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Mercedes Martinez Discusses Her Issues with Retribution

Tyriece Simon
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Former WWE superstar Mercedes Martinez shared her thoughts on her issues in the group Retribution.

Martinez appeared on the Oral Session with Renee Paquette to discuss her short run on the WWE main roster. WWE made Martinez one of the original members of Retribution, but she requested to leave the group. In the interview, Martinez shared that lack of communication and creative difference led to her exit from the group.

“…Personally, I needed to know what the group was going to do. What is this group? What is the mentality of this group? Is this something personally that I can get behind? No one knew anything about this group,” said Martinez. She continued, “Mind you, everything was going on in the world with the riots. So is this group part of that because I don’t condone it. I don’t want to be a part of something that maybe mirrors something in real life.”

Martinez also shared that she was okay with the initial direction with the group, as long as WWE hid Retribution identity. However, WWE made the group reveal themselves, and she began to feel more uncomfortable with the gimmick.

More Details on Mercedes Martinez Main Roster run

Martinez has shared in previous interviews why she removed herself from the group. Although, In the interview with Paquette, Martinez revealed that WWE wanted to change her name before Martinez’s debut. However, WWE didn’t consult with Martinez about the decision, and she took offense to the decision.

“…It wasn’t okay to let me know that you were going to change my name the day of, without a contract. I was still on an NXT contract, and I’m not stupid. I’m a grown-ass woman. Talk to me. Don’t tell me the day of the show that you are going to change my name,” said Martinez. She continued, “We didn’t agree on that. We don’t agree on anything. If you want to do something, that’s fine. But don’t expect me to take it down lightly. I’m one of those people that if you talk to me, we can talk. I’m on an NXT contract, here we are on RAW. I’m not a part of Raw yet. Let’s talk. Let’s figure out what’s going on. The moment that happened, I was like, I can’t do this.”

While Martinez had creative differences with WWE, she shared that WWE understood her decision to return to NXT. She continued her WWE career in NXT until WWE released her on August 6th. Martinez is a free agent and is enjoying wrestling on her schedule. Although, She also doesn’t rule out a return to WWE as a coach to help develop talent in NXT.

Jeff Jarrett Purchases Springfield Sliders Baseball Team

Chris Stephens
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Jeff Jarrett’s Golden Rule Entertainment company has purchased collegiate summer league baseball team the Springfield (Illinois) Sliders. The collegiate summer leagues in the United States are for players who have had at least one year of college and at least one year of athletic eligibility left.

The Sliders play in the Prospect League. The team’s first season was in 2008. They won their first and only league championship their inaugural season.

“From the moment the opportunity to get involved was first presented to me, and hearing the passion in (Golden Rule Entertainment president) (Jamie Toole’s) voice about bringing the best entertainment experience possible to Springfield, I knew I wanted to be a part of this organization,” Jarrett said.

“I’m excited about the challenges ahead of us, but I’m more than confident that this talented and experienced ownership group will be able to deliver and exceed all expectations.”

In the 2019 season, the Sliders set a new record for most losses with 48. They also set a record for longest losing streak at 26.

In 2016, the team caused some controversy with a promotion to give away guns as part of a 50/50 draw. The ownership group stressed that the guns would not be given away in the stadium. Rather the person would have to exchange a winning ticket at a gun shop.

Jeff Jarrett is a 4x former WCW Champion and a 6x former NWA World Heavyweight Champion.

Dave Bautista To Star In M. Night Shyamalan Movie

Chris Stephens
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Dave Bautista is set to start in an M. Night Shyamalan movie titled “Knock at the Cabin,” according to reports by Deadline and the Hollywood Reporter.

The movie is scheduled for a February 2023 release and will be released through Universal.

The former WWE Champion says it’s a ”dream come true” to work with Shyamalan.

Batista’s Movie Career

Bautista is currently filming Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 where he will once again portray Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

He is also set to play Drax in the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder. Bautista has also been attached to a buddy cop film alongside Jason Momoa.

Shyamalan has released Old (2021), Glass (2019), Split (2017) and The Visit (2015) through his deal with the studio. As with most Shyamalan movies before its release, little is currently known about the plot of the movie.

John Cena Responds To Batista Declining To Share Screen With Him

Batista in WWE

In wrestling, Bautista is a 6x world champion. He held the WWE Championship 2x and the World Heavyweight Championship 4x. He is a 4x tag team champion, holding the title with Ric Flair 2x, John Cena 1x, and Rey Mysterio once as well.

Bautista is a 2x Royal Rumble winner having won the event in 2005 and again in 2014. He twice won the Feud of the Year award as voted on by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Bautista vs Triple H was voted the feud of the year in 2005 and his feud with the Undertaker won the award in 2007.

Batista On His Wrestling Retirement: “Nothing Is Bringing Me Back”

Adam Cole On If There Is A Divide In The AEW Locker Room

Anutosh Bajpai
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AEW signed a lot of relatively unknown guys when the promotion originally started such as Jungle Boy or Darby Allin. They have done an incredible job of putting over many of these talents and making them megastars. The promotion has also brought in a number of well-established names in recent months. These names such as Adam Cole or Bryan Danielson have helped the company in accelerating their growth and get things to the next level.

However, these signings have made it easier to divide the talents into two groups. During his recent interview with Barstool Rasslin’, Adam Cole was asked if this divide between the recent signees and day 1 talents exists behind the scene as well. Or if all the stars feel like they are a part of the team once they are there. Replying to it, Cole said that the AEW locker room feels like a team in every sense of the word:

“It very much feels like the ‘you’re one of us’ thing. It very much feels like a team in every sense of the word. That was one of the more attractive things to me as well about AEW. You look at veterans. Guys who’ve been doing this for a long time and you think, ‘Man, it’d be really, really fun to work with this guy.’ And then you look at the young crew of guys like Jungle Boy, Sammy, MJF, Darby, and you’re like, ‘Man, I could do some really, really cool stuff with these guys.’ It very much feels like a team effort. “

Adam Cole Feels The Fans Are Connected To AEW

Adam Cole
(via AEW)

Adam Cole continued by explaining that this feeling goes much further than just the talents that have been signed by the promotion. According to him, the fans in many ways feel like they’re a part of the AEW team too. This is where AEW’s incredible connection with its fanbase comes from:

“And that goes so much further than just the locker room. It feels that same way with the fans too. AEW has done something so special. I feel like years and years and years and years and years from now people are going to talk about [it, like] ‘Man, remember when AEW started?’ It’s a really special time and the locker room knows that. So, we are all connected in that sense, and the fans know it too. And I feel like that’s where the connection comes from as well.”

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

Tony Khan Defends Adam Cole: “He’s Over AF” – Cole Replies

Adam Cole Calls AEW Debut His Favorite Night of His Career

Anutosh Bajpai
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People had been waiting for Adam Cole to show up in AEW ever since the promotion kicked off. Though some of them were disappointed with the way it happened at All Out earlier this year.

There were fans who believed that Cole’s debut was overshadowed by the arrival of Bryan Danielson only minutes later. However, the former NXT champion loved how the double debuts unfolded. Cole was asked if the rapid fire debuts made him uncomfortable during his recent appearance on Brandon Walker’s Rasslin podcast.

Adam Cole did not feel overshadowed by Bryan Danielson debuting minutes after he did. In fact, he loved every second of it.

“I loved every second of it,” he said. ”Because there is this mentality, I think that some people can fall into. Where you go ‘I’m making a huge appearance and a huge debut. And I want it to just be me.’ You can understand the argument of like, ‘oh man, but you know, let’s spread it out a little bit. Let’s make this night, a really big night’,

And then a couple of weeks down the line cause we had the Arthur Ashe show a few weeks down the line and then maybe do this debut here. When the idea was pitched to have us debut at the same time. I immediately was like, ‘we need to do it this way.’ Just for the sheer excitement and unexpected nature of the whole thing.”

