SEScoops

Author: Thomas Lowson

  • Interesting Stat On WWE\’s Champions After SummerSlam Title Changes

    The landscape of WWE champions has reached a feat not seen in close to five years following the title changes that unfolded at SummerSlam 2024. The Biggest Party of the Summer saw four titles change hands, as Bron Breakker, LA Knight, Nia Jax, and GUNTHER left Cleveland, Ohio with gold.

    With these title changes, WWE is currently in a period where all reigning champions across both the main roster and WWE NXT won their titles this year. The United States Championship was the last title to join the list as Logan Paul had held the gold since WWE Crown Jewel 2023.

    The last time all WWE champions held titles they\’d won in the same year was all the way back in late 2009. The champions at the time were:

    • WWE Champion: Sheamus (Won in December 2009)
    • World Heavyweight Champion: The Undertaker (Won in October 2009)
    • ECW World Champion: Christian (Won in July 2009)
    • United States Champion: The Miz (Won in October 2009)
    • Intercontinental Champion: Drew McIntyre (Won in December 2009)
    • Unified WWE Tag Team Champions: DX (Won in December 2009)
    • WWE Divas Champion: Melina (Won in October 2009)
    • WWE Women\’s Champion: Michelle McCool (Won in May 2009)

    H/T to @WWEStats for uncovering this stat. Stay tuned to SEScoops for more interesting wrestling facts and statistics.

    The question now is which of WWE\’s current champions will be able to keep their gold the longest, and who will be the first to drop their gold. Coming out of SummerSlam, only one title match has been confirmed as new World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER will take on Randy Orton at WWE Bash In Berlin on August 31.

  • WWE Exec With 17-Year Tenure Reportedly \”Let Go\” This Week

    Kristen Altman, a high-ranking name with WWE, is the latest notable name cut from the company\’s offices, it has been reported. PW Insider Elite notes that Altman was \”let go\” from the company earlier this week.

    Altman\’s tenure with WWE began in 2007 as a receptionist and she transitioned into Talent Relations in 2008. She would go on to become Senior Manager, then Director, and then Senior Manager before becoming WWE’s Vice President of Talent Relations Operations in August 2022. On her LinkedIn profile, Altman describes her latest role with WWE as the following:

    “Develop and manage WWE Talent’s Professional Development Program to assist with our Talent’s personal and professional growth beyond the wrestling ring. Provide educational tools and resources in Money Management, Media Training, Continuing Education, Language Courses, Life Skills Seminars, Rookie Success Initiatives and more.”

    Altman joined WWE shortly after graduating from the University of Vermont with a degree in Business Administration. She also served as a Student Supervisor at the University during her studies.

    More On WWE Departures

    Altman\’s reported exit comes after several departures from WWE\’s corporate side. In February 2024, John Paco, formerly EVP of Live Events, left the company, though news of his exit didn\’t surface until the next month. Paco had been in several roles with the promotion since 1999.

    In December 2023, Kevin Dunn ended four decades with WWE as a leading figure in production. While WWE reportedly wanted Dunn to stay on until the Royal Rumble (and potentially WrestleMania 40) Dunn felt it was better to make a clean break. He has since been replaced by Lee Fitting who\’s work has received praise from fans.

    Last September, WWE officially merged with UFC to form TKO Group Holdings, a merger that had been in the works since Endeavor announced its acquisition of WWE in April. That merger saw over 100 employees lose their jobs in efforts to streamline WWE\’s offices under TKO and morale was said to have been hit hard by those remaining.

  • WWE Alum Hiroko Suzuki Set For First Match In Close to 20 Years

    Hiroko Suzuki, a name that fans of WWE\’s Ruthless Aggression era may remember, is set to make her return to the ring after a near-20-year hiatus. Suzuki will be part of Southern Honor Wrestling\’s RumbleJack event on August 9. This will mark her debut for the promotion.

    The RumbleJack event will be headlined by the titular RumbleJack match, which this year will be the biggest its ever been as 40 participants will compete. The match will run like a WWE Royal Rumble match with the winner earning a shot at the SHW Heavyweight Champion. Suzuki will be joined by names including AEW alum QT Marshall, Alexander Lev. CT Keys, and Darian Bengston.

    This will be Hiroko\’s fifth match in wrestling and her first match since competing in a tag-team match for HUSTLE on Christmas Day in 2005. Hiroko is known by many for her WWE tenure from 2004 to 2005 where she served as the manager/translator of her real-life husband Kenzo Suzuki. She competed two times in WWE including in a \’Kimono Match\’ against Torrie Wilson during a February 2005 edition of SmackDown in Japan.

    Hiroko After WWE

    In July 2005, both Hiroko and Kenzo were released from WWE as part of cost-cutting measures, despite being drafted to Raw mere days earlier in the 2005 Draft Lottery. After WWE, the pair returned to Japan where they worked for Hustle and Hiroko would be the General Manager of the promotion by the end of the year. Outside of the ring, Hiroko has established herself in the world of politics. In 2015, the WWE alum was elected to the Funabashi city council.

