SEScoops

Author: Anutosh Bajpai

  • Cody Rhodes Explains Why Pharaoh Is Not Worried About Larry\’s Increasing Merch Sales

    Pharaoh is not worried about Larry outdrawing him in T-shirt sales because he has more products on the shelf.

    Cody Rhodes\’ dog Pharaoh has made many wrestling appearances alongside the current Undisputed Champion over the years in different companies. While CM Punk\’s Larry has recently become a viral sensation after being featured in several WWE social media videos in the last few months.

    The new-found stardom has led to Larry getting his own merchandise on WWE shop. His T-shirt specifically is said to be outdrawing even many wrestling legends in sales.

    Pharoh Thinks He Is The Bigger Star

    The American Nightmare was asked about the rumors of Larry\’s T-shirt sales and how Pharoh feels about it in a new interview with Adrian Hernandez. Rhodes explained that Pharoh is not worried.

    He suggested that Pharaoh finds himself to be the biggest star still with more number of products available to buy, including things like his much-loved plush toy:

    \”No I don\’t think that\’s a rumor. So Pharoh has more, this going to sound so inside, he has more SKUs on the shelf. He\’s got a couple shirts, the plushes. So Larry is killing it. He should be [proud].

    We love Larry in our house. CM Punk loves Pharaoh. But Larry\’s not there yet. I don\’t doubt Larry\’s going to get there. We\’re talking about dogs alright, it\’s just dogs. Larry\’s on his way.\”

    While Pharaoh might have more products on the shelf at the moment, Larry seems to be coming for his spot. With his own newly launched plush toy, the Punk clan member is definitely targeting the #1 position and Pharaoh will have to work extra hard if he wants to maintain his status in the ever-competitive world of pro wrestling.

    Apart from this, Cody Rhodes also talked about things such as rumors of Rock\’s WrestleMania 41 status, his Extreme Rules match with Big Show and more. You can check out his full interview below:

  • Watch: Triple H Meets Up With President-Elect Donald Trump At UFC 309

    A number of WWE names were present at the UFC 309 event this Saturday Night including the Chief Content Officer Triple H who got to meet Donald Trump at the show.

    The president-elect was in attendance for the show alongside the announced co-head of his Department of Government Efficiency, Elon Musk. Trump got a huge response from the crowd during his entrance and the heavyweight champion Jon Jones also handed him the title belt for a bit after his win in the main event.

    The WWE official who was in attendance with his wife Stephanie McMahon got to share a brief moment with the billionaire politician and UFC president Dana White during his visit:

    Donald Trump is dancing, Elon Musk is here, RFK, and even bloody WWE’s main man Triple H too!

    I can’t stop watching ???#UFC309 ? pic.twitter.com/TmxEIFwEsY

    — Matthew Connell (@matthewconnell) November 17, 2024

    Incredible moment of respect when Jon Jones handed his UFC championship belt to President Trump.

    The culture is changing. I love this.
    ?????????????????? pic.twitter.com/qgb3BjgLOK

    — Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) November 17, 2024

    Triple H\’s wasn\’t the only WWE representative at the show. Both the Terror Twins in Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest were also in the arena and the official TKO account shared a video of them on Twitter.

    Other notable names in attendance included legendary boxer Mike Tyson, and rapper Jelly Roll both of whom have made appearances on WWE TV before.

    The WWE Top Brass has always had a good relationship with Donald Trump. Apart from his involvement in WWE storylines in the past, Trump also appointed Linda McMahon as the administrator of the Small Business Administration during his first presidential term.

    Reports suggest that McMahon would be joining the new Trump cabinet as well, this time serving as the leader of the Department of Commerce.

    There is also a lot of chatter about how Trump\’s win will affect the ongoing investigations against Vince McMahon. You can check out our analysis on how the former WWE chairman can benefit from Trump\’s presidency here.

  • Backstage WWE Reaction To Streaming Issues During Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson

    The November 15 Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson fight created a lot of buzz around the world and both positive and negative reactions poured in from people online.

    For WWE fans, the event brought a different kind of concern. A lot of viewers faced streaming issues for the show on Netflix, which made people wonder how things will play out when Raw is broadcasted live from the streaming platform every week starting this January.

    Fightful Select spoke to people within WWE immediately after the fight. They were told that the company has been assured that the issues would be kept \’kept at a minimum\’ for their Netflix move.

    One higher-up also said that if WWE ever did the type of traffic the unprecedented boxing match did, that would be a good problem to have. Raw currently averages between 1.5 million to 2 million viewers every week on USA Network.

    The final streaming numbers for the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson event have not been released but the Netflix overnight data suggests that over 60 million households tuned in for the fight. While 50 million households tuned in for the co-main event of Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 2, potentially making it the most-watched professional women\’s sporting event in history.

    Netflix also apparently showed the new Monday Night Raw logo while promoting the show\’s debut during the Friday night event, which you can check out at this link.

