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Bryan Danielson Wins 2024 Owen Hart Tournament, Earns AEW All In Title Shot

Thomas Lowson
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Bryan Danielson is officially on the road to Wembley after winning the 2024 Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament this week.

During the July 10, edition of AEW Dynamite, Danielson defeated ‘Hangman’ Adam Page in the finals of the tournament. Danielson reached the finals by defeating Shingo Takagi in the first round and besting PAC in the semi-finals. Page’s road to the finals saw him defeat Jeff Jarrett in the first round and Jay White in the semis. At 25:45, this was the longest match in the tournament and the longest match in the history of the Owen Hart Cup.

After the match, AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland appeared on the ramp for a stare-down with Danielson. By winning the tournament, Danielson has earned a World Championship opportunity against Swerve that will take place at AEW All In.

Danielson missed last year’s All In pay-per-view due to a fractured forearm injury he suffered at AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door 2023. In November of last year, it was confirmed that Danielson would be competing at All In 2024 and now fans know what exactly the American Dragon will do in Wembley Stadium.

AEW All In 2024

AEW All In 2024 will take place on August 25, from Wembley Stadium in London, England. The show will be the second AEW All In event, and the third All In event overall. Tickets for the show went on sale on December 1 and the event will be AEW’s second pay-per-view to take place outside the U.S. AEW All In 2024 was confirmed immediately following last year’s AEW All In event.

Cody Rhodes Previews AJ Styles vs. Naomichi Marufuji

Tyriece Simon
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The forbidden door reopens this weekend, as WWE Superstar AJ Styles returns to Japan to wrestle a match for Pro Wrestling NOAH. The Japanese promotion shocked the wrestling world last month by announcing Styles would be the next opponent of the legendary Naomichi Marufuji.

Styles vs. Marufuji is scheduled for July 13 at Destination from Tokyo, Japan at the Nippon Budokan. The dream match will mark the former WWE Champion’s debut in Noah and the first encounter between the legends.

Before the crossover matchup, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes spoke with NOAH to share his thoughts on the upcoming contest. He spoke highly of both wrestling legends and also credited Marufuji for inspiring his move set.

“…It’s not hyperbole to say that Marufuji, on the other side of the ring, is how important he is to modern pro wrestling and modern sports entertainment,” said Rhodes.

“I mean, if you hit the ropes behind another guy, you call that a Marufuji. That’s a Marufuji forearm. That’s what I do. It’s part of my comeback that I have in my own matches.”

Rhodes added that he’d be open to having a match against Marufuji in the future. The Undisputed WWE Universal Champion believes Styles will look to impress this weekend.

“… I can see AJ Styles, really showing out in Japan.”

– Cody Rhodes

: Cody Rhodes Previews AJ Styles vs. Naomichi Marufuji

More On AJ Styles vs. Naomichi Marufuji

Styles and Marufuji have enjoyed an ongoing successful career and are respected amongst their peers. Styles is on the short list of wrestlers who have won major titles in New Japan Pro Wrestling, TNA Wrestling, and WWE. Marufuji is a four-time GHC Heavyweight Champion and is currently on his ninth reign as a GHC Tag Team Champion.

Both fan favorites have inspired other wrestlers with their accolades and longevity in the wrestling business. This weekend, Styles and Marufuji have the opportunity to showcase why they are still among the best wrestlers in the world. In the previews of their dream match, ‘The Phenomenal One’ has expressed that he wants to tear the house down with his opponent.

NOAH’s Destination event is looking to be an event fans will not want to miss.

Naomichi Marufuji: ‘AJ Styles Is Great! I Want More WWE Stars In NOAH’

WWE MSK: What Happened To The NXT Tag Team?

Thomas Lowson
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MSK, aka The Rascalz, are back together on WWE NXT programming, and this has been quite the journey for all members of the group.

On this week’s WWE NXT, Wes Lee was in a somber mood as he reflected on his loss to North American Champion Oba Femi at Heatwave. Just as it appeared Lee was ready to say goodbye to NXT, Trey Miguel and Zachary Wentz emerged to loud T-N-A chants from the crowd. The duo reflected on their past with Lee and were able to convince him not to leave NXT behind. On the contrary, Lee, Miguel, and Wentz will face Gallus on next week’s show.

Before WWE NXT

MSK’s history dates back to December 2015 when Lee (known as Dezmond Xaiver at the time) first teamed with Wentz. After teaming for years and holding gold in CZW and AAW, the duo added Trey Miguel and Myron Reed into the group in April 2018 and dubbed themselves ‘The Rascalz.’ That same year, the group, minus reed, joined Impact Wrestling with their names shortened to Dez, Trey, and Wentz. The group became a staple of the tag-team scene though the Tag Team Championships continued to allude them. In November 2020, it was revealed that the group would be leaving Impact amid interest from both WWE and AEW.

Arriving In WWE NXT

Xavier and Wentz debuted in WWE NXT in January 2021, now under the names of Wes Lee and Nash Carter respectively, while Miguel would later return to Impact. It was during this run that Wes and Carter were dubbed MSK and wasted no time in establishing themselves as a top team in the brand. A month after their debut, MSK won the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic and by April had become the WWE NXT Tag Team Champions.

The pair held the titles for six months and would dispatch of teams like Tommaso Ciampa &Timothy Thatcher and Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch along the way. Their reign would end at the hands of Imperium at NXT Stand & Deliver in April 2022.

The Nash Carter Release

Around the time of MSK’s second tag title win, Nash Carter’s ex-wife Kimber Lee publicly claimed that she had been abused by the NXT wrestler. At the time, Dave Meltzer noted that WWE did not find Lee’s claims to be credible which is why they did not back out of plans to put the titles on the tag-team. After Kimber Lee shared a photo of Carter parodying Adolf Hitler though, the decision was made to release him and MSK was stripped of the tag titles.

Now, Nash, once again known as Zachary Wentz, is back, alongside Trey Miguel. With the WWE NXT-TNA Wrestling crossover proving a hit so far, fans can expect many more exciting moments from the trio moving forward.

