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Ash By Elegance on Toni Storm Comparrions: “Relax Everyone, It’s a Hair Style”

Thomas Lowson
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TNA Wrestling’s Ash By Elegance is hoping for some calm from fans who have wasted no time in comparing her to AEW’s ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm. 

Elegance debuted for TNA Wrestling at last week’s Hard to Kill event. She is best known for her tenure with WWE from 2015 to 2023 where she worked as Dana Brooke. The elegant wrestler became a 15-time WWE 24/7 Champion before she was among those released in September of last year. 

Elegance Responds to Toni Storm Comparrisons 

Ash By Elegance was certainly dressed to impress at TNA Hard to Kill, as she wore a bedazzled outfit complimented with a fur coat. On-point makeup completed her look which some fans found too similar to the reigning AEW Women’s World Champion. On social media, fans argued that Elegance is ripping off Storm, whose Hollywood starlet character has been a hit with audiences. In a tweet of her own, Ash By Elegance shared her response. 

Ash By Elegance: What Do We Know? 

TNA’s most elegant Knockout didn’t arrive to Hard to Kill alone. Elegance was accompanied by a manager (which some have seen as TNA’s answer to Luther.) This mystery individual is George Iceman. In his Instagram bio, Iceman describes himself as an on-air personality for TNA Wrestling. He also claims that he is the manager of a future TNA Knockouts World Champion. 

Elegance told Busted Open Radio this week that this new persona is a “different side of me.” She vowed to “show everyone what class and elegance really means” and bring all of these traits to her matches. So far, TNA has not confirmed when Ash By Elegance will make her in-ring debut.

The Young Bucks Are Tired Of “Self-Serving Superficial, Cancerous Superstars”

Thomas Lowson
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The Young Bucks didn’t hold back in their comments on this week’s Dynamite, which some believe was about a certain Chicago-Made punk. 

During last week’s Dynamite, the Bucks returned to programming following a hiatus and had a staredown with Darby Allin and Sting. While not confirmed, it is believed the Bucks will face Allin and the Icon at AEW Revolution 2024. The March pay-per-view will mark three years since Sting’s wrestling debut for AEW and will see the WWE Hall of Famer’s last match. 

The Young Bucks Are Tired

On this week’s Dynamite, the Bucks demonstrated their new, serious personas, which falls in line with 2023 reports stating that the pair would have a darker side upon returning. In a sit-down interview with Renee Paquette, the Bucks spoke about how AEW has changed under their watch, and how that change occurred. Matt said: 

“We did lose our way, it was like the culture shifted and toxicity creeped into the locker rooms, and the perception of the company, it was just different. I think I know why. We started to lean on yesterday’s self-serving, superficial, cancerous superstars.”

Many fans have seen this comment as a nod to CM Punk, who the Bucks would butt heads with in AEW. The Bucks and Punk would be on opposite sides during the infamous AEW All Out 2022 brawl that would see all three men (and others) suspended. 

Not only does Punk fit the ‘Superstar’ moniker given his recent return to WWE, but the “cancerous” line is seemingly a knock at the Best in the World. Chris Jericho would call Punk a cancer following the All Out fight. Shortly after, WWE’s Seth Rollins would use the same verbiage when calling for Punk to stay away from WWE. 

Fans Respond

You can check out some of the responses by fans to this week’s promo below:

https://twitter.com/SolitaireRose/status/1747805769142055109

Despite Rollins’ warning, Punk did return to WWE, which Rollins wasn’t happy with… 

Samoa Joe Marks First AEW World Title Defense With Win Over HOOK

Thomas Lowson
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The AEW World Championship reign of Samoa Joe is off to a strong start following a hard-fought victory over HOOK on this week’s Dynamite. 

Joe has held the gold since December 30 when AEW held its first Worlds End pay-per-view. At that event, Samoa Joe won the AEW World Championship from MJF, ending the latter’s record-breaking reign. After the match, Adam Cole would be revealed as the Devil with Matt Taven, Mike Bennett, Roderick Strong, and Wardlow as his minions.

Samoa Joe Vs. HOOK

In the main event of this week’s Dynamite, Joe defended his gold against HOOK. Thanks to a sponsorship from the new Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League video game (in which Joe voices King Shark), the match aired commercial-free. 

Joe dominated early on, and would put HOOK through the announce table, though the second-generation wrestler responded by flipping off the champ. This earned HOOK a powerbomb onto the apron, though he was able to make it back to the ring. 

HOOK mounted a comeback and was able to kick out of a Muscle Buster at one, to the surprise of Joe and the crowd. In the end, the Coquina Clutch sealed the win for the champion, but Joe looked shocked at how much it took to put HOOK away.

After the Match

Despite his defeat, HOOK refused to stay down and trash-talked Joe after the match. This earned the FTW Champion another beatdown. Before more damage could be done, ‘Hangman’ Adam Page and Swerve Strickland arrived on the scene and Joe walked away. Both Page and Strickland have made it clear they intend to challenge Joe for the AEW World Championship when the time is right. 

Mark Briscoe Brings Jay Briscoe’s Children to Dynamite on One Year Anniversary of His Death

Samantha Schipman
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One year ago, the wrestling world was stunned by the death of Jay Briscoe (Jamin Pugh). He and his brother, Mark, were 13-time ROH Tag Team Champions. They last competed together just a few weeks earlier at ROH’s Final Battle. 

