Home Blog Page 677

Nikki Bella Open to WWE In-Ring Return

Jon Fuentes
-
0

WWE Hall Of Famer Nikki Bella isn’t opposed to returning to WWE for more in-ring work.

Aside from making a very brief appearance in this year’s Women’s Royal Rumble match, Nikki Bella hasn’t wrestled in a match since 2018. Bella fell short against then-RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey at a live event in Italy. Recently, Bella participated in a Q&A video for “America’s Got Talent: Extreme,” where she serves as a judge.

During the Q&A, Bella was asked about a potential in-ring return. She responded by saying that, as long as the doctors continue to clear her, she’s open to it. However, she’d much rather wait a few years until her son is a little older, so he can appreciate seeing her wrestle ringside. She also noted that it’d be a dream come true to win the Women’s Tag Team Titles with her sister, Brie Bella.

“As long as the doctors say yes,” Bella said (via Wrestling Inc.). “And especially with my sister. When we left is when they brought in the tag championships, tag titles. I kind of would like it more when my son is three or four, because it be a dream of mine, especially as a woman, is to have one of the best matches of my career with my son sitting at ringside and being like ‘that’s my mom!’

“I really would like to go back with my sister one day, fight for the tag titles and win them once in front of our kids. That would be amazing.”

Bella is one of the most accomplished female WWE stars of all time. During her run with the company she racked up two Divas Championship runs, and also has the longest-ever reign as Divas Champion in history. She also had the opportunity to headline the first-ever all-female WWE pay-per-view (PPV), WWE Evolution back in 2018.

She challenged Ronda Rousey for the RAW Women’s Title in the main event, ultimately coming up short.

Vince McMahon Once Wanted The Rock to Wrestle a Bear

Jon Fuentes
-
0

Vince McMahon always looks to put on a massive show, and that was no different back in 2000.

On the heels of McMahon finally taking WWE to the New York Stock Exchange, McMahon actually had plans to put one of his biggest stars – The Rock – inside the ring smack in the middle of Wall Street. And his opponent? A bear. Yes, an actual, live bear.

WWE Senior VP Bruce Prichard broke the idea down during an episode of his podcast, “Something To Wrestle,” saying Vince McMahon seemed pretty set on the idea at the time.

“Vince came into my office on a Thursday, and I believe it was going to be a Tuesday or a Wednesday that we were going to be on the New York Stock Exchange, to ring the bell on the Stock Exchange, and Vince wanted to put a ring in the middle of Wall Street,” Prichard said (via Wrestling Inc.). “Shut Wall Street down and put a ring there and have matches at noon.

“Huge spectacle, we’re gonna go live on WWF.com, so it’s like, okay, cool. I thought he was just kind of telling me this. So I knew that ‘Okay we need to put on a show, we need to come up with something. But what he was telling me was ‘Hey, I want to do this, get it done.’ As he trails off he goes ‘and I want a bear…! I want The Rock to wrestle a bear.’ The Brahma Bull versus the bear. The honest to God living wrestling bear which used to be an attraction back in the day.”

Obviously, the idea never materialized. Prichard explained that there likely would’ve been issues with animal rights activists; on top of the fact that you probably don’t want a bear in the middle of Wall Street the day your stock goes public on the New York Stock Exchange.

“The bear, thank God, was reconsidered on several fronts,” Prichard said. “Because, first of all, you had the animal rights activists that would not look kindly on a wrestling bear. Even though the human rights activists that probably should have been alarmed. Because trust me… the bear always goes over. So anyway, as we’re getting closer to this, the idea becomes ‘well, do you really want a bear hanging around on the New York Exchange the day your stock goes public?’ Well, ‘the bear was out today on the New York Stock Exchange.’

“No you don’t want that. You want the ‘Brahma Bull’. You know, it’s a bullish market not a bear market, for God’s sakes. So we had the ‘Brahma Bull’ we didn’t have any bears having around there.”

While The Rock didn’t get to wrestle the bear, he did end up headlining WrestleMania several times – three opposite WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin. And even though his best days inside the ring are likely behind him, “The People’s Champ” might have one more WrestleMania headliner left in him.

Jack Evans Announces He’s Done With AEW

Andrew Ravens
-
0

Jack Evans announced on Twitter that he will be finishing up with AEW at the end of this month. 

“My time with #AEW has been a fun and enjoyable but it has come to an end as I will not be re-signed when my contract ends at the end of April.  I’d like to thank everyone at AEW and the AEW fans for the opportunity.”

A fan replied to him in the comments on the post by saying it was “Heartless” for AEW to let him go. However, Evans took the high road as noted he understands the situation.

“Nah it is part of the business.  Not to diss myself but I wasn’t giving any added value to the company truthfully and with a big roster you do gotta make cuts.”

Evans signed with AEW in 2019 and has primarily been featured on the Dark shows. He last appeared on AEW programming in February on AEW Dark, which resulted in him losing to Wheeler Yuta. His tag team partner Angelico wrestled on the last Dark tapings. As of this writing, there’s no word yet on his contract status.

This past December, Evans was in the news when he alleged that he was being extorted by Mexican police. He later shared a video on social media and claimed that police tried again to extort him.

WWE Interested In Bringing Back FTR (Report)

Andrew Ravens
-
0

FTR has some options when their contracts with AEW are up. Fightful Select reported today that Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler’s deals are technically available to expire this summer, but AEW retains an option year on the tag team. 

