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WWE SmackDown Results (5/24): Spoilers From Saudi Arabia

Aaron Varble
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WWE SmackDown is broadcasting from Saudi Arabia this week, leading up to the highly anticipated King & Queen of the Ring event in Jeddah. There is a lot to unpack as we head into this special edition of SmackDown.

Due to the show being aired from Saudi Arabia, there will be a time delay. With that in mind, we have some spoilers for this week’s episode of the blue brand.

This week’s SmackDown card features two semifinal matches in the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments. Additionally, there are several other segments lined up to finalize the preparations for the big event.

Below, you can find a spoiler-free SmackDown card for this week’s show.

  • King of the Ring – SmackDown Bracket Semifinals: Tama Tonga vs. Randy Orton
  • Queen of the Ring – SmackDown Bracket Semifinals: Bianca Belair vs. Nia Jax
  • The Street Profits vs. Tonga Loa & Solo Sikoa
  • Bayley vs. Chelsea Green
  • AJ Styles Confronts SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis

  • WWE SmackDown (5/24) Spoilers:
    • Randy Orton, The House of Bloodline, Nia Jax, and Bianca Belair are shown arriving at the show.
    • Triple H announces King & Queen of the Ring winners will earn title opportunities at SummerSlam.
  • Queen of the Ring Semi-Finals: Bianca Belair vs. Nia Jax
    • Winner: Nia Jax
    • Post-Match: Nia boasts about defeating top competitors and aims to become Queen and Champion.
  • Grayson Waller Effect:
    • Carmelo Hayes interrupts, mocks veterans like Bobby Lashley and LA Knight. Then Knight interrupts him, leading to a brawl. Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford intervene.
  • Match: LA Knight, Montez Ford, and Angelo Dawkins vs. Carmelo Hayes, Grayson Waller, and Austin Theory
    • Winners: LA Knight, Angelo Dawkins, and Montez Ford
  • Cody Rhodes and Logan Paul Confrontation:
    • Cody Rhodes enters the ring but is interrupted by Logan Paul. The Maverick taunts Cody, claiming superiority and intentions to win both titles. Then Cody suggests Logan’s bravado hides insecurities, he said he suffers from Imposter Syndrome, and then he said he believed that he had brass knuckles on him. So, he challenged him to a security check. The brass knuckles were found on Logan as WWE official Ryan Tran checked him out. Logan then said that he was wearing his brother’s pants, because they are Prada. Cody then vowed to beat Logan, as the crowd was 100% behind him.
  • Match: Bayley vs. Chelsea Green (Non-Title)
    • Winner: Bayley with the Rose Plant.
    • Post-match, Piper Niven attacks Bayley with multiple sentons.
  • Bloodline Segment:
    • Paul Heyman informs Solo that Tanga Loa couldn’t cross the border. Solo asserts his authority in Roman’s absence; Tama Tonga declares his return to the Bloodline.
  • Match: Randy Orton vs. Tama Tonga (with Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa) in a King of the Ring Tournament Semifinal Match
    • Winner: Randy Orton
    • After the match, GUNTHER came out to have an intense stare-down with The Viper.

Health Update On Jim Ross: What’s His Status For AEW Double Or Nothing?

Dominic DeAngelo
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Jim Ross was admitted to a hospital after having shortness of breath, and thankfully the commentary legend appears that he’s going to be okay.

In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that Ross was hospitalized on 5/23 and was diagnosed with a Class A flu along with raised heart enzymes that coincided with his shortness of breath. He’s being well taken care of and is expected to be okay in a few days time. However, that does mean JR won’t be behind the booth for AEW Double or Nothing.

Ross did hop online to provide an update on his health, sharing a photo of himself with his two daughters. He also made a post on X noting that he was going to quit smoking.

According to Meltzer, Ross is only on tap to do the monthly AEW PPVs and he was on call for the main event AEW World Title match between Samoa Joe and Swerve Strickland at AEW Dynasty.

