SEScoops

Author: Andrew Ravens

  • Mercedes Moné Plans to Take the IWGP Women\’s Title \”Everywhere\”

    Mercedes Moné is set to take on KAIRI in an IWGP Women\’s Championship match at NJPW\’s Battle In The Valley on February 18. 

    The former Sasha Banks made her NJPW debut at Wrestle Kingdom 17 by confronting and attacking the fellow former WWE star. 

    This upcoming match will be Moné\’s first match since May 15, 2022 and her first match outside of WWE in over a decade. 

    NJPW has released a video of Moné talking about the match, giving insight into where her mindset is ahead of the match. She also talked about how she plans to become a global superstar.

    Mercedes Moné Statement

    Moné is supremely confident headed into her upcoming title match. She intends to send KAIRI back to Japan and take the IWGP Women\’s championship .. well, everywhere.

    “I’ve never been more excited, more nervous, which I never get nervous about, but I am so ready for this. I’ve been dreaming about this. I’ve been really really wanting this and for it to be in the United States in San Jose, California. I have so much history there. I’ve had the greatest matches there. February 18th is gonna be the same.\”

    \”I’m going to make sure that it is the greatest women’s match of all time. When I hold up my championship, oh cute little KAIRI, I’m gonna send her back to Japan, and she can go back to STARDOM, and I can be the global superstar that I’m meant to be. I’m about to take that title everywhere, not just New Japan, but everywhere.\”

    You can watch Mercedes Moné\’s comments about her upcoming match against KAIRI right here:

    If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit with an h/t to SEScoops.com for the transcription.

  • WWE NXT Results (1/17): Tag Team Headliner, Breakker & Waller Talk

    The January 17, 2022 episode of WWE NXT aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. 

    WWE NXT Results 

    •  
    • Apollo Crews & Axiom def. Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams
    • Sol Ruca def. Alba Fyre.
    • Gallus (Mark Coffey & Wolfgang) def. Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen (w/ Fallon Henley) 
    • Thea Hail def. Valentina Feroz
    • Tyler Bate def. Javier Bernal.
    • Roxanne Perez and Lyra Valkyria def. Toxic Attraction

    Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

    Apollo Crews & Axiom vs. Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams

    \"\"

    Apollo Crews and Axiom vs. Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams took place in a tag team match. 

    This was the opening match on the card and ended when Crews won with a roll on Hayes up in a fun match. 

    Toxic Attraction Speak

    \"\"

    Toxic Attraction (Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne) did a promo on this show after the two women earned an NXT Women\’s Title match against Roxanne Perez at NXT Vengeance Day. 

    Last week, they were the final two wrestlers in the match and they eliminated each other at the same time so WWE went with both stars. 

    They cut a promo about how the fans couldn’t believe they made it to the finish. They mocked the fans for thinking they were turning on each other. They said they fell at the same time on purpose and said Toxic Attraction’s revenge tour was in full effect. Lyra Valkyria came out and noted she almost won the match. They attacked her until Perez came out. 

    This set up a tag team match for later in the show. The babyfaces went over despite Cora Jade getting involved. 

    Bron Breakker and Grayson Waller Speak

    \"\"

    WWE had NXT Bron Breakker and Grayson Waller talk ahead of their rematch inside a cage at NXT Vengeance Day. Breakker won their match last week by countout on the New Year’s Evil special. 

    Waller said that Bron has beaten everyone except for him. He said Bron was everything he thought he would be. He vowed to beat Bron at Vengeance Day. 

    Bron did a sitdown interview where he noted he got caught with the running knee. He said he will prove the doubters wrong who thought he didn’t win the match last week. 

    New Day Speak

    \"\"

    NXT Tag Team Champions The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) were part of the show. 

    This comes after they were confronted by a returning Gallus (Mark Coffey & Wolfgang) on the January 10 episode. Gallus beat Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince & Kit Wilson), which prevented the former champions from earning an NXT Tag Team Title bout.

    New Day noted that they will be facing Gallus at Vengeance Day. Pretty Deadly came out and said that they’ve been jumping through hoops to get the title shots. Gallus came out and said they’re all about ruining people’s good time.New Day threw out the challenge for a fight. Pretty Deadly attacked them and a brawl broke out. They will meet in a triple threat match at Vengeance Day. 