  • Bayley Explains How Heel Turn Helped Save Her Career

    Bayley believes her heel turn was vital for the longevity of her career.

    The former Women\’s Champion found a lot of success as a relatable babyface in NXT and then on the main roster starting in 2012. After 7 years of being a fan favorite, Bayley turned heel for the first time in late 2019.

    Unlike a lot of wrestlers, the wrestling veteran used the opportunity to change a lot of things about her presentation. She debuted a new look and even got rid of her signature Bayley Buddies.

    The WWE star talked about this change during an interview with Pro Wrestling Experience while promoting the upcoming Royal Rumble event in Indianapolis. Bayley explained that the heel turn was good for her career because her babyface character would not have survived during the pandemic era:

    \”I think about times like during the pandemic, I don’t know if that character would have been able to last through the pandemic and have the type of success that I did then.

    So I always credit them [for] allowing me to have that moment and them allowing me to explore my growth because I didn’t feel that what I was doing at the time was gonna extend my career any longer. So I knew I needed to turn that page and just make something different happen.\”

    I Wanted To Do Everything: Bayley

    The former NXT star mentioned that she does feel like she lost a genuine connection with fans when she turned heel. Bayley admitted that she wonders where she would be if she had never made the turn. The character however, also afforded her the opportunity to do some things that she always wanted to do:

    \”As a fan, I wanted to do everything. I want to be a bad guy, I want to be a good guy, I wanna get married in WWE. I want to have all the crazy storylines, so that was the first taste of doing something different for myself. I catered to a lot of the fans coming in, but that was something I felt I needed for my career, so I don’t regret that at all.”

    Bayley formed the villainous group Damage CTRL during her heel run back in July 2022. The group led to the female star turning face once again earlier this year after she won the 2024 Women\’s Royal Rumble match and challenged IYO SKY for the title. 

  • Bronson Reed Joins Team Bloodline For WarGames at Survivor Series

    Solo Sikoa\’s Bloodline has recruited their fifth member for the upcoming WarGames match and it might be a matter of huge concern for Roman Reigns and his teammates.

    This week\’s episode of SmackDown from Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin featured Sikoa and his cousins in a segment. Sikoa took the mic and asked Milwaukee to acknowledge him.

    Roman Reigns then came out with Sami Zayn and The Usos and the two sides got into a brawl. Reigns took out Solo with a spear and then he came face to face with Jacob Fatu in the ring as others fought outside.

    Before the Tribal Chief could get his hands on the Samoan Werewolf however, Bronson Reed attacked him from behind, revealing himself as the fifth member of the team consisting of Solo, Fatu, Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa.

    The two teams then continued the brawl for a while. The segment finally ended with Reed and others standing tall after the former delivered a Tsunami to Roman Reigns:

    Who Will Join Roman Reigns?

    This wasn\’t the only major development in the Bloodline story tonight. After getting beaten up during the brawl segment, the Usos urged Roman Reigns to \’make the call.\’

    SmackDown then ended with a backstage segment where Roman finally decided to call his \’Wiseman\’ Paul Heyman. The call couldn\’t connect, however, and Roman got an automated message saying that the number was out of service.

    This segment makes things very interesting as Roman\’s group is still one member short for WarGames. The big question now is if Paul Heyman will return before Survivor Series on November 30 and help them find a suitable name to finally complete the team.

  • New WWE Raw Logo Shown on Netflix During Paul vs Tyson

    The new logo for WWE Monday Night Raw heading into the Netflix era has apparently been revealed. WWE\’s flagship show is set to leave the Cable network for the first time in history and become a streaming exclusive this January.

    During the most recent Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight event that aired live on the streaming platform, the company promoted this move with what appeared to be a new logo for the show. Please note that WWE has not confirmed the logo change officially as of this writing:

    There are a lot of questions on what changes Raw will see when it leaves USA Network. The expected length of the show is one of the biggest discussion points among the fans.

    Though with the streaming service not having the same restrictions as cable, it\’s very much possible that the length of the show will vary from week to week depending on storylines and angles.

    There is also curiosity about the inclusion of more mature themes into the programming, as Netflix will come with a lot more freedom when it comes to choosing the subject matter for the show.

    Stars such as Roman Reigns and Dominik Mysterio, however, have advocated for the programming to remain more consistent with recent years. They seem to believe that a drastic change will not be the right move.

  • Watch What Happened With Braun Strowman After SmackDown

    Braun Strowman helped out LWO against Judgment Day after this week\’s episode of SmackDown from Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin went off air.

    The dark main event after this week\’s show saw Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee challenging Finn Balor and JD McDonagh for the tag team championships.

    Carlito who was at the ringside for the champions interrupted the bout mid-way. When the group tried to take advantage of their numbers and attack the challengers, Braun Strowman came out to make the save.