The belief is the option will be exercised by AEW or the two sides will come to terms on a contract extension soon. It was added,

“WWE has expressed interest internally about possibly bringing back the team formerly known as The Revival.”

– Fightful Select

FTR: From WWE, back to WWE?

After finding success in NXT and on the main roster, FTR became unhappy in WWE because of the lack of focus on the tag team division. The company had offered them $850,000 each, with Mark Carrano even mentioning that he could possibly get them to $1 million each. They turned the big money down and left for AEW. Because FTR is still under contract with AEW, WWE is unable to approach FTR directly.

As of late, FTR has been getting a bigger push and their recent matches with The Young Bucks and The Briscoes have been highly praised. Some even think their ROH bout with The Briscoes is a contender for Match of the Year.

Harwood was asked as recently as last month if he would ever return to WWE. He responded with, “Yes, if the money and circumstances were right…”

DDP Reveals Who He Wanted to Induct Him into the WWE HOF

Jon Fuentes
-
0

Diamond Dallas Page was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame back in 2017. Page was inducted by his longtime friend and former boss, Eric Bischoff.

However, on a recent episode of his DDP Snake Pit podcast, Page revealed he had someone else in mind to perform this honor. If he’d have had his way, the late WWE Hall Of Famer Dusty Rhodes would’ve inducted him.

“.. and you’ve got to just breathe and keep throwing out into the universe, the Law of Attraction.” said Page. “When he told me, man, I got really choked up and I started welling up, and then I said, ‘I wish Dusty was here.’

“That’s who should have inducted me. The cool thing about Bischoff was he noticed that and he knew that. And that’s something he put in there, that I’m not supposed to be the guy.”

Unfortunately, Rhodes passed away in 2015 due to kidney failure. He still leaves a huge print on today’s product in the form of the stars he helped train such as Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, Jon Moxley, and so many more. However, his legacy also lives on in his two sons, Cody and Dustin Rhodes, both of whom still compete regularly inside the squared circle.

Cody Rhodes recently made his return to WWE after departing All Elite Wrestling (AEW), and has his sights set on winning a World Championship in his father’s honor. As for Diamond Dallas Page, he has gone on to do some work for AEW since his WWE Hall Of Fame induction.

His last official match took place under the AEW banner in 2020 at Bash At The Teach where he teamed up with Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall, coming up short against MFJ and The Butcher & The Blade.

Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

Backstage News on WWE’s Future Plans for Brand Split

Jon Fuentes
-
0

With so many potential title unifications on the horizon, many have wondered what the future holds for the current WWE Brand Split.

Roman Reigns recently became both the WWE Champion and WWE Universal Champion by taking the former title from Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 38.

Reigns holds the top title for both Monday Night RAW and SmackDown, but remains a member of the SmackDown roster. WWE has yet to formally address the next steps of the title unification process.

Also, with The Usos set to challenge RK-Bro, unifying the SmackDown Live and RAW Tag Team Titles, many are beginning to wonder if WWE is setting up the end of the Brand Split. Dave Meltzer recently touched on this subject during a new episode of Wrestling Observer Radio.

Meltzer noted that Reigns is currently penciled in to headline WrestleMania Backlash, even though a program hasn’t been started for him just yet. In regards to the rumors about the Brand Split, Meltzer reports there are no plans to merge the roster at this time. However, Meltzer added that Vince McMahon could always change his mind.

With all that being said, things should become a lot more clear at WrestleMania Backlash. Check out the updated WrestleMania Backlash 2022 card for the updated lineup.

https://youtu.be/kFS0IC3JtXA

WWE Raw Reactions (4/18/22): Theory Wins US Title

Michael Reichlin
-
0

Hello readers, we are starting a new feature here at SEScoops. The great Steve Fall of NBC Sports Boston has joined our team and will be providing weekly Raw and SmackDown reaction videos.

Steve’s Raw Reactions drop Tuesday mornings, while the SmackDown reactions arrive Saturday mornings (Eastern Time).

Steve recaps the shows in a strange and unique way, looking at all the big Good, Bad and What The Heck moments. Plus, Steve names a the MVE (Most Valuable Entertainer) for the show he’s reviewing.

We’re excited to present this new WWE TV recap series and hope you’ll enjoy.

Please check out the first Raw Reaction video below and share your thoughts in the comments section.

Another Rematch Announced For WrestleMania Backlash

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Another rematch has been announced for the WrestleMania Backlash event. WWE has confirmed that AJ Styles will be facing Edge once again at the show.

This week’s episode of Monday Night Raw saw the Rated R Superstar and his new associate Damian Priest in a dark backstage segment. He issued a challenge to Styles.

Sarah Schreiber interviewed the Phenomenal One in the locker room. He accepted the challenge. The room filled with lightning after he agreed to the WrestleMania Backlash match. AJ then told Schreiber to leave for her safety.

The lights went out and Edge and Priest were surrounding Styles when they came back. The duo attacked the former world champion and they stood tall to end the segment.

AJ Styles and Edge originally faced off in a match during the night two of WrestleMania 38. Edge won this match after Priest distracted his opponent.

The previous match between Styles and Edge was praised by fans. Though many believed that it could have been better. The two will now be looking to tell an even better story in their second encounter.

