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Glenn Jacobs Has a Surprising Choice for His Scariest Kane Moment

Thomas Lowson
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Kane may have spent decades terrifying countless WWE fans, but it is an iconic dance move that keeps the Devil’s Favorite Demon up at night.

After multiple previous gimmicks including ‘Fake Diesel’ and Isaac Yankem D.D.S, Jacobs debuted as the hellish Kane during the In Your House: 1997 Bad Blood Pay-Per-View.

Attacking his ‘brother’ The Undertaker, Kane cost the Phenom the very first Hell in a Cell match against Shawn Michaels.

The Kanearoonie

By 2002, Kane’s monstrous personality had somewhat simmered, and he was a babyface adored by fans on Raw.

In one of the character’s most infamous moments, Kane used Booker T’s ‘Spinaroonie,’ dubbed by fans as the ‘Kanearoonie.’

Speaking on the latest episode of WWE’s The Bump, Jacobs recalled the segment, calling it the scariest moment of his career.

“The most horrifying was the Kaneroonie, I’ll tell you that. I had to get some lessons from Booker T on how to do the Kaneroonie. It turns out it’s all about momentum, getting your lower body and your legs going first. Booker was kind enough to show me how to do that.”

Repackaging

While many Superstars would be opposed to performing the dance move, Jacobs was open to the idea.

The WWE Hall of Famer explained in the interview that he wasn’t against doing the move, as he was working on changing the Kane character.

“We did want it to be a more lighthearted Kane and a more entertaining Kane as opposed to the dark brooding character that I had been initially. So I didn’t really had to be talked into it.

“After I saw it, I kind of wished that I’d never gotten talked into it.”

Kane would remain as a babyface until losing a mask vs. title match against then-World Heavyweight Champion Triple H in June 2003.

WWE News: Cody Rhodes & The Throne, Green Kane Debunked

WWE News: Cody Rhodes & The Throne, Green Kane Debunked

Michael Reichlin
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WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley is working on a new television project. During the latest episode of his Foley is Pod podcast, the Hardcore Legend commented on a mysterious project in the works.

“I may or may not be within a few miles of WWE’s compound where I may or may not be working on a television show. But if I am working on a show, it is going really well.”

It sure sounds like he’s working with WWE on this new project, but he’s keeping things close to the vest for now.

Cody Rhodes Revisits The Throne

Cody Rhodes remains out of action after undergoing surgery to repair his torn pectoral muscle earlier this year. The American Nightmare’s recovery is going well and he’s expected back in action in early 2023.

On Wednesday, Rhodes posted a photo on social media of himself in front of Triple H’s iron cross throne. The last time he stood in front of a throne like that, he was destroying it at All Elite Wrestling’s first pay-per-view event, Double or Nothing 2019.

At the time, the defiant act symbolized his plan to chart a new path for himself outside the auspices of Triple H and WWE. Fast forward three years and Cody in front of the throne takes on an entirely different meaning.

Bobby Lashley: Mature Businessman

Bobby Lashley was recently interviewed by RainmakerNYC and discussed his current run with WWE. Lashley returned to the company in 2018 after a 10-year hiatus, which saw him working primarily for Impact Wrestling.

Here’s what the 46-year old Almighty one had to say about the biggest change during those ten years way:

“I’m older!”, he joked. “No, older, wiser — I mean, there’s there’s a little bit of everything. There’s a different kind of training that you have when you’re a little bit of an older athlete. You know, I take care of myself a little bit more, I have different — just different thoughts. Before when I was younger, it was like, yeah, early lifestyle, money you run around doing a whole bunch of different things. Now, I’m more of a businessman.

Green Kane

WWE legend Kane (Glenn Jacobs) is debunking the rumor that the company planned for him to wear an alternate green costume during the Attitude Era.

Kane was loosely affiliated with DX when he and X-Pac won the WWE tag team championships in 1999. Over the years, photos of Kane in a green outfit have circulated online, as seen below:

green kane

The Big Red Machine appeared on WWE’s The Bump this week and says there were never any plans for him to wear a green outfit on television.

“There is no green gear,” he said. “There was never going to be any green gear, and there never will be green gear. Kane’s red and black all the way, man.”

– Kane

Kane did change up his look over the years, including different black and red gear, as well as variations of his mask (and later, no mask at all). However, nothing green was ever considered. In fact, he hates the idea of Green Kane.

“I think that would have kind of undermined the character, actually,” he said. “So that’s one of those deals that sparked on the Internet, and that’s the first time I’d ever seen it, was when people started to talk about green Kane like part of DX. To my knowledge, that was never even discussed, although maybe I would look good in green. I don’t know.”

You can watch Kane’s comments about “Green Kane” below:

Darby Allin Was Sure He’d ‘Meet his Doom’ During Jeff Hardy Match

Thomas Lowson
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AEW star Darby Allin is a risk-taker in and out of the ring, but thought he wasn’t going to make it through a match with Jeff Hardy.

During the May 11, 2022, edition of AEW Dynamite, the two popular wrestlers faced off in what was billed as an ‘Anything Goes’ Match.

The match, which Hardy would eventually win, saw both men use weapons in one of the most extreme matches AEW has ever produced.

Meet my Doom

Arguably the biggest spot of the match (at least from a literal sense) came when Allin dove off a ladder in the ring, onto Jeff outside the ring.

The pair landed on ten steel chairs, earning ‘Holy Sh*t’ chants from the crowd in attendance.

Speaking on the latest episode of ‘The Sessions’ Allin told new AEW signing Renee Paquette about the trepidation going into the match.

“Earlier in the day, I climbed that ladder and I looked down and I was like ‘yeah, I’m for sure going to the hospital tonight.’ There’s no way around it.”

Despite how dangerous the spot seemed and looked to fans, Allin said he found it a mostly pleasant experience.

“Everybody asks me ‘dude how’d that feel?’ And honestly, it didn’t feel like anything, it was so safe. You can see me if you watch the video back, I kinda go to Jeff’s ear ‘that sh*t was so fun!”

“AEW-wise, that was the craziest thing. I thought for sure I was going to meet my doom.”

Darby Allin on Anything Goes match with Jeff Hardy.

The match would be one of Jeff’s most recent matches with AEW, as he was arrested and charged with driving under the influence the following month.

Wrestling Myself

With his face paint, daredevil attitude, and unique personality, Darby Allin has often been compared to Jeff Hardy.

Speaking about working with the former WWE World Champion, Allin said it was like working with himself.

“It felt like I was putting a match together with myself…It was like I was talking to myself. It was fun. A week before, it was just supposed to be a normal match. Just a straight-up match. And I went up to Tony [Khan] and I said ‘hey, nobody wants to see us exchange wrist locks.'”

Allin’s only regret is that the match was under the watchful eye of New York’s State Athletic Commission, which kept some of his most extreme ideas off of the show.

“It was in New York where there’s a state commission, and I was like ‘why couldn’t we wait a week when we’re in Texas when no-one gives a sh*t?”

Darby Allin

Out of the Ring

Allin considers the Jeff Hardy match a personal highlight of his risk-taking life, which isn’t just for the cameras.

In the interview, Allin explained how even when he’s got time to ‘relax’ his version of chilling out includes more risk-taking.

“Every time I’m off for the week, it’s like ‘alright, Darby is going to take the week off and chill out and whatever.’ [But really,] I go harder outside of work than I do in the realm of AEW. I’m never really stopping. It’s fun though because I never know when I’m going to get hit by a bus or something.”

Allin has taken to social media to show off some of his stunts, including driving a jeep over his own home.

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

“Worth It” – Darby Allin Got Staples in Scalp After AEW Rampage: Grand Slam

What Was Said to Athena After Hard-Hitting AEW Dark: Elevation Match?

Thomas Lowson
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AEW felt the need to check that both Athena and Jody Threat were okay after their hard-hitting match on Dark: Elevation.

The match, which aired this week, saw Athena portray the heel role while Threat was the babyface in her hometown of Toronto, Canada.

The match has become notable for the stiff, hard-hitting strikes which have led some to believe that there are genuine issues between the two.

Backstage

Athena got the win in the hard-hitting match, but a lot took place backstage after the match.

Fightful Select reports that during a planned spot in the match, Threat slipped while attempting a comeback sequence.

Threat, thrown off by the error, asked Athena what was the next spot and the two got more physical afterward.

A source who spoke to Fightful said that the aggressiveness shouldn’t have happened and things should’ve instead been made more clear.

Another source criticized Athena, the veteran in the match, saying she should have led by example rather than let the match get more physical than planned.

Both women were reportedly approached by management after the match to make sure things were okay between them.

Some close to Athena added that this hard-hitting style was always her plan to play up her heel role in front of Threat’s hometown crowd.

Avoiding Drama

This match has quickly become what many fans know Jody Threat for, but she hopes that isn’t the case for long.

Fightful’s report adds that there have been no reports so far on heat for either woman.

Threat is described as someone who attempts to avoid attention and doesn’t like to get involved in wrestling politics.

She is reportedly hopeful that this is not a career-defining match.

Athena Was Required To Limit Her Move Set In WWE To Being A High-Flyer

Scott Steiner Opens Up About Math Promo

Anutosh Bajpai
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Wrestling is the business of iconic moments. You never know which moment or segment will become a classic and many of them have gone on to have a life of their own. One such segment that is talked about to this day is the infamous math promo cut by Big Poppa Pump Scott Steiner.

The wrestling veteran recently had an interview with The Bullet Cast. He first talked about the 2022 Hall of Fame induction of the Steiner Brothers and mentioned that the fans had been waiting for them to be inducted for years:

“Oh, it’s great because my nephew introduced us. So it was good. For the fans too because for years they had been asking [for us to be inducted].”

– Scott Steiner

‘It Made Sense’: Scott Steiner

Scott Steiner was then asked about his infamous promo and if he knew it would become as popular as it did. Replying to it, the former WWE star admitted that he didn’t think it’s gonna last for as long as it has:

No, I don’t think you can ever do an interview and think it’s gonna last forever the way it did. But no, It took off. People still enjoy it today. So, it’s great and It made sense.”

– Scott Steiner

Scott Steiner cut the infamous math promo before TNA Sacrifice 2008. He had a match against Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe at the PPV. He explained how adding Kurt Angle to the mix drastically reduced the chance of a victory for Joe.

You can relive the iconic promo in the video below:

More Originals From SEScoops:

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

WWE Developing a Brand-New NXT Show

Thomas Lowson
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A new NXT show is seemingly in the works according to a recent trademark filing by WWE.

NXT was revamped into WWE NXT 2.0 last September, with control over the brand being taken away from long-time head Triple H.

Last month, WWE ditched the NXT 2.0 branding in favor of WWE NXT, though the show will still serve as a developmental program for the main roster.

NXT Deadline

Fightful reports that WWE filed a trademark for the term ‘NXT Deadline’ on October 15.

The trademark reads as follows.

“NXT DEADLINE trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of entertainment services, namely, a show about professional wrestling; entertainment services, namely, the production and exhibition of professional wrestling events rendered live and through broadcast media including television and distributed via various platforms across multiple forms of transmission media; providing wrestling news and information through broadcast media including television and distributed via various platforms across multiple forms of transmission media; providing information in the fields of sports and entertainment through broadcast media including television and distributed via various platforms across multiple forms of transmission media; providing a website in the field of sports entertainment information.”

WWE has not commented publicly on plans for NXT Deadline or how the show will differ from the main NXT two-hour weekly show.

The NXT Brand

There’s no word on when NXT Deadline will arrive on our screens, but the project is just the latest endeavor of the NXT brand.

In 2017, WWE started its NXT UK brand, which ended in August to make way for NXT Europe.

NXT Europe is expected to launch next year but no names have been confirmed for the roster.

WWE also has NXT Lvl Up, which serves as a sister show for NXT, and gives inexperienced talents the chance to hone their skills.

There have been talks over the years of NXT brands in other countries, notably in Japan.

In early 2021, WWE announced NXT India, but there have been no updates about that brand.

Becky Lynch Says NXT Women are the ‘future’

Road Dogg: Billy Gunn Told me he Could Make DX Reunion on Raw

Thomas Lowson
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Billy Gunn was ready to don the black and green again for WWE, at least according to his former tag-team partner ‘Road Dogg’ Jesse James.

On the October 10, 2022, episode of Monday Night Raw, D-Generation X reunited as part of the show’s season premiere.

The iconic group was represented by James, Triple H, Shawn Michaels and Sean ‘X-Pac’ Waltman.

Billy Gunn

DX reunited on Monday Night Raw, but not all members were present, as Chyna and Rick Rude have sadly passed away.

Before the show, there were question as to whether AEW would allow Gunn, who joined DX in 1998, to appear on Raw.

Speaking on his ‘Oh You Didn’t Know’ podcast, James, also WWE’s Senior VP of Live Events, says he was told Gunn could make the show (via WrestleZone.)

“During the day prior, I texted him, ‘Hey, are you going to be able to make it? Have you found out any answers yet?’ He said, ‘Yes, I’m in.’ I was like, ‘Oh my God, that’s awesome.’ Literally, before I landed at home, I found out he was not in. I texted him back and he wasn’t happy.”

While Gunn didn’t appear and wasn’t directly mentioned, Corey Graves references an absent member working with office supplies, a nod to Gunn’s teaming with The Acclaimed and ‘scissoring’ with Anthony Bowens.

Not Happy

Gunn wasn’t happy about not appearing, and neither was the remaining members of DX, according to James.

“It broke my heart, and I believe it broke his too. In all actuality, Hunter was not happy about it either. Shawn and X-Pac weren’t either. We wanted the band, all that we could get back together.”

DX appeared multiple times on the show, before having an in-ring segment with the four remaining members available to WWE.

“We Missed You” – Road Dogg Sends Message To Billy Gunn After DX Reunites On WWE RAW

The Miz Claims He is Working Through an Injury

Thomas Lowson
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The Miz didn’t compete on this week’s Monday Night Raw as previously advertised, but there is a very good reason for that.

On this week’s Raw, the plan was for Miz to face Dexter Lumis, who would have earned a WWE contract had he defeated the A-Lister.

Had Miz defeated the former NXT Superstar, Lumis would have been banned from future appearances.

Instead, Miz attacked Lumis before the match began, and the bout never took place.

Working Hurt

WWE did not give an explanation for why the match did not take place, but it is reportedly due to an injury.

Speaking on the Ekeler’s Edge podcast, Miz told co-hosts Matt Harmon and Los Angeles Chargers Running Back Austin Ekeler about his condition (via POST Wrestling.)

“I have a bursa sac that I burst that just keeps blowing up. I don’t know if you’ve ever blown that. It takes so long and then it’ll go away and then I don’t know if you can see it. Literally, it just keeps coming back. Fluid comes in, it goes away, comes in, goes away.”

A bursa is a small, fluid-filled sac that acts like a cushion between tendons and bones to prevent grinding.

The Miz added that he is also dealing with a hurt shoulder, saying that it was recently “messed up.”

Miz on SmackDown

While The Miz is a Monday Night Raw Superstar, he will be appearing for this week’s SmackDown.

In the interview, the WWE Grand Slam Champion explained that he’ll be competing in a dark match, but no opponent was named.

This Friday’s SmackDown will take place at the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio.

Ciampa Credits Miz With Helping Him Transition to the Main Roster

MJF Responds to Praise From WWE Legend by Suggesting he Jump off a Bridge

Robert Lentini
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MJF is one of the biggest stars of All Elite Wrestling and wrestling legends are starting to take notice.

On this week’s special Tuesday night edition of AEW Dynamite, Maxwell confronted William Regal of the Blackpool Combat Club. MJF brought up an email Regal sent him in the past that he thought was an attempt to crush his dreams. Regal responded by claiming MJF has had it easy if he’s hung up on an email from seven years ago.

William also referred to MJF as “sunshine” multiple times in the segment. The 54-year-old’s words must have left an impact on MJF as he made a proclamation to close the show. After Hangman Page suffered a concussion in the title match against Jon Moxley, the AEW World Champion called MJF out.

Jon wanted to fight but MJF announced that he will be cashing in his chip for a title match at AEW Full Gear. Maxwell added “for the first time in my miserable life, I’m going to earn it” before whipping the microphone to the floor.

https://twitter.com/TranquiloSZN/status/1582552149950504963?s=20&t=mzY_q6KTSd3M8eoOVcjRyQ

MJF Responds to Praise from Mick Foley

WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley took to Twitter after the incredible segment between William Regal and MJF on this week’s Dynamite. Mick praised MJF for his mic skills and added that he’s believable.

MJF HAS SOME SERIOUS SKILLS! While I might not believe every word @The_MJF says, I believe that HE believes every word he says – and that’s IMPORTANT!

https://twitter.com/RealMickFoley/status/1582871797091139585?s=20&t=4nK-D5eFN9PRASZqoizObQ

MJF responded to the WWE legend and used his “right here” catchphrase. Maxwell joked that Foley should go take a “Nestea plunge off a bridge”.

Everything I say is true, especially here……Right here. On twitter. Now go take a Nestea plunge off a bridge, Mickey.

Jim Ross Comments on Ace Steel Being Released by AEW: “I Thought he was a Good Hand”

Robert Lentini
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Wrestling legend and AEW commentator Jim Ross has shared his thoughts on Ace Steel being released from All Elite Wrestling.

Ace Steel had a hell of a run leading up until All Out but the brawl during the media scrum came back to bite him. He appeared on the Dynamite before the PPV to hype up CM Punk and convince him to challenge for the title once again.

CM Punk had dropped the AEW World Championship to Jon Moxley the week prior on Dynamite. Ace’s words of wisdom inspired Punk to accept the challenge and he fired up his hometown crowd in the NOW Arena.

Jim Ross on Ace Steel Being Released by All Elite Wrestling

Jim Ross spoke about Ace Steel being let go by AEW on a recent episode of his Grillin JR podcast.The 70-year-old complimented Ace as a producer and referred to him as a “solid hand”. Ross added that he didn’t work with him directly and called the situation “regrettable”.

“He’s a smart guy. He has a lot of product knowledge. Solid hand. I thought he did a nice job. I didn’t work with him directly a lot. I have seen him at TV and he was always friendly and approachable.

I’m sorry to hear that because I thought he was a good hand and did a nice job there. Things have a way of working out, you never say never, but I always thought he did a nice job for us. He was very loyal to CM Punk, nothing wrong with that, they were buddies. I’m assuming CM Punk is the guy that got Ace Steel his job.

I don’t know where all of that is going. I hate to see anybody lose a job, lose a paycheck. While he was there, he seemed to be a viable asset, but again, I didn’t work with him directly. I didn’t have any issues, pro or con, with him. The bottom line is, another guy lost his job. That’s what’s regrettable.”

JR wished Ace well and believes that he will find another job in wrestling.

He’s got skills. I would think, if given a fair shake within the landscape of wrestling in general, he’ll find some work. Smart guy. I hope it works out well. I regret that anybody, anywhere in wrestling, loses their job.

H/T: WrestleTalk

Joe Rogan on Ric Flair’s Figure Four Leg Lock: “It Doesn’t Work”

Robert Lentini
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Ric Flair wrestled his final match at the “Ric Flair’s Last Match” event during SummerSlam weekend. The match took place at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium and was presented by Jim Crocket Promotions and Conrad Thompson.

He teamed up with his son-in-law, AEW star Andrade El Idolo, to beat wrestling legend Jeff Jarrett and AEW star Jay Lethal in a tag team match.

Flair has won countless matches throughout his career with the Figure Four submission hold, a move created by Buddy Rogers and has been used by many wrestlers throughout the years. Flair recently recounted his last match on his “To Be The Man” podcast.

Joe Rogan on Ric Flair’s Figure Four

Popular podcaster and standup comedian Joe Rogan recently discussed Ric Flair on a recent episode of his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. Rogan is also a commentator for MMA and broke down the Figure Four lock and referred to the legendary move as “dumb”. Rogan noted that the technique of the move doesn’t make sense when applied to real-life fighting.

A bunch of [pro] wrestlers got mad at me… I was trying to explain how dumb a figure-four leg lock was because I was like he was literally giving up an inside heel hook.

Inside heel hook is one of the most devastating submission techniques because once someone gets it the time you have to tap is so small before your knee gets ripped apart and so, a Figure-four leg lock you’ll never see in a jiu-jitsu competition.

It doesn’t work. It’s funny in that regard, you know, you are doing this thing but this thing in the real world is the worst thing you do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CquuH5Waln8

H/T: LowKickMMA

Sami Zayn Comments on Tension with Jey Uso in The Bloodline: “It’s Getting Kinda Weird”

Robert Lentini
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The storyline of Sami Zayn becoming a member of The Bloodline has captivated the WWE Universe.

Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns recently anointed Sami Zayn as the official Honorary Uce of The Bloodline and presented him with a new shirt. Sami was overcome with joy and celebrated with every member of The Bloodline besides Jey Uso.

Jey Uso is no fan of the Honorary Uce but has been instructed by The Tribal Chief to make things work. Time will tell if the tensions rise to a boiling point.

Sami Zayn Comments on Issues with Jey Uso

Sami Zayn and The Enforcer of The Bloodline Solo Sikoa appeared on WWE’s The Bump today. The Honorary Uce admitted that things are starting to get a little weird with Jey Uso. Zayn added that he has known The Usos for a decade and has always gotten along with them prior to him being named an Honorary Uce.

It’s getting kinda weird with Jey, because we used to get along great. I’ve known them [The Usos] for 10 years; we’ve always got along like peas in a pod. But this time around things are a little different, he [Jey] is a little different…. In the last 9 or 10 years, whatever it is, I’ve never known him to be like this, so snappy and so angry.

The 38-year-old added that many fans don’t realize that they have been working well together as of late. Sami noted that when they are typically on the same page when they are ringside for each others’ matches.

There is one thing though, that people fail to acknowledge with Jey. If you watch during the matches; when I’m out for his matches and he’s out during mine, we are kinda on the same page more often than not. Because when it comes to actually taking care of The Bloodline business, that’s what kinda brings us together.

H/T: Sportskeeda Wrestling

Becky Lynch Says NXT Women are the ‘future’

Samantha Schipman
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While speaking at NYC Advertising Week about using social media to build WWE Superstar brands, Becky Lynch also spoke a little about about women’s wrestling.

Fans have seen Lynch as both a babyface and a heel throughout her career. She admits that playing a heel is more fun. “I think human nature is we just generally don’t want to like people and certainly now, certainly that’s Twitter nature. So you have so much freedom that you can do anything, you can have fun. If people don’t like you, ‘well, I’m doing my job well. If people like you, well, you’re so entertaining, how can people not like you?’ It’s a lot easier, it’s a lot more fun in that aspect.”

Becky Lynch being a heel helps the women’s division more

Becky Lynch Asuka
Photo: WWE.com

“Being a babyface, I tend to naturally fall into. I think, honestly, I’m not the greatest athlete in the world and I think my story of perseverance has registered with a lot of people. Fans can get behind that underdog who constantly has to overcome.”

“But then when it comes to business and wrestling as a whole, especially women’s wrestling, I feel like I can be of help by being a heel, right? Because when you’re a babyface, it’s all about you. It’s about how good you look. It’s how do we make the audience like you the most? And when you’re a heel, it’s all about how do you make the babyface look? How can you get people invested and want to see this guy win? I feel like I’ve gotten enough equity with the audience that I’m able to help a babyface. And then as a whole, that just helps women’s wrestling. When people get more equity and get more exposure and I think that drives the business forward.

Lynch on women’s wrestling in WWE

Becky Lynch Bianca Belair Bayley Iyo Sky Dakota Kai
(via WWE)

Lynch talks about headlining WrestleMania being a big career highlight. “I think anytime that I’ve gone out there as maybe the underdog or my match has gone out there as an underdog and we’ve stolen the show, that feels like a career highlight. One of my most recent ones was at WrestleMania against Bianca Belair. I didn’t get the win, but we stole the show, we stole that weekend and that felt like an accomplishment. There’s been so many and I’ve been so lucky and privileged that I’ve been in a time with women and people that are so progressive in terms of changing the way women are viewed in the business, which has been so predominantly male for so many years.”

“And being one of the first people in the women’s Royal Rumble and having the first women’s ladder match. There’s just been a series of firsts and I think one is not better than the other. It’s been a whole story of how do we present the way women are perceived in this business and it’s awesome that I’ve been able to be a strong part of it.”

When discussing the future of women’s wrestling in WWE, Lynch points to the up-and-comers of NXT. “I look at NXT and–this is no discourse towards the men–but the women, I go ‘oh, yep. That’s the future.’ That’s where the engaging characters are. There’s incredible athleticism, that’s athleticism that never in a million years I would be capable of. I think you can see the interest in what the women are doing down there and so I think it’s the future.”

“And I look at our women’s roster now and I go between me (laughing), you’ve got Bianca Belair. You’ve got Rhea Ripley, who’s just incredible and she’s so young. And you’ve got Liv Morgan and you have all these incredible women just getting started. It’s awesome. I’m very excited about it.”

Jim Cornette on Maximum Male Models in WWE: “The Worst Idea Anybody Has Ever Had”

Robert Lentini
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LA Knight debuted on the main roster as Max Dupri, manager of Maximum Male Models.

The character and the group didn’t get over with fans and now Max Dupri is no more. Following Vince McMahon’s resignation from the company, several released stars have returned to the company and some had their names changed.

LA Knight has exited Maximum Male Models and now has his sights set on becoming a star on WWE SmackDown. He defeated Mansoor of MMM this past Friday night and warned the locker room in a promo after the match.

Jim Cornette on LA Knight’s Match and Promo on SmackDown

Wrestling legend Jim Cornette shared his thoughts on LA Knight’s match and promo this past Friday on a recent edition of the Jim Cornette Experience. Cornette said that Mace and Mansoor have to be embarrassed at this point to be a part of Maximum Male Models.

The thing about LA Knight is, I like the fact that they realize they’ve committed a crime against nature. Changing his name to Max Dupri, the whole male model thing, Mace and Mansoor, and by the way those guys have to be so embarrassed. They’re going out on TV looking like that and doing that s***.

Jim commented on LA Knight’s promo after his victory over Mansoor and said he expects WWE to never mention his involvement with MMM ever again.

He cuts the promo as LA Knight and he did a new catchphrase and blah blah blah. I expect they’ll just never mention this again. But you know me, I’ve got the OCD.

And I would have had to have given LA Knight some reason to impart to the people why he did this. To obviously put it to bed, get over it, it was the worst idea anybody has ever had. But what was the reason he went along with it for three weeks?

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

Becky Lynch Says Her 10-year-old Self Helps with Branding Choices

Samantha Schipman
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During NYC Advertising Week, WWE Superstar Becky Lynch joined WWE Digital Vice President, Steve Braband on a panel to discuss how WWE Superstars create and build their personal brands.

When asked how much she pays attention to how fans are engaging, Lynch replied, “I think there’s two different–in a way, there’s two different audiences– the online audience isn’t necessarily the audience that’s coming to the shows with their family. So, the things that those two audiences are into are very different. And I think you have to be in tune with both and you have to keep your ears open, your eyes open to what’s working and what isn’t.”

“But at the same time, I think of this as art. I think of this as my art, my craft that I put my heart and soul into. I think you have to be aware and very diligent about not consuming too many opinions because once you’re listening to everybody, you’re not listening to yourself. It’s hard to forget what you’ve seen and what you’ve heard, especially if it’s negative. So I think you have to be very mindful of the feedback you’re getting.”

Balancing the character and real life on social media

Becky Lynch
(via WWE)

“Big Time Becks” posts a lot about both her professional and personal life on social media. She answered how she keeps a balance with, “I don’t know. I don’t know.” (laughing) “I think it’s constantly a work in progress. I try to keep my social media platforms very much in line with what I’m doing on TV. So that everything feels like it’s one story being told. The same character that you see on TV is the same character that you see tweeting, the same character that’s posting on social media. Sometimes, we bring in a little bit of reality, just like we do in WWE.”

“But for me, I think it’s important that I keep a little bit of me for myself and my family. I don’t like posting pictures of my baby girl too much because I take her everywhere and I want her to be free of any of that kind of stuff.”

10-year-old Becky Lynch helps her branding choices

Becky Lynch ss

Lynch had a simple response on deciding what products to brand: “would ten-year-old me think its cool? Not always, but when you’re on the cover of a cereal box. It’s pretty frickin’ cool. I think in the beginning of my career, any opportunity that came my way was ‘yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.’ (pointing) Then as you grow and you can get a little bit pickier, you think ‘how do I want my brand to appear? How do I want this to effect the business in general? Or how will this progress the business? How does this progress me, my family, is it good for everyone involved?’ That’s how I look at things or how will ten-year-old me feel about it?”

Being on Billions since she was a fan of the show was a highlight for Lynch. The SportsCenter commercial is another favorite branding opportunity.

When Lynch wasn’t getting much TV time, social media was a “live mic in my hand 24/7 so that I could tell my story, so that I could get my message across. The currency of Twitter is the zinger; how do you zing people? And people get interested in that and they get engaged in that. And we’re in the conflict business–sure pre-determined conflict business, but it’s a conflict business– so when people see that on Twitter, they’re like, ‘oh, that’s real. That’s the real thing there.’ So, it’s always helped to drive a story.”

She also says that people get upset about the conflicts on Twitter, but that helps drive the story.

3 Reasons to Love WWE’s New Premium Live Events Strategy

Robert Lentini
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WWE has canceled its Day 1 Premium Live Event and is expected to make more changes in 2023. It was reported over the weekend by Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer that WWE may be moving away from gimmick PLEs next year to focus on international events.

Here are three reasons WWE switching up its strategy for Premium Live Events is a good thing:

The Potential For New Fans

WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H has already laid out his vision for NXT in multiple interviews. The Game noted that he wants NXT to expand into an “almost World Cup scenario“, with brands like NXT Europe, NXT Australia, NXT South America, etc. NXT UK was shut down this year but the company will be launching NXT Europe in 2023.

It makes sense for his vision for WWE’s developmental system to also be implemented in some fashion on the main roster. The company held its first stadium show in the UK in over thirty years in September with WWE Clash at the Castle. The Premium Live Event attracted over 60,000 fans to Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. There are markets all around the world that will be overjoyed to see WWE live.

The long-term goal in that is to be in markets all around the world. With products that eventually can be competing against each other, world cup type scenarios, that are feeding into RAW, and to SmackDown, and to WrestleMania.

The Demand Is There

The shows in Saudi Arabia and Clash at the Castle have proven that WWE fans will come to the arena all around the world. Crown Jewel will air on November 5th from Mrsool Park in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Mrsool Park has a seating capacity of 25,000. For comparison, Survivor Series will be held at the TD Garden with less than 20,000 tickets available for purchase. Survivor Series is one of the most recognizable Premium Live Events to fans but Crown Jewel will likely earn more money for the company.

WWE held the Elimination Chamber PLE at the Jeddah Super Dome earlier this year with 33,328 in attendance. The company has a global audience, with transcendent stars like Roman Reigns that will instantly draw fans. The inclusion of celebrities like Logan Paul only brings more fans to the product as young people from all over the planet follow the 27-year-old.

Another market that WWE will likely be focusing on is India. The hashtag #SearchForMerch recently went viral as there is no option to purchase official WWE merchandise in India at the moment. Triple H responded to the hashtag and told fans “we hear you”. It feels like it is a good time to try and expand the audience when there are viral campaigns to be able to buy your merchandise.

Reserve The Gimmick Matches

Extreme Rules aired this past weekend and the card featured six gimmick matches. There was an Extreme Rules match, a Ladder match, a Strap match, an I Quit match, a Donnybrook, and a Fight Pit match.

While many fans enjoyed the show, there were definitely some that found it to be overkill. In other words, there’s an issue when the gimmick matches don’t feel special. Hell in a Cell used to be reserved to feuds that have become some personal, the two wrestlers needed to be locked inside a steel structure to sort out their differences.

Now, the feuds leading up to the Hell in a Cell PLE rarely reach the level of animus required for the stipulation to mean anything. A HIAC match should be special, and it instantly isn’t when there are multiple of them on the same show. Plus, the more gimmick matches you have, the quicker the audience will get tired of seeing it.

Cody Rhodes battled Seth Rollins at WWE Hell in a Cell earlier this year in June. It was the third time the two had faced each other in 2022 and The American Nightmare emerged victorious in all three. Rhodes went into the match with a torn pectoral and showed off the gruesome injury before the bell.

The Hell in a Cell stipulation added to the match tremendously given the brutal nature of Cody’s injury. It was also fitting that they battled inside the steel structure because their rivalry had been going on for months. The potential change in strategy in regard to Premium Live Events allows WWE to expand its audience while reserving gimmick matches for the rivalries that truly deserve them.

Hangman Page: “I’m Doing Alright and Feeling Good”

Michael Reichlin
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Hangman Adam Page provided a reassuring update on his health after an injury scare during the main event of Tuesday’s AEW Dynamite. During a world title match against Jon Moxley, Paige was legitimately injured and had to be stretchered out of the arena after the match was called off.

image 7

AEW issued a statement on Page’s condition late Tuesday night, noting that he was taken to to the trauma center of a Cincinnati hospital after Dynamite and diagnosed with a concussion. He was discharged later in the evening and will remain in AEW’s concussion protocol.

On Wednesday, Page thanked everybody for supporting him through this tough time. He’s “feeling good today” and thanked AEW personnel for taking care of him at Dynamite.

https://twitter.com/theadampage/status/1582838865064525824?s=46&t=XR-VvxV3A0e7ECkA8UEERg

AEW Dynamite Viewership Tops NXT in Tuesday Night Clash

Michael Reichlin
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All Elite Wrestling’s flagship TV show aired on Tuesday this week due to a preemption for the Major League Baseball playoffs. The special Tuesday Night Dynamite on TBS went head-to-head with NXT on the USA Network, a throwback of sorts to the Wednesday Night Wars that ran from October 2, 2019, to April 7, 2021.

Both companies put their best foot forward in their latest battle, with AEW presenting Jon Moxley’s world title defense against Hangman Adam Page and WWE sending several main roster stars to NXT including Kevin Owens, Austin Theory, Shinsuke Nakamura, Rhea Ripley and more.

The October 18, 2022 edition of AEW Dynamite won the night with viewership, averaging 752,000 viewers. It was the #8 ranked show on cable for the night with a 0.26 rating (P18-49).

NXT drew 676,000 fans and ranked #12 on cable with a 0.18 rating.

Dynamite returns to its usual time slot next Wednesday. NXT has a special event this Saturday night, Halloween Havoc, airing on Peacock.

Catch up on the Top 10 Moments from this week’s NXT:

H/T Brandon Thurston, Wrestlenomics

Karl Anderson Addresses Being Booked on The Same Date by WWE and NJPW

Andrew Ravens
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Karl Anderson has commented on the situation where NJPW and WWE double-booked him on the same date. 

The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows) made their returns to WWE to align with AJ Styles earlier this month despite working for NJPW as they weren’t under contract with the promotion. Instead, they had been working for NJPW on a handshake deal only. Anderson still has New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s NEVER Openweight Title. 

The belief is that The Good Brothers will work their committed dates with NJPW through next January at Wrestle Kingdom 17. Anderson won the belt from Tama Tonga at Dominion.

His next title defense is scheduled for November 5th at NJPW Battle Autumn in Osaka against Hikuleo. WWE confirmed on Monday Night Raw that Gallows and Anderson are scheduled to team with Styles at WWE Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia against The Judgment Day. 

Karl Anderson’s Address

The OC
The OC: AJ Styles, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson

Anderson shared a video on social media where he noted that he’ll defend the belt on his own time and will not be at Battle Autumn. Gallows added that all Karl’s bookings must go through him, and since New Japan did not clear it, Anderson will not be there.

WWE booked The Good Brothers on Tuesday’s NXT episode, where they tagged with Cameron Grimes and scored a win over The Schism (Joe Gacy, Jagger Reid & Rip Fowler).

As of this writing, NJPW is still advertising the NEVER Title match on its website for the upcoming November 5th event. 

Bret Hart Calls for Goldberg to be Removed From WWE Hall of Fame

Andrew Ravens
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Bret Hart’s dislike of Bill Goldberg has been well-documented as his animosity stretches back to 1999’s Starrcade event where Goldberg nailed Hart with a thrust kick during their WCW World Heavyweight Championship match. 

This was where Hart suffered a career-ending concussion. Hart has discussed his frustration with Goldberg ever since and has taken shots at him over the years. 

Bret Hart on Goldberg

Bret Hart Vs Goldberg Cropped

While participating in a K&S Wrestlefest signing, Hart noted that he thinks Goldberg should be removed from the WWE Hall Of Fame.  

“I always thought that if Goldberg got into the Hall of Fame then Horowitz should’ve gone into the Hall of Fame. Horowitz can actually wrestle. Goldberg never could. I think he got in there for hurting everybody he worked with…They should [on being told that WWE should put Horowitz into the Hall of Fame]. They should take Goldberg out.”

Hart has previously stated that he wishes Goldberg had never kicked him in the head and doesn’t know how WWE could induct Goldberg into the Hall Of Fame for hurting as many wrestlers as he did. 

Hart also lost money due to the concussion as he had signed a $3 million-a-year contract with WCW on top of the two years he had left on his original contract. 

Goldberg has repeatedly apologized for what happened, but it seems to fall on deaf ears. While on The Michael Kay Show back in July, Goldberg stated that he had apologized over and over, but at some point, he questioned what else he could say for Hart to forgive him.  

H/T to Sportskeeda for the transcription

Candice LeRae Wants Mixed Tag Match with WWE Hall of Fame Couple

Thomas Lowson
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Candice LeRae has only been back in WWE for a matter of weeks, but the former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion has big plans.

LeRae, the wife of fellow-WWE returnee Johnny Gargano, debuted on Raw on the September 26, episode with a victory over Nikki A.S.H.

Candice had been quietly released in May this year after spending time away due to her pregnancy.

LeRae’s return to WWE took fans by surprise, but fans should get used to seeing the ‘Poison Pixie.’

WrestleMania

Like countless wrestlers, LeRae hopes to one-day see herself at WWE’s biggest annual event: WrestleMania.

Speaking on the Out of Character podcast, LeRae acknowledged her WrestleMania 35 Women’s Battle Royal appearance but wants more.

“While I have done WrestleMania technically, it was a battle royal. I would love to actually be part of a singles match or something.”

LeRae quickly changed her mind from a singles match to a mixed-tag team match featuring Gargano.

“In a perfect world. I would love for me and Johnny to wrestle a mixed tag match at WrestleMania. That would be super awesome for me. Especially if it’s against Beth [Phoenix] and Edge. Just put that out there in the universe and hope it happens.”

“I would love for me and Johnny to wrestle a mixed tag match at WrestleMania…Especially if it’s against Beth [Phoenix] and Edge.”

Candice LeRae.

Edge and the Glamazon have appeared together over the past year, including at the recent Extreme Rules Premium Live Event.

Settling a Score

In NXT and on WWE’s main roster, LeRae has done plenty, but one thing she hasn’t accomplished is to beat IYO SKY.

In the interview, the Poison Pixie called beating the Damage CTRL member high on her list of priorities.

“[That’s] unfinished business for me. I don’t know how [that hasn’t happened]. I did have a few times during pregnancy watching her wrestle where I was like ‘Man I just cannot beat this girl.’ I’ve just never beaten her.”

LeRae’s one and only reign as NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions was with Indi Hartwell, and was ended by SKY (then Io Shirai) and Zoey Stark in July 2021.

What Triple H Told Candice LeRae About Her Pregnancy

What Triple H Told Candice LeRae About Her Pregnancy

Anutosh Bajpai
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Wrestling is a physical sport and a lot of things can force plans to be changed at the last minute. One such thing that has led to planned angles being altered a number of times is the pregnancy of female stars. Candice LeRae however, did not want WWE officials to be put in an awkward position with her pregnancy. So she decided to tell them about her plans in advance.

The former NXT star recently appeared on Out of Character podcast. Speaking about the birth of her baby, she mentioned that she had a meeting with Triple H before taking time off. LeRae revealed what The Game told her about it:

“So earlier in the year, Johnny and I had sat down with DX of all people and discussed the fact that we wanted to have a baby and trying to kind of figure out when the right time was. Of course, they’re like, very supportive. Obviously, we don’t have to let them know but we wanted to kind of keep them in the loop because I felt like I owed it to everybody.

I didn’t want to be put in a position or them be put in a position where we’re all just kind of like, ‘Oh, whoops, now what do we do?’ They were so [supportive]. Hunter even said to me. He said, ‘There’s never gonna be a right time. So you guys got to do what’s best for you guys. And we’ll work around it,’ Essentially.”

‘Are We Planning Our Future With DX?’: Candice LeRae

The meeting with Triple H and Shawn Michaels was also a funny experience for Candice LeRae. Halfway through it, she realized that she was discussing her future with DX:

“We were sitting in there and we’re waiting for Hunter to come in. That’s all I thought. It was like ‘Okay, Johnny and I are here and like waiting for Hunter to come in.’ Then Shawn Michaels just walked in and sat down at the table with his food. I was like, ‘Oh okay, that’s fine. Shawn too.’

Halfway through the conversation, the child in me, it was all ‘Are we planning our future and our children with DX right now? Does that even make sense in any universe?’ They were very supportive where it was like we were telling our parents ‘Yeah, we want to have a baby.’ They were just supportive and awesome about it.”

You can check out Candice LeRae’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

Jim Ross Discusses Potential Retirement After AEW Deal

Jon Fuentes
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Longtime professional wrestling commentator Jim Ross has discussed potentially retiring after his current deal with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) goes out.

Ross recently took to his podcast, “Grilling JR,” and discussed the possibility of walking away from professional wrestling at 70-years-old. The WWE Hall Of Famer didn’t confirm that he’ll be retiring, but admitted he is definitely considering it.

“I think my contract with AEW is about another year and change. I’m looking at finishing that out and then taking it from there. So, that means I’m thinking about [retirement].

“I haven’t talked to Tony Khan about this, but when I signed an extension – I think for 18 months or something like that – and it’s still in effect. I’m happy with that arrangement. We’ll take it one week at a time.

“I don’t know if I’m gonna stay, or if he wants me to stay. I think he does, and I know I do. But I also have to be realistic. I’m not a young kid.

“Maybe I’m traveling too much, maybe I don’t need to come to Dynamite, and stay at home an extra day before you get on that next airplane. I like what I’m doing. I really do.”

Jim Ross

Jim Ross has been involved in the professional wrestling world since the mid-70s. He’s best known for his historic 20-year run with WWE where he became known as the “voice of wrestling.”

In 2013, Ross left WWE and would go on to do work with the likes of New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), a few independent shows, a brief return to WWE, and now, under contract with AEW.

More Details On Chris Jericho’s New AEW Deal

Jon Fuentes
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We have some more details to pass along on Chris Jericho and his new deal with All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

As we’ve noted, Jericho recently signed a new deal with AEW that will keep him with the promotion through December of 2025. According to a new report from Wrestling Observer Radio, while the deal was framed as a contract extension, it’s actually a whole new deal.

Meltzer noted that Jericho’s initial deal with AEW kept him with AEW until January of 2024. He’ll continue to be on this deal until the first week of January. His new deal will expire in January of 2026.

Chris Jericho
(AEW)

While Chris Jericho is currently a major part of the in-ring action in AEW right now, the new deal will also see him take on an increased role backstage. He’ll serve as a producer and creative advisor, and will continue his current role of mentoring young talent.

AEW president Tony Khan had the following to say about Jericho remaining on with the promotion.

“Chris has discovered a fountain of youth this year, and he’s having some of the very best matches of his legendary career against some of the top names in wrestling. In expanding his responsibilities, he’ll continue to serve as a valuable leader with our roster.”

  • Chris Jericho’s Best Gimmicks Ranked

No, AEW Did Not Snub Kenny Omega on His Birthday

Joey Galizia
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One month out and fans are still talking about the backstage brawl that occurred in AEW following their ALL OUT 2022 pay-per-view event. The incident, which is still under investigation, involved CM Punk, Kenny Omega, Ace Steel, and the Young Bucks, all who are still suspended from action aside from Steel, who was released by AEW this morning.

Some fans were speculating on Omega’s status with the company as the AEW social media team did not post anything about the Cleaner on his birthday on October 16th. However, AEW did make a birthday post for Fuego Del Sol, who shares a birthday with Omega. He just turned 27. This led to some controversy as some fans started taking unnecessary shots at Del Sol for doing nothing.

Fuego Del Sol Fires Back At The Trolls

Fuego is not the type of talent to just let silliness fly. He took to Twitter and revealed that Omega specifically told the AEW social media team not to post about his birthday, a request he made as early as a year ago. Del Sol’s full tweet reads:

“Only commenting on this because there are still articles and comments that are using me and my birthday to comment on Omega. I love Omega as much as the next fan. He told socials not to post about his birthday last year. Learn how to UNTAG me before you spew your hate and B.S.!”

This isn’t the first time Del Sol has tried to clear the air regarding a misconception about him. He went on Twitter recently and explained that his angle with Malakai Black was something that Black pushed for, and was not forced upon the House of Black faction.

We here at Sescoops would like to wish Del Sol a happy belated birthday.

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