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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.

Ivar Confirms Serious Injury In New Statement After Conflicting Reports

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ivar’s Injury

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jey Uso Believes Aspiring Wrestlers Chasing Fame Are Bound To Fail

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

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

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

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

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

Protect What We Love: Jey Uso

(WWE)

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

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

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

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

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

Athena Potentially Injured During Match At Latest ROH TV Taping

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

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

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

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

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

What Does This Mean for Athena? 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘Main Event’ Jey Uso

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What Happened On SmackDown

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Latest QR Code Mystery

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

King of the Ring Quarterfinals:

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

Queen of the Ring Quarterfinals:

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

Queen of the Ring Semifinals:

Bianca Belair vs Nia Jax

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

King of the Ring Semifinals:

Tama Tonga vs Randy Orton

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

WWE King & Queen of the Ring Card:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dave Bautista Assesses Early Acting Chops In Classic WrestleMania Commercial

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WWE Superstar Tiffany Strattonand

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

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

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

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

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

WWE SmackDown Preview (5/17)

Randy Orton vs. Carmelo Hayes is actually happening

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

Queen of the Ring Quarterfinals Matches

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

King of the Ring Quarterfinals Matches

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

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

Catch up on the Top 10 moments from last week:

Rey Mysterio Will Retire When His Best Is Not Enough

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

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

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

Rey Mysterio On Retirement

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

Though Rey’s career in the ring will be ending in the relatively near future, his time in WWE won’t be over after he hangs up his boots. Rey signed a five-year deal with WWE in 2023 that should keep him around until he is 54 years old. It is possible that Mysterio could wrestle past 50 and if not, WWE would no-doubt benefit from keeping Mysterio around in some kind of backstage role, possibly as a trainer in WWE NXT. 

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

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

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

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

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

I Believe In Joe Hendry

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

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

Update On Asuka’s Knee Injury

Aaron Varble
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WWE Superstars put their bodies on the line for the entertainment of fans every time they step into the ring. Unfortunately, injuries are a regular part of the job and virtually nobody is exempt. Earlier this week, Asuka announced she’s been dealing with a knee injury and we’ve got an update that underscores the importance of this decision.

Approximately two months ago, we covered when Asuka ‘tweaked’ her knee on WWE SmackDown. She’s wrestled a lot since then, which gave us a sense of optimism that she might be able to avoid time off. Unfortunately, the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter confirms it’s the same injury that persists.

Now that she’s gotten through WrestleMania 40 and Backlash France, where she and Kairi Sane dropped the Women’s tag titles, Asuka will take some time to recuperate and get back to 100%.

More WWE Injuries

WWE Superstars regularly work through injuries, especially during WrestleMania season. Here are some additional wrestlers currently out of action for various reasons:

Charlotte Flair: Torn ACL, MCL, & Meniscus, out since December 8, 2023, return timeline 9 months.

Erik: Neck Fusion Surgery, injury date September 2023, recovery time unknown.

Sonya Deville: Torn ACL, injury date July 28, 2023, recovery time 6 – 12 months.

Seth Rollins: Suffered a Grade 2 MCL tear and a partially torn meniscus in his left knee in January. He underwent surgery to repair the torn meniscus on April 16.

Ivar: Storyline injury due to a backstage attack on NXT, to give the Viking Raider some time off.

CM Punk: Successfully underwent surgery to repair torn triceps, stopped using brace, mobility improving through recovery and physical therapy.

Alexa Bliss: Pregnancy, out since February 2023, return timeline unknown.

Big E: Broken neck (fractured C1 and C6 vertebrae) that did not require surgery, injury date March 11, 2022. The former WWE Champion has dropped hints that he may never wrestle again.

Carmella: Pregnancy, out since March 2023, currently dealing with drop foot syndrome.

Latest On Viking Raider Ivar Being Pulled Indefinitely from WWE Programming

Thomas Lowson
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0

More has come to light about Viking Raider Ivar and why the former Tag Team Champion has been pulled indefinitely from all programming. 

With his tag-team partner Erik recovering from neck fusion surgery, Ivar has had an impressive singles run on Monday Night Raw and more recently WWE NXT. At the recent Spring Breakin’ event, Ivar challenged for the NXT North American Championship, his first singles title opportunity since coming to WWE in 2018. 

