An entire group of WWE NXT stars got the chance to work in front of a large crowd for the first time in their careers at Monday’s Raw for the Main Event taping.
On WWE Main Event, Josh Briggs, Brooks Jensen, and Fallon Henley will appear on this week’s episode.
The Young Stars Shine
Fallon Henley had a match against Dana Brooke, while Briggs & Jensen faced R-Truth & Shelton Benjamin in a tag team match. Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen were victorious in their effort, but it’s unclear who won the women’s bout.
It’s unclear what WWE plans for these stars, but it certainly appears Triple H and officials wanted a closer look at these NXT wrestlers on the big stage after getting over in developmental as babyfaces.
It’s been reported that another expected main roster call-up is likely for another NXT faction, Legado Del Fantasma, after Santos Escobar lost a match to Tony D’Angelo, who saw him banished from NXT.
On the NXT 2.0 premiere, Briggs and Jensen formed a tag team. While together, they became the NXT UK Tag Team Champions, making them the first non-European tag team to win the titles.
Drew McIntyre faced off against Roman Reigns at the WWE Clash at the Castle event for the Undisputed Universal Championship in Cardiff, Wales.
Solo Sikoa made his main roster debut and helped Reigns win the match. This surprised some fans as many felt the event was built around McIntyre winning the title in the stadium.
While speaking with My San Antonio, McIntyre said he was happy with the atmosphere that fans generated but admitted he was concerned that fans would riot after the match because of the finish.
McIntyre Opens up on his Concern
“But they [fans] were 100 percent for me and against Roman and the atmosphere was great. I even asked Roman afterwards – because he has been a part of these matches with big crowds – have you heard anything like that, and he said ‘No.’ You’d be hard-pressed to find a crowd that was that loud consistently throughout, especially our match. It was a World Cup soccer match the way they were shouting — the way they were singing their songs and chanting ‘F-U Roman’ the entire time. And they were not happy with that finish. I was generally concerned about rioting.”
McIntyre will battle Karrion Kross in a strap match at Saturday’s Extreme Rules event. Reigns will defend his title against Logan Paul at Crown Jewel next month.
WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan is scheduled to put the title on the line against Ronda Rousey in an Extreme Rules match at the Premium Live Event on October 8th.
Liv became a fan favorite leading up to WWE Money in the Bank and the 28-year-old won the ladder match to earn a future title shot. She wasted no time cashing in and defeated Ronda to win the SmackDown Women’s Championship on the same night. The Baddest Woman on the Planet had just successfully defended the title against Natalya when Liv decided to cash in.
The two stars met again at WWE SummerSlam in a match that ended in controversy. It appeared that Liv had tapped out but Ronda’s shoulders were down during the submission move and the referee counted to three. Ronda went crazy after the match, attacked Liv and the referee, and was subsequently suspended.
She recently returned to SmackDown to announce that her suspension was lifted and also got WWE Official Adam Pearce in an armbar. Pearce announced over the weekend that he will be returning to WWE tonight. Ronda won a Fatal 5-Way on the September 9th episode of SmackDown to earn a title shot at Extreme Rules.
Liv Morgan Reacts To Being Left Off WWE Extreme Rules Poster
The official WWE on BT Sport tweeted out an Extreme Rules poster to hype the event that only featured Ronda Rousey on it. SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan quickly responded and told the company that they can keep their s***** poster.
I was never supposed to be your girl @WWE but the people made me THEIR girl. Keep ur s***** poster.
I was never supposed to be your girl @WWE but the people made me THEIR girl ??
Liv Morgan defeated Lacey Evans on the September 23rd episode of SmackDown. After the match, the champion put Lacey on a table and climbed to the top rope. She connected with a Senton through the table and said that she is “ready to get Extreme” to the camera. A wrestling legend questioned the booking of Lacey Evans and you can check that out here.
Roman Reigns officially made Sami Zayn the Honorary Uce of The Bloodline on a recent edition of SmackDown and Jey Uso isn’t having it.
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns told Solo Sikoa that he answers to him now and the former NXT North American Champion acknowledged his Tribal Chief. As The Bloodline was about to exit the ring, Sami stopped them and acknowledged The Tribal Chief as well.
Reigns then made it seem like he was going to kick Sami out of the group and instructed Jey to rip Sami’s Bloodline T-shirt off and Jey obliged. The Tribal Chief presented Zayn with the new Honorary Uce shirt and Jey was beside himself.
