SEScoops

Category: WWE

  • What John Cena Thinks About A 17th World Title Victory

    What John Cena Thinks About A 17th World Title Victory

    John Cena is one of the greatest professional wrestlers in the history of the business. His 16 world title victories, tied with Ric Flair is a testament to this fact. With Cena not looking to retire anytime soon, the big question in people’s mind is if we can see him breaking this record as well.

    The Cenation Leader recently took part in a Comic Con Wales Q&A. He was asked what he thinks about a potential 17th world title victory. Replying to it, Cena mentioned how wrestling is a young man’s game. Though he also noted that there is a chance as long as he hasn’t called it a career:

    “That’s a very difficult question. Like I said, I know I’m not done in the ring.” said John Cena, “But I am realistic with where I’m at in my life. I’m 45 and I can tell you from being a 16-time champion, it is very tough to win.

    He continued: “The top of that mountain is a young man’s game. So I’m not done in the ring. but I’m not certain that that’s in the cards. We’ll see. [There are] stories yet to be told, because if I’m in the ring, I got a chance. I am just saying I’ve been there, so kudos to the young guys doing it.”

    Apart from this, John Cena also talked about his favorite match, the Peacemaker series and more. You can check out his full interview below:

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    If you use any quotes from the article, please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

  • Edge Accepts Challenge For Big Match In His Hometown

    Edge Accepts Challenge For Big Match In His Hometown

    WWE Hall of Famer Edge has been challenged for a big match on the upcoming WWE Raw episode from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada on August 22.

    This week’s episode of Raw saw Judgement Day member Damian Priest issuing a challenge to the Rated R Superstar. He mentioned how it’s been a while since the wrestling veteran competed on Raw:

    “Edge hasn’t wrestled on Monday Night Raw in Toronto in what 12 years? Well, here it is – I’m officially challenging you to a match. One-on-one, you and me. The Rated-R Superstar vs. The Punishment of the Judgment Day. If you still have a set, let’s end this!”

    The Canadian star went on to accept the challenge from his former protege on Raw Talk. He mentioned how Priest would call him for advice when he first started in WWE:

    The Attitude Era star introduced Finn Balor as the newest member of Judgement Day during the June 6 episode of Raw earlier this year. However, he was kicked out of the group he created not long after this.

    Edge stayed off TV for a few weeks to sell the attack. He made his return during the SummerSlam PPV and he has been feuding with the Raw faction ever since.

  • Watch: Dexter Lumis Escorted Away After Crashing WWE Raw

    Watch: Dexter Lumis Escorted Away After Crashing WWE Raw

    Former NXT star Dexter Lumis made a surprise WWE return at this week’s episode of Raw in the most unexpected way possible.

    The episode featured several segments on the show in which a crashed car was visible in the background. The purposeful framing of these segments intrigued fans throughout the night.

    People’s curiosity was finally resolved after the main event. The final match of the show saw AJ Styles defeating The Miz in a No DQ match.

    However, as Styles was celebrating his victory in the main event, the cameras cut to the crowd. We saw Dexter Lumis being taken away by the police.

    We only saw a glimpse of the former NXT star during the broadcast of the show. The following fan video provides a detailed look at his brief Raw appearance:

    Dexter Lumis was a featured NXT star during the Wednesday Night Wars. His character is known to be a Triple H creation.

    Like many others, Lumis was also released from his WWE contract in April this year. There had been reports of Triple H bringing back more released stars after Karrion Kross and Scarlett. It’s no surprise that Lumis is one of them.

    There is no word on what the plans are for Dexter Lumis moving forward but we can expect to see a lot more of him in the coming times.

  • Strange Occurrences On Raw Lead To Unexpected Return

    Strange Occurrences On Raw Lead To Unexpected Return

    This week’s episode of Monday Night Raw was plagued with some strange backstage occurrences, which ultimately led to a big return on the show.

    The episode from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, OH, featured the return of Kevin Owens. The former Universal champion viciously attacked Ezekiel before their scheduled match, sending him out on a stretcher.

    Owens was later interviewed backstage, where he discussed his attack, but all fans can talk about was the background of this segment.

    Nikki A.S.H and Doudrop were seen in the background standing by a crashed car, and the purposeful framing instantly caught fans’ attention.

