SEScoops

Author: Anutosh Bajpai

  • Watch: CM Punk Pays Tribute To John Cena At WWE MSG Holiday Special

    CM Punk paid tribute to longtime rival and friend John Cena during the traditional post-Christmas WWE live event from the Madison Square Garden.

    The Straight Edge Star faced Ludwig Kaiser in a singles match at the show. During a point in the bout, Punk did the whole sequence of Cena\’s moveset, including the famous \’You Can\’t See Me\’ taunt.

    While the former AEW star failed to hit his finishing move at the end of this sequence, he eventually hit GTS on Kaiser to pick up the victory.

    WWE Madison Square Garden Results

    The traditional WWE Madison Square Garden Live Event featured names such as Seth Rollins, Liv Morgan, The Wyatt Sicks and more. Below are the quick results of the show:

    Singles Match: LA Knight def. Santos Escobar: Knight won with BFT and cut a promo afterward.

    Singles Match: Xavier Woods def. Otis: The New Day cut a promo about leaving their families to work the Holiday show and berated New York. Kingston hit an enziguri on Otis while the referee was distracted, allowing Woods to get the pin with a flying elbow.

    Two Out Of Three Falls Match: Intercontinental Champion Bron Breakker def. Sami Zayn: Zayn got the first pin with the Helluva Kick then he scored several near falls. He went for another Helluva kick but got speared twice by Breakker who then got a pin himself. After another near fall, Zayn got speared again while running the ropes and Breakker got the decisive pin.

    Singles Match: Seth Rollins def. Dominik Mysterio: A fan threw a chicken tender in the ring. Dom ate it and picked the mic mid match to complain that it was one of the worst tenders he has had in his life. Seth got the pin after countering the frog splash and hitting the curb stomp.

    Singles Match: CM Punk vs. Ludwig Kaiser: Punk wins with GTS. He made snow angles with the referee in the ring afterward.

    Six Men Tag Team Match: The Wyatt Sicks def. The Final Testament: \’Hometown boy\’ Karrion Kross cut a promo before the match demanding respect. He issued an open challenge and Wyatts answered. Nikki Cross got the pin in the end.

    Singles Match: Women\’s World Champion Liv Morgan def. IYO SKY: Raquel Rodriguez was in Morgan\’s corner. Referee ejected Rodriguez when she distracted SKY during a top rope dive. Morgan got the pin with Oblivion.

    Steel Cage Match: World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER def. Damian Priest: Priest got a huge pop when he overpowered a choke from the world champion. Ludwig Kaiser then entered the ring and the two started beating Damian. Priest still managed to get some offense and looked to exit the cage, only for Dirty Dom to stop him. Dom slammed the door on his former friend, allowing GUNTHER to get the pin. CM Punk, wearing a towel made the save for Priest in the end.

    Umaga\’s son Zilla Fatu was in the crowd for tonight\’s event. WWE announced that they\’ll be returning to Madison Square Garden on 3/10 for a Raw taping.

  • Ric Flair Names Two Greatest Workers He\’s Ever Been In Ring With

    Ric Flair has named the two stars he considers to be the best in-ring workers of all time.

    The 16-time World Champion recently appeared on Busted Open Radio. He discussed things such as Charlotte Flair potentially breaking his world title record, wrestling in Japan, his relationship with other members of the four horsemen and more.

    Talking about his own career, Flair remembered his matches with Ricky Steamboat and named Steamboat and Shawn Michaels as the two greatest workers he\’s ever shared the ring with:

    \”Ricky Steamboat, I mean the two greatest workers I\’ve ever been in the ring with and are the best workers I\’ve ever known are Shawn Michaels and Ricky Steamboat. Ricky never worked heel, you know it\’s kind of like trying to make Jack Brisco a heal but Steamboat and Shawn to me are the two best I\’ve ever been in the ring with.

    I\’m not taking away from anybody else but I mean it\’s hard to argue against Steamboat. And of course, Shawn Michaels I think is recognized universally as probably the best worker in the business. When you\’re still considered the best worker in a business 10 years after you\’ve been retired, then you must have been pretty damn good.\”

    Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat worked extensively with each other during their careers. The two stars had more than 100 singles matches while competing for various NWA territories as well as WCW. In comparison, Flair only wrestled Michaels a handful of times, having only 20 singles matches with HBK.

    Apart from this, the Nature Boy also talked about Mercedes Mone\’s current run noting that Mone works with the mindset that she can do whatever she wants. Ric expressed the belief that Mercedes will end up back in WWE sooner or later.

  • Nic Nemeth Reveals Biggest Challenge Of TNA Run

    Nic Nemeth says getting people to give TNA a try is the biggest challenge for him as the company\’s current world champion.

    The wrestling veteran recently spoke to RG Bro Entertainment to promote TNA Genesis from Garland Texas and TNA Rebellion from Los Angeles in 2025. He discussed things such as his time in the Spirit Squad, his friendship with Lance Storm and more.

