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Jake Atlas Announces His Retirement From Pro Wrestling

Michael Reichlin
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Jake Atlas is leaving professional wrestling.

The 26-year-old made the announcement Tuesday afternoon on social media. He cited mental health as his primary motivation to explore new opportunities in different industries. Atlas wrote:

“I’m not concussed or ‘banged up.’ I simply just can’t keep going anymore. Take your mental health seriously, both for yourselves & for each other, because we only have one life to live. Thank you to anyone who did support me for 5 years. I didn’t do much, but what I did was fun.”

“I’m stepping away from wrestling completely right now so please don’t ask me to do interviews/appearances. I’d like my privacy to be respected. At 26 years old, I’ve got my entire life ahead of me & I’m choosing to explore completely different industries to find my passion again.”

“Unfortunately, it was unhealthy for me the entire time. I just learned how to hide it really well. I hope that friends & fans I’ve made alike continue to support me no matter what.”

Jake Atlas made his pro wrestling debut in 2016. He wrestled in various California-based independents. He signed with WWE in October 2019 after appearing on a WWE-themed episode of Celebrity Undercover Boss the prior year.

After training at the Performance Center for several months, Atlas made his NXT debut in April 2020 and also competed on 205 Live.

He was released from WWE on August 6, 2021. He wrote at the time, “For 5 years, I worked hard to play the game the way I thought they would have wanted me to. If in that time I was able to accomplish all that I have with a limited understanding of who & what ‘Jake Atlas’ is, imagine what I’m capable of doing now that I get to do it MY way.”

Over the past several weeks, Atlas he wrestled for Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling. He competed at the ROH Death Before Dishonor PPV this past weekend.

SEScoops wishes Jake Atlas the best of luck in this next chapter of his professional career.

Jake Atlas Says He Doesn’t Want To Be Known As “The Gay Wrestler”

NXT Star Re-Signs With WWE Ahead of NXT 2.0(Report)

Tyriece Simon
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NXT talent Pete Dunne has re-signed with WWE before tonight’s NXT 2.0 episode.

Fightful Select reports that Dunne agreed to a long-term contract with the company. According to the report, his contract had expired around the same time as former NXT talent Adam Cole in July. Dunne will compete tonight on NXT 2.0 in a fatal four-way match for the NXT Championship.

“…WWE sources confirmed to Fightful Tuesday afternoon that Dunne agreed to a new three-year deal which was actually said to have been personally offered by Triple H before he was sidelined recently. Dunne, along with Adam Cole, had a surprise contract expiration in July, said Fightful Select.

NXT Championship Match Tonight

NXT Champion Samoa Joe announced yesterday that he would vacate the championship after suffering an injury. Shortly after, NXT General Manager William Regal revealed that a fatal four-way match for the NXT Championship would occur on tonight’s NXT 2.0 episode. The participants are Dunne, Kyle O’ Riley, LA Knight, and Tommaso Ciampa.

Rough Start to NXT 2.0

Tonight’s episode of NXT 2.0 will be the start of WWE revamping the brand. However, NXT 2.0 seems to be going through a rough start. PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reports that the NXT 2.0’s script has changed repeatedly throughout the day. Fightful Select shared earlier that WWE had taken off an NXT Women’s Championship match from tonight’s NXT episode.

Johnson’s report also shared that he spoke to NXT talent at the show tonight and described the atmosphere as “weird” backstage. As concerning as tonight’s episode may be for fans, Dunne’s new contract could be promising.

It’s unclear if Dunne re-signing with WWE will affect the outcome of the match. Although, It should be worth noting that Dunne has been featured more on TV before NXT’s rebranding and is the youngest participant in tonight’s championship match. However, WWE could have anyone in the fatal four-way match become the new NXT Champion.

Big E’s WWE Title Win Served As Morale Booster For Locker Room (Report)

Anutosh Bajpai
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The incredible WWE championship win of Big E on last night’s episode of Monday Night Raw not only created a positive buzz among fans but it apparently served as a huge morale booster for people in the locker room as well.

According to reports from PWinsider, there was a ‘huge uptick’ in morale among the talents present at last night’s show out of genuine excitement over the New Day member’s big win.

E is beloved by the locker room so his win over Bobby Lashley was seen as a huge deal. There were even some SmackDown talents who wished to be at the event for the night just to be part of the environment.

There were concerns over Lashley’s knee after the spot where he slammed Randy Orton through the table. Though the site reports that he was 100% fine.

The all-mighty did an excellent job selling his knee coming out of the spot. He received a lot of praise for his performance during his match with Orton and Big E as well.

There is no word yet on what the company is planning for Lashley after Raw. We will have to see when or if he gets a championship rematch against the new titleholder.

Original Plans For Big E’s WWE Championship Win

Details On Backstage Morale Heading Into Tonight’s NXT 2.0 Relaunch

Anutosh Bajpai
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A new era begins tonight for NXT, WWE’s developmental brand. According to PWInsider, there is a great sense of unease in the locker room as the wrestlers learn what “NXT 2.0” will actually look like.

Talent was already on edge following the last round of releases. The feeling is that people who ‘did everything they were supposed to’ and received praise from coaches were still let go. This has led to trepidation and uncertainty as it relates to job security.

NXT has already undergone a dramatic overhaul in recent weeks. After losing the ratings war against AEW Dynamite, NXT moved to Tuesday nights. Viewership has been acceptable since the move, but the show failed to generate much momentum.

Earlier this month, news broke that Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard would be taking over NXT, with Triple H and his team carrying out their vision and handling the day-to-day operations.

Triple H undergoing an emergency medical procedure only fueled concerns about NXT’s future. Then came a report by Cassidy Haynes of Bodyslam.net about a new wave of NXT production cuts. He described NXT being down to a “skeleton crew.”

