A major possible spoiler for the WWE SummerSlam main event has surfaced.
This year’s big SummerSlam event will be taking place inside Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. The show is going down on July 30.
In the main event, WWE Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns will put his gold on the line against Brock Lesnar. For weeks, WWE has been teasing the idea of having Theory cash in his Money in the Bank contract to close out the show.
As it turns out, the main event may have been spoiled ahead of the big night.
Spoiler Alert
(via WWE)
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter is reporting that the plan as of now within WWE is for Roman Reigns to enter Clash at the Castle as the Undisputed Universal Champion going up against Drew McIntyre.
Of course, that would mean that Reigns would defeat Brock Lesnar in their Last Man Standing match and avoid a successful cash-in from Theory if the company plans to have the briefcase holder show up after his United States Title match against Bobby Lashley.
WWE has been building up Drew and keeping him away from The Bloodline for months in order to build towards the big Sept. 3 show in Cardiff, Wales.
This seems to be the perfect time for Reigns to drop the gold and give McIntyre that big feel-good moment that he was robbed of back in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Time will tell if WWE will actually go through with having Drew McIntyre dethrone Roman Reigns.
Liv Morgan has revealed that she feels guilty after her partner Ruby Soho was released by WWE and she wasn’t.
Liv Morgan & Ruby Riott In WWE
On June 2, 2021, Soho was released by WWE, effectively disbanding The Riott Squad for the second time. Liv Morgan and Ruby Riott (Soho) had spent around five years on and off paired together both through The Riott Squad and their tag team.
On April 10, 2021, on Night 1 of WrestleMania 37, Riott & Morgan competed in a tag team turmoil match to become the #1 contenders for the Women’s Tag Team Championships, with the winners going on to compete the following night. Ruby and Livwould go on to eliminate the teams of Billie Kay & Carmella, and Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke, before being defeated by the new Women’s Tag Team Champions Natalya & Tamina.
Liv Morgan Thought She Was Fired
The SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan sat down with Ariel Helwani of BT Sport to talk about remaining in WWE after her then-tag-team partner Ruby Riott (Soho) was released.
The SmackDown Women’s Champion said:
“I get like chills thinking about it. She calls me and she’s like, ‘I just got fired.’ And I live on a farm and I don’t get cell service. So in that moment, I was like, ‘Oh, me too, like, if they fired Ruby, they fired, they fired me.’ And so I’m kind of just sitting there like waiting to get the phone call or the text. And then I’m like, ‘I’m on the farm, I’m not gonna get the phone call because I don’t get cell service.’ So I’m just sitting there like thinking like, I’m fired, too. And then I have Ruby, you know what I mean? So we’re both just shocked. We don’t know what to say. It’s just very, very, very, very surreal.
And then I’m like, ‘Do I call work and like ask if I’m fired?’ I just didn’t see why they would let her go and not me. I didn’t understand it. So the whole time I’m thinking, ‘I’m fired too.’ And I’m kind of just like settling and like, ‘Okay. You know, maybe, like, I guess we’ll be a team, right? I don’t know.’ And then I wasn’t fired. And I’m so grateful that I wasn’t, but in that moment, it was almost worse, that I wasn’t also fired.”
Liv Morgan Suffers From ‘Survivor’s Guilt’
“Just because I think I had accepted it also because I had thought like, for 25 minutes that I was also fired. So I think I like accepted it right away. Then when I found out that it was just Ruby, I don’t know, just my best friend. That’s my sister, and she’s in so much pain right now that it just hurt my heart and I almost wish that I could like share it or take it from her or at least be like, ‘Dude, me too. It’s okay.’ You know? I don’t know, I don’t know.
I didn’t want her to feel like I was better than her because I don’t believe that, you know. So, I just I didn’t know how to handle my best friend, who I’m in a tag team with being let go and me still being here,” Liv reflected.
The former Riott Squad member said, “Really bad. Really bad survivor’s guilt. I didn’t know what to do. And then going to work that first week was so weird. I walk in with Ruby every single day. We walk around the halls together. We’re together all the time. It was so weird. But then, you know, everything just kept moving. And she’s doing great. I’m so happy for her. Love you Ru. She’s doing great.”
Liv Morgan & Ruby Soho Now
Liv Morgan is currently the WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion, and Ruby Soho is a member of the AEW women’s roster.
Ruby received a shot at the AEW Women’s Championship back at AEW Grand Slam in September against Britt Baker. In October, Soho participated in a tournament to crown the first AEW TBS champion, but she was defeated in the final match by Jade Cargill. She also participated in the AEW Owen Hart Cup tournament, where she also made it to the final, but she was defeated at Double or Nothing 2022 by Britt Baker.
Watch Liv Morgan’s interview with Ariel Helwani for BT Sport:
The neck injury of Big E is an example of how quickly things can take a turn for the worse in wrestling. His condition didn’t look very bad at first, and people believed that the WWE star will be back soon. However, the severity of his injury has since been revealed and there is currently no timetable for his comeback.
The former WWE champion recently had an interview with The MMA Hour. Speaking about his immediate reaction to the injury, E said that he didn’t think it was a big deal:
“So the bump happens and I can tell right away something went array, but I didn’t think it was that severe. I thought maybe I had a contusion or sprain. I’ve had no neck issues before. I didn’t think it was that big of a deal, but immediately EMTs rushed over.
Salute to all the doctors and EMTs and everyone because they made sure I wasn’t going to move. My thought was ‘Let me just make sure I’m okay. My fingers. I’m so thankful that I could move my hands.’ I didn’t seem to have any like, there was no nerve pain, no tingling. So I wasn’t really that worried.”
