Dominik Mysterio may have been the grand prize of a WWE match in 2005, but Liv Morgan plans on winning over ‘Dirty Dom’ without stepping in the ring.
Speaking to Rusic & Rose on The Big Show, Morgan was asked about whether Mysterio’s affections would be on the line in a match. The reigning WWE Women’s World Champion said she plans on winning over Dominik the “ol’ fashioned way” and plans on showing him what she can do.
“I don’t want to win him in a match. I want him to see what I bring to the table because I see so clearly what he brings to the table.”
Dominik, or rather the custody of him, was on the line at WWE SummerSlam 2005 in a ladder match between Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero. While Rey won the match, much to the delight of Dominik at the time, the Judgment Day has acknowledged Eddie as his father since turning heel in September 2022.
What’s to Come?
Morgan will defend her WWE Women’s World Championship against Rhea Ripley next month at WWE SummerSlam 2024. On this week’s RAW, Mysterio’s efforts to be forgiven by Ripley were rebuffed while Liv remained interested in the Judgment Day star. As SummerSlam draws closer, the WWE Universe will have to wait and see which side Mysterio takes when Mami and Morgan meet in Cleveland.
Nic Nemeth won’t let a partially torn labrum keep him from competing at Slammiversary, where he has a chance to capture the TNA World Championship.
On TNA iMPACT, Nemeth shared that the injury took place during last week’s match with Frankie Kazarian. Despite this setback, the ‘Wanted Man’ will be part of the the six-man elimination match against Moose, Joe Hendry, Steve Maclin, Josh Alexander, and Kazarian.
With five challengers, the odds are definitely against Moose who has held the TNA World Championship since the Hard to Kill relaunch show. Both Maclin and Josh Alexander are former TNA World Champions with Alexander boasting the longest reign of any champion at 335 days. Alexander also never lost the title as his reign was cut short due to an injury.
Kazarian is the most tenured TNA wrestler in the match, having debuted in the company back in 2003. In fact, the TNA World Championship is the only title to allude Kazarian in his journey to the TNA triple crown.
Joe Hendry is perhaps the biggest wild card in the upcoming match given his immense popularity in both TNA Wrestling and WWE NXT. The Scottish wrestler has claimed he’ll challenge John Cena should he win the gold at Slammiversary. This would certainly make for a unique match on Cena’s impending retirement tour that will come to an end in 2025.
TNA Slammiversary will take place on July 20, 2024, at Verdun Auditorium in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The event will stream live on TrillerTV pay-per-view.
WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan gave an impassioned speech supporting Donald Trump for President at Thursday’s Republican National Convention.
Hogan referenced Madison Square Garden, Macho Man Randy Savage, slamming Andre the Giant. At one point, he ripped off a his shirt to reveal a Trump-Vance shirt underneath, as the crowd chanted “USA, USA!”
He endorsed Trump as a “Trump, calling him ”hero” and “gladiator” who is the right choice in this election to get the America back on track.
NBC News: Hulk Hogan gave what I would say is probably the best speech at this convention so far pic.twitter.com/xAMPmhjIuA
Wrestling icon Hulk Hogan, former WWE President & CEO Linda McMahon, and UFC President Dana White are among the speakers at Thursday’s closing night of the 2024 Republican National Convention. Hulk Hogan spoke with Bret Baier of Fox News about his presence at the event. The 12-time World Champion of WWE/WCW and nWo founding member likened his convention speech to body-slamming Andre the Giant.
Hulk Hogan says his speech tonight will be like bodyslamming Andre The Giant at WrestleMania. pic.twitter.com/8D2R8gHgub
Hulk Hogan does not like what he’s seen in America since Trump left office in January 2021. He says the United States’ borders have “collapsed” while food and gas prices have skyrocketed.
”When they took at a shot at my hero Donald Trump, I realized that I couldn’t be silent anymore.
You know, I had to step up, I had to be a real American, just like all of these real Americans here and Donald Trump.”
AJ Francis knows a GOAT when he sees one and he got to see the ultimate “GOAT” in Tom Brady up close and personal.
Speaking with me in an exclusive conversation, I asked Francis how he thinks former NFL quarterback Tom Brady will do behind the broadcast booth. Brady, who will now be two seasons removed from professional football, will join Fox as a new analyst for NFL Sunday games.
Francis is no stranger to the NFL gridiron, but the current TNA Digital Champion and Canadian International Heavyweight Champion has been on his own steady path to greatness after finding a new lease on wrestling life following his WWE release.
Francis promised that he’d be everywhere since his WWE leave and the former Top Dolla has delivered. He’s now set to face PCO with both of his championships on the line at TNA Slammiversary this Saturday in one of the headline fights. However, while Tom Brady won’t be on commentary for that, Francis firmly believes Brady will be incredible calling NFL games.
“I used to play with Tom on the Patriots. Tom has a really good sense of humor that a lot of people don’t know about because he’s very professional aT what he does, and when it comes to football. his brain is computer-like, his brain breaks stuff down.”
RELATED: TNA Slammiversary 2024 Preview: Match Card, How To Watch
AJ Francis On How Tom Brady Gets Analytical
Francis shared a story that while he was on the Miami Dolphins another teammate of his, Michael Thomas, a defensive back was just signed on the practice squad for the Fins. When they were playing the Patriots, someone got hurt and Thomas was put in as an emergency nickel back during a final two minute drive. It’s the last play of game and Thomas is in the wrong spot, but in a happy circumstance Tom read the defense as he was supposed to. However, that happened to be where Thomas was standing and he ended up intercepting the pass, ending and winning the game for his new team.
