R-Truth is finding creative ways to prove to Damian Priest, Finn Balor, Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio that he can be an indispensable member of the Judgement Day.
Truth has been on a mission to become a full-fledged member of the faction despite most of the group’s dismissals. However, that could change in storyline after the former two-time WWE United States Champion has shown that he is a money-maker.
On the January 15 episode of WWE Monday Night Raw, Priest had a backstage segment with Truth ahead of their tag team match. The man currently in possession of the Men’s Money In The Bank briefcase confronted Truth about selling one of his new collaborative t-shirts with Judgement Day. However, the former WWE United States Champion calmed his concerns when he gave Priest a stack of cash from the proceeds.
Truth also noted that everyone in the group would get a cut of the profits and that he made a new collaborative t-shirt for ‘Tom and Nick Mysterio.’
WWE has released new merchandise on the WWE Shop called “The Judgment Day & R-Truth Three Amigos T-Shirt,” featuring Truth and “Dirty Dom” for $32.99. This marks the third t-shirt since the storyline between Truth and Judgement Day began, which may show the success of their collaboration.
Finn Balor Very Happy With R-Truth Selling T-Shirts
Later in the show, Truth teamed with The Miz to take on Priest and Balor. Before it could start, Truth gave Balor and Mysterio a handful of $100 to share the success of their t-shirt sales. It’s worth noting that McDonagh, who was at ringside, didn’t get anything because, in the storyline, he lost his spot in the group to Truth.
Judgment Day would defeat the “babyfaces” after Priest landed South Of Heaven on Truth. Despite giving them issues, both Balor and Mysterio were elated after the match and thankful for Truth.
In a Twitter post, Balor shared a backstage video of himself and Mysterio looking at the money that Truth gave them. While expressing their happiness, Mysterio mentioned that McDonagh didn’t get his money cut.
Balor responded, “He don’t deserve a cut. His name is not on the shirt.” While that comment could be in jest, this could lead to more implications for the group.
Will Judgement Day accept R-Truth?
In the tag team match, WWE fans noticed Priest was unhappy after landing the South Of Heaven on Truth. In the backstage segment between them, he noted that the rest of the group was not thrilled with Truth’s antics. As the former WWE United States Champion becomes more involved with the faction, this could lead to internal issues between Judgement Day.
McDonagh is already having issues with Truth, but Mysterio and Balor may also get fed up with the ongoing antics. This could lead to Priest being put on the spot to handle Truth, and he may be conflicted. The group has had issues, but this longtime WWE veteran could be the catalyst for Judgement Day finally butting heads.
Currently, it seems the group will continue trying to get along with Truth as he shows his worth. However, it seems only a matter of time before something will push them too far.
WWE’s 24/7 Championship may not have been to everyone’s taste, but R-Truth had a blast defending the unique piece of gold.
The 24/7 Championship was introduced in 2019 and was immediately met with negative responses from fans who took issue with the design. Shortly after however, the title would become a highlight of WWE programming with various comedy segments leading to title changes. After a while though, the momentum would die down and the title would become less relevant on programming.
R-Truth on the 24/7 Championship
R-Truth would become synonymous with the 24/7 Championship, as he’d have more reigns and hold the title for longer than anyone else on the roster. Speaking on the Busted Open Radio podcast, Truth recalled being approached about the title and the initial response from fans.
“They gave me a call. They called me and said ‘Hey, they want you to go to SmackDown.’ No, I was on SmackDown as a matter of fact, they want you to go to Raw and do a backstage promo. Didn’t tell me what it was. When I got to Raw. I saw Mick [Foley] pull that thing out of the bag like that right. And everybody said that thing was ugly. Everybody thought it was ugly. Nobody even liked it. It had a different look, we’re gonna say that. It just looked different.”
Despite the backlash, Truth had no issue with the title as he’s always relished in flexing his comedic chops.
“I like laughing I like being funny. And y’all give me an opportunity to make things funny. That was just my playground right that moment. All the things myself, the writers was coming up with was just like, we [were] just hitting home runs. There was no rules when it came to 24/7 title man. If it was rules, we broke them all and I think people were just loving that.”
The January 15 episode of WWE Monday Night Raw gave fans an update on Kofi Kingston’s status. On the January 8 episode of the show, Kingston was attacked by Ludwig Kaiser, resulting in him being injured. WWE Commentator Michael Cole revealed on this past WWE Monday Night Raw that the former WWE Champion is expected to be out for a few weeks.
Cole shared that Kingston’s injury was a “Cervical neck sprain and an AC sprain.” It’s unclear if these injuries are legitimate or a part of a storyline. Both injuries would seemingly rule out Kingston’s involvement in the WWE Royal Rumble on January 27.
That said, his partner Xavier Woods made his return and wants to get revenge for Kingston. Woods faced Kaiser on the January 15 episode and lost by disqualification after The New Day member hit him with a chair. They continued to brawl after the match, with Woods getting the better of the exchange.
In a backstage interview with Byron Sexton, the former King Of The Ring Winner tried to explain his actions but was attacked from behind by Kaiser. Before the Imperium member could continue, Jey Uso appeared to stop the assault.
For two weeks, Uso helped Kingston in his feud against the Imperium (Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci). Since Vinci and Kingston are out with an injury, this could lead to Uso and WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther being more involved in the storyline.
What Could Be Next In The Storyline?
Although Woods is looking to get revenge on Kaiser for Kingston, Uso could soon set his sights on Gunther’s championship. “The Ring General” has looked unbeatable since winning the title on the June 10, 2022, episode of WWE Friday Night Smackdown. He has successfully defended the title 19 times and would be looking for new challengers.
Uso’s involvement in the storyline with Kingston and Woods may provide WWE a way to transition to him challenging the WWE Intercontinental Champion. Since moving to WWE Monday Night Raw, Uso has been showing that he can stand on his own without his family, and it would solidify his decision by potentially winning the title.