  • Randy Orton Throws Pitch For the St. Louis Cardinals Baseball Team

    Randy Orton proved his sporting skills outside of the ring this week by throwing the opening pitch for the St. Louis Cardinals team. The 14-time WWE World Champion described throwing the pitch as \”one of the scariest things I\’ve ever done in my life\” but was pleased that the ball didn\’t hit the dirt adding that \”we did good.\” Orton received a signed ball for his troubles and proved to be a good luck charm for the team that defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 5-2.

    With his St. Louis Cardinals appearance a runaway success for Orton, the WWE veteran\’s attention will now turn to Berlin, Germany. At WWE Bash In Berlin on August 31, Orton will challenge World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER. The match will mark Orton\’s first singles opportunity at a WWE World Championship since facing Bobby Lashley on the September 13, 2021, edition of RAW. GUNTHER and Orton met in the King of the Ring finals earlier this year which saw the Austrian score a controversial win, earning his World title opportunity at SummerSlam.

    The Viper will be back in his hometown of St. Louis later this year as part of WWE NXT\’s move to The CW Network. Orton will be part of the second show of the CW era on October 8, which will take place in St. Louis. The premiere episode of WWE NXT on The CW will see CM Punk appear in Chicago, Illinois.

    After missing over a year and a half of his career due to injury, Randy Orton is back and ready to take WWE by storm once more. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for the latest on the Legend Killer.

  • The Undertaker: \’The More I Tried To Fix Goldberg Match, the Worse it Got\’

    The Undertaker\’s efforts to save his infamous match with Bill Goldberg only proved to make matters worse, the Phenom of WWE shared this week. On the ImPaulsive podcast, The Undertaker recalled the \’dream match\’ with Goldberg going very wrong in 2019.

    \”Man it was horrible, the match that I had with Goldberg in Saudi Arabia. You know, there was never a time in my career where I didn\’t feel like no matter what happened, that I couldn\’t figure out a way to make it all work and make it make sense. Get it back on track and still have a decent match.

    \”You know he got concussed early on it\’s 98 degrees at at midnight in the desert and it was just like a train wreck. The more I tried to fix it, the worse it got. I\’m not pointing fingers, it\’s just one of those things that happened where I just didn\’t have it in me physically anymore to make things right.\”

    The match in question took place at Super ShowDown 2019 and marked the first-ever one-on-one match between the two wrestling legends. Unfortunately, the age of both men, in addition to Goldberg concussing himself during his entrance, resulted in a sloppy, botch-filled contest that didn\’t deliver what had been promoted. The match ended with The Undertaker defeating Goldberg though neither man appeared pleased after the match.

    Given the quality of this match, neither man waited long before they got back in the ring in an attempt to move on from the ordeal. Undertaker, who at this stage of his career wrestled maybe twice a year, was back in the ring the next month for WWE Extreme Rules, where he and Roman Reigns defeated Drew McIntyre and Shane McMahon. Goldberg would make an impactful return at SummerSlam in August, squashing Dolph Ziggler.

    For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.

  • Joe Hendry Wants To Stay In NXT For A Lot Longer, Offers Match for 8/13 Show

    The WWE Universe should get used to seeing TNA Wrestling\’s Joe Hendry in WWE NXT following his victory on this week\’s show. At the second week of the NXT Great American Bash 2024, Hendry defeated Joe Coffey in the TNA star\’s first singles match since coming to the gold brand.

    After the match, Hendry said he likes it in NXT and might stay for a lot longer. The former TNA Digital Media Champion said that the roster won\’t have to say his name and he\’ll still appear in NXT. If anyone has a problem with that, Hendry said they can face him on next week\’s show.

    Joe Hendry in WWE

    Hendry has been a focal point of WWE NXT\’s ongoing crossover with TNA Wrestling, hardly a surprise given that he\’s one of wrestling most popular performers today. Hendry headlined the July 9, episode of the gold brand and performed a concert mocking Gallus during last week\’s WWE NXT Great American Bash special.

    Hendry\’s role in NXT has proven to be a hit with fans and the Scottish star has bigger plans in the promotion, including a possible future collision with John Cena & The Rock. In the more-near future, Hendry will be back on TNA iMPACT this week where he\’ll face Gallus\’ Wolfgang in another example of a crossover between that promotion and WWE. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for the latest on Joe Hendry as the viral Scottish star continues to take the wrestling world in WWE NXT and TNA Wrestling by storm.

  • Wes Lee Betrays MSK During WWE NXT Great American Bash Week Two

    Wes Lee turned his back on his MSK brothers this week in shocking scenes from the second week of this year\’s WWE NXT Great American Bash. During the show, MSK (Lee & Zachary Wentz) failed to win the NXT Tag Team Titles from Axiom and Nathan Frazer.

