fightful

Sidney Akeem (fka Reggie/SCRYPTS) First Words Since Leaving WWE

Sidney Akeem (known as Reggie/SCRYPTS in the WWE) joined Fightful Select for an exclusive interview. The former four-time WWE 24/7 Champion spoke with Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp for an exclusive interview.

Sean and Sidney discussed numerous topics. The conversation began with Sidney telling Sean that he had been doing well [since his release] and that he’d been in really good spirits. He said it's still tough but told Sean he’s in a good headspace.

Sidney has heard from indep...

Alex's SOUR GRAPS: SmackDown 5/17 | Fly-By-Night Human Hat Racks

In WWE, even when we avoid catastrophe, the ends rarely justify the means.

Such is the case tonight, multiple times.

Oh, and also, everyone was made to look dumb tonight. Or ineffectual. Or like a giant coward. Sure is fun when that happens.

Oh well, at least we're not getting Double Champ Cody. Or Jade vs Bianca.

But not like this. Not Like This.

Everything sucks. Let's talk about it.

Youtube Link: 2024-05-18 01:55:47 +0000 UTC View Post

Smackdown Plans for tonight

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select has learned the following plans for tonight's WWE Smackdown, subject to change.

Please be cognizant of those who wish to avoid spoilers

• QOTR: Bianca Belair vs. Tiffany Stratton

• KOTR: LA Knight vs. Tama Tonga

• Cody Rhodes & Logan Paul contract signing

• QOTR: Jade Cargill vs. Nia Jax

• Spoiler tag match

• KOTR: Carmelo Hayes vs. Randy Orton

BACKSTAGE NEW...

SRS Q&A Podcast: Over 30 minutes of mailbag!!

• AEW Double or Nothing

• Hangman Page

• Becky Lynch

• Queen of the Ring

• Free Agents

• AEW residency

• Wyatt 6

• Ricky Starks

Select Portions: Ivar Injury, Charlette Renegade, Reggie, Maya World

• Regarding reports that Ivar's injury is a work, we're told that isn't true whatsoever. The severity of the injury isn't known as of yet, but we're told Ivar has long wrestled as if he's on borrowed time after his double fusion surgery

• Charlette Renegade reached out to Fightful and posted publicly that her absence isn't related to a concussion. AEW sources were adamant that led to her absence, but we will leave the physical updates to her in that regard.

• ...

  2024-05-17 17:14:25 +0000 UTC View Post

SRS Q&A questions

Ask away! one per subscriber

Charlette Renegade update

An AEW and ROH regular has been out of action all year, and now we know why.

The Renegades had been regularly featured on ROH programming, and often appeared on All Elite Wrestling. However, in 2024, Robyn had appeared exclusively as a singles star, with her sister Charlette nowhere to be seen. 

Fightful Select's Sean Ross Sapp has learned that Charlette has been battling concussion issues that have kept her out of action. She’s actively working to get cleared for an in-rin...

News On Eddy Thorpe's Recent Absence

Eddy Thorpe recently made his return to NXT Level Up on the March 19th taping of the program, and since has had multiple outings on the show as well as on NXT live events.

Thorpe had previously been out of action since his NXT Underground bout with Dijak in December, with no indication as to why. Fightful Select’s Corey Brennan has learned that Thorpe suffered a hip injury during his match with Dijak in what was dubbed a ‘freak accident’ by one source in NXT production. However, T...

Xia Brookside on TNA Contract, X Division, More

Fightful Select caught up with TNA’s Xia Brookside at the Squared Circle Expo in Indianapolis. Xia discussed various topics with Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp.

Sean and Xia began the conversation by mentioning how they have both beaten up Shazza McKenzie and have also been beaten up by Shazza. 

Sean said that the last time they spoke, she had hinted that she had something going on but could not comment. Sean mentioned Brookside has since signed with TNA ...

More on Saraya appearing on Catfish

Saraya is appearing on MTV's Catfish.

Word emerged this week that the former Paige would be appearing on the popular MTV series that somehow still exists, Catfish. We're told the episode doesn't actually focus on her, but she's planned as a co-host.

The episode is filming this week, with the last day of filming being May 15. This will cause Saraya to miss the Seattle AEW Dynamite tapings due to the scheduled.

One source joked that if the episode was actually about Saraya, i...

