SEScoops

Author: Thomas Lowson

  • WWE Has Been Teasing The Rock Vs. Roman Reigns For Much Longer Than You Think

    WWE has spent a long time planting the seeds of the much-rumored showdown between Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and The Rock. 

    The Brahma Bull returned to WWE programming during this week\’s Day 1 edition of Monday Night Raw to an eclectic response from the crowd. WWE had been teasing the return of a former WWE Champion in the days before the show, which at first appeared to be Jinder Mahal. The Modern-Day Maharaja ran down the United States before the return of The Rock who laid out Mahal with a Spinebuster and his People\’s Elbow. 

    WWE Teasing The Rock Vs. Roman Reigns

    It wasn\’t just Mahal who The Rock had his eyes on during the Day 1 edition of Monday Night Raw. During his promo, the Great One also asked the fans if they\’d like to see him as Head of the Table, alluding to taking the spot held by Roman Reigns. Reigns had quite the reaction to his cousin\’s threat on social media. 

    The Rock Vs. Roman Reigns has been a dream match for fans for years and it is something that WWE has been working on for just as long. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that Reigns being christened \’The Tribal Chief\’ in 2020 was setting up a showdown with the Brahma Bull. 

    \”That whole thing, ‘The Head of the Table’ and all that, and ‘Tribal Chief,’ was all done originally to build up the Roman Reigns-Rock match.”

    Meltzer added that WWE wanted to host the Reigns-Rock match at WrestleMania 38 in April 2022. That match was shelved, reportedly so that the match could take place at WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles. While the two combatants were once a lock for that show, plans fell through. 

    What does John Cena make to the possibility of The Rock facing Roman Reigns? Click here to find out. 

  • Katsuhiko Nakajima Retains AJPW Triple Crown Title Against WWE NXT\’s Charlie Dempsey

    Charlie Dempsey\’s attempts to bring the AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Title to the No Quarter Catch Crew were in vain at the promotion\’s recent event. 

    Last month, it was announced that Dempsey would be competing for AJPW, in a rare instance of WWE allowing one of their stars in another promotion. In a video, William Regal (Dempsey\’s father) spoke about his own career in Japan before announcing that Dempsey would be working the AJPW show. This also proved to be Regal\’s first public acknowledgment of the WWE NXT Superstar as his son. 

    Charlie Dempsey Competes in All Japan

    On December 31, Katsuhiko Nakajima defeated Kento Miyahara to retain the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship and set up the title defense against Dempsey. Heading into their title match, Dempsey held a victory over the champion, having bested Nakajima in a previous tag-team match. 

    At the January 3, show, the champion and challenger held nothing back in their efforts to leave with the AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Title. Dempsey was called the \’Ace of NXT\’ by the ring announcer. You can check out highlights of the match below. 

    After Dempsey exited the ring, Nakajima was approached by Shotaro Ashino, who has been out since May 2023 with a fractured left forearm. Before his injury, Ashino had won the Champion Carnival tournament, earning himself a shot at the Triple Crown. He made his return to the ring on December 31. 

    Back in the United States, things didn\’t go any better for Dempsey\’s allies in the No Quarter Catch Crew. Click here to find out more. 

  • Carlito Makes WWE NXT Appearance After Dragon Lee Misses Show Due to Visa

    Dragon Lee was unable to make it to this week\’s WWE NXT, but the reigning North American Champion lived up to his promise of a huge surprise. 

    This week\’s show was NXT\’s \’New Year\’s Evil\’ episode and marked the first edition of the gold brand of 2024. The show was scheduled to see NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov defend against Trick Williams, who earned a title shot by winning the Iron Survivor Challenge at NXT Deadline. Due to the kayfabe injury \’caused\’ by Ridge Holland, Dragunov was pulled from the show. Williams would retain his spot as Number One Contender with a win over Grayson Waller. 

    Carlito on WWE NXT

    Another match that was changed was the six-man tag pitting the LWO against the No Quarter Catch Crew. Dragon Lee was supposed to be in the match but was not in the U.S. at the time. On Twitter before the show, Lee explained how Visa issues were keeping him in Mexico, but promised a surprise for the match. 

    That surprise turned out to be Carlito, who led his LWO allies to victory over Drew Gulak, Myles Borne, and Damon Kemp. For good measure, Carlito delivered his trademark apple-spit to Gulak after the match. 

    Another Surprise Appearance

    Carlito wasn\’t the only notable name to appear on this week\’s episode of WWE NXT. During the aforementioned match between Trick Williams and Grayson Waller, Kevin Owens appeared to attack his SmackDown rival. The two have been at odds for some time, with Owens taking issue with both the Australian and his ally Austin Theory. 

  • TNA Star Reveals Unique Behind The Scenes Role in WWE 2K23 Video Game

    WWE 2K23 may feature some of the top names past and present to work for the promotion, but it also features IMPACT/TNA\’s own Jordynne Grace. 

    WWE 2K23 is the tenth game in the 2K series and was released in March of 2023. The game was released for PS4, PS5, Windows, and the Xbox series of consoles. The game was released to generally positive reviews and it is the highest-rated pro wrestling game on Metacritic since WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006.

