Joseph declared him the new face of NXT.

    After the broadcast ended, Rick Steiner got into the ring to celebrate the big victory of his son. WWE posted a video of the moment on their social media as seen below:

    Tommaso Ciampa also reacted to the loss in his own way. The now-former NXT champion posted a photo of himself and told thank you to the fans. You can check out the full NXT New Year’s Evil results here.

    Tommaso Ciampa Reacts To NXT Title Loss After New Year’s Evil
  • Tommaso Ciampa Reacts To NXT Title Loss After New Year’s Evil

    Tommaso Ciampa Reacts To NXT Title Loss After New Year’s Evil

    NXT’s first event in 2022 in New Year’s Evil signalled the start of a new era for the development brand where Bron Breakker defeated Tommaso Ciampa to become the new NXT champion.

    Breakker’s father Rick Steiner was in attendance for this highly physical match between the two stars that main evented the show.

    Both the stars got plenty of offense and at a time it looked like Ciampa was going to retain his title when he hit Breakker with a Fairy Tale Ending.

    However, everyone was left surprised when the 24-year-old kicked out of the finishing maneuver. This got fans chanting ‘NXT’ in excitement.

    The ending of the bout saw Bron Breakker delivering a big flying Bulldog to his opponent. He then applied the Steiner Recliner on Tommaso Ciampa to make him tap out and become the new champion.

    The NXT veteran took on his Twitter after the show to react to the loss. He posted a photo of himself leaving the ring after the defeat and wrote ‘Thank You’:

    https://twitter.com/NXTCiampa/status/1478573687846711300

    There is no word yet on what WWE is planning for Ciampa after tonight’s show. It will be interesting to see if he takes part in the upcoming Royal Rumble match.

    WWE NXT New Year’s Evil Results (1/4): Three Title Matches
  • Bron Breakker Wants to work with Rick and Scott Steiner in WWE

    Bron Breakker Wants to work with Rick and Scott Steiner in WWE

    NXT 2.0 superstar Bron Breakker wants to establish his legacy. However, he still would like to work with his father and uncle in WWE.

    Sporting News’s Andreas Hale interviewed Breakker ahead of challenging Tommaso Ciampa for the NXT Championship. The match will be the main event of NXT 2.0 New Years Evil. Hale asked Breakker if there was a possibility of seeing him share a ring with his father and uncle. He also wondered if Breakker thinks about it because of his family legacy. Professional wrestling fans may know Breakker as the son and nephew of professional wrestling legends Rick and Scott Steiner.

    Breakker responded that he would like to have them involved in his pro wrestling career in the future. Hale transcribes the following quotes.

    “I have. It would be great for both of them to be a part of my career at some point. Who knows? I have no idea. But it would be a cool moment for me because neither of them have seen me wrestle in person. They’ve watched it on TV. Maybe down the line, they can be part of something with me. I don’t know,” said Breakker.

    Rick Steiner Almost Appeared at Halloween Havoc

    Breakker almost had one of his family members appear on NXT 2.0. In an interview with TalkSport’s Alex McCarthy, Ciampa shared that Breakker’s father Rick almost appeared at NXT 2.0 Halloween Havoc. However, his father pulled out of the event at the last minute.

    McCarthy transcribed the following quote.

    “So, he was meant to be at Halloween Havoc,” Ciampa started. “He pulled out last minute. Maybe because I retained, but I won’t say that’s why [laughs]. I would love to be friends with him.” 

    Bron Breakker vs Tommaso Ciampa Rematch

    Breakker will attempt to defeat Ciampa tonight in their rematch to become NXT Champion. Ciampa retained the championship in the first match by using his finisher on Breakker twice. However, Breakker plans to get his revenge and win his first NXT Championship. He also believes it will be the greatest moment of his life to win the title.

    Hale asked Breakker what fans can expect to see from him in the rematch. Breakker believes it will be a war.