This isn’t the only rematch announced for the upcoming Premium Live Event. Seth Rollins will also be facing his Mania opponent Cody Rhodes once again at the show.

Triple H Says NXT Revamp Was In The Works Before His Health Issues

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

A lot of people were critical of WWE for rebranding NXT shortly after Triple H had to step away from his role due to his cardiac event. However, according to The Game himself, the overhaul was in the works before he took time off.

The former world champion recently had an interview with The Athletic. He discussed how NXT has gone through many different phases.

Discussing the brand’s revamp to NXT 2.0, Triple H explained that being put on TV and the pandemic completely altered the show. According to him, they were discussing bringing NXT back to its development roots even before he took time off:

“We were talking about this shift anyway. That’s where we were headed. It happened at a period of time where I had to leave for a bit. Luckily, Shawn (Michaels) had been doing it with me all that time, so it was a seamless thing.

I stepped out, did what I needed to do, but that team has killed it.” said Triple H, “They’ve really created a show where you can really say that’s the next generation of stars.”

Apart from this, the WWE EVP also talked about the rise of AEW, and NXT talents jumping ships to Tony Khan’s promotion. The King of Kings revealed that he stays in touch with almost all of them and claimed that he is happy for them.

Cody Rhodes On If Other Plans Were Considered For His Return Besides WrestleMania

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Cody Rhodes’ WrestleMania return was preceded by many speculations. Fans had been discussing potential plans for his WWE return. There was even a rumor that he could make his comeback on the Raw episode from Jacksonville before the Show Of Shows. Though according to Rhodes himself, that was a big no for him because the story was not about him leaving AEW but about his return to WWE.

The former TNT champion spoke to Ryan Satin on Out Of Character. He was asked if there were any other plans considered for his return besides Mania. Cody said that as far as his understanding goes, the plan was always to do it at the Showcase Of Immortals:

“I mean, as far as my understanding the plan was always WrestleMania and nothing was ever considered. At one point, I saw people talking about Jacksonville, and that’s a no.” said Cody Rhodes, “Again, it’s not about leaving. It was about returning and the place to do it was at the Showcase of Immortals.”

He continued: “The biggest stage there is in what we do, undisputed is WrestleMania. There was a lot of synergy and love over the fact that it was Dallas, Texas. That is where I had my last WrestleMania with the ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship.”

Cody Rhodes also talked about his time in AEW. He expanded upon his comments about why the EVP role didn’t suit him at the time.

More Originals From SEScoops:

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

Austin Theory Wins WWE United States Title

Andrew Ravens
-
0

Finn Balor’s reign as the WWE United States Champion has come to an end as Austin Theory has become the new champion. 

In the third hour of the show, Theory battled Balor in a title match which ended with Theory going over with his finisher. Post-match, several heels came out and lifted up Theory as he celebrated. He later took a selfie with Vince McMahon on the stage. 

This is the latest in the push of Theory, who is seen as the next big star by Vince McMahon, who reportedly believes that he can be the next John Cena. Just like Cena, Theory’s first title on the main roster is the United States Title. 

At first, Theory lost matches on TV, similar to Cena, but in his case, was sent back to NXT before returning to the main roster in last year’s Draft. 

This past February on an edition of Raw, Bálor defeated Damian Priest to win the WWE United States Championship for the first time in his career.

Report: Kushida Gone From WWE

Fernando Quiles Jr.
-
0

Former NXT Cruiserweight Champion Kushida has reportedly left WWE.

Fightful Select is reporting that Kushida has made his exit from the company. The report notes that his contract expired. There’s currently no word on whether or not he was offered a new deal. The report also mentions that there was no word of bringing Kushida to the main roster before his exit.

Kushida signed with WWE back in 2019. He entered the promotion as one of the most renowned junior heavyweights in Japanese wrestling. He is a six-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and captured the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship twice with Alex Shelley as the Time Splitters.

As mentioned, Kushida was able to lay claim to gold in WWE, holding the NXT Cruiserweight Title for 161 days. Once that reign ended, however, he was paired with Ikemen Jiro to form the joke tag team, Jacket Time.

It’s no secret that WWE’s NXT brand has undergone significant changes since Kushida was signed. It’s no longer about signing independent talent and international stars to build the brand. NXT is now about preparing younger talent for Vince McMahon’s vision of the main roster.

Rhea Ripley Turns Heel, Attacks Liv Morgan Following Tag Team Loss (Video)

Fernando Quiles Jr.
-
0

As expected, Rhea Ripley has turned on Liv Morgan.

Ripley and Morgan challenged Sasha Banks and Naomi for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles. Ripley and Morgan had already been unsuccessful in dethroning Sasha and Naomi but Ripley was able to get them a rematch.

On the April 18 episode of Raw, Ripley ate the pinfall and blamed Liv for not making the save. Ripley hit the Riptide on Liv and made her way backstage.

There has been much speculation on what is in store for Rhea Ripley now that she’s turned heel. Some have expressed belief that she will end up joining Edge and Damian Priest. Time will tell if that’s the direction WWE will go in.

WWE RAW Results (4/18/22): Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins, New Champion, Lie Detector Test

Robert Lentini
-
0

WWE RAW aired live tonight from the Keybank Center in Buffalo, NY. The Women’s Tag Team Championships and Unites States Championship were defended tonight. Kevin Owens gave Ezekiel a Lie Detector test and Cody Rhodes battled an opponent selected by Seth Rollins in tonight’s main event.

