SEScoops

Category: NXT

  • Zoey Stark Confirms Successful Surgery

    Zoey Stark Confirms Successful Surgery

    WWE NXT superstar Zoey Stark has confirmed that she underwent successful surgery for a torn ACL and Meniscus and she is already rehabbing.

    The female star provided the health update on Twitter. She explained that she suffered the damage due to the attack from the current NXT women’s tag team champions the Toxic Attraction, before promising to come back stronger:

    “Sadly, I tore my ACL/Meniscus due to Toxic’s attack, here’s the bad news for the ‘champs.’ Surgery went great and I’m already rehabbing.” wrote Zoey Stark “I’ll be back BETTER & STRONGER with three targets in mind! Until then @shirai_io @KacyCatanzaro @wwekayden kick their ass tonight!”

    The NXT star last competed during the NXT: Halloween Havoc special last month. She was a part of the scareway to hell triple threat ladder match on the show.

    Stark and Io Shirai defended the NXT women’s tag team championships on the show. The team of Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne became the new champions after winning the match. Indi Hartwell and Persia Pirotta were also part of the bout.

    There is no word yet on how long the former champion will stay out of action but a successful surgery is good news for her fans. We will keep you posted on her recovery.

    Io Shirai Speaks Out After Insane Ladder Bump At NXT Halloween Havoc
  • Tommaso Ciampa Shares Rick Steiner was Set to Appear on NXT 2.0

    Tommaso Ciampa Shares Rick Steiner was Set to Appear on NXT 2.0

    NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa revealed that professional wrestling legend Rick Steiner was going to appear at Halloween Havoc on October 26th. Steiner is the father of Bron Breaker, whose real name is Bronson Rechsteiner.

    TalkSport’s Alex McCarthy interviewed Ciampa about his current status in NXT 2.0. McCarthy asked about working with Bron Breaker. Ciampa replied to McCarthy that his father wanted to appear at the event. However, Steiner pulled out of the event at the last minute. He successfully defended the NXT Championship against Bron Breaker at Halloween Havoc.

    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.” However, Steiner hasn’t confirmed that he was going to be at Halloween Havoc.

    Tommaso Ciampa Second Reign as NXT Champion

    Ciampa became the two-time NXT Champion when he won the fatal four-way championship match on September 14th. NXT 2.0 immediately put him in a feud with Breaker afterward. While he lost at Halloween Havoc, Breaker teased in last week’s NXT 2.0 episode that the rivalry wasn’t over.

    New Contenders for the NXT Champion

    NXT 2.0 has introduced new contenders to go against Ciampa. Along with Breaker, Carmelo Hayes also teased a feud with the NXT Champion. Longtime rival Johnny Gargano on the same episode also indicated a match with Ciampa may be near. However, Ciampa already has his eyes on another new potential contender. In the interview, McCarthy asked Ciampa what new NXT talent he wanted to work with next. Ciampa responded by saying Solo Sikoa.

    “If I could pick anybody, it would be the third Uso, Solo Sikoa. I like his catchphrase, Street King of the Island. That vignette said star to me, said Ciampa. He continued, “When I watch him come out and the way he carries himself, he looks like a star. I think if I can work with him, I can pull a greatness out of him that would turn a lot of heads. It would be amazing.”

    It’s unclear whom Ciampa will defend his championship against next. Although it seems he is ready to take on all challengers.

  • Huge Update On Kyle O’Reilly’s WWE Status

    Huge Update On Kyle O’Reilly’s WWE Status

    Kyle O’Reilly might be wrapping up his time with WWE.

    O’Reilly has been a mainstay on NXT much like his former Undisputed Era teammates Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, and Roderick Strong. All four men made names for themselves in Ring of Honor and walked into NXT with a ton of momentum.

    Now, only O’Reilly and Strong remain in WWE but soon, the latter may find himself standing alone.

    KOR Leaving WWE?

    Kyle O’Reilly could be on his way out of WWE by the end of 2021, according to a report at PWInsider. His contract is set to expire in December and there have been internal talks questioning his future within WWE.

    The report notes that it still isn’t too late for O’Reilly to extend his deal with WWE. It’s been said that internally, O’Reilly is considered to be the number two top babyface on the NXT brand. That puts him behind current NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa.