    The Monster Among Men ended up joining Lee and Mysterio and the match was converted into a six men tag. The former Universal Champion picked up the victory for his team in the end and the babyfaces stood tall to end the night:

    After WWE SmackDown (11/15/24)

    The November 15 WWE tapings featured a lot of noteworthy moments, this included the crowning of a new Speed Champion before SmackDown in a match that will air later in the month.

    Shinsuke Nakamura also made his first TV appearance since April. He attacked a current champion, indicating that he has championship gold in his mind.

    After Bronson Reed was revealed as The 5th member of Solo Sikoa\’s WarGames team, Roman Reigns tried to reach out to his wise man but got an automated response instead.

  • Roman Reigns Calls Paul Heyman On (11/15) SmackDown, Gets Automated Message

    WWE has teased Paul Heyman\’s return to TV, though there might still be some road bumps in the way of his reunion with Roman Reigns.

    The Tribal Chief has successfully reassembled the original Bloodline ahead of his WarGames match with Solo Sikoa\’s Bloodline at Survivor Series. They are still one member short of the requirement for the upcoming match, however.

    The group of Reigns, Sami Zayn and the Usos will need a real powerhouse to counter Bronson Reed who was revealed as the fifth member of the opposite team during the November 15 SmackDown.

    Reigns apparently felt the need to bring Heyman back into the fold after Reed took him out during the show. He was seen calling The Wise Man after the main event. Unfortunately for the former World Champion, the call failed to connect and it was revealed that the number was not in service anymore:

    The fact that the call got such a huge pop and then the air was taken out of everyone's lungs when it didn't connect….the story going this strong 3 years in is just unbelievable. #WWESmackDown #RomanReignspic.twitter.com/Nkx74pk57x

    — Anutosh Bajpai || SEScoops || Wrestling News (@AuthorAnutosh) November 16, 2024

    Paul Heyman was last seen on WWE TV during the June 28th episode of SmackDown. Heyman refused to acknowledge Solo as the Tribal Chief and was subsequently taken out by Sikoa and his cousins.

    Elsewhere in the show, we saw Sami Zayn trying to recruit US Champion LA Knight as the fifth member of their WarGames team. Knight, however, refused the offer before being attacked by a returning star.

    With only 2 more episodes of SmackDown to go before Survivor Series on November 30, the big question is who will finally join Roman and his allies in the upcoming battle and if Heyman will play a role in finding the final member.

  • Spoiler: Andrade Loses WWE Speed Championship Before SmackDown

    A new WWE Speed Champion has been crowned at Friday\’s WWE taping from Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, ending the reign of Andrade.

    WWE taped the latest episode of WWE Speed before Friday\’s SmackDown. It saw the current champion defending his title against Dragon Lee.

    The LWO member would end up winning the bout, ending Andrade\’s Championship reign at 152 days and earning his second singles title in WWE:

    Andrade had defeated the inaugural WWE Speed Champion Ricochet to win the title back in June. The One and Only held the belt for 42 days before dropping it to the Mexican star and exiting the company.

    WWE Speed Title matches generally air on Fridays before PPVs so it\’s likely that we will see this title change ahead of the Survivor Series: WarGames event on November 30.

    This wasn\’t the only notable moment of the night. The SmackDown broadcast also saw the return of Shinsuke Nakamura who had been absent from WWE programming since April.

    Nakamura attacked US Champion LA Knight after his successful title defense against Humberto. This suggests that Shinsuke will be going after the title in the coming times.

    WWE also revealed the brackets for the announced tournament to crown the new Women\’s US Champion on the show. You can check it out here.

  • Matt Hardy On How The Death Of Eddie Guerrero Changed His Perspective

    Matt Hardy says the sudden passing of Eddie Guerrero made him realize that tomorrow isn\’t guaranteed.

    The wrestling veteran was part of the SmackDown roster when the Latino Heat unexpectedly passed away back in November 2003. Like other members of the locker room, Hardy was also shocked by the turn of events and it taught him a valuable lesson in life.

    The TNA star talked about the sudden death of Guerrero on the latest episode of his podcast. While discussing the backstage reaction to the news, Hardy said that it was the first time he really felt like you never know what the future holds:

    \”I remember that was one of the first times I really felt like you never know, like tomorrow isn\’t guaranteed. I do that too. I say it all the time now to people. I try and live every day like I\’m gonna die tomorrow. You never know. Nothing is guaranteed.

    You need to live every day to the maximum. You need to try and optimize every day. The people that you love, don\’t leave them without telling them you love them. Because you never know if it\’s gonna be the last time you see them or not.\”

    Now I Never Know: Matt Hardy

    Unfortunately for Matt Hardy, the passing of Guerrero isn\’t the only time he had to witness such an event in his wrestling career. Most recently the deaths of Jay Briscoe and Bray Wyatt have reminded him again that you never know what\’s in store for you:

    \”That was the first instance where I really felt like that. Like, \’Whoa. Hold up.\’ This guy was just wrestling, doing this stuff like a superior athlete does. now he\’s passed away. Now he\’s died. And you know obviously the Jay Briscoe thing that really set in, the Windham thing that set in. Now, just like I never know.

