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Cody Rhodes: ‘WWE Told Me Of The Rock Vs. Roman Reigns The Day I Won the Royal Rumble’

Thomas Lowson
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Cody Rhodes made history by winning the Royal Rumble for a second consecutive year back in January. However, what should have been a monumental day had a dark cloud looming over it that we’re just now learning about.

During a Monday appearance on Busted Open Radio, Rhodes reveals that he learned about The Rock interjecting himself into the road to WrestleMania just hours before punching his ticket to Philadelphia.

“I found out the possibility of the Rock versus Roman Reigns the day of the Royal Rumble, and I had to leave that room, head up and make sure no one knew what could possibly happen and probably on one of the more difficult days I’ve ever had in the wrestling business. But also, how can you complain when you’re winning the Royal Rumble, when you’re pointing at the sign, when over 20,000 people in Tampa? It was such a high, such a low.”

Jan 27, 2024; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Cody Rhodes eliminates CM Punk during the Men s Royal Rumble match at Tropicana Field.

Rhodes’ victory in the 30-man match made him the fourth Superstar in history to win back-to-back Rumbles. After the match, he wasted no time in making clear that he planned on challenging Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. However, WWE and The Rock and other plans. 

Despite literally pointing at Reigns as his desired WrestleMania opponent, things were much different on the post-Royal Rumble edition of WWE SmackDown. Rhodes handed over his WrestleMania main event to The Rock in a now-infamous segment that ignited the ‘We Want Cody’ movement. Had it not been for that movement, Cody may not have finished his story at WrestleMania. As it turns out, that movement was totally organic and WWE really did want to go with Rock vs. Reigns at WrestleMania.

In the end, the Great One aligned with the Tribal Chief, joined The Bloodline, evolved into the Final Boss and took the fans on a ride that will be talked about for a long time. Rhodes dethroned Reigns at WrestleMania, is the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion and an eventual match with The Rock is expected.

Here’s Cody Rhodes’ full appearance on Busted Open Radio:

Cody Rhodes Shares What The Rock Gave Him On Post-WrestleMania 40 Raw

Thomas Lowson
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Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes has shared what The Rock gifted him in the most recent face-to-face confrontation between the two megastars. 

The two met during the post-WrestleMania 40 edition of WWE Monday Night Raw, 24 hours removed from Rhodes capturing his title and ending the 1,316-day run of Roman Reigns. As part of the tense segment, The Rock placed an item in Cody’s hand that was evidently significant to the American Nightmare. 

Fans never got the chance to see exactly what The Rock gave Rhodes during that fateful episode of WWE Monday Night Raw. Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Rhodes shared what the Final Boss gave him.

“I tried to make a positive overture, an olive branch to The Rock and the Seven Bucks team because I have an immense respect for what they’ve done. They set the table so that I can eat at it. He did not feel that that was a positive overture and handed it back to me. That’s the best I can give you.”

Cody was pretty “heart-stricken” by The Rock rejecting what he had previously gifted him. The Undisputed WWE Champion then shared some words of wisdom from Triple H who reminded Rhodes that it’s not all ‘fun and games’ as WWE’s top star.

The Rock & Cody Rhodes came face-to-face on the post-WrestleMania Raw.

What’s Next? 

During the very same segment, The Rock vowed that he would return to WWE programming down the line and that he is coming back for Cody Rhodes. A match is expected between the two with the reported current plan for Rock Vs. Rhodes at WWE WrestleMania 41. 

Rhodes’ more immediate future will see him put the Undisputed WWE Championship on the line at the upcoming WWE King And Queen of the Ring PLE. Rhodes will defend against Logan Paul whose United States title won’t be on the line. 

Update on Jacob Fatu to WWE, Plans for The Bloodline

Aaron Varble
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The Bloodline saga remains one of the most compelling aspects of WWE television, despite Roman Reigns being cast into exile at WrestleMania. With Reigns off in Hollywood and legitimately calling his shots from afar, Solo Sikoa has emerged as The Bloodline’s on-screen figurehead. 

