Home Blog Page 251

Reggie Opens Up About His Mental State Following WWE Departure

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Former WWE star Reggie aka Sidney Akeem has opened up about his WWE departure and claimed that he is keeping a very positive attitude about his future.

The 31-year-old had his first post-WWE interview with Fightful where he discussed the journey from his signing with the company, the many highlights of his run and finally his departure from the promotion.

The former WWE star first spoke about his mindset following the company’s decision to not renew his contract. He explained how times have changed and said that he is in good head space:

“I’m very positive. The news came three or four weeks ago, I’ve been in really good spirits. It’s not how it was a couple of years ago when releases were happening and people were devastated. I know it’s still tough, but I’m in a good head space.”

Reggie noted that he had done circus for 16 years before joining the world of pro wrestling. According to him, he was ready to go to the indies had WWE not offered him a contract in 2020 and that’s what he is going to do now.

A Life That Many Would Kill For: Reggie

The star who was later repacked as Scrypts in NXT also detailed the call he received about his departure. He revealed that the official calling said that he was a joy to work with and the door was open for his return down the line.

Akeem mentioned that he is able to keep a positive attitude because he knows that many people would kill to have the life he has:

“My brother is heavy in drugs right now. My grandmother is sick. My other brother is in jail. My other brother is in a mental hospital from a car crash when he was 16.

I have people that are constantly dying back in St. Louis, and I’m living a life that many would kill to be in my shoes. I have nothing to be upset about. This is just another obstacle, another hurdle that I have to jump. It wasn’t a bad call at all.”

Sidney Akeem signed with WWE back in January 2020 and made his debut directly on the main roster as Reginald Thomas. He was initially paired with Carmella and also had multiple runs with the 24/7 Championship.

Reginald was moved to NXT in October 2022 where he was repackaged as Scrypts. The former champion was let go earlier this month when WWE chose not to renew his contract.

Bryan Danielson: ‘I’m Fighting The Elite Because I Love AEW’

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Bryan Danielson’s love for AEW has led the American Dragon into a war with the company’s EVPs The Elite that will culminate with Anarchy in the Arena. 

Danielson will join FTR and the recently returned Darby Allin to face the Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks, Jack Perry and Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada. Speaking after this week’s AEW Collision, Danielson shared his reasoning for aligning with ‘Team AEW.’ 

“I’m watching Dynamite, and I see the Young Bucks and the Elite piledrive Tony Khan. A guy who started this company. The guy who if he wasn’t here, this company wouldn’t even exist. And I watched that and I was angry, mad as hell.

“And then I watch the next week, as they took out Kenny Omega and hospitalized him. When he’s already sick, when he’s already hurt! You were supposed to change the world together. And that’s how I know, you guys say you’re good Christian boys but you guys are evil. Because who turns their back on their best friend like that?

“And that’s when I realized, I can’t stay at home anymore. I can’t rehab anymore. I have to come back and I have to fight! I have to fight for AEW because I love this place! You guys say you want to change the world! You won’t even show up on a Saturday!”

Danielson has been a part of AEW since 2021 after a highly successful run in WWE as Daniel Bryan. The upcoming Anarchy in the Arena match will be Danielson’s second time competing in such a match after the BCC beat The Elite last year. 

For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.

Buff Bagwell Returns To The Ring To Win Memphis Wrestling Championship

Thomas Lowson
-
0

WCW alum Buff Bagwell proved he still has the ‘stuff’ by winning championship gold in his first match in close to two years. 

Bagwell was a part of the Memphis Wrestling event this week and teamed with ‘Big’ John Dalton to take on Memphis Tag Team Champions Sir Matthew & Lord Gaston. Bagwell and Dalton won the gold after a big splash from the 300 lb Dalton. 

Bagwell hit a series of elbows and clotheslines in the match as well as a ‘noggin-knocker’ to his opponents. The victory with Dalton was Bagwell’s first match in any promotion since 2022 (according to Profight.) It was his first tag team championship victory since Buff and Rikki Nelson won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Champion in May 2009. 

Buff Bagwell

With his exuberant personality and various high-profile angles, Buff Bagwell is one of the most recognizable names to come from WCW. During his ten-year run with the promotion, Bagwell became a five-time WCW World Tag Team Champion across four different partners. He would be brought into the WWF in 2001 but was let go after an infamous match with Booker T. It’s also reported that Bagwell’s mother Judy (another former WCW Tag Champion) called up WWF offices to demand better work for her son.

In more recent years, Bagwell has struggled with a series of health issues, some of which have stemmed from his days abusing substances. Like many legends of the ring, Bagwell has been receiving help from WWE Hall of Famer ‘Diamond’ Dallas Page and celebrated eleven months of sobriety in July 2023. Bagwell’s life and struggle was documented during a recent episode of VICE’s Dark Side of the Ring.

Latest On Releases From WWE NXT, Date Of The Cuts Was “No Accident”

Thomas Lowson
-
0

More has come to light about the recent wave of releases from the NXT roster and why exactly these cuts happened when they did. 

