SEScoops

Author: Anutosh Bajpai

  • Jim Ross Reacts To Bray Wyatt\’s WWE Release

    The surprising WWE release of Bray Wyatt is still a topic of discussion among fans. Wrestling veteran and current AEW commentator Jim Ross reacted to the news on the latest episode of his Grilling JR podcast.

    JR, who worked as the talent relations head for a major part of his WWE career, mentioned how there is politics involved with these things nowadays because of the massive salaries offered to the wrestlers:

    “There’s politics nowadays because of the immense salaries, Bray Wyatt gets cut, he’s got to be making north of a million on a downside guarantee and he’s been sitting home. That’s not good management.\”

    Jim Ross continued by mentioning how the company got rid of a very talented star. He claimed that the former champion wouldn\’t have any issues finding work elsewhere:

    “I’m not saying the guy should’ve been cut, he should’ve been used if you’re going to pay him that kind of cash. How that happened is a story for another day because I don’t know the details.

    I do know they got rid of a very talented kid and I’m sure he won’t have any issues finding work, speaking of Bray Wyatt.”

    Bray Wyatt was shockingly released from his WWE contract last month on July 31. He has only made a single tweet since his release, where he posted a picture of a new Fiend mask with a cryptic message.

    Apart from this, Jim Ross talked about possibly adding a six men tag team championship to AEW. You can check out his comments at this link.

    Jim Ross Comments On CM Punk/AEW Rumors

  • Tucker On Why Triple H Didn\’t Like The Heavy Machinery Name

    Otis and Tucker collectively known as Heavy Machinery were a fairly popular tag team during their time in WWE. Their names were also liked by everybody except apparently Triple H. Tucker recently had an interview with Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling. He talked about things such as his WWE release, losing weight after his firing, and more.

    During the interview, the former WWE star also revealed that Triple H didn\’t like the Heavy Machinery name. According to him, the game thought it was too gimmicky:

    \”Everybody loved the name Heavy Machinery except Triple H. From what I understand, he was not a fan of that name. He thought it was too gimmicky, I guess. I guess thinking like fat men in construction hats, but we explained that we are Heavy Machinery. It’s not a gimmick.\”

    \’Tank And Dozer\’

    Tucker continued talking about their names and revealed that the duo originally wanted to be called Tank and Dozer. However, the WWE legal team shot down the idea because they couldn\’t get it trademarked:

    \”I wanted to be called Tank and he wanted to be called Dozer, Tank and Dozer, Heavy Machinery. That was our initial pitch, but we were told that ‘We can’t get those names. We’re not going to be able to register those names, so we can’t do it.\”

    Tucker and Otis formed Heavy Machinery during their NXT days back in 2016. The team split up during the WWE drafts in 2020 and Tucker was released from the company in April earlier this year.

    Tucker On Why He Thinks WWE Shortens Names Of Wrestlers

  • Seth Rollins Explains Why He Doesn\’t Want To Team With Becky Lynch Again

    Seth Rollins\’ team with his wife Becky Lynch for their 2019 feud against Baron Corbin and Lacey Evans got a mixed reaction from fans. It appears Rollins himself is not very keen on reuniting with her on TV for another storyline in the future.

    The former universal champion talked about it in his recent interview with Sports Media podcast. He explained why he wouldn\’t want to team with his better half again:

    “We tried to make the best out of it, but I don’t think either of us were terribly comfortable with it. And even though we have incredible chemistry as people, as performers our characters never really vibed on-screen.

    And so I think it’s just kind of one of those things that if she comes back, more than likely we’ll stay away from it. We just won’t touch on it.\”

    \’She Doesn\’t Need Anybody\’

    Seth Rollins went on to claim that Becky Lynch\’s character is a loner and it doesn\’t feel good to see the former women\’s champion in a relationship. According to him, The Man\’s gimmick is not built for a number two:

    “Even when I was pre-Drip God, Visionary, Monday Night Messiah – it didn’t work. But her character – she’s a loner. She doesn’t need anybody. To see that character in a relationship… it doesn’t feel good. It never felt good. And so especially now, I don’t know what it would look like.

