SEScoops

Author: Anutosh Bajpai

  • Update On NXT Champions Working Dark Matches On SmackDown

    The NXT champion Karrion Kross alongside Scarlett and the NXT North American champion Bronson Reed were backstage for this week\’s episode of SmackDown. The developmental stars were brought to the brand for evaluation from officials. They both competed in dark matches before the airing of the show.

    In an update to this original story, PWInsider is reporting that Kross faced Dolph Ziggler in a match while Reed competed against Ziggler\’s partner Robert Roode in singles competition. Both these matches were taped for evaluation, though they are not likely to be released to the public. The NXT champion and Scarlett are expected back at the tapings next week.

    The duo will likely be tested for their promo skills after the dark match this week. Whether Reed will be brought back as well is not known. It\’s been said multiple times in the past that WWE officials are interested in bringing Karrion Kross to the main roster and his call-up could be fast-tracked.

    The company is expected to hold the next round of WWE drafts in August after SummerSlam. With the reports about the officials being interested in the former Impact wrestling star, it\’s likely that they are trying to assess whether or not he is ready to make a jump to the main roster.

  • SmackDown Viewership With Hell In A Cell Main Event

    WWE made the decision to move the Roman Reigns vs. Rey Mysterio Universal Championship Hell In A Cell match to SmackDown and the call appears to have helped them with the TV ratings.

    According to SpoilerTV, the latest episode of the blue branded show drew an average of 1.928 million viewers in overnight ratings, which is a 4% increase from last week\’s episode of the show.

    The hour one of SmackDown drew 1.926 million viewers. Hour two, featuring the cell match for the universal championship kept the viewership steady with 1.930 million viewers.

    Despite the stiff competition from NBA and NHL playoffs, the show managed to pull a 0.5 rating in the 18-49 demographic. It was #1 for the night in the key demo.

    In comparison, last week\’s episode of SmackDown drew a total of 1.944 million viewers. The episode featuring a segment between Roman Reigns and Rey Mysterio for the main event had scored a 0.48 rating in the 18-49 demographic.

    This is the third straight week where the show has seen an increase in viewership numbers. With no Roman Reigns match on Sunday\’s Hell In A Cell PPV, we will have to see how next week\’s episode of SmackDown compares in viewership.

  • Drew McIntyre On The Advice He Got From The Undertaker

    Former WWE champion Drew McIntyre recently appeared on Ryan Satin\’s Out of Character podcast where he opened up about his experience of wrestling with Ricky Steamboat and what he learned from it.

    The former world champion got a chance to compete against the wrestling veteran during his first WWE run in 2009. He recalled a particular match they had during a live event in New York.

    McIntyre mentioned how Steamboat was very relaxed and present in the moment during their bout. It was just opposite to his own behavior and it\’s something that took him a long time to learn:

    \”He was just so relaxed in his demeanor and the way he was when he out there, and the crowd were still with him because he so in the moment, so present with them, and I was thinking so much about not messing up

    And like, in my own little bubble that, that’s why they weren’t responding to me. It took me again a long time to figure that out.”

    Drew McIntyre Reveals The Lesson From Undertaker

    The lesson he learned on the day was very similar to the advice Drew McIntyre got from The Undertaker. According to him, the Dead Man told him to stop playing the character and live it instead:

    “This is a lesson the Undertaker told me: stop playing the wrestler and be the wrestler, I was out there so concerned about the things I might do and not messing up. It was very obvious to the crowd that Ricky was relaxed, he was part of [the match], he believed in himself so they believed in him.\”

    Drew McIntyre is currently scheduled to challenge Bobby Lashley for the WWE championship in a Hell In A Cell match on Sunday\’s PPV. If the Scottish Warrior loses this match, he won\’t be able to challenge Lashley for the title again.

  • Roman Reigns On Being Able To Inspire People After Battle With Leukemia

    Roman Reigns went through a tough battle in 2018 when he revealed that his leukemia had returned. The Big Dog, however, managed to beat the odds and came out stronger from the other side.

