SEScoops

Author: Thomas Lowson

  • NXT UK Assistant General Manager Sid Scala Released From WWE

    The new era of WWE will not go ahead with Sid Scala as the British Superstar has been cut from the company.

    Scala\’s exit was first reported by PW Insider. He had been a part of WWE ever since the launch of the NXT UK brand in 2017. As part of the brand, Scala would serve as the Assistant General Manager to British wrestling legend Johnny Saint. 

    Scala would have a handful of matches as part of NXT UK and would rack up an unfortunate 0-5 record in WWE. His final match as part of the company would see him lose to Kassius Ohno as part of the September 1, 2019, tapings.

    Outside of WWE, Scala has wrestled for PROGRESS Wrestling and CZW, as well as the defunct Global Force Wrestling. His most recent match was a loss at PROGRESS Chapter 97 in October 2019. 

    WWE Exits

    Scala is the latest name to have left WWE recently. Mere hours before his exit from WWE went public, it was reported that Sue Aitchison had left the company after a 38-year run. Aitchison had been WWE\’s Director of Community Relations and had been crucial in WWE\’s relationship with Make-A-Wish. She also portrayed the \’Duchess of Queensbury\’ at Backlash 2001. 

    Dan Ventrelle also recently left WWE and had been the Executive Vice President of Talent Relations. Trent Wilfinger, the Senior Vice President of Athlete ID & Development has also parted ways with the company. 

    The post-WrestleMania season is usually the time when WWE undergoes \’spring cleaning\’ and releases talent they aren\’t using. While this is a new era, it remains to be seen if more follow Scala in the days to come. 

  • Kenny Omega: Sometimes A Backstage Fight Is Needed, It\’s Not Meant to Be Shown On-Screen

    Kenny Omega has said that sometimes, a backstage fight or two is what it takes in wrestling for wrestlers with grievances to let it all out. 

    Since 2022, the topic of backstage fights has cast a dark cloud over AEW, of which Omega is an Executive Vice President. Speaking about All Out 2022 during a recent Twitch stream, Omega admitted that he is of the belief that sometimes, a fight is needed to let things out, but admits this isn\’t the right stance in 2024. 

    https://twitter.com/puroresuflow/status/1779147574311535003

    \”I\’ve played a lot of contact sports and I\’ve gotten into jiu-jitsu and boxing and mixed martial arts… Sometimes emotions will get the best of you and people will want to throw hands. I am unfortunately, or fortunately a believer of it, I think that if it\’s decided \’Hey, this is the best way to solve things\’ and you can shake hands after and move on after, I\’m actually a believer of fighting.

    \”I am and it sounds terrible to say and that\’s why, don\’t make me an EVP in 2024. You can\’t do that stuff anymore. I just feel that sometimes that\’s how you have to settle things. Sometimes.\”

    AEW All Out 2022\’s backstage fight, now known as \’Brawl Out,\’ would not be the last backstage fight, as Jack Perry and CM Punk would get physical at AEW All In: London less than a year later. Footage from the fight was recently aired on AEW Dynamite though many believe the move to \’stick it\’ to Punk has backfired on Tony Khan. 

    During the stream, Omega didn\’t mention the All In fight or Khan\’s decision to air the footage directly, but said that such fights aren\’t meant to be shown on screen.

    \”I don\’t mean you have to settle it and then it be shown on screen to everyone or people have to brag online about who won [or] who lost. No, it\’s not for that purpose. It\’s for the purpose of getting that stuff out that you need to get out.\”

    Ultimately, AEW has aired the footage from All In and that can\’t be undone. Many now believe though that AEW and Khan are regretting the decision, as many videos of the footage shared online are being flagged by the promotion. 

    As for Omega, he is continuing to recover from diverticulitis and it remains unclear when he will be back in the ring. We\’re continuing to wish him a full and speedy recovery.

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

  • Riho Back in Japan to Renew Visa, No Idea When AEW Return Will Happen

    Fans wanting to see Riho back in the ring will have to keep waiting as the former AEW Women\’s World Champion is currently in Japan to renew her work Visa. 

    Despite being one of the earliest names signed to AEW, fans haven\’t seen much of Riho as of late. In a social media post, the inaugural AEW Women\’s World Champion shared that she\’s currently in Japan and is waiting for her Visa to be renewed. Riho added that she does not know when she will be returning to AEW programming. 

    Riho\’s social media post explaining her absence. 

    Riho has competed just seven times for AEW over the past 12 months. Her most recent match was on the AEW Dynamite \’Big Business\’ show in March of 2024. She was defeated by Willow Nightingale. 

    Visa Issues

    Riho Isn\’t the only name to be dealing with Visa issues. Jay White was absent from AEW\’s recent events in Canada and it was reported that was due to Visa problems prohibiting him from working in the Great White North. 

    Rush\’s most recent match for AEW was at Worlds End and saw him on the losing side of an eight-man tag-team match. Not only is Rush dealing with Visa issues, but he has also been recovering from an injury.

    Katsutori Shibata had to return to Japan in November 2023 due to Visa issues. This resulted in him relinquishing the Ring of Honor PURE Championship to Wheeler Yuta. This was hardly the biggest setback of his career though, as Shibata nearly died after a match with Kazuchika Okada in 2017. He now plans to end his wrestling career with AEW. 

    Visa issues are an unfortunate side-effect of wrestlers who seek success outside of their home country. Hopefully, it won\’t be long before Riho has things sorted and is back in an AEW ring once more. 

