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Mercedes Mone On Leaving WWE: “I Don’t Like Being Handcuffed”

Bishal Roy
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Mercedes Mone has explained her decision to depart WWE abruptly. 

After having some creative differences with WWE management regarding her and Naomi’s Women’s tag-team title reign, the former Sasha Banks decided to walk out during an edition of Raw. She went on to join NJPW last year where she held the IWGP Women’s Championship. ‘The CEO’ eventually headed to AEW and she is all set to make her in-ring debut at the promotion.

Mercedes Mone told Cameron Hawkins of The Ringer why she decided to part ways with WWE. ‘The CEO’ explained that she doesn’t like to be ‘handcuffed’ and noted that she required that ‘change’ to grow in her career. 

“I don’t like being handcuffed. The only place to grow is with change, and I needed that change.” 

Mercedes Mone has been on the sidelines after she sustained an ankle injury during her match against Willow Nightingale at NJPW STRONG Resurgence last year. However, she is returning to the ring this weekend at AEW Double Or Nothing.

It seems that Mone is brimming with confidence despite being on the shelf for a year. She claims to be the greatest women’s wrestler of all time and vowed to show the fans who ‘The CEO’ is. She said:

“They haven’t really got to see the CEO. They know who Sasha Banks is, but the CEO, Mercedes Moné, [is] something they’ve never seen before, and I’m ready to show them. I’m the greatest women’s wrestler of all time, 100 percent.”

Mercedes Mone’s AEW in-ring debut

Mone will be making her in-ring debut for AEW and it also marks her return to the squared circle after the injury. She will be challenging Willow Nightingale for the AEW TBS Championship at this Sunday’s AEW Double Or Nothing pay-per-view. While speaking about the match, Mone said that she is excited for the match. However, she is quite nervous. She said: 

“I don’t want to put pressure on myself, because I’ve been doing this for 14 years. I have more excitement than pressure, but I am really nervous as well, just because it’s been a year since I performed, but being in the ring with someone like Willow Nightingale, I know it’s going to be absolutely everything I’ve ever dreamed of. We’re going to go out there and steal the show.”

Mercedes Mone is going the extra mile for her in-ring debut for AEW as she is training with a former WWE wrestler. Read more below:

Kelly Kelly Still Has Iconic Wrestling Boots Given To Her By Ashley Massaro

Anutosh Bajpai
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Kelly Kelly’s run with WWE is iconic in many ways. Not only did the high-flying star break the stereotypes of female competitors with the moves in the ring but she also set new fashion standards for stars to come with many iconic looks in her career.

However while the former Divas champion put a lot of thought into many of her ring gears, there were some that came together accidentally but she kept them going for many reasons.

The wrestling veteran recently sat down with McKenzie Mitchell to talk about some of her most memorable looks. During the interview, Kelly was asked if she ever had to borrow a part of her ring gear from someone else and she recalled the late Ashley Massaro lending her wrestling boots one time:

“I know I talked about Ashley a lot and I just I love her and I miss her. I had a match and I didn’t have wrestling boots. She gave me her black Puma wrestling boots. She let me keep them and I wrestled in those every week, forever. I still have those to this day. But it was just so cool. She was like, ‘Hey, yeah girl here I got these.'”

According to Kelly Kelly, the Puma boots were so comfortable that she continued wrestling in them for a long time and she has kept them even now:

“They weren’t like regular wrestling boots. I love that because they were like they’re just lace up boots but so great to wrestle in because I didn’t want those big chunky wrestling boots. I never thought they were cute. I needed to be able to move, you know? So those boots and I still have them to this day.”

Kelly Kelly joined WWE back in 2006 and continued competing till her departure in 2012. During her run, Kelly won the Diva’s title once and feuded with names such as Maryse, Nikki Bella and Beth Phoenix.

The former champion has made occasional appearances for the company in recent years including her participation in the inaugural Women’s Royal Rumble and the Evolution PPV in 2018.

Ashley Massaro joined WWE in 2005 and was featured regularly until she asked for her release in 2008 to care for her sick daughter. She unfortunately passed away in May 2019.

AEW Talent Growing Frustrated Over Lack Of Creative Opportunities

Aaron Varble
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AEW is preparing to celebrate its five-year anniversary, and there are numerous discussions within the company. The extensive roster has resulted in some talent not receiving the opportunities they believe they deserve.

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that “AEW creative certainly has questions.” Significant financial investments have been made in certain talent who “has contributed very little.” This shift has led AEW from being “the fun place to work with the great backstage camaraderie when WWE talent for the most part were walking on eggshells.”

Now, the company has devolved into “a place with a lot of frustration from wrestlers making a nice and even great living but not getting anywhere near the ring time nor upward mobility hoped for.” This change reflects growing discontent among the talent.

AEW’s roster was already large, but the company has recently added even more wrestlers. This increase has only intensified the competition for television time. The limited hours of weekly programming cannot accommodate everyone, leading to dissatisfaction among those who are not featured as prominently.

Tony Khan has brought in some notable names over the past year, including Will Ospreay, Jay White, Mercedes Mone, and Kazuchika Okada. They only have so many hours of television every week, and this competition for screen time hasn’t gone over well.

AEW Double or Nothing will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26. SEScoops will have complete coverage of the event.

Ivar Shares His Thoughts On Working Singles & If Viking Raiders Will Ever Break Up

Tyriece Simon
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WWE superstar Ivar has enjoyed a successful run as a singles competitor this past year. His Viking Raiders tag partner, Erik, is currently sidelined with a neck injury, and it’s unclear when he’ll return. Although WWE has presented Ivar as a tag team wrestler, he was allowed to compete by himself and flourished on the main roster. 

