SEScoops

Category: WWE

  • “We Weren’t Blessed with Superstar Attributes” – Dax Harwood Opens Up on WWE Backstage Issues

    “We Weren’t Blessed with Superstar Attributes” – Dax Harwood Opens Up on WWE Backstage Issues

    AEW’s Dax Harwood has opened up about some of the issues that he experienced during his tenure with WWE.

    Signing with WWE in 2012, Harwood would spend time in NXT, Raw, and SmackDown, and would hold tag gold on each brand with Cash Wheeler.

    In 2020, the pair once known as The Revival were granted their requested releases from WWE, and would debut for AEW in May of that year.

    Superstar Attributes

    Standing at five-foot-ten and tipping the scales at 223lbs, Harwood isn’t what your non-wrestling fan would consider a prototypical WWE Superstar.

    Speaking to Sports Illustrated this week, Harwood opened up about his size and was well aware that he didn’t fit WWE’s mold of their usual top star.

    “We weren’t blessed with superstar attributes. Look at Hulk Hogan and then look at Dax Harwood, and you see the obvious differences.”

    Dax Harwood.

    Despite this, WWE has had some smaller stars reach the top of the card, including Shawn Michaels (at the time the smallest World Champion,) CM Punk, and Daniel Bryan.

    Backstage Issues

    In the years since his WWE exit, Harwood has spoken openly about his difficulties adjusting to the main roster, after an impressive run in WWE NXT.

    In the interview, Harwood said how issues affected every part of his run, right down to the verbiage he used on TV.

    “There were battles backstage in WWE. I’ve been handed a script where my verbiage was, ‘I’m going to take the tracker down yonder.’ That’s not how I speak. I have two degrees, one in business communication and one in English, ones that I paid for myself.

    “I had to fight for that verbiage to be taken away. If I hadn’t, I never would have reached the success I have.”

    FTR’s final nail in the coffin was when they were pitched ‘Flava Flav-inspired redesigns by Vince McMahon, and the tag-team left shortly after.

  • Bizarre WWE Video Package is Reminding Fans of Sasha Banks

    Bizarre WWE Video Package is Reminding Fans of Sasha Banks

    IWGP Women’s Champion Mercedes Moné won’t be making her WWE return anytime soon, but WWE doesn’t want the fans to know that.

    Moné debuted for New Japan Pro Wrestling at Wrestle Kingdom 17 in January, over seven months after walking out of the May 16, 2022, edition of Raw.

    At last month’s Battle in the Valley event, Moné captured the IWGP Women’s Championship from KAIRI, in the former’s first match post-WWE.

    Video Package

    On next week’s Raw, John Cena will make his return to WWE TV, in his first appearance since the final SmackDown of 2022.

    Unsurprisingly, WWE is hyping up the appearance of the 16-time World Champion, with a video that has reminded fans of Sasha Banks.

    WWE’s video said that next week, Raw would host the return “you’ve been banking on,” with text in a similar style to that of Banks’ WWE run.

    There are currently no plans for Moné to appear on next week’s Raw or any future episode of WWE programming going forward.

    John Cena’s Return

    Mercedes Moné won’t be on next week’s Raw, but Cena will be, likely to set up a WrestleMania match with United States Champion Austin Theory.

    A feud between the two began last year, and a match was rumored for Summerslam 2022, though that never transpired.

    It is unclear whether WWE will put Theory’s U.S. title on the line for the match with Cena, who is kept away from the promotion due to his Hollywood commitments.

    WWE WrestleMania 39 will take place on April 1, and April 2, in Inglewood, California, and will be WWE’s fourth two-night edition of the annual supershow.

    Bayley Will “Never Give Up Hope” Sasha Banks Will Return to WWE
  • Released WWE Faction Reunites On The Independents

    Released WWE Faction Reunites On The Independents

    A former WWE tag team has shown that they are as unified as ever despite being released from the promotion a few years ago.

    In April 2020, WWE began a new strategy of releasing talents in massive waves, which at the time was explained to talent as being due to “budget cuts.”

    Many found the reasoning to be fishy, as the time of the releases was also a time when the company was recording the biggest profits and highest earnings.

    Sanity

    Members of Sanity were just some of the names cut as part of these waves, with Killian Dain being cut in June 2021.

    This week, Dain, back under the name Big Damo, lost the PROGRESS Atlas Championship to Ricky Knight.

    Post-match, Axel Tischer, formerly Alexander Wolfe in WWE, appeared to congratulate his Sanity comrade.

    Wolfe would be part of Sanity and Imperium in WWE, before his release from WWE in May 2021.

    His final match in WWE had been in a losing effort to Dain and was kicked out of Imperium afterward.

    Other Members

    Of all the members of Sanity, Nikki Cross (Damo’s wife) has gone on to be the group’s most successful member.

    The Scottish Superstar is a former RAW Women’s Champion, WWE Women’s Tag Champion and WWE 24/7 Champion, as well as a Money in the Bank winner.