  • Miro Shares Details On AEW Absence, Has a Great Relationship with Tony Khan

    AEW\’s Miro is working hard to recover from his latest injury setback but there\’s no word on when fans can expect the Bulgarian back in action. 

    Fans last saw Miro in the ring at AEW Worlds End where he defeated Andrade El Idolo thanks to an assist from CJ Perry. A lot has changed since then, including Andrade\’s returning to WWE in January 2024 and Perry and Miro announcing their separation. 

    Sitting down with Sportskeeda\’s WrestleBinge, Miro was asked about his ongoing absence from AEW and shared that he\’s dealing with multiple injuries. 

    \”I have a shoulder injury and an elbow injury that occurred late last year, so finally took care of it late January. Got a whole bunch of shots and now I\’m recovering.\”

    Miro added that he plans on coming back \”better than ever\” but there\’s no word on when that\’ll be, leaving fans to wonder what\’s next for the former TNT Champion.

    Working with Tony Khan

    Miro\’s return was supposed to come as part of the \’Meat Madness\’ match at AEW Revolution that was scrapped as both Miro and Keith Lee couldn\’t compete. Despite this, Miro maintains a positive relationship with the AEW President. 

    Tony\’s great, man. He\’s creative, his mind is running always, he always thinks about wrestling, he\’s always thinking about how to get things better. So I respect that. I respect that he loves wrestling.\”

    Miro\’s stance on Khan is an interesting one considering that the AEW President has often overlooked the former TNT Champion. In fact, Miro\’s absence from programming in 2023 (that wasn\’t due to injury) led to Miro\’s then-wife CJ Perry claiming Khan was playing favorites. 

    Miro\’s future remains uncertain, though he said in the interview that he\’d love to face AEW World Champion Samoa Joe or AEW TNT Champion Adam Copeland. And while some of Khan\’s decisions may not have gone down well with many, Miro is pleased to be a part of AEW. 

  • Watch: Matt Riddle Walks Out After Losing NJPW World TV Championship

    Matt Riddle was in no mood to stick around after losing the NJPW World Television Championship at NJPW Windy City Riot 2024. 

    Riddle lost the gold to Zack Sabre Jr. at the April 12, event from Chicago, IL. After the pinfall loss, Riddle immediately got out of the ring and walked to the back, laughing and dancing without any regard for the outcome. This is hardly a good look for Riddle as it seems that the title meant nothing to him

    This win makes Sabre the first-ever two-time NJPW World TV Champion. He was the inaugural champion and won the title at Wrestle Kingdom in January 2017 and held the title for exactly one year. 

    NJPW Windy City Riot Highlights

    Riddle\’s behavior wasn\’t the only notable part of New Japan\’s Windy City Riot event. The show also saw Jon Moxley become IWGP World Heavyweight Champion with a main event win over Tetsuya Naito. The win makes Moxley the first man in history to have held the WWE, AEW, and New Japan World Championships. 

    Jack Perry also competed at NJPW Windy City Riot in a loss to Shota Umino. For his entrance, Perry wore a jacket emblazoned with the message \’CRY ME A RIVER.\’ This was an obvious nod to Perry\’s backstage altercation with CM Punk at AEW All In: London which resulted in both being suspended and Punk later being fired. 

    AEW broadcasted the backstage footage during a segment on AEW Dynamite but removed the footage when uploading the segment in question to YouTube. 

  • Vince McMahon\’s Remaining TKO Group Holdings Shares Registered for Sale

    The Vince McMahon era is indeed coming to an end as the ex-WWE Chairman\’s remaining shares in TKO Group Holdings have been listed for sale. 

    A filing published on April 12 revealed that 8,021,405 TKO shares belonging to Vince McMahon had been registered for sale. This allows for the shares to be bought and sold with less administrative friction. This move doesn’t necessarily mean that Vince will be selling all of his shares, although he might. Should every share be sold, it would mean that McMahon has no official stake in TKO Group Holdings.

    This move comes mere days after McMahon sold 1.642 million shares to Endeavor while TKO purchased 1.853 million shares. These two sales earned McMahon an approximate $293 million. 

    McMahon unloaded 5.35 million shares in early March and sold 3.48 million more shares that same month. With his 8,021,405 shares, McMahon retains a 4.7% stake in TKO. 

    A New Era Dawns

    McMahon\’s selling of shares comes at a pivotal time for WWE as the promotion continues to distance itself from the former Chairman. Over WrestleMania week, there was a lot of talk of a \’new era\’ in WWE with Stephanie McMahon calling this the \’Paul Levesque Era\’ during WrestleMania 40: Sunday. 

    It\’s hard not to notice this \’new era\’ both on WWE programming and behind the scenes. WWE\’s changes to its on-screen production have been praised by fans who appreciate the new style of Lee Fitting who has replaced company veteran Kevin Dunn. Behind the scenes, Dan Ventrelle has left WWE as the company\’s Head of Talent Relations with Triple H and Shawn Michaels overseeing both talent and talent development. 

  • You Forgot About Us: WWE Continues Ominous Teases On 4/12 Post-WrestleMania SmackDown

    The WWE Universe was once again given an ominous message via a \’glitch\’ as part of the April 12, post-WrestleMania 40 edition of WWE SmackDown. 

