Home Blog Page 319

Reason WWE Teased Cody Rhodes Vs. Logan Paul Being Title For Title

Thomas Lowson
-
0

WWE had no intention of having one man leave Jeddah, Saudi Arabia with two championships, but that didn’t stop them from teasing the idea. 

On the May 10, edition of WWE SmackDown, Paul, the reigning United States Champion, was revealed as the next challenger for Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. Immediately, fans speculated that their match at WWE King And Queen of the Ring would see both titles on the line. On Twitter, Cody would tease going for the United States Championship.

During the May 17, edition of SmackDown, Rhodes spoke of his desire to capture the coveted ‘Grand Slam’ and is only missing the U.S. title from his collection. Despite these teases, it was confirmed during the contract signing later in the night that the upcoming match would ONLY be for Rhodes’ Undisputed WWE Championship. 

Why WWE Teased Title For Title

WWE never had any intention of having both titles on the line, despite what was being teased on TV and social media, Dave Meltzer reports. The reason behind the teases is that it was WWE’s way of getting extra ‘heat’ on Paul. The idea is that after fans were led to believe both titles would be on the line, Paul ‘backtracking’ by ensuring he wouldn’t be at risk of losing his gold would rile up the fans against him. On SmackDown, it was made clear that Paul’s lawyers had drafted the contract that means only Rhodes’ title will be on the line. 

What’s Next? 

Paul and Rhodes will face off this weekend at the WWE King And Queen of the Ring PLE. The show will be Rhodes’ second title defend his title at a Premium Live Event after defeating AJ Styles at Backlash France. The match will also be Paul’s second World Championship opportunity after facing then-Universal Champion Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel 2022. 

Austin Theory: ‘WWE Today Has Surpassed The Attitude Era’

Thomas Lowson
-
0

The current era of WWE is proving to be better than the much-acclaimed Attitude Era, at least according to WWE Tag Team Champion Austin Theory. 

WWE officially launched its ‘new era’ at WrestleMania 40, though this came months after Vince McMahon’s second resignation from the promotion in January 2024. With the 78-year-old billionaire no longer around, production changes have been well-received by fans as have the storylines we see on TV. 

Speaking to the Battleground Podcast, Austin Theory had plenty of praise for the current era which he believes has surpassed the Attitude Era. 

“We do all these things, and every show is packed. Even when I’m just doing meet-and-greets, like in Australia, I did one where 300 people came to see me in the middle of a mall. WWE is at an all-time high now, and you can’t deny it. I think we’ve surpassed the Attitude Era. This era has solidified a new world of professional wrestling.”

Theory went on to describe Triple H as “The Man” and appreciates the “innovative” ideas of WWE’s Chief Content Officer. The former U.S. Champion also praised the passion of everyone in WWE today and believes that with Triple H ‘”in the pilot seat” that there’s no stopping WWE. 

It’s hard to ignore the success of the current era of WWE. In November 2023, it was reported that the average attendance of WWE events have now matched the Attitude Era attendance. WWE is certainly making far more money now than it did during the era of the late 1990s and early 2000s, thanks in part to its lucrative TV deals and relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

Several Updates To The NXT Battleground Card

Aaron Varble
-
0

This week’s episode of NXT built toward Battleground, with Fallon Henley defeating Thea Hale to secure a spot in the ladder match for the new Women’s North American Title at the PLE.

Joe Coffey replaced Ivar in the North American Title number one contender’s triple threat match. Both Coffey and Wes Lee emerged as the winners in a triple threat match, and that led General Manager Ava to make a big decision. A match featuring Coffey, Lee, and Oba Femi was officially set for NXT Battleground, but the champ wasn’t thrilled about it.

Jaida Parker and Brinley Reece also had a match to qualify for the Women’s North American Title match at Battleground. In the end, Parker pulled down the win to advance into the championship ladder match.

The night ended with Shayna Baszler and Lola Vice losing to Natalya and Karmen Petrovic. After the match was over, Lola and Baszler brawled, and they had to be separated. Ava then made the announcement that they two will throw down at Battleground, and the Queen of Spades made it an NXT Underground match.

NXT Battleground Card

NXT Battleground: Las Vegas – June 9: 2024 from the UFC Apex
  • Ladder Match for the Inaugural NXT Women’s North American Championship
    • Sol Ruca vs. Lash Legend vs. Jaida Parker vs. Fallon Henley vs. 2 TBD
  • Triple Threat Match for the NXT North American Championship
    • Oba Femi (c) vs. Joe Coffey vs. Wes Lee
  • NXT Underground Match
    • Shayna Baszler vs. Lola Vice

NXT Battleground is scheduled to take place on June 9, 2024 from Enterprise, Nevada at the UFC Apex. NXT at the UFC Apex is the latest example in WWE and UFC’s ongoing collaboration following their corporate ‘merger’ under Endeavor’s TKO Group Holdings.

Sexyy Red Announced To Appear During 5/28 WWE NXT

Aaron Varble
-
0

Rapper Sexyy Red has made headlines across the entertainment world and will bring her star power to next week’s episode of NXT.Red has been tuning into NXT and recently expressed her displeasure over about Noam Dar’s attack on Trick Williams. Now, she’ll get the chance to be more than just a spectator when she visits NXT next Tuesda Sexyy for the May 28 episode of NXT.

https://twitter.com/wwenxt/status/1793087685747163155

As NXT moves closer to NXT Battleground on June 9, 2024, at the UFC Apex in Enterprise, Nevada, Sexyy Red’s appearance adds an extra layer of excitement. We will have to see what she gets into next week. 