“He only got that play because Brady is so good that he knew where the receiver was supposed to be open, and if Michael Thomas was where he was supposed to be, the receiver would have been wide open for a game-winning touchdown. So you know, that’s how good he is.”
Francis gives plenty more thoughts as he talks about feuding with Joe Hendry, his fandom of Bret Hart and his thoughts on the new NCAA College Football 25 video game.
WWE Superstar Big E recently shared some of his favorite moments working with John Cena. Here are some highlights of what Big E said about the 16-time World Champion during his recent appearance on Unlikely with Adrian Hernandez:
Debut on the Main Roster
Big E reminisces about his memorable debut on the main roster, which involved a significant moment with John Cena.
“You know, he’s done so much. Selfishly, I would say my one moment is my debut. My debut in Philly at the Slammys in 2012, December, was me leaving him laying, standing over him to close the show. And that moment means so much because debuting on the main roster is incredible for everyone. But debuting like that, debuting, getting to stand over, arguably the greatest of all time. Yeah, yeah, it’s just me. He’s, you know, red hot. He is clearly the guy. So that meant a lot to me.”
Backstage Segment and Match with CM Punk and John Cena
Big E shares a fond memory of a backstage segment that led to a match involving himself, CM Punk, and John Cena against The Shield.
“But yeah, man, there’s so many different things. You know, we had a, I remember, I think about a year later, there was a backstage segment that led to a match. I think we wrestled the Shield, but it was me, Punk, and Cena. And there’s a deal where we all, with Renee was the interviewer at the time. We all put our hands in, did a little Shield deal, a little, I think it was like a holiday feel-good show. But even that moment of like, man, I’m young in my career. I don’t, I can’t remember if I had the IC title at the time, I might have. But just being able to stand in the ring with a guy like CM Punk, with John Cena and me, like, man, there are so many incredible moments. And I think back to so many times, you know, when I first came on the road, it was always, oh, Cena’s match is about to be up.”
Cena’s Epic Crowd Reactions
Big E talks about the unique crowd reactions John Cena would receive and recalls witnessing Cena’s matches against Dolph Ziggler, highlighting the special atmosphere and Cena’s impact on fans and fellow wrestlers.
“And so many of us would just be peeking out in front of the crowd because that Cena pop is different. And another thing, when I first came on the main roster, it was Cena and Dolph wrestling every single night. I remember one of my first main roster shows was we were doing MSG. They had a cage match. And to be there in New York during Cena’s prime, wrestling Dolph, who was red hot as well in the main event, to have the best seat in the house. I’m standing there, and I’m getting to see greatness. I’m getting to see how he manipulates the crowd, how they’re with them, from little kids to old women. He made so many special moments for our fans, for people, for talent, for us to see what it’s like to be the guy, to have that kind of reaction. So salute to everything that Cena has done for our industry, and even all the make-a-wishes as well. Man, it is really inspiring. So, he’s done a lot, I mean, a lot is an understatement, but he’s done so much for our industry and our business. So, salute to him.”
In professional wrestling, podcasts covering the industry are as common as clotheslines and headlocks. For those brave explorers seeking to venture into the pro wrestling podcast vortex, we here at SEScoops want to make your journey as easy as possible.
Each week, we update you on the Top 25 most-listened-to wrestling podcast episodes, focusing on the Top 5 (including embeds). This feature is based on data from Apple Podcasts compiled by Chartable.
Up Rank
Down Rank
Unchanged
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Top 5 Wrestling Podcasts – Apple (July 18th, 2024)
It’s becoming difficult to come up with ways to emphasize the sheer dominance that WWE Hall of Famer Mark Calaway has had over the Podcasting world, but we’ll keep trying!
Better known to the WWE Universe as The Undertaker, he’s not only the Lord of Darkness but the kingpin of wrestling podcasts. The former World Champion first jumped into the game in October 2023 and hasn’t looked back since; leaving a trail of laughs and great conversations along the way.
In his latest two-parter episode of Six Feet Under with Mark Calaway, he and co-host Matt discuss The Deadman’s iconic faction: The Ministry of Darkness.
2) Insight with Chris Van Vliet | ~
Chris Van Vliet isn’t just one of the most well-respected interviewers in professional wrestling; he’s an internationally recognized media personality. CVV is a four-time Emmy-winning TV Host, YouTuber, and Inc. 500 entrepreneur who’s interviewed everyone from Anne Hathaway to Hornswoggle.
(If you’re saying to yourself: “Hey, that intro paragraph seems familiar,” it’s because this author is proud of himself for coming up with it the first time, and he’s not changing it anytime soon!)
In his latest episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet, The Modern Day Maharaja comes to town! Former world champion Raj Dhesi, aka Jindar Mahal, joins the show to discuss his tenure in WWE, his release from the company, Brock Lesnar, and more!
In this week’s #3 position comes the Perched On The Top Rope podcast!
The program is hosted by Lee, a former writer, avid wrestling collector, and fan for over 30 years. He’s joined by Larry Peace, a former MLW referee, and Justin, the podcast’s correspondent.
In the show’s latest edition, the crew made predictions for WWE’s Money In The Bank PLE on July 6th. Check out the show and see how close the guys got in their predictions!
4) Jim Cornette Experience |~
Love or hate him, Jim Cornette doesn’t care what you think. His presence in professional wrestling goes back decades, and he is one of the pioneers in producing weekly content on wrestling commentary.