    In December of last year, it was reported that Eric Young would be returning to WWE soon enough, after being released in April 2020.

    Young returned to Impact Wrestling at that year’s Slammiversary event, and would win the Impact World Championship that same year.

    Eric Young Reveals Original Plans For Sanity’s Main Roster Debut
  • Jacy Jane vs. Gigi Dolin Set For 3/7 WWE NXT Roadblock

    Jacy Jane vs. Gigi Dolin Set For 3/7 WWE NXT Roadblock

    A grudge match is set for WWE NXT’s Roadblock event.

    During the 2/28/23 episode of WWE NXT, Gigi Dolin addressed the brutal attack from former Toxic Attraction stablemate Jacy Jane a few weeks ago. Dolin went deep into her past when appearing on tonight’s edition of NXT when she noted that Jacy’s attack on her wasn’t even the most important backstabbing she’s been victim of in her life. Gigi said that she was forced to run away from home after being physically mistreated by her mother as a young girl.

    Following Mandy Rose’s departure from WWE in December 2022, Jacy Jane and Gigi Dolin were left as the final members of Toxic Attraction. However, on the 2/14/23 edition of WWE NXT, Jane attacked Dolin during Bayley’s ‘Ding Dong, Hello!’ segment. Jacy’s attack on Gigi came just one week after the pair failed to defeat NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez at Vengeance Day, earlier this month.

    WWE NXT Roadblock (3/7) Updated Card

    • Roxanne Perez (C) vs. Meiko Satomura — NXT Women’s Championship
    • Tony D’Angelo vs. Dijak — Jailhouse Street Fight
    • Indus Sher (Jinder Mahal, Veer Mahan, and Sanga) vs. Bron Breakker, Julius, and Brutus Creed
    • Jacy Jane vs. Gigi Dolin
    • Joe Gacy vs. Andre Chase

    SEScoops has complete coverage of NXT every Wednesday night beginning at 8:00 p.m. EDT/5:00 p.m. PDT.

  • Endeavor CEO Comments on Potentially Buying WWE

    Endeavor CEO Comments on Potentially Buying WWE

    Endeavor, the parent company of UFC, and Saudi Arabia have been considered the leading bidders in potentially acquiring WWE as the company is up for sale with Vince McMahon leading the way. 

    Now, the CEO of Endeavor has commented on the possibility. On Tuesday afternoon, during Endeavor’s fourth-quarter earnings call, Ari Emanuel was asked about this and noted that they were not going to do anything that would change their leverage position.

    Ari Emanuel Speaks

    “As it relates to WWE, it’s an unbelievable product. Vince, you know, created a great business. We’ve had a longstanding relationship with them over two decades. We’re doing on-location business with them, streaming business with them. His business is really valuable. But we’re not going to do anything as it relates to changing our leverage position right now.”

    This past January, the sale talks picked up after Vince McMahon forced himself back as Chairman of the company and brought back George Barrios and Michelle Wilson with him to the board of Directors to facilitate a sale of the company. 

    Earlier this month, Bloomberg reported that McMahon was looking for $9 billion for the company.

  • Ariane Andrew Explains Why Naomi Has Yet to Make a WWE Return

    Ariane Andrew Explains Why Naomi Has Yet to Make a WWE Return

    Naomi has been away from WWE since last May, when she walked out due to creative differences alongside Mercedes Mone. 

    It was reported by Bryan Alvarez last month that Naomi was expected to make her return to the company, leading to speculation that it could happen with her being a surprise entrant in the Women’s Royal Rumble match.

    That same week, Dave Meltzer reported that talks between WWE and Naomi were ongoing, although nothing had been signed. Fightful also reported that one WWE higher-up was confident Naomi would return to WWE. 

    Surgery

    Obviously, the Royal Rumble PLE has come and gone, and Naomi is still not back. However, her former tag team partner Ariane Andrew (Cameron), may have shed some light on the situation as Andrew noted that Naomi underwent surgery. 

    She was asked about Naomi as she was doing a virtual signing for Golden Ring Collectibles, and Andrew stated that Naomi is currently recovering from shoulder surgery. 

    “So, she (Trinity Fatu/Naomi) is recovering from shoulder surgery and you know, I want her to answer the question for herself (of what’s next for her). I know she’s recovering from shoulder surgery,” Andrew stated (H/T to POST Wrestling). “But, I’m super proud of her. That’s my sister from another mister and I think you have to ask her for yourself how she’s feeling. See if her shoulder is feeling good because she’s recovering right now. Ask her that question.”

  • Major Company Removes Themselves From WWE Sale Talks

    Major Company Removes Themselves From WWE Sale Talks

    It appears as if Endeavor isn’t interested in purchasing WWE.

    Earlier today, Endeavor held a media call for the company’s stockholders. During the call, the company’s CEO, Ari Emanuel seemingly removed Endeavor’s name from the hat of potential WWE buyers:

    “[WWE] is an unbelievable product… [Vince McMahon’s] business is really valuable. But we’re not going to do anything as it relates to changing our leverage position right now.”

