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Matt Hardy On How The Death Of Eddie Guerrero Changed His Perspective

Anutosh Bajpai
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Matt Hardy says the sudden passing of Eddie Guerrero made him realize that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.

The wrestling veteran was part of the SmackDown roster when the Latino Heat unexpectedly passed away back in November 2003. Like other members of the locker room, Hardy was also shocked by the turn of events and it taught him a valuable lesson in life.

The TNA star talked about the sudden death of Guerrero on the latest episode of his podcast. While discussing the backstage reaction to the news, Hardy said that it was the first time he really felt like you never know what the future holds:

“I remember that was one of the first times I really felt like you never know, like tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. I do that too. I say it all the time now to people. I try and live every day like I’m gonna die tomorrow. You never know. Nothing is guaranteed.

You need to live every day to the maximum. You need to try and optimize every day. The people that you love, don’t leave them without telling them you love them. Because you never know if it’s gonna be the last time you see them or not.”

Now I Never Know: Matt Hardy

Unfortunately for Matt Hardy, the passing of Guerrero isn’t the only time he had to witness such an event in his wrestling career. Most recently the deaths of Jay Briscoe and Bray Wyatt have reminded him again that you never know what’s in store for you:

“That was the first instance where I really felt like that. Like, ‘Whoa. Hold up.’ This guy was just wrestling, doing this stuff like a superior athlete does. now he’s passed away. Now he’s died. And you know obviously the Jay Briscoe thing that really set in, the Windham thing that set in. Now, just like I never know.

I try and I make sure every time I tell my kids, every time I leave, it’s mandatory that I have to hug them, I have to say I love you. I just do. I try and treat everyone and live every day like it might be my last. Because you hope it isn’t, but you never know.”

SmackDown Preview: Street Profits vs. MCMG, Naomi vs. Nia Jax

Michael Reichlin
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WWE SmackDown broadcasts tonight on the USA Network at 8/7c live from Milwaukee, WI at the Fiserv Forum.

Here’s what’s on tap for tonight, just two weeks out from WWE Survivor Series: WarGames:

The Street Profits challenge Motor City Machine Guns for the WWE Tag Team Championship. Montez Ford has said it’s “championship or bust” for the profits. Tez has grown impatient with the team’s failure to achieve success, and is looking to explore a singles career.

Naomi challenges Nia Jax for the WW Women’s Championship.

The latest chapter in The Bloodline saga. After last week’s SmackDown ended with Sami Zayn reuniting the OG bloodline (along with Roman Reigns and The Usos), Solo Sikoa was irate and warned their score will be settled inside WarGames.

Solo Sikoa Threatens the Original Bloodline: ‘WarGames, See You Soon’

Check back to SEScoops tonight for all the news coming out of WWE SmackDown.

Cody Rhodes to Guest Pick on ESPN’s College GameDay

Michael Reichlin
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Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is set to join ESPN’s College GameDay as the guest picker this weekend. A dedicated fan of the Georgia Bulldogs, Rhodes will appear on the show in Athens, where GameDay is stationed for the week’s college football coverage. This guest appearance follows ESPN’s tradition of featuring prominent figures connected to the hosting location.

Rhodes recently discussed his Georgia Bulldogs fandom with Pat McAfee, and talked about the “SEC stress” that comes with being a fan of the team.

Speedball Mike Bailey Exits TNA, Trademarks His Name

Michael Reichlin
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Speedball Mike Bailey has officially parted ways with TNA Wrestling and is preparing for the next chapter in his wrestling career.

Bailey’s contract expired at the beginning of this month. He was absent from TNA’s recent television tapings in Fayetteville, NC, and his profile has been removed from the TNA website.

Since losing the X-Division title to Moose at the October 27 TNA Impact tapings, Bailey has participated in several independent wrestling events, notably for GCW and DEFY.

Last week, Bailey filed a trademark application for his ring name with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Rumors suggest he may be joining All Elite Wrestling (AEW), as he was seen backstage at an AEW event in June 2024, visiting friends.

Bailey remains active on Twitch under the handle @SpeedballBailey and will wrestle for GCW this Friday at Gateway to the Death in St. Louis.