WWE cut several names from its NXT roster on May 3. This marked the first wave of cuts to WWE NXT as part of the promotion’s ‘new era.’ The Performance Center was closed on that Friday, Fightful Select reports, with talent being made before the Friday that cuts were coming. It was also noted that it was “no accident” that the releases took place during WWE SmackDown. 

Injuries

Valentina Feroz and Boa were two surprising names cut as they had both been receiving TV time. With that said, both had been struggling with injuries in recent months which had obviously impacted their careers. NXT talent told Fightful that they believe the two didn’t get consistent shots to show what they are capable of. 

Trey Bearhill

The release of Trey Bearhill was another that caught WWE NXT talent off guard as he had been regularly appearing at WWE NXT live events and had made a handful of TV appearances. Despite speculation by some online that Bearhill was released due to his similarities with fellow Native American Eddy Thorpe, NXT talent refuted the notion. 

Valentina Feroz and Boa were among those released from WWE NXT. 

WWE Next Gen

Some names cut had been appearing on the WWE Next Gen series on Roku which shines a spotlight onto the stars of tomorrow. Some fans were confused to see these young athletes cut as none had even revealed that they were under contract. It is reported that the recruits’ deals with WWE began following the taping of the show, but were not allowed to announce their signings till the show aired. 

Bushiroad’s Takaaki Kidani “Had No Choice” But to Let Kazuchika Okada’s NJPW Deal Expire

Thomas Lowson
-
0

New Japan had no other alternative but to let go of Kazuchika Okada, according to parent company Busihiroad’s President Takaaki Kidani. 

Despite being one of New Japan’s top stars for years, it was in January 2024 that the company announced it would not be renewing the contract of the ‘Rainmaker.’ This ended the 18-year tenure of Okada under contract and was met with a backlash at the time. 

In an interview with Proresu-TODAY, Kidani was asked for his thoughts on Okada’s departure. 

“I can only say that I had no choice. As I have said many times, if I were in the same position, I would have done the same thing. So I can only say that it can’t be helped and that I wish them all the best, and I may sound like a customer, but all I can say is, please spread the word of Japan’s greatness to the world.”

Okada benefitted greatly from Bushiroad’s influence during his NJPW run as the company scored him media appearances and commercials that elevated his star power. With that said, Kidani made clear that Okada’s in-ring success was all his own doing. 

“He became what he is because he worked hard, but I think it was also due to the cooperation of those around him and good rivalry between them.”

NJPW felt they had no choice but to let Okada’s contract expire. 

Since leaving New Japan, Okada has signed with AEW and wasted no time in March by siding himself with The Elite. The Rainmaker is currently in his first reign as AEW Continental Champion. He will team with his Elite allies at AEW Double or Nothing 2024 to face FTR, Darby Allin, and Bryan Danielson in the Anarchy in the Arena match. 

Latest On Backstage Reaction To Gable Steveson’s Release From WWE

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Gable Steveson’s release from WWE may have been a shock to some, but reportedly not to those working with him in WWE NXT.

Steveson’s exit came less than three years after his high-profile signing to WWE in 2021. That same year, Steveson won Olympic Gold in freestyle wrestling at the Tokyo Summer Games, making him the second-ever gold medalist to sign with WWE (after Kurt Angle over two decades earlier.) Shortly after his signing, Steveson was selected by Raw in that year’s Draft, becoming the first draft pick chosen without a single match to his name.

Reaction to Steveson’s Release

Despite his high-profile standing outside of WWE, Steveson’s departure wasn’t a surprise to those in the company. One NXT talent who spoke to Fightful Select noted the difference in development between Steveson and his brother Damon Kemp. The two brothers joined WWE around the same time and in stark contrast to his Olympian sibling, Kemp has quickly found a place for himself on TV. 

Steveson’s progression in WWE was slow with reports coming out in 2022 that he was nowhere close to showing the skill set WWE had hoped to see by that point in time. NXT talent believe it was his lack of progression and not his previous trouble with the law that factored into his WWE release. 

Steveson and a university teammate were arrested on suspicion of criminal sexual misconduct in 2019 but they did not face criminal charges due to a lack of adequate evidence. At the time though, the county attorney pointed to a lack of a law in Minnesota (where the alleged incident happened) that would’ve given them a broader discretion in charging sexual assaults against intoxicated victims. 

Steveson competed just one time on WWE TV. 

What’s Next for Gable Steveson? 

Steveson’s days in WWE are over but his days competing are far from finished. The ex-Superstar recently had a tryout for the Buffalo Bills and is expected to meet several NFL teams. There had been speculation that Steveson would go to the NFL after his victory in Tokyo before he signed with WWE. 

AEW’s Ruby Soho And Angelo Parker Married

Thomas Lowson
-
0

AEW’s Ruby Soho and Angelo Parker have gotten married in a ceremony ahead of becoming parents. The two tied the knot over the weekend, with Dark Order member John Silver posting a photo from the wedding on social media. They’re been romantically linked other since 2023. 

