SEScoops

Author: Thomas Lowson

  • Roman Reigns Not Scheduled to Work Hell in a Cell 2022

    Roman Reigns is not scheduled to compete at Hell in a Cell, WWE\’s next premium live event.

    The reigning Undisputed WWE Universal Champion recently signed a new deal with the company. Reigns will work a lighter schedule, including fewer live events.

    Reigns was a late addition to the WrestleMania Backlash card, which took place this past weekend. On the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said the upcoming Hell in the Cell show is the first example of Reigns getting more time off in the coming months.

    \”He’s off the Chicago show, which is the next pay-per-view on June 5.\”

    Dave Meltzer

    “Roman Reigns is not gonna be on every pay-per-view. He’s off the Chicago show, which is the next pay-per-view on June 5 (Hell in a Cell.) He will be doing pay-per-views this summer.

    “He’s not gonna be doing a lot of dates and from what I understand, the shows he’s gonna be on, sooner or later, they’ll start advertising him. So the dates will be known, it’s not like they’re gonna put him on TV without advertising him.”

    Reigns has been removed from thr Hell in a Cell promotional artwork, which backs up this report.

    \"Hell

    Meltzer said that while Reigns will be on more shows than Brock Lesnar, it is “not appreciably more.” WWE Hell in a Cell 2022 will take place at the Allstate Arena, in Rosemont, Illinois.

    The Tribal Chief\’s new contract

    \"WWE
    Reigns\’ new lucrative deal with WWE will see him work fewer dates and has been compared to Brock Lesnar\’s contract.

    Speculation about Reigns’ future began last week when he appeared at a WWE Live event in Trenton, New Jersey, and told fans “I honestly don\’t know if I\’ll be back here again.”

    Though many saw this as Reigns teasing retirement or an extended hiatus, it was later reported that he has signed a new contract which will see him work fewer dates.

    Reigns is still being promoted for WWE stadium events, including Money in the Bank and Summerslam, but has no TV appearances confirmed past June.

    Quotes via WrestleTalk

  • See What Happened With CM Punk After AEW Dynamite

    CM Punk was attacked by rising AEW star HOOK after the May 11, edition of Dynamite went off the air.

    The post-show segment started with Punk being confronted by Danhausen, and after coming face-to-face with HOOK, begged for a handshake which the second-generation wrestler obliged.

    As seen in the videos, HOOK would hit a T-Bone Suplex on Punk before applying the Redrum submission to send the fans home happy.

    Earlier in the night, Punk had played up being a heel for his match with hometown wrestler John Silver, as the show was taped in Long Island, New York.

    Punk will challenge AEW World Champion \’Hangman\’ Adam Page at AEW Double or Nothing 2022, which will take place on May 29, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    https://twitter.com/kimberlasskick/status/1524616406909820931?s=21&t=0eHX4T0SlRapDhjwkGf3Qw

    The Arrival of Hookhausen

    Last night\’s Dynamite also saw the in-ring debut of Danhausen who has been trying to win over HOOK since joining AEW.

    Thanks to a sucker punch from Smart Mark Sterling, Danhausen was pinned by Tony Nese in a matter of seconds and suffered a post-match beatdown which ended when HOOK arrived.

    Squaring up with Danhausen in the ring, the two finally shook hands, earning a massive pop from the crowd in Long Island.

  • Drew McIntyre Says WWE Should Bring Back Classic Championship

    WWE superstar Drew McIntyre has called on the company to bring back a classic championship to fulfill his childhood dream of winning the title.

    This past March marked the 25th anniversary of the European Title\’s debut, and this July will mark 20 years since the title was retired by WWE.

    While speaking with Alex McCarthy of TalkSPORT, McIntyre made his plans clear to win the European Championship.

    \”When I was a kid and I saw it I was like ‘ah man, I want to be European Champion’ and now I can’t because it doesn’t exist right now. I don’t like too many titles and there are a lot right now, but I just wanted it when I was a kid. So just bring it back, let me win it and then I’ll retire it. You never want too many titles in the company because then it’s not as special. I think where we’re at right now is good, but give ol’ Drew the European title for young Drew.”

    \”Just bring it back, let me win it and then I’ll retire it.

    Drew McIntyre

    The European Championship

    \"Every
    The first-ever European Champion, \”The British Bulldog\” Davey Boy Smith was one of just two European wrestlers to hold the title.

    The European Championship debuted in 1997 and was first held by \”The British Bulldog\” Davey Boy Smith, who defeated Owen Hart in the finals of a tournament in Berlin, Germany.

    A total of 27 champions held the title across 37 reigns, with Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Chris Jericho, Jeff Hardy, and Eddie Guerrero all holding the title.

    The European Championship was retired in 2002 when it was unified with the Intercontinental Championship, making Rob Van Dam the final European Champion.