    Vince McMahon’s WWE Sale Plans

    Earlier this month, it was revealed that Vince McMahon has a ‘magic number’ when it comes to a WWE sale. In an update revealed by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw, it was unveiled that McMahon is looking for around $9 million for the company.

    “Vince McMahon is looking to get as much as $9 billion in a potential sale of World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. “The company has already received offers, said the people, who requested that they not be identified because the discussions are private. WWE declined to comment. Shares of WWE rose as much as 4.9% to $91.48 Friday in New York. As of the close Thursday, the asking price was 37% greater than the company’s $6.5 billion market value.”

    SEScoops will provide any updates on the status of a WWE sale as they become available.

    (H/T to Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics for the transcription)

  • Chael Sonnen Reveals WWE’s Million Dollar Offer to Backstab the UFC

    Chael Sonnen Reveals WWE’s Million Dollar Offer to Backstab the UFC

    Former UFC Middleweight Chael Sonnen has shared a crazy story about an offer WWE gave him if he had beat Anderson Silva in 2010.

    Sonnen has spoken publicly about his love for wrestling, which he has used to help influence how he promoted his fights. He’s also shared in the past that he tried out to be a professional wrestler in 1998 at the WCW Power Plant in Atlanta when he was a sophomore in college. He got accepted and wanted to train after he finished college, but WWE bought WCW by the time he graduated.

    While that seemed to end Sonnen’s journey as a professional wrestler, he almost had another opportunity.

    WWE’s Indecent Proposal to Chael Sonnen

    In 2010, Sonnen had a rivalry with former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva. They would fight at UFC 117 on Aug. 7, 2010, for the middleweight title in the main event. In the fight, Sonnen fought well and could’ve defeated Silva by decision. However, Silva submitted him with a Triangle Armbar in the fifth round to retain his title.

    UFC 117
    Via UFC Youtube Channel

    In an interview with Ariel Helwani, Sonnen shared that WWE discussed with him that if he won, they wanted him to appear on Monday Night Raw for $1 Million under one condition.

    “…I was just getting ready to fight Anderson Silva, and they said if you beat Anderson and you show up on Raw with the belt, we’ll give you a million dollars, but you can’t tell Dana. The whole thing is you can’t tell Dana the million dollars is to stick it in Dana’s a**, said Sonnen. He continued, “Till this day, I would’ve done it. I would’ve taken the belt. I would’ve been on Raw, I just don’t know how I would’ve stuck it to Dana. I don’t understand how Dana would have any problem with that. I never understood that part.”

    WWE hasn’t commented on Sonnen’s claims, and it’s unclear what WWE’s motives would be in trying to offend UFC President Dana White in 2010. Wrestling fans will never know what would’ve happened if Sonnen had appeared on Monday Night Raw.

  • Details on WWE Booking Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn Rematch

    Details on WWE Booking Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn Rematch

    WWE is going back to a match between Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn for this Saturday’s house show in Toronto. 

    They first wrestled in Montreal at Elimination Chamber earlier this month that saw Reigns go over to retain the title. 

    Although this is a non-televised show, WWE felt they needed to make a change to what they originally announced, a tag team bout featuring Reigns and Solo Sikoa against Zayn and Kevin Owens, for the live event due to ongoing storyline reasons. 

    The Reasons

    While speaking on today’s Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer stated that the original tag team bout was changed as Zayn and Owens are still in the process of trying to get on the same page as Zayn wants Owens to forgive him and they go up against The Bloodline together. 

    Meltzer stated that it wouldn’t make much sense for Owens and Zayn to suddenly team together even though they’ve yet to make up, even if it is in front of a few thousand people in attendance. Also, WWE felt that they could sell more tickets to do Reigns vs. Zayn.

    WWE has sold under 6,000 tickets for the show after the announcement. This was an increase of 600 tickets sold after Reigns was first added to the lineup of the card. 

    This proves that Reigns is a draw for WWE, although not as strong as John Cena, who drew an additional 2,000 tickets just 48 hours after he was announced for the March 6 Raw in Boston.

  • Update On Matt Riddle’s WWE Status Ahead Of WrestleMania 39

    Update On Matt Riddle’s WWE Status Ahead Of WrestleMania 39

    WWE star Matt Riddle has been one of the popular stars in the company. He been portrayed as a fan favorite since joining NXT in 2018, but has gotten himself involved in a fair share of controversial matters off-screen.

    Riddle was last seen in the WWE ring when he had teamed up with Kevin Owens to face off The Usos on the December 5th edition of Monday Night RAW. Riddle and Owens lost the match. Following the match, it was Solo Sikoa who brutally assaulted ‘The Original Bro’ and he was stretchered out to the back.

    At the time, it was widely reported that Riddle was being written off television after failing a drug test and later entered a rehabilitation program.

