SEScoops

Category: WWE

  • Michael Cole on WWE without Vince McMahon: “The Show Must Go on”

    Michael Cole on WWE without Vince McMahon: “The Show Must Go on”

    Vince McMahon made resigned from WWE in July. The 77-year-old made the announcement on Twitter as the company launched an investigation into alleged hush money payments to former female employees. John Laurinaitis was also involved in the scandal and was dismissed as the company’s EVP of Talent Relations.

    Following Vince McMahon’s departure, Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan were named co-CEOs. Triple H took over as EVP of Talent Relations and was also given the title of Chief Content Officer. The reported sentiment backstage within WWE is that it would be a step back for the company if the former CEO were to return.

    WWE Higher Up Says Rehiring Vince McMahon Would be a Major Step Back (Report)

    Michael Cole on WWE without Vince McMahon

    Michael Cole joined his SmackDown commentary partner Pat McAfee on his show today. McAfee is currently not on the SmackDown broadcast after signing a full-time deal with ESPN for College Gameday. He presumably will return to the blue brand after the college football season.

    Speaking on the Pat McAfee show, Michael Cole said that everything has been great following Vince’s exit and the show must go on.

    Everything has been great. It’s been a great change of scenery the past couple of months. Things are going wonderfully. Ratings have been good, stories have been great, it’s a different world.

    I worked under Vince for 25 years and I knew nothing else. He’s a second dad in many ways, I grew up in the company. It was a shock when it first happened and we’ve all settled in and realized the show must go on. The show is going on and we’re doing well.

    H/T: Fightful

  • Watch: Dwayne Johnson Refers to Himself as The Rock for the First Time

    Watch: Dwayne Johnson Refers to Himself as The Rock for the First Time

    It’s Thursday, you know what that means? It is time for a Throwback post.

    On this day in WWE 25-year-ago, Rocky Maivia confronted Stone Cold Steve Austin. It was the first encounter between the two legends, but it was also the first time Dwayne ever referred to himself as “The Rock”. Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock went on to have a legendary rivalry in WWE. Stone Cold defeated The Rock at WrestleMania 15 and 17.

    The Rock got his revenge and defeated Stone Cold at WrestleMania 19. It was The Rattlesnake’s final match before he returned and defeated Kevin Owens at this year’s WrestleMania.

    During the promo on WWE RAW, he scolded the crowd and said the following to Stone Cold Steve Austin:

    If you’ve got enough manhood to accept my challenge, then your bottom line will read ‘has-been, compliments of The Rock’.

    Ric Flair not Convinced The Rock will Return to WWE for WrestleMania

    The Nature Boy recently hung up his boots (at least for now) at Ric Flair’s Last Match on July 31st. He teamed with his son-in-law, disgruntled AEW star Andrade El Idolo to defeat Jay Lethal and new AEW signee Jeff Jarrett during SummerSlam weekend.

    Speaking on the latest edition of his To Be The Man podcast, Flair discussed the rumored matchup between The Rock and Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39 at SoFi Stadium in Hollywood. While most fans believe that it would make sense for The Great One to battle The Tribal Chief at WWE’s biggest event, Ric wasn’t so sure.

    The 73-year-old stated that it wouldn’t make sense for The Rock to defeat Roman because he’s not a full-time wrestler anymore. The Nature Boy added that he’s not sure if The Rock would want to return only to lose again.

    I don’t think it’s a given that the Rock is going to do it. As much as he might respect Roman, I’m sure they do, all those guys. It’s a brotherhood like no other. I don’t think The Rock would come back and do a favor.

    Why would he? Tomorrow morning, what, he goes back to his acting career with a loss? I don’t think so. I don’t see that happening.

  • Mick Foley & Other Wrestlers Making Big Money on Cameo

    Mick Foley & Other Wrestlers Making Big Money on Cameo

    Mick Foley may have just left Twitter but is making a boatload of cash on another application.

    Cameo is service that in exchange for money, a celebrity, former athlete, or anyone with any notoriety whatsoever, will create a video message in exchange.

    According to Betting.com, WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley has reportedly earned close to $500,000 and is the highest-earning athlete on the application. Brett Favre ranks at #2 and the former Packers QB may be in dire need of the funds in due time with his current legal issues.

    The other wrestlers in the top ten are WWE legend Bret “The Hitman” Hart, and AEW’s Matt Hardy and Danhausen. Wrestling is currently the top-earning sport on Cameo. DDP, Kurt Angle, Kevin Nash, and AEW’s Darby Allin have done well on the platform as well.

    Many celebrities film quick videos for their fans that pay them on Cameo. Mick Foley does the opposite and puts a lot of effort into the personalized videos and it is clearly paid off for him. The 57-year-old will often make Cameos for fans as his wrestling personas Cactus Jack or Dude Love.

    Mick Foley on Paying the Price for His Wrestling Career

    Mick Foley had a legendary wrestling career, spanning decades and multiple promotions. He earned a reputation for his hardcore styles during his career, and perhaps his most memorable moment was being launched off the top of the HIAC by The Undertaker. The WWE legend also has a comedic side to his character in WWE and The Rock n’ Sock Connection is still beloved by wrestling fans.

    Speaking on his Foley is Pod show, the Hardcore Legend said that the price he is paying for his wrestling career is steeper than he thought was imaginable.

    We’ve been looking over your MRIs and your X-rays. You’ve got too many issues. You got muscular, neurological, skeletal, and even if we are able to help from a neurological standpoint, there’s nothing we can do with those other things.