At the time of the accident, Jay had his daughters in the car with him. Youngest daughter, Jayleigh, sustained serious injuries. She had to wear a neck brace and an external fixator for several weeks.  

Gracie had back surgery the morning after the accident. Following surgery, she needed outpatient rehab five days a week. Last February, a family friend stated that Gracie was walking with assistance, although she didn’t have full movement below her knee. 

On Dynamite, the Pugh family was in the audience. Mark came out to talk about the anniversary of his brother’s death. 

“My nieces were in the truck with them. Tragically, they told my oldest niece they were injured severely. They told my oldest niece, ‘you’ll never walk again.’ However…dammit. God is on the throne! We Dem Boyz, dammit! We won’t stop because we can’t stop! We ain’t going nowhere! We thank every one of y’all from the bottom of our heart and we love y’all, man. God bless y’all.”

Briscoe embraced his nieces and nephew, Gannon. 

Over the last year, Mark has been wrestling primarily as a singles wrestler. He has called this his rookie year as a singles competitor. Mark splits his time between AEW and his beloved ROH. 

Randy Orton Names His Dream WrestleMania Opponent: “Fans would eat it up”

Dominic DeAngelo
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Randy Orton can be a world title contender at any moment and The Viper will be one of three Royal Rumble weekend, but what about WrestleMania?

Orton will join AJ Styles and LA Knight as challengers for Roman Reigns’ big gold in one of the featured fights. Before that, Orton was a special guest on WWE’s The Bump and was asked about potentially becoming WWE Champion again. This prompted Orton to mention the name of a long-time rival.

“A dream match for me would be to somehow find myself in a situation where I’m fighting Cena at WrestleMania for the title. I don’t know how you get there. I’m not saying it’s gonna happen, but I have never wrestled John at WrestleMania in a singles match. We had some wars back in the day, so being able to revisit that after all this, I think it’s not only something that I would want, I think the fans would eat it up too.” 

To Orton’s point, The Apex Predator saw Cena in the ring nearly countless times over a decade ago. The rivalry was taken to the well so many times that it notoriously became a match-up that fans would get sick of.

Cena made his return to WWE over the summer, but Orton and he crossed like two ships in the night as Orton made his return at Survivor Series.

At Royal Rumble, the initial belief was that Orton would likely challenge Roman Reigns one-on-one for the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship, but a report from Dave Meltzer stated Styles and Knight were added to the fight in order to prolong that singles fight for a battle down the road.

Please credit The Bump and h/t to Fightful for the transcription.

TNA Wrestling Officially Inks Deal With Released WWE Superstar

Aaron Varble
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TNA Wrestling is looking to cause as much commotion as they can in the pro wrestling world, and they have inked a former WWE Superstar to a deal in hopes to do just that. WWE released a slew of talent in September 2023, and now one of them is locked into a TNA deal.

TNA Wrestling Secures Another Ex WWE Superstar

Dana Brooke was among those releases in September. Along with Nic Nemeth, she also debuted at TNA Wrestling’s Hard to Kill event. Now, the former Total Divas star is set to do her own thing in another company with a new name.

As Ash By Elegance, Dana Brooke has a lot of attention. She confirmed while speaking with Ring The Belle that her TNA Wrestling contract is official. 

“It is official. The big secret is out. I am signed with TNA Wrestling, which is an amazing opportunity, and I can not wait to explore that Knockouts Division.” 

Ash By Elegance is Very Happy with TNA Wrestling

Ash also thought a bit about her debut for TNA Wrestling. She really enjoyed the experience, as she made her presence known in the company.

“It was spectacular. While that Knockouts Title match was going on, I just wanted to make my way out to the ring, and let my presence be known, and watch an amazing match with one of my old coworkers, Trinity. So I was really excited to show up and watch her against Jordynne, which was an amazing, amazing match. But also wanted to make a statement and let everybody know that my eyes are on that Knockouts Title,”

Ash By Elegance is an interesting name, and she can’t wait to show fans more of that new character. She definitely has a positive outlook on the future.

Kota Ibushi May Need Additional Surgeries After Knee Procedure

Aaron Varble
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Kota Ibushi put his body through a lot during his years in NJPW prior to signing with AEW. Sadly, his time in AEW started off with an injury, and now he could need even more work done.

Kota Ibushi Will Need More Work After Surgery

Kota Ibushi was set to have surgery on January 17th. He had that operation and afterward, he took to social media to give fans an update.

While posting to Twitter/X, Kota Ibushi revealed that he is recovering after his latest operation. Now, he needs to worry about what is next, which includes a pesky bad shoulder.

Sorry for the late report. It looks like the ligament was completely torn (another spot was already little to begin with) and is now completely immobilized in a cast up to about below the knee. The next step is to see what will happen to the left side, and the right side will go for 2 weeks. My shoulder is not in perfect condition and I intend to fix everything this time. I apologize for the inconvenience. I will think about the rest in various ways.

How Kota Ibushi Was Injured

Tony Khan’s roster has seen a few big names go down for an extended period of time. Pro wrestling always comes with risks, but Ibushi is one of the best in the world when he’s on his A-Game. Hopefully, AEW will get a good run with Ibushi before everything is said and done.

