SEScoops

Category: WWE

  • Becky Lynch Says Her Shoulder Still Isn’t ‘Feeling Right’

    Becky Lynch Says Her Shoulder Still Isn’t ‘Feeling Right’

    Becky Lynch made her return to the ring at WWE Survivor Series, competing in the WarGames match, which marked her first bout since WWE SummerSlam when she suffered a separated shoulder against Bianca Belair.

    At Survivor Series, Lynch scored the pinfall for her team (Belair, Asuka, Alexa Bliss, & Mia Yim) against Bayley, Dakota Kai, IYO SKY, Rhea Ripley, & Nikki Cross. The finish saw her jump off the top of the cage and hit a leg drop onto SKY & Kai through a table.

    Just because Lynch is back doesn’t mean she’s 100%. While speaking with The Verge, Lynch discussed her return to the ring.

    Wrestling Through It

    “Truth be told, my shoulder still isn’t feeling right. So to say I was nervous is probably a bit of an understatement. But once you get out there, once you get in front of the crowd and you feel that energy, then you forget everything else. There’s not another feeling like it.”

    Lynch admitted the table spot was terrifying and painful, but she wanted something that fans could remember from the match. 

    “If I come back then I’ve got to put my body on the line and I can’t half-ass it because then I’m not The Man and I’m not the Becky Lynch that people paid to see. I had in my head that I wanted to flatten somebody, flatten some fools with the leg drop through the table. When the opportunity came up and it was time to go, well, then there’s nothing left to do but do it.”

    Lynch wrestled earlier this week on Monday’s WWE Raw by competing in a triple threat match against Bliss and Cross.

  • WWE Pulls Matt Riddle from Upcoming Events

    WWE Pulls Matt Riddle from Upcoming Events

    Matt Riddle won’t be working some upcoming WWE events. 

    On this week’s episode of WWE Raw, Riddle was supposed to team with Elias to take on Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos. In an angle to open the show, Elias was taken out by The Bloodline backstage. 

    Riddle teamed with Kevin Owens instead on the show, but the babyface tag team came up short in challenging the champions. After the match, Solo Sikoa hit Riddle with the Asiatic spike and the Samoan Bulldozer (hip attack) in the corner of the ring. 

    These two moves were made famous by the late great Umaga. Solo performing them was a tribute to the former WWE star as it happened after what would have been Umaga’s 49th birthday. 

    Written Off

    Riddle had a neck brace put on and was taken out on a stretcher, seemingly writing him off television. 

    Pwinsider.com reported today that Riddle has been pulled from working this weekend’s live events. There’s no word yet on why Riddle is off the road. It could be due to him dealing with an injury, asking for time off, or simply selling the storyline injuries from the attack.

    WWE has not commented on Riddle’s status, and Riddle has not made any public comments since the Raw match.

  • Wrestling Belts Among Items Found in Donald Trump’s Storage Unit

    Wrestling Belts Among Items Found in Donald Trump’s Storage Unit

    Championship belts (and documents marked ‘classified’) were among the items turned up in a search of four locations linked to WWE Hall of Famer and former US President Donald Trump.

    The Justice Department is investigating the former president’s handling of classified documents. In August, The FBI discovered more than 300 classified documents that were removed from the White House and in Trump’s possession.

    The Washington Post has reported that two items marked as classified have been discovered in a storage facility holding pallets linked to Donald Trump. The storage facility had a wide variety of items, including wrestling belts that were turned in to the FBI. It was not revealed which championships were held in the storage facility.

    A source told the Washington Post the following:

    “It was suits and swords and wrestling belts and all sorts of things. To my knowledge, he has never even been to that storage unit. I don’t think anyone in Trump world could tell you what’s in that storage unit.”

    The Battle of the Billionaires

    Bobby Lashley battled Umaga at WrestleMania 23 in a match billed as “The Battle of the Billionaires” in 2007.

    Donald Trump was in Lashley’s corner for the match while former CEO Vince McMahon was backing Umaga. The All Mighty picked up the victory and Trump shaved Vince’s head after the match. Shane McMahon served as the special referee but Stone Cold Steve Austin interfered and made his boss’ life a living hell once again.

    It was reported by The Wall Street Journal that Trump had it written into his contract that his head was not allowed to be shaved regardless of what happened in the match. This information came to light after WWE’s Board found that Vince McMahon paid $5 million to Trump’s charity in 2007 and 2009.

  • “Ric Flair is Not Going to Wrestle Again”

    “Ric Flair is Not Going to Wrestle Again”

    Some fans are still holding out hope to see Ric Flair step back into the ring for one more match despite promising that he wrestled his last bout this past July when he teamed with Andrade El Idolo to beat Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal.

    The 16-time world champion previously revealed that he’d been invited to be part of the 30th Anniversary of Monday Night Raw (“Raw is XXX”) on January 23 from Philadelphia, PA as well as the Royal Rumble five days later in San Antonio, TX.

    Flair has gone on record noting that he wishes he didn’t say that his most recent match would be the last as he enjoyed the experience. There has been some speculation that Flair could come back to wrestle another match, and some even think it may happen in the Men’s Royal Rumble match. 

    The End

    Ric Flair after his last match

    Flair’s son-in-law, Conrad Thompson, has ruled out Flair wrestling again. 

