SEScoops

Author: Mike Reichlin

  • Ridge Holland Injury Update: Gruesome Post-Surgery Photos

    NXT star Ridge Holland has checked in with an injury update and it\’s not pretty.

    Holland (real name Luke Menzies) has been out of action since October, when he suffered a series of injuries during a match against Oney Lorcan on NXT TV.

    During a spot that saw Lorcan dive to the outside of the ring onto Holand, the former professional rugby star fractured his left ankle. He also suffered a right knee patella dislocation and patellar tendon rupture. He was hospitalized and underwent multiple operations to repair the damage.

    You can see WWE\’s coverage of Ridge Holland\’s injuries from this October 2020 NXT Injury Report:

    Ridge Holland Update

    Ridge Holland posted several photos of his legs to social media on Tuesday morning. He did not provide a caption, so it\’s unknown when they were taken.

    The photos reveal the extent of Ridge Holland\’s injuries. We wish him a full and speedy recovery.

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  • NXT Preview: Lumis vs. Knight, Sarray Debuts, O\’Reilly Returns


    WWE returns to the Capitol Wrestling Center tonight with an all-new episode of NXT on the USA Network.

    The top match advertised for this week\’s show is Dexter Lumis squaring off against LA Knight. WWE has released the following video hyping the bout:

    NXT fans will also see:

    • The debut of Japanese wrestling star Sarray, formerly known as Sareee. The WWE Nickname Generator 3000 has blessed her with the nickname, \”The Warrior of The Sun.\”
    • A championship celebration for the new undisputed WWE Cruiserweight Champion, Kushida.
    • Kyle O’Reilly returns to NXT TV for the first time since defeating Adam Cole at Takeover: Stand and Deliver.

    All this and more go down in just a matter of hours. Check back later tonight for our NXT Results and Takeaways.

    Visit our NXT News page for all the latest articles about WWE\’s black and gold brand.

  • MLW To Make Special Announcement Tonight at 9PM (Eastern)

    Major League Wrestling is set to make a major announcement Monday night at 9pm (Eastern) on the MLW YouTube Channel.

    No further details have been made public as of this writing. However, all signs point to the fight league landing a national television deal.

    MLW boss Court Bauer has been touting that MLW was on the verge of blowing people away with what they\’ve got cooked up.

    https://twitter.com/courtbauer/status/1371966671519428609?

    Earlier this month, Bauer indicated that the paperwork was signed.

    https://twitter.com/courtbauer/status/1380251831331340291

    Check back later tonight for the big reveal of the MLW special announcement.

  • Triller Purchases FITE PPV Streaming Platform

    TrillerNet has announced the acquisition of PPV streaming platform FITE. The following press release was sent in to SEScoops:

    TrillerNet Acquires Premier Live Event and PPV, SVOD, AVOD and Streaming Platform FITE, Taking Major Next Step in Building Global Content Ecosystem

    Will Use FITE’s Worldwide Platform to Expand Triller Fight Club and Develop Premium Four-Quadrant Entertainment and Lifestyle Content

    LOS ANGELES (April 14, 2021) —— TrillerNet (aka Triller Hold Co LLC), parent company of the global AI-driven short video social app Triller, today announced it has acquired FITE, the premier global live-event and Pay-Per-View, SVOD and AVOD and streaming platform for sports and entertainment.

    The deal gives Triller a major foothold in the live-event PPV and streaming space, greatly expanding the reach of Triller’s fast-growing AI-powered content and distribution ecosystem and allowing the company to continue to invest in new lifestyle and entertainment programming.

    “FITE has been a fantastic partner, and the synergy between the two businesses and teams was clear from day one,” said Bobby Sarnevesht, Chairman and Co-owner of Triller, and Ryan Kavanaugh, Co-owner of Triller, jointly. “With our acquisition of FITE, we bring into TrillerNET their stellar technology, valuable customer and content partner base, and one of the most experienced executive teams in this space. The deal represents our ambitions to not only expand Triller Fight Club and grow FITE’s distribution relationships, but also to reimagine what, how and when premium music, sports and entertainment is delivered to today’s audiences.”

    “Triller has an exceptionally visionary executive team that is revolutionizing the world of sports and entertainment. We are very excited to be a part of and play a role in this process,” said Kosta Jordanov, FITE Co-Founder and CEO. “As part of the TrillerNet, FITE will become the exclusive global digital distributor of all Triller Fight Club events going forward, and this content relationship is planned to expand in exciting new ways. We will continue to work with and serve all our content partners, and we look forward to bringing Triller’s significant user base and promotional clout to all the major events we carry on the FITE platform.”

    Triller is used by musicians, athletes, digital talent and other culture-setters and serves hundreds of millions of fans worldwide while also providing specialized opportunities for major brands across music, sports, entertainment, fashion and pop culture. The addition of FITE is a key strategic addition as Triller seeks to capture the burgeoning ‘culture graph,’ the next generation of creators and users leading the move to Internet 3.0.

