Home Blog Page 764

Kevin Owens Explains How Lance Storm Strongly Influenced His Career

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Kevin Owens is one star who always goes above and beyond when it comes to fan interaction. He not only interacts with fans in the arenas, but Owens takes the time to respond to people on social media and other such places whenever he can. Turns out, it was a wrestling veteran who inspired this trait of the former world champion.

The former NXT champion told this story during his most recent appearance on Ryan Satin’s Out Of Character podcast. He recalled how he used to email Lance Storm to ask for advice. Despite his busy schedule, the former WCW star would always respond to him. That has made him want to do the same for the next generation of wrestlers:

“I remember I would email Lance Storm through his website, and ask for advice. And he would always answer. I didn’t do this every week or anything, but I did it a few times. And he would answer me. He doesn’t remember doing this. But to me, that was so huge. You know, that he will take the time to answer me. Just this, for all he knew, just this silly kid who has a dream and probably won’t make it. Maybe he will, but come on. He’s a busy guy who’s on the road. He had a family when he would come home, but he still took the time to do that. That really went a long way for me.

So that’s just him, a performer responding to somebody that hopes to one day reach what he was accomplishing at the time. But then I realized, that helped shape kind of something that I wanna be. I wanna be a positive influence on the people that are gonna be doing this after me. “

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

Kevin Owens Reflects On WrestleMania Match Against Sami Zayn

Cody Rhodes Gives “BIG Props” to Brandi for AEW Detroit Debut

Michael Reichlin
-
0

All Elite Wrestling is heading to Detroit, Michigan for the first time this summer.

AEW Dynamite and Rampage will take place from Detroits Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday, June 29th.

The venue is the home arena of the Pistons (NBA) and Red Wings (NHL). It has a max capacity of over 18,000 fans, but maxes out around 14,000 for wrestling events.

According to WrestleTix, WWE Raw on March 12, 2018 sold 13,791 tickets. WWE’s most recent show there, a Super Show featuring John Cena last summer (August 1, 2021), sold 10,790 tickets.

Tickets for AEW’s Detroit debut go on sale Friday, March 11th at AEWTix.com and Ticketmaster.

Cody Rhodes Reacts to AEW Detroit

Former AEW star Cody Rhodes commented on AEW heading to Detroit. He said it’s “very cool to see!” and congratulated his wife Brandi and AEW live event coordinator Rafael Morffi for “making Detroit finally happen.”

Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair Set for WrestleMania Saturday

Michael Reichlin
-
0

Becky Lynch will defend the Raw Women’s Championship against Bianca Belair at WrestleMania Saturday, also known as “Night 1” of WrestleMania 38. The news was first reported by Joey Hayden of the Dallas Morning News.

As the card for WrestleMania takes shape, WWE has begun announcing which matches will take place on which night.

We are less than 5 weeks away from WrestleMania weekend and only three matches have been signed for “the most stupendous two-night WrestleMania in history.” Expect additional match announcements to begin rolling out as soon as this week.

WrestleMania 38 Schedule

Here is the updated schedule for WrestleMania 38:

WrestleMania Saturday

  • Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair
  • SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair vs. Ronda Rousey

WrestleMania Sunday

  • WWE Champion Brock Lesnar vs. Universal Champion Roman Reigns (Winner Take All Unification Match)

Visit our official WrestleMania event hub for details on how to watch the event, rumored matches and more.

Sam Roberts’ SmackDown Appearance Came Together at the Last Minute

Michael Reichlin
-
0

Sam Roberts made a surprise appearance on Friday’s edition of WWE SmackDown.

Roberts interviewed The Usos backstage, and also spoke with Drew McIntyre for a digital exclusive segment.

On the latest episode of his NotSam Wrestling Podcast, Sammy Bran Muffins, now known as Sammy SmackDown, spoke about the experience.

As it turns out, the appearance came together on short notice. Sam got a call from an unnamed WWE employee late Friday afternoon asking if he could be in Hershey, PA by 7:30pm for SmackDown.

Roberts immediately started “map questing” if he could make it from Westchester, NY (where he lives) to Hershey, PA in time. He estimated he could be at the venue by 8:02pm local tim, when SmackDown would already be on the air for two minutes. The WWE employee told him, “Well just get in the car!”

