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Liv Morgan Very Pleased To See Rhea Ripley’s WWE Raw Return

Thomas Lowson
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Liv Morgan may be more pleased to see Rhea Ripley return to WWE TV than she let on during the July 8, 2024, edition of WWE Monday Night Raw.

In the show’s main event, Morgan and Dominik Mysterio teamed to defeat the LWO’s Rey Mysterio and Zelina Vega. After the match, it appeared Dominik was going to give in to Morgan’s advances until Ripley made her return after months off of TV. Her comeback saw Morgan scurry to the back while Raw went off the air with a tense face-off between Ripley and Dirty Dom.

Liv Morgan Reacts to Rhea Ripley’s Return

The WWE Women’s World Champion was able to avoid a run-in with Ripley and seemed somewhat pleased to see her nemesis back on TV after Raw went off the air. In a backstage clip, Morgan was seen smiling as she watched Ripley verbally lay into ‘Dirty Dom.’

Could Morgan be grinning at the tensions between Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley that fans saw at the end of the show? Morgan has hardly been subtle in her efforts to woo Dominik and these tensions could see Mysterio fall closer in line with the Champ. The question, however, remains as to whether Liv genuinely cares for Mysterio, or if her affections are merely a plot to take even more from Rhea Ripley.

Ripley’s return comes after suffering a shoulder injury in April during a backstage attack by Liv that also ended Ripley’s tenure as WWE Women’s World Champion. Ironically, Morgan herself missed months of action due to an attack by Ripley and has therefore shown no remorse for causing the Australian’s injury. All we know for certain now is that this unlikely love triangle will be a focal point going forward on WWE Raw.

Liv Morgan Efforts To “Save” Her Family Led To Early Struggles & Pressure In WWE NXT

Rey Mysterio Breaks 12-Year Record With 7/8 WWE Raw Performance

Thomas Lowson
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Rey Mysterio has another historic accolade to his legendary career after competing during the July 8, edition of WWE Monday Night Raw.

The show from Ottawa, Canada saw Mysterio team with LWO ally Zelina Vega to face his son ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio and WWE Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan. Despite Dominik being hesitant to team with Liv, the pair would work well together. The finish saw Morgan knock Rey from the top rope, giving Dom the chance to hit the frog splash and get his first-ever win over his father.

The match may not have gone Rey’s way, but Mysterio did make history in the process. This bout marked Rey’s 33rd match on WWE TV since being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2023. Mysterio now holds the record for the most WWE TV matches of any Hall of Famer after being inducted.

The previous was held by Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler who competed 32 times on WWE TV following his induction on the eve of WrestleMania 23 in March 2007. Lawler’s 32nd match would come on the September 10, 2012, Raw, mere hours before Lawler would suffer a heart attack while sat at the commentary table.

H/T to @WWEStats for uncovering this stat. Stay tuned to SEScoops for more interesting wrestling facts and statistics.

Rey Mysterio: Hall of Famer

Mysterio’s induction into the WWE Hall of Fame is just one of the many elite clubs that the Master of the 619 is a part of. In 2007, Rey was the inaugural inductee into the AAA Hall of Fame alongside the posthumous induction of AAA founder Antonio Peña. In 2010, wrestling fans voted for Rey to be inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame. That year’s class included Rey, Chris Jericho, and the posthumously inducted Wladek Zbyszko.

The Future Of Rey Mysterio

The WWE Hall of Famer may have another record to his name, but time is running out for Rey to add highlights to his legendary career. Mysterio has spoken openly in recent years that his time in the ring is coming to an end. In 2023, Mysterio, who is 49, said that he does not intend to wrestle past 50, suggesting that his career will end very soon.

Though Rey’s career in the ring will be ending in the relatively near future, his time in WWE won’t be over after he hangs up his boots. Rey signed a five-year deal with WWE in 2023 that should keep him around until he is 54 years old. It is possible that Mysterio could wrestle past 50 and if not, WWE would no doubt benefit from keeping Mysterio around in some kind of backstage role, possibly as a trainer in WWE NXT. 

Rey Mysterio Will Retire When His Best Is Not Enough

AJ Lee Confirms Several Upcoming Projects Amid WWE Rumors

Anutosh Bajpai
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AJ Lee has confirmed several upcoming projects under her Scrappy Hearts production company amid rumors about her potential WWE return.

The former Divas Champion was interviewed by Screen Rant during the Tribeca Film Festival. She was there promoting her new movie Sacramento starring Michael Angarano, Michael Cera, and Kristen Stewart in lead roles.

During the interview, Lee real name April Mendez, was asked if she has any projects in the works under her Scrappy Heart Productions banner. The former WWE star revealed that they have several projects ready to be launched with the goal of telling stories of underrepresented communities:

“We have an original comic book coming out very soon, and we have a short film that is about to hit the festival circuit and a horror movie that is next in list and ready to go.

So we are really excited to show you what we have at Scrappy Heart Productions. We’re trying to represent underrepresented communities, like my, like the Latino community. We want us to be the stars of our own stories and we’re really fighting for that.”

Scrappy Hearts Production is a company AJ Lee started with Aimee Garcia. Garcia is known for her roles in shows such as Lucifer and How To Train Your Dragon.

A potential WWE return for the former champion has been a topic of discussion among fans since her husband, CM Punk returned to the company last year at Survivor Series.

The repeated mention of Lee in Punk’s ongoing feud with Drew McIntyre has only added fuel to the fire and there were even rumors that AJ could make an appearance at last Saturday’s Money In The Bank PPV.

Though when asked about it in the post-show media scrum, Punk had alluded to all the projects his wife was working on. The latest comments from the former WWE star only further confirm that she is not very likely to make time from her busy schedule for a wrestling comeback.

