A special 250th episode of AEW Dynamite takes place tonight from Little Rock, AK at the Simmons Bank Arena. Here is the match card for tonight’s broadcast on TBS:
Champion vs. Champion: Swerve Strickland vs. Kazuchika Okada
AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland faces off against AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada in a high-stakes champion vs. champion match.
AEW International Championship Match: Will Ospreay (c) vs. MJF
Will Ospreay defends his AEW International Championship against MJF, kicking off the show.
TBS Championship Match: Mercedes Moné (c) vs. Nyla Rose
Mercedes Moné puts her TBS Championship on the line against the formidable Nyla Rose.
Plus, we will hear from Mariah May following her shocking attack on Toni Storm last week.
What Happened Last Week on AEW Dynamite?
Catch up on these highlights from the July 10, 2024 AEW Dynamite, featuring the finals of the men’s and women’s Owen Hart tournaments:
Here are WWE NXT results for Tuesday, July 17, 2024 from Orlando, FL:
Six-Man Tag Team Match: The Rascalz vs. Gallus: The Rascalz defeat Gallus by pinfall. Joe Hendry is on commentary during the match.
Backstage in Ava’s Office: Ethan Page and Oro Mensah almost came to blows. Mensah challenges Page for his title, but Ava says Mensah isn’t in the title picture. Page opts to face Dante Chen in a title match instead.
Roxanne PerezIn-Ring Promo: Roxanne talks about her victory over Lola Vice and criticizes upcoming talents like Giulia and Stephanie Vaquer. She calls out Thea Hail, leading to a brawl that is broken up by Ridge Holland.
Interview: Kelani Jordan w/Kelly Kincaid: Kelani Jordan praises Sol Ruca but is interrupted by Wendy Choo.
Interview: Lola Vice: Lola Vice is interrupted by Jacy Jayne, Jasmyn Nyx, and Fallon Henley, who insult her and challenge her to a fight. Vice accepts, targeting Jayne.
Je’Von Evans vs. Brooks Jensen: Je’Von Evans gets the win by pinfall. Post-match, Jensen attacks Evans until Josh Briggs steps in to stop him.
Backstage Segment: Charlie Dempsey and Tony D’Angelo: Charlie Dempsey and Tony D’Angelo discuss last week’s hit on Damon Kemp. Dempsey seeks advice about a witness, Wren Sinclair, but D’Angelo tells him to handle it himself.
Phone Call: Trick Williams and Ilja Dragunov: Trick Williams calls Ilja Dragunov for advice after losing the NXT Championship. Pete Dunne, who is present, tells Williams to “figure it out.”
Ethan Page (c) vs. Dante Chen: Page retains his NXT Championship by defeating Dante Chen by pinfall. Oro Mensah attacks Page after the match.
Backstage with Gallus and Joe Hendry: Gallus complains about Joe Hendry. Hendry declares himself the most talked-about star in NXT, while Gallus asserts their dominance in Scotland and dismisses Hendry as a “flash in the pan.”
Tatum Paxley vs. Izzi Dame: Tatum Paxley defeats Izzi Dame by pinfall. Wendy Choo is present, indicating a partnership with Paxley.
Lola Vice vs. Jacy Jayne: Lola Vice defeated Jacy Jayne by pinfall. Post-match, Sol Ruca and Karmen Petrovic made the save, helping Vice fight off Jayne, Jasmyn Nyx, and Fallon Henley, who attacked Vice after the pinfall.
Backstage Segment: Kelani Jordan and Tatum Paxley: Kelani Jordan bumps into Tatum Paxley backstage. Paxley asks if Jordan wants to play. Jordan replies that they’re too old to be playing with dolls but thanks her for the offer. Paxley angrily throws down Wendy Choo’s doll and picks up one resembling Jordan instead.
Six-Person Mixed Tag Team Match: The O.C. vs. OTM: The O.C. defeated OTM by pinfall.
Backstage Segment: Wren Sinclair and No Quarter Catch Crew: Wren Sinclair approaches No Quarter Catch Crew, expressing her desire to join the faction. The crew is unreceptive, so Sinclair threatens to reveal what she witnessed unless they let her wrestle her way into the group.
Match Announcement: It was revealed that last night, Lexis King disrupted Eddy Thorpe’s DJ set. They are set to face off next week.
NXT North American Championship Match: Oba Femi (c) vs. Duke Hudson: Oba Femi retained the NXT North American Championship by defeating Duke Hudson by pinfall.
Tonight’s episode of WWE NXT on the USA Network continues the road to the Great American Bash 2024 just three weeks away. Broadcasting live from Orlando, Florida, the two-hour show starts at 8/7c. The featured matches include:
Oba Femi defending the NXT North American Championship against Duke Hudson
Gallus (Joe Coffey, Mark Coffey & Wolfgang) will battle The Rascalz (Wes Lee, Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz) in six-man tag-team action, with talents from TNA Wrestling.
The OC (Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson & Michin) taking on OTM (Bronco Nima, Lucien Price & Jaida Parker) in a six-person mixed tag-team match.
Tatum Paxley facing Izzi Dame.
Brooks Jensen will compete against Je’Von Evans.
Be sure to join us later tonight for WWE NXT results from Orlando, FL and full video highlights from the show.
What Happened Last Week on WWE NXT?
Here are the Top 10 Moments from the July 9, 2024 episode of WWE NXT:
This story was updated with responses from representatives and counsel for Vince McMahon and Janel Grant.
Counsel for Janel Grant, who filed a federal civil suit against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis and WWE in January, filed a bill of discovery complaint against Peak Wellness and Dr. Carlon Colker on July 1, according to a recent filing.
The complaint was filed in Connecticut state court in Stamford on July 1. It’s asking Peak Wellness to provide receipts and other information for use in discovery in Grant’s case against Vince McMahon and John Lauritinaits.
In the complaint, Grant’s counsel said the information was needed to determine if a possible RICO violation had occurred, referring to the federal Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.
In the original civil suit filed by Grant in January, a Peak Wellness employee was accused of participating in an assault against Grant.
“Additionally, an employee of Peak Wellness also was involved in several instances of sexual abuse against Ms. Grant by McMahon as further described in Ms. Grant’s federal complaint,” the discovery complaint said.
The complaint says Grant’s counsel asked Peak Wellness twice for electronic filings of her medical records and other information. The suit claims the records were incomplete and filed on paper.
“In response to each letter, Dr. Colker and Peak Wellness provided records to Ms. Grant’s counsel in paper copies only,” the complaint said. “Peak Wellness used electronic recordkeeping for Ms. Grant’s medical records, as she was instructed to utilize an iPad for administrative purposes, such as patient intake, in the Peak Wellness office. To date, despite repeated requests, Dr. Colker and Peak Wellness has failed or refused to provide Ms. Grant’s electronic medical records, including any associated metadata.”
The complaint, which said Grant visited Peak Wellness 60 times between November 2019 and April 2022, alleged Colker of knowing about the non-disclosure agreement Grant and McMahon signed around the time of her dismissal from WWE. Grant is suing McMahing for violating the NDA and wants previous NDA’s McMahon has signed to be ruled invalid by the court.
Colker is considered a “celebrity” doctor with numerous athletes and actors as clients. He co-hosted “Shaq’s Big Challenge” on ABC with Shaquille O’Neal and appeared as himself in the documentary “Bigger, Faster, Stronger.” His client list includes numerous WWE wrestlers and MMA fighters.
Vince McMahon's personal doctor being the super jacked pro-steroids doctor from "Bigger, Stronger, Faster" feels like it should have been easier to see coming. pic.twitter.com/CjDE2H9GzN
SEScoops reporter B.J. Bethel reached out to Grant’s representation for comment and was sent the following statement from attorney Ann Callis.
From Ann Callis, Janel Grant's attorney, on Vince McMahon's counsel saying they violated the stay in the civil case. "We did not violate a federal stay by filing a state action against a non-defendant."
The worlds of WWE and Street Fighter are teaming up for a special crossover event as part of the WWE SuperCard mobile game.
