Dolph Ziggler says his Money In The Bank Cash in was only made possible because the fans stuck by him even when he was constantly losing.

The Nemeth Brothers were the most recent guests on Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw podcast. They talked about things such as their inspiration to get into wrestling, training under names such as Dusty Rhodes, and more.

JBL who was on commentary for Ziggler’s big moment mentioned how has never experienced anything like that. Dolph explained that before the cash in people had started thinking that he would lose the briefcase:

“The reason that reaction and that moment happened was 100% the fans. Like at the time, I was the guy with the briefcase who always kept trying to cash in—would catch a brogue kick or something in the face.

It got to a point where they thought they were either going to take it off of me or when I came to cash in, that I wasn’t going to get it. I was going to lose the match or something. But the reason the crowds were so great, even leading up to that, was Vince at the time,

He said, ‘Listen, I know you lose a lot’—[I’m like] about 99% of the time—but he goes, ‘I know you lose a lot and now with this briefcase, you’re going to lose even more, and it’s going to be a bigger deal. But the next day after you finally cash this in, everything changes.’ So we did that, kept [losing] more and more.”

• Nic Nemeth Reveals What He Doesn’t Want to see on John Cena WWE Retirement Tour

I’ve Never Heard Anything Like That: Dolph Ziggler

Dolph Ziggler won the Money In The Bank during the namesake PPV in July 2012. He held on to the briefcase for almost 9 months before cashing it in during the April 8, 2013 episode of Raw. He defeated Alberto Del Rio to win his second world title.

Per the former World Champion, he was hoping the crowd would react favourably to him. The people in the arena did not disappoint:

“[I] finally cashed in. I was like, ‘Man, I hope this crowd’s into it. They seem kind of lively and fun.’ I’ll never forget my music hit—it was a two-second delay—and it’s just like prickers all over my body.

I went, ‘Whoa! what’, and I still had to stay focused and be in the moment, walk down there to do it. But I’ve never heard anything like that in person ever.

It was because they stuck by the guy who kept losing and kept failing to cash in. They said, ‘All right, we’re going to help this guy,’ and they did. We got it, and they lost their minds. It was so fun.”

Ziggler also revealed that the original plan was for him to just cash in the briefcase and win at once. He had to convenience Vince McMahon to let the match go a little longer and have several false finishes before he finally defeated Del Rio.

• Nic Nemeth Wants To Defend TNA Title Against Top AEW Star

Dominik Mysterio is rightfully tired of old men with bad hair coming in and trying to steal his much-deserved spotlight in WWE. The Raw star recently talked with Foundation Radio about things such as not wearing a mask like his father, Jey Uso being his next target, and more. Dominik was also asked about his heat with CM Punk and The Rock.

Mysterio first mentioned his history with The Straight Edge Star saying that he would like to get into the ring with Punk now. Coming to The Rock, the former NXT North American Champion expressed that he is tired of the old heads coming back to WWE and thinking they can hang with the young generation:

“Honestly, I’m just tired of these old heads, thinking they can hang and come in here with this younger generation. I don’t even want to speak for everyone else. I’m speaking for just myself. At the end of the day, I’m my own person. I’m the greatest Mysterio of all time.”

• Dirty Dom: Looking Back At Dominik Mysterio’s Most Dastardly Deeds

Best Hair And Best Mustache: Dominik Mysterio

Dominik Mysterio also claimed that people like Punk and The Rock are all mad at him because he has the best hair and Mustache in the business:

“If these old heads want to come in and get it, they all can. CM Punk, The Rock, it doesn’t matter. They’re just mad because they don’t have hair, and I have the best hair and the best mustache.”

Mysterio previously crossed paths with CM Punk way back in 2010. The former world champion was leading the Straight Edge Society at the time and Dominik along with sister Aalyah made an appearance on TV to support their father Rey Mysterio.

• Dominik Mysterio Reveals What Fueled His ‘Bad Guy’ Run

Since Bad Blood, Kevin Owens has attacked Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton, seemingly payback for Rhodes’ willingness to team Roman Reigns at the PLE. The Prizefighter did not appear during the latest episode of WWE SmackDown, but cast doubt on his future via a video shared to social media.

Earlier this week, Owens said he’d been silenced by WWE and gave the company’s higher-ups until SmackDown to share a video, detailing his side of what’s happened. Taking matters into his own hands, Owens has now shared a video on his own X account, in which he claims Randy betrayed him, not the other way around.

“I would have never done that to you [Orton]. I thought what we had was different. I can’t believe you picked Cody Rhodes over me.”

Owens added that between WWE disrespecting him and Orton’s ‘betrayal’ of the former Universal Champion, he doesn’t know “if or when” he’ll return to WWE TV.

WWE has gone a different way with the presentation of this angle, including relying on fans to record and share Owens’ attack on Rhodes. Similarly, the full footage of Owens’ attack on Orton was first shared by Sports Illustrated, which obtained CCTV footage of the attack. Now, it remains to be seen when Owens will be back on WWE programming (if ever,) as the Prizefighter continues to believe he is the victim of these betrayals. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on Kevin Owens, Randy Orton, and the Undisputed WWE Champion.