    His journey from finding a new path in wrestling after originally being diagnosed with the disease at just 22 years of age and then defeating it once again when he was at the top of his career has been a source of inspiration for many.

    During his recent interview with the ACC Network, Reigns opened up about his alliance with Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. He said that being able to reach out and give hope to people has been a life-changing experience:

    \”To really be able to reach out and show that support and connect with different people all over the world, through a very similar struggle that we’ve all gone through. And to be able to give them a little bit of hope with my story, it’s just been a very nice outcome.

    We don’t always have the success stories, but when we do I feel like we need to celebrate them. And for me to be able to do that with fans and strangers alike, it’s been life-changing. It really has.”

    The Universal champion also compared his previous career in football and the current one in wrestling and discussed which qualities you require for finding success in both fields.

    Roman Reigns explained that being tough on the field is as important in wrestling because you are on the road 52 weeks a year without an off season. The Tribal Chief defeated Rey Mysterio in a Hell In A Cell match on SmackDown. He is currently not scheduled for any match on the PPV this Sunday.

  • The Bunny Names WWE Hall Of Famer As Dream Opponent

    AEW star Allie aka The Bunny was the most recent guest of the AEW Unrestricted podcast with Aubrey Edwards and Tony Schiavone where she talked about a number of things.

    The female star discussed her Impact wrestling run in detail. When asked which Impact star she would like to team or feud against in the future, the former Knockouts champion took the name of Rosemary.

    During the fan question segment of the show, The Bunny was asked who is her all time dream opponent. She revealed it to be the WWE Hall Of Famer Trish Stratus:

    “Trish Stratus, 100%, She was the inspiration for me to start wrestling, seeing her, and she’s a Toronto gal just like me. I would love it.”
    – said The Bunny

    The former Impact star also revealed her favorite moment in her previous company and said that the wedding segment of her real-life husband Braxton Sutter was the coolest experience of her life.

    Allie explained that she feels like every person who was involved in the segment knocked it out of the park. The crowd reaction to it was the loudest she has ever heard and she doesn\’t think TV can translate how loud it was in real life.

  • The IIconics\’ Post WWE Name Possibly Revealed

    The IIconics have previously stated that they want to continue teaming together in the future. It appears that their post WWE names have now been revealed.

    The former WWE stars have filed a trademark with USPTO for the name \’The IInspiration\’ for being used by wrestling personalities for live appearances and merchandising purposes.

    The IIconics were released from their WWE contracts just days after the WrestleMania 37 PPV on April 15. They have a 90 days non-compete clause with the company that ends in mid July.

    The IIconics On Their Future

    Discussing their future during a recent episode of Busted Open Radio, the duo had explained that they want to stay together because they are most comfortable with each other:

    “We definitely want to stay together. We want to move forward together, we’re just most comfortable together. We can play off each other so easily. We don’t even have to talk about what we’re going to do.”

    The former WWE women\’s tag team champions had also revealed that they are considering both Impact Wrestling and AEW as potential future options.

    Which company would you like to see The IIconics join once their non compete clause with WWE expires? Let us know in the comment section below.

  • Edge Expected To Compete At SummerSlam

    Edge has not wrestled since WrestleMania 37, but wrestling fans can expect him back in the ring this summer.

    WWE is going back on the road in just a matter of weeks. The company recently announced SummerSlam will take place from the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, a venue that holds over 70,000 people. There are plans to makes this a blockbuster affair, with John Cena and other top stars rumored to appear.

    Jon Alba of the Living The Gimmick podcast reports that the Rated R Superstar is scheduled to compete at SummerSlam. Edge will be returning as a babyface and competing in a SmackDown brand match. No word yet on his opponent, but potential matchups for Edge include Seth Rollins, Sami Zayn and King Corbin.

    WWE is advertising Edge for the September 3rd edition of SmackDown, which adds credence to Alba\’s scoop.

    Edge was last seen feuding with the universal champion Roman Reigns on WWE programming and he challenged for the universal championship at WrestleMania 37.