‘I Felt Like A Bullet Went By My Head’: Big E
Big E noted that he expected to be out for a few weeks. However, after learning about the severity of his injury, the New Day member felt like a bullet had passed by his head:
“I really just expected to be told that ‘Hey, your neck is sprained. You are out for a month’, but they told me pretty soon after running a battery of tests and everything that I had broken my neck. They let me know how severe it was. In that moment, in many ways I felt like a bullet whiz by my head.
I felt like the breeze of a bullet went by my head because I very quickly learned that a lot of people die instantly from the same kind of injury. If they don’t die, if your C1 is displaced in a certain way. It can travel towards your brain stem and it can either lead to stroke, it can lead to paralysis or death. For me to come out of all of that, with no nerve issues, no atrophy, to still be alive honestly, is pretty incredible.”
You can check out Big E’s full interview in the video below:
In mid-2020, Dominik Mysterio made his in-ring debut, competing against Seth Rollins at that year’s Summerslam.
After impressing fans with his ability, Dominik has worked alongside his father Rey Mysterio, capturing the SmackDown Tag Team Championships last year.
Waiting for the Feud
Rey and Dominik Mysterio have teamed together for years, but WWE has teased splitting the pair multiple times.
In 2020, WWE teased that Dominik would betray his father and join Seth Rollins’ stable but that didn’t take place.
More recently, it was teased that Dominik would join The Judgment Day, but that hasn’t happened yet at this time.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Rey addressed the possibility of feuding with his son and isn’t against the idea (Via 411 Mania.)
“We actually talked about that during his first couple of weeks of training. I remember sitting down with him, and telling him … ‘Could you imagine if you started working and then we teamed up and eventually, you know, whether I turned on you or you turned on me?’”
“I need to feel it at the moment, during that time.”
Rey Mysterio on waiting for the right time to feud with his son Dominik Mysterio.
“Yeah that would be cool… storyline-wise, it might be attractive, but I need to feel it at the moment, during that time. Right now, I feel like we just, we have a really tight bond, but it would be something special.”
Rey and Dominik will face The Judgment Day in a No-Disqualification Match at the WWE Summerslam 2022 Premium Live Event tomorrow night.
Becky Lynch is one of the most successful pro wrestlers of the current generation but it wasn’t always the case. The former women’s champion stepped away from wrestling in 2006 and stayed retired for more than six years. According to Lynch, it was a dark time for her and she battled with depression during this period.
The Man recently had an interview with ESPN. Speaking about her early wrestling career, Lynch mentioned how she didn’t look like the girls that WWE was signing at the time. So she joined a bodybuilding competition in hopes of building herself up, but it turned out to be a slippery slope for her:
“At the time, they wouldn’t have signed me. I didn’t look like the models that they had under contract. So I started doing a bodybuilding competition because I thought, ‘Well, maybe if I look like these girls, then I’ll have a chance of getting signed.’
So I started doing this bodybuilding competition. I know there’s a lot of people that do bodybuilding, and they do great. For me, it was a slippery slope right into an eating disorder. [It] really ruined my mental health for a long time. I became depressed.”
‘It Felt Like A Death’: Becky Lynch
Becky Lynch stepped away from wrestling after suffering a concussion during an indie event in September 2006. She spent the next six years trying to figure out something else to do with her life. She also went to guidance counselors for help:
“I couldn’t face up to it. I was so ashamed that I had turned into this dark person in my head. That I hit this, this low point in this depression. I couldn’t identify with myself because I identified myself as being this great wrestler. Then I just I spent so many years trying to find who I was and what lit that fire in me again.
I would go see counselors and stuff. Guidance counselor. [I was] like ‘I was good at this thing, and I loved this thing,’ and they were like ‘Okay well, but you can’t do this thing anymore. So what else are you gonna do?’ It felt like a death I was kind of trying to grieve. I know that’s very morbid and it’s a dramatic statement, but that’s how it felt.”
Thankfully for Lynch, she managed to recover and get back into the wrestling business. She participated in a WWE tryout after encouragement from a friend. Lynch was signed to a development contract in April 2013, and the rest is history.
You can check out Becky Lynch’s full interview below:
For decades, there has been a debate about who is the greatest wrestler of all time.
Names like Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and John Cena could all lay claim to being the G.O.A.T, but there’s plenty more than just those five wrestlers.
Everyone has their personal pick for the greatest wrestler ever, including the current WWE roster.
The Greatest of All Time
Seth Rollins has plenty of accolades to his name, including reigns as WWE and Universal Champion, the WWE Grand Slam as well as capturing the Money in the Bank Briefcase in 2014 and the Men’s Royal Rumble match in 2019.
Rollins is known, on and off-screen for his high opinion of himself, but has chosen a different current Superstar as the greatest of all time.
Speaking to Sport1, Rollins named his wife Becky Lynch as the greatest to ever step foot in WWE (via Wrestling Inc.)
“Becky has developed into one of the biggest stars in the history of our industry with her personality, she is now the greatest wrestler of all time for me. And you can see that there is more than one way to be ‘larger than life.’ If you’re already physically fit, it’s definitely easier, but there’s another way. You don’t have to look like Hulk Hogan or John Cena, Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather are also ‘larger than life,’ although they feel physically 1.50. In the end, it’s not about the physical conditions, it’s about what you make of your conditions.”
“With her personality, she is now the greatest wrestler of all time.”
Seth Rollins on his wife Becky Lynch.