“It’s The Favorite Night Of My Career”

Untitled design 116
Adam Cole rejoined the Elite on his arrival

Adam Cole explained how it was a beautiful thing because a lot of people expected Danielson to show up. The swerve of him showing up first made Bryan’s arrival even more exciting.

The former Undisputed Era leader then revealed that All Out was his favorite night of his illustrious career.

“It’s my favorite night of my career,” Cole said. “The sheer buzz within the building. I’ve never felt the whole process of flying into a different city the night before. Getting dropped off in the middle of the show, hiding in a trailer all day. Going out absolute last minute, having the locker room be like ‘Oh, whoa, whoa, okay, Cole’s here, I guess.’ the whole thing was just, it was awesome. I loved the double debut.”

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

Tony Khan Defends Adam Cole: “He’s Over AF” – Cole Replies

WWE RAW Results (12/6): Becky Lynch vs. Liv Morgan, Steel Cage Match, Edge & The Miz

Robert Lentini
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WWE RAW aired live from the FedEx Forum in Memphis, TN. Becky Lynch defended the RAW Women’s Championship against Liv Morgan tonight in the main event. Big E battled Kevin Owens in a Steel Cage match and Edge was a guest on Miz TV tonight.

RAW Results (12/6)

  1. Big E def. Kevin Owens in a Steel Cage match
  2. Queen Zelina def. Nikki A.S.H.
  3. Street Profits def. AJ Styles & Omos via count out to advance in the #1 contenders tournament
  4. Damian Priest def. Robert Roode to retain the US Title
  5. Bianca Belair def. Doudrop via count out
  6. The Mysterios def. Alpha Academy to advance in the #1 contenders tournament
  7. Finn Balor def. T-Bar
  8. Becky Lynch def. Liv Morgan to retain the RAW Women’s Championship

Here are the takeaways from this week’s RAW:

Big E def. Kevin Owens In A Steel Cage Match, Lashley Attacked During A Commercial Break

WWE Champion Big E faced Kevin Owens in a Steel Cage match to kickoff the show. Before the match, Seth Rollins cut a backstage promo bragging about last week. Big E vowed to defeat Kevin Owens tonight and then retrain the WWE Championship at Day 1. Owens wasn’t a fan of Big E referring to the WWE Championship as his own and will take it from him at Day 1. The match started and Owens immediately tried to run out of the cage. Big E caught him and bashed him into the cage a few times. Owens returned the favor as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Owens was climbing the cage but the WWE Champion brought him back down. Big E connected with some Belly to Belly Suplexes but Owens wouldn’t stay down. Owens sent Big E to the corner and hit a Cannonball. Owens locked in a Boston Crab but Big E was able to escape. Big E almost escaped the cage but Seth Rollins shut the door in his face as RAW went to another break.

Big E and Owens were battling on the cage when RAW returned. Big E took control and a “New Day rocks!”chant broke out. Owens went for the Stunner but Big E blocked it. Owens hit the Pop-Up Powerbomb and went for the cover but Big E was able to kick out at the last moment. Big E hit a Big Ending off the middle turnbuckle and started crawling towards the door. Owens tried to stop him but Big E booted him away and exited the cage for the victory.

After the match, Seth Rollins attacked Big E from behind and beat him down as the cage was being lifted. Owens got into the ring and attacked Owens with a bunch of punches. Rollins was about to hit Owens with the Stomp but Big E broke it up with a Belly to Belly. Big E then hit another Big Ending on Owens and posed with the WWE Championship. Lashley then showed up during the commercial break and hit Big E with a Spear. Lashley attacked Owens and Rollins before exiting.

Queen Zelina def. Nikki A.S.H.

Queen Zelina came to the ring with Carmella. Zelina vowed to defeat Nikki A.S.H. tonight in a prematch promo. Rhea Ripley accompanied Nikki A.S.H. to the ring. Zelina controlled the match early and connected with a running knee to the face for a two count. Nikki rolled Zelina up for a near fall and followed it up with a Clothesline. Nikki hit a Splash and a running Bulldog. Vega tripped Nikki up and went for a cover using the ropes for the leverage.

The referee clearly saw it and broke up the cover. Nikki capitalized with a Neckbreaker and climbed to the top rope. Nikki went for a Crossbody but Zelina got out of the way. Zelina hit a Sunset Flip Powerbomb for the pinfall victory. Nikki thought someone was asking for her autograph backstage but they were talking to Jerry “The King” Lawler.

Omos Left AJ Styles Behind

Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) faced AJ Styles & Omos tonight in the #1 contenders tournament (RK-Bro-Nament). RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Riddle) were ringside for the match. Omos beat Angelo Dawkins down and dragged him to the corner. AJ Styles tagged in and stomped Dawkins down to the canvas. Montez Ford tagged in and hit Styles with a Clothesline. AJ hit Dawkins with an Enziguri and then delivered a Pele Kick to Ford. Styles was about to hit the Phenomenal Forearm but Omos tagged himself in.

Omos wanted to finish it and launched Dawkins into the barricade. Omos took too long and Street Profits won via count out. After the match, Styles shouted that Omos has to listen to what he says and Omos didn’t like that. Omos left the ring as Styles pleaded with him to stay. Riddle (dressed as a reporter) wanted to get AJ Styles’ thoughts on what just happened. AJ threatened to shove the microphone down Riddle’s throat and walked away.

Damian Priest Retained The US Title

United States Champion Damian Priest defended the title against Robert Roode tonight on RAW. Damian hit a big headbutt that dropped Roode to the canvas. Priest bounced Roode off the top turnbuckle and then an hit an elbow to the face for a two count. Damian booted Roode in the face and then knocked Dolph Ziggler off the apron when he tried to interfere. Priest got distracted with Dolph and followed him out of the ring. Roode capitalized and launched Priest over the barricade as RAW went to a commercial break.

Roode connected with a slam and went for the cover but Priest kicked out at two. Priest leveled Roode with a Clothesline and followed it up with the Broken Arrow for a near fall. Roode hit a Backstabber but couldn’t keep the United States Champion down. Damian went for a springboard Clothesline but Roode countered into a powerful Spinebuster for a close two count.

Robert set up for the Glorious DDT but Priest blocked it. Damian went for the Reckoning but Roode countered into a roll-up for a two count. Damian was then able to connect with the Reckoning for the pinfall victory. Damian Priest remains the United States Champion. Dolph Ziggler attacked Damian Priest from behind after the match.

Bianca Belair def. Doudrop

Bianca Belair was dancing around during her entrance when Doudrop came running down the entrance ramp. Doudrop leveled Bianca with a shoulder tackle as RAW went to a break. When RAW returned, Belair battled Doudrop in a singles match.

Belair avoided a Splash and stomped Doudrop down in the corner. Bianca taunted Doudrop and then went for a Dropkick but missed. Doudrop connected with a Senton and went for the cover but Bianca kicked out at two. Doudrop followed it up with a Clothesline and Belair stumbled to the corner.

Doudrop stretched Bianca’s arm over the top rope and hit another Clothesline. Doudrop went for a slam on the apron but Belair escaped. Belair cartwheeled into the ropes and Doudrop fell to the floor. Doudrop dragged Bianca to the outside and hit a Splash as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Belair was in control but couldn’t keep Doudrop down. Bianca tried to whip Doudrop to the corner but she blocked it. Belair went for a Sunset Flip but Doudrop blocked that too. Doudrop climbed to the middle turnbuckle and hit a Splash but Belair kicked out at two. Doudrop started pulling Bianca’s hair before setting up for a Powerslam. Belair escaped but Doudrop sent her to the corner. Doudrop went for a Cannonball but Bianca dodged it. Belair went for the KOD but Doudrop escaped and just walked away to end the match in a count.

Edge Will Face The Miz At Day 1

Edge was a guest on Miz TV tonight on RAW. The Miz mocked Memphis before referring to Edge as a shell of his former self. Edge made his way to the ring and Miz wondered why Edge didn’t Spear him out of his 9k shoes. Edge claimed his shoes were cooler and warned Miz not to mistake his kindness for weakness.