Cody Rhodes proved once against why he is the face of WWE after the October 18 SmackDown from Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina went off air.

There were two dark matches that took place after the show. The first dark match saw Sami Zayn teaming with The New Day to defeat Pete Dunne and The Judgment Day.

The Undisputed WWE Champion came out for the second dark match. He successfully defended his title against Solo Sikoa in a Columbia Street Fight.

The American Nightmare grabbed the mic after his win but his promo went into an unexpected direction. Rhodes spotted a sign from a cancer survivor in the crowd.

Cody Rhodes then went into the crowd himself to gift his weight belt to the specific fan before he concluded his promo and sent the crowd home happy.

• Cody Rhodes Names One WWE Rule He Never Wants Anyone To Break Except John Cena

What Happened On SmackDown

The former AEW star has distanced himself from The Bloodline drama after his Bad Blood victory. During SmackDown, he cut a promo talking about his upcoming Crown Jewel match with fellow world champion Gunther.

The story of the faction continues in the meantime. This week’s episode of the Blue Branded Show featured an appearance from the Intercontinental Champion Jey Uso.

Uso confronted Solo Sikoa in the opening segment and asked him why he was dividing the family. Though the IC Champion still denied joining forces with Roman Reigns when the two ran into each other backstage later in the night.

Reigns then had another brawl with his cousins in the main event of the show. He even got his hands on the Ula Fala for a short while before the numbers game overwhelmed him. The show once again ended with Solo Sikoa and his partners standing tall.

• Cody Rhodes Shares Five-Year Vision For WrestleMania In The UK

The Motor City Machine Guns have officially arrived in WWE, debuting during the October 18, edition of WWE SmackDown after weeks of vignettes. Now, fans can look forward to seeing Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin in action next week in what will be nothing short of a dream match for fans of tag-team wrestling!

On this week’s SmackDown, MCMG won their debut match against A-Town Down Under and Los Garza, advancing in a tournament to determine the number one contenders for the WWE Tag Team Championships. The show also saw DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tomasso Ciampa) advance in the tournament with a win over Pretty Deadly and the Street Profits. DIY and the Motor City Machine Guns will face off next week with the winners earning a shot against The Bloodline.

DIY and MCMG are two talented teams who both established loyal fanbases on the independents before arriving in WWE. Now, fans will get to see these four talented wrestlers do what they do best with a shot at the WWE Tag Team Titles on the line.

WWE SmackDown – 10/25/2024

Next week’s SmackDown will be the penultimate episode of the blue brand before WWE Crown Jewel on November 2. Here is the confirmed card as it currently stands.

• DIY (Tomasso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano) Vs. Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley (WWE Tag Team Championship No. 1 contenders match)
• World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER will come to SmackDown to come face-to-face with Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes ahead of Crown Jewel.

Stay tuned to SEScoops for full coverage of SmackDown including breaking news and live results.

The Motor City Machine Guns say it’s a dream come true to finally make their WWE debuts after teaming together for almost 2 decades.

The duo had been teased on WWE programming in recent weeks and the company officially announced their signing before this week’s episode of SmackDown.

Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin would go on to make their in-ring debut on the October 18 show and win a triple-threat tag match to put the whole tag division on notice.

The duo appeared on SmackDown LowDown after their big debut and made their first comments. Sabine said that it’s pretty crazy to finally be in this position:

“It’s pretty surreal. I’d like to say it’s a dream come true, but it’s more than that. This is a goal accomplished for us. It might have taken over 20 years to get here, to get to this position, but being one match away from being number one contenders for the WWE Tag Team Championships? That’s pretty crazy. Just saying it out loud kinda blows my mind a little bit,”

• Tommaso Ciampa Reacts To Reports of WWE’s Latest Free Agent Singings

Best Tag Team On The Planet: Motor City Machine Guns

The Motor City Machine Guns defeated both Los Garzas and A-Town Down Under upon their arrival. The win is a step towards winning the Tag Team Championships and the duo will now face DIY in a #1 contenders match next week.

Speaking about their upcoming bout, Alex Shelley claimed that they have come to WWE to prove that they’re the best tag team in the world. The team of Johhny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa are the perfect opponents to do this against:

 “We take things one step at a time, but DIY is exactly why we came to WWE. Exactly why we want to declare ourselves the best tag team on the planet, because we beat all the great tag teams that already exist in the WWE Universe. So I apologize to you in advance DIY, but you’re looking at the next WWE Tag Team Champions.”

Motor City Machine Guns first started teaming together in 2006. They made their TNA debut in April 2007. The duo never looked back after that and they have revolutionized tag team wrestling with their unique style since then.

Since his 2020 transformation into the Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns has called on fans and Superstars alike to acknowledge him with many doing exactly that. On this week’s SmackDown, it was Reigns’ turn to acknowledge somebody else, though things didn’t go well for the Original Tribal Chief.

