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Randy Orton Recalls Immaturity Almost Derailing His WWE Career

Michael Reichlin
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Randy Orton is one of the most respected people in the WWE locker room, but it took a long time for the Viper to earn this status.

Orton is the latest guest on WWE’s Out of Character podcast, hosted by Ryan Satin. Episode 53 was conducted live at the WrestleMania Axxess Superstore last weekend in Dallas, TX.

The former Undisputed Champion discussed a lot of topics, including his personal development, his desire to give back to the business, being a huge Goldberg fan when he was younger, setting records in WWE and much more.

Randy Orton was thrust into WWE’s main event picture early into his career. He’d go on to become the youngest World Champion in company history. Orton admits he wasn’t mature enough for that level of success and the pitfalls that come with it. As Orton puts it, it was a case of “too much too soon.”

“Gosh, years, you know?” he said about earning respect backstage. “And then, I kind of started to get an attitude and I got mixed in with the wrong crowd, I guess you could say. [I] made a couple of bad decisions and that respect I think kind of got put on hold for a while.”

Randy Orton was a member of the Evolution faction, along with Triple H, Ric Flair and Batista. That group had a memorable split, which saw the senior members turn on Orton. According to Orton, WWE discussed him and Triple H breaking away from Evolution, but his behavior issues derailed those plans.

“I think there was even an instance where the plan was for me and Triple H to go and do our thing out of Evolution,” he continued. “I might have the order of this wrong but I want to say they went with Dave Batista instead because of me. [It was] maybe in ’05 of ’06 and I just wasn’t ready. It was like maybe 2005, 2006, 2007 where I was really having some close calls with just being a dumb kid. Too much too soon. [It was] most definitely too much too soon.”

Catch Randy Orton’s appearance on the Out of Character podcast:

Exclusive quotes so ask for credit

Cash Wheeler Defends AEW Signing Lots of Free Agents

Michael Reichlin
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AEW has been scrutinized for the high number of free agents they’ve signed over the past year. Some people have questioned if the AEW roster is too large, but Cash Wheeler of FTR says that’s nonsense.

FTR, the reigning Ring of Honor and AAA tag team champions, recently spoke with the Dallas Morning News and defended the growing number of performers on Tony Khan’s payroll.

According to Cash Wheeler, AEW is still in its infancy and should sign the most talented performers they can. Khan also just purchased Ring of Honor and now has two rosters to fill.

“When AEW started, they had to build from scratch,” said Wheeler. “And you don’t know who’s going to work on TV, who’s not going to work on TV, who the fans will accept and who they won’t.

“So, you’ve got to just sign everybody and hope after a couple years you’ve kind of got a better read on everything – what’s established, what isn’t.”

Wheeler added that you can’t plan for huge names to become free agents. If people like Bryan Danielson, Adam Cole, Jeff Hardy and Samoa Joe become available, you sign them and have time to figure everything out.

“You can’t plan for things that are completely unexpected. So, some of these names that became available to him, he never could have foresaw that coming. None of us could. So, when it was available, he would be a terrible businessman to not pursue that because it’s going to make his company better. And it’s going to make his talent better because now they have another brain to pick.”

Wheeler added that AEW has a lot of young talent on the roster and they don’t need to be on television every single week. They should be working independent shows and developing their characters before they’re on national TV week after week.

There’s much more to this interview, which you can check out at DallasNews.com.

AEW To Begin Streaming On NJPW World

Michael Reichlin
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AEW programming is coming to NJPW World, the official streaming service of New Japan Pro Wrestling.

The NJPW World Twitter account announced the news on Friday morning.

Starting soon, AEW Dynamite and AEW Rampage, will stream on NJPW World at no additional charge.

According to NJPW, a “Japanese live version” is also planned, which should feature Japanese commentary.

AEW President Tony Khan issued a short but sweet statement regarding this partnership. Khan tweeted, “We did it.”

AEW and NJPW have had an informal working relationship up to this point. NJPW-contracted talent has wrestled on AEW TV. This streaming partnership broadens the working relationship between the two entities and will expose the Japanese wrestling audience to AEW like never before.

SEScoops will follow this story and let you know when AEW programming will be available on NJPW World.

Report: CM Punk Backstage At 4/6 AEW Dynamite Despite Not Appearing

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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CM Punk wasn’t seen on the April 6 episode of AEW Dynamite but he was in the building.

PWInsider reports that CM Punk was indeed inside the Agganis Arena in Boston, MA. He was backstage despite not being on the show.

Punk scored a big victory over MJF in their Dog Collar match at Revolution back in March. He has been hinting at making a run at the AEW World Heavyweight Championship.

Tony Khan On Signing Samoa Joe: “It Was Pretty Easy”

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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AEW President Tony Khan says that the process of signing Samoa Joe wasn’t a difficult one.

Joe made a surprise appearance to close out the ROH Supercard of Honor PPV. He choked Sonjay Dutt, who had just aligned himself with Jay Lethal to form a new heel duo. He then stared down Lethal, who was on the outside of the ring.

Samoa Joe To AEW: A No-Brainer For Tony Khan

Samoa Joe is officially a member of the AEW roster. Appearing on Barstool Sports’ Rasslin’ podcast, Tony Khan said that signing Samoa Joe was smooth sailing.

“It was good. He’s a great person, he’s very reasonable and he wanted to come and I wanted him to come. So, in that sense it was pretty easy. We got everything figured out and I was really excited to bring Samoa Joe both to Ring of Honor and AEW.

“I felt like that Ring of Honor pay-per-view as a transition from an era of 20 great years of Ring of Honor, different ownerships, different bookers, different entities but frankly, one thing that was consistent was 20 years of great professional wrestling and great professional wrestlers at Ring of Honor that kept the company strong.”