Samoa Joe relinquishing the NXT Championship late Sunday night was the latest curveball for WWE’s black and gold (rainbow?) brand.

Tonight’s NXT 2.0 launch will be interesting to watch, from multiple perspectives.

Women’s Championship Match Scrapped From NXT 2.0 Premiere

Tyriece Simon
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The NXT Women’s Championship match will not take place on tonight’s NXT 2.0 episode.

Fightful Select reports that the championship match between Raquel Gonzalez vs. Franky Monet is off tonight’s card. NXT had built up the title match for the last three weeks. The report also shares that Gonzales and Monet will not be on TV tonight.

“… A planned match between Franky Monet and Raquel Gonzalez for the NXT Women’s Championship will not be taking place Tuesday as planned. Fightful was not given a reason why the match was off, but that the company was aware of the change by Monday morning,” said Fightful Select.

New Version of NXT

The WWE is calling their revamped version of the developmental program NXT 2.0. Besides an updated logo, WWE hasn’t shared all the new changes or who will be spearheading these changes weekly.

However, The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer reported that upper WWE management, like WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, would handle major decisions regarding NXT moving forward. He also shared that no one in NXT had input on the logo change. “…when it comes to the future of NXT and its rebranding, it’s said the people making the decision, on their own, are the likes of Vince McMahon, Nick Khan, John Laurinaitis, Kevin Dunn, and Bruce Prichard,” said Meltzer.

New NXT Championship Match on Tonight Episode

While the NXT Women’s Championship match is off, NXT announced a new title match. NXT Champion Samoa Joe announced yesterday that he would vacate his championship due to an injury. After Joe’s announcement, NXT General Manager William Regal revealed that a fatal four-way match would decide tonight’s new NXT Champion. The participants will be Pete Dunne, LA Knight, Kyle O’Riley, and Tommaso Ciampa.

Ciampa is the only participant that is a former NXT Champion. However, it’s unclear if he will win due to the new direction of NXT. Regardless, tonight’s winner of the NXT Championship match will help begin WWE’s unique path in revamping the NXT brand.

Ricky Starks: CM Punk Brings A Big Morale Boost To AEW

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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FTW Champion Ricky Starks believes CM Punk has been of great help to AEW talent backstage.

Punk has been with AEW for about a month now. After being away from the wrestling industry for seven years, Punk made his AEW debut on the Aug. 20 edition of Rampage. Punk’s music hit and fans inside the United Center in Chicago, Illinois lost their minds. CM Punk’s return led to one of the loudest crowd reactions you will ever hear for a wrestling show.

Punk’s value in AEW goes beyond TV and PPVs. Appearing on SiriusXM’s new Throwing Down show with Renee Paquette and Miesha Tate, Starks said the self-proclaimed “Best in the World” has been quick to give some advice to the talent if they ask for it.

“It’s been great. I know that he’s a hard worker and backstage, he’s very mindful of everyone and their matches and making sure he talks to them and critiques them. He’s very approachable too. Having Punk back there is a big morale boost. A big morale boost.”

Starks also responded to Punk calling him out in the media and on AEW TV.

“He called me out. I appreciate the spotlight there, but I’m tied up with Brian Cage right now. I have to get through that before I move on top Punk and see what he’s about. If it keeps drawing attention, Punk, keep my name in your mouth. Keep it going. I welcome it.”

AEW has planted the seeds for Punk’s next feud. Punk and Taz got into a back-and-forth verbal exchange on an episode of Dynamite. Taz took issue with Punk mentioning members of his team in media appearances. Punk doubled down, daring Taz to give him Will Hobbs, Hook, and Ricky Starks.

Jim Ross Got WrestleMania X-7 Vibes From AEW All Out

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Jim Ross has compared AEW All Out to one of the most renowned wrestling PPVs of all time.

All Out took place inside the Now Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois on Sept. 5. The event featured the in-ring return of CM Punk as well as the AEW World Title match between champion Kenny Omega and Christian Cage. The event also featured one of the greatest tag team matches you’ll ever see as The Young Bucks collided with Lucha Bros in a steel cage match for the AEW Tag Team Titles.

Of course, All Out had its share of surprises too. Ruby Soho made her AEW debut as the Joker entrant in the Casino Battle Royale, which she won. The show also ended with the promotional debuts of Adam Cole and Bryan Danielson.

Jim Ross called the action at the PPV and certainly felt the electricity in the building. On an episode of his Grilling JR podcast, Ross said he hadn’t felt this emotionally invested in a wrestling event since WrestleMania X-Seven back in 2001.

“I thought our call at All Out was really strong,” said Ross. “I really loved our work and the skill of Excalibur and Tony, I thought we nailed it really well. People have to understand how hard it is for a three-man booth to co-exist without walking all over each other and not listening. You disconnected the dots enough because you weren’t listening to what the guy said. I thought we had a really good night.”

Jim Ross Praises AEW All Out

JR said it’s difficult to name the ‘best PPV ever.’ However, he feels that AEW All Out was the most exhilarating and emotional card he’s called over the past 20 years.

“I don’t know if it’s the best pay-per-view ever, because I don’t know how you judge those things. If your opinion says that All Out was the best pay-per-view you ever saw, then that’s your opinion and you have the right to it. The only pay-per-view that I had more fun, exhilarating, just really full of emotion and the feels were there — I’ve done a lot of great shows, but I think WrestleMania 17 was the closest thing that came to me for the emotional investment of that broadcast. It means I had a hell of a good time, I thought the show was excellent, well booked.”

For many, WrestleMania X-Seven was an iconic marked the end of an era. The main event saw Stone Cold Steve Austin defeat The Rock thanks to an assist from Vince McMahon. Austin was more than happy with McMahon’s assistance and he solidified his heel turn, effectively ending the Attitude Era.

