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WWE Releases Senior Vice President Of Creative Services

Chris Stephens
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WWE has made a significant change to its executive team recently. According to a report from PW Insider, Senior Vice President of Creative Services Stan Stanski has been released. He had been with the company for 15 years and his release has reportedly shocked many within WWE.

The release comes ahead of WWE’s upcoming Earnings Call scheduled for today.

A source speaking to PW Insider under the condition of anonymity noted that Stanski’s departure is “the ultimate proof no one is safe” and “yet another reminder this isn’t the same company it was a year ago.”

Stanski’s LinkedIn account listed his responsibilities at the company as:

“Responsible for defining and managing the overall creative look of WWE across all platforms including but not limited to: the graphic identity and branding; photography; on and off air affiliate marketing of pay-per-view events; consumer and trade advertising; consumer products; sponsorship and retail promotions; live event and tour promotion; fan events; talent brand development; corporate communication; and WWE Studios.”

Other releases are said to be expected but as of this writing Stanski’s is the only one known about.

Last week, WWE announced that shareholder dividends will be $0.12 per share.

“WWE (NYSE: WWE) announced that its Board of Directors today declared the Company’s regular quarterly dividend of $0.12 per share for all Class A and B shares of common stock. The record date for the dividend will be December 15, 2021 and the payment date will be December 27, 2021,” a WWE press release reads.

Bryan Danielson & Tony Khan Address Live Crowd Following Dynamite (Video)

Chris Stephens
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Following last night’s edition of AEW Dynamite, Bryan Danielson and Tony Khan addressed the live crowd. Danielson was already in the ring after confronting Miro, who he will now face at Full Gear in the finals of the AEW Title Eliminator tournament.

With Orange Cassidy and the Best Friends still in the ring as well, Tony Khan addressed the live crowd and said that this week’s episode was the 2nd hardest ever to put together behind the Brodie Lee tribute show. A loud chant for Jon Moxley then rang out throughout the building.

Khan then gave the microphone to Danielson, who spoke about Brodie Lee and having texted with him about how happy he was in AEW. He also wished Moxley to get better soon. Danielson thanked the fans and everyone in the ring before inviting Justin Roberts into the ring. They then mocked the tie-choking spot that once got Danielson fired from WWE.

The YouTube channel “CoolToy” posted video of what went down after the show went off the air:

Next up for AEW will be a live edition of Rampage in St. Louis on Friday night. Adam Cole will face John Silver, The Bunny will face Red Velvet, and CM Punk will come face to face with Eddie Kingston on the show.

AEW Dynamite Results (11/3): Cody vs. Andrade, Eliminator Finals Set For Full Gear, CM Punk

Robert Lentini
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AEW Dynamite aired live from the Cable Dahmer Arena in Independence, Missouri. Cody faced Andrade el Idolo tonight on Dynamite. Orange Cassidy battled Miro in the World Title Eliminator Tournament in this week’s main event. The winner of that match will face Bryan Danielson in the finals of the World Title Eliminator Tournament At Full Gear.

Dynamite Results (11/3)

  1. Kenny Omega def. Alan Angels
  2. FTR def. Aerostar & Samuray Del Sol to retain the AAA Tag Team Championships
  3. Jamie Hayter def. Anna Jay to advance in the TBS Championship Tournament
  4. Andrade el Idolo def. Cody Rhodes
  5. Miro def. Orange Cassidy to advance to the finals of the World Title Eliminator Tournament

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Hangman Page Sent A Message To Kenny Omega

AEW Word Champion Kenny Omega faced Alan Angels tonight in a non-title match. Omega controlled the action early and went for a Dragon Suplex but Angels blocked it. Angels hit an Arm Drag and the action spilled out of the ring. Omega sent Angels into the barricade but Alan battled back. Angels hit a Moonsault and rolled Omega into the ring. Angels followed it up with a Crossbody for a near fall. Angels escaped the One Winged Angel but got caught with a V-Trigger for a two count. Omega hit the One Winged Angel for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Omega went to beat Angels down some more but Hangman Page’s theme hit. Hangman got a great reaction from the crowd as he made his way to the ring. Omega grabbed a steel chair but Angels ripped it away. Hangman Page went for the Buckshot Lariat but Omega dodged it.

Kenny exited the ring but left the AEW Championship on the mat. Hangman grabbed the microphone and then the AEW Championship. Page told Omega that he better hang on to the title tight because he has 10 days left with it.

CM Punk Warned Eddie Kingston

CM Punk came down to the ring for a promo as the crowd cheered. Punk said that he is not in the best mood and wanted to talk to the crowd seriously. Punk stated that there are two people that aren’t here tonight and one is the name he wants to hear chanted. The crowd chanted “Moxley!” and Punk said he doesn’t want anyone to criticize Jon Moxley because he is “god damn proud of him”. Punk added that there is nothing wrong with asking for help.

Punk turned his attention to Eddie Kingston and noted that he was not here tonight. CM Punk said he was embarrassed for Kingston when he interrupted him last week. The crowd chanted Full Gear and Punk brought up Friday’s Rampage. Punk said he will be there in St. Louis to accept Eddie Kingston’s apology.

https://twitter.com/MadKing1981/status/1456055706826727428?s=20

Christian & Jurassic Express Attacked The Elite

Adam Cole and the Young Bucks were interviewed backstage. Cole claimed that last week was a fluke and Nick added that they are not afraid of anything. Christian Cage showed up and Nick flinched. Luchasaurus joined the party and a brawl broke out. The Elite took control but Jungle Boy dove off the stage to take them out. Christian hit Matt with a Spear. Luchasaurus Chokeslammed Nick onto Matt as Jungle Boy got the Snare Trap on Adam Cole. Christian Cage hit Adam Cole with a Con-Chair-To.