Drew McIntyre Signs With Paradigm Talent Agency

Thomas Lowson
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Wrestling fans can expect to see more of Drew McIntyre outside of the ring in the years ahead. According to Joe Otterson for Variety, the three-time WWE World Champion, known as the ‘Scottish Warrior,’ has signed with the Paradigm Talent Agency.

McIntyre recently signed a new multi-year WWE contract, but this new relationship indicates he’s eager to explore opportunities in the entertainment industry, such as television and film. Paradigm represents several other WWE superstars, including Tiffany Stratton, Damian Priest, and McIntyre’s on-screen rival, CM Punk.

McIntyre is currently serving a storyline suspension from WWE after putting his hands on Adam Pearce at Money in the Bank. The WWE RAW GM has promised to meet with him this coming Monday. If he isn’t reinstated, McIntyre has teased returning to TNA Wrestling.

Drew McIntyre in The Killer’s Game

Paradigm will undoubtedly open doors for Drew McIntyre in Hollywood, but he’s already getting his feet wet in that regard. McIntyre is set to co-star in WWE alum Dave Bautista’s next film, The Killer’s Game, which hits theaters on September 13. The film also stars Terry Crews, Pom Klementieff, and Ben Kingsley.

Synopsis

A veteran assassin is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and authorizes a kill on himself. After ordering the kill, an army of former colleagues pounce and a new piece of information comes to light. Insanity ensues.

Trailer

WWE’s Natalya Reveals 4th Generation Hart Family Member is Training to Wrestle

Rayan Sayyed
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Veteran Superstar Natalya has built a legendary WWE career that began in 2007. The third generation wrestler is member of the legendary Hart family wrestling dynasty. She’s the daughter of Jim Neidhart and granddaughter of Hart Family patriarch Stu.

During a wide-ranging discussion with McKenzie Mitchell for Threads with McKenzie Mitchell, the ‘Queen of Harts’ revealed that her nephew Maddox is training to wrestle.

Maddox Neidhart is the son of Natalya’s younger sister, Kristen. He’s only 12 years old, but he’s training at Natalya and husband Tyson Kidd’s world-renowned Dungeon 2.0 training facility.

“Maddox is very inspired. I think there will be a fourth-generation Hart.”

– Natalya Neidhart to McKenzie Mitchell

Maddox Neidhart’s favorite wrestler is Jey Uso. Natalya says Jey sent Maddox a personalized video and sent him a few gifts, including a t-shirt he wore to the ring and a pair of his sunglasses.

Check out Natalya Neidhart’s appearance on Threads with McKenzie Mitchell:

Natalya Neidhart and the Hart Dynasty

Natalya Neidhart’s father Natalya’s father, Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart, married Ellie Hart, who is one of Stu Hart’s daughters. This makes Natalya a member of the Hart family through her mother. As a result of this lineage, she’s related to other famous wrestlers from the Hart family, including uncles Bret “The Hitman” Hart and Owen Hart.

Her connection to the Hart family has played a significant role in her wrestling career, as she trained in the Hart family Dungeon under her uncles Ross and Bruce Hart.

More from Natalya

In another recent interview, Natalya recalled that wrestling legend Rey Mysterio gifted her a custom-made pair of wrestling boots, which she has worn on many occasions in the ring.

Natalya also talked about which female star she admired during her early WWE days, who was a roster member and messaged Natalya on MySpace when she got hired by WWE.

The Dungeon 2.0 is WWE Veteran Natalya’s ‘Love Letter’ To Wrestling

Stephanie Vaquer Joins WWE, Shawn Michaels: “See You In Orlando!”

Thomas Lowson
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Chilean wrestling sensation Stephanie Vaquer has signed with WWE, as first reported by Record Mexico. Other outlets, including PWInsider, corroborated the report before WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels gave the official confirmation.

Shawn Michaels Welcomes Stephanie Vaquer to WWE

Michaels, WWE’s SVP of Talent Development, officially welcomed Vaquer to the family.

Wanted by WWE and AEW

Stephanie Vaquer and Mercedes Mone delivered a show-stealing performance at last month’s AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door 2024 pay-per-view. Mone was victorious, but it was Vaquer who received most of the buzz coming out of the show. Despite holding championships in Mexico, including the (since-vacated) CMLL World Women’s Championship, she received strong interest from both AEW and WWE.

Stephanie Vaquer
(AEW)

Vaquer had been a part of CMLL since 2019 and was positioned as one of the top women in the company. She made her NJPW debut in 2023 as part of the tournament to crown the inaugural NJPW Strong Women’s World Champion (won by Willow Nightingale.)

While she came up short in that tournament, Vaquer would win the gold in early 2024 from Giulia, another top female name fans can expect to see in WWE very soon.

Leaving CMLL & New Japan

On Wednesday, Lucha Libre CMLL and New Japan Pro Wrestling issued a joint CMLL-NJPW Special Announcement stating that Vaquer has informed them she will not participate in her next scheduled match due to “personal reasons.” As a result, she’s no longer associated with either promotion and been stripped of the CMLL World Women’s Championship.

“We want to inform you that Stephanie Vaquer has abruptly informed us that she will not participate, for personal reasons, in her next fight at FantasticaMania USA. As of today, he also no longer belongs to the CMLL and NJPW talent.”

A new CMLL World Women’s Champion will be crowned at FantasticaMania USA in an inter-promotional trios match. Lluvia, representing CMLL, will face Viva Van of NJPW and AEW’s Willow Nightingale for the gold. CMLL apologized to fans for the abrupt departure.

Vaquer’s Farewell

Stephanie Vaquer CMLL NJPW

Though these moves may come as something of a surprise, suspicions grew that Vaquer was parting ways with CMLL after what would become her final match for the promotion. After a recent match, Vaquer appeared emotional and embraced her opponent Tessa Blanchard

Logan Paul: ‘I’ll Become WWE Champion If I Put My Mind To It’

Thomas Lowson
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Logan Paul has already captured the WWE United States Championship, but the Maverick sees a richer prize waiting for him if he fully ‘commits’ to wrestling.

