SEScoops

Author: Mike Reichlin

  • Daniel Bryan Compared To A Modern Day Bret Hart

    Bret Hart is revered as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, so a comparison to the Hitman is high praise. During a recent discussion with Wrestling Inc, former WWE wrestler Tucker say Daniel Bryan is the closest thing we have to a modern day Bret Hart.

    \”To me, Daniel Bryan is the modern day Bret Hart,\” he began.\”“He’s the man. He’s the best. Whether it comes to his mind and talking through how and why we’re going to do things or whether it comes to the execution of said thing in the ring, I don’t think you or me could point out somebody or defend somebody better than him at either of those two things.\”

    Both Hart and Bryan are known for their technical expertise, so the similarities are there. Tucker said not only was Daniel Bryan an incredible mat technician, he was also a locker room leader. Many younger WWE Superstars would turn to Bryan for advice in and out of the ring.

    \"Daniel
    Daniel Bryan & Bret Hart

    Tucker and former partner Otis would consult with Daniel Bryan on ways to improve their team, Heavy Machinery.

    \”What a glorious opportunity it was for us to be able to pick his brain a little bit and kind of see how he moved around the Heavy Machinery pieces. ‘What do you guys do?’ Having a discussion about the ethos, if you will, of Heavy Machinery and that might be able to play off of them in the large scale, in the big picture.\”

    He recalls Bryan helping them review the ins and outs of their presentation. Everything was considered, from their promos to their character development

    \”Just kind of seeing how [Bryan] operates, seeing what questions he’s asking what people and why he’s going about doing those things, at least for me, I was trying to take away as much of that kind of stuff as I possibly could from working with someone like that.\”

    Daniel Bryan will be a tremendous asset wherever he winds up, whether its AEW, New Japan Pro Wrestling, back in WWE or elsewhere.

  • Adam Cole To Meet With Vince McMahon At SmackDown (Report)

    Adam Cole is in high demand. The former NXT Champion will be a free agent later this month. WWE officials thought he was locked in through the end of the year, but that was not the case.

    Cole\’s WWE contract reportedly expired several weeks ago, but he agreed to work through SummerSlam weekend as an act of good faith.

    WWE Chairman Vince McMahon will meet with Cole at tonight\’s SmackDown from Washington D.C., according to Fightful. The wrestling war between WWE and AEW heating up, so rest assured McMahon will pull out all the stops to keep Adam Cole on his payroll.

    Adam Cole\’s Choice

    Adam Cole has been with WWE since 2017. He\’s reached the top of the mountain in the company\’s yellow and gold brand. Cole is the longest-reigning NXT Champion in history. He\’s also the held the North American and Tag Team titles.

    There is a lot of uncertainty about how he\’d fare on the main roster, despite everything he\’s accomplished in NXT. WWE has a mixed track record when transitioning talent to Raw and SmackDown.

    Adam Cole could re-sign with WWE or he could wait until September 1st and test his value on the open market. He\’d almost certainly get a strong offer from AEW.

    Britt Baker, Cole\’s girlfriend, recently commented on the possibility of him joining her in AEW. During an interview with the Daily Star, she said:

    “He’s happy where he is. So, if he were to jump ship and come my way, that would be awesome, but if he stays in WWE forever then I’d be happy, too, as I just want him to be happy.”

    – Britt Baker

    The 32-year-old Bullet Club alum is set to cash in with the biggest contract of his wrestling career, wherever he winds up.

    We will continue to follow this situation closely. Stay tuned for further updates on Adam Cole and his future.

    Britt Baker Comments On Adam Cole Possibly Joining AEW

  • Alexa Bliss Throws First Pitch At Chicago White Sox Game (Video)

    Alexa Bliss threw the ceremonial first pitch at Sunday\’s Chicago White Sox baseball game at Wrigley Field. She was joined by her fiancé, pop star Ryan Cabrera.

    WWE is currently in Chicago for Monday\’s Raw at the sold-out Allstate Arena.

    Bliss was good luck for Sox, who picked up a 2-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

    Check out this video of Alexa Bliss throwing the ceremonial first pitch at Sunday\’s White Sox game:

    https://twitter.com/whitesox/status/1422021045876404233

  • WWE Announces Ric Flair Has Been Released

    2-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair has been granted his release. The company confirmed the news on Tuesday morning. Contrary to common practice, WWE did not wish him the best in his future endeavors.

    The 16-time World Champion is one of the greatest pro wrestlers of all time. His daughter, Charlotte, remains with the company.