    “I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but that’s clickbait,” Thompson told Wrestling Inc. “Anybody who actually listens to the podcast knows that he’s said that tongue-in-cheek, laughing. Even when he talked about the Rumble, he’s like ‘Somebody reported that I’m going to be at the Rumble. I’m not. I’m going to be at the 30th Anniversary ‘Raw.’ I am going to be in San Antonio, but I’m doing a signing for Fitterman. But I’ll bring my gear, I’ll bring my robe. Hell yeah, I’ll be number 30.’ It’s a joke. It’s not serious. He’s not really going to be in the Rumble, but I know that gets people talking and it gets people buzzing. But the reality is, Ric’s not going to wrestle again.”

    ‘Woooooo! Becoming Ric Flair’, a new documentary about the life and career of Flair, will air on Peacock on December 26. 

  • Matt Hardy Believes Things Would Be Different Had Shelton Benjamin Debuted Today

    Matt Hardy Believes Things Would Be Different Had Shelton Benjamin Debuted Today

    Matt Hardy believes Shelton Benjamin would’ve thrived as a singles star in today’s age.

    Hardy recently discussed The Hardy Boyz feud with The World’s Greatest Tag Team on an episode of his podcast, “The Extreme Life Of Matt Hardy.”

    During the show, Hardy praised the ability of Benjamin, and speculated as to why he never took off as a singles competitor.

    He noted that, had Benjamin came up in today’s day and age, he believes the former Tag Team Champion would have seen things turn out a lot different for himself.

    “I don’t know. I think if you had Shelton Benjamin, a young Shelton Benjamin, come along today, it would change a lot,” Matt Hardy said.

    “I think because back then it was still they were looking for larger-than-life personalities, people that really like bonded with the crowd, and I feel like they didn’t see that as much in Shelton as they would have liked to. They knew from an athletic perspective; he was just unbelievable.

    “He was unreal, but I feel like in this day and age, if you have someone who’s an amazing athlete and produces these great quality matches day in and day out and does it every single time he hit the ring, then they get over in a different way because the fan base has kind of changed for their respective in-ring content as well.

    “So I think if Shelton came along today, I think it would be changed. I think he would definitely be programmed a lot higher than it was back then.”

    Shelton Benjamin. Photo Credit: WWE.com
    Shelton Benjamin. Photo Credit: WWE.com

    Benjamin entered professional wrestling as a very accomplished amateur wrestler, displaying a tremendous amount of athleticism and poise. Throughout his years in the business, he’s been highly decorated as a tag team competitor, winning the ROH World Tag Team Titles twice with Charlie Haas, as well as three runs with the WWE Tag Team Titles.

    As a singles competitor, Benjamin secured the WWE Intercontinental Title three times, as well as one run with the United States Title. At 47-years-old, Benjamin still competes for WWE on Monday Night RAW.

    Quotes via WrestleZone

  • Kurt Angle Opens Up About 2007 DUI Arrest

    Kurt Angle Opens Up About 2007 DUI Arrest

    WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle has opened up about his DUI arrest from 2007.

    Angle recently took to his podcast to reflect on his time from TNA, discussing a variety of topics from his time with the company. One such topic being a 2007 DUI arrest he suffered shortly after joining TNA.

    It was the beginning of a long string of DUIs that Angle said ultimately forced him to check into rehab in 2013.

    “I was having a tough time. I was making horrible decision. Irresponsible decisions. Getting four DUIs in five years was just ridiculous. When you’re doing that, you know you have a problem. I didn’t want to admit it until I ended up going to rehab in 2013. It took me awhile to come to my gripes, but eventually I did.”

    Kurt Angle

    The initial DUI occurred in September of 2007, when the Moon Township Police Department in Moon Township, Pennsylvania arrested Angle at his home after a report of erratic driving from a local bar.

    Ultimately, Angle was found not guilty of the charges after the complaining witness was unable to corroborate the story. However, Angle would find himself in hot water with the law at least four more times for driving under the influence.

    Since checking into rehab in 2013, Angle seems to have been doing much better for himself. In 2017, Angle was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame by John Cena. He has made sporadic appearances for the company since.

  • “I Feel Like I Failed Shotzi” – Ronda Rousey Addresses Ridiculed Survivor Series Match

    “I Feel Like I Failed Shotzi” – Ronda Rousey Addresses Ridiculed Survivor Series Match

    Ronda Rousey says she put a lot of effort into her Survivor Series match against Shotzi and feels terrible about the way things played out.

    Rousey put her SmackDown Women’s Championship on the line against the #1 contender back on November 26. The match was widely criticized for looking sloppy and unprofessional, but it was an awkward DDT on the ring apron that got the most attention. Wrestling pundits and fans roasted Rousey on social media, with some of them calling for her to be fired.

    The Baddest Woman on the Planet addressed the match during her latest YouTube stream. She explains there were some difficulties preparing for the bout, the match itself was abruptly cut short and doesn’t understand why she’s getting more flack than certain male performers who have injured their opponents.

    Ronda Rousey & Shotzi

    Rousey said she’s the one who pitched the infamous apron DDT spot, because she knows it’s something Shotzi does in a lot of her matches. She has her own wrestling ring for training, but was unable to rehearse the DDT because the ropes on her ring are too lose.

