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WWE’s Judgment Day Stable Have Secret Santa Gift Exchange In New Christmas Video

Aaron Varble
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Judgment Day is known for their family vibe, and this new video drop from WWE shows that in full HD. The WWE stable recently had a Secret Santa gift exchange between each other, and it created a great Christmastime video.

During the festive season of gift-giving, the Judgment Day crew decided to participate in a Secret Santa gift exchange, and WWE’s cameras captured the heartwarming moments. Each of them actually put thought into their gifts, so this wasn’t a kayfabe segment meant for an angle. 

Judgment Day’s Secret Santa Gifts Revealed

Finn Balor drew Rhea Ripley’s name, and he got her a Stranger Things bag, a book about women with tattoos and a beanie with “Mami” on it. Rhea Ripley got Damian Priest as her Secret Santa and gave him some Australian candy and a boomerang that she must have brought back from her recent trip Down Under.

Dominik Mysterio shared the holiday spirit by giving Finn Balor a Louis Vuitton hat. The moment that Louis Vuitton logo was seen, it captured attention, making all of us think about Dirty Dominik’s new WWE contract. 

JD McDonagh drew Dominik Mysterio’s name, and he gave him some custom gold pens, with his name inscribed on them. He received some heckling over the gift, after trying to blame Finn Balor for the gift idea. Balor then revealed that he told JD to get Dominik a Rolex watch, but he’s too cheap. 

To complete the gift exchange, Damian Priest gave JD McDonagh a very thoughtful present. He explained that every member of the Judgment Day was given a steel bracelet, a symbolic gesture meaning that they are officially in the stable. Now, JD has one, too.  

Some fans may forget that Judgment Day was originally just Edge and Damian Priest, meaning Priest is the only OG member of the stable. That gift of a steel bracelet obviously meant a lot to JD McDonagh. 

What’s Next For Judgment Day In WWE

Judgment Day is getting a little break from the road, along with the rest of the WWE roster. There is little rest for them, though, because Dominik Mysterio is booked to wrestle CM Punk in Madison Square Garden on December 26th. Odds are, he will have his Judgment Day family with him at the World’s Most Famous Arena.

WWE Celebrates 1-Year Anniversary of Dominik Mysterio’s Arrest That Created ‘Prison Dom’ Character

Aaron Varble
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Dominik Mysterio has been an absolute workhorse for WWE in 2023. As we enjoy Dominik Mysterio’s rise in WWE, it’s always important to remember when he came from.

Dominik Mysterio’s Arrest Situation

Many fans consider Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley invading Rey Mysterio’s home on Christmas as one of the benchmarks for his rise as a heel in WWE.

That was quite a fiasco, resulting in a viral video, and the “My mom hit Mami” meme. The Judgment Day members were just getting started, and that viral video created quite a storm. It also caused the catalyst for the Prison Dominik character.

That all went down one year ago today, and WWE wanted to make sure that fans remember that monumental event in Dominik Mysterio’s WWE career. The company’s social media account posted the video, along with a caption, to celebrate the one-year anniversary of that memorable moment.

Dominik Myserio and Rhea Ripley went on to crash Rey Mysterio’s Valentine’s Day dinner. Their Christmas edition that resulted in Dirty Dominik’s arrest still stands on its own.

What’s Next For Dominik Mysterio In WWE

Dominik Mysterio recently inked a new WWE contract. He will be with the company for years to come. Although it wasn’t 100% confirmed, the belief is that Dirty Dominik’s new WWE deal is a five-year contract.

So far in 2023, Dominik Mysterio has wrestled 102 matches, doubling his number from 2022. He’s not finished yet, because Dominik still has two matches against CM Punk coming up at WWE live events. 

Jon Moxley Not Happy About IWGP United States Title’s Destruction

Aaron Varble
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AEW afforded Jon Moxley the opportunity to pursue his interests in other pro wrestling companies, and he has made the most of that. During his time on AEW television, Moxley made his way to the ring on many occasions with the IWGP United States Title over his shoulder. It was his title to hold throughout the pandemic, but it’s nobody’s title anymore.

Jon Moxley won the IWGP United States Title from Lance Archer at Wrestle Kingdom 14 on January 4, 2020. Then the pandemic struck, and he held that title until July 21, 2021, when he dropped the title back to Archer at AEW Fyter Fest in a Texas Death Match.

Moxley actually held the IWGP United States Title prior to that. On June 5th, 2019, Jon Moxley won the belt at the Best of the Super Juniors 26, but he dropped it a short time later after failing to make the trip back to defend it due to Typhoon Hagibis.

IWGP United States Title Destruction

The IWGP United States Title was destroyed by David Finlay in a shocking move on December 11th, 2023. In its place, the company will have the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship. Still, to see the US Title go in such a way was hard to watch.

While speaking to NJPW’s website, Jon Moxley opened up a bit about the IWGP United States Title’s abrupt deactivation. He understands the business, but he did put everything he could into representing that title while he held it.

There are a lot of belts in this business. A lot of championships, and a lot of guys walking round with all kinds of gold and silver on their shoulder or their waist. But a championship is what you make it. It’s how you represent yourself. The championship you wear is a representation of who you are. Your guts, your heart, your fighting spirit, and where you draw the line in the sand between you and your opponent. It says that you will give no quarter and no-one will take it from you.

I put a lot of heart and soul and hard work into that IWGP United States Championship, and I do not take kindly to David Finlay smashing it with a big stupid Mario Kart hammer.

Belts hold up your pants, but championships are a much different thing. The gall it took for Finlay to do what he did, I kind of admire it, but it really does piss me off.