Backstage Reaction To Chelsea Green’s Money in the Bank Performance

Thomas Lowson
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Chelsea Green may not have left Money in the Bank 2024 with a briefcase, but the WWE Superstar certainly made an impression on those working backstage.

Green was one of six women in this year’s Money in the Bank Ladder match. The former Women’s Tag Team Champion was joined by Tiffany Stratton, Lyra Valkyria, Naomi, IYO SKY, and Zoey Stark. Despite having the home-field advantage, the Canadian Green came up short in Toronto as Tiffany Stratton instead became the eighth woman to capture the coveted briefcase and earn herself a title shot.

More On Tiffany Stratton’s Money in the Bank Victory

While Stratton left with the briefcase, the spot many are remembering from the match involves Chelsea Green. During the bout, Green was sent sailing out of the ring on a ladder and crashed through a series of tables at ringside.

This violent spot was quite the change from what fans normally see from Green on WWE TV as she has fallen into a comedic heel role ever since her January 2023 return to the company. Those in WWE were “very happy” with Green’s performance in the match, Fightful Select reports, and that Green herself treated the all-important bump as if it was “no big deal.”

WWE was also very happy about Green’s work before she stepped in the ring at WWE Money in the Bank 2024. Praise was given for Green promoting the show on local media and traveling to Toronto mid-week to do so. Green also heavily promoted the event and the Women’s Ladder match on social media, which WWE also took notice of. Even TNA Wrestling’s Jordynne Grace couldn’t help but be impressed by Green’s work in the match.

Green is impressing all the right people backstage which certainly bodes well for her future with WWE. While Green may not have won the coveted contract in Toronto, the future remains bright for the Canadian even after this massive bump through the tables.

Chelsea Green: Wrestling Isn’t About Winning To Me, It’s About Making People Feel

Jordynne Grace Shares When TNA Deal Will Expire: “It’s Coming Up!”

Thomas Lowson
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Jordynne Grace has proven herself for years as one of the top names in TNA Wrestling, but her time with the 22-year-old promotion could be coming to an end.

The reigning TNA Knockouts World has had the attention of the wrestling world this year, thanks in part to her appearances for WWE. Grace was part of this year’s Women’s Royal Rumble match in only the second time a contracted TNA talent has been in the contest (following Mickie James in 2022.) More recently, Grace has been appearing in WWE NXT and unsuccessfully challenged Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez at Battleground.

Given Grace’s appearances in WWE NXT, there has been plenty of speculation about whether Grace could one day join the promotion full-time. Speaking to TNA alum Matt Morgan on his Gigantic Pop podcast, Grace spoke about her current contract situation in TNA Wrestling.

“I am under [TNA] contract until January of this upcoming year. It’s coming up.”

Grace has been with TNA Wrestling since 2018 and is one of the promotion’s most successful Knockouts. The Juggernaut is a three-time (and current) Knockouts World Champion, a former Knockouts Tag Team Champion, and a former TNA Digital Media Champion. Grace is also recognized as the first TNA Knockouts Triple Crown Champion, having held the three titles obtainable by women in the promotion.

Jordynne Grace: WWE Superstar?

Grace has spoken highly of her WWE experience so far, and has also been well-received by those in the company. A move to WWE would also allow Grace a new roster to face, in addition to some familiar faces. Grace competed against both Naomi and Chelsea Green in TNA, both of whom have since returned to WWE.

With that said, Grace has also spoken highly of her time with TNA Wrestling where she has already established herself as one of the company’s top talents. Ultimately, the Juggernaut has a difficult decision to make in the coming months and fans of both promotions are interested to see in which direction she goes.

How Did WWE Keep Jordynne Grace’s NXT Involvement A Secret?

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

Tyriece Simon
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Dempsey will cross the line to take on Wentz on the upcoming TNA iMPACT episode.

Wrestling fans will be in for a treat on the July 11 episode of TNA Wrestling iMPACT. The episode features WWE superstar Charlie Dempsey taking on Zachary Wentz. Dempsey surprised fans when he made his TNA debut last week by attacking Wentz, Trey Miguel, and Leon Slater. Wentz comes into the match motivated to prove that NXT talent can’t do whatever they want in TNA.

Dempsey’s debut had the wrestling community buzzing as WWE continues to embrace a working relationship with TNA. The partnership has resulted in fan interest and talent from both rosters looking to work together. That said, Wentz felt in storyline that Dempsey’s actions were inexcusable and is ready to make an example out of him this Thursday.

In the aftermath of the WWE superstar’s assault, Wentz did a passionate promo about how he plans to get revenge. The former Impact World Tag Team Champion also acknowledged his past competing in NXT and shared that the company doesn’t allow Dempsey to attack people to make a name for himself, so he shouldn’t do it in TNA.

“…Charlie Dempsey, I don’t know what you are trying to accomplish, but you are not going to do it here. You are not going to make a name here. You are not going to make a name off of Zachary Wentz. You are not going to make a name off of Trey Miguel, and you are certainly not going to make a name off of our home, TNA,” said Wentz.

The fiery promo led to the match being official and marked the first storyline of a WWE superstar invading TNA. It’s worth noting that although the match will occur this week, the episode is a taped show, and the results are out. Regardless, the crossover matchup could get fans interested in tuning in to see what will happen.

TNA Superstar Joe Hendry Teased For An NXT Return

WWE fans noticed on July 7 that as Heatwave was going off the air, TNA fan-favorite Joe Hendry was quickly teased for a return to NXT. In addition, WWE has begun to advertise the July 9 episode of NXT and is continuing to show Hendry briefly.

This has led fans to believe that the TNA superstar could return to the developmental brand as soon as this week’s episode. The last time he appeared, Hendry was eliminated early from a Battle Royal Match to determine the number one contender for the WWE NXT Championship on the June 18 NXT show. Despite the anti-climatic exit from the match, he had a confrontation with Shawn Michaels backstage that set up the impression that he wasn’t done with the brand.