    The former champion had won the Royal Rumble 2021 in January and chose Reigns as his opponent for the Show Of Shows. However, Daniel Bryan was later added to this bout as well, making it a triple threat.

    The tribal chief managed to retain his title in this match with an assist from Jey Uso. Edge has taken some time off from WWE programming after that. WWE will return to touring with the July 16 episode of SmackDown from Houston. SummerSlam this year will be taking place from the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on August 21.

  • Notes On Roman Reigns vs. Rey Mysterio Match Being Moved To SmackDown

    The decision to move the universal championship Hell In A Cell match between Roman Reigns and Rey Mysterio to SmackDown left fans surprised.

    Dave Meltzer talked about this decision in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter. He noted that the decision was made on Thursday but there is no clear reason behind this call:

    \’\’As far as what happened, there’s no involved reason that made any sense. The word we were told is that you can’t describe why,

    There were just a bunch of discussions on Thursday and the discussions ended up with \’Let’s do it on SmackDown.\”

    There are currently no plans for Roman Reigns to wrestle on Sunday\’s PPV after his match on SmackDown. There is no news on if the tribal chief will still make an appearance on the show.

    As for the reason behind putting this match together goes, it\’s about pairing the Big Dog with a great worker which allows him to play the bully heel. Mysterio is not expected to win this match.

    With the universal championship match featuring Roman Reigns removed from the event, the Hell In A Cell PPV is left with only one cage match and four announced matches overall.

    There is speculation on a Seth Rollins vs. Cesaro and a US championship match possibly being added to the show but neither of these has been confirmed for Sunday as of this writing.

  • News On Backstage Reaction To Aleister Black\’s WWE Release

    Many fans were not happy with WWE releasing Aleister Black. It appears that there are a lot of people within the company who feel the same and believe that he should be brought back to the promotion.

    PWInsider had reported earlier this month that there were some people within the promotion who were already pushing for the former NXT champion\’s return to the company following his release.

    In an update to the story, the site notes that people going \’all the way up to top WWE executives\’ believe that Black\’s release was a premature decision. There has been talk of AEW being interested in signing the former champion.

    These rumors have sparked additional discussion within WWE. People are second-guessing about firing the former NXT star after spending time rebooting his character.

    Aleister Black was released from his contract on June 2. His firing was especially surprising for people as Black had only made his return to WWE TV on the May 21 episode of SmackDown after a long hiatus.

    We saw Samoa Joe, who was also released from his main roster contract, making his comeback recently. He signed a new deal with NXT and returned to the brand as the special enforcer on this week\’s episode of the show.

    It remains to be seen if the officials will make a similar decision with Aleister. Though these reports at least confirm that there is some talk of doing the same.

  • Tony Khan On Rivalry With WWE: \”It\’s True Competition\”

    Tony Khan believes All Elite Wrestling is a viable competitor to WWE. AEW\’s CEO an head of creative appeared on the Moose and Maggie show this week to announce AEW\’s first shows from New York and New Jersey this September.

    In discussing AEW\’s rivalry with WWE, Khan says it\’s \”intense\” and he\’s excited to offer fans an alternative wrestling product.

    “It’s intense,\” he said. \”It is a competition. There is no way around it. It’s a true competition. I’m really excited about being a challenger brand and taking on a huge company. And I think for a long time fans were demanding an alternative, and AEW on TNT has given them that.\”

    Tony Khan also discussed winning the Wednesday night wars against NXT as the competing brand moved to Tuesday nights. He said that they were very successful head to head against other wrestling:

    “We’ve really carved out a great fanbase, and Wednesday nights we’ve made a great tradition for ourselves. We had competition on Wednesday nights and we don’t anymore. I think we were very successful head to head against other wrestling on Wednesday nights, we’ve carved out that night for ourselves.\”

    Apart from this, Tony Khan talked about their announced second show in Rampage and more. Rampage premieres on TNT on Friday August 13.

  • WWE Working On New Sets For Raw And SmackDown

    WWE is looking to make their return to the road as big as possible and it appears that their efforts include new sets for both of their premiere shows in Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown.