    This wasn’t the last of the crashed car we saw during the night. There were times when we saw it being loaded on the tow truck and several people running from the car, but it all happened in the background of various segments.

    There was also a segment where police ran by two people talking. They finally managed to capture the perpetrator just after the main event, and it turned out to be none other than Dexter Lumis.

    Lumis tried to crash the show after AJ Styles defeated The Miz in a No DQ main event, but he was taken away by the police.

    The Dexter Lumis character is a Triple H creation. The former NXT star was released in April this year, so it’s no surprise that he is back after The Game took over the creative control. While he didn’t get a lot of TV time on Raw this week, we can safely assume that we haven’t seen the last of Lumis.

  • Women’s Match Announced for WWE Clash at the Castle

    Women’s Match Announced for WWE Clash at the Castle

    WWE officially announced a new match during Monday’s episode of Raw for the upcoming Clash at the Castle event. 

    In the show’s opening segment, Bayley, Dakota Kai & IO SKY vs. Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss & Asuka in a six-woman tag team match was confirmed. 

    Bayley, Sky, and Kai returned at SummerSlam following Belair successfully retaining the Raw Women’s Title against Becky Lynch. Last week on Raw, the heel faction took out Lynch to write her off television as she is injured. Belair vs. SKY ended in a no contest on this same show when Bayley tripped Belair as Sky distracted the referee. Sky tried a cover with her feet on the rope, but Bliss knocked her off. This led to a brawl. 

    On Monday’s Raw, the six stars had a confrontation that led to the match being set up, and another brawl broke out. 

    Updated WWE Clash at the Castle Card

    Clash at the Castle Women's title match

    Here is the current card for WWE Clash at the Castle:

    • Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre
    • WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan vs. Shayna Baszler 
    • Bayley, Dakota Kai and IO SKY vs. Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss and Asuka

    A match with two top stars is internally listed for this show that has yet to be announced.

    WWE presents the Clash at the Castle event on Saturday, September 3, 2022 from Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales that will air on Peacock. Here is the updated card:

  • Johnny Gargano Teases Wrestling Return Soon: ‘Keep Watching’

    Johnny Gargano Teases Wrestling Return Soon: ‘Keep Watching’

    Johnny Gargano teases that he could be returning to professional wrestling soon.

    Gargano recently took part in the Asylum Virtual signing, where he discussed several professional wrestling topics.

    One such question was regarding Triple H taking over WWE creative, and former NXT talents returning to WWE as a result.

    The former NXT star admitted he has been watching and keeping up with what’s going on in the professional wrestling world. He then concluded by saying he and his wife, Candice LeRae, will be showing up at someplace somewhere.

    When is Johnny Gargano Returning?

    “I’ve seen. I’ve noticed. It’s exciting times all around. You never know what could happen. Keep watching, we’re [him and wife Candice LeRae] going to show up at some point, wherever that may be.

    “We’re living in a crazy world where anything can go down. You never know what can happen on Mondays or Fridays anymore. We’ll be making some magic at some point in the future, I promise.” 

    Johnny Gargano

    Gargano was previously with WWE from 2015 to 2021. He became a key piece of the NXT brand throughout his entire run, not moving up to the main roster during that time.

    His run resulted in an NXT Title win, three NXT North American Title wins, and an NXT Tag Team Title win. His contract with WWE expired this past December and he decided not to re-sign.

    Currently, Gargano is a free agent and has not signed with any major professional wrestling promotion as of this writing.

    However, due to his good relationship Triple H in WWE, and the fact that “The Game” is now head of creative, many expect Gargano to return soon.

    Quotes via Fightful

  • WWE Has Discussed Bringing Back Former Star (Report)

    WWE Has Discussed Bringing Back Former Star (Report)

    Samuel Shaw, formerly known as Dexter Lumis, might be returning to the WWE soon.

    Fightful Select reported today that Lumis is among the talent internally discussed to be brought back to the company. Company higher-ups are said to be planning to reach out to Lumis himself last week.

    Dexter Lunims Back in WWE?

    Dexter Lumis NXT
    (WWE)

    Shaw made a name for himself in Impact Wrestling before signing with WWE, where he was used in NXT. He had a memorable run with Johnny Gargano, Candice LeRae, and Indi Hartwell. In the storyline, he married Hartwell. He was in a feud with Duke Hudson when WWE released him in April.