In a promo video, Xavier Woods, Rey Mysterio, and Zelina Vega were ‘promoted’ with new attires resembling some of the fighting game franchise’s top characters. The crossover will last from July 17 to August 15 and will include Ryu, Juri, Luke, and Chun-Li. The new Akuma Limited Edition card will also be unlockable.
Fans will be able to battle in special game modes, and collect incredible rewards, a statement from 2K Games added. Special in-game offers, daily streaks, bundles, Card Backs, and Equipment will also be available.
Harley Howe, Studio Manager of Cat Daddy Games (the creators of WWE Supercard) shared their excitement:
“Street Fighter game nights have been a staple of the studio for decades. We’re extremely excited to welcome this franchise to the world of WWE SuperCard as both fans and players. We have done our best to build an experience blending the fusion of both games and hope everyone thoroughly enjoys it.”
WWE’s Video Game Crossovers
WWE Supercard isn’t the only mobile game that is set to see a major crossover. Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne will be a part of WWE Champions as part of the upcoming ‘Summer of Darkness’ event. Osbourne, who was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2021, will be a character in the game and players will have the chance to collect Ozzy-themed items to progress in the Madman Collection Contest.
Call of Duty is also getting in on the crossover fun as part of the upcoming fifth season of the newest game. This update will see WWE Superstars appear in Call of Duty though at this time it is unknown who will be making their presence felt in the hit war game franchise.
Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks is already eager to get back in the ring mere weeks after appearing for WWE on an episode of SmackDown.
The 27-year-old Basketball player appeared on the June 28, edition of the blue brand from Madison Square Garden. In a Money in the Bank qualifying match, Logan Paul asked for Tyrese Haliburton to fetch his brass knuckles but Brunson was on hand to stop his fellow basketball player. LA Knight would win the match, continuing his feud with the U.S. Champion but failed to capture the coveted briefcase.
Brunson’s WWE Return
Speaking on the Roommates Show Podcast, Brunson spoke highly of his time at WWE SmackDown in the Garden. The New York Knicks star added that he’d love to be part of a future WWE event should the company return to Indiana where Haliburton plays.
“One of the best things about WWE is the entrances. The pops you get and everything. Watching the best returns and seeing these dudes come out where it’s been a while. The next time, hopefully the next time I do it, I can do it in Indiana so it would be the opposite. See how that goes. Might as well keep the storyline going.”
Celebrities In WWE
If Brunson plans on stepping foot in the ring again, he would hardly be the first celebrity to do so. In addition to Logan Paul’s matches for WWE, fans saw Johnny Knoxville step into the ring in 2022 at that year’s Royal Rumble PLE and at WrestleMania 38. Grammy Award-winning artist Bad Bunny has appeared for WWE in recent years, showing that a celebrity can deliver a great match if the proper practice has been made.
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes recently sat down with Chris Van Vliet to discuss a wide range of topics, including life after ‘finishing his story’ at WrestleMania 40, what The Rock gave him the following night on WWE Raw, if he’s ever tempted to return to the dark side and portray a villain character, his time in AEW and more. Here are the highlights:
His Time With AEW
CVV: Through all of this over the last few years, you’ve never said anything bad about AEW and you’ve never said anything bad about your time in AEW.”
Cody: “Yeah. You want to change it? Say something bad?”
CVV: “Well, you know, why have you taken the high road?”
Cody: “Yeah, I don’t know if I consider it the high road, but maybe it is. How could I not, right?”
The American Nightmare was a driving force behind the genesis of All Elite Wrestling. His abrupt departure from AEW and WWE return have completely altered the landscape of the industry. Rhodes obviously left AEW because he felt it was no longer the right place for him and where he wanted to take his career, but you still won’t hear him taking any pot shots at his former home.
“How AEW ended was terrible, really, and people are going to write books later on, and these stories are going to get out there, and then it’s going to be a whole new ballgame. But the actual experience and everything we did, I mean..
You ever seen the end of The Dark Knight? I think that’s, again, it’s super convoluted and I’m not comparing myself to Batman, but there’s a piece of it that’s really important. To certain fans from the AEW fandom, they need the story to be, they didn’t want me, they pushed me out. They need, he was bad. “They need that story.. They need me to be the villain. I was always fine with accepting that because of the respect I have for it in the first place.”
Nothing But Love for AEW
Breakups can be extremely painful, but Rhodes has thankfully arrived at a place of acceptance and gratitude regarding his time with AEW. He was “all in” while he was there, and at this stage of his life, he can look back and say that All Elite Wrestling was a chapter in his story and he’s content with that.
“So regardless of any petty squabbles, I will always have a love for [AEW]. I got to wrestle Brodie Lee’s final match. I got to lead people, young people behind the scenes. I’ll always have a love for it. So the idea that I’m sure there’s some negative stuff, like, oh, this sucked or what, but I just don’t, I just remember it lovingly.
WWE Was The End Game
Rhodes likens his time with AEW to Hulk Hogan’s run in the AWA (1981-1983). Hulkamania was popularized in the World Wrestling Federation, but it was born in the American Wrestling Association.
“I also knew I was leaving. I knew it was a season. I knew this isn’t going to last, and there’s something greater for me out there. I know that might sound negative to people, but it’s not. I think [the Undisputed WWE Championship] is the biggest prize in the wrestling game. If you put on boots, that’s the one, and I just wanted to go get it.
“I had nothing but respect for my time there. I got to sharpen my skills. You know, like Hulkamania and the AWA, right before it came to WWE, it’s the same, like the energy was there. The renaissance was happening. It was all there and I just have love.”
The night he won the WWE Championship:
CVV: “What happened that night after you won that?”
Cody: “I didn’t sleep.”
Cody Rhodes’ emotions were understandably running high the night he fulfilled his destiny and won the WWE Championship to honor his father’s legacy. Rhodes says he laid on a bed and texted a bunch of people, including The Undertaker. As he laid there taking it all in, he couldn’t help but wonder, ‘what next?’
“I thought, I was almost worried there’d be the sense of completion, the sense of fullness. I was genuinely concerned like, well, story’s over. But as soon as it was done, it felt like, oh, like literally felt 10 feet tall, felt bulletproof, felt younger, felt faster, like just didn’t feel grizzled at all to the point where I thought, oh, this is gonna be a lot of fun, but what do we do next?”
– Cody Rhodes
Unfamiliar Territory
Cody Rhodes firmly established winning the WWE Championship as his ‘top of the mountain’ and the final chapter of his ‘story.’ However, as Triple H has said, WWE’s story never ends. Cody doesn’t get the ride off into the sunset with the title over his shoulder. The hunter has become the hunted. The brash hero is now the targeted of other challengers hoping to step over him to finish their own stories.
Rhodes has enjoyed tearing it up with the likes of AJ Styles and Logan Paul in sold-out venues across the world, but he’s still getting used to playing ‘defense.’
“Well, I mean, so I think it’s an adjustment right now for going from finishing the story to these big marquee title matches. I was particularly happy with AJ, the match with AJ in France and the match with Logan in Saudi, just because I really wanted to set a different standard for title matches, the actual matches.
But then again, there’s also Friday Night SmackDown and Monday Night Raw with the stories and the fun.I was always in the thick of it. So we’re kind of adjusting to now everyone’s coming for you. You’re not chasing, you’re not cutting these passionate interviews and promos about what you want. You’re on the defensive. And that’s very new for me.”
MyFaction Locker codes are a fantastic way to unlock new cards, packs, and various rewards without spending any in-game currency in WWE 2K24, but how can you get them?
Here, we’ll be showing you the latest MyFaction Locker Codes and exactly what you need to do to unlock extra content in-game for free.