Kota had a match against Naomichi Marufuji at NOAH The New Year, during which he sustained an ankle injury. Following the conclusion of the match, he faced difficulty standing and was subsequently transported to the hospital. Pro Wrestling NOAH disclosed that he received a diagnosis of a right tibiofibular ligament tear and a right ankle lateral ligament complex injury.

Samoa Joe Names Three Wrestling Stars Who “Hit Like A Truck”

Dominic DeAngelo
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Samoa Joe is known to be a hard-hitter, but the AEW World Champion named three other names who pack their own special kind of power. However, none of them hit as hard as he does.

In light of his first World Title defense this Wednesday on AEW Dynamite, Samoa Joe spoke with Chris Mueller of Bleacher Report to talk about his one-on-one fight with HOOK. Joe previously had some good praise for the young AEW star and did just as much in this interview too.

Mount Rushmore of Hardest Hitters in Wrestling

The champ was asked about who he would name as the hardest hitters in wrestling. Joe named two Japanese legends before naming three modern talents that devastate with their own power.

“The list is a Mount Rushmore of some of the most dangerous people in the world,” he said. “You start from [Kenta] Kobashi and [Mitsuharu] Misawa. Young Wardlow. He hits like a truck. Brock Lesnar hits like a truck. Roman Reigns hits like a truck.”

There’s tons of people around the sphere of wrestling who all hit hard, and I’ve felt all that power, but they don’t hit as hard as me.”

Reigns and Lesnar have had their fair share of championships, but the AEW World Title is the first World Championship Joe has held since his TNA days. 

Since he defeated MJF for the championship at World’s End, Joe has laid out a new format as to who will be deemed as appropriate for challegning for his AEW gold. To him, wins and losses matter and his first challenger HOOK has an impressive record worthy for his challenge.

John Cena Is Open To Wrestle ‘Big Final Match’ In WWE

Aaron Varble
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John Cena is proclaimed as the Greatest of all Time, and the 16x World Champion is a crossover pop culture star at this point. As he looks back at what he’s done in his career, he has absolutely raked up a ton of advice to share. He also knows that all good things must come to an end, no matter how legendary the journey is.

John Cena’s New Role in Pro Wrestling

During a recent interview with PEOPLE, John Cena opened up about his future. He has done a lot in the ring, but at this point, he wants to mentor talent. The shoo-in WWE Hall of Famer is up to do a lot of things.

Right now, Cena is looking at a new chapter in his career, and he doesn’t know how much time he has left in WWE. He doesn’t want to keep wrestling for his own sake, because it is for the fans.

“I turned 47 this past year and I don’t have much time left in the WWE. You know, I’m trying to figure out when to close that chapter. I wouldn’t be who I am — professionally or personally — without the WWE, and I promised myself that I would never simply just be there for my own sake. Every time I perform, I want to give my all to the audience. And I’ve got to admit when I hit the 45 mark, I had to begin to try to form an exit strategy and I’m trying to work on that currently.”

Cena Is Open To Wrestle A Big Final Match

John Cena has been game to do whatever is best for business, no matter what is asked of him. At this point, he can be placed into any facet of WWE’s product, just to be a part of things, and he’s ready to accept that new role. He also openly stated that he is up for a final match situation.

“I just want to do what’s best for the company. If it’s a big final match or if it’s just a final match, or however I can be integrated into the product to let everyone know that this chapter is over, I’m willing to listen to what WWE has to say.”

John Cena Open To Mentor Talent

John Cena’s time in WWE will be remembered for many things by different people. Cena’s trip to NXT during his latest run in the company showed that he wants to make an effort to pass the knowledge he has along to a new generation.

“I do have almost two and a half decades of wisdom built up where I think I can offer a mentor perspective for sure. So, if I am not integrated with the WWE family moving forward and in perpetuity, then I think it’s a waste for everyone involved.”

Cena is incredibly busy with Hollywood, and it took a historic strike to make his last WWE return a reality. He hasn’t officially hung up his jorts in retirement, but he definitely wants to make the most of every moment he may have left.

Andrade El Idolo’s Expected WWE Return Was A Interesting Process

Aaron Varble
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WWE has seen several returns over the last couple of years. Triple H brought back several people that Vince McMahon either released or he let their contract expire. Now, all signs point to Andrade’s return.

Andrade’s Expected WWE Return

Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that Andrade el Idolo has concluded his time with All Elite Wrestling, and has reached an agreement with WWE. This was said to be a “roller coaster” situation.

Initially Andrade signed to a two-year deal with AEW, the inclusion of injury time extended his contract. So, his contract was stretched to the end of the year.

AEW talent noted Andrade’s transparency regarding his contract status, as he did not hide anything backstage. El Idolo made it clear that his deal would conclude in or by the end of 2023. Despite there was a brief time when he reportedly expressed intentions to stay with AEW and consider another contract, towards the end of his run, he informed fellow wrestlers of his decision to return to WWE.

Some within AEW even anticipated his appearance on WWE programming shortly after his departure. They were surprised that he hasn’t debuted yet. With the Royal Rumble coming up on January 27th, that could very well be a landing pad for his return as well.

Reasons Behind Andrade’s AEW Exit

Although Tony Khan left the door open for Andrade’s return publicly, individuals working closely with Andrade found the process frustrating, with him revealing days before World’s End that he was concluding his time with AEW.

