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See What Happened After Raw With Roman Reigns & Paul Heyman

Michael Reichlin
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Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns was in action after Monday’s Raw went off the air.

The Bloodline (Reigns and The Usos) battled Drew McIntyre and The New Day (Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston) in a 6-man tag match. The finish came when McIntyre hit the Claymore kick on Jimmy Uso.

https://twitter.com/TheShadowbladez/status/1513716454348185604

Paul Heyman was ringside for the dark match main event. While the action was going on in the ring, Heyman was jaw-jacking with fans at ringside. At one point, Heyman challenged a member of the audience to fight him. The fan attempted to approach the baricade, but was stopped by security.

You can see video of this encounter embedded below, courtesy of Detroit News reporter Andrew Roth:

After the match, the New Day and Drew McIntyre addressed the crowd. Woods and Kingston said the Motor City (Detroit) inspired them to become The New Day.

Drew McIntyre lead a “New Day Rocks” chant to send the crowd home happy.

Rhodes vs. Rollins Rematch Signed for WrestleMania Backlash

Michael Reichlin
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The WrestleMania Backlash match card is taking shape. Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins has been signed for the event.

At Monday’s Raw, Cody Rhodes battled The Miz in his first Raw match in six years. Rhodes picked up the victory, with Rollins watching from ringside.

After the match, Rollins hit the ring and issued a challenge. Rollins wants a WrestleMania rematch at WWE’s next premium live event. Rhodes accepted.

Seth Rollins Cody Rhodes
Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes

WWE has confirmed the match is set for WrestleMania Backlash on May 8th.

In a backstage interview that took place at Raw, Rhodes explained why he’s “more than ready” to battle Rollins one more time.

The American Nightmare says he can “absolutely” defeat Rollins again. He wouldn’t have accepted Rollins’ challenge if he wasn’t 100% confident in his abilities.

Cody said, “this is his house” just like WrestleMania was Rollins’ house. He has no problem being the outsider and he’s ready to get pushed to his limits.

WWE Clash at the Castle Set for September 3rd

Michael Reichlin
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WWE has announced its first major stadium event from the UK will take place Saturday, September 3rd from Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

The will be called, WWE Clash at the Castle.

Principality Stadium is home to the Wales National Rugby Union team. The state-of-the-art venue has a max capacity of approximately 78,000 people for boxing events.

The (unnamed) Principality Stadium event will make WWE’s 6th stadium show of the year, following:

  • Royal Rumble (The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis)
  • Elimination Chamber (Jeddah Superdome, Saudi Arabia)
  • WrestleMania (AT&T Stadium, Dallas, TX)
  • Money in the Bank (Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, Nevada)
  • SummerSlam (Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee)

A press release sent in to SEScoops includes comments from WWE’s Senior Vice President of Live Events, the Welsh Government Minister for Economy and the Principality Stadium Manager:

“Principality Stadium is the perfect place for a major event, hosting our amazing fans from Wales, throughout all of Europe, and around the world,” said John Porco, WWE Senior Vice President, Live Events. “The weekend will be filled with a variety of WWE experiences that we believe will leave a lasting memory, on par with SummerSlam at Wembley Stadium in 1992.”

“Wales will provide an iconic location for WWE’s return to the UK after 30 years and showcase our country to a global audience of millions, including extended reach in the USA,” said Welsh Government Minister for Economy Vaughan Gething. “This is set to be the perfect addition to a huge year of sport, entertainment and culture in Wales that will attract people from across the globe to experience what our country has to offer.” 

“We’re extremely proud that Principality Stadium has been chosen by WWE to host this major event, which is testament to the stadium’s reputation as a world-class venue,” said Mark Williams, Principality Stadium Manager. “Principality Stadium is unique in its position at the heart of the city centre, which will undoubtedly offer WWE fans an unrivaled event experience both inside and outside of the stadium and bring great benefit to the wider city of Cardiff.”

What Toni Storm Told Tony Khan After Her AEW Debut

Anutosh Bajpai
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Both Tony Khan and AEW fans are known to welcome new stars with open hands. There are a lot of stories of people reigniting their passion for wrestling after joining AEW and it appears Toni Storm had a similar experience.

The AEW president recently had an interview with Rasslin. He discussed things such as the future of ROH, FTR and more.

Talking about Storm’s AEW debut, Khan revealed that she was very relieved after her debut match. He claimed that he loves having the former WWE star in AEW:

“She said, this has brought back her love of wrestling already. The way she reacted when she came through the curtain after the match.

I don’t know if I have ever seen somebody more relieved to have wrestled a match than Toni Storm. After taking the 90 days off she came back in great shape, she looks great, she is a great person, I love having her in AEW.”

Toni asked for her release from her WWE contract back in December last year. She then made her AEW debut in March.

The female star made her first AEW appearance during the March 30 episode of Dynamite. She defeated The Bunny to qualify for the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament.

Quotes vis WrestlingInc

Original Plans For Cody Rhodes’ Post-Mania Raw Promo

Anutosh Bajpai
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Cody Rhodes made his triumphant WWE return at WrestleMania 38. He then cut an amazing promo to open the post-Mania episode of Monday Night Raw.

Though latest reports suggest that the plans for the promo were different and they were changed by the officials at the last minute.