    While on the free agent market, he has sparingly worked dates since then. Lumis did work the NWA World Heavyweight Title match at the Alwayz Ready pay-per-view event and a match at the TV tapings following that. 

    It was said WWE is staying aggressive and has a list of talent they hope to reach out to.

    Fightful was the first to report that Killer Kross (Karrion Kross) had been discussed to make a return within WWE then hours after publishing that report, he made a shocking return in the closing moments of last Friday’s SmackDown.

  • Tatum Paxley Says She Will Be Okay Following Injury At NXT House Show

    Tatum Paxley Says She Will Be Okay Following Injury At NXT House Show

    Over the weekend NXT star Tatum Paxley suffered an injury at the promotion’s house show in Gainesville Florida, where she got busted open badly and potentially even broke her nose. The referee at ringside quickly called the match off. You can read the full original report here.

    Paxley provided an update on Twitter last night letting the WWE Universe know that she will be okay. Her message reads, “Thank you everyone for reaching out and checking in! I’ll be ok! Accidents like these happen all the time in what we do. Plus getting blood everywhere is super heavy metal.”

    Paxley made her debut for NXT on the February 18th episode of Level Up after signing with WWE back in 2021.

    WWE had a bad weekend of scares as former SmackDown women’s champion Carmella sustained a head injury at the the company’s house show on Saturday night.

  • John Laurinaitis Gone From WWE (Report)

    John Laurinaitis Gone From WWE (Report)

    WWE has formally terminated John Laurinaitis’ employment.

    According to Pwinsider.com, the termination took place a week or so ago. Beyond a small circle, it remained silent.

    As previously reported, Vince McMahon allegedly paid a WWE paralegal $3 million to conceal an affair. According to an email from the Wall Street Journal, McMahon allegedly “handed her like a toy” to Laurinaitis. 

    The investigation expanded into other nondisclosure agreements involving allegations of wrongdoing against McMahon and Laurinaitis made by other former female WWE employees.

    Laurinaitis first joined WWE in 2001 after the company acquired WCW, where he was moved into the role of Director of Talent Relations. However, Jim Ross still handled some of the responsibilities at the time. 

    He was appointed executive vice president of talent relations in 2009. In 2012, Triple H assumed that position, with Laurinaitis serving as the Senior Vice President of Talent Operations and reporting to Triple H.

    Along with his wife Kathy and daughters-in-law Nikki and Brie Bella, he frequently appeared in authority roles both off- and on-camera in the E! series “Total Bellas.”

    Since his resignation, Vince McMahon has not been spotted at the corporate headquarters.

  • Bobby Lashley Has ‘Unfinished Business’ with Brock Lesnar

    Bobby Lashley Has ‘Unfinished Business’ with Brock Lesnar

    Bobby Lashley has “unfinished business” with Brock Lesnar.

    Lashley was recently interviewed on the “Out Of Character” podcast with Ryan Satin, and touched on the subject of Brock Lesnar. Specifically, Lashley spoke on finally getting his long-awaited match with “The Beast” at the 2022 Royal Rumble event.

    That night, Lashley defeated Lesnar to win the WWE Championship. Of course, Lesnar would go on to win the Royal Rumble match later that night.

    Lashley admits that even though he finally got the match he always wanted against Lesnar – it wasn’t what he thought it would be.

    “It wasn’t the match I wanted because like, there’s a lot of things that were involved there, man,” Lashley said.” “It’s a bigger story than just a couple of weeks and a random pay-per-view, and it’s more than just that.

    “I want to train for that match like I’m training for a fight … People want to see us fight, people want to see us wrestle … There still is a lot of unfinished business there.”

    A month later, Lesnar recaptured the WWE Title at Elimination Chamber after Lashley went down with an injury. Lesnar went on to WrestleMania 38 to unify the World Titles with Roman Reigns in the main event, with Reigns coming out on top.

    Lashley is currently on Monday Night RAW and is in the reigning United States Champion.

    Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

  • Backstage News on Karrion Kross & Scarlett Making WWE Return

    Backstage News on Karrion Kross & Scarlett Making WWE Return

    We have some news to pass along regarding Karrion Kross and Scarlett returning to WWE.

    PWInsider reports that, after Karrion Kross and Scarlett were released last year, they maintained regular communication with WWE. With that being said, the regime change worked out in their favor.