Check out our exclusive interview with Speedball Mike Bailey from last year:

Jim Johnston on the State of WWE Entrance Themes, Hall of Fame

Michael Reichlin
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Legendary music composer Jim Johnston is opening up about his 32 years working for WWE, his relationship with former boss Vince McMahon, how his time with the company ended and his opinion on the state of today’s entrance themes.

Johnston is responsible for countless iconic theme songs, including Bret Hart, The Undertaker, DX, Triple H, Stone Cold Steve Austin and dozens more others. He tells Hannibal TV that he approached each song by studying the wrestler he’d be composing for, including each performer’s unique persona.

Interestingly, he doesn’t consider himself a big wrestling fan, but drew inspiration from a wrestler’s demeanor to organically craft music that fit their characters.

Reflecting on the current state of WWE music, Johnston criticizes the modern approach as “generic” and uninspired, lacking the personalized character branding he strived for. He believes this shift has resulted in music that doesn’t engage audiences emotionally or enhance wrestlers’ personas as effectively as in the past.

Johnson worked with McMahon on a handshake agreement for 15 of their 32 years working together. He considers their working relationship friendly, but says McMahon was a “guarded” and complex figure. He was released in 2017, and recalls things getting “really political in a bad way” during his final years with the company. When Vince informed him he wouldn’t be renewing his contract, Johnson was ready to move on.

“By the time it actually happened, I knew it was coming, and I was looking forward to moving on. I’d actually been looking forward to moving on for a long time,” Johnston said. “In hindsight, I wish I had had the foresight or really the courage to just leave. But the force of habit just keeps you rolling.”

At the end of the day, Johnston is proud of his legacy. He knows wrestling fans want to see him in the WWE Hall of Fame, but he’s not losing sleep over his omission. He has mixed feelings about the Hall of Fame, but is very comfortable outside of the WWE sphere.

Mina Shirakawa Returns On AEW Dynamite

Bishal Roy
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0

Mina Shirakawa has made her comeback to the land of All Elite during this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite. After weeks of promotion, Shirakawa appeared in a backstage segment and stated that she wanted to celebrate with Mariah May after she defends the AEW Women’s World Championship against Anna Jay. Harley Cameron arrived and challenged Shirakawa to a match on Saturday’s AEW Collision which Mina Shirakawa accepted.

Earlier this year, Mina Shirakawa made her debut in AEW. She had a successful in-ring debut against Anna Jay. Mina was eventually challenged by then AEW Women’s World Champion ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm for a match at AEW Forbidden Door which she accepted.

The match was not only for the gold but also to gain custody of Mariah May, who was appeared to be confused of whom to support. However, after Storm defended her title they squashed the beef and joined forces together. Eventually, May turned on Storm and captured the title while Shirakawa made her return to AEW during AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam to reluctantly celebrate May’s title win.

Saturday’s show is being taped Thursday night, November 14 in Albany, New York.

Mariah May will be defending the AEW Women’s World Championship against Anna Jay in a no DQ match. The stipulation says if Jay loses, she cannot challenge for the title again as long as May holds it.

The Acclaimed face LFI’s Dralistico and Rush will battle for the final spot in the four-way Tag Team title match at Full Gear.

Meanwhile, Johnny TV will go one-on-one with Daniel Garcia on Collision.

The advertised lineup for the Saturday, November 16 AEW Collision:

  • AEW Women’s World Champion Mariah May defends against Anna Jay in a no DQ match
  • Full Gear contender’s series: The Acclaimed (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens) vs. LFI (Rush & Dralistico
  • Mina Shirakawa vs. Harley Cameron
  • Johnny TV vs. Daniel Garcia

Matt Riddle Reveals Why Randy Orton Initially Disliked Him

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

Matt Riddle has revealed that Randy Orton didn’t like him at first.

RK Bro is the most famous and potentially most memorable act of Riddle’s wrestling career. Though like many other legends of the business, Orton wasn’t a fan of the King of Bros at first, because of his unique approach to things in the business.