    “With over 10 million users, FITE is the perfect long-form platform for Triller to continue releasing its cultural content spanning fighting, sports, fashion, music and pop culture,” added Ryan Kavanaugh. “We have officially completed our 360-degree content engine with this acquisition.”

    The FITE acquisition is the latest major move for TrillerNet, which on March 9 acquired leading live-music streaming platform Verzuz, the popular live streaming music platform founded by music stars Swizz Beats and Timbaland. TrillerNet also owns Triller Flight Club, a live-event platform in partnership with Snoop Dogg that reimagines boxing as four-quadrant entertainment, and TrillerTV, a long-form content streaming platform with more than 65 original half-hour digital series from trendsetters such as Jennifer Lopez, The D’Amelio Family, 2 Chainz, Jake Paul, Perez Hilton and others.

    With over 10 million users and 4 million registered sports and entertainment fans, FITE has streamed over 5,000 live events over the past 5 years. FITE’s partners include the most elite combat sports brands including Top Rank, AEW, PBC, ONE Championship, WWE, Impact, Golden Boy Promotions, and Matchroom Boxing. FITE has one of the industry’s most scalable and reliable live digital streaming capabilities, a large loyal audience for premium events, and content relationships with over 300 sports rights holders across 5 continents. In collaboration with its partners, FITE has already streamed the biggest names in combat sports, including Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Mike Tyson, Tyson Fury, Canelo Alvarez, Gennady Golovkin, Roy Jones Jr., Deontay Wilder, Terance Crawford, Errol Spence Jr., Teofimo Lopez and Vasyl Lomachenko among hundreds of others as well as the boxing matches of YouTube celebrities KSI, Logan Paul, and Jake Paul. The investors in FITE include Earlybird Digital East, LAUNCHub Ventures, Tim Draper, and BrightCap who have now joined the list of investors in Triller.  

  • NXT Preview: Loaded Lineup For Tonight\’s Tuesday Premiere

    Tonight marks a new chapter for NXT, as WWE\’s black and gold brand moves to Tuesdays.

    Several new champions were crowned at Takeover: Stand and Deliver. Karrion Kross is the new NXT Champion. Raquel Gonzales is the NXT Women\’s Champion. MSK now hold NT\’s tag team titles and Santos Escobar is the undisputed cruiserweight champ.

    WWE has announced the following items for NXT:

    • NXT Champion Karrion Kross will open the show.
    • We\’ll hear from new NXT Women’s Champion, Raquel Gonzalez.
    • NXT Tag Team Champions MSK will face Drake Maverick & Killian Dain
    • Undisputed NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar has issued an Open Challenge.

    Franky Monet, who appears to be former Impact Knockouts Champion Taya Valkyrie, debuts

    We\’ll see footage from what happened after Kyle O’Reilly and Adam Cole’s unsanctioned match at Stand & Deliver.

    • Leon Ruff will face Isaiah “Swerve” Scott

    The Way (Johnny Gargano, Austin Theory, Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell) will face Bronson Reed, Dexter Lumis, and NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon in an 8-person mixed tag team match.

  • Full Details On WWE Documentary, \’Superfan: The Story of Vladimir\’

    WWE has recognized Vladimir Abouzeide as the company\’s first-ever officially-certified \”Superfan.\” Abouzeide was honored with a plaque this past weekend at WrestleMania:

    In addition to this superfan plaque, Abouzeide will be the subject of a WWE Network Documentary airing this summer on Peacock.

    Superfan: The Story of Vladimir

    Here is WWE\’s official announcement for the the upcoming documentary, Below are more details on the documentary, Superfan: The Story of Vladimir.

    This summer, WWE Network Documentaries will shine a light not on a famous Superstar or Legend of the ring, but on one of WWE’s most devoted fans.

    You might not know Vladimir Abouzeide by name, but to any longtime viewer, his face is almost as recognizable as Shawn Michaels’ or John Cena’s.

    That’s because for more than 30 years, Abouzeide — the subject of the upcoming documentary, Superfan: The Story of Vladimir — was a fixture at ringside in WWE’s home arena of Madison Square Garden. Anytime a wrestling ring was erected inside MSG, you could count on Abouzeide being in the front row, a grin spread ear-to-ear as he cheered on his favorite Superstars and gave the business to the rest.

    It was there in October 1986 that “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, during an edition of “Piper’s Pit,” invited Abouzeide into the ring to lend his opinion on which Superstar Hot Rod should team with against Paul Orndorff and Harley Race. Excitedly, Abouzeide leapt onto the apron and declared, “Hulk Hogan,” causing his fellow fans to erupt in approval. With that, the match was made.

    “[Vladimir] carved himself a niche of popularity among the Garden faithful by showing his support for the Superstars who appeared in the World’s Most Famous Arena,” late WWE Hall of Fame announcer Howard Finkel wrote in a 2015 article about WWE’s most famous fans.