In an interview with Chris Van Vliet during WrestleMania weekend, Ivar reflected on having to work singles. He noted that he had experience in Ring Of Honor when Erik was dealing with another injury. 

“… When we were in Ring Of Honor, we got put as a team. We’re catching fire, and then he gets in a motorcycle accident and tries to ruin my wrestling career. So, here now, I got to do singles stuff in Ring of Honor. So then I get a big push in Ring Of Honor. I’m wrestling the main event of the pay-per-view for the title, and he returns and tries to ruin my wrestling career again,” said Ivar jokingly. 

Ivar On If The Viking Raiders Will Split Up When Erik Returns

Despite the success of his singles run in WWE, Ivar doesn’t plan on breaking up his tag team with Erik. 

“…We’re a package deal and just like the New Day(Big E, Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) is a package deal. I feel like we’re a package deal,” said Ivar. 

Vliet pointed out in response that the Usos had the same mentality for a long time and split up last year. However, Ivar downplayed the idea and explained why the Viking Raiders won’t ever break up. 

 “…I feel in my heart that we are a team, and we’re in this together. We wouldn’t be where we are today without each other, and I feel just like the new day, we’re not going to split up for anything,” said Ivar. He added, “Maybe each of us has singles stuff on the side, but we’re a team forever.”

Ivar’s singles career has recently been put on hold as he is dealing with an undisclosed injury. It’s unclear when he’ll return, but he’ll aim to keep the Viking Raiders spirit alive until Erik reunites with him. 

Report: Eddie Kingston Will Be Out For A Year With Injury

Aaron Varble
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Eddie Kingston lost the NJPW Strong Openweight Title at Resurgence, the final of the triple crown. He also suffered an injury during that match, and the Mad King will be out for about a year.

AEW’s Eddie Kingston met with surgeons today and, due to the nature of his injuries, will likely not go under the knife to repair his ACL and meniscus tears until this July at the earliest.

Kingston relayed to PWInsider.com that he’s been advised that he’ll initially have to wait for his tibia fracture to heal and do some physical therapy before surgeons can then focus on his knee. After the surgery is completed, he’s been advised it will likely be ten months before he’ll be able to return to the ring. That would place his comeback, if there are no changes to the expected timeline, at May 2025.

Kingston told the outlet, “Not mad. I don’t give a f***. It’s what happens when you wrestle. Just gotta get f**king better.”

Kingston was scheduled to participate in the Anarchy In The Arena match at Double or Nothing this weekend in Las Vegas. He was set to join Bryan Danielson and FTR to face The Young Bucks, Okada, and Perry. Then plans changed, as Darby Allin was put in Eddie’s spot.

Allin has also been dealing with his own series of injuries. Following AEW Revolution, he broke his foot in a match against Jay White. Just a few weeks ago, he was hit by a bus in New York City.

We are hoping that Kingston can get back to 100% very soon. He is a huge force for AEW, and the company could certainly use him.

Disturbing Video For New Uncle Howdy Stable Interrupts WWE’s Twitch Stream

Aaron Varble
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Something is stirring in the WWE Universe, and the cryptic clues keep coming. The company’s Twitch stream, already a target for mysterious messages, saw another ominous interruption today.

A new hint has emerged about the rumored Bo Dallas-led faction in WWE. This only adds to the growing intrigue surrounding their anticipated arrival.

During a live Twitch stream on WWE’s official channel, viewers saw a series of mysterious visuals and messages. This concluded the stream for the day, and the clip immediately went viral.

The strange portion of the broadcast started with two notes shown on screen. One said, “I can’t wait to meet you,” as the other read, “I will see you all soon.” Then, hands wearing fingerless gloves appeared, holding a note with the message “REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE” along with displayed coordinates. They left this note on a doorstep before running away.

The Upcoming Stable

Four other names are expected to be part of this new faction. Nikki Cross, Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy, and Erick Rowan are all slated to join the new Wyatt Family fold.

Each of these Superstars has experience as faction members. Cross was part of Sanity, Gacy leads The Schism, Lumis was a member of The Way, and Rowan was an original member of The Wyatt Family.

Uncle Howdy hasn’t been seen on WWE television since he was involved in Bray Wyatt’s story with Bobby Lashley during the build toward their WrestleMania 39 match that never happened. WWE is obviously planning something, and fans will seemingly have an answer to all their questions soon.

MJF’s AEW Return Could Happen Sooner Than Expected

Aaron Varble
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Maxwell Jacob Friedman could be nearing a return. This comes during a time when the roster could certainly use his star power. Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful discussions have taken place about MJF making an on-screen return to All Elite Wrestling. Even if he’s not yet medically cleared to wrestle, Friedman’s command of the microphone make him a must-see attraction anytime he’s on television. 

You can never have too much star power on television and MJF would be a welcome addition as AEW heads into the summer season. Some changes to MJF’s presentation were reportedly discussed  AEW sources expect him back by Forbidden Door from Long Island. 

MJF

MJF has been out of action since December 30, when his record-breaking AEW World Title reign ended at World’s End. MJF’s last match saw him lose the AEW World Title to Samoa Joe at the December 30, 2023 event. 

Prior to his hiatus, he had been working with many injuries but was determined to finish his reign. Changes were already made to his creative due to Adam Cole’s injury.

MJF is still under AEW contract, and he will be for quite some time. It’s unclear if Maxwell’s last contract extension replaced his former deal, which would have expired on December 31, 2023. Either way, MJF is among the highest earners in AEW.

