SEScoops

Category: NXT

  • Bronson Reed On His Future After WWE

    Bronson Reed On His Future After WWE

    While the 30 days non compete clause of Bronson Reed has expired already, the former NXT North American champion is taking his time in deciding where he wants to wrestle next and he has two possible destinations in mind.

    The former NXT star recently appeared on Busted Open Radio. Among other things, he also provided an update on his future after recent WWE release.

    Reed claimed that he is in talks with the ‘major promotions’ before saying that he doesn’t think the AEW roster has what he has to offer in the ring:

    “I’m in talks with the major promotions, I can’t say any which way that I’m leaning towards. I do think that what I do offer, I don’t think AEW really has that. Impact do have some bigger talent, but no one that is really my mold.

    I think it’d fit in Impact or AEW.” said Bronson Reed, “I am a huge fan and I did wrestle in Japan. That is somewhere I would like to work again.”

    The former WWE star continued his explanation revealing that he is currently working on his immigration status. He said that he will hopefully have an answer for his fans about his future in a few weeks.

    Bronson Reed was released from his WWE contract on August 6. Being a development star, he had a 30 days non-compete clause which has already expired. He recently shared a theory about his WWE release which you can check out here.

    Bronson Reed Isn’t A Fan Of Upcoming NXT Changes
  • Bron Breakker Expected To Get Big Push In Coming Weeks

    Bron Breakker Expected To Get Big Push In Coming Weeks

    Fans can expect newly debuted NXT star Bron Breakker to get ‘quite the push’ in the coming weeks according to a new report from PWInsider.

    The son of WWF and WCW veteran Rick Steiner made his debut for the promotion on this week’s rebranded episode of NXT 2.0. He defeated LA Knight in the opening match of the night. Though this wasn’t the only segment he had during the show.

    Breakker also had a confrontation with the new NXT champion Tommaso Ciampa at the end of the show. Their segment reminded many of the moment between John Cena and Undertaker from years ago.

    As far as why WWE did not use the initially planned Rex Steiner name for the star, one source pointed out that the possible reason for the switch was their policy to trademark and own the ring names for all their talent.

    Bron Breakker & NXT 2.0

    WWE introduced the revamped version of NXT this week. The show saw the debut of a new stage and changes in overall presentation for the brand.

    Apart from Bron Breakker, the first episode of this new era of NXT also saw the debut of a number of other stars. You can check out a list of the names that made their first appearance on the show here.

    Who Was In Charge Of NXT 2.0 Revamp Episode? (Report)

  • Who Was In Charge Of NXT 2.0 Revamp Episode? (Report)

    Who Was In Charge Of NXT 2.0 Revamp Episode? (Report)

    The person tasked with running the debut episode of NXT 2.0 has reportedly been revealed.

    NXT aired live on Sept. 14 and it was a special edition. This was the revamp episode that had been reported for weeks. It’s a new era of NXT that will focus on younger and bigger talent.

    WWE showcased the exact type of talent that had been in reports by PW Insider and WOR but the result of the NXT Title match surprised many. Tommaso Ciampa ended up winning the gold in a fatal four-way match that saw Kyle O’Reilly removed in favor of the debuting Von Wagner.

    We also saw the debut of Rick Steiner’s son, who is being called Bron Breakker. He had quite the debut, defeating LA Knight in the opening match and then ending the show by staring down Ciampa backstage.

    Dave Meltzer has reported that Shawn Michaels was in charge of the NXT 2.0 debut show. He also said that Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard weren’t present for the taping. Meltzer’s co-worker, Bryan Alvarez, was told that McMahon and Prichard would be producing NXT 2.0 but the Wrestling Observer Newsletter updated this saying that is actually not the case.

    Meltzer notes that McMahon did look over the script for the show and had a hand in creative. With that said, his role doesn’t appear to be as prominent as once believed. It’s clear, however, that his vision for the NXT brand becoming a developmental hub again is in full effect.

    Michaels’ role in leading the charge for NXT 2.0’s debut episode came to be after Triple H needed to take care of a cardiac event.

  • Update On Candice LeRae’s WWE Contract

    Update On Candice LeRae’s WWE Contract

    With recent reports stating that Johnny Gargano’s WWE contract expires on December 3rd, 2021, some fans have wondered what the contractual situation of Candice LeRae is. According to a report from Fightful, LeRae’s contract with WWE does not expire until “sometime in 2022.” The exact expiry date of her contract is not currently known, however.

