‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin came out of retirement at WrestleMania 38 in 2022—where he defeated Kevin Owens in a No Holds Barred match. While many believed that this marked the end of his time competing, a new update suggests Austin might not be done just yet.
According to Fightful Select, multiple people who interacted with Austin during WrestleMania 41 weekend said he hinted at a potential return. One source claimed Austin told them he “might have one more in him”—suggesting he wasn’t just referring to another signature ATV entrance.
Austin has previously stated that “TKO hasn’t reached out” since taking over WWE operations, he was involved in this year’s WrestleMania week events. Those who saw him noted that he appeared physically healthy and mentally open to returning—if the right circumstances arise.
This isn’t the first time WWE has considered bringing Austin back. In 2023, there were internal discussions about a possible match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, though plans never materialized. Brock Lesnar was also considered as an opponent, while fans remain hopeful of a long awaited showdown with CM Punk.
Whether such a high-profile showdown ever happens is still uncertain—but for now, Stone Cold isn’t shutting the door on a return.
Ever since the Wyatt Sicks debuted last year, fans have speculated whether Alexa Bliss might one day join the eerie faction. Now, Bliss herself has weighed in on one day aligning with Uncle Howdy’s group.
Speaking during a Fanatics Fest panel, Bliss reflected on her connection with the late Bray Wyatt and whether she might align with the Wyatt Sicks. Bliss recalled Wyatt telling her they will always be connected, something she still believes two years after his death.
“So I think Windham said it best when he said we will always be connected in some way. Whether that’s with the Wyatts or not, I’m not sure, but obviously we’re all in this Bray universe together. I think it would be something that’s awesome down the line, 100%!”
.@AlexaBliss_WWE was asked if we will see her in the Wyatt Sicks
“Windham (Bray Wyatt) said that we will always be connected in some way… I think it would be something that’s awesome down the line, 100%!” pic.twitter.com/ZzSEyINXxb
The Wyatt Sicks returned to Friday Night SmackDown last month and have become a regular presence on WWE programming. Bliss, on the other hand, has been having a brewing story with Charlotte Flair.
Bliss’ comments have only heightened speculation about her potential connection to the Wyatt Sicks. Even if she doesn’t join the group right away, her deep ties to Bray Wyatt remain a constant presence in her life in and out of the ring.
On the June 20, WWE SmackDown, John Cena delivered a ‘pipebomb’ on CM Punk, 14 years after Punk’s iconic promo sat atop the Raw stage in 2011. While John said plenty, only one comment rang true, according to Punk, as he told those at the SummerSlam kick-off event:
“John said one true real thing last night and that’s that he’s jealous of me and it doesn’t seem to make any sense because he’s the greatest of all time right? 17-time world champion… The big difference between Randy and John is Randy didn’t sell his soul to The Rock.”
Punk took issue with what Cena had to say, but also shared that the dishonesty shared by John isn’t that of the ‘Unseen Seventeen’ alone. In what some fans online believe was a nod to Punk’s AEW tenure and issue with the Young Bucks, he added:
“Just because people come out on television and lie about me, it doesn’t make it true.”
Punk will battle Cena for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WWE Night of Champions, in perhaps the final showdown between the two. It remains to be seen if Punk can take the gold or if John’s vow to ‘ruin wrestling’ will survive his trip to Riyadh.
Jey Uso’s reign as World Heavyweight Champion may have ended after 51 days at the hands of GUNTHER, but he’s not rooting for the Austrian to lose his title anytime soon. At the WWE SummerSlam kick-off event, Jey was asked who he wants to see leave Saturday Night’s Main Event as champion: GUNTHER or Goldberg?
“I gotta go with GUNTHER. Because right now GUNTHER’s the better man… I want GUNTHER to win, I want GUNTHER to get past Saturday Night’s Main Event so I can run it back one more time with GUNTHER. I gotta knock that wall down to get to my next level.”
Jey is backing GUNTHER on July 12, but he has his own plans for the World Heavyweight Championship. Currently, he’s competing in the King of the Ring tournament, which offers a world title opportunity to the eventual winner.
To earn a rematch with GUNTHER, Jey will need to overcome major hurdles—starting with Cody Rhodes in the semi-finals and then Randy Orton in the finals. It’s a tough path, but the “Main Event” is confident he’ll make it back to the top.
WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton recently threw out the ceremonial first pitch for a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field. Unfortunately for Stratton, the pitch wasn’t on Tiffy Time as the ball was so far from the mark, it almost hit a cameraperson.
Appearing at the WWE Summerslam 2025 kick-off event, Stratton’s botched pitch was quickly brought up. Rather than shy away from the awkward moment, Tiffany embraced it, acknowledging that it made her name go viral.
“Hey, I was going for a viral moment. How many of you guys saw that pitch? I have to say that this was mission accomplished.”
Tiffany isn’t the first notable name to make a wild first pitch. Concluding her explanation of what went wrong, Stratton joked that she and 50 Cent, another name who whiffed their throw, should team up.
Whether it’s in or out of the ring, Tiffany Stratton knows what it means to go viral, even if it means embracing a pitch that hardly lived up to expectations.
John Cena and CM Punk will battle for the Undisputed WWE Championship at Night of Champions, a match Mr Money in the Bank Seth Rollins will no doubt be watching closely. While Rollins could come to blows with Punk in mere days in Riyadh, the pair aren’t waiting for the upcoming Premium Live Event.
Punk appeared at WWE Fanatics Fest this week, giving fan an exciting up-close and personal look at his personality. As Punk excited the crowd, Rollins emerged and got in the face of his nemesis. The two traded barbs and shoves before being separated.
Rollins and Punk have been at odds long before the latter’s return to WWE in November 2023. Since then, the pair have traded wins with Rollins emerging on top at WrestleMania 41: Saturday. While Punk’s focus right now is on John Cena, a showdown with Rollins appears to be inevitable.
Whenever Randy Orton steps foot inside a WWE arena, fans can be heard singing along to his theme song ‘Voices.’ This is an idea that began during WWE’s events in Europe but has since crossed the pond to the United States.
Orton appeared at the WWE SummerSlam kick-off event, where fans once again sang his song. Though the fans struggled at times to remember some of the words, Orton made clear that having fans sing for him means a lot.
“I waited for a very long time for it to happen and it finally happened and you guys, when I come out and I hear, however many thousand people, trying to sing along to my song, when it gets to that chorus, oh my God! It makes my heart pick up, skips a beat, I love you guys for it. Thank you. Thank you!
“I’m not just bulls****ing! Really, truly from the bottom of my heart, I mean that. I love you guys.”
Orton would spend 18 months out with an injury, and for a time, it sounded like he’d never make a return to the ring. Now, the Viper relishes ever note and chord he hears from the WWE Universe.
WWE NXT just lost one of its top stars as Noam Dar is out with an injury. On June?21, NXT General Manager Ava took to X with the dissapointing news. As a result of the injury, Dar will be vacating the NXT Heritage?Cup Championship, though the cup will find a new owner soon.
Due to injury, Noam Dar will not be able to compete this Tuesday and will have to relinquish the NXT Heritage Cup Championship.
This Tuesday, Stacks with compete in a match to crown a new Heritage Cup Champion against an opponent to be named. @WWENXT
Dar had won the Cup on April?22, 2025, marking a record-setting fourth reign with the cup. His most recent match was against Stacks in a live event on June?13, though it is unclear if this match caused the injury. Dar had also been part of Meta-Four though the group disbanded earlier this year.
Time will tell who holds the NXT Heritage Cup next. We at SEScoops would like to wish Dar a full and speedy recovery.
Booker T is both a wrestling trainer and a family man, and is preparing for the day these two parts of his life overlap. Speaking to Metro UK, Booker shared that his children are already showing interest in getting in the ring.
“My son, he loves professional wrestling. My daughter, she’s very, very athletic. I never knew what I was going to do until I got into it, you know?“
While both of Booker’s children could possibly step into the ring as talent, the two-time Hall of Famer sees them possibly working behind the scenes. In fact, Booker is already setting up his children to one day run his promotion Reality of Wrestling.
“I’m grooming them to be able to take over the business one day,’ he said. ‘From a behind the scenes perspective. That’s where the money is! Less bumps as well [laughs]. No man, never say never!“
Booker has spent years raising the next generation of Superstars. In addition to his role with ROW, Booker has served as a judge on WWE Tough Enough. In 2025, he began his role with WWE LFG, acting as a coach for the next generation of WWE Superstars.
