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Tony Khan Hypes His Latest Huge Announcement

Michael Reichlin
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Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: Tony Khan will make a huge announcement tonight on AEW Dynamite!

In all seriousness, the company has a pretty good track record when it comes to announcements and free agent signings. Just hours ahead of the big reveal, TV Insider just dropped an exclusive interview with the AEW President.

Khan spoke with Scott Fishman to provide some ’11th hour’ hype for what’s sure to be a newsworthy event. According to TK, this announcement will be “unique” and unlike anything they’ve done before.

“I think this surprise is different than anything we’ve promoted before. We’ve had a lot of great surprise moments in AEW. A lot of special nights on Dynamite. Without giving too much away, I think this is a unique announcement. I’m excited about this as anything we’ve worked on.”

He continued, “I think there will be a lot of interest in this announcement. Given the amount of intrigue I think it will create, I thought it would be good to promote a big surprise coming to Dynamite. This is the kind of announcement that deserves a lot of fanfare.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Khan speaks about the dynamics of owning two wrestling promotions, CM Punk stating his intention to go after the AEW World Championship, Cody Rhodes’ departure and much more.

Head over to TV Insider to read their interview with Tony Khan.

Interesting Note on Bray Wyatt’s Hiatus from Wrestling

Jon Fuentes
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Its been quite a while since professional wrestling fans have seen Bray Wyatt compete inside the ring.

Wyatt hasn’t done much professional wrestling-related ventures since his WWE release last July. Since, he’s only done a Wrestlecon appearance during WrestleMania weekend in Dallas, Texas earlier this month. Many have wondered if Wyatt would consider a return to WWE, or even joining All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

However, according to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer, there is a good reason why Wyatt hasn’t signed with anyone yet. Meltzer reports that Wyatt’s asking price to return to the ring is simply too high right now.

Bray Wyatt is one of the hottest free agents out there, but his services don’t come cheap. AEW has been on a hiring spree, but they still have to be mindful about their pay structure. The company brought in some huge names last year, including CM Punk, Daniel Bryan and Adam Cole. Cody Rhodes’ recent departure should serve as an example of Tony Khan having limits on how much he’s willing to offer people.

Wyatt hasn’t been seen on WWE TV since the night after last year’s WrestleMania. However, he did recently hint on social media that he couldn’t imagine never stepping into a professional wrestling ring again. As for his health, with all this time he’s spent away from the squared circle, he’s likely in great shape for an in-ring return.

It will be interesting to see where Wyatt ultimately ends up if he does decide to sign with a major promotion again.

Dude! RK-Bro 4:20 T-Shirt on Sale at WWEShop

Michael Reichlin
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WWE Raw tag team champions RK-Bro have a festive new t-shirt available at WWEShop.com.

To commemorate April 20th (“4:20”), WWE is now selling an RK-Bro t-shirt inspired by Stone Cold Steve Austin’s iconic Austin 3:16 shirt.

The shirt reads, “RK-bro 4:20” in green text on the front and “… says I just smoked your asssssss” on the back.

According to Randy Orton, it “took some work” to get the shirt made. The RKBro 4:20 shirt is on sale today only and begins shipping on May 5th.

In case there was any uncertainty about what the shirt is referencing, an image at WWEShop promoting the gear depicts Orton and Riddle surrounded by a puff of smoke. Click below to pre-order:

Tile Small RK

RK-Bro 4:20

Marijuana is a banned substance under WWE’s talent wellness policy, but that hasn’t stopped various Superstars from partaking in the illicit activity.

During a 2020 interview with Ariel Helwani for ESPN, Riddle shared his views on marijuana.

“I’m a supporter of it, you know, it’s medically legal in most states. And I know most companies, aren’t you know, punishing people [for it] anymore. I know since my stint with WWE I’ve had no problems. You know they understand my situation, they know I’ve fought in UFC, they know I’ve had multiple surgeries, they know I bump all around the ring and I take damage and everything else and I’m 34 years old.

“And as long as I am not hurting anybody or doing anything they make sure they test me all the time. They know everything about me. They test us for everything all the time. So its like, you know, I’m well taken care of and I’m good. They understand who the Bro is.”

Last year, Randy Orton revealed that he got high with Snoop Dogg backstage at WrestleMania 24. The Viper made sure to clarify that wasn’t the first time he had used marijuana, just the first time he smoked with Snoop.

Roxanne Perez Reacts to “Fever Dream” WWE TV Debut

Michael Reichlin
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Roxanne Perez made a successful WWE television debut on Tuesday’s edition of NXT.

Just days after picking up a win on NXT Level Up last week, Perez is now working a program with Toxic Attraction.

A vignette aired on NXT that highlighted Perez growing up as a WWE fan. She’s watch WWE programming and play WWE video games to escape feeling like an outcast at school.

Perez was initially scheduled to debut next week, but she was confronted by Toxic Attraction (NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose and NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Jacy Jayne and Gigi Dolin). The heels attempted to intimidate Perez and told her to keep her expectations in check.

Perez wrestled Jacy Jayne and got a surprise win. The finish came after Wendy Choo was shown on the big screen destroying the Toxic Lounge. Perez used the distraction to her Code Red finisher on Jayne for the win.

Backstage after the match, Perez said wrestling in WWE is a dream come true. She’s been working for this goal since she was 13 years old and showed off a tattoo that marked the date of her first match.

“I had my first win in my debut for WWE NXT, and it feels so crazy to say that,” she said. “Because like I said, I’ve wanted this my entire life. This is all I’ve ever dreamed of, and now it’s real.”