  • \”Sh*t Got Real\” – Braun Strowman Recalls Brock Lesnar Shooting on him in the Royal Rumble

    Braun Strowman is touted as The Monster Among Men, but he met his match when stepping into the ring with Brock Lesnar. He even received the end of a stiff punch from Lesnar.

    It happened when he worked a triple threat match at the 2018 Royal Rumble with Lesnar and Kane. Strowman caught The Beast’s head with a knee. This led to an angry Lesnar reacting with a legitimate right-hand punch to the jaw of Strowman. 

    Braun Strowman’s Reflection

    Strowman described the moment in an interview with BT Sport:

    “Sh*t got real! I mean at the end of the day it’s two scary guys, two dominant males not wanting to give an inch to either one and we took it from each other. Things happen, we’re not playing, we’re not ballet, we’re not badminton. We’re physical, he’s 300lbs, of just unadulterated animalistic beast and I’m a 385lbs monster. Things happen. At the end of the day, we made one hell of a segment, that’s what really happened.”

    “I pat myself on the back, I think I’m the only person in history to take an overhand right from Brock Lesnar and not get knocked out. Anytime you get in the ring with The Beast and mix it up, the bigger the challenge the better. If you’re not wrestling the best, then who’d you beat?”

    Lesnar won the match to keep the Universal Title until losing to Roman Reigns at Summerslam later that year.

    H/T to TJRWrestling for the transcription

  • ROH Star Jay Briscoe Passes Away

    AEW/ROH President Tony Khan shared some sad news on Tuesday night as he confirmed that Jay Briscoe, Jamin Pugh, has passed away. 

    The ROH star was just 38 years old. Khan didn’t provide a cause of death. He did issue the following statement on the passing of the fan-favorite star: 

    “Sadly, Jamin Pugh has passed away. Known to fans as Jay Briscoe, he was a star in ROH for over 20 years, from the first show until today. Jay and his brother Mark dominated ROH, reigning as champions to this day. We\’ll do whatever we can to support his family. Rest In Peace, Jamin.”

    Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that Jay died in a car accident today. 

    Jay Briscoe’s Legacy

    Jay was working for ROH at the time of his passing as he is the current one-half of ROH World Tag Team Champions with Mark Briscoe in their thirteenth reign. He was also a former two-time ROH World Champion and ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champion.

    Jay and Mark Briscoe made their wrestling debut for Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) in 2001. They had a run in Impact Wrestling last year and have worked for NJPW since 2016. Jay and Mark were inducted 

    Our thoughts are with the Briscoe family at this time.

  • Tony Khan Comments on Potential WWE Sale

    Tony Khan has weighed in on the WWE sale rumors following Vince McMahon’s return to the company as the Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. McMahon has returned to the company to explore the possibility of a sale as well as lead the company in its negotiations for the next TV rights deal. 

    Last week, Barron\’s reported that Tony and Shad Khan were \”in the pool of\” potential WWE buyers and the Khan family will likely look for a financial partner if they are to acquire WWE. CNBC later reported that the Khans were interested in a merger between AEW and WWE.

    While appearing on The Maggie and Perloff Show, the AEW President was asked about his interest in potentially purchasing WWE.

    Khan’s Thoughts

    \”I am interested in the news that there is potentially a sales process and certainly, I think we\’ve shown, when there are acquisitions and transactions, we\’re capable of making the big purchases, whether my dad steps up with the (Jacksonville) Jaguars or Fulham FC in the Premier League and he\’s done such a great job building up the club and putting resources into it and we\’re playing football at a high level. With AEW, we\’ve shown that we can build a company.”

    Khan noted that when he bought ROH, he enjoys running it and has done all-time highs in terms of every business metric since they took over. 

    “AEW is my main focus, but certainly, when that news is out there, it\’s very interesting. Stay tuned to AEW Dynamite and AEW Rampage, you never know when I\’m going to address something. On the other hand, it\’s very preliminary to talk about that process. If there is a process there, which it sounds like there may be, I\’m interested in being part of it.”

    Regarding whether he has a relationship with Vince McMahon, Tony noted he doesn’t have a relationship with him, but has talked with Stephanie in the past and had good conversations. 