    Abouzeide’s domain spanned beyond 4 Pennsylvania Plaza in the Big Apple, beyond even the New York metropolitan area at large. Over the years, he could be spotted in the crowd at dozens, perhaps hundreds, of WWE pay-per-views and TV shows, like sports-entertainment’s more conspicuous version of “Where’s Waldo?”

    “I felt like he was at just about every show that I watched,” Sam Roberts says in the newly released Superfan trailer, echoing the sentiment of eagle-eyed WWE fans around the world.

    Indeed, Abouzeide’s omnipresence turned him into a celebrity of sorts to fans and Superstars alike — Diesel greeted him by name as he strode down the aisle at WrestleMania XII, held in Anaheim, Calif. — but it also sparked intrigue. How was one man able to attend so many events, let alone always be in the front row? Did he have an inside connection to the company?

    Superfan: The Story of Vladimir, which features interviews with Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Jimmy Hart, WWE executive Bruce Prichard and others, tackles these questions and more as it formally introduces Abouzeide to the WWE Universe for the first time.

    The culmination of more than two years of filming, the documentary also examines the profound effect that the Covid-19 pandemic — which brought live-event attendance to a standstill in early 2020 — has had on Abouzeide.

    “The relationship that Vladimir has with WWE, it’s part of his moral fiber,” Jeff Jarrett says in the Superfan trailer. “It is part of his identity, and that was taken away.”

    After many months of not attending WWE events, Abouzeide finally returned at this year’s WrestleMania, where he not only took in The Show of Shows live and in-person but was even recognized by Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, as he was presented with a plaque and named WWE’s first Official Superfan.

    Don’t miss Superfan: The Story of Vladimir when it debuts this summer, streaming exclusively on Peacock in the U.S. and on WWE Network everywhere else. Keep an eye on WWE Network social channels in the coming months for details on the documentary’s premiere date.

  • Bianca Belair Talks About Her Emotional Experience at WrestleMania

    Bianca Belair made history this past weekend at WWE WrestleMania. The 2021 Women\’s Royal Rumble winner defeated Sasha Banks to become the new SmackDown Women\’s Champion.

    It was an emotional weekend for the the 32-year-old champion. Bianca Belair spoke with SportsKeeda about her WrestleMania experience, including what it was like arriving to the stadium on Saturday, working with Sasha Banks and much more.

    \”I was just overcome with all types of emotion,\” Belair said. \”Just the fact that we were at WrestleMania. It was the main event. We were at the main event of WrestleMania and we were creating history. When I looked across at Sasha Banks, I couldn’t help but smile. I know that we were both fighting for a title, but it was… This moment, it was more than just about me. It was more than just about Sasha. It was more than just about us.”

    Bianca Belair\’s Emotional Weekend

    Belair said they got to the stadium around 1pm on Saturday. She could feel the anticipation building until that moment that she and Sasha Banks were across the ring from one another. \”To finally be in that moment and just stand in that moment and be able to hear the fans. We haven’t had fans for over a year. To be able to finally hear the fans and hear them chanting EST and Boss. It was just an amazing feeling. I was overcome with emotion. It was just overwhelming.\”

    She is grateful that she got a chance to make history with Sasha Banks and says \”The Boss\” elevates everyone that she works with.

    \”She definitely elevated me last night and I am forever grateful to her for that,\” said Belair. \”But we’re still going to be fighting it out because I have something that she wants now.\”

  • Dark Side Of The Ring Season 3 Premieres May 6th (Trailer)

    Dark Side of the Ring season three is set to premiere in just over a month.

    Vice TV\’s hit series about the seedy underbelly of the pro wrestling industry returns for a third season on Thursday, May 6th at 9pm (EST).

    Vice has released the official trailer the 14-episode season.

    Topics shown in the trailer include Brian Pillman, Nick Gage, Collision In Korea, Ultimate Warrior, Grizzly Smith and Dynamite Kid.

    According to Dark Side Executive Producer & co-creator Evan Husney, the season premiere focusing on Brian Pillman\’s story will be a 2-hour special.

    https://twitter.com/evanhusney/status/1380248030755090439

    Dark Side Of the Ring Season 3 Topics

    The updated list of confirmed topics for Dark Side of the Ring Season 3 is below:

    • Brian Pillman (Season Premiere)
    • FMW (Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling)
    • XPW (Xtreme Pro Wrestling)
    • Nick Gage
    • WCW/NJPW Collision In Korea 1995
    • The Smith Family (Grizzly Smith, Sam Houston, Rockin’ Robin & Jake “The Snake” Roberts)
    • Ion Croitoru (a.k.a. Bruiser Bedlam, Johnny K-9)
    • Chris Kanyon
    • Dynamite Kid
    • The Plane Ride From Hell
    • The Ultimate Warrior

  • WWE Video Game Announcement To Be Made During WrestleMania 37

    Wrestling fans will be glued to Peacock and the WWE Network this weekend for all the WrestleMania 37 festivities.

