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Eric Bischoff Comments On Ultimate Warrior’s WCW Run

Chris Stephens
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The Ultimate Warrior signed with WCW in 1998. His run with the company began in May of that year. He competed in 3 matches and was eventually gone from the company that fall.

Eric Bischoff recently spent some time on his 83 Weeks podcast talking about what it was like working with Warrior. In particular, Bischoff spoke about Warrior cutting a 20-minute promo on Hulk Hogan on his debut appearance with the company.

“It was the worst feeling I’ve ever had on live television,” Bischoff said about the promo. Warrior’s promo went almost half an hour, causing chaos for the production that night.

Bischoff was asked by Conrad how many minutes he feels they had scheduled for Warrior’s promo.

“Under 10,” Bischoff responded. “Probably 7 or 8 tops. Keep in mind we had to hit a commercial break. Fortunately, we were owned by the same company that owned the network we were on.”

Bischoff continued to say that even short promos can be hard to keep the audience engaged for.

“I think this could have gone as long as 27 minutes,” Bischoff said about Warrior’s promo. “I don’t know anybody who can get out there for 27 minutes and hold an audience.”

Bischoff told Warrior to wrap it up during the promo.

“When you’re standing in that ring and the camera is on you and you realize that at home 3,4,5 million people possibly are dying all at the same time, there is nothing worse as a producer or a talent of live television than a moment like that, and that’s how I felt.”

Bischoff’s comments can be heard in the player below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sClWBDfrH-s

Jon Moxley Comments On WWE’s Thunderdome

Chris Stephens
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WWE debuted its Thunderdome viewing experience last night on Smackdown. Jon Moxley recently appeared on Wrestling Observer Radio and during the discussion he gave his thoughts on the images and video of Thunderdome he has seen.

“All the LED boards and shit in their Thunderdome isn’t going to fix their problems. We know what their problems is,” Moxley said on the show. “I saw a picture of the Thunderdome. It was like a Zoom call with all the faces on the wall and it tripped me out.”

Moxley then continued to talk about the Thunderdome reminding him of something from the Ray Bradbury novel, Fahrenheit 451.

“I want WWE to be awesome,” Moxley continued. “Honestly, when WWE sucks at this point I don’t get excited about it like ‘haha, you suck’, it pisses me off. Because they are the #1 brand in the sport. They represent the sport to a lot of people and when their product is embarrassing to watch, it makes all of wrestling look bad.”

Earlier in the conversation, Moxley talked about his opinion of WWE’s current product.

“We know what their problem is, it’s one person, 3 letters, VKM, that’s the problem. Until he’s gone or relinquishes control, it’s not going to change. When I watch their show during the pandemic era, or I guess even before, especially during the pandemic era I’m just like ‘oh thank god I’m not there.'”

Moxley’s comments can be heard in the player below:

Pat McAfee on ‘Disrespectful Outsiders’ in WWE, Takes a Shot at Tyson Fury

Jake Skudder
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Former NFL star and WWE/NXT analyst Pat McAfee recently appeared on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio. The Superstar Kicker will be taking on NXT’s Adam Cole on Saturday night’s NXT Takeover XXX event.

Pat McAfee began the interview on Busted Open by talking up his credentials as a pro wrestling fan and his genuine love of WWE. “Just like most wrestling fans, I would assume, when I watch and I’d see the ‘outsider’ come in? You KNOW when they were just taking advantage of a marketing opportunity with the WWE” McAfee stated.

Pat McAfee on ‘Outsiders’

“And there is no work put in, they look disgusting in the ring” McAfee would continue; before referencing the appearance of Colin Jost and Michael Che at WrestleMania.

Jost and Che (of SNL fame) appeared at WrestleMania 35 in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, with Jost being the last to be eliminated by Braun Strowman. It’s also the event where Pat McAfee would appear on the pre-show in ‘tuxedo shorts,’ which angered Michael Cole and led to the longtime WWE announcer berating McAfee, believing that he was being ‘disrespectful’ to the spectacle of WrestleMania.

“I mean I’ll never forget when I was at that WrestleMania getting chewed out by Michael Cole for having tuxedo shorts on” McAfee continued. “I saw the two stooges from Saturday Night Live walk in and the motherf*ckers look like they couldn’t even jump if they had to. They’re in a Wrestlemania match and it was just a completely disrespectful thing to the business.”

