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John Cena’s ‘The Marine’ Storms Into The Netflix Global Top 10

Aaron Varble
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John Cena doesn’t have much time for WWE anymore, because his career in Hollywood took off like a rocket over the past decade. Fans know him as The Peacemaker today, but many people are just now discovering Cena as The Marine.

The Marine Gets A Second Life

John Cena’s film “The Marine” was once criticized, but it is now a hit on Netflix. The 2006 film follows a discharged marine rescuing his kidnapped wife from jewel thieves. Produced by WWE’s own Vince McMahon, it marked Cena’s acting debut and spawned a series with direct-to-video sequels.

Almost two decades later, The Marine is a global Netflix hit. Fans are clicking on John Cena’s face to see The Marine, many likely for the first time.

In the week of December 18th to 24th, The Marine had 7.6 million hours viewed, ranking 10th in the weekly Netflix Global Top 10. That means a number of fans discovered the film on streaming for the first time over Christmas. 

The Marine is a two-hour film, so according to that 7.6 million total hours viewed stat, the film has been played 3.8 million times. 

The 2006 film received negative reviews, labeled exaggerated or “so bad it’s good.” Now, fans are enjoying it for a multitude of reasons. 

This is common for films that are just getting the Netflix treatment, as the Netflix push comes for many of them. It is always a surprise when a film that many have forgotten about has a surge in popularity. 

The Marine Franchise

The good news for new fans of The Marine is that they have plenty more action ahead of them, but John Cena doesn’t star in those films.

Despite grossing $22 million against a $15 million budget, it birthed a series with five WWE-starring sequels. The first, The Marine 2, featured Ted DiBiase, Jr. in 2009, followed by sequels from 2013 to 2018, all starring Mike “The Miz” Mizanin. 

John Cena’s unexpected Netflix success might draw attention to the unlikely film series. After the last Marine film, (no spoilers), we have to wonder if they will ever re-visit the franchise.  

CM Punk Had Issue With His Gear Before 12/26 WWE MSG In-Ring Return

Aaron Varble
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CM Punk stepped back into the WWE ring for the first time since 2014 on Tuesday night. That December 26th Madison Square Garden live event saw the Second City Savior face off against Dominik Mysterio. It also appears that CM Punk had a bit of an issue with his gear before that big match.

CM Punk’s Issue with his Gear

CM Punk already teased his WWE return gear, but that is not what he wrestled in at MSG. Although he showed off his long boi tights before, he sported generic black trunks and knee pads for the big match in the World’s Most Famous Arena, leaving spectators puzzled.

Ibou from WrestlePurists shared his insights on X, as he revealed that CM Punk had initially ordered special ring gear for his Madison Square Garden match. Unfortunately, the gear didn’t fit, leading Punk to don plain attire for the occasion.

“They’re gonna be plain. The gear he ordered doesn’t fit and has to wear generic replacement gear.”

CM Punk’s Big Night

Despite the unexpected wardrobe change, the excitement for CM Punk’s in-ring return wasn’t affected. Fans can only hope that future matches, particularly leading up to The Royal Rumble, will not have any further issues with CM Punk’s gear, but it didn’t seem to matter in MSG.

That WWE live event at Madison Square Garden also broke a historic record. It was a big night for CM Punk, and the rest of the WWE Universe, even if Punk had to figure out different gear for the show.

Watch: CM Punk Recreates AEW Debut Spot In WWE MSG Match Against Dominik Mysterio

Thomas Lowson
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CM Punk’s successful return to the ring saw the WWE Raw Superstar recapture some of the magic from his in-ring debut for AEW. 

At last night’s WWE live event in Madison Square Gareden, Punk defeated Dominik Mysterio in his first match for WWE since January 2014. This match was Punk’s first bout of any promotion since AEW All In 2023 as he was fired just days after that show. Punk will face ‘Dirty Dom’ again at the upcoming WWE live event in Inglewood, California on December 30. 

CM Punk Recreates AEW Spot

Punk held nothing back during his match with the Judgment Day member, and even made reference to his AEW in-ring debut at All Out 2021. During one section of the match, Mysterio took to the turnbuckle and Punk sat up and laughed, replicating a spot from Punk’s match with Darby Allin three years ago. You can check out the spot in question below. 

CM Punk’s Wardrobe Malfunction

While CM Punk made an impactful return to the ring at the WWE MSG event, his ring attire for the show was somewhat underwhelming. Rather than his typical Chicago-inspired trunks, Punk wore plain back trunks for the match. As Wrestle Purists noted before the show, the trunks Punk had planned to wear did not fit, meaning he had to don his back-up trunks which were the plain black ones fans saw at this show. 

Seth Rollins Gives Touching Tribute to Brodie Lee & Bray Wyatt at WWE MSG Event

Thomas Lowson
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Seth Rollins paid tribute to Brodie Lee and Windham ‘Bray Wyatt’ Rotunda in an emotional tribute in the closing moments of this week’s live event in Madison Square Garden. 

The December 26 event in the World’s Most Famous Arena has been a staple of WWE for years now and typically features a much bigger card compare to other untelevised shows. This year’s event proved to be no different, with CM Punk defeating Dominik Mysterio in his firstn WWE match since 2014. The show also saw Cody Rhodes defeat Shinsuke Nakamura in the first Bull Rope match in WWE since 2009. The match was Cody’s first Bull Rope match in WWE and the second of his entire career. 

Seth Rollins’ Touching Tribute

In the main event of the show, Rollins retained the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Drew McIntyre in a No-DQ, No Count Outs match. Adressing the fans after the match, Rollins reflected on the death of Brodie Lee, who died on Boxing Day in 2020. Rollins also spoke about Rotunda, who died in August of this year. 