    I try and I make sure every time I tell my kids, every time I leave, it\’s mandatory that I have to hug them, I have to say I love you. I just do. I try and treat everyone and live every day like it might be my last. Because you hope it isn\’t, but you never know.\”

  • Matt Riddle Reveals Why Randy Orton Initially Disliked Him

    Matt Riddle has revealed that Randy Orton didn\’t like him at first.

    RK Bro is the most famous and potentially most memorable act of Riddle\’s wrestling career. Though like many other legends of the business, Orton wasn\’t a fan of the King of Bros at first, because of his unique approach to things in the business.

    The former WWE Star told the story of his first interaction with The Viper during an interview with Barstool Rasslin\’. He revealed that he didn\’t shake Randy\’s hand when he came into the locker room because he didn\’t want to look like a fanboy:

    \”Before we actually wrestled a full match, Randy wasn\’t a huge fan of me. I guess he thought I was disrespectful because I had my headphones on. He came to the locker room, everybody was shaking everybody\’s hand.

    I didn\’t want to be like a nerd and go over. Didn\’t wanna do that. So I [just] gave him a nod. I was waiting for my chance to shake his hand, but I guess he took that as disrespect. I wasn\’t [blowing him off].\”

    First Person That Said Anything: Matt Riddle

    Matt Riddle would go on to form a tag team with Randy Orton after they had a match on the April 19, 2021 episode of Raw. Though according to the former US Champion Orton had already softened up to him following his infamous backstage promo where he forgot his lines:

    \”Later on, I did a promo with Asuka where I forgot my lines. I had this long segment about talking about robots in Japan, and I forgot it. I didn\’t know we were live; I thought we were recording. When I did that, I was like, \’Oh no, I\’m probably in trouble.\’

    When I went to the locker room the first person that said anything was Randy. He goes, \’I don\’t know if that shit was planned, kid, but that was the funniest shit you\’ve done since you\’ve been here. That was your best promo yet.\’ I was like \’Well, at least Randy liked it.\’ and then Vince and Bruce, and everybody else that was in creative also enjoyed it.\”

    Apart from this, Riddle also talked about potentially facing Goldberg in his announced retirement match, the difference of pro wrestling and MMA, and more.

  • Adam Copeland Reveals How Embarrassing Moment Led To Creation of Pure Plank

    Adam Copeland has revealed the embarrassing moment that led him on a new journey of entrepreneurship and the creation of Pure Plank.

    The former world champion has been very open about the physical challenges he faced on his road to an in-ring return in 2020. Copeland who had been away from the ring for almost a decade had changed his workout routine after becoming a father. The 51-year-old had to work extremely hard to get back into the ring shape.

    One of the things he has credited with helping him get his core body strength to the desired level is planks. Though during a recent interview with Forbs, Adam Copeland revealed that even doing that was a huge challenge for him. In the beginning, he couldn\’t even hold his position for 30 seconds:

    “(When) I started planking, I couldn’t even hold a plank for 30 seconds and it was embarrassing. I’m supposed to be a high-level athlete and I couldn’t hold a plank for even a minute.\”

    That\’s How Pure Plank Came To Be: Adam Copeland

    Copeland mentioned how having infants in the family meant he couldn\’t count on having a regular workout routine. He had to get whatever exercise possible when his kids were napping and that led to him developing a little bit of a dad bod.

    When he started putting the focus back on his physical well-being, planks helped the wrestling veteran get into the best shape of his life. It got him to a point where even his best friend Christian Cage was amazed. This is when the two friends got the idea of creating a product that can help anyone obtain the same results they got:

    “I felt there had to be a way to put people in the proper position right away and give them a better opportunity to hold the exercise without having to readjust; that’s where the idea for the handles came in—and that’s how Pure Plank came to be.”

    Pure Plank is designed to not only help achieve the perfect plank posture every time but it can also be used for full body workouts. You can check out the product here.

  • Watch What Happened With Sami Zayn After SmackDown

    Sami Zayn credited Jey Uso for his reunion with Bloodline after this week\’s episode of SmackDown from KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York went off air.

    Solo Sikoa\’s Bloodline was in the main event of this week\’s show. When Roman Reigns came out to confront him, Sikoa issued a WarGames challenge to the former WWE Champion, introducing Zayn as the fifth member of his team.

    Sami however, decided to align with his old friends instead. The show ended with the original Bloodline standing tall after taking out Solo and his teammates.

    The Honorary Uce cut a promo praising Jey Uso after the show went off air and the segment finally ended with the two friends sharing a hug.

    What Happened On SmackDown

    The episode also saw the continuation of the much-talked storyline between Kevin Owens and Randy Orton. The Viper first called out Owens demanding revenge for his actions at Crown Jewel.