Lynch will challenge Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair at Summerslam, while Rollins’ match with Riddle has been postponed.
Some have suggested that Rollins will still have a presence on the show tomorrow night.
Vince McMahon has been named in yet another lawsuit over XFL.
Per PWInsider, a man named David Adrian Smith filed a lawsuit before the District Court for the Northern District of Texas on July 20. People such as Vince McMahon, Dani Garcia, The Rock, current WWE CFO Frank Riddick, Riddick’s wife Carol and others has been named in the lawsuit. Both WWE and ESPN have also been mentioned.
Smith has claimed that he had an email exchange with Carol Riddick in May 2016 in which he “disclosed confidential trade secret information,” including market and opportunity analysis regarding the concept of a minor league or developmental football league. He is alleging that the Riddicks disclosed this information, and it was brought to Vince McMahon. McMahon further shared it with former NBC executive Dick Ebersol as well as ESPN.
Per the claims made in the lawsuit, the “trade secret information” were used in production of the ESPN 30 For 30 documentary This Was The XFL. Smith is alleging that WWE sold the rights to XFL over to McMahon’s Alpha entertainment because they knew the ‘trade secrets.’ Ebersol also launched the AAF league in part because of his knowledge of the said secrets.
When The Rock, Dani Garcia and others purchased XFL, the trade secrets were “disclosed / conveyed to and acquired / received” to the new ownership without the authorization of smith. David Smith is requesting damages for the misappropriation of his trade secrets with an estimated figure greater than $15 million as well as a declaration that defendants’ actions were unlawful, among other things.
Neither Vince McMahon, nor any other involving parties have responded to these claims publicly. We’ll keep you posted on any development in the story.
A lot of things are expected to change in WWE with Vince McMahon’s retirement. One of them could be their reconciliation with Sasha Banks and Naomi.
Dave Meltzer talked about the former women’s tag team champions during his appearance on Sports Illustrated Media podcast. He revealed that the company is expected to make attempts to bring the duo back:
“It’s kind of up in the air. They’re gone, the last I heard was that there would be attempts made to reconcile, especially with Vince gone. So, it’s up in the air. I don’t think there’s anything definite just yet.”
Sasha Banks and Naomi
Sasha Banks and Naomi infamously walked out of WWE before the May 16 episode of Raw. They were unhappy with some creative decisions as well as the treatment of the women’s tag titles.
With the team of Stephanie McMahon, Triple H, and Nick Khan being at the helm of WWE, it’s very much possible that the former champions may agree to a comeback.
WWE held open tryouts earlier today in Nashville Tennessee, and one surprise attendee is making a large presence due to his accomplishments professional basketball.
That man is NBA [superstar Dwight Howard, a one-time NBA champion, three-time defensive player of the year, and eight-time All-NBA team honoree. Video of the current Los Angeles Laker cutting a promo at the tryout has surfaced online, which you can watch below courtesy of ESPN’s Arash Markazi. Along with the footage Markazi says he has spoke to Howard, and he legit is interested in a run with WWE.
Dwight Howard was a surprise participant at the WWE Tryout in Nashville today. He told me he legit wants to join the WWE one day. pic.twitter.com/LiUnNqPsdv
Howard’s fun didn’t end there. Markazi has footage of him sticking around at the tryout for hours and cutting promos with the other attendees.
Dwight Howard didn’t just cut this one promo and leave. He’s been here for hours. He’s now cutting promos with the other attendees at the WWE Tryout in Nashville. pic.twitter.com/J9HQQq23cN
The crossover between pro-wrestling and the NBA has been present for years. Few fans will forget the impact made by Dennis Rodman and Karl Malone during the late 90s era of WCW, as both men were marquee players in the NBA at that very same time. The great Shaquille O’Neal was a surprise entrant in the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32, then wrestled a tag match in AEW in 2021 to critical acclaim.
Bobby Lashley is eyeing a huge matchup with a rising WWE superstar.
The Almighty one and current United States champion sat-down with BT Sport ahead of his title defense against Theory at this Saturday’s SummerSlam, which takes place from Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. It was during this interview that Lashley discussed WWE’s Intercontinental champion Gunther, and what an interesting opponent he thinks the Imperium leader would serve as.
“I think an interesting matchup that I heard a couple of times is Gunther. I think just him being my counter on the other show. I think it’s something that is kind of intriguing. He’s a tough, tough, tough competitor. I mean, he’s been doing some big stuff and he just went right up to the top right away.”
Lashley isn’t wrong. Since joining the main roster and sharpening his physical appearance Gunther has been one of the most dominant acts in WWE aside from Undisputed Universal champion Roman Reigns. This is no surprise as Gunther, formerly known as WALTER, held the NXT U.K. championship for 870 days.
When asked about how he sees a feud with Gunther going Lashley states that he believes Survivor Series would be a fitting setting, but hopes that the bout can be built into something the fans get invested in.
“It’s a matchup that I think that we can kind of build towards. Maybe we can do that at Survivor Series or we can do that a little later on in the year, but it’s something definitely that I’m interested in.”
Lashley is in his third reign with the U.S. title. He captured it from Theory at last month’s Money In Bank premium live event.
Road Dogg wants to know why All Elite Wrestling (AEW) president Tony Khan won’t hire him.
The WWE Hall Of Famer was recently a guest on Busted Open Radio where he talked about his professional wrestling career.
This included his exit from WWE back in January, where he served as a writer, producer, and trainer.
During the interview, Road Dogg talked about the possibility of working for AEW. He noted he’s asked for a job from Khan on several platforms, but he hasn’t heard anything back.