    H/T to Fightful for the transcript

  • WWE Confirms Cody Rhodes’ In-Ring Return at Royal Rumble

    Cody Rhodes will be making his return to the ring at the WWE Royal Rumble event. 

    WWE confirmed the news on Monday’s Raw where they aired a video package that showed the rehab that Cody has been doing since suffering a torn pec several months ago. It also included clips of him in the hospital and rehab at the Nightmare Factory near his home in Atlanta. 

    Cody\’s wife, Brandi Rhodes, was also interviewed. He vowed to deliver on his promise of becoming a World Champion in WWE. The first step in that direction is by winning the men’s Royal Rumble match. 

    Rhodes is Back

    WWE pushed Rhodes as a top star from the moment he returned to the company during WrestleMania 38, as his feud with Seth Rollins further elevated him and established Rhodes as a big star.

    However, he was sidelined following his Hell In A Cell match with Rollins due to a torn pectoral muscle that he suffered heading into the match. Rhodes underwent surgery for his injury and was sidelined for most of 2022. 

  • Former AEW Tag Champion Confirms Recent Talks With WWE

    Frankie Kazarian appeared at last Friday’s Impact Wrestling Hard To Kill pay-per-view where he revealed that he had signed a long-term deal with the promotion. 

    Kazarian said in his promo that he requested his release from AEW to join Impact. It was later confirmed that was true. 

    While speaking with PWInsider, Kaz talked about his decision to join Impact Wrestling.

    “I still had two years left on my contract, two years to get rolled over. AEW management contacted me in early December, which was only a few weeks after [Josh Alexander] match. They contacted me 30 days out, which is what they’re supposed to do, and had talked about rolling me over and wanted to get the process going. I basically said, ‘thanks but no thanks.’ I voiced concerns and frustrations and goals and aspirations and had a really good talk with management and left it there.”

    Kazarian noted that he was still going to TV events and had a meeting with  Megha Parekh, head legal of AEW, at his last AEW show in San Antonio. They had a long talk about why he wanted to leave and bet on himself. He prides himself on doing business the right way and wanted to leave before any feelings of resentment or bitterness.

    WWE Talks

    He became a free agent on January 1. Kazarian continued on, saying that he spoke to people in WWE prior to signing with Impact

    “In the spirit of transparency, I had great talks with the people at WWE. Those talks could not have been better, positive, and more professional. I have nothing but great things to say about everybody in that organization, especially the people I spoke to and texted with.”

    Kazarian thought Impact was the best fit for him at this stage of his career and noted he has a great relationship with Scott D’Amore. He also has a history with the promotion and a legacy.

    H/T to Fightful for the transcription

  • Details on WWE\’s Latest Talent Meeting Held Before Monday\’s Raw

    Days after holding a talent meeting with the blue brand at Friday’s WWE SmackDown, Triple H held another talent meeting, this time with the red brand at Monday’s WWE Raw. 

    Bryan Alvarez posted to his Super Followers that staff and talent met with company management in Cincinnati, Ohio, ahead of the show. Also, Fightful Select provided some details on the meeting. They noted it was led by Triple H, Kevin Dunn, and Dan Ventrelle, who was hired as WWE\’s executive vice president of talent in September. 

    The Details

    It was said today’s meeting addressed many of the same points discussed with SmackDown talent on Friday. Triple H once again reiterated that he is still the company\’s Chief Content Officer and that Vince McMahon\’s return as Chairman of the WWE Board Of Directors will not impact creative or talent relations. 

    Triple H also debunked last week\’s rumors that the company had already been sold to the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund. 

    Triple H told SmackDown talent last week that if the company is to be sold, the process will be a long one. He also noted that while discussing with Vince McMahon about creative, Vince always defers to him for the final say. 

    Last Tuesday, Stephanie McMahon announced she had resigned as the Chairwoman and co-CEO of the company.

  • Matt Hardy Teases Bringing Back His Broken Gimmick

    It appears that Matt Hardy is at least considering the idea of bringing back his popular Broken gimmick to television. 

    Hardy first started doing the gimmick in Impact Wrestling in 2016 before portraying it briefly in 2017, months after he made his WWE return alongside his brother, Jeff, at WrestleMania 33, where they won the Tag Team Titles. 