Ivar Pulled From Plans

During the taping of next week’s episode of WWE NXT, Ivar was not part of the triple threat number one contenders match he had been scheduled to participate in. Shortly after the taping, WWE revealed that due to an attack by Gallus, Ivar had been medically disqualified from competition and was out of action indefinitely. 

Now, more has come to light about Ivar’s situation. On Twitter, the Andrews Sports Medicine account shared their appreciation to Ivar for placing his trust in the hands of their surgical team. The post also had the hashtag #Spine, suggesting Ivar has undergone surgery on his spine.

Andrews Sports Medicine

Ivar is certainly in good hands with Andrews Sports Medicine as some of WWE’s top Superstars have gone under the knife in the Alabama-based institute. Triple H, Cody Rhodes, and John Cena have all had surgery through Andrew Sports Medicine. In fact, Ivar’s tag-team partner Erik made the trip to Alabama last year for his neck fusion surgery. At this time, there’s no word on when either Viking is expected back in the ring. 

Uncle Howdy Hijacks WWE Twitch Stream

Aaron Varble
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Something is happening on WWE television. The glitches and QR codes continue, hinting at a new force on the way. These interruptions have spread across RAW, SmackDown and NXT. Now, even WWE’s digital programming is being affected.

During a stream on WWE’s Twitch channel, glitches appeared as Lilian Garcia introduced Kane to the ring. The disturbances caused static, and Garcia’s voice was manipulated to say “Wyatt.” As Kane made his way to the ring, the screen glitched again. A serene setting with an ominous chair in a corner was shown. The stationary shot remained unchanged, with no one else visible in the frame. The screen then flashed back to the old WWE program in progress. In the end, the takeover lasted about thirty minutes, with interruptions like this throughout that period of time. 

At the end of the takeover, a woman was shown in the chair. She had a book and was asking the camera “what does this represent?” as she showed off something drawn on the page. The camera then flashed to a news article of a missing reporter.

WWE teased Bo Dallas’ return at the end of the “Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal” documentary, making it clear that something is coming. Fans have been analyzing the cryptic clues, waiting for what lies ahead.

Bo Dallas’ Upcoming Stable

Bo Dallas played Uncle Howdy during Bray Wyatt’s final run. Sadly, Windham Rotunda passed away, and we will never see what they had planned. Now a new chapter is beginning.

Four names are currently expected to be in the new faction. Nikki Cross, Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy, and Erick Rowan are all slated to join the new Wyatt Family.

Each Superstar has previous experience in factions: Cross with Sanity, Gacy leading The Schism, Lumis as part of The Way, and Rowan as an original member of The Wyatt Family. It will be interesting to see how they fit into the picture once the new stable officially debuts on WWE television. 

Rey Mysterio Believes Separating From Him Was The Best Thing That Could Have Happened To Dominik

Anutosh Bajpai
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Having a famous father is a double-edged sword for a performer trying to make his name in the same profession. On one hand, it can get you early opportunities but also create an unfavorable perception of you in people’s minds from the start. This is why Rey Mysterio believes that separating from him was the best thing for Dominik.

The wrestling veteran recently appeared on the JAXXON PODCAST where he discussed things such as the importance of his mask, his WCW career and more.

Rey also spoke about the struggles his son Dominik Mysterio had to face early in his career because of the comparison to his Hall of Famer father:

“The career that I’ve had, the longevity. [I] started at the age of 14. I’m 49 now. So I’ve been grinding for the past 35 years in this business, this profession.

For my son to come in out of nowhere and not have my style, have a different build. he’s 6’1. He’s about 190. So it was just, it was very hard for him at the beginning to try to adapt and find his role as a wrestler.

The comparisons were, they were made and of course, he couldn’t live up to ’em. Not until we separated and he continued on his own path without having his dad by his side. And that was the best thing that could have ever happened to him.”

Dominik Mysterio started making regular appearances on WWE programming alongside his dad back in 2019. His first official match for the company came at SummerSlam 2020 and the father-son duo even went on to win the SmackDown tag team titles in 2021.

Though the evolution of the young star really started when he turned on Rey Mysterio at the 2022 Clash At The Castle event. He subsequently joined the Judgement Day faction. This move made him one of the most hated wrestlers in all of sports entertainment and helped him develop an identity completely opposite to his legendary father.