According to Fightful Select, the promo where Rhodes explained that he came back to win the world championship for his father was originally going to main event the show:

“On Monday, the Cody Rhodes segment was scripted to go on last, even appearing internally as such until about a little after 7 PM EST. We weren’t told a reason the Cody and [Roman] Reigns segments were flipped.”

This week’s episode of Monday Night Raw saw the American Nightmare appearing as a guest on The Miz TV. This led to a match between the two stars.

Cody won this bout against the A-Lister using the Cross Rhodes. Seth Rollins came down to the ring after the fight and confronted his WrestleMania opponent.

Rollins mentioned how Rhodes had the advantage of being the surprise opponent at Mania. He then challenged the former AEW star to a rematch, which Rhodes accepted. This match will take place on WrestleMania: Backlash.

Randy Orton On How JBL Treated Him During His Early Days

Anutosh Bajpai
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JBL has a reputation for bullying people backstage and giving a hard time to young talents. Though Randy Orton was saved from this treatment thanks to his father, who helped the former APA member during his early days.

The Viper opened up about his early days in the locker room on Out Of Character. He first discussed how he was intimidated by old-school wrestlers during his rookie years including people such as The Undertaker, Billy Gunn, Hardcore Holly, and more.

He recalled that Bradshaw was one guy who always gave trouble to younger talents. However, Orton never got the same treatment because his father had mentored JBL:

“My father took Bradshaw on his very first tour of Japan back in the early 90s. [He] took care of Bradshaw. Took him under his wing and had his back. Bradshaw, of course, the way it works, never forget that and me being Bob Orton’s kid, Bradshaw never gave me any shit.” said Randy Orton,

“He was always one of those guys, man, those local guys, those new guys, they’d come and he’d give ’em a hard time.” recalled Orton, “Nothing wrong. but just f**ing with the guy, you know, just guys being guys. You need a little bit of that, but I was never a target because of my dad. [I was] such a lucky little asshole. No wonder everybody hated me.”

More Originals From SEScoops:

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

WWE RAW Results (4/11): Cody Rhodes vs. The Miz, Bianca Belair & Sonya Deville, Usos & RK-Bro

Robert Lentini
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WWE RAW aired live from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI. Cody wrestled his first match on RAW in 6 years against The Miz. SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos appeared on tonight’s RAW and competed in the main event.

In addition to the takeaways below, Tommaso Ciampa appeared during tonight’s RAW and officially joined the red brand. Ciampa’s debut was a backstage interview in which he furthered the Kevin Owens & Ezekiel storyline.

RAW Results 

  1. Veer Mahaan def. Dominik Mysterio via submission
  2. AJ Styles vs. Damian Priest ended in a no contest
  3. Cody Rhodes def. The Miz
  4. Naomi def. Liv Morgan
  5. RK-Bro def. Alpha Academy
  6. The Usos def. Street Profits

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Cody Rhodes Was On Miz TV

The Miz had Cody Rhodes on an episode of Miz TV to begin the show. Miz introduced Cody as the man who beat Seth Rollins at WrestleMania but likely won’t beat him tonight. Rhodes made his way to the ring to a great reaction and took a seat with Miz in the ring.

Miz joked that they just went through the budget for pyro during Cody’s entrance and asked if he is trying to show him up on his own show. Miz wondered if Cody was an egomaniac and Cody played to the the crowd. Miz complimented Cody on his emotional explanation about why he returned to WWE and the crowd responded in a “Dusty!” chant.

The Miz joked that if it weren’t for the Rhodes name, Cody would just actually be a plumber. Cody responded by saying The Miz is full of.. but stopped himself from saying the word. Rhodes called Miz a carny and claimed that he still hasn’t changed at all. Rhodes said he wanted to win the belt and Miz corrected him by saying it is called a title and a belt holds up one’s pants.

Miz claimed that Rollins would defeat Cody in a rematch between the two and vowed to defeat him later tonight. The two got in each other’s faces before Cody backed away. Cody said he respects The Miz and senses some hostility. Rhodes claimed that Miz feels threatened by him and that he has no issues with Seth Rollins. Cody stated that he is ready to face the best wrestlers in WWE and The Miz corrected him again by calling them “superstars”. Cody wrapped things up and said he’s looking forward to their match later. Miz went for a sneak attack but Cody sent him through the ropes.

Veer Mahaan Sent Dominik To The Hospital

Veer Mahaan faced Dominik Mysterio tonight on RAW. Veer dominated and won the match with ease after a Clothesline and the Camel Clutch for the submission victory. After the match, Veer continued to attack Dominik and got him in a submission hold. WWE officials rushed the ring but Veer wouldn’t let go. Veer Mahaan was later interviewed and said he will strike fear into any man his faces. Dominik was stretchered out of the arena.

Styles vs. Priest Had A Bizarre Ending

AJ Styles faced Damian Preist tonight on RAW. Before the match, Styles was interviewed backstage. Priest walked by and they had a brawl before WWE officials separated them. Styles controlled the match early and knocked Damian out of the ring with a Clothesline. Styles followed it up with a Phenomenal Forearm off the apron that sent Damian into the timekeeper’s area as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Styles connected with a reverse DDT and followed it up with a Clothesline. AJ connected with a Neckbreaker and went for the cover but Damian powered out at two. Styles booted Damian in the face and climbed to the top rope. Priest countered with a slam and went for the cover but AJ kicked out at two.