The photo above shows that Soho’s ‘baby bump’ is starting to show. The Outcasts alum revealed after the April 17 edition of AEW Dynamite that she is pregnant with her and Parker’s first child. 

Wrestling Moms

Ruby Soho will soon join an elite club of wrestlers who prove themselves in the ring while also being moms. In December 2020, Becky Lynch gave birth to her and Seth Rollins’ first child Roux, and returned to TV at SummerSlam 2021 as a heel. The same year that Lynch returned, her former rival Ronda Rousey had a daughter with Travis Browne. Wanting to be a mom was part of Rousey’s decision to step away from WWE in 2019.

After previously suffering a miscarriage, Carmella gave birth to her and Corey Graves’ son in November 2023 after a 60-hour labor. Alexa Bliss would welcome her and Ryan Cabrera’s daughter Hendrix into the world that same month. In February 2022, Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae welcomed the birth of their son Quill, named after Peter Quill from the world of Marvel Comics.  

Bayley Hopes Queen of the Ring Tournament Leads to WWE Evolution 2 Event

Thomas Lowson
-
0

WWE Women’s Champion Bayley hopes the success of the ongoing Queen of the Ring tournament will lead to the second-ever Evolution PLE. 

It’s been over five years since WWE hosted its first (and to date, only) all-female Premium Live Event. Since that October 2018 night, WWE has continued to highlight women’s wrestling with WrestleMania 35 in 2019 seeing the first (but not the last) time that a women’s match headlined a night of the Showcase of the Immortals. 

Right now, the women of WWE are embarking in a tournament to crown the next Queen of the Ring. Taking to Twitter, Bayley suggested that the tournament proves that Evolution 2 would be viable.

Evolution 2: Is It Possible? 

The reigning WWE Women’s Champion is hardly the first Superstar to share their hopes to a sequel to WWE Evolution. A year after the all-female event, Triple H shared that a possible second event was on the table but was unsure when it would fit into WWE’s calendar. More recently, Macey Estrella, who competed for years as Lacey Evans, said Evolution 2 was a must. 

While there may be a calling for Evolution 2, getting the event green-lit is proving easier said than done. After the initial event, it was reported that WWE Evolution had fallen below expectations in terms of ticket sales despite the considerable push it had received compared to other events of its size that year. 

WWE Queen Of The Ring

The ongoing tournament is down to its final four Superstars. On the upcoming episode of WWE Monday Night Raw, Lyra Valkyria will face IYO SKY for a place in the finals. On SmackDown, Nia Jax will face Bianca Belair. The winners of these two matches will face off for the crown at WWE King And Queen Of The Ring on May 25, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 

Jake Paul Fires Back About His Upcoming Fight With Mike Tyson Being Scripted

Dominic DeAngelo
-
0

Jake Paul really wants to knock out Mike Tyson. Paul and ‘The Baddest Man On The Planet’ had a press conference in Arlington, TX on Thursday. Paul shared some interesting quotes regarding his upcoming battle with Tyson and Jake was asked if any of their fight could be scripted. Paul dismisses that notion.

“I hope y’all keep that same energy when I knock this old man the f*ck out. Clearly, they don’t have a high IQ in here, but that’s a federal crime.”

Mike Tyson Channels Scott Steiner

Tyson had his own set of words on his opponent Paul and pulled a classic page out of the book of Scott Steiner during the TNA days. Paul, who is noticably taller than Tyson, came in much bulked up. Tyson decided to make note of Jake’s weight gain.

“I don’t know if he’s in his prime. He’s fat. He should be lean and mean and he’s fat and funky. I saw him with his shirt off though and he’s fat.”

Paul responded to Tyson’s shot, and he didn’t shy away from his new bulkier frame.

“Hey, Buster Douglas was fat. Am I right? I know, but you know Buster Douglas, I’m better. I’m going to end you quicker than he did and you’ll remember that forever.”

The fight is set to take place on July 20 in the AT&T Stadium down in Dallas, TX, the home of WrestleMania 38 where Jake’s brother, Logan Paul, made his WrestleMania debut.

Netflix will host the fight, and whether that may be scripted or not, their new property WWE RAW will be at the start of 2025.

H/t to PWInsider for the quotes.

Watch Jon Moxley’s Surprise Return To Wrestling Revolver

Bishal Roy
-
0

The IWGP World Heavyweight Jon Moxley recently surprised the fans with his appearance at Wrestling Revolver Another Friday on May 17. 

The Unit (JT Dunn, Jake Something & Havok) attempted to attack Masha Slamovich following their match. However, Jon Moxley showed up and assaulted Dunn by hitting his finisher, Paradigm Shift. Mox then went on to cut a promo and asked what should be done about JT Dunn. The AEW star suggested that he would fire Dunn if he was in charge of the promotion. Iowa-based promotion Wrestling Revolver was established in 2016 and is currently led by Sami Callihan, who came out and agreed to Moxley’s idea and fired Dunn. 

https://twitter.com/GIFSkullX/status/1791659011802042754

Over the years, Moxley has made sporadic appearances and competed for the promotion. His last match at Wrestling Revolver took place at Lucha Death pay-per-view earlier this year in January. At the show, he emerged victorious against Gringo Loco in an epic match.