FTR Retained

FTR defended the AAA Tag Team Championship against Aerostar & Samuray Del Sol (FKA Kalisto). Del Sol and Cash started off the action. Samuray hit a Frankensteiner and tagged in Aerostar. Aerostar flipped around the ring and Dax responded by flipping him the bird. Back from a break, Del Sol hit a Crossbody for a near fall. Dax hit a Brainbuster on the floor outside the ring to take Del Sol out. Back in the ring, Cash Wheeler rolled up Aerostar and held onto the tights & middle rope for leverage. FTR are still the AAA Tag Team Champions.

Inner Circle Made Their Picks

Inner Circle made their way to the ring and Jericho complimented Sammy Guevara for defeating Ethan Page and retaining the TNT Championship. Jericho said that they now get to choose which members of American Top Team face them in the Street Fight at Full Gear.

Dan Lambert demanded some respect before Inner Circle made their picks. Hager picked Junior Dos Santos, Santana picked Andrei Arloski. Lambert noted that Paige Van Zant wants in the match. Paige joked about the tight pants Inner Circle were wearing and how they don’t have the balls to take her own. She claimed that she could take on all five of them by herself. Jericho joked that maybe she could put that on her OnlyFans page. Jericho then selected Dan Lambert and started up a “fat face dish*t” chant. Lambert threw a tantrum and shouted that his face wasn’t even fat.

Jamie Hayter Advanced In The TBS Championship Tournament

Anna Jay faced Jamie Hayter in a TBS Championship Tournament match. Anna and Jamie locked up in the middle of the ring to begin the action. Anna took Hayter to the canvas and applied a Headlock. The action spilled to the floor and Anna sent Hayter into the barricade. When Dynamite returned from a break, Rebel and Britt Baker distracted Anna Jay and Hayter hit a big Clothesline for the pinfall victory. After the match, the heels went to attack Anna Jay but Tay Conti made the save. The numbers game caught up to Tay but then Thunder Rosa rushed the ring. Baker, Rebel, and Hayter retreated to end the segment.

MJF & Darby Allin Brawled

MJF came to the ring and stared at Darby Allin who was in the crowd throughout the show. MJF said that they both know that without them, AEW doesn’t work. Maxwell added that he is not deaf and hears that the crowd is booing him and cheering Darby ever week. MJF referred to himself as a symbol of everything that people want to be but can’t, while Darby is an outcast incel that can barely form a sentence. MJF claimed that the reason Allin hurls himself around and throws caution to the wind is because he’s not good enough to be a functioning member of society.

Maxwell said that Allin is just the like crowd, he’ll never fit in and never win. MJF told Allin that he is a glorified stuntman and will lose at Full Gear because he’s not focused enough on winning. MJF went on and said that even if Allin changed his ways, he’s still a better wrestler and that nobody can defeat him in the middle of the ring.

Darby admitted to being everything MJF claimed he is, but vowed to keep his cool and have a wrestling match at Full Gear. Allin told MJF that he was going to take his anger out on him now but Maxwell retreated. Sting cut MJF off at the top of the ramp and out came Shawn Spears & Wardlow. A brawl broke out and Darby sent MJF over the barricade with a Clothesline. Darby was going for the Coffin Drop but MJF scampered away. MJF and Darby Allin will battle November 13th at Full Gear.

FTR Helped Andrade def. Cody

Cody Rhodes battled Andrade el Idolo tonight on Dynamite. They locked up to start off the match and then traded punches. Cody hit a Dropkick and went for a Cutter but Andrade sent him out of the ring as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Rhodes was in control and connected with a Powerslam. Rhodes ran into a back elbow from Andrade for a close two count. Andrade hit Three Amigos and the third Suplex sent Cody into the turnbuckle. Andrade went for a Moonsault but Cody got out of the way.

Andrade got Cody in a Figure Four and let out a “woo!”. Cody countered and then took control of the match. Rhodes set up for a Suicide Dive but FTR hit him with the AAA tag titles. Andrade capitalized with the Hammerlock DDT for the pinfall victory. FTR got in some more punches after the match

Miro Will Face Bryan Danielson At Full Gear

Orange Cassidy faced Miro in the World Title Eliminator Tournament. Miro is replacing Jon Moxley in the match. Bryan Danielson joined commentary for the match. Danielson will face the winner at Full Gear in the finals of the tournament. Miro dominated the action early and beat Orange Cassidy down outside the ring as Dynamite went to a break.

When Dynamite returned, Miro was still dominating and launched Cassidy into the turnbuckle. Orange fired up and unloaded some punches. Cassidy hit a Dropkick and followed it up with a Tornado DDT for a two count. Cassidy geared up for the Orange Punch but Miro rolled out of the ring. Miro rested up against a table as Orange climbed to the top rope.

Cassidy hit a Crossbody through the table and rolled back into the ring as the referee started counting. Miro made it back into the ring at the last moment and Cassidy hit a slam for a two count. Orange went for the punch but Miro hit a Back Body Drop. Miro hit a kick to the face and applied the Game Over for the submission victory. Miro will battle Bryan Danielson at Full Gear. The winner of that match will get a shot at the AEW Championship. After the match, Bryan Danielson got into the ring and had a stare down with Miro to close the show. Danielson offered a handshake but Miro backed away.

Bully Ray Says AEW Shouldn’t Rush CM Punk vs. Eddie Kingston

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Bully Ray believes there’s a way AEW can avoid rushing CM Punk vs. Eddie Kingston too soon.