    The former WWE star made his debut for the Anthem-owned promotion at Hard To Kill in January. He won a six-way match at Slammiversary in July, to become the World Champion. When asked what challenges he has faced in TNA in his first year with the company, Nemeth explained how a lot of people are just not aware of the brand:

    “Challenges? I just…getting the word out. Every once in a while, people [will be] like, ‘Hey, we love Impact, we love the pay-per-views, we watch what you’re doing’ and then someone will go, ‘I follow you on social media, I’ve watched everything you’ve ever done, do you still wrestle?’ and I go, ‘Ugh, come on man.’ I go, ‘Bro, AXS TV, YouTube, TNA plus app, check out the show.’\”

    We\’re This Happy Medium: Nic Nemeth

    Explaining why people should give TNA a chance, Nic Nemeth said that they\’re the happy medium between WWE and AEW. Per the World Champion, people can expect both good storylines and genuine surprises at their shows:

    \”Sometimes people will say AEW is a little fast with stuff, sometimes WWE goes way too slow in molasses with the same predictable stuff, we are someone that I feel like we’re this happy medium of, you check out, you don’t know what’s going to happen one day, but then you see the slow progression of a story and you know where they’re going and then the other half is, you don’t know who’s gonna show up, you don’t know what\’s gonna happen.\”

    Nemeth also talked about the surprise appearance of WWE Hall of Famer JBL at recent shows. While he didn\’t reveal what Layfield said to him during the Emergence PPV, Nic noted that the wrestling legend seems to be in hunt for talents for a new stable.

  • Omos Set For Pro Wrestling NOAH Debut Amid WWE Hiatus

    Omos might be heading to Japan.

    Pro Wrestling Noah is set to present The New Year 2025 special from Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan on January 1. One of the matches on the card is Naomichi Marufuji and Takashi Sugiura defending the GHC World Tag Team Championships.

    Jack Morris has been confirmed as one of the challengers for the tag titles but his partner has been kept a mystery. Morris has promised that he\’d bring \’the biggest X in history\’ to challenge the current champions.

    This surprise was apparently spoiled by the promotion as Omos when they accidentally added the current WWE star to their official roster page early:

    Update: NOAH has since official confirmed Omos\’s debut for the New Year special:

    WWE US Champion Shinsuke Nakamura will also be appearing on the show, competing against 35-year-old Ulka Sasaki in a singles match.

    Omos was regularly featured on WWE TV under the Vince McMahon administration after signing with the company in 2019 and making his main roster debut in mid-2020.

    He has mostly been kept off TV since 2023 after Triple H took over creative, however. His only 2 televised matches this year have been battle royal appearances in Royal Rumble and Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

    The unexplained absence has resulted in all kind of rumors about Omos\’ WWE status but hopefully, the NOAH appearance will pave the way for his return to the Endeavor-owned promotion.

  • Becky Lynch Featured In New Raw On Netflix Commercial

    Becky Lynch has once again been included in the promotion for WWE Raw on Netflix, indicating a potential return to the company.

    The Man previously attended the WWE-Netflix media event from the streaming giant\’s headquarters in Los Angeles, California earlier in the month.

    Netflix recently released a new trailer for the upcoming Raw debut set for January 6, 2025 featuring names such as Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, Bianca Belair and Roman Reigns. The most interesting name featured in the commercial, however, was the former Women\’s Champion:

    Becky Lynch is featured in new Raw on Netflix commercialpic.twitter.com/cvQoiNosdV

    — Anutosh Bajpai || SEScoops || Wrestling News (@AuthorAnutosh) December 26, 2024

    Becky Lynch last wrestled during the May 27, 2024 episode of Monday Night Raw. She unsuccessfully challenged Liv Morgan for the Women\’s World title in a steel cage match. The Irish star\’s contract with the company expired on June 1. She then opted to take a break from the wrestling world instead of renewing the deal.

    The former champion had been away from the limelight ever since but she has started making public appearances again in the last couple of months. With WWE looking to make a big impact upon their Netflix debut, the new commercial only adds to the speculation that Lynch will make her return at the upcoming Raw special.

    Though Becky might not be the only former champion making her return at the show. Latest report suggests another out-of-action star is gearing up for her comeback to WWE TV very soon.

  • Chris Jericho Match Confirmed For Final Episode of AEW Rampage

    ROH World Champion Chris Jericho has confirmed that he\’ll be wrestling at the final episode of AEW Rampage this Friday.

    Anthony Bowens of The Acclaimed had challenged The Learning Tree for a singles match at last Saturday\’s Collision after Jericho and his teammates interrupted the Costco Guys. The current champion at the time had refused to fight.

    The wrestling veteran, however, granted Bowens\’ wish in a segment on the Christmas special of Dynamite. Standing on 34th Street in New York, Chris Jericho announced that he\’ll face the former tag champion at the December 27 Rampage:

    #ROH World Champion Chris Jericho presents another 'New York Minute' as he has one more gift to give in the form of a match this Friday at #AEWRampage!