All MyFaction Locker Codes in WWE 2K24
From new character appearances to bonus packs, these codes can unlock a wealth of content for WWE 2K24. Here are the current codes available:
Active Locker Codes
SUPERCARD2K24: Unlocks WWE SuperCard Enigma Pack
MITBBRIEFCASE1: Get Bayley and Austin Theory, a bonus card pack, a Free Agent card, and 7,500 VC
HESEESYOU2K24: Get 1x Amethyst Night Bird Manager Card
How to Redeem Locker Codes in WWE 2K24
There are a couple of different steps that you have to take when it comes to unlocking MyFaction Locker Codes, and we’ve laid them out as follows:
Start MyFaction Mode: You need to have MyFaction mode started in-game to then enter the Locker Codes.
Tutorial Completion: If it is your first time playing MyFaction, then complete the brief tutorial where you’ll unlock some free cards and set up your MyFaction team.
Access the Locker Codes Box: On the main MyFaction screen, look for the Locker Codes box.
Enter Your Code: Input your locker code in the designated box to claim your bonus.
Open Your Cards: Navigate to the SHOP section of MyFaction. Look for the unopened cards box at the bottom right. Select it to open your cards and receive your rewards.
Superstars released from the company will NOT be allowed to use their WWE names after being cut, despite recent claims to the contrary.
Earlier this month, WWE filed to trademark Ethan Page’s name and there was a discussion online about WWE’s usage of ring names. The notion spread online that WWE was now allowing talent to use their ring names after they exited, breaking from years of tradition. WWE trademarks terms for wrestlers so that when a Superstar exits the company, they cannot earn using a name WWE spent considerable time and money building up in another company.
These reports of WWE relaxing its stance on the use of ring names is not the case, both Fightful Select and PW Insider report. While some WWE alum have used their ring names after being released (CM Punk, Chris Jericho, Adam Cole etc), these wrestlers already had ownership of the name and they licensed WWE to use it.
Some former WWE talent have gotten around this by changing their legal names to the character name used in WWE. Both The Ultimate Warrior and Ryback were able to use their WWE names after leaving by changing their names from Jim Hellwig and Ryan Reeves respectively. While Metalik can use that name as he owns the term, he can’t use Gran Metalik as that collective term is owned by WWE.
While WWE’s new era has implemented several changes, relaxing its stance on names isn’t one of them. For now, Nic Nemeth will remain Nic Nemeth in TNA despite spending years building his career as Dolph Ziggler, and the same goes for Raj Dhesi/Jinder Mahal. While WWE may one day change its rules, it hasn’t happened yet.
Singer, rapper, and songwriter Jelly Roll is providing two of the theme songs for this year’s WWE SummerSlam premium live event. The soundtrack of WWE’s ‘biggest party of the ‘Biggest Party of the Summer’ will include the songs “Dead End Road” and “Liar” off his new album Lair due out this fall. Based on this interaction between the artist and WWE CCO Triple H, it looks like we may see Mr. Roll ‘roll’ up to the Cleveland Browns Stadium in person to perform on Saturday, August 3.
Sounds like a good time to me, Bubba! I’ll have my people call your people! ??
Jelly Roll’s wrestling fandom is hardly in question as he has shown time and time again to be a member of the WWE Universe. Last November, Jelly Roll appeared on WWE Monday Night RAW and got into an altercation with JD McDonagh and ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio.
Jelly Roll is getting ready to embark on his The Beautifully Broken tour, with new dates just added. You can check out Jelly Roll’s Summer/Fall 2024 US tour dates below:
It remains to be seen if Jelly Roll will perform at SummerSlam, but we know that Sami Zayn will be performing that weekend out of the ring. In a press release, WWE confirmed that the Sami Zayn & Friends Do Cleveland comedy show is coming to SummerSlam weekend on Friday, August 2. Tickets will go on sale July 17, at 10 a.m ET and there will be a limited number of post-show meet and greets.
This will be the latest example of the reigning Intercontinental Champion flexing his creative chops. The inaugural event happened earlier this month in Toronto for Money in the Bank weekend and in addition to Zayn, featured Cody Rhodes, Bayley, Johnny Knoxville, and others. Zayn also performed at this year’s Netflix Is A Joke festival and received rave reviews for his set.
WWE’s newest signee Stephanie Vaquer is open to joining forces with The Judgment Day.
The Judgment Day member Dominik Mysterio recently showed interest in recruiting Stephanie Vaquer to the faction. Now, the former CMLL wrestler has responded to the idea of potentially joining forces with The Judgment Day.
Taking to her X account, Vaquer reacted to Dominik’s comments on her and even asked the fans about the idea of joining the heel faction. It seems she is eager to be a part of the crew.
During a recent interview with ESTO, Dominik Mysterio shared his thoughts on Stephanie Vaquer possibly working with The Judgment Day and said that he would be eager to have her on the team. He said:
“It is something very excellent for us to have another Latina in WWE. Especially having her is something that is going to catch the women’s division on fire. She’s going to bring something different to this side of the United States, I’m excited to see her. If she wants she can have something with Judgment Day; There are two Irish, two Puerto Ricans and we hire someone else who comes from Mexico.”
Stephanie Vaquer in WWE
Vaquer recently signed with WWE following her departure from CMLL. NXT Head Shawn Michaels announced her signing with the company and revealed that she would be a part of NXT. Vaquer made her triumphant debut during an NXT live event in Mexico City on July 13. She emerged victorious over one-half of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Isla Dawn.
Just a few weeks ahead of SummerSlam, this week’s RAW show was again intriguing, with several big moments occurring on the programme.
WWE has now uploaded all of the video highlights for the show to their official YouTube channel, which we have compiled in an easy to view format on one page below.
WWE RAW Full Highlights This Week
If you didn’t get the chance to watch the show in full, you can see a Full Recap of WWE RAW this week via the video below:
WWE RAW Segments This Week
Mami’s back and officially challenges Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan for a match at SummerSlam.
With Rhea Ripley’s return to Raw, “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio tries to get back in Mami’s good graces.
Following Sheamus’ victory against Bronson Reed, Pete Dunne assists The Celtic Warrior against the Aus-Zilla, until Dunne strikes Sheamus, too.
Gunther continues his history lesson, discussing his dominance that enabled him to win the Intercontinental Title and the King of the Ring Tournament, before setting his sights on the World Heavyweight Title.
Sonya Deville makes a winning return against The LWO’s Zelina Vega.
World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest and Gunther engage in an explosive face to face before their SummerSlam matchup.
World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest and Braun Strowman collide in a huge Non-Title Match.
Chad Gable asks for assistance from Otis once again but is rebuked as Otis doesn’t believe Gable’s true intentions.
In a match for tag team supremacy, Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark climb up the rankings as they take down Kayden Carter and Katana Chance.
Rowan elaborates on his recent losses before The Wyatt Sicks gave him hope.
Raw General Manager Adam Pearce tries to get Drew McIntyre to apologize for his actions, but The Scottish Warrior loses his temper again, putting his potential match against CM Punk in jeopardy.
Jey Uso takes on “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio as Mysterio’s night continues to derail.
As “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio continues to fumble his apology to Rhea Ripley, Mami assures Mysterio that he is hers.
Sami Zayn defends the Intercontinental Title against Ilja Dragunov in a barn-burning showdown.
Chad Gable’s call out of Bo Dallas backfires as The Wyatt Sicks come to the aid of Dallas against Gable and The Creed Brothers.
Cody Rhodes made sure to thank The Undertaker after his victory at WrestleMania 40, but had some liquid courage in his belly before reaching out to the Phenom.
At WrestleMania 40: Sunday, Rhodes’ story was at long last finished as he defeated Roman Reigns to capture the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. The win marked the end of a two-year quest that started when Rhodes returned to WWE in April 2022, as well as the end of Reigns’ 1,316-day run on top.
Texting The Undertaker
Rhodes’ win saw the American Nightmare be helped by various Superstars to even the odds with the Bloodline, including John Cena, Jey Uso, Seth Rollins, and The Undertaker. On the Insight podcast, Rhodes recalled what he did that fateful April night after WrestleMania went off the air.
“I didn’t sleep. I went right to the Today Show. I lay in a bunk and I texted a bunch of people including The Undertaker… I left him, what I would call, a rambling, ‘perhaps’ intoxicated little rant, just thanking him for being there. It’s the frickin’ sheriff. [He responded] Immediately after, he was [Grateful.]”