Although Sexyy Red tweeted out to hype her NXT appearance, she didn’t reveal her intentions. She did, however, tease pulling off an RKO outta nowhere.

WWE has a long history of celebrity appearances, and the company’s recent success is attracting personalities from various fields, especially the music industry. NXT is no exception, and next week, a well-known face will grace the show.

The St. Louis rapper’s new EP, “In Sexyy We Trust,” is set to release on May 24, coinciding with the start of Memorial Day weekend.

Eddie Kingston Names Current WWE Stars As One Of His Modern Favorites

Dominic DeAngelo
-
0

Eddie Kingston wants to push back against pro wrestling tribalism and did just that on his Instagram profile.

Kingston is notorioiusly out of this weekend’s AEW Double Or Nothing Anarchy In The Arena match with a fractured tibula, and tears in his ACL and meniscus.

The injury has not hampered Kingston’s love for the one true sport, however as he’s clearly an active watcher of all wrestling. That’s all kinds of indicated on his latest Instagram post.

While on YouTube, Kingston happened to share a screenshot of Asuka, adding the caption that the Damage CTRL member is “One of my modern day favorites.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C7PRly2uahl

Kingston suffered his devastating injury during his unsuccessful NJPW Strong Openweight title defense against Gabe Kidd at Resurgance. The Elite took Kingston out in an attack after the match, which opened up a spot to be filled for Double Or Nothing. The surprise entrant to fill in for Kingston will be Darby Allin, who returned in the closing moments of last week’s AEW Dynamite.

Kingston isn’t the only member of the AEW roster to tip the cap to WWE names. Kenny Omega recently praised Triple H for being a “body guy” and using that physical presence to his advantage. 

Although they also worked together, Ricky Starks recently just went to bat for CM Punk, saying that he was sick of the tribalism that continues to go down in pro wrestling.

Transversely, former AEW EVP Cody Rhodes has taken plenty of opportunities to credit some of his former colleagues.

WWE Doesn’t Want Hard Questions At Press Conferences, Says Ex-Host

Dominic DeAngelo
-
0

Since their inception, pro wrestling press conferences has been a hot-button issue amongst fans and one former WWE employee stated what his ex-company’s intent is with having them after major PLEs.

Matt Camp, former host of The Bump, started a new daily wrestling news series titled The Wrestling Matt and kicked off his debut episode by talking about those press conferences. Camp was actually a media member of WWE’s first presser after Survivor Series 2022 in Boston. Camp made clear that he was a WWE employee at the time, but did ask to be apart of the media scrum. He asked questions to several names, including Paul Heyman, but did say there’s a matter of intent with WWE at utilizing the press conferences.:

“They want fans in there, they want people that want to be part of the show, that don’t want to mess with their part of the show. The press conference is part of the show … but they want this just to be an addendum to the end of the show, we wrap things up and we let people speak a little bit and show their excitement and for the most part, they want softballs, right?” (h/t Andrew Thompson)

Camp noted that WWE does get some “fans” presented as media in the press conferences, noting that one member member asked him for a photo after the event was over. He also said there are a contingency of media people there to get themselves over.

“I’ve heard people at press conferences for WWE, I’ve heard people at press conferences for AEW use their stage name or use their nickname. You’re killing your credibility doing that kind of stuff. Then you are playing into everything they want.”

Matt Camp was released from WWE in February 2014. He’d been with the company since 2019. WWE sources were surprised by the departure.

Polarizing Political Commentator Alex Jones Defends Pro Wrestling

Dominic DeAngelo
-
0

Alex Jones went on his soapbox for pro wrestling in a recent social media post. The political commentator known for his polarizing opinions happened to see a clip of a very athletic, yet debatably realistic headscissors takedown being executed. The original poster included the caption, “If wrestling isn’t fake, explain this.”

Jones, who has found himself in hot water before with several of his viewpoints, decided to defend pro wrestling as an artform.

“Wrestling isn’t fake. It’s a choreographed art form. Thinking you need to convince people that wrestling isn’t real means you’re not in on the joke.”

Jones has been very big into conspiracy theories and accrued quite an audience with his Info Wars show, but like pro wrestling, has created some division amongst people, creating some followers and some haters. Much like former President Donald Trump, plenty of people could make an argument that Jones’ on air persona has been patterned greatly off of pro wrestling.

While pro wrestling gets plenty of pop culture support, the genre has had some notable detractors outside of the pro wrestling realm. 

Before WWE signed on with FOX, Colin Cowherd notoriously called wrestling fans “booger eaters.” 

In 2017, bassist of the band Kings of Leon, Jared Followill, received a great deal of backlash after he Tweeted, “hey, adults. Let’s maybe not watch professional wrestling. Ya know?”

Just this year, Curb Your Enthusiam‘s Larry David pushed back at the appeal of pro wrestling, telling Bill Simmons that he watched wrestling when he was a kid, but stopped when he realized it was fixed. However, David’s co-creator of Seinfeld, Jerry Seinfeld, recently credited WWE for helping fund the first four episodes of the the series.

