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Powerhouse Hobbs: “A Personal Goal Of Mine Is To Be The First African American AEW World Champion”

Joey Galizia
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Powerhouse Hobbs has many goals in AEW, but the ultimate is to become the company’s first ever black world champion.

The Team Taz member spoke about his dream on the latest episode of the Wrestling Perspective podcast, which included Hobbs opening up about how he expects to have to go on a singles-run at some point.

“There’s gonna be a point where I’m gonna have to step away on my own. I just think that next step for me is, I think what’s gonna come up for me is I’m just gonna have to show a whole new, kick-ass, different style.”

He continued, “You can tell I’m having fun in the ring and when I got someone in a hold and I’m kicking the shit out of them, so I’m having fun. I don’t know what that next step is gonna be. It’s just gonna happen.”

Powerhouse Hobbs
Powerhouse Hobbs

Big Goals in AEW

The big man has been teaming with Ricky Starks, and is currently locked into a feud with Keith Lee and Shane “Swerve” Strickland, but a future tag team title matchup seems to be on the horizon. While that will serve as a landmark achievement for Hobbs, he still hopes to keep his eye on the prize.

“A personal goal of mine is to be the first African American AEW World Champion. Any title I get, I’m gonna — I know how to fight and I know what it’s like to starve and struggle. Any title I get, it’s gonna be hell for anybody to take that away from me. But I plan on being a big name and being around for a long time. That’s always been my goal, ever since I became a professional wrestler. “

Hobbs got to showcase some of his singles-skills at the last AEW pay-per-view, which was Revolution in Florida. On that night he competed in the Face of the Revolution ladder match, a dangerous bout that was eventually won by Wardlow.

Quotes via Fightful

Eric Bischoff Blasts CM Punk as, “The Biggest Financial Flop in Wrestling”

Thomas Lowson
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WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff has continued his war of words with CM Punk, calling him “the biggest financial flop in wrestling history.”

Last week, the two went to war over comments Bischoff has made about AEW, believing that the show caters to too small a market and cannot grow.

Punk responded by saying fans shouldn’t listen to “bad-take carnies” and to “let them die in the dark with their ego podcasts.”

Bischoff would fire back, using a quote in which Punk said what he, Bryan Danielson, and Adam Cole have done is bigger than Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall, and asked “How’s that working out?”

On the latest episode of his 83 Weeks Podcast, Bischoff continued their feud, saying that Punk’s claim of being bigger than the Outsiders joining WCW has “fallen flat on his face.”

“I took his quote and posted it and said how’s that working out? Which it isn’t, obviously. In terms of a return on investment, this guy has to be the biggest financial flop in the history of wrestling.”

Eric Bischoff

Bischoff said that he would be happy to be proven wrong if someone can show him that Punk is worth the investment in terms of revenue.

Without this data, Bischoff said all he can judge Punk on is the viewership which hasn’t sustained from the former WWE Champion’s debut last year.

“He came out to 1.17 million people who came out to see his debut Friday night on Rampage, it’s down to around 400-500 thousand on average. Punk’s primer on Dynamite did like 1.29 million people and they came, they saw and they left and now they’re hovering around that 900,000. Which they’ve been doing for, I don’t know, a year, year and a half. When Punk comes out and says he’s a bigger deal than Scott Hall and Kevin Nash coming to WCW, that created a paradigm shift with people watching wrestling, where Punk has created absolutely nothing.”

CM Punk will challenge ‘Hangman’ Adam Page for the AEW World Championship at Double or Nothing 2022.

Thanks to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.

WWE Performance Center Stalker Attempts to Crash Impact Taping

Thomas Lowson
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Armando Montalvo, better known as the WWE Performance Center stalker, tried to invade a recent taping of Impact Wrestling.

Montalvo traveled to Kissimmee, Florida, where Impact Wrestling recently held their Citrus Bowl taping and live-streamed his actions over Facebook.

In the video, Montalvo wanders aimlessly around the venue wearing a yellow high-visibility jacket and no shirt.

When speaking to security, Montalvo asked if he could be booked for a match, and when told that this is not how wrestling works, asked the guard to put him in handcuffs.

Security informed Montalvo that he had to leave if he did not have a ticket, and the stalker responded by calling this incident his “redemption.”

Montalvo also asked the security guard to buy him a ticket but later decided to leave.

The entire incident can be seen here or in the player embedded below:

Montalvo’s previous incidents

Armando Montalvo Mugshot

This is the first time that Montalvo has tried to invade an Impact Wrestling tapings, but not his first attempt to interfere in a wrestling promotion.

In 2015, Montalvo caused a major disturbance outside WWE’s Performance Center and was shot after charging at a Florida deputy.

Montalvo was taken to a local medical facility in critical condition but recovered.

In 2019, a court order banned Montalvo from the Performance Center grounds, and he was arrested in June 2020 for trespassing.

During the hearing, Montalvo annoyed guards by wearing a red clown nose and reportedly frustrated the judge, calling her “baby girl.”

Cody Rhodes: “I’m The Best Wrestler In The World and It’s By A Large Margin”

Andrew Ravens
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Cody Rhodes has made it clear since returning to WWE in April that he came back because he felt like he had unfinished business and to become the WWE Champion. 