The PPV also delivered a TLC match that is still talked about to this day. Edge and Christian defeated The Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz to capture the WWE Tag Team Championships. In one of the most iconic moments in wrestling history, Edge speared a daggling Jeff Hardy off a 20-foot ladder.

Sasha Banks Update: Cleared To Compete Following Hiatus

Chris Stephens
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Sasha Banks has been out of action for over one month. Her last match for WWE took place at a non-televised live event on August 7th from Fort Myers, Florida.

The multi-time Women’s Champion missed several shows in the lead-up to SummerSlam, where she was scheduled to challenge Bianca Belair for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. That match never took place, with the returning Becky Lynch walking out of the event with the gold.

A recent report from PWInsider stated that Banks was expected back for WWE’s Super SmackDown broadcast from Madison Square Garden on September 10th. She was at MSG that night, but did not appear on television.

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Sasha Banks arrives at Madison Square Garden (September 10, 2021)

Sasha Banks Update

Banks has been backstage at several recent WWE events. Dave Meltzer addressed her situation on a recent edition of Wrestling Observer Radio. Meltzer states that Banks is cleared to perform, despite WWE keeping her off television.

“She’s not in the mix right now. The mix is Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair.”

– Dave Meltzer

“Sasha Banks was in Madison Square Garden,” Meltzer continued. “She was there, but they just didn’t put her on TV. They scrapped the tag-team match, and they scrapped a Kevin Owens segment, they scrapped a lot of stuff on the Friday show.”

The Boss remains one of WWE’s most popular Superstars. The WWE Draft will take place in a matter of weeks, which could be an opportune time to transition her back into storylines.

Sasha Banks Takes The Paqui One Chip Challenge (Video)

Mickie James Says WWE Rejected Her Pitch For An All-Women’s Brand

Anutosh Bajpai
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Wrestling legend Mickie James is a fierce advocate for women’s wrestling. She was the driving force behind the recent NWA EMPOWERRR all-women’s pay-per-view.

During a recent interview with Nashville’s SportsLine One, James spoke about all things women’s wrestling, including EMPOWERRR, WWE’s Women’s Revolution and more.

The multi-time Women’s Champion says she once pitched an all-women’s brand to WWE. However, it not meant to be.

“It was met with a lot of resistance and maybe not understanding of why I was fighting so hard.”

– Mickie James

Mickie James presented the concept to some ‘very important’ people in WWE. She thought the idea made a lot of sense, because it would provide content for the Network while utilizing the company’s vast women’s roster.

“I had very important conversations with very important people,” she said. “I said, ‘Hey, let’s do an all-women’s brand. We do 205 Live and all these other things. We need content for The Network.”

Mickie James went on to explain how the all-female brand could have been a place for female stars to find their voice and wrestle until they were ready for live television.

“We have an immense amount of talent, talent that isn’t necessarily getting used on television right now. This could be a wonderful place for them to grow.'”

WWE Not Interested

The veteran wrestler revealed that her pitch to WWE about an all-women’s brand was met with a lot of resistance.

“It was met with a lot of resistance and maybe not understanding of why I was fighting so hard. I wasn’t just fighting for me and I wasn’t the only one who posed this question or went to the well. When I realized that this was the fight that I was hanging my hat on, it was unfortunate that it didn’t happen the way I wanted to in that moment.”

Mickie James was released by WWE on April 15, 2021. NWA President Billy Corgan has stated that she is not under contract with the NWA.

James has not revealed her future plans as of this writing, but it will be interesting to see where she ends up next.

Check out our recent interview with Mickie James during the NWA EMPOWERRR weekend:

Original Plans For Big E’s WWE Championship Win

Anutosh Bajpai
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Big E finally reached the pinnacle of his professional wrestling career during tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw. He cashed in the Money In The Bank contract to become the new WWE champion.

Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men podcast provided some backstage update on this big title change. According to Zarian, WWE’s original plan called for Big E to cash in his Money In The Bank contract and become champion during the WWE Draft episode of Raw.

This year’s WWE Draft was scheduled to kick off on the August 30th episode of Raw. As announced during Monday’s Raw broadcast, the WWE Draft will begin on Friday, October 1st. It will conclude on Monday, October 4th.

There has been speculation regarding WWE’s decision to put the title on Big E at this time. In hindsight, the title change occurred later than expected (September 12th, instead of August 30th), yet 3 weeks before of the Draft.

At the end of the day, Big E is WWE Champion, regardless of the scheduling changes. Big E actually explained his reason for cashing in Money in the Bank when he did:

Big E Explains Why He Chose To Cash In MITB On Monday’s RAW

Big E as WWE Champion

As we approach the WWE Draft, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for the New Day and which brand(s) the three members end up on.

With Big E as the new ‘top dog’ on Raw, many fans are hoping we’ll see New Day feud with Roman Reigns and his Bloodline faction. This would be an exciting program as we head into the fall season, so hopefully this does come to fruition.

Big E and Roman Reigns have been on a collision course dating back several years. The former NXT alums were previously at odds when the New Day clashed with Reigns’ former faction, The Shield.

Samoa Joe Was Scheduled To Appear On This Week’s Raw (Report)

Anutosh Bajpai
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Samoa Joe was originally going to make an appearance on this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw, per reports from Fightful select.

According to the site, the former NXT champion was scheduled to make an appearance on the red branded show to promote the relaunch of NXT:

“We’re not sure what Joe was scheduled to do or if he’ll remain on the program, but we were told it was in relation to promoting the relaunch of NXT on Tuesday night.”

WWE has been teasing the launch of a new version of NXT for this Tuesday with a revamped set, new logo, and a new direction for the brand in terms of storyline and character development.

Samoa Joe announced this past Sunday that he is relinquishing the NXT championship. He was informed by the WWE doctors that “certain injuries” will prevent him from wrestling anytime soon.