Mercedes Moné Prepares for AEW Debut with Help from Ex-WWE Wrestler

Tyriece Simon
-
0

All Elite Wrestling superstar Mercedes Moné puts in extra work at the gym as she prepares for her in-ring debut. The ‘CEO’ will have her long-awaited rematch against AEW TBS Champion Willow Nightingale for the title at AEW Double or Nothing on May 25.

The rematch against Nightingale marks Moné’s first match since she suffered an ankle injury in their first encounter at New Japan Pro Wrestling Resurgence on May 21, 2023. The former IWGP Women’s Champion has shared that the injury was so severe it could’ve ended her career. Luckily, she recovered and will be motivated to get her revenge at the upcoming AEW pay-per-view. 

Ahead this very important matchup, Moné has shared that she’s training with former WWE superstar Sidney Akeem (FKA Scrypts).

Moné has been honing her skills and shaking off the last traces of ring rust at the House of Champions Pro Wrestling Training Center in Seminole County, Florida. 

Mercedes Moné & Sidney Akeem’s History

Longtime WWE fans may recall that Akeem has worked with Moné. He started his WWE career as Reginald, working for Carmella as a sommelier/ ringside manager in 2020. During this time, Carmella was involved in a feud with Moné, and Akeem would get involved in trying to aid his client unsuccessfully. 

Akeem also competed against Moné in a losing effort on the January 22, 2021, WWE Friday Night Smackdown episode. 

After the feud with Carmella ended, Akeem and Moné teased working together. However, Moné felt she didn’t need him, and they went their separate ways. 

 WWE recently decided not to renew Akeem’s contract after it expired on June 1. He has since started to look for opportunities on the independent wrestling scene. It’s interesting timing that Akeem and Moné have reunited as he prepares for his next career path, and she looks to avenge her last defeat. Akeem debuts for Game Changer Wrestling next month.

It seems in the end, they’ll need each other to accomplish their next career goals. For Moné, she’ll need to be at her best if she hopes to dethrone Nightingale at AEW Double or Nothing. 

Braun Strowman Plans to Add JD McDonagh to His Funko Pop Collection Next Week

Aaron Varble
-
0

WWE has seen some big returns over the past few months. Braun Strowman’s comeback is poised to be a massive one, as the Monster of All Monsters re-entered the fold during the 2024 WWE Draft.

The former WWE Universal Champion was assigned to the RAW brand, where he has been a persistent challenge to the Judgment Day. This conflict led to JD McDonagh challenging him to a match next week during the May 27 episode.

In a post-show interview, Braun Strowman accepted JD McDonagh’s challenge for next week’s WWE RAW. He stated that McDonagh will face the consequences of his actions. Strowman also promised to put the Judgment Day member in a box when he’s finished with him, so he can place him on a shelf with the rest of his Funk Pop collection.

The Judgment Day is experiencing a transitional phase, with Damian Priest holding the WWE World Heavyweight Title. Meanwhile, Finn Balor and JD McDonagh lost the Tag Team Titles, Dominik Mysterio is out with an elbow injury, and Rhea Ripley is sidelined with an AC joint injury. We will see what Braun Strowman does to JD McDonagh next week. JD has been running his mouth, but it’s nearly time for him to back it up in the ring.

WWE Returns To Japan This Summer After 5 Years

Aaron Varble
-
0

WWE returns to Japan this summer for the first time in five years. The WWE Super Show Summer Tour is a 3-show tour taking place over three consecutive nights, from July 25-27, 2024. Here is the schedule:

  • July 25: Osaka, Japan (Edion Arena)
  • July 26: Tokyo, Japan (Ryogoku Arena)
  • July 27: Tokyo, Japan (Ryogoku Arena)

? Tickets for WWE’s return to Japan go on sale next Saturday, June 1. Advance sales information is available at Eplus.jp/wwe.

Promotional materials for the WWE Supershow Summer Tour of Japan feature several prominent Japanese Superstars, including Asuka, Shinsuke Nakamura, Kairi Sane, and IYO Sky. Other top Superstars advertised include Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre (injured), Bobby Lashley and Rhea Ripley (injured).

WWE Japan Supershow Tour Announcement via WWE

The Last Time WWE Was In Japan

This summer’s Super Show Summer Tour will occur over five years since WWE ran shows in Japan. The most recent events took place from Tokyo on June 28 and 29, 2019. Attendance for the two shows averaged around 7,100. Top matches on the tour, gathered from results we reviewed from Cagematch.net, included:

  • Seth Rollins retaining the Universal title against Shinsuke Nakamura
  • Becky Lynch retaining the Raw Women’s title  against Alexa Bliss
  • Ricochet retained the United States title against against Cesaro
  • The Revival (FTR) retaining the Raw tag titles over Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows

Here’s a fun moment from when WWE visited Osaka, Japan during the 2018 tour:

Asuka’s Status

The inclusion of Asuka in the promotional material is particularly noteworthy, as she is currently sidelined due to a knee injury. About two months ago, Asuka tweaked her knee during a WWE SmackDown episode. Despite continuing to wrestle since then, the injury has persisted. Asuka is taking time off to fully recover. After participating in WrestleMania 40 and Backlash in Lyon, France, where she and Kairi Sane lost the Women’s Tag Team titles to Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill, Asuka is now focusing on getting back to 100%. 