It’s a goal that his legendary father, Dusty Rhodes, didn’t accomplish. In order for Cody to achieve his goal, he will have to go through Roman Reigns and beat him to become the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. 

While speaking with Sports Illustrated, Rhodes noted he thinks he’s the best wrestler in the world.

“I think I’m the best wrestler in the world. And I think it’s by a large margin. That upsets a lot of people, but I don’t mean it to draw ire. This is all I do. I’m not in charge. I’m here to hone my craft, build my body, and win matches. Every week, I have to be better. That’s the ultimate clarity for me.

I’m on the flagship show. Look at the pyro and grandeur. Hats off to Kevin Dunn and his team for taking the ‘American Nightmare’ and expanding upon it. I know I must be better every week. That’s the only way I can stay the best in the world. Week to week, I’m putting myself under a microscope. Go ahead and put all the microscopes in the world on me. I want Fox to come calling. I did it for Turner Media and I got a great education at my last spot. Bring it on; I want it all.”

When asked whether he believes he is better than Reigns, Cody stated he can’t answer that question until they’re in the ring. 

“The difference between the two best wrestlers in the world is that one has both titles to prove it.”

He said the WWE Title is the biggest title in the game and that’s not a knock on any title anywhere else. 

Young Rock Will Go Head-to-Head with SmackDown on Friday Nights

Thomas Lowson
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The Rock is gearing up to lay the smack down on… SmackDown.

NBC has announced Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s hit comedy series, Young Rock moves Fridays for its upcoming third season. This puts Young Rock head-to-head up against WWE SmackDown on Fox.

Both shows have deep ties to Dwayne Johnson, with ‘Young Rock’ being based on the former WWE Champion’s journey to superstardom.

As for SmackDown, the show was named after one of “The Great One’s” signature catchphrases upon its arrival in 1999.

Young Rock Moves to Fridays for Season 3

Young Rock

In a presentation held on Monday, NBCU confirmed their fall schedule with a one-hour comedy block planned for Friday nights.

The first half-hour will be George Lopez’s ‘Lopez vs. Lopez’ and air at 8pm ET, followed by ‘Young Rock.’

The 8:30 pm ET time will see ‘Young Rock’ square off directly with Smackdown’s second half-hour on FOX.

Season three of ‘Young Rock’ was confirmed last week and will mark the show’s move to Friday nights after so far airing on Tuesdays.

Ratings for the show’s second season have averaged 2.148 million viewers and a 0.37 in the key 18-49 demographic.

Season two of Young Rock will wrap up next week with two episodes set to air on May 24.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CdnzVutLl7B/

Kevin Owens: I Wouldn’t Be Here Without Triple H

Jon Fuentes
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Kevin Owens doesn’t think he’d be where he’s at in his professional wrestling career without Triple H.

Owens was recently interviewed by TalkSport, and during the conversation, touched on “The Game’s” impact on his career. “KO” had nothing but praise for Triple H, saying he’s all about growing the industry and giving people a chance.

“I wouldn’t be here without him That’s all that comes to it. When you say full stop, that really is it. Nobody has done more for me than Triple H in my career.

“There was always this reputation about him, right? I always thought he was really good at what he did and to me, he always elevated the shows he was on and the people he was working with so I never really got that vibe of the reputation.

“I wasn’t surprised when I met him that he was a guy who was all about growing the industry and giving people a chance.

“He proved my assumptions right many times over the past few years and a lot of us – a lot of us – wouldn’t be here without him.”

Triple H was a big part of Owen’s first World Championship victory storyline. In August of 2016, Triple H turned on Seth Rollins to assist Kevin Owens in winning the Universal Championship.

It was Owens’ first World Title victory in WWE. Since, Owens has gone on to do a tremendous amount under the WWE banner. He’s a two-time Intercontinental Champion, a three-time United States Champion, and, as aforementioned, an ex-WWE Universal Champion.

Owens was also one-half of one of the most iconic segments in WrestleMania history. At WrestleMania 38 in Dallas, Texas, Owens welcomed WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin back to the ring.

“KO” and Austin competed in a No Holds Barred match to close out Night One of “The Show Of Shows.” The pair put on an extremely entertaining segment on “The KO Show,” which led to Owens challenging Austin to a match.

When it was all said and done, Owens was defeated by Austin. However, it’s a moment Owens will cherish for the rest of his career.

Sasha Banks & Kevin Hart Lightsaber Battle On “Cold as Balls” (Video)

Jon Fuentes
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Sasha Banks recently made an appearance on Kevin Hart’s “Cold as Balls” program, which will even include a lightsaber battle between the pair.

A preview for the episode recently dropped, showing a clip from the lightsaber duel. Banks sports the green lightsaber, while Hart wields the red one. Check out the preview below.

The pair are likely referencing Banks’ appearance in Disney Plus’ “The Mandalorian” series, which takes place within the Star Wars universe.

Banks plays a Mandalorian character by the name of Koska Reeves in season two. She even got a small fight scene with Temuera Morrison’s Bobba Fett character. It remains to be seen if Banks will be a part of the show’s third upcoming season.

Currently, Banks has been on quite the roll since returning to WWE action in January. She and Naomi captured the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania 38 this past April.