The Miz told Edge he didn’t need kindness now, he needed it when he was rookie and got kicked out of the locker room. Edge recalled pulling Miz aside and telling him he has “it”, now he’d just call him an ass. Miz vowed to beat Edge at Day 1 and claimed 2022 was going to be his year. Edge accepted Miz’s challenge for Day 1 and made it seem like he was going to attack him. Edge was faking and Miz cowardly dropped to the mat.

The Mysterios Advanced

Alpha Academy (Chad Gable & Otis) faced Dominik & Rey Mysterio in a RAW Tag Team Championship #1 Contenders Tournament Semifinals (RK-Bro-Nament) match.

Alpha Academy dominated the action early and Gable connected with a Suplex for a near fall. Dominik tried to tag out but Gable blocked it with a Belly to Belly Suplex. Gable applied a Half Crab and then beat Dominik down in the corner. Gable went for a Moonsault but Dominik got out of the way and rolled up Chad for the pinfall victory. Riddle tried to interview Alpha Academy after the match but Otis beat him down.

Austin Theory Attacked Finn Bálor

Finn Balor squared off with T-Bar tonight on RAW. Before the match, Austin Theory had another conversation with Vince McMahon backstage.

T-Bar got in some offense early but Balor quickly battled back. Balor hit the Slingblade and quickly made his way to the top rope. Balor connected with the Coup de Grace for the easy pinfall victory. After the match, Austin Theory attacked Balor and hit him with the ATL. Theory then posed for a selfie over Balor. Backstage, Dana Brooke avoided Reggie & company to keep her 24/7 Championship.

Becky Lynch Cheated To Retain

Becky Lynch defended the RAW Women’s Championship against Liv Morgan in the main event of this week’s RAW. Lynch slammed Liv to the mat and paced around the ring with a smirk on her face. Liv tried to battle back but Lynch hit her with a shoulder tackle and flexed for the crowd.

Lynch started smacking Liv and she got fired up. Liv booted Lynch to the corner and the champion rolled out of the ring to regroup. Back in the ring, Morgan hit a shoulder tackle of her own but Becky shrugged it off. Lynch went for the Dis-Arm-Her but Morgan countered into a roll-up for a two count.

Liv went for backslide cover but Lynch kicked out at two. Becky kneed Liv in the face and started slapping her again. Liv caught Becky with an elbow to the face and followed it up with a Dropkick off the top rope. Lynch sent Liv out of the ring and chased after her. Liv hit the Oblivion outside the ring and followed it up with a Crossbody through the ropes.

Back in the ring, Liv went for the cover but Becky kicked out at two. Morgan climbed to the top rope but Lynch caught her with a jab to the face. Becky unloaded some punches and hit a Superplex as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Lynch was in control and hit a Leg Drop on Liv while she was leaning over the middle rope. Becky went for the cover but Morgan kicked out at two. Lynch applied a Crossface but Liv battled to her feet. Liv hit an Arm Drag but Lynch responded with a reverse DDT for a two count.

Liv bounced Becky’s head off the top turnbuckle and followed it up with an Enziguri that sent both superstars to the canvas. Morgan hit a knee to the face and unloaded a flurry of punches. Becky stumbled to the corner and Liv caught her with another knee to the face. Liv hit a Codebreaker and went for the cover but Becky kicked out at two. Morgan hit Becky with a Double Stomp on the apron and then several kicks to the back.

Morgan climbed to the top rope and hit a missile Dropkick for another two count. Liv applied the Rings of Saturn Armbar in the middle of the ring but Becky was able to counter into the Dis-Arm-Her. Liv got to the ropes to break the hold and then rolled up Lynch for a two count. Becky went for the Man-Handle Slam but Liv countered into a cradle. Becky kicked out and rolled up Liv while using the ropes for leverage. The referee didn’t see it and Becky Lynch retained the RAW Women’s Championship.

WWE Day 1 Updated Card: Edge vs. The Miz Announced

Andrew Ravens
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Edge vs. The Miz has been officially announced for the upcoming WWE Day 1 PPV.

WWE set up this feud on last week’s episode of Raw when Edge and Miz made their returns where they exchanged words. Miz had an issue with WWE giving so much attention to Edge’s return and there wasn’t anything hyped about his own return. Miz thinks has surpassed Edge a long time ago and Edge should have stayed home for good.

On this week’s show, the war of words continued when the WWE Hall of Famer made an appearance on Miz TV. After the challenge was excepted, Edge faked him out and Miz dropped as he expected a punch to end the segment to make it seem Miz was afraid of Edge. 

WWE presents the Day 1 pay-per-view event on Saturday, January 1, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia at the State Farm Arena that will air on Peacock. WWE will be announcing more matches for this show in the coming weeks. Here is the updated card:

Updated WWE Day 1 Card

WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar

WWE Champion Big E vs. Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens – Triple Threat Match

Edge vs. The Miz

Booker T Explains Why AEW Talent Should Stop Mentioning WWE

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Booker T thinks AEW talent would be best served to avoid hurling barbs at WWE.

It’s no secret that there have been some verbal jabs thrown between talent in both AEW and WWE. We’ve seen references of Triple H burying people on AEW TV with Cody Rhodes’ sledgehammer and golden shovel. We’ve also seen WWE take shots at the “pissant T-shirt company.”

Ultimately, Booker T believes AEW stars have been taking more shots than WWE talent. He feels that could prove to be a mistake.

Booker T Weighs In

During an episode of his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T shared why he thinks AEW stars should refrain from the trash talk towards WWE.

“I’m never gonna highlight the other company. That’s just not good business as far as I’m concerned.

“AEW continuously talking about WWE, it’s just not — just say for instance at the end of the day, WWE is still the one that’s rising up out of the ashes when it’s all over.

“This may happen it may not happen, it’s just one of those things but when you put yourself in a certain situation things can happen.

“And just say for instance the bottom did drop out, the one guy I think would be in the best position is a guy like MJF, who did when mentioning WWE he said, ‘Hell, I might even work there one day.’

“That right there for me is using the competition from a perspective to where the company I’m working for knows that I got power because when my contract’s up, that company over there might want me.

“The thing is a lot of guys in AEW, just say for instance, they’re happy right now. Everybody’s happy but trust me it’s not gonna stay that way. Everybody’s not gonna be happy go lucky forevermore.

“Don’t think guys aren’t gonna get fired from AEW and don’t think that guy is not gonna be somebody’s friend. So, don’t think everything’s gonna be so rosy when things can happen.

“I just think it’s a bad, bad — you’re just putting yourself in a bad situation to where if something was to happen you just got egg all over your face.”

AEW got the ball rolling in 2019. The company debuted its Dynamite show. For months, WWE went one-on-one with AEW through NXT. Ultimately, AEW got the better of that battle and NXT ended up not only changing nights but also going in a new direction.

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Jeff Hardy Update: Matt Says, “He’s Doing Fine. All Is Good”

Michael Reichlin
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Matt Hardy has provided an update on his brother’s condition after Jeff Hardy was sent home by WWE over the weekend.

To recap, Jeff Hardy appeared at Saturday night’s WWE live event from Edinburg, Texas. During the main event, he teamed with Xavier Woods and Drew McIntyre to face The Bloodline (Roman Reigns & The Usos). Hardy appeared ‘sluggish’ during the match and actually left the ringside area with the bout still in progress.

https://youtu.be/9WD9T1Rofgc

The word going around backstage is that Jeff Hardy was sent home by WWE officials.

Jeff Hardy did not appear at Sunday’s WWE live event from American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, TX and was replaced by Rey Mysterio.

Matt Hardy updates Jeff’s Condition

During a Monday afternoon Twitch stream, Matt made his first public comments about the situation.

Matt did not want to say much on his brother’s behalf, but assured fans that he spoke with Jeff earlier in the day. He thinks Jeff will be fine, but said it’s not his business and believes Jeff will speak for himself if and when he chooses to do so.