“I’m not retired, I’m unemployed. I see things on Tony Khan’s TV show that appall me. I could help with that.
“I have been begging him for a job on every platform I can and I want to know the reason why he won’t hire me.”
He certainly has a lot of knowledge to pass along. As a member of D-Generation X, he racked up six Tag Team Title reigns alongside Billy Gunn. He also began working backstage in WWE in 2014.
As a producer and writer on SmackDown, Road Dogg helped many young stars develop, while also occasionally returning for some in-ring work. He was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2019 as a member of DX.
In May of 2019 he began working as a trainer at the WWE Performance Center, before ultimately leaving the company this past January.
AEW President Tony Khan delivers a different product than what fans are used to seeing with WWE, from production to the booking to the in-ring style. He also caters to hardcore fans instead of casual fans.
The AEW’s product looks more gritty than what you will see on WWE programming.
While speaking on his Kliq This Podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash admitted that he doesn’t watch much modern wrestling but recently caught an episode of AEW Dynamite.
The former WWE Champion noted that the production and feel of the show seemed ‘dated.’
“It just seems…dated? It has a very ‘WCW Thunder’ feel when I watch it.”
Nash was asked if he was specifically talking about the show’s production. Nash said everything and noted it feels like the clear number two.
“It’s almost like a no-borders, ‘Doctors Without Borders’ type of situation over there, and it’s hard for me to figure out who the belts go to, but I don’t watch wrestling that often, and if I’m going to watch a product, just visually … the crystal-clear production, and costuming, and everything else that the WWE gives me, I feel like it’s Cirque du Soleil instead of f*cking, you know, Ringling Brothers.”
The professional wrestling world certainly shook up when it was announced that longtime WWE CEO and creative front-man Vince McMahon decided to retire. This came after allegations of sexual misconduct began to surface, sparking investigations.
Various names from the professional wrestling industry have reacted to the news, now, including WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle.
Angle offered his thoughts on the matter during a recent interview with FOX News. Angle called McMahon the longtime “Achilles heel” of WWE, before praising his mind for business.
“I’m sad because Vince was the Achilles heel of WWE. He’s what made it roll, he’s what made it happen. If it weren’t for Vince, the WWE would not exist.
“I’m not saying he’s perfect. He didn’t do everything perfectly. He made very few mistakes from a business standpoint.”
Kurt Angle and Vince McMahon
Angle worked very closely with McMahon during a large part of his professional wrestling career. After winning an Olympic gold medal, Angle signed with WWE in 1998, quickly rising up as one of the company’s top stars.
The former WWE Champion credits McMahon with the idea of purposely presenting him as an over-the-top babyface that the fans would receive as a heel.
“He thought it was perfect for me to be an Olympic gold medalist. He wanted me to be this clean-cut Olympian that preached the three I’s and motivated fans. And actually, he knew it would backfire.
“He was pretending to push me as a baby face knowing that the fans would crap all over me because I was so clean cut, it was like, give me a break, this guy can’t be that good. It worked extremely well and it turned me heel.
“Even though I would preach the three I’s, I would still cheat and win. That also gave me a lot of heat.”
Charlotte Flair apparently shot down a planned high spot in her father Ric’s upcoming last match.
Ric Flair will wrestle his last professional wrestling match ever this Sunday from Nashville, Tennessee on pay-per-view (PPV). He’ll be teaming up with his son-in-law and All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star Andrade El Idolo against Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal.
There has been a lot of concern about Flair wrestling at his age of 73, as well has the fact that he’s going into the match with an injury. However, Flair will press on for one last dance.
In a recent interview with ESPN, Charlotte Flair discussed her father’s upcoming bout, noting she actually shot down the idea of him doing a high spot off of the top rope.
“A lot of our men and women in all companies miss those all the time. I was like, ‘No, not needed, not necessary. Wasn’t necessary in your prime, isn’t necessary now. So, no.’”
Ric Flair Accompanied By Big Card
Aside from Flair’s headlining bout, there will be several other talents competing on the card from promotions such as Impact Wrestling, MLW, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and AAA.
The current card for the show is as follows:
Ric Flair’s Last Match: Ric Flair and Andrade El Idolo vs. Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal
IMPACT World Championship Match: Josh Alexander vs. Jacob Fatu
Impact Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace vs. Deonna Purrazzo vs. Rachael Ellering
We have some news to pass along regarding Edge and his status for WWE SummerSlam this weekend.
Initially, it was expected that Edge would make his return to Monday Night RAW on this week’s episode from Madison Square Garden. However, that didn’t happen due to travel plans apparently breaking down.
It’s believed that WWE wanted to bring Edge back this week to set him up for an appearance at SummerSlam this weekend.
Now, Mike Johnson of PWInsider has provided an update on the situation.
Johnson confirmed that both Edge and his wife, WWE Hall Of Famer Beth Phoenix, were slated for RAW this week, but plans changed shortly after news of Vince McMahon’s exit from WWE.
Initial plans did, in fact, have them slated for SummerSlam weekend, but now there’s no word on whether or not that’s still happening or if they’ll hold off on bringing “The Rated-R Superstar” at a later date.
(via WWE)
WWE has been teasing the return of Edge for weeks now with several cryptic vignettes. He hasn’t been seen since being betrayed by his fellow Judgement Day stablemates Finn Balor and Damian Priest last month.
It’s certainly possible that Edge could return this Saturday to get his revenge. The Judgement Day (Balor and Priest) are slated to face off against Dominik Mysterio and Rey Mysterio in a No Disqualification Tag Team match.