    It began as a crazed iteration of Matt and slowly evolved into a \”broken universe,\” with a series of supernatural elements. In WWE, he was ‘Woken’ instead of ‘Broken.’ 

    Hardy has been Broken in AEW before, as he first debuted in the company with that gimmick back in March 2020. Although he continued with that persona for a couple of months, he ultimately returned to his \”Big Money\” moniker by that year\’s end. 

    AEW President Tony Khan publicly gave his thoughts on the match in a past interview by noting some aspects of it were a little too much for him.

    Broken Return?

    However, the gimmick could be returning, as the latest episode of Being The Elite showcased Matt briefly transforming into his Broken persona before the screen went black. 

    Although Hardy has never been shy about teasing \”Broken\” elements, this is the first time in years that he has completely transformed with gray hair and sleeveless coat.

  • Former WWE Champion Set for Raw 30th Anniversary Show

    The latest name has been revealed for the upcoming WWE Monday Night Raw 30th anniversary show as the company looks to load up the episode.

    Names previously confirmed for the show include Kane and Sean Waltman. Tatanka noted on his official Facebook that he was invited to the event. 

    According to Pwinsider.com, Shawn Michaels will appear on the broadcast on January 23 from Philadelphia, PA. It’s unclear what he will be doing on the show or if Triple H and Road Dogg will appear for another DX reunion. 

    Shawn Michaels’ Raw History

    Michaels has ties to the first episode of Raw and was even the first champion to defend a title on the show. It happened on the November 11, 1993, edition when he defeated Max Moon (Paul Diamond) to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship.

    It was revealed last week that Ronda Rousey was removed from the Raw 30th anniversary advertisement from WWE.com. It’s unclear why she was pulled from the event, but she hasn’t been seen on television since dropping the SmackDown Women’s Title to Charlotte Flair last month. 

    Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Raw Women\’s Champion Bianca Belair, Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, Bobby Lashley, Bayley, and Austin Theory are advertised to appear.

  • John Cena Filmed Additional Segment for WWE at SmackDown

    John Cena didn’t just wrestle a match at the December 30th edition of WWE SmackDown, but also taped something. 

    A changed live event main event may have a lot more behind it than meets the eye, according to a new report by Fightful Select. 

    Per the report, WWE had at least planned to film something with John Cena and WWE United States Champion Austin Theory while Cena was in for the SmackDown show. 

    Original Plans

    Originally, Theory was slated to headline the Toronto live event that night in a cage match with Seth Rollins, but Theory was pulled from that show to travel to Tampa, where he was set to film a segment with Cena. 

    It’s unclear whether it was to be digital, for future use, for 2K, but the segment was filmed. Fightful did confirm WrestlingNews.co\’s report that as of November, there were loose plans for Cena to wrestle Logan Paul at WrestleMania 39. It’s unclear whether that is still the plan. 

    On the December 30th SmackDown, Cena teamed with Kevin Owens to defeat Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn in a tag team match.

  • Cody Rhodes Training at The WWE PC Ahead of in-Ring Return

    Cody Rhodes is nearing his return to WWE.

    Rhodes made a special return to WWE at WrestleMania 38 last April after making the hard decision not to re-sign with AEW, a company he helped launch in 2019, to make a return to WWE, where he was booked as the surprise opponent of Rollins. 

    “The American Nightmare” has been out of action since last summer due to a torn pectoral injury that required him to undergo surgery and has forced him to sit on the sidelines for the last several months. 

    Rhodes last wrestled Seth Rollins at Hell in a Cell back in July, a bout he won in a highly praised performance. Because he suffered the injury before the match and couldn’t further damage the muscle, he decided to put forth a gutsy performance by going through with the bout. 

    Back in The Ring

    However, a positive update has been released. Fightful Select reports Rhodes has been at the WWE Performance Center preparing for his return. 

    The report states that the former three-time AEW TNT Champion handpicked NXT stars Joe Gacy and Carmelo Hayes to help get him back into ring shape. 

    The report also noted that Rhodes is still heavily factored into WWE’s plans for WrestleMania 39. Although not confirmed, many people believe Rhodes may return at the Royal Rumble. 