    Watch #AEWDynamite on TBS!@IAmJericho | @TheCaZXL | @bountykeith pic.twitter.com/xJfi1jAz1i

    — All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 26, 2024

    The End of AEW Rampage?

    AEW\’s TV rights renewal deal with WBD brought some big changes for the company. This included the end of AEW exclusivity with the network, allowing Tony Khan to negotiate with other TV channels for potential new programs.

    The exclusion of Rampage in the announcement of the new deals also made fans curious. The AEW president has since confirmed that the show will be going on a hiatus and that the December 27 episode of Rampage will be the final episode of the Friday Night show \’for the foreseeable future.\’

    AEW already taped the upcoming episode from Hammerstein Ballroom earlier in the week. You can check out the spoiler results for the final Rampage here.

  • Taz Returns To Commentary On Dynamite On 34th Street

    Taz has returned to AEW TV after a couple months of absence.

    The veteran wrestler and broadcast personality had been on hiatus from AEW programming after being attacked backstage during the Dynamite 5-year anniversary special in October.

    Taz\’s son HOOK continued the storyline in his absence, hunting the people who attacked his father. This led to him feuding with The Patriarchy when Christian Cage was revealed as the man responsible.

    The wrestling veteran then returned to TV during the taped December 25 episode of AEW Dynamite from the iconic Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City:

    The ECW Legend Taz, returns to commentary for AEW in NYC ? pic.twitter.com/PBZQyMyZpu

    — Video Guy (@VideoGuyy) December 23, 2024

    In reality, the storyline attack was done to allow Taz to take time off for a total knee replacement surgery, a procedure he\’d been putting off for some time.

    Taz joined the AEW broadcast team full-time in January 2020, after previously having made multiple guest appearances for the company. He has been a regular on AEW TV ever since.

    Apart from Taz\’s return, the latest Dynamite episode featured a couple of big continental classic matches including a highly praised bout between Will Ospreay and Brody King.

    The young prospect Toni Storm made her Hammerstein Ballroom debut in a match against Taya Valkyrie. Storm picked up the victory with a small package.

  • Sami Zayn Reveals Which Classic Championship Design He\’d Like To Revive

    Sami Zayn has revealed which classic championship design he would like to bring back.

    The Bloodline star recently had an interview with Battleground podcast. He discussed things such as his wrestling journey with Kevin Owens, Raw\’s move to Netflix, and more.

    While discussing Saturday Night\’s Main Event and the return of the Winged Eagle WWE Championship, Sami was asked which classic title design he would like to bring back. A former Intercontinental Champion himself, Zayn noted how a lot of people have an affinity to the white-strapped IC title:

    \”I know a lot of folks, I\’m probably not unique in saying this, but a lot of folks have an affinity for that early 90s Intercontinental Championship, the classic one that you think of Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart and Mr Perfect. A lot of people have an affinity for that.\”

    I Thought They Were Really Cool: Sami Zayn

    Sami Zayn recalled how Cody Rhodes had brought the title design back during his 2011 reign and he was the one who actually retired it. The Honorary Uce then also revealed that he has a special place in his heart for the classic WWE tag team championship:

    \”I know Cody Rhodes brought that back several years ago. Actually I think I was the one who retired it. When I was managing Shinsuke Nakamura. He held that title and I was like \’All right! Out with the old, in with the new.\’ I actually introduced this new championship.

    I like the new Championship but people just have a special place in their hearts for that one. So I wouldn\’t mind seeing that one back but actually a championship that I really liked was the old WWE World Tag Team Championships. Fan of those ones.

    I know the ones over on Smackdown currently kind of have a little element of that to them. It does have a similar shape. So that\’s kind of cool but I was partial to that, the late 90s Tag Team Championships there. I thought they were really cool.\”

  • Sami Zayn Reflects On Wild Wrestling Journey With Kevin Owens

    Sami Zayn finds his wrestling journey with Kevin Owens surreal.

    The Honorary Uce recently had an interview with the Battleground podcast. He discussed things such as Raw moving to Netflix, which old title he\’d like to bring back and more.

    When asked about Kevin Owens\’ Saturday Night\’s Main Event match with Cody Rhodes and his post-match attack on the Undisputed Champion, Zayn first noted how seeing the banned package piledriver on a WWE show was a crazy moment.