The Honorary Uce took to Twitter a couple of days ago and sent a message to his fellow Bloodline member. Sami used a screen shot of Jey’s face when the Honorary Uce was given his new shirt by the Tribal Chief.
Some people have endured a lot & as a result, have a hard time trusting others. They find it hard to believe others could be doing things for the right reasons, often believing there must be ulterior motives. Though it can be frustrating, it’s important to be understanding.
Some people have endured a lot & as a result, have a hard time trusting others. They find it hard to believe others could be doing things for the right reasons, often believing there must be ulterior motives. Though it can be frustrating, it’s important to be understanding ????? pic.twitter.com/WYs7Ev6ZMK
Jey Uso responded to Sami’s message earlier today on The Usos’ official Twitter account. He claimed that the hard times he has gone through in his life have sharpened him. The tag team champion added that trust is earned in The Bloodline and he sees through Sami Zayn.
The hard times sharpened me. Trust is earned in my family. I See Thru u… -Jey
The hard times sharpened me. Trust is earned in my family. I See Thru u… -Jey https://t.co/tkpI08MaMs
Sami Zayn and Solo Sikoa have recently bonded on SmackDown. The two teamed up together on this past Friday’s episode of the blue brand and defeated Madcap Moss and Ricochet in a tag team match.
Charlotte Flair has been out of action for several months, and fans have waited to see her return. It seems that day is coming sooner than later.
“The Queen” hasn’t been seen in action since she lost an I Quit match to Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania Backlash. The company wrote her off television with an arm injury after Ronda Rousey made her tap to an armbar through a chair. This was done as she took time off to get married to Andrade El Idolo.
Charlotte Flair Hints at a Potential Feud
Over the weekend, Flair asked about her next move in WWE during an appearance on WWE’s Most Extreme Moments Countdown special on FOX. Flair stated that she has had her eye on Bianca Belair and the Raw Women’s Title.
This has led to speculation that this may be the direction that WWE goes once Flair returns. It’s still unclear when Flair will be returning.
Extreme Rules is coming up on Saturday, which could present a perfect opportunity to make that happen. Belair will defend the Raw Women’s Title against Bayley in a ladder match at this event.
Flair is booked for an autograph signing in New York City at the Big Event this November.
Another WWE Superstar is gearing up for a character refresh. In this case, it will be an old persona returning.
As seen on last week’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown, Max Dupri abandoned the Maximum Male Models faction, leaving many to wonder what’s next for the former NXT star. Some have suggested we’ll see him bring back his previous gimmick, LA Knight and they are correct. LA Knight is already listed as such on the company’s internal roster, according to a report at PWInsider.
To the fans of Maximum Male Models, don’t worry. Maxine, Mace and Mansoor will continue in their current roles.
LA Knight in WWE
Prior to his time in the big leagues, LA Knight wrestled as Eli Drake for Impact Wrestling (2015-2019) and later the National Wrestling Alliance (2019-2021).
He signed with WWE in 2021 and joined the NXT roster, where he spent nearly a year. The highlight of his NXT run saw him winning Ted DiBiase’s Million Dollar Championship.
Knight was called up to WWE’s main roster back in April. He left LA Knight behind, dubbed himself Max Dupri and introduced the world to Maximum Male Models. That group will live on, but Knight appears to have had enough after last week’s episode.
Triple H has wasted no time shaking things up as WWE’s new head of creative and talent relations. Dupri reverting to LA Knight is just the latest change under the new regime.
It will be interesting to see how soon we see the LA Knight character back on TV, with the likelihood being this week. In case you’re unfamiliar with Knight, here was his introduction to the WWE Universe:
Another former WWE Superstar may be on his way back to the world’s top pro wrestling promotion. Biff Busick, formerly known as Oney Lorcan in WWE/NXT, was spotted at the Performance Center in Orlando, FL this week. He’s been working as a guest coach at WWE’s training facility, according to PWInsider. Performance Center as a Guest Coach over the next few days.
Busick signed a developmental deal with the promotion in 2015. He debuted in NXT in 2016 and formed a tag team with former NXT star Danny Burch. He competed in NXT, NXT UK, and on 205 Live during his time as a member of WWE’s active roster.
During WrestleMania 38 weekend, Busick battled AEW World Champion Jon Moxley at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport 8. Moxley picked up the victory after connecting with a Deathrider and choking Busick out.
WWE released Busick last year on November 4th. Following his release, the 36-year-old wrestled on the independent scene for several promotions including GCW, PWG, and Beyond Wrestling. In a since-deleted tweet, he announced that he was taking some time away from the ring in July.