  • The Time NJPW Founder Antonio Inoki Met Vladimir Putin

    Japanese wrestling legend Antonio Inoki has recalled meeting Vladimir Putin in the 1980s, long before the Russian President\’s rise to power.

    In 1989, Inoki was elected to the Japanese House of Councillors and as part of a deal between Japan and the then-Soviet Union, invited USSR wrestlers to the New Japan Dojo.

    Speaking with Tokyo Sports, Inoki recalled working with the USSR and his brief meeting with Putin (h/t Wrestling Inc.)

    \”When I first went to Moscow, I had a chance to meet with some important people over there. Putin, who is now in absolute power, was serving tea. I understand that Putin is KGB, but I don’t think he experienced the war. I wonder what kind of people are attached to the general staff there and how they give instructions.\”

    One of the Soviet wrestlers, Salman Hashimikov, won the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship that year, which Inoki said showed the importance of relationships.

    \”I think the key figures in Russia knew that we were behind in many areas (compared to other countries) at that time. We exchanged a lot of information and things like that.”

    \”Putin, who is now in absolute power, was serving tea. I understand that Putin is KGB, but I don’t think he experienced the war.\”

    Antonio Inoki on his 1989 interaction with Vladimir Putin.

    Inoki\’s Political Career

    \"Japanese
    Inoki poses in 2014 during his second run as a politician.

    Representing his own \’Sports and Peace\’ Party, Inoki was elected to the House of Councillors and used his celebrity status to succeed in diplomatic tasks.

    In 1990, Inoki traveled to Iraq on what was called \”an unofficial one-man diplomatic mission\” and successfully negotiated with Saddam Hussein to free Japanese hostages before the outbreak of the Gulf War.

    He later personally organized a wrestling event in Iraq in an effort to secure the release of 41 captive Japanese nationals, of which 36 were freed.

    After being re-elected in 1992, Inoki would face allegations of embezzlement and deals with the Yakuza and would fail in his 1995 election campaign.

    In 2013, Inoki returned to politics, being elected to Japan\’s Upper House as an MP and representative of the Japanese Restoration Party.

    Six years later, Inoki announced his retirement from politics.

  • Bret Hart Mad At Goldberg for Earning Millions After His Career-Ending Concussion

    Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart has said that Goldberg\’s success makes him \”kind of mad\” given the career-ending concussion the former Universal Champion gave him.

    At Starrcade 1999, Hart (then the WCW World Champion) received a stiff thrust kick to the head, resulting in a concussion.

    Compiled with several other injuries from his career, Hart would be forced to retire from in-ring competition and has only wrestled a handful of times since.

    While speaking to Lucha Libre Online, Bret admitted that he has still not forgiven Goldberg, who has wrestled on a part-time basis for WWE in recent years (h/t Bodyslam).

    “It’s always been a bit of a sore spot; it always makes me kind of mad that some guy is flying all the way over to Saudi Arabia and making 3 million dollars in a match and the same guy is the guy that kicked me in the head and never thought about me or what he cost me and my family and what he did to me.”

    \”The Hitman\” has claimed in previous interviews that Goldberg \”hurt everybody he worked with.\”

    Bret and Goldberg After \’The Kick\’

    While Bret has technically wrestled in the years since Starrcade 1999, measures were taken to avoid him getting injured.

    In 2010, Bret won the WWE United States Championship from The Miz in a match where The Hart Dynasty did most of the work.

    At that year\’s Summerslam, Bret would team with John Cena, Daniel Bryan, Chris Jericho, Edge, R-Truth, and John Morrison to defeat The Nexus, but was eliminated after being disqualified for using a steel chair.

    As for Goldberg, he would continue to wrestle for WCW and signed with WWE in 2003 where he worked for a year.

    In 2016, Goldberg returned to WWE and has competed sporadically since, becoming a two-time WWE Universal Champion.

  • John Cena Says WWE Told Him That He’d Never Turn Heel

    Former WWE World Champion John Cena was told that he would never turn heel during his time as the face of the company.

    Except for a brief run as a villain from 2002-to 2003, Cena spent his entire WWE career as a babyface, despite fans calling on WWE to turn \”Big Match John\” heel during his main-event run.

    Appearing as a guest on In the Envelope: The Actor\’s Podcast to discuss his career, Cena recalled being told that he would remain a good guy for the rest of his time in the ring.

    \”I was made aware that I would not undergo a tectonic shift [heel turn] in John Cena, the character, probably around 2009. So that allowed me to get that conversation off the board.\”

    John Cena

    Despite this edict, Cena has said he was close to turning for his WrestleMania 28 match with The Rock in 2012.

    Vince McMahon reportedly considered the idea but backed out when Cena said it would be difficult to turn him back into a babyface.

    What\’s next for John Cena?

    \"John
    Is WWE planning on a United States Championship match between Cena and Theory?

    With his career growing in Hollywood, Cena has become less available for WWE, even missing the last two WrestleManias.