Jon Moxley has huge matches lined-up

Moxley recently dethroned Tetsuya Naito to capture the IWGP World Heavyweight title at NJPW Windy City Riot. He has successfully defended his title against the likes of Ren Narita, Powerhouse Hobbs and Shota Umino. He is set to defend his title against Evil at the Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall on June 9. 

However, ahead of the title defense, he will collide with Konosuke Takeshita in an IWGP World Heavyweight title Eliminator match at the upcoming Double Or Nothing pay-per-view on Sunday, May 26. If the Japanese star defeats the champ, he will receive a shot at the title. 

Mox recently made his return to AEW Dynamite and joined forces with Bryan Danielson to defeat Kyle Fletcher and Jeff Cobb. Following their victory, ‘The Alpha’ assaulted Mox which set up the title eliminator fight. 

Tony Khan Challenged For ‘Presidential Showdown’ At Forbidden Door III

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

A challenge has been made for AEW President Tony Khan to step inside the ring at the upcoming Forbidden Door PPV next month.

The AEW owner announced on Twitter earlier this week that Konosuke Takeshita will be facing Jon Moxley in an IWGP World Title Eliminator match at the Double or Nothing PPV on May 26. If Takeshita wins this match, he will earn the right to challenge for the title currently held by Mox.

NJPW star EVIL who is set to challenge Moxley for the belt at the Dominion event on June 9 has taken an exception to this announcement. While speaking to Tokyo Sports, he questioned Tony Khan’s authority to make the bout concerning the NJPW title.

Tony Khan Challenged For Forbidden Door Showdown

The Japanese star claimed that he is the ‘highest authority’ of New Japan and suggested a ‘presidential showdown’ between the two at the upcoming PPV:

“You’re doing whatever you want, and I’m not going to stand by and watch. Don’t act like you’re an equal to me, the president of an organization that’s not that big. My company and your company are not of the same caliber. You don’t seem to know your place, so I’ll give you a lesson. You can stand in front of me (at Forbidden Door). Next time you won’t be wearing a corset. You and I are on different levels,”

EVIL is not the first NJPW star to speak against the treatment of the IWGP Title by AEW Authorities in recent times. Yota Tsuji had previously questioned NJPW management’s decision to put the belt on Moxley in the first place.

The Third Annual Forbidden Door jointly hosted by AEW and NJPW will be held on June 30 from the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York.

Considering the recent remarks from NJPW talent, it appears that there will be some bitter competition between the two rosters this time around instead of the friendly warfare we have seen in the past.

The quotes in the article have been translated through Google Translate

When Eddie Kingston Aims To Return To AEW

Bishal Roy
-
0

Eddie Kingston is hopeful of making a comeback to the ring in a matter of few months.

Reports of Kingston’s injury emerged after his match at NJPW Resurgence last week. PWInsider has confirmed that Eddie Kingston has sustained a leg injury (tibular fracture). ‘The Mad King’ underwent a string of X-rays in California after the event and it detected the injury. 

The former AEW Continental Champion is waiting to be informed on how his injury will be medically dealt with. The outlet has reported that Kingston is hopeful of returning by AEW All In: London which is scheduled to take place in August. However, his return will depend on whether he will have to undergo surgery.

Eddie Kingston’s injury 

Kingston unsuccessfully defended his NJPW Strong Openweight Championship against Gabe Kidd in a No-rope Last Man Standing match. In the final moments of the match, Kidd hit a suplex to Kingston through a table which was bridged across the ring to the guardrail. During the move, Kingston’s leg hit the guardrail which might have caused the injury. Reports suggested that the former champion was “limping bad backstage” which raised concerns.

Following the defeat, Jack Perry had a stardown with ‘The Mad King’ followed by a blindsided assault by Nicholas and Matthew Jackson. The EVPs then delivered a promo and attacked him with an EVP trigger. 

It was recently announced that The Young Bucks will join forces with Jack Perry and Kazuchika Okada and face the team of FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler), Eddie Kingston, and Bryan Danielson in an ‘Anarchy In The Arena’ Match at the upcoming AEW Double or Nothing on Sunday, May 26. Given Kingston’s injury, his replacement was announced earlier this week on Dynamite.

Ivar Confirms Serious Injury In New Statement After Conflicting Reports

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

WWE star Ivar has addressed his current status amid all the conflicting rumors going around about his health and wrestling future.

Chatter about the wrestling star’s status began after WWE pulled him from an announced match. At first it was reported that Ivar was just taking some time off from the company and he wasn’t really injured.

Fresh reports since then, however, have contradicted the early statements. A photo posted by Andrews Sports Medicine team on Twitter further confirmed that the heavyweight star was dealing with a legitimate issue.