    LeRae announced her pregnancy this August. She is expected to stay on WWE programming as a character until it is no longer possible for her to do so, however. WWE is also not freezing her contract, as they have done previously for talent unable to perform for an extended period.

    LeRae signed with WWE in 2017 and made her debut that year on the May 3rd edition of NXT. She’s a former 1x NXT Tag Team Champion along with Indi Hartwell.

    Johnny Gargano and Adam Cole WWE Contract Expiry Dates

    Gargano and WWE are said to have not yet entered into discussions on a renewal or new contract. Such discussions are expected to take place in the fall, however. It has also been noted that Gargano’s contract expires at the time when both WWE and Adam Cole were under the impression that his contract was up. Cole spoke about being surprised to learn that his contract was up about 6 months earlier than both he or WWE thought during the All Out post-event media scrum.

    “I was under the impression that it was like six months later. So it was a surprise to me. It was a surprise to them,” Cole said. “It was public knowledge for a lot of people that I had signed a little extension, I was in the middle of a really serious angle with Kyle O’Reilly, which was very important to me. He’s one of my best friends in the entire world. Then after that is when stuff kind of opened up for me, but very surprising to me. It was just as surprising to me.”

  • Franky Monet & Robert Stone Brand React To Nixed Title Match

    Franky Monet & Robert Stone Brand React To Nixed Title Match

    Franky Monet was scheduled to challenge Raquel Gonzalez for the NXT Women’s Championship on last night’s show. The match was cancelled with no reason given for the change, however. In a video posted exclusively to NXT’s social media, Monet and the Robert Stone Brand reacted to the nixed title match.

    “The match was confirmed,” Stone can be heard saying as the video begins.

    “Listen, I thought we had a little bit of trust growing here but clearly that’s false,” Monet said to Stone in the video. “Cause you’re right because you Robert Stone are a liar.”

    “I’ve never lied to anyone in my life,” Stone then responded.

    “Let’s not focus on the negative,” Monet continued. “Let’s just think about it this way, it just means Raquel Gonzalez is going to have her NXT championship moment longer than expected.”

    Monet then instructed Stone to get on the phone with William Regal and fix the problem. Stone then leaves the room as Kamea reassures Monet she will be champion soon.

    The video can be viewed in the player below:

    Gonzalez has successfully defended the title 4 times since winning it at Stand and Deliver in April. She’s fended off challenges from Mercedes Martinez, Ember Moon, Xia Li and Dakota Kai in that time.

  • Samoa Joe Approves Of NXT’s New Direction: ‘Just Another Era’

    Samoa Joe Approves Of NXT’s New Direction: ‘Just Another Era’

    Before he vacated the NXT Championship over the weekend, Samoa Joe spoke to Sportsnet, the home of NXT in Canada. Joe was asked about the new direction for NXT and said that the brand has always been a place of change, NXT 2.0 is just the latest continuation of that.

    “It’ll just be a continuation of what NXT has always been,” said Joe. “It’s always been a place of change, it’s always been a place of flux. I’m a little shocked that everybody is as surprised about the change because it’s never been the same from one year to the next.”

    The 3-time NXT Champion says NXT has a history of defined eras. NXT 2.0 will just be yet another era for the developmental brand.

    “With change always comes a little bit of uncertainty, but I’m looking forward to it.”

    – Samoa Joe

    Samoa Joe’s In-Ring Future

    When Joe vacated the NXT title over the weekend he did not mention what his specific injury was or how long he will be out.

    He spoke with Sportsnet about getting back in the ring after dealing with concussion injuries, however. According to Joe, he was not going to resume his in-ring career if there were lingering issues doctors felt were serious.

    “If there were some lingering issues that I felt were serious (and) the doctors felt were serious … then I wasn’t going to get back in the ring,” Joe said.

    “I was going to take the time, all the time that I needed, and I was going to come back feeling stronger, and 100-percent. I wasn’t really concerning myself with career moves (like), ‘oh is it over, is it this or is it that?’” 

