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WWE Delays RK-Bro-Nament Finals Due To Injuries

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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WWE has announced that its final match in the RK-Bro-Nament has been pushed back.

The Dec. 13 episode of Raw was supposed to feature a tag team match between Rey & Dominik Mysterio and The Street Profits. The winners would’ve been guaranteed a shot at Randy Orton and Matt Riddle for the Raw Tag Team Championships.

As plans will be, plans will go awry.

RK-Bro-Nament Finals Rescheduled

WWE’s Sarah Schreiber has announced that due to injuries on both teams, the mini-tournament has been pushed back to Dec. 27.

“I have some breaking news for you. The finals of the RK-Bro-Nament between Rey and Dominik Mysterio and The Street Profits have been postponed for tonight due to injuries on both set of teams.

“But we have it rescheduled in two weeks to find out who will earn the Raw Tag Team Championship opportunity on December 27th on Monday Night Raw.”

There is no word on exactly who suffered injuries. It should be noted that Montez Ford of The Street Profits did not appear at the house show events this past weekend. His partner, Angelo Dawkins, was in singles action.

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

Bully Ray: ‘Ring of Honor Has Created More Stars Of Today Than Any Other Company’

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Bully Ray believes Ring of Honor deserves credit for creating many of the stars that are renowned today.

ROH held its Final Battle PPV event this past Saturday (Dec. 11). The main event saw Jonathan Gresham defeat Jay Lethal to become the ROH World Champion. This was the final event before ROH goes on hiatus.

Back in October, Ring of Honor announced that it will be going dark to undergo a “reconceptualizing” process. It was later revealed that the company planned to release all of its on-air talent.

Bully Ray Praises ROH’s History Creating Stars

  • CM Punk vs. Bryan Danielson ROH
    (via PWI)

We’ve seen plenty of fan favorites get their first run in ROH. That fact isn’t lost on Bully Ray, who gave the company its due during an episode of Busted Open Radio.

“Pound-for-pound Ring of Honor has created more stars of today than any other company. We talk about ECW and how ECW changed the landscape of a wrestling business.

“Very few ECW guys came out of ECW and were considerably more successful than they were in ECW as Ring of Honor. I mean, the list goes on and on. From the Samoa Joes, to the AJ Styles’, to the Seth Rollins’, to the CM Punks, yadda yadda.

“Star after star after star and that’s why so many other companies, including NXT in its early days, mimicked everything that went on in Ring of Honor because Ring of Honor was truly giving wrestling fans an alternative in-ring style to what they were seeing in the WWE.”

Many stars who made their first big mark in the industry under the ROH banner made pre-taped appearances at Final Battle. Some of the names include CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, and Adam Cole.

It’ll be interesting to see where some of the ROH wrestlers will end up.

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

Tony Khan Teases AEW Debuts in the Coming Weeks

Michael Reichlin
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AEW presents a special Winter is Coming edition of Dynamite this Wednesday night on TNT.

Last year’s installment saw Kenny Omega capture the AEW World Championship from Jon Moxley and the surprise debut of Sting. This Wednesday, Adam Page defends that same title against Bryan Danielson. Some fans are expecting another big debut to keep that tradition going as well.

AEW President Tony Khan knows that fans are on high alert for more debuts. According to TK, fans should stay tuned to AEW programming over the next several weeks for some big surprises.

These Next Few Weeks…

Tony Khan spoke with DAZN this week and addressed the rich free agent market. He hinted at having a few tricks up his sleeve in the weeks ahead.

“I’m more than aware that there’s a number of free agents out there,” said Khan. “Wrestlers I admire, too. But I’ve got to say, you’ve just have to keep watching over these next few weeks — and not just, ‘Winter is Coming.’”

In addition To Winter is Coming, AEW has a few more special hows taking place over the next month. AEW Dynamite moves to TBS on Wednesday, January 5th. You can be sure that AEW will pull out all the stops to ensure that’s a memorable broadcast.

Just a few days later, All Elite Wrestling presents Battle of the Belts, a 2-hour Saturday night event on TNT (Saturday, January 8th).

There is no shortage of big names that could appear on AEW television at any time. Although nothing is certain, potential AEW debuts in the weeks ahead could include Wyndham Rotunda (Bray Wyatt), Johnny Gargano, Kyle O’Reilly or even new ROH World Champion Jonathan Gresham.

Jonathan Gresham Wants To Defend ROH Title Against CM Punk & Bryan Danielson

Jonathan Gresham Wants To Defend ROH Title Against CM Punk & Bryan Danielson

Chris Stephens
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Jonathan Gresham defeated Jay Lethal in the main event of Final Battle 2021. The event represented the end of an era for Ring of Honor. The promotion is now moving forward without keeping any talent on contract. When the company announced its change in business plans, it also noted there are plans to hold a return event in April during WrestleMania week.