    Lead WWE Production Designer Jason Robinson recently had an interview with Edward Douglas of Below The Line and he confirmed the recent rumors about new stage designs for both shows.

    Robinson first talked about their return to touring. He confirmed that both Raw and SmackDown will have distinct sets, before discussing how they are going to integrate augmented reality into their plans:

    “We’re headed forward, so we’re looking at new sets, new staging that we’re building. My next phone call is to the graphics department, talking about augmented reality and how AR is going to interface with our set,

    And how we’re going to make some really cool graphics for set entrances as our superstars enter.”

    The WWE employee also talked about the SummerSlam PPV taking place at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas this year. He mentioned that they have already started working on the roof designs for the show:

    \”It’s going to be our first SummerSlam in a stadium since Wembley, years and years ago [in 1992]. The next phone call after that, we’re going to talk about a roof structure that we’re going to put in at Allegiant Stadium.”

    WWE will return to touring with the July 16 episode of SmackDown in Houston. The SummerSlam PPV will be taking place from the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on August 21.

  • Roman Reigns Comments On Potential SummerSlam Match With John Cena

    John Cena is heavily rumored for a match against Roman Reigns at the SummerSlam PPV and the Tribal Chief is not shying away from this bout.

    The Universal Champion recently appeared on ACC Network where he talked about things such as how the Thunderdome shows have allowed performers to showcase some different skills and more.

    When asked about the rumors of a rematch with the Cenation Leader at the upcoming WWE PPV, Reigns said that if John Cena wants to \’get smashed\’ then he knows where to find the Big Dog:

    “If John wants to get smashed, then he knows where I’m at, when it comes to whooping people’s ass, I do not discriminate. Luchadores, mat wrestlers, legends, Hollywood superstars, anybody. Anybody can get it.”

    The 16-time world champion has admitted that he misses WWE in previous interviews and he more or less confirmed his return during a recent talk.

    This isn\’t the first instance of Roman Reigns taking a shot at the former world champion either. He recently advised his opponent to stay away from WWE and \”keep pumping out these streaming service movies.”

    All signs seem to be pointing towards a match between these two being in the works. The only question is how long it will take before it’s officially confirmed.

  • Kenny Omega vs Sami Callihan Set For Impact Slammiversary

    Impact Wrestling has officially confirmed the main event for their upcoming Slammiversary PPV, announcing that Sami Callihan will challenge Kenny Omega for the title at the show.

    Last week\’s episode of their weekly show saw Scott D’Amore announcing that the winner of the match between Omega and Moose at the Against All Odds event will face Callihan at their next PPV.

    However, Callihan didn\’t wait until Slammiversary. He showed up at Daily’s Place this past Saturday after the world title match to confront his future opponent.

    Unhappy with his move and concerned about Omega and The Young Bucks, Impact EVP Don Callis had rushed to the ring before Callihan could do anything and he fired the Impact Wrestling star from the company.

    This week\’s episode of Impact then saw Tommy Dreamer who was representing Anthem Sports & Entertainment; reinstate the former world champion\’s job.

    Dreamer also informed Callis that his job as the Executive Vice President of the company was being terminated. Don Callis has already finished his stint as an Impact executive and he has only been working as an on-screen personality for the company.

    Updated Slammiversary Match Card

    After the latest announcements, here is the updated match card for Impact Wrestling\’s Slammiversary PPV, taking place on Saturday, July 17:

    • Impact World Championship Match: Kenny Omega vs. Sami Callihan
    • X Division Championship Ultimate X Match: Josh Alexander vs. Trey Miguel vs. Ace Austin vs. Chris Bey vs. Rohit Raju vs. Petey Williams
    • Singles Match: Moose vs. Chris Sabin

  • Roman Reigns vs. Rey Mysterio Hell In A Cell Match Moved To Friday\’s SmackDown

    The Universal Championship Hell In A Cell match between the current champion Roman Reigns and his challenger Rey Mysterio has been moved to this Friday\’s episode of SmackDown.