Priest taunted Styles and set up for the Reckoning but AJ escaped and hit the Pele Kick. AJ set up for the Phenomenal Forearm but Priest caught him with a kick and Styles fell to the floor outside the ring. Damian then got to a knee and posed in the ring as a blue spotlight shined on him. Priest smiled as RAW went to a commercial break. This apparently was the end of the match.

Seth Rollins Challenged Cody To A Rematch

Cody Rhodes faced The Miz to begin the 2nd hour. Before the match, Seth Rollins’ music hit and he danced around the entrance ramp before joining commentary. Cody went for the Cutter early but Miz blocked it. Rhodes held Miz up for a bit before hitting a Suplex for a near fall. Cody did a pushup to taunt Miz before applying a Headlock in the middle of the ring. The Miz battled back and booted Cody to the outside as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Miz was still in control and spent a few minutes beating Cody down. Cody tried to battle back with a Suicide Dive but Miz shrugged it off and hit a Dropkick to the knees back in the ring. Miz applied a Figure Four in the middle of the ring but Cody battled through the pain and reached the ropes to break the hold. Cody then planted Miz with the Cutter and then Cross Rhodes for the pinfall victory.

Seth Rollins applauded from the commentary table as Rhodes got a great reaction from the crowd. After the match, Seth Rollins got into the ring and said he wanted another shot at Cody at WrestleMania Backlash.

Naomi def. Liv Morgan

Liv Morgan faced Naomi in a singles match. There was supposed to be a women’s Tag Team Championship match tonight but that did not happen because Rhea Ripley was in COVID protocol. Sasha Banks was ringside for the match. Naomi rolled Liv up for a near fall and booted her in the face. Morgan leaped off the middle turnbuckle but Naomi caught her with a Powerbomb for a near fall. Naomi then rolled up Liv Morgan for the pinfall victory. The title match will happen on next week’s show.

Lashley Confronted MVP & Omos

Bobby Lashley came to the ring as RAW went to a break. Lashley took a seat in the VIP Lounge and waited for MVP to show up. Lashley started throwing the couches around until MVP and Omos came to the entrance ramp. Bobby wanted a fight but MVP said Omos is learning how to be a business man and will fight when the money is right.

MVP claimed that he made Lashley and turned him from nothing into the All Mighty. MVP added that Lashley barely survived his first match with Omos and he will make sure he doesn’t survive the 2nd. Lashley vowed to chop Omos down again like he did at WrestleMania and go after MVP next.

Sonya Deville Attacked Bianca Belair, Theory Will Have A Shot At The US Title Next Week

Austin Theory had a conversation with Adam Page & Sonya Deville backstage. Theory announced that “Austin” is no longer in his name because Vince McMahon didn’t like it. Theory will get a shot at Finn Balor’s United States Championship next week.

RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair faced Queen Zelina in a non-title match. Zelina controlled the match early and got the champion in a Headlock. Belair escaped and quickly won the match with the KOD. Sonya Deville then came down to the ring after the match as RAW went to a break. Deville asked Bianca Belair to sign an open contract for her next opponent. Belair agreed and Deville said she will introduce the opponent now. Deville then attacked Bianca from behind and revealed that she was next in line for a title shot. Sonya Deville told Adam Pearce that there is nothing he can do to stop her from becoming the first WWE official to answer an Open Challenge and become champion.

The Usos Sent A Message To RK-Bro

RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro battled Alpha Academy in a non-title match. Otis and Gable controlled the match early and kept Riddle isolated in the ring. Otis connected with a Clothesline and posed for the crowd as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Riddle caught Gable with a knee to the face and then booted Otis out of the ring. Riddle crawled towards the corner and tagged in Orton. Randy connected with a couple Clotheslines to Gable and then a Powerslam. Orton planted Gable with the draping DDT and fired up the crowd. Orton set up for the RKO but Gable countered into a backslide for two count. Orton then connected with the RKO for the pinfall victory.

SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos then arrived to the arena in a limo as RAW went to a break. The Usos made their way to the ring when RAW returned and confronted RK-Bro. The Usos wanted a shot at the RAW Tag Team Championships so they could unify the tag belts. Orton didn’t get a chance to respond as Street Profits interrupted.

The Usos battled Street Profits in the main event. RK-Bro joined commentary for the match. The action spilled to the outside and The Usos launched Montez Ford onto RK-Bro. The Usos started arguing with RK-Bro before Montez Ford flipped onto them and danced around as RAW went to a break.

When RAW returned, Montez Ford connected with a Blockbuster on Uso for a near fall. Jimmy tagged in as Dawkins dragged Jey to the outside. Montez rolled Jimmy up for a near fall and Dawkins tagged in. Angelo lifted Jimmy up in the Electric Chair as Montez climbed to the top rope. Ford hit another Blockbuster for a near fall. The Usos isolated Dawkins in the ring and hit him with a Superkick.

Jey went for a Splash but Dawkins got his knees up. Montez tagged in and hit a Frog Splash but the cover was broken up at two. The Usos battled back and hit Montez Ford with the 3D for the pinfall victory. After the match, RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro had a stare down with SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos. Angelo Dawkins Clotheslined Riddle out of the ring and Orton hit Montez Ford with an RKO. The Usos hit Orton with a Superkick and posed with the RAW & SmackDown Tag Team titles to close the show.

Jim Ross on Vince McMahon’s Possible Succession Plan for WWE

Jon Fuentes
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For as long as professional wrestling fans can remember the discussion as to what will happen to WWE, after Vince McMahon’s time on this Earth is no longer, has loomed over the industry.