During the October 18, edition of SmackDown, Reigns and Jimmy Uso shared a backstage segment. Jimmy mentioned that Paul Heyman would likely suggest talking to Jey Uso. Roman, however, promised he would “fix things tonight.” When Jimmy asked how he planned to do that, Roman replied, “I’m going to acknowledge Solo.”

In the show’s closing segment, Reigns came out alone, declaring that the fans would acknowledge him “for the last time.” Solo Sikoa then arrived with The Bloodline and Sikoa demanded that Reigns acknowledge him. Roman, in a rare moment, complied: “I acknowledge you, does that make you feel better?” But Solo wasn’t satisfied. He wanted Roman to acknowledge him as the Tribal Chief.

Solo pressed Reigns to acknowledge him as Tribal Chief, telling him to do it “or else.” As the fans changed “no,” Reigns fired back, stating “or else, what?” Solo laughed, saying neither man has truly changed, before the Bloodline brought out a beaten, limping Jimmy Uso, clearly the victim of a backstage attack.

A brawl broke out and while Reigns tried to fight the Bloodline by himself, the numbers proved to be too much. As SmackDown went off the air, fans chanted “Solo sucks” while Solo Sikoa stood tall, declaring that the ring now belonged to him.

Motor City Machine Guns, Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley, officially signed their WWE contracts Friday afternoon.

The decorated tag team will be on the SmackDown brand, and will make their in-ring debuts in a matter of hours. They’ll face Los Garza and A-Town Down Under tonight in a triple threat match.

Triple H officially welcomed Sabin & Shelley to the WWE family, recognizing their illustrious careers as one of the premiere tag teams over the past twenty years.

SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis knows the MCMG well. They wrestled in Impact Wrestling at the same time, and even competed against each other. Aldis teamed with Lio Rush against the Guns on July 6, 2023.

Each year, WWE adds new inductees into its Hall of Fame, with the annual tradition honoring the very best in the world of wrestling and entertainment. For better or worse, Vince Russo is arguably the most well-known writer in the history of wrestling, but the former WCW World Heavyweight Champion has no plans to be a Hall of Famer.

On his Legion of Raw podcast, Russo discussed WWE’s Hall of Fame and those who want nothing more to be inducted. The 63-year-old on the other hand, shared that he would say no if WWE made an offer to him.

“Bro, I know guys where the most important thing in their lives was getting into the WWE Hall of Fame. I would turn down an invitation. Not that it will ever happen, it won’t, but I would turn down an invitation. That’s me and my freaking opinion, bro.”

Saying No to the Hall of Fame

Russo isn’t the only notable name who’d say no to the WWE Hall of Fame if presented with a potential induction. Last month, Jonathan Coachman shared on Cafe de Rene that he’d turn down the honor if asked, and shared his issues with the current crop of inductees.

“The Hall of Fame is supposed to be the absolute very best at what they do whether it’s a manager, talent, whatever. And that’s not what they do. They check boxes every year so they can have a good show.”

In 2021, WWE released Jeff Hardy after he refused to enter rehab, only to learn that his concerning behavior at a live event was not due to the influence of drugs. When trying to coax Jeff back (an act that’d keep him from AEW,) WWE reportedly offered Jeff a Hall of Fame induction, but he said no.

Becoming a WWE Hall of Famer is a huge deal to many, but not everyone has an acceptance speech prepped in their pocket. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest from Vince Russo, but don’t expect him at a Hall of Fame ceremony anytime soon.

Jesse Ventura’s first assignment as a contracted ‘WWE Legend’ is scheduled for this December. Ventura will appear at Saturday Night’s Main Event (SNME), according to the Wrestling Observer. The event will siumcast live on NBC and Peacock on Saturday, December 14 from the historic Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York.

The upcoming SNME promises a nostalgic atmosphere, highlighted by the use of the classic 1984 hit “Obsession” by Animotion in event advertisements.

With Survivor Series: WarGames on November 30 marking WWE’s final premium live event of 2024, SNME will take center stage as the company’s biggest December showcase. The inclusion of Jesse “The Body” Ventura guarantees that fans are in for something special.

December 14 will be a homecoming for WWE, Saturday Night’s Main Event, and Ventura. The former Minnesota Governor was on commentary with Vince McMahon for the very first SNME, held on May 10, 1985, at the Nassau Coliseum.

• Jesse Ventura Explains Why He Signed a WWE Legends Deal

Cody Rhodes has revealed the one WWE rule that only John Cena is allowed to break.

Vince McMahon was notorious for his weird rules for wrestlers during his reign. This included things like not using certain words such as ‘belt’ and not acknowledging the achievement of talents outside of the WWE bubble.

The new management under Triple H has relaxed a lot of these restrictions. Many current and former talents have praised the Game and his team for these changes, which have allowed talents to feel more relaxed in the company.