In the latest episode of the Jim Cornette Experience, Cornette reviews WWE’s latest PLE Money In The Bank. Take a listen to see if you can catch any hot takes!
5) Busted Open | ~
Join Sirius XM’s biggest professional wrestling show, as host Dave LaGreca speaks with a rotating cast of co-hosts, including Bully Ray, Mark Henry, Tommy Dreamer, Thunder Rosa, and Nic Nemeth (fka Dolph Ziggler). The show covers the latest in professional wrestling news throughout the industry, with special emphasis on WWE, AEW, NJPW, and TNA.
“Bully Ray breaks down his thoughts on MJF winning the AEW International Championship in a near hour long classic against Will Ospreay. He also covers whether the refereeing effected how great their match was on the 250th edition of AEW Dynamite.”
MJF was attacked by a fan at this week’s AEW Dynamite…granted, the “attacker” was only seven years old. As he and his opponent Will Ospreay brawled in the crowd, Ospreay prompted a young female fan to hit MJF, which prompted a middle finger in response.
The girl’s father proudly posted alternative angle of the ‘attack’ on social media:
MJF went on to win the match over Ospreay in the final seconds before the expiration of the 60-minute time limit. In doing so, MJF is the new AEW International Champion.
MJF Interacting w/Young Fans
This isn’t the first time that Maxwell has had a dust-up with young fans during his AEW matches. His now infamous ‘water throwing incident’ from AEW Revolution 2023 got him coverage on outlets such as TMZ. His decision to throw water in the face of a child at ringside led to AEW President Tony Khan having a “serious conversation” with MJF over conduct that he deemed unbecoming of the AEW World Champion.
“We had a serious conversation and I mean that. It’s not to be taken lightly. The young man, Titus, was a real pro about it. We’ll see Titus here again at AEW… I was just with him, and he was a real champ about it.
The champion [mjf] didn’t act like a champion there, but I think Titus was great.”
Catch a new episode of TNA Impact tonight, July 18, 2024, at 8 PM ET on AXS TV, marking the final stop before this weekend’s Slammiversary 2024 pay-per-view event.
Can Matt and Jeff Hardy capture the TNA tag titles for a third time?
TNA Impact Matches for tonight:
• TNA World Tag Team Championship Match: The System (c) vs. Matt & Jeff Hardy
• Special Tag Team Match: NXT’s No Quarter Catch Crew vs. KUSHIDA & The Rascalz
• Singles Showdown: JDC vs. Mike Santana
• Women’s Division Clash: Alisha Edwards vs. Xia Brookside
Plus: We’ll see a TNA Slammiversary 2024 Main Event Contract Signing involving every competitor in the big 6-Way Elimination match for the TNA World title.The challengers to Moose’s belt include Josh Alexander, Steve Maclin, Nic Nemeth, Frankie Kazarian and recent NXT regular Joe Hendry.
More on this year’s Slammiversary lineup here:
TNA Slammiversary 2024 Preview
TNA Slammiversary 2024 takes place this Saturday, July 20, 2024, at 8 PM ET. The event will stream live on TrillerTV ($39.99) from Verdun Auditorium in Montreal, QC.
This year’s Slammiversary card includes 5 big matches:
• TNA World Championship 6-Way Elimination Match: Moose vs. Josh Alexander vs. Steve Maclin vs. Nic Nemeth vs. Frankie Kazarian vs. Joe Hendry
• TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Title Match: The Malisha (Alisha Edwards & Masha Slamovich) (c) vs. Spitfire (Dani Luna & Jody Threat)
• TNA Digital Media Championship and the Canadian International Heavyweight Championship Match: A.J. Francis (c) w/ Rich Swann vs. PCO
• TNA X Division Championship Match: Mustafa Ali (c) w/ Campaign Singh vs. Mike Bailey w/ Trent Seven
• TNA Knockouts World Championship Match: Jordynne Grace (c) vs. Ash by Elegance w/ The Personal Concierge
Stay tuned to SEScoops for our continued coverage of TNA Impact and check out our TNA News section for more.
WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan is slated to make an appearance at the Republican National Convention on Thursday night, just before WWE Hall of Famer Donald Trump accepts the GOP nomination for President of the United States.
The wrestling legend will address the crowd ahead of Trump’s official acceptance speech on the final night of the convention, according to two senior campaign officials who spoke to NBC News. Trump’s nomination follows the recent announcement of Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance as his Vice Presidential running mate.
Linda McMahon & Kane Also at the 2024 RNC
WWE has had a presence at the 2024 RNC all week. Aside from the whole thing revolving around a Hall of Famer, former WWE President and and Trump’s former United States Administrator of the Small Business Administration Linda McMahon.
Hulk Hogan and Donald Trump are friends dating back to the 1980’s. In recent years, Hogan has been a proud supporter of Trump’s US Presidential campaigns.
In 2015, when Trump was running for president, Hogan publicly stated that he wanted to be Trump’s running mate [CBSNews]. During another interaction with TMZ, Hogan was asked which 2016 presidential candidate he would like to have in the ring with him. Believe it or not, the Hulkster went into self-promotion mode, brother.
“I don’t want to be in the ring with any candidates, I want to be Trump’s running mate.”
– Hulk Hogan (2015)
Stay tuned for our continued coverage of Hulk Hogan speaking at the 2024 Republican National Convention later this evening.