Since arriving in WWE in 2021, Paul has impressed fans with both his character work and his skills in the ring. At WWE Crown Jewel 2023, Paul captured the U.S. Championship from Rey Mysterio, albeit under controversial circumstances thanks to the use of his signature brass knuckles. At close to 250 days, Paul’s reign is the second-longest U.S. title reign of the past decade, and he is the longest reigning champion of any current title-holder in WWE today.

Logan Paul On The WWE Championship

With Paul excelling as U.S. Champion, it’s hardly a surprise that some have speculated whether more gold could be in his future. On his ImPaulsive podcast, the Maverick addressed the possibility of becoming WWE Champion.

“I’m going to do it, bro. I think I could become [WWE] champ if I just put my mind to it and commit. I like it.”

While Paul has yet to win a WWE World Championship, that’s not for lack of trying. At WWE Crown Jewel 2022, Paul came up short against then-Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns and suffered an injury in the match. He would return to action in the following January’s Men’s Royal Rumble match that was won by Cody Rhodes.

A year later, Paul shared the ring with Rhodes at WWE King And Queen Of The Ring for Cody’s Undisputed WWE Championship. Paul’s return to Saudi Arabia would not go like his U.S. title victory as he would fall short against the American Nightmare.

WWE Champion Logan Paul: Could It Happen?

The idea of putting a World Championship on Logan Paul would certainly be controversial given the lineage of the title he’d be winning. Fans will immediately point to David Arquette’s doomed WCW World Heavyweight title win in 2000 which hurt the company and the title more than it helped. Arquette, a prolific wrestling fan, was against the title change but went along with it under the hope it’d help garner interest (and money) in the Ready to Rumble film.

Unlike WCW-era Arquette, Paul has more than proven he belongs in the ring and even his most ardent of critics can’t deny his skills. As a natural heel, Paul relishes in getting fans to hate him, and having him win the title would certainly do just that. Whether WWE would be willing to withstand a potential real backlash against the company in their efforts to have Paul be a top heel, however, is the $64,000 question.

Reason WWE Teased Cody Rhodes Vs. Logan Paul Being Title For Title

AEW Dynamite Preview (7/10/24): Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Finals

Michael Reichlin
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AEW Dynamite is set for an action-packed show live from the Calgary Stampede tonight at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TBS Network. The special Stampede-themed episode from the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta will feature the finals of the 2024 Owen Hart Foundation Tournament.

Matches

Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Finals

  • Men’s Final: Bryan Danielson vs Adam Page
  • Women’s Final: Willow Nightingale vs Mariah May
  • Stampede Street Fight featuring Chris Jericho
  • Global Glory 4-Way Match featuring Claudio Castagnoli, Kyle Fletcher, PAC, and Tomohiro Ishii

Segments

Mercedes Mone Double Championship Victory Toast
  • AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland returns
  • We’ll hear from AEW International Champion Will Ospreay
  • AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Mone will host a Double Championship Victory Toast

Plus, Samoa Joe is advertised to appear.

What Happened Last Week on AEW Dynamite?

The show featured several Owen Hart Foundation Tournament matches, including Bryan Danielson defeating PAC in a semifinal bout. Willow Nightingale advanced to the women’s finals by beating Kris Statlander. In a surprising twist, “Hangman” Adam Page returned as the Young Bucks’ Wild Card pick, defeating Jeff Jarrett to end Double J’s dream of honoring his former partner.

The main event saw AEW International Champion Will Ospreay successfully defend his title against Daniel Garcia in a highly competitive match. The closing segment ended in dramatic fashion with a ‘swerve’ that we probably should have seen coming. After Garcia’s loss, MJF revealed his true colors by attacking him brutally. MJF used his Dynamite Diamond Ring to assault Garcia, leaving him bloodied and injured. The show ended with Garcia being stretchered out while Will Ospreay looked on with concern.

mjf garcia last week
Photo by Ricky Havlik for AEW

This shocking turn of events sets up potential storylines involving MJF, Garcia, and possibly Ospreay moving forward. Additionally, the episode featured appearances by other champions, including TBS and NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion Mercedes Moné, who had a heated confrontation with the returning Britt Baker.

7/3/24 AEW Video Recap

The AEW YouTube channel posted this video of recap of the show:

Cody Rhodes Reflects on Career Post-WrestleMania XL Victory

Rayan Sayyed
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Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes recently talked about his career trajectory following his monumental WrestleMania XL win over Roman Reigns, and revealed his future plans in the ring. Appearing on The Pivot Podcast, Rhodes discussed the Mount Rushmore of wrestling and his aspirations to secure his place among the industry’s legends.

Rhodes stated that after achieving significant milestones in his professional wrestling career, he looks up to industry icons like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and John Cena, comparing his “numbers and stats” with theirs to ensure he matches or even surpasses their achievements.

“There’s even like a post-WrestleMania blues psychology-wise, like what’s the next thing? So I always need a task; what’s my specific task? And that’s an area where I look to Steve Austin and I look to John Cena who are the lead dogs.

This is not me in my ego, I have this [the championship], so I’m currently in front of the pack, right?
I’m the lead dog, as long as I have this. I want to make sure that my numbers — and it’s not the most emotional goal or anything — but I want to make sure my numbers and stats match theirs or supersede theirs because you can’t argue with that.”

Cody Rhodes on his career aspirations after WrestleMania XL win.

After ‘Finishing The Story’ at WrestleMania, Cody Rhodes defended his title at Backlash France against AJ Styles and at King and Queen of the Ring against Logan Paul. On May 31, AJ Styles attacked Rhodes during what seemed like a retirement speech. Rhodes later defeated Styles in an “I Quit” match at Clash at the Castle, but was assaulted by The Bloodline afterward, with Randy Orton and Kevin Owens making the save.

On June 21, Rhodes faced Solo Sikoa in a match that ended in disqualification due to Bloodline interference, followed by the debut of Jacob Fatu. At Money in the Bank, The Bloodline (Sikoa, Tama Tonga, and Fatu) defeated Rhodes, Orton, and Owens in a six-man tag match, with Rhodes being pinned by Sikoa.