    “I fucked it up because I was so concerned with keeping somebody safe. A lot of time, when you see me do something for the first time, it’s the first time I ever did it. I was really concerned with keeping Shotzi safe and I made it look bad. You know what, sorry. Apparently, I deserve to be fired or burned. It reminds me of Monty Python, ‘BURN HER!’”

    – Ronda Rousey

    According to Rousey, there’s a double standard when it comes to critiquing female pro wrestlers. Nobody called for Ridge Holland to be fired when he accidentally broke Big E’s neck, but people are calling for her to be released after a match she admits didn’t live up to expextations.

    “There weren’t calls to fire anybody when Madcap Moss and Big E were spiked on their heads,” said Rousey. “‘BURN HER ANYWAY!’ I’m so sorry that I was so concerned with keeping someone safe that I made the bump look bad.”

    Rousey was especially bummed because the crowd in Boston was hostile towards her and she loves winning over a hostile crowd. Unfortunately, time constraints and the pacing of the show led WWE officials to call an audible and cut their match short before they could continue winning the crowd back.

    “I was bummed though because we worked on that match for two weeks and we were really excited about it,” she said. “I felt like I really failed Shotzi. I really wanted to showcase her shit and make all of her shit look great and show everyone how great she is. That’s one of the main reasons I wanted to comeback for this run, to showcase the new talent.”

    Rousey says the match fans saw is not the match they had planned out. A few spots went wrong and fans are judging them on an incomplete product.

    “We literally only had eight minutes to do everything. When we hit eight minutes, ‘alright, you gotta go,’ I’m not gonna argue. They pay me to show up and do what they say to do. I’m bummed though. I feel like I failed Shotzi. Sorry. I’ll do better. I’ll make it up to her. I’ll let her beat my ass.”

    – Ronda Rousey
  • Latest on Scary Botch with Mustafa Ali & Austin Theory on WWE Raw

    Latest on Scary Botch with Mustafa Ali & Austin Theory on WWE Raw

    There is no heat between WWE United States Champion Austin Theory and Mustafa Ali despite a scary botch during their title match on this week’s Raw.

    During the match, Ali attempted a top rope Frankensteiner on the U.S. Champion, which did not go as planned.

    Instead, both men fell awkwardly in the corner of the ring but were able to carry on and finish the match.

    The Update

    This botch on Monday Night Raw happened because Theory did not hold onto Ali the proper way, Fightful Select reports.

    The idea was for Theory to block the attempted Frankensteiner and lift Ali up into a powerbomb.

    Ali would have blocked that attempt and leveled Theory with a Hurricanrana before going into the next spot for the match.

    It was Mustafa Ali who called for the referee to check on them both, while both men called an audible for the match to end early with the satellite DDT.

    Backstage

    After the match, the situation was discussed behind the scenes, and Austin Theory was said to be incredibly apologetic for what happened.

    Fightful adds that there is no heat between the two, with this unfortunate incident being chalked up to an accident that could have happened to anyone.

    Theory has been feuding with Seth Rollins in recent weeks and failed to dethrone the then-United States Champion when he cashed in his Money in the Bank contract.

    Theory’s attempted cash-in marked the first time the contract had been cashed in on a championship that wasn’t a World title.

    Austin Theory Thinks he’s Heading Towards Roman Reigns’ Level After Character Change

  • The Origin of WWE Monday Night RAW: “We Needed a Different Presentation”

    The Origin of WWE Monday Night RAW: “We Needed a Different Presentation”

    WWE RAW has been the company’s flagship show since 1993 and there have been 1,510 episodes to date. The show began as a one-hour program and has now expanded to three hours every Monday night. WWF Monday Night Raw’s first episode aired live on January 11th, 1993.

    The first commentary team on Monday Night Raw was comprised of former WWE CEO Vince McMahon, comedian Rob Bartlett, and “Macho Man” Randy Savage. Bartlett didn’t last long and was replaced by Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. Bobby eventually left for WCW and called the action for WCW Nitro during the Monday Night Wars.

    Before RAW, there was a show called WWF Prime Time Wrestling. The show aired from January 1985 – January 1993. The two-hour weekly show featured WWE Hall of Famers Bobby Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon, guests, and house show matches. WWF Prime Time Wrestling aired from January 1, 1985 – January 4, 1983.

    Ric Flair and Randy Savage battled on Prime Time Wrestling in a WrestleMania VIII rematch. Vince McMahon was not a fan of how the match was going and had Heenan tell the referee to stop the match.

    Speaking on his Something to Wrestle With podcast, Bruce Richard detailed how Vince McMahon had Savage and Ric Flair redo the match in front of the same audience. He noted that Ric and Randy were pissed off about it.

    They were pissed. They didn’t think that there was anything wrong with the match. Obviously, someone else (Vince) did went out and redid it. And that was also when Randy went crazy and we went out to try and hold Randy back.

    I got nailed by Randy and took a hell of a bump too. Quite the cheer backstage when I got nailed.

    Bruce explained how Prime Time wasn’t clicking anymore and they were looking for a different presentation, which eventually led to WWE RAW.

    The format had gone from Bobby & Gorilla to this kind of round table format if you will. That didn’t click. It just really didn’t click.

    We were looking for different things, obviously, I had nothing to do with it beforehand. But once I got there everybody’s ‘what do you think of this?’ and it just, it wasn’t good.