The latest incarnation of WWE’s most dominant faction is comprised of Sikoa, the recently-added Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa, and of course, the ‘Wise Man’ Paul Heyman. Our readers know there’s additional enforcements on the way. Over WrestleMania 40 weekend, we reported exclusively that ‘Bloodline’ family member Jacob Fatu was in Philadelphia amid reports that he was WWE bound. Multiple sources have confirmed to SEScoops that Fatu is signed and “big plans” are in place for the former MLW World Champion. However, the creative is being kept close to the vest by Triple H Bruce Prichard, Ryan Callahan, Paul Heyman and Roman Reigns. 

Jacob Fatu is coming

The Bloodline’s Next Chapter

Everything is not fine with The Bloodline and there’s no saying Jacob Fatu will align with Solo Sikoa and company. He very well could be brought in aligned with one of The Usos, who are bound to reunite eventually. Jacob Fatu would be a combustible element added to the showdown involving the Bloodlines rich lineage, including The Rock, Roman Reigns, The Usos, Solo Sikoa, Fatu, Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa.

The fact Roman Reigns’ name was mentioned to us as one of the few people in the loop about Fatu’s creative direction indicates involvement with The Bloodline in some fashion. As for Heyman, he’s been caught in a few very uncomfortable positions over the past few months as the Bloodline’s leadership has undergone drastic changes. The Wise Man has been part of the group’s foundation since its inception, and has been the greatest influence on the rise of the Tribal Chief Once Fatu debuts, when Reigns and The Rock eventually return, and the Bloodline storyline reaches its ultimate conclusion, you can be sure Heyman will be there 

“I’m Single”- Liv Morgan Confirms Relationship Status

Aaron Varble
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Liv Morgan is preparing to face Becky Lynch at King & Queen of the Ring in Saudi Arabia this Saturday. She will walk into that match as a singles competitor, and that also applies to her love life.

“I’m single,” Liv Morgan admitted on Open Thoughts. She emphasized that her current priorities do not include dating, explaining that she is focused on being the best she can be and is consciously choosing to be somewhat selfish with her time. Morgan acknowledged that she doesn’t want to allocate time to others at the expense of her personal growth.

This is the first time she’s spoken openly about her relationship status in a while. The last we heard, she was with Bo Dallas. In 2021, it was reported that Dallas and Morgan had a farm together, which they managed jointly. They had also ventured into a family real estate business.

While Liv Morgan is currently working on her revenge tour in WWE, Bo Dallas is also preparing for another resurgence. WWE has dropped numerous cryptic clues suggesting that a new stable is on the way.

There are signs such as QR codes and trailers indicating that Bo Dallas will soon return to WWE television, possibly as himself or the mysterious Uncle Howdy. A new report includes a list of names rumored to join Bray Wyatt’s younger brother.

Currently, four other names are expected to be part of the new faction: Nikki Cross, Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy, and Erick Rowan.

Jon Moxley Hates Twitter: “Take it off your phone. Throw it in the garbage.”

Bishal Roy
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Jon Moxley has made it clear that he has a strong hatred for X (formerly known as Twitter).

Wrestlers put their lives at risk to entertain the fans. However, some critics never shy away from crossing the limit and hurl insults at them on social media platforms including Twitter. Irrespective of the topics, users on Twitter always share their opinion on the happenings in the world which Moxley is not a fan of and prefers staying away from the platform. 

During an appearance on Hey! (EW) the reigning IWGP World Heavyweight champ expressed his distaste towards Twitter. Mox reckoned that the platform brings the worst out of everyone and the worst medium for people to interact. He suggested everyone to get rid of the application and dump it in the garbage. 

“I don’t like Twitter, it’s hard to escape because everything that’s in the news, about any subject, is about something, somebody said or did on Twitter, so it’s impossible to escape. I feel like Twitter particularly is like, it brings the worst out of everyone, and it’s the worst way for people to interact, it’s terrible. I think everyone should drop it. I think my advice to the entire world would be, get off that f***ing thing. Take it off your phone. Throw it in the garbage.”