All signs are pointing to a Full Gear showdown between Punk and Kingston. The two were involved in a shouting match backstage on the Oct. 29 episode of Rampage. Kingston had just been eliminated from the AEW World Heavyweight Title Eliminator Tournament by Bryan Danielson and he interrupted Punk’s interview in frustration.

On the Nov. 3 episode of Dynamite, Punk said he was expecting an apology from Kingston. He wants to hear the apology on the Nov. 5 episode of Rampage in St. Louis.

Kingston has taken to his Twitter account to let it be known that he will confront Punk.

https://twitter.com/MadKing1981/status/1456055706826727428

Bully Ray Wants Slow Build For Punk vs. Kingston

Bully Ray holds CM Punk and Eddie Kingston in high regard when it comes to their promo abilities. During an episode of Busted Open Radio, he expressed his belief that Punk and Kingston can carry their feud for months before actually coming to blows.

“Let’s just say you wanted to build to Punk and Kingston, which you should definitely do. You should not blow through this at all. Let’s say you wanted to get three months out of them, three months leads up to one match. If you do this the right way, you can keep them away from each other for three months and walk and talk the whole thing.

“Mic time and every time it looks like they’re gonna come to blows, security is on high alert, the boys are on high alert, massive pull aparts anywhere and every time. You build to them actually touching. It’s a very old-school way of thinking but it works. All of that old-school booking still works with the modern characters and the modern ways of 2021. Like I always say, old-school rules, new-school tools.”

Bully Ray pointed out how during the ECW days, Paul Heyman managed to keep Tazz and Sabu away from each other for a full year before the two finally collided. He also said he feels Kingston’s authenticity can carry the momentum of the feud.

Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any quotes from this article

Juice Robinson’s NJPW Contract Set To Expire Soon

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Juice Robinson may find himself with a slew of options soon.

Robinson has garnered the most success of his wrestling career under the NJPW banner. He had been on WWE’s NXT brand as CJ Parker. Robinson ended up having his release request granted by WWE and he made the move to NJPW.

Juice Robinson’s NJPW Contract Status

Fightful Select is reporting that the current NJPW deal for Juice Robinson will expire at the end of Jan. 2022. At this time, it’s unclear if NJPW has begun the renegotiation process. It’s been said that many promotions would be interested in Juice if he ends up being available.

As of late, Juice has been seen with his tag team partner Finlay on Impact Wrestling. This is part of a partnership between NJPW and Impact. Under the NJPW banner, Robinson has been a two-time IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion and is a former IWGP Tag Team Champion with Finlay.

Juice has even won gold during his time with Impact. He and Finlay are the former Impact Wrestling Tag Team Champions. The two held onto the championship gold for 65 days.

Back in October, Juice and current WWE star, Toni Storm announced their engagement.

Huge Update On Kyle O’Reilly’s WWE Status

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Kyle O’Reilly might be wrapping up his time with WWE.

O’Reilly has been a mainstay on NXT much like his former Undisputed Era teammates Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, and Roderick Strong. All four men made names for themselves in Ring of Honor and walked into NXT with a ton of momentum.

Now, only O’Reilly and Strong remain in WWE but soon, the latter may find himself standing alone.

KOR Leaving WWE?

Kyle O’Reilly could be on his way out of WWE by the end of 2021, according to a report at PWInsider. His contract is set to expire in December and there have been internal talks questioning his future within WWE.

The report notes that it still isn’t too late for O’Reilly to extend his deal with WWE. It’s been said that internally, O’Reilly is considered to be the number two top babyface on the NXT brand. That puts him behind current NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa.

O’Reilly was involved in a big feud with Adam Cole before Cole left WWE in favor of AEW. Bobby Fish was released from WWE as part of a wave of NXT roster cuts back in August.

Fish is now signed with AEW. Roderick Strong is the current NXT Cruiserweight Champion and he has his own faction.

SEScoops will keep you updated on the latest information regarding Kyle O’Reilly’s future.

Jim Ross Recalls The Time He Infuriated Vince McMahon

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

Legendary commentator Jim Ross reflected on the time WWE Chairman Vince McMahon was “irate” with him.

Ross and McMahon worked with each other for years. At one point, Ross was in charge of Talent Relations. Eventually, things went south as McMahon fired JR over a WWE 2K video game panel that got out of hand due to Ric Flair’s drinking issues. McMahon used Ross as a scapegoat since he was hosting the panel.

Jim Ross Gets An Earful From Vince McMahon

Taking to his Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross said that there was never a time when McMahon was more furious with him than when he announced the death of Chief Jay Strongbow back in 2012.

“I tweeted out the death of Jay Strongbow and Vince got extremely irate about that because Strongbow and Vince were long-time buddies, very close and he wanted to be the one to do it. My phone rang after, I remember where I was in Tampa at the gym there and you look at your phone and the name ‘VKM’ and you go ‘oh s–t.’ He gave me no chance to say I’m sorry, he was very hurt and I felt very badly that I did that, I didn’t know it was going to have that kind of impact. That was the strongest I ever got, I got chewed out more on the air than live television. On that one he was emotional and angry and I don’t blame him. I made a mistake, it doesn’t hurt us folks when we make a mistake to admit it, understand from it and admit it, learn from it and move on.”

Today, JR serves as the lead play-by-play voice of AEW Dynamite. Ross has said that he and McMahon will still exchange plesantries from time to time if there’s a birthday or it’s the holiday season.

Ross is currently battling skin cancer. He has given a positive update, saying that he doesn’t anticipate to miss any time on AEW TV and that his greatest struggle will simply be getting through all the treatments in the timeframe that the doctors want him to.

When it comes to ventures outside of wrestling, Ross is in the process of opening a cannabis farm in Oklahoma.