Joe made his AEW debut on the April 6 episode of Dynamite. He pinned Max Caster to earn his spot in the Owen Hart Cup.

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

William Regal Admits He “Checked Out” Of Wrestling Before AEW Signing

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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William Regal didn’t have time to mentally prepare for his presence in AEW.

Regal had been loyal to WWE for many years and once his in-ring career began to wind down, he play a crucial role behind the scenes. He was known as Triple H’s right-hand man on the NXT brand. Once WWE decided to change the direction of NXT, Regal was released.

William Regal Was Mentally Out Of Wrestling

During an appearance on the AEW Unrestricted podcast, William Regal admitted he is still adjusting to getting back in the groove since he had checked out of wrestling entirely.

“In that two months that I was off, when I say I checked out of wrestling, I checked out of wrestling. My wrestling brain hasn’t caught up yet. I still don’t — I felt comfortable last week. I don’t feel like my wrestling brain’s in full working order yet where I could just go, ‘okay boom, boom, boom.’

“It’s not my job either but that’s — the first few weeks was go out and do my bit and then just watch. I’m still sort of here, well I started off about here because I really, really checked out.

“The first night was just a blur, an incredible experience but as much as what was going on I was still — I just did my thing and got out. Whatever else is going on in my brain I still haven’t caught up.”

Regal made his AEW debut at the Revolution PPV back in March. He now manages the team of Jon Moxley and Bryan Danielson. They are known as the Blackpool Combat Club.

Please H/T SEScoops if you use any of the quotes in this article.

Eric Bischoff Reacts to Steve Austin & Vince McMahon’s WrestleMania Segment

Jon Fuentes
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Perhaps the biggest story out of WrestleMania 38 in Dallas, Texas this past weekend was the long-awaited return to the ring of Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Austin was scheduled to be a guest on Kevin Owens’ “The KO Show,” however, it ended up being an official No Holds Barred match between the two after Owens challenged Austin. “The Texas Rattlesnake” accepted Owens’ challenge, and wound up victorious after hitting Owens with the stunner. It was Austin’s first match in 19 years.

The former WWE Champion wasn’t done there, however, as on Night Two of WrestleMania, Austin got involved in the Pat McAfee vs. Austin Theory matchup. After McMahon defeated McAfee in an impromptu match in retaliation for beating Theory, Austin hit the ring to confront “The Chairman Of The Board.” Austin gave McMahon a stunner, which was one of the worst sold stunners of all time, before also stunning McAfee and engaging in his signature celebratory beer bash.

One man who was watching along with the rest of the world was none other than former WCW president Eric Bischoff. Bischoff took to his “83 Weeks” podcast to describe the entire ordeal as simply – awesome.

“I know I’m older, but to see Steve in there doing what Steve is so great at doing – even beyond that, forget about the fact that Steve and I are friends and spent a lot of time in the same industry together and were peers in that era,” Bischoff said (via 411Mania).

“Forget about all of that. The crowd reaction was just awesome. It was just awesome. I just got back home and picked up in the Pat McAfee/Vince McMahon stuff and I can’t say enough good things about it. It was so much fun.”

As for the segment between McMahon and Austin in particular, although Eric Bischoff admits the stunner on McMahon was “horrible,” the former Monday Night RAW General Manager maintains the segment still did its job and was fun for the entire audience.

“I know people are gonna be laughing about the Stunner or whatever, but c’mon, man. You said it, one word – fun. You pay money to be entertained and having fun is a part of that. That whole segment was nothing but fun.

“Yeah, the Stunner looked horrible and I would imagine Vince is very angry with himself [laughs]. But hopefully he gives himself a break because he entertained the hell out of me and a lot of people. Hats off to Vince and the entire team. What an incredible event. In many ways, I think it was one of my favorite WrestleManias in a long time.”

Cody Rhodes Reportedly Scheduled to Be at SmackDown Live This Week

Jon Fuentes
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Despite appearing on Monday Night RAW earlier this week, Cody Rhodes might not officially be a member of the red brand just yet.

According to a report from PWInsider, Rhodes is scheduled to be at SmackDown Live this Friday. There’s currently no word yet if he’s expected to be a part of the broadcast or work a dark match, however, he is set to at least be there backstage. It certainly wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibilities for Rhodes to compete on SmackDown Live, as he hasn’t been assigned to either brand officially as of this writing.

Cody Rhodes made his return to WWE at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend in Dallas Texas. “The American Nightmare” was introduced as the surprise mystery opponent for Seth Rollins. After an excellent bout, one of the best of the entire weekend, it was Rhodes who walked out of WrestleMania with the victory. The following Monday on RAW, Rhodes cut an emotional promo about his father, the late WWE Hall Of Famer Dusty Rhodes.

In the promo, Rhodes made it clear that he intends on chasing a World Championship upon his second run with the company. As for he and Rollins, that program seems to have been put to bed as Rollins came out after Rhodes’ promo on RAW to shake his WrestleMania opponent’s hand. Rhodes did, however, work a dark match against Kevin Owens later that night.

We’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available regarding Rhodes’ SmackDown Live involvement, and his brand situation.

Corey Graves Wants a Match With Pat McAfee, Shane McMahon’s Son Set to Play College Football

Jon Fuentes
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Corey Graves Wants a Match With Pat McAfee

Pat McAfee made his in-ring debut at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend. McAfee took on Austin Theory, while Vince McMahon watched ringside. When it was all said and done, however, McAfee emerged victorious over Theory. Of course, McAfee found himself immediately in another match, as McMahon entered the ring and ordered the referee to ring the bell, shortly thereafter pinning McAfee for a WrestleMania victory of his own.