The ongoing relationship between WWE and TNA is providing fans with unpredictably no idea who will show up for either company. Dempsey’s storyline of invading TNA and Hendry’s potential return to NXT is seemingly a great way to get eyes on both NXT and TNA iMPACT this week. Hopefully, the partnership will continue to thrive so fans can see dream matches that were thought to be impossible.

Rhea Ripley Returns & Liv Morgan Flees, What Happened After WWE Raw

Michael Reichlin
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In a dramatic conclusion to Monday’s WWE RAW, Rhea Ripley made her long-awaited return, bringing the simmering tension between herself, Dominik Mysterio, and Liv Morgan to a boiling point. The climax of the evening saw Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio team up against Rey Mysterio and Zelina Vega, which ended in their victory. As the duo celebrated their win with a passionate embrace in the ring, Rhea Ripley’s music hit and the arena erupted.

Mami made her way to the ring and business picked up in a big way. Morgan, seemingly aware of the impending confrontation, quickly fled the scene, leaving Dominik alone in the ring. The tension was palpable as Ripley approached Mysterio.

Her demeanor was far from welcoming, a stark contrast to the celebratory mood moments earlier. When Dominik attempted to greet her with a hug, Ripley’s cold response spoke volumes. As RAW went off the air, fans were left with the image of a clearly displeased Ripley.

What Happened After Raw

The USA Network feed cut off early, but we can see here just how displeased Ripley was.

What’s Next?

Expect to see Rhea Ripley vs. Liv Morgan at SummerSlam, one of our five WWE SummerSlam 2024 card predictions. This dramatic return sets the stage for what promises to be an explosive summer ahead as the next chapters in this ongoing saga are written. We’re now wondering:

  • How will Ripley address Dominik’s closeness with Morgan?
  • What are Morgan’s true intentions?
  • Where do Dominik’s loyalties truly lie?

Storyline Explainer: Rhea Ripley, Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan’s Love Triangle

NXT Star Damon Kemp (Bobby Steveson) Announces WWE Departure

Michael Reichlin
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NXT star Damon Kemp (Bobby Steveson) is no longer with WWE.

Bobby Steveson, the older brother of Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson, signed with WWE in August 2021 as part of a new recruit class at the Performance Center. While his brother Gable exited in May 2024 after a disappointing run, Bobby has been featured prominently in NXT, where his tenure has seen several notable storyline developments.

In May 2022, Bobby joined the Diamond Mine stable. However, he later betrayed his teammates, the Creed Brothers, at the Worlds Collide event, executing a heel turn. This led to a high-stakes Ambulance match against Julius Creed at NXT Halloween Havoc. Bobby’s loss in this match ensured that Brutus Creed would retain his NXT career.

Kemp subsequently aligned himself with the No Quarter Catch Crew (NQCC) stable, signaling a new direction for his character. This progression exemplified WWE’s ongoing efforts to develop new talent and create engaging narratives within its NXT brand.

His final match with the company was on the June 25 episode of NXT, where he suffered a loss to Tavion Heights. Interestingly, Heights has been in the process of being initiated into the NQCC, the same stable Kemp was part of. With this loss, Steveson’s tenure with WWE came to an end, leaving him on the outside of the organization he once called home.

Cora Jade Teases Return From ACL Injury

Tyriece Simon
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A recent tweet from WWE superstar Cora Jade has fans wondering if her return to NXT could be soon. The developmental brand had their Heatwave premium live event on July 7 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. One of the featured matches had WWE NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez successfully defending her title against Lola Vice. While ‘The Prodigy’ celebrated a victory, Jade teased fans on X that she is on track to return to the ring after her ACL injury.

After Perez defeated Vice, WWE posted a graphic on X celebrating her retaining her title and captioned it by asking who could stop her.

The tweet caught Jade’s attention, and she reposted it to warn Perez that her return was coming soon.

It’s unclear exactly when she will be cleared to compete. However, her tweet shows her interest in taking on Perez when she returns.

Cora Jade Rehab Progress & Possible Match With Roxanne Perez

Jade suffered her ACL injury during a match against Lyra Valkyria at an NXT House Show in January. Since then, Jade has been working hard to make a return and has posted her rehab progress on Instagram. On July 5, she shared a video of her doing barbell squats with 155 lbs without a knee brace.

The tweet after Perez’s victory is interesting as the champion continues to dominate the women’s division. She has retained her title five times with notable wins over Jordynne Grace, Natalya, and recently Vice. NXT General Manager Ava is also trying to find opponents that can give Perez a challenge, as ‘The Prodigy’ continues to boast that she is better than everyone else. Given their history as former friends turned rivals, Jade would be an interesting surprise challenger for Perez.

The possibility of Jade challenging Perez for her title depends on whether WWE feels she is ready to return. However, the tweet and her rehab progress show her motivation to get back in the ring.

WWE SummerSlam 2024 Card Predictions: CM Punk, Cody Rhodes & More

Jake Skudder
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As WWE SummerSlam 2024 approaches, fans are gearing up for a night filled with unforgettable matches and epic showdowns. WWE pulls out all the stops for the ‘Big Five’ events and the ‘Biggest Party of the Summer’ will be no exception.

WWE SummerSlam 2024 takes place Saturday, August 3 from Cleveland, OH at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The event will stream live on Peacock and the WWE Network.

Based on the storyline developments we’re tracking for Raw and SmackDown, along with own our own insights, we’re predicting five matches to round out the card.

WWE SummerSlam Confirmed Matches

As of this writing, two championship matches are official:

WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Damian Priest (c) vs. Gunther

Damian Priest will put his WWE World Heavyweight Championship on the line against Gunther after the Austrian star won the King of the Ring tournament.

Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest

WWE Women’s Championship: Bayley (c) vs. Nia Jax

Bayley, the reigning WWE Women’s Champion, will be defending her title against the Nia Jax at SummerSlam after Jax won the Queen of the Ring tournament.

WWE SummerSlam Match Card Predictions

1. WWE Tag Team Championships: DIY (c) vs. Street Profits

Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa, collectively known as DIY, will probably defend their newly won WWE Tag Team Championships against the Street Profits.

SummerSlam is taking place in Cleveland Browns Stadium, and Gargano is a big Browns fan, so the company will probably want him on the card to get a big pop.

2. WWE United States Championship: Logan Paul (c) vs. LA Knight

Logan Paul will probably defend his WWE United States Championship against LA Knight, a match that has been building for months.

This title match has been building for the past few months and Paul himself is also from Cleveland…although it will probably be Knight getting a major win here for his first main roster title in WWE.

3. WWE Women’s World Championship: Liv Morgan (c) vs. Rhea Ripley

Liv Morgan is hopefully going to face Rhea Ripley, who will be on a quest for revenge after being sidelined by Morgan and the current Champion trying to ‘steal’ her man Dominik.

It all depends on whether or not Ripley has recovered from injury, but this will be a big-time match on the card if it does happen.

4. CM Punk vs Drew McIntyre vs Seth Rollins

If you were to ask me what CM Punk’s match at SummerSlam would be just a week ago I’d say that Punk vs Drew McIntyre was a shoe-in.

However, with Punk costing Seth Rollins the chance to challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship whilst Damian Priest is Champion, it makes sense to turn this into a three way.

5. Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Solo Sikoa

Cody Rhodes will most likely defend his Undisputed WWE Championship against Solo Sikoa, who has emerged as a top contender since his rise to the defacto ‘Tribal Chief’ in the Bloodline.

We will check back when the WWE SummerSlam 2024 match card is finalized and will grade our own predictions.

More SummerSlam

Head over to our WWE SummerSlam section for more and check out this video WWE put together last year ranking the 20 Greatest SummerSlam Moments:

John Cena On Wearing Jorts: ‘People Don’t Want To See My Ugly Bits’

Thomas Lowson
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John Cena has shared his reasons for why he’s chosen to don jean shorts (aka Jorts) for much of his career as a WWE Superstar.

Cena infamously debuted on a June 2002 edition of WWE SmackDown by answering Kurt Angle’s open challenge wearing plain-looking trunks. It wouldn’t be until his ‘white rapper’ gimmick that Cena would begin wearing jorts, a look he continues to wear for matches to this day.

Triple H: ‘On Every Metric, John Cena Is The Greatest Of All Time’

John Cena On His Jorts

With Cena’s career in WWE winding down, the 16-time WWE World Champion has been in a reflective mood. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Cena shared his reasoning for sticking with his jorts for over two decades.

“The reason I wear jorts is because I’ve tried everything. Denim is really durable—it doesn’t rip a lot as long as you can find a good fit. I don’t need any families attending a WWE event looking at my ugly bits All you need to do is find something that fits around the butt and the thigh, because I always wear a drawstring belt. A belt buckle, you can really get messed up on. I’ve learned this through failure. It can stab you, it can scratch you, it can scrape you and it can also cause damage to opponents and referees. This is not a good piece of equipment.”

While Cena can be seen wearing suits in public appearances outside WWE, odds are he’ll be rocking the jorts for what will be his final year as an in-ring talent. At WWE Money in the Bank 2024, Cena shared that he will retire from wrestling next year and is set to embark on a retirement tour. At this time, several details about this tour are unknown though fans can expect John to receive a fitting send-off by WWE.

Wrestling World Reacts To John Cena Announcing 2025 In-Ring Retirement

Former TNA Referee Believes Partnership With AEW Was Not Fair

Anutosh Bajpai
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Former TNA wrestling referee Brian Hebner has blamed AEW for not being fair with their partner during the pandemic years.

The wrestling veteran recently appeared on the Rewind Relive Recap podcast alongside current TNA head referee Daniel Spencer.

While talking about TNA’s partnership with different promotions, Spencer compared their collaboration with AEW back in the day with the ongoing crossover with WWE. He said that the WWE partnership makes sense today:

“I feel like the relationship with WWE and TNA just makes more sense. I know Brian was there, and we both were there when we had the other brand partnership, or whatever, with the other company. That crossover with the other company, and it was okay.

But I just feel like this one, is the right one. Not to say the other one wasn’t. Maybe it was right at that time, but it’s not right, right now, what’s right now is what we’re doing. I’m excited. I can’t wait to see where it takes us.”

It Was Really Not That Good: Brian Hebner

Brian Hebner then shared his opinion on the matter as well. He said that a rub from a company like WWE is always good for a smaller promotion like TNA. Hebner went on to criticize the way AEW handled their partnership:

“That old partnership you’re talking about, I’ll say it, with AEW was really not that good. It was a give and take. It was all give and we take nothing. That’s what it really did amount to. I don’t know if it was, I don’t know all that aspect. I just know that I was a little bit back in the back scenes because I was traveling and doing all the stuff that we were doing mixed with AEW.

I just felt like matches were, they weren’t fair. It was just all about their talent getting over. Where I feel like WWE is not in it like that. I don’t feel like, Jordynee Grace is going to win their title while she has TNA’s, but I do feel like they’re going to give her a fair shake and make her look really, really good. That’s all I’m sure TNA is asking.”

The partnership between TNA and AEW was spearheaded by the then AEW World Champion Kenny Omega. It started when Kenny turned heel and defeated Jon Moxley to win the AEW title with help from Don Callis at the end of 2020. Callis was an executive vice president of the promotion known as Impact Wrestling at the time.