    After the match, Wentz and Trey Miguel tried to console Lee, but he responded by superkicking Miguel and delivering a low blow to Wentz. The former North American Champion wasn\’t done, as he put Trey through the barricade before slamming Wentz into the steel steps.

    Not winning the titles would have been a huge setback for Lee, whose second reign as an NXT Tag Team Champion ended without him being beaten. After he and Wentz (then Nash Carter) won the titles at Stand & Deliver 2022, the team was stripped of the gold after Wentz\’s release from WWE following allegations by his ex-wife Kimber Lee. This shocking betrayal also marks Lee\’s first heel turn since coming to WWE NXT.

    With this betrayal, fans could be seeing more of Miguel and Wentz, both of whom are signed to TNA Wrestling, on WWE NXT programming. The ongoing crossover has seen talent be shared between the two sides and has proven especially popular with fans. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for all the latest on Wes Lee and MSK after the shocking betrayal seen at WWE NXT Great American Bash 2024 (Week Two.)

  • Tony Khan Shares More On \”Really Nice Visit\” With Shane McMahon

    Tony Khan has shared more about his surprising meeting with Shane McMahon which the AEW President found to be \”really nice.\” Speaking with the Sedano & Kap Show, Khan addressed the meeting that took place at an Arlington, Texas airport last month.

    \”As I understand, he\’s not doing anything with WWE, and I had a really nice visit with him…

    I have a lot of respect for him. I had never met him, but he seemed like a really nice guy. I sat down with him, he was fantastic. I really enjoyed talking with him. He is a very smart person about wrestling.\”

    WWE\’s Prodigal Son met with Tony Khan last month and it’s been reported that the pair discussed “possibilities moving forward.” In a statement shared with Busted Open Radio, McMahon said he and Khan discussed a shared love of the business and the rewards and challenges of working with family.

    This meeting has left many speculating on whether a McMahon family member could soon be All Elite. Earlier this year, Conrad Thompson claimed that McMahon had spoken to some in AEW about the possibility of joining Tony Khan’s first promotion. It was later clarified that Shane was not making a formal pitch to join AEW and was simply stating that it would be an interesting moment in wrestling. Bryan Danielson has said he\’s open to working with McMahon, or anyone, in AEW.

    McMahon hasn\’t appeared for WWE since his WrestleMania 39 showdown with The Miz which resulted in Shane suffering a torn quad. While McMahon has reportedly made efforts to return to WWE since then, these have been rebuffed by higher-ups. Shane was fired in 2022 for reportedly causing backstage chaos at the Royal Rumble and it’s said there’s still a lot of negativity within WWE against the 54-year-old.

  • Liv Morgan Is WWE\’s Latest Star To Sign With Paradigm Talent Agency

    WWE Women\’s World Champion Liv Morgan has joined the list of Superstars to ink a deal with the Paradigm Talent Agency.

    Joe Otterson of Variety reports that Morgan has signed with the agency that will pursue opportunities for her in the entertainment industry. Morgan joins CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, Damian Priest, and Tiffany Stratton as WWE talent who have inked with Paradigm. Morgan continues to be represented by attorney Brad Small at Fox Rothschild.

    This blockbuster move for Morgan comes at an arguable career peak for the 30-year-old Superstar who\’s been with WWE since 2014. Not only is Morgan the reigning Women\’s World Champion, but she was welcomed into the new Judgment Day on this week\’s RAW. Morgan retained her title at WWE SummerSlam against Rhea Ripley thanks to the efforts of Dominik Mysterio.

    Liv Morgan Out of the Ring

    Though best known for her years as a WWE Superstar, Morgan has made a name for herself outside the squared circle. In 2023, Morgan was part of crime comedy thriller The Kill Room which featured major names including Uma Thurman, Joe Manganiello, Maya Hawke, and Samuel L. Jackson. Morgan also played herself in an episode of Chucky that did not go well for the Superstar as seen in the clip below.

    Morgan\’s work out of the ring has seen her appear on several reality shows including Total Divas and Miz & Mrs. In October 2022, Morgan said that she was trying to \”finagle or finesse\” her way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, though no such role has emerged. Notable names from WWE already in Marvel films include Triple H (Blade: Trinity) and Batista (Guardians of the Galaxy.) Seth Rollins will be next to join the world of Marvel with an unspecified role in Captain America: Brave New World.

  • Joe Hendry: \’I Believe I\’ll Share The Screen With John Cena & The Rock\’

    Could Joe Hendry go face-to-face with WWE icons like John Cena and The Rock? The TNA Wrestling star certainly believes so. Speaking with The Wrestling Matt, Hendry shared his belief that he will one day share the ring with the two megastars.