Banks and Naomi topped Carmella & Queen Zelina, Liv Morgan & Rhea Ripley, and Natalya & Shayna Baszler in a Four-Way bout for the straps.

On this past Friday’s episode of SmackDown, Naomi and Banks yet again successfully defended their titles by defeating the team of Natalya and Shayna Baszler.

Now, Banks and Naomi will sit back and wait for a new set of challengers emerge for their titles.

Sammy Guevara & Tay Conti Dismiss Haters: “The Fake People Expose Themselves”

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Sammy Guevara and Tay Conti love their loyal fans but brush off the “fake people.”

Sammy and Tay were beloved by AEW fans but ever since being together, the two have basically become heels. They aren’t afraid to lean into it either as they’ve been rather braggadocious in the past few weeks.

A Message To Haters

During an interview with Brandon Walker of Rasslin‘, Sammy Guevara said those who boo him and Tay Conti are exposing themselves.

“I think the fake people expose themselves for being fake. The real people are still there. Our core audience, the people who’ve always supported us still support us.”

Tay also expressed her belief that the haters are lashing out for no good reason.

“I mean, we did nothing wrong for people to hate us. That’s what I’m saying, like why would they hate us?”

Of course, throughout the interview, Sammy and Tay continued to play things up with their relationship.

Sammy was then asked about his memorable ladder match with Cody Rhodes at Beach Break back in January. Guevara had the highlight reel spot when he landed a cutter off the top of a ladder.

Sammy admitted that he was feeling the effects of the landing.

“No [he wasn’t intimidated by the spot], I just hoped that it was going to work out, and then when I jumped off the ladder, I thought in midair, ‘holy sh*t I jumped way higher than I thought I was gonna get.’ Then we got here and I was like, ‘oh, it’s working out.’ When we landed though, I was like, ‘I regret this now.'”

Please H/T SEScoops if you use any quotes from this article

Maki Itoh Returning to the US Ahead of AEW’s Wild Card Wednesday

Michael Reichlin
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Maki Itoh is teasing that her next match will take place in the United States.

The self-proclaimed Cutest Wrestler in the World is the reigning International Princess Champion for Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling. She tweeted on Sunday that she’s returning to the US soon.

Itoh wrestled a handful of matches for All Elite Wrestling in 2021. At AEW Revolution 2021, Maki Itoh teamed with Dr. Britt Baker against the team Thunder Rosa and Riho.

This Wednesday on AEW Dynamite, Britt Baker will battle a mystery opponent in the quarterfinals of the Owen Hart Foundation women’s tournament.

The timing of Maki Itoh’s announcement about returning to the US has some fans speculating that she will be revealed as Baker’s opponent at ‘Wild Card Wednesday.’

Britt Baker Owen Hart Tournament Mystery Opponent

Back in January, Maki Itoh vowed to return to AEW. After winning the International Princess Championship, she said, “With this belt, Ito will definitely go to AEW! And I’ll fight Thunder Rosa one more time. And Ito will definitely win!”

She added, “There are many, many more attractive people in the world. So Ito wants to beat them one by one with this belt.”

Thunder Rosa, who currently holds the AEW Women’s World Championship, welcomed another opportunity to share the ring with Maki Itoh.

Ric Flair’s Last Match Set for July 31st

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Ric Flair will indeed be walking down the aisle for a wrestling match one more time.

Starrcast has announced that Flair will end the month of July with the final match of his pro wrestling career. He’ll be in action on July 31 inside the Nashville Fairgrounds. An opponent has not been revealed at this time.

The event will be airing live on FITE TV. Tickets go on sale on May 27.

Flair had been teasing making a comeback by releasing a couple of videos capturing his training sessions with AEW star Jay Lethal.

“I’m going to walk that aisle, one last time to prove once and for all, that to be the Man, you’ve got to beat the Man.”

– Ric Flair

Ric Flair’s Last Match

In a press release sent in to SEScoops, Starrcast provides the official details:

“On July 31st, at 6:05pm EDT, ‘The Nature Boy’ Ric Flair, who many consider the greatest professional wrestler of all-time, is set to return to the ring, one final time, as part of ‘Jim Crockett Promotions Presents: Ric Flair’s Last Match’ wrestling event.”

“Taking place at the world famous Nashville Fairgrounds, the 16-time former World Heavyweight Champion will don a new custom-made robe and bring the one-of-a-kind showmanship that has made Flair a cultural icon for his over-40 years in the professional wrestling business.”

Tickets for Ric Flair’s Last Match go on sale next Friday, May 27th at RicFlairsLastMatch.com.

Here’s the official hype video for Ric Flair’s Last Match:

Swerve Strickland Details The Downfall Of Lucha Underground: “They Didn’t Want To Spend The Money To Grow It”

Joey Galizia
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Shane “Swerve” Strickland recently joined the Talk Is Jericho podcast to discuss the short-lived Lucha Underground promotion.

The AEW star worked under a mask during his LU days as Killshot, a troubled war-veteran whose haunted past confronts him inside the squared circle. The former NXT North American champion recalls coming up with the character, and how he it differed from the tone of the other lucha characters on the show.

