SEScoops

Author: Thomas Lowson

  • Triple H Praises \”Incredible\” GUNTHER After Record-Breaking Rumble Performance

    WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER did not win the Men\’s Royal Rumble match, but the Austrian\’s performance has had everybody talking.

    GUNTHER entered his first Royal Rumble match from the unfortunate #1 position, but lasted until the end and was the final person eliminated.

    The leader of Imperium lasted over 71 minutes, smashing Rey Mysterio\’s record for the longest stint in a 30-Man Royal Rumble match.

    Incredible

    Joining WWE as WALTER as part of NXT UK and later WWE NXT, GUNTHER\’s career with the promotion is closely tied to Triple H.

    Speaking at the Royal Rumble 2023 post-show press conference, the Game had nothing but praise for the Intercontinental Champion.

    \”Sometimes when people look at the Royal Rumble, they just look at the winner. I tend to look at who has the moments that are most spectacular. That\’s what our business really a lot of the time is. It\’s about those big moments. That moment that catapult\’s you to another moment that raises you up to another even bigger moment.\”

    \”There were a lot of people who had moments tonight. Logan Paul and Ricochet. It\’s one of the craziest things I\’ve ever seen. Cody with the win. But GUNTHER, going in there at number one, with Sheamus which is tough enough because you know you\’re going to take a beating.\”

    \”To have the performance that he did, all through that hour [was incredible.] There was never a moment in that Rumble match I feel where you lost GUNTHER. Where he just blended into the background. He stood out the whole thing. He\’s a star. He is an incredible talent.\”

    \”He stood out the whole thing. He\’s a star. He is an incredible talent.\”

    Triple H.

    \”It\’s funny how many talents come to me when they walk through that curtain after they work with him, whether it\’s briefly or whether it\’s a long match, and walk through that curtain and say \’oh my God. He\’s incredible.\’ He\’s a special talent and he had a big night tonight and I\’m excited to see where he can take that. If each moment leads to another, I\’m excited to see where he takes it next.\”

    GUNTHER on Potential Brock Lesnar Match: “I Would Gladly Take It”

    For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.

  • Cody Rhodes Calls WWE Royal Rumble Win \”Biggest Night of My Career\”

    The American Nightmare is one step closer to fulfilling his promise to his father the American Dream.

    Entering the Men\’s Royal Rumble match at the coveted #30 spot, Cody Rhodes eliminated 5 Superstars to win the match, earning a Championship opportunity at WrestleMania 39.

    Rhodes\’ final elimination saw him throw out GUNTHER, who broke the record for the longest time in a traditional Royal Rumble match.

    Biggest Night of My Career

    For Cody Rhodes, the road to this victory has been far from easy.

    Cody was not with WWE this time last year, and plans for his return were severely delayed by his torn pectoral muscle injury last June.

    Throughout his recovery, Rhodes has been on the receiving end of well-wishes from fans and those within the industry.

    Speaking after the match to Ryan Satin, Rhodes thanked the fans for their support

    \”Thank you for everything. I can\’t thank you enough [from the] bottom of my heart. The biggest night of my career so thank you very much.\”

    Cody Rhodes.

    WrestleMania Moment

    With this victory, Rhodes now has a World Championship match assured for WrestleMania, something that alluded the American Nightmare during his first run with WWE.

    In a separate interview with Cathy Kelley, an emotional Rhodes made it clear he\’s looking forward to walking into his first WrestleMania main event.

    \”I don\’t have a, sorry I\’m very emotional. I don\’t have a frame of reference. I\’ve never punched a ticket to WrestleMania.

    \”I don\’t have any words other than, I\’ve got to finish it, right? There\’s no one better in the world than Roman Reigns. I can\’t say I\’m better, but I have to beat him to say I\’m better.\”

    Unless Reigns drops the title before April, the Tribal Chief will face the American Nightmare at WrestleMania 39.

    Original WWE WrestleMania 39 Pitch for Cody Rhodes Revealed

  • Chelsea Green Returns at WWE Royal Rumble – Breaks Rumble Record

    Chelsea Green has made her long-anticipated return to WWE, though her return didn\’t go as she had planned.

    Green was released from WWE in April 2021, months after suffering an injury during her debut match on SmackDown in November 2020.

    After her WWE departure, Green returned to Impact Wrestling, where she became a former Impact Knockouts Tag Team Champion.

    Rumble Return

    After her contract with Impact Wrestling expired, it was reported that Green was set to return to WWE.

    Green had been teasing her return to WWE for months and said in November 2022 that she would be open to the idea, while saying she doubted she would join All Elite Wrestling.

    It had also been reported that the Canadian wrestler had been re-signed for months, and was waiting on WWE\’s Creative team to figure out her return.

    That return came as part of the Women\’s Royal Rumble as the #20 entrant.

    This match marked Green\’s second time in a Royal Rumble, after competing in the 2020 Women\’s Rumble match, where she eliminated Dakota Kai.

    Unfortunate Record

    Chelsea Green is once again a WWE Superstar, but she had the worst performance in the Women\’s Royal Rumble match.

    Green was immediately tossed over the top rope, and her four-second stint has broken the record as the shortest appearance in a Women\’s Royal Rumble match.

    Prior to the Canadian Superstar, the record was held by Liv Morgan, who was thrown over the top rope in 2019 after lasting eight seconds.

    Chelsea Green Discusses Possibility of the Cardonas in WWE or AEW

  • Roman Reigns Addresses The Rock Not Being Ready for WWE WrestleMania 39

    Roman Reigns has spoken candidly about the possibility (or lack thereof) of facing his cousin The Rock at WrestleMania 39.

    A showdown between the two members of the Anoa\’I family has been a dream match for years, and it was reported last year that WWE was actively pursuing the match.