The company has since confirmed the plans for the vacant title. They have announced a fatal four-way match among Tommaso Ciampa, Kyle O’Reilly, Pete Dunne and LA Knight for this week’s episode of the show to determine the new champion.

There is no word yet on how long Joe is expected to stay out of action. We’ll keep you posted about his status and future with the black and yellow brand.

Update On Samoa Joe & The New Direction For NXT

Booker T On Concerns That Adam Cole Will Be Lost In Shuffle In AEW

Anutosh Bajpai
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Adam Cole becoming the AEW champion somewhere down the line after his incredible debut at All Out looks inevitable and Booker T is all for it. The WWE Hall Of Famer talked about the former Undisputed Era leader changing sides among other things on the latest episode of his Hall Of Fame podcast.

Discussing the prospect of Cole becoming the AEW world champion one day, T claimed that it will change the whole name of the gamet:

“If Adam Cole wins the AEW World Heavyweight Championship, it will change the whole name of the game, just because he’s that guy that a lot of people don’t think should be playing that role and that position. It would show the adversity of what AEW is all about.

Booker T On If Adam Cole Will Be Washed Out In AEW

Booker T also addressed the concerns that Adam Cole may get lost in the shuffle in AEW with stars such as CM Punk and Bryan Danielson being given priority. He claimed that it won’t be the case because of the way AEW handles their roster:

“I don’t think he’s going to get washed out. I think the way AEW works their talent, they’re trying to make everybody on the roster a star. I think that’s what the business has always been in the past,

Every wrestler in the 90s in the WWE came out of the curtain and they were a star. They brought somebody’s a** to a seat in that arena. That’s what I think AEW is trying to do, have all of their stars create as far as reaching to their fan base only.”

Adam Cole’s NXT contract expired last month. He made his AEW debut after the main event of All Out and immediately aligned himself with the Elite.

Mark Henry Responds To Booker T’s CM Punk Remarks

Jon Moxley Out, Will Ospreay In For NJPW Battle In The Valley

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Jon Moxley will no longer be featured in NJPW’s Battle In The Valley event.

Moxley was initially expected to be on the Nov. 13 card but once AEW moved its Full Gear event to that date, many expected him to miss the NJPW show. That hunch ended up being correct.

NJPW announced that Moxley is out of Battle In The Valley. Fans won’t be left in the dust, however, as Will Ospreay will now be featured on the show.

“On Saturday November 13, Battle in the Valley will see NJPW return to the San Jose Civic for the first time in over two years for the major event known as Battle in the Valley. Tickets are already selling fast for the event, which will be broadcast on NJPW World and FITE, and after competing in Texas and Philadelphia this autumn, Will Ospreay has added his name to the mix!

“Due to scheduling conflicts, Jon Moxley, who was previously announced for Battle in the Valley will not be participating. We apologize to fans looking forward to seeing Moxley wrestle, and appreciate your understanding.”

Also set to appear at Battle in the Valley are Jay White, Tomohiro Ishii, Tom Lawlor, Juice Robinson, David Finlay, Brody King, and more.

Kenny Omega Says Roman Reigns ‘Could Have Easily’ Been Ranked #1 In PWI 500

Anutosh Bajpai
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The list of accolades Kenny Omega has achieved this year now includes ranking #1 in the PWI 500 list for the second time after 2018. The AEW world champion sat down with PWI Editor-in-Chief Kevin McElvaney on the PWI Podcast to discuss this achievement and what it means for him.

During the interview, Omega discussed how his #1 ranking this year was different than 2018. He explained that he was playing to his strength during his time in NJPW. Kenny mentioned how that wasn’t the case this year. According to him, he didn’t run away with it this time because he doesn’t think he was #1 by far:

“I’ve really stepped outside of my own comfort zone, and not only that, but everyone else stepped up their game too. It’s fantastic that I don’t feel like, no matter how I look at it, I didn’t run away with it. I don’t think I was number one by far.

I think the best part about this year, especially, is you could have went in multiple directions and no one would be disappointed. I feel that, up until his unfortunate injury, number one could have been Will Ospreay. Number one could have easily been Shingo Takagi. Number one could have easily been Roman Reigns.”

Kenny Omega joined a coveted list when he was ranked #1 in the PWI 500 list for the second time. Prior to the current AEW world heavyweight champion, Bret Hart, Steve Austin, Triple H, John Cena, and Seth Rollins have been the only stars to top the ranking more than once.

Kenny Omega reportedly wants to face two major NJPW stars

Impact Reveals Knockouts Knockdown, Will Hold Daffney Memorial Match

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Impact Wrestling has revealed the return of Knockouts Knockdown.

This will be a special event set for Oct. 9. A pioneer of Impact Wrestling Knockouts, Gail Kim, made the announcement.

“BREAKING: As revealed by Gail Kim, the all Knockouts event Knockouts Knockdown will return on October 9th.”

Impact has nabbed the services of Mercedes Martinez for the event. Martinez was recently released from WWE. She was a part of a slew of NXT roster cuts.

Also part of the special event will be a Daffney memorial Monster’s Ball match. Daffney passed away on Sept. 1.

“Knockouts Knockdown will feature the Daffney Memorial Monster’s Ball match – a tribute to Daffney, who competed in the first Knockouts Monster’s Ball alongside Taylor Wilde in 2009.”

Daffney competed in Impact when the promotion was known as TNA Wrestling. She worked with the company dating back to her early appearances in 2002.

Also set for the show will be Impact Wrestling Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo. She’ll be putting her gold on the line against a mystery opponent.

Fans will also get to see Lady Frost and Renee Michelle.

Impact Wrestling’s Knockouts Knockdown began in 2013 as an annual event. The shows ran through 2017.