“On the 26th of December, a few years back, my good friend, our good friend Brodie Lee passed away. I miss him [fans chant Brodie]. And just a few months ago we lost Windham Rotunda as well. But earlier tonight when the lights were down, that’s right, I saw some fireflies out there in the Garden. 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah man. So look, here’s the deal. They’re kicking me out of here. We’ve got a curfew but I’m not leaving this building until you guys light this place up with those fireflies and you sing my damn song so loud Brodie and Windham can hear you! Let’s go New York! [fans sing Rollins’ theme song] I love you forever, get home safe. 

WWE’s 12/26 Madison Square Garden Event Breaks Historic Record

Aaron Varble
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WWE has made history in Madison Square Garden many times in the past. They ran the famous venue on December 26th, and their trend of historic moments continued. The event was already set to be memorable for many reasons, but they also broke a financial record.

WWE Broke A Huge Record With 12/26 MSG Event

CM Punk marked his in-ring comeback on December 26th at MSG against Dominik Mysterio. Sami Zayn also returned to the ring after a hiatus. Fans in NYC witnessed a fantastic live event, and they showed up in droves, with a total sell-out.

According to Sean Ross Sapp on Fightful Select, the December 26th Madison Square Garden live event set a massive record. It was the highest-grossing non-televised domestic WWE event ever.

Internal WWE live events reports claim that WWE’s live event in Madison Square Garden was sold out. The event was said to be the highest grossing domestic non-televised event of all-time for WWE.

WWE MSG 12/26 Results:

The event included four championship matches, concluding with the main event between Drew McIntyre and WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins.

In the opening match of the night, Becky Lynch defeated Zoey Stark. Then, Kofi Kingston beat Ludwig Kaiser, and the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships match saw Kayden Carter & Katana Chance successfully defend against Chelsea Green & Piper Niven.

Omos, accompanied by MVP, and he beat against R-Truth. In the WWE Women’s World Championship Triple Threat Match, Rhea Ripley defended her title by defeating Ivy Nile & Shayna Baszler.

The Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships remained with Judgment Day after they defeated Jey Uso & Sami Zayn. That match marked Sami’s return to in-ring action after a short hiatus.

CM Punk secured a win against Dominik Mysterio. Rhea Ripley was with Dirty Dominik during the match, and it also marked Punk’s first WWE match since 2014.

Ricochet beat Bronson Reed. Then, Cody Rhodes beat Shinsuke Nakamura in a bull rope match. The final match of the night was for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in a No-DQ Match, where Seth Rollins successfully defended his title against Drew McIntyre.

Watch CM Punk’s WWE In-Ring Return At MSG & Post Match Promo

Aaron Varble
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WWE returned to Madison Square Garden on December 26th, and they brought a massive show to the World’s Most Famous Arena. CM Punk had his first match in WWE since 2014, and Dominik Mysterio got to share that moment with the Second City Savior.

CM Punk’s In-Ring Return

CM Punk’s return to WWE was a surprise for many fans who never anticipated it. While his televised wrestling return may have to wait until the Royal Rumble on January 27th, the Second City Savior marked his return to action at Madison Square Garden.

On December 26th, as part of WWE’s Holiday Tour in MSG, CM Punk faced Dominik Mysterio. The atmosphere at Madison Square Garden was electric, with fans showing up in droves to chant for Punk.

https://twitter.com/drjonosuave/status/1739828913096753398

CM Punk vs Dominik Mysterio at MSG

Dominik Mysterio and CM Punk had some fun playing with the crowd before the match started. They seemed to work well together, as the NYC crowd did not have a quiet moment.

The match concluded with CM Punk securing the victory after delivering the GTS to Dominik Mysterio. This popped the crowd in a big way, as one would expect.

Post-Match Promo

CM Punk cut an ultimate babyface promo after the match was over as well. He thanked fans for standing behind him. Then he encouraged everyone to shake the hand of the person behind him because, “we are all in this together.” That promo after the match was incredibly well-received.

What’s next for CM Punk and Dominik Mysterio

CM Punk and Dominik Mysterio will wrestle again on December 30th. That match will take place at the KIA Forum in Los Angeles. CM Punk will wrestle again at the Royal Rumble in Tropicana Field. He also has his eye on a main event match at WrestleMania 40. It will be hard to keep him from that match if he continues this momentum.

Mick Foley’s ‘Foley Is Pod’ podcast is ending

Dominic DeAngelo
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Mick Foley has always been an amazing storyteller, but he’s making the decision to close a chapter in his post-wrestling career.

On this week’s episode of “Foley Is Pod”  Foley and co-host Conrad Thompson revealed that they’d be ending the series after they complete one final episode with “Mick-A-Mania.” The two plan to finish off the series strong. “I can’t wait. I had such a great time,” added Foley when the announcement was made.

“Foley Is Pod” first started up in 2021 and he along with Thompson and producers Dave Silva and Kris MacDonald, did a video format for the show. Initially, the duo actually joined each other in person to record episodes that featured a fresh new format for recording wrestling podcasts. 

The latest episode of the show has Foley covering his on-air relationship with The Rock, but the two have covered all facets of Foley’s career since he started the show including his time in ECW and WCW. They also did a very special episode after the legendary Terry Funk passed away in August.

Before Foley signed off to celebrate his Christmas holiday, he said that he and Conrad plan to pack a punch with the final episode.

“Tell your friends to tune into the last episode. We’re gonna try to make it something special. It’s been a great experience.”

Since its launch, “Foley Is Pod” has been a major player of the AdFreeShows.com podcast network. AdFreeShows.com hosts “Something To Wrestle With Bruce Prichard,” “83 Weeks With Eric Bischoff,” “My World With Jeff Jarrett,” “The Snake Pit With Jake Roberts” and more.