During a recent interview with SportBible, Cody Rhodes discussed how he has been allowed to break a lot of rules since he came back to WWE in 2022. The one instruction that still stands firm even for the Undisputed WWE Champion, however, is not to talk into the camera directly:

“When I went away and came back, I was allowed to bring everything back with me, including breaking a lot of the pre-existing rules. We’re out of the frame of looking at monitors sideways now. You know, what’s still a pretty big on-air rule but it’s good for production purposes, is not to talk into the camera.”

• Cody Rhodes Shares Five-Year Vision For WrestleMania In The UK

Until Somebody Beats Him: Cody Rhodes

The American Nightmare mentioned how the only person who is allowed to break this rule is John Cena. The 16-time world champion always acknowledges the cameraman Stu before his run to the ring:

“That’s John’s thing. John looks at the camera and mentions Stu the cameraman, runs to the ring. I don’t want to see anyone, including myself, do it – and I probably have done at some point. But that’s his [thing] and that’s the reason why it’s a rule – until somebody beats him and then it’s his.”

The freedom to break this one rule might be passed down to someone else, as Rhodes suggested, in the upcoming future.

John Cena has announced his retirement tour for 2025. Considering his recent years where Cena has given the rub to many up-and-coming stars, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if the Cenation Leader puts over someone big on his way out.

• Cody Rhodes Expects More ‘Cinematic’ WWE Productions and Storylines

Tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown broadcasts live on at 8/7c on the USA Network from the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.

Two weeks out from Crown Jewel on Saturday, Nov. 2, SmackDown will feature the highly anticipated arrival of the Motor City Machine Guns, the final chapter of Andrade and Carmelo Hayes’ Best of 7 series, plus appearances by Roman Reigns and Randy Orton.

Matches and Segments

• Motor City Machine Guns vs. Los Garza. Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley will make their WWE in-ring debuts after weeks of teaser vignettes hyping their arrival.
• Carmelo Hayes vs. Andrade (Match 7). This final match determine the winner of their intense best-of-seven series.
• Randy Orton is scheduled to appear and will address Kevin Owens’ recent attack.
• Roman Reigns will also be on hand, ensuring more developments in he and Jimmy Uso’s ongoing conflict with The Bloodline.

What Happened Last Week

Last week’s Oct. 11 episode of WWE SmackDown featured several solid matches and developments, including LA Knight successfully defending the U.S. Championship against Carmelo Hayes, with Andrade’s presence teasing a potential future Triple Threat.

Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill defended their tag titles, while Naomi defeated Nia Jax (with help), building more tension between Liv Morgan and Nia ahead of their upcoming showdown. Kevin Owens further solidified his heel turn with multiple ambushes, and Solo Sikoa defeated Jimmy Uso in the main event after Bloodline interference.

Catch up on the Top 10 Moments last week’s SmackDown:

WWE Survivor Series: WarGames Premium Live Event is set to take place next month and a change has been made for the event.

The PLE is schueduled to take place on Saturday, November 30th and WWE’s official events page has listed the start of the show at 2:30pm local time, which would be 5:30pm ET.

It was previously listed as 3:30pm local time. Usually, the listing is 30 minutes ahead of the start of the show and would indicate a 6pm ET start time for WWE Survivor Series: WarGames instead of 7pm.

This marks the second time WWE has changed the start time in months. Earlier this month, WWE Bad Blood PLE’s start time was also changed than what was planned originally. The shift in the start time took place due to a UFC event taking place on the same night.

However, this time around, no UFC event is scheduled for November 30th as of yet. UFC has several shows scheduled for every other Saturday in November, as well as the first two Saturdays in December.

There is currently no explanation for the shift in start time for WWE Survivor Series: WarGames. This will mark the third Survivor Series to take place in Canada, after 1997 in Montreal and 2016 in Toronto. However, this will be the first to be held in Vancouver.

Ahead of that show, WWE is set to host WWE Crown Jewel on November 2nd at the Mohammed Abdo Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Keep an eye on SEScoops for the latest updates on pro wrestling and you can also visit our partner site MMANews.com for more UFC news.

TNA Wrestling’s biggest event of the year, TNA Bound For Glory 2024, is set to take place on October 26, 2024, at the Wayne State University Fieldhouse in Detroit, Michigan. 

As the anticipation builds for this monumental pay-per-view, let’s dive into the exciting match card that promises to deliver an unforgettable night of professional wrestling action.

Read More – TNA Bound For Glory 2024 Tickets: Availability, price and more

Main Event: TNA World Championship Match

The main event of the evening will see TNA World Champion Nic Nemeth defending his title against the determined challenger, Joe Hendry. This highly anticipated clash came to fruition after Hendry defeated Josh Alexander at Victory Road and subsequently overcame Frankie Kazarian in a number one contender’s match. 

With both competitors at the top of their game, this championship bout is sure to be a thrilling conclusion to the night’s festivities.

TNA Tag Team Championship: Full Metal Mayhem

In what promises to be a chaotic and high-flying affair, the TNA Tag Team Championships will be defended in a Full Metal Mayhem match.