Big E Comments On WWE Championship Win: “It Feels Earned”

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

Big E completed his promise to the WWE Universe of cashing in the Money In The Bank contract and became the new WWE champion during tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw. The new champion was joined by Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston in the ring shortly after his big win. The duo accompanied him for his backstage interview after the show was over as well.

Big E was asked how was feeling after the biggest night of his career. Replying to it, E said that he is feeling good before explaining how he feels like he has earned the title:

“I think the dream for anyone in any vocation of craft or anything is getting to [not only] do really cool things and get to the top of your craft but to do it with your best friends. I always tell this story because I never wanna forget. I will always remember the three of us just fighting to get on TV.

We have been able to do so many cool incredible things. I got to grow so much as a person, as a performer because of these guys. I could not have written a better career for myself. I am glad, in many ways that it took so long because it feels earned.” said Big E, “I am glad that I wasn’t handed things right away. That I had time to grow to do all the things that we had chance to do.”

The former NXT champion was also asked how he felt getting applause from everyone backstage after his big win. He said that it felt like the cherry on top after seeing the people who have pushed for him over the years to be there and tell him that it was a job well done. You can check out his interview below:

Main Event For Saturday Debut Of NJPW Strong Announced

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

NJPW Strong is making the jump to Saturday nights and the Sept. 18 card has been revealed.

Strong had been airing every Friday night at 10 p.m. ET. Since AEW Rampage has taken that night and time slot, NJPW responded by moving the show to Saturday nights at 8 p.m. ET. The move takes effect on Sept. 18.

NJPW has announced that headlining the show will be a tables match between Juice Robinson and Hikuleo.

“Headlining this Saturday is a first for not just NJPW STRONG, but New Japan in general. A tables match will see Juice Robinson go up against Hikuleo, wherein the only way to win is to send your opponent through a table with an offensive maneuver.

Juice and Hikuleo’s issues stretch back one month to before Resurgence. There Hikuleo, upset at being snubbed in the Resurgence lineup, issued an open challenge that Robinson responded to. n ring at the LA Coliseum, Hikuleo’s power was undeniable as he set to work on Juice, but Robinson’s veteran instincts were enough for him to score a flash pinfall victory.

That wasn’t a loss Hikuleo took well, and a post-match chokeslam was delivered as a parting shot. Yet Hikuleo hasn’t let go of this issue with Juice, driving him through a table backstage on STRONG, and then following Robinson to IMPACT, where he joined Chris Bey in a devastating steel chair assault this week. Now the two meet in their most violent encounter yet; who will survive?”

Here’s a look at the Sept. 18 NJPW Strong card.

Juice Robinson vs. Hikuleo – Tables Match
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Karl Fredericks, and Clark Connors vs. Stray Dog Army
Tomohiro Ishii vs. Alex Coughlin

Big E Explains Why He Chose To Cash In MITB On Monday’s RAW

Anutosh Bajpai
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Big E had announced before this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw that he is going to cash in his Money In The Bank contract after the WWE championship match.

Sports Illustrated spoke to the New Day star before the show from TD Garden in Boston. When asked why he chose tonight for his cash in, the former IC champion discussed his connections to the area:

“Why not tonight? Why not the hometown of one Kofi Kingston? My sister lives here, my mom went to BC [Boston College] and Tufts [University]. Boston is a beautiful area, a beautiful town.” said E, “Why not here, why not now?,”

WWE also released a video of Sarah Schreiber talking to the heavyweight star backstage before the episode. He made similar comments in the video when asked why he decided to cash in his contract today and announce it in advance:

“Why not here, why not now? I believe in setting your intentions for the day.” said Big E, “I woke up, stretched, yawned, removed the coal from my eyes and said you know what? Let’s do it today.”

The championship match in the main event of Raw saw Bobby Lashley retaining his WWE title over Randy Orton with some help from MVP.

Big E completed his promise after the bout. He successfully cashed in his Money In The Bank contract on the All-Mighty after the main event to become the new WWE champion.

WWE & AEW Stars React To Big E Winning WWE Title

WWE & AEW Stars React To Big E Winning WWE Title

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Cue the celebration, Big E is the new WWE Champion.

Big E made it clear that on the night of Sept. 13, 2021, he would make his way to Monday Night Raw to cash in his Money In The Bank briefcase. That’s exactly what he did.

E cashed in following the WWE Title match between now-former champion Bobby Lashley and Randy Orton. Lashley ended up winning the match after hitting a second Spear. After the match, Lashley attacked Riddle and sent Orton through a table. Lashley’s crucial mistake was that he hurt his knee after the match.

E saw his opportunity to strike and he took it. It wasn’t easy, however, as E had to kick out of a Spear. Eventually, he nailed Lashley with the Big Ending for the three-count to become the new WWE Champion.

Big E Cashes In Money In The Bank Contract To Win WWE Title On Raw

Many WWE superstars and announcers took to Twitter to react to Big E’s crowning achievement.

“The best. Congratulations Big E.”

“Biiiiiiiig Eeeeeee!!!!!!!”

“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!! REAL HAPPINESS!!!! Big E, You are incredible.”

“Congratulations Big E. Going to be a champion we all can be proud of. I know it!”

“Big E!!!!!! Congrats fam.”

“Langston.”

“I can’t remember the last time I was so genuinely happy to see someone win the big one. Alpha approved. 100%.”

https://twitter.com/GableSteveson/status/1437618870739775496

Some AEW talent also hopped on Twitter to share their joy in seeing Big E realize his dream.

I couldn’t be happier. Big E, my man.”

https://twitter.com/SwoleWorld/status/1437613789218750466

“HE DID IT! Congratulations Big E. #BlackWrestlingDraws.”

“Nice! Big E.”

There are plenty more reactions pouring in showing support for Big E after his massive title victory. You can check those out over on Twitter and other social media platforms.