Of course, McMahon has no shortage of close family members to leave the company to. His children Shane and Stephanie McMahon have been prominent figures within the company dating back to the late 90’s. “The Chairman Of The Board” also has his grandchildren as potential successors. And, of course, who else loves the professional wrestling business more than McMahon’s son-in-law, Triple H?

However, what if McMahon decides to outright sell the company upon his passing? WWE Hall Of Famer and current AEW commentator Jim Ross believes it’s a legitimate possibility. Speaking on a recent episode of his podcast, “Grilling JR,” Ross noted that McMahon could very well be thinking about doing exactly that.

“One would hope, I assume he does. I just don’t know. Maybe the succession plan is to package it up and sell it,” Ross said (via 411Mania). I’ve said before and I don’t mean to make it morbid, he’s the genius behind the whole damn thing. He’s very protective of what he’s built and I would be the same way. We want to protect what we’ve built.

“I think Vince’s succession plan is, he’s the kind of guy who thinks he’s going to live forever and I hope he does. He’ll probably outlive me, and he might outlive you. He still trains hard and eats right and all those things. He’s got good DNA. So, I don’t know about the succession plan, but I think they have to say they have one simply for the stockholders’ sake. I think that it’s such an attractive property with so many diverse tentacles that spread around the world, I think it’s an attractive buy for some big company.

“It seems like that’s the direction that some big businesses are heading in – they’re selling and consolidating. That might be where his head is at, I don’t know how to answer that question. I just can’t see, today, anybody taking his place at the head of the table. I don’t know who’s there. There’s people who can do it I guess, but I don’t know who they are and what’s available and if Vince trusts them impeccably enough to turn the reins over to them.”

As Jim Ross mentioned, McMahon has shown absolutely no signs of slowing down despite being 76-years-old. He still trains regularly and even participated in a match at WrestleMania 38 this past week. McMahon won his impromptu match against Pat McAfee and even took a stunner from Stone Cold Steve Austin who made a surprise appearance during the segment.

What do you think McMahon’s plan is for WWE after he passes? Sound off in the comments section below!

Steve Austin Broken Skull Sessions Next Guest Confirmed

Jon Fuentes
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WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin is set to host his next episode of Broken Skull Sessions on Peacock.

It has been confirmed that Austin’s next guest will be none other than fellow Hall Of Famer Bully Ray (Bubba Ray Dudley). The episode will premier on Peacock this Friday (April 15, 2022). Bully Ray has been teasing the episode for nearly a month now on social media, but now WWE has made it official with the announcement.

Ray is a longtime professional wrestling veteran; having competed for several companies such as WWE, ECW, IMPACT Wrestling, Ring Of Honor, and many more. As a member of the legendary Dudley Boyz tag team, Ray and partner D-Von Dudley were inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame class of 2018. He currently co-hosts Busted Open on Sirius XM Radio.

As for Steve Austin, this has been a busy month for “The Texas Rattlesnake.” After becoming embroiled in a feud with Kevin Owens, Austin found himself making his return to in-ring competition for the first time in over 19 years at WrestleMania 38. Austin took on Owens in an impromptu No Holds Barred match, which he eventually won after hitting the Stone Cold Stunner.

The following night at Night Two of WrestleMania 38, Austin again got physical for a big spot, hitting Vince McMahon, Austin Theory, and Pat McAfee all with Stunners before engaging in yet another legendary celebratory beer bash. Prior to that, Austin hadn’t wrestled since his retirement match back in 2003 at WrestleMania 19 where he was defeated by longtime rival The Rock.

Roman Reigns Reportedly Not Injured Following WrestleMania Match

Jon Fuentes
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Roman Reigns unified the WWE and Universal Championships by defeating Brock Lesanr at WrestleMania 38 earlier this month. However, many were worried that the “Tribal Chief” may have suffered a legit injury during the match.

Just prior to the match’s finish, Reigns got caught in a Kimura lock by Lesnar, and after breaking the hold by getting to the ropes, the Universal Champ complained of an arm injury. Given that the finish came shortly after this spot, many began to speculate that Reigns might have legitimately been injured.

Pair that with the fact that WrestleMania 38 finished a lot earlier than expected, fans also believed the match was called earlier due to Reigns’ injury. According to Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline, this is not the case. Speaking on Sunday Night’s Main Event, Meltzer stated that talk of Reigns being injured is simply not true. The match went according to plan and reflected the violent nature that all other Brock Lesnar matches usually do.

While Roman Reigns might not be injured, he is in a bit of an interesting position. WWE still has their RAW and SmackDown Live exclusive rosters, however, with Reigns holding both World Titles, it will be intriguing to see how creative handles this situation. “The Tribal Chief” already appeared on Monday Night RAW last week, the night after WrestleMania, to cut a promo and celebrate his win.

Perhaps Reigns will be defending both titles simultaneously, working both brands until someone can potentially dethrone him from one of the straps. Whatever the case may be, it seems like WWE is still working out the details as they move along.

The Undertaker Hopes To See Bray Wyatt Return To WWE

Andrew Ravens
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The Undertaker is holding out hope that Bray Wyatt and WWE can come to an agreement for the former star to make a return to the company, which released him last year, one day. 