What Happened To The IWGP United States Title

David Finlay destroyed the IWGP U.S. and U.K. titles at Power Struggle. NJPW Chairman Naoki Sugabayashi later announced during the Wrestle Kingdom 18 press conference that a replacement title would be introduced.

The jury is still out on how the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship will be represented. Jon Moxley still might have a bone to pick with the Bullet Club leader over how he treated the US Title. 

The Rock Reveals Secret Details About Possible WWE Return To Make-A-Wish Kid

Aaron Varble
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The Rock recently met a Make-A-Wish kid named Jayden. The 15-year-old is a huge pro wrestling fan, so meeting The Rock was a very special deal for him. He also may have been given a pretty huge spoiler about The Rock’s WWE plans.

In the middle of his Instagram caption, Dwayne Johnson said that he “told him a little secret that may or may not involve some dude returning to WWE to lay the SmackDown on all their candy asses.” That piqued our interest in a big way, making us all wonder what The Great One told Jayden.

”Droppin that old school Rock theme music for my boy Jayden Harden from @makeawishamerica!

Jayden is 15 and he’s awesome!! Jayden’s wish was to meet, “the people’s champ”.He is HUUUUUGE ROCK & pro wrestling fan and we had a BLAST chopping up his favorite wrestlers and matches!!I LOVE pro wrestling so my time with Jayden was super dope!

I told him a little secret that may or may not involve some dude returning to WWE to lay the SmackDown on all their candy asses

There’s a lot of negative and toxic noise out there in the world – but there’s a lot of positive, good things too, and Jayden is one of them.

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C1NirpQPyOV

Now, Jayden holds information that many pro wrestling fans would love to know. The Rock’s WWE return, if only for one segment on SmackDown, is a massive deal. So, any information that Jayden may have about Dwayne Johnson’s WWE return could be vital.

Insight On The Rock’s WWE Return

I was told on many occasions that The Rock is not in any WrestleMania 40 plan. After asking several times, as recently as last month, I have been told that The Rock is not in any active creative discussions.

The Rock was penciled in for a match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39, but that didn’t happen. In fact, I was told that The Rock was a “virtual lock” for WrestleMania 39 before things fell through. The Rock claimed while speaking with Pat McAfee in Boulder, Colorado, that they tabled the idea until they could come up with a moment that justifies the match.

“We shook hands and we hugged right there, all three of us at the table, and said, ‘Let’s do this.’ So then we had a year to really think about this. So the north star thought was, ‘Okay, let’s not do something good. Let’s not do something great. Let’s do something unprecedented.’ It was in, what can we create for the fans that has never been done before. A match, great. Roman, incredible athlete. He’s gonna be on Mount Rushmore. Super handsome, good dude, my cousin, family. Amazing. We can have the match, but the bigger thought was, what can do for the fans and the business that love, where WrestleMania isn’t the end of something, it’s actually the beginning of something bigger.”

The Rock can always return to WWE whenever he wants to. All it would take is a phone call to Nick Khan or Triple H and WWE would shift gears to make it happen. That being said, Dwayne Johnson has a demanding Hollywood schedule that is keeping him from the squared circle, and it will likely continue to do so.

Danhausen Ruins Christmas In Hilarious Video

Aaron Varble
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It’s Christmastime, and that calls for a new roll-out of Holiday specials. AEW fans are in luck, because a unique episode of Hey-EW dropped on Christmas Eve for their viewing pleasure.

RJ City had no idea who he would be interviewing for his Christmas special. Little did he think that Renee Paquette would lead him straight into a one-on-one session with Danhausen. This isn’t the first time AEW put out a special Christmas video with RJ City and Danhausen, but RJ City wasn’t expecting a repeat.

Danhausen Ruins Christmas … Again!

The Very Nice, Very Evil AEW star was excited about the Holidays. While dressed as Santa Claus, he proclaimed “Happy Christopher Massachusetts!”

During the segment, Danhausen and RJ City read an AEW parody version of “The Night Before Christmas.” Those lines were switched up a bit to give it a little AEW flair, and you can read a portion of the poem below.

Twas the day before Christmas and all through the show, all the wrestlers were angry like Ruby Soho.

The Hangman was hung in tight denim pants, as Eddie Kingston did one of his loud New York rants.

The Ass Boys were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of Prince Na Na swerved in their heads.

Renee Paquette made a large pronouncement, as Tony Khan himself announced he was making an announcement.

The Night Before Christmas parody continued, and it’s worth a watch. They also took a bit of time between each line to comment on the poem.

Danhausen and RJ City don’t really hate each other, but they certainly work well on camera while keeping up that act. If anything, this will give AEW fans another Holiday program to watch this year as they prepare for Santa Claus to arrive.

We’d like to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from everyone at SE Scoops. May your day be as jolly as Danhausen in this latest video drop. You can also watch Danhausen ruin last year’s Christmas below. 

Kevin Owens Will Sanitize WWE US Title After Winning It From Logan Paul

Aaron Varble
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Kevin Owens is currently one match away from securing a WWE United States Title shot at the Royal Rumble. Owens wants to take that title from Logan Paul in a big way, but first, he must sanitize it. 

Kevin Owens’ WWE SmackDown Story So Far

Kevin Owens was moved to the blue brand following Jey Uso’s switch to Monday Night RAW. Owens then engaged in feuds with Austin Theory and Grayson Waller, where he was able to knock both of them out backstage with one swift punch. 

The Prizefighter also had strong words for Logan Paul before his match against Santos Escobar. The seeds were planted for KO vs The Maverick a while ago, and it appears that is WWE’s direction. 

Logan Paul As WWE United States Champion

Logan Paul is really living it up as WWE United States Champion. He posted photos of himself wearing nothing but his title. He has also cuddled up with it in bed. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:CzbPYXQr1BH

One thing Logan Paul made clear is that Triple H requested that he not do the nasty while wearing his title belt, which is hasn’t admitted to doing yet. Still, Kevin Owens isn’t taking any chances. 

Logan Paul opened up in a YouTube vlog about how Triple H once asked him not to have sex in his WWE hardware. He promised The Game that he wouldn’t.

“I don’t think you understand. I just took a shower with this belt on. I ran a 5K earlier with this belt on. This belt never leaves my body waist. I f*ck in this belt. This belt means everything to me. Cut that out, bro. Just because the WWE, they did say that I can’t f*ck in the belt. When I won the belt, they said [laughs]. I swear, Triple H, he came up to me, he said, ‘Logan, congratulations on the belt. One thing we’ve been really cautious about here in the organization is making sure our athletes are not f*cking in their belts, so if you could just refrain from f*cking in your belt,’ and I gave him my word. Next thing you know, I’m clapping cheeks in this f*cking 40-pound piece of metal. You gotta cut all of that out.”

Kevin Owens’ Promise For WWE US Title

During a conversation with Kayla Braxton after SmackDown this week, Kevin Owens expressed his displeasure with Logan Paul’s actions involving the United States Championship. Owens then stated his intention to use sanitizer on the title to clean it after winning it.

“Once I go through Santos [Escobar], the ultimate face to punch, Logan Paul. You know what he’s been doing with the US Title since he’s won it? Just repulsive, just gross. He’s a man of very low moral fiber, right? I can’t wait to take that title back, put it in my bathtub, and I’m not gonna take a bath with it. I’m just gonna put so much Clorox, hand sanitizer, whatever is needed to clean that thing. Then I’ll take it and will restore the prestige it deserves, and that’s about it. That’s my plan.”

Logan Paul’s matches in WWE have impressed everyone so far. Each time he’s been booked, The Maverick brought it. That helped him gain popularity on WWE television, and locker room respect came with it. He is still a hated heel that fans would love to see take a Stunner from Kevin Owens.

Thunder Rosa used famous lowrider car for her big AEW return at Collision

Aaron Varble
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Thunder Rosa returned to in-ring action on the December 23rd episode of AEW Collision. She also did so with a memorable entrance, as she rode on a low rider. It turns out that car had a bit of history behind it as well.

The tag team match, where Skye Blue and Julia Hart took on Thunder Rosa and Abadon, provided a preview of Julia Hart’s TBS Championship defense against Abadon. Of course, in San Antonio, the attention was on Thunder Rosa.

Thunder Rosa’s Special Entrance

Thunder Rosa’s low rider entrance had a unique touch, as many fans called out the fact that it looked like the car featured in the 1997 film “Selena.” Many fans will remember that car if they’ve seen the Jennifer Lopez movie.

In the “Selena” movie, their  tour bus breaks down, but they soon find help. A low rider shows up, and they can’t believe that they get to help Selena out of a jam. Many fans know that low rider by the unique paint job, and that is exactly what showed up on AEW Collision this week.

Although it is unconfirmed whether it is the exact car from the film, the ‘Selena car’ is known to make appearances around the San Antonio area. This adds credibility to the possibility that Thunder Rosa used either the actual car for her entrance. Regardless.

Thunder Rosa’s AEW Hiatus

In the end, Thunder Rosa’ team secured the win on AEW Collision, marking a successful comeback to the ring. Thunder Rosa hadn’t wrestled since August 10th, 2022 prior to that. Needless to say, fans in San Antonio had a night to remember.

Thunder Rosa was still working for AEW during her time away from the ring. She provided Spanish language commentary for the show. It’s unknown if she will continue that gig after her in-ring return.

Adam Copeland vs Christian and More Announced For AEW Worlds End

Bishal Roy
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AEW Worlds End is just a week away and it has been made official that Adam Copeland will face Christian Cage at the pay-per-view. Two more title matches have been announced as well.

Following a surprising defeat in the headlining match in Montreal, Quebec, on AEW Dynamite, Adam Copeland issued a challenge to Christian Cage to a no-disqualification match. On last night’s AEW Collision which emanated from the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, Christian Cage gave his response. 

Cage also accepted Copeland’s challenge and the match will see Cage put his TNT Championship on the line. During the show, Shayna Wayne also explained why she helped Cage defeat Copeland.

Cage said he would accept Copeland’s challenge to a fight because according to him, it’s not a challenge as he’s already beaten him.

Meanwhile, Hook also accepted a challenge from Wheeler Yuta, and the match will take place for the FTW Championship in an FTW Rules match at Worlds End. Hook, while accepting the challenge stated that he would do it under his rules.

It was also confirmed that TBS Champion Julia Hart will defend her title against Abadon, as the two have ignited a feud in recent weeks. On Saturday’s Collision, Thunder Rosa and Abadon teamed up and faced Julia Hart and Skye Blue in a winning effort. 

The fully updated card for AEW Worlds End is as follows:

  • AEW World Championship: MJF (c) vs. Samoa Joe
  • AEW Women’s World Championship: Toni Storm (c) vs. Riho
  • AEW TNT Championship No Disqualification Match: Christian Cage (c) vs. Adam Copeland
  • Triple Crown Championship (AEW Continental Classic, ROH World & NJPW STRONG Titles): Gold League Winner vs. Blue League Winner
  • TBS Championship: Julia Hart (c) vs. Abadon
  • FTW Championship: HOOK (c) vs. Wheeler Yuta

AEW Worlds End is set to take place on Saturday, December 30 at the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island. 

WWE Speed matches to be featured on a new social media show

Thomas Lowson
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Fans will be seeing the WWE Speed match feature on its own social media show if the promotion goes ahead with current plans. 

Before the December 15, episode of SmackDown, WWE introduced the Speed Match. The match sees a five-minute time limit, meaning Superstars must work quickly to secure the win. SmackDown saw two ‘Speed Matches’ with ‘Big’ Bronson Reed facing NXT Superstar Nathan Frazer in the first. Later on, Cedric Alexander faced NXT’s Axiom.

Plans for the WWE Speed Match

Corey Graves and Kevin Patrick were on commentary for the WWE Speed matches, and the matches were filmed as if they’d be broadcast. Fightful Select was told by sources that the current plan is for the show to run on social media platforms if it is launched. 

Many at the SmackDown taping were surprised by the match and had no idea the matches were happening until shortly before the show. So far, no new Speed matches have been filmed since the initial matches earlier this month. 

Another Potential Change?

WWE is introducing the Speed Match, but may have made a massive change to wrestling staple the ‘Steel Cage Match’. At WWE NXT Deadline, Roxanne Perez faced Kiana James in a cage match. 

It was mentioned during the show that the match could be won only via pinfall or submission, removing the traditional rule of escaping the structure for victory. It’s currently unclear if this was a one-off change for this match or if this is how Steel Cage matches will go moving forward.

Eddie Kingston Reflects On Competing In His First G1 Climax

Tyriece Simon
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Wrestling fans were surprised when New Japan Pro Wrestling announced on June 4 that Eddie Kingston would compete in the G1 Climax 33. It was Kingston’s first time participating in the tournament and a goal he wanted to accomplish for his career. Although he didn’t make it to the semi-finals, Kingston has shared that the experience was something he’ll never forget.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated Justin Barrasso, Kingston reflected on competing in his first G1 Climax. He also admitted to being nervous to the point of throwing up before his first match against Shingo Takagi at NJPW G1 Climax in July.

“I threw up before my match against Shingo,” said Kingston. He explained, “I always get nervous before matches, but I’ve never been that nervous. So I got to the ring, talked to myself, and said, ‘Yup, I’m in the G1.’ That helped. Then Shingo hit me really hard with the first forearm, and I knew I was ready.”

eddie kingston g1 climax 33 1

The NJPW Strong Champion would win four matches to earn eight points in the G1 Climax 33. Kingston was eliminated from the tournament after losing to David Finlay.

Despite not winning, Kingston enjoyed traveling to Japan and competing in famous venues like the Sumo Hall. 

“Walking through the curtain at Sumo Hall, and I’ve seen so many great matches there, like the first G1 Finals between Keiji Mutoh and Masahiro Chono, I couldn’t believe I was there,” said Kingston. He added, “There’s a picture of me with my mouth open, looking around in astonishment, at Sumo Hall.”

Eddie Kingston On NJPW Locker Room Environment 

eddie kingston suplex david finlay 1

In the interview, Kingston also spoke highly of the NJPW locker room. The NJPW Strong Champion expressed that he had a great time being around roster members and went as far as to say that it was the best locker room he’d been a part of. 

“I had a lot of good guys around me in Japan. The New Japan locker room is the best locker room I’ve ever been part of,” said Kingston. He continued, “They showed me around, and I tried everything. I don’t like fish, but I did in Japan. I loved it there.”

It’s unclear when Kingston will return to Japan for NJPW. He’s competing in AEW’s Continental Classic, putting the NJPW Strong and Ring Of Honor World Championship on the line for the tournament winner. Kingston is currently scheduled to face Bryan Danielson in the Blue League finals at Wednesday’s Dynamite.

If he can make it through as NJPW Strong Champion, he could have a match at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18 on January 4, 2024. An opportunity to potentially return to Japan and compete in the Tokyo Dome would be another career highlight for the “Mad King.”

Thunder Rosa Makes Triumphant In-Ring Return On AEW Collision

Bishal Roy
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Former AEW Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa returned to in-ring action on the latest edition of AEW Collision.

Rosa had been on the sidelines since August last year after sustaining a back injury that prevented her from defending the AEW Women’s World Championship. Toni Storm went on to become interim AEW Women’s World Champion as Rosa relinquished the title in November. Storm was later declared the AEW Women’s World Champion.

‘La Mera Mera’ surprised the fans when she returned last week after being sidelined for over 16 months. Rosa had interfered in the brawl between Julia Hart and Abadon and later her first match following her return was officially announced.

Thunder Rosa wins on her return

On last night’s AEW Collision, Rosa joined forces with Abadon to face the TBS Women’s Champion, Julia Hart, and her new ally, Skye Blue. The exciting tag team match saw some great spots and fans went wild when Rosa got tagged in.

It was the former Women’s World Champion who eventually scored the pinfall to give her side the victory. This marked her first win after her last match back in August 2022.

In the past, Rosa’s injury sparked some controversy when she faced accusations of exaggeration. There were reports of backstage tensions with her female colleagues as well. However, Rosa has been clarified several times that her injury was legitimate.

Fans had been eagerly waiting for the return of La Mera Mera to the ring. Now that she has returned she would certainly try to go up the ladders and reclaim the AEW Women’s World Championship, the title she never lost in the first place. 

Grayson Waller Says WWE Tickets Should Cost More When He’s On the Card

Thomas Lowson
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SmackDown Superstar Grayson Waller thinks WWE ticket prices should be far higher, especially when he’s on the card. 

Speaking to CW39, Waller was asked about his plans for the Holidays. The Australian admitted that he isn’t too bothered with this year’s festivities, but hopes to see prices for WWE tickets rise. 

“I haven’t got my family here. I am not really doing Christmas this year so I wanna go out and I wanna fight. But I’m a little upset to be honest, I was looking and it’s 20 dollars to get a ticket. 20 dollars to see Grayson Waller. I’m a little bit offended. I feel that’s not much money. I think the prices need to go up. 20 dollars to see Grayson Waller, that’s a bit of a steal. I’m gonna have to make a call to Santa. I know some kids are gonna be asking for these tickets for Christmas.”

What’s Next for Grayson Waller? 

Waller recently competed in the U.S. Championship Contenders Tournament but was eliminated in the first round by Carmelo Hayes. Despite this, Waller is expected to have quite the 2024. In February, WWE will travel to Waller’s native Australia for the Elimination Chamber: Perth PLE. Waller’s tag team with Austin Theory is also expected to continue. The duo has impressed WWE officials who initially saw the pair has a short-term idea. Both Waller and Theory are expected to be ‘elevated’ ahead of WrestleMania 40. 

Could Grayson Waller’s 2024 see the Australian Superstar feud with CM Punk? Click here to find out more. 

Mercedes Mone Teasing WWE Return on Social Media

Thomas Lowson
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Could Mercedes Mone be laying the groundwork for her return to WWE, close to two years after her final appearance? 

Mone, then Sasha Banks, walked out of WWE in May of 2022, alongside her then-tag-team partner Naomi. Mone would join New Japan at Wrestle Kingdom 18 and captured the IWGP Women’s Championship the next month. She has been out of action since May due to an injury. 

Teasing a WWE Return? 

While Mone hasn’t appeared for WWE in 19 months, rumors persist that she could one day make a comeback. After all, several Superstars who were once deemed ‘never’ to make a WWE return did exactly that. This week, Mone added fuel to the speculation with her Instagram Stories. On social media, Mone shared photos of Funko POP! Vinyls, all of which are based on her Sasha Banks WWE tenure. 

Could Mercedes Mone Return? 

Mone left WWE on bad terms, but a lot has changed within the promotion since the May 2022 walkout. Triple H now has significantly more influence than before which may help negotiations with the former IWGP Women’s Champion. Mone worked closely with the Game during his time as head of NXT and is said to have a good relationship with the DX/Evolution leader. 

Contractually speaking, there are currently no obstacles that would block Mone from entering talks with WWE. Her contract with New Japan has expired and she has not signed with any other promotion yet. While Tony Khan has often shared his interest in bringing Mone in, the two sides have yet to reach a deal and it is unknown if there are any current plans to sign her. 

Latest On the Departure of AEW’s VP Rafael Morffi: New Job, When He Told AEW of Exit

Thomas Lowson
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More has come to light about the impending departure of Rafael Morffi, who is stepping down as AEW’s VP of Live Events/Touring. 

Earlier this week, it was reported that Morffi will be leaving AEW after next week’s Worlds End pay-per-view. Morffi isn’t the only notable name set to leave, as AEW’s Chief Marketing & Merchandising Officer Dana Massie is set to finish up with the company very soon. 

The Exit of Rafael Morffi

Morffi held the position of Vice President of Live Events/Touring since the formation of AEW and had many duties to his name. He was responsible for setting up the live event tours, booking buildings, local marketing and other logistical responsibilities and other roles. 

Morffi informed AEW during their recent Montreal events that he would be finishing up with the company, PW Insider reports. Morffi has already accepted a senior executive position with the Barclays Center in New York City (where Morfi resides with his family) and will be splitting his duties between booking sports and entertainment events at the arena as well as working for the Brooklyn Nets’ owners. Being closer to his family and not being on the road constantly was one of the big reasons for Morffi’s decision to leave. The gist of things is that the Barclays Center gave him such a great offer he simply couldn’t say no. 

Morffi is said to be well-liked within AEW and will be missed by those in the company. Morffi was the individual who brought the idea of hosting ‘Grand Slam’ events in Arthur Ashe Stadium to AEW. 

Rafael Morffi in Wrestling

Before joining AEW, Morffi worked with TNA Wrestling and House of Hardcore via his own ‘Signature Move Productions’ company. He also spent years working for WWE in regards to the promotion’s live events. 

Watch: Bray Wyatt Has Posthumous Role in Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Christmas Cabin Fever

Thomas Lowson
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Windham ‘Bray Wyatt’ Rotunda is no longer with us, but a new film from Disney has a brief cameo from the beloved wrestler. 

Rotunda passed away in August of medical issues at the age of 36. He had been pulled from WWE programming earlier this year. His passing came less than a year after his well-received return to the promotion at Extreme Rules 2022 in October. 

Bray Wyatt’s Cameo Role

Windham Rotunda is no longer with us but hasn’t been forgotten. This month, Disney+ released their new animated movie, Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever, which features a cameo role for the three-time WWE World Champion. He voices a prison guard who appears around 43 minutes and 30 seconds into the movie. Rotunda is mentioned under his real name in the film’s credits. The special is available online now but you can check out Rotunda’s brief role in the tweet below. 

Windham Rotunda Out of the Ring

This cameo role in Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever marks Rotunda’s sole entertainment appearance outside of the ring. Wyatt also appeared in several WWE video games and made his WWE game debut in WWE ’12 as Husky Harris. It wouldn’t be until WWE 2K15 that he would return to the virtual world as Bray Wyatt. 

Before his passing, Rotunda had been working on creating a movie with horror effects legend Jason Baker. The project was announced in 2021. Even after Wyatt’s return to WWE, Baker declared that the project was still in the works. Baker is the owner of Callosum Studios, which includes horror effects legend Tom Savini as a consultant. Callosum has helped create masks for WWE talent including Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, Retribution, the Bludgeon Brothers, Carmella, Nikki A.S.H, and the Fiend, and also designed Alexa Bliss’ Lilly doll.

Watch: What Happened With Bryan Danielson After AEW Collision Went Off Air

Anutosh Bajpai
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Eddie Kingston will be facing Bryan Danielson in the finals of the Blue League of the AEW Continental Classic, and the build-up for the match is already off to an intense start.

The main event of Collision this week featured The Mad King taking on Andrade El Idolo in the final league stage match of the tournament. Kingston won this match after hitting Andrade with Northern Lights Drive.

After the match, Bryan Danielson came out to confront the winner and the show ended with both the AEW stars staring at each other.

This wasn’t the end of the night, however, and AEW later posted an extended video of the confrontation between the two. In the video as seen below, Eddie Kingston cuts a passionate promo, declaring himself as the King of The Underground.

AEW’s First Continental Classic Champion

Bryan Danielson faced Claudio Castagnoli in his last league match in the opening of tonight’s show. Bryan ended the league stage on the top with ten points after this bout ended in a draw.

The American Dragon will now face Kingston in the finals of the Blue League at the December 27 episode of AEW Dynamite. That show will also feature the finals of the Gold League between Swerve Strickland, Jay White and Jon Moxley.

The survivors of both these matches will face each other at the upcoming World’s End PPV on December 30. The winner will then be declared the first-ever AEW Continental Classic champion.

Katsuyori Shibata is All-Elite: Japanese Star Signs with “Wonderful” AEW

Thomas Lowson
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Fans can expect to see plenty more of Katsuyori Shibata in All Elite Wrestling now that the Japanese wrestler is officially All-Elite. 

On Twitter, AEW President Tony Khan broke the news of Shibata’s signing and described Shibata as one of the greatest fighters and champions ever in wrestling. Khan also shared a letter from Shibata himself in which the new signing spoke about joining the “wonderful” AEW. 

Dear Tony Khan,

Today, I have signed the contract with AEW under a permission from New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

In the past year, I worked for AEW/ROH and I learned how wonderful the AEW is.

This is the best environment where wrestlers can focus only on fighting in the ring.

And the love for professional wrestling is overflowing from Tony and all the people who work for him.

I want to make AEW’s ring the last end point of The Wrestler’s career. I dedicate my wrestler life to Tony Khan, and AEW. 

Thank you, 

Katsuyori Shibata. 

Katsuyori Shibata in AEW

Shibata first appeared for AEW at AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door in June 2022, saving Orange Cassidy from a beatdown by the United Empire. Shibata would save Cassidy again later that year. In November, Shibata challenged Cassidy for the AEW All-Atlantic Championship but was unsuccessful. 

In March of this year, Shibata made his ROH debut and defeated Wheeler Yuta at Supercard of Honor to win the ROH Pure Championship. Shibata retained the title on the June 2, 2023, edition of Rampage against Lee Moriarty. He dropped the title back to Yuta last month on AEW Rampage. 

 

Dave Bautista Links Up With Mr. Beast To Save 100 Dogs

Aaron Varble
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Batista has certainly expanded his range of contacts since leaving WWE. He is a bona fide Hollywood heavy-hitter at this point, keeping friendships with high profile celebrities. He recently flexed that influential muscle by appearing alongside Mr. Beast to help out 100 dogs.

Batista’s Big Charitable Act

Dave Bautista just wrapped up a long stint as Drax the Destroyer in the Guardians of the Galaxy series. That was quite a role for him, and it’s hard to imagine anyone else filling those shoes ever again. Despite his rising star in Hollywood, The Animal is still giving back.

Batista recently updated fans to let them know about a charitable endeavor he was just a part of. The should-be WWE Hall of Famer recently linked up with Mr. Beast, and together they helped rescue 100 dogs.

Who Is Mr Beast?

Mr. Beast is one of the most popular content creators on YouTube. He gained widespread attention for his philanthropic endeavors, creating videos where he gives away large sums of money to individuals or undertakes massive challenges. 

Mr. Beast is known for his creative and sometimes unconventional approaches to charity, aiming to make a positive impact through his online presence. His recent video about rescuing 100 dogs may be found below.

Chris Jericho Will Find New Partner For AEW Worlds End In Kenny Omega’s Absence

Aaron Varble
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Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega were all set to challenge Big Bill and Ricky Starks for the AEW World Tag Team Titles at Worlds End on December 30th, then Kenny Omega’s health took a turn for the worse. Despite losing his Golden Jets partner, Chris Jericho will continue without The Cleaner. 

AEW Tag Team Title Match At Worlds End

Chris Jericho is determined to win the AEW Tag Team Titles at AEW Worlds End, even in the absence of Kenny Omega due to diverticulitis. He made that very clear on AEW Collision this week.

During the December 23rd episode of AEW Collision, Ricky Starks and Big Bill announced their intention to take the night off and celebrate. They suggested that the scheduled tag team match at Worlds End was canceled since Kenny Omega is not able to compete.

However, Chris Jericho stepped in, and he revealed something very important. He still possesses a contract entitling him to an AEW Tag Team Title match. Le Champion is not fazed by Kenny Omega’s absence, because the show must go on. 

Chris Jericho then declared his intention to find a partner and challenge Ricky Starks and Big Bill for the titles at AEW Worlds End. He didn’t reveal who his partner will be at the pay-per-view. 

Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega secured their opportunity for the AEW Tag Team Titles by defeating The Young Bucks at AEW Full Gear. The Young Bucks used that loss to turn heel as well.

AEW Worlds End 2023 Card:

MJF vs Samoa Joe – AEW World Title

Big Bill & Ricky Starks vs TBD & Chris Jericho – AEW World Tag Team Titles

Christian Cage vs. Adam Copeland – AEW TNT Title

Continental Classic Final

Julia Hart vs Abadon – TBS Title

Hook vs Wheeler Yuta – FTW Title

Matt Jackson’s Wife, Dana Massie, Leaving Position In AEW

Aaron Varble
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AEW is gearing up for 2024, along with the rest of us. Everything changes, but it seems that Tony Khan’s company is seeing a few big departures to close out the year.

AEW’s Recent Departures

Rafael Morffi, AEW’s Vice President of Live Events/Touring, is believed to be wrapping things up with the company. Reports broke today that he will be leaving after Worlds End for a job with the Barclays Center. Now, we have another departure to report. 

Sean Ross Sapp took to X, where he broke some more AEW news. Matt Jackson’s wife, Dana Massie, who has been with the company since they opened their doors, will be leaving her position over the company’s advertising division. 

Fightful Select and @TheRajGiri have learned that as things stand, Chief Marketing & Merchandising Officer Dana Massie is set to finish up with AEW.

She’s been there since the start of AEW. She’s the wife of Matt Jackson of the Young Bucks.

Breaking Down These AEW Departures

This is a bit of a surprise, because Dana Massie had a big hand in many AEW promotional and merchandise efforts. She was given that spot in AEW after spearheading The Young Bucks’ merchandise empire, one that saw them arrive in Hot Topic as indie stars. 

QT Marshall also left the company, which will be official in 2024, but he is no longer attending AEW events. Marshall, on top of being an in-ring competitor, was AEW President Tony Khan’s right-hand man for a time.

AEW is making some changes internally, with Kevin Sullivan’s sudden release, and now QT Marshall, Dana Massie and Rafael Morffi leaving the company. There may be a lot more to unpack when the dust settles on this story.

WWE Abandons Idea To Change Big Aspect Of Randy Orton’s Presentation

Aaron Varble
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Randy Orton returned to WWE at Survivor Series, bringing back his old theme song. WWE fans get very attached to entrance music, especially songs with the kind of longevity that Orton’s music possesses. Despite that fact, WWE still considered a change. 

WWE Considered Big Change For Randy Orton

Although WWE did consider a change in Randy Orton’s music, they are not going that direction. This will probably make a lot of fans who hate change very happy.

Fightful Select reports that a new theme song for Randy Orton was tested, but the plans for changes in his entrance were subsequently abandoned. At this point, it doesn’t appear that Randy Orton will get new entrance music. 

Fightful’s Corey Brennan has learned that with the Randy Orton theme song, they did one play through live in the arena and decided to scrap it.

Rand Orton’s Music Is Safe

A revamped version of Randy Orton’s “Voices” song was dropped in June, during the midst of his WWE hiatus. That was apparently not the version of the song that WWE was considering.

The original plan was for Randy Orton to debut with his old music, out of familiarity. Then they would transition into a new song. It appears that transition has been nixed.

Randy Orton inked an exclusive contract with the SmackDown brand upon his WWE return. He will continue with the blue brand from this point on, where he has made it very clear that he wants a shot at Roman Reigns’ Undisputed Universal Title.

Interesting Name Spotted Backstage At 12/23 AEW Collision

Aaron Varble
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AEW is gearing up for a loaded episode of Collision this week. Their Holiday Bash in San Antonio also brought a familiar face to the show, who is under contract with another company.

Cassidy Haynes of Bodyslam.net noted that Chase Owens is backstage at AEW Collision in San Antonio. He is not expected to appear on the show for AEW or ROH, but he is backstage.

Chase Owens currently lives in San Antonio, and is said to be visiting friends who work for AEW. Owens is not expected to participate on screen in any capacity on tonight’s Collision, or the ROH tapings. 

Chase Owens is home for the holidays right now, but he won’t stay in Texas for long. The Crown Jewel of the Bullet Club is set to appear at NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom 18 and New Year’s Dash.

It’s good to know Chase Owens was able to get backstage and visit. Tonight’s episode of AEW Collision will be special in San Antonio, because it will see the return of Thunder Rosa to in-ring action, and her home city is bound to give her a rousing ovation. 

You can check out the card for the December 23rd episode of AEW Collision below. Even if Chase Owens doesn’t show up during the broadcast, it will still be a packed two-hour broadcast.

  • AEW Trios Champions The Acclaimed vs. Top Flight & Action Andretti
  • Thunder Rosa & Abadon vs. Julia Hart & Skye Blue
  • We’ll hear from Christian Cage
  • Keith Lee vs. Brian Cage
  • AEW Continental Classic Blue League: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Bryan Danielson
  • AEW Continental Classic Blue League: Brody King vs. Daniel Garcia
  • AEW Continental Classic Blue League: Andrade El Idolo vs. Eddie Kingston

Cody Rhodes Vs. Roman Reigns is WWE’s 2023 Match of the Year

Thomas Lowson
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Cody Rhodes may have failed to finish the story at WrestleMania 39 earlier this year, but he and Roman Reigns delivered WWE’s best match of the year. 

Earlier this month, WWE kicked off a fan-voted tournament to see what was the best match of the year. The tournament featured the following matches: 

  • SummerSlam: Cody Rhodes vs Brock Lesnar
  • WrestleMania 39: Rey Mysterio vs Dominik Mysterio
  • Payback: Trish Stratus vs Becky Lynch
  • WrestleMania 39: Fatal Four-Way Men’s Tag Team Match
  • Monday Night RAW: Chad Gable vs Gunther
  • WrestleMania 39: Rhea Ripley vs Charlotte Flair
  • Money In The Bank: The Usos vs Solo Sikoa and Roman Reigns
  • WrestleMania 39: Drew McIntyre vs Gunther vs Sheamus
  • Backlash: Bad Bunny vs Damian Priest
  • NXT Deadline: Men’s Iron Survivor Match
  • WrestleMania 39: Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes
  • Crown Jewel: Seth Rollins vs Drew McIntyre
  • Backlash: IYO Sky vs Bianca Belair
  • Elimination Chamber: Sami Zayn vs Roman Reigns
  • WrestleMania 39: The Usos vs Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens
  • NXT No Mercy: Carmelo Hayes vs Ilja Dragunov

In the end, the finals saw two matches featuring WWE’s American Nightmare. The finals were between Rhodes’ WrestleMania 39 match with Reigns and his SummerSlam 2023 showdown with Brock Lesnar. 

What’s Next?

Cody Rhodes is currently feuding with Shinsuke Nakamura, who has been able to mist Rhodes multiple times. Cody will compete in next month’s Men’s Royal Rumble match. If he wins, Cody will become the fourth man to win back-to-back Royal Rumble matches. Win or lose, many expect Rhodes will challenge Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. WWE’s annual Showcase of the Immortals will take place in April from Philadelphia, PA.

Cody Rhodes is going to be staying with WWE for many years to come. Click here to find out more. 

Samantha Irvin Told To Nix Chelsea Green’s Special Introduction By WWE Higher-Up

Aaron Varble
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WWE fans love the little things that make watching the show special. Samantha Irvin has received a considerable amount of attention in recent memory, thanks to how much she puts into each Superstar introduction. It appears that the fan-favorite introduction for Chelsea Green is now a thing of the past.

Samantha Irvin’s Special Ring Announcement Nixed

Fans were quick to notice that Samantha Irvin introduced Chelsea Green’s name on RAW without giving it her usual inflection. It appears that this was not her call to switch things up at all.

Sean Ross Sapp noted on Fightful Select that a WWE higher-up made the call to nix Chelsea Green’s unique ring introduction. At this time, some people are fighting for the introduction to return, but it hasn’t happened yet.

We followed up on Samantha Irvin noting that it wasn’t her call to scrap the special Chelsea Green entrance. We’re told that word backstage was that the direction came directly from a WWE higher up and many were pushing for it to return.

Samantha Irvin Speaks On Special Chelsea Green Introduction

During an appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Samantha Irvin previously commented on her special introduction for Chelsea Green. She said, “It’s just her. She came back, and her attitude and everything, it’s just so sassy, I love it.”

WWE fans will likely keep an ear out during Chelsea Green’s next ring announcement. Samantha Irvin also gives her own flair to other Superstars like Ludwig Kaiser and GUNTHER, so we have to wonder if that unnamed WWE higher-up will make a call to nix those introductions as well.

Hornswoggle Thought He Was Being Pranked When WWE Called with An Offer

Thomas Lowson
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Dylan ‘Hornswoggle’ Postl was very suspicious when WWE called him with an offer, especially considering how bad his audition went.

Postl debuted on WWE’s main roster in 2006 as a ‘Leprechaun’ that would often aid Fit Finlay. The following year, Hornswoggle would win the Cruiserweight Championship and was the final champion before the title was reintroduced in 2016.

Hornswoggle Makes it to WWE

Postl would become a household name thanks to his tenure with WWE, but his journey to being a Superstar wasn’t easy. During the Oh You Didn’t Know podcast, Postl recalled his woeful audition.

“WWE I always say they were looking for a person like me but now I can just say, WWE was looking for a midget. They were trying out midgets to be Finlay’s Leprechaun. It just wasn’t happening. Then Ken [Anderson] said to Fit, he goes, ‘Hey I got the guy. He’s good hearted, he’s a good kid, he can take bumps,’ All of this. They try me out in Green Bay actually.

“There was a Smackdown taping in Green Bay. They pulled me in to the promo room with Fit, asked me to do a Irish accent, I failed miserably. So much so that I remember, I don’t know if Fit even remembers. We walked out, I go, ‘oh man how did that go,’ He goes ‘Huh, not very well.'”

With his audition being a dud, Postl wasn’t expecting to hear anything from WWE. That is why he was in no hurry to answer the call that would ultimately change his life.

“I didn’t expect to hear back. Two weeks later a blocked number came up on my phone three or four times in the morning, about 8- 9 in the morning and I kept sending it to the voicemail because I was like ‘I’m not paying this credit card company that wants my money, not happening.’ Then finally, there’s a voicemail, [It says] ‘Dylan this is Tommy Dreamer. We want to give you a lot of money and hire you. We want to give you a contract, please call me back.’ 

“And I was like ‘Someone’s f***ing with me.’ A, Because they’ll never hire me and B, Because no one talks in such a monotone voice for a whole voicemail, a whole minute and a half voicemail. No one talks in, ‘Dylan call me back please, this is Tommy Dreamer.’ No one also would introduce himself in an office position as ECW’s Tommy Dreamer. None of this shit matched up, I was like ‘Someone is f***ing with me.’ 

“So finally I give him a call and he goes, ‘Oh you decided to call me back, that’s good. We’re gonna pull you to TV, you’re going to start as Finlay’s Leprechaun, I guess.’ [Then] it was literally off to the races, three weeks later, I’m travelling to the Philippines.”

Postl would remain with WWE until 2016. He would make a one-off return in 2018 for that year’s Greatest Royal Rumble match. He would also appear during the 2019 Royal Rumble pay-per-view. 

Which former WWE Superstar helped Postl after his release from the company in 2016? Click here to find out. 

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