New ROH World Champion Jonathan Gresham spoke to Sports Illustrated recently and noted that it is up to him to keep the spirit of ROH alive.

“Final Battle was a night that was full circle for me,” Gresham says. “I spent a lot of time with the fans at ringside. There were so many people there I knew—from the independents, from seminars, fans from smaller independent shows, like NOVA Pro [in Virginia], guys that stayed on my couch during our travels—and everyone kept telling me they had to see me win the Ring of Honor title. I have enjoyed this entire ride, so all of that meant the world to me.”

“As champion, it is up to me to keep the spirit and the essence of Ring of Honor alive,” Gresham says. “I will preserve and protect Pure wrestling as Ring of Honor world champion.”

Gresham continued to say that he plans on making the Ring of Honor title the most important championship in wrestling. To do that, Gresham says, he has to wrestle CM Punk and Bryan Danielson.

“I am going to make this championship the best wrestling title in the world,” he says. “In order to do that, I need to wrestle two men who helped make the Ring of Honor title the best in the world: Bryan Danielson and CM Punk.”

https://twitter.com/TheJonGresham/status/1469898842229583874

Gresham is the 29th wrestler to win the ROH World Championship. His victory at Final Battle 2021 was the 36th title change in the championships lineage. Adam Cole is the only wrestler to win the title 3x. Jay Lethal has spent the most time as champion at 707 days. Samoa Joe holds the record for the longest single reign with the belt at 645 days.

The full article can be read here.

Jimmy Rave Passes Away at 39

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Jimmy Rave, an ex-TNA and ROH star, has died at the age of 39.

Well-known talent agent Bill Behrens broke the news on his Twitter account. Here’s what was said in his statement.

“James had been struggling with drug addiction for many years. His struggles resulted in the amputation of his arm and, later, both of his legs.

“James is survived by his ex-wife Felicia, daughter Kailah, son James II, and parents Jim & Toni Guffey. At the time of his death, he was living in the Philadelphia, PA area with Gabby Gilbert.

“RIP, James Michael Guffey, 12/8/82 — 12/12/21

“Memorial services will be held in Georgia. Details will be released at a later time.”

As Behrens mentioned, Jimmy had to endure serious health problems as a result of his drug addiction. Back in Nov. 2020, he announced his retirement after he needed to have his left arm amputated due to an infection.

Things only got worse for Jimmy Rave the following year. Back in October, he revealed that he had to have both his legs amputated as well.

At the time, Jimmy explained that he had MRSA in both his legs. He also revealed steep medical expenses. A GoFundMe page was set up for Jimmy and $47,361 of the $100,000 goal was met.

Reactions to Jimmy Rave Passing Away

The wrestling world has reacted to this devastating news.

We at SEScoops send our condolences to the family and friends of Jimmy Rave.

Fan Confronts Jim Ross For Smoking Despite Cancer Diagnosis

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

One caring fan has taken Jim Ross to task over smoking cigarettes again.

Back in October, JR revealed that he has been diagnosed with skin cancer. The voice of AEW is taking time off in order to keep up with his treatment schedule. He expects to be fine once he’s undergone all of his treatments.

Fan Gives Jim Ross Tough Love

During an episode of his Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross answered some fan questions. One fan was quite concerned over the fact that JR smokes cigarettes despite his cancer diagnosis.

Fan: “I’ve got a little bit of a bone to pick with you. You kinda pissed me off and I’m gonna tell you why but it’s out of love that I’m pissed off at ya. So, are you still smoking?”

JR: “I’m not smoking this very moment but yes. Is that your bone?”

Fan: “What the hell man? I need you to live for another at least 30 years and if you’re smoking that ain’t gonna happen. Especially, you got cancer, right? Why?”

JR: “Thanks for reminding me [laughs].”

Fan: “Hell, if you’re smoking you’re not making it any better. I need you around, man. I love you.”

JR: “Thank you very much. I love you too.”

Ross went on to explain why he picked up smoking again after quitting for 20 years.

“It’s a bad habit and I’m not gonna try to defend it. Look, I quit for 20 years and when Jan [JR’s wife] got killed followed by the freaking COVID, those are my two excuses. The stress of her dying had me pick up cigarettes again. I’m glad I didn’t pick up anything heavier, so I didn’t. But nonetheless, they’re poor reasons. They’re not reasons, they’re excuses but nonetheless, I appreciate your concern.”

Back in 2017, Jan Ross was struck by a car as she was riding her Vespa in Oklahoma. Jan passed away due to her injuries.