“I mean, when I tell you that for three hours, every 10 seconds, I’m just glancing at the GPS, glancing at the gas take, glancing at the road to make sure that I don’t run over something and end up with a flat tire,” said Roberts. “I think it was the quickest three hour trip that I’ve ever been on because my mind was occupied the entire time. I was like one tense muscle driving the entire way to Hershey, Pennsylvania.”

The rest, as they say, is history. Roberts took care of business on SmackDown to the delight of fans on social media.

Eric Bischoff: “AEW Has To Grow Their Business. They Haven’t Thus Far.”

Michael Reichlin
-
0

Eric Bischoff continues to be outspoken about All Elite Wrestling’s level of success.

The former WCW President has been critical about various aspects of AEW. He acknowledges they have amassed a “super loaded” roster, but doesn’t feel the company has realized its full potential.

On the latest episode of his 83 Weeks podcast, Bischoff explained what he believes are AEW’s shortcomings.

“AEW has to grow their business,” he began. “They haven’t thus far. Now they’re inching up since NXT is no longer head-to-head. Dynamite, they’re probably 10% or 12% some are estimating ahead of where they were this time last year. But they’re still having a hard time consistently breaking a million viewers. It’s up and down with a super-loaded roster.”

AEW Dynamite viewership has increased year-over-year. The viewership trend is positive since moving to TBS at the start of this year. That said, there is still significant room for improvement.

Appealing to a Wider Audience

Eric Bischoff Tony Khan
Former WCW President Eric Bischoff & AEW President Tony Khan

Bischoff’s critique is sensible. AEW has all the star power they need at this point. So, what will it take for AEW Dynamite viewership to 1.5 million viewers each week?

“At some point, they’re going to need a world champion, or two, a men’s champion and a women’s champion.. They’re going to need somebody that’s a legitimate larger than life star, not just physically, but larger than life to a broader audience.”

Bischoff says AEW and Turner might be satisfied with one million viewers each week. If they intend to draw viewership that rivals WWE Raw and SmackDown, they need to appeal to a wider audience.

“They’re going to need to focus on some larger than life type characters that are going to attract more than just the hardcore fanbase that they currently have.”

Eric Bischoff is a free agent who has appeared on WWE and AEW television in recent years. His most recent national TV appearance took place last month on SmackDown.

Eric Bischoff Critiques AEW

Here are some related articles covering Eric Bischoff’s comments about AEW:

Britt Baker on Her WWE Tryout & Dental School Leading Her to AEW

Michael Reichlin
-
0

Britt Baker is one of the most successful women’s wrestlers in the world, but it was a long journey to the AEW Women’s World Championship.

If you haven’t heard, she’s also a dentist. Baker somehow maintains two successful careers. This is a testament to her work ethic and determination. As it turns out, her dental school education kept her from fulfilling her dream of joining WWE.

On the latest episode of the Talk is Jericho podcast, Baker spoke to Chris Jericho about her hopes of signing with WWE several years ago

Baker had a tryout with the company and was in the same class as Lacey Evans. She felt confident WWE would offer her a contract, but her dental school education knocked those plans off course.

At the time of her WWE tryout, Canyon Ceman was a top executive in the talent development division. Baker described him as “the gatekeeper” who brought independent wrestlers on board to the company’s developmental system.

“He pulled me aside at the end of the tryout,” Baker recalls. “And he was like, ‘You know, you’ve just started dental school. As a father, I have a hard time pulling you from a professional degree.’ My heart dropped.”

Baker says she would have left dental school in a heartbeat if it meant she could join WWE. Looking back, she owes Ceman “the world” for not offering her a contract at the time.

“I would have left dental school in a heartbeat to go to WWE,” she said. “Because I was young, dumb, and I was like, ‘I’m going to be NXT Women’s Champion,’ like that would have got me far, right? He stayed in touch with me every few months after that. Like, ‘Let me know when you finish dental school, send me your matches.’ He always kept up with me.”

Ceman was released by WWE last year after nearly a decade with the company.

Britt Baker went on to join All Elite Wrestling in 2019. She captured the AEW Women’s World Championship at last year at Double or Nothing and is considered one of the most popular stars in the indsutry.

Baker defends the AEW Women’s champion against Thunder Rosa next weekend at AEW Revolution.

John Cena On Taking The WWE Approach To Promote Peacemaker

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

John Cena took a unique approach to promoting the Peacemaker series before its release. He decided to show up to all promotional events in his full costume.

