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Britt Baker “Hoping and Praying” Mercedes Moné Joins AEW

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Britt Baker is keeping a close eye on the career of Mercedes Moné, who departed from WWE and got her release from the company before signing with NJPW in January. She won the IWGP Women’s Title from KAIRI at NJPW Battle in the Valley in February. 

This marked Moné’s first match since May 2022 as she had walked out of WWE alongside Naomi due to creative differences. 

In January, the build-up to a tag match on AEW Dynamite had speculation that Mercedes would’ve been revealed as Saraya’s mystery tag team partner to take on Baker and AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter. Baker went as far as referring to herself as ‘The Boss’, which was Mercedes’ nickname while she was in WWE. 

The Dream

Baker told the New York Post that she hopes and prays to see Moné in AEW in some capacity.

“It’s weird to see now that she’s out in the wild,” she said. “She’s not completely inaccessible in a way. These are very realistic matchups that could happen and I think the world is ready to see Mercedes Moné let out of the cage. What is she gonna do now?”

“I hope and pray that someday, we see her in some capacity in AEW. And if by chance I could be in the connection too, I would be very, very for that.”

– Britt Baker on Mercedes Moné

Mercedes Moné would be a huge addition to AEW, but she won’t come cheap. With her budding acting career outside of pro wrestling, and her proven track record of moving merchandise, she would be one of Tony Khan’s highest-profile acquisitions to date.

AEW has been strengthening its women’s division, which has never looked better. The promotion’s top female competitors include the likes of Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter, TBS Champion Jade Cargill, Britt Baker, Toni Storm, Hikaru Shida, Ruby Soho, Ember Moon, Thunder Rosa, Serena Deeb, Willow Nightingale, Riho and Kris Statlander.

Cody Rhodes Explains Why He May Never Want To Face Dustin Rhodes Again

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Cody Rhodes thinks he may never share the ring with Dustin Rhodes again.

The two brothers had a highly praised match at Double or Nothing 2019. It was one of the matches that helped put AEW on the map which was won by Cody. Though this wasn’t the first time the two wrestling stars went up against each other, as they previously shared the ring in WWE as well. The bout happened at Fastlane 2015 where Dustin, then known as Goldust picked up the win.

With both the Rhodes family members having a win over the other, fans often wonder if we will ever get a third bout to cap things off. When asked about it on the AJ Awesome Show, Cody explained why he may never want to face his brother in a match again:

“Great question. I could say 100% it would happen because that’s how families work. You find each other again. Or I could also say 0%.” said Cody Rhodes, “The reason I can say 0% is because Double or Nothing was such a difficult match for both of us. It was widely respected by the industry. It was really special to us both [and] very hard to top as far as against one another.

‘He Has Earned The Right To Walk Away’: Cody Rhodes

cody rhodes dustin rhodes double or nothing

Cody Rhodes mentioned how Dustin has earned the right to walk away on his own terms. According to him, he wouldn’t want to hamper that by trying to get another match out of his brother:

“Also I again, he has earned the right as a wrestler – who is a Hall of Fame level wrestler – He has earned the right to walk away. I wouldn’t want to hamper that or handicap it in any sense trying to get one last one out of him. So really, it’ll definitely happen or definitely won’t happen Because there’s nowhere in the middle on a repeat of something with us. I myself, I love what he’s doing now. I’m very proud of him and Dakota his daughter [who is a] photographer in the industry now. She’s in the family biz too. So very proud of what he’s been able to do and just unbelievable legacies left.

I don’t cite him or credit him enough as one of my favorites growing up because he’s my brother, but absolutely one of my favorites. One of the highest honors I ever had was Double or Nothing. Because it meant a lot not just to each other, but it’s very important for what was starting there. That needed to happen for it to exist and it happened.”

You can check out Cody Rhodes’ full interview below:

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The Judgment Day to Add New Members after WrestleMania 39

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WWE star Finn Balor is apparently planning to make new additions to The Judgement Day faction.

The Judgment Day faction comprises of Rhea Ripley, Dominik Mysterio, Damian Priest and Finn Balor since last September and they have been one of the mainstays in the programming.

Since Mysterio joined the group, the sinister stable has rarely shown any signs of bringing in additional members. Balor recently discussed the idea of adding more members during the latest edition of WWE’s ‘The Bump.’ It seems that the fans might witness some fresh faces in Balor’s dark stable after the WrestleMania 39 Premium Live Event.

Finn Balor could be expanding The Judgement Day

“We are always planning,” he said.” “The Judgment Day are always planning; we’re always plotting, we’re always scheming. I’m always texting with Damian, we have a group chat with me, Damian, Rhea, Dom. We’re plotting, we’re figuring things out. And trust me, once we get ‘Mania behind us, The Judgment Day will be expanding.”

The Judgement Day was originally created by the WWE Hall of Famer Edge when he portrayed a darker gimmick. He then recruited Damien Priest and Rhea Ripley in order to elevate their position on the roster. However, Edge’s idea backfired when he added Finn Balor to the group. Priest and Ripley turned on ‘The Rated-R Superstar’ ousting him from the group. The latest addition to the heel faction was Dominik Mysterio. He had joined the group after brutally attacking his father Rey Mysterio and Edge.

Finn Balor recently challenged Edge to a match at WrestleMania 39. We are yet to hear what ‘The Rated-R Superstar’ has to say regarding it.

We will have to wait and see what Finn Balor has in store for the fans.

Ric Flair Reveals How Much Money He Made From His Last Match

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The two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair has revealed that he made a massive amount of money from his last match.

Flair, who is foreseeing a third Hall of Fame induction, is one of the iconic names in the pro wrestling industry. ‘Naitch’ dominated the 80s. His in-ring prowess and mic work set a bar back in the day. However, the hard bumps in the squared circle took a toll on ‘The Nature Boy.’ Over the years he has dealt with several health issues.

However, on July 31, 2022, the 16-time World Champion returned to the ring for the first time since 2011 at the Ric Flair’s Last Match event. He teamed up with Andrade El Idolo to defeat Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett. The event aired on FITE and generated a lot of buzz due to the legendary career of Ric Flair. The match saw some heavy criticism, given his age and the way the legend faked a heart attack during the bout.

Ric Flair reveals how much money he made

Speaking on his To Be The Man podcast, co-host Conrad Thompson informed Flair that his last match came in third place for the Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic, behind only Vince McMahon’s appearance on WWE SmackDown amid allegations of sexual misconduct and WWE’s continuing relationship with Saudi Arabia.

Ric Flair responded by stating that he made $300,000 dollars with his return to the ring.

“I don’t pay any attention to that. You know what I got to say to that? I made $300,000 dollars. Go f*** yourself. That’s right. I made $300,000 disgusting you. Disgust yourself for $300,000, and get in the shape that I got in. How about that, motherf***ers?” he said.

Flair recently made an on-screen appearance on the 30th Anniversary of Monday Night RAW.

William Regal’s New Role with WWE is a Perfect Fit for the Wrestling Genius

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New information is coming out regarding industry veteran William Regal’s recent return to World Wrestling Entertainment.

Regal made his return to WWE on January 4 in the position of Vice President of Global Talent Development. Prior to that, he had a stint with AEW as the on-air mentor of the Blackpool Combat Club.

Regal had asked AEW/ROH President Tony Khan to be let out of his deal with the promotion early so he could return to WWE to work with Triple H again and to be in NXT with his son, who wrestles as Charles Dempsey. He also revealed what he disliked about his AEW run.

William Regal was written off AEW programming during an edition of Dynamite when AEW World Champion MJF attacked him with brass knuckles from behind. This was after Regal turned on Jon Moxley by costing him the title by helping MJF win it from him at Full Gear.

William Regal’s Role in WWE

Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com has provided some additional details regarding Regal’s new role in WWE. Regal has been at every RAW and Smackdown taping since returning.

The report states that Regal watches and takes notes on every match and meets with talent afterwards to provide coaching on how they can improve their matches. Feedback includes advice on how they can improve their ‘selling’ and physicality.

Regal previously worked with Triple H as an on-screen General Manager for the NXT brand. He also had his duties in recruiting up-and-coming talents. He ended his 22-year run with WWE when he was released from the Stamford-based company in January 2022. As it seems, Regal is having a great time in WWE following his return.

Alexa Bliss Reacts To Exclusion From Women’s History Month Graphic

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Alexa Bliss recently responded to a tweet from WWE about Women’s History Month that curiously omitted her from the graphic.

Back in 2016, Bliss quickly embarked upon a mega-push to the top of the women’s scene upon joining the main roster. First putting an end to Becky Lynch’s inaugural SmackDown Women’s Championship run at TLC 2016, Bliss went on to enjoy a lengthy clawhold on the RAW Championship picture starting in 2017.

Bliss’ reign of terror was essentially terminated by Ronda Rousey in 2018. The pair had two pay-per-view bouts, starting with SummerSlam 2018. There, Rousey squashed ‘Little Miss Bliss’ in a four-minute title bout. A more competitive rematch at Hell In A Cell that year ended with Rousey on top once again.

In the years since, Bliss’ polarizing push has given way to a controversial run as a supernatural character. Tied in with Bray Wyatt’s seemingly endless horror movie hijinks, ‘Five Feet of Fury’ has transitioned into a bizarre, witchcraft-focused gimmick.

“Not Surprised” – Alexa Bliss

WWE’s recent graphic featured several key figures in the company’s women’s division, including Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley, Asuka, and Becky Lynch.

A fan was quick to highlight the omission of Bliss despite her being a key figure in the division for several years now. In response, Bliss simply replied “Not surprised lol.”

Rumors have swirled this year of Bliss taking another break from the company. At the Royal Rumble, she faced, and fell to, current RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair. The feud between them revolved around the return of Bray Wyatt. Along with Wyatt, Uncle Howdy’s potential impact on ‘The Wicked Witch of WWE’ was focused on.

bianca belair alexa bliss
WWE: Alexa Bliss attacks Bianca Belair

Other rumors have suggested she will soon be fully thrust back into Wyatt’s kooky angles in time for, or straight after, WrestleMania.

For now, there’s no clear reason as to why Bliss was left off the graphic.

What do you think of Alexa Bliss’ booking so far this year?

Major Clues About Possible Future DLC for WWE 2K23

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A King of the Ring, a modern-day faction, and a Pyjama-clad powerhouse could be just some of the names coming to WWE 2K23.

The latest installment in WWE’s video game franchise will release on March 17, with the Deluxe Edition being available for players on March 14.

The game will have a special focus on John Cena, who celebrated 20 years on WWE’s main roster last June, including a Showcase Mode of some of his most iconic matches and moments.

WWE 2K23 DLC

While WWE 2K23 has a stacked roster, from top stars like Roman Reigns to fresh faces like Bron Breakker and Solo Sikoa, there is room for more Superstars as downloadable content.

This week, 2K tweeted a QR code, which when scanned took fans to an interesting image, many have seen as full of DLC teases.

image

Some potential Superstars in this image could include:

  • Bray Wyatt – QR Code & White Rabbit
  • Wade Barrett – It’s called the ‘Bad News’ Paper
  • Ivy Nile, Roderick Strong and/or Damon Kemp – Diamond imagery
  • Andre Chase – Chase U logo
  • Joe Gacy – Schism Tree
  • Wendy Choo – Sleeping Mask
  • Nathan Frazer – It says ‘Nathan Frazer’
  • Trick Williams – It says ‘Trick Williams’
  • Tony D’Angelo – It says ‘Don’
  • Harley Race – It says ‘Harley’
  • Eve Torres – It says ‘Eve’
  • Tiffany Stratton – Credit Card

WWE 2K23

WWE 2K23 will see the video-game debut of the WarGames match, which has been used in NXT in recent years, and on the main roster last November.

MyGM mode will return, this time with longer match cards, more match types, and additional show options.

Staples including MyRise and MyCareer will also return, and advanced customization features for the WWE 2K23 Creation Suite have been added.

Female referees have also been added to the game.

Backstage Reason Behind Latest WWE NXT Parking Lot Attack

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Wendy Choo will be out of action for the time being, after being written off of NXT TV with an attack in the parking lot.

During this week’s NXT, McKenzie Mitchell was set to interview Nathan Frazer, when there was a commotion heard off-screen.

When cameras caught up to the scene, Choo was seen in the parking lot and was unable to move her arm.

Real Reason

As one would expect, this attack in the parking lot was just for the show, though Choo is needing some time away from the ring.

Choo is dealing with a legitimate injury, according to the Wrestling Observer’s Bryan Alverez, and will miss an undisclosed amount of ring time.

That report adds that the Pyjama-clad Superstar is not expected to be out for long, as her injury isn’t considered “too serious.”

The Most Dangerous Place on Earth

Wendy Choo is just the latest person to fall victim to an assault in the WWE NXT parking lot.

Months ago, Nikkita Lyons was attacked by a mysterious assailant, which in reality, was to write the popular star off TV to undergo surgery.

When a fan accused The Schism’s Ava Raine of being the one behind the attacks, the fourth-generation Superstar denied that she is responsible, though wishes she was.

There are currently no reports as to who will be revealed as Choo’s attacker, on when such a revelation will be made on WWE NXT programming.

Cody Rhodes Says WWE Star Reminds Him Of Dusty Rhodes

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Kevin Owens and Cody Rhodes are two very different kind of performers. Cody meticulously plans every part of his promo and he knows everything he is going to do in a match ahead of time. Kevin on the other hand is known for his spontaneous reactions. His ring awareness and the ability to adapt to things is one of the major reasons behind his popularity. This is probably also the reason why Owens reminds Rhodes of his father.

The American Nightmare recently had an interview with The AJ Awesome Show. He talked about the former Universal champion during the interview and claimed that Kevin Owens reminds him of the late great Dusty Rhodes:

“Kevin’s just a natural at everything. He’s one of those types that reminds me a lot of my dad. It’s funny cause I don’t remind myself of my dad at all but Kevin is one of those [that makes you go] ‘Yeah, he reminds me a lot of Dusty in a way’ and they had a little bond themselves.”

– Cody Rhodes via AJ Awesome Show

Owens and Rhodes are both involved in a multi-layered storyline with The Bloodline heading into WrestleMania. Cody won the Royal Rumble and he is set to challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed Universal Championship in the main event of the show. Owens is working with Sami Zayn and they are expected to challenge The Usos for the Undisputed Tag Titles at the event.

Apart from this, Cody Rhodes also talked about his plans after WrestleMania 39 and more. You can check out his full interview below:

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WWE Opposes Ex-Superstar/Current AEW Wrestler’s Trademark Filing

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Ring of Honor World Champion Claudio Castagnoli may have found new success outside of WWE, but the wrestler’s former employer isn’t making things easy.

In 2012, Castagnoli debuted on WWE’s main roster as Antonio Cesaro, though his first name would be dropped soon enough.

Just under a decade after his main roster debut, Cesaro would opt not to re-sign with WWE in early 2022 and would debut for AEW later that year.

Trademark Opposition

On March 14, 2022, Castagnoli filed a trademark for the term CSRO, for the following uses.

G & S: Hats; Shirts; Socks; Sweatshirts; Hooded sweatshirts

G & S: Coffee; Coffee beans; Coffee drinks; Ground coffee; Ground coffee beans

G & S: Entertainment in the nature of wrestling contests; Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibits and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer; Entertainment services, namely, live appearances by a a professional wrestler and sports entertainer; Entertainment services, namely, personal appearances by a professional wrestler and sports entertainment personality; Entertainment services, namely, televised appearances by a professional wrestling and sports entertainment personality; Providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network; Providing online interviews featuring a professional wrestling and sports entertainment personality in the field of professional wrestling and sports entertainment for entertainment purposes.

PW Insider reports that WWE is opposing Castagnoli’s registration of the filing, and requested a 90-day extension on filing their opposition.

Given that the initial complaint was made by WWE on February 28, they will have until Monday, May 29, if their request is approved.

PW Insider did not disclose the reason for WWE’s opposition, though it is believed that the CSRO term is too close to WWE’s ‘Cesaro’ term for the promotion’s liking.

WWE NXT Superstar Expected to be Called-Up After WrestleMania 39

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A former WWE NXT North American Champion could be mere weeks away from being called up to the main roster in the post-WrestleMania 39 buzz.

The Raw after WrestleMania has often been heralded as one of the most exciting nights of the WWE year, and traditionally features a call-up or two.

Notable examples include Paige (AEW’s Saraya) winning the WWE Divas Championship in 2014, and Enzo Amore and Big Cass on the post-WrestleMania Raw in 2016.

Called-Up

The last time fans saw Cameron Grimes in NXT, the former Champion was losing to Joe Gacy on the November 8, episode of the gold brand.

It has been reported that Grimes is finished with NXT, and that WWE are waiting on the right creative idea for his arrival on the main roster.

In an update, PW Insider reported that there have been “rumblings internally” that Grimes will be called-up after WrestleMania 39.

The former North American Champion has appeared on Raw in the past, as he enlisted the services of the O.C. during an October 22, episode.

Grimes also competed on the October 17, 2022, episode of WWE Main Event, defeating Akira Tozawa.

He has also competed for SmackDown, albeit in a dark match for the February 24, 2023, episode, where he defeated Ashante ‘Thee’ Adonis.

Cameron Grimes

It was in January 2019 that the former Trevor Lee confirmed his signing with WWE, and began training at the Performance Center the next month.

Grimes made it to the finals of that year’s NXT Breakout Tournament (which he lost to Jordan Myles.)

After a knee surgery, Grimes returned to TV in February 2021, and referencing the rise in GameStop stock value, dubbed himself the richest man in NXT.

In April 2022, Grimes would capture the NXT North American Championship, and would later challenge unsuccessfully for the NXT Championship.

Bill Goldberg: WWE “Owe Me” A Retirement Match

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WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg will wrestle for the promotion at least one more time, if he gets his way.

Goldberg, one of the homegrown talent in WCW, debuted in WWE in 2003 and would capture the World Heavyweight Championship before departing in 2004.

Returning in 2016, Goldberg has wrestled a handful of times each year, with his most recent match coming in early 2022.

Retirement Match

At 56 years old, the two-time former Universal Champion is well aware that his career is winding down, and plans to end things on his own terms.

Speaking to Sports Illustrated, Goldberg made it clear that he believes he deserves a retirement match, after making his deal with ‘the devil.’

You never say never, especially in wrestling, and they owe me one. That’s all I can say. I made a deal with the devil and I did my job, and they owe me a retirement match. At the end of the day, at 56, it’s not something where I’m sitting by the phone waiting for a call. I’ve got a few ideas of how to do it on my own, possibly in Israel. So never say never.”

Bill Goldberg.

There are currently no reports of any plans for Goldberg to have a final match in WWE.

Roman Reigns

Goldberg’s most recent match for WWE came at Elimination Chamber 2022, where he lost to Universal Champion Roman Reigns.

The match had been delayed by close to two years, as Goldberg Vs. Reigns was scheduled for WrestleMania 36 in 2020 before Reigns withdrew from the event.

Speaking about the Tribal Chief, Goldberg had nothing but praise for his old adversary, and compared Reigns’ face run receiving fan backlash to his own career.

“I’m really proud of him. I’ve dealt with some of that negativity, and it’s tough. You go out there, you work your ass off, and at the end of the day, you want to be appreciated. He’s quite dedicated. I respect that, I respect him, and I’d love to get in the ring and give him an ass-kicking, but this is his time.”

Bill Goldberg.

Roman Reigns will defend the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion at WrestleMania 39 against Cody Rhodes this April.

Watch: What Happened With The Acclaimed After Dynamite Went Off Air

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The Acclaimed did everything The Acclaimed is known for after this week’s episode of Dynamite went off air.

AEW presented a solid episode of their weekly flagship show ahead of this Sunday’s Revolution PPV from Chase Center in San Francisco.

The show featured the final build for upcoming big matches such as the World title match between MJF and Bryan Danielson among others.

The company also moved the Face of The Revolution Ladder match from the PPV event to Dynamite. The match was won by Powerhouse Hobbs and one AEW star quit the promotion after this bout.

The Acclaimed After Dynamite

The Acclaimed made a brief appearance on the show to save the team of Orange Cassidy & Danhausen from a beatdown by Jeff Jarrett and The Guns.

Though this wasn’t their last appearance of the night. The duo accompanied by Billy Gunn showed up once again after the cameras stopped rolling.

They presented a short rap before competing in a dark match against The Workhorsemen. After winning the bout, the popular tag team scissored with the crowd to end the night:

The Guns will be defending the AEW Tag Team Championship in a four-way match at AEW Revolution. The challengers for this bout include The Acclaimed, Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal and Orange Cassidy & Danhausen.

Brock Lesnar Nixed Idea for Huge WrestleMania 39 Match – Vince McMahon Involved?

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Brock Lesnar will face Omos at WrestleMania 39 next month, but this isn’t the match WWE originally had in mind.

Last week, Omos laid out the challenge to the Beast Incarnate, who most recently competed against Bobby Lashley at WWE Elimination Chamber.

On this week’s Raw, Lesnar accepted the challenge and laid out MVP, Omos’ manager, in a message to the Nigerian giant.

Nixed Match

Fans have been surprised by WWE’s decision to go ahead with this match, which was not even being hinted at just a few weeks ago.

Prior to WWE Elimination Chamber, Bray Wyatt stated that he would face the winner of Lesnar Vs. Lashley at WrestleMania 39.

Fightful Select has learned that a match between Lesnar and Wyatt was pitched for the April two-night event, but Brock turned the idea down.

No specific details were given as to why the former Universal Champion refused the match with Wyatt.

It was confirmed to Fightful that Brock Lesnar personally approved the Omos match.

Other Options

In December 2022, it was reported that GUNTHER was being lined-up as Lesnar’s WrestleMania 39 opponent, and the two did have an altercation in the Men’s Rumble match.

Fightful adds that while GUNTHER was also pitched for Lesnar, this match was nixed and that the match had already been scrapped when news in December came out.

At the time that the GUNTHER-Lesnar match was a possibility, there was no mention whatsoever of the Intercontinental Championship being a factor in the match.

Bobby Lashley was also pitched as an opponent for Lesnar at WrestleMania, though the All Mighty will seemingly be facing Wyatt instead.

Vince McMahon

In a tweet, Wrestle Votes implied that Vince McMahon personally had a hand in making the Lesnar-Omos match a reality.

Fightful hasn’t confirmed that internally, but sources close to Lesnar had indicated that “could be true.”

While sources in WWE have stated that McMahon has no official capacity with the creative department, one anonymous talent has stated that they believe the Executive Chairman has more of an influence on creative than publicly believed.

Eddie Kingston Quits AEW After Dynamite

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Eddie Kingston has quit AEW.

The Heavyweight Star was part of the Face of The Revolution Ladder match for a shot at the TNT title on this week’s episode of Dynamite.

Kingston attacked the former Inner Circle member Ortiz as soon as the match began. Eddie threw a ladder on the AEW star as others tried to win the match.

The two continued this scuffle and eventually took it away from the ring. Eddie Kingston and Ortiz brawled on the top of the ramp and then took the fighting backstage.

The two were not seen in the match after this and the announcers said that it took ten people to separate them behind the scene. The bout was won by Powerhouse Hobbs who climbed through a broken ladder to get the job done.

Eddie Kingston Is Done

After the Dynamite episode went off air, AEW posted the following video where Eddie Kingston was asked about the match and Ortiz.

The Mad King did not answer the question about his former friend. He did however, proclaimed that he is quitting the company:

Kingston has always been outspoken and he has never hesitated to share his feelings. He has recently been hinting at problems with AEW management and this appears to be the latest development in the story.

Update on WWE Moving Headquarters

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In 2019, WWE announced it was moving its headquarters and would be selling Titan Tower. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the move was put on hold.

PWInsider is reporting that employees will begin moving to the new headquarters this month. They’ll moving employees over to the new building while renovations at Titan Tower are happening. It’s also to ensure the move goes as smoothly as possible.

Details on the new WWE HQ

WWE Headquarters

At the new headquarters, all WWE employees will be under one roof. PWInsider notes that “currently, certain divisions of the company are housed in different buildings near the Tower, requiring the company to shuttle them from place to place. WWE also has a crossing guard on hand to assist employees as they cross from one building to another.”

The new headquarters will be more technologically advanced than its current location. It’s also a short distance from the Stamford train station. Another note from PWInsider is that a source told them that the location is large enough to “put multiple Performance Centers in the building.”

It’s expected that all employees will be moved into the new headquarters by the end of this year or early next year.

AEW’s Fuego Del Sol Provides an Injury Update

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Last month, Fuego Del Sol announced that he had been injured at an independent show. He finished the match and originally thought it was just a “small fracture at the bottom of my big toe.” He was still awaiting a CAT scan to find out if there was ligament damage.

The initial time frame for his injury was five weeks.

Fuego Del Sol’s injury worse than expected

Fuego Del Sol

Del Sol received the results of his CT scan. It turns out that he fractured his foot in five different places.

He tweeted “the orthopedic said the main ligament around my Lisfranc bone is a little displaced but not completely separated.” The next step is seeing a foot specialist to find out if surgery is needed.

“If it can heal on its own the recovery is 6-8 weeks because all my bones are in the right spots and the fractures just need time to heal, BUT if I need surgery it could be 3 months.”

Last April, Del Sol was dealing with a “horrible mouth infection”.

Britt Baker Talks Current AEW role & Relationship With Tony Khan

We wish Fuego Del Sol a speedy recovery and hope he returns to the ring soon.

AEW Dynamite Results (3/1): Powerhouse Hobbs Becomes Face of The Revolution, Orange Cassidy and Danhausen Win Casino Battle Royale, More

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AEW‘s latest edition of Dynamite went down on (3/1/23) from the Cow Palace in Daly City, California! With just four days until the Revolution pay-per-view, Powerhouse Hobbs won the Face of the Revolution ladder match and the team of AEW All-Atlantic Champion Orange Cassidy and Danhausen won the Casino Battle Royale match!

Live Coverage

Orange Cassidy (C) vs. Big Bill (with Stokely Hathaway) — AEW All-Atlantic Championship

A game of cat and mouse ensues with Cassidy leading the way. The action finally gets underway back inside of then ring and Bill plants Cassidy with a slam then a corner splash. Bill launches Cassidy into the corner then to the outside and lights Cassidy up with a forearm across the back. Stokely and Bill set up a table along the end of the entrance ramp and Bill looks for a choke-slam but Cassidy fights back, only to eat a forearm from the challenger. Cassidy springboards off the steel steps and goes for a diving forearm but Bill catches him and sends him crashing through the table and we head to a commercial break.

Back from the break and Bill is working over Cassidy back inside of the ring. Danhausen has made his way down to the ring and Bill goes for a big boot but Cassidy ducks under the attempt and rolls to the outside. Danhausen tries to curse Stokely but Bill steps in front and tries to choke-slam Danhausen but Stokley stops him and crushes Danhausen with his cast. Cassidy comes out of nowhere and nails Stokely with a dive through the ropes and goes for another, this time to Bill, but Bill catches him in mid-air. Cassidy breaks free and sends Bill into the steel steps before making his way back into the ring. Cassidy looks for the Orange Punch, Bill catches him, Cassidy plants Bill with a DDT, then an Orange Punch, and another Orange Punch! Bill is still standing, Cassidy goes up top, and nails Bill with a diving Orange Punch for the 1-2-3!

Winner – Orange Cassidy (C)

We then see an exclusive look at Jon Moxley speaking after last week’s episode of Dynamite. A bloodied, mangled, Moxley warns ‘Hangman’ Adam Page that while he’s a good person and a good professional wrestler, he’s not the same type of ‘animal’ that he (Moxley) is. Moxley says there’s only room for one animal in AEW and it’s him.

The Elite’s music hits and the AEW World Trios Champions are on the stage but the lights go out and the House of Black are here! The lights go back out, we hear a bunch of commotion, and when the lights come back up, Malakai Black, Brody King, and Buddy Matthews are hoisting the trios titles as Julia Hart flank the trio.

Our commentary team of Excalibur, Taz, and Tony Schiavone run down this weekend’s AEW Revolution pay-per-view and the TNT and Ring Of Honor World TV Champion makes his way down to the commentary desk and he’ll be on the call alongside Excalibur, Taz, and Schiavone for the Face of the Revolution Ladder Match, which goes down, after the break.

Eddie Kingston vs. Konsuke Takeshita vs. Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Komander vs. Sammy Guevara vs. AR Fox vs. Ortiz vs. Action Andretti — Face of the Revolution Ladder Match

As expected, all hell breaks loose right of the bat. Everyone is paired off and Hobbs crushes Komander with a ladder and Hobbs’ hometown crowd is going wild for their hometown hero. Hobbs is taking everyone out and wallops Andretti into a ladder with a power-slam. Guevara rolls in the ring but quickly walks back after seeing Hobbs stare him down. Takeshita rushes the ring and he and Hobbs unload hard strikes on one another. Everyone’s brawling once again and Andretti takes out Guevara on the outside with a dive over the top rope. Fox goes up top and lays out Guevara, Takeshita, and Andretti with a corkscrew dive off the top turnbuckle. Komander walks the entire length of the top rope and springboards himself off it and takes out Guevara, Takeshita, Fox, and Andretti on the outside to a chorus of ‘holy sh*t!’ chants as we head to a commercial break.

Back from the break and Hobbs crushes Fox with a slam into a ladder acting as a table, which was set up between the apron and another ladder. Takeshita lays out Hobbs with a lariat on the outside and back in the ring, Guevara sets up and begins to climb a ladder. Andretti walks along a nearby ladder and ends up on top with Guevara and he sends Guevara crashing down with a suplex onto a ladder and Guevara took an odd spill, lets hope he’s OK. Komander climbs the ladder and wallops Fox with a dive onto the outside and everyone is down at ringside. Komander is up first and walks the ladder that’s set up like a table, Takeshita follows him and plants Komander with a diving Blue Thunder Bomb onto the mat and the crowd is white hot for this one!

Takeshita climbs the ladder, Andretti springboards himself into the ring and onto the ladder, where he and Takeshita exchange strikes atop the ladder. Daniel Garcia rushes down and flips the ladder over and takes out both Andretti and Takeshita. Garcia helps Guevara set up quite the contraption on the outside with steel chairs and a ladder and they set up Andretti on their newly built ladder/table. Guevara climbs a nearby ladder and nails Andretti with a swanton bomb! Garcia drags Guevara into the ring and helps him climb the ladder but Takeshita comes in and dispatches both members of the Jericho Appreciation Society. Takeshita begins the climb but Hobbs tosses him out of the ring and climbs the ladder and retrieves the ring! Powerhouse Hobbs is the Face of the Revolution!

Winner – Powerhouse Hobbs

After the match, Hobbs grabs his ring and gets in Joe’s face at the commentary desk. Wardlow comes down, as does security and Wardlow dispatches every member of security as Joe sneaks away and we head to a commercial break.

Back from the break and it’s time for our next contest!

Chris Jericho vs. Petere Avalon

Avalon tosses Jericho to the outside and lights him up with a bevy of strikes around the ringside area. Avalon sends Jericho back into the ring and wallops him with a big boot and goes for the cover but Jericho kicks out. Avalon looks for a corner splash but Jericho evades. Avalon scoops and slams Jericho and goes for another cover but Jericho lifts the shoulders. Avalon continues the attack, goes up top, and nails Jericho with a diving cross-body before going for yet another cover but Jericho once again kicks out. Jericho crushes Avalon with a Codebreak out of nowhere and gets the 1-2-3!

Winner – Chris Jericho

After the match, Jericho grabs his baseball bat and wallops Avalon with it. Jericho continues there attack but Ricky Starks’ music hits and Starks rushes the ring as Jericho scurries away. Jericho grabs a microphone and tells Starks that Sunday night at Revolution he’s going to beat the ‘crap’ out of Starks and Jake Hager and Daniel Garcia of the Jericho Appreciation Society rush the ring and attack Starks. Hager plants Starks with a slam, Garcia sends Starks crashing to the mat with a Rock Bottom, and Jericho wallops Starks with the Judas Effect. Jericho Appreciation Society stand tall over Starks and we see a pre-taped response from ‘Hangman’ Adam Page on Jon Moxley ahead of the pair’s Texas Death Match this weekend at AEW Revolution.

We then see Christian Cage making his way down to the ring. Renee Paquette asks Christian about his attack on ‘Jungle’ Jack Perry. Christian challenges Perry to a match at Revolution and says Perry is ‘just like his dad’ and is a ‘no talent hack’. The lights go out and we see a video of Perry unburying something with flashes of Cage’s attack on him from last week’s show. We then see a tombstone with Christian Cage’s name on it and Cage walks out of the ring.

AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter, alongside Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. are backstage with Tony Schiavone. Hayter says she can’t wait to beat ‘two b*tches’ in the form of Saraya Roby Soho at Revolution this weekend.

HOOK vs. Matt Hardy (with Isiah Kassidy, Ethan Page, and Stokley Hathway) — FTW Championship

Hardy drops HOOK with a shoulder tackle to start. Hardy mocks HOOK but HOOK ankle picks Hardy and looks for an ankle lock but Hardy drags himself to the ropes to force the break. Hardy rolls to the outside, HOOK chases after the challenger and Ethan Page fires HOOK into the ring post as the referee was distracted. Hardy sends HOOK back into the ring and plants the champion with a neck-breaker. HOOK plants Hardy with an over-head slam and unloads a bevy of strikes to a cornered Hardy. HOOK goes for a corner splash but Hardy evades and reigns down right hands on the champion. HOOK wipes out Hardy with a lariat but Hardy plants HOOK with a Side Effect and goes for the cover but HOOK lifts the shoulders after a two-count. Hardy goes for another Side Effect but HOOK rolls out of danger and he and Hardy take each other out with simultaneous shoulder tackles.

Page grabs Stokely’s Hathaway’s cast and wallops HOOK with it, Hardy goes for the cover, but HOOK kicks out at two-and-a-half! Hardy looks for Twist of Fate but HOOK ducks under and locks in Red Rum and Hardy immediately taps out!

Winner – HOOK

Stokley Hathaway is a nervous wreck at ringside as now he’ll have to face HOOK in a no disqualification match with the rest of The Firm banned from ringside in the near future.

We then see a vignette from the House of Black hyping up their match against The Elite at AEW Revolution this weekend.

Toni Storm makes her way down to the ring being flanked by Saraya and she’ll face the first-ever AEW Women’s World Champion, Riho, after the break!

Toni Storm (with Saraya) vs. Riho

Storm clocks Riho with a shoulder tackle and goes for the cover but Riho bridges and kicks Storm into the corner. Storm tosses Riho to the corner and nails her with a kick but Riho sends Storm to the opposite corner and wallops her with a running knee, then a suplex, and goes for the cover but Storm kicks out. Riho cracks Storm with a drop-kick, then a double stomp and goes for another cover but Storm lifts the shoulders after a count of two. Storm dumps Riho to the outside and Saraya nails her with a running knee as Storm distracts the referee back inside of the ring. Storm fires Riho into the ring post and AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter, alongside Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. make their way down to the ring to keep a closer eye on this one as we head to a commercial break.

Back from the break and Riho crushes Storm on the outside with a dive through the ropes. Riho sends Storm back into the ring, goes up top, and lands a diving double stomp, then plants Storm with a Fisherman’s Suplex into a cover but Storm kicks out. Riho goes back up top, Storm follows her up, Riho looks for a Canadian Destroyer but Storm tosses Riho to the mat, sets her up in the corner, and crushes her with the hip attack and goes for the cover but Riho lifts the shoulders at two-and-a-half! Baker gets on the apron to distract Storm and Riho rolls Storm up for the 1-2-3!

Winner – Riho

After the match, Toni Storm attacks Britt Baker, Jamie Hayter and Saraya brawl inside the ring, and Ruby Soho’s music hits and Soho rushes the ring. Hayter, Saraya, and Soho brawl inside of the ring as security and AEW officials come down to restore order.

We then see a message from Keith Lee and Dustin Rhodes directed at Swerve Strickland. Lee and Dusty tell Swerve that Swerve will find out this Friday night on Rampage that they don’t play games.

Angelo Parker & Matt Menard vs. Matt Taven & Mike Bennett vs. Aussie Open vs. Best Friends vs. Orange Cassidy & Danhausen vs. Dark Order vs. The Butcher & The Blade vs. Top Flight vs. Lucha Bros vs. Blackpool Combat Club — Casino Tag Team Battle Royale

The feed cuts off for the beginning of the matchup. Back from the issues and Butcher and Blade toss out Claudio Castagnoli and are now double teaming Danhausen. Orange Cassidy comes in but the Butcher and Blade use the numbers advantage over him. Butcher and Blade toss out Cassidy but the All-Atlantic Champion holds onto the bottom rope and Danhausen comes from behind and eliminates both Butcher and Blade for the win!

Winners – Orange Cassidy & Danhausen

Orange Cassidy and Danhausen now join the AEW World Tag Team Champions, the Gunn Club as well as The Acclaimed, and Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett in a four-way match for the tag titles this weekend at AEW Revolution. Gunn Club rush the ring, Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett come from behind and attack Cassidy and Danhausen and the Gunn Club joins in. The Acclaimed, alongside Billy Gunn fly down to the ring and even the odds.

We then see a video package highlighting this weekend’s AEW Revolution main event where MJF will defend the AEW World Championship against Bryan Danielson and it’s announced that we’ll hear from both MJF and Bryan Danielson after the break.

Back from the break and Bryan Danielson makes his way down to the ring to join Renee Paquette. Renee asks Bryan about a social media post that MJF made about Bryan many years ago. Bryan says he was forced to retire seven years ago and he said that if you fight for your dreams, you dreams will fight for you. MJF’s music hits and out comes the AEW World Champion. MJF tells production to cut his music and Bryan tells MJF to ‘shutup’. Bryan says he heard enough from MJF and says that MJF needs to stop thinking he deserves everything. Bryan says MJF has done nothing to earn anything he believes that he deserves and says that MJF has done nothing to fight for anything but the one thing MJF does deserve, was his fiancé leaving him like she did. Bryan says MJF is the opposite type of person he’d want his kids to marry and unlike MJF, who was ‘born with a silver spoon in his mouth’, he (Bryan) fought for everything. Bryan says before he came to AEW, he had a job that would’ve made sure he could do anything he ever wanted but he left to come to AEW because he wanted to fight and become AEW World Champion. Bryan says MJF better be ready to fight for everything in his life on Sunday night at AEW Revolution for the entire 60 minutes of their Iron Man match because if he doesn’t, he’s going to get his ‘f***ing head kicked in!’. MJF storms out, Bryan celebrates with the fans in attendance as the show goes off-the-air!

Vince McMahon Influenced The Booking of WWE WrestleMania Match

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Ever since Vince McMahon made his return to WWE as the Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, there has been speculation on whether he would return to creative or if he had a say in the creative direction on the main roster. 

Triple H took over creative last summer and has publicly said that he will get suggestions from McMahon, but he is still in charge, not his father-in-law.

However, McMahon reportedly does have some influence over the WrestleMania card regarding at least one match. On this past Monday’s episode of Raw, WWE made the Brock Lesnar vs. Omos match at WrestleMania 39 official. 

The Report

The WrestleVotes Twitter account, which has broken several big stories in the past, reports that the idea did come from McMahon, who was high on Omos while he was still in charge of creative. 

“I’m told the highly anticipated, very compelling Brock Lesnar vs Omos WrestleMania matchup was the idea of one specific, powerful person who pushed it through,” the tweet read. 

It’s been reported by multiple media outlets that there have been several changes made to the WrestleMania card in recent weeks including Lesnar’s plans for the show as those were changed sometime within the last week or two. 

Fightful Select reported that one person in the company thinks McMahon is running creative, but that hasn’t been confirmed and WWE sources have denied this.

WrestlingNewsPremium reported just last week that people in WWE pointed out how this match is a sign that McMahon has been getting more involved with creative.

Sonya Deville Arrested in New Jersey Over Gun Possession Violation

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WWE Superstar Sonya Deville has been arrested after allegedly violating gun possession laws in the state of New Jersey.

According to a report from TMZ Sports, court documents show that a valet contacted police on February 19, when they found a gun in the glove box of Deville’s vehicle.

After an investigation determined that Deville did not have the proper permits to carry the weapon, the Superstar and former WWE authority figure was promptly arrested.

Deville was charged with one count of unlawful weapon possession of a handgun without a permit.

The Superstar, who recently announced her engagement to fiance Toni Cassano, is due to appear in court later this month.

Possession of a firearm—including handguns, rifles, shotguns, machine guns, and assault weapons—without a permit is a third-degree crime, punishable by up to five years in prison, according to Rosenblum Law.

This article will be updated as more information is made available.

Cody Rhodes Eyeing Several Post-WrestleMania Feuds

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Cody Rhodes has a date with destiny in just over four weeks when he battles Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania 39. The American Nightmare seeks to fulfill his ‘American Dream’ and capture the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.

Rhodes is laser focused on WrestleMania, but that doesn’t mean he can’t look ahead and think about what awaits him after WWE’s biggest show of the year.

During a recent interview with AJ Awesome, Rhodes revealed there are two WWE Superstars he is eager to work with after he gets through the Bloodline’s Tribal Chief.

He began by saying, he will really need to be on his game to beat Reigns. He named several very talented people who were unable to do so, including Daniel Bryan (Bryan Danielson), Edge, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Drew McIntyre. However, if he can do the ‘impossible’ – he’d love to work with Johnny Gargano and Edge.

Cody Rhodes on his Post-WrestleMania Plans

Rhodes says wants to test himself against Johnny Gargano, because he remembers how intense it was when AEW went head-to-head with NXT during the ‘Wednesday Night Wars.’

NXT was tough competition at the time and Gargano was one of their biggest stars. He says Gargano always delivers and is a wrestler’s wrestler. They’ve never worked together, they have different styles, so he wants to cross paths with Johnny Wrestling to see what they’re each made of.

The other man he wants to work with is Edge. He’s told a few people that he wants to wrestle Edge, but never told Edge himself, because he doesn’t want to seem adversarial or confrontational. He questioned how much time Edge has left, which adds an extra sense of urgency to this potential match-up.

He considers Edge a locker room leader who leads by example and isn’t shy to pull pepole aside and give them advice in a way that’s not overbearing.

“He’s the real deal and he’s in that lofty air that very few are in and while he’s here, again, he could be here forever but while he’s here, I’d like to get that one,” said Cody.

Elsewhere in the interview, Rhodes spoke about his Royal Rumble victory, saying it was somewhat poetic that he and Gunther were the final two men in the ring. He sees Gunther as one of the toughest men in WWE, which made his win that much more satisfying.

Catch AJ Awesome’s interview with The American Nightmare Cody Rhodes:

Watch: Trailer for New John Cena Project with Kevin Hart

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John Cena’s expanse into the world of Hollywood has continued with his latest project with comedy staple Kevin Hart.

Cena’s first foray into acting began in 2006 with the release of The Marine, a film the former WWE Champion had a less-than-favorable response to.

In more recent years, Cena has gone from strength to strength, thanks to roles in major franchises including Fast and Furious and the DC Comics Cinematic Universe.

Die Hart 2

While Cena has becoming a leading man in Hollywood, the 16-time former World Champion has also taken on smaller projects.

This week, the Roku Channel shared a trailer for the upcoming Kevin Hart vehicle “Die Hart 2: Die Harter” which features Hart, Cena, Nathalie Emmanuel, and Ben Schwartz.

The film serves as a sequel to 2020’s Die Hart, which sees Hart’s character try and make a name for himself as an action movie star.

John Cena’s WWE Return

Cena is certainly kept busy with his acting commitments, but the iconic WWE Superstar will soon be back in the ring.

The two-time Royal Rumble winner has been confirmed for next week’s Raw in Boston, MA.

While not confirmed, it is believed that Cena will resume his feud with United States Champion Austin Theory, culminating in a match at WrestleMania 39.

The pair teased a feud in mid-2022, and a match between the pair was rumored for Summerslam 2022 last July, though never transpired.

Cena’s most recent appearance for WWE was on the final SmackDown of 2022, where he and Kevin Owens defeated Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn.

The Bloodline’s Solo Sikoa Gets Married in WWE Superstar-Attended Ceremony

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Solo Sikoa may be the silent enforcer of The Bloodline, but the former NXT North American Champion is also now a married man.

After debuting in WWE NXT in 2021, Sikoa was called-up to the main roster at WWE Clash at the Castle last September.

Sikoa aided Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns in his title defense against Drew McIntyre in Cardiff, Wales.

Married Man

As seen on WWE TV, Sikoa’s loyalty to his family runs deep, and now the Anoa’I family has a new member.

On social media, photos and videos were shared of the wedding of Sikoa and Almia Williams, who tied the knot this week.

It is reported that the pair, who have two children together, got engaged in 2020.

In a social media post of his own, Sikoa called his blushing bride “forever my blessing,” and add that she loves ‘Mrs. Fatu.’

Some photos included in Sikoa’s post show the bride and groom posing with reigning Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Jimmy and Jey Uso.

Fellow WWE Superstar Naomi, who is married to Jimmy Uso, also attended the wedding.

Naomi has been suspended from WWE since May of last year, and it was recently reported that she is recovering from shoulder surgery.

There are no photos that featured current Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns or any other known members of the Anoa?i family.

We here at SEScoops would like to congratulate Sikoa and Almia on their joyous union.

WWE Hall of Famer Wants to Face Rhea Ripley in her Retirement Match

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The former WWE RAW Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley is currently one of the top stars in the women’s division. It has come to light that ‘The Eradicator’ has been considered to be the retirement opponent of a WWE legend.

WWE Hall of Famer Alundra Blayze (a.k.a Madusa) is a trailblazer and one of the greatest female stars to ever grace the squared circle. Her last match was in 2018 when she competed in the 20-woman battle royal at WWE Evolution. She recently expressed her desire to have The Judgement Day member as her last opponent inside the ring.

Speaking to PWMania, Blayze talked about calling out Rhea Ripley. She went on to reveal that they had a backstage conversation during the 30th Anniversary of Monday Night RAW.

Alundra Blayze wants Rhea Ripley as her retirement opponent

“You’re, so funny. I already called her out. And I was walking past the makeup room whenever I was there for Raw XXX and I walked by I said, ‘yo girl looking good.’ Then I came back and stuck my head and I said, ‘you’d probably be a pretty good retirement match.’ She’s like, ‘Oh my God. That’s such an honor.’ She’s so funny. She’s a wonderful girl, though. Woman. Just amazing. I just say girl or kid because probably like 30 years younger than I am. You know?”

Recently, at RAW XXX, Blayze returned to WWE in a backstage segment alongside other legends. She played poker in a tournament put together by fellow WWE Hall of Famer Ron Simmons.

Meanwhile, Rhea Ripley won this year’s Women’s Royal Rumble match by last eliminating Liv Morgan. ‘The Eradicator’ has now earned a shot at the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship currently held by Charlotte Flair. They are set to lock horns for the title at WrestleMania 39 this April.

WWE Officials Impressed with NXT Star

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NXT star Sol Ruca (real name Calyx Hampton) has been impressing WWE officials in addition to fans of the show.

Coming from a gymnastics background, Sol Ruca is one of the most popular up-and-coming stars to become a fan favorite. She grabbed the attention with her spectacular in-ring moves and sheer athleticism. Her unique finisher Sol Snatcher’ even went viral.

Now, it has been reported that the WWE officials see big potential in her. While speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that WWE officials are ‘really high’ on Ruca, who will face Elektra Lopez on this week’s edition of NXT.

WWE officials are impressed with Sol Ruca

“That may not be…they’re really high on Solo Ruca for obvious reasons,” Meltzer stated. “Zoey Stark is probably the best opponent to put her in there with, and Elektra Lopez is probably near the bottom of the list of opponents to put her in there with. I guess Lash Legend might be worse.”

Ruca and Zoey Stark are currently entailed in a fiery rivalry that has been boiling in recent weeks. The two faced off in singles action on the February 7th episode, and it was Stark who snatched a cheeky win. However, Sol Ruca made it clear that she wants to face Stark again during a promo segment last week.

Ruca joined the Performance Center in May of 2022. After signing with the company, she made her in-ring debut last June, where she continued to work on the NXT Level Up show. Following a brief run on the show, she made her NXT debut last September.