On June 22nd, WWE interviewer and on-air talent Kayla Braxton (real name Kayla Becker) announced her departure from the Stamford promotion after an 8-year tenure with the company. Quicky, rumors began to swirl about the future for the 33-year-old. Unsurprisingly, this included predictions that Becker may look to continue a career in the professional wrestling industry and potentially join another promotion.
If you were one of the many fans hoping to see Becker display her elite skills on someone else’s show, well, in the words of SmackDown commentator Wade Barrett, we have some “Bad News!”
On Monday morning, Becker took to social media to set the record straight. In a post on X, Becker bluntly stated that she wouldn’t be leaving “the largest wrestling company in the world” if she wanted to stay within the industry.
The support from u guys has been overwhelming. I am so thankful for u.But I did wanna make 1 thing clear as I enter my final week in WWE: if I wanted to keep working in wrestling, I wouldn’t be walking away from the largest wrestling company in the world. Nice try, rumor weeds!? pic.twitter.com/FuMW7boVgt
Becker signed with WWE in 2016 and started as a ring announcer in NXT. She would soon find herself on the main roster, working as a backstage interviewer, talk show host, and pre-show panelist. In recent years, Becker has become the lead backstage interviewer for the blue brand, with her humorous interactions with Paul Heyman have become a favorite among the WWE Universe.
In a lengthy social media post, Becker thanked the linked of Michael Cole, Triple H, and Nick Khan for all the opportunities she had been afforded during her time with the company. As of this writing, her final scheduled date with WWE will be on Friday, June 28th edition of SmackDown, which is set to take place in Madison Square Garden.
In playful banter on X, AEW on-air talent RJ City jokingly replied “Thank God” to Becker’s post about not joining another promotion. Becker would slap back by saying, “What I meant to say, was I wouldn’t leave to go be within 10 feet of this creep .@RJCity1”. The “war” between WWE and AEW has truly never been more intense!
SEScoops wishes Kayla Braxton (Kayla Becker) a big congratulations on an incredible run with WWE. We can’t wait to see what she does next.
Many considered this past Friday’s SmackDown episode to be one of the brand’s strongest episodes of some time. The event featured significant moments such as Drew McIntyre’s vicious beatdown of CM Punk in his hometown, Chelsea Green receiving a massive ovation from the WWE Universe as she qualified for Money In the Bank, and the shocking debut of Jacob Fatu as a new member of The Bloodline.
Fans may have credited the episode’s quality to WWE putting in extra work this week to deliver strong content, especially following highly praised episodes of RAW and NXT. However, there might be more to it than just that.
According to a new report from Fightful Select, the blue brand has a new head writer at the helm. The outlet reports that John Swikata has been promoted to the lead writer position, replacing Ryan Callahan who Fightful Select noted has conversely parted ways with the company.
Some may remember Callahan after he was named in Britney Abrahams’ wrongful termination lawsuit last year. Abrahams claimed that she was let go from the company as retaliation for her objection to “several offensive creative pitches.” In the lawsuit, Abrahams alleged that Ryan Callahan had once suggested a storyline where then WWE Superstar Mansoor, who is Saudi Arabian, would have been revealed as the culprit behind 9/11. Abrahams Voluntarily Dismissed the suit in August of 2023.
Fightful Select reports that Swikata has been with the company for “years”, with sources close to WWE stating that he has already made a “huge impact” on the SmacDown product.
It was recently reported that those within WWE had considered the June 21st edition of SmackDown to be one of the “biggest” SmackDown since WrestleMania season, and it is certainly hard to argue with that.
Cody Rhodes reveals injury after SmackDown
During a WWE live event in Bloomington, Illinois, WWE Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes revealed to the WWE Universe in attendance that he suffered “two broken ribs” at the hands of The Bloodline and Jacob Fatu on SmackDown.
“A little scoop for you Bloomington, last night I did break two of my ribs. And the thought [backstage] was ‘Well, you can take off Bloomington, you can take off Kalamazoo. You can even take off next Friday where the story began in 1978, New York City’ And my answer to that was emphatically, 100% ‘Hell No!'”
Cody Rhodes and the new self-proclaimed Tribal Chief Solo Sikoa seem to be set on a collision course, as fans should expect an epic showdown between the two men this summer. Whether WWE books the match for next month’s Money In The Bank PLE in Toronto or for Summer Slam in August is yet to be determined.
It is the opinion of this writer that WWE may look to use both events as part of this Cody Rhodes vs The Bloodline 2.0 rivalry. Much like last year, WWE used MITB to host a “Bloodline Civil War” tag team match between The Usos and Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa, with a Tribal Combat match between Jey Uso and Roman Reigns set the following month. This time around, we could see a multi-person tag match involving Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, and Kevin Owens taking on some combination of The Bloodline.
Unlike a Paul Heyman spolier, this is just some fun fan predictions.
All Elite Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling collaborative pay-per-view event is fast approaching with an exciting card. AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door will occur at the UBS Arena in Long Island, New York, on June 30.
So far, the card has eight matches announced, including five championships set to be defended. One of the matchups that the PPV has been built towards is AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm defending her title against Mina Shirakawa.
The feud has been building for several months, with both competing over the attention of Mariah May. The matchup would become official when Storm and Shirakawa signed their contracts on the June 19 episode of AEW Dynamite. Both superstars are expected to be at their best, as they hope to walk away as the AEW Women’s Champion and have May at their side.
Tony Khan On Storyline Between Toni Storm, Mina Shirakawa & Mariah May
AEW President Tony Khan spoke with Bleacher Report’s Doc-Chris Muller to give his insight on the storyline heading into the women’s title match. Khan praised all three superstars for how they have generated intrigue from fans, particularly the growth of Storm and May in AEW.
“…It’s a storyline that I put together based on things Toni Storm has done since becoming ‘Timeless,’ and the integration of Mariah May, and it’s a fascinating dynamic between Toni and Mariah, and I think it’s some of the most captivating on AEW television week in and week out and it’s been fascinating to watch Mariah progress since she came in,” said Khan.
Khan spoke highly of May and how she embraced her character of idolizing Storm since joining AEW. He also credited RJ City for helping him craft the storyline and believes Shirakawa could be a regular on the AEW roster.
“…Mina has become a major part of AEW in recent weeks and I think she’s somebody that can be here on a regular basis. Somebody that can represent us as the AEW Women’s World Champion and Mina has a lot of history with Mariah, and Toni has a ton of history now with Mariah that has been built in this past year, and I felt like this dynamic would work so well, and everybody’s been great,” said Khan.
Tony Khan Previews Toni Storm vs. Mina Shirakawa At AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door
The AEW President praised all three performers and believes the women’s title match could be great. He didn’t share who he thought would be victorious but hinted that the storyline could conclude at the PPV.