“I came up with Killshot, a military character and all the stuff. I’m a Metal Gear Solid fan, so I put some espionage in there. I was writing my character to be able to interact with other characters, and they liked that, so they took all of it and formed something. People really gravitated towards that character because it was a person. A lot of the characters were Mayan, Aztecan [monsters] – it was very fantasy. It was cool, but I was like, ‘I have to do something to be different over here.’ The same with my wrestling style.”

Much like AEW Lucha Underground gave talent a good amount of creative control, something Swerve very much appreciated, even when it proved to become difficult for a taped product.

“That was another place where the creativity just flowed. They were so open to ideas. It was a little tricky because they can’t modify or change too much direction because it was written seasonally. So, if like, ‘We want this but this person is getting over, we already shot the scenes for this and that.’ You shot like a three-month block from March to June, and say this character is getting over in December, oh well. Gotta catch you in the next season. That was the only tricky part about that.”

Despite growing in popularity Lucha Underground eventually folded in 2018 after being on El Rey Network for four years. A big reason Swerve believes the run was short-lived was because the studio didn’t want to spend the money to grow it.

“It was growing in popularity, but I don’t feel like the studio wanted to grow along with it. They didn’t want to spend the money to grow it. We should have been touring with that roster. You can’t see those characters anywhere else. I feel like merchandising, they didn’t want to spend the money on that.”

While Lucha Underground is no longer active Major League Wrestling did revive the company’s spirit by introducing their Azteca Underground brand, which is run by Cesar Duran, also known as the former host of the LU temple, Dario Cueto. Many stars from the promotion continue to make waves in the wrestling industry throughout WWE, AEW, IMPACT, and NJPW.

Swerve’s Killshot was a big hit with LU fans, with his Weapons of Mass Destruction showdown against company rival AR Fox being a marquee bout that many still talk about until this day.

(Quotes via 411 Mania)

WWE Legend Defends Roman Reigns For Taking Reduced Schedule

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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One WWE Hall of Famer doesn’t want to hear anything negative about Roman Reigns taking fewer dates.

Reigns has cemented himself as WWE’s biggest attraction. Ever since going heel back in 2020 and forming The Bloodline, the “Tribal Chief” has widely been considered one of the best acts in wrestling.

At the height of his popularity, Reigns has decided to scale things back a bit. He reportedly signed a new deal with WWE to reduce his schedule.

Reigns won’t be working nearly as many house show dates as he had been and currently isn’t scheduled for the June 5 Hell in a Cell premium live event.

Booker T Comes To Roman Reigns’ Defense

Booker T took to his Hall of Fame podcast to criticize fans who complain about Reigns potentially being a “part-timer” (h/t 411Mania.com).

“It’s hard to make people happy, so I don’t think you should think about what people want in certain aspects, especially as far as this goes. For one moment, people are talking about wrestler’s work too damn much.

“And now, he’s gone to take some time off, they say he’s just a part-timer. Which one is it? You can’t have both. For me, as a promoter, if I can protect Roman Reigns and preserve him because he is a guy that I feel is a high marquee guy for the company, why wouldn’t I do that?

“As far as that guys, I don’t really care what people think as far as him being a part-timer.”

Despite Booker’s rant, the general consensus seems to be that Reigns deserves the new terms of his deal. He’s quite valuable to WWE and was able to tip the scales in his favor.

Approaching the age of 37 next week and having young kids, Reigns likely wants to spend more time with his family.

Booker went on to say that he’s unsure if WWE fans will turn on the “Head of the Table” once he starts appearing less often.

“You know what, they probably would because there again, the fans, a lot of times, they want what they want. Then again, maybe they won’t. Maybe WWE fans are different.

“Cody Rhodes, they hated him going out of AEW, and now they seem to love Cody Rhodes. With fans, it may just be a few thinking that way, but sometimes, the masses look huge these days when you see people on social media commenting.

“If Roman takes some time off, damn it, he deserves it. He deserves it. Bottom line.”

Jeff Hardy Says “It’s Going To Be Exciting” When Willow Returns

Michael Reichlin
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Jeff Hardy continues to tease that we haven’t seen the last of his alter ego, Willow.

Hardy portrayed Willow during the early days of his wrestling career. He brought Willow to TNA Wrestling back in 2014, as seen below.

Hardy has referenced the dark and mysterious spirit several times over the past few months.

In September, Hardy said he was talking with the artist who created the Willow mask about reviving the gimmick at one more time before retirement.

In November, Hardy pitched the idea of bringing back Willow as an artsy Bob Ross character, similar to Bray Wyatt’s The Fiend.

Since then, Hardy left WWE and joined AEW, where he’d have more creative freedom to explore Willow in a new environment.

Jeff Hardy Bringing Willow to AEW?

On the latest episode of the AEW Unrestricted podcast, Jeff Hardy was asked if we could see Willow in All Elite Wrestling.

The Charismatic Enigma says, “Yes, of course there is” a chance Willow could appear in AEW. He scoffed at the idea of Willow being aligned with the House of Black, but assured fans that Willow is a part of him.

“When he comes out to play, he comes out and it’s going to be exciting.”

– Jeff Hardy on Willow in AEW

Jeff Hardy joined AEW back in March. Since then, he’s reunited with his brother and the Hardys are now gearing up for a feud with the Young Bucks. The teams are expected to square off at the upcoming AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view later this month.

