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Tony Khan Open to Working With WWE on a ‘World Cup’ Super Show

Michael Reichlin
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Tony Khan is on board with the idea of a ‘World Cup’ of pro wrestling. He knows it wouldn’t be easy to get WWE on board working with the likes of All Elite Wrestling New Japan Pro Wrestling, but he’s open to working with “anybody” for the greater good.

“You never know.”

– Tony Khan

Last year’s AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view was successful, despite injuries nixing plans for several inter-promotional dream matches. An event of this magnitude involving competing promotions can present a lot of hurdles that need to be cleared. Khan worked hard to establish a level of trust with NJPW executives. Having been down that road once before, the AEW President is optimistic this could be done on an even larger scale.

Tony Khan Open to a ‘World Cup’ of Wrestling

Jon Moxley and Hiroshi Tanahashi
(AEW)

Earlier this week, IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada expressed interest in organizing a wrestling World Cup. He said he’d be willing to meet with Khan and Paul “Triple H” Levesque to broker a deal to make such an event a reality.

Tony Khan appeared on the Battleground podcast and was asked about the wrestling World Cup concept. During his conversation with Tim Battle, TK said he loved last year’s Forbidden Door show and would be willing to work with “anybody” on an even bigger inter-promotional super-event.

“There are challenges to putting on an event like that, and getting the matches set, but it’s certainly something I would be open to,” he said. “I’m open to working with anybody in pro wrestling. You never know.”

Khan has already co-promoted a pay-per-view with NJPW. He’s featured talent (and championships) from Impact and AAA on AEW television. Without saying who “anybody” is, it’s clear who the big holdout would be. It’s unlikely that WWE would sign off on working with AEW in any capacity, but 2022 and (already) 2023 have shown us that even the most outlandish scenarios may come to pass.

H/T to Fightful and Jeremy Lambert for the transcribed quotes

Britt Baker Injured, Toni Storm vs. Ruby Soho Set For AEW Dynamite

Tyriece Simon
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All Elite Wrestling superstar Britt Baker won’t compete on tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite due to injury.

The company broke the news this morning on its Twitter account. AEW wanted Baker to compete in a 3-way match against Ruby Soho and Toni Storm on the Jan. 25 episode of AEW Dynamite. Since Baker is injured, Soho and Storm will compete in a singles match.

It’s unclear what the severity is of the injury or how long Baker will be out of action. Her last aired match was against Billie Starkz on AEW Dark on Jan. 24. Baker took a kick to the face that caused her nose to bleed during the match. AEW hasn’t shared if it’s a nose injury or if there is another issue.

Mark Briscoe AEW Debut

AEW Dynamite Preview

The Jan. 25 episode of AEW Dynamite will be an emotional one. Tonight’s episode will have Mark Briscoe making his AEW debut against Jay Lethal in tribute to his late brother Jay, who tragically passed away last week. The significance of the match happening tonight is also because today would’ve been Jay’s 39th birthday.

Mark’s debut comes after Warner Bros. Discovery lifted its longstanding ban on Briscoes from appearing on AEW Dynamite or Rampage yesterday. AEW also sells T-shirts with Jay on them, with 100% of the proceeds going to Jay’s family. It’s unclear if the entire episode will be a tribute to Jay.

The rest of the show will have exciting matchups. The Jan. 25 episode of AEW Dynamite will have TNT Champion Darby Allin defending the title against Buddy Mathews. The show will also continue the build to the main event of the AEW Revolution pay-per-view, MJF’s hand-picked opponent Brian Cage taking on Bryan Danielson.

You can check out our preview article here to see the rest of the AEW Dynamite card.

AEW Dynamite Preview (1/25): Mark Briscoe Debuts, Danielson vs. Cage

Michael Reichlin
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Mark Briscoe will make his AEW Dynamite debut one week after his brother Jay Briscoe (Jamin Pugh) was tragically killed in an automobile accident.

The wrestling world has been rallying around the Pugh family during this incredibly difficult time. There’s been an outpouring of support from Jay’s friends and fans and a fundraiser has been set up to ease the family’s financial burden. Unfortunately, AEW has not been able to do much to honor Jay Briscoe due to a longstanding policy by Warner Bros. Discovery.

Up until this week, the Briscoes have been effectively blackballed from TBS & TNT due to insensitive (homophobic) comments made by Jay many years ago that he’d since atoned for. Thankfully, it appears that policy has been changed.

Tony Khan announced on Tuesday that Mark Briscoe will be in action on Dynamite, thus ending their controversial ban. He’ll wrestle Jay’s longtime friend and rival, Jay Lethal.

According to TK, the match was requested by both men to honor Jay Briscoe on what would have been his 39th birthday.

AEW Dynamite Preview (January 25, 2023)

AEW Dynamite Preview January 25, 2023

Here’s an updated preview for Wednesday’s Dynamite from Lexington, Kentucky:

  • ROH World Tag Team Champion Mark Briscoe vs Jay Lethal
  • Buddy Matthews of the House of Black answers Darby Allin’s TNT Championship Open Challenge
  • JungleHOOK (Jungle Boy & Hook) vs Ethan Page & Matt Hardy
  • Women’s 3-Way Match: Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D vs Ruby Soho vs Toni Storm
  • “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. “The Machine” Brian Cage
  • Le Sex Gods (Chris Jericho/Sammy Guevara) vs Action Andretti/Ricky Starks

Plus, Billy Gunn will mediate a ‘family therapy’ session involving his sons, The Gunns, and AEW World Tag Team Champions, The Acclaimed.

SEScoops will have live results of AEW Dynamite Wednesday night starting at 8pm (Eastern).

“Jealous” – Charlotte Flair on Watching Ric Flair Team With Andrade El Idolo

Thomas Lowson
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Charlotte Flair has admitted to being somewhat “jealous” that her father and her husband were able to share the ring last year.

For Flair’s last match in July 2022, the father and son-in-law duo teamed to defeat Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett.

This match marked Flair’s first match in over a decade, when he lost to Sting on the September 12, 2011, episode of TNA Impact.

Jealous

While Ric and Charlotte have both had impressive careers, they have never had the chance to be on the same team in the ring.

While appearing on NBC’s The TODAY Show to promote Saturday’s Royal Rumble, Flair admitted to being jealous that her father and husband got such a special moment.

“Honestly, I was a little jealous (seeing them in the ring together) because I was like, “Oh, I wanna be a part of this,’ because I’ve shared the ring with my dad but not in that capacity.”

Charlotte Flair

Charlotte also spoke about her brother Reid, who died in 2013, and who is the reason Charlotte is a wrestler today.

“I’m like, ‘Man, I wish my little brother could see this.’ My husband is a third-generational wrestler, and then with my dad…it was awesome, picture-perfect.”

Charlotte Flair.

Ric Flair made his first appearance on WWE TV in two years on this week’s Raw when he introduced Charlotte.

Charlotte Flair Unlocks New Milestone In WWE

h/t – Wrestling News

What Was Originally Planned For Scrapped Raw Women’s Steel Cage Match?

Thomas Lowson
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Fans were left extremely disappointed with this week’s Steel Cage match on Monday Night Raw, which did not go as planned.

The match, pitting Damage CTRL’s Bayley against Becky Lynch, had been promoted all week long, and had been as one of the main attractions for Raw’s 30th-anniversary episode.

Instead of a match, Lynch was attacked by WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions IYO SKY and Dakota Kai during her entrance and thrown into the ring.

Locking the cage door, the SKY, Kai, and Bayley beat down on Lynch, and left only after Adam Pearce had broken the lock on the cage door.

Original Plans

The Steel Cage match WWE had planned had to be scrapped due to segments earlier in the episode going long.

It has been reported that the Trial of Sami Zayn that opened up this week’s Raw went much longer than expected.

PW Insider reports that the plan for the cage match was for Lynch to win, and then be attacked post-match by Damage CTRL.

There has been no confirmation yet as to whether this match will be used in full down the line.

Backlash

WWE felt it was the right call to scrap the Steel Cage match, as the alternative was having the actual match go for approximately two minutes.

However, the decision to scrap the match has led to backlash by fans, who have called into question WWE’s treatment of their women for the Raw is 30 event.

After Raw, the hashtag #WWEWomenDeserveBetter trended on Twitter, with many feeling this week’s show was a slap in the face to the ‘Women’s Revolution.’

On Twitter, the Bella Twins expressed their support for the hashtag, after previously being advertised for the show, but didn’t appear on the program.

Undertaker & Bray Wyatt Comment on their Raw 30 Moment

Jake Roberts: Ahmed Johnson Was Hurting Guys Every Single Night

Thomas Lowson
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Ahmed Johnson was a force to be reckoned with throughout his WWF career, but the powerhouse was hardly making friends in the locker room.

Johnson debuted in the WWF in 1995, and captured the Intercontinental Championship at the following year’s King of the Ring event.

This win made Johnson the first African-American Intercontinental Champion, setting the path for future stars including modern-day talent like Kofi Kingston, Shelton Benjamin, and Big E.

The Kiss

Prior to his IC title win, Ahmed feuded with Goldust, who played mind games with the powerhouse.

On the May 27, 1996 Raw, the Bizarre One performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on Johnson, who was laid out backstage.

This act of CPR played into the gay panic that was more prevalent at the time, which Jake Roberts addressed on the latest Snake Pit podcast.

“I was there when they had him [Goldust] kiss Ahmed. Oh, boy, I wouldn’t have wanted to be in his way. He lost his sh*t!”

Jake Roberts.

Injuring Talent

As a former Football star, Johnson was used to letting his intensity do the talking and garnered a reputation among some for being dangerous in the ring.

On his podcast, Roberts suggested that Vince McMahon, well aware of how Ahmed would react to the kiss, booked it on purpose to try and get Johnson to leave the promotion.

“Vince did that on purpose. Vince needed a black superstar, and Ahmed was gonna be it, but then Ahmed just got to where he wouldn’t show up. He was hurting people every f*ing night. He just became unruly, unable to deal with him. Too demanding. They finally had to let him go.”

Jake Roberts

After leaving the WWF in 1998, Ahmed would join WCW in 1999 as ‘Big T,’ and would form ‘Harlem Heat 2000’ with Stevie Ray.

In a feud that would have filled arenas on Sesame Street, Big T feuded with Booker T over the usage of the letter ‘T,’ a feud Big T would win, leaving the future WWE Hall of Famer to go by just ‘Booker.’

Jake Roberts: WWE 2014 Return was Coming Back from the “Gates of Hell”

For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.

Matt Cardona Continues Teasing WWE Return with Trademark Filings

Thomas Lowson
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Will Matt Cardona be returning to WWE, possibly as soon as this weekend’s Royal Rumble?

Cardona spent over a decade with WWE under the name Zack Ryder, and previously worked as Brett Major.

The former Intercontinental, U.S., and Tag Champion was released in April 2020 as part of one of WWE’s ‘budget cut’ mass layoffs.

Trademark

In recent months, Cardona has teased a return to WWE following the comebacks of names like Karrion Kross, Johnny Gargano, Bray Wyatt, and others.

Over the past week, Cardona filed a trademark for the term ‘WOO WOO WOO. YOU KNOW IT,’ a line synonymous with his Zack Ryder character.

The trademark was filed with Michael E Dockins, who has assisted dozens of wrestlers with their trademark filings.

The term has been filed for the use of merchandise, including clothing and action figures.

It has been reported that Cardona’s wife Chelsea Green is set to return to WWE, and that both sides are just waiting on a creative decision for her TV comeback.

On His Own Terms

After spending much of his WWE career as little above an enhancement talent, Cardona has become a main eventer on the independent scene.

Speaking to Sportskeeda Wrestling last November, the former NWA World Champion said that it would have to be on his own terms.

“I said Zack Ryder is dead because, and listen, never say never, right, but if I were to ever go back, it has to be as Matt Cardona.”

In addition to the NWA, Cardona has competed for Impact, Game Changer Wrestling (where he is also a former World Champion) and had a brief appearance in AEW.

Matt Cardona’s Advice For Young Talent: “Slow The F*ck Down”

John Morrison Thinks Hall of Fame Is ‘Political And Made Up’

Anutosh Bajpai
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WWE’s Hall of Fame has always been a controversial subject. Many wrestling talents over the years have questioned its credibility over the lack of any criteria for inductees. John Morrison is one who doesn’t care about an induction because he thinks that it’s political and made up.

The former WWE star recently spoke to Chris Van Vliet. Among other things, the former ECW champion was asked if he thinks he has had a Hall of Fame career. Morrison replied by saying that he doesn’t care about it:

“Funny thing is I don’t care. I think the Hall of Fame is political and made up. It doesn’t matter that much to me.”

– John Morrison

Chris mentioned that John Morrison still has a lot left in the tank. The wrestling star then explained that it might be the reason for his disinterest: “Me too. Maybe that’s why I don’t care so much about Hall of Fame. I feel like it’s too early for that question.”

In his two runs with WWE, Morrison has won over half a dozen titles in the company. He has given fans many moments to remember and is certainly worthy of a Hall of Fame induction once he is ready to call it a career.

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 Explains Why Vince McMahon Changed His Name

Anutosh Bajpai
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John Morrison has gone through more name changes than anyone in the history of wrestling. It all started when the former WWE star made his debut on Raw under the ring name Johnny Blaze in 2004. However, he instantly went through a couple of name changes before settling on Johnny Nitro. He used the name for a few years before Vince McMahon made him change it again. The former champion thinks it was because Nitro reminded the boss of WCW’s flagship show of the same name.

The high-flying star was recently interviewed by Chris Van Vliet. Among other things he also talked about his name change in WWE. The wrestling star admitted that going from Nitro to Morrison was a big shift for him. He also revealed that Mr McMahon asked him to change the name three times before he finally did:

“It definitely was. Literally, Vince I don’t know if [he] would admit this or not, but [he] did not like Nitro. I don’t think [so]. Because it reminded him about WCW. Because he asked me to change my name three times. The third time was when I won the ECW title [in 2007]. I didn’t say no that time because I was like, ‘All right. I am not gonna fight this anymore.'”

When asked how he managed to say no to Vince McMahon two times, Morrison said “You just say you’ll think about it and then hope he forgets. Sometimes he does.”

‘You Gotta Have A Champion’s Name’: John Morrison

John Morrison was picked by Raw in Draft

John Morrison also revealed the reason Vince gave him for wanting the name change and detailed the final conversation about it:

“He said, ‘You gotta change your name. You gotta have a champion’s name if you’re gonna be a champion. Make a list of names. Write down 10 names’ Then an hour later, I had like a list of all these names.

Morrison was off Jim Morrison from the Doors but I had like Brando Morrison, Johnny Brando, Johnny Blaze Morrison, Blaze is already copywritten, but a bunch of stuff. He looked at this list that I’d spent an hour googling names and meanings and different celebrities like James Dean and making this list. He just looked at it and was like, ‘John Morrison,'”

You can check out the former ECW champion’s interview below:

More Originals From SEScoops:

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

Raw Sees Massive Increase In Viewership For Anniversary Show

Anutosh Bajpai
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WWE put some serious effort in promoting the Raw 30th Anniversary special and the buzz around the show seems to have paid off in form of a huge rating spike.

According to reports from Wrestlenomics, the show featuring appearances from a number of legends and more drew an average of 2.34 million viewers.

The episode featuring the US championship match between Austin Theory and Bobby Lashley among others drew a 0.70 rating for the 18-49 demographic.

The first hour of the show drew a massive 2.64 million viewers. While the following hours saw the usual decline, both the second and third hours of Raw XXX stayed above 2 million with a 2.37 million and 2.02 million ratings respectively.

This is a big 57% increase in the viewership number compared to last week’s episode of the show. The episode featuring the six-way elimination match had drawn 1.48 million viewers with a 0.42 rating in the 18-49 demo.

This week’s episode of the show which saw appearances from legends such as The Undertaker and DX scored the highest total viewership since the February 17, 2020 episode of the program.

WWE will be presenting the Royal Rumble PPV this Saturday. We will have to see if the big event helps next Monday’s show to retain some of these extra viewers.

WWE NXT Results (1/24): Women’s Championship Summit, Title Match

Andrew Ravens
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The January 24, 2023 episode of WWE NXT aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. 

WWE NXT Results 

  • Tiffany Stratton def. Indi Hartwell
  • JD McDonagh def. Andre Chase.
  • Kiana James & Fallon Henley (w/ Brooks Jensen & Josh Briggs) def. Diamond Mine’s Ivy Nile & Tatum Paxley
  • Creed Brothers (Julius Creed & Brutus Creed) def. Drew Gulak & Hank Walker
  • Elektra Lopez def. Wendy Choo
  • NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Katana Chance and Kayden Carter def. Sol Ruca and Alba Fyre

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

More Build 

Collage Maker 24 Jan 2023 12.53 PM

NXT Champion Bron Breakker will defend his title against Grayson Waller at Vengeance Day next month. So what did WWE do to further build to the event?

Waller came out and talked trash about how he could smell a dog coming. He wanted to make another viral moment. Bron could be seen pushing his way through security guards. Him and Waller got into a brawl before being separated by wrestlers. Waller sent him through the barricade. 

NXT Women’s Tag Team Title Match

0NXT 3

NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Katana Chance and Kayden Carter vs. Alba Fyre in a 2-on-1 match was booked. 

The champions intervened to stop Isla Dawn from attacking the referee with a baseball bat after she cost Fyre a match against Sol Ruca last week. But instead of calming her down, Fyre ended up challenging the champions to a match. 

Sol Ruca was revealed as Fyre’s partner. The match was the headliner. The champions went over. Post-match, Kiana James and Fallon Henley appeared to challenge the champs to a match at Vengeance Day. 

Thea Hail Award Ceremony

2nxt 3

A Thea Hail award ceremony was booked after she picked up a win over Valentina Feroz on last week’s show. Elektra Lopez came out prior to the finish of the match and handed Feroz a pair of brass knuckles, but Feroz refused to use the weapon. The distraction ultimately cost her the match.

Andre Chase was dressed up in graduation attire. Chase stated that Hail showed courage and confidence last week. He awarded a plaque to Hail for getting her first win. Hail said she loves the fan and the student section. 

JD McDonaugh came out to mock the segment. JD said that when you hang around Chase U, a win is a big deal considering their record. He said that they’re losers and to get out of his ring. Chase challenges him to a fight then attacked JD. 

Vengeance Day Women’s Championship Summit

1nxt 3

A Vengeance Day summit between new Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez, Gigi Dolin, and Jacy Jayne took place. Perez, Lyra Valkaria, defeated Toxic Attraction on last Tuesday’s show.

Dolin and Jayne argued to start it off. Jayne said that she dragged Dolin to success. Dolin mocked her for throwing up before matches. Dolin said Perez will be the shortest reigning NXT Women’s Champion in history. They all said they would win. Dolin and Jayne then attacked Perez. They put her through a table and stood tall with the title to close the show. 

Nikki Bella Addresses The Bella Twins Not Appearing on WWE Raw 30

Andrew Ravens
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The Bella Twins (Nikki & Brie Bella) were initially advertised weeks ago to appear at WWE Raw XXX on Monday night. 

They weren’t advertised the week before the event and didn’t show up at the event. While speaking on Instagram Live, Nikki explained why they didn’t appear on the show. It all came down to them being booked from Monday through Thursday with Artem Chigvintsev on a busy media schedule to promote the premiere of “Nikki Bella Says I Do” on Thursday night. She stated that it’s a WWE-owned show, and that’s why there were so many trailers for it during Raw. 

“We were hoping, I think it was weeks ago, we were talking about going to Raw. They said they had nothing for us. We were booked on media on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and then there was maybe an idea. Our whole team, including WWE and everyone else, had booked us for Monday in New York. Whatever you see of stuff, all of a sudden, stories change; that’s to clean up and throw it on people, nope. We had all these commitments per the company we work for and everyone else. I know people like to throw it on people, but I’m not going to let that happen,” she said.

#WWEWomenDeserveBetter

After the show, Nikki and Brie spoke on Instagram, noting the lack of women’s clips on Raw 30. Becky Lynch and Bayley were scheduled to compete in a cage match on the show, but the match was cut short due to the opening segment going long. The hashtag “WWEWomenDeserveBetter” began trending after the show.

Nikki said she loves the fans for sticking up for the women and said it wasn’t about them for bringing this up. Instead, it’s about the women of the past to the ones in the company now. 

“I understand why so many people are upset, especially our fans when it’s something like Raw 30.”

Nikki noted that people have their own memories and come from various eras. 

“I love that you’re doing the hashtag, and you’re going to see a lot of narratives play because people have to protect themselves and you’re going to get a lot of women blamed and people calling them crybabies. No, we put in just as much effort and work. All those women do, all of them, from every era. Not just women, men too.”

“WWE Women Deserve Better” – Fans Revolt After Raw 30 Special

H/T to Figtful for the transcription

AEW Star’s Deal Set to Expire Soon, Possible WWE Interest

Andrew Ravens
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ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champion Brian Cage is about to become a free agent. 

A new report from Fightful Select notes that Cage’s AEW contract is set to expire in a matter of weeks. That could change at any time if an extension is reached.

Cage originally signed his AEW contract in 2020 when he joined the promotion, and it was a two-year deal. However, his option year was picked up by AEW. At that time, word going around was that Cage was pleasantly surprised as he didn’t expect to have his option year picked up because he had been off TV for almost one year.

WWE Interest?

The report noted there have been feelers within WWE to gauge the company’s interest in possibly bringing Cage in. As of this writing, it remains to be seen whether either side has an interest.

While away from AEW, he had been working for Warrior Wrestling, XPW, and other indie promotions. Cage has received internal praise for his work since returning to AEW TV in September. 

Cage is currently on a four-match winning streak in AEW as Cage has picked up wins over Schaff, Carl Randers, and Willie Mack before beating Mack again on last week’s Rampage episode.

This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite will feature Cage vs. Bryan Danielson in singles action.

Former WWE Writer Reveals Who Was Originally Planned to Win 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble

Andrew Ravens
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Bianca Belair went on to win the 2021 30-Woman Royal Rumble match and headlined WWE WrestleMania 37 with Sasha Banks. This came one year after she was called up to the main roster from NXT. 

For the past nine months, Belair has been the Raw Women’s Champion. Belair’s rise was discussed on the Public Enemies Podcast by former WWE writer Chris Dunn. 

This is where the original plan for the 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble match was revealed. 

Original Winner

He revealed that Charlotte Flair was penciled in to win the match. The finish had been practiced, and Flair was going to go over. Belair was going to be eliminated midway through the match. However, fellow writer Ryan Ward presented his case to Vince McMahon about why Belair should win instead of Flair. 

“I was in a Tampa Hotel room and we were watching some sort of football game and an assistant had just left the Royal Rumble (2021) night-before meeting and they changed the finish and Charlotte [Flair] was going to go over and they rehearsed Charlotte going over and Bianca [Belair] was going to get eliminated like midway through the match and it got changed to Bianca going over and I think a lot of people voiced it but this guy, Ryan Ward, he’s been there for like 14 years, he was [John] Cena’s writer and probably, for my money, I think has had the biggest hand in the women’s revolution. 

He was lead writer in the golden days of NXT with Kevin [Owens] and Sami [Zayn] and The Four Horsewomen, all that stuff. From my understanding, what I heard, he kind of said something to Vince [McMahon] to the effect of, ‘Vince, if you look at the Royal Rumble tomorrow, you have Edge winning and Charlotte winning. We’re not making any new stars’ and I think that really resonated and Bianca was on such a roll where it kind of made sense and she also had to, again, right after that match, really nail that post-match promo and she did it and she was just awesome and great.”

Belair will make her next title defense at the Royal Rumble against Alexa Bliss this Saturday. 

H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcription

New Footage of the NXT Brawl at WWE Performance Center

Andrew Ravens
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WWE did an angle on Monday at the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, with Bron Breakker and Grayson Waller. 

Breakker retained his WWE NXT Title over Waller a few weeks ago at New Year’s Evil via count out. They will run it back at NXT Vengeance Day next month inside of a steel cage at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The angle was first seen when Miss Indiana USA Alexis Lete posted a video on her Instagram Stories in what was supposed to be a clip about what she’s been learning while training to become a WWE Superstar. At the end of the clip, you can see a bunch of other trainers and wrestlers swarm Breakker and Waller to try to break things up.

Another View

An alternate view of the fight can be seen below, where Breakker was throwing hands after taking down Waller. 

A match or two will likely be added with the event a week away, but the current lineup features four matches. The other bouts previously announced for the show include NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez vs. Gigi Dolin vs. Jacy Jayne, NXT Tag Team Champions The New Day vs. Gallus vs. Pretty Deadly, and NXT North American Champion Wes Lee vs. Dijak.

Roxanne Perez Reveals How Mandy Rose Reacted To Her Title Win

Jon Fuentes
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Roxanne Perez has revealed how Mandy Rose reacted to finding out that she’d be dropping the NXT Women’s Title to her.

Last month, Perez shocked fans when she pulled off a surprise win over Mandy Rose on an episode of NXT to capture the NXT Women’s Title. However, shortly after, Rose was released from the company.

It was alter determined that Rose was let go after releasing explicit content on her subscription fan page. Perez recently spoke to Faction 919 about the entire ordeal, and what it was like working with Rose in her final match with the company.

“For her to be such a good human being, I was always so grateful for her. In a way, I was a little sad, because of the way it was happening, but she was so supportive and being like, ‘You deserve this.’ It made it so much more special.

“To have Booker T, my trainer, on commentary. My boyfriend was also there as well, he was a big part of my training and me becoming a wrestler. To have them there and when they gave me the championship, holding it in my hands, it didn’t feel real until that moment.

“Everything I went through, all the trials and tribulations, the ups and downs of this wrestling journey that I’ve been on since I was 13, all those moments were so worth it. It was finally real and it finally happened. It was crazy.”

Roxanne Perez Cora Jade
(via WWE)

Perez noted that Rose was actually supportive of her throughout the title win, telling her she deserves it.

Perez is in the midst of her first title reign as NXT Women’s Champion. She only signed with the company last March and is already a former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion alongside Cora Jade.

Quotes via Fightful

Undertaker & Bray Wyatt Comment on their Raw 30 Moment

Michael Reichlin
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Monday’s 30th anniversary edition of WWE Raw was an eventful show. Perhaps the most buzz-worthy moment of the 3-hour marathon broadcast was the face-to-face confrontation between The Undertaker and Bray Wyatt.

The Dead Man whispered something into Wyatt’s ear that had a profound impact on the Eater of Words. Wyatt took a moment on Tuesday morning to share his feelings about the interaction with his legion of fans on social media.

Wyatt says that one moment with The Undertaker at Raw 30 “justified a lifetime of sacrifices” for him. Whatever you want to say about Wyatt’s WWE character, you have to agree: he’s unique. This uniqueness has brought adversity, including people encouraging him to change and confirm. He’s resisted these calls, and now feels reassured that he hasn’t compromised himself to fit someone else’s narrative.

The interaction with Bray Wyatt on Raw was also meaningful for The Undertaker. He echoed the sentiment that pro wrestling is all about moments. He’s created countless moments throughout his legendary career, but his brief encounter with Wyatt on Raw was a special one he’ll remember for a long time.

Many are looking at The Undertaker and Bray Wyatt’s interaction as a passing of the torch, of sorts. Taker has been WWE’s resident supernatural character since he arrived on the scene in November 1990. Many others have come and gone, but nobody has pulled it off quite like The Undertaker.

They’ve worked together before, most notably a feud that culminated at WrestleMania 31. The Undertaker has publicly expressed his respect for Wyatt, his creativity and his persona. He’s called Wyatt a “phenomenal talent” who has a lot to offer the industry.

Details on Darby Allin Filming a Pilot for His New Show

Andrew Ravens
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AEW TNT Champion Darby Allin has given some new details on his television show as he finished filming the pilot for the series.

The show was announced last year as it replaced “Rhodes to the Top,” which had aired on TNT but was put to an end once Cody and Brandi Rhodes left the company. 

TNT contacted D Allin about his own TV show, which he discussed when speaking with Tony Hawk and Jason Ellis ‘Hawk vs Wolf Podcast’. Allin mentioned that a pilot for his television show has been filmed and that he wore a dog’s shock collar while trying to skateboard during the filming. 

Due to his interests outside of the ring of doing various stunts, there has been speculation the show may be like the “Jackass” franchise, where he puts his body on the line.

The Show

“I was wearing one (electric shock collar) when we were filming the pilot for my TV show and we were trying to do some skating with the shock collar and stuff like that and I was like, this is impossible. I couldn’t imagine putting that on a dog. Crazy.”

Allin won the TNT Title for a second time to kick off the year and has made three successful defenses against the likes of Mike Bennett, Juice Robinson, and KUSHIDA. Darby’s next scheduled defense is against Buddy Matthews this Wednesday. 

H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcription

Mick Foley Reacts To Missing RAW XXX

Jon Fuentes
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WWE Hall Of Famer Mick Foley has reacted to missing out on RAW XXX this week.

This week’s episode of RAW celebrated the show’s 30th anniversary. The show featured the return of several notable legends such as The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Kurt Angle, and many more.

However, one notable absence was none other than Mick Foley. Foley took to his Facebook profile to explain that he “politely declined” an invitation to be part of the special episode.

“Sending out happy 30th anniversary wishes to everyone involved with Monday Night Raw. It is no exaggeration to say that some of the very finest moments of my life took place on this program – and I’m hoping for another 20 years. I was not able to make it this time, but I just might be there for the 50th anniversary in 2043!

“I’m wondering what a few of your favorite Mandind, Dude, Cactus or Commissioner Foley moments are from the Monday Night archives… Winning the title from @therock the first time is the no-brainer end so try to take a little deeper dive than that!

“Thanks to all of you who watched for so many years, and have a nice day!”

Mick Foley

Foley occasionally appears on WWE programming from time-to-time but hasn’t been a regular since his stint as Monday Night RAW general manager ended in 2017.

He has admitted that he has been reluctant to be on WWE programming as he has had issues remembering his lines as of late. Foley was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2013.

Details on Mercedes Moné’s Future Matches for NJPW (Report)

Thomas Lowson
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Mercedes Moné will only wrestle a handful of times a year for New Japan Pro Wrestling, but fans will see plenty of her in the coming months.

Moné made her debut for New Japan at Wrestle Kingdom 17 earlier this month, confronting IWGP Women’s Champion KAIRI after a title defense against Tam Nakano.

The former Sasha Banks attacked KAIRI after the match and a title match between the two has been set for next month.

Future Plans

Moné hopes to become the second-ever IWGP Women’s Champion on February 18, but more details are being presented about future matches.

On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that Moné is only contracted for a handful of matches, with her second set for NJPW Sakura Genesis on April 8, at Ryogoku Sumo Hall.

Moné’s third match will see her compete at a STARDOM event at the Yokohama Arena on April 23.

Other than the Battle in the Valley match, no opponents have been announced for Moné’s other matches.

It has been reported that New Japan has already planned for a sequel to Moné Vs. KAIRI next month.

Outside the Ring

Reportedly contracted to just a handful of matches a year with New Japan, Moné has plenty of time for non-wrestling projects.

The former Superstar has a budding acting career, having appeared as Koska Reeves in Disney+ hit ‘The Mandalorian.’

Last month, Moné informed her fans on Twitter that she had wrapped up shooting for her first feature film in Boston, MA.

During her hiatus from WWE, the former Raw and SmackDown Women’s Champion walked the runway for New York Fashion Week alongside fellow wrestler Naomi.

WWE Expects Mercedes Mone To Return Eventually

“We Bleed Every Month” – Willow Nightingale Hits Back at Women’s Blading Stigma

Thomas Lowson
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Should women be blading in professional wrestling? Willow Nightingale says yes.

While blood is common in men’s matches for promotions that allow blood, women’s wrestling has often gone years if not decades without a single laceration.

That has changed in recent years, though there are some (including Ric Flair) who are opposed to the idea of women blading.

The Tag Match

During the January 13, AEW Rampage, Nightingale teamed with Ruby Soho to face Tay Melo and Anna Jay, which saw plenty of the red viscous liquid.

Speaking on The Sessions, Nightingale recalled the match and the restrictions put in place before the bell rung.

“We are all very excited to be given the opportunity to do something like this. Anna and Tay have already done this a year ago on Television. They had a lot of fun with it. There are limits, I guess, on how grotesque it’s allowed to be. I can only speak from my experience. I don’t know if this is the case with other matches, other tag matches, or men’s wrestling. I don’t know what those conversations are like. I only know the conversations that we had and for us, it was that one person from each team was allowed to bleed.

“We all wanted to get our hands dirty and we all wanted to do crazy stuff.”

Willow Nightingale.

“We all wanted to get our hands dirty and we all wanted to do crazy stuff, but we were like ‘okay, understood.’ We didn’t have to worry about it because Ruby bled enough for everybody. I felt it was awesome, I thought she looked killer. She thought she looked great. She had to get stitched up after and I held her hand as she got injected [with an anesthetic.]”

The match saw Soho and Nightingale get the win in the main event of Rampage

Backlash

While the match was lauded by many, many fans also criticized the match, arguing that the level of blood wasn’t fitting for a women’s division match.

Speaking about the negative response, Nightingale felt fans needed reminding that countless women will bleed once a month, whether they want to or not.

“We were just really excited about everything and I think if people are getting their panties in a bunch about [women blading in wrestling,] then that’s the least of your concerns. Like, we bleed every single month. Nobody talks about that, and I’m sure if that happened [in the match] or if it happened ever on the show, people would make a big deal about that too. You know, If someone was to bleed through their gear.”

“If people are getting their panties in a bunch about [women blading in wrestling,] then that’s the least of your concerns.”

Willow Nightingale.

“We bleed the same as men do. We take the same bumps in the ring as they do. We’re at the same risk so I just don’t understand why there has to be a double standard about physically seeing blood. Ultimately, it’s what we signed up for. We were aware of this possibility.”

Backstage News on Willow Nightingale Signing with All Elite Wrestling

For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.

WWE NXT Preview (1/24): Matches, Vengeance Day Summit

Michael Reichlin
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WWE presents a new episode of NXT tonight on the USA Network live from Orlando, Florida.

We’re less than two weeks out from NXT Vengeance Day, which takes place next weekend on Saturday, February 4. The event will stream live on Peacock at 8pm (Eastern).

Tonight’s broadcast will see an NXT Vengeance Day Women’s Championship Summit. What will happen when Gigi Dolin, Jacy Jayne and NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez go face-to-face (to-face) ahead of their clash on 2/4?

We’ve also got several matches advertised, including:

  • Alba Fyre will battle NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Kayden Carter and Katana Chance in a 1-on-2 handicap match with the titles on the line.
  • Tiffany Stratton vs. Indi Hartwell
  • Elektra Lopez vs. Wendy Choo.
  • Fallon Henley and Kiana James be in action

Check back later tonight for our weekly NXT Results feature. Catch up on all the happenings from last week’s show right here:

Here’s WWE’s video preview for tonight’s NXT broadcast on the USA Network:

Kofi Kingston Reflects On Crazy Moments With New Day

Anutosh Bajpai
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The New Day are one of the most remarkable success stories of WWE’s current era. The trio of Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods and Big E started off as a completely different kind of faction. Plans changed however and the group ended up getting over with completely different characters. Even today, the trio can’t believe that they get paid to do things such as swivelling their hips in front of arenas full of people.

Kingston was recently interviewed by Under The Ring podcast. The former WWE champion was asked if there has been a moment with the New Day where he thought it was ridiculous that he was getting paid for it. The wrestling veteran laughed at the question and explained that there are many such moments:

“There’s so many moments. It was probably at some point in time when I’m out there twerking. E’s out there swivelling his hips, Woods just swivelling his hips and the entire crowd is doing it along with us. They’re going to buy our shirts.

We’ll leave the arenas and people will be waiting to see WWE superstars on the way out, and then you’ll have the entire crowd just swivelling their hips and we’re like, ‘Man, this is out contribution to society.'” said Kofi Kingston,

“People are out there from all ages, little kids all the way up to old ladies out there swivelling their hips, and trying to say what’s up? So when you sit back and think about all the crazy things that we have done, it’s really quite remarkable. We say often, ‘We can’t believe that we get paid actual money to do this, it’s crazy.'”

More Originals From SEScoops:

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

“WWE Women Deserve Better” – Fans Revolt After Raw 30 Special

Michael Reichlin
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WWE attempted to present a feel-good show for Monday’s Raw 30th anniversary special. Despite the company’s best efforts, but many fans were left disgruntled and dejected over the way women were booked on the show.

Raw 30 (Results) saw some memorable moments, including The Undertaker’s interaction with Bray Wyatt, Ric Flair proudly introducing his daughter Charlotte, DX interacting with Imperium and Brock Lesnar’s show-closing return.

Despite these high points, there’s been a lot of negative feedback over the lack of emphasis on female Superstars. The top women’s match advertised for the show, a steel cage match between Becky Lynch and Bayley, never took place.

Due to earlier segments in the show running long, the decision was made to cut the women’s cage match and simply run a quick ‘attack’ angle instead. We did get Bianca Belair vs. Sonya Deville, as well as a backstage promo from Alexa Bliss and a special appearance by Charlotte Flair. Rhea Ripley even got involved during the Usos vs. Judgment Day tag title match. However, there was enough backlash to get #WWEWomenDeserveBetter trending on Twitter.

WWE advertised the Bella Twins for RAW 30, but they were nowhere to be found. They posted a video on social media venting about WWE’s poor treatment its female talent. Nikki mocked WWE for getting upset that Sasha Banks was “too over” and Brie added, “there’s a bunch of us they doin’t want to show.”

It’s not a great look for WWE. They’re quick to pat themselves on the back for empowering women, but they’re falling short in the eyes of fans and even their female talent. Women have been part of some of the biggest moments in Raw history. Some of those moments were featured during the ‘flashback’ segments that aired throughout the broadcast.

At the end of the day, feedback from fans (and talent) matters. Even if you think you’re doing a great job, substantial backlash like this needs to be considered.

Warner Bros. Discovery Will Not Allow Mark Briscoe on AEW TV After Jay’s Death (Report)

Thomas Lowson
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Mark Briscoe will still not be allowed to appear for All Elite Wrestling, even after the death of his brother Jay.

Jay Briscoe died in a car accident last week when a vehicle driving the other way swerved onto his lane, mere minutes from Jay’s home in Laurel, Delaware.

Briscoe was 38 at the time of his death, and his daughters, who were in the vehicle at the time, have since undergone surgery.

Controversy

The Briscoes were one of the most popular tag teams of their era but were banned from appearing for AEW.

The decision was made by AEW’s partners at Warner Bros. Discovery, who did not want the Briscoes given controversial statements from Jay’s past.

In June 2011, Jay stirred controversy when he tweeted “a lot of f*gs out in New York today,” and would share a similar homophobic message following Hurricane Irene.

When the Delaware Senate passed a bill allowing same-sex couples to marry in May 2013, Briscoe said “try and teach my kids that there’s nothing wrong with that and I’ll f*cking shoot you.”

After considerable backlash, Briscoe explained these comments as his redneck heel character, and did not reflect his personal beliefs on homosexuality.

Briscoe also agreed to donate his full salary from the next two shows to the Partners Against Hate charity.

In 2021, Ian Riccaboni said “If folks only knew how Jay supports and puts over all talent, specifically LGBTQ+ talent, as a leader in the locker room.”

Following his death this month, Dave Meltzer said that Briscoe was considered to have completely reformed his views on the LGBTQ+ community, and that he enjoyed the support of LGBTQ+ wrestlers.

Banned from AEW

Though it was Jay who made the comments that saw the Briscoes banned by WBD, his brother Mark will suffer the consequences.

On Wrestling Observer Radio, Bryan Alverez read asked if Mark will be allowed on AEW TV and to join the roster following Jay’s passing.

“I already know the answer. The answer is no. Okay? I can’t tell you more. It could change, but that is the answer.”

Dave Meltzer.

Both Meltzer and Alverez were evidently frustrated, and Meltzer said he hopes this changes.

The Young Bucks Wanted The Briscoes When AEW First Started

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