    Sami Zayn then reflected on his long wrestling journey with Kevin Owens. He discussed how seeing the former Universal Champion performing on such a big stage was a surreal moment for him:

    \”If we really stop and think about it, considering we started together some 20 years ago in little church basements and community centers in Quebec, to all of a sudden see him standing [on] Saturday Night\’s Main Event, holding the Winged Eagle title over the champion. I mean, that\’s kind of surreal when you really stop and think about it.\”

    It\’s A Crazy Story: Sami Zayn

    The Bloodline member mentioned how always being in the middle of the action makes it hard for someone like him to stop and appreciate his journey. Seeing Kevin Owens, who has been on this path with him since the beginning, however, helps him realize how far they\’ve actually come:

    \”I think sometimes, I\’m sure he would say the same about me, but seeing it with Kevin sometimes opens my eyes more than when I\’m doing it myself. Because, you\’re on your own little path, and you\’re on the hamster wheel and you\’re focused on what you\’re doing.

    But if you\’re lucky enough to have someone who\’s been with you on the ride from the jump, like I have Kevin, or he\’s got me, it\’s like this constant reminder, like, \’Man, I remember that guy when he was here. Now he\’s doing this,\’ it is wild. It\’s a crazy story.\”

    Sami Zayn suffered a loss to Drew McIntyre at Saturday Night\’s Main Event, extending his losing streak against the Scottish Psychopath. Though it doesn\’t appear that McIntyre is done with the Bloodline just yet and he\’s claimed that there are 4 more names he has to take revenge from.

  • Mustafa Ali Reveals Advice For Aspiring Wrestlers

    Mustafa Ali has revealed the advice he would give to aspiring wrestlers.

    The former WWE star recently spoke to Chris Van Vliet for a new interview. He discussed things such as his injury before the 2019 Elimination Chamber leading to KofiMania, a potential WWE return, and more.

    During the interview, Ali also talked about his new wrestling school called Chicago Wrestling Center starting in January 2025, and revealed what advice he would give to anyone who desires to become a pro wrestler.

    The 38-year-old first explained that there is \’never a good time for anything\’ and one should find ways to do something if they really want to. He also explained the importance of physical fitness for anyone who wants to enter the business:

    \”The advice I would give to people that are planning on going to a wrestling school is, I don’t want to say workout, but it’s intense. You have to realize someone else’s life is literally in your hands when you’re picking them up and you’re running and this and that.

    So fatigue and weakness from a physical standpoint is very dangerous, both to you and your partner. So I would say that would be my biggest advice, and then be prepared for the mental challenge.\”

    Continuing the conversation Mustafa Ali noted that his school will not be one of those establishments that take your money even when they don\’t see any potential.

    Per the former X Division Champion, this school is a passion project for him rather than a financial one and he\’ll be screening the applications carefully to find the candidates who really want to train with him.

    You can check out Mustafa Ali\’s full interview below:

  • Rumor Killer On Lee Fitting\’s WWE Status

    Lee Fitting\’s standing in WWE seems to have not been affected by the recent reports about his departure from ESPN.

    People on social media claimed that Fitting\’s name was removed from the end credit of WWE shows following a new report about his ESPN departure and he was not mentioned on the December 23 episode of Raw.

    This statement is misleading, however, as Fitting had not been credited on the Raw broadcast in a number of episodes preceding the article in question. Furthermore, the WWE executive was listed as a producer on the December 24 episode of NXT in his usual spot with Shawn Michaels and Triple H:

    PWinsider also provided an update on his status revealing that WWE officials were actually aware of the circumstances leading to Fitting’s departure from ESPN when he was brought on board in January this year.

    A report from the New York Times earlier this month detailed the circumstances of the end of Fitting\’s 25-year run with the media giant. It said that the current WWE Production Head was let go following allegations of workplace misconduct with claims that he created a hostile work environment for female employees.

    Overall, it doesn\’t appear that the surfacing of the allegations have changed Fitting\’s status with the company and he continues to work in his regular capacity.

  • Triple Threat NXT Championship Match Confirmed For New Year\’s Evil

    Trick Williams will be defending the NXT Championship against both Oba Femi and Eddy Thorpe at the upcoming New Year\’s Evil special.

    Femi has a claim at the title match after winning the Men\’s Iron Survivor Challenge at the NXT Deadline special on December 7. Thorpe on the other hand, believed that he deserved another shot at the title after his championship match with Williams on last week\’s NXT ended in a double pinfall.

    The three men met in a segment on the December 24 episode of the Black & Silver show. After an exchange of words, Williams suggested a triple-threat match for the upcoming special. NXT GM Ava then came out to make the match official.

    After the announcement, Thorpe tried to sneak attack Trick but the NXT champion moved out of the way and Eddy caught Oba Femi instead. The three stars then brawled and the segment ended with Femi laying down Williams while Thorpe managed to slip away.

    This is the second championship match to be confirmed for the upcoming show. Giulia previously earned a shot at Roxanne Perez\’s NXT Women\’s Title after winning the Women\’s Iron Survivor Challenge match.

    NXT New Year\’s Evil will be taking place from the Shrine Expo Hall in Los Angeles, California on January 7, 2025.

  • Lexis King Crowned New NXT Heritage Cup Champion

    Lexis King has become the new NXT Heritage Cup Champion thanks to some help from none other than William Regal.