Just last year, Ross was diagnosed with skin cancer and had to miss an extensive period of time due to that, but the voice of a generation happened to sign an extension with AEW for an added year and JR’s new deal with the company was reported to be very lucrative. All that considered, he has realized his time behind the commentary desk as

Ross may not be on the call for AEW Double Or Nothing, but many fans can read about some of his all time greatest calls and stories in his new memoir, “Business Is About To Pick Up.” 

We at SEScoops want to wish Jim Ross a speedy and healthy recovery.

MLW Battle Riot VI Sells Out In Atlanta

Tyriece Simon
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Major League Wrestling is enjoying an excellent run of sold-out shows this year. They’ve celebrated selling out their MLW Azteca Lucha event in Cicero Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, on May 11. The show did so well that the company will host another pay-per-view event, Lucha Apocolypto, at the same venue in November. While it seems Chicago could be a hot market for MLW fans, the company may have found another. 

On X, MLW has announced that tickets for Battle Riot VI have sold out. The event will occur at the Center Stage Theater in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 1. Although the show is sold out, fans can watch the event for free on the MLW YouTube channel. 

More On MLW Battle Riot VI 

 MLW Battle Riot VI will have several exciting matches on the card, including MLW World Heavyweight Champion defending his title against Tom Lawlor. However, the match that many fans may look forward to the most is the 40-Man Battle Riot VI Match. Like in past years, the battle royal winner will get an MLW World Heavyweight Championship opportunity in the future. 

MLW has slowly started to reveal the participants that will compete in the battle royal on X. The company has announced only 20 competitors so far that will be involved. It’s very possible they will not reveal all the talent in the match until the day of the show. 

As of now, MLW has announced several prominent names like Matt Riddle, Sami Callihan, and Místico, who will try to win the 40-Man Battle Royal. Another surprising name added was Golden Globe Award Winner Paul Walter Hauser. It’s unclear when the winner will get an opportunity to challenge for the world title, but all superstars will do their best to be a future contender. 

Current Card For MLW Battle Riot VI

(Match Card & Order Is Subject To Change)

  • Alex Kane with Mr. Thomas vs. AJ Francis- Ritual Combat Match
  • (C) Janai Kai vs. Delmi Exo with Cesar Duran-MLW Women’s World Featherweight Championship Match
  • (C) Satoshi Kojima vs. Tom Lawlor with Saint Laurent-MLW World Heavyweight Championship Match
  • Matt Riddle vs. Jimmy Yang vs. Sami Callihan vs. Ernest Miller vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs. Bobby Fish vs. Jake Crist  vs. Timothy Thatcher vs. Mistico vs. Okumura vs. Jesus Rodriguez vs. Matthew Justice vs. Mr. Thomas vs. Bad Dude Tito vs. Mads Krule Krügger vs. Brett Ryan Gosselin vs. 1 Called Manders vs. AKIRA vs. Josh Bishop vs. Paul Walter Hauser vs. TBA-40 Man Battle Riot VI Match

‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey: ‘TNA Wrestling Allows Us To Be Ourselves In The Best Possible Way’

Thomas Lowson
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‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey is pleased to be a part of the TNA Wrestling roster as the promotion encourages talent to be themselves in the best possible way. 

Since arriving in TNA, Bailey has quickly asserted himself as one to watch with two X-Division championship reigns to his name. Not only that, Bailey’s Bound for Glory 2023 epic with Will Ospreay would for a time be the highest-rated match from TNA Wrestling, earning 5.25 stars from Dave Meltzer. 

Bailey has evidently done well in TNA and is pleased to be a part of a company that seeks to help others find themselves. Speaking to SE Scoops as part of the TNA Press Pass, the Canadian addressed how TNA helps amplify the real-life personalities of its roster. 