    It was a compilation show with a compilation panel. There was no consistency to the show at all, other than I think Vince (McMahon) and Bobby (Heenan).

    We were looking for ways to save money, we were looking for a different presentation of the show, which is where the germ of RAW came from.

    Co-host Conrad Thompson noted that fans typically didn’t get to see big moments at the time on weekly television. He noted that the World Title changing hands only brought in a 2.4 rating and wondered if they realized something had to change. Bruce Prichard said RAW came to be as a cost-cutting measure.

    No. It was more of a cost-cutting measure. It was looking at ways to produce this show without doing it on the road. And look at delivering a product that was unique and that was different.

    One thing that would make it unique and different was going live. The other part is we wanted to do it in a unique setting, a smaller more intimate setting than the big arenas.

    The original concept was to build the studio where our current television studio was in the warehouse section that. Make that into an arena that would hold maybe 500 – 1,000 people.

    RAW originated from the Grand Ballroom at the Manhattan Center and aired live each week. Prichard noted that the Manhattan Center was extremely expensive to run shows from.

    In fact, the shows became so costly to produce, WWE began taping multiple shows at a time and would air a taped edition of Raw every other week.

    Going to the Manhattan Center certainly didn’t accomplish that because the Manhattan Center was extremely expensive and a tough proposition. You had to take the ring up seven floors on an elevator, a passenger elevator at that. It was tough but the whole idea was we needed a different presentation.

    The first episode of Monday Night Raw featured Yokozuna defeating Koko B. Ware, Shawn Michaels retaining the Intercontinental Championship against Max Moon, The Steiner Brothers defeating The Executioners, and The Undertaker picking up a victory over Damien Demento in the main event.

  • Former ROH Stars Attend Tuesday’s WWE NXT (Photo)

    Former ROH Stars Attend Tuesday’s WWE NXT (Photo)

    ROH went on hiatus in 2021 after the Final Battle pay-per-view event, which opened the doors for many contracted wrestlers to sign up with promotions, including WWE, AEW, Impact Wrestling, NWA, and NJPW. AEW’s Tony Khan purchased the company earlier this year but didn’t bring everyone back. 

    Several former ROH stars are on WWE’s radar once again, as Vincent and Dutch were spotted in attendance at WWE NXT on Tuesday night. 

    It’s unclear why WWE brought the two stars to the show or whether they have signed with the promotion, but with them being in attendance, it would indicate that they’re close to signing if they haven’t done so already. 

    In October, it was reported that WWE had discussed having them part of Bray Wyatt’s rumored Wyatt 6 faction. 

    In Attendance

    Former Impact Wrestling star KC Navarro was in attendance as well. As noted, Navarro attended the WWE tryouts earlier on Tuesday. Former Impact Wrestling star Kylie Rae attended the tryouts as well. 

    Vincent and Dutch are the former Ring of Honor World Six-Man Tag Team Champions, which they co-held alongside Matt Taven as part of The Kingdom. When the promotion went on hiatus, members of The Kingdom showed up in Impact Wrestling as part Honor No More.

    WWE typically announces a new group of signees at once, so an announcement will likely come in the next few weeks about who has signed with the company. 

  • ‘Iron Claw’ Von Erich Biopic Casts Its Harley Race

    ‘Iron Claw’ Von Erich Biopic Casts Its Harley Race

    Kevin Anton has joined the cast of A24’s “The Iron Claw,” a movie about the rise and fall of the Von Erich family. 

    He will portray legendary wrestler Harley Race. Anton recently appeared in Showtime’s seven-part limited series, “The Loudest Voice,” based on a bestselling book about Roger Ailes, the founder of Fox News.

    He will also be featured in the upcoming Amazon series, Dead Ringers, starring Rachel Weisz. Anton is represented by Stefanie Talent and Entertainment.

    Rest of The Cast

    Harley Race
    Harley Race

    Zac Efron (Kevin Von Erich), Jeremy Allen White (Kerry), Harris Dickinson (David), Holt McCallany (Fritz Von Erich), Maura Tierney (Doris Von Erich), Aaron Dean Eisenberg (Ric Flair), AEW‘s MJF (Lance Von Erich) and Lily James in an unknown role make up the rest of the cast.  

    The film is written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Sean Durkin. A24 and Access Industries are co-financing the film. Producing alongside A24 are Tessa Ross, Derrin Schlesinger, and Harrison Huffman. The Iron Claw began principal photography beginning in Louisiana in October. 

    Although no release date has been announced for the movie, production is currently underway, and the film will premiere sometime in 2023.

  • Former Bellator Fighter Valerie Loureda Receives WWE Ring Name

    Former Bellator Fighter Valerie Loureda Receives WWE Ring Name

    Former Bellator MMA fighter Valerie Loureda has received her WWE name. 

    Loureda announced on Twitter that she’ll go by the name “Lola Vice.” She also changed her Twitter handle to “lolavicewwe.” She tweeted out the following announcement: 

    “Lola Vice the first Cuban American woman in @WWE history #WWE #NXT #MIAMIVICE.”

    After a visit to the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, this past May, Loureda revealed in June that she’d signed a multi-year contract with WWE. She started training with a group of recruits introduced in August.

