Ric Flair is trading his robes and titles for a tuxedo and dried martini (shaken not stirred!) in a new comic about the Nature Boy.
The comic ‘CODENAME: Ric Flair’ will launch this summer, with a special preview of the project this weekend at Megacon Orlando.
The comic is based on the 1975 plane crash that nearly ended Flair’s career but starts a double-life as a secret agent after being healed by doctors.
“Richard Fliehr, a mild-mannered professional wrestler, almost dies in a small twin engine plane on the way to a regional wrestling match. The doctors not only save his life – they rebuild him better than before. Treatment makes him stronger than ever and Fliehr is reborn as Ric Flair aka Nature Boy®, who must now use his wrestling persona as cover while he works to save the world as secret agent Nature Boy®.”
Flair will be at Megacon Orlando this weekend to promote the comic, which will launch later this year on Kickstarter.
Flair and Comic Books
Flair’s 1992 Royal Rumble match win from the #3 entrant was covered in a 2018 Royal Rumble Special Edition comic.
This may be Flair’s first time as a secret agent, but the Nature Boy is no stranger to comics.
As part of WCW, Flair was often part of the comics tied to the company which saw him feud with some of the biggest names in wrestling, both on-screen and on the page.
In a 2018 WWE Royal Rumble special comic, Flair’s iconic victory in the 1992 Rumble match was covered.
John Cena says he’s been gone from WWE for too long and hopes to return sometime in the near future.
The 16-time world champion was in NYC on Wednesday for Warner Bros. Discovery’s upfronts event, where TV networks pitch their upcoming lineups to prospective advertisers. Cena was on hand to promote the new season of his game show Wipeout that airs on TBS.
John Cena Talks WWE Return
Street journalist Adam Glyn caught up with Cena on Wednesday and addressed the upcoming 20th anniversary of John Cena’s WWE television debut.
Cena’s WWE debut took place on the June 27, 2022 edition of SmackDown, when he answered an open challenge by Kurt Angle. Even though he came up short that night, he earned the respect of The Undertaker, who greeted him backstage and shook his hand in a sign of respect.
Cena says he knows the 20th anniversary milestone is fast approaching.
“I know in WWE years I turn 20 pretty soon, so that’s a pretty big thing, and from a pretty storied class of folks: Batista, Randy Orton, Brock who kind of all turned 20 this year,” said Cena I’m aware that that’s coming around the corner — and who knows?”
Cena still loves wrestling, but he’s got a lot of projects going on and it’s hard to turn down opportunities that present themselves.
That said, Cena admits he’s been gone for “too long” and hopes to be back in the mix with WWE sooner than later.
“I don’t know when I’ll be back but hopefully it’s soon. I’ve been gone for too long.”
– John Cena
Cena’s most recent televised match occurred last year at SummerSlam, when he lost to Roman Reigns. Back in September, as last year’s ‘Summer of Cena’ was winding down, he competed in a 6-man tag match at Madison Square Garden house show. Cena and the Mysterios defeated The Bloodline.
What’s Next for Cena?
If and when John Cena does return to WWE, he’s got a high-profile feud waiting for him. Theory, the reigning United States Champion, has been talking about Cena a lot lately.
Below, you can check out some of our recent coverage of Theory calling out Cena:
Cody Rhodes’ ultimate goal is to capture the WWE Championship but if he reunites with IC gold, he has big plans for it.
For many WWE fans, Cody’s first Intercontinental title reign is looked back on fondly. During that period, Rhodes brought back the old design of the IC gold with the white strap.
That became the main design before WWE switched things up with a brand new look in Nov. 2019.
Back To Old Glory
There was a time in WWE when the Intercontinental Championship was a big deal. Many top faces in the WWF’s golden era treated it as the world title since Hulk Hogan was a mainstay at the top.
For many years now, the IC Title has been treated as an afterthought. The current champion, Ricochet, wasn’t even featured on the WrestleMania Backlash card.
During an interview with WWE UK, Cody Rhodes said that if he so happens to get his hands on the Intercontinental Title again, he’ll make it his goal to bring it back to past glory (h/t Inside The Ropes).
“The Intercontinental run was a massive, massive deal for me because I felt like it put me in the position to continue up the card. I think if I was to have the IC Title now, I would be less interested in my own selfish climbing up of the card and more putting the Intercontinental Title on a pedestal.
“That’s a bit of a calling card of mine. There’s a saying in the industry ‘the belt can make the man, or the man can make the belt.’ I know that’s not the popular nomenclature that WWE uses, Title, Championship, it’s all the same in terms of what you can do for it. I think I could do wonders for it.
“My goal is the WWE Championship but there’s a lot of roads to get there. No pun intended. If it runs through the Intercontinental Title I would be more than proud to carry one of the industry’s most prestigious Championships.”