“The art of professional wrestling is a great tool for self-betterment. I have a lot of students that I have seen really discover themselves as people, not just as pro wrestlers, but through amplifying their own personalities in the ring and gaining confidence. [They have become] better versions of themselves through professional wrestling. Ultimately, that’s the goal. To inspire people.

“And I think where that ties into TNA is that it’s been a platform where pro wrestlers come in and are allowed to be themselves. They’re allowed to be who they are and TNA amplifies that. And I think that, philosophically, is a beautiful thing.”

Bailey has big plans for his future in TNA Wrestling. During the Press Pass, Bailey added he plans to regain the X-Division Championship alongside winning the World Tag Team and TNA World Championship. Bailey will certainly be one to watch especially with TNA Slammiversary coming to his native Canada in Montreal this July. 

Matt Hardy Gets TNA World Title Shot At Against All Odds

Rayan Saayed
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On Thursday’s episode of TNA Impact, Matt Hardy was gifted a title match against Moose for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. The match will take place at Against All Odds on June 14.

The announcement came after Matt Hardy won a tag team match, teaming up with Ryan Nemeth against the duo of Eddie Edwards and Brian Myers.

Backstage after the match, Director of Authority Santino Marella was going to give a tag team championship shot to Hardy and Ryan, however, Hardy wanted to take on Moose instead. He said that he had set his sights to win the world title from Moose, which Santino offered him.

In place of Hardy, Nic volunteered to be Nic’s partner, and Santino gave the duo a tag team title match against Edwards and Myers.

The card for Against All Odds 2024 is starting to shape up, and these are the confirmed matches as of now:

  • Moose (c) vs. Matt Hardy for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship
  • The System (c) vs. Nemeth Boyz (Ryan and Nic Nemeth) for TNA World Tag Team Championship
  • Mustafa Ali (c) vs. Trent Seven for the X-Division Championship

Matt Hardy on how the TNA return happened

Recently, Matt Hardy talked about how he returned to the TNA at the Rebellion PPV. Talking on Busted Open Radio, the Attitude Era star revealed that the deal happened last minute:

“So last night was me showing that pro wrestling can still be unpredictable. I popped up. This was done in a couple days notice. we kind of started talking about this on Wednesday. Then this kind of materialised over a couple days doing some shots for TNA and a little story arc. Pro Wrestling is at its best when it’s unpredictable.”

Even his brother Jeff Hardy wasn’t privy to Matt making his way to TNA, and he only found out after the show ended.

At Rebellion, Hardy confronted Moose and hit him with a Twist of Fate. This was the set-up to a match between the two, which has been now made official.

Cora Jade Pleads With Fans to Stop Sending Her Parents Fan Mail

Rayan Saayed
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Cora Jade has sent out a notice to fans to set some boundaries.

Jade took to her Twitter account, requesting fans not to send fan mail to her personal address, and worse, at her parents’. She wrote:

“I love and appreciate all fan mail but if you are going to send it please refrain from sending it to my personal address or more importantly my parents’. All fan mail can be sent to the PC addressed to me :)”

The fact that the 23-year-old female wrestler even had to issue such a request to fans is a shameful thing. Everybody deserves privacy, and no one should have to deal with their private information being available to the public.

Many wrestlers have previously spoken about fans crossing boundaries in the past. Wrestlers getting harassed by “fans” at airports and hotels is unfortunately a common theme.

Rhea Ripley in particular voiced her frustration after having a bad experience with people coming up to her to get things signed. She wrote on Twitter:

“Today has put me off completely! I will not sign ANYTHING that isn’t a personal photo of us anymore. Hate me, I don’t care. Disagree with me, try putting yourselves in our shoes for one bloody day.”

Others such as Kris Statlander have also voiced their opinions on people waiting in lines at airports and hotels to get things signed. Statlander said that she’s not a fan of people who do this.