RAW Results

  1. Naomi & Sasha Banks def. Rhea Ripley & Liv Morgan to retain the Women’s Tag Team Championships
  2. Veer Mahaan def. Jeff Brooks
  3. Ezekiel def. Chad Gable via DQ
  4. Street Profits def. RK-Bro (non-title match)
  5. Theory def. Finn Balor to become the new United States Champion
  6. Cody Rhodes def. Kevin Owens via count out

Here are the takeaways from tonight’s show:

Cody Rhodes Will Battle A Mystery Opponent In The Main Event

Seth Rollins made his way to the ring and welcomed everyone to Monday Night “Rollins”. Seth called Cody Rhodes to the ring and he got a great reaction from the crowd. Rollins wondered how it must feel to be on top of the world. Rhodes noted that Buffalo is Rhodes Country and wanted Rollins to get to his point. Rollins stated that this is about respect and Cody took a break to pose for the crowd.

Rollins got pissed off and told Cody to never do that to him again. Cody then immediately did it again and Rollins cackled into the microphone. Rollins brought up the Rhodes family and he was going to tell Cody how much respect he had for him and his family but now things are going a different way. Rollins instead claimed that he alone made Cody a star in one night at WrestleMania.

Seth claimed that Cody Rhodes had an unfair advantage because he was a surprise opponent. Rollins said that he did have the proper time to prepare for the match at Mania and a loud “Cody!” chant broke out. Seth wondered if Cody believes he is better than him now because he cannot live with that. Rollins shouted that he is better than Cody Rhodes in every possible way. Seth told Cody that he is the flavor of the month and isn’t the future of WWE. Rollins added that he talks the talk, walks the walk, and dresses better than Cody.

Rollins said that he’s already been to the top of the mountain and been WWE Champion, and that makes him better than Cody. Rhodes noted that Seth has actually won the title four times. Rhodes asked the “good folks of Buffalo” who they think is better and they chanted for Cody. Seth told the crowd to shut up and had an idea for tonight’s main event. Rollins suggested that Cody come down to the ring for a mystery opponent of Seth’s choosing later tonight. Rhodes told Seth that he didn’t come back to WWE to run from challenges, and accepted. Cody Rhodes will face an opponent hand picked by Seth Rollins later tonight.

Naomi & Sasha Banks Retained, Rhea Ripley Turned Heel

Naomi & Sasha Banks defended the Women’s Tag Team Championships in the first match of the night. The champs controlled the action early and sent Liv to the outside. Naomi and Banks slammed Liv into the ring post but Rhea broke it up. Ripley connected with the Riptide on Banks onto the barricade as RAW went to a commercial break.

Ripley leveled Naomi with a Clothesline and tagged in Liv Morgan when RAW resumed. Liv climbed to the top and connected with a Bulldog for a near fall. Liv followed it up with an Enziguri and Rhea Ripley tagged in. Rhea hit Riptide but Sasha Banks broke it up at the last moment after hitting Liv with a Backstabber. Naomi and Banks hit some Codebreaker/slam combo on Ripley and Banks covered her for the win. Banks & Naomi are still the Women’s Tag Team Champions.

After the match, Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan argued in the ring. The argument appeared over but Ripley took the opportunity to attack Liv from behind. Rhea planted Morgan with the Riptide and left her behind in the ring.

Bianca Belair Confronted Sonya Deville, Title Match Next Week

Sonya Deville came down to the ring and claimed that she was forced into this position until she could find her way back to being a WWE superstar. Deville said she was a natural leader. Deville brought up the RAW Women’s Champion and Bianca Belair interrupted. Sonya suggested that they have their RAW Women’s Championship match next week in Belair’s hometown so she can embarrass her. Deville added that the fans are so used to watching Bianca lose the title quickly and began talking to her like a child. Bianca got pissed and ripped the microphone away from Sonya. Belair lifted her up for the KOD but Sonya shouted that she will make sure that Bianca is fired if she hits the move. Belair dropped Sonya down and exited the ring to end the segment.

Adam Pearce informed Sonya Deville that there is an investigation into Belair’s actions and she will eb fined. Sonya wondered if the fine was for a million dollars and suggested that it is the “biggEST” fine available. Bianca showed up and paid Adam Pearce her fine of $1.

Veer Mahaan Dominated

Veer Mahaan faced Jeff Brooks (enhancement talent) this week on RAW. Mahaan absolutely dominated the match and quickly applied the Camel Clutch for the pinfall victory. After the win, Mahaan locked in the hold for a third time until WWE officials finally broke it up.

Ezekiel “Debuted” With A Win & Passed The Lie Detector Test

Kevin Owens came to the ring with a lie detector test set up in the ring. Chad Gable administered the test as Kevin Owens wanted to make sure that this was not biased. Owens claimed that Gable was going to expose Elias as the fraud that he is and then beat him in a match immediately after.

Ezekiel came to the ring and once again claimed that he was Elias’ younger brother. Ezekiel added “who wants to hear Zeke speak?” and Owens pointed out how that was similar to Elias’ catchphrase. Gable asked if Ezekiel was his actual first name and Ezekiel said “yes” and there were no lies detected.

Gable asked Ezekiel if Elias was his older brother and he said “yes” and passed the test. Owens got annoyed and kicked Gable out of the ring. Owens went on a rant and called Buffalo “Canada’s landfill”. Kevin threatened Ezekiel to admit he is Elias “or else”. Ezekiel stood face to face with Owens and KO walked away.