    I’m looking at all these things I did during the course of my career and I mean, I’m paying a steeper price than I thought imaginable.

  • Update on NXT Star’s Future

    Update on NXT Star’s Future

    Cameron Grimes debuted in WWE NXT in 2019 and it appears that his time in the developmental promotion may be coming to an end.

    According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, the plan is to bring Cameron Grimes to the main roster following his program with Joe Gacy in NXT.

    Cameron Grimes is supposed to go to the main roster. I was told he’s going to finish up with Joe Gacy and then go to the main roster.

    Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio

    Grimes battled Joe Gacy in this week’s episode of NXT but came up short after Ava Raine interfered in the bout.

    The 29-year-old recently appeared on the main roster in a backstage segment on the October 17th edition of RAW. He asked for The Good Brothers to join him in a 6-man tag team match against Joe Gacy’s Schism faction on NXT. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson accepted and the trio defeated Schism the following night on NXT.

    H/T: WrestleTalk

    The Rock’s Daughter Ava Raine Makes WWE NXT TV Debut

    Cameron Grimes on His Debut

    The New York Post recently spoke with Grimes following his debut on RAW and the purchase of a new home. Cameron said it was indescribable to have his debut with AJ Styles as he looks up to him.

    “I always thought I was gonna have that moment, but you never know how it will come. I thought I might be an extra — like a security guard in the arena or something — but to come in and to be featured in a spot with AJ Styles, who I’ve looked up to since I was a child and I emulated a lot of his career early on because he’s just so good.

    So to be able to be featured with him and the Good Brothers [Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson] was so cool. It’s indescribable.”

  • WWE Star Returning From Injury Soon

    WWE Star Returning From Injury Soon

    Robert Roode is slated to return to in-ring action after not wrestling on WWE TV since the beginning of April.

    The veteran wrestler hasn’t worked a match since a non-televised house show in June. In September, he underwent a medical procedure at Southlake Orthopaedics in Birmingham, Alabama.

    According to a report by PWinsider.com, Roode was spotted back in Birmingham on Wednesday (November 9), and the “hope” is that he’ll be making a return to the ring “soon.”

    Plans for Robert Roode

    Robert Roode

    Per the report, WWE has talked about bringing Roode back on SmackDown, which would split up his tag team with Dolph Ziggler, who is on Raw, unless Ziggler is moved over too. 

    Under the leadership of Paul Levesque (Triple H), when he was still booking NXT, Roode was pushed as a top star and became the NXT Champion. Under Vince McMahon’s vision, he never hit the same heights on the main roster.

    That could change with a new regime in place and a fresh start for Roode, who may be elevated more than he was under Vince McMahon. While on the main roster, Roode has been a US Champion and a three-time Tag Team Champion.

  • R-Truth Says His Surgery Went Well: “Stay Tuned”

    R-Truth Says His Surgery Went Well: “Stay Tuned”

    R-Truth says he’s on the road to recovery after undergoing surgery to repair a torn quad tendon.

    The veteran Superstar suffered the injury during a match on WWE NXT earlier this month. During a match against Grayson Waller, Truth went for a Flip Dive over the top rope and onto the arena floor. Unfortunately, his knee clipped the rope and he had an ugly landing. He was unable to continue the match, so Waller was declared the winner and Truth was helped backstage by medical staff.

    Truth, a 54-time WWE 24/7 Champion, has been keeping fans apprised of his situation on social media. Earlier this week, he checked in to thank fans for their support and half-joked that he might document the whole injury and recovery for a future documentary.

    On Thursday, Truth revealed that his surgery was a success. He wrote on Twitter, “I really really appreciate the support and love im receiving from all of you!! I can’t say thank you enough??, Surgery went well, stay tuned.. #whatitis”

    If theres one thing we know about R-Truth: he’s got heart. The fact that he is still competing at such a high level at 50 years old shows that he puts in the work.

    A torn quad tendon typically takes about 4 months to heal, so he’ll be out of action for the remainder of 2022.

    SEScoops wishes R-Truth a full and speedy recovery.

  • Details on ‘Convoluted’ Idea That WWE Had to Take One of Roman Reigns’ Titles Off Him

    Details on ‘Convoluted’ Idea That WWE Had to Take One of Roman Reigns’ Titles Off Him

    Roman Reigns has been the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion since WrestleMania 38 when he beat Brock Lesnar to unify the WWE and Universal Championships. He signed a new deal shortly after this that started his part-time schedule. 

    Manny fans expected to see Reigns drop one of his titles to Drew McIntyre when they met in the main event of the Clash at the Castle event, the first major PPV event in the UK since 1992 as it had been built around this expectation. That didn’t happen as Reigns retained the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship over McIntyre. 

    Leading up to the event, there was talk of WWE considering taking at least one of Roman’s titles off him, but it was revealed WWE decided to stick with its long-term plan with Reigns as a top guy. As a result, they went with that direction instead of going for the big pop that McIntyre would’ve received from the fans there live for a title win. 

    The Idea

    Roman Reigns

    WrestleVotes told GiveMeSport shared a ‘convoluted’ idea for McIntyre to win one of the belts at the show.

    “The only thing they could think of was with Austin Theory. He was going to somehow make it known that he was only cashing in for one of the belts. Therefore, it became a triple threat, and Tyson Fury stopped him like he did, and Drew would then would take one of the titles. For whatever reason, that didn’t work, and it sounds really convoluted. I don’t know how you’re gonna pull it off on TV.”