This week’s 250th AEW Dynamite was a massive milestone for the company, and a ton happened on this action-packed show. We got an hour-long ‘Match of the Year’ candidate between MJF and Will Ospreay, a disturbing in-ring promo from ‘Timeless Mariah’ May and the surprise return of Darby Allin, who descended from the rafters and is the final man on Team AEW for next week’s AEW Blood and Gutsspecial.
All Elite Wrestling has now uploaded all of the video highlights for the show to their official YouTube channel, which we have compiled in an easy to view format on one page below.
Minoru Suazuki Confronts Chris Jericho
The Learning Tree & Minoru Suzuki?! FTW Champ Jericho faces off w/ a LEGEND!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGj5PZ5ICnk
TBS Champ vs. Former Women’s World Champ
Could TBS Champion Mercedes Moné hold off The Native Beast Nyla Rose? | 7/17/24, AEW Dynamite
‘Timeless’ Mariah May
After her SHOCKING attack on AEW Women’s Champ Toni Storm, Mariah May SPEAKS!
Champion vs. Champion
It’s CHAMP vs. CHAMP! Swerve Strickland vs. Kazuchika Okada
More AEW Videos
Head over to our Wrestling Videos section for more AEW videos, and check out these AEW channels on Youtube:
Former WWE Superstar Jinder Mahal recently sat down with Chris Van Vliet to reflect on his journey in wrestling and his release earlier this year. Mahal held the WWE, United States, and 24/7 Championships before being cut.
Thoughts On WWE
This year marked the second time in a decade that Mahal, now working under the name Rah Dhesi, has been released from WWE. Despite this unfortunate statistic, the Canadian wrestler bears no ill will to his former employer.
Mahal: “There’s no hostility, there’s no negative feelings at all with WWE. I’m very grateful for them for all the years and the platform they provided me.”
On The Release
Mahal was let go from WWE along with the rest of Indus Sher after the group had worked on Monday Night RAW and in WWE NXT. Mahal recalled WWE keeping the group away from important personal events, only to be left on the sidelines.
Mahal: “A few months prior (to being released) Veer had a religious event that he holds, it was the one-year anniversary of his father’s death. He got told that no, we’re needed for RAW, you can’t go back home… Sure enough, that week we weren’t booked, we were sitting at home.
“They were quite frustrated. And also myself, started off the year with The Rock and had the WWE championship match. Then one week later, I’m not in the Royal Rumble. Which was I thought it was very weird. So we talked to TR, we just said, Hey, listen, like, if there’s nothing for us, we can go our separate ways. And sure enough, a few months later, we went our separate ways.”
When asked if he requested his release, Mahal made clear that he didn’t but that at the time was open to the two sides going their separate ways.
On Fan Support After He Was Released
While being released is rarely fun, Mahal was met with a whirlwind of fan support and interest from independent promotions shortly after his release. This wave of momentum didn’t go unnoticed by the former World Champion.
Mahal: “I generally get a lot of hate online. But it was one of those rare instances where I got to show my real personality, actually, this happens to me all the time. I meet people and they’re like, wow, like you’re not what we expect. [They say] you’re nice, maybe it’s the Canadian in me. Always respectful, polite, and the Jinder Mahal character was the complete opposite of me.”
On Drew McIntyre
Mahal isn’t the only 3MB alum to reach the pinnacle of WWE as Drew McIntyre is also a former WWE Champion after capturing the gold at WrestleMania 36. While Mahal is happy to remind fans that he was the first 3MB member to taste WWE World Championship gold, he’s pleased to see McIntyre be a main event talent on Monday Night RAW.
Mahal: “I became WWE Champion before Drew McIntyre, don’t you forget that [laughs]. Drew’s the man. What Drew is doing right now is incredible. This is the best version of Drew. Drew’s the man. He’s like a brother to me and to see him in this position.
“He just signed a new contract so he’ll be there for a few more years. Something about a man like he is incredible. He’s having fun. I just don’t think he cares anymore and that’s usually when the best comes out. Like CM Punk, he doesn’t care about anything and that’s why he’s the best.”
On Being in The Punjabi Prison Match
In 2017, during his reign as WWE Champion, Mahal faced Randy Orton in the third Punjabi Prison match. While Mahal would win the match (with a timely assist from the Great Khali,) it’s not a match that the Modern-Day Maharaja enjoyed.
Mahal: “The Punjabi prison match sucks. It’s terrible. [In what way?] It’s so hard. The inside cage is the blue old-school cage. You can hit it as hard as possible and it won’t even make a noise. It was terrible. And then just the crowd reaction they couldn’t really see the people in the arena, there’s two cages so when we’re on the inside, there’s two cages they couldn’t really see. And it was just painful. Kendo sticks, chair shots, everything.”
On Not Working With Brock Lesnar
Later on that year, Mahal (still the WWE Champion) was poised to face RAW’s Universal Champion Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series. Mere days before the show, Mahal lost his title to AJ Styles who’d lose to the Beast at the PLE. Despite rumors of Lesnar refusing to work with him, Mahal doubts that’s the case.
Mahal: “The headline came out, ‘Brock Lesnar refused to work with Jinder.’ I don’t think he refused. I just think it was he probably pitched for a match with AJ because stylistically, it is a much better match. Me and Brock are both heels. Who’s gonna put heat on who? It was gonna be a flat match. It would have just been him suplexing me a bunch of times, maybe Singh Bros get involved. But the match he had with AJ was phenomenal.”