    The Rock\’s most recent match was an eight-second win over Erick Rowan in 2016, while his most recent full match saw him lose to John Cena at WrestleMania 29.

    Roman Reigns

    While The Rock Vs. Reigns was once considered a virtual lock for WrestleMania, that is no longer the case.

    Earlier this month, it was reported that The Rock has informed WWE that he does not believe there is enough time for him to prepare for the Mania match.

    Speaking on the Tonight Show to promote tonight\’s Royal Rumble, Reigns addressed the match seemingly being off the table.

    “I believe he just came out with a statement saying that he’s not gonna be ready in time, which, that’s the face that everyone’s making, like, ‘Hold on! He trains every single day. He’s huge!’ In his defense, it’s one thing to train with weights, the bodybuilding, the look, the part… but, to be able to get in the ring and do a main event match, a championship match, it takes a lot of conditioning, it beats up your body.

    \”So there’s more that goes into it than training in the weight room. It’s a professional athlete type of situation where you have to condition. He does two out of three things perfectly. His nutrition and weight training is on point, but you have to condition yourself, you gotta be ready to fall down.”

    With The Rock not expected at WrestleMania, (and therefore tonight\’s Rumble) other favorites to win the Men\’s Rumble match include Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn.

    Reigns will defend the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship tonight against Kevin Owens.

  • Triple H Provides Update on Upcoming WWE NXT Europe Brand

    WWE\’s Chief Content Officer Paul \’Triple H\’ Levesque has provided an update for the much-anticipated NXT Europe.

    The new brand was announced last August and coincided with the end of NXT UK as WWE\’s overseas brand.

    Following the announcement of NXT Europe, almost all talent from NXT UK was released, with only a select few being moved to WWE NXT in the U.S.

    NXT Europe

    With considerable backlash from fans over the mass releases from NXT UK, a lot is riding on NXT Europe to be a runaway success.

    Speaking to Variety, Triple H shed light on WWE’s plans for NXT Europe.

    “There’s been a lot of progress on it. We are very excited about the prospect of taking NXT in a larger global direction. I would like to be able to find the best athletes and the largest personalities and the most entertaining people from every place in the world, and bring them into what we do.\”

    Triple H.

    Triple H, who is also WWE\’s Head of Talent Relations, also spoke about the importance of searching all over for talent to bring to NXT Europe.

    \”When you begin to create those characters and those stars from every region, those regions become more engaged in what we do. If you can begin to go to all these places, and begin to find athletes there that can resonate on a global stage, some will make it big.\”

    Triple H.

    The Game did not provide any date for when NXT Europe will premiere, though the brand is expected to air at some point in 2023.

    Amale Discusses Wrestling Meiko Satomura, Possible NXT Europe Involvement, NXT UK Mentors, & More

  • WWE\’s Saudi Deal \”Absolutely a Factor\” in Possible Sami Zayn World Title Push (Report)

    Could WWE\’s relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia snuff out plans for a World Championship push for Sami Zayn?

    Zayn is arguably the most popular WWE Superstar competing today, having won over audiences with his work as the Honorary Uce.

    With tensions continuing to boil in the Bloodline, many feel it is a matter of time before Zayn challenges Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.

    Sami and Saudi Arabia

    Sami Zayn is a regular on WWE TV, but due to his Syrian heritage, the decision was made years ago to keep him away from events in Saudi Arabia.

    That didn\’t stop fans from chanting for the Honorary Uce during the press conference for last November\’s Crown Jewel event in Riyadh.

    When Dave Meltzer was asked on Wrestling Observer Radio whether the Saudis could prevent Sami from becoming World Champion, the veteran journalist said that it could be a factor.

    \”Yes, because Saudi Arabia would want the top guy and the champion. But John Cena hasn\’t gone to Saudi Arabia lately [since 2018\’s Greatest Royal Rumble.] And he\’s a much bigger star than Sami. It\’s something, but it\’s not a death knell to him.\”

    Dave Meltzer.

    Meltzer echoed recent comments from Zayn himself that even if he is to become champion, that won\’t make the Honorary Uce the next face of the company.

    \”They\’re not going to make him the top guy. They can still make him the champion. Does Saudi Arabia play a part in the sense that they don\’t want him in Saudi Arabia and he doesn\’t want to go to Saudi Arabia anyway? And if he\’s the champion, and they have a show coming up? Yes, that\’s absolutely a factor. And it\’s a really good point.\”

    Getting Over

    Whether the Saudis will admit it or not, Sami Zayn is the most naturally \’over\’ star competing in WWE today.

    On his show, Meltzer discussed Zayn not having \’the look\’ of a top guy, and recalled when Bryan Danielson and CM Punk got \’over\’ years earlier.

    \”Even if they\’re over, in the minds of the people making the decisions, it\’s \’they\’re over with our audiences, but they can\’t really be over [in the mainstream.\’] I\’ve always argued that the test of who can get over is who gets over. There is no set thing.

    \”I\’ve always argued that the test of who can get over is who gets over.\”

    Dave Meltzer.

    \”Guys have gotten over and drawn big, big, giant, giant [numbers.] Mainstream stars have gotten over in different parts of the world and the country and everything like that, and they didn\’t necessarily have to fit into this Roman Reigns look, not that there\’s anything wrong with Roman Reigns.\”

    After being found not guilty during the trial on this week\’s Raw, Zayn will face a final challenge at tonight\’s WWE Royal Rumble event.

    Zayn isn\’t confirmed for the Men\’s Rumble match, but his real-life best friend Kevin Owens will challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.

    Sami Zayn: Becoming WWE Champion is “Not Totally Unrealistic”

    For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.

  • Yet Another WWE Vice President Departs Company

    WWE\’s promise that nothing would change following the return of Vince McMahon is seeming pretty hollow with the departure of another name backstage.