    This past Saturday at Crown Jewel, Reigns retained his Undisputed WWE Universal Title over Logan Paul.

  • Bray Wyatt Wants WWE to Bring Back Two Released Stars

    Bray Wyatt Wants WWE to Bring Back Two Released Stars

    There are two stars that Bray Wyatt would like to see Paul Levesque (Triple H) bring back to the WWE that had been released during the COVID-19 pandemic alongside several other names because of what was blamed on “budget cuts.”

    Wyatt was also let go by the company when Vince McMahon was still running things as he departed in July 2021, only to return last month at the Extreme Rules event after several weeks of teases that were dropped throughout WWE’s shows.

    Since taking over talent relations and main roster creative, Triple H has brought back several names, including Wyatt, and it appears fans shouldn’t expect that trend to end any time soon.

    The Names

    Bray Wyatt Backstage

    While speaking with GiveMeSport, WrestleVotes stated that Wyatt wants to work with two specific names: his real-life brother Bo Dallas and former Wyatt Family member Erick Rowan.

    “There’s people that Bray likes and people he wants to work with. Bo Dallas is one of them and so is Erick Rowan. If Erick wants to come back, I’m sure they’d allow that if Bray also wanted it.”

    There have been rumors that Wyatt will lead a new faction called the ‘Wyatt 6.’ As of late, Wyatt’s promos have been interrupted by a dark character known as ‘Uncle Howdy,’ whose actual identity has yet to be revealed but is speculated to be Dallas or an alter-ego of Wyatt himself.

    Bo Dallas and Eric Redbeard have both spoken about the possibility of returning to WWE. Back in April, Dallas announced that he’ll be returning to wrestling “really, really soon.” More recently, there have been reports that his WWE return is imminent.

    Last month, Redbeard said the door is open for a WWE return. He told NBC Sports Boston, “There’s always [an] opportunity and my story within wrestling. That character of Erick Rowan or Erick Redbeard, it has so much left to tell and talk about. I think when I stepped aside when Covid happened and people were let go, I wasn’t ready for my story to stop.”

  • Bobby Lashley Wants to Fight Brock Lesnar in The Street After WWE Crown Jewel Loss

    Bobby Lashley Wants to Fight Brock Lesnar in The Street After WWE Crown Jewel Loss

    Bobby Lashley wants to fight Brock Lesnar for a third time after feuding with the fellow former WWE Champion throughout 2022. 

    Their first match took place at the Royal Rumble in January, where Lashley beat “The Beast” for the WWE Title. However, Lashley lost the title at the Elimination Chamber event in Saudi Arabia in February but was never pinned or submitted as WWE did an injury angle to get Lashley out of the match as he was dealing with a shoulder injury. 

    At Crown Jewel, Lesnar beat Lashley, although”The All Mighty” laid him out with a post-match attack. During an appearance on WWE’s The Bump this week.

    Lashley made a comment about the defeat and stated he intends to finish the trilogy after emphasizing that he won the fight, not the match. Lashley said that he would be there to greet “The Beast Incarnate” when he decides to return.

    Bobby Lashley’s Idea

    Bobby Lashley

    Lashley proposed that their next match occurs outside the ring, where they could fight in a street brawl. If not, he suggested that their third encounter should be something unique to reflect the level that which Lesnar has raised their rivalry.

    “He’s making it personal, and if it he makes it personal, okay, we fight at a different level. That’s why, at Crown Jewel, I didn’t care about winning the match. I wanted to kick his ass, and I wanted to let him know that I don’t appreciate what he’s been doing this entire time, that he’s been making it personal. If you make it personal, it’s a street fight. So the next time we fight, I don’t even think it should be in a ring. I think we should go fight outside. I think we should grab, YouTube, let somebody grab a camera, meet us out in the street, and let’s beat each other down and see who doesn’t get up afterwards. I mean, I don’t know. It has to be something else because if he wants to make it that way, then we gotta go and fight that way, and I’m okay with it. I’m okay with fighting any way,” Lashley said.

    Before Crown Jewel, Lashley expressed his confidence that his rivalry with Lesnar would continue after the show, and it looks like that will be the case. 

    H/T to Fightful for the transcription

  • Gunther Addresses Rumored WrestleMania Match With WWE Legend

    Gunther Addresses Rumored WrestleMania Match With WWE Legend

    Gunther has been pushed as a top star on WWE SmackDown since being called up to the main roster earlier this year and booked strongly as the Intercontinental Champion. 

    Over the last week, it’s been rumored that John Cena will make his return to WWE for another match at WrestleMania 39 next year in LA. There has been speculation about Cena wrestling Gunther at this show. 

    At this point in his career, Cena is considered a legend who will occasionally work a rare televised match. 

    Gunther was interviewed on Steve Fall’s Ten Count YouTube channel before this year’s WWE Survivor Series in Boston later this month. During it, Gunther talked about the rumored match.  

    Gunther on the Match

    Gunther

    “Of course, we could see it. I don’t know what’s going to happen or if it’s going to happen. Obviously, that’s something I would love to do. John Cena is one of the legends. Because he’s not really active at the moment anymore, he just pops up, but when he does, if the chance is there for me, I’ll gladly take it. One of, if not the most popular babyface in this sport of all time. I think I would be a great counterpart to that. I would love to do it.”