    The master of 619 took on his Twitter today and said that he couldn\’t wait until Sunday: “It’s eating me up inside. I can’t wait any longer. I want the Hell In A Cell match tomorrow night. @WWERomanReigns @HeymanHustle”

    The tribal chief responded to this tweet from Mysterio. Accepting his challenge Reigns wrote:  “Sunday. Friday. Any day.   Makes no difference to me. It’ll be my pleasure to disgrace what’s left of your family name tomorrow night inside Hell in a Cell! My Special Counsel @HeymanHustle will handle the paperwork. I’ll PERSONALLY handle the warfare!”

    There is no word yet on why this match was moved from the PPV on Sunday to Friday\’s show. This change leaves Sunday\’s PPV with only one confirmed cell match between Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre for the WWE championship.

    Updated SmackDown Preview

    After the announcement, here is the updated line up for this Friday\’s SmackDown:

    • Universal Championship Hell In A Cell Match: Roman Reigns vs. Rey Mysterio
    • Singles Match: Baron Corbin vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Corbin\’s crown will be on the line
    • Singles Match: Otis vs. Angelo Dawkins
    • Tag Team Match: Apollo Crews & Commander Azeez vs. Kevin Owens & Big E

  • WWE Hall Of Famer Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake Dealing With Health Issues

    WWE Hall Of Famer Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake is dealing with some health issues and his wife is asking for fans to pray for the wrestling veteran.

    The wife of the former WWE star Missy Leslie recently noted on Facebook that the 64-year-old has a blood pressure reading of 170/110. He is also feeling shortness of breath and a headache.

    Brutus Beefcake was taken to see a doctor on Wednesday morning but there is no further update available on the former WCW star\’s health as of this writing.

    The former wrestler started his career in the industry in 1977 and wrestled regularly until 2000. He continued making sporadic wrestling appearances even after this until 2015.

    Beefcake is best known for his run with the World Wrestling Federation from 1984 to 1993. His original gimmick in the company was of a male stripper. He started teaming with Greg \”The Hammer\” Valentine in 1985 and the duo became known as The Dream Team.

    After the end of his tenure with WWF, the wrestling legend also had a couple of stints with WCW from 1994 to 1996 and 1998 to 1999. He was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame by Hulk Hogan in 2019.

  • Ricochet On Why He Has Started Wrestling In Jeans

    Ricochet has made some interesting changes to his gear recently. The One and Only has ditched his wrestling trunks in favor of a pair of jeans.

    The former NXT star talked about a number of things during his recent interview on Table Talk and explained the reasoning behind the change in his ring gear.

    Ricochet mentioned how the tradition in Japan calls for young wrestlers to start with black trunks and work their way up to a gear. This change helps him get in a mental state to fight:

    \”I just stripped away all the….not flash, I don\’t want to say flash. I just set a goal. In Japan, all the new kids start with black boots and black trunks. You have to work your way up to get gear.

    It\’s a mental thing. In the ring, I\’m more direct and will come at you straight.\” said Ricochet, \”I\’m more in a mental state of; I\’m in the ring for business. I\’m here to fight,\”

    The former NXT North American champion also talked about a potential match with Sheamus. He wondered if the company will let the US champion compete at the upcoming PPV after his recent gruesome injury.

    A match between Ricochet and Sheamus has not been announced for the upcoming Hell In A Cell PPV as of this writing but the company could add the bout before the show this Sunday.

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

    Top WWE officials including Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, Triple H, and others have been named in a new lawsuit filed against the company for allegedly selling shares at inflated prices. The lawsuit claims that the company executives sold more than $300 million worth of stock while keeping the public in the dark about the collapse of their broadcasting deal in the Middle East.

    McMahon and others are accused of telling investors that the promotion was set to renew their broadcasting agreement with Orbit Showcase Network in Riyadh.

    OSN shut down all their sports channels back in March 2019 and left sports broadcasting. The lawsuit alleges that the company knew about this change and they also misled investors about the chances of finding a replacement deal once the network was out.