    \”I believe I will have an in-ring interaction with The Rock. I believe I will have a match with John Cena. If I’d have told you four months ago this is where I’d be right now, no one would have believed me. But I did. My team did.\”

    During the podcast, Hendry noted that it\’s possible his interaction with The Rock will be a \’guitar off\’ between himself and WWE\’s Final Boss. The Rock, like Hendry, has hosted several concerts over the years to poke fun at in-ring opponents.

    It\’s impossible to ignore how popular Hendry has become in a relatively short period of time. 2024 has seen the Scottish star be a focal point of TNA\’s crossover with NXT, and is set to return during tonight\’s Great American Bash (Week Two) event. Hendry will take on Joe Coffey of Gallus on tonight\’s show, in the singles debut for Joe in NXT.

    As for John Cena and The Rock, their returns to WWE programming are already etched in stone. The Rock confirmed during the post-WrestleMania RAW that he will be back, but has his sights set on Cody Rhodes. The Great One remains tied to WWE off-screen as part of TKO\’s Board of Directors.

    Cena will kick off his final year of wrestling later this year ahead of the 16-time WWE World Champion\’s retirement in 2025. Hendry has expressed his interest in facing Cena and has vowed to offer John a TNA World Championship match should the viral Scottish star win the gold.

  • Bryan Danielson On Shane McMahon: \’I\’m Open To Working with Anyone in AEW\’

    Bryan Danielson would be fine working with Shane McMahon should the \’Prodigal Son\’ of WWE soon find a home in All Elite Wrestling. Speaking with the Gorilla Position podcast, Danielson addressed those rumors about McMahon.

    \”I\’m open to working with anybody. I don\’t have beef with anybody. 100%.\”

    The American Dragon added that Tony Khan told him of the meeting with McMahon though by the time he did, Danielson, like everyone else in wrestling, was well aware.

    \”Tony mentioned to me after the photo came out, \’I didn\’t want to tell you this before, but I met with Shane McMahon.\’ I didn\’t say this, but I was like, \’Yeah, I know. The picture is everywhere.\’\”

    McMahon and Danielson have a history in WWE and were allies on-screen from 2016 to 2018. After a series of injuries forced Danielson to retire from in-ring competition, he was appointed SmackDown\’s GM in 2016 by McMahon, who served as the brand\’s commissioner. Danielson left the role as General Manager upon being cleared to wrestle again in 2018 and teamed with Shane to defeat Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn at WrestleMania 34.

    Shane McMahon in AEW

    McMahon met with Tony Khan last month and it\’s been reported that the pair discussed \”possibilities moving forward.\” In a statement shared with Busted Open Radio, McMahon said he and Khan discussed a shared love of the business and the rewards and challenges of working with family.

    The meeting of the WWE staple and AEW President has left many speculating on whether a McMahon family member could soon be All Elite. This meeting comes after it was claimed by Conrad Thompson earlier this year that McMahon had spoken to some in AEW about the possibility of joining Tony Khan’s first promotion. It was later clarified that Shane was not making a formal pitch to join AEW and was simply stating that it would be an interesting moment in wrestling. 

    Tony Khan has said he has a lot of respect for Shane and appreciates his work as both an in-ring performer and an executive. McMahon hasn\’t been seen on WWE TV since WrestleMania 39 where he made a surprise appearance for an impromptu match against The Miz. While McMahon has reportedly made efforts to return to WWE since then, these are said to have been rebuffed by higher-ups. Shane was fired the previous year for reportedly causing backstage chaos at the 2022 Royal Rumble and it\’s said there\’s still a lot of negativity within WWE against 54-year-old.

  • Logan Paul Ready to Take LA Knight to Court Over PRIME Truck Damage

    Logan Paul and LA Knight\’s next face-to-face altercation may come in a courtroom rather than a WWE ring if the Maverick has his way. On Twitter, Paul shared some legal paperwork for Knight and is hoping for a trial in front of a jury.

    Paul\’s complaint stems from Knight stealing the Maverick\’s PRIME energy truck during the go-home episode of WWE SmackDown before SummerSlam 2024. At the Biggest Party of the Summer, Knight damaged the vehicle. Paul is alleging \”civil theft and willful property damage\” and is seeking compensatory and exemplary damages in addition to attorney fees and costs.

    Knight won the United States Championship at SummerSlam, ending Paul\’s reign with the gold that had been the longest of the past decade. After SummerSlam, the Maverick gave credit to Knight but made clear he\’d been in touch with WWE\’s \’Megastar\’ about the truck.

    What\’s to Come?

    LA Knight is ready to build a legacy after capturing the United States Championship at SummerSlam. That path will begin this Friday as the new U.S. Champion is being advertised for SmackDown in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The show will also feature the return of Roman Reigns, and AJ Styles is reportedly expected to make an appearance, his first since Clash At the Castle: Scotland.