Seeing McAfee compete in the ring, and in quite impressive fashion, seems to have inspired fellow WWE commentator Corey Graves. Graves recently did an interview with Wrestling Inc., and mentioned the possibility of sharing the ring with McAfee one day. However, it would have to be on the only day that RAW and SmackDown Live go head-to-head inside the ring, given they commentate on different brands, Survivor Series.

“Not to my knowledge was it ever discussed with any sense of legitimacy. But you’ve got to remember, there’s only one night a year Raw and SmackDown competes in head-to-head competition, Survivor Series.

“I hope, I am going to start politicking now,” he said on a possible match. “I think McAfee and Graves at Survivor Series, I think we have to pass the bar that was set by Cole and Lawlor at WrestleMania.”

Shane McMahon’s Son Set to Play College Football

Shane McMahon’s son, Declan James McMahon, has announced that he will be playing college football for Indiana University. Declan’s Twitter bio notes that the running back is six-feet tall and 190 pounds, although he played quarterback as well for Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn.

You can check out Declan’s announcement, as well as reactions from Shane McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, and John Cena below:

Logan Paul Reveals What Vince McMahon Told Him After WrestleMania Debut

Jon Fuentes
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Logan Paul certainly impressed a lot of people with his performance at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend, including Vince McMahon himself.

Paul recently joined Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour this week to discuss what it was like making his in-ring debut for WWE on “The Grandest Stage Of Them All.” During the interview, Paul revealed that he got quite the reception from Vince McMahon backstage.

“Not yet [when asked if WWE had offered him a longer-term deal],” Paul said (via Wrestling Inc.). “Maybe they will, I don’t know. I swear. I will say this. Vince McMahon after my match. He was stoked. I go backstage, we shook hands, it was the good old stepdad Vince thing. He’s like, he goes, ‘trust me, your future is here!’ I was like, ‘cool, sure.’

“That’s Vince McMahon. He’s a legend. Him being excited about, you know, the new guy’s performance, it’s so validating. Like, even just the response and feedback online after the match, haters or lovers, not one negative comment, man. I think people were surprised by my performance and I’m so grateful that they liked it.”

Paul teamed up with The Miz to take on the team of Rey and Dominik Mysterio. The pair put on a surprisingly entertaining match, but what was the most surprising of it all was how well Paul performed inside the ring. Social media was buzzing about how natural the social media star looked inside the squared circle after his weeks of preparation alongside The Miz.

It remains to be seen if Logan Paul has any interest in doing anymore matches with WWE down the line, as he keeps busy with other ventures such as boxing, YouTube, and more, however, it sounds like McMahon would definitely be happy to have him. After The Miz turned on Paul following their win over the Mysterios, there’s certainly a story for Paul to return to should he choose to do so.

Rick Boogs Reportedly Undergoes Successful Surgery

Jon Fuentes
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It looks like Rick Boogs underwent successful surgery on his torn quad, per a recent report from PWInsider. The report notes that the operation took place earlier this week in Birmingham, Alabama. Boogs is expected to return home this weekend to begin his rehabilitation process.

There’s no official timescale on how long Boogs will be on the sidelines, however, the expectation is anywhere from six to 12 months. Boogs suffered the unfortunate injury as part of the opening matchup of WrestleMania 38 this past weekend in Dallas Texas. He and partner Shinsuke Nakamura challenged The Usos for the SmackDown Live Tag Team Championships.

Although the opening minutes of the contest were fairly back-and-forth, the tables turned when Boogs attempted to lift both Usos up on his shoulders, until his leg gave out from under him. After hitting the mat and tagging Nakamura back in, The Usos would take out and pin Nakamura to retain their titles. After the match, Boogs needed to be assisted backstage, as he couldn’t walk under his own power.

While Rick Boogs has yet to comment on the early reports of his surgery, he did take to Instagram earlier this week to address the injury, seemingly in good spirits. Here’s what he had to say:

“From the highest of highs to lowest of lows. Having my beautiful wife with me to experience my first Wrestlemania. Getting the incredible opportunity to open the show! Being able to demonstrate brute strength in front of millions of viewers! Unfortunately, the doctor told me my quad was too strong for the tendon and it was flexing so hard, it ripped the tendon totally off the bone. I’m still incredibly grateful for the experience and for all the love and support. History proves I will come back bigger, better, and stronger. IT’S A MINDSET.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb5c50hrgo9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Savannah Evans Talks About Signing With Impact Wrestling

Michael Reichlin
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Savannah Evans has signed a multi-year contract with Impact Wrestling.

Evans recently appeared on the Women’s Wrestling Talk podcast to discuss her decision to make Impact her longterm home, her impressions of the locker room and her favorite moments working for Impact Wrestling thus far.

Evans says she got a call from Tommy Dreamer last year, June or July. Dreamer had been in touch with Kaleb Konley, one of her trainers, about bringing her in. They sent in some of her recent work, which led her to working shows for Impact last year.

“But, about the signing itself, I got that call, maybe three weeks ago,” she said. “Worked out all the you know, fine details on the contract and then sent it back last week.”

Savanna Evans says she loves the Impact locker room and is impressed how everybody has their own role there.

“No one’s stepping on anyone’s toes or anything like that,” she said. “It’s just, we’re all working to put out this product, you know. We all have the…that one goal in mind. So, I do..I love the locker room that they have there. And you know, just like their goal, like their plan for the company is really big for me, like, just, for example, like the diversity of women they have on the roster is..is big for me.”

Evans added that, “none of us look the same” in Impact and everybody brings something unique to the table.

Catch Savannah Evans’ appearance on Women’s Wrestling Talk:

Paul Heyman Doesn’t Want to Set Up Roman Reigns vs. The Rock Yet

Jon Fuentes
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In the fallout of WrestleMania 38, the next big match everyone has their eyes on for WrestleMania 39 next year in Los Angeles is a bout between Roman Reigns and The Rock. Reigns has reigned as WWE Universal Champion for nearly 600 days, and recently defeated Brock Lesnar to capture the WWE Championship as well, unifying the promotion’s two top titles.