The Next Chapter
For two years, Rhodes had been focused on one story so there was plenty of speculation among fans as to what would be next for him after he won the gold. On the podcast, Rhodes admitted to being uncertain about his future as WWE Champion.
I worried that there would be a sense of completion, this sense of fullness. I was genuinely concerned like ‘Well, [the] story’s over.’ But as soon as it was done, I literally felt ten feet tall, I felt bulletproof. I felt younger, I felt faster. I didn’t feel grizzled at all. To the point where I thought ‘Oh this is going to be a lot of fun.'”
Rhodes’ fun has taken him across the world as he’s had title defenses in France, Saudi Arabia, and Scotland. His next title defense will come at WWE SummerSlam on August 3, when he defends against the ‘Tribal Chief’ Solo Sikoa.
Rhea Ripley could be in store for all the waffles she could eat should the Judgment Day member take Jey Uso up on his offer of a date.
On the July 15, edition of Raw, Ripley confronted Dominik Mysterio about his ‘relationship’ with Liv Morgan. Despite Mysterio’s attempts to be forgiven, including dozens of black roses, Rhea wanted no part of it and slammed a door in the face of ‘Dirty Dom.’
Raw also saw Jey Uso tease an interest in Ripley and even gave the former Women’s World Champion the hand-sign to ‘call me.’ Speaking after Raw in a WWE Digital Exclusive, Jey shared what could be in store for Rhea if she answers his call.
“I think she deserves better [than Dominik Mysterio.] If she needs a shoulder to cry on, holla at your Uce. You know what I’m saying? We can take it slow. Go to Waffle House. You probably ain’t never been to Waffle House, though, but you need to come this way, Rhea. It’s a little cheap, but it’s good. The quality’s good.”
Jey also predicted what Rhea would order if the pair stepped foot in one of the 1,900 locations of the popular restaurant chain that has been open since 1955.
“She looks like she would eat ten egg whites and a chicken, but I’m all about that triple hash-brown life, Uce. Double waffle, chocolate-chip cookie, Uce. We gonna get along just fine.”
Jey Uso & The Judgment Day
Ironically, this is not the first time that Uso and Ripley have been linked. In the summer of 2023, Jey moved to Raw and quickly found himself approached by the Judgment Day. The group went to great lengths to try and win over Jey and it was even suggested that Rhea would be ‘interested’ in him if he joined.
Ultimately, Jey rejected the faction’s advances and ended up feuding with the Judgment Day. Now, Uso is the one pursuing Ripley in the latest twist of the compelling love triangle that has proven to be one of Monday Night Raw’s most intriguing stories.
Sami Zayn had some strong words about Ilja Dragunov and the future of WWE after the July 15, edition of Monday Night Raw went off the air.
In the main event of the show, Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn defended against Ilja Dragunov. The pair were on course for an instant classic before Bron Breakker emerged and attacked both men, abruptly ending the contest. Breakker, who had been banned from the building, laid out both men to end the show, making clear he still plans on winning the Intercontinental Championship.
After WWE RAW (July 15, 2024)
While Breakker may have left both the champion and challenger worse for wear, Zayn and Dragunov shared a segment after the show. Speaking to the crowd in the Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio, Zayn gave credit to the Mad Dragon as someone for fans to keep an eye on.
“All of you are looking at the future of WWE right here and his name is Ilja Dragunov!”
Dragunov appreciated the high praise from Zayn. Despite the war they’d put each other through, the two men shook hands to the delight of the crowd.
“The Future Of WWE”
Ilja Dragunov does indeed look bright, as he’s quickly established himself as a formidable competitor on WWE Raw. This week’s title match with Zayn marks Dragunov’s third time headlining WWE’s longest-running weekly episodic show since being called up to the main roster in this year’s draft.
Dragunov has more than held his own, a promising sign that management will remain confident in his potential and will continue to put him in positions to succeed.
WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash is excited to see John Cena’s retirement tour, a tour that he believes the 16-time World Champion wholly deserves.
Unlike other wrestlers who have had retirement matches, Cena will have a whole tour that will see him make 100 dates in 2025. On his Kliq This podcast, Nash compared Cena’s final run to rock band KISS’ high-profile farewell tour.
“It’s the KISS retirement tour. It made the morning news, local, that John Cena was retiring and I had seen the Money in the Bank [event] and I was like ‘alright.’ He definitely deserves it, he’s worked his ass off. And the thing about John is that he’ll make a Make-A-Wish appearance at everyone [of the shows he appears at.]
John Cena’s Retirement
Cena announced during the Money in the Bank PLE that 2025 will be his final year in wrestling. Details are scarce regarding the retirement of John Cena but fans are already excited to see what’s to come. Despite his monumental star power, Cena has said he does not feel he’s in a position where he can make specific requests regarding opponents for his retirement tour.
Whatever WWE has planned, fans are optimistic that Cena will be given a send-off fitting his legendary career in the ring. There’s no shortage of names from Cena’s past still in WWE who he could work with if he wishes to. On the flip side, working with younger talent who’ve yet to step in the ring with ‘Big Match John‘ would help these younger talents immensely. Whatever’s to come, expect to see plenty of John Cena ahead of his retirement in 2025.
Erick Rowan delivered a passionate promo during this week’s Raw that blended the Wyatt Sicks angle with his real-life feelings of losing Brodie Lee and Bray Wyatt.
Lee passed away in December 2020 and Rowan appeared at AEW’s tribute show for the former TNT Champion. Less than three years later, Rowan appeared at WWE’s tribute show for Bray Wyatt after the former Universal Champion passed away at the age of 36.
As we’ve seen in recent weeks, the Wyatt Sicks delivered a VHS which was played during this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw. In the video, Rowan was seen being asked by an off-camera Uncle Howdy how he has been.
“I’m not gonna lie. The last few years have been very, very hard. You know I used to have a family. We were unstoppable, inseparable, always had each other’s backs, and then one day, the whole world changed. I lost a brother — the person in the world who believed in me more than anyone else — just gone.”
Rowan added that after Brodie’s passing, he tried to carry on and keep moving, feeling he had no other alternative.
“But just when I thought I had everything going, my other brother, he’s gone too.”
Rowan then shifted his comments to the Wyatt Sicks program as he was handed his sheep mask and asked how it makes him feel.
“It gives me hope… you reached out your hand [and] I accepted it… We’re gonna take our broken hearts and make some beautiful art.”
Blending the real-life tragedies Rowan has gone through and the Wyatt Sicks storyline is an interesting move by WWE and certainly gives the faction a sense of realism. Outside of Bo Dallas/Uncle Howdy, nobody in the faction was closer to Bray than Erick Rowan, and his open testimony this week shows just how deeply both Wyatt and Lee affected the Wyatt Sicks member.
Here are WWE Raw results for July 15, 2024 from Dayton, Ohio at the Nutter Center. You can also check out our roundup of WWE Raw Video Highlights (7/15/24).
Rhea Ripley’s return: Ripley opens the show after a 3-month absence, declaring “Mami’s home.” She blames Liv Morgan for her time away and calls her out regarding the Women’s World Championship. Liv responds via video, taunting Ripley about seducing Dominik Mysterio during her absence. This leads to Ripley challenging Morgan to a title match at SummerSlam, which Morgan accepts. Ripley vows to end Morgan’s career.
Sheamus vs. Bronson Reed: Sheamus defeats Reed in their match. However, the victory is short-lived as Pete Dunne turns on Sheamus post-match, attacking him from behind and leaving him vulnerable to Reed’s Tsunami finisher.
Sonya Deville vs. Zelina Vega: Deville, accompanied by Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark, defeats Vega. After the match, the trio attempts to attack Vega, but Kayden Carter and Katana Chance come to her rescue.
Damian Priest and Gunther confrontation: The two engage in a heated exchange about championship prestige. Gunther criticizes Priest’s reign and background, while Priest defends his journey and vows to retain his title at SummerSlam.