Despite being off AEW TV temporarily, JR is still very much active on his podcast. He’s also in the midst of starting his own cannabis company.

Ross may be battling skin cancer now but this isn’t the first time. He underwent a skin procedure back in 2016 and had the cancer removed from his shoulder two years later.

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

Bret Hart Honored By Canada Walk of Fame Induction

Chris Stephens
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Bret Hart will be honored on Canada’s Walk of Fame on December 17th. Chris Jericho is set to induct him during the ceremony. Hart recently spoke to the Toronto Sun about what the induction means to him.

“It will always mean a lot when you’re celebrated and honoured amongst your peers and fellow wrestlers,” Hart said.”The WWE Hall of Fame always meant a lot to me. This is even higher to me in a sense. You’re being lumped in with Canadians – great Canadians and the contributions they’ve made in their fields. It means a lot to me to be honoured by Canadians across the country for my wrestling career.”

Among other inductees for this year’s Canada Walk of Fame are Bruce Cockburn and Keanu Reeves.

Hart talked about some of the best matches of his career. He noted a flag match from 1997 in Halifax he had as one of his favourites.

“I think one that stands out is a flag match I had in Halifax at the height of the U.S. and Canada bashing (storyline in 1997). It was me, Jim Neidhart , Owen, (Brian) Pillman and Davey Boy (Smith) . It was all five of us on one side. I remember we ended up winning and it just pissed off the American wrestling fans so much.”

Much like MJF did in Long Island last week on AEW Dynamite, the Hart Foundation cheated to win the match and the Halifax fans cheered them on while they did it.

“We cheated all the way through the match and we celebrated like the good guys and the (Halifax) fans cheered. It was very warped in a sense because the American fans were like, ‘that ain’t right.’ The next week we’d be in San Antonio where they wanted to kill us.”

Ric Flair On If He Has One More Match Left In Him

Chris Stephens
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Ric Flair Flair recently spent some time on his Wooo Nation Uncensored podcast talking about if he has one more match left in him. This summer, Flair got physical during Andrade’s match at AAA’s TripleMania event. Mark Madden asked him about this during the show.

“I can do anything,” Flair said. “WWE won’t let me do anything.”

Flair continued to talk about his efforts to get WWE to let him be physical in the ring before his departure from the company.

“I totally understand, they’ve got so much liability. I told them I’d sign anything. Nobody wants me to die on their watch, if that makes sense. I’d rather die in the ring.”

Madden responded that he’d rather Flair didn’t die at all. “No, but I meant if I have to go,” Flair answered him.

“I’d rather not spend another 31 days in the ICU on life support, does that make sense?” Flair continued.

“It took me 3 years to get back to my feet after that. I did not just snap up.”

He continued to talk about how his wife Wendy supported him and took a class on how to best help him.

“I can never, ever, thank her enough,” he said of Wendy.

Flair’s comments can be heard in the player below:

If you use any of the above quotes please credit Ric Flair’s YouTube channel and give a H/T to SEScoops for the transcriptions.

R-Truth On What He Would Like To Do After Retirement

Anutosh Bajpai
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There is currently no sunset in sight for R-Truth but when he does hang up his wrestling boots, he would like to continue his involvement with WWE.

The former 24/7 champion has talked about his relationship with Vince McMahon and how he has gained the trust of the boss numerous times.

During his recent appearance on Out of Character podcast, Truth was asked if he would like to stick around the company after his retirement. Replying to it, he claimed that he is ready to take on anything Mr McMahon offers:

“Definitely. I definitely want to stick around and help with creative. Anything Vince would give me. He knows me, I’m easy going. I make it happen. You give it to me, I’ll build it and make it,”

Even at 49 years old, R-Truth continues to be one of the most prominent WWE stars who is always doing something interesting. So it doesn’t appear the talked retirement will be coming anytime soon.

The wrestling veteran also recently told the amazing story of how he got into the wrestling world when he originally wanted to be a rapper. He revealed how a couple of former wrestlers helped him get into WWE.

R Truth Opens Up About His Struggles After WWE Release In 2002

Thanks to Fightful for the transcribed quotes

Booker T Says AEW Is The Last Place Jeff Hardy Should Be

Chris Stephens
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Jeff Hardy was released from WWE last week after being sent home from a recent WWE live event tour. Booker T doesn’t believe that Hardy should be thinking about going to AEW right now. Rather, Booker believes Hardy should be getting the help he needs. He spoke on the subject recently on his Hall of Fame podcast with Brad Gilmore.

