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Chris Jericho Wanted To Form Stable With Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Chris Jericho recalled the time he initially wanted to start a faction with Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley.

Jericho used to be the leader of the Inner Circle before he and Jake Hager turned on Santana and Ortiz. He now runs the “Jericho Appreciation Society” where the emphasis is on sports entertainment. He is joined by Hager, Daniel Garcia, “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard, and “Cool Hand Ang” Angelo Parker.

Chris Jericho Initially Wanted Faction With Kingston & Moxley

Chris Jericho appeared on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio and revealed that he once had an idea to start a faction with Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley (via Fightful).

“I’d love to be able to tell you that I had this big overarching plan that was put into place in November when we started doing this thing with Eddie Kingston and I. It wasn’t. It was just reading the room and evolving.

“My original idea was for maybe, Eddie, and (Jon) Moxley to be an alliance as babyfaces. I never really thought about turning heel. I always had this real romantic idea of never breaking up the Inner Circle and having us be together until the end. Once we started rolling and moving, I realized there was a lot we could do with it.

“When we were in Bridgeport, Connecticut, we had a promo and Eddie came out there and was like, ‘I don’t know why I’m out here. This is pro wrestling, not sports entertainment, if you want that, go down the block.’ People just responded with a huge half cheer, half boo disdain for ‘sports entertainment.’ I was like, ‘Oh, oh, our fanbase doesn’t like that term. Interesting.’

“Then the wheels go into motion and you start thinking of ‘maybe we can do something like this.’ The sports entertainment thing came from listening to the fans and realizing, ‘they don’t like this, I do. I’m a sports entertainer at heart. Let’s talk about it and make it a thing on screen,’ and that’s what we did.”

Jericho’s current group is in a feud with Kingston, Santana, and Ortiz. Sammy Guevara was able to avoid being caught in the crossfire of the Inner Circle split as he left the group before it imploded.

The Miz Touts Himself as WWE’s Ultimate Utility Player

Michael Reichlin
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The Miz sees himself as a “jack of all trades” who can fill any role WWE needs him to fill.

When WWE needed a tag team partner for Logan Paul at WrestleMania, they called The Miz. When Cody Rhodes wrestles his first match on WWE Raw in six years, he’s fighting The Miz.

Whether it’s the main event of WrestleMania, an appearance on the red carpet or starring in his own reality TV shows, The Miz is always delivers.

The Awesome One recently spoke with the Detroit News to promote Monday’s WWE Raw from the Little Cesars Arena. During his conversation with Adam Graham, The Miz said his range and flexibility have kept him relevant since he joined WWE in 2004.

“I would say my role in the company now is as a person who can develop newcomers but also be in the main event, or help the main event out, or be on the mid-card. I can be anywhere.”

– The Miz

Not only is The Miz a versatile on-screen performer; he’s also a pretty humble guy.

“I’m always good, 100% awesome, all day, everyday of my life,” says The Miz. “When you have two beautiful daughters who are healthy and happy and you have an amazing wife, I think you’re pretty happy.”

The Miz battles Cody Rhodes tonight on WWE Raw.

Head over to DetroitNews.com to read their full interview with The Miz.

5-Team Gauntlet Match Will Determine New NXT Tag Champs

Michael Reichlin
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WWE will crown new NXT tag team champions this Tuesday night.

The NXT tag titles were vacated last week. WWE did not specify a reason why MSK relinquished the titles they just won, but we know it’s due to Nash Carter’s abrupt release from the company.

Carter’s soon-to-be-ex-wife, wrestler Kimber Lee, accuses him of physical abuse and released a photo of him giving a Nazi salute while wearing a Hitler mustache.

WWE has yet to publicly address Nash Carter’s situation, but his Superstar profile no longer appears on the company website.

On Tuesday’s NXT 2.0, five teams will battle in a Gauntlet match to determine the next champions. The teams include:

  • Grayson Waller & Sanga
  • Legado del Fantasma
  • The Creed Brothers
  • Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen
  • Pretty Deadly

Who do you think will become the next NXT tag team champions?

Former NXT Champion Joins the WWE Raw Brand

Michael Reichlin
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Tommaso Ciampa has officially been “called up” to the main roster. He’s now a full-time member of WWE’s Raw brand and is scheduled to be at tonight’s Raw from Detroit, according to PWInsider.

Ciampa’s WWE.com Superstar profile still lists him as a member of NXT 2.0.

Ciampa has been a fixture of WWE’s developmental system since 2015. He is a two-time NXT Champion and a former NXT tag team champion, along with Johnny Gargano. His second reign ended last week, when he lost to Bron Breakker on the Raw after WrestleMania.