Time will tell what the next generation of ‘T’s’ will do in wrestling. With both their mother and father being WWE Hall of Famers, they’ll have the chance to learn from the best, whatever their plan is.
Kayla Becker left WWE in June 2024 and has kept herself busy in non-wrestling projects ever since. Now, the former Kayla Braxton is set to make her first wrestling-related appearance since leaving the company.
Shane Hartline of Nearly Average Wrestling announced that Becker will appear as a special guest panelist at the upcoming NAW or NEVER event, a comedy-meets-wrestling showcase set for July 11 at 10 PM at The Elysian Theater in Los Angeles. While Becker won’t be conducting backstage interviews or commentating, she will help judge tryouts for real “superstar hopefuls” vying for a spot in the NAW promotion.
BREAKING: Former WWE broadcaster @TheKaylaBecker is making her return to wrestling… sort of.
She’ll be a special guest panelist at NAW or NEVER July 11, 10PM at the @ElysianTheater in LA.
You never know who might show up. ?? in bio. Full episode from the first show drops soon. pic.twitter.com/76TF4qT7Q2
Becker was well-liked in WWE, with the door reportedly open for the former interviewer to return. In the meantime, Becker appears to be thriving outside the company with excitement building for her role with NAW or Never.
Eric Bischoff offered high praise for TNA Wrestling on the latest 83 Weeks podcast, highlighting the promotion’s recent improvements and growing momentum.
He went as far as to call TNA the “sleeper” in the industry and issued a direct warning to AEW to pay attention. TNA and WWE have been in a working relationship where talent from both promotions appear on each other’s programming.
“The show’s really getting good… that show is getting much better. It’s gaining momentum, bigger crowds. It’s the sleeper. I think I said it here a couple of months ago, TNA is the sleeper in the wrestling industry,” Bischoff stated.
“If I was Tony Khan, I’d forget all about WWE and be looking closely at what’s coming up my back, because they’re coming. I’m really impressed… If they keep moving in the right direction, opportunities are going to come their way that’s going to catapult them to a much better position, because they’re doing the basics right. They’re doing the basics right, and the people are responding. So hats off.”
Giulia plans to be the next WWE Women’s United States Champion, but is already looking ahead to what’s next in her career. After the June 20, WWE SmackDown, it was confirmed that Giulia will face Zelina Vega for the gold on the following SmackDown.
In a WWE Digital Exclusive, Giulia didn’t hold back as she discussed how this showdown has been a long time coming.
“Zelina, we’ve been calling each other out as long as you’ve been the champion. Next week, we will finally face off. You talk about how hard you work. I don’t have to do that. My hard work is evident.”
For Vega, the Women’s U.S. Title is the culmination of a long journey, as she finally holds singles gold. For Giulia, already a former NXT Women’s Champion, it’s merely a stepping stone to future greatness.
“This championship means a lot to you. It doesn’t to me. To me, it’s just a stepping stone. You act like this title belongs to you. Next week I will prove it does not.”
Vega also shared her thoughts on the upcoming title match. In the champion’s eyes, there’s a massive difference between herself and her opponent.
“Where I come from, if you’ve got a problem with somebody, you go out in the street and handle it. But streets weren’t made for everybody, that’s why they made sidewalks. For girls like you who like to do sneak attacks.”
Will Vega keep the gold, or is it destiny for the Beautiful Madness to capture the Women’s United States title? Stay tuned to SEScoops to find out.
Zelina Vega had some crazy ideas for her first hardcore match.
The Women’s US Champion defended her title against Piper Niven in a Bakersfield Brawl at the June 6 episode of SmackDown. The bout took place only a day before the Money In The Bank PPV and featured the usual assortment of weapons such as kendo sticks and steel chairs.
During a recent interview with the Lightweights podcast, Vega noted that this was her first hardcore match despite being active in the business for almost 17 years. The US Champ explained that she wanted to go above and beyond for this bout:
“I was like, ‘Oh, can I jump off the tron?’ They’re just like, ‘No, no you can’t. We still need to save some oohs and aahs for Money In The Bank tomorrow and you need to just live, you know?’”