She also tweeted that winning her NXT TV debut was like a fever dream. She received congratulatory messages from several people including WWE’s Senior Director of Content & Development Jeremy Borash.

Watch Roxanne Perez’s NXT TV debut:

Johnny Gargano Returns to the WWE Performance Center

Michael Reichlin
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Former NXT Champion Johnny Gargano returned to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, FL this week.

The former NXT Champion wasn’t there to brush up on his skills or train for his in-ring return. He was actually there to visit friends and introduce former colleagues to his baby.

Gargano and Candice LaRae’s son Quill was born back on February 18th.

NXT manager Malcolm Bivens posted a photo on Tuesday of Gargano’s visit. Bivens used the caption, “Fatherhood whoopin his ass.”

As seen below, Gargano looks like he’s been through the ringer.

https://twitter.com/Malcolmvelli/status/1516499579583307782

Johnny Gargano left WWE in late 2021 after approximately 6 years in NXT. During his time away, he and wife Candice LaRae welcomed the birth of their son.

Gargano recently revealed that he left NXT because his character felt stale. However, he hasn’t lost his love for pro wrestling. Gargano is now taking independent bookings. He appeared at WrestleCon during WrestleMania 38 weekend, but has not made any high-profile appearances since leaving WWE.

He could follow guys like Adam Cole, Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland to AEW. He also might wind up back in WWE, according to these recent comments:

Details on Scrapped Plans for Orange Cassidy & Danhausen

Michael Reichlin
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AEW had plans for an extended storyline involving Orange Cassidy and Danhausen, but those plans have been put on hold due to Cassidy’s shoulder injury.

Cassidy competed in the Face of the Revolution ladder match at AEW Revolution back on March 6th. He suffered a “significant injury” after Keith Lee tossed him outside the ring, as seen below.

Thankfully, Cassidy was able to avoid shoulder surgery. However, he remains on the sidelines 6 weeks later with no updates on when he’s expected back.

https://twitter.com/PuroresuFlow/status/1500852566523064325

AEW President Tony Khan is this week’s guest on Robbie Fox’s My Mom’s Basement podcast. During their discussion, Khan revealed that Cassidy’s injury derailed plans for him and Danhausen to continue working together at Revolution.

It’s unclear exactly what AEW had planned for the two polarizing comedy figures, but wrestling fans can expect them to reunite when Cassidy is healthy enough to return.

Danhausen made his AEW debut earlier this year during an Orange Cassidy match. The duo is aligned with the Best Friends faction and interacted a bit before Revolution.

With Cassidy on the sidelines, Khan said Danhausen won’t be forgotten. Khan said he sees Danhausen as a crossover star for AEW who can represent the company in various forums outside of wrestling.

During Cassidy’s absence, Danhausen has been working with Hook. Khan says he’s very excited for Danhausen and Hook’s “journey together,” which should lead to some interesting interactions.

Watch Tony Khan’s appearance on My Mom’s Basement with Robbie Fox:

Listen to Owen Hart’s AEW Theme Song, “Legacy”

Michael Reichlin
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Owen Hart’s AEW theme music has been released.

The track is titled, “Legacy” and is composed by Mikey Rukus. We know the song has been in production for at least 6 months, since we got a sneak peek back in October.

AEW has partnered with the Owen Hart Foundation for a series of projects, including men’s and women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournaments. Qualifying matches for the inaugural tournaments are currently underway.

The finals of the Owen Hart Foundation Tournaments will take place at the annual AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view in May.

As you can hear below, Legacy pays homage to the classic Owen Hart theme song that blared through WWF arenas during the mid-1990’s.

Listen to Owen Hart’s AEW theme:

Thunder Rosa Discusses Tony Khan’s Role as a Leader in AEW

Michael Reichlin
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Thunder Rosa appeared on the Mack Mania podcast this week and spoke about her experience working with AEW President Tony Khan.

As AEW Women’s World Champion, Thunder Rosa is the face of the company’s women’s division. She recently ended Britt Baker’s lengthy title reign and understands the responsibility that now rests on her shoulders. She’s the top dog in AEW and now has a target on her back.

As someone who has wrestled around the world, Rosa knows what makes a good boss. She believes one of Tony Khan’s major strengths is that he listens to ideas from talent and allows them to have a hand in their storylines.

‘He listens,” she said about Tony Khan. “When you make sense, he will listen to what you have to say.”

She sees wrestling fans debating AEW storylines online. Some of them can be harsh about the AEW product and Tony Khan in particular. She’s seen her boss’ creativity in action and believes he knows what he’s doing.

“You have to believe in his vision,” said Rosa. “It is what it is, and that’s one of the things that I have learned about him. Everything that he has done from when I first started to now, I left it up to him, like the buildup to the Lights Out match and now into having the match in San Antonio was great.”

Rosa continued, “I never went and said, ‘No, I want to do this.’ I told Tony, ‘I’m going to see your vision and make sure that what you see is what you’re going to get.’ That’s what I said, and I made sure that I did everything that was in my power to do that, and I will continue to do that as a champion.”

Thunder Rosa retained the AEW Women’s World title against Nyla Rose this past weekend at Battle of the Belts II. Following that match, the top contenders in the Women’s division include Serena Deeb, Anna Jay and Jamie Hayter.

Listen to Thunder Rosa on the latest Mack Mania podcast:

Steve Austin Feels 100% After WrestleMania Match

Michael Reichlin
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WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin says he’s feeling great after competing against Kevin Owens earlier this month at WrestleMania 38.