Much like Gargano, Ciampa was a perfect fit for the “black and gold” version of NXT headed by Triple H and William Regal. The company has since rebranded the show NXT 2.0 and is focused on younger performers from more diverse athletic backgrounds.

Just last week, Tommaso Ciampa spoke about his time in NXT winding down. He said the NXT crew looks very different these days, but he cherishes his time there and was honored to learn from men like Triple H and Shawn Michaels.

“NXT is my wrestling dream come true.”

– Tommaso Ciampa

Chris Jericho: Cody Rhodes Bigger Than Ever After WWE Jump

Michael Reichlin
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Chris Jericho is disappointed Cody Rhodes jumped to WWE. However, he understands the decision and says Cody is now “bigger than he’s ever been.”

The wrestling world is still reeling from Cody Rhodes jumping ship from AEW to WWE. All Elite Wrestling has signed a ton of former WWE Superstars, but Rhodes is the first high-profile name to move the other way.

Jericho spoke about the situation on the latest episode of his Talk is Jericho podcast. His own career has taken many twists and turns. He’s wrestled for ECW, WCW, WWE, New Japan and now AEW.

“I was honestly disappointed he left, but I get it. I’ve done it many times myself.”

– Chris Jericho on Cody Rhodes jumping to WWE

Chris Jericho on Cody’s Rhodes’ Decision

Chris Jericho is known for many things, but reinventing himself has to be at the top of the list. Jericho believes Cody felt the time was right to make a big move and advance his career. According to Jericho, it’s paying off for the American Nightmare.

“I mean, I left WWE in 2017 for basically the same reason why Cody left AEW, from what I understand, is he just didn’t think he was getting the, I don’t know if it’s the spotlight, or respect or whatever the word being, but you can kind of see the writing on the wall,” said Jericho.

He continued, “So obviously, now Cody is bigger than he’s ever been just by changing companies, and obviously they did a great job in putting him over at WrestleMania and bringing him in at the highest of levels.”

Since returning to WWE, Cody Rhodes is being positioned as a top babyface on the Raw brand. After defeating Seth Rollins at WrestleMania, he faces The Miz tonight on Raw. Once he gets a few wins under his belt, it’s only a matter of time before Cody Rhodes crosses paths with the top dog in WWE, Roman Reigns.

Thanks to the Putting You Over podcast for sending in this tip. Please H/T SEScoops if you use any of these quotes.

Paul Heyman Has No Desire To Join WWE Hall of Fame For Now

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Don’t expect Paul Heyman to accept a WWE Hall of Fame induction anytime soon.

Few can deny Heyman’s place in wrestling history. One can argue that his run manning the ship for ECW alone would’ve cemented his legacy. That wasn’t enough for Paul, however, as he’s become one of the best managers the wrestling industry has ever seen and is widely regarded as having a brilliant mind behind the scenes.

Paul Heyman Focused On Performing, Not Hall of Fame

Serving as a guest on 101 WRIF, Paul Heyman said that he’s simply too invested in his current role in WWE to think about a Hall of Fame induction (h/t Fightful).

“Yeah, I have absolutely no desire to go into the Hall of Fame. Well, I am the ‘Special Counsel’ to ‘The Tribal Chief’ Roman Reigns. I’m putting together a Hall of Fame run simply based on what we do as The Undisputed Champion right now, let alone everything else that has been accomplished beforehand. So while we’re in the middle of this run, it would make no sense for me to go into the Hall of Fame.”

Heyman has been credited with the significant turnaround in Roman Reigns’ character. Even legendary commentator Jim Ross believes Heyman deserves credit for the “Tribal Chief” era.

The Undertaker Podcast Headed to Peacock This Year (Report)

Michael Reichlin
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The Undertaker is gearing up to enter the world of podcasting.

Last weekend, The Undertaker headlined the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022. He gave a rousing speech and shared several rules that he lives by:

  • Perception is reality
  • Respect and loyalty go a long way
  • Never be contempt.

He finished the speech by dropping the adage, “never say never.”

The Undertaker used to be very protective of his supernatural gimmick. However, that has changed dramatically in recent years. He’s “pulled the curtain” back, so to speak, and has done a lot of media appearances “out of character.”

The Undertaker Podcast

It now looks like Dead Man is trading his run for a microphone. According to WrestleVotes, WWE has convinced the Undertaker to host a new show that will be similar to Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions.

The report notes that The Undertaker’s podcast will air on Peacock within the next few months. A timeframe like this means production would begin sooner than later.

A podcast hosted by The Undertaker could make for some interesting content. For longtime fans, it’s still surreal to see him speaking as his true identity, Mark Calloway.

Steve Austin has seamlessly transitioned into his role as WWE podcast host. There’s no reason The Undertaker could not do the same thing.

Taker has appeared on Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions, so Stone Cold would be a natural choice as one of his guests (if the show features guests and interviews).