H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcribed quotes

Impact Hard To Kill 2022 Date & Location Revealed

Jake Skudder
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Impact Wrestling has confirmed the date and location for Hard to Kill, the company’s first pay-per-view event of 2022.

Hard to kill is headed to The Factory in Dallas, Texas on Saturday, January 8th.

Although no matches have been announced as of this writing, fans can expect Moose to defend his Impact World Championship against Josh Alexander.

Alexander defeated Christian Cage to win the IMPACT Title during the main event of Bound For Glory. Just minutes later, Moose cashed in his ‘Call Your Shot’ trophy and defeat the new Champion for the belt.

IMPACT Hard To Kill

Mickie James will also likely be part of the next PPV, after defeating Deonna Purazzo for the IMPACT Women’s Championship at Bound For Glory.

You can watch the replay of Bound For Glory via FITE TV. Hard To Kill is also expected to be available on FITE TV as a PPV event.

The show will also be taking place on the same day as New Japan’s Wrestle Kingdom Day 3, which is worth bearing in mind in terms of ‘Forbidden Door’ crossover.

Tony Khan On Jon Moxley, Changes To Dynamite, & Relationship With Impact

Chris Stephens
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Tony Khan was a guest on Wrestling Observer Live this afternoon. During his appearance, he announced a few changes to tonight’s broadcast of AEW Dynamite, commented on Jon Moxley and also gave an update on AEW’s relationship with Impact Wrestling.

“There are some things that are more important than wrestling,” Khan said on the show regarding Moxley. He also noted that he’s known about the situation for a few days now.

“Jon’s at the forefront at everyone’s mind right now,” Khan would later say.

In terms of the semi-finals of tonight’s AEW World Title Eliminator tournament, Khan said Orange Cassidy will compete in the match tonight with a replacement opponent. Khan said he will not announce Orange’s opponent until tonight’s broadcast, but noted that fans will not be disappointed.

“There is a very logical way to resolve this,” Khan would later say of Moxley being out of the tournament.

The AEW President also announced that Kenny Omega will face Alan Angels from the Dark Order on the show tonight. This is a rematch from April 2020 in a match that got Angels hired to AEW.

Khan also announced that he’s found 2 luchadors to answers FTR’s Open Challenge for the AAA titles tonight. Samuray Del Sol and Aerostar will be their opponents.

Khan also commented on the relationship between Impact Wrestling and AEW. He noted that the “Forbidden Door” between the two sides is still open, they just don’t have anything planned at the moment.

“Still open to do stuff. I like those guys a lot and we’ve done a lot of great stuff,” Khan said regarding the relationship with Impact Wrestling. “Scott [D’Amore] and I talk pretty regularly.”

Adam Cole Compares AEW & NXT Fans, Says They Are Vital For Success

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

Adam Cole believes there are similarities between AEW and NXT fans.

The former leader of the Undisputed Era faction is well-aware of what it’s like to be a top star on the NXT brand. Adam Cole had been a main eventer on NXT ever since he arrived at TakeOver: Brooklyn III back in 2017. He went on to become the face of the brand and an NXT Triple Crown winner.

Cole ended up leaving WWE just a few months ago and signed with AEW in September 2021.

Adam Cole Talks AEW & NXT Fans

During an appearance on the #DORK podcast, Cole broke down what makes both AEW and NXT fans stand out.

“That’s how the magic happens in a lot of ways,” he began. “At the end of the day, in a lot of ways, the fans looked at NXT as, not the little engine that could, but this new brand that was starting that they felt responsible for its growth, which I think is so important.”

“The fact that the roster kept growing and they kept signing these Independent stars, they felt responsible for this massive growth of NXT becoming this legit third brand. AEW has that same kind of passion in the sense of people feel they are responsible for AEW’s growth these past two years, and they are.”

“The fact that fans are so amped and so jacked up and ready to enjoy these matches, makes it so special. Fans are vital.”

Adam Cole has realigned with The Elite since making his AEW debut. He’s been involved in a feud with the Jungle Boy, Christian Cage, and Luchasaurus.

On the Oct. 23 episode of Dynamite, Cole and The Young Bucks tossed Jungle Boy off the stage. As of this writing, he is not booked for a match at the upcoming AEW Full Gear pay-per-view.

H/T to Fightful for the transcribed quotes

Renee Paquette Grateful For Support Shown For Jon Moxley

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Renee Paquette is appreciative of the amount of support shown for her husband Jon Moxley.

Moxley is a major star for AEW. He’s been in a prominent position ever since leaving WWE in favor of Tony Khan’s promotion. He even captured the AEW World Heavyweight Championship and held it for 277 days.

Renee Paquette On Support For MOX

Tony Khan has revealed that Moxley will be entering an inpatient alcohol treatment program. Khan noted that it was Moxley who requested that this bit of news be made public.

Fans and those who work in the wrestling industry have showered “MOX” with support. Renee Paquette has let the supporters know that they are appreciated.

“Thanks for this outpouring of support. Jon is every bit of the badass we all know him to be. I couldn’t be more proud of him for getting to proper help he needs, and being given the space to put his health first. Couldn’t possibly love this man more.”

Jon Moxley had been participating in the AEW World Heavyweight Title Eliminator tournament. He made it to the semifinals where he was expected to take on Orange Cassidy. While nothing has been announced, one would imagine that Moxley will exit the tournament and miss Full Gear on Nov. 13.

Moxley is fresh off releasing his new autobiography, “MOX.” He had a book tour planned but once again, that is in doubt given the circumstances.

SEScoops will keep you posted on the latest updates regarding Jon Moxley but for now, we wish him all the best.

Natalya Talks Tension Between Hart Family & WWE Early In Her Career

Chris Stephens
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Natalya Neidhart was hired by WWE in early 2007. According to comments she made recently to WWE WWE Deutschland, however, tensions between WWE and the Hart family prevented her from being hired to the company earlier.