The WWE Hall of Famer revealed during the the latest episode of his Grillin JR podcast that he has signed an extension with the company, and will continue to call matches for the foreseeable future.
After his announcement Ross expresses his gratitude to AEW President Tony Khan for keeping him around (the extension is for a year-and-a-half) and allowing him to continue doing what he loves.
“I don’t think we’ve made this announcement, but I signed an extension with AEW not too long ago. I appreciate Tony Khan’s confidence and his willingness to keep me on the team and contribute. We’re not going a long time, but I think I signed for about a year and a half or something like that to stay in the position I’m in. I’m just really pleased that at 70, I still have a future, and at 70, I’m still loving what I do.”
Ross originally signed with AEW back in April of 2019, and has been at the desk, along with Excalibur, since the promotion’s first-ever event, Double or Nothing. He adds that if he makes it to 2024 it will mark 50 years in the pro-wrestling industry.
“I want to get to 2024. I really do. That’s 50 years in the wrestling business. Not a lot of guys can say that they’re in the same job in a fickle, crazy-ass, unpredictable business like pro wrestling for 50 years. The good lord is looking down and cutting me a break, and if I can get to 50 [years in wrestling], I’ll be the happiest guy in Norman, Oklahoma.”
Aside from commentary Ross occasionally conducts backstage interviews, with key focus being placed on superstars and feuds ahead of AEW’s big pay-per-views. Expect Ross to continue this over the next year as AEW approaches this year’s Double or Nothing on May 29th.
AEW’s MJF has praised the work of WWE’s Performance Center and the various Superstars who got their start at the Florida venue.
The WWE Performance Center opened its doors in July 2013, with a second branch opening six years later in London, England.
On Twitter, MJF highlighted the success of Pat Buck and Brian Myers’ Create A Pro wrestling school, calling the school where he learned “where Real wrestlers are taught Real wrestling.”
When a fan responded by saying that the Performance Center has tied up millions of dollars and produced no one, MJF fired back, listing stars including Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, former WWE Champion Big E among others.
Jeff Hardy thinks there’s a story to be told between himself and CM Punk in All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
Hardy and Punk feuded with one another over the WWE World Heavyweight Championship back in 2009. This was Hardy’s final feud before his contract expired, and he’d eventually sign with TNA.
Now, over a decade later, both Hardy and Punk find themselves competing on the same brand again. This time, with AEW. Hardy and Punk’s rivalry was an extremely entertaining one, and fans would surely love to see it continue over on AEW TV.
Speaking on a recent appearance on the “Wrestling With Freddie” podcast, Hardy talked about a “moment” between himself and Punk on AEW TV that is likely inevitable.
“[Winning the World Championship] was like a little boy’s dream come true, man. God, and then to do it over and over again. One of my favorite things, as far as being the World Champion, was working with CM Punk.
“It’s so crazy that we’re in the same company now and there’s a huge moment between me and Punk. It’s going to come, I’m sure.
“I think there’s a huge moment, just in the hallway, like me and Matt beat The Young Bucks or whatever at whatever pay-per-view is coming up, or whatever happens, but then we run into him, and me and punk just have a face-off.”
For now, Hardy and Punk are on different paths in their respective AEW journeys. Punk is actually gearing up to face Hangman Page for the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) World Championship.
They’ll go head-to-head at the Double Or Nothing pay-per-view (PPV) on May 29. Perhaps once Punk’s feud with Page comes to a close an opportunity to work against Hardy will present itself.
When the inevitable day comes, Matt Hardy knows who he wants inducting him into the WWE Hall Of Fame.
While Hardy might not compete in WWE today, there’s no denying the plethora of accomplishments he’s had under the promotion’s banner during his several runs with them. He and his brother, Jeff, are one-half of what some argue to be the greatest tag team of all time.
Between the pair, they have nine Tag Team Titles, while Matt Hardy has 11 in total with two additional partners. As a singles competitor in WWE, Hardy is a former ECW Champion, Hardcore Champion, European Champion, United States Champion, and Cruiserweight Champion.
All that being said, Hardy is a sure-fire Hall Of Famer when the time comes. Speaking on his podcast, “The Extreme Life Of Matt Hardy,” Hardy, a current All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star, said he believes he and Jeff will eventually be inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame.
“I think so, yeah, I feel very confident about that,” Hardy said. “I think that would be fitting, obviously, we’re a deserving team and Jeff would be deserving on his own.
“I think there’s a lot of cases that could be made that I am very deserving on my own as well, 100%, considering some of the people that are in there. So, who am I kidding? I’m being very humble here. I could definitely go in on my own.
Hardy then discussed who he’d like to induct them when the time comes. When it comes to he and Jeff as a tag team, Hardy picked the man that helped he and Jeff out upon their early days in WWE – current WWE producer Michael “P.S.” Hayes.