    King challenged Regal\’s son and the reigning champion Charlie Dempsey for the title at this week\’s NXT. Nobody got the upper hand in the first round of the match while Dempsey dominated round two. The third round of the bout then took place during the commercial break with nothing notable happening.

    King started dominating the fourth round of the match from the beginning before Charlie came back with some offense of his own. Toward the ending of the bout, Wren Sinclair got into the ring to wake up a knocked-out Dempsey, allowing Regal to offer the Brass Knuckles to Lexis King.

    When King refused to take the weapon, William Regal hit him with it without the referee seeing him. Regal then threw the Brass Knuckles to his son. Unfortunately for Dempsey, the referee saw him holding the Knuckles and disqualified him, making King the new champion.

    This ends Charlie Dempsey\’s second reign with the Heritage Cup at 126 days. He had won the title by defeating Tony D\’Angelo back in May. King on the other hand, starts his first reign with a title since joining the NXT brand in July 2023.

  • Ric Flair Says Charlotte Flair Breaking His World Title Record Will Be \’The Biggest Thing In Business\’

    Ric Flair believes Charlotte Flair should break his 16 world championship record.

    With 14 world title wins in her career, The Queen is tied with Randy Orton for the second most world title wins, behind only her father and John Cena. With the Cenation Leader announcing his retirement from in-ring competition for 2025, Ric believes it should be Charlotte who breaks his record.

    The 2-time WWE Hall of Famer gave his opinion on the matter during a recent appearance on Busted Open. He mentioned that John Cena has transitioned to Hollywood and he is not interested in the accolade:

    \”It\’s time. John Cena doesn\’t want to break the record, he doesn\’t given a shit about that. John is in a different world now. Wrestling will always be his passion, but he doesn\’t care about beating (the record).\”

    A Real Game Changer: Ric Flair

    Per the wrestling veteran, Charlotte breaking his record will be the biggest thing in the business because she\’s the best women\’s wrestler alive:

    \”I still think the biggest thing in the business, when it happens, it\’ll be a real game changer, just like she is in real life, is her breaking the title record or even tying it. I believe it\’s in the cards. I can look at the show and watch. It\’s a woman\’s world now and she\’s the best women\’s wrestler alive.\”

    Ric Flair also talked about Charlotte\’s injury that has kept her out of action for over a year and claimed that her return match will be the highest-rated women\’s match in a long time. You can check out the latest update on the female star\’s return here.

  • Mustafa Ali Reflects On His Injury That Led To KofiMania

    Mustafa Ali has opened up about his injury that led to Kofi Kingston becoming WWE Champion.

    The former 205 Live star was set to compete in the 2019 Elimination Chamber match for WWE Championship. Kingston however, replaced Ali in the match due to an injury. While Kofi did not win the bout, his performance in the match led to fans rallying behind him for another opportunity at the title. This eventually led to him winning the first World Championship of his career at WrestleMania 35.

    Ali talked about the missed opportunity during a new interview with Chris Van Vliet. He first discussed how Kofi is a really nice guy behind the scenes and noted that the two became really good friends after this series of events. Mustafa Ali called KofiMania a \’beautiful gift\’ but admitted that he felt a little jealous at not being able to compete in the bout:

    \”Now, no way am I comparing, but as a competitor, of course, there’s some jealousy, right? I’m watching. I’m like, man, could you imagine what a healthy Ali could do in the Elimination Chamber? But then I go and look and I’m so mad at myself. I’m like, if only I didn’t take that bump at the live event. I’m sitting there kind of like, I could have, I would have been fine.\”

    At The End Of The Day I\’m Happy: Mustafa Ali

    The former WWE star noted how his wife reminded him about the importance of his health and at the end of the day, he\’s happy that he wasn\’t allowed to compete with his injury:

    \”At the end of the day, I’m healthy, I’m happy. Everything works. I’m good. My brain isn’t mush. WWE did the right thing. They protected me for the day. You gotta protect these athletes from themselves, because we have that thing. We get hit, we get up. The instinct is, I’m good.”

    Apart from this Ali also talked about being part of the Money In the Bank ladder match which was won by Brock Lesnar, being eliminated from Royal Rumble by Nia Jax and more.

  • Maxxine Dupri Confirms Engagement To NXT\’s Anthony Luke

    WWE star Maxxine Dupri has confirmed her engagement to NXT\’s Anthony Luke.

    The Alpha Academy member announced the news with a new post on Instagram. Luke went all out with his proposal. As seen in the photos below, the NXT star brought Maxxine to a beach and even had a flower art made for the occasion:

    Luke has a background in College football and the couple have been dating since before the company signed Anthony to a development contract last year.

    The 28-year-old made his in-ring debut for the Gold & Silver brand in April this year. He\’s been working live event matches since then. Luke was recently included in the WWE LFG taping where he went up against the debuting Elijah Holyfield.