The current champions, The System (Brian Myers and Eddie Edwards), will face off against two formidable teams: The Hardys (Jeff and Matt Hardy) and ABC (Ace Austin and Chris Bey). 

Monster’s Ball: TNA Digital Media Championship & International Heavyweight Championship

In a unique twist, PCO will put both the TNA Digital Media Championship and the International Heavyweight Championship on the line against Matt Cardona in a Monster’s Ball match at TNA Bound for Glory 2024.

This hardcore-style contest was set up after weeks of tension between the two competitors, with TNA management finally stepping in to settle their differences in this brutal encounter.

TNA Knockouts World Championship Match

The women’s division takes center stage at TNA Bound for Glory as Jordynne Grace defends her TNA Knockouts World Championship against the dangerous Masha Slamovich. 

This match is a rematch from two years ago when Grace defeated Slamovich at Bound For Glory 2022, ending the latter’s undefeated streak. Now, with both wrestlers having evolved their styles, this contest promises to be even more intense than their previous encounter.

Moose vs. Mike Santana

In a clash of contrasting styles, the powerhouse Moose will go one-on-one with the technical prowess of Mike Santana. This match stems from ongoing tensions between the two competitors and could potentially steal the show with its blend of power and agility.

X-Division Showcase: El Hijo del Vikingo vs. “Speedball” Mike Bailey

Adding to the already stacked card, TNA has announced an exciting X-Division match featuring the high-flying El Hijo del Vikingo taking on the dynamic “Speedball” Mike Bailey. This contest is sure to feature breath-taking aerial maneuvers and lightning-fast action, showcasing the best of TNA’s X-Division.

Full Card

Here is the full card for the event as currently confirmed by TNA:

• TNA World Heavyweight Championship Match: Nic Nemeth vs. Joe Hendry – Special Guest Referee: Frankie Kazarian
• TNA Tag Team Championship Full Metal Mayhem Match: The System vs. The Hardys vs. ABC
• TNA Digital Media Championship & International Heavyweight Championship Monsters Ball Match: PCO vs. Matt Cardona
• TNA Knockouts Championship Match: Jordynne Grace vs. Masha Slamovich
• TNA X-Division Championship Match: Mike Bailey vs. El Hijo Del Vikingo
• TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship Match: Spitfire vs. Wendy Choo & Rosemary
• Mike Santana vs. Moose
• Josh Alexander vs. Steve Maclin

TNA Wrestling’s biggest event of the year, Bound For Glory 2024, is set to electrify Detroit, Michigan on Saturday, October 26, 2024. This highly anticipated pay-per-view will take place at the Wayne State University Fieldhouse, promising an unforgettable night of high-flying action and culminations to intense rivalries. 

If you’re eager to witness this spectacular event in person, here’s everything you need to know about ticket availability, pricing, and more.

TNA Bound for Glory 2024 Ticket Release Dates

TNA Wrestling has announced two important dates for ticket sales:

• TNA+ Subscriber Pre-sale: Thursday, August 22, 2024
• General Public On-sale: Friday, August 23, 2024 at 10:00 AM ET

TNA+ subscribers will have the advantage of early access to tickets, so if you’re a die-hard fan, consider subscribing to secure your seats before the general public.

Where to Purchase Tickets

Tickets for TNA Bound For Glory 2024 will be available through the following channels:

• Etix.com: The official ticketing partner for the event
• Ticketmaster.com: An alternative platform for purchasing tickets

It’s always recommended to create accounts on these platforms before the on-sale date to streamline your purchasing process.

Ticket Pricing

While exact pricing details are still to be confirmed, here’s what we know so far:

• Starting Price: Tickets are expected to start from $60.00 USD
• VIP Packages: Special packages like the “Suplex Second Row” are priced at $499.00

Keep in mind that prices may vary depending on seating location and package options.

Seating Options

The Wayne State University Fieldhouse offers various seating options to cater to different preferences and budgets. When purchasing your tickets, you’ll be able to select from:

• Floor seating
• Lower bowl
• Upper bowl
• VIP sections

A detailed seating chart will be available on the ticketing platforms to help you choose the best spot for your TNA Bound For Glory 2024 experience.

Additional Information

• Parking: Information on parking at Wayne State University Fieldhouse will be provided closer to the event date
• Accessibility: The venue offers accessible seating options; contact the box office for specific requirements
• Age Restrictions: While TNA events are generally family-friendly, parental guidance is advised

Karrion Kross says there was zero heat between him and Bobby Lashley leading up to their Philadelphia Street Fight at WrestleMania 40.

The former NXT Champion competed in his first-ever WrestleMania match this year. He led The Final Testament against Bobby Lashley’s The Pride. The two teams had a short but eventful match with The Pride coming out victorious.

During a recent appearance on Chris Van Vliet’s Insight podcast, Kross told the truth about his supposed heat with the former WWE Champion leading up to their Mania match. He said that he hates to break the kayfabe but he loves and respects Lashley:

“Zero [heat], it was a work. He knows I feel this way about him. It’s not the first time I’m saying it. And unless you would have asked me about this, I would have never said it. I love that dude to death.

After the match, I wanted to tell him afterwards so he didn’t think I was trying to butter him up before we went out. I told him after the match was done, expressed how much I love him.”

Karrion Kross explained that he was an ECW fan growing up and was super excited when WWE brought it back in 2006. The period of Bobby Lashley as the ECW Champion was especially his favorite because he loved seeing an athlete the size of The All Mighty doing all sorts of crazy things.

• Karrion Kross Shares Violent Vision for WWE’s Next Championship

Bobby Lashley’s Crazy Idea

Continuing on the build for their WrestleMania match, Kross revealed that Lashley wanted them to lean into the rumors. The former TNA champion had even suggested a shoot fight before the show to make their match feel more organic:

“Bob was like, ‘You know what we should do? All these guys, they like to talk and they like to run to the dirt sheets and stuff. Dude, we should fight at the beginning of the show. We should get in a fight because all these guys are going to go and call the dirt sheets and tell them that we actually had a fight, and it’s going to stir people up into what we’re doing on TV.’ I was like, ‘Bob, what? Hold on a sec. First of all, what happens if nobody breaks up the fight?’ And he was like, ‘damn, I didn’t think about that.'”

It wasn’t only Lashley who had crazy ideas to make their match as big as possible. Kross revealed during the same interview that he had some pretty out-of-the-box ideas for weapons he could have used during the bout.

Bobby Lashley’s WWE run unfortunately did not last very long after this bout. The company decided not to renew his contract and Lashley departed the promotion in August this year. Though reports suggest that he has already found a new home and is expected to make his debut there very soon.

• Karrion Kross: “I’m Here To Kill The Old To Make Way For The New

WWE and Netflix are stepping in the ring together to debut a brand-new behind-the-scenes documentary. WWE President Nick Khan shared the news during the University of Southern California Next Level Sports conference.

A statement from Bloomberg reads:

World Wrestling Entertainment Inc., part of TKO Group Holdings Inc., is set to debut a behind-the-scenes documentary series on Netflix Inc., WWE President Nick Khan announced on Thursday.

The new series is part of WWE’s expanding partnership with Netflix, Khan told the University of Southern California Next Level Sports conference in Inglewood, California. Earlier this year, the two companies signed a $5 billion, 10-year deal that will bring WWE’s flagship program, Raw, to the streaming service in 2025.

Netflix has already forayed into the world of professional wrestling with its six-part Mr. McMahon docuseries premiering on the streaming juggernaut last month. While critics have questioned the lack of new insight, the series has proven to be popular and remained in Netflix’s top 10-viewed programs during its first two weeks.

WWE will begin hosting Monday Night Raw on Netflix this coming January with a PLE-worthy show set to kick off this new era of the red brand. Fans outside the U.S. will also receive WWE SmackDown and WWE NXT as well as Premium Live Events. Netflix already hosted the Bad Blood 2024 PLE in Brazil in a taste of what fans outside the U.S. can come to expect very soon.

The Netflix partnership marks a huge future for WWE with its ten-year deal valued at a reported $5 billion. Soon, fans will get the chance to see much more of WWE, both the on-screen product and work from behind the scenes, on the streaming service.

Kurt Angle has paid tribute to late One Direction Member and his former opponent Liam Payne after his passing earlier this week.

The English singer passed away on 16 October after falling from the third-floor balcony at the CasaSur hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The 31-year-old was a long-time wrestling fan and even wrestled a match against the Olympic Gold Medalist back in 2013 to promote One Direction’s Midnight Memories album.

The former world champion posted a short clip of their match where Liam wrestled under a mask and full-body suit. Kurt Angle said that it was an honor to step in the ring with the late star:

• Kurt Angle “Wasn’t Appreciated” In WWE Return Due To TNA Run

Liam Payne had made multiple appearances on The X Factor early in his music career. He auditioned at the age of 14 for the Fifth series of the show and made it past the first round before being cut at the Boot Camp stage.

The English star would return during the Seventh series of the show where he was later put together with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik, officially forming the famed band.

Simon Cowell’s Syco Entertainment signed the group after their appearance on the reality show and they started breaking records with their very first album.

The wrestling match between Liam and Angle took place during the band’s 1D Day live stream which featured the band members taking part in various performances, interviews and more.

• Kurt Angle Opens Up About Passing Of His Sister

WWE NXT star Lola Vice has expressed her desire for the company to bring back a unique match concept. During an appearance on The Wayne Ayers Podcast, Vice revealed that she wants to compete in the Fight Pit match, a stipulation introduced in 2020 but last held in 2022.

“I would want to be in the first-ever women’s Fight Pit match. That’s on my bucket list.”

– Lola Vice

Vice’s Opponent Wish List

Vice also named several potential opponents she’d like to face in the Fight Pit, including Jaida Parker, Stephanie Vaquer, and Giulia. Vice recently competed on the October 15 edition of WWE NXT, where she suffered a loss to Nikkita Lyons.

The Fight Pit match has only taken place three times in WWE history. The inaugural match featured Timothy Thatcher against Matt Riddle on an episode of NXT. Thatcher returned for a second Fight Pit match, this time against Tommaso Ciampa, also on NXT.

The third and most recent Fight Pit occurred at Extreme Rules 2022, with Riddle facing Seth Rollins. UFC legend Daniel Cormier served as the special guest referee for that match.

CM Punk has lined up his next Hollywood project, starring in the upcoming horror film Night Patrol. Punk is set to play a key role in the movie, which is expected to be released in 2025.

The indie horror feature will star Justin Long, Jermaine Fowler, and RJ Cyler. It is directed and co-written by Ryan Prows. David S. Goyer and Keith Levine will produce the film alongside Josh Goldbloom, who is known for his work on the recent V/H/S horror entries. James Harris and Mark Lane of Tea Shop Films also produce the project.

The cast includes Dermot Mulroney, Freddie Gibbs, YG, Flying Lotus, Jon Oswald, and Nicki Micheaux. Prows co-wrote the script with Shaye Ogbonna, Tim Cairo, and Jake Gibson, who previously collaborated on Prows’ directorial debut, Lowlife, which was released by IFC Midnight in 2018.

The Plot

Night Patrol centers on an LAPD officer (played by Jermaine Fowler), who must put aside his differences with the area’s street gangs when he discovers a local police task force is hiding a horrific secret that threatens the residents of the housing projects where he grew up.

In addition to Punk, the film features a strong supporting cast, including Fowler, known for his excellent performances. The executive producers of Night Patrol are Matthew Helderman, Luke Taylor, and Grady Craig.

CM Punk’s previous acting credits include Rabid and Girl on the Third Floor in 2019 and Jakob’s Wife two years later. He has also appeared in the TV series Heels and Mayans M.C.

At WWE’s recent live event in Manchester, England, interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall surprised fans in his hometown. Aspinall appeared in the ring with Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER, and fans could be seeing much more of him in the squared circle.

Speaking to The Sun after his appearance in Manchester’s Co-Op Arena, Aspinall shared plans for a future in WWE after he finishes in MMA.

“When I have retired from MMA, I’m switching over to WWE. And I’m going to be the WWE Heavyweight Champ.”

There’s no shortage of huge names who have transitioned from the Octagon to the ring, with Brock Lesnar, Matt Riddle, and Ronda Rousey finding great success in WWE post-MMA. In May of this year, Derrick Lewis shared that he was “in talks” with WWE, though the fighter has yet to appear for the promotion.

With WWE and UFC coming together under the TKO umbrella in September 2023, the crossover potential between the two parties has already played out on-screen. This partnership hasn’t just seen talent from either side crossover, but resulted in WWE NXT Battleground taking place inside the UFC Apex in June 2024. While Aspinall’s focus at this time remains on Jon Jones and a Heavyweight Championship unification fight, don’t be surprised if fans see much more of Tom Aspinall in a WWE ring.

Karrion Kross has revealed that he had many crazy ideas for his WrestleMania 40 street fight which ended up getting shot down by creative.

The former NXT Champion recently had an interview with Chris Van Vliet. He talked about things such as where he takes inspiration for his character, doing a Jesse Ventura impression in front of the Hall of Famer himself and more.

When the topic of his Philadelphia Street Fight at the Shows of Shows this year came up, Kross revealed that he wanted to pay tribute to ECW with his bout:

“I had a list of insane weapons that I wish got approved for that match. It was Philly, I was in love with ECW, Heyman got inducted into the Hall of Fame. I had all kinds of crazy stuff.”

• Karrion Kross: “I’m Here To Kill The Old To Make Way For The New

That Would Have Been Great: Karrion Kross

Karrion Kross had all kind of out of the box ideas for things he could have brought out as a weapon, including the head of Al Snow:

“One of the weapons on the list was Al Snow’s head. I would have loved to have hit Snoop Dogg right in the head with head. That would have been my move. I would have done a flying tope out of the ring flying at Snoop Dogg over the table to hit him. That would have been great.”

The WWE star revealed that Bobby Lashley was right there with him in trying to make the match as big as possible. The former WWE champion had even pitched spots where Kross would powerbomb him from the ring through a table set up outside.

Karrion Kross led The Final Testament in a match against Bobby Lashley’s The Pride at WrestleMania 40. Bubba Ray Dudley was the special guest referee for the bout but they ended up getting only 8 minutes for this match.

• Karrion Kross Shares Violent Vision for WWE’s Next Championship

Bret Hart would have loved to face Rey Mysterio in a match.

The wrestling legend recently had an interview with Casual Conversations With The Classic. He talked about things such as punching Vince McMahon after the Montreal Screwjob, his first world title win in WWE, and more.

During the conversation, Bret was asked which current WWE superstars he would have liked to face in a match. While many would have expected him to name a raising star like Gunther, the WWE Hall of Famer went the other route and named a fellow legend who he never got to share the ring with.

“If I could pick one guy it would be Rey Mysterio. I always forget Rey Mysterio but I think Rey Mysterio is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.

He’s right up there [in the conversation for] the best there is, best there was, best there ever will be. He’s really good. He’s really special. Nobody can do what Rey Mysterio does.”

• Bret Hart – The Kliq Killed Wrestling With MSG Curtain Call

Still Wasn’t As Good: Bret Hart

Bret Hart also talked about the recent rivalry between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre. The two paid tribute to Hart’s classic encounter with Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13 during their SummerSlam match. When asked about it, Bret said that he took it as a node of respect:

“Yeah, I did notice it. I thought it was…I always take those as a sort of a node of respect. so I like it and appreciate it but it still wasn’t as good as my Austin match.”

The Canadian wrestling veteran defeated Steve Austin in a No Disqualification submission match at the Show of Shows in 1997. In the interview, Hart claimed that it is his favorite match ever because there was no wasted spot in it.

• Bret Hart Honors Leo Burke, Credits Him For Famous WWE Finish

Bret Hart has told the full story about the night he punched Vince McMahon.

The incident in question happened right after the infamous Montreal Screwjob. The legend goes that Vince had hidden in his office after the show and he only came out to apologize to Hart after being propped up by The Undertaker.

The popular version of the tale is that Bret warned McMahon about leaving and punched him when he didn’t. However, there were more than a dozen wrestlers in the room at the time and everyone has a different recollection of events.

The Canadian Wrestling Legend cleared up the rumors of what actually happened during an interview with Casual Conversations with The Classic. He explained that Vince was actually trying to set him up to look good in front of the boys:

“I’ll tell you the truth: it was one punch, and it was a good punch. You had to kind of be in my shoes. I know this is hard to explain in a short couple of seconds, but I was actually being set up by Vince McMahon. He was kind of calling my bluff. He was trying to instigate a tussle or something. Cause he thought that’s how it looked best for him.

I could feel it happening. It’s like ‘This guy’s trying to start a fight with me in the dressing room and wants to sort of stand up to me in front of all the wrestlers and prove that he’s some kind of tough guy’—or I don’t know what it was. But I remember that I got madder and madder. I remember we kind of confronted each other. It wasn’t like Vince walked up to me, and I just drilled him in the head—you know, it was like that never happened.”

• Bret Hart – The Kliq Killed Wrestling With MSG Curtain Call

Sweetest Thing I Ever Did: Bret Hart

Bret Hart claimed that he didn’t want Vince to feel like he had won. Given the circumstances, he chose to drill the former WWE owner with an uppercut and the boss was knocked out cold from it:

“He came at me, and we really tied up like a pro wrestling match. If you were in the room, there was about 30 people—they were all gonna jump on us and pull us apart, just the way Vince wanted. I remember thinking, ‘I can’t have that happen.’ I’ve got to knock him out.

I remember if I had gone with a right-hand punch, they would have hooked my arm and that would be the end of it. We’d never hear anything good about that day. I decided to go for an uppercut. I came right between our arms, and I literally, honest to God, I’m not exaggerating—I lifted him about a foot off the ground, knocked him completely out cold, like a starfish.

His legs and his arms and everything were out like that. He was out cold for about 5 minutes. We all just stood around looking at him. I remember I broke my hand, but it was the sweetest thing I ever did, and I wouldn’t change any of it.”

Bret Hart would depart WWE for WCW after that night. He later returned to the company in 2006 for a Hall of Fame induction and he also wrestled a few matches in 2010 and 2011.

• Bret Hart Honors Leo Burke, Credits Him For Famous WWE Finish

Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, World Heavyweight Champion Gunther, and UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall all got to share the same stage at the most recent WWE Live Event.

WWE has been on a UK tour and their latest live event came from Manchester England. The American Nightmare came out during a segment in the show and stated that he had something to say.

Rhodes would then bring out Aspinall who hails from Manchester itself. Before they could continue however, Gunther interrupted the duo and we had the rare sight of seeing all three world champions under the TKO umbrella in one ring.

The trio would talk about the Crown Jewel PPV on November 2 before Chad Gable interrupted their segment and challenged the Ring General for a world heavyweight championship match.

As expected, Gunther would go on to beat the former Alpha Academy leader with a powerbomb in the match that took place right before the intermission.

• Cody Rhodes Shares Five-Year Vision For WrestleMania In The UK

Cody Rhodes Defeats Solo Sikoa

Cody Rhodes would have a title defense of his own against Solo Sikoa later in the main event. He took several crazy bumps during this cage match but ultimately retained his title against The Bloodline leader.

WWE has announced that Gunther and Cody Rhodes would be facing each other in a champion vs. champion match at the upcoming Saudi PPV.

Women’s Champions Nia Jax and Liv Morgan will also be going up against each other on the same show with the winner of these matches receiving the ‘Crown Jewel Championship’ as reward.

• How WWE Can Make The Crown Jewel Championship Matter