    His most recent on-camera appearance with WWE occurred back in February 2021. He was involved in a romantic storyline with Lacey Evans, who was feuding with Charlotte. The angle was dropped after Evans legitimately became pregnant.

    During an interview with Ariel Helwani back in May, Flair revealed that he and Lacy Evans were both very uncomfortable with the storyline. He was angry about what WWE creative came up with, but went along with the angle in an effort to be a team player.

    Ric Flair issued the following statement regarding his departure from WWE. The Nature Boy says WWE granted his request and there are no hard feelings on his end. \”We have a different vision for my future.\” He\’s not upset and wishes them nothing but continued success.

  • Josh Alexander: I Beat Kenny Omega 99 Times Out Of 100

    X Division Champion Josh Alexander doesn\’t know if he\’ll ever get to face Impact World Champion Kenny Omega, but if he does, he thinks he beats Omega 99 times out of 100.

    SEScoops correspondent Mike Shalik spoke with the Walking Weapon last week about a wide variety of topics, including:

    • How Impact Wrestling has changed since he joined in 2019
    • His vision for the X Division, as champion
    • Injuries in wrestling and how his neck is doing
    • The feeling in the locker room about outside talent appearing in Impact
    • A possible Impact x AEW x New Japan super-show
    • Ambitions to wrestle in Japan

    Josh Alexander vs. Kenny Omega?

    We also asked Josh Alexander about his recent back encounter with Kenny Omega on Impact TV. He says fans blew up his social media at the prospect of this match, but he doesn\’t think Omega would ever agree to fight him. If they did cross paths inside the squared circle, Alexander is convinced he beats the Belt Collector 99 times out of 100.

    \”I do not think Kenny Omega wants to face me,\” he said. \”I don\’t think he has any intention of ever getting in the ring with me. So I think him chirping and saying his little comments like that, that\’s just his way to try to get a rise out of me and everybody else.\”

    Alexander continued, \”It gets people talking and wanting the match. I think my social media blew up more than probably anything ever has before, just in the anticipation for that possibly being a match, so it\’s what people want to see. It\’s good for business and it\’s good for everybody else. I think it\’s something that should happen. whether it does or not, not up to me, unfortunately. If that match ever were to happen, I would bet on me 99 times out of 100.\”

    Check out our full interview with Josh Alexander:

    https://youtu.be/9Q_lAWDE6hI

  • (Spoiler) Big Return Scheduled For Tonight\’s WWE SmackDown

    Sasha Banks is scheduled to return to WWE television at tonight\’s SmackDown from Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Target Center.

    The Boss has been off television since WrestleMania 37 in April, when she dropped the SmackDown Women\’s Championship to Bianca Belair. Banks is returning as part of WWE\’s \”all hands on deck\” build to SummerSlam, according to Pwinsider.

    We\’re just three weeks out from the pay-per-view, which will be held from the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV. Packing the stadium won\’t be easy, so WWE is pulling out all the stops. Aside from Banks and John Cena, Goldberg recently returned to feud with Bobby Lashley and Becky Lynch is expected back soon as well.

    WWE has included Sasha Banks in promotional materials for SummerSlam, so her return is not entirely unexpected.

    \"\"/

    As of this writing, the only match confirmed for WWE SummerSlam is the Triple Threat Raw Women\’s Championship match between Nikki A.S.H, Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair.

    Sasha Banks recently appeared at ESPN\’s ESPY Awards, where she and Bianca Belair won an ESPY for \”Best WWE Moment\” (headlining WrestleMania).

    In addition to Sasha Banks, Cena is advertised to appear tonight as part of his Summer of Cena touring schedule.

    If you\’re in the Minneapolis area, tickets for tonight\’s WWE SmackDown are still available at AXS.com.

  • Strong Demand For AEW Rampage Chicago Pre-Sale

    A ticket pre-sale was held Friday morning for the upcoming AEW Rampage: The First Dance event from Chicago\’s United Center arena on August 20th. Despite the short notice and a saturated market, AEW is looking at another successful showing at the box office.

    AEW sold over 10,000 tickets within a matter of hours. @WrestleTix estimates the production setup will make for a sell-out crowd of around 13,000. It was ambitious, but this will be a packed house.

    AEW Rampage: The First Dance

    The stakes are high for AEW\’s debut at the United Center. The show was announced on Wednesday\’s Dynamite, leaving just three weeks for AEW to sell a respectable amount of seats. It will be the second episode of AEW Rampage, which premieres Friday, August 13th at 10pm (Eastern) on TNT.