Zelina Vega mentioned that she was a huge fan of Jeff Hardy growing up and revealed that there was also a ladder spot that was not approved. Though the female star vowed to do the spot one day and later revealed another crazy idea she had which was quickly shot down:
“I was like, ‘Can we put barbwire on a chancla?’ They’re like, ‘No.’ They’re like, ‘No blood, no guts, just take it easy.’”
Apart from this, Zelina talked about things such as winning the US title on the same night her husband, Aleister Black, returned to WWE and more. You can check out her full interview below:
“Rumors are rumors whirling around… Yeah, I’ve always kind of had an interest. It’s just a matter of making it work—with my schedule and the other things that I have going on.”
Joining WWE’s creative team would be “really big” but wouldn’t be an easy transition for the Phenom. The Undertaker highlighted that he would need to be “100% committed” but hopes his busy schedule would allow for it to happen.
“If we can figure out a way to make that happen... If there’s something that I can do to make our product better—help talent—then I’m on board for that.”
As arguably the most successful ‘gimmick’ wrestler of all time, The Undertaker would bring decades of experience to WWE’s creative division. Whether it be as a judge on WWE LFG, on-screen, or in a potential creative role, the Deadman remains eager to help shape WWE’s future.
Tom Brady may be the GOAT of the NFL, but he just proved he might have a future in WWE as well. At Fanatics Fest, the seven-time Super Bowl champion stunned fans by channeling WWE star Cody Rhodes for a special entrance to Rhodes’ theme ‘Kingdom.’
Though he was channelling Rhodes, Brady’s attitude was that of a quintessential heel. Brady strutted through the crowd, flipped off a fan, spat on a jersey and tore up a New York Giants Eli Manning jersey.
In a shocking moment, Eli Manning sprinted out from backstage and attacked Brady from behind, jumping onto his back as the crowd roared in disbelief. The former Patriots quarterback carried Manning toward the entrance with a smirk, even lifting the shredded Giants jersey like a trophy.
Whether you’re a football fan, a wrestling fan, or just a fan of chaos, the Brady-Manning clash was a reminder that when legends meet in front of a live crowd—anything can happen.
Tonight’s episode of the Blue Branded show, which came live from the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan featured Pretty Deadly star Kit Wilson in singles action against Aleister Black.
Before this bout was officially underway, the commentators Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett revealed that Kit’s partner Elton Prince has been sidelined with an injury and wished him well.
Prince has not wrestled since the May 2 episode of SmackDown, where Pretty Deadly squared off against former NXT tag champions Fraxiom. The duo of Axiom & Nathan Frazer picked up the victory in this bout and Elton seemed to have suffered a concussion during the match.
Kit Wilson has continued wrestling as a singles star since then. He wrestled in a WWE Speed match on May 30. Last week’s Main Event taping before SmackDown saw him taking on Hikuleo. This was the former NJPW star’s first match after more than a year of unexplained absence.
Not a lot of details were provided about Elton Prince’s health so it’s hard to say how long he will stay out of action. Though since the company has not taken Wilson off TV, we can assume his partner will be back sooner than later.
Apart from this, tonight’s SmackDown also featured a segment between John Cena and CM Punk where the former cut an unhinged promo. You can check out more about it here.
The WWE King and Queen of the Ring tournaments are nearing their end as half of the finalists were decided on the June 20, episode of WWE SmackDown. In the men’s tournament, Randy Orton advanced with a victory over Sami Zayn. Orton, who was the runner-up in the 2024 tournament, will now face either Jey Uso or his former protege Cody Rhodes at WWE Night of Champions.
In the Queen of the Ring tournament, Asuka secured her place in the finals with a victory over Alexa Bliss. The Empress of Tomorrow returned to action during the June 16, episode of WWE Raw by winning her first-round match. Asuka had been out of action for over a year with an injury but is now one match away from claiming the crown. She will face either Jade Cargill or Roxanne Perez in the finals.
The second half of the finals will be decided on the June 23, episode of WWE Raw with the finals set for WWE Night of Champions at the end of the month. Stay tuned to SEScoops to see who claims the crowns in this year’s tournaments.