Austin was scheduled to be Kevin Owens’ guest on the KO Show at WrestleMania Saturday. Wrestling fans were pleasantly surprised when the advertised talkshow segment turned into Austin’s first sanctioned match in nearly two decades. It was a wild brawl that saw Stone Cold get his hand raised one last time to cap off a once-in-a-lifetime career.

Stone Cold recently appeared on the Brewbound Podcast to promote his new beer, the Broken Skull American Lager by the El Segundo brewing company.

Austin said he’s feeling perfect after WrestleMania.

“Oh, I’m 100 percent,” he said. “I picked up a little bit of a cold the other day but I’m back home in Nevada. Shoot, I was 100 percent [after his match with Kevin Owens] and of course went back in action on Sunday, did a little extra physicality as a part of the show.”

He continued, “It’s just an exciting time for me to back to a business that I really, really love and you know, I never thought I’d be back in a ring but, there we were headlining, main event for the — headlining WrestleMania for night one and it was just truly an honor to be out there and really excited to be out there.”

Austin said it was very satisfying to be able to feature his own beer during WWE appearances. At one point, during the Attitude Era, WWE pitched one of the major beer companies the opportunity to feature a Stone Cold Steve Austin beer. Unfortunately, it never came to be. He thinks that’s because his character was a bit too edgy for middle America and the audience that the unnamed beer company tries to reach.

“I just think what I was doing was very cutting edge, it was very edgy and that was tip of the spear, as far as the Attitude Era is concerned. So, I just don’t think I was.. someone’s idea of what a role model for their beer would look like at that time.”

Listen to Steve austin on the Brewbound Podcast:

WWE NXT 2.0 Results (4/19): Hayes vs. Escobar, Roxanne Perez In Action

Andrew Ravens
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The April 19, 2022 episode of WWE NXT 2.0 aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. 

WWE NXT Results 

  •  
  • Tiffany Stratton def. Sarray.
  • Grayson Waller def. Sanga.
  • Legado del Fantasma (Joaquin Wilde & Cruz del Toro) def. James Drake & Zack Gibson.
  • Carmelo Hayes def. Santos Escobar.
  • Natalya def. Tatum Paxley.
  • Xyon Quinn def. Wes Lee.
  • Roxanne Perez def. Jacy Jayne.
  • NXT Tag Team Champions Pretty Deadly def. Dexter Lumis and Duke Hudson

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Rok-C In Action

Roxanne Perez

Rok-C, who is now going under the name Roxanne Perez, made her NXT 2.0 debut on this show as she did a backstage segment with Toxic Attraction and noted she was nervous about making her debut next week. Mandy Rose told her that she would make her debut tonight. 

Before joining WWE, she became first-ever ROH Women’s World Champion as she beat Miranda Alize in the finals. She signed with WWE last month and worked her first WWE match last week on Level Up. 

Perez took on Jacy Jayne. Perez hit a front flip roll up for the win thanks to outside interference by Wendy Choo.

Bron Breakker Seeks Revenge

bron

Bron Breakker came out to the ring after an opening segment brawl between Pretty Deadly and Grizzled Young Veterans and wanted him to come out. Joe Gacy’s voice came over the loudspeaker and he said to come find him. The lights went in and out. 

Later, we see Bron backstage and he finds the shark tank that had his father in it a few weeks ago. Gacy saw a tablet in the video. 

At the end of the show, Gacy appeared on a platform and told Bron to come get him. Bron came out and Gacy said if Bron wanted the ring back all he had to do was ask except for grant him a title shot in two weeks at NXT Spring Breakin. Bron granted it and Gacy gave the ring back. Gacy pushed Bron off the platform. Druids surrounded Bron as the show ended. 

Grayson Waller vs. Sanga Singh

0NXT 1

Grayson Waller vs. Sanga Singh took place one week after Waller officially split from Sanga in a post-show promo. He blamed him for their loss in the five-team Gauntlet for the vacant NXT Tag Team Titles.

The match started in the back as Sanga chased him down. They eventually got into the ring and Sanga tossed him around the ring. Waller did a rolling cutter for the win. 

Natalya vs. Tatum Paxley

2nxt 2

Natalya worked her first match in NXT in many years against Tatum Paxley. It was a solid match with Natalya going over with the sharpshooter. 

Last week, Natalya appeared on the show with a promo segment with Coara Jade. It led to Natalya slapping Jade. Later in the show, Natalya announced that she was there to put the NXT locker room on notice. Paxley showed up and told her that she had been trying to prove herself to Diamond Mine and the rest of the locker room. Natalya said that she would get her chance.

Sarray vs. Tiffany Stratton

3nxt 1

Sarray vs. Tiffany Stratton in a singles match took place.  The match was short and to the point. Stratton went over with her finisher. 

This was a rematch as the two last squared off on the March 15 episode, a match that Stratton won.

Carmelo Hayes vs. Santos Escobar

1nxt 2

Carmelo Hayes vs. Santos Escobar was the biggest match to be announced in advance. This was the best match of the night. There were two guys dressed in suits who attacked Escobar on the floor. Hayes went over with his finisher. 

Post-match, Hayes said two weeks at Spring Break-In, the fans are looking at the next two-time North American Champion. Cameron Grimes came out and said that he’s on for the match. Solo Soka came out and laid out Hayes and Trick Williams. 

The match was set up by a video that WWE uploaded over the weekend. Escobar said that Hayes was never worthy of being NXT North American Champion and threatened to remind Hayes of Hayes’ place. 

Cameron Grimes defeated Hayes, Escobar, Solo Sikoa, and Grayson Waller in a five-way ladder match to win the title at NXT Stand & Deliver. On last week’s show, Grimes retained the North American Championship against Sikoa on NXT.