Additionally, it is reported that Charlotte Flair advocated for Andrade’s return to WWE, and Andrade himself had suggested that AEW link up with Ric Flair.

WWE has not confirmed Andrade’s return to the company just yet, but the general belief is that he is coming back to television. The former NXT Champion may be back on RAW or SmackDown very soon.

‘Double Surgeries’ – AEW star Keith Lee dealt another setback

Tyriece Simon
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All Elite Wrestling superstar Keith Lee’s year is off to a rocky start. He suffered a setback last month when he had to pull out of a match against Swerve Strickland at AEW World’s End due to an injury. While fans have been hopeful he would return to action soon, he won’t be able to compete for a while. 

In a statement written to Nick Hausman, Lee shared that he is set to undergo two double surgeries. AEW star seems to admit that he didn’t need surgery for 19 years of his career, but unfortunately, it was his time. 

Hausman transcribed the following quotes he received from Lee. 

“Took roughly 19 years…. but I guess it’s my turn,” wrote Lee. He continued, “Time to get fixed. Here’s to double surgeries. Certainly, one way to start 2024.”

It’s unclear what the specific injury Lee has to get fixed or how long he is expected to be out of action. The update from the AEW superstar is unfortunate, as it seemed like he was recently building momentum in the company.

 Lee started gaining traction by winning a mixed eight-person tag team match at AEW WrestleDream on October 1, 2023. He continued to be featured for both AEW and Ring Of Honor, including competing in a loss against Samoa Joe for the ROH World Television Championship. In his last three matches, he won three consecutive matches, and AEW was ready to feature his long-awaited rematch with Strickland. 

At this time, it’s unclear if the company plans to continue with the program when he eventually returns. 

Could AEW Continue the Feud Between Keith Lee & Swerve Strickland

Although the feud between Lee and Strickland is unresolved, Strickland has moved on to another big storyline. He is in the mix to compete for the AEW World Championship and is involved in a feud with “Hangman” Adam Page. 

On the January 10 episode of AEW Dynamite, Strickland shared his intentions to challenge for the world title before Page interrupted him. AEW may have another match planned between Page and Strickland as they look to end their rivalry. While it’s unclear if Strickland will get another win and move on to challenge for the championship, AEW seems to have plans for him.

 Lee’s primary focus for the foreseeable future will be to recover from injuries. If he can return fully healthy, he can build momentum again, and the company can restart his feud with Strickland.

Although the timing of the injuries is unlucky, AEW fans will support Lee and look forward to him returning to the ring at 100 percent. 

 

WWE 2K24 is coming: First details on the next wrestling video game

Michael Shalik
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WWE will release another installment of its long-running video game franchise with 2K Sports later this year. This was confirmed by 2K today, and fans are excited.

On Wednesday, WWE 2K sent out a social media update to reflect a logo for WWE 2K24, along with a date: 1.22.2024. No more information was given, but the date is enough to lock in plans for January 22nd for some big news.

WWE 2K

WWE has worked with video game publisher 2K since 2013. WWE has a long-running history in the video game world, dating back to early home consoles. They have also been a consistent yearly presence on game release lists. 

This year’s game, WWE 2K24, will be the 10th installment in the WWE 2K series, which launched in 2013 with WWE 2K14. There are a lot of possibilities for the new game, as they celebrate another edition for the long-running franchise. 

SEScoops will have extensive coverage of the next WWE video game in the months ahead. As we see each year, be on the lookout for details on the WWE 2K24 cover, roster and more.

When will WWE 2K24 be released?

The date WWE 2K24 will be released is unknown at this time, but we may find out this crucial detail in just a matter of days. The most recent installment, WWE 2K23, was released on March 14th, 2023.

WWE 2K23 is now available at Amazon for PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch. You can check out our review of the game here.

Samoa Joe: CM Punk-Jack Perry Fight Was “A Little Bit Of An Incident” And Nothing More

Thomas Lowson
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CM Punk & Jack Perry fought backstage at AEW All In 2023, but the pair did not have some epic showdown according to Samoa Joe. 

The infamous brawl would take place after Perry’s kick-off match with HOOK, in which the former Jungle Boy referred to using real glass. Punk, who has previously made clear his opposition to using real glass, would confront Perry about the comment, resulting in a fight.

Samoa Joe On All In Brawl

Much like the brawl at AEW All Out 2022, the fight at Wembley Stadium would dominate headlines and in the eyes of many, would overshadow AEW’s historic international event. Despite threatening to quit AEW on the spot, Punk would compete in the All In main-card opening contest against Samoa Joe. In a recent interview with ESPN, the reigning AEW World Champion played down the notion that the fight between Perry and Punk was some massive spectacle. 

“There was a little bit of an incident. We got it broken up. We went out there and wrestled, man. That’s the gist of it. Everybody wants it to be a lot more than what it is, but that’s what it was. And to speak any more on it would be pointless unless you’re trying to get a scorecard and stuff — but trust me, it wasn’t that type of a fight.”

What Happened Next? 

After a brief investigation, Tony Khan made the call for Punk’s AEW contract to be terminated. Ahead of a Collision taping in Punk’s native Chicago, Khan explained to the fans that he was fearing for his life backstage at All In. Punk would return to WWE at Survivor Series: WarGames 2023 and has since been one of the promotion’s top Superstars. 