    McMahon returned to WWE as a member of the Board of Directors on January 6, 2023, and has since been appointed as Executive Chairman.

    In a meeting in WWE\’s offices, Stephanie McMahon said that little would change with Vince\’s return, days before her resignation as Chairwoman and co-CEO of the company.

    Departure

    WWE\’s now former Vice President of International Matthew Drew has parted ways with the company, PW Insider was first to report.

    Drew took on the role in June 2021 and his departure is said to have come last week.

    Part of his role as VP of International was to work on “growing WWE’s brand and business outside of the United States.” 

    In addition, Drew worked “with other company leaders to devise WWE’s international strategy for live events, digital, consumer products, and new revenue opportunities.”

    Other Departures

    Matthew Drew is hardly the only person to part ways with WWE following the return of Vince McMahon.

    McMahon being reappointed to the Board saw the billionaire return with Michelle Wilson and George Barrios, and the departures of JoEllen Lyons Dillon, Jeffrey Speed, and Alan Wexler.

    Ignace Lahoud and Man Jit Singh (the latter having overseen the investigation into McMahon) resigned the following morning.

    Drew is the latest vice president to part ways with the company after Stefanie Fiondella and Adam Hopkins tendered their resignations as Vice Presidents of Communication.

    The company also recently laid off multiple names from their offices in Stamford, though no Superstars have been released at this time.

    Stephanie McMahon Was Slated For Demotion Before WWE Exit (Report)

  • Latest on Why Warner Bros. Discovery Banned The Briscoes from AEW TV

    Mark Briscoe was allowed to compete on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, but only after a lot of pushback from Warner Bros. Discovery.

    In the main event of the show, Briscoe defeated Jay Lethal in a tribute match to Mark’s brother Jay, who died earlier this month.

    It has been reported that the match was not approved until the day before Dynamite and that multiple segments were shortened to give the main event plenty of time

    Warner Bros. Discovery Ban

    Jay Briscoe unfortunately never got the chance to compete on AEW TV, due to a ban against the brothers implemented by Warner Bros. Discovery.

    This ban was due to controversial tweets made by Jay a decade ago, comments that Briscoe would apologize for and explain as part of his heel character.

    The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that WBD also had an issue with Jay and Mark’s use of the Confederate flag for their wrestling attire in the past.

    It’s noted that as part of their agreement with AEW, Warner Bros. Discovery has the power to remove anyone from TV they do not wish to appear.

    Following Mark’s debut, it was said that the ban on him is lifted and he is free to appear on future AEW programming.

    What’s Next?

    Jay’s daughters, who were in the car at the time of the accident, have undergone surgery and both are said to be doing okay despite what’s happened.

    A fundraiser has been created to support Jay’s family, as well as the family of the other driver, who was also killed in the crash.

    Mark has spoken about his brother, saying that Jay is still with him in spirit, and that he’s going to keep pushing forward.

    AEW Dynamite Results (1/25/23): Jay Briscoe Tribute, Darby Allin vs. Buddy Matthews

  • Chris Jericho Named One of the Top 50 Heavy Metal Singers of All Time

    Chris Jericho has yet another impressive accolade to his name after being listed one of the 50 greatest heavy metal singers of all time.

    When not in the ring competing for All Elite Wrestling, Jericho can be found performing with his band Fozzy, who he founded in 1999.

    The band’s track ‘Enemy’ was used for the WWE No Way Out 2005 Pay-Per-View, while Jericho has used ‘Judas’ as his theme in AEW.

    Making the List

    Jericho’s musical talents may have been overshadowed by his impressive wrestling career, but he has made it into the Top 50 heavy metal singles.

    In a ranking from ‘ThisDayInMetal.com’ Jericho squeaks in at the #50 spot, with the following description:

    Who? Yes, that’s right, before you say Jericho can’t sing I suggest you go listen to his version of Iron Maiden’s Aces High. Right Sebastian Bach?

    Other notable names on the list include KISS’ Paul Stanley (#40,) Alice Cooper (#22,) and WWE Celebrity Wing Hall of Famer Lemmy Kilmister (#12.)

    The ranking sees Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden take bronze, Rob Halford of Judas Priest ranked second, and former Black Sabbath member Ronnie James Dio take first place.

    Fozzy

    Originally christened ‘Fozzy Osbourne’ Jericho’s band would begin when Rich ‘The Duke’ Ward had a chance encounter with the AEW star at a wrestling show in 1999.

    It would be a year later that the band’s name was shortened, and the group would release their first of eight albums with ‘Fozzy’ in 2000.

    So far, the only track to be certified gold is Judas, and the song’s sales were likely helped by Jericho’s use of the theme in AEW.

    Chris Jericho Reacts to Being Featured in Raw Is 30 Promo

  • Sami Zayn Answers: Can He Be The Face of WWE?

    Is a 38-year-old Montreal-born wrestler who once donned the masked persona of \’El Generico\’ on the cusp of becoming the next face of WWE?

    Sami Zayn\’s popularity with wrestling fans is truly impossible to deny, with the Honorary Uce winning over crowds around the globe with his role in the Bloodline.

    Zayn\’s journey with the group began in April 2022 when he tried to curry favor with Roman Reigns\’ faction, a plan that has clearly paid off.

    The Face of WWE?

    Since losing their tag match to John Cena and Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn has felt the ire of the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.

    After being found not guilty on this week\’s Raw (thanks to a last-minute defense by Jey Uso) Zayn was told that he will face a final challenge at tomorrow\’s Royal Rumble.

    While Zayn has proven his loyalty to the Bloodline time and time again, many feel it is just a matter of time before e and Reigns face off.

    Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Zayn was asked about the prospect of dethroning the most dominant champion of the last three decades.