Giulia’s Status

Additionally, some fans are buzzing about Giulia possibly attending the tour. Giulia, who recently concluded a notable stint in STARDOM and has been linked to Rossy Ogawa’s new promotion, is reportedly NXT bound. She was spotted in the crowd at NXT Stand & Deliver over WrestleMania XL weekend. However, her start date might be uncertain due to a wrist fracture sustained during her last match for Ogawa’s Marigold Pro Wrestling company.

First Look At Dwayne Johnson In A24’s The Smashing Machine

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Wrestling fans and moviegoers alike have been granted their first look at Dwayne Johnson in the upcoming The Smashing Machine biopic. 

The new film is based on Mark Kerr, a former wrestler and MMA fighter who in addition to his fights in the ring, fought personal demons as well. Johnson will play Kerr in the film while his Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt will portray Keers’ wife Dawn Staples. The film is being produced by Johnson’s Seven Bucks Productions and will be distributed by A24. Benny Safdie (Oppenheimer, Uncut Gems) is directing, writing and co-producing. 

Kerr (Johnson) in the ring while Dawn (Blunt) watches him from ring-side.

The film marks quite the shift for Johnson who is more commonly associated with family-friendly projects such as Moana or action-packed blockbusters like the Fast and the Furious franchise. In January 2024, Johnson told Variety of his desire to stretch his acting chops further. 

“I’m at a point in my career where I want to push myself in ways that I’ve not pushed myself in the past. I’m at a point in my career where I want to make films that matter, that explore a humanity, and explore struggle [and] pain.”

Johnson will have the chance to do just that in the role of Kerr. The MMA fighter, now 55 years old, has faced addiction to painkillers, brought on in part due to the ‘no holds barred’ style of early mixed martial arts competition. The Smashing Machine was released as a documentary in 2002 and expectations are high for the new film that is currently without a release date.

Cody Rhodes: ‘The Undertaker Moved Like A Lion To Make WrestleMania Role Happen’

Thomas Lowson
-
0

The Undertaker moved at a cat-like pace to ensure his spot at WrestleMania 40 went off without a hitch, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes has revealed. 

In the emotional main event of WrestleMania 40: Sunday, Rhodes ended the 1,316-day run of Roman Reigns, who has not been seen since the event. Both men had help with The Undertaker appearing to chokeslam The Rock after the Final Boss tried to assist his cousin. 

The Undertaker dealt with The Rock at WrestleMania 40 before Cody’s story was finished. 

Though not decked in his usual Undertaker regalia, the WWE Hall of Famer did appear in the ring in an instant when the lights went dark. On the Babyfaces podcast, Rhodes shared some new information about the Phenom’s infamous appearance. 

“When the blackout happens in the arena, your eyes are adjusted to where you actually can see kind of what’s going on in the ring… I saw out of the corner of my eye, The Undertaker roll in the ring at a speed that was like a Ricochet would roll in the ring. A Chad Gable would roll in the ring. 

“A speed that if anyone’s wondering, ‘Oh, I wonder if it’s still there.’ Oh my gosh. It was like a lion, legit like watching a lion who’d been sleeping on the rock all day and then he just went out and did it.”

Rhodes then recalled a ‘moment’ that he likes to believe he shared with his fellow WWE World Champion

“When he chokeslams The Rock, I got to make eye contact with him ever so briefly. And I think he maybe wanted to have a moment, maybe not. I could be overestimating my importance to The Undertaker here, but he winked at me. He winked at me and then the lights went out.”

With the Phenom clearing the field, Rhodes was able to defeat Reigns and finally ‘finish the story.’ He has since retained against AJ Styles at WWE Backlash France. His next title defense will come against Logan Paul at WWE King And Queen Of The Ring. 

Giulia Injured And Out Indefinitely With Fractured Wrist

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Giulia was injured week while wrestling on the inaugural card for Rossy Ogawa’s new Marigold promotion. On Monday, May 20, Giulia teamed with Utami Hayashashita at the Marigold Fields Forever event against NXT alum Sareee and Bozilla. Giulia’s team took the loss but the real story is that Giulia fractured her right wrist.

The injury will force her to cancer her upcoming matches, including the upcoming Hana Kimura tribute show. She’s still scheduled to face Sareee at Marigold’s Summer Destiny event on July 13, but we’ll see how her recovery goes. A statement by Marigold reads:

“Giulia’s right wrist was injured in yesterday’s inaugural match. Today, her doctor examined her and diagnosed her with a fracture. Unfortunately she will miss the Hana Kimura show on the 23rd, and upcoming shows for the time being. We apologize and thank you for understanding.”

Giulia Update

Giulia appeared at Japanese fighting sports memorabilia store Toudoukan and delivered the following message (translated):

“Today was Giulia’s first event at Todoukan! I’m really happy that there were so many people, and it seems like it sold out in the fastest time in Weekly Pro history. I also came to Todoukan for the first time… it’s amazing! I hope that Giulia’s prize that was won in the lottery today will be lined up here someday! Yes, I would like to visit again! Thank you! Arrivederci! See you!”