The partnership saw many talents from both rosters crossing over to the other show. During the course of it, Kenny Omega had multiple matches in Impact Wrestling and even held the Impact World title for almost 5 months.

He dropped the title to Christian Cage at the premiere episode of Rampage. The partnership between the two promotions ended after Cage in turn lost the title to Josh Alexander at Bound For Glory 2021.

WWE Raw Preview (7/8): Dominik Mysterio & Liv Morgan Team Up

Michael Reichlin
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Tonight’s WWE Raw takes place from Ottawa, ON from the Canadian Tire Center.

The show will feature fallout from Saturday’s WWE Money in the Bank event, including Damian Priest retaining the World Heavyweight championship and the indefinite suspension of Money in the Bank winner Drew McIntyre. McIntyre snapped at MITB after CM Punk spoiled his cash-in, and put his hands on Raw General Manager Adam Pearce.

Raw Preview

These four matches set for tonight’s WWE Raw card:

  • Dominik Mysterio & Liv Morgan vs.Rey Mysterio & Zelina Vega
  • Jey Uso vs. Chad Gable
  • Judgment Day (Finn Balor, JD McDonagh, and Carlito) vs. The Miz, R-Truth and Braun Strowman
  • Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Kairi Sane, & IYO SKY) Vs. Lyra Valkyria, Kayden Carter, & Katana Chance

Plus, Adam Pearce will address his decision to indefinitely drew McIntyre for his actions at MITB. Keep it locked to SEScoops for our coverage of tonight’s WWE Raw.

Get hyped for Raw with this video recapping last week’s episode:

Mark Henry Details Unique Pre-Match Ritual of Rey Mysterio

Anutosh Bajpai
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Mark Henry has revealed a unique ritual Rey Mysterio performs before his matches.

The trio of Henry, Bully Ray and Tommy Dreamer talked extensively about how they prepared before their matches during the latest episode of Busted Open‘s Masterclass.

During the episode, they talked about people who partied the night before their matches and weren’t their 100% when the time for the performance came. Bully Ray expressed a strong opinion against such talents, saying that he had zero respect for the wrestlers who did that:

“I had zero respect for the guys who went out and got banged up and then couldn’t perform the day after. No way. Listen, you want to go, and I was a part of this, you want to go out and party all night long. You want to drink all night long. You want to do drugs all night long. You want to go out and hook up, I don’t give a shit what you do.

Just make sure you’re in the gym the next morning and make sure you are 100% to go out there and tear the fucking house down the next night. Otherwise, you got no business putting my life in your hands because you’re too fucking hung over.

That’s the biggest picture. We put each other’s lives in each other’s hands. I don’t need to know that you’re still hungover or you haven’t come down off your high from the night before. Although I’d rather have Rob Van Dam high than not high in a wrestling ring, because he’d function better.”

Mark Henry Details Rey Mysterio’s Ritual

The trio also discussed their pre match rituals during the episode. Talking about unique pre match rituals, Mark Henry revealed that he always found the way Rey Mysterio prepared for his matches to be unlike any other:

“Do ever see Rey? Before every match, he would put his mask on the floor, he put his T-shirt that he was gonna wear on the floor. He would put his pants. He would put the underwear that he would wear on top of the pants. He put the socks on the bottom of the pants. He put the shoes, and he would sit there and look at it.

I used to go, ‘You alright, brother?’ [laughs] But he had to see everything, the wrist wrap, everything. He had to see it all before he put it on and look at it. Make sure ‘Alright, that’s the look.’ I’m the Joker tonight [or] I’m louis Vuitton man tonight. Like whatever his gear, he had to lay it out. It was a ritual, I watched it a bunch of times.”

What’s Next For Joe Hendry After WWE NXT Heatwave 2024 Tease?

Thomas Lowson
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Fans can expect to see much more of Joe Hendry in WWE NXT after the popular TNA Wrestling star was teased in the final seconds of NXT Heatwave.

In the main event, Ethan Page captured the WWE NXT Championship just 40 days after debuting for the gold brand. In the final moments of the show, however, a clip of Hendry from his entrance video played, leaving fans to speculate what this means.

Latest On Joe Hendry

Hendry will play a major role in NXT’s crossover with TNA Wrestling going forward, Corey Brennan of Fightful Select reports. This crossover will play out over the next several weeks and months and WWE is keen to make use of Hendry’s viral appeal. The belief is that even brief teases, such as what was seen at Heatwave, are enough to keep him on the minds of fans.

Despite being teased at Heatwave, Hendry was nowhere near the show. While the NXT roster brought it in Toronto, Hendry was over 3,000 miles away, competing at a show in Glasgow, Scotland.

It’ll be interesting to see how Hendry fits into the NXT picture, as he is also making waves in TNA Wrestling. On last week’s episode of iMPACT!, Hendry defeated Jake Something to earn himself a spot in a TNA World Championship six-man match. The Scottish star will join champion Moose, Josh Alexander, Steve Maclin, Nic Nemeth, and Frankie Kazarian in the match at Slammiversary on July 20.

Joe Hendry in WWE NXT

Hendry debuted last month in WWE NXT as part of a battle royal that also featured fellow TNA wrestler Frankie Kazarian. Despite earning the loudest pop of the night and delivering a pre-match promo, Hendry was the first talent eliminated. A post-match backstage face-to-face with Shawn Michaels suggested that there’d be more for Hendry in NXT and that certainly appears to be the case now.

Hendry is set to make more appearances for WWE NXT, but there are some speculating on whether a full-time move could happen when the time is right. When Brennan asked if WWE would be interested in Hendry after his current TNA deal expires, sources within WWE said “Who wouldn’t?!” Time will tell what’s next for Hendry but expect to see plenty of the Scottish star in both TNA and WWE NXT.