    “I think we are going to see a more polished Bron Breakker this time around. I’m not going to make the same mistakes that I made before. Kudos to him because he exposed me as being inexperienced, as he said he would. I know what he’s about and how tough he is. I know that I’m up against the best in the business, and I’m up for the challenge. It’s going to be a hard-hitting battle. I’m not going to make the same mistakes I made the first time, and it’s going to be a war,” said Breakker.

    It’s unclear if WWE will try to work with Breakker’s father and uncle, and both Rick and Scott haven’t shared if they want to collaborate with WWE publicly. Regardless, Breakker will try to further his legacy with a win over Ciampa tonight.

  • NXT New Year’s Evil Preview For Tonight

    NXT New Year’s Evil Preview For Tonight

    WWE presents NXT New Year’s Evil tonight from Orlando, Florida. The show will air live on the USA Network.

    The top of the card will see Bron Breakker challenge NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa. The second generation star may be a rookie, but that hasn’t stopped him from climbing the ranks to the top of NXT.

    The NXT Women’s Championship will be on the line in a triple threat match. We’ll also see a championship unification match and a huge 6-man tag match that has match-of-the-night potential written all over it.

    NXT New Year’s Evil Card

    The following matches are set for tonight’s NXT New Year’s Evil. The event is expected to have limited commercial breaks, similar to last year’s installment.

    • NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa vs. Bron Breakker
    • Women’s Champion Mandy Rose vs. Raquel Gonzalez vs. Cora Jade
    • North American Champion Carmelo Hayes vs. Cruiserweight Champion Roderick Strong (Unification Match)
    • Riddle & MSK (Wes Lee & Nash Carter) vs. Imperium (WALTER, Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner)

    Plus, AJ Styles will confront Grayson Waller.

  • Bully Ray Understands NXT 2.0’s Vision But Doesn’t Want To Watch ‘Minor Leagues’

    Bully Ray Understands NXT 2.0’s Vision But Doesn’t Want To Watch ‘Minor Leagues’

    Bully Ray gets why WWE has switched up the formula for NXT but he hasn’t been entertained by the change in direction.

    NXT went from the black and gold to Splatoon-like colors. The brand has also gone from focusing on indie talent to shifting gears to bigger wrestlers with athletic backgrounds.

    Some believe the new change could be beneficial for the main roster but it’s clear that the talent is very green. If the brand was airing on Hulu like FCW and the early NXT days it would be one thing but NXT 2.0 airs live every Tuesday night on USA Network.

    Bully Ray Not Satisfied Watching NXT 2.0

    • NXT 2.0
      NXT 2.0

    Taking to the Busted Open Radio show on SiriusXM, Bully Ray said that NXT 2.0 simply doesn’t grab his attention.

    “Here is my thought walking away from the show, I don’t wanna watch the JV squad anymore. I don’t wanna watch the Triple-A of the WWE anymore.

    “I understand why it’s important, I understand why it’s on, I get it. From a business point of view, I understand every last detail of what they are trying to accomplish on Tuesday nights at 8 o’clock on USA.

    “As a fan who’s been around the wrestling business obviously 40+ years, I’m not as much into the up-and-coming developmental talent right now. To me, these new characters, these new talents are doing well but I wanna be entertained at the highest level.

    “That’s why I’m watching a Raw, a SmackDown, a Dynamite. Those are the top of the food chain when it comes to the different brands we have at our disposal to be entertained by.

    “Last night I felt very much like I was watching the minor leagues because NXT is the minor leagues now. Me calling NXT the minor leagues, I’m not being disrespectful. It’s not a detriment, it just is what it is.”

    Many agree that the one highlight of NXT 2.0 has been Bron Breakker. He is the son of Rick Steiner and there is no doubt that he takes after both his father and his uncle, Scott Steiner.

    Breakker is set to challenge Tommaso Ciampa for the NXT Championship in a rematch. The title match will take place at New Year’s Evil on Jan. 4.

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