    O’Reilly was involved in a big feud with Adam Cole before Cole left WWE in favor of AEW. Bobby Fish was released from WWE as part of a wave of NXT roster cuts back in August.

    Fish is now signed with AEW. Roderick Strong is the current NXT Cruiserweight Champion and he has his own faction.

    SEScoops will keep you updated on the latest information regarding Kyle O’Reilly’s future.

  • Adam Cole Compares AEW & NXT Fans, Says They Are Vital For Success

    Adam Cole Compares AEW & NXT Fans, Says They Are Vital For Success

    Adam Cole believes there are similarities between AEW and NXT fans.

    The former leader of the Undisputed Era faction is well-aware of what it’s like to be a top star on the NXT brand. Adam Cole had been a main eventer on NXT ever since he arrived at TakeOver: Brooklyn III back in 2017. He went on to become the face of the brand and an NXT Triple Crown winner.

    Cole ended up leaving WWE just a few months ago and signed with AEW in September 2021.

    Adam Cole Talks AEW & NXT Fans

    During an appearance on the #DORK podcast, Cole broke down what makes both AEW and NXT fans stand out.

    “That’s how the magic happens in a lot of ways,” he began. “At the end of the day, in a lot of ways, the fans looked at NXT as, not the little engine that could, but this new brand that was starting that they felt responsible for its growth, which I think is so important.”

    “The fact that the roster kept growing and they kept signing these Independent stars, they felt responsible for this massive growth of NXT becoming this legit third brand. AEW has that same kind of passion in the sense of people feel they are responsible for AEW’s growth these past two years, and they are.”

    “The fact that fans are so amped and so jacked up and ready to enjoy these matches, makes it so special. Fans are vital.”

    Adam Cole has realigned with The Elite since making his AEW debut. He’s been involved in a feud with the Jungle Boy, Christian Cage, and Luchasaurus.

    On the Oct. 23 episode of Dynamite, Cole and The Young Bucks tossed Jungle Boy off the stage. As of this writing, he is not booked for a match at the upcoming AEW Full Gear pay-per-view.

    H/T to Fightful for the transcribed quotes

  • Mandy Rose On Returning To NXT & Revamping Her Character

    Mandy Rose On Returning To NXT & Revamping Her Character

    Mandy Rose is the new NXT Women’s Champion after having won the title at Halloween Havoc. She spoke to Sean Ross Sapp recently about moving back to the NXT brand, helping out talent on the roster, and revamping her character.

    “I got the call and I didn’t really get much explanation, which is kind of the usual,” Rose said. “I didn’t expect anything less. It’s one of those things where they want you to help some of the other talent out, need a good heel, and I said, ‘Sure, why not?’”

    Rose also noted that part of her role in NXT is to help other talent on the roster. In doing so, she says it has helped her evolve her character as well.

    “I am in the process of helping a lot of the other talent and other women. In that process, I think I kind of evolved myself, in the best way possible,” Rose continued.

    “I kind of felt like I needed a little bit of a revamp or whatever it may be. I think we all go through those moments where are characters have to evolve and change a little bit or find some other layers to your character, in a sense.”

    Rose became the 12th wrestler to win the NXT Women’s Championship when she defeated Raquel Gonzalez at Halloween Havoc. It was the 14th title change in the championship’s lineage. Asuka holds the record for the longest reign with the belt at 510 days. Shayna Baszler holds the record for the most combined days as champion with 549 split across 2 title reigns. Charlotte Flair is the only other wrestler other than Baszler to have held the title more than once.

  • NXT 2.0 Planning First Special Event For December 5th

    NXT 2.0 Planning First Special Event For December 5th

    The first PPV special event for NXT 2.0 is being tentatively scheduled for December 5th, 2021. Whether or not this new version of the brand will run with the TakeOver name is not yet known, however.

    Brandon Thurston of WrestleNomics was the first to report the news. He noted that multiple sources confirmed the planned date but could not confirm if TakeOver will still be the branding.

    “Tentative date for the first NXT 2.0 Takeover is Sunday, December 5, according to multiple sources. Have asked but couldn’t confirm if “Takeover” will continue to be the brand name.”

    The NXT brand has run 36 previous TakeOver events. The last one was August 22nd’s NXT TakeOver: 36. The main event of that show featured Samoa Joe vs Karrion Kross for the NXT Championship.