When RAW returned, Ezekiel battled Gable in a singles match. Ezekiel slammed Gable on top of the steel steps and rolled him back into the ring. Gable connected with a Suplex and made his way to the top rope. Gable went for a Moonsault but Ezekiel got his boot up. Otis then attacked Ezekiel from behind to end the match in DQ.

Street Profits Pinned The Champs After A Distraction

Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) battled RK-Bro tonight in a non-title match. Dawkins got Riddle to the canvas and tagged in Ford. Montez climbed to the top turnbuckle but Riddle met him up there and sent him down with a Belly to Belly throw as RAW went to a break.

When RAW returned, Orton tagged in and planted Dawkins with his patented Powerslam. RK-Bro then delivered draping DDTs in stereo and Orton fired up the crowd. Riddle tagged in and set up for the RKO. SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos theme hit and Street Profits capitalized and hit Riddle with an Electric Chair/ Blockbuster combo for the pinfall victory. After the match, Street Profits said that The Usos aren’t the only tag team RK-Bro should be worried about.

Edge Challenged AJ Styles To A Rematch At WrestleMania Backlash

Edge and Damian Priest had a backstage promo. Edge was sitting on a throne as Priest was by his side. Edge claimed that Damian Priest played 2nd fiddle to Bad Bunny last year at WrestleMania despite holding that all together. He took a shot at the Buffalo crowd by saying he actually wins championships unlike the Bills and Sabres.

Edge claimed that WWE Universe has the attention span of a tick and he no longer cares what they think. Edge added that they will pass judgement on anyone that gets in their way. He challenged AJ Styles to a rematch and ended the promo by saying it will Styles judgement day at WrestleMania Backlash. AJ Styles was then interviewed backstage and the lights flickered. Edge and Priest arrived and beat him down in the locker room.

Theory Captured The US Title

Finn Balor defended the United States Championship against Theory tonight. Theory controlled the action early and got Balor in a headlock in the middle of the ring. Balor escaped but Theory knocked him to the outside. Theory connected with a Neckbreaker on the floor as RAW went to a commercial.

Theory had Balor back in the headlock when RAW returned. Theory hit a stomp to the midsection and got distracted with the crowd. Balor capitalized with a flying forearm to the face and then a Double Stomp to the midsection. Balor followed it up with some more stomps to the ribs and then a Slingblade.

Balor hit a Dropkick and made his way up to the top turnbuckle for the Coup de Grace but Theory tripped him up. Theory hit an awesome springboard Spanish Fly for a near fall. Finn battled back and went for the Coup de Grace but Theory got out of the way. Theory connected with ATL on Balor for the pinfall victory. After the match, all the heels carried Austin Theory around. Mr. McMahon celebrated with Theory on the entrance ramp and took a selfie.

Dana Brooke Is Still 24/7 Champion

R-Truth officiated two weddings tonight. 24/7 Champion Dana Brooke & Reggie, and Akira Tozawa & Tamina. Los Lotharios, Sasha Banks, Naomi, Nikki ASH and others were in the ring for the ceremonies. Tamina objected and wanted to swap grooms. Everyone tried to marry each other before working their way back to the original configuration. After the ceremonies, everyone rolled each other up and Dana Brooke wound up winning the 24/7 Championship back at the end of the segment.

Cody Rhodes def. Kevin Owens via Count Out, Seth Rollins Attacked

Cody Rhodes faced an opponent of Seth Rollins’ choosing in the main event.

Rollins came down to the entrance ramp and revealed that Rhodes’ opponent was Kevin Owens. Rhodes and Owens battled to the corner to start off the match. Cody sent Owens out of the ring and went for a Suicide Dive but Kevin caught him. Owens hit a Fallaway Slam into the barricade as RAW went to a break.

Owens was still in control of the match when RAW returned. Kevin planted Cody with a Backbreaker and taunted the crowd. Owens unloaded some elbow strikes to the face and laughed as Cody stumbled to the ropes. Cody hit a Suplex and went for Cross Rhodes but Owens countered into a DDT for a near fall.

Kevin climbed to the top rope and went for a Senton but Cody got his knees up. Owens rolled out of the ring to regroup and Cody tackled him over the announce table. Seth Rollins’ theme hit again and he made his way down the entrance ramp as RAW went to a break. When RAW returned, Owens hit a Frog Splash and a Senton but couldn’t keep Cody down for three.

Owens went for a Pop-Up Powerbomb but Cody countered into a Hurricanrana. Rhodes followed it up with a Clothesline and both superstars fell to the mat. Owens then planted Cody with the Pop-Up Powerbomb for another near fall. Rollins and Owens couldn’t believe that Rhodes kicked out.

Cody perched Owens up on the top turnbuckle and joined him up there. Rhodes went for a Superplex but Owens countered into a Fisherman’s Buster off the top. Owens went for the cover but Cody got his boot on the bottom rope to break it up. KO went for a Powerbomb on the apron but Cody reversed into a Back Body Drop.

Rollins shouted at Owens to get back into the ring but he walked away. Cody Rhodes was angry that the match ended that way. Rhodes was standing on the turnbuckle saying something to the crowd when Rollins attacked him from behind. Seth sent Cody flying off the turnbuckle and to the floor as RAW went off the air.

