SEScoops

Category: NXT

  • Sean Waltman Talks Raquel Gonzalez Being ‘Star Material’

    Sean Waltman Talks Raquel Gonzalez Being ‘Star Material’

    WWE Hall of Famer and AfterBuzz TV podcast star Sean ‘X-Pac’ Waltman recently discussed NXT War Games and in particular NXT Superstar Raquel Gonzalez.

    Gonzalez gained the pinfall at the War Games match, taking the win for Candice LeRae’s team.

    Waltman would describe how Gonzalez has changed her look since she first debuted, even before she appeared on NXT television. “The first time I saw her? She wasn’t on TV yet” Waltman began on the 1-2-360 podcast. “She was just on what they call the ‘coconut’ shows, which is like the Florida house show run for NXT.”

    Waltman would describe how Gonzalez had a Stan Hansen type character and look. “They kind of put this gimmick on her, like she was like a female Stan Hanson. She came out using the Lariat and wearing a cowboy hat, cowboy boots and short, jean shorts, something like that. And it was, I guess it was just fine. But, you know, I didn’t know what happened to her [after that].”

    X-Pac would finish by saying that the next time he saw Raquel Gonzalez her look had completely changed. “One of the next times I was down there in Florida? Your Lordship William Regal and I were having sushi. Braun Strowman comes into the sushi joint and he’s got this woman with him. She’s a big girl and she’s pretty buff, it was Raquel Gonzales, and I didn’t recognize her. She had done a complete makeover, changed the way she looked, changed the way she dressed. So she has came a long way, she’s definitely star material.”

    Do you agree with Sean Waltman? Do you think that Raquel Gonzalez could be a major player in WWE down the line? Let us know in the comments

  • Johnny Gargano Shares His Remaining NXT Goals

    Johnny Gargano Shares His Remaining NXT Goals

    Johnny Gargano recently made NXT history at NXT TakeOver: WarGames. His victory at the event saw him become the brand’s first-ever three-time NXT North American Champion.

    Speaking with Sportskeeda, Gargano opened up about what other goals he still has in the black-and-gold brand. For him, the first thing he wants to accomplish is a “legitimate title run.”

    “For me, being the underdog ‘Johnny Wrestling’ character, I was always more about the chase than the actual title and holding it and defending it,” Gargano explained. “So now I feel like that’s the one blemish on my legacy is not being able to hold the title, not being able to defend it, not being able to have a run with it. So, I feel like that is the number one goal on my mind right now.”

    Looking ahead, Gargano confessed how he also wants to help build NXT for future generations of Superstars. He noted how he wants to help propel other wrestlers to the next level as he helps to further establish the brand.

    “[…] every single interview I do, I say that NXT is a viable third brand and I firmly believe that. I think the idea of ‘developmental’ needs to go aside because NXT’s roster is filled with very talented people who have been doing this for a very long time and we all have one goal and that is to take NXT where it deserves to be.”

    Gargano celebrated his NXT North American Championship win during last night’s episode of NXT. Celebrations, however, were cut short thanks to Damian Priest and a returning Karrion Kross.

  • Damian Priest Wasn’t Initially Invested In Leon Ruff Storyline

    Damian Priest Wasn’t Initially Invested In Leon Ruff Storyline

    Former NXT North American Champion Damian Priest has admitted he wasn’t initially invested in his feud with Leon Ruff. Priest recently joined Sean “X-Pac” Waltman on an episode of his podcast, X-Pac 12360.

    He explained how, when the storyline first began, he wasn’t 100% invested in what WWE had planned. Priest confessed he didn’t know what to expect but noted he had different ideas to what was presented.

    It wasn’t until he spoke with Ruff and got to know him that Priest began to be sold more on the storyline. He explained how “As we progressed and everything happened, I couldn’t imagine a cooler storyline that wasn’t about me but actually elevated and helped someone else, deservedly. I really like Leon Ruff. He’s just as loveable, humble, and respectful (as you see on TV).”

    Priest shared how he’s happy Ruff has had the spotlight put on him. Although he doesn’t know how Ruff’s WWE career will progress, he looks forward to watching it develop. He acknowledged how Ruff “hit my heart” the way he did with the WWE Universe.

    “I felt a bond to the person. He loves this business. It wasn’t something I was super enthused about, but I learned my lesson of, ‘not everything is going to be the way you think, but it’s probably going to be pretty good if you just trust.’”

    Damian Priest recently competed in a Triple Threat match against Johnny Gargano and Leon Ruff at NXT TakeOver: WarGames. The NXT North American Championship was on the line. Gargano would ultimately win the bout, becoming a three-time NXT North American Champion.

  • WWE NXT Results (12/9): Finn Balor Speaks, Karrion Kross Returns

    WWE NXT Results (12/9): Finn Balor Speaks, Karrion Kross Returns

    The December 9, 2020 episode of WWE NXT aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center.

    WWE NXT Results 

    • Jake Atlas def. Isiah Scott
    • GYV def. Imperium and Ever-Rise.
    • Tommaso Ciampa def. Cameron Grimes. 
    • Pete Dunne def. Killian Dain
    • Raquel Gonzalez def. Ember Moon.

    Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

    Finn Balor Opens

    WWE NXT Champion Finn Balor opened the show with a promo in the ring. He said that WarGames is done and the time for teams is over. He said that it’s Wednesday and the champion is back. He said that some people love him and some hate him, but if you want to get to know him then they can come to see him in the ring. This led to Pete Dunne walking out to the ring. 

    Dunne said that they’re cut from the same cloth and it’s about time that they stand face to face. He said that he’s glad Balor is back, but it’s a matter of time before he puts Balor on the shelf and he is the NXT Champion. 

    Kyle O’Reilly came out to the ring and said that Pete is a tough guy. He said that he knows Balor didn’t forget about the guy who broke his jaw and took him to the limit. He said that they have unfinished business. Damian Priest came out next and said that he’s been looking forward to this for a while. He said that a match between him and Balor is a marquee match. The three challengers took shots at each other while Balor left the ring. Balor said that on January 6th he will defend the title, but it’s not his problem who he will be facing. 

    Karrion Kross’s music played and Scarlett came out to staredown Balor. Finn said that when Kross is ready then he’s ready. 

    WWE aired a promo from Balor during Sunday’s NXT Takeover: WarGames 2020 event. He warned that all eyes will be back on The Prince beginning that night. Balor has been out of action with a jaw injury since the Takeover: 31 event in a match against O’Reilly. 

    Tommaso Ciampa vs. Cameron Grimes

    Cameron Grimes faced Tommaso Ciampa in a singles match. 