Damian Priest vs. Braun Strowman: Priest emerges victorious in this match. Gunther attempts to ambush Priest afterward but fails to gain an advantage.
Tag team match: Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark defeat Kayden Carter and Katana Chance. Lyra Valkyria accompanies Carter and Chance for the match.
Drew McIntyre’s return segment: McIntyre discusses a potential match with CM Punk. When asked by Adam Pearce to apologize to referees, he refuses, leading Pearce to keep him suspended. The situation escalates, prompting Seth Rollins to intervene and protect Pearce and the officials.
“Wyatt Sicks” VHS promo: A distraught and emotional Erick Rowan reflects on losing his wrestling “family” in a new VHS tape segment. He describes falling into despair after losing two “brothers” and feeling lost. Uncle Howdy is portrayed as Rowan’s savior, giving him new purpose through the mask and a mission to help others like himself.
Jey Uso vs. Dominik Mysterio: Jey Uso wins the match, but the focus is on the drama surrounding it. Liv Morgan interferes to help Dominik, leading to a compromising position with Jey. Rhea Ripley appears to scare Morgan away but ends up taking a spear. Backstage, Ripley reasserts her dominance over Dominik, forgiving him but reminding him that he belongs to her.
Chad Gable’s trap for Bo Dallas: Gable calls out Bo Dallas, claiming he’s solved the mystery of Uncle Howdy’s identity. When Dallas appears, the Creed Brothers ambush him. However, the plan backfires as Dallas laughs, signaling the arrival of the other Wyatt Sicks members. Gable and the Creeds retreat, leaving the Wyatt Sicks to unite in the ring.
Intercontinental Championship match: Sami Zayn defends against Ilja Dragunov, but the match ends in no contest due to Bron Breakker’s interference. Breakker attacks both competitors, closing the show with this chaotic scene.
On June 27th, 2024, Donovan Dijak, known simply then at DIJAK to the WWE Universe, announced his upcoming departure from the company he had called home for nearly eight years.
The star’s approach to his impending free agency starkly contrasted the countless others that had come before him. Rather than simply allowing his WWE contract to expire, which it would the following day, Dijak released a raw, honest, and detailed letter regarding his ongoing negotiations – or lack thereof – with the promotion. Claiming that WWE had made no effort to contact him regarding a new deal following his call-up to Monday Night RAW and had ultimately decided not to renew his contract at the “eleventh hour.”
The news came as a complete shock to wrestling fans everywhere. Dijak had just concluded a widely praised and objectively entertaining second run in NXT, where had the chance to expand his character, both on WWE TV and on social media. Becoming the King of the Ratios of X. Overall, Dijak’s WWE career seemed to be finally heading in the right direction, following the debacle of the RETRIBUTION faction. A group that Dijak has previously noted significantly set him back character-wise in the eyes of the WWE Universe.
Despite this, Dijak remained a loyal soldier for the company, always putting on high-quality bouts inside the squared circle. Because of this reputation, WWE fans assumed his call-up to Monday Night RAW in late April as part of the WWE Draft was due to the company finally deciding to give the star the proper push he had always deserved. Unfortunately, those hopes never came to fruition.
While others may allow a departure from the most globally recognized wrestling promotion to crush them, Dijak sees his release from the company as an exciting opportunity. In an exclusive sit-down interview with SEScoops, he noted that he’s finding no shortage of work on the independent circuit, especially in promotions where he made his bones before joining WWE.
Life After His Now-Famous ‘Letter’ on social media:
“I’m excited, Things are going well, my calendars booking up very solidly. I’ve made a few appearances as you alluded to, and they’ve gone well, they’ve gone really well the reception has been great. I mean, these are these are kind of places where I made my mark before I was in WWE, so they were obviously excited to have me back I was excited to be back. It’s been really positive. For the most part…”
While incredibly proud of how the first few weeks of his free agency have gone, he does say he’s been surprised at the reaction from a certain portion of the professional wrestling fan base—specifically, those who equate Dijak’s words and actions as a direct affront to WWE. While the 37-year-old star said he was prepared for some level of toxicity from those within the internet wrestling community, it seemed to be taken aback by the sheer volume of it.
“There tends to be this trend amongst groups of fans, and not a small group, right? There’s, there’s a large congruent conglomerate of whichever thing that you prefer, whatever your your, your preference of professional wrestling is, you tend to gravitate towards that. And you want to love that and defend it, right? It’s difficult to watch it happen because you can mentally prepare yourself for it. But the reality of the situation is there’s some people out there, there’s a good number of people out there, who are now like the, we’ll call it the honeymoon period, is has worn off, and now they’re actively looking for reasons why to dislike me or “side with the WWE.”
Dijak would go further:
“I’ve supported all my coworkers, I’ve been thankful to the people who gave me those spots…If it were up to me, I’d still be WWE, right? Like I want, I want to actively negotiate and they did not. So. So these divisive moments happen. And it creates this split. amongst some, this chunk of fans, were very vocal there just actively looking for reasons to long story, you know, there’s a lot of pieces to it, but basically, they’re looking to affirm WWE, because that makes them feel good, right?…”
His Non-Existent Heat With CM Punk, Despite What Some Fans Think:
He would continue saying that some fans hold onto topics or issues that are already settled. As an example pointed out by Dijak, some fans of CM Punk are under the impression that the former NXT star has some underlying problems with the Second City Saint. This all stems from when Punk, while still technically signed to AEW, visited backstage of Monday Night RAW, sparking a massive reaction from the WWE Universe on social media. Fans began to speculate that the rumors of Punk’s desire to depart AEW for his old home of WWE were, in fact, true.
While surveying the scene, Dijak had no gripe with CM Punk, but he grew frustrated that fans were more focused on people from outside the company than those inside the company who could not get significant TV time. This led to him sending out what some could see as a passive-aggressive tweet, leading some to accuse Dijak of having a case of sour grapes and real-life heat with the former world champion. However, Dijak makes it abundantly clear that this couldn’t be further from the truth.
“CM Punk, I wouldn’t say we’re friends. But like, if we’re in the same room, we go into, we talk to each other, we have a conversation because we both enjoy each other’s presence…It’s not like it’s like we’re best friends, and I’m going to his birthday party, but if I walk into a locker room, and he’s in there, we’ll have a conversation. It’s a nice, pleasant light hearted conversation. That being said, before I met him, I had two of my actual best friends. These are guys who I will go to their birthday party, and I know their children had been to there. And that’s MXM, the former Maximum Male Models, Mason and Mansor..they’re flown out to TV and they don’t have anything that week. So I hear through the grapevine that that CM Punk is backstage and everybody’s blowing up…And in my mind, I’m thinking ‘my best friends are also backstage at RAW and nobody cares.’ Nobody. There’s not one mention of it. There’s not one tweet, there’s not one. And I understand why. Right? I understand that. CM Punk is this huge… That being said, I’m not just going to sit back well, my friends are being ignored, and are going to get released and all these negative things are going to happen that people that I love, and I want to see succeed. So I’m going to use what’s happening to benefit them.
So I posted something, and again, probably not the probably not the best or smartest thing I’ve ever done or it was honest. It’s honestly how I felt at the time…I wanted to shift the narrative as much as I could To get focused on the people that I love and respect at that time, well, CM Punk fans did not see it that way. And they destroyed me. They eviscerated me. They hate my guts. To this day there’ll be a lot of times where I’ll see like hate comments pop up, and I’m like, why is this guy hate me? And [after clicking on their profile” it’d be like, “CM Punk number one fan” and I’m like, Oh, well, they never got over it. Right? Usually, there’s a pretty obvious reason, when someone’s just spewing hate at me…I met CM Punk, and we have a great relationship.”
WWE Contracts and The Realities of Being “Stuck In Catateoring”:
As he’s touched upon and discussed in previous interviews, Dijak’s made it a point to try to explain to fans both the problematic ways WWE’s contracts are structured and why “sitting in catering” is a particularly anxiety-ridden existence.