    Jordynne Grace in WWE 2K23

    WWE 2K23 marked the video game debut of Ivy Nile, who was part of the \’Race to NXT\’ pack of downloadable content. This pack included Trick Williams, Wendy Choo, Tony D\’Angelo, and WWE Hall of Famer Harley Race. Nile has a 74 ranking in the game. 

    While Nile is part of WWE 2K23, the promotion did not use her when crafting her moveset for the game. When a fan on Twitter said Nile could be the daughter of Scott Steiner and Jordynne Grace, the latter revealed that she was brought in to do motion capture for WWE 2K23. Grace also had a positive view on Nile, describing her as \”dope.\”

    Ivy Nile in WWE

    Ivy Nile made her debut for WWE in 2020 at an NXT live event in Ocala, Florida. She has competed on WWE NXT and WWE NXT UK and has challenged for the NXT Women\’s Championship and NXT Women\’s Tag Team Championships. On this week\’s Day 1 edition of Raw, she unsuccessfully challenged WWE Women\’s World Champion Rhea Ripley. 

  • Dwayne Johnson Gives Major UFL Update: Teams, Coaches, Kick-Off Date & More

    Dwayne \’The Rock\’ Johnson has given fans their first glimpse at the teams that will make up the newly formed United Football League. 

    Last week, the Brahma Bull announced that his XFL would be uniting with the USFL to form the UFL, which aspires to cement the future of spring football. It is hoped that the joining of the leagues will improve the quality of football and give a better product to fans and players. Johnson and business partner Dany Garcia  acquired the XFL in 2020 after Vince McMahon\’s second attempt at the world of professional football was snuffed out by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The UFL Teams

    This week, the UFL announced the eight teams that will compete in the first season of the new league. The roster will consist of four teams from the XFL and four teams from the USFL. They are as follows. 

    USFL Conference

    • Birmingham Stallions
    • Houston Roughnecks
    • Memphis Showboats
    • Michigan Panthers

    XFL Conference

    • Arlington Renegades
    • D.C. Defenders
    • San Antonio Brahmas
    • St. Louis Battlehawks

    Houston was the one overlapping market for the XFL and USFL and was one of the strongest markets for both leagues. As a result, the USFL\’s Houston Gamblers have been rebranded as the Houston Roughnecks.

    Coaches

    Here are the Head Coaches for the UFL teams, They include returning names from both the XFL and USFL. 

    • Skip Holtz (Stallions)
    • Curtis Johnson (Roughnecks)
    • John DeFilippo (Showboats)
    • Mike Nolan (Panthers)
    • Bob Stoops (Renegades)
    • Reggie Barlow (Defenders)
    • Wade Phillips (Brahmas)
    • Anthony Becht (Battlehawks)

    Kicking Off

    The UFL\’s 10-game regular season will start on Saturday, March 30, 2024. The opening game will see USFL champions Birmingham Stallions take on XFL champions Arlington Renegades. Players will report to training camp on Saturday, February 24, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. Season tickets for all eight markets are available for purchase.

    Johnson and Garcia also discussed the launch of the UFL on ESPN. You can check out their comments in the video below. 

  • Roman Reigns Has the Perfect Reaction to The Rock Seeking His Spot as Tribal Chief

    The Rock may be coming for Roman Reigns\’ spot as Head of the Table, but the reigning Undisputed WWE Universal Champion isn\’t sweating his cousin. 

    The Brahma Bull returned to WWE programming during this week\’s Day 1 edition of Monday Night Raw to an eclectic response from the crowd. WWE had been teasing the return of a former WWE Champion in the days before the show, which at first appeared to be Jinder Mahal. The Modern-Day Maharaja ran down the United States before the return of The Rock, who had some choice words for his fellow former WWE Champion. The Rock then laid out Mahal with a Spinebuster and his People\’s Elbow. 

    Roman Reigns Reacts to The Rock

    It wasn\’t just Mahal who The Rock had his eyes on during the Day 1 edition of Monday Night Raw. During his promo, the Great One also asked the fans if they\’d like to see him as Head of the Table, alluding to taking the spot held by Roman Reigns. On Twitter, Reigns had a concise response to the notion. 

    This challenge didn\’t go unnoticed by the rest of the Tribe. In a tweet of his own, WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi shared his reaction to The Rock teasing going for the Tribal Chief. 

    The Rock Vs. Roman Reigns

    Considered a dream match by many, WWE has gotten close in the past to making a showdown between The Rock & Roman Reigns a reality. The pair were set to headline WrestleMania 39 last year but ultimately plans fell apart. Last August, Reigns admitted that he just can\’t see his cousin being able to beat him for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title. 

  • CM Punk is PW Tees/ShopAEW\’s Best Seller of 2023, Jay Briscoe Takes Second, MJF at #3

    WWE Raw Superstar CM Punk proved to have quite the 2023, which saw the Best in the World become PW Tees number one best-selling wrestler. 

    Punk moved more merchandise on PW Tees and Shop AEW than any other wrestler, according to data from PW Tees themselves. Jay Briscoe, who passed away in January, took second place, with shirts being released in his memory. MJF, who lost the AEW World Championship to Samoa Joe at Worlds End, took third place. 

