Home Blog Page 466

JBL Recalls Backstage Fight Between Eddie Guerrero & Kurt Angle

Jon Fuentes
-
0

WWE Hall Of Famer JBL was front row for a legitimate backstage fight between Kurt Angle and Eddie Guerrero.

He told the story during a recent episode of Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw, noting that the fight took place backstage after a match Angle and Guerrero had. Guerrero was under the impression that Angle had stiffed him.

JBL explained that he was confused because during the fight, Guerrero attempted to take Angle down – Angle being an Olympic gold medalist wrestler.

“You know a fight’s going on in the locker room … you can tell by the noise, and this was a fight. So finally, [John] Laurinaitis had gotten between Eddie and Kurt. Kurt was outside the dressing room, Eddie was inside it, I was dressing right by Eddie.

“Laurinaitis shut the door, so that separated Kurt and Eddie. Eddie comes back and sits down, and I could tell by the noise that’s going on that …  Eddie had tried to leg dive [him]. So I’m sitting there looking at Eddie, and he’s not looking at me at all. He’s looking at the door, just mad as mad as he can be, breathing so loud you can hear him breathe. …

“Finally I said ‘Why would you leg dive a Gold Medalist?’ And without looking at me, he goes ‘Cause I’m stupid!’ That was great. Then he finally started laughing.“

Eddie Guerrero

Not only is Angle a former Olympic gold medalist, but he’s also a five-time former WWE World Champion. He has since retired from in-ring competition and was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2017.

Guerrero was also inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame shortly after his untimely death in 2005. He was a former WWE Champion and one of the most respected in-ring performers of his time.

Dirty Dango Wants To Prove That He’s Not Just A Comedy Act

Tyriece Simon
-
0

Impact Wrestling talent Dirty Dango wants to prove he can be a serious wrestler when he needs to be.

Throughout his career in WWE, Dango(FKA Fandango) used to entertain fans with his funny persona. He started as a serious dancer when he debuted in 2013, but his character became more comedic over time. While it brought him success in winning the NXT Tag Team Championship with Tyler Breeze, Dango primarily stayed a comedic act for the majority of his WWE career. His run with the company ended on June 25, 2021, when WWE released him.

After spending some time as a free agent, PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that Dango signed a one-year deal with Impact Wrestling on Jan. 31. He recently had a match with Steve Maclin on Jan. 19 episode of Impact Wrestling. In an interview with Windy City Slam Podcast, Dango shared that he doesn’t have an opponent he wants to wrestle against but wants to prove that he’s not only a comedy act.

“I don’t really have my eyes not necessarily on one person, but I guess just to prove to management that I’m not just a comedy act when the bell rings, I can go.”

– Dirty Dango

What’s Next for Dirty Dango in Impact Wrestling?

image 5

On the Feb. 2 episode of Impact Wrestling, “Director of Authority” Santino Marella revealed that Dango would compete in a qualifying match that, if he wins, will be involved in a fatal four-way match at No Surrender to determine the following number one contender for the Impact World Championship.

The company also shared on Twitter that Dango will compete against Brian Myers on the Feb. 9 episode of Impact Wrestling. Dango will have the opportunity to prove that he can be a serious contender for a world title in Impact and show that he’s more than the comedic persona he’s demonstrated for years.

Liv Morgan Clears The Air On Acting Career & WWE Future

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Liv Morgan has been trying her hands at many different things recently. She made an appearance on hit TV series Chucky last year. The WWE star has since been talking about her acting ambitions and auditioning for various other roles. This has made many wonder if she is looking to transition out of wrestling.

The former SmackDown Women’s Champion cleared her stand during an appearance on Out Of Character podcast. She claimed that her end goal with this is to bring more notoriety to wrestling:

“I don’t want people to think that I care less for here or that I’m going to try less for here or that my goals aren’t the same because I’m interested in other things. It’s not the case so I just wanted to clear the air.

I feel as far as WWE is concerned, everything that I do, it’s to bring more star power over. I’m not doing these things so I can be rich and famous and successful and be like ‘Alright, peace!’ It’s like no. I want to bring more fans. I want to bring more just notoriety in any way that I can.”

‘Tomorrow Is Never Promised’: Liv Morgan

Liv Morgan and Chuky

Liv Morgan made it clear that she wants to wrestle for as long as she can. At the same time, she realizes that tomorrow is never promised. The WWE star wants to use the stage she has in order to branch out and find other things to do:

“I want to wrestle for as long as I possibly can and I will, but tomorrow is not ever promised, you know? So if I can utilize this platform while I have it to kind of start a transition into acting and other entertainment, I of course want to utilize this platform while I have it.

WWE has been very gracious. They’ve been very cool and understanding and are like allowing me, letting me [do it] and are happy for me that I’m kind of exploring and trying to dabble into other things. They’ve been so great.”

You can check out Liv Morgan’s full interview below:

More Originals From SEScoops:

If you use any quotes from the article, please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

NJPW x IMPACT Multiverse Event & Matches Announced for WrestleMania weekend

Andrew Ravens
-
0

WrestleMania weekend just got bigger as IMPACT Wrestling, and New Japan Pro-Wrestling announced a co-promoted show. 

The event will take place on Thursday night, March 30, at the Globe Theater in Los Angeles, with stars from both promotions competing. There will be numerous first-ever dream matches confirmed.

The show, titled Multiverse United: Only The STRONG Survive, is slated to air live on pay-per-view on fite.tv, starting at 8 p.m. PST.

The Matches

Some of the top matches announced for the show include IMPACT World Champion Josh Alexander taking on KUSHIDA while “Speedball” Mike Bailey battles Will Ospreay in the co-main event.

 The match between Bailey and Ospreay will be their fifth singles match against each other, with the first taking place in 2015 while their most recent bout coming in August 2022. 

“Will Ospreay is the best professional wrestler in the world, after me,” Bailey said. “So, this will be the best professional wrestling match of the year.”

Also set for the show is Jeff Cobb vs. Moose. IMPACT’s X Division Champion Trey Miguel, Ace Austin, and Chris Bey are advertised to appear. At the same time, NJPW will be represented by KENTA, Rocky Romero, Minoru Suzuki, Clark Connors, Kevin Knight, Fred Rosser, and many others.

 Tickets for Multiverse United start at $60 and go on sale this Friday at 10 am EST on highspots.com. Fans can get front-row seats for $350 each. There will also be limited VIP seats that are perk-filled, including an exclusive event t-shirt, commemorative ringside photograph, and more.

Liv Morgan On How the Ronda Rousey Loss Has Affected Her

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Liv Morgan finally achieved her life’s dream and became the SmackDown women’s champion last year. Her title run, however, didn’t last for very long and it ended with a devastating loss against Ronda Rousey. Such a loss would affect anyone else negatively but according to Liv, it has only made her fiercer.

The former champion was the most recent guest on Out of Character podcast. When asked about the loss to the former UFC champion and how it has affected her, Morgan said that she now has nothing left to lose:

“I have so much room to play, which I really appreciate. I feel like passing out and losing my title the way that it did. I had worked so hard for that and then for it to be taken away. I have nothing left to lose. I have nothing else to lose and I feel like my back is against the wall. So I’m ready and willing to do anything and everything that I need to do to eventually get my championship back.

So if that means putting myself through pain, putting others through pain – I’m down and ready for it all. I’m having so much fun with it, and I’m enjoying it. I enjoy kind of seeing how far I can go. How far I can be pushed and how far I can push others. How far they can push me. It’s been really cool.”

Liv Morgan and Cash

Liv Morgan with Ruby Riott and Sarah Logan

While Liv Morgan herself has been focused on her career, many of her friends have made strides in their personal lives. One such friend is Liv’s former tag team partner Sarah Logan, who became a mother in February 2021. She gave birth to a son who they named Raymond Cash Rowe. Speaking about her relationship with Cash, Morgan revealed her funny interactions with him:

“It’s cool to see Cash every week. He does not let me do anything. He loves the crashpad right. And so we’ll be playing in the crash pad. He’s playing in the crash pad. Then I’ll like go to stand on it and he’ll grab my hand and I’m like ‘Oh, cute’ and then he walks me off of it. He’s like ‘noo.’

Last week during live events we were playing in the ring. I like barrel rolled in the ring and I like rolled to his feet. He rolled me out. He doesn’t want me involved in anything. I’m like ‘no, I am aunty Livie. I’m the cool aunt.'”

Liv Morgan’s Out of Character interview premiers on YouTube later today:

More Originals From SEScoops:

If you use any quotes from the article, please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

Jim Ross Provides An Update On Jerry Lawler’s Condition

J. Cunningham
-
0

Legendary commentator Jim Ross recently took to Twitter to provide more info on Jerry Lawler’s current situation.

The Memphis wrestling icon suffered a stroke at his home in Fort Meyers, Florida on Monday. ‘The King’ has since undergone emergency surgery and is currently recovering at a Florida hospital.

Former WMC-TV chief meteorologist Dave Brown, a close friend of Lawler’s, provided an update on the matter.

“Some of the initial reports were just horrible, so I feel much better than I did 18 hours ago when I felt like I got hit in the face with a shovel,” he said. “I was incredibly encouraged after I did a FaceTime. Jerry was alert. He talked to me. He could only say a couple words at a time, which is pretty normal. But [he] was able to move both legs and both arms.” (h/t Commercial Appeal)

Now, another good friend of Lawler’s, AEW commentator Jim Ross, has provided additional info.

“He Needs All Our Thoughts And Prayers” – Jim Ross On Jerry Lawler

Taking to Twitter, Jim Ross revealed he recently spoke to Lawler. Ross revealed he could understand ‘The King’ well despite his affected speech at the moment.

“I spoke very briefly with ?@JerryLawler tonight. He’s obviously weak but I could understand his affected speech. Jerry’s prognosis is positive but he needs all our thoughts and prayers. #LoveYaKing”

Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross’ commentary as a duo was a staple of both the Attitude and Ruthless Aggression Eras in WWE. Where Ross offered serious play-by-play announcing,’The King’ would often heel it up on color commentary with a variety of zingers and one-liners.

Before his acclaimed commentary run in WWE, Jerry Lawler was one of the biggest drawing stars from the territory days in the ’70s and ’80s. His feuds with the likes of Austin Idol and comedian Andy Kaufman are the stuff of wrestling legend.

SEScoops wishes Jerry Lawler a quick recovery.

John Morrison On Coolest Thing About Bad Bunny Match At WrestleMania 37

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Competing in a WrestleMania match is always a special moment for any wrestling talent. John Morrison got to experience one such moment during his most recent WWE run. Morrison teamed up with The Miz to face Bad Bunny and Damian Priest at night 1 of WrestleMania 37. Per the former WWE star, he was actually impressed by the commitment the music star showed to the art of professional wrestling.

The former IC champion recently had an interview with Denise Salcedo. He was asked what was the coolest thing about sharing the ring with Bunny. Just like The Miz, John also praised the Grammy-winning artist for the work he put in:

“I think the amount of respect he had for the art of professional wrestling. The amount of passion that he had for doing really well. It was really cool to see someone of his star meter [or] star value. Just the number one recording artist in the world, be a wrestling fan and decide, ‘I want to do this, but if I do do it, I don’t want to do a bad job. I want to do an amazing job and that’s going to take a lot of work.’

He put that amount of work into the performing well at the match we had at WrestleMania. I got to see that and realize, ‘You know what? This is exactly why this dude is successful. He’s very smart. He knows incremental work leads to incremental improvement. He doesn’t mess around and he takes doing his job very seriously.’ Whether that’s wrestling or music, but he doesn’t necessarily take himself seriously. He’s down to joke around and have a good time. He’s a very nice guy.”

‘He Wanted to Do Something Cool’: John Morrison

One of the pleasant surprises of this match was when Bad Bunny busted out a Canadian destroyer on John Morrison. Speaking about it, the wrestling star remembered how it was raining on the day of the actual show. He revealed that they had to fight to keep that spot in that match:

“I had to fight for that. A lot of people did not think that we should do that. [They were] worried about my safety. I was like ‘My safety? come on’. He wanted to do something cool. I suggested that. He was a little nervous until we did it a few times. I think then he was stoked about the possibilities. Then when it was raining again on the day, we had to convince people that it’s fine in the rain. The rain actually would make a lot of things more dangerous, but not that probably.”

You can check out John Morrison’s full interview below:

More Originals From SEScoops:

If you use any quotes from the article, please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

John Morrison Puts Recent WWE Chaos In Perspective

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

From multiple waves of talent releases to big management changes, the last couple years have been very chaotic for WWE. John Morrison however, seems to think that change is the only constant in the wrestling world. According to him, this is all part of the intrigue of the business.

The former WWE star recently spoke to Denise Salcedo. He discussed things such as his upcoming boxing debut against Harley Morenstein on April 15 and more. He was also asked about the recent management changes in WWE. Morrison put things in perspective by mentioning how wrestling has been a crazy business all along:

“First of all, it seems crazy, right? Change is crazy. I can’t believe [it all]. Vince left. Vince is back. Hunter’s in charge.  Without getting into the nitty-gritty of everything, it seems crazy until you think about things historically.” said John Morrison, “In that frame, it’s not that crazy. Because that’s what happens to civilizations, to businesses. Specifically, the wrestling business.

He continued: “When Vince McMahon started it, basically he put a whole bunch of territories out of business, got a national TV deal and built WWF at the time up to what it is today. That came out of turmoil and turmoil is what happened with WCW and WWF. In the race back then between those two companies WWF won. Now AEW is on the map. Now Vince is back and he might sell the company to Saudi Arabia. It’s chaotic, it’s interesting. I think it’s part of the intrigue of the business.”

You can check out John Morrison’s full interview below:

More Originals From SEScoops:

If you use any quotes from the article, please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

Former Women’s Tag Team Champions Break Up On NXT

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Toxic Attraction is no more.

It was only a matter of time before the team of Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne went their separate ways after their leader Mandy Rose was abruptly released from WWE.

The company had been teasing the breakup before the Vengeance Day special. They also booked the duo to challenge Roxanne Perez for the NXT women’s championship at the show in a triple-threat match.

The tag team didn’t manage to dethrone Perez at the PPV. While their friendship somehow survived the event, it didn’t last for long after that.

WWE brought in Raw star Bayley to host her Ding Dong Hello talk show on NXT this week. The former women’s champion welcomed both Dolin and Jayne as her guests on in the main event of the show.

Toxic Attraction Is Done

The main roster star first asked the two about their differences and if they have thought about a singles career. However, she then suggested that the duo should stay together, emphasizing the importance of having each other’s back.

At first, it looked as if both the Toxic Attraction members have put their differences aside. They shared a hug but then Jacy Jayne attacked her partner.

She super-kicked Dolin and then shoved her head into the Ding Dong Hello door. The show ended with Jayne standing tall.

Toxic Attraction was formed when Mandy Rose was joined by Jayne and Dolin in July 2021. The trio dominated the NXT women’s division since their inception but it’s now time for them to go their separate ways.

Jerry Lawler Expected to Recover from Stroke

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Jerry Lawler is in a better condition than before and he is expected to recover.

The WWE Hall of Famer suffered a stroke on Monday. He was rushed to Fort Myers hospital, with fans across the world sending prayers for his recovery.

Lawler’s friend and WMC-TV chief meteorologist Dave Brown spoke to the wrestling legend on Tuesday. He provided an update on his condition to Commercial Appeal:

“Some of the initial reports were just horrible, so I feel much better than I did 18 hours ago when I felt like I got hit in the face with a shovel,

I was incredibly encouraged after I did a FaceTime. Jerry was alert. He talked to me. He could only say a couple words at a time, which is pretty normal. But (he) was able to move both legs and both arms.”

Brown said that he feels optimistic about Jerry Lawler’s recovery. This sentiment was shared by Dutch Mantell who also posted an update on Twitter:

The King has been part of the wrestling business since the 70s. Apart from a legendary in-ring career, he also had a lengthy run as a commentator for WWE.

SEScoops wishes a speedy recovery to Jerry Lawler

Update: Jim Ross Provides An Update On Jerry Lawler’s Condition

WWE NXT Results (2/7/23): Bayley Appears, Ilja Dragunov Returns

Andrew Ravens
-
0

The February 7, 2023 episode of WWE NXT aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. 

WWE NXT Results 

  • Zoey Stark def. Sol Ruca 
  • Dabba Kato def. Dante Chen.
  • Isla Dawn (w/ Alba Fyre) def. Tatum Paxley.
  • Carmello Hayes (w/ Trick Williams) def JD McDonagh.
  • Lyra Valkyria def. Valentina Feroz (w/ Wendy Choo).
  • Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo (w/ Tony D’Angelo) def. Odyssey Jones.
  • Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince & Kit Wilson) def. Chase University (Andre Chase & Duke Hudson)

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Carmelo Hayes Opens, Ilja Dragunov Returns

Ilja Dragunov 1

Carmelo Hayes opened the show with Trick Williams where they bragged about Hayes’ win over Apollo Crews at Vengeance Day. He said it is his destiny to call out this man…. JD McDonagh came out instead and said it sounded like Hayes was going to call for an NXT Title shot. JD said Hayes isn’t ready to be the NXT Champion and he couldn’t hold his jock strap. Hayes said he has beat everyone in NXT. This set up a match for tonight. 

Hayes went over thanks to a distraction from a returning Ilja Dragunov, who took out Williams at ringside. 

Bayley Appears

0NXT 1

Bayley appeared for a Ding Dong Hello segment with Jacy Jayne and Gigi Dolin.

Jayne and Dolin came up short in the triple threat match with NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez at Vengeance Day. 

Bayley said she was there because she loves NXT and Toxic Attraction. She brought them out and asked what happened at Vengeance Day. They blamed each other for losing the bout. Bayley wanted them to think about what would happen if they split up. They both thought they would succeed on their own. Bayley said that they would get there quicker with a ride or die. They made up and Jayne said no matter what, she will always be her sister. Jayne wanted to have one more run. Gigi wanted to have a run at the Women’s Tag Team Titles held by Damage CTRL. Bayley wanted them to hug it out and they did. Jayne superkicked Gigi then tossed her into the door. This closed the show. 

Sol Ruca vs. Zoey Stark

3nxt 1

Sol Ruca vs. Zoey Stark in a singles match took place. This was the first match of the night. Stark went over with her finisher to win the bout. Post-match, Ruca laid out Stark, who was trying to add insult to injury. 

The two stars also faced off one-on-one last November with Stark picking up the win.

https://twitter.com/btsportwwe/status/1623129822649061376

Valentina Feroz vs. Lyra Valkyria

1nxt 1

Valentina Feroz vs. Lyra Valkyria was booked in a singles match. 

After a match between Cora Jade and herself did not take place on last week’s NXT, Valkyria issued a challenge, claiming Jade must have changed her mind. Feroz agreed to the challenge for this show. 

This match took place in the second hour. Elektra Lopez came out during the bout. This led to a distraction and Lyra hit a spin kick finisher for the win. 

Alexa Bliss Taking Time Off From WWE

Andrew Ravens
-
0

Alexa Bliss will be off television as she is on hiatus from the WWE storylines right now.

Bliss came up short when challenging Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair at the Royal Rumble. Post-match, Bliss sat in the ring as a video of highlights from her recent run with Bray Wyatt. The video was shown on the big screen along with scenes of a playground while we could hear Uncle Howdy say, “Do you feel in charge?”

The Break

It’s been a few weeks since that show, and Bliss hasn’t been seen on television. Pwinsider.com reports WWE knew going into the match that Bliss would be taking some time off after the loss.

Bliss hasn’t been seen backstage at WWE shows since the Royal rumble. This is not a typical instance of WWE not using her while she’s at shows. Bliss is away from the company because of a planned temporary exit from the storylines. 

As of this writing, there’s no word yet on how long the break is. It should be noted that Bliss isn’t injured. 

It could be a case of WWE putting Bliss on a break to build her back up in storylines with Wyatt and Howdy for WrestleMania 39 or if she asked for time off. 

The match was designed to make Belair look strong as she moves towards WrestleMania 39. 

Trish Stratus Calls for Former WWE Star to be Inducted Into Hall of Fame

Andrew Ravens
-
0

Trish Stratus has shared the ring with some of the best female talent to step foot inside of the squared circle, but she feels one name missing from the WWE Hall of Fame and getting the honor she deserves. 

Stratus believes Victoria deserves to get inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Victoria’s career started with WWE in 2002 and feuded with Stratus, leading to several matches, including when she beat Stratus to win the WWE Women’s Championship in a Hardcore Match at Survivor Series 2002. 

Victoria would depart in 2009 before going to TNA Wrestling and won the Knockouts Championship five times and the Knockouts Tag Team Championship once.

The Push

In an interview with Justin Dhillon on Casual Conversations with The Classic, Stratus was asked to name which stars she’d like to see honored by WWE. 

“The aforementioned Mickie James, that’s for sure. I’d like to Victoria [get inducted]. Soon would be great. I think she’s well deserving. I think she’s underrated. I do so many interviews, and people ask me about different feud and different rivalries. I feel like when we were [competing], women’s wrestling was just turning the corner as far as being taken serious. Those matches with her that people [see] like, ‘Oh, this actually legit, and this is a viable part of the entire show.’ So yeah, Victoria for the Hall of Fame,” Stratus said.

H/T to Fightful for the transcription

Cody Rhodes & Paul Heyman’s WWE Raw Segment Booked for a Good Reason

Tyriece Simon
-
0

WWE had an important objective to achieve in booking Cody Rhodes and Paul Heyman’s memorable in-ring segment on Monday’s Raw.

Rhodes has a one-way ticket to the main event of WrestleMania Goes Hollywood. As of this writing, he’s scheduled to challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Of course, Sami Zayn is the X-factor that could change everything when he challenges Reigns for the titles at Elimination Chamber in less than two weeks.

We’re most likely going to see Reigns vs. Rhodes at WrestleMania, but WWE has to walk a thin line and make sure this long-planned bout is not derailed by Zayn’s surging popularity.

On the Feb. 7 episode of Monday Night Raw, Rhodes addressed the Orlando, Florida crowd. While he was talking, Heyman came out to continue the build for Rhodes’s match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39. Rhodes and Heyman got personal because of Heyman’s history with Cody’s father, Dusty.

The segment struck a chord with WWE fans and created anticipation for the inevitable confrontation between Rhodes and Reigns. According to Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer, it’s reported that the segment was made to make the WrestleMania 39 match the primary focus for fans.

This was done because they were well aware of how hot the Sami Zayn thing is, and it was imperative to not have this WrestleMania main event angle feel secondary. So they knew going in that they had to do something. And they did.

– Dave Meltzer

He added, “It’s very important to the entire company that the Cody match is not the secondary match. But it’s also important that people don’t look at it as a competition between the two of them (Rhodes and Zayn), and then the people get behind Sami Zayn, and then that screws up Cody as a babyface.”

Walking a Fine Line with Rhodes & Zayn

WrestleMania 39

WWE is entirely behind Rhodes vs. Reigns for the Undisputed Universal Championship at WrestleMania 39. However, they will first have Reigns defend the title against Zayn in his home country of Canada at Elimination Chamber on Feb. 18. The WWE fans are behind Zayn. Still, they also support Rhodes and seem to look forward to the WrestleMania match.

It seems WWE is in a good position with two great babyfaces. WWE may have already figured out a way to get to Rhodes vs. Reigns without the fans complaining about Zayn. However, we will have to wait and see how the story will transpire.

H/T: Liam Winnard of Wrestletalk for the transcribed quotes

Piper Niven’s Eye Banged Up During Backstage Attack on WWE Raw

Andrew Ravens
-
0

Piper Niven came out of this week’s WWE Monday Night Raw battered. 

WWE booked Niven vs. Candice LeRae vs. Michin vs. Carmella in a women’s Elimination Chamber qualifying match on the show. The finish of the bout saw Carmella superkick Niven and then cover LeRae for the pin to win the bout. 

Carmella joins Asuka, Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Nikki Cross, and Natalya in the Elimination Chamber Match at the PLE next Saturday night. The winner of this bout will earn a title shot against Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair at WrestleMania 39. 

The Photo

Niven took to Twitter today to send a message to Michin (Mia Yim) and show off her battered eye. She tweeted, “Things imma not forget” and posted this photo:

FoX 6eJXsAAluSa

When Niven was called up to the WWE main roster from NXT UK in June 2021, she underwent a name change, Doudrop, and turned heel while being paired with Eva Marie. 

Before returning at the Royal Rumble, her previous bout happened on the September 6 edition of NXT when she teamed with Nikki ASH to defeat Toxic Attraction, while her last Raw match was the night before. She then disappeared from WWE television for several months.

Niven made her return by competing in the 30-Woman Royal Rumble match last month and with her old ring name. 

AEW Talent Contract Expiring in May (Spoiler)

Tyriece Simon
-
0

One second generation star could be a free agent soon, as his contract with All Elite Wrestling is set to expire in May.

AEW is getting into an interesting position where they must decide if they will re-sign talent. The company has had many wrestlers compete for them in their four years of operation. As we enter the fourth year of AEW, some multi-year talent contracts are up for renewal.

Spoiler Warning Ahead!

The company has several wrestler contracts set to expire soon. FTR’s Dax Harwood said on his podcast that his and his partner Cash Wheeler’s contracts are set to expire in April. They have yet to decide if they will try to re-sign with AEW. Fightful Select reported on Jan. 24 that Brian Cage’s contract would expire in a few weeks. AEW may look to re-sign him, but the report also shared that WWE could be interested in signing Cage.

However, they will have to decide if they will keep Brock Anderson, son of Arn Anderson, whose contract expires in May. Arn broke the news in an interview with Wrestlingnews.co Steve Falls on their Patreon. He also shared that his contract expires next year and is unsure if AEW will keep either him or his son after their deal ends.

“Well, Brock’s got about, I think in May his is up, and then I have another year passed that. I’m having a great time. I’m enjoying working for the company and I’m going to certainly get that last year now. What they have for Brock and I together going forward, I don’t know. I look at things and always have going all the way back to WCW when contracts came out. When you get a guaranteed contract, your wife has the luxury of planning your life because they do it anyway. To know much time and it’s not something that’s not going to change and all that, you can map your life out. That gives me another year and a half almost to help Brock every which way I can,” said Arn(h/t Angel Aramboles).

Arn and Brock Anderson
Arn and Brock Anderson

Will AEW Re-sign Brock Anderson?

It’s unclear what the future holds for Brock. He is featured only sometimes on AEW Dynamite or Rampage. AEW mostly has him compete on AEW Dark. In his AEW career, Brock’s win/loss record stands at 16-13.

Although Brock is featured a little in AEW, he is still young in his career. At age 25, AEW could look to do more with him if he re-signs. However, the company may have to review its roster and decide whether it can renew Brock’s contract. Another possibility is WWE could look to sign the young talent if he becomes a free agent.

Jerry Lawler Hospitalized Following Stroke, Recovering from Surgery

Andrew Ravens
-
0

WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler is in the hospital following a serious medical episode on Monday, February 6.

Lawler suffered a stroke at his home in Fort Myers, Florida, according to Action News 5 out of Memphis, Tennessee. He’s since undergone surgery and is recovering at a Florida hospital.

Word of Lawler’s condition began circulating Monday night. Tag team legend Ricky Morton publicly wished him well on Twitter earlier today, which led to more details coming out. The 73-year-old star was rushed to the hospital on Monday afternoon after having lunch with friends, as first reported by PWInsider. Sometime after the meal, he became ill and was rushed to the hospital.

Dutch Mantell, Lawler’s longtime friend, provided an update on the situation on Tuesday afternoon:

LATEST UPDATE ON LAWLER: LAWLER experienced paralysis on his right side immediately following the stroke. Latest news has reported that he has regained partial use of his arm. His speech is still affected but that takes a bit more time. But he’s improving.

SEScoops extends our support to the Lawler family during this difficult time.

Jerry Lawler most recently appeared on the WWE Royal Rumble 2023 Kickoff Show two weeks ago as part of the panel. This past weekend, he did an autograph signing in Florida. 

Lawler wrestled for nearly every top wrestling promotion in the United States, including WWE, AWA, WCCW, Continental Wrestling Association, and United States Wrestling Association. He was a household name in the Memphis area. Younger fans know him best for his time in WWE as a color commentator alongside Jim Ross during the Attitude Era. In recent years, he has stepped away from being a full-time commentator and is used for the Kickoff Shows. 

The wrestling legend previously suffered a stroke in 2018, and had a heart attack on live television during an 2012 episode of Monday Night Raw.

MLW on REELZ: Open Letter to Fans Ahead of Tonight’s Premiere

Michael Reichlin
-
0

Major League Wrestling founder Court Bauer has penned an open letter to fans ahead of Tuesday night’s MLW Underground premiere on REELZ:

Dear MLW Fan,

It’s been more than five years since we embarked on bringing back Major League Wrestling. During that time, we’ve introduced a new generation of wrestlers while showcasing gifted talent who had been underappreciated and underutilized elsewhere. 

Together we broke through barriers, broadcasting MLW in 60 countries and hitting amazing milestones from live specials to our new Boss Fight Studio action figures to Pay-Per-View. 

Along the way, you helped build the foundation of MLW by showing up and supporting us. Whether it’s watching us every week, coming to our shows, spreading the word on social media, buying your favorite MLW shirt or just telling a friend about us. You are the heart of MLW.

We’ve endured a lot together. From a pandemic to billionaires attempting to cripple the hard work so many have put into your league. 

For five years MLW has been the best kept secret. Our secret. All we needed was the platform. 

Now we have the platform with REELZ. Now we have an opportunity to show the world what Major League Wrestling, its roster and its fans are all about.

Tonight begins a new chapter for us. 

Tonight, and every Tuesday at 10pm MLW Underground will be on one of the top 25 networks in cable TV in REELZ. 

This moment is about more than MLW. It’s an opportunity for wrestlers, fans, and the sport of professional wrestling to usher in a challenger to the status quo. 

MLW Underground is the culmination of five years of blood, sweat and tears of MLW wrestlers, staff and crew and we couldn’t be more pumped to be here… watching it together with you on REELZ in prime time across the country.

Welcome to the Underground! See ya 10pm tonight.

Sincerely,

e0eb0ea2 fc1b cb94 9c86 ba8df28bff66

MLW on REELZ Preview

The following matches are scheduled for tonight’s MLW Underground on REELZ premiere:

  • Last Man Standing Match: Alex Hammerstone vs. EJ Nduka
  • Bomaye Fight Club leader Alex Kane has an open challenge

Plus, Real1, Davey Boy Smith Jr., and Mance Warner will appear.

Damian Priest Praised by WWE Legend: “He Has Come So Far”

Jon Fuentes
-
0

One WWE Hall Of Famer has a lot of praise for current Monday Night RAW star Damian Priest.

Road Dogg recently took to his podcast, Oh You Didn’t Know, and had nothing but good things to say abut the Judgement Day member. He suggested that Priest has the potential to go on and become a WWE Universal Champion.

“Damian Priest, I think I’ve said it said it before, actually maybe on here, but he has come so far.”

– Road Dogg

He added, “Think about the people that Damian Priest is surrounded by — Finn Balor, Rhea, Dom — and he’s even in that group stepping out and shining, and so, big things [are coming], I predict he’ll be a Universal Champion one day. I do believe that, and I believe he could carry it.”

Since joining the main roster from NXT in 2021, Priest has certainly been impressive. He has enjoyed one run as United States Champion before going on to join the Judgement Day faction alongside Edge.

After being joined by Finn Balor and Rhea Ripley, the trio then turned on “The Rated-R Superstar,” taking over the faction themselves and later adding Dominik Mysterio to the mix as well.

Priest recently defeated Angelo Dawkins on this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW to qualify for the United States Championship Elimination Chamber Match. On February 18 he’ll step into the chamber against Austin Theory, Seth Rollins, Johnny Gargano, Bronson Reed, and Montez Ford with the title on the line.

Quotes via 411Mania

WWE SummerSlam 2023 Location and Date Announced

Michael Reichlin
-
0

WWE SummerSlam is headed to Detroit, Michigan this summer. The event will take place Saturday, August 5 from Ford Field, home of the NFL’s Detroit Lions. The stadium has a capacity of approximately 65,000 people.

  • This will be the first time SummerSlam emanates from Detroit, although the 1993 installment was held in the Detroit-area (Auburn Hills, MI).
  • This will be the third consecutive year that SummerSlam is held in a football stadium, following Allegiant Stadium (Paradise, NV) in 2021 and Nissan Stadium (Nashville, TN) last year.
  • Ford Field hosted WrestleMania 23 back in 2007. That event, which featured the infamous Battle of the Billionaires (Vince McMahon and Donald Trump) is one of the biggest box office successes in company history.

Here’s the official SummerSlam press release:

SUMMERSLAM® HEADED TO FORD FIELD IN DETROIT AUGUST 5

First WWE Event at Ford Field Since WrestleMania® in 2007 and First SummerSlam To Be Held in Michigan In 30 Years

SummerSlam 2023

STAMFORD, Conn., February 7, 2023 – WWE® (NYSE: WWE) today announced that Ford Field in Detroit will host SummerSlam on Saturday, August 5.

SummerSlam marks the first WWE event to be held at Ford Field since WrestleMania in 2007 and the first SummerSlam to take place in the state of Michigan since 1993.

“We are excited for Ford Field to host WWE’s biggest event of the summer and look forward to the WWE Universe converging on Detroit to celebrate SummerSlam’s long-awaited return to Michigan,” said Dan Ventrelle, EVP, Talent at WWE.

“Landing WWE SummerSlam at Ford Field is a signature win for Detroit and continues the momentum of the Detroit Sports Commission in attracting major sporting events to the region,” said DSC Executive Director Dave Beachnau. “Metro Detroit enjoys a special place in WWE history and has produced many iconic moments. Thank you to the entire WWE family for entrusting us with this incredible opportunity, and we look forward to delivering a first-class experience.”

Tickets for SummerSlam will go on sale Friday, April 14, 2023, via Ticketmaster.com. To learn more about registering for presale opportunities, please visit:
https://www.wwe.com/summerslam2023-presale-registration

In addition, official SummerSlam Priority Passes will be available soon through exclusive partner On Location, giving fans the opportunity to purchase ticket packages before they go on sale to the general public. SummerSlam Priority Passes will offer fans the chance to be ringside for every exhilarating moment, including premium seating, all-inclusive pre-show hospitality with WWE Superstar appearances, ringside photo opportunities, exclusive merchandise, and much more. For more information about SummerSlam or to secure your access with a refundable deposit, please visit https://onlocationexp.com/wwe/summerslam-tickets or call 855-346-7388.

Chris Jericho Gifted the Intercontinental Title He Won in 1999

Michael Reichlin
-
0

Chris Jericho has claimed an important piece of memorabilia from his legendary wrestling career.

The WWE Intercontinental championship has long been considered one of the industry’s most prestigious prizes. Often referred to as the ‘workhorse’ belt, there have been 89 IC champions since the title was introduced in 1979. Pat Patterson was crowned the inaugural champion after winning a grueling, very-real tournament held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The list of men who have held the IC championship includes Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Razor Ramon, Steve Austin, The Rock and more.

Chris Jericho and the Intercontinental Title

The IC title holds special meaning for Jericho. He’s had a record nine IC title reigns. It was also the first championship he won as a WWE Superstar.

Jericho’s first reign came when he defeated Chyna at ‘WWE Armageddon’ on December 12, 1999. He lost possession of his first Intercontinental belt at some point over the years. Now, it’s back where it belongs.

Dan Lambert, founder of the American Top Team MMA gym, is an avid wrestling fan and belt collector. Lambert was on board the recent Rock ‘N’ Wrestling Rager: Four Leaf Clover cruise and brought a special gift with him.

As seen below, Lambert presented Jericho with his first Intercontinental belt. The smile on Jericho’s face as he hoists the gold over his head once again shows how much the gesture means to him.

chris jericho ic title

WWE Tag Team Negotiated an Interesting Stipulation in their Contracts

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Competition among promotions is always good for the workers. It appears that The OC have taken advantage of the rivalry of AEW and WWE.

The duo of Gallows and Anderson weren’t seen at Royal Rumble last month. They missed the following Raw episode as well, making people wonder about their status.

Wrestling Journalist Sean Ross Sapp hosted the most recent episode of The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy. Hardy talked about the advantages of the AEW schedule. Sapp then revealed that The OC have negotiated a similar clause in their contract:

“People were asking why The Good Brothers were not at the Rumble or at Raw. In their new deals they said if you’re not going to use us, we don’t want to be there.”

– Sean Ross Sapp

“Just don’t send us there. [With] all due respect we will do our jobs but we don’t want to be there for not being used, and WWE said okay,”

This wasn’t the case previously as there are many stories of WWE bringing in talents to tapings for months without using them.

Gallows and Anderson returned to WWE in October 2022 after a two-year absence. They reunited with AJ Styles and started feuding with The Judgement Day.

If you use the quotes from this article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

WWE Had Plans for New World Championship at WrestleMania 39 (Report)

Thomas Lowson
-
0

WWE was set to introduce a new World Champion at WrestleMania 39, had plans with The Rock not fallen through.

Last year, it was reported that WWE was actively pursuing the Great One for a match with Roman Reigns, a bout both men have teased over the years.

In January 2023, The Rock informed WWE that he does not believe there is time for him to prepare sufficiently for a match this April.

New Championship

It was at WrestleMania 38 last April that WWE made the much-contested decision to unify the WWE and Universal Championships.

Not long after, it was reported that the USA Network was unhappy with the move, given that Reigns, now WWE’s sole World Champion, was making few appearances on Raw.

On the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer explained that in the event of Rock Vs. Reigns, a new title was going to be created.

That title would allow Cody Rhodes to win on Night One, while leaving Reigns free to defend the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against his cousin on Night Two.

Meltzer added that other names considered to be the holder of this new World Championship included Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins.

What Now?

With the match between The Rock and Roman Reigns not happening (this year at least) then WWE does not need to create a title to avoid Rhodes defeating Reigns.

While many expect that the American Nightmare will be the one to dethrone Reigns this April, this will still leave WWE with one World Champion, much to the chagrin of those at the USA Network.

On this week’s Raw, Rhodes and Reigns’ Special Counsel Paul Heyman had an emotional in-ring promo that caught the attention of Cody’s brother, AEW’s Dustin Rhodes.

Roman Reigns Addresses The Rock Not Being Ready for WWE WrestleMania 39

“It Could have been Different” – Mandy Rose Says She Was Never Warned About Website

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Mandy Rose has refuted the idea that she received some kind of warning from WWE over the content of her website.

The former Superstar was released in December 2022 due to the explicit videos and photos shared on her platform which users can subscribe to see.

Since parting ways with WWE, Rose has been serving a non-compete clause but has also made a fortune with her website.

No Warning

Given the NSFW content the former NXT Women’s Champion was putting online, WWE’s higher-ups felt they had no choice but to release her.

Speaking on the latest edition of The Sessions, Rose refuted the idea that she was warned about her website prior to her release from the company.

“I lost the title and got fired the following day. I never had a warning. I know there is news out there that says I was warned, I never did.”

Mandy Rose.

Rose added that perhaps if she had been warned by WWE about the consequences of her website, she’d be with WWE to this day, saying “it could have been different.”

What’s Next?

While Rose is unable to compete or talk contracts with another promotion at this time, she is still allowed to operate her site.

In December 2022, Rose made $1 million in the month but later clarified on the Tamron Hall show that it took her just over two weeks in December to reach seven figures.

Impact Wrestling’s Deonna Purrazzo has offered Rose an invitation to join the promotion, while joining AEW would allow Rose to reunite with ex-WWE names including her Absolution ally Saraya.

Mandy Rose Shares First ‘Inclination’ of her WWE NXT Release

Mandy Rose Shares First ‘Inclination’ of her WWE NXT Release

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Mandy Rose’s release may have come as a shock to fans, but it was something that the ex-Superstar had seen coming for 24 hours.

Rose was let go by WWE in December 2022 due to the nature of the photos and videos being shared with subscribers on her website.

Prior to her release, Rose had been one of the most dominant champions in recent history, holding the NXT Women’s Championship for 413 days.

The Inclination

Mandy Rose’s release came just one day after she lost the NXT Women’s Championship to Roxanne Perez, the winner of the 2022 Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge.

Speaking on The Sessions, Rose said that it was after arriving at the taping for NXT where she was informed of the title change, that she first suspected her time was up.

“[I was] completely surprised with everything. I went to work like a normal Tuesday for TV and I was told that the title match that was supposed to happen down the line [was happening.] At Vengeance Day, was when it was supposed to maybe happen, but that was all up in the

Right away, I had the inclination that something was up. Everyone had treated me so great at NXT. I had a great relationship with Shawn Michaels, the writers, the producers, everyone. I was never kept out of the loop either, being champion for 413 days, I was in the loop for everything. I didn’t really have that many surprises. So [arriving that day] was very like ‘whoa did I do something? What’s going on?” Obviously, I had some inclination because of what was going on on social media.’

“Right away, I had the inclination that something was up.”

Mandy Rose.

“[Moving up the title change] It came from Shawn Michaels himself. Obviously, I know it was coming from the head of creative so I knew in that sense that I didn’t have to try and go seek other answers, even though I wanted other answers. But at that moment I had to do my job and get planning our match and everything else.”

Losing the Title

After capturing the NXT Women’s Title at Halloween Havoc 2021, Rose’s reign (the third-longest in history) ended abruptly on the December 13, 2022 edition of NXT.

Speaking about the match, Rose said that she tried her best to be in the right frame of mind, despite knowing something was coming.

“It was weird. In the moment, I felt that I was focused, and I always loved working with Roxanne. We had a good relationship so that was good. It [the title change] actually went smooth, as did the rest of the day, but in my mind, and I didn’t sell it, I didn’t show it, I was like ‘this is so messed up. What is going on?’ And I had multiple people coming up to me being like ‘what is going on?'”

When asked about the new NXT Women’s Champion, Rose said that she felt mixed about Perez’s big win.

“I felt bad for Roxanne because she’s so amazing, and I really do love her as a person. It was so exciting, anytime you get told you’re going to win the title, it’s very exciting. But I just felt bad because I felt like it was rushed.”

Mandy Rose.
Mandy Rose Invited to Impact By Former Knockouts Champion
1...465466467...3,372Page 466 of 3,372