“When I was trying to get hired by WWE, my family was estranged from WWE, meaning when you go back to the Montreal Screwjob, even though that happened in 1997, there was a lot of tension between WWE and the Hart family,” Natalya said during the interview.

“I understand why, it was a really difficult and complicated situation, so I think it was challenging for the Hart family members, especially the younger ones, to get hired because there was all this conflict.”

Natalya’s cousin Teddy Hart was given a developmental contract with WWE in 1998. He was sent to train with Dory Funk, but was released shortly after.

“I didn’t have my dad to make a phone call, I didn’t have my uncles to make a phone call, I didn’t really have anyone. I had to basically fight tooth and nail to turn every single no into a yes. Now that I’m in WWE, I appreciate that so much more, I appreciate that no one helped me,” Natalya continued.

Repairing the Relationship

Following Bret Hart’s Hall of Fame induction in 2006, multiple Hart family members signed with WWE.

Harry Smith (aka Davey Boy Smith Jr.) and TJ Wilson (family friend, Natalya’s husband) were both signed to developmental in 2006 and Teddy Hart was re-signed that same year.

Natalya would then sign in early 2007. Teddy would later be released from the promotion again, however.

H/T to Wrestling Inc. for transcriptions.

Mandy Rose On Returning To NXT & Revamping Her Character

Chris Stephens
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Mandy Rose is the new NXT Women’s Champion after having won the title at Halloween Havoc. She spoke to Sean Ross Sapp recently about moving back to the NXT brand, helping out talent on the roster, and revamping her character.

“I got the call and I didn’t really get much explanation, which is kind of the usual,” Rose said. “I didn’t expect anything less. It’s one of those things where they want you to help some of the other talent out, need a good heel, and I said, ‘Sure, why not?'”

Rose also noted that part of her role in NXT is to help other talent on the roster. In doing so, she says it has helped her evolve her character as well.

“I am in the process of helping a lot of the other talent and other women. In that process, I think I kind of evolved myself, in the best way possible,” Rose continued.

“I kind of felt like I needed a little bit of a revamp or whatever it may be. I think we all go through those moments where are characters have to evolve and change a little bit or find some other layers to your character, in a sense.”

Rose became the 12th wrestler to win the NXT Women’s Championship when she defeated Raquel Gonzalez at Halloween Havoc. It was the 14th title change in the championship’s lineage. Asuka holds the record for the longest reign with the belt at 510 days. Shayna Baszler holds the record for the most combined days as champion with 549 split across 2 title reigns. Charlotte Flair is the only other wrestler other than Baszler to have held the title more than once.

Big E Talks The Importance Of Representation In WWE

Chris Stephens
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Big E was recently interviewed by Sportsnet and spoke about the importance of representation in wrestling, both in WWE and outside of it.

“When you look around at the landscape of our industry, in WWE and outside of WWE, it just feels like a really good time to be a Black professional wrestler,” the WWE Champion said.

“When I look at our roster I don’t see a bunch of people who were given these opportunities and these positions merely because of the colour of their skin, as some kind of a quota system. You look at a Bianca (Belair), you look at a Sasha (Banks) and they’re undeniable to me. They are clearly unique,” he continued.

Big E also mentioned being a fan of Hit Row’s move to Smackdown. He also praised his New Day teammates and former WWE Champion, Bobby Lashley. Big E would continue to talk about the importance of young fans seeing people who look like them succeed in the business. He mentioned growing up and being a fan of Ron Simmons as well.

“I think when you can see people who look like you or resemble you as a young fan, it makes you think, ‘Oh yeah, this industry speaks to me. It’s not ignoring my fandom.’ If this is something that you might want to do one day, it makes it seem more plausible that ‘Yeah, this is something I can do because look at all look at all the other people who look like me who’ve done this before.'”

Big E WWE Championship Reign

Big E won the WWE Championship on the September 13th episode of WWE Raw. He announced earlier that day that he would cash in his briefcase against Bobby Lashley that night and would later make good on that promise. Since then, he’s defended the title successfully against both Lashley (in a steel cage) and against Drew McIntyre (at Crown Jewel).

On the upcoming Tribute to the Troops show, Big E will defend the title against Dolph Ziggler. Up next for Big E is a title match against Seth Rollins. Rollins won a fatal 4-way match recently on RAW to earn the next crack at his title.

Tribute To The Troops Airing Nov. 14: Match Preview & Spoilers

Chris Stephens
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WWE taped the annual Tribute to the Troops event on October 15th at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California. 3 matches were taped for the show including:

  • WWE Champion Big E vs. Dolph Ziggler
  • Bianca Belair vs. Liv Morgan
  • Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (Non-Title Match)

Tribute to the Troops 2021 is set to air on Fox on Sunday, November 14th.

Tribute to the Troops 2021 Match Results:

  1. WWE Championship
    Big E (c) defeated Dolph Ziggler
  2. Bianca Belair defeated Liv Morgan
  3. Non-Title
    Roman Reigns defeated Shinsuke Nakamura

Tribute to the Troops History

This will be the 18th edition of the Tribute to the Troops show. The first took place in 2003. It is said to have been the brainchild of John “Bradshaw” Layfield. From 2003-2010 the event was held in Iraq aside from 2005 when it was held in Afghanistan.

Before last year’s event, former Marine Lacey Evans spoke to TV Insider about what the event means to her.