The American Nightmare was recently featured in the Video announcing the return of WWE Bad Blood. Check out the details here.

What Do WWE Talent Make Of AEW’s Perceived High-Injury Rate?

Thomas Lowson
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WWE talent have hardly been surprised by the perceived high level of injuries that have occurred in AEW, it has been reported.

While injuries are a work hazard for any professional wrestler, many have pointed at Tony Khan’s promotion for having a higher rate of injuries than other companies of its size. Currently, top names including Adam Cole, Adam Copeland, and Jamie Hayter are all out of action with injuries. Bryan Danielson has seen much of his AEW run disrupted due to injuries and similar setbacks also caused issues throughout CM Punk’s All-Elite tenure.

Riho Confirms Arm Injury After AEW Return Match

WWE Talent On AEW Injuries

Talent in WWE have not been surprised by the apparent high rate of injuries in AEW, Mike Johnson of PW Insider reports. The belief is that instead of lowering the risk of injuries, AEW’s more relaxed schedule which sees talent compete maybe once or twice a week is actually making their situation worse. The reasoning is that with long breaks between matches, AEW talent aren’t able to callus their bodies which has resulted in bumps and moves hurting more. In contrast, WWE hosts events almost every night of the week which keeps talent toughened up in the long term.

WWE Superstars were forced to wrestle much less during the COVID-19 pandemic when events happened behind closed doors, either at the Performance Center on inside the Thunderdome. The report adds that talent felt “off” by a few steps after touring resumed in July 2021 but were pleased that they would finally be able to compete more and therefore callus their bodies.

Bayley was an unfortunate victim of this situation as mere weeks before touring resumed, she suffered an injury during training. The Role Model, who had been considered a highlight of the Pandemic Era, would miss a year of in-ring action before returning to TV at SummerSlam 2022.

While it may seem antithetical, it appears wrestling more is decreasing the chances of injuries, at least when it comes to WWE talent. While AEW has flirted with untelevised shows in the past, it remains to be seen if the promotion will ever have a schedule close to WWE.

Chuck Taylor’s Career-Ending Injury Reportedly Legitimate

Finn Balor: I’d Love To Work With The Wyatt Sicks

Bishal Roy
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The Judgment Day member Finn Balor is willing to work with the cryptic group, Wyatt Sicks.

Finn Balor recently joined in for an interview on the What’s The Story podcast and shed light on possibly getting involved with the group led by Uncle Howdy. He is eager to work with them and believes they could create some great moments.

However, he clarified that he wouldn’t bring back his ‘Demon’ persona for the potential storyline. ‘Demon King’ or ‘Demon has been Balor’s alter-ego, possessing supernatural powers. The former WWE Universal Champion said that he wanted to keep his Finn Balor character as a heel and the Demon character as a babyface.

“I’d love to work with The Wyatt Sicks. I feel like we could do some cool s**t there… I would like to keep Finn as a heel and The Demon as the babyface and not blur the lines at all.

Poor execution

finn balor demon1

Following a successful showcase of Demon character in NXT, Balor introduced the character on the main roster. He has been using it rarely and saved it for big matches. While he usually won matches in his Demon character, things haven’t been going in favor of the gimmick in recent years.

The ‘Demon’ endured a loss against Roman Reigns and the last time Balor donned the body and face paint was at WrestleMania 39 when he faced Edge in a Hell In A Cell match. However, he suffered another loss at the show.

During the podcast, Balor said that the Demon character hasn’t been executed well in the recent years. He said:

“But it’s so hard and I feel like The Demon’s kind of something that we haven’t executed very well the last couple years and I’d rather not-not do it than do it in a way that I’m not happy with so, and look, in six years time, they can throw me out there in Demon paint and I’ll do the entrance.

Balor said that he might be performing in Demon gimmick again in the future but he is enjoying his current run as a heel. He might add more layers to his current character in comparison to his straightforward Demon gimmick. He explained:

“But now, Finn’s having too much fun and I feel like I can give a lot more layers as a heel Finn than The Demon. The Demon’s just very straight-forward. He’s like a bulldozer. He just goes straight for the kill, where Finn’s a little bit more sneaky and there’s more story arcs you can tell with Finn versus a supernatural Demon so…”

Finn Balor is one-half of the WWE World Tag Team Champions with JD McDonagh. Well, we might witness the return of Demon in the future as he is not leaving WWE anytime soon.

Chris Jericho Comments On John Cena Announcing His Retirement Tour

Bishal Roy
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Pro wrestling veteran Chris Jericho feels that fans have a great time ahead of them as John Cena announced his farewell tour before hanging up his boots.

Chris Jericho recently made an appearance on McGuire on Wrestling podcast and he was asked to share his insights on Cena’s retirement tour. It was mentioned to the former WWE star that Cena’s retirement means he has outlasted the 16-time World Champion. While Jericho agreed, he reckoned that John Cena always had a great connection with his fans and it’s an amazing way to end his career.

“My career is already longer than John Cena’s. No, I mean it’s great. John’s always had a great love for wrestling and he’s got a great connection with the fans, so I think it’s a cool way to go about it.”

‘The Learning Tree’ is certain that Cena will be focused on ensuring that the retirement plans turn out well and he believes fans will enjoy watching Cena back in the squared circle for his final run. He said:

“People know that this is it, and John’s not the type of guy to say anything lightly, so I’m sure he’s been focused on this and working with the company to make sure it’s right. I’m sure it’s going to be a really great year-and-a-half for Cena fans and for John Cena himself.”

John Cena’s retirement

‘The Leader of Cenation’ made his surprise return during last Saturday’s WWE Money In The Bank PLE at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. He shocked the fans when he announced that he decided to hang up his boots next year. He didn’t specify when and where he would compete in his final match.

However, he made it clear that next year will be his last time competing at the Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania. During the post-show press conference, he further shared details of his upcoming farewell tour.

‘Brawl Under The Bridge’ Continues An Annual Wrestling Tradition

Dominic DeAngelo
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Pittsburgh is a city steeped in wrestling tradition and the “City Of Bridges” is continuing a new one for the pro wrestling world.