    The officials came out with security to try and stop the two from brawling with each other. In the end however, The Prizefighter managed to break free and he ended up hitting Orton with a banned move.

    These weren\’t the only headlines coming out of the show as General Manager Nick Aldis also announced a new Women\’s US Championship during tonight\’s SmackDown.

  • Dominik Mysterio Reflects On His 20 Year Wrestling Career

    Wrestling veteran Dominik Mysterio believes it\’s time for Rey Mysterio to retire.

    The Judgment Day star recently had an interview with The Schmo to promote WrestleMania 41 from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on April 19 & 20, 2025. He talked about things such as Liv Morgan being the best women\’s champion of all time, why he doesn\’t wear a mask and more.

    When Schmo said that Dom had been in the business for only 4 years, the 27-year-old corrected him. He recalled making his debut for WWE at the young age of 7, as part of the SummerSlam 2005 storyline between Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero:

    \”I\’m good but you got one thing wrong. You said 4 years I\’ve been in uh I\’ve been doing this since \’05. I technically debuted in SummerSlam for the custody of myself. So yeah, next year will be 20 years for me.

    Yeah, I was like 7-8 years old. Never looked back. My real dad Eddie Guerero gave me like a real taste of what it was and like you said never looked back and I\’ve loved every minute of it.\”

    He Needs To Retire: Dominik Mysterio

    When asked about Rey Mysterio continuing his wrestling career at the age of 49, Dominik Mysterio said that he must retire. Dirty Dom explained that Rey is washed and he needs to go home:

    “I want him to retire. I’ve been telling his old ass he’s got to go. He’s old, he’s washed. He’s still hiding behind that ugly mask. He’s ugly and that’s why he’s hiding behind that mask.

    He needs to retire; he needs to go home. Just let me do what I do best and that’s put the Mysterio name on my back and carry it and take it to places it’s never been before.”

    This week\’s episode of Monday Night Raw saw Dominik joking about making a claim for Gunther\’s world title. Carlito then pleaded his case with Adam Pearce. The Raw General Manager in response has announced a match between Dominik and a \’former world champion\’ for next week\’s Raw.

  • Adam Cole Discusses Mental Challenges of Recovery From Ankle Injury

    Adam Cole has had to deal with two very tough injuries in the last couple of years. While the concussion injury in 2023 was a scary one because of all the symptoms, the ankle injury that kept him out for most of 2024 was even more challenging for completely different reasons.

    The former NXT Champion recently appeared on The Takedown. He discussed things such as his break up with Britt Baker, his injury turning out much worse than first thought and more.

    During the talk, Cole was asked about his injury affecting plans for not only him but his Undisputed Kingdom teammates as well. The 35-year-old explained that even though it was a freak accident, it crushed him to know that his injury affected his friends:

    \”Oh dude, it crushed me, yeah because exactly what you said. I can handle dealing with my own challenges that I have to deal with. But if it involves affecting other people, that\’s a real big problem for me. So that was certainly tough and certainly challenging.

    But fortunately all the guys that I work with are the most understanding wonderful dudes in the entire world. So I\’m glad I\’m close with guys like Roderick Strong and Mike Bennett and Matt Taven. So they understand that freak situations and freak circumstances do happen.\”

    It Was Really Tough: Adam Cole

    Adam Cole was involved in a long-running storyline with MJF prior to his injury. He revealed himself as the mysterious Devil at the Worlds End PPV in December 2023. A reformed version of the Undisputed Kingdom as the Devil\’s Masked Men was also revealed under Cole\’s leadership.

    The group now consisted of Wardlow, Roderick Strong, Mike Bennett, and Matt Taven. The faction has continued being featured on AEW programming in Cole\’s absence, but they have been moved out of a prominent spot.

    The former ROH Champion explained that the ankle injury was more challenging mentally in many ways compared to his concussion recovery. Though he is very thankful for the support system of his family and friends that helped him stay positive in this time:

    \”To say this was a challenging time mentally would be an understatement. In a weird way again the concussion injury that I had that was probably the scariest in the sense of like \’Am I going to be able to come back from this injury?\’

    But to deal with the ankle injury which took even more time and knowing that it affected other people. Yeah, it was really tough. But again I\’m so thankful that I have a great support system around me that includes not just my family but the wrestlers who were involved.\”

  • Shinsuke Nakamura May Be Returning To WWE TV Soon

    Wrestling legend Shinsuke Nakamura may finally be making his return to WWE programming this week after an unexplained six months absence.

    The Japanese star was last seen on WWE TV during the April 22 episode of Raw. He suffered a loss at the hands of Sheamus at the show. Shinsuke was then drafted to the SmackDown roster but he is yet to make an appearance on the brand since then.

    Nakamura has stayed active in the ring in this time. He has competed on WWE tours of Japan, Germany and UK as well as live events in US. This has made his on-screen absence even more puzzling for fans.