    According to the @WWEGames Twitter account, we can also expect announcement regarding the WWE 2K video game franchise.

    The annual WWE 2K video game franchise was put on hold after the disastrous release of WWE 2K20 back in 2019. The game was plagued with bugs and was widely panned by critics. It was so bad that WWE 2K21 was scrapped entirely.

    WWE 2K went in a completely different direction with 2020\’s WWE Battlegrounds release, an arcade-style grappler.

    WWE\’s video game division has had two years to rethink the WWE 2K series. It appears we\’ll get first details about WWE 2K22 in just a matter of days during WrestleMania 37.

  • AEW Dynamite Preview: Omega & Good Brothers vs. Moxley & Young Bucks


    All Elite Wrestling returns tonight with an all-new episode of AEW Dynamite on TNT. This is the final battle of the Wednesday Night War, as NXT moves to Tuesday nights next week.

    NXT will have Night 1 of Takeover: Stand & Deliver, so AEW has some stiff competition. That said, AEW has a big lineup announced, including the return of boxing legend \”Iron\” Mike Tyson:

    Dynamite Preview for April 7th

    \"\"/

    In addition to whatever AEW has planned with Mike Tyson, the following matches are set for Dynamite:

    • AEW World Champion Kenny Omega and The Good Brothers will take on Jon Moxley and World Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks.
    • TNT Champion Darby Allin defending against JD Drake
    • Hangman Page faces Max Caster of The Acclaimed.
    • Jurassic Express vs. Bear Country
    • Tay Conti vs. The Bunny

    Plus, we\’ll get the latest from the Inner Circle after their surprise return and beatdown of the Pinnacle last week.

    Join us here later tonight for our AEW Dynamite Results & Takeaways. Until then, check out our AEW News page.

  • CM Punk: \”Vince McMahon Isn\’t Afraid Of AEW At All\”

    Two decades after putting WCW out of business, WWE finally has legitimate competition in All Elite Wrestling. For all of AEW\’s success up to this point, CM Punk does not believe Vince McMahon is losing any sleep over Tony Khan\’s promotion.

    Punk recently spoke with TMZ Sports and was asked about was asked about Chris Jericho appearing on Steve Austin\’s Broken Skull Sessions this weekend.

    CM Punk thinks it\’s \”interesting\” that WWE is allowing an AEW contracted wrestler to appear on the WWE Network. He understands why the booking is getting buzz from fans online. He will probably tune in, but he does not expect any hard-hitting questions. \”Maybe I\’ll give it a shot and watch it, but it feels like it\’s going to be softball questions,\” said Punk. \”I don\’t if they\’re going to ask Jericho all the tough questions and nor do I think that they possibly should… I\’m sure they\’ll mention AEW, but they won\’t get into the hard questions that I think people are interested in.\”

    Vince McMahon Isn\’t Scared of AEW

    Many wrestling pundits have speculated about Vince McMahon\’s motivation to put a spotlight on Chris Jericho at this time. Whatever his rationale, CM Punk sees this as an alpha move by Vince and a sign that he\’s not concerned about AEW.

    \”Honestly, my knee-jerk reaction and opinion is that I think it shows Vince McMahon isn\’t afraid of AEW at all,\” he said. \”If he was, he wouldn\’t allow that to happen.\”

    Punk feels that wrestling has evolved and the old rules no longer apply. There was a time where it would be considered a foolish move to allow one of your performers to appear on another company\’s airwaves. That rational was, \’AEW is the only place you can see Chris Jericho.\’ Allowing him to appear on the WWE Network would hypothetically dilute his drawing power. However, it\’s a new age and both companies need all the buzz they can get.

    Chris Jericho\’s appearance on Steve Austin\’s Broken Skull Sessions premieres this Sunday, April 11th on the Peacock streaming service.

  • Updated Betting Odds For WWE WrestleMania: New Champions Expected

    WWE WrestleMania 37 is just a few days away. For the second consecutive year, WWE\’s biggest event of the year will take place over two nights.

    Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida will play host to WrestleMania this Saturday and Sunday, April 10th and 11th.

    The matches are set and wrestling fans are placing bets on their expected winners. Online betting site Bet Online has published updated betting odds for the top matches at WrestleMania. While these odds should not be considered outright spoilers, they are often pretty accurate in predicting match results.