“I know people gonna be calling for him to be going to AEW and whatnot. I’m sure that’s already the talk out there, but I think that’s the last place he needs to be right now. From a monetary perspective, you’ll always be ‘checking,’ okay? So that right there can motivate you to go do work when you really don’t need to. My thing is, hopefully he gets the help he needs.”

Booker continued to say that Jeff and his brother Matt have a long history in WWE and likely would have had a job there forever.

“Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, those guys are ‘WWF’ originals. Those guys were literally created through the WWE in that brand, for so many many years. I’m sure a guy like Jeff Hardy, as well as Matt Hardy would’ve had a job there forever doing something.”

WWE reportedly released Hardy after he refused to go to rehab. There was concern regarding Hardy’s performance at a house show event where fans noted he looked sluggish. Hardy also left through the crowd after tagging out during the match.

Footage of Hardy at the house show is available below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=653&v=9WD9T1Rofgc&feature=emb_logo

H/T to WrestleZone for transcriptions.

Watch: The Undertaker’s TikTok Q&A

Michael Reichlin
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The Undertaker participated in a rapid-fire Q&A session on TikTok over the weekend.

The Dead Man answered a bunch of questions, including his toughest opponent and his favorite current WWE Superstar, on the WWE TikTok account.

Here are some highlights, followed by a video embed of The Undertaker answering the questions.

Who is The Undertaker’s favorite current WWE Superstar?

Answer: Edge

Who was The Undertaker’s toughest opponent?

Answer: Yokozuna

Undertaker Yokozuna

Which wrestler does he wish he could have worked with?

Answer: Andre the Giant

Who is The Undertaker’s favorite professional athlete?

Answer: Tyron Smith of the Dallas Cowboys

Who has the best ring gear in WWE?

Answer: Rey Mysterio

Who has the best ring entrance?

Answer: Drew McIntyre

What did The Undertaker think when he retired?

Answer: “It’s over.”

Watch The Undertaker’s TikTok Q&A:

@wwe

We sat @undertaker down for a rapid-fire Q&A! #WWE #SportsTikTok

? original sound – WWE

Amanda Huber Pens Article About Brodie Lee

Chris Stephens
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The world lost Jon Huber (aka Brodie Lee) on December 26th, 2020. Coming up on the 1-year anniversary of his passing, Brodie’s wife Amanda has penned a column for the Players Tribune about her husband.

“I know there’s a tendency, after someone passes, to want to sugarcoat things — to tell the ‘easy’ version of the story. But that’s not something I’m interested in doing with the story of me and Jon. It just wouldn’t feel right. Our love was never perfect….. but it was always real,” Huber wrote.

Amanda continued to write about the early parts of their relationship, when both were on the independent wrestling scene. She also spoke about her efforts to make it in wrestling back during this time.

“But I won’t lie: I still get sad, sometimes, when I think about the wrestling business of a decade ago, the wrestling business that I tried to make it in. Because the truth is….. that business chewed me up and then spit me out, pretty much.”

“Too many years of being around types of behavior that we didn’t even have words for yet.”

The article continues to detail Jon’s career in WWE and their marriage. Eventually, Amanda covers Jon getting sick and the very difficult conversations she had to have with her kids.

“Today would have been our tenth anniversary. December 13th, 2011 — that’s the day we got married. It was a Tuesday (and you know what that means). Counting everything….. I guess we knew each other for about 18 years. Funny how that seems both so long and so short.”

The full article is available here.

Adam Cole eager to work with Kyle O’Reilly & Johnny Gargano again

Michael Reichlin
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Adam Cole would “love” the chance to reunite with Kyle O’Reilly. He’s also eager to work with Johnny Gargano once again.

Luckily for us, there’s a strong possibility we’ll get to see both scenarios play out in the near future.

Over the weekend, AEW held a Q&A panel at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo. Talent in attendance included Adam “Hangman” Page, CM Punk, Adam Cole, Ruby Riott, Billy Gunn and Christopher Daniels.

Cole was asked about the reuniting with former Undisputed Era partner Kyle O’Reilly. O’Reilly and Johnny Gargano’s WWE contracts expired last week. Both men are available to work anywhere, effective immediately.

Kyle O’Reilly & Johnny Gargano

Adam Cole has no idea what Kyle’s next move will be. “I’m not sure he even knows what he’s going to do,” he said. “But the idea of getting to reunite with Kyle as well as Bobby [Fish]? Hell yeah, I would love that. Hell yeah I would. Absolutely.”

Panel host Tony Schiavone joked that if you “heard on the Internet” that Kyle O’Reilly is a free agent, then it must be true.

Undisputed Era reuniting in AEW would be huge. However, Adam Cole looks equally excited to resume feuding with another top free agent from NXT.

Another audience member asked, “Who on the stage would be most interested in kicking Johnny Gargano’s ass?”