    The first NXT TakeOver event took place on May 29th, 2014. It featured Adrian Neville (PAC) defending the NXT Championship against Tyson Kidd in the main event. The following year, NXT moved the TakeOver events out of Full Sail University for the first time. NXT: Brooklyn took place August 22nd, 2015 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn New York. That show featured a main event of Finn Balor defending the NXT Championship against Kevin Owens in a ladder match.

  • Io Shirai Speaks Out After Insane Ladder Bump At NXT Halloween Havoc

    Io Shirai Speaks Out After Insane Ladder Bump At NXT Halloween Havoc

    Io Shirai has commented on the wild ladder match spot from Halloween Havoc.

    Shirai and Zoey Stark put the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships on the line against Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne of Toxic Attraction, and the team of Indi Hartwell & Persia Pirotta. In the end, Dolin and Jayne walked out of the ladder match with gold.

    During the match, Hartwell shoved the ladder that Io Shirai was on and Shirai took an insane bump onto another ladder.

    There was concern over whether or not Shirai was hurt during the spot. It appears the former NXT Women’s Champion is in good spirits.

    “I am not dead. I will always keep getting up to do my best. Just sad that the title is not on my waist…”

    Of course, Indi Hartwell won’t be getting a Christmas card from her this year.

    “I HATE I N D I H A R T W E L L!!!!!!!!”

    What’s next for Shirai remains to be seen. The WWE draft has come and gone and Shirai remains on the NXT brand. It isn’t impossible for WWE to call her up to the main roster anyway but if she sticks around in NXT, it’ll be interesting to see if she remains in the tag team division or returns to singles action.

  • Tommaso Ciampa Retains WWE NXT Title At Halloween Havoc Special

    Tommaso Ciampa Retains WWE NXT Title At Halloween Havoc Special

    Tommaso Ciampa put the WWE NXT Title on the line against the strongly pushed Bron Breakker on Tuesday’s episode of NXT 2.0 TV, which was billed as a Halloween Havoc special. 

    It served as the main event. The match was back and forth with Breakker being protected by the veteran. Breakker did some high impact moves, which Ciampa sold to perfection. Ciampa hit a DDT on the exposed concrete. Ciampa hit the fairytale ending for a near fall. Breakker was bleeding from the top of his head. Ciampa hit the fairytale ending again for the win. 

    Breakker had just one match before he was put into the title picture as after he beat LA Knight in his first-ever match, he teased going after the title that was held by Ciampa. They later worked a few tag team matches including wins over Pete Dunne & Ridge Holland and Grizzled Young Veterans in recent weeks before getting to this spot. 

    Ciampa won the vacant championship back on the September 19th edition of NXT 2.0. He beat Knight, Dunne, and Von Wagoner (the former Cal Bloom) in a fatal 4-way match to do so. 

    The title became vacant by Samoa Joe after he revealed that he was relinquishing it due to an undisclosed injury. At the time, he said that he wouldn’t be out of action for very long, but didn’t say what the exact injury was. He has yet to return. 

    https://twitter.com/btsportwwe/status/1453179068103462918
  • Imperium Win WWE NXT Tag Team Titles

    Imperium Win WWE NXT Tag Team Titles

    Imperium stepped up to the plate and dethroned MSK as the WWE NXT Tag Team Champions in a Lumberjack Match on Tuesday’s episode of NXT 2.0 TV, which was billed as a Halloween Havoc special. 

    The match went 15 minutes in the co-main event spot on the broadcast. It was a solid tag team match that had a few spots using the other wrestler including when there was an outside dive to take out everyone. Imperium won with their finisher. 

    This was a big upset as MSK was listed as -150 favorites to retain the titles in the betting odds that were released this morning. 

    MSK became the champions when they won it in a triple threat match against The Grizzled Young Veterans and Legado del Fantasma (Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde) at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver this April.

    Other notable title defenses included a winners-take-all six-man tag match at the WWE NXT TakeOver:  In Your House event as well as them beating  Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher at NXT: Great American Bash in July. 

    What are your thoughts on Imperium winning the NXT Tag Team Titles? Was this the right call by WWE officials? Sound off in the comment section.