    Her [Becky’s] character’s not built for a number two, it’s just really not. No harm in that, but I don’t think we need to touch on it ever again. We’ll see what happens, but that’s how I feel at the moment.”

    Becky Lynch has been training for her in-ring return for a while now but an exact date for her return is not known. Seth Rollins on the other hand is currently scheduled to face Edge at the SummerSlam PPV this Saturday.

  • Samoa Joe On Potentially Reigniting Rivalry With Roman Reigns

    Samoa Joe will be competing in his first match in nearly 18 months this Sunday. However, despite his hiatus from the ring, Joe does not have any doubts about himself. He is ready to take on even the top WWE star in Roman Reigns in a single call.

    The former NXT champion recently had an interview with Give Me Sport. He talked about things such as his recent WWE release, upcoming SummerSlam PPV, and more.

    He was also asked about Roman Reigns during the talk. Replying to it, Joe, who has faced Roman on multiple occasions before said that the tribal chief merely needs to say his name and he will show up to take the challenge:

    “What Roman’s been doing has been fantastic. He’s really embraced what he probably should have been a long time ago. He’s built a hell of a squad around him. And you know, Head of the Table – that’s an interesting moniker. But Roman knows what’s up. I’m never too far away.

    He merely needs to say my name, and I will show up. No problem.\” said Samoa Joe, \”He knows that. And I ain’t interested in sitting at your table, man. I’ll flip it over and I’ll eat your birthday cake in front of you. That’s about it.”

    The Samoan submission machine has crossed paths with the head of the table before. The two feuded over the intercontinental championship back in 2018.

    Samoa Joe is currently scheduled to face Karrion Kross for the NXT championship at the upcoming NXT TakeOver: 36 event on Sunday, August 22.

    Samoa Joe Says His WWE NXT Return Was Initially Discussed Years Ago

  • Goldberg On How Long He Wants To Continue Working In His Current Role

    At 54 years of age, it\’s safe to say that Goldberg has more wrestling years behind him than in front. Though he is willing to continue his current role for as long as he can.

    The former WCW star recently had an interview with Sports Illustrated where he talked about things such as his early career, returning to pro wrestling and more.

    During the interview, he also talked about the effect his age has on his performance. While Goldberg claimed that he will still be him regardless of what age he is, he did admit that it has become harder for him to continue physically:

    “Whether I’m 25, 35, or 105, I’m still Goldberg,” he says. “My mentality allows me to still get in the ring and entertain the people to an extent that I don’t tarnish anything or everything that I’ve done.

    Those are considerations you need to make when you come back. I don’t need to come back, I don’t have to. I’m here because I want to be here. Mentally, I know I can do it. Physically, it’s a little harder. But given enough time, I still can do it.”

    \’The Payoff Is Not Mandatory\’

    Though talking about his future, Goldberg claimed that he is willing to take the opportunities presented to him as long as he thinks that he can still provide something as the character:

    “As long as I can still provide something as this character, I’m willing to take these opportunities, because these chances pale in comparison to the payoff, the payoff is not monetary or glory-driven. It’s a chance to provide moments with my family that are few and far between in this world.”

    Goldberg is set to challenge Bobby Lashley for the WWE championship at the SummerSlam PPV this Saturday. You can check out an updated match card here.

    Matt Riddle Reveals Recent Backstage Interaction With Goldberg

  • Roman Reigns: \”We Have A Very Fast Food Oriented Audience Nowadays\”

    Getting the desired fan reaction had always been a struggle for Roman Reigns until the Universal champion decided to turn heel. Reigns has been universally praised by the audience since he introduced his new character last year. This reaction has carried over from the pandemic era shows. For the first time in his singles career, Roman Reigns is now getting a unified reaction from the fans in the arenas.