    \”If we\’re being honest, I mean, I don\’t know, I can win the World title. I could carry it for a while. I could go do talk shows, I could do all that stuff. I don\’t know if I\’m the guy you could necessarily hitch your wagon to for the next five to ten years and like face of the company for the next five to ten years.\”

    \”I\’m not as big as say Roman or Cena or Brock or whoever and that\’s typically the guy who\’s the head.\”

    Sami Zayn.

    \”If nothing else, I\’m somewhat realistic about my physical [appearance.] I\’m not as big as say Roman or Cena or Brock or whoever and that\’s typically the guy who\’s the head at that scene. Because they [WWE] want a certain projection for the long haul.\”

    World Champion

    Zayn may be pessimistic about becoming the next face of WWE, but that doesn\’t mean World Championship glory will allude him.

    In the interview, Zayn spoke about the possibility of being champion, and says it would be an excellent payoff, as long as the story is done correctly.

    \”Could I win the world title? I think, especially because of the way the story\’s done… if you do it right, fans will buy it and get into it. So I think at this point, the way it\’s been built, and I\’m not saying this is what\’s going to happen. But if it was me and Roman at WrestleMania, and I beat Roman, if we did it right like we\’ve been doing it right the past nine month, nobody\’s going to go \’bogus. I\’m out. I can\’t take that.\’ Because we\’ve done it right.\”

    Even if he wasn\’t to become the \’face\’ of WWE, Zayn was confident he would represent the company proudly as champion.

    \”I think I could be a guy who carries that title six months. Go on Jimmy Fallon, make a couple of jokes, have him do that fake laugh that he does. All that good stuff. Sure I could do that. Sure. I could probably do that in my sleep to be honest. But it\’s just I understand the company\’s projection of what they see as the face of the company.\”

    \”I could be a guy who carries that title.\”

    Sami Zayn.

    \”Being the champion and being the face are almost two different things, and I think I could be the champion. No problem. As far as being the guy that they\’re like \’number one, he\’s our guy, he\’s the poster-boy. He\’s the ultimate representation of what our company is.\’ I know physically I don\’t fit that mold.\”

    Reigns will face Zayn\’s real-life best friend Kevin Owens with the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship tomorrow night at the Royal Rumble.

  • Liv Morgan: I\’m Pitching to Enter the Women\’s Rumble at #1

    Liv Morgan is hoping to prove just how tough she is by entering tomorrow\’s Women\’s Royal Rumble match from the #1 spot.

    Tomorrow\’s show will be the 36th Royal Rumble event in total (37 if you include 2018\’s Greatest Royal Rumble) and the sixth to feature a women\’s match.

    Since 2018, Asuka, Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Bianca Belair, and Ronda Rousey have all won the Rumble and punched their ticket on the road to WrestleMania.

    Number One

    Statistically speaking, #1 is the worst possible spot for a Rumble entrant, though that didn\’t stop Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit, and Edge from winning.

    Speaking to Denise Salcedo, Morgan shared her plans for the Rumble, and will have a long night ahead.

    \”I am hoping and I have been pitching myself to come out first. I want to come out first and make a statement. To not only endure all the pain and physicality that it will take to get to me to be the last woman standing, but just to leave a message that, bring all 29 women on, but at the end of the day, I\’m still going to be the last one standing in that ring. And who knows what title I\’d want to wrestle for.\”

    The earliest Women\’s Rumble victory goes to Bianca Belair, who lasted 56:42 in 2021 to win from the number 3 position.

    2022

    It was in January 2022 that Morgan was challenging for the Raw Women\’s Championship, that started a milestone year for her.

    Winning the Women\’s Money in the Bank contract and the SmackDown Women\’s Title that July, Morgan spoke about accomplishing her goals in 2022.

    I feel like all the obstacles just made the end goal and the end result so much sweeter. I feel like there are so many times in my career where I felt like I\’d never be Champion, or I wasn\’t good enough to be Champion. Other people thought I wasn\’t good enough to be champion.

    \”Other people thought I wasn\’t good enough to be champion.\”

    Liv Morgan.

    \”At the end of the day [I knew] I will be Champion so that\’s exactly what I did. I\’ve had an incredible, amazing, blessed year and I couldn\’t be happier.\”

    Change of Character

    After losing the SmackDown Women\’s Championship to Ronda Rousey, Morgan underwent a change of character that has shown her more extreme side.

    Addressing the change, Morgan appreciated how she\’s been able to push the boat out from what fans are used to seeing.

    \”I just feel more free if that makes sense? Especially right now with what I\’m doing on TV. Liv is very extreme, she\’s willing to go the extra mile to get what she needs done and with that I just feel like there are no handcuffs. No cage.

    \”I just feel like there are no handcuffs. No cage.\”

    Liv Morgan.

    \”I can do anything and everything to accomplish my goal, to get what I want. So with that is such an intense feeling of just freedom which I\’ve had so much fun with.\”

    Liv Morgan Shares Big Plans for When she Retires from Wrestling

    For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.

  • Vince McMahon Has Not Attended Any TV Tapings or Creative Meetings Yet (Report)

    Could Vince McMahon actually be telling the TRUTH?!

    The 77-year-old billionaire retired from WWE last July over allegations of misconduct with female employees, resulting in millions of dollars being paid in NDAs.

    McMahon returned to WWE earlier this month and has since been appointed the promotion\’s Executive Chairman.

    Keeping his Word

    When announcing his intention to return, McMahon made it clear that he was merely back to facilitate a sale of the promotion.

    Names reported as potential buyers include Comcast, FOX, Netflix, Disney, Amazon, and the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, among others.

    Many have been dubious of McMahon\’s claim, and believe it is just a matter of time until he makes a play to take over previous roles such as Head of Creative.

    In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it is reported that McMahon is remaining true to his word, and is rarely seen outside of meetings about the potential sale.

    McMahon has not attended any TV tapings, nor has he appeared at any creative meetings yet.