The former WWE Star told the story of his first interaction with The Viper during an interview with Barstool Rasslin’. He revealed that he didn’t shake Randy’s hand when he came into the locker room because he didn’t want to look like a fanboy:

“Before we actually wrestled a full match, Randy wasn’t a huge fan of me. I guess he thought I was disrespectful because I had my headphones on. He came to the locker room, everybody was shaking everybody’s hand.

I didn’t want to be like a nerd and go over. Didn’t wanna do that. So I [just] gave him a nod. I was waiting for my chance to shake his hand, but I guess he took that as disrespect. I wasn’t [blowing him off].”

First Person That Said Anything: Matt Riddle

Matt Riddle would go on to form a tag team with Randy Orton after they had a match on the April 19, 2021 episode of Raw. Though according to the former US Champion Orton had already softened up to him following his infamous backstage promo where he forgot his lines:

“Later on, I did a promo with Asuka where I forgot my lines. I had this long segment about talking about robots in Japan, and I forgot it. I didn’t know we were live; I thought we were recording. When I did that, I was like, ‘Oh no, I’m probably in trouble.’

When I went to the locker room the first person that said anything was Randy. He goes, ‘I don’t know if that shit was planned, kid, but that was the funniest shit you’ve done since you’ve been here. That was your best promo yet.’ I was like ‘Well, at least Randy liked it.’ and then Vince and Bruce, and everybody else that was in creative also enjoyed it.”

Apart from this, Riddle also talked about potentially facing Goldberg in his announced retirement match, the difference of pro wrestling and MMA, and more.

New Matches Announced For AEW Full Gear

Andrew Ravens
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AEW has announced new matches for the upcoming AEW Full Gear 2024 pay-per-view event, including a highly anticipated bout featuring MJF. The updated card was revealed on this week’s episode of Dynamite, adding Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher and MJF vs. Roderick Strong to the lineup.

As stipulated by the former World Heavyweight Champion, MJF, Strong or Adam Cole needed three consecutive singles wins to qualify for the match. Strong secured a victory over Lance Archer in a Falls Count Anywhere match. Cole lost to Konosuke Takeshita after Takeshita used MJF’s Dynamite Diamond Ring to secure the win.

On Dynamite, Ospreay and Fletcher took part in an in-ring promo, marking Ospreay’s first appearance since Fletcher betrayed him at WrestleDynasty. Ospreay agreed to give Fletcher his “five minutes of fame” by facing him at Full Gear. The promo culminated in a brawl that included Fletcher, Ospreay, Brian Cage, Lance Archer, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Mark Davis.

AEW Full Gear 2024 is set for Saturday, November 23, at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. AEW World Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley is expected to defend his title against Orange Cassidy in the main event.

AEW Licenses Guns N’ Roses ‘November Rain’ For Full Gear

Bishal Roy
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0

AEW has licensed the classic Guns N’ Roses song, ‘November Rain.’ AEW President Tony Khan thanked the legendary rock band on social media, and said the song will be used in promotional videos for the AEW Full Gear pay-per-view and ‘AEW November to Remember’ shows. He teased that fans could hear ‘AEW November Rain’ before the PPV.

Recently, AEW has licensed multiple songs for various uses including “The Final Countdown” by Europe for Bryan Danielson’s entrance. They have also licensed “Carry On Wayward Son” by Kansas, which was used as The Elite’s entrance music and Baltimora’s “Tarzan Boy” for Jack Perry during his ‘Jungle Boy’ gimmick. He also used “Walk” by Pantera for Rob Van Dam’s AEW debut.

Tony Khan on using licensed songs in AEW

Tony Khan has licensed a lot of songs in recent years but they haven’t been for a reasonable price. During Battleground Podcast, he explained:

“Sometimes people ask for money that I don’t think is reasonable, other times we have gotten deals that I thought were very fair.”

Khan has revealed that he paid for all of the licensed music in perpetuity. He added:

“Every great moment where we’ve licensed music, we still have that music, I paid for the rights in perpetuity. I’ve had a lot of other opportunities to license music and work with a lot of great artists. We’ve done all kinds of great stuff, and hopefully, someday all of that will be available for people to watch in perpetuity on the library forever.”