“He is at home and he’s okay,” said Matt. ”It’s not my business. It’s not my story to tell or explain, and besides that, I wouldn’t be able to do it justice anyway because it’s not from my perspective. So, I love my brother and I just want my brother to be okay and healthy. That’s pretty much it.”

“Jeff is okay. He’ doing fine. All is good. If there’s any information to be given out, I’m sure he will himself. He’s good, though.”

– Matt Hardy on his brother Jeff’s condition

Bully Ray Reacts To Jeff Hardy Being Sent Home By WWE

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Bully Ray has weighed in on a recent situation involving Jeff Hardy.

During a WWE house show in Edinburg, Texas, Jeff teamed with Drew McIntyre and Xavier Woods to take on Roman Reigns and The Usos. Jeff was seen tagging in McIntyre and then making his exit through the crowd before the match ended.

PWInsider reported that Jeff ended up being sent home and he wasn’t a part of the Sunday house show in Corpus Christi.

Some fans are already fearing Jeff Hardy might’ve relapsed. Jeff has a history of drug issues but he seems to have turned a corner over the past few years. At this time, it isn’t known why Hardy made an early exit in his house show match.

Bully Ray Speaks On Jeff Hardy Situation

On a recent episode of Busted Open Radio, Bully Ray discussed the reports of Jeff Hardy being sent home.

“Listen, complete speculation as to why Hardy decided to go home, leave. You never know. Life on the road is difficult, Dave [host of Busted Open Radio]. I’ve explained this to you before.

“Lots of things can be going on in somebody’s personal life. He still was able to get out there, I guess do the match, and when the match was over or before the match even ended he just decided to jump over the guardrail and head up through the people? Is that what you’re telling me?”

When Dave LaGreca confirmed that was the case, Bully said he feels Jeff knew he didn’t want to be in the building any longer.

“That means to me that he just wanted to get the hell out of there. He didn’t wanna deal with anybody in the back. He didn’t wanna answer any questions. He just wanted to split.

“With Jeff unfortunately there is history and what history will tell us is that sometimes Jeff gets himself in a little bit of trouble. I hope it is not those same things that have happened in the past.

“You know, Dave [it’s] really interesting. In wrestling, they talk about how one door closes for somebody and another door opens for another person. The door closing on Jeff Hardy in TNA is what opened the door for Bully Ray.

“It’s a really weird turn of events. I hope Jeff is okay. Obviously, you know how I feel about Jeff as a person and the history that we’ve had together professionally. So, I hope he’s okay, I hope his family’s okay, and I hope he’s in a good headspace.

“Maybe he just had a bad day and needs to go clear his head a little bit and that’s it. So, best wishes to Jeff.”

Jeff was last seen on WWE TV on the Nov. 26 episode of SmackDown. He won a tag team match with Drew McIntyre against Baron Corbin and Madcap Moss.

SEScoops will keep you posted with the latest information on Jeff Hardy’s situation as more details become available.

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MJF Addresses The Miz & Adam Cole, Snubs Wardlow

Michael Reichlin
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Maxwell Jacob Friedman spoke with Renee Paquette and Miesha Tate on Monday’s edition of Throwing Down with Renee & Miesha on Sirius XM.

MJF was there to promote Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite from the UBS Arena on Long Island, NY. Renee introduced him as one of the 4 pillars of AEW and one of the best sh*t talkers in all of professional wrestling. MJF called the introduction “mid” and proceeded to introduce himself in typical MJF fashion.

When asked how it feels to have an AEW event in his home town, MJF says it feels great. Long Island is his home, it’s where the best people live and it’s the most magical place in the world. If you live there, you know MJF. He expects a huge ovation on Wednesday and wrestling fans will finally get to see how he should be treated everywhere.

On Wednesday, he expects to win his third consecutive Dynamite Diamond Ring battle royal. Unlike CM Punk, he won’t struggle to win.

Long Island Homecoming

MJF said that when he’s on the road, there’s oddly a perception that he’s not a good guy. In reality, he’s salt of the earth and the fine people of Long Island understand that. He can’t wait to have a packed arena of fans chanting his name.

MJF called his mother a disgusting skank and a huge glory hog, if we’re being honest. Everything is always about her. You’d think it’s enough for her to say that she raised a god. She always wants more and it’s disheartening.

Does MJF have any haters on Long Island? It might come as a shock, but in his hometown, he’s known as a hometown hero. People call him, “The King of Long Island.” No issues here, but he has issues when he leaves and has to deal with the poors and the fats.

MJF celebrated Hanukkah alone this year with his cat, Piper. He chose to not spend time with his family, because they just want this autograph so they can sell it on eBay.

When asked if he has a lot of friends, he said the Pinnacle are his friends. Shawn Spears, FTR, great guys. “Wardlow? Ehh. But the rest of em? Love them.”

His Beef With CM Punk

MJF explained that he’s got beef with CM Punk because Punk disrespected him. He tried to be respectful. He offered Punk his hand to shake. He tried his best. Not many people can say CM Punk offered to shake their hand. Instead of being a man, Punk walked away and snubbed him. He believes Punk should be shaking his hand for making him relevant again.

CM Punk recently said that Britt Baker should replace MJF as one of the Four Pillars of AEW. Baker’s significant other Adam Cole recently did an interview and said he’ll sock MJF in the face if he talks about her again.

“All respect to the Boom Boy,” MJF said of Adam Cole. “You know, Adam, Adam’s a great, great guy. I don’t have a problem with Adam. My problem is with Punk.”

MJF says Punk doesn’t care about younger talent. He’s working with up and comers to steal their spotlight. Punk needs the rub from MJF, but he’s not so sure that Punk has earned that respect.

Miesha Tate asked MJF about CM Punk’s short-lived UFC career. MJF actually gave Punk some credit for venturing outside pro wrestling. You won’t see MJF fighting in an MMA cage. “God bless him, he went for it. but if he’s in the ring with me, the same outcome will happen. He’ll be left a bloody mess.”

MJF on The Miz

MJF CM Punk

CM Punk recently compared MJF to a low-rent version of WWE Superstar The Miz. Renee asked MJF what he thinks about The Miz.

“The Miz is a tremendous, tremendous performer,” he said. He then made the distinction, “I am a professional wrestler.”

When Renee said she’s a big Miz fan, MJF replied, “How could you not be? The guy is gold on the stick. In the ring, very solid too. If I’m being completely fair here, I’m not talking shit – it’s just factual. There are no holes in my game. And that is not a jab at Miz. Miz is great. But he’s not me.”

MJF said guys like Bryan Danielson, CM Punk and Kenny Omega are great, but they’re all lacking something. There’s nothing that MJF can’t do.

MJF grew tired of the “softball” questions and told Renee to give him something good. She asked what it’s going to look like when his AEW contract expires in 2024.

MJF said there’s a lot of intruiging match-ups for him outside of AEW. A lot of people want to see him wrestle guys like The Miz, Drew McIntyre and Roman Reigns. They might get their wish, if Tony Khan doesn’t shell out the right type of cash. He told people to expect the greatest bidding war in the history of our sport.

Catch AEW Dynamite this Wednesday night on TNT and listen to Throwing Down with Renee & Miesha Monday afternoons on Sirius XM.

Kairi Sane Removes WWE From Instagram Handle, Teases In-Ring Return

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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The relationship between Kairi Sane and WWE may have come to a close.

Kairi said her goodbyes to the WWE Universe back in 2020 but she didn’t leave the company. She remained with WWE as an ambassador in Japan.

With WWE closing its offices in “The Land of the Rising Sun,” it left many wondering if Kairi’s time with the company would truly come to an end.

Kairi Sane Gone From WWE?

While nothing has been made official, there have been a couple of interesting changes to Kairi’s social media. She has changed her Instagram handle from “kairi_wwe” to “official_kairi.”

Kairi’s Twitter handle remains “@KairiSaneWWE” but she now calls herself a “former WWE superstar.” When a fan said that Kairi Sane is missed inside a wrestling ring, she had the following response.