“I had it [the WWE Championship] for six months and I didn’t know that I was losing the championship until the day of. We were in Manchester and we have the title match. We get to the building. Michael Hayes tells me and AJ go talk to Vince, and send us to Vince’s office, Vince tells me you’re dropping the championship.”
All Elite Wrestling made sure to get the blessing of Dr. Martha Hart for Darby Allin’s entrance during the 250th episode of Dynamite.
Allin arrived inside the Simmons Bank Arena in Little Rock by descending from the rafters during a brawl between the Elite and those they’ll face in Blood & Guts. Allin confirmed that he will join Swerve Strickland, Mark Briscoe, and The Acclaimed in next week’s match.
AEW was mindful to consult Dr. Hart about the entrance, Fightful Select report, given the tragedy that took her husband Owen’s life at WWF Over the Edge 1999. This isn’t the first time that AEW has sought Martha’s blessing, as she approved of Sting making his iconic entrance from the rafters on the go-home Dynamite before AEW Revolution 2024.
In September 2021, it was announced that the Owen Hart Foundation and AEW would be working together to honor the legacy of the late wrestler. This partnership has seen six Owen Hart tournaments (three for men and three for women,) and Owen be included in the AEW Fight Forever video game. This partnership has allowed for a whole new generation of fans to celebrate the life and career of The Rocket who remains a beloved name in professional wrestling.
The 250th episode of AEW Dynamite saw plenty of in-ring action and one more would surpass all the wrestling fans saw on this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW.
This one match from Dynamite had more wrestling than the entirety of Monday Night Raw, according to stats from Cagematch as pointed out by Drainmaker on Twitter. From bell to bell, the July 16, edition of RAW saw 48 minutes and 52 seconds of wrestling, over eleven minutes less than the MJF-Ospreay showdown.
AEW is often considered to be a more wrestling-centric promotion when compared to WWE, and stats like these suggest that to be the case. In total, the 250th episode of AEW Dynamite had 80 minutes and 50 seconds of bell-to-bell action, over half an hour more than WWE’s flagship show.
Ric Flair may be a 16-time World Champion, but the Nature Boy is fuming that he hasn’t made the rankings of ESPN’s top 100 athletes of the 21st century.
The list in question features athletes across various sports and is compiled based on votes from experts. Despite his impressive wrestling career, Ric doesn’t appear on the list, and took to Twitter to address being snubbed.
How In The Hell On God’s Green Earth Is Ric Flair Not Considered To Be One Of The Top 100 Athletes In The World??? I Should Actually Be In The Top 10. 16 World Titles, Actually 22. 1,200 Hour Matches, 15 Years Without A Day Off; A Cultural Icon & Worldwide Sensation. Good Lord, So Many People Have Lost Sight Of What Greatness Truly Is! I Never Pulled Out With A Calf Muscle Strain. Oh How The Times Have Changed! What A Bunch Of Bitches! I Get Tom Brady And All That, But Come On Let’s Get Serious!
How In The Hell On God’s Green Earth Is Ric Flair Not Considered To Be One Of The Top 100 Athletes In The World??? I Should Actually Be In The Top 10. 16 World Titles, Actually 22. 1,200 Hour Matches, 15 Years Without A Day Off; A Cultural Icon & Worldwide Sensation. Good Lord,… pic.twitter.com/Ebx2bOZHA1
Ric isn’t the only name in professional wrestling that feels he should have made the list. On his show (which airs on ESPN), Raw commentator Pat McAfee shared that he feels the Nature Boy should have made the rankings. It’s important to remember though that ESPN’s rankings cover athletes in the 21st Century, and therefore the vast majority of Flair’s career should not be taken into consideration.
The 21st Century saw Flair capture his 16th World Champion after being awarded the gold by Kevin Nash in 2000. Once WCW went out of business, Flair returned to WWE in November 2001 and competed for years until losing to Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24. He would later wrestle a handful of matches in TNA before his final match in 2022 saw himself and Andrade defeat Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal.
At 75 years old, it certainly appears that Flair’s days in the ring are officially behind him, despite showing interest in one final, final match. Until that day comes, Flair will continue to have an incredible legacy, albeit not one enough to get him in ESPN’s Top 100 list.
On this week’s 250th episode of AEW Dynamite Mariah May came out dressed as Toni Storm to address her attack last week.
May delivered a powerful promo, explaining her attack on Toni Storm from the previous week. May criticized Storm for being so desperate for the spotlight that she failed to realize she was losing it.
She declared that her greatest performance will be at AEW All In 2024, where she plans to defeat her mentor and capture the AEW Women’s World Championship.
Here are results from this week’s special 250th AEW Dynamite from Little Rock, AK at the Simmons Bank Arena:
[AEW International Championship] Will Ospreay (c) vs. MJF: MJF won the title with two seconds left on the clock in a 60-minute match, (allegedly) cheating by (allegedly) punching Ospreay in the face with his Diamond Ring while the referee was down.
Chris Jericho and The Learning Tree Promo: Interrupted by Minoru Suzuki, who has a contract for a match against Jericho for the FTW Championship with the rest of The Learning Tree banned from ringside. Suzuki sends a message by landing a headbutt on Jericho.
[TBS Women’s Championship] Mercedes Mone (c) vs. Nyla Rose: Winner: Mercedes Mone via submission.
Ringside Attacker: After the match, a fan wearing a Sting mask attacks Mone at ringside, revealed to be Britt Baker. Security quickly separates them.
Mariah May Promo: Dressed as “Timeless” Toni Storm, Mariah May explains her actions and announces her intent to make AEW all about her. She mocks Toni Storm and declares her best performance will be at All In.
