Cody Rhodes honored his father Dusty Rhodes in a unique way after this week’s episode of SmackDown from Madison Square Garden went off air.
This was an emotional night for The American Nightmare. It was his first appearance as a World Champion, in the same arena where his father briefly held the WWWF Heavyweight Championship before it was taken away from him.
The SmackDown star addressed the crowd after the show went off the air. He mentioned how MSG is where it all began when Dusty Rhodes first traveled to New York from Texas.
The Undisputed WWE Champion went on to cut a short promo about his family’s history before he surprised the fans by bringing out the belt that his father had failed to capture all the decades prior:
Dusty Rhodes challenged Superstar Billy Graham for the WWWF Championship on September 27, 1977. He defeated Graham via a count out and celebrated with the title for a while. It was then announced, however, that the belt could only change hands via pinfall or submission, and the title was returned to Graham.
What Happened On SmackDown
Cody Rhodes was involved in the broadcast of the show. He along with Kevin Owens and Randy Orton attacked The Bloodline led by Solo Sikoa in the opening segment of the night. This came after Jacob Fatu made his debut and took out all three during last week’s SmackDown.
The babyface trio was escorted out of the arena by security and police so they could not interfere in the Bloodline Acknowledgement ceremony in the main event.
During the ceremony, Paul Heyman was brutally attacked by Solo and his cousins after the wiseman refused to acknowledge him as the new Tribal Chief. You can check out what happened with Paul Heyman after this segment here.
Some of WWE NXT’s top Superstars made his presence felt during the latest tapings for TNA Wrestling’s weekly Television show iMPACT!
At the tapings in Philadelphia, PA, Charlie Dempsey of the No Quarter Catch Crew appeared and attacked Trey Miguel, Leon Slater, and a referee. The son of William Regal, Dempsey earned loud NXT chants from the crowd in Philly.
Dempsey is no stranger to appearing for other companies despite being a part of the WWE NXT roster. Earlier this year, he competed for All Japan Pro Wrestling and unsuccessfully challenged for the AJPW Triple Crown Championship. Over WWE WrestleMania weekend, Dempsey was part of Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X as part of GCW’s The Collective.
Dempsey wasn’t the only name from WWE NXT to appear at the TNA iMPACT! tapings. Before the event, it was advertised that TNA Knockout World Champion Jordynne Grace would be defending her title in an open challenge. Her challenge was answered by NXT’s Izzi Dame, but she was unable to dethrone the Juggernaut.
NXT’s Izzi Dame is answering Jordan Grace’s open challenge for the TNA Women’s Championship pic.twitter.com/kHGkWnNq1s
Dame’s arrival in TNA comes after Tatum Paxley challenged Grace for the gold at Against All Odds 2024. Grace herself competed in WWE NXT earlier this year and challenged NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez at Battleground 2024.
What’s to Come?
WWE and TNA’s working relationship has built intrigue in both sides, and there is a belief that there will be more down the line. Following Joe Hendry’s appearance at WWE NXT, both companies were pleased with his role and hoped for the collaboration to go further. It remains to be seen who’s next to jump through the ‘Prohibited Portal’ but don’t be surprised if more crossover comes between WWE NXT and TNA Wrestling.
WWE returned to their home turf in Madison Square Garden, NYC for the latest episode of SmackDown with the new Bloodline being in front and center of the show.
The opening segment of tonight’s show saw Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens and Randy Orton attacking The Bloodline after Jacob Fatu took them out in his debut last week. Nick Aldis had to bring in a lot of security to break things up and the babyface trio were then escorted out of the arena.
The main event of the show was the announced Bloodline Acknowledgement ceremony, where Solo Sikoa first introduced his enforcer Jacob Fatu and then demanded that the MSG crowd acknowledge him.
Sikoa then asked each member of the group to acknowledge him separately and they all obliged. Finally, he placed a lei in Heyman’s hands to officially declare him the new Tribal Chief.
However, Heyman was attacked brutally when he refused to do so. The show ended with Fatu putting the lei on Sikoa and the Bloodline standing tall.
WWE has since released a video of Heyman being escorted out of the arena in a stretcher after this week’s SmackDown went off air:
Apart from the Bloodline chaos, tonight’s show only featured three triple-threat matches in which, Naomi, LA Knight, and Tiffany Stratton all qualified for their respective Money In The Bank matches.
WWE also paid tribute to Hall of Famer Sika Anoa’i, who passed away earlier this week. You can check out more details on it here.
Joe Hendry has revealed how Cody Rhodes stuck his neck out to get him a job which was an important stop in the journey to his current popularity.