Vickie Guerrero Admits She Misses GM Role

Jon Fuentes
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Vickie Guerrero might be with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) now, but she still has fond memories of her time with WWE.

Guerrero recently spoke to WhatCulture, and discussed her time in WWE, before now signing with AEW. Guerrero explained that she misses the General Manager role she had in WWE, and doubts something like that is possible in AEW. However, she’d really love to manage more talent with her new company.

“I’m a little sad that I don’t play the General Manager,” Guerrero said (via Fightful). “I do miss those times a lot because it was so much fun to make out with guys, hire and fire people, and slap women and get away with it. Those were really fun times. It’s a different situation with AEW and I wish I could do that, but hopefully, I can manage more people,”

Guerrero is the widow of WWE Hall Of Famer Eddie Guerrero, who sadly and unexpectedly passed away back in 2005. Shortly after, Vickie Guerrero started with WWE as an on-screen personality, and carved out quite the legacy for herself in WWE. She eventually became the General Manager of SmackDown, becoming one of the most hated heels in the business in the process.

She eventually found herself in a controversial, yet memorable romantic story line with WWE Hall Of Famer Edge. Guerrero stopped making regular appearances on WWE TV around 2014, but still made sporadic appearances over the next few years.

Things took a turn for Guerrero when she made an appearance for AEW in 2019, subsequently provoking WWE to “cut her off,” as she claims. Guerrero then officially signed with AEW in 2020.

Nikki Bella Open to WWE In-Ring Return

Jon Fuentes
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WWE Hall Of Famer Nikki Bella isn’t opposed to returning to WWE for more in-ring work.

Aside from making a very brief appearance in this year’s Women’s Royal Rumble match, Nikki Bella hasn’t wrestled in a match since 2018. Bella fell short against then-RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey at a live event in Italy. Recently, Bella participated in a Q&A video for “America’s Got Talent: Extreme,” where she serves as a judge.

During the Q&A, Bella was asked about a potential in-ring return. She responded by saying that, as long as the doctors continue to clear her, she’s open to it. However, she’d much rather wait a few years until her son is a little older, so he can appreciate seeing her wrestle ringside. She also noted that it’d be a dream come true to win the Women’s Tag Team Titles with her sister, Brie Bella.

“As long as the doctors say yes,” Bella said (via Wrestling Inc.). “And especially with my sister. When we left is when they brought in the tag championships, tag titles. I kind of would like it more when my son is three or four, because it be a dream of mine, especially as a woman, is to have one of the best matches of my career with my son sitting at ringside and being like ‘that’s my mom!’

“I really would like to go back with my sister one day, fight for the tag titles and win them once in front of our kids. That would be amazing.”

Bella is one of the most accomplished female WWE stars of all time. During her run with the company she racked up two Divas Championship runs, and also has the longest-ever reign as Divas Champion in history. She also had the opportunity to headline the first-ever all-female WWE pay-per-view (PPV), WWE Evolution back in 2018.

She challenged Ronda Rousey for the RAW Women’s Title in the main event, ultimately coming up short.

Vince McMahon Once Wanted The Rock to Wrestle a Bear

Jon Fuentes
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Vince McMahon always looks to put on a massive show, and that was no different back in 2000.

On the heels of McMahon finally taking WWE to the New York Stock Exchange, McMahon actually had plans to put one of his biggest stars – The Rock – inside the ring smack in the middle of Wall Street. And his opponent? A bear. Yes, an actual, live bear.

WWE Senior VP Bruce Prichard broke the idea down during an episode of his podcast, “Something To Wrestle,” saying Vince McMahon seemed pretty set on the idea at the time.

“Vince came into my office on a Thursday, and I believe it was going to be a Tuesday or a Wednesday that we were going to be on the New York Stock Exchange, to ring the bell on the Stock Exchange, and Vince wanted to put a ring in the middle of Wall Street,” Prichard said (via Wrestling Inc.). “Shut Wall Street down and put a ring there and have matches at noon.

“Huge spectacle, we’re gonna go live on WWF.com, so it’s like, okay, cool. I thought he was just kind of telling me this. So I knew that ‘Okay we need to put on a show, we need to come up with something. But what he was telling me was ‘Hey, I want to do this, get it done.’ As he trails off he goes ‘and I want a bear…! I want The Rock to wrestle a bear.’ The Brahma Bull versus the bear. The honest to God living wrestling bear which used to be an attraction back in the day.”

Obviously, the idea never materialized. Prichard explained that there likely would’ve been issues with animal rights activists; on top of the fact that you probably don’t want a bear in the middle of Wall Street the day your stock goes public on the New York Stock Exchange.

“The bear, thank God, was reconsidered on several fronts,” Prichard said. “Because, first of all, you had the animal rights activists that would not look kindly on a wrestling bear. Even though the human rights activists that probably should have been alarmed. Because trust me… the bear always goes over. So anyway, as we’re getting closer to this, the idea becomes ‘well, do you really want a bear hanging around on the New York Exchange the day your stock goes public?’ Well, ‘the bear was out today on the New York Stock Exchange.’

“No you don’t want that. You want the ‘Brahma Bull’. You know, it’s a bullish market not a bear market, for God’s sakes. So we had the ‘Brahma Bull’ we didn’t have any bears having around there.”

While The Rock didn’t get to wrestle the bear, he did end up headlining WrestleMania several times – three opposite WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin. And even though his best days inside the ring are likely behind him, “The People’s Champ” might have one more WrestleMania headliner left in him.

Jack Evans Announces He’s Done With AEW

Andrew Ravens
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Jack Evans announced on Twitter that he will be finishing up with AEW at the end of this month. 