    Cena’s last match was in August 2021 when he teamed with The Mysterios (Dominik Mysterio & Rey Mysterio) to defeat The Bloodline (Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso & Roman Reigns) for a SmackDown dark match while his last televised match was a loss to Reigns in the main event of SummerSlam 2021. 

    H/T to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription

  • AEW is Crushing WWE in the UK – Despite Being Less Popular (Report)

    AEW is Crushing WWE in the UK – Despite Being Less Popular (Report)

    Who is winning the war between WWE and All Elite Wrestling? Well in the UK, it’s hard to tell.

    In May 2019, months after launching, AEW announced a partnership deal with ITV for their weekly programming and Pay-Per-Views to be aired.

    After ITV Box Office ceased operations in January 2020, the promotion’s Pay-Per-Views were no longer streamed by the broadcaster.

    The Ratings

    During this week’s AEW Dynamite, it was announced that the promotion will host its first UK event next year.

    The UK is known for its wildly passionate fanbase, as the success of WWE Clash at the Castle can attest.

    Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer explained that AEW is consistently improving in the ratings thanks to a new timeslot.

    “Because the ratings have been good, ITV 4 [AEW’s host channel] decided to move it to 9 pm every Friday night. That is a regular time slot. It won’t be revolving around. What happened the first couple of weeks is the new timeslot, the numbers were way down. Not way up, because people didn’t know about the timeslot change. But every week the ratings have gone up and up and up.

    “Last week, they set their all-time record rating, not just for that time slot but since Dynamite has been on the air.”

    Popularity

    Typically, ratings can tell you what is the more popular show, and this metric can often shape future deals for companies.

    As Meltzer explained, this isn’t the case with the UK, as WWE remains the more popular show despite what the numbers say.

    “Ratings and popularity are not the exact same thing. Because they are on a station that is stronger in England than WWE is, as far as exposure, their ratings dwarf WWE in England.
    WWE just ran in Cardiff and did 53,999 paid attendance and an $8 million house, and AEW is not going to do that. AEW’s ratings dwarf WWE but WWE is more popular in England, and by a significant margin.

    “In this case, the ratings do not tell you which is the more popular promotion, even though more people by far watch Dynamite than any other show. More people watch Rampage than watch Raw or SmackDown in England.”

    It is unclear when exactly in 2023 AEW will make their UK debut, while WWE’s next events in the UK will be in April next year.

    Jeff Jarrett Takes a Shot at Braun Strowman & WWE on AEW Dynamite
  • What Was Bret Hart Told Going into Survivor Series 1997 and the Montreal Screwjob?

    What Was Bret Hart Told Going into Survivor Series 1997 and the Montreal Screwjob?

    What was Bret Hart told prior to his infamous Survivor Series 1997 WWF Championship match with Shawn Michaels?

    The match, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this week, saw Hart lose via submission despite never tapping out to the Sharpshooter.

    Hart had informed WWE higher-ups that he was leaving for WCW, but had creative control that meant he could refuse to lose to Shawn Michaels, his real-life rival at the time.

    The Match

    Clocking in at under 20 minutes, the match is one of the shorter bouts Hart and Michaels had especially compared to their WrestleMania 12 Iron-Man classic.

    Speaking to Sports Illustrated this week, Hart explained how the match had only just gotten started when Vince McMahon called for the bell.

    “We had another 25 minutes. The match was already good, and we hadn’t even hit our stride… Even when we didn’t get along, Shawn and I always had great chemistry together in the ring.

    “That match was just starting. All the brawling was done just to set up the actual match. It was going to really get going after I reversed his sharpshooter. We pictured the crowd standing up and going crazy. That was going to be the moment when it took off.”

    Bret would leave the WWE immediately after the show, but not before laying out McMahon with a black eye backstage.

    After a 2006 WWE Hall of Fame induction, Hart would return to WWE fully in 2010 and has made appearances since.

    Bret Today

    Despite being deeply hurt for years over the Screwjob, Hart has said he is in a much better place these days.

    Looking back at his career, the Hitman is proud of what he did despite the Screwjob.

    “I’m proud that people still appreciate what I did. When I wrestled, I wanted to have the best match I could every night. I never believed in going to a certain city and taking it easy. I gave 100% every night.”

    Hart is one of a select few to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice, first in 2006 and then in 2019 as part of the Hart Foundation.

    What WWE Originally Planned for Bret Hart’s Return after Montreal Screwjob
  • WWE Superstar Calls Austin Theory’s Failed Money in the Bank Cash-In “Bizarre”

    WWE Superstar Calls Austin Theory’s Failed Money in the Bank Cash-In “Bizarre”

    Austin Theory’s attempt to cash in his Money in the Bank contract was frankly ‘bizarre’ according to Elias.

    On Raw, Theory made history as the first man to cash in the contract not for a World Championship, as he challenged United States Champion Seth Rollins.

    Thanks to an attack by Bobby Lashley, Theory was unsuccessful in cashing in on Rollins, who retained his title after a curb stomp.

    Bizarre

    WWE’s booking of Theory’s cash-in has received mixed reviews from fans, who have questioned why he’d not challenge for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title.

    Speaking on The Bump, Elias gave his two cents on the matter, and found the events on Raw strange.

    “I thought the whole thing was a little bit bizarre. First off, it’s an open challenge. So what are you doing in the first place? Secondly, then he wants to use it on a random Monday Night RAW.