    You can check out the top 25 selling wrestlers on PW Tees below. 

    CM Punk in 2023

    Punk\’s accolade is even more impressive when you consider that he spent the vast majority of 2023 not appearing on TV. Punk was suspended going into 2023 due to his role in the AEW All Out 2022 backstage brawl with The Elite. Punk was brought back to TV to be the main star of AEW Collision when the show launched in June. 

    Just two months after his return, however, Punk was again suspended from AEW, this time for his backstage altercation with Jack Perry at AEW All In. A week after this incident, Punk would be released from AEW shortly before the All Out show in Chicago. Tony Khan stated that he was fearing for his life during Punk\’s outburst backstage at Wembley Stadium. 

    With his ties to AEW well and truly burnt, Punk shockingly returned to WWE in November at Survivor Series. The following month, he would compete in his first WWE match in close to a decade, defeating Dominik Mysterio inside Madison Square Garden. 

  • Triple H: 2023 Was The Biggest Year in WWE History. Ever.

    2023 proved to be the biggest, most significant year in the history of WWE, according to the promotion\’s Head of Talent & Creative Triple H. 

    Taking to Twitter, the Game shared his hot take on the year that was, calling it \”the biggest year in WWE history. EVER.\” Triple H shared a graphic with some notable accomplishments by the company in 2023. The Game added that none of it would be possible without the WWE staff, crew, Superstars and fans, and was excited for what 2024 brings. 

    WWE in 2023

    2023 was indeed a monumental year for WWE with some groundbreaking changes occurring over the 12 months. Cody Rhodes made his impressive return from injury in January to win the Men\’s Royal Rumble match. A year after his WWE return though, Rhodes failed to \’finish the story\’ and was beaten by Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39. 

    24 hours after this shocking ending, WWE announced that they would be acquired by Endeavor to the sum of $9.3 billion. That deal was finalized in September with the launch of TKO Group Holdings. The launch of TKO saw several prominent names cut from the company\’s offices with the production of WWE and UFC being streamlined. In September, WWE experienced its first releases to the roster of the TKO era. 

    2023 ended with a huge bang as CM Punk made his return to WWE at Survivor Series. Punk\’s return came less than three months after his AEW firing, and close to a decade after he walked out of WWE in 2014. 

    For a closer look at some of the epic on-screen moments WWE experienced in 2023, check out the video below. 

  • Walk With Elijah! Ex-Superstar Elias Rebrands for Post-WWE Career

    Former WWE Superstar Elias will be working as Elijah from here on now that his non-compete clause has officially expired. 

    Elias was released from WWE in September 2023, in the first wave of talent releases following the launch of TKO Group Holdings. Elias signed with WWE in 2014 and left the company as a four-time 24/7 Champion. He is also a one-time Slammy Award winner (Best Musical Performance of 2020) and a one-time WWE Year-End Award winner (Breakout Superstar of 2018).

    Walk With Elijah

    With the Elias name owned by WWE, the former Superstar has now relaunched himself for his career outside of the promotion. On Twitter this week, The ex-Superstar announced that he is now Elijah. The video leaned on biblical themes, which makes sense as both the Elias and Elijah names come from the Old Testament prophet of the same name. 

    Elias can be seen waking in a wooded area while snippets of his time in WWE flash on screen. A voice-over also speaks in biblical prose before Elias arrives at a grave site with a priest waiting for him. The former WWE Superstar falls backwards into the grave before re-emerging from the dirt as Elijah. 

    This rebrand has had fans talking and also caught the attention of another Elijah. On Twitter, a Welsh wrestler who also competes as Elijah shared his reaction to the ex-Superstar\’s rebrand. 

    Why was Elias almost fired from WWE multiple times during his tenure with WWE NXT? Click here to find out. 

  • Read WWE President Nick Khan\’s Company-Wide E-Mail on Kevin Dunn\’s Exit

    WWE President Nick Khan has praised the efforts of Kevin Dunn in an e-mail while confirming the longtime executive\’s departure from the promotion. 

    Dunn informed WWE of his decision to leave over Christmas, ending his many decades of servitude to the promotion. Often considered the most influential name in WWE to not be part of the McMahon family, Dunn\’s official role was as WWE\’s Executive Producer & Chief, Global Television Distribution. While WWE pitched for Dunn to stay on until the Royal Rumble or possibly WrestleMania, Dunn chose to make a clean break from the company after announcing his plans to leave. 

    Nick Khan\’s Company-Wide E-Mail

    In a message shared throughout WWE (obtained by PW Insider), Khan said the following: 

    After 40+ years of helping to build WWE and, hands down, the best production and media unit in the entire sports and entertainment business, Kevin Dunn, will be leaving our company as of today.

    Before WrestleMania 1, Kevin joined Vince at WWF. Many of us remember a pre-WrestleMania WWF – a regional wrestling company that looked like a regional wrestling company. Then we experienced WrestleMania 1, whether live, on closed circuit or years later elsewhere. It was magic. A regional wrestling company had become a global sports entertainment juggernaut. Vince led the way, side by side with Kevin Dunn. When many of us were kids standing in line waiting to play Pac-Man, Kevin was already on the road breaking his back to help build our company.