“My time with #AEW has been a fun and enjoyable but it has come to an end as I will not be re-signed when my contract ends at the end of April.  I’d like to thank everyone at AEW and the AEW fans for the opportunity.”

A fan replied to him in the comments on the post by saying it was “Heartless” for AEW to let him go. However, Evans took the high road as noted he understands the situation.

“Nah it is part of the business.  Not to diss myself but I wasn’t giving any added value to the company truthfully and with a big roster you do gotta make cuts.”

Evans signed with AEW in 2019 and has primarily been featured on the Dark shows. He last appeared on AEW programming in February on AEW Dark, which resulted in him losing to Wheeler Yuta. His tag team partner Angelico wrestled on the last Dark tapings. As of this writing, there’s no word yet on his contract status.

This past December, Evans was in the news when he alleged that he was being extorted by Mexican police. He later shared a video on social media and claimed that police tried again to extort him.

WWE Interested In Bringing Back FTR (Report)

Andrew Ravens
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FTR has some options when their contracts with AEW are up. Fightful Select reported today that Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler’s deals are technically available to expire this summer, but AEW retains an option year on the tag team. 

The belief is the option will be exercised by AEW or the two sides will come to terms on a contract extension soon. It was added,

“WWE has expressed interest internally about possibly bringing back the team formerly known as The Revival.”

– Fightful Select

FTR: From WWE, back to WWE?

After finding success in NXT and on the main roster, FTR became unhappy in WWE because of the lack of focus on the tag team division. The company had offered them $850,000 each, with Mark Carrano even mentioning that he could possibly get them to $1 million each. They turned the big money down and left for AEW. Because FTR is still under contract with AEW, WWE is unable to approach FTR directly.

As of late, FTR has been getting a bigger push and their recent matches with The Young Bucks and The Briscoes have been highly praised. Some even think their ROH bout with The Briscoes is a contender for Match of the Year.

Harwood was asked as recently as last month if he would ever return to WWE. He responded with, “Yes, if the money and circumstances were right…”

DDP Reveals Who He Wanted to Induct Him into the WWE HOF

Jon Fuentes
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Diamond Dallas Page was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame back in 2017. Page was inducted by his longtime friend and former boss, Eric Bischoff.

However, on a recent episode of his DDP Snake Pit podcast, Page revealed he had someone else in mind to perform this honor. If he’d have had his way, the late WWE Hall Of Famer Dusty Rhodes would’ve inducted him.

“.. and you’ve got to just breathe and keep throwing out into the universe, the Law of Attraction.” said Page. “When he told me, man, I got really choked up and I started welling up, and then I said, ‘I wish Dusty was here.’

“That’s who should have inducted me. The cool thing about Bischoff was he noticed that and he knew that. And that’s something he put in there, that I’m not supposed to be the guy.”

Unfortunately, Rhodes passed away in 2015 due to kidney failure. He still leaves a huge print on today’s product in the form of the stars he helped train such as Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, Jon Moxley, and so many more. However, his legacy also lives on in his two sons, Cody and Dustin Rhodes, both of whom still compete regularly inside the squared circle.

Cody Rhodes recently made his return to WWE after departing All Elite Wrestling (AEW), and has his sights set on winning a World Championship in his father’s honor. As for Diamond Dallas Page, he has gone on to do some work for AEW since his WWE Hall Of Fame induction.

His last official match took place under the AEW banner in 2020 at Bash At The Teach where he teamed up with Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall, coming up short against MFJ and The Butcher & The Blade.

Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

Backstage News on WWE’s Future Plans for Brand Split

Jon Fuentes
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With so many potential title unifications on the horizon, many have wondered what the future holds for the current WWE Brand Split.

Roman Reigns recently became both the WWE Champion and WWE Universal Champion by taking the former title from Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 38.

Reigns holds the top title for both Monday Night RAW and SmackDown, but remains a member of the SmackDown roster. WWE has yet to formally address the next steps of the title unification process.

Also, with The Usos set to challenge RK-Bro, unifying the SmackDown Live and RAW Tag Team Titles, many are beginning to wonder if WWE is setting up the end of the Brand Split. Dave Meltzer recently touched on this subject during a new episode of Wrestling Observer Radio.

Meltzer noted that Reigns is currently penciled in to headline WrestleMania Backlash, even though a program hasn’t been started for him just yet. In regards to the rumors about the Brand Split, Meltzer reports there are no plans to merge the roster at this time. However, Meltzer added that Vince McMahon could always change his mind.

With all that being said, things should become a lot more clear at WrestleMania Backlash. Check out the updated WrestleMania Backlash 2022 card for the updated lineup.

https://youtu.be/kFS0IC3JtXA

WWE Raw Reactions (4/18/22): Theory Wins US Title

Michael Reichlin
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Hello readers, we are starting a new feature here at SEScoops. The great Steve Fall of NBC Sports Boston has joined our team and will be providing weekly Raw and SmackDown reaction videos.

Steve’s Raw Reactions drop Tuesday mornings, while the SmackDown reactions arrive Saturday mornings (Eastern Time).

Steve recaps the shows in a strange and unique way, looking at all the big Good, Bad and What The Heck moments. Plus, Steve names a the MVE (Most Valuable Entertainer) for the show he’s reviewing.

We’re excited to present this new WWE TV recap series and hope you’ll enjoy.

Please check out the first Raw Reaction video below and share your thoughts in the comments section.

Another Rematch Announced For WrestleMania Backlash

Anutosh Bajpai
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Another rematch has been announced for the WrestleMania Backlash event. WWE has confirmed that AJ Styles will be facing Edge once again at the show.