  • Mandy Rose Wins NXT Women’s Title a Halloween Havoc

    Mandy Rose Wins NXT Women’s Title a Halloween Havoc

    Mandy Rose was the latest challenger to step up to take a shot at dethroning Raquel Gonzalez as the WWE NXT Women’s Champion and she was successful. 

    It took place on Tuesday’s episode of NXT 2.0 TV, which was billed as a Halloween Havoc special. The match was touted as a Trick or Street Fight. There were various weapons used in the match including kendo sticks, chairs, and more. The finish saw Dakota Kai, who was dressed up, hit Raquel in the back with a kendo stick and Rose connected with a running knee strike. 

    Since returning to NXT a few months ago, Rose made the transformation with both her character and look as she went from having blonde hair to dark hair. She also aligned a faction called Toxic Attraction with Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne. After they formed it, they beat Kacy Catanzaro, Kayden Carter and Sarray in a six-woman tag team match as well as Rose scoring a win over Ember Moon. 

    At TakeOver: Stand & Deliver this April, Gonzalez won the NXT Women’s Championship by defeating Io Shirai. Since that time, Gonzalez had successful title defenses against Mercedes Martinez, Moon, Xia Li, and Franky Monet. 

    It will be interesting to see where Rose goes from here. Kai and Raquel will be picking up their feud again. 

  • Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne Win WWE NXT Women’s Tag Team Titles

    Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne Win WWE NXT Women’s Tag Team Titles

    New NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions were crowned at Halloween Havoc, which was a special edition of WWE NXT 2.0, as Toxic Attraction’s Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne defeated Io Shirai & Zoey Stark and Indi Hartwell & Persia Pirotta in a triple threat Scareway to Hell ladder match to win the titles. 

    WWE decided on the stipulation thanks to the Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal. Leading up to the finish,  Hartwell sent Shirai tumbling off a ladder and crashing onto another ladder. When Hartwell tried to climb the ladder, she was knocked off the ladder by Dolin, which got the titles. 

    Dolin and Jayne become the fifth team to hold the NXT Women’s Tag Team titles since they were introduced this March. Io and Sarks held the titles for 112 days after beating Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell for them back in July. 

    On this same show, Toxic Attraction leader Mandy Rose challenged Raquel Gonzalez for the  NXT Women’s Championship in a Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal match.

  • Carmelo Hayes Seen As A Shawn Michaels ‘Project’ In NXT

    Carmelo Hayes Seen As A Shawn Michaels ‘Project’ In NXT

    Carmelo Hayes has already got people talking about him in his short run with NXT. It appears that fans aren’t the only ones that have started liking him for his performance.

    The NXT star has impressed ‘people of influence’ in NXT. This includes none other than the heartbreak kid, Shawn Michaels, (via Fightful).

    Michaels apparently sees a lot of himself in Hayes and many see him as a ‘project’ of the Hall Of Famer. These claims seem to be backed up by the photo HBK took with Carmelo following his North American title win.

    The former Christian Casanova was already impressive but he opened the door for a lot more opportunities with his match against Kushida in June. This included a follow-up match with Adam Cole.

    Regarding the title switch that saw Carmelo Hayes cashing in his title shot at Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, sources say that it was done to establish Hayes as a new star while also protecting Scott on his way to the main roster.

    The report also reveals that the current champion was discussed for the cruiserweight division as part of a major revamp. These plans were nixed after the mass releases.

    Carmelo Hayes had been rewarded a title opportunity of his choice after winning the NXT breakout tournament. Isaiah Scott successfully defended the North American title against Santos Escobar on October 12 NXT. Hayes then cashed in his title shot on Scott and won the championship

    Carmelo Hayes Reveals ‘Top Guy’ Conversation with Shawn Michaels
  • Carmelo Hayes Reveals ‘Top Guy’ Conversation with Shawn Michaels

    Carmelo Hayes Reveals ‘Top Guy’ Conversation with Shawn Michaels

    WWE NXT 2.0 North American Champion Carmelo Hayes recently appeared on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio. The Champion discussed several topics during his time on the show, including how he revealed his ‘top guy’ intentions to Shawn Michaels backstage at the Performance Center.

    “I had a conversation earlier with Shawn (Michaels) about how I want to be a top guy eventually,” Carmelo Hayes began. “He was like, ‘alright, we’ll give you the ball and you can run with it. We’ll get you where we need to get you.’”