“We tried to keep our minds focused on that, right. I’m getting paid a good amount of money to basically do nothing. I need to keep I need to keep that in my mind that there are a lot of people out There are struggling to make ends meet. And I need to, you know, be thankful and gracious. Here’s the reality of the situation. We don’t know when that’s going to end and it could end any second. And when it does, you’re in trouble, right? Because you’ve been sitting in catering, you’re not gaining any momentum, this can end in a second.”
“…I love the the platform and the compensation, but I hate the fact that they do not need to have a reason [to release a Superstar] and it kind of defeats the purpose of the word ‘contract’. They don’t have to hold up their end of the three-year bargain, right? Again, this is written in there, and we read it and we know it, but just feels like that part of the contract should be more solid to me…
“If Just you’re sitting in the back, that’s a really good reason for you to get released. If you’re just not doing anything, they don’t have any creative. So it’s difficult, it’s a dark place to be in because you’re trying to do these things you’re trying to get on TV, you’re trying to show them how much value you’re worth. And that’s that’s a hard thing to comprehend for someone who’s saying, you’re just getting this huge deposit in your account every week. Yes, correct. Still difficult mentally, because the future is uncertain. We’re professional wrestlers, we can’t do this our entire lives, our bodies will break down when we’re 45 years old. So we need to have enough money to retire by that age. Or we’re going to be limping around a ring trying to do because a lot of us don’t have a backup skill set, right? You can’t just go ‘oh, well, I’ll be a lawyer’. The only thing I can do is lock up and grant a headlock. So I need a backup plan for when I turn 45 I don’t have enough money to live for the next 40 years of my life, God willing, and to support my children send them through college, you know, I need all that money saved up by X amount of days. So if I get released at this point, and these are all the dots that are connecting in our heads is we’re sitting in catering, staring at the wall, praying that someone reads our pitch…”
The “War” Between WWE and AEW and his visit to AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2024:
In 2019, the professional wrestling world was turned upside down when All Elite Wrestling broke onto the scene, providing fans with a true large-scale alternative to WWE for the first time in nearly two decades. Since then, a section of the audience has become increasingly tribalistic, mimicking the battle cries of the Monday Night Wars of the Attitude Era.
On one hand, the landscape of professional wrestling has never been stronger, with more opportunities for wrestlers to find work and for fans to be given many options. On the other hand, according to Dijak, the desire for “war” between the companies may exist more in the echo chamber of social media than in each locker room.
“Nobody wants the fans to like ‘pick a side’ that doesn’t exist from our point of view…Most of us have all the same friends. And we’re all we’re all working towards the same goal, which is let’s make this the most entertaining, profitable, pro wrestling landscape possible for all of us. So the fans can enjoy it as much as possible, and the wrestlers can make as much money as we possibly can. I mean, that’s the goal.”
However, the former WWE talent clarifies that healthy competition among wrestlers for rival promotions is natural. Citing that he himself is very “team-oriented,” going back as far as his days as a young athlete. When asked if his former employer perpetuated the drums of war with their talent, he detailed the only time ever such a significant conversation about AEW took place, when it was announced that Tony Khan’s flagship program Dynamite would directly compete with WWE’s developmental brand NXT, which had just been announced to debut on the USA Network.
” So basically…let’s keep it vague and say “the office” is like, hyping us up like ‘hey, that. That’s our time slot. They’re coming for our time slot’… That was true; WWE NXT was on historically on Wednesday nights at 8pm or whatever it happened to be, and then They took that. I don’t know if they took that personally, but they took that as a attack on business which it was right? It’s trying to divide a market share of fans and make them choose between one product to the other. It’s a business decision, right? It’s a business decision at the end of the day. And but they, a lot of the office was trying to let us know…”We’re going head to head, and we need to show them what we’re all about. We need to show the world what we’re all about…”
As fate would have it, WWE NXT and AEW Dynamite would eventually find themselves on separate nights. NXT moved to Tuesday nights, where it has found strong results. At the same time, Dynamite continues to reign supreme on Wednesday nights for TNT.
AEW has become one of the top landing places speculated by fans since Dijak’s. On June 30th, AEW hosted its annual Forbidden Door pay-per-view at the UBS Arena in Long Island. Dijak later teased showing up to the event, which he did, but only as a visitor and not a performer. Dijak told SEScoops during his visit to Forbidden Door he never entered the locker room, noting that he doesn’t believe in entering locker rooms of promotions he doesn’t work for.
Dijak states that his overall experience visiting AEW was pleasant but very limited.
“I think people were surprised to see me there. But since it was so fresh, and it was so kind of out of left field. But you know, quite frankly, I was surprised to be there. You know, if you told me. You told me two weeks before, you know, I was I was in the web locker room on speed on web speed wrestling Xavier Woods, like three weeks ago or four whatever the time, right? …It was nice, it was nice to see my friends. And it was nice to catch up with people. Other than that I didn’t get like ‘the full experience'”
Dijak made it clear that he never got to visit “gorilla”, and never spoke to Tony Khan at the event. He would praise the company’s production quality, noting it had “all the bells and whistles you could want” for a “full scale operation”.
Comparing His 2 Runs with NXT
Like Dijak’s on-screen character in WWE, the company’s NXT brand itself has gone through some major redesigns in its history. Dijak is one of only a few stars in WWE history to have extensive runs in both the original “Black & Gold” version of NXT, which was run almost exclusively by Triple H, and the current “White & Gold” version.
When asked to compare both runs, and even reveal if he preferred one over the other, Dijak remarked that he looks back on both runs fondly, each for different reasons. However, he especially enjoyed his most recent NXT run. As he feels it provided him with an opportunity to expand his character and be a bit more outside the box than he traditionally had been.
” I think they were both incredibly strong in terms of a product presentation… for me, on a personal level, the second run means a lot more to me, because I got a lot more of what I wanted to do in terms of presentation. I had a lot more matches, I was on TV a lot more. I was on premium live events a lot more. So On a personal level, it was much more fulfilling for me. It seems that the fans sentiment, for the most part, is split. If you look at like ratings and stuff and things like that, I think YouTube views and maybe social media stuff was probably higher for black and gold…”
“For me, I prefer what was happening more recently, because it had more elements of of character integration and storytelling in that aspect. And I prefer a little bit more than that, rather than just the sole focus on in ring product, which isn’t to say that’s what NXT black and gold was. But it was, it was more in that direction. Right?…Like yes, we’ll do some vignettes, backstage or whatever. But for the most part, it’s like ‘hey, we’re wrestlers. And we’re wrestling and here’s why we’re wrestling and we’re trying to win championships’, whereas the newer version of NXT seemed like it had more like, ‘Oh, I’m a vigilante renegade cop, and I’m investigating this guy. And this is and this guy’s in the mob, and he’s taking guys and throwing them off a bridge’, That it had more of that stuff, which I can sink my teeth into a little bit. That being said, it still had the presentation. Of course, I’m an in ring guy.”
Donovan Dijak’s Longterm and Shorterm Goals
As he enters free agency for the first time since 2017, the world of independent wrestling has significantly changed since Dijak last participated. Something Dijak is excited to take advantage of.
He expressed a similar sentiment when asked about his goals for the near and distant future. Overall, Dijak’s objective is to improve and refine his standing in the eyes of wrestling fans. He plans to achieve this by winning titles and getting the chance to compete overseas.
“…The things that have been kind of evading me the most [through my career], are championships, right? You think about how many championships I’ve had, beetween WWE and Ring of Honor, the answer is zero…Even outside of WWE, before I was in Ring of Honor, I didn’t have a lot of championships, and that’s just a fact, I just didn’t have a lot of them…outside of Chaotic Wrestling, I had one championship in my entire life. That doesn’t sit well with me…
Number two is wrestling in Japan. I never had the opportunity to wrestle in Japan. For whatever reason, I wrestled for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship before, but I never wrestled for it in Japan. I obviously didn’t win… I feel like I’ve wrestled for every championship, but I just lost all of them (laughs). So I feel like I want to change that narrative. I want to work in a place that’s a prestigious and hotbed of professional wrestling.”