“…I’m not a fan of when fans wait at airports and hotels,” said Statlander. “We are not technically at work at that time, you know, and it’s just like most travel has been so hectic lately that a lot of us just cannot be bothered to put on a happy face sometimes. Some of us we have a lot of real-life things to deal with, and it’s like sometimes we’re not always our best selves, especially when traveling. We don’t feel our best.”

However, Seth Rollins did mention an important point in an interview that such “pseudo-collectors” at the airports are outliers, and the majority of the fans he encounters in public are respectful.  

Soft Ground Wrestling (SGW) Crowns First Champion

Rayan Saayed
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0

Uganda’s Soft Ground Wrestling sees the coronation of its first champion.

The match to crown the first champion of the SGW took place between Tate Mayfairs and Anoa. The finish of the match saw Anoa hit Mayfairs with a Cross Rhodes to pick up the win.

You can check out the full match below, which also features a celebration by the audience post-match as well as a look at the SGW Championship belt:

Earlier this month, Mayfairs went to Uganda for his SGW debut, and reached the finals in the tournament to crown the inaugural SGW Champion. He aligned the Lord White, a popular heel figure in the promotion.

On May 14, SGW Uganda announced plans for a championship belt for the promotion.

Soft Ground Wrestling is a backyard wrestling promotion based in Uganda that went viral online in the recent months. The promotion got attention for using a soil ring with string ropes similar to those found in professional wrestling rings, along with bamboos serving as ring posts at the four corners.

A GoFundMe fundraiser was set up to help SGW get a wrestling ring as well as for its upkeep. The fundraiser saw donations from AEW’s Will Ospreay and TNA Wrestling’s Jordynne Grace also donating to it.

A charity stream was also done which raised over $28,000 for SGW. Names such as AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland, TNA X-Division Champion Mustafa Ali, and Tough Enough-winner and popular wrestling YouTuber Maven Huffman were involved in the stream. 

Report: Kenny Omega Underwent Surgery for Diverticulitis

Rayan Saayed
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Kenny Omega reportedly underwent surgery last week to recover from diverticulitis.

The report comes from Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful. The surgery took place in New York on May 16, 2024. There were also some pictures shared online of the star in the city from that time.

Omega had confirmed earlier this month that he would be going under the knife. He said the following at the time:

“I will actually be getting surgery very very very soon… this guy is top in his field and I feel even though it’s a major surgery, I feel most comfortable with this individual. So even though there’s always worries going into a major surgery, if there’s one person the most confident with, I think it’s this dude.”

According to Mayo Clinic, “diverticulitis is inflammation of irregular bulging pouches in the wall of the large intestine.” The website states that severe diverticulitis needs antibiotic treatment in the hospital or surgery.

Regarding his plans for AEW, currently, there are no plans for the wrestler creatively in the company. His most recent in-ring plans, according to which he was set to partner up with Chris Jericho to face World Tag Team Champions Big Bill and Ricky Starks at Worlds End 2023, were thwarted due to Omega suffering from diverticulitis.

RELATED: Kenny Omega Respects Triple H For Being A Body Guy

He did appear recently on Dynamite, where he declared his intentions to face AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada, so we can see him in the ring competing against the Rainmaker when he recovers. 

WWE Smackdown Preview (5/24): King & Queen Of The Ring Semifinals, Bayley vs. Chelsea Green

Tyriece Simon
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Tonight’s episode of WWE Friday Night Smackdown will set the stage for the King and Queen Of The Ring premium live event. The episode will occur at the Jeddah Super Dome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Ahead of tomorrow’s PLE, Smackdown will host two matches to determine who will move on to the finals of the King and Queen Of The Ring. 

One of the featured matches of tonight’s episode will have Randy Orton take on Tama Tonga in the semifinals of the King of The Ring tournament. While the match order can change, it’s expected that the match will be the show’s main event. 