    Also, Kross and Scarlett have been added to the WWE’s internal SmackDown roster. Kross is to be positioned as the number two heel on the program behind Roman Reigns. As for Scarlett, she’ll be managing Kross and isn’t expected to wrestle regularly.

    Of course, that could always change down the road. It’s also believed that the pair will fulfill their remaining obligations on the independent circuit as much as possible. Kross and Scarlett made their returns on last week’s episode of SmackDown Live.

    Kross attacked Drew McIntyre during a promo segment with Roman Reigns. His return, alongside Scarlett, closed out the show. Kross had initially signed with WWE in February of 2020.

    Karrion Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux
    Karrion Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux

    During his run with the company, Kross was assigned to the NXT brand along with Scarlett, where he reigned as NXT Champion twice. They were later granted a release from their contracts in November of 2021.

    Since, Kross has been competing on the independent circuit; as well as for various other promotions such as Major League Wrestling (MLW), New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), and others.

    Now, it seems Kross has found himself a favorable position in WWE on the main roster.

  • Bobby Lashley Lays Out Plan For Hurt Business Reunion

    Bobby Lashley Lays Out Plan For Hurt Business Reunion

    Bobby Lashley is holding out hope to reunite The Hurt Business one day. 

    This faction was a dominant force on WWE Monday Night Raw during the COVID-19 pandemic that featured Lashley, MVP, Shelton Benjamin, and Cedric Alexander. At one point, they held most of the gold on the red brand as Lashley was WWE Champion and Alexander & Benjamin were Raw Tag Team Champions. 

    They eventually split up, with Lashley and MVP becoming a solo act. Now, MVP is managing Omos. 

    While speaking to Ryan Satin on the Out of Character podcast, Lashley shared the scenario that he came up with that would see them come together as a babyface faction.

    “You know what, I was thinking about what could happen to actually bring us together, and I thought about this the other day. I was like, if [MVP] made Omos too dangerous, where he couldn’t contain him anymore, and Omos turned on him, he would need somebody to help him. There’s only one person that can beat Omos. Then, I may need some help, and if I need some help, you have Cedric, you have Shelton, you have, we can take him down, and then we’re babyfaces again. They’ll love us. Anything can happen,” Bobby Lashley said (H/T to Fightful for the transcript).

    Lashley will defend the WWE United States Championship against Ciampa on tonight’s Raw.

  • Could Vince McMahon Still be Running WWE?

    Could Vince McMahon Still be Running WWE?

    Last month, Vince McMahon announced his retirement from WWE after four decades of running the promotion he founded.

    McMahon’s retirement came one month after he stepped down as CEO and Chairman, due to the ongoing investigation into him.

    McMahon is alleged to have had inappropriate relationships with multiple women over the years in WWE, resulting in millions of dollars being paid out in Non-Disclosure Agreements

    Still in Charge?

    While McMahon is gone, there are still some who believe he is still running things behind the scenes.

    After McMahon’s retirement, Vince Russo said fans were “clueless” for believing that the ex-CEO was really gone, and he’s not alone in that view.

    According to Fightful, McMahon’s retirement is genuine and one higher up in the company said that it’d be obvious of the former Chairman was still pulling the strings.

    “If Vince McMahon was still involved to any degree, neither Summerslam or WWE Raw would have resembled what they looked like. Dakota would not have been brought back, Raw would have been several Summerslam rematches.”

    A WWE higher-up explains just how gone Vince McMahon really is.

    Fightful was explicitly told that McMahon has no say in day-to-day or creative anymore, and there have been rumors of him having his access to information limited.

    A number of people within WWE also confirmed to Fightful that normally, they’d have to wait on clearance from McMahon for something, but that has not been the case since he retired.

    It is also reported that McMahon may have limited access to WWE facilities, but that has not been confirmed.

    Potential Reason Why Vince McMahon Changed His Mind About Retirement
  • Sasha Banks & Naomi’s WWE Return Deal Considered “As Good As Done”

    Sasha Banks & Naomi’s WWE Return Deal Considered “As Good As Done”

    News broke last week that Sasha Banks and Naomi agreed to return to WWE months after walking out of the company due to creative differences. 