AEW is promoting their shows in the build-up to AEW Full Gear as ‘November To Remember’. AEW Dynamite will take place in Bridgeport, Connecticut while AEW Collision takes place on Thursday in Albany, New York. On November 20th, AEW Dynamite will head to Reading, Pennsylvania followed by AEW Full Gear on November 23rd in Newark, New Jersey. The following Wednesday AEW Dynamite and AEW Collision will be held in Chicago, Illinois.

John Cena Declares For WWE Royal Rumble

Andrew Ravens
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As anticipated, John Cena will be part of next year’s Royal Rumble, scheduled for Saturday, February 1, 2025, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Cena’s upcoming retirement from WWE in-ring competition was announced earlier this summer during a surprise appearance at the Money in the Bank event. After some initial speculation, Cena clarified that the Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber, and WrestleMania 2025 will serve as his final appearances in WWE.

The former WWE Champion plans to wrestle throughout 2025, with a target of 36 dates across the year. Cena is also confirmed to appear on Netflix’s first episodes of Raw, as well as at the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 41.

Today, WWE released a video clip featuring Cena promoting ticket sales for the upcoming Premium Live Event. In the video, Cena confirms he will be competing in the Men’s Royal Rumble match.

Meanwhile, fans are speculating about whether Cena could break the current World Title record. Cena and Ric Flair are currently tied at 16 reigns, and a 17th title win would cement Cena’s place in history as the sole record-holder.

Top WWE Star On Track To Break Royal Rumble Streak In 2025

Andrew Ravens
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Liv Morgan’s streak of Royal Rumble appearances will end in 2025. WWE’s upcoming Royal Rumble Premium Live Event is set for Saturday, February 1, 2025, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Morgan, the current WWE Women’s World Champion, has competed in six consecutive Royal Rumble matches, with her participation dating back to 2018. However, if she remains the top women’s champion on the Raw brand through February, she will be exempt from entering the bout. Although she may still have a match on the card, it would not be in the Royal Rumble match, which determines a contender for WrestleMania 41 who might choose to challenge her.

Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show today, Morgan shared her thoughts on potentially missing her first Royal Rumble. “I’m not going to enter the Royal Rumble this year because I’m going to walk in as the Women’s World Champion,” Morgan explained. “I’ve been in every single one, too. So, I’m actually going to miss this one.”

Morgan continued, reflecting on her participation over the years and suggesting that she might not be the most strategic choice for a WrestleMania challenger. “If they choose me. I don’t think they would [choose me] because it’s not very smart to choose me. Have you been watching, Pat? Raquel, Judgment Day, Daddy Dom… I don’t know who’s going to want to take their chance against me.”

Pat McAfee Teases WWE Royal Rumble Appearance

Andrew Ravens
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WWE fans may only have to wait a few more months for the return of Pat McAfee, potentially at the event that launches WrestleMania season: the Royal Rumble.

WWE’s Royal Rumble Premium Live Event is scheduled for Saturday, February 1, 2025, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis—the same state where McAfee resides, setting the stage for a potential comeback. During today’s episode of The Pat McAfee Show, the former NFL punter teased a return to WWE at the Royal Rumble.

McAfee originally joined WWE a few years ago, following a handful of matches in NXT, as a color commentator on SmackDown alongside Michael Cole. McAfee quickly became a fan favorite due to his energetic style at the announce booth. After a hiatus to focus on College GameDay, he returned full-time to Raw with Cole earlier this year.

However, in August, McAfee took another break from WWE to concentrate on his duties with ESPN’s College GameDay. Many fans anticipate his return once the college football season wraps up in early January.

Paradigm Agency Launches The Sports Group for Athlete Representation

Michael Reichlin
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Paradigm Talent Agency has launched The Sports Group, a dedicated division focused on comprehensive representation for elite athletes and sports teams.

Led by agents Nick LoPiccolo and Brett Hansen, this division will harness Paradigm’s resources across all departments to provide full-service representation. The news was first reported by Deadline. The Sports Group aims to transition athletes into the entertainment industry, create brand partnerships, and develop storytelling projects.

Its talent roster includes high-profile names like Mike Tyson, Reggie Bush, Sean Avery and WWE Superstars CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, Liv Morgan, Damian Priest and Tiffany Stratton.