You can listen to Jeff Hardy on the AEW Unrestricted podcast:

Japanese Pro Wrestling Legend Yu Ishino (Kagetsu) Comes out as Transgender

Thomas Lowson
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Retired Japanese pro-wrestler Yu Ishino (fka Kagetsu) has come out as transgender and spoken about his experience transitioning.

Ishino is best known for his time competing for STARDOM, where he is a former World of STARDOM Champion, capturing the title in 2018 from Toni Storm.

In a YouTube video, Ishino came out as a transgender male and spoke about his experiences.

“I underwent the surgery and now I am living as a man … I feel like a 14-year-old boy (because everything is still so very new), but I hope moving forward, I’ll still have your support as I try new things.”

Yu Ishino

Ishino was happy to show off his “tiny little chin beard,” and said that he will be leaving the Kagetsu name behind.

“I know how beloved the name Kagetsu is, but with this video, I would like to put that name to rest.”

Yu Ishino
https://twitter.com/doranyanpa/status/1525079443122708480

Outside of his native Japan, Ishino competed for CHIKARA in 2012 and Ring of Honor in 2018.

Ishino retired in 2020 and faced NXT UK Women’s Champion Meiko Satomura in his last match, but returned to the ring for last year’s Hana Kimura Memorial Show.

Thanks to POST Wrestling’s Karen Peterson for the translated quotes

Rikishi Says He’s Voting for The Rock for U.S. President

Thomas Lowson
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0

WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi has thrown his weight behind The Rock should “The Brahma Bull” ever run for President of the United States.

While best known for his career in the ring and in Hollywood, The Rock has said he is seriously considering a political career, calling it a “real possibility” in 2017.

More recently, “The Great One” has said he has done research into a potential run for President of the United States of America.

Speaking to  Brandon Robinson of Bally Sports, Rikishi showed his support for his cousin’s potential election campaign.

“I’m voting for him… I’ll be voting for him because i’m not the political cat, I’m just the cat who supports the people.”

Rikishi

The premise of NBC’s Young Rock sees the Hollywood A-Lister recall his life in a series of interviews when running for President.

Young Rock was greenlit for a third season last week.

The People’s President?

The Rock as President may seem far-fetched, but his potential campaign already has some serious momentum.

In an April 2021 poll, 46% of people asked said they’d consider voting for the former WWE Champion in a Presidential election.

Responding, The Rock said “it’d be my honor” to run for President, and has said he will run if the people want him.

Thank you to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.

Hacksaw Jim Duggan Announces Cancer Has Returned

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

Hacksaw Jim Duggan has some unfortunate news to share but perhaps he’s avoided disaster once more.

The WWE legend underwent emergency surgery after being diagnosed with prostate cancer back in 2021. Following surgery, Hacksaw was able to reveal that he was cancer-free.

Unfortunately, his cancer has returned but thankfully there is some optimism.

Hacksaw Jim Duggan Update

In a new video posted on social media over the weekend, Hacksaw Jim Duggan broke the news but luckily, doctors were able to diagnose him quickly.

“Hi, folks, I hope you enjoy the pictures and videos of our travels. We’ve been having a great time. But reality is here and I’m afraid I have some bad news. It seems like my cancer treatment is not over even after the removal of my prostate last October.

“Tomorrow, I’m having my second hormone shot and Tuesday, I’m being set up for radiation treatment, which will be eight weeks, five days a week. The doctors are very optimistic that they caught it early.”

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CdlyRdvJyEw/

Duggan continue, “But still, it’s a very terrifying time for me and my family. The doctors also said to go ahead and live life, which we’re going to do. I’m going to make most shows, but some shows, I’m gonna have to postpone or cancel and I’m sorry about that, but that’s the way it’s got to be. I’ll be posting this whole ordeal as I go through it.

“So tomorrow on the way to the doctor to get the hormone shots. I’m going to be posting that after the shots. I’ll be posting throughout the whole experience. Hopefully, it will help someone out there because I know a lot of men, a lot of families, are going to go through this. I know it’s going to help me.

“You folks have helped me through an awful awful lot over the years many times before and sharing this with you is going to help me get through this. So thank you, and please don’t feel sorry for me. Be thankful that they caught it early. Thoughts and prayers are more than welcome and remember, I’ll get through this.

“Thanks very much, folks.”

SEScoops wishes Hacksaw Jim Duggan thoughts and prayers during this next chapter of his cancer battle.

Quotes via Fightful

Tony Khan & MJF Disagree On Contract Extension, Who Is In The Right?

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

There are some new details regarding the situation with MJF and AEW.

It’s clear that MJF is poised to be the hottest thing in pro wrestling when 2024 rolls around. As it is, he’s one of the top heels in the business and his stock continues to soar.

With that said, reports have indicated that Maxwell Jacob Friedman and AEW aren’t exactly on the same page.

Of course, 2024 is important because that’s when MJF’s contract with AEW expires.

Latest On MJF & Tony Khan

Will Washington of Fightful recently claimed that the issue at hand with MJF and AEW President Tony Khan has to do with a contract extension. He claims that the word is that MJF wants more money but Khan isn’t willing to fulfill his request if his top heel won’t sign an extension.