    The tribal chief spoke about finally getting the reaction they want in an interview on Out of Character podcast. The head of the table detailed the psychology of the current era fans calling them a \’fast food-oriented audience\’. He explained that getting that reaction even after a year shows the hard work they have put into his story:

    “We have a very fast food-oriented audience nowadays. It’s a ‘what have you done for me lately’ situation, everybody wants kind of some change as soon as they feel like they’ve gotten the portion that they were looking for. For me to still be almost a year now and for it to still to be interesting, for it to still be compelling, it just goes into, not just the performance, but just the hard work and the brainstorming and everything that goes in to being able to develop these types of stories.\”

    Roman Reigns went on to claim himself as the best storyteller in the world of sports entertainment today. He mentioned how we live in the world of storytelling where people want to know what\’s going on by the minute. According to him, nobody else can do that on the highest level with the consistency that he does:

    “That’s what I hang my hat on right now is I’m the best storyteller in sports entertainment today, and that’s all entertainment is, it’s storytelling. We live in a world of storytelling now with social media. I mean, on Instagram, you literally have stories and people want to know, by the minute, what’s going on. To be able to do that on the highest level and consistently do that, can’t nobody else say it but me.”

    Roman Reigns On Naomi Possibly Joining The Bloodline Story

  • Former NXT Star Tyler Rust Reacts To Rumors Of Upcoming NXT Changes

    There have been reports of an internal power struggle in WWE after NXT lost the Wednesday night wars but Tyler Rust believes that it\’s all just speculation.

    The former NXT star recently had an interview with WrestlingInc. He talked about things such as the rise of AEW, why the company should continue growing, and more.

    Rust was asked about the reports of Triple H being blamed for the loss of NXT. Replying to it, Tyler explained that it\’s likely just a rumor because things were very controlled in NXT when he was there:

    “Honestly, I would think they’re just speculation, personally, because the vibe around NXT has always been very good, it’s always been very controlled.

    When we did move to Tuesday, for example, it was made very clear that, hey, this is a total network thing. This doesn’t have anything to do with the Wednesday night deal.\”

    Tyler Rust On Upcoming NXT Changes

    Tyler Rust also offered his thoughts on the reports of the upper management wanting to overhaul the NXT product. He said that we will have to see how it works out:

    \”I know there’s a lot of rumors now as far as Vince wanting to overhaul the NXT product and everything. Sometimes, rumors, maybe they’re right.

    We’ll see how it is going forward from there, but from my experience there, there wasn’t really many eggshells as far as upper management not being happy.\”

    Tyler Rust signed with NXT back in December 2020. He spent early 2021 working with Malcolm Bivens. Rust was revealed as a member of the Diamond Mine stable in June but he was released from the promotion on August 6.

    Championship Match Added To SummerSlam, Updated Card

  • Bobby Lashley On Gable Steveson Teasing WWE Run

    Olympic Gold Medalist Gable Steveson has been creating buzz by teasing a WWE run. However, the current WWE champion Bobby Lashley believes that Steveson should hold off on the idea until he has retired.

    The All-Mighty was asked about Steveson during a recent interview with TVinsider. Replying to it, he said that the amateur wrestling star is doing the right thing by getting his name out there:

    \”When I met him, he seemed like a really humble kid. I wish I had his potential at such a young age. That kid is going to make so much money in his life because he has so many years ahead of him.

    He is tagging Dana White on social media. He tagging Vince McMahon, Jon Jones. That is what he should be doing. He should be getting his name out there.\”

    Seth Rollins Offers to Train Gable Steveson For WWE Career

    \’Wait Untill I Am Retired\’

    Bobby Lashley then discussed the prospect of Gable Steveson coming to WWE. He explained that while Gable will do very well in WWE, he should wait until Lashley has retired because that\’s when he will have an opportunity:

    \”I think if he comes to WWE, he would do really well. He is a big kid and very athletic and charismatic. I think he should wait a little bit. He is 21. Wait until I retire at least. When I’m gone, he’ll have an opportunity to possibly win another world title.\”

    Gable Steveson has confirmed that he will be at the SummerSlam PPV where Bobby Lashley will be defending his WWE Championship against Goldberg.

    https://twitter.com/GableSteveson/status/1427445292903829506

    In light of Lashley\’s comments about the young wrestling star, do you think we will see a confrontation between the two at the PPV this Saturday? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

  • Bobby Lashley On If The Recent Releases Indicate The Downfall Of WWE

    The recent string of WWE releases combined with the low TV ratings over the last few months have made many wonder if we are witnessing the downfall of the company but Bobby Lashley believes it\’s not the case.