    When you see our product now, there is nothing that comes close to its look or feel – 52 weeks a year, three to four times a week. It is singular and truly special. No other company can or will do that, and that is because of Kevin and our media team’s hard work, smarts and determination.

    We are forever grateful to Kevin. He will always be a part of the WWE family.

    Some thought that Kevin Dunn would be fired after the retirement of Vince McMahon in July 2022. Click here to check out Triple H\’s comments at the time. 

  • CM Punk\’s Lawyer: If Chris Jericho Saw Brawl Out, He Should Be Bound By An NDA

    Steve New, the lawyer of CM Punk and Ace Steel, believes that Chris Jericho should be bound by an NDA relating to All Out 2022 if he isn\’t already. 

    Jericho has been very vocal about the infamous backstage brawl that saw Punk and Steel fight the Elite and overshadow the September 2022 pay-per-view. Recently, Jericho claimed that he was not bound by an NDA, teasing that he\’d speak publicly about the matter. When New refuted the idea, Jericho gave a fiery comeback on Christmas Day and branded New a \”mark\” who should shut up. 

    Chris Jericho\’s Potential NDA

    On a recent edition of Nick Hausman\’s Rumor and Innuendo podcast, New was asked for his reaction to Jericho\’s remarks. New admitted to being surprised and still believes that Jericho should be tied to an NDA preventing him from speaking about the matter. 

    \”Without revealing too much of the confidentiality to which I am bound, is my understanding that anyone who witnessed the incident at All Out 2022 would have been obligated to sign an NDA. Chris indicated he was a witness, which, to me, implies that he would have been examined by the law firm investigating the incident and required to sign an NDA.”

    New added that whether Jericho saw the backstage fight or not, AEW\’s confidential policies may prevent him from addressing the matter publicly. 

    “Furthermore, I believe that AEW talent is obligated to maintain confidentiality, as it is part of the company’s policies, handbooks, and regulations. Therefore, whether Jericho witnessed a part of the incident or not, he is still bound by the company’s confidentiality policies.”

    While Jericho has claimed that he doesn\’t have an NDA preventing him from talking about the \”disgusting\” events of the brawl, he has yet to give any new information about what happened. 

    Chris Jericho\’s Potential Trouble

    Chris Jericho is currently facing allegations of misconduct with Kylie Rae which may have been a factor behind her exit from AEW. The inaugural AEW World Champion faced \”NDA\” and \”Kylie Rae\” chants at Worlds End, and a hashtag calling for him to be fired trended during the show. On the post-Worlds End media scrum, Tony Khan (donned in Toni Storm\’s hat and sunglasses) says AEW takes allegations like this very seriously. 

  • WWE Made Major Changes to Final 2023 Live Event to Thank the Superstars

    WWE changed things up with their handling of the final live event in 2023, but these changes were welcomed by the Superstars at the show. 

    The December 30, WWE live event took place at the KIA Forum in Inglewood, California. The show was the last event on WWE\’s record-breaking Holiday Tour. The event marked the second match for CM Punk since returning to WWE at Survivor Series. The Best in the World defeated Dominik Mysterio, whom he also defeated at the December 26 event in MSG. 

    WWE Makes Changes to Live Event

    With this show being WWE\’s last of 2023, the promotion wanted to make things easier for the Superstars traveling for New Year\’s. PW Insider reports that the show was structured to get talent done and out so they could head to LAX for red-eye flights home. This is something that likely may not have been done regularly for anyone except the very top Superstars under the previous McMahon-led regime. 

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

    This effort to get talent out as early as they could led to a steel cage match and a World Heavyweight Championship match going on early, and the card was \”haphazard\” compared to the more traditional WWE events. This was all designed to thank talent for their week of hard work over the tour by getting them back home ASAP.  One WWE Superstar even joked that the scene backstage was like Home Alone 2, as everybody was racing for and through the airport to get to their respective flights. 

  • Happy New Year! Check Out How Wrestlers Are Ringing In 2024

    2023 is officially in the history books, and the wrestling community has been celebrating the arrival of 2024. 

    Like countless people around the world, the wrestlers have been celebrating New Year\’s in their own unique ways. You can see some of the celebrations down below. 

    Gail Kim

    IMPACT Wrestling Hall of Famer Gail Kim was able to ring in the new year in Australia. The seven-time Knockouts Champion described celebrating New Year\’s in Sydney as a bucket list moment.

    Jessica McKay

    Due to time zones, those in Australia were among the first to ring in 2024. Jessica McKay, who recently gave birth to a healthy baby boy, was also pleased to celebrate the arrival of the new year.

    Nikki Cross

    Nikki Cross may be a silent, motionless creepy individual on WWE Raw, but she was anything but that on New Year\’s Eve. The former Raw Women\’s Champion was able to reunite with her friend and fellow wrestler Rhia O\’Reilly to see in 2024. 

    Zelina Vega

    2023 proved to be a huge year for Zelina Vega, who had an emotional outing at Backlash in Puerto Rico. The Queens Crown Tournament winner certainly dressed to impress when celebrating the New Year. 