Now, with Reigns holding the two top titles in WWE, and establishing himself as the “Tribal Chief” of his legendary professional wrestling family, many have wondered if The Rock could return to challenge that moniker. Some have even speculated at the possibility of doing something similar to The Rock vs. John Cena, which was set as the main event of WrestleMania one year out from the show.

However, if Reigns’ current advocate Paul Heyman has anything to say about it, he’d go a different route. Speaking to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour recently, Heyman noted that he isn’t a fan of setting the stage a year out from WrestleMania, as so much can happen in between now and then.

Why? Why would you do it? Because then they’re telling everybody that for the next 364 days nothing [that Roman does] matters until The Rock,” Heyman said (WrestleZone). “If Dwayne Johnson wants to step up to Roman Reigns, then Dwayne Johnson should step up to Roman Reigns, and we’ll set the match, and we’ll go for it. But to go for it a year from now? That’s a long time.

“A lot can happen in a year. What if I say to Roman Reigns, ‘take 30 days off and do a movie’ just to show Dwayne Johnson who’s a bigger box office attraction in film? Which, it would be Roman Reigns, and Roman Reigns is a better actor than Dwayne Johnson, to be blunt. I mean there’s a lot that could happen. You got a year.”

Paul Heyman certainly raises an interesting point, as it would also be difficult to have The Rock commit to such a task given his busy Hollywood schedule. Of course, there’s no shortage of opponents for Reigns to keep busy with in the meantime. One Superstar in particular who recently returned to the company already has his eyes on a World Championship, and for now, that road leads to “The Head Of The Table.”

MLW Champ Hammerstone vs. Richard Holliday set for May 13 in Philly

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Something has got to give in the rivalry involving Hammerstone and Richard Holliday.

On MLW TV, Holliday had been Hammerstone’s friend but sometimes the gold will change people. Holliday betrayed Hammerstone, attacking him in Dallas earlier this year and he made his intentions clear. He wants the MLW World Heavyweight Championship.

With Alicia Atout by his side, it’s safe to say Holliday will go through every nefarious trick he can to take the title home. MLW has announced that Hammerstone vs. Holliday will be contested for the promotion’s top prize on May 13.

The title match will headline MLW’s Kings of Colosseum ’22 event.

The action will be held inside the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Tickets are on sale now.

Lacey Evans Reportedly Set For WWE Return Very Soon

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

Lacey Evans has been out of action for a while but she’s ready to lace up her boots again.

Evans gave birth to her second daughter last year and has missed time in WWE as a result. She hasn’t been seen on TV since Feb. 2021 when the ThunderDome was still in use.

PWInsider is now reporting that Evans is expected to make her return on the April 8 episode of SmackDown.

AEW Dynamite Results (4/6): FTR vs. Young Bucks, Owen Hart Qualifiers, Samoa Joe Debuts

Robert Lentini
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AEW Dynamite aired live from the Agganis Arena in Boston, MA. Samoa Joe made his AEW debut against Max Caster in a qualifying match for the Owen Hart Cup Tournament. FTR put the ROH & AAA Tag Team Championships on the line against the Young Bucks in the main event. In addition to the takeaways below, Jon Moxley vs. Wheeler Yuta was announced for this Friday’s Rampage.

Dynamite Results

  1. Adam Cole def. Christian Cage
  2. Samoa Joe def. Max Caster to qualify for the Owen Hart Tournament
  3. Captain Shawn Dean def. Shawn Spears
  4. The Hardys def. Butcher & Blade in a Tables match
  5. Hikaru Shida def. Julia Hart to qualify for the Owen Hart Tournament
  6. FTR def. The Young Bucks to retain the ROH & AAA Tag Team Championships

Here are the takeaways from tonight’s show:

Adam Cole def. Christian Cage, Texas Death Match For AEW Title Announced For Next Week’s Rampage

Adam Cole battled Christian Cage in the first match of the night. Cage and Cole locked up to start off the action. Christian brought Cole down with a Headlock but Cole was able to escape. Cage leveled Cole with a shoulder tackle and the two wrestlers locked up again.

Cole booted Christian in the ribs before bouncing his head off the top turnbuckle. Adam spit at Christian and retreated to the outside. Cage followed him out there and leveled Cole with a Clothesline and hit him with a chop to the chest against the barricade.

Back in the ring, Cage perched Cole up on the top turnbuckle but Adam escaped. Cole got Christian in the Tree of Woe and delivered a Superkick to the face. Cage rolled out of the ring to regroup and Cole followed him out there. Cole sent Cage into the barricade and then tumbling over the steel steps as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

Cage went for a Splash over the ring post and onto Cole below but he swatted him away when Dynamite returned. Christian rolled Cole up for a two count and followed it up with a Tornado DDT for another near fall. Cole connected with a Backstabber and went for the cover but Cage kicked out at two.

Cage planted Cole with a reverse DDT and climbed to the top rope. Christian went for a flying Headbutt but Cole got out of the way. Cole hit the Boom on Christian but he kicked out at two. Cage battled back but leaped into a Superkick for another two count and Cole couldn’t believe it.

Cole set up for the Panama Sunrise but Cage blocked it and hit a Hurricanrana for a two count. Cage went for the Spear but Cole booted him in the knee. Cage escaped Panama Sunrise but Cole hit another kick. Cage ducked under the Boom and hit Cole with a Spear for a two count as the crowd got to their feet. A very loud “AEW!” chant broke out as Cage went for the Killswitch. Cole poked Cage in the eye and hit the Boom for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Fish & O’Reilly attacked Christian but Jurassic Express made the save. AEW Champion Hangman Page made his way to the ring and Cole said he wanted another title shot. Page smacked Cole in the face and told him to look at him when he is talking to him. Hangman noted that they have a live Rampage in Texas next week and will defend the title against Cole in a Texas Deathmatch. The crowd chanted “cowboy shit!” as Hangman told Cole that he has a week to get his affairs in order.