This injury is a significant setback for Giulia, who was poised to help get Marigold off the ground before testing her skills in WWE. The Japanese sensation appeared at NXT Stand & Deliver 2024 alongside Ogawa, her first appearance for the company.

Giulia out with a fractured arm

Giulia is (or potentially was) expected to make her in-ring debut for WWE at the upcoming NXT Heatwave event held on July 7. Not only that, but she is expected to compete in a championship match at the show, either the NXT Women’s Championship or the NXT Women’s North American Championship. All of these plans, however, now hinge on her condition and it remains to be seen whether her arrival in WWE will have to be delayed.

Cody Rhodes Regrets Not Having This One Person In Ring For WrestleMania 40 Celebration

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Cody Rhodes has said that he regrets not having Shawn Spears in the ring for his celebration after the WrestleMania 40 win over Roman Reigns.

The American Nightmare recently had an interview with The Babyfaces podcast. He discussed things such as The Miz throwing him a crazy party for his 21st birthday and more.

Cody has long history with The Chairman, going all the way back to their time in Ohio Valley Wrestling. Spears was one of Rhodes’ first mentors after Dusty Rhodes decided to put them in a tag team because Spears had more experience than his son.

The American Nightmare talked about this time and mentioned how Shawn Spears was the one who carried him through the rivalry with former WWE tag team Deuce ‘n Domino:

“You mentioned Shawn Spears. So Shawn Spears, during the Deuce-Domino-Cherry, during this rivalry, I had no fundamental experience. I couldn’t tell you a top wrist lock from a double quarter. I had no fundamentals. But they didn’t mind because they were teaching me from the story perspective first. That’s how Al [Snow] would like to teach and Shawn was there to lead me through it, and he does not get enough credit from me for how special he is.”

He Is A Blessing To The Business: Cody Rhodes

The Undisputed WWE Champion later recalled meeting Shawn Spears backstage on the day of his big win over Roman Reigns. Cody Rhodes claimed that he regrets not having Spears with him for the post-match celebration at the Show of Shows:

“He is the only person that I regret I didn’t have in the ring after WrestleMania because I saw him that day and we just took a picture together and he was just like he always was. He knew what this day was, he knew it was big and the opportunity to go and I could take it all if I wanted to and gosh dude, I wouldn’t be where I’m at without Shawn Spears. He is a blessing to the business and I am so glad to see him in NXT.”

The American Nightmare is scheduled to defend his title against Logan Paul at the upcoming King and Queen of The Ring Premium Live Event from Saudi Arabia on May 25.

After leaving AEW at the start of the year, Shawn Spears returned to WWE during the February 27 episode of NXT. He has been active on the brand as an on-screen talent ever since and has also been helping produce the shows behind the scenes.

Dave Bautista & Drew McIntyre Film, ‘The Killer’s Game’ Gets Release Date

Bishal Roy
-
0

Pro-wrestler-turned Dave Bautista-starred ‘The Killer’s Game’ is set to release within a matter of few months and the movie will also mark the first time that former WWE Champion Drew McIntyre works in a feature film.   

Bautista has taken up the lead role in the new movie while ‘The Scottish Warrior’ will be working in a supporting role. This will also be the first time that Bautista will share the silver screen with a fellow wrestler. The ensemble cast of the upcoming movie also includes Sofia Boutella, Terry Crews, Scott Adkins and Ben Kingsley. Variety has reported that the movie will be released in theaters on September 13, 2024. It has come to light that the action-comedy movie is distributed by Lionsgate and produced by Andrew Lazar, Steve Richards and Kia Jam.

The Killer’s Game

The movie is based on the original namesake novel which was first published in 1997 by author Jay Bonansing. It has been revealed that in the movie, Dave Bautista will portray the role of Joe Flood, a hitman who’s been diagnosed with a terminal disease and wants to take the matters in his own hands. Joe takes a hit on himself. However, things go south when the hitmen target his ex-girlfriend (Sofia Boutella). Now, Joe must fend off the assassins to win back the love of his life before time runs out.

Bautista was recently a part of Dune: Part Two, which released earlier this year. After tasting massive success with on-screen roles, the former WWE star is hoping to make a directorial debut next year. 

Meanwhile, Drew McIntyre sparked speculations of his departure from WWE. However, he recently inked a new deal with the company and he is going nowhere. While he recuperates from an injury, ‘The Scottish Warrior’ has remained involved in a feud with CM Punk.

This Is Why Dominik Mysterio Doesn’t Wear A Mask

Bishal Roy
-
0

The Judgment Day’s Dominik Mysterio doesn’t believe he is required to wear a mask regularly because he is handsome.

Dominik, the son of WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio, has become one of the biggest heels in WWE. Ahead of his debut in 2020, fans expected him to wear a mask similar to his father and carry on the legacy of the Mysterio family. However, ‘Dom Dom’ has been performing without a mask. 

Dom told Noticias Telemundo that he wanted to wear a mask during his training days as it represents the Lucha Libre culture and runs through his family. The former one-half of the Tag Team champions doesn’t want to sport a mask because he doesn’t need to hide his handsome face. While speaking in character, the 26-year-old also took a shot at his father and uncle, calling them ‘ugly.’