The Evolution 2 Premium Live Event is set for July 13, 2025, live from Atlanta, Georgia, the second-ever all-female event in company history. Speaking with WrestleStar, WWE Hall of Famer Michelle McCool was asked if fans can expect the ‘Flawless’ legend next month.
“I always say I’m just a phone call away. I like to—I mean I’ve actually been in the ring a little bit, feeling pretty good. If they ask, I’ll be there.”
McCool isn’t just interested in a return, but a reunion could be in the works. On the podcast, Michelle shared that she’d love to reunite with Layla, resurrecting their iconic LayCool team.
“I would love a cool reunion. I think Layla’s finally kind of getting back on the scene.”
Michelle McCool is “always down to fight,” but shared that as of the interview, “I have not been called.” Despite this, Michelle is confident that a return to the ring would prove to be a triumph.
“I think I got one more. I always say I’ve got one more in me. I’m not as good as I once was, but I’m as good once as I ever was.”
While WWE has yet to confirm the official lineup for Evolution 2, McCool’s openness to return has already sparked excitement among fans. A reunion with Layla—reforming the iconic LayCool tag team—would be a welcome surprise for many.
Mercedes Moné continues to dominate the wrestling world with six championships to her name, and now, she’s teasing a bold pivot outside the ring. On X, Moné shared photos of herself holding all six of her championship belts. In the post, she floated the idea of a future in politics, taking playful shots at fellow wrestlers-turned-politicians.
— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) June 20, 2025
This post comes after her victory over Zeuxis at AEW Grand Slam Mexico, where she added the CMLL Women’s World Championship to her growing collection. Mone looks to add the AEW Women’s World Championship to her collection whhen she faces ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm at AEW All In: Texas on July 12.
While her comment may have been tongue-in-cheek, the idea of Mercedes Moné entering politics isn’t entirely far-fetched. Wrestlers have crossed over into public office several times, including Jesse Ventura who served as Governor of Minnesota. Today, Kane (Glenn Jacobs) is the Mayor of Knox County, and Linda McMahon holds a cabinet-level role in the Trump administration.
TKO’s WWE doesn’t want you to remember Vince McMahon.
WWE is set to present its latest Saudi Arabia PPV, Night of Champions, next week on June 28. One of the matches announced for the show is John Cena vs. CM Punk for the WWE Championship.
The company promoted this match on tonight’s episode of SmackDown. They aired a video package looking back at the history of these two arch rivals before what is presumably their final encounter.
One of the clips used in the video was from Punk’s infamous pipebomb promo. The company, however, edited the clip to remove the name of Vince McMahon from the footage:
Lo de WWE censurando el nombre de Vince McMahon en la pipebomb de CM Punk que sale en el video package xdddd #SmackDownpic.twitter.com/Wbz6RnWQp9
The former WWE owner recently sold a large quantity of TKO shares. So it appears that he does not see himself returning to the company anytime in the near future.
Tonight’s SmackDown also featured a noteworthy interaction between Cena and Punk before their upcoming match. This came after the Straight Edge Star tried to save R-Truth from a post-match beatdown at the hands of the 17-time world champion during the main event.
John Cena managed to get the upper hand over his arch rival, however, and he recreated the scene of Punk’s famous pipebomb. The Cenation Leader went on to cut an unhinged promo, name-dropping a number of ex-WWE stars. You can check out more about it here.
John Cena did not hold back in his latest promo on CM Punk.
The Cenation Leader was in action in the main event of tonight’s SmackDown from the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He squared off against R-Truth in a rematch from last month’s Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Truth had control of the bout from early on, and after a while, Cena decided it wasn’t worth it. The WWE Champion started walking to the back with the title belt, and Truth went after him. John then blasted his opponent with the championship, officially causing the disqualification.
CM Punk came out to make the save after the bell, and he even got possession of the title. John Cena, however, reclaimed the belt with a low blow and then sent the Straight Edge Star crashing through a Slim Jim table.
— Anutosh Bajpai || SEScoops || Wrestling News (@AuthorAnutosh) June 21, 2025
The scene was the exact opposite of the time when Punk cut his famous pipebomb promo and the 17-time world champion decided to take advantage of it.