Latest On Gable Steveson’s NFL Hopes Following WWE Release

Aaron Varble
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Olympic Gold medalist Gable Steveson may be headed to the National Football League. The former WWE Developmental prospect was quietly released from his contract last month after his wrestling career failed to launch. 

Steveson recently met with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills and even had a tryout for the team, according to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter. He’s expected to meet with several other NFL teams in the weeks and months ahead. 

This crossover to the gridiron is especially notable because Gable didn’t even play high school football. However, he wouldn’t be alone there, as never even played high school football. WWE has been scouting collegiate athletes through its Next In Line series program, but now we’re seeing NFL teams recruiting players with little-to-no prior experience as well 

Gable Steveson’s WWE Journey

Many believed that Gable Steveson had a bright future ahead of him in WWE. To support his development, the company even established a remote training facility, allowing him to hone his skills while completing his studies at the University of Minnesota.

He was given a few big-time spots during WWE premium live events, including WrestleMania 38, but fans didn’t latch onto him as expected. Instead, they seemed to push back against the Olympian’s forced push.

In 2022, an ablation was performed on his heart to treat Wolff-Parkinson-White, and Gable took time off to recover, but he soon got back to training. He was given all the tools to succeed, but they couldn’t put things together and make them work.

As WWE’s first-ever NIL signing, Steveson’s struggle to succeed in the company underscores the unique and demanding skill set required to thrive in professional wrestling. His match against Baron Corbin at NXT’s Great American Bash highlighted this challenge, as the crowd’s chants of “You’re Not Angle” referenced the frequent comparisons made between Steveson and WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle. These chants served as a reminder of the high expectations and distinct abilities needed to excel in the wrestling world.

We’d like to wish Gable Steveson the best in his future NFL ventures, or wherever his path takes him.

Ex-Cop Charged With Murder Over Atlanta Wrestler’s Tragic Death

Bishal Roy
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Atlanta-based wrestler Reginald Folks was allegedly killed by a former Atlanta Police officer, Koby Minor, who had been charged with murder and aggravated assault following the tragic incident. 

The New Jersey native moved to Atlanta in 2007 to attend Clark Atlanta University. The 35-year-old had been pursuing his passion for pro wrestling as he trained at World Wrestling Alliance 4 in Atlanta in South Fulton.

Reginald Folks

The incident

Minor claimed that a ride-share driver picked him up at an Atlanta police officer’s home. He revealed to the cops that they were traveling east on SR 14 and the driver was speaking on the phone in an unknown language. The former APD officer stated that he wasn’t sure what was said on the call.

Minor said that the driver (Reginald Folks) didn’t stop the car when he was instructed to. Minor eventually tried to unlock the door but he couldn’t. According to the accused, the driver even tried to reach to the back seat. Minor then dropped a stunning claim saying that he wasn’t sure whether the driver was gay. The former officer was unable to see the driver’s other hand. Growing suspicious, Minor reached for his gun and “fired approximately three rounds” which allegedly killed the driver. He then somehow broke the window and got out of the car.

Ahead of the police’s arrival, Minor “waved down” another driver on the road for help and told that “the Lyft driver was in a gay fraternity and was trying to recruit” Minor into it. 

Arrest

Koby Minor

The Union City Police Department apprehended Koby Minor of Morrow as the officers responded to a shooting call near South Fulton Parkway and Stonewall Tell Road at approximately 12:40 a.m. After reaching the spot, they found an unresposive victim, who was later identified as Reginald Folks. 

Atlanta PD has reported that Minor, who was hired in 2018 resigned immediately immediately. He was on unpaid administrative leave when the incident happened as he was arrested on drug-related charges in Milton in December last year. 

Family and friends ‘Devastated’

Reginald’s mother Marchelle Folks has said that she had not spoken to the cops sine the incident and had a lot of questions. 

“Had no idea it was a cop that killed him, not until someone sent us the article,” Folks told FOX 5. “It’s devastating and on top of it, a black police officer is even worse to me.”

The 35-year-old’s fellow wrestlers are also confused and devastated. 

“Devastated and confused, my main emotion. I can’t understand it still,” said trainer Thomas Ballister.