    Of course, this is not your typical television taping. Wrestling fans are expecting the highly anticipated debut of CM Punk, based on some not-so-subtle hints by AEW. The United Center is the largest basketball/hockey arena in the United States, so

    Tickets for AEW Rampage: The First Dance go on sale to the general public this coming Monday at Ticketmaster.com.

    Follow @WrestleTix on Twitter and Patreon for more wrestling ticket sales info.

  • John Cena Advertised For WWE\’s Return To MSG After SummerSlam

    John Cena is currently on a collision course with Roman Reigns that will culminate at WWE SummerSlam on Saturday, August 21st. Reigns has yet to formally accept Cena\’s challenge, but the showdown is a foregone conclusion.

    Following Cena\’s surprise return at Money in the Bank, WWE announced John Cena\’s summer schedule. Many fans were delighted to see that Cena\’s return included multiple episodes of Raw and SmackDown, as well as non-televised live events. In total, WWE announced Cena for 15 shows. We\’ve now learned the \”Summer of Cena\” will continue beyond SummerSlam.

    John Cena to the Rescue

    WWE announced on Monday that the 16-time World Champion\’s current run will include a stop at Madison Square Garden on Friday, September 10th.

    Over the weekend, @Wrestletix reported that WWE had sold fewer than 9,000 tickets for the September 10th Smackdown from MSG.

    Early ticket sales were less-than-stellar, which led WWE to make this a \”Super Show\” involving talent from the Raw brand. With John Cena now advertised, WWE should have no problem getting over that 9,000 mark and might be compelled to open additional sections of the Garden, if the demand is there.

  • Thunder Rosa Signs With AEW

    Women\’s wrestling star Thunder Rosa has officially signed with All Elite Wrestling. AEW sent out the customary \”Thunder Rosa is #AllElite\” tweet on Thursday afternoon.

    Thunder Rosa has wrestled for AEW since August 2020, but was not formally signed to a longterm contract.

    The former MMA fighter turned pro wrestler made her Impact Wrestling debut this past weekend at Slammiversary.

    Thunder Rosa issued a statement following the news of her signing. She wrote, \”Never in my life doubt that I would be where I want to be! Today one of the biggest accomplishments in my career has been announced!\”

    Prior to signing with AEW, Thunder Rosa was under contract with the National Wrestling Alliance. The NWA posted a congratulatory message wishing her well in the next chapter of her journey.

    Thunder Rosa joins a flourishing AEW women\’s roster that also includes (Champion) Britt Baker, Hikaru Shida, Penelope Ford, Nyla Rose, Jade Cargill, Tay Conti, Riho, Anna Jay and more.

  • Velveteen Dream\’s Wrestling Return Announced, Then Canceled

    Former WWE Superstar Velveteen Dream (Patrick Clark) was briefly advertised to appear at an upcoming independent wrestling show. He was quickly pulled from the event after \”careful consideration\” by the promoter.

    Dream was released by WWE back in May. The controversial former NXT wrestler had his WWE career derailed after numerous \’sexual misconduct\’ allegations.

    New Jersey-based promotion SWF announced Velveteen Dream would appear at their Home Sweet Home event on September 11th from Toms River, New Jersey. This would have been his return to the public eye.

    Within a matter of hours of Velveteen Dream being advertised for SWF Home Sweet Home, plans changed. SWF owner Rob Fury issued a statement on social media addressing the situation.

    Fury wrote, \”I believe any man can be slandered and have been through other situations in my life unrelated but untrue. After careful consideration, Dream has been removed.\”

    Patrick Clark issued a lengthy statement following his WWE release, which you can read here.

  • Kenny Omega\’s Next Challenger Revealed For Impact World Title

    Kenny Omega retained the Impact World Championship over Sami Calihan this past weekend at Slammiversary.

    The next challenger to Omega Impact title was determined at Monday night\’s television tapings from Nashville, TN. (Spoilers)

    In the final match of the second set of tapings, Brian Myers won a #1 contender\’s battle royal to earn the championship opportunity. This episode of Impact is expected to air Thursday, August 12th on AXS TV.

    Kenny Omega vs. Brian Myers will headline Impact Wrestling\’s next special event, Emergence. Impact has not yet confirmed the date(s) for Emergence, which took place over two weeks last year.

    In the video below, you can see Don Callis and Kenny Omega backstage after Omega\’s title defense from Slammiversary:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLPZSzNoAfg

  • Spoilers: Impact On AXS TV Tapings Results Through Mid-August

    Impact Wrestling held another round of television tapings on Monday night from Nashville, TN. They now have four weeks of TV recorded, so we have a good look at how storylines will play out through mid-August.