    Entering this contest, Ciampa was fresh off a win over Timothy Thatcher at TakeOver while Grimes lost to Dexter Lumis in a Strap Match. 

    Thatcher watched on from ringside. It was a fun back and forth match, which saw both men have their moments. Grimes worked over the neck of Ciampa. 

    The end of the match saw Tyler Rust run down to the ring to try to attack Ciampa, but Ciampa caught him. Grimes kicked Ciampa in the face. Moments later, Ciampa caught him after reversing an outside dive attempt with a second rope DDT for the win. 

    Grimes went away from the comedy style of character that he’s been in for the majority of his run in NXT. It also appears that the feud between Ciampa and Thatcher will continue. 

    Ember Moon vs. Raquel Gonzalez

    Ember Moon vs. Raquel Gonzalez took place in a singles match. Interestingly enough, this ended up being the main event of the show and WWE even announced that ahead of the broadcast. 

    Of course, this comes after the two stars worked the women’s WarGames match this past Sunday at the TakeOver special that saw Team Candice (Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai, Gonzalez & Toni Storm) defeat Team Shotzi (Shotzi Blackheart, Moon, Rhea Ripley & NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai) when Gonzalez pinned Shirai.

    The finish of this contest saw Gonzalez go for her finisher, but Moon rolled her up for 2. Gonzalez picked her up and hit the one arm slam finisher for the win. 

    Post-match, Toni Storm came out, but Rhea Ripley followed and pulled Moon out of the ring before getting in the ring herself. Rhea and Gonzalez had a staredown before Gonzalez backed down to end the show. 

    New Feud For Io Shirai

    WWE aired a video package while recapping the men’s and women’s WarGames matches. It cut to a backstage interview with Toni Storm where she was asked why she turned on Ember Moon heading into the match.

    Storm said people should put it together as Moon was in the wrong place at the wrong time and she guesses that she made the right decision considering the team that won.

    She noted that when she joined NXT that she made it crystal clear that her sights were on one thing only and that is the NXT Women’s Title, but all she has heard about is Moon because she feels Moon stole her thunder and that doesn’t sit well with her. However, that’s okay because she will become the next NXT women’s Champion.

    Io Shirai appeared and said that now WarGames is over, her focus is on the title. She noted that she doesn’t have a problem with Storm, but doesn’t like her. They brawled in the backstage area and out to the ring. Moon came out and tossed Storm into the steps and then into the ring where Io hit a moonsault off the top rope.  

    Karrion Kross Returns

    There was a segment with Candice LeRae, Johnny Gargano, Indie Heartwell, and Austin Theory where they were bragging about their wins at NXT TakeOver. 

    All of a sudden Damian Priest came out to the stage and congratulated Gargano for winning the North American Title. As he was walking down to the ring, Karrion Kross came out and attacked Priest. He laid him out after powerbombing Priest off the stage through a table. 

    Kross walked out of the building, got in a car with Scarlett, and drove off

  • Karrion Kross Returns From Injury On WWE NXT

    Karrion Kross Returns From Injury On WWE NXT

    Karrion Kross has made his return from being sidelined with an injury and is now back on WWE NXT. 

    Wednesday’s episode saw Scarlett have a staredown with Finn Balor after he did a promo segment to open the show to tease his possible opponent on January 6th. Balor told her that Kross can fight him anywhere, any time. 

    Later in the show during a segment that featured Damian Priest interrupting Candice LeRae, Johnny Gargano, Indie Heartwell, and Austin Theory, Kross made his return by attacking Priest and sending him off the stage through a table. Kross then drove off with Scarlett. 

    Karrion Kross’ return comes shortly after WWE aired a promo video depicting a vulture and his signature phrase “Tick Tock” at Takeover: WarGames. To add fuel to the fire, Kross acknowledged the video on Twitter right after it had aired. This was the first mention of Kross on television since he vacated the NXT Title back in August.

    Kross defeated Keith Lee to win the NXT Title in the headliner of TakeOver: XXX. He suffered a separated shoulder during this match.

  • NXT New Year’s Evil Announced For January 6th, 2021

    NXT New Year’s Evil Announced For January 6th, 2021

    WWE is reviving another WCW trademark for an NXT special event.

    This year, we’ve seen WWE utilize several WCW pay-per-view names for special editions of NXT’s weekly television show. The Great American Bash and Halloween Havoc were very successful events for NXT. They produced strong viewership against AEW Dynamite. They also help with the pacing of storylines in between Takeover shows.

    On January 6th, NXT will ring in the new year with New Year’s Evil. The official announcement was made during Sunday’s NXT Takeover: WarGames event.

    AEW has taken a similar approach, with special editions of AEW Dynamite like Fyter Fest and last week’s Winter is Coming. Tony Khan has said AEW is planning special shows for Christmas week (when Dynamite is likely to be pre-empted) and New Year’s. AEW has also announced Beach Break for some time in January.

    New Year’s Evil

    New Year’s Evil is a WCW-era trademark, but that event never took place. Former WCW President had big plans to ring in the millennium with a stadium pay-per-view that would also include a rock concert from the band Kiss. Alas, it was not meant to be. The Visit The Damn Bell blog has an informative writeup of the whole story behind the ill-fated event.

    Triple H held a media call Sunday night after Takeover: WarGames. He said it’s important to have ‘tent pole opportunities’ in between NXT’s big events (Takeovers). “Every show is a different chapter,” he said. Expect to see this trend continue in 2021. Triple H said WWE is also considering this concept for the NXT UK brand.

  • Serena Deeb Knew Rhea Ripley Would Be A Star ‘The Second I Saw Her’

    Serena Deeb Knew Rhea Ripley Would Be A Star ‘The Second I Saw Her’

    Current NWA Women’s Champion Serena Deeb knew NXT Superstar Rhea Ripley would be a star the second she saw her.

    Deeb joined Women’s Wrestling Talk to discuss a variety of subjects. She eventually turned her attention to who impressed her the most in WWE when she was a WWE Performance Center coach. She immediately singled out former NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley.

    “There are some who are naturals and wrestling just clicks with. Rhea Ripley is an example of that,” Deeb explained. “She was somebody that from the second I saw her, I was like ok, the girl is going to be a star and do big things in this business and watching the growth of someone like in the time I was there was really rewarding and just proud.”

    Ripley participated in last night’s NXT TakeOver: WarGames event. She was a member of Team Shotzi alongside Shotzi Blackheart, Ember Moon, and Io Shirai. They lost to Team Candice, comprised of Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai, Raquel Gonzalez, and Toni Storm.