Furthermore, Will claims that not many within AEW are taking MJF’s side on the matter because they feel he must honor the original agreement.

It’s important to note that someone could very well be feeding one-sided information to put pressure on MJF. After all, if things aren’t going someone’s way, it’s easy to put out something negative on the person who won’t cooperate.

https://twitter.com/KXNGAO/status/1525858079962710016

Who Is In The Right?

It isn’t difficult to understand why MJF would want more money. He’s definitely exceeded the value of his 2019 deal. With that said, if he truly wants more money yet doesn’t want to sign on beyond 2024, you can see why AEW wouldn’t want to do that.

Since signing his initial AEW deal, MJF has seen the likes of Bryan Danielson and CM Punk get big money contracts.

Social media has already been abuzz with AEW fanboys and detractors chiming in. The fanboys are roasting MJF, while the detractors are buttering him up in hopes that he’ll make the jump to WWE.

Who do you think is in the right here?

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cdnsmw5uNWr/

Former WCW Announcer Pushing To Stop Ric Flair From Returning To The Ring

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

One former WCW personality is hoping that Ric Flair doesn’t go through with plans to return to in-ring action.

Flair, who is 73 years old, has been pushing to get inside the squared circle once again. He’s posted a couple of training videos with Jay Lethal where he’s actually taking bumps inside the ring.

Ric Flair To Be Blocked From Returning?

This has left some concerned including former WCW announcer Chris Cruise.

In a lengthy statement on social media, Cruise revealed an email he sent to the Maryland State Athletic Commission urging them to refuse Ric Flair a license to wrestle:

“Hey you rubes, I screw around here a lot, but this is serious: Ric Flair should not be allowed to wrestle. Some reports indicate he has been working out with Jay Lethal in preparation to returning to the ring. He can’t be stopped from doing so in states that don’t have athletic commissions and licensing protocols, but insurance companies can step in and refuse to issue a bond to a promotion that books him. And for those states that do have commissions, they should be contacted to demand that they not allow Flair to wrestle. Simply put, Ric Flair returning to the ring is not wise. No how, no way. He’s 73, in poor health, an alcoholic, and has a pacemaker installed.

“Today I emailed the following to the Maryland State Athletic Commission, since I live in Maryland, and will contact other commissions as well. I would encourage you to also email the commission ([email protected]) and urge its members to deny Flair a license. It won’t take long, and could help keep Flair alive. Here is the email I sent:

‘To the Commissioners of the Maryland State Athletic Commission:

‘Recently, published reports indicate the professional wrestler known as Ric Flair, who is 73 and has a pacemaker, is considering returning to the ring. Obviously, that is not wise. It’s almost as if he wants to die in the ring.

‘I am writing as a citizen of Maryland to express my concern about the prospect of Mr. Fleihr being granted a license to wrestle in this state. I’m sure you understand how disastrous it would be for the Commission if he died in the ring during a performance for which you granted him a license.

‘I’d like to know what standards the Commission has for granting a license to a professional wrestler. Is a physical examination required? Are athletes over 70 and who have a pacemaker installed allowed to wrestle professionally in Maryland?

‘I look forward to your reply.'”

Flair is rumored to be gearing up for a tag team match that would see him paired with FTR to take on The Rock ‘n Roll Express and a mystery partner. Once again, this is only a rumor.

WWE Reportedly has a List of Talent Approved to get Haircuts

Thomas Lowson
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WWE Hall of Famer Edge changed up his haircut recently, but only because he was allowed to by the promotion.

On the post-WrestleMania Backlash Raw, Edge debuted his new shorter hairdo in a segment where The Judgment Day accepted Rhea Ripley as their newest member.

According to a new report from Fightful, WWE has a specific list of Superstars who are allowed to change their hair in a noticeable way.

In addition to Edge, Becky Lynch is allowed to change her hair, as fans saw during the build-up to WrestleMania 38.

On the March 28, 2022, edition of Raw, Bianca Belair cut Lynch’s hair during an in-ring brawl and “Big Time Becks” has been working with a new haircut ever since.

The full list of talent who are allowed to change their hair is as follow:

Raw

  • AJ Styles
  • Bobby Lashley
  • Cody Rhodes
  • Damian Priest
  • Dolph Ziggler
  • Edge
  • Finn Balor
  • Kevin Owens
  • The Miz
  • Randy Orton
  • Riddle
  • Seth Rollins

SmackDown

  • Drew McIntyre
  • Happy Corbin
  • Jey Uso
  • Jimmy Uso
  • Kofi Kingston
  • Madcap Moss
  • Paul Heyman
  • Ricochet
  • Roman Reigns
  • Sami Zayn
  • Sheamus
  • Xavier Woods

Fightful adds that while United States Champion Theory isn’t on the list, he can often be found getting a new style backstage at Raw tapings.

Don’t Expect Chris Jericho To Change His Theme Song Anytime Soon

Rayan Sayyed
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Chris Jericho making his entrance to the ring has a tradition associated with it – fans singing along to the Fozzy song “Judas.” The song from Jericho’s rock band is from their 2017 album of the same name. He’s used this song as his entrance theme ever since he started appearing in New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2017.