Taker and Wyatt have history as “The Deadman” beat Wyatt at WrestleMania 31, one year after his legendary undefeated streak ended thanks to Brock Lesnar. 

“I hope things get worked out with him somewhere,” Undertaker said at WrestleMania Axxess. “He is a phenomenal talent and I think he has a lot to offer this industry. So, I want to wish the best for him. Hopefully, at some point, he comes home.”

Prior to his release, Wyatt hadn’t been used by WWE in several months following his loss to Randy Orton at WrestleMania 37. WWE had been advertising him for future events just days before the decision was made to let him go. 

Since his departure, Wyatt has made some public appearances, but hasn’t wrestled. Although AEW and Impact Wrestling both reportedly had hopes of bringing Wyatt in, the former WWE star decided to pursue other projects outside of the wrestling world including a new horror film project.

Quotes via WrestlingInc

Chris Jericho Wanted To Form Stable With Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Chris Jericho recalled the time he initially wanted to start a faction with Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley.

Jericho used to be the leader of the Inner Circle before he and Jake Hager turned on Santana and Ortiz. He now runs the “Jericho Appreciation Society” where the emphasis is on sports entertainment. He is joined by Hager, Daniel Garcia, “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard, and “Cool Hand Ang” Angelo Parker.

Chris Jericho Initially Wanted Faction With Kingston & Moxley

Chris Jericho appeared on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio and revealed that he once had an idea to start a faction with Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley (via Fightful).

“I’d love to be able to tell you that I had this big overarching plan that was put into place in November when we started doing this thing with Eddie Kingston and I. It wasn’t. It was just reading the room and evolving.

“My original idea was for maybe, Eddie, and (Jon) Moxley to be an alliance as babyfaces. I never really thought about turning heel. I always had this real romantic idea of never breaking up the Inner Circle and having us be together until the end. Once we started rolling and moving, I realized there was a lot we could do with it.

“When we were in Bridgeport, Connecticut, we had a promo and Eddie came out there and was like, ‘I don’t know why I’m out here. This is pro wrestling, not sports entertainment, if you want that, go down the block.’ People just responded with a huge half cheer, half boo disdain for ‘sports entertainment.’ I was like, ‘Oh, oh, our fanbase doesn’t like that term. Interesting.’

“Then the wheels go into motion and you start thinking of ‘maybe we can do something like this.’ The sports entertainment thing came from listening to the fans and realizing, ‘they don’t like this, I do. I’m a sports entertainer at heart. Let’s talk about it and make it a thing on screen,’ and that’s what we did.”

Jericho’s current group is in a feud with Kingston, Santana, and Ortiz. Sammy Guevara was able to avoid being caught in the crossfire of the Inner Circle split as he left the group before it imploded.

The Miz Touts Himself as WWE’s Ultimate Utility Player

Michael Reichlin
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The Miz sees himself as a “jack of all trades” who can fill any role WWE needs him to fill.

When WWE needed a tag team partner for Logan Paul at WrestleMania, they called The Miz. When Cody Rhodes wrestles his first match on WWE Raw in six years, he’s fighting The Miz.

Whether it’s the main event of WrestleMania, an appearance on the red carpet or starring in his own reality TV shows, The Miz is always delivers.

The Awesome One recently spoke with the Detroit News to promote Monday’s WWE Raw from the Little Cesars Arena. During his conversation with Adam Graham, The Miz said his range and flexibility have kept him relevant since he joined WWE in 2004.

“I would say my role in the company now is as a person who can develop newcomers but also be in the main event, or help the main event out, or be on the mid-card. I can be anywhere.”

– The Miz

Not only is The Miz a versatile on-screen performer; he’s also a pretty humble guy.

“I’m always good, 100% awesome, all day, everyday of my life,” says The Miz. “When you have two beautiful daughters who are healthy and happy and you have an amazing wife, I think you’re pretty happy.”

The Miz battles Cody Rhodes tonight on WWE Raw.

Head over to DetroitNews.com to read their full interview with The Miz.

5-Team Gauntlet Match Will Determine New NXT Tag Champs

Michael Reichlin
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WWE will crown new NXT tag team champions this Tuesday night.

The NXT tag titles were vacated last week. WWE did not specify a reason why MSK relinquished the titles they just won, but we know it’s due to Nash Carter’s abrupt release from the company.

Carter’s soon-to-be-ex-wife, wrestler Kimber Lee, accuses him of physical abuse and released a photo of him giving a Nazi salute while wearing a Hitler mustache.

WWE has yet to publicly address Nash Carter’s situation, but his Superstar profile no longer appears on the company website.

On Tuesday’s NXT 2.0, five teams will battle in a Gauntlet match to determine the next champions. The teams include:

  • Grayson Waller & Sanga
  • Legado del Fantasma
  • The Creed Brothers
  • Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen
  • Pretty Deadly

Who do you think will become the next NXT tag team champions?

Former NXT Champion Joins the WWE Raw Brand

Michael Reichlin
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Tommaso Ciampa has officially been “called up” to the main roster. He’s now a full-time member of WWE’s Raw brand and is scheduled to be at tonight’s Raw from Detroit, according to PWInsider.

Ciampa’s WWE.com Superstar profile still lists him as a member of NXT 2.0.

Ciampa has been a fixture of WWE’s developmental system since 2015. He is a two-time NXT Champion and a former NXT tag team champion, along with Johnny Gargano. His second reign ended last week, when he lost to Bron Breakker on the Raw after WrestleMania.