Liv Morgan ‘Auditioning Regularly’ With Sets Sights on Hollywood

Key Projects and Partnerships:

  • A prominent focus is on the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing event, Netflix’s first venture into combat sports, streaming live this Friday from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. Paradigm managed deal negotiations, brand partnerships, and promotional content, including a Countdown series.
  • Scripted projects include Happy Gilmore 2 (featuring Bush and Avery), Night Patrol (starring Punk), and The Killer’s Game (featuring McIntyre).
  • The group secured a media rights deal for the Savannah Bananas with TruTV and is actively developing publishing projects for athletes, including books for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Deion Sanders, and WWE stars.

Paradigm’s Managing Partner Andrew Ruf and agents LoPiccolo and Hansen emphasize that The Sports Group’s mission is to redefine athlete representation and create transformative opportunities across sports and entertainment.

For more information on the new Sports Group division of Paradigm, visit Deadline.com.

Mercedes Moné Eyes Mariah May’s AEW Women’s Championship

Michael Reichlin
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Six months into her AEW tenure, Mercedes Moné is grateful she’s after coming back from a career-threatening ankle injury and  remains focused on elevating women’s wrestling.

Since joining AEW in March, Moné has worked with talents including Willow Nightingale, Britt Baker, Hikaru Shida, Emi Sakura, and Queen Aminata. She’s also recruited Kamille as her enforcer.

Moné quickly gained the TBS Championship and the NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship following her return. She intends to challenge for more titles in AEW and lead by example, encouraging respect and recognition for women wrestlers.

The “CEO” is preparing for a big TBS title defense next weekend at Full Gear, but she’s also eyeing more hardware. Moné tells Uproxx that she’s “super proud” of AEW Women’s Champion Mariah May. So proud, in fact, that she wants to take her prized possession.

“She is our women’s world champion, beating Toni Storm in one of the best storylines in women’s history. So to see her rise this fast and to see how good she is in the ring, it’s so incredible.

Like I said, we have the best women’s division in the game right now. I’m definitely looking at the title that she has around her waist.”

– Mercedes Moné on Mariah May

Mercedes Moné is set to defend her TBS title against former champion Kris Statlander at AEW Full Gear next Saturday, November 23. Mariah May is not currently scheduled to defend the Women’s World Championship at the pay-per-view.

WWE NXT to Air Live from Lowell, MA on December 17

Michael Reichlin
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WWE has announced that its NXT brand will return to Lowell, Massachusetts, for a live television event on December 17, 2024.

The event will take place at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium, airing on The CW network at 8 p.m. ET. This return marks NXT’s first Lowell event since May 2023’s “Battleground.”

Tickets will be available to the public on November 20, with a presale beginning on November 19.

NXT Results from Last Night

Here are quick results from the November 12, 2024, episode of WWE NXT on The CW:

  • Sol Ruca defeated Cora Jade by pinfall in a Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge Qualifying Match
  • Fallon Henley retained the NXT Women’s North American Championship against Kelani Jordan
  • Stephanie Vaquer & Giulia defeated Meta-Four (Jakara Jackson & Lash Legend) by pinfall
  • Wes Lee qualified for the Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge by defeating Cedric Alexander.

Miro Spotted Training Amid AEW Contract Controversy

Michael Reichlin
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Miro, the Bulgarian powerhouse wrestler, has resurfaced at a Florida wrestling facility, reigniting speculation about his future with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) after nearly a year away from the ring.

This appearance at the Coastal Championship Wrestling (CCW) training center follows recent reports that Miro requested an AEW release—though if the request is denied, his contract remains binding until spring 2026.

Miro’s last AEW match took place on December 30, 2023, at the Worlds End event, where he defeated Andrade El Idolo, who has since transitioned to WWE. Since then, he’s remained largely out of the public eye, fueling speculation about his future in wrestling.

Miro Shares Details On AEW Absence, Has a Great Relationship with Tony Khan

Alongside Miro in the CCW photos was veteran wrestler Gangrel, who made a guest appearance in AEW earlier this year during a high-stakes TNT Championship match. That match, between Adam Copeland and Malakai Black, ended with Copeland retaining his title but suffering an injury that ultimately forced him to vacate the championship.