Pat McAfee would also have some choice words for an actual top athlete who performed in WWE. “Tyson Fury, the Gypsy King? One of the greatest boxers of all time. I didn’t think his performance in the ring was that good either in the wrestling business.”

McAfee would finish by re-iterating how he intends on not disrespecting the business when he faces Adam Cole at Takeover XXX. “You have this long standing history of these outsiders coming in, and in my eyes? I thought they were disrespecting the business, because there was zero effort. There was really no buying into it, there was no selling, there’s none of that.”

Do you agree with Pat McAfee? Let us know in the comments

WWE SmackDown Results (8/21): The Fiend & Vince McMahon, New Champion

Robert Lentini
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WWE SmackDown aired from the Amway Center in Orlando. It was the final episode of SmackDown before SummerSlam this Sunday. Vince McMahon kicked off this week’s show to debut the ThunderDome. AJ Styles put his Intercontinental Championship on the line against Jeff Hardy during tonight’s episode as well.

SmackDown Results (8/21)

  1. Big E def. Sheamus
  2. Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura def. Lucha House Party to retain the SmackDown Tag Team Championships
  3. Sasha Banks won a Beat the Clock Challenge & will face Asuka 2nd at SummerSlam
  4. Jeff Hardy def. AJ Styles to capture the Intercontinental Championship

Here are 7 takeaways from this week’s show:

RETRIBUTION Attacked Braun Strowman

strowman retribution

SmackDown began with some pyro and shots to show off the new ThunderDome in the Amway Center. Vince McMahon stood in the middle of the ring with a smile on his face and welcomed the fans watching on the screens behind the ring.

The lights went out and The Fiend made his way to the ring. Universal Champion Braun Strowman marched down the entrance ramp as McMahon exited. Strowman got in the ring with The Fiend and had a stare down.

RETRIBUTION showed up and hopped on the ring apron. The Fiend waved goodbye and the lights in the arena went out. The Fiend was gone when the lights came on and RETRIBUTION attacked Strowman.

The SmackDown locker room then rushed the ring and evened the odds. RETRIBUTION eventually retreated out of the ring as The Miz was the last SmackDown superstar to run down to the ring. Strowman got up and started attacking the SmackDown superstars before making his way backstage.

Opinion: WWE did a great job with the look of the ThunderDome. It is a much better setting than the Performance Center and plexiglass surrounding the ring.

Big E Picked Up A Victory

big e smackdown sheamus

Sheamus battled Big E with the SmackDown locker room surrounding the ring in case RETRIBUTION showed up again.

Match Recap: Sheamus and Big E locked up in the center of the ring to start the action off. Big E hit Sheamus with a shoulder tackle but the Celtic Warrior didn’t budge. Sheamus hit Big E with a knee to the midsection but Big E responded with a Clothesline that sent Sheamus to the floor outside the ring.

Big E followed Sheamus out there and hit him with a shoulder tackle against the steel steps. Big E connected with a Splash on the ring apron but Sheamus battled back and made his way to the top rope. Sheamus leveled Big E with a Flying Clothesline and followed it up with the Ten Beats of the Bodhran.

Sheamus planted Big E with the Irish Curse Backbreaker for a near fall as the lights once again began to flicker in the ThunderDome as SmackDown went to a commercial break. When SmackDown returned, Sheamus hit Big E with a knee to the face for a two count.

Big E connected with a Uranage and went for the cover but Sheamus was able to power out at two. Big E went for the Spear through the ropes but Sheamus was ready and caught him with a knee to the face. Sheamus sent Big E into the ring post and followed it up with White Noise.

King Corbin hit Matt Riddle from behind and a fight broke out. Sheamus was setting up for a Brogue Kick but got distracted by the brawl outside the ring. Big E capitalized with a roll-up for the pinfall victory.

WWE NXT TakeOver: XXX Betting Odds

Andrew Ravens
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The final betting odds have been released for the WWE NXT TakeOver: XXX event from Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University.

The card for the show that takes place this Saturday has been finalized as only 6 matches have been announced.

Some of the more notable odds include the main event between WWE NXT Champion Keith Lee and Karrion Kross being even at -140, which means the oddsmakers don’t know who will win in addition to Damien Priest being favored to win the North American Title in the five-way Ladder Match. 