    “If I was Austin Theory and I had the Money in the Bank, I would have waited for a way bigger moment, and maybe somebody like Roman Reigns when they were vulnerable. So hey I get it. Seth, he’s resilient, he did it again, he came out on top. But as for Austin Theory, I think the whole thing’s bizarre all around.”

    Responding to his loss on social media, Theory said he’ll “never stop” and remained optimistic despite the defeat this week.

    Behind the Scenes

    Many have questioned if Theory’s loss this week is down to WWE’s change of management backstage.

    When Vince McMahon was running WWE, Theory seemed poised to be the company’s next big star.

    Since Triple H was appointed Head of Creative and Talent, Theory has suffered a three-month-long losing streak, as well as his failed cash-in attempt.

    Theory’s cash-in was produced by Jason Jordan, who produced all segments related to Seth Rollins on this week’s Raw.

    3 Reasons Austin Theory Losing His MITB Cash-In was the Right Call
  • WWE’s 24/7 Championship Has Been Officially Retired

    WWE’s 24/7 Championship Has Been Officially Retired

    One burning question since RAW went off air has been answered: WWE’s 24/7 Championship has been officially retired.

    After making quick work of Dana Brooke in the ring, Nikki Cross became the 24/7 Champion. In a move that hurt the former champion more than anything that just happened, Cross pulled a Madusa and threw the 24/7 Championship into the trash can. There was immediate speculation that the title was no more.

    On Wednesday, WWE confirmed the news by updating the WWE Championships section of their website. Underneath the 24/7 Championship, it has the dates 2019-2022.

    The Legacy of the 24/7 Championship

    R Truth as the WWE 24/7 Champion
    R Truth as the WWE 24/7 Champion

    The 24/7 Championship was initially viewed as a negative by fans. Eventually R-Truth would change that perception. He made it fun while people chased him all over to try to win the title. Some Superstars would win it, only to immediately lose it to him. He held the title a total of fifty four times. Overall, Truth held the title for an astounding 425 combined days.

    A number of non-wrestlers were 24/7 champions including Bad Bunny (who took it with him to Saturday Night Live), Rob Gronkowski, Doug Flutie, Enes Kanter, Kyle Busch, Corey Graves, and Byron Saxton.

    No Way Jose claims that he came up with the idea of the championship. “I might have the year wrong, but in December of 2018, I wrote to my writer, and I, word for word said, ‘What if we do a 24/7 Championship?’ I’ll pull it up right now. What if we do a 24/7 title that gives everybody something to do.”

    R.I.P. 24/7 Championship. You had a good run while it lasted.

  • Why AJ Styles Once Told Kevin Nash to ‘Go F*** Himself’

    Why AJ Styles Once Told Kevin Nash to ‘Go F*** Himself’

    AJ Styles is currently involved in a bitter rivalry with the Judgment Day. Finn Balor spent a few weeks trying to recruit Styles to Judgment Day but the Phenomenal One declinded.

    The Judgment Day then attacked Styles and it led to Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson returning to the company to reform The OC. The group didn’t have an answer for Rhea Ripley and Judgment Day defeated The OC at Crown Jewel in a 6-man tag.

    Seth Rollins issued an Open Challenge this past Monday on RAW and Finn Balor was about to accept it. The OC interrupted and Mia Yim made her return to the company. Mia attacked Rhea outside the ring and aligned with The OC in their battle against Judgment Day.

    Mia Yim Returns to WWE on Raw

    Kevin Nash on AJ Styles Telling Him to F*** Off

    WWE legend Kevin Nash spoke about the Phenomenal One on a recent edition of the Kliq This podcast. The Hall of Famer revealed the advice he gave AJ ahead of his WrestleMania 32 match against Chris Jericho in 2016.

    “I remember AJ’s first WrestleMania. He was just like ‘F*** man, I just want to get through this,’ because they ran him ragged. I said no, I said that’s what they do, they rob you of these moments. I said cherish this because one day you’re going to be my age knowing that you’re never going to get out there again, and you’ll wish to God that you savored this moment that you have right now.”

    AJ Styles responded by telling Nash to f*** off.

    He said ‘Well go f*** yourself.’ I said okay, I was just trying to help.

    H/T: Ewrestlingnews

  • WWE Expected to Bring Back King of the Ring as Premium Live Event

    WWE Expected to Bring Back King of the Ring as Premium Live Event

    It’s looking more likely that WWE is bringing back the King of the Ring tournament as a standalone event.

    Dave Meltzer originally reported last week that “there is talk of bringing back the King of the Ring tournament with a show that would be both King of the Ring and Queen of the Ring.”

    What was unclear about this report is how WWE would do the tournament. Originally, the tournament was held on a single night, while in later years, WWE spread out the opening round matches on television and saved the semi-finals and finals for the night of the event. 

    King of the Ring is Back

    On Wednesday, WrestleVotes reported that there is a good chance the event is coming back and it will use the original format. 

    “There’s a very good chance that King of the Ring is back, and likely back in the format that had happened in the late 80s. The idea is that every single match will happen that night. In the 90s, a lot of the matches happened on Superstars and Raw, with the semi finals and finals on pay-per-view. If it’s going to come back on pay-per-view, which I would say is probably going to happen, you’re going to have a full-on one-night tournament.”

    With WWE using the original format, it’s unclear how WWE would also do a Queen of the Ring tournament in a single night as there would be a lot of matches that would have to take place. 