“You never want to let your brothers and sisters down,” Evans said. “There is a camaraderie if you have been in the military. We’re expected to be strong emotionally, physically, and mentally. Once you get out, you miss being in the military every day. But at least my job allows me to be surrounded by them on and off because WWE has so many partnerships. They have ones with the USO, Hire Heroes, Tribute to the Troops. I still get to see my brothers and sisters. It’s not climbing through the mud anymore, [but] it keeps me motivated as ever.”

Jon Moxley Entering Inpatient Alcohol Treatment Program

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

Jon Moxley has taken the first step on the road to recovery.

Moxley is a top star in the wrestling industry. He has won world titles in WWE and AEW. He’s also a star in Japan, capturing the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship twice.

Despite his immense success, some things are simply more important than the squared circle.

Moxley’s Road To Recovery

AEW boss Tony Khan has taken to his Twitter account to reveal that Jon Moxley will be entering an alcohol treatment program.

“Jon Moxley has allowed me to share with you that he is entering an inpatient alcohol treatment program.  Jon is a beloved member of the AEW family. We all stand with him and Renee, and all of his family and friends, as he shifts his focus to recovery.”

“Jon is making a very brave choice to get help, and we’re embracing his choice and supporting him however we can.”

Khan added, “I’m proud to call Jon a friend, and like many of you, I’m also a fan of Mox and look forward to a time in the future when he is eventually ready to return to the ring. Until then, thank you for supporting Jon and respecting his privacy at this time.”

Moxley had advanced to the semifinals of the AEW World Title Eliminator Tournament. He was scheduled to meet Orange Cassidy for a chance to take on Bryan Danielson in the finals at Full Gear on Nov. 13. While changes haven’t been announced at this time, more important matters are at hand.

Moxley recently released an autobiography titled, “MOX.” A book tour had been announced before word broke of Moxley’s current situation.

SEScoops wishes Jon Moxley all the best during this recovery process.

WWE NXT 2.0 Results (11/2): Tag Team Headliner, Tommaso Ciampa Speaks

Andrew Ravens
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The November 2, 2021 episode of WWE NXT aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. 

WWE NXT Results 

  • Dakota Kai defeated Cora Jade
  • Xyon Quinn defeated Robert Stone 
  • Legado Del Fantasma defeated Wagner and O’Reilly
  • Bron Breakker defeated Andre Chase
  • Solo Sikoa defeated Jeet Rama 
  • Boa defeated Grayson Waller 
  • Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams defeated Johnny Gargano and Dexter Lumis

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Mandy Rose Kicks Off The Show

03NXT

Mandy Rose previously announced on social media that she will be kicking off tonight’s episode of NXT 2.0. She just won the Women’s Title from Raquel Gonzalez on last week’s episode of NXT, which had the special Halloween Havoc theme. In the video, Rose teased that she had a few tricks up her sleeve.

So what did she say?  She bragged about doing what she said she was going to do and that was become champion. She said she’s still the baddest b*tch in the company. She noted now that Toxic Attraction has all of the gold means everyone is watching them. We see the rest of the group beating down Zoey Starks in the back. Rose said Toxic Attraction runs NXT and if anyone thinks differently then come out. 

Io Shirai was that person. Io said that she doesn’t like Starks, but doesn’t like Rose even less so she wants Rose right now. Rose said that she’s not afraid of Io. She attacked Io and beat her down. Io fought back and laid out Rose until Jayne and Dolin came out to beatdown Io. Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter ran out to make the save. 

Tag Action

Kyle O’Reilly & Von Wagner faced Legado del Fantasma’s Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde.

Over the weeknd, WWE sent out a tweet asking fans who they’d like to see challenge for Imperium’s NXT Tag Team Titles. Wagner said he and O’Reilly should get the title match, but  Mendoza called Wagner out for wanting a title shot when he’s only been in NXT for “five minutes.” There was a back and forth that led to this match being made. 

The partnership between O’Reilly & Wagner started  after Wagner made the save for O’Reilly when he was attacked by Pete Dunne and Ridge Holland back on the premiere of NXT 2.0 in September. 

Just last week, Imperium’s Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner won the NXT Tag Team Titles by defeating MSK in a Lumberjack-O’-Lantern match at Halloween Havoc.

The match took place near the end of the first hour. The finish saw a mistiming with Kyle and Von, which led to Wagner being rolled up for the win. 

Tommaso Ciampa Speaks

04NXT

Tommaso Ciampa successfully retained the NXT Title over Bron Breakker at Halloween Havoc last week. This was a surprise to many fans as Breakker was heavily favored to win the title. 

Ciampa did a promo in the ring about how this match was the changing of the guard in NXT and a shift in the brand. He ran down all of the title changes. Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams came out. Hayes said that there is a new school in NXT and he’s the leader of it. Hayes said as long as he’s here, Ciampa is taking a back seat to him because he’s the A-champion. Ciampa then laid out Williams then left the ring. Johnny Gargano came out for his match and had a staredown with Ciampa. 

Speaking of Breakker, he beat Andrew Chase earlier in the night. Post-match, he cut a promo about how Ciampa was the better man that night, but he is focused on getting that title he will die trying to do just that. 

Dakota Kai Back In Action

0NXT

Dakota Kai returned to action against Cora Jade on this show. Just last week, Kai made her return at Halloween Havoc last week when she cost Raquel Gonzalez her title in a match with Mandy Rose. 

This renewed their feud that included Gonzalez defending the title against Kai and coming out victorious. 

The match was a short squash match for Kai, who laid her out with a big boot in the corner. Post-match, she beat her down and left her laying with a table on her. 

Tag Team Match

Johnny Gargano and Dexter Lumis vs. Trick Williams and NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes in a tag team match took place. 

Two weeks ago, this feud started when Gargano set his sights on Hayes’ North American Title. Three weeks ago, Hayes won the North American Championship on NXT after cashing in his title shot contract and pinned Isaiah Scott to become North American Champion.