WWE NXT TakeOver: XXX Odds

As a reminder, we will be providing coverage of the show this Sunday. The favorites to win are listed as – while the underdogs are listed with +. Here are the final betting odds:

  • WWE NXT Champion Keith Lee (-140) vs. Karrion Kross (even)
  • WWE NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai (-700) vs. Dakota Kai (+400)
  • Bronson Reed (11/4) vs. Damian Priest (3/2) vs. Cameron Grimes (13/2) vs. Johnny Gargano (13/4) vs. Velveteen Dream (5/1) – Ladder Match to crown new NXT North American Champion 
  • Adam Cole (-180) vs. Pat McAfee (+140)
  • Finn Balor (even) vs. Timothy Thatcher (-115)
  • Legado del Fantasma (3/1) vs. Breezango (2/1) vs. Danny Burch & Oney Lorcan (1/2) – #1 Contender’s Triple Threat Match (Pre-Show)

WWE SummerSlam Betting Odds For Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton

Jeff Hardy Wins WWE Intercontinental Title

Andrew Ravens
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Jeff Hardy is now a five-time WWE Intercontinental Champion. 

The former WWE Champion battled AJ Styles for the secondary title on SmackDown during Friday’s episode on FOX. This served as the main event match although there was a FireFly Fun House segment that followed the contest.

The two had plenty of time and worked a solid match. In the end, Hardy hit Styles with his knee brace before landing a Swanton Bomb to win the title. 

This was the first show to be held live in months and first-ever episode from the ThunderDome, which has been transformed in Orlando, Florida at the Amway Center.

Hardy cut a promo after the match where he noted that he’s been through dark moments as life has all sorts of challenges. 

However, he stands here in the ring with a painful knee, but more importantly with hope just like everyone who is struggling right now and he couldn’t be here without them. 

What are your thoughts on Jeff Hardy winning the WWE Intercontinental Title? Was this the right call by WWE officials? Sound off in the comment section.

Hair vs. Hair Match Changed To Loser Must Leave WWE At SummerSlam

Andrew Ravens
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WWE has made some changes to one match at SummerSlam, which will be a battle between Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose. 

Originally, WWE touted this as a Hair vs. Hair match, but that has been changed. Instead, it will now be a No DQ match and the loser must leave WWE.

WWE made the match change during Friday’s episode of SmackDown, which was the go-home edition of SmackDown for SummerSlam. 

There was a segment that saw Rose cut a promo in which she tried to settle things with Deville and go back to how they used to be. That didn’t work when Deville cut a heel promo about her former tag team partner.

She told Rose to bring her A-game. She stated that Rose is bothered about possibly being bald, while she doesn’t care if she’s bald. Then Deville stated that she’s sick of looking at Rose’s face, so the new stipulation was added. 

It should be noted that during the broadcast, there were some references to the attempted kidnapping at Deville’s home last weekend. As noted, Rose was present as a guest in Deville’s home. WWE didn’t directly talk about it though. 

Finn Balor Explains Why He Took Time Off Before NXT Return

Andrew Ravens
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Finn Balor has opened up on his decision to take time off from WWE last summer before deciding to make a return to NXT. 

Balor was destroyed by the debuting ‘Fiend’ Bray Wyatt at the 2019 SummerSlam pay-per-view event. He had requested time off before the contest and disappeared from television after the bout. 

Balor did so while talking with Dan Matha on Spark in the Dark. He started out by talking about how he had been working since 2000 without a break unless it was due to injury. Even when he had his shoulder injury, he was working harder than ever by doing rehab three times a day to get back and get going.

He stated that the stress of the injury and the pressure to come back, that felt harder than when you’re actually working.

“I had been going for 19 years straight and I came to a point where I needed a break, not just physically, it was more mentally to be by myself and be away from the boys. I love the boys, but it gets to a point where it’s just too intense. When you’re around them all the time, you just need some space. I needed space from everything; the business, bookers, writers, schedules, everything. It had become too intense. I was turning into a different person that I didn’t like. 

I was snapping at people, I wasn’t giving people time in conversations. I was turning into a bitter dick and I could feel it building and building. Thankfully, the company gave me some time to get my head straight and get better. When I came back, the idea was pitched around to go to NXT.”

Balor took a few months off before he returned to television on October 2, 2019 under the NXT banner where he confronted Adam Cole.

He stated that moving back to NXT has been great for him because he went from working 172 matches a year and traveling to only doing 50 matches a year and doesn’t have to travel as much in NXT. 

Randy Orton Reveals Original Plans For Ric Flair Segment On RAW

Andrew Ravens
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Randy Orton took part in a conference call on Friday ahead of his match at SummerSlam. 