“I feel like the most fitting person to induct us would be the guy who we learned the most from, who really helped us when we first started becoming a success in pro wrestling, and that would be Michael Hayes.”
However, as a singles competitor, Hardy mentioned he could see his brother, Jeff; MVP, or even Bray Wyatt as possibilities as well.
“I could see it being MVP,” Hardy said. “Bray Wyatt would also be interesting, too. Put the Fiend out there.”
A current WWE play-by-play ace insists that Sasha Banks and Naomi legitimately walked out on the May 16 episode of Monday Night Raw.
WWE officials couldn’t have expected pivoting as much as they did on such short notice. The plan was set for Sasha and Naomi to participate in a number one contender match for Bianca Belair’s Raw Women’s Championship.
This was to be a six-pack challenge.
Instead, WWE found itself without its Women’s Tag Team Champions. PWInsider reported that following a disagreement over Vince McMahon’s creative direction, Sasha Banks made her exit mid-show and Naomi followed.
SEScoops had an exclusive interview with Ariane Andrew, formerly known as Cameron in WWE. She used to team with Naomi and expressed her belief that she was manipulated by Sasha into leaving the building.
WWE Raw play-by-play commentator Jimmy Smith took to his Unlocking The Cage podcast to make it clear that the situation involving Sasha Banks and Naomi is as real as it gets.
“This is not a work. This really actually happened. From everything — I wasn’t there, I was calling the show — I’ve been told, everything the WWE is saying happened.
“Now obviously there are many sides to a story. I don’t know why Naomi and Sasha Banks walked out. I’ve heard rumors, but I’m not gonna repeat them just because it’s innuendo. I don’t know.
“But my point is, a lot of people when this was first released on Instagram, half the comments were, ‘Ah, this is a work.’ It’s not. This legitimately happened.
“One thing that you will see in the WWE, generally, in the time I’ve been there, is when they say this is our main event, something goofy may happen in that event, something goofy may change or there might be slight differences.
“They’re not going to say this is our main event and pull the rug out from under you. They will not advertise a main event and pull it out from under you. They want to know that you as an audience member will generally get the match that you thought you were gonna get.
“You stuck around till 10:45 to watch this match, that’s what you’re gonna see. What’s upsetting to the people behind the scenes on this one is they advertised the main event.
“I got up there on a microphone and Corey Graves to my left said, ‘Tonight, [women’s six-pack challenge],’ and then we sat down and we, meaning the WWE, all of us, couldn’t deliver that main event.
“Not happy about that.”
Naomi was reportedly set to win the six-pack challenge and face Belair for the Raw Women’s Championship at Hell in a Cell on June 5. Sasha was expected to meet Ronda Rousey for the SmackDown Women’s Title.
Both Sasha and Naomi were expected to lose those championship matches.
Former WWE talent Adam Scherr (Braun Strowman) and former UFC fighter Alistair Overeem will collide at Wrestling Entertainment Series.
On May. 13, former WWE tag team Legion of Pain (Authors of Pain) announced that their wrestling promotion WES would have an event on June 4 on FITE TV at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, England.
Legion of Pain shared that they would be making their in-ring return for their first event. However, they didn’t share who else would be on the card.
The WES website has now revealed all of the matches that will take place on the card, including the main event between Scherr and Overeem for the World Championship.
This marks the first wrestling match for Overeem, who has been open about not liking what he’s seen from professional wrestling like WWE.
Another match on the card is former WWE talents Lina Fanene (Nia Jax) vs. CJ Perry (Lana) for the Women’s Championship.
Image Credit: UFC.com
Overeem on WWE and Professional Wrestling Today
Overeem spoke publicly on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani about his thoughts on wrestling, mainly WWE, last year. He shared that he grew up watching WWE and liked Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior but stopped watching as he got older.
“I watched it when I was 19 years old. Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, huge fans of those guys. Honky Tonk Man, great, funny,” said Overeem. He continued, “…I stopped watching after that, so I’m not watching since 92, 93, 94 and just recently I started looking again on Youtube, and oh my god this stuff is lame.
“It’s just lame with all these guys are doing, it’s fake, it’s lame, it’s stupid.” Overeem said something after “it’s stupid,” but it was edited out.
During the live interview, Overeem did indeed label pro wrestling as “gay.” Helwani told Overeem to not say that, which the former UFC fighter said why and continued to share that he thought what he has seen recently of wrestling from WWE content is lame.
When asked by Helwani if he thinks professional wrestlers are athletes, he expressed again that it is lame. It’s unclear if Overeem has watched any wrestling outside of WWE or if he changed his stance on wrestling today.
Bully Ray has shared his thoughts on Sasha Banks and Noami walking out of WWE Raw, attacking the story from different angles.