    WWE recently filed a trademark application on the term Queen of the Ring, which you can read more about below.

    ‘Queen of the Ring’ Trademark Hints at Upcoming WWE Tournament
  • Legend Pitched for Big E to Win WWE Title at WrestleMania 35

    Legend Pitched for Big E to Win WWE Title at WrestleMania 35

    Kofi Kingston winning the WWE Title from Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 35 was a big deal as it wasn’t originally planned, but once Kingston got over as a late replacement in the Elimination Chamber match where he came up short in dethroning Bryan, there was a Kofi Mania movement among the fans. 

    Kingston lost the WWE Championship to Brock Lesnar in a match that lasted about 10 seconds on the premiere episode of SmackDown on FOX on October 4, 2019. 

    On the latest episode of his Oh You Didn’t Know podcast, Road Dogg noted that Big E is doing well while recovering from a broken neck. He also revealed that while he was the lead writer of WWE SmackDown, he pitched Big E to win the WWE Title instead of Kingston. 

    Road Dogg’s Pitch

    “When I wrote Smackdown, I wanted him to be the champion,” he said. “I wanted him to be the champion of Smackdown. I actually pitched, and I’ve said this before, I actually pitched Big E Mania, and Kofi got the nod because of his time and service for lack of a better word or phrase.”

    “Kofi had been there, and look, it worked, maybe better than it would have with Big E. Only time will tell if and when he comes back and they put the title on him because he can cut great promos. He’s a great guy. He’s always in great spirits. Just an honor to be able to call him my friend.”

    The New Day will challenge The Usos for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles on this Friday’s episode of SmackDown. 

    H/T: WrestlingNewsCo

  • The Elite Rumored for Big Match at AEW Full Gear 2022

    The Elite Rumored for Big Match at AEW Full Gear 2022

    The Elite (The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega) have yet to make their return to AEW television, although they have been backstage at recent Dynamite events. 

    The top tag team has been away from AEW since the All Out brawl with CM Punk and Ace Steel. At All Out, they won the AEW Trios Championships, but they were stripped of the titles because of their suspension. 

    However, there have been indications that The Elite is on their way back to television as there have been vignettes promoting the “deletion” of the Bucks and Omega in addition to The Young Bucks and Omega being added back to television commercials for Dynamite and Rampage.

    The Match

    In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that other stuff teased for Full Gear “is Penta & Pac & Rey Fenix vs. Kenny Omega & Young Bucks for the trios titles (I’ve heard this is probable but not 100 percent).”

    A Trios Title match has yet to be confirmed for the event, nor who the champions will defend against, but with the Full Gear pay-per-view event taking place next Saturday (November 19th), the match will be announced soon.

    Jon Moxley defending the World Title against MJF will serve as the main event. 

  • Drew McIntyre Teasing ‘Big Things’ With Bollywood Star Varun Dhawan And More

    Drew McIntyre Teasing ‘Big Things’ With Bollywood Star Varun Dhawan And More

    Drew McIntyre is currently in India working on an undisclosed project for Sony Sports Network and he is teasing collaborations with top Bollywood stars such as Varun Dhawan and John Abraham.

    The former WWE champion has been on a tour of the country after the Crown Jewel PPV. He defeated Karrion Kross in a brutal match while battling health issues during the PLE from Saudi Arabia.

    McIntyre has been engaging with local fans throughout the trip. On the very first day he tweeted about Surya Kumar Yadav, who has been the explosive face of India’s campaign in the ongoing T20 Cricket World Cup.

    Drew McIntyre In India

    Drew McIntyre and Varun Dhawan

    WWE or Sony have not revealed the true purpose behind Drew McIntyre’s India visit. The Scottish Warrior, however, has been teasing collaborations with some top names from Bollywood.

    The WWE star recently posted a photo with action hero John Abraham. He teased the Indian fans with an upcoming surprise, claiming that there are some ‘big things coming.’

    Drew then shared another picture with one of the rising faces of Bollywood in India in Varun Dhawan. McIntyre touted Dhawan as a big fan of the business and interestingly mentioned the possibility of a future WWE event in India:

    Varun Dhawan Loves WWE

    Varun Dhawan has been pretty open about his love for pro wrestling and he had several interactions with none other than The Rock himself.

    Their most famous interaction came back in 2016 when Dhawan mimicked The Great One during an appearance on Comedy Nights With Kapil.

    The People’s champion had actually responded to this impression and praised the Bollywood star for it. The two fitness freaks also recently exchanged tweets over the release of Black Adam.

    WWE has collaborated with many international stars from different streams who share a passion for the business in the past. People such as Bad Bunny and Logan Paul are some of the most recent additions to this list.

    If their next target is to increase exposure in India then Varun Dhawan is the perfect name to bring on board and maybe even get involved in some future storylines.

  • Ric Flair Not Convinced The Rock Will Return for WrestleMania

    Ric Flair Not Convinced The Rock Will Return for WrestleMania

    We are currently on the road to WWE Survivor Series, which takes place in less than 3 weeks on Saturday, November 26, 2022. Attention will then turn to January’s Royal Rumble event, but planning is already well-underway for WrestleMania 39.

    Looking back over a year ago, there’s been speculation that the main event of next year’s WrestleMania will be Roman Reigns vs. The Rock. Each man has spoken publicly about this hypothetical match-up, as has WWE’s Chief Content Officer and Head of Creative, Triple H.