WWE Employees Cut After TKO Merges WWE & UFC Live Event Teams

Tyriece Simon
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WWE has let go of more of its staff following the recent TKO Group Holding announcement. It was revealed this morning that TKO has decided to merge WWE and UFC live event teams to create more corporate synergy. WWE and UFC have begun collaborating more and are looking to host events in the same city. 

While TKO is focused on combining the strengths of both companies, it has led to WWE firing longtime staff members. A few hours after TKO’s announcement, Fightful Select reported that WWE had fired several employees. At this time, talent is not involved in these cuts. 

The report shared that one of the employees let go from WWE was Senior Vice President Of Entertainment Relations Kristen Prouty. She worked for the company for over two decades, and Fightful noted that she played an essential role in getting WWE United States Champion Logan Paul signed. 

WWE or TKO has yet to release a statement on the recent firings. While it’s possible the cuts could be unrelated to the TKO announcement today, the timing is very interesting. 

More On WWE Shakeups After Merging With UFC

After WWE and UFC merged last year, wrestling fans have been curious about how it would affect WWE moving forward. Fans have seen both WWE and, notably, UFC star Michael Chandler appear on opposite programming during live shows. 

TKO is slowly trying to utilize WWE and UFC to generate profitable live event results. 

A recent example is WWE NXT’s next premium live event, Battleground, taking place at the UFC Apex Facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 9. Tickets have gone on pre-sale on AXS, and the venue looks to add a different experience that could make it appealing to WWE fans.

Another example of WWE and UFC showing their strength is the UFC advertising bundle packages for an upcoming UFC Fight Night event and a Friday Night Smackdown show at the KFC Yum! Center Arena in Louisville, Kentucky, next month. 

TKO will likely try to find more ways to unify the assets of WWE and UFC. However, the hope is that more longtime WWE employees aren’t fired due to these changes. 

Bryan Danielson Hailed As “One Of Tony Khan’s Best Hires”

Tyriece Simon
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Bryan Danielson’s full-time wrestling career is slowly ending this year. He shared in 2023 that he plans to take a step back from wrestling more to spend time with his family. While he is still expected to continue his wrestling career, it’s unclear if he’ll make sporadically appear for AEW moving forward. 

Ahead of his upcoming match at AEW Double or Nothing on May 25, legendary commentator Tony Schiavone praised Danielson’s run with the company. On his podcast What Happened When, Schiavone spoke highly of Danielson and explained why he is one of AEW President Tony Khan’s best hires in the company’s history. 

“…Bryan Danielson was one of Tony Khan’s best hires as far as a talent is concerned for a number of reasons. Number one because of his performance and number two because he just has great ideas and he is a great leader and he also knows talent, said Schiavone.

He continued, “…He can pick out out talent. He can pick out guys that he thinks, ‘Hey, we need to use them a lot more, and so he is so valuable to this company for everything.”

What’s Next For Bryan Danielson?

‘The American Dragon’ will team with Darby Allin and FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) to take on The Elite (Jack Perry, Kazuchika Okada, Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) in an Anarchy In The Arena match. Danielson hopes to gain a victory for the ‘Babyface’ group as they try to humble The Elite. 

Although Danielson’s focus is on AEW Double Or Nothing, fans are monitoring the countdown to the end of his current run with the company. He has shared that his contract with AEW will expire before All In on August 25.

Danielson hopes to compete at the Wembley Stadium event and AEW WrestleDream on October 12. It’s possible Danielson can reach a new deal or an extension before shifting to being a part-time performer.  Regardless of what will come in August, all eyes will be on Danielson this weekend as he prepares to bring chaos against The Elite.

NFL Star Patrick Mahomes Expresses Interest In WWE, Triple H Opens The Door

Nick Lombardi
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At the age of 28-years-old, 3x SuperBowl MVP Patrick Mahomes has already secured his name in the NFL Hall of Fame. Now, the Quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs has expressed interest in possibly getting physical inside the squared circle; and WWE is happy to oblige. Mahomes expressed his interest to RAW Commentator, and part-time in-ring competitor Pat McAfee while on the former NFL punter’s program, The Pat McAfee Show. Mahomes and McAfee discussed the QB’s special appearance on the April 29th edition of Monday Night RAW. That night Mahomes was partially involved in an angle between United States Champion Logan Paul and Superstar Jey Uso. 

During a conversation with McAfee, Mahomes expressed his enjoyment of his brief appearance on WWE TV. He mentioned his interest in stepping into the ring to showcase his skills. Additionally, he explained the reason behind assisting Logan Paul by giving him one of his Super Bowl rings to use as a weapon against Jey Uso.

”The WWE thing was awesome, that thing was sweet, I should’ve got in the ring and show my skills a little bit!”

I’ve seen enough to know that Jey Uso is good at getting out of those situations. When he does the yeet, that was intense man, I loved that. At the same time though, that’s my man Logan, I know he’s not the biggest fan favorite there in WWE, but I had to make sure to help him out a bit.

I was definitely scared of the big dude (Braun Strowman), he was a lot bigger than I expected…”

While Pat McAfee invited Mahomes to get inside the ring half-jokingly, WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H was much more direct. Tweeting directly at Patrick Mahomes, and ensuring him that the door is always open for the Face of the NFL. 

Could we see Patrick Mahomes headlining a WWE PLE event in the near future? Only time will tell. In 2020, Mahomes signed a 10-year, $450 million extension with the Chiefs, a deal that may make it challenging for Mahomes to compete inside a WWE ring. However, it would not be the first time a pro athlete became a focal point of a WWE program.

If WWE and Mahomes ever did strike a deal, the future NFL Hall of Famer could easily turn to Pat McAfee for advice. McAfee is no stranger to in-ring competition, having wrestled names like Adam Cole, The Miz, Baron Corbin, and Austin Theory since joining WWE in 2018.