    Saturday, April 10th, 2021

    • Drew McIntyre is favored (-200) to defeat WWE Champion Bobby Lashley (+150)
    • Bianca Belair is favored (-300) to defeat SmackDown Women\’s Champion Sasha Banks (+200)
    • AJ Styles & Omos are favored (-300) to defeat Raw Tag Team Champions The New Day (+200)
    • Braun Strowman is favored (-500) to defeat Shane McMahon (+300)
    • Cesaro is favored (-200) to defeat Seth Rollins (+150)
    • Bad Bunny is is heavily favored (-850) to defeat The Miz (+450)

    Sunday, Apr 11, 2021 – WWE – WrestleMania

    • Edge is favored (+115) is a slight favorite to defeat Universal Champion Roman Reigns (+150) and Daniel Bryan (+200)
    • Rhea Ripley is favored (-400) to defeat Asuka (+250)
    • Apollo Crews and Intercontinental Champion Big E are even
    • Rey & Dominik Mysterio are favorites (-300) over Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode (+200)
    • Kevin Owens is favored (-250) to defeat Sami Zayn (+170)
    • The Fiend is a heavy favorite (-950) to beat Randy Orton (+500)

    First Look At WrestleMania 37 Stage Construction (Drone Video)

  • WWE Hall Of Fame: Notes & Photos From Ceremony Tapings

    WWE filmed the 2021 Hall of Fame Induction ceremony on Tuesday at Tropicana Field in St. Petersberg, Florida. Additional footage will be shot today, with post-production to continue in the days ahead.

    This is one of the final WWE events at Tropicana Field before the ThunderDome moves to Tampa’s Yuengling Center on 4/12.

    The WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony airs next Tuesday, April 6th at 8pm (Eastern) on the Peacock streaming service.

    This year\’s event will feature inductees from the Class of 2020 and the Class of 2021. Last year\’s ceremony was canceled due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

    Inductees present at the tapings include the Bella Twins, nWo members Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash & Sean Waltman, the family of the late Davey Boy Smith, JBL and Titus O\’Neil (receiving the Warrior Award). Many of the 2021 inductees were not present, including Rob Van Dam, Kane, the Great Khali, Eric Bischoff and Molly Holly.

    WWE Hall of Famer Jerry \”The King\” Lawler served as the event host.

    The 2021 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony will not feature inductor speeches. Inductee speeches will be limited to 4-5 minutes each, as discussed by the Bella Twins last week:

    WWE Hall of Fame Photos

    Several WWE personalities shared photos from the ceremony on social media:

  • Andrade Posts Photo Of Himself Signing… Something

    Free agent Andrade is making moves.

    The former NXT Champion was granted his release from WWE last month. Soon after, we learned that he is free to wrestle anywhere and is not subject to WWE\’s common 90-day non-compete clause.

    On Friday, Andrade posted a photo of himself about to sign a piece of paper. The paper appears blank, but the post implies he\’s made a decision about the next chapter of his career. He included the caption, \”New Beginnings!\” and the hashtag, #TheWorldIsMine.

    Andrade\’s significant other, Charlotte Flair, replied that she\’s proud of him. This is another indication that whatever he\’s signing is significant.

    Andrade\’s Next Move

    Andrade spoke with Mas Luchas after his WWE release. He\’s open to reuniting with former Los Ingobernables partners RUSH or La Mascara. He also likes the idea of remaining a singles act. He\’s had talks with various companies based out of Mexico, but is not interested in signing a contract to wrestle there full time.

  • Peacock Unveils WrestleMania Week Programming Schedule

    Peacock has sent in the full programming schedule for WrestleMania week:

    WrestleMania Week on Peacock is filled with live events, all-new episodes and specials beginning this Monday, April 5.

    Highlights include the premiere of WWE Chronicle: Edge, new episodes of The Best of WWE celebrating WrestleMania history, NXT TakeOver Night 1 and 2 and the WWE Hall of Fame. The week will culminate with WrestleMania, the two-night pop culture extravaganza streaming exclusively on Peacock on Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11 at 8 pm ET.

    The WWE Network channel on Peacock will stream the live WrestleMania Watch Along both Saturday and Sunday night for free.

    WrestleMania Week Schedule on Peacock & WWE Network

    MONDAY, APRIL 5

    • The Best of WWE: Best of WrestleMania in the 1990s
    • Raw Talk – Streaming LIVE at 11 p.m. ET

    TUESDAY, APRIL 6

    • Prime Target: Cole vs. O’Reilly
    • Making WWE: Jason Robinson
    • The Best of WWE: Best of WrestleMania in the 2000s
    • WWE Hall of Fame 2020 and 2021 Induction Ceremonies – Streaming LIVE at 8 p.m. ET

    WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7

    • The Best of WWE: Best of WrestleMania in the 2010s
    • WWE’s The Bump – Streaming LIVE at 10 a.m. ET.
    • Special Presentation: NXT TakeOver Night 1 Pre-Show– Streaming LIVE at 7 p.m. ET
    • Special Presentation: NXT TakeOver Night 1– Streaming LIVE at 8 p.m. ET