Much like Gargano, Ciampa was a perfect fit for the “black and gold” version of NXT headed by Triple H and William Regal. The company has since rebranded the show NXT 2.0 and is focused on younger performers from more diverse athletic backgrounds.

Just last week, Tommaso Ciampa spoke about his time in NXT winding down. He said the NXT crew looks very different these days, but he cherishes his time there and was honored to learn from men like Triple H and Shawn Michaels.

“NXT is my wrestling dream come true.”

– Tommaso Ciampa

Chris Jericho: Cody Rhodes Bigger Than Ever After WWE Jump

Michael Reichlin
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Chris Jericho is disappointed Cody Rhodes jumped to WWE. However, he understands the decision and says Cody is now “bigger than he’s ever been.”

The wrestling world is still reeling from Cody Rhodes jumping ship from AEW to WWE. All Elite Wrestling has signed a ton of former WWE Superstars, but Rhodes is the first high-profile name to move the other way.

Jericho spoke about the situation on the latest episode of his Talk is Jericho podcast. His own career has taken many twists and turns. He’s wrestled for ECW, WCW, WWE, New Japan and now AEW.

“I was honestly disappointed he left, but I get it. I’ve done it many times myself.”

– Chris Jericho on Cody Rhodes jumping to WWE

Chris Jericho on Cody’s Rhodes’ Decision

Chris Jericho is known for many things, but reinventing himself has to be at the top of the list. Jericho believes Cody felt the time was right to make a big move and advance his career. According to Jericho, it’s paying off for the American Nightmare.

“I mean, I left WWE in 2017 for basically the same reason why Cody left AEW, from what I understand, is he just didn’t think he was getting the, I don’t know if it’s the spotlight, or respect or whatever the word being, but you can kind of see the writing on the wall,” said Jericho.

He continued, “So obviously, now Cody is bigger than he’s ever been just by changing companies, and obviously they did a great job in putting him over at WrestleMania and bringing him in at the highest of levels.”

Since returning to WWE, Cody Rhodes is being positioned as a top babyface on the Raw brand. After defeating Seth Rollins at WrestleMania, he faces The Miz tonight on Raw. Once he gets a few wins under his belt, it’s only a matter of time before Cody Rhodes crosses paths with the top dog in WWE, Roman Reigns.

Thanks to the Putting You Over podcast for sending in this tip. Please H/T SEScoops if you use any of these quotes.

Paul Heyman Has No Desire To Join WWE Hall of Fame For Now

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Don’t expect Paul Heyman to accept a WWE Hall of Fame induction anytime soon.

Few can deny Heyman’s place in wrestling history. One can argue that his run manning the ship for ECW alone would’ve cemented his legacy. That wasn’t enough for Paul, however, as he’s become one of the best managers the wrestling industry has ever seen and is widely regarded as having a brilliant mind behind the scenes.

Paul Heyman Focused On Performing, Not Hall of Fame

Serving as a guest on 101 WRIF, Paul Heyman said that he’s simply too invested in his current role in WWE to think about a Hall of Fame induction (h/t Fightful).

“Yeah, I have absolutely no desire to go into the Hall of Fame. Well, I am the ‘Special Counsel’ to ‘The Tribal Chief’ Roman Reigns. I’m putting together a Hall of Fame run simply based on what we do as The Undisputed Champion right now, let alone everything else that has been accomplished beforehand. So while we’re in the middle of this run, it would make no sense for me to go into the Hall of Fame.”

Heyman has been credited with the significant turnaround in Roman Reigns’ character. Even legendary commentator Jim Ross believes Heyman deserves credit for the “Tribal Chief” era.

The Undertaker Podcast Headed to Peacock This Year (Report)

Michael Reichlin
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The Undertaker is gearing up to enter the world of podcasting.

Last weekend, The Undertaker headlined the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022. He gave a rousing speech and shared several rules that he lives by:

  • Perception is reality
  • Respect and loyalty go a long way
  • Never be contempt.

He finished the speech by dropping the adage, “never say never.”

The Undertaker used to be very protective of his supernatural gimmick. However, that has changed dramatically in recent years. He’s “pulled the curtain” back, so to speak, and has done a lot of media appearances “out of character.”

The Undertaker Podcast

It now looks like Dead Man is trading his run for a microphone. According to WrestleVotes, WWE has convinced the Undertaker to host a new show that will be similar to Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions.

The report notes that The Undertaker’s podcast will air on Peacock within the next few months. A timeframe like this means production would begin sooner than later.

A podcast hosted by The Undertaker could make for some interesting content. For longtime fans, it’s still surreal to see him speaking as his true identity, Mark Calloway.

Steve Austin has seamlessly transitioned into his role as WWE podcast host. There’s no reason The Undertaker could not do the same thing.

Taker has appeared on Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions, so Stone Cold would be a natural choice as one of his guests (if the show features guests and interviews).

We will keep an eye on this story and will provide an update if and when WWE goes public with plans for the Undertaker podcast.

Raw Preview (4/11): Cody vs. Miz, Styles vs. Priest, Usos

Michael Reichlin
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Tonight’s WWE Raw takes place from Detroit, Michigan at the Little Cesars Arena.

We are less than a month out from WWE’s next premium live event, WrestleMania Backlash. As of this writing, the “I Quit Match” between Raw Women’s Champion Charlotte and Ronda Rousey is the only match announced for the WrestleMania Backlash 2022 card.

