Home Blog Page 571

Will Renee Paquette Commentate in AEW? No! Maybe…

0

Renee Paquette is confident she won’t commentate for AEW, but cannot fully rule out the idea.

Paquette made her debut for AEW on this week’s Dynamite, the first time the show has been held in Canada.

Hours before Dynamite, AEW President Tony Khan had confirmed Paquette’s ‘All-Elite’ status with a tweet.

Commentary

Before coming to AEW, Paquette worked as an interviewer in WWE, before rising to the ranks of Raw commentator.

Paquette’s arrival at the desk in September 2018 made her the first female full-time WWE commentator but faced criticism from some fans.

In her first appearance on ‘The Sessions’ since her AEW status was confirmed, Paquette was asked if she’d commentate for AEW.

“No. I shouldn’t say no, but I also feel like anyone who just heard you [co-host Emilio Sparks] ask, probably had the same reaction. ‘No thanks, we don’t need that. We don’t want that.’ And that’s always how I felt about it… People had such a negative reaction to it, and it just wasn’t the thing that I wanted it to be.”

While Paquette isn’t interested in the role, she still could not fully rule out the idea of commentating.

“If the opportunity made sense and it was something that everyone was on the same page about, maybe, but I just don’t see that being what I want to do.”

Being All-Elite

Paquette’s AEW arrival comes over two years after leaving WWE, where she worked as Renee Young.

Speaking about signing with AEW, Paquette said that it was more-so her husband [AEW World Champion Jon Moxley] who made the first step.

“For as much as I’d been around a lot, I’d never really talked to Tony about coming into AEW. A lot of it, and this is probably going to sound bad, and I’m sure people are going to take this out of context. Honestly, a lot of it was talking to Jon. Of being like ‘man, I want to get back in the wrestling world. I miss being around it. I miss doing stuff.’ So most of our conversations were internally between Jon and I.

“Him [Moxley] and Tony are obviously very close. They spend tons of time talking about things, so I think it was more so them talking about it. I think a lot of people thought I was done with wrestling to a degree.”

When asked later on, Paquette said that once the discussions about her joining AEW started, it did not take long for a deal to be struck.

“It all happened really fast. It literally happened so fast. Jon and I had been talking about it, and then the next day, my manager is calling me being like ‘oh yeah, they’re reaching out. I’m getting the contract through.'”

Feeling Displaced

Paquette made her on-screen AEW debut this week, but it was hardly the first time she had been at an event.

Being married to Moxley, Paquete is said to have been a regular behind the scenes before signing.

Early into the podcast, she explained how while she enjoyed her time as a guest of AEW, she never felt quite right.

“It was always sort of an odd displaced sort of feeling anytime I went to shows with Jon. Because I’m always used to being at shows, but working and being useful and contributing. So being there for the duration of Jon being at AEW and not doing that… It’s just a different feeling going there as a guest as opposed to now.

Differences with WWE

Paquette is excited to work with AEW, and has done plenty over the past two years, but is well aware that her name was made as part of WWE.

AEW allows their talent more freedom in their work, something that Paquette is very excited for.

“This is going to be a very different situation with AEW. Because my time with WWE was very much ‘here’s the interview, here’s the script. This is what we’re going to do.’ That’s now how AEW operates, so that is exciting for me.

“Now I get to actually interview people, if that makes sense? I mean, I was reading scripts before and I enjoy doing that. But this is different, actually interviewing people about things.”

Not Taking Shots

Paquette is the latest WWE alum to be welcomed with open arms by Tony Khan, who has never shied away from taking digs at WWE.

Much like the company President, AEW talent aren’t opposed to jibes about the competition, something that Paquette wants no part of.

“People become very territorial about WWE vs. AEW and all that. I want nothing to do with any of that. I love so many people at both companies.WWE was so great to me for years. Of course, I could have my gripes about things, but who couldn’t about any job?”

Paquette’s first assignment took place on this week’s AEW Dynamite, interviewing fellow WWE veteran Christian Cage.

‘Hangman’ Page References the Elite & CM Punk on AEW Dynamite

0

It has been over a month since fans saw The Elite on AEW programming, but there was a mention of the group on last night’s Dynamite.

The Elite, consisting of Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks, have been suspended from AEW for their role in the All Out 2022 post-show backstage fight.

Punk has also been removed from AEW programming and became the first wrestler stripped of the AEW World Championship.

The Bucks and Omega were also stripped of the AEW Trios titles, which they had won on the All Out pay-per-view.

AEW Dynamite

There’s still no word on when The Elite will be back on AEW programming, but ‘Hangman’ Adam Page made a nod to the group last night.

During a segment with AEW World Champion Jon Moxley, Page’s toughness was called into question.

In response, Page said that he “hesitated in May, and it cost me,” a nod to his AEW World Championship loss to CM Punk at Double or Nothing.

In a more direct reference to The Elite, Page talked about how he misses seeing his “best friends” around.

“I have to watch, as week after week, they seemingly disappear. My old friends, they have disappeared.”

‘Hangman’ Adam Page referencing The Elite.

This wasn’t the only nod to The Elite at AEW’s debut in Toronto as shirts for The Elite, stylized in the Canadian flag, were sold.

The Investigation

Despite these references, neither Punk nor The Elite is expected back until the ongoing investigation is finished.

An external investigation is underway but is reportedly being delayed due to one person involved threatening a lawsuit.

While the Bucks and Omega are not expected to lose their jobs, it is believed that Punk could be fired, or quit AEW.

  • CM Punk is Probably Not Returning to AEW

Mandy Rose Gives Statement Following the Death of Her Brother

0

Mandy Rose has thanked fans for their support in a statement confirming the death of her brother.

Rose, the reigning NXT Women’s Champion, has been missing from the past two weeks of programming.

On this week’s NXT, Rose’s real-life best friend Sonya Deville filled in for her, aligning with Toxic Attractions Jacy Jayne and Gigi Dolin.

Her Statement

After Rose missed last week’s WWE NXT, some suggested that she was facing a personal tragedy.

In an Instagram post, Rose spoke of losing someone, which was believed to be her brother Richard.

During her most recent Instagram Stories post, Rose confirmed reports of her brother’s passing and thanked those who have sent their support.

“I just wanted to thank everyone who paid their respects for my brother. The last few days weren’t easy but we’re so thankful for all of our family and friends who supported us in this tragic time & celebrated Richie’s life. I know Richie would even be surprised to see how many people cared about him and loved him. Still feels like a bad dream. RIP Richie.. we love you.“

Richard Saccomanno

Richard Saccomano is believed to have passed away on October 3, aged 40 and no cause of death has been made public knowledge.

Services for Saccommano will take place at the Joseph A. Scarano Pines Memorial Chapel, in Peekskill, New York.

We here at SEScoops would like to offer our deepest condolences to Mandy Rose and her family at this incredibly sad time.

Worrying Update About Adam Cole’s Future in AEW

0

Adam Cole’s future with AEW is in serious doubt as he continues to recover from a particularly nasty concussion.

Cole debuted for AEW in September 2021 at that year’s All Out, days after competing for WWE at their NXT TakeOver 36 event.

At AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door in June this year, Cole suffered a concussion during a four-way match for Jay White’s IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.

Could be Never

After a short absence from TV, Cole returned on the August 3, episode of AEW Rampage, but confirmed that he was still not medically cleared.

Speaking on the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that there’s still no sign of Cole’s return to the ring.

“It’s a concussion, it’s a bad concussion. Real bad concussion. He’ll be back when he’s cleared – it could be tomorrow, and it could be never, you know what I mean?”

Dave Meltzer on Adam Cole’s ongoing concussion issues.

AEW Bay Bay!

Cole’s arrival in AEW at All Out 2021 was a shocking moment, earning the Dynamite award for the Biggest Surprise of the year.

Cole has said that working with new talent, access to his Twitch stream, and being able to spend more time with his girlfriend Britt Baker as reasons for his “fairly easy” decision.

Earlier this year, Cole challenged twice for the AEW World Champion, held at the time by ‘Hangman’ Adam Page, but lost at Revolution and on the April 15, episode of AEW Rampage in a Texas Deathmatch.

At Double or Nothing 2022, Cole defeated Samoa Joe to become the first-ever Men’s Owen Hart Cup winner.

“You Know This Is Your Call-Up, Right?” – Solo Sikoa Shares His First Interaction With Triple H

0

Solo Sikoa of The Bloodline disclosed that the first time he met Triple H was before his debut at Clash at the Castle on the latest episode of the Cheap Heat podcast.

He discussed watching his father Rikishi in WWE while growing up, being a part of The Bloodline in WWE, why Honorary Uce Sami Zayn is “one and a million“, and the advice he received from Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns ahead of his debut last month at Clash at the Castle.

Sikoa admitted that he had no idea that he was being called up the main roster the first time he spoke with WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H.

You know, going to Cardiff, that was my first time meeting him (Triple H). At the time, he was not in NXT. When he signs people at NXT, he takes a picture with them. I think like a week before we were getting ready to take the picture with him, he had some differences and something had happened.

But that was my first time meeting him man. He brought me to the office and goes ‘hey man, welcome to Cardiff. You know this is your call-up right?’ I was like ‘no, I didn’t.’ He goes ‘yeah this is your call-up man for SmackDown, so welcome’.

Solo added that Triple H had to explain to him what he was doing at the Premium Live Event. The 29-year-old stated that The Game will talk to him after every match and give him advice.

He’ll talk to me every time after the match to give me some advice, which I’m really happy I got the chance to meet him.

Rosenberg asked Sikoa towards the end of the interview what it was like being in the ring with Drew McIntyre. Sikoa cost Drew his shot at the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Clash at the Castle. They battled on an episode of SmackDown in a match that ended in a DQ following interference from Karrion Kross.

He’s a pro. He’s been in the game for over twenty years I think. Me being in there with a guy like him man, I was happy to be in there because I learned so much. You know with guys like that have been around the game and I’m just coming up from NXT.

It is a whole different pace. It is a whole different ballgame from NXT to the main roster. If you can catch on and switch how you was in NXT to the main roster, I think you will fit in just fine.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit Cheap Heat and give a H/T to SEScoops for the transcription.

Solo Sikoa Reveals The Advice He Got From Roman Reigns Before His Debut At WWE Clash At The Castle

0

Solo Sikoa made his main roster at WWE Clash at the Castle in the main event.

The 29-year-old showed up during the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match between Roman Reigns and Drew McIntyre.

Drew set up for the Claymore and appeared to have the match one but got distracted by Sikoa. Roman capitalized with a Spear to retain the title and continue his legendary reign. The Tribal Chief has been the champion for 772 days now, and is scheduled to defend against Logan Paul next month at WWE Crown Jewel.

Solo Sikoa Reveals The Advice He Got From Roman Reigns

Solo Sikoa chatted with Peter Rosenberg on the latest edition of The Ringer’s Cheap Heat podcast. Sikoa revealed that he hadn’t seen Roman for over 20 years before Clash at the Castle in Cardiff.

You know, seeing Roman in Cardiff, I hadn’t seen him for like 20 years. We really weren’t close but he was always around at our house playing with my brothers (The Usos). They were the same age and I was way younger than them.

Now coming into the business, I’m starting to get close with him even though the age gap is there. I’m really starting to get close with him because it’s Big Uce Roman Reigns, you know what I’m saying? He’s been running this game for a while now.

Rosenberg asked if The Tribal Chief gave Solo any advice before his debut at Clash at the Castle.

He just said be there. Be there on the timing. If you don’t do this and that during the match, it’s not going to work.

I remember when we got there, nobody knew I was there in Cardiff. None of the boys, just only certain people.

I remember that day man, we were just sitting in the locker room. It’s quiet. I was watching them get ready for their match and I didn’t want to say anything.

He was in his zone and I was in my zone. He was like man ‘I just need you to be here and I need you to execute this at this time’. And I did man, and it blew the roof off the place.

Solo added that Roman told him that he did a good job following the Premium Live Event last month.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit Cheap Heat and give a H/T to SEScoops for the transcription.

Watch: What Happened With Orange Cassidy After Dynamite Went Off Air

0

AEW made its Canada debut this week with Dynamite coming live from Toronto’s Coca-Cola Coliseum. The main event of the show saw Orange Cassidy challenging Pac for the All-Atlantic Title.

At one point in the match, Pac tried to use the title to get himself disqualified but Danhausen made a surprise appearance and stopped him.

Pac then retrieved a hammer from under the ring. However, Cassidy prevented him from using it. The Freshly Squeezed delivered a couple of Orange Punches to pick up the victory and win his first championship in the company.

The show went off the air with Orange Cassidy celebrating his title win alongside Danhausen and the Best Friends. Though this wasn’t the end of the night.

What Happened With Orange Cassidy After Dynamite

After the cameras stopped rolling, Cassidy mentioned how he doesn’t like to carry things. He called out for someone to bring his bag and it turned out to be none other than Kris Statlander.

After they put the title in the bag, Cassidy cut a promo thanking the fans. You can check out the new champion’s post-show promo in the video below:

Tonight’s TV tapings were full of many surprises. A former WWE tag team debut before Dynamite and Renee Paquette officially joined the company during the show.

“One In A Million” – The Bloodline’s Solo Sikoa Shares His Thoughts On Sami Zayn

0

The Bloodline’s Solo Sikoa has made his presence felt on the main roster since arriving at Clash at the Castle.

He is the younger brother of Undisputed Tag Team Champions The Usos and the son of WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi.

The 29-year-old has become The Enforcer of The Bloodline and recently demolished Ricochet & Madcap Moss for questioning if Sami Zayn was actually a member of The Bloodline. Solo captured the NXT North American Championship from Carmelo Hayes on the September 13th edition of NXT but was forced to relinquish the title a week later.

Sikoa defeated Madcap Moss on the September 16th edition of SmackDown to retain the title.

Solo Sikoa On Sami Zayn Being In The Bloodline

Solo joined Peter Rosenberg on the latest episode of The Ringer’s Cheap Heat podcast. During the conversation, Rosenberg noted that he sees a lot of Rikishi and Umaga in Sikoa. He asked Solo if there were any wrestlers that influenced him and he listed off several names from his family including Umaga, Yokozuna, The Usos, and Rikishi.

Solo Sikoa spoke about Sami Zayn and referred to the Honorary Uce as a little bother.

“Sami’s like that little brother, you know? He’s the loud brother, and he’s dancing all over the place. But when he bumps into trouble, he runs back to his older brothers for help.

I feel like Sami is like that. But he’s one of those characters man, where it is very one in a million to have him a round. And he’s in The Bloodline, so it doesn’t get no better than that.

Peter asked if wrestlers backstage pull Solo Sikoa aside and give him advice. Sikoa stated that happens from time to time but his brothers in The Bloodline usually take care of that.

There are some times when other people pull me aside, but I feel like my brothers, and Roman, and Sami already do that enough.

I am blessed to have these four guys around me. Sami, Roman, and my brothers are always giving me feedback on everything.

For me just coming up and just started, I’m very blessed and lucky to have that. Back in the day, or even now, a lot of guys wouldn’t do that.

I can tell all four of them care about me and want to see me succeed.

Sami is one of those guys where he’s a student of the game. He really knows his stuff. When he talks to me man, I’m all eyes and ears.

If you use quotes from this article, please credit Cheap Heat with a H/T to SEScoops for the transcription.

9 Takeaways From AEW Dynamite (10/12): New Champion, Hangman Page & Moxley, Shawn Spears

0

AEW Dynamite aired live from the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, Canada. Chris Jericho defended the ROH Championship against Bryan Danielson. PAC put the All-Atlantic Championship on the line against Orange Cassidy in the main event.

Dynamite Results:

  • Luchasaurus def. Jungle Boy
  • WarJoe def. The Factory
  • Swerve Strickland def. Billy Gunn
  • Chris Jericho def. Bryan Danielson to retain the ROH Championship
  • Hikaru Shida & Toni Storm def. Britt Baker & Jamie Hayter
  • Orange Cassidy def. PAC to become the new All-Atlantic Champion

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Luchasaurus def. Jungle Boy

Renee Paquette made her AEW debut tonight and kicked off the show. Paquette interviewed Christian Cage and he instantly mocked the Toronto Maple Leafs. Cage then introduced Luchasaurus to a chorus of boos from the Toronto crowd.

https://twitter.com/Saraya/status/1580354861387763712?s=20&t=n-uXzbtx7FdrPJtTrjSwow

Luchasaurus squared off against his former tag team partner Jungle Boy in the first match of the night. Christian Cage joined commentary for the match. Jungle Boy controlled the match early and stared at Cage on commentary. Luchasaurus planted Jungle Boy with a German Suplex in the middle of the ring as Dynamite went to a break.

When Dynamite returned, Jungle Boy went for a slam on the ring apron but his back gave out. Jungle Boy battled back and hit a Sunset Flip Powerbomb through a table outside the ring as the crowd chanted “holy sh*t!”.

Jungle Boy got distracted by Cage walking down the entrance ramp as Luchasaurus sat up in the middle of the ring. Luchasaurus delivered a Clothesline and followed it up with a Death Valley Driver for a near fall.

Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy battled on the top turnbuckle. Jungle Boy unloaded some punches as the crowd chanted along. Luchasaurus shrugged it off and planted Jungle Boy with a Chokeslam but Jack Perry responded with a Crucifix Bomb out of nowhere for a two count.

Jungle Boy sent a message to Christian and hit the Killswitch but Luchasaurus kicked out at two. Jack applied the Snare Trap but Luchasaurus got to the bottom rope to break the hold. Jungle Boy god distracted by Cage once again before climbing to the top turnbuckle.

Luchasaurus grabbed Jungle Boy the throat and slammed him to the canvas. He followed it up with another Death Valley Driver for the pinfall victory.

Ethan Page Will Battle Isiah Kassidy On Rampage

Stokely Hathaway and Matt Hardy argued over Private Party backstage and Renee Paquette was caught in the middle. Ethan Page challenged Isiah Kassidy to match on Rampage this Friday night. If Kassidy wins, Private Party

WarJoe def. The Factory, Shawn Spears Returned

QT Marshall and Nick Comoroto faced Samoa Joe and Wardlow tonight on Dynamite. WarJoe dominated and Joe tapped out Comoroto with the Coquina Clutch.

After the match, TNT Champion Wardlow delivered several Powerbombs to QT Marshall.

Prince Nana and The Embassy made their way to the ring but FTR quickly interrupted.

Dax Harwood got drowned out by the loud “FTR!” chants from the crowd. FTR added that they have a partner for Friday night and Shawn Spears returned to a massive pop. FTR hit Aaron Solo with the Big Rig to end the segment.

Swerve Strickland def. Billy Gunn

Swerve Strickland battled Billy Gunn tonight on Dynamite. Billy controlled the action early and connected with a Dropkick as Dynamite went to a break.

When Dynamite returned, Swerve battled back and focused his attack on Billy’s leg. Swerve couldn’t keep Billy down and resorted to grabbing the ropes for leverage during a cradle for the pinfall victory.

After the match, The Acclaimed came to the ring and Swerve told them to suck it.

Smart Mark Sterling and Tony Nese joined the party and said that the tag champs must be ignoring their email. Mark claimed that he copyrighted the phrase “scissor me” and The Acclaimed can’t do it anymore. The Acclaimed went to scissor but Mark threatened to sue.

MJF Vowed To Become Champion

MJF was interviewed backstage tonight by Alex Marvez. Stokely Hathaway interrupted and Maxwell got pissed. MJF threatened to fire Stokely if he keeps interrupting him. Maxwell brought up William Regal and said he’s about as villainous as Mary Poppins.

MJF claimed that he’s broken his own hand multiple times punching his own reflection, so it doesn’t bother him if the fans don’t like him. All that matters is that he becomes champion because he is a generational talent.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1580361265750642688?s=20&t=n-uXzbtx7FdrPJtTrjSwow

Hangman Page Confronted Jon Moxley

AEW World Champion Jon Moxley was interviewed by Tony Schiavone tonight on Dynamite. Jon said that the champion is a dirty job and you have to be ruthless. Moxley stated that he loves this job and brought up Hangman Adam Page.

Hangman Adam Page immediately interrupted and made his way to the ring. Page complimented Jon on being a hell of a father, husband, and champion. MJF was shown in the crowd watching with the Casino ladder match chip.

Page brought up his old friends (The Elite) disappearing and started getting pissed off. Hangman added that he’s a man, not a child as Moxley called him. Hangman Page noted that he’s 31-years-old, and has a kid and a wife, as well.

Page added that he doesn’t care if Moxley’s family is in Cincinnati for their title match next week, he’s going to beat Jon within an inch of his life. Hangman went to exit the ring but stared at Jon for a moment first.

Daniel Garcia Betrayed Brian Danielson, Jericho Retained

Chris Jericho defended the ROH Championship tonight against Bryan Danielson. It was their third match in All Elite Wrestling. Jericho sent Danielson into the steel steps outside the ring to start off the action. Matt Menard and Angelo Parker of the Jericho Appreciation Society were ringside for the match.

Back in the ring, Danielson applied the Walls of Jericho on Chris but Le Champion escaped. Danielson caught Jericho with a knee strike to the face for another near fall.

Chris battled back and went for a Lionsault but Danielson got out of the way. Bryan hit two leaping knee strikes and made his way back up to the top rope. Danielson went for another one but Jericho was ready for it and countered into the Codebreaker for a near fall.

Both men hit a Clothesline at the same time and accidentally took out the referee at the same time. Menard slid the ROH title into the ring and Jericho waited for Bryan to get up.

ROH Pure Champion Daniel Garcia rushed to the ring and hit Bryan Danielson with the ROH title. Jericho then pinned Danielson for the win. After the match, The Blackpool Combat Club made their way to the ring and Jericho Appreciation Society retreated.

Hikaru Shida & Toni Storm Picked Up A Win

AEW Interim Champion Toni Storm teamed up with Hikaru Shida to battle Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter tonight on Dynamite. The champ and Shida dominated the action early. Hikaru hit Double Knees off the top rope but Britt kicked out at two.

Hayter planted Hikaru with a Backbreaker but turned around into a Running Bullldog from Toni. Britt took the champ down with a Neckbreaker and put on her glove for the Lockjaw. Hikaru broke it up but got leveled with a Clothesline by Hayter.

Baker followed it up with a Stomp on Shida and went for the cover but Toni broke it up at two. Shida connected with a Falcon Arrow and went for the cover but Baker kicked out at two. Shida then rolled up Baker for the pinfall victory. Shida versus Toni Storm for the AEW Interim Women’s Championship was set for next week.

Orange Cassidy Captured The All-Atlantic Championship

PAC defended the All-Atlantic Championship against Orange Cassidy tonight in the main event. Orange Cassidy put his hands in his pockets and got on his knees. PAC hit lazy kicks as if he was Cassidy and mocked the crowd.

Cassidy hopped up and delivered a Dropkick to the face that knocked the champion out of the ring. Orange went for a Suicide Dive but PAC caught him and hit a Falcon Arrow on the floor outside the ring as Dynamite went to the final commercial break of the night.

When Dynamite returned, PAC had planted Cassidy with a Piledriver on the entrance ramp. The challenger rolled down the ramp and got back into the ring at the last moment to break the count.

PAC quickly applied the Brutalizer submission in the middle of the ring but Cassidy wouldn’t quit. Orange got his boot on the bottom rope to break the hold and the title match continued.

The action spilled out of the ring and PAC tried to get the timekeeper’s hammer but the ref stopped him. Cassidy capitalized with a diving DDT through the ropes and then a Tornado DDT back in the ring.

Cassidy delivered the Orange Punch and went for the cover but PAC kicked out at two. Orange hit an Air Raid Crash on the ring apron and geared up for another Orange Punch. PAC countered into a Suplex and applied a Brutalizer in the middle of the ring. PAC was bleeding from his ear as Cassidy reached the ropes to break the hold.

PAC got out of the ring and went to grab the timekeeper’s hammer. Danhausen broke it up to a big pop from the crowd. Referee Bryce Remsburg took the hammer away. He brought another hammer into the ring but Cassidy punched him in the face. Cassidy didn’t use the hammer and opted to hit another Orange Punch. Cassidy followed it up with another one for the pinfall victory. Orange Cassidy is the new All-Atlantic Champion.

Wrestler Returns at AEW Dynamite

0

AEW made its long-awaited debut to Toronto, Canada on Wednesday. They featured various Canadians, including the debut of Renee Paquette and the return of Shawn Spears.

Spears returned in a segment after Wardlow and Samoa Joe faced QT Marshall and Nick Comoroto. Wardlow put Marshall in the Powerbomb Symphony twice when he was interrupted by Brian Cage and Prince Nana. He was mad that they stuck their nose in their business with FTR. Cage asked where FTR was and he got his answer when they made their way to the ring.

FTR brought out a mystery opponent for a match on Rampage. Someone from Ontario and the show starts at 10 (as Cash Wheeler counted on his fingers). Dax Harwood said it’s “the pinnacle of professional wrestling” when the number 10 popped up on the screen. The fans were more than happy for the return of “The Chairman”.

Spears tossed Aaron Solo into the ring to set him up for the “Big Rig”.

Shawn Spears has been MIA

Shawn Spears
Shawn Spears

Spears has been missing from AEW programming since May 25. He lost to Wardlow in a steel cage match. With MJF off television for several months, Spears was also missing from programming.

Earlier today Spears tweeted “11.”

He has since changed his Twitter avi to the number 10.

“He Had A Big A**” – Solo Sikoa Reflects On Watching His Father Rikishi In WWE

0

The Bloodline’s Solo Sikoa has made an impact on the main roster since arriving at Clash at the Castle. He interfered in the main event to ensure Roman Reigns defeated Drew McIntyre and retained the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.

The former NXT North American Champion has become the enforcer of The Bloodline and has acknowledged Roman Reigns as his Tribal Chief.

Speaking with Peter Rosenberg on Cheap Heat, Solo discussed his brothers The Usos, and his legendary father, WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi. Rosenberg noted that he’s seven years younger than Jimmy and Jey and wondered at what point Sikoa decided he was going to be a wrestler.

It’s always there. I feel like it’s always been inside of me. I wanted to give wrestling a try but it’s always been around. It’s in our blood man, you can’t teach this. I feel like no matter what I’ve done growing up, I feel like I always would have come back to wrestling. And look at us now.

Peter noted that Solo’s dad Rikishi was on top of the world around the year 2000 and asked what his earliest memory was of seeing his dad wrestle.

I remember on the night before school, I saw my dad debut with his blonde hair. I remember everybody, you know, my uncles, my aunties, my mom, and my brothers, we were all sitting there.

They were crowding the TV and I’m like ‘man watch out, what is going on?’. And then I see my dad. Not only did I see my dad, I saw him in underwear and with the blonde hair. I’m like ‘I just seen him yesterday and he didn’t look like that’.

I knew from that point on, man. It just took off. I was like ‘wow, that’s dad, that’s crazy’.

Solo spoke about it taking a while for Rikishi to find his spot in WWE but became very recognizable once he did.

It took him a while to find that spot in the WWE. I think when he found himself as Rikishi, he had already been through like five different characters at the time. When Rikishi took off, I knew people were going to recognize him.

He’s a big Samoan guy with blonde hair. There’s not many big Samoans with blonde hair. And we all know he had a big a**. It’s hard to miss a big a** with blonde hair on a big Samoan guy. Everywhere he went, people knew who he was.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit Cheap Heat with a H/T to SEScoops for the transcription.

Former WWE Stars Debut In All Elite Wrestling

0

Former WWE Superstars Samir and Sunil Singh (The Singh Brothers) appeared tonight in All Elite Wrestling as The Bollywoord Boyz. The team appeared during the taping for Dark: Elevation.

Gurvinder & Harvinder Sihra (The Bollywood Boyz) are from Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Tonight’s Dynamite and Dark tapings are being held in the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto.

The Singh Brothers were released from WWE on June 25, 2021. They were most known for their time as managers for former WWE Champion Jinder Mahal during their time with the company. Before joining WWE in 2016, the team spent a decade wrestling on the independents.

Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp was at tonight’s AEW Dynamite in Toronto. During the taping for AEW Dark Elevation, The Bollywood Boyz made their All Elite Wrestling debut in a match against The Ass Boys (Austin & Colten Gunn).

https://twitter.com/JoelPearl/status/1580343170826575872?s=20&t=XEAFNlnnQvypJp-cGoVhKw

The Bollywood Boyz have been wrestling on the independent scene since there departure from WWE. They captured the Defy Tag Team Championships but lost them to State of Emergency at Defy City of Thorns on August 10th.

“I’m Having A Lot Of Fun” – Solo Sikoa On Being A Part Of The Bloodline In WWE

0

Solo Sikoa has debuted on the main roster at WWE Clash at the Castle during the main event between Roman Reigns and Drew McIntyre.

Sikoa provided a distraction and Roman capitalized by hitting his third Spear of the match to retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.

On a recent episode of SmackDown, Solo acknowledged Roman as his Tribal Chief and is now referred to as “The Enforcer” of The Bloodline. He has formed a bond with Honorary Uce Sami Zayn and the two teamed up to defeat Madcap Moss and Ricochet on the September 30th edition of SmackDown.

Solo beat Ricochet and Madcap down backstage the week prior after they questioned if Sami was actually a member of The Bloodline.

Solo Sikoa On Being In WWE With His Family

Speaking with Peter Rosenberg on the Cheap Heat podcast, Solo Sikoa revealed that it was his first interview. Solo added that his debut came out of nowhere at Clash at the Castle.

It was out of the blue man. It was just one of those things where I got the call, this is what we want to do and this is how we want to bring you in. But I would never expect it this way, in front of 60,000 people man it was crazy.

Solo spoke about wrestling on the biggest stage with his family and included Sami Zayn in the discussion as he is an Honorary Uce.

Never did I think I was going to be able to do this with family but you know, I’m on the highest and the biggest stage of them all. And especially where my family is at in the business on top of the mountain with Big Uce Roman Reigns. I’m having a lot of fun.

And you know, I’m doing it with blood. It doesn’t get any better than that. And when I talk about blood, I also mean Sami Zayn too. Because you know, he’s an Honorary Uce and everything. So yeah man, it’s pretty cool moving in there with my family.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit Cheap Heat with a H/T to SEScoops for the transcription.

Canada-Themed Elite Shirts Being Sold at AEW Dynamite Taping

0

AEW Dynamite is set to make its International debut on Wednesday night, as it emanates from Toronto, Ontario Canada for the very first time.

The show features a packed card, with Chris Jericho defending his ROH Championship against Bryan Danielson, Pac defending his AEW All-Atlantic Championship against Orange Cassidy, ‘Jungle Boy’ Jack Perry taking on former friend and partner Luchasaurus, and more.

But fans online are still reticent about the show because they feel that Elite member and former AEW Trios Champion, the Canadian-born Kenny Omega should be a part of the first AEW Dynamite from Canada.

Omega, of course, was one of the wrestlers suspended after a reported backstage brawl between Omega, The Young Bucks, CM Punk, Ace Steele, Ace Steele’s wife, CM Punk’s dog, the AEW company lawyer, and more.

Granted, not all of those names listed were actually throwing hands, but they were in the vicinity that the brawl took place.

CM Punk Elite

The Elite and CM Punk Suspended

It’s been alleged that CM Punk threw the first punch in the brawl. It’s also alleged that Ace Steele, Punk’s friend and a (former?) producer for AEW threw a chair and bit Kenny Omega on the arm.

Most reports seems to indicate that Omega didn’t actually do anything wrong, but he was suspended anyway, at least until any legal ramifications might be cleared up.

Omega still appeared in Japan last month on behalf of AEW for the Tokyo Games Show, but he hasn’t been seen on AEW television since All Out.

Now, a new piece of merchandise may just mean that Omega could be in Canada.

Twitter user Kyle Masters Tweeted a photo of a Canadian Leaf-themed Elite shirt.

It would be weird to promote The Elite in Canada without a member of The Elite actually appearing in Canada, but stranger things have happened. Maybe this is nothing. Or maybe, just maybe, Kenny Omega could appear on AEW Dynamite.

Whether he does or not remains to be seen, but stick with SEScoops as we provide updates on this developing situation.

Ace Steele Posts Video Insinuating He’s Been Given His ‘Freedom’

0

In what may be the first sign that the current backstage drama in All Elite Wrestling is nearing its end, Ace Steele, friend of CM Punk and producer for AEW who was involved in the backstage melee following the 2022 All Out show, has posted a cryptic tweet to his feed.

Steele was one of the men suspended for his alleged role in a purported backstage fight that happened after CM Punk made some rather unsavory comments regarding the Executive Vice Presidents of the company, Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks.

According to reports, following Punk’s comments at the AEW All Out Media Scrum, The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega, along with, reportedly, AEW’s company lawyer, entered Punk’s locker room. Details are mixed and unsubstantiated for the most part, but it’s alleged that punches were thrown (by CM Punk and possibly one of the Bucks), chairs were thrown (by Ace Steele), and arms were bitten (also by Ace Steele).

CM Punk Elite

The Elite and CM Punk Stripped of Their Titles

Following the brawl, Omega, The Young Bucks, CM Punk, Ace Steele, and a few others were suspended. The Elite were forced to vacate their newly-won AEW Trios Titles, and Punk vacated his newly-won AEW Heavyweight Championship.

It was a chaotic scene, with even more chaotic aftermath. Answers have been hard to come by, relating to the status of those names within the company.

It’s been rumored that Ace Steele, and possibly even Punk himself, would be fired, due to their actions. Some say Punk threw the first punch, others say Steele bit Kenny Omega on his arm, but nothing concrete has been revealed.

On Wednesday, however, we were given our first clue as to the fate of one of the Second City Saints.

Ace Steele took to his Twitter page (which is private) and posted a clip from the movie The Blues Brothers, in which the titular brothers were singing and dancing to the song ‘Freedom.’ This could be nothing, or it could be Steele signifying that he is now free from his AEW contract…which certainly doesn’t seem like it would be something to celebrate.

But maybe it is. This situation has to be stressful for all parties involved, so maybe closure is more important than a paycheck.

SEScoops will be sure to update this developing story as more information becomes available.

Renee Paquette is Officially All Elite

0

After some speculation that Renee Paquette was AEW-bound, it’s official. Paquette got the “All Elite” graphic when Tony Khan tweeted the news on Wednesday.

AEW Dynamite is making its live debut in Paquette’s hometown of Toronto, Ontario, Canada tonight.

WWE recently attempted to bring Paquette back with the shakeup of its announce teams. Paqeutte worked for WWE as Renee Young for eight years. She was a backstage interviewer and the first permanent woman on the RAW commentary team. She was also a co-host on WWE Backstage, which aired on FS1.

Paquette’s post-WWE life

Renee Paquette
Renee Paquette

After leaving WWE, Paquette launched a podcast, Oral Sessions with Renee Paquette (now called The Sessions with Renee Paquette). She interviews a variety of guests from wrestling, MMA, and more.

In 2021, she released her first cookbook, Messy In The Kitchen: My Guide to Eating Deliciously, Hosting Fabulously and Sipping Copiously. Last June, she and husband, Jon Moxley, welcomed a daughter. Moxley just inked a 5-year contract extension.

The Cincinnati Bengals announced that Paquette will host a new series, Renee All Dey. The first episode is coming soon.

Dustin Rhodes Hints At Retirement: “Time Comes For All Of Us”

0

AEW star Dustin Rhodes has hinted that his time in the squared circle may be coming to an end in the near future.

The 53-year-old took to Twitter today and revealed that he’s started to think about what is next for him. He stated that his old age has caught up to him and he’s been doing some “heavy thinking” about his next step.

Man, old age has caught up to me guys. As much as I push myself beyond my limits, I can honestly say, I am doing some heavy thinking about the next step. We all think we can go forever with new batteries, but TIME comes for all of us. Kinda scared tbh. #KeepSteppin

Dustin Rhodes In All Elite Wrestling

Dustin is the only Rhodes remaining in AEW after former EVP Cody Rhodes and his wife Brandi exited the company earlier this year. Cody went on to debut at WrestleMania 38 as former CEO Vince McMahon’s handpicked opponent for Seth Rollins.

The American Nightmare picked up three victories in a row over The Visionary before being sidelined with a torn triceps. Many have argued that Cody’s best match in AEW was against his brother Dustin at Double or Nothing 2019.

Cody famously destroyed the throne with a sledgehammer during his entrance before defeating his brother at the PPV. After the match, The American Nightmare emotionally asked Dustin to team up with him against The Young Bucks.

Dustin has wrestled sporadically for AEW over the past few years, with many of the matches happening on Dark or Dark Elevation. He lost to former AEW Champion CM Punk on the April 20th episode of Dynamite. His last match for the company was on August 26th.

Rhodes battled Claudio Castagnoli for the ROH Championship on an episode of Rampage but came up short. Claudio dropped the ROH Championship to Chris Jericho at Dynamite: Grand Slam. Jericho will defend the title on tonight’s Dynamite against Bryan Danielson.

Shawn Michaels Says Vince McMahon Had No Plans to Retire, Would Joke About Dying at The Gorilla Position

0

Shawn Michaels had the chance to work for Vince McMahon as both an in-ring wrestler and someone working in creative in WWE. 

That all changed when McMahon resigned from his duties as Chairman and CEO of WWE amid the WWE Board investigating him for alleged sexual misconduct and hush money. 

WWE later confirmed that from 2006 through 2022 (including amounts paid and payable in the future totaling $14.6 million), funds were not appropriately recorded as expenses in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.  

Also, WWE identified two additional payments totaling $5.0 million, unrelated to the alleged misconduct by McMahon that led to the investigation from 2007 and 2009, that were not appropriately recorded as expenses in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

Shawn Michaels on Vince McMahon’s Departure

shawn michaels nxt

While speaking on The MMA Hour about NXT, where he oversees creative for the brand, Michaels was asked if he ever envisioned a day that McMahon would not be running WWE:

“No. You can talk about it, but I never envisioned the time when Vince wasn’t there running stuff. All of us who have known him and worked with him for as long as we have, everyone knows, and I mean this lovingly, but he wanted to pass at his desk. That’s who he is. That’s how he’s built. I had every reason to believe that’s exactly what he was going to do. He always made jokes that, ‘If I die at Gorilla position, the show has to go on. Don’t move me. We got to get to seg 10 and 11 and finish the show.” You can talk about it, again, there’s lots of big talk in our line of work, but very rarely you see it get delivered on, but he’s always done what he’s felt was best for business.”

Following Vince’s departure, Triple H took over creative for the main roster while Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan were named co-CEOs.

H/T to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription

New WWE Hire Responds To Rumors Of Backstage Heat

0

WWE recently hired Rob Fee as the company’s Director of Longterm Creative

Rob reportedly played a critical part in orchestrating the wildly successful “White Rabbit” teaser campaign that culminated in Bray Wyatt’s return to the company this past weekend at WWE Extreme Rules.

Prior to joining WWE, Rob wrote for Marvel, Disney, and was a producer for MTV’s Ridiculousness and The Ellen Show. He has written comics for Daredevil, Spider-Man, and The Avengers in his career.

AEW star MJF had some kind words for Rob upon his hiring. He wasn’t so kind in his wedding video to Rob and suggested that his wife will probably leave him.

Rob Fee Responds To Rumors Of Backstage Heat In WWE

It was reported today by Ringside News that Rob Fee already has backstage heat within the company. The report claimed that Rob was arrogant and dismissive toward WWE writers. RSN added that Rob “takes credit for the Bray Wyatt return” backstage.

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful said that he has heard from WWE officials that Rob has been received positively backstage. SRS added that both Rob’s work and treatment of others have been well-received backstage.

WWE officials across creative and the broader business laughed at reports that Rob Fee is making enemies at the company. His work and treatment of others have both been positively received.

Rob responded and joked that everyone shared a good laugh over the report while he was hitting people with chairs.

Lol we all had a good laugh at that this morning while I was hitting writers assistant with chairs.

Matt Cardona Not Trying For WWE Return, But Would Answer Call

0

Matt Cardona doesn’t have a WWE return on his radar right now, but would definitely answer the phone if they called.

Cardona has been doing great on the independent circuit since leaving WWE in 2020, and isn’t necessarily seeking out a return to the company at the moment. However, as he tells Metro, he’d definitely answer the call if it came in.

“I’m not trying to get back to WWE. But I’d lying if I said I never wanted to have a WrestleMania moment again, or I never wanted to wrestle at Madison Square Garden – of course I would.

“If Triple H called me right now, if I had that 203 – that’s the area code for Stamford, Connecticut – of course I’d pick up.

“But right now, I’m focusing on being the best me possible, and having the most fun possible, and making the most money possible.”

Matt Cardona NWA Champion

Matt Cardona first ran with WWE from 2005 to 2020. During that time, Cardona earned one run each as Intercontinental and United States Champion. He was also a two-time RAW Tag Team Champion alongside Curt Hawkins.

However, in 2020, Cardona fell victim to the COVID-19 pandemic budget cuts, as he was released from his contract with the company.

Since, he has gone on to do work for promotions such as All Elite Wrestling (AEW), IMPACT Wrestling, Game Changer Wrestling, and the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA).

Karl Anderson Still Working NJPW Show After WWE Return (Report)

0

Karl Anderson is still slated to work a show for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) after making his return to WWE.

As noted, The Good Brothers made their return to WWE on this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW. The pair flanked AJ Styles against The Judgement Day, seemingly marking the beginning of a feud between the factions.

However, this is certainly an interesting development for Anderson, in particular, as he’s still the NEVER Openweight Champion in NJPW.

According to a report from Fightful, Anderson is still slated to work the Wrestle Kingdom 17 show on January 4.

Gallows Anderson
Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows

NJPW is also still advertising a bout between Karl Anderson and Hikuleo at the Battle Autumn show on November 5. With that being said, it’s likely WWE and NJPW have come to some sort of agreement in regards to Anderson’s remaining dates with the latter.

Given Anderson is slated for NJPW’s November 5 show, it’s unlikely Anderson works the WWE Crown Jewel show in Riyadh, as it’s on the same day.

Gallows will also be a part of the New Japan Strong episode on Saturday, but that was pre-taped before the pair returned on RAW this week.

NJPW was said to have been given a heads up about the duo returning to WWE, allowing them to plan around the situation.

The report adds that WWE has been interested in The Good Brothers for some time now, dating back to when they were still under contract with IMPACT Wrestling.

The Rock Leaves The Door Open For Future Presidential Run

0

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson isn’t just rumored to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles, The Great One’s name has also been mentioned as a potential presidential candidate.

The Rock shot down running for president in 2024 and cited that being a father to his children is his number one priority at the moment. His new film Black Adam is set to be released on October 21st.

In a recent interview with Jake Tapper on CNN, the 50-year-old said that he was humbled by people asking him to run for office.

In terms of the presidency, I’ll tell you this Jake. It all is a convergence of things that are surreal and inspiring. And what I mean by that is, as we get into the midterms, and even a couple of years ago, this idea and the question continues to pop up on whether or not I would run for president.

Would I seriously consider it, I have seriously considered it. You have to. When you start looking at some of these polls, and the numbers creep up to 46-50% of people would vote for me should I run. I’ve been really moved by that.

I have heard now from both sides of the aisle, the most influential people in politics, asking and hoping that I would run. Again, it is so moving and surreal, but I don’t know anything about politics. I will say that I am a patriot, I love our country, and I love everybody in it.

Jake Tapper then asked The Rock if he would consider running for president down the line, perhaps when his children go off to college. He asked if he was closing the door on a presidential run down the line and The Rock revealed that was not the case.

No not at all, I wouldn’t do that. Thank you for asking and clarifying that. Right now for my daughters, it is important that I’m home, and that stability is important for me to be there. That is the most important thing to me.

By the way, that is a tough thing I think to reconcile, I’m blown away by that. The fact that I’m even having this conversation with you.

The fact that I’ve been approached by the most influential in the world of politics, which I think you (Jake Tapper) know very well. It was really moving but right now the most important job I have is to be their father.

If you use any quotes from this article, please give a H/T to SEScoops for the transcription.

Dakota Kai Reveals Dismay Over Scrapped WWE Plans

0

The past 12 months have been a roller coaster ride for Dakota Kai. Making a big return at SummerSlam and joining Bayley and IO Sky was the biggest moment of her career. Though this big moment was preceded by a lot of struggle and many bad days. One such day was when Kai was told that she was gonna be called up to the main roster, only for it to never happen.

The Damage CTRL star recently appeared on Ryan Satin’s Out of Character podcast. She talked about things such as her reaction to WWE release and more. Speaking about the time before her release, Kai mentioned how she wrestled a number of dark matches on the main roster towards the end of last year:

“I was doing the dark matches [at the] end of last year, I think. I started doing the dark matches like November, December or at the tail end of last year. That’s when I was like ‘Okay, maybe something’s gonna happen here.’ But yeah, I just ended up doing about six or seven of them. It was a lot. And they were back to back to back.”

‘I Was Told’: Dakota Kai

Damage CTRL

The dark matches led many to believe that Dakota Kai’s main roster call up was imminent. Turns out, the former NXT star thought this too. According to the female star, she was actually told she would be called up during the 2021 Draft:

“I was told that. I was told I was gonna be in the Draft. So it’s funny now that I look back at it. It’s all good. We can laugh at it. But I was sitting at home during the Draft, and I got told that it was going to happen

And I’m like, ‘Okay, cool. I wonder if they’re gonna tell me. I’ll just…I’ll just watch TV. I’ll watch the show and see what happens.’ Then after the weekend is done and, I didn’t hear anything I was like, ‘oh, maybe they changed their mind. I don’t know.’ Then I kind of just continued to do NXT.”

You can check out Dakota Kai’s full interview below:

More Originals From SEScoops:

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

Daniel Cormier Says He Forgot Parts Of Fight Pit Match

0

Daniel Cormier claims he forgot parts of the Fight Pit match he officiated shortly before the bout.

Cormier officiated the Fight Pit match at Extreme Rules between Seth Rollins and Matt Riddle.

The match was designed to have an MMA-style feel to it, and certainly played to Riddle’s advantage, being a former UFC fighter.

With all that being said, it certainly made sense to have the UFC Hall Of Famer Cormier, a longtime professional wrestling fan, officiating the match. Cormier recently spoke on his show, “DC & RC,” to discuss the experience.

“DC” admits that he was very nervous before the match, even forgetting spots moments before going out for the contest.

“I was in the back and I was nervous because obviously, you know the outcome. I started forgetting the match. I was like, oh my goodness. So I kept having to ask questions. I was so nervous, bro. But once I walked out there, it was so fun.

“The energy of the crowd is like second to none. I fought in front of bigger crowds than I was in front of last weekend, but ultimately that’s just, it’s a shoot.

“I’m going to just fight. It is gonna be what it’s gonna be, but to remember all the points of what you’re supposed to do in the match, dude, it was amazing.

“Then I got fans heckling me. They’re calling me Carl Winslow in there. They’re messing with me. They said, ‘DC, climb up the cage.’ I’m standing in the bottom like, I’m not going up there with these dudes. They’re up there actually wrestling on that little ledge bro.

“I was like, this is crazy. Then when Riddle jumped off the top, I was like man, I couldn’t believe that I was actually in that moment.

“I don’t know how much you pay attention, but then Bray Wyatt returned right after so we were like the closer to a massive moment, but my favorite part was I got to essentially be Herb Dean.”

Daniel Cormier
Daniel Cormier

This was Cormier’s first involvement on WWE TV. He has long expressed an interest in working with WWE, even during his run as UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion.

Now, Cormier has retired from fighting action, now serving as a UFC commentator and show host. There have been rumblings that Cormier was once considered for a WWE commentary role, but that never came to fruition.

It remains to be seen if this is only the beginning of Cormier’s dealings with WWE moving forward.

https://youtu.be/m6Ir9PUwa_I

Quotes via WrestlingNews.co

Shawn Michaels Praises ‘Huge Uplift In Morale’ Within WWE

0

Shawn Michaels has seen a “huge uplift in morale” within WWE recently.

Recently, “The Heartbreak Kid” was interviewed on “The Ringer Wrestling Show,” where he was asked about the recent changes that have gone on within WWE – particularly, Triple H taking over WWE creative.

Michaels noted that, from top to bottom, a huge uplift in morale can be felt everywhere throughout the company.

“There’s certainly, I would say it’s no secret to anybody that there’s a huge uplift in morale, from top to bottom in the WWE, whether it’s RAW, SmackDown, or NXT, everybody’s very excited for the future,” Shawn Michaels said.

“Look, I’ll say this, the one thing that was always really positive in NXT and again, the positive about all these other former athletes that come in, they were already excited and focused and ready to go.

“Now we’ve just made sure that we’ve topped that off and everybody from top to bottom, roster-wise, is excited about the future. All of us working there are equally as excited because we all know that we’re pulling the rope in the same direction.”

Triple H
(BT Sport)

Longtime WWE CEO and head of creative Vince McMahon was recently forced to step down from his positions.

After allegations of sexual misconduct, McMahon stepped down as CEO, forcing Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan to take over as co-CEOs.

Soon after, once investigations into the allegations began, McMahon officially retired from WWE, stepping down as head of creative, handing the reigns over to his son-in-law and former WWE Champion Triple H.

Since “The Game” has taken over, the general reviews of the WWE product from fans to those backstage have been generally positive.

(quotes via Colin Tessier)