“When I started training for wrestling I wanted to use a mask because to me if was representation for Lucha Libre, it means culture, it’s part of the family, I’m third generation. So for me to use a mask, it would have been the best to have my own design of the Mysterio Mask and family. But I think it’s because my uncle was ugly, and my father is too. While I happened to be handsome and so, if you’re handsome, you’re handsome. So, no, I didn’t get to wear the mask.” (Translated by AirByNature)

Dominik Mysterio wearing mask

Dominik Mysterio doesn’t wear a mask regularly but he has sported masks on multiple occasions to get under the skin of his father. He once wore Rey Mysterio’s mask for his special prison-themed entrance at WrestleMania 39 where he endured a defeat against his father. 

Last March, he also distracted Rey Mysterio by showing up in a mask and cost him the match against Santos Escobar on SmackDown. 

He considered debuting with lucha libre mask, but ultimatelydecided against it.

The former NXT North American champion is currently away from in-ring action as he is recuperating from an elbow injury that he suffered last month.  ‘Dirty Dom’ hasn’t competed since the injury but he has maintained his presence on the WWE shows. While he remains injured, Dominik is seemingly linking up with Liv Morgan:

Arn Anderson Warns Wrestlers Like MJF To Protect Their Bodies: “You’ve Only Got One”

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Arn Anderson’s advice to young talents like MJF is to focus more on building moments instead of doing more moves. The wrestling veteran recently had an interview with WrestleBinge for Sportskeeda and spoke about topics including Cody Rhodes meteoric rise to the top of WWE.

During the interview, Arn was asked why he thinks today’s matches are not as memorable compared to the matches of the past. The AEW star explained that back in the day they used to build a match around just one big moment:

“You know why? Because we built a match around one big thing usually that would occur during a match. Today’s mentality is do a bunch of just spectacular, which it is, athletically unbelievable things and string them all together. The problem with that is, to the naked eye there I just saw six unbelievable things, but I don’t remember what was third, second, fourth because it’s just too much. In the old days we had to make everything mean something because you had to do that every single day, sometimes for 365 days a year.”

You can watch the full interview with Arn Anderson here:

‘You’ve Got Only One Body’

Later in the discussion, the Four Horseman original was asked for his thoughts on Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF). Anderson first said that the former AEW Champion has unlimited potential. He then advised MJF and others to protect their bodies in the ring.

“I think MJF is unlimited in what he can achieve in this business as long as…You gotta take less chances in this business than a lot of these guys take and I’ve seen him do things. Were they spectacular? Yes. Were they athletic? Yes. Were they incredible? Yes. But did they particularly need it? and I’m using him as an example but it’s kind of across board. You just don’t beat your body up, you only got one, to the point that before you know it, you’ve had a brilliant five-year career.”

Many wrestlers have spoken about having a “bump card,” a term used to describe the finite number of bumps a wrestler can take throughout their careers. You take a bump, you ‘punch’ the card. If you don’t take care of your body, your bump card will fill up and your career can be cut short.

MJF lost the AEW World Championship to Samoa Joe at the Worlds End PPV in December 2023. He was supposed to start a feud with Adam Cole who cost him the title after the show but the Salt of The Earth had to take time off due to a shoulder injury.

The former champion reportedly underwent a surgery and currently there is no timetable for his return. He spoke with Jason Solomon for SEScoops just before Worlds End and detailed the injuries he was working through at the time.

Booker T Wishes NXT Was Around When He Broke Into Wrestling

Thomas Lowson
-
0

WWE Hall of Famer Booker T wishes that there was a system akin to WWE NXT when he was taking his first steps into the world of professional wrestling. 

Since October 2022, the five-time WCW World Champion has served as a commentator for the gold brand, bringing decades of experience to the developmental show. Speaking on his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker reflected on being able to watch talent grow as part of WWE NXT. 

“It’s something special to watch these young guys grow up that way. I can only wish that I would’ve/could’ve had that kind of experience growing up in the business. It’s a great system for these young guys to actually be able to springboard.”

Booker went even further with his assessment of WWE NXT as he stated that he’s “living my best life” as part of the NXT “crew.”

It’s not hard to see why Booker wished WWE NXT was around during his early days. While many names established in wrestling join NXT upon signing with WWE, there are plenty who start their wrestling journey in the gold brand. Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, and Braun Strowman all had little to no wrestling training before coming to WWE.

The Future of WWE NXT

Later in the show, Booker shared his excitement for the future, namely the upcoming move to The CW. In October 2024, WWE NXT will make the move as part of what’s reported to be the biggest deal in the history of the gold brand. The move will also mark the end of WWE NXT’s five-year tenure as part of the USA Network. 

WWE NXT will join a growing roster of live sports on The CW Network including ACC football, LIV Golf, and basketball. Wrestling fans can also catch NWA Powerrr episodes on The CW app. 

Indie Wrestler Dani Mo to Set Wrestling World Record For Highest-Elevated Match

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Independent wrestler Dani Mo is hoping to go down in history as a wrestler who competed in the highest-elevated match in history. 

If all goes according to plan, the match will take place on May 23, from the base camp at Kala Patthar in the Nepali Himalayas. The camp is situated at 18,519 feet (5644.6 meters) above sea level and is close proximity to Mount Everest. 