Samoa Joe Qualified For The Owen Hart Cup Tournament

Max Caster faced Samoa Joe in an Owen Hart Cup Qualifying match. Caster’s rap joked that Joe is injury prone and that AEW beat NXT in the ratings when Joe was the champ. Caster and Joe traded some words in the ring and Joe hit a headbutt. Samoa Joe unloaded some strikes and danced around in the ring.

Joe hit a chop to the chest and a boot to the face in the corner. Joe hit a chop across the back and a boot to the face. Samoa Joe dropped an elbow and Caster rolled out of the ring to regroup. Joe hit a Suicide Dive through the ropes as a “Joe!” chant broke out. Bowens distracted Joe and Caster capitalized with some punches before the action returned to the ring. Samoa Joe responded with a shoulder tackle and the Muscle Buster for the pinfall victory. Samoa Joe has qualified for the men’s Owen Hart Cup Tournament.

Jay Lethal and Sanjay Dutt interrupted and said he tried to contract Samoa Joe for four months. They vowed to give Joe a present he will never forget next week in New Orleans.

Wardlow Cost Shawn Spears His Match

Shawn Spears battled Captain Shawn Dean tonight. MJF joined commentary for the match.

Spears controlled the action early and threw the Captain out of the ring as MJF boasted about having Wardlow banned. Spears pointed to the security sign that read Wardlow is banned from the arena and wiped his boots on it. The crowd chanted “Wardlow” as the action returned to the ring. Spears planted Dean with a Neckbreaker and had the match one but decided to inflict more punishment. Security staff was shown laid out as MJF began freaking out. Wardlow then was shown on camera beating the hell out of any member of security got in his way.

Wardlow made his way through the crowd and continued to beat down all the security members. Back in the ring, Captain Shawn Dean rolled up Shawn Spears for the pinfall victory. Security then was able to get Wardlow out as he had a big smile on his face. MJF and Shawn Spears threw a tantrum after the match. It was announced that MJF will face Shawn Dean next week.

Jericho Appreciation Society Ran Away

Eddie Kingston, Santana, and Ortiz attacked Jericho Appreciation Society backstage and beat them down. Kingston tried to throw a TV at them but they escaped. Jake Hager showed up right on time with a car and JAS drove away. Eddie, Santana, Ortiz then made their way to the ring. Kingston called Jericho a coward and vowed to attack Chris on sight even if they are with their family. They challenged them to a Trios match next week.

https://twitter.com/zerocontextAEW/status/1511868191257026564?s=20&t=UmUYIDEpxfNpEfZjQbU6EA

The Hardys Picked Up A Win

The Butcher & The Blade faced The Hardys tonight in a Tables Match. Before the match, Tony Schiavone interviewed TBS Champion Jade Cargill w/ Mark Sterling. Cargill said she is tired of all these MMA losers coming to her show and getting in her ring. Sterling said that Marina Shafir is the problem and Cargill is a problem solver.

The match started off in a brawl with Butcher punching a steel chair into Matt Hardy’s face. The Hardys hit a double DDT but Blade battled back. Blade sent Hardy onto a table but not through it as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, the teams were battling outside the ring. Jeff hit Butcher with a Leg Drop and then delivered an Atomic Drop to Blade. Matt Hardy planted Blade with a Twist of Fate on the floor outside the ring. Back in the ring, Matt hit Butcher with a Leg Drop through the table for the elimination. Matt connected with another Twist of Fate on Butcher on the floor. The Hardys set up a couple tables and put Blade on top of them. Jeff climbed to the top of the ladder and put Butcher through the table with a Swanton Bomb for the win.

After the match, AFO (Andrade, Jose, The Bunny, and Private Party interrupted and made their way to the entrance ramp. Sting’s music hit and he came to the entrance ramp with a baseball bat. Sting hit Private Party and approached Andrade as he hid behind The Bunny. They escaped and went backstage to end the segment. Jurassic Express and Christian Cage were then shown backstage. Cage was frustrated about his loss to Adam Cole and stormed off. Jurassic Express challenged reDragon to a match next week and will put the tag titles on the line.

Hikaru Shida Qualified For The Owen Hart Tournament

Julia Hart faced Hikaru Shida in a qualifying match for the women’s Owen Hart Cup tournament. Before the match, Toni Storm and Jamie Hayter had a backstage confrontation.

It was announced that Thunder Rosa will defend the AEW Women’s Championship against Nyla Rose at Saturday Fight Night on April 16th (Battle of the Belts).

Hart controlled the match early and choked Hikaru with her jacket. Pillman Jr. and Griff Garrison were ringside and Julia kicked them out. Dynamite went to a commercial break with Hart in control. When Dynamite returned, Shida battled back and sent Hart to the corner.

Shida connected with a running knee and followed it up with a Suplex. Julia battled back with a slam for a near fall and climbed to the top rope. Hart went for a Moonsault but Shida got out of the way. Hikaru hit an elbow and then a Falcon Arrow for the pinfall victory. Hikaru Shida has qualified for the women’s Owen Hart Cup tournament.

Serena Deeb tried to attack Shida after the match but she was ready for it. Team Taz tried to attack Swerve Strickland backstage but Keith Lee made the save.

FTR Retained In A Great Match With The Young Bucks

FTR defended the AAA & ROH Tag Team Championships in the main event against the Young Bucks. The champions controlled the action early and isolated Matt in the ring. Matt escaped to the corner and Nick Jackson tagged in. Harwood took Nick to the mat with a headlock takeover and then went for a wrist lock but Jackson got to the ropes. Nick threw his goofy headwear at Dax and Harwood responded by dropping it in his trunks, and then throwing it in Matt’s face.