    Dupri on the other hand joined the company following a successful tryout in August 2021. She worked as a valet in NXT and her career was sped up when she was called up to the main roster in July 2022 as the manager for Maximum Male Models.

    She continued working on her in-ring skills while being active on the main roster. After joining Alpha Academy in mid-2023 Maxxine would go on to make her wrestling debut as part of a mixed tag match during the July 3, 2023 episode of the show.

    Who’s Dating Who? The Relationships Of WWE NXT

  • Shelton Benjamin Has Been \’Pleasantly Surprised\’ With His AEW Run

    Shelton Benjamin is surprised by how well he has adjusted to life in AEW.

    The wrestling veteran made his All Elite Wrestling debut during the Dynamite 5-year anniversary special in October. He reunited with his Hurt Business teammate MVP, establishing himself as a heel.

    During a recent interview with Inside The Ropes, the former WWE star discussed his move from WWE to AEW. Shelton Benjamin noted that his biggest surprise has been the reaction of the fans:

    “My biggest surprise is that the fans really appreciate what I bring to the table. I found that I have a lot of great chemistry with the guys I’ve been working. I feel like I’ve been having nothing but just great matches with pretty much everyone I’ve been in the ring with.\”

    The Biggest Surprise To Me: Shelton Benjamin

    After joining the promotion of Tony Khan, Shelton Benjamin has gotten to share the ring with names such as Swerve Strickland, Kazuchika Okada, Sammy Guevara, and more.

    Speaking about his experience working with his AEW rivals, the 49-year-old said that it\’s a \’pleasant surprise\’ how well he\’s been able to gel with the guys on the roster:

    \”Just the fact that I’ve been able to gel so well with guys who I never have worked with before and put on great performances, that has been the biggest surprise to me.

    It shouldn’t be, because again, these are some of the best athletes in the world, some of the best professional wrestlers in the world. But it’s definitely a pleasant surprise.”

    Shelton Benjamin also previously discussed his reaction to getting a big applause upon his AEW debut. You can check out his comments here.

  • Nic Nemeth Reveals The Only Reason He\’d Want To Do A Royal Rumble Appearance

    Nic Nemeth says he\’d only want to do a Royal Rumble appearance to promote TNA.

    The TNA World Champion recently had an interview with Daily Star. Among other questions, he was asked about a potential Royal Rumble cameo and whether he\’d like to show up as Dolph Ziggler or Nic Nemeth.

    The wrestling veteran first discussed how he didn\’t want to make an appearance on NXT while TNA partnered up with them because he had already worked the show and left WWE on his own accord. He believed that young talents from the TNA roster could benefit much more from such an opportunity.

    On the topic of a potential Royal Rumble appearance, Nemeth mentioned that he wouldn\’t mind busting out his old ring gear for one night, but only so he can use that buzz to promote TNA:

    \”To do something fun. Wear my old trunks, get the old music to play, come out there, and kick somebody in the face? That would be awesome. But the most important, it would just be something to have a viral moment, so I could talk about TNA. That’s the only reason I’d want to do it.\”

    Mickie James was the first TNA champion to represent the company with a Royal Rumble appearance in 2022. Jordynne Grace then followed in her footsteps with a cameo in the 2024 edition of the battle royal.

    If Nic Nemeth does show up at the Royal Rumble, he\’d become the first male champion from TNA roster to make a main roster appearance for the Endeavor-owned promotion.

    Before he can do so, however, Nemeth will have to overcome the challenge of Joe Hendry who\’d be challenging him in a championship rematch at the Genesis event on January 19, 2025.

  • Britt Baker Reveals What She\’s Been Doing During AEW Absence

    Birtt Baker has revealed what she\’s been doing on her time off from AEW.

    The former Women\’s Champion has not wrestled for AEW since the November 13 episode of Dynamite last month. She defeated Penelope Ford at the show.

    The D.M.D. appeared in a new video on DDP\’s YouTube channel. When asked what she\’s been up to, Britt Baker revealed that she\’s actually been busy filming some stuff:

    “I’m filming some fun stuff, can’t wait to tell everybody what it is. It’s on the down low for now but it’s really exciting and it\’s cool, it\’s really cool. I think people will be really excited about it.\”

    I\’m Off The Road Right Now: Britt Baker

    When the wrestling legend asked her if she\’s learning new things during this time, Baker explained that she is doing things to become a more well-rounded pro wrestler while she\’s off the road:

    \”Yeah definitely, it\’s kind of a whole new world. Obviously, our world is very special but we have so much more to learn I think to make yourself more well-rounded pro wrestler, learn as much as you can.

    [I\’ve] been training more [in] stunts, martial arts just everything I can cause I’m off the road right now. Until I come back, I’m like \’Let’s cook up on this time off.\’”

    Britt Baker previously appeared on the American reality show Bar Rescue with Adam Cole. She was also recently featured on the sixth season of Kobra Kai.