We will keep an eye on this story and will provide an update if and when WWE goes public with plans for the Undertaker podcast.

Raw Preview (4/11): Cody vs. Miz, Styles vs. Priest, Usos

Michael Reichlin
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Tonight’s WWE Raw takes place from Detroit, Michigan at the Little Cesars Arena.

We are less than a month out from WWE’s next premium live event, WrestleMania Backlash. As of this writing, the “I Quit Match” between Raw Women’s Champion Charlotte and Ronda Rousey is the only match announced for the WrestleMania Backlash 2022 card.

The top item advertised for Raw is Cody Rhodes vs. The Miz. WWE is positioning Cody as a top babyface on the Raw brand, so this will be a real test for the American Nightmare.

Last week on Raw, Veer Mahaan finally made his big return after months of hype videos. Veer beat the crap out of Rey Mysterio and Dominik. Mysterio looks to avenge his family’s honor tonight when he goes one-on-one with Veer.

AJ Styles will face Damian Priest, who is now aligned with Edge. Will Priest show up by himself, or will he have reinforcements from the Rated R Superstar?

Sasha Banks and Naomi will defend their new Women’s Tag Team Championships against Rhea Ripley & Liv Morgan.

MVP will host a special edition of the VIP Lounge. His guest will be his new protégé, Omos. What will MVP have to say about turning on Bobby Lashley last week?

Finally, SmackDown tag team champions The Usos will be in the house. Roman Reigns says he wants to unify the Raw and Smackdown tag team titles. What will RK-Bro, the reigning Raw tag team champions, have to say about a potential unification match?

The Build to WrestleMania Backlash

After tonight’s Raw, we should have a much better idea about where things are headed with WrestleMania Backlash.

Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns does not have an opponent. Cody Rhodes plans to pursue that title. Will WWE pull the trigger on this match with only one month of hype?

The Usos vs. RKBro in a championship unification match is clearly in the works. Once again, we’ll have to see if WWE goes right into this one.

Bobby Lashley and Omos could be another WrestleMania Backlash match in the works. Backlash historically features a lot of WrestleMania rematches. Now that MVP has aligned with Omos, this is a logical match for the PLE.

Sami Zayn Explains Why He Re-Signed With WWE

Anutosh Bajpai
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A lot of people believed that Sami Zayn was bound for AEW once his WWE contract expired. That’s why it surprised many fans when he decided to re-sign with WWE instead. According to the WWE star himself, he stayed because the company has allowed him creative input and shown their appreciation.

The Great Liberator appeared on Out Of Character recently. During the interview, he revealed that he has creative freedom in WWE. When asked to elaborate, Zayn explained that while he doesn’t book his own stuff, he gets to pitch a lot of ideas:

“Well, let me just nip this in the bud. I don’t want to act like I’m booking my own stuff because I am not. [I have] input. And for the creative team and whoever to be receptive to my ideas [is good]. I don’t get all [things through].

Trust me, I swing a lot. I don’t think I swing a lot of duds, but sometimes I swing ideas that I don’t know why they won’t work and sometimes they tell me that won’t work because of XYZ.  But a lot of things they’ll take. It’s not exactly how I envisioned it, but pieces of it get through. Like the documentary for example. And they take on a life of their own.”

I Am Over The Moon

Sami Zayn claimed that being heard by the creative makes him feel respected and valued in the company. According to him, WWE has really shown him their respect in the last few years. This is the reason why he chose to re-sign with the promotion:

“So yeah, for sure, having even a little bit of creative input. I think that’s really what’s taken my appreciation and my enjoyment of being here in WWE to another level. I’ll say, ‘hey, I really wish we could kind of do this’ and then some version of that happens, and I’m thrilled. I’m over the moon. What more could you ask for?” asked Sami Zayn, “That’s it. To just feel like you have a voice and you’re feeling heard, and when you actually go out there and do it. You feel respected and valued.

That’s really what kept me here. There are other factors for sure, but that was really it. It wasn’t – oh all of a sudden, my contract’s coming up and it’s time to negotiation and [they’re like] ‘Hey we really like you’, ‘Well where have you been the last two years?’ No, the last two years they’ve shown me that they value me. So, when they told me they want me to stay, I believe them. So I stayed.”

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Nikki Bella & Artem Chigvintsev’s Wedding Date Set, May Be Televised

Michael Reichlin
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Nikki Bella and fiancé Artem Chigvintsev have set a date for their wedding.

The WWE Hall of Famer and former Divas champion recently spoke to US Weekly about her big plans. It should come as no surprise that her twin sister, Brie Bella, will serve as her maid of honor.

“Brie’s gonna have to start getting busy because she’s Maid of Honor. I’m going to have to put her to work!” she joked.