This week’s episode of Monday Night Raw saw the Rated R Superstar and his new associate Damian Priest in a dark backstage segment. He issued a challenge to Styles.

Sarah Schreiber interviewed the Phenomenal One in the locker room. He accepted the challenge. The room filled with lightning after he agreed to the WrestleMania Backlash match. AJ then told Schreiber to leave for her safety.

The lights went out and Edge and Priest were surrounding Styles when they came back. The duo attacked the former world champion and they stood tall to end the segment.

AJ Styles and Edge originally faced off in a match during the night two of WrestleMania 38. Edge won this match after Priest distracted his opponent.

The previous match between Styles and Edge was praised by fans. Though many believed that it could have been better. The two will now be looking to tell an even better story in their second encounter.

This isn’t the only rematch announced for the upcoming Premium Live Event. Seth Rollins will also be facing his Mania opponent Cody Rhodes once again at the show.

Triple H Says NXT Revamp Was In The Works Before His Health Issues

Anutosh Bajpai
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A lot of people were critical of WWE for rebranding NXT shortly after Triple H had to step away from his role due to his cardiac event. However, according to The Game himself, the overhaul was in the works before he took time off.

The former world champion recently had an interview with The Athletic. He discussed how NXT has gone through many different phases.

Discussing the brand’s revamp to NXT 2.0, Triple H explained that being put on TV and the pandemic completely altered the show. According to him, they were discussing bringing NXT back to its development roots even before he took time off:

“We were talking about this shift anyway. That’s where we were headed. It happened at a period of time where I had to leave for a bit. Luckily, Shawn (Michaels) had been doing it with me all that time, so it was a seamless thing.

I stepped out, did what I needed to do, but that team has killed it.” said Triple H, “They’ve really created a show where you can really say that’s the next generation of stars.”

Apart from this, the WWE EVP also talked about the rise of AEW, and NXT talents jumping ships to Tony Khan’s promotion. The King of Kings revealed that he stays in touch with almost all of them and claimed that he is happy for them.

Cody Rhodes On If Other Plans Were Considered For His Return Besides WrestleMania

Anutosh Bajpai
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Cody Rhodes’ WrestleMania return was preceded by many speculations. Fans had been discussing potential plans for his WWE return. There was even a rumor that he could make his comeback on the Raw episode from Jacksonville before the Show Of Shows. Though according to Rhodes himself, that was a big no for him because the story was not about him leaving AEW but about his return to WWE.

The former TNT champion spoke to Ryan Satin on Out Of Character. He was asked if there were any other plans considered for his return besides Mania. Cody said that as far as his understanding goes, the plan was always to do it at the Showcase Of Immortals:

“I mean, as far as my understanding the plan was always WrestleMania and nothing was ever considered. At one point, I saw people talking about Jacksonville, and that’s a no.” said Cody Rhodes, “Again, it’s not about leaving. It was about returning and the place to do it was at the Showcase of Immortals.”

He continued: “The biggest stage there is in what we do, undisputed is WrestleMania. There was a lot of synergy and love over the fact that it was Dallas, Texas. That is where I had my last WrestleMania with the ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship.”

Cody Rhodes also talked about his time in AEW. He expanded upon his comments about why the EVP role didn’t suit him at the time.

More Originals From SEScoops:

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

Austin Theory Wins WWE United States Title

Andrew Ravens
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Finn Balor’s reign as the WWE United States Champion has come to an end as Austin Theory has become the new champion. 

In the third hour of the show, Theory battled Balor in a title match which ended with Theory going over with his finisher. Post-match, several heels came out and lifted up Theory as he celebrated. He later took a selfie with Vince McMahon on the stage. 

This is the latest in the push of Theory, who is seen as the next big star by Vince McMahon, who reportedly believes that he can be the next John Cena. Just like Cena, Theory’s first title on the main roster is the United States Title. 

At first, Theory lost matches on TV, similar to Cena, but in his case, was sent back to NXT before returning to the main roster in last year’s Draft. 

This past February on an edition of Raw, Bálor defeated Damian Priest to win the WWE United States Championship for the first time in his career.

Report: Kushida Gone From WWE

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Former NXT Cruiserweight Champion Kushida has reportedly left WWE.

Fightful Select is reporting that Kushida has made his exit from the company. The report notes that his contract expired. There’s currently no word on whether or not he was offered a new deal. The report also mentions that there was no word of bringing Kushida to the main roster before his exit.

Kushida signed with WWE back in 2019. He entered the promotion as one of the most renowned junior heavyweights in Japanese wrestling. He is a six-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and captured the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship twice with Alex Shelley as the Time Splitters.

As mentioned, Kushida was able to lay claim to gold in WWE, holding the NXT Cruiserweight Title for 161 days. Once that reign ended, however, he was paired with Ikemen Jiro to form the joke tag team, Jacket Time.

It’s no secret that WWE’s NXT brand has undergone significant changes since Kushida was signed. It’s no longer about signing independent talent and international stars to build the brand. NXT is now about preparing younger talent for Vince McMahon’s vision of the main roster.

Rhea Ripley Turns Heel, Attacks Liv Morgan Following Tag Team Loss (Video)

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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As expected, Rhea Ripley has turned on Liv Morgan.

Ripley and Morgan challenged Sasha Banks and Naomi for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles. Ripley and Morgan had already been unsuccessful in dethroning Sasha and Naomi but Ripley was able to get them a rematch.

On the April 18 episode of Raw, Ripley ate the pinfall and blamed Liv for not making the save. Ripley hit the Riptide on Liv and made her way backstage.