Harwood hit an Arm Drag in the middle of the ring. Matt tagged in and Nick tripped Harwood up. Wheeler tripped up Matt and then traded punches with Nick int he middle of the ring. Young Bucks hit Dax with a couple Dropkicks and then did the same to Wheeler. Cash shrugged it off and exploded with a Clothesline that knocked Matt and Nick to the mat.

Cash Wheeler tagged in and locked in the Sharpshooter in the middle of the ring. Dax got Nick Jackson in the Sharpshooter as well but Young Bucks were able to escape. Young Bucks took control and isolated Cash in the ring. Matt and Nick beat him down and posed for the booing crowd.

Nick climbed to the middle turnbuckle and connected with a double axe handle to the face. Matt taunted Dax and he got into the ring allowing Young Bucks to hit Cash with a couple cheap shots as Dynamite went to the final commercial break of the night.

When Dynamite returned, Young Bucks had Cash Wheeler trapped in the ring. Cash tried for a tag but Nick knocked Harwood off the ring apron with a Superkick. Matt sent Cash to the corner and went for a double team move but Nick accidentally caught him with a kick to the face.

Nick tagged himself in and leaped into a strike from Wheeleer. Dax Harwood unloaded some punches and Suplexes before sending Nick out of the ring. Harwood unloaded some chops in the corner on Matt and rolled him up for a two count. Matt and Dax got in a test of strength and traded roll-up attempts but both men kicked out. Harwood planted Matt with a Piledriver and went for the cover but Jackson kicked out at two.

Harwood perched Matt up on the top turnbuckle and delivered a chop to the chest. Nick hopped on the apron and shoved Dax to the floor. Wheeler hit a Back Drop on Nick onto the ring apron as Dax crotched Matt on the top turnbuckle. Harwood hit a Superplex but Nick caught Wheeler with a Hurricanrana on the opposite of the ring and all four wrestlers were down.

Nick tagged in and hit Wheeler with a knee to the face. Young Bucks followed it up with a Bulldog/ Dropkick combo and Nick hit a Facebuster. Dax hit Nick with a Brainbuster but turned around into a Dropkick from Matt. Wheeler slammed Matt to the mat and went for the cover but Matt kicked out at two.

FTR went for the Big Rig but Young Bucks blocked it. Matt hit Wheeler with a low blow while the referee was distracted. Young Bucks went for Big Rig on Cash Wheeler and connected but Wheeler kicked out at the last moment. Young Bucks hit a 450 Splash and a Moonsault on Cash but he somehow kicked out at two.

Matt went for the cover two more times but Wheeler kicked out again and again. Nick hit Cash with a title and Matt used the tights for leverage in a cradle but Harwood broke it up at two. Young Bucks leveled Harwood with a Superkick and knocked him out of the ring. Nick Jackson tagged in and Young Bucks got in the ring with Cash Wheeler.

Young Bucks thought they had the match won with the BTE Trigger but Cash had his boot on the rope. A loud “FTR!” chant broke out as they hit a ridiculous Powerbomb/Tombstone combo on the Young Bucks. FTR then hit Matt with a BTE Trigger and followed it up with the Big Rig for the pinfall victory. FTR got a great reaction as they posed with the titles to close the show.

Seth Rollins Calls Weekly Three-Hour RAWs ‘Obnoxiously Long’

Jon Fuentes
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Although Seth Rollins thinks WWE is the world’s premier wrestling organization, he’s not a fan of the three-hour weekly episodes of Monday Night RAW. Rollins was speaking on the SI Podcast recently and was asked about RAW being three hours every week. Rollins called three hours “obnoxiously long” for a weekly wrestling program.

“I think a three hour show is just obnoxiously long every week. Everything gets stretched out, you know, and you’ve got to cram — you got to fill three hours of television, there’s just nothing to be done,” Rollins said (via WrestlingNews.co). “You know, that’s just how it is. So I think two hours is a beautiful kind of number for a pro wrestling show. And I think it’s easier to make everything mean a little bit more.

“You know, on SmackDown when I was there last year, I hardly ever wrestle on television and so it was kind of a big deal. You look at Roman [Reigns], he hardly ever wrestles on television, I think maybe a handful of times in the last year. So when he has matches at these pay-per-views, they feel like big deals and on Raw I’ve wrestled in like 26 five-star matches in the last two months.

“It’s just been wild the amount of actual wrestling that I have to do and I’d love to avoid that but it is what it is. I like the fact that I get a lot more screen time on Mondays because you have the extra hour but yeah it’s a apples to oranges type thing. I do think three hours is just a lot to ask every week of a viewer.”

Rollins seems to be in agreement with a large portion of the professional wrestling community. One of the biggest critiques fans have had for WWE is the three-hour-long runtimes for Monday Night RAW. As Rollins mentioned, three hours is certainly a lot to ask of a viewer. However, it doesn’t seem like that formula will be changing for WWE anytime soon.

As for “The Architect,” he comes off of a great matchup against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend in Dallas. Although Rhodes was the one to emerge victorious from the matchup, both men put on what was one of the best matches of the action-packed weekend.

There doesn’t seem to be any lingering issues between the pair, however, as Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes shook hands on Monday Night RAW earlier this week.

Charlotte Flair Admits This Title Reign Isn’t One of Her Favorites

Jon Fuentes
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Charlotte Flair is no stranger to championship reigns. “The Queen” has held a WWE World Title 13 times throughout her career. Currently, she reigns as the SmackDown Live Women’s Champion. Flair defended her throne against Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend in Dallas, Texas, besting the former UFC champion when it was all said and done.