    The glitch occurred during a tag-team match pitting Chelsea Green & Piper Niven against Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill. Though it appeared for a fraction of a second, eagle-eyed fans were able to spot the message \’you forgot about us.\’

    What does this message on WWE SmackDown mean? 

    This wasn\’t the only bizarre message in store for the fans who attended WWE SmackDown in Detroit. Before the show, eerie music was played, and the video screens displayed the WWE SmackDown logo in black and white. 

    What Does This Mean? 

    These incidents at the April 12, episode of WWE SmackDown aren\’t the only bizarre sightings as of late. During the post-WrestleMania 40 edition of Raw, a \’glitch\’ during a promo with \’Big\’ Bronson Reed bore the message \’hello.\’

    The prevailing theory among fans is that this is setting up the return of Uncle Howdy, who was portrayed by Bo Dallas in 2022 and 2023. The character was introduced following Bray Wyatt\’s return at WWE Extreme Rules 2022 but was pulled from TV alongside Wyatt in early 2023. As one fan with a good memory pointed out on Twitter, Howdy previously described himself as \’us\’ during a segment. 

    The \’us\’ line has also had fans speculating that Uncle Howdy will not return alone, and that Alexa Bliss\’ return to programming may be drawing near. Bliss was once associated with Wyatt but hasn\’t competed in over a year due to pregnancy. The former Women\’s Champion gave birth to daughter Hendrix last year. Before plans were nixed due to Bray\’s illness, there were reported plans for a \’Wyatt 6\’ faction that would\’ve included Uncle Howdy. 

  • Vix Crow (Alicia Fox) Victorious In First Wrestling Match in Years at Starrcast: Down Under

    Vix Crow, better known to fans as WWE\’s Alicia Fox, proved she\’s still got \’it\’ with an impressive victory in her first wrestling match in a very long time. 

    Crow competed against fellow WWE alum Mickie James at the all-female Starrcast: Down Under \’HER\’ event. As seen in the match highlights below, Crow hadn\’t lost a step when she defeated the former WWE & TNA Women\’s Champion. 

    This match was Crow\’s first official match in wrestling since January 2022 when she was a surprise entrant in the WWE Women\’s Royal Rumble match won by Ronda Rousey (which also featured James.) The match at \’HER\’ was Crow\’s first singles match since the April 22, 2019, edition of WWE Monday Night Raw, where she lost to Becky Lynch. Her previous singles victory was back on the July 30, 2018, episode of Raw where she defeated Natalya. 

    Vix Crow is Back

    Crow was with WWE for over a decade but confirmed in May 2023 that she was a free agent. Crow later admitted that she felt bad about how things ended with WWE as there was a lack of communication by the promotion over her status on the roster. 

    Whether Vix Crow wrestles again or if her role at Starrcast was a one-off remains to be seen. In the past, the former WWE Divas & 24/7 Champion has shown interest in facing off with Deonna Purrazzo and Ruby Soho, both of whom are with AEW. Whatever the future holds, Crow remains in great ring condition which certainly bodes well for her future. 

  • Jon Moxley Wins IWGP World Heavyweight Title with Historic Victory at NJPW Windy City Riot

    AEW\’s Jon Moxley has added another massive accomplishment to his legendary career by becoming the new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. 

    In the main event of NJPW Windy City Riot, Moxley dethroned Tetsuya Naito for the gold. Naito had held the title since Wrestle Kingdom 18 in January 2024, where he had dethroned Sanada. 

    Not only did Moxley win the gold, but he has also made history in the process. With this victory, the AEW star has become the first person to win the richest prize in New Japan, All Elite Wrestling, and WWE. 

    Renee Paquette & Tony Khan Show Support

    Moxley had two important allies by his side for his latest World Championship victory, most importantly his wife Renee Paquette:

    AEW President Tony Khan was also spotted at the event and congratulated Mox on winning New Japan’s top prize in the same building where he first won the AEW World Championship.

    One fan attempted to call him out for attending NJPW Windy City Riot instead of his own show, AEW Rampage, which also aired Friday night (but was taped earlier in the week). Khan joked that it was a ‘Friday Night Timecop’ situation, a reference to the 1994 Jean-Claude Van Damme about a time-traveling law enforcement officer.

    Cry Me a River

    Moxley wasn\’t the only notable name at NJPW Windy City Riot, as Jack Perry competed against Shota Umino in a losing effort. As you can watch below, Perry arrived to his match with a jacket emblazoned with the message \’CRY ME A RIVER,\’ a nod to his backstage altercation with CM Punk at All In: London that AEW recently aired. 

  • \’Scapegoat\’ Jack Perry References AEW All In Fight with CM Punk at NJPW Windy City Riot

    Jack Perry\’s AEW future remains uncertain, but the former Jungle Boy was able to poke fun at CM Punk during a recent appearance in Chicago, IL. 

    During the April 10, episode of Dynamite, AEW made the bold decision to air the backstage altercation between Perry and Punk from All In: London 2023. Many have criticized the move as unnecessary with many arguing releasing the footage has done more damage to AEW\’s reputation than CM Punk\’s. 

    At the NJPW Windy City Riot event in Chicago, Perry took on Shota Umino. Before the two locked up though, the self-professed \’Scapegoat\’ arrived with security and the flag of Chicago. Perry also wore a jacket emblazoned with the message \’CRY ME A RIVER.\’ It was this comment during his All In: London match with HOOK that led to Punk confronting him backstage. 