    Her Background

    Valerie Loureda
    (via Bellator MMA)

    At the time, WWE wrote: “Valerie Loureda is an acclaimed mixed martial artist who previously fought in Bellator, where she compiled a 4-1 record. The 24-year-old Miami, Fla., native has a black belt in Taekwondo and has already made waves in the MMA world for her social media presence. Loureda is also the first Cuban-American to be signed by WWE.”

    The former MMA fighter made her in-ring debut as part of a Halloween battle royal at an NXT house show in October, where she dressed up as Lola Bunny, before having her first non-battle royal match at a house show last month. 

  • Update on Plans for WWE’s Return to India

    Update on Plans for WWE’s Return to India

    WWE is slated to return to India for the first time since 2017 next year. 

    It was previously reported that WWE has plans to run a show on a “grand scale” in Hyderabad, India, and would consist of “a mix of superstars, both Indian and international.”

    As part of WWE’s deal with Sony Pictures Networks India, WWE previously held an Indian show, Superstar Spectacle, on January 22, 2021, that aired five days later to coincide with India’s Republic Day.

    The Latest

    Triple H

    Pwinsider.com provided an update on the show as the date of the show will be Wednesday, January 18, 2023, from the G.M.C. Balayogi Sports Complex, an indoor stadium in Hyderabad with a capacity of 5,000 people. 

    It’s expected to feature SmackDown talent mostly. It’s unclear whether WWE plans to air the show as a special on Peacock, tape it for the local market, or just have it as a house show. 

    The Superstar Spectacle special was billed as “a unique showcase of Indian-inspired action,” which also featured elements of Indian culture and was headlined by Drew McIntyre and The Indus Sher (Rinku and Saurav) defeating The Bollywood Boyz (Samir Singh and Sunil Singh) and Jinder Mahal.

  • Female Bodybuilder Offered WWE Contract

    Female Bodybuilder Offered WWE Contract

    WWE is holding talent tryouts at the Performance Center this week in Orlando, Florida, as the company looks to sign new talent and hopes to find its next breakout star. 

    The company also held a two-day tryout in Tampa, Florida, recently. The company has a new recruitment strategy to find talent as they scout former college athletes and established independent wrestlers. 

    Among those in attendance was Melanie Brzezenski, a bodybuilder from the University of Tampa, and former USF football player Darrien Grant.

    Preparation 

    December 1, 2022, Bradenton, Florida, USA: Melanie Brzezinski, of Tampa, performs her group promo for judges during a WWE tryout event at the IMG Academy East Campus on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, in Bradenton. Bradenton USA – ZUMAs70_ 0195985803st Copyright: xJeffereexWoox

    “I got a personal trainer back in July, and I said to him that I have one goal and one goal only,” Brzezenski told ABC Action News. “That is to get into the WWE.”

    Brzezenski, who goes by “Rosie Ray,’’ applied six times to qualify for a tryout. She was offered a WWE developmental contract after trying out.  

    Former WWE Champion Big E helped evaluate the talent as he is still recovering from suffering a broken neck earlier this year. 

    “We’re putting them through the paces of rolling in the ring, hitting the ropes, doing the bumps, and see how they react, seeing how they learn day-to-day,” he said. “But also, we’re seeing them on the microphone, seeing how their promos are. That’s a huge part of it. That’s what we do is having these larger-than-life characters.”

    Former AEW/Impact star Kylie Rae and former MLW talent K.C. Navarro are taking part in the tryout this week in Orlando, Florida. 

  • “Oh What a Night!” WWE’s Naomi & AEW champ Jade Cargill sit courtside for Atlanta Hawks game

    “Oh What a Night!” WWE’s Naomi & AEW champ Jade Cargill sit courtside for Atlanta Hawks game

    There was a ‘Baddies Section’ at Monday night’s Atlanta Hawks NBA game from the State Farm Arena.

    WWE Superstar Naomi was spotted at the game sitting courtside next to none other than Jade Cargill, All Elite Wrestling’s reigning TBS Champion.

    Naomi posted a video of them together:

    Cargill replied to the post and wrote, “We killed the scene. We MUST do this again sis”

    Local radio personality John Michaels posted this photo with the ladies:

    Naomi has been off WWE television since ‘walking out’ of a Raw taping back on May 16 due to creative differences with company company.

    Cargill is scheduled to compete on Wednesday’s edition of AEW Dynamite. She’ll team up Baddies Red Velvet and Leila Grey against Madison Rayne, Skye Blue and former Baddie Kiera Hogan.

  • WWE NXT is Returning to The Road for Future Premium Live Events

    WWE NXT is Returning to The Road for Future Premium Live Events

    When the COVID-19 pandemic happened in 2020, WWE held its events at the Performance Center as the world shut down. 

    WWE NXT has made the Performance Center its home since then, but it looks like the brand will be taken on the road for big events starting in February. 

    According to WrestleVotes, the “Vengeance Day” Premium Live Event will take place in Charlotte, NC. The Twitter account tweeted out the following: 

    Taking The Show on The Road

    Shawn Michaels NXT
    (WWE)

    “Hearing some great news out of the PC this afternoon, source states NXT is returning to the road for their future Premium Live Events. Starting with “Vengeance Day” on February 4th from Charlotte, NC.”