Jason Spector, victim’s friend and fellow wrestler said: 

“It’s tragic that this is how it had to be for him, that he had to go out this way.”

We at SEScoops send our prayers and condolences to Reginald Folk’s family and friends during this tough times.

Report: Plans for World Heavyweight Title Match at WWE Clash At The Castle

Thomas Lowson
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The upcoming WWE Clash At The Castle: Scotland event will see one of the nation’s top Superstars compete in a World Title match, it has been reported.

Clash At The Castle: Scotland will be the promotion’s first Premium Live Event in the country. The show will take place from the OVO Hydro arena on June 15, with a WWE SmackDown taping scheduled to take place at the same venue the previous evening. 

Given his standing as a main event and with this event being in Scotland, many are anticipating a huge role for Drew McIntyre at the event. That will be the case as McIntyre will challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship in his home country, Dave Meltzer reports. 

While not confirmed on WWE TV just yet, seeds are already being planted for a showdown between McIntyre and World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest. On the May 13, episode of Raw, Priest and McIntyre came face-to-face in the ring. The segment ended with Priest promising McIntyre a title match. The pair did not specify when the match would take place. 

McIntyre vs. Priest

Of course, any plans for McIntyre to compete rely on him being cleared to wrestle. An elbow injury suffered during WrestleMania 40 has kept the three-time World Champion out of action and also resulted in McIntyre being pulled from the ongoing King of the Ring tournament. 

McIntyre Vs. Priest may indeed be the plan for Clash At The Castle: Scotland, but the World Heavyweight Champion isn’t the only person on Drew’s mind. Despite his torn triceps injury, CM Punk has continued his feud with Drew McIntyre and recently teased showing up to Glasgow (perhaps inside of a haggis) to confront McIntyre. Drew has responded by saying if Punk does show up to Clash At The Castle: Scotland, he won’t be leaving in one piece. 

Chris Hemsworth On Hulk Hogan Biopic: “Nothing Official Yet”

Bishal Roy
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Hollywood actor Chris Hemsworth has provided an update on WWE legend Hulk Hogan’s biopic which is slated to be directed by Todd Phillips.

Hemsworth is set to star in the upcoming Furiosa: A Max Max Saga. While discussing his new project, he is gave a tidbit about the Hulk Hogan biopic and it is upsetting for the fans. Speaking with Screenrant, Hemsworth said it would be an honor to work with Todd Phillips, but he’s not sure the project is actually happening. He says it’s been an interesting situation waiting for the ‘green light.’

“To work with Todd Phillips, who we discussed making that film with, would be an honor and a fantastic opportunity. I can’t say it’s officially happening yet. If there was a green light, I’d get to work on it. But it’s interesting. Dementus’ vocal quality was something I could invent and it would be surprising to people, but there wouldn’t be any judgment or comparison.

It’s a tricky thing to play a real-life character. I’ve done it once before, and people immediately have the measuring stick out and the critiques and so on. It’d be nerve-wracking, but if there’s a great script and a story to tell, I’d love to jump into it. But there’s nothing official at this point.“

Earlier this week, actor/wrestler Paul Walter Hauser spoke about wanting to portray hardcore legend Mick Foley and expressed similar concerns about that setup. Hauser has been approached to play several wrestlers over the years, but he’s only interested if the story resonates with him.

Hulk Hogan is one of the greatest superstars to ever grace the squared circle and transformed the pro wrestling industry like very few others have. In recent years, his fame has nearly been overshadowed by his various personal personal controversies.

This Hulk Hogan project has been in development for over five years. It was first announced back in February 2019, with Chris Hemsworth attached as the lead. Helmsworth has spoken about the role, but it’s now mid-2024 and we’re wondering if this thing will ever get made.

Konosuke Takeshita Says He Has Stopped Having Fun In Wrestling Since Moving To America

Anutosh Bajpai
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Konosuke Takeshita has opened up about his struggles as a Japanese wrestler trying to make his mark on an American wrestling program.

The 28-year-old recently spoke to DDT Pro to promote his upcoming match with Minoru Suzuki at Referee Matsui’s 30th-anniversary produce show on May 19th.