This would be the perfect opportunity for Edge to interfere and cost Balor and Preist the match. The Mysterios already picked up a big win over Priest and Balor in tag team action on RAW this week.
Bianca Belair wants to know why most of the celebrities who crossover to WWE are men, and knows a few famous females she’d like to see inside the squared circle.
WWE’s reigning Raw Women’s Champion appeared on New York’s Z100 radio station earlier this week to promote Monday’s Raw from Madison Square Garden.
While speaking about WWWE utilizing celebrities like Bad Bunny, Johnny Knoxville and Logan Paul, The EST said it’s time for a female superstar to follow suit.
“We were just talking about how there’s been a lot of male crossover into WWE on the male side, and when are we going to have a female? Who’s going to be that female that’s going to crossover into WWE and really show up and show out?”
Let’s collab. Let’s make something happen!
When asked which female celebrities she’d like to see cross over to the WWE Universe, Belair has a few people in mind. In particular, she named hip hop megastars Cardi B, Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion.
“Cardi B, Nicki, Meg, whoever wants to come out, I am a huge fan of them. They can come and get in the ring; we can tag team. They can come and perform, bring me out, let me come out to their music, my entrance music. Let’s collab. Let’s make something happen!
Cardi B & Nicki Minaj
WWE has been outspoken about wanting to work with Cardi B again. Her song “Up” served as the official theme song for SummerSlam 2021.
“Being around Snoop Dogg, everyone always called him The Boss,” Banks said.
“At the time, Floyd Mayweather was out there, Nicki Minaj, just all these larger than life characters that were flashy, cocky and flamboyant. That’s who I wanted to be.”
Last Friday, Vince McMahon announced his retirement, bringing an end to his four-decade career as part of WWE.
McMahon’s retirement comes one month after he stepped down as CEO and Chairman of WWE, due to the ongoing investigation against him.
The former Chairman is alleged to have paid over $12 million to multiple women over 16 years in Non-Disclosure Agreements.
The Tribal Chief reacts
Many WWE Superstars personally benefited from pushes by Vince McMahon, but few stars were treated better than Roman Reigns.
Under McMahon, Reigns was pushed heavily as one of the company’s biggest stars, earning a mixed response from fans.
It wouldn’t be until Reigns turned heel in August 2020 that he would win over his critics, and has dominated WWE since then.
While signing autographs following a recent appearance on the Today Show, and was asked for his comments on McMahon’s retirement.
“I just wish him nothing but luck and happiness in the future. It’s been great.”
Roman Reign on Vince McMahon’s retirement.
There’s no word on what McMahon plans on doing with all his newly-acquired free time now that he’s retired.
McMahon’s Future
Vince McMahon may be retired, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be enjoying life away from WWE.
After the two articles from the Wall Street Journal, which made the claims against McMahon, the authors have teased another article coming very soon, and have been speaking to former employees.
McMahon is still under investigation by WWE’s board, who are under investigation themselves over claims they breached their duties to shareholders, by not mentioning the McMahon scandal prior to it going public
CM Punk isn’t expecting much change within WWE despite Vince McMahon’s retirement.
With McMahon stepping down as WWE CEO, and now retiring as the head of creative for the company as well, many are expecting big changes for the promotion moving forward.
However, ex-WWE Champion and current All Elite Wrestling (AEW) World Champion CM Punk doesn’t share those expectations.
“You think because he tweeted that ‘I’m retired’ you think that he’s not going to be hands-on, and he’s not gonna –
“But I don’t think the structure there, I don’t think the – what’s the word I’m looking for? I don’t think the culture there changes. At all. I think it is what it is.”
(Scott Lesh Photography)
CM Punk & WWE
Punk is no stranger to WWE. He signed with the company back in 2005 before eventually departing in 2014. During his time with the company Punk established himself as one of their biggest stars, racking up five World Title runs.
However, his relationship with the company broke down in very ugly fashion in his final months with WWE, eventually leading to Punk walking out and eventually being fired.
Punk ventured into other industries such as mixed martial arts (MMA), acting, and comic book writing during a seven-year hiatus from wrestling. He then helped shake up the professional wrestling world again when he signed with AEW in August of 2021.
After finally winning the AEW World Title from Adam Page at Double Or Nothing this past May, Punk unfortunately suffered an injury that forced him to be shelved for several months.
He’s still officially listed as the AEW World Champion, however, an interim AEW World TItle was implemented, of which Jon Moxley currently holds.
When he’s ready, Punk will likely return to feud with the interim AEW Title holder to unify their belts.
One WWE superstar doesn’t believe “go away heat” is an actual thing.
We’ve heard that term used throughout wrestling circles for many years. There was a time when fans referred to it as “X-Pac heat.”
The idea behind this term is that fans wouldn’t boo a heel for a job well done. Instead, “go away heat” means fans simply think the performer playing the heel isn’t very good at all and fans are booing to get rid of the wrestler.
For a current WWE superstar on the SmackDown roster, this term doesn’t truly exist.
Happy Corbin Slams “Go Away Heat”
(via WWE)
During an appearance on Bleav In Pro Wrestling, Happy Corbin expressed his belief that “go away heat” is a myth.
“That’s a make-believe term. Go-away heat would be silence cause they wouldn’t care; they don’t want to see you. But when my music hits, that’s the difference. People have to sometimes go out there and do something to get booed. The second my music hits, they are booing. That is when you have — that is when people don’t like you. It doesn’t take me punching John Cena in the face and going out and telling the crowd I’m better than John Cena to get booed.”