Before signing with WWE, Busick trained with Lance Storm and Sho Funaka. He wrestled in Combat Zone Wrestling for three years before joining Evolve.
After working at PWG from 2014 – 2015, he signed with WWE. He wrested as “The Carolina Panther” against The Great Khali on the New Year’s Day episode of SmackDown in 2010.
Cody Rhodes may not be as destined to be a WWE World Champion as first thought, despite his booking since returning to the company.
Rhodes returned to WWE at WrestleMania: Saturday in April 2022 and was booked incredibly well before his injury in June.
The American Nightmare has spoken about his intention to become a World Champion in WWE, fulfilling a promise to his late-father Dusty Rhodes.
Not Championship Material?
Between this promise and Cody’s booking, many believe it’s just a matter of time before Rhodes holds a World Championship, a feat he didn’t accomplish in AEW.
Cody is the arguable favorite among fans to dethrone Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, but that may not be the case.
Fightful Select reports that when WWE rehired Rhodes, Vince McMahon had no concrete plans in place for Rhodes to become WWE or Universal Champion.
While many in the company assumed it would happen eventually, Fightful note that “no firm plans” were in place.
Roman Reigns
Cody Rhodes wasn’t going to dethrone Roman Reigns prior to his injury, but WWE didn’t plan on anyone else doing the honors.
In their report, Fightful add that McMahon was “all on board” with Reigns unifying the WWE and Universal Championships at WrestleMania: Sunday.
It’s also noted that no ideas were suggested to McMahon that would have resulted in Reigns losing either title, prior to Vince’s retirement in July this year.
Reigns will face Logan Paul at WWE Crown Jewel next month, with either Rhodes or The Rock expected to face him at WrestleMania 39.
WWE has found a resident giant for the women’s roster in form of Raquel Rodriguez. Joining the wrestling world in 2014, the former NXT talent is already making strides in WWE’s women’s division. She has taken inspiration from many WWE Hall of Famers for her character. It’s no surprise that one of them is also her dream opponent.
One half of the former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions recently had an interview with Under The Ring podcast. She first talked about her training days. Rodriguez named the people she watched to learn how to act in the ring:
“I did of course watch a lot of the bigger men and bigger women; I would watch a lot of Chyna. I would watch a lot of Beth Phoenix. I watched a lot of the Big Show, but one name in particular when I was just starting out at NXT was, of course, Stan Hansen. I love Stan Hansen, because he was just so wild and unruly.”
‘Absolute Gem Of A Human Being’: Raquel Rodriguez
Raquel Rodriguez was then asked which star from the wrestling history she would like to face if given a chance. The former NXT star unsurprisingly took the name of Beth Phoenix, saying that she would love to learn from The Glamazon:
“Oh I would love to step in the ring with Beth Phoenix. I’ve said this before she has been an inspiration to me, an idol. She represents strength and beauty and brawns. I think she is just an absolute gem of a human being. I would love to step in the ring and learn from her.
The November 5 event from Riyadh will feature a matchup for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title, where Roman Reigns puts his title on the line against Logan Paul. This came shortly after Reigns’ appearance on Paul’s podcast, where they teased the matchup.
However, the matchup has been met with a bit of backlash. Although Paul has been impressive in his few matches inside the ring, earning a World Title shot against, arguably, the biggest star in the industry at this point in time is extremely premature.
Taking to his podcast, After The Bell, Corey Graves explained why he thinks the matchup works. Of course, he admits if he had heard of something like this 10 years ago, he would have been against it.
“If you would have asked me that very same question 10 years ago, 11 years ago, when I first started in the company as a developmental wrestler in FCW, I would have said, ‘This is garbage. I hate it. I can’t stand it. This guy hasn’t paid his dues. This guy doesn’t belong.’ I would have given you 75 reasons why it was a bad idea.
“Now sitting where I sit, having experienced this machine in this capacity for as long as I have and sat ringside for countless hours of matches and moments and memories, now I have a completely different point of view and I love it because of the business aspect of it.
“We talk all the time, even the fans say ‘Oh he’s the best in the business. The business is in a good position right now. It’s looking healthy.’ People forget the business part of the wrestling world.”
Graves adds that the character of Paul is an important factor in all of this, as people will tune in to either see the YouTube star get crushed – or pull off the miracle.
“Yes, we love great matches. Yes, we love great characters. Logan Paul is a great character. He may not have been a WWE creation or a pro wrestling world creation, but Logan Paul is a character. He is polarizing. He makes you feel some type of way whether you love him or you hate him.