He cut a hard-hitting promo on his arch rival, telling Punk he was now ‘Mr. TKO.’ Cena called Punk an opportunist who steps on other hard-working people to get ahead. He then name-dropped a number of former WWE stars, including Claudio Castagnoli, Nic Nemeth, and Matt Cardona.
The anthem-owned-promotion has started giving sneak peak of upcoming Impact Wrestling TV episodes early on their TNA+ streaming service.
The June 26 episode of the show, which streamed on June 20, saw Mustafa Ali taking on Joh Skyler in a singles match. Skyler’s Order 4 partners Tasha Steelz and Jason Hotch, were at the ringside for this bout.
Ali picked up the victory over his opponent but he wasn’t done with just that. He picked up a chair but just as he was looking to use it, an unfamiliar music played.
Fellow 205 Live alumni Cedric Alexander then made his debut for the promotion. He confronted Ali and shared some words before Mustafa left the ring. Alexander then stood tall with the Order 4 members:
The former Hurt Business member was released from his WWE contract in February this year. Many expected him to reunite with the group managed by MVP in AEW.
The faction, also consisting of Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin, however, seems to have moved on without him, recently adding MJF as the newest member.
The possibility of Alexander joining the Tony Khan promotion down the line is always there, but right now it looks like the former Cruiserweight Champion is looking to forge a new path for himself.
MJF is set to appear alongside Adam Sandler in the highly anticipated Happy Gilmore 2, but you wouldn’t know it from watching WWE. According to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Netflix intended to promote Happy Gilmore 2 during the June 16 episode of WWE Raw, though that prove easier said than done.
Just before the Netflix ads aired on Raw, WWE reportedly asked for a version of the trailer that did not include MJF. The trailer that aired on the broadcast excluded any shots of the AEW star, even though he’s prominently featured in other versions of the promo material.
MJF isn’t the only notable name from wrestling in Happy Gilmore 2 as Becky Lynch and Nikki Bella will also appear in the film. While WWE will have no issue featuring either woman, neither has a role in Happy Gilmore 2 as prominent as the former AEW World Champion.
Regardless of the backstage politics, attention now turns to Happy Gilmore 2 itself, which is set to premiere on July 25. With a high-profile cast and significant fan buzz, the film is expected to be a summer highlight.
Ric Flair recently stirred controversy with a series of offensive tweets about Jim Ross, accusing the legendary commentator of being an attention seeker. Speaking on his Grilling JR podcast, Ross addressed the situation, sharing that he has not spoken to Flair in some time.
“I heard he is battling skin cancer. I’ve had that, so I know what he’s going through. But I haven’t spoken to Ric.”
Flair’s comments sparked outrage among fans and wrestlers, with many seeing it as awful to mock Ross amid a battle with cancer. While Flair make have branded Ross as an “attention seeker,” Ross took the high road with his view on the Nature Boy.
“I have no agenda, negative or positive, with Ric. He knows I love and respect Ric Flair. He and I are fine as far as I’m concerned.”
Despite their differences, Flair and Ross are two legends in their respective fields battling a terrible disease. Ross finished by saying he wants for Flair what he wants for himself, a full recovery.
“I just hope he gets healthy and feels good, because pro wrestling needs Ric Flair. He’s a big part of the fabric of our business, and I hope his skin cancer is addressed and controlled.”
Ross’ comments reflect a level of maturity often lacking among those in wrestling. We at SEScoops continue to wish Ross and Flair the best in their respective health battles.
It has been almost 30 years since World Championship Wrestling struck gold when Hulk Hogan joined the dark side, becoming “Hollywood” Hogan and aligning with Kevin Nash and Scott Hall. The formation of this group of villainous renegades helped put the company on the map. altering the future of the business forever. Its impact inside and outside the ring is explored through Marc Raimondi’s book “Say Hello To The Bad Guys: How Professional Wrestling’s New World Order Changed America.”
The historical deep dive into the nWo sees the ESPN reporter take readers from the nWo’s black and white roots to evolving into a global pop culture phenomenon. One that created a ratings and box office bonanza, causing WWE to change course in order to survive. This trip down memory lane peels back the curtain to provide an inside look at what went on with the major players, ego power trips, creative clashes, courtroom battles between WWE and WCW, and everything in between.