It definitely appears that all signs are pointing to Kairi being free of her WWE deal but nothing is official at this time. If that is the case, it would allow her to return to the Stardom promotion.

Sane, who is known as Kairi Hojo in Japan, recently opened her own gym in Kanagawa. She has moved back to Japan with her husband after being on the road during her time with WWE.

Will Ospreay No Longer Appearing For MLW (Updated)

Michael Reichlin
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SEScoops has learned Will Ospreay is no longer scheduled to debut for Major League Wrestling (MLW).

Back in October, MLW announced Ospreay would be coming in some time this fall. Unfortunately, Ospreay’s MLW debut was not meant to be.

We reached out to the self-proclaimed “real” IWGP World Champion, who confirmed to us that the deal is off.

We have some additional details on why the booking fell through. According to a well-placed source, MLW’s working relationship with New Japan Pro Wrestling ended in mid-November.

MLW informed NJPW it was now also working with All Japan, which didn’t sit well with them. New Japan works with NOAH, but not All Japan.

Will Ospreay has commented on his status with MLW. In a tweet sent out on Tuesday, Big Match Billy says he does hope to eventually work with MLW.

MLW’s Open Door Policy

Luckily, there’s no shortage of talent available on the free agent market to help MLW keep its roster fresh with top-tier talent. The company recently announced an Open Door policy for free agents. The first high-profile name to utilize this policy is reigning ROH Women’s Champion Rok-c, who is set to make her MLW debut next month.

In recent weeks, we’ve seen several big names teasing involvement with MLW. Braun Strowman has been teasing a match with MLW World Champion Hammerstone.

Former MLW World champ Shane ”Swerve” Strickland, soon to be a free agent, was also among the many wrestlers to take notice of the Open Door policy on social media.

MLW’s next live event, Blood & Thunder, is scheduled for Friday, January 21st from Dallas, Texas. Tickets are now available at Eventbrite.

Will Ospreay Ready to Embarrass AEW’s Top Stars (Exclusive)

Katsuyori Shibata Says He’s Completely Healed, Set For Major Announcement

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Katsuyori Shibata insists that his head has fully healed and he’s got the wrestling world buzzing with speculation.

The last time Shibata had a full-fledged wrestling match was back in April 2017. He had a classic with Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. In the match, Shibata connected with a gnarly headbutt that nearly turned fatal.

Shibata collapsed backstage and was rushed to the hospital. He underwent emergency surgery for a subdural hematoma. It had been believed that Shibata’s wrestling career would be over.

Shibata’s UWF Rules Match

On the final day of the G1 Climax 31 tournament, Katsuyori Shibata made a surprise appearance. He took on Zack Sabre Jr. in a five-minute UWF rules grappling match. The match went the distance and no winner was determined.

https://twitter.com/njpwworld/status/1451322412058959876

Katsuyori Shibata Claims He’s Completely Healed

During an interview posted on the official NJPW website, Shibata said that he is now 100 percent healthy.

“I think it was an easy thing to overlook, but in the match you can see me doing a headstand as well. That was all part of the confidence I’d built; it’s been this long since I had surgery, and my skull is completely healed up and hardened now.”

When it comes to a potential full-fledged comeback, Shibata said that he knows what he’s capable of and how his body is feeling.

“I do [have a plan], in as much as I think if I don’t have something to work toward, I would be spinning my wheels. Obviously I understand the people that feel I shouldn’t push myself, but at the same time, nobody knows where my body is at better than me. I don’t want to cause the company, or any of the other wrestlers any trouble, or put anybody in a bad position. I know what I’m capable of, and I know best where I can take things.”

NJPW has announced that Shibata will be attending the final day of the Best of the Super Juniors and World Tag League on Dec. 15. There, he will be making a major announcement.

FTR To Wrestle The Rock N Roll Express For The First Time Ever

Chris Stephens
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Old school tag-team wrestling will be on display January 22nd when FTR take on The Rock N Roll Express. Big Time Wrestling recently announced that Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler vs Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson will main event their show next month from the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

It will be the first time the two tag-teams have ever squared off. Also scheduled for the show will be a match between Jerry “the King” Lawler and George South. Matt Hardy is scheduled to be there as is Scotty 2 Hotty, Arn Anderson, Brock Anderson, Lex Luger, and Magnum TA.

Dax Harwood released the following on Twitter:

FTR Wants To Challenge For The NWA Tag Team Titles?

The Rock N Roll Express are 2x NWA World Tag Team Champions. This summer, Harwood mentioned on Twitter that FTR would like to have a chance to challenge for those belts.

The NWA responded to Harwood’s comments.

It was also noted during this back and forth on social media that the NWA has the Crockett Cup tournament that FTR could compete in.

The NWA recently confirmed that the Crockett Cup tournament will return this year. More on that story is available in the link below:

Nick Aldis Confirms The Crockett Cup Will Return In 2022

Jim Ross Comments On Who He Believes Is The Future of AEW

Chris Stephens
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AEW has identified MJF, Darby Allin, Sammy Guevara and Jungle Boy as its Four Pillars. During the latest episode of his Grillin JR podcast, Jim Ross has identified a few more names he believes are destined to take All Elite Wrestling into the future.

In addition to the Four Pills, JR sees AEW World Champion Adam Page, Adam Cole and the Men of the Year (Ethan Page & Scorpio Sky) as franchise players for years to come.

“Based on aptitude and not eliminating anyone from the process, I can see Adam Cole certainly being one of those guys,” Ross said. “Smart kid, got a great mind for the business, he’s young, he’s healthy.”

“MJF without a doubt,” Ross continued. “He’s got a terrific wrestling mind, he knows how to be annoying. He’s very easy to dislike, which is the greatest trait a wrestling villain can have. So, I have great confidence that he’s going to be a star for years to come, and a big one.”

Ross continued to mention “Hangman” Adam Page as well before speaking on others he feels are likely to be the future of the promotion.

“I think Jungle Boy Jack Perry is going to be one of our leaders and stars of the future, long term future.”

“Darby Allin is over, some how some way. He’s a strange enigma just like Jeff Hardy was.”

“Scorpio and Ethan Page got leadership written all over them,” Ross continued.

“The good news is we’ve got several guys that can assume that role because of their aptitude for pro-wrestling,” Ross continued.

Jim Ross’ full comments can be heard in the below video.

If you use any of the above quotes please credit SEScoops for the transcriptions.

Ric Flair Praises Maxwell Jacob Friedman

Chris Stephens
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Ric Flair recently spent some time on his podcast speaking about the CM Punk and MJF promo battle that took place in Chicago on Dynamite. During the conversation, Flair praised Maxwell Jacob Friedman.

“I’m a big fan of MJF,” Flair said. “The kid can talk and more than that, he carries himself like a pro, he dresses [like a pro]. I can’t emphasize enough how important in my estimation it is to look professional and that kid always looks sharp and I’ll leave it like that.”

Mark Madden was insistent that Punk should not have mentioned The Miz during the promo and shouldn’t have mentioned the other company at all.

“There was an interview between CM Punk and MJF who are both great on the mic and I thought it was a great segment,” Madden said on the show. “But CM Punk called MJF a ‘less famous Miz.’ I don’t get that, I don’t get invoking a guy from the other show especially when you came over from that show not too long ago.”

Madden continued, “It kind of tells people that the other show is the real show when you say their guy is better than our guy. I just didn’t get the wisdom of that. I thought the segment was so damn good I didn’t really track that part of it, you know? But you’re right, why ever bring up the other company?” Flair responded.

Ric Flair and Mark Madden discussing the CM Punk – MJF segment can be viewed in the video below:

If you use any of the above quotes please credit SEScoops for the transcriptions.

Update On Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns Plans

Chris Stephens
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Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns is scheduled to take place on New Year’s Day at WWE’s Day One PPV event. According to a recent report from the Wrestling Observer, a series of matches between Lesnar and Reigns is currently planned.