    It has been reported that WWE has plans for Cena to return next month to build towards a match at Summerslam 2022.

    No opponent has been confirmed for the rumored match but United States Champion Theory has teased facing Cena this July.

    Vince McMahon is especially high on Theory and reportedly sees him as a new John Cena.

    Quotes via Sportskeeda

  • John Cena Wishes He Could Remake This Movie He\’s Not Proud Of

    John Cena would welcome the chance to reprise his role as John Triton in \’The Marine\’ movie franchise. The 16-time World Champion admits he regrets not giving his all for his starring role in the 2006 film.

    The Marine, one of the few WWE Studios films to make it to the silver screen, told the (fictional) story of a discharged marine who goes on a one-man mission to rescue his wife from kidnappers.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6eMP_4LP3g

    To have time off for the project, Cena was written off WWE TV in late 2004 by being \’stabbed\’ in the kidney by Carlito\’s then-bodyguard, Jesús.

    Cena appeared on In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast and shared his regrets about his time on The Marine.

    \”I’ve always wanted to do another Marine because so many folks talk to me about The Marine,\” said Cena. \”I can’t believe it. And it was actually something I wasn’t really proud of because that’s a situation where I look back and say I didn’t give my all.

    \”As a young man, I wanted to be in the middle of the rock star life. I wanted to be in front of those sold-out crowds. And then I get to a quiet movie set where everything takes forever, and I just didn’t have the wisdom or the knowledge or the perception to realize how big of an opportunity it was.\”

    \”It was actually something I wasn’t really proud of because that’s a situation where I look back and say I didn’t give my all.\”

    John Cena

    Cena\’s transition to Hollywood

    \"What
    From left to right: Polka Dot Man (David Dastmalchian,) Peacemaker (Cena,) Bloodsport (Idris Elba,) and Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior) from 2021\’s The Suicide Squad.

    While Cena isn\’t proud of his work in \’The Marine,\’ the former WWE World Champion is becoming a hot commodity in Hollywood.

    In 2019, Cena played \’Jakob Toretto,\’ the vengeful brother of Fast and Furious lead Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) in the ninth installment in the franchise.

    Last year, Cena won over crowds as Christopher \’Peacemaker\’ Smith in DC Comics production \’The Suicide Squad,\’ a role which was reportedly meant for fellow wrestler Dave Batista.

    Peacemaker has since gone on to have his own series for HBO Max.

    Returning to the ring

    Cena\’s busy acting schedule has made him appear less for WWE, even missing the past two WrestleManias, but the former World Champion could be coming back very soon.

    In April 2022, it was reported that WWE has plans for Cena to return in the build-up to this year\’s Summerslam.

    While no match has been confirmed, fans have speculated that a possible United States title match with Theory may happen after the pair\’s recent back-and-forth on social media.

  • Update on Plans for The Usos vs. RK-Bro, Will There Be A WWE Tag Team Title Unification?

    WWE is reportedly still planning on having a title unification match for the Raw and SmackDown Tag Team Championships but does not plan on unifying the titles.

    At WrestleMania Backlash, SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos and Roman Reigns defeated Raw Tag Team Champions RK-Bro and Drew McIntyre in what was originally announced to be a tag title unification match.

    It was later reported that WWE had always planned for a six-man tag at the Premium Live Event.

    On this week\’s Raw, Randy Orton and Riddle said they will still unify the titles and will appear on this Friday\’s SmackDown.

    Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said WWE is building to a title unification match, but this will not actually see one team hold both titles (via WrestleTalk).

    \”They are going to do the match, but as of right now, and I was also told this can change, but, they are not planning on actually unifying the titles.\”

    Dave Meltzer

    Meltzer speculated that WWE could use a DQ finish to avoid unifying the titles in a title unification match.

    WWE\’s Empty Promises

    \"WWE
    Brock Lesnar had been advertised for WrestleMania Backlash but never booked for the show, in one of the growing number of broken promises by the company.

    Should WWE go through with this plan, not unifying the titles would be the latest in a string of empty promises by the promotion.

    Before WrestleMania Backlash, it had been announced that the titles would be unified despite WWE never having any plans to do that at the time.

    WrestleMania Backlash had featured promotional material of Brock Lesnar, who not only did not appear at last Sunday\’s event but had never been booked for the show.

    Lesnar had been featured prominently in posters for the show before WrestleMania 38, to not give away that he was going to lose to Roman Reigns at the two-night April event.

    During this same edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Meltzer stated that while Roman Reigns has been confirmed for upcoming Premium Live Events including Money in the Bank, Summerslam, and Clash in the Castle, there\’s no guarantee he\’ll appear.

  • Roman Reigns Taking Time Off From WWE Next Month

    Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns is not being advertised for any appearances on TV or at live events past June.

    PW Insider reports that the latest event Reigns is being advertised for is the June 24, 2022 edition of WWE SmackDown, which will take place at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas.