It seems that staying away from Twitter has helped Jon Moxley to focus more on his career and distance himself from toxicity. He recently captured the IWGP World Heavyweight title at NJPW Windy City Riot. He has already retained his title by defeating the likes of Powerhouse Hobbs and Shota Umino. His next title defense will take place against Evil at the Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall on June 9.

He is also set to battle Konosuke Takeshita in an IWGP World Heavyweight title Eliminator match at Double Or Nothing pay-per-view on Sunday, May 26. Should Takeshita defeat the champ, he would receive a title match at a later date.

Ahead of the massive matches, he made a comeback to a wrestling promotion. Read more below:

Rikishi Addresses Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa Joining The Bloodline In WWE

Bishal Roy
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Hall of Famer Rikishi is proud to see Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa’s arrival in WWE.

The Bloodline storyline has taken a unique turn amid the absence of Roman Reigns. Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa, who are the sons of Haku, have made their way to the company to join the Bloodline. While speaking on the Rikishi Fatu Off The Top podcast, the WWE legend showered praise on the duo for their hard work in NJPW before making a move to WWE. He is thrilled that Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa are finally home. He said:

“Those two kids, Tama and his brother, Tonga Loa, they’re [related] to the family, as far as with Uncle Haku and so forth. These kids, I couldn’t wait for them to come to WWE. They’ve done so much out there, the hard work and building their brand out there in New Japan, that it was awesome to see them finally come home.”

Rikishi and The Bloodline

Ever since Roman Reigns dropped the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 40, he has been on a hiatus and Solo Sikoa has transformed The Bloodline and the stable has undergone drastic changes. He has ousted Jimmy Uso and brought in Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa. Rikishi loves the fact that the duo was added to the stable because they are family and he is thrilled with the revamped Bloodline. 

“The Bloodline, the WWE is home. To be able to see them come and not just go right into an angle, they’re only put there for the simple fact that they belong there. Nothing else, nothing more. You got Roman that’s out the picture now, Jimmy’s out the picture now. Now here comes Solo and his crew, what they like to call The Bloodline 2.0, the brothers, Tama and Tonga Loa, they’re doing a great job. They both look great, they look fresh. So nice to see fresh faces out of there, being involved in The Bloodline, and family at that.”

It has been announced that Tama Tonga will be locking horns with Randy Orton in the semi-finals of the WWE King Of The Ring tournament on this week’s edition of WWE SmackDown. While Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa continue to assert dominance on the blue brand, we recently reported that they won’t be using the Gurilla’s of Destiny team name.

Check out their WWE debuts here:

Solo Sikoa enacts sweeping changes to The Bloodline, kicking out Jimmy Uso whilst adding Tama Tonga:

As Kevin Owens seems to clinch victory with a earth-shattering Brainbuster, Tanga Loa makes his WWE debut in an effort to save Solo Sikoa & Tama Tanga from defeat. 

WWE Raw Preview (5/20): King & Queen Of The Ring Semifinals, Zayn vs. Gable

Thomas Lowson
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WWE will get closer to crowning a new King and Queen of the Ring on the May 20 edition of WWE RAW. Tonight’s edition of Raw from North Carolina’s historic Greensboro Coliseum will see a continuation of the men’s and women’s tournaments. If you’re in the area, tickets for the show are still available at Ticketmaster.

The King and Queen of the Ring Tournaments tournaments began on May 6 and will conclude this Saturday at at the Jeddah Dome in Saudi Arabia. This will be the first Premium Live Event to be named after the tournaments since WWE King of the Ring 2002. 

On the men’s side of things, GUNTHER will take on Jey Uso for a place in the finals in Jeddah. GUNTHER reached this spot with victories over his old rival Sheamus as well as Kofi Kingston. Jey reached the semi-finals with wins over Finn Balor and Ilja Dragunov. 

Jey Uso vs. Gunther in the King of the Ring Semifinals

For the Queen of the Ring Tournament semi-finals, Lyra Valkyria will take on IYO SKY. The recently called-up Valkyria reached this spot in the tournament with wins over Dakota Kai and Zoey Stark. SKY has rebounded from her loss at WrestleMania 40 by advancing with wins over Natalya and Shayna Baszler. 