The List Goes On 5/15

SRS and Jimmy Van

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/_4GBeifkPIQ

Tons Of Backstage Notes From NXT's May 14 Double Tapings

NXT Backstage Notes For May 14th’s Double Taping

Fightful Select’s Corey Brennan has learned the following backstage notes for the May 14th and May 21st episode tapings of NXT.

- Plans for the double taping changed throughout the day, with the rundown for the tapings not being finalized until around 6pm, with the taping beginning at 7pm.

- The reason for the double taping is due to production staff and agents making their way to Saudi Arabia next week for the King And Qu...

Latest on WBD-AEW Relationship

As of Tuesday, PWInsider reported that it was believed that a new deal has not been reached, and while AEW is likely going to be mentioned at the WBD UpFronts, that a new deal isn't likely to be announced. However, after speaking with AEW and WBD sources, we've learned a lot more about the relationship.

We're told that the announcement of a new deal is expected to be kept very close to the vest and Summer or Fall could be a more likely announcement point. The exclusivity window between ...

Select Portions: WWE Raw News, Billy Corgan, More

• WWE opted to run several of the King and Queen of the Ring matches on live events so it wasn't overkill on TV, and to help draw for live events.

• Additional talent drafted to WWE Raw were backstage at the show, even though they weren't used.

• There were WWE Main Event matches changed throughout the day Monday.

• Becky Lynch appeared at Sami Zayn's comedy event over the weekend and confirmed the Fightful report that her contract is up in a few w...

  2024-05-14 15:00:08 +0000 UTC View Post

Alex & Kate's SOUR GRAPS: Raw 5/13 | Adjudication Celebration

Lotta weird stuff on Raw tonight, with some very good in-ring, and the fact that WWE still has time to make an all-time boneheaded booking decision in the Main Event.

Kate is turning (REDACTED) at midnight, so come for the rants and the silliness, and stay for the birthday girl celebration!

Everything sucks (ESPECIALLY if they book Jey to beat Dragunov).

Let's talk about it.

Watch here 2024-05-14 02:43:28 +0000 UTC View Post

Details behind Damian Priest's recent WWE re-signing

Damian Priest signed a new contract with WWE recently, and he’s not going anywhere for a while.

Priest confirmed he’s signed a new deal with the company recently after his World Heavyweight Title win, while speaking with Cathy Kelley after WWE Raw. Fightful Select learned that the deal was completed a couple of months ago, and actually came down to the wire. Priest’s contract was up in February, and was just mere days away from expiring.

However, WWE sources say that they’...

1:30 ET LIVE BACKSTAGE REPORT WITH SRS!

SRS is back!

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/c-OHEME6VEs

Tate Mayfairs talks Softground Ugandan Wrestling, NXT UK, More

Fightful’s Corey Brennan recently sat down with TNT World Champion Tate Mayfairs for an interview about Soft Ground Pro Wrestling and his reign as TNT World Champion. You can check out the early notes below.

Mayfairs noted that his appearance in Soft Ground Pro Wrestling came together very quickly, in the space of a week and a half plans were made and he traveled to Uganda. Tate also said that he wanted to bring the TNT Championship all over the world, and seeing MxM and other talent ...

Fightful Weekender (5/12): KOBK, MLW, DEFY, GLORY PRO, FREELANCE, NWA, NXT LEVEL UP, IWE, ROH SPOILERS

STEPHEN JENSEN is back with a new edition of the WEEKENDER!

- KOBK: "One More" results

- MLW: "Azteca Lucha" results

- DEFY: "Here and Now!" results

- GLORY PRO: "Ascend" (Ep. 35) results

- FREELANCE: "Feel The Force" results

- NWA: "Powerrr" (5/7) results

- NXT Level Up (5/10) results

- IWE: "Never Stop Fighting" results

- ROH HONORCLUB SPOILERS (58 min-end)

WWE Looking To Replicate France Atmosphere In The US

Over the weekend, WWE headed to Lyon, France for Friday Night SmackDown and WWE Backlash. One thing agreed upon by many fans is that the crowd was the star of the show, and one reaction in particular piqued WWE’s interest.

In a dark match after Friday’s SmackDown and prior to his World Heavyweight Championship match with Damian Priest at Backlash, Jey Uso received an incredible reaction from the crowd, where they would use their phone flashlights while doing Uso’s signature Yeet t...

FREE POST: Eddie Kingston update

Eddie Kingston literally limped out of NJPW Resurgence.

Kingston dropped the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship to Gabe Kidd at NJPW and was banged up after the match. We're told that Kingston got hurt to some extent on the table suplex spot.