    THURSDAY, APRIL 8

    • WWE NXT UK Prelude
    • This Week in WWE
    • Special Presentation: NXT TakeOver Night 2 Pre-Show– Streaming LIVE at 7 p.m. ET
    • Special Presentation: NXT TakeOver Night 2– Streaming LIVE at 8 p.m. ET

    FRIDAY, APRIL 9

    • The Best of WWE: Best of WrestleMania Main Events
      – 205 Live – Streaming LIVE at 10 p.m. ET

    SATURDAY, APRIL 10

    • EVOLVE 8
    • ICW Fight Club 167
    • wXw We Love Wrestling #6
    • PROGRESS Chapter 108
    • Talking Smack
    • WWE Chronicle: Edge
    • WWE’s The Bump – Streaming LIVE at 1 p.m. ET.
    • WrestleMania Kickoff Night 1 – Streaming LIVE at 7 p.m. ET
    • WrestleMania Night 1 – Streaming LIVE at 8 p.m. ET
    • WrestleMania Night 1 Watch Along – Streaming LIVE at 8 p.m. ET

    SUNDAY, APRIL 11

    • Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions
    • WWE’s The Bump – Streaming LIVE at 1 p.m. ET
    • WrestleMania Kickoff Night 2 – Streaming LIVE at 7 p.m. ET
    • WrestleMania Night 2 – Streaming LIVE at 8 p.m. ET
    • WrestleMania Night 2 Watch Along – Streaming LIVE at 8 p.m. ET

  • Steve Austin Reveals Vince McMahon\’s Role In Chris Jericho on Broken Skull Sessions

    Chris Jericho has been announced as the next guest on Steve Austin\’s Broken Skull Sessions interview show on Peacock and the WWE Network. The episode premieres Sunday, April 11th – \”WrestleMania Sunday.\”

    The news of an AEW-contracted talent appearing on WWE programming has sent shockwaves throughout the industry. The Texas Rattlesnake recently spoke to Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated about how it all came together.

    According to Austin, Chris Jericho reached out to him after watching The Undertaker\’s appearance on Broken Skull Sessions. Jericho told Austin he really enjoyed the show, which eventually led to Austin inviting Jericho to be a guest.

    “We got to talking,\” Austin said of Jericho. \”I’ve always respected the hell out of his career, and I’m glad they’re around—it gives the guys and girls in professional wrestling more places to work. I said, ‘I’d love to have you on the show.’ And he said he’d love to do it.\”

    Vince McMahon Gives The Thumbs Up

    Of course, everything runs through WWE boss Vince McMahon. Austin says he texted Vince about having Jericho on the show. McMahon replied, \”It\’s cool. Go ahead.\”

    Austin was surprised Vince was so receptive to Jericho appearing on the show, so he followed up to double-check. He asked Vince, \”are you sure it\’s ok?\” and Vince replied with a thumbs-up emoji.

    They cleared the appearance with Tony Khan and the rest is history. Jericho flew out to record with Steve Austin and \”no topic will be off limits.\”

    “We go into everything,” says Austin. \”Jericho is one of the all-time greats, and it’s going to be cool to have someone from AEW on a WWE show. To bottom line it, I’m excited for people to watch this show.\”

  • Chris Jericho Appearing On Steve Austin\’s Broken Skull Sessions (4/11)

    Chris Jericho will be the next guest on Steve Austin\’s Broken Skull Sessions. The episode premieres next Sunday, April 11th on Peacock and the WWE Network.

    You read that correctly: AEW star Chris Jericho returns to the WWE programming for an all-new interview with former rival, \”Stone Cold\” Steve Austin.\”

    Steve Austin replied, \”Hell Yeah!!!\” to the WWE Network\’s announcement. You can see a video teaser of Chris Jericho and Steve Austin sitting down together in the tweeted embedded below.

    WWE, AEW & The Forbidden Door

    All Elite Wrestling has been at the forefront of \’opening forbidden doors\’ over the past several months. The promotion has changed the wrestling landscape by its open borders policy with other companies such as Impact Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling.

    Chris Jericho appearing on the WWE Network while under contract to AEW is a surreal development that is sure to draw viewers during WrestleMania weekend.

    Steve Austin has creative freedom with his Broken Skull Sessions interview show, so it will be interesting to see what hot-button topics are discussed. Austin and Jericho have been friends going back to the late 1990\’s, so there will be plenty to talk about. Both men are also podcast hosts and highly entertaining personalities, all-but-guaranteeing this will be an interview that wrestling fan\’s can\’t miss.

  • MLW Never Say Never Preview: Jacob Fatu vs. Calvin Tankman

    Major League Wrestling presents MLW: Never Say Never tonight on Youtube and other streaming platforms. The main event will see the Samoan Werewolf Jacob Fatu defending against #1 contender Calvin Tankman.