Happy Corbin on “go away heat”
Corbin went on to discuss the crowd reaction that Theory has been getting.
“It’s a rare trait for guys to go out there and truly want to be booed and hated because it’s 24/7 your life at that point — you are getting it on social media, you’re getting it in arenas, you’re getting it in public,” Corbin said. “Like, it is a lifestyle, and it is hard for a lot of people. For some reason, it doesn’t bother me and it doesn’t seem to bother [Theory].
“I think it’s hilarious that people hate him because the WWE Universe is always begging for new stars, new players, new talent, and this guy came in, and he’s getting a push and they’re like, ‘This — no! This isn’t what I want. I didn’t want this guy. He’s getting pushed too far’… They hate him because he’s exactly what they wanted. They wanted a fresh new star, and Austin Theory is a new star in WWE.”
The new WWE headquarters that’s currently under renovation just took a big step forward.
After decades at the current company headquarters (1241 E. Main Street in Stamford, CT), WWE will relocate to 677 Washington Blvd in downtown Stamford soon. (As of late 2021, the plan was to move in late 2022.)
The new facility is just two miles away.
Reddit user u/BugOperator was in Stamford this week and photographed the WWE logo now appears atop the building at 677 Washington Blvd.
WWE is leasing several floors in the 13-story tower, and will also have a production center in the adjacent seven-story pavilion (per Stamford Advocate).
New WWE HQ
In WWE’s 2020 annual report, the company had this to say about the move:
“Upon completion of our move to the new global headquarters, we expect to sell our owned and operated corporate facility, exit our leased spaces and will evaluate options for our television production studio facilities based on strategic, operating and financial considerations.”
Initial plans for an early-2021 move were delayed in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
(677 Washington Blvd in Stamford, CT. Photo: Stamford Advocate)
The Roast of Ric Flair takes place this Friday night in Nashville, TN. The event kicks off Starrcast V weekend, which culminates Friday night with Ric Flair’s Last Match.
The Roast of Ric Flair streams live on FITE Friday night at 8pm (Eastern).
Order Starrcast V, including The Roast of Ric Flair, Ric Flair’s Last Match and much more ($99.99)
SEScoops correspondents Webmaster Mike and Ella Jay will be in Nashville this weekend covering Starrcast and SummerSlam weekend. Follow SEScoops on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to see all of our on-site coverage.
Flair Wants Vince to Roast Him
In the lead-up to The Roast of Ric Flair, the Nature Boy asks, who better to roast him than longtime friend and former WWE Chairman, Vince McMahon?
In the fallout of McMahon’s retirement from WWE, Flair joked, “I’m trying to get him to come to Nashville now!”
Starrcast organizer Conrad Thompson quickly added, “He’s welcome, we’d love to have him as the special guest enforcer for the main event.”
Flair and Vince’s relationship goes back several decades. They’ve had their ups and downs, but McMahon has been there for Flair through some tough times he’s experienced.
Ric Flair added, “I want him to roast me, he certainly has in real life enough!”
He then impersonated McMahon and joked, “80’s heels don’t draw you stupid SOB Don’t ever bring a lawyer to see me. I don’t like lawyers, who are these two jack-offs?”
Flair added, “I started crying and so did the lawyers!”
Watch Ric Flair joking about Vince McMahon roasting him here:
Roast of Ric Flair Special Guests
Announced guests for The Roast of Ric Flair:
Torrie Wilson – WWE Hall Of Famer
DDP – WWE Hall Of Famer
Eddie George – NFL Hall Of Famer
Vickie Guerrero – AEW Superstar
Tie Domi – NHL Legend
Brian Knobbs – Multi-Time Tag Team Champion
Eric Bischoff – WWE Hall Of Famer
Earl Skakel – Comedian and Host of The Inappropriate Earl Podcast
Tyler Morrison – Comedian and Host of Fight Stories
Dan St. Germain – Comedian and Host of Wrestle Roast
Shuli Egar – Comedian and Host of The Shuli Show
Corey Ryan Forrester – Comedian and Host of Puttin On Airs
Casio Kid – Comedian, Morning DJ Rocket 95.1 and Host of Casio’s Cut
Once again, you can order The Roast of Ric Flairnow at FITE for just $19.99. The event streams this Friday, July 29th at 8pm (Eastern).
Over the past month, a lot has been said about retirements in wrestling.
Last week, Vince McMahon retired, a month after stepping down as CEO and Chairman of WWE due to the ongoing investigation into alleged misconduct with female employees.
This Sunday, Ric Flair will officially retire from wrestling, having his final ever match as part of Starrcast V.
A Happy Plan
WWE Superstar Happy Corbin is several decades younger than either McMahon or Flair, but he too has plans for his retirement.
Speaking with Rick Ucchino, Corbin said that he has already thought about when he will be finishing his time in WWE.
“I want to have another five or ten years here in WWE, but eventually, like all athletes at some point, our body doesn’t keep up with our minds anymore.”
Happy Corbin on when he plans on retiring from wrestling.
Corbin also spoke about what he’ll do after he hangs up his wrestling boots for good, and has some strong connections with the Food Network.
I’ve made some good buddies in the Food Network world. Chef Aaron May is one of my good buddies. He’s always on Guy’s Grocery Games… I definitely want to get into that food world, whether it’s Food Network, or it’s my own YouTube stuff, or, you know, my buddy Aaron does a lot of stuff where he’s a guest, where he’s a celebrity sponsored cook… There’s a lot of really cool opportunities that food will bring when I’m done throwing people like Pat McAfee around in a ring.”
“I definitely want to get into that food world, whether it’s Food Network, or it’s my own YouTube stuff.”