King & Queen Of The Ring Winners To Receive Title Opportunity At WWE SummerSlam

Thomas Lowson
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The winners of the King of the Ring and Queen of the Ring tournaments will receive much more than a crown, Triple H has confirmed. 

The ongoing tournaments will conclude at WWE King And Queen Of The Ring which will take place on Saturday, May 25, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Taking to Twitter, WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque shared that the victors of both tournaments will also receive a title opportunity at WWE SummerSlam on August 3. 

Who’s In the Tournaments? 

One name who could be going to SummerSlam is GUNTHER who will compete in the King of the Ring finals in Jeddah. The longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion in history will face either Randy Orton or Tama Tonga at the PLE. The Viper and the Bloodline’s MFT will face off in a tournament semi-final match on the May 24, edition of WWE SmackDown. 

For the Queen of the Ring tournament, Lyra Valkyria advanced to the finals on this week’s Monday Night Raw with a victory over IYO SKY. The former WWE NXT Women’s Champion will face either Bianca Belair or Nia Jax in Jeddah. Those two will face off in a tournament semi-final match on the May 24, edition of WWE SmackDown.

WWE King And Queen Of The Ring

Here is the card as it stands for WWE King And Queen Of The Ring: 

  • Gunther vs. SmackDown bracket winner (WWE King of the Ring Tournament Finals)
  • Lyra Valkyria vs. SmackDown bracket winner (WWE Queen of the Ring Tournament Finals)
  • Becky Lynch (c) vs. Liv Morgan (WWE Women’s World Championship)
  • Sami Zayn (c) vs. Chad Gable (with Otis) vs. Bronson Reed (WWE Intercontinental Championship)
  • Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Logan Paul (Undisputed WWE Championship)

MVP Hopes Stem Cell Therapy Will Extend His Wrestling Career

Rayan Saayed
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WWE star MVP has confirmed that he isn’t retired from in-ring competition, despite not competing in the squared circle for nearly two years.

The 50-year-old wrestler also revealed that he is going to go through stem cell therapy, which will prepare him for an in-ring return.

“I’m getting ready for my stem cell therapy trip to Mexico,” MVP wrote in a video post on Instagram. “Getting my body ready. I want to wrestle a bit more before I hang them up for good! What do you think?”

In the video, MPV revealed he got his heavy work out done for the day and was leaving the gym. The former WWE U.S. Champion revealed that he will be leaving for Mexico in two weeks to get his stem cell therapy done. He added that he’s looking forward to the procedure because his shoulders and knees have been “beat up pretty bad.”

“I haven’t officially retired yet,” MVP added. “I feel like I need a few more matches before I officially hang up my boots. I know I got a little bit in me. What do you guys think?”

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C7P2SzSu6pw

One More Run for MVP

MVP had issued the clarification that he wasn’t retired last year as well, and it seems like he is clear on not hanging up his boots yet. 

The wrestler, who is also known as Montel Vontavious Porter, was last seen competing in the ring in a tag team match at the 18 July 2022 episode of Raw. He teamed up with Omos against The Street Profits, who won via DQ.

His last win in WWE was against Cedric Alexander on the 13 June edition of Raw on the same year. This was also MVP’s second-last match. 

Mike Santana Explains How Bret Hart Influenced His Career (Exclusive)

Dominic DeAngelo
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Mike Santana has garnered a lot of inspiration from the legendary Bret Hart. The former AEW star and current House of Glory Champion has been one of the top names in the company after returning to his old stomping grounds back at TNA Rebellion. Santana made an immediate impact by defeating former World Champion Steve Maclin and did sign a deal with the promotion.

I recently spoke with Santana for SEScoops about his wrestling career, including where he’s been, where he is now and where he’s going. We got talking about what inspired him to lace up a pair of boots in the first place. The reigning House of Glory World Champion said it all comes down to the pink and black.

“I’ve always made it known Bret Hart is like an icon to me. He’s the reason why I got into wrestling.”

Santana said he was never into the big, over-the-top cartoon characters and in a time where there was a lot of big personas in WWE, Bret was an understated talent.

“Bret stood out to me because he was real, he was honest, he was himself, you know? What you saw is what you got. He spoke about his family, his values, where he came from and what he’s here to do so that always stood out to me.

I’ve always said that’s the kind of performer I want to be, you know? Just pretty much put myself out there and put a lot of my own personality into what I do.”

The ‘Excellence of Execution’ is widely considered to be one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. Some have won more championships and some have drawn more money, but few have inspired more people to get into wrestling than Bret Hart.

When Santana Met the Hitman

Santana did cross paths with Bret Hart years back when both were at an event in New York City. Hart’s agent knew Santana was a big fan and took him to meet The Hitman. Bret had a big line in front of him, but the WWE Hall of Famer made sure to make time for Mike Santana.

“He literally stopped the line and sat there with me for it felt like forever and we just talked. The fact that he knew who I was, it was awesome. It was a humbling experience. I felt like a kid. It was great.”

Mike Santana recalls meeting wrestling legend Bret Hart

Hart knew that Santana was apart of LAX at the time and made mention that it was Konnan, LAX’s manager, who actually taught him how to execute The Sharpshooter. Santana said growing up in New York, he never got star struck, but getting to meet his childhood hero in the squared circle hit a different tone for him. Patterning his mentality after Hart is something that is paying off for Santana behind the microphone and inside the ring.

“I always say that Mike Santana is an extension of myself. It is myself, but just turned up. That intensity and that level of violence that I bring sometimes, it’s just I attribute it to what I used to be when I was younger. Like I still have that dude trapped inside and wrestling allows me to bring them out and not get arrested or not get into trouble or anything.”