    The following matches are confirmed for this epic broadcast:

    • MLW World Heavyweight Champion Jacob Fatu vs. Calvin Tankman
    • Myron Reed vs. Daivari
    • Grudge Match: Simon Gotch vs. Jordan Oliver

    Also scheduled to appear are Alex Hammerstone, Richard Holliday, Alicia Atout and more.

    Renowned play-by-play man Ray Flores joins the MLW broadcast team for Never Say Never. For more on his impressive resume, visit MLW.com.

    https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1377221887835529218

    Check out this Tale of the Tape feature for the Fatu vs. Tankman main event:

  • Previews For Tonight\’s AEW Dynamite NXT On USA

    It\’s Wednesday and you know what that means.

    We are in the final weeks of the Wednesday Night War between AEW Dynamite and NXT. After 17 months of head-to-head competition, NXT has two more Wednesday night shows before it moves to Tuesdays starting April 13th.

    Next week\’s NXT on USA will be Night 1 of NXT Takeover: Stand & Deliver, so tonight is actually the last \’regular\’ episode of NXT on Wednesday nights.

    NXT on USA Preview

    • Roderick Strong vs. Cameron Grimes
    • Tian Sha vs. Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter
    • – Battle Royal to Determine Gauntlet Eliminator Participants: Austin Theory, Dexter Lumis, Jake Atlas, Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, Leon Ruff, Tyler Rust, Kushida, Bronson Reed, Roderick Strong, Cameron Grimes, LA Knight, Pete Dunne

    Catch up on the Top 10 moments from last week\’s NXT:

    AEW Dynamite on TNT Preview

    The following items are scheduled for tonight\’s AEW Dynamite:

    • AEW World Champion Kenny Omega & The Good Brothers vs. The Lucha Bros & Laredo Kid
    • Christian Cage makes his AEW in-ring debut against Frankie Kazarian
    • Arcade Anarchy: Chuck Taylor & Orange Cassidy vs. Miro & Kip Sabian
    • MJF presents The Pinnacle with a special gift.
    • Cody Rhodes vs. QT Marshall with Arn Anderson serving as guest referee
    • AEW Women\’s Champion Hikaru Shida & Tay Conti vs. Nyla Rose & The Bunny
    • Jon Moxley vs. Cezar Bononi

  • NXT Moves To Tuesdays On 4/13, Multi-Year Extension With USA

    WWE\’s NXT show on the USA Network is moving to Tuesday nights beginning April 13th. The news was made official Tuesday morning, effectively ending the \’Wednesday Night War\’ against AEW Dynamite.

    WWE executive Triple H commented, \”The move to Tuesdays provides a new opportunity for us to grow the NXT brand and enables our partner, USA Network, to continue to build its strong portfolio of sports and entertainment programming.\”

    Triple H\’s comments are more than just spin. The competition of a head-to-head battle with AEW Dynamite has improved the quality of both products. However, it also forced fans to choose. Many viewers decided to watch one show or the other. With NXT and Dynamite going unopposed, there\’s a strong chance viewership will increase for both shows. In fact, Triple H tells Variety that he\’s confident WWE fans will migrate to Tuesday nights when NXT makes the move on 4/13.

    WWE & USA Network Extend Partnership

    In addition to NXT moving to Tuesday\’s, WWE announced a multi-year extension of their partnership with USA. NXT will air live on the USA Network every Tuesday night through at least April 2023.

    “We are incredibly proud of our three-decade partnership with WWE and in extending USA’s NXT deal, we are further establishing our portfolio as an unrivaled home for quality WWE content,” said Frances Berwick, Chairman, Entertainment Networks, NBCUniversal. “By transitioning NXT to a Tuesday timeslot where WWE has performed well in the past, we are giving our passionate fanbase more of what they love with back-to-back nights of exhilarating, live programming.”

    All new episodes of NXT will be available on-demand in the United States exclusively on Peacock, the day after its airing on USA Network.

    Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Pro Wrestling Podcast was first to confirm that WWE would be announcing the move to Tuesday and extended USA Network deal.

  • NJPW Reveals New IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Belt

    New Japan Pro Wrestling unveiled the new IWGP World Heavyweight Championship belt at Tuesday\’s Road to Sakura Genesis event.

    Kota Ibushi is the first IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. The belt was introduced following the unification of the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships.

    Ibushi’s historic first defense takes place this Sunday at Sakura Genesis. He will face Will Ospreay, winner of the recent New Japan Cup.

    Here is a clip of the big reveal, along with some additional photos:

    Belt Backlash

    Believe it or not, some wrestling fans on social media had a mixed reaction to the new belt design. Some compared it to the retired WWE Divas \’butterfly\’ belt, while others compared the center plate design to the most notorious tattoo in the game.

    https://twitter.com/benris84/status/1376837494247976963?s=12

    Belt Maker Responds

    Dan Beltzer created the new championship belt for New Japan Pro Wrestling. He issued the following statement on Wednesday in response to fans who are complaining about the new design:

  • Tickets Now On Sale For AEW: The House Always Wins (Full Card)

    All Elite Wrestling is set to hold the first ever non-televised \’house show\’ in company history. AEW: The House Always Wins takes place Friday, April 9th from Daily\’s Place in Jacksonville, FL. The event coincides with WrestleMania weekend.