But even after turning heel, Jericho hasn’t changed the song as most wrestlers do. Since fans sing along to his entrance song and that is considered a positive interaction between the wrestler and fans, most wrestlers in place of Jericho would opt to change the theme.

But Jericho says that fans singing along to “Judas” during his entrance is too special to be taken away. According to him, it transcends being a good or a bad guy.

Speaking to Spin, Jericho said that “Judas” became a hit as soon as it came out. Jericho admitted that he has no idea why people liked the song so much. He decided to use the song for his entrance in NJPW and realized it makes for a pretty mean theme song.

“Well, the thing about ‘Judas’ is, it was a hit before I started using it [as entrance music], right out of the gate,” Jericho said. “We did the video, it did 1 million views in a week. Why? I don’t know. Whatever reason, people gravitated toward that song. That’s why I started using it as my ring music.

“I needed a new song because I had switched from WWE to New Japan [Pro Wrestling],” Jericho continued. “I thought, well, let me use “Judas,” and maybe there’ll be a promoter who hears the song and brings us over to Japan. Then I realized, this is a great entrance song!”

When he turned heel in AEW, Jericho thought about changing the song. But even Tony Khan agreed that this would be taking away a cool moment that they consider part of their presentation, and decided against it.

“So, when AEW started, I brought “Judas” over there, and then it became part of the show,” Jericho noted. “For whatever reason, people just felt a real inspiration from that song and wanted to sing it as I came to the ring. Now, I did just change my character, I went from being a good guy to being a bad guy. We thought about not using “Judas” anymore. But then I thought, why? Why change it? And my boss [AEW president Tony Khan] agreed because we have a very unique, very cool moment in our AEW presentation, in that people love singing this song.”

“As a bad guy I could take it away, but then you’re losing this really special moment. People singing “Judas” transcends being a good guy or a bad guy in AEW, it’s just something cool that’s part of the show. It’s like going to a KISS concert and they don’t play “Rock and Roll All Nite” because they’re trying to be creative. It’s like, f*ck, we don’t care, that’s the song we want to hear!”

Chris Jericho wanted to form a stable with Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston. Read about that scoop here.

Freddie Prinze Jr. Sought Cody Rhodes’ Advice For New Wrestling Promotion

Rayan Sayyed
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Freddie Prinze Jr. seems to be going ahead with his plans for starting his new wrestling promotion.

Prinze has experience in the pro wrestling industry. He entered the WWE from the world of Hollywood and worked behind the scenes at the company in the creative department. He even had a confrontation with John Cena.

Earlier this month, Prinze revealed his plans for his new promotion. He wants to have it up and running in 18 months and wants a two-hour show for it.

Now, Freddie Prinze Jr. went into detail about his process in starting the promotion while appearing on the Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw podcast. Prinze revealed that he’s not looking for a TV deal for his wrestling company in the initial years (as transcribed by WrestlingNews.co):

“My philosophy is this. There’s over 200 dramas on television. There’s over 150 comedies on television, there’s over 400 reality TV shows on television, and there’s three wrestling shows. So there’s tons more room but my plan is a little different. I’m not looking for a TV deal, at first. I want to have a couple of years where we’re still filming everything. But I need time to fail.”

Prinze noted that he’s a year and a half away from his promotion being fully ready. He wants to take his time with it. He even wants his show to be associated with the Screen Actors Guild, with his wrestlers getting all the benefits from it like insurance and retirement.

“I’m about a year and a half away from being fully ready to go. But I want to take my time with it. And then once we’re ready to go, I want to have a fully SAG show. And that year and a half gives me a time for all my wrestlers in my roster to get vouchered so that when we do go, it can be a SAG show. My wrestlers are gonna have insurance, retirement, and everything that comes with the Screen Actors Guild.

“I assure you, it’s not all good [because] there’s a lot of BS with our union as well. But it’s something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time. It’s been a goal of mine for a long time. I don’t know how far down the goal line I’ll get. But I’m going as far as I can go. And if I fail, I don’t care, man, I’m still going all the way,” Prinze explained.

Since running your own promotion and having its own TV show is no small task, Prinze is seeking advice from his contacts in Hollywood. Prinze said that he’s been asking a lot of questions to people relevant in Hollywood and also in the wrestling business.

Prinze revealed that he even asked Cody Rhodes for advice, who served as the executive vice president of All Elite Wrestling as well as a wrestler:

“I asked a lot of questions to a lot of people and I’ve been asking a lot of wrestlers as well and people who have built things you know, I spoke to Cody. And I’ve spoken to Cody multiple times. So it’s a lot to learn, but I feel like I’m going slow and steady and I’m learning it the right way.”

Freddie Prinze Jr. has said before that he is not looking for his promotion to be in competition with WWE or AEW. He has also asked for input on a name for the promotion.

Details On Ric Flair’s Rumored Return Match Involving FTR

Michael Reichlin
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Wrestling legend Ric Flair has been back in the ring as of late. The 73-year-old Hall of Famer is taking bumps and showing fans that he can still “go.”

He isn’t just hitting the ropes for old time’s sake. Ric Flair is reportedly training for an in-ring return, despite his advanced age and recent health issues.

Flair has been training with former ROH World Champion and AEW star, Jay Lethal.