Speaking to BT Sport’s Ariel Helwani before the bout, Flair discussed her current title run, and admitted that it isn’t one of her favorites. One big reason being that Flair hasn’t been able to defend the title as much as she’d like.

“I can’t say that this title reign has been one of my favorites,” Flair said (via Wrestling Inc.). “Because I haven’t had an opportunity, due to unfortunate events to defend the title as many times as I would like. But in terms of when I came back after WrestleMania 37 that I missed, and came back as the Opportunity, I feel like it’s been the most confident my character has been since before, it’s been like a good three-and-a-half years, I think.”

Flair is undoubtably one of the greatest female professional wresters the WWE has ever seen. The daughter of two-time WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair, Charlotte Flair has certainly lived up to the legendary Flair name throughout her run with the company.

After helping pioneer today’s Women’s Division in NXT, winning multiple World Titles, and being part of the first-ever all-female main event of a WrestleMania, there’s not much more for her to accomplish in the world of professional wrestling. It will be interesting to see what’s next for Flair this week on SmackDown Live in the fallout from WrestleMania 38.

WWE Releases Nash Carter After Wife Alleges Physical Abuse

Michael Reichlin
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WWE has released NXT star Nash Carter (Zachary Green). He’s one half of the NXT tag team champions, MSK.

Green’s wife, wrestler Kimber Lee (Ann Frankele), alleges Carter was physically and emotionally abusive. Se provided photos to support her claim.

Per David Bixenspan, Green filed for a divorce petition against Frankele last week

https://twitter.com/davidbix/status/1511853589718880259

On Monday, Frankele posted photos on social media alleging Green “got wasted” and struck her in the face, splitting her lip open.

She tagged the official NXT Twitter account and wrote, “Hey @WWENXT this is my face after your tag champ @NashCarterWWE got wasted and hit me so hard he split my lip open. He told me I’m a wrestler so I’m always marked up. I’ve hid this for a year and even forgave him. But I can’t hide it anymore.”

She added that Green was “telling her lies all weekend” in an effort to silence her.

https://twitter.com/Kimber_Lee90/status/1511131823203618818

The following day, she wrote on social media that she’s “saved herself” and is finally free.

Later in the day, Frankele posted a photo of Zachary Green with an Adolph Hitler mustache giving a Nazi salute. She said the photo is another look into the kind of person her husband is.

Tagging the official WWE and NXT accounts, she wrote, “I’ve hid so much for so long because I was mentally abused. Not to mention the countless anti LGBTQIA+ statements him and his family make…..”

WWE has yet to publicly comment on the matter.

https://twitter.com/Kimber_Lee90/status/1511473531648978945

Tammy Sytch (Sunny) Could Face Charges In Fatal Three-Car Crash

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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WWE Hall of Famer Tammy Sytch, known to wrestling fans as Sunny, may be facing criminal charges yet again, only this time things are far more serious.

Ormond Beach Police have issued a statement revealing a fatal three-car crash occurred on March 25. Police say the investigation is ongoing and could lead to criminal charges.

Sunny May Be Facing Serious Criminal Charges

In a press release, Ormond Beach Police stated that Sunny was driving southbound on U.S. 1 at around 8:28 p.m. and failed to stop. As a result, she allegedly crashed into a stopped vehicle, which collided with the vehicle in front of it.

Julian Lafrancis Lasseter, the driver allegedly hit by Sunny, was taken to Halifax Health Medical Center but was pronounced dead.

Here is a statement from Ormond Beach Police Chief Jesse Godfrey (h/t Ormond Beach Observer):

“Our hearts go out to the Lasseter family that lost their loved one in such a tragic event. Our goal at the Ormond Beach Police Department is to keep city roadways safe, so if you see a vehicle operating in a manner that leads you to believe the driver may be impaired, please don’t hesitate to call 911. You may just save someone’s life.”

Police have been allowed to collect a blood sample after a search warrant was approved and executed. The sample is being used to determine whether or not Sunny was under the influence. The toxicology results are pending.

Sunny was treated at Halifax Health and released. Another driver and passengers did suffer injuries but did not go to the hospital.

The WWE Hall of Famer has had a slew of legal issues in her life. She was arrested back in January for weapons possession and terroristic threats.

AJ Styles Wants to Face Rey Mysterio At WrestleMania

Jon Fuentes
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If there’s anyone on the WWE roster who knows a thing or two about getting their desired WrestleMania opponent when it’s all said and done, it’s AJ Styles. Styles named both The Undertaker and Edge as opponents he’d like to face at “The Show Of Shows,” before ultimately landing each of those respective matches.

Of course, Styles ended up losing both of those matches, most recently to “The Rated-R Superstar” at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend, thanks to a distraction from Damian Priest. However, speaking to WrestleZone recently, Styles was asked who else is on his list of desired WrestleMania opponents. “The Phenomenal One” seems to be more interested in facing opponents who have been around in WWE longer than him. However, that list is growing shorter by the day.

With that being said, Styles named former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Rey Mysterio as a potential opponent at WrestleMania down the line.

“It’s hard to say. I mean, who are those guys that when you think back, is it Rey Mysterio? I’ve never really had a long program or anything with him,” Styles said. “I’ve wrestled him once or twice but I never had a story with him.

“But, I don’t know, Edge [is this year]… I’ve tried to get Triple H in the ring but it looks like that’s not gonna happen. We’re running out of these guys who’ve been around longer than me.”

As AJ Styles mentioned, he and Mysterio have shared the ring numerous times before, but it wasn’t in a long storyline. Their last meeting was an Elimination Chamber qualifying match on Monday Night RAW back in January.

As for Mysterio, he’s currently wrapping up a storyline alongside his son, Dominik, where the pair fell to the team of The Miz and Logan Paul at WrestleMania 38 in Dallas this past weekend. Now the pair seem to be angling towards a feud with Veer on Monday Night RAW.