WWE RAW Results (9/13): Big E Cashes In, Title Matches, Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair

Robert Lentini
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WWE RAW aired live from the TD Garden in Boston, MA. Bobby Lashley put the WWE Championship on the line against Randy Orton tonight. Damian Priest defended the US Championshionship against Jeff Hardy. Big E teased on social media that he would be cashing in his MITB contract during tonight’s show. WWE also officially announced the dates as 10/1 (SmackDown) and 10/4 (RAW) for the upcoming draft.

RAW Results (9/13)

  1. Charlotte def. Shayna Baszler
  2. Drew McIntyre & Viking Raiders def. Shanky, Veer, Jinder Mahal
  3. Damian Priest def. Jeff Hardy to retain the US Title
  4. Nikki A.S.H. def. Tamina
  5. Rhea Ripley def. Natalya
  6. Omos, AJ Styles, Mace, T-Bar def. New Day, Mansoor, Mustafa Ali
  7. Doudrop def. Eva Marie
  8. Lashley def. Randy Orton to retain the WWE Championship
  9. Big E def. Lashley to become the new WWE Champion

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Big E Intends Taunted Orton & Lashley

Big E kicked off the show and came to the ring with the MITB contract to a great reaction from the crowd. Orton, Riddle, Lashley, and MVP then made their way to the ring as Big E danced around with the briefcase. Lashley and Orton had a stare down and Big E interrupted. Big E vowed to cash in the contract tonight and Riddle asked him to not cash in on Randy if he won the match.

MVP told Riddle to “shut his dumb ass up” and claimed that Randy Orton used his power to change the title match from Extreme Rules to tonight. Orton said he went to who he needed to and got it changed because he is Randy freaking Orton. Big E shouted “we’ve got two big meaty men bumping meat tonight!” as the crowd chanted for Orton.

MVP turned the focus back to Big E and said he always believed that he had the most potential of New Day. MVP suggested that Big E ran from SmackDown because he is afraid of Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar. He added that Big E will be afraid of Lashley after what he does to Orton tonight. Randy said he is going to become the champion tonight and Big E interrupted. Big E once again said he was going to cash in tonight and Lashley told him he will shove the MITB contract so far up Big E’s buttocks that he will be able to taste the fine print. Orton then hit an RKO out of nowhere and exited the ring. Big E had the MITB briefcase in hand but did not cash in after the RKO.

Alexa Bliss Gave Charlotte A Gift

RAW Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair faced Shayna Baszler tonight in a Championship Contenders match. Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler had a conversation backstage and vowed to get on the same page.

Baszler started off the match in control and booted Charlotte to the apron. Shayna went for a Dropkick but Charlotte got out of the way and connected with a Crossbody as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Charlotte connected with a Fallaway Slam and climbed to the top turnbuckle. Baszler tripped her up and sent her to the canvas with a kick to the head. Shayna went for a cover but Charlotte kicked out at two.

Baszler applied a Headlock but Flair countered into a Belly to Back Suplex to break the hold. Charlotte went for a big boot but Shayna got out of the way and hit a German Suplex for a near fall.

Shayna unloaded some kicks but Charlotte shrugged them off and connected with a Clothesline. Flair followed it up with some chops as the crowd chanted “woo!”. Charlotte then hit the big boot and went for the cover but Shayna was able to kick out.

Flair slammed Shayna’s head off the turnbuckle and Baszler rolled out of the ring. Charlotte climbed to the top rope and hit a Moonsault. Nia Jax came down to the entrance ramp and Charlotte did the DX “suck it” motion and Nia responded by gagging as RAW went to a break.

https://twitter.com/HoIyTony/status/1437575379926110215?s=20

When RAW returned, Baszler hit another German Suplex and went for a Body Slam but Flair escaped. Charlotte hit a chop block and locked in a submission hold against the ropes. Baszler broke free and Charlotte laughed in Nia’s face outside the ring. Back in the ring, Charlotte hit a big boot on Baszler for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Alexa Bliss came to the ring with Lilly and a present for Charlotte. Alexa said that the gift was a thank you for accepting the title match at Extreme Rules. Charlotte told Alexa that she doesn’t collect dolls, she collects championships. Bliss told Flair to have some fun and handed her the gift.

Charlotte said “no!” and the crowd chanted “yes!”. Flair finally took the gift and it was a doll named “Charly”. Bliss threw the doll in her face and hit a Sunset Flip Powerbomb. Alexa posed with the RAW Women’s Championship to end the segment.

McIntyre & Viking Raiders Picked Up A Win

Drew McIntyre and the Viking Raiders faced Jinder Mahal, Veer, and Shanky tonight on RAW. Erik got trapped in the corner but quickly tagged Drew in. McIntyre beat the hell out of everyone by himself and then hit a Claymore on Shanky for the quick victory. McIntyre posed with Viking Raiders after the match.

Damian Priest Retained The US Title

Damian Priest defended the United States Championship against Jeff Hardy tonight on RAW. Jeff Hardy was chasing around the 24/7 Championship on last week’s show. Sheamus joined commentary for the match.

Jeff and Damian locked up in the middle of the ring to start off the action. Hardy connected with a Dropkick and followed it up with an Atomic Drop. Jeff hit a Leg Drop, a Dropkick, and then an Enziguri that sent Damian to the outside. Hardy leaped off the apron and leveled Damian with a Clothesline before the action returned to the ring. Damian hit Jeff with a kick to the face and knocked him back out of the ring. Damian leaped onto Hardy and traded words with Sheamus as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Damian and Jeff were trading punches in the ring. Hardy got the better of the exchange and hit a Russian Leg Sweep for a two count. Priest went for a Clothesline but Jeff dodged it and connected with a Slingblade for another near fall. Priest climbed to the top rope but Jeff caught him with some punches to the face.