    During his appearance on Sunday Night’s Main Event, Dave Meltzer reported that the two sides reached an agreement to return a week ago, but nothing has yet to be signed. However, with it being an agreement in principle, it’s believed to be as good as done. 

    “Last week, which is the last I checked, the contract hadn’t been signed, but they were all expecting that it was happening, Meltzer stated. “They were all on the same page. I was basically told it’s as good as done, but they haven’t signed, so it could fall through. They may have already signed by now, but a week ago, [I was told] they’re back. It could be tomorrow, it could be in a couple of weeks. It’s whatever day they want. They are probably pacing things. You don’t want to show all your cards in week 1 (after Triple H taking over). You want to have something big to talk about weekly for the next couple of weeks. An agreement in principle was reached over a week ago.”

    WWE announced last week that a tournament would be held to crown new Women’s Tag Team Champions on tonight’s episode of Raw. Many fans expect to see Banks and Naomi involved with the tournament in some way whether that’s them being part of the tournament or confronting the winners. 

    Banks and Naomi’s return comes after Triple H took over as head of creative and brought back several stars, including Dakota Kai, IYO SKY, Karrion Kross, and Scarlett. 

    H/T to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription

  • Update on Current Plans for the WrestleMania 39 Main Event

    Update on Current Plans for the WrestleMania 39 Main Event

    Tickets for WWE WrestleMania 39 at Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles go on sale this week, and WWE is still moving forward with their plans for a massive main event.

    As has long been rumored, the working plan is Roman Reigns vs. The Rock. Of course, Dwayne Johnson is still one of the most in demand actors in Hollywood, and his schedule could change on a moments notice. Therefore, there’s no guarantee that the match will take place, but WWE is working with the assumption that they’ll be able to make it happen.

    “It’s the plan. It’s 100% the plan for this year (WrestleMania 39),” Dave Meltzer said on Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t WrestleTalk). “But the idea is, it’s the plan if he can do it. We’re still months away, months and months away. So many opportunities and things like that may come up.”

    The Reigns vs. Rock match has been rumored now for a couple of years, with it seeming to be a logical destination given the two men’s family history and Reigns’ massive, unbeatable push. Taking on a returning legend like The Rock would draw enormous interest, and Rock is one of the few people out there who people could buy as a legitimate threat to Reigns at this point.

    How do we get to The Rock vs. Roman Reigns?

    The Rock and Roman Reigns
    The Rock and Roman Reigns

    One of the interesting wrinkles in this story is how television will play out to get us there. Will the match involve the WWE’s current undisputed world championship, will the belts be split up before then, and how does Cody Rhodes play into the picture?

    Prior to Rhodes’ pectoral injury that occurred just before the Hell In A Cell PLE, the working plan was for a Reigns vs. Rhodes match in the near future. The injury changed all of that, but many expect for Cody to return and immediately enter the title picture early next year (potentially following a Royal Rumble victory).

    Is it possible that Cody could become champion, taking the belt (or belts) off of Reigns before his match with The Rock?

    A Rock vs. Reigns match would not need a championship as it would already be the biggest bout on the card, with or without a title. In fact, involving the world championship might complicate things as virtually nobody would expect The Rock to become champion again given his Hollywood schedule. That would mean that a Reigns victory would be a foregone conclusion and potentially take away from the intrigue of the match.

    However, if the match is not for a championship, a Rock victory would actually seem like a possibility to the live audience and potentially make the match more interesting.

    There’s a lot of creative directions they could go with this. We discussed a few more of the possibilities recently on my podcast, Top Rope Nation, and you can check out that discussion at this link.

    What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below!

  • Bobby Lashley Discusses Experience With Social Media

    Bobby Lashley Discusses Experience With Social Media

    Bobby Lashley comes from a generation where internet wasn’t an integral part of life like today. The former WWE champion naturally has trouble adjusting to the social media lifestyle. However, like many other celebrities, the All Mighty is also getting help from his children to adapt to these changes.

    The heavyweight star recently appeared on Ryan Satin’s Out of Character podcast. Among other things, he also discussed how he has trouble finding things to post on social media. He was asked if he has an account on tick tok. Bobby Lashley mentioned that he has an Instagram account, but he doesn’t know what to post on it:

    “I have a profile on tick tok, I just haven’t posted anything on there. It’s too much. I do Instagram but it’s like ‘What do I post on Instagram?’ I was like ‘I gotta do something up.’ My godson is my assistant now. He’s 23, so I am like ‘come on, help me out here.’”