    “I told Shawn that I see myself as a top guy” Hayes continued. “I told him, ‘take me there.’ And I think that (conversation) is what gave him the belief that, ‘OK, this kid is a little different.’

    “And on top of that, my mindset is every time I step out, it is WrestleMania” the new North American Champion revealed. “I’m not one of those guys who’s just happy to be here. I truly, truly want to be great – through my work, actions, attitude, and training. I’m just trying to work harder than everybody else, and I think it’s showing.”

    Carmelo Hayes on Creative Freedom

    Carmelo Hayes would also reveal that he has some leeway when it comes to his promos in the NXT 2.0 format alongside Trick Williams.

    “They give us bullet points” Hayes noted. “But I’m big on trying to say stuff that I would truly say. So a lot of the stuff you’re hearing is 100 percent from me – with their direction.

    “I’ve been lucky enough to where they’ve trusted me, to say what I want. That’s really the direction they’re going in now, they are trusting guys, especially down here in NXT 2.0. They are trusting guys to be authentic” Hayes concluded.

  • Samoa Joe On When He Knew CM Punk Would Return To Wrestling

    Samoa Joe On When He Knew CM Punk Would Return To Wrestling

    A lot of people were skeptical about it until CM Punk actually made his return to wrestling. Though Samoa Joe knew it was bound to happen, long before anyone else.

    The former NXT champion recently made an appearance on the Kurt Angle podcast. He discussed things such as wrestling the straight edge star very early in his career during their ROH days and more.

    Talking about Punk making his pro wrestling return earlier this year, Joe claimed that he knew the former world champion would be back as soon as he saw him on the set of WWE Backstage:

    “If I know one thing about Punk: if he’s out on something, he’s out on it,” he began. “You won’t see him being around it, you won’t see him looking at it. You won’t see him staring at it, it’s out of his.”

    Joe added, “The minute I saw him on the FOX set, I knew his eyes were turning back towards it.”

    CM Punk on WWE Backstage
    CM Punk on WWE Backstage

    He continued by saying that he thinks CM Punk was just looking for the right time to step back into the ring after that. He wanted to be happy and from whatever Joe has seen of his AEW run so far, the former WWE champion is happy.

    CM Punk joined the WWE Backstage panel in November 2019. He officially made his pro wrestling return back in August this year and went on to make his in-ring return at the All Out PPV in September.

    H/T to Fightful for the transcribed quotes

  • Triple Threat Title Match Announced For NXT Halloween Havoc, Updated Card

    Triple Threat Title Match Announced For NXT Halloween Havoc, Updated Card

    NXT women’s championship will be defended in a triple threat match among the teams of Indi Hartwell & Persia Pirotta, Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne, and Io Shirai & Zoey Stark at the upcoming Halloween Havoc event.

    This week’s episode of NXT saw Toxic Attraction’s Dolin and Jayne challenging the current tag team champions Shirai and Stark for a match at the upcoming event.

    Hartwell and Pirotta had a match later in the evening where they defeated the team of Sarray and Amari Miller. Post-match, we saw a three-way brawl among the challengers and the champions.

    WWE later announced that these three teams will be meeting at the upcoming NXT special where Io Shirai & Zoey Stark will have to defend their title in a three-way.

    This will be the third title defense for the current champions since they won the championships back on July 6. They had defeated Hartwell and Candice LeRae during the Great American Bash event.

    Updated Halloween Havoc Match Card

    This is also the third match that has been announced for the upcoming show after the NXT championship and the women’s championship match. Here is the updated card for the event:

    • NXT Championship Match: Bron Breakker vs. Tommaso Ciampa
    • NXT Women’s Championship Spin The Wheel, Make The Deal Match: Mandy Rose vs. Raquel Gonzalez
    • NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship Triple Threat Match : Indi Hartwell and Persia Pirotta vs. Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne vs. Io Shirai and Zoey Stark

    NXT Halloween Havoc will air on Wednesday, October 26 from the Performance Center in Florida.

    WWE NXT 2.0 Results (10/12): Title Change, Tomasso Ciampa vs. Joe Gacy
  • Desmond Troy On His Experience After WWE Release

    Desmond Troy On His Experience After WWE Release

    Desmond Troy realized the hard way that the talk about former WWE stars getting attention from bookers was not all true after his own release from the company.