The Cenation Leader recently had an interview with People. He discussed things such as the potential of a crossover between Peacemaker and The Rock’s Black Adam.

Speaking of his promotional tactic for Peacemaker, Cena claimed that it was very similar to the approach he took with his character as a full time WWE performer:

“I just wanted to try to familiarize the audience with my little piece, pun intended.” said the 16 time world champion. “It’s very similar to the approach that I use with the WWE when I was performing full-time there.

I would be in all interviews in the John Cena outfit of a ball cap, T-shirt, shorts and wristbands. People began to associate that character and become familiar with that character. That’s just the same approach I used in Peacemaker.”

The former world champion discussed how a lot of people may shy away from the approach because it’s not indicative of who they are.

John claimed that he just wanted the audience to become familiar with Peacemaker. As a testimony to his success, he mentioned how people were already cosplaying the character when they released a teaser for it at San Diego Comic-Con.

Pat McAfee Responds To Reports Of Vince McMahon Match

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

There have been wild rumors going around about the upcoming WrestleMania 38 PPV event. One of them is that Vince McMahon himself is going to be involved in a Mania program with Pat McAfee.

The former NFL player is not unaware of this chatter either. He recently posted a video of his previous wrestling performances on Twitter and claimed that whatever he is a part of, it’s going to be a banger:

“You all seem to know A LOT more abaht what I’m up to than me.. I’m excited to see what happens at this point as well. WrestleMania chatter is WILD right now. Just a reminder..If you think imma be a part of something that isn’t a BANGER… you’re AHT of your damn mind” wrote McAfee

https://twitter.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1498051767900282880

The reports of Mr McMahon getting involved in a WrestleMania program first came out last week. At the time it wasn’t clear whether he would actually be wrestling a match.

More details on the plans for this feud have come to light since. It suggests that while a match may actually take place, we will most likely not see the boss taking on Pat McAfee directly.

Vince McMahon is scheduled to make an appearance at McAfee’s podcast this Thursday. We should get a better idea for the direction of this feud on the show.

Keith Lee On His Immediate Reaction To WWE Release

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

A lot of people would panic upon receiving the news of getting fired from their jobs. Though according to Keith Lee, it wasn’t the case when he heard about his WWE release.

The AEW star recently had an interview with Busted Open Radio. He discussed things such as his debut for Tony Khan’s promotion and more.

Discussing his reaction to the news of his release, Lee claimed that he was very calm. He said that he had confidence that he will figure out what he needed to do:

“I think that when it happened, I was extremely calm, don’t think that it was because I had any sort of plan. It was more so that I had a lot of confidence,

And even with sudden changes occurring and things of that sort,” said Keith Lee, “I was confident that one way or another, I would figure out what I needed to do to move forward and continue doing what I love to do.”

The former NXT champion also discussed how he didn’t have a plan for his future because his interaction with people backstage in WWE were all very positive.

Keith Lee was released from his WWE contract in November last year. He made his debut for AEW during the February 9 episode of Dynamite.

Tony Khan Was “Stunned” When Keith Lee Hit Free Agency

Thanks to WrestlingInc for the quotes

Announced Revolution Match Was Reportedly Altered Last Minute

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

AEW announced a couple of new matches for the Revolution PPV during the latest episode of Rampage. One of them was a tornado trios match.

The company revealed that Matt Hardy, Andrade El Idolo, and Isaiah Kassidy will be teaming up to go up against the team of Sting, Darby Allin, and TNT Champion Sammy Guevara.

However, Fightful is reporting that this wasn’t the original idea for the bout and the plans for this announced Revolution match were changed last minute.

According to the site, the match was originally going to be a regular tag team match. It would have seen Matt Hardy teaming with Andrade to face Sting & Darby Allin

There is no clear reason why Guevara and Kassidy were added to the bout. It’s possible that they didn’t want a current champion to miss the show.

AEW has announced a total of 9 matches for the upcoming Revolution PPV so far. This includes Adam Page defending the world title against Adam Cole.

Other matches for the show include the Face Of The Revolution ladder match and a dog collar match between CM Punk and MJF.

You can check out the match card and broadcasting details for the PPV here.

John Cena On Potential Crossover Between Peacemaker And The Rock’s Black Adam

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

James Gunn is known to take relatively unknown characters and make them mainstream names. John Cena’s peacemaker is the latest example of it.