    ‘For My Character’: Bobby Lashley

    Bobby Lashley later told a very cute story of how he got roped into making tick-toks by his daughter. He revealed that he avoided doing them before using his WWE character as an excuse:

    “My daughter, she’s a little cutie. She goes ‘Daddy, since you’re a good guy now, you can do tick tok videos with me right?’ I was like, ‘Is that how it is?’ That was my excuse before I was like ‘nah, for my character you know I can’t be doing these little dances.’ But now it’s different. She’s like ‘ Ok, now you have to do it.’”

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    This article has been edited for clarity

  • WWE Nixed Plans For Superstar’s Return On SmackDown

    WWE Nixed Plans For Superstar’s Return On SmackDown

    It has been a little over two months since Drew Gulak worked a television match.

    Though he’s been active on the house show circuit and worked some dark matches at television tapings, Gulak last performed on television during a tag team match on May 27th, teaming with Ricochet in a loss to Gunther and Ludwig Kaiser.

    According to a report from Fightful, Gulak was supposed to work a tag team match against the Viking Raiders this past week on SmackDown. Instead, the Raiders worked a squash match against Jim Mulkey and Tommy Gibson.

    After that match, Kofi Kingston attacked the Vikings Raiders and subsequently had a singles match with Erik. Kingston was victorious.

    bryan gulak smackdown

    Who Has Drew Gulak Been Wrestling?

    Gulak’s most recent singles matches on the house show circuit have been against Happy Corbin, who has been feuding with Pat McAfee on television. Corbin lost to Ricochet on this past week’s SmackDown.

    Gulak was one of Gunther’s first television opponents when he was brought up to the main roster. Outside of that, Gulak’s television time has been less than remarkable since a memorable series of matches with Daniel Bryan a couple of years ago in an attempt to elevate the talented wrestler. It remains to be seen if Gulak is given another chance to shine under the new head of WWE creative team, Triple H.

    Make sure to check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube. 

  • Backstage Update on Liv Morgan’s Injury

    Backstage Update on Liv Morgan’s Injury

    Liv Morgan retained the SmackDown Women’s Championship at SummerSlam in a less-than-desirable way, and she has been dealing the fallout ever since.

    The fans revolted on the champion during this past week’s edition of SmackDown, with the live crowd audibly boo’ing her for the first time and chanting “you tapped out.” This was not that shocking considering the way the finish at SummerSlam played out.

    Morgan very clearly tapped out to Ronda Rousey before Rousey was counted down for the pinfall with her shoulders on the mat. Even so, Morgan retained and the fans were less than pleased with how it happened, understandably so.

    Another part of the fallout has been selling an injury to her arm. However, in case anyone was wondering about this, it’s all selling and nothing else.

    Morgan was wearing an arm brace on SmackDown, but Fightful reports that it’s all a work. Further, they reported that the arm brace was brought in by the company’s prop department.

    What’s Next For Liv Morgan

    So despite having suffered a visible (though not actual) loss to Ronda Rousey at SummerSlam, Morgan will continue on as the SmackDown Women’s Champion for the time being.

    A gauntlet match was held Friday night during SmackDown to determine the next challenger; Shayna Baszler emerged victorious despite an impressive performance from Raquel Rodriguez.

    Morgan will defend the championship against Bayzler at WWE Clash at the Castle in the United Kingdom during Labor Day weekend.

    Even so, the eventual rematch against Rousey looms. During her aforementioned promo on SmackDown, Morgan claimed that she tapped out at SummerSlam because she saw the referee count three on Rousey. In fact, the footage clearly showed otherwise.

    Make sure to check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube. 

  • Did WWE Find a WrestleMania Headliner at Summerslam Try-Outs?

    Did WWE Find a WrestleMania Headliner at Summerslam Try-Outs?

    Over Summerslam weekend, WWE hosted a series of try-outs in Nashville, Tennessee.

    Several athletes, including NBA star Dwight Howard tried out, hoping to earn a contract with WWE.

    Headlining WrestleMania

    Triple H conducted the Summerslam tryouts, in his first major role as the new Head of WWE Talent Relations.