    Shota Umino

    New Japan\’s Shota Umino is excited for 2024, but is focused on his work in the ring, as his New Year\’s post made clear on Twitter. 

    Adam Cole

    Adam Cole proved his true colors at AEW Worlds End by revealing himself as The Devil. On Twitter, Cole celebrated his betrayal of MJF by saying that the New Year will show the \”real me\”.

    Gia Miller

    Gia Miller is excited for what\’s to come when IMPACT Wrestling relaunches as TNA this month. The backstage correspondent who occasionally wrestlers was having a blast during her own New Year\’s celebration. 

    Debra McMichael

    Former WWE Women\’s Champion Debra had a fun New Year\’s celebration which saw her go to a nice restaurant and ring in 2024 with a bonfire with her loved ones. 

  • Andrade El Idolo Pulled from GCW Event As WWE Return Rumors Circulate

    The rumors of Andrade El Idolo\’s imminent return to WWE are only growing now that the former NXT Champion has been pulled from a GCW event. 

    At AEW Worlds End, Andrade lost to Miro after his manager CJ Perry betrayed him and aligned with her husband. Shortly before the show, it was noted that this would likely be Andrade\’s final AEW match and that he was expected to return to WWE imminently. On the post-Worlds End media scrum, Tony Khan confirmed Andrade\’s exit from the All-Elite promotion. 

    Andrade\’s WWE Return

    With Andrade\’s time with AEW over, many expect a return to WWE. Andrade\’s departure from AEW was said to be not pleasant and he made it clear during last week\’s Dynamite that he no longer wanted to be a part of AEW. 

    While WWE hasn\’t announced Andrade\’s return, clues are piling up that he will be back soon. As previously reported, a former champion is expected to return to WWE on tonight\’s \’Day 1\’ edition of Monday Night Raw, which could be the former NXT and United States Champion. 

    Now, another major clue has indicated that Andrade\’s return to WWE is happening, even if not at tonight\’s Raw. PW Insider reports that Andrade was advertised for at least one GCW event for 2024, and that is no longer the case. WWE famously prefers to keep their talent away from other promotions, with only a select few exceptions. 

    WWE Day 1 Raw

    Whether Andrade appears tonight or not, the Day 1 episode of Raw will be quite the show. The following matches have been confirmed. 

    • Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax
    • Tegan Nox and Natalya vs. Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark (Number One Contenders match for the WWE Women\’s Tag Team Championships)
    • Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Ivy Nile (WWE Women\’s World Championship)
    • Seth \”Freakin\” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)

  • WWE Holiday Tour Smashes Records With Eight Historic Gates Across North America

    WWE ended 2023 on a high by hosting a record-breaking Holiday Tour, as touted by Head of Talent & Creative Triple H. 

    The eight-night tour kicked off on December 26 with WWE\’s annual event from Madison Square Garden in New York City. That same night, WWE would host an event in Baltimore, Maryland. WWE would also host events in Boston, Montreal, State College, Detroit, Houston, Toronto, and Las Vegas before ending the tour at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. 

    WWE\’s Record-Breaking Holiday Tour

    As previously reported, WWE\’s return to Madison Square Garden saw the largest gate for any non-televised event in the history of the promotion. That show saw CM Punk make his return to the ring in his first WWE match since the 2014 Royal Rumble. 

    Taking to Twitter, Triple H shared more impressive news about the recent Holiday Tour. The 14-time WWE World Champion revealed that the eight-show tour had four sell-out events. Eight of the total ten events on the tour proved to be record-breaking gates for wrestling shows in their respective arenas. 

    What\’s Next? 

    With this highly successful tour in the history books, WWE\’s attention turns to what will be a stacked week of programming. Tonight\’s Raw will be a \’Day 1\’ special edition of the red brand, followed by NXT New Year\’s Evil the following night. On Friday, WWE will host their \’New Year\’s Revolution\’ edition of SmackDown. From there, WWE will host the Royal Rumble on January 27. The promotion will head to Perth, Australia for their Elimination Chamber event in February, before WrestleMania 40 in April. 

    What resolutions do the WWE Superstars have for the New Year? Click here to find out. 

  • Shelton Benjamin Has \”A Few Years More\” in the Ring After WWE Exit

    Shelton Benjamin\’s time with WWE may have ended, but the Gold Standard is by no means done in the ring. 

    Benjamin, a former U.S. Intercontinental, Tag Team, and 24/7 Champion, was released from WWE in September of 2023 as part of the first wave of releases following the launch of TKO Group Holdings. Benjamin\’s first run with WWE lasted from 2000 to 2010 with his second run going from 2017 to 2023. 

    Shelton Benjamin On His Wrestling Future

    During a Twitch stream, Benjamin was thanked by a fan for his years of entertainment. The ex-Superstar was grateful for the kind words and shared his timeframe for his future in the ring. 

    \”Thank you for watching. I hope you enjoyed [it]. I hope to give you [a] few years more, \’cause I\’m not done yet. Not quite.\”

    During the stream, Benjamin was also asked about his move to Raw in 2004. Benjamin was drafted to the red brand in April and debuted by getting a series of upset wins over Triple H. 