With Santana planting his flag into TNA soil, one would think he’s going to play a big factor when the promotion has Slammiversary this forthcoming July.

Check out my other recent interview with fellow TNA star Hammerstone:

Jim Ross Visits The Emergency Room: “Shortness of the breath.”

Aaron Varble
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Wrestling icon Jim Ross was hospitalized on Thursday morning in Norman, Oklahoma. The 72-year-old WWE Hall of Famer says he was taken to the emergency room after having trouble breathing. He provided the following information on social media, citing “shortness of the breath.”

We’ll be sure to follow this developing story and will provide an update here when additional details become available.

Jim Ross has been with All Elite Wrestling since it’s inception. Once the lead announcer doing commentary each week, his on-screen duties have been greatly scaled back in recent years. He’s kept fans apprised of his various health ailments, including several falls and a courageous battle with skin cancer.

Jim Ross, Sting, Tony Schiavone, Ric Flair and Darby Allin backstage at AEW Revolution 2024 

Jim also shared a photo of his daughters, who visited him in the hospital. He did not provide any health update, but his girls certainly love their father.

Following his most surgery in February 2024, JR returned to the commentary booth on March 3, 2024 to call Sting’s retirement match at AEW Revolution.

Jim Ross’ contributions to the wrestling are incalculable. He’s the embodiment of a “living legend” and his ongoing health issues have uncerstandably been met with concern.

SEScoops extends our best wishes to Jim Ross for full and speedy recovery. 

Boomer Sooner!

2-Night WWE SummerSlam Coming to Minneapolis in August 2026

Thomas Lowson
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The first-ever two-night edition of WWE SummerSlam will take over Minneapolis, Minnesota on August 1 and August 2 in 2026. 

The event will take place at the U.S. Bank Stadium which, among other events, is the stadium of the Minnesota Vikings. Taking to Twitter, WWE’s Chief Content Officer Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque shared the news that the Biggest Party of the Summer has just gotten even bigger. 

WWE SummerSlam 2026 will be the promotion’s second Premium Live Event to be hosted across two nights and follows in the footsteps of WrestleMania. The first two-night WrestleMania took place in 2020 and was a precaution in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. After fans responded favorably to the idea, WWE has kept WrestleMania as a two-night event despite all Covid-related restrictions being lifted. 

WWE in Minneapolis

SummerSlam 2026 will quite literally be the biggest wrestling event in the history of Minneapolis but it won’t be the first. Notable WWE shows to come to the City of Lakes include SummerSlam 1999, Judgment Day 2005, Bragging Rights 2010, and WWE TLC in 2017 and 2019. 

Minneapolis will host SummerSlam 2026 but the city had until recently had its sights set on WrestleMania 41 in 2025. For a time, those in the city were confident that the show would be theirs and were working under the assumption it was a done deal. Instead, WrestleMania 41 will take place at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 19 and April 20.

Velveteen Dream Named For New ‘Nation Of Domination’ Over Trick Williams

Aaron Varble
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The Nation of Domination was a controversial stable when it first appeared on WWE television in the 90s, and it would likely be just as provocative today. WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry, a former member of the original group, has now shared his picks for rebuilding the faction in modern-day WWE.

The group responsible in launching The Rock’s career hasn’t seen a new version, although other groups like The Hurt Business and The Pride have come close. There hasn’t been a new Nation of Domination yet, but the World’s Strongest Man has his eye on a few possible members.

Speaking to K & S WrestleFest, Henry discussed his picks for a new Nation of Domination stable and made a surprising choice by picking Velveteen Dream over Trick Williams. While he praised Trick Williams, he felt Williams was too well-liked for the group’s dynamic. Instead, Henry chose Velveteen Dream, also known as Patrick Clark, as his wildcard pick, believing it’s time for Clark to have a second chance in wrestling.

A New Nation of Domination

Nation of Domination alum Mark Henry would include Patrick Clark (Velveteen Dream) in a new Nation over Trick Williams

Henry acknowledged the significance of cancel culture and its role in accountability but stressed the importance of grace and forgiveness.

“Number one draft pick, (Powerhouse) Hobbs, and then number two, Omos, and then I would go Carmelo Hayes and as much as I love Trick Williams, I think that Trick is — he’s too liked. I want people that people don’t like. I want Bobby Lashley. I want people that you just don’t like ‘em. And there’s a lot of young guys that I think could hold up.”

“But, my wildcard would probably be Velveteen Dream, would be Patrick (Clark). I think it’s time for his second chance. A lot of people in the world of wrestling love the talent. We’re in a cancel culture that is justified as so. We need a cancel culture. But, at some point, you gotta have grace and forgiveness and you gotta see if that person is gonna bury themselves again because habitual line steppers, that’s exactly who they are. Once they get that second chance and they’re out, I ain’t cosigning for you no more. But, everybody needs their second chance.”

Mark Henry’s AEW contract is reportedly up very soon. It will be interesting to see what he does next in his pro wrestling career. Henry made his AEW debut on May 30, 2021, at Double or Nothing, where it was announced that he would join the commentary team for the new show AEW Rampage and also serve as a coach.

Patrick Clark’s Controversies

In April 2020, Patrick Clark faced allegations of sending indecent images to underage boys, which he denied. During the Speaking Out movement in June 2020, further accusations emerged that he had inappropriate communications with underage individuals. WWE investigated but found no evidence of wrongdoing. He couldn’t appear on NXT television without #FireVelveteenDream trending. Velveteen Dream was subsequently released from his WWE contract on May 20, 2021, after five months of inactivity.