The TNA star recently had an interview with Chris Van Vliet. He talked about things such as his song going viral, how well TNA management has treated him, and more.
During the interview, he was asked about Cody Rhodes and Hendry mentioned that the two met at What Culture Pro Wrestling. He revealed that it was around the same time as the inception of AEW.
At the time Joe Hendry may not have been ready for a spot in AEW but the American Nightmare still helped him get in touch with ROH officials:
“We were on the same tour right around the time that he was starting AEW. Obviously, at the time, that might not be the right fit, but rather than just be like, ‘No,’ Cody came to me, he says, ‘Listen, I think Ring of Honor is Interested in you’ I was like ‘Really?’
He’s like, ‘ but you’re not under contract?’ Because I’d done stuff with TNA when it was Impact back in 2018. I think there was the assumption that I was under contract, but I’d just done a handful of shows.”
Joe Hendry mentioned that the deal with ROH was done within 5 minutes. According to him, the experience he gained at the company was very valuable to his journey:
“So Cody set up that call with me and Ring of Honor. Honestly, it was like, deal was done in five minutes. So all of this happened because of that call, because I wouldn’t have got to TNA if I didn’t have…I did the first Ring of Honor show back with the new ownership.
So if I hadn’t have my time at Ring of Honor, I learned so much, that I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing right now. So I definitely owe Cody Rhodes a cigar, for sure.”
Joe Hendry returned to ROH in 2018 after a brief stint in 2016 and he was officially signed to a contract in 2019. He was featured regularly on the promotion until the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to cease operations.
Hendry was also part of Supercard of Honor XV in April 2022, the first ROH show under the leadership of Tony Khan. He then signed a contract with Impact Wrestling in September that year and has been a part of the promotion ever since.
Salina de la Renta is pregnant and from a storyline perspective, it could cause ripples within the operations of Major League Wrestling.
Salina revealed her pregnancy during the MLW ’24 Anniversary Show on June 22, weeks after the diabolical Cesar Duran dropped the bombshell that he was her long-estranged father. That shocking news was dropped during Battle Riot VI and de la Renta was clearly shaken by the family ties.
However, Salina decided to take the power in her own hands by giving Duran a belated “Father’s Day gift,” showing that Cesar was soon to be a grandfather. Duran showed astonishment but eventually displayed enthusiam for the prospect.
If fans had any doubt that Salina’s pregnancy was storylined-based, both de la Renta and MLW disregard such speculation with Salina actually revealing her baby bump online.
Duran did lean into the controversy of all by posting “what a scandal” on X.
Duran and de la Renta have been at odds for years on MLW programming as it’s been a constant power struggle between the father and daughter duo. At one time Duran was appointed as MLW matchmaker, but now strictly finds himself in a managerial role, just like de la Renta has been.
Salina just made her return to Major League Wrestling earlier this year and her contention with Duran culminated at Azteca Lucha, a sold-out show in Chicago. Both Duran and Salina had luchadores compete against one another in order to earn the rights to a mysterious key, but the battle turned to a stalemate. Now with it becoming a family affair, the drama will continue between the two talents.
The next event on tap for MLW is Blood & Thunder which takes place on July 12 in St. Petersburg, FL.
If you thought Swerve Strickland was a man on an island heading into Forbidden Door against Will Ospreay, think again.
Strickland happened to team with his opponent on the go-home episode of AEW Dynamite to face The Gates Of Agony. Swerve and Ospreay ended up winning the fight, but not without their share of trouble. Ospreay accidentally kicked Swerve in the face and post-match, it prompted Swerve to drop Ospreay. The AEW Collision elevated that tension ahead of Sunday.
Fan footage has Swerve and Will confronting one another on the entryway ahead of their big Forbidden Door battle. Swerve once more broke a cardinal rule of Will’s by once again bringing up his family, but this time the champ had some literal big back-up.
EJ Nduka happened to be standing behind Swerve as he mentioned Ospreay’s wife and it led to a pull apart brawl onstage, with Kyle Fletcher and Nduka taking swings at one another.
As #AEW readies for Forbidden Door this weekend, the go-home of #AEWCollision tapings had Swerve Strickland confronting Will Ospreay.
Nduka has been a blue chip acquisition by AEW since 2023, but The Judge had yet to make his TV debut until this coming Saturday. Nduka impressed Tony Khan and AEW in a memorable tryout match against Konosuke Takeshita, but has been kept on the back-burner since. The Judge was in WWE developmental for a time, but was released during the pandemic.