“Regarding Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar as the main event for Day One, this is scheduled to be  a multi-match series and this being one of the matches in the series,” wrote Dave Meltzer.

This means Lesnar vs Reigns could take place again at the Royal Rumble and/or WrestleMania 38 as well as other future events.

Lesnar and Reigns have already faced each other 4x in singles matches. Each man has won and lost twice against the other.

Lesnar defeated Reigns at WrestleMania 34 and then again inside a steel cage at The Greatest Royal Rumble a few weeks later. Reigns then defeated Lesnar at SummerSlam 2018 that August and again at Crown Jewel that October.

Lesnar and Reigns also headlined WrestleMania 31. During that match, however, Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase and made it a 3-way. Rollins would then win the match and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

Roman Reigns won a triple threat against both Brock Lesnar and Dean Ambrose/Jon Moxley at Fastlane 2016. Lesnar also won a fatal 4-way match at SummerSlam 2017 against Roman Reigns, Braun Strowman and Samoa Joe.

The Pope (Elijah Burke) Injury Update

Chris Stephens
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The Pope (Elijah Burke) has released a statement after an injury scare at the NWA Hard Times 2 PPV Saturday night. According to a report from PW Insider, Pope went limp after being thrown into the steel steps during the show-closing angle with Matt Cardona, Mike Knox, and Trevor Murdoch.

As fans were filing out, Burke was still be attended to. He was then taken to hospital with a suspected concussion. He was released from hospital the following morning and is said to be doing okay. NWA has said he won’t be doing anything physical during the NWA Powerrr tapings this week.

Pope released a statement on social media regarding his injury.

“As many of you know I was recently taken by ambulance to a hospital in Atlanta following NWA Hard Times 2. I would like to assure you that all is 100% well with Pope. In wrestling we take our bumps & bruises while continually forging ahead. However, today there are certain protocols in effect to ensure the well being of performers like myself and getting medically evaluated and cleared is one of them,” Pope wrote.

“I’d like to thank the ENTIRE NWA family, many who gave up hours of their own time to ensure Pope’s safety. Thank You ~PHS.”

Update On Johnny Gargano & Kyle O’Reilly’s Expiring Contracts

Chris Stephens
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Sunday night’s NXT War Games event may have been the final WWE PPV appearances event for both Johnny Gargano and Kyle O’Reilly.


Gargano and O’Reilly have been pillars of the developmental brand for the past several years. Their contracts were due to expire soon, with understandable speculation that they’d consider jumping to AEW along with Adam Cole, Bryan Danielson and others.

WWE has attempted to re-sign both competitors. Fightful provided an update on this situation over the weekend:

“Both have been offered multi-year deals and were brought to Smackdown a couple of weeks ago, and it has been communicated to both men that the company wants to retain their services,” wrote Sean Ross Sapp.

As of War Games, neither had re-signed with the promotion. It is being said that most people are expecting both Gargano and O’Reilly to depart the company.

Gargano spoke to the fans in attendance after War Games went off the air and promised to “tell them everything” on Tuesday’s NXT. As seen below, fans chanted, “Thank you Johnny! Please don’t go!” at the former NXT Champion.

Gargano’s contract was set to expire on December 3rd, 2021 but he signed a one-week extension recently. His contract will now expire on December 10th. Both O’Reilly and Gargano are scheduled to be on the Tuesday edition of NXT this week.

Kyle O’Reilly is also booked to face Von Wagner in a cage match on Tuesday’s NXT show.

Jeff Hardy Sent Home After Incident at Live Event

Anutosh Bajpai
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Jeff Hardy has reportedly been sent home by WWE after an indecent at a live event that took place over the weekend.

The charismatic enigma wrestled at Saturday night’s event from Edinburg, Texas. He was featured in the main event. He teamed with with Xavier Woods and Drew McIntyre to face The Bloodline.

Hardy spent most of the match inside the ring. He played the usual babyface role, getting worked by their opponents. However, Jeff started becoming more sluggish as the match progressed.

Once he made the hot tag to McIntyre, the wrestling veteran disappeared into the crowd followed by the security. He didn’t return to the ring for the post-match celebration with his partners.

You can see Jeff Hardy making the hot tag and disappearing in this fan-captured video:

https://youtu.be/9WD9T1Rofgc?t=653

Jeff Hardy Sent Home

WWE officials sent Hardy home after that show, per PWInsider. SEScoops has independently corroborated that talent was under the impression he was sent home as well.

Hardy did not appear at Sunday’s WWE live event from American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, TX. The former world champion was not backstage and was replaced by Rey Mysterio on the card.

The high-flying star last wrestled on WWE TV during the November 25 SmackDown. He teamed up with Drew McIntyre to defeat Happy Corbin and Madcap Moss.

Jeff Hardy’s personal issues are well-documented. He’s spoken openly about his battle with addiction, which has negatively impacted his career at different times throughout the years.

SEScoops will follow this story and provide an update when we hear more about Jeff Hardy’s condition.

Jeff Hardy Opens Up About 2009 Arrest: “I Thought My Life Was Over”

WWE NXT WarGames Results: Team 2.0 vs. Black & Gold, Title Matches, Hair vs. Hair

Robert Lentini
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WWE NXT WarGames aired live from the Performance Center in Orlando. In addition to the two WarGames matches, Imperium defended the NXT Tag Team Championships against Kyle O’Reilly & Von Wagner. The Cruiserweight Championship was also on the line as Roderick Strong defended against Joe Gacy. Cameron Grimes battled Duke Hudson in a Hair vs. Hair match tonight as well.

WarGames Results

  1. Team Raquel def. Team Dakota in a WarGames match
  2. Imperium def. Kyle O’Reilly & Von Wagner to retain the NXT Tag Team Championships
  3. Cameron Grimes def. Duke Hudson in a Hair vs. Hair match
  4. Roderick Strong def. Joe Gacy to retain the Cruiserweight Championship
  5. Team 2.0 def. Team Black & Gold in a WarGames match

Here are the takeaways from the PPV:

Team Raquel def. Team Dakota

Raquel Gonzalez, Cora Jade, Kay Lee Ray, Io Shirai faced Dakota Kai, Mandy Rose, Jacy Jayne, Gigi Dolin in the first WarGames match of the night. Team Gonzalez had the advantage with the first superstar released from the pods. Kay Lee Ray and Dakota Kai started off the match.

Kay Lee Ray connected with a Dropkick and then sent Kai to the corner. Ray followed it up with a DDT before Kai battled back and launched her into the steel. Kai threw Kay Lee Ray into the cage again before setting up a couple kendo stick in between the two rings. Dakota grabbed a baseball bat but turned around into a Senton. Kay Lee then Suplexed Dakota onto the kendo sticks as Cora Jade entered the match next.

Cora Jade brought a skateboard into the ring and hit Dakota a couple times. Cora and Kay spent a couple minutes beating down Dakota Kai in the ring. Kai eventually fought back and planted them both with a DDT. Gigi Dolin even the odds and entered the match with a trash can from under the ring.

Dolin booted Cora in the face and leveled Ray with a Clothesline. Gigi and Kai hit pump kicks in opposite corners of the ring. Kay hit Dakota with a Dropkick and Cora knocked Dolin down. Cora put the trash can over Gigi’s head and connected with a Dropkick.

Io Shirai made her way through the crowd and brought some steel chairs into the ring. Kai booted Io in the face and launched her into the steel cage. Gigi threw Io into the cage shortly after for good measure. Kay Lee Ray hit Gigi over the head with the trash can and followed it up with a Suplex. Cora Jade hit Dakota with a rough looking Hurricanrana on the platform in between the rings. Dolin leveled Cora and sent her into the cage as Jacy Jayne entered the match.

Jacy brought a table into the ring and Gigi put it in the corner of the ring. Jacy accidentally stomped on Dolin and then turned around into a kick from Kai. Io hit Gigi and Dakota with Double Knees and grabbed the trash can lid. Io hit them both with Double Knees again using the lid and then hit a 619 on Jacy.