For Woods, his ongoing feud with Kaiser may lead to the return of both Kingston and Vinci in a few weeks. The company could decide to have a featured tag team match between The New Day(Kingston & Woods) and Imperium (Kaiser & Vinci) within the next few months.
While the storyline seems to point in this direction, WWE has plenty of options. Regardless, it doesn’t seem the company has a plan for everyone involved, which may lead to big matches heading into the “Road To WrestleMania.”
Austrian-born Thekla is one of the most interesting women in professional wrestling. She is a former ballerina, a fluent speaker of multiple languages, has performed in a punk rock band, designs her own gear, in addition to a million other impressive accomplishments.
Wrestling fans will recognize her as the Toxic Spider from the Stardom promotion in Japan. She’s known for her unique style, flexibility, and being a free spirit.
Merely one day after the dissolution of her former faction, Donna Del Mondo, and her announcement of a brief hiatus from wrestling, Thekla sat down with SEScoops contributor Lyric Swinton in location in Tokyo, Japan to discuss all things Donna Del Mondo, upcoming time off, her goals as a singles wrestler in 2024, and so much more.
Thekla Interview
Here are some highlights from the conversation:
How she came to the decision to take some time off:
“Well, there’s a few things. Definitely. You’ve seen the Stardom schedule, right? It’s really extreme. I think Stardom did like 140 shows last year or something. I had more than a hundred matches, and I’ve been here for four years and I barely ever take time off. The Japanese girls are a little bit more used to it because they’ve got this crazy work ethic. I do too naturally but sometimes I get tired too. I haven’t been home in one and a half years, so maybe I hope to make it back during that time. But doing a hundred or 110 matches a year kind of takes its toll, especially with the Stardom style. This is not WWE. You know how everybody’s working and the way we’re traveling too. And yeah, it’s just your body starts to kind of….every match, you can feel it afterwards.
So I was like, okay, I could feel Donna Del Mondo they might be coming to an end. And I quickly thought maybe that’s a perfect time to just go away for a little while and also refill my creative tanks. Because what I’m going to start doing today is I’m going to start drawing my next gear set….I already have some stuff ready and my mom just sent me a box of new fabrics and some white fur, so I might be doing something in that direction. And I’m going to be painting a lot. So I’ve got an exhibition coming up in April. That’s going to be in Tokyo. But I hope I can do it in Austria too. Also talking to some people in New York so I want to travel around. Depending on how much time I’m taking off, it’s going to be me being in the studio, drawing, drawing, drawing.”
What she’s looking forward to upon her return to the ring:
“First of all, having that freedom of not having to react to my teammates is going to be very nice for me. I’m originally a lone wolf kind of character. I’m a singles wrestler. I love being in Donna Del Mondo because I got to learn a lot from the people around me. But just naturally, I like to do things my way. So that’s going to be very freeing. And I’ve always had a creative vision of how things are supposed to be done and how to excite people, and I have to be by myself to do that. Similar to a Doja Cat or a Lady Gaga. Just a little off. Just a little bit. I want to play around with things, and I’ve always dreamed of coming up with something that nobody’s ever seen. You can see my mood set. I think it’s one of the most original creative move sets.
I know how to use my body in a way, and I’ve got freakishly hyper flexibility and stuff, and that’s just how I was born. But I know how to use that. And I want to go back a little bit more to that, to creating new things that people haven’t seen before. Like the spider plex from the rope where I come up, that sort of stuff where people go, hey, only she can actually really do that. You know what I mean? And create a style of storytelling [with] the way I have a little weird way of moving in the ring too. I want to bite more into that and do things my way.
When it comes to bookings, I love Stardom. I love being in Japan. And Japan is my base, but I’ve really been dreaming also to get out of Japan and to take it to other countries. I went to Singapore last year, that was brilliant. Just feeling the love from international fans is so cool. And getting to showcase what we do here in Japan is really nice. So definitely I want to go to the States this year and experience a lot of stuff outside of the Japanese bubble and also change up my style a little bit because I think American style is very, very different. Very different and it’s not everybody’s cup of tea, but I always feel like I love learning and I love studying new things. And then I love to pick from different things and then mix it up. That’s really important for me, and that’s what I need to stay inspired. And I’ve been in Japan a little bit too long. I know how it works here. I know how it’s done. I know what strong style is like, and I need to get inspired by something new again.
And the other thing is I want to wrestle in a lot of weird places….I would love to wrestle in Cambodia or Nepal, take it to places where people have never seen wrestling before, and have that interesting cultural exchange. I like to see that expression on people’s face when they see something for the first time, for the first ‘what is this?’…just create experiences for people that they’re never going to forget. And I feel I love Japan, but I feel that people are very oversaturated here. Because there’s so much wrestling, there’s so much great wrestling. So I think it’s a little unfair to the rest of the world.”
How Donna Del Mondo helped shape her presentation:
“I think it has changed me a lot actually, because when I first came to Stardom, I had a whole different vibe to me which was more like, yeah, let’s f–king go b-tches, which I do like and which is what comes out naturally. But being in Donna Del Mondo calmed me down a lot more. People who know me very well, they say the Thekla you see in the ring is like the toned down version of her basically because outside of the ring, she’s fu–ing crazy freak. But what I learned with being around Giulia and Maika, it’s looking like a star and acting a little reserved to looking cool, being beautiful too, and those are important things if you want to appeal to a huge crowd. And just being big, all the costumes, the gowns…
So at first, I came in with slick stuff, leather coats and stuff, which I really like. But next to them I’d be [looking] tiny, where’s my stuff? So with that last one [gear], I finally went, well, the one before too, the white. [The recent black gear] gave me a little bit of volume. So being big, being larger than life… I was like, all right, I got to add some stuff here and there, claim some space for myself. And that’s really important. I think. Other than that, in the future, I would like to do a mix, have that weird edginess that I originally had as a Toxic Spider, but combine it with that larger-than-life way of carrying yourself, which is from Donna Del Mondo. So that’s what I’m going to aim for in the future.”