    It’s unclear the venue that the brand will use for the show, although it’s likely to be booked at a smaller venue. In October, Shawn Michaels, who oversees creative for the brand, stated that WWE had no plans to book large buildings like they had been a few years ago for TakeOver shows. 

    WWE will present its Deadline special this Saturday with the main event of NXT Champion Bron Breakker defending the belt against Apollo Crews.

  • Watch: ‘Woooooo! Becoming Ric Flair’ Documentary Trailer

    Watch: ‘Woooooo! Becoming Ric Flair’ Documentary Trailer

    The premiere date is set for the upcoming documentary on the life and career of Ric Flair. 

    Peacock announced that “Becoming Ric Flair” will premiere on December 26 on Peacock. The two-hour documentary is a partnership between WWE and Tom Rinaldi.

    “Many stories have been told about The Nature Boy over the past 50 years,” said Flair, “I’m thrilled to have partnered with WWE and Peacock to produce the most accurate depiction of my life to date and hope audiences enjoy the ride. Woooo!”

    Here’s the official trailer for Woooooo! Becoming Ric Flair:

    What to Expect

    Flair has previously said the documentary would be better than his ESPN 30 For 30 documentary and that the “bullsh*t” from Dark Side of the Ring would be addressed. 

    Flair came under fire after the Dark Side of the Ring episode aired because of Flair’s alleged behavior towards a flight attendant Heidi Doyle on the trip. Flair was accused of taking his clothes off and forcing himself on her. 

    “16-time World Champion and 2-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair is one of the most prolific and controversial superstars in professional wrestling history. Flair is a true American icon: from his famous “Woooo” that is still heard in stadiums and arenas throughout the US, to his influence on hip hop music.

    At 73 years-old Flair remains a constant in American pop culture, but who is the real man behind the outrageous persona? Finally, Flair reveals all, opening up about his storied career, inside and outside of the ring, over the last 50 years.

    Hulk Hogan, Mike Tyson, Post Malone, Stephen A. Smith, and Charlotte Flair are among those who join Flair in telling the tale of the man behind ‘The Man.’”

    Flair and WWE parted ways in August 2021 after he requested his release.

  • Update on Drew McIntyre After Being Medically Disqualified (Report)

    Update on Drew McIntyre After Being Medically Disqualified (Report)

    Drew McIntyre is expected to miss a few weeks of action after being medically disqualified from this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown on FOX.

    During Raw, it was announced that McIntyre won’t be teaming with SmackDown this Friday to challenge Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos.

    Injury

    On the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that McIntyre’s medical disqualification stems from an injury.

    He is injured. I was told an injury, but it’s not from a firsthand source. But he’s supposed to be back for the Christmas show. So it’s only a couple of weeks, I know that.”

    Dave Meltzer.

    Details remain unclear as to what exact injury the two-time former WWE Champion recently suffered.

    The Will to Compete

    McIntyre has been pulled from this Friday’s match, and nobody is more disappointed than the Scottish Warrior himself.

    On his show, Meltzer explained that Drew was adamant about competing despite not being cleared by WWE’s medical team.

    “He wanted to wrestle and they would not let him wrestle. But it’s not like it’s going to be a long-term thing, at least as it stands right now.”

    Dave Meltzer.

    With McIntyre on the shelf, Butch will team with Sheamus for the title match.

    Drew McIntyre Praised for Being a Workhorse in WWE
  • Sasha Banks’ Latest Trademark Covers ‘Performances by an Actor or Musician’

    Sasha Banks’ Latest Trademark Covers ‘Performances by an Actor or Musician’

    Sasha Banks (Mercedes Varnado) has secured some interesting trademarks that provide some insight into her future plans. The trademarks were registered on behalf of her company, Soulnado, Inc., which was formed in August 2022.

    According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office database, Soulnado, Inc. filed to trademark the following names on November 10:

    • Mercedes Mone’
    • Mone’ Talks
    • Bank Mone’
    • Statement Maker 

    The filings are clearly not WWE-related. The trademarks are listed for categories such as jewelry, decals, clothing, action figures, and entertainment services.

    Performances by an Actor or Musician

    Last week (December 1), she applied to trademark her real name, Mercedes Varnado.

    The ‘Goods and Services’ usage description provides some interesting clues about what she’s planning for her professional career. There are some references to wrestling, but most of the description covers ‘live performances by an actor or musician.’

    • Entertainment services in the nature of live audio performances by an actor or musician;
    • Entertainment services in the nature of live visual and audio performances by an actor;
    • Entertainment services in the nature of live visual and audio performances by an actor or musician;
    • Entertainment in the nature of wrestling contests;
    • Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibits and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer;
    • Entertainment services, namely, live appearances by a professional wrestler, actor, and musician;
    • Entertainment services, namely, personal appearances by a professional wrestler, actor, and musician; Entertainment services, namely, providing music tours in the nature of live musical performances;

    Last month, Banks posted a cryptic video that teased, “there’s going to be something so f***ing crazy coming” in the very near future.

    She recently completed work on her first feature film.

  • Watch: Becky Lynch Addresses Fans After Monday’s WWE Raw

    Watch: Becky Lynch Addresses Fans After Monday’s WWE Raw

    Becky Lynch delivered an emotional address to the live crowd after Monday’s edition of WWE Raw went off the air.