Jack Perry, like Punk, was suspended following AEW All In. While his suspension reportedly ended months ago, Perry has not returned to AEW programming. Instead, Perry recently debuted for NJPW where he tore up an AEW contract. 

Dustin Rhodes Says His Legacy Isn’t Goldust, AEW or Championships. It’s His Sobriety

Thomas Lowson
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Dustin Rhodes has accomplished plenty in the world of professional wrestling, but his consistent sobriety is the veteran’s greatest accomplishment.

Rhodes is perhaps best known for his WWE tenure as the bizarre Goldust but has also competed for WCW and other promotions. In 2019, Rhodes joined AEW as a wrestler and also works as a coach for the promotion.

Like many wrestlers, Rhodes has faced struggles and dealt with addiction to alcohol and substances. In an episode of The Sessions, Rhodes shared that medicating to recover from a 1996 injury would set him down a destructive path. Thankfully, Rhodes has been able to overcome addiction and has proudly been sober for over 15 years.

Dustin Rhodes on his legacy

Speaking to veteran sports journalist Justin Barrasso for Sports Illustrated, Rhodes noted his sobriety as the most long-lasting accolade he has.

“My sobriety, that’s my legacy. And I understand it’s OK to have bad days. There will be better ones. Life has been an incredible teacher. I’ve learned a lot, and I plan on being clean and sober for the rest of my life.”

Rhodes also reflected on his years of addiction and the toll it took on him and his career.

“I wasn’t seeing clearly back in the day, and I paid for it heavily. Sometimes, I’m still trying to prove myself, even when I don’t need to. I came out the other side. The devil is still sitting here, right on my shoulder. All’s I need to do is walk with him. But each new day, I tell him, ‘No, I’m going to be good today.’ So I’m not going to drink. I’m not going to do drugs. I have my sh– together, and I’m fixin’ to get on with my life.”

Rhodes will face Christian Cage for the TNT Championship on tonight’s AEW Dynamite. The match will be the first singles encounter between the two veterans since 2003.

R-Truth Reveals Which Judgment Day Member Pushed To Keep Him Around

Aaron Varble
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WWE has a few sure-fire angles going, one that are guaranteed to be money-makers. R-Truth’s story with the Judgment Day shocked everyone to see how rapidly the WWE Universe responded.

R-Truth In Judgment Day

Judgement Day is comprised of Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio, and JD McDonagh. It is hard to get into their family, but R-Truth apparently found a way through their bank accounts.

WWE ran an angle on RAW this week where R-Truth made direct reference to how well his new Judgment Day t-shirt is selling. He gave Priest his cut of the profits, and that calmed him down a bit.

While speaking to Busted Open Radio, R-Truth revealed that it was Damian Priest who pushed for him to remain in the Judgment Day stable. Señor Money in the Bank saw that the angle was working, and he was very correct in his observation.

“I was happy. I was ready to get out of the house and go back to the sport that I love. When they said I was working with Judgment Day, I was like, ‘Let’s do it. What are we doing?’ They could have said I was working with anybody and I was ready. I will say this, Judgment Day, they all want me.”

“I will say Damian Priest, he was like, ‘Bro, we should keep you around. This thing is working.’ He actually went to, I think it was Hunter [Triple H] and the writers. Damian Priest fought for it.”

R-Truth Is Raking In Cash For Judgment Day

R-Truth became the top merchandise seller in WWE after his Judgment Day angle took off. He dethroned CM Punk from his #1 position, a place the Second City Savior has been since his November 25th WWE Survivor Series return.

Judgment Day has not officially accepted R-Truth into the stable yet. If he can keep bringing in this kind of revenue, then that may grease the wheels.

Hook Apparently Fires Back At Jinder Mahal Ahead of AEW World Title Match

Bishal Roy
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AEW superstar Hook recently took a shot back at WWE star Jinder Mahal ahead of the biggest match of his career.

Recently, AEW President Tony Khan attacked WWE for booking Jinder Mahal in a World Heavyweight Championship match on Raw. Khan argued that Mahal’s dismal win/loss record means he shouldn’t be competing for the title. Fans reacted negatively to this, citing Abadon’s abrupt push in the TBS title picture and Hook’s push in the AEW World Championship picture. 

Tony Khan was enraged after seeing a tweet from the USA Network that made no mention of either Khan or AEW. The aforementioned post was a reaction to Raj Giri’s Tweet about the NXT Championship bout between Mahal and Rollins in 2012. The USA Network questioned about the Cagematch rating for the match which Khan took as a dig at him. 

Tony Khan made an argument in that post that Hook, who has a 28-1 record, is also deserving of a World Title shot.

The Modern Day Maharaja took note of the Tweet by Tony Khan and acted like he didn’t know who Hook was. 

Hook responds

FTW Champion Hook, who is inactive on social media, has responded to Jinder Mahal in a new promo hyping his AEW World Championship match against Samoa Joe on Dynamite this week.

In the video clip, the 24-year-old addressed the pressure that comes with the title match against Joe. He also questioned his own identity which is apparently a dig at Jinder Mahal.

“So who’s the pressure on tomorrow? I mean, is there really anything that I have to lose?
And also (bites into a slice of pizza), I’m not big enough to compete with Samoa Joe. Eh, but I am getting some calories right now (holds up pizza), so who knows.
Then again, who the f**k am I anyway?
24 hours Joe, I’m coming for that world title.”Sa

This will mark Samoa Joe’s first AEW World title defense after winning the title at AEW Worlds End pay-per-view and we will have to see how this match pans out. 