    Related: The Rock vs. Roman Reigns at WrestleMania

    The Rock vs. Roman Reigns at WrestleMania would do blockbuster business for WWE, but there is a big complication that could prevent it from happening. The Rock is the biggest star in the Hollywood. He’s also a successful entrepreneur, with multiple ongoing ventures including Project Rock Apparel, Teremana Tequila and the XFL, just to name a few.

    The match could happen, but the odds are probably less than 50/50 at this point. Rock’s schedule is the biggest issue, but WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair thinks there’s another factor that could hold things up.

    Flair Comments on Rock vs. Reigns at WrestleMania

    On the latest episode of his To Be The Man podcast, Flair says there are major creative considerations to take into account. If The Rock does return for a retirement against Reigns, it makes sense that the part-time special attraction would ‘do business’ one last time.

    Flair says that it would not make sense for The Rock to win the championship from Reigns, because he’ll never be a full-time wrestler again. He’s also not so sure The Rock wants to come back only to lose.

    “I don’t think it’s a given that the Rock is going to do it. As much as he might respect Roman, I’m sure they do, all those guys. It’s a brotherhood like no other. I don’t think The Rock would come back and do a favor. Why would he? Tomorrow morning, what, he goes back to his acting career with a loss? I don’t think so. I don’t see that happening.”

    – Ric Flair

    The Other Option

    There are ways around this predicament, including Reigns dropping the title before WrestleMania. If The Rock does not return next year, Flair likes the idea of Cody Rhodes facing Reigns at the biggest show of a the year, a match that many fans see as the most likely alternative to Rock vs. Reigns.

    “I’ve said before, if The Rock happens, that’s great. If it doesn’t, I would like it to be Cody Rhodes… I thought those matches that Cody had with Seth Rollins were off the hook. Seth really did a good job getting him over.”

    Rhodes has been sidelined since suffering a pectoral tear earlier this year. His most recent match took place at Hell in a Cell on June 5th. Since then, he’s undergone surgery to repair the injury. Earlier this month, Rhodes said his physical therapy is “fn’ awful. He’s a tough guy, but admits he regularly screams and even sheds a tear during the sessions.

  • WWE Star Denies he’s Behind Mysterious Scrypts Vignette Teasers in NXT

    WWE Star Denies he’s Behind Mysterious Scrypts Vignette Teasers in NXT

    Over the last few weeks, WWE has been airing mysterious vignettes to tease the arrival of a new NXT star. The company recently filed a trademark for the term Scrypts. 

    On Tuesday’s episode of NXT, Scrypts sent their last message, warning that they will have an imminent start on NXT television. The vignette had an altered voice left another voice message inside the halls of the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, after leaving voicemails. This mysterious person called themselves “Scrypts,” and said they were coming to watch NXT fall. 

    The Message

    “My name is written on the walls, my voice sounds through the halls, and soon I’ll be in NXT to watch the whole thing fall. Pain is truly among thee. Imagine what will happen, has happened because it was always meant to be. Sincerely, Scrypts.”

    This person is not WWE SmackDown AJ “Top Dolla” Francis, or so he claims as he took to Twitter to deny he is the person behind the voice following the vignette that aired on Tuesday night. 

    This mysterious character comes after the success of “The White Rabbit Project” that WWE did ahead of the return of Bray Wyatt at Extreme Rules. It’s been reported that WWE will do more of these mysterious videos as they’re popular with fans. 

  • Logan Paul Already Back Training As He Eyes WWE Return

    Logan Paul Already Back Training As He Eyes WWE Return

    Logan Paul is wasting no time getting back to training after suffering serious injuries during his match against Roman Reigns at WWE Crown Jewel.

    Paul came up short against the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, but impressed everybody with his athleticism and charisma. He’s already being compared to Kurt Angle and Ronda Rousey, two people who stunned fans with their ability to pick up the sport of pro wrestling so quickly. Not to take anything away from the 27-year-old, but it certainly helps when you’re training with all-time greats like Shawn Michaels.

    Logan Paul Injury Update

    The Maverick revealed on social media that he tore his meniscus, MCL & potentially ACL halfway through the match with Reigns. He’ll be out of the ring for some time while he recovers, but Paul is already back in the gym rehabbing.

    He’s expected to miss 6-8 months of action, which means he most likely won’t be able to compete at WrestleMania 39 in April. This is a big setback for WWE, because there’s been talk of the Paul brothers, Logan and Jake, teaming up together at a future event.

    Injuries are a part of wrestling, but Paul is showing guts and determination once again. He’s already eyeing a return to WWE and is wasting no time getting started on the road to recovery.

    On Tuesday, Paul posted a video on Instagram of himself at the Sports Rehab LA facility in Encino, California. He included a caption on the video that reads, “I’ll be back in no time.”

  • Natalya Believes WWE Will Hold Another Evolution PPV

    Natalya Believes WWE Will Hold Another Evolution PPV

    WWE superstar Natalya thinks we will see the all-women’s Pay-Per-View Evolution again under the leadership of Stephanie McMahon.

    Wrestling fans have wanted to see WWE hold another Evolution event since its inaugural PPV in 2018. Although fans have shown interest in another all-women’s PPV, WWE hasn’t shown any signs of doing it again. However, Natalya is optimistic fans may see it return now that McMahon has taken over the company after her father retired.

    In an interview with Faction 919’s Darren Stone, Natalya shared she does think Evolution PPV will return and her reason why.