    You can find results from Sunday night\’s Impact on AXS tapings here. Those shows will air this Thursday (7/22) and next Thursday (7/29).

    Here are the results from Monday\’s tapings, courtesy of Darryn Simmons and Impact Asylum:

    Impact on AXS Tapings Results
    Airing 8/5

    • Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo and Drama King defeated Chelsea Green and Matt Cardona in a Homecoming tournament match.
    • Decay defeated Rachel Ellering and Tommy Dreamer in a Homecoming tournament match.
    • Eddie Edwards defeated W. Morrissey in a Hardcore Match.
    • Sam Adonis defeated Joessa.
    • Jake Something defeated Daivari, Rohit Raju and Trey Miguel in a 4-Way Match.
    • Chris Bey w/Jay White defeated Juice Robinson w/David Finlay. Afterwards, Jay White presented Bey a Bullet Club shirt and gave him a \”too sweet\” salute.
    • Taylor Wilde defeated Kaleb.
    • Moose defeated Chris Sabin. There was a big brawl to end the show.

    Impact on AXS Tapings Results
    Airing 8/12

    \"Chris
    Chris Bey joins Bullet Club
    • Deonna Purrazzo and Drama King defeated Decay in the Homecoming tournament finals to be crowned Homecoming King and Queen.
    • Tenille Dashwood defeated Taylor Wilde. Dashwood got help from the returning Madison Rayne.
    • Maclin destroys Jah-C.
    • Josh Alexander defeated Daivari.
    • FinJuice picked up a DQ win over Bullet Club\’s Jay White and Chris Bey after White hit Robinson with a chair.
    • John Skyler defeated Matt Cardona after a distraction from Rohit Raju and Mahabali Shera.
    • Homecoming Queen and King Deonna Purrazzo and Drama King came out for a promote. They were interrupted by Mickie James, who has a contract for Deonna Purrazzo to work the upcoming NWA Empowerrr all-women\’s PPV. Deonna refuses to sign it unless she knows her opponent. Mickie then introduces Melina. They signed the contract and the match is on.
    • Brian Myers won a battle royal to earn a World title shot at Kenny Omega at Emergence.

  • STARZ Releases Trailer For Heels, Premiering Aug. 15th (Video)

    STARZ has released an extended trailer for Heels, a new original drama series based on the world of independent pro wrestling.

    Heels premieres Sunday, August 15th at 9pm (Eastern).

    https://youtu.be/dKFfSSXavYc

    Heels stars Stephen Amell as Jack Spade, with Alexander Ludwig playing his younger brother, Ace. STARZ sent in a press release that includes the following synopsis and character overview:

    \”Heels is a story about the men and women who chase their dreams in the world of small town pro wrestling. Set in a close-knit Georgia community, it follows a family-owned wrestling promotion as two brothers and rivals war over their late father’s legacy. In the ring, somebody must play the good guy and somebody must play their nemesis, the heel. But in the real world, those characters can be hard to live up to — or hard to leave behind.

    The drama series also stars Alison Luff as Staci Spade, Jack’s wife who learns that she has to contend with the emotional stakes her in-laws have invested in their wrestling goals and the demands it puts on her family; Mary McCormack as Willie Day, Jack’s business partner and the logistical brains behind the local wrestling organization; Kelli Berglund as Crystal Tyler, Ace’s valet and love interest; Allen Maldonado as Rooster Robbins, one of the best wrestlers in the circuit who always has something to prove and always backs it up; two-time Super Bowl champion James Harrison as Apocalypse, a been-around-the-block journeyman wrestler who’s been at it for decades and has no illusions of fame or glory; and Chris Bauer as Wild Bill Hancock, a larger-than-life former wrestling star who is now a high-level pro wrestling scout.\”

  • AEW Dynamite Headed To Cincinnati, Ohio Following All Out (9/8)

    All Elite Wrestling is headed to Cincinnati, Ohio for the first-time later this summer.

    AEW Dynamite will emanate from Cincinnati\’s Fifth Third Arena on Wednesday, September 8th. This will be a \’PPV fallout\’ week, taking place just three days after the upcoming AEW All Out pay-per-view from Chicago.

    Tickets for AEW Dynamite\’s Cincinnati debut go on sale this Friday at AEWTix.com and start at just $25.