Clark’s legal issues persisted in August 2022, with two arrests in Florida: one for first-degree battery and trespassing, and another for possessing drug paraphernalia, though these charges were later dropped. After more than three years out of the wrestling spotlight, he made a return on February 18, 2024, at The Dynasty promotion, debuting under the new ring name Velveteen Man. He is working to rehabilitate his image, but he obviously has a long road to redemption ahead of him.

TKO Group Merges WWE & UFC Live Event Teams

Thomas Lowson
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TKO, the parent company of WWE and UFC has taken another step towards synchronicity with the merging of the Live Event teams of both companies. 

WWE and UFC will have their live events overseen by one unit, described in a statement as “one of the strongest live events portfolios in all of sports and entertainment.” Andrew Schleimer, Chief Financial Officer of TKO, shared what this merger hopes to achieve. 

“The newly integrated TKO Live Events Strategy Team will focus on creating operational efficiencies and developing strategies to leverage the broader economic benefits we bring to host cities, including partnering with local governments and maximizing revenue opportunities from site fees.”

The merger is just the latest sign of WWE and UFC being connected now that both are under the TKO umbrella. WWE Superstars can often be found at UFC events with CM Punk, Montez Ford, Bianca Belair, Rey Mysterio, and Randy Orton all being spotted since the merger in September 2023. Similarly, UFC fighter Michael Chandler appeared on the February 19 edition of WWE Monday Night Raw and used his time on the show to call out Conor McGregor. 

Next month, WWE SmackDown and UFC Fight Night will be held in succession in Louisville, Kentucky with a ticket deal available for a weekend of TKO Group Holdings action. WWE NXT Battleground will be held at the UFC Apex on June 9, the first time any WWE event has been held at the venue. 

WWE Hosts Tryouts With Non-Wrestling Athletes At The Performance Center

Thomas Lowson
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WWE’s search for its next roster of Superstars continued this week but you probably won’t know any of the names who performed at the tryout. 

The promotion held a tryout of some kind at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida this week, PW Insider reports. The latest WWE tryout reportedly consisted primarily of athletes from outside of the wrestling industry instead of names from the independent scene. 

These athletes were extended an invitation from WWE to attend, a sign that the promotion has already had its eyes on them. At this time it is unknown who tried out for WWE at the Performance Center though it is expected that more information will be known within the coming weeks. 

WWE Tryouts

Trying out for WWE can take several days and result in multiple visits to WWE training facilities, as seen in 2019’s Fighting With My Family which chronicled the WWE career of Paige (now All Elite Wrestling’s Saraya.) 

These latest tryouts are hardly the first time that the Sports Entertainment juggernaut has sought athletes without professional wrestling experience. Some of WWE’s top Superstars today came to the company with backgrounds in athletics but not professional wrestling. These include Charlotte Flair, Braun Strowman, and reigning WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Bianca Belair. 

In 2021, WWE introduced its NIL Program which aids young athletes to hone their young careers and understand the value of ownership over their Name, Image, and Likeness. The Next-In-Line program also allows WWE to keep an eye on these young athletes should they consider a future in the ring. WWE’s first NIL signing was Gable Steveson who was released from WWE in May 2024. 

Matt Cardona Lands Role in Spaghetti Western, ‘Down The Long River’

Rayan Saayed
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Matt Cardona is attached to a movie project that’s currently seeking funding Indiegogo to get made. Down the Long River is described as a grim and violent revenge tale that reimagines the ‘Spaghetti Western‘ genre.

Western is a film genre in which films are set in the American West. Think sheriffs, cowboys, gunslingers, and bounty hunters. Spaghetti Western was a sub-genre of this style. They were produced and directed in Europe primarily by Italians (‘spaghetti’). Their heyday was the mid-late 20th century.

Down the Long River marks Matt Cardona’s feature film debut. The creators commented on him joining the project, saying “his involvement brings a unique charisma and dedicated fanbase to our film.” 

Synopsis: In the aftermath of the Civil War, a former Army surgeon, a notorious gang, and a duplicitous Pinkerton agent cross paths in a forgotten river town. With revenge and a fortune in gold at stake, the town is caught in the crossfire.

Cardona Update

As for Matt Cardona’s pro wrestling career, he’s currently sidelined with a torn pec injury which he suffered during a match for Reality of Wrestling on April 13.  He underwent successful surgery that week. In a message posted on social media, he thanked everyone for their support and made it clear the injury won’t stop him from doing what he was born to do

“You can’t kill me… I’m already dead.”

While he’s unable to wrestle, Cardona was recently announced as the new General Manager of Game Changer Wrestling.

More on Down the Long River

The team behind Down the Long River call it a mature, thought-provoking film that ‘examines our relationship with violence and antiheroes.’ It reimagines the classic Western movie tropes while delivering the genre’s beloved elements: horses, gunfights, bounty hunters, and a riverboat loaded with gold. At its core, it’s a dark, human story about the aftermath of violence and how it perpetuates further violence.

In an effort to set the project apart from the usual Western landscapes, it’s set in a river town nestled in a lush forest, which offers a striking visual departure.

Learn more about Down the Long River:

Randy Orton Was Told To Retire By Doctors During WWE Hiatus

Anutosh Bajpai
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Randy Orton was told by doctors he should retire during his most recent hiatus.

The Viper is one of the longest-tenured WWE talents in the current roster. He has consistently been wrestling for the company for over 2 decades and he has competed in thousands of matches since his debut in 2000.

This longevity however comes with its own consequences. Orton found this out when he had to take 18 months off from WWE programming due to a serious back injury in May 2022. He finally returned to the company at the Survivor Series PPV in November 2023.

