SEScoops

Author: Mike Reichlin

  • Update on WWE vs. AEW ticket sales at UBS Arena on Long Island

    We are just days away from the opening of the new UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for this Friday, November 19th.

    The New York metropolitan area\’s newest sports and entertainment venue is a $1.1 billion facility located on the historic grounds of Belmont Park. The venue holds up to 19,000 people for concerts and over 17,000 for NHL hockey games.

    Both WWE and AEW will be running shows at the UBS Arena in its first month of operations. WWE Raw will be held there on Monday, November 29th and AEW Dynamite follows on Wednesday, December 8th.

    WWE vs. AEW at UBS Arena

    \"UBS

    New York City has long been a stronghold territory for WWE. AEW recently shifted the balance of power in the area with the remarkable success of Grand Slam from Arthur Ashe Stadium. That special edition of Dynamite sold more tickets than any New York wrestling event in decades.

    As soon as it became apparent WWE and AEW would be running the same venue within the span of 10 days, fans were interested in seeing how ticket sales compared. It did not take long to realize this was not going to be a close competition.

    With just weeks to go, AEW Dynamite has nearly doubled the ticket sales of WWE Raw. Here are the latest ticket sales numbers, courtesy of WrestleTix:

    • WWE Raw on 11/29 has sold 4,764 tickets out of 7,462 that were put on sale (64%).
    • AEW Dynamite on 12/8 has sold 8,368 tickets out of 10,449 that were put on sale (80%).

    WWE configuring the building for less than 7,500 fans, while AEW is set up to accommodate nearly 10,500 fans, indicates that WWE saw problems from the outset.

    Both companies have run various promotions in an effort to boost ticket sales. No matter how you slice it, it\’s hard to view this as anything but a win for AEW.

    The record-setting success at Grand Slam at Arthur Ashe stadium in September and out-selling WWE Raw at the UBS Arena builds a strong case that AEW is now the top wrestling promotion in this major market.

    Below are updated looks at the seating cart for both events. Blue indicates \’primary market\’ tickets still available, while pink indicates re-sale tickets.

    WWE Raw at UBS Arena: Seating Chart (as of 11/15/21)

    \"\"/

    AEW Dynamite at UBS Arena: Seating Chart (as of 11/15/21)

    \"\"/

  • Ric Flair unsure what CM Punk & Bryan Danielson have done for AEW

    Ric Flair isn\’t sold on the idea that CM Punk and Bryan Danielson have done much for AEW thus far.

    The Nature Boy has a new podcast launching this week, Ric Flair Wooooo Nation Uncensored. Each week, Flair and former WCW commentator Mark Madden will take a deep dive into his career and current events in the world of pro wrestling.

    In a teaser clip to promote the premiere episode, Flair and Madden discuss Punk and Danielson\’s impact on AEW business since joining the company in August/September.

    Madden acknowledges that Punk and Danielson certainly stars by any definition of the word. However, he asked Flair, what have they contributed to AEW?

    \”Well, if I\’m looking at the ratings, I don\’t know what they\’ve contributed.\”

    – Ric Flair on CM Punk and Bryan Danielson\’s impact on AEW

    It\’s a television business

    Pro wrestling is business largely driven by television ratings and rights fees. Flair says Punk and Bryan have had successful careers, but so far, they\’ve failed to deliver for AEW where it counts.

    \”Well, if I\’m looking at the ratings, I don\’t know what they\’ve contributed,\” said Flair. \”Yeah, certainly, as you said, they\’re both big stars in the business. Both have had a lot of success, but I don\’t know how to answer that question, because all you can do, as we do with football or any other show, is look at the ratings.\”

    Flair continued, \”To me, that show should never do less than 1.1 million. If they get there once, and bring in all this talent, and go back, then there\’s something wrong.\”

    Tony Khan\’s Take

    AEW viewership has been sliding in recent weeks. After a nice stretch of time with Dynamite drawing over 1 million viewers in the overnight numbers, the show has been below that level for the past several weeks. The dip coincides with Dynamite being preempted several times in October.

    Despite television viewership faltering, Tony Khan has been adamant that CM Punk and Bryan Danielson have made a significant impact on AEW\’s business.

    During an interview with Robbie Fox for Barstool Sports last month, Khan revealed AEW has seen half a dozen metrics increase since Punk and Danielson’s arrivals.

    \”I’d say since Punk came in, before Bryan, and now with Bryan, we’ve seen at least six business metrics go up,” said Khan. \”We’ve had our all-time record for pay-per-view. Those digital numbers, live event attendance – all-time highs. We were already, before the pandemic, the number one attended wrestling company in the world.\”

  • Tony Khan AEW Media Call Highlights (11/11/21)

    All Elite Wrestling President Tony Khan participated in a media call on Thursday afternoon to promote Saturday\’s AEW Full Gear pay-per-view.

    Here are some highlights from the Q&A. The questions and answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.

    Q: Full Gear has a stacked card with 10 matches. Is this the ideal length for an AEW PPV? (Chris Mueller, Bleacher Report)

    TK: They\’ve received great reviews for their quarterly pay-per-views. He really likes the format and length they\’ve been working with: a 4-hour main card, plus a Buy-In kickoff show featuring a match or two. This has been working really well for them and expects it to continue this way.

    Q: Why is now the right time to pull the trigger on Hangman Page? (Jon Alba, AdFreeShows)

    TK: They\’ve talked about homemade stars – Hangman is the epitome of a homemade star. He had some exposure before AEW, but not on national television. He\’s blossomed in AEW from the beginning. The fans have been along for the ride and seen him grow. He was one of the challengers to determine the first AEW World Champion. Today, it\’s a different company and Hangman Page is a different person. Page and Omega have something special between them. They had great chemistry as a team and you could tell they\’d be great rivals. Khan picked up some character elements from Being the Elite, including Hangman\’s drinking. People are ready to see him rise up from the lowest lows and conquer his biggest obstacle yet.

    Q: Will we see an AEW pay-per-view from California or the Pacific / Mountain time zones in the near future? (Jonathan Hood – ESPN Chicago)

    TK: Double or Nothing will take place from Las Vegas once again next year. There\’s a good chance AEW will bring Dynamite and Rampage to the west coast round that time.