Nikki likes to live it up and party, but she knows she’ll have to keep herself in check for her big day. “I’m going to have to give a heartfelt speech, not be drunk and have my s—t together.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBLjMSvcydQ

Nikki Bella & Artem Chigvintsev Wedding Plans

The happy couple have finally settled on a wedding date, so when can we expect Nikki Bella to walk down the aisle?

“We’ve set a wedding date. I’ll give a hint that it’s fall 2022, very soon.”

– Nikki Bella

Nikki Bella has lived her adult life in front of the cameras. In addition to her WWE career, she’s starred on reality television shows (Total Divas, Total Bellas) and competed on Dancing with the Stars, where she met her soon-to-be husband.

It should come as no surprise that Nikki Bella’s wedding to Artem Chigvintsev might be televised. “It might be on E!. So, the world may see it,” she said.

Nikki is excited to marry Artem, but admits there’s a little pressure to nail their ‘first dance’ together. She has been telling Artem he needs to start choreographing their dance so she can learn it all summer.

Bron Breakker Would Love to do More With Rick Steiner in WWE

Michael Reichlin
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NXT Champion Bron Breakker would love to do more in WWE with his father, Rick Steiner.

The Steiner Brothers made an indelible mark on the wrestling industry during their reign as one of the sport’s most dominant tag teams. Last weekend, Rick and brother Scott Steiner became two of the latest entrants in the WWE Hall of Fame.

Breakker is following in his father’s footsteps. He’s a rookie in WWE, but he’s already racking up championships. On last week’s Raw the night after WrestleMania, he defeated Dolph Ziggler to regain the NXT Championship.

During a post-match interview, Breakker stated it was a dream come true to induct the Steiners into the Hall of Fame and then win the NXT Championship.

Bron Breakker & Rick Steiner

During a conversation with Nick Hausman for WrestlingINC during WrestleMania weekend, Breakker said the Hall of Fame was an honor for the whole family. They all appreciate the Steiner Brothers got to end their wrestling careers on this high note.

It’s not easy being the son of Rick Steiner. Breakker says his father motivates him a lot, but he’s tough and doesn’t share a lot of compliments.

“He’s got high expectations for me, so he never really acknowledges that I am doing super well or anything,” said Breakker. “He’s always focused on how I can be better.”

WWE took some time before acknowledging that Rick Steiner was Bron Breakker’s father. The company probably wanted him to make a name for himself first, but secrets like this are hard to keep under wraps in today’s information age.

Rick Steiner celebrated Bron Breakker’s first NXT Championship victory back in January 2022. He hopes they can do more together on WWE television in the future. “I would love that,” he said. “I think the people would love that. I don’t know, we will see.”

You can catch NXT Champion Bron Breakker Tuesday nights on NXT 2.0.

WWE Undecided On Plans For Unified World Title

Anutosh Bajpai
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Roman Reigns became the Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion by defeating Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 38. Though it appears that WWE is as clueless as the fans when it comes to handling the unified titles.

Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men podcast recently talked about the Head Of The Table. His sources suggest that WWE has not yet decided on how this thing will play out:

“I don’t think they’ve decided if he’s going to be on Raw every week or every other week. It hasn’t been set yet. They’re working all this out right now on how they’re going to play this out.”

Roman Reigns’ appearances on the post Mania episodes of Raw and SmackDown didn’t make things any clearer regarding his title reign.

In the meantime, The Usos are headed to Detroit for this Monday’s episode of Raw. The current SmackDown tag team champions intend to win the Raw tag team titles from RK-Bro to unify them both as well.

We will probably get a better idea of WWE’s plans at the show. It would be interesting to see if Reigns makes an appearance at the episode as well.

How do you feel about WWE unifying the world championships? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

Bandido Breaks Silence On No-Showing GCW Event

Anutosh Bajpai
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Former ROH world champion Bandido has broken his silence on no showing a GCW show and apologized to fans for missing the event.

The masked star was scheduled to face Nick Wayne at Game Changer Wrestling’s ‘Devil In A New Dress’ event in San Francisco, California on Sunday.

However, before the show kicked off, GCW promoter Brett Lauderdale took on his Twitter to reveal that Bandido has missed his flight and he isn’t answering his phone.

He also tweeted that the flight missed by the wrestling star cost him $900. Though Lauderdale later deleted the tweet and admitted that it came off as insensitive.

Bandido himself has now taken on his Twitter to comment on the incident. He mentioned how it was his fault and hoped to make things up as soon as possible:

“Hello to all @GCWrestling_ fans, I just wanna say sorry for not be there tonight in San Francisco! Thank you for all the people to take care about me, Im fine! It was my fault and I hope make up those things as soon as possible see you soon amigos!!”