Adam Cole’s hand went up, which got a big pop from the crowd.

Watch footage from the AEW C2E2 panel below

https://twitter.com/EIiteAEW/status/1470033165746163715

Jordynne Grace, Anthony Ogogo, & Hornswoggle Trade Shots On Twitter

Chris Stephens
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AEW’s Anthony Ogogo recently caused a stir online with some comments about Jonathan Gresham winning the ROH World Championship. Ogogo even tagged Gresham in his Tweet.

“Super cute that @TheJonGresham was the last ever ROH champ, kinda reminds me when Hornswoggle was the last ever cruiserweight champ. Congrats kiddo,” Ogogo Tweeted.

This led to Gresham’s wife, the ever outspoken former Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace, to respond.

“Did you get to the hammer lock part of training yet or are you still at the wrist lock?”

https://twitter.com/JordynneGrace/status/1470109138055274497
https://twitter.com/JordynneGrace/status/1470111197051723784

Ogogo then responded to Grace claiming he does not know who she is.

“Sorry darling, who are you? Hammer locks are child’s play, that’s why Gresham can do them. I’m at the knocking mf’s out and becoming the best athlete turned wrestler there’s ever been, part!” He Tweeted.

https://twitter.com/JordynneGrace/status/1470112610775441409

The former Hornswoggle, Dylan Postl, responded to Ogogo as well.

Ogogo then responded to him:

“Damn bro, who pissed on your cornflakes? I was putting you, and Lil Bill, over. I was buzzing when you did your little thing off the top rope. But if you wanna compare lives, I’ve done a shit ton more in my life than you’ve done in your short life, kiddo. Cheers”

The former Hornswoggle responded to this as well:

Ogogo kept going:

https://twitter.com/JordynneGrace/status/1470118590569459722

Deonna Purrazzo Disappointed More Female Wrestlers Haven’t Gone Through The Forbidden Door

Chris Stephens
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AAA Reina de Reinas Champion and former Impact Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo says she’s disappointed more women haven’t gone through wrestling’s forbidden door. She was recently interviewed by Fightful and spoke about wishing she’d be able to wrestle more opponents from other promotions.

“Yeah. I think I was a little disappointed because for me there’s a ton of dream matches and people I haven’t been in the ring with for years or have never been in the ring with prior,” Purrazzo said. “But, you know what, I think IMPACT was the hub of all of the crossover and we got to do a lot of stuff with NWA. Obviously, my match with Melina was one of the headliners of EmPowerrr. So as disappointing as it is, I have tried to look at the positives now instead of harping on what could have been, let’s look at what was.”

Purrazzo herself has appeared in AAA, NWA, and most recently Ring of Honor at Final Battle. Her and Britt Baker had been angling for a forbidden door match between the two of them, however.

This summer, Impact’s Scott D’Amore says he was cornered by Britt Baker at an AEW show about facing Purrazzo.

“I got cornered by Britt Baker down in Jacksonville a few weeks ago and she’s like, ‘When do I get Deonna?’ I said, ‘Hey, Britt oh, come on. We’ve always said we have an open-door policy and we’re open to doing it,’” D’Amore said on the show. 

“Sometimes there’s a lot of hurdles to jump through but I think the relationship with AEW has been fantastic,” he continued.

Scott D’Amore Says Britt Baker Cornered Him For Match Against Knockouts Champ

Bryan Danielson Appearing at QPW SuperSlam III (Report)

Michael Reichlin
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Bryan Danielson is scheduled to appear at a pro wrestling event in Qatar this coming March, according to Lucha Libre Online.

Danielson has spoken publicly about his desire to wrestle around the world. This is one of the factors that convinced him to join AEW.

The American Dragon will reportedly appear at Qatar Pro Wrestling’s SuperSlam III event. SuperSlam III is scheduled will be held on March 18th and 19th, 2022.

This event will be available to stream internationally at Fite.tv.

QPW Super Slam III

Bryan Danielson in QPW

QPW President Ali Al-Marafi has confirmed the news. Lucha Libre Online states that AEW has already signed off on Danielson’s involvement.

Danielson’s opponent has not yet been announced yet, but the show will feature some of the top names in professional wrestling. He won’t be the only AEW star on the card.

Talent advertised for QPW’s SuperSlam III includes:

  • Jon Moxley
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi
  • Will Ospreay
  • Sammy Guevara
  • “The Titan” Adam Scherr
  • Killer Kross
  • EC3

Also appearing are Sting, Bret Hart, Booker T and Eric Bischoff.

Looking at the talent lineup, it’s exciting to think about Danielson mixing up with the likes of Ospreay, Tanahashi or Kross.