    As for the match, Perry would hold his own against Umino but was ultimately defeated by the Japanese wrestler who used a Death Rider. After the match, Perry offered Umino a handshake, which Umino accepted.

    What\’s to Come for Jack Perry? 

    Some believe that releasing the All In: London footage could mark the start of Perry\’s return to AEW programming. With that said, Tony Khan was recently said to still be mad at Perry over what transpired, with the belief that Perry \’cost\’ AEW CM Punk, who has since returned to WWE. 

    Khan may not be pleased with Perry referencing the backstage fight, despite it being Khan\’s decision to release the footage this week in the first place. AEW has been flagging videos of the fight and having them taken down. Some believe this is a sign AEW & Khan are regretting airing the backstage altercation. 

    Outside of AEW, Perry has continued to make a name for himself as the \’Scapegoat,\’ which plays off the notion of him being unfairly blamed for All In: London. He has been appearing for New Japan as part of the House of Terror. 

  • Careless & Overbudget: AEW Fight Forever Team Thought Game Wasn\’t Ready When Launched

    AEW Fight Forever was released with \’careless\’ issues after going well over its intended budget, sources from within the game\’s production have revealed. 

    Fight Forever, AEW\’s first foray into the world of console gaming, hit shelves in June 2023 after experiencing significant delays to its release. The game received mixed reviews at launch with numerous glitches and error codes frustrating gamers. While the arcade style was praised, the shallow customization options were critiqued as was the small roster compared to other wrestling titles.

    AEW Fight Forever\’s Issues

    Those within AEW and game developer Yuke\’s believe the game should not have been announced as early as it was, Insider Gaming reports. As one source still attached to the game said, the early announcement led to long delays between updates, which led to mistakes being made. 

    \”The longer we went without updating people, the more pressure we felt which led to, for some people, carelessness with what was being done.\”

    Those working on the game did not feel the title was ready when it was released last June. Explaining the decision to release the game, another source said that the pressure was insurmountable as the costs continued to rise.

    “They (AEW) knew they were going to lose money on this game. But there was a lot of pressure to make money back solely because of how overbudget the game went.”

    Another source added that releasing the game when it did was an effort to \”recoup\” money from development. The budget fell between 1.5 to two times the original expected cost of development. The issues upon launch were addressed on Twitter by AEW EVP/Fight Forever development lead Kenny Omega. 

    What\’s to Come for Fight Forever? 

    Nearly a year on from AEW Fight Forever, there\’s been no word on a sequel game, with AEW instead using sporadic DLC updates. As a source explained, it\’s unclear what the future holds for Fight Forever once Yuke\’s contracted work on the game is complete. 

    \”We know AEW wants a second game to be made, but as far as who will make it, that’s completely up in the air. Them (AEW) owning the game engine puts the ball in their court.\”

    One feature fans were excited to hear about was cross-platform play though that has yet to be implemented. A source working on the game said that testing of the feature produced too many issues and there are plans to revisit the idea down the line. When asked what \’down the line\’ means, they said \”Your guess is as good as anyone.\” 

    AEW\’s first console video game was not the hit many hoped it to be, especially compared to WWE 2K23 which was released mere months before Fight Forever. It remains to be seen if AEW will release a second game and if so, what lessons they\’ll take from Fight Forever. 

  • AEW Gets Thousands of Dislikes For Omitting CM Punk All In Footage From YouTube

    Tony Khan may be regretting his decision to \’stick it\’ to CM Punk as footage of the All In London 2023 backstage altercation has been cut from AEW\’s YouTube channel. 

    The April 10, 2024, edition of Dynamite featured the much-anticipated footage that shows CM Punk\’s altercation with Jack Perry backstage in Wembley Stadium. Khan had claimed before the show that releasing the footage was simply in the best interest of entertaining the fans. Despite Khan\’s claim, many have seen this decision as payback for the comments Punk made during the MMA Hour show. 

    Khan seems to have had second thoughts on releasing the footage given what is transpiring on AEW\’s YouTube channel. A video of the Young Bucks\’ segment in which they showed the footage has been uploaded but the ten-minute video does not feature the All In footage as you can see (or rather, not see) below. 

    AEW may have tried to embarrass CM Punk by releasing this footage but if so, that plan has backfired spectacularly. Not only have fans and those in the industry criticized AEW for airing the footage, but the YouTube video has scored thousands more dislikes than likes. 

    The segment (sans All In footage) has not been met well by fans on YouTube. 

    Ultimately, the decision has been made to air the footage and that can\’t be undone now, despite AEW flagging several videos online showing the All In altercation. While Khan may have done this to get to CM Punk following his comments to Ariel Helwani (another individual Khan has had issues with) it looks like this situation has done more harm than good for All Elite Wrestling. 

  • WWE\’s Shayna Baszler Obtains Black Belt Ranking in Judo

    Shayna Baszler has proven yet again that she\’s not somebody to mess with after achieving the rank of black belt in Judo. 

    The news was shared by the Tampa Florida Judo Academy on Instagram that Baszler had achieved her black belt ranking by martial arts expert Dr. Rhadi Ferguson. Baszler was described as \”one of the most accomplished athletes in the world of combat sports.\” 

    https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C5mxsycMI7K

    Baszler\’s accomplishment in Judo shows her dedication, skill, and pursuit of excellence in the world of combat sports. This hard work has evidently paid off for the \’Queen of Spades\’ who is considered one of the most legitimate fighters in WWE today. 