    Joe returned to NXT shortly after being released from WWE this spring. At first, he was not in a wrestling role but was positioned as William Regal’s enforcer. This led to a feud with Karrion Kross and him winning the NXT title for a third time.

    Joe is the only wrestler to have won the title on 3 occasions. He’s held the title for a combined 156 days, good for 8th all-time.

  • Shawn Michaels Appeared After NXT 2.0 Went Off The Air

    Shawn Michaels Appeared After NXT 2.0 Went Off The Air

    Shawn Michaels made a surprise appearance once cameras stopped rolling for NXT 2.0.

    The revamp of NXT got underway this past Tuesday night (Sept. 14). The show featured a fatal four-way match to determine the new NXT Champion as well as the wedding of Indi Hartwell and Dexter Lumis.

    The show also featured a slew of debuts. One of them was Rick Steiner’s son, Bronson Rechsteiner. His ring name is Bron Breakker. He opened the show by getting an upset win over LA Knight. Breakker then closed the show by confronting newly-minted NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa.

    Once the show went off the air, fans in attendance were in for a treat. WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels appeared.

    Michaels has played a pivotal role behind the scenes in NXT. After the revamp episode, Michaels helped Johnny Gargano put over the NXT talent. Gargano said the future is bright for NXT. Gargano had appeared at the wedding of Hartwell and Lumis.

    While Triple H has been known to make surprise appearances for the NXT audience, he had been dealing with a cardiac event. The good news is, “The Game” is expected to make a full recovery. Triple H serves as the WWE Executive Vice President, Global Talent Strategy & Development.

    Here are more photos of Shawn Michaels appearing after NXT 2.0:

  • Bron Breakker Warns Tommaso Ciampa After NXT 2.0 Goes Off Air (Video)

    Bron Breakker Warns Tommaso Ciampa After NXT 2.0 Goes Off Air (Video)

    The first episode of NXT 2.0 ended with the new NXT champion Tommaso Ciampa and one of the debutants of the night Bron Breakker congratulating each other and shaking hands in a backstage segment.

    However, the young star stared Ciampa’s hand down for a bit before shaking it. He also kept the NXT champion’s hand held for a while, seething and staring, resulting in Tommaso staring back at him as well.

    WWE later released a post-show video after the NXT 2.0 episode went off air. In the video as seen below, Breakker warned the new champion to keep his head on a swivel:

    “I’m here to make a statement. Ciampa, congratulations on the win. I respect ya, I got mad respect for you and what you’ve done here in NXT, but know this – I got my eye on ya now. Keep your head on a swivel, brother.”

    Bron Breakker made his debut on WWE TV during the opening segment of this week’s episode of NXT. He defeated LA Knight via a power slam in the first match of the night.

    Real name Bronson Rechsteiner, the 23-year-old star is the son of former WWF and WCW star Rick Steiner. The NXT episode makes it seem like he is in line for a push.

    WWE NXT 2.0 Results (9/14): Fatal 4-Way Title Match, Wedding Ceremony
  • Booker T On What Changes He Would Push For In NXT

    Booker T On What Changes He Would Push For In NXT

    The new direction for NXT has been a buzzing topic of discussion among wrestling fans. Though Booker T has a different idea of what changes they should make.

    The former WCW champion discussed this topic on the latest episode of his Hall Of Fame podcast. He revealed his thoughts on things such as the new logo.

    Booker also explained what change he thinks should be made. He said that the thing he would push for will be to send some of the talents to different camps around the world. It will help them understand what territory wrestling is about:

    “My thing is this man, I love that NXT system but the one thing I would push for is, for instance, let some of those guys go to Reality of Wrestling, Let some of those guys go to some of these really good camps around the world.

    Send them there for a month, just so they can understand that territory wrestling is really about wrestling in front of different crowds,” said Booker T, “As opposed to just being under that NXT system at the Capitol [Wrestling] Center.”

    The former US champion continued by saying that he doesn’t think the officials will have to spend any more money on this than they are already doing on talent development and it wouldn’t hurt the guys either.

    A former world champion in his own right, Booker T not only has the experience of being a main event talent, but also running a wrestling promotion in his Reality Of Wrestling indie as well.

    Booker T On Concerns That Adam Cole Will Be Lost In Shuffle In AEW
  • Who Is The Debuting NXT Star Tony D’Angelo?

    Who Is The Debuting NXT Star Tony D’Angelo?