  • Mercedes Mone Match Added To AEW Worlds End 2024

    A Mercedes Mone title match has officially been added to the Worlds End PPV.

    This week\’s episode of AEW Collision from the Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC featured a singles match where Kris Statlander took on Penelope Ford. In an interview before the bout, Statlander called out Mone for a TBS Title rematch at the upcoming PPV.

    After Statlander defeated Ford, the current champion appeared on the ramp. She accepted Kris\’ challenge for the Worlds End match, claiming that she\’ll defeat the New York native once again.

    Kris Statlander unsuccessfully challenged Mone for the title at the Full Gear PPV last month. It was also the last show for Kamille\’s association with the TBS Champion. The former NWA star ended her partnership with Mone on the following Dynamite and she has not been seen on AEW programming since then.

    AEW Worlds End Updated PPV Card

    The new title match is the 8th match officially confirmed for the upcoming show. Below is the updated AEW Worlds End match card:

    • Continental Classic Semi-Finals and Final
    • Dynamite Diamond Ring Match: MJF (c) vs. Adam Cole
    • AEW World Championship Fatal Four Way Match: Jon Moxley (c) vs. Orange Cassidy vs. “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Jay White
    • Tijuana Street Fight For AEW Women’s World Championship: Mariah May (c) vs. Thunder Rosa
    • AEW International Championship Match: Konosuke Takeshita (c) vs. Powerhouse Hobbs
    • AEW TBS Championship Match: Mercedes Mone (c) vs. Kris Statlander

    AEW Worlds End 2024 will be taking place on Saturday, December 28, from the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando Florida.

  • Update On Matt Cardona\’s Contract And Health After ROH Final Battle 2024

    Matt Cardona is not signed to any wrestling promotion yet.

    The 39-year-old made his surprise Ring of Honor debut during the December 5 episode. He immediately started working a program with the ROH Champion Chris Jericho, making many wonder if he had signed a deal with the promotion.

    After Jericho made a surprise appearance at a recent GCW show to continue their rivalry, some people wondered if Cardona was actually under a GCW deal and the program between the two WWE alumni was a way for the two companies to mend fences.

    Fightful Select is reporting, however, that Matt Cardona is not under contract with AEW or GCW. In case of the latter, the New Jersey-based promotion has not signed people to contracts with the exception of Nick Gage. When asked about his status directly, the Deathmatch King claimed “I’m signed to the major wrestling figure podcast.”

    Cardona failed to defeat Jericho for the ROH title at the Final Battle PPV this Friday. He was seen on crutches after being helped to the back due to an ankle injury, but the indie star is hopeful that he\’ll be ok.

    As of this writing, it\’s unknown if Cardona\’s current stint will continue following the ROH PPV. Considering the buzz for the ROH title program he generated with Jericho, it seems likely that he\’ll be booked again.

  • Chris Jericho Explains How Smaller Venues Could Revive AEW\’s Momentum

    Chris Jericho believes AEW shows moving to smaller venues in 2025 will help the company\’s growth and make the product hot again.

    After spending most of 2024 battling with low ticket sales, Tony Khan hinted that they\’ll be changing their strategy for 2025. During the Full Gear media scrum last month, the AEW president had said that he wanted to find markets and buildings \’where it\’s going to be packed and red hot.\’

    Chris Jericho was asked about Khan\’s comments during a recent interview with Z100 New York. The current ROH World Champion was there to promote ROH\’s Final Battle PPV from Hammerstein Ballroom and he explained that smaller venues that are packed with fans can change the entire vibe of the shows:

    \”I think the worst thing you could ever do is to kind of in any business overprice yourself or overextend yourself. We\’re at a place where to go to some of the middle-size venues not in every city but in some of them, it\’s a very smart move.

    For many reasons but most importantly just the vibe of the fans. Like you want to put 10,000 people into an arena and if you can, you do. If you\’re down to 5,000 but you go to a 4,000-seat arena, it increases demand.\”

    It Just Makes The Product Hotter: Chris Jericho

    The wrestling veteran discussed how AEW has been the \’cool promotion\’ for the majority of its existence. Per Chris Jericho, creating demand with smaller venues can help them regain some of their lost charm:

    \”It just makes the show that much more exciting and it translates so much better on TV. So I think right now with all of the different choices that people have to buy tickets to go to shows, I think we\’re smart to moving to some of these like you mentioned different sized venues.

    Because it just makes it cooler and we have always had the cool factor in AEW, especially when we started and then going into the pandemic, coming out of the pandemic. I think one way is the supply and demand. If you have this many tickets for sale and they\’re gone. It just makes the product hotter and you can just continue to grow.\”

    Chris Jericho successfully defended the ROH Championship against Matt Cardona at Final Battle but he was confronted by a returning star afterward. You can check out more about it here.

  • Nic Nemeth Details Motivation For WWE Departure

    Nic Nemeth has explained why he decided to leave WWE.