EJ eventually found opportunity to hone his craft in Major League Wrestling as he was a dominant force on their programming. Along with Calvin Tankman, Nduka captured the MLW World Tag Team Titles and Nduka also had a World Title program with then champion, Alex Hammerstone
Natalya has been a part of WWE for more than 17 years. She has had a very successful career in WWE and it’s no surprise that the former Women’s Champion is a role model for many young female fans who aspire to become a wrestler one day.
The Hart family member recently had an interview with McKenzie Mitchell. She talked about things such as her start in wrestling, getting to compete in the first-ever women’s match in Saudi Arabia and more.
When asked if there were any female talents, she herself idolized while climbing the WWE ladder, Natalya took the name of Beth Phoenix without hesitation:
“Beth Phoenix. I had never met her prior to working in WWE. I remember like she debuted and I was just getting hired, I was like, ‘I like that she’s different. I like that she’s not your typical Barbie doll, she’s beautiful, and she’s strong, and she loves wrestling.’ It’s funny because she messaged me when I got hired by WWE on MySpace.
Beth Phoenix messaged me on MySpace and she’s like, ‘Hey I’m Beth. My whole childhood I grew up idolizing your family and I just had heard that there was a female Hart getting into the business. I wanted to reach out and just introduce myself.’ Long story short. We’ve been best friends ever since.”
There’s Only So Many Colors In The Rainbow
Natalya would later get the chance to share the ring with her idol and the two even formed a tag team named Divas of Doom. The Canadian star recalled how the two had a lot of fun working together including working on their gear:
“Beth always wanted to pay homage to my family with pink and black. You know, we got these little sparkly study-like spikes made for one of our costumes. We always wanted to match each other.
I remember Beth coming up to me and going ‘Would you mind if I got pink and black in my gear,’ and I was like ‘Oh my gosh Beth, I will be honored and also I don’t own pink and black.’ There’s only so many colors in the rainbow for us to use.”
While the tag team came to an end after Phoenix retired from active competition in 2012, Natalya has continued being a featured superstar in the women’s division. She most recently competed in the Queen of the Ring tournament, being eliminated by IYO SKY.
Actor-turned-pro-wrestler Paul Walter Hauser has been added to the Major League Wrestling (MLW) roster.
Hauser recently competed in MLW Battle Riot IV and seemingly impressed the management as he has now officially become a part of the roster. The New York-based promotion’s official X account announced that Paul Walter Hauser’s fighter bio is live on their official website.
Paul Walter Hauser shared his thoughts and said that he was “very excited” after being added to the MLW roster. He said:
Paul Walter Hauser gained attention of the fans across the globe with his performances in popular TV roles. He has also been a part of several movies and series including “Inside Out 2” and “Cobra Kai” and even bagged a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award.
The Golden Globe winner transitioned into a pro wrestler after having a successful acting career. He made his pro wrestling debut last year. Hauser has made a handful of appearances at wrestling shows. He also appeared on an edition of AEW Dynamite where Jeff Jarrett and co. stole his Golden Globe Award.
Hauser has competed in seven matches in his pro wrestling career. Apart from MLW, the 37-year-old star has worked in Pro Wrestling Revolver, where he had the majority of his bouts. His recent match took place against Danhausen at REVOLVER Cage of Horrors 3 on June 22.
Popular wrestler and MLW alum Paul London has been helping Hauser with pro wrestling training and it seems Hauser is not stopping anytime soon.
WWE’s Shinsuke Nakamura will have quite the role to play at the upcoming UFC 303 event, in the latest sign of synergy between the two companies.
In an interview with Mizugaki Takeya, fighter Tsuruya Rei spoke of his debut match for UFC at this week’s event. Rei revealed during the interview that WWE’s resident King of Strong Style will be in his corner for the upcoming fight with Carlos Hernandez The fight will be a part of the early preliminary card and broadcast on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass.
More has come to light about the WWE exit of Dijak which has come as a surprise to fans and those within the company alike.
This week, it was confirmed by Dijak that he will be leaving the promotion once his contract expires on June 28. The 37-year-old wrestler called up to the main roster this year made clear that WWE ‘stonewalled’ any attempts to discuss a new deal. He also claimed that he was set to feud for the WWE NXT Championship before his call-up to Raw as part of the 2024 WWE Draft.
Dijak learned that WWE would not be re-signing him at some point following his WWE Spped match with Xavier Woods, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reports. This match aired on the June 19, edition of WWE’s exclusive show on Twitter/X but it is unclear when exactly the decision was made by higher-ups. Dijak himself told Fightful that he had theories that WWE had planned to let his deal expire for a while.
Dijak was wary that something was ‘up’ after he was not used for weeks following his call-up to the main roster. There were several weeks where Dijak was not brought to tapings. When he was, plans were often shifted around between WWE Main Event and WWE Speed tapings. It’s noted that there were no creative plans in place for when he was called up.