    Lynch is one of the most popular pro wrestlers in the world. She’s risen to the top of WWE and that doesn’t happen without the fans. Throughout her journey, including some disappointing setbacks and injuries, the WWE Universe has kept her motivated and hopeful.

    ‘The Man’ competed on Raw against Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross in a triple threat match. Just as she was about to score the win, Damage CTRL interfered and cost her the win.

    After USA Network’s broadcast of Raw concluded, Lynch took a moment to speak from the heart and tell the people how much they mean to her.

    “I just want to say thank you to each and every one of you for supporting me on my journey,” said Lynch. “I missed you guys so much, and there is no limit to what I would do to prove my love for you, for everything that you’ve shown me.”

    Based on the events that transpired on the show, it appears Lynch will continue feuding with Bayley, Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky as the year closes out and we head into the Royal Rumble.

    Here’s video of Becky Lynch speaking to fans after the December 5 edition of Monday Night Raw, courtesy of Twitter user @Beckyonly:

  • Solo Sikoa Pays Tribute to Umaga on WWE Raw

    Solo Sikoa Pays Tribute to Umaga on WWE Raw

    The Usos put their Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions on the line tonight on WWE RAW.

    It was the first match of the night but it didn’t go off as planned. The Bloodline arrived to the arena but was immediately interrupted by Matt Riddle on his scooter. Elias showed up and The Bloodline beat him down.

    Matt Riddle had to find another tag team partner in quick fashion but luckily there was someone backstage that hates The Bloodline. Kevin Owens joined Riddle in the tag title match but it was not meant to be. The Usos isolated Riddle and caught him with the 1D for the pinfall victory and retained the titles.

    Jimmy and Jey are scheduled to defend the tag titles once again this Friday night at WWE SmackDown once again. The match was announced as the winner of the tag title match on RAW will defend against Sheamus and Drew McIntyre on SmackDown.

    Drew announced on social media today that he has been “medically disqualified” and cannot compete in the title match this Friday.

    Unfortunately I am medically disqualified to compete this Friday on #Smackdown I don’t like to miss any shows as everybody knows but I promise I’ll be back soon

    The Usos took to Twitter and claimed that McIntyre wasn’t really medically disqualified and is just scared to face them.

    After the tag title match tonight on WWE Raw, Solo Sikoa brutally beat down Matt Riddle to the point where he needed to be stretchered out. Sikoa paid homage to Umaga and hit Riddle with the Samoan Spike and the Samoan Bulldozer during the attack.

    Umaga was the brother of Rikishi, and uncle to The Usos and Solo Sikoa. He passed away at just 36 years old in 2009.

    The Bloodline Honors Umaga on the Anniversary of his Passing

  • Alexa Bliss Says She Has “Newfound Aggression” After Big Victory on WWE Raw

    Alexa Bliss Says She Has “Newfound Aggression” After Big Victory on WWE Raw

    Alexa Bliss and Bayley will battle on next week’s episode of WWE RAW to determine Bianca Belair’s next challenger.

    The EST has held the title since WrestleMania 38 and has already defeated Bayley numerous times. Bayley defeated Asuka and Rhea Ripley in a Triple Threat match to earn a spot in the #1 contender’s match next week.

    In the main event of this week’s WWE RAW, Alexa Bliss battled Becky Lynch and Nikki Cross in a Triple Threat match. Becky appeared to be in control but IYO SKY and Dakota Kai of Damage CTRL interfered in the match.

    They Powerbombed Becky through the announce table as Alexa hit Twisted Bliss on Nikki Cross for the pinfall victory. Alexa and Bayley will battle next week to determine Bianca Belair’s next opponent for the RAW Women’s Championship.

    Alexa Bliss on her “Newfound Aggression”

    Cathey Kelly interviewed Alexa Bliss backstage following her big victory tonight in the main event of WWE RAW. Alexa was asked how she is preparing for her #1 contenders match against Bayley next week and Bliss said

    You know, we’ve had a lot of run-ins with Damage CTRL, including Bayley herself. And I think I’m prepared for Bayley this time.

    Last time I wasn’t really finding my footing, but recently I have this newfound aggression and I think I’m really going to channel that with Bayley. I’m excited for next week.

  • WWE Legend Reacts to William Regal’s Rumored Comments about “Maturity Issues” in AEW Management

    WWE Legend Reacts to William Regal’s Rumored Comments about “Maturity Issues” in AEW Management

    William Regal has reportedly exited All Elite Wrestling after just 9 months with the company.

    He arrived at AEW Revolution and convinced Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley to work together in the Blackpool Combat Club. The group had such promise, but frittered into nothing over time.

    Claudio Castagnoli and Bryan Danielson are involved in an interminable rivalry with Jericho Appreciation Society while Jon Moxley was AEW World Champion. William Regal betrayed Jon Moxley at AEW Full Gear by bashing him over the head with brass knuckles to gift MJF the title. MJF then betrayed William Regal on last week’s Dynamite and hit him with the brass knuckles. Regal was stretchered out of the arena as his send off.

    William Regal’s Return has been Discussed for Months in WWE NXT (Report)

    Jim Cornette on the Rumors Surrounding William Regal’s Exit from AEW

    ECIII claimed that Regal immediately regretted signing with AEW because of “maturity issues” within management. Cornette noted that William Regal is not the only legend the younger wrestlers apparently aren’t listening to as Rampage sets a new record-low rating this week.