    AEW released this video of Jon Moxley announcing Dynamite is headed to his hometown:

    AEW Dynamite Upcoming Schedule

    The following is an updated look at AEW\’s road to All Out:

    • 7/21: Garland, TX (Fyter Fest: Night 2)
    • 7/28: Charlotte, NC (Fight for the Fallen)
    • 8/4: Jacksonville, FL (Homecoming)
    • 8/11: Pittsburgh, PA
    • 8/18: Houston, TX
    • 8/25: Milwaukee, WI
    • 9/1: Chicago, IL

  • Top AEW Star Ready To Return After Several Months

    Rey Fenix will soon return to action for All Elite Wrestling (AEW), according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

    The high-flying luchador has been sidelined since April with a groin injury. His most recent match was a win over Chuck Taylor on the April 21st edition of Dark: Elevation.

    With Rey Fenix out of action, his partner Penta El Zero Miedo has teamed with PAC and Eddie Kingston. Penta and Kingston recently made a run at the AEW tag titles and even scored a victory over the champions in a non-title match.

    Expect to see the Lucha Bros. and Death Triangle reunited in the weeks ahead – just in time to start a new program with a very tranquilo individual.

    This past week on AEW Dynamite, Andrade El Idolo stated that he\’s looking for Death Triangle (PAC, Pentagon & Fenix). It\’s unknown exactly what Andrade\’s motives are, but we do know Andrade will be at Dynamite next week in hopes of meeting with Death Triangle.

    \"\"/

  • Willie Mack Interview: Impact Slammiversary, Teaming With Rich Swann & More

    SEScoops correspondent Ella Jay recently spoke with Impact Wrestling star Willie Mack to promote this weekend\’s Slammiversary PPV. Mack and Rich Swann are competing in the Tag Title Fatal 4-Way match at the event.

    You can order Impact Wrestling Slammiversary at FITE.TV now for $39.99.

    \"\"/

    Willie Mack SEScoops Interview

    Topics discussed during this 17+ minute discussion include:

    • His strategy for the to win the tag titles at Slammiversary: \”Just look around and start swinging! Whatever hits, hits.\”
    • His partnership with Rich Swann, how they linked up and how their styles mesh
    • How they plan to celebrate if they win the Impact tag titles this weekend
    • The wildest match he\’s ever participated in
    • His pick to win the Ultimate X match at Slammiversary (\”As long as I\’m not in it, I\’m happy.\”)
    • Summer movie picks & more

    Check out Ella Jay\’s full interview with Willie Mack:

  • Nikki Cross Is Now Nikki A.S.H, More New WWE Ring Names

    Several WWE Superstars will be using different ring names moving forward.

    Nikki Cross recently introduced a new super hero character focused on being a good person and inspiring others. She has dropped the name Cross and is now going by Nikki A.S.H. (ALMOST. SUPER. HERO.).

    Her Superstar profile at WWE.com still lists her as Nikki Cross, but that is sure to be updated soon.

    \"\"/

    More Recent Name Changes

    Former Retribution members Reckoning and Slapjack have shed those names and have reverted back to Mia Yim and Shane Thorne, respectively.

    Last week on SmackDown, we saw the main roster debuts of Shotzi Blackheart and Tegan Nox. Nox\’s last name was spared, but Blackheart is now going by simply Shotzi.

    WWE has a long history of renaming wrestlers when they join NXT or get called up to the main roster. Just a few weeks ago, the following Performance Center recruits got new names as well:

    • Harlem Bravado is now Andre Chase
    • Drew and Jacob Kasper are now Brutus and Julius Creed
    • Avery Taylor is now Jacy Jayne

  • (Spoilers) MLW Battle Riot III Results & Live Report

    Major League Wrestling returned Saturday night live from Philadelphia, PA with MLW Battle Riot. SEScoops correspondent Samira was in attendance at the 2300 Arena and interviewed several MLW fighters. We\’ll have videos of those interviews live on the site next week.

    MLW Battle Riot III Results
    Julyl 10, 2021
    Philadelphia, PA (2300 Arena)
    Report by Samira

    MLW kicked off their Battle Riot III show with a moment of silence for the lives that were lost due to COVID-19.

    The first match to start was Anthony Catena vs. Rustin Grundy. The match was very quick with Rustin giving a powerbomb to Catena for the win.

    Next, we had a women\’s match. Brittany Blake vs. Delmi Exo with Ashley Vox ringside. Exo picked up the win by giving a buster to Blake.

    Third match was Budd Heavy, who got a loud chant from the crowd, against Alex Kane. Budd received a powerbomb from Kane, which resulted in Kane winning. Budd had given Kane the finger as he was walking up the ramp, which led to Kane running back in the ring and giving Budd many suplexes. Heavy was then helped backstage by referees.