    After June, Reigns is being advertised for Premium Live Events including Money in the Bank on July 2, Summerslam on July 30, and Clash in the Castle on September 3.

    The \”Tribal Chief\” will return for two WWE Live events October 1-2, in Saskatchewan, and Survivor Series on November 26.

    On Wrestling Observer Radio, Bryan Alverez asked, \”so basically he\’ll be gone for 10 weeks?\” Dave Meltzer responded, \”yes.\”

    Meltzer added that while Reigns is advertised for the Premium Live Events, there is no guarantee he will appear.

    Roman Reigns\’ New Contract

    \"Roman
    Reigns tells fans that he\’s entering a \”new phase\” of his career and life at a WWE Live event in Trenton, New Jersey.

    This news comes after the announcement that Reigns has signed a new deal with WWE, one that will see him wrestle far fewer dates.

    At a WWE Live event last week in Trenton, New Jersey, the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion said he is entering a \”new phase\” of his career and life.

    Reigns has wrestled four times on TV in 2022 (Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber, WrestleMania 38, and WrestleMania Backlash) and has a 3-1 record this year.

    His only loss came via disqualification at the Royal Rumble when Reigns got himself DQ\’d to retain his Universal Championship against Seth Rollins.

  • DiBiase Family Sued by Mississippi Dept. of Human Services Over Misspent Funds

    The DiBiase wrestling family is among those being sued by Mississippi\’s Department of Human Services over the alleged misspending of funds.

    The Mississippi DHS issued a press release on Monday announcing that a civil complaint has been filed against the 38 people, who are alleged to have been responsible for or recipients of the funds.

    The suit names both Ted DiBiase Sr. who was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2010 as well as his sons Ted Jr. and Brett.

    Brett DiBiase pleaded guilty to charges related to the scandal in December 2020, after being arrested in February that year.

    Brett was paid $48,000 by the DHS as a representative of the business \”Restore2\” and used false and fraudulent statements to receive payment.

    Ted DiBiase Jr. was paid by the Mississippi Community Education Center to provide training to human services employees in 2018 and 2019.

    The lawsuit alleges that the former WWE World Tag Champion made \”no substantial effort\” to provide any training as part of contractual service.

    As for Ted DiBiase Sr., it is alleged that his Heart of David Ministries religious non-profit fraudulently received over $2.1 million in welfare from the state.

    The suit claims that DiBiase Jr. urged then Mississippi DHS director John Davis to divert $1.7 million in funds to Heart of David Ministries.

    The state of Mississippi is $1,971,223 in damages from Ted DiBiase Sr. and $1,721,223 from Heart of David Ministries.

    The state is seeking $2,897,487 from Ted DiBiase Jr., $48,000 from \”Restore2\” and $824,258 from Brett DiBiase.

  • What Happened With Bianca Belair After WWE Raw Went Off The Air

    WWE Raw Women\’s Champion Bianca Belair was very much active when the cameras stopped rolling for the May 9 episode of Raw.

    During Raw, Asuka was granted a non-title opportunity against Belair by Adam Pearce and Becky Lynch was furious that \”The Empress\” was being handed a match.

    Asuka said that Lynch left in April 2020 to become a mother, but is acting like a baby.

    In the main event, Belair faced Asuka in a Championship Contender\’s Match, which \”The EST\” won via disqualification when Lynch interfered.

    In the post-show dark match for the Hartford, Connecticut crowd, Belair faced Becky with the championship on the line. Belair retained her title against \”Big Time Becks\” after hitting her with the KOD.

    What\’s next for Becky and Belair? What about Asuka?

    \"News
    A returning Asuka confronts Becky Lynch on the April 25, 2022, edition of Monday Night Raw.

    With Becky attacking Belair, it appears that their feud isn\’t over just yet, and fans can expect a rematch between the current and former Raw Women\’s Champion.

    This is an interesting move considering that Asuka, upon her return to WWE TV two weeks ago, seemingly began a feud with Lynch, confronting her during a promo about regaining the Raw Women\’s Title. Perhaps we\’re in store for a triple threat?

    If a rematch is in the works between \”The Man\” and \”The EST,\” it will likely be at Hell in a Cell 2022 which will take place on June 5.

    So far, no matches have been confirmed for WWE\’s next Premium Live Event.

  • WWE 2K19 and WWE 2K20 Servers to be Shut Down

    The servers for WWE 2K19 and WWE 2K20 are to be shut down next month.

    In a statement on the official WWE Games Twitter account, it was noted that the servers will be taken offline on June 30 with all online functions being terminated.

    This includes online matches and Community Creations, where fans are able to upload their own custom Superstars, titles, and arenas for others to use.

    The decision to take these servers offline was so that those involved can turn their \”full focus toward supporting WWE 2K22.\”

    The long road to WWE 2K22

    After the dismal launch of WWE 2K20 in late 2019, WWE and 2K Games took a year longer with their next installment, effectively canceling the WWE 2K21 game.