    After years with WWE, Knight is finally a champion on the main roster, a reign many believe is long overdue. Though he was able to dispatch of Logan Paul at SummerSlam, it may not be long before the two come to blows, albeit of a legal kind, very soon.

    Related: Logan Paul Reflects On Good Run As Champion After SummerSlam Loss

  • AJ Styles Reportedly Set To Return to WWE TV on 8/9 SmackDown

    AJ Styles will make his return to WWE programming for the first time in close to two months this Friday, it has been reported. PW Insider has learned that the two-time WWE World Champion is scheduled for this week\’s taping in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

    Styles hasn\’t competed on WWE programming since the 6/15 Clash At The Castle PLE in Glasgow, Scotland, where he lost to Cody Rhodes. Despite his absence from TV, Styles hasn\’t kept on the sidelines. In July, he competed at the NOAH Destination event against Naomichi Marufuji as part of WWE\’s crossover with the Japanese promotion. Styles also competed on WWE\’s recent tour of Japan, the company\’s first since 2019.

    WWE SmackDown – August 9

    Styles\’ reported return will be just one highlight of this Friday\’s episode of SmackDown that will deal with the fallout of an explosive SummerSlam in Cleveland. The show will also see the return of Roman Reigns who emerged during the SummerSlam main event between Cody Rhodes and Solo Sikoa.

    New WWE Women\’s Champion Nia Jax is being promoted for SmackDown in Tulsa, as is former champion Bayley. Jax captured the title at SummerSlam in her first title victory since returning to WWE last year. Other names promoted for this Friday\’s show include Jade Cargill, and Bianca Belair, new United States Champion LA Knight, and Randy Orton.

  • 8/2 AEW Rampage Draws Record-Low Viewership Against Paris Olympics

    The August 2, edition of AEW Rampage will go down in history for all the wrong reasons as the least-viewed episode in the show\’s three-year history. The show drew 209,000 viewers, data from Wrestlenomics shows, down considerably from the previous week\’s 306,000. The coveted 18-49 demographic also took a hit as the show drew a 0.07 rating, down from the previous week\’s 0.10 rating.

    Rampage, like many shows, was decimated by coverage of the ongoing Olympic Games in Paris, France. August 2, saw Team USA win silver in swimming courtesy of Regan Smith while Grant Fisher took the bronze in the Men\’s 10,000m race. Team USA won silver in Equestrian Team Jumping and Brady Ellison and Casey Kaufhold took home the bronze for Team USA in the mixed Archery.

    \"\"

    AEW Rampage – August 2

    While Rampage was on, Olympics coverage averaged 13.1 million viewers and a 2.29 rating in the 18-49 demographic. The AEW show saw MxM face Private Party, Wheeler Yuta take on The Butcher, and Nyla Rose face Harley Cameron. Bryan Keith and Brian Cage were also in action on the show.

    While it\’s not a surprise that Rampage was crushed by the Olympics, AEW\’s Friday show is part of a worrying trend across all AEW programming. As data from Wrestlenomics demonstrates, AEW Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision have all seen drops in viewership from this time last year. These drops are reflected in the 18-49 demographic ratings as well, while WWE content sees steady growth in this coveted demographic across Raw, SmackDown, and NXT.

  • Rhea Ripley & Damian Priest Promise Brutality For the Judgment Day After WWE RAW

    Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest are ready to wage war with the \’New\’ Judgment Day after what has transpired since SummerSlam. At the Biggest Party of the Summer, Priest and Ripley were betrayed by Finn Balor and Dominik Mysterio respectively and would come up short in their championship matches.

    On RAW, it was revealed that Balor, Mysterio, JD McDonagh, and Carlito have remained aligned and have added Liv Morgan to their ranks. Priest\’s match with McDonagh ended in a DQ when the Judgment Day members got involved, but Ripley came to the aid of the former World Heavyweight Champion.

    Speaking after the show, Damian Priest made clear that there\’s more to being a true member of the Judgment Day than having the name.

    \”They call themselves The Judgment Day, but that whack ass group is not The Judgment Day. Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest are The Judgment Day, not those clowns.\”

    Rhea Ripley agreed with her ally and vowed that brutality is coming for the new Judgment Day after all that has transpired.

    \”After all this bloody betrayal, I don\’t think they\’re actually ready for the brutality that we\’re going to hand them, because it\’s going down.\”

    The saga of the Judgment Day has been lengthy and has seen multiple members be recruited and exiled from the gothic faction. Now, Priest and Ripley, two of the faction\’s longest-serving members find themselves on the outside. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for more of this war of the Judgment Day.

  • The Wyatt Sicks Win In-Ring Debut on WWE Raw

    The sinister Wyatt Sicks picked up an important victory on the latest episode of WWE RAW in the first match for the group as a unit. The faction was represented by Joe Gacy, Dexter Lumis, and Erick Rowan to take on Chad Gable and the Creed Brothers while Uncle Howdy and Nikki Cross watched on.