ACL Injury Cost Cora Jade ‘Everything’ But She Feels Free

Michael Shalik
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NXT star Cora Jade is keeping a positive attitude despite encountering a significant setback in her wrestling career.

Jade, 23, is one of the top rising stars in WWE’s developmental brand. Already a former NXT Women’s tag team champion (with Roxanne Perez, 22), her hopes for a bright 2024 came crashing down when she sustained a knee injury this past weekend at a non-televised NXT event from Dade City, FL.

cora jade injury 1

Later in the evening, Jade posted a meme stating, “I laugh to keep from crying,” which many fans perceived as cause for concern regarding her medical outlook.

During Tuesday’s NXT broadcast on the USA Network, WWE provided an update on her condition. Upon a medical evaluation, it was determined that Cora Jade had sustained an ACL tear that will keep her out of action for up to one year.

Cora Jade reacts

Cora Jade is learning that major injuries can be an unfortunate part of a successful career in WWE.

The determination and work ethic that brought her to the ‘big time’ will serve her well in the months ahead. She faces a long road to recovery and sounds like she’s keeping a level-headed outlook about things.

Following the announcement that she’ll be lucky to step foot in the ring before the end of 2024, she posted an inspirational quote on social media, along with a photo of her left knee in a brace.

SEScoops wishes Cora Jade a full and speedy recovery.

WWE Star Grayson Waller Protects Pro Wrestling Kayfabe By Threatening To Beat Up Man During Interview

Aaron Varble
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WWE Superstars get asked a lot of questions, and some of them repeat themselves. Most pro wrestlers are tired of getting asked, “is it fake?” That question is actually probably less insulting than the one Grayson Waller and LA Knight had to deal with recently.

The Grayson Waller Incident

On the Sunrise talk show in Australia, Grayson Waller and LA Knight faced an unusual request from the host. The host asked Knight if he could perform one of his signature moves on someone in the studio. Knight said no and passed the task of handling the question to Grayson Waller.

The hosts then proposed doing a WWE move on their floor manager, because he is leaving them soon. That is when the floor manager walked onto the set and prepared to face off with Waller.

The floor manager acted like he was preparing for a fight, and not taking it seriously. Waller, however, became quite annoyed at this suggestion and chose to uphold the integrity of the wrestling business.

“I don’t think you understand, because if I go over there we’re gonna have the police here, because I’m not gonna give you some fake punch. I’m gonna punch you straight in the jaw. The disrespect that you give me when you act like this isn’t real. Don’t act tough. You guys disrespect us, are you kidding me?”

They were able to remove the floor manager from the set, and Waller composed himself. LA Knight remained seated for the entire thing, as you can see in the footage from the incident.

History of Protecting Kayfabe in Pro Wrestling

This is not the first time that a pro wrestler needed to protect kayfabe. John Stossel learned that the hard way nearly 40 years ago.

The Stossel controversy occurred in December 1984, during an interview with David Schultz, who was also known as “Dr. D.” Stossel questioned the legitimacy of professional wrestling, asking if it was fake.

In response, Schultz slapped Stossel across the ear, causing pain and hearing loss. Then he slapped him again for good measure when the journalist got to his feet.

The incident was recorded and later aired on the “20/20” program, leading to legal action. Stossel filed a lawsuit against Schultz and WWF, resulting in a settlement of $425,000.

There was also a legendary 1997 appearance of Vader and The Undertaker in Kuwait. That interview took quite a turn, and the Deadman stayed in character as the host of that program realized it was Vader Time.

Thankfully, Grayson Waller was able to escape this situation without a lawsuit, but he seemed ready to take things to a Schultz level if they needed to escalate that far.

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C2NA5anuYlW

Grayson Waller Reacts

While Waller did not drop any clever words, or pontificate about respect for pro wrestling, he did let fans know he is aware that he is now the new David Schultz. He did so by simply tweeting out a photo of the former WWE Superstar who once busted John Stossel’s ear drum.

Roxanne Perez Reveals What It Means To Secure NXT Women’s Title Shot

Bishal Roy
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The rising NXT superstar Roxanne Perez has yet again secured a shot at the NXT Women’s Championship and has explained what it means to her. 

‘The Prodigy’ is aiming to become a two-time NXT Women’s Champion when she takes on Lyra Valkyria at Vengeance Day next month. Though she had odds stacked against her, Perez outlasted 19 other women to earn a title.

Last night on NXT, Roxanne Perez competed in the 20-woman battle royal to determine the number one contender for the NXT Women’s Championship. She made it to the final four which turned into a four-way match as previously announced. The bout also consisted Kelani Jordan, Fallon Henley and Kiana James. and Perez eventually won the match. 

Perez is quite confident on her quest to dethrone the NXT Women’s champion and reclaim the title.

Roxanne Perez: I’m The Prodigy, and you can’t break me 

In a WWE NXT Exclusive, Roxanne Perez shared her thoughts on her triumph last night and reiterated that she’s the best woman in the locker room.

“What does it mean to me? I just stood in the ring with 19 other women and prevailed. It was me against the world tonight. But did I doubt myself? No. But I’m pretty sure every single person out there did, just like they have been for the past year. When I said that I’m the best damn woman in this locker room, I wasn’t lying. I’ll say it once, I’ll say it twice. I’ll say it a third time. I’m The Prodigy, and you can’t break me,” Perez said.