    The WWE champion recently had an interview with TVinsider. He talked about things such as his feud with Kofi Kingston, his desire to face Brock Lesnar, and more.

    Lashley was also asked about the backstage atmosphere in WWE in light of the recent releases. Replying to it, Bobby said that the feeling is good before claiming that they are never going to be beaten:

    \”I think the feeling is good. We get tested with so many things. Everyone will say, “This is it. This is the downfall of WWE.” It’s never going to be. We have so much talent in WWE.

    WWE is never going to be beaten or contested. It’s always going to be the flagship of professional wrestling.That’s never going to change.\”
    – Bobby Lashley

    The current champion went on to talk about his own release from the company in February 2008. He mentioned how he never burned any bridges and kept grinding.

    Bobby Lashley will be defending his WWE championship against Goldberg at the SummerSlam PPV this Saturday. You can check out the updated card for the event at this link.

    Bobby Lashley Gives Advice To Released WWE Superstars

  • Roman Reigns On Naomi Possibly Joining The Bloodline Story

    While The Usos originally opposed the Universal champion Roman Reigns when he first turned heel, the duo has since joined the Tribal Chief in his quest to be acknowledged as the Head Of The Table.

    Though there is one more member of their family on the WWE roster who hasn\’t joined this bloodline story yet – the wife of Jimmy Uso,  Naomi.

    When asked about the possibility of the former women\’s champion joining their group during an interview with New York Post, Reigns claimed that it\’s just not something that they have come up with:

    \”I do believe if she was put in that position, coupled with all of us surrounding her along with Paul Heyman and the rest of our creative brainstorming system that we have and how we craft our narratives, I think we could put her in a good position.

    It’s just not something we’ve had time to come up with a thorough game plan. If we did, I think she’s definitely a superstar who could step up and take advantage of it.\”

    During the talk, the current champion was also asked about the recent DUI arrest of Jimmy Uso. Replying to it he said that he doesn\’t condone that kind of behavior.

    Though Roman Reigns later went on to claim that all humans make mistakes and explained how he likes to handle such situations. You can check out his detailed comments about the matter here.

    Details On Who Is Producing John Cena & Roman Reigns’ Feud

  • New Day Wrestles Dark Match After Raw

    New Day members Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston teamed up for a tag team match against The Miz and John Morrison for the dark main event after tonight\’s episode of Raw from AT&T Center in San Antonio.

    The original advertised main event for the show was The New Day going up against MVP and WWE Champion Bobby Lashley but the bout was changed.

    Woods and Kingston received a big babyface reaction from the crowd. The duo also ended up winning the bout which was said to be filled with many comedy spots.

    This was The Miz\’s second match of the night. He made his in-ring return for the first time since WrestleMania 37 during the show and faced Damian Priest in a losing effort.

    The New Day, on the other hand, did not wrestle on camera. They did stand behind the team of The Miz and Morrison for a backstage segment, where they advertised their new merchandise.

    Woods and Kingston have not wrestled as a team on WWE TV since the July 5 episode of Raw last month. They defeated MVP and Bobby Lashley in that match.

    This wasn\’t the only dark match on the episode as Keith Lee once again worked a non televised match before the show. You can check out the news about Lee\’s match here.

    WWE RAW Results (8/16): Goldberg & Lashley, Title Match Set For SummerSlam, RK-Bro

  • Championship Match Added To SummerSlam, Updated Card

    WWE announced a couple of new matches for the upcoming SummerSlam PPV during tonight\’s go home episode of Raw including a new championship match.

    The first new match that was announced is between Alexa Bliss and Eva Marie. The two have been feuding in recent times. Tonight\’s show featured a segment confirming their upcoming match.

    The episode also saw the company announcing the Raw tag team championship match between Randy Orton & Riddle and the current champions AJ Styles & Omos for the SummerSlam PPV.

    This week\’s Raw saw Randy Orton declaring that R-K-Bro was back after Riddle saved him from a post match beatdown from Styles and his partner. WWE made the title match official after this.

    Apart from this, a new stipulation for the match between Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal was announced. McIntyre defeated Veer and Shanky in a handicap match, resulting in the duo being banned from ringside at SummerSlam.