    WWE 2K22 was meant to launch in late 2021 but was delayed by the developers who had to update the game to reflect WWE\’s roster cuts.

    It was reported that the relationship between WWE and 2K had grown strained with WWE 2K22 being seen as a \’make or break\’ game for both parties.

    It was reported in March that WWE had been speaking to EA Games about a possible new partner if WWE 2K22 was poorly received.

    WWE 2K22 has been met with positive reviews from both fans and critics and earned a 7/10 by SEScoops\’ own Tyriece Simon.

  • Roman Reigns Hints WrestleMania Backlash was Last Six-Man Tag for The Bloodline

    Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns has teased that he will no longer team with his cousins, SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos, in six-man-tag team action.

    At WrestleMania Backlash, \”The Bloodline\” defeated Raw Tag Team Champions RK-Bro and Drew McIntyre in the main event of the evening.

    On Instagram, Reigns shared a video from the gym and teased that he and his cousins won\’t compete in matches together anymore.

    \”What if that\’s the last six-man-tag you ever see The Bloodline do?\”

    Roman Reigns
    https://www.instagram.com/p/CdWBp22DaNb/

    What\’s next for Roman Reigns?

    In that same video, Reigns also referenced the reports of him leaving WWE after he hinted at taking some time away during a WWE Live event in Trenton, New Jersey.

    \”I’m not going anywhere, or am I?\”

    Roman Reigns

    The Undisputed WWE Universal Champion has reportedly signed a new deal which will see him work fewer dates going forward.

    While it is believed that Reigns will one day follow his cousin The Rock to Hollywood, Reigns has been \”accommodated and incentivized\” to keep WWE as a top priority, a source told Fightful.

    It is currently unknown how long Reigns\’ new contract lasts or how much he is being paid.

  • Video: Police Release Body Cam Footage of Tammy Sytch\’s Arrest

    Footage from the arrest of WWE Hall of Famer Tammy \’Sunny\’ Sytch has been released by police in Daytona Beach, Florida.

    Sytch was arrested last week and charged with nine felonies, including DUI manslaughter in relation to a three-vehicle accident that killed 75-year-old Julian Lasseter.

    In the clip, Sytch is asked to give her full name and date of birth by the police and complies with their request.

    Sytch was arrested outside the Hard Rock Hotel in Daytona Beach.


    Sunny Speaks

    Tammy Sytch posted a message on Facebook after getting released from jail. She insists that people \”don\’t know the real story\” and threatens to block any basement dwellers who say anything negative about her.

    \”If ANYONE says ANYTHING negative about me, you will be blocked and NEVER unblocked.  You don\’t know the real story so don\’t act like you\’re some f***ing journalist when all you do is type from your moms basement.  Done.\”

    The Charges Against Sytch

    It is alleged that in March, Sytch was driving a 2012 Mercedes Benz which crashed into the rear of a 2013 Kia Sorento, Lasseter\’s vehicle, which was stopped at a red light.

    The Kia then crashed into the rear of a 2011 GMC Yukon, which had also stopped at the light.

    The WWE Hall of Famer posted bail on Saturday and has reportedly been ordered not to leave Volusia County, Florida.

    Sytch will be arraigned in Volusia County Court on May 31, according to PW Insider.

    In a toxicology report, it was found that Sytch\’s blood-alcohol level was 0.280 (g/100mL,) three-and-a-half times the legal limit when operating a vehicle.

    Tammy Sytch (Sunny) Arrested & Charged With DUI Manslaughter

  • Interesting Note on this Year’s Money in the Bank Stipulation

    WWE has released a promo video for this year\’s Money in the Bank premium live event that sheds some light on how the next \”cash-ins\” may be handled.

    Since the first Money in the Bank ladder match in 2005, the winner has been guaranteed a championship match against a champion of their choosing at any point up to a year.

    During WrestleMania Backlash, a commercial aired for Money in the Bank 2022, which takes place July 2nd.

    As seen below, Cody Rhodes says the winners of the Men\’s and Women\’s ladder matches will earn the chance to headline WrestleMania.

    \”One lucky male and female Superstar will win the chance to main event WrestleMania.\”

    Cody Rhodes.

    Money in the Bank winners have one year to cash in their contracts, including in the main event of WrestleMania. However, WWE has rarely (if ever) invoked \”main eventing WrestleMania\” when discussing Money in the Bank contracts. Typically, it\’s the Royal Rumble winners that earn a shot to main event WrestleMania.

    While this should not be taken as a \”change\” to the Money in the Bank stipulation, it\’s interesting that WWE is running with Cody\’s comments. This might also provide a hint about how Cody would cash in, if he secures a Money in the Bank contract this year

    You can see Cody Rhodes\’ comments about cashing in Money in the Bank at WrestleMania in the video below:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaQf4Nc7DeE&feature=emb_title

    Money in the Bank 2022

    WWE Money in the Bank takes place on July 2, from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The venue hosted Summerslam 2021.