    If you were wondering about the identity of Tony D’Angelo, now we know.

    Fans who tuned in to the debut of NXT 2.0 witnessed a promo video featuring D’Angelo. He was one of the many debuting talents featured on the show. D’Angelo had the following to say in the promo.

    “You see, I was born and raised in the streets of Chicago. And I come from a long line of businessmen. See my family has interests in waste management, the fish market, the meat market, you name it. But I found success in my own way – amateur wrestling at the University of Buffalo. I was even named All-American for the Greco-Roman style. My family, they smartened me up because let’s face it, there’s no real money to be made in amateur wrestling, but you know where the real money is? NXT.”

    As it turns out, D’Angelo is Joe Ariola, a former NCAA wrestler. Ariola attended the University of Buffalo. In his freshman year, he had an overall record of 5-3. In his 2014-2015 season, he went 14-11. Then in the 2015-2016 season, he had a record of 14-17.

    D’Angelo’s debut was on the same night that Bron Breakker (Bronson Rechsteiner) and Brooks Jensen (Ben Buchanan) also made their way to the NXT brand. There was also a slew of other fresh talent for the first NXT 2.0 episode.

  • Diamond Mine Gets Female Member, Multiple New Stars Debut On NXT 2.0

    Diamond Mine Gets Female Member, Multiple New Stars Debut On NXT 2.0

    The first episode of the revamped NXT dubbed as NXT 2.0 saw multiple new debuts including the newest and first female member of the Diamond Mine – Ivynile.

    The female star was introduced after The Creed Brothers defeated Dan Jarmon and Trevor Skelly in a tag team match. She signed with WWE back in January 2020.

    Ivynile, real name Emily Andzulis first gained fame after winning NBC’s sports game show Titan Games. She became the first female titan champion in the game show hosted by The Rock.

    Other debuts of the night included Von Wagoner who was added to the NXT championship match. Real name Cal Bloom, Wagoner is the son of former WWF and WCW star Beau Beverly of the Beverly Brothers. He was signed in March 2019.

    Tony D’Angelo, who was introduced via a vignette teasing a mafia character, is Joe Ariola. He has a background in collegiate wrestling. He was undefeated state and national champion and also qualified for the NCAA tournament in 2016.

    Trick Williams, who debuted accompanying Carmelo Hayes to the ring during NXT was signed in February 2021. The 27-year-old, whose real name is Matrick Belton trained at the CZW wrestling academy in New Jersey

    The star who debuted under the ring name Bron Breaker is Bronson Rechsteiner. He is another second-generation talent and the son of former WWF and WCW star Rick Steiner. ‘Big Poppa Pump’ Scott Steiner is his uncle.

  • Son Of Bull Buchanan Debuts On NXT In Losing Effort

    Son Of Bull Buchanan Debuts On NXT In Losing Effort

    The son of former WWE Tag Team Champion, Bull Buchanan, has made his debut on NXT.

    Ben Buchanan appeared on the first NXT 2.0 episode. He goes by the name of Brooks Jensen. He teamed with Josh Briggs to take on Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel of Imperium.

    Here are some highlights of the match.

    Imperium ended up picking up the win. With that said, Jensen and Briggs got plenty of offense in, and the match was booked to look competitive.

    Jensen was a part of WWE’s recent Performance Center signings. He was a wrestling champion at an Alabama state high school.

    As for Jensen’s tag partner, Briggs, he was the last EVOLVE Champion. Briggs signed with WWE back in Aug. 2020.

    Jensen debuted on the same night that Rick Steiner’s son, Bronson Rechsteiner did. Rechsteiner’s new ring name is Bron Breakker. Breakker had quite the debut, defeating LA Knight to open up the show in a major upset. He then closed out the show by intensely staring down the newly-crowned NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa backstage.

    Time will tell how far Jensen can go in developmental and if he’ll eventually find his way to WWE’s main roster. At 6’4 and 250 pounds, he certainly has the size that WWE is looking for.

  • Rick Steiner’s Son Debuts On NXT, Defeats LA Knight

    Rick Steiner’s Son Debuts On NXT, Defeats LA Knight

    The son of Rick Steiner has made his debut on NXT and it was impressive.