  • First Look at WWE 2K23 Video Game Coming During Royal Rumble Weekend

    WWE 2K23 news could be on the horizon as fans look forward to seeing what the game developers have in store for them. 

    WWE 2K22 was an important game in the WWE 2K franchise as it marked a new day for the series that was released in early 2022. News for that game came out at the start of the year. This year, WWE Games is continuing that approach.

    Mike Straw of Insider Gaming reports that the game\’s reveal is coming on the same day as the WWE Royal Rumble, which is January 28, 2023.

    First Details

    The report notes the event will have hands-on gameplay available. The gameplay will feature \”select\” bouts from this year\’s showcase mode and a look at a new game mode.

    More information will be released as soon as Wednesday, February 1, 2023. The game is reportedly slated for a release at the end of March, but a release date has yet to be confirmed.

    WWE 2K22 featured the return of GM Mode after similar modes were absent for over a decade. After the disappointment of  WWE 2K20 due to several glitches, the franchise took a year off and skipped WWE 2K21.

  • Jinny Announces Her Retirement From Pro Wrestling

    Former WWE NXT UK wrestler Jinny is stepping away from the ring as she has announced her retirement. 

    In a post on social media today, Jinny said that after being away for a long time due to injury, she decided to hang up her boots. She hasn’t worked a match in over a year. It\’s unclear what is next for her as a career. 

    Statement

    \”After a long time away due to an injury, I have made the decision to hang up my fashionable boots,\” Jinny wrote. Thank you for all the memories. I\’ll remember that chapter for the rest of my life. Every journey has an end, but in life, every ending is just a new beginning. I\’m excited about what\’s next.\”

    Before signing with WWE in 2018, Jinny was one of the most prominent women\’s wrestlers on the United Kingdom indie scene. She held the PROGRESS Wrestling Women\’s Championship twice and Revolution Pro Wrestling\’s Undisputed British Women\’s Championship once. 

    While competing on the independent scene and in NXT UK, her character was nicknamed \”The Fashionista.”

    She last wrestled for NXT UK in November 2021. Jinny is married to WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther. 

  • Jade Cargill Makes History as AEW\’s Longest Reigning Champion

    Jade Cargill has reached a historic milestone in AEW as her dominant run as TBS Champion continues. 

    She has been the AEW TBS Champion for 373 days, making history by becoming the longest-reigning champion in company history. Cargill broke former AEW Women\’s World Champion Hikaru Shida\’s previous record of 372 days. 

    Throughout her time at AEW, she has accomplished several impressive feats. She had her first wrestling match in March 2021. Another impressive aspect of this accomplishment is that she has held a title longer than she has not in her short career thus far.

    Another Impressive Stat

    Cargill remains the only TBS Champion in history, as she won a tournament to be crowned the inaugural champion in January 2022 by defeating Ruby Soho in the finals. 

    She also broke  Shida\’s record when she was the AEW Women’s Champion, as Cargill has defended the TBS Championship 17 times. That’s also a record in AEW with the most title defenses by any champion in the company\’s history. 

    Over that time, she has defended against various talents such as The Bunny, and Willow Nightingale. Her most recent title defense came against Skye Blue at Battle of the Belts V. Shida only defended her title eight times successfully during her 372-day reign as champion.

  • Former WWE Star Named New Impact Director of Authority at Hard To Kill

    Santino Marella, a former WWE United States, Intercontinental, and Tag Team Champion, is the new Director of Authority in Impact Wrestling.

    The former WWE star was announced as the temporary replacement for the injured Scott D\’Amore at the Hard To Kill 2023 pay-per-view on Friday night. 

    His first piece of business was to restart the Digital Media Championship match between Joe Hendry and Moose after the title was awarded to Moose when he used a low blow and spear to Hendry.

    The Announcement

    In the early days of TNA Wrestling, Dusty Rhodes was once the director of authority. Now, Santino proudly carries the mantle.

    Impact Wrestling, via its parent company of Anthem Sports, recently filed to trademark the name. Anthony Carelli had previously appeared in Impact Wrestling out of character, but now, he is playing the same persona he portrayed for over a decade in WWE. 