“You’re either gonna tune in because you love Logan Paul and you listen to Impaulsive, and you think he and his brother are the greatest thing since sliced bread, and you’re sure he’s gonna knock off Roman Reigns, or you’re watching so Roman Reigns can smash him for your enjoyment. It makes you feel.
“The worst thing you can have in this business is apathy. What we’ve seen in small glimpses, small doses, of what Logan Paul is physically capable of, the dude’s got all the tools. There’s not a doubt in my mind. I mean, you watch WrestleMania. If you still didn’t believe it, watch SummerSlam.
“Logan Paul is going to step up. This is going to be big and I actually love it. I can’t believe I’m saying that, but after all these years, I love it.”
Liv Morgan has offered up a reaction to a solo Ronda Rousey poster for the upcoming Extreme Rules pay-per-view (PPV).
Morgan will put her SmackDown Women’s Title up for grabs against Rousey this weekend at the event. All the action goes down from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The title will be on the line in an Extreme Rules match, a stipulation Morgan herself surprisingly asked for against Rousey, wanting to earn the former UFC Champion’s respect after already having beaten Rousey twice.
The Extreme Rules poster for the show currently features Rousey as the sole focus, to which Morgan had a simple response to on Twitter, appearing to not be too big of a fan.
Liv Morgan took the title from Rousey at the Money In The Bank PPV earlier this year, cashing in on Rousey after she had just retained the strap over Natalya. This resulted in a rematch between the pair at SummerSlam.
The match ended in controversial fashion when Rousey had Morgan in a submission, however, Rousey’s shoulders were on the mat, and the referee made the three count.
Morgan actually tapped out right as the three count was made, but the match was awarded to Morgan, who retained her title as a result. Now, Morgan will put the gold up for grabs again, but this time, it’s anything goes to determine the winner.
Seth Rollins and some other WWE Superstars recently did the Shield pose together at a recent live event.
Rollins, along with Austin Theory and The Miz, did The Shield pose after the WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event in Bismarck, ND this past Saturday. The trio were taking on the team of Bobby Lashley, Dolph Ziggler and Kevin Owens.
At one point, Rollins, Theory, and Miz even attempted to re-create The Shield’s old Powerbomb finisher on Bobby Lashley. Rollins went as far as imitating Roman Reigns’ and his signature shout before Ziggler broke things up.
Check out an image and clip from the ordeal here below:
Of course, not all members of The Shield are under the WWE banner anymore. Jon Moxley (formerly known as Dean Ambrose) is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he reigns as the promotion’s World Champion.
(via WWE)
Roman Reigns sits atop the WWE mountain as its Undisputed Champion. As for Rollins, he’s currently looking to get back to World Champion status himself, serving as, arguably, the top heel on Monday Night RAW.
Raquel Rodriguez is hungry to be champion again after her most recent reign came to an abrupt end.
Rodriguez was called up to the main roster in April 2022, after an impressive run in NXT, where she competed as Raquel Gonzalez. Prior to wrestling, Rodriguez played collegiate basketball for Texas A&M and later Sam Houston State University.
Across NXT and WWE, Rodriguez is a three-time tag team champion, but has had very short title reigns. In NXT, Raquel and then-partner Dakota Kai lost both of their first Women’s Tag Title defenses. On the main roster, Rodriguez and Aliyah captured the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles in August, but dropped the titles two weeks later.
During a recent interview with SEScoops correspondent Steve Fall for NBC Sports Boston, Rodriguez said it was good to win, but upsetting to lose the titles so quickly.
“It’s bittersweet you know? You get a taste, I hate to quote Nacho Libre at this time in my life but you get a taste of a piece of the glory. You see what it tastes like and that’s exactly what it was. Aaliyah and I had this moment and honestly for the two weeks that it was it was absolutely amazing.
“But it does give me something to look forward to because I get hungry when I have these opportunities. I get so hungry and I just want my chance at winning those titles back.”
Women’s Mid-Card Title
The WWE Women’s Tag Team titles are the latest piece of gold the women of the main roster can compete for, in addition to the Raw and SmackDown Women’s Championships.
While the 24/7 Championship is unisex, there is no women’s exclusive mid-card title, something that Rodriguez hopes will change.
“100%. I think that would be something so great for the women’s division especially because we have so much diversity in the women’s division. We have women from all over the world, from all over the country, from different backgrounds and different ethnicities. I think having an Intercontinental Championship, having a North American championship for the women would be something. Just a huge leap forward for the Women’s Division in wrestling in general.