    Q: Is AEW interested in acquiring the ROH video library, or signing ROH talent that is being released from their contracts? (Sean Ross Sapp, Fightful)

    TK: Ring of Honor has a lot of great stuff in their library and some very talented performers that have worked for them this year. \”We\’ll see what happens on the business side.\” He said to stay tuned to AEW. He\’s good friends with many people in ROH.

    Q: Any plans for AEW to present an All-Women\’s event? (Ella Jay, SEScoops)

    TK: AEW has made great strides with building their women\’s division and featuring women prominently on television and pay-per-views.

    When the NWA presented their all women\’s pay-per-view, he provided them with a lot of that talent and paid them to wrestle for the NWA. The highest paid wrestlers on that show were sent and paid by him. He doesn\’t think the NWA did a great job acknowledging that. He feels like he picked up the tab for everybody at dinner and nobody thanked him.

    Q: Could we see Bray Wyatt in AEW? (Nick Hausman, WrestlingInc)

    TK: He likes Windham a lot, but has never spoken to him about joining AEW. He thinks Windham is a wonderful person and a great talent.

    Q: Will AEW Dynamite have a new look when it moves to TBS in January 2022?(Sebastian Diaz, Over the Top Rope)

    TK: The great wrestling that people have come to expect from AEW will remain the same. As for show\’s presentation – the staging, the graphics, the music – fans can expect some tweaks. He said, \”It will be fun!\” and if he hears that fans don\’t like the changes, they will go back to the current look.

    He said to expect less \”time shifting\” (preemptions) on TBS and plugged the \”Battle of the Belts\” special that will air Saturday, January 8th on TNT.

    Q: When will the Owen Hart Memorial Tournament take place? (Russ Weakland, Hollywood Life)

    TK: Fans can expect some big news shortly after Full Gear. There\’s so much going on with the PPV, he doesn\’t want to let the cat out of the bag just yet regarding the Owen tournament. The Owen will be a big prize in AEW. They have some interesting announcements coming at next week\’s Dynamite or Rampage. They have \”something fun planned\” that everyone will really enjoy.

    Q: When Eddie Kingston first joined AEW, could he envision what Kingston\’s contributions would be? (Mark Madison, Pro Wrestling Post)

    TK: Yes, pretty quickly. He didn\’t know Eddie before he answered Cody\’s TNT Championship Open Challenge, but they connected immediately. They\’re now close friends.

    Q: Will AEW continue taping Dark from Universal Studios? (Jim Varsalone, Miami Herald)

    TK: Yes, they plan to continue taping from Universal Studios, when they can and when it makes sense. On weeks where they have live Rampage tapings (like this week), they tape Dark before Rampage.

    Q: Are there plans to keep Dante Martin & Lio Rush as a tag team? (Bill Prichard, WrestleZone)

    TK: It\’s a story. Without saying too much about where things are going, he\’s enjoying the pairing. He worked closely with them on their Dynamite match this week. He sees a lot in Lio Rush and actively recruited him to come out of retirement.

    Q: How is the relationship with NJPW? Could we see AEW talent at Wrestle Kingdom in January? (Samantha Shipman, DailyDDT)

    TK: \”It\’s a great relationship.\” It was rocky when AEW first launched, but things have smoothed over. Enjoys working together and they talk on a regular basis. Expect more talent sharing in the months ahead.

  • Windham Rotunda (Bray Wyatt) horror movie to begin filming this month

    Former WWE Superstar Bray Wyatt (Windham Rotunda) is gearing up for his feature film debut.

    Special makeup effects artist Jason Baker spoke to Alistair McGeorge of Metro.co.uk this week and provided the first details about this project.

    \”He’s a phenomenal collaborator, he’s become a really good friend, and we’re actually – you’re the first person that we’re publicly telling about. We’re starting a film at the end of the month.\”

    Baker worked closely with Windham Rotunda on his infamous WWE character, The Fiend. The two were spotted in Los Angeles just a few weeks ago.

    Windham Rotunda\’s Horror Debut

    \"The
    Nightmare fuel from Windham Rotunda

    The untitled horror film will begin filming later this month in Tennessee.

    \”It’s a feature film and it’s something really new and different,\” said Baker. \”I’d say probably the best way to describe it is Ichi the Killer meets Xanadu.\”

    Windham Rotunda knows a thing or two about horror. Bray Wyatt, The Fiend and the Firefly Funhouse were dark characters that had a lot more backstory to dig into. WWE owns all that intellectual property, so wrestling fans should not expect this horror film to have anything to do with the Bray Wyatt character.

    \”We’re not using any of that – we’re going in a completely different direction, a whole new thing. It should be fun. Hopefully fans of horror and fans of Windham like it!\”

  • AEW Wrestling Buddies Now On Sale

    All Elite Wrestling has released the first line of AEW wrestling buddies featuring Cody Rhodes and AEW World Champion Kenny Omega.

    The official LJN Wrestling Buddy Plush dolls stand at 18” and feature recorded sounds from the actual wrestlers. They\’re powered by two AA batteries, included with purchase.

    AEW Wrestling Buddies are now available exclusively at Amazon.com for $24.99.

    • ROWDY! Features Real AEW wrestling stars’ voices and sound effects!
    • INTERACTIVE! Buddies know when they’ve been pinned and when they’ve beaten the pin!
    • BIG! The plush is 18” of Beat ‘Em Up Fun!
    • AEW fans, pro-wrestling fans, toy collectors, and toy enthusiasts will love the details and game of the new AEW Wrestling Buddies, The Official LJN Wrestling Buddy Plush!

    Cody Rhodes

    Kenny Omega

    AEW Wrestling Buddies

    The AEW wrestling buddies were first unveiled at the Double or Nothing fan fest earlier this year.

    In addition to Cody Rhodes and Kenny Omega, the first line also includes buddies for Darby Allin and Luchasaurus. The Darby Allin and Luchasaurus buddies are not yet available. They are expected to go on sale in mid-December.