We’ll keep track of this story and provide updates when they become available.

Bayley Provides Injury Update, Timeline for Return

Chris Stephens
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Bayley has been out of action since July after suffering an ACL injury while training for her match at Money in the Bank. At the time, her timeline for return was pegged at 9 months. This would mean she would be ready for return around WrestleMania next year.

Bayley provided an update on the timeline of her return during a recent Q&A on Instagram. We might be seeing her back in action sooner than exepcted.

“So, my knee is doing great, my ankle is doing great, my calf is doing great, my shin is doing great, my hip is doing great. My mind is doing great,” said Bayley.

“It’s only a matter of time. I’m not going to tell you when and I don’t want all these idiots watching to know when. But I’m going to be coming back soon, maybe, no. Y’all better be ready, better be ready.”

In 2020, Bayley topped the Pro Wrestling Illustrated top-100 women’s wrestlers list. Her tag-team with Sasha Banks also ranked #3 on the list of top-50 women’s tag-teams that same year.

Bayley held the Q&A to benefit the Family Giving Tree charity, which provides assistance for family’s living below the poverty line in the Bay Area.

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

H/T To Wrestling Inc. for transcriptions.

CM Punk Teases Big Blow-Off To MJF Feud: “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet”

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

While many believe CM Punk got off to a slow start in AEW, things have picked up since then. The straight edge star has gotten in a feud with MJF. As expected, the two have created an incredible buzz using their mic skills and their recent promo on Dynamite created a lot of headlines. Though if we believe Punk, then what we have seen is just the start. The former world champion was part of the AEW panel at C2E2. Among other things he was asked about his rivalry with the young star.

Replying to it, Punk mentioned how it’s the one matchup everybody wanted to see even when he hadn’t made his return. The wrestling veteran then admitted that MJF is somebody he wanted to share a ring with himself:

“I think that’s one matchup that everybody wanted to see. Before I even came back, I always heard about ‘oh, I want to see MJF and CM Punk go back and forth.’  A lot of people think I am off to a slow start and AEW doing certain things a certain way. But to me, just like Adam Cole just said, there’s five years worth of stuff with all these interchangeable characters and players. MJF is definitely somebody I wanted to share a ring with. I think now that we’re getting to it, people kind of can maybe see the bigger picture. And they can trust AEW as a whole for like the direction of where stuff goes.”

CM Punk Says AEW Likes Making Fans Happy

MJF CM Punk
MJF & CM Punk (Photo: AEW)

CM Punk also discussed how the fans want to know the behind the scene stuff. He claimed that everybody including himself is an armchair booker and it’s just human nature. However, he later mentioned how AEW enjoys giving fans what they want and making them happy. The former WWE star then teased an epic conclusion to his already extraordinary feud with MJF:

“The fans I understand they want to know the behind the scene stuff. They want to peel back the curtain. Everybody’s an armchair booker. I am. Everybody’s an armchair coach or quarterback or whatever. That’s human nature. You watch sports and you’re like, ‘ Oh come on, why did you put that guy in? Why is he in the bench? Why is this guy a healthy scratch? Why didn’t you do this? blah, blah, blah. And it’s no different than I think pro wrestling and the fans.

To me one of the best things about AEW is we enjoy payoffs. We like making the fans happy instead of just for some reason making them miserable. Doing stuff just to piss them off. Sometimes the happiest outcome is the most obvious one. We don’t really feel the need to beat anybody over the head with switching it just because they figured it out first, you know? I enjoy making the fans happy. The juice for being a pro wrestler is getting reactions out of the crowd. When it comes to me and him, without me trying to say anything too positive about him – you ain’t seen nothing yet.”

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

Christopher Daniels Comments On His In-Ring Future In AEW

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

Christopher Daniels hasn’t wrestled on AEW TV since SCU lost their tag team titles match against The Young Bucks in May. The loss forced SCU to split up. Many have wondered if this was the last of Daniels’ we will get to see in AEW. The fallen angel was part of the AEW panel at C2E2. During the talk, he was asked about his in-ring future with the company.

Replying to it, the AEW executive mentioned how he decided to continue wrestling outside of AEW after that. Though he would be lying if he said he was happy not seeing his name on the AEW board:

“The last match I have for AEW television was the night that we wrestled against the Bucks and unfortunately, we lost and SCU had to split up. Since that time, I had sort of been weighing my future in the ring and I decided that I still wanted to give wrestling in the ring a go. Honestly, I would be lying if I said that I was happy going to AEW and not seeing my name on the board. I want to get back in the ring and do something with this roster.”