    He was hired by WWE in 2005 and given an opportunity at Ohio Valley Wrestling, one of the company\’s development brands. During a Raw episode from Milan, Italy, he made his debut. He won the Intercontinental Championship in his first match after being chosen as a fan from the audience and defeating Umaga. In the years that followed, he also took part in either a storyline as Santina Marella, Santino\’s twin sister. He left WWE in 2015 after announcing his retirement in 2014. He founded Battle Arts Academy.  

    Santino Marella Trademark Obtained by Impact Wrestling’s Parent Company

    Impact Wrestling will hold a set of TV tapings on Saturday night that will feature the fallout from this show. 

  • WWE Talent Meeting Before SmackDown Amid Executive Shakeup

    WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H held a talent meeting backstage at the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin, ahead of the live SmackDown episode on Friday night. 

    Fightful Select reports that Triple H thanked the wrestlers for all they do and said he understood there was some concern. He told them that the role of new WWE Chairman Vince McMahon since returning to the company last week is to spearhead the search to see if they will sell the company and to whom they may sell.

    As previously noted, WWE is looking to sell the company by the middle of this year, and several companies are interested in potentially buying WWE. 

    Not a Done Deal

    Triple H also made an attempt to squash the story of the WWE sale being a “done deal” and said even if it happened, it would take a lot longer. This comes after the rumors about the Saudi Arabia Investment Fund buying the company, only for those rumors to be squashed. 

    Triple H reiterated that this would not affect the current WWE creative team or process. This calmed many of the talent\’s concerns over the last week. 

    He kept it open by noting anything could change, but Vince defers the final creative say-so to Triple H. He noted that while he and his father-in-law may have discussions, Triple H makes the final call.

  • Mercedes Mone to Star in \’The Collective\’ Film

    Mercedes Mone (real name Mercedes Varnado) has booked a new acting role.

    Deadline reported today that Mone (real name Mercedes Varnado) has a role in the upcoming action-thriller film \”The Collective.\” The movie has already wrapped filming.

    It is a movie from Yale Entertainment. Lucas Till, Ruby Rose, Tyrese Gibson, Don Johnson, and Paul Ben-Victor are also part of the cast. Deadline wrote about the film:

    The Film

    “In the recently-wrapped film from director Tom DeNucci, a group of righteous assassins called The Collective take aim at a highly sophisticated human trafficking ring backed by a network of untouchable billionaires. With their backs against the wall, The Collective has no choice but to put their most important mission in the hands of rookie assassin, Sam Alexander (Till). What he lacks in experience he makes up for in savvy, grit, and a keen ability to improvise in the most dangerous situations. He is aided on his journey by Hugo (Gibson) and Liam (Johnson), former CIA operatives turned rogue vigilantes. They face off against Daisy (Rose), the cunning general manager of this evil, clandestine organization. Sam must prove to himself, Liam and Hugo that he’s Collective material on this life-or-death, take-no-prisoners mission.”

    Ben-Victor will play Miro Lindell, a character who serves as auctioneer to a seedy underground cabal of billionaires bidding on human lives. Mone will play Nikita, who watches his back at all times and is the blade wielding company pit-bull and chief of security.

    Mone was previously used in two episodes of \”The Mandalorian,\” playing the character Koska Reeves in the Star Wars series.

    Several months after walking out of WWE and negotiating her WWE release, Mone returned to pro wrestling when she appeared at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 earlier this month. 

    Mone will challenge KAIRI for the IWGP Women\’s Championship at NJPW Battle in the Valley on Saturday, February 18, from the San Jose Civic in San Jose, California, and will be available as a live Fite TV pay-per-view.

  • Top Star No Longer Advertised for WWE Raw 30th Anniversary Show

    WWE is gearing up to celebrate 30 years of Monday Night Raw on January 23rd. 

    One big name won’t be making the show as the company plans to bring in several top stars and legends for the special occasion. 

    WWE Hall of Famers Sean ‘X-Pac’ and the Big Red Monster Kane are scheduled to appear on the show that night. Tatanka and Ric Flair have also publicly stated that he received an invitation.

    Ronda Rousey Pulled

    Pwinsider.com reports that Ronda Rousey is no longer being advertised for the show. This serves as a bit of a surprise, but backs up the disclaimer that the card is subject to change. It’s unclear what WWE had in mind for her at the show nor why she was pulled. 