    Despite how impactful the Wyatt Sicks has been since arriving, it was Gable and the Creeds, dubbed American Made, that dominated the majority of the action by isolating Gacy and utilizing quick tags. The finish of the match saw Gacy make the hot tag to Erick Rowan who would obliterate the competition before winning the match for his team.

    This week\’s RAW didn\’t just see the Wyatt Sicks in action, but saw another member of the group receive the spotlight via a VHS tape delivered to production. This week it was the turn of Joe Gacy, aka Huskus the Pig, who had the focus. In the video, the former NXT talent was sat alone backstage and vowed that others will pay for what has happened.

    Since the arrival of the Wyatt Sicks, there has been speculation as to how the group would fare when in matches and if they could maintain their mystique. If this week\’s RAW is any indication, fans can expect plenty more from the macabre faction that continues to lay waste to opponents on Monday Night RAW.

  • WWE RAW: Seth Rollins Destroyed By Bronson Reed On 8/5 Episode

    \’Big\’ Bronson Reed kicked off a feud with Seth Rollins during the latest episode of RAW by destroying the former Universal Champion during the show. After a segment between Rollins, Drew McIntyre, and CM Punk, Reed struck and assaulted Seth. The Australian hit six Tsunami finishers, leaving Rollins gasping for breath and starting their feud with an immediate impact.

    Rollins was seen coughing up blood and was attended to by officials before being helped out of the ring. Reed\’s assault came after he was upset earlier in the night that he wasn\’t booked for a match and said he\’d have to make a path of his own.

    In a backstage interview, Reed justified his attack on Seth Rollins.

    \”I\’ve been telling the whole world I\’m one of the best in this business week after week, and it\’s falling onto deaf ears. So tonight, I did what I had to do. I crushed one of WWE\’s golden boys. I hit tsunami after tsunami after tsunami after tsunami on Seth Rollins. To show you all, I\’m not here to play around. The killer is unleashed, and Bronson Reed is at the very top of this business.\”

    Reed certainly made an impact, despite struggling earlier this week to make it to the show. On Twitter, Reed shared that his flight to RAW had been canceled twice.

    A feud with Seth Rollins is a huge opportunity for Bronson Reed, three years after he was released from WWE. His exit came about as Vince McMahon did not see him as a main roster talent so cut the then-NXT Superstar. Reed returned in 2022 as part of a series of rehirings under Triple H. Since then he has competed for the Intercontinental title and won the 2024 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

  • “A Good Run” – Logan Paul Breaks Silence After Devastating Loss at WWE SummerSlam

    Logan Paul has been reflecting on his time as WWE United States Champion after his reign came to an end at SummerSlam 2024. To Wiz Khalifa\’s See You Again, the Maverick looked back on some moments from his reign, including his victory over Rey Mysterio, and sharing a bed with the star-spangled strap.

    Paul captured the title at WWE Crown Jewel in November 2023 and would go on to have the longest reign as United States Champion of the past ten years. Paul\’s reign would see him defend against Kevin Owens at the Royal Rumble and against Owens and Randy Orton at WWE WrestleMania 40.

    The Maverick\’s reign as champion ended at the hands of LA Knight in Paul\’s hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. This win marks Knight\’s first major title since arriving in WWE, a victory many fans believe was long overdue. Knight held the Million Dollar championship in WWE NXT though that is not a sanctioned title by the promotion.

    At the post-show media scrum, Knight told SE Scoops\’ own Malcolm that he intends to build a legacy in WWE as United States Champion. That legacy-building will start this Friday as Paul is being advertised for the upcoming episode of SmackDown in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

    Logan Paul isn\’t advertised to be at the show but has said he\’ll be in touch with Paul regarding the PRIME truck the new U.S. Champion damaged. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for all the latest from the United States Championship and Logan Paul.

  • WWE Shop Releases Iconic WCW/NWO N64 Video Game Shirts

    Fans of classic video games WCW/NWO Revenge and WCW Vs. nWo World Tour can show their love for these classics with new merchandise available on WWEShop.com. The two shirts have a regular retail price of $34.99 (not including shipping) and are the latest addition to WWE\’s \’Homage\’ range of WCW-themed shirts.

    The two shirts are listed as \’special event\’ items and will ship no later than Thursday, November 3. Fans who purchase today, Monday, August 5, will be able to grab these retro shirts for the low price of $26.24 (not including shipping.)

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    WCW Vs. nWo World Tour hit shelves in December 1997 in North America before releasing the following February in Europe. The game, like its successor, featured the AKI engine and was praised at the time for its ease of play. The game\’s success made it the second-best-selling wrestling game for the Nintendo 64 and it is considered a classic of the game console to this day.

