Welcome to SEScoops: the Daily Drop, your go-to for the latest news and rumors in wrestling. February 26. The Elimination Chamber is in the rearview mirror with RAW tonight. Now, we have a lot to unpack for the day.
Days until WrestleMania XL: 40
WWE
- SEScoops has a full preview of this week\'s RAW available. You can click here to check that out.
- I was told that WWE determined that Rhea Ripley vs Nia Jax would main event Elimination Chamber several weeks before the event.
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- Bodyslam.net reported that WWE hired a new writer\'s assistant from the indie wrestling world.
- Finn Balor is totally fine after his bloody injury during Elimination Chamber.
-It was a busy day for Vince McMahon allegation talk. Kevin Owens reacted to the allegations, where he condemned them. Also, Becky Lynch opened up a bit about her experience in WWE in response to a question about the allegations in Janel Grant\'s lawsuit.
- Raquel Rodriguez competed at WWE Elimination Chamber, but she didn\'t have a great time before the event. A flare-up of her MCAS almost caused her to miss the match.
-WWE has two matches announced for RAW this week. You can check out the two matches planned for Feb 26\'s episode of RAW (so far) below.
- Sami Zayn vs. Nakamura
- Street Fight: New Day vs Imperium
AEW
- Although QT Marshall is not planned to wrestle for AEW, he was backstage at Collision on Saturday, and Fightful reports that they took photos of him in his ring gear.
- Ric Flair turned 75-years-old, so happy birthday to The Nature Boy.
- Lex Luger was asked on his Lex Expressed podcast whether he will be at Sting\'s last match at AEW Revolution on March 3rd. The former pro wrestling star replied to say, \"You want me to answer that? Let me put it this way. I will go back to 35 years of friendship. Friendship sometimes transcends the kayfabe or workup the other and there may be ramifications or there may not. Sting was there for me at three in the morning when I had my motorcycle wreck and they wanted to cut my arm off and kind of stopped the doctors from cutting my arm off. So people could read into that what they want, on whether I might be at the building or not. I won’t confirm anything, but I’m just saying. I’ll leave it in that context. How’s that?”
- Matt Hardy had big props for AEW picking up Jennifer Pepperman from WWE as their new VP of Content.
- Speaking of Jennifer Pepperman, Fightful reported that she was at AEW television last week, but it\'s unknown if she has officially started working in her new role, or what capacity she had her hands in anything yet.
- Jack Perry\'s first match since AEW All In London is confirmed for March 6, 2024, where he will square off against Shota Umino for NJPW.
- Swerve Strickland admitted that he\'s still a Paul Heyman Guy. On that note, you can check out a great list of next perspective Paul Heyman Guys/Girls below.
- It looks like AEW has Okada locked in. While speaking to Tokyo Sports, he said that he has no intention of returning to NJPW. “I’m already looking ahead to what’s next, and I’m going out with the intention of never coming back to New Japan,\" Okada said. \"I’m sorry about that, but I don’t think so. Of course, I want to treasure the feeling and the words I received.”
TNA
- Fightful reported that Steve Maclin only has a couple of months left on his TNA Wrestling contract.
-Josh Alexander also didn\'t want TNA Wrestling to renew his contract for another year, but they did.
- It was reported that one top star for the company wanted to leave, but the talent meeting they held changed their mind. Stay tuned for this still-developing story.
- It has been revealed what TNA talent said to higher-ups after Scott D\'Amore\'s firing. There was also a special meeting. This story has a lot to unpack at the end of the day.
Upcoming Major Pro Wrestling Events
- AEW Dynamite: Big Business will be hosted at Boston\'s TD Garden on March 13th.
- AEW Revolution is planned for the following weekend, on Sunday, March 3.
- WWE NXT Stand & Deliver is slated for the afternoon of April 6th, just before the start of WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
- WrestleMania XL is set to take place on April 6th and 7th at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a two-part event.
- Backlash France is scheduled for May 4th at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.
- WWE NXT Battleground is booked for May 26th at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, exclusively available on the WWE Network and Peacock.
- WWE Money in the Bank will be held on July 6th at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, followed by WWE NXT Heatwave on July 7th at the same venue.
- WWE Bash In Berlin is marked for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.