    KC Navarro, making his MLW debut, went up against Gino Medina. However, Medina hit his \”Eat Defeat\” on Navarro, which resulted with him winning the match.

    Next, Team Filthy came out with Tom Lawlor talking on the microphone about how Kit Osbourne and Kevin Ku were going to defeat the Von Erichs. Marshall and Ross then came out to start the Bunkhouse Brawl Match. The Von Erichs won by pinfall once Marshall did a moonsault from the top rope landing on Ku who was laying on a table.

    Cesar Duran then came out and cut a promo on how he was going to bring Lucha and the Azteca Underground to MLW. Injustice came out asking Duran for a fight when LAX came out, which resulted in a big pop from the crowd. This new LAX consists of Danny Rivera (Limelight) and Slice Boogie. Konnan and Julius Smokes came along with them as well. LAX talked on the microphone for a bit, which then led to a fight between them and Injustice, which led the fight backstage. Cesar then announced there will be a match later and then mentioned the championship match between Jacob Fatu and Matt Cross.

    Next was Lee Moriarty against Calvin Tankman. Tankman picks up the win with his \”Tankman Driver.\” As he walks up the ramp, he is stopped by Alicia Atout, who is with Alex Kane. Atout asks Tankman if he would join the American Hustle, which he responded with \”I\’ll think about it,\” then walked backstage.

    Alicia comes down to the ring, but not with the American Hustle, but with Cesar Duran. They sit down behind the commentators and enjoy some champagne as they watch the next match of Richard Holliday defending his Caribbean Championship against King Muertes. Muertes becomes the new champion. According to Holliday\’s Instagram story, he had to receive stitches in the back of his head after the match.

    National Openweight Champion Alex Hammerstone defended his title against Tom Lawlor. During the match, the crowd had chanted \”Daisy Dukes\” in reference to the very short jean shorts Lawlor was wearing. Lawlor\’s \”Daisy Dukes\” didn\’t help as Hammerstone retained the title.

    The other half of the Sea Stars, Ashley Vox, then went up against Willow Nightingale. Delmi Exo was ringside as the match went on. Nightingale won by pinfall after giving Vox a powerbomb.

    Up next was Davey Richards, making his MLW debut, against TJP. Throughout the whole match, the crowd showed very loudly their dislike for TJP as they had cheered \”TJP sucks\” and \”TJPussy.\” Richards wins his debut match after making TJP submit to an ankle lock.

    We then had LAX versus Injustice. Smokes had come to the ring with LAX, but not Konnan. Rivera picked up the victory for LAX with a roll up. LAX then proceeded to beat up Injustice along with a few referees. Danny then spray painted on one of the members of Injustice chest.

    Arez versus Aramis. Both had some nice high flying moves off the top rope that landed outside of the ring. Aramis won after using his \”3 Seconds Around The World.\” The two shook hands after the match.

    The last singles match of the night was Matt Cross again Jacob Fatu for the MLW World Championship. Fatu retained the title by doing a moonsault off the top rope onto Cross. Cross was then placed in a body bag and taken backstage.

    The last and final match of the evening was the Battle Riot. Among all the 40 entrants, we saw surprises from Savio Vega, Zicky Dice, Kim Chee, and the Blue Meanie. EJ Nduka came in and had eliminated a lot of wrestlers, but then was eliminated by LAX. Fans had believed LA Park had entered, but it turned out to be Tom Lawlor after he was unmasked. He then was eliminated by Marshall Von Erich. Alexander Hammerstone ended up winning the Battle Riot, who then tore up a Contra flag. Jacob Fatu came out wanting to fight, but then walked away. Hammerstone celebrated his victory in the ring.

    MLW Battle Riot will air for free on beIN Sports later this month on July 24th.

  • *Spoiler* Popular Faction Debuts At MLW Battle Riot III

    LAX has arrived in Major League Wrestling.

    During Saturday night\’s MLW Battle Riot III event from Philadelphia, PA, Azteca Underground boss Cesar Duran (formerly Dario Cueto) came out. He was interrupted by Myron Reed and Jordan Oliver of Injustice. This brought out LAX, now comprised of Konnan, Danny Limelight and Slice Boogie.

    SEScoops correspondent Samira is live on site and sent in word that LAX got a huge reaction from the Philly crowd.

    Konnan is a founding member of LAX dating back to the early 2000\’s. Limelight is a fan favorite who has appeared on AEW Dark and Elevation several times over the past few months. He has also appeared on NJPW Strong.