Priest booted Jeff to the canvas and connected with a flying body scissors for a two count. Damian followed it up with the Reckoning for the pinfall victory. After the match, Sheamus attacked Priest and then hit Jeff Hardy with a Brogue Kick. Sheamus went for a Brogue Kick on Priest but the United States Champion was ready. Damian booted Sheamus in the face and sent the Celtic Warrior out of the ring to end the segment. Priest will defend the United States Championship against Sheamus at Extreme Rules.

Ripley & Nikki Sent A Message To The Tag Champs

Rhea Ripley and Nikki A.S.H. were interviewed backstage. Women’s Tag Team Champions Natalya & Tamina interrupted and it led to a brawl. Sonya Deville broke it up and announced that Tamina will face Nikki A.S.H. in a singles match. Ripley and Natalya were ringside for the match.

Tamina dominated the match early and stomped Nikki down in the corner. Tamina connected with a Body Slam and then went for an Elbow Drop but Nikki got out of the way. Nikki followed it up with a Tornado DDT and went for the cover but Tamina countered into a cover of her own for the win.

Natalya then faced Rhea Ripley in a singles match with Tamina & Nikki ringside. Natalya connected with a Hurricanrana and posed for the crowd. Ripley went for a Backbreaker but Natalya was able to block it. Ripley hit a big boot that sent Natalya out of the ring.

Ripley chased after her and went for a Dropkick but Natalya got out of the way. Rhea leveled Tamina with the Dropkick but turned around into a Clothesline from Natalya. Back in the ring, Natalya set up for the Sharpshooter but Ripley connected with a punch to the face.

When RAW returned from a break, Ripley hit Natalya with a headbutt and then a Dropkick to the face. Ripley charged and wound up running into the turnbuckle as Natalya got out of the way. Natalya connected with a Dropkick of her own and went for the cover but Ripley kicked out at two.

Rhea planted Natalya with a Northern Lights Suplex and then locked in the Texas Cloverleaf in the middle of the ring. Natalya escaped and rolled up Ripley. Natalya got her feet on the ropes for leverage but Nikki broke it up. Ripley locked in the submission hold again and this time Natalya tapped.

Omos, Styles, Mace, T-Bar Picked Up A Win

New Day (Kingston & Woods), Mustafa Ali, Mansoor faced AJ Styles, Omos, Mace, T-Bar tonight on RAW. AJ beat down Mansoor before T-Bar and Ali tagged in. T-Bar hit Ali with a boot to the face and then launched Mansoor to the outside. Mace tagged in and Chokeslammed Ali on the apron as T-Bar hit a Clothesline on Mansoor outside the ring.

Kingston and AJ tagged in and Kofi hit a Dropkick for a near fall. Ali and Mansoor took out Mace & T-Bar with a couple Suicide Dives. AJ hit a Neckbreaker on Kingston but Ali broke it up. T-Bar threw Mansoor out of the ring as Styles hit Woods with a Pele Kick.

Mustafa tagged in and connected with a Tornado DDT on Styles. Omos tagged himself in and got in the ring with Ali. Omos thew Ali into the turnbuckle and then sent Kingston and Woods out of the ring. Omos planted Ali with the Choke Bomb for the pinfall victory.

Doudrop def. Eva Marie

Doudrop faced Eva Marie tonight on RAW. Eva got in some offense early but Doudrop quickly put a stop to it. Doudrop hit a Crossbody for the quick pinfall victory.

Big E Captured The WWE Championship

Lashley defended the WWE Championship against Randy Orton in the main event. MVP and Riddle were ringside for the match. Orton rolled out of the ring and avoided Lashley in the beginning of the match. Lashley chased after him but got distracted by Riddle.

Orton capitalized and sent Lashley into the barricade. Orton bounced Lashley’s head off the announce table and rolled the champ back into the ring. Randy went for the cover but Lashley kicked out at two. Orton went for the draping DDT but Lashley countered into a Back Body Drop that sent Orton out of the ring. Lashley followed Orton to the outside but it backfired again and Randy Clotheslined Lashley into the timekeeper’s area. Orton grabbed his knee in pain and hobbled back into the ring as RAW went to a break.

The WWE Champion took control when RAW returned and slammed Randy’s head into the ring post. Orton crashed to the floor outside the ring and MVP taunted him. Orton got onto the ring apron but Lashley sent him flying into the barricade. Randy fell down to the floor and Riddle checked on him.

Lashley brought Orton back into the ring and connected with a Neckbreaker for a two count. Orton hit the draping DDT and went for an RKO but Lashley blocked it. Lashley leveled Orton with a Spear for a two count. Lashley went for the Hurt Lock but Orton broke free with an elbow to the face.

Orton hit the RKO but couldn’t go for the cover because MVP pulled Lashley towards the ropes. Riddle and MVP argued outside the ring as Orton snuck up from behind. Orton hit MVP with an RKO but walked into another Spear from Lashley in the ring for the pinfall victory. Lashley is still the WWE Champion.

After the match, Lashley Chokeslammed Orton through the announce table but somehow tweaked his knee while doing so. Big E made his way to the ring with the MITB briefcase and a referee followed him. Big E said it was time to cash in but Lashley pointed to his knee and claimed to be hurt. Lashley took a seat in the corner of the ring as RAW went to a break with only minutes left in the show.

When RAW returned, Big E slapped Lashley in the face and the match officially started. Lashley tackled Big E to the mat and then hit him with a Splash in the corner. Big E got out of the corner and hit a chop block. Big E went for the Big Ending but Lashley broke free. Lashley leveled Big E with a Spear and went for the cover but Big E kicked out at two. Big E then hit the Big Ending for the pinfall victory and won the WWE Championship. Big E celebrated with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods as RAW went off the air.