WWE was left scrambling during the May 16 episode of Raw. The WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions were supposed to be involved in a six-pack challenge, which was set to feature Sasha, Naomi, Asuka, Becky Lynch, Nikki A.S.H., and Doudrop.
As first reported by PWInsider, Sasha and Naomi walked out mid-show. WWE issued a statement confirming that the two left their titles on the desk of John Laurinaitis and left the building.
WWE pivoted and booked Asuka vs. Becky with the winner facing Bianca Belair for the Raw Women’s Championship at Hell in a Cell on June 5. Asuka won the match.
Naomi Set Up For The Bloodline?
During an edition of SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio, Bully Ray admitted that he doesn’t know whether or not Sasha and Naomi leaving was a work.
It’s safe to say he hopes that it was, however, as he sees huge potential in Naomi joining her husband Jimmy Uso as well as Jey Uso and Roman Reigns in The Bloodline.
“Hey, maybe this is all one giant story to split these girls up and get Naomi into The Bloodline. Don’t know. If it’s a work, I love it already. This is Heyman-esque level, pay attention to details work.”
If it isn’t a work, however, Bully Ray believes that is a big no-no on the part of Sasha and Naomi.
“The way I was brought up in this business, you don’t walk out. You find a way to compromise. And if they were uncomfortable with something, I’m sure, in those eight hours, could’ve come up with ways to compromise so that they wouldn’t feel uncomfortable in the ring. It sounds like somebody was uncomfortable with the outcome of the match.”
Naomi’s close friend and former tag team partner, Ariane Andrew (Cameron), spoke to SEScoops’ Steve Fall in an exclusive interview. She believes that Sasha Banks may have manipulated Naomi into leaving Raw.
Tay Conti believes that “OnlyFans Chick” Paige VanZant isn’t cut out for the wrestling business.
Of course, Tay and PVZ have been involved in a feud recently. With that said, VanZant hasn’t been on AEW TV in several weeks. This is likely due to her preparing for a BKFC fight on July 9.
Tay and Sammy Guevara continue to feud with PVZ’s faction, however. Sammy has been at odds with Dan Lambert, Ethan Page, and current TNT Champion Scorpio Sky.
Tay Conti On PVZ’s Wrestling Future
Speaking to Brandon Walker of Barstool Rasslin’, Tay Conti explained why she hasn’t been able to continue her feud with PVZ (h/t Wrestling Inc).
“What’s her name again, the chick from the OnlyFans? Paige VanZant, waiting on her. She signed, never here, waiting on her. I do both, I am here, I’m on Instagram, she can’t handle it, that’s not on me. So, you guys need to complain with her. You guys need to hate her, not me, because I am here doing my job.”
When PVZ does eventually return, she’ll likely be taking aim at Tay for her trash talk. Ever since VanZant went to prepare for her next fight, Tay has been playing more of a heel role with Sammy Guevara despite AEW’s confusing direction with the two.
With VanZant, there is the question of how much she is invested in the wrestling industry. WWE Attitude Era star Gangrel, who trains VanZant, recently admitted that the former UFC star hasn’t been as passionate about the business and someone else he’s high on in the gym.
According to a source within AEW, much of the roster is frustrated with the company for a variety of reasons.
“A source from the AEW locker room tells us that MJF is hardly the only talent feeling some level of discontent, describing the backstage atmosphere as ‘chaotic’ with a lack of structure, with common complaints ranging from not knowing angles or finishes until close to showtime, and things like redundant finishes and angles to set up matches being very frustrating.
“Every single one of us is pulling out hair out, according to one source. While not on the same level of WWE issues like Monday Night RAW often being rewritten the day of or even on the fly as the show is airing, we are told that AEW is not all sunshine and rainbows.”
MJF’s contract with AEW will expire in January 2024 and WWE, in addition to their network partners has shown interest in him.
Will MJF jump?
After trying out for WWE Tough Enough in 2015, could MJF be finally joining the promotion in 2024?
With his incredibly rude heel persona and colorful language, it’s hard to see MJF making a splash in the PG waters of WWE.
WWE was going to collapse the ring as part of their original plans for this week’s Steel Cage match between Bobby Lashley and Omos.
On Raw, the two competed in a match Lashley won, after being thrown into the wall of the cage which collapsed under his weight.
According to WrestleVotes on Twitter, the match was supposed to feature a spot where the ring collapsed but this was nixed.
Over the course of the past week, there was an idea for a collapsing ring angle during the cage match tonight on RAW w/ Omos & Lashley. I’ve heard that idea got squashed over the weekend. Good. It’s way overplayed.
While Lashley got the win this week, his victory was far from clean, and he and Omos are still tied at Premium Live Events.
Lashley got the win at WrestleMania 38 while Omos defeated “The All Mighty” at WrestleMania Backlash in Lashley’s first televised pinfall loss in seven months.