    Shayna Baszler: The Real Deal

    Shayna Baszler\’s toughness cannot be denied whether in the world of professional wrestling or in combat sports. In WWE, she is a two-time NXT Women\’s Champion, a three-time WWE Women\’s Tag Team Champion, and the 2020 Women\’s Elimination Chamber winner. 

    Outside of the squared circle, Baslzer competed in the UFC after winning the 2013 reality show The Ultimate Fighter. She is also trained in Muay Thai and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. 

    Her MMA training would come at the hands of former UFC fighter Josh Barnett. It\’s therefore fitting that Baszler mixed her love of wrestling and MMA at Barnett\’s Bloodsport X event where she earned a hard-fought victory over TNA Wrestling\’s Masha Slamovich. 

    Away from combat sports, Baszler has competed in roller derby, a sport that sees plenty of scrapes and injuries to its competitors. It\’s therefore for the best that Baszler, the head coach for the Sioux Falls Roller Dollz, is also a certified EMT. 

  • Changes to Raw & SmackDown Stages Here to Stay As WWE Prioritizes Fan Attendance

    A significant production change we saw earlier this week on WWE Smackdown and WWE Raw will continue.

    WWE utilized scaled-down productions setup for last week\’s SmackDown, the night before WrestleMania Saturday, and Monday\’s post-WrestleMania edition of Raw. Instead of a large stage, screen and ramp, the company opted to use a format that allowed the company to sell more tickets to the events. According to PWInsider, this approach will be \”the norm moving forward.\”

    This slimmed-down production setup is expected to be used on the June 28, episode of WWE SmackDown from Madison Square Garden.

    Changes to WWE Production

    This is the latest change in a broader overhaul to WWE\’s approach to production. Following the departure of longtime production head Kevin Dunn, WWE appointed Lee Fitting for that position. The changes have been remarkable and unanimously well-received.

    WWE events will also look different in the ring moving forward. As fans saw at WrestleMania 40, the PRIME Energy logo was emblazoned on the ring mat in a historic first for WWE. This logo will feature on the mat for future Premium Live Events, a significant reversal of longstanding policy.

    WWE\’s on-screen product will undergo its biggest change in January 2025 when Raw is moved off of broadcast television and begins streaming on Netflix. The $5 billion dollar deal will help the company remain at the cutting edge of TV and live event production.

  • Logan Paul Surprised IShowSpeed With A Tesla Cybertruck After WrestleMania RKO

    IShowSpeed may still be feeling worse for wear after WrestleMania 40, but the popular YouTuber will have no problem getting around with his new Cyber Truck. 

    On YouTube, Speed shared a video of himself being gifted the vehicle by the Maverick. Paul said the truck was a gift for Speed\’s help at WrestleMania which saw him take an RKO from Randy Orton on the English-commentary announce table. Speed was overjoyed with the gift and took the truck for a test drive and accidentally ran over the bow. 

    IShowSpeed Gets an RKO at WrestleMania

    Speed was dressed as the PRIME Energy mascot at WrestleMania 40 and aided Paul in his triple-threat match against Orton and Kevin Owens. The spot was similar to WrestleMania 39 which saw PRIME Energy co-founder KSI dress in the costume and try and help Paul out. Like IShowSpeed, that would backfire and he\’d be sent through the announce table. 

    PRIME & WWE

    WWE and Prime Hydration struck a record-setting global partnership deal in March 2024 to make PRIME the company\’s Official Hydration Drink Partner. The agreement also extends to the UFC, WWE\’s \’partner\’ company as part of TKO Group.

    At WrestleMania 40, the synergy was on full display. Randy Ortton delivering an RKO to influencer IShowSpeed dressed in a PRIME Energy bottle costume went viral on social media. 

    Wrestling fan also couldn\’t miss the PRIME Energy logo emblazoned on the WWE ring mat, a historic first that we\’ll see plenty more of in the future. TKO executives have spoken about their plans to continue ramping up the sponsored branding the ringside area. 

    Prime Product Placement

    Logan Paul

    As for Logan Paul, his U.S. Championship reign remains intact with fans wondering what\’s next for him. Paul was chosen to reveal that WWE SummerSlam 2024 will take place this August in his native Cleveland, Ohio. 

    Paul didn\’t waste any time drumming up attention for the event by calling out one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, NBA kingpin LeBron James:

  • CM Punk, Young Bucks & More React As AEW Airs All In London Backstage Altercation

    The wrestling world has made its views clear following the airing of backstage footage showing last year\’s altercation between Jack Perry and CM Punk. 

    The April 10, 2024, episode of AEW Dynamite saw the Young Bucks air the much-anticipated footage from All In London 2023 that saw Perry and Punk get physical. The altercation led to both men being suspended from AEW and Punk being fired a week later. 

    The Wrestling World Reacts

    Unsurprisingly, the airing of this footage has caused quite a stir among those in professional wrestling. On his Instagram Stories immediately after the segment, Punk shared an image of President George W. Bush with the message \”Mission Accomplished.\”

    The Young Bucks took to Twitter to speak about being petty Executive Vice Presidents of All Elite Wrestling. 

    Shawn Spears, an AEW alum who has since returned to WWE as part of NXT, suggested that releasing the footage had backfired for Tony Khan. 

    Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Booker T, who previously made up a fictional altercation with Punk, used a gif of himself to express his surprise. 

