Home Blog Page 514

Shawn Michaels On What Makes Logan Paul A Great Performer

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Wrestling fans aren’t always very welcoming of outside celebrities that cross over to the wrestling world. However, in recent times, we have seen a number of people breaking through and earning the respect of the fans. One such performer is Logan Paul and Shawn Michaels believes that his drive to actually be good at the sport is the reason behind his success.

The Heartbreak Kid recently appeared on Notsam Wrestling podcast. During the interview, he was asked what has helped Logan Paul gain the respect of the community. The former world champion explained that the YouTube star understands the psychology of the fans and he is ready to put in the work:

“He’s just got such a real drive. He understands. He’s a bright kid.” said Shawn Michaels, “He understands [that] ‘I’m an outsider. They’re gonna take me this way. I’ve got no problem earning my stripes. The best way I could do that is to be good at this. I will give it the time and the effort.’ Even in the midst of an extremely busy schedule.

He’s got a lot going on in his life. He’s another person again, I guess you could arguably say he doesn’t need to be choosing to do this. But he is and he has a great deal of respect for it. I think that’s what really helps as well.”

Logan Paul made his wrestling debut at WrestleMania 38 and he has wrestled only three matches since then. Though he has managed to impress people with his performance. Paul’s match against Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel has especially helped him gain the respect of the WWE Universe.

You can check out Shawn Michaels’ full interview below:

More Originals From SEScoops:

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

Bray Wyatt Thanks “Random Citizen” Who Saved Uncle Barry Windham’s Life

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Bray Wyatt may be a mysterious, enigmatic figure on WWE TV, but the former Universal Champion recently broke character to speak about his uncle.

Earlier this month, Barry Windham suffered a heart attack when traveling through the Atlanta airport and was later transported to an intensive care unit.

This week, it was reported by Mika Rotunda, Windham’s niece and sister of Bray, that the wrestling legend has been stabilized and out of the ICU.

Wyatt’s Message

Taking to Instagram, Wyatt spoke about his uncle, who is the namesake for his real name Windham Rotunda.

In the video, Wyatt thanked a “random citizen” who delivered CPR to Windham before EMTs were able to get to him.

“I want to thank one specific man, Michael Todd Lalic, who was there, a random citizen, and he gave him CPR in there throughout that entire time before everyone else and the EMTs can get to him, and he stayed with him, and he’s the reason that we have Barry still, he’s alive, he’s with us. “

Bray Wyatt.

Wyatt added that his uncle has given his life to professional wrestling, and spoke about his sister’s GoFundMe page to help cover medical bills.

“My sister set up a GoFundMe in his name and not obligated to share, no one is obligated to share anything. But if you could, that would be incredibly helpful. “

Bray Wyatt.

Be Good

Concluding his video, Wyatt spoke about the importance of being good to others, as you don’t know when it’ll be the last time you see them.

“Be good to the ones you love. Always remind them about that how much they mean to you because nothing is forever.”

Bray Wyatt.

The GoFundMe has raised over $38,000 of its $200,000 goal, and can be found here.

Bray Wyatt’s Return Praised for Serious Increase in Viewers

AEW had Big Babyface Plans for MJF Before Full Gear (Report)

Thomas Lowson
-
0

AEW World Champion MJF may be one of the most dastardly villains around, but the promotion once had plans for him as a babyface.

MJF captured the AEW World Championship at Full Gear with a win over Jon Moxley, thanks to an assist by Blackpool Combat Club member William Regal.

The Salt of the Earth’s refusal to break character has seen him earn the respect of fans and those in the industry alike.

Face Turn

Prior to AEW Full Gear, the seeds had been planted for a face turn for the Devil himself, which was more than just subterfuge.

In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it is reported that serious discussions took place in the promotion about MJF fully turning face.

It was ultimately Tony Khan’s call for MJF to remain a heel as fans saw with his actions at Full Gear.

On the post-Full Gear media scrum, MJF cemented his role as a heel, mocking reporters in attendance for believing he would turn babyface.

First Title Defense

MJF’s first AEW World Championship defense will come next week on the AEW Winter is Coming special edition of Dynamite.

MJF will defend against Ricky Starks, who earned the match by winning the AEW World Championship Eliminator Tournament.

Starks defeated Lance Archer and Brian Cage to advance to the finals where he defeated Ethan Page to earn a title match.

After winning the AEW Dynamite Diamond Ring battle royal, MJF’s $150,000 ring will also be on the line when the two face off next week.

Ricky Starks Went Off Script for Promo with MJF on AEW Dynamite (Report)

WWE Filming WrestleMania 39 Content Featuring Injured Superstar

Thomas Lowson
-
0

WWE has given its biggest tease yet that Cody Rhodes will be back in time for WrestleMania 39, incorporating the American Nightmare in a commercial shoot for the event.

Rhodes returned to WWE at WrestleMania 38 in April of this year, 46 days after announcing his departure from All Elite Wrestling.

The American Nightmare would defeat Seth Rollins at the show of shows and would pick up wins over the Architect at WrestleMania Backlash and WWE Hell in a Cell.

The Commercial

Hours prior to Hell in a Cell, Rhodes suffered a torn pectoral muscle which has kept the former AEW TNT Champion on the shelf ever since.

On Thursday of this week, WWE filmed a commercial for WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles, which featured The Miz wrestling Rhodes, Fightful Select reports.

They add that while this may not have been Cody himself, it was “at least someone dressed up exactly like him.”

WWE fully expects to have Cody Rhodes back in time for WrestleMania, which a source who spoke to Fightful said was never really in doubt.

Fightful was told that Maryse was supposed to be in attendance as well, though they aren’t sure if it was for a specific commercial spot or just to be there with her husband.

The Royal Rumble

When Cody went down with his injury, WWE reported that he would be out for nine months, giving him a March 2023 return date.

Immediately, fans were suspicious, and many believe that Rhodes will return as part of the Men’s Royal Rumble match, and is a favorite to win.

It was reported this week that WWE is considering having Roman Reigns defend the WWE and Universal Championships separately at WrestleMania 39, with Rhodes being one of his opponents.

In his emotional promo on the post-WrestleMania 38 Raw, Rhodes vowed to become WWE Champion to fulfill a promise to his late father.

Cody Rhodes Makes Interesting Claim About his Time in AEW

The Miz Compares Sami Zayn To Classic TV Series Lead

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

The story of Sami Zayn and The Bloodline is one of the top acts of not only WWE but the wrestling world right now. The Miz believes that he is the ‘Michael Scott’ of WWE because a show can easily be built around him.

The former WWE champion recently joined Brian Baumgartner for his Off The Beat podcast. Baumgartner is known for his role of Kevin Malone in the Office series. He asked the WWE star which characters from the series he would compare himself to. The Miz mentioned how he would want to be Michael Scott but it doesn’t fit his life:

“I’d wanna be Michael Scott, to be honest. But here’s the thing though, I can’t be Michael Scott. Because I feel like I’m Jim [Halpert]. Because on Miz and Mrs, which is my reality show on the USA Network, I do the Jim look to the camera almost every episode.

The reason I do that – so I love what Greg Daniels in all your interviews with all the different characters, the crew, the cast, you know, from your makeup people, the casting directors, I loved all those interviews to hear the insights of reasonings on why. I believe the reason that Jim would look at the camera is because it’s so absurd that someone needs to bring reality to this. ‘Is this really happening?’ kind of look, and Jim would always have that look.

‘I Have To Give That Jim Look’: The Miz

jim the office

The Miz continued the explanation saying that absurd things happen in his day-to-day life so he relates to Jim more. As for Michael Scott, the former IC champion compared him to none other than Sami Zayn:

“So in my reality show, if something so absurd is happening, and trust me, in my real day to day life, absurd things happen that you won’t believe is happening, but it really is. So I have to give that Jim look to the camera to show ‘I’m in on this with you. I know this is ridiculous, but it’s really funny.’ So I kind of stole that from the office because I love the show so much. So I would say I’m Jim.

Michael Scott is the lead. Every story can revolve around him, right? So I would say gosh, it’d have to be like Roman Reigns or a John Cena. Granted it’s not the comedy aspect of [the character], it’s not the airhead aspect of it. I wouldn’t call him airhead but you know what I’m talking about like, he’s just so absurd. So I would say as a lead actor, you’d have to have like a Cena or Roman Reigns as your Michael Scott. But with the comedy aspect, I mean Sami Zayn is doing some really funny stuff in WWE. The whole show can revolve around his character, so he could also be that Michael Scott.”

More Originals From SEScoops:

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

Watch: WWE Fans Sing Kurt Angle Happy Birthday After SmackDown Goes Off The Air

Robert Lentini
-
0

WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle celebrated his 54th birthday on this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown.

The Olympic gold medalist recently appeared on an episode of RAW from Pittsburgh and shared some milk with the Street Profits after they defeated Alpha Academy. Tonight’s episode of SmackDown also aired from Angle’s hometown of Pittsburgh and Kurt was at the show to celebrate with the WWE Universe.

Angle had a party backstage throughout the show and had a family reunion with his storyline son, Jason Jordan. Jason presented Angle with a card and the two shared a hug backstage. Gable Steveson was also with Angle for most of the show.

At the conclusion of WWE SmackDown, Kurt Angle made his way to the ring alone to celebrate with the crowd. There was a giant cake already set up in the ring and Alpha Academy interrupted. They were not on Angle’s guest list for the backstage party and they got revenge by bulling the WWE legend out of the ring.

Gable Steveson made the save in a milk truck and Kurt spayed Otis and Chad Gable down to end this week’s edition of SmackDown.

After WWE SmackDown went off the air, Kurt Angle’s birthday celebration continued with Triple H, Rey Mysterio and the SmackDown locker room in the ring.

Kurt addressed the crowd and told them to have a great night. Rey Mysterio grabbed the microphone and said that Angle’s night isn’t over yet. Mysterio joked that no matter what, Kurt Angle will always suck before leading the WWE Universe to sing him a happy birthday. Triple H then posed with Kurt Angle on the entrance ramp.

Triple H Wishes Kurt Angle Happy Birthday After WWE SmackDown: “Had to Bring The Milk Truck Back”

Robert Lentini
-
0

WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle appeared on tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown to celebrate his 54th birthday.

SmackDown aired live from the PPG Paints Arena in Angle’s hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Kurt held a party throughout the show backstage and seemingly everyone could get in besides Alpha Academy.

At the end of the show, Kurt told fellow Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson that he was going to head to the ring alone. Angle made his way to the ring where there was a giant cake already set up for him.

Alpha Academy immediately interrupted and Chad scolded Angle for not inviting them to his birthday party. Gable added that if Kurt doesn’t get out of the ring he’s going to suffer another broken neck.

Kurt exited the ring but stopped on the entrance ramp. Gable Steveson showed up in a milk truck and they started throwing milk cartons at Alpha Academy. Angle then sprayed Otis and Chad with the hose and posed with Gable Steveston to close the show.

After SmackDown went off the air, Triple H took to Twitter and posted a photo with Kurt Angle. The Game said they had to bring back the milk truck for his birthday.

“Had to bring the milk truck back for this one… Happy birthday,@RealKurtAngle! #SmackDown“

Kurt Angle also reunited with his long-lost son, Jason Jordan, during tonight’s episode of SmackDown. Jason presented his storyline father with a greatest dad greeting card and they shared a hug backstage.

WWE SmackDown Results, Takeaways (12/9/22): The Usos Defend Titles, Kurt Angle’s Birthday

WWE Gives Update on How Long Matt Riddle Will Be Off TV

Robert Lentini
-
0

The Usos were supposed to defend the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships against Elias and Matt Riddle on WWE RAW, but The Bloodline attacked Elias before the match.

Kevin Owens was announced as Elias’ replacement in the match but The Usos still picked up the win this past Monday. After the match, Solo Sikoa brutally beat Matt Riddle down and he was stretchered out of the arena.

During the tag title match tonight on WWE SmackDown, Michael Cole announced that Matt Riddle is expected to be out of action for six weeks due to the attack from Solo Sikoa this past Monday night.

Sami Zayn is Set for a Big Night Next Week on SmackDown

The Usos successfully defended the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships for the second time this week to kick off this week’s episode of SmackDown.

Jimmy and Jey were initially supposed to defend the titles against Sheamus and Drew McIntyre tonight on the blue brand. McIntyre announced that he was not medically cleared and Butch was his replacement. The Usos defeated The Brawling Brutes to retain the titles. After the match, Jey had a conversation with Sami Zayn backstage.

Jey told Sami that he should trim up his beard and look nice for Roman Reigns’ return next week. Uso said it will be a big night for Sami Zayn next Friday after he led The Bloodline to victory at Survivor Series WarGames.

AEW Rampage Results (12/9/22): Jon Moxley vs. Konosuke Takeshita, Trent Seven, Final Battle Go-Home Show

Robert Lentini
-
0

AEW Rampage aired on TNT tonight and was taped Wednesday night in Cedar Park, Texas.It was the final show before ROH Final Battle tomorrow afternoon at 4PM Eastern.

  • ROH Final Battle 2022 Preview

Rampage Results (12/9/22)

  • Jon Moxley def. Konosuke Takeshita
  • Hikaru Shida def. The Bunny to retain the Regina Di Wave Women’s Title & earned a shot at the AEW Women’s Championship
  • The Firm def. enhancement talent
  • Orange Cassidy def. Trent Seven to retain the AEW All-Atlantic Championship

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Jon Moxley def. Konosuke Takeshita in a Great Match & Brawled With Hangman Adam Page

Jon Moxley battled Konosuke Takeshita tonight in the first match of AEW Rampage. Moxley dominated the match early and bit Konosuke on the top of the head after several elbow strikes. Jon followed it up with some chops to the chest before Takeshita battled back. Takeshita hit Moxley with some punches and sent him out of the ring with a Hurricanrana.

Takeshita flipped onto Jon outside the ring as Don Callis was shown watching Konosuke from the stands. The action spilled into the crowd and the two traded punches as Rampage went to a commercial break.

Moxley was busted open when Rampage returned. Takeshita hit the former AEW World Champion with a Back Body Drop and followed it up with a massive Clothesline. Takeshita delivered a DDT and went for the cover but Jon powered out at two and the match continued.

Jon and Konsuke traded punches in the middle of the ring. Moxley got the better of the exchange and hit a massive Clothesline. Moxley went for the Deathrider but Takeshita countered into a cover. Konosuke hit a Brainbuster and went for the cover but Moxley kicked out at two and the war continued.

Takeshita perched Moxley up on the top rope and went for a Superplex but Jon slammed him down to the mat. Moxley went for the Paradigm Shift but Takeshita escaped. Jon went for the Bulldog Choke but Konosuke countered into a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. Konosuke connected with a German Suplex and went for the cover but Jon kicked out.

Konosuke climbed to the top rope and went for a Frog Splash but Moxley got his knees up. Jon unloaded a bunch of elbow strikes before hitting the Deathrider but Takeshita kicked out at one and the crowd popped. Takeshita stomped away on Moxley as the crowd chanted “yes!”. Jon hammered down on Takeshita over and over as the crowd booed. Moxley went for the Bulldog again and Konosuke passed out.

Hangman Adam Page made his way to the ring after the match and said the docs won’t clear him because of his brain, so he’s not thinking straight. Page hit a forearm strike but got punched. He got thrown into the ring post and got up wobbly to end the segment.

Hikaru Shida Retained & Earned A Shot At The AEW Women’s Title

Hikaru Shida defended the Regina Di Wave title against The Bunny tonight on Rampage. Penelope Ford was ringside for the match in The Bunny’s corner.

When Rampage returned, Shida hit a move and went for the cover but Penelope Ford threw a kendo stick in the ring. Shida booted it away and hit The bunny with Double Knees off the ring apron.

Back in the ring, Hikaru hit a Falcon Arrow for a near fall. Shida hit the Katana for the pinfall victory and retained the Regina Di Wave Championship. Shida will face Jamie Hayter for the AEW Women’s Championship in the near future. Hayter posed on the entrance ramp after the match.

The Firm Dominated

The Firm’s Lee Moriarty & Big Bill (FKA W. Morrissey, Big Cass) dominated a couple of jobbers tonight on Rampage. Lee started off the match and locked in a submission hold on both jobbers at the same time as Big Bill posed on the apron. Big Bill and Lee went on to pick up the quick win.

Orange Cassidy Retained the All-Atlantic Championship

Orange Cassidy defended the All-Atlantic Championship against Trent Seven in the main event of AEW Rampage. Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford were ringside for the match. Seven booted Cassidy in the ribs and hit him with a Body Slam.

Trent followed it up with a Leg Drop for a near fall. Best Friends and Orange Cassidy regrouped and then knocked Sabian down. Penelope ran away as Cassidy and Seven returned to the ring. Orange hit his lazy kicks and Seven responded with a DDT as Rampage went to the final break of the show.

When Rampage returned, Cassidy climbed to the top turnbuckle but Trent hit him with a chop to the chest. Seven followed it up with elbow strikes and a Superplex but Cassidy wouldn’t stay down for a three count.

Seven knocked Cassidy off the ring apron and went for a dive but Cassidy pulled Sabian in the way. Cassidy hit a dive of his own and rolled Seven into the ring. Cassidy went for the Orange Punch but Seven countered into a German Suplex. Cassidy hit Stundog Millionaire but Trent responded with a slam for a near fall and the title match continued.

Trent hit a massive Clothesline and went for the cover but Cassidy kicked out at two once again. Cassidy went for Beach Break but Trent broke free. Cassidy hit a Tornado DDT and stumbled to the top rope in a ton of pain. Orange went for a diving DDT but dove into a punch from Piledriver.

Seven connected with a Piledriver but Cassidy kicked out at two as the crowd chanted “this is awesome!”. Cassidy hit the Orange Punch and then the Beach Break for the pinfall victory. Orange Cassidy is still the All-Atlantic Champion.

After the match, Kip Sabian attacked Orange Cassidy and Trent joined in on the beatdown. Dustin Rhodes made the save and hit Kip with a Powerslam on the entrance ramp. Dustin planted Trent Seven with a Powerslam as well before helping All-Atlantic Champion Orange Cassidy to his feet to close the show.

Chris Jericho: AEW Roster Was “Fighting for Our Lives” After All Out Brawl

Thomas Lowson
-
0

The AEW roster was left fighting for their professional livelihoods in the fall out of the All Out braw, Chris Jericho has claimed.

After the now-infamous September Pay-Per-View, new AEW World Champion CM Punk bashed several members of the roster during the post-show media scrum.

Backstage, a fight broke out, which pitted Punk and Ace Steel against The Elite.

Fighting

Chris Jericho was present at All Out, as he had defeated Bryan Danielson on the Pay-Per-View and was far from impressed from the backstage brawl.

On the latest Talk is Jericho, the first AEW World Champion recalled the negative publicity the company faced following what happened.

“We were fighting for our lives at that time. There was so much bad publicity on the company and kind of a black cloud, a haze over it, and dude, we were fighting back.

“We kind of took charge, [Jon Moxley] and Bryan and I and let them know the sky wasn’t falling, that things happen, and we gotta keep the show rolling.”

Chris Jericho

Jericho had been critical of Punk after the brawl, telling the now-suspended AEW wrestler that he is a “cancer” to the locker room.

Jericho, Moxley, and Danielson

Following the AEW All Out backstage fight, Punk, Steel, the Elite, and others associated with the fight were suspended.

In their absence, the trio of Jericho, Jon Moxley, and Bryan Danielson assumed roles as locker-room leaders.

Before the first Dynamite after All Out, all three men, as well as AEW President Tony Khan, spoke at a talent-wide backstage meeting.

At the meeting, talent were told to “keep their personal issues personal” and were encouraged to move on from All Out.

In a Fightful report, it was said that Danielson was a “calming” presence, Jericho was praised for his professionalism, and Mixley was “adored” for being a reliable name in the company.

Chris Jericho’s Son Comments on Possibly Becoming a Pro-Wrestler

WWE SmackDown Results, Takeaways (12/9/22): The Usos Defend Titles, Kurt Angle’s Birthday

Robert Lentini
-
0

WWE SmackDown airs live tonight from the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Usos defend their Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships against The Brawling Brutes and Kurt Angle celebrated his birthday.

SmackDown Results (12/9/22)

  • The Usos def. Brawling Brutes to retain the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships
  • Legado Del Fantasma def. Viking Raiders via DQ (Hit Row attack)
  • New Day & Ricochet def. Imperium
  • Liv Morgan & Tegan Nox def. Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show

The Usos Retained the Undisputed Tag Team Championships

The Usos defended their Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships against Sheamus and Butch of The Brawling Brutes to kick off tonight’s SmackDown. Footage of Solo Sikoa’s brutal attack on Matt Riddle from this past Monday was shown before the match. Solo Sikoa, Sami Zayn, and Ridge Holland were ringside for the match.

Sheamus and Jimmy Uso started off the match. The Celtic Warrior controlled the action and Jimmy rolled out of the ring to regroup with The Bloodline. Butch and Jey tagged in and Uso hit a forearm to the face for a two count as SmackDown went to a break.

The Usos hit Butch with a combination move as the Honorary Uce danced around outside the ring. Butch connected with an Enzigui on Jimmy Uce and started crawling toward the corner. Jey tagged in and prevented Butch from making the tag as Sheamus flipped out on the ring apron.

Butch connected with a German Suplex and tagged in Sheamus. The Celtic Warrior hit Jimmy with a Backbreaker and fired up the Pittsburgh crowd. Butch and Sheamus hit 20 Beats of the Bodhran. Butch got in about 50 strikes on Jey and then sent him into the barricade.

Back in the ring, Sheamus charged at Jimmy but he sent the Celtic Warrior into the ring post. Sheamus battled back and hit White Noise from off the middle turnbuckle. He went for the cover but somehow Jimmy kicked out at two as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

Butch hit a Moonsault onto The Usos outside the ring when SmackDown returned. He followed it up with a Tornado DDT on Jey for a near fall. Sheamus dragged Jey out of the ring and threw him into the barricade. Butch connected with a Powerbomb and went for the cover but Jimmy was able to kick out at two and the match continued.

Brawling Brutes hit a Razor’s Edge/Neckbreaker combo on Jimmy in the middle of the ring. Sheamus went for the cover but Jey broke it up at the last moment. Sami Zayn got in to the ring while the referee was distracted but Ridge Holland leveled the Honorary Uce with a Clothesline. Sheamus hit a Running Knee for a near fall. Solo Sikoa hit Ridge with a Spinning Solo that sent him into the timekeeper’s area.

Jey counted a Brogue Kick with a Superkick. Jimmy Uso tagged in The Usos hit the 1D for the pinfall victory. The Usos are still the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions. Sami Zayn prevented Sheamus from getting into the ring and breaking up the cover.

LA Knight Called Out Bray Wyatt

Kurt Angle and Gable Steveson were shown walking backstage. Braun Strowman showed up and shook Gable’s hand. The Monster of All Monsters told Steveson to come see him when he gets out of the WWE PC.

LA Knight made his way to the ring to demand justice for the backstage attacks on him the previous few weeks. He claimed to have struck fear in Bray Wyatt because he keeps getting him. Knight rolled footage of him buried under a bunch of stuff on a recent edition of SmackDown. He showed the interview showing a masked man in the background.

Another masked man was in the background as well. A Wyatt vignette interrupted with Uncle Howdy saying Knight deserves to suffer and the door is closed. Knight said he’s going backstage to fight Bray Wyatt right now and exited the ring.

LA Knight was later shown backstage and the lights turned off. He flicked on his cell phone light and a masked person was there when SmackDown went to a break.

Hit Row Attacked

Cruz Del Toro & Joaquin Wilde battled The Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar) tonight on SmackDown. Santos Escobar and Valhalla (Sarah Logan) were ringside for the match. Zelina Vega joined commentary for the match.

Joaquin Wilde and Erik started off the action. Erik hit a shoulder tackle and followed it up with a kick to the ribs. Ivar tagged in and beat down Wilde in the corner. B-Fab of Hit Row interrupted and she took a seat on the entrance ramp as Top Dolla and Ashante Adonis attacked Santos Escobar. Hit Row brought a chair into the ring and hit Ivar with it. B-Fab leveled Valhalla with a kick and Top Dolla connected with a slam on Wilde. Hit Row then posed in the ring to end the segment.

Intercontinental Championship Contract Signing, 6-Man Tag Team Match

Jason Jordan and Kurt Angle had a family reunion backstage.

SmackDown World Cup winner Ricochet and Gunther had a Contract Signing for the IC Title tonight. Before it started, New Day interrupted and said they wanted a front row seat. Kofi said they can not allow Imperium to just jump Ricochet 3-1. Woods hyped their tag title match against Pretty Deadly tomorrow night at NXT Deadline.

Gunther boasted about Ricochet twice and claimed he was not worthy of being Intercontinental Champion. The Ring General vowed to win next week’s title match. Ricochet told Gunther he’s in for the fight of his life next week and vowed to become IC Champion once again. A brawl broke out and it led to a 6-man tag match.

Ricochet started off the match with Ludwig Kaiser. Ricochet hit a Body Slam and tagged in Xavier Woods. Xavier hit a slam of his own for a near fall and unloaded some strikes. Giovanni Vinci tagged in and hit Woods with an Arm Drag before beating him down in the corner.

Vinci connected with a Backbreaker on Woods when SmackDown returned. Gunther tagged in and planted Woods with a Body Slam before booting Ricochet off the ring apron. Kaiser tagged in and unloaded strikes on Woods in the corner. Xavier battled back and climbed to the top rope. Woods hit a Dropkick and tagged in Kofi Kingston.

Kofi hit Vinci with a Dropkick and climbed to the top turnbuckle. Kingston connected with a Splash and followed it up with the Boom Drop. Kaiser hit Kingston with an uppercut outside the ring and hurled him over the announce table. Imperium posed and talked trash as SmackDown went to a break.

When the blue brand returned. Kofi hit Kaiser with a Back Body Drop and tagged in Ricochet. Gunther tagged in as well and Ricochet hit him with some punches. The Ring General responded with a thunderous chop and a big boot to the face. Ricochet hit an Enziguri and a knee to the face. Ricochet kept unloading strikes to the champion and then ducked under a kick. Gunther leveled him with a chop and went for a Powerbomb but Ricochet countered into a DDT for a near fall.

Woods and Vinci then tagged in and Xaver hit a Tornado DDT. New Day set up for Midnight Hour but Kaiser broke it up. Vinci hit a Moonsault on Kingston as Ricochet hit a Hurricanrana on Kaiser. Kingston hit Trouble in Paradise and tagged in Ricochet. He hit a Shooting Star Press for the pinfall victory. Ricochet will battle Gunther for the IC Title next week.

Next Week’s SmackDown is Going to be a Big Night for Sami Zayn

Jey Uso stopped Sami Zayn before The Bloodline was about to head out for a bite to eat. Jey said the Tribal Chief is going to be back next week and Sami should trim his beard. Zayn wondered why he would have to do that and Jey suggested it is going to be a big night for him next week following WarGames.

Karrion Kross Warned Rey Mysterio

Karrion Kross confronted Rey Mysterio backstage and said it is always a sad thing when you have to put an animal out of its misery. Kross took a look at Rey’s injured ankle before security showed up.

Liv Morgan & Tegan Nox Picked Up A Win

SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler battled Tegan Nox & Liv Morgan. Tegan hit Shayna with a Senton in the corner to start off the action. The Queen of Spades battled back and tagged in Ronda Rousey. Ronda whipped Tegan around and then did Liv Morgan’s pose.

Rousey applied an Ankle Lock on Nox in the middle of the ring but she was able to break free and launched Rousey into the turnbuckle. Liv and Baszler tagged in and Morgan hit Shayna with a knee to the face. Morgan followed it up with a Dropkick for a two count.

Raquel Rodriguez tried to interfere but Adam Pearce and security stopped it. Ronda was distracted and Nox hit Baszler with a Shining Wizard. Liv covered Shayna for the win as Raquel Rodriguez watched on from the entrance ramp.

Gable Steveson and Kurt Angle Took Out American Alpha With a Milk Truck

Kurt Angle told Gable Steveson that he was going to head to the ring by himself as SmackDown went to a break. Angle entered the ring with a giant cake already in it. American Alpha weren’t let into Kurt’s party backstage earlier and Gable was pissed off.

Chad Gable claimed that Kurt Angle was petty because he didn’t want them outshining him. Gable agreed with the crowd when they chanted “you suck!” at Kurt and then shushed the audience. Chad told Angle he has no integrity, he’s lost his intensity, and said he can keep a shred of integrity if he leaves the ring.

American Alpha told Kurt Angle to get out of the ring or he will wind up with another broken neck. Gable and Otis ate some of Kurt’s care and Angle said they are going to need a lot of milk. Gable Steveson showed up with the milk truck. They began throwing milk at Otis and it staggered the big man. Angle then sprayed American Alpha with the milk hose as Gable Steveson jumped around. Kurt and Gable Steveson got into the ring as American Alpha retreated. Angle and Steveson chugged some milk and posed on the turnbuckles to end the show.

WWE in Talks About New Reality Show Involving Real-Life Wrestling Couples

Andrew Ravens
-
0

WWE is looking to line up its next reality show after finding success with past series such as Tough Enough, Total Divas, Miz & Mrs, and Total Bellas. 

In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that WWE is in talks with E! about a new reality show.

Meltzer said, “they are looking for legitimate wrestling couples, so some upcoming signings could relate to that if the project is finalized.”

Meltzer noted that Matt Cardona’s name was mentioned as a possibility because of Chelsea Green’s expected return to WWE. Green’s husband, Cardona, previously wrestled under the Zack Ryder name in WWE before he was released in April 2020. 

Past Success

Matt Cardona and Chelsea Green
Matt Cardona and Chelsea Green

Cardona completely reinvented himself when he started working on the indies. He also found success in Impact Wrestling, NWA, GCW and other promotions over the past two years. Cardona is set to challenge for the NWA World title at the company’s unannounced next pay-per-view.

WWE and E! have worked together on several different projects over the years. Total Divas ran for more than six years, from July 2013 to December 2019, before doing the Total Bellas spinoff, which ran from October 2016 through January 2021.

WWE announced they are working on a Bianca Belair/Montez Ford show for Hulu last month.

MJF Headed to Las Vegas to Watch Paddy Pimblett Fight at UFC 282

Andrew Ravens
-
0

AEW World Heavyweight Champion MJF will be in attendance at UFC 282, which takes place on Saturday night in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

The top AEW star previously traded shots with UFC fighter Paddy Pimblett on social media, where MJF called Paddy a “dollar store Connor McGregor.” He also claimed he wouldn’t last two seconds in a wrestling ring. 

Pimblett told MJF to meet him when AEW travels to England in 2023, which led to MJF stating that he’s more than game to knock Pimblett out. Marc Raimondi of ESPN first reported on Friday that MJF would be at the UFC 282 pay-per-view event following the exchange. 

The Confirmation

MJF
(AEW)

MJF seemingly confirmed the news in a tweet of his own as he told Pimblett that he’d see him in Vegas, as seen below: 

At the event, Pimblett will fight Jared Gordon. With a win, he would continue his undefeated streak in the UFC.

For MJF, he is scheduled to defend the AEW World Championship against Ricky Starks on the December 14 episode of AEW Dynamite. After winning the title with help from Wiliam Regal when he beat Jon Moxley for it at Full Gear, MJF turned on Regal by attacking the respected wrestler. 

AEW Just Lost Key Allies at Warner Bros. Discovery

Andrew Ravens
-
0

Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of TBS and TNT that airs AEW programming, has cut more prominent leaders. 

Variety has an article looking at the company releasing HGTV and Food Network chief Jane Latman and “D-Nets”/”T-Nets” exec Nancy Daniels, both of whom were well-liked at the company and served as longtime legacy Discovery execs.

Travel Channel’s Matthew Butler and D-Nets/T-Nets’ head of franchise series expansions and tentpole programming Scott Lewers are also gone. 

The Moves

Tony Khan

Latman served as the home and food content president at HGTV and Food Network. Her content programming responsibilities will move under execs Betsy Sanner Ayala (for Food Network) and Loren Ruch (for HGTV).

Daniels had overseen content across “D-Nets” Discovery, Animal Planet and Science Channel on the legacy Discovery side and recently took over content for Warner Bros. “T-Nets,” TNT, TBS and truTV,

Daniels is handing the reins over to TLC and Travel Channel exec Howard Lee for the D-Nets, while Jason Sarlanis of ID and HLN crime content will oversee the T-Net side. 

These are notable cuts as AEW President Tony Khan has praised Nancy Daniels and Scott Lewers as advocates for the promotion. AEW’s TV deal with Warner Bros. Discovery expires at the end of 2024. 

Warner Bros. Discovery’s U.S. networks chief Kathleen Finch announced the changes in a memo to staff Friday. This is the latest post-merger cost-cutting move made at Warner Bros. Discovery.

John Cena Set to Appear on Final SmackDown of 2022 (Report)

Samantha Schipman
-
0

*cue the horns*

John Cena will come home to WWE for the second time this year. He was on RAW in June to celebrate his 20th anniversary in the company. He will be appearing on the final SmackDown of the year. The show will be live from Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL on December 30.

According to Variety, the announcements of Cena’s return will begin airing in a few weeks. No further details are known at this time.

John Cena at WrestleMania 39

Austin Theory John Cena

There’s been speculation that Cena will wrestle at WrestleMania 39. The “Show of Shows” will take place in Los Angeles on April 1 and 2, 2023.

Logan Paul texted Triple H to request a match with Cena at WrestleMania 39. A match with Austin Theory is very likely. Cena has said that Theory is his current favorite WWE wrestler and also said he’s the wrestler that most needs to an Attitude Adjustment.

This list of dream matches for Cena includes Theory and Paul and few other opponents.

We will likely know by the end of the final SmackDown who his opponent will be.

Shawn Michaels Reveals WrestleMania Match He Came Up With In The Middle Of The Night

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Shawn Michaels was part of many iconic moments during his wrestling career. From achieving his boyhood dream to his matches with The Undertaker, HBK always knew how to bring out the emotion from the crowd and create a lasting memory. One such moment people still remember to this day is his WrestleMania XXIV match against Ric Flair. Michaels defeated Ric to end his WWE career and the ending of the bout is considered one of the most iconic moments in the history of the business.

The former world champion recently appeared on Notsam Wrestling podcast. Among other things he also talked about this match and revealed that he actually came up with the plans for this bout in the middle of the night:

“That particular match was something that came to me in the middle of the night. I woke up out of sleep. I think it was like two o’clock in the morning, [I] got up out of bed, and then just went to the table and started writing. Then I’m coming down to the end of it. Those thoughts that are in my head and of course, like a movie [I get] a little teardrop. I’m like ‘Oh my goodness. Is this too like namby pamby?’

I mean, wrestling audience, they can be tough. I just thought, ‘oh, I don’t know.’ But again, because it was so emotional for me because I knew where Ric was at that time, and I knew how important it was to him. It was genuinely important to me because it was important to him.”

‘It Was My Chance’: Shawn Michaels

The WWE Hall of Famer explained that even though he wasn’t sure about the crowd reaction, he decided to share the idea for the ending. Shawn Michaels revealed how Ric Flair reacted to it and who was the person who helped him perfect it:

“I wanted this to be really unbelievably special for him. It’s my chance for him to say of all the great matches he’s had, my best one was with Shawn Michaels. At whatever age he was at that time 56 or something. So there were a number of reasons I wanted it to go well, but then you’re looking at this ending and it’s like, sounds like a love story and that may not really go over well with a tough crowd. But I kept it.

I presented that to Michael Hayes and Ric when we got there to WrestleMania. Ric just patted me on the leg and goes ‘Thank you.’ and I was still waiting, like, does that thank you [mean] it’s good or is that [not]? Then I ask Michael and he’s the one that helps. Now he starts to think about framing it and making it what it turned out to be.”

You can check out Shawn Michaels’ full interview below:

More Originals From SEScoops:

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

AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door PPV Planned for 2023 (Report)

Andrew Ravens
-
0

Although the build-up to the show was criticized for being lackluster, AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door in June 2022 ended up being one of the best PPVs of the year and did good business for the promotions. 

A second Forbidden Door show has been speculated about, but a new report suggests Forbidden Door II could be set for 2023.

In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer was talking about AEW/ROH President Tony Khan’s recent pre-ROH Final Battle media call, particularly Khan’s claims that 2022 was AEW’s strongest year for PPV buys.

During the call, Khan was asked about the possibility of AEW adding more PPVs to their yearly rotation.

The Plan

Tony Khan

Meltzer wrote: “When asked if he’d add more PPV shows, he didn’t give an answer but said that he wants to not do so many that they aren’t special, but that they just finished their best PPV year in their history, and the adding a fifth event worked out (the plan is for another Forbidden Door show coming year).”

Khan noted on the call that they would internally discuss the right number of PPV shows per year.

The 2022 event did over $5 million on pay-per-view after drawing over 100,000 buys and over $1 million in ticket sales. Jon Moxley became the interim AEW World Heavyweight Champion when he beat Hiroshi Tanahashi in the main event.

Sasha Banks to Appear on Bayley’s Charity Livestream

Andrew Ravens
-
0

Sasha Banks and Bayley are slated to reunite next week. 

Bayley announced via Instagram that Banks would be part of her charity stream on December 14 to benefit the Family Giving Tree. The two stars are former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions and have been good friends for years as part of the WWE Four Horsewomen. 

Banks walked out of WWE alongside Naomi due to creative differences. While WWE and Banks had talks regarding a return, it’s been reported that the talks have stalled due to money.  She is reportedly set to attend NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17.

Bayley’s Announcement

Sasha Banks
(via WWE)

“You’re welcomeeee!…. Because my 3rd guest joining me on IG live Dec 14 to benefit @familygivingtree is the one and only @themercedesvarnado. A main event of Wrestlemania, a star in The Mandalorian, killing the runways on Fashion weeks, co-owner of an award winning CBD company (@kanndelabs), and that’s all I’ll say for now because she’s gonna get a big head over this.

The best thing about having her on is that Mercedes asked ME to be a part of this interview to help spread the love.

Please join us next Wednesday, Dec. 14, as I’ll be hanging out with some amazing people. We can share some hot cocoa, answer some questions you may have, play games, and enter to win raffles! Click the link in my bio to see how you can contribute to @familygivingtree this year.”

Bayley is currently part of WWE Raw as a member of Damage CTRL alongside Dakota Kai & IYO SKY. 

Sasha Banks Reportedly Appearing at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom

Matt Hardy Provides an Update on Jeff Hardy’s Condition

Samantha Schipman
-
0

Back in June, Jeff Hardy was arrested for DUI among other charges just days after Double or Nothing. Since then, his court dates have been pushed back several times. Hardy did enter alcohol rehabilitation.

In September, Matt Hardy said on his podcast that Jeff had been improving. “I feel like his mentality is that he knows he has to make changes and do what’s right and I feel like he’s at the point where he will this time around. I’m excited to have him back.” That quote gave some the impression that he was on his way back to AEW, but he still has legal issues to contend with.

Jeff Hardy is ‘In a Good Place’

Jeff Hardy
(via AEW)

During this week’s episode of The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy, Matt did a Q&A episode where he provided an update on his brother.

“He’s basically doing the same thing he’s been doing, he’s doing exactly what he needs to be doing to get where he needs to be in life. More or less, we just have to get these legal issues behind him before we can move forward. So, that’s kind of where we’re at with Jeff. We’re hoping that happens sooner rather than later.”

“He seems to be in a really good place. It’s very nice and refreshing to see. Hopefully, that continues and we get him back to where he belongs.”

Matt didn’t provide further information on when legal issues might be behind Jeff. There is still no timetable for his potential AEW return.

Johnny Fusion Returning to MLW at Blood & Thunder

Michael Reichlin
-
0

Former WWE Superstar John Morrison returns to Major League Wrestling at MLW Blood & Thunder. The event takes place Saturday, January 7 from Philadelphia’s 2300 Arena.

Keeping with his habit of altering his name based on the promotion he’s working for, he’ll be competing as Johnny Fusion.

A press release sent in by MLW reads:

“No stranger to MLW, Johnny Fusion, tore it up against the likes of Shane Strickland, Darby Allin and others in MLW during his last stint. With a reloaded MLW roster featuring the likes of Davey Richards, Alex Hammerstone, Jacob Fatu and many others, expect some dream matches on the horizon.

Perhaps a reunion could be in the mix for Johnny Fusion, who has history with the ruthless Cesar Duran.

Plus, the reigning Women’s World Featherweight Champion Taya Valkyrie happens to be Johnny Fusion’s wife. Could a new power couple be in play in 2023 in MLW?”

Tickets for MLW Blood & Thunder are now available at MLW2300.com.

MLW Blood & Thunder Matches

  • MLW World Heavyweight Champion Alex Hammerstone vs. YAMATO
  • Jacob Fatu vs. Ben-K

Additional talent signed to appear includes Alex Kane, Real1, Davey Boy Smith Jr. & The Billington Bulldogs, Mance Warner, Women’s World Featherweight Champion Taya Valkyrie and more.

Barry Windham Update: Stabilized & Out of Intensive Care

Ella Jay
-
0

WWE Hall of Famer Barry Windham is doing better after suffering a life-threatening heart attack earlier this month.

The Windham family has set up the GoFundMe Campaign to help financially support his medical expenses and bills during this difficult time. According to Mika Rotunda, sister of WWE Superstar Bray Wyatt, their uncle “experienced a number of taxing injuries and ended up undergoing multiple surgeries. That led to other health complications.”

Since retiring, Windham “has been limited with work due to his medical history” and “left without health insurance.”

On Friday, December 9, Mika Rotunda provided an encouraging update on Windham’s health. She wrote on Twitter that he’s stabilized & out of intensive care. He’s also talking and able to stand, which is great news to hear after such a scare.

Career Highlights

Four Horseman 2.0

Barry Windham began his professional wrestling career in 1979, training with his father Blackjack Mulligan, and wrestling legend Harley Race. From there, he went on to achieve great success in NWA territories, including Jim Crockett Promotions and Championship Wrestling from Florida. Notably, he claimed NWA World Heavyweight Championship and NWA World Tag Team Championship each once, amongst many other title wins.

Barry eventually joined World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and one of professional wrestling’s greatest stables: The Four Horsemen. In 2012, The Four Horseman group entered the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2012, including Barry Windham, Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, and J.J. Dillon.

SEScoops sends our best wishes to Barry Windham and the Windham family at this time.

Latest on WrestleMania 39 Plans, Talk of Splitting Up World Titles

Michael Reichlin
-
0

‘WrestleMania Goes Hollywood’ Saturday and Sunday, April 1 & 2 from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. We’re still aboutfour months out, but planning is already underway for WWE’s biggest premium live event of 2023.

Nothing is set in stone at this stage. Several factors will determine WrestleMania’s top programs, most notably Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s availability. WWE is not expected to finalize WrestleMania plans until mid-January, in the lead-up to the Royal Rumble.

That said, it’s still interesting to see what’s being considered. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there are two main ideas in play for WrestleMania.

It goes without saying that WrestleMania will be built around the promotion’s marquee attraction, Roman Reigns. WWE is so high on the Tribal Chief’s drawing power that he could be called upon to pull ‘double duty’ and headline both nights.

There’s no guarantee that things will play out this way, however:

“One of the things talked about internally in WWE is for Reigns to wrestle both nights at Mania, with the working ideas being Cody Rhodes and Dwayne Johnson.

– Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Two World Titles

In addition to those matches, WWE has renewed discussions about splitting up Reigns’ Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. The main benefit of a singular champion is that fans have no question about the best wrestler in WWE. When you have multiple world champions, that distinction becomes diluted.

The drawback is that it’s difficult for one man to appear on both Raw and SmackDown. The world championship is a draw, and you can be sure WWE’s television partners (Fox and USA Network) both want a world champion on their shows.

WWE will pull out all the stops to ensure WrestleMania 39 is a commercial success. Here are some of our recent articles about

The Miz Reveals Acting Advice From The Rock

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

The Miz is one of those WWE superstars that doesn’t just stay confined to the wrestling business. He was a reality star even before stepping foot in WWE. The former world champion has continued to make a name outside of the wrestling business even after becoming a WWE superstar and bringing new eyes to the product with different ventures. One such venture where he has found great success is his acting career and it appears that some advice from The Rock helped him with it.

The A Lister recently appeared on Off The Beat with Brian Baumgartner. He talked about things such as his time before WWE, how he got started in wrestling and more. Discussing his start in the movie business, The Miz recalled how he asked The Rock for advice right before his very first shoot:

“I texted him and said, ‘Hey man, I’m about to start my first movie, getting ready to do my first scene. Is there any advice you can give me'” recalled The Miz, “He called me.

He was like, ‘Dude, the best thing that I could tell you and help you out with is just be natural, and it’s gonna sound so easy and so weird, but once you get there, there’s gonna be three or four cameras, you’re gonna have to hit a spot that you can’t look at, you can’t look at the spot. You have to be normal and natural. It’s action and you have to just make it feel [real].’ It was great advice. Because sometimes you see in acting, you’ll see a robotic kind of portrayal. I didn’t want to do that.”

More Originals From SEScoops:

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

Is Ricochet the Most “Complete” WWE Superstar Wrestling Today?

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Ricochet’s pushes may have been stop-and-start, but there’s no denying the high-flyer’s ability in the ring.

After establishing himself on the independents, Ricochet signed with WWE in January 2018 and debuted for NXT as part of the front-row at NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia that same month.

The One and Only is the first (and to date, only) person to hold the NXT North American Championship, Raw’s United States Championship and SmackDown’s Intercontinental Championship.

Complete

While Ricochet has had the occasional push in WWE, he is part of a stacked roster, and often finds himself being overlooked for other stars.

Speaking on the latest episode of WWE After the Bell, Ricochet wasn’t afraid to tout his accomplishments and called himself the most complete name on the roster.

“You look at your Austin Theorys and you look at all these guys who look the part as the complete all-around package. But when you get me in there, there is really no one as complete as me.

“there is really no one as complete as me.”

Ricochet.

“I know I’m not as strong as Bobby Lashley, but I can still squat 400-plus pounds. I’m probably not as fast as some of these guys, but I’m just as fast if not faster than almost everybody else. If you’re looking for a complete package, especially in that ring. Don’t look any further than Ricochet.”

Mental Games

Because he is often overlooked, Ricochet can go weeks, or even months, sat backstage in catering.

Speaking about waiting to be used, Ricochet explained how getting in your own head can often prove to be as difficult as anything in the ring.

“There’s always a physical game that you have to play, and then there’s a mental game you have to play. That’s with any business, with any high-class thing you’re trying to do. Going out there and doing the actual matches and all the physical parts of it, of course, that’s going to be work.

“But a lot of it is backstage. It’s biding the right time, it’s waiting for your moment, your opportunity. Or in some cases, creating your moment. Creating your opportunity. Asking the right people. That’s also work, because it’s taxing on your mind, because you get to thinking about your past, and your future. It’s a lot of mental exhaustion sometimes.”

Ricochet recently won the WWE SmackDown World Cup Tournament, defeating Mustafa Ali and Braun Strowman before beating Santos Escobar in the finals.

The One and Only will challenge Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER, who won the title from Ricochet in June, on tonight’s SmackDown.

Ricochet on Earning Braun Strowman’s Respect During Their SmackDown World Cup Match

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

WWE Didn’t See The Miz as a Wrestler When he Signed with the Company

Thomas Lowson
-
0

The Miz has had a career in WWE that few wrestlers could only dream of, but that was never the original plan.

Debuting as part of 2004’s Tough Enough, the future two-time WWE Grand Slam winner would come second, losing out to Daniel Puder.

In 2006, The Miz was introduced as the host of WWE Friday Night SmackDown but would quickly transition into a wrestling role.

Commentary

One of Miz’s talents that has made him such a versatile asset to WWE is his ability to cut a promo.

Speaking to Off the Beat, Miz explained that WWE recognized his talents on the microphone, but initially had no plans for him to wrestle.

“They were like, ‘You impressed us so much that maybe there is something for you here.’ They brought me up to Connecticut to commentate. Joey Styles brought me up with Todd Grisham and Michael Cole, they brought me up and I had to do a take of commentating. They told me, ‘we might bring you in as a commentator or interviewer.'”

“‘We might bring you in as a commentator or interviewer.'”

WWE’s reaction to The Miz impressing them in 2004.

The A-Lister added that after pleading his case, saying he wanted to be bigger than The Rock and Hulk Hogan, WWE allowed him a developmental deal.

Decisions

Now under a developmental deal, Miz reported to Deep South Wrestling, the promotion’s training facility at the time.

Speaking about his experience in DSW, the WWE Superstar said that he quickly realized that being under contract was no guarantee of being successful.

“They didn’t think I was going to be much of anything, to be honest, you could kind of tell, ‘let’s see what we got here.’ They gave me this developmental contract and I was like, ‘I’m making more than this doing Real World and The Challenge. I’m not taking a pay cut to do this.’ I had to think about that.”

Miz added that he would eventually realize the importance of taking one step back in order to take two steps forward.

The A-Lister would become the first DSW Heavyweight Champion under WWE, winning a tournament and besting Mike Knox in the finals.

Ciampa Credits Miz With Helping Him Transition to the Main Roster
h/t – Sportskeeda
1...513514515...3,382Page 514 of 3,382