    \"AEW

  • MLW Media Scrum Interviews: Jacob Fatu, Alicia Atout, EJ Nduka & More

    Major League Wrestling presented MLW War Chamber this past weekend from Philadelphia, PA at the famous 2300 Arena.

    SEScoops correspondent Samira was on hand for the event and provided these live results.

    Samira also participated in the pre-show media scrum and had the chance to speak with some of MLW\’s top stars.

    Check out our exclusive MLW War Chamber media scrum videos below:

    Jacob Fatu

    5150

    KC Navarro

    EJ Nduka

    Alicia Atout

  • Seth Rollins praised for being easy to work with behind the scenes

    Seth Rollins often plays a smarmy, grating heel on television, but former WWE producer Lance Storm says that image couldn\’t be farther from the man he knows.

    Storm recently took part in a Q&A session for Figure 4 Daily and said Rollins is a total professional who is a pleasure to work with behind the scenes.

    \”I can’t say enough good things about Seth Rollins.\”

    \”I produced a lot of segments with Seth,\” said Storm. \”A lot of times with Seth, it was me and Michael Hayes. It was at the time where Seth was a big frickin\’ part of the show.\”

    \”You get the Seth Rollins segment, and it’s like, ok, he has two backstage segments, he has an in-ring promo, then he has a promo before his match. The dude has like eight segments. He’s running full tilt all day and very easy to work with.\”

    Multitasking with a great attitude

    \"Seth
    Seth Rollins

    Things can get chaotic on days when WWE is taping television. Scripts are rewritten and talent is getting pulled in 10 different directions. Everyone is multitasking and Lance Storm says virtually nobody could handle the pressure like Rollins.

    \”There’s times where he’s doing so much that he’s going out there and still doesn’t know a lot of key elements, and it’s like, ‘I’ll talk to you on the headset, go out there’, and he gets the job done. He was incredibly great to work with.\”

    In addition to his ability to multitask, Storm also praised Rollins for being agreeable when other wrestlers might not be.

    \”No matter how much crap you threw at that dude, he could catch it with one hand and keep it juggling while he was doing everything else. Being able to do that, and then also having that vision that if we disagree, it’s not me vs him. We’re both trying to get the product out there on time and good. He was incredibly great and easy to deal with.\”

    Storm went on and on about Rollins\’ ability to manage multiple tasks while maintaining a great attitude.

    \”So, a guy like that, that can both multitask, be humble enough to take advice when it’s given, and smart enough to also do so much and do it so well, he was again, of all the guys I had to produce there, I can’t say enough good things about Seth Rollins.”

  • Cheap Heat podcast joins The Ringer

    The Cheap Heat wrestling podcast has joined forces with The Ringer, the sports brand founded by Bill Simmons.

    Cheap Heat is a weekly podcast focused on all things professional wrestling. The show is hosted by WWE broadcaster Peter Rosenberg and \”Stat Guy\” Greg Hyde.

    With this jump from ESPN to The Ringer, Rosenberg and Stat Guy Greg will once again be affiliated with former Cheap Heat co-host David Shoemaker. Shoemaker and Kazeem Famuyide host the Masked Man Show, another Ringer wrestling podcast.

    New episodes of Cheap Heat will drop every Wednesday afternoon on The Ringer\’s wrestling podcast feed.

    https://twitter.com/ringerwrestling/status/1457783091557113856

    You can check out the \”maj\” announcement about Cheap Heat\’s future in the video embedded below:

  • Angelo Mosca Sr. Has Passed Away at 84

    Legendary pro wrestler Angelo Mosca Sr. passed away on Saturday after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer\’s. He was 84 years old.

    \”King Kong\” Mosca was a top heel in the World Wrestling Federation during the early 1980\’s. He feuded with WWF Champion Bob Backlund as well as Pat Patterson.

    His wife Helen posted the following on her Facebook Page over the weekend:

    \”It is with great sadness that the family of Angelo Mosca announce his passing on November 6, 2021, after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s,” she wrote.

    \”Angelo was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather as well as friend to so many. Angelo was 84 years old. We ask that you respect the family’s privacy at this time. More details will be shared when arrangements have been made.”

    Mosca is considered a Canadian sports icon. In addition to his pro wrestling career, he is a Hall of Fame football player. He is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, the Hamilton Sports Hall of Fame and the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.

    Visit MapleLeafWrestling.Blogspot.com to read their lengthy career retrospective on the great Angelo Mosca Jr.

    SEScoops sends our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Angelo Mosca Sr.

  • What\’s next for Killer Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux?

    Killer Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux will soon find themselves back on the free agency market. After an unremarkable stint with WWE, Kross and Scarlett are already looking ahead to the next chapter of their shared story.

    The former NXT Champion resurfaced over the weekend with a new video titled, \”Man from the Cemetary Town.\” Kross narrates a video that exhibits more character development than we ever saw for him in WWE.

    “It was never really very sunny when I was a kid, even in the summertime,\” said Kross. \”Where I grew up it was usually pretty dark, and very very cold. This is where I used to play. One time there was a man floating facedown in the creek. They found his body in the marsh, right before it washed out into the Hudson River. All the parents said it was a floating jacket, but I knew. Something was always wrong with this place.\”

    Killer Kross\’ Next Move

    Later in the video, Kross tells the viewer, \”Wait for me, because I\’m coming. Tick tock.\”

    \”I heard you all the entire time. I heard your cries. I heard you banging on my tombstone, the noise kept me alive. But sometimes, you have to go back to where you came from to find out what you really are. We’ve been apart, but it’s almost time for us to be together again. Wait for me, because I’m coming. Tick tock.”

    You can watch Karrion Kross\’ \”Man from the Cemetery Town\” video here:

    Scarlett getting back to work

    Kross\’ fiancée Scarlett Bordeaux is already booking appearances for conventions and virtual autograph signings. You can see the full schedule below:

    • December 3rd: Asylum Wrestling (Virtual Signing)
    • December 4th: MCW
    • December 7th: Highspots (Virtual Signing)
    • December 8th: WrestleFest (Virtual Signing)
    • December 11th: Glamour (New York – Signing)
    • December 12th: Glamour (New Jersey – Signing)
    • December 16th: Icons (Virtual Signing)
    • December 17th: Icons (Philadelphia – Convention)
    • February 6th: Celebfest (Baltimore – Convention)

    With this latest round of releases, over 70 performers have been released by WWE this year. All of them are talented, but few of them can match the talent and box office potential of Killer Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux.