    “I definitely see Stephanie wanting to do more with women’s wrestling,” said Natalya. “Stephanie always wanted women to have more representation. She doesn’t want a show where it’s like, okay, we have 75 percent male matches, and we’ve got 25 percent women’s matches. She wants a show where it’s half men and half women. She wants equality for the women in WWE.”

    Triple H & Stephanie McMahon’s Leadership

    Natalya believes that WWE’s future is bright under the leadership of McMahon and Triple H. She shared that both McMahon and Triple H’s thoughts on women wrestling could bring more opportunities for more female wrestlers in the company.

    “One of the first things I thought about all these new changes, especially with Stephanie, is that Stephanie and Triple H, they really care about women’s wrestling, and you know the thing is that when you’re in that position of authority, you’re never going to please everyone,” said Natalya.

    Triple H Stephanie McMahon
    (WWE)

    She continued, “…I know how hard that was for Vince McMahon because we wouldn’t have had any of this without Vince and so I always expressed so much gratitude to Vince because we wouldn’t have this company with to do our work and I wouldn’t have the dreams that I have without Vince McMahon having allowed those dreams come true because he built all this.”

    Although Natalya expressed gratitude to the former chairman, she is looking forward to the new changes. She also shared in the interview that she hopes to have an opportunity to win the Raw Women’s Championship and become a Grand Slam Champion.

    The future of WWE does look promising, but it’s unclear if that means we will see an all-women’s PPV again. Although, WWE superstars like Natalya are optimistic that fans will get to see the event make its return.

  • “Forever Grateful for That”: Ex-WWE Star Credits Triple H For Creating Her Character

    “Forever Grateful for That”: Ex-WWE Star Credits Triple H For Creating Her Character

    CJ Perry’s time with WWE may be over, but the former Lana will always be grateful to Triple H.

    After a career in music and acting, Perry signed with WWE in 2013, initially the manager of real-life husband Rusev (now Miro in AEW.)

    In 2016, Perry would transition into a wrestling role which would continue until her release in June 2021.

    Forever Grateful

    Perry has been absent from WWE for over a year, but has kept a close eye on the product in this time.

    In July, Triple H was appointed WWE’s Head of Creative, replacing his father-in-law Vince McMahon after the latter’s retirement.

    During a recent interview with Fightful, the former Total Divas star praised The Game as a genius for his work behind the scenes.

    “Triple H is a genius. He hired me. He was at my tryouts in the beginning of 2013. He paired me with Miro. He guided me so much in the approach of creating, essentially, the character of the Ravishing Russian with the suit, the hair.

    “He was really hands-on with that, very hands-on with Miro and I. So I will always be grateful for that because people still talk about the tank, still talk about the Ravishing Russian and her accent and her look. So I’m forever grateful for that.”

    Miro and Perry would be split on-screen in 2015 but reunited later that same year after TMZ broke the news of the couple’s real-life engagement.

    What’s Next?

    Perry hasn’t competed since her WWE exit last year, which was said to have been partly due to her high-dollar contract.

    Speaking last month, the Ravishing Russian told Busted Open Radio that she would “love” to go to AEW, as it is where the “hardcore” fans are.

    Perry added that she misses seeing close friends who now call AEW home, including Saraya, Renee Paquette and Dustin Rhodes.

    C.J. Perry (Lana) Joins “The Surreal Life” Reboot
    h/t eWrestlingNews
  • Who Produced Austin Theory’s Failed Money in the Bank Cash-in On WWE Raw?

    Who Produced Austin Theory’s Failed Money in the Bank Cash-in On WWE Raw?

    Austin Theory made history on this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw, but not in the way he would have wanted.

    After U.S. Champion Seth Rollins issued an open challenge, it appeared that Mustafa Ali was going to answer, before Bobby Lashley assaulted the ex-Retribution leader.

    Lashley also assaulted Rollins before a title match could begin, and Theory became the first man to cash-in Money in the Bank, not for a World Championship.

    Producing a Cash In

    Theory’s cash-in has divided fans, many of whom believe that WWE has wasted the Money in the Bank contract and buried Theory.

    Jason Jordan was the one who produced Theory’s failed cash-in attempt, in one of many segments created by the American Alpha alum, according to Fightful.

    Jordan was also responsible for all Seth Rollins segments this week, including his in-ring segment with The Judgment Day.

    The son of Kurt Angle also produced Rollins’ segment issuing the open challenge, as well as Lashley’s assault on the United States Champion.

    Theory’s cash-in attempt wasn’t listed backstage in WWE to avoid spoilers of what was going to happen being leaked.

    Welcome to the Club

    In failing to cash in successfully, Theory joins a select club of unfortunate WWE Superstars.

    In 2007, Mr. Kennedy became the first person to win Money in the Bank and not win a title, but he lost his briefcase to Edge before he could even cash in.

    John Cena would be the first person to cash in and not win a title, when he cashed in on WWE Champion CM Punk for Raw’s 1,000th episode in July 2012.

    A year later, Damien Sandow would cash in on Cena but lose to the then-World Heavyweight Champion, and Baron Corbin failed to dethrone AJ Styles as WWE Champion in 2017.

    In 2018, Braun Strowman’s cash-in attempt against Roman Reigns would be interrupted by a returning Brock Lesnar, and Otis would lose his briefcase to The Miz in 2020.

    3 Reasons Austin Theory Losing His MITB Cash-In was the Right Call