    The former NXT star was recently interviewed by Antonio Thomas on Left My Wallet. He discussed things such as how hard his tryout was, his future, and more.

    Discussing his experience after his release from WWE, Troy mentioned how a lot of people say that former WWE stars are booked like crazy but it’s not the case:

    “A lot of people said, even before I got released, it was always a conversation like, ‘You go to the Indies and you’re going to be a shoo-in. People are going to book you like crazy because you’re from WWE and NXT; you got that tag on you.’

    You get told that you got the stamp. So, I’m thinking when I got released that people are going to be trying to knock down my door.” said Desmond Troy, “That’s not the case. I have to go out there and sell myself.”

    The former NXT star was signed to a development contract back in July 2018. He made his debut for the black and yellow brand in October the same year.

    Troy also wrestled several matches as an enhancement talent. He competed against stars such as Seth Rollins and Sheamus. He was released alongside people like Bobby Fish and Mercedes Martinez on August 6.

  • Drew McIntyre Shares Who Has His Attention On NXT 2.0

    Drew McIntyre Shares Who Has His Attention On NXT 2.0

    Drew McIntyre has his eyes on a potential main eventer and a tag team on NXT 2.0.

    McIntyre knows what it’s like to compete on the NXT brand. In fact, he’s a former NXT Champion. The brand has recently undergone a change and is being treated more as a developmental brand than a major third show.

    During a media scrum, Drew McIntyre revealed who has his attention on NXT 2.0.

    “Yeah, I was watching the first show and live tweeting along as I was paying close attention. I was curious how the new format would look. There are some talents that really caught my eye. Steiner’s kid, Bron Breakker caught my attention right away. He is clearly an athlete of a high level. He looks great, talks like his uncle, which is awesome. I see a big future for him. If he stays on the right path [and] keeps working hard like he’s clearly doing.”

    The former two-time WWE Champion also said that he’s been impressed by the Creed Brothers. For some of the new talent surfacing on NXT 2.0, it hasn’t taken long for them to be thrust into the spotlight. Bron Breakker will be getting an NXT Championship opportunity against Tommaso Ciampa at Halloween Havoc on Oct. 26.

    When the decision was made to change the direction of NXT, the reception was a mixed bag. Many criticized the promotion for it as NXT felt like an alternative brand for those who wanted something different from Raw and SmackDown. Those in favor of the change say it’s best to ensure talent is following the Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard playbook in order to be ready for the main roster.

  • Update On Johnny Gargano Removing NXT Reference From His Twitter Profile

    Update On Johnny Gargano Removing NXT Reference From His Twitter Profile

    Johnny Gargano gave people something to talk about when he removed references about NXT from his Twitter profile. This created buzz as it was reported earlier that Gargano’s WWE contract expires later this year. Dave Meltzer recently provided some updates on him in the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Newsletter. He noted that the exact date for the expiry of his contract is December 3.

    As for Gargano removing NXT references from his profile, Meltzer noted that the company has angles planned for the former NXT champion for future shows. Despite the outside speculations about his future with the company, nobody internally has been alerted of any status change regarding the former DIY member.

    After wrestling for promotions such as Chikara, Dragon Gate, and PWG, Johnny Gargano signed with WWE back in 2015. He started his TV career for the company teaming with Tommaso Ciampa. Their team known as DIY competed in the inaugural Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament.

    The NXT star evolved into a main event talent through his feud with Ciampa following their split. He was one of the pillar stars of the black and yellow brand during the Wednesday night wars. Though fans have been concerned about the future of stars of his build after the recent revamp of NXT. It would be interesting to see what decision Johnny makes about his future once his contract expires.

    How WWE Officials Feel About Poor Key Demo Performance Of NXT 2.0
  • How WWE Officials Feel About Poor Key Demo Performance Of NXT 2.0

    How WWE Officials Feel About Poor Key Demo Performance Of NXT 2.0

    WWE’s plan to try and attract younger viewers with the recent NXT revamp is not working very well but the officials have not lost hope just yet.