    Speaking on episode 460 of the Jim Cornette Experience, the legendary manager discussed the rumored comments by the former NXT GM.

    Let’s see now, JR (Jim Ross) gave advice and was publicly ridiculed on Twitter and on social media by the young folks over there for trying to give advice.

    Punk, said well you know nobody wants to listen to anybody’s advice. Ol’ Hangnail (Hangman Page) actually came out and said ‘no, I don’t look forward or listen to much advice’.

    Do you think there might be something to this? A maturity issue within management. Almost like the people at the actual top of the company have never done any of this before.

    But yet won’t take advice from people who have. It’s almost like that but that can’t be right because that is what we have been saying for quite some f***ing time now, is it not?

    Jim Cornette noted that he wasn’t just talking about the talent being inexperienced.

    Tony’s never done any of the sh** he’s trying to do before in his life except as we know now from his public comments, with his two other e-fed friends where they would book their e-federation for each other. And it was amazing that even though the fans in the arenas weren’t real they could get the feel of what was getting over.

    If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the Jim Cornette Experience and give a H/T to SEScoops.

  • Sources: Rumors about AEW roster attitude toward Regal, coaching ‘completely inaccurate’

    Sources: Rumors about AEW roster attitude toward Regal, coaching ‘completely inaccurate’

    All Elite Wrestling and its roster’s attitude toward coaching has been a hotly debated subject since the All Out “Press Conference From Hell,” when CM Punk vented frustrations – among a number of subjects – at Hangman Adam Page for not being open to coaching from the former AEW, WWE, and ROH champ.

    The latest controversy was from Ethan Carter III, who said William Regal was frustrated with talent not taking up offers to coach them prior to AEW shows and said management had maturity issues.

    Several AEW sources said the story wasn’t true and blasted Carter for floating it. One source with the company described it as, “completely inaccurate.” One source noted Carter and James being frustrated themselves at not landing jobs in AEW and neither them or Russo have ever been with the company.

    “There was no formal coaching session, where it was something that was scheduled or anything like that. Usually he would go down to the ring to help someone, and word would spread, like, “Hey, Regal is down in the ring.” The source said Dustin Rhodes trains younger women’s wrestlers on the roster. He also said Danielson has worked with people regularly and sessions included talent that appeared regularly on Dynamite or Rampage.

    “I can’t believe this is a story,” another source said. “It’s complete bullshit. There was never some schedule you had to be down at the ring and people blew it off, and (Regal) was never going to flat tell someone they had to come to the ring so he could coach them. Regal would work with someone, people would go down and show up, a lot of people took advantage of it. Other vets do it all the time. It’s always the younger women and men. Sometimes someone would work with someone one on one, other times there could be quite a few people down. It was totally informal.”

    “Regal would even sit in the stands with guys to talk about the fans point of view, or the point of view of watching on TV,” another source said. “He would tell you about making sure to know how you are looking to fans as you come to the ring or how you would look on TV. He said to make sure you’re always really nice to the camera guys, they’re the ones who make you look good (laughing).”

    Regal was the on-screen manager of the Blackpool Combat Club since debuting with AEW in March. Several wrestling news sites have reported Regal will be leaving AEW for a return to WWE and would begin work there in 2023. Regal was released by WWE nearly a year ago.

    Since then, his friend Paul Levesque has been named head of creative after Vince McMahon was investigated for multiple sex scandals and subsequent payoffs within the company. His son, Charlie Dempsey – who had wrestled as Bailey Matthews was brought to NXT from NXT UK in August. Dempsey scored his first win in the company early last month. Regal’s contract status is unknown, but it’s been speculated he will exercise an out clause. Regal’s relationship with Levesque goes back to the early 1990s in WCW, when Regal mentored him when the two were tag team partners. The two have been close friends for 20 years. Levesque was instrumental in bringing Regal to WWE in the early 2000s and making him a mainstay in WWE’s developmental system after he retired from wrestling.

  • The Usos Wins PWI Tag Team 100 for the First Time

    The Usos Wins PWI Tag Team 100 for the First Time

    Pro Wrestling Illustrated officially announced that its PWI Tag Team 100 list has been finalized, and The Usos have been named the No. 1 tag team in the professional wrestling world for the year.

    The list was expanded from 50 to 100 teams for 2022. This marks the first time The Usos earned the honor and the first time a WWE team was honored.  

    The award was first introduced in 2020, and over the past two years, it was won by AEW’s FTR and The Young Bucks. The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) were ranked #1 in 2021, while The Usos were #4.

    FTR had a strong argument to win the award again this year as they’re the current ROH, IWGP, and AAA Tag Team Champions. However, it’s hard to argue that the accomplishments Jimmy and Jey didn’t make them the best tag team in the world. 

    The Usos’ Run

    They unified the Raw and SmackDown Tag Team Championships and broke The New Day’s record for the longest tag title reign in WWE history as they surpassed 500 consecutive days last week.

    The Usos competed against the likes of RK-Bro (Matt Riddle & Randy Orton), The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins), The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods), and more while being part of The Bloodline alongside Roman Reigns during the evaluation period.

    They defended the titles on Monday Night Raw against Matt Riddle and Kevin Owens.