Now that the Peacemaker series has created a buzz, people wonder if we are going to see him cross over with The Rock’s Black Adam.

When asked about it in an interview with People, Cena claimed that it would be an honor. Though he mentioned how it’s not his choice to make:

“I’ll say the same thing every time with possibilities in the sort of universe… it would be an honor and a privilege to be able to perform with him.

I think there still is a passionate marketplace that wants to see him in.” said John Cena, “But I’m sorry, man, that’s just not my choice so I don’t know. It’s so far beyond me. It’s beyond what I’m able to control.”

The 16-time world champion also discussed the success of the Peacemaker web series. The show broke the record for the biggest single-day release for an HBO Max original.

Peacemaker has been renewed for a second season. Cena mentioned how making the show was a balancing act and admitted that its success is a tremendous feeling.

Eric Bischoff Says AEW Needs A ‘Legitimate’ Larger Than Life Star

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

While AEW has done a great job building up their day 1 talents into recognizable wrestling names, many believe they have yet to create a megastar. Eric Bischoff believes that they need a legitimate larger-than-life character if they want to take their programming to the next level.

The former WCW president talked about this during the latest episode of his 83 Weeks podcast. He mentioned that AEW has seen a 10-12% increase in audience since NXT moved to Tuesday nights.

However, Eric Bischoff discussed how the company is still struggling to get over the million viewers mark consistently. He claimed that AEW will need a star who can appeal to broader audience if they want to grow further:

“They’re going to need somebody that’s a legitimate larger than life star, not just physically, but larger than life to a broader audience. Or they’re going to have to accept the fact that AEW is basically a million viewers a week tops.”

Eric Bischoff later said that this won’t really matter if TBS is happy with the rating and if AEW officials are happy with their spot as well.

Although if they want to push similar ratings to Monday Night Raw, then they have to focus on some larger-than-life characters and attract more than just the hardcore fans.

Eric Bishcoff Says He Is Getting Surgery

Thanks to WrestlingNews.co for the quotes

Malcolm Bivens Wants Diamond Mine to Collect All The NXT Titles

Tyriece Simon
-
0

Diamond Mine manager Malcolm Bivens has big plans for his faction Diamond mine.

Since the rebranding of NXT, Diamond Mine has become a prominent group on the developmental show. Besides the leader Roderick Strong and Bivens, the other members are rookies. Regardless, WWE has pushed the group in NXT 2.0, and are they having a successful run.

The Creed Brothers won the 2022 Dusty Cup by defeating former NXT Tag Team Champions MSK at NXT Vengeance Day on Feb. 15. The tag team will challenge the NXT Tag Team Champions Imperium’s Fabian Archer and Marcel Barthel. While it’s unclear when the match will occur, it may happen at NXT Stand and Deliver on Apr. 2.

In an interview with The Black Announce Table Podcast, Ms. Sookoo asked Bivens what he expects for the group after The Creed Brothers tournament win. He shared that he expects the match at NXT Stand and Deliver. He also believes Niles will challenge for the NXT Women’s Championship at some point and hopes the faction wins all of the NXT titles.

“I think it’s the NXT championships. I am eyeing Stand and Deliver in Dallas and we also have the pitbull of NXT Ivy Nile and I think she has her eyes set on the NXT Women’s Championship, so If I could have all the gold that’d be great. That be fantastic,” said Bivens.

creed brothers

Will the Creed Brothers Defeat Imperium?

As NXT 2.0 progresses, the brand is slowly replacing it’s veterans with newer talent. The show has also seen veteran NXT talents either move to the main roster, get released from the WWE or choose to leave. After winning the Dusty Cup, the WWE may have The Creed Brothers defeat Imperium to win the NXT Tag Team Championships to become the face of the NXT 2.0 tag team division.

WWE main roster could also use a fresh tag team like Imperium on either the Friday Night Smackdown or Monday Night Raw roster. In addition, Gunther may also be staying in the United States and possibly lead the group on the main roster. However, it’s unclear if WWE has interest in taking Imperium faction from NXT 2.0.

Bryan Danielson Reveals The Reason He’s Jealous Of Jade Cargill

Fernando Quiles Jr.
-
0

Bryan Danielson admits Jade Cargill has a certain quality that makes him a bit jealous.