WWE NXT Wrestlers Appearing on Trivial Pursuit

Michael Reichlin
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WWE stars Trick Williams, Lola Vice, Wes Lee, and Roxanne Perez will appear on the Trivial Pursuit game show.

The episode, airing this Thursday, November 14 on The CW, will see them compete in a knowledge-based challenge hosted by Reading Rainbow and Star Trek icon LeVar Burton.

Synergy

This guest spot is the latest example of synergy between WWE and its media partners, and the benefits of wrestlers working for WWE. Williams, Vice, Lee and Perez will have an opportunity to reach new viewers who may not be wrestling fans (yet). Trivial Pursuit has averaged approximately 350,000 viewers over the past few weeks, according to Nielsen Ratings.

WWE-Themed Game Show Episodes

WWE Superstars have appeared on several game shows over the past couple years. Last summer, Bianca Belair, Big E, Alexa Bliss, Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, and Xavier Woods competed on a special WWE-themed episode the Weakest Link.

There was also a WWE episode of Celebrity Family Feud. Seth Rollins, Kofi Kingston, Becky Lynch, Alexa Bliss and others competed to raise raise funds for the Conor’s Cure, a non-profit that raises funds pediatric cancer research and supports families affected by the disease.

Baron Corbin Responds To Kurt Angle Lamenting WWE Wasting His Career Despite WrestleMania 35 Win

Bishal Roy
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0

Former WWE star Baron Corbin recently responded to WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle and he wished that he could make him proud.

‘The Lone Wolf’ emerged victorious over the Olympic gold medalist at WrestleMania 35 in the legend’s farewell match. Corbin was expected to gain momentum following the win, especially after he won the King of the Ring that year. However, things went south for him and he was ultimately released this month.

During a recent interview, Angle lamented how WWE handled Corbin’s career since his win in Angle’s retirement match. The former World Champion felt his retirement match against Corbin was wasted as it didn’t benefit Corbin’s career.

Taking to social media, Baron Corbin addressed Angle’s comments and wrote that the win was one of the reasons he wished to have become world champion. He said it would honor what Angle did for him. Baron Corbin further expressed his regret for how things didn’t work out but appreciated Angle for his help. Check out his Tweet below:

Corbin’s career received a little push when he arrived in WWE NXT last year. He had a great run on the developmental brand and even won the NXT Tag Team Championships with Bron Breakker. However, WWE decided not to renew his contract when it expires. Corbin had previously said that WWE ‘fumbled the bag’ by releasing him.

AEW Dynamite Preview: Mox Takes Over, Hangman

Michael Reichlin
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Tonight’s AEW Dynamite is live from Bridgeport, CT, airing at 8/7c on TNT, just a week away from the Full Gear pay-per-view on November 30.

AEW Dynamite is just a week away from the Full Gear pay-per-view on Saturday, November 30! Here’s a quick look at tonight’s matches and segments:

Confirmed Matches and Segments

  • Konosuke Takeshita vs. Adam Cole
  • Lance Archer vs. Roderick Strong (Falls Count Anywhere)
  • Lio Rush vs. Swerve Strickland
  • Jay White vs. Juice Robinson (Grudge Match)
  • FTR vs. House of Black (4-Way Contenders Series)
  • Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. vs. Penelope Ford

Plus, we’ll see:

  • Jon Moxley takes over TBS
  • Mina Shirakawa returns to AEW
  • We’ll hear from Will Ospreay, Bobby Lashley an Jamie Hayter

Check back later tonight for our news coverage of all the big happenings coming out of AEW Dynamite.

AEW Dynamite Preview November 13, 2024

Olympic Champion Gable Steveson Returns to Minnesota Wrestling for Fifth Season

Michael Reichlin
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Olympic gold medalist and two-time NCAA wrestling champion Gable Steveson is returning to the University of Minnesota wrestling team for a fifth season, utilizing an NCAA waiver that allows him extra eligibility from an Olympic redshirt and a COVID-19 eligibility extension.