    Tick tock.

  • MLW War Chamber Results from Philadelphia, PA (11/6/21)

    Major League Wrestling returned to the famous 2300 Arena on Saturday night for MLW War Chamber.

    SEScoops correspondent Samira was on hand and provided this live report:

    Openweight Ladder Match: Alex Kane defeated, Myron Reed, Zenshi, Alex Shelley and mystery entrant ACH.

    Gnarls Garvin defeated Budd Heavy

    nZo defeated Matt Cross. There was some blood on nZo\’s face in the spot between his eyebrows end of match. KC Navarro came out for his match and nZo attacked him.

    TJP defeated Calvin Tankman in an Opera Cup semifinal match. Kane and King Mo came out and beat up Calvin twice.

    5150 defeated Los Parks to win the MLW Tag Team Championships. Homicide came out to help during match

    KC Navarro defeated Warhorse.

    Sea Stars defeated the Top Dogs. Willow Nightingale was on commentary. Holidead came out after match was over and attacked Willow.

    Davey Richards defeated TJP in the finals of the Opera Cup tournament. Richards dedicated the cup to the city of Philadelphia.

    LA Park defeated Homicide w/ Julius Smokes

    Holidead w/ Dax defeated Willow Nightingale w/Blue Meanie. Arez interfered and kicked Blue Meanie at end of match.

    Team Hammerstone defeated CONTRA Unit in the War Chamber main event. Jeff Cobb returned to MLW as Matanza Duran as part of team Hammerstone. After the match, Jacob Fatu turned on CONTRA Unit.

  • Tony Khan explains how AEW\’s creative structure has changed

    Tony Khan is opening up about the creative influence of AEW\’s Executive Vice Presidents.

    Khan recently spoke with Wade Keller of PWTorch earlier this week to promote next weekend\’s Full Gear pay-per-view.

    During the discussion, Khan addressed the rumors that Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks are less-involved than they used to be. Khan said that he has taken over much more of the writing of the shows, but that the EVPs all contribute their ideas as much as they ever did.

    What has changed, however, is that they no longer book the show as a committee.

    \”They are still very involved in a lot of aspects of the business and a lot of those things have been enhanced,\” said Khan.

    He spoke about Kenny Omega leading a team to create the AEW console video game and Cody and the Young Bucks being leaders in the locker room.

    \”I\’ve probably gotten a little bit more hands on with the stuff that I do than when we started but that makes perfect sense because I had never worked in a wrestling company,\” Khan said.

    Drawbacks of a booking committee

    Khan continued to say that in the early days, the show was being booked with him and the EVPs all in a room together. Now, most of the show is booked by him at home.

    \”I was like the head of a committee and I think there are a lot of drawbacks of trying to book a wrestling show with a committee,\” he continued.

    \”Around the start of 2020, the end of 2019, moved more to me writing the show and I think it helped and the show has been better for it.\”

    \”They are still contributing all their ideas, that has never changed,\” Khan continued to say of the EVPs.

    Visit PWTorch.com to check out the full interview with Tony Khan in their paywalled VIP section.

  • Nia Jax Issues Statement Regarding WWE Release

    Nia Jax has issued a statement following her release from WWE. Jax was among 18 wrestlers let go by the company on Thursday.

    Amid reports that her vaccination status was a factor behind her departure, Jax says WWE did not mention vaccinations when informing her that her services would no longer be needed.

    Nia Jax reveals that she was on a \”mental health break\” when WWE released her. She recently requested an extension to the mental health break, because she is still dealing with personal issues. \”The next thing I heard, I was being released.\”

    Nia Jax wrote on Instagram:

    \”I usually keep my personal life private, but yesterday\’s reports leave me with no option but to clarify matters. I recently took a short leave of absence from WWE for a mental health break. I\’ve been working through so much – more than I can share – and so I took some time, with the full support of the company, to take care of myself.

    Earlier this week, after WWE sent me my schedule to return to the ring for the November 15 show, I asked for an extension to my mental health break, feeling that I needed more time, and hoping I would have the ongoing support of the company I have given my all to for the past 7 years. I did not receive a response. The next thing I heard, I was being released. My vaccination status was never mentioned. I wasn\’t given any choice or options.

    It breaks my heart to be so abruptly let go, without consultation, when dealing with so much privately. I loved my career at WWE, I love the men and women I worked with, and I am going to need time to process this huge loss. I appreciate those people who have shown understanding and compassion during an incredibly difficult time.\”

    Nia Jax\’s story is unfortunate, but its not unique. She is just one of 71 wrestlers released by WWE this year:

    https://s46315.p1736.sites.pressdns.com/news/staggering-tally-wwe-releases-2021/

  • Sabu Is Done Wrestling, But Would Return To Fight Brock Lesnar

    Wrestling legend Sabu says he\’s been forced into retirement due to injuries. After a lengthy career of putting his body on the line during each and every match, he\’ll probably stick to autograph signings moving forward.

    Sabu was a guest on this week\’s edition of Wrestling Shoot Interviews. During his discussion with WSI, he admitted that he\’s probably wrestled his final match.

    \”I\’m not doing real good,\” said Sabu. \”I hurt my back about a year ago and it\’s still been hurting. I wrestled a couple of weeks ago but I shouldn\’t have. I\’ve only wrestled like twice in the last year. I only went to the gym a couple of times the last year \’cause I hurt my back. I\’m probably not gonna wrestle no more… I\’m probably just gonna do autograph signings and personal appearance-type stuff.\”

    I\’d definitely get back in the ring for…

    \"Sabu\"
    Sabu

    Of course, this is professional wrestling. Fans are quite familiar with the phrase, \”never say never.\” So, what would it take to lure Sabu back into the ring?