In non-tournament action, we’ll see Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn battle Chad Gable in a non-title match. These two and Bronson Reed will compete for Zayn’s title this weekend.

Other top feuds headed into the PLE include Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes vs. United States Champion Logan Paul and Liv Morgan challenging Becky Lynch for the Women’s World Championship.

Keep checking back to SEScoops for more coverage of tonight’s WWE Raw, including all the news coming out of the show afterwards. 

Catch up on the Top 10 moments from last week’s show:

Chris Jericho Expected ‘Please Retire’ Reaction From Crowd At AEW Dynasty

Thomas Lowson
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Chris Jericho may be one of wrestling’s most popular stars, but he wasn’t surprised by the hostile response he received at the AEW Dynasty pay-per-view. 

While Jericho, a heel, was supposed to receive a negative response, the chants from the crowd in St. Louis went much further than a typical reaction. Throughout the match, the crowd hurled “Please retire!” and “Go home, Jericho, go home!” chants at the veteran who has been with AEW since the very start. The St. Louis crowd also loudly booed when he defeated HOOK to capture the FTW Championship.

Jericho Sees Things Coming

Many fans watching at home were taken aback by the negative response to Jericho’s presence at the show, but Chris himself wasn’t shocked, Fightful Select reports. According to those close to the current FTW Champion, the crowd reaction during the match was almost identical to the way he described it to them ahead of time.

Chris Jericho predicted the highly hostile reaction.

AEW Dynasty is not the first time that the crowd have severely turned on Jericho. In the days prior to AEW Worlds End, it was alleged that Jericho had been inappropriate years earlier with Kylie Rae, with some believing an incident between the two would explain Rae’s abrupt exit from AEW in 2019. In response, fans chanted “Kylie Rae” and “NDA” at Jericho during his tag-team match on the show. After the event, Tony Khan said he would not speak on unverified rumors. 

What’s to Come? 

Since capturing the FTW Championship, Jericho has formed an alliance with Big Bill that has ended Bill’s previous tag team with Ricky Starks. On the most recent AEW Collision, HOOK defeated Johnny TV in an FTW Title Contenders Series match.  

Liv Morgan: ‘Valhalla Farted In The Ring All The Time During Our Riott Squad Days’

Thomas Lowson
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WWE Superstars were wary of keeping their distance from Valhalla as the Riott Squad alum has been known to pass wind in the ring. 

Before she was Valhalla, the Viking competed as Sarah Logan and was part of the Riott Squad alongside Liv Morgan and Ruby Riott (now Soho.) The group made its main roster debut in November 2017 and all three members would have the date of their call-up tattooed on their bodies. 

In a recent interview with Open Thoughts, Morgan was asked if she’s ever passed wind in the ring. While Liv has been flatulence-free during matches, she revealed that the same can’t be said for Sarah ‘Valhalla’ Logan.

“No, but oh my gosh! Sarah, sorry I love you. I had this tag team partner Sarah, right? I was in a tag team called The Riott Squad and she would fart in the ring all the time and, you know, it like stinks but you have to kind of just like not react to it. But it’s like disgusting, you know, but you just keep it moving. I’ve not farted in the ring but I’ve been, like, farted on.”

What’s Next? 

Valhalla won’t be competing (or farting) in the ring for some time, as she and Erik are currently expecting their second child. The couple welcomed their first child, a baby boy named Raymond Cash Rowe into the world. Erik has been out of action for some time after undergoing neck fusion surgery. 

As for Morgan, she is in the midst of a heel turn and is a regularly featured name on the Raw roster. Liv hopes to be free of any passing wind when she competes for the WWE Women’s World Championship at King And Queen Of The Ring on May 25. 

Saraya Returning To In-Ring Action For The First Time In 3 Months

Bishal Roy
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Saraya is set to return to the ring on next week’s AEW Dynamite.

Next week’s edition of AEW Dynamite will emanate from the Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield, California. It will be the final build before the promotion’s, Double Or Nothing pay-per-view that takes place on Sunday, May 26. It has been announced that Saraya will be teaming with Harley Cameron and face the duo of ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm and Mariah May.