Carmelo Hayes vs. Santos Escobar Set for NXT, Table For 3 Set to Return

Jon Fuentes
-
0

Carmelo Hayes vs. Santos Escobar Set for NXT

Carmelo Hayes vs. Santos Escobar has officially been announced for the April 19 episode of WWE NXT 2.0. Last week, Escobar demanded Hayes go to the back of the line for the NXT North American Title, after the latter dropped the strap to Cameron Grimes at Stand & Deliver.

In response, Hayes challenged Escobar to a match, leading to their confrontation this week. Check out the updated card for this week’s episode of WWE NXT 2.0 below:

Table For 3 Set to Return

  • Carmelo Hayes vs. Santos Escobar
  • Natalya vs. Tatum Paxley
  • Tiffany Stratton vs. Sarray

WWE has announced that their Table For 3 series will be making its return on the Peacock TV streaming service. This will be the first new episode of Table For 3 since 2019. The episode will feature WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle, alongside Alpha Academy, Chad Gable and Otis. You can watch the episode when it goes live on April 22.

Table For 3 was a staple of WWE’s original content on the WWE Network before being sold to Peacock. It has featured dinners and conversation between some of the business’ most groundbreaking and influential trios of all time. Past episodes have featured the likes of The New Day, The Kliq, The Shield, and so many more.

This week’s episode will feature Angle, a WWE Hall Of Famer who has made several appearances on the program already. Alongside him will be the former RAW Tag Team Champions Alpha Academy, who recently challenged for the titles at WrestleMania 38 – but came up short to RK-Bro.

Alexa Bliss Frustrated With Lack Of WWE Creative Direction (Report)

Andrew Ravens
-
0

Alexa Bliss returned to WWE TV in January after being sidelined for several months and was last seen while competing in the women’s Elimination Chamber match. However, she once again disappeared from TV because she reportedly was preparing for her wedding. Bliss is currently on her honeymoon.

Bliss filmed up to 9 vignettes in January for her return which culminated in her competing at the Chamber event, according to Fightful. At that point, there was no substantial creative direction for Bliss.

Bliss expressed interest in working WrestleMania and there were pitches to involve her in Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair’s match, but they were quickly shot down. 

According to talent and creative, “it became known Bliss voiced her displeasure in the days following Elimination Chamber about her creative direction or lack thereof.” 

It’s unclear whether those WrestleMania pitches came from Bliss or someone in creative, but at the end of February, it was pretty well determined internally that Bliss would not be featured on WrestleMania.

The priority of booking Bliss shifted significantly after the vignettes. It was said “talent and creative were told that Bliss was very transparent about frustration that nothing of substance had been booked after being out of action for half a year. “

There has been backstage talk that Bliss voiced her frustration to Vince McMahon. Despite not being used, she’s listed internally as the number two babyface on the depth chart for the Raw women’s division.

Three More Big Matches Added to WWE UK Tour

Jon Fuentes
-
0

Three more big matches have been added to the WWE UK tour coming up later this month.

WWE will be running shows from the Utilita Arena on Thursday, April 28 in Newcastle, England; The O2 Arena from London, England on Friday, April 29; the Accor Arena from Paris, France on Saturday, April 30; and finally the QUARTERBACK Immobilien Arena in Leipzig, Germany on Sunday, May 1.

Earlier today, WWE confirmed several matches for the Newcastle and Leipzig shows. First, former WWE Champions Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre will be going head-to-head. Also, current SmackDown Live Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair will take on Sasha Banks. In what should be a real treat, RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro will be taking on SmackDown Live Tag Team Champions The Usos. And finally, Sami Zayn will go one-on-one with Gunther.

We also mentioned last week that WWE announced three big matches for their respective shows in London and France. Check them out here below:

  • Undisputed WWE Champion Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre
  • SmackDown Live Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair vs. Ronda Rousey
  • SmackDown Live Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro

It should be noted that WWE Intercontinental Champion Ricochet, WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Sasha Banks and Naomi, Gunther, and Bobby Lashley are also advertised for those shows. More so, the SmackDown Live taping on Friday, April 22 from the MVP Arena in Albany, New York has a special start time of 6:30pm ET.

This indicates that the show will be a double taping, meaning the April 29 episode of SmackDown Live will be pre-taped as WWE is running their shows in the UK.

Kurt Angle: Today’s Wrestlers Are Better Athletes Than We Were

Jon Fuentes
-
0

WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle agrees that the times are changing in professional wrestling – and the days of the big men being the only ones who can survive at the top of the card, are gone.

Recently, Angle was interviewed by WhatCulture Wrestling to talk about a variety of professional wrestling topics. During the interview, Angle gave his take on the landscape of the industry today. Angle noted that he believes the days of big guys like Hulk Hogan, John Cena, Batista, and others being at the top of the food chain are over; thanks to guys like AJ Styles and Rey Mysterio helping change that stigma.

Also, according to Angle, these younger talents who are on their way up are more athletic than he and those who came up with him during his heyday in WWE.

“I think people don’t buy into the fact that you have to be big to be dominating. There are a lot of athletes like AJ Styles that are undersized, that are doing tremendously well,” Angle said (via Wrestling Inc.). “I credit those guys. These guys today are so much better athletes than we were in our heyday. It’s because of the new training. The core training and the CrossFit training and everything that they have going on.