    Triple H recently opened up about WWE’s canceled plans for Rhea Ripley following her WrestleMania 36 loss. At the event, Ripley lost the NXT Women’s Championship to Charlotte Flair. It was a blow that unfortunately caused Ripley to lose a lot of confidence in herself at the time.

    Serena Deeb, meanwhile, has recently been appearing on All Elite Wrestling. Deeb successfully defended her NWA Women’s Championship last month against Thunder Rosa on an episode of AEW Dynamite.

  • Candice LeRae Being Evaluated For Possible Broken Arm After WarGames

    Candice LeRae Being Evaluated For Possible Broken Arm After WarGames

    Candice LeRae wrestled in a brutal WarGames match at the latest NXT Takeover event and it appears that she might have suffered a broken arm during the show.

    Triple H talked about the female star on the post TakeOver media call and he mentioned how as of now they are only aware of the bumps and bruises suffered by the competitors which you would expect from a match like this.

    However, he noted that LeRae is getting checked out. There is a possibility that she suffered a broken arm and the former PWG star is getting an X-Ray done to get a better idea about her condition.

    Candice LeRae teamed up with Toni Storm, Raquel Gonzalez, and Dakota Kai to face the team of Shotzi Blackheart, Ember Moon, Rhea Ripley, and Io Shirai in a WarGames match at the show this Sunday.

    The brutal match had many impressive spots and the ending saw the heels picking up the victory after Gonzalez power bombed Shirai through a ladder to win the bout for her team.

    Fans were worried about Candice’s health after she was seen favoring her arm towards the ending of the bout. Now we will have to wait for the x ray results to know more about her condition. Stay tuned for updates.

  • Triple H Compares Undisputed Era To DX

    Triple H Compares Undisputed Era To DX

    The Undisputed Era has been one of the top factions of the wrestling world for the past few years and during a recent interview, Triple H compared the group to one of the most iconic factions in the history of the business, DX.

    The Game recently had an interview with Ryan Satin of FOX Sports where he discussed things such as the legacy of the late legend Pat Patterson and more.

    Talking about the Undisputed Era, Triple H explained that the reason for their success is the real-life connection among the members of the group. He went on to compare it to the connection he shared with his teammates in DX:

    “That [authenticity] to me is the magic of it, when that magic is there, it’s next level. They have that magic. It’s real to them. There’s no show. I think that’s what worked with DX. It wasn’t a show. We were just us. We all got along in that manner. When it’s magic like that, it really works.”

    Triple H continued by saying that the group is a unit which gets along and then explained what kind of content he thinks resonates with people the most:

    “In a way, I always feel like that stuff resonates the most when you can see a bunch of people that are on some level legitimately have that connection to where as a viewer watching, you think to yourself, ‘Man. I’d just like want to hang out with those dudes. I’d like to be at that dinner and just have dinner with them and hang out with them because it looks like it’s so much fun.’”

    The Undisputed Era entered the WarGames match as babyfaces for the first time this year. You can check out the results of the event at this link.

  • NXT TakeOver WarGames 2020 Results: New Champion Crowned, Undisputed Era

    NXT TakeOver WarGames 2020 Results: New Champion Crowned, Undisputed Era

    NXT TakeOver: WarGames 2020 aired live from the Capitol Wrestling Center tonight. Undisputed Era battled the Kings of NXT in a WarGames match in the main event.

    WarGames Results

    1. Team Candice def. Team Shotzi
    2. Tommaso Ciampa def. Timothy Thatcher
    3. Dexter Lumis def. Cameron Grimes
    4. Johnny Gargano def. Leon Ruff, Damian Priest to become the new North American Champion
    5. Undisputed Era def. Kings of NXT

    Here are the takeaways from the PPV:

    Team Candice Won An Epic WarGames Match

    Team Candice (Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai, Raquel Gonzalez and Toni Storm) & Team Shotzi (Ember Moon, Io Shirai, Rhea Ripley and Shotzi Blackheart) battled in a WarGames match to begin the show.

    Dakota Kai and Ember Moon began the match. Kai got Moon in a Sleeper Hold in the middle of the ring. Ember broke free and sent Kai to the corner of the ring. Moon connected with a Splash and followed it up with a kick to the face. Ember hit Kai with a Senton and Dakota tried to escape to the other ring.

    Kai caught Moon with a Clothesline and unloaded some punches to the face. Moon sent Kai to the apron and hit her with a Crossbody into the cage. Moon climbed to the top rope but Dakota connected with a kick to the face. Dakota booted Moon to the canvas and followed it up with the Kairopractor.

    Shotzi then entered the match and brought a crowbar and a tool box into the ring. Shotzi hit Dakota with a Dropkick and followed it up with a Bulldog. Ember lifted Kai up in the Electric Chair and Shotzi connected with a Dropkick as an “NXT!” chant broke out.

    Raquel Gonzalez entered the match and Moon & Shotzi teamed up on her. Raquel knocked them both to the canvas with a Clothesline and a big boot. Gonzalez Powerbombed Shotzi into the cage. Raquel put Dakota on her shoulders and swung her around for a kick to Ember’s face.

    Kai booted Ember in the face again and Raquel followed it up with a Powerslam. Dakota leaped from one ring to the other and leveled Moon and Blackheart. Rhea Ripley entered the match and had a stare down with Raquel. Kai attacked Rhea from behind but she sent her to the canvas with a punch.

    Ripley booted Gonzalez in the face and unloaded a few knee strikes on Kai. Rhea and Raquel traded punches on the partition between the two rings as the countdown began for the next superstar. Toni Storm entered for Team Candice and she brought some kendo sticks into the ring.

    Storm planted Ripley with a German Suplex and then hit her in the ribs a couple times with the kendo stick. Storm exposed the turnbuckle and slammed Ripley into it. Toni planted Ember with a Suplex as Raquel beat Shotzi down with a kendo stick in the corner.

    NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai was the final member of Team Blackheart to enter the match. Io slid a ladder into the ring but Raquel slammed the door in her face. Io got up and brought some chairs into the ring as well. Shirai tried to enter the ring but Raquel kicked her in the face and shut the door once again.

    Io tried to climb up the cage but Raquel sent her back to the floor by Powerbombing Shotzi into the cage. Candice LeRae was the final superstar to enter the match. Indi Hartwell attacked Io from behind and then locked the cage with Shirai still on the floor outside the ring.