There is still no word on the reason why Bandido missed the show. We will keep you posted on any further development in the story.

Tony Khan Talks Future ‘Bidding Wars’ Between WWE and AEW

Ryan Droste
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0

The early success of All Elite Wrestling has created a situation where the top wrestlers in North America (and the world) now have multiple paths to stardom and financial security.

A second national wrestling promotion taking off in the way that AEW has was always the best possible scenario for a wrestling world that had essentially operated with WWE as the only national game in town for nearly 20 years.

Competition means better contracts and more opportunities for the wrestlers themselves, and we’re already starting to see some of this reality come to fruition with the arrivals of names like Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, Adam Cole and Samoa Joe signing with AEW, while Kevin Owens got a haul of a contract to stay with WWE and Cody Rhodes returned there.

Speaking in an interview with ESPN, AEW President Tony Khan acknowledged that bidding wars are sure to take place between the two companies in the years ahead.

“Yeah, I am (expecting a bidding war),” Khan said. “We have a lot of great wrestlers here. I expect there probably will be down the road interest in some of them, because we’re putting on such strong shows. I think there’s bound to be free-agent movement. On both sides of the competition. I think it’s great for the wrestlers.”

Cody Rhodes WrestleMania
Cody Rhodes returns to WWE at WrestleMania 38.

There are several names who have achieved stardom early on with AEW who one could see WWE making big offers for when their contracts are up. WWE has already been rumored to be interested in MJF, and how could they not be interested in a Jade Cargill down the line? Plus, people like Wardlow, Darby Allin, and even some of AEW’s founding fathers like the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega could be in play down the road.

One thing is for certain: This is the best time to be a wrestling fan in North America in many years. A successful WWE and AEW is best for both the business and the wrestling fan base itself. The promoters will be readying up to pay to keep things in their favor.

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

Matt Hardy Reflects On Triple H’s Career: “One Of The Smoothest Workers You’ll Ever Be In The Ring With”

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Matt Hardy enjoyed his time working with Triple H.

“The Game” announced to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith that he has retired from in-ring action. Triple H has a defibrillator in his chest due to heart failure. Fans got to witness 30 years of Hunter.

Matt Hardy Lauds Triple H Following Retirement Announcement

During an episode of The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast, Matt detailed what made Triple H special inside the ring (h/t Wrestling Inc).

“It is what it is, we all have to retire one day. I remember I reached out to him after I heard about his condition, and spoke to him briefly. Obviously, I have known Paul for a very long time, and worked with him many, many times, and had good experiences with him.

“He’s incredible in the ring, one of the smoothest workers you’ll ever be in the ring with. Really smart, a student of the game, loves the business. Obviously, I love this insane sh*t, so I really bond with anybody who has that much of a love for it.”

Triple H got night two of WrestleMania 38 started by leaving his boots in the middle of the ring. He received a standing ovation from the crowd inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Alexa Bliss and Ryan Cabrera Married on Saturday

Ryan Droste
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Alexa Bliss and Ryan Cabrera Married on Saturday

WWE superstar Alexa Bliss and singer Ryan Cabrera were married on Saturday in a ceremony at Kempa Villa in Palm Desert, California.

People has an exclusive on the wedding as Bliss sat down with them for an interview to discuss the wedding two weeks ago. She called the wedding “non-traditional” and
“rockstar-themed.”

A friend of the couple owns the property in Palm Desert, and the two have been planning their wedding there since becoming engaged in late 2020.

“We were like, ‘Oh my God,’ it’s absolutely perfect,” Cabrera told People. “It’s absolutely gorgeous and nestled within the mountains. At the bottom, there are vineyards, and behind the house there’s a beautiful lake. It’s just far enough outside of Los Angeles, too.”

The guest list reportedly included 360 people, and Bliss and Cabrera deemed their wedding “the sh– show.” Literally. As guests arrived to the wedding, they were met with a giant light up sign that said “Welcome to the sh– show.”

Bliss walked down the aisle to Cabrera’s song “Worth It.”

Bliss and Cabrera began dating in 2019. They were introduced by none other than WWE Superstar, The Miz.

Bliss revealed on Sunday that several big name musical acts performed as part of the wedding.

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

Johnny Gargano On Who Helped Him Get On WWE’s Radar

Anutosh Bajpai
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William Regal helped many of the current generation wrestling stars get an opportunity with WWE. One such talent who finally got on the company’s radar with help from Regal after 10 years in the independent circuit is Johnny Gargano.

The former NXT champion is currently a free agent after leaving WWE a few months ago. He looks back on his WWE run with good memories and is grateful for the chance to work under William Regal.