    The former Dolph Ziggler ended his 19-year tenure with the Endeavor-owned promotion in September 2023. Entering the independent circuit for the first time in his wrestling career, Nemeth has since made it a mission to prove that he can still be a top guy for any promotion in the world.

    The current TNA World Heavyweight Champion spoke to Daily Star recently to promote the 2025 Genesis event. He discussed things such as the growth of TNA in 2024, the progression of his Genesis opponent Joe Hendry, and more.

    When asked if leaving WWE has reignited his passion for wrestling, Nic Nemeth revealed that he had more than a year left on his deal with the company. The 44-year-old noted how he was being booked very rarely during the last couple years of his stint with the company and that he wanted to spend whatever prime years he had left to prove that he could still go:

    “WWE was so great. I had a year and a half on my contract still, and I said, ‘Please.’ I go, ‘I’m not doing anything here. I’m just hanging out and doing cold five-minute matches.’ I said, ‘I don’t know how much longer I’m a believable world champion for any other company. I might have five more years, I might have two, I might have ten, I don’t know.\’

    But I go \’Sitting here collecting a paycheck and working for five minutes a week is not helping WWE, and it sure as hell is not helping me.\’ So luckily, they gave me the chance to get out of there because I had some time left on my contract.\”

    Nemeth said that he was still giving his full effort to whatever position WWE put him in. Now he is able to do a lot more of it as a center figure of TNA roster with a lot more opportunity to talk and then back his words up in the ring. The current TNA World Champion also claimed that he would have given up the title long ago if he felt he couldn\’t back up what he was saying with his performance.

    The former WWE star won the TNA title at Slammiversary in July and his reign stands at 154 days. Joe Hendry won a fatal four-way match at Final Resolution this month to become the #1 contender for Nemeth\’s title.

  • Dax Harwood Reveals How Tony Khan Helped Hurricane Helene Rescue Efforts

    Dax Harwood has explained why the upcoming Dynamite taping from Ashville is special.

    The January 1 Dynamite: Fight For The Fallen special will mark the start of a new era for AEW. As part of their new TV deals, the show from Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, NC will be simulcasted on Max for the first time ever.

    Harwood who hails from North Carolina himself explained why the taping is so special during a new interview with 3NTWrestling. He revealed that it\’s the first entertainment show coming to the city after it was devastated by Hurricane Helene.

    The AEW star noted that Khan could have taken the show to a bigger city to make a better impression on first-time watchers but helping Ashville was a priority for him. He went on to reveal how the AEW President had previously helped the relief efforts for survivors of the natural disaster on their one request:

    \”A lot of people don\’t know this, but Tony called. We talked to Tony, myself and Adam [Copeland]. We talked to Tony. He said, \’What do you need from me?\’ He had already donated a ton of money.

    Adam said, \’Well, we\’ve got these Starlinks. These huge Starlinks that they\’ve donated here. Elon Musk has donated here, but we don\’t have the small Starlinks to go out into the woods, to go out to the top of the mountains, so we can find people and give them cell service. So we can communicate with.\’

    Tony without any hesitancy, if that\’s even a word, he sent hundreds of Starlinks to Asheville, North Carolina, on his own dime. He made sure that that was something we were able to do to find people who were lost.\”

    Dax Harwood also noted how his tag team partner Cash Wheeler had also set up a GoFundMe and collected over $70,000 to help the relief efforts at the time. Harwood himself was on the ground helping people at the time of need as well. He and Adam Copeland were assisting FEMA workers with search and rescue.

    FTR have challenged Death Riders to a fight at the upcoming Dynamite episode and teased that they won\’t be coming alone. While Dax did not provide any update on his mystery partner during the talk, the tease coincides perfectly with reports of a former world champion\’s imminent return.

  • Charlotte Flair \’On Cusp Of\’ Wrestling Return Following Year Long Injury

    Charlotte Flair has been out of action for a whole year now but the 13-time Women\’s champion is inching closer to her return per latest updates.

    The Queen previously posted photos of in-ring training session at Shawn Spears and Tyler Breeze\’s Flatbacks wrestling school. She posted another such photo recently, thanking NXT\’s Lainey Reed for helping her prepare for an in-ring return.

    In a further update, PWinsider is reporting that Flair is \’on the cusp of officially returning\’ following her injury. Apart from the in-ring work, Charlotte has made trips to WWE HQ for a photoshoot and other logistics work in preparation for her comeback.

    Charlotte Flair tore her ACL, MCL, and meniscus in a match against Asuka at the tribute to the troops special of SmackDown on December 8, 2023.

    This is the first time in her 12-year WWE run that the female star has had to stay out of action for more than a year. The hiatus also caused her to miss WrestleMania only the second time since being introduced to the main roster by Stephanie McMahon in 2015.

    WWE has not set an official return date for the former champion but January 6 Netflix Raw premiere would be the perfect stage for Flair to make her comeback.