    Sources who spoke to the Observer that contrary to McMahon\’s first era on top of WWE, he now leaves work at a normal time, rather than staying into the early morning.

    The Sale

    Though there was a time when the idea of Vince McMahon selling WWE seemed impossible, McMahon is seemingly fixated on making a sale go through.

    While it had been reported that the Saudi PIF had purchased the company and were planning on turning it private, that was later debunked.

    It is believed that WWE hopes for a sale to happen soon, before they have to renegotiate with their broadcast partners at the USA Network and FOX later this year.

    NBCUniversal CEO Comments on a Potential WWE Sale

  • NXT Talent Still In the Dark Over WWE Royal Rumble Status (Report)

    The talent from WWE NXT are still in the dark as to whether they will be used for tomorrow\’s Royal Rumble Premium Live Event.

    The show will be the 36th Rumble event (37 if you include the Greatest Royal Rumble) and will be the sixth year in a row that there will be a men\’s and women\’s match.

    This will also be the first Royal Rumble for Triple H following his appointment as WWE\’s Head of Creative and Head of Talent Relations last July.

    NXT Power

    At this time, just seven spots in the Women\’s Royal Rumble match have been filled, while 16 for the men\’s match have been claimed.

    In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it is reported that as of midweek, NXT talent, particularly the women, were waiting to hear if anyone was being brought into the Rumble.

    WWE has previously used NXT talent to boost the numbers in previous Royal Rumbles.

    It was reported ahead of last year\’s Royal Rumble event that WWE did not want to use women from NXT for that year\’s match, following the brand\’s relaunch as NXT 2.0.

    The belief at the time was that with NXT 2.0 once again being a developmental brand, it didn\’t make sense for these \’rookies\’ to be put in the Women\’s Rumble.

    No Rousey

    The women of NXT may not be sure of their Royal Rumble fates, but we do know that Ronda Rousey will not compete.

    The Observer adds that as of mid-week, the former SmackDown Women\’s Champion was not going to be in the Rumble match.

    The feeling is that they didn\’t want to marginalize Rousey\’s star power by making her just one of 30 names in the match.

    Ronda Rousey returned to WWE after a near three-year hiatus at last year\’s Royal Rumble event, winning the Women\’s Rumble match.

    WWE Royal Rumble 2023 Staff Predictions

  • Mark Briscoe\’s AEW Debut Wasn\’t Approved Until Late in the Plans

    This week\’s emotional tribute show to Jay Briscoe was a huge night for AEW, but wasn\’t approved until very late in the game.

    Briscoe died last Tuesday in a car accident, mere minutes from his home in Laurel, Delaware. He was 38.

    Both Jay and Mark had previously been banned by WBD from appearing on AEW programming over controversial comments Jay made a decade ago.

    Tribute Show

    This week\’s show went off well, but there were several changes made to the show before it went live.

    Fightful Select reports that prior to Tuesday, it didn\’t appear that Mark Briscoe\’s match against Jay Lethal was happening.

    AEW had to move \”many things around\” to make the match a reality, and Ian Riccaboni was flown in just hours before the show.

    The AEW TNT Championship match between Darby Allin and Buddy Matthews was the originally scheduled main event of the show.

    That match had some time trimmed to add to the Briscoe-Lethal match, and the same happened with the Acclaimed\’s therapy segment.

    One source said it was impressive how they were able to provide Mark Briscoe and Jay Lethal as much time as they needed without compromising anything else that was advertised.

    Dalton Castle was at the show and came to sit front row to cheer on Mark Briscoe, who defeated Lethal in the main event.

    Those working in AEW who spoke to Fightful said they were very happy with how the show went.

    Mark Briscoe on Brother Jay’s Passing: “He’s Ain’t Gone”

  • Top AEW Star Missed This Week\’s Dynamite Over Visa Issues

    This week\’s edition of AEW Dynamite was an emotional show, but one top name from the company could not attend.

    This week\’s Dynamite was a tribute to Jay Briscoe, who died earlier this month in a car accident near his home in Laurel, Delaware.

    Dynamite saw Jay\’s brother Mark make his AEW debut and defeat Jay Lethal in the main event of the show.

    Visa Issues

    In addition to a stacked show, Dynamite saw the rosters of AEW and Ring of Honor appear to support Mark, but Kenny Omega wasn\’t among them.

    According to Fightful Select, the self-proclaimed \’Best Bout Machine\’ wanted to be at the AEW tapings \”but has been battling visa issues\” in recent days.

    Omega has not appeared for AEW since he and the Young Bucks regained the AEW Trios Championships from Death Triangle on the January 11, 2023, episode of Dynamite.

    It remains unclear when Omega will be able to return to TV, and the former World Champion missed much of 2022 due to injuries and his post-All Out suspension.

    Tribute Show

    Even without Omega, this week\’s Dynamite was an exceptional affair in memory to one of the most established names in Ring of Honor history.

    Dynamite saw AEW TNT Champion Darby Allin retain his title against Buddy Matthews, while JungleHook defeated Matt Hardy and \’All Ego\’ Ethan Page.

    Bryan Danielson continued his winning ways in his efforts to get a shot at MJF, by defeating ROH Six-Man-Tag Team Champion Brian Cage.

    Ruby Soho defeated Toni Storm in a match that was meant to be a triple-threat but was changed due to Britt Baker\’s injury.

    Kenny Omega’s Time with WWE Made Him Question His Love for Wrestling

  • AEW & DAZN Announce Multi-Year, Exclusive Broadcast Deal

    Action from All Elite Wrestling will be available in dozens of markets across Europe and Asia as part of a new broadcast deal with DAZN.

    DAZN, the popular global sports streaming service, began in 2015, and holds domestic broadcasting rights for several top soccer teams in their main markets, include Italy\’s Serie A, Spain\’s La Liga and Germany\’s Bundesliga.