    According to Andrew Zarian of Mat Men podcast, a source within the company said that the revamp is aimed at bringing in a younger audience. The exes are hoping that the brand will bounce back from the recent decline:

    “[This] is all to bring a new younger viewer who is connected with pop culture & trends. Needless to say, the demo numbers are disappointing but we are hopeful this is just a bump in the road”

    This week’s episode of NXT, with the fatal four-way elimination match for the tag team titles in the main event, drew a total of 632,000 viewers per Showbuzz Daily. The show did a disappointing 0.13 rating in the 18-49 key demographic.

    A 0.13 rating represents a total of 170,000 viewers of the age group, down from 183,000 viewers last week. This was the lowest key demo rating for the NXT 2.0 revamp.

    It’s also the lowest rating for the key demo for a live episode on USA Network since the June 29 episode earlier this year.

    The 0.13 rating is the fourth-lowest viewership for the key demo ratings the development brand has done on the USA Network.

    Johnny Gargano Sparks Speculation After Removing NXT From Social Media Bio
  • Tommaso Ciampa Vs. Bron Breakker NXT Championship Match Announced For Halloween Havoc

    Tommaso Ciampa Vs. Bron Breakker NXT Championship Match Announced For Halloween Havoc

    WWE has announced that Tommaso Ciampa will be defending his NXT Championship against Bron Breakker at the upcoming Halloween Havoc special of the show.

    The rivalry between Breakker and Ciampa started on the very first episode of NXT 2.0 itself. The first episode of the rebranded show saw Bron making his debut in the opening match of the night.

    Ciampa won the vacated NXT title in the main event of the same show. These two then had a confrontation backstage to end the September 14 episode of the brand.

    It has since been reported that officials are high on Bron Breakker and he is expected to be pushed. This has been evident from his booking since debut as well.

    WWE confirmed that the October 26 episode of NXT will be the Halloween Havoc special. After this, Tommaso Ciampa issued an open challenge for any potential challenger to face him at the special.

    Bron Breakker answered this call from the NXT champion. WWE confirmed this title match for the upcoming event after Ciampa accepted the challenge.

    No other matches have been announced for Halloween Havoc so far but the card is expected to be filled in the coming weeks. You can check out the complete NXT results from this week below:

    WWE NXT 2.0 Results (10/5): Title Headliner, Halloween Havoc Main Event Revealed
  • Parker Boudreaux Debuts In NXT As Harland With a New Look

    Parker Boudreaux Debuts In NXT As Harland With a New Look

    An NXT star has arrived and he is sporting a new look.

    During the Oct. 5 edition of NXT 2.0, Parker Boudreaux made an appearance. The former UCF offensive lineman traded in the football pads for the wrestling ring. He was one of many talents who was recently brought on board the Performance Center.

    Boudreaux now goes by the name “Harland” and he has said goodbye to his hair.

    Harland made his debut after Joe Gacy defeated Ikeman Jiro. Gacy glanced at the debuting star and appeared to approve. Harland didn’t exactly look all too thrilled when staring down Gacy, however.

    Time will tell if there will be any long-term connection between Harland and Gacy or if the new NXT talent will be keeping his eye on everyone in the coming weeks.

  • Dante Chen On When He Found Out About His NXT Debut

    Dante Chen On When He Found Out About His NXT Debut

    Singapore’s Dante Chen did not know that he will be making his debut on WWE TV or who his opponent is going to be hours before it happened. The NXT 2.0 star recently had an interview with Yahoo News Singapore. The 25-year-old talked about the reaction he received after his debut and more.

    Revealing when he found out that he would be making his debut for the brand, Chen said that he didn’t know that he was scheduled to compete until the day of the show:

    “I didn’t even know that I was scheduled to compete, or even who my opponent will be, until the very day itself, I was asked to be at the arena at 11am, and a couple of hours later, I was told that I would be making my debut facing Trey. There were only a couple more hours to prepare by then.

    Dante Chen made his official WWE debut during the September 21 episode of NXT 2.0. He faced Trey Baxter and defeated the fellow NXT star in his first match. Apart from this, Chen also discussed things such as his training routine, getting inputs from people like Shawn Michaels and Triple H, and more. You can find his interview here.

    NXT 2.0 Reportedly in Discussion to be involved in WWE Draft
  • NXT 2.0 Reportedly in Discussion to be involved in WWE Draft

    NXT 2.0 Reportedly in Discussion to be involved in WWE Draft

    Call-ups from NXT 2.0 could end up playing a role in the upcoming WWE Draft.