    \”My thoughts on that was it was totally a surprise to me I had no idea what was planned. I didn\’t realize how big that moment would be for me. It put me on the map.

    \”So much respect for Triple H for being willing to do the honors to get my name out there. It was amazing. That whole week, that whole run was one of the best times of my career.\”

    Could Shelton Benjamin\’s future reside in AEW? Some in Tony Khan\’s promotion certainly hope so. Click here to find out more. 

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

  • AEW\’s Next Battle of the Belts Special Could Be Happening Very Soon

    The next \’Battle of the Belts\’ event from All Elite Wrestling could be a matter of weeks away, despite not being confirmed yet by the promotion. 

    Battle of the Belts is a one-hour special presented by AEW in which championship matches are the key. The show has also seen titles defended for AEW\’s sister promotion Ring of Honor Wrestling, which Tony Khan acquired in March of 2022. 

    While not advertised, the next Battle of the Belts event could be just 12 days away. Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful notes that the next Battle of the Belts event is listed on TNT\’s schedule for January 13, at 10 PM EST. This is the same day of TNA Hard to Kill, which will be the promotion\’s relaunch after years as IMPACT Wrestling. 

    AEW Battle of the Belts

    The first Battle of the Belts event took place in January of 2022 at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. Since then, a total of eight Battle of the Belts events have taken place. The most recent was in October of 2023 at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee. 

    Despite the name, title changes have been a rarity at AEW\’s Battle of the Belts events. Over the two years of events, only two matches have seen a new champion be crowned. At the first Battle of the Belts event, Sammy Guevara defeated Dustin Rhodes to win the Interim AEW TNT Championship. The second and most recent title change at Battle of the Belts also involved Guevara and saw the Spanish God win the TNT Championship from Scorpio Sky at Battle of the Belts 2 in April 2022. 

  • Rhett Titus Selling Wrestling Memorabilia After Disability Insurance Company Doesn\’t Pay

    A difficult situation has led to former Ring of Honor Wrestling talent Rhett Titus selling some of his gear to help pay for some necessary costs. 

    On Twitter, Titus explained that despite being approved for maternity leave months ago, his insurance company has not paid his wife. This has led to his wife rushing back to work after having a C-section. Titus revealed that he will be selling a lot of his wrestling memorabilia from his time as a fan and as a wrestler. 

    In the comments, Titus shared some vintage wrestling shirts, including the first-ever shirt released by Ring of Honor. Titus also shared a crew shirt for last year\’s AEW All In event, which was never made available for purchase. Titus also had some other rare shirts as well as pieces of his own merchandise available for purchase. 

    Rhett Titus in the Ring

    Titus is best known for his tenure in Ring of Honor which began in 2006. Titus is a former ROH World Television Champion and won the title from Dalton Castle at Final Battle 2021. He is also a former two-time ROH World Tag Team Champion and won the now-defunct Top of the Class Trophy once. In 2020 he won a Year-End award for Faction of the Year with The Foundation. 

    Titus has also competed for several other promotions, including Jersey Championship Wrestling, Full Impact Pro, Force One Pro Wrestling, and MCW Pro Wrestling, where he is a former MCW Heavyweight Champion. In 2012, he broke the top 100 wrestlers in the world in Pro Wrestling Illustrated\’s annual PWI 500 ranking, by coming in at #98. 

    Rhett Titus appeared on an episode of AEW Collision in an unlikely role. Click here to find out more. 

  • Latest On Kevin Dunn\’s WWE Exit: Pitch to Stay, When He\’s Leaving & More

    Longtime WWE Executive Kevin Dunn is leaving of his own accord, despite what some may believe about the situation. 

    Last week, it was reported that Dunn would be stepping down from his role as WWE\’s Executive Producer & Chief, Global Television Distribution. His departure marks the end of three decades of working with the promotion. Dunn was unwavering in his stance not to comply with dictated directives and preferred his previous hands-on approach to production oversight. 

    Latest on Kevin Dunn\’s Departure

    Kevin Dunn wasn\’t the most well-liked person in WWE, so much so that when Vince McMahon retired in July of 2022, many predicted that Dunn would be fired. This speculation was quashed by Triple H himself, who named Dunn as a major part in WWE\’s plans post-McMahon. Despite what some may believe, Dunn was not fired by WWE, according to a report from PW Insider. Instead, he is choosing to retire, and made it clear to WWE higher-ups he was finishing during the Christmas week. 

    There was a push for Dunn to stay on through the Royal Rumble and possibly finish with WrestleMania 40 in April 2024. Instead, Dunn preferred a clean cut and he is done with WWE \”effectively immediately.\” The report emphasized how massive a deal for Dunn to be leaving, no matter if people liked him or not. 

    Why People Dislike Kevin Dunn

    Though he always seemed to have Vince McMahon on his side, Dunn was hardly popular within WWE or with the company\’s fans. Many take issue with Dunn\’s use of quick camera cuts that make the action hard to follow as well as some of his attitudes towards wrestlers. Dunn reportedly was against pushing Becky Lynch because of her Irish accent and believed that she\’d never be able to cut a good promo. In his book MOX, Jon Moxley writes about Dunn\’s influence. 