While a rubber match seems likely to take place at Hell in a Cell, the question is whether the match will take place inside the Cell itself.
WWE currently has just one Cell match confirmed for the June 5, Premium Live Event: Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins.
This week’s Steel Cage match was Omos’ first time inside a structure and may have been a test to see how he’d fair inside Hell in a Cell.
Appearing on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio to give his thoughts on the situation, James explained why this may be all for show.
“When I see them publically put it all out there like that, it just makes me feel like it’s a work, you know what I mean? It just makes me feel like, if that really happened, in my mind, they would just change the main event, and probably not even say anything.
“I think it is a publicity stunt to try and add some heat to the tag titles. But again, that’s just me, and I’m a cynical worker who’s been around the business my whole life, so I think everything’s a work.”
“I think it is a publicity stunt to try and add some heat to the tag titles.”
‘Road Dogg’ Jesse James
Road Dogg was with WWE until January 2022 when he was released from his role at the Performance Center.
James was released alongside his brother Scott Armstrong, William Regal, and others.
Many people questioned the reports suggesting that Sasha Banks and Naomi walked out of Raw because the latter was supposed to win the six-pack challenge main event at the show. PWinsider has provided some more updates and shed some light on how things unfolded on Monday before the Raw episode.
Per the site, the original plans were for Naomi to beat Sasha Banks to win the main event. This confrontation would have been built with multiple segments throughout the show. The Raw episode then would have gone off air with the duo celebrating Naomi becoming the #1 contender for the Raw women’s championship.
There are some who believe that Banks was also going to get a shot at the SmackDown women’s title. A segment on Friday’s SmackDown would have set a match between her and Ronda Rousey, presumably for Hell In A Cell. Though both the tag team partners were expected to lose their respective title matches. This would effectively mean that the women’s tag team champions would have been used to put over the champions of Raw and SmackDown.
An alternative idea for a women’s championship feud was pitched after some concerns were raised over the original plans. The idea was for the tag team champions to have a short match and then get attacked to set up a championship feud with Doudrop and Nikki A.S.H. However, Sasha Banks and Naomi were informed by WWE producer Molly Holly not long before the show went on air that the officials had decided to go in the direction of the six-pack challenge instead.
When Mr McMahon Found Out About Sasha Banks and Naomi
Shortly after learning about this change, Banks and Naomi walked into the office of John Laurinaitis. They informed him of their decision to leave and left the championship belts behind. Vince McMahon was informed of the events right after Raw went on air.
The Becky Lynch – Adam Pearce segment that took place during the show was then pitched on the spot. One source has credited Lynch for the idea. Mr McMahon ordered for the segment to be shot and placed on the show to explain the change in the main event which had already been announced by that point.
The belief among some is that the creative issues weren’t about the finish of the show but how the duo would have been portrayed over the coming weeks, leading to the upcoming PPV. Nobody knew what would happen to their team after the show. This was especially problematic because Mr McMahon himself had ordered Banks and Naomi to team up for WrestleMania 38 and they worked hard to build their team.
Sasha Banks has since unfollowed Vince McMahon and other WWE accounts on Twitter. Meanwhile, report suggest that the locker room is not sympathetic towards the boss for her actions on Monday. How this story will evolve is anyone’s guess. We will keep you updated on any further development.
The Shad Gaspard foundation has started a campaign to ensure better security arrangements at the beaches of Los Angeles.
The foundation run by the widow of the late WWE star and other family members has initiated a petition to put proper warning flags over the beaches of the city.
The petition mentions how 456 rescues had already been made over the weekend at the Venice beach where Gaspard later drowned after getting caught in a current.
The Shad Gaspard Foundation is demanding to get warning flags placed on Venice beach, Dockweiler State beach, Sunset beach, Marina beach, Mother’s beach, Play Del Rey beach, Pacific Ocean beach, Will Rogers State beach, and Santa Monica beach:
Shad had multiple runs with WWE between 2002 and 2010. He is probably best known for his work as part of the Cryme Tyme tag team on the main roster.
The late wrestling star passed away in a tragic manner back on May 17, 2020. He was visiting the Venice beach with his family when Shad and his son got caught in a strong rip current.
When lifeguards approached, Gaspard requested them to save his son first. Unfortunately, the late star had disappeared when guards returned. His body was found 2 days later.
Former WWE star Ariane Andrew believes her close friend Naomi was manipulated, which led to her decision to exit while Raw was on the air.
Naomi and Sasha Banks are the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions. The two were scheduled to be a part of a six-pack challenge on the May 16 episode of Raw.
The match was to feature Naomi, Sasha, Asuka, Becky Lynch, Nikki A.S.H., and Doudrop. The winner was to get a shot at Bianca Belair’s Raw Women’s Championship.