Big E Cashes In Money In The Bank Contract To Win WWE Title On Raw

Andrew Ravens
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WWE booked Bobby Lashley defending the WWE Title on Monday’s episode of Raw against Randy Orton while also teasing that Big E would be looming to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase. 

Earlier in the day, Big E announced on Twitter that not only would he be on Raw, but planned to cash in the contract to become WWE Champion.

This title match took place in the main event of the show from Boston, MA at the TD Garden. The match was back and forth with brawling on the outside of the ring. Down the stretch, they did some near falls. Orton hit an RKO to MVP on the floor. Lashley beat Orton with a spear. Post-match, Lashley attacked Riddle then put Orton through a table. Lashley was selling his left knee as if he had injured it. 

This led to Big E coming out to cash in and did. After a commercial break and with 5 minutes left, the match started. Big E went after the knee of Lashley, who did get a near fall with a spear. Big E hit the Big Ending for the win. 

This was a change of original plans as WWE had already confirmed Orton vs. Lashley in a WWE Title match taking place at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view event.

It’s been reported that the reason why WWE loaded up this show and moved Orton vs. Lashley from Extreme Rules to Raw was due to Vince McMahon responding to last week’s AEW Dynamite beating Raw in the key 18-49 demo for the first time ever.

WWE previously advertised Lashley and MVP getting a Raw Tag Team Title shot against Orton and Matt Riddle, but that was nixed. Also, WWE went up against Monday Night Football for the first time this season and the NFL is a ratings monster.

WWE Confirms Dates For This Year’s Draft

Andrew Ravens
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On Monday night during Raw, WWE confirmed when this year’s Draft will be taking place.

The Draft will be held over two shows in October as it will begin on the Friday, October 1 episode of SmackDown and continue on the Monday, October 4 episode of Raw.

WWE will hold the October 1 episode of SmackDown at Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore while the October 4 edition of Raw is being held at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

This episode of SmackDown will be the post-Extreme Rules edition of the show. WWE holds its next pay-per-view in Saudi Arabia. Crown Jewel is planned for Thursday, October 21 with Crown Jewel. 

This marks the third straight year that the WWE Draft has taken place and the Draft was also held in October the previous two years. Despite the Draft, WWE did the Superstar Shake-ups in April 2017, 2018, and 2019.

Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Pro Wrestling Podcast originally reported that this year’s Draft would take place on August 30th for Monday Night Raw and the second night on the September 3rd edition of Friday Night SmackDown. However, just like various things in WWE, plans changed.

Bronson Reed Isn’t A Fan Of Upcoming NXT Changes

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Free agent Bronson Reed doesn’t have high hopes for the NXT revamp.

Reed was one of the 12 NXT names released from WWE. Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reported that in Reed’s case, Vince McMahon made the call to cut him because he felt he wasn’t main roster material.

WWE is in the midst of changing the look and feel of NXT. They are calling it “NXT 2.0” and the new era begins on Sept. 14. Bronson Reed took to his JONAHDROME podcast and said he isn’t a fan of what he’s heard about the revamp.

“I’m not the biggest fan of the direction that I have heard they are going in with not actively seeking Independent wrestlers, only because I am a journeyman wrestler. I have nothing against the great athletes there that they have signed and will sign. It’s nothing that they’ve done. It’s the business itself. Someone like me that has loved (wrestling) his whole life, of course, I want to end up at the pinnacle of the sport. For a long time, everyone has thought that WWE is the be-all, end-all, but I don’t think it is anymore. More and more talent are realizing that there are other places to go. Other places where my talent will be more utilized.”

It’s been said that NXT will be a Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard production going forward. That report came from Bryan Alvarez of Figure Four Weekly. With Samoa Joe having to vacate the NXT Championship due to injury, a fatal four-way will determine the new titleholder.

Johnny Gargano’s WWE Contract Is Expiring Soon

Andrew Ravens
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Johnny Gargano joins the likes of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn as notable WWE wrestlers in deciding what they’ll do about their futures in the company as their contracts are coming up soon. 

Fightful Select reported today that Gargano’s contract is set to expire on December 3, 2021.  It was said that sources have indicated Gargano and WWE have not entered into negotiations to extend his contract, but that WWE “expected to” in the Fall.

This is not the same situation as to Adam Cole and Pete Dunne where their contracts coming due came as a surprise. Instead, they knew this was coming. 

WWE  has reviewed many of the deals since the situation with wrestlers like Malakai Black who had 30-day non-competes instead of the traditional 90-day non-compete that most wrestlers are under when the company decides to end their agreement. 

It was mentioned that Gargano’s deal is up roughly around the same time that Cole’s deal was supposed to be up. Thus, while WWE has yet to talk with Gargano, they will just like they had planned to do with Cole. 

Gargano first started out as an enhancement talent in 2015 for WWE before he officially signed with the company in 2016. Since that time, he has held all titles available to him in NXT. 

Former NJPW Ring Announcer Recovering From COVID-19

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Kero Tanaka, who once served as the NJPW ring announcer, is recovering from a scary battle with COVID-19.

The 62-year-old had to be sent to the ICU on Aug. 8. One Color, Tanaka’s company, revealed that Tanaka has regained consciousness. He tested positive for COVID-19 back on July 31. Tanaka was receiving treatment at home but his symptoms worsened and he was sent to ICU.

Luckily for Tanaka, he was able to eventually breathe without a ventilator and can eat with support. He has even regained his ability to talk.

Yahoo! Japan reports that at one point, it appeared Tanaka’s life was in danger. His recovery is being described as “miraculous.”

Tanaka most recently appeared at the Wrestle Kingdom 14 show back in Jan. 2020. He served as a special ring announcer for Jushin “Thunder” Liger’s second-to-last match.

We at SEScoops.com wish Kero Tanaka a full and speedy recovery.

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