    \”In a place like WWE, that one comment, one little seed planted by a guy in Kevin Dunn\’s position can be extremely detrimental to someone\’s future there. That\’s a lot of power, and power breeds ego. Connecticut … old, rich boys\’ club ego. I\’ve heard all kinds of stories about that guy messing with people\’s careers. Suffice to say that dude is a fu**bag.\”

    Dunn was also said to be against pushing Billie Kay as he did not find her funny. It is also reported that he was against pushing any women he did not find personally attractive.  

  • WWE Superstars Share Their New Year\’s Resolutions for 2024

    2024 is drawing near and with it, so does the possibility for a fresh start for the Superstars of WWE. 

    Last year proved to be a year of massive change for WWE, with the biggest being the acquisition of WWE by Endeavor and the launch of TKO Group Holdings. 2023 also saw returns, releases, heel turns and a certain Tribal Chief continuing his dominant reign as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. 

    So what\’s next? Well here are some of the New Year\’s Resolutions from the Superstars of WWE. 

    Bianca Belair

    Bianca Belair lost the WWE Women\’s Championship to IYOY SKY at SummerSlam, mere moments after capturing the gold at the same event. On last week\’s SmackDown, Belair admitted she doesn\’t usually make resolutions, but vowed to recapture the title and remain undefeated at WrestleMania. 

    Bobby Lashley & The Street Profits

    On the show, Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits resolved that they will have \”more\” in 2024. Lashley added that the new year will not just be good for his faction, but it\’ll be \”All Mighty.\”

    Grayson Waller & Austin Theory

    Grayson Waller & Austin Theory have impressed those backstage as a tag-team. On SmackDown, the pair said that winning singles and tag titles are their goals for 2024. Theory added that he wants to win the Royal Rumble while Waller plans on headlining WrestleMania. 

    Rey Mysterio

    Rey Mysterio has a simple resolution for 2024: to get Dominik Mysterio and Santos Escobar. 

    Trish Stratus

    WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus has shared her big plans for the New Year. After competing in 10 matches in 2023, the seven-time Women\’s Champion plans to be back in the ring once again in 2024. 

  • UFL: Dwayne Johnson\’s XFL Merges with USFL to Create United Football League

    Dwayne \’The Rock\’ Johnson hopes to usher in a new era of football following the merger of the XFL and the USFL. 

    Johnson acquired the XFL in 2020 after Vince McMahon\’s second attempt at the world of professional football was snuffed out by the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest season kicked off in February of this year. 

    The United Football League

    It was recently reported that Dwayne Johnson had a huge announcement about the XFL and the Brahma Bull has delivered. Johnson, alongside business partner Dany Garcia, appeared on FOX\’s NFL pre-game show. The former WWE Champion acknowledged Jimmy Johnson to kick things off, as he was inducted into the Dallas Cowboys Ring Of Honor last night this week. 

    Johnson and Garcia then announced the merger of the XFL and the USFL to form the UFL. Johnson spoke about joining the leagues together to improve football and give a better product for both the fans and players. Johnson hopes that by combining leagues they can cement the future of spring football after it stopped and started over the previous decades. Johnson added that he always wanted to play in the NFL but said he\’d be the 54th man when the rosters are cut at 53. 

    The UFL will air on FOX and ESPN. The first game will take place on March 30, and see the champions of the XFL and USFL face each other in the opener. The merger and launch of the UFL shouldn\’t come as too much of a surprise for fans. In September, it was announced that the XFL and USFL were looking to merge. 

  • Giulia Still Has \”Things to Do in Japan\” Amid Interest from WWE

    NJPW Strong Women\’s Champion Giulia could be a WWE Superstar soon, but the Japanese star is keeping coy about her future.

    For months, there have been rumors that Giulia could one day end up in WWE. In November, it was reported that Giulia would be attending a personal tryout at the Performance Center in Orlando, though the trip was eventually canceled. Despite this, WWE was said to have a \”massive\” amount of interest in the Japanese wrestler. 

    Giulia on Possibly Joining WWE

    While speculation grows about Giulia joining WWE, the 29-year-old wrestler isn\’t ready to publicly make the move just yet. In an interview with Tokyo Sports, the reigning NJPW Strong Women\’s Champion was asked about the reports.

    \”This is the first time I’ve been asked this directly in an interview (reports of WWE having interest in her). What can I say… Giulia has grown up (laughs). But, I still have things to do in Japan.\”

    What\’s Next? 

    Signing Giulia is a priority for WWE\’s Head of Talent Paul \’Triple H\’ Levesque. The Game is said to be bothered by the notion Japanese talent can\’t succeed in WWE and hopes the arrival of Giulia can change that perception. While Giulia would be quite the addition to the AEW roster, the All-Elite promotion has never made a serious play for her, and she has had no conversations with representatives. At this time, it appears her only notable options are WWE or staying in Japan. 

    One WWE Superstar already has her eye on facing Giulia in the ring. Click here to find out more. 

  • CM Punk\’s Story Won\’t End With Headlining WrestleMania: \”That\’s Me Just Getting Started!\”

    CM Punk headlining WrestleMania won\’t mark the finish of his story, but rather just the beginning, according to the WWE Raw Superstar. 