“Brawl Under The Bridge” is entering it’s ninth year in the Homestead neighborhood of Pittsburgh and the event name is as advertised. The event, which takes place on July 13, occurs under the Homestead Grays Bridge. The vibe of the fight is more of a communal event for the whole area with beer stands and sandwiches from the Steel City.

The Keystone State Wrestling Alliance have aligned with comic book artist Frank Cundiff, who always had an interest in putting on a pro wrestling event and he came up with a fresh idea with strong Pittsburgh ties.

RELATED: Park To Be Renamed In Honor Of Bruno Sammartino

“I worked on comics before I started the event, and I was familiar with the area because I was also the sound guy for Oyster Fest that was held at the Homestead-Grays bridge.”

The event will be headlined by ‘The Face Of Pittsburgh’ Lou Martin as he’ll defend his KSWA Championship against Freek E. Doyle. Also, former ECW and WCW talent T-Rantula will be in action for the Brawl Under The Bridge title. Also on the card is Shane Starr taking on Shawn Blanchard in a Steel City strap match.

Martin and KSWA have been running for years and the champ knows how special “Brawl Under The Bridge” is for the promotion and for the area.

“The venue for the event under the historic Homestead Grays Bridge is pretty unique for an event,” Martin said. “The bridge just adds to the overall aura of the event as a whole.”

In the past, Brawl Under The Bridge featured notable wrestling names like Nikolai Volkoff, Doink The Clown and more.

RELATED: Bruno Sammartino Statue Unveiled In Pizzoferrato, Italy (Video)

2 Years After Leaving Wrestling, NXT Alum ACH Is Returning

Thomas Lowson
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Former WWE NXT Superstar ACH will make his return to the ring this month, close to two years after his previous wrestling match.

ACH, who competed as Jordan Myles in WWE NXT, will compete for SCW Pro Wrestling on Saturday, July 13, at the company’s Red, White, and Bruised event. SCW Pro’s Twitter account shared the news and the match will mark ACH’s debut for the company and he will face Shain Boucher. Boucher is a graduate of the Black & Brave Academy run by WWE’s Seth Rollins and has competed for SCW Pro for years.

SCW Pro Red, White, and Bruised will take place at the Blue Grass Community in Blue Grass, Iowa. Doors will open at 6:30 pm local time with the show set to begin at 7pm. Tickets for the show begin at $10.

ACH

ACH, full name Albert Christian Hardie Jr. joined WWE NXT in February 2019 and expectations were high for his time with the company. In the finals of that year’s Breakout Tournament, Jordan Myles defeated Cameron Crimes, earning himself a future championship opportunity. Myles chose to challenge then-WWE NXT Champion Adam Cole but was defeated in September of that year.

The following month, controversy spawned when WWE released Myles’ first t-shirt which showed his name surrounded by the shape of a mouth. Though it was said to be inspired by The Rollins Stones logo, many, including Myles, said it resembled blackface and the NXT Superstar accused WWE of racism. He would also accuse ROH (where he had previously worked) of racism and claimed former ROH World Champion Jay Lethal was an ‘Uncle Tom.’ ACH released a video in November saying he’d quit WWE as he “refused to work for racists” and his release was confirmed by WWE that same month.

Booker T On Jordan Myles’ Quitting Video: “He’s Doing Himself An Injustice”

Outside of WWE, ACH has competed for Impact Wrestling, Lucha Libre AAA, Ring of Honor, New Japan Pro Wrestling, NOAH, and other promotions. This week’s match will be his first match since September 2022, when he, Mark Andrews, and Jah-C defeated Kyle Fletcher, Mark Davis, and Zachary Wentz.

Naomichi Marufuji: ‘AJ Styles Is Great! I Want More WWE Stars In NOAH’

Thomas Lowson
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AJ Styles may not be the only WWE Superstar competing in NOAH this year if the promotion’s very own Naomichi Marufuji has anything to say about it.

The Phenomenal former WWE Champion will wrestle at NOAH’s Destination 2024 on July 13 against Marufuji. Despite a lofty career in Japan, this match will be Styles’ first time competing for NOAH. Marufuji on the other hand, has spent close to a quarter of a century with NOAH after debuting in 2000. He is a four-time GHC Heavyweight Champion and was appointed NOAH’s Vice President in 2009.

Marufuji Wants More WWE Talent

Sitting down with Planeta Wrestling, Marufuji discussed the upcoming match with Styles. The NOAH President was excited to step into the ring with the former WWE World Champion (h/t Fightful.)

“He (Styles) is a great fighter in every way and one of the best in the world. I want the fans to really enjoy my exchanges during the match with him, and I think we can achieve that.”

Marufuji added that he is interested in all WWE Superstars as potential names for NOAH events, but isn’t sure he’s ready to one day work a WWE show.

“I am interested in all WWE wrestlers. I want to invite several wrestlers to compete in the NOAH ring. To compete in the WWE ring, I think I need more training before that, so I can’t say I want to do it right now.”

Marufuji is certainly interested in doing much more with WWE which would have seemed impossible just a few years ago. The company’s new administration has been more open to working with other promotions including Rossy Ogawa’s Marigold, Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport, and TNA Wrestling. These crossovers have left fans very excited to see what’s to come and fans can expect much more to come in the future.

TNA’s The Rascalz Appear On 7/9 WWE NXT, Joe Hendry Wins Main Event

Report: WWE NXT No Mercy 2024 Set For 9/1 in Denver, Colorado

Thomas Lowson
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The iconic No Mercy pay-per-view will be returning this September as an upcoming Premium Live Event for WWE NXT.

NXT No Mercy 2024 will take place on September 1, from Denver, Colorado, PW Insider reports. At this time, no matches have been confirmed for the event. Before that show, WWE NXT will play host to its Great American Bash event that will take place on August 6, on SyFy. The show has been moved from the USA Network, which will instead be covering the Summer Olympic Games.

WWE NXT No Mercy

WWE’s first No Mercy event took place in the UK in May 1999 and the U.S. version of the event took place in October that same year. The show ran each year from then on until 2009 before returning as PLE in 2016 and 2017.