    \”I\’d definitely get back in the ring for Brock Lesnar, I\’d love to wrestle him. Especially if it was my final match, I\’d love to wrestle him.\”

    Sabu heaped praise on Brock Lesnar, saying that he\’s \”my kind of opponent.\”

    \”He\’s the best, he\’s a shooter, he\’s a good worker, he\’s my kind of opponent. I like big guys, I like wrestling big guys. I don\’t like wrestling guys like me because it\’s not that interesting. It\’s more interesting wrestling a guy like me against a guy like Brock Lesnar.\”

    Sabu also named Big Show and Mike Awesome as two of the best \’big men\’ he\’s ever worked with.

    Check out the Wrestling Shoot Interviews YouTube channel for more of their videos.

  • Kristina Salen Departs As WWE\’s Chief Financial Officer

    WWE has announced Frank A. Riddick III has been named as the company\’s new Chief Financial Officer & Chief Administrative Officer.

    Riddick, a longtime member of WWE\’s Board of Directors, will report directly to Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon.

    Riddick replaces Kristina Salen, who participated on WWE\’s Q3 earnings call on Thursday.

    Salen posted the following message on her LinkedIn page regarding the departure:

    \”Today I\’m tagging out at WWE. I started at WWE in the midst of the global pandemic and I am proud of what I accomplished with Vince McMahon\’s leadership and the tremendous team. We returned to live event touring, exceeded expectations, raised guidance for 2021 and laid a strong foundation for the future. I look forward to WWE\’s continued success in and out of the ring!\”

    WWE Team Executive Shakeup

    \"WWE
    WWE Conference Room rendering (Mike Van Tassell)

    Vince McMahon issued the following statement regarding Kristina Salen\’s departure:

    \”I want to thank Kristina for her contributions to WWE and wish her well in her future pursuits.”

    He also had this to say about Frank Riddick III, the new CFO & CAO:

    “Working closely with Frank for many years, we have great confidence in his ability to execute our company’s strategy to increase revenues and drive shareholder value by engaging our global fanbase with phenomenal content,” said McMahon.

    Riddick started with WWE during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a press release posted on the WWE Corporate website, he said, \”We returned to live event touring, exceeded expectations, raised guidance for the year, and have laid a strong foundation for the future. I look forward to WWE\’s continued success.\”

    Kristina Salen is not the only high-profile departure from WWE\’s executive team. Earlier this week, it became public that Stan Stanski was out as Senior Vice President of Creative Services. This shocked a lot of people behind the scenes, as Stanski was well-liked and had been with the company for around 15 years.

    More on that story here:

    WWE Releases Senior Vice President Of Creative Services

    H/T to Brandon Thurston and Lavie Margolin for surfacing this story

  • Ian Riccaboni Cautiously Optimistic About ROH\’s Future

    Ring of Honor announcer Ian Riccaboni has issued a statement regarding ROH going on hiatus.

    Riccaboni reflects on his eight years with the promotion and expresses gratitude for the way they\’ve treated him. He wrote on Twitter:

    \”ROH has bent over backwards for me in my time with the company. Countless flights to accommodate my office schedule, canceling a Japan trip (with pay!) at their expense to ensure I was home for Nora’s birth, helping support LGBTQ+ and literacy initiatives in my hometown of Allentown, PA, and more. Too many things to list. They believed in and cultivated me at age 30 (I was a late bloomer!) with very little prior experience.\”

    \"\"/

    Hanging Up The Headset

    Riccaboni is hopeful that Ring of Honor will return in 2022. However, he has no guarantees that he\’ll be part of their next chapter.

    \”The news of this hiatus was communicated professionally and with care but there are a lot of question marks. I will forever wear the three letters ROH with great pride and treasure my time here. Hopefully, it is not over. I have reason for optimism that ROH will re-start in April. I hope I am a part of their plans.\”

    He hopes to use his notoriety to give back to his home town. He\’s humbled by the outpouring of support he\’s received since it became known that Ring of Honor as we know it might be over.

    Riccaboni is flattered by some offers he\’s received over the past week. He will assess these opportunities, but says he\’ll probably \”hang up the headset\” if ROH does not return to live events come April.

    \”I am humbled by the support I personally and ROH as an organization has received in the last few days. I am flattered by those seeking to bring me in and I am assessing opportunities one by one. If April doesn’t come, it would break my heart and I will likely hang up the headset, so if you’re doing something fun, let me know.\”

    Bully Ray On Where ROH Failed

  • Mance Warner Released By MLW

    Mance Warner has been released by Major League Wrestling.

    The Southern Psychopath has been looking to become a free agent for over a year. Amid reports that he was looking to work elsewhere, he spoke with Nick Hausman of WrestlingINC last December and confirmed that he was looking to get out of his contract.

    SEScoops can confirm Warner is now a free man.

    Warner is the latest wrestler to be released from MLW over the past few weeks. Jordan Oliver, Beastman, Bu Ku Dao and Leo Brien have also been let go. We\’re told this concludes MLW\’s talent cuts and the company is making room for new signings in the weeks and months ahead.

    Cassidy Haynes of Bodyslam.net recently reported that Warner would be a free agent at the end of January 2022. A tweet from \’Ol Mancer himself seemed to confirm this timeline, as well as where he might be looking to work next.

    Mance Warner is one of the most popular wrestlers on the independent scene. He will have no problem finding work with another major promotion, whether that be AEW, WWE or elsewhere. He\’s competing this weekend against Dirty Dango (former WWE Superstar Fandango) in Knoxville, TN at Nightmare in the Old City.

    We have reached out to MLW and Mance Warner for comment and will update this article if new details become available.

  • EJ Nduka Eager To Kick Down & Run Through The Forbidden Door

    EJ Nduka is gearing up for the biggest match of his career.

    After an impressive debut at July\’s MLW Battle Riot III event, The Judge heads to battle at MLW War Chamber next Saturday night (11/6). He\’ll team with Alex Hammerstone, Richard Holliday and a mystery partner against CONTRA UNIT inside the ominous double steel cage match.

    \"MLW

    SEScoops correspondent Samira spoke with EJ Nduka about his aspirations in MLW, his friendship with AEW star Jade Cargill and his desire to walk through the Forbidden Door in the months ahead.