    Earlier this year, Brock Lesnar was rumored for the event as he featured prominently in the promotional material for Money in the Bank but has since been removed from the image.

    This is the same as what WWE did with WrestleMania Backlash, as the promotion advertised Lesnar for the show but had no plans on him appearing.

    The decision to promote Lesnar for both events before WrestleMania 38 was done to stop fans from realizing that Brock would lose to Roman Reigns at the event in April.

  • Sasha Banks Threw the First Pitch at Fenway Park on Sunday

    WWE Women\’s Tag Team Champion Sasha Banks appeared at Fenway Park this past weekend to throw out the first pitch.

    In a clip uploaded by WWE\’s official Twitter account, Banks said this was her first time at Fenway Park and her first baseball game.

    In a separate interview, Banks, who is a Boston native, spoke about her career starting off in the city and making it to WWE.

    \”To go from here to main-eventing a WrestleMania… all my dreams have come true thanks to the WWE.\”

    Sasha Banks.

    In a tweet, Banks said that \”she\’s the legit boss but y\’all knew that\” and tagged Mariah Carey, her cousin Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent.

    All three of these celebrities have had memorable first-pitch experiences in the past, with Mariah Carey\’s throw in Japan spending very little time in the air.

    As for her cousin and 50 Cent, both of their throws went wildly off target.

    Fenway Park, the home of the Boston Red Sox is one of the most iconic baseball stadiums and has been opened since April 1912.

    Banks and Naomi will defend the WWE Women\’s Tag Team Championships this Friday on SmackDown against Natalya and Shayna Baszler.

  • Cody Rhodes Not Interested in Third Match with Seth Rollins

    Cody Rhodes has said he is not interested in facing Seth Rollins again after defeating the former multiple-time world champion at WrestleMania Backlash.

    In the opening match of last night\’s Premium Live Event, Rhodes defeated Rollins with a roll-up pin and a handful of tights. It was a bit of tit-for-tat on Cody\’s part as Seth had attempted to use the tights for leverage first.

    This is Rhodes\’ second televised victory over Rollins since returning to WWE, after beating \”The Architect\” at WrestleMania 38.

    In a post-match interview shared by WWE, Rhodes said that he is moving forward and does not plan on having another match with Rollins.

    \”I think we can walk away on this one. Seth is an amazing, amazing Superstar wrestler, I can’t wait to see what he does next. Whatever he does now, good luck. I’m moving forward.\”

    Cody Rhodes

    Rhodes concluded by wishing Happy Mother’s Day to his mother, his wife, and all the mothers in the world.

    What\’s next for Cody Rhodes?

    \"WWE
    On the post-WrestleMania 38 Raw, Cody Rhodes said he will fulfill the promise of becoming WWE World Champion that he made to his father Dusty Rhodes.

    Since coming back to WWE, Cody Rhodes has feuded primarily with Seth Rollins but has his eyes set on championship gold.

    In a promo on the post-WrestleMania 38 episode of Raw, Rhodes said he plans on becoming a WWE World Champion, fulfilling a promise to his late father \”The American Dream\” Dusty Rhodes.

    In the post-WrestleMania Backlash interview, Rhodes again made his goals clear.

    \”After the match, I did the generic symbol for wanting the belt – because it\’s real. That\’s what I want.\”

    Cody Rhodes

    Rhodes is expected to challenge for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at some point in the future, which is currently held by Roman Reigns.

  • Mia Yim Makes Return To Impact Wrestling At Under Siege 2022

    Former WWE Superstar Mia Yim made her return to Impact Wrestling at last night\’s Under Siege 2022 event.

    After Taya Valkyrie retained her AAA Reina de Reinas Championship against Deonna Purrazzo, an irate Purrazzo blindsided Valkyrie with a post-match attack but was stopped by the returning Yim.

    Yim attempted a package piledriver on Purrazzo, who escaped before taking the move.

    After the event, Fightful reported that Yim’s appearance wasn’t a one-off but that she has signed a new deal with the promotion.

    Last night marked Yim’s first televised appearance at a wrestling event since her release from WWE in November 2021.

    Her last match in WWE was a four-minute loss to Nikki Cross during a December 2020 taping of WWE Main Event nearly a year before her release.

    In February 2022, Yim married Keith Lee, who was also released from WWE last November.

    She made her return to wrestling at the WrestleCon Mark Hitchcock Memorial Supershow on March 31, where she defeated fellow WWE alum Athena (Ember Moon.)

    Mia Yim In Impact

    Yim wrestled for Impact Wrestling as Jade from 2015 to 2017 and signed with WWE in 2018.

    Debuting as part of ‘The Dollhouse,’ a heel faction led by Taryn Tarrell, the group would split in March 2016 and Yim would win the Impact Knockouts Championship the following month.