    Eric Bischoff, who has been critical of AEW and Tony Khan, believes releasing the footage proved that Khan is a \’clown,\’ a term Punk used to describe him post-fight. 

    AEW\’s Danhausen, a friend of CM Punk, was amused to see what unfolded, as a gif of \’Rowdy\’ Roddy Piper showed. 

    WWE/TNA Hall of Famer Bully Ray said it was \”no bueno\” for AEW that fans were chanting for Punk at Dynamite. 

    Bully also addressed the matter further on his Busted Open Radio: After Dark podcast. 

    \”This is not on the talent. This is not on the locker room. And most of the time, it never ever is across the board. It’s on creative. It’s on the booker. It’s on the matchmaker. This company needs help. At this point, I hope even you diehards realize that.\”

    Ultimately, Punk will continue to be a source of controversy within AEW even after his release from the company. As far as these reactions and those by fans go though, it appears airing the footage may not have done AEW or Tony Khan any favors. 

  • Sumo Wrestling Legend & WWE WrestleMania 21 Performer Akebono Dead Aged 54

    Akebono Taro, a prolific sumo wrestler who also competed in the world of professional wrestling, has passed away at the age of 54 years old. 

    Japanese media outlets confirmed his death after he was rushed to a hospital in Tokyo, Japan. His cause of death has been listed as heart failure. On Twitter, Rahm Emanuel, the official U.S. Ambassador to Japan, paid tribute to Taro. 

    Taro was born Chadwick Haheo Rowan in Hawaii and had a legendary career as a sumo wrestler. After moving to Tokyo in the 190s, he would go on to win 11 titles with over 560 victories. His multiple victories would earn him the status of yokozuna (not to be confused with the WWE star,) which is the highest title for a Sumo wrestler. 

    Akebono in Pro-Wrestling

    Akebono Taro also had an accomplished career in professional wrestling and made his WWE debut in March 2005. At WrestleMania 21 the following month. Akebono defeated The Big Show in a sumo match via koshinage (throwing the opponent entirely out of the ring.)

    With a taste for pro-wrestling, Akebono joined All Japan Pro Wrestling that same year and would win Tokyo Sports\’ Newcomer Award for 2005 as well as the Best Tag Team Award (with Keiju \’Great Muta\’ Mutoh.) He debuted for New Japan in 2006 but would return to All Japan in 2008 where he would remain for the next seven years of his career. 

    Akebono also competed for DDT Pro-Wrestling, Dragon Gate, and Pro Wrestling Zero1, and would become the World Heavyweight Champion with the latter promotion. 

    We at SE Scoops would like to offer our condolences to his friends and family at this sad time. 

  • CM Punk Chants Breaks Out As AEW Airs Previously Unseen All In London Footage

    CM Punk did indeed start the physicality between himself and Jack Perry at AEW All In, footage aired during the April 10, episode of AEW Dynamite has proved. 

    During the broadcast, the Young Bucks appeared and discussed their upcoming AEW Dynasty showdown with FTR. The AEW EVPs then showed the much-anticipated backstage footage from last August\’s event in London\’s Wembley Stadium. 

    The footage shows Punk speaking with Perry, presumably after the latter\’s \”Real glass\” line during his pre-show match with Hook. Punk proceeds to shove Perry twice and get a choke on Jack before Samoa Joe and others intervene. The two are then kept in opposite corners of the room. 

    https://twitter.com/futurafreesky/status/1778223082122965405

    It\’s unclear if the release of this footage will change anything in the grand scheme of things. After all, during Punk\’s interview on the MMA Hour, he said that he didn\’t punch anybody but \”choked him a little bit\” as the footage shown on AEW Dynamite proves.

    The Fans Chant

    In fact, some fans who attended Dynamite chanted for Punk after seeing him attack Jack Perry. There was also a thank you chant near the end of the footage as seen in the video clip from Dynamite below. 

    These chants did not go unnoticed by Bully Ray, who took to Twitter to respond: 

    While a portion of the audience at Dynamite appeared to be on Punk\’s side, this footage isn\’t a favorable look for Punk. The Chicago-Made star is a veteran with decades of wrestling to his name who should have known better at the time.

    Ultimately, Punk is gone from AEW and seems much happier in WWE, where his conduct has been exemplary so far. With that said, the Best in the World proves to be quite the talking point with his former employer. 

  • Damian Priest: The Judgment Day Is In The Conversation of the All-Time Best Factions

    Damian Priest\’s stunning victory at WrestleMania 40 solidifies The Judgment Day as one of the all-time great factions according to the World Heavyweight Champion.

    On Night Two of WWE\’s annual mega-show, Priest successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on Drew McIntyre, who had dethroned Seth Rollins mere minutes earlier. Appearing on WWE The Bump, Priest discussed his win and how it further elevates the legacy of The Judgment Day. 

    \”Winning the World Title means a lot of us. I mean, it solidifies our group. We have Rhea, the Women\’s World Champion [and] me, the Men\’s World Champion. I think if you look at the history of factions, where does that put the Judgment Day now?

    \”We\’ve had Undisputed [Tag Team] Titles. We\’ve had North American Titles. Now we have World Titles. I don\’t see how we\’re not in the conversation for one of the best factions of all time.\”

    WrestleMania 40 was also a big night for Rhea Ripley who retained her Women\’s World Championship. The \’Mami\’ of the faction successfully defended the gold against Becky Lynch in the opening match of the two-night event. 