Christopher Daniels Is Still Ready To Go

Christopher Daniels continued by mentioning how the AEW roster is very stacked right now. He claimed that maybe it’s not the best time for him to wrestle for the company. However, the former ROH champion said that he is still ready to go if the people in charge make that decision:

“But I also realize that AEW is not a vanity project, and maybe Christopher Daniels in the ring isn’t the best thing for AEW at this time with such a stacked card and so many young talents there. It’s not my call. I hope to get in the ring at some point soon, but if not, I also realize that I’m still contributing to AEW. And if the fates decide that my best contribution is behind the scenes, then so be it. But I’m still ready to go and the minute I see my name on the board, I’ll lace them up and bring it.”

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Christopher Daniels: “AEW Is The Future Of This Business”

Photos: Diamond Dallas Page Gets Married In Surprise Ceremony

Anutosh Bajpai
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Wrestling veteran Diamond Dallas Page or DDP has married retired adventure athlete and his girlfriend of two years Payge McMahon.

The two got married in an apparently surprise ceremony. It was planned by the former WCW star and his daughter Brittany Page who is a luxury event planner.

The family rented a hotel in Chattanooga, TN. They created false invitations to a friend’s red and white Christmas-themed party and invited 115 of the couple’s closest friends.

The news was revealed by DDP himself. He took on his Twitter to send out a press release and post photos of the surprise wedding ceremony:

A number of wrestling personalities were in attendance for the ceremony. The people who were there included RVD, Katie Forbs, nZo, Big Cass, Ace Austin and more.

This is Diamond Dallas Page’s third wedding. He previously married Kimberly Page in 1991. The couple remained together until they announced an amicable separation and divorce in 2004.

DDP has two daughters from his first marriage. Brittany Page was born in 1987 and his second daughter Kimberly Page was born in 1994.

He married again in 2015 to Brenda Nair. Though this marriage only lasted 5 years and the couple finalized their divorce in 2020.

DDP On His Love For Darby Allin: “He’s a Bigger Risk-Taker Than Jeff Hardy”

Quote: Hook Can Become A ‘Legit Bonafide Star’ For AEW

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Hook has garnered a ton of buzz despite having just one match and one seasoned veteran believes that hype is here to stay.

AEW fans have been fascinated with Hook, the son of Taz, ever since he appeared on television. He had his first match on the Dec. 10 episode of Rampage, defeating Fuego Del Sol. Most are in agreement that Hook looked impressive in his debut.

Some are left wondering if the hoopla over Hook is a fad. Others are convinced that the young prospect is here to stay.

Mark Henry Thinks Hook Has Staying Power

Count Mark Henry as a believer in Hook. Here’s what he told Ryan McKinnell on an episode of Busted Open Radio.

“There’s some people guys, I hate to be a pessimist because normally you know I’m an optimist. You know I like the positive side but everybody’s not gonna make it.

“Everybody that you see that comes on, they’re not gonna stick. It’s just the nature of the business.

“From that first opening impression, I think Hook’s gonna stick, man. I think that he’s a guy that can evolve and that’s the thing in pro wrestling if you don’t evolve if you don’t change with the times you’re not gonna be around very long.

“I can see him in the next three years, as AEW grows, being one of AEW’s future stars. Like, I mean a legit bonafide star.”

Hook garnered a ton of praise following his in-ring debut. He received support from the likes of MJF, Thunder Rosa, Dustin Rhodes, and AEW boss Tony Khan.

Hook is currently a member of Team Taz. His fellow stablemates are Ricky Starks, Powerhouse Hobbs, and of course Taz.

Do you think Hook will be a long-term star or a flash in the pan?

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Tony Khan Heaps Major Praise On Two AEW Tag Teams

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Tony Khan is in awe of two top-tier AEW tag teams and their names likely won’t come as a surprise.

AEW has plenty of highly-regarded tag teams. There’s of course The Young Bucks, there is also Proud N’ Powerful, Men of the Year, Private Party, and many more.

For Khan, however, there are two AEW tag teams that he simply can’t take his eyes off of. They are the current AEW Tag Team Champions The Lucha Bros and FTR.

Lucha Bros & FTR Hailed As Two Tag Team Greats

Tony Khan appeared on Busted Open Radio and he gushed over Lucha Bros and FTR, who had a tag team title match on the Dec. 10 episode of Rampage.

“The world tag team championship match is one of the biggest things we’ve ever put on Rampage.”

Khan went on to praise both teams for being able to click despite having different in-ring styles and personalities.

“They’ve built a great rivalry and I really honestly believe those are two of the great tag teams in recent history. They obviously have very different styles. They represent different things in a different company but in this case, they’ve both come to AEW and worked their way to the top.”

Lucha Bros ended up defeating FTR to retain the AEW Tag Team Championships. FTR still holds the AAA World Tag Team Titles.