Mo has been in Nepal for the week leading up to the match and the BBC is documenting her bout against Bhagawati Khadka (Unika). The Nepalese pro wrestler is described by Tribune Live in Pittsburgh as “a beloved national celebrity in her country” who has appeared on that country’s version of Dancing with the Stars. 

Dani Mo intends to become a world record holder this week. 

Who is Dani Mo? 

Mo made her professional debut in 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic that led to several wrestling promotions closing their doors. She has competed for various independent promotions including Game Changer Wrestling, WrestleRex, and Ohio Valley Wrestling. 

Mo has also had some experience in big-time promotions. From October 2021 to November 2022, she made a handful of appearances for AEW where she lost to Tay Melo, Thunder Rosa, Serena Deeb, and Athena. Mo would compete for Ring of Honor in 2023 where she lost to Madison Rayne and Billie Starkz. 

WWE fans with a good memory may remember Dani Mo’s sole appearance for the promotion in August 2022. During an episode of Raw, Mo teamed with Katie Arquette and future AEW star Kayla Sparks in a loss to Alexa Bliss, Asuka, and Bianca Belair. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOQe_u5WIUM

Watch AEW Star Tay Melo Training For Her Wrestling Return

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Tay Melo is working hard towards making a return to in-ring competition after giving birth to a baby girl in November 2023. 

Melo and fellow All Elite Wrestling star Sammy Guevara welcomed their daughter Luna in the world last year and shared the joyous news on social media. The couple went viral at AEW Double or Nothing 2023 in May of that year by announcing during the show that they were expecting. 

Fans have not seen Melo return to AEW since she became a mom. Taking to Twitter, the Brazilian wrestler shared that she is happy to be back in the ring and with a lot of patience, she will be ready to return in the future. Melo added that she has a new body post-pregnancy but she is working every day to get stronger. 

Melo hasn’t wrestled since March of 2023 with her most recent match being a tag team match for NEW Wrestling that saw herself and Guevara defeat Encore and Tiara James. Her most recent match for AEW was back in January 2023. This AEW Rampage bout saw herself and Annaj J-A-S lose to Ruby Soho and Willow Nightingale. 

Tay Melo is working towards her in-ring return.

Wrestling Moms

Tay Melo isn’t the only wrestler who is on maternity leave. Last November, Alexa Bliss and Ryan Cabrera welcomed their daughter Hendrix into the world. Bliss has not competed since the WWE Royal Rumble 2023 Premium Live Event. 

Jessie McKay, formerly Billie Kay, gave birth to her son Cooper in December 2023. Her tag-team partner Cassie Lee gave birth to her and Shawn Spears’ son Austin the following month. 

After previously suffering a miscarriage, Carmella gave birth to her and Corey Graves’ son Dimitri in November 2023. The former WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion has been dealing with some nerve damage since the birth. 

 

Keith Lee Grateful For Support He’s Received During AEW Hiatus

Thomas Lowson
-
0

It remains unclear when AEW fans will next see Keith Lee in the ring, but the former World Tag Team Champion is appreciative of the report he has received. 

The Limitless One hasn’t competed since the Holiday Bash edition of AEW Collision in December 2023, where he defeated Brian Cage. Taking to Twitter, Lee shared his thanks to those who have wished him well either publicly or in private. 

Keith Lee In All Elite Wrestling

Lee joined AEW in 2022, mere months after he was released from WWE following an impressive NXT run and mixed tenure on the main roster. That same year, Lee and Swerve Strickland captured the AEW World Tag Team Championships. Their 70-day title reign ended at AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam in September 2022 at the hands of The Acclaimed. Lee would briefly feud with Strickland who has since gone on to become AEW World Champion. 

Much like his final days in WWE, Lee’s AEW tenure has seen him miss plenty of in-ring time due to health issues. Lee was set to face Strickland at AEW Worlds End but these issues forced the Limitless One to be pulled from the show. 

In January 2024, Lee disclosed that he had undergone a double surgery that has kept him out of the ring ever since. There’s currently no timeframe on when Lee will be expected to return. We here at SE Scoops are wishing him all the best in his recovery. 

New Clue Linking Liv Morgan & The Judgment Day

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Liv Morgan is seemingly getting closer and closer to ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio and The Judgment Day, according to the latest clue in this ongoing mystery. 

In recent weeks, wrestling fans have noticed that Morgan and Mysterio have been linked together, despite their apparent on-screen differences. These teases come after Rhea Ripley suffered an injury at the hands of Morgan during a backstage attack. This injury led to Ripley vacating the WWE Women’s World Championship, a fact that Morgan (the last woman to pin Ripley) has relished in. 

On the April 29, episode of Raw, Dominik was seen leaving a room backstage and Liv was seen leaving the same area moments later. This has led to speculation that the pair may be romantically involved now that Ripley, the on-screen ‘squeeze’ of Dirty Dom, is out of the picture. 

During the May 6, episode of WWE Raw, Mysterio was seen wearing a purple bandana that was suspiciously missing from his neck later in the show. In a photo shared to social media by Morgan herself, the bandana can be seen in her pocket, seemingly a gift from the self-professed hardened criminal. 