The Legend Killer opened up about his long recovery process during a recent interview with SportsKeeda. Randy Orton revealed that after taking a look at his injury, top neurologists were telling him that he should retire to preserve his body:

“I had top neurologists telling me, ‘You know what? You had a great career, you have a life after wrestling, and you wanna be comfortable. You don’t wanna be in pain the rest of your life. We’re gonna fix your back, but you’re gonna have to stop wrestling’. The first six months that I was out, I had that in the back of my head, and it was tough. It was mentally very challenging.”

While Randy is looking better than ever since his return to the ring, the months away from wrestling have definitely given him a new perspective and forced him to think about the end of his wrestling career.

The former world champion recently stated that he doesn’t want to have to convert to a part-time schedule like we have seen some other legends do. It’s likely that he will retire from active competition when he turns 50.

Randy Orton is currently competing in the ongoing King of The Ring tournament. Gunther has already entered the finals taking place in Saudi Arabia on May 25. Orton will be looking to do the same when he faces Tama Tonga in the semi-final on this Friday’s episode of SmackDown. 

Will Ospreay Says He Is ‘Bonded By Blood’ With AEW International Championship

Bishal Roy
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Will Ospreay has only one goal in mind – to dethrone Roderick Strong and capture the AEW International Championship at AEW Double Or Nothing pay-per-view.

This week’s AEW Dynamite emanated from Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield, California. The show kicked off with Ospreay teaming up with Orange Cassidy and face Roderick Strong and Trent Beretta. In the final moments of the match, Wardlow interfered in the match and assisted Strong to pick up the win. Following the match, Strong and his Undisputed Kingdom teammates brutally assaulted ‘The Aerial Assassin’. The AEW International Champion hit Ospreay with the title belt as the English wrestler was busted open. 

In a AEW Digital Exclusive, Will Ospreay, who was still bleeding, delivered a passionate promo. He sent a stern message to his opponent at AEW Double Or Nothing. Ospreay boasted his endurance and asked if the attack was the best shot that Strong got. He said:

“You think I look pretty bad right now, right? No, this is nothing. Mate, I’ve been on four-day bender, had a bowl of Cocoa Puffs, got on a plane to Japan, called out the toughest guy, and whooped him in front of his wife and kids while I was smiling, bruv. You think this is the end, Messiah? What, you think that this scares me? [Slaps himself] Nah, I live for this, bruv. I flew all the way from England on a ten-hour flight, got transferred over to Bakersfield, and this? This is the best that you’ve got? My Messiah, am I meant to believe in you, man? Am I meant to believe?  No, man.”

Ospreay added that he believes in what goes down inside the squared circle when the bell rings. He said Strong’s actions have ‘bonded” him with that championship as his blood is on the title belt. The 31-year-old wrestler further declared that it’s his life mission to win the AEW International Championship at the upcoming pay-per-view this weekend. He said:

“The only thing that I believe in is bell-to-bell, internationally known, no one is better than me inside that ring, and now what you’ve just done, Roderick, what you’ve just done is it’s bonded me with that championship. My blood is on that championship. So now, it is my duty, it is my spirit that is bonded with that championship. So Sunday, in the perfect city to do it in, bet it all. Gamble your life on it, son. Because now, it is my life’s mission to take the International Championship away from you, come hell or high water. Nobody is better than Will Ospreay because I am on another level.”

Roderick Strong had captured the AEW International title by defeating Orange Cassidy at AEW Revolution in March. This will mark his second PPV title defense. He retained the title over Kyle O’Reilly at AEW Dynasty last month. 

At the same pay-per-view, Will Ospreay emerged victorious over Bryan Danielson in a match that was heavily praised. However, there were some concerning scenes following the match as ‘The American Dragon’ looked hurt after being hit with the Tiger Driver 91.

Fozzy and Swerve Strickland Teaming Up for Concert During All In Week

Rayan Saayed
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Chris Jericho and Swerve Strickland are joining hands together for a musical night.

AEW announced that Fozzy, the heavy metal band whose lineup consists of vocalist Chris Jericho, will be performing before All In. The convert is set to take place on Friday, August 23, at the O2 Forum Kentish Town in London, England, United Kingdom.

Wrestler Swerve Strickland and musical artist Flash Garments will be joining Fozzy on that night at the show.

You can check out the official performance below:

FOZZY have announced their hugely anticipated return to the UK capital with a date at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town. Promising an explosive Friday evening of rock and rap, the show kickstarts a weekend that culminates in the return of AEW (All Elite Wrestling) to London’s Wembley Stadium on Sunday 25th August.

If it’s not enough for fans to have FOZZY, with their heavy melodic groove and fronted by 8 time World Champion Chris Jericho headlining the night, fans will go crazy knowing that direct support comes from current AEW World Champion: Swerve Strickland. Swerve Strickland & Flash Garments will be performing their first concert as a rap duo in the UK.

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C7RODzcuU2X

Tickets to the show can be purchased from Ticketmaster.

AEW All In is set to take place t the Wembley Stadium in London on August 25, 2024. No matches have been announced for the event yet.

But before that, AEW’s next PPV is going to be the 2024 Double or Nothing, which will take place on May 26, 2024 during the Memorial Day weekend at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, Nevada. Thhe main event will see Swerve Strickland defend his AEW World Championship against Christian Cage. You can check out the full event card here.

Ivar: ‘No One Was Happy About The Viking Experience Name Except One Man’

Thomas Lowson
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Viking Raider Ivar was among a multitude of people unhappy with the ‘Viking Experience’ name but that didn’t matter as “one man” was on board with the name. 

Ivar, alongside Erik, had established themselves as War Machine and the War Raiders for years before being called up to the main roster in 2019. The move from WWE NXT to Monday Night Raw saw the pair rechristened the ‘Viking Experience’ which was met with a backlash from fans who felt the name was goofy.