Around 4 minutes into the call, Orton was asked about his memorable segment on Monday Night RAW a few weeks ago that closed out the show. It saw him take out WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair with a low blow and punt kick.

This is where he revealed that original plans didn’t call for Flair to cut a full promo, but rather just to say a few weeks that the camera would pick up. 

“I’ll tell you what he was never supposed to grab the microphone from me that night. He was just supposed to say a few things under his breath that the hand held camera in the ring may or may not have picked up. 

You were supposed to see our facial expressions and get an idea that he was bringing me back in and eventually we had the hug. I turned on him but when he grabbed the mic I was thinking, ‘Ah, come on Ric you’re not supposed to grab the mic’, but then he went on to cut that promo and it was very touching.”

Orton stated that Flair meant everything he said and that’s why he’s so special to the business. Orton stated that Flair has always left his heart out there in the ring and every emotion you get out there from Flair, which is why Orton thinks it’s one of the reasons Flair is the best.

Orton will challenge Drew McIntyre for the WWE Title at SummerSlam. 

WWE Confirms Return Of Talking Smack & New Hosts

Andrew Ravens
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As expected, Talking Smack is returning to WWE’s streaming service, WWE Network. 

On Friday afternoon, WWE confirmed that the series is returning. The SmackDown review show will air each Saturday morning on the WWE Network. Just like Raw Talk, it will also be available on the free version of the WWE Network.

Obviously, with Renee Young departing from the company, she will not be reuniting with Daniel Bryan as the hosts. Instead, the new hosts for Talking Smack are Kayla Braxton and Xavier Woods. 

WWE touted the first episode by writing, “Join hosts Kayla Braxton and Xavier Woods as they welcome your favorite Superstars and react to what promises to be an exciting episode of Friday Night SmackDown as it makes its debut inside the WWE ThunderDome just two days before SummerSlam.”

The former WWE Tag Team Champion is still out of in-ring action with an injury. 

WWE is slated to film the first episode of the revival after tonight’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown from the WWE ThunderDome at the Amway Center in Orlando, FL. 

It’s been reported that the reason Talking Smack is airing on Saturdays is to ensure that SmackDown can air in all markets first.

Seth Rollins Comments On Austin Theory’s Absence

Chris Stephens
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Austin Theory hasn’t wrestled for WWE since June. He is reportedly under an unannounced suspension and it is not clear when he will return to the company. Shortly before his unannounced absence began, Theory had joined Seth Rollins’ stable on RAW. Rollins’ small faction has included Buddy Murphy and the AOP in recent months as well.

Rollins spoke about Austin Theory’s absence recently during an interview with the Sporting News. According to Rollins’ comments, Theory had some personal issues to work through but they are looking forward to his return.

“He had some personal issues that came up so he took some time off to sort through them for the past month or two. It’s hard right now but we hope everything’s good for him so we hope to have him back sooner than later,” Rollins said during the interview.

Rollins’ faction is also missing the AOP at the moment. Rezar suffered a torn bicep in March that is expected to keep him out at least 6 months.

Theory was also briefly aligned with Zelina Vega’s faction of Andrade and Angel Garza. He was kicked out of the group shortly before aligning with Rollins, however. The 23-year-old is a former EVOLVE champion and was ranked 80th in last year’s PWI Top-500 rankings.

WWE Reveals “Thunderdome” Set In New Video

Chris Stephens
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WWE will welcome everyone to the Thunderdome tonight for Smackdown. Ahead of tonight’s card from Orlando’s Amway Center, the company posted a teaser video with a sneak peek of what the new set will look like.

WWE has described its new Thunderdome set-up as a “state-of-the-art viewing experience featuring video boards, pyrotechnics, lasers, cutting-edge graphics, and drone cameras. “

“This structure will enable us to deliver an immersive atmosphere and generate more excitement amongst the millions of fans watching our programming around the world,” said Kevin Dunn in a press release to promote the new set.

A preview of what the Thunderdome will look like can be found in the below-posted video from WWE:

Tonight’s episode of Smackdown will feature Vince McMahon kicking off the show to introduce fans to the new visual experience. Two title matches have also been booked for tonight’s show. AJ Styles will defend the Intercontinental Championship against Jeff Hardy. Shinsuke Nakamura & Cesaro will also defend their belts against The Lucha House Party. Additionally, Big E’s singles run continues tonight as he goes one-on-one with Sheamus.

