— During a recent appearance on the “Busted Open Radio” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray addressed the lukewarm crowd response to Giulia vs. Michin on the September 5 episode of WWE SmackDown in Chicago, noting that Giulia is still working to find her footing in WWE.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On the reaction for Giulia vs. Michin on WWE SmackDown: “That was one of the matches that the Chicago crowd had zero interest in. Giulia is in some interesting territory. Remember when Giulia first hit the scene, I told you about my concerns for her adjusting to this style. I think Giulia did well in NXT, I think Giulia definitely has the look, she definitely has the it factor, but I still think she’s finding her way here. The strap around her waist hasn’t really done anything tremendously for her, and I still think she’s trying to find her way.”
On Giulia and Stephanie Vaquer being put on the back burner: “It seems like Giulia and Stephanie [Vaquer] definitely got put on the back burner a little bit, not positive why. But those are two women that I really want to see flourish on the main roster.”
— On a recent edition of the “Busted Open After Dark” podcast, Tommy Dreamer discussed Jey Uso’s recent actions on WWE RAW, saying that he hopes Jey doesn’t turn heel.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On the recent heel-type actions by Jey Uso: “[Jey] does have justification for his actions, but the fans turned on you. In this weird world that we live in, when he hits his ‘yeet,’ we still yeeted for him. I don’t want to lose the yeet.”
On the potential outcome of this angle: “I’m praying this will have some sort of outcome. I don’t know what that outcome will be. I don’t know if somehow, someway Jey turns heel, if it’s going to be Jimmy turns heel, which I don’t want to see either. If LA Knight turns heel, I don’t know if the fans would totally boo him. I think he might get over like Steve Austin. I don’t know which direction this is headed. Maybe we’ll do a poll. Do you want to see Jey Uso turn heel? I know I surely don’t.”
— Don’t expect Jake Hager to be a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble anytime soon.
In a recent interview with Sportskeeda’s “WrestleBinge,” the former World Heavyweight Champion was asked about the possibility of appearing in WWE’s annual match — and he quickly shut down the idea. He said,
“I sincerely doubt it. I don’t think they like me very much. Whoever books the Royal Rumble.”
Hager parted ways with AEW last year and announced last month that he is officially retired from wrestling.
— Rey Mysterio recently shared that his daughter, Aalyah, has begun training inside the wrestling ring at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, FL.
Speaking on the “Club 520” podcast, Rey explained that he brought Aalyah along while rehabbing an injury, and she quickly displayed a natural enthusiasm for wrestling.
Though Aalyah has made appearances on WWE television, she had never competed in the ring—until now. Earlier this month, she also trained at Natalya’s Dungeon 2.0 alongside some of WWE’s top Superstars.
Rey additionally praised his son Dominik’s swift ascent in WWE, highlighting his recent AAA Mega Title victory alongside holding the Intercontinental Championship.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On Aalyah training at the WWE Performance Center: “My daughter, I just went out to the Performance Center in Orlando, the WWE Performance Center, and I had to go back in the ring, try get cleared from an injury my daughter had always had the curiosity to step in the ring so she goes when when are you taking me when he take me for about a year and a half so i said ‘okay I’m going to Orlando let’s go’, she went up with me she jumped in the ring and she loved it, man. She was hitting the ropes, rolling. I know you said the tumble. she was doing all that, like the generic stuff, basic stuff, beginner stuff. But, yeah, the ring brings it on another level, man. It’s crazy, especially the ropes. When you hit those ropes, she was all bruised from her back and shoulders.”
On Dominik becoming Intercontinental Champion: “Deep down in my thoughts, I’ve always said or knew that he was going to be something bigger than what I did. I didn’t know how. My wife was the first one to spot and point that she never saw him as the good guy. She always saw him as a bad guy in the ring, which now it makes complete sense. She spent more time with him than I did because I was traveling so much. She was mom and dad. But to see his growth over the past four years and how he just evolved into this character and embraced it and just now completely owns it is awesome, man. His confidence is… I wish I had some of that when I was his age, and I wish I knew what he knows now when I was his age. I had no clue. I was learning as I was going. But I think the huge factor in this is he was… he was thrown in right away to swim with sharks and he figured that out. He learned how to swim with sharks. So, you know, I think personally that’s why he’s in the spot that he’s in now.”