In 2023, WWE once again revived the No Mercy show, this time as an event exclusive to NXT. In the main event, then-NXT Women’s Champion Becky Lynch retained her title against Tiffany Stratton in a brutal Extreme Rules match.

NXT No Mercy is one of several events from the gold brand to make use of a historic name. WWE Battleground was a staple of the main roster for years before being reintroduced as an NXT event, with the most recent show of its kind taking place last month.

WWE NXT also uses the ‘In Your House’ brand from time to time. The name was used in the 1990s to promote WWE pay-per-views that were not as significant as the ‘Big 4’ and therefore had a cheaper price tag. WWE even brought back former broadcaster Todd Pettengil to promote NXT In Your House, as seen in the clip below.

WWE NXT’s most recent PLE, Heatwave, also comes from wrestling’s past. From 1994 to 2000, the name was used by ECW and fittingly took place during the summer. Each October, fans can expect to see NXT Halloween Havoc, a name that stems from World Championship Wrestling.

With these shows, and the return of NXT No Mercy, WWE has shown its willingness to embrace the past. And with WWE recently filing trademarks for the name of WCW events, fans may not have seen the last of old shows being given a new spotlight in WWE’s gold brand.

WWE Files More Trademarks For Classic WCW Terminology

TNA’s The Rascalz Appear On 7/9 WWE NXT, Joe Hendry Wins Main Event

Thomas Lowson
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Those tuning into this week’s WWE NXT will have no choice but to believe in Joe Hendry after he emerged victorious in the show’s main event.

In the main event of the show, Hendry teamed with Trick Williams to face Shawn Spears and new WWE NXT Champion ‘All Ego’ Ethan Page. Hendry got one of the loudest pops of the night as he was introduced as Trick’s mystery opponent.

Not only did Hendry compete in the main event of the post-Heatwave edition of NXT, but he also got the win for his team. Hendry pinned Shawn Spears and celebrated with Trick Williams to close out the show.

On Twitter, WWE NXT General Manager Ava was pleased that the fans were happy that she had been able to book the popular TNA Wrestling star for the show.

Hendry’s appearance at the show was not entirely a surprise. In the closing moments of WWE NXT Heatwave, Hendry was shown on the broadcast, teasing his return to NXT. A promo video for this week’s episode of WWE NXT also featured Hendry, implying that his return would be happening very soon.

This week’s show marks Hendry’s second time competing in WWE NXT after previously being part of a battle royal to determine the number one contender for the NXT Championship. Fans should get used to seeing him in WWE’s gold brand as Hendry will be a focal point of the TNA-NXT crossover moving forward.

The Rascalz In WWE NXT

This week’s WWE NXT also saw Wes Lee address his loss to North American Champion Oba Femi at Heatwave. As the popular Lee waxed about his career and his shortcomings, it appeared that Wes was ready to leave NXT. If so, his farewell speech was interrupted by TNA’s The Rascalz (Zachary Wentz & Trey Miguel.) Lee was part of the group before joining WWE NXT and the two remaining members were able to convince Lee not to leave NXT behind.

Not only did The Rascalz reunite, but the group will be in action as a trio next week. Lee, Wentz, and Miguel will ride once more to take on Gallus during the July 16, episode of WWE NXT.

TNA vs. NXT Match Set for this Thursday on TNA iMPACT

Big Strong Boy Down: WWE’s Tyler Bate Undergoes Surgery

Nick Lombardi
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Former United Kingdom Champion Tyler Bate hasn’t been seen on WWE TV since the July 2nd edition of NXT when he and his New Catch Republic brother Pete Dune faced off against the team of Hank Walker and Tank Ledger.

During the later stages of the match, Bate could be seen favoring his right arm, with WWE fans hoping that it was just some of the top-notch selling they’ve come to expect from the Englishman. Unfortunately, the pain on Bate’s face was very honest, as he announced on social media he was legitimately injured during the bout.

In a short post on Instagram, Tyler Bate announced that he had torn his “…left pectoral major & tendon off the bone”.

“Surgery yesterday was successful and all has been put back where it belongs. I’ll be gone for some time while I recover..”

Bate would follow this up by stating that he had undergone successful surgery on Monday, July 8th, and that he would be out of commission for quite some time.

There is no definitive timeline for how long Bate might be sidelined with his injury. A close comparison would be when WWE Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes suffered a similar injury shortly before WWE Hell In A Cell in late 2022. Rhodes would ultimately miss eight months of action due to the injury.

However, recovery times vary from person to person and can be influenced by numerous factors. In simple terms, it’s impossible to predict a definite timeline for recovery.

From all of us at SEScoops, we wish Tyler Bate a speedy recovery and tons of luck on his journey back to in-ring competition.

Finn Bálor Details New 5-Year WWE Contract: “Fingers Crossed They Don’t Fire Me”

Nick Lombardi
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Finn Bálor has signed a new long-term deal with WWE that will keep him with the world’s top wrestling promotion for man years to come. The 42-year-old star has been with WWE for over a decade. The Prince of The Judgement Day faction inked his first contract to join NXT back in May 2014.

In April, nearly a decade later, the former WWE Universal Champion revealed on social media that he he’d re-signed with the Stamford-based promotion, exclaiming that he “…ain’t going nowhere.”

During an appearance on the What’s The Story Podcast, Finn Bálor reveals

During his time on the program, Bálor revealed that his new contract with WWE is a 5-year deal, meaning the star’s contract would expire when he’s 47. During his conversation on the show, Bálor detailed his thought process before signing his new contract, even going as far as to say that he thought his run in WWE may have ended.

Finn Bálor’s New WWE Deal

The Irish-born star mentioned that he wanted to remain in WWE and expressed excitement about his future with the company.

“Yeah, another extension for five years…I’m super excited. You never know. I remember when I was 20, and I was like, ‘If I make it to 30, I’ll be doing well.’ Then, you’re in your 40’s, and I’m like, ‘Sh*t, do they want me to keep doing this? Am I able to keep doing it? How is the body going to feel?’ We sat down and had a couple of conversations, and the feelings were mutual. I wanted to stay; they wanted me to stay. We hashed it out, and I couldn’t be happier.”