TakeOver XXX tomorrow night will not air from the Amway Center. Rather, that show will still take place from Full Sail University. WWE will be back in the Thunderdome on Monday for RAW.

WWE Superstars Reportedly “Shaken Up” Over Break-In At Sonya Deville’s Residence

Chris Stephens
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The recent break-in at Sonya Deville’s residence has shaken up some on the WWE roster. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the incident has led to multiple WWE Superstars applying for gun licenses and/or purchasing home security systems.

“Several women performers were shaken up by the story noting obsessive fans that have gotten their home addresses,” wrote Dave Meltzer.

“A number of talents, understandably so, have been shaken up by the incident,” he continued. “There have been some talents who applied for gun licenses on 8/17 after the incident with Berenato and others tho are installing or testing out home security devices.”

Several wrestlers have complained about fans finding out their home address. Impact’s Jordynne Grace has publicly complained about this happening to her.

https://twitter.com/JordynneGrace/status/1254439207289962497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1254439207289962497%7Ctwgr%5E&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2F411mania.com%2Fwrestling%2Fjordynne-grace-creepy-fan-wrestlers-home-addresses%2F

Rachael Ellering has also complained about a fan find out her mother’s address.

Veda Scott as well:

The report continues to suggest some steps wrestlers can take to keep their home addresses private. For instance, a wrestler could form an LLC that they use to purchase the home. This would make it more difficult for someone to find out where they live.

Deville testified in court at a hearing yesterday. She also filed for a restraining order against him in civil court. Following the court hearing, the suspect was denied bail and will remain in prison for the time being.

Renee Young Update, Interest From AEW & Major Networks

Chris Stephens
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Renee Young is said to be finishing up with WWE this weekend. Her departure from the company has many wrestling fans wondering if she could end up joining her husband, AEW World Champion Jon Moxley, in All Elite Wrestling.

According to an update from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, however, AEW was unaware that Young was leaving WWE until news broke recently, meaning the two sides likely have not had any conversations about her possibly taking up a role with the company. Not as of yet, anyway.

“We were told AEW was unaware she was leaving WWE until after the news broke,” wrote Dave Meltzer. He continued to say, however, that sources within AEW believe it is inevitable that she will end up doing something with the company at some point but no conversations have taken place.

Additionally, Young’s contract with WWE contains a non-compete clause that would prevent her from going to AEW anytime soon.

“It probably won’t be soon since her WWE announcing deal does have a serious non compete clause,” Meltzer continued. ESPN and Fox have both shown interest in Renee Young’s broadcasting talents.

It’s worth noting that she also has a background in comedy, having trained at Second City in Toronto as well.

Young began working for TheScore in Canada in 2009. At the time, theScore aired RAW and Smackdown. It has since been bought out by Sportsnet and is now known as Sportsnet 360. Young, along with Mauro Ranallo, hosted post-event shows on the network talking about WWE. She was then hired by WWE in 2012.

Sonya Deville Testifies In Court, Bail Denied For Suspect

Chris Stephens
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Sonya Deville testified in court yesterday at a hearing for Phillip Thomas II, the suspect charged with her attempted kidnapping and breaking into her home. Following the hearing, Thomas was ruled a threat to society and denied bail. He will remain in prison until his trial.

“I saw a man standing there and he had black clothes on and a black mask and he was just standing there staring at me,” Deville said on the stand. The incident occurred early Sunday morning after Deville had gone to bed after watching the UFC 252 PPV. Mandy Rose was staying in a guest room at her home that evening.

“I looked up, I saw him, I was terrified, I started screaming. I don’t even know what I said,” she continued. Deville has also filed for a restraining order against Thomas in civil court.

The judge ruled that Thomas provides a threat to the community even if monitored by GPS while on bail.

“I don’t see any way we can protect our community in Hillsborough County if we give him bail,” the judge ruled. “A GPS on him gives me no peace of mind. A GPS monitor does nothing for me.”

A Fox News report of Deville’s testimony is below:

A photo of the suspect listening to the hearing is below:

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Deville testified in court today at the hearing:

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Some WWE Superstars Were “Very Against” Becky Lynch Calling Herself ‘The Man’

Steve Russell
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Becky Lynch proudly assumed the moniker of ‘The Man’ during her ascension within WWE. Although the nickname garnered popularity amongst the WWE Universe, it turns out that there were some WWE Superstars that took issue with her choice.