Orton earned his spot in the semifinals by defeating Carmelo Hayes on the May 17 episode of Smackdown. The former WWE NXT Champion pushed Orton to his limit and was close to stealing the upset victory. However, ‘The Viper’ showed his experience and landed an RKO to move to the next round. After the win, Orton called out Tonga and the rest of the Bloodline(Solo Sikoa and Tanga Loa) to declare that he’d destroy the faction. 

Although the former WWE Champion feels confident, he will have his hands full taking on Tonga. The newly signed superstar has shown to be a threat to the roster and has his family at his side to aid in his victory. Despite the odds, Orton will aim to connect with his RKO to eliminate Tonga from the tournament. 

The Rest Of the Card For Tonight’s Episode Of Friday Night Smackdown

The other tournament match on the show will have Bianca Belair face off against Nia Jax. Both earned their spot in the semifinals in last week’s episode. However, Belair comes into the match battling a knee injury(in storyline) after defeating rival Tiffany Stratton in the quarterfinals. 

Jax will try to take advantage of injury to move on to the finals. Belair has shown she can defy the odds, but Jax may be too much tonight. That said, Belair’s tag team partner, Jade Cargill, has unfinished business with Jax and could come out to support the ‘EST of WWE.’ 

Tonight’s episode will also have WWE Women’s Champion Bayley taking on Chelsea Green in a non-title match. The champion hopes to silence Green and stay busy as she awaits her next challenger. 

As the go-home show to tomorrow’s PLE event, tonight’s episode of Smackdown will be essential to see who will be eligible to be the next King and Queen Of The Ring. 

Jordynne Grace Shows Off Gnarly Injury

Rayan Saayed
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TNA wrestler Jordynne Grace has suffered a pretty gnarly-looking injury on her ear. The injury took place on the May 23 edition of TNA Impact when Grace was in action in the ring with Marti Belle.

The match was for the TNA Knockouts World Title at the MegaCorp Pavilion in Newport, Kentucky, and Grace was able to successfully defend it against Belle. However, Belle’s fishnets ripped out a small chunk of her ear.

“There’s a reason why I am one of the most dominant champions in TNA,” Grace said in a post-match promo. “I went out there and I got a piece of my ear ripped out! And I still came out with the Knockouts World Championship! There’s a piece of my ear, with the earrings on that woman’s tights. But she still took the pin. Now I gotta go see a doctor.”

What’s worse is that TNA actually showed the bit of Grace’s ear stuck to Belle’s fishnets, and used it for a promo. Allysin Kay of The Hex pointed out the chunk of meat stuck on the fishnets.

“Marti might not have won the match, but she’s taking home a souvenir with her,” Kay said. “You just don’t listen, so I had to make sure I took a piece of your ear,” Belle stated. “Just know, that as long as you have that Knockouts Championship, you’re gonna have a Hex on your back.”

It remains to be seen how serious is Grace’s injury, and if she would take some time off from wrestling to recover. SEScoops will keep you updated of any further developments.

RELATED: “Please Don’t Eat That!” – Jordynne Grace’s Inventive Snack Suggestion Causes Unrest With Fans

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mercedes Mone’s AEW in-ring debut

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AEW Talent Growing Frustrated Over Lack Of Creative Opportunities

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Aaron Varble
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0

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

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

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

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

The Upcoming Stable

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

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

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

MJF’s AEW Return Could Happen Sooner Than Expected

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

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

MJF

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More On WWE Shakeups After Merging With UFC

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What’s Next For Bryan Danielson?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who’s In the Tournaments? 

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

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

WWE King And Queen Of The Ring

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

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

MVP Hopes Stem Cell Therapy Will Extend His Wrestling Career

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

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

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

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

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

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

One More Run for MVP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When Santana Met the Hitman

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

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

Mike Santana recalls meeting wrestling legend Bret Hart

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Boomer Sooner!

2-Night WWE SummerSlam Coming to Minneapolis in August 2026

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

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

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

WWE in Minneapolis

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

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

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