Uncertainty

Despite all the success he’s achieved throughout his entire career, Bálor admits he wasn’t sure if he and WWE would reach an agreement to work together in the future. He wanted to remain with WWE, but feared his time as a WWE Superstar may be cut short.

“It was a weird time… It was six months to when my contract was coming up. ‘Sh*t, is It the end of my run? Is it time to move on?’ Ten years is incredible… Now, I’m ten years in with another five years to go; fingers crossed they don’t fire me. It’s a pretty wild journey.”

In his over 10-year career with WWE, Finn Bálor has accumulated an impressive resume as a member of the main roster and in the original “Black & Gold” days of NXT. Bálor became a Grand Slam champion in September 2023 and has feuded with some of the biggest names in WWE History. As of this writing, he’s one-half of the reigning World Tag Team Champions alongside JD McDonagh.

Listen to Finn Bálor’s appearance on the What’s the Story? podcst:

Ozzy Osbourne Coming to WWE Champions Game In ‘Summer of Darkness’

Thomas Lowson
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Rock legend and WWE Hall of Famer Ozzy Osbourne will make his presence known in the WWE Champions mobile game for the upcoming ‘Summer of Darkness’ event.

The 75-year-old English music legend will feature prominently in the event which will feature a brand-new character of Osbourne. Players will also have the chance to chase four new Superstars throughout the month. Players can collect Ozzy-themed items to progress in the Madman Collection Contest, including a poster of the rock star. Players who obtain his Poster can use him in his weekly 24-hour Tour and Showdown to earn additional rewards and progress toward unlocking the new Superstars.

WWE Champions is a puzzle game released in January 2017 that features RPG elements. The game was developed by Kung Fu Factory and published by Scopely for iPhone, iPad, and Android.

Ozzy Osbourne And WWE

The Prince of Rock’s tenure with WWE dates back to 1986 when he appeared in the corner of The British Bulldogs. The duo of Davey Boy Smith and Davey Boy Smith defeated The Dream Team (Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake) to capture the WWF World Tag Team Championships. Osbourne appeared several times for WWE in the 2000s, including as a guest host of Monday Night Raw in 2009 alongside his wife Sharon.

Osbourne’s tracks have also been used for WWE events, including War Pigs which has been used for events featuring the iconic WarGames match. For his efforts in entertainment and WWE, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2021 as that year’s celebrity inductee.

Will Ospreay On The WWE Entrance Song That Changed His Life

Dominic DeAngelo
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Will Ospreay has an ecletic taste in music, but his wrestling fandom runs as deep as his affection for his favorite songs.

Speaking with Kerrang, ‘The Billy Goat’ listed 10 different songs that have changed his life and you better believe that one of them was a classic pro wrestling entrance song.

In addition to ABBA, Oasis, Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers, Will Ospreay listed Jim Johnston’s “I Won’t Do What You Tell Me” as the song that reminded him of his “first love” and that love so happened to be the one true sport. If you’re not familiar with the song titles “I Won’t Do What You Tell Me” is Stone Cold Steve Austin’s theme. Ospreay gives his reasoning as to why he chose Austin’s infamous song that begins with breaking glass.

“From the first time I heard that glass breaking as a kid, and saw the audience go crazy as this guy just ran to the ring and beat everybody up, I was like, ‘Oh, wow, wrestling is cool!’ I don’t actually remember when the first time was that I heard that track specifically, but it was during the Austin vs. McMahon era. I’ll always remember the time in 2001 when [the old] WWF bought WCW [with the ensuing Invasion storyline] and Austin being a big part of that.”

RELATED: Will Ospreay Embraces Autism as His Wrestling ‘Superpower’

Austin’s theme was previously noted to be inspired by Rage Against The Machine’s “Bulls On Parade” and it’s arguably one of the greatest wrestling entrance songs of all time. In credit to Ospreay, he has himself a pretty catchy tune in AEW that cultivates that soccer chant mentality.

In the interview, Ospreay said that Oasis’ “Live Forever” is a tune that gets him pumped up for the wrestling ring. Funny enough, he got inspired by watching Oasis perform at Wembley, something he did in 2023 and something he’s planning to do in 2024.

RELATED: AEW Rumors: Massive Will Ospreay match not planned

ESPN Announcer Joe Tessitore Joining WWE This Summer

Dominic DeAngelo
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WWE is boosting up it’s commentary bullpen in a big way with famed ESPN announcer Joe Tessitore. In a press release sent in to SEScoops, the company touted him as, “one of the most versatile and veteran voices in sports television. 

He join the company as a play-by-play broadcaster beginning this summer working alongside analysts Wade Barrett and Corey Graves. Michael Cole and Pat McAfee will remain teamed up.

Tessitore has been a lifelong wrestling fan. He’s been gearing up for this opportunity and expresses the utmost respect for the WWE Superstars and broadcasters he’ll be working alongside.

“It’s an honor to be a part of WWE.  The recent success and trajectory are undeniable,” said Tessitore. “Being there at WrestleMania XL, one could feel it – from Cody, Seth, Roman and The Rock, to creative and production, these are some of the very best storytellers in TV.  Corey and Wade are absolute stars and it is my privilege to join their team. Pat and Cole are just magical together and Cole is the greatest to ever sit in that chair.  As a lifelong viewer, I’m humbled to join this team and to serve our fans.”

Triple H on Joe Tessitore Joining WWE

WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque had this to say in the press release:

“Whether it’s a world title fight that’s got the globe buzzing or a college football rivalry that’s grabbed the nation’s attention, Joe’s voice provides that big event feel each time he is behind the microphone.

We’re excited for Joe to join legendary WWE broadcaster Michael Cole and our esteemed announce team, bringing his signature energy and meticulous preparation to our WWE telecasts each week.”

Over the past few months, Graves has steered the SmackDown ship as the lead play-by-play man with Barrett being on color commentary. Graves didn’t miss a beat in the new role as his usual broadcast partner Michael Cole joined up with Pat McAfee on WWE RAW.