One-half of the Viking Raiders tag team then took on his Twitter to set the record straight. Ivar confirmed that he is indeed dealing with a legitimate serious injury:

The WWE star said that he will do everything he can to get back in the ring as soon as possible and thanked the fans for their support through this ordeal:

“No matter what happens, I owe it to everyone who ever believed in me to do everything I can to get back in that ring, under those lights, and infront of the most amazing fans on the planet, see you as soon as I can! That being said, I Want to thank everyone for the out pouring of love and support, not only after finding out I was injured but thru out the last several months, I have heard you all!”

Ivar’s Injury

Ivar was originally scheduled to compete in a triple threat #1 contender’s match for Oba Femi’s NXT North American Championship at next week’s episode of NXT.

However he, alongside the other two competitors of the match Wes Lee and Josh Briggs were taken out by Gallus on this week’s episode of the Tuesday night show.

The company then taped next week’s episode of the development show in advance and excluded the heavyweight star from the lineup. Ivar was also replaced in the ongoing tournament to determine the #1 contender for Ricochet’s WWE Speed championship.

Fightful Select later provided some more updates on the 40-year-old’s health. They claimed that Ivar has ‘long wrestled as if he’s on borrowed time after his double fusion surgery.’

The nature or the severity of Ivar’s current injury is not known. So it’s hard to say how long he will stay out of action or when can we expect him back on WWE programming.

SEScoops will continue monitoring the situation and you can follow us on social media to stay up-to-date with the wrestling star’s status.

Jey Uso Believes Aspiring Wrestlers Chasing Fame Are Bound To Fail

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Jey Uso believes any young person trying to break into the wrestling business should focus on learning the art of it properly instead of chasing the clout.

The former Bloodline member recently had an interview with the Battleground podcast. He discussed things such as JoJo Offerman’s reaction to his viral Firefly entrance during Backlash France and more.

Being the son of the legendary Rikishi and part of the renowned Anoa?i family, Jey has practically grown up in the business and knows everything there is to know about it.

The Raw star was asked what advice would he give to a young talent trying to make a name for himself in the industry. Jey Uso explained that anyone who is focused on chasing the fame is going to fail:

“If you’re trying to do this for like, some likes and views and fame this ain’t it bro. Because a lot of homies are lined up for that and they’re all gonna fail.”

Protect What We Love: Jey Uso

(WWE)

The former tag team champion then claimed that aspiring wrestlers should first focus on getting the basics down and try to protect the business they all love:

“I feel like just learn this craft. If you really love it, just start in the ring first. Learn the art of wrestling, right? Like it’s cool with characters, but I always take pride in [that]. Not a lot of people can do the entertainment part, the acting part, let alone do the athleticism in the ring – the moves, the bumps.

The movement with someone else in there is different with two people, let alone four or five. Protect the art, protect the business. If you really want to, get down and learn. Just don’t do what you see on Instagram. You know what I’m saying, Uce? Just protect what we love. It’s not a sprint. It’s a marathon.”

Jey Uso has become a singles star since leaving The Bloodline in mid-2023. He most recently unsuccessfully challenged for Damian Priest’s World Heavyweight Championship at Backlash France earlier this month.

The WWE star is currently competing in the King of The Ring tournament. He has defeated Finn Balor and Ilja Dragunov in the tournament and is set to face Gunther in the semi-finals during the May 20th episode of Raw.

Athena Potentially Injured During Match At Latest ROH TV Taping

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Ring of Honor Women’s World Champion seemingly suffered an injury during a match that could have dire implications for her historic title reign. 

The incident in question took place during Athena’s match with Viva Van which took place as part of the recent AEW Collision taping. Athena charged at Van who ducked the attack and pulled down the middle rope with Athena taking a bump between the ropes and landing on the outside. 

When Athena returned to the ring, she was limping but had enough in her to drill Van with a forearm smash and pin her opponent. Van kicked out the first time but stayed down the second time so it appears that Athena relayed to the referee that she had been hurt. 

There’s questions over what the future holds for the ROH Women’s World Champion. 

This situation share some similarities with what transpired in late 2023 between Jon Moxley and Rey Fenix. During their AEW International Title match, Moxley suffered an injury and called for the match to be ended early. Unfortunately, the referee Rick Knox did not quite understand and stopped a pinfall attempt by Fenix even when Moxley had not kicked out. Knox later counted the pinfall and reportedly earned heat backstage for not ending the match early. 

What Does This Mean for Athena? 

This situation will of course raise questions about Athena’s immediate future and the future of the Ring of Honor Women’s World Champion. The War Goddess has held the title for over 525 days after capturing the title at ROH Final Battle in December 2022. She holds the record for the most days as champions and has held the title for more days than all other champions put together. 

Jey Uso Reveals JoJo Offerman Got Emotional Watching His Backlash: France Entrance

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Jey Uso has revealed that JoJo Offerman sent him a text after watching his viral Backlash: France entrance featuring the Fireflies.

The ‘Yeeter of Worlds’ recently appeared on the Battleground podcast. He talked about things such as his match with brother Jimmy Uso at WrestleMania 40 and more.