    The Judgment Day

    Priest\’s comments ring true given how many championships The Judgment Day has accumulated in its two-year run. The faction had a shaky start when launched by Edge in 2022 as fans struggled to boo the Rated-R Superstar following years of his forced retirement.

    The group began to hit its stride when it ejected the WWE Hall of Famer in a segment that saw Finn Balor added to its ranks. The faction reached new heights at Clash at the Castle 2022 when Dominik Mysterio betrayed his father and joined. In addition to championships, The Judgment Day has been represented in the main event of shows such as WWE Survivor Series 2023 and WWE Elimination Chamber 2024. 

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

  • AEW Dynamite Preview [4/10]: All In Footage To Be Aired, World Title Eliminator Match

    All Elite Wrestling presents AEW Dynamite tonight on TBS live from the Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, West Virginia. 

    The show will see AEW continue on the road to AEW Dynasty on April 21. Here\’s what\’s on tap for tonight\’s show: 

    AEW All In Footage to Be Aired

    In one of the boldest moves AEW has made in its five years, Dynamite will see The Young Bucks present backstage footage from AEW All In. This footage will seemingly show what happened in Wembley Stadium between CM Punk and Jack Perry that resulted in Punk being fired from AEW in September 2023. 

    Adam Copeland (c) vs. Penta El Zero Miedo – AEW TNT Championship

    AEW TNT Champion Adam Copeland will once again prove he\’s a fighting champion when he puts the gold on the line against Penta El Zero Miedo. While a former AEW Trios & World Tag Team Champion, Penta hopes to win his first singles title tonight. 

    Mariah May vs. Anna Jay

    The understudy of \’Timeless\’ Toni Storm has been on a roll as of late and hopes to keep that going when she faces Anna Jay. Storm will have her own special role on AEW Dynamite. 

    \’Timeless\’ Toni Storm to Toast Thunder Rosa

    It was announced on Rampage that Toni Storm would \’toast\’ Thunder Rosa with some Charleston Championship Champagne during Dynamite. The two will face off for Storm\’s AEW Women\’s World Championship at AW Dynasty. 

    Six-Man Tag-Team Action

    Anthony Ogogo has officially joined Shane Taylor Promotions and the Olympic Bronze medalist hopes to prove his worth. That\’ll come easier said than done as Ogogo, Taylor, and Lee Moriarty will face the formidable trio of Chris Jericho, HOOK, and Katsyori Shibata. 

    Samoa Joe (c) Vs. Dustin Rhodes – AEW World Championship Eliminator

    Mere days after his brother Cody finished the story at WWE WrestleMania 40, Dustin Rhodes will face Samoa Joe with huge stakes. A win for Rhodes will earn the Natural a future AEW World Championship match though it\’ll be far from easy when he faces the Samoan Submission Machine. 

    SEScoops is your destination for everything pro wrestling and will have plenty of news coverage later tonight from AEW Dynamite.

  • The Studios At WWE: Massive New Complex to Take \”Productions to the Next Level\”

    WWE has marked the launch of a new era with a new studio complex to help lead the company\’s production side of things in the future. 

    The 30,000-square foot studio complex is called \’The Studios at WWE\’ and features several studios. The studio is based at WWE\’s new headquarters in Stamford, CT. 

    The main studio is an impressive 5,000-square-foot center. There is also a 1,500-square-foot Cyclorama studio and a 1,500-square-foot volumetric LED studio set to open this spring. The complex also features a 1,000-square-foot photo studio and two insert stages that are approximately 600 square feet each. 

    The Studios at WWE is the first U.S. facility to install Crystal LED Verona, with 150 cabinets across its main wall. Joe Solari, WWE VP of Studio Operations shared his enthusiasm for the new complex when speaking to Sports Video. 

    \”It gives us new tools and a new canvas to push the limits of what we do here at the WWE. We can take our productions to the next level and really increase our fan engagement. I don’t think that there is anything in Connecticut right now that even comes close to what we built here.\”

    Production Changes

    The Complex at WWE comes at an interesting time for WWE with several changes being made to the company. With the departure of Kevin Dunn, WWE has appointed Lee Fitting as the promotion\’s head of production. Changes to the on-screen product have been received well by fans so far. 

    Perhaps the biggest change to WWE\’s on-screen presentation will come in January 2025 when Raw moves to Netflix. The five-billion-dollar deal will see the red brand hosted on Netflix for ten years, though the timeframe can change based on the show\’s performance. Those outside the U.S. will also receive SmackDown, WWE NXT, and Premium Live Events. 

  • Cody Rhodes Joins Elite Club, Makes Triple-Crown History with WWE Universal Title Win

    Cody Rhodes\’ Undisputed WWE Universal Championship win at WrestleMania 40 continues to make history as the new champion has joined a very exclusive club.

    Rhodes ended the 1,316-day reign of Roman Reigns in an emotional main event to WrestleMania 40: Sunday on April 7. With this win, Rhodes becomes the fourth wrestler in history to have held the WWE World Championship and the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion. He joins an elite club of talent that includes the inaugural WWE Champion Buddy Rogers, 16-time World Champion Ric Flair, and the Phenomenal AJ Styles. 

    This fact was pointed out on social media by Brian R. Solomon, an author of several wrestling books. In 2022, his book \’Blood and Fire: The Unbelievable Real-Life Story of Wrestling’s Original Sheik\’ won the Wrestling Observer\’s \’Best Book\’ award for the year. His next book, Irresistible Force: The Life and Times of Gorilla Monsoon, is scheduled to be released in 2024. 