Kay Lee Ray, Io Shirai, and Cora Jade surrounded Jacy and put her on to of a table. Cora Jade climbed to the top of the cage and hit a Senton through the table. Medical staff wanted to check on Cora Jade’s shoulder but Io shut the door in their face. Io put Cora Jade’s shoulder back into place by stomping on it.

Raquel Gonzalez entered the match and Brought some trash cans and steel chairs with her. Gonzalez slid a shovel into the ring but couldn’t get into the ring because Gigi and Dakota were blocking the door. Raquel sprayed them with a fire extinguisher and entered the ring.

Gonzalez booted Gigi in the face before putting Dakota in a trash can. Raquel swung the trash can onto Gigi before throwing Kai across the ring. Io climbed to the top of the cage with a trash can but Kai caught up with her. Gonzalez hit a Powerbomb and then delivered a Spinebuster to Kai. Raquel put Dakota back in a trash can and Io hit her with a Moonsault.

Mandy Rose entered the match and hit Gonzalez with a steel chair. Rose went for Cora Jade but Io got in her way. Mandy stomped Io to the mat and started dragging Cora around. Io attacked Mandy and the two teams retreated to opposite rings to regroup. A brawl then broke out and the action returned to one ring.

Jacy slammed Io on top of a steel chair as Raquel put Gigi on the top turnbuckle. Gonzalez went for a Powerbomb but Mandy broke it up with a kendo stick shot to the midsection. Dolin hit a Hurricanrana into a chair but Cora Jade broke it up with a kendo stick shot to the back.

Team Kai then isolated Cora Jade alone in the other ring. Cora started swinging the kendo stick with her one good arm but the numbers game caught up to her. Jacy hit a Running Knee to the face and went for the cover but Jade kicked out at two. Gonzalez hit a Powerbomb but Gigi leveled her with a kick to the face. Cora Jade took a look around and covered Jacy for the victory for Team Gonzalez.

Imperium Retained

Imperium (Fabian Eichner & Marcel Barthel) defended the NXT Tag Team Championships against Kyle O’Reilly & Von Wagner tonight. Marcel and O’Reilly started off the action. O’Reilly went for a submission but Marcel countered into a cover for a two count. Fabian tagged in and went for a Wrist Lock but Kyle blocked it. Aichner hit some chops that echoed throughout the WWE PC. Wagner tagged in and hit a slam for a two count. Wagner dragged Fabian to the corner and O’Reilly tagged in.

Marcel tagged in and O’Reilly caught him with a knee to the face. Barthel shrugged it off and leveled Kyle before posing for the crowd. O’Reilly escaped to the corner and Von Wagner tagged in. Aichner showed off his strength and caught Wagner in midair before slamming him down for a two count.

Imperium took control of the match and isolated O’Reilly in the corner. O’Reilly eventually escaped and tagged in Von Wagner. Von delivered a couple Powerslams before Clotheslining Imperium out of the ring. Wagner slammed Marcel on top of the ring apron as O’Reilly caught Aichner with a running knee to the face.

Back in the ring, Wagner hit an Olympic Slam and went for the cover but Marcel kicked out at two. Marcel tripped Von up and tagged in Fabian. Imperium delivered Dropkicks to Von for a near fall. Wagner Chokeslammed Aichner on top of Barthel as O’Reilly climbed to the top rope. O’Reilly hit a Knee Drop before applying a Knee Bar on Marcel in the middle of the ring.

Aichner broke it up with a springboard Moonsault and all four superstars were down. Wagner sent Marcel out of the ring as O’Reilly locked in a Guillotine on Aichner. Fabian escaped and O’Reilly rolled him up. Marcel shoved Aichner to reverse the cover for a two count. O’Reilly and Aichner then hit a Clothesline at the same time and fell down.

Von Wagner tagged in and traded punches with Marcel Barthel. Aichner leveled Von from behind with a chop block to the knee. Von and O’Reilly hit a High/Low Clothesline & kick combo but Aichner broke up the cover at two. Marcel sent Wagner out of the ring and tagged in Aichner. Fabian hit a Crossbody off the top rope onto Von and then walked into a Brainbuster from O’Reilly.

Kyle went for the cover but Fabian was able to kick out at two. Aichner battled out of a Triangle submission by lifting O’Reilly up and stumbling to the corner. Marcel tagged himself in while Aichner still was holding up Kyle. Barthel climbed to the top rope and hit O’Reilly with a flying uppercut for the pinfall victory. Imperium are still the NXT Tag Team Champions. After the match, the crowd chanted “thank you Kyle!”. Von Wagner tried to attack O’Reilly but Kyle was ready and hit him with a Clothesline.

Cameron Grimes Won The Hair vs. Hair Match

Duke Hudson faced Cameron Grimes in a Hair vs. Hair match. Duke sent Cameron flying over the top rope to start off the action. Grimes held onto the rope and wound up landing on the steel steps. Duke followed him out there and Cameron bounced his head off the steps before hitting a Cannonball off the apron. Hudson quickly battled back and the action returned to the ring.

Grimes hit a forearm to the face but Hudson responded with a Uranage in the corner. Duke went for a Powerbomb but Grimes countered into a roll-up for a two count. Grimes connected with a Moonsault off the middle turnbuckle for another near fall. Cameron unloaded some kicks and Hudson retreated out of the ring. Grimes followed him but Hudson was ready and hit a Belly to Belly Suplex on the floor.

Cameron got back into the ring to beat the count but Duke was on him right away. Hudson stomped him down and then dropped him again with a Clothesline. Hudson applied an abdominal stretch and then pulled Grimes to the mat by his hair when he escaped. Hudson went for a Suplex but Cameron countered into a cradle for a two count. Hudson got pissed and leveled Grimes with a big boot to the face and some knee strikes to his lower back.

Grimes and Hudson both collided in the middle of the ring and Cameron landed on top of him for a two count. Grimes hit a Tornado DDT for another near fall. Hudson tried to pin Grimes using the ropes for leverage but the referee caught him. Grimes delivered a Superkick and followed it up with a Poisonrana. Cameron hit a kick to the face and a Crossbody off the top rope but couldn’t keep Duke down for three. Grimes hit Winds of Change for a two count. Grimes sent Hudson into the turnbuckle and rolled him up for the pinfall victory. Grimes grabbed the tights for leverage but the referee didn’t see it.

After the match, Duke tried to attack Grimes and shave his head but Cameron fought him off. Grimes hit the Cave In and put Duke on the barber’s chair. Cameron then shaved Duke Hudson’s hair until he came to and ran away.

Roderick Strong Retained

Roderick Strong defended the Cruiserweight Championship against Joe Gacy tonight at WarGames. Diamond Mine and Harland were ringside for the match. Roderick started off the match in control and connected with a Backbreaker. Strong sent Gacy into the turnbuckle and unloaded some chops to his chest. Gacy booted Strong in the face and connected with a Backbreaker of his own.

Gacy went for the cover but the champion kicked out at two. Joe connected with a Suplex for another two count. Strong brought Gacy to the top rope and hit a Superplex for a near fall. Roderick went for a Sharpshooter but Gacy blocked it with a boot to the face. Gacy then got Roderick in a Crossface but Strong broke the hold by reaching the bottom rope.

Joe sent Strong out of the ring with a Clothesline and then flipped onto Diamond Mine. Harland lifted Ivy Nile up but Joe told him to put her down. Back in the ring, Roderick hit End of Heartache for the pinfall victory and retained the Cruiserweight Championship.

Team 2.0 def. Team Black & Gold

Team Black & Gold (Tommaso Ciampa, Pete Dunne, LA Knight, Johnny Gargano) faced Team 2.0 (Bron Breakker, Tony D’Angelo, Grayson Waller, Carmelo Hayes) in a WarGames match to close the show. Team New School had the WarGames advantage.