Last week, Hayes and Williams went to a haunted house on Halloween Havoc to get the belt back from Gargano and Lumis.

The match served as the main event and was pretty solid with a hot crowd. Williams hit Lumis with his boot when Lumis had Hayes in a submission. Hayes hit a leg drop off the top rope for the win. 

GCW Owner Doesn’t Think Bray Wyatt Has Interest In Indies

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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The owner of GCW gets the impression that Bray Wyatt doesn’t want to dabble in the indie scene.

Wyatt recently saw his non-compete clause expire. He was released from his WWE contract back in late July. He is now free to sign with any promotion who is willing to make him offers.

Bray Wyatt Not Focused On Indies?

Brett Lauderdale, the owner of GCW, had an interview with Wrestling Inc and expressed his belief that Wyatt isn’t thinking about spending time on the independent circuit.

“I have never talked to Bray Wyatt, but my understanding is that I don’t know that our world is very appealing to Bray Wyatt.

“There’s no secret message there. I think that he’s not interested in making the rounds on the indies. That’s my understanding. I don’t mean any negative implication that he said anything because I’ve never spoken to him. From people I know, that he knows and whatever, it just doesn’t seem like it’s something that’s on his to-do list anytime soon.”

AEW President Tony Khan has said he’d like to have a conversation with Wyatt “when the time is right.” Fightful Select reported that while Wyatt and Impact Wrestling has had talks, the two have never been close to coming to terms on a deal.

Wyatt was recently spotted in Los Angeles. He was seen at gate 4 in Warner Bros. studio. Fightful brought word that Bray Wyatt has been showing interest in Hollywood.

SEScoops will keep you posted on Bray Wyatt’s future.

Sonny Onoo Explains How Chris Jericho Helped WCW Cruiserweights Get Noticed

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Former WCW manager Sonny Onoo has detailed how Chris Jericho helped get the cruiserweight division noticed.

When it comes to the Monday Night Wars, many fans remember WCW’s NWO members as well as the likes of Sting and Goldberg going head-to-head with WWE’s best such as Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock. One thing that helped WCW stand out, however, was its cruiserweight division.

Chris Jericho Helped WCW Cruiserweights

Onoo appeared on the Perched on the Top Rope podcast and he revealed that Chris Jericho deserves credit for helping the WCW cruiserweights get some storyline direction.

“Storylines for cruiserweights didn’t really start until Chris Jericho started demanding more story background. So, if there was an Ultimo Dragon vs. Eddie Guerrero [match], you didn’t need a background, right? I mean, at least I didn’t. I think many of the fans will tell you they didn’t because they know how great these guys are going to perform. So the match was worth tuning in. You didn’t want to miss that. If you watch their show, if you want to go back and watch Nitro [cruiserweight matches] bridging into the second hour, where we go head to head against when WWE was putting on their show. So that, you know, when you’ve got stuff going on, you don’t want to miss that. You know, they didn’t want them to tune into their stuff. So they used these guys strategically, you know? A lot of the time, in the second hour or to open the show with a bang.”

Jericho was known to fight for a better spot when he was with WCW. He didn’t really end up getting his wish, so he signed with WWE. Jericho would end up being a multiple-time world champion in WWE. He is currently in AEW and is a former world champion with the promotion.

H/T to Fightful for the transcribed quotes

Health Update On Jim Ross Following Skin Cancer Diagnosis

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Jim Ross has provided an update on his skin cancer.

In October, Ross said he was going to the hospital as he suspected having skin cancer around his ankle area. His fears ended up being correct but there is some good news for the legendary commentator.

Jim Ross Gives Update

During an episode of the Grilling JR podcast, Ross said he’s feeling good and revealed the number of radiation treatments he’ll need to undergo.

“I’m pretty good. I have this little cancer issue I’m trying to deal with. I’m going to start doing radiation soon. I have to do 22 radiation treatments.  Somehow I have to figure out how to do it on consecutive days. They would like to do it every day for I think 3 weeks, or whatever it is, maybe longer than that. I haven’t kept track. It’s inevitable. It’s coming. I have to deal with it. I haven’t found myself buried in the minutia of whether this is happening or that is happening.”

Ross went on to say that he won’t need to undergo chemotherapy. As a result, he doesn’t expect to miss any time from AEW TV and believes he’ll make a full recovery. In fact, Jim Ross says he didn’t get the worst type of skin cancer and that the biggest challenge will simply be getting all of the treatments out the way.

Ross has battled skin cancer in the past and was able to beat it. He had the cancer removed from his shoulder in 2018, two years after undergoing a skin procedure.

H/T to WrestlingNews.co for the transcribed quotes

Vince McMahon Soured On Bray Wyatt For Speaking Up About Creative (Report)

Andrew Ravens
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When WWE released Bray Wyatt a few months ago, the reason given for it was due to budget cuts. The company has released dozens of wrestlers and employees since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to shore up resources and strengthen the bottom line.

It now looks like finances, specifically a lucrative contract, were not the only factor working against Bray Wyatt. According to a new report at Fightful Select, Vince McMahon soured on the third generation star because he was “too outspoken” about creative plans.

The ‘budget cuts’ excuse did not satisfy people in WWE. Wyatt’s release had a negative effect on morale, as a result.

It was reported several months ago by Dave Meltzer that the original plan for the Wyatt vs. Randy Orton match at WrestleMania 37 was for Orton to lose to Wyatt then take time off.

Plans were changed and Orton went over with Wyatt taking time off instead. There were reportedly no creative ‘endgame’ for that storyline. At one point in the storyline, Wyatt was burned alive by Orton. 