    Vince McMahon sold a total of 3.5 million shares worth more than $280 million and other exes sold stock worth more than $30 million allegedly based on “non-public information regarding the company’s key contracts, business metrics, and financial prospects” in the middle eastern region.

    The complaint mentions that WWE\’s stock prices fell down from $62 to $44.50 a share when the truth about the company\’s \’rapidly deteriorating\’ business in the Middle East emerged.

    The plaintiff is seeking \’punitive and actual damages, costs, and fees\’ in this lawsuit filed against the top company officials. The cause of action is listed as \”breach of fiduciary duty; unjust enrichment; aiding and abetting.\”

    This isn\’t the first instance of the company being sued over their dealings in the country. They previously settled a lawsuit for $39 million regarding their relationship with Saudi Arabia in November 2020.

    You can check out the new lawsuit here.

  • Drew McIntyre On Nixed Gimmick Planned For His WWE Debut

    Drew McIntyre originally made his debut with \’The Chosen One\’ character in WWE but the gimmick that was pitched before that was very different.

    The former WWE champion recently had an interview with Ryan Satin on the Out of Character podcast where he talked about a number of different things.

    During the interview, Drew revealed that the company wanted him to play the role of a male model when he was originally brought to the main roster:

    “When I was about to come out of FCW, I remember the character, and some people have heard of this but many haven’t,

    But my character pitch was gonna be The Runway Man where I was gonna be a male model. I think this is what became of Fandango eventually.\”

    McIntyre thankfully didn\’t debut as a male model on WWE. Explaining how the plans changed, Drew McIntyre mentioned that he had a sit down with Vince McMahon who decided to let him be himself:

    \”I was getting ready to be a male model and then I went to TV, I had my sit down with Vince, and I made it clear that I didn’t love it but I’ll make it work.

    Whatever he thinks is best but thankfully he did not feel it was best and just kinda let me be myself.\”

    Vince McMahon cut a promo about the Scottish star a month after his WWE debut in August 2009. He claimed that he had personally signed Drew McIntyre, marking the beginning of his chosen one character.

  • Evil Uno Thought Dark Order Was Done After Infamous Segment

    The Dark Order had to go through some tough times before they became one of the most beloved stables in wrestling. There were times when they had to face harsh criticism from fans for some spots. Evil Uno recently talked about one such moment which he thought would be the end of the faction.

    The AEW star was talking about the infamous segment where The Dark Order beat up The Elite and SCU to end an episode of Dynamite back in December 2019. Not only did the segment didn\’t go over with the fans but it later got criticized for a very bad botch. Videos of a creeper delivering punches to Dustin Rhodes went viral where the unnamed wrestler was seen throwing punches that didn\’t even come close to connecting to the wrestling veteran.

    Evil Uno and Stu Grayson both recently appeared on the latest episode of Talk Is Jericho where they talked about this segment and revealed their reaction to it. Uno admitted that they thought the group would be done after that. However this didn\’t turn out to be the case and the Dark Order member gave credit to Tony Khan for coming up with the idea to revive the faction:

    “We thought we were done after that to be honest, I mean, even on the lead up, we were a little nervous because originally, that wasn’t what was planned. We didn’t know we were going to end the last Dynamite of the year on this big beat down on all the faces

    We thought we were done because we were supposed to have a follow up to that, which was on the first show of January, and they had cut us entirely from it, and then they cut us from the next couple of weeks too. We’ve had a lot of uncertainty throughout the year of AEW, and that was one of those moments where I was like, well, we’re done. I don’t think we can come back, but to Tony’s credit, he thought of The Exalted One hook right away.\”

    Thankfully for the Dark Order, Brodie Lee was revealed as the leader of the group in March 2020. The former WWE star helped them in becoming a fan favorite and took the group to new heights before his unfortunate passing in December 2020. Since then, Lee\’s son dubbed as Negative 1 has been named their new leader.

  • Vanessa Borne On Nixed Plans For Her Main Roster Debut

    Former NXT star Vanessa Borne recently had an interview with PWInsider where she revealed how she came close to making her main roster debut multiple times but the plans never materialized.