    Updated SummerSlam Match Card

    After the latest announcements, the card for the upcoming show looks to be almost complete. Here is the updated SummerSlam match card after tonight:

    • WWE Universal Championship Match: John Cena vs. Roman Reigns
    • WWE Championship Match: Bill Goldberg vs. Bobby Lashley
    • Triple Threat for the RAW Women’s Championship: Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Nikki A.S.H.
    • SmackDown Women’s Championship Match: Sasha Banks vs. Bianca Belair
    • SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match: Rey Mysterio & Dominik Mysterio vs. The Usos
    • WWE United States Championship Match: Damian Priest vs. Sheamus
    • RAW Tag Team Championship Match: Randy Orton and Riddle vs. AJ Styles and Omos
    • Singles Match: Edge vs. Seth Rollins
    • Singles Match: Drew McIntyre vs. Jinder Mahal, Veer and Shanky are banned from ringside.
    • Singles Match: Alexa Bliss vs. Eva Marie
    WWE RAW Results (8/16): Goldberg & Lashley, Title Match Set For SummerSlam, RK-Bro

  • Reason Ember Moon Was Pulled From NXT Last Week

    Ember Moon was originally announced for a match on last week\’s episode of NXT. However, the female star was abruptly pulled from the show on the day of the event.

    The sudden change made fans worried about her status and health especially after her tweet on the matter. Now Fightful select has provided some update on the situation.

    According to the site, Moon has been recovering from a dental procedure. This procedure is the reason why she wasn\’t cleared to compete and had to be pulled from NXT last week.

    Despite not being cleared, the former NXT women\’s champion was still backstage for last week\’s show. She was willing to work the event regardless of her condition but the officials decided to keep her off TV.

    Ember Moon was scheduled to face Sarray in a singles match on NXT. She was replaced by Dakota Kai in this bout and Kai ended up winning the one on one match.

    The former Raw star has not competed inside a WWE ring since the July 13 episode of NXT. She had faced Dakota Kai in a match on the show which Ember lost.

    There is no word yet on how long Ember Moon is expected to stay out of action. We will keep you posted about any further updates on her health.

    Ember Moon On The Origin Of Her Finishing Menuever

  • Malakai Black On If He Sees Himself Going Back To WWE

    Malakai Black had a bittersweet run in WWE. While he was able to impress everyone with his performance in NXT, his main roster run can only be described as lackluster.

    The former NXT champion recently appeared on the Pro Wrestling 4 Life podcast. He talked about a number of things including the WWE release of Bray Wyatt and more.

    Talking about his recent debut at AEW, Black said that it\’s a great company to be a part of. He then claimed that he doesn\’t see himself going back to WWE in future:

    \”I think AEW is making really cool waves. It’s a great company to be a part of, and I think I came in at the right time.

    I don’t see myself going back to WWE, and it’s not out of spite. That’s just because I feel this is a right move for me. This is a better position for me.”

    Apart from this Malakai Black also discussed the much-talked rumors about Daniel Bryan and CM Punk possibly joining the AEW roster very soon.

    The former champion said that he would love to see Bryan make the transition while also claiming that he doesn\’t know anything about Punk\’s future. You can check out his comments at this link.

  • Date For Next WWE Saudi Arabia Event Revealed

    The next WWE event in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia called Crown Jewel 2021 will be held on Thursday, October 21 from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    According to reports from PWinsider, the decision for the schedule was made last week. There was talk of the event being held in the first Thursday of November as well but the officials ultimately settled for October 21.

    The last WWE event in Saudi Arabia was the Super ShowDown PPV in February 2020. It took place from the Mohammed Abdu Arena in Riyadh with the Fiend defending his Universal title against Goldberg in the main event.

    The company and the Saudi General Sports Authority had announced a 10-year partnership in 2018. Though they had to halt the deal after the Super ShowDown last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    The officials have already started planning the card for the event. Reports suggest that WWE is planning to hold the King Of The Ring and Queen Of The Ring tournaments later this year.

    The tournaments are expected to begin on Raw and SmackDown in early October. The finals are being planned for the upcoming event in Saudi Arabia.

    There is no word on what other matches are being discussed for the event but we will keep you posted on the plans as more details about the show come to light.