Ric Flair’s Return to the Ring

The word going around is that Ric Flair will compete in a 6-man tag team match that would see him aligned with FTR. Their opponents would be The Rock ‘n Roll Express and a mystery partner.

Whether or not this match ever comes together remains to be seen. There are several ways where this plan could fizzle out, including Flair’s health and the ‘business’ side of the equation. At this stage, this should be considered a rumor – but it’s definitely being talked about amongst people in the industry.

Ric Flair retired back in 2008 when he lost to Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24. He’d go on to wrestle several more times, including the “Hulkamania: Let The Battle Begin” tour of Australia in November 2009 and for Impact Wrestling (2011). Flair made several wrestling appearances last year, including for WWE, AAA and the NWA.

Outside the ring, Flair has remained very active on the fan convention circuit. He’s also launching a new NFT collection (WoooooThings) and a line of cannabis products with boxing icon “Iron” Mike Tyson.

He’s also been involved in a nasty feud with Becky Lynch and wants to manage former WWE Superstar Cesaro (Claudio Castagnoli), wherever he shows up next.

Say what you want about Ric Flair, and there’s a lot to say, but he shows no signs of slowing down. The man who was once known as the Dirtiest Player in the Game remains one of the sport’s most talked about figures.

Fan Headbutts Wrestler During An Indie Show, Chaos Ensues (Video)

Rayan Sayyed
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Pro-wrestling fans show constant support and allegiance to what they love and hate. One of the best things about wrestling is the interaction between fans and wrestlers. Unlike any other sport, wrestlers directly address the crowd for not only their support, but their hate too, and heels diss their audience and fans which is considered entertaining.

However, some fans can get too excited, and in some cases, end up doing things like getting into a verbal altercation with wrestlers.

But in a recent Third Anniversary show by Intense Wrestling Entertainment (IWE Pro-Wrestling) on Saturday, May 14, in Augusta, Georgia, a fan got physical with independent wrestler Joe Black.

Black, who was defending his IWE Championship against Anthony Henry, appears to flip off a hat from a fan’s head, who is sitting behind the barricade. The fan then gets up and headbutts Black, to which Black responds with multiple punches on the fan’s head and back.

Referees and security try to break up the fight as attendees yell to throw the fan out of the building.

Fans attending the show say that the man who attacked Black is not part of a work. He was not involved in any story with Black, sitting in the audience and waiting for the wrestler to come out so he can play his part. This was a real attack on a heel wrestler, who was just playing the role of a bad guy.

It is not known if any legal action was taken or if the problem escalated.

IWE said that the promotion’s personnel will address what happened at their show.

“An unfortunate event happened at the show tonight which will be addressed by IWE personnel. We want to thank everyone for coming out tonight and apologize for any inconveniences that may have occurred,” IWE posted on their Twitter.

Video taken of the incident by an attendee is doing the rounds on social media, and it’s frightening to see how quickly everything took place.

Many people online were defending Black, saying that he was just playing up his heel persona and there was no need for a fan to put his hands on a wrestler for doing his job. Some were of the opposite opinion, believing that Black shouldn’t have incited the man.

You can check out the footage below:

https://twitter.com/CanBeOnly1Leage/status/1525696901911289856?s=20&t=uHLafRUA0e3lbo49PTL-iw

Alexa Bliss Shows Off New Tattoo

Thomas Lowson
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Alexa Bliss has revealed a new tattoo that matches ink with her husband Ryan Cabrera.

Last month, the former Raw Women’s Champion tied the knot with her musician husband during a ceremony at Kempa Villa in Palm Desert, California.

In a tweet, Bliss showed off her new ink: a black heart with caricatures of both her and her husband.

Cabrera’s arm can also be seen in the image with the same tattoo.

Bliss’ return to WWE

Alexa Bliss bursts back into action: WWE Elimination Chamber 2022 (WWE Network Exclusive) - YouTube
After weeks of therapy sessions removing the supernatural aspects of her character, Bliss returned as that character in the 2022 Women’s Elimination Chamber match.

Despite being one of the most popular female Superstars in recent years, Alexa Bliss has had a strange time as of late.

In September 2021, Bliss went on a lengthy hiatus due to needing time off to recover from sinus surgery.

After a lengthy absence, Bliss returned in January, appearing in a series of therapy segments that seemed to end her supernatural character.

Competing at the 2022 Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event, Bliss returned to that character and was reportedly frustrated with the lack of creative direction for her.

Bliss returned to WWE TV this week ditching her supernatural character, but still carried Lilly to the ring.

Juice Robinson Wins IWGP United States Heavyweight Title At NJPW Capital Collision

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Juice Robinson is now a three-time IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion.

The IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship was at stake in the main event of NJPW Capital Collision.

Hiroshi Tanahashi was the titleholder going into the event. He put the gold on the line against Jon Moxley, Will Ospreay, and Juice Robinson in a four-way match.

The action was held inside the Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington, DC.

The match ended in controversy as Juice hit a low blow on Ospreay and landed his finisher for the three-count. The real controversy wasn’t in the low blow, as this four-way match was No DQ.

Ospreay seemingly had his foot under the rope but the referee never noticed. It’s yet another Ospreay match that ends with more questions than answers.

Take a look at the finish courtesy of FITE TV:

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