‘Johnny Wrestling’ was in Dallas for a WrestleCon appearance over the WrestleMania weekend. Chris Van Vliet interviewed him during his trip. The two talked about things such as Gargano’s legacy in wrestling and more. Discussing how he got into WWE, Johnny mentioned that William Regal gave the chance to a lot of undersized guys like himself:

“2015-2016 I think is when I fully got on the radar. That was thanks to a guy named William Regal obviously. William Regal was a great proponent of independent wrestlers and guys like me who are undersized.” said Gargano.

“Who wasn’t given an opportunity during that time period.  It’s so crazy to be in that window, where from 2016 to 2021 where I left. I felt I had a hell of a run. I maximized my time there for sure. Especially in NXT, the matches and opportunities I was given to be able to go out there and main event Takeovers in front of 15,000 seat arenas.

Today being able to do that meet and greet and signing stuff. It’s very reassuring to have people come up to me and share their stories of how I’ve affected their life. because it is wild to think that when I was younger, the boyhood dream, Shawn Michaels is what made me want to be a wrestler. For some kids out there, me winning the NXT title at Takeover: New York is gonna be what made them wanna be a wrestler. So it’s cool to have that kind of legacy in itself.”

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

Scott Hall Laid To Rest Friday, Several Wrestlers Attend

Ryan Droste
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0

Legendary professional wrestler Scott Hall was buried in a private ceremony with friends and family on Friday.

The news of Hall’s burial comes after a post by his son, Cody, on Instagram on Saturday. In attendance for the ceremony were fellow wrestlers Kevin Nash, Sean Waltman, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, and Diamond Dallas Page.

Cody Hall wrote the following regarding his father:

“We buried my father yesterday. And I guess it was the last step in the process, but it still feels like I’m going through a ton.

“Being my dads son wasn’t always easy, in fact it used to feel really hard sometimes, he was hard sometimes. But it feels different now, not my burden to bear but my torch to carry going forward.

“A legacy from a legend. It feels like he’s with me now. The whole world feels different now. I feel so different now. Death is part of the circle of life, and my father lives through me.

“And so many memories live in my head and my heart forever now, all the sayings he had, all the facial expressions, going fishing together, him blasting Shaggy -“ it wasn’t me “ every morning to wake us up for school, thinking George foreman turkey burgers are a delicacy, singing country songs on our drives, the spot on the side of the garage we’d both pee in to see how deep we could go, wearing our matching #HallGood shirts and color coordinating outfits, seeing him when he was ON how he could light up and flip a switch and be the best person you could ever meet.

“He was my best friend, he taught me everything I know. And I’ll never ever forget it.
I love you dad.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CcJOMMKPC80/

Hall passed away last month following complications from hip surgery. Hall had fallen at home and required the surgery. He subsequently suffered three heart attacks and was forced to be put on life support.

Hall was taken off life support once his family could be at his side to say goodbye. He died on Monday, March 14th.

Hall’s jump to WCW in 1996 kicked the Monday Night Wars into high gear. He famously appeared on the Memorial Day edition of WCW Nitro out of the crowd, shocking those in attendance and watching at home. Not long after that arrival, Kevin Nash showed up during the June WCW Great American Bash PPV event. Then, at WCW’s Bash at the Beach PPV in July, Hulk Hogan joined the duo to form the nWo.

Remembering Scott Hall: 7 Must-See Matches From His Career

What to Expect From Tony Khan’s ROH

Ryan Droste
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0

Just over one month ago, Tony Khan stunned the wrestling world when he announced his purchase of Ring of Honor Wrestling. The founder of All Elite Wrestling was a steadfast fan of ROH Wrestling during the promotion’s rise in the first decade of the 21st century and now has control of its future.

While we still don’t know exactly what this future will look like, we can make some educated guesses based on Khan’s own personal philosophy on the wrestling business, as well as what we saw from ROH during their Supercard of Honor PPV broadcast last weekend.

First of all, I would not expect the new ROH to resemble a “developmental territory.” Khan has too much reverence for the history of the ROH brand to treat it as an afterthought or a place where only the less experienced wrestlers perform.

Instead, it’s more likely that Khan treats ROH as its own established territory, creating for himself and the AEW landscape a system that used to exist before the 1990s.

Anyone who has ever listened to Khan talk wrestling knows that he was an avid tape trader, essentially a wrestling historian, who gobbled up all of the old territorial footage that he could consume. With the purchase of ROH, Khan has the ability to create for himself a landscape that resembles the wrestling world that he grew up admiring.

“Vince (McMahon) Sr. was really cooperative,” Khan explained last fall. “He booked Andre (The Giant) out all over the country. He would work for AWA and would go to Mid South and work in Houston. Wrestling was much more collaborative before the mid-80s and it was actually one person that made the business less collaborative. I’m trying to bring some of that spirit back. When Vince Sr was running the New York territory, it was a much more collaborative thing.”

khanschiavoneimpact
Tony Khan and Tony Schiavone appear on Impact Wrestling in late 2020.