“Wrestling fans I think will dig the book, but I really want non wrestling fans to read this book,” Raimondi said. “I’m excited about the possibility and potential of nonfans or lapsed fans reading this book and having a different view of wrestling. Viewing wrestling in a different perspective instead of just the stigma that it’s fake or just for kids or why are you watching that. It’s art. It’s an artform.
“I’ve always said it is the greatest art America has given to the world, and I do believe that. I feel very grateful to not only write about a group in a time period very near and dear to me. Also, try to indoctrinate into this weird space we’re in. I think wrestling is for everyone, and I would love for people to pick up this book who maybe are not fans and say, ‘Let me figure out this happened. How did wrestling become so important to American culture?’ That’s kind of the hope.”
One of the most fascinating aspects of the book is examining the legal wars between WWE and WCW. Titan Sports Inc. v. Turner Broadcasting, which was spurred by Scott Hall’s arrival from one company to the other. It almost didn’t make the book as Raimondi explained there was talk it deviated from the flowing narrative of the chronology. However, the importance of the story outweighed all that. The questions of what constitutes intellectual property in wrestling? Where does the character begin and the real person end? What made Razor Ramon, Razor Ramon? The lines are blurred on many levels.
“I was able to get around 4,000 pages from the lawsuit that nobody ever has gotten before. I was proud in that sense from a journalistic standpoint that I was able to uncover stuff nobody had seen before,” Raimondi said. “These depositions for Scott Hall and Eric Bischoff. These are statements given in the ‘90s that nobody has ever seen before. I thought that was really cool. Getting to interview the lawyers from both sides Jerry McDevitt from WWE and David Dunn from WCW and to hear their perspective of it.
“Jerry McDevitt has worked with it for a very long time. David Dunn has not. They are not necessarily in the wrestling business per say, but they are in the legal business. The way they were able to explain to me that case was so interesting. The book is about how the nWo and pro wrestling changed America. This is another way I think the nWo affected America because this was a really important legal case as far as trademark law and intellectual property. Even the side case with Mark Madden as someone who is dispensing information. Wrestling in the ‘90s helped shape the precedent of what constitutes a journalist in the eyes of the legal system. That is mindblowing to me.”
At the core for much of the story is the dynamic between Hall, Hogan and Nash. The three Hall of Famers went through it all, for better or worse. Hall, who died at age 63 in 2022, was clearly an important thread. His contributions can’t be denied.
“I love the Hall and Nash friendship and that relationship because it really was a special friendship from everyone that I spoke to,” Raimondi’ said. “Nash really looked out for Hall. Several people told me how Nash was a big brother to Scott Hall. I can definitely see that from all the stories and anecdotes. It was tough on him because Scott was really struggling a lot in the ‘90s. It was such a fast moving time. Scott’s demons were getting the better of him. He was in rehab a few times and struggling and flipping rental cars in 1998 and not getting injured somehow. He was drunk driving and flipping cars. Kevin Nash always stood by his side. When the times called for when Scott was in rehab they were trying to do an angle with Nahs in the storyline and were going to crap on Hall for not being there. He wouldn’t do it because that friendship is there. The same for Sean Waltman when he got fired from WCW. Those guys were really upset. You could almost trace the end of the really good creative of the nWo to that moment because they pretty much stopped contributing from a creative standpoint with their best stuff. Hall is a creative genius.
“They shut down because they were really pissed off. Bischoff fired Waltman. That friendship is very special; they never turned on each other. You never heard one say a bad thing about the other. That was really a tight knit friendship. Best friends. For life is the saying, btu they really were going back to the Kliq and the nWo. As far as Hogan, at one point in the beginning it was rocky, then they got close, and it got rocky again. I think now 30 years or so later, there is that great bond between a Nash and Hogan and a Hogan and Bischolff and Nash and Bischoff because there is an awareness they did something special together. I don’t think they are best friends. I don’t think Nash and Hogan are talking every week. Maybe not every month, but where is that feeling that if I need him as a friend, he’ll be there for me. And vice-versa. I ended the book that way. I find that to be very special. They really ended up something special for them as human beings and not just a wrestling gimmick or business. Those guys were all about business, but it did end up giving them lifelong friends as well.”
“Say Hello To The Bad Guys: How Professional Wrestling’s New World Order Changed America” is out wherever books are sold June 24.