    LA Knight is set to compete in a fatal four-way for the NXT Championship on the NXT revamp episode. At the start of the show, however, he got a little too cocky. He accepted a challenge from the debuting Bron Breakker, who is the son of Rick Steiner.

    Breakker ended up defeating Knight in a major upset. See the finish for yourself.

    Breakker was initially going to be called Rex Steiner. He even changed his Twitter handle to the name but plans have since changed.

    The victory for Breakker has already seemingly confirmed Dave Meltzer’s report that WWE officials are quite high on Rick Steiner’s son.

    “People are heavily praising the potential of the ‘real athletes’ in camp right now, notably Bronson Rechsteiner, the son of Rick Steiner, and the Kasper Brothers, who were great college wrestlers, as well as Bobby Steveson, the older brother of Gable Steveson.”

    After the win over Knight, Bron Breakker was congratulated by numerous NXT talents backstage. He’s already started his NXT run with a bang and it’ll be interesting to see what the company has in-store for Breakker in the coming weeks, months, and potentially years.

  • Details On Backstage Morale Heading Into Tonight’s NXT 2.0 Relaunch

    Details On Backstage Morale Heading Into Tonight’s NXT 2.0 Relaunch

    A new era begins tonight for NXT, WWE’s developmental brand. According to PWInsider, there is a great sense of unease in the locker room as the wrestlers learn what “NXT 2.0” will actually look like.

    Talent was already on edge following the last round of releases. The feeling is that people who ‘did everything they were supposed to’ and received praise from coaches were still let go. This has led to trepidation and uncertainty as it relates to job security.

    NXT has already undergone a dramatic overhaul in recent weeks. After losing the ratings war against AEW Dynamite, NXT moved to Tuesday nights. Viewership has been acceptable since the move, but the show failed to generate much momentum.

    Earlier this month, news broke that Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard would be taking over NXT, with Triple H and his team carrying out their vision and handling the day-to-day operations.

    Triple H undergoing an emergency medical procedure only fueled concerns about NXT’s future. Then came a report by Cassidy Haynes of Bodyslam.net about a new wave of NXT production cuts. He described NXT being down to a “skeleton crew.”

    Samoa Joe relinquishing the NXT Championship late Sunday night was the latest curveball for WWE’s black and gold (rainbow?) brand.

    Tonight’s NXT 2.0 launch will be interesting to watch, from multiple perspectives.

  • Women’s Championship Match Scrapped From NXT 2.0 Premiere

    Women’s Championship Match Scrapped From NXT 2.0 Premiere

    The NXT Women’s Championship match will not take place on tonight’s NXT 2.0 episode.

    Fightful Select reports that the championship match between Raquel Gonzalez vs. Franky Monet is off tonight’s card. NXT had built up the title match for the last three weeks. The report also shares that Gonzales and Monet will not be on TV tonight.

    “… A planned match between Franky Monet and Raquel Gonzalez for the NXT Women’s Championship will not be taking place Tuesday as planned. Fightful was not given a reason why the match was off, but that the company was aware of the change by Monday morning,” said Fightful Select.

    New Version of NXT

    The WWE is calling their revamped version of the developmental program NXT 2.0. Besides an updated logo, WWE hasn’t shared all the new changes or who will be spearheading these changes weekly.

    However, The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer reported that upper WWE management, like WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, would handle major decisions regarding NXT moving forward. He also shared that no one in NXT had input on the logo change. “…when it comes to the future of NXT and its rebranding, it’s said the people making the decision, on their own, are the likes of Vince McMahon, Nick Khan, John Laurinaitis, Kevin Dunn, and Bruce Prichard,” said Meltzer.

    New NXT Championship Match on Tonight Episode

    While the NXT Women’s Championship match is off, NXT announced a new title match. NXT Champion Samoa Joe announced yesterday that he would vacate his championship due to an injury. After Joe’s announcement, NXT General Manager William Regal revealed that a fatal four-way match would decide tonight’s new NXT Champion. The participants will be Pete Dunne, LA Knight, Kyle O’Riley, and Tommaso Ciampa.

    Ciampa is the only participant that is a former NXT Champion. However, it’s unclear if he will win due to the new direction of NXT. Regardless, tonight’s winner of the NXT Championship match will help begin WWE’s unique path in revamping the NXT brand.

