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John Morrison Puts Recent WWE Chaos In Perspective

Anutosh Bajpai
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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,

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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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

Kevin Nash: Bobby Lashley “Always Seems To Be Missing Something”

Tyriece Simon
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WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash believes Bobby Lashley is missing something as a superstar.

Since returning to the company in 2018, Lashley has had great success in WWE. He left the company in 2008 to pursue other opportunities like MMA. He has won the Intercontinental Championship and WWE Championship twice since his comeback. Although he’s had a tremendous second run in WWE, Lashley still has his critics.

Nash has shared his thoughts on Lashley on his podcast Kliq This, which was aired on Ad Free Shows. He believes that Lashley may be too nice of a person, which prevents him from being taken as a threat compared to Brock Lesnar.

Wrestling Inc’s Dakota Cohen transcribed the following quotes.

“I love Bobby, he’s a sweetheart,” Nash said. “He just always seems to be missing something. I don’t know what it is … I think he comes across, to me, like he is a nice guy. He’s not a killer. Bobby Lashley is not a killer, you know? He’s the nice f****** guy. Where Brock Lesnar, who’s a nice guy, he, he just has that something in him. If you said, ‘Please, I’ve had enough,’ I think Bobby would stop. I think Brock would stomp you two more times.”

Kevin Nash
Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar

Is Another Bobby Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar Match Happening Soon?

WWE may look to have another match between Lashley and Lesnar. Both talents have loosely been in a feud for over a year. Wrestling fans may remember Lashley defeated Lesnar at the Royal Rumble on Jan. 29, 2022, to win the WWE Championship. WWE didn’t follow up on the feud until Lesnar attacked Lashley on the Oct. 10, 2022, episode of Monday Night Raw.

The attack led to their second match at Crown Jewel on Nov. 5, 2022, which Lesnar won. However, WWE made sure Lashley attacked “The Beast Incarnate” after the match to extend the feud. Lesnar took some time off until he returned to attack Lashley again to prevent him from winning the United States Championship at Raw is XXX on Jan. 23. In response, Lashley eliminated Lesnar from the 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble match on Jan. 28.

Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar
Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar

Both wrestlers have one win against each other, which sets up a match to end the year-long feud. WWE could have the third encounter between Lashley and Lesnar in April at WrestleMania 39. Lashley also wanted this as he challenged his rival to a match at WrestleMania in May of last year.

While it could be a big match at WWE’s biggest show of the year, the company could decide to go a different route. However, it makes sense for the feud to end soon.

Are you interested in a third match between Lashley and Lesnar?

WWE 2K23 Director: AEW Fight Forever Will Drive Us to be Better

Thomas Lowson
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AEW’s much-anticipated debut into the world of console gaming will strive those working at WWE 2K to be better, it has been claimed.

Next month will see the launch of WWE 2K23, the latest installment in the franchise and sequel to last year’s successful 2K22.

Prior to 2K22, WWE’s previous game WWE 2K20, had received universal panning, with reports that WWE’s relationship with 2K on the rocks.

The Gaming Wars

While WWE’s relationship with 2K is seemingly back on track, AEW is yet to release its Fight Forever video game.

First announced in late 2020, a playable teaser has been used at gaming events, but fans are still far from getting their hands on a completed copy.

While speaking with WCCF Tech, WWE 2K23 Creative Director Lynell Jinks addressed the competition AEW Fight Forever brings.

“I love competition. I started on NBA 2K, I spent 10 years on it, and at that time, we were going against NBA Inside Drive. Then we were going against [NBA] ShootOut and NBA Live, and every year, we would look at what they did and be, like, “that’s interesting” or “they did this better than us.” That only makes our games better.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing what they’re gonna do that’s going to drive us to be even stronger.”

Lynell Jinks.

“Same thing you can say about wrestling in general — having competition, to me, it’s no coincidence that the storylines [in WWE] have been the best they’ve been in a long time. I think it’s because of that competition. It’s the same with video games. I’m looking forward to seeing what they’re gonna do that’s going to drive us to be even stronger.”

    AEW Fight Forever

    With an eight-digit investment into their gaming department (at least $10 million) a lot is riding on the success of Fight Forever.

    The game will feature wrestling game staples, including singles matches, tag matches, ladder matches and battle royales, as well as more unique match types including the Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch and Intergender wrestling.

    The game will feature a full creation suite, including wrestlers, movesets, entrances, and arenas and a career mode will allow players to take their own created wrestler

    Despite initially being scheduled for a 2022 release date, no release date is now known for AEW Fight Forever.

    New Gameplay Footage & Details for AEW: Fight Forever

    h/t – 411 Mania

    Matt Hardy: ‘Tony Khan Is The Best Boss I’ve Ever Worked For’

    Anutosh Bajpai
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    Matt Hardy has been in the wrestling business for over 3 decades. He has worked for many different promotions and under many different bosses in this time. According to him, Tony Khan is the best boss he has ever worked for, because the AEW president cares for their wrestlers.

    The wrestling veteran answered fan questions on the latest episode of his podcast. A fan asked what is the best thing about working for All Elite Wrestling. Hardy mentioned how the AEW schedule allows for much greater work life balance:

    “The schedule is much more friendly to someone who has a family like I have. because my kids, they grow so fast. It’s crazy. It seems like yesterday Maxwell was just born, and he’s seven and a half now. So time flies, and I get a lot more time at home with my kids and my wife and my family, which is really important to me in this day and age. I have a very healthy balance of like professional life and personal life.”

    ‘The Best Boss I’ve Ever Worked For’: Matt Hardy

    Matt Hardy
    Matt Hardy

    Matt Hardy explained that generally, he is only on the road for three days a week. There are exceptions such as PPV weeks but even then, Tony Khan lets them go home if they are not appearing on the PPV:

    “I know this for a fact Tony Khan is the best boss I’ve ever worked for, because Tony looks at his wrestlers as human beings. They’re not just cogs in the machine where he’s focused on what they’re going to do for him in wrestling. He realizes they have a personal life at home, especially people who have families and kids.

    If I’m away and he knows I’m not going to be on the pay per view on Sunday and I finish at the Fan Fest on Saturday, he lets me go home on Saturday. He doesn’t want to just keep you around just in case. He’s usually pretty set. So he’s very lenient, and I’m very grateful for that. If I’m not needed, he’ll let me go home and be with my kids. He wants me to be with my kids. So I really appreciate and I’m very grateful for the care and love he has for people having personal lives.”

    More Originals From SEScoops:

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

    AEW Star Reacts to Emotional Cody Rhodes-Paul Heyman Raw Segment

    Thomas Lowson
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    The emotional in-ring war of words between Cody Rhodes and Paul Heyman has got everybody talking, including a member of the AEW roster.

    During Raw, Cody Rhodes’ address to the WWE Universe was interrupted by Heyman, who spoke about the close bond he had with Cody’s father Dusty.

    After some heartwarming reminiscing, Heyman spoke about the names Dusty trained, including Roman Reigns (Rhodes’ WrestleMania 39 opponent), and noted that the American Dream did not train his son.

    Heyman (fighting back tears) recalled his final talk with Dusty, who said that Cody was his favorite son, but Roman Reigns is the son he always wished he had.

    In response, Cody said that since Heyman has made this personal, he vows to dethrone Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania

    Reaction

    Cody may have been Dusty’s favorite son (according to Heyman) but the American Nightmare isn’t the only son of the American Dream.

    Dustin Rhodes now works in AEW, and in a tweet, showed his support for his brother, and had a piece of advice for what Cody should do to Heyman.

    Dustin and Dusty

    Dustin Rhodes and his father would share the screen throughout the respective careers of both men.

    As part of Dusty’s feud with the ‘Million Dollar Man’ Ted DiBiase, the father and son teamed at the 1991 Royal Rumble in a losing effort to DiBiase and Virgil.

    After making appearances together in WCW and outside televised wrestling, the two reunited for Goldust’s green card wedding to Aksana on NXT in 2010.

    The American Dream would also be present for his son’s tag-team match against The Shield (Reigns and Seth Rollins) at Battleground 2013, which earned a Match of the Year nomination at that year’s Slammy Awards.

    Dustin Rhodes Announces 2023 Will be His Final Year in Wrestling

    Brock Lesnar To Wrestle At Elimination Chamber, Updated Match Card

    Anutosh Bajpai
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    WWE has confirmed that The Beast Incarnate Brock Lesnar will be competing at Elimination Chamber. He will be going up against Bobby Lashley.

    Lashley eliminated Lesnar from the Royal Rumble match last month. Brock cut a promo on this week’s Raw mentioning how it has been bothering him.

    He challenged the All Mighty for a match at the upcoming PLE and presented a ‘multi-million-dollar contract’. While Bobby Lashley did come out, he refused to sign a contract saying that things will be done on his terms.

    This angered Brock Lesnar who then delivered an F5 to Lashley and placed the contract on his chest. Lesnar delivered another F5 on fan demand before leaving.

    Elimination Chamber Updated Match Card

    WWE has announced a contract signing segment for next week’s Raw to make this match official. Including this bout, here is the updated match card for Elimination Chamber:

    • WWE Universal Championship Match: Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn
    • Elimination Chamber Match For US Title: Austin Theory vs. Seth “Freakin” Rollins vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Bronson Reed vs. Montez Ford vs. Damian Priest
    • Elimination Chamber Match To Determine #1 Contender For Raw Women’s Title: Raquel Rodriguez vs. Liv Morgan vs. Nikki Cross vs. Asuka vs. Natalya vs. Carmella
    • Mixed Tag Team Match: Beth Phoenix and Edge vs. Finn Balor and Rhea Ripley
    • Singles Match: Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley

    Elimination Chamber will be taking place on Saturday, February 18 from Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

    Watch: Lita Makes Surprise Return To End Raw

    Anutosh Bajpai
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    Lita is back and she hasn’t forgotten how to kick ass.

    WWE had announced a Steel Cage match between Becky Lynch and Bayley for this week’s Raw. The match was originally supposed to take place at Raw XXX but was cut due to timing issues.

    The bout main evented this week’s episode of the red branded show. Lynch came alone for this fight while Bayley was accompanied by Dakota Kai and IYO SKY as expected.

    The Damage CTRL leader hit a Bayley-to-Belly on The Man towards the ending of the match but she failed to get the pin.

    Bayley then tried to escape the cage by climbing out but Becky climbed up to stop her. Lynch sent Bayley crashing. It looked as if she might escape to win the match but SKY interfered.

    Lita is Back!

    SKY forced Becky Lynch to go back and Dakota Kai handed Bayley a crutch. This is when Lita’s music hit and she came to the aid of The Man.

    The Hall of Famer first pulled SKY off the cage and took down Kai using her own crutch. She hit a Twist of Fate on SKY and then stopped Bayley from escaping the cage.

    This allowed Becky Lynch to hit the Man Handle Slam on her opponent to win the bout. Lita and Lynch celebrated in the ring to end the show.

    CM Punk Was Not “Correct” With All Out 2022 Actions Claims AEW Star

    Thomas Lowson
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    Was CM Punk right with what he said and did following AEW All Out 2022?

    Since the infamous September Pay-Per-View, Punk has not been seen on AEW programming, due to his comments on the post-show media scrum.

    After lashing out at several roster members, including The Elite, ‘Hangman’ Adam Page, and Colt Cabana, Punk was involved in a fight backstage that led to several suspensions.

    Jake Hager Weighs In

    Punk is now the only person suspended at the time to still be suspended from AEW, and many believe his days with the company are through.

    While Tony Khan refuses to speak about Punk when asked in interviews, Jake Hager weighed in when speaking on Story Time with Dutch Mantell.

    “Who knows how animosity builds and how lack of communication leads to certain things. I think it all stems from how you view things, and obviously one person in that party was viewing things so negatively. And I don’t think he was correct.”

    Jake Hager on CM Punk.

    AEW has not revealed the results of the investigation into the backstage fight that was conducted by a third party.

    Given that the Elite are back on TV and AEW Trios Champions again, while Punk is still suspended and his ally Ace Steel fired, the results have seemingly damned the former AEW World Champion.

    What’s next?

    Today is day 155 since the All Out altercation, and Punk’s future in AEW, and wrestling as a whole, remains uncertain.

    It has been reported that Punk is seeking a buyout of his AEW deal, something that Tony Khan is in no hurry to grant.

    Some speculate that Punk wants out of AEW in order to return to WWE, the promotion he walked out of in 2014.

    It has also been reported that people from both companies believe Punk returning to AEW or WWE is a bad idea and that he will only cause more trouble.

    Matt Hardy Was ‘Laughing Out Loud’ Over Recent CM Punk Jab

    h/t – eWrestlingNews

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