On constructing her look as the Toxic Spider:
“Of course I always start with what I like. That’s the most important thing. So there are certain colors that I’m really into, but then there’s something that catches my attention, I see something on the internet or I go on, what is it, Pinterest. So it’s like a mix of, oh sh-t, I really want it. I want to do something in that direction that looks really cool, that could be
perfect for a Toxic Spider look. So I collect images basically, and then I start forming something that could go in this direction, that could be the base color or whatever. At the same time, I start going to a fabric store and I go look at all the fabrics, and then I feel everything, and I take pictures of the stuff that I like, and then I’ll choose stuff and I’ll put it together and see if that’s going to work. And then I start to design, and then I just go on my iPad and start drawing. And it’s like, okay, could I use this? Could I use that basically?
And then the end result, I try to think, okay, does this look like a star? Does it fit the Toxic Spider? Those are the two things that recently I’m trying to look for. It needs to be…I always try to include stuff that is repeating stuff. Usually you will find studs or four big studs here, snakeskin has been something I’ve been using, or the big spider in the back. You always find lot of leather and furs…So that, and the other thing is, do I look like a star? Would a star wear this? Know what I mean? So is this a fit for, I don’t know, even a Doja Cat? You know what I mean…Is this silly or is this hot sh-t?
On her current Stardom contract status:
“My contract is up soon, so that too, I haven’t decided yet what I’m going to do after that so we’ll see. I’m definitely very interested in traveling a lot.”
On working in the United States and potential dream opponents:
“They [Stardom management] know that I’m really interested in going abroad and going to the States. I’ve made that very clear. So I don’t know yet what’s planned for that [upcoming Stardom American Dream show in Philadelphia], but I would love, love to go for sure….
About dream opponents…One in the mix is obviously Mercedes [Moné]. Absolutely. She looks like a star. And I loved her style, and that’s just somebody I would love to be in the ring with, especially after meeting her briefly at Stardom. She’s just such a nice person. She’s got the look. It’s the look! And that’s what I’m kind of really targeting right now. People who have that similar mindset when it comes to that sort of stuff. And who else? Athena we were talking about. She’s cool. Maybe we’re even too similar, you know what I mean? But that’s somebody I would love to hang out with. Who else do we have?
WWE? Not so much right now. I don’t know. I mean obviously Charlotte Flair is a fantastic wrestler. They’ve got brilliant wrestlers like Becky Lynch and stuff, but I mean, they’re very full there too. WWE, I never saw myself there growing up as a wrestler because way too much I get really annoyed when somebody tells me what to do, but only recently I’ve thought that could be so interesting to be able to learn from the best because they have brilliant coaches and just performance centers there so that’s really interesting.
But again, AEW is really cool because they give people a lot of freedom, you know what I mean? I feel like the product is still developing and there’s space for everything and for a lot of creative people too. Yeah. So that’s it. That’s really something that I would like to look into.”
On the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship:
“Giulia’s Strong title, I’ve been eyeing that for a long time, yeah, I’m not going to lie. It is a beautiful belt and Giulia is a great champion and very strong. Obviously being her tag partner and being with her in the mix, it’s kind of, I mean, not hard. I could have still challenged for it, but you don’t want to, you know…So that’s why yesterday [Ittenyon Stardom Gate 1.4] I was also, I was patting the belt a little bit, said this might be something coming up. That’s a cool belt. Not only beautiful, but just the people who have challenged for it so far and the way the belt gets to travel, I would like to be part of that.”
On what she learned from her former Donna Del Mondo teammates:
“With Maika, I think Maika can only do Maika, and I really appreciate it. I think that’s really cool. She’s always natural, you know what I mean? She’s just being herself and she’s really good at that. She’s so likable and never fake and very consistent with what she does and just a damn powerhouse. It’s beautiful to watch her work and she never backs down either. So I like that about Maika. She’s natural, she’s powerful, and just out there.
And with Sakurai it’s kind of funny because she started out as the weakest, but she’s kind of found herself a little character which is really cool. And I really admire how she just takes the mic and just makes the people come up for her. So I don’t always understand it because it’s so based on little jokes. But she’s one of the most, how do you say…she’s really eager to learn and she’s very brave and she’s really tough, actually. Can’t really tell but she puts a lot of work into her stuff too… she always asks everybody for their opinion, takes notes. And so that’s very inspiring.
And then Giulia, of course is kind of the queen. She’s the all rounder. I think watching her, she’s one of the most self-confident people I’ve ever met in my whole life. And I’ve met a lot of confident people in my life, but there’s almost nothing that can stop her from knowing that she’s the best. And she always puts the work in, if it’s in the ring or if it’s her appearance, she’s got the look. We’ve got a similar taste also, always been like that. But her… she never complains. Even if she goes through the hardest matches, she’s always, she wipes off the blood and she’s like, I’m cool. I don’t care. She’s just a bad motherf–ker. So that’s definitely inspiring.
But for me I always think of myself as a pretty self-confident person. But sometimes there’s a challenge where it’s like, whew I don’t know about this one man, but with Giulia, it’s like I almost never see this flinch of her just being like, ugh. She just goes straight into things and she’s being herself and she doesn’t take sh-t from anybody. And she will fight anybody inside and outside of the ring, not physically outside of the ring, but when it’s about what she believes in, she’s got strong beliefs and I really respect that. It’s really cool. She just knows how to go her own way. And I’m similar with that, but she’s no bulls–t. And I really respect people like that.”
WWE RAW took place in Little Rock, Arkansas this week, but now Superstars need to get home. The weather is not helping them out one bit.