“Technology has put them ahead of the game now. Rey Mysterio is still going, and he’s been so undersized. 140 lbs, and look what he’s done in the business. I like where the business is headed. I just wish they would pull it back a little bit. Slow down and take their time in the matches, rather than it being a spot fest.”

Kurt Angle came up during a time when the likes of The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, and The Undertaker were sitting atop the card. None of those men would typically be described as “high flyers,” however, in terms of pure athleticism, an argument could be made that the talent today has more to offer in that respect.

Of course, there’s no denying that the likes of Austin, Rock, “The Game,” and Undertaker are athletic specimens in their own right. What do you make of Angle’s comments? Do you agree that today’s talents are more athletic than those of Angle’s generation? Sound off in the comment section!

Cody Rhodes Details Moment AEW Star Inadvertently Helped Him Decide on WWE Return

Jon Fuentes
-
0

Cody Rhodes is back in WWE, and he has one thing on his mind – a World Championship run.

Rhodes made his highly-anticipated return to the company at WrestleMania 38, introduced as Seth Rollins’ mystery opponent. In a stellar matchup that ended up being one of the best of the weekend, Rhodes came out on top when it was all said and done, making quite the statement in his return to the WWE.

Recently, Rhodes joined “Out of Character with Ryan Satin” to discuss everything surrounding his WWE return. During the interview, Rhodes explained a moment back in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) when manager Dan Lambert inadvertently helped him make the decision to return to WWE.

“Dan Lambert handed me the WWWF Championship, he handed me the title that my dad is holding in that picture from 1977, he handed it to me and in that moment, I felt like that decision was almost made for me,” Rhodes said (via Wrestling Inc.).

“I don’t know if he inadvertently caused this industry-changing moment but there were times when it was, this is what has to happen.

The night after WrestleMania, Cody Rhodes returned to Monday Night RAW to cut an emotional promo about his father, the late WWE Hall Of Famer Dusty Rhodes, and how he wants to win a WWE World Championship in his honor. It is a goal that clearly means a lot to Rhodes, and is certainly a possibility given the hype around his name at the moment.

In the meantime, Rhodes will have his hands full with Seth Rollins, who he’ll rematch at WrestleMania Backlash from the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, Rhodes Island on May 8.

AJ Styles Reveals Who Is Responsible for Bringing Him to WWE

Jon Fuentes
-
0

Former WWE Champion AJ Styles is one of the company’s most exciting signings in history.

“The Phenomenal One” inked a deal with WWE back in 2016 after departing from New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). For years prior there was a lot of chatter as to whether or not fans would get to see Styles, widely regarded as one of the most talented non-WWE performers in the world at the time, compete inside a WWE ring.

That was finally silenced on January 24 2016, when Styles made his WWE debut at the Royal Rumble. Since, Styles has become one of the company’s biggest stars and now has over six years of experience with the company under his belt. Recently, Styles was interviewed by Wrestling Inc. to reflect on his WWE career.

During the interview, Styles revealed that it was actually Triple H who is responsible for getting him to WWE in the first place.

“Yeah, Triple H was here, and I am glad to see him, man,” AJ Styles said. “You’ve got to think, when I think about his retirement I am here because of him. Because he called me, that’s huge for me.”

Unfortunately for “The Game,” he was recently forced to call it a career due to health concerns. AJ Styles and Triple H never got to share the ring together as opponents in a television match, which is a shame considering they likely would’ve put on a tremendous program against each other.

For now, Styles is currently busy in the midst of his feud with Edge and Damian Priest. As for Triple H, he will continue to help mold the WWE stars of tomorrow from backstage now that his in-ring career has come to an end.

Two Top Stars Not Scheduled For Raw, More Live Notes

Michael Reichlin
-
0

We have a couple more exclusive news items from tonight’s WWE Raw taping in Buffalo, New York.

As noted earlier, SmackDown star Butch is at Raw. WWE has been running a storyline that Butch keeps going missing, so we’ll see if he pops up on tonight’s broadcast.

SEScoops has learned that The Miz is not scheduled to be at Raw tonight. The Miz kicked off last week’s show by hosting Miz TV with special guest Cody Rhodes.

The segment saw Rhodes drop several “banned” words, including wrestler (instead of Superstar) and belt (instead of championship). Later in the night, Rhodes defeated Miz in singles action.

Additionally, Rey Mysterio Jr. won’t be at Raw either. Mysterio was scheduled to compete against Veer last week, but did not appear due to an undisclosed medical issue. Whatever Mysterio is dealing with, he won’t be back on TV tonight.

Finally, another wrestler who is at the arena is independent star Kayla Sparks.

Sparks “pulled a Rick Rude” back in February when she appeared on episodes of WWE SmackDown and AEW Rampage on the same night.

Her most recent appearance from WWE came earlier this month when she appeared in Dayna Brooke’s bachelorette party segment.

Raw will feature a double wedding ceremony, with R-Truth officiating the dual marriages between Dana Brooke/Reggie and Tamina/Tozawa. Sparks will likely be an extra at the wedding as a friend of Dana Brooke.

Quick Raw Preview:

  • Theory vs. Finn Balor for the United States Championship
  • Rhea Ripley & Liv Morgan vs. Sasha Banks & Naomi for the Women’s tag titles
  • Ezekiel takes a lie detector test administered by Kevin Owens. Ezekiel wants to prove he is not Elias.