TNA’s Joe Hendry Plans On Going Further After Hitting WWE Twitter Milestone

Update On Plans For WWE Women’s Intercontinental And U.S. Titles

Thomas Lowson
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The WWE Universe may see women’s Intercontinental and U.S. titles introduced to the main roster, though an official decision has yet to be made.

Last week, reports circulated that WWE had women’s versions of the Intercontinental and United States Championships in the works. These titles would serve a similar role to their male equivalents and be mid-card titles on Monday Night Raw and SmackDown.

While Fightful Select could not confirm that these titles are in the works, they have been discussed within WWE. The initial report included images of championships (as seen in the image for this article,) though these are examples AI art and not real championship belts. Talent who spoke to Fightful said they’ve not heard news of any upcoming mid-card championships, but it is something that a number of talent have pushed for over several years.

The Case for Women’s Mid-Card Championships

WWE introduced its first Women’s mid-card championship at WWE NXT Battleground when Kelani Jordan won the NXT Women’s North American Title. Since her six-woman ladder match victory, Jordan has retained against Michin, Izzi Dame, and most recently Sol Ruca.

Several notable names have gone on record pushing for women’s mid-card championships to be introduced in WWE. Before her September 2023 release, Dana Brooke (now TNA’s Ash By Elegance) said she hoped her reigns as 24/7 Champion would see the title become a mid-card belt for the women’s roster. Raquel Rodriguez, who has held gold in both WWE NXT and the main roster, said in 2022 that she was pushing for a mid-card title for women.

Bayley Wants to See WWE Introduce a Women’s Mid-Card Championship

It’s not just the women of WWE who believe in more mid-card titles on the main roster. WWE NXT commentator Booker T has thrown his support to such a title. Fellow WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker has said such titles would benefit the increasingly deep Women’s division on Raw and SmackDown. It remains to be seen whether these titles ever see the light of day, but it seems the idea isn’t off the table in WWE.

Report: Stephanie Vaquer To Leave CMLL, WWE & AEW Interested

Thomas Lowson
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Stephanie Vaquer may have come up short at AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door, but the future looks bright for the now-former NJPW Strong Women’s Champion.

At the June 30, event, Vaquer lost the gold to Mercedes Mone who put her AEW TBS Championship on the line in the match. This title win was a long time coming for Mone, as the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship had been created in 2023 with the CEO in mind. Vaquer had held the title since March after upsetting Giulia, who is expected to join WWE NXT very soon.

Interest In Stephanie Vaquer

Despite the loss, Vaquer’s performance at Forbidden Door has sparked a ton of interest in the Chilean wrestler. Mexican news outlet Record notes that Vaquer is set to leave CMLL, where she has competed since 2019. Vaquer is a former CMLL World Women’s Tag Team Champion and is currently in her first reign as CMLL World Women’s Champion.

After Forbidden Door WWE and AEW executives approached Stephanie Vaquer to let her know they were interested in hiring her. Record says that Vaquer will make a decision “in the next few days” as to which company she plans on joining on a multi-year deal.

It’s hardly a surprise that Vaquer’s efforts have caught the attention of both AEW and WWE. Following Forbidden Door, PW Insider noted that there had been praise backstage for the match, with special praise on Vaquer. Despite being less known to the New York City crowd than Mone, Vaquer was able to win over the fans at Forbidden Door in a testament to her skills.

What’s to Come?

Should Vaquer choose AEW, odds are a rematch with Mone won’t be in her immediate future, despite making it clear she wants said match after Forbidden Door. The AEW/NJPW crossover event also saw Britt Baker make her long-awaited return to TV and confronted Mone. On the most recent Dynamite, the two continued to tease a feud that’ll ultimately see Baker challenge for the gold.

WWE NXT Great American Bash 2024 Set for 8/6 On SyFy

Thomas Lowson
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The WWE NXT Great American Bash will return this August though the popular event will take place on SyFy instead of the gold brand’s usual home on the USA Network.

During WWE NXT Heatwave, it was confirmed that the show will take place on August 6. Unlike previous years, the show will not take place on USA, which will instead be covering the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France.

The Great American Bash’s history dates back to 1985 with the first six annual events being held under the NWA banner. After WCW split from the NWA in 1991, the show became a WCW exclusive and would remain so until the promotion’s demise in 2000. The show was revived by WWE in 2004 and has been used as an NXT-brand event since 2020. Last year’s event was opened by Cody Rhodes, which was fitting given that it was his father Dusty who headlined the very first Great American Bash in a war for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.

WWE’s WCW Terms

The announcement of the NXT Great American Bash 2024 comes at an interesting time as there’s been plenty of talk about WWE reviving other WCW events. Recently, the company filed trademarks for SuperBrawl and New Blood Rising, both of which were once terms for WCW pay-per-views. WWE also filed to trademark ‘The Match Beyond’ a term used in WCW to describe the portion of a WarGames match where all participants have entered the cage.

WWE already used several WCW terms for its programming, including the Night Of Champions pay-per-view coming from the name of the final episode of WCW Monday Nitro. WWE has also used Starrcade in the past with that term coming from WCW’s biggest annual event. Each October, WWE NXT hosts an annual Halloween Havoc show which like the WCW show of the same name, has a spooky theme.

New NXT Champion Ethan Page: “I Knew This Was Going to Happen”

Thomas Lowson
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Ethan Page is riding high after capturing the WWE NXT Championship mere weeks into his debut as part of the gold brand.

At WWE NXT Heatwave, Page captured the title in a fatal four-way that included former champion Trick Williams, Je’Von Evans, and fellow AEW alum Shawn Spears. This win comes just 40 days after Page made his debut in WWE NXT, where he attacked Williams and made his goal to become NXT Champion crystal clear.