Ariane Andrew, formerly known as Cameron in WWE, spoke to SEScoops’ Steve Fall in an exclusive interview. During the chat, she expressed her belief that Naomi was influenced by someone to ditch Raw mid-show. She heavily implied that “someone” is Sasha Banks.
“What happened I think — I’m just gonna remove Sasha because Sasha’s done this before. Sasha’s a great athlete, let me not get this twisted cause I don’t want fans coming for me. She’s definitely deserved — like she’s a great wrestler, she’s a great character, she does what she has to do.
“My girl Naomi, she wouldn’t do this and I feel like she wouldn’t do this unless she had someone manipulating and telling her how to do this. Let’s best believe if I was here, coming as a Funkadactyl we wouldn’t have this happening at all.”
Reunion?
(via WWE)
Ariane used to team with Naomi as part of The Funkadactyls. She offered assistance to her good friend if she wants to stay in a tag team.
“This is where we’re at, so it’s unfortunate what happened but I’m gonna say it right here: Naomi, I’ve always been your girl, I’ve always been by your side. Do you need a tag team partner to come help you out?
“Cause I’m here because I got you and we ain’t gonna do this foolishness. We can still make a dream team happen, we can make history happen, and we ain’t gotta do all this stuff. Just play the game, girl. I’ll play it with you.”
Sasha Banks A Manipulator?
Sasha Banks
When pushed on whether or not she believes Sasha is indeed the manipulator, Ariane had the following to say:
“Again, Sasha is Sasha. You have Snoop Dogg as your cousin. You’re a top athlete, you can do whatever the f*ck you wanna do. You can literally say what you wanna say, do what you wanna do with no repercussion.
“And if you’re a star athlete, I feel like she can back it up. The one thing that she can do is she can back it up. It’s not like, ‘oh she can have all these people who can back her up without having the talent to do so or the beauty.’
“She’s a f*cking top f*cking b*tch, she can f*cking back it up in the ring but if you have the top agent, you have a top celebrity backing you up, a thousand percent you’re gonna have the extra boost.
“But someone like Naomi, where’s your extra boost?”
Reports have claimed that Sasha had been unhappy with Vince McMahon over creative plans. In a statement issued by WWE, the company said the two left their tag team titles on the desk of John Laurinaitis’ desk and said they felt they weren’t appreciated.
PWInsider reported that Naomi was supposed to win the six-pack challenge and challenge Bianca Belair for the Raw Women’s Championship at Hell in a Cell. It’s also been reported that Sasha was set to challenge Ronda Rousey for the SmackDown Women’s Title.
Both Naomi and Sasha were expected to lose those matches.
Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline noted on Wrestling Observer Live that sources told him there is zero sympathy for Sasha Banks backstage at WWE. As far as Naomi goes, it appears no one backstage has badmouthed her over the situation.
Please give proper credit to SEScoops if you use our interview for your story
The May 17, 2022 episode of WWE NXT aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center.
WWE NXT Results
Cameron Grimes & Solo Sikoa def. Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams.
Lash Legend def. Tatum Paxley to advance to the Breakout Tournament Semi-Finals.
The Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar) def. The Creed Brothers (Brutus Creed & Julius Creed) (w/Roderick Strong & Damon Kemp).
Grayson Waller def. Andre Chase (w/Bodhi Hayward).
Roxanne Perez def. Kiana James to advance to the Semi-Finals of the Breakout Tournament.
Wes Lee vs. Nathan Frazer declared a no contest due to interference from Von Wagner.
Santos Escobar def. Tony D’Angelo
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Bron Breakker Answers Joe Gacy
WWE NXT Champion Bron Breakker answered Joe Gacy on this show after Gacy asked him to join his movement.
After Breakker beat Gacy to retain the title two weeks ago at Spring Breakin’ Gacy and his followers kidnapping Breakker following the bout. Last week, Gacy invited Breakker to join him during an in-ring promo.
This week, Bron came out and said that after everything they’ve gone through, Gacy can kiss his ass. He said that he’s not coming after him to beat him, but to put him unconscious. Gacy appeared in the crowd and said Bron has a long history of violence. Gacy said their journey is not over and Bron rejected an opportunity of a lifetime. Bron accepted his challenge for another match. Gacy said it’s time to up the stakes. Gacy said the stip of the match is if Bron gets DQ’d then he will lose the title. Bron accepted.
The Creed Brothers vs. The Viking Raiders in a tag team match took place.
The Creeds defeated The Viking Raiders at Spring Breakin’ after a distraction from Roderick Strong. Last week, Strong introduced Damon Kemp as the Diamond Mine group’s newest member. Now the group includes The Creeds, Ivy Nile, and Strong.
The match saw some outside interference by Strong and Julias told him that he didn’t need him after tossing out of the ring. This led to Viking Raiders hitting their finisher for the win.