During an interview with Digital Spy, Stephanie McMahon revealed how ‘The Man’ concept was driven by Lynch. However, some female Superstars allegedly pushed back against it.

“(‘The Man) really was her idea. It’s funny because some women were very against it like, ‘Why do you have to call yourself the man? Why can’t you be The Woman.’ But she just didn’t take it, you know, too literally. The whole point was to turn that nomenclature on its ear, right, because everyone says, ‘oh the biggest, the most successful person in the room is The Man. Well, why can’t The Man be a woman?”

Becky Lynch is currently on hiatus from WWE and in-ring action since becoming pregnant. This will be her first child with her fiancé Seth Rollins. She is due to give birth this December.

Prior to the announcement, Lynch was the reigning WWE RAW Women’s Champion. However, her pregnancy forced her to relinquish the belt. Becky Lynch revealed on the 5/11 episode of RAW that Asuka’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match victory wasn’t for an opportunity at the belt, it was for the belt itself.

Shane McMahon Reportedly In Line To Replace Bruce Prichard As RAW Executive Director

Steve Russell
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0

Shane McMahon recently returned to screens as the host and promoter of RAW’s latest segment, RAW Underground. Prior to this new on-screen role, Shane had been written off television since last October. This came in the wake of a storyline with Kevin Owens.

During that interim, Shane McMahon reportedly became much more involved in WWE’s creative output. According to Alex McCarthy of talkSPORT and Sportskeeda, there is speculation that Vince McMahon is contemplating putting Shane McMahon in charge of RAW.

McCarthy shared how a source informed him that Shane McMahon is being considered to take over RAW’s creative duties. If this occurs, he would take the reins from Bruce Prichard. This would allow Prichard to “lighten his workload” and focus primarily on SmackDown. He explained how Prichard has made no secret that he’d like to lessen his commitments as he has allegedly been “struggling with long hours.”

Prichard is WWE’s current Senior Vice President and RAW and SmackDown Executive Director. He assumed the role of Executive Director following Paul Heyman’s firing back in June. Eric Bischoff was originally SmackDown’s Executive Director. He was let go last October.

Shane McMahon assisted with the production of January’s Royal Rumble event. It is reported he has been at the Gorilla Position alongside Vince McMahon at several recent main roster events. 

Sammy Guevara Reveals What He Pitched For Stadium Stampede

Steve Russell
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0

All Elite Wrestling’s Sammy Guevara has shared the pitch he made for Double or Nothing’s Stadium Stampede matchup. The bout saw Guevara’s Inner Circle stable compete against The Elite and Matt Hardy.

Guevara recently joined Tony Schiavone and Aubrey Edwards on AEW’s official podcast, Unrestricted. During their conversation, Sammy Guevara explained how he repeatedly text AEW President Tony Khan expressing his interest in jumping off the stadium. 

“The stadium is like 200 feet or something like that. I think he thought I was joking so I texted him again and said I was serious. They got this stunt coordinator. We were only approved for 40 feet, so the stadium was out of the question.”

Sammy Guevara explained how he wanted to do a “cool flip or dive” at first. The idea slowly evolved into him receiving a Canadian Destroyer before finally settling on Kenny Omega’s One-Winged Angel. 

He detailed how it was raining during the entire filming process. They would finally start preparing for his spot at about 5 A.M. 

“Kenny and I were standing up there and I was thinking, this is the way I go. This is it for me. It’s the last thing of the match,” Guevara explained. “We’ve been up forever and of course, it’s raining and wet. I remember being up there and looking down and thinking if this is it, I had a good run. It was a scary moment.” 

Despite their best efforts, The Inner Circle would lose the matchup to Matt Hardy and The Elite after Guevara took the One-Winged Angel from Omega.

The Usos Discuss Delivering Non-Scripted Promos, Rap Battles

Steve Russell
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SmackDown Superstars The Usos have opened up about being able to deliver unscripted promos during a recent appearance on D-Von Dudley’s podcast, Table Talk.

They recalled how they were finally given promo time after finally ditching their colorful paint gimmick. The caveat to this, however, is that the Usos were only allocated 30 seconds. The twins revealed it was a struggle to determine what to say in such a short period of time.

“We put black on because we went from colors to straight black and white. We put our hoodies on. We said, it’s not paranoia, it’s the Usos. Then we ran with it. We started saying that we are locking this down like in the penitentiary. We were just talking like we talked back in the day, talking trash on the court. Once that came along, we got so comfortable with that and that’s when it started oozing out and it became so fun and so new.”