    Mat Men Podcast co-host Andrew Zarian reports that he heard NXT 2.0 would be involved in the draft. However, WWE hasn’t officially confirmed the report. The WWE draft will start on October 1st on Friday Night Smackdown. It will also conclude on Monday Night Raw on October 4th.

    “Hearing that NXT will be involved in the draft,” said Zarian. He continues, “Expect a few call-ups.”

    NXT 2.0 Call Ups

    NXT 2.0 is in the process of introducing new talent to its roster. However, the brand also has talent that has been on the roster for several years. WWE could bring several NXT veterans to the main roster to create opportunities for newer talent.

    Ad-Free Shows’ Jon Alba reports that faction Hit Row could be in the draft. However, he clarifies that WWE hasn’t decided yet if they will leave the developmental brand and that plans can change.

    “Hit Row is one of the names being discussed for a main roster call-up from #WWENXT for the #WWE Draft, I’m told,” said Alba. He continues, Whether it ultimately gets the call will remain to be seen, obviously, but @AndrewZarian reports NXT will be involved in the draft.”

    While Hit Row formed four months ago, the leader Isaiah “Swerve” Scott has been with the brand for two years. Scott is also the current NXT North American Champion. Hit Row is in a feud with Legado Del Fantasma, which doesn’t seem to be ending soon. It’s unclear if Hit Row does get drafted if they would still appear on NXT 2.0 to finish the feud.

  • Has WWE Already Canceled Joe Gacy?

    Has WWE Already Canceled Joe Gacy?

    WWE’s brand new “woke” character may have already gotten the boot.

    On the Sept. 21 episode of NXT 2.0, Joe Gacy made his debut for the brand. Gacy sat in the middle of the ring and appeared to play a character depicting the modern-day Twitter user. It was quite clear that the point of the character was to have him be portrayed as an over-the-top “social justice warrior.”

    Here’s what Gacy said in his promo (h/t New York Post).

    “NXT 2.0 is full of conflict, from the smallest microaggression to the most heinous grudges. This is a place where we settle our differences. I come to you tonight with a mindset of conflict resolution where I don’t need to use my male privilege to get what I want.

    “I understand just like you that life isn’t fair. I believe that we can achieve unity and tolerance for us all, and I can be the man that will show you we can achieve peace in this safe space. And it starts tonight!”

    It appears that WWE is quickly removing all traces of the Gacy character. His match with Cameron Grimes was taken off the promotion’s YouTube channel. It appears that only this week’s NXT image gallery and the Peacock version of the latest NXT 2.0 episode are the only remaining traces of Gacy’s new gimmick.

    Some major media outlets have picked up on the Joe Gacy character. Many of those outlets heavily sway right-wing. Those outlets have taken Gacy’s character as a shot at left-wing politics.

    SEScoops will keep you posted on the future of the Joe Gacy character.

  • Eric Bischoff Has High Hopes For Bron Breakker, Doesn’t Like The Name

    Eric Bischoff Has High Hopes For Bron Breakker, Doesn’t Like The Name

    Eric Bischoff believes Bron Breakker is destined for stardom but he questions the name change.

    Breakker is the son of tag team legend Rick Steiner. Breakker made his debut on the first episode of NXT 2.0. He wrestled LA Knight in the first match of the show, pinning him clean. The episode ended with Breakker staring down newly-crowned NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa backstage.

    Bischoff has a history with the Steiner brothers and he took to his 83 Weeks Podcast to express his belief that Bron Breakker will become a special talent. With that said, he’s baffled by WWE’s decision to go against the Rex Steiner name that was initially put in place for him.

    “Oh, there’s no doubt [he’s going to be a star]. I get that they didn’t want to call him Rex Steiner because his real last name is Rechsteiner and nothing lasts forever. Relationships generally don’t last forever, especially business relationships. You have to plan for the inevitable, and I understand why they would want to protect their intellectual property and give Bronson a real character name that they have control over. I don’t like that, but I understand it.”

    Breakker was put in a prominent role once again on the Sept. 21 edition of NXT 2.0. He teamed with Ciampa to take on Pete Dunne and Ridge Holland in the main event of the show. Breakker and Ciampa picked up the win.