    Matt Riddle Ready to Return

    With WrestleMania being right around the corner, WWE typically wants all hands on deck’ to ensure the biggest show of the year features as much star power as possible.

    One month out from the big weekend, Riddle is still nowhere to be found on television. On the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, “Dave Meltzer provided an update on the former WWE United States Champion and his eventual return.

    “He’s been out of rehab for a long time, his suspension has been over for almost a month now, 4 weeks,” said Meltzer. So it may be that they’ve just decided not to use him for Mania & not do anything with him, or maybe they just don’t want to invest in him.”

    Despite being off television, Riddle remains active on social media. He recently earned his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and uploaded a photo of himself showing off his new grill.

    Riddle has put a lot of effort into getting himself healthy. SEScoops wishes him the best of luck as he gears up for the next chapter of his WWE career.

  • Finn Balor Lays Out Challenge to Edge for WWE WrestleMania 39 Match

    Finn Balor Lays Out Challenge to Edge for WWE WrestleMania 39 Match

    Edge and Finn Balor will seemingly go one-on-one at WrestleMania 39 after the former Universal Champion issued a challenge this week.

    Balor and Edge have been on opposing sides for over half a year now, after the Rated-R Superstar was ejected from the Judgment Day in mid-2022.

    At Extreme Rules last October, Balor got an I-Quit match victory over Edge, who returned at the Royal Rumble last month to eliminate Balor.

    WrestleMania 39

    On last night’s Raw, Balor was interviewed backstage with the Judgment Day at his side and said he’s not done with Edge.

    The first-ever Universal Champion issued the challenge to a match at WrestleMania, which Edge has yet to respond to.

    It’s been reported that WWE planned on Edge Vs. Balor at the Royal Rumble but nixed the idea due to Edge’s commitments to the upcoming Percy Jackson series on Disney+.

    WWE and Edge felt that with the Hall of Famer not being able to appear on Raw in the run-up to the Royal Rumble, the match would not have received proper booking.

    It has been reported that the match in January was scheduled to take place inside Hell in a Cell, but there is no confirmation if this is the plan this time around.

    The Judgment Day at WrestleMania

    While Edge Vs. Balor has yet to be made official, it is expected to be confirmed for WrestleMania, which will be a busy night for the Judgment Day.

    By winning the 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble match, Rhea Ripley earned herself a match at WrestleMania, and will challenge SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair this April.

    Though it has not been confirmed, many expect Dominik Mysterio to face his father Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania 39.

    More Details on WWE’s Plans to Bring Back Finn Balor’s Demon Character
  • Trish Stratus Returns To Help Lita And Becky Lynch Win Women’s Tag Titles

    Trish Stratus Returns To Help Lita And Becky Lynch Win Women’s Tag Titles

    Trish Stratus is back and she is already causing waves in the WWE world.

    WWE had announced that Lita and Becky Lynch will be teaming up to challenge Damage CTRL for the Women’s Tag Team Titles on this week’s episode of Raw.

    This came after Lita made her return to the WWE programming recently and helped The Man win a cage match against Bayley.

    The bout was the main event of this week’s episode of the red-branded show, which also featured a Cody Rhodes match and the announcement of WrestleMania 39 host.

    The tag champs were up to their usual shenanigans during this bout. At one point Bayley used one of the title belts to distract the referee and pulled Lita from the apron to stop her from tagging in.

    Bayley continued distracting the challengers. This was until Trish Stratus made her surprise return to WWE TV and laid out the Damage CTRL leader.

    This allowed the team of Becky Lynch and Lita to get the upper hand. The ending of the bout saw Becky locking Dakota Kai in Dis-Arm-Her on the ring apron.

    The wrestling legend then delivered a Lita-sault to IYO SKY and pinned the young star to win the Women’s Tag Team Championships.

  • WrestleMania 39 Host Revealed On Raw

    WrestleMania 39 Host Revealed On Raw

    The Miz will be hosting WrestleMania 39.

    The A-Lister hosted The Miz TV segment on this week’s episode of Raw. During the show he revealed that he has been chosen to host the Show of Shows this year.

    However, before he could celebrate the announcement, the former world champion was interrupted by Seth Rollins. The Visionary asked to be connected to Logan Paul.

    When Rollins was refused, he attacked The Miz. The Architect then used Miz’s phone to call Paul and challenged the YouTube star to confront him next week.

    WrestleMania 39 Match Card

    A total of 4 matches have officially been confirmed so far for WrestleMania this year. Here is the updated match card for the show:

    • Undisputed WWE Universal Championship Match: Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns
    • SmackDown Women’s Championship Match: Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair
    • Raw Women’s Championship Match: Asuka vs. Bianca Belair
    • Singles Match: Brock Lesnar vs. Omos

    Some of the rumored matches for the show include Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn vs The Usos, John Cena vs. Austin Theory, Logan Paul vs Seth Rollins and more.

    WWE WrestleMania 39 will be taking place from the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on April 1 & 2.