During the interview, Jey was asked if the crowd participation in his entrance made him feel validated as a singles star. The former Bloodline member claimed that the most validated he felt was when Bray Wyatt’s widow JoJo Offerman sent him a message after the show:

“I think the most I was validated was (when) JoJo, Bray Wyatt’s wife, had texted me and said how emotional she was watching. She saw clips of it on YouTube and that let me know right there, ‘Alright, I’m gonna keep it.’ I hope it sticks with me, man. I never asked for it, I never…They did it and I just want to keep it with me now.”

The Fireflies were originally made famous by Bray Wyatt with his Cult Leader gimmick. He used to come out with a lantern during his entrance and the fans started to join in with the flashlights on their phones.

‘Main Event’ Jey Uso

Jey Uso also proclaimed that Backlash was probably his favorite moment in wrestling ever. To him, the arena looked like a wave of stars were falling in and that feeling would never be matched.

Reports suggest that WWE officials were happy with the reaction the former champion got during his entrance in Lyon, France.

The company plans to continue encouraging the fans to bring out the fireflies for him with dim lighting during Jey’s entrance. They also plan to highlight any main stream use of Uso’s theme song like we’ve seen.

What Happened With Damian Priest After (5/17) SmackDown Went Off Air

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest made a surprise appearance after this week’s episode of SmackDown from Vystar Veterans Memorial in Jacksonville, FL went off air.

The Judgement Day star was there to compete in a dark match. He successfully defended his title in the bout against fellow Raw star Kofi Kingston.

These two weren’t the only Raw stars stopping by as the rest of the Judgement Day were also in the building and ready to compete.

Though unlike Priest, the duo of Finn Balor and JD McDonagh found themselves on the losing side when they challenged Awesome Truth for the tag team titles.

What Happened On SmackDown

Elsewhere on the show, the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and the United States Champion Logan Paul made their match official for the upcoming King and Queen of The Ring PPV in Saudi Arabia.

The YouTube star, however, backed out of the originally agreed terms and decided that he didn’t want to defend his title against the American Nightmare after all.

Paul tore down the old contract and introduced a new draft made by his lawyer which was for Cody’s title only. After some back and forth, the former AEW star signed the new contract making the match between them official.

We also saw the King and Queen of The Ring tournament continuing on SmackDown. You can check out the results of the tournament matches contested on the show here.

Bo-Lieve Reference Revealed In QR Code Mystery From 5/17 WWE SmackDown

Thomas Lowson
-
0

WWE’s ongoing QR code mystery made a subtle reference to the Bo-lieve gimmick as many await the return of the character Bo Dallas played: Uncle Howdy.

Since the Raw after WrestleMania 40, several QR codes have appeared on WWE programming and scanning them has led fans to cryptic videos with clues to decipher. More recently, WWE’s Twitch channel shared an hour-long video inundated with clues and hidden meanings. 

Latest QR Code Mystery

It is believed that these videos and clues are building to the return of Uncle Howdy, as portrayed in 2022 and 2023 by Bo Dallas. On the May 17, episode of WWE SmackDown, this continued as a QR code appeared during the match between DIY and Legado Del Fantasma’s Angel and Berto. 

When scanned, a video filled with ominous symbols played which includes a young boy with creepy Joker-esque facepaint. A voiceover states “He is nobody. He is all of us,” before concluding with, “Do you want to meet him?” before showing a sketch similar to what fans recently saw on Twitch. 

It’s unclear who the boy is in this video, perhaps a young Bo Dallas himself. At the end of the video, the number 4714 was briefly shown, leaving fans to wonder what this number means. As some have pointed out on social media, April 7, 2014, was the date of the initial Bo-lieve gimmick that led to Dallas being called up to the main roster. 

Dallas isn’t expected to return as Uncle Howdy alone. Nikki Cross, Joe Gacy, and the recently rehired Erick Rowan are set to be part of a faction, an idea that had at one time reportedly been the plan for Bray Wyatt. There’s no word on when fans should expect Uncle Howdy on TV but the current signs on TV seem to indicate that his return is not far away. 

WWE King & Queen of the Ring Tournament Semifinals Matches Locked In During 5/17 SmackDown

Aaron Varble
-
0

WWE SmackDown took place this week at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, focusing heavily on building anticipation for the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments.

Tiffany Stratton and Bianca Belair threw down in the opening match of SmackDown. This match went around twenty minutes, and saw Belair win after a ton of near-falls. Fans were also especially invested after Stratton stirred the pot online with a controversial post, one that she got no internal heat with.

Tama Tonga and LA Knight were the second quarterfinal of the night. This match went down with Solo Sikoa, Tanga Loa, and Paul Heyman standing at ringside as a constant presence. In the end, Tama won the match after a little distraction from Solo Sikoa.

Bianca Belair already clinched her spot in the semifinals, which meant we were one step closer to seeing the EST of WWE face Jade Cargill. The former TBS Champion took on Nia Jax during the second hour of the show, and Cargill lost to the Irresistible Force via DQ. This resulted in a brawl after the match and the Jacksonville fans chanting “bullsh*t.” It looks like we won’t see Cargill vs Belair in the tournament.

Randy Orton and Carmelo Hayes had burner of a main event. In the end, Orton won the match, and he promised to introduce Tama Tonga to an RKO in Saudi Arabia.