  • Fatal 4 Way Match Will Determine The Next NXT Champion

    Fatal 4 Way Match Will Determine The Next NXT Champion

    WWE will crown a new NXT Champion this Tuesday night.

    Samoa Joe relinquished the belt late Sunday night due to injuries. He did not divulge the nature of his medical situation, nor the length of time he will be out of action.

    General Manager William Regal has announced a Fatal 4 Way match to crown the new face of NXT. The participants will be:

    • Tommaso Ciampa
    • Kyle O’Reilly
    • Pete Dunne
    • LA Knight

    Here’s the official word from William Regal:

    Samoa Joe was a 3-time NXT Champion, although two of his reigns were short. He held the title most recently for 20 days. His earlier reigns were 13 days (2016) and 121 days (2016).

    Hit up the comments and tell us who you think will be crowned the next NXT Champion.

  • Update On Samoa Joe & The New Direction For NXT

    Update On Samoa Joe & The New Direction For NXT

    Samoa Joe has relinquished the NXT Championship due undisclosed injuries. Although Joe did promise to be back soon, Joe says WWE’s medical team would not clear him to compete or give him a solid timetable for a return. The situation involving Joe and the NXT Championship was recently addressed on Wrestling Observer Radio.

    Joe surrendering the title reportedly has to do with him not being one of the talents is NXT will focus on moving forward. “It’s a weird story,” said Dave Meltzer. “Essentially, he’s still with the company but I don’t know if he’s going to be wrestling much.”

    After being released from the main roster in the spring, Joe signed with NXT and was initially brought back as General Manager William Regal’s enforcer.

    “The official thing that I was just told is that he was hired to be more of an administrator, more of a front office person than a wrestler, so that’s going to be his job.”

    A revamped version of NXT will debut this Tuesday night on the USA Network. The new era will kick off with the vacated championship as a top storyline.

    “The idea with NXT now is to develop stars for the future and Joe is in his 40s and is not the future. He’s going to be a coach and a trainer and things like that based on what I was told,” Meltzer continued.

    Samoa Joe won the NXT Championship from Karrion Kross just a few weeks ago Takeover 36 during SummerSlam weekend.

    Fatal 4 Way Match Will Determine The Next NXT Champion
  • Franky Monet Is ‘Excited’ About NXT’s Change In Direction

    Franky Monet Is ‘Excited’ About NXT’s Change In Direction

    NXT star Franky Monet is embracing the changes being made to the brand.

    There has been a lot of talk surrounding NXT’s new direction. The brand will have a new set and an overall different look and feel. WWE already revealed the new logo for the brand.

    First Look At The New WWE NXT Logo

    Many NXT talents such as Samoa Joe and Tommaso Ciampa have weighed in on the changes. Now it’s Monet’s turn to chime in. Here’s what she said during an appearance on El Brunch de WWE.

    “I am excited about this! I know that people don’t like change, but I feel that this will be a good change and we are going to see a new evolution on the NXT brand. We have a ton of talent that are working on the daily in order to be prepared to be in NXT TV, so I think that the change will be good for the brand. I love the new colors on the logo and everyone should be excited for this Tuesday. We will see a new era.”

    Franky Monet is set to challenge Raquel Gonzalez for the NXT Women’s Championship on the Sept. 14 episode of NXT. This will be the first NXT show that is reportedly a Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard production.

  • Samoa Joe Relinquishes NXT Championship Due To Injury

    Samoa Joe Relinquishes NXT Championship Due To Injury

    The NXT Championship has been vacated.

    Samoa Joe has relinquished the title just days before the black and gold brand is set to undergo an image overhaul.

    According to a video he posted on social media, Samoa Joe recently met with WWE’s medical team. They informed him that “certain injuries” will prevent him from wrestling any time soon.

    “Effective immediately, I relinquish the NXT Championship.”

    – Samoa Joe

    Joe sounds optimistic that he’ll be back soon, saying he’d be out for “a brief, yet still indeterminate amount of time.”

    Samoa Joe returned to NXT in June to ensure NXT and its championship received the respect and integrity they are due. He won the title just a few weeks ago at Takeover 36 during SummerSlam weekend.

    Joe wishes luck to whoever vies for the prize and warned that he’ll be seeking it again when he’s cleared.