This will mark Saraya’s first match in over three months. In her last match before in-ring hiatus, she teamed with Ruby Soho to take on Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale on the February 7 edition of AEW Rampage. The 31-year-old star endured not only a defeat but a betrayal from Ruby Soho in that match. Soho left the Brit wrestler in the ring during the match and it put an end to the former’s association with The Outcasts.

Saraya, who is set to co-host MTV Catfish, had formed The Outcasts by recruiting Toni Storm and Ruby Soho in January last year. However, Storm turned her back on the stable at All Out last year. She then recruited Harley Cameron, the only member currently on the former AEW Women’s World Champion’s side.

Other matches announced

More matches are lined up for the show. Konosuke Takeshita will lock horns with Matt Sydal. Meanwhile, Hook, Katsuyori Shibata, and Bryan Keith will battle in a three-way match to determine the number one contender for the FTW Championship match against Chris Jericho at Double Or Nothing.

AEW International Champion Roderick Strong will join forces with Trent Beretta and face the pair of Orange Cassidy and Will Ospreay.

Kyle O’Reilly is also set to go head-to-head with The House of Black leader, Malakai Black.

The Blackpool Combat Club member Bryan Danielson has a huge task at his hands as he will face Satnam Singh.

Ahead of his title defense at Double or Nothing, the AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland will take on Nick Wayne.

Cora Jade Returns During NXT Live Event, Calls Out Roxanne Perez

Bishal Roy
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NXT star Cora Jade recently made an appearance during an NXT Live Event and set her sights on the Women’s title.  

Last night’s NXT Live Event emanated from the Havert L. Fenn Center in Fort Pierce, FL. Cora Jade, who is recuperating from a torn ACL injury, made her return and delivered a promo. The 23-year-old rising wrestler revealed that she will be back in a matter of few months and called out the NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez. 

The reigning NXT Women’s Champion noticed Jade’s message and took to her X account to respond. Perez said that she would be keeping the title “nice and warm” for Jade. 

Cora Jade has had the top prize of the NXT Women’s division in her sights for a long time but the title has eluded her. After a 4-months hiatus, Jade made her comeback to WWE last year at NXT Deadline in December. She immediately revealed her intentions to capture the title. However, she had a terrible start to the new year as she suffered an injury during an untelevised show.

On the other hand, since winning the NXT Women’s Championship at Stand & Deliver, Roxanne Perez has already defended her title against the likes of Natalya, former champ Lyra Valkyria, Tatum Paxley, and Chelsea Green.

A trilogy match? 

Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade could lock horns soon

Cora Jade and Roxanne Perez have been NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions in the past. However, Jade betrayed Perez when she beat her down with her skateboard.

 They went on to have matches at NXT Heatwave 2022 which Cora Jade won, while ‘The Prodigy’ emerged victorious at NXT Halloween Havoc 2022. It seems that the fans could be witnessing a trilogy fight down the road. NXT Heatwave 2024 is set to take place in July and there is a huge possibility that the show could feature the bout. 

Damian Priest Recalls The Moment When He Almost Broke His Character During WWE Show

Bishal Roy
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0

Damian Priest recently shed light on the moment when he struggled to stay in character during last year’s WWE Backlash Premium Live Event. 

Last year’s Backlash PLE took place in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The PLE featured a highly-aniticipated clash between Damian Priest and the multi-time Grammy Award-winning singer Bad Bunny. ‘The Archer of Infamy’ has told Squared Circle Pit that he was overwhelmed with the electric atmosphere at the venue when Bad Bunny came out. 

He said that he had experience of floor shaking while being in the crowd but that night with Bunny’s entrance, he could “feel the tremble” while being inside the ring. The reigning WWE World Heavyweight Champion admitted that was one of the wildest things he’s ever witnessed and had to remind himself to stay in character. He said:

“Yeah, that’s exactly what happened (almost slipped out of character during Bad Bunny’s WWE Backlash entrance). I had to be like, hey, cut it out. Stay in it, stay in it… I’ve been in the crowd where you could feel the floor shaking a little bit and whatnot but being in the ring, you don’t really feel the tremble. You don’t really feel that. But I felt it that night. That was wild, in his entrance and I got goosebumps while I was in the ring waiting for him and then but I had to keep a straight face, you know? Angry or whatever but, that was one of the wildest things I had ever seen.”