“I think that would be something so great for the women’s division especially because we have so much diversity in the women’s division.”
Raquel Rodriguez on a Women’s mid-card championship.
“And I personally do feel like that is something that is possible and is something that’s that could possibly be happening in the near future so I’m looking forward to that and possibly you know making new history.”
While WWE doesn’t currently have a Women’s mid-card championship, AEW has the TBS Title, currently held by Jade Cargill.
The White Rabbit
For weeks, the WWE Universe has been trying to decipher the mystery of the White Rabbit, which the creative team has taken a ‘hands-off’ method to promote.
Speaking about the mystery, Rodriguez said she’s not sure who it is, but like fans is eager to find out.
“I’m just as confused and lost as y’all are. I am doing the same thing with the QR codes. I’m trying to figure it out. There’s so many ideas of who it could be out there right? Of course, it could be really anything. Honestly, I don’t know. I don’t know. I can’t even give you my theory because I’m just as confused as you guys.”
The White Rabbit is believed by many to be Bray Wyatt, and could be revealed as soon as this weekend’s Extreme Rules Premium Live Event.
Rhea Ripley’s performance has been a highlight of Monday Night Raw in the last few weeks. Per the WWE star herself, she is having the time of her life in her current role.
The former NXT UK Women’s Champion recently had an interview with Sports Bible Australia. She talked about things such as working under Triple H and more.
Rhea then discussed how she is getting to work with childhood heroes such as Edge and Rey Mysterio and enjoying her current role:
“I’m having the time of my life and I think that comes across on TV as well.”
– Rhea Ripley
“I’m generally really having fun out there and everything that I’m doing comes so naturally to me because it’s just how I would react to things.”
Rhea Ripley has come a long way since her NXT UK days where she was an upbeat babyface. The Judgement Day member commented on how she never really planned this direction for herself:
“I thought that I was just going to fit in with everyone and be this real upbeat babyface, but that’s because that’s what I was as a kid.
I never really planned on going this way but it’s also just how I’ve also evolved as a human being and how I’ve been portrayed on TV as well.”
Apart from this, Ripley also talked about her storyline with Dominick Mysterio. She claimed that she is glad Dominik is finally coming into his own.
Joseph signed with WWE in 2017, replacing Tom Phillips on WWE Main Event.
A month after joining, Joseph would also begin work commentating 205 Live, while still calling the action on Main Event.
In October 2018, Joseph joined the commentary desk for NXT UK, and in September 2019, joined Raw’s announce team after a shakeup saw Corey Graves be moved to SmackDown.
Months later, Joseph was removed from the Raw commentary team and would return to 205 Live in July 2020.
That August, Joseph would join the NXT commentary team, where he remains to this day.
McKenzie Mitchell
Before making it to WWE, Mitchell had been covering sports for years, having worked with Fox Sports West and Fan Girl Sports.
In 2016, Mitchell joined Impact Wrestling as a backstage interviewer but found her way to WWE three years later.
Since signing in 2019, Mitchell has primarily worked on the NXT brand but has also served as a backstage interviewer on select episodes of Raw and SmackDown.
Mitchell has cited interviewing Keith Lee after his NXT Championship win in 2020 as the proudest moment of her career.
We here at SEScoops would like to offer our congratulations to the happy couple.
The Bloodline’s Solo Sikoa took to Twitter to wish WWE Hall of Famer a happy birthday Yokozuna today.
Yokozuna captured the WWF Championship twice in his career. He also won the WWF Tag Team Championships two times with Owen Hart. He passed away at just 34 years old on October 23, 2000.
Rikishi and Undisputed WWE Tag Team ChampionsThe Usos inducted Yokozuna into the Hall of Fame in 2012. Solo Sikoa posted “Happy Birthday Legend” on Twitter with a couple of pictures of of the legend and Owen Hart from back in the day.
Solo Sikoa & Sami Zayn Form A Bond In The Bloodline
During the main event, Solo Sikoa made his main roster debut at WWE Clash at the Castle. Roman Reigns put the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship on the line against Drew McIntyre at Premium Live Event in Cardiff, Wales.
It appeared that McIntyre was on the verge of winning the title but Solo Sikoa hopped over the barricade. The distraction allowed Roman to connect with his third Spear of the match for the pinfall victory.