    Her last match in Impact was on the January 12, 2017 Xplosion tapings, losing a Last Woman Standing match to Rosemary.

  • Kurt Angle Hopes to Manage Stable of Olympians in WWE

    WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle has said he hopes to manage a team of Olympians one day should he one day return to the company.

    Angle joined the WWF in 1998 and debuted on TV in late 1999, becoming the first Olympic Gold Medalist to join Vince McMahon’s promotion.

    Speaking on his podcast ‘The Kurt Angle Show,’ the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion discussed his idea after saying he missed out on managing American Alpha.

    \”I\’d like to manage the olympians… When Gable Steveson starts his career, he and Chad Gable, that would be the new Team Angle. I would love that.\”

    Kurt Angle.

    Gable competed at the London 2012 Summer Games in the 84kg category but didn’t win a medal.

    Steveson captured gold for Team U.S.A at last year’s Summer Games in Tokyo, competing in the 125kg weight class.

    He signed with WWE in September 2021, becoming the second Olympic Gold Medalist (behind Angle) to do so.

    In addition to Gable and Steveson, Ronda Rousey is also a former Olympian having won Bronze in the Women’s Judo (70kg) at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games.

    The Original Team Angle

    \"Charlie
    Benjamin, Angle, and Haas as \’Team Angle\’ in 2003.

    Kurt Angle is no stranger to managing young Superstars, as he managed Team Angle in 2003.

    Comprising of Angle, Charlie Haas, and Shelton Benjamin, the group came together as part of Kurt’s feud with Brock Lesnar, though they failed to prevent Lesnar from winning the WWE Championship from Angle at WrestleMania 19.

    After Kurt took time off to recover from an injury, the team would split upon his return with Haas and Benjamin being redubbed ‘The World’s Greatest Tag Team.’

  • Cesaro Teases the Return of Claudio Castagnoli

    Former WWE Superstar Cesaro has teased the return of Claudio Castagnoli, the name he used prior to signing for Vince McMahon.

    The Swiss wrestler left WWE in February 2022 after his contract expired and both sides failed to come to terms.

    On Twitter, Cesaro shared an image of him with the caption

    “Ya’ll know me, still same O.G.”

    Cesaro.

    Cesaro has also added the Claudio Castagnoli name to his Twitter bio.

    Cesaro\’s Departure From WWE

    Despite being consistently over with fans who hoped to see Cesaro as either WWE or Universal Champion, the Swiss wrestler left the company without winning either title.

    After his departure, it was reported that the WWE roster had been disappointed and dismayed over his leaving, as he was one of the most universally liked people in the company.

    WWE did offer Cesaro a new contract, but the former United States Champion turned it down.

    Cesaro had reportedly been telling those close to him back in October 2021 that he was not planning on being with WWE much longer, saying he was frustrated with the way he had been booked in recent years.

    Last month, AEW’s Mark Henry teased Cesaro joining, saying that “there will be a Cesaro sighting” in AEW.

  • Roman Reigns Teases Retirement At WWE Live Event

    Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns teased retiring from the ring during a recent live event in Trenton, New Jersey.

    In the final match of the show, billed as \’Saturday Night\’s Main Event, Reigns retained his championship against Drew McIntyre.

    In a post-match promo to the crowd, Reigns spoke about this year marking ten years since he debuted on WWE\’s main roster at Survivor Series 2012.

    Reigns also spoke about competing in Trenton several times, and when speaking about a \”new phase\” of his career, teased his retirement.

    \”I honestly don\’t know if I\’ll ever be back here again.\”

    Roman Reigns.

    Reigns ended his promo by saying he hopes the fans get home safe.

    Roman Reigns will team with The Usos to face RK-Bro and Drew McIntyre tonight at WrestleMania Backlash.

    https://twitter.com/Taboy1232/status/1523138063924219905

    Roman Reigns in Hollywood

    While Reigns is the unquestionable top star in WWE it is believed by many that he will one day follow his cousin The Rock into Hollywood.

    The Tribal Chief has already dabbled in acting with his biggest role to date being alongside the Brahma Bull in 2019\’s Fast and Furious spinoff \’Hobbs and Shaw.\’

    Reigns also lent his voice to the character \’Ramarilla\’ in the 2021 animated movie \’Rumble.\’

    \"HOBBS
    Reigns appears alongside The Rock in 2019\’s Fast and Furious spinoff \’Hobbs and Shaw.\’

    Reigns himself said he would like to do more movies during an appearance on the Michael Kay Show last November.

    Last month, Randy Orton said that he will remain a WWE Superstar while Reigns will one day be in Hollywood.

  • W. Morrissey Says He \”Kept Drinking & Kept F***ing Up\” In WWE

    Impact Wrestling star W. Morrissey has opened up about his battles with sobriety in an interview with Renee Paquette.

    Morrissey, known as Big Cass in WWE was released in June 2018 due to behavior issues, including being publicly intoxicated during a WWE tour.