    All of AEW\’s top champions will be in action on this card, including AEW World Champion Kenny Omega, TNT Champion Darby Allin, World Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks and Women\’s Champion Hikaru Shida.

    Tickets for AEW The House Always Wins are now on sale at Ticketmaster.com. Here is the lineup:

    • AEW World Tag Team Champions the Young Bucks & Brandon Cutler vs. Death Triangle (PAC, Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix)
    • TNT Champion Darby Allin will face the winner of a 12-man Battle Royal. Participants include Lance Archer, Scorpio Sky, Powerhouse Hobbs, Ricky Starks, QT Marshall, Butcher, Blade, Dustin Rhodes, Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn, 10 and Colt Cabana.
    • AEW World Champion Kenny Omega & Michael Nakazawa vs. Matt & Mike Sydal
    • Cody Rhodes vs. Ethan Page
    • AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida, Tay Conti & Red Velvet vs. Dr. Britt Baker, Nyla Rose & Allie
    • The Pinnacle (With Wardlow) vs. Jurassic Express & Dante Martin
    • Eddie Kingston vs. Cezar Bononi 

    Plus, Orange Cassidy and Jade Cargill will be in action.

  • Randy Orton Buries Rapper Soulja Boy Again For Talking Trash

    Randy Orton and rapper Soulja Boy continue to exchange trash talk on social media.

    The beef began earlier this month, when Soulja Boy tweeted that the \’rap game\’ is faker than WWE. Any wrestling fan knows, using the \”f word\” is a blatant sign of disrespect to the athletes who devote their lives and risk their health for our entertainment.

    The tweet got the attention of several WWE Superstars, including Randy Orton. The Viper went off on Soulja Boy. You can see two of his tweets below and their entire exchange from early March here.

    Randy Orton RKO\’s Soulja Boy

    Soulja Boy must have liked the attention he received by the online tussle with Orton, because he\’s back at it again. He fired off a few flagrant tweets at WWE and \’Randy Organ\’ Sunday morning:

    Randy Orton responded late Sunday night by putting Soulja Boy\’s physical size into perspective and saying \”you\’re welcome\” for giving him some attention.

  • Aleister Black Teases The End Of His WWE Hiatus

    Aleister Black has been off television since October, but his WWE hiatus is nearly complete.

    The former NXT Champion was called up to the main roster in February 2019. His WWE run as been underwhelming, despite him being one of the most talented performers on the WWE payroll.

    Black posted a photo and message on Instagram stating, \”Let us sit face to face soon. I will have many stories to tell, all of them in full color.\”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CM_CohiBByT/

    The Return of Aleister Black

    WWE fans should be excited about Aleister Black returning to television. WWE has completely dropped the ball by underutilizing him, however the extended break offers a chance for him to start anew.

    Black is married to former WWE Superstar Thea Trinidad (Zelina Vega). She was granted her release from the company back in November.

    Last week, Aleister Black\’s former rival Buddy Murphy tweeted the following message at the Dutch figher.

    https://twitter.com/WWE_Murphy/status/1375921565351739402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1375921565351739402%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2F411mania.com%2Fwrestling%2Fbuddy-murphy-suggests-a-match-with-aleister-black-at-wrestlemania%2F

  • Bella Twins Will Be At WrestleMania, Latest On Their WWE Futures

    The Bella Twins are headed back to WWE. On the latest episode of The Bellas Podcast, the Total Bellas stars revealed they plan to \”take the stage\” at WrestleMania 37 in typical \’Bella style.\’

    The former Superstars turned reality TV stars are amongst the top attractions headlining this year\’s WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Aside from an appearances WrestleMania, Nikki and Brie are in fact planning a return to the ring. The Bellas are expected back on WWE TV in the second half of 2021, with an in-ring return slated for this fall.

    The Bellas have expressed their desire to wrestle again on several occasions. Earlier this month, they expressed interest in going after the WWE Women\’s Tag Team Championships. They\’ll have their work cut out for them, as the titles are currently held by Shayna Bazsler and Nia Jax.

    The Bella Twins retired from active competition back in March 2019. They both gave birth to baby boys just one day apart in August 2020.

    Nikki\’s husband Artem Chigvintsev said in a recent interview, \”She\’s been having talks about coming back and doing something together with Brie. They both have kids, and I feel like they still have this unclosed chapter with wrestling. I would not be surprised.\”

    The biggest obstacle standing in the way of the Bella Twins wrestling again is Nikki\’s neck. She\’s been working on neck-strengthening exercises in hopes of being able to have one last run performing for the WWE Universe.