Sikoa recently captured the NXT North American Championship from Carmelo Hayes, only to have it stripped away a couple of weeks later. On a recent edition of WWE SmackDown, Roman Reigns informed Solo that he answers to him now and Sikoa acknowledged The Tribal Chief.
After Roman presented Sami with his official Honorary Uce shirt, Solo has been protecting him. Madcap Moss and Ricochet tried to convince Sami that he wasn’t actually a part of The Bloodline and Solo attacked them.
Sami and Solo defeated Moss and Ricochet on this past Friday’s episode of the blue brand. After the match, Sikoa kept beating them down to prove that he is the enforcer of The Bloodline.
WWE higher ups are quite pleased about the return of two top free agents.
This past week’s Monday Night Raw saw the return of Candice LeRae, who wrestled her first matchup since July of 2021 after temporarily stepping away from the sport to have a child. She defeated Nikki ASH in quick fashion.
LeRae’s husband, former triple-crown NXT champion Johnny Gargano, had made his return on Raw a few weeks prior, and has regularly appeared on programming since.
WWE were very impressed at how professional Gargano and LeRae acted towards the end of their first tenure with the company, according to a new report by Fightful. It is noted in the report that the duo were considering offers from other companies, with IMPACT being the only promotion they didn’t seem interested in.
LeRae and Gargano were two of NXT’s top acts, where they would eventually form the heel faction The Way. The couple was lauded for helping put over a fresh batch of talent at that time, especially Gargano, who worked heavily with Austin Theory, Indi Hartwell, and Dexter Lumis prior to his exit. Gargano had publicly stated how much he loved working for NXT under Triple H and Shawn Michaels.
It’s believed that Vince McMahon’s retirement and Triple H taking over as the Chief Content creator for WWE it made Gargano and LeRae’s decision much easier.
Triple H has gained a lot of power within WWE as of late and has responded to a request from a wrestling fan.
He replaced John Laurinaitis as EVP of Talent Relations and recently took over creative responsibility for the promotion as the Chief Content Officer. His wife, Stephanie McMahon, and Nick Khan replaced Vince McMahon as co-CEOs after he resigned from the company on July 22nd.
A wrestling fan in India started the hashtag #SearchForMerch and Triple H has responded. Rohit Pant of Wrestle Chatter asked Triple H and Stephanie McMahon on social media for the company to provide authentic merchandise to India. The YouTuber noted that Triple H has said during interviews in the past that the company wants to expand in India, yet the fans there are not able to purchase official merchandise from the company.
Dear @TripleH, You’ve said this in many interviews that you want to expand in India. And here we truly passionate fans don’t even get the official merch. We want to feel it, We want authentic merchandise. Do something.@WWE@WWEIndia@WWEShop@StephMcMahon#SearchForMerch#IWF
Triple H has since responded to the request and indicated that WWE is listening. The Game used the viral hashtag in his response as well.
Triple H has his sights set on expanding the product and outlined his vision for NXT moving forward. The 53-year-old suggested an “almost World Cup scenario” for WWE’s developmental show, starting with NXT Europe in 2023.
Triple H has a vision of WWE in markets around the world competing on a world cup level. That also feeds into Raw, Smackdown and Wrestlemania #WWECastlepic.twitter.com/q58wyGOwU0
Brandi and Cody Rhodes left All Elite Wrestling earlier this year in February. Cody made his shocking return to WWE at WrestleMania 38 as Seth Rollins’ mystery opponent.
Brandi recently wrestled a match at the Performance Center but apparently did not reach an agreement with the company. Fightful Select is reporting Brandi Rhodes remains a free agent. She wrestled a couple of matches at the PC but there was not a deal reached.
— FightfulSelect.com! Exclusive Pro Wrestling News (@FightfulSelect) October 2, 2022
It was recently reported that Warner Bros Discovery reached out to Cody Rhodes in an effort to keep him with All Elite Wrestling before his departure for WWE. According to Fightful, a source familiar with the situation claimed that Warner Bros Discovery made contact with Brandi earlier this month as well but did not disclose what the conversation entailed.
Brandi Rhodes is currently a board member of Kulture City, a nonprofit organization that certifies venues have sensory-inclusive modifications. She had been hopeful of integrating Kulture City with WWE. All Elite Wrestling and Kulture City have maintained a working relationship despite Cody and Brandi Rhodes exiting the company.
The 39-year-old wrestled her last match in All Elite Wrestling on January 26th. She defeated KiLynn King on episode #48 of AEW Dark: Elevation.