    Here\’s the full interview, with highlights below:

    Hammerstone Winning the MLW World Championship

    Alex Hammerstone captured the MLW World Title from Jacob Fatu at MLW Fightland. Nduka respects Hammerstone and expects they\’ll be on the same page at War Chamber. However, he\’s in MLW for gold. That might make Hammer a marked man.

    “I thought it was an amazing moment for him,\” Nduka said. \”Well deserved. He had those two titles up, but I couldn’t help to think, \’my boy you don’t need two.\’ You know what I’m saying, one of those would look good around my waist. Big props to my boy Hammer. Hammer’s doing his thing and we’re teamed up this week and I’m looking forward to it.\”

    His Friendship with Jade Cargill

    EJ Nduka is not your average pro wrestler. He doesn\’t blend in and he\’s not going to get lost in a crowd. One could say the same thing about AEW star Jade Cargill. They\’re both exceptional athletes. Interestingly enough, Nduka and Cargill are close friends and got started in pro wrestling on the exact same day.

    “So, Jade and I, we both went to college together. Ironically, we knew of each other, but we didn’t know each other. In college, she played basketball and I played football. We actually got close when we got in the industry the same day.\”

    \”We had our tryout at the WWE at the PC (Performance Center). She was literally right behind me in line. We started chopping it up and ever since then we’ve just been really good friends and we train whenever we get a chance. They were in Orlando for the AEW Dynamite, so we got an opportunity to train.”

    Alex Shelley, Bobby Fish & Tajiri

    MLW excels at many things. One of their strengths is the ability to freshen up their roster. Talent comes and goes, but there\’s always world-class talent coming in. \”Filthy\” Tom Lawlor finished up with MLW, so now Will Ospreay is on his way in.

    Alex Shelley, Bobby Fish and Tajiri are three veterans appearing for MLW this fall. Here\’s what Nduka had to say about them:

    Alex Shelley: “It’s awesome because Alex Shelley, a lot of people don’t know this, he was a coach at the PC for a little bit when I first got there. I learned a lot from him. I would watch his classes, I wasn’t necessarily in his classes, but I would be one of the guys that was the first one at the PC and last one to leave. So, if he still had a class going, I would go watch.\”

    Bobby Fish: \”Bobby Fish, he’s obviously one of the leaders in the locker room. Him and I became buddies, and I would ask him things, talk about life, and just the business in general. So, to see them at MLW locker room was awesome. You know it was like pieces of the puzzle these guys are leaders, they bring a lot to the table, and it’s always good to have that type of leadership in the locker room. People that have been there and done it, so that way you can bounce some ideas off of them.”

    Tajiri: \”So, I got to hangout with Tajiri. His merch table, you (Samira) saw it, it was right next to mine at the show. So, I was just talking to him, and I was just amazed at his story. This guy I’ve been watching him since I was a kid, so just to be able to stand next to him and chop it up with him was so dope. He’s such a cool dude, very humble, and he’s just awesome all around.\”

    When asked if he\’d wrestle Tajiri, Nduka replied, \”Anything could happen in that squared circle.\”

    The Forbidden Door

    EJ Nduka is currently tearing up the ranks in MLW, but who knows where he\’ll show up next? The Judge sounds more than ready to walk through the Forbidden Door and kick ass in other promotions.

    \”It really just depends on the back logistics of everything, but me personally, I’m open. I’m very open to walk through that Forbidden Door. In fact, I’m ready to kick that thing down and come running full speed through it and just show the world exactly what I got to offer.\”

    MLW War Chamber takes place Saturday, November 6th at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA. Tickets are still available at MLWLive.com.

  • CM Punk Fires Back At Sasha Banks After Rampage Tops SmackDown

    CM Punk has dealt a \”receipt\” to Sasha Banks following AEW\’s impressive showing against WWE last Friday night.

    The Internet has been buzzing about the Friday night ratings showdown between AEW Rampage and WWE SmackDown. Rampage aired in its usual time slot, while SmackDown aired on FS1 instead of the Fox broadcast network. WWE took the fight to AEW by extending SmackDown an extra 30 minutes (commercial-free) to go head-to-head with the first half of Rampage.

    Prior to the showdown, Sasha Banks tweeted, \”It’s Clobberin time #SmackdownonFS1\” – a clear reference to CM Punk\’s famous catchphrase.

    CM Punk & Sasha Banks

    Sasha Banks\’ match against Becky Lynch went head-to-head with CM Punk\’s match against Matt Sydal. The overlapping half hour also included The Bunny vs. Ruby Soho for AEW and a blockbuster contract signing between Roman Reigns & Brock Lesnar on SmackDown.

    Overall, the 2 1/2 hour SmackDown broadcast averaged 866,000 viewers. The 60-minute Rampage show did 578,000 viewers. Both shows did a 0.24 rating in the Adults 18-49 demographic, which caught many people by surprise.

    Even more surprising was the 30-minute block when Rampage and SmackDown went head-to-head. Looking at that key demographic, AEW Rampage actually topped WWE SmackDown 328,000 viewers to 285,000, a 15% margin.

    CM Punk has since responded to Sasha Banks\’ tease that it would be \”clobbering time\” when WWE and AEW went head-to-head for 30 minutes. With AEW coming out on top, Punk agrees: \”Indeed, it was.\”

  • Will Ospreay Is Ready For Alex Zayne at New Japan Showdown

    Will Ospreay will battle Alex Zayne at Night 2 of NJPW\’s New Japan Showdown event, which takes place Sunday night from Philadelphia, PA.

    SEScoops correspondent Samira spoke with Ospreay earlier this month about what this match means to him and how he\’s been preparing for their showdown.

    \”Big Match Billy\” says that he\’s been watching the man formerly known as Ari Sterling for a long time. \”I used to watch Alex Zayne when I was a backyard wrestler,\” he began. \”When it was frowned upon to be called a backyard wrestler, because we were the dirt underneath everyone\’s feet in the wrestling industry. But it does make me laugh now seeing how the world is with professional wrestling and all the backyarders I used to wrestle with are now on top of the world.\”

    Ospreay said Zayne is \”just getting back from his excursion over in Orlando.\” He\’s curious if Zayne learned anything in NXT, or if he\’s the same guy he grew up watching that he just outgrew.