In terms of long-term goals, Dijak’s mission is to return to a larger platform where he can perform in front of fans who know him and those who have never seen him before.
“You asked about longterm as well. That’s getting back to a platform where I can do those things that I’m talking about in terms of my brand and representing myself, and then also continuing to have those outstanding, excellent matches in front of the biggest audience possible, right? Because now we’re talking about getting in front of people who aren’t aware of a new audience who’s not familiar with me.”
The sky is truly the limit for Donovan Dijak. Promotions and fans are highly familiar with the quality of his in-ring abilities and on-screen character. Any promotion would be instantly better by having him on their roster.
WWE’s Wyatt Sicks faction hacked into Pat McAfee’s The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN on Monday ahead of tonight’s 7/15 WWE Raw. This clip of the group’s latest psychological warfare towards McAfee sets the stage for what’s to come in a matter of hours on live on the USA Network.
The Wyatt Sicks have had everyone in WWE on edge since their violent debut on the June 17, 2024 edition of WWE Raw. The faction has been leaving mysterious VHS tapes at various locations, including the announce desk and Pat McAfee’s show, containing cryptic messages and featuring Bo Dallas and Uncle Howdy. Bo Dallas’ recent invasion of Raw General Manager Adam Pearce’s office on a recent RAW episode shows that nobody is safe.
Pat McAfee appears to be a primary target of the Wyatt Sicks, with multiple incidents of interruptions and cryptic messages directed at him. McAfee should be in a great mood for tonight’s WWE Raw as fans wait to see how the Wyatt Sicks follow through on their taunts.
Pat McAfee’s Message to WWE
WWE Raw announcer Pat McAfee unusually addressed WWE in a public message on X.
A fearful McAfee wrote, “Hey WWE, I’ll be bringing this [Wyatt Sicks] box tonight to WWE Raw. Could you please let the Wyatt’s know that I am a massive fan and I believe Michael Cole would be a much better handler of the box… and also let them know that it has been an ABSOLUTE HONOR to transfer it a couple of times now but, it’s very ok for me not to. CAN’T WAIT FOR TONIGHT”
Could you please let the Wyatt’s know that I am a massive fan and I believe @MichaelCole would be a much better handler of the box… and also let them know that it has been an ABSOLUTE HONOR to transfer it a… pic.twitter.com/2WKnamc1Io
On the July 15, 2019, edition of Monday Night Raw, the WWE Universe was introduced to one of the company’s most creepy yet captivating characters. Just over an hour into the show, Finn Balor defeated Samoa Joe, but the night was going to get much worse for the Irish Superstar. After the match, Balor would become the first victim of ‘The Fiend’ a demonic new side to Bray Wyatt that had been teased for months. Today, on the fifth anniversary of the character’s arrival, we look back on what brought the Fiend to TV.
Before The Fiend
In the six years on WWE’s main roster before the arrival of The Fiend, Bray Wyatt had been one of the most consistently captivating Superstars. In 2016, Wyatt captured the SmackDown Tag Team Titles and followed up by becoming WWE Champion the following year.
More important though than titles, was how Wyatt was able to draw in a crowd with his mastery of character work. From John Cena to The Undertaker to Roman Reigns, it seemed nobody could escape Wyatt’s mind games as he played on potential weaknesses in some of WWE’s biggest stars. This work rightly earned Wyatt a ‘cult-like’ following who were eager to see what was next for him.
After vanishing from our screens in early 2019, Wyatt returned in April of that year with a character far different than what we’d seen. Gone was the Max Cady-inspired swamp-dweller, now replaced with an excitable sweater-donned Bray who looked like more like Mr. Rogers than an ‘Eater of Worlds.’
Introducing the WWE Universe to the Firefly Fun House was a brilliant stroke by Wyatt as it added some much-appreciated lore to a character fans had already learned so much (and yet not enough) about. The idea of a children’s presenter with a twisted side proved especially chilling for any parents watching and delivered a sense of dread never before seen in WWE.
The Fiend Arrives
In the episodes of the Firefly Fun House, the jovial Wyatt teased that somebody was coming and that he wouldn’t be able to stop them. That force proved to be the Fiend who from the moment fans saw him, captivated audiences. With a striking design crafted by horror effects staple Jason Baker, the Fiend’s chilling look was another success story to Bray’s latest creation.
The Fiend was able to handle himself in the ring, as seen with his two reigns as WWE Universal Champion, but the character’s best work arguably came outside the squared circle. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced WWE to think outside the box without crowds, and Wyatt would again show his creative chops in the cinematic Firefly Fun House match. The WrestleMania 36 showdown with John Cena saw both participants craft a rich story that saw The Fiend best the man he failed to defeat at the event six years earlier.
In August 2023, Bray Wyatt passed away at the tragically young age of 36 and WWE has, for all intents and purposes, retired The Fiend character. Nevertheless, the creative vision of Windham Rotunda can still be felt today with the recently introduced Wyatt Sicks. Like all great creative minds, Rotunda’s legacy has surpassed his own mortal life, and the WWE Universe will always appreciate (and fear) The Fiend.
Matt Cardona made independent pro wrestling his kingdom. “The Indy God” was in the middle of the most successful run of his career until he was sidelined with a torn peck a few months ago. He had surgery, underwent stem cell therapy, and began the rigorous road back to the ring.
While many have sat on the sidelines until they were cleared to perform again, that is not Cardona. The veteran is still making towns, currently serving as the general manager for Game Changer Wrestling. He recently returned to the gym, leaving the question of what’s the latest on when we may see him compete again.
What’s Next for Matt Cardona?
“I’m kind of keeping that close to the vest. I want it to be a surprise or at least the announcement to be a surprise. I know in my head when I’m coming back. But I don’t want the rest of the world to know until it’s time.”
How to Stay Relevant
Cardona is fueled by the motivation to fulfill all the goals he sets for himself. He is constantly moving the goalpost. And if anyone knows the importance of staying in the mix, even without wrestling, it’s the former Zack Ryder.
“In this business, it’s what have you done for me lately,” Cardona said. “You have to chase that buzz and stay relevant, especially on the independents. I knew when I got hurt I had to pivot and readjust. I contacted all the promoters I was working for and told them the deal and my situation and rescheduled the ones who didn’t just want me to trash talk. Luckily, for me, I’m able to come to a lot of these places and just trash talk and sell merchandise…
I’m proud that I’m able to make these towns and provide value to these promoters and these fans with much more than just wrestling inside those ropes. At the same time, trust me, I” ‘m rushing to come back. It’s very important. You can’t let the momentum die.”
Z! True Long Island Story
Cardona knows how to make the most of every situation and the tools available to him. A shining example of this is when he launched the Z! True Long Island Story in 2011. The used the YouTube show as a vehicle to build a connection with the audience. In a lot of ways, what the creator helped blaze a new trail for pro wrestlers. He continues to do that in all facets of the business whether it’s marketing himself, branding, podcast, and business ventures including the successful action figure lines.
“I think what made Zack Ryder successful was the time,” Cardona explained. “If I were to do it now, I feel like I would be anyone else…Writing [the show] the show myself, funding it myself, editing myself. You go back and watch some of those episodes, the editing was atrocious. It’s just me in my iMovie.
That was the charm of the show. That’s what the fans could relate to. Including fans on the journey, ‘Broski of the Week’ videos or ‘Sign of the Week,’ encouraging fans to bring signs and sending out trading cards for people that buy my shirt. This wasn’t done back then. If it happened now, it wouldn’t be as special or important. Anybody can do stuff like that now.”
Chelsea Green
Being on the shelf has also allowed Cardona time to really appreciate the success of his wife Chelsea Green in WWE. The couple shares similar traits when it comes to drive and determination. It’s what has gotten Green respect among peers and fans alike. With GCW doing a show nearby the night before, Cardona was able to witness one of Green’s biggest matches at Money in the Bank firsthand. The alum likes to keep to himself when he goes to WWE shows as to not make it seem like he is angling for a job and to keep the focus on supporting Green.