    The former WWE star first discussed how Paul Heyman had shown interest in her during his time as the in charge of Raw. She had been backstage for multiple Raw and SmackDown episodes in early 2020 but never used.

    Borne then moved back to Arizona and stayed there through the COVID-19 pandemic. WWE brought her back with the idea for a stable when the restrictions eased up but these plans were also nixed:

    “When COVID calmed down, they brought me back with Chelsea [Green] and Santana [Garrett], and told us we were going to be in a trio, which I was super excited about. Any time you’re working with others that closely, it’s fun. Being able to bounce ideas off each other and everyone thinks differently.

    We were excited and we all got main roster contracts, which was exciting.\” said Vanessa Borne, \”Things just never worked out and the idea got scratched. I feel like that happens a lot.”

    This wasn\’t the last time the company discussed a main roster run for the female star. She revealed that there were also plans for her to be part of the Retribution stable but she was dropped when she asked too many questions.

    Vanessa Borne was originally signed by WWE back in April 2016 and she had a run in NXT. The female star unfortunately never made it to the main roster despite coming close to it so many times. She was finally released from her contract as part of budget cuts last month in May.

  • Rosemary On Which Released WWE Stars She Wants To See In Impact

    There has been a lot of discussion on the future of the recently released WWE stars and which companies they should join next. Impact star Rosemary recently revealed her picks for the stars she wants to see in their promotion.

    Impact Wrestling has been teasing the signing of at least one of the released WWE stars from the latest wave of budget cuts and there has been some speculation on who it could be.

    While appearing on The Angle Podcast, Rosemary named The IIconics and former Knockouts champion Laurel Van Ness as stars she would like to see in Impact:

    “The IIconics in particular tingles in the back of our minds with the reformed Knockouts Tag Team Championships, bringing in a seasoned tag team and one that’s quite clever and unexpectedly successful. So their addition to the Knockout’s division would be very intriguing indeed.

    You called her Chelsea Green, but she’s our Laurel Van Ness\” said Rosemary, \”And we do have unfinished business with her so to have her return to the IMPACT realm would be something sweet indeed.”

    The debate of whether or not WWE should hold another all-women\’s PPV after Evolution in 2018 has picked up in recent times and Triple H\’s comments have added a spark to this discussion.

    Rosemary talked about how Impact used to do their own version of an all-female show called Knockouts Knockdown and hoped that it will return in future.

  • WWE Superstars Pushing For Another King Of The Ring Tournament

    WWE brought back the King Of Ring tournament in 2019, which was won by Baron Corbin. Now a recent exchange between King Corbin, Xavier Woods, and Adam Pearce has fans wondering if the royal competition will be revived again in the near future.

    The Lone Wolf is set to defend his crown against Shinsuke Nakamura on this week\’s SmackDown. Corbin appeared on the latest episode of The Bump to discuss the challenge. Host Kayla Braxton mentioned the fact that Xavier Woods has repeatedly expressed his desire to become King of the Ring. Corbin was asked if he\’s feeling the \’heat\’ as WWE\’s reigning king.

    Corbin says everybody has their eye on his crown, which he believes is on par with WWE\’s championship titles. He appreciates Xavier Woods\’ interest and would love the chance to for wanting to earn an opportunity at the crown. He welcomes the opportunity to defeat Woods in hypothetical KOTR tournament.

    With live events returning in just a matter of weeks, WrestleVotes says there has been talk of WWE holding \’theme events\’ such as King of the Ring, Old School nights, etc. on these non-televised shows to encourage fan interest.

    King of the Ring Returning?

    Corbin\’s comments on The Bump elicited responses from Woods and WWE official Adam Pearce. The former NWA Champion says he\’s had many conversations with Corbin about the possibility of holding another tournament.

  • Tony Khan Explains How Rampage Will Affect Their Production Schedule

    Rampage will be the fourth weekly show in AEW\’s repertoire. With an already packed production schedule, the company will have to make some major adjustments to make sure things run smoothly. Tony Khan recently explained how they are planning to ensure that this expansion is seamless.