    Candice, Dakota, and Raquel beat the hell out of Shotzi with kendo sticks as booed echoed throughout the Capitol Wrestling Center. Io Shirai put a garbage can over her head and leaped onto everyone from on top of the cage and the match officially began.

    https://twitter.com/SkullGIF/status/1335745461609590784?s=20

    Shirai spiked Raquel to the canvas with an awesome DDT and followed it up with a Flapjack to Candice. Ripley launched Toni into the steel cage as Moon slammed Kai to the canvas. Shirai hit Raquel with a Dropkick and followed it up with a Moonsault. Io went for the cover but Team Candice broke it up at two.

    Shotzi hit Candice with a chair and followed it up with a couple shots to Storm with the kendo stick. Kai sent Shotzi to the mat but turned around into a Dropkick from Shirai. Storm put Io back in the trash can and Kai hit her with a Double Stomp off the top rope for a two count.

    Moon slammed Kai’s face off a steel chair and then hit the Eclipse onto two chairs. Ember went for the cover but Toni Storm broke it up by hitting Moon with a trash can. Toni hit Storm Zero onto the trash can and went for the cover but Io broke it up at two.

    Ripley got Storm in the Cloverleaf and Io hit Toni with a Dropkick for a near fall. Shotzi and Candice battled on a ladder and Blackheart sent LeRae to the canvas. Io hit another Moonsault but Toni was able to break up the cover at two. Shirai went for a Hurricanrana but Raquel blocked it and Powerbombed the NXT Women’s Champion through a ladder for the pinfall victory.

    Ciampa def. Thatcher In A Physical Match

    Tommaso Ciampa faced Timothy Thatcher tonight at WarGames. Thatcher controlled the action early and brought Tommaso to the canvas. Thatcher kept Ciampa grounded for several minutes. Ciampa tried to fight back but Thatcher planted him with a Belly to Belly Suplex for a two count.

    Thatcher absolutely leveled Ciampa with an uppercut and the referee checked on Tommaso to make sure he could continue. Ciampa connected with a Jawbreaker to finally give himself some breathing room. Ciampa hit a couple chops but Thatcher shrugged them off and knocked Tommaso to his knees with a chop to the chest.

    Ciampa and Thatcher traded punches in the middle of the ring. Both superstars collided after going for a headbutt at the same time and crashed to the mat. Ciampa hit Thatcher with a several Clotheslines and then perched him up on the top turnbuckle. Ciampa planted Thatcher with a Superplex and went for the cover but Timothy was able to power out at two.

    Tommaso went for the Fairy Tale Ending but Thatcher blocked it and hit a chop to the throat. Thatcher tried to choke Ciampa out but Tommaso broke free and tackled Timothy out of the ring. Back in the ring, Ciampa applied a Headlock in the center of the ring as blood poured out of Thatcher’s ear.

    Thatcher broke the hold with a German Suplex and smiled into the camera. Thatcher connected with another German Suplex and Tommaso rolled to the apron. Ciampa blocked a German Suplex but Thatcher knocked him down with a forearm to the face. Tommaso tied up Thatcher in the ropes and unloaded a bunch of chops to his chest. Ciampa planted Thatcher with the Willow’s Bell DDT for the pinfall victory.

    Dexter Lumis Tapped Out Cameron Grimes

    Cameron Grimes faced Dexter Lumis in a Strap match. Grimes brought his own strap and said they had to use it for the match. Grimes attacked Lumis before the match and sent him into the barricade. Dexter battled back with an uppercut that knocked Grimes to the floor.

    Lumis slammed Grimes into the barricade a few more times. Grimes battled back and sent Lumis flying over the barricade. Grimes blindfolded Lumis and hit him several times with the strap. Back in the ring, Lumis connected with a Spinebuster. Cameron pulled on the strap and Lumis went flying into the ring post.

    Cameron Grimes connected with a German Suplex into the turnbuckle. Lumis hit a Fallaway Slam and then the two superstars traded punches. Dexter tripped up Grimes and his face bounced off a steel chair. Lumis locked in Silence and Cameron tapped out.

    Gargano Captured The North American Title

    Leon Ruff defended the NXT North American Championship against Damian Priest and Johnny Gargano in a Triple Threat match. Gargano knocked Priest out of the ring and tried to roll up Ruff but the North American Champion kicked out at two. Johnny hit Priest with a Dropkick that sent him back out of the ring but then turned around into a Dropkick from Leon.

    Ruff connected with a Hurricanrana and followed it up with another Dropkick. Garagano and Ruff teamed up for a bit and beat Priest down. Gargano leveled Ruff with a Spear and went for the cover but Leon kicked out at two. Ruff went for a Crossbody but Damian caught him. Priest put Leon down and told him to get out of his way.

    Priest hit Ruff with the Razor’s Edge that sent the champion through the barricade. Damian said he was sorry to Ruff as referees helped him up. Gargano capitalized on the distraction and hit Priest with a DDT on the floor. Back in the ring, Damian hit Gargano with a Clothesline and both superstars fell to the canvas.

    Leon Ruff sprinted down the entrance ramp and hit Gargano with a Crossbody. Leon delivered a Dropkick to Damian and followed it up with a Cannonball off the apron. Ruff connected with a Cutter on Gargano and went for the cover but Johnny was able to kick out at two.

    Ruff caught Gargano with a Clothesline for another near fall. Damian leveled Ruff with a boot to the face and followed it up with a Flatliner. Priest went for the Razor’s Edge but Gargano escaped and sent Damian into the ring post. Gargano then launched Leon Ruff onto Priest in the corner.

    Gargano tied Priest up in the ropes and went after Ruff. Leon connected with a Crucifix Bomb for a two count. Ruff went for a Frog Splash but Gargano got out of the way. Johnny locked in the Gargano Escape but Priest escaped the ropes and broke up the hold. Priest climbed to the top rope and hit Gargano with a spinning heel kick.

    Ruff avoided a Splash and went for a Clothesline but Priest didn’t budge. Gargano hit Leon with a Superkick but Priest hit him with a Choeslam. Three men in ghostface masks attacked Priest but Damian took them out. Priest then leaped onto another three people dressed as ghostface and then Chokeslammed Johnny on the apron. Leon hit Gargano with a Frog Splash and went for the cover but Priest broke it up at two.

    Priest turned Ruff inside out with a massive knee to the face. Gargano connected with a Superkick but Priest stayed on his feet. Priest booted Johnny in the face and set up for the Reckoning but ghostface hit him with a pipe. Gargano planted Ruff with the One Final Beat for the pinfall victory. Johnny Gargano is the new NXT North American Championship. Austin Theory was then revealed to be ghostface.

    Undisputed Era Picked Up The Win

    Undisputed ERA (Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly) faced The Kings of NXT (Pat McAfee, Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan, Danny Burch) in a WarGames match in tonight’s main event.