Cargill made her AEW debut back in Nov. 2020. Since that time, she has been on a tear and is the inaugural TBS Champion. Cargill has also been a ratings draw for AEW as her match with Ruby Soho on Dynamite’s TBS debut outdrew Hangman Page vs. Bryan Danielson in most demos.

Danielson Speaks On Cargill’s Star Power

Bryan Danielson was a guest on the Masked Man Show and revealed why he’s a bit jealous of Jade Cargill (via Fightful).

“Pro wrestling is very unique in the sense that anybody if they work hard enough, can get pretty good at this. Whether you make a living from it, that’s a different thing, but can get pretty good at the technical aspects of professional wrestling.

“Again, I think that comes down to a certain discipline. In my short time working with her, she works very hard. She…can I say that I’m jealous? [Laughs]. In the sense that, she’s been wrestling a little over ten months, maybe now 11 months, and she comes out with more presence and looks like more of a star than I have ever looked in my entire career.”

Cargill has defeated the likes of Thunder Rosa, Ruby Soho, Red Velvet, Anna Jay, and others. She is approaching the two-month mark of her TBS Championship reign.

WWE Planning On “Smoke & Mirrors” For Vince McMahon’s WrestleMania 38 Match

Andrew Ravens
-
0

Fans have been wondering about how Vince McMahon’s return to the ring at WWE WrestleMania 38 is going to be booked as he is putting his health at risk by taking bumps at 76-year-old. 

He also hasn’t taken bumps in years, but it turns out that WWE is planning to avoid the Chairman from taking many bumps when he wrestles Pat McAfee at the show in Dallas, Texas. 

Dave Meltzer reported today on F4WOnline.com that it will be a “smoke and mirrors” match. This would mean there could be various things happening in the match such as outside interference so the person helping McMahon would take the majority of the bumps. 

WWE did this for Bret Hart in 2010 at WrestleMania 26 in his match against McMahon. Since November, WWE has booked Austin Theory in backstage segments with McMahon and Theory looks up to McMahon as a mentor in storyline in addition to trying to impress the boss. 

Meltzer also stated that WWE is doing some out-of-the-box things this year because they know they need to increase ticket sales as they have more than 20,000 unsold tickets for both nights of the show. Thus, with McMahon wrestling and the company trying to get Steve Austin to return to the ring for a match against Kevin Owens, it should increase sales. 

As noted, the storyline will kick off this Thursday on The Pat McAfee Show when McMahon makes an in-studio appearance.

Drew McIntyre Reacts To Cesaro’s WWE Departure

Fernando Quiles Jr.
-
0

Drew McIntyre has given his take on Cesaro and WWE failing to come to terms on a new deal.

Cesaro had been with WWE since 2011 when he competed under the FCW developmental system. Throughout his run with the company, Cesaro held the United States Championship and was a seven-time tag team titleholder.

Earlier this month, PWInsider reported that Cesaro “quietly” made his exit from WWE when his contract expired. He doesn’t have a non-compete clause since he was never released.

Drew McIntyre’s Take On Cesaro’s Exit

Appearing as a guest on the In The Kliq podcast, Drew McIntyre shared his view on Cesaro’s departure from WWE (h/t Fightful).

“That’s a shame. So many people come and go from the company. I’m one of them, and we always see each other down the line, but it sucks more when it’s a friend and somebody that you really want to wrestle.

“That was my number one match, I think it was his number one match. We’ve both and wrestling for 20 years, but never had a singles match. So we’re gonna be a bit longer, it’ll happen eventually. But, you know, he’s got his family. He’s got his new kid, and he’s going to be just fine. He is far too talented not to be.”

It’ll be interesting to see where Cesaro will go from here. It isn’t out of the realm of possibility that negotiations with WWE could reopen. Of course, companies such as AEW may be on the table as well as NJPW, and Impact Wrestling. There’s always the indies as well.

DDP Reveals What Cody Rhodes Told Him About AEW Exit

Ryan Droste
-
0

Wrestling legend “Diamond” Dallas Page is a long time friend of the Rhodes family, and thus, may be able to provide some insight into why Cody has left All Elite Wrestling.

Rhodes’ exit from the company he helped start came out on February 15th, with both Cody and Brandi Rhodes commenting on their exits, as well as an official company statement on the news. Since then, there has been nothing new to report despite rumors persisting that Cody will sign with WWE.

DDP shed some light on the Cody situation during an interview with Fightful. A portion of that interview was released early via Fightful Select.