    The Statement

    In a statement by DAZN Group, it was confirmed that they had secured \”exclusive broadcast rights to AEW, in a multi-year deal that will bring the promotion to DAZN subscribers in 42 markets across Europe and Asia.

    The deal will include AEW Dynamite and Rampage, Dark and Dark: Elevation, four Battle of the Belt events a year, and four Pay-Per-Views a year.

    The statement by DAZN calls the introduction of AEW to is schedule \”another major addition to the breadth of multi-sport content available on the platform.\”

    AEW is described in the statement as \”the new professional wrestling league taking the world by storm with its meteoric rise, record-high ratings, world-class roster and highly entertaining product.\”

    AEW will air in the following markets as part of DAZN:

    Albania, Alderney, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, Georgia, Gibraltar, Greece, Guernsey, Hungary, Iceland, Jan Mayen Islands, Jersey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Svalbard, Sweden, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

    Impact Partners with DAZN to Bring Content to 170+ Countries

  • Road Dogg: CM Punk is More Sports Entertainer Than Pro Wrestler

    Is CM Punk the best wrestler in the world as he claimed during his iconic June 2011 Raw pipebomb?

    Perhaps, perhaps not. But he\’s a darn fine \’Sports Entertainer.\’

    Punk has been a huge topic of discussion ever since his actions following last September\’s All Out 2022 event, and he has been suspended ever since.

    Sports Entertainer

    Punk has often credited himself as a professional wrestler, and during his 2011 pipebomb spoke about \’sports entertainers\’ like The Rock and John Cena.

    Oh his Oh You Didn\’t Know podcast, \’Road Dogg\’ Jesse James admitted that Punk is a great wrestler, but believes that the Sports Entertainer label fits him better. He added:

    \”Punk\’s a great example of a guy that if you just went with wrestler, wrestler, wrestler, wouldn\’t have made it without the attitude, mic skills and I don\’t want to say character because Punk was never really a character, he was just himself, but he\’s good at it.\”

    \’Road Dogg\’ Jesse James.

    CM Punk\’s Future

    Punk\’s future with AEW remains uncertain, with Tony Khan refusing any and all requests for comment on the former World Champion\’s situation.

    It has been reported that some top names in AEW have refused to work with Punk if he is brought back, and that Chris Jericho is one of them.

    Things are not looking better for Punk in WWE, with reports that some in the company absolutely do not want him to return.

    The belief is that Punk (who walked out of WWE in 2014 on bad terms) will only bring the problems seen in AEW if he is rehired.

    AEW Roster Don’t Buy Tony Khan’s Recent Claim About CM Punk (Report)

    h/t – Wrestling Inc

  • Tony Khan \’Pushed & Pushed\’ for WBD to Allow Mark Briscoe on AEW Dynamite (Report)

    Mark Briscoe was allowed to appear on this week\’s Dynamite but only after the monumental efforts of AEW President Tony Khan.

    The Briscoes were not allowed to appear on AEW programming due to an edict by Warner Bros. Discovery, over problematic comments made by Jay a decade ago.

    After Jay\’s death earlier this month, Mark was allowed to compete on this week\’s Dynamite, where he faced Jay Lethal.

    Khan\’s Efforts

    Briscoe\’s debut on this week\’s Dynamite came hours after a report stating that WBD wanted no part of him on their show, due to Jay\’s comments.

    Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer stated that it was Tony Khan who went to bat for the Briscoes.

    \”You have to credit that one to Tony Khan. I mean, he pushed and pushed and I mean, he pushed really hard on this one and got them to change their minds. They [Warner Bros. Discovery] were pretty dead-set against it. I mean, the social media stuff, that possibly could have helped.\”

    Dave Meltzer.

    Team Effort

    While Khan was able to convince WBD to ditch their ban on either Briscoe, he wasn\’t the only one who worked on this.

    On his show, Meltzer said that it was a team effort of people who showed the better side of Jay Briscoe to AEW\’s broadcast partners.

    \”It was certainly a lot of people. We said it last Wednesday, but a lot of people had been saying it all week like \’how do you ban Jay Briscoe, the tribute show? How do you ban the tribute show when you\’re showing Dana White on Slap-Fight?\’ Dana White\’s mistake was December 31st, 2022 [and WBD moved on.] Jay\’s mistake, a big mistake, both of them were big mistakes. His mistake was in 2013 and he had certainly apologized and atoned for it. Just read the article that I did. The stuff from [ROH commentator Ian] Riccaboni and other people. Cary Silkin and others.

    \”Nobody hid from that part of Jay Briscoe\’s life, and neither did he. So [allowing Mark on Dynamite] was the right thing to do and I\’m glad he got to do it. But it took a lot a lot a lot of work to get it done.\”

    Meltzer added on his show that Mark is free to compete on AEW going forward, implying that his appearance this week was not a one-off.

    Fans Asked to Stop Harassing Family of Other Driver in Jay Briscoe Tragedy

    For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.

  • Fans Asked to Stop Harassing Family of Other Driver in Jay Briscoe Tragedy

    The wrestling world is in mourning following the death of Jay Briscoe, but that is no excuse to harass the family of the other driver killed in last Tuesday\’s accident.

    Briscoe, 38, was killed in a vehicular collision mere minutes from his home in Laurel, Delaware and his daughters (who were in the car) were also seriously injured.

    Delaware State Police confirmed that another driver crossed the center line and collided with Jay\’s vehicle head-on and that they too were killed in the accident.

    Harassment

    While the wrestling world has come out in support of Briscoe and the Pugh family, the response to the other victim\’s family has been far more hostile.

    Lillyanne Ternahan, a mother of two, was the driver of the other vehicle, and her family has been on the receiving end of hurtful comments.