    Pete Dunne and Kyle O’Reilly started the match off. Dunne locked in a submission hold on the partition between the two rings. O’Reilly escaped but Dunne caught him with a kick to the back of the head as McAfee applauded from the entrance ramp. Dunne stomped on Kyle’s hands and hit him with another kick to the face.

    O’Reilly locked in a Sleeper Hold and then followed it up with a knee to the chest. Dunne locked in an Armbreaker but Kyle countered into a Heel Hook. Oney Lorcan entered the match next and traded punches with O’Reilly. Lorcan sent Kyle to the corner and hit him with a Splash.

    Dunne held up O’Reilly and Lorcan hit him with a series of chops before planting Kyle with a DDT. O’Reilly hit Dunne with a Dragon Screw and made his way to the top rope. O’Reilly hit Lorcan with a Knee Drop but Dunne sent him back to the canvas with a Dropkick.

    Bobby Fish entered the match and sent Dunne flying onto Lorcan with an Exploder Suplex. Fish hit Oney with a Spinebuster as O’Reilly hit Dunne with a knee to the face. O’Reilly and Fish beat Dunne and Lorcan down in opposite corners of the ring. Danny Burch entered the match next and brought a couple of cricket bats into the ring.

    Burch planted O’Reilly with a German Suplex and then hit him in the ribs with the cricket bat. O’Reilly got Burch in a Heel Hook but Dunne quickly broke it up with a kick to Kyle’s face. Burch hit O’Reilly across the back with the bat and Kyle collapsed to the canvas.

    Roderick Strong entered the match next and was immediately attacked by Lorcan and Burch. Strong battled back and hit Oney with a Dropkick. Strong planted Dunne with a Backbreaker and delivered an Angle Slam to Burch. Lorcan slammed Roderick into the steel cage and followed it up with an uppercut.

    Team McAfee controlled the next couple minutes and beat down Undisputed Era. Pat McAfree slid tables into the ring with “Fish, O’Reilly” written on them. McAfee threw some chairs into the ring and then tables with “Strong and Cole” on them. McAfee climbed to the top rope and hit a Moonsault on Strong through a table.

    Adam Cole entered the match last as McAfee, Dunne, Burch, and Lorcan waited for him. Cole sprayed them with a fire extinguisher and then grabbed a chair. Cole hit Lorcan with the chair and then planted Dunne with a Backstabber. Adam hit Burch with a Neckbreaker as Pat hopped in the other ring.

    Cole walked towards McAfee but Pete Dunne got in his way. Dunne went for Bitter End but Cole countered into a DDT. McAfee help up Cole from behind and Dunne booted him in the face. O’Reilly bashed Dunne in the back with a steel chair and dared McAfee to fight him.

    McAfee asked O’Reilly to put the chair down and Kyle olidged. Cole hit McAfee from behind with the chair and a brawl broke out between the two teams. Strong caught Dunne with a knee to the face for a near fall. Pat hit Cole from behind with a chop block to the back of his knee.

    Pat locked in a Figure Four but Cole reversed it. Dunne broke it up just in time as Pat was about to submit. Dunne went for an Armbar but Cole escaped and connected with a Neckbreaker for a two count. Fish and O’Reilly Powerbombed Dunne on top of Burch but the table didn’t break. Roderick Strong then hit a Splash that sent Dunne and Burch through the table.

    Cole and McAfee battled on the top turnbuckle. McAfee went for a Superplex but Cole blocked it and sent Pat crashing through a table in the ring. Undisputed Era set up Dunne, Lorcan, and Burch against the cage and took turns beating them down. McAfee tried to escape out of the cage as Undisputed Era surrounded him.

    Undisputed Era stomped the hell out of McAfee before launching him into the cage several times. Dunne, Lorcan, and Burch got back in the action and attacked Undisputed Era. O’Reilly and Lorcan battled on the top rope and Oney got the better of the exchange with an uppercut.

    Cole hit Dunne with a Neckbreaker as Roderick Strong planted McAfee with a Superplex. Another brawl broke out as McAfee climbed to the top of the cage. McAfee leaped onto everyone with a Swanton Bomb. Dunne and O’Reilly were the first two up and traded punches.

    O’Reilly hit Dunne with a massive forearm to the face and followed it up with a kick to the back of the head. Dunne snapped back O’Reilly’s fingers and hit Kyle with the Bitter End for a two count. O’Reilly planted Dunne with a Suplex on the steel partition for another near fall.

    Kyle set up Dunne’s head on a steel chair and made his way to the top rope. McAfee hit Kyle in the knee with a steel chair and O’Reilly fell to the mat. Cole ducked under a chair shot and punched McAfee in the face several times. Cole went for a chair shot but McAfee caught him with a low blow.

    McAfee went for the Punt but Cole dodged it and booted Pat in the face. Cole climbed to the middle rope but Burch dragged him down. Cole hit Burch with a Superkick and then Fish Speared Danny through a table. McAfee set up for Panama Sunrise but Cole caught him with a Superkick. Cole then hit McAfee with Panama Sunrise and went for the cover but Pat was able to kick out at two.

    Cole took his knee pad down and went for the Last Shot but Oney Lorcan took it instead of McAfee. Dunne came out of nowhere and hit Cole with the Bitter End on a chair. Strong broke up the cover and hit Dunne with a Backbrear. O’Reilly hit Lorcan with a Knee Drop with a chair on top of his face for the pinfall victory.

    Opinion: Every match delivered in it’s own way tonight at TakeOver: WarGames. The Strap match was much better than anticipated and the women’s WarGames match was my favorite of the night. The main event was awesome and Pat McAfee continues to impress with the limited time he has had in the ring. As to be expected, NXT put on another excellent TakeOver event tonight.

  • Rhea Ripley Talks Possible Main Roster Call Up

    Rhea Ripley Talks Possible Main Roster Call Up

    Latest reports have revealed that there have been renewed talks of Rhea Ripley being moved to the main roster within WWE.

    During her recent interview with Lillian Garcia on her Chasing Glory podcast, the NXT star talked about things like the development of her on-screen persona, her relationship with boyfriend Demetri ‘Action’ Jackson and more.

    Discussing the reports about her future and a potential move to the main roster, Ripley said that she would like to go to Raw or SmackDown but at the same time there are still a lot of things she wants to do in NXT:

    “I would like to go to Raw or SmackDown, but at the same time, there are so many people in NXT I haven’t faced yet, and I feel like there is so much more that I can do, like, I would love to wrestle Candice [LeRae], especially since her persona has changed.