During the interview, the AEW star opened up about his struggles in America. He mentioned that he thought hard work would get him the spot he desired in the company. There have been aspects at play, however, that have gone against him:

“Discrimination is not the word here but unfortunately there’s a lack of space for an Asian person to be on a TV show watched by Americans. No matter how good my condition was nor the amount of matches I was put it, or how many times they said my match was good, it felt like I couldn’t make it in the starting lineup, to put it in Baseball terms.”

I Didn’t Feel The Enjoyment: Konosuke Takeshita

Takeshita also discussed the effect these conditions have had on his psyche. He explained that everyone wrestling in Japan felt like they were having fun, which isn’t necessarily the case in US:

“I didn’t had any fun wrestling ever since I got to America. The effort was bearing fruit, but I didn’t feel the enjoyment. It was the most mentally exhausting period in all 12 years of my wrestling career. However when I stopped having fun, my matches were better received and I gained more recognition. And its not proportional.”

The young star later took his Twitter to clarify this part of the interview. He explained that he is taking the current phase of his career as a challenge:

Konosuke Takeshita was considered one of the most promising prospects when he made his AEW debut in 2021. His matches with people such as Hangman Page and Eddie Kingston helped showcase his talent and led to his official signing with Tony Khan’s promotion in late 2022.

Since signing a contract with the promotion, however, things have not gone the way he had hoped. While Takeshita has continued delivering impressive performances in the ring, the lack of character development and the company’s backstage troubles have stopped the Japanese star from being featured as prominently as he had hoped.

Takeshita has most recently been announced to face Jon Moxley in the IWGP World Title Eliminator Tournament at the upcoming Double or Nothing PPV. You can check out the full card for the show here. 

WWE Hits A Snag Securing A Lucrative Trademark For Becky Lynch

Aaron Varble
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Becky Lynch has used several nicknames throughout her WWE career, including The Man, which she used during her meteoric rise to the top of WWE. More recently, she’s been going by Big Time Becks, a moniker that takes the confidence of ‘The Man’ and turns the dial up a bit father into the realm of cockiness. Her on-screen character has evolved seamlessly, but ‘Big Time Becks’ may be getting phased out due to WWE’s inability to secure a trademark for the IP.

WWE filed to trademark “Big Time Becks” in September 2021, but this application faced opposition from someone else who felt the name infringed on a mark they had the rights to. Legal proceedings have been ongoing, and the trademark remains listed as “pending” due to these unresolved issues.

‘Big Time’ Roadblock

Here’s a timeline of events that led to WWE’s current legal predicament:

  • In September 2021, WWE filed to trademark “Big Time Becks,” Becky Lynch’s nickname during her heel run.
  • The trademark faced opposition nine days after the filing, with ongoing legal proceedings as recent as April 1, according to public records. A discovery conference was ordered in March.
  • The board recommended using the Accelerated Case Resolution process. Initial disclosures were due May 3, with the process potentially extending to August 2025.
  • According to the motion document, WWE was aware of the Opposer’s “Bigtime” trademark since 2006, when they received a cease and desist.
  • In September 2021, WWE filed the “Big Time Becks” mark. Opposer communicated opposition within nine days.
  • WWE was aware of the opposition and engaged in settlement discussions but did not follow up after March 2022.
  • Opposer filed two Letters of Protest and initiated Opposition Proceedings in November 2023 and WWE missed the deadline for filing an answer to the opposition.
  • WWE claimed the Christmas Day deadline caused the delay, but Opposer argues this is implausible given WWE’s resources and prior notifications.
  • The trademark remains listed as “pending” due to the ongoing legal proceedings.

Previous Nickname Controversies

This isn’t the first time Lynch’s nicknames have faced opposition. Ric Flair previously laid claim to “The Man,” expressing issues with WWE using that moniker for Lynch.

Ric Flair and Becky Lynch’s conflict began in late 2021. Flair accused Lynch of using the nickname “The Man” without his permission. Lynch dismissed the accusation, calling Flair “sad” at one point. This feud was intense but never became a WWE storyline. The behind-the-scenes drama was as engaging as the on-screen action.

Both sides have since reconciled. Becky Lynch and Ric Flair are now on cordial speaking terms. They eventually resolved the matter, and Lynch continues to use “The Man” nickname. You can read all about this settled beef right here:

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