Backstage with the Bang Bang Gang: They hand over their Undisputed Trios Championship belts to Christopher Daniels and promise to win the tournament to get them back.
Swerve Strickland vs. Kazuchika Okada: The match ends in a no contest when it’s interrupted by a run-in from The Elite, with Team AEW making the save ahead of Blood & Guts. Darby Allin joins Team AEW by dropping from the rafters! The show ends with both teams fighting while security struggles to intervene. A graphic airs showing Darby Allin as the final member of Team AEW.
WWE’s Executive Director says reports of last-minute script rewrites and backstage chaos are incorrect
Unforeseen circumstances like injuries or timing issues are a normal part of live weekly television and says he’s done far more rewrites than Vince
The production of WWE broadcasts is very different today than it was just a year ago. The departures of Vince McMahon and Kevin Dunn have led to a complete overhaul of the product’s on-screen presentation that is universally praised. Aside from what we see on WWE Raw and WWE Smackdown each week, wrestling fans have an insatiable interest in what’s going on behind the scenes.
During the final years of Vince McMahon’s role as the head of WWE creative, there were a never-ending string of reports about last-minute changes to television scripts. Even McMahon would be unable to attend in-person, he’d micromanage from afar and we’d also hear about a chaotic environment. One of the most influential figures in WWE, Bruce Prichard, recently shed light on this topic. On a recent episode of his Something to Wrestle podcast with Conrad Thompson at AdFreeShows, WWE Executive Director Bruce Prichard offered his unique insights into the day-to-day operations of WWE.
When Vince Wasn’t There
Prichard scoffed at the idea that things were chaotic when McMahon missed shows. The former Brother Love emphasizes that the backstage environment remained stable and well-organized, a credit to their very-capable team.
“Everybody knows their jobs, and can function and do it… You take away one piece and everybody fills in, does their job, and covers whoever is gone as well.”
– Bruce Prichard on the WWE backstage environment when Vince McMahon would be unable to attend shows
Setting The Record Straight on Last-Minute Rewrites
Prichard noted that there were fewer changes when McMahon was not physically present at the shows, though McMahon remained in contact via phone. Prichard remarked, “There was a need, maybe in his mind, to… make it better. Now, that’s all relative, and that’s all personal feeling.” This suggests that McMahon’s influence continued even from afar, but the operational integrity of the team allowed for smooth show executions.
Prichard also debunked the myth of constant show rewrites, clarifying that he, not McMahon, often managed last-minute changes due to unforeseen circumstances like injuries or timing issues.
“I probably have done it more in a year than Vince McMahon has in a lifetime.”
– Bruce Prichard on the perception that Vince McMahon would tear-up scripts he wasn’t happy with
The departure of Vince McMahon marked a monumental shift in WWE’s history. However, with seasoned executives like Bruce Prichard and Paul Levesque still in key positions following the TKO Group acquisition and UFC merger, the company continues to adapt and thrive under new leadership.
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The countdown is on for AEW All in on August 25. SEScoops has the prediction for the match card for the event!
All Elite Wrestling is officially on the road to All In. The event will mark the company’s return to Wembley Stadium in London, England, on August 25. Tickets for All In are currently on sale for standard pricing starting at £27.25 on Ticketmaster.
AEW All In Matches Confirmed
So far, AEW has announced two matches that will be featured on the card:
AEW World Championship: (C) Swerve Strickland vs. Bryan Danielson
All In: Swerve Strickland vs. Bryan Danielson
Bryan Danielson earned an opportunity to challenge for the world title after defeating ‘Hangman’ Adam Page in the Owen Hart Foundationation Tournament finals on the July 10 episode of Dynamite. Swerve Strickland aims to retain his AEW World Championship for the fifth time and get a statement win over ‘The American Dragon’ in the main event.
AEW Women’s World Championship: (C) Toni Storm vs. Mariah May
AEW All In: Toni Storm vs. Mariah May
Mariah May won the women’s Owen Hart tourney by defeating former TBS Champion Willow Nightingale on the July 10 episode. After the victory, May viciously attacked AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm to set up their bloody feud for All In. Both will try to settle their differences at the event, with the title up for grabs.
AEW All In Match Card Predictions
AEW TBS Champion: Mercedes Moné (c) vs. Britt Baker
One match the company has started to build towards is AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Moné defending her title against Britt Baker. The AEW veteran returned at the last AEW pay-per-view to confront Moné. The feud continued on the July 10 episode, when Moné threatened that if she did face Baker at All In, she would leave her for dead. The champion’s comment caused her rival to run to the ring to confront Moné, who ran away. Baker will likely get her chance to take on the champion at the upcoming PPV.
AEW International Championship: Will Ospreay (c) vs. PAC
PAC defeated Claudio Castagnoli, Kyle Fletcher, and Tomohiro Ishii in a Fatal Four Way match to become the number one contender for the AEW International Championship on July 10. He shared after the win that he would be on the All In card.
Although MJF has a title match with Ospreay, he is already involved in a feud with Daniel Garcia. ‘The Devil’ challenged Garcia to a match at All In on the June 26 episode of Dynamite. A week later, MJF attacked the Buffalo, New York native, leading to Garcia leaving the venue on a stretcher. Based on the storyline, it makes sense for Garcia to return to get revenge against MJF at All In, just as the former AEW World Champion wanted.