Ethan Page On His Title Win

Page was understandably pleased with his title win, especially considering what many feel was an underwhelming run in All Elite Wrestling and Ring of Honor. In his first post-match comments, Page spoke of how sure he was that the NXT Title would be his.

“Most people would say it feels amazing, it feels great. But to be honest with you, I mean, I knew this was gonna happen. [Laughs] Six weeks. I walked in the first night, and I attacked who? Oh, that’s right, this bum’s name is still in this belt, and as soon I’m done with this interview, I’m gonna be getting these things changed.”

Page won the title in unusual fashion, as he fell onto Je’Von Evans to get the pinfall. While many would argue this was a lucky break for the Canadian, Page would disagree.

“You’re gonna say I got lucky? I earned everything I have in the last 17 years of my career. Tonight is no different… I’m going to be a fighting champion. I’m going to be the man in NXT, but not to prove it to you, people doubting me, saying things like, ‘Oh, you got lucky.’ No, ‘All Ego’ was born to be champion. Now, I finally have the hardware to prove it.”

What’s to Come?

Page has rapidly reached the top of WWE NXT, but his next challenger may come from outside of the promotion. In the final second of NXT Heatwave, TNA Wrestling’s Joe Hendry was shown. The Scottish wrestler has proven immensely popular and this tease has left many believing that Hendry will have a role in NXT going forward.

Hendry appeared during a May 2024 battle royal for a shot at the NXT title, and both WWE NXT and TNA Wrestling were pleased with his performance on the night. Could the ‘prohibited portal’ see an AEW alum and a TNA star fight for WWE NXT’s richest prize? Only time will tell but right now, the gold brand is all about All-Ego Ethan Page.

Riho Confirms Arm Injury After AEW Return Match

Anutosh Bajpai
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Former AEW Women’s Champion Riho has confirmed her injury.

The female star took on Instagram to announce the news. She posted a photo with a sling, and noted that she has fractured her arm.

A number of AEW stars have since replied to the post and people such as the TBS Champion Mercedes Mone, Willow Nightingale and Madison Ryan have wished a speedy recovery to their co-worker:

Riho had only returned to the ring during the July 6 episode of AEW Collision where she defeated Lady Frost. Here’s the spot where she’s believed to have sustained the injury:

https://x.com/sebas_bucks/status/1809761721692877306?s=46

The 27-year-old had been out of action for four months before that. Her last match before the Collision debut had taken place at the March 13 episode of Dynamite where she suffered a defeat at the hands of Willow Nightingale.

Riho In AEW

Riho has been a part of the AEW roster since their first show in Double or Nothing 2019. She competed in a six-women tag team match at the event.

She was notably crowned the Inaugural Women’s World Champion of the company. The former DDT star defeated Hikaru Shida during the premiere episode of Dynamite for the victory.

Things have not gone Riho’s way since the COVID-19 pandemic. She has had to take multiple long breaks due to travel restrictions as well as injuries and has not held any titles in AEW since then.

Watch: Marriage Proposal Becomes Wrestling Match in Viral Video

Thomas Lowson
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One wrestling fan’s efforts to propose to his beloved proved to be in vain after the potential bride decided to turn the proposal into an impromptu wrestling match.

On Twitter, user Lord A Drean, who describes himself as the “HOTTEST INDI WRESTLER RAPPER RIGHT NOW” shared his planned proposal. After popping the question in a mall, Drean’s partner Malicious China popped him with a Canadian Destroyer and an RKO. The pair were joined by a referee. A big boot would seal Drean’s fate and the referee would count the pinfall, leaving it uncertain if the couple actually got engaged.

Engagement or not, this attempted proposal has gone viral online. At the time of writing, the video has been viewed over 5.6 million times on Twitter and has reached 90,000 likes, in addition to 8,600 retweets and 13,000 bookmarks.

When Wrestling Goes Viral

This couple’s wrestling moves may have gone viral, but it’s hardly the first time something like this has happened. In April of this year, a gender-reveal match went viral that included Tables, Ladders, Chairs, and a nod to WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker. That same month, a video went viral showing playground wrestling in New York City which received the seal of approval from AEW talent.

In March, a WWE fan arrived at his own wedding with a Bloodline-inspired entrance, in which they served as the Roman Reigns of the group. Reigns would even react on Twitter to say that the union had been “acknowledged.” During a wedding a few years ago, the bride arrived to Becky Lynch’s music and set the tone for the ceremony with some kendo stick shots.

You can never be certain what will go viral in wrestling, but Drean and Malicious China certainly did that this week. It remains to be seen if the couple ever tie the knot, but if so, Drean should keep an eye out for an RKO (outta nowhere of course!) on their wedding day.

Ethan Page Recreates Classic WWE Ending To Win NXT Championship, Joe Hendry Appears

Anutosh Bajpai
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Ethan Page has won the NXT Championship and you wouldn’t believe what happened afterward. WWE’s development brand presented the Heatwave special from the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada this Sunday. This was WWE’s third consecutive night at the venue, following WWE SmackDown and WWE Money in the Bank.

The show was filled with many hard-hitting bouts which have become a signature of the brand under Shawn Michaels. Wrestling fans were buzzing on social media over the high spots in the tag title match between Axiom & Nathan Frazer.

However, it was the fatal four-way main event for the NXT Championship that stole the conversation. Trick Williams was defending his title against Ethan Page, Shawn Spears, and Je’Von Evans. The bout delivered everything you’d expect from an NXT main event with Evans proving to be the MVP of the match with many notable bumps.