    Triple Crown History

    Rhodes didn\’t just join the exclusive club of WWE/NWA World Champions, but he also made history by becoming the first person in his own unique club. With his win, Rhodes became the first man to have held the WWE, NWA, and Ring of Honor World Championships. Rhodes won the NWA title from Nick Aldis at 2018\’s All In show. His Ring of Honor World Championship win would come the year prior with a victory over Christopher Daniels at Best in the World 2017.

    The American Nightmare is certainly riding high with his victory at WrestleMania 40: Sunday. The fans are clearly behind Rhodes who also achieved a new personal record over WrestleMania week. 

  • Bron Breakker Bids Farewell to NXT Ahead Of 2024 WWE Draft

    Bron Breakker has wrapped up his time as part of WWE NXT after he and Baron Corbin lost the brand\’s Tag Team Championships to Nathan Frazer & Axiom. 

    In a WWE Digital Exclusive after the show, Corbin spoke about Breakker being an incredible competitor and \”one hell of a friend.\” Corbin was also confident that Bron is going to become a WWE World Champion on the main roster. 

    Amid chants of \”Thank you Bron,\” Breakker thanked the fans for their support and reflected on his time as part of WWE NXT. 

    \”I got my start right here in this very building from day 1 back in NXT 2.0. Right here in the WWE Performance Center since day 1 all of you guys have been on this journey, on this ride with me the whole time, so I can not thank you enough.\”

    Breakker thanked Shawn Michaels, the staff at WWE NXT, the roster he\’s worked with, and Corbin for being both a friend and rival. Breakker concluded by saying this isn\’t goodbye (as fans will soon see him on the main roster) before taking photos with fans and making his way to the back. 

    What\’s to Come for Bron Breakker? 

    Breakker was signed to SmackDown in February of 2024 but was allowed to remain with NXT during his run as a Tag Team Champion. With his farewell to WWE developmental, he\’s a sure thing for an imminent main roster call-up. 

    Expectations are high for Breakker, a former two-time NXT Champion, as the second-generation Superstar is set to take WWE by storm in the coming years.

    We\’ll see if he goes back to SmackDown, or if he\’s shifted to Raw, where he\’d also have plenty of fresh competition. 

  • Damian Priest Takes Huge Step to Build His Profile Outside of Pro-Wrestling

    New WWE World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest is looking to expand his brand outside of professional wrestling by signing with the Paradigm talent agency.

    Paradigm will work to build Priest\’s business across books, acting, marketing, unscripted appearances, and more, Variety reports. Paradigm will look to find Priest work outside of the squared circle in what is expected to be a huge shift for him and a sign that big things are coming in the future of the Puerto Rican Superstar. Perhaps a future in music is in the cards for Priest, who provides the vocals for his new theme song that debuted on the post-WrestleMania 40 edition of Raw. 

    Priest is hardly the first Superstar to sign with a talent agency. In August 2022, Bianca Belair signed with William Morris Endeavor to build her brand outside of wrestling. WME also represents Dwayne \’The Rock\’ Johnson and John Cena. 

    This signing comes at a pivotal time for Priest, who captured the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40. The Judgment Day member cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on Drew McIntyre mere minutes after the Scottish Warrior dethroned Seth Rollins. Priest had held the Money in the Bank contract since capturing the briefcase in July 2023 and had failed to cash in multiple times. 

    What is the Paradigm Talent Agency? 

    Founded in Beverly Hills, CA, in 1992, Paradigm has more than 200 agents representing clients in various aspects of the media. The future looks bright for Priest as Paradigm is a four-time winner of Pollstar\’s \’Booking Agency of the Year\’ award. Notable names represented by Pollstar include author Stephen King, actor Sydney Sweeney, director James Wan, and musician Billie Eilish. 

  • Roman Reigns Breaks Silence, Has Finished Mourning WrestleMania 40 Loss

    Roman Reigns has finished \’mourning\’ his recent defeat and has taken the first step to rising to the very top of WWE once more. 

    The now-former Undisputed WWE Universal Champion lost the title to Cody Rhodes in the main event of WWE WrestleMania 40: Sunday. The title change marks the end of a historic 1,316-day reign for Roman Reigns who had dominated for three-and-a-half years. 

    Taking to social media, the Head of the Table made clear that he has mourned for his title loss and has embarked on \’Day 1\’ of the next chapter of his career. 

    What\’s to Come for Roman Reigns? 

    Reigns is expected to take a break from WWE programming and is not expected to appear at WWE\’s next Premium Live Event, Backlash: France. Reigns is similarly not being advertised for the upcoming WWE Clash At the Castle: Glasgow event that will see the roster return to the UK. He is expected to appear at WWE SummerSlam this August in Cleveland, Ohio. 

    While Reigns won\’t be appearing on TV for some time, there are said to be big things in the works for the Tribal Chief. On the post-WrestleMania 40: Sunday press conference, WWE CCO Paul \’Triple H\’ Levesque said that a \”whole new story\” for Reigns is coming that will take him \”to a whole \’nother level.\”

    Reigns has also earned praise from Cody Rhodes despite their on-screen issues. On the Pat McAfee Show, Rhodes called Reigns an \”exceptional champion\” and hopes he \”can be half the champion Roman Reigns was.\”