At Backlash 2023, Bad Bunny came out to his song “Chambea.” As soon as he showed up, the crowd went insane and created one of the greatest entrances in WWE history. ‘Benito’ even hyped up the fans more when he pulled a tarp off a shopping cart which had weapons hidden in it.  

Bad Bunny and Damian Priest put on an epic match at the show. The match even featured the return of Carlito and Savio Vega. In the final moments of the match, Bad Bunny used a steel chair on Priest and went on to hit the Canadian Destroyer to secure the pinfall victory. 

Bad Bunny had a great experience but felt he was going to die following show. Read more below:

Peyton Royce Is Open To Making A Royal Rumble Return Now

Anutosh Bajpai
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Former WWE star Peyton Royce has said that she is ready to make a WWE Royal Rumble return if offered an opportunity after previously having turned down a similar role.

The former IIconics star recently spoke to Ring The Belle where she discussed things such as wrestling Kris Statlander before she was famous, planned dream matches in WWE that were cancelled and more.

Discussing the disappointing reign IIconics had with the Women’s Tag Team Titles in the company, Peyton Royce said that they made the best of the opportunities they were given:

“Obviously, if I could have written that title reign my way, it would have gone a bit differently to the way it actually went. But as I said everything happens for a reason. We can only control so much. We had fun and we made the best of every opportunity that we had.”

Peyton Royce Is Ready To Return

Peyton Royce is the current WSW Women’s Champion ( Photo: Instagram@CassieLee)

During the interview, Royce was asked if she would be open to making a surprise Royal Rumble return to WWE after having turned down the opportunity in 2022. The female star said that she would love the chance to catch up with old friends:

“Yeah, I’m open to it, for sure. I would love that. It’d be so good to catch up and I mean, it’s the Royal Rumble. We said no last time because we were still pretty hurt about it but, I feel healed now and I feel like I’d love to do that if the opportunity came.”

Peyton Royce was signed by WWE back in 2015 and is most widely known for her tag team with Billie Kay called The IIconics. The IIconics had a successful run with the company which includes winning the Women’s Tag Titles at WrestleMania 35 in 2019.

Their reign, however, didn’t last for long and they lost the title in August that year. The IIconics were disbanded following a loss to the Riott Squad in August 2021 and they were released from the promotion during the April 2021 budget cuts.

The duo was offered a spot in the 2022 Royal Rumble while they held the Impact Wrestling Knockouts Tag Team Titles. It was the same Rumble where the then Knockouts Champion Mickie James made an appearance.

While Impact Officials were willing to approve the gig, the former WWE stars turned down the offer, feeling that it wasn’t the right time for a comeback.

Reggie Opens Up About His Mental State Following WWE Departure

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

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

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

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

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

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

A Life That Many Would Kill For: Reggie

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Buff Bagwell Returns To The Ring To Win Memphis Wrestling Championship

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

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

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

Buff Bagwell

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

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

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

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

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

Injuries

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

Trey Bearhill

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

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

WWE Next Gen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reaction to Steveson’s Release

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

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

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

Steveson competed just one time on WWE TV. 

What’s Next for Gable Steveson? 

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

AEW’s Ruby Soho And Angelo Parker Married

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

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

Wrestling Moms

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

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

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

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

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

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

Evolution 2: Is It Possible? 

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

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

WWE Queen Of The Ring

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

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

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

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

Mike Tyson Channels Scott Steiner

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

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

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

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

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

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

H/t to PWInsider for the quotes.

Watch Jon Moxley’s Surprise Return To Wrestling Revolver

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

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

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

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

Jon Moxley has huge matches lined-up

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tony Khan Challenged For Forbidden Door Showdown

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

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

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

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

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

The quotes in the article have been translated through Google Translate

When Eddie Kingston Aims To Return To AEW

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

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

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

Eddie Kingston’s injury 

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

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

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

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