Wyatt was someone who sold a ton of merchandise for the company and because he was let go despite that, it has wrestlers thinking that no job is safe in WWE. This feeling extends to long-time stars up and down the card.

Bray Wyatt is now a free agent and is looking forward to telling his side of the story, as it relates to his WWE release.

Edge Admits He Wasn’t Gung-Ho Over Saudi Arabia Trip

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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WWE Hall of Famer Edge says he wasn’t enthusiastic about going to Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel.

Edge wrapped up his feud with Seth Rollins in a memorable Hell in a Cell match. The score was 1-1 between the two. In the end, it was Edge who got the last laugh as he scored a pinfall to end the rivalry.

Edge On Traveling To Saudi Arabia

Edge has been a supporter of Jessika Carr, a female referee in WWE. The “Rated-R Superstar” appeared on The Kids on the Escalator podcast and admitted that he wasn’t thrilled about the Saudi Arabia trip but felt he could leave a lasting impact if he had Carr take the reins in the Hell in a Cell match.

“We took a test run at SummerSlam and she is so confident and really good. She wasn’t shy or timid, she took control of the situation and I always appreciate when someone does that. We had MSG and I said, ‘I think you have to do part two, kiddo.’ When they asked me about blowing off the story in Saudi Arabia, I wasn’t too keen on going, I’ll be honest, but as we talked and they said ‘we need it there,’ I said, ‘Lets get Jess to ref there,’ not knowing if we’d be able to. I just loved the idea of a woman being in control of two men in that country. If it flew over a lot of heads, whatever, but for me, I can come back to my girls one day and tell them ‘I went over there.’ I think we did something cool.”

Carr ended up making history at Crown Jewel. She became the first female referee to work a WWE match in Saudi Arabia. As Edge mentioned, he was the one who requested that Carr take the officiating role for their match and it got a ton of backstage support.

H/T to Fightful for the transcribed quotes

Cesaro Speaks On Teasing Brock Lesnar Match

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Cesaro is quite pleased with the reaction he got for teasing a match with Brock Lesnar.

Cesaro has long been a team player for WWE. While he isn’t really treated as a main eventer in the long-term, he works well with just about anything he’s given and does have his moments in pivotal spots when called upon. This year hasn’t been too bad for Cesaro as he defeated Seth Rollins at WrestleMania and challenged Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship.

Cesaro Talks Brock Lesnar

Cesaro got a massively positive reaction to teasing a matchup with Brock Lesnar on his Twitter account.

https://twitter.com/WWECesaro/status/1452053352800571398

During an interview with Manchester Evening News, Cesaro gave his reaction to how well the tweet was received.

“The match with Brock Lesnar, which you’ve just mentioned, that would be another awesome match. To me, it’s really cool because it was just one picture and everyone ran wild with it simply based off the reputation that I have and that he has. To me, it’s really cool to see that I’ve built up a relationship with the fans so that they know whenever I get into the ring with someone of that caliber, or whoever it is, it’s going to be great. It’s a challenge to keep doing that, keep performing, keep having these matches that people want to see. If I do that, they [the WWE] always finds new ways to keep things fresh and keep it interesting.”

At the moment, Lesnar is “suspended indefinitely” after attacking a cameraman and WWE officials. He then delivered two F5’s to WWE authority figure Adam Pearce. Time will tell if a match with Cesaro will be in the cards once Lesnar makes his return.

Update On AJ Styles’ WWE Absence

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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There is now word on AJ Styles not appearing on WWE TV as of late.

Styles was last seen teaming with Omos at the WWE Crown Jewel event. The team failed to regain the Raw Tag Team Championship against RKBro (Randy Orton & Riddle).

A rematch was set to take place on the following episode of Monday Night Raw but the match was scrapped and AJ Styles was nowhere to be found on the show.

AJ Styles Status Update

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that Styles has been out of action due to a “non-injury medical issue.” No further details are available at this time.

As of late, Omos has been a thorn in the side of the Street Profits. It appears to be leading towards a tag team match once AJ is cleared to return.

Omos has also confronted RKBro in AJ’s absence so it appears a trilogy match between the two teams may still be in the cards.

Styles was recently quite complimentary of Omos. He expressed his belief that his tag team partner will one day capture a world title in WWE.

It’ll be interesting to see when Styles can step back inside the squared circle.

The Blade Opens Up About Mental Health Struggles

Chris Stephens
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Jesse Guilmette, better known to AEW fans as the Blade, took to social media recently to open up about his mental health. He noted that recently he has experienced a spike in feelings of anxiety, depression, and issues with confidence.

“Hello, my name is Jesse Guilmette, and I struggle with anxiety, depression and confidence issues,” The Blade began his post. “I first noticed an extreme spike in these feelings during the pandemic, which also made me realize I’ve suffered from these issues all my life.”

He continued to note that he experienced another spike in these feelings recently. The Blade also noted that he has opened up to AEW executives about these issues and received a positive and supportive response.

“When I’m not feeling the best, I simply remember that EVERY response I’ve received from the people I’ve opened up to has been incredibly positive and supportive.”

The Blade’s full post can be viewed below:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CVwEgJpLixD/?utm_medium=share_sheet

Tag Me In Campaign

Several wrestlers are currently involved in raising money for organizations such as the National Alliance on Mental Healt. Trish Stratus noted on Twitter that they have raised in excess of $4000 so far through the “Tag Me In” campaign.

Earlier this year, Allie (aka the Bunny) continued to be open about her mental health for Bell’s “Let’s Talk” day. The annual event raises money for mental health resources and seeks to end the stigma around mental health.

https://twitter.com/AllieWrestling/status/1354826899680358402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://twitter.com/AllieWrestling/status/1354935328776269834
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