The Usos then reflected on the Rap Battle idea they pitched. The team would have several Rap Battles against teams like The New Day and The Bar. When they were in the ring, the brothers admitted that they didn’t want to know what their opponents would say and vice versa. They stressed that was the “fun part” and that they “killed it.”

D-Von revealed he had pitched for the Usos to get promo time following their gimmick change. He explained how he believed all they needed to do was let the Usos be themselves. D-Von stressed that WWE creative shouldn’t write a script or tell them what to do. If they trusted him and his faith in the Usos, he had no doubt the team would succeed.

Johnny Gargano Comments On Recent Injury Scare On NXT

Steve Russell
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0

NXT Superstar Johnny Gargano has commented on the injury scare he experienced during this week’s episode. Gargano competed against former NXT UK Superstar Ridge Holland. Their bout would secure the winner a spot at NXT TakeOver: XXX’s North American Championship Ladder Match.

However, during the match, Gargano would be spiked on his head and neck following a botched power slam from Holland. Taking to Twitter, Gargano stressed how “‘All Heart’ isn’t just a catchphrase. You only lose when you quit and I got a Ladder match to win in 3 days.”

After the scary moment, both Triple H and Shawn Michaels were among those to rush to check on Gargano. When it was confirmed that Gargano could continue, the matchup was re-started. WWE edited the match to remove any sort of break after the near-miss took place. It was determined that, because Gargano was thankfully okay after being spiked, it was acceptable to air the botched power slam on television.

Johnny Gargano competes against Bronson Reed, Damian Priest, Cameron Grimes, and Velveteen Dream at NXT TakeOver: XXX. The winner will claim Keith Lee’s vacated NXT North American Championship.

NXT TakeOver: XXX takes place this Saturday from Full Sail University at Winter Park, FL, and will air on the WWE Network.

https://twitter.com/JohnnyGargano/status/1296280832970301440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1296280832970301440%7Ctwgr%5E&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnodq.com%2Fnews%2F599977891.shtml

Update On Buff Bagwell Following Serious Collision

Steve Russell
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Former WCW star Marcus “Buff” Bagwell was recently involved in an unfortunate car accident. He would be hospitalized with reported serious injuries on August 16.

Atlanta promoter Ron Gossett has provided a medical update on his friend in a recent Facebook post. He asked fans to send prayers in support of Buff Bagwell. According to Gossett, Bagwell messaged him and shared how he hoped to soon leave the hospital. However, because of the severity of the car wreck, he suffered several broken bones.

Gossett noted how Bagwell is currently dealing with broken ribs, a broken right hip, broken left socket bone, a broken nose, a torn right groin muscle, and heavy bruising. Thankfully, despite the reported seriousness of the incident, Gossett shared how Bagwell does not require surgery of any sort.

Bagwell was driving his 2013 Chevrolet Tahoe on Cumberland Boulevard this past Sunday at around 5:18pm local time when the collision occurred. Investigators believe he was impaired by prescription medication at the time of the accident. At the time of writing, the investigation is still underway, and Cobb County police have requested that anyone with further information get in contact with its investigators at 770-499-3987.

All of us at SEScoops wish Buff Bagwell the best during the time and hope he has a speedy recovery.

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NXT Draws 853k Viewers, 0.24 Demo Unopposed

Michael Reichlin
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This week’s edition of WWE NXT on the USA Network averaged 853,000 viewers. The show did a 0.24 in the Adults 18-49 demographic and finished 23rd on cable for the evening.

NXT ran unopposed this week without competition from AEW, which was preempted due to the NBA playoffs on TNT. Dynamite airs this Saturday night at 6pm (Eastern).

This was the most-watched episode of NXT this year and ties for the 2nd best demo rating of 2020. Viewership was up 38% from last week, while the key demo rating was up 50%.

NXT featured Johnny Gargano defeating Ridge Holland in an NXT North American Championship Ladder Match qualifier, Legado del Fantasma in action, Shotzi Blackheart and Rhea Ripley teaming up and Velveteen Dream defeating Finn Balor in the main event in another NXT North American Championship Ladder Match qualifier.

Click here for our full recap and takeaways from this week’s WWE NXT.

NXT Will Be Preempted Sep. 2, AEW Dynamite To Run Unopposed

Chris Stephens
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The NXT show originally scheduled for Wednesday, September 2nd will now air on Thursday, September 3rd on the USA Network. The show is being moved to accommodate the NHL Playoffs broadcast schedule. This means that AEW Dynamite that week will run unopposed.