Roster Response to Dijak
Dijak was well-liked within WWE and NXT and was praised by officials in the company, Corey Brennan of Fighful Select reports. Shawn Michaels was said to be a big supporter of Dijak despite the two having minor disagreements about creative differences in the past. The NXT head personally called Dijak to welcome him back to WWE NXT following his run as T-Bar on the main roster. Talent were also surprised that Dijak wasn’t featured as a regular on Raw after being called up.
What’s Next?
There is interest in and outside wrestling in Dijak, with two promotions in Europe set to reach out to him for possible appearances. Major companies have been in contact with Dijak’s management to gauge things, Sapp reports. During the conference call for AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door, AEW President Tony Khan was asked about Dijak but opted not to discuss the matter given that Dijak remained with WWE at the time of the call.
Since joining the Raw brand, Breakker has been on a path to becoming a threat to the division. He has yet to lose a match ‘Clean’ on the main roster and has wins over Ricochet and Ilja Dragunov. In addition to his performances, the fans have gotten behind the former NXT Champion and have started to do his signature bark whenever he does it in his matches.
WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has also taken notice of Breakker’s rise on the main roster and sees an incredible future for the former NXT Champion. In an interview with Bill Apter for Wrestlebinge, Hogan praised Breakker’s run thus far and believes he could be the company’s next big superstar.
“He’s something else. He’s wise beyond his years. Number one, to be that intense and to know the red lights on, and to be able to stay in that zone. It’s very impressive, so if they do the right thing with him, that could be your next Stone Cole, Rock, or Hulk Hogan. He can be the guy,” said Hogan.
The wrestling legend shared that he also sees Goldberg’s superstar potential in Breakker. Hogan hopes Breakker continues to grow as a performer and seeks wisdom from other wrestlers who have been in the business longer than he has.
What’s Next For Bron Breakker?
On the June 24 episode of Raw, Breakker had another strong performance in a disqualification loss to Ludwig Kaiser. The finish came when Sheamus interfered to cost the former NXT Champion the win. Although he didn’t win, he confronted Raw General Manager Adam Pierce to get an opportunity to challenge WWE Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn.
The champion would overhear the conversation and allow Breakker to challenge him anytime. Breakker would call his shot to take on Zayn for the title at the Money In The Bank on July 6, which Pierce made official.
It’s unclear if WWE intends to have Breakker win the WWE Intercontinental Championship this soon into his main roster career. However, the matchup will be another milestone in his career and a promising start to becoming WWE’s next big superstar.
WWE and Manchester City have announced an exclusive merchandise collaboration, featuring six T-shirts that blend Manchester City and WWE designs, including shirts inspired by CM Punk, Becky Lynch, Roman Reigns, and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. It also introduces a new name and number style for Manchester City players, incorporating the WWE logo, to be worn during their preseason tour in the U.S.
WWE Superstars Bayley and Baron Corbin will be on hand at CityStore in New York City on this Friday, June 28 to celebrate the launch.
The WWE x Manchester City collection is now available at WWE Shop:
Here’s the full press release sent in to SEScoops:
MANCHESTER CITY AND WWE ® LAUNCH EXCLUSIVE MERCHANDISE COLLABORATION
Manchester City and WWE®, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), have today announced details of an exclusive merchandise collaboration, that will see the two globally recognised brands featured together across a range of new products.
The new collection will include six T-shirts featuring Manchester City and WWE detailing, such as a CM Punk best team in the land and all the world T-shirt and other tee’s featuring Becky Lynch, Roman Reigns and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin design inspiration.
As part of the collaboration, Manchester City and WWE have jointly designed a new name and number style that our players will wear in all of our games that we play during our preseason tour of America this summer. The design features the WWE logo within the number and a red outline.
Fans will be able to access the new range of t-shirts by visiting shop.mancity.com, WWEShop.com and Fanatics.com. Additionally, it will be available in the recently opened pop-up CityStore at Rockefeller Center, New York.
To celebrate the launch and ahead of WWE Friday Night SmackDown taking place at Madison Square Garden, WWE Women’s Champion Bayley and WWE Superstar Baron Corbin will be visiting the CityStore on 6th Avenue in New York on Friday 28th June between 10am and 11am for an exclusive meet and greet with fans. The Premier league trophy will also be in store on Friday and over the weekend.
Serena Gosling, Director of Integrated Fan Experience and Retail & Licensing at Manchester City, said: “We are excited to announce the launch of our exclusive retail collaboration with WWE today. As a club, we’re always exploring new ways to enhance our retail offering for our fans across the globe and collaborations like this with WