The WWE Hall of Fame has inducted a few stables into their halls of history. It seems only natural that the Wyatt Family will eventually receive that honor, but Erick Rowan believes it is too early for that.

The 2024 WWE Hall of Fame is set to include Paul Heyman, Bull Nakano, The U.S. Express (Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda), Muhammad Ali, and Thunderbolt Patterson. Lia Maivia is also expected as an inductee this year, but Bray Wyatt is still absent, along with the Wyatt Family.

Bray Wyatt’s Legacy

Since Bray Wyatt’s passing last year, the WWE Universe has urged the company to acknowledge The Wyatt Family. Now, Erick Rowan, one of the group’s members, has addressed the rumors and speculation.

It was thought that Wyatt would be a likely lock for this year’s WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. At this time, he has not had his name called. One would argue that Wyatt deserves three inductions, one for himself, with The Wyatt Family, and another as The Fiend, because that character broke out of the pro wrestling bubble as well.

Led by The Eater of Worlds, The Wyatt Family engaged in battles against notable opponents like The Shield and John Cena, etching a significant legacy in WWE. Despite fans and his peers advocating for Wyatt or the group’s Hall of Fame induction this year, it seems unlikely to happen this time.

During an interview with Counted Out, the former SmackDown Tag Team Champion commented on the fan-driven campaign, noting that it reflects the impact Wyatt and Harper had on people’s lives.

“I wouldn’t even begin to think about it [who would induct us]. It’s so soon since everything, with the passings and to even think about something like that, is just ridiculous to me, but I’m holding a tiny microphone talking to you about this, I feel ridiculous in that sense as well. So it’s just not something that really crossed my mind.”

2024 WWE Hall of Fame

On March 4, 2024, Paul Heyman was revealed as the inaugural inductee. Heyman had previously declined WWE’s proposal due to his active wrestling career but accepted the honor in 2024 due to WrestleMania’s location in Philadelphia.

The following day, Triple H announced Bull Nakano as the second inductee. Then, on March 8, The U.S. Express (Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda) were named as the next inductees, and on March 11, Muhammad Ali was announced as an inductee into the Celebrity Wing. Finally, on March 13, Thunderbolt Patterson was revealed as the fifth inductee.

The Rock is expected to have a hand in his grandmother, Lia Maivia, receiving an induction this year as well. As of this writing, Maivia has not been officially announced.

It only makes sense that Bray Wyatt will receive a WWE Hall of Fame induction, and quite possibly the Wyatt Family as well, but they may have to wait. Bray Wyatt’s upcoming documentary, Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal, will drop on April 1st. We will have full coverage of the program here at SEScoops.

Bray Wyatt does not appear to be happy with a recent article on WWE.com. The website posted a piece on the 10 Best Factions in WWE history. While it is not clear what criteria the ranking system was working with, Wyatt seems upset his Wyatt Family didn’t make the list.

https://twitter.com/WWEBrayWyatt/status/1037646305378684928

WWE.com ranked the best factions in WWE history as:

10. Undisputed Era
9. Freebirds
8. Nexus
7. Hart Foundation
6. The New Day
5. Evolution
4. nWo
3. DX
2. Four Horsemen
1. Shield

What’s Next For Bray Wyatt?

Bray Wyatt’s next steps are somewhat in limbo at the moment. The former WWE Champion was part of a tag-team with Matt Hardy but with injuries to Hardy, Wyatt is in need of a new direction.

Two days ago Wyatt shared a similarly cryptic Tweet.

https://twitter.com/WWEBrayWyatt/status/1037167553074868224

A noted Oakland Raiders fan, Wyatt was also notably upset the team traded Khalil Mack recently.

https://twitter.com/WWEBrayWyatt/status/1035877601867431936

Wyatt Family

The Wyatt Family stable first debuted on WWE programming in Florida Championship Wrestling in 2012. They would continue the gimmick in NXT the following year. The other members of the stable have all been successful in 2018. Braun Strowman is the current Money in the Bank briefcase holder and has been in the main event picture on Raw all year.

Harper and Rowen have re-branded as the Bludgeon Brothers and held the Smackdown tag-team championships up until dropping the belts to the New Day recently.

Luke Harper was a guest recently on Edge and Christian’s podcast. Edge mentioned that Harper can play many different roles in WWE, including wrestling in main events. Harper mentioned he just tries to make whatever he is given the best it can be.

“I’ve tried to make it a thing where somebody in WWE wants me or needs me there,” Harper said. “If I do my job well then that becomes a thing and I just try to make it a reality, I guess. I’m just trying to not get released, you know?”

Luke Harper Compares Sanity to the Wyatt Family

Harper continued to talk about the Smackdown tag-team division. The Usos were mentioned specifically as a team who have tweaked their characters and taken their game to a new level.

Edge would later talk about how the Bludgeon Brothers are a tweaked version of the previous version of their team.

“Every team has its own thing going,” Harper said of the Smackdown tag division.  “Nobody’s much alike at all… except Sanity is kind of like the Wyatt Family but we’ll just keep that to ourselves.”

After making the joke, Harper would continue to say he has nothing against the faction. He mentioned he worked with Eric Young on the indies.

“I worked with Eric on the indies a couple times and had some of my best matches,” he said. “For him to come back around now in 2018, it’s exciting for me to think about that too.”

WWE Smackdown (11/29)

This week’s episode of Smackdown kicked off with Renee Young in the ring. Alexa Bliss and Becky Lynch joined her in the ring for a contract signing for their Smackdown Women’s Championship match this Sunday at WWE TLC. Alexa Bliss told Renee Young to get out of the ring. Bliss also scolded Renee for her fashion choices. Becky Lynch then compared Alexa to her four year old cousin. Bliss continued to insult Becky Lynch and they both signed the contract. After they both signed it, they brawled in the ring. Lynch hit the Becksplex on Alexa Bliss. Alexa then fought back and shoved Becky through a table off of the turnbuckle.

Reaction: I thought this promo was really good. Becky Lynch can be a bit of adventure on the microphone but tonight she did a good job. Alexa Bliss is excellent on the microphone and her facial expressions are hilarious. I find this feud to be much more interesting than the one between Charlotte and Sasha Banks on Raw.

.@AlexaBliss_WWE blocks @BeckyLynchWWE's #Bexploder, and sends the Champ crashing through the table! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/gbOh4XYeVU

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

Dolph Ziggler & Kalisto vs Baron Corbin & The Miz

Corbin dominated the match early and threw Ziggler out of the ring. The Miz was then tagged in and he immediately grabbed a ladder from under the ring. Ziggler got up and connected with a DDT on The Miz outside the ring. Ziggler then hit Corbin with a Superkick. Back in the ring, Ziggler tagged in Kalisto. The Miz hit Kalisto with a boot to the face and dove outside the ring onto Ziggler. Miz then launched Ziggler into the barricade surroinding the ring.

Kalisto then dove onto Corbin outside the ring. Ziggler hit a Superkick on The Miz as he was lying on the ring apron. Maryse shoved the ladder into Ziggler’s face. Kalisto landed the Salida del Sol on The Miz in the ring. Before the referee could count to three, Baron Corbin nailed Kalisto in the back with a chair. The referee then disqualified The Miz and Baron Corbin.

Winners via DQ: Dolph Ziggler & Kalisto

Reaction: This was a quick match but it served a purpose. Ziggler will be facing The Miz in a ladder match for the IC Title on Sunday. Corbin will be squaring off with Kalisto in a chairs match at TLC. Both the ladder and a chair came into play during this match. I like it when things make sense, don’t you?

.@BaronCorbinWWE, you can't do that until Sunday at #WWETLC! @HEELZiggler & @KalistoWWE win by DQ! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/IDPvwvv19j

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

American Alpha were interviewed backstage about their match tonight versus Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton. Gable and Jordan stated that they will prove again tonight why they are the best team in the WWE.

Bray Wyatt, Randy Orton and Luke Harper were then shown backstage. Orton interrupted Wyatt and questioned Luke Harper. Orton asked Harper if he was going to do what needs to be done tonight against Kane. Harper looked aggravated and Wyatt instructed Harper to go send Kane back to hell. There is obviously some friction between Harper and Orton. I do not believe that Harper is completely sold on Orton joining the Wyatt Family.

"Harper … go send @KaneWWE back to HELL!" – @WWEBrayWyatt #SDLive #WyattFamily pic.twitter.com/GLnJn5MvrR

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

Carmella came down to the ring for a match but that never happened. Carmella gave a special message to John Cena. Carmella apologized for what she will do to his girlfriend, Nikki Bella at TLC. Carmella claimed that she was going to rearranged Nikki’s “Bella twins” and her face as well. Nikki Bella came sprinting from backstage and attacked Carmella. The referee seperated them and that allowed Carmella to haul off and slap Nikki in the face. Nikki then got up and continued the assault on Carmella.

"@JohnCena, I want to publicly apologize for what I'm going to do to your girlfriend [at #WWETLC]." – @CarmellaWWE #SDLive pic.twitter.com/lNqKBBw8PB

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

Ambrose Asylum w/ Dean Ambrose

Dean Ambrose introduced James Ellsworth as his first guest on the Ambrose Asylum. An “Ellsworth!” chant broke out amongst the crowd. Ambrose poked fun at Ellsworth’s old wrestling boots. Ellsworth thanked Ambrose for helping him become an official WWE Superstar. Ellsworth stated that if Ambrose ever needed anything he would do it. Ambrose asked Ellsworth to wash his car, do his laundry and pick him up a six-pack and some candy for later.

Ambrose asked Ellsworth who he will be rooting for this Sunday at TLC. Ellsworth stated that it would be an honor to wrestle Dean Ambrose for the WWE World Championship. AJ Styles interrupted the party and stood on the announce table. Styles poked fun at Ellsworth and called him a dummy. Ambrose stated that Styles had then lost to a dummy three times.

Styles got in the ring and claimed that he was tired of Ambrose making him out to be a joke. Styles demanded respect and claimed that he was going to beat the hell out of Ambrose at TLC. Styles dared Ellsworth to show up during his match againt Ambrose at TLC. Ambrose claimed that Styles was weak mentally. Ambrose stated that this Sunday the fun and games were over. Ambrose went on to state that he will recapture the WWE World Championship at TLC.

Styles pushed Ellsworth into Ambrose who fell into a ladder. AJ then whipped Ellsworth into a table and smashed Dean Ambrose with the steel steps. Styles returned to the ring and beatdown Ellsworth. Styles hit Ellsworth with a ladder and then tossed him out of the ring. Ellsworth’s feet got caught up in the bottom rope and Styles hit him with a steel chair. AJ then hit the Styles Clash on Ellsworth off of the steps onto the floor outside the ring.

Reaction: Finally, Styles got the upper hand on Ellsworth and Ambrose. I find Ellsworth to be very entertaining but I’m not really interested in seeing him in the WWE World Championship picture. Having said that, this was a very good promo. There has only been one match in the first hour and fifteen minutes of tonight’s Smackdown. Usually that would annoy me but tonight’s promos have all ended in brawls.

"@AJStylesOrg has just delivered the MOTHER OF ALL #StylesClashes to @RealEllsworth!" – @MauroRanallo#SDLive #WWETLC pic.twitter.com/KKihIY7zO4

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

Luke Harper vs Kane

Kane and Harper tied up to begin the match. Kane shoved Harper down and Harper got back up and they locked up again. Harper bounced off of the ropes and hit a couple of shoulder blocks but Kane was not phased. Kane then leveled Harper. Luke Harper got back up and hit Kane with a series of uppercuts. Kane once again shrugged them off and came right back at Harper. Smackdown went to a commercial break with Luke Harper outside the ring with a shocked look on his face.

When Smackdown returned, Harper was in control of the match and had a Chinlock applied to Kane in the center of the ring. Kane battled out of the Chinlock and hit a Jawbreaker. Kane went for a Chokeslam but Harper blocked it and kicked Kane in the head. Harper went for a pinfall but Kane kicked out at two. Kane fought back and connected with a DDT on Harper. Kane followed it up with a Sidewalk Slam and went for a pin but Harper kicked out. Harper battled back and hit Kane with a Dropkick to the ribs. Kane was affected and hunched over in the corner. Harper leaped on him twice and connected with a couple of shots to the ribs. Harper then then climbed to the second turnbuckle and hit Kane with a couple of punches.

Kane fought out of the corner by hitting a Powerbomb on Harper. Kane once again went for the Chokeslam but Harper grabbed the rope. Harper connected with a Sidewalk Slam of his own but Kane kicked out once again. Kane slammed Harper to the mat and climbed to the top rope. Kane went for a Clothesline off of the top rope but Harper ducked it and drilled Kane with a Superkick. Kane once again powered out of the pinfall at two. Harper then climbed to the top rope but Kane got up and punched him in the face. Kane then joined Harper on the turnbuckle and connected with a massive Superplex to Harper.

Both men slowly got back to their feet and began to trade punches. Kane blocked a punch by Harper and grabbed his throat. Kane then connected with a Chokeslam and picked up the victory.

Winner: Kane

Reaction: When you think of Kane versus Luke Harper it doesn’t sound like it would be a good match. This match was actually quite good. The announcers made a comment after the match that Bray Wyatt will not be happy with Luke Harper following this loss to Kane. I’m intrigued with the Wyatt Family storyline right now. It appears that Harper may be on his way out and Orton will be replacing him. I’m curious if this will wind up with Orton turning his back on Bray after he has already destroyed the Wyatt Family from the inside. I do not really know where they are going with this and that is a good thing. Luke Harper has always been one of the more underrated Superstars on the roster. I wouldn’t mind seeing him in the Intercontinental Championship picture and having a single’s run of his own. Harper can work well with almost any male Superstar on the Smackdown roster. I think if you put him up against someone like Baron Corbin they would put on some very physical and entertaining matches.

#CHOKESLAM by @KaneWWE!!! ONE TWO THREE!! #SDLive @LukeHarperWWE pic.twitter.com/46nPuNNTqZ

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

Smackdown Tag Team #1 Contenders Match: Randy Orton & Bray Wyatt vs American Alpha

Randy Orton and Jason Jordan started out the match. Jordan went on the offensive to start things off. The WWE cut to Slater and Rhyno watching the match from backstage. This was humorous because the television screen they were watching was black for a second and essentially Slater and Rhyno were staring at nothing.

Bray Wyatt entered the match and Jordan went to jump onto him but Wyatt ducked and Jordan went flying into the ropes. Bray tagged in Orton and he continued the assault on Jordan. Gable tagged himself in and immediately connected with a Crossbody off the top rope on Orton. Gable climbed to the top rope again but Wyatt knocked him to the outside of the ring and Smackdown went to a commercial break.

When Smackdown returned, Wyatt and Gable were in the ring. Wyatt hit Gable with a DDT on the ring apron. Wyatt then went for a pin but Gable kicked out at two. Orton then entered the match and applied a Chinlock to Gable. Orton hit a Powerslam on Gable and once again went for a pinfall but it was unsuccessful. Orton tagged in Wyatt and Gable connected with a Dropkick then sent Bray to the mat. Gable tried to tag in Jordan but Bray got up and punched Jordan off of the ring apron.

Bray mounted Gable on the mat and punched him in the face several times. Orton was tagged back in and propped Gable up on the top rope. Orton connected with a Superplex on Gable. Jason Jordan and Bray Wyatt were then tagged in. Jordan leveled Wyatt with an overhead Belly to Belly Suplex. Chad Gable hit Orton with a Cannonball off of the ring apron. Back in the ring, Jordan hit a German Suplex on Bray Wyatt.

The lights then went out and Luke Harper was ringside. Bray went for the Sister Abigail but Gable prevented it. American Alpha then went for the Grand Amplitude but Orton hit Gable with an RKO out of nowhere. Jordan went to hit Bray with a Spear but Harper pulled Bray out of the way. Wyatt then hit the Sister Abigail on Jordan for the victory. Wyatt and Orton will now face Slater and Rhyno at TLC this Sunday. Slater and Rhyno were interviewed backstage but AJ Styles interrupted. Styles stated that nobody cared about the Tag Team titles. Ambrose then appeared out of nowhere and attacked Styles and Smackdown went off the air.

Reaction: This was a very solid match to close out a good episode of Smackdown. It appears that Harper and Orton are back to getting along for now. Tonight’s episode was promo-heavy but they all were effective. TLC is shaping up to be an exciting show and I cannot wait to watch it on Sunday.

Winners & #1 Contenders For The Smackdown Tag Team Championships: Randy Orton & Bray Wyatt

#SisterAbigail!! The #WyattFamily is going to #WWETLC to face @HeathSlaterOMRB and @Rhyno313!! #1Contender pic.twitter.com/telCi0c0T9

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

205 Live (11/29)

Austin Aries and Corey Graves joined Mauro Ranallo on commentary. All of the Superstars on 205 Live were on the entrance ramp and they were introduced to the WWE Universe. A vignette for the Bollywood Boyz was then shown.

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/803797913251917824

Bollywood Boyz vs Drew Gulak & Tony Nese

Harv and Gurv Sihra started out the match on the offensive. Tony Nese was laid out by both of them but was able battle back and tag in Gulak. For the next few minutes, Gulak dominated the match. Nese was tagged back in and he continued the assault on the Bollywood Boyz. Gulak got back into the match and maintained control of the match.

Nese got back in the match and he applied a Chinlock to one of the Bollywood Boyz. Harv battled out of the Chinlock and connected with a Neckbreaker. Harv tagged in Gurv and he hut Gulak with several chops and a kick to the face. The Bollywood Boyz hit a double Superkick on Drew Gulak for the pinfall victory.

Winners: The Bollywood Boyz

Reaction: Not the best way to start off the debut episode of 205 Live. There were some cool spots in this match but overall it was very clunky.

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/803800282756878338

TJ Perkins and Brian Kendrick had a confrontation. Perkins stated that he is still owed a rematch and that he wants Kendrick to retain the Cruiserweight Championship tonight. Perkins wants Kendrick to keep the belt so he can get his rematch and take the title away from him.

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/803801771600580608

Ariya Daivari vs Jack Gallagher

Gallagher started out this match extremely cocky and applied a few submission holds to Daivari while posing for the crowd. Daivari battled back and but Gallagher escaped his Headlock. Gallagher did a handstand on the top turnbuckle and then took Daivari down. Gallagher then tied Daivari up in a knot in the center of the ring and taunted him from the corner. Gallagher then hit him with a running kick and Daivari escaped the knot.

Daivari connected with a Neckbreaker on Gallagher and slapped him in the face a couple of times. Daivari applied a Chinlock but Gallagher fought out of it and connected with a couple of Dropkicks. Gallagher then headbutted Daivari and hit him with a Dropkick in the corner for the victory.

Winner: Jack Gallagher

Reaction: This match was bizarre and entertaining. Jack Gallagher may look ridiculous but he is fun to watch. The main positive to take from this match is that Gallagher was able to get the crowd into it. That is something that has escaped the Cruiserweight division when it is featured on Monday Night Raw.

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/803803266274369537

Cruiserweight Championship Match: Brian Kendrick (c) vs Rich Swann

Kendrick started off the match in control. Swann battled back and hit a Dropkick. Kendrick kicked out of a pinfall and Swann applied a Chinlock. Kendrick reversed the Chinlock into a German Suplex. Kendrick attacked Swann in the corner but Swann fought back and connected with several chops to the chest of Kendrick.

Swann landed a Tiger Bomb on Kendrick and Kendrick rolled out of the ring. Swann followed him out of the ring and hit a Summersault Clothesline off of the barricade. The action returned to the ring and Kendrick connected with another German Suplex. Kendrick then hit a Neckbreaker and Swann’s head hit the top turnbuckle. Swann then fell out of the ring and to the floor.

Swann was able to get back in the ring before the referee counted him out. Kendrick immediately hit him with a Suplex. Kendrick went for the Captain’s Hook but Swann blocked it. Swann then connected with a Michinoku Driver on Kendrick. Swann followed it up with a kick to the face of Kendrick. Swann went for the Standing 450 but Kendrick got his knees up and then locked in the Captain’s Hook.

Swann was able to reach the bottom rope and the crowd cheered him on. Both men were on the top turnbuckle and Kendrick bit Swann’s wrist and hit Sliced Bread. Swann kicked out and the crowd started to chant “this is awesome!”. Swannt connected with three spinning heel kicks in a row and pinned Kendrick for the victory.

After the match, Swann thanked his mother that has passed away and dedicated the match to her. Kendrick was also interviewed on the entrance ramp. Kendrick blamed the loss on TJ Perkins for playing mind games with him earlier in the night. Kendrick also stated that the WWE Universe should not get used to Swann as the Cruiserweight Champion. Kendrick vowed to get his title back and walked away.

Winner & New Cruiserweight Champion: Rich Swann

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/803809979639558144

Reaction: 205 Live started off slow but picked up momentum and wound up being a pretty decent show. I thought the match between Kendrick and Swann was very good. I hope that the Cruiserweight division gets some more time on Monday Night Raw as a result of this show but I doubt that will be the case. Overall, both Smackdown and 205 Live were good shows tonight.

What did you think of this week’s episodes of Smackdown and 205 Live? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

– Former WWE star Colt Cabana turns 36 today while Nasty Boy Brian Knobbs turns 52.

– Stephanie McMahon was filming for the WWE Network at company headquarters this week.

– NXT has a live event tonight from Citrus Springs, fL. Tickets are still available at Ticketforce.com.

– The Wyatt Family continues to post cryptic tweets as they get ready for a WWE TV return:

https://twitter.com/WWEBrayWyatt/status/728341878547025926

https://twitter.com/BraunStrowman/status/728354329338347520

#TheReturn

— Brodie Lee (@ThisBrodieLee) May 5, 2016

Perception is cloudy when one is tormented. pic.twitter.com/GpLtBNQ1Jt

— Joseph Ruud (@ErickRedBeard) May 5, 2016

Bray Wyatt was a guest on the Sam Roberts Wrestling Podcast during WrestleMania 32. Topics discussed include WWE not knowing how to use The Wyatt Family, how he came up with the Bray Wyatt character, Luke Harper’s injury and his plan to face Brock Lesnar in the not too distance future. Here are some highlights of what Bray said about:

Luke Harper’s knee injury:

“Without him it’s so weird because it [has] never been without him. He’s my captain. It was mine and his before Rowan and Braun were ever involved. And it’s going to be hard. But a soldier falls and drops his flag, the next soldier comes by, picks it up. Hopefully, we’ll get more Wyatts. They can’t replace Harper. That’s impossible, but just an army of Wyatts. We never need to have any titles. We never need to feud with anyone. We should just come out every show, just 20 Wyatts and just mutilate someone for no reason because that’s who we are.”

WWE not knowing how to use the Wyatt Family:

“I don’t think, when we set out and finally got the call up, I don’t know if they really understood what they had. Like, we knew the NXT crowd had responded so well to us and they kind of like attached themselves to us and when we came up here we, never in a million years, thought it was going to explode the way it did. And it did. It exploded. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it was just that kind of thing, the right place at the right time. And we were so different, man. We were so different that I don’t think the company knew even how to use us. ‘What are these things?’ Like, we were so different and in the promos [and] so different in the way we looked and how we moved. We were big and we would fly and do all this crazy stuff. Like, I don’t think anyone expected us to be so complete. And they still don’t know how to use what we are.”

H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the quotes

Women’s wrestler Santana Garrett tweeted a photo of the weekend that appears to invoke the imagery of WWE’s Wyatt Family. Trained by Larry Zbyszko and Scott Hall, she made her pro debut back in 2009 and has wrestled for TNA, Global Force and more.

Garrett worked the most recent NXT TV tapings and is based out of Orlando, FL, home of WWE’s Performance Center.

https://twitter.com/SantanaGarrett_/status/686044158323245056

Props to longtime SEScoops reader Shawn Olmstead for help with this story.

WWE Superstar and Wyatt Family member Luke Harper recently appeared as a guest on Chris Jericho’s “Talk Is Jericho” podcast and spoke about getting yelled at by Vince McMahon, what he feels should be done with The Wyatt Family and more.

During the interview, The Wyatt Family member spoke about getting yelled at by Vince McMahon the night he won the I-C title due to not using a Southern accent in his pre-match promo.

“I won the Intercontinental title, I beat Ziggler for it. Yeah, I thought it was great. I thought everything was good. [I] came to the back and Vince yelled at me because I didn’t speak in a southern accent, so [it] kind of put a damper on things for a little bit.” Harper added, “I had to say, ‘I’m a team player’ [in the prematch promo], but I had to say it southern because that was his vision of me and it might still be. I hope not. Yes, and our vision of it is our people come from everywhere. [Bray Wyatt’s] message is nationwide. He’s from the bayou, but us, his followers, aren’t necessarily. We kind of pick and choose where he got us.”

He also spoke about his feeling that he didn’t get a fair run with the Intercontinental Title.

“I was pissed because I thought I didn’t get a fair run with [the title], really. I hadn’t really done anything with it.” Harper continued, “I thought ‘this is bulls–t.’ So I remember talking to Dolph and I said, ‘hey man, I want to do something special here because I’m pissed.’ It was in Cleveland [Ohio], his hometown, so it was, like, again, a perfect storm of stuff.”

Harper also revealed some advice he received from John Cena after he lost the I-C strap.

“I was told by one of the top guys in the [professional wrestling] business, John Cena, that if you have an at bat and you hit a double or something or you hit a single, you’ll get another at bat, so that [has] always been my mindset now. When I get the ball, do what I can with it. Control what I can control. And if I can go out there and do something special, then, that makes them happy and it makes everybody happy, I’ll get another at bat.”

Finally, Harper touched on what he feels should be done with the Wyatt Family faction, agreeing with Jericho that they should add a “creepy girl” to the mix.

“New blood. I’ve always said that, I thought with a cult like that, we should always have kind of [new members joining] and [grow] bigger.” Harper continued, “I think [adding a woman] gives us more diverse things and more ways to go instead of just saying, ‘hey, we’re going to beat you up.'”

• Photo: First Picture Of Ronda Rousey Since Being KO’d At UFC 193 …

Following Tuesday’s WWE SmackDown television taping in Manchester, England, a new match was announced for this month’s WWE Survivor Series pay-per-view.

During the taping, Bray Wyatt issued a challenge to The Undertaker and Kane for Survivor Series, that being a two-on-two match with “The Brothers Of Destruction” taking on two Wyatt Family members of Bray’s choosing. The challenge was accepted by The Undertaker at the end of the taping, however it was never specified which two Wyatt Family members would be represented in the match at Survivor Series.

With that now known, below is an updated look at the lineup for this year’s WWE Survivor Series pay-pr-view, which is scheduled for Sunday, November 22, 2015 at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

WWE Title Tournament Finals
– TBD vs. TBD

WWE Divas Champion
– Charlotte (c) vs. Paige

– The Undertaker & Kane vs. Two members of The Wyatt Family

Make sure to join us here at SEScoops.com on 11/22 for the best WWE Survivor Series live results coverage on the web!

• Ronda Rousey Getting Heat For Controversial Sex Comments, Rousey Responds

– Erick Rowan made his WWE television return at Monday’s WWE Hell In A Cell “go-home” edition of RAW. Rowan returned early into the show during a segment where Roman Reigns brawled with the Wyatt Family. He returned later in the show for the main event, which saw him team with Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman to take on the team of Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins.

– There was an exchange between WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley and WWE Superstar Adam Rose on Twitter on Monday where each guy put over the other guy. The exchange got started after Rose was asked by a fan who his biggest inspiration was. Rose was quick to respond, “Mick Foley. In and out of the ring.” Foley responded to Rose’s tweet by saying, “Thank you. It doesn’t get much better than having the respect and admiration of your colleagues.”

– Although it has been rumored that highly-regarded independent wrestler Tommaso Ciampa has signed with WWE, Ciampa is claiming otherwise. As we reported via F4WOnline.com earlier today, as of Sunday, Ciampa had yet to officially sign the dotted line on an actual WWE contract. Ciampa wrote the following on social media regarding the rumors.

https://twitter.com/ProjectCiampa/status/655898322486624256

• CM Punk On CRAZY Internet Reaction To His Decision To Film w/ AJ Lee + UFC Debut DELAYED?!

– There has been some speculation going around that new Wyatt Family member Braun Strowman may have injured Jack Swagger at the WWE live event in Bangor, Maine on Saturday night. The match ended last night with Strowman picking up the win via choke, however past that, not a lot of specifics are available. We hope to have an update for you in the near future.

– In the following backstage video interview from Saturday’s WWE MSG live special in New York, WWE Intercontinental Champion Kevin Owens talks about retaining his title over Chris Jericho, taking shots at Kyle Edwards’ hair and Jericho’s milestone in the process.

• UFC Planning On BIG Announcement On CM Punk’s Fighting Debut …

– In recent weeks there have been ‘casual talks’ between Rey Mysterio and WWE. The former WWE World Heavyweight champion has been working for Mexico’s AAA promotion and was expected to sign a deal with Lucha Underground, but with Lucha Underground’s second season still up in the air, there appears to be renewed interest regarding an eventual return.

– As previously reported, WWN Live’s Gabe Sapolsky and Sal Hamaoui attended NXT Takeover: Brooklyn this past week as guests of WWE. While no deal has been struck between the two sides regarding a working relationship, WWE is said to be interested in continuing the talks.

– Following the debut of the newest Wyatt Family member on Monday’s RAW, WWE officials have had discussions about introducing a female wrestler to portray the role of Sister Abigail.

(Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

There has recently been a lot of speculation regarding Adam Rose or another WWE Superstar possibly joining Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper in the new Wyatt Family, now that Erick Rowan is on the sidelines due to injury.

Rose has decided to fuel the speculation by taking to social media to post photos of his developmental character Leo Kruger over the past few days. The rumors really picked up when Rose posted the following photo of his Kruger gimmick today, which based on appearance, would seem to fit perfectly with the look and feel of The Wyatt Family characters.

Ta Ta! #WWE pic.twitter.com/eCLwrqyoqF

— Aldo Rose (@Aegis_Rose) July 27, 2015

• CM Punk’s UFC Debut Date, Ronda Rousey/WWE Update + FEDOR Is Returning!

The following are highlights of a new Chad Dukes Wrestling Show interview with Bray Wyatt

On the image projected from the lantern during the Hell in a Cell finish: “One thing and I want to get this out there so no one’s misconstrued, that was not Abigail… I don’t think anyone has looked closely enough. I think everyone skipped over that part and chocked it up to being some fancy illusion or something. I don’t ever do something just to be doing it. There’s always a point behind everything.”

On the Wyatt Family: “There is no breakup. That’s another thing I’d like to get out there. There’s friction between [Harper & Rowan] and that’s kinda part of the issue, is relinquishing some of that. When the Wyatt family is needed, the Wyatt Family will always be, and that’s the way I designed it, and that’s the way it will go on for ten, fifteen, who knows how long. The Wyatt Family is far from over, I can assure you of that. “I’m very proud of [Rowan], sometimes. He’s done some things since we split that I haven’t necessarily agreed with. I’m not so sure he’s a genius with a big IQ, I’m actually a hundred percent sure of that. [Laughs] But Harper is the Intercontinental Champion and that’s exactly where he belongs and why he needed to go out on his own. Because Harper is one of the greatest, most malicious entities in the entire WWE. He should be free to go after things like that.”

On Dean Ambrose: “This feud with me and Dean, if you look back at the Shield and all that, me and Dean Ambrose years ago would just be killing each other with bull ropes in armories all over Florida in front of ten people. I think it will go on forever. As long as we both can walk and survive after TLC.”

On Dream Matches: “I couldn’t help but notice that me and Steve had this natural chemistry together. I wish he’d lace the boots up. I’d really like to steal a couple shows with him… I still have my set matches that I think that I can possibly accomplish, but there’s four names that always keep reoccurring that would be big enough to be my dream matches: Jake Roberts, Steve Austin, Undertaker, & Sting. I want to get all four of those in my career and I’d like to. I’m not saying it’s not a possibility, I think I could get all four of those.”

On the Brass Ring comment: “I heard about the brass ring and all that, as far as I’m concerned my fingertips are already grasping that sucker right now. And if I don’t, if I never grab that sucker, I’m at least gonna yank it down and everyone’s coming down with me.”

Check out the complete interview at ChadDukesWrestlingShow.com.

The following are highlights of a new The Rack interview with Kane:

What can we expect from Jacob Goodnight in ‘See No Evil 2’: “Well, this is going to be a little bit different than ‘See No Evil’; the girls who directed this film are twins, Jen and Sylvia Soska, and they have a huge following in the horror genre and are going to be the next big thing in horror. What’s really interesting about ‘See No Evil 2’ for me, and I just got to see the finished copy the other day, is the fact that despite the film is dealing with disturbing material, is a beautifully shot movie. It’s beautiful; the cinematography is awesome, and the soundtrack is great and it’s really a contrast as you are dealing with this disturbing material and violence and everything but also you’re going ‘Wow, this is really pretty’. What we also tried to do was to try and bring more depth to the characters and to actually have not to your stereotypical slasher movie; let’s make it a movie where you cared about the people in the movie and hopefully that brings about more emotional involvement and not just the visceral visual effects but the fact that you’re like ‘Oh, I really like that person’ and hopefully it makes it a little more scary that way.”

If he got more creative freedom in portraying Jacob Goodnight in the sequel: “Yes, I guess I did actually. There were a couple of scenes that were added to the movie, that weren’t in the original script, that me and the Soska sisters fought for that sort of rounded Jacob out, bringing him more to life and making him more of a human being than a character. I was really happy about that.

You still explore the relationship with his mother, even despite the fact that his mother is no longer with us, she still has a tremendous impact on his psychology and on his emotions. In fact, in the first movie ‘See No Evil’, the mother was the real villain, not Jacob. In this one, she’s still the dominant aspect of his life.”

What was it like working for the Soska Sisters, a set of female directors: “We meshed really well, because they are not your typical females; they are huge WWE fans and they’re probably into all the stuff us guys are into. So, they were really great and what was really interesting about working with them is despite the fact they are two people, at times it’s like you are dealing with one mind because Jen would often be on the floor and directing the action and Sylvia would be watching on the monitor and you’d go through a scene and they’d be tweaks and they wouldn’t talk to each other; Jen would just talk to you differently and you’d do the scene again and Sylvia would go ‘OK, that’s good.’ You’d be like, ‘wait a second, how… did they see through each other’s eyes, or what’s going on?!’

So, at first, I was worried, thinking how are you going to work with two directors? because the director is the boss, they’re the ones who have the final say in what’s going on and how are you going to do it if there’s two of them? But what was really cool about it was it was like you were still just working with one and instead of competing and butting heads, they actually augmented one another. So, it was really an interesting experience.”

Does he enjoy the fact that recently he’s been able to explore different aspects of the Kane Character (Team Hell No, Corporate Kane, The Big Red Machine): “No, absolutely; I’m having a lot of fun. The Team Hell No stuff with Daniel Bryan has probably been the most fun I’ve ever had in WWE because it was something complete different than anything I’d ever done before. I’d always been a very curious character and here we are providing the comic relief to the show. So, if you’d asked people before we did Team Hell No that Kane was going to be the guy you were laughing at, who would have said yes, right?

So, that was a lot of fun and with The Authority now, with Corporate Kane, it’s also very gratifying for me because now he’s sort of a normal person, but underneath it, you have that underlying fact he’s a monster and now he has political power, which is really scary. So, I do have a lot of fun doing different things because as a performer it gets stale when you’re doing just one thing for years and years and years. So, I’m grateful for the opportunity to do different characters.”

What does he think of the newer crop of Superstars like Bray Wyatt and The Shield: “I think they’re going to be great; I think they’re great now, you know? They provide a lot of energy, new ideas; they’re hungry. The thing I noticed when I worked against The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) was the fact that those guys were confident; they knew they were going to be successful, no matter what it took. That’s the kind of attitude you need. So, I’ve really enjoyed working with the younger guys because they have that freshness and that hungry that actually revitalizes me at times.

There’s all sorts of different dynamics going on now too and that’s what makes our product really interesting; when it’s not straight forward and there’s all sorts of different things going on between everybody and that’s what’s going on now. So I think, moving forward through Hell in a Cell and afterwards, it’s going to be quite interesting.”

His favorite Hell in a Cell moments: “Well, my favorite would have to be, of course, my debut and ripping the door off and going in and giving a tombstone piledriver to The Undertaker and having Vince (McMahon) screaming ‘That’s gotta be Kane!’; that would far and away have to be my favorite moment.

Even though it wasn’t at a Hell in a Cell PPV, I’ll never forget the match between Undertaker and Mankind at King of the Ring in Pittsburgh; when Mick went off the cell and then through the cell. That was one of those things that sort of rocketed the Attitude Era into the stratosphere.”

The weirdest thing he’s ever gotten from a fan: “I haven’t gotten a lot of weird stuff; I’ve gotten a lot of stuffed animals, which is different, but probably the weirdest thing that’s ever happened or the most uncomfortable thing that’s ever happened was I received a fan letter at my house. It was really, really nice and it was from a gentleman who was interested in promoting drug awareness and gang resistance and that sort of thing, and it was really great except the fact that he was going to do that once he got out of prison; so yeah, the letter had come from prison. I don’t get a whole lot of really weird stuff.”

Check out the complete interview at WildTalkRadio.com.

– Mark Crozer, who wrote and sings The Wyatt Family’s theme song, will be performing it with his band live at The Pyramid Club in New York City on October 9th.

– Zack Ryder and his “internet championship” made an appearance on the latest edition of “The JBL (Not Cole) Show,” which you can see below.

As noted after The Wyatt Family vignettes aired on Monday’s RAW, the word within WWE is that they absolutely plan on splitting up the faction and having all three guys go their separate, individual ways.

There’s no word as to which, if any, of the three will turn babyface in the process, although early speculation is that Bray Wyatt is set to turn.

As far as when the split happens, there is no definite timetable, however many assume that the vignettes on Monday’s RAW was WWE’s way of starting the process.

We’ve also heard from a source in WWE that there’s talk of The Ascension being paired with Bray Wyatt when they get called up.

The Wyatt Family vignette that aired during Monday’s WWE RAW show were apparently designed to start the push of Luke Harper as a singles competitor.

Apparently the working plan is to split up the group, an idea that has been talked about for a while now. There is no word yet on if this means Bray Wyatt will be switching babyface or not.

Above is the vignette that aired on Monday night.

Last night’s Raw was held in Portland, Oregon and featured a crowd packed with hipsters, a few memorable contests, and the nWo reunion that had been teased on social media all week leading into the event.

The show was the “go-home” edition of Raw and was the final build for Sunday’s SummerSlam pay-per-view. As always, a few questions were answered, but many still remain. Here are five questions that need to be answered following Monday’s Raw.

5. Is Corporate Kane Back Permanently?

Kane was back in his suit and tie this week on Raw, having once again handed in his mask on last week’s episode. The Demon made a match between Roman Reigns and RybAxel before departing for the locker room.

My question is simple: Does Kane have anything left in the tank with his corporate character? It seems the company doesn’t know what to do with him, as he has shifted back and forth between demon and corporate Kane over the past few months. If Kane is going to become a permanent fixture in the Authority storyline, hopefully something worthwhile comes of it, because it otherwise simply results in a convoluted storyline.

4. Where Have the Usos Been?

The Usos were absent from Raw this past week (other than the announcers issuing an open challenge on their behalf for tonight’s Main Event), and with SummerSlam only a few days away, they are also noticeably absent from the pay-per-view card. There are rumors of a fatal four-way tag team contest being put together for the pre-show, but nothing has been confirmed thus far.

With the Usos having defeated basically every tag team on the roster and holding the titles for most of the year, I think it is time for the brothers to drop the titles. Nothing against the Usos, but they have fought everyone on the roster and their run is quickly becoming stale. It appeared the titles were going to be put on the Wyatt Family a few weeks back, but the Usos prevailed. Hopefully a title change can shake up an otherwise stagnant tag team division.

WWE held its annual Battleground pay-per-view last night. It was the second incarnation of the event and featured a total of six matches on the actual card and two additional matches on the pre-show.

On paper, the event looked more than solid and seemed like it would be one of the best shows of the year. Things quickly took a turn for the worse, however, and the WWE dropped a massive turd on its fans last night. The event was clearly slopped together and featured some of the laziest storytelling fans will ever encounter.

Lana and Rusev received some serious heat last night after referencing the recent Malaysia Airlines crash. It will be interesting to see if the WWE takes a step back after receiving criticism from multiple news outlets.

The company also pulled a total bait and switch on fans that paid to see the event. The most anticipated match of the night for many was Seth Rollins squaring off with former Shield partner Dean Ambrose. Prior to the event, the match had been heavily advertised and was clearly one of the main reasons fans were tuning in.

Instead of holding the match, however, Triple H cancelled the contest and threw Dean Ambrose out of the building, eventually awarding the victory to Seth Rollins due to forfeit. Fans were expecting an absolute classic of a matchup, but instead were treated to a few backstage brawl segments that were nothing special, and amounted to the same thing fans can see for free each week on Raw.

Last night, the WWE basically told the fans that this matchup was too good to take place at a crummy pay-per-view such as Battleground and will be saved for SummerSlam. Honestly, fans should feel cheated after what they saw with the Ambrose/Rollins program last night.

– It was announced on RAW that at this week’s edition of SmackDown, Chris Jericho will go one-on-one with Luke Harper of The Wyatt Family.

– Below is a video of John Cena confronting Roman Reigns on Monday’s RAW:

– WWE did not add the Monday Night War broadcast that aired on the WWE Network last night to the On-Demand portion of the subscription service. Last night’s airing was merely a “sneak peek” as part of the WWE Network free trial week. The actual series itself is scheduled to debut on the WWE Network in August.

– The official WWE website has a new feature up looking at the one-year anniversary of the night The Wyatt Family debuted on WWE RAW and attacked Kane. You can check out the feature, which includes a photo gallery at WWE.com.

The WWE’s brightest stars will attempt to cash in at this Sunday’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view. Two ladder matches will main event the program, with one being held to declare a new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. In addition, former champion Daniel Bryan will address the WWE Universe during the pre-show.

Here are my predictions for this Sunday’s event.

Summer Rae vs. Layla (Fandango Guest Referee)

I was never the biggest Fandango supporter, but I definitely thought he would be doing something bigger than referring a divas match a year ago. He has regressed over the past year and lost a lot of momentum. This will likely be the bathroom break match of the night, and Fandango will play a major role in the outcome, of course. Summer Rae will win this one by either rejoining Fandango or using him to influence the outcome of the contest before abandoning him.

Winner: Summer Rae by pinfall

Rusev vs. Big E

These guys performed well together at last month’s Payback, even though they were given less than four minutes total. They will hopefully get a little more time during this one, allowing both superstars to showcase their strengths.

I think Rusev will ultimately win this one, but Big E will also look strong during the match. Big E cut a passionate promo on last week’s Raw, so it appears the WWE wants to showcase him a bit more. Both guys will look good, but Rusev will force Big E to tap out in the end.

Winner: Rusev by submission

Stardust and Goldust vs. Ryback and Curtis Axel

The Rhodes Brothers storyline has been moving slowly over the past few months. It first looked as if the two brothers were going to feud with one another, with Cody searching for an adequate replacement because he felt Goldust deserved better.

He eventually rebranded himself as Stardust and the two have been on a winning streak ever since. They will continue to look strong on Sunday, picking up the win after Cody hits his Diamond Dust finisher on Curtis Axel.

Winner: Stardust and Goldust by pinfall

The following are highlights of a new Chris Jericho interview:

Getting fans to hate him: “It is a lost art, it’s a lot easier to get people to hate you than to like you but it’s hard to get them to stay hating you, that’s where the secret is. Look at some of the greatest heels of all time in movies for example, Darth Vader, Freddie Kruger and Hannibal Lecter, they all became the good guys in the later movies because they’re too entertaining, so the secret to being a good heel is staying a heel. It’s very easy to get drawn into putting out merchandise, saying a catchphrase or doing an interview, I did none of those things when I turned heel in 2008 and it was a conscious decision. When I started saying ‘hypocrite’, people started bringing in signs then I would decide not to say that anymore, then people thought ‘parasite’ was funny then again I stopped saying that.”

Vince McMahon supporting his extra effort to stay in character outside of the ring: “I remember in Madison Square Garden there was a dad with his son in the elevator who asked for an autograph and as much as it pained me as I have a son, I just stared ahead, it’s all part of it and nowadays no one wants to do it. Vince loves it because it’s old school, he gets it, it’s heat, Vince had my back with anything I did, for example when I caused the crowd to pelt me with glow sticks in London, DX were furious, Stephanie was furious, they wanted me fined and suspended but Vince goes ‘no you’re a heel’. “ I learnt in WCW that that NWO were cool heels, just by being up there they were so likable and cool, there was nothing I could do to get a reaction, and I might as well have been a heel. That’s why they don’t turn John Cena heel, all the people that booed him will end up loving him, it would be a waste of time.”

Guys like The Shield, The Wyatt Family and Cesaro getting over: “I kind of am like the Nostradamus of WWE, I predicted that all of those guys will get over, with Cesaro we had a tour of Japan last year and I specifically asked to work with him and with Bray Wyatt when I went to work with NXT I said to put me with that guy.”

Check out the complete interview at Independent.co.uk.

One week from today, WWE’s annual Money in the Bank pay-per-view will be held in Boston, Massachusetts. The event has quickly become one of the most anticipated programs of the year, as it provides exciting action and sets up the storyline for months by allowing a WWE superstar to stalk his prey while holding a contract for a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match.

There will be two Money in the Bank ladder matches this year. One will be held for the vacant WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and the other will be a traditional contest for a shot at the title. The first contest will feature perennial title contenders such as John Cena, Randy Orton, Sheamus, and Alberto Del Rio, as well as up-and-coming stars such as Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt, and Cesaro.

It seems like John Cena is once again the favorite to leave Boston as the champ.

The second ladder match will feature Seth Rollins, with the rest of the lineup to be determined in a series of qualifying matches. Thus far, only three matches have been announced for the entire pay-per-view, and with only one week left before the event, one has to wonder how the WWE will tie everything together in such a brief period.

Other than the two ladder matches, a matchup between the Usos and Luke Harper and Erick Rowan of the Wyatt family is the only confirmed contest on the card. It seems apparent that Dean Ambrose will be one of the participants in the traditional ladder match. Potential options also include those who did not qualify for the championship ladder match, including Bad News Barrett, Dolph Ziggler, and Rob Van Dam.

The two ladder matches will soak up a large portion of the roster, meaning the midcard will have to pick up some slack in order to fill up the three hours of airtime. Rumored contests include Cody Rhodes and Goldust vs. RybAxel, Rusev vs. Big E, and a Divas Championship match involving Paige and all or part of the Funkadactyls.