    In addition to ‘The Game’ Paul Heyman was present to observe those trying to earn a WWE contract, and was impressed by some of the names he saw.

    Heyman spoke to “Bleacher Report” about the try-outs and sees big things in the future of some of the athletes (via Wrestling Inc.)

    “There are plenty of people I saw today that are qualified. Are they going to main-event WrestleMania? There’s a few people I can see that happening with, but not everyone, and I’m very excited about working with them in the future. But not all of them.”

    “There’s a few people I can see that happening with.”

    Paul Heyman on some of the Summerslam try-out athletes possibly headlining WrestleMania.

    Heyman added that while not everyone is destined to headline WWE’s biggest event of the year, but that’s not all the company is looking for.

    “If you’re not going to main-event WrestleMania, are you a disruptor? Are you someone who’s going to change the industry? Are you someone who’s going to give us a vision that we don’t have? Someone who’s 20 better not look at this industry the same way I do.”

    WWE reportedly signed 14 of the 50 athletes who tried out for the company over Summerslam weekend.

    What Triple H Told Talents At Latest WWE Tryout
  • Kurt Angle Recalls the ‘Look’ Vince McMahon had When he Kissed Stephanie McMahon

    Kurt Angle Recalls the ‘Look’ Vince McMahon had When he Kissed Stephanie McMahon

    In the Summer of 2000, one of WWE’s biggest storylines revolved around a love triangle between Stephanie McMahon, Triple H, and Kurt Angle.

    While Angle declared that he and Stephanie were just ‘good friends’ the storyline took a turn during the August 24, 2000, SmackDown.

    After helping an injured Stephanie to the back, Angle kissed her while Stephanie’s husband Triple H was being beaten down in the ring.

    The Kiss

    While speaking on his podcast, Angle talked about how it felt to kiss Stephanie McMahon in front of her father.

    “It was weird. It was very uncomfortable. Vince, not only was he directing, he was literally two feet away from us. The camera was right here, Stephanie and I are here, and Vince is right behind the camera looking at us. I’m not saying he felt like he looked like he was aroused, but he had this look like, I want to see this.

    I’m not saying he [Vince McMahon] felt like he looked like he was aroused, but he had this look like, ‘I want to see this.’”

    Kurt Angle on his awkward kiss with Stephanie McMahon

    “So I kissed Stephanie, and I do it like this because I’m nervous as hell. I look like a duck, fish lips. Stephanie afterward said, ‘You kiss like a fish.’ I said, ‘What the hell do you want me to do? Do you want me to slip you the tongue while your dad’s watching? Plus you’re married to Triple H.”

    Triple H would later get a win over Angle at the Unforgiven Pay Per View, and the storyline would be ended, reportedly as ‘The Game’ felt it was unrealistic that Stephanie would choose Kurt over him.

    Kurt Angle Says AEW Offered Him a 10-Match Contract
  • WWE Star Being Considered For Repackaging

    WWE Star Being Considered For Repackaging

    The new WWE regime under Triple H and Stephanie McMahon has already started making big changes to the programming.

    In the past few weeks, things such as the return of Karrion Kross and Scarlett has excited fans. Reports suggest that more comebacks are expected in the coming future, but this might not be all.

    Mike Johnson of PWinsider was recently asked if there has been any talk of re-casting an existing talent among all the big returns.

    Replying to it, the wrestling journalist revealed that former Retribution member T-Bar is a name that has been ‘bouncing around’ in recent weeks.

    Donovan Dijak
    Donovan Dijak

    The report claimed that the former NXT star’s name has been mentioned ‘most prominently’ for a character change recently. Though it’s unknown if he will return to his NXT character to get a new gimmick entirely.

    The former Dominik Dijakovic had a successful career in NXT. His matches with Keith Lee were praised by fans and Triple H saw him as a star.

    However, Vince McMahon decided to repackage him upon his main roster call-up. He was put under a mask and renamed to T-Bar as part of the Retribution faction in September 2020.

    What do you think about T-Bar potentially being repackaged in near future? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

  • Rey Mysterio Reveals His Current WWE Schedule

    Rey Mysterio Reveals His Current WWE Schedule

    One of the things that have changed in WWE in the modern era is the schedules. While the company still produces as many live event, they now allow certain veteran talents to have a lighter schedule. One star who has benefitted from this change is Rey Mysterio.