    SEScoops will have full results from MLW Battle Riot III later tonight.

    Here is footage of Cesar Duran introducing LAX, courtesy of John Siino:

    https://twitter.com/CnoEvil/status/1414013021563887619

  • Jim Ross Reveals What He Told Malakai Black After His AEW Debut

    Former WWE Superstar Aleister Black made a surprise debut this past week on AEW Dynamite. Now known as Malakai Black, the Dutch grappler immediately made an impact by taking out Arn Anderson and Cody Rhodes.

    Malakai Black was on WWE\’s payroll just last month. Due to an administrative oversight by WWE, Black only had to sit out for 30 days instead of the standard 90 days.

    AEW broadcaster Jim Ross appeared on Busted Open this week to discuss Black’s newsworthy debut at Road Rager. Ross reveals that he didn\’t know Malakai Black was in the building until he appeared in the ring.

    Ross prefers to learn about surprises like Black\’s debut at the same time the audience does. He likened this to a sports game by sayin, \”I don’t need to know who wins the game until the game is over.\”

    \”I was pleasantly surprised that Malakai Black joined us,\” said Ross. \”I saw him after the show, he shook my hand. I never met him before, he said he was glad to meet me and likewise for me. I said, ‘We’re counting on you. We’re counting on you to play in a big way. Not just come in and be one of the boys, but come in and be one of the stars.’\”

    JR got the impression that Malakai Black had not been spoken to like that in quite some time. He thinks it meant a lot to him and he meant every word of what he said.

    \”I wasn’t trying to blow smoke,\” Ross continued. \”I was just trying to say, you’re a highly regarded piece of talent that we value and we’re happy you’re here. So, now we’re looking for great things. You set the bar high with your debut, now let’s see where we can take you.\”

    Listen to JR\’s comments about Malakai Black in the Tweet embedded below:

  • Bayley Injured, WWE Says She Will Be Out 9 Months

    SmackDown Superstar Bayley will be out of action for the remainder of 2021.

    WWE announced on Friday that Bayley sustained an injury while training for her upcoming \”I Quit\” match against SmackDown Women\’s Champion Bianca Belair at Money in the Bank (7/18).

    Upon asking around sources in WWE, we\’ve heard Bayley is dealing with a knee injury. In an update to this situation, Pwinsider confirms Bayley tore her ACL during a recent training session at the Performance Center.

    With Bayley out of action, a \”suitable replacement\” to challenge Belair at MITB will be named tonight on WWE SmackDown.

    SEScoops wishes Bayley a full and speedy recovery.

    Reactions to Bayley\’s Injury

    Here are some reactions from WWE Superstars and social media:

  • Jimmy Uso DUI Police Report Details Incidents That Led To His Arrest

    WWE Superstar Jimmy Uso was arrested for DUI again this week. His latest arrest for driving under the influence occurred Monday night in Pensacola, FL (Escambia County).

    Uso, real name is Jonathan Fatu, posted $500 bond Tuesday morning and was later released from custody.

    A copy of the police report by arresting officer William Roper, was obtained by EWrestlingNews.com and can be seen below. The report details Uso running a red light, getting pulled over and showing multiple signs of intoxication from alcohol.

    [ STATEMENT OF PROBABLE CAUSE / NARRATIVE ]

    On 07-05-2021, at approximately 2235 hours, I was running radar in the area of Garden Street and I Street in my marked patrol vehicle. While running radar I observed a white Dodge Charger with FL [license plate redacted] traveling east on Garden Street in the inner lane. I measured the vehicle going 50mph. While catching up to the vehicle I observed the vehicle run the red light at Garden Street and A Street.

    Due to the above listed circumstances, I conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle near the intersection of Garden Street and Rues Street. I approached the vehicle and made contact with the driver, later identified as Johnathan Fatu, and smelled the odor of an alcoholic beverage. After identifying Fatu I returned to the vehicle and asked Fatu to get out of the vehicle. Fatu exited the vehicle and walked to the rear of the vehicle, swaying. I asked Fatu if he had consumed any alcohol that night, to which he advised [redacted]. During my investigation I observed the following signs of impairment:

    Strong smell of alcoholic beverage

    Due to the above observed circumstances I requested Fatu submit to SFST’s, which he agreed to.

    Fatu and Officer Leach #178 walked to the parking lot of 315 W Garden Street (Everman’s) where I performed the SFSTs.