    Vince McMahon, Triple H & Stephanie Named In Lawsuit Against WWE Over Saudi TV Deal

  • Tucker On Why He Thinks WWE Shortens Names Of Wrestlers

    Shortening names of superstars is a common trope within WWE. Former Heavy Machinery member Tucker has a theory as to why the company takes bits out of some superstar\’s names.

    The former WWE star recently had an interview with WrestlingInc. He talked about things such as what they were told during their main roster debut and more.

    The duo were known as Otis Dozovic and Tucker Knight in NXT. Speaking about how the officials cut off their last names when they got on the main roster, Tucker admitted that he wishes it wasn\’t the case:

    “I wish they wouldn’t have, but it is what it is I guess, what the boss says goes. That wasn’t a hill I was going to die on, I’ll just say that. I just said, ‘Okay. No problem. Thank you.’”

    The former 24/7 champion then provided a theory as to why he thinks the ring names get shortened. According to Tucker, it could be because of the time it takes to announce the names:

    “I honestly think it has to do with how long it takes the announcer to say like, ‘Otis Dozovic! Tucker Knight! Heavy Machinery!’ I think that’s too long. I think that’s one of the reasons anyways. I have no idea. That’s pure speculation on my part.”

    Apart from this, Tucker also talked about Heavy Machinary\’s storyline with Mandy Rose, his heel turn and his release from the company this past April as well.

  • Kenny Omega Reacts To Title Loss On Rampage Premiere

    Kenny Omega suffered a big loss at the premiere episode of Rampage where Christian Cage beat him for the Impact Wrestling world title in the opening bout of the night.

    The now-former Impact champion took on his Twitter after the show to react to the loss. He made a tweet on his way to the airport, claiming that he feels cheated and disrespected after tonight\’s events:

    \”Not a cheerful ride to the airport. Baggage is light and I feel so cheated and disrespected. You’re all on notice. I’m taking this personally.\”

    Kenny Omega defended the Impact world title against Christian in the opening match of the premiere episode of Rampage. The match saw both the competitors pulling some impressive offense.

    Towards the ending of the bout, Don Callis came up on the apron. He distracted the referee, allowing Omega to hit a low blow on his opponent.

    The Young Bucks then came out and slide a chair in the ring for Omega to finish the job. However, Christian countered Kenny\’s attempt of a one winged angel.

    The former WWE star hit Kenny Omega with a kill switch instead. As the referee brought his attention back to the match, Christian pinned Omega to become the new Impact world champion.

  • Mercedes Martinez To Challenge For Impact Title On First Post WWE Booking

    Former NXT star Mercedes Martinez will be challenging for Impact Knockouts Championship in her first booking after being released from WWE.

    Indie wrestling promotion WrestlePro has announced that the female star will be challenging Deonna Purrazzo for her title at their show from Rahway, New Jersey on Saturday, October 16.

    Martinez won\’t be the only former WWE star who will be part of the event. Former 205 Live roster member Tony Nese and former SmackDown star Fandango both are also announced for the show.

    Fandango who is now going by the name Dirty Dango will face Impact wrestling star Brian Myers while Tony Nese will be competing against Bobby Wayward.

    Mercedes Martinez had made appearances for WWE in 2017-18. She competed in the Inaugural and the second Mae Young Classic tournament and made several NXT appearances during the time period as well.

    Former NXT Superstar Mercedes Martinez Comments on WWE Release

    She returned to the company in 2020 after signing a contract in January. She even made her main roster debut as part of the Retribution faction but decided to withdraw from the group. She was released from her WWE contract on August 6.

    The October booking suggests that Martinez was still under a standard NXT contract when she was released. NXT contracts feature a 30 days non-compete clause opposed to 90 days for main roster stars.

  • DDP Believes AEW Has Become \’Real Competition For WWE\’

    AEW has been growing steadily since its launch in 2019. The company even managed to survive and grow during the pandemic era and DDP believes it has finally risen to a level where it can be considered competition for WWE.