The Latest Clue

The latest tease of something going on took place before the May 20, episode of WWE Monday Night Raw. In footage shared on Raw from earlier in the day, Morgan can be seen exiting a black vehicle. Later in the show, it was revealed that Finn Balor, an ally of Dominik Mysterio, was exiting the same vehicle. 

Morgan seems to be growing ever closer to The Judgment Day at a time when the faction is without its sole female member. Could Morgan’s ‘revenge’ tour see her try and replace Rhea Ripley, not just as Mysterio’s partner but also as a member of The Judgment Day? Time will tell… 

Update On Mark Henry’s Contract Status With All Elite Wrestling

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Mark Henry’s time with All Elite Wrestling could be over within a matter of days unless a new contract between the two parties is reached. 

Henry’s contract with AEW is set to expire this month, Fightful Select reports. The WWE Hall of Famer and former World Heavyweight Champion signed with AEW in 2021 and made his debut as part of that year’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view. Since joining, Henry has worked as an analyst, coach, scout, and mentor for AEW. On-screen, the bulk of Henry’s work has been as an interview/personality as part of AEW Rampage. 

Neither Henry nor AEW President Tony Khan have openly discussed what the future holds for Henry at this time. When not appearing for AEW, Henry can be found hosting the Busted Open Radio podcast alongside fellow WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray and a cast of other names from the industry.

Mark Henry makes his AEW debut, 2021. 

One More Match?

Henry hasn’t competed since WWE’s Greatest Royal Rumble 2018 Premium Live Event where he was part of the titular match won by Braun Strowman. His most recent singles match came on the February 13, 2017, edition of Monday Night Raw, where he was also defeated by Strowman. While the World’s Strongest Man has teased a return to the ring for one last match, he has said he doesn’t know what it’d take to make such a match a reality. 

As a veteran of the industry, Henry brings plenty to AEW even if he never has this proposed final match. It remains to be seen if the World’s Strongest Man will remain All-Elite or if his three-year tenure with AEW will end later this month. 

WWE King & Queen of the Ring Semifinals Take Center Stage on 5/20 RAW

Aaron Varble
-
0

This week’s episode of WWE RAW was broadcast live from the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. The May 20 episode featured quarterfinal matches in the King and Queen of the Ring tournament, determining the red brand’s representatives in the semifinals.

IYO Sky and Lyra Valkyria competed in a semifinal match. Before the match, Becky Lynch spoke to Lyra backstage, and Lyra expressed her readiness to prove herself. In the end, Lyra secured a roll-up pin to defeat the former Women’s Champion, earning her a spot in the tournament finals.

GUNTHER and Jey Uso faced off in a highly physical main event. The Ring General dominated most of the match, countering Jey’s every offensive move with powerful responses. Jey managed to hit a spear, but the referee was incapacitated and unable to make the count. In the end, GUNTHER applied a chokehold until Jey was out cold, forcing the referee to call for the bell.

The 2024 King & Queen of the Ring event is scheduled for May 25, 2024, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at the Jeddah Super Dome. For viewers in the USA, the event will start at 1:00 p.m., with a Countdown Show beginning at 12:00 p.m. EST.

Queen of the Ring Quarterfinals:

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

Queen of the Ring Semifinals:

Bianca Belair vs Nia Jax

Lyra Valkyria beat IYO Sky

Queen of the Ring Finals:

Lyra Valkyria vs winner of Nia Jax vs Bianca Belair

King of the Ring Quarterfinals:

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

King of the Ring Semifinals:

Tama Tonga vs Randy Orton

Gunther vs Jey Uso

King of the Ring Finals:

Gunther vs winner of Tama Tonga vs Randy Orton

WWE King & Queen of the Ring Card:

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

Famed German Wrestler “Bad Bones” John Klinger Passes Away At The Age Of 40

Dominic DeAngelo
-
0

After only 40 years of age, three-time former wXw Champion “Bad Bones” John Klinger has passed away. As of this writing, the cause of death is currently unknown. The announcement was made by the wXw account on X, and the promotion shared in the sadness of losing a talent at such a young age.

“We say goodbye to “Bad Bones” John Klinger. John Klinger was one of the defining wrestlers at wXw for over a decade. He won all of the major titles at wXw and won both 16 Carat Gold and Shortcut to the Top. In his almost 450 matches in the wXw ring, he always worked hard and did his best to excite his fans. At just 40 years old, John died far too early, shortly before his planned retirement. We wish his family and friends strength in this difficult time.”

Klinger was a friend and huge help to many in the wrestling world, with Simon Miller posting a lengthy tribute to Klinger, who happened to train Miller in the ring when the media personality decided to take a step into the squared circle.

Will Ospreay, TNA and Corey Graves all took to social media to express their sorrow in losing Klinger. Klinger’s final match was against former WWE NXT UK talent Flash Morgan Webster, who noted the two only wrestled less than a week ago.

“I only wrestled him 9 days ago. Was talking to him in Poland after the match about how he was gonna retire in September and was happy with what he’d achieved and was happy to step away on his own terms. Life can be so cruel. Rest in peace John.”

We at SEScoops would like to send our prayers, thoughts and condolences to Klinger, his family and friends at this time.

1...318319320...3,390Page 319 of 3,390