WWE Superstars Having Travel Nightmare
Johnny Gargano previously mentioned that he, along with Tommaso Ciampa, Candice LeRae, and Indi Hartwell, faced travel issues due to widespread weather problems across a significant part of the United States. Snow is accumulating all over, leaving many stranded. WWE Superstars have places to go, so they need to make arrangements.
According to PW Insider, numerous challenges arose in the past 24 hours concerning flights and weather for talents. Some individuals were unable to fly and had to resort to driving to Little Rock, Arkansas, for the show, while others found themselves stranded at airports.
WWE Made More Changes To RAW Set Due To Winter Weather
In addition, WWE implemented substantial changes to their Raw stage and lighting setup around the ring. It was a nice change, one that was welcomed by fans.
The report also highlighted that many wrestlers are currently grappling with flight-related problems as they attempt to return home. Some are opting to drive to alternative cities in the hopes of improving their chances of reaching their destinations.
WWE prioritizes the safety of its talent, particularly in the current scrutinized environment. In the episode of SmackDown on January 12th, a match had to be abruptly called off due to a botched spot.
WWE SmackDown last week witnessed Austin Theory facing off against Carmelo Hayes, but their match concluded prematurely, raising concerns among viewers about the unexpected turn of events. Currently, it seems that Carmelo may not have fully recovered from the incident.
Tonight’s episode of NXT on the USA Network features a packed card with various matchups, including a scheduled bout involving Carmelo Hayes. However, there is uncertainty regarding his participation alongside Trick Williams.
The apprehension stems from Carmelo Hayes’ recent SmackDown match against Austin Theory, where an unfortunate move led to Theory landing on his head, and Hayes also had an awkward landing.
Austin Theory is presently undergoing medical protocol, and according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, Carmelo Hayes’ status for this week’s NXT is questionable. Meltzer stated, “So Hayes, as of today, was questionable for that match. Yeah, I mean, they weren’t sure one way or the other if he was going to be able to do it.”
Austin Theory’s Status
Austin Theory is also reportedly under medical protocol after that botched spot on SmackDown. As we exclusively noted, the referee in that match was worried about both competitors. He was also praised for ending the match early.
WWE NXT January 16th, 2024 Lineup:
NXT Women’s Championship #1 Contender Battle Royal (Final Four Becomes Fatal Four-Way Match)
Latino World Order (Joaquin Wilde & Cruz Del Toro) vs. Chase U (Duke Hudson & Riley Osborne) Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round Match
Carmelo Hayes (Questionable) & Trick Williams vs. Edris Enofe & Malik Blade Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round Match
Obe Femi will break his silence as NXT North American Champion
Update On Carmelo Hayes:
Hayes showed up to compete alongside against Edris Enofe and Malik Blade in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. In the end, Williams and Hayes won their match to advance further in the 2024 tournament.
The match saw plenty of creative add-ons that made a title change look possible, with Indus Sher providing backup for Mahal. Mr. Money in the Bank Damian Priest would also make his presence felt at ringside but was neutralized by Drew McIntyre.
Jinder Mahal Reacts
Mahal didn’t shock the world for the second time on this week’s Raw, and was left with some buyer’s remorse after the match. On Twitter, Mahal regretted ordering a ton of pyro for his championship celebration.
Welp, so much for sending that extra Pyro for my Punjabi Celebration…
Earlier reports indicated a potential injury to Seth Rollins’ left leg during the match. Despite the apparent setback, Rollins completed the match. It was later mentioned that he managed to put weight on the injured leg backstage.
While discussing Seth Rollins’ injury status on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer provided insights into the situation. Meltzer mentioned that Seth Rollins is scheduled for an MRI to assess the extent of the injury, determining whether it is a serious concern or a minor issue.
“I just know he’s getting an MRI. Then we will find out. Basically, I was told it could be something minor, or it could be something worse. We won’t know until the MRI result comes back.”
What’s Next For Seth Rollins
It was noted that this “could be a bad time if he’s out for a couple of months, really, really bad.” At this time, we do not know how long Seth Rollins will be out of action, but he has a history of knee issues in the past.
Rollins would miss WrestleMania if he needs to be out of action for three months at this point. As of this writing, it is a waiting game to see how bad his injury is.
Seth Rollins does not have a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match scheduled for the Royal Rumble on January 27th yet. We will have updates on his condition as they are made available.
Bayley was as shocked as the WWE Universe to see CM Punk return to WWE, as her friend/mentor AJ Lee gave no hints leading up to the show.
Punk made his shocking return to WWE in the closing moments of Survivor Series: WarGames 2023, which took place in Punk’s hometown of Chicago, IL. The event marked Punk’s first time appearing in front of a WWE crowd since walking out of the company following the 2014 Royal Rumble pay-per-view. The show also marked Punk’s first appearance at a wrestling event following his firing from AEW in September.
Bayley on CM Punk’s Return
WWE went to great measures to keep CM Punk’s return to WWE under wraps. In a recent interview with the New York Post, Bayley recalled her reaction and the atmosphere backstage.
“Someone has it on film somewhere, I’m watching the monitor and his music hit, I frick’n went crazy. I’m like, no way did they actually do this. I ran into Gorilla [position] to go say hi to him and he was so happy.”
The Damage CTRL member admitted that she was extra surprised as she keeps in contact with Punk’s wife AJ Lee, who had kept mum on the return of her husband.
“I didn’t text her [before]. Everybody reads online, but I was like there’s no way. This is crazy… And I was like, wait, no, it’s not gonna happen. He would have said something. She would have said something.”
Bayley on AJ Lee Returning
With CM Punk a WWE Superstar again, fans are buzzing over the possibility of AJ Lee returning to the ring. In the interview, Bayley shared her own excitement that the former Divas Champion could lace up her boots again.