Cameron Grimes & Solo Sikoa vs. Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams
Cameron Grimes & Solo Sikoa vs. Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams was booked.
Grimes will defend the North American Title against Hayes at the In Your House special on June 4th. Grimes has agreed to then defend the title against Sikoa next if he gets by Hayes.
The match opened the show and they got some time to work a good match with the heels dominating most of it. Solo won it with a splash off the top rope on Hayes.
Santos Escobar vs. Tony D’Angelo in a singles match took place.
These two stars have been feuding for several weeks. The two have abducted each other’s associates on NXT as of late despite having a sitdown meeting.
They looked to settle the score. The bout headlined the show and was back and forth. Tony went to get his crowbar, but he didn’t have it. Instead, Santos grabbed brass knuckles and hit Tony in the face with it for the win.
WWE NXT is officially going back on the road as the company announced on Tuesday night that live event touring will resume next month.
Tickets will go on sale this Friday, May 20, at 10 am ET on Etix for eight house shows that will take place in Florida starting on June 10, running through July 23. More dates will be announced soon.
Touring Schedule
June 10 at the University Arena Community Complex in Tampa, Florida
June 11 at the Largo Events Center in Largo, Florida
June 24 at the Jacksonville Armory in Jacksonville, Florida
June 25 at the Venice Community Center in Venice, Florida
July 8 at the Citrus Springs Community Center in Dunnellon, Florida
July 9 at the Englewood Neighborhood Center in Orlando, Florida
July 22 at the Melbourne Auditorium in Melbourne, Florida
July 23 at the Cocoa Armory in Cocoa Beach, Florida
NXT has not run any live events since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and wrestlers have only been working TV events since then. Prior to the pandemic, NXT ran house shows both in Florida and out of state.
Since last summer, there had been reports of WWE discussing this return, but up until now, it kept getting delayed.
Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat has ultimately decided not to be Ric Flair’s final opponent.
Fightful had reported that plans were in place to have Steamboat be Flair’s opponent although it wouldn’t have been a singles match. The report left some concerned as Jake “The Snake” Roberts claimed “The Dragon” was going through health issues.
The good, and most important news is that Ricky Steamboat told fans during a Highspots autograph signing live stream that he’s in good health and regularly gets checked by doctors.
Ricky Steamboat Won’t Face Ric Flair On July 31
Ric Flair is set to have his final match on July 31. While a healthy Steamboat would’ve been the perfect choice for an opponent given their history, it’s not going to happen.
During the Highspots live stream, Ricky Steamboat revealed he turned down Starrcast’s offer to share the ring with the “Nature Boy” for the final time (h/t Fightful).
“Well, I was approached and given it really some serious thought. A lot of respect to the guy in the ring. You know, both of us are night and day when it comes to stuff out of the ring.
“Flair wouldn’t be Flair without it.
“I thought about it for a week and just recently just declined on it. I know when I wrestled Jericho at WrestleMania 25, then we had the return match at Backlash in a singles, but at 69, and I know it’s a six-man tag and I could get a little this and that in, but with all due respect to our fans, I want them to remember me that last time I was in there with Jericho when they chanted, ‘You still got it.’
XFL has reached a broadcast rights agreement. The football league now owned by Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Dany Garcia announced today at the 2022 Upfronts that they’ve agreed on a multi-year agreement with ESPN and The Walt Disney Company for their exclusive broadcast rights.
The deal runs from 2023 through 2027. All 43 games each season will air and stream across ABC, ESPN and FX. The 2023 season will kick off on Saturday, February 18.
“This is a definitive moment for the XFL and the beginning of an incredible, long-term partnership for the league, building on my longstanding, very successful legacy relationship I’ve had with Disney throughout my career,” Johnson said.
“We’re excited to be working with global visionaries that are aligned with the XFL’s values, are true team players and share our ambitious goals to grow the XFL as a global sports and entertainment business. Through the combined power of Disney, ESPN and the XFL, together we will create a new powerhouse on the sports calendar and bring a dynamic game of football to fans everywhere. Time to ball out.”
The Rock and Garcia were part of a group that purchased the XFL for $15 million in August 2020. This came after the XFL filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy while owned by WWE Chairman Vince McMahon in early 2020 after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since then, former XFL commissioner Oliver Luck filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against McMahon and McMahon has filed a countersuit. Although they took part in a settlement conference in March, an agreement was not reached.
On the May 9 episode of Raw, Cody Rhodes challenged Theory for the WWE United States Championship. During the match, Jimmy Smith mentioned that Cody may have had ring rust since he hadn’t been in WWE in six years.
Corey Graves was quick to correct the comment and while he didn’t mention AEW, he did say that Cody has been active over the years.
KO wasn’t about to let Jimmy forget that line on the May 16 episode of Raw. Owens was a guest commentator during a match between Ezekiel and Chad Gable.