    This is a big challenge for the self-proclaimed Real IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, so we were curious what he\’s doing to prepare for such a unique opponent.

    \”I\’m trying to drop a little bit of weight, because I do know Alex. He\’s very unorthodox. He reminds me of myself when i was a Junior Heavyweight, so i\’m trying to drop down some weight, so that way I can move a bit quicker. I think we\’re roughly about the same height and the same build, but if I outpace him and I know I can strike harder than him. His strikes aren\’t nearly as polished and clean as mine.\”

    Alex Zayne\’s Speed Advantage

    Opsreay questions if Zayne will be able to fight \’dirty enough\’ to hang with him, because he remembers Zayne as being a clean cut wrestler who just wanted to be liked by the fans. \”I mean, I was in that position a long time, I\’m just not that guy anymore,\” he said. \”If I get a shot to give you an elbow to the back of the head, I\’m going to do it.\”

    Ospreay really wants to pick up a victory here and knows that he\’ll have to be ready for Alex Zayne\’s high-flying move-set.

    \”He can do the same tricks that I used to be able to do when I was 15kg\’s lighter and I think we\’re roughly the same body weight, so his acrobatics are going to have more impact behind them. So, I\’m definitely going to keep me eye on when he does ascend to the top rope, because that\’s when i\’m going to be at my most vulnerable.\”

    Check out Samira\’s full interview with Will Ospreay:

  • Will Ospreay Ready to Embarrass AEW’s Top Stars (Exclusive)

    Will Ospreay is fed up with people like CM Punk, Kenny Omega, Bryan Danielson and others dropping his name.

    The self-proclaimed \”real\” IWGP World Heavyweight Champion is gearing up for a clash against Alex Zayne. That match will take place at NJPW Showdown, a 2-night event taking place October 16th & 17th from Philadelphia\’s historic 2300 Arena.

    Ospreay spoke to SEScoops correspondent Samira this week about his preparation for that event, why he can\’t stand American wrestling fans, and much more.

    When asked who he wants to wrestle in the months ahead, \’Big Match Billy\’ named Kazuchika Okada as the only person he cares about from Japan. \”The guy\’s been ducking me for a while now,\” he said.

    However, there are several other people on his radar. Ospreay tells SEScoops that he\’d \”love\” to wrestle CM Punk, as well as some of the other AEW stars who have called him out in recent months.

    Ospreay Ready to Embarrass AEW\’s Top Stars

    CM Punk named Will Ospreay as someone he\’d like to work with during a March 2020 appearance on the Swing & Mrs. Podcast. Punk is now an active competitor for AEW, bringing this potential dream match one step closer to reality.

    \”I would still love that match with CM Punk,\” he began. \”He\’s the one that called me out. He said, \’I want to wrestle Will Ospreay.\’ So with that, Bryan Danielson, he said \’I want to wrestle Will Ospreay\’ and I get it. Kenny Omega wants to wrestle Will Ospreay. Take a ticket and I\’ll get to you when I get to you guys. They called me out. Sammy Guevara, he\’s another one that called me out.\”

    He continued, \”There\’s a list that goes on and on and on. They all call me out and there\’s a reason why. Because when Big Match Billy is in town, their stock goes up. Everyone that wrestles me – and you can\’t deny it – every single person that wrestles me ups their game because they know they\’re going to be in the ring with one of the best wrestlers in the world right now. So, I completely understand it.\”

    These Guys Don\’t Want Me To Show Up

    Ospreay continued railing against Punk, Danielson, and Omega.

    \”If you guys really want it that bad, you know what to do. You just gotta call my number and I\’ll show up. I\’ll show up. But 9 times out of 10, these guys don\’t want me to show up. Because A, I\’ll embarrass them. I\’ll embarrass them.\”

    \”Guys like Bryan Danielson made a living being one of the best wrestlers in the world. But if I showed up, he would not last in the ring with me. Kenny Omega was THE guy in New Japan Pro Wrestling. He left. I took over. Nobody could compete with me in 2019. If I got in the ring with him, I\’d embarrass him.\”

    Best in the World

    \"CM
    CM Punk

    \”CM Punk called me out when he wasn\’t a wrestler. So in that case, he was keeping an eye on me the entire time, looking at me and thinking I\’m a challenge – and damn right, I\’m a challenge. I\’m THE challenge. So, if those guys want it, I\’m ready. But, you guys hit me up. I didn\’t hit none of you guys up.\”

    Ospreay took offense to the notion that CM Punk could still be considered the best in the world. \”Is he though? He says he\’s the best wrestler in the world. When was he saying that, 2011? Was he the best in the world, or was he the best of the bad bunch? Maybe you were the best at that time. Are you the best now? No. You\’re nowhere near Will Ospreay\’s level. So step up, brother. I\’m ready for you.\”

  • Impact Victory Road: Final Card For Tonight, How To Order

    Impact Wrestling presents Victory Road tonight live from Nashville, Tennessee at Skyway Studios. The show begins at 8pm (Eastern).

    Order Impact Victory Road at FITE ($9.99)

    The main event will see Christin Cage defend the Impact World Championship against Ace Austin.

    The \”Walking Weapon\” Josh Alexander looks to prove he\’s the greatest X-Division Champion in history. He defends against 8-time champion, Chris Sabin.

    The Knockouts Tag Team Titles will also be up for grabs, as Rosemary & Havok defend against Tasha Steelz & Savannah Evans.

    Victory Road Matches

    The following matches are scheduled for tonight:

    • Impact World Champion Christian Cage vs Ace Austin
    • X Division Champion Josh Alexander vs Chris Sabin
    • Eddie Edwards & Sami Callihan vs Moose & W. Morrissey
    • FinJuice (David Finlay and Juice Robinson) vs Bullet Club (Chris Bey and Hikuleo)
    • Knockouts Tag Team Champions Decay (Havok and Rosemary) vs Savannah Evans and Tasha Steelz

    How to Order Victory Road

    Order Impact Victory Road is available to fans who subscribe to the Impact Plus streaming service. You can also purchase the event easily from FITE for just $9.99.