    The WWE Hall Of Famer recently had an interview with Foundation Radio. He talked about the growth of the company and claimed that it now looks like AEW is not just another wrestling organization:

    “All of a sudden, it looks like AEW is not just another wrestling organization,\” said DDP, \”They have risen to the level of like real competition for WWE and I never thought that would be possible again.\”

    \”Real Competition\”

    The former WCW champion then talked about the company\’s ticket sales. He mentioned how AEW sold tickets for their Chicago shows very fast. He compared the ticket sales for Rampage to WWE\’s shows:

    “I know they just sold tickets for Chicago, and it was a number of shows like three nights in a row.\” mentioned DDP, \”They all sold out. I would say it’s about ten, eleven thousand people, and then they got the United Center.

    They’re doing a new show now. I think it’s called Rampage. They sold out the United Center in 30 minutes. You can’t tell me they ain’t the real deal. WWE’s tickets aren’t selling like that.”

    Apart from this, DDP also offered praise to AEW President Tony Khan calling him \’the most amazing cat.\’ He claimed that you\’d never know he is a billionaire by seeing him because he acts like a regular dude.

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

  • Keith Lee And Others Wrestle Dark Matches Before SmackDown

    Raw star Keith Lee and several NXT stars were in action tonight and they wrestled dark matches before this week\’s episode of SmackDown went on air.

    Lee wrestled in a very short match against an enhancement talent who wasn\’t introduced to the crowd. He squashed the unnamed star for a quick win.

    The second match of the night saw NXT star Ridge Holland facing the high flyer Austin Theory. Holland picked up a victory over Theory in this singles match.

    The final dark match before the episode of SmackDown kicked off was a tag team bout featuring female competitors from NXT. It saw Xia Li and Aliyah teaming up for a match.

    The duo faced the team of Dakota Kai and Kacy Catanzaro during this dark match. The team of Li and Aliyah ended up defeating Kai and Catanzaro after a standard match.

    Keith Lee recently posted a video explaining his absence from WWE programming over the last few months. He revealed that some post covid complications led to him not being able to wrestle for an extended period.

    This week\’s episode of SmackDown featured many notable developments including a big title change. You can check out the full SmackDown results at this link.

  • Wrestling Veteran Dominic DeNucci Passes Away At 89

    Wrestling legend and trainer of veterans such as Mick Foley and Shane Douglas, Dominic DeNucci has passed away at the age of 89. The news was confirmed by Cauliflower Alley Club.

    The wrestling veteran stayed active in the business for over 5 decades. He wrestled for many well-known promotions across the globe after making his debut in 1958.

    Starting his career as The Masked Marvel in Montreal, DeNucci later formed a tag team with the original Dino Bravo. He was built as Dino\’s brother Dominic Bravo.

    The Italian-American professional wrestler achieved success in Australia while competing for the Australian wrestling promotion World Championship Wrestling.

    Dominic DeNucci made his debut for the World Wide Wrestling Federation now known as WWE in 1967. He went on to win multiple titles in the company.

    He won the WWWF International Tag Team Championship and WWWF World Tag Team Championship. DeNucci teamed with names such as Bruno Sammartino, Pat Barrett and Victor Riviera during his time with the promotion.

    Dominic DeNucci became a professional wrestling trainer after his retirement from active competition. He is known for training people such as Moondog Spot, Mick Foley, Shane Douglas, and Preston Steele.

    SEScoops extends our condolences to the family and friends of Dominic DeNucci.

  • Stephen Amell On Potential Wrestling Return

    Having competed in multiple different promotions, Stephen Amell is no stranger to wrestling. With his wrestling drama Heels premiering this week, many wonder if we will see him having a live match again anytime soon.

    The acting star recently had an interview with WrestlingInc. He talked about things like watching tapes of legends such as Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair, and Harley Race for the preparation of his new TV series and more.

    When asked about a potential return to the ring for either WWE or AEW, Amell claimed that he has a man-crush on Kevin Owens, before mentioning how he has been discussing ideas for a singles match against Cody Rhodes as well:

    “My man-crush on Kevin Owens is alive and well. I love the way that guy works and the way he works a crowd. Cody and I have been circling a singles match for the longest time. I know that he’d take care of me and that we can tell a story in there. You’re going to have to convince my wife first ultimately.”