Willow Nightingale vs. Kris Statlander
Kris Statlander has been feuding with Nightingale after she turned on her at Double Or Nothing on May 26. They faced each other in the Owen Hart tournament on the July 3 episode of Dynamite, which resulted in Nightingale being victorious. Statlander would get revenge by interfering in her former ally’s matchup against May the following week. After losing the tournament due to Statlander’s involvement, it makes sense for a rematch between the two superstars to happen on AEW’s biggest event of the year.
FTW Championship: (C) Chris Jericho vs. Hook
Chris Jericho won the FTW Championship by defeating Hook at Dynasty on April 21. Since then, Hook has been trying to get the title back and has pinned Jericho in a six-man tag team match at AEW x New Japan Pro Wrestling Forbidden Door on June 30. On last week’s episode of Dynamite, Jericho defeated Hook’s new mentor, Samoa Joe, in a Stampede Street Fight Match to retain the championship
A rematch at All In would make sense, as the young AEW superstar aims to reclaim the title his father created.
AEW TNT Championship: (C) Jack Perry vs. Darby Allin
The last time Darby Allin was in the ring, he was beaten alongside FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) and Bryan Danielson by The Elite (Jack Perry, Kazuchika Okada, Matthew & Nicholas Jackson) in an Anarchy In The Arena Match at Double Or Nothing.
Perry and Allin tried to sideline each other permanently, including Allin using a flamethrower to set his rival on fire. The ‘Scapegoat’ would recover to win the violent matchup for his team and has moved on to become the AEW TNT Champion. Allin could return for the upcoming PPV to challenge Perry to avenge his defeat and win the title for the third time in his career.
AEW World Tag Team Championship: (C) The Young Bucks (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson) vs. The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster)
The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) defeated the AEW World Tag Team Champions, The Young Bucks(Matthew & Nicholas), on the June 19 episode of Dynamite. The victory earned the fan-favorite tag team a title opportunity against the champions in the future. It’s possible Bowens and Caster will look to call their shot for a matchup at All In to become two-time tag champions.
We will check back when the All In card is finalized and will grade our own predictions.
More on AEW All In 2024
Check out our All In section to keep up to date with the upcoming PPV and here is a highlight of last year’s event in the meantime.
TNA World Champion Moose likes what he’s seeing from his company’s working relationship with NXT and WWE. The NFL alum recently chatted with Alistair McGeorge for Metro and praised the ongoing situation as, “the best relationship that TNA’s ever had.”
TNA has worked with AEW, AAA and others throughout the years, but Moose says the talent exchange with NXT has been second-to-none. Moose says both companies are acting professionally, which is not always a given in wrestling. “There’s not one company that is being selfish,” he said.
NXT & TNA
Wrestling fans have been treated to WWE’s own version of the ‘Forbidden Door’ over the past few months. TNA Wrestling stars Jordynne Grace, Frankie Kazarian, The Rascalz, and Joe Hendry have all graced the NXT, with a strong TNA presence on this week’s NXT TV. Both The Rascalz and Joe Hendry are expected to remain in the mix for the foreseeable future.
NXT stars who have shown up in TNA include Tatum Paxley and Izzi Dame, who challenged Grace for the Knockouts World Championship. The No Quarter Catch Crew made a home in TNA, with Charlie Dempsey defeating Zachary Wentz on the latest episode of Impact. Even Drew McIntyre has teased returning to TNA, which would be quite a scene considering he’s a former TNA World Champion..
Could Moose Join WWE?
Moose has yet to appear in WWE NXT as part of this working relationship, but there’s been talk for years about him one day joining the promotion. In the interview, Moose admitted that “WWE is a place I always wanted to work for.” Should he join, Moose would be met with some familiar faces from TNA’s past including reigning Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and former TNA World Champion Drew McIntyre.
Whether Moose one day competes for WWE or not, the reigning TNA World Champion will be in action this weekend at Slammiversary. The odds will be against Moose in the six-way eliminator for his title which will see him defend against Joe Hendry, Josh Alexander, Steve Maclin, Frankie Kazarian, and Nic Nemeth. The show marks the highest gate of any TNA event over the past decade, as things are certainly heading in the right direction for Moose and all those in TNA.
The worlds of WWE and Call of Duty will collide later this month when the world’s premiere pro wrestling company “brings its best” to Call of Duty: Season 5 kicking off July 24.
WWE Superstars Cody Rhodes, Rhea Ripley and Rey Mysterio Jr. will be available to play in various game modes, including a Slam Deathmatch mode.
The WWE Superstars will have all of their signature moves in the game. Check out the Undisputed WWE Champion busting out Cross Rhodes:
?THE CROSS RHODES IS IN CALL OF DUTY AS A FINISHER?
Slam Deathmatch is a unique twist on traditional Team Deathmatch, focusing on finishing moves. While weapons can down enemies, points are only earned by executing Finishing Moves, which will be randomized WWE Finishing Moves in upcoming matches. This particular mode will be available exclusively during the in-game WWE SummerSlam event, starting on July 31.
The Call of Duty website has blog post laying out all of the Season 5 content drop for Modern Warfare III, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile.
It's about to be a smackdown ?@WWE is bringing its best to the ring in Call of Duty Season 5 starting July 24 ???? pic.twitter.com/AXkfo7Xdcl
Several WWE Supertars Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch, John Cena, and The Rock have all appeared in Fortnite. Lynch and The Undertaker also had customized skins for characters in Rainbow Six Siege.
Want more video game news including the latest about WWE 2K24 and AEW Fight Forever? Head over to our Gaming channel.