    The AEW president recently had an interview with PWInsider. He talked about a number of things and went into details of what changes the company is planning to make and how Rampage will fit into their plans. Khan first revealed that Rampage will not be live every week. They will instead choose between a taped show some weeks and live special on some specific markets:

    “With Rampage, there’s going to be some weeks Rampage will be live and there’ll be weeks where we plan to tape Rampage after Dynamite, including here at Arthur Ashe Stadium [in NYC], where we will be filming also after. We’ll do Dynamite live and we’ll also film Rampage. And in some of the markets where we have these amazing crowds, I think it’s okay.”

    Though Tony Khan confirmed that the premiere episode of their new show will be airing live and future Rampage episodes will also serve as the go-home shows for their PPVs. Regarding their non televised shows in Dark and Dark: Elevation, the AEW official revealed that they will tape Elevation before Dynamite and find a new venue for Dark:

    “Before Dynamite, we used to tape Dark. That’s going to change. I’m going to tape Elevation before Dynamite now,” Khan said. “So it’s going to be a shorter Elevation and I may add matches that I’ll explain where I’ll add them from. I’m going to procure a venue for use to tape Dark and other content that’ll be great. And I’m really looking forward to this\”

    Tony Khan also explained that Dark will continue being their developmental show. AEW announced their expansion plans earlier this year, confirming that they will be launching their second TV show Rampage on August 13. The company confirmed that both their premiere shows will be moving to TBS in 2022.

  • Drew McIntyre Addresses Criticism Of His Involvement With The WWE Title

    After years of hard work and rebuilding himself from the bottom following his WWE release, Drew McIntyre finally got his opportunity last year. The Scottish Psychopath got a chance to challenge for the WWE championship after winning the 2020 Royal Rumble. He then defeated Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 36 and went on to have an impressive run with the world title.

    However, the former champion has continued his involvement with the title even after dropping the belt to Bobby Lashley earlier this year. His continuous presence in the title picture has started attracting some criticism from fans and McIntyre himself recently addressed the fan backlash.

    Drew recently had an interview with Ryan Satin of Fox Sports. Discussing the recent negative reaction to his involvement in the world title scene, the former champion said that he doesn\’t think anyone questions the work he puts in. The fans instead are just looking for some fresh stories:

    “I understand some fans may be like, ‘Ugh, I’d like a new fresh face in the picture,\’ I have been fighting for the title, or been champion, for over a year now – which is a pretty significant time – but I don’t think anyone is saying, ‘Oh my goodness, Drew’s not working as hard as he can to give us the best matches possible and do the best he can with every interview possible.’ I think it’s more, ‘I would like to see something different here and see Drew do something different over here.’”

    Apart from this, the former NXT champion talked about things such as his incredible title reign, his feud with Randy Orton, and more. Drew McIntyre will get a final opportunity to challenge Bobby Lashley for the WWE championship at Hell In A Cell this Sunday. If he loses the bout, he will not be able to challenge for the title as long as the All-Mighty is holding the belt.

  • Two New Backstage WWE Hires Revealed

    After operating with minimal staff for more than a year, WWE is looking to refill its roster before its return to the road and they have been hiring a lot of people to fill key backstage positions.

    Just recently it was revealed that the company has brought back veteran wrestling producer Shawn Daivari. Now a new report from PWInsider reveals two more additions to the staff.

    According to the site, the company has brought back longtime WWE employee John D\’Amico. He has taken back his previous role of director and production manager for live events.

    D\’Amico originally started with WWE back in 1989. He had been with the company for over 31 years before being released back in September 2020. Following a ten-month hiatus, he is now back with the promotion.

    Wrestling personality George Carroll has also been hired by the company. Carroll who has previously worked in various roles for NJPW in United States and MLW has joined the NXT writing team.

    WWE announced their return to touring last month. The company confirmed that they will be holding a 25 city tour starting with the July 16 episode of SmackDown from Houston.

    A number of big names are expected to make their return to the company for these shows. Among the talents rumored to make their return include big names such as John Cena and Brock Lesnar.