Owens had the following zinger for Jimmy:
“Just like you said Cody Rhodes hadn’t wrestled in six years. That was ridiculous, too. Thankfully, Corey was here to put you in your place.”
For the most part, Jimmy has settled in nicely with his role as the play-by-play commentator on Raw. If anything, he’s been far better than Adnan Virk but Jimmy was more of an MMA guy than a wrestling aficionado.
This likely caused the slip up unless he was told by someone in the “Gorilla Position” to say the line and he ended up getting roasted for it anyway.
William Regal insists he will never have another wrestling match.
Regal brings tremendous value to any wrestling promotion he enters. While he hasn’t had a match since 2013, the living legend was vital backstage for WWE when Triple H ran NXT. He continues to be a huge asset, working as an onscreen character for AEW and behind the scenes.
While many believe Regal has one more match in him, the king of Blackpool thinks otherwise.
William Regal Remains Retired
During an interview with Metro, William Regal said he has no plans of ever stepping back inside the squared circle for anything other than some banter or some minor physicality.
A match, however, is out of the question.
“No, never. No. My last official match was against Cesaro. My last few years, I didn’t realize – it’s come out recently, I had a serious neck problem for 20-odd years. It finally caught up with me.
“All I ever wanted was a 20-year wrestling career when I started – I ended up with a 30-year wrestling career. I couldn’t have asked for any more. If you’re not me and you’re just looking from the outside, “Oh he should have been this, he should have been that” – no.
“I was very happy with what I achieved. If I’d have never come to America, I had an incredible career. By the time I was 24, I’d been to 19 countries. In 20 to 24, I’d been to all the best places you could go to, wrestling all the best wrestling.
“If it’d stopped then, I’d have had an incredible career. Everything after that – everything after leaving Blackpool Pleasure Beach was a bonus for me!”
Currently, Regal is the leader of the Blackpool Combat Club. He also serves as the manager. The group features Jon Moxley, Bryan Danielson, and Wheeler Yuta.
Regal’s group has gotten involved in a feud with the Chris Jericho Appreciation Society. The feud began as Moxley’s close friend, Eddie Kingston, was viciously attacked by Jericho backstage. Kingston had a fireball thrown in his face by Jericho, prompting the BCC to retaliate.
Both Bryan Alvarez and Wade Keller have reported there is not much sympathy for Sasha Banks after she alongside Naomi walked out of last night’s WWE Raw.
On today’s Wrestling Observer Live, Alvarez stated that you would think wrestlers in WWE would get upset with bad creative and side with Banks and Naomi if they were handed that and took a stand. However, that’s not the case.
There have been some wrestlers such as AEW’s Dax Harwood and CM Punk in addition to Shayna Baszler, who have publicly supported the two stars following them walking out of the show. However, those in WWE don’t feel the same way about Banks and haven’t said anything about Naomi.
He stated that he hasn’t heard from anybody in WWE who has been sticking up for them. Instead, he’s heard people call Banksnames including a mark for her actions.
“I have heard zero support for Sasha Banks in this situation. So, quite frankly if you want you can get mad at me if you want…I’ve been a lot nicer on this show than anything I’ve heard from people in WWE over the last 24 hours. Hey, if you want to come after me then go for it…Zero support, I’m talking zero. It’s funny [because] I haven’t heard anyone say anything about Naomi and she walked out too. It’s all about Sasha. I’ve heard it all – Mark, Diva, the list goes on and on. There is zero support for Sasha Banks walking out of WWE over all of this. People are furious. They think it’s ridiculous. They think that she’s whatever. So, that’s the story. Where this goes, I don’t know but literally, every single bit of support that I’ve seen for Sasha Banks coming out of this has either been from people in another company that weren’t there last night and that’s it…or fans. Her actual co-workers have zero sympathy for what happened here. I think that should probably tell you something.”
As previously reported, WWE originally had plans for Naomi to challenge Raw Women’s champion Bianca Belair and Banks to challenge SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey at Hell in a Cell.
While there seems to be universal support for Banks and Naomi, one WWE star who is somewhat under fire is Raw color-commentator, Corey Graves. The former NXT tag champion called the duo unprofessional during last night’s broadcast, a comment that didn’t sit will with the WWE Universe. His full call was, “”Sasha Banks and Naomi summarily and unprofessionally walked out.”
Graves’ wife, former SmackDown women’s champion Carmella, came to his defense on Twitter after one fan in particular tagged her regarding the line. Carmella fired back, stating that Graves was just doing his job, while also indicating that the line was most likely fed to him from someone backstage. Her full response was:
“Imagine still living in a world where you think he just says whatever he wants. He does his job. Period.”
You can see the exchange below.
Imagine still living in a world where you think he just says whatever he wants. He does his job. Period.