    \"\"

  • GCW: Highest In The Room Preview, Order Here

    Game Changer Wrestling is back tonight, Friday, September 17th.

    GCW presents Highest in the Room live from Los Angeles, California at Ukrainian Cultural Center. This pay-per-view event can be purchased now at FITE ($13.99).

    Highest in the Room features the unfinished business of Alex Colon and G-Raver. They will face off to settle what could\’ve been at TOS4. Also in the lineup:

    • Minoru Suzuki vs Jonathan Gresham
    • Ron Funches vs Tony Deppen
    • Chris Dickinson vs Jacob Fatu
    • Effy vs 2 Cold Scorpio
    • Atticus Cogar vs Ninja Mack
    • Alex Zayne vs Jordan Oliver
    • Second Gear Crew vs Starboy Charlie & Nick Wayne & Riley

    Plus more to be announced. Order GCW: Highest In The Room now from FITE:

    \"\"

  • Renee Paquette: Big E Could Be WWE\’s Franchise Player, But \”You Kind Of Worry\”

    Renee Paquette appeared on Busted Open Radio on Friday morning. She spoke with Dave LaGreca and Bully Ray for her new segment, Keeping It Real With Renee.

    \"\"

    Paquette spoke in-depth about Big E becoming WWE Champion earlier this week. As somebody who has known Big E for many years, it makes her so happy for him to reach the top of the mountain in WWE.

    \”It just makes me so happy,\” she began. \”I tweeted out, it\’s so cool to see this outpouring of love for someone like Big E. I\’ve never heard anybody say a bad thing about the dude.\”

    Big E as WWE Champion

    Paquette continued by talking about the grassroots-nature of Big E\’s rise to the top. A situation like Big E\’s rise only comes along every few years. WWE has lightning in a bottle with Big E and a chance to give fans exactly what they want.

    \”It\’s been, I guess you could call it, a slow burn for Big E. You get that huge payoff, him cashing in that Money in the Bank contract, becoming WWE Champion. What I love about it is the organic way that Big\’s career has kind of gone. When you get the fans behind you, now you know the company is behind him, it\’s time just kind of \’strap that rocket on to him and shoot him off.\’ That trajectory is just going to keep going.\”

    \”If we want to get into ratings and blah blah blah, I think Big E could be that guy to really help to push WWE Monday Night Raw, Friday Night SmackDown, wherever he decides he wants to show up. It\’s that organic side of things that I think WWE fans have been craving and they want that payoff and they finally got it with Big E and I couldn\’t be happier for that dude.\”

    \”You Kind of Worry\”

    Bully Ray asked Paquette if she felt that Big E\’s title win was a longterm plan that finally came together, or if it was a knee-jerk decision based on competition from Monday Night Football and AEW. Renee didn\’t want to call it a knee-jerk reaction, but said there was definitely a \’business side\’ to that creative decision.

    \”As you see AEW nipping at the heels of WWE, they\’ve got to start making some bigger moves and they\’ve got to start making fans happy. So, you give them big E, that\’s going to make people happy.\”

    – Renee Paquette

    Dave LaGreca asked if Big E could be the new franchise player for WWE. Paquette said he could absolutely be the franchise player for WWE. He has the athletic ability and the charisma. However, there are pitfalls to be cautious about.

    \”If he is given the creative liberties that he deserves and that he needs to be able to continue being the Big E that everybody knows and loves, absolutely. I think he for sure could be that guy. But like anybody else, you kind of worry, \’What is going to happen? Are they going to drop the ball on this? Where\’s it gonna go?\’

    \”I do think he has all the tools, if you look at him from an athletic standpoint or an entertainment standpoint, just him as a human being, the things that he stands for, the things that he talks about, I do think that he really could be that guy to put the company on the back of.\”

    Busted Open Radio airs weekday mornings on SiriusXM Fight Nation Channel 156.

    Renee Paquette and Miesha Tate host Throwing Down with Renee and Miesha Monday afternoons at 2pm (Eastern) on SiriusXM Ch. 156.

    Please credit SEScoops.com if using any quotes transcribed from this article.

  • Jake Atlas Announces His Retirement From Pro Wrestling

    Jake Atlas is leaving professional wrestling.

    The 26-year-old made the announcement Tuesday afternoon on social media. He cited mental health as his primary motivation to explore new opportunities in different industries. Atlas wrote:

    \”I’m not concussed or \’banged up.\’ I simply just can’t keep going anymore. Take your mental health seriously, both for yourselves & for each other, because we only have one life to live. Thank you to anyone who did support me for 5 years. I didn’t do much, but what I did was fun.\”

    \”I’m stepping away from wrestling completely right now so please don’t ask me to do interviews/appearances. I’d like my privacy to be respected. At 26 years old, I’ve got my entire life ahead of me & I’m choosing to explore completely different industries to find my passion again.\”

    \”Unfortunately, it was unhealthy for me the entire time. I just learned how to hide it really well. I hope that friends & fans I’ve made alike continue to support me no matter what.\”

    Jake Atlas made his pro wrestling debut in 2016. He wrestled in various California-based independents. He signed with WWE in October 2019 after appearing on a WWE-themed episode of Celebrity Undercover Boss the prior year.

    After training at the Performance Center for several months, Atlas made his NXT debut in April 2020 and also competed on 205 Live.

    He was released from WWE on August 6, 2021. He wrote at the time, \”For 5 years, I worked hard to play the game the way I thought they would have wanted me to. If in that time I was able to accomplish all that I have with a limited understanding of who & what ‘Jake Atlas’ is, imagine what I’m capable of doing now that I get to do it MY way.\”

    Over the past several weeks, Atlas he wrestled for Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling. He competed at the ROH Death Before Dishonor PPV this past weekend.

    SEScoops wishes Jake Atlas the best of luck in this next chapter of his professional career.

    Jake Atlas Says He Doesn’t Want To Be Known As “The Gay Wrestler”