CM Punk Reveals His Mindset Ahead Of WWE Return Match At MSG

Dominic DeAngelo
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Before CM Punk puts on the kickpads for his first match back with WWE, he’s appreciative of the journey he’s had so far.

Ahead of his match at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, Punk took to Instagram to express his gratitude to the fans and his squared circle colleagues that came before him.

“Grateful for all the fans who have carried me to my greatest moments. Thankful for the legends that paved the roads I travel. I wouldn’t be who I am without all of you. Thank you. ‘So goes The Garden, so goes the business.'”

Punk indeed paid homage in that very story as he was wearing the hoodie of a legend he’s continuosly been a fan of: “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.

screenshot 20231226 150747 1

CM Punk Has A First-Ever Legacy Match Waiting For Him At MSG

CM Punk will pack a punch in The Big Apple this evening as he’ll be going up against a white-hot heel in Dominik Mysterio. Punk was quick to cultivate a feud with Dirty Dom on his social media when he shared a photo over ten years ago of him confronting a young Dom in the ring with the Mysterio family. Dom fired back with his own post before he crossed the competitve lines and shared a “botch” clip of Punk during his AEW run.

Mysterio sure seems like an appropriate starting point for CM Punk’s WWE return as not only does it tie back to his Straight Edge Society feud with Rey Mysterio, but Punk clearly likes working with younger talent.

Goldberg Attempted To Be A Part Of Sting’s Retirement Match

Aaron Varble
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Sting is a WWE Hall of Famer, and his name means so much to pro wrestling fans all over the world. The Icon is set to wrestle his final match in 2024, and Goldberg wanted to be included in some way.

Sting’s Retirement Match

Sting’s arrival in AEW was a shock for many pro wrestling fans. His WWE contract quietly expired, and a new deal was not signed. The Stinger believed that he could do a lot more in the ring, and he certainly proved that by impressing fans, going above and beyond, time and time again in AEW.

Goldberg was likely watching Sting’s final run in the pro wrestling business. Although Goldberg never ventured to AEW, he still wanted to be a part of Sting’s last match. 

While appearing on Steve & Captain Evil, Goldberg stated that he wanted to be a part of Sting’s retirement match. He then went on to discuss what kind of person Sting is, and how he owes his pro wrestling career to The Icon.

“Sting is the reason why I broke into the business. Sting set a great example. He’s about to retire. I tried to be part of his retirement match. I would not have chosen to get into the world of professional wrestling if it wasn’t for Sting. He was a normal dude who went out and did abnormal things. Wrestling is like being in the circus, it truly is. I never looked at it with much respect, but after I watched him from afar, I realized that I had the ability to go do it. He was not only a performer. He had self-respect and he commanded respect. He’s one of the best human beings on the planet, and he set an example for me and I just tried to grab it and run with it and make him proud. I had the best time of my life in the ring with Sting.” 

Goldberg & Sting’s History

Goldberg and Sting go way back to even before their wrestling days in WCW. They trained together at Goldberg’s gym, where Sting and Lex Luger worked out. Sting played a key role in getting Goldberg into wrestling, which opened many doors for him.

Goldberg may want to pay tribute to Sting by being included in his final match, but it doesn’t appear that is in the cards right now. Tony Khan has been known to surprise fans with appearances in the past, so you never know if that next big announcement could be about Goldberg.

AEW Revolution 2024 Date & Location

Sting plans to retire at AEW Revolution on March 3rd, 2024, at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina, a familiar place for him. Sting has made history in that building before, and he will do it one more time in 2024.

The Undertaker is not a Fan of Champions Getting Custom WWE Titles

Aaron Varble
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WWE knows that they can make a ton of money if they put out the right piece of merchandise. The upside of a custom title belt taking off in the company’s sales ranks is a very lucrative one. So, WWE has posted more than a few variations of WWE Titles in the past. It appears The Undertaker is not a fan of this practice.

The Undertaker Speaks His Mind on Custom WWE Titles

During The Undertaker’s Six Feet Under podcast, The Deadman addressed a question about whether he had contemplated having a personalized championship belt during his reign as a world champion, akin to John Cena’s spinner belt or Daniel Bryan’s eco-friendly belt. This was not something that ever crossed The Phenom’s mind.

The Undertaker said that his perspective aligns with old-school traditions. He holds the belief that championship titles should adhere to a more traditional and conventional design, and not have custom variations that are unique to the person holding the title.

No. I’m a traditionalist. I’m old school. Whatever the world title is, that’s what I wanted to represent. As cool as [the custom belt] is, it’s one of the nicest looking belts I’ve seen, I would have wanted one of the traditional belts, unless it was the spinner belt, which was awful. If I had my choice, the spinner belt or [custom belt], I would have gone with the [custom belt]. I always like the traditional championships. Back then, it was more about being the champion than marketing. I’m not opposed to making money. I just think there are certain traditions and things that should be untouched. The championship should be the championship.

They say that the title makes the man, but The Undertaker is not a fan of the man making his own custom championship title belt.

It should also be noted that WWE has released custom limited edition Undertaker tribute titles in the past. The Deadman didn’t speak about that merchandise, but he’s not a fan of changing the actual WWE Title to fit the talent.

The Undertaker’s Championship History In WWE

The Undertaker won many championships in WWE, with four WWE Championship runs and three World Heavyweight Championship wins. His tag team accolades include six WWF World Tag Team Championship wins, where he partnered with Stone Cold Steve Austin, Big Show, The Rock, and Kane. The Undertaker also claimed the WWF Hardcore Championship, and not one of those title belts was custom to The Deadman.