It wasn't heavily advertised, but @kulturec was also at SummerSlam this year. I orchestrated that relationship as well. I still serve as a KultureCity board member. I hope the relationship with WWE continues so more wrestling fans with sensory needs can enjoy shows ? https://t.co/SopTEKa2U2
Kurt Angle had one of the most impressive rookie years in WWE. He won multiple titles during his first year on the main roster and also made his WrestleMania debut. The Mania match however turned out to be a disappointing affair.
The Olympic Gold Medallist talked about his WrestleMania debut in 2000 on his podcast. Kurt agreed with the criticism that the first fall of the match should have been for the European title instead of the IC Championship:
“Yeah, I agree. I think the Intercontinental title should have been second title that was defended at WrestleMania. After the Intercontinental title [that] Benoit won, I don’t think the fans cared who was gonna win the European title.” said Kurt Angle, “Because that title was way below the Intercontinental title.”
‘None Of Us Were Happy’: Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle later discussed how all three of the competitors were nervous going into the bout. It was the first WrestleMania match for all three of them and none came out too pleased with how it went:
“None of us were happy about the match. We all thought that could have been better.”
– Kurt Angle
The crowd reaction to the bout was disappointing as well. Kurt Angle admitted that the bad reception to the match didn’t help the spirits of the competitors:
“We weren’t sure why [the crowd didn’t like it]. I don’t know if it was because the Intercontinental title was decided first, cause the crowd was pretty alive up until then, and it kind of died after.”
For those who don’t know, WrestleMania 2000 saw Kurt Angle defending both the Intercontinental Championship and European Championship. What could have been an amazing two fall triple threat match between Angle, Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit however, ended up being one of the lowest rated matches on the card.
This was because WWE decided to save the European title for the second fall of the bout instead of the IC title which was more prestigious. The crowd lost interest in the match halfway through because of this.
Is WWE’s Sami Zayn the top performer in all of professional wrestling today? ‘Hurricane’ Shane Helms certainly thinks so.
Zayn joined WWE in 2013 and was called up to the main roster in 2016.
A former NXT Champion and three-time Intercontinental Champion, Zayn has been featured prominently in recent months as part of the Bloodline.
The Top Performer?
Zayn has entertained fans with his antics trying to become part of the Bloodline, but this is just the latest in a series of successes for the former NXT Champion.
“I have no problem saying this, Sami is the top performer in this entire industry. That’s how good Sami is. It’s daunting sometimes, Sami has a reputation you know. He’ll drive you bananas, but the end result is always a home run or grand slam.
“Sami [Zayn] is the top performer in this entire industry.”
Hurricane Shane Helms.
“[His WrestleMania match with Johnny Knoxville] was definitely a grand slam. He was the perfect guy for that. His personality and Johnny’s, they were so [compatible] to each other, using all the members of all the Jackass crew and all of the gadgets.”
Tensions in the Bloodline
On last week’s SmackDown, Zayn was officially added to the Bloodline, being given the shirt as an ‘Honorary Uce.’
While the group has welcomed him, Jey Uso isn’t buying Sami’s allegiance to the group.
In a backstage segment this week, Jey told Zayn “I see right through you” and has vowed to take Sami out if he does anything to hurt the Bloodline.
The group, consisting of Finn Balor, Rhea Ripley, Damian Priest, and Dominik Mysterio has been at odds with Mysterio since July.
During Summerslam, Rey and Dominik defeated Balor and Priest in a no-disqualifications tag team match, thanks to the returning Edge.
At Clash at the Castle, Dominik turned on his father and the WWE Hall Famer after the team got the win over Balor and Priest.
As for Styles, he has been feuding with the Judgment Day off and on for even longer, and the group has made efforts to recruit the two-time former WWE World Champion.
Monday Night Raw
AJ Styles and Rey Mysterio teaming up to face the Judgment Day will be just part of tomorrow’s go-home Monday Night Raw before Extreme Rules 2022.
The show will also see Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair and Bayley have a contract signing, making their Ladder match for the title at Extreme Rules official.
The match will be the first singles women’s ladder match in WWE history on the main roster.
Braun Strowman will have his second match since returning to WWE, when he takes on the Alpha Academy’s Chad Gable.
The Academy’s other member Otis will also be in action, as he takes on Johnny Gargano, while Candice LeRae will face WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Dakota Kai.
Sean Waltman is happy with his life as it is and he doesn’t want to take a stressful position in the WWE creative team even if it’s under his buddy Triple H.
The former WWE star recently appeared on ADFreeShows. He talked about a number of things including a potential role in the creative team of WWE.