The announcement, confirmed by head coach Brandon Eggum, sees Steveson, one of the program’s most decorated athletes, resuming his collegiate wrestling career with an 85-2 record and a 52-match winning streak.

Gable Steveson commented on his return, saying:

“I am excited to return to the University of Minnesota and compete with my teammates for one last season. I look forward to putting on a show for the fans and going out with a bang.”

After briefly joining the WWE and the NFL’s Buffalo Bills practice squad, Steveson will make his season debut on November 24.

Liv Morgan ‘Auditioning Regularly’ With Sets Sights on Hollywood

Michael Reichlin
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0

Liv Morgan continues to work on establishing a career for herself in the entertainment industry.

WWE Women’s World Champion fulfilled a lifelong dream by getting killed on screen by Chucky on defunct USA Network series of the same name in 2022. She next made her film debut, sharing the screen with Morgan Freedman in 2023’s The Kill Room in 2023.

Inspired by WWE stars like John Cena, Batista, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who successfully transitioned to acting, Morgan is eager to see what opportunities lie ahead for her. During an interview with Yahoo Sports, Morgan said, “I think these crossover opportunities are amazing … it brings new viewers to each of these products that are involved.”

Morgan revealed that she’s actively working on landing roles in television, film and beyond.

“I audition regularly. I would love to be involved in more film, television, media. I just want to see what I can do in that space.”

– Liv Morgan on her acting career

Morgan added that WWE’s support is a crucial factor in her journey:

“For WWE to be involved in that, and to be supportive of that, and to be helping me, guide me through all that, is really amazing and cool too, but I just want to see what I can do.”

– Liv Morgan on WWE’s support

Liv Morgan is only 30 years old, but she’s already setting herself up for success for life after wrestling. She signed with Paradigm Talent Agency in August, the firm that also represents CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, Tiffany Stratton and Damian Priest. Morgan continues to be represented by attorney Brad Small at Fox Rothschild.

Liv Morgan Rocks the Red Carpet at “The Crow” Premiere

WWE News: Undertaker Does Modeling, Survivor Series Poster & Classic Promos

Michael Reichlin
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The next WWE vs. AEW head-to-head battle will take place later this month. On Saturday, November 30, AEW’s Collision and Rampage will air consecutively on TNT starting at 4pm EST and wrapping up at 7. Meanwhile, WWE Survivor Series is scheduled to begin at 6pm (with a kickoff show), creating an overlap with AEW’s programming

WWE legend The Undertaker seems to be everywhere these days. Over the past few weeks, the Dead Man interviewed US President-Elect Donald Trump on his podcast, and was spotted hanging out with actor Matthew McConaughey at a Texas Longhorns football game over the weekend. On Tuesday, ESPN released photos of The Undertaker modeling the a new ‘kit’ for Italian football club Genoa CFC.

The WWE Vault YouTube channel has shared a 35-minute video of classic Survivor Series team promos dating back to the 1980’s. There’s no doubt in-ring wrestling has evolved a great deal over the past 35 years, but they just don’t cut promos like they used to.

Triple H posted the official WWE Survivor Series 2024 poster on social media featuring the past and present members of The Bloodline. Interestingly, only four men are shown from each time, while their WarGames match will be 5-on-5.

Finally, ECW original Francine had a small role at last week’s NXT 2300 special, but says she turned down several offers to do more on the show. On her Eyes Up Here podcast, the “Queen of Extreme” reveals she was initially asked to be the special guest referee for the match between Jaida Parker and Lola Vice. After a talk with her husband, who reminded her she’s had five stomach surgeries, she decided against doing anything physical.

She suggested being a guest time keeper instead, but never got a response. The night before the show, she was offered a speaking role, but had to decline that because she’d lost her voice. In the end, she was shown in the crowd as a special guest.

She wishes she could have done more, but just being included was enough for her to celebrate the memory of ECW one more time.

WWE Star Doubts WrestleMania Will Ever Come to Australia

Andrew Ravens
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At a time when WWE is holding more international premium live events than ever, Grayson Waller has serious doubts about the company bringing its biggest annual event, WrestleMania, to his home country of Australia.