The Undertaker’s viewpoint reflects a respect for the rich history and traditions embedded within the world of professional wrestling. He is old-school, and still has that mentality. After all, The Phenom kept that Deadman gimmick up 24 hours a day during his heyday, with Paul Bearer around to literally be his mediatory to the real world he tried so hard to keep kayfabe alive for.

MJF Wants Dual Career In Pro Wrestling & Hollywood

Aaron Varble
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MJF took over the pro wrestling scene since AEW broke barriers in 2019, proving that the landscape can handle more than one mainstream company. Now, as the Bidding War of 2024 is still allegedly looming, MJF has a bright future ahead of him.

MJF’s Transition into Hollywood

The 27-year-old AEW World Champion is also featured as Lance Von Erich in The Iron Claw film. He was credited as executive producer on the film as well.

During an interview with Comicbook, MJF outlined his future aspirations in acting. He expressed his belief that in five years, he envisions being a familiar face in television and film.

MJF also stated that his desire is to balance both professional wrestling and acting as full-time pursuits simultaneously. Additionally, he mentioned his goal of releasing a music album in the future.

“I genuinely think in five years from now, I’m going to be a guy that people see regularly on their TV screen outside of the professional wrestling landscape.”

“Trust me, I love wrestling too much to not still be involved in it. I will most likely still be full-time, but I want to be acting full-time as well by then. I would also like to put out an album by then. I would like to be a well distinguished actor that is recognized as being a great actor that transitioned from wrestling like these greats that did it before me. Like Dwayne [The Rock], like Batista. Like Cena.”

MJF has a ton of potential, even more than he has already tapped into. Ric Flair made it clear that he believes MJF could be on a Randy Orton level, if he stays in AEW.

What’s Next for MJF

MJF claimed that he has not inked a new deal with AEW. His current contract was said to be up in 2024. This led to many promos that hinted about the possibility of MJF seeking employment elsewhere.

Those in WWE I have spoken with believe that MJF actually inked a new deal with AEW prior to his 2022 return. That would mean his deal is not really up in 2024 as he previously stated.

The world seems open for MJF as he keeps going. He is also 1/2 of the ROH Tag Team Titles. The Salt of the Earth will team with Samoa Joe to defend those titles against The Devil’s minions on AEW Dynamite this week.

Hiroshi Tanahashi Has Big Plans As New Japan Pro Wrestling’s New President

Thomas Lowson
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New Japan’s Hiroshi Tanahashi has always desired a management role with the promotion and now he has the chance to make big things happen as President. 

The former IWGP World Champion was announced as NJPW’s new President last week in a move that took many by surprise. The promotion’s longest-tenured talent, Tanahashi made his debut in October 1999 after graduating from the NJPW Dojo. In addition to his new role as NJPW President, Tanahashi is one-third of the current NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions.

President Tanahashi On his Appointment

On their official website, New Japan shared a transcription of a press conference in which Tanahashi discussed his new role. First, he spoke about how happy he is to accept the position of President. 

“I always carried a dream and ambition to be President as well as an active wrestler. I’m happy to be able to make that happen, and I’m grateful for all the kind words of support that I’ve gotten since my appointment.”

When asked when the decision was made for him to become the new president, Tanahashi said the matter was discussed during a dinner with Bushiroad president Takaaki Kidani in November.

Hiroshi Tanahashi Has Big Plans

Tanahashi then shared some big goals that he has planned now that he is in a position of considerable influence. 

“I have some key goals that I would like to meet in my time as the President. First of all, I want to sell out the Tokyo Dome. This has always been the goal for me. For a wrestler to walk down the ramp in front of a sold-out Tokyo Dome crowd is something to be proud of forever.”

Tanahashi added that having more title matches outside of major cities is a major goal of his to strengthen connections across Japan.

“I want to unite all of Japan’s wrestling fans in their passion and carry that to the Tokyo Dome. I also want to further increase our work with sponsors. Our sponsors are the best tag partners that we have, and as an active wrestler as well as President, I’m in a completely unique position to strengthen that relationship.”

Tanahashi’s first test as New Japan’s President will come next week with Wrestle Kingdom 18. In addition to NJPW talent, the show will feature stars from AEW and Pro Wrestling NOAH.   

TNA Wrestling Snags Former WWE NXT Tag Team

Aaron Varble
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WWE released a number of people over the past year, but some of them requested their releases. The Grizzled Young Veterans wanted out of WWE, because they weren’t happy with their creative direction. Now, they are landing in Impact Wrestling.

Impact Wrestling released a video to let everyone know that the Grizzled Young Veterans are coming to Hard To Kill.

TNA Wrestling Hard To Kill Date, Location, and How To Watch

The 2024 Hard To Kill is scheduled for January 13th, 2024, at the Palms Casino Resort in Paradise, Nevada. That pay-per-view will mark the fifth Hard To Kill show. The pay-per-view will be available on FiteTV.

Why Grizzled Young Veterans Left WWE

The Grizzled Young Veterans are showing up in Impact Wrestling just in time for the company’s re-branding efforts. They are changing back to TNA Wrestling in January 2024.

James Drake and Zack Gibson were unhappy in WWE NXT, as they were changed to The Dyad and joined Joe Gacy’s Schism faction. After asking for their releases, they were eventually granted their requests.

Rey Mysterio Admits He’s Slowing Down Amid Recent Injury Setback

Aaron Varble
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Rey Mysterio was taken out of action with a knee injury, one they blamed on Santos Escobar in storyline. The fact is that Mysterio’s knee needed to be fixed up after a ton of wear and tear.

Rey Mysterio Discusses His Knee Injury

During a discussion with Konnan and Disco Inferno on K100, Rey Mysterio opened up about his current knee affliction. He attributed this time away from the ring to simple wear and tear on his right knee, which caused a meniscus tear.

Mysterio admitted that he’s slowing down as he gets older. That does not mean he is going to stop.

Rey Mysterio is no stranger to injuries, as he’s experienced worse ones in the past. He is currently on week four of this hiatus, with an expected return around six to eight weeks. Mr. 6-1-9 is also training hard to make that return while he’s out of action.

“Just wear and tear. This time, it was my right knee. I’ve never had any injuries on my right knee since 97 when I had my first surgery in WCW. The left knee kept on breaking down every other year, sometimes a little bit longer. Numerous ACL tears. The last big surgery I had on my left knee was in 2011. This time, you put in all the years, I’ve been favoring the right knee for the left one and finally, I tore the meniscus on my right knee. It’s six to eight weeks. I’m in week four. I’m getting a personal trainer at the beginning of the year that’s going to work with me just so I can work on my lower body and strengthen up my hips, my quads, my legs in general so I can resist. I’ve never had a personal trainer that can train me, kind of like UFC fighters train, so I can use most of my power from the hips down.”

“I know that I’m slowing down, the older I get, but I can make things look faster just by being in the business so long, that keeps the fans the perspective of ‘he hasn’t slowed down.’ I can go out there every time and pour it out. I don’t know how to hold back. I know how to hold back on movements and stuff I know I can’t do, like pushing off my left knee is really hard. I know personally that I’ve slowed down over the years. I try to be very innovative and creative with my style that it makes it seems that I haven’t slowed down.”

Rey Mysterio’s Future In WWE

Rey Mysterio has been seen on WWE television since his injury. He was backstage at NXT Deadline, where he had some segments with Dragon Lee, who took Dominik Mysterio’s NXT North American Title that night. WWE fans are still awaiting Rey Mysterio’s return to main roster programming.

Rey Msyterio also recently signed a new contract extension with WWE. Dominik Mysterio inked a new deal as well. Rey’s contract is reportedly a three-year deal, while Dirty Dominik is believed to have signed a five-year commitment with WWE.

The LWO is in the middle of a breakup, with two factions splintering from the group. It appears that Humberto Carrillo and Angel Garza have joined Santos Escobar on his quest to take down his former stable.

Rey Mysterio’s return to the ring is around the corner, but they can’t rush that process. With the Royal Rumble taking place on January 27th, Mysterio will cut it close to make the big Tropicana Field show.

Ric Flair: MJF Could Be the Next Randy Orton, He Should Stay with AEW

Thomas Lowson
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MJF could have a career as impactful as Randy Orton if two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair is to be believed. 

Speaking in a recent interview with The Wrestling Classic, Flair praised the efforts of MJF and compared the AEW World Champion to WWE’s Apex Predator. 

“He’s got a great interview, he’s got a great look, he’s worked hard. I think he has the confidence in real life that he portrays on TV and I think the future is unlimited for him. He’s really good. He could be the next Randy Orton. That’s about as high of praise as I can give him.”

Flair also recalled meeting MJF and sharing his positive take on the young wrestler face-to-face, not that the AEW World Champion needed to hear it. 

“He’s pretty confident in himself. He doesn’t need a pat on the back and that’s what makes him a little bit different.”

Flair added that he hopes MJF sticks with AEW for the long run. While the Salt of the Earth has teased leaving for WWE multiple times, it is believed he has already signed a multi-year deal to remain with AEW. Despite this, MJF has continued to insist that he has not re-signed with AEW despite his deal being days away from expiring. 

What’s Next? 

MJF’s next high-profile match will take place this week on AEW Dynamite. During the New Year’s Smash show, MJF and unlikely ally Samoa Joe will defend MJF & Adam Cole’s ROH World Tag Team Championships against two of the Devil’s minions. MJF and Joe will face off at AEW Worlds End with MJF’s AEW World Championship on the line. Current betting odds from Bet Online state that MJF is the favorite to retain in his native Long Island, New York. 

H/T – Fightful

Sami Zayn Confesses He’s Going Through A Difficult Time As He Wraps Up 2023

Aaron Varble
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WWE put fans through a wild ride in 2023, but it has been even more strenuous for the Superstars involved. As we wrap up the year, Sami Zayn has a special word he would like to share with those who stood behind him through it all.

Sami Zayn’s Rise In WWE

Sami Zayn entered WWE’s main roster landscape as a former NXT Champion, but it took a while to really get momentum going for him. Some would argue that 2022 was his breakout year, with a Bloodline story taking over the WWE Universe’s fascination.

Sami Zayn continued through 2023, and picked up the Undisputed Tag Team Titles alongside Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 39, as they beat The Usos. It’s been quite an experience for the Underdog from the Underground, and the year is almost over.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogAdlxq-ytY

Sami Zayn’s Heartfelt Post To Fans

Sami Zayn posted to Instagram, where he provided an update for his upcoming WWE tour schedule. In the caption, he spoke about a difficult time that he’s been going through, but he’s so happy to have these cities to travel through as he closes out, what has been, an amazing year.

Haven’t been very active on here lately. It’s been a very crazy and in some ways a difficult time for me, but I’m very grateful to be in these great cities with such great fans to end what has been such a remarkable year. This life has been too good to me. My career has been so unbelievable, every show is a gift. Thank you all, just know I am very happy to be there with you guys.

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C1Ujx3BrqFB

Sami Zayn’s Upcoming WWE Tour Schedule

  • December 26th – Madison Square Garden, New York City
  • December 27th – TD Garden, Boston
  • December 28th – Bell Place, Montreal
  • December 29th – Coca-Cola Coliseum, Toronto
  • December 30th – Los Angeles, KIA Forum

Giulia Candidly Discusses Benefits & Drawbacks Of Leaving Japan

Aaron Varble
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WWE has signed several notable stars from Japan over the past few years. Their roster now includes Shinsuke Nakamura, Akira Tozawa, IYO Sky, Asuka and Kairi Sane. The company seemingly has a renewed interest in Japan, as evidence by their new partnership with AJPW. That also brings up a big question about who may enter WWE next from the Japanese wrestling scene.

Giulia’s Interest in Leaving Japan

There are expectations for Giulia’s potential arrival in WWE, but she hasn’t even visited the Performance Center yet. Despite expressing an interest in possibly sticking around joshi wrestling, Giulia has shown curiosity about joining an overseas company.

While speaking to Bunshun, Giulia shared her experience working outside Japan. The 29-year-old joshi star emphasized the need to enhance her skills in Joshi professional wrestling as well.

Giulia also acknowledged the unique opportunities available for her outside Japan, which she calls “overseas.” She then hinted at prioritizing improvement in Japan before considering a move to WWE or anywhere outside of Japan.

“From the beginning, I had a desire to compete overseas, but I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be better to raise the profile of women’s pro-wrestling in Japan first? The STRONG Women’s is the belt that changed me. A belt that will change you.”

“Overseas is good too, but I want to do it in Japan. But the world is big, isn’t it? You can have experiences that you cannot get only in Japan. Knowledge too. I learned that by going to America to defend the title.”

“When you’re absorbing new things like now, everything is a learning experience. I want to learn more. I want to level up more. Ultimately, I hope to be able to utilize my overseas experience in order to pass it on to my juniors in women’s pro-wrestling and preserve the history.”

WWE’s Interest in Giulia

WWE has been interested in signing Giulia for a minute, with reports indicating an expected visit to the WWE Performance Center. Despite the initial buzz, Giulia has yet to make the anticipated visit, leaving fans speculating about her potential move.

AEW reportedly backed off of Giulia, as they haven’t shown any interest in signing her since WWE is in the picture. Giulia could have a few lucrative options open for her at this time. The important part is that she also has interest in pursuing them.

Hulk Hogan Recalls Christmas Mishap With NHL Legend

Bishal Roy
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Christmas brings along happiness for everyone but mishaps can still occur. One such incident has been shared by WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan which involved NHL legend Wayne Gretzky.

It has come to light that the mishap took place decades ago right before Christmas. Both Gretzky and Hogan recalled that it occurred on Christmas Eve.

They recalled that it happened when both were living just outside Los Angeles in Thousand Oaks. The two legends in their respective sports went on last-minute Christmas shopping and the valet mixed up the nearly identical cars of Gretzky and Hogan.

This led to Hogan driving home with Gretzky’s car–and presents–while Gretzky did the same behind Hogan’s car. Recently, on This Past Weekend with Theo Von, Gretzky shared how he and Hulk Hogan accidentally wound up with each other’s Christmas gifts–and cars.

Hulk Hogan shares his thoughts on the incident

Speaking with Sports Illustrated, Hogan shared his memories of that moment and he joked that he didn’t want to give the car back.

“I didn’t want to give the car back. He had all the expensive stuff in his trunk, I had toys in mine. I thought the presents might save my first marriage, but I had to give the car back.”

‘The Hulkster’ then laughed over the mix-up and said that hockey was not his passion sport while he was growing up. He praised the legendary Canadian NHL player Gretzky for having the ability to turn people into lifelong fans. We could tell that Gretzky managed to turn Hogan into a huge hockey fan.

Don Callis Expresses Morbid Wish Of Uncertain Execution For Chris Jericho

Aaron Varble
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Chris Jericho recently stirred up a bit of controversy online with his tirade against Stephen P. New and non-disclosure agreements. It appears that Don Callis is aware of this, and he has something to say.

The Story Behind Don Callis’ Disturbing Post

Don Callis joined AEW when Kenny Omega won the AEW World Title in December 2020. As a top heel on the AEW payroll, drawing more boos than most of the roster combined, Callis has maintained a feud with Chris Jericho that continues to this day. They have a lot of history with each other, which Callis has helped draw from in their rivalry.

The recent online dispute involving Chris Jericho, CM Punk and Ace Steel’s lawyer Stephen P. New, and the NDA claim has escalated tensions. Chris Jericho had a few unfiltered posts about the subject.

Jericho publicly denied signing a non-disclosure agreement related to the Brawl Out incident, prompting a swift response from Stephen P New. He has since trended as fans discuss this topic with their own agendas attached.

The famous attorney asserted that everyone who was involved in the backstage brawl signed lifelong NDAs. The dispute then took a turn against Jericho when New stated that an NDA in written into the AEW Employee Handbook.

Don Callis’ Morbid Wish For Chris Jericho

Amidst this ongoing drama, Don Callis took to X and expressed his desire for Chris Jericho to face an uncertain execution date. He likened this to death row inmates who are unaware of their execution date.

In certain countries it is reported that death row inmates are not told their execution date. They wake up everyday wondering if that day is their last day on earth. I wish this for Chris Jericho

Don Callis then found another post he wanted to share. That particular post shows a man getting stepped on by an elephant. The caption for that post was quite explicit.

Execution by elephant was an old method of capital punishment in South and Southeast Asia, particularly in India, where Asian elephants were used to crush, dismember or torture captives in public executions.

The animals were trained to kill victims immediately or to torture them slowly over a prolonged period.

Most commonly employed by royalty, the elephants were used to signify both the ruler’s power of life and death over his subjects and his ability to control wild animals.

https://twitter.com/Morbidful/status/1739334539472720261

Don Callis re-posted that image and caption, along with his own thoughts: “On second thought. I would like to introduce Jericho to an elephant,”

Don Callis is playing up quite a heel on AEW television. He may have some honest feelings of resentment that he is also able to let slip out there with posts like this.

What’s Next For Chris Jericho

Chris Jericho said that he will pick a new tag team partner to take on Ricky Starks and Big Bill for the AEW World Tag Team Titles. The Wizard said that he still has a contract for a match, and he will replace Omega after The Cleaner was taken out due to diverticulitis.

AEW fans may find out who Chris Jericho is replacing Kenny Omega with very soon. AEW Worlds End is going down on December 30th, so he only has a few days to make that call. 

NFL Legend Calvin Johnson Hails Roman Reigns As ‘Badass’

Bishal Roy
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NFL legend Calvin Johnson recently spoke highly of his former Georgia Tech football teammate and current WWE superstar Roman Reigns.

Roman Reigns might be a household name in the world of pro wrestling but he had a run with Georgia Tech football team. Johnson shared the locker room with Reigns back in the day during their time in the football team. 

Roman Reigns, whose real name is Leati Joseph Anoa?i. played on the defensive line and Johnson has lauded his toughness and leadership skills. The WWE Universal Champion made a reputation for his ferocious tackling on the field and as a locker room leader. 

Calvin Johnson sheds praise on Roman Reigns

Reigns’ leadership was recognized by his teammates and he was eventually voted the team’s co-captain. Speaking with TMZ Sports, Johnson said:

“He was just always like a badass, He didn’t say much, but when he did say something, you listened.”

In his collegiate career for the Yellow Jackets, Roman Reigns has played 25 games and racked 65 tackles and 6.5 sacks. He penned a deal with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent. In addition to this, he had an offseason stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He decided to end his professional football career by 2008 and eventually joined WWE.

Roman Reigns will defend his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Royal Rumble 2024

Roman Reigns is not only leading The Bloodline but also has been on an unstoppable run. His ongoing historic title reign has crossed 1,213 days. He has destroyed whichever superstar has tried to dethrone him in the past three years. Recently, he had a successful title defense against LA Knight at the Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia.

Roman Reigns will now put his title on line at the Royal Rumble next year. The winner of the triple threat match featuring Randy Orton, LA Knight, and AJ Styles will be the new #1 contender at New Year’s Revolution edition of Friday Night SmackDown.

Dominik Mysterio Sits Down For Another Tattoo Session

Aaron Varble
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WWE Superstars are known to rock tattoos, and Dominik Mysterio has quite a collection going. Now, he has added even more ink to his canvas.

Dominik Mysterio’s character evolution has been noteworthy, transitioning from being underestimated as a babyface to a top heel in WWE. Alongside Finn Balor, Damian Priest, JD McDonagh and Rhea Ripley, Dominik has a great family in The Judgment Day. That faction is known for causing chaos in WWE, and most of them are covered in tattoos.

Much like his Judgment Day family, and his actual father, Rey Mysterio, Dominik Mysterio is known for expressing himself through tattoos. Dirty Dominik was recently seen getting a new lip tattoo on his hand at Chrome Lady Tattoos. 

”The hometown favorite @wwe , @dominik_35 had sit down with me here @thechromeladytattoo #pureclass #dirtydom #sandiego #sd #ink #tattoo !!! : @wolfeden.media … I do not own the rights to this music”

https://www.instagram.com/p/reel:C1SKZ_iRS8A

Dominik Mysterio Had A Great 2023

Dominik Mysterio has been a part of WWE’s stories since he was a child, far before he got his first tattoo. Now, at 26-years-old, Dominik Mysterio is a full-fledged WWE Superstar, covered in tattoos, and enjoying a brand-new WWE contract.

2023 was a good year for Dominik Mysterio, with 66 days as NXT North American Champion. Odds are, he will keep up that workhorse mentality to make 2024 even better. He will also do so with a bit more body art.

WWE Superstar Tattoos

WWE Superstars used to have to ask the office for permission before they got new tattoos, or changed up their look in any way. 

Permission was needed because WWE wanted to keep consistent marketing with renders, toys, video games, and everything else you can imagine in the WWE machine. With the number of current WWE Superstars who get new ink on a regular basis, we have to wonder if WWE has relaxed on that tattoo policy.

CM Punk Reveals His Favorite Holiday Tradition

Bishal Roy
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WWE star CM Punk recently talked about his favorite Holiday tradition amid Christmas celebrations.

WWE has been adding to the holiday spirit as they have delayed their live events until the final five days of the year. CM Punk, who recently made his return to WWE spoke with his biggest fan and NXT star Cora Jade. In a TikTok video, they reminisced about their ways of celebrating the holidays.

It is needless to mention that Cora Jade is a massive fan of CM Punk, and a video of her meeting the star while she was a child went viral in the past. Years before she joined WWE, Jade was spotted being emotional while meeting Punk. They finally had a reunion at NXT Deadline during a backstage interview with Jade. Punk told her that he is proud of how far she has come.

CM Punk loves putting up the Christmas tree with AJ Lee 

Cora Jade recently posted a new video with CM Punk on her Instagram which saw her being asked to name her favorite WWE holiday traditions. The former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion said that she loved meeting superstars during the holiday tour and showed an image of her meeting Punk back in the day. 

Punk then revealed that his favorite Christmas tradition is putting up the tree with his wife, former superstar AJ Lee. 

Cora Jade is aiming to capture the NXT Women’s Championship currently held by Lyra Valkyria. Meanwhile, CM Punk will make his in-ring return to WWE in the upcoming WWE live event match against The Judgm
ent Day’s Dominik Mysterio.

The Undertaker Says The Locker Room Was ‘Pissed’ When The Streak Ended

Anutosh Bajpai
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The Undertaker says that people backstage were ‘pissed’ when The Streak came to an end at WrestleMania XXX.

The Dead Man’s 21-match undefeated WrestleMania streak is one of the most incredible achievements in all of pro wrestling. So much so that the former World Champion even holds a Guinness World Record for this accomplishment. Not only do the fans consider it to be one of the greatest things ever done in wrestling but even talents behind the scenes saw it as a grand achievement.

The Last Outlaw opened up about the importance of the Streak during the latest episode of his Six Feet Under podcast. He mentioned how people first started taking a note of it after his 10th victory over Ric Flair at WrestleMania 17:

“Shortly after the Flair match, that’s when the streak really came alive. It really became special. There were guys that will tell you, and there’s still guys that would tell you like, ‘I don’t care if I’m the main event or not. I want the streak.’

It was such a huge attraction ‘Who is going to be?’ It gets up there 13-0, 14-0. It’s like, ‘oh, is this the guy that is going to beat the streak?’ I’m not the one to tout my own horn but on many occasions, it was as important as whatever the main event was. Is this guy the guy that’s gonna bust the streak? It was just a really special time.”

‘They Were Pissed’: The Undertaker

undertaker streak 2 1

Unfortunately like all good things, this record was also broken at WrestleMania XXX when Brock Lesnar finally conquered The Streak. According to The Undertaker, people behind the scenes were as emotional in the moment as the fans in the arena and around the world:

“Among fans, even amongst the talent because most of the guys were, they were pissed. They were like, ‘Man, The Streak shouldn’t have been broke.’

That’s the business.I don’t have any decision in that but a lot of the boys that were part of making that streak something, making it mean what it meant. They were like ‘Damn man, why are you taking away? Why are you taking away such a vital part of WrestleMania?’ It was like ‘This is as important as a title match.’

More originals from SEScoops:

If you use any quotes from the article please credit Six Feet Under With Mark Calaway with an H/t to SEScoops for transcription

McKenzie Mitchell Still Supports WWE & NXT After “Blessing” Of Being Released

Thomas Lowson
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McKenzie Mitchell may no longer be employed with WWE, but the former interviewer is excited to see what’s next in her life. 

Mitchell was released from WWE last month, with her release coming as something of a surprise to fans. Rather than being among a crop of on-screen talent cuts, Mitchell was cut alongside several employees from WWE’s corporate offices to be cut. 

Why Mitchell’s Release Was a Blessing

McKenzie Mitchell joined WWE in 2019 and had worked for IMPACT Wrestling before joining. Speaking on the Insight podcast, Mitchell shared her take that her exit from WWE isn’t an end, but rather the beginning of something new. 

“I think that once the dust has settled, it’s been really, it’s a blessing. I think that there’s so many new beginnings and I’m excited to see what’s to come in the future. The outreach and the support that I’ve gotten from friends, family, co-workers, colleagues, production staff, executives in WWE, and the fans most importantly, has just been insane. 

“That’s what made me emotional when I got released. Being able to hear from everyone how much I impacted their opinion when watching WWE and when watching NXT. That’s what made me emotional was hearing from all of the people. Their favorite moments from my career. Their favorite interviews that I’ve done and the magic that was made on screen. That made such a big impact on me, to see what I made on them.”

When asked about how she’s processing her release, Mitchell spoke about how she’s been working hard on her non-WWE ventures and spoke about her husband Vic Joseph. 

“I think this is a way to say there’s a new beginning in everything and just [be like] okay, what’s next? I have my jewelry business so I’ve been putting all my effort into that and my creativity there. It’s almost my full-time. My husband [Vic Joseph] still works with the company obviously. So that’s really interesting that he’s still there and I’m not. I don’t know if people know that we were the first couple on the announce team. Genuinely, an announcer and an announcer that are married. So we really figured it out there.”

Mitchell also made it clear that despite her abrupt release, she still supports WWE and is always pleased to see her husband succeed in the promotion.

“I’m still so supportive of WWE and NXT and I still watch him and I still text him good luck before every show. I’ve still, obviously, all my friends are still there. So I’m still supportive regardless [of my release from the company.]

Mitchell was recently announced for WrestleCon weekend in early April. The convention will take in Philadelphia during WrestleMania 40 weekend. 

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

Watch: The Rock Recreates Iconic 90s Look & Sings in Christmas Video

Thomas Lowson
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Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has been celebrating this festive season by delivering a throwback to his iconic fanny-pack look from the 90s. 

The image of a young Johnson, wearing the fanny pack, turtle neck, and gold chain, has been a meme for some time now, with fans loving how quintessentially 90s the ensemble is. 

This week, Johnson recreated his 90s look to celebrate Christmas. In a video shared to Instagram, the Brahma Bull shared his rendition of ‘Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire.’ Johnson’s version refers to his 90s look and encourages fans to “take a look at my amazing clothes.” Johnson ends his performance with a pat of his fanny pack. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C1TT5lSLvkv

Reactions to The Rock’s Video

The Rock’s Instagram video scored close to 2 million likes in the first four hours after it was published. In the comments, WWE Superstar and fellow third-generation Superstar Natalya described the video as “Epic!” Kevin Hart, who Johnson often collaborates with, shared a wall of crying with laughter emojis. 

Is a Return in the Works? 

Following The Rock’s surprise return in September, rumors once again circulated that a return to the ring could be happening. During a recent appearance for Make-A-Wish, the Brahma Bull told a young fan “a little secret that may or may not involve some dude returning to WWE.” It was reported recently that WWE is eager to get The Rock to appear at WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth. The promotion’s first event in Australia since 2018 will take place in February of next year and will be WWE’s final main roster PLE before WrestleMania 40 in April. 

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