The top item advertised for Raw is Cody Rhodes vs. The Miz. WWE is positioning Cody as a top babyface on the Raw brand, so this will be a real test for the American Nightmare.

Last week on Raw, Veer Mahaan finally made his big return after months of hype videos. Veer beat the crap out of Rey Mysterio and Dominik. Mysterio looks to avenge his family’s honor tonight when he goes one-on-one with Veer.

AJ Styles will face Damian Priest, who is now aligned with Edge. Will Priest show up by himself, or will he have reinforcements from the Rated R Superstar?

Sasha Banks and Naomi will defend their new Women’s Tag Team Championships against Rhea Ripley & Liv Morgan.

MVP will host a special edition of the VIP Lounge. His guest will be his new protégé, Omos. What will MVP have to say about turning on Bobby Lashley last week?

Finally, SmackDown tag team champions The Usos will be in the house. Roman Reigns says he wants to unify the Raw and Smackdown tag team titles. What will RK-Bro, the reigning Raw tag team champions, have to say about a potential unification match?

The Build to WrestleMania Backlash

After tonight’s Raw, we should have a much better idea about where things are headed with WrestleMania Backlash.

Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns does not have an opponent. Cody Rhodes plans to pursue that title. Will WWE pull the trigger on this match with only one month of hype?

The Usos vs. RKBro in a championship unification match is clearly in the works. Once again, we’ll have to see if WWE goes right into this one.

Bobby Lashley and Omos could be another WrestleMania Backlash match in the works. Backlash historically features a lot of WrestleMania rematches. Now that MVP has aligned with Omos, this is a logical match for the PLE.

Sami Zayn Explains Why He Re-Signed With WWE

Anutosh Bajpai
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A lot of people believed that Sami Zayn was bound for AEW once his WWE contract expired. That’s why it surprised many fans when he decided to re-sign with WWE instead. According to the WWE star himself, he stayed because the company has allowed him creative input and shown their appreciation.

The Great Liberator appeared on Out Of Character recently. During the interview, he revealed that he has creative freedom in WWE. When asked to elaborate, Zayn explained that while he doesn’t book his own stuff, he gets to pitch a lot of ideas:

“Well, let me just nip this in the bud. I don’t want to act like I’m booking my own stuff because I am not. [I have] input. And for the creative team and whoever to be receptive to my ideas [is good]. I don’t get all [things through].

Trust me, I swing a lot. I don’t think I swing a lot of duds, but sometimes I swing ideas that I don’t know why they won’t work and sometimes they tell me that won’t work because of XYZ.  But a lot of things they’ll take. It’s not exactly how I envisioned it, but pieces of it get through. Like the documentary for example. And they take on a life of their own.”

I Am Over The Moon

Sami Zayn claimed that being heard by the creative makes him feel respected and valued in the company. According to him, WWE has really shown him their respect in the last few years. This is the reason why he chose to re-sign with the promotion:

“So yeah, for sure, having even a little bit of creative input. I think that’s really what’s taken my appreciation and my enjoyment of being here in WWE to another level. I’ll say, ‘hey, I really wish we could kind of do this’ and then some version of that happens, and I’m thrilled. I’m over the moon. What more could you ask for?” asked Sami Zayn, “That’s it. To just feel like you have a voice and you’re feeling heard, and when you actually go out there and do it. You feel respected and valued.

That’s really what kept me here. There are other factors for sure, but that was really it. It wasn’t – oh all of a sudden, my contract’s coming up and it’s time to negotiation and [they’re like] ‘Hey we really like you’, ‘Well where have you been the last two years?’ No, the last two years they’ve shown me that they value me. So, when they told me they want me to stay, I believe them. So I stayed.”

More Originals From SEScoops:

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

Nikki Bella & Artem Chigvintsev’s Wedding Date Set, May Be Televised

Michael Reichlin
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Nikki Bella and fiancé Artem Chigvintsev have set a date for their wedding.

The WWE Hall of Famer and former Divas champion recently spoke to US Weekly about her big plans. It should come as no surprise that her twin sister, Brie Bella, will serve as her maid of honor.

“Brie’s gonna have to start getting busy because she’s Maid of Honor. I’m going to have to put her to work!” she joked.

Nikki likes to live it up and party, but she knows she’ll have to keep herself in check for her big day. “I’m going to have to give a heartfelt speech, not be drunk and have my s—t together.”

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

Nikki Bella & Artem Chigvintsev Wedding Plans

The happy couple have finally settled on a wedding date, so when can we expect Nikki Bella to walk down the aisle?

“We’ve set a wedding date. I’ll give a hint that it’s fall 2022, very soon.”

– Nikki Bella

Nikki Bella has lived her adult life in front of the cameras. In addition to her WWE career, she’s starred on reality television shows (Total Divas, Total Bellas) and competed on Dancing with the Stars, where she met her soon-to-be husband.

It should come as no surprise that Nikki Bella’s wedding to Artem Chigvintsev might be televised. “It might be on E!. So, the world may see it,” she said.

Nikki is excited to marry Artem, but admits there’s a little pressure to nail their ‘first dance’ together. She has been telling Artem he needs to start choreographing their dance so she can learn it all summer.

Bron Breakker Would Love to do More With Rick Steiner in WWE

Michael Reichlin
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NXT Champion Bron Breakker would love to do more in WWE with his father, Rick Steiner.