WWE’s Pat McAfee & Stephen A. Smith Have ‘Explosive’ Argument Over ESPN Plans

Tessitore has a notorious commentary past in the fight game. He’s been the go-to voice for boxing on ESPN, led their Monday Night Football coverage and called College Football Playoff games.

If you peel back the relationship layers, Tessitore signing with WWE makes plenty of sense has he has a long history with WWE CEO Nick Khan. Khan actually used to be the super agent for Tessitore and now the two will be under the WWE banner together.

Experienced sports commentary names outside of WWE haven’t always been successful when they sit behind the pro wrestling commentary table. Mike Adamle and Adnan Virk both assumed play-by-play roles on WWE RAW and unfortunately, both didn’t last long.

WWE RAW Video Highlights: July 8th 2024

Stephanie Vaquer Has Significant Time Left on Current CMLL Deal

Rayan Sayyed
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After a recent report suggested that Stephanie Vaquer is set to leave CMLL with interest from WWE and AEW, a new report claims the female wrestler actually has significant time left on her current CMLL deal.

According to Luchablog, the length of the current CMLL World Women’s Champion’s contract is “not expected to matter much,” as the promotion has granted permission to other wrestlers in the past if they receive a big offer from an American promotion.

The blog also noted that Vaquer has a “lot of loyalty” towards CMLL, but the promotion won’t be able to match what AEW and WWE could offer.

The interest from WWE and AEW stems from Vaquer’s performance at the AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door event. While she lost the NJPW Strong Women’s title to Mercedes Mone, her performance has sparked significant interest from these companies.

Vaquer has been part of CMLL since 2019, has held the CMLL World Women’s Tag Team Championship, and is currently in her first reign as CMLL World Women’s Champion.

Record reported that WWE and AEW executives approached Stephanie Vaquer after her performance at Forbidden Door. Vaquer is expected to decide which company to join in the coming days. The deal is anticipated to be a multi-year agreement.

As of now, Vaquer is set to defend her CMLL World Women’s Championship against Lluvia at FantasticaMania USA 2024 on Saturday, July 31.

Real American Beer: Hulk Hogan Did Not Fire Ambassador For Being Black

Thomas Lowson
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Hulk Hogan did not fire an ambassador for Real American Beer for being black, a spokesperson for the beverage range has stated.

Recently, Essence Jenai made the accusation against the two-time WWE Hall of Famer that he had fired her after learning she is a black woman. Jenai shared images of herself with Hogan and Real American Beer, proving that she had been connected to the Hulkster at one time.

@essencejenai

@Hulk Hogan thanks for making it clear that you don’t work with BLACK brand ambassadors. #fypage #hulkhogan #brandambassador

? Shake Dat Ass (Twerk Song) – BossMan Dlow

Hogan has not commented publicly on the accusation against him. Similarly, WWE has not made a public statement on the accusation. A spokesperson for Real American Beer said the following:

“We are deeply troubled by the false rumor circulating on social media that a brand ambassador hired by a third-party marketing agency was terminated by Hulk Hogan for racial reasons. Real American Beer simply terminated its short-term relationship with the third-party marketing agency. Hulk Hogan was not involved in that decision, and race was not a factor. We are in communication with the agency in an attempt to clear the misunderstanding and incorrect information, and believe that this false statement will be withdrawn.”

In 2015, Hogan was fired from WWE after racist remarks made in 2007 were shared online. In that video, Hogan disapproved of the idea of his daughter Brooke dating a black man and used the N-word during his rant. Hogan added that he is “a racist, to a point.” In addition to being fired from WWE, Hogan was removed from the promotion’s Hall of Fame and gave an apology to People Magazine. He was re-added to the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018 and has made sporadic appearances for the company ever since.

MJF: Hulk Hogan Is A Lying Racist, But Changed Wrestling

Trish Stratus Explains Why She Chose To Leave WWE In 2006

Anutosh Bajpai
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Trish Stratus is one of the most iconic professional wrestlers in the history of the business and people remember many moments from her career to this day. Though it’s surprising to know that her full-time run in wrestling lasted only 6 years and Stratus had chosen to retire from active competition when she was only 30.

The WWE Hall of Famer recently had an interview with Inside The Ropes. She talked about things such as her storyline with Vince McMahon, her rivalry with Lita, and more.

On the topic of her decision to leave WWE in 2006, the former Women’s Champion was asked if she was satisfied with her decision at the time. Trish explained that she got a lot of time to think about it before making the call:

“Yeah, at the time I was definitely very confident in my decision. I felt very fulfilled in my career at that point, and had a good look at it. It wasn’t like I was yanked out of it, and was like, ‘Oh, I wait. I didn’t have that moment,’

I had the chance, luckily, to decide, ‘Am I going to sign or not sign?’ Listen, my mom was diagnosed with cancer, and that was one of the deciding factors that I was like, the universe is telling me it’s time to go.”

I Was Ready To Move On: Trish Stratus

Trish Stratus explained that she was already contemplating the idea of retirement and her mom’s illness made the decision clearer. The former champion also mentioned how she had worked with all the top women in the roster so she didn’t leave with the idea of any unfinished business:

“I mean, I was already playing with the idea of like re-signing or not, but my mom getting cancer, knowing that if I was on the road in that schedule, I could not be with her for her treatment and that journey. And for me, yeah, I looked at the roster, looked at the women we have that can work.

I’ve worked luckily, been blessed to have worked these great storylines and long storylines and really juicy storylines with Jazz and Victoria and Molly. Have these things that people remember to this day. This rivalry that people remember. So I was like, ‘I feel good.’ Like, I feel like I’m good. I was 30 years old, and I was ready. I was ready to move on.”

The wrestling veteran had the final match of her original WWE run at the 2006 Unforgiven PPV in September. She defeated Lita in the PPV held in her hometown of Toronto to win her record seventh women’s title and retired as a champion.

Trish Stratus has continued her association with WWE and continued making sporadic appearances. She most recently hosted the Money In The Bank PPV where the company teased a match between her and Tiffany Stratton.

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