  • Cody Rhodes Going to SmackDown for Roman Reigns

    Cody Rhodes Going to SmackDown for Roman Reigns

    Ever since Cody Rhodes won the Royal Rumble, Roman Reigns has been dodging him. Although he’s acknowledged him in a promo, Reigns has sent “The Wise Man” Paul Heyman on his behalf.

    Rhodes has even said he was open to the possibility of adding Sami Zayn to their match at WrestleMania 39. However, WWE has reportedly been concerned about Zayn being so over with the fans and that it might hurt Rhodes leading into his match with Reigns.

    Cody Rhodes Going to Reigns

    Paul Heyman:Cody Rhodes
    Via BT Sports

    After defeating Chad Gable, Rhodes looked in the camera to address Reigns directly.

    “He is on SmackDown this Friday and I am ecstatic that Roman Reigns is on SmackDown this Friday because I’ll be there too.”

    WWE is promoting Rhodes as “being in the same building” as the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.

    Do you think Reigns and Rhodes will actually come face to face on Friday? Or do you think Heyman will prevent it?

  • Brock Lesnar vs. Omos Made Official for WWE WrestleMania 39

    Brock Lesnar vs. Omos Made Official for WWE WrestleMania 39

    Brock Lesnar will indeed be wrestling Omos at the biggest event of the year for WWE, WrestleMania 39. 

    On last week’s episode of WWE Raw, there was a segment where Omos and MVP laid the challenge out for ‘The Nigerian Giant’ to face “The Beast.” On this week’s show, they invited Lesnar to appear to answer the challenge, and he did when he showed up at MVP’s Lounge. 

    They traded some words before MVP sold Lesnar on a match with Omos. They had a drink to celebrate the match being made official, but MVP accidentally spit moonshine in Lesnar’s face. Lesnar laid out MVP with an F5 before leaving the ring. 

    WWE presents the WrestleMania 39 premium live event on April 1 and 2, 2023, at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, CA that will air on Peacock. WWE will be announcing more matches for this show in the coming weeks. Here is the updated card:

    Updated WWE WrestleMania 39 Card

    Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes

    WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley

    WWE Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair vs. Asuka

    Brock Lesnar vs. Omos

  • Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn Rematch Announced

    Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn Rematch Announced

    WWE is running back Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn following their match at the Elimination Chamber PLE. 

    The two stars are slated to meet in the main event of an untelevised house show. On Monday, it was confirmed by the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto that Reigns will defend his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Zayn at the show this Saturday as part of WWE’s Road to WrestleMania live event tour.

    Originally, it was advertised as a tag team match seeing Reigns team with Solo Sikoa against Zayn & Kevin Owens for the event. However, a change was made. 

    The First Match

    At the Elimination Chamber in Montreal earlier this month, Reigns retained his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Zayn. Post-match, Owens saved Zayn from a Bloodline. 

    Since then, Zayn has tried to convince Owens to work together to dismantle The Bloodline, but Owens continues to reject him. 

    It’s believed that Zayn and Owens will challenge The Usos for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania 39. Jey Uso is currently conflicted in storyline between siding with Zayn or staying loyal to his family. 

  • WWE Superstars Unhappy With Fewer WrestleMania Spots On “Smaller” Card (Report)

    WWE Superstars Unhappy With Fewer WrestleMania Spots On “Smaller” Card (Report)

    This year’s WrestleMania will feature a smaller card, leaving some frustrated Superstars off the biggest show of the year, it has been claimed.

    WrestleMania 39 will take place on April 1, and April 2, in Inglewood, California, marking the fourth two-night WrestleMania in a row.

    Night Two of the Showcase of the Immortals will be headlined by Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns defending against Cody Rhodes.

    Smaller Card

    WrestleMania is WWE’s biggest event of the year, so it is expected that it is the longest and most stacked show of the year.

    For single-night events, WrestleMania 35 (2019) takes the record for the longest WWE event in history, clocking in at five hours and 20 minutes (or over seven hours if you watch the pre-show.)

    WrestlingNews.co was informed that WWE will be using a smaller card as compared to previous years, and this is an edict from WWE’s Head of Creative/Talent Relations Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque.

    It is reported that there will not be a WrestleMania Battle Royal at WrestleMania, which in years past allowed a lot of Superstars the chance to compete at the biggest show of the year.

    In more recent years, WWE has kept the men’s Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal for the SmackDown before WrestleMania.

    At this time, three matches have been announced by WWE, though this will of course change.

    Unhappy

    With a smaller card comes fewer spots for talent to appear on the show, which Wrestling News was informed has led to “some unhappiness” backstage.

    There is also unhappiness about some of the slots on the show being saved for part-timers, though the report did not state who.

    We do know that Brock Lesnar will answer Omos’ challenge for WrestleMania 39 on tonight’s Raw, and a match between Edge and Finn Balor is expected.

    There have also been reports that Trish Stratus and Lita will team with Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 39 to face Damage CTRL.