I would expect movement across the rosters in future years in an effort to keep stars fresh. One of the reasons that so many of the top stars in wrestling over the last decade have started to feel played out or stale is due to the fact that they’ve been working the exact same television shows, without much reinvention, for the better part of over a decade.

A separate ROH will allow stars from both ROH and AEW to move on and “work another territory” for anywhere from a couple weeks or months at a time, to even longer if desired.

Throughout wrestling’s history, this kind of movement has always been a positive. Whether it was people bouncing back and forth between WCW, ECW, and WWE back in the 1990s, or traveling the old territorial system prior to the 1990s. A change of scenery is a good thing for everyone, and it keeps a character fresh. Historically this has been a necessity in the business. The last 20 years with WWE as the only truly viable national promotion has been an aberration from the norm, stunting movement across the business. AEW changed that, and the future of ROH will open things up even more.

ROH can’t afford to be just a developmental system, nor should it be. Supercard of Honor showed us that the promotion can produce some of the best matches in the world if given an opportunity. Look no further than the fact that FTR vs. The Briscoes was arguably the best match of WrestleMania weekend.

Khan has already tried to recreate a system of movement across wrestling territories of sorts while working collaboratively with AAA, New Japan and IMPACT in the past (the so-called “forbidden door”). However, ROH will give him the same opportunity while also possessing total creative control without having to run plans through another promoter. The purchase of ROH gives Tony Khan the ultimate wrestling sandbox in which to experiment.

What do you think? What do you want to see out of the future of ROH? Let us know in the comments section below or drop me a line on Twitter @ryandroste.

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

Wheeler Yuta Discusses His Growth: “In AEW, You Level Up Or Get Left Behind”

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Wheeler Yuta is on the rise and he credits the competitiveness of the AEW locker room for his urge to “level up.”

Yuta has emerged as quite the prospect. He captured the ROH Pure Championship against Josh Woods at the Supercard of Honor event on April 1. He followed that up with a highly-praised match against Jon Moxley on the April 8 episode of AEW Rampage.

Wheeler Yuta Lauds AEW’s Competitiveness

During an appearance on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio, Wheeler Yuta told Dave LaGreca and Mark Henry that he can’t afford to slack off in AEW.

“AEW is such a competitive environment but in the best way possible. It’s very positive and uplifting but there’s just so much talent that you have no choice but to either level up or get left behind.

“So, I think being put in that environment has really helped me out and it’s allowed me to grow as both a wrestler and just a human being, being around all of these people that I respect so much and who have done it for years and years.

“It’s an environment where you really have to get stronger, get better, or else you’re gonna get left behind. So, being in AEW I think has been the best thing for my career, hands down.”

On AEW TV, Yuta has found himself fighting for the respect of the Blackpool Combat Club. He made significant progress after William Regal shook his hand following a war against Moxley.

Please H/T SEScoops if you use any quotes from this article.

Tony Khan Still Baffled Over WWE Releasing Keith Lee & Swerve Strickland

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Tony Khan remains in disbelief over WWE’s decision to release Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland.

AEW hasn’t been shy in bringing in talent that once worked under the WWE banner. The likes of CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Chris Jericho, Christian Cage, and many more once made a name for themselves within Vince McMahon’s empire.

There are some talents that WWE decided to drop, leaving fans puzzled. Heck, it’s even left Khan confused.

Tony Khan Surprised Keith Lee & Swerve Strickland Hit The Market

Tony Khan appeared on Barstool Rasslin’ and he admitted that he never envisioned a scenario where both Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland would be released by WWE (h/t Fightful).

“Also, speaking of established stars coming in, Swerve Strickland and right before that Keith Lee. I can’t believe these guys got fired by any wrestling company in the world.

“I don’t know what the hell you’re thinking if you run a wrestling company and you don’t have a spot for Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee. I get that there are only so many positions in a company but I think any company that has those guys and, you know, it wasn’t like they’re unreasonable guys. They’re great!

“I love both guys. They’ve been a huge part of what we’re doing here now, too.”

On AEW TV, Lee and Strickland have actually formed a duo at least for this feud with Team Taz. Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs have been thorns in the sides of Lee and Strickland, so something has to give.

Lee and Strickland will team to take on Starks and Hobbs on the April 13 episode of Dynamite.

Mark Henry: “Believe Me, There Will be a Cesaro Sighting”

Michael Reichlin
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Mark Henry says we haven’t seen the last of Cesaro. The AEW broadcaster, coach and talent scout says wrestling fans will be very pleased when the Swiss Superman resurfaces.

In addition to his duties in AEW, Henry serves as a co-host of Busted Open Radio on SiriusXM. He dropped an interesting quote on Saturday morning’s episode.