“Cody called me two days before,” Page said. “He said, ‘Listen, I’m gonna tell you something. But I can only tell you so much. But I know if I don’t call you and tell you, you’re gonna want to kill me. You’ll be so pissed off, so I have to call and tell you that I love Tony Khan. He’s a great guy. He loves me. But we’re gonna split up and I want to go off and do something else. I can’t tell you about what it is right now, but I promise at some point I will.'”

Page explained, “I don’t want to know sometimes. You know what I mean? I want to be surprised. I gave him all of my viewpoints on everything. I don’t know if you’re doing this, I don’t know if you’re doing that, I don’t know if you’re doing this. But I gave him my viewpoints and then Cody’s a man. He’s very successful. To me whatever he does, I wish him the best. I hope I helped him with some of my insights to help direct him. But he’s gonna do what he’s gonna do.”

Several reports have circulated about Cody potentially losing influence backstage at AEW and that being a catalyst for his leaving the company. The two sides were unable to come to an agreement on a new contract, and AEW also opted to not utilize their option on Cody’s initial deal with the company. Per Dave Meltzer, Cody and Brandi had three year contracts with two year rollover options that were not exercised by Tony Khan.

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.

‘Hangman’ Adam Page Calls Out Kane Over Ukraine Remarks

Ryan Droste
-
0

The current situation in Ukraine is front and center in the minds of most this weekend, and several stars from across the pro wrestling spectrum have commented on the matter. Many have used their platforms to call on people to help provide assistance to the people of Ukraine who are suffering due to the actions of Russia.

However, former WWE star Glenn Jacobs (Kane) has used his platform to criticize and demean his political opponents. Taking to his Twitter account on Sunday, Jacobs wrote, “If you (you’re) on the Left and are shocked by Putin’s aggression, wake up, Sunshine. Historically in the real world, might makes right. Weakness (which is really what the Left is all about) is not a virtue. It’s a fatal character flaw. (And, no, the US should still not get involved).”

The former wrestler almost immediately started getting hasty replies from wrestling fans, but it was none other than AEW World Champion “Hangman” Adam Page who had the best response of all.

Page replied to Kane’s tweet and rather than engaging in political debate during this time of crisis, he urged people to donate to UNICEF’s Children of Ukraine project, as well as the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund. He closed his tweet, hilariously, by embedding a video of “10 Ruthless Chair Shots Kane Took To The Head.”

https://twitter.com/theAdamPage/status/1498036441754046471

As of this writing, Page’s tweet has roughly 8x as many likes as Kane’s (and growing).

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.

Paul Heyman Says The Undertaker Had Leadership Even In WCW

Fernando Quiles Jr.
-
0

Paul Heyman has known Mark Calloway even before he was The Undertaker.

There is no doubting the legacy that The Undertaker has left behind. “The Deadman” took to the squared circle for almost four decades. He spent 30 years of his historic career under the WWE banner.

Always A Leader

Paul Heyman knows what it’s like to work with The Undertaker and not just in WWE. The two were also working for WCW. Heyman appeared on The Zaslow Show and said he saw leadership qualities in The Undertaker even during their time in WCW (via Wrestling Inc).

“Magic. Leadership. A giant, a giant who could move like a cruiserweight, but understood not to unless necessary. Unless the situation called for it. Intelligence. Checked every box. Just, you know, it’s funny, I get a lot of credit from a lot of people. From the talent themselves, whether it’s The Undertaker, whether it’s Steve Austin — ‘Oh, before anybody noticed me, Paul Heyman noticed me.’ And I don’t think there was ever a lot of credit for that. I think it’s an indictment of other people that didn’t see it.

“I don’t know how you could be in a room with Mark, with The Undertaker and not understand this guy is very, very special. I don’t understand how you could walk into a room with Steve Austin and not say to yourself, ‘woah, there’s something very different about this athlete.’ Same way with Brock Lesnar, same way with Roman Reigns. These are extraordinary human beings with the, ‘it factor,’ that everybody always talks about.”

At the 2020 Survivor Series PPV, “The Phenom” called it a career. WWE gave him a sendoff although fans couldn’t be in attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Undertaker will be inducted into the 2022 WWE Hall of Fame. Many believe it’s long overdue and an honor “The Deadman” could’ve easily snagged when he was still active.