WWE has held three major events in Australia, starting with the Global Warning Tour: Melbourne in 2002, released on home video. They returned for Super Show-Down in 2018 at Colonial Stadium, marking their first live premium live event (PLE) in the country. This year, WWE returned once more in February to host the Elimination Chamber at Perth Stadium.

Speaking with Chris Van Vliet, Waller explained why he doesn’t believe WrestleMania will ever take place in Australia:

“If I have to be honest, no, Australia, I’m sorry, it’s not going to happen. The time zone is rough, and I get that. WrestleMania is such a big show—it’s our showcase, and we want the most eyes on it. I think in Australia, that would be a very difficult process, especially with flying everything down. It’s a big effort. But I think having something like the Elimination Chamber there is massive. I don’t think people realize how big it was. That show sets up WrestleMania. All the things that happen on that show lead into the biggest show of the year.”

He continued, “So for me, I don’t think WrestleMania will ever be in Australia. Would I love it to happen? Obviously, it would mean the world to me, but I’m realistic. I think Australia has the opportunity to host more big shows. I’ve heard some whispers that we might be heading back somewhat soonish, and I think I’d rather have us stand alone and say, ‘Hey, this is Australia, and this is what we do.’ We have so many Aussies in WWE right now that we could almost fill a show with Australians.”

To date, WrestleMania has only been hosted outside the United States twice, with both instances in Canada. WrestleMania 41 is slated to take place in Las Vegas next year.

Kurt Angle Laments WWE Wasting Baron Corbin After Retirement Match

Thomas Lowson
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Kurt Angle has voiced disappointment over WWE’s handling of Baron Corbin’s career after the Lone Wolf was victorious in Angle’s final match. Speaking to Wrestlezone, Angle didn’t hold back on his view that Corbin was wasted in WWE despite his WrestleMania 35 victory.

“For me, it makes me feel like I did that for nothing. It’s not like, ‘Screw you Angle’, but, it kinda is.”

Corbin’s win appeared to be a launching pad for the former NFL star, who would capture the King of the Ring crown that same year. Unfortunately, momentum quickly faded for Corbin, who slipped further and further down the card. Angle himself predicted that Corbin’s post-WrestleMania 35 season would see him reach new heights which never materialized.

“I thought they were gonna run with the kid, I thought they were gonna make him one of the top tier guys and he was on his way.”

Corbin’s career only began to pick up once more after a return to WWE NXT in 2023 which saw him win the NXT Tag Team Championships with Bron Breakker. This month, Corbin was informed that his WWE contract will not be renewed when it expires, ending his 12-year tenure which saw the promotion ‘fumble’ the former U.S. Champion.

The choice of Corbin as Angle’s final opponent was a controversial one at the time, with many hoping for John Cena or another classic rival from the Olympian’s past. Angle has said he wishes Cena had been his final opponent instead, as what WWE did with Baron Corbin left a lot to be desired according to the WWE Hall of Famer.

AEW to Run NYC’s Iconic Hammerstein Ballroom Next Month

Thomas Lowson
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AEW/Ring of Honor is set to take over the legendary Hammerstein Ballroom next month for a duo of exciting shows in the iconic venue. This week, it was reported that ROH Final Battle 2024 will take place from the Hammerstein Ballroom on December 20. Now, Andrew Zarian reports that the December 21, edition of AEW Collision will also take place from the venue inside the Manhattan Center.

Though this will be AEW’s first event in the venue, ROH is no stranger to the Hammerstein Ballroom. Seven of the 22 ROH Final Battle pay-per-views have been hosted from the Hammerstein Ballroom, more than any other location in the show’s 22-year history. Four events have taken place at the Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom.

Outside of ROH, the venue is known for hosting ECW’s final two pay-per-views, Massacre on 34th Street in December 2000 and Guilty as Charged the following year. It was only fitting that ECW One Night Stand 2005 and 2006 was hosted from the ballroom. In September 2010, TNA Wrestling hosted a show from the ballroom.

Now, AEW and Ring of Honor will join the promotions that have set foot in the venue. While no details have been confirmed for either Collision or Final Battle, fans can expect two huge nights in Manhattan, New York next month. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest from AEW Collision as the show prepares to land in the Hammerstein Ballroom.

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