    Josh Wharton, a friend of the Pugh family, addressed these attacks on Facebook, and made it clear he and the Pughs are against such comments.

    “It’s been a tough week for our community, but also has been heartwarming to see the outpouring of love towards the Pugh family during this tragedy. Once again-Jamin touched so many lives across the world and that has been evident by the daily tributes, comments and love we’ve all witnessed. The girls are still progressing, as God continues to hear all of our prayers.

    \”Unfortunately this has not been the case for the other family, as there have been numerous rumors and information out there which has led to attacking/degrading comments on social media that the family has seen. Her children will read these at some point.

    \”Jamin, Ashley, the Pugh family, myself and K.c. do not stand for this. In a time of tragedy, pointing fingers does not reverse what has been done.

    \”The driver of the other vehicle has 2 young children, and we all should be showing the same love and compassion for them as we have done for the Pugh’s. Be reminded that their world has also been turned upside down undeservingly, and there is a huge hole left in their family.

    \”I am sincerely asking that everyone stop with the negative comments and feelings towards them. Let me remind you all that none of us, and I know myself better than anyone-have things we are not proud of. We all struggle with something.

    \”To judge an entire life by the outcome of this tragedy is not who we are. Only love can conquer hate. Instead of expressing harsh feelings, pray for them.”

    Our thoughts remain with the Pughs and the Ternahan family at this sad time.

    A donation page for the Pugh family can be found here, and a donation page for the Ternahan\’s can be found here.

    Watch: AEW’s Jay Briscoe Tribute Video

    h/t – 411 Mania

  • Ex-WWE NXT Star to Make AEW Dynamite Debut Next Week

    A former WWE NXT Superstar will be making their presence felt on next week\’s AEW Dynamite, as part of the feud between Bryan Danielson and MJF.

    Danielson is currently working towards a match with the reigning AEW World Champion but must remain undefeated until February 8 to do so.

    If Danielson does reach that date without taking a loss, the AEW World Championship match between the pair will be a sixty-minute Iron Man match at AEW Revolution 2023.

    AEW Debut

    \"\"/

    During this week\’s Dynamite, Danielson continued his winning ways, defeating Brian Cage, who attacked the American Dragon after the match.

    MJF would join Cage in the ring, but Konosuke Takeshita would arrive to make the save.

    Later on, MJF appeared in a video promo where he stated Danielson\’s next opponent will systematically eliminate him.

    That opponent turned out to be Timothy Thatcher, who will face Danielson next week on AEW Dynamite.

    Timothy Thatcher

    Before coming to WWE in 2020, Thatcher proved his toughness on the independent scene, working for promotions like wXw and Evolve.

    The former Evolve Champion would be assigned to NXT in 2020, replacing Pete Dunne as Matt Riddle\’s tag partner, when the Bruiserweight was unable to travel due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Not long after his debut, Thatcher walked out on Riddle, turning heel, and would defeat the Original Bro in WWE\’s first Fight Pit match.

    After transitioning into a teaching role at the WWE PC, Thatcher would be released on January 5, 2022, and make his debut for Pro Wrestling Noah that June.

    AEW Dynamite Results (1/25/23): Jay Briscoe Tribute, Darby Allin vs. Buddy Matthews

  • Rob Van Dam Addresses Possible WWE Royal Rumble Return

    WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam is feeling \”awesome\” ahead of this Saturday\’s WWE Royal Rumble Premium Live Event.

    Van Dam, a veteran of six WWE Royal Rumble matches, hasn\’t competed for WWE since August 2014 when he was on the losing end of a match to Seth Rollins.

    Outside of WWE, RVD has competed for TNA/Impact Wrestling and various other smaller promotions.

    Rumble Return

    With only 15 spots filled in the Men\’s Royal Rumble match, there are plenty of available spots for returning Superstars such as RVD.

    Speaking to Steve Fall’s “The Ten Count” podcast, Van Dam was asked whether he\’ll be donning his singlet for this weekend\’s show in San Antonio.

    \”It’s happened before [returning at a Rumble.] you know when I left way back in 2006 or seven. I guess it was six. But yeah, hey, that’d be cool. I got no plans to share with you.\” 

    Rob Van Dam.

    Van Dam in the Rumble

    After signing with the WWF in 2001, RVD would make his Rumble debut in January 2002 as the 29th entrant.

    Van Dam would not last long, being eliminated by Booker T (his future tag-team partner) in just over two minutes.

    Van Dam would fare much better the following year, lasting 33 minutes and scoring two eliminations, before being thrown out by Kane (another tag-partner of his.)

    After an injury forced Rob to miss much of 2005, he returned in 2006, and would make a one-night return as part of the 2009 Rumble match (which was won by Randy Orton.)

    RVD Reveals His Thoughts On Riddle

    h/t – eWrestlingNews

  • \”Jealous\” – Charlotte Flair on Watching Ric Flair Team With Andrade El Idolo

    Charlotte Flair has admitted to being somewhat \”jealous\” that her father and her husband were able to share the ring last year.

    For Flair\’s last match in July 2022, the father and son-in-law duo teamed to defeat Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett.

    This match marked Flair\’s first match in over a decade, when he lost to Sting on the September 12, 2011, episode of TNA Impact.

    Jealous

    While Ric and Charlotte have both had impressive careers, they have never had the chance to be on the same team in the ring.

    While appearing on NBC’s The TODAY Show to promote Saturday’s Royal Rumble, Flair admitted to being jealous that her father and husband got such a special moment.

    \”Honestly, I was a little jealous (seeing them in the ring together) because I was like, \”Oh, I wanna be a part of this,\’ because I’ve shared the ring with my dad but not in that capacity.\”

    Charlotte Flair

    Charlotte also spoke about her brother Reid, who died in 2013, and who is the reason Charlotte is a wrestler today.