“Believe me, there will be a Cesaro sighting, just not right now,” said Henry.

“When that day comes, the world of pro wrestling is gonna be like, ‘Holy cow, like, that’s the guy we always wanted to see.'”

– Mark Henry on Cesaro’s future

Cesaro departed WWE in late February 2022 after over a decade with the company. WWE attempted to re-sign Cesaro, but they were unable to reach an agreement. He is not bound by a 90-day non-compete.

Cesaro has long been regarded as one of the top wrestlers in the world. He achieved some success in WWE, but most wrestling fans and industry observers would agree he was underutilized throughout his run there.

It will be interesting to see if Cesaro finds his way to AEW. He has a long history with many AEW stars from their days in WWE, as well as in Ring of Honor and on the independent scene.

Several AEW performers have already acknowledged the prospect of Cesaro joining AEW. Former rival Eddie Kingston has already stated that Cesaro “Doesn’t Have The Balls” to join him in AEW.

Earlier this week, Dax Harwood re-tweeted this photo pitching a tag team dream match between FTR and the Kings of Wrestling (Cesaro and Chris Hero).

Credit to the Putting You Over podcast for sending in this tip.

WWE Setting Up Tag Title Unification at WrestleMania Backlash

Michael Reichlin
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WWE is setting the stage for more championships to be unified in the near future.

Universal Champion Roman Reigns defeated WWE Champion Brock Lesnar in the main event of WrestleMania 38 in a Winner Takes All Championship Unification Match.

In the main event segment of Friday’s SmackDown, The Bloodline leader dropped a bombshell. After consolidating power at the very top of WWE’s singles divisions, Reigns declared it’s time The Usos do the same with the tag titles.

Reigns said he wants The Usos to go to Raw and bring him the Raw tag team championships, currently held by Rated RK-Bro.

“The Bloodline’s gonna have all the gold soon.”

– Roman Reigns

The Usos expected at Monday’s Raw to kick off a program with Randy Orton and Riddle. In addition to the Usos’s quest to capture the Raw tag titles, Cody Rhodes vs. The Miz is also advertised for the show.

WWE has not yet confirmed if or when this tag title unification match will take place. However, the company’s next premium live event is a month away and the company is not known for setting up matches months in advance. At this time, there’s a strong possibility we will see The Usos vs. Rated RK-Bro at WrestleMania Backlash on Sunday, May 8th.

Rousey vs. Flair “I Quit” Match Set for WrestleMania Backlash

Michael Reichlin
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Ronda Rousey is demanding an “I Quit” match against Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania Backlash.

The Baddest Woman on the Planet made a surprise WWE return in January at the Royal Rumble. She won the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble and went on to challenge Flair for the Raw Women’s Championship at WrestleMania. She came up short and The Queen retained.

Rousey made her first WWE TV appearance since WrestleMania at Friday’s edition of Smackdown on Fox. Rousey came to the ring and told the WWE Universe that she won’t make any excuses for her loss at WrestleMania. However, she won’t be satisfied until she dethrones Charlotte Flair as the new Raw Women’s Champion.

Rousey demanded a rematch against Charlotte Flair at the next WWE premium live event, WrestleMania Backlash. She wants it to be an “I Quit” match.

Flair appeared on the big screen and denied Rousey’s demand. She told told Rousey, “Get to the back of the line, bitch.”

Later in the show, Adam Pearce said the rematch between Rousey and Flair is in the works. WWE confirmed the match on Saturday.

The WrestleMania Backlash 2022 premium live event takes place Sunday, May 8th and streams live on Peacock and the WWE Network.

Samoa Joe vs. Minoru Suzuki Set For Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite

Michael Reichlin
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Samoa Joe will battle Minoru Suzuki on Wednesday’s edition of AEW Dynamite. Suzuki’s Ring of Honor World Television Championship will be on the line.

AEW President Tony Khan noted on Twitter that this is a match he’s dreamed of for many years.

Suzuki and Joe are two of the hardest-hitting wrestlers in the world. You can talk about “working stiff” but this match is sure to be a masters class in two veteran fighters beating the hell out of each other.

AEW Dynamite Preview (4/13/22)

The April 13th episode of AEW Dynamite takes place from New Orleans, Louisiana at the UNO Lakefront Arena.

Here’s the updated card for the event:

  • AEW World Tag Team Champions Jurassic Express vs. reDRagon
  • ROH TV Champion Minoru Suzuki vs. Samoa Joe
  • Eddie Kingston, Santana & Ortiz vs. Chris Jericho, Jake Hager & Daniel Garcia
  • MJF vs. Capt. Shawn Sean
  • Ricky Starks & Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Keith Lee & Swerve Strickland
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