It is currently unknown if further episodes of NXT could be rescheduled as well. The NHL Playoffs are currently finishing up the Conference Quarter-Finals. The Stanley Cup finals are set to conclude no earlier than October 4th, 2020.

September 2nd will mark 3 straight weeks that AEW and NXT haven’t gone head-to-head. NXT ran unopposed last night, Dynamite will air on Thursday next week and NXT will be pushed back by a day the week after.

The September 2nd edition of AEW Dynamite will also be the go-home show for the All Out PPV on September 5th. Additionally, the September 16th episode of Dynamite will only be 1-hour but a 2-hour version will air the following night.

AEW has just announced that a limited number of fans will be permitted to attend beginning on Thursday, August 27th, 2020. Dynamite will air on Thursday next week due to the NBA Playoffs.

NXT Head Writer Departs WWE, Triple H Comments

Chris Stephens
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Former NXT head writer Joe Belcastro has left WWE. Triple H addressed Belcastro’s departure recently on a media call to promote TakeOver XXX on Saturday.

Trile was asked about a possible replacement for Belcastro, but according to Triple H – it will be ‘business as usual’ on the NXT creative team.

“As far as the writing of NXT goes, we shift around a little bit as things happen. I won’t necessarily comment on people that aren’t necessarily talent for us but we have a team that works with NXT that includes Shawn Michaels, Brian James, myself. So, it’s a group and the ideas all go through that. It’s really business as usual for us,” Triple H said.

Triple H also spoke about what he has learned from doing live television with NXT since October.

“There’s a dramatic difference between doing taped television, doing live television, doing 1-hour live television vs 2-hours,” Triple H continued.

“I think the biggest difficulty for us has been in this time frame is just the shifting of everything,” he said. “COVID has really made doing all of this, in a way, exponentially harder.”

WWE currently has a job ad up on LinkedIn looking for a new lead writer for Smackdown but nothing on NXT. Johnny Russo recently updated his LinkedIn to say he started as NXT’s lead writer in July after having been working as a producer for the last year.

NXT presents TakeOver XXX this Saturday from Full Sail University.

AEW Announces Fans Can Attend Live Events At Limited Capacity Starting Aug. 27

Michael Reichlin
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AEW has announced the return of live events with fans in attendance.

Starting with the August 27th edition of Dynamite, AEW live events will be open to limited, physically distanced fans in compliance with state and local regulations, as well as CDC guidelines.

Tickets will be sold for shows at Daily’s Place Amphitheater and will accommodate 10-15% capacity. For the first ticketed show on Thursday, August 27, a maximum crowd of 10 percent capacity will be permitted. From there, as long as things go smoothly and safety guidelines are followed, they will increase the weekly capacity to 15%.

This special Thursday edition of AEW Dynamite is part of a revised schedule this month. Several episodes of Dynamite on TNT have been preempted due to the NBA playoffs.

  • Details on AEW Dynamite Preempted by NBA Playoffs This Month

AEW Taking Precautions

“Guests will be required to wear face coverings that cover the nose and mouth, and to physically distance from any person who is not a member of their pod. Guests will also be asked not to attend the day of the show if they have COVID-19, symptoms of COVID-19 or have had close contact exposure to someone who they know has COVID-19 or symptoms. In addition, all guests will have their temperature scanned prior to entry.

An increased number of hand sanitizing stations will be available, and floor markings will also be used to assist with physical distancing. Industrial fans were also added this past year to further improve air circulation at the open-air venue.”

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AEW President and CEO Tony Khan commented on this development:

“We’ve missed the incredible energy of our fans at shows, and from what we’ve heard from them, they’ve missed being with us. With our enhanced safety measures and outdoor venue, we look forward to welcoming our fans back to become part of the action in-person.”

“Please be assured, we are mindful and respectful of the situation,” Khan added. “The health and safety of our AEW family and our fans remains our highest priority. Our leadership team and medical staff have adjusted our operations for limited, physically distanced fans in an outdoor, open-air setting in compliance with the most current state and local regulations and CDC guidelines. We can’t wait for the August 27 DYNAMITE, as the road to ALL OUT will represent the beginning of a new chapter in AEW history.”

The following is a look at the seating chart AEW will be using for these limited capacity shows at Daily’s Place:

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