WWE’s resident ‘Mami’ Rhea Ripley is bringing the firepower in the latest trailer for season five of the latest Call of Duty video game.
In the trailer, Rousey appears in her wrestling attire as an in-game playable character and uses an assortment of guns as well as a sledgehammer. The trailer also features a wrestling ring and a variety of wrestling moves.
Rhea Ripley in Call of Duty isn’t the only unique crossover that WWE is embarking on right now. It has been confirmed that characters from Street Fighter will be part of an upcoming event in WWE Supercard. A trailer also revealed that Rey Mysterio, Xavier Woods, and Zelina Vega will receive custom cards inspired by Street Fighter characters.
Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne will be a part of WWE Champions as part of the upcoming ‘Summer of Darkness’ event. Osbourne, who was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2021, will be a character in the game and players will have the chance to collect Ozzy-themed items to progress in the Madman Collection Contest.
WWE Superstars In Non-Wrestling Games
We don’t know if any other Superstars will appear in Call of Duty but there are some wrestlers who have appeared in non-wrestling games. Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch, John Cena, and The Rock have all appeared in Fortnite. Lynch and The Undertaker also had customized skins for characters in Rainbow Six Siege.
Wrestling fans are buzzing about the Tonga Twins, Kaoz and Kona, visiting the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday. The twin sisters, formerly known as The MK Twins, wrestled a few dates for AEW in 2021 and later for WOW, where they held the tag team championships. That relationship came to an abrupt end earlier this year, with each side airing their grievances online.
For now this should not be considered anything more than a visit to the Performance Center. We’ll look into whether or not they’re receiving a tryout and will provide an update if we hear anything.
WWE has strong women’s tag divisions on Raw, SmackDown and NXT you can never have too many talented teams to create fresh match-ups that showcase each duo’s skills.
The Tonga Twins, Kaoz and Kona, made their pro wrestling debut in 2021. They’re wrestled for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and Women of Wrestling (WOW).
Will the Tonga Twins join WWE? It’s interesting to note they’ve been re-tweeting messages from WWE fans stating that Nia Jax should bring them in as her ‘backup.’ It’s not the worst idea we’ve heard today.
Netflix has announcedThe Queen of Villains, a new original series about Dump Matsumoto, the terrifying Japanese women’s wrestling heel who reigned supreme during the 1980’s. The Queen of Villains premieres September 19, 2024 on Netflix.
The Queen of Villains: Netflix / September 19, 2024
Who is Dump Matsumoto?
Dump Matsumoto, born Kaoru Matsumoto, is a semi-retired Japanese professional wrestler who became a leading figure in All Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling (AJW) during the 1980s. Renowned for her brutal and imposing in-ring style, Matsumoto quickly established herself as a formidable heel, captivating audiences with her larger-than-life villain persona.
Netflix is getting into the wrestling business in a very big way. In January 2025, WWE Raw “cuts the cord” after 32-years and moves to the world’s largest over-the-top streaming platform.
The estimated value of WWE’s deal with Netflix is approximately $5 billion over 10 years.
WWE Raw will premiere on Netflix in January 2025. As of this writing, only one person is confirmed to appear on this broadcast … “and his name is John Cena.” The WWE RAW Netflix premiere will be the first official stop on the 2025 John Cena retirement tour.
Ric Flair has a preference when it comes to who breaks his longstanding 16-time world champion streak, but would be more than honored if it was John Cena to eclipse him.
Cena made a surprise appearance at WWE Money In The Bank to announce that he’d be retiring in 2025, but not before he makes the most of the whole year. Cena aims to be at Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania before he hangs up the jorts and sneakers which could open the door for a lot of big matches for the future Hall Of Fame.
With Cena simply stating that he plans to enter the Royal Rumble match, his intentions are made clear that he has his eyes on gold. Cena is notoriously tied with Ric Flair in the amount of world championship reigns he’s had with 16, but if he were to capture one more he’d be atop of the mountain alone.
Since Cena’s announcement, it makes sense that Flair would be asked about that possibility being back on the table of John usurping him in the record books. In a recent interview with Busted Open Radio, Flair said he’d have no problem with John Cena breaking his record, but in a perfect world it would be his daughter, Charlotte Flair.
However, Flair provided further clarity on his comments, taking to social media on July 17 to make clear he’s very happy for John or for anyone that would break the record.
“There Has Been Way Too Much Attention Brought To This. Let’s Just Set The Record Straight For The Final Time. My First Choice Would Obviously Be The Queen Charlotte Flair. I Think The World Of My Friend John Cena, Who Is An Incredible Athlete & Genuine Person! I Will Be The First Person To Shake His Hand & Congratulate Him If He Breaks My Record As I Would For Anybody Who Would Break It. When That Day Comes, It Will Be An Honor! WOOOOO!”
There Has Been Way Too Much Attention Brought To This. Let’s Just Set The Record Straight For The Final Time. My First Choice Would Obviously Be The Queen @MsCharlotteWWE. I Think The World Of My Friend @JohnCena, Who Is An Incredible Athlete & Genuine Person! I Will Be The First… pic.twitter.com/C1EqPVZO5S
While Charlotte and Cena are both in contention to pass up ‘The Nature Boy’ another name nipping at the heels is Randy Orton with 14 World Championship reigns. Flair also took note of ‘The Viper’ while on Busted Open Radio. It’s been greatly implied that Orton has been eyeing up Cody Rhodes’ gold despite him being brutally attacked by The Bloodline this past Friday on SmackDown.