Gargano got loud chants of “Johnny Wrestling!” before the match began. Johnny and NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes started the first 5 minutes of the match. Hayes controlled the action for a few minutes until Johnny battled back with a slingshot Spear. Johnny bashed Hayes’ face into the steel cage several times and hit a Sunset Flip Powerbomb.

Grayson Waller entered the match and Gargano went for a DDT. Waller blocked it and planted Johnny with a Suplex. Gargano went for a Hurricanrana but Waller blocked it and connected with a Backbreaker. Trick Williams threw a chair into the ring and Hayes bashed Gargano in the midsection with it.

Pete Dunne entered the match and started bending back Waller’s digits on the cage. Dunne locked in a Crossface as Johny got Waller in the Gargano Escape. Hayes hit Dunne with a DDT but Pete caught him with a punch. Waller hit Dunne with a Stunner and delivered another one to Gargano.

Tony D’Angelo made his way to the ring and Trick gave him a kendo stick. Trick brought out some tables and slid them into the ring. Dexter Lumis slid out from under the ring and Trick ran away. Lumis gave Gargano a thumbs up and exited. LA Knight entered the match next and Black & Gold took control.

Pete Dunne bashed Waller’s hand with a kendo stick and started shoving it into his face. Bron Breakker made his way to the ring and cut the chain that locked the door with bolt cutters. It took a while but he eventually got the door open. Breakker got into the ring and hit some Suplexes before Dunne Dropkicked him in the face.

Breakker lifted up Gargano and threw him with ease onto Dunne and Knight. NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa entered the match last and bashed Waller with a kendo stick. Ciampa hit Hayes with a trash can lid and launched Breakker into the cage. Ciampa sent D’Angelo into the cage and hit Breakker with a knee to the face. Tommaso took a seat on top of a trash can and gave himself a round of applause and a pat on the back.

Gargano threw Tommaso a crutch and Ciampa hit Tony in the midsection with it. Gargano leveled Hayes with an Enziguri as DIY hit some of their classics. Breakker put an end to it and slammed Gargano on top of Ciampa. Waller and D’Angelo launched Dunne into the cage before a brawl broke out.

Team Black & Gold stomped the hell out of 2.0 against the cage as the crowd chanted “NXT!”. Dunne held up a trash can lid and Gargano launched Hayes into it. Ciampa perched Waller up not he top turnbuckle but Tony hit him from behind with a trash lid. D’Angelo set Ciampa up on the table and Waller set up on the top rope. LA Knight came out of nowhere and put Waller through the table with a Suplex.

LA Knight hit Hayes with the BFT but Tony broke it up at two. Knight threw Breakker and bashed him into it several times. Knight went for a Cutter but D’Angelo broke it up with a kick. Tony unloaded some punches and Breakker joined in on the beatdown of Knight. Ciampa hit Tony with a trash can and then threw it at Breakker. Tommaso then planted Breakker through the trash can with an Air Raid Crash off the top rope for a two count.

Waller climbed to the top of the cage and hit an Elbow Drop on Knight through the table. Tony went for the cover but Pete Dunne broke it up at two. D’Angelo grabbed a crow bar but Dunne bashed him with a kendo stick. Dunne then hit Hayes with the kendo stick and stomped on his hand before booting him in the face.

Dunne climbed to the middle turnbuckle but D’Angelo hit him with the crowbar. Tony took out Dunne’s mouthpiece and hit him with a Swinging Neckbreaker with the crowbar across his face. Breakker hit Ciampa with a Frankensteiner but Gargano quickly hit a DDT. DIY hit Meeting in the Middle on Breakker but Carmelo dragged the referee away before he could count to three.

Ciampa accidentally hit Gargano with a knee to the face and then went for the Fairytale Ending on Hayes. Breakker broke it up with a Spear that sent the NXT Champion crashing through a table. Breakker planted Ciampa with a Powerslam for the pinfall victory.

Team 2.0 Wins Men’s WarGames Match

Andrew Ravens
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The latest chapter in WarGames history has been written as the men’s version of the match was memorable and saw Team come out victorious. 

WWE held the match at the NXT WarGames event with the expected main event seeing Team 2.0 (Bron Breakker, Carmelo Hayes, Grayson Waller, and Tony D’Angelo) vs. Team Black & Gold (Tommaso Ciampa, Johnny Gargano, Pete Dunne, and LA Knight). 

Gargano and Hayes started things out. Waller was the third man in. Gargano was bleeding from his nose. Dunne was next in line followed by D’Angelo, and then Knight. Dunne was using various weapons to damage the middle finger of Waller. Bron and Ciampa were the last wrestlers to enter. Knight did a belly-to-belly suplex from the top rope to Waller through a table. Gargano and Ciampa did some old DIY spots. Waller hit an elbow drop off the top of the cage onto Knight through a table. Waller hit an elbow drop off the top of the cage to Knight through a table. Bron with his finisher to Ciampa for the win. 

This could’ve been Gargano’s last NXT match as his contract expires on December 10th. 

https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1467697019296878597

The match was set up as all of the competitors had been feuding with each other in separate storylines. This past Tuesday night on NXT 2.0, Breakker won the advantage for his team by defeating Gargano in a ladder match.

Last year’s event saw The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly) beat The Kings of NXT (Pat McAfee, Pete Dunne, NXT Tag Team Champions Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch). In 2019, Tommaso Ciampa, Donovan Dijak, Keith Lee and Kevin Owens beat The Undisputed Era.

Roderick Strong Retains Cruiserweight Title At WWE NXT WarGames

Andrew Ravens
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Cruiserweight Champion Roderick Strong made his latest title defense against Joe Gacy at the WWE NXT WarGames event in Orlando, Florida on Sunday night. 

The match was kept short with Gacy dominating early only for Strong to make a comeback with a knee strike then a backbreaker for the win. 

WWE set up this feud a few weeks ago when Gacy interrupted Strong and his Diamond Mine stablemates while Malcolm Bivens was cutting a promo. The following week, Diamond Mine interrupted a promo by Gacy and told him that  Diamond Mine was going to steal the spotlight from Gacy like he did to them. Gacy said he has no respect for them or Strong and he said Strong’s name alone is an example of toxic masculinity. Gacy said the Cruiserweight division is meant to divide because it’s an example of exclusivity and weight shaming. 

Strong offered the title match and Gacy accepted before noting that he looked forward to resolving this issue together as one. Bivens wanted Julius & Brutus Creed to attack Gacy, but he called them off after Gacy’s associate Harland appeared.

Strong won the NXT Cruiserweight Championship from Kushida this September. Dave Meltzer noted on an episode of Wrestling Observer Radio this week that he had heard WWE might be getting rid of the title and renaming it the All-Inclusive Championship.

Imperium Retain Tag Team Titles At WWE NXT WarGames

Andrew Ravens
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Kyle O’Reilly and Von Wagner stepped up to challenge WWE NXT Tag Team Champions Imperium (Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner)  for the titles at the WarGames event in Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center on Peacock. 

The match featured Imperium to beatdown Kyle in the early going until Von got the hot tag. Von hit some powerslams including on the apron and an angle slam. Kyle was taken out with a moonsault while having Barthel in an ankle lock. Imperium pinned Kyle with their finisher.

Post-match, Wagner tried to turn on O’Reilly, who saw it coming and laid out Wanger before leaving the ring. This could’ve been O’Reilly’s last match in NXT as his WWE contract expires this week.

WWE set up this contest this past week on NXT 2.0 when O’Reilly & Wagner defeated Legado del Fantasma’s Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde in a number one contender’s match to earn the title shot. 

This marked Imperium’s first title defense since becoming NXT Tag Team Champions when they won the titles from MSK in a Lumberjack-O’-Lantern match at Halloween Havoc in October. 

The storyline with O’Reilly and Wagner was that Kyle was initially hesitant to form another tag team after the way that Undisputed Era broke up. Their pairing started following the premiere episode of NXT 2.0 this September.  This show is where Wagner made his debut and saved O’Reilly from an attack by Pete Dunne and Ridge Holland.

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