    I’d also love to wrestle Indi Hartwell; I would love to wrestle Shotzi [Blackheart]. I haven’t had a match with Shotzi. I’ve tagged with her but haven’t wrestled her.” said Rhea Ripley “I wanna wrestle Raquel [Gonzalez] again. Hell, I would love to have a stipulations match with her. I want to be in WarGames again.”

    The Australian star, who also recently opened up about her struggles with mental health this year, talked about the upcoming year as well.

    Ripley said that if she had full control, she would like to get back to being the confident star she knows she is and skyrocket her career in 2021 like it did in 2019.

  • NXT TakeOver: WarGames Final Card & Results Tonight

    NXT TakeOver: WarGames Final Card & Results Tonight

    The card for Sunday’s (December 6, 2020) WWE NXT TakeOver: WarGames event has been finalized.

    The company has yet to officially announce the main event of this event that takes place in Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center and will air on the WWE Network, but this special will be headlined by the Men’s WarGames Match. 

    This show marks the final special for the yellow brand in 2020, which features a stacked lineup. There are a total of five matches booked for this show with one of them being championship matches.

    As a reminder, we will be providing coverage of this special on Sunday night with results, takeaways, and match posts.

    NXT TakeOver: WarGames Betting Odds

    NXT TakeOver: WarGames Card

    Here’s the lineup for tonight’s NXT Takeover:

    • WWE NXT North American Champion Leon Ruff vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Damien Priest – Triple Threat Match
    • Cameron Grimes vs. Dexter Lumis – Strap Match
    • WarGames Match: The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly, Bobby Fish) vs. The Kings of NXT (Pat McAfee, Pete Dunne, NXT Tag Team Champions Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch)
    • WarGames Match: Shotzi Blackheart, Ember Moon, Rhea Ripley, and Io Shirai vs. Candice LeRae, Toni Storm, Raquel Gonzalez, and Dakota Kai
    • Timothy Thatcher vs. Tommaso Ciampa – Singles Match

    Keith Lee Opens Up On Feeling Like He Abandoned WWE NXT

    What are your thoughts on this card and the feuds that WWE is presenting to their fans? Sound off in the comment section.

  • CM Punk Reveals If He Watches NXT

    CM Punk Reveals If He Watches NXT

    Former WWE champion CM Punk took on his Twitter yesterday to offer some high praise to two members of the current NXT roster, while also revealing if he watches the show.

    The Leader Of The Straight Edge Society made a tweet and said that everyone else on the show should feel embarrassment at the fact that Pat McAfee is a better promo than everyone else on the NXT roster.

    A fan replied to these comments from Punk and asked what he thinks is the ceiling for the former NFL player if he fully commits himself to wrestling.

    Interestingly Punk responded by claiming that there is zero reason for Pat to commit to the sport full time because he is already the best thing on the show apart from Rhea Ripley.

    This exchange led many to wonder if the former WWE star watches the Black And Yellow brand responding to which, the former UFC star said ‘Not always.’ You can check out the full exchange below:

    Neither of the NXT stars have responded to this praise from the wrestling veteran so far and it would be interesting to know what they think about Punk’s comments.

  • AEW Dynamite & NXT Viewership For December 2nd

    AEW Dynamite & NXT Viewership For December 2nd

    Sting’s AEW debut, Jon Moxley’s World title defense against Kenny Omega and the shocking conclusion of last night’s Dynamite helped Winter is Coming score a decisive win over WWE NXT. Here’s the breakdown, courtesy of PWTorch.com:

    • AEW: 913,000 viewers, 0.42 rating (Adults 18-49)
    • NXT: 658,000 viewers, 0.16 rating (Adults 18-49)

    In the Men 18-34 demographic, AEW crushed NXT .29 to .04.

    For comparison, Monday’s WWE Raw averaged 1,741,000 viewers and did a 0.53 rating in the key demo.

    This week’s Impact Wrestling data is available this week, since they made the Top 150 shows on cable. Tuesday’s Impact on AXS-TV did 166,000 viewers with a 0.05 in the Adults 18-49 demographic. It ranked 121 on cable for the night.

    With new AEW World Champion Kenny Omega appearing on Impact next week, it’s going to be interesting to see how much of a boost Impact gets from this appearance.

    AEW President Tony Khan thanked the great fans who helped make the ‘biggest Dynamite of all time’ a viewership success.

    Check out our results and takeaways from this week’s AEW and NXT:

  • NXT Roster Pays Tribute To Pat Patterson (Photos)

    NXT Roster Pays Tribute To Pat Patterson (Photos)

    The NXT roster paid tribute the late Pat Patterson during the opening segment of tonight’s show, after the legends’ unfortunate passing earlier yesterday.

    The Takeover: WarGames 2020 go home edition of the show opened with Triple H, Shawn Michaels, William Regal and the whole NXT roster standing on the stage to pay tribute to the former WWE star.

    They then cut to a video package on Patterson’s legendary career. The show came back to a “thank you Pat!” chant from the attendees in the Capitol Wrestling Center

    Images of the wrestling legend were then displayed on led boards around the arena. You can check out some photos of the segment below:

    Remembered for things such as being the Inaugural Intercontinental Champion and the creator of the Royal Rumble match, Pat Patterson passed away at the age of 79 earlier yesterday after a long battle with cancer at the Miami hospital.

    The former champion had been involved with the wrestling business for over six decades and during his active years; he wrestled for companies such as AWA, NJPW and WWE.

    After his retirement, Patterson transitioned to a backstage role in WWE and he had been working in various backstage positions for the company since 2005.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kuct2Bz7Hs
  • NXT Preview: Blackheart vs. Gonzalez For WarGames Advantage

    NXT Preview: Blackheart vs. Gonzalez For WarGames Advantage

    WWE presents NXT Takeover: War Games this Sunday live on the WWE Network. As of this writing, WWE has announced one match for tonight’s “go home” edition of NXT on the USA Network

    Shotzi Blackheart will face Raquel Gonzalez. The winner earns the advantage for their team this weekend at WarGames.

    We’ll update this article if WWE announces any more matches before showtime. Check back later tonight for our weekly NXT results and takeaways.

    The following matches are confirmed for NXT Takeover: WarGames:

    • WarGames: Undisputed ERA vs. Pat McAfee, Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch
    • WarGames: Team Shotzi vs. Team Candice
    • NXT North American Champion Leon Ruff vs. Damian Priest vs. Johnny Gargano
    • Strap Match: Dexter Lumis vs. Cameron Grimes
  • Rhea Ripley Opens Up About Her Mental Health Journey

    Rhea Ripley Opens Up About Her Mental Health Journey

    NXT Superstar Rhea Ripley has talked about the relief she felt after opening up about her mental health issues. Ripley first did so last year as a guest on Lilian Garcia’s podcast, Chasing Glory. Now, one year later, she has reflected on how being open and honest with herself has helped her.