    John Cena is expected to face United States Champion Austin Theory this April, though the match has yet to be confirmed by WWE.

    Becky Lynch & Seth Rollins Channel Batman & The Joker for WWE WrestleMania 39 Trailer

  • WWE Changed Bianca Belair’s WrestleMania Plans Due to Ronda Rousey

    WWE Changed Bianca Belair’s WrestleMania Plans Due to Ronda Rousey

    WWE Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair will defend her title at WrestleMania 39 against Asuka, but this is not the match WWE had planned for the EST.

    Belair’s reign as Raw Women’s Champion began at WrestleMania 38 last April, and the popular Superstar’s reign is the second longest in history (behind Becky Lynch.)

    Asuka, a former Raw Women’s Champion in her own right, earned the title match by winning the Women’s Elimination Chamber match earlier this month.

    Change of Plans

    While Asuka and Belair are more than capable of an exceptional match this April, this isn’t what WWE had planned.

    Initial plans for WrestleMania 39 saw Belair defending her title against Charlotte Flair, according to a report from Fightful Select.

    Those plans changed when Ronda Rousey informed WWE of plans to take January off, and thus Flair was brought back from her hiatus earlier than planned.

    Flair’s return saw the Queen capture the SmackDown Women’s Championship from Rousey on the final SmackDown of 2022, and the Belair match nixed.

    Charlotte Flair will defend her SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 39 against 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble winner Rhea Ripley.

    Rousey at WrestleMania

    With Rousey out of the Raw and SmackDown Women’s Championship pictures, there has been speculation about what she will do at WrestleMania 39.

    It has been reported that WWE’s plan is for Rousey and Shayna Baszler to challenge for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships this April.

    A match between the MMA fighters and Damage CTRL is interesting, given that the trio of Bayley, Dakota Kai, and IYO SKY are expected to face Becky Lynch, Trish Stratus and Lita at WrestleMania 39.

    Lita and Lynch will challenge Kai and SKY for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships on tonight’s episode of Raw.

    Former WWE Writer Discusses Bianca Belair First Year on Main Roster
  • Bayley Will “Never Give Up Hope” Sasha Banks Will Return to WWE

    Bayley Will “Never Give Up Hope” Sasha Banks Will Return to WWE

    When Mercedes Moné made her debut at Wrestle Kingdom 17 and her in-ring debut at Battle in the Valley, Bayley was there to support her best friend.

    In an interview on “Ariel Helwani Meets”, Bayley talked about being there to support her.

    “I went there (Tokyo) on my own. There was a few of us that flew out there, just because like, she’s been there for all my big moments. Even as she hasn’t been a part of the company, when I’ve made my big return and had my big matches, she was there for me. So, of course I want to be there for her. We’ve done so much together in WWE. She means so much to me and so much to the wrestling world, like I have to be there for this moment.”

    Bayley on Sasha Returning to WWE

    bayley sasha mania

    Moné is rumored to have two matches in April where she’ll defend her title. She has revealed that she is a free agent and can wrestle anywhere she wants. She hasn’t completely ruled out returning to WWE, but said she has about the same chance of returning as she does of facing Amanda Nunes in UFC.

    Bayley, on the other hand, is still hoping her former tag team partner returns. “I’ll never give up hope. I’ll never give up hope that she’ll come back.”

    Helwani asked if she thought Moné would come back and Bayley answered, “I’ll say yes. This is her home. This is her dream. I love to see what she’s doing and what’s she’s going to be doing in the next few months and she’s literally going to take the world by storm. I know this is her home and where her heart is — and by her heart, I mean me — she needs to come back to me. I need her. I need my travel partner. But, I’m going to say yes. I’m never going to give up hope.”

  • Jim Ross Recalls Jeff Hardy Being Difficult to “Totally Trust” in WWE

    Jim Ross Recalls Jeff Hardy Being Difficult to “Totally Trust” in WWE

    AEW commentator Jim Ross has said that WWE often struggled to “totally trust” Jeff Hardy due to his personal demons.

    Jeff’s problems with substances, which have led to several arrests, have been well-documented, and have followed the veteran across multiple promotions.

    Last June, Hardy was arrested and charged with his third DUI in a decade, but the charge has been dropped due to a faulty breathalyzer result.

    Trust

    Hardy’s personal demons have not stopped the ‘Charismatic Enigma’ from becoming one of the most popular stars in the history of wrestling.

    In WWE, Hardy was never turned heel, though such a turn was briefly teased in 2003 before his release from the company.

    Speaking on his Grilling JR podcast, Ross explained why WWE opted not to make Hardy a heel.

    “I don’t know if he’s too big [of a merch mover]. I think maybe, my guess on this question would be another one with reliability issues. How far do you go with someone that you don’t totally trust?”

    Jim Ross.

    Ross added that any major plans for Hardy at the time were always seen through this ‘can we trust him’ lens, and said that at the time, the answer was “no.”