  • Rey Mysterio Marks 20 Years with WWE

Kevin Owens Reveals Plans After Retiring From Wrestling

Jon Fuentes
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Kevin Owens is undoubtably one of WWE’s biggest stars. So much so that the company made it clear they wanted to keep KO around by re-signing him to a new contract recently. Also, Owens got the opportunity of a lifetime at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend, serving as WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin’s first opponent back inside the ring in over 19 years.

Of course, Owens lost to Austin in front of the Dallas, Texas crowd, but it was a great WrestleMania moment that will live on in infamy. While Owens is still very much in the prime of his professional wrestling career, he does think about what’s next for him once he makes the decision to walk away from the squared circle once and for all.

Speaking to MackMania recently, Owens admitted he has an interest in doing commentary or working backstage after his time in the ring comes to a close.

“Once I’m not in the ring actively anymore, I really think I’ll just hopefully have a role backstage somehow. Or even maybe do commentary,” Owens said (via Wrestling Inc.). “Those are all things I really enjoy. So, I don’t see myself going anywhere. And hopefully, I can help, you know, people that are here now. And people that are here in the future like, like others that are helping me now, you know?”

Now that Owens’ program with Steve Austin has come to a close it will be interesting to see what WWE has planned for him next. He was part of a segment on Monday Night RAW this week that helped re-introduce Elias to the WWE Universe, however, with a complete gimmick change, and the new name of Ezekiel.

Ezekiel claims to be Elias’ brother, and has taken over all of Elias’ social media accounts as well. Perhaps Kevin Owens and Ezekiel could be working against each other in the coming weeks.

Cody Rhodes Reveals The Last Person He Spoke to Before WrestleMania Entrance

Jon Fuentes
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Cody Rhodes made his surprise return to WWE at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend, as he was revealed as the mystery opponent for Seth Rollins. Rhodes emerged victorious after an excellent bout against Rollins, making quite the statement in his return to the company he left in 2016.

While many predicted Rhodes was going to be the one to face Rollins at WrestleMania, WWE still tried to keep his return a secret, keeping him in a bus until it was time for him to make his entrance for the match. However, speaking to The Ringer recently, “The American Nightmare” admitted that he actually ran into Triple H just before hitting the ring.

“There’s no secret Triple H is my favorite wrestler ever, even though I broke his throne, and badmouthed him to the earth,” Rhodes said (via Wrestling Inc.). “He’s the last person I saw before I went out there, and now I have to tell him. But the pedigree itself, everything in there, even the stuff I messed up, I wouldn’t change.

“That one jab felt good. This is my life’s education, I sat under the greatest learning tree for 20 years. It took me a while to figure this stuff out, but I’ve got it now. I just have to keep getting it now.”

After the match, Rhodes returned to Monday Night RAW earlier this week, cutting an emotional, unscripted promo about his father, the late WWE Hall Of Famer Dusty Rhodes. He also declared his intentions to win a WWE World Title, a feat that eluded him during his first run with the company. Also, to close out the segment, Rollins hit the ring to confront Rhodes, and the pair ended up shaking hands in a mutual sign of respect.

It will be interesting to see who Cody Rhodes feuds with first now that he’s back in WWE, and clearly has World Title aspirations to get started on.

The Rock Unveils New XFL Logo (Video)

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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The Rock has revealed the new logo for XFL.

XFL is gearing up for a return under new management. Vince McMahon had been adamant about making his own football league work after a dismal attempt in 2001. He revived the XFL and the regular season began in Feb. 2020.

While the XFL was declining in the ratings after week one, many applauded Vince for stepping aside and letting actual football people run the show. The league ended up being canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic, however.

The Rock Ushers In New Era For XFL

A consortium led by The Rock, Dany Garcia, and Gerry Cardinale now own the XFL. Rock took to his Twitter account to post a video hyping up the 2023 XFL season. Included in the clip is a look at the new logo.

“Pumped to reveal our new XFL logo as we build our organization and shape our one-of-a-kind, hungry XFL culture. X represents the INTERSECTION OF DREAMS & OPPORTUNITY. To all our XFL players, coaches, fans; You bring the dreams – we’ll bring the opportunity. Now LFG!”

Three Title Matches Set for Next Week’s WWE NXT 2.0

Jon Fuentes
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Next week’s episode of WWE NXT 2.0 is shaping up to be quite a jam-packed show. We now have three title bouts set for the April 12 show.

First, WWE has announced that NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose will defend her title against Dakota Kai, shortly after Rose cost Kai and Raquel Gonzalez the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships to her fellow Toxic Attraction stablemates just a week ago.

After their confrontation last night, WWE NXT Tag Team Champions MSK will put their titles up for grabs against the team of Grayson Waller and Sanga. Waller still isn’t fully healthy after Stand & Deliver, as he has his arm in a sling, but that won’t hold him back from taking up the title opportunity.

And lastly, Solo Sikoa challenged newly-crowned NXT North American Champion Cameron Grims on this week’s episode of WWE NXT. Now, the matchup is official, as Grimes will put his title up for grabs for the first time after winning it at Stand & Deliver.

Also, a pair of singles bouts between Kushida and Von Wagner, as well as Xyon Quinn and Draco Anthony are slated for the show. With all that being said, it’s going to be quite the show next week, live on the USA Network.

Check out the updated card for the April 12 episode of WWE NXT 2.0 below:

  • NXT Women’s Championship: Mandy Rose (c) vs. Dakota Kai
  • NXT Tag Team Championship: MSK (c) vs. Grayson Waller and Sanga
  • NXT North American Championship: Cameron Grimes (c) vs. Solo Sikoa
  • Kushida vs. Von Wagner
  • Xyon Quinn vs. Draco Anthony
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