    Since then, the seven-foot wrestler has cited depression, anxiety, and alcohol addiction as factors behind his release.

    Speaking to Paquette on \’The Sessions,\’ Morrissey spoke said he had been heavily drinking in 2017, a year before his release, and that he let himself down with his actions.

    \”I was really not living up to my end of the bargain. I was making a lot of mistakes.\”

    W. Morrissey.

    Morrissey added that in 2017 his drinking was \”really out of hand but easy to hide,\” and that he was taking medication that he \”definitely\” should not have been taking with alcohol.

    The Impact star said that after returning from an injury in 2018 it was well-known backstage that he had problems with drinking.

    \”I kept drinking and kept f***ing up… the drinking got out of hand to the point where everybody [in WWE] knew.\”

    W. Morrissey.

    Despite his problems, Morrissey said he knew at that point that everybody knew about his drinking but he still didn\’t care.

    After being released in 2018, Morrissey was relieved for a \”small amount of time\” but said that his drinking got worse afterward.

    Morrissey went to rehab in 2020 for the third and final time and has been able to keep clean since.

    He joined Impact Wrestling in 2021 and made his debut for AEW this week in a losing effort to Wardlow.

  • Impact World Champion Josh Alexander \”Fine\” After Auto Accident

    Impact Wrestling World Champion Josh Alexander has assured fans that \”everyone\’s fine\” after being involved in a car accident this week.

    In a tweet, Alexander shared a video from the scene of the accident where the front of his vehicle was heavily damaged.

    The Canadian wrestler tweeted that \”seconds or inches saved us\” and encouraged his over 35,000 followers to tell those they care about that they love them.

    https://twitter.com/Walking_Weapon/status/1522763828643213314

    The Walking Weapon

    Alexander joined Impact in 2018 and is a two-time World Champion with the company.

    His first reign saw him defeat AEW\’s Christian Cage at Bound for Glory 2021, but his reign ended seconds later when Moose cashed in the \’Call Your Shot Gauntlet\’ trophy.

    At Rebellion 2022 last month, Alexander defeated Moose to re-gain the title.

    He will defend the Impact World Championship against New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Tomohiro Ishii at tonight\’s \’Under Siege\’ event.

    In addition to his two World title reigns, Alexander is also a two-time Impact World Tag Team Champion and former X-Division Champion.

  • Friend Of Bray Wyatt Says He May Never Wrestle Again (Report)

    A friend of former WWE Champion Bray Wyatt (Windham Rotunda) reportedly thinks he could be done with the wrestling business.

    Wyatt was released from WWE in July 2021 and has said he often thinks about returning to the ring.

    When a friend of Wyatt spoke to WrestlingNews.co recently, the person said that the former Superstar has been very careful with his money and does not need to keep on wrestling.

    \”HE IS VERY GOOD WITH HIS MONEY. I WOULDN\’T BE SURPRISED IF HE NEVER CAME BACK [TO WRESTLING.]\”

    Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter had reported that Bray has a high asking price to return to the ring. He was reportedly making around $4 million per year during his time with WWE.

    Wyatt has not competed for any promotion since his release, making his WrestleMania 37 loss to Randy Orton his most recent match to date.

    Wyatt After WWE

    Since being released, Wyatt has focused on non-wrestling projects, including a horror movie involving special effects artist legend Jason Baker.

    He also got engaged to former WWE ring announcer JoJo Offerman back in April. The two have been together for several years and have two children together.

  • Young Fan Jumps Barricade To Get Photo With Cody Rhodes After WWE SmackDown

    A young fan jumped the barricade this week in the hopes of getting a photo with Cody Rhodes after WWE SmackDown went off the air.

    After last night\’s episode, Rhodes defeated Seth Rollins in a dark main event ahead of their match this Sunday at WrestleMania Backlash.

    In a clip shared online, Rhodes can be seen taking a selfie with fans at ringside when he is approached by a child.

    Cody speaks to the fan, who points at where he was sitting, while security gently leads the kid back to his seat.

    Responding to the video in a tweet, Cody said that he was \”popped\” to see the young fan ask for a photo, and said that he did take a picture with him later in the night.

    Jumping The Barricade

    Fans jumping the barricade is a staple of professional wrestling but almost never goes well for anyone involved.

    Last November, a fan jumped the barricade to attack Seth Rollins, believing the former Universal Champion had conned him out of gift cards.

    Instead, it was a scammer posing as Rollins on social media, who had tricked 24-year-old Elisah Spencer out of gift cards and his money.

    In 2019, Zachary Madsen jumped the barricade during the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony to attack Bret Hart, saying that it \”felt like it was the right moment,\” during a court appearance. The man ended up being dropped by a punch courtesy of Cash Wheeler.

    Fans caught jumping the barricade are usually kicked out of the venue and banned from future WWE events, but the company made an obvious exception this week.