    Hardy would turn heel as part of TNA Wrestling years later, but has remained a face in WWE through his multiple runs with the company.

    Make Yourself Famous

    In 2002, WWE tried to show Hardy they had faith in him (and encourage him to change his ways,) by giving him a prominent feud with The Undertaker.

    To this day, their ladder match on the July 1, 2002, episode of Raw, is considered one of the best Raw matches ever, and Ross remembers it fondly.

    “He’s one of my favorite talents to call matches for. I remember the match that he and Taker had. I said something like climb the ladder and make yourself famous or something to that effect. And I just admired his work so much, I adored it.“

    Jim Ross.

    Despite this show of good faith by WWE, Hardy would not get a handle on his problems, and would be gone from the company less than a year later.

    Matt Hardy on Jeff: ‘He’s committed himself to getting better’
    h/t – ITR Wrestling
  • “The Right Call” – AEW Star Defends Sami Zayn’s Loss at WWE Elimination Chamber

    “The Right Call” – AEW Star Defends Sami Zayn’s Loss at WWE Elimination Chamber

    Should Sami Zayn have captured the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship last week at the Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event?

    Over the past year, Zayn, who always had a devoted fanbase, has become one of WWE’s most popular stars in recent memory, thanks to his work with the Bloodline.

    At last weekend’s event, Zayn came up short against Roman Reigns, in the Canadian’s first one-on-one World Championship opportunity at a Premium Live Event.

    The Right Call

    Given Zayn’s immense popularity, and the fact that WWE Elimination Chamber was in Montreal, many have said that a title change should have happened.

    WWE evidently felt differently, and at this time, the main event of WrestleMania 39 will see Cody Rhodes challenge Reigns for the title.

    During the latest episode of his Extreme Life podcast, AEW’s Matt Hardy justified the booking decision.

    “Cody has been an investment by WWE. Obviously, he was an investment when you saw that he had that injury and he still went into Hell in the Cell and he defeated Seth Rollins three matches straight. It was very obvious they had big plans for Cody Rhodes.”

    “I think it’s the right move and I don’t think it hurts Sami one bit.”

    Matt Hardy.

    “Let him be the guy to defeat Roman, I think that’s the way to go. I think it’s the right move and I don’t think it hurts Sami one bit. If anything, that loss elevated Sami. It didn’t hurt him. It helped him. Also, you have a built-in competitor for Cody down the road with Sami.”

    Hardy added that Sami is a “legitimate world champion level contender,” and reiterated that the loss in Montreal was the “right call.”

    What’s Next for Sami Zayn?

    While Sami Zayn will not be in the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship picture at WrestleMania, he may still leave with gold.

    It is rumored that Zayn will team with Kevin Owens this April to challenge Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos.

    Given Zayn’s popularity, there is a possibility that this match could headline Night One of WrestleMania, though nothing has been publicly confirmed at this time.

    Eric Bischoff Compares Sami Zayn to Respected Veteran

    h/t – WrestlingNews

  • Andrade El Idolo and Others React to Dominik Mysterio Smooth Talking Charlotte Flair on WWE SmackDown

    Andrade El Idolo and Others React to Dominik Mysterio Smooth Talking Charlotte Flair on WWE SmackDown

    Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley have proven to be quite the duo on WWE programming, and have caught the attention of those outside of the promotion.

    In the run-up to WWE Clash at the Castle, Ripley repeatedly targeted Dominik, who at the time was aligned with his father Rey Mysterio and Edge.

    After turning on his father and the Hall of Famer, Dominik and Ripley have been inseparable and have appeared together both at WWE events and away from the ring.

    Reactions

    During this week’s SmackDown, Dominik made a rare appearance on the blue brand to confront Charlotte Flair, who’ll defend the Women’s Title against Ripley at WrestleMania 39.

    Mysterio went on about how he and Flair were both generational superstars, that they often get compared to their fathers but surpass them anyway

    When Dominik tried to smooth talk the record-breaking champion, Flair was quick to shut him down, saying that she “has a real Latino man at home that calls me mami.”

    On Twitter, Ripley’s real-life boyfriend, AEW star Buddy Matthews, reminded fans that ‘Mami’ has her own ‘Papi.’

    Flair’s reference to her husband Andrade El Idolo, did not go unnoticed by the former NXT Champion, who reacted on Twitter with a single emoji.

    Charlotte’s father Ric Flair also reacted to Dominik’s smooth-talking and encouraged the Judgment Day member to steer clear.

    Ripley, the first woman to win the Women’s Royal Rumble from #1, will challenge Flair for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 39.

    Charlotte Flair on What Kept Her Away from WWE, Nacho Libre Officiating Her Wedding

  • WWE Expected to Pursue Several Top AEW Stars This Year

    WWE Expected to Pursue Several Top AEW Stars This Year

    WWE will seek out the very top names from All Elite Wrestling to add to their roster over the next 12 months, it has been claimed.

    Since AEW was founded in 2019, Tony Khan’s promotion has welcomed plenty of former Superstars, thanks in part to WWE’s mass layoffs of talent.