Corey Graves Teases a “Familiar Face” is Returning Before WrestleMania

Michael Reichlin
-
0

WWE fans can expect a “familiar face” to return before WrestleMania 38.

We are now on the road to WrestleMania. The anticipation is building for WWE’s biggest event of the year. Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey are on board to ensure WrestleMania is a box office success. However, WWE isn’t done stacking the deck.

On the latest episode of his After the Bell podcast, WWE broadcaster Corey Graves addressed rumors that another big name will soon be back on television.

“… and who knows, if the rumors do in fact prove to be true, we may have another familiar face back in the fold between now and the Showcase of the Immortals,” said Graves. “This is one of those ones where: if you know, you know. I’m not going to speak to it any longer.”

Graves says he knows exactly what he’s doing: feeding the rumor mill.

“I’m stoking the flames and I am pouring gas on the fire,” he added. “If the rumors are true, I couldn’t be more thrilled.”

So, who is Corey Graves talking about? There are a few people rumored to be returning to WWE storylines ahead of WrestleMania 38. Three possibilities are Cody Rhodes, Vince McMahon or “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.

Cody Rhodes recently left AEW after the two sides failed to reach an agreement on a new contract. WWE is rumored to be very interested in the American Nightmare’s services.

WWE Chairman Vince McMahon and Pat McAfee are reportedly scheduled to work a program at WrestleMania, while Steve Austin is rumored to come out of retirement to face Kevin Owens.

The good news is that WrestleMania is just five weeks away and we won’t have to wait much longer to find out who Corey Graves is referencing

NXT Star Ivy Nile Announces She Is Engaged

Michael Reichlin
-
0

WWE Superstar star Ivy Nile is engaged to be married.

She posted the following photo on social media over the weekend, vowing to always love her fiancé.

Ivy Nile (Emily Andzulis) currently wrestles for WWE’s NXT 2.0 developmental brand. She is a member of the Diamond Mine faction.

Prior to joining WWE, she was a mixed martial artist and was the first woman to win the Titan Games championship, the reality competition series hosted by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

Nile an Tatum Paxley recently entered the 2022 Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament. They were eliminated in the first round with a loss to Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter.

SEScoops extends our congratulations to Ivy Nile and fiancé on their engagement!

GCW: The Coldest Winter Results (2/26)

Tyriece Simon
-
0

Game Changer Wrestling ended their two show in Los Angeles, California with GCW: The Coldest Winter on Feb. 26.

The main event saw Blake Christian wrestle “Speedball” Mike Bailey. All Elite Wrestling talent Thunder Rosa also competed against Tony Deppen. The event aired live on FITE and is available for on-demand purchase. Fans could also watch GCW: Welcome to Heartbreak, if they buy the bundle package.

Before starting the pay-per-view, Joey Janela did an in-ring promo explaining why he attacked X-Pac at GCW: Welcome to Heartbreak. X-Pac interrupted Janela to challenge him to a match at GCW’s Joey Janela’s Spring Break 6.

Here are quick results from the show:

  • Ninja Mack defeated Jack Cartwheel
  • Jordan Oliver defeated Dark Sheik
  • Thunder Rosa defeated Tony Deppen
  • Jimmy Lloyd defeated Alex Zayne in a Do or Die Deathmatch
  • Second Gear Bussy defeated Team LA Fight in a 8 person tag team match
  • After the match, Mance Warner made his GCW return to reunite with the Second Gear Crew. He and Mathew Justice challenged H8 Club to a GCW Tag Team Championship match at GCW’s Astronaut on Mar. 12 in Atlanta, GA.
  • Kevin Blackwood defeated Grim Reefer
  • Gringo Loco defeated Mascara Dorada
  • Blake Christian defeated “Speedball” Mike Bailey

After the match Christian praised Bailey by calling him one of the best wrestlers in the world and thanked him for the match. The show ends with both wrestlers hugging in the ring.

Kurt Angle Reveals Reason for Recent Body Transformation

Jake Skudder
-
0

WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle recently posted an image to social media where he looked absolutely jacked.

Angle has been retired from the pro wrestling ring for some time, but fans took the image of the Olympic Gold Medallist being in incredible shape as a sign that he may be preparing for a comeback.

The former WWE Champion addressed the situation on The Kurt Angle Show podcast, saying that he wasn’t prepping for a return to wrestling, not yet anyway, but his weight loss was for a different reason.