    Punk is one of two men confirmed for next month\’s Men\’s Royal Rumble match, with the other being Cody Rhodes. Both men are considered favorites to win the Men\’s Rumble match. The show will mark ten years since Punk\’s final match at a WWE PLE which came as part of the 2014 Royal Rumble Match. 

    CM Punk is Just Getting Started

    At the December 30, WWE live event in Inglewood, California, CM Punk defeated Dominik Mysterio in a rematch from their Boxing Day collision. Punk once again received a massive ovation from the fans in attendance, who joined in with his signature \’It\’s Clobbering Time!\’ catchphrase.

    Speaking to the fans after the match, Punk addressed Rhea Ripley not being in Dominik\’s corner before turning his attention toward the Men\’s Rumble match. 

    \”Like all of you, I\’m disappointed that Rhea Ripley wasn\’t here tonight. I was looking forward to hoisting her and bodyslamming her to cause California to break down the San Andreas fault and fall into the ocean. Maybe next time. Give yourselves a round of applause you beautiful, beautiful, people. You packed this place, days after Christmas. You spent your hard-earned money and your valuable time to spend time with us and I appreciate that.

    \”At the end of the month in January, I go to the Royal Rumble and damnit, if there was a sign hanging in this building I\’d point at it right now. But I\’ll point at my heart [Punk does so] because that\’s where all of you reside until I walk into the Rumble and I walk out the winner! That\’s me, finishing what I started and it\’s not over then because then I\’m going to go on to main event WrestleMania. And that\’s not the finish of my story, sorry Cody, that\’s me just getting started!\”

    A Hall of Fame Surprise

    Punk received a ton of support from the fans, as well as behind the scenes. Backstage, WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi was very pleased to see Punk at the event. In a video shared on social media, Rikishi can be seen welcoming Punk \’home.\’

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

  • Adam Copeland Paid Tribute to Iconic WrestleMania Match at AEW Worlds End

    Adam Copeland\’s days as a WWE Superstar may be a thing of the past, but the Rated R Superstar paid tribute to one of his iconic WrestleMania matches last night. 

    Since joining AEW at WrestleDream, Copeland has been feuding with his former friend and ex-tag team partner Christian Cage. The two faced off for the TNT title in Montreal earlier this month on an episode of Dynamite in a match that Cage would win. 

    Copeland\’s WrestleMania 22 Tribute

    At AEW Worlds End, Copeland once again challenged for the AEW TNT Championship, this time in a No Disqualifications match. Throughout the match, Copeland paid tribute to his epic Hardcore match at WrestleMania 22 in 2006, which saw the then-Edge defeat Mick Foley. Copeland wore the same attire at Worlds End that he wore for the match with Foley, right down to his vest. 

    Later in the match, Copeland used a flaming table, just as he had at WrestleMania 22 nearly two decades earlier. Rather than spearing someone through the table though like he did in Chicago, Copeland powerbombed Nick Wayne onto the table at Worlds End. 

    https://twitter.com/AIRGold_/status/1741304743354376211

    Copeland was able to dethrone Christian Cage as TNT Champion and finished his former friend with Cage\’s own Killswitch finisher. This marked Copeland\’s first championship win since 2011 but was also his shortest reign. Post-match, he was attacked by Killswitch (the wrestler, not the move.) Killswitch had earned a shot at the TNT Championship by winning a battle royal on the Zero-Hour pre-show. Killswitch surrendered his title opportunity to Cage, who promptly won the title back from Copeland. 

  • Adam Cole & More React to The Devil Reveal at AEW Worlds End

    The reveal of the Devil at AEW Worlds End has proven to be a huge talking point among fans and those within the wrestling business. 

    In the main event of AEW Worlds End, MJF lost the AEW World Championship to Samoa Joe. After the match, the Devil\’s henchmen\’s attacked MJF and revealed themselves to be Wardlow, Roderick Strong, Matt Taven and Mike Bennett. Adam Cole watched on as the four men beat down Cole\’s \’best friend\’ before revealing himself as the Devil. 

    The Wrestling World Reacts

    After months of build, the reveal of the Devil has had the wrestling world talking. Taking to Twitter, Cole shared a snippet from the song \’pride.is.the.devil. by J. Cole and Lil Baby. 

    While some suspected Britt Baker of being the Devil, that was never the plan. On Twitter, Baker was pleased to prove those who doubted her wrong. 

    Anthony Bowens has been aligned with MJF and was attacked by The Devil\’s henchmen alongside the rest of the Acclaimed recently. The AEW Trios Champion had just two words for Cole and his allies. 

    Alex Hammerstone recently wrapped up his time with  MLW and has teased joining AEW. The former MLW World Champion shared a photo of himself alongside MJF, and others during their time as The Dynasty and asked if MJF needs some help. 

    Richard Holliday was also once part of The Dynasty and shared his own reaction to the reveal of the Devil and his henchmen. 

    There have been some negative reactions to the closing moments of AEW Worlds End, but that hasn\’t phased Samoa Joe. The new AEW World Champion made it clear he\’s enjoying the \’salty tears\’ of fans.