Mark Henry Comments on Potential In-Ring Return

Jon Fuentes
-
0

WWE Hall Of Famer Mark Henry could possibly step back into the ring again now that he’s with All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

Henry ran with WWE for over 20 years after signing with the company back in 1996. During that time, he was able to pick up an ECW World Title, a WWE European Title run, and a World Heavyweight Championship run. Henry was later inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame class of 2018.

In May of 2021, Henry debuted for AEW at Double or Nothing, where it was announced that he would serve as a commentator and coach for talent. Recently, Henry was interviewed by Sportskeeda to talk about a variety of topics, including his jump to AEW. When asked about potentially wrestling again, Mark Henry doesn’t sound too interested.

Instead, Henry seems more focused on helping mold the top stars of tomorrow from behind the curtains in AEW.

“I would say don’t hold your breath, because I do not want to get hit. And if somebody hits me, I will call the police,” Henry said (via WrestleZone). “A lot of it is just growing up. As you get older, you start thinking about how you can stay in the business that you love when your body starts to hurt and you don’t want to do whatever the sport is no more.

“That was my mindset. I wanted to continue to be around the business and make a living, but I also wanted to share my knowledge and I found myself to be one of the most studied people about pro wrestling and how it works. I wanted to share that and you’re not supposed to take gifts to the grave,” Henry pointed out. “So I wanted to, before I go to God, everybody that loves my business the way that I love the business to know what I know.”

With a wealth of talent currently on AEW’s roster, there’s no shortage of young stars for Henry to mentor. And with over 20 years of experience under his belt; having shared the ring with the likes of The Undertaker, The Rock, Chris Jericho, and so many more, they could learn a lot from the man formerly known as “Sexual Chocolate.”

SmackDown Star Spotted At Monday’s WWE Raw

Michael Reichlin
-
0

SmackDown star Butch went missing again over the weekend, but we’ve found him.

WWE is in Buffalo, New York for tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw from the Keybank Center. SEScoops has learned that Butch has arrived at the arena.

It’s unknown if Butch will appear on television, but he arrived to Keybank Center with Tommaso Ciampa around 1:30pm local time.

Butch
(WWE)

Former NXT UK Champion Pete Dunne was recently called up to the main roster. He was renamed “Butch” and has been paired with Sheamus and Ridge Holland as part of the new Fight Night stable. Butch is unhinged and loves to fight.

Sheamus and Holland have had to restrain Butch, who has being going “missing” as part of his ongoing storyline.

On Sunday, the official WWE Twitter account asked if anybody has seen Butch, so he apparently “went missing” once again after Sheamus and Holland tied up him on Friday.

Check out our Raw Preview for everything you need to know ahead of tonight’s broadcast.

CM Punk Teases Kazuchika Okada For Rumored AEW-NJPW Crossover Show

Fernando Quiles Jr.
-
0

CM Punk has dropped a big hint pertaining to a potential crossover show.

Tony Khan is set to make a major announcement on the April 20 episode of Dynamite. The AEW boss is known for having his share of big announcements. Back in March, he revealed that he is now the owner of ROH.

Speculation has run rampant on what the announcement will be this time. Ringside News has reported that there are plans in place for a joint show involving AEW and NJPW in Chicago this June.

The outlet made note that there’s no guarantee that the crossover show will be the announcement, however.

CM Punk seems to be having fun with the rumors as he has taken to his Instagram Stories to tease the crossover show. He even threw in the coin drop, potentially signaling an appearance from the “Rainmaker,” Kazuchika Okada.

SEScoops will keep you posted on Tony Khan’s major announcement and whether or not it will indeed be about the joint show with NJPW.

Triple H on NXT Stars Jumping to AEW: “I’m Happy for Them”

Michael Reichlin
-
0

Triple H says he’s happy for former NXT talent who have jumped to AEW. He keeps in touch with “almost all of them” and thinks the WWE machine gave them the tools to be successful “over there.”

Earlier this month, Triple H was interviewed by Chris Vannini for The Athletic. During their discussion, he spoke at length about AEW, including whether or not he views Tony Khan’s promotion as true competition for WWE.

A staggering number of former NXT performers now work for AEW. Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly, Bobby Fish, Andrade, Malakai Black, Keith Lee, Swerve Strickland, Samoa Joe and William Regal are just some of the names on this list.

Triple H worked closely with all of them and he’s thankful for that opportunity.

“I like all those guys,” said Triple H. “They helped us get where we needed to get, and I’m thankful for it. The truth is there was a period of time where we were trying to build NXT. We built NXT. Then we were trying to build a brand that could get a television show and sustain it. All those names helped us get there.”

Ultimately, Vince McMahon decides who belongs on the main roster. Triple H says he’s happy for the NXT alumni who have moved on to AEW.

“If they have great gigs, I’m happy for them. I stay in touch with almost all of them. I like to think they came into us here, we taught them a lot, got them to (a higher level) where they learned how to do television, how to be professionals and all that to be successful there.”

Triple H says some of the people he worked with in NXT may come back to WWE at some point. Some may not and that’s ok.

The Adam Coles and Keith Lees of the world got NXT where it needed to go, at one time. However, Triple H says the show must go on. He likened today’s wrestling landscape to football. “People leave football teams, move to different teams all the time, and it’s great.”

1...676677678...3,366Page 677 of 3,366