    Stephen Amell went on to talk about his upcoming TV show. He claimed that it would be worth it if he can convert one person into a wrestling fan who didn\’t like it before.

    Wrestling drama series Heels featuring Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig among others is set to premiere on Starz at 9 PM ET on August 15.

  • Zelina Vega On Why She Returned To WWE

    Zelina Vega was released amidst some controversy over WWE\’s new third-party edicts in November 2020. It\’s believed that her firing was the result of opposing the company\’s new policies. So many were surprised when she returned.

    The former NXT star recently had an interview with Digital Spy. She talked about a number of things and also explained why she decided to return to the promotion.

    Vega explained that she felt like she had unfinished business in WWE and becoming a champion was the reason for her return more than anything else:

    “I think, more than anything, WWE has always been a place that I felt like I had some kind of unfinished business with, and, for me as a kid, you look and you’re like, ‘I want to be a champion,’

    There’s so many things that you want to accomplish and coming back. I set my eyes on the SmackDown Women’s Championship,\” said Zelina Vega, \”And that’s what I’m focused on the most and seeing where that takes me.\”

    The SmackDown star also revealed that she considered returning as a babyface when she came back last month but ultimately decided against it because it made more sense storyline-wise to be a heel.

    Bianca Belair is currently scheduled to defend the SmackDown women\’s championship against Sasha Banks at SummerSlam. We will have to see if Zelina Vega gets a shot at the title afterward.

  • Malakai Black Details Meeting With Vince McMahon Before WWE Release

    The WWE release of Malakai Black was one of the most surprising occurrences in the company this year, especially because he had only returned to WWE programming after months of absence, a week before his firing.

    The former WWE star provided some more insights on the circumstances leading to his release while appearing on Talk Is Jericho. He detailed a meeting with Vince McMahon that took place before his WWE release.

    Black explained that he had a normal conversation with the boss two weeks before his final WWE appearance. They talked about the future plans for him:

    \”Two weeks before I attacked Big E, on the night of the last vignette, I had a sit down with Vince. He was convinced of it and liked it. I wanted to get his thoughts as I hadn\’t seen him in six months and a lot had happened.

    I wanted to see how he was doing. We had a normal conversation. We did the attack on Big E and something about it didn\’t feel right. I told my wife [Zelina Vega] as well.\”

    Malakai Black Knew Things Weren’t Right After Big E Attack

    However, according to Malakai Black, the Boss looked at him with a feeling of disconnect which makes him think that he had already made his mind about the future of the former NXT champion:

    \”The way he looked, there was a disconnect. Not a disconnect as in, \’I don\’t get it,\’ but I felt he made up his mind, even back then. It\’s his company, it\’s fine. When (the release) happened, Johnny Ace [John Laurinaitis] called me and even he was confused.

    My wife was crying because she knew. She was about to come back and one of the main reasons she wanted to come back was because I was there.\”

    Malakai Black made his return to WWE programming during the May 21 episode of SmackDown. He ended up getting released after another week of absence on June 2. Black has since signed with AEW.

  • Finn Balor On Potential Of A Third NXT Run Down The Line

    Finn Balor recently returned to the main roster after completing his second NXT run. Though the former champion is hoping to return to the brand for another run somewhere down the line.

    The former NJPW star recently had an interview with WWE Die Woche where he talked about a number of things. He also explained how important NXT is for him.

    Balor first explained how he used to think Japan was his home before encountering NXT. He then claimed that his NXT runs have been the most beautiful periods of his career and he hopes to have a third run there:

    \”The two times in NXT, for different reasons, have been two of the most beautiful periods in my career. Personally and professionally. I feel like I\’ve grown so much in NXT and I feel part of the team. I bond with the guys that are there.

    Not only the guys in the ring but the staff behind the scenes, the producers, the trainers.\” said Finn Balor, \”Something that I really feel attached to and feel passionate about. I\’ve had two runs there and hopefully, in the future, there will be a third.\”

    The former NXT champion made his return to the Black and Yellow brand in October 2019. He went on to have his second reign with the NXT title during his run.

    Finn Balor made his return to the main roster during the July 16 episode of SmackDown last month. He is expected to face Baron Corbin at SummerSlam.