    Samoa Joe On How Vince McMahon Sees NXT
  • New Wave Of NXT Production Cuts Made Ahead Of Sept. 14 Show

    New Wave Of NXT Production Cuts Made Ahead Of Sept. 14 Show

    Yet another round of cuts have impacted WWE’s NXT brand, and this time it’s on the production side.

    NXT is undergoing significant changes. PWInsider was the first to report the changes. This includes new lighting, a new logo, and an overall different look and feel.

    Bryan Alvarez of Figure Four Weekly then reported that he’s been told that NXT will be a Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard production going forward.

    Cassidy Haynes of Bodyslam.net is now reporting that there has been a new wave of NXT production cuts. It’s been said that the team in NXT is down to a “skeleton crew.”

    We’ve already seen a slew of NXT talent receive their releases. WWE released 12 wrestlers including Bronson Reed, Bobby Fish, Mercedes Martinez, and Leon Ruff.

    The talent releases fall in line with reports claiming that WWE is looking into signing younger and bigger talent as opposed to indie wrestlers. An updated report added that while WWE will still look at some independent performers, the company will not place emphasis on it.

    SEScoops.com will be providing coverage of the Sept. 14 NXT show. Be sure to check out the homepage once the event has wrapped up for full results. We’ll be sure to keep you posted if anything noteworthy happens on the upcoming episode as well.

  • Name Changes For Two WWE NXT Talents Revealed

    Name Changes For Two WWE NXT Talents Revealed

    Two NXT developmental talents have received name changes.

    First, Parker Boudreaux has taken to his Instagram account to reveal his new name. He will be competing as Gunnar Harland.

    “Soul Reaper… NEW NAME. ‘GUNNAR HARLAND.’”

    Next up is Bronson Rechsteiner, who changed his name on Twitter as well as his handle. He is going by Rex Steiner from here on. He is the son of Rick Steiner.

    Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reported that many have been impressed by Steiner.

    “People are heavily praising the potential of the ‘real athletes’ in camp right now, notably Bronson Rechsteiner, the son of Rick Steiner, and the Kasper Brothers, who were great college wrestlers, as well as Bobby Steveson, the older brother of Gable Steveson.”

    Meltzer’s report falls in line with WWE’s renewed focus on bigger and younger talent as opposed to independent wrestlers. NXT is also said to be returning to its roots as a developmental brand rather than being in the same league as Raw and SmackDown.

    WWE recently signed a new crop of developmental talent. It wouldn’t come as much of a surprise if some of these athletes also undergo name changes in the coming weeks. We’ll be sure to keep you posted.

  • First Look at the “New NXT” Premiering September 14th

    First Look at the “New NXT” Premiering September 14th

    NXT will return to live-airing shows on Tuesday, September 14th, 2021. According to promotional footage released by, the “New NXT” will debut that night.

    A video aired on Smackdown and was shared on WWE’s official YouTube page which teases a new look inside the Capitol Wrestling Center.

    WWE’s video teasing “The New NXT” can be viewed in the player below:

    The only segment scheduled for the show thus far is a wedding between Dexter Lumis and Indi Hartwell.

    The New NXT

    A report from the Wrestling Observer recently stated that while Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard will play a larger role with NXT, they will not be producing the weekly show.

    “There was a meeting with talent and staff where they were told the stories of McMahon and Prichard directly producing the weekly television show is incorrect,” wrote Dave Meltzer. 

    He would continue to say, however, that several key decisions regarding the brand are now being made by upper WWE management.

    “The new logo came from WWE with no input from the NXT people and it’s when it comes to the future of NXT and its rebranding, it’s said the people making the decision, on their own, are the likes of Vince McMahon, Nick Khan, John Laurinaitis, Kevin Dunn, and Bruce Prichard,” Meltzer continued. 

  • Update On McMahon & Prichard Taking Control of NXT

    Update On McMahon & Prichard Taking Control of NXT

    Several reports have come out as of late regarding Vince McMahon & Bruce Prichard playing a larger role in NXT. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer, a meeting was held with talent and staff in NXT recently. Reports of McMahon and Prichard’s involvement were addressed.

    “There was a meeting with talent and staff where they were told the stories of McMahon and Prichard directly producing the weekly television show is incorrect,” wrote Dave Meltzer.

