WWE has a few second and third generation Superstar on their roster. They even have a fourth generation in Ava, but there is only one Lexis King. He came to WWE NXT by way of AEW, but there are no hard feelings about anything that he experienced along the way to get him here.
Brian Pillman Harbors No Ill-Will Toward AEW
Lexis King mentioned experiencing self-doubt during his time in AEW, clarifying that he harbors no negative sentiments towards the company. King, formerly known as Brian Pillman Jr., operated under his real name while in AEW and has since transitioned to WWE, joining the NXT roster. During an interview on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, King discussed a significant turnaround in his career while in NXT. He emphasized that any uncertainty about his work stemmed from his own concerns rather than any shortcomings on AEW’s part.
26 years ago my father was buried, and tonight I buried his last name. I will no longer be known as the lost son living in his father’s shadow. I will forge my own path and stop at nothing until I am the King of #WWENXT ? https://t.co/AVcTMvutO5
When it comes to AEW, Lexis King is not holding onto any sour grapes, because he had a lot of experiences while being paid very well by AEW.
“There’s no ill will. But it’s sort of just that mindset. You know, I’ve put myself in that mindset. Nobody else put me in that; I put myself in that mindset of, ‘What’s going on here?’ Sort of that self-doubt. And then I kept grinding … I moved back home. I kept grinding, going to the local school, trying to find out what makes me tick as a performer. And just the experience [of] living there. The experience traveling with AEW made me the performer I am today.”
Brian Pillman Jr Opens Up About Becoming Lexis King
Some might have assumed that Lexis King may not be 100% thrilled about giving up the Brian Pillman Jr name. After all, that is his actual name. On the contrary, King is happy to have a chance to live out one of his pro wrestling fantasies, as he has his own name now.
“I don’t wanna get into it, but it is my name, so when I go there, I was like, ‘hi, I’m Brian Pillman Jr,’ yada yada yada. Then they gave me the whole ‘you can’t keep your name’ kinda talk, and I was like, ‘well, I don’t wanna make it seem like that’s a bad thing,’ which it’s not. “
“You know, coming into it, I always fantasized about having my own wrestler name. Because my whole career I’ve had his name. My whole life I’ve had someone else’s name. I’ve been walking around with someone else’s name. Brian Pillman is a name that my father made, he made that name on his own. There’s not much I can add to it.”
The Lexis King Name Holds Personal Significance To Brian Pillman Jr
Brian Pillman Jr.’s WWE ring name, Lexis King, holds significant personal meaning for him. The name Lexis is derived from Alexis, his half-sister who tragically passed away in a car accident.
His last name King is connected to his mother, Melanie Pillman, who previously went by the last name King. Melanie Pillman faced challenges with drug addiction before her passing last year. Additionally, King is the last name of his sister, Skylar King.
Dakota Kai has been recovering from a torn ACL since last May, but some fans may not realize she is injured by the amount of screen time she gets in WWE. She recently shared an update on her recovery progress.
Dakota Kai Speaks on her Injury
Despite being part of the Damage CTRL stable and making appearances on television with her stablemates, Dakota Kai is only cleared to stand at ringside during matches. Some fans mistakenly believed she was already cleared for in-ring action.
During a recent Twitch stream, Kai clarified that although she can move normally, she hasn’t received the necessary medical clearance. Currently, she is still waiting on the green light for her return to the ring.
In the meantime, Dakota Kai is really enjoying all the time she’s having with Damage CTRL on WWE television.
“I’m so sick of seeing people saying, ‘She can run and jump, but she’s not cleared still? No, that’s not how this works. Obviously, I can run and jump because I’ve been doing it for the last few months, but they have a set date for when you actually get cleared because I have to still do matches, and they have to check all the boxes of when I’m actually cleared. I’m not going to be in a wheelchair for nine months and then suddenly stand up and go, ‘I’m cured.’ That’s not how it works.”
How Dakota Kai Was Injured
On the May 12th episode of SmackDown, Dakota Kai and Bayley faced defeat in their Women’s Tag Team Championship match against Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez. Both Kai and Morgan sustained injuries during the match, with Kai tearing her ACL and Morgan injuring her shoulder.
Kai reappeared physically for the first time at SummerSlam, celebrating Sky’s WWE Women’s Championship victory. Subsequently, Kai has consistently taken on a managerial role for Damage CTRL until she receives medical clearance for in-ring competition.
WWE Superstars must travel the world for their job, but that is very hard to pull off without proper documentation. Now, Chelsea Green can rest easy, because she has a very important piece of paperwork locked down.
Chelsea Green’s Green Card.
Chelsea Green returned to WWE since last year’s Royal Rumble after Triple H re-signed her. She has achieved notable milestones in the past year, as WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion with multiple partners in the same reign.
Green now has another reason to celebrate, because she has successfully obtained her green card. This was quite an adventure of patience, because she waited for 8 years.
The former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion logged onto Twitter/X, where she revealed that her green card issues are now over.
”Only my fellow expats understand the stress of the immigration system… I am so relieved to say after 8 years, 5 pro wrestling companies & 4 visas, I finally have my green card!”
Only my fellow expats understand the stress of the immigration system… I am so relieved to say after 8 years, 5 pro wrestling companies & 4 visas, I finally have my green card! ???? pic.twitter.com/FUj5Eqtoqr
Chelsea Green has been vocal about her visa issues, with reports indicating her prolonged wait for the green card dating back to September 2022. Thankfully, travel restrictions and green card issues will no longer be an issue for the former Hot Mess. A green card is a vital piece of documentation for many.
A green card is a document that allows someone who’s not a U.S. citizen to live and work in the United States permanently. It’s like a proof or authorization, given by the government, that you have the right to reside and be employed in the country.
People usually apply for a green card for various reasons, like family reunification, employment opportunities, or seeking refuge. Once someone has a green card, they’re considered a permanent resident, which means you can stay in the U.S. indefinitely. That being said, Chelsea Green isn’t leaving the United States. Her husband, Matt Cardona, is probably very happy about that fact.
Gage Goldberg is looking to be “Da Man” for Deion Sanders. The son of Goldberg made the announcement on social media on Tuesday that he is committing to University of Colorado as he joins a collegiate football program that was white hot to start the 2023 season.
“After a great conversation, I am honored to announce that I am committing to the University of Colorado to continue my football and academic career!”
Bill Goldberg, a WWE Hall of Famer, happened to be NFL teammates with Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders as both played for the Atlanta Falcons over three decades ago.
Gage Goldberg certainly had some moments on the main stage of a WWE ring as he accompanied his father on several occassions as Goldberg continued his unstoppable reign in pro wrestling.
Speaking with TMZ, Gage revealed that his father actually got in contact with Sanders about his son joining his team for 2024. Gage, a star linebacker in high school, said that he originally wanted to commit to the University of Alabama, but he had a change of plans when legendary coach Nick Saban announced his retirement from the game.
“We already looking at property in Tuscaloosa,” Bill Goldberg laughed, who praised Saban for not just his coaching legacy in football, but the character and integrity he brought to the game. He also went on to praise his former teammate Deion.
“Let’s be perfectly honest, Deion and I are great friends. I love the man like he’s my brother. I’d do anything for him. I say that when I was his teammate, I say that now.”
Lexis King goes by a new name, but John Cena made it clear you make your own name in pro wrestling.
King, real name Brian Pillman Jr., made his WWE debut at NXT Halloween Havoc and revealed in a new interview with Chris Van Vliet that John Cena came down to visit the roster down in Orlando, FL.
“He actually came and did a seminar with us at the PC. I thought, ‘Okay, I’ll see what’s going on.’ I’m so glad I went. It was the most enlightening…it wasn’t just little questions that people would ask. We were getting into it. We were talking about contract negotiations and all this different stuff. It was amazing, the amount of questions we were able to ask and get answered.”
King, however, noted about the one very intriguing piece of advice Cena gave to the the hopeful future WWE Superstars sitting under his learning tree.
“One of the coolest things he said was, ‘You can’t control the booking and who is wearing what belt, but you can be the best version of said character.'”
Cena told the NXT roster that he believes it not to be beneficial to pitch ideas to WWE as they have a staff for doing that. Just focusing on the character you’re given to portray is key.
King noted that in AEW he made successful pitches to the company, but he won’t do it again while in WWE. He also opened up about how he really questioned his own value in wrestling while apart of the AEW roster.
Please credit Chris Van Vliet and h/t to Fightful for the transcription.
Samoa Joe is quite intrigued for his upcoming title fight against HOOK. The AEW World Champion will put his newly acquired hardware on the line against the FTW Champion in what will be Joe’s first defense of the belt.
“This typifies what I want to see during my reign–I want these first-time matchups with something at stake. Hook is quite the dynamic little athlete, and he’s been doing his best to make his case. His record speaks for itself, and we’re going to find out if he’s the truth or not.
“It takes about 29 other athletes to equal something approximating me, so this will be a good little test,” said Joe. “We’ll find out where we’re at.”
The fight got a good deal of stir on social media as AEW President was heavy in defending the match-up against his critics and notoriously factored Jinder Mahal into the equation.
This match-up isn’t just intriguing to Samoa Joe, however. Rob Van Dam recently mentioned on his “1 Of A Kind” podcast that he’s thinks it’s going to be beneficial for both Joe and HOOK. He also stated that he believe HOOK has what it takes to be a top star in pro wrestling. RVD mentioned that the bout could end in the two exchanging handshakes and that could be a possibility, as Joe envisions his father Taz in some well-regard.
“That no-nonsense attitude, destroy-at-all-costs, that’s who he was. That’s who I am. Now it’s exemplified in an athlete like Hook, so let’s get in the ring and go.”
WWE runs their live RAW all year, and this week’s episode in Little Rock, Arkansas was challenging, because the weather was not on their side. Now, Triple H has spoken out about how well his team was able to pivot due to the weather.
Triple H Thanks His Crew
Numerous challenges arose for WWE talent over 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.
Triple H jumped on Twitter/X to send out a public thank you. He commended his staff for the amazing job that they do, as they made RAW happen in the middle of such terrible weather.
“I can’t say enough about the amazing job our talent, crew and staff did these last few days. Through winter storms, blizzards and incredibly tough travel, they did what needed to be done to put on a show for the @WWEUniverse… which included completely redesigning #WWERaw on less than 24 hours’ notice. They really are the best in the business. To put it simply, I couldn’t be more proud or grateful.”
I can’t say enough about the amazing job our talent, crew and staff did these last few days.
Through winter storms, blizzards and incredibly tough travel, they did what needed to be done to put on a show for the @WWEUniverse… which included completely redesigning #WWERaw on… pic.twitter.com/230BRGE6Md
Triple H highlighted their noteworthy efforts in dealing with winter storms, blizzards, and challenging travel conditions. Despite facing these obstacles, the team worked tirelessly to ensure the continuation of the show for the WWE Universe.
WWE Had To Re-Design RAW Set This Week
That quick-thinking required the rapid redesign of the WWE Raw setup with less than 24 hours’ notice. Triple H is obviously proud of his crew for pulling off such a feat. It’s also a good thing they had a backup stage available.
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.