There has been much speculation on what is in store for Rhea Ripley now that she’s turned heel. Some have expressed belief that she will end up joining Edge and Damian Priest. Time will tell if that’s the direction WWE will go in.

WWE RAW Results (4/18/22): Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins, New Champion, Lie Detector Test

Robert Lentini
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WWE RAW aired live tonight from the Keybank Center in Buffalo, NY. The Women’s Tag Team Championships and Unites States Championship were defended tonight. Kevin Owens gave Ezekiel a Lie Detector test and Cody Rhodes battled an opponent selected by Seth Rollins in tonight’s main event.

RAW Results

  1. Naomi & Sasha Banks def. Rhea Ripley & Liv Morgan to retain the Women’s Tag Team Championships
  2. Veer Mahaan def. Jeff Brooks
  3. Ezekiel def. Chad Gable via DQ
  4. Street Profits def. RK-Bro (non-title match)
  5. Theory def. Finn Balor to become the new United States Champion
  6. Cody Rhodes def. Kevin Owens via count out

Here are the takeaways from tonight’s show:

Cody Rhodes Will Battle A Mystery Opponent In The Main Event

Seth Rollins made his way to the ring and welcomed everyone to Monday Night “Rollins”. Seth called Cody Rhodes to the ring and he got a great reaction from the crowd. Rollins wondered how it must feel to be on top of the world. Rhodes noted that Buffalo is Rhodes Country and wanted Rollins to get to his point. Rollins stated that this is about respect and Cody took a break to pose for the crowd.

Rollins got pissed off and told Cody to never do that to him again. Cody then immediately did it again and Rollins cackled into the microphone. Rollins brought up the Rhodes family and he was going to tell Cody how much respect he had for him and his family but now things are going a different way. Rollins instead claimed that he alone made Cody a star in one night at WrestleMania.

Seth claimed that Cody Rhodes had an unfair advantage because he was a surprise opponent. Rollins said that he did have the proper time to prepare for the match at Mania and a loud “Cody!” chant broke out. Seth wondered if Cody believes he is better than him now because he cannot live with that. Rollins shouted that he is better than Cody Rhodes in every possible way. Seth told Cody that he is the flavor of the month and isn’t the future of WWE. Rollins added that he talks the talk, walks the walk, and dresses better than Cody.

Rollins said that he’s already been to the top of the mountain and been WWE Champion, and that makes him better than Cody. Rhodes noted that Seth has actually won the title four times. Rhodes asked the “good folks of Buffalo” who they think is better and they chanted for Cody. Seth told the crowd to shut up and had an idea for tonight’s main event. Rollins suggested that Cody come down to the ring for a mystery opponent of Seth’s choosing later tonight. Rhodes told Seth that he didn’t come back to WWE to run from challenges, and accepted. Cody Rhodes will face an opponent hand picked by Seth Rollins later tonight.

Naomi & Sasha Banks Retained, Rhea Ripley Turned Heel

Naomi & Sasha Banks defended the Women’s Tag Team Championships in the first match of the night. The champs controlled the action early and sent Liv to the outside. Naomi and Banks slammed Liv into the ring post but Rhea broke it up. Ripley connected with the Riptide on Banks onto the barricade as RAW went to a commercial break.

Ripley leveled Naomi with a Clothesline and tagged in Liv Morgan when RAW resumed. Liv climbed to the top and connected with a Bulldog for a near fall. Liv followed it up with an Enziguri and Rhea Ripley tagged in. Rhea hit Riptide but Sasha Banks broke it up at the last moment after hitting Liv with a Backstabber. Naomi and Banks hit some Codebreaker/slam combo on Ripley and Banks covered her for the win. Banks & Naomi are still the Women’s Tag Team Champions.

After the match, Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan argued in the ring. The argument appeared over but Ripley took the opportunity to attack Liv from behind. Rhea planted Morgan with the Riptide and left her behind in the ring.

Bianca Belair Confronted Sonya Deville, Title Match Next Week

Sonya Deville came down to the ring and claimed that she was forced into this position until she could find her way back to being a WWE superstar. Deville said she was a natural leader. Deville brought up the RAW Women’s Champion and Bianca Belair interrupted. Sonya suggested that they have their RAW Women’s Championship match next week in Belair’s hometown so she can embarrass her. Deville added that the fans are so used to watching Bianca lose the title quickly and began talking to her like a child. Bianca got pissed and ripped the microphone away from Sonya. Belair lifted her up for the KOD but Sonya shouted that she will make sure that Bianca is fired if she hits the move. Belair dropped Sonya down and exited the ring to end the segment.

Adam Pearce informed Sonya Deville that there is an investigation into Belair’s actions and she will eb fined. Sonya wondered if the fine was for a million dollars and suggested that it is the “biggEST” fine available. Bianca showed up and paid Adam Pearce her fine of $1.

Veer Mahaan Dominated

Veer Mahaan faced Jeff Brooks (enhancement talent) this week on RAW. Mahaan absolutely dominated the match and quickly applied the Camel Clutch for the pinfall victory. After the win, Mahaan locked in the hold for a third time until WWE officials finally broke it up.

Ezekiel “Debuted” With A Win & Passed The Lie Detector Test

Kevin Owens came to the ring with a lie detector test set up in the ring. Chad Gable administered the test as Kevin Owens wanted to make sure that this was not biased. Owens claimed that Gable was going to expose Elias as the fraud that he is and then beat him in a match immediately after.

Ezekiel came to the ring and once again claimed that he was Elias’ younger brother. Ezekiel added “who wants to hear Zeke speak?” and Owens pointed out how that was similar to Elias’ catchphrase. Gable asked if Ezekiel was his actual first name and Ezekiel said “yes” and there were no lies detected.