    The report continued to say that Prichard and McMahon are too busy to take on that role. Major decisions regarding the brand will now be made by upper WWE management, however. This includes the rebrand, roster cuts, and who gets pushed and/or protected.

    “The new logo came from WWE with no input from the NXT people and it’s when it comes to the future of NXT and its rebranding, it’s said the people making the decision, on their own, are the likes of Vince McMahon, Nick Khan, John Laurinaitis, Kevin Dunn, and Bruce Prichard,” Meltzer continued.

    It was also noted that there were many who had hoped changing to Tuesday nights would benefit NXT. That is not what has happened, however. Television ratings for the brand are averaging just under 650,000 viewers and a 0.16 over the last 10 weeks.

    “Like with the cuts, all the major decisions as far as marketing, direction of the brand and promotion of the brand are all being made outside the NXT circle,” Meltzer continued.

    Latest Report Signals The End Of An Era For NXT
  • More NXT Cuts Coming: Veterans “On The Chopping Block”

    More NXT Cuts Coming: Veterans “On The Chopping Block”

    NXT is going through a period of transition. There’s a new logo, a new directive, and Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard are going to play a greater role.

    According to comments made on Wrestling Observer Radio, part of the changes coming to NXT in the near future could involve the release of top talents who have been on the brand for some time.

    “I’ve heard names on the chopping block,” said Dave Meltzer. “You don’t know until it happens but I’ve definitely heard names.”

    “A lot of the guys who’ve been there for a long time, those are the names that have been talked about.”

    – Dave Meltzer on upcoming NXT cuts

    What Are Vince McMahon’s and Bruce Prichard’s Role With The New NXT?

    While Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard will be playing a greater role with the brand, Meltzer continued to say he’s heard they won’t be the executive producers of the show, though he doesn’t sound certain his sources would know if that was the case or not.

    “The story that Vince and Bruce would be executive producers I was told is not the case but then again, I don’t even know who knows what right now because everything’s in transition,” Dave Meltzer said.

    “The big picture stuff, (Vince and Bruce) are taking over. The new logo, I heard (it was) Kevin Dunn, but it’s from that side. The major stuff is going to be them but they are not going to be producing every segment of the show, I don’t think.”

    Bryan Alvarez continued to say he’s heard from people who say that Vince McMahon will be “hands-on” with NXT moving forward.

    “Paul Levesque certainly has lost power, there’s no doubt about that, and (Vince and Bruce) are going to be in charge of the big picture stuff. How detail-oriented they will be, that remains to be seen.”

    – Dave Meltzer
    Latest Report Signals The End Of An Era For NXT
  • Tommaso Ciampa Weighs In On Incoming NXT Changes

    Tommaso Ciampa Weighs In On Incoming NXT Changes

    Tommaso Ciampa, one of the mainstays on NXT, has reacted to changes being made to the brand.

    For many, Ciampa has been an MVP of NXT. He had many memorable matches and moments with Johnny Gargano. Ciampa had a heavily praised NXT Title match with Adam Cole back in Feb. 2020 as well. More recently, he had a hard-hitting showdown with WALTER back in April of this year.

    PW Insider first reported that major changes are coming to the NXT brand. Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio confirmed the report and added that WWE is looking at NXT as a developmental brand rather than the third major brand. On top of that, it’s been said that WWE is focusing more on bigger-sized talent rather than indie wrestlers.

    First Look At The New WWE NXT Logo

    Speaking to Fightful, Ciampa gave his take on the incoming changes.

    “It’s exciting, man. Change sometimes is for the best, and I don’t know, everyone’s been kind of keeping a tight lid on it, so I really just don’t know what to expect. I think the first live show is gonna be the 14th, I believe, if I’m not incorrect, with whatever this new look and image is.

    “The overall feeling seems to just be excitement, you know, it’s new, it’s different, it’s fresh. And at the same time, it’s the same. Because NXT is NXT, man, and it’s the same roster, same group of guys and girls in the back, they’re just gonna go out there and give their best. It’s the same people behind the scenes, so it’s like, I don’t know. It’s hard to say right now, if it’s just a new paint job or what it is, but it’s exciting at the very least.”

    Tommaso Ciampa also expressed his belief that not much will change for him personally. He says all he’s worried about is continuing to put out quality work and whatever happens, will happen.