Roxanne’s last reign as champion lasted for 109 days. At last year’s NXT Stand & Deliver Perez dropped the title to Indi Hartwell in a ladder match which also involved Gigi Dolin, Zoey Stark, Tiffany Stratton, and Lyra Valkyria.

On next week’s edition of NXT, Perez and Valkyria are set to have a contract-signing segment for the title match.

We will have to wait and see if Roxanne Perez manages to dethrone Lyra Valkyria at Vengeance Day which takes place on February 4 at the F&M Bank Arena in Clarksville, Tennessee.

How Often WWE Tests Talent For Steroids Under Current Wellness Policy

Aaron Varble
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WWE wants to make sure that their talent is safe at all times, and they have a system in place to make sure that they aren’t taking anything that could be dangerous to them. Steroids were a way of life in WWE for years, but the company doesn’t want them around anymore.

How Often WWE Tests Talent For Drugs

Grayson Waller and LA Knight visited Australia to hype the upcoming Elimination Chamber that is coming to Perth on February 24th. They went on The Kyle & Jackie O Show during that media tour, where Knight discussed how wrestlers keep healthy and deal with injuries.

Knight was asked about ways that Superstars heal from injuries. He was quick to shut down any ideas of steroid use, as he stated that WWE runs monthly tests to make sure talent is clean.

“You can’t (use steroids). Yeah, because that would actually make recovery easy but, no, every month we get tested. Every single month.”

History of WWE’s Wellness Policy

WWE’s Wellness Program started in 2006 to make sure wrestlers are healthy. This testing program was implemented following Eddie Guerrero’s passing, but the company has not 100% confirmed that Latino Heat was the reason for this testing.

They test for drugs randomly, and if someone fails the test, they get suspended. The first time is 30 days without pay, the second time is 60 days, and the third time means the wrestler loses their job if they refuse rehab. WWE tells the public when someone fails a test, but failures are few and far between at this point.

WWE no longer tests for marijuana. There used to be a $2,500 fine associated with popping dirty for THC on your drug test, but that is no longer their policy. We haven’t heard about any marijuana fines being given out for years.’

Ex-NWA Star Madi Wrenkowski Makes WWE In-Ring Debut With New Name On 1/16 NXT

Thomas Lowson
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Fans who tuned into this week’s WWE NXT caught their first glimpse of Madi Wrenkowski in a WWE ring, and she now has a new name. 

The January 16, 2024, edition of WWE NXT saw the gold brand start the journey toward NXT Vengeance Day. That event will take place on February 4, from the F&M Bank Arena in Clarksville, Tennessee. During this week’s show, it was confirmed that NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov will defend at Vengeance Day against Trick Williams. The pair were set to face off at New Year’s Evil but the match was postponed. 

WWE NXT In-Ring Debut

This week’s NXT was headlined by a women’s battle royal with a unique stipulation. The final four in the match would advance to a four-way, with the winner earning a shot at the NXT Women’s Championship. For the match, Madi Wrenkowski, a former NWA star, made her in-ring debut for WWE NXT under her new name Wren Sinclair. While she appeared on last week’s NXT, this match marked her in-ring debut for the promotion. 

Unfortunately for Sinclair, she would not make it to the final four. Instead, the four-way was comprised of Roxanne Perez, Fallon Henley, Kiana James, and Kelani Jordan. Perez got the win and will challenge NXT Women’s Champion Lyra Valkyria at NXT Vengeance Day. 

Madi Wrenkowski In the Ring

Wrenkowski is a former MPW Tag Team Champion and won the titles with Rache Chanel in May of 2022. Their reign was the longest in the short history of the promotion. Wrenkowski vacated her title last month, which sparked more speculation that she had signed with WWE. 

Wrenkowski was also NWA Women’s Tag Team Champion from February to August of this year and held the titles with Missa Kate. The pair lost the titles at the NWA 75th Anniversary show on August 27, 2023, in St. Louis, MO. She has also appeared on episodes of AEW Dark. 

Ash By Elegance: I Honestly Think WWE Didn’t Believe In Dana Brooke

Thomas Lowson
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Ash By Elegance spent close to a decade as part of WWE, but the former Superstar believes that higher-ups simply didn’t believe in her. 

Elegance competed as Dana Brooke from 2015 to 2023 before her release from the promotion last September. At Hard to Kill 2024, the Elegant wrestler made her debut for TNA Wrestling. She would also debut her new ring name at the event. 

Ash By Elegance On Her WWE Run

Brooke spent close to a decade competing in a WWE ring but rarely received any pushes from the company. On a recent edition of Busted Open Radio, Elegance spoke about feeling overlooked by most people in WWE. 

“I honestly think they didn’t believe in me. You know, producers, T.J. [Wilson] was a very big advocate for me and he would always be like, ‘Dana can do it, Dana can do it, Dana can do it’ and it just — it wasn’t happening and I wasn’t that girl. I wasn’t the girl that they were trying to push to that next level. [I] was the one that I was always given to take the pin fall and I was okay with it, thinking in my mind, there’s gonna be a shot. There’s gonna be that next time and there just never was that next time.”

Elegance also recalled a spot she pitched that WWE turned down, deeming the move simply too unsafe despite her credentials.

“It was 2018 or ‘19 in the Money in the Bank match where I wanted to hang from the briefcase and swing from it and fall and a pile of girls catch me and they’re like, ‘No, no, no. That’s a little too dangerous.’ I’m like, ‘Do you not know I was in gymnastics for 18 years?… Just let me do it’ and it would be a wow factor and I just don’t think that they had the confidence in me.”

There is credence to the notion that WWE had no intentions to elevate Dana Brooke. In April 2023, it was reported that WWE confiscated a fan’s sign reading ‘Give Dana Brooke A Chance.’

H/T – POST Wrestling

Joel Embiid Keeps Up The DX Crotch Chop Celebration Despite Past NBA Fine

Aaron Varble
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NBA players may get paid to play a game for a living, but it’s serious business to the powers that be. Joel Embiid has already been slapped with a fine for celebrating like DX, and he’s not stopping.

Joel Embiid’s Crotch Chopping History

WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H previously extended an invitation to Joel Embiid for WrestleMania 40 following the NBA star’s fine for performing D-Generation X’s signature taunt. He laid down a crotch chop, just like a DX member; and while it captured headlines, the NBA didn’t dig it.

The Philadelphia 76ers player laid down D-Generation X’s signature crotch chop during a game against the Portland Trail Blazers on October 29th. Subsequently, it was revealed that the Cameroonian player received a $35,000 fine for this action. This is what caused Triple H to extend his invitation.

Joel Embiid Is At It Again

Embiid, who is well-known for his expressive on-court celebrations, once again made headlines as he led the Philadelphia 76ers to victory against the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday. In a standout performance, Embiid contributed significantly to the win, scoring an impressive 41 points.

As the game reached its decisive moments in the fourth quarter, Embiid added to the excitement by making a midrange jumper and drawing a foul in the process.

That is when Embiid directed a playful taunt towards the opposing team, signaling them to “suck it.” The DX crotch chop came back, and we can only imagine that the NBA will take action with another fine. We have to assume that Triple H will hear about that if it happens.

DX owned up to putting countless kids in detention during their run as a stable in WWE’s Attitude Era. Emulating the “suck it’ taunt may appear fun on television, but it doesn’t fly with teachers. It’s also a good idea to keep the gesture off the NBA court, but Joel Embiid didn’t get that memo.

Cora Jade Injury Update: WWE confirms she’ll miss up to a year

Thomas Lowson
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WWE NXT Superstar Cora Jade will be out of action for close to a year after suffering a torn ACL during a recent live event. 

During the January 16, 2024, edition of WWE NXT, the gold brand confirmed reports that Jade had been injured at an untelevised show. It was confirmed that Jade suffered a torn ACL. She is slated to miss up to a year of in-ring action. The injury occurred during a match between Jade and NXT Women’s Champion Lyra Valkyria. During this week’s show, however, it was stated that Jade wrestled and lost to someone else.

This is a huge setback for Jade who only recently made her return to programming. At NXT Deadline last month Jade attacked NXT Women’s Champion Lyra Valkyria in her first appearance since July. Valkyria had been involved in a staredown with Blair Davenport, who had won the women’s Iron Survivor Challenge match to earn an NXT Women’s Championship shot against the Valkyrie. 

Is WWE’s Training Unsafe? 

Jade’s injury will once again raise questions regarding the safety of the training WWE provides at its Performance Center. Jade is the latest woman to be taken out with a torn ACL. Amari Miller, Arianna Grace, Nikkita Lyons, and Yulisa Leon have all suffered ACL tears as part of WWE NXT. It’ll be important for WWE to find the balance between conditioning talent for the future while also not pushing them beyond their current limits. 

Cora Jade recently reunited with an old hero of hers… 

TNA Wrestling Expanding Their Worldwide Reach With New Partnership

Aaron Varble
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Impact Wrestling’s rebranding to TNA Wrestling brought a new spotlight for the company. Now, they are embarking on a new deal as part of those re-branding efforts.

TNA Wrestling’s Big New Partnership 

TNA Wrestling has announced a partnership with the global entertainment platform StarTimes. In a press release the company sent out about this collaboration, it is stated that they will bring exclusive TNA content to over 30 countries across Africa in January 2024.

The agreement expands TNA’s outreach, making its flagship weekly series, TNA IMPACT!, widely accessible to over 45 million users in countries like Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, South Africa, and the Ivory Coast, among others. As part of this deal, StarTimes viewers will have the opportunity to enjoy exclusive TNA+ specials and hard-hitting Pay-Per-View events, including significant spectacles such as Bound For Glory.

TNA Wrestling President Scott D’Amore made a statement about this new partnership. They are proud of this new agreement, as TNA Wrestling will be offered to even more fans.

“Africa has long-boasted a passionate wrestling audience, who have warmly embraced our programming and our athletes. We are proud to partner with StarTimes to bring exclusive TNA content to subscribers throughout the continent, and we hope they will enjoy the exciting plans we have in store for what promises to be one of our biggest years yet!”

TNA Wrestling’s Re-Branding

Impact Wrestling just re-branded themselves back to TNA Wrestling this month. Hard to Kill 2024 marked their official restart. 

This also came with new championship titles across the company. With this fresh boost of momentum, TNA Wrestling has a lot to be happy about right now.

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