    The former IWGP Heavyweight Champion is set to be present at this Friday\’s SmackDown tapings from Barclays Center in NYC, according to PWinsider.

    Apart from the live show, the company is also going to tape next week\’s episode of SmackDown on the same night. This is in preparation for their upcoming Saudi tour for Crown Jewel on November 2. It may be the night Nakamura finally makes his return on the Blue Branded show.

    AJ Styles had been on a similar course to Shinsuke Nakamura. After staying off screen for more than four months, the Phenomenal One returned to SmackDown earlier in October. The former champion unfortunately suffered a serious injury in his return match, halting plans for what was described as his \’retirement tour.\’

    It\’s unknown what the company is planning for Nakamura upon his return but it\’s possible that we might see him getting involved in an angle concerning the upcoming Saudi PPV.

  • Adam Cole Opens Up on Overcoming Body Shaming in Wrestling

    Adam Cole has opened up about being body-shamed online.

    Being a celebrity makes you very vulnerable to unwarranted criticism and personal attacks from people. In an industry like pro wrestling where maintaining appearances is a big part of the gig, not being able to look your best for any reason can easily lead to crude reactions.

    Cole, who has spent the better part of the last two years on the shelf due to injuries is no stranger to such remarks. He has previously replied to such comments while working hard to get back into ring shape for his return.

    The former NXT Champion opened up about dealing with such things during a recent interview with TVInsider. He mentioned that part of being a public figure is expecting to hear judgment from people and recognizing that individuals are allowed to say what they want to say:

    \”People are allowed to say what they want to say. Does it feel good? Not at all. It definitely doesn’t. At the same time, if I’m someone who wants to be in the entertainment business and in the public eye, I know it’s something I have to expect to deal with in a lot of ways.\”

    Focused On Making The Best Version Of Me: Adam Cole

    The Undisputed Kingdom Leader is not the only AEW star who has had to face such situations. Former Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo also recently discussed standing up to trolls and finding her confidence after previously being phased by such discourse.

    Adam Cole explained that everyone in a similar position deals with such comments differently. For him, the best course of action is to ignore all the chatter and focus on his progress:

    \”I know everyone handles it differently. For me, I’ve gotten to the point where I kind of ignore it or block it out as best I can. I’m focused on making me the best version of me. I try not to get too discouraged with what social media can say.\”

    The 35-year-old made his AEW return at the WrestleDream PPV on October 12. The company has since announced that he will be making his in-ring return against Buddy Matthews at the Fright Night Dynamite special on October 30.

  • AEW Star Hologram Confirms Recent Injury

    AEW star Hologram has confirmed that he suffered a minor injury during his most recent PPV match at WrestleDream on October 12.

    The high-flying star was set to wrestle at the upcoming Galli Lucha show on October 27. The promotion, however, posted a video on Facebook recently to confirm he will be missing the show.

    The AEW star who holds the Galli Indiscutible Title was going to defend the championship against Beast Mortos. He confirmed in the video that the match will have to be postponed due to his injury:

    \”I was looking forward to the show and defend this title (the GALLI Indiscutible Title), but I got injured and I will be out for some weeks.

    I would be with you all if it were up to me, but that is not the case per advice from the medics so I will have to postpone that match against Beast Mortos.\”

    The good news for Hologram fans is that he won\’t be out of action for long. The masked star claimed that he is only expected to be out for about two weeks:

    \”The slightly good news is I won’t be out for that long, just about two weeks. I will try to heal up as soon as I can so I can bring a great spectacle for all of you and be a worthy champion. A hug from the Musketeer of The Air,\”

    Hologram competed in a 2 out of 3 falls match against The Beast Mortos at the WrestleDream PPV. He picked up the victory over the La Faccion Ingobernable member in the bout. This week\’s episode of AEW Collision then saw the Mexican star being attacked by Mortos with Rush and Dralistico.

  • Mark Briscoe Reflects On Trilogy With FTR

    Mark Briscoe says his trilogy of matches with FTR over the ROH Tag Titles will forever hold a special place in his heart.

    The ROH World Champion recently had an interview with Battleground podcast. He was there to promote his Ladder War with Chris Jericho set for the October 23 Dynamite.

    During the talk, Briscoe was asked about matches from his career that still give him goosebumps. The ROH Champion mentioned how The Briscoe Brothers\’ trilogy with FTR is something that he\’ll never forget:

    \”There definitely is plenty of matches and moments, The first thing I would think that a lot of people obviously would have guessed would be having the matches, we had the trilogy with FTR that ended with that dog collar match.

    That dog collar match was just something that…in my mind it would just always be a moment in time that\’ll just never be….there would never be another feeling like that no matter how great of a victory I could have moving forward.\”

    Nothing Will Ever Compare To That: Mark Briscoe

    The Briscoes fought FTR in a trilogy of matches through 2022 starting with the Supercard of Honor event in April. The brothers dropped the ROH tag titles to the former WWE stars in this bout.