“Even when she was my girlfriend, I couldn’t believe when she was doing the ‘Hot Mess’ stuff on Impact that WWE didn’t want to hire her. Then I couldn’t believe they fired her. Then I couldn’t believe that in-between at NXT they weren’t using her. I’m glad she now getting the recognition she deserves…
Obviously, super proud of everything, not only what she did in that match, but even if it’s a pretape on SmackDown or falling off a ladder through tables. It’s nice to see the wrestling world giving her the flowers finally I think it’s a matter of time before she gets what she deserves. I hate saying deserves because she would have earned it.”
GCW
Cardona is proud to be part of GCW. He believes the company also deserves proverbial flowers with what the promotion created. Cardona named as one to watch with a bright future.
“GCW is a company I feel I put on the map with that death match with Nick Gage,” he said. “At the same time, they put me on the map with that death match with Nick Gage. The relationship has been mutually beneficial. That match changed my life and career. I owe so much to GCW.
I don’t think GCW gets the credit it deserves. This company is truly an independent company run all over the world and every weekend. I think it’s WWE and GCW. I don’t think any other company runs as much or as consistently here as GCW runs. With WWE, I wouldn’t be surprised if they do stuff with GCW. They already kind of are with the Bloodsport.”
The lifelong pro wrestling fan can even picture a GCW invasion likened to what ECW did on Raw. Laying out the hypothetical booking, “Imagine if Matt Cardona comes down the ramp at Raw and, Joey Janela, Effy, Nick Gage, Steph De Lander, and Mance Warner. Brett Lauderdale could be the new Heyman on commentary. I’m getting goosebumps. Talk about a perfect way for Matt Cardona to make his debut in GCW. You want to talk about moments. That’s a moment.”
John Cena Retiring
Another thing he wants is a match against John Cena, who announced he’ll be retiring in 2025. The two were close for many years with Cena a big advocate for the Long Island broski. This would involve Cardona returning to WWE, but how would all that work?
“He is just a pro’s pro. What a way to go out. What a smart way to go out. A whole year plus because he is hyping it up in July. I’m thinking about the merch. John is such a great guy. Someone who helped me in my career. Those posts I make on social media are not BS. I would love to wrestle John Cena one last time.
I think with the way things with WWE are now, I think it could happen where I could just walk in one day or make a return. I think John Cena versus Zack Ryder was fine. They were what they were. John Cena versus Matt Cardona. That’s where the story is. I could say, ‘John Cena, you’re the reason why my WWE career didn’t take off.’ So many things that we can play into. I know that if I walked through the doors of WWE, surprise or not, I could get a reaction…I’m happy he gets to go out on his own terms.”
Hanging Up His “Indy God” Crown
When Cardona does come back to wrestle, he plans to hang up “The Indy God” hat. He is looking for another change in presentation after feeling he has done it all. The true freelancer will weigh his options, believing he can fit into any wrestling landscape. Alwayz ready isn’t just a catchphrase, but a life mantra. He doesn’t just want to work for peanuts. Cardona is looking for the whole jar.
““There are so many guys in AEW I would love to wrestle,” Cardona said. “There are ones I would love to wrestle for the first time like Kenny Omega. I would love to wrestle MJF. Long Island versus Long Island. Then WWE. WWE is on fire right now. Cody Rhodes, WWE champion. All I’m saying is when he left WWE, he left because Zack Ryder beat Stardust. It sent him out of the company. There are so many potential matchups.
… At the same time, I won’t sacrifice everything I built. If it doesn’t make sense for me to go to WWE or AEW, I will reinvent myself and reinvent the whole god damn independent scene. That’s what I will do. I’m grateful for my time WWE, highs and lows, but I’m not finished left. I have so much left in the tank, body-wise, and creatively. That’s why being injured sucks so bad. It’s also good for me to kind of rethink some things and plan some things out. I’m very excited for the next couple of months to see what happens for me… 2025 will be a fun year for Matt Cardona. We’ll see.”
Ring of Honor founder Cary Silkin has spoken against Tony Khan’s handling of the promotion which he believes falls well below expectations.
On the Madison Square Gardenpodcast, Silkin shared his thoughts on Khan’s handling of the promotion that Silkin and others founded in 2022.
“Ring of Honor of that era tried to show some respect to professional wrestling. Sure we had some wacky stuff. Sure we had the the flippy dippy do was coming into fashion. The flippy dippy do was going on with Édouard Carpentier too…Ring of Honor, there was some good pro wrestling going on in that segment of it. Right now, Ring of Honor it’s like no one cares at all. I don’t care how much money Tony Khan has. It’s not being treated very well.”
Tony Khan and Ring of Honor
Khan announced in March 2022 that he had purchased ROH, mere months after the promotion went on an indefinite hiatus following the Final Battle pay-per-view. In April, ROH held its first event of the Khan era as Supercard of Honor XV saw Johnathan Gresham become the Undisputed ROH World Champion.
Unlike AEW Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision, Ring of Honor does not have a presence on syndicated television. Instead, it was announced in late 2022 that ROH shows would air on the relaunched Honor Club streaming platform.
Criticism Of Khan’s ROH
While Khan is to credit for allowing ROH to not finish for good in 2021, many feel that his handling of the promotion has been sub-par. On an episode of his K100 podcast, Konnan said in November 2023 that Khan was not appealing to a wider fanbase outside of “hardcore marks” who were always going to watch ROH anyway. Eric Bischoff said on his Strictly Business podcast in 2022 that buying ROH was a bad investment for Khan and that the company was “insignificant” in the eyes of the vast majority of fans.
WWE has announced details for two upcoming premium live events for the company’s developmental brand: NXT No Mercy and NXT.
Sunday, Sep. 1: NXT No Mercy (Denver, CO at the Ball Arena)
Sunday, October 27: NXT Halloween Havoc (Hershey, PA at the GIANT Center)
WWE Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative Shawn Michaels provided the following quote in the press release sent in to SEScoops:
“We look forward to returning NXT to the road and delivering an unforgettable night of action to the amazing fan bases of Denver and Hershey, and for those watching at home.”
Tickets
The venues hosting each of these NXT PLE’s will also host WWE Raw the following eventing.
Special combo tickets for the events go on sale on Friday morning, July 26 at Ticketmaster.
How to Watch
NXT No Mercy and Halloween Havoc will stream live in the U.S. exclusively on Peacock.
Advertised Talent
Note: These talent announcements are always ‘subject to change’ and wrestling fans should not not read into these advertised champions as ‘spoilers’ for any matches coming up in the months ahead.
WWE is advertising the top stars from NXT will be at these shows, including NXT Champion Ethan Page, NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez, NXT North American Champion Oba Femi, NXT Women’s North American Champion Kelani Jordan, Trick Williams, Sol Ruca and more
Is Scott Steiner, ‘Big Poppa Pump’ all natural? The WWE Hall of Famer wants you to do the math on it.
A&E aired the WWE Legends Biography on The Steiner Brothers and during the episode, Scott Steiner discussed the notion that he used steroids. Steiner pushed back, stating that, “You can make all the accusations you want. I’ve never failed a drug test.” Steiner said he made a concerted effort to make the transformation from Scottie to ‘Freakzilla’ in 1998.
“Take that information and do what you want with it. When I made the transition from Steiner Brothers to Big Poppa Pump, I wanted to get in the best shape I possibly could. A lot of strict diet. Once you are leaner, you’re naturally going to look bigger.”
During a previous interview with Slam Sports, Steiner noted that he was asked to take a drug test back in 2003. Steiner says that he told WWE to take him and Triple H in a limosuine and the two can take a test together. “They never asked again,” Steiner said laughing.
Both Rick and Scott Steiner were inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame back in 2022. Steiner was greatly known for his main event run in the late days of WCW, but did have a program with Triple H when he eventually made his way over into the WWE.