The King and Queen of the Ring tournaments will culminate on May 25 at the Jeddah Super Dome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where the finals for both tournaments will take place.

King of the Ring Quarterfinals:

  • Gunther vs. Kofi Kingston
  • Jey Uso vs. Ilja Dragunov
  • Tama Tonga defeated LA Knight
  • Carmelo Hayes vs Randy Orton

Queen of the Ring Quarterfinals:

  • Iyo Sky vs. Shayna Baszler
  • Lyra Valkyria vs. Zoey Stark
  • Jade Cargill lost to Nia Jax via DQ
  • Bianca Belair defeated Tiffany Stratton

Queen of the Ring Semifinals:

Bianca Belair vs Nia Jax

Winner of IYO Sky vs Shayna Baszler against winner of Lyra Valkyria vs Zoey Stark

King of the Ring Semifinals:

Tama Tonga vs Randy Orton

Winner of Gunther vs. Kofi Kingston and Jey Uso vs. Ilja Dragunov

WWE King & Queen of the Ring Card:

  • King of the Ring Tournament Final
    • Raw bracket winner vs. SmackDown bracket winner
  • Queen of the Ring Tournament Final
    • Raw bracket winner vs. SmackDown bracket winner
  • Women’s World Championship Match
    • Becky Lynch (c) vs. Liv Morgan (Singles match)
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
    • Sami Zayn (c) vs. Chad Gable vs. Bronson Reed (Triple threat match)
  • Undisputed WWE Championship Match
    • Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Logan Paul (Singles match)

Brian Gewirtz Says The Rock & Cody Rhodes SmackDown Segment Was Supposed To Be More Uplifting

Dominic DeAngelo
-
0

Brian Gewirtz was heavily involved in The Rock’s notorious 2024 return to WWE, and confirms matters were supposed to be a little different between ‘The People’s Champion’ and Cody Rhodes.

Speaking on “The Masked Man Show”, the former head WWE writer talked about the notorious segment on SmackDown where Cody Rhodes relinquished his WWE Undispusted Universal Championship title shot to The Rock. Rhodes stoicly shook hands and hugged The Rock, appearing to putting his story on pause. However, the fans feedback made it become the most disliked video in WWE YouTube video history and an audible was called.

Gewirtz said that all that was supposed to come across quite differently than originally planned.

“Cody, it was supposed to be, in some form, ‘Yeah, f***in’ A! Go get em Rock! You’re going to get your ass kicked, Roman! Let’s do this!’ and this uplifting promo. Instead, he looked like someone shot his dog in the face in the parking lot. Just look at his expression. By the way, someone else, even when the team wins, looks forlorn and upset and despondent. [New York Knicks] Julius Randle [laughs].”

Gewirtz didn’t think that demeanor helped matters, but made clear he understood where Rhodes was coming from regarding his feelings on the decision, stating that ‘The American Nightmare’ was one of the realest people he’s ever met. He feels that the fans felt that.

“They felt like ‘he doesn’t mean a word of this. This is being forced for him to say.’ He’s despondent.”

Please credit “The Masked Man” and h/t to Fightful for the transcription.

Dave Bautista Assesses Early Acting Chops In Classic WrestleMania Commercial

Dominic DeAngelo
-
0

Dave Bautista got to show some acting range early on in his pro wrestling career when WrestleMania went Hollywood, and he’s not a harsh critic when it comes to his initial on-screen work.

The future WWE Hall of Famer took a look at the notorious WrestleMania 21 classic movie scenes that several WWE Superstars took part in at the time. John Cena and JBL did their take on A Few Good Men while Booker T and Eddie Guerrero may have stole the show with their Pulp Fiction performance.

However, the world got to see Batista as one of several talents give their rendition of Robert DeNiro in Martin Scorcese’s Taxi Driver.

On social media, Batista shared the vignette and himself re-watching the “scene,” critiquing his own acting skills, and wishing he still had a head of hair.

“I’m not embarrassed by my acting, it’s not the greatest obviously, it’s not the best, but at this time I still absolutely had no desire to act. I didn’t want to be an actor, I wasn’t interested, I just wanted to wrestle, but I feel like watching this back it was like, ‘Man, maybe I was meant to do this, man.’ Anyway, maybe that’s just my ego talking.

Tiffany Stratton’s Status Unaffected by Recent Controversial Post, WWE Sources Say

Aaron Varble
-
0

Tiffany Stratton became a breakout star on the WWE main roster after her official call-up during the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble match. Earlier this week, the former NXT Women’s Champion stirred up controversy after posting a video on Instagram of her delivering an elbow to Jade Cargill. The footage was backed by an audio clip that included the phrase “black b*tch” as she was striking Cargill.

Wrestling fans were outraged and rightfully so. They trashed Stratton in the replies of that post and elsewhere, labeling her a racist and more. Many tagged Triple H and WWE’s corporate accounts, ensuring this would not be swept under the rug, despite the fact that she deleted the video quickly. Damage was done, but how much?

This week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter shed light on the story, calling it “pretty significant situation.” Dave Meltzer observed, “Basically if this was someone who wasn’t a star they’d be fired instantly.” Several of the popular ‘engagement’ accounts on social media speculated that Stratton had “backstage heat” and her impressive momentum since recently joining the main roster would come to a screeching halt.

We reached out to sources in WWE to clarify exactly where things stand. I was told this was reviewed at the highest levels and there is no “heat” on Stratton. Her ‘push’ won’t be affected and Jade Cargill (nor anybody else) made a big issue over it.

Cassidy Haynes of Bodyslam.net corroborates what I was told, reporting that “there is no internal backlash against Tiffany Stratton” and the matter “has been resolved.” This was also reported by PW Insider.

WWE Superstar Tiffany Strattonand

Tiffany Stratton’s versatile skill set, bolstered by her gymnastics background and charismatic personality, make her a valuable asset to WWE. She’s poised to make a big impact on the main roster, especially with so many former champions sidelined. That list includes, but is not limited to, Charlotte Flair, Rhea Ripley, Asuka, Alexa Bliss, Carmella and Raquel Rodriguez.

Stratton is scheduled for tonight’s WWE SmackDown, where she’ll compete against Bianca Belair in the Quarterfinals of the Queen of the Ring tournament. 

Check out our interview with Tiffany Stratton from WrestleMania 40 weekend:

WWE SmackDown Preview: Randy Orton vs. Carmelo Hayes, Cody Rhodes & Logan Paul Contract Signing

Staff
-
0

The Quarterfinals of WWE’s King and Queen of the Ring tournaments continue tonight on WWE SmackDown from Jacksonville, Florida. Just 8 days out from next Saturday’s PLE, tonight’s show will be focused almost entirely on the event. 

WWE SmackDown Preview (5/17)

Randy Orton vs. Carmelo Hayes is actually happening

WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and United States Champion Logan Paul will officially sign the contract for their ‘winner takes all’ clash at the Jeddah Dome. Don’t be surprised to see a table flipped or someone struck with a chair, as these contract signings rarely go off without a hitch.

Queen of the Ring Quarterfinals Matches

  • Jade Cargill vs. Nia Jax
  • Bianca Belair vs. Tiffany Stratton

King of the Ring Quarterfinals Matches

  • Randy Orton vs. Carmelo Hayes
  • Tama Tonga vs. LA Knight

Tickets for tonight’s WWE SmackDown from the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville are still available at Ticketmaster.

Catch up on the Top 10 moments from last week:

Rey Mysterio Will Retire When His Best Is Not Enough

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Rey Mysterio doesn’t have an exact date for when he’ll hang up his boots and mask but knows the exact circumstances when it’ll be time to walk away from the ring. 

At 49 years old, Mysterio is one of the oldest Superstars on WWE’s active roster and is well aware that his career is in the final legs of its journey. Speaking on Rampage Jackson’s JAXXON podcast, Mysterio didn’t give a specific date but believes he’ll retire if he ever stops worrying about giving his absolute best. 

“Every night [I worry about my performance] Even when it’s non-televised, I still get that jittering feeling like, ‘S***; I don’t want to f*** up. I want to make sure everything comes out right.’ I always tell myself, the day I no longer feel that, that’s the time to tap out.”

Rey Mysterio On Retirement

As a WWE Hall of Famer and arguably the most successful masked wrestler in WWE history, Mysterio has very little to prove in his remaining years in the ring. In March 2023, the Ultimate Underdog said he does not plan on wrestling past the age of 50. Rey will hit the milestone number this December. 

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 began his professional wrestling career in Mexico at a very young age. His debut match took place in 1989 when he was just 14.

Joe Hendry Fan Shows Their Support With Tattoo Of Popular TNA Wrestling Star

Thomas Lowson
-
0

A fan of TNA Wrestling’s Joe Hendry has proven to be a man of their word by getting a tattoo of the popular Scottish wrestler. 

The fan, known as never_did on Twitter, said he would get a tattoo of Hendry if the man himself retweeted his post. When Hendry did just that, never_did wasted no time in booking an appointment at a local tattoo parlor. 

True to his word, never_did got the tattoo which he revealed in an update on Twitter. While never_did initially planned to have the ink on his bicep, the artist suggested for it to be on his shoulder. This tattoo reveal also received a retweet by the TNA Wrestling star. 

I Believe In Joe Hendry

Hendry, a former TNA Digital Media Champion, has grown immensely popular with fans thanks in part to his popular self-produced songs that often parody his opponents, Hendry’s theme song I Believe in Joe Hendry recently dominated the music charts and made it to #1 on the UK iTunes charts, beating the likes of Hozier and Taylor Swift. 

Hendry’s success with his song can’t be denied, with non-wrestling fans growing increasingly aware of him. This will no doubt bode well for Hendry’s prospects in the ring, with TNA Hall of Famer Bully Ray even stating that TNA would be wise to consider a title run given Hendry’s popularity. 

1...250251252...3,320Page 251 of 3,320