    During the HGN Fatu was unable to keep his head still, and I observed multiple signs of nystagmus. Fatu had difficulty maintaining balance, and had difficulty in performing the Walk and Turn. During the one legged stand Fatu was unable to maintain balance, and placed his foot down multiple times.

    Due to the above circumstances I placed Fatu under arrest for DUI.

    Fatu was requested to submit to a lawful test of his breath to determine his alcohol content. He refused to answer and Implied Consent was read. Fatu agreed to give a lawful test of breath after being read Implied Consent.

    I transported Fatu back to the Pensacola Police Department where Officer Martinez #201, as a licensed Breath Test Operator, performed the lawful test of Fatu’s Breath. Fatu’s breath tests resulted with a .202 and a .205.

    Fatu was issued a DUI citation AD4ELPE

    Fatu was issued Uniform Traffic Citations ADN9ZPE (Speeding) and ADN9ZQE (Ran red light.)

    Fatu’s vehicle was secured and left, legally parked, on Garden Street eastbound near the intersection of Garden Street and Rues Street.

    Fatu was transported to the Escambia County Jail.

    My department issued body camera, and in car camera were activated during this investigation.

  • AEW Road Rager Preview from Miami: Andrade Debuts, Tag Title Match

    Tonight marks the beginning of a new chapter for All Elite Wrestling. For the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, AEW hits the road for a special edition of AEW Dynamite from Miami, Florida.

    AEW presents Road Rager tonight on TNT. The event will feature the in-ring debut of Andrade El Idolo, the Young Bucks defending the AEW World Tag Team Championships, an Inner Circle vs. Pinnacle 6-man tag match and much more.

    Here is the full lineup for tonight\’s AEW Road Rager edition of Dynamite:

    • AEW Tag Team Championship Match:
      The Young Bucks vs. Penta El Zero M and Eddie Kingston
    • Mixed Tag Team Match:
      Orange Cassidy and Kris Statlander vs. The Bunny and The Blade
    • South Beach Strap Match:
      Cody Rhodes vs. QT Marshall
    • Andrade El Idolo vs. Matt Sydal
    • Maxwell Jacob Friedman and Chris Jericho go face-to-face
    • The Inner Circle (Santana, Ortiz, and Jake Hager) vs. The Pinnacle (Wardlow and FTR)

    Ahead of tonight\’s broadcast, check out AEW\’s latest Road To special previewing Road Rager:

  • MLW Launching Women\’s Division This Summer

    Major League Wrestling (MLW) is launching a women\’s division this summer.

    This announcement comes just days ahead of MLW\’s big return to a sold-out 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA this Saturday night.

    According to MLW, legendary promoter Dave Prazak (founder of SHIMMER) will spearhead this new initiative.

    Prazak had this to say about the launch of MLW\’s women\’s division:

    “During my twenty-five years working in the sport thus far, I’ve had the opportunity to serve in a number of different capacities, for many companies which have focused on different types of professional wrestling. It is that variety of styles, and the right mix of different elements which makes me most excited to join the team at Major League Wrestling.\”

    He added, \”Having focused greatly on the promotion of women’s wrestling over the years, I value the chance to assist some very deserving SHIMMER athletes in receiving opportunities to grow by entering the MLW ranks.\”

  • Darby Allin Denies He Is Appearing In \’Jackass Forever\’ Movie

    AEW star Darby Allin denies he\’s appearing in the upcoming movie Jackass Forever, due out October 22nd.

    Multiple outlets have listed Allin as a cast member, but the former TNT Champion says that\’s not the case.

    The Jackass movies are a continuation of the popular MTV series Jackass (2000-2002), which featured a group of friends performing a variety of dangerous (and disgusting) stunts.

    Jackass 4 will reunite the Jackass gang one more time, including Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Jason ‘Wee Man’ Acuña, Chris Raab, Ehren McGhehey, Dave England, and Preston Lacy.

    Jeff Tremaine will return to direct the fourth Jackass movie, with Tremaine, Spike Jones, Knoxville, and Steve-O serving as producers.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CGi5TSLJavX/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=208b8936-2009-4d1d-8c02-2593d9016750

    Guest appearances by extreme sports legends Tony Hawk and Matt Hoffman, comedian Eric Andre, UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and basketball great (and AEW part-timer) Shaquille O\’Neil.

    Jackass is rooted in skateboard culture and Darby Allin\’s love of skating is well-documented. The former TNT Champion is friends with members of the extended Jackass family, with Steve-O and Tony Hawk both appearing on AEW Dynamite in some of Allin\’ segments.