Ivar On The Viking Experience

Shortly after the Viking Experience was revealed, a compromise was reached for the team to be named the Viking Raiders, a nod to their previous name. Speaking on the Insight podcast, Ivar discussed how the name came about.

“Vince [McMahon] loves Vikings. So he found out there was a team in NXT that were Vikings. ‘Yes, I want them.’ And he wanted Viking in our name and they couldn’t pass anything through legal. There’s already a Vikings football team, there’s already a Vikings TV show. So none of the names they were trying, whatever they were, were getting through.

“And then somebody, I won’t say who, it was asked in a meeting ‘What are they? Describe them!’ And somebody describes us as ‘they’re this, they’re that. They’re like a Viking… Experience.’ That’s it! They’re the Viking Experience. And not one person was happy or okay with that except for the one man. So we were stuck.” 

Neither fans nor those backstage (except for one) were happy with the name. 

WWE changing the name amid fan backlash was an example of the company listening to the fans at a time when it felt like that wasn’t happening. Since then, the Viking Raiders have gone on to hold the Raw Tag Team Championships and have established themselves as one of the top teams on WWE’s main roster. 

The Young Bucks Fantasized About Beating Tony Khan Since They Met Him

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

The Young Bucks felt great dropping Tony Khan on his head.

The AEW EVPs have completely changed the perception about them in many ways since returning to AEW Programming after a short hiatus in January this year. The duo that have always been criticized for focusing on moves, have been doing some of the best character work of their careers.

The decision for them to be the team to wrestle Sting in his retirement match at Revolution was originally criticized by many fans. Not only did the brothers deliver the performance of a lifetime in this bout, but they have also taken the heat from it to become one of the hottest acts in the business.

One defining moment that helped them reach this status was when Matthew and Nicholas Jackson attacked their boss and AEW President Tony Khan during the April 24 episode of Dynamite. They beat Khan up with the help of Jack Perry and then laid him out using the ‘Tony Khan driver’

The AEW stars spoke to Sports Illustrated about this moment and said that it felt ‘dangerous and rebellious.’ Matthew Jackson claimed that he knew they had done the right thing when his phone lit up afterwards:

“The locker room gasped when it went down. Afterward, my phone lit up like a Christmas tree. It was probably the most feedback I’ve ever received for anything I’ve ever done, so I know it worked.”

The AEW EVP declared that it was something he had wanted to do since they first met with the Jacksonville Jaguars Executive:

“It was personally great for me, because I had fantasized many times about dropping Tony Khan on his head ever since I met him. I can remember many times watching him talk during production meetings, and my mind would wander to beating the hell out of him,”

We Kept An Eye On Him: Young Bucks

The Young Bucks also talked about the return of Jack Perry on AEW TV. The 26-year-old had been absent from AEW programming since his infamous All In scuffle with CM Punk in August last year.

When Perry first surfaced back on the wrestling scene in January, it was for NJPW and not AEW. Per the Bucks, they had been keeping an eye on the young star since then and giving him advice:

“We kept an eye on him the entire time he was gone and helped him navigate the situation–a familiar one that we had also gone through. We also talked him down a few times. We gave him advice on how to succeed in Japan.”

Jack Perry became the fourth member to join the new Elite after Kazuchika Okada when he returned to AEW in April. Speaking about taking the former Jungle Boy into their group, Bucks said that they had empathy for the young star for being treated unfairly:

“Jack unfairly ate crap for a very long time. So we had a lot of empathy for him, and we were very excited to help launch his comeback.”

The Elite have been running the company to their liking in recent weeks after adding both Okada and Perry to the group. Their dominance, however, will be challenged by Team AEW consisting of Bryan Danielson, FTR, and Darby Allin at the upcoming Double or Nothing PPV on May 26 when they meet in an Anarchy in the Arena match.

The Undertaker Reveals His Favorite Wrestling Gear

Anutosh Bajpai
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The Undertaker is one of the most unique characters in the history of pro wrestling. One of the things that made him stand out were the different ring gears he wore through the years as his character progressed.

The Dead Man recently talked about things such as his Hall of Fame speech, the boxing match of Tyson Fury & Oleksandr Usyk and more in a new Q&A on his Patreon page.

The former World Champion also discussed his ring gears. When asked which was was his favorite gear of all time, Taker said that it was his post-American badass set up because it was most comfortable:

“My favorite gear was the singlet with the kind of leather-ish-looking pants. I guess it was the modified Undertaker that I came back after the American badass run where I kept the pants but went back… you know had the singlet, the MMA gloves. It was just the most comfortable to move around. I never really liked the tights but I say that and I see a lot of people what they wear and it’s like…a little decorum please, as far as ring gear. But the leather pants, the singlet, the duster, the hat, MMA gloves, that was probably my favourite.”

The Undertaker’s Python Pants

Taker later discussed some of the gears that he wasn’t a fan of. This included his python pants from Survivor Series 2000 match against Kurt Angle as well as the bat wings he wore for his match against Mankind in Madison Square Garden at Survivor Series ’96:

“I didn’t like the Python pants and I didn’t like the Undertaker pirate kind of look where I took the bat wings and I descended into the garden. That was so much cooler in my brain. The application wasn’t quite as cool as it was in my brain. In my brain, I was like ‘This is scary. This is gonna be so scary people are gonna freak out’ and then I just kind of looked like a jacked-up Gene Simmons.”

The Undertaker also revealed that he didn’t like changing his gloves, knee pads, and boots very regularly and told a story about Triple H making fun of his worn-out boots.

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