Kurt Angle on Weight Loss

“I gained a lot of weight during this pandemic,” Angle revealed on the podcast. “I got up to 260 and I got my butt down to 210 pounds, so I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in even before the Olympics as far as looks, not on a conditioning level or a strength level.

“As far as how I look, this is the best I’ve ever looked and I’m really happy with my progress” Angle continued.

“I started training hard again to get my body back in shape and, not that I’m planning on wrestling, but I want to keep the option open” the WWE Hall of Famer confirmed.

“I’ve been training a lot of physical therapy training, working on my smaller muscles, my core, everything like that. I lost a lot during this pandemic, I couldn’t even walk in a straight line, my balance was off, my strength was off and I was going through a really difficult time. I went through a lot of depression too” the Olympic Gold Medallist noted.

*credit to WrestlingINC for the transcription

Do you think that we will see Kurt Angle wrestle another match for WWE, AEW or someone else? Let us know in the comments.

Vince McMahon vs Pat McAfee “Internally Scheduled” for WrestleMania 38

Jake Skudder
-
0

It was recently confirmed that Vince McMahon would be appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, but now it appears as though the match between the two has been locked in.

Dave Meltzer recently confirmed that the bout between the 76 year-old WWE Chairman and SmackDown commentator was “internally scheduled” for WrestleMania 38.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter writer noted on social media: “As of last night, Vince McMahon vs. Pat McAfee was listed as a match on the internal schedule for WrestleMania.”

As noted, the WWE Chairman is set to appear on The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday, where it is likely that they will start to build the angle.

Whilst it won’t exactly be the best technical wrestling match in company history, it is certainly another intriguing prospect for what is already becoming a baffling card for WrestleMania 38.

Here are the matches that are currently confirmed and/or rumored for the massive event in Dallas, Texas this April:

  • Universal and WWE Championship Unification Match: Roman Reigns (c) vs (c) Brock Lesnar (Confirmed)
  • RAW Women’s Championship Match: Becky Lynch (c) vs Bianca Belair (Confirmed)
  • SmackDown Women’s Championship Match: Charlotte Flair (c) vs Ronda Rousey (Confirmed)
  • The Miz and Logan Paul vs Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio (Confirmed)
  • Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Kevin Owens (Rumored)
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Sami Zayn (c) vs Johnny Knoxville (Rumored)
  • Drew McIntyre vs Happy Corbin (Rumored)

Chris Jericho Reacts to Claims He Got “Ab Implants”

Jake Skudder
-
0

AEW star Chris Jericho recently took to social media to react to claims that he got “ab implants.”

Fans noted on the latest episode of AEW Dynamite that the former WWE Undisputed Champion looked shredded.

Jericho stood toe to toe with Eddie Kingston for a promo segment, and it was clear that he had been working on his body in the prior weeks.

One fan believed that Jericho had gotten “ab implants,” explaining how the previously ‘bloated’ star now looked to be in fantastic shape and have six-pack abs.

There have been several actors who have undergone a liposuction procedure called Abdominal Etching to create the look of six-pack abs.

Chris Jericho Reacts to “Haters”

Reacting to this on Twitter, Chris Jericho would laugh off the idea that he got any sort of surgical work.

The former AEW Champion wrote: “Hah that is the stupidest f–kin thing I’ve ever heard!! Keep reaching haters…..”

Jericho is scheduled to be facing Eddie Kingson at the AEW Revolution PPV event on Sunday March 6th.

Here is the current card for the PPV event:

  • AEW World Championship: “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Adam Cole
  • AEW Women’s World Championship: Dr. Britt Baker vs. Thunder Rosa
  • AEW World Tag Team Championship: Jungle Express vs. reDRagon vs. Casino Tag Team Battle Royale Winner
  • TBS Championship: Jade Cargill vs. Tay Conti
  • Face of the Revolution Ladder Match: Keith Lee vs. Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Ricky Starks vs. Wardlow vs. Orange Cassidy/Anthony Bowens vs. TBA
  • CM Punk vs. MJF (Dog Collar Match)
  • Jon Moxley vs. Bryan Danielson
  • Chris Jericho vs. Eddie Kingston
  • Sammy Guevara, Darby Allin & Sting vs. Andrade El Idolo, Matt Hardy & Isiah Kassidy (Tornado Trios Match)

What do you think about Jericho’s improved physique? Let us know in the comments!

1...763764765...3,395Page 764 of 3,395