Waltman explained that he is happy making sporadic appearances for the company every now and then and live stress-free the rest of the time:
“No. I’d like to just come in once in a while, like we’re doing on October 10 at Barclays, do little appearances like that. I go and do these Comic Cons and different appearances several times a month and it’s very stress free and I like how my life is right now.”
The Attitude Era star later mentioned that the backstage environment in wrestling can get pretty combative due to clash of opinions at times, and said that he likes to stay slightly removed from that.
WWE has announced a D-Generation X reunion to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the group during the October 10th episode of Raw. Sean Waltman is expected to make an appearance on the show alongside other members of the faction.
Ariel Helwani tweeted today that former UFC Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier would be the special guest referee for the Fight Pit match at Extreme Rules between Seth Rollins and Matt Riddle.
Helwani: “This is legit”
Breaking:
Daniel Cormier will serve as guest referee for next Saturday’s Fight Pit Match between Matt Riddle and Seth Rollins at WWE’s Extreme Rules in Philly. Oct. 8.
The tweet was sudden, coming at 9:03 pm Eastern Time on a college football Saturday. Helwani posted an accompanying graphic and, seemingly to fend off accusations of a work, tweeted, “No, really. This is legit.”
No, really. This is legit.
“The Rollins-Riddle feud has gotten very intense and personal. There’s only one person qualified enough to oversee this brutal match at Xtreme Rules and it’s me. I’ll see you guys in Philly next Saturday.”
The second tweet included a quote from Cormier (and tagged him), adding further legitimacy to Helwani’s breaking news.
Cormier, as a former two division champion and the second UFC fighter to hold two titles simultaneously (after Conor McGregor), serves as a credible guest referee for an MMA-inspired match.
Cormier is also a noted pro wrestling fan. He was there for Rollins’ “Heist of the Century” at WrestleMania 31, celebrating as Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank contract. Cormier is smart to the business, and has discussed in the past his desire to have a role with WWE.
A heated rivalry ending in the Fight Pit
Rollins and Riddle have been embroiled in a feud that has turned personal. Riddle has attacked Rollins for his marriage to Becky Lynch while Rollins has ridiculed Riddle for Riddle’s divorce. The two have brawled over the past few weeks, including a parking lot brawl caught on a fan cam and of course, on Raw. The split-screen promo was an homage to the infamous Jon Jones-Daniel Cormier split-screen interview.
The fight pit is a match Riddle competed in during his stint in NXT against Timothy Thatcher where Kurt Angle was the guest referee. Riddle, like Cormier, also has legitimate MMA experience after competing in the UFC for years, matriculating his way from The Ultimate Fighter.
This may be Rollins’ first Fight Pit match, but he’s no stranger to these types of matches. He’s had multiple Hell in a Cell and cage matches, of which the Fight Pit partially blends the two.
WWE Official Adam Pearce hasn’t been featured on television as of late. He most recently was involved in a storyline with Ronda Rousey on SmackDown.
Ronda was “suspended” following her matchup against Liv Morgan for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at this year’s SummerSlam. Rousey thought she had the match won but her shoulders were on the canvas while she had a submission move applied to Liv Morgan.
The controversial finish led to The Baddest Woman on the Planet attacking Liv and the referee of the match. Ronda will battle Liv Morgan once again for the SmackDown Women’s Championship in an Extreme Rules match at the upcoming Premium Live Event on October 8th.
Earlier this month, Ronda appeared on the blue brand and announced that her suspension was lifted. Adam Pearce made it known that the decision wasn’t his and referred to Ronda as a “b****”. It didn’t go well for the WWE Official as the UFC legend locked him in an armbar in the middle of the ring.
The authority figure took to Twitter today to provide an update to the WWE Universe about his absence from television.
He said that he was lucky that his property did not get damaged during Hurricane Ian but some of his neighbors were not so lucky.
Pearce announced that he will be returning to work this Monday night on RAW at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
I didn’t think I’d come off of vacation and have less than a day to get my house as ready as I could for a near Category 5 hurricane, but somehow we managed to do that.
I just wanted to say thank you to everybody who sent well-wishes and good vibes, because it was hairy for a while there.
I certainly appreciate it, I know my family does, and I wanted to say thank you for that.So with that, I’m ready to go back to work and it looks like we are on the other side of this thing now.
I’ll be able to get out of my subdivision after being flooded in and I’m looking forward to getting to the Twin Cities on Monday for Monday Night RAW. It’s been a while and I’m looking forward to getting back.