“He gives me the best hugs. He’s like, ‘This one’s from me. This one’s from April.’ It’s nice to have him there but it makes me want her around. So I’m like, ‘Hey what’s up? What are you doing? Are you gonna hang out with us?’ ‘Sorry, I’m watching [our dog] Larry’”
AEW may have proved to be pivotal in the career of Lexis King, but the NXT Superstar experienced the worst case of self-doubt of his career while he was ‘All-Elite.’
King has quickly become a top guy in NXT, in stark contrast to his tenure with AEW. On the latest edition of the Insight podcast, King spoke about making his WWE NXT TV debut and how he’d felt in AEW.
“It [his WWE NXT TV debut] was great. I was just sitting in it and I’m backstage thinking ‘Is this real?’ I spent, and this isn’t a knock on anybody, but I spent so many months of my career at the previous company, just second-guessing myself. Am I really any good? Am I worth it? A lot of self-doubt. And just to see how my career has done a total 180 since then [is incredible].
“I went from just sitting in the back and filming a few dark matches in Orlando here and there. Six-minute tag matches, barely getting in the ring and feeling the canvas to now, I’m sitting on a throne, making my entrance. In the biggest wrestling company in the world, they have this confidence in me. And it fuels me, now I have confidence in myself.
“Hell, they gave me the name King! It doesn’t get any better than that. So just to feel that 180 and go out there and perform with a certain level of grit and attitude. You know, I’m going to prove everyone one wrong, everyone who didn’t believe in me, It’s a dream come true.”
While King feels he is thriving now that he’s part of WWE NXT, the second-generation wrestler wanted to make it clear he doesn’t resent AEW or his time with the company.
“There’s no ill-will [towards AEW] but it’s just sort of that mindset. I put myself in that mindset. Nobody else put me in that. I just put myself in that mindset of ‘What’s going on here?’ That self-doubt. And I kept griding. Like I said I moved back home. I kept grinding, going to the local [wrestling] school. Trying to find out what makes me tick as a performer. And just the experience living there, the experience I gained traveling with AEW made me the performer I am today.”
King has been embroiled in the storyline surrounding Trick Williams’ mystery attacker from months ago. The former AEW star has implicated Trick’s longtime ally Carmelo Hayes as the culprit.
Lexis King recently had a unique request for his fans…
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
Seth Rollins was in good spirit and cheering the fans on, but clearly hurt from his match after this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw on USA Network.
This week’s episode of the red branded show was centered around the Architect defending his title against Jinder Mahal. This match had been the center of attention for wrestling fans all week after Tony Khan’s latest Twitter tirade.
There were a lot of moving parts in this bout that was also the main event of the show. Jinder was accompanied by Indus Sher for this opportunity while Damian Priest also came out with his Money In The Bank Briefcase.
Seth Rollins managed to overcome the defying odds in the end, however. After Drew McIntyre attacked Priest and Indus Sher were sent back by the referee, the Visionary defeated Mahal to retain his title.
The show went off air soon after the bell rang but Seth remained in the ring for a while. He cut a promo referencing the cold weather that forced WWE to change the set for tonight’s Raw. Rollins finally thanked the fans for coming to the show.
While the WWE World Heavyweight Champion was in good spirits after the show, reports have confirmed that he did hurt his knee during the match with The Maharaja. You can check out more about it here.
Becky Lynch plans on making history at the upcoming Royal Rumble PLE and has her sights set on a WrestleMania showdown with Rhea Ripley.
On this week’s Raw, Rhea Ripley spoke about the upcoming Women’s Royal Rumble match. Ripley said that whichever woman wins the match shouldn’t waste their opportunity by challenging her for the Women’s World Championship at WrestleMania 40.
This brought out Lynch, who was declared for the Women’s Rumble match during the WWE 2024 Preview Special earlier this month. Lynch vowed to make history by becoming the first two-time winner of the Women’s Royal Rumble match. Lynch also made it clear that if when she wins, she’ll challenge Ripley at WrestleMania 40. Ripley seemed amused by the idea and said she’s rooting for Lynch to win.
Becky Lynch and Rhea Ripley
Arguably WWE’s two most popular women on the roster at this time, Lynch and Ripley have shared the ring as adversaries on five occasions. Their first match was on the November 20, 2019, edition of WWE NXT and ended in a no-contest. The most recent match between the two was at WWE Survivor Series: WarGames 2022. In the titular structure, Lynch, alongside Alexa Bliss, Asuka, Mia Yim, and Bianca Belair, defeated Ripley, Nikki Cross, Bayley, Dakota Kai, and IYO SKY.
Tony Khan may cut loose on Twitter from time to time, but Powerhouse Hobbs believes it only demonstrates his boss’ dedication to AEW.
In the days leading up to this week’s Raw, Khan fired off a series of tweets, outraged at the booking of Jinder Mahal in a World Heavyweight Championship match. Khan’s comments would be mocked by fans online, with some pointing out AEW talent who have been thrust into title matches after lengthy breaks from programming.
Powerhouse Hobbs Reacts
Khan has never shied away from letting his views known on social media, which hasn’t gone unnoticed by the AEW roster. In a recent interview with Adrian Hernandez, Powerhouse Hobbs shared his two cents on Khan’s online activity.
“It’s his company. He believes in us, and you know, if you believe in something, speak your mind. If you’re 100% sure on it, speak your mind. If you’re 99% sure on it, don’t speak on it. He’s 100% sure and he’s speaking his mind. He believes in his company and he believes in us.”
Tony Khan on Social Media
Khan’s outburst about Jinder Mahal is hardly the first time the AEW President has run his mouth on social media. Ahead of the Tuesday Night War of October 2023, Khan made a series of disparaging remarks about WWE’s gold brand. Khan labeled Triple H and Shawn Michaels “bald a**holes” which made it all the more embarrassing when NXT decisively beat Dynamite in the ratings. While NXT soared to its third-highest viewership of all time, Dynamite hit its lowest viewership in close to two years.
With GUNTHER’s impressive run on the main roster, CM Punk is keeping an eye on the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion. On Instagram, Punk reacted to GUNTHER’s declaration, saying if what he’s heard is real, it’s going to be a tough time for the 28 other Superstars in the match other than himself and GUNTHER.
Punk’s comment is a nod to the infamous tweet by Keith Lee that he sent in early 2022 about the Austrian. Following reports that WWE would be changing the name of WALTER to GUNTHER, Lee had the following to say.
The tweet has become a meme among fans given GUNTHER’s exceptional tenure on the main roster. In contrast, many have felt that Lee’s tenure with AEW has been far from groundbreaking, with many believing he is being wasted in the promotion.
The 2024 Royal Rumble Matches: Who’s In?
GUNTHER and Punk are just two names confirmed for the Men’s Royal Rumble match. The pair are joined by Bobby Lashley, who like Punk and GUNTHER is yet to win a Rumble match. Former winners Cody Rhodes (2023), Drew McIntyre (2020), and Shinsuke Nakamura (2018) have also been confirmed for the match.
On the women’s side of things, Bayley and Nia Jax are hoping to win their first Royal Rumble matches. Bianca Belair, the winner of the 2021 Rumble, and Becky Lynch, who stood tall in 2019, hope to make history by becoming the first two-time Women’s Royal Rumble match winner.
Could WWE be on course to a highly-physical match at WrestleMania 40…
This week’s Raw looked far different than what fans are used to seeing, but the decision to change the stage wasn’t entirely the company’s call.
The January 15, 2024, edition of Monday Night Raw saw the red brand continue toward the Royal Rumble PLE on January 27. The show saw the return of GUNTHER and Xavier Woods, while Becky Lynch vowed to win the Women’s Royal Rumble match and face Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 40.
This week’s Raw saw the use of a new stage which was far different from what the WWE Universe is used to seeing. While some suspected that this was merely a cosmetic change, the move was one made of necessity. The Wrestling Classic reports that WWE had to ground rig everything for Raw, as there was a risk that attaching the usual stage to the ceiling would prove to be too much pressure.
The show took place at the Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, Arkansas, which has been hit hard by recent weather. There was a concern that the traditional stage hung from the ceiling, in addition to the heavy snow on the roof of the venue, would have made the venue unsafe for fans.
Matt Cardona has been making his name ever since his release from WWE, and now the ‘Indy God’ had his name mentioned during the Emmy Awards.
The 75th annual Emmy Awards took place this week from the Peacock Theater in Downtown Los Angeles, California. The awards covered programming from June 2022 to May 2023, with nominations announced in July of 2023.
Paul Walter Hauser took home the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his role as Larry Hall in Apple TV+’s Black Bird.
Hauser’s acceptance speech included several name-drops and references from the world of pro wrestling, including Matt Cardona and ‘get the tables!’
Paul Walter Hauser brings pro wrestling to the Emmy’s
If Hauser’s name sounds familiar, it’s because had a match for Pro Wrestling REVOLVER last November.
During his acceptance speech, Hauser name-dropped Matt Cardona, saying he’s going to beat the ‘Indy God’ at the upcoming Ready or Not event on March 16.
Kota Ibushi and Matt Cardona shoutouts during the Emmys by Paul Walter Hauser. Incredible.pic.twitter.com/JYhFMdfLqB
It wasn’t just Matt Cardona that Hauser referenced during his rap-based acceptance speech. The actor also gave a shoutout to Kota Ibushi and referred to the ‘Wolfpac’, a nod to the NWO off-shoot faction.
WWE Hall of Famer ‘Diamond’ Dallas Page was among the lengthy list of people that Hauser wished to thank. Hauser ended his speech with a “get the tables”, a nod to the legendary tag team the Dudley Boyz.
Paul Walter Hauser won his Emmy award in a category that also included Murray Bartlett (Welcome to Chippendales, Nick De Noia), Richard Jenkins (Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Lionel Dahmer), Joseph Lee (Beef, George Nakai), Ray Liotta (Black Burd, James ‘Big Jim’ Keener), Young Mazino (Beef, Paul Cho), and Jesse Plemons (Love and Death, Allan Gore).
Last time Paul Walter Hauser was in an @PWRevolver ring… He K!LLED a man!
Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins may have left Raw as the World Heavyweight Champion, but the Visionary was left worse for wear by the end of the show.
In the main event, Rollins retained the World Heavyweight Championship against Jinder Mahal in a hard-fought match for both men. The bout had one of the biggest ‘big fight feels’ fans have seen in some time, thanks in part to Tony Khan’s recent outburst.
The match saw plenty of creative add-ons that made a title change look possible, with Indus Sher providing backup for Mahal. Mr. Money in the Bank Damian Priest would also make his presence felt at ringside but was neutralized by Drew McIntyre.
Amid all that was happening, Rollins was able to put Mahal away with a stomp, keeping his impressive World Heavyweight Championship reign alive. Rollins was seen favoring his knee during the match, which wasn’t just for the storyline.
Multiple sources backstage at Raw informed PWTorch that Rollins was helped in the back and eventually put weight on it, Rollins was said to be walking on his own but with a “definite limp.”
The champion will be further evaluated to determine the severity of the injury. The reigning World Heavyweight Champion looked notably worried as Raw ended and stood on one leg when presented with his title by the referee.
When Did Rollins Get Hurt?
It’s unclear when exactly the injury happened, but Rollins began favoring his leg after a dive to ringside. Further damage may have been done by Rollins using the Pedigree and the Stomp during the match.
WWE has not commented publicly on his situation at this time, but we’ll provide an update when more details became available.
Mustafa Ali has been making waves after his departure from WWE. There are numerous opportunities for him in the pro wrestling scene, and it’s evident that he is drawing attention and generating ticket sales.
Mustafa Ali Doing Well After WWE Release
Sean Ross Sapp shared a note on Fightful Select about Mustafa Ali’s time after WWE, and just how profitable of a venture it is.
Ali has been successful in selling tickets for indie companies, and promoters have reportedly seen a positive response when booking him for their shows, capitalizing on Ali’s recognition as a former WWE Superstar.
We’ve heard from indie promoters that Mustafa Ali’s impact on ticket sales for some of his first events are the most they’ve seen for a WWE departure in years.
Despite a promising run in NXT and being in contention for an NXT North American title match, Ali saw an unexpected release. Now, as he is navigating his own path, fans are definitely responding.
On January 19th, Ali is set to journey to Ottawa, Canada, for a wrestling appearance with C4 Wrestling. Following this, he will mark his debut on the UK independent wrestling scene at PROGRESS Wrestling’s Light of the Dragon event on January 28th. The former leader of Retribution is scheduled to participate in an event with DEFY on February 9th in Seattle, Washington.
WWE’s September 2023 Superstar Releases
On September 21, 2023, WWE underwent a series of releases, parting ways with several members of their roster in the midst of television rights talks after the TKO Group Holdings merger.
The list of released individuals included Mustafa Ali, Rick Boogs, Aliyah, Top Dolla of Hit Row, Tegan Nox, Emma, Riddick Moss, Elias, Shelton Benjamin, Dolph Ziggler, Dana Brooke, Mansoor, Mace, Quincy Elliot, Dabba-Kato, and Yulisa Leon. The departure of these talents signaled a significant shift within the WWE landscape, prompting attention and discussions within the wrestling community.
WWE released several roster members in September, and now these individuals are re-emerging in the world of professional wrestling. It seems that some of them are proving to be profitable for promoters who choose to book them.
Seth Rollins won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia. He went on to carry that title for 234 days, until he met Jinder Mahal in Little Rock, Arkansas on RAW for a much-hyped title match.
Seth Rollins vs Jinder Mahal
Jinder Mahal gained a lot of attention since stepping up to Seth Rollins for his WWE World Heavyweight Championship. The Modern Day Maharaja was after the title to reclaim a top spot in WWE.
Is this @JinderMahal's night to become WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION?
This match was significant as well, because it revisited history. Seth Rollins vs Jinder Mahal was the match to decide the first-ever NXT Champion, a contest that Rollins won in 2012. They did not bring this match up on commentary, because it ended in the same way.
Indus Sher, Veer and Sanga, accompanied Jinder Mahal to the ring for his match, and they made their presence felt early in the match as they distracted Rollins. This allowed Mahal to start the match off with an advantage.
The match continued for a bit, and then Damian Priest emerged from the back, with his Money in the Bank briefcase in tow, right before they cut to commercial. Eventually, Drew McIntyre interrupted Priest from cashing in, and they brawled away. Those two will battle on RAW next week on January 22nd in New Orleans during the go-home RAW before the Royal Rumble.
In the end, Indus Sher were ejected from ringside after Mahal nearly cheated to win the match. Seth Rollins then retained the WWE World Heavyweight Championship after nailing a Stomp. That is the same move that put Mahal away 12 years ago in NXT.
What’s Next For Seth Rollins
WWE kicked off the year with a World Heavyweight Championship contest during the Day 1 episode of RAW. For that match, Drew McIntyre’s bid for the title fell short. Defeating the Modern Day Maharaja marks Rollins’ second successful title defense this year.
Seth Rollins is not presently booked to defend his title at the Royal Rumble. After beating Mahal this week in Little Rock, we will have to see if Rollins will defend his title at Tropicana Field.
Brock Lesnar is known for his ultimate part-time schedule with WWE. He also makes a truckload of money every time he shows up to work. The Beast Incarnate has been off since the summer, but WrestleMania season is right around the corner.
Lesnar has received plenty of big matches at WrestleMania. Some of them were more successful than others, but he usually makes himself known around the showcase of the immortals.
In his Daily Update, Dave Meltzer noted on F4Wonline that Brock Lesnar is expected to make a comeback soon. It might not be very long until his monstrous music breaks the moment again on WWE television.
Brock Lesnar will be back on WWE television very soon.
Brock Lesnar’s WrestleMania History
Brock Lesnar has a rich history with WrestleMania. It will be interesting to see how Triple H books him for WrestleMania 40, but we may know his direction soon enough.
Brock Lesnar participated in several WrestleMania matches, each with unique circumstances. At WrestleMania XIX, held in Seattle, Washington on March 30th, 2003, he faced Kurt Angle in a singles match for the WWE Championship to win, and start a fantastic Mania legacy for himself.
Moving forward to WrestleMania XX in New York, New York on March 14th, 2004, Lesnar engaged in a singles match against Goldberg, with Stone Cold Steve Austin as the special guest referee. That match was infamous, because it marked Lesnar and Goldberg’s exits.
After his return to WWE, at WrestleMania 29, which took place in East Rutherford, New Jersey on April 7th, 2013, Brock Lesnar had a No Holds Barred match against Triple H, which The Game won.
Lesnar continued his WrestleMania journey, participating in matches against various opponents. WrestleMania XXX in New Orleans, Louisiana on April 6th, 2014, featured a singles match between Lesnar and Undertaker, where the Beast Incarnate broke Taker’s Mania undefeated streak.
Another notable match occurred in Santa Clara, California on March 29th, 2015 at WrestleMania 31, where Lesnar faced Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns in a Triple Threat match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. That match was originally a singles match, but Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase to enter the match and win the title.
The WrestleMania legacy of Brock Lesnar includes encounters such as a Street Fight against Dean Ambrose in Arlington, Texas at WrestleMania 32, April 3, 2016, a match that didn’t really pan out as many hoped. Then, at WrestleMania 33, he beat Goldberg in Orlando, Florida for the Universal Title.
A singles match for the WWE Universal Championship against Roman Reigns in New Orleans, Louisiana at WrestleMania 34 followed that. Rollins went on to beat Lesnar at WrestleMania 35 for the Universal Title. Then, Drew McIntyre beat Lesnar at WrestleMania 36 for the title in front of zero fans.
WrestleMania 37 did not see Brock Lesnar appear, but Roman Reigns beat him at WrestleMania 38 to become Undisputed Universal Champion. Then at WrestleMania 39, Lesnar shut down Omos in a match that surprised many fans to see on the card. Now, we are going to have to wait and see who he faces next, but it’s obvious that Lesnar’s booking is something that WWE takes seriously.
The Hollywood star helped to make waves for the recently released biopic surrounding the heartbreak and tragedy behind The Von Erich family and it didn’t hit a note with just movie goers, but Efron himself.
Efron took to his social media to pen a short love letter showing his appreciation for all of the talent that make a decision to step inside the squared circle and points out one star in particular.
Notable WWE stars took a moment to commend both for their work on “The Iron Claw” including Natalya, Chelsea Green and Mojo Rawley.
Guerrero was a recent interview of SEScoops and went into detail behind the training process, particularly with Holt McCallany, who portrayed the patriach of the Von Erich family, Fritz.
Mercedes Mone and Bayley were on-hand to witness Trinitiy’s Knockout Title defense, but she ended up not being the only talent they showed support for.
Mone and Bayley were captured watching from afar at TNA Hard To Kill as Trinity put her championship on the line against Jordynne Grace, but unfortunately for the former Naomi, she suffered the loss.
However, there appears to be no ill will as after the fight went down, Grace got a photo opportunity with both Mone and Bayley. She also took a moment to commend the two for the love they have shown for their long-time friend.
“Women supporting women is my favorite. I may have won the title, but don’t think Trinity Fatu can ever really lose with friends like these in her corner.”
After Grace posted that, Mercedes Mone replied to her, giving her further praise after the big victory.
Grace has already built a track record for being a force in the TNA Knockouts division as her victory against Trinity marks her third reign as champion. Not only that, but Grace has also been a Knockouts Tag Team Champion and a Digital Media Champion.
What does 2024 have in store for Bayley, Trinity and Mercedes Mone?
2024 is setting up to be a bountiful year for Bayley, Trinity and Mone. The speculation for Trinity is that she could make a return to WWE and reports have indicated that Mercedes Mone is likely going to sign with AEW.
With Royal Rumble on the horizon, Bayley is aiming to win the women’s match and earn her first singles match at WrestleMania 40.
WWE saw a lot of changes in 2023, as the company merged with the UFC under Endeavor’s new TKO Group Holdings. Now in 2024, the company’s production is on the verge of breaking out some new ideas for the company.
WWE Programming Changing After Kevin Dunn’s Exit
Kevin Dunn’s era in WWE is over, and many fans are paying close attention to what the company puts on television. Some observant fans noticed two distinctive segments that didn’t seem to fit the norm that Dunn established for decades.
Two segments have stood out from WWE Raw and SmackDown in recent memory. One featured Chelsea Green and Piper Niven at a club, confronting Kayden Carter and Katana Chance. The other, showcased on Smackdown, puts the spotlight on Butch/Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate.
Sean Ross Sapp noted on Fightful Select that fans making comparisons to NXT would be accurate to do so. Triple H let Jeremy Borash make up a team in NXT, one that was off Kevin Dunn’s radar of influence. Now that Dunn is gone, they can do a lot more that he would previously nix.
We’re told that Triple H allowed Jeremy Borash to put together a team in NXT for the past three years, where it would be safely under Kevin Dunn’s radar. Triple H was said to have been happy with how they played out, and with Dunn’s departure, there is a door open to feature that style of promos across all WWE shows.
We’ve spoken to several people associated with helping put together the promos that spoke highly of the new process and the freedom to to them. One source noted that under Dunn, the segment would have likely cut away to several different things, but the new method was to let the characters breathe, and the segment to play out.
WWE After Kevin Dunn’s Exit
It seems that the people making these promos are having a good time. It was also noted that both segments received positive internal feedback.
Lee Fitting took over for Kevin Dunn upon his exit from the company. Many were shocked to see Dunn finally leave, but it came after Vince McMahon’s retirement, as Dunn was Mr. McMahon’s right-hand man in production.
Last month, CJ Perry sustained a serious MRSA infection after getting a small splinter in her finger while backstage at AEW. After the infection began spreading up Perry’s arm, Perry was then required to undergo emergency surgery Perry and real-life Miro later announced that the surgery was successful.
Unfortunately, Perry is now experiencing a setback in her recovery journey.
Infection ‘Relapse’
Over the weekend, CJ Perry provided an update on her post-surgery care (via X), revealing that she had a ‘relapse’ in her MRSA infection after her antibiotics stopped working. As a result, Perry was rushed to the hospital, where a surgeon cleaned out her wound in the search for blood.
When no blood emerged, the doctor inserted a long IV needle into Perry’s hand, which Perry described as a fire-like ‘stinging sensation,’ to numb the area around her finger. The doctor then continued to dig through Perry’s finger until they spotted blood.
Following this treatment, Perry was instructed to return to the surgeon to repeat the process every day this week. Perry has also been put back on antibiotics.
In a separate TikTok video, Perry revealed she may need a second surgery on her finger. Should doctors determine that a follow-up operation is necessary, Perry says they plan on taking skin from either a ring finger or her palm to act as a skin graft.
For now, though, Perry will continue forward with her daily doctor’s visits in the hope that her recovery continues on an upward trajectory.
From everyone here at SEScoops, we send our best wishes to CJ Perry.