    They unsuccessfully challenged the duo of Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood in a rematch at Death Before Dishonor in July. The brothers Mark and Jay finally managed to defeat FTR to regain the titles in a Dog Collar match at Final Battle in December.

    The Dog Collar match was one of the final two matches Briscoes wrestled together before Jay\’s unfortunate passing in January 2023. According to Mark, nothing will ever compare to the moment he got to share with his brother after their tag title victory:

    \”I\’ve said it before, after the match once Jamin [Jay Briscoe] choked out Dax and then [they announced] the new Ring of Honor Champions and then I turned and he gave me this big hug, this big bear hug. Nothing will ever compare to that man.

    Throughout the career there\’s the…like I think about how much people talk about and put over the matches with FTR. We had the three matches with them. There will never be any thing like it in my career. To me it was just a real special trilogy of matches.\”

    Apart from this Mark Briscoe also mentioned how he and his brother had dozens of matches with The Young Bucks over the years. He recalled wrestling them in countries such as Japan, Australia, and US and said that it\’s a fond memory for him.

  • Internal Reaction To Controversial Carlito Segment On (10/21) Raw

    People in WWE were apparently as surprised by the controversial Carlito segment on this week\’s episode of Raw as the fans.

    The October 21 episode of the Red Branded show featured a backstage segment involving Adam Pearce, Carlito, IYO SKY, and Kairi Sane. As the two Damage CTRL members walked out of the frame, Carlito said \’I gotta learn Chinese.\’

    Both the female stars are Japanese. In the case of IYO, she has faced discrimination in the past as well and she has been subjected to \’go back to China\’ comments from audience members. So the line raised a lot of questions.

    People In WWE Were In Disbelief

    According to reports from Fightful, the claim from one member of the staff is that the line was not scripted. Those they have spoken to were \’in disbelief\’ that it was said.

    A number of people in the company were not happy with the segment, though there is no news on any action being taken after it.

    The line has been cut from the video of the segment WWE uploaded on socials. So it appears that the company is at least aware of its controversial nature.

    This segment comes at a time when WWE\’s creative process is under scrutiny. The company\’s Chief Content Officer Triple H was recently criticized for his answer on the lack of representation for black talent on WWE PPVs.

    Former WWE head writer Michael Leonardi also opened up about plans for a culturally insensitive segment that had been planned for Martin Luther King Day in 2016 which he changed at the last minute.

  • Former WWE Star Tony Nese Welcomes Twin Boys

    Former WWE star Tony Nese has announced the birth of twin boys.

    The 39-year-old posted photos of the newborns with his wife Liz on Instagram. He announced that the twins have been named Bryce and Benjamin Nese:

    \”Welcome to the world Bryce and Benjamin Nese. They came in 35 weeks with both weighing 6 lbs 1oz each. Our hearts will forever be full.\”

    The couple have two children a girl and a boy already. A number of current AEW and WWE stars congratulated them on their Insta post.

    Tony Nese In WWE

    Tony Nese was signed by WWE after taking part in the 2016 Cruiserweight Classic tournament. He was eliminated in the second round by Brian Kendrick.

    Nese would make his main roster debut during the September 26, 2016 episode of Raw. In late 2017 he started aligning himself with Enzo Amore\’s faction.

    The group dubbed The Zo Train also featured Ariya Daivari, Drew Gulak, and Noam Dar. Nese was kicked out of the faction in December. He was lined up for a feud with them but the storyline was dropped after Amore\’s firing from the company in January 2018.

    He had a run with the Cruiserweight Championship after defeating Buddy Murphy in the WrestleMania 35 pre-show. Tony Nese remained with the company for 3 more years without any notable feuds before being released in June 2021.

  • Adam Cole Confirms Breakup With Britt Baker

    Adam Cole has confirmed his break up with Britt Baker.

    The two AEW stars had been together for 8 years. They started dating back in 2017 before the inception of the company. Their relationship status had been subject of much speculation in recent months.

    During a recent interview with The Takedown, Cole confirmed that he and Baker are no longer romantically involved but they remain good friends:

    “We are no longer a couple, but when I say that we both still love each other and are still friends and still so supportive of each other, that could not be more true.”

    Adam Cole also addressed the online discourse around their relationship. He encouraged people not to pick sides and know that they still care for each other:

    “I don\’t want anyone to ever think that me and Britt dislike each other. I think it is possible, in situations, for people who are in relationships to kind of go their separate ways, but still care about one another. The last thing I would want is fans to pick sides or anything like that.”

    The former NXT Champion stressed that he wants Britt Baker to be as happy and successful as humanly possible. He noted that Baker will remain an important part of his life and there is absolutely no ill will between them.