    “It feels like a weight that’s been lifted off my shoulders. Just like talking about it as well which is nice,” Ripley said. “I’m very glad that the conversation went that way cause like you said there is a lot of bullying and suicides especially like in the sport and it’s really, really sad. Like I always see posts coming up every now and then of like someone new that has passed away and it makes me really mad and sad cause like like they could have help…”

    Garcia noted how Ripley’s disclosure came a week after Toni Storm’s similar confession. Despite having been friends for almost a decade, however, neither woman knew the other was suffering the way they were. They have since spoken to each other and now support one another, especially as they are so far from their home country of Australia.

    “[…] it’s very lonely here at times so I’m glad that she’s now here and we can help each other out,” Ripley said, “especially knowing each other’s stories like now, so yeah.”

    “Communication Is Key”

    Talking about her mental health issues has helped Rhea Ripley learn a lot about herself. She reflected on how she used to bottle things up growing up. Ripley refused to tell anyone about how she was feeling, leading her to feel as though she would “snap and absolutely lose my mind and it would create fights with my friends, with my parents with other family members and it wasn’t fun.”

    She acknowledged she has since matured and now understands that “communication is key.” Ripley explained how giving voice to your issues helps in letting them go. She confessed it’s been a long journey to come to that realization, but she finally understands it.

    Rhea Ripley addressed her NXT status during last week’s episode. She will be a part of Team Shotzi versus Team Candice at NXT TakeOver: WarGames.

    NXT TakeOver: WarGames takes place on December 6th from NXT’s Capitol Wrestling Center in Orlando, FL.

  • Rhea Ripley Opens Up About Losing Her Confidence After WrestleMania

    Rhea Ripley Opens Up About Losing Her Confidence After WrestleMania

    Former NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley has opened up about her loss to Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 36. She acknowledged how her momentum has slowed down since her championship loss in April.

    Speaking with Lilian Garcia on Garcia’s podcast Chasing Glory, Ripley confessed how it has felt like the wind has been taken out her sails in recent months.

    “I felt like I went through a stage where I was losing confidence in myself because I wasn’t portrayed the same way. Even now, I’m still slowly building myself back up from it,” Riple explained. “My confidence was tainted a little, which sucks because I try to keep it up and do my best all the time. I don’t know if it was something in my head that wasn’t getting the picture, I just got a little bit lost after that.”

    She added how she feels like she’s finally getting back on track. Ripley noted that she has committed to building herself back up but shared how it’s been an undeniably difficult process.

    Ripley explained how she’s been watching matches from NXT UK and footage from her feud with Shayna Baszler.

    She confessed she’s been doing this in an attempt to “remember who I am because I forgot who I was.”

    Ripley admitted this active effort to reconnect with who she was has been helpful for her.

    Rhea Ripley took to the ring during last week’s episode of NXT to address her future. She was interrupted by Candice LeRae alongside Toni Storm, Dakota Kai, and Raquel Gonzalez. Ripley will be a part of Team Shotzi versus Team Candice at NXT TakeOver: WarGames.

    NXT TakeOver: WarGames takes place on December 6th from NXT’s Capitol Wrestling Center in Orlando, FL.

  • Chris Hero Provides Update On His Wrestling Future

    Chris Hero Provides Update On His Wrestling Future

    Chris Hero had been silent since his release from WWE in April earlier this year which made a lot of people wonder if we have seen the last of the former NXT star in the ring and if he is planning to hang his boots after the abrupt ending to his NXT tenure.

    However, the veteran recently provided an update on his status and the former ROH star confirmed that he is far from being done with wrestling.

    Hero made a post on the WrestlingGenius subreddit where he confirmed that he is far from done wrestling and he claimed that he will come back when “the circumstances and situations are right”:

    “Before anyone asks or infers, I am far from done wrestling. If I wanted to hang it up and coach/produce I could have a job tomorrow. I’ve turned down a number of companies in the last 6 months- not because they’ve been terrible offers or anything but because I’m just not ready.

    I will come back when the circumstances and situations are right. Trust me, it *kills* me to not be out there doing what I love. The time will come and when it does it will be spectacular. In the meantime, I appreciate all of your patience. Take care & stay safe!”

    Chris Hero who made his wrestling debut back in 1998 has wrestled for many promotions such as ROH, Impact Wrestling, PWG and more.

    He started his second run with WWE in 2016. He returned as Kassius Ohno and was positioned as the gatekeeper of NXT, helping establish younger stars in the roster. He was released from his contract in April as part of the coronavirus budget cuts.

  • Cezar Bononi Reveals How Much He Was Making In NXT As A Development Talent

    Cezar Bononi Reveals How Much He Was Making In NXT As A Development Talent

    Cezar Bononi looked to have a bright future ahead after being named “Future Star of NXT” at the 2017 NXT Year-End Awards but he failed to become a regular for the brand and was released from the promotion this past April.

    During a recent interview with Dan Matha’s Spark in the Dark, the former WWE star talked about his time in the company and he opened up about the hardships he had to face while being signed to the promotion.

    Bononi who moved to US from Brazil first discussed how hard it was for him to adopt this change and he then revealed how little he was making in NXT:

    “It took a long time for them to help me out a little bit.’Hey, here’s a raise.’ It took me almost two years. I was getting $600 (a week) for like six months and when I finally got paid off, it felt like a raise because I was getting $750. ‘Oh good, I can buy a TV, but I cannot get cable.’ It was hard at the beginning, but it helped build my character even more,”

    The problems for Cezar Bononi didn’t end there as he was on a P1 visa and after getting released from WWE, he had only 30 days to decide if he wanted to apply for a different visa or return to his home country.

    He revealed that he had tried to apply for a green card but WWE officials did not show any interest in helping him out. You can check out his full interview in the video below:

  • NXT Preview: Ladder Match for WarGames Advantage

    NXT Preview: Ladder Match for WarGames Advantage

    NXT is back tonight with a new live episode from the Capitol Wrestling Center in Orlando, FL. With a week and a half until the next NXT Takeover event, the following items are confirmed for this week’s broadcast on the USA Network:

    • Ladder Match: A member of Undisputed Era vs. Pete Dunne (with NXT Tag Team Champions Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch). The winner earns a WarGames Advantage
    • Former NXT Champion Kevin Owens returns for a special edition of The KO show. His guest will be NXT North American Champion, Leon Ruff.
    • Ember Moon vs. Candice LaRae w/Indi Hartwell.
    • Kushida vs. Timothy Thatcher

    Plus, Rhea Ripley will address the NXT Universe.