    The current advertised Main Event for the special is Austin Theory vs. Seth Rollins for the WWE United States Championship. 

    In recent months, Rousey has been paired with Shayna Baszler. She lost the SmackDown Women’s Title to Charlotte Flair last month on Friday Night SmackDown. 

    We will have to see what WWE does to celebrate 30 years of Raw, but it is presumed that Triple H will still be in charge of things when the day comes around and load up the event. 

  • Vince McMahon and Stephanie McMahon Had Issues Working Together (Report)

    Stephanie McMahon quickly resigned from WWE this week, days after her father, Vince, returned to the company. A new report noted that the two did not work well together.

    For years, the company had the dynamic of Vince as the Chairman and CEO, Stephanie working as an executive, and Paul “Triple H” Levesque overseeing developmental. 

    Last summer that changed when Vince resigned from his duties amid the hush money scandal, Triple H took over main roster creative, and Stephanie was named co-CEO with Nick Khan.

    Vince brought himself back last week by electing himself to the WWE Board Of Directors as he looks to sell the company. A sale of the company is something Stephanie and Triple H reportedly opposed. 

    Stephanie resigned from the company this past Tuesday, while Vince was officially named Chairman of the Board, and Khan was named the sole CEO. 

    Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that those close to the situation “in WWE tried to present her [McMahon] decision to leave as being related to the decision last year.” 

    Buffer

    Before taking over as co-CEO and Chairwoman, Stephanie announced a leave of absence with the idea of focusing on her family life. She returned once the hush money scandal broke. 

    “But that doesn’t explain why this was a resignation, and she left the board and cut all ties with the company she has worked for since she was a teenager. It was also conceded that she and Vince did have issues in working together as family members and how Khan was a buffer who kept things smooth between them and between Vince and Levesque,” Meltzer wrote. 

    WWE is looking at selling the company by the middle of this year. 

  • AEW’s Tony and Shad Khan Are Among The List of Interested Buyers for WWE

    WWE is looking at potentially selling the company by the middle of this year and has hired JPMorgan to help with talks. 

    Barron\’s, the sister publication to the Wall Street Journal and a subsidiary of Dow Jones & Company, reports that AEW\’s Tony and Shad Khan are said to be interested in buying WWE.

    The article noted that the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund appears more likely to buy Vince McMahon\’s company. The Khan family \”is in the pool of potential buyers for WWE.”

    The story added, \”the Khans will likely look for a financial partner to acquire the asset. Tony Khan’s father Shahid Khan, a co-owner of AEW, already owns the football team Jacksonville Jaguars and the English soccer club Fulham Football Club, indicating the duo have deep pockets.\”

    Other Buyers

    Comcast (NBCU’s parent company), Netflix, Amazon, Endeavor Group Holdings (UFC’s parent company), Warner Bros. Discovery (TNT & TBS’ parent company), Disney, and FOX have been speculated as potential buyers.

    “We think that now is the time to Buy WWE,” Benchmark’s Mike Hickey wrote on Friday. “Business momentum is strong, and future growth prospects appear promising.” Through the end of trading on Wednesday, the stock was up 24% since the close on Jan. 5, before Vince McMahon said he believed WWE should consider strategic alternatives.

    Dave Meltzer said on Wrestling Observer Radio today that WWE CEO Nick Khan met with Disney CEO Bob Iger and ESPN President James Pitaro this past Monday while at the college football championship game. 

  • Potential Spoilers on WWE Royal Rumble Surprise Entrants

    WWE is gearing up for its next premium live event Royal Rumble, later this month. 

    Every year, fans look forward to seeing who will be in the Royal Rumble matches for both the men and women from the active roster and those returning to the company and legends. 

    The 2023 PLE won’t be any different, as it’s believed several wrestlers will be returning at the show. 

    The Names

    According to Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com, Edge and his wife, Beth Phoenix, are slated to be at the event. Neither has been on WWE television since the injury angle with Phoenix at the 2022 Extreme Rules PLE, where they were laid out by Judgment Day. 

    The report noted that Doudrop, who recently stated that she’s been dealing with an illness, is expected to be back in time for the show and will return to the Raw brand.

    As far as other return possibilities go, Johnson noted that “Logan Paul is absolutely being talked about in regard to an appearance at the Rumble as well, as long as his knee is rehabbed and he’s ready to go.”