    The Undisputed Kingdom leader returned to AEW during the WrestleDream PPV on October 12. In a promo at the following Dynamite episode, Adam Cole turned face and confirmed that his rivalry with MJF was not over.

  • Deonna Purrazzo Opens Up About Standing Up To Body Shaming

    Deonna Purrazzo has opened up about being body-shamed online and various wrestling personalities and fans coming to her support.

    The Virtuosa has been carving a unique spot for herself in the women\’s wrestling space over the last few years. After being rejected by WWE early in her career, Purrazzo showed that she can lead a division with her TNA run. She is now finding her place in the AEW locker room after officially joining the company in January this year.

    Getting the spotlight on stages like these, however, comes with some consequences as well. Deonna has had to deal with negativity and body shaming online in recent times.

    The 3-time Impact Knockouts Champion opened up about defending herself from such troll comments during an interview with Chris Van Vliet. She explained that she needed to speak up because she is much more than just her looks or a number on a scale:

    “Oh my gosh, yes they did. That’s the unfortunate beauty of the internet is when people come for you for such silly things like your body or whatever it is. I wanted to defend myself.

    I felt like I needed to say something, and what I said, I mean, I feel in my heart and soul like I’m so much more than what my body looks like. I’m so much more than a number on the scale.\”

    That\’s All That Matters: Deonna Purrazzo

    Deonna Purrazzo sent out a tweet earlier this year after some trolls targeted her following her AEW debut. She mentioned how her worth is not determined by her body or other\’s perception. A number of wrestling veterans including the likes of Mickie James and Brian Myers came to her support after this.

    The former TNA star seems to be taking things more positively since then. She mentioned how her husband Steve Maclin supports her no matter what and it\’s all that matters:

    \”First of all, I’ve never been a size small, but my husband loves me whether I would be a small or I’d be an extra extra large, like he thinks I’m beautiful no matter what. And honestly, that’s all that matters. I have a college degree. I’m working on getting a master’s degree.

    I have worked in every company in the world. There’s a reason people want to work with me, because of my body of work, not my body, and for people to agree with that and then say such nice things, I cried because the internet hurt my feelings, but then I cried because the love I felt for my friends and my family.”

    Purrazzo has competed against names such as Toni Storm, Thunder Rosa and Mariah May since joining AEW full-time. She is still in the hunt for her first championship in the company.

    Check out our exclusive interview with Deonna Purrazzo from earlier this year:

  • Seth Rollins\’ Match Made Official For Crown Jewel 2024

    WWE has announced that Seth Rollins will be going up against Bronson Reed in a singles match at the upcoming Crown Jewel special.

    This week\’s episode of Monday Night Raw featured another chaotic confrontation between the two stars. It started with Rollins calling out Reed during the opening segment of the show.

    The security tried to stop the two WWE stars from getting physical but failed. Reed tried a couple of times to deliver a Tsunami on Rollins but the Architect moved out of the way. The segment ended with Bronson going through the announce desk at the ringside.

    Bronson Reed\’s reign of terror started with an attack on Seth Rollins back on the August 5 Raw. The former Shield member then returned to cost Reed his Last Monster Standing Match against Braun Strowman on the September 30 episode of the show. The two stars have been feuding since then.

    WWE Crown Jewel 2024 Updated Match Card

    This is the third match that has been announced for Crown Jewel apart from the two champion vs champion bouts made official by Triple H previously. Here is the updated card for the show:

    • WWE Crown Jewel Championship Match: Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes vs. World Heavyweight Champion Gunther
    • WWE Women\’s Crown Jewel Championship Match: Women\’s World Champion Liv Morgan vs. Women\’s Champion Nia Jax
    • Singles Match: Seth Rollins vs. Bronson Reed

    WWE Crown Jewel will be taking place on Saturday, November 2 from the               Mohammed Abdo Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

  • Watch: Cody Rhodes Competes In First Time Ever Match After (10/21) Raw

    Cody Rhodes wrestled in a first-time-ever match after this week\’s episode of Monday Night Raw from Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania went off air.

    The Bloodline made their presence felt in the main event of the Red Branded Show this week. The match featured Jey Uso defending the Intercontinental Championship against Bron Breakker.

    Solo Sikoa and his disciples first showed up claiming that they wanted to help their cousin. Things went sour quickly however and Fatu in the end took out Jey. This allowed Breakker to pin the former Bloodline member and win the title back.

    While the rest of the Bloodline seemingly retreated after this match, Jacob Fatu stayed around. He competed in a Philadelphia Street Fight against Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes after the show went off air.

    The Samoan Warewolf took the loss in what was his singles debut for the company. He had previously wrestled only tag team matches since his debut back in June.

    The American Nightmare did not appear on the broadcast of the show this week. Though he has invited the World Heavyweight Champion Gunther for a face-to-face confrontation on Friday\’s SmackDown.

    The Friday Night show may also feature Jey Uso again. The now former champion will be looking for an explanation from his family members about the events of Raw.