    Check back later tonight for our NXT Results & Takeaways and visit our NXT News page for details on Rhea Ripley leaving NXT, WWE looking to expand NXT programming and Killer Kross returning soon from injury.

  • Bully Ray Talks Why Rhea Ripley Will Be a Major Star In WWE

    Bully Ray Talks Why Rhea Ripley Will Be a Major Star In WWE

    WWE Hall of Famer and co-host of SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio Bully Ray recently discussed NXT Superstar Rhea Ripley. It has been heavily rumored over the past week that Ripley will be heading to the ‘main roster’ shortly, and Bully Ray would give his reasoning as to why she could end up being a major player in WWE.

    Bully Ray on Rhea Ripley

    “When when I watch her? The thing that comes to mind the most is command of her own athletic ability” Bully Ray would begin on the show. “This is what I think separates talent, the good, the great and the exceptional. Rhea is tall, she’s about 5’10. She’s lanky, she’s not like ultra thin. She’s got a little bit of thickness to her, a good sickness to her. And she has control of all of it.”

    Bully Ray used a baseball analogy to elucidate his point. “I always compare control in the ring to how a pitcher on a pitcher’s mound has control of his fastball. If you can throw a fastball 90 miles an hour? That’s great. But if you can’t throw it for a strike? It’s pretty much worthless. That’s command of your own athletic ability, being able to put the ball where you want it.”

    “When I see a woman like Rhea? She really is a standout to me” Bully continued. “She has such great control of her own athletic ability, no matter what she’s taking or no matter what she’s giving. I don’t see any wasted movement in her. Whether she’s selling or moving around? She doesn’t just flop and flail, I can tell she’s selling realistically.”

    Do you agree with Bully Ray? Do you think that Rhea Ripley could end up a major part of the WWE roster? Let us know in the comments

  • WWE Reportedly Looking To Expand NXT Programming

    WWE Reportedly Looking To Expand NXT Programming

    NXT expanded its weekly programming from a one-hour show to a two-hour program last year and latest reports suggest that we might see a further extension of some sort for the Black and Yellow brand in the future.

    According to reports from Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Triple H is going through the budget and trying to find a way to expand the NXT programming with some type of show.

    The idea behind it is to get more ring time and exposure for the stacked NXT roster. Though there is no word on if the company could be considering a second TV show for the brand.

    It’s possible that the officials might be looking to do some sort of local event for the NXT stars but it was noted that they won’t be doing regular non televised live events as they were doing prior to the pandemic.

    Before the coronavirus pandemic forced the promotion to halt live events, the brand used to run two separate sets of house shows. One set saw the top NXT stars touring the major US cities while another group consisting of younger wrestlers ran smaller venues in Florida.

    This is not the first time we are hearing about a second NXT show and reports have suggested that the company was looking to expand the NXT programming before the pandemic hit.

    Now it would be interesting to see where these rejuvenated talks about expanding the NXT programming lead and if we see a second NXT show sometime in near future.

  • Pat McAfee Isn’t Interested In Delivering Scripted Promos

    Pat McAfee Isn’t Interested In Delivering Scripted Promos

    Pat McAfee has been incredibly vocal on NXT as of late, often speaking on behalf of his new NXT stable. In a recent interview with Busted Open Radio, McAfee shared how NXT allows him greater creative freedom. He explained how he’s not interested in delivering scripted promos if the main roster came calling.

    “Yeah, probably not,” McAfee said on the subject. “I’m in such a good situation where I can say that. I have a business, I have 10 employees, my guys and I go to work every single day trying to do our show and we have a merch business that does really well. Literally, everything I’ve said in promos is true. I’m in a very lucky situation for everything I’ve been in and I understand that a lot of professional wrestlers aren’t.”

    McAfee acknowledged how he’s in a unique situation. His particular situation allows him to discuss ideas with WWE’s creative team if he isn’t comfortable with what they’ve pitched. He confessed that’s he’s “not a good reader” and that he’s “never read a book in my entire life.”

    He was quick to add that this isn’t something to brag about, noting how kids should read. McAfee then added how reading just isn’t his thing as he’s a more visual learner. Ultimately, McAfee conceded that he isn’t a good enough actor to deliver scripted promos. If he were forced to, he believes it wouldn’t be good for himself or WWE.

    Pat McAfee Discusses Watching From The Sidelines

    Regarding his potential in-ring future, Pat McAfee revealed how he had watched enviously from the sidelines for many years. According to him, he was itching for the chance to compete inside the squared circle.

    “For two and a half years I had to sit on that goddamn kickoff show panel just asking for an opportunity to do this whole thing, and now that I’ve gotten the opportunity to go, I’m gonna go as hard as I can and do everything I think I should be doing and try to make it as enjoyable and as entertaining as possible.”

    He acknowledged how NXT has put a lot of trust in him to “do what I wanna do.”

    McAfee shared how he loves being a part of NXT alongside his new stable, describing it as his favorite thing to do on Earth.

  • Leon Ruff On His Championship Victory, Thinking WWE Calling Him Was A Prank

    Leon Ruff On His Championship Victory, Thinking WWE Calling Him Was A Prank

    Leon Ruff surprised the WWE Universe by upsetting Johnny Gargano to win the NXT North American Championship. In an interview with WWE’s The Bump, Ruff reflected on his sudden rise to stardom and how he thought he was being pranked when WWE first contacted him.

    Ruff confessed his world has been turned upside down since his victory. “This whole experience has been crazy,” Ruff said. “It’s also been a dream come true. I haven’t been able to sleep, still. I smile a lot, but I do that a lot anyway.”

    When WWE first called him with an offer to appear on Monday Night Raw, allowing him to embrace his dream, Ruff recalled thinking it was a prank call. When he realized it was WWE, however, he described how it felt “unbelievable” to be talking with the promotion.

    “Monday Night RAW was a brand I couldn’t watch growing up because we had a bedtime, and it came on too late,” Ruff said. “So when I finally started watching RAW, it was a new world to me. To not being able to watch it as a kid, and now I’m going to be featured on Monday Night RAW? It was something I couldn’t believe was happening to me.”

    Leon Ruff faced off against Johnny Gargano in a championship rematch during this week’s episode of NXT. Ruff won the match via disqualification after Damien Priest punched him, purposefully costing Gargano the bout.