The ending of the fight saw Page taking his frustration out on Evans for disrupting a pin attempt. Spears pulled Evans down, however, right when Page was about to hit the Ego’s Edge. Trick Williams then joined the action and took out both Shawn Spears and Je’Von Evans with a Trick Shot. He delivered one more to Page. This caused the former AEW star to fall on Evans who was lying in the ring. The referee started counting and he completed the three count before Williams could break the fall. Just like that, the landscape of NXT has been altered dramatically.

Ethan Page Recreates Classic WWE Ending

The finish reminded people of a classic WWE match from Backlash 2007. Notably, the WWE Championship match featuring John Cena, Shawn Michaels, Randy Orton and Edge ended in a similar fashion. Cena had unintentionally pinned Orton to retain the title back then, when he fell on the Viper after taking a Sweet Chin Music from HBK.

Somebody Said Joe Hendry’s Name

The show ended with Page celebrating the win. Just before the show went off air, TNA Wrestling star Joe Hendry made a cameo.

Page’s First Comments as NXT Champion

Backstage after his big win, Ethan Page clarified that his success has nothing to do with luck. He doesn’t even consider himself a lucky man – he’s just that good.

Were John Cena and Money in the Bank Top Google Trends for Saturday?

Dominic DeAngelo
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John Cena and Money In The Bank were indeed the pro wrestling talk of the weekend, but they weren’t exactly the talk of the weekend, at least on social media.

Money In The Bank took place Saturday night, but so did other newsworthy events that it wasn’t a top 15 trending topic for Google in the United States.

John Cena was the only WWE-related topic to surpass over 100,000 searches as Cena made an appearance at the PLE to announce that his final match would take place in 2025. Although he placed sixth, Cena was “knocked out” of trending searches in part by the Jorge Masdival vs. Nick Diaz boxing fight. Diaz ended up getting the W against his longtime UFC rival in a bout of pugilism.

RELATED: Wrestling World Reacts To John Cena Announcing 2025 In-Ring Retirement

Despite not taking the world by storm Cena should remain a newsworthy topic on social media for days to come considering how impactful Cena’s announcement was. However, the other ongoings at Money In The Bank will likely settle down as the days pass, especially with WWE RAW picking up on Monday.

Other trending topics for July 6 was the unfortunate passing of NFL star Khyree Jackson, England vs. Switzerland in the Euro 2024 semi-finals.

Not only were there other sports topics to contend with, but American wrestling fans had plenty to stay occupied away from their screens as it was Independence Day weekend for the United States of America.

Cena was an unexpected presence at Money In The Bank making his major announcement after being introduced by Trish Stratus. Cena was early to hint at his intentions as he came out with a rally towel stating that “The Last Time Is Now.”

RELATED: John Cena Unveils Details of His 2025 WWE Retirement Tour

Linda McMahon Named A Top Donor To Donald Trump

Dominic DeAngelo
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WWE Hall Of Famer Donald Trump is getting some Presidential Campaign help from a familiar face in Linda McMahon.

According to a new article from Forbes that names the top biggest billionaire donors to Trump’s campaign, Linda McMahon is ranked in second place and the numbers are quite astonishing.

In total, Linda McMahon has shelled over $11.1 million to aid Trump in his rematch for Presidential superiority against Joe Biden. Over the course of Trump’s first run as Commander-In-Chief, Linda McMahon was apart of Donald’s cabinet serving as the head of the Small Business Administration. Linda later took the helm to co-chair the primary Trump Super-PAC in his 2020 foray against Biden.

While Donald Trump is aiming to hit the Oval Office once again at the end of 2024, Linda McMahon still remains in the fold by steering the America First Policy Institute, a non-profit that’s associated with Trump. She also is on the Trump Media and Technology group.

A little under two weeks ago, Trump debated against Biden in what was a very polarizing event, but it did take place at a historic wrestling location in Atlanta.

RELATED: Wrestling’s Connection To The U.S. Presidential Debate

Along with getting inducted into the 2013 WWE Hall Of Fame, Donald Trump has lengthy ties with the McMahon family. Trump played host to WrestleMania IV in Atlantic City. He was notoriously in the corner for Bobby Lashley during WrestleMania 21 as Lashley defeated Umaga, allowing Trump to shave the head of Vince McMahon. We happened to just surpass the 15th anniversary of when Trump “bought” WWE RAW from Vince.

RELATED: WWE & Vince McMahon Referenced In Donald Trump Hush Money Trial

Drew McIntyre Storyline-Suspended From WWE After Money in the Bank

Thomas Lowson
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Drew McIntyre has been ‘indefinitely suspended’ from WWE competition due to his highly unprofessional conduct at Saturday’s Money in the Bank premium live event.

The night started strong for McIntyre as the Scottish Warrior captured the Men’s Money in the Bank briefcase. Drew had previously vowed to cash in on the night and true to his word, entered the World Heavyweight Championship match later in the show. CM Punk would once again prove to be a thorn in McIntyre’s side and would for the third time this year, cost the Scottish Warrior the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

Drew McIntyre Suspended

On the post-show, McIntyre let loose with a verbal tirade which saw him warn Punk that he knows where his family lives. Several officials tried to hold McIntyre back including Raw General Manager Adam Pearce who received an elbow from the former World Champion for his troubles.

The Fallout

Pearce released a breaking news video on Sunday to address the fallout from McIntyre’s conduct, which he called the ‘elephant in the room.’ He announced McIntyre has been indefinitely suspended. He’s also levied financial penalties on Punk and McIntyre (amounts undisclosed).

GM Pearce will address the matter in further detail this coming Monday when WWE Raw takes place from Ottawa, the capital city of Canada.

With McIntyre banished from programming, questions have been raised as to what’s next in his war with CM Punk. The Best in the World has not been advertised for the upcoming episode of Raw. Some have predicted that Punk Vs. McIntyre will at long last take place at SummerSlam 2024 but with McIntyre suspended, that remains to be seen mere weeks ahead of the show.

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