Kingston needed assistance after that, but was able to walk with a bad limp backstage following the match. We're have no idea of the severity, but for those asking, Kingston was battling a legit injury following the match.

Recent WWE Release Is Expected To Get Big Indie Bookings

Another WWE release is expected to get a heavy independent schedule, if they so want it.

Numerous top independent companies plan on reaching out to Jinder Mahal for independent bookings, Fightful Select is told. GCW hasn’t exactly made it a secret that they’re interested, and Black Label Pro and AIW have both posted interest publicly.

Fightful is also told that there is interest both overseas and Canada, and the fact that the Bollywood Boyz (aka the Singhs) are prominently fea...

Alex's SOUR GRAPS: Collision Review & Rampage WatchAlong 5/11 | KOR Home Cooking

Cope Opens up to Kyle O'Reilly.
Swerve looks for Revenge.
BCC vs Top Flight.
Thunder Rosa in action.

Deonna Purrazzo vs Lady Frost.
Trent vs Dalton Castle.

We're Colliders on a Rampage!
Should be a fun time.

Everything sucks, because Kate couldn't be here tonight. Let's talk about it,

Youtube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mJAedlDuGo

Becky Lynch contract update with WWE

The Man is the World Champion, but one without a deal in WWE for much longer.

Last year, Fightful Select reported that Becky Lynch's contract is up in June 2024. Since then, much has been made about her future, in addition to her husband, Seth Rollins. Fightful revealed recently that Rollins has a new, big money, multi-year contract that he's signed. However, Becky Lynch does not.

Fightful Select's Sean Ross Sapp has confirmed that Lynch is still on her previous contract, has not ...

FREE POST: Longtime WWE Employee Gone From Company

A longtime WWE employee is gone from the company.

Fightful Select confirmed that Steve Rubin is gone from WWE. Rubin was the Senior Director, TV Event Relations at WWE. He'd been with the company for a full 26 years, starting out as a production assistant, and working his way up through the company.

We've confirmed PWInsider's report that Michael Levin is gone from WWE. He has been Vice President of International Events and General Manager of Emerging Markets for seven years and ...

Cody Rhodes' hits Fanatics top 10

More good news for the Cody Rhodes business.

Fightful Select's Sean Ross Sapp confirmed with sources near Fanatics that for the month of April, Cody Rhodes was the only wrestler to hit the top 10 overall sellers list, based on an internal list. This crosses over and includes all sports and items that Fanatics sells, which covers some heavy ground.

In addition, we're told Undertaker recently did a signing for Fanatics as well. WWE has also been interested in some new t-shirt licens...

Alex's SOUR GRAPS: SmackDown 5/10 | Abolish The Monarchy

WWE finally did it. They went in the lab, and engineered the perfect match, perfect opponents, perfect stakes, perfect location, all meticulously designed to kill me.

Cody Rhodes vs Logan Paul, Title For Title, in Saudi Arabia.

This will be the match that ends me.

Also, there's a bunch of shenanigans in the K&QotR tournaments, from brackets to booking, to (kayfabe?) injuries, and all of it tastes pretty sour to me.

Everything sucks. Let's talk about it.

Yout...

SRS Q&A 5/10: 25 minutes of mailbag!

SRS is back for his latest q&a!

• Chuck Taylor

• Seth Rollins

• CM Punk

• Wyatt 6

• Cody Rhodes

• Tonga Twins

No creative plans to resume AEW team

Big Bill is trying to sit under the learning tree, and that spells the end for his tag team.

On a recent AEW Dynamite, Big Bill joined Chris Jericho, and said that he wanted to learn from the well-traveled wrestler. Over the past year, however, Bill had been teaming with Ricky Starks on AEW TV, and led them to winning the AEW World Tag Team Titles.

By the time the duo lost the titles, Fightful Select's Sean Ross Sapp was told that there were no real plans to continue the team, and...

More on Chuck Taylor's injury and future

Chuck Taylor's career may be over.

Recently, Trent split from Best Friends, and it was revealed that Chuck Taylor's injuries that have kept him sidelined may be career ending. On the Fightful Select discord, we revealed that this isn't just kayfabe, and there are no plans for Chuck Taylor to wrestle again at the moment. However, we've learned more.

Taylor had his first match in six months on an April edition of AEW Rampage against Trent in a Parking Lot Brawl, and we're told he wa...