    With the release of WCW/NWO Revenge, players were now able to enjoy improved graphics, more arenas, more signature moves, and ring entrances. Like World Tour, the game was praised for its ease of play, especially compared to the slightly more finicky WWF WarZone. WCW/NWO Revenge hit shelves in late 1998 and would not only be the best-selling wrestling game on the N64, but at the time, it was the top-selling third-party Nintendo game ever. It also served as the final AKI-developed WCW game, as their next would be WWF WrestleMania 2000 after THQ acquired the WWF license.

    Want to stay up to date with the latest from the world of wrestling merchandise? Check out our Merchandise hub on SE Scoops.

  • Informercial Icon Billy Mays Was Once Considered for a WWE RAW Appearance

    Infomercial legend Billy Mays was once considered for a role in WWF\’s Attitude Era, before plans for the idea ultimately fell through. Mays\’ son, Billy Mays III, revealed this week that during his father\’s time promoting OxiClean, there were talks of the cleaning brand sponsoring a WWF event. This sponsorship would see Mays use OxiClean to effortlessly remove blood from a ring canvas.

    This appearance would have come around in 2001, according to the younger Mays. He added in the comments that his middle school self was \”f***** pumped\” at the idea of his dad being on WWF programming, though the idea never went further.

    Celebrities in the Attitude Era

    Having Billy Mays on RAW during the Attitude Era may seem odd, but there was no shortage of pop culture personalities on WWF programming during this famed period of wrestling. In 1998, amid his suspension from boxing, Mike Tyson joined DX and was the guest enforcer for WrestleMania 14\’s main event between Shawn Michaels and \’Stone Cold\’ Steve Austin. The following year, Arnold Schwarzenegger would appear on SmackDown and the Terminator/Predator star couldn\’t help but get physical.

    Celebrities in wrestling has been a staple for decades, with Jelly Roll appearing at WWE SummerSlam just last weekend. While Mays may not have made it to RAW, the informercial legend remains iconic for his enthusiasm and salesman skills.

  • John Cena Teases Jelly Roll Tag Team After WWE SummerSlam Appearance

    The unlikely tag team of John Cena & Jelly Roll could soon be appearing on WWE TV following the music artist\’s appearance at WWE SummerSlam. The Biggest Party of the Summer saw Jelly Roll perform as a musical guest as his tracks \”Dead End Road\” and \”Liar\” served as the official themes of the show.

    Later in the night, Jelly Roll would deliver a chokeslam to Austin Theory and alongside Awesome Truth, leveled Theory and Grayson Waller with Cena-inspired \’Five Knuckle Shuffles.\’

    Cena didn\’t appear at SummerSlam, though the show in Cleveland did see a trailer for his upcoming film. On Twitter, Cena was impressed by Jelly Roll\’s work at the show and suggested that the pair could team up the next time WWE comes to Jelly Roll\’s native Nashville.

    John Cena\’s Unlikely Tag Team Partners

    Should Jelly Roll team with Cena, it wouldn\’t be the 16-time WWE World Champion\’s first unlikely ally. In 2007, Cena would hold World Tag Team Gold with Shawn Michaels, despite the pair being fierce rivals on the road to WrestleMania 23. History repeated itself four years later as Cena and The Miz became tag team champions ahead of their showdown at WrestleMania 27.

    Cena\’s days of being in a tag team will end next year as 2025 will mark the end of his in-ring career. Cena made the announcement at WWE Money in the Bank 2024 and the WWE icon is set to embark on a retirement tour later this year. New Intercontinental Champion Bron Breakker has said he hopes to defend the title against Cena. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for the latest on John Cena and his retirement tour.

  • MJF References Vince McMahon Scandal In Response to Fan\’s Comment

    AEW American Champion MJF didn\’t hold back when a fan opted to bring up Vince McMahon in a discussion about appropriate words in wrestling. To promote his upcoming match with Kyle Fletcher, MJF suggested that Fletcher cut his hair as he looks like \”MGK [Machine Gun Kelly] and Ellen Degeneres’s dumpster baby.\” That line crossed a line for one fan who said that Vince McMahon would never have allowed one of his Superstars to say something like that. MJF fired back, saying what he believes would be a more likely comment from McMahon given the allegations against the former WWE CEO. In a response of his own, FTR\’s Dax Harwood shared his support for MJF\’s comment.

    \"\"

    McMahon has been accused of being sexually abusive and trafficking Janel Grant during a relationship that McMahon\’s legal team has said was wholly consensual.

    While the case has been postponed due to a federal investigation into McMahon, details around the matter continue to make headlines. Last month, it was reported that Grant had filed a complaint against Peak Wellness and is asking the company to provide receipts and other information for use in discovery in Grant’s case against McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and WWE. In the original civil suit filed by Grant in January, a Peak Wellness employee was accused of participating in an assault against her.