Happy Corbin on plans for after he retires.
Corbin will face Pat McAfee at this Saturday’s Summerslam Premium Live Event.
WWE Summerslam will take place this Saturday, in the first instance of the ‘Biggest Party of the Summer’ not taking place in August.
The show will feature some of WWE’s biggest names, including Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, Becky Lynch, and others.
These Superstars are established names of WWE, recognisable around the world, but WWE is looking for its next breakout stars.
The Tryouts
With one of WWE’s biggest events of the year taking place this Saturday, the promotion has began hosting tryouts for potential future Superstars.
These tryouts will be the first of their kind in the post-Vince McMahon era, after the former WWE CEO and Chairman announced his retirement last Friday.
SEScoops will be on hand this Friday for Day 3 of the WWE Summerslam tryouts. SEScoops correspondent Ella Jay will provide an exclusive look inside the latest WWE Tryout Camp on the SEScoops social media channels.
Updates from the tryouts will be shared on our Twitter and Instagram pages.
The tyrouts also mark the first tryouts that Triple H will be attending since being appointed head of WWE Talent Relations and head of WWE Creative.
The ‘King of Kings’ has been joined by former WWE Champion Big E, who is continuing to recover from a broken neck suffered in March.
Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman is on hand and delivered this impassioned speech to the athletes:
WWE Summerslam takes place this Saturday night from Nashville, TN at Nissan Stadium. Nearly 40,000 fans will be on hand to witness WWE’s first premium live event without Vince McMahon at the helm.
Note: SEScoops will be on hand for this year’s Summerslam weekend. Follow the SEScoops Instagram account so you can follow along with our coverage in the lead-up to SummerSlam, and during SummerSlam/Starrcast weekend.
SEScoops correspondents Andrew Ravens, Jaychele Nicole and Joey G have assembled to provide our official WWE SummerSlam predictions.
Jaychele Nicole: I could see The Mysterios getting their revenge for the beatdown they were subjected to on Monday Night RAW. I could also see The Judgment Day losing after Edge returns and interferes in the matchup. With Edge’s travel to Raw being canceled, I believe he’ll likely show up at SummerSlam. However, I could also see The Judgment Day getting the win because I just believe they are due for a win on a big stage. (Prediction: The Mysterios)
Andrew Ravens: Balor and Priest probably need to go over here to continue their momentum, but booking 101 calls for the father-son duo to go over as they get their revenge, especially since Rey was put through a table on Monday’s Raw. However, Rey does have a storyline injury so he may be the one pinned. I’m siding with the heels here to go over, but I can see it going the other way. (Prediction: Finn Balor & Damian Priest)
Joey G: This match would be harder to pick if they didn’t just run it on monday. Since the Mysterios had their big moment then I believe Balor and Priest get the victory here. Whether this feud continues after this contest is the real question. (Prediction Balor & Priest)
Consensus: Split
Happy Corbin vs. Pat McAfee
Jaychele Nicole: Like Logan Paul, this is another match that was booked to spotlight the newcomer. I always really enjoy Pat McAfee’s matches and I think that he is another natural talent. This match will be another win for Pat, which I believe he is deserving of. Pat is a natural babyface, just like how Corbin is a natural heel. I think that the crowd will react as intended and Pat will once again overdeliver. (Prediction: Pat McAfee)
Joey G: Pat McAfee remains one of WWE’s best signings in the last few years. His charisma is unmatched, and his dedication to wrestling is admirable. Corbin serves as the perfect opponent, because a loss doesn’t hurt. (Prediction: Pat McAfee)
Andrew Ravens: Pat should go over. Corbin, a heel, doesn’t lose any moment with a defeat, and the crowd loves Pat, so it’s a win-win situation. It should be a fun match, and fans will have high expectations for McAfee’s performance in this one following his WrestleMania 38 match. (Prediction: Pat McAfee)
Consensus: Pat McAfee
Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch
Jaychele Nicole: I’m hoping that this match is less than 25 seconds. I know that sounds so incredibly petty, but it would be so memorable and a great callback. I am not expecting that at all, as I think the match will be comparable to their WrestleMania match, but it would be an interesting addition to their long storied history. I don’t see Bianca Belair losing her title here, or at least until the Royal Rumble for that matter. (Prediction: Bianca Belair)
Andrew Ravens: Honestly, this feud is starting to get tiring. It’s a good story, but WWE has gone back to this feud so many times this year, and it’s time for something different. I don’t see Lynch winning because Belair is so over right now with the fans. A great match ending with Belair retaining the title. (Prediction: Bianca Belair)
Joey G: The feud that started one-year ago. Belair may have gotten the title back from Lynch at Mania but the shadow of the 26-second loss at last year’s SummerSlam still hovers above her. This seems like a fitting setting to end this epic feud, and open up a new path for both women. Belair retains and moves on to Ripley. Lynch perhaps gets ready for a returning Bayley or a showdown with Rousey. (Prediction: Bianca Belair)
Consensus: Bianca Belair
United States Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Theory
Andrew Ravens: It doesn’t make much sense for Theory to win the title back just a few weeks after losing it, but crazier things have happened in WWE before, so you can’t rule anything out. Keep Lashley strong with him retaining the title. (Prediction: Bobby Lashley)
Jaychele Nicole: While Theory has the Money In The Bank briefcase, I can’t see him also holding the United States Championship. I also think that there are too many people against Theory that would try to interfere before he could get the win. I think that Theory will be cashing in later on in the night, so this match won’t even really be remembered after that moment. (Prediction; Theory)
Joey G: Don’t know what they have planned for Theory, but ain’t no way he’s sneaking one over the Almighty One. Lashley has gained momentum as a babyface, and a lengthy U.S. title run seems like a safe bet. (Prediction: Bobby Lashley)