FTR wasted little time picking a fight following the loss. They were joined by Tully Blanchard in attacking Sting and Darby Allin backstage at Rampage.

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WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle Explains Why Hollywood Stopped Calling Him

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Kurt Angle had a few gigs in Hollywood but soon he found himself not being called upon for more roles.

Angle is one of the most entertaining figures to ever enter the world of professional wrestling. Some thought Angle would be a natural for Hollywood. Angle was a part of the 2011 Warrior film and while it wasn’t a commercial success, it was critically acclaimed.

The Olympic gold medalist was able to snag more gigs in Hollywood but the opportunities eventually dried up. Angle thinks he knows why that’s the case.

Kurt Angle Blames Poor Choices On Hollywood Drought

During an episode of The Kurt Angle Show, Angle expressed his belief that his history of alcohol addiction led to him missing out on more Hollywood roles.

“I actually thought I’d have a great opportunity. I think what happened with me was I was doing movies.

“I did Warrior, I did Dylan Dog, I was a small part in Pain & Gain with The Rock, started doing movies but my behavior with the alcohol and the DUIs got me into a little bit of a bind with Hollywood [laughs].

“So, they stopped calling and I’ve been spending the last eight or nine years trying to gain my reputation back so that Hollywood would start to call me back again. It’s just one of those things that I dug myself into a hole and I have to get myself out of it.”

Angle’s last known Hollywood role was for the 2015 film, The Last Witch Hunter starring Vin Diesel. Angle played the role of a bodyguard.

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Mark Henry Is A Big Fan Of Babyface Brock Lesnar

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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AEW’s Mark Henry likes what he sees from the babyface version of Brock Lesnar.

It’s no secret that Brock has had an added pep in his step since returning to WWE. Lesnar made a surprise appearance at the end of the Summerslam PPV back in August, confronting Roman Reigns.

Since that time, Brock has shown the lighter side of him. More recently, fans have praised Brock’s segments with Sami Zayn. On the Dec. 10 episode of SmackDown, Lesnar even spoke French to lighten the mood with Sami.

Of course, Brock ultimately destroyed two nurses and Sami Zayn.

Mark Henry Praises Lighter Side Of Brock Lesnar

On an episode of Busted Open Radio, Mark Henry admitted that he’s all in on the babyface version of Brock Lesnar.

“Just him looking at the hard camera and smiling, it does something to my soul. I think that this is gonna be the best thing that could’ve ever happened to Brock because Brock has got a good personality, y’all.

“He’s very entertaining. His timing is very good and now we get to see that because he’s not stone-faced. He’s not angry Brock all the time.

“Now, you noticed when Paul Heyman started saying, ‘Reigning, defending,’ Brock’s face turned red. His expression changed.

“Brock can turn it on and turn it off and that’s the specialness of who he is but I just wanted to point that out that this is a Brock that we’ve only seen one time and that was quite a while ago and now we get that Brock every week. It’s awesome.”

That one time Henry is referring to is when Brock walked down the aisle dancing with his Money In The Bank briefcase. Back in 2019, Lesnar turned his briefcase into a boombox.

Lesnar will be challenging Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship at the Day 1 event on Jan. 1, 2022. This will be a rematch from their showdown at Crown Jewel back in October.

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Entertainment Executives Attend Smackdown From Los Angeles

Chris Stephens
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This week’s edition of WWE Smackdown in Los Angeles had some heavy hitters from the entertainment industry in attendance. According to a report from Deadline, the following people all were present inside Staples Center Friday night:

  • Kelly Kahl (President of CBS Entertainment)
  • Matt Cherniss (Head of Development and Programming at Apple)
  • Noah Harpster (Actor and Producer)
  • Barry Poznick, (President of MGM Studios) 
  • Larry Jones (Executive Vice President of Fox Sports)
  • Vanessa Hudgens (Actor)
  • Jemele Hill (Sports Journalist)
  • Reggie Bush (Analyst for Fox Sports, Retired NFL Running Back)

WWE Smackdown this week emanated from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The estimated attendance for the event was just over 10,000. While Roman Reigns was not on the show, Brock Lesnar was there. RAW tag-team champions, Matt Riddle and Randy Orton also wrestled in the main event.

In the opening contest Rick Boogs and Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Los Lotharios (Angel & Humberto). Drew McIntyre then defeated Sheamus. In a match for the Smackdown Women’s Championship, Toni Storm defeated Charlotte Flair via disqualification (title does not change hands). The main event saw New Day win a triple threat match against the Usos and RK-Bro. In the dark match main event, Sasha Banks won a fatal 4-way match against Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, and Charlotte Flair.

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