    The Future for MJF

    As for MJF, he has a busy few weeks ahead of him, including the match with Kyle Fletcher looming. August 2024 will also see MJF compete at Rev Pro\’s Summer Sizzler event in the UK, a third-world country in the eyes of the AEW American Champion. MJF will face Michael Oku at the show, who MJF has said he hates because Oku has the respect of Will Ospreay. MJF will face Ospreay with the AEW American title on the line later this month at All In: London 2024.

  • Wisin the Puppy Luchador is a Viral Sensation in Mexico

    Wisin the Puppy is proving to be quite the sensation in Mexico City as the very good boy has attracted fans eager to see him compete in the ring. Wisin, a luchador dressed in a puppy costume, has been attracting attention on Mexican social media since the early summer and has been gaining fans of all ages. As one show described by the Associated Press demonstrates, kids ran up to hug Wisin while a woman held a sign reading “Wisin I love you!” adorned with paw prints.

    The unlikely luchador fittingly makes their entrance to Baha Men’s iconic song “Who Let the Dogs Out” in the Tacuba neighborhood. One fan named Jose who attended Wisin most\’s recent match with his son was excited to see him in action.

    \”I’ve enjoyed lucha libre since I was young, now my son can enjoy it, too.\”

    So where does Wisin come from? Well, the unlikely hero was created by the Institute of Youth in Mexico City to motivate children to exercise. However, his popularity has since grown past just helping inspire children and now he has become a viral meme on social media. One of the first videos shared of Wisin shows the canine wrestling at a youth center in early May and has since clocked 1 million views on Twitter/X.

    Mexico has a history of turning everyday characters into memes, with music fans converting Dr. Simi, the mascot of a pharmacy, into plush toys through at their favorite artists. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for the latest on Wisin as the lucha libre poppy continues to be a viral sensation.

  • WWE NXT & AEW Dynamite To Go Head-to-Head On October 8

    WWE NXT will once again go head-to-head with AEW Dynamite in a battle for the ratings this October, close to a year after the two shows last did battle. The October 8, edition of Dynamite will take place on Tuesday rather than its usual Wednesday spot as the show is being preempted that week due to the MLB playoffs.

    The October 8, Dynamite will take place from the Spokane Arena in Spokane, Washington, and Bryan Danielson is being advertised for the show. That\’s in spite of Danielson\’s full-time contract with AEW coming up and AEW not announcing many dates for the Washington-native post All In: London on August 25.

    The week of October 8, will be the second week of WWE NXT following its move to The CW. The five-year broadcast TV deal between the two sides was announced in November 2023 and is the biggest deal for WWE\’s developmental brand. The show currently airs on the USA Network, since it moved off the WWE Network and onto syndicated Television in 2019.

    Going Head-to-Head

    This upcoming head-to-head will be the second time that Dynamite and WWE NXT face off in the battle for supremacy. The two shows last did battle on October 10, 2023, as Dynamite was again preempted on TNT. Both shows brought in heavy hitters with Dynamite seeing the AEW in-ring debut of Adam Copeland who had debuted the previous week at Wrestle Dream. For WWE NXT, notable big names were included in the show such as John Cena, Cody Rhodes Paul Heyman, and WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker.

    Things got especially heated with Tony Khan before the two shows faced off, as the AEW President vowed to stick it to those \”bald a**holes\” Shawn Michaels and Triple H. Instead, AEW Dynamite hit its lowest rating in close to two years, while WWE NXT hit its third-highest viewership since the move to the USA Network.

    Will lightning strike twice this October or will things go better for Dynamite this time? Stay tuned to SE Scoops for the latest ahead of this upcoming head-to-head.

  • Logan Paul Reflects On U.S. Title Run After \”Banger\” WWE SummerSlam Match

    WWE SummerSlam 2024 didn\’t go as Logan Paul had hoped, but the Maverick is honored to have been part of this year\’s event in Cleveland. After the show, Paul reflected on the end of his United States Championship reign and being able to perform in his hometown. Paul shared his congratulations to LA Knight but made clear that he hasn\’t forgotten Knight destroying his PRIME truck.

    Paul lost the U.S. Title to LA Knight, ending the Maverick\’s reign with the gold that had begun at WWE Crown Jewel 2023. Paul\’s reign had been the longest of the past decade, hardly a surprising feat considering he\’d only defended twice before his loss to Knight. The match also marked the first SummerSlam loss of Paul, who defeated The Miz in 2022, and Ricochet at the Biggest Party of the Summer last year.

    Paul\’s part-time schedule with WWE will have fans wondering when he will next compete though he has suggested he\’s not finished with LA Knight. As for the new United States Champion, fans can expect to see him this Friday on SmackDown. The post-SummerSlam fallout show will take place from Tulsa, Oklahoma\’s BOK Center and Knight is one of the stars advertised for the event.

    After a long time, one many fans feel was too long, LA Knight is a champion and ready to build a legacy in WWE. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for the latest on LA Knight and his future as the WWE U.S. Champion.