The Steiner Brothers made an indelible mark on the wrestling industry during their reign as one of the sport’s most dominant tag teams. Last weekend, Rick and brother Scott Steiner became two of the latest entrants in the WWE Hall of Fame.

Breakker is following in his father’s footsteps. He’s a rookie in WWE, but he’s already racking up championships. On last week’s Raw the night after WrestleMania, he defeated Dolph Ziggler to regain the NXT Championship.

During a post-match interview, Breakker stated it was a dream come true to induct the Steiners into the Hall of Fame and then win the NXT Championship.

Bron Breakker & Rick Steiner

During a conversation with Nick Hausman for WrestlingINC during WrestleMania weekend, Breakker said the Hall of Fame was an honor for the whole family. They all appreciate the Steiner Brothers got to end their wrestling careers on this high note.

It’s not easy being the son of Rick Steiner. Breakker says his father motivates him a lot, but he’s tough and doesn’t share a lot of compliments.

“He’s got high expectations for me, so he never really acknowledges that I am doing super well or anything,” said Breakker. “He’s always focused on how I can be better.”

WWE took some time before acknowledging that Rick Steiner was Bron Breakker’s father. The company probably wanted him to make a name for himself first, but secrets like this are hard to keep under wraps in today’s information age.

Rick Steiner celebrated Bron Breakker’s first NXT Championship victory back in January 2022. He hopes they can do more together on WWE television in the future. “I would love that,” he said. “I think the people would love that. I don’t know, we will see.”

You can catch NXT Champion Bron Breakker Tuesday nights on NXT 2.0.

WWE Undecided On Plans For Unified World Title

Anutosh Bajpai
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Roman Reigns became the Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion by defeating Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 38. Though it appears that WWE is as clueless as the fans when it comes to handling the unified titles.

Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men podcast recently talked about the Head Of The Table. His sources suggest that WWE has not yet decided on how this thing will play out:

“I don’t think they’ve decided if he’s going to be on Raw every week or every other week. It hasn’t been set yet. They’re working all this out right now on how they’re going to play this out.”

Roman Reigns’ appearances on the post Mania episodes of Raw and SmackDown didn’t make things any clearer regarding his title reign.

In the meantime, The Usos are headed to Detroit for this Monday’s episode of Raw. The current SmackDown tag team champions intend to win the Raw tag team titles from RK-Bro to unify them both as well.

We will probably get a better idea of WWE’s plans at the show. It would be interesting to see if Reigns makes an appearance at the episode as well.

How do you feel about WWE unifying the world championships? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

Bandido Breaks Silence On No-Showing GCW Event

Anutosh Bajpai
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Former ROH world champion Bandido has broken his silence on no showing a GCW show and apologized to fans for missing the event.

The masked star was scheduled to face Nick Wayne at Game Changer Wrestling’s ‘Devil In A New Dress’ event in San Francisco, California on Sunday.

However, before the show kicked off, GCW promoter Brett Lauderdale took on his Twitter to reveal that Bandido has missed his flight and he isn’t answering his phone.

He also tweeted that the flight missed by the wrestling star cost him $900. Though Lauderdale later deleted the tweet and admitted that it came off as insensitive.

Bandido himself has now taken on his Twitter to comment on the incident. He mentioned how it was his fault and hoped to make things up as soon as possible:

“Hello to all @GCWrestling_ fans, I just wanna say sorry for not be there tonight in San Francisco! Thank you for all the people to take care about me, Im fine! It was my fault and I hope make up those things as soon as possible see you soon amigos!!”

There is still no word on the reason why Bandido missed the show. We will keep you posted on any further development in the story.

Tony Khan Talks Future ‘Bidding Wars’ Between WWE and AEW

Ryan Droste
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The early success of All Elite Wrestling has created a situation where the top wrestlers in North America (and the world) now have multiple paths to stardom and financial security.

A second national wrestling promotion taking off in the way that AEW has was always the best possible scenario for a wrestling world that had essentially operated with WWE as the only national game in town for nearly 20 years.

Competition means better contracts and more opportunities for the wrestlers themselves, and we’re already starting to see some of this reality come to fruition with the arrivals of names like Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, Adam Cole and Samoa Joe signing with AEW, while Kevin Owens got a haul of a contract to stay with WWE and Cody Rhodes returned there.

Speaking in an interview with ESPN, AEW President Tony Khan acknowledged that bidding wars are sure to take place between the two companies in the years ahead.

“Yeah, I am (expecting a bidding war),” Khan said. “We have a lot of great wrestlers here. I expect there probably will be down the road interest in some of them, because we’re putting on such strong shows. I think there’s bound to be free-agent movement. On both sides of the competition. I think it’s great for the wrestlers.”

Cody Rhodes WrestleMania
Cody Rhodes returns to WWE at WrestleMania 38.

There are several names who have achieved stardom early on with AEW who one could see WWE making big offers for when their contracts are up. WWE has already been rumored to be interested in MJF, and how could they not be interested in a Jade Cargill down the line? Plus, people like Wardlow, Darby Allin, and even some of AEW’s founding fathers like the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega could be in play down the road.

One thing is for certain: This is the best time to be a wrestling fan in North America in many years. A successful WWE and AEW is best for both the business and the wrestling fan base itself. The promoters will be readying up to pay to keep things in their favor.

Make sure to check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube. 

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