Consensus: Bobby Lashley
Logan Paul vs. The Miz
Andrew Ravens: I would be shocked if Paul doesn’t win here. He gets his revenge on Miz for laying him out at WrestleMania, and they move on. It will be interesting to see whether Paul can follow up on his performance from Mania in this match. It also sets the tone for what his future singles matches will look like. (Prediction: Logan Paul)
Jaychele Nicole: I think that this is an easy win for Logan Paul. The Miz is the perfect first singles opponent for Logan Paul as he can take a loss with no problem. I think this will be another good showing for Logan because he is just a natural. I’m most interested in seeing how he works the match as a babyface since his first match was tag team match where he was the heel. (Prediction: Logan Paul)
Consensus: Logan Paul
Undisputed Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. The Street Profits (with Jeff Jarrett as the special guest referee)
Andrew Ravens: It appears WWE is going in the direction of splitting up The Street Profits and strapping a rocket to the back of Montez Ford. They did the cheap finish at Money in the Bank to keep this feud alive, which doesn’t give me any confidence in a title change. (Prediction: The Usos)
Joey G: Usos are one of the best tag teams in WWE’s long history, but the lack of fresh matchups they’ve had over the last two years is starting to weigh their reign down. With me choosing Reigns to retain in the main event it seems like a safe pick to think that the the Usos continue carrying gold as well. (Prediction: The Usos)
Jaychele Nicole: I believe that this is another victory for The Usos. As much as I wish that The Street Profits were winning, this is The Usos match. I don’t see anything changing with the structure of The Bloodline. I would be interested to see the spiral of Roman and The Bloodline if The Usos were to lose the titles here. I think that the match will be good, but I think it’s more likely that Montez Ford will win singles gold before The Street Profits win another tag team championship. (Prediction: The Usos)
Consensus: The Usos
SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan vs. Ronda Rousey
Andrew Ravens: Honestly, this is a pick ’em. The fans were strongly behind Morgan, and WWE went with her because they needed a new top babyface on SmackDown. Rousey will always be booked strongly, so it could go either way if they feel like Rousey needs to be champion again. I think they keep the title on Morgan. (Prediction: Liv Morgan)
Jaychele Nicole: This should is a must win for Liv Morgan. After the way she won the SmackDown Women’s Championship, Liv is in need of a high-profile win Defeating Ronda at SummerSlam would definitely fill that void. Liv really needs this win to add some legitimacy to her title reign. Ronda can take a loss because her character and star power don’t really depend on this match, but for Liv, I think it does. (Prediction: Liv Morgan)
Joey G: Liv got her big moment at Money In The Bank, and has since had a few successful defense on television. However, my guess would be a fresh Rousey takes her title back and holds it until another showdown with Becky Lynch comes up. I hope I’m wrong. (Prediction: Ronda Rousey)
Consensus: Liv Morgan
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar – Last Man Standing Match
Andrew Ravens: WWE needed a big main event, and they returned to this feud. I don’t see a reason for Lesnar going over here, but I do see it as a placeholder for Drew McIntyre to beat Reigns at Clash at the Castle for one of the titles. Lesnar stays strong but loses in the end. Another question is what WWE does with Lesnar next if he’s not in the title picture. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Joey G: Reigns and Lesnar do have chemistry together, but the two have never produced a match as good as their original clash at Mania 31. It also feels super unnecessary to run this back after the two just met at this year’s Mania, but alas plans changed and WWE felt this was their best headliner. Doesn’t feel like the Beast ends the Tribal Chief’s reign. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Jaychele Nicole: I don’t think this match will be any different than their last three or four matches with Reigns coming out as the victor. I feel like Reigns’ “Tribal Chief” character has gotten stale quickly due to the lack of character progression. Since I believe this will be Roman’s match, I hope that they are saving his eventual defeat for a young star who could be sent to the moon by their victory. I also believe that this is Brock’s last match in WWE, which is ironic because he’s likely losing a Last Man Standing match. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
This Saturday will mark WWE’s annual Summerslam Premium Live Event, marking the first time the show has taken place outside the month of August.
The show will feature Superstars from both Raw and SmackDown, including a main event Last Man Standing match between Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar.
Summerslam 2022, the first Premium Live Event of the post-Vince McMahon era will be a huge event, but one match is off the card.
On Twitter, WWE confirmed that Raw Superstar Riddle has been medically disqualified from competing at Summerslam.
WWE explained that due to an attack by Seth Rollins, who Riddle was scheduled to face at Summerslam, the ‘Original Bro’ has suffered a brachial plexus injury, more commonly known to fans as a ‘stinger.’
BREAKING: @WWERollins injured @SuperKingofBros with a vicious attack on #WWERaw that resulted in a brachial plexus injury (a stinger). Riddle is medically disqualified until full strength returns.
Rollins’ attack came during this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw.
WWE has confirmed that the match has been postponed until a later date, but did not disclose a specific date when the two will face off.
The match had been considered a potential show-stealer as both men are very strong workers who have been prominently pushed on WWE programming.
Rollins had this to say about his SummerSlam match being postponed:
For anyone who purchased a ticket to #SummerSlam hoping to see me in action, I apologize. I did everything I could over the last 6 months to earn my spot on this show, but some things are out of my control. Thank you for always singing my song. They’ll hear ya someday.