    \”I’m like, \’Man, I wish my little brother could see this.\’ My husband is a third-generational wrestler, and then with my dad…it was awesome, picture-perfect.\”

    Charlotte Flair.

    Ric Flair made his first appearance on WWE TV in two years on this week\’s Raw when he introduced Charlotte.

    Charlotte Flair Unlocks New Milestone In WWE

    h/t – Wrestling News

  • What Was Originally Planned For Scrapped Raw Women\’s Steel Cage Match?

    Fans were left extremely disappointed with this week\’s Steel Cage match on Monday Night Raw, which did not go as planned.

    The match, pitting Damage CTRL\’s Bayley against Becky Lynch, had been promoted all week long, and had been as one of the main attractions for Raw\’s 30th-anniversary episode.

    Instead of a match, Lynch was attacked by WWE Women\’s Tag Team Champions IYO SKY and Dakota Kai during her entrance and thrown into the ring.

    Locking the cage door, the SKY, Kai, and Bayley beat down on Lynch, and left only after Adam Pearce had broken the lock on the cage door.

    Original Plans

    The Steel Cage match WWE had planned had to be scrapped due to segments earlier in the episode going long.

    It has been reported that the Trial of Sami Zayn that opened up this week\’s Raw went much longer than expected.

    PW Insider reports that the plan for the cage match was for Lynch to win, and then be attacked post-match by Damage CTRL.

    There has been no confirmation yet as to whether this match will be used in full down the line.

    Backlash

    WWE felt it was the right call to scrap the Steel Cage match, as the alternative was having the actual match go for approximately two minutes.

    However, the decision to scrap the match has led to backlash by fans, who have called into question WWE\’s treatment of their women for the Raw is 30 event.

    After Raw, the hashtag #WWEWomenDeserveBetter trended on Twitter, with many feeling this week\’s show was a slap in the face to the \’Women\’s Revolution.\’

    On Twitter, the Bella Twins expressed their support for the hashtag, after previously being advertised for the show, but didn\’t appear on the program.

    Undertaker & Bray Wyatt Comment on their Raw 30 Moment

  • Jake Roberts: Ahmed Johnson Was Hurting Guys Every Single Night

    Ahmed Johnson was a force to be reckoned with throughout his WWF career, but the powerhouse was hardly making friends in the locker room.

    Johnson debuted in the WWF in 1995, and captured the Intercontinental Championship at the following year\’s King of the Ring event.

    This win made Johnson the first African-American Intercontinental Champion, setting the path for future stars including modern-day talent like Kofi Kingston, Shelton Benjamin, and Big E.

    The Kiss

    Prior to his IC title win, Ahmed feuded with Goldust, who played mind games with the powerhouse.

    On the May 27, 1996 Raw, the Bizarre One performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on Johnson, who was laid out backstage.

    This act of CPR played into the gay panic that was more prevalent at the time, which Jake Roberts addressed on the latest Snake Pit podcast.

    \”I was there when they had him [Goldust] kiss Ahmed. Oh, boy, I wouldn’t have wanted to be in his way. He lost his sh*t!\”

    Jake Roberts.

    Injuring Talent

    As a former Football star, Johnson was used to letting his intensity do the talking and garnered a reputation among some for being dangerous in the ring.

    On his podcast, Roberts suggested that Vince McMahon, well aware of how Ahmed would react to the kiss, booked it on purpose to try and get Johnson to leave the promotion.

    \”Vince did that on purpose. Vince needed a black superstar, and Ahmed was gonna be it, but then Ahmed just got to where he wouldn’t show up. He was hurting people every f*ing night. He just became unruly, unable to deal with him. Too demanding. They finally had to let him go.”

    Jake Roberts

    After leaving the WWF in 1998, Ahmed would join WCW in 1999 as \’Big T,\’ and would form \’Harlem Heat 2000\’ with Stevie Ray.

    In a feud that would have filled arenas on Sesame Street, Big T feuded with Booker T over the usage of the letter \’T,\’ a feud Big T would win, leaving the future WWE Hall of Famer to go by just \’Booker.\’

    Jake Roberts: WWE 2014 Return was Coming Back from the “Gates of Hell”

    For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.

  • Matt Cardona Continues Teasing WWE Return with Trademark Filings

    Will Matt Cardona be returning to WWE, possibly as soon as this weekend\’s Royal Rumble?

    Cardona spent over a decade with WWE under the name Zack Ryder, and previously worked as Brett Major.

    The former Intercontinental, U.S., and Tag Champion was released in April 2020 as part of one of WWE\’s \’budget cut\’ mass layoffs.

    Trademark

    In recent months, Cardona has teased a return to WWE following the comebacks of names like Karrion Kross, Johnny Gargano, Bray Wyatt, and others.

    Over the past week, Cardona filed a trademark for the term \’WOO WOO WOO. YOU KNOW IT,\’ a line synonymous with his Zack Ryder character.

    The trademark was filed with Michael E Dockins, who has assisted dozens of wrestlers with their trademark filings.

    The term has been filed for the use of merchandise, including clothing and action figures.

    It has been reported that Cardona\’s wife Chelsea Green is set to return to WWE, and that both sides are just waiting on a creative decision for her TV comeback.

    On His Own Terms

    After spending much of his WWE career as little above an enhancement talent, Cardona has become a main eventer on the independent scene.

    Speaking to Sportskeeda Wrestling last November, the former NWA World Champion said that it would have to be on his own terms.

    \”I said Zack Ryder is dead because, and listen, never say never, right, but if I were to ever go back, it has to be as Matt Cardona.\”

    In addition to the NWA, Cardona has competed for Impact, Game Changer Wrestling (where he is also a former World Champion) and had a brief appearance in AEW.

    Matt Cardona’s Advice For Young Talent: “Slow The F*ck Down”