    Paul’s recovery from injury was said to be going “better than expected, “as there has been speculation about him returning as soon as the Rumble. He last wrestled Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel in November. 

  • Update on William Regal\’s New WWE Job Title

    William Regal has been given a new title in WWE following his return to the company. 

    Regal\’s previous title before his WWE release last year had been Director of Talent Development and Head of Global Recruiting. He had been working backstage in the company since June 2014 and was considered Triple H’s right-hand man. 

    According to a report from PWInsider, Regal is now the Vice President, Global Talent Development for WWE.

    Regal’s Journey

    The former NXT General Manager returned to WWE after being with AEW since debuting there at Revolution on March 6, 2022, where he helped form the Blackpool Combat Club. 

    The faction included Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, and Wheeler Yuta. Regal had the following to say about his time in AEW. 

    “Yesterday was my last official day with @AEW. I’d like to thank @TonyKhan, Megha and all the hard working crew. Contrary to people who’ve never spoken to me or have their information from people who don’t know me or are trying to make themselves noticed, I had a lovely time working there and had a great time. Lots of talented Wrestlers, and lovely people to work for. To my fellow BCC members, it was a special, albeit brief few months but it cemented our already strong friendship. To everyone there, thank you for welcoming me. Best wishes.”

    AEW President Tony Khan revealed during an ROH Final Battle media call last month that Regal asked him not to pick up the option year on his contract because he wanted to return to WWE to help train his son, NXT wrestler Charlie Dempsey.

  • NXT Announcer Parts Ways with WWE

    Sudu Shah, real name Sudu Upadhyay, has confirmed that he has finished up with WWE after working as an announcer for the NXT brand. 

    In a post on Twitter, Shah issued a statement announcing that the NXT Level Up taping from Orlando, Florida, at WWE’s Performance Center on Tuesday night marked his final appearance for the company. He noted that he was grateful for his time with WWE:

    The Statement

    “Yesterday was my final day with the WWE. What an incredible experience working with some of the most talented people I’ve ever met.Thank you to everyone who watched and supported every week!”

    Shah first signed with WWE in January 2022 as a play-by-play commentator for the 205 Live brand before the cruiserweight show was replaced with NXT Level Up that February.

    Before joining WWE, he previously worked for Fox 5 News in Atlanta and was a sports anchor on WMC-TV in Memphis for three years, in addition to doing viral campaigns for the likes of ESPN, Bleacher Report, and SBNation prior to signing with WWE. In 2017, he was named a finalist in the Tennessee Associated Press Sportscaster of the Year award. 

    This announcement comes one day after Chairwoman and co-CEO Stephanie McMahon announced her departure from the company.

  • Investor Lawsuit Filed Over Vince McMahon\’s WWE Return

    Vince McMahon, who returned to the company last week after resigning amid a wave of sexual harassment allegations, has been dealt with a lawsuit. 

    According to court documents from Bloomberg Law, a WWE investor named Scott A. Fellows has filed a lawsuit alleging McMahon pushed aside the board to install himself as chairman again illegally. 

    The suit was filed in Delaware’s Chancery Court, where the WWE shareholder accused him of using his 81% voting control to oust three board members and then replace them with two loyalists (George Barrios and Michelle Wilson) and make bylaw changes that would “impose his will on the board and WWE.”

    The Course

    The lawsuit was filed six months after Vince stepped down as chairman and CEO of WWE because of the allegations that he paid $12 million over more than 15 years to keep the sexual harassment accusations quiet. 

    Vince’s daughter, Stephanie McMahon, resigned as co-CEO and chairwoman Tuesday. Nick Khan is now the WWE CEO, while Triple H is still in charge of the main roster creative. 

    The lawsuit notes that McMahon managed to time his return to get control of upcoming negotiations over the company’s expiring media rights by leveraging a threat to withhold support for any deal reached if the Board didn’t bring him back. 

    This was also shared in public SEC documents from December in addition to McMahon stating he wanted to oversee a potential sale of the company. The board, which had included Stephanie, Khan, and Triple H, unanimously voted against McMahon coming back. 

    The suit stated the move to “take complete personal control over any major corporate decision” by “adding his cronies to the board” violates Delaware law.