    The Master of 619 recently spoke to TJ sport USA. He was asked about his current WWE schedule. Rey revealed that it’s much less hectic. Per Mysterio, he works all TV tapings but gets every other week off from House Shows:

    “It is much less hectic than it was before. Obviously due to age and being that I am hurt from previous years. It’s do all TVs, one weekend on, one weekend off.” said Rey Mysterio, “If they need me for anything special, I’m right there.

    I’m a trooper. I love this still and I love enjoying the time with my son. Being at live events, teaching him the ropes and what to do, what not to do and credit him for the good. [In the old days] it was non stop every week. I don’t have that schedule anymore. I’m limited to a certain amount of dates per year.”

    Apart from this, Rey Mysterio also discussed Vince McMahon’s retirement from wrestling. You can check out his full interview below:

    More Originals From SEScoops:

    If you use any quotes from the article, please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

  • Bray Wyatt Resurfaces With a Poetic Take on Pro Wrestling

    Bray Wyatt Resurfaces With a Poetic Take on Pro Wrestling

    Former WWE star Bray Wyatt has once again surfaced online, this time with a poetic take on the bizarre world of pro wrestling. The former Universal champion posted a message about wrestling on Instagram. He claimed that it is not a love story but a Fairy Tale for masochists.

    Wyatt went on to make various wrestling references from The Undertaker to Ric Flair and more. He called wrestling a hope:

    “It can also be a land where Dead men walk. Where Honor makes you Elite. Where Demons run for office. And Rock bottom is a reason to rejoice. WOOOOO! It’s an escape. A reason to point the blame at anyone but yourself for 2-3 hours. An excuse to be a kid again, and nothing matters except the moment we are in. Wrestling is not a love story, it’s much more. It’s hope.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg-UDbVvn2d/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D

    Can Bray Wyatt Return?

    Bray Wyatt has kept his distance from the wrestling world since his WWE release in July last year. However, he has been teasing a return in recent times. Moves such as a trademark filing for a potential ring name has led many to believe that we will see The Fiend back inside the squared circle very soon.

    The rumors of his return have been fuelled further by reports that Triple H is looking to ‘bolster’ the main roster, and he has had talks with released stars for a potential return.

    Would you like to see Bray Wyatt returning to WWE under the new regime? Let us know in the comment section below.

  • Paige Reveals Insane Origin Of Her Real Life Name

    Paige Reveals Insane Origin Of Her Real Life Name

    Paige’s WWE contract expired last month, and she is now a free agent. The former Divas champion has been using her real-life name Saraya for appearances since.

    The former WWE star recently appeared on The Bellas podcast. Among other things, she also revealed the insane origin of her real-life name.

    The former champion discussed her mother, who is a wrestler as well and uses Saraya Knight as her ring name. Paige revealed that Knight came up with her name while tripping on acid at a slayer concert:

    “So my mum, you know how crazy my mum is. It was like the ’80s or whatever, and she was tripping on acid at a Slayer concert.

    And she misheard it as ‘Saraya,’ and that’s how I got my name,” revealed Paige, “and it was just from an acid trip and her not being with it.”

    Saraya Knight has been active in the wrestling business since the 90s. She competed as recently as last month, where she defeated Annabelle at an indie event in UK.

    Paige had been a part of the WWE roster since 2011 where she won multiple titles. She portrayed various roles in the company after her retirement in 2018. She left WWE after the promotion chose not to renew her contract.

    Quotes via WrestlingInc

  • RVD To Be Inducted Into Hardcore Hall Of Fame

    RVD To Be Inducted Into Hardcore Hall Of Fame

    Rob Van Dam has had a prestigious and award filled career.

    The high-flying legend was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2021, and is a previous world champion for WWE, ECW, and TNA. Along with that he’s also been a six-time Intercontinental champion, a multi-time tag team champion, won the 2006 Money In the Bank briefcase, and wowed audiences for decades with his impressive arsenal of signature maneuvers.

    Now RVD will add another accolade to his already impressive resume. On Saturday December 17th he will be inducted into the 2300 Arena’s Hardcore Hall of Fame, making him the 22nd entry of all time since its inception in 2002. The venue was a home-base for ECW, and is still used to this day by multiple promotions, including GCW and MLW.

    The ceremony will take place at the Battleground Championship Wrestling Event.