Gable asked Ezekiel if Elias was his older brother and he said “yes” and passed the test. Owens got annoyed and kicked Gable out of the ring. Owens went on a rant and called Buffalo “Canada’s landfill”. Kevin threatened Ezekiel to admit he is Elias “or else”. Ezekiel stood face to face with Owens and KO walked away.

When RAW returned, Ezekiel battled Gable in a singles match. Ezekiel slammed Gable on top of the steel steps and rolled him back into the ring. Gable connected with a Suplex and made his way to the top rope. Gable went for a Moonsault but Ezekiel got his boot up. Otis then attacked Ezekiel from behind to end the match in DQ.

Street Profits Pinned The Champs After A Distraction

Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) battled RK-Bro tonight in a non-title match. Dawkins got Riddle to the canvas and tagged in Ford. Montez climbed to the top turnbuckle but Riddle met him up there and sent him down with a Belly to Belly throw as RAW went to a break.

When RAW returned, Orton tagged in and planted Dawkins with his patented Powerslam. RK-Bro then delivered draping DDTs in stereo and Orton fired up the crowd. Riddle tagged in and set up for the RKO. SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos theme hit and Street Profits capitalized and hit Riddle with an Electric Chair/ Blockbuster combo for the pinfall victory. After the match, Street Profits said that The Usos aren’t the only tag team RK-Bro should be worried about.

Edge Challenged AJ Styles To A Rematch At WrestleMania Backlash

Edge and Damian Priest had a backstage promo. Edge was sitting on a throne as Priest was by his side. Edge claimed that Damian Priest played 2nd fiddle to Bad Bunny last year at WrestleMania despite holding that all together. He took a shot at the Buffalo crowd by saying he actually wins championships unlike the Bills and Sabres.

Edge claimed that WWE Universe has the attention span of a tick and he no longer cares what they think. Edge added that they will pass judgement on anyone that gets in their way. He challenged AJ Styles to a rematch and ended the promo by saying it will Styles judgement day at WrestleMania Backlash. AJ Styles was then interviewed backstage and the lights flickered. Edge and Priest arrived and beat him down in the locker room.

Theory Captured The US Title

Finn Balor defended the United States Championship against Theory tonight. Theory controlled the action early and got Balor in a headlock in the middle of the ring. Balor escaped but Theory knocked him to the outside. Theory connected with a Neckbreaker on the floor as RAW went to a commercial.

Theory had Balor back in the headlock when RAW returned. Theory hit a stomp to the midsection and got distracted with the crowd. Balor capitalized with a flying forearm to the face and then a Double Stomp to the midsection. Balor followed it up with some more stomps to the ribs and then a Slingblade.

Balor hit a Dropkick and made his way up to the top turnbuckle for the Coup de Grace but Theory tripped him up. Theory hit an awesome springboard Spanish Fly for a near fall. Finn battled back and went for the Coup de Grace but Theory got out of the way. Theory connected with ATL on Balor for the pinfall victory. After the match, all the heels carried Austin Theory around. Mr. McMahon celebrated with Theory on the entrance ramp and took a selfie.

Dana Brooke Is Still 24/7 Champion

R-Truth officiated two weddings tonight. 24/7 Champion Dana Brooke & Reggie, and Akira Tozawa & Tamina. Los Lotharios, Sasha Banks, Naomi, Nikki ASH and others were in the ring for the ceremonies. Tamina objected and wanted to swap grooms. Everyone tried to marry each other before working their way back to the original configuration. After the ceremonies, everyone rolled each other up and Dana Brooke wound up winning the 24/7 Championship back at the end of the segment.

Cody Rhodes def. Kevin Owens via Count Out, Seth Rollins Attacked

Cody Rhodes faced an opponent of Seth Rollins’ choosing in the main event.

Rollins came down to the entrance ramp and revealed that Rhodes’ opponent was Kevin Owens. Rhodes and Owens battled to the corner to start off the match. Cody sent Owens out of the ring and went for a Suicide Dive but Kevin caught him. Owens hit a Fallaway Slam into the barricade as RAW went to a break.

Owens was still in control of the match when RAW returned. Kevin planted Cody with a Backbreaker and taunted the crowd. Owens unloaded some elbow strikes to the face and laughed as Cody stumbled to the ropes. Cody hit a Suplex and went for Cross Rhodes but Owens countered into a DDT for a near fall.

Kevin climbed to the top rope and went for a Senton but Cody got his knees up. Owens rolled out of the ring to regroup and Cody tackled him over the announce table. Seth Rollins’ theme hit again and he made his way down the entrance ramp as RAW went to a break. When RAW returned, Owens hit a Frog Splash and a Senton but couldn’t keep Cody down for three.

Owens went for a Pop-Up Powerbomb but Cody countered into a Hurricanrana. Rhodes followed it up with a Clothesline and both superstars fell to the mat. Owens then planted Cody with the Pop-Up Powerbomb for another near fall. Rollins and Owens couldn’t believe that Rhodes kicked out.

Cody perched Owens up on the top turnbuckle and joined him up there. Rhodes went for a Superplex but Owens countered into a Fisherman’s Buster off the top. Owens went for the cover but Cody got his boot on the bottom rope to break it up. KO went for a Powerbomb on the apron but Cody reversed into a Back Body Drop.

Rollins shouted at Owens to get back into the ring but he walked away. Cody Rhodes was angry that the match ended that way. Rhodes was standing on the turnbuckle saying something to the crowd when Rollins attacked him from behind. Seth sent Cody flying off the turnbuckle and to the floor as RAW went off the air.

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