    FTR, Miro, Andrade El Idolo and Bryan Danielson are just some of the names in AEW who were calling WWE home not too long ago,

    Go Hard

    The next 12 months will see several current AEW deals expire, with World Champion MJF openly teasing leaving the promotion in January 2024.

    FTR, who are currently taking a break from AEW, are also expected to have their deals expire within a matter of months.

    On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer stated that a lot of “key deals” will expire this year, and WWE is going to “go hard at everyone good.”

    On the flip side, Meltzer added that there are a lot of WWE contracts ending this year, and AEW will likely make a play for some names.

    With that said, it was added that right now the “perception” of WWE talent is to not go to AEW, despite the company’s lighter schedule.

    AEW experienced several setbacks in 2022, at a time when the WWE product was noticeably improving under Triple H’s leadership.

    Cody Rhodes

    While AEW is home to some WWE alum, the biggest move saw Cody Rhodes part ways with Tony Khan to return to WWE last year.

    On his show, Meltzer added that Cody’s treatment since returning to WWE could prove to be an incentive for others to jump ship.

    Speaking about Kenny Omega, whose AEW contract is expected to end in late 2023, Meltzer said that Khan losing Omega would be “really, really bad.”

    It was noted that Omega is in a “very good position” as both AEW will offer him a lot to stay, and WWE will offer him plenty to join them.

    Details on Jon Moxley’s 5-Year AEW Contract Extension
  • Drew McIntyre is “Already” a Better Boxer than Jake Paul After One Training Session

    Drew McIntyre is “Already” a Better Boxer than Jake Paul After One Training Session

    Jake Paul may not be a WWE Superstar just yet, but that hasn’t stopped Drew McIntyre from calling him out.

    Paul’s brother Logan made his in-ring debut at last year’s WrestleMania, and has impressed fans with his ability in the ring.

    For his Crown Jewel match with Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Logan recruited his brother, but the pair failed to dethrone the Tribal Chief.

    McIntyre Vs. Paul

    Away from YouTube, Jake Paul has been making a name for himself in the world, of boxing, earning victories over YouTuber AnEsonGib, NBA star Nate Robinson and former MMA fighters Ben Askren.

    Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva have also fallen to Jake Paul, but these wins haven’t impressed WWE’s Scottish Warrior.

    This week, McIntyre joined Sheamus for an episode of Celtic Warrior Workouts, which saw them train with three-time world kickboxing champion Bernard “Swiftkick” Robinson.

    Sharing the video on social media, McIntyre took aim at Paul saying that he was already a better boxer after one training session.

    Sheamus responded to McIntyre’s bold claim and encouraged WWE to book the match.

    Jake Paul’s next fight will take place today when he faces off against Tommy Fury, the brother of lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.

    Jake Paul in WWE

    After the success of Logan Paul in WWE, it isn’t hard to see why some believe Jake could join the promotion.

    Speaking with Ariel Helwani on the MMA Hour, Jake said he would consider joining WWE, but is concerned about the risk it could have on his boxing career.

    “I’m down. I just don’t want to get injured. My brother tore his MCL; it’s crazy out there. So, I just don’t want it to derail my boxing and all that, but I’m down.

    “I love WWE. I love working with my brother. So that would definitely be something that could be on the horizon, for sure.”

    Jake Paul.

    As for Logan Paul, he is expected to face Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 39 this April.

    Jake Paul: “I’d Love to Have Paul Heyman in my Corner”

    h/t – Fightful

  • Eric Bischoff Compares Sami Zayn to Respected Veteran

    Eric Bischoff Compares Sami Zayn to Respected Veteran

    Eric Bischoff recently made an interesting comparison between Sami Zayn and Diamond Dallas Page (DDP). 

    Zayn had been portrayed as a lovable babyface in NXT after making a name for himself as El Generico on the independent wrestling scene. On the main roster, he continued the babyface character he came up with in developmental before portraying a heel for many years up until he was aligned with The Bloodline where the fans slowly turned him back into a babyface. 

    Parallels 

    While speaking on WrestleBinge, Bischoff explained how DDP and Zayn share similar trajectories.

    “There are some parallels there. [DDP] was kind of in the middle of the roster, right, and he was pretty good,” Bischoff stated, “but once [DDP] made that transition, once he turned down the NWO and started working with Randy Savage and so many other top names, he just blew out of the pack. He didn’t slowly grow his way to the top of the roster; he just blew the doors off.”

    There are some parallels there. [DDP] was kind of in the middle of the roster, right, and he was pretty good,” Bischoff stated, “but once [DDP] made that transition, once he turned down the nWo and started working with Randy Savage and so many other top names, he just blew out of the pack. He didn’t slowly grow his way to the top of the roster; he just blew the doors off.”

    Zayn came up short when challenging Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title at the Elimination Chamber after being kicked out of The Bloodline at the Royal Rumble. 

    H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcription