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Jonathan Gresham Deactivates Twitter After ROH World Title Loss

Joey Galizia
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Tonight’s Ring of Honor Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view opened with Jonathan Gresham defending the world championship against Claudio Castagnoli, a competitive back and forth contest that saw Castanoli get the win and capture his first singles world title.

Shortly after the bout’s conclusion Gresham deactivated his Twitter account. The Octopus had been a topic of conversation on social media over the weekend, with some toxic fans taking shots at his height or on-screen character. It is not confirmed that this is why Gresham deactivated, but it will be something to keep an eye on.

Gresham won the ROH world title at last December’s Final Battle by defeating Jay Lethal, who had replaced the champion at the time, Bandido. Gresham and Bandido would eventually meet at SuperCard of Honor to determine the promotion’s undisputed champion, which was won by Gresham in the show’s main event.

You can see a screenshot of Gresham’s Twitter below.

Screen Shot 2022 07 23 at 5.45.04 PM

Sescoops will keep you updated as this is an ongoing story.

Claudio Castagnoli Wins ROH World Title at Death Before Dishonor

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Claudio Castagnoli can finally call himself a world champion.

Castagnoli challenged Jonathan Gresham in the PPV opener for Death Before Dishonor. While many expected the bout to headline the card, commentator Ian Riccaboni explained that there was a coin toss to determine what would be the main event.

FTR vs. The Briscoes for the ROH World Tag Team Championships won the toss.

It was clear that the crowd heavily backed Claudio in this one and they got exactly what they were hoping for.

Claudio Castagnoli hit the Ricola Bomb to cap off one heck of an opening match. Claudio scored the pinfall and he now lays claim to a world title for the first time in his career.

This marks the end of Jonathan Gresham’s 225-day reign as the ROH World Champion.

SEScoops’ Steve Fall and Jaychele Nicole are both in attendance for ROH Death Before Dishonor and have provided some clips of the celebration:

ROH Death Before Dishonor 2022 Results: FTR vs. The Briscoes, Claudio Castagnoli Wins Title, Samoa Joe

Robert Lentini
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ROH Death Before Dishonor 2022 aired live from the Tsongas Center in Lowell, MA. FTR defended the ROH Tag Team Championships against The Briscoes in a 2 out of 3 falls match in the main event.

ROH Death Before Dishonor 2022 Results:

  • Colt Cabana def. Anthony Henry (pre-show)
  • Trust Busters def. Shinobi Shadow Squad (pre-show)
  • Brian Cage & the Gates of Agony def. Blake Christian, Tony Deppen, Alex Zayne (pre-show)
  • Willow Nightingale def. Allison Kay (pre-show)
  • Claudio Castagnoli def. Jonathan Gresham to become the new ROH Champion
  • Dalton Castle & The Boys def. The Righteous to become the new Six-Man Tag Team Champions
  • Wheeler Yuta def. Daniel Garcia to retain the ROH Pure Championship
  • Rush def. Dragon Lee
  • Mercedes Martinez def. Serena Deeb via submission to retain the ROH Women’s Championship
  • Samoa Joe def. Jay Lethal via submission to retain the ROH TV Championship
  • FTR def. The Briscoes in a 2 out of 3 Falls match to retain the ROH Tag Team Championships

Here are the takeaways from the PPV:

Claudio Castagnoli Captured The ROH Championship

Jonathan Gresham defended the ROH Championship against Claudio Castagnoli in the first match of Death Before Dishonor. William Regal accompanied Claudio to the ring. Prince Nana has apparently purchased Tully Blanchard Enterprises in storyline and he accompanied ROH Champion Jonathan Gresham to the ring. The crowd was heavily behind Castagnoli early.

Claudio controlled the match early and connected with the Swing. Gresham battled back with a series of strikes and posed for the crowd. The champ hit Claudio with a Dragon Screw and applied a knee bar in the middle of the ring. Claudio showed off his strength with a slam and went for the cover but Gresham kicked out at two.

Gresham focused his attack on Claudio’s knee and leveled him with a chop block. The champ went for a submission hold but Claudio booted him away. Castagnoli connected with a Tilt-a-Whirl Backbreaker and went for the cover but Gresham kicked out at two. Claudio followed it up with a big uppercut for a near fall.

Jonathan went after Claudio’s knee again and hobbled the challenger. The champ hit a Missile Dropkick and a forearm to the face for a near fall. Gresham quickly got Castagnoli in an Ankle Lock but Claudio reached the bottom rope to break the hold and the title match continued.

Castagnoli took a couple of chops to the chest but shrugged them off. Claudio decked Gresham with an uppercut but the champion responded with an Enziguri. Castagnoli went for a move but his knee gave out. Gresham capitalized with an Ankle Lock and then planted Claudio with a Northern Lights Suplex for a two count.

Claudio hit a big uppercut and went for the Neutralizer but Gresham escaped. Jonathan went for a roll-up but Claudio kicked out and decked him with a Clothesline. Castagnoli delivered a bunch of elbow strikes to Gresham and followed it up with the Ricola Powerbomb for the pinfall victory. Claudio Castagnoli is the new Ring of Honor Champion. After the match, Castagnoli and Gresham shook hands.

Dalton Castle & The Boys Are The New 6-Man Tag Team Champions

The Righteous (Vincent, Dutch, Bateman) defended their Six-Man Tag Team championships Dalton Castle & The Boys (Brandon & Brent Tate). The Righteous dominated the action early and beat The Boys down. Vincent tagged in and connected with a Suplex. Castle battled back by throwing The Boys onto The Righteous outside the ring over and over again to a big pop from the crowd. The action broke down into a brawl and The Righteous isolated one of The Boys in the ring.

Vincent hit Death From Above but Dalton broke up the cover at two. Vincent hit a Cutter and then a Suicide Dive onto Castle outside the ring. Dalton hit Vincent with a Hurricanrana as Dutch delivered a Bossman Slam. Dalton Castle hit Dutch with a German Suplex. Castle then delivered the Bang-A-Rang for the pinfall victory. Dalton Castle & The Boys are the new Six-Man Tag Team Champions.

Wheeler Yuta Retained The ROH Pure Championship

Wheeler Yuta defended the ROH Pure Championship against Daniel Garcia. William Regal accompanied Yuta to the ring and joined commentary for the bout. Ace Steel, John Walters, and Josh Woods were the judges. Wheeler controlled the action early and applied a submission hold. Garcia battled back and launched Yuta out of the ring.

Garcia beat the champion down before bringing him back into the ring. Daniel went for a cover and started yelling at the referee to count faster. Wheeler connected with a Body Slam and followed it up with a Senton. Yuta planted Garcia with two German Suplexes and went for a third but Daniel escaped.

Yuta and Garcia traded shots until they both fell down in the middle of the ring. Garcia and Wheeler then brilliantly traded strikes and submission holds as the crowd got into the match. Yuta locked in a Liontamer in the middle of the ring but the Jericho Appreciation Society member used one of his rope breaks to get out of the hold. Daniel planted Wheeler with a Piledriver and went for the cover but the champion kicked out at two. Wheeler then got Garcia in a roll-up for the pinfall victory. Wheeler Yuta remains the ROH Pure Champion.

Rush def. Dragon Lee

Rush squared off against Dragon Lee tonight at ROH Death Before Dishonor. Rush sent Dragon Lee into the barricade several times to begin the match and posed for the crowd. Dragon battled back and pet Rush on the timekeeper’s table. He then went for a very long dive through the ropes and connected through the table. Dragon followed it up with a Double Stomp off the top rope for a two count.

Rush hit a German Suplex and both wrestlers were down in the middle of the ring. They made it back to their feet before the ten count and Rush connected with a vertical Suplex for a close two count. Rush delivered some kicks on the ring apron but Dragon responded with some chops to the chest.

They went back and forth on the ring apron with chops before Dragon Lee connected with a knee strike to the face. Dragon Lee charged and Rush sent him flying to the floor with an overhead throw. Back in the ring, Rush played possum before hitting a Dropkick for the pinfall victory.

Mercedes Martinez Retained The ROH Women’s Championship

Mercedes Martinez defended the ROH Women’s Championship against Serena Deeb tonight at Death Before Dishonor. Mercedes and Serena traded submission holds to start off the action. Deeb connected with a Cutter and went for the cover but Mercedes kicked out at two. Martinez perched Deeb up on the top turnbuckle and joined her up there. Mercedes went for a German Suplex but Serena held onto the ropes. Deeb unloaded some elbow strikes to the head but Martinez shrugged them off. Serena eventually was able to knock Mercedes back into the Tree of Woe and booted her in the head several times.

Serena followed it up with a running Dropkick and the ROH Women’s Champion fell to the mat. Mercedes went for an armbar but Serena was able to block it before Martinez applied a headlock. Martinez and Deeb traded kicks over and over in the middle of the ring. Deeb went for a roll-up but Martinez rolled through and connected with a knee strike to the face.

Martinez went for a Splash in the corner but Deeb dodged it. Mercedes hit a running boot to Serena’s face and climbed up to the top rope. Martinez then connected with a German Suplex off the top rope for a two count. Deeb applied the Serenity Lock but Martinez countered into a roll-up for a near fall. Serena bashed Martinez’ knee onto the canvas several times. The champion countered and sent Deeb face-first into the turnbuckle.

Mercedes hit a Superkick to the face and followed it up with a slam. The champion then locked in the Brass City Sleeper for the submission victory. Mercedes Martinez is still the ROH Women’s Champion.

Samoa Joe Retained The ROH TV Championship

Samoa Joe defended the ROH TV Championship against Jay Lethal at Death Before Dishonor. The two brawled outside the ring to start off the action. Joe leveled Jay with a Clothesline and went to roll him into the ring. Lethal blocked it and raked Joe’s eyes before taking a look at the title. Lethal tried to bounce Joe’s head off the title but the champ countered with a headbutt.

The challenger leveled Joe with a Suicide Dive and followed it up with a chop to the chest. Jay motioned along with the crowd as they chanted “Lethal sucks!”. Joe battled back with a chop of his own and then hit a running kick to Jay’s head.

Satnam Singh attacked Samoa Joe to a chorus of boos from the crowd. Jay put Joe’s arm in a steel chair and shoved it into the ring post. The match then officially started once they got into the ring and the referee kicked Satnam out from ringside. Joe hit a Splash in the corner and followed it up with an Enziguri.

Joe went for the cover but Jay got his boot on the ropes. Lethal connected with a Dropkick off the top rope and went for the cover but Joe kicked out at two. Samoa Joe hit a shoulder tackle that knocked Jay to the ropes. The challenger bounced off and connected with a Dropkick for a two count.

Jay hit another Enziguri and both wrestlers fell to the canvas. Samoa Joe was the first up and sent Jay to the outside. Joe connected with a Suicide Dive through the ropes and rolled Lethal back into the ring. Samoa Joe hit a big Clothesline and went for the cover but Lethal kicked out at two.

Joe connected with a Powerslam but couldn’t keep Jay down for three. Lethal responded with a slam for a near fall. Jay perched Joe up on the top rope but he knocked the challenger down. Joe hit a leg lariat off the middle turnbuckle and went for the cover but Lethal kicked out at two.

Samoa Joe went for the Muscle Buster but Jay escaped and hit Lethal Injection but the champion somehow was able to kick out at two. Joe connected with a Uranage and set up for the Muscle Buster but Sonjay Dutt hopped on the ring apron. Lethal hit Samoa Joe with the title but Joe somehow kicked out at two. The crowd broke out in a “Joe!” chant and the champion applied the Coquina Clutch for the submission victory. Samoa Joe is still the ROH TV Champion.

FTR def The Briscoes To Retain The ROH Tag Titles

FTR defended the ROH Tag Team Championships against The Briscoes in the main event. It was a 2 out of 3 falls match. The two teams argued for a bit after the bell rang in the middle of the ring. Dax Harwood and Mark Briscoe started off the match. They locked up and Dax took control. Cash Wheeler tagged in and went to work on Mark Briscoe’s arm.

Mark connected with an Armdrag and a backhand to the face that knocked Cash down. Harwood and Jay Briscoe tagged in and Dax applied a headlock. Jay sent Harwood to the outside and he sold a shoulder injury.

Back in the ring, Jay and Cash traded chops. Cash and Jay seemed to get crossed up and Wheeler hit Jay hard in an odd sequence. Mark tagged in for a moment so Jay could regroup. Jay tagged back in and Cash sent him to the corner. Dax tagged in and hit Jay with an elbow to the back of the head for a near fall. Harwood planted Jay with a Suplex and brought him back to the corner.

Cash tagged in as FTR continued to isolate Jay Briscoe in the corner. Jay leveled Cash with a big boot and Mark tagged in. Mark hit a shoulder tackle and followed it up with a Suplex on Wheeler for a near fall. Mark hit a Splash in the corner as The Briscoes took control and isolated Cash in their corner of the ring.

Wheeler eventually got to the corner and tagged in Harwood. Dax unloaded some strikes to The Briscoes and then sent Jay flying across the ring with a German Suplex. The Briscoes battled back and knocked Harwood to the outside. Wheeler absolutely leveled Mark with a Clothesline but turned around into one from Jay. Back in the ring, Harwood planted Jay with a DDT for a two count.

The Briscoes then picked up the first fall after hitting Dax with the Doomsday.

Jay caught Dax with a Clothesline and booted him out of the ring. The action spilled out of the ring and Dax got busted open on his chest after hitting the barricade. Back in the ring, Jay hit Dax with some chops in the corner. Dax battled with Jay on the turnbuckle and hit a Back Suplex off the top rope.

Wheeler fired up the crowd for a tag but Mark Briscoe tripped Cash up to prevent it. Mark got Harwood in a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Harwood escaped and they started trading chops to the chest. Harwood escaped and finally got the tag to Wheeler. Cash got into the ring to a big pop from the crowd and started unloading chops and strikes.

Cash planted Mark with a Brainbuster and went for the cover but Briscoe kicked out at two. The two teams started battling outside the ring as the action broke down. Back in the ring, Wheeler climbed to the top rope and hit Mark with a Crossbody off the top turnbuckle for a two count. Briscoes had the match won but Dax broke up the cover at the last moment.

Mark chased Dax around the ring and Harwood sent him into the steel steps. Harwood tagged in and FTR hit Jay with the Big Rig for the pinfall. FTR and The Briscoes were now tied 1-1.

Cash and Mark were both busted open and trading haymakers in the middle of the ring. Mark delivered an Exploder Suplex that sent Cash flying across the ring. Dax tagged in and Mark hit him with an Exploder Suplex as well. Harwood and Mark Briscoe battled on the ring apron. Mark leaped off the ring apron and hit Dax with a Blockbuster on the floor.

Jay got Harwood in the Electric Chair but Cash broke it up. FTR isolated Jay Briscoe but the referee accidentally got knocked out. Mark Briscoe sent Cash into the barricade as Jay planted Dax with a Piledriver. Jay went for the cover but the referee was down outside the ring. FTR hit a Big Rig on Jay and Wheeler rolled the referee back in. The referee began counting but Jay kicked out at the last moment and the match continued.

Mark shoved Cash off the turnbuckle and Briscoes hit Doomsday Device on Cash again. Jay went for the cover but Cash broke it up at two. Mark and Cash battled to the outside as Dax and Jay were in the ring. The two had a bit of a hockey fight before Jay hit a big boot to the face. Dax bounced off the ropes and responded with a Clothesline for a two count.

Jay applied a Crossface on Harwood in the middle of the ring. Cash tried to break it up but Mark got him in a Crossface. Dax got to the ropes to break up the hold as Mark sent Cash out of the ring. Mark climbed to the top rope and Cash hopped up there with him. Cash sent him through the table below with a Suplex. Jay planted Dax with a Piledriver for a near fall.

Harwood perched Jay up on the top turnbuckle and unloaded a bunch of chops. Dax then planted Jay with a Piledriver off the middle turnbuckle and rolled over to cover him in a cool finish. FTR retained the ROH Tag Team Champions and got a great reaction from the crowd. After the match, FTR and The Briscoes showed each other respect in the ring. Dax said “mother f*cker I love professional wrestling”. Harwood added that “you can call me a mark if you want but I love this sh*t”. FTR then said they will see everyone on Dynamite. ROH Champion Claudio Castagnoli, ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta then appeared with Regal on the entrance ramp. Everyone held up their championships to close the show.

ROH Death Before Dishonor 2022 Live Stream

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

It’s time for Ring of Honor’s Death Before Dishonor PPV and the live stream for the preshow is set to begin.

Tonight’s (July 23) ROH Death Before Dishonor PPV will be held inside the Tsongas Center in Lowell, Massachusetts. ROH World Champion Jonathan Gresham will put the title on the line against Claudio Castagnoli.

Plus, Jay Lethal will challenge Samoa Joe for the ROH World TV Championship. Also, FTR puts their ROH World Tag Team Titles on the line against The Briscoes in a 2 out of 3 falls match and much more.

There’s so much to unpack that we’ve narrowed down five key things to look for during tonight’s event.

ROH Death Before Dishonor Card

Jonathan Gresham
(via ROH)

Here’s a look at the ROH Death Before Dishonor card (not in order):

  • Zero Hour: The Trustbusters vs. Shinobi Shadow Squad
  • Zero Hour: Colt Cabana vs. Anthony Henry
  • Zero Hour: Gates of Agony & Brian Cage vs. Tony Deppen, Alex Zayne & Blake Christian
  • Zero Hour: Willow Nightingale vs. Allysin Kay
  • ROH World Championship Match: Jonathan Gresham (c) vs. Claudio Castagnoli
  • ROH World TV Championship Match: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Jay Lethal
  • ROH Pure Championship Match: Wheeler Yuta (c) vs. Daniel Garcia
  • ROH World Tag Team Championship Match: FTR (c) vs. The Briscoes – 2 out of 3 falls
  • ROH Women’s World Championship Match: Mercedes Martinez (c) vs. Serena Deeb
  • ROH Six-Man Tag Team Championship Match: The Righteous (c) vs. Dalton Castle & The Boys
  • Rush vs. Dragon Lee

Live Stream

Claudio Castagnoli
(via AEW)

Before the PPV card begins, the Zero Hour preshow will be streaming live at 7 p.m. ET. You can catch the live stream below.

The PPV festivities will begin at 8 p.m. ET. Fans looking for that portion of the card can make their purchase through Bleacher Report for $39.99.

Former WWE Star Claims Vince McMahon Used To Harass Ashley Massaro During Her WWE Run

Joey Galizia
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Vince McMahon retiring from WWE has sent shockwaves through the pro-wrestling industry, as many believe the decision was due to the Wall Street Journal piece accusing him of severe misconduct, with more allegations and stories reportedly set to come.

One person who is not shocked by this news is former WWE star Paul London, who joined Rene Dupree on his podcast to discuss McMahon’s retirement, as well as reveal his own stories of the Chairman that may have remained unknown.

London, who was with WWE from 2003-2008 says that McMahon used to constantly harass Ashley Marasso, a women’s star from that era who tragically passed away in 2019. He says that McMahon would proposition her to fly with him on his private jet, and McMahon’s right-hand man, Kevin Dunn, would follow in suit.

“I do remember specifically, many times when she would, she would be crying to me because Vince was propositioning her to fly on the jet with them like Kevin Dunn – buck tooth Bucky would be telling her that she has to fly on the jet with them. They’d always put the Divas up at like the TV hotel or whatever, you know, he’d been knocking on her door and you know, trying to get her to answer.”

While London once again says that he’s not surprised by the allegation he is shocked that something like this didn’t surface within the last 10 years.

“I’m surprised it hasn’t come out within the last 10 years. But it just goes to show how afraid people are of that power dynamic where they’re so fearful of losing their job or and it’s like what does that say about you if you’re protecting this 90-year-old f**king corpse with a thong tan line just because he’s a billionaire. I mean it’s like I said money changes people.”

Stories of McMahon’s retirement will continue to come out in the following weeks, and have already shaken up top WWE stars like Brock Lesnar, who left SmackDown when he heard the news, but was eventually convinced to return to the venue for the main event segment.

Sescoops wil continue to provide up to date coverage on this story.

(Quotes by WrestlingNews.Co)

Concerns & Optimism in WWE After Vince McMahon’s Retirement Announcement

Thomas Lowson
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This week, Vince McMahon announced his retirement from WWE; an act that countless people thought they’d never see.

McMahon’s announcement comes a month after he stepped down from the roles of WWE CEO and Chairman of the Board, over allegations of improper conduct with female employees. 

McMahon has allegedly paid over $12 million in Non-Disclosure Agreements to female WWE employees over the past 16 years. 

Concerns Over McMahon

McMahon’s decision to step down from WWE is unquestionably the biggest shift in power the promotion has ever seen, and there are concerns for the ex-CEO’s future. 

According to Wade Keller of PW Torch, many close to McMahon are worried about how he will spend his time now, as he has no hobbies or social circles outside of pro-wrestling.

Despite this, McMahon is not expected to return to WWE in any capacity other than as the father of Stephanie McMahon. 

In his retirement statement, McMahon did not address the allegations against him, which many believe is the reason for his retirement. 

Keller reports that with McMahon retiring days before Raw returns to Madison Square Garden, the claims against him must be serious, as Vince has a lot of love for ‘The World’s Most Famous Arena.’

It is said to be in WWE’s interest to keep McMahon happy as he is still a large shareholder and his opinion carried a lot of weight.

Future Plans in WWE

 After stepping down as WWE CEO and Chair, McMahon remained in charge of WWE creative, though that has changed now.

Keller notes that Bruce Prichard is expected to take over the role as head of creative for the time being. 

Kevin Dunn, a long-time confidante of McMahon (who some consider little more than a Vince yes man) is expected to remain in his role as an Executive Director of WWE, though it is unlikely he will remain in the role for the long-term.

Changes are expected, but they will be gradual as the company wishes to demonstrate stability to stakeholders including stockholders, partners, and sponsors.

There are even talks from AEW wrestlers, who believe they will have a better chance in WWE or that at the very least, WWE will show more of an interest in them without Vince McMahon in charge.

Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan will serve as co-CEOs, and while they are not close, they are not considered enemies.

Women and WWE

Many Superstars are said to be optimistic that this change of leadership will help them, but it is understood that any changes to the rosters will be gradual rather than immediate.

Female Superstars are reportedly the most optimistic, as WWE Chairwoman Stephanie McMahon is said to be well-liked and is a supporter of women’s wrestling.

Some even think that Naomi and Sasha Banks could return after walking out of the May 16 Raw due to creative differences with Vince McMahon’s plan for that night’s main event.

It’s believed that the former Women’s Tag Team Champions’ main beef was with Vince and that his retirement could smooth things over.

However, other management may still hold a grudge against both women, who have shown no signs of being brought back to TV.

Wrestling World Reacts to Vince McMahon’s Retirement

Cody Rhodes on WWE Rule: ‘They Can Fine Me Every Time’

Ryan Droste
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Cody Rhodes continues to recover from his pectoral injury, but the WWE star hasn’t stopped making headlines since he’s been away from the ring.

This week, Rhodes was at San Diego Comic Con on behalf of WWE along with several others from the company. There was a humorous moment during a presentation when some new WWE Mattel figures and titles were being revealed.

The presenter mentioned “new championships,” and Rhodes chimed in by saying “you can say belt.”

WWE has long had a rule, reportedly due to Vince McMahon’s wishes, that championships were not referred to as “belts” on television, or really, anywhere. This has been joked about in the wrestling community ad nauseam over the years as being over the top.

Sam Roberts was there and said that maybe Cody can say belts but others will get in trouble.

“They can fine me $1,000 every time I say belts. I’m fine with that. If they give me a title belt, sure it’s a championship, but it also physically goes around your waist. Those are great belts,” Rhodes responded (h/t Fightful).

Cody Rhodes With Championships Belt Plans?

cody ic belt

Rhodes has a history with championship belts in WWE that has satisfied longtime fans and collectors. In 2012, he brought back a modified version of the iconic Reggie Parks Intercontinental Championship from the 1980s and 1990s.

There have been rumors that if Rhodes becomes WWE Champion in the future, he will bring back the famous “Winged Eagle” championship belt that WWE used from 1988 until 1998. To many fans, this is the greatest belt the company has ever had.

Of course, Rhodes seemed primed for a run at the WWE’s top prize, with a potential victory in the Money In The Bank match, until his injury sank those plans. Fans are hoping to see Rhodes return in time to make headlines at WrestleMania 39 next year.

Make sure to check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube. This week, we react to the news of Vince McMahon’s retirement. 

What Really Happened With Brock Lesnar Last Night?

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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The hours leading up to the July 22 episode of WWE SmackDown were chaotic but it ended up working out for one massive superstar.

The Friday night show for the blue brand was historic. It was the first WWE show since Vince McMahon announced his retirement.

Vince had been the longtime Chairman and CEO of the company. He was also the Head of Creative but he is not gone from the company entirely outside of being a majority shareholder.

The announcement was made just hours before SmackDown went off the air and there was a lot of uncertainty with Brock Lesnar.

Brock Lesnar Ballyhoo

080 SD 07222022DG 36709 ea23d9597eae4d30b2c1da3f20326f34
(via WWE)

It had been reported by Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline and Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful that Brock Lesnar left the building hours before WWE SmackDown went off the air. Bryan noted that Brock let WWE officials know he wasn’t happy about Vince McMahon retiring.

Brock had been advertised to appear on the show but WWE pulled that advertising and didn’t mention his name on the air outside of a commercial for the July 25 episode of WWE Raw in New York City.

Brock did indeed show up, however at the end of SmackDown. He attacked Theory with his own Money in the Bank briefcase and laid him out with the F5.

In an update, Fightful reports that once things cooled down, Lesnar returned to the TD Garden in Boston, MA. One WWE superstar told the outlet that there was uncertainty about Brock’s status for the show but felt the situation was “overblown.”

There were also said to have been multiple script changes after Lesnar left the building and most within the backstage area didn’t know if “The Beast” would return.

New Character Debuts on SmackDown, Max Dupri Character Done

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

A WWE NXT star has made her main roster debut.

The July 22 episode of WWE SmackDown was held inside the TD Garden in Boston, MA. Dominating the headlines going into the show was the fact that Vince McMahon retired earlier in the afternoon.

While the show was rewritten due to Brock Lesnar leaving the arena amid the Vince news, some plans will be going ahead as scheduled.

That much is clear from the newest character serving as a mouthpiece for Maximum Male Models.

Maxxine Dupri has arrived.

Who is Maxxine Dupri?

There was a lot of speculation on which NXT star would don the Maxxine Dupri character. The real answer was revealed on Friday night.

In a backstage segment, NXT 2.0 star Sofia Cromwell was revealed as Maxxine Dupri. Her character is the sister of Max Dupri, who wasn’t seen during tonight’s episode.

The planned 2022 beachwear collection showcase for Maximum Male Models has been pushed back to the July 29 edition of SmackDown.

Max Dupri Character Scrapped

Max Dupri

Maxxine Dupri is now leading Maximum Male Models, so what about the group’s original figurehead, Max Dupri?

According Pro Wrestling Torch, one of Vince McMahon’s final duties as the head of WWE creative was to scrap the Max Dupri character, portrayed by the man formerly known as L.A. Knight.

The decision was made after Max Dupri was “rubbing people the wrong way” behind the scenes. Sofia Cromwell’s debut as Maxxine Dupri was WWE’s way of writing Max Dupri out of storylines.

5 Things To Watch For At ROH Death Before Dishonor

Mike Chin
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Ring of Honor has a long, important history that includes the rise of top wrestling talents and major stars like Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, Samoa Joe, and quite a few others. The promotion gets particular credit for its role in keeping independent wrestling, and a more work-rate-oriented style alive and thriving.

That’s during a time after WCW and ECW were out of the picture and in a time when WWE turned to its bread and butter of churning out super hero types like John Cena and Batista in the mid-2000s.

The promotion lost some buzz over the years, though, and the emergence of AEW in particular seemed to displace ROH from the marketplace. So, it was quite a turn when AEW owner Tony Khan bought ROH and announced the brand would carry forward.

Death Before Dishonor will be ROH’s first PPV since Supercard of Honor over WrestleMania weekend, and perhaps more importantly, its first PPV formally under the ownership of Tony Khan.

  • ROH Death Before Dishonor Preview

What Is Claudio Castagnoli’s Future?

Claudio Castagnoli AEW

Claudio Castagnoli was arguably the hottest free agent in wrestling after he declined a contract renewal offer from WWE. The rumor mill suggested he might wind up back under the WWE banner, but the landscape changed when he instead debuted for AEW, making an immediate impact as a mystery opponent for Zack Sabre Jr. at Forbidden Door and an addition to the Blackpool Combat Club, factoring into the second-ever Blood and Guts Match.

At Death Before Dishonor, Castagnoli challenges John Gresham for the ROH Championship. Given his WWE pedigree and the momentum he’s established in AEW so far, he wouldn’t be out of place winning.

However, reigning as ROH Champion would seem to imply more of a commitment to that brand—not that Castagnoli couldn’t still appear for AEW, but that he might be less likely to move into the AEW Championship picture or otherwise become firmly entrenched in the Dynamite rotation. The results Saturday night may be very telling about the former-Cesaro’s future.

Does The Show Have An AEW PPV Atmosphere?

AEW Double Or Nothing Set

AEW can be polarizing among the wrestling community, but one point that falls undeniably in their favor is that their hardcore fans create an electric atmosphere every time AEW stages a major show.

AEW PPVs in particular have a strong record of not only satisfying fans with their match quality and booking, but the crowd contributing to the success of the show, staying lively even for almost all of a marathon show like May’s Double or Nothing.

ROH Death Before Dishonor can’t necessarily be expected to emulate quite that same feeling, with a bit less passionate pre-established fan base, a bit less marquee talent, and a venue with only about half the capacity of buildings AEW typically runs for PPVs.

Just the same, with the buzz of AEW crossovers, not to mention ROH relaunching, there is reason for optimism, and it will be interesting to see if the live crowd makes this show feel like a huge deal before the first bell even rings.

How this atmosphere plays out may prove important in determining how Tony Khan and company approach ROH on the whole moving forward.

Where Does FTR Go From Here?

FTR

FTR is one of the most talented tandems of their generation, clearly committed to the tag team craft, and earning endorsements from no lesser names than Bret Hart and CM Punk. Many fans anticipated they’d be challengers to and likely as not take the AEW Tag Team Championship off The Young Bucks, but that honor went to Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland.

There are all manner of possibilities for where the AEW tag titles go from here, but if FTR retains the ROH Tag Team Championship at Death Before Dishonor, it does create questions of whether they’ll be more focused on defending those titles than chasing gold in AEW.

One way or another, FTR vs. The Briscoe Brothers is likely to be great—especially under Two-Out-Of-Three-Falls rules—but there’s a question baked into the result about whether FTR gives The Briscoes their win back and moves on to other things, or cements themselves among ROH’s top acts.

Will Women’s Wrestling Steal The Show?

Mercedes Martinez Serena Deeb

Merceds Martinez has impressed as a dominant ROH Women’s Champion since spring, showcasing the hard-hitting and technical style she never quite got to put on display during her WWE tenure. At Death Before Dishonor, she faces one of the most intriguing challengers available to her an another seasoned veteran and a legit technical wizard—Serena Deeb.

Like other title matches on this card, there’s a possibility the loser, in particular, may be featured in AEW in the near future. The bigger question, though, is if ROH may do the unlikely and emerge with a women’s title match that steals the show on Saturday, or perhaps even arrives as a consensus pick for one of the best women’s matches anywhere this year.

How Separate Will ROH Be From AEW?

Jay Lethal Attacks Samoa Joe

One of the key questions that will hang over fans throughout Death Before Dishonor is the degree to which the event signals a new birth for ROH, or the degree to which ROH talent will remain more of a subsection of the AEW roster.

Wrestling fans are conditioned to feel jaded about separate wrestling brands under the same ownership, given WWE’s less than consistent handling of its different rosters over the years. On one hand fans might have more faith in Tony Khan to differentiate; on the other hand, the Forbidden Door concept he’s so infatuated with may mean that, by design, Khan keeps the borders between AEW and ROH loose.

Regardless, Death Before Dishonor may signal what the future holds in terms how much this show feels like an extension of AEW, who goes over, if any AEW talent make surprise appearances, or how the evening otherwise turns out.

ROH Death Before Dishonor 2022 may have more buzz around it than any ROH-branded event in years for all of the questions hanging over it, the brand’s absence making fans hunger for it, and talents like Claudio Castagnoli and Samoa Joe being back in the mix. However, the major matches play out and wherever the titles fall, it’s sure to be an event worth watching, and one that charts a course for ROH and AEW in different ways moving forward.

Sami Zayn Tells Amazing Story Of How He Started In Wrestling

Anutosh Bajpai
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A lot of famous wrestling stars come from very humble beginnings, and Sami Zayn is no different.

The WWE star recently appeared on Stone Cold Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions. During the interview, he told the story of how he started in wrestling. Zayn recalled that he had a friend who worked at a wrestling radio station. One day he called him. The friend told Sami that a local wrestler named Patty The Kid was willing to train them and the high-flying star took the offer in a heartbeat:

“It was 25 bucks a week so I can kind of afford that. So I go, and it’s just me, him and one other guy from the radio station, also about the same age – 18. There’s no school. Right? It’s my friend’s backyard, and a mattress that I guess they pulled from the garbage or something. We had that mattress for one week. And that was the end of that.

Then it was just the grass. His philosophy was, ‘Well, if you can learn to bump on grass, you’re gonna bump properly because there’s no room for error.’ Great philosophy if you don’t have a ring.”

‘Hey, I’m A Wrestler’: Sami Zayn

Sami Zayn continued his training for six months. After that he was told that he was ready to wrestle but he needed a booking to get started. The former Intercontinental champion also told the story of how he got his first booking:

“So I trained for about six months and then it took two or three months to just kind of get my foot in the door. Get the opportunity to get booked. All I needed was one match, because then I could go around and start saying ‘I’m a wrestler. Can I work here?’

So I had a match, and then I remember taking the bus in the metro to the east end and go into this church basement. I go, ‘Hey, I’m a wrestler. I’d love to work for you.’ The guy looks around, and there’s like three people in the crowd. He’s is like, ‘Yeah, sure.’ That’s how I got booked”

More Originals From SEScoops:

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

Backstage News On Vince McMahon’s Shocking Retirement

Anutosh Bajpai
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The wrestling world is still in shock over the news of Vince McMahon’s retirement. However, latest reports suggest that it wasn’t a last-minute decision.

The decision of Vince McMahon’s retirement was said to be made ‘about a week or so’ ago. Not many people knew what was coming, and the site has been told that the shockwaves are still being registered within the WWE HQ and beyond.

Many long-term employees are especially in shock because similar to a lot of fans, they never truly believed that one day they would be working for the company without Vince McMahon at the helm.

The decision to make Stephanie McMahon the co-CEO alongside president Nick Khan was made shortly after it became clear that the boss will be leaving.

The timing of the announcement was no coincidence. Releasing the news on late Friday was a strategic move to blunt any negative fallout in terms of media and stockholder response.

Vince McMahon was not present backstage at SmackDown. It’s confirmed that he will not be officially involved in the creative process going forward, though there is no word on how the creative will work after McMahon’s retirement.

Kevin Dunn and Bruce Prichard were said to be the people running Friday’s SmackDown taping in Boston. Stephanie McMahon and Triple H were backstage as well but it wasn’t clear if Nick Khan was there.

AEW Rampage Fyter Fest Results (7/22/22): Jay Lethal vs. Christopher Daniels, Rap Battle, Hangman Page

Robert Lentini
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AEW Rampage Fyter Fest Week 2 was taped Wednesday from the Gas South Arena in Duluth, Georgia. Jay Lethal battled Christopher Daniels in the main event.

AEW Rampage Results (7/22)

  • Hangman Page & John Silver def. The Butcher & The Blade
  • Lee Moriarty def. Dante Martin
  • Britt Baker & Jamie Hayter def. Ashley D’Ambroise & Skye Blue
  • Jay Lethal def. Christopher Daniels

Here are the takeaways from this week’s Rampage:

Hangman Page & John Silver Picked Up A Win

Hangman Page and John Silver battled The Butcher and The Blade in the first match of the show. Butcher and John Silver started off the action. The Butcher took control and tagged in The Blade. Silver connected with a Suplex and tagged in the former AEW Champion.

Page hit a Fallaway Slam and followed it up with a Clothesline for a two count. The action spilled out of the ring and Hangman set up for a Side Slam but The Butcher broke it up. Butcher and Blade beat Silver down until he was able to make the tag. Hangman hit some elbow strikes and then hit Butcher with the Buckshot Lariat for the pinfall victory.

Claudio Castagnoli Vowed To Become ROH Champion

Claudio Castagnoli made his way to the ring ahead of his ROH Championship match tomorrow night at Death Before Dishonor. Castagnoli said that world titles have alluded him his entire career and vowed to break Gresham’s foundation. Claudio added that nobody is better than him in the ring and will become the new ROH Champion at the PPV.

Lee Moriarty Cheated To Win

Lee Moriarty faced Dante Martin this week on Rampage. Matt Sydal was in Lee’s corner for the match. Lee connected with a Dropkick before the two traded submission holds in the middle of the ring. Moriarty connected with a Northern Lights Suplex for a near fall.

Dante battled back and sent Lee to the corner. Stokely Hathaway made his way ringside as Dante hit a Crossbody for a two count. Lee locked in the Border City Stretch submission but Martin made it to the ropes to break the hold. Dante connected with a Powerbomb for a two count. Lee then countered a roll-up into one of his own and grabbed the ropes for leverage to steal the win. Matt Sydal shouted at Lee that he was taking the easy way and challenged him to a match next week on Rampage. Stokely offered Lee his business card but he didn’t take it.

Baker & Hayter Dominated

Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter squared off against Ashley D’Amboise and Skye Blue this week on Rampage. Baker and Blue started off the match with a lock-up. Britt got the upper hand and tagged in Jamie Hayter. Jamie battled with D’Ambroise in the ring as Baker planted Skye with a DDT on the apron. Baker tagged back in and tapped out D’Amboise with the Lockjaw.

The Acclaimed Won The Rap Battle

Max Caster and Austin Gunn had a rap battle tonight on Rampage. Gunn Club betrayed The Acclaimed recently after a brief partnership. Austin rapped first and joked about Caster portraying one of Bobby Lashley’s sisters in that terrible segment with Sami Zayn a few years back on RAW. Gunn threw in a “suck it” reference and joked that John Cena wants his gimmick back in reference to Max.Caster responded and won the rap battle as decided by Lil Scrappy. Gunn Clubb then attacked The Acclaimed after the segment. Colten planted Bowens with a Suplex and Austin hit Max with a trash can.

Jay Lethal Sent A Message To Samoa Joe

Jay Lethal faced Christopher Daniels tonight in the main event of Rampage. Mark Henry interviewed both wrestlers in split screen before the match. Samoa Joe will defend the ROH TV Championship against Jay Lethal tomorrow night at Death Before Dishonor.

Jay Lethal dominated the action early and unloaded a flurry of forearm strikes. Daniels battled back with a Body Slam and an elbow to the face for a two count. Jay connected with a chop to the chest but Daniels responded with a boot to the face.

Lethal knocked Daniels out of the ring and connected with a Suicide Dive. Daniels got on the apron but Jay caught him with a Cutter. Jay followed that up with another Suicide Dive and then distracted the referee in the ring.

Sonjay Dutt hit Daniels with a couple cheap shots before Jay brought him back into the ring. Daniels hit an Enziguri and then an elbow strike to Jay’s face. Daniels followed it up with a Blue Thunder Bomb and went for the cover but Jay powered out at two and the main event continued.

Jay took back control of the action and wore Daniels down. Lethal delivered a boot to the face and then a Back Body Drop. Jay hit the Lethal Injuection for the pinfall victory. After the match, Satnam Singh and Sonjay Dutt attacked Daniels. Lethal then choked Daniels out to deliver a message to Samoa Joe ahead of their ROH TV Championship match at Death Before Dishonor tomorrow night.

Watch What Happened After July 22 Episode of WWE SmackDown Went Off The Air

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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The historic July 22 episode of WWE SmackDown has wrapped up and here’s what transpired when the FOX broadcast went off the air.

This was the first WWE show following Vince McMahon’s retirement. The action was held inside the TD Garden in Boston, MA.

In the main event, the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos teamed with Money in the Bank briefcase holder Theory to take on the Street Profits and Madcap Moss.

The show also featured a face-to-face meeting between SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan and Ronda Rousey. The two will clash at SummerSlam on July 30.

Following The Broadcast

Drew McIntyre Sheamus
(via WWE)

Once WWE SmackDown went off the air this week, there was a dark match between Drew McIntyre and Sheamus. The two will be competing in a Shillelagh Match on next week’s episode of SmackDown.

The dark match in Boston, however, was a street fight to give the fans in attendance something extra. McIntyre picked up the victory and yes, a table was involved.

There was also an unaired moment during a commercial break. Following Sonya Deville’s loss to Raquel Rodriguez, Ronda Rousey made her way out and added insult to injury.

Here’s the footage courtesy of SEScoops correspondent Steve Fall:

Brock Lesnar Makes Surprise Appearance to End WWE SmackDown

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Reports be damned, Brock Lesnar is in the building.

The lead-up to the historic July 22 episode of WWE SmackDown was chaotic, to say the least. Just hours before the show, Vince McMahon announced his retirement from the company.

Reports then surfaced from multiple credible news outlets claiming that Lesnar left the TD Garden in Boston, MA upon hearing the news of Vince’s retirement. It was said that Lesnar essentially told WWE management that if Vince is out then so is he.

As it turns out, “The Beast” isn’t going anywhere.

Brock Lesnar Shows Up on SmackDown

Brock e1658541847344

The main event of Friday Night SmackDown was a six-man tag team match. It was the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos aligning with Money in the Bank briefcase holder Theory to take on the Street Profits and Madcap Moss.

The match ended via DQ when Theory attacked Moss with his briefcase.

The assault continued until Brock Lesnar’s music blared out of the speakers. Lesnar was in the house and he made his way down the aisle.

Once he was in the ring, Lesnar delivered an F5 to Theory to close the show.

Two Unadvertised Names Scheduled For ROH Death Before Dishonor

Anutosh Bajpai
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Ring Of Honor is scheduled to present its second PPV event under Tony Khan’s ownership in Death Before Dishonor this Saturday. It may see two unadvertised stars making an appearance.

According to reports from Fightful, Brian Cage who has moved to the ROH brand recently, is scheduled to travel to Lowell, Massachusetts for the upcoming show.

Cage was revealed as a member of the Tully Blanchard Enterprises at Supercard of Honor last month. No match has been announced for the heavyweight star but it’s believed that he will be wrestling on the PPV.

Another unadvertised name who is scheduled to be in the arena for the Death Before Dishonor event is former ROH Pure Champion Josh Woods.

Woods is a former NXT star who competed in WWE’s development brand from 2014 to 2016. He has been working with ROH since his WWE release.

Josh Woods made his AEW debut back in December and he has been wrestling on Dark and Elevation occasionally.

The former champion held the Pure title until this April. He was defeated by Wheeler Yuta at the Supercard of Honor event which was the first ROH show under Tony Khan.

The main event of Death Before Dishonor will see Claudio Castagnoli challenging ROH champion Jonathan Gresham for the title. Though this match may have already been spoiled by the promotion.

Stephanie McMahon Addresses Vince’s Retirement (Video)

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Stephanie McMahon got WWE SmackDown started on this historic day in the wrestling industry.

On July 22, it was announced that Vince McMahon has retired at age 77. Vince had been the longtime WWE Chairman and CEO before stepping back over a scandal involving secret NDAs with former female employees.

In the statement, it was revealed that Stephanie’s interim Chairwoman and CEO roles are now permanent. She is now the full-time Chairwoman and co-CEO, which she shares with Nick Khan.

Stephanie McMahon Opens SmackDown

Stephanie McMahon got the latest edition of SmackDown started and discussed Vince’s retirement. She eventually led the crowd to chant “Thank you, Vince.”

Stephanie then looked at the camera to send the following message to Vince, “I love you, Dad.”

The Street Profits then made their way out to get the ball rolling in terms of current WWE storylines.

Keep it locked on SEScoops as we’ll be providing details on WWE behind the scenes, post-Vince McMahon, as more information becomes available.

WWE SmackDown Results (7/22/22): Brock Lesnar Attacks, Stephanie McMahon Appears, Pat McAfee

Robert Lentini
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WWE SmackDown airs live tonight from the TD Garden in Boston, MA. Stephanie McMahon kicked off the show tonight following the news that Vince McMahon has retired from WWE.

WWE SmackDown Results (7/22)

  • Ludwig Kaiser def. Shinsuke Nakamura
  • Viking Raiders def. Jinder Mahal & Shanky via count out
  • Raquel Rodriguez def. Sonya Deville
  • Street Profits and Madcap Moss def. The Usos & Theory via DQ

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Stephanie McMahon Kicked Off The Show

Stephanie kicked off the show as the crowd chanted “thank you Vince!”. She noted that Vince wasn’t given the opportunity to thank the fans so this is the WWE Universe’s chance to thank him. She then mouthed “I love you dad” to the camera to end the segment.

Ludwig Kaiser def. Shinsuke Nakamura

Street Profits came to the ring and vowed to win the tag titles at SummerSlam. Money in the Bank winner Theory interrupted and claimed that nobody cares about anything else besides what he is doing at SummerSlam. Theory said he will take the US Title from Lashley and cash in to become the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion as well. Undisputed Tag Team Champions The Usos joined the party and a brawl broke out. Madcap Moss rushed the ring to help the Street Profits. Moss and Street Profits cleared the ring as SmackDown went to a break.

Shinsuke Nakamura battled Ludwig Kaiser in the first match of the night. Intercontinental Champion Gunther was ringside for the match. Nakamura dominated the action early and booted Ludwig out of the ring. Kaiser tripped Shinsuke up on the apron and launched him into the ring post.

When SmackDown returned, Gunther got on the ring apron for a distracted. Ludwig capitalized with a DDT for the pinfall victory. After the match, Gunther gave Ludwig a pat on the back and then another massive chop. Ludwig fell to the floor as Gunther taunted him.

Rousey & Morgan Promo, Happy Corbin Attacks

SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan had a face-to-face with Ronda Rousey ahead of their title match at WWE SummerSlam. The face-to-face happened backstage and not in the ring. Liv captured the title by winning the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match and then cashing in on Ronda Rousey in the same night. Ronda told Liv that she will beat her on July 30th and expected her to shake her hand at SummerSlam as she did to Liv at Money in the Bank. Liv vowed to win because she loves this more than Ronda does.

Happy Corbin then jumped Pat McAfee once again at the commentary table. Pat chased Corbin backstage and brawled with him until WWE officials broke it up.

Pat McAfee came to the ring and started a “bum ass Corbin!” chant. McAfee vowed to defeat Corbin in their upcoming match at WWE SummerSlam. Viking Raiders then battled Shanky & Jinder Mahal in a tag match. New Day joined commentary and the match ended quickly as Viking Raiders won via count out.

Drew McIntyre Confronted Sheamus

Sheamus, Butch, and Ridge Holland came to the ring for a promo. Sheamus will battle Drew McIntyre at WWE SummerSlam. The winner of that match will go on to get an Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Clash at the Castle. The Brawling Brutes were interrupted by Drew McInyre. Drew brought Angela the sword to the ring and Sheamus asked him to put the blade away.

Butch and Ridge hopped out of the ring and McIntyre obliged. McIntyre claimed that Reigns has the titles held hostage and they need a real champion. They need a workhorse and a warrior. McIntyre demanded that they do the #1 contender match tonight in Boston and Sheamus went to make an excuse. Drew told him to grow some balls but Sheamus still declined. The Celtic Warrior said that he spoke with management and the match will happen next week. It will be a “good old fashioned Donnybrook match”. McIntyre then broke Sheamus’ shillelagh with his sword to end the segment.

Raquel Rodriguez Picked Up A Win

Sonya Deville battled Raquel Rodriguez tonight on SmackDown. Sonya shoved Raquel to the corner and hit her with some strikes. Rodriguez laughed them off but Sonya bashed her head off the turnbuckle several times until the referee broke it up. Deville connected with a running knee strike to the face and went for the cover but Rodriguez kicked out at two.

Raquel battled back and planted Sonya with a Fallaway Slam. Rodriguez followed it up with a Splash and went for the cover but Sonya grabbed the bottom rope to break it up at two. Raquel then connected with a Powerbomb for the pinfall victory.

Lacey Evans Hit Aliyah With A Cheap Shot, Maxxine Dupri

Lacey Evans battled Aliyah tonight on SmackDown. Lacey asked the crowd for a better response during her entrance. Evans mocked the crowd and claimed to have accomplished more today than the crowd has all year. Lacey then hit Aliyah with the Woman’s Right and the match never got started.

Maxxiine Dupri will announced that they will debut the beachwear collection next week.

Brock Lesnar Attacked Theory

The Usos & Theory battled Street Profits and Madcap Moss in a 6-man tag team match in tonight’s main event. Angelo Dawkins started off the action and got Jimmy Uso in a Headlock. Jimmy escaped and drove Dawkins to the corner of the ring. Montez tagged in and caught Jimmy with a shoulder tackle. The Street Profits knocked The Usos out of the ring and Madcap Moss sent Theory to the floor as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, The Usos and Theory took control of the match. Jimmy and Jey launched Montez Ford over the barricade and into the timekeeper’s area as SmackDown went to the final commercial break of the night.

Back from the break, Madcap hit a Powerslam on Jimmy for a near fall. Moss set up for a Neckbreaker but Jimmy escaped and caught him with a Superkick for a near fall. Theory got up on the ring apron but hopped down instead of tagging in. Montez Ford flipped onto The Usos outside the ring as Theory got out of the way.

Moss and Theory then got into the ring and started trading punches. Theory hit an elbow to the face and hit him with a Neckbreaker for a near fall. Madcap hit a shoulder tackle and went for another one but Theory got out of the way. Theory then bashed Moss over and over with the Money in the Bank briefcase. Brock Lesnar’s theme then hit and The Beast made his way to the ring. There were reports that he left TD Garden before the show in response to the Vince McMahon news. Brock got a big pop from the crowd as he attacked Theory. Lesnar hit Theory with the MITB briefcase several times and then planted him with the F5 to close the show.

Read Vince McMahon’s Memo to WWE Employees About his Retirement

Andrew Ravens
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Vince McMahon sent an internal message to WWE talent informing them of his retirement from the company, in addition to his tweet and WWE’s press release. 

The memo was shared by an Reddit insider and confirmed by F4Wonline.com. McMahon noted that he enjoyed sharing his passion with talent and encouraged them to be everything they can be as a person and a performer.

“To all WWE Superstars: as I approach 77 years old (OMG am I really that old?), I feel it’s time for me to retire. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed sharing my passion, wisdom, and love of the business with you. No longer will you see the smiling, docile, level-headed, calm presence at Gorilla every week.

Your dedication to WWE will ensure that our company will continue to grow and prosper. Our organization is nothing without you. You are WWE’s only natural resource, chosen to perform in front of a global audience.

You are all WWE Global Ambassadors. Carry the WWE flag wherever you go. Wave it high and proud. And bust your ass to be all you can be as a person and as a performer.

One other thing-I won’t be with you, but I’ll be watching. Remember to keep your hands up, grab a hold, and sell. Btw, SmackDown airs live tonight at 8pm Eastern/7pm Central on FOX.

Vince”

Although McMahon is retiring as WWE’s Chairman and CEO and is no longer in charge of creative, he will continue to be WWE’s majority shareholder. Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan are WWE’s new co-CEOs.

All of this comes after the reports from the Wall Street Journal about the WWE Board of Directors investigating McMahon over a $3 million settlement that McMahon had agreed to pay a former employee who he allegedly had an affair with and him paying more than $12 million to four women formerly with the company to “suppress allegations of sexual misconduct and infidelity.”

WWE Possibly Reaching Out to Major Name for SummerSlam

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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It looks like WWE will be looking to add a big star to the SummerSlam card amid uncertainty with Brock Lesnar.

July 22, 2022 will forever go down in wrestling history. Vince McMahon, the former longtime Chairman and CEO of WWE, announced his retirement.

He not only leaves behind those two roles, but he won’t have anything to do with creative or any other executive role within the company goring forward.

The news apparently did not sit well with Brock Lesnar, who essentially told WWE brass that if Vince is out then so is he.

Enter Goldberg?

Goldberg
(via WWE)

Cultaholic is reporting that WWE could be making overtures to Goldberg for a WWE Undisputed Universal Title match against Roman Reigns if Brock Lesnar ditches SummerSlam.

Lesnar was scheduled to be featured on the July 22 episode of WWE SmackDown but he exited the TD Garden in Boston, MA hours before the show was scheduled to go on air.

Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline has reported that WWE does have someone in place should Lesnar not make it to the show but the company is trying to keep the original plans intact. Bryan has NOT confirmed whether or not the replacement is indeed Goldberg.

Pretty much everyone is in agreement that Vince McMahon didn’t retire due to old age. He has come under fire after two Wall Street Journal reports uncovered alleged million-dollar hush pacts with former employees.

The second WSJ report claimed that Vince has paid millions in NDAs over the course of 16 years.

Wrestling World Reacts to Vince McMahon’s Retirement

Andrew Ravens
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Several wrestlers have reacted to the bombshell news on Friday afternoon that Vince McMahon has retired from WWE. 

McMahon’s decision to step down as Chairman and CEO came after the Wall Street Journal stories about him paying out $12 million in hush money to cover up alleged sexual misconduct with former talent and employees.

Vince will no longer be involved with the WWE creative process. It remains to be seen how Vince’s retirement affects the day-to-day operations, especially with the weekly TV shows. He still owns the majority of WWE stock, but will no longer be seen backstage at WWE shows. Nick Khan and Stephanie McMahon will serve as co-CEOs going forward now that Vince is out. 

AEW President Tony Khan wrote an interesting tweet shortly after the news was made where he noted that he is “grateful to now be the longest-tenured CEO in pro wrestling.”

You can see the reactions below: 

Brock Lesnar Leaves SmackDown Amid Vince McMahon’s Retirement Announcement

Andrew Ravens
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Shortly after the announcement made today by WWE and Vince McMahon that he is retiring from the company, Brock Lesnar made headlines. 

F4Wonline’s Bryan Alvarez reported on Twitter that Lesnar left tonight’s SmackDown from TD Garden in Boston, MA. 

Alvarez also tweeted out, “Brock’s line was some derivative of, ‘If he’s gone, I’m gone.’”

Fightful Select reports there were immediate internal rumors that Lesnar was “very pissed off” about the news and left SmackDown. They’ve also heard this rumor.

WWE had been promoting Lesnar for this show since last week to further build to his match at SummerSlam where he will challenge Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns for the title in a last man standing match. 

WWE is still advertising Lesnar for the show along with the following: 

  • Maximum Male Models debut Maxine Dupri & their beachwear collection
  • Liv Morgan & Ronda Rousey have a face-to-face confrontation
  • – Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Ludwig Kaiser

WWE had a talent meeting with everyone backstage at SmackDown. Triple H, Nick Khan, and Stephanie McMahon are there for it. There will be more fallout throughout the evening. 

Former WWE CEO & Chairman Vince McMahon Retires

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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The Vince McMahon era in WWE has come to an end.

On Friday afternoon just hours before WWE SmackDown, Vince McMahon announced his retirement as the Chairman and CEO of WWE. His daughter, Stephanie, had taken his place in interim roles amid an investigation into alleged million-dollar pacts with former employees.

The statement issued by WWE announcing Vince’s retirement has now listed Stephanie as the Chairwoman and co-CEO of WWE. She now shares the CEO title with Nick Khan.

Here is the official statement from Vince McMahon:

“As I approach 77 years old, I feel it’s time for me to retire as Chairman and CEO of WWE.“

Vince McMahon announces retirement

“Throughout the years, it’s been a privilege to help WWE bring you joy, inspire you, thrill you, surprise you, and always entertain you. I would like to thank my family for mightily contributing to our success, and I would also like to thank all of our past and present Superstars and employees for their dedication and passion for our brand. Most importantly, I would like to thank our fans for allowing us into your homes every week and being your choice of entertainment. I hold the deepest appreciation and admiration for our generations of fans all over the world who have liked, currently like, and sometimes even love our form of Sports Entertainment.

“Our global audience can take comfort in knowing WWE will continue to entertain you with the same fervor, dedication, and passion as always. I am extremely confident in the continued success of WWE, and I leave our company in the capable hands of an extraordinary group of Superstars, employees, and executives – in particular, both Chairwoman and Co-CEO Stephanie McMahon and Co-CEO Nick Khan. As the majority shareholder, I will continue to support WWE in any way I can. My personal thanks to our community and business partners, shareholders, and Board of Directors for their guidance and support through the years. Then. Now. Forever. Together.”

Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline has since reported that Vince sent out a message to the talent saying that while they will no longer be seeing him, he will be watching them.

“Vince sent out a message to talent confirming his departure, noting they wouldn’t be seeing him but he’d be watching them, and then concluding with a plug for Smackdown tonight.”

Bryan Alvarez’s report on Vince McMahon’s message to WWE talent

For those wondering if the language in Vince’s statement means he’s retaining his role as the Head of Creative, that isn’t the case. Vince McMahon is out for good.

Vince had come under fire after several hush pacts were reported by The Wall Street Journal. The reports claimed McMahon paid millions in NDAs over the course of 16 years in hopes that former employees involved wouldn’t air out his sexual advances.

One former female talent claims that the company demoted her once she stopped sexual relations with Vince and the company decided against re-signing her.

The belief is that even more details will soon emerge and it’s all led to McMahon finally leaving the WWE empire.

Athena Says Her Feud With Jade Cargill Started Before Final AEW Talks

Jaychele Nicole
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Athena reflected on her feud with Jade Cargill, how it began, and some new details around it.

Athena & Jade Cargill’s History

Back in March of 2022, Athena and Jade Cargill teased a match between the two through a fiery Twitter exchange. It now appears that this exchange happened before Athena’s AEW plans were set in stone.

You can find their full Twitter exchange here.

This exchange was a catalyst for Athena’s first feud in AEW against Jade Cargill and The Baddies. Athena made her AEW debut at AEW Double or Nothing following Jade’s TBS Title defense against Anna Jay. Since then, the two have been in a deep rivalry.

In recent weeks, Athena has been partnering with Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander to take on Jade and The Baddies. Athena recently teamed with Willow Nightingale on the July 20 episode of Dynamite to take on Jade Cargill and Keira Hogan.

Athena recently spoke with Rick Ucchino of the Bleav in Pro Wrestling Podcast about her feud with Jade and how it began.

Athena Compliments Jade

“Well, yeah, for sure. But I look at this as an opportunity to kind of go into something massive to show people not only what I can do as a high flyer, a technician a strong man at times. And I look at like the collaborative effort that could be there. Right? Jade Cargill is a megastar. You just look at this woman, and you see her on the TV, and you’re like, ‘Hold on, let me flip back a couple more channels. What was- what was this Amazon woman I just saw right here?’ And she looks great doing it. And she owns that persona, which is even more fantastic. Because she has a character. Right? A lot of women they’re like, Oh, I’m the good girl. I’m the bad girl. Right? I’m all attitude. I am. I don’t know if I’m supposed to be a good guy different. So that dies. I just gotta say what I say do what I do, and just kind of wait people like me. It’s weird. But when you look at someone like Jade Cargill, it’s just like, ‘Oh, that’s a challenge.’ That’s something I need in my life, right?,” Athena said

How Their Feud Began

The 15-year veteran continued, “And it started on Twitter. Before I even like, before we even got into the final talks of me coming officially to AEW. And it was just like, ‘Ou, there’s something here.’ And like, just me going, ‘Hmm?’ With a little face responding to who’s next just went viral and then she responded. Then I responded. And it just blew out of the water. So it kind of started on Twitter. So thank you blue bird, you did the swimming. But like I think people were so interested in that feud. 

And they’re like, ‘Oh, when is this happening?’ Then the Joker thing happened and I kind of I already knew I was going when the Joker happened. So, me and my husband we got on free. We’re like, ‘This is pretape.’ because we knew that weekend I was going. So, we’re like, ‘Oh no, still in Texas.'”

How Much The Feud Means To Athena

And so it was it was just really cool to just be able to go into a main feud right away because I feel like it’s been so long since one I got a singles run. Like not like a singles run, like when the other undefeated streak was alive. Telling stories are so important to what we do in pro wrestling, right, because that’s what gets people invested and coming into this story with Jade Cargill. Like, that means a lot to me. 

Athena: I’m Gonna Knock Her Flat On Her Ass

So I want to put all of my effort, all of my emotion, all of my physical well-being into this, to make it good to make people relate to, ‘Hey, like, I’m 5’1. I don’t care that she’s six foot.’ Whatever, like, I don’t care, I’m gonna knock her flat on her ass. That’s what I do. You know. And like, the one thing that has stayed true throughout my entire career is that, like, if there’s a challenge there, it doesn’t matter how many times I get knocked down, I’m going to beat that challenge. And I don’t think people really know that about me as a person. Like, I’ve had so many tryouts in the former life. That like, I was like, ‘Nah, I’m kicking this door down, baby. We’re gonna get there, right? We’re gonna get there and though.’ I finally got there, so like, that’s just the type of person I am. 

Maybe it’s because I’m a massive gamer, that I will sit here and rage play every game until I till I have a mental breakdown. But like, that’s me. It’s like, I’m going to beat the big monster. I’m going to beat the big bad at the end of the adventure. I like to win. That’s what I do. You know? And it’s just like an alpha mentality of just like, I gotta be the best. I’m gonna beat the best to be the best. You gotta beat this Hussy here. I’m gotta say the (unintelligible) because I don’t want someone to come after me with DNCAs and all that stuff. 

Athena Imagines Epic Battle With Jade

But you guys get what I’m saying is that like, this person who has made a career out of nothing in the pro wrestling world, because she was very accomplishable before she got here. Out of nothing in the pro wrestling world, who is at the top of the mountain right now. And I’m like, ‘I want to kick her off this mountain.’ Even then, even if I don’t kick her off the mountain because we all know it’s pro wrestling, right? Like, I want people to remember what I did at the top of that mountain that we had this epic battle on top of Olympus and lightning was striking and angels were weeping and fire from Hell was blazing up and I want it to be that I want to do this epic, like rock battle, if you will.”

Athena’s AEW Record

Athena received her first loss in AEW this past week on AEW Dynamite. Her current AEW 2022 record is 3-1 and she is not yet ranked. However, due to this feud, it is more than likely that Athena will become ranked and will challenge Jade Cargill for the TBS Championship.

Watch Rick Ucchino’s interview with Athena:

Another WWE Hall of Famer to be Backstage at Monday’s Raw

Andrew Ravens
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WWE Hall of Famers Edge and Beth Phoenix are expected to be back on television soon. 

As previously reported, WWE is bringing Edge to Monday’s Raw from Madison Square Garden. It’s been rumored Edge will return to resume his feud with Damian Priest and Finn Balor of The Judgment Day after they attacked him several weeks ago as a way to write him off television. 

The Judgment Day has promised to crash Rey’s 20th-anniversary celebration when they take on  The Mysterios 

Pwinsider.com reported today that WWE is also bringing Phoenix to Raw as well. The married couple is booked to be at WWE SummerSlam. It’s still not confirmed whether they will be wrestling at SummerSlam, but this will be Raw’s go-home edition for SummerSlam so it’s likely.

With Phoenix in the mix, it’s possible WWE does a mixed tag team match with Edge & Beth against Priest or Balor & Rhea Ripley. The former Raw Women’s Champion has been out of action since mid-June with a brain injury. 

The married couple last teamed together at the WWE Royal Rumble back in January when they defeated The Miz and Maryse. It also marked Beth’s first match since the 2020 Royal Rumble Match and her first tag team match since WrestleMania 35 in 2019.

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