“…All three of them, Toni, Mariah, and Mina, are fantastic wrestlers, and it’s going to pay off at Forbidden Door in a fantastic match when Toni Storm fights Mina Shirakawa for the AEW Women’s World Championship and also possibly for the respect and affection of Mariah May, and I cannot wait for the match,” said Khan.
Khan added that he loved working with them to create the storyline and how well everyone has performed. It seems likely that Storm will retain her championship, but fans will be interested to see if the results will make May choose who she’d rather be with. Fans must tune in at AEW x NJPW to know how the storyline will unfold.
VICE TV premiered its highly anticipated “Who Killed WCW?” four-part series earlier this month. The series was conceived through a collaboration between the creators of the network’s hit show Dark Side Of The Ring and WWE legend The Rock’s production company, Seven Bucks Productions.
The first two episodes of the series provided an overview of World Championship Wrestling’s rise as a rating powerhouse, the formation of the nWo, and the, at times, tense relationship between Eric Bischoff and the executives at Turner Broadcasting.
In Episode 3, fans are introduced to one of the most controversial figures in professional wrestling, Vince Russo. The episode explored Russo’s impact on WCW’s creative direction and how the company was beginning to spiral from a creative and financial position past a point of no return.
While Russo’s involvement in the company initially inspired hope for those within Turner and the roster that things would change for the better, history doesn’t necessarily remember it as so. Today, let’s cover the Top 3 biggest takeaways from this latest episode, specifically reflecting on some of the biggest moments emphasized in the episode.
1) The Pure Chaos that is Bash at the Beach 200Bash at the Beach was one of WCW’s marque pay-per-views during the company’s existence. While the 1996 edition of the event is remembered as one of the biggest nights in professional wrestling, the night when Hulk Hogan turned heel and officially formed the New World Order (nWo) with Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, the event’s 2000 presentation four years later is considered by some to be one of the many cuts that would eventually cause WCW to bleed out.
As the docu-series explores, the event was plagued with issues. This is mainly due to the creative differences between Vince Russo and the duo of Erich Bischoff and Hulk Hogan. While the event’s details have been well documented, debated, and rehashed numerous times over the last two decades, one thing remains the same – Vince Russo and Erich Bischoff still can’t agree on what happened.
To cover it quickly, there was a significant disagreement about who should be the world champion at the night’s end. Vince Russo wanted to have Booker T, while Hogan and Bischoff disagreed with Russo’s plans to get the title off the Hulkster. The two sides were at a standstill with Hogan’s “creative control” clause in his contract. An eventual compromise was struck, which involved a complicated storyline involving a screwy finish to Hogan’s schedule bout with Jeff Jarret and Hogan leaving the building in “a huff” was made.
While everything seemed to go according to plan, Vince Russo would shock everyone when he came out to the ring unannounced and dropped his infamous “Politican Hulk Hogan” promo. Russo would take shots directly at Hulk Hogan and accuse him of holding company heritage from a creative standpoint, ending it by saying, “You will never see that piece of s*** again.”
While Russo claims this was all part of the storyline, with some venting of true frustration sprinkled in, Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff did not take it that way. The incident would lead to Hulk Hogan never appearing on WCW TV again, with a defamation lawsuit to follow, and Eric Bischoff distancing himself from Russo even more than he already had.
One positive outcome of the evening was when Booker T would become world champion for the first time—defeating Jeff Jarrett in the main event. In the episode, Booker T expressed excitement and surprise when told he would be in the match.
“I found out about 10 minutes before I had to wrestle…Man I had so much energy! I remember before the bell rang, I jumped up so high – I was just like ‘let’s get this thing!’. It somebody like Vince Russo who was outside the box to push them to make a decision, and check their conscious for a second…I was totally out of the loop as far as what was going with Vince Russo, Hulk Hogan, and Eric Biscoff”.
The moment echos a recurring theme in the series: plenty of finger-pointing and unclaimed blame.
2) David Arquette Becomes WCW World Champion *sigh*
While pointing out bad creative ideas in WCW from 1999-2001 is about as easy as finding Braun Strowman in a haystack, some stick out well above the rest. One of those questionable choices was putting the WCW World Championship on around the waist of actor David Arquette.
The controversial move was made to help promote the actor’s upcoming movie Ready To Rumble, where a wrestling superfan finds his way into the squared circle and becomes champion. The film also featured several WCW talent and WCW-themed backdrops.
In episode 3, Vince Russo claims that the idea came from the mouth of WCW lead commentator Tony Schiavone. Russo said everyone on the creative team agreed that the plan was a good idea. Bischoff would even say in the documentary that he “didn’t see the harm in it.” While the powers at be didn’t see the negatives, wrestlers like then-champion Diamond Dallas Page did, with even Arquette having some trepidations about the idea himself.
Perhaps the most controversial creative move WCW made in 2000 was the decision to put the World Heavyweight championship on actor David Arquette, a ploy that was maligned by fans.
— Dark Side of the Ring (@DarkSideOfRing) June 16, 2024
Nevertheless, the plan was put into action, and on the April 26th, 2000 edition of WCW Thunder, Arquette pinned Eric Bischoff himself to win the title. While initially excited about the title win, Arquette would quickly have second thoughts on the decision after conversing with Booker T backstage.
As he details in the episode, Arquette sat next to the future WWE Hall of Famer in the locker room shortly after the match. While supportive of Arquette, Booker T revealed that he had never once won the world title during his tenure with the company. The moment would cause Arquette to pause, eventually making him regret the idea instantly.
The moment was universally panned by WCW fans, as many considered it the lowest moment in the company’s history. Despite this, Vince Russo, to this day, feels as though it was the right decision. Noting that it got attention on WCW, both from wrestling fans and non-wrestling fans.
“Bro, I’ll never forget it; the next morning after that, I wake up and go downstairs to the front desk – what’s on the front cover of the US Today? That would have never ever happened in a million years, and at that time, that’s what we were after. And again Bro, I’m going to say it, I write a television show.”
“I would do the same thing today bro, without blinking an eye…Quite frankly I could care less [when asked if he understood people’s negative reactions]”
In the long run, the move did little to help either WCW’s long-term ratings or the film at the box office. Instead, it cheapened the world championship, rendering it nothing more than a prop. As the famous proverb from St. Bernard of Clairvaux goes, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
3) Vince Russo’s self-reflection on his time in the spotlight
During the final stretch of as part of WCW, Vince Russo – much like Eric Bischoff had before him – became as involved in TV programming in front of the camera as he was behind it. Russo would become a key figure in the New Blood vs Millionaire Club storyline and had a feud with Goldberg. Russo even became the world champion in September 2000, much to the talent and fans’ chagrin.
Despite criticism, Russo believes his role on WCW TV was not only necessary for ratings; he asserts that he was more talented at generating reactions than most of the talent on the roster.
“I’m just going to be one thousand percent completely honest with you: as far as an on-air character? I felt that I was better than 80% of that roster…I made the mistake of saying, ‘You know what? ‘F it, if you want ratings, I will go out there and get ratings myself. I almost got killed, bro. I almost got killed!”
As one could imagine, this line quickly spread across the internet in the days following the episode’s broadcast. Despite criticism, Russo remained steadfast in his stance and even reinforced his position.
Wow, some can't handle the "I was better than 80% of the Talent" Comment.
Remember—WCW had a VERY BIG ROSTER.
Am I sorry I said it? Not at all. I don't say anything I don't mean. It's all on Peacock—I'll let my heat Speak for itself.
Vince Russo’s name will be forever remembered in pro wrestling history, albeit from a controversial lens. Some will argue that Russo’s crash TV approach to creativity helped lead to WWE’s boom period in the attitude era, and with the right amount of time and support, it could have done the same for WCW.
On the other hand, others will look back on Russo as a man who played a significant role in the ultimate demise of World Championship Wrestling—extinguishing what little prestige and legacy remained within the company.
But as the man points out, all the evidence one would need to draw to their objective conclusion is in WWE’s library.
The Final Episode of “Who Killed WCW?”
The 4th episode of “Who Killed WCW?” will air on June 25th and will mainly focus on the final edition of WCW Nitro. The outdoor event occurred in Panama City, Florida, during Spring Break.
The more intimate than usual episode of Nitro is most well-known as the moment Vince McMahon announced to the world that he had purchased WCW, leading to Shane McMahon to appear at the end of Nitro’s broadcast – firing the first shot of what would be WWE’s infamous Invasion storyline.
Missed the first episode? Watch it in its entirety for free on YouTube here:
Several wrestlers on WWE’s NXT roster are out with injuries, including Javier Bernal, who is sidelined with a broken foot. While ‘Big Body Javi’ will be inactive for some time, Bernal took the first steps to recovery by undergoing surgery.
The injury occurred during a tag team match with Drake Morreaux, which saw them lose to Chase U (Duke Hudson & Riley Osborne) in a match that aired on the June 7 episode of NXT Level Up. During the contest, Osborne landed an over-the-top-rope Senton on Bernal outside the ring and landed on his opponent’s foot. The Columbian-American superstar immediately grabbed at his foot in pain.
On June 8, Bernal shared on X that he fractured bones in his foot and initially wanted to avoid surgery. However, after further examination, the injury was severe enough to require an operation to repair it.
Fans have responded to the unfortunate news with support and hope the NXT prospect fully recovers. In his latest update to his fanbase, Bernal shared on June 21 that he had successful surgery and is officially on the road to his return to wrestling.
On X, Bernal posted a photo of himself in a hospital bed after his surgery. He first thanked WWE and their medical team for taking care of him. Bernal shared that his surgery was done at Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center in Birmingham, Alabama, with orthopedic surgeon Norman E. Waldrop, III, MD, and his staff.
Surgery was a success, my foot is still there! First ever surgery in the books. I’m a lot more coherent now, so I can clearly write a message without tweaking ? (?1/6) pic.twitter.com/YLKv9WZITN
After thanking WWE and the doctors who cared for him, Bernal posted a heartfelt message to his fiancée, Tatum Paxley, and fans for supporting him.
“Thankful for n@TatumPaxley, because I couldn’t get through this weekend without her. Every step of the way, she has taken care of me and won’t let me do anything. She is the love of my life, and it’s obvious as to why I see her as wife material,” wrote Bernal.
Lastly, Bernal admits that he’s scared about the six months of recovery that lie ahead, but he’s doing his best to keep an optimistic mindset and is grateful for the support he’s received. Bernal has his fanbase, fiancée, and WWE rooting for his return. Hopefully, he can make a full recovery and compete better than ever.
Indianapolis is making history in WWE as Triple H made a major announcement regarding WWE tentpole PLE plans in the future.
WWE released a video of Triple H and Pat McAfee revealing that the company will be making stops at Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis not just for Royal Rumble this February but they’re on tap down the line for SummerSlam and even WrestleMania
This groundbreaking, first-of-its-kind partnership will bring some of @WWE’s biggest shows – and countless unforgettable moments – to the state of Indiana.
With SummerSlam happening in Cleveland, one could assume that Indianapolis will be on the agenda for that specific PLE to take place in 2025. As for WrestleMania, it’s possible that Indianapolis would host WrestleMania 43 in 2027 as WrestleMania 41 will go down in Las Vegas and WrestleMania 42 will happen in Minneapolis.
Serendipituosly enough, WWE Raw this Monday will take place in Indianapolis and McAfee has already had an interesting week when it comes to his WWE encounters. Not only was McAfee in attendence to witness the debut of The Wyatt Sicks, but the new creepy faction has interrupted the feed of The Pat McAfee Show on numerous occassions.
Raw has some matches in store for Indy as Chad Gable will take on Braun Strowman and Bronson Reed in hopes of qualifying for Money In The Bank and Karrion Kross will face Kofi Kingston as Kross has been needling Kofi for stealing the spotlight in The New Day.
Matt Riddle made sure the wrestling world knows he hasn’t forgot Randy Orton, bro.
Since being released by WWE back in September, Riddle has found his own groove on the independent wrestling scene but has had some stops in other name promotions such as NJPW and Major League Wrestling.
Riddle literally got to cool off his momentum at a Valley Wrestling Connection event over the weekend when he was wrestling The Vegan Superman outside and there so happened to be a swimming pool nearby. Matt made the most of the moment and delivered a beauty of a RKO into the deep end.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8liVrou8zx
With his release from WWE, fans were left wondering as to where Matt Riddle was going to land and he did make his return to MLW after a five-year absence. Riddle also happened to win the NJPW World TV Title for a time, but he’s really been on a roll with MLW. The Super King Of Bros has been undefeated since coming back to the league and earlier this month, he won Battle Riot VI earning him a World Title shot at the time of his choosing.
The current MLW World Champion happens to be the promotion’s first ever champion, Satoshi Kojima. Kojima beat Alex Kane for the championship and is the first person in the league to hold multiple championships at the same time.
Former WWE star 2 Cold Scorpio (Charles Scaggs) was recently apprehended after he allegedly stabbed a man at a gas station.
TMZ broke the news of his arrest and the incident took place at a Love’s Travel Stop in Kansas City, Missouri. The 58-year-old got involved in a heated argument with a customer at the gas station around 3:40 am.n
The former WWE star stated that he was working as a security guard at the store and he told the man to stop smoking inside. Reports suggest that it didn’t sit well with the customer. They moved outside while arguing and Scaggs pulled out a knife.nThe customer later denied having lit a cigarette inside the store.n
2 Cold Scorpio told the cops that he acted in self-defense and stabbed the man as he allegedly tried to attack Scaggs in the parking lot. Per reports, cops stated that they discovered a man bleeding from his head, chest, legs, stomach, and buttocks when they arrived on the scene. He was then rushed to a hospital due to his injuries. The man was reportedly been going in and out of consciousness when they found him. The victim went on to accuse 2 Cold Scorpio being the aggressor during their scuffle.
2 Cold Scorpio faces multiple charges
TMZ reported that the former 2 Cold Scorpio was arrested on June 15 and slapped with a first-degree assault charge as well as one count of armed criminal action. Scaggs pleaded not guilty to these charges and it has come to light that he is due in court next month.
2 Cold Scorpio entered the pro wrestling world in 1985 and tasted success in the 90s. During his time in WCW, he won the WCW Tag Team Championship. He went on to compete in WWE as well. He has captured major championships such as the ECW World Tag Team Championship and he is a 4-time ECW World Television Champion.
WWE NXT’s Shawn Spears and his wife Cassie Lee are once again new parents following the birth of the couple’s second child.
On Instagram, Lee shared the birth of their child Harley Dean who arrived into the world on June 21, 2024 and shared the message “you complete us.” Within hours of the news being shared, the post had gathered tens of thousands of likes as fans and those in the industry relished in the news. Natalya, Kelani Jordan, Matt Cardona, Carmella, and Renee Paquette all shared their congratulations. Lee’s long-time tag-team partner in WWE & TNA Jessica McKay said that Harley is a “sweet boy.”
Lee and Spears shared on December 24, 2023, that they were expecting Harley. This is the couple’s second child as they previously shared in August 2022 that they were expecting. Their first child, another boy named Austin Jay, was born on January 17, 2023.
It’s been five years since WWE’s worst-attended Premium Live Event, and in that time, the promotion has done incredibly well.
June 2019 saw WWE host its first (and to date, only) Stomping Grounds PLE which took place from the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington. Including the pre-show, the event saw two title changes as the Cruiserweight and United States Championships were won by Drew Gulak and Ricochet respectively.
Stomping Grounds’ Record
WWE Stomping Grounds has gone down in history for having the lowest attendance of a WWE Premium Live Event. The show saw just 3,500 fans pay to watch the show. WWE did what it could to hide this embarrassing fact, including putting large black clothes over thousands of empty seats.
n n nCountless seats were left empty and covered to avoid being seen on TV. n
n
For context, the Tacoma Dome can seat 21,000 people at max capacity, making this 3,500 figure all the more unfortunate. The venue has hosted WWE TV tapings in the past, with many of them outperforming this PLE.
Five Years Later
Plenty has changed since Stomping Ground 2019 and WWE’s business has arguably never been better. With PLEs today, WWE can issue a report about the record-breaking success of the show, a testament to the company’s good business. WWE attendances have improved with this year seeing a run of sold-out TV tapings, in addition to well-attended PLEs.
Changes backstage can also be credited for an improved product that naturally has led to high-attendance figures. The exile of Vince McMahon in January 2024 paved the way for Triple H to be unquestionably in charge of WWE’s creative team, which fans on the whole believe is for the best. Storylines are now tighter and feel more sensible than before, instead of the past which saw unnecessary twists and ideas being dropped out of nowhere.
The irony of this is that this success has come while WWE’s main rival, AEW has continued to get bigger. In 2019, AEW was still an upstart company that by the time of Stomping Grounds, had hosted just one PPV. In spite of AEW now being a bigger company since then, support for WWE and its product has only strengthened in recent years.
What’s Next?
WWE’s next PLE will be the Money in the Bank show next month, which is expected to perform very well. Between this show, SummerSlam, and the upcoming Bash In Berlin marking WWE’s first PLE in Germany, expect the company to continue to thrive and for WWE Stomping Grounds to be resigned to the annals of history.
Cheslea Green has found herself as one of the competitor’s in the women’s Money In The Bank Ladder match and she has long-term goals for the WWE Women’s Championship.
Green defeated Bianca Belair and Michin to punch her ticket to Money In The Bank on the 6/21 SmackDown, but it was an opportunistic victory. Belair happened to hit her KOD finisher on Michin, but it was Green who shoved Belair out of the way to get the 1-2-3.
Bayley saw how Green got that victory and took to social media to patronize her method of swooping in. She said she’s had her eyes on Green for months as Bayley got a little confrontational with Green during her match against Piper Niven. Green tried to interfere in the bout, but she was banned from ringside. She tried to return under a luchadora mask and Bayley threw her into the barricade before defeating Niven, which Bayley makes mention of after wishing her luck in Toronto.
“If you didn’t get a glimpse of what I’m capable of when I beat your friend Piper Niven last weekend, well, you’re really going to see a different side of me, sister. So enjoy your night for now.”
If Green does grab the briefcase and becomes the Money In The Bank winner, she does have plans for Bayley’s WWE Women’s Championship if she cashes in on the former hugger.
“When I win I’m starting a petition to change the WWE Women’s Championship back to the Divas Championship.”
When I win I’m starting a petition to change the @WWE Womens Championship back to the Divas Championship. pic.twitter.com/aOCSyTcFPG
Cheslea Green has found herself as one of the competitor’s in the women’s Money In The Bank Ladder match and she has long-term goals for the WWE Women’s Championship.
Green defeated Bianca Belair and Michin to punch her ticket to Money In The Bank on the 6/21 SmackDown, but it was an opportunistic victory. Belair happened to hit her KOD finisher on Michin, but it was Green who shoved Belair out of the way to get the 1-2-3.
Bayley saw how Green got that victory and took to social media to patronize her method of swooping in. She said she’s had her eyes on Green for months as Bayley got a little confrontational with Green during her match against Piper Niven. Green tried to interfere in the bout, but she was banned from ringside. She tried to return under a luchadora mask and Bayley threw her into the barricade before defeating Niven, which Bayley makes mention of after wishing her luck in Toronto.
“If you didn’t get a glimpse of what I’m capable of when I beat your friend Piper Niven last weekend, well, you’re really going to see a different side of me, sister. So enjoy your night for now.”
If Green does grab the briefcase and becomes the Money In The Bank winner, she does have plans for Bayley’s WWE Women’s Championship if she cashes in on the former hugger.
“When I win I’m starting a petition to change the WWE Women’s Championship back to the Divas Championship.”
When I win I’m starting a petition to change the @WWE Womens Championship back to the Divas Championship. pic.twitter.com/aOCSyTcFPG
This recap was originally written by SEScoops’ Dominic DeAngelo on MLW.com.
It’s a 22 year celebration of Major League Wrestling and the league is partying in a big way at Atlanta with a stacked lineup!
But before all that, Atlanta has to endure Sessions With Mister Saint Laurent, but thankfully his guest was Paul Walter Hauser. Hauser noted of the wrestling history Atlanta is steeped in before matters got tense between the interviewer and interviewee. However, the moment got stopped with a chairshot from Filthy Tom Lawlor!
MATCH 1 Adam Priest vs. Bobby Fish
The upstart Adam Priest was making his singles debut and was more than game for this match. He clearly did his homework on the veteran Bobby Fish. Fish was ready for strikes, but Priest evaded a lot of his moves and got his share of offense in. However a corner exploder suplex was enough to keep him down for the 1-2-3.
WINNER: Bobby Fish
A solid victory under his belt, Bobby Fish will be in the 2024 Opera Cup as he and 15 other men will compete to earn the right to hoist the cherished trophy! One of those names is a two-time winner Davey Boy Smith Jr.
DBS walks out with MSL who hypes up his client, runs down Atlanta and makes the claim that Smith will be an unparalleled three-time Opera Cup Champion. However, he must be ready for ‘The Sweet Scientist’, Timothy Thatcher.
MATCH 2 Round 1: Opera Cup Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs. Timothy Thatcher
The styles between Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Thatcher go together like PB&J and this opening round match is no different. Thatcher is tough as nails and ruthless in his offense as he focuses on breaking down DBS by targeting his arm. It has inhibited the third generation star from using the powerslam, but just like Thatcher, DBS is very durable. He happens to put Thatcher down with a massive sit-out powerbomb for the pinfall victory.
WINNER and ADVANCING: Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Post-match, Davey Boy Smith tried to sing the Canadian National Anthem before telling Atlanta they didn’t deserve it. However, third time’s a charm for his Opera Cup run.
However, the league has a big announcement as KENTA will be entering the Opera Cup! And his first round opponent? Bobby Fish!
Backstage we see AKIRA with Okomura and the MLW World Champion Satoshi Kojima. AKIRA has his pup Kota with him and promises that he’s going to take out the CONTRA Unit member Ikuro Kwon in the Opera Cup.
MATCH 3 MLW National Openweight Championship Jake Crist vs. Bad Dude Tito
This is a David vs. Goliath match and Crist’s slingshot is his speed and athleticism. Tito, however, is pretty dominant in this bout based on his strength and the numbers game. Salina de la Renta and Jesus Rodriguez are at ringside as the “ring announcer” gets a shot in on Jake. That all ultimately comes into play at the end of the match when Crist hits a swift spinning back kick to Tito’s ear. Rodriguez hops on the apron and out runs Brett Ryan Gosselin, he grabs Crist by the neck and drops him over the top rope. Tito then hits his Steiner Screwdriver finisher for the 1-2-3!
WINNER and STILL MLW National Openweight Champion: Bad Dude Tito
Backstage, David Marquez catches up with Cesar Duran who says he’s not been a part of Salina’s life as a father to make her stronger. That makes him a good father who cares. Marquez questions that tactic and Duran gets confrontational.
MLW Original CW Anderson is in the crowd for all the anniversary action as the crowd salutes one of the Extreme Four Horsemen.
We cut to Marquez once again who catches up with Matt Riddle. The Battle Riot winner isn’t sure when he’s going to cash in his golden ticket but all is stopped when Sami Callihan comes in to ambush him. The two rivals begin brawling and the feed gets cut!
Bobby Fish is on commentary for the next fight as he looks to scout the Opera Cup bracket.
MATCH 4 Round 1: Opera Cup Ikuro Kwon vs. AKIRA
Styles indeed make fights and the two styles of Kwon and AKIRA mirror one another. This battle is very hard-hitting as Kwon has AKIRA’s number in a lot of the exchanges. The Death Fighter gets rocked by a monkey flip in the corner that sends AKIRA into the ring post! Kicks, suplexes and submissions are in full-force as AKIRA looks to keep Kwon grounded. He manages to do that with an impressive kicking and striking sequence before cinching in an ankle lock. The resiliency of Kwon is on display but an eventual Death Penalty is good enough to get the pinfall win!
WINNER and ADVANCING: AKIRA
We cut to Filthy Tom Lawlor who was asked about his actions against Hauser. Lawlor said Hauser did this to himself because he poses as a pro wrestler and calls the credited actor a “fat pud!” We find out later on that Hauser was taken to a local Atlanta hospital.
We catch more footage of Riddle and Sami continuing to fight backstage as order is aiming to get restored!
MATCH 5 MLW World Middleweight Championship Star Jr. vs. Mistico (c)
Before the bout starts, Mistico offers a handshake in a matter of respect and Star. Jr obliges. This battle is a symphony of athleticism as both luchadors have one another well scouted. Mistico hits a beautiful arm drag and a head scissors to show Star Jr. why he’s indeed champ. Atlanta chants for Mistico as he executes a beautiful headscissors.
Star Jr. finally turns the tide towards him with a big boot in the ring and hits a hard strike to down Mistico. Mistico though, ultimately puts Star down with his spinning Fujiwa armbar.
WINNER and STILL MLW World Middleweight Champion: Mistico
Post-fight, Star Jr and Mistico shake hands once again before Mistico is interviewed at the top of the ramp. He expresses his love for the Middleweight gold and the love for MLW fans!
It’s a full circle moment for this match as Jazzy Yang, is Jimmy Yang’s daughter. At 21 years of age, she’s making her Major League debut, just like Yang did 22 years ago! Yang is in the crowd to watch his daughter compete and she’s got some tough competition in Yamashita and Dani Jordyn.
Jazzy shows her spunk as she gets some offense in against Yamashita, hitting a beautiful spinning leg kick. Jordyn gets a near win before Yamashita strikes Jordyn. She tosses Yang out and focuses on Dani. However, Yang gets more involved when she catches both women on the outside with a top rope dive!
Miyu manages to isolate Jordyn once more as she nails her with a powerful modified Attitude Adjustment and it keeps Dani down for the 1-2-3!
WINNER: Miya Yamashita
Cameras catch up with Sami Callihan as he’s finally been separated from Riddle and issues one more final challenge to The Super King of Bros: he wants any type of match at Blood & Thunder! Will Riddle accept?
MLW takes time to honor the legendary Gary Juster who has promoted fights and helped produce many wrestling shows over the years. Juster is humbled and grateful for the honor! #ThankYouGary!
MAIN EVENT Bull Rope Match 1 Called Manders vs. Mads Krule Krugger
Manders wastes no time in this fight as he takes it to Krugger and introduces the bull rope violence quite quickly. Krugger’s bloodlust may be unparalleled as he happens to hang Manders over the ropes with the Bullrope!
The violence gets amped up when a table is set up in the middle of the ring and Krugger possibly plans to chokeslam Manders through it while up top. Manders bites the forehead of Krugger and superplexes the monster through the table! Manders musters up enough strength to charge at Krugger and nails him with a big-time lariat! Kruger is OUT and Manders goes to cover him, but Krugger grabs him by the throat. Manders amps up the adrenaline and begins HAMMERING Krugger with the cowbell. Manders tangles Krugger in the rope and pulls down his arm pad, ready for another lariat, but in comes Janai Kai with a harsh roundhouse kick! Kruger hits a inverted full nelson and nails Manders for the 1-2-3!
WINNER: Mads Krule Krugger
Post-fight, Kruger has some ritualistic violence in store for Manders as he buries his head in a bucket in front of the CONTRA insurgents and even nails him with the bully club!
CONTRA begins to drag Manders backstage as Matthew Justice runs in to save his Second Gear Crew companion but is cut off at the pass by Ikuro Kwon and Minoru Suzuki! Manders is dragged off by Krugger!
We finally get to see Salina meet up with Duran and although she’s late on a Father’s Day gift, it is quite the gift: Salina is PREGNANT! Duran looks pleased at being a grandfather as the Anniversary show ends!
The fiancé of Brooks Jensen has turned to the fans for help after the ‘former’ WWE NXT star did not make a recent independent event.
Taking to Twitter/X, Chloe fought back tears as she spoke about Jensen, using his real name Ben Buchanan. She explained that Jensen was supposed to appear at an independent wrestling event after allegedly parting ways with WWE this week.
Unfortunately, Jensen did not appear at the event and nobody is aware of his location. Chloe shared her concern that her fiancé is drinking alone at some bar and made a passionate plea to the man she loves.
“Ben, if you’re out there and you’re listening, I just want you to come home. You don’t have to be ashamed. You’re not who employs you.”
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What Is Going On?
Jensen’s alleged disappearance is the latest in a string of concerning actions by the second-generation wrestler. Jensen first began making headlines after he shared his independent booking information on social media, suggesting that he has been let go by WWE. Even some people in WWE were confused by the move as there had not been talks within NXT regarding Brooks being released.
More recently, Jensen appeared at an independent event in another tease that he was leaving WWE. On Twitter, one fan shared their surprise that the NXT Superstar was at the show, prompting Jensen to ask if he was ‘working’ people now.
What’s Really Going On?
For all his teasing of leaving WWE and ‘issues’ with NXT management, fans shouldn’t expect to see Jensen part ways with the company anytime soon. Instead, Jensen remains under contract, and these matters are all part of a storyline to help elevate his character. Despite stating that he is a free agent, it is believed that Jensen remains firmly under contract.
Within NXT, the angle has been compared to Grayson Waller’s feud with Shawn Michaels that helped elevate the current-day WWE Tag Team Champion. As for when Jensen will wrestle next, that remains to be seen, but the second-generation Superstar has certainly caught the attention of fans.
Jazzy Yang, the daughter of Jimmy Yang, has followed in her father’s footsteps after making her in-ring debut for Major League Wrestling.
The younger Yang competed at MLW Anniversary 2024 in a triple-threat match against Miyu Yamashita and Dani Jordan. Jazzy’s father was in attendance for the show and was highlighted during the broadcast.
Full circle: Jimmy Yang is in the house to see his daughter Jazzy Yang make her league debut! #MLW@betonline_ag
Unfortunately for Jazzy, her Major League Wrestling debut was not a successful one. The multi-generational wrestler would lose to Yamashita in the penultimate match of the evening.
It’s fitting that her father was present for Jazzy’s MLW debut as Jimmy Yang has a history of his own with MLW. The former WWE Superstar debuted at MLW’s King of Kings event in December 2002 and competed throughout 2003 for the promotion. He would also compete in the company’s Super J Cup USA but was defeated by Christopher Daniels in the second round.
n n nJimmy, a former WWE star, supported his daughter at the show. n
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Jazzy Yang
Yang made her professional in-ring debut in July 2021 and teamed with her father to defeat The Revolt (Caleb Konley & Zane Riley.) In addition to Major League Wrestling, Jazzy has also wrestled for the NWA, Game Changer Wrestling, WOW – Women Of Wrestling, and Pro Wrestling Noah. In May of last year, Yang won the Lariato Pro Wrestling Guild’s Women’s Championship at the company’s Slamageddon event.
Yang regularly details her journey in wrestling and her personal life on social media. In April 2023, she produced a popular series on her account, documenting the life of a wrestler on the day of a show. She currently has over 5,600 followers on the platform
Jazzy Yang, the daughter of Jimmy Yang, has followed in her father’s footsteps after making her in-ring debut for Major League Wrestling.
The younger Yang competed at MLW Anniversary 2024 in a triple-threat match against Miyu Yamashita and Dani Jordan. Jazzy’s father was in attendance for the show and was highlighted during the broadcast.
Full circle: Jimmy Yang is in the house to see his daughter Jazzy Yang make her league debut! #MLW@betonline_ag
Unfortunately for Jazzy, her Major League Wrestling debut was not a successful one. The multi-generational wrestler would lose to Yamashita in the penultimate match of the evening.
It’s fitting that her father was present for Jazzy’s MLW debut as Jimmy Yang has a history of his own with MLW. The former WWE Superstar debuted at MLW’s King of Kings event in December 2002 and competed throughout 2003 for the promotion. He would also compete in the company’s Super J Cup USA but was defeated by Christopher Daniels in the second round.
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Jazzy Yang
Yang made her professional in-ring debut in July 2021 and teamed with her father to defeat The Revolt (Caleb Konley & Zane Riley.) In addition to Major League Wrestling, Jazzy has also wrestled for the NWA, Game Changer Wrestling, WOW – Women Of Wrestling, and Pro Wrestling Noah. In May of last year, Yang won the Lariato Pro Wrestling Guild’s Women’s Championship at the company’s Slamageddon event.
Yang regularly details her journey in wrestling and her personal life on social media. In April 2023, she produced a popular series on her account, documenting the life of a wrestler on the day of a show. She currently has over 5,600 followers on the platform
Injuries are part of wrestling and one can never predict how or when a superstar may be taken off road. It also creates challenges for bookers who sometimes have to adjust plans made months in advance at the last minute. Tony Khan’s AEW has experienced this firsthand recently as several of the company’s biggest stars have been taken out due to injuries.
The latest talent to suffer a setback is Dax Harwood, who revealed that he’ll be out of action because of a lower back issue. The injury woes in AEW have resulted in either planned storylines getting dropped or delayed until a talent returns.
AEW President Tony Khan recently spoke with Bleachers Report’s Doc-Chris Mueller ahead of AEW x New Japan Pro Wrestling Forbidden Door on June 30. When asked how talent injuries affect his booking, Khan shared that it forces him to make adjustments he may not have planned to make.
Answering in character, the AEW President mentioned how his EVPs The Young Bucks are responsible for putting some of his top talents on the shelf:
“It’s happened so much(talent injuries), and we’ve had to change so many things. You know, The Young Bucks reference this body count, and they’re not altogether wrong. I mean, it’s true. Since they started this reign of terror, I’m not the only person they put out and injured. FTR has injuries going back to their Anarchy In The Arena and their Ladder Match with The Young Bucks, so we have FTR out,” said Khan.
The AEW official also named Eddie Kingston and Darby Allin who are out due to injury after their run-in with The Young Bucks. He then talked about other superstars like Adam Copeland, who suffered a fractured tibia at Double or Nothing on May 26.
Although AEW is missing some of their fan favorites due to injuries, Khan has the luxury of having a deep roster. The talent pool in the company helps give the AEW President options to make adjustments when needed in his booking.
In the interview, he expressed gratitude for the superstars competing in AEW.
“…It’s been great having such a deep roster and so many awesome stars because, you know, we’ve had some fan favorites hurt, but still, we have so many popular stars on this roster who stepped up, and I think that’s why I’m so proud of the wrestlers in AEW,” said Khan.
He also added that he believes AEW is where the best talents wrestle and is looking forward to having his entire roster in full health. For now, Khan looks forward to having the best in AEW taking on talent from NJPW and CMLL at the upcoming PPV event.
Josh Barnett would love to have WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg compete at a Bloodsport event, as well as some notable names from current wrestling.
Barnett and Game Changer Wrestling host Bloodsport events, which feature worked-shoot matches in which winners are determined by submission, knockout or referee stoppage. The ring has no ropes or turnbuckles and events have been taking place since April 2018.
Names for Bloodsport
Sitting down with Tokyo Sports, Barnett was asked who he’d like to feature at upcoming Bloodsport events. Barnett, who also competes at Bloodsport events, made clear that he has his sights set pretty high.
“First of all, Katsuyori Shibata. Then Bill Goldberg. I would also like to see Shayna Baszler in the Japanese tournament, and I would also like to see New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s Voltin Oleg.”
Shayna Baszler was part of Bloodsport X this past April thanks to a deal that allowed WWE talent to compete at the event. The two-time former NXT Women’s Champion bested TNA’s Masha Slamovich with the match ending via referee stoppage.
Neither Shibata nor Oleg have competed for Bloodsport yet. While Barnett has said he plans to hold regular Bloodsport tournaments in Japan, there is no word on whether this will happen. Bloodsport hosted its first event in Japan on June 22, 2024, from the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.
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The biggest outlier on Barnett’s wishlist is Bill Goldberg. The former WWE Universal Champion hasn’t competed since 2022 and his contract with the promotion expired that same year. Despite efforts for one final match, Goldberg has yet to have said send-off and is currently not pursuing one last in-ring battle.
WWE is seemingly working on a new show that focuses on the development of talent judging by a trademark filing recently made.
WWE has filed a trademark for the term ‘WWE Independent Development’ as well as ‘WWE ID.’ The filing states that the term would be used for the following:
“ORGANIZING AND CONDUCTING A PROGRAM TO ENHANCE, EDUCATE AND DEVELOP ATHLETES; EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, NAMELY, ORGANIZING AND CONDUCTING TRAINING IN THE FIELD OF COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH ATHLETES FOR BRAND BUILDING, TRAINING, DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION, COMMUNICATIONS, PROMOTION, AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS SERVICES; ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES, NAMELY, ORGANIZING AND CONDUCTING SPORTS EVENTS RENDERED LIVE AND RECORDED FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISTRIBUTION; ORGANIZING AND ARRANGING OF EXHIBITIONS AND CULTURAL, ENTERTAINMENT AND SPORTING EVENTS FOR SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES; ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES, NAMELY, PROVISION OF INFORMATION AND NEWS ABOUT SPORTS, ENTERTAINMENT RENDERED LIVE AND THROUGH BROADCAST MEDIA INCLUDING TELEVISION AND RADIO, AND VIA THE INTERNET OR COMMERCIAL ONLINE SERVICE; PROVIDING INFORMATION IN THE FIELDS OF SPORTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND POP CULTURE VIA AN ONLINE COMMUNITY PORTAL; PROVIDING A WEBSITE IN THE FIELD OF SPORTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND POP CULTURE; PROVIDING WRESTLING SERVICES; PROVIDING WRESTLING NEWS AND INFORMATION VIA THE INTERNET”
NXT serves as the promotion’s main developmental program and this has been the case since 2012. In February 2022, WWE NXT Level Up was launched, replacing 205 Live in the process. The show serves as a first step for young talent to learn about working on a broadcast show, before they make the move to WWE NXT.
In April 2024, WWE: Next Gen was released by the promotion and Roku. the 8-part documentary series chronicles the lives of athletes vying to get a contract and become superstars and is narrated by John Cena. Some WWE: Next Gen talent have already begun appearing at WWE NXT live events.
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is feeling worse for wear after a brutal ambush during the June 21, edition of WWE SmackDown.
In the main event, Rhodes battled Solo Sikoa but outside interference resulted in the match being thrown out. After the bout, Jacob Fatu made his WWE debut, laying out Randy Orton, Kevin Owens, and Rhodes, the latter of whom was sent through a table.
Appearing at a WWE live event in Bloomington, Illinois, Rhodes retained the Undisputed WWE Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura in the show’s main event. After the match, Rhodes addressed the attack from SmackDown and revealed the extent of his injuries.
“A little scoop for you Bloomington, last night I did break two of my ribs. And the thought [backstage] was ‘Well, you can take off Bloomington, you can take off Kalamazoo. You can even take off next Friday where the story began in 1978, New York City’ And my answer to that was emphatically, 100% ‘Hell No!'”
What’s Next for Cody Rhodes?
Judging by this week’s SmackDown as well as what happened in Glasgow, Scotland, it’s clear that The Bloodline is not finished with Cody Rhodes. According to reports, fans can expect Rhodes’ newfound issues with this revamped Bloodline to continue for months to come.
One name that fans seemingly shouldn’t expect to see in this matter is Roman Reigns. On this week’s SmackDown, Paul Heyman said it was important for Solo Sikoa to keep Rhodes ‘in check’ for the return of the Tribal Chief. Sikoa fired back by claiming Reigns is never coming back to WWE.
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is feeling worse for wear after a brutal ambush during the June 21, edition of WWE SmackDown.
In the main event, Rhodes battled Solo Sikoa but outside interference resulted in the match being thrown out. After the bout, Jacob Fatu made his WWE debut, laying out Randy Orton, Kevin Owens, and Rhodes, the latter of whom was sent through a table.
Appearing at a WWE live event in Bloomington, Illinois, Rhodes retained the Undisputed WWE Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura in the show’s main event. After the match, Rhodes addressed the attack from SmackDown and revealed the extent of his injuries.
“A little scoop for you Bloomington, last night I did break two of my ribs. And the thought [backstage] was ‘Well, you can take off Bloomington, you can take off Kalamazoo. You can even take off next Friday where the story began in 1978, New York City’ And my answer to that was emphatically, 100% ‘Hell No!'”
What’s Next for Cody Rhodes?
Judging by this week’s SmackDown as well as what happened in Glasgow, Scotland, it’s clear that The Bloodline is not finished with Cody Rhodes. According to reports, fans can expect Rhodes’ newfound issues with this revamped Bloodline to continue for months to come.
One name that fans seemingly shouldn’t expect to see in this matter is Roman Reigns. On this week’s SmackDown, Paul Heyman said it was important for Solo Sikoa to keep Rhodes ‘in check’ for the return of the Tribal Chief. Sikoa fired back by claiming Reigns is never coming back to WWE.
Jamie Kellner, who served for years as the Head of Turner Broadcasting and played a key role in the end of WCW, has passed away at the age of 77.
Kellner passed away on June 21 with news of his death first being shared by Variety. In a statement, producer Greg Berlanti spoke about what Kellner meant to him and countless others who worked with him throughout his career.
“Kellner was a titan and a visionary in our industry and yet he will be remembered by anyone lucky enough to work for him as an executive or as a showrunner as a warm, funny, charismatic, creative and kind mentor, friend, husband and Dad.”
To wrestling fans, Kellner is known as the man who ultimately decided to cancel WCW when he took over the Head of Turner Broadcast, succeeding Ted Turner in 2000. It was Kellner’s decision to cancel the TV contracts of WCW programming as the promotion was losing a fortune in its final years.
The final episode of WCW Monday Nitro came on March 26, 2001 and saw the reveal that Shane McMahon had purchased the company. This would be a lead-in to that year’s Invasion angle which saw WCW and ECW attempt to ‘destroy’ the WWF.
Jamie Kellner Outside Wrestling
Away from WCW, Kellner is credited for launching projects for FOX and The WB. Kellner was in charge when hit shows premiered on The WB including Married… With Children, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Simpsons. Kellner also launched FOX Kids during his time at the network.
We at SE Scoops would like to share our sincere condolences to those who knew Kellner at this sad time.
More has come to light about the situation regarding Kayla Braxton as the WWE broadcaster’s tenure with the company prepares to come to an end.
Earlier this month, Braxton removed references to WWE from her social media usernames, leading to speculation that her time with the company was ending. This week, Braxton confirmed as much by revealing that an upcoming event in Madison Square Garden will be her last show for WWE.
Braxton is still with WWE, Fightful Select reports, and she is working under a verbal agreement with the company. That is because her official deal with the promotion has already expired but the two sides didn’t want to end things just yet.
Braxton, real name Kayla Becker, and WWE have been in discussions, but it is unclear what came of them. Given that Braxton has publicly confirmed her impending exit, it is apparent that these talks have not resulted in a new deal.
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What’s to Come?
Braxton has not disclosed any specifics about what’s next, instead stating that she is ready to pursue her next “chapter.” Given her success in WWE, many assume that AEW will be making a play for her but if so, that’ll only be when the time is right. AEW was made aware of her contract situation weeks ago, it’s unclear if that was due to direct communication between Braxton/ an agent, or AEW. Tony Khan has made clear several times in the past that he aims to avoid negotiating with under-contract talent.
Braxton signed with WWE in 2016 and honed her skills in various roles across Raw, SmackDown, and WWE NXT. While her time with the company is ending, fans can expect to see the talented broadcaster resurface in entertainment down the line.
All Elite Wrestling superstar Darby Allin is taking some time off after a rough few months. His last match was teaming in a loss with FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) and Bryan Danielson against The Elite (Jack Perry, Kazuchika Okada, Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) at AEW Double Or Nothing on May 26. Since the brutal Anarchy In the Arena Match, Allin has not been on TV. A new report has shared an update on his absence.
Fightful Select has reported that AEW has given Allin time off to heal from his injuries, including a broken nose. It’s unclear when he may return, but the company is ensuring the AEW superstar has enough time to recover.
The first half of 2024 has been a very eventful time for the former TNT Champion. He started the year off strong alongside Sting, as they quickly became title contenders in the tag team division. The fan-favorite duo eventually became champions and successfully defended themselves against The Young Bucks (Matthew & Nicholas) at AEW Revolution on March 3. Although he found success early in the year, injuries took a toll on Allin’s body.
In the brutal tag team match against The Young Bucks, Allin had a spot where he launched himself off a ladder from inside the ring to the ringside on a pane of glass. The dangerous move resulted in Allin’s back being cut up and needing stitches. After relinquishing the titles due to Sting’s retirement, Allin would then take some time off with hopes of climbing Mount Everest.
Allin returned to action earlier than expected to compete at AEW Double Or Nothing, as a replacement for the injured Eddie Kingston. In the match, fans noticed he was wearing a face mask and had not recovered fully from his injuries. That said, it didn’t prevent him from dangerous moments, including being Superkicked in the face while suspended above the ring by The Young Bucks.
The proper time away from wrestling is necessary for Allin to recover from his issues. Hopefully, he can be at full strength soon and plot revenge on The Elite for his last defeat at AEW Double or Nothing.
All Elite Wrestling superstar Darby Allin is taking some time off after a rough few months. His last match was teaming in a loss with FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) and Bryan Danielson against The Elite (Jack Perry, Kazuchika Okada, Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) at AEW Double Or Nothing on May 26. Since the brutal Anarchy In the Arena Match, Allin has not been on TV. A new report has shared an update on his absence.
Fightful Select has reported that AEW has given Allin time off to heal from his injuries, including a broken nose. It’s unclear when he may return, but the company is ensuring the AEW superstar has enough time to recover.
The first half of 2024 has been a very eventful time for the former TNT Champion. He started the year off strong alongside Sting, as they quickly became title contenders in the tag team division. The fan-favorite duo eventually became champions and successfully defended themselves against The Young Bucks (Matthew & Nicholas) at AEW Revolution on March 3. Although he found success early in the year, injuries took a toll on Allin’s body.
In the brutal tag team match against The Young Bucks, Allin had a spot where he launched himself off a ladder from inside the ring to the ringside on a pane of glass. The dangerous move resulted in Allin’s back being cut up and needing stitches. After relinquishing the titles due to Sting’s retirement, Allin would then take some time off with hopes of climbing Mount Everest.
Allin returned to action earlier than expected to compete at AEW Double Or Nothing, as a replacement for the injured Eddie Kingston. In the match, fans noticed he was wearing a face mask and had not recovered fully from his injuries. That said, it didn’t prevent him from dangerous moments, including being Superkicked in the face while suspended above the ring by The Young Bucks.
The proper time away from wrestling is necessary for Allin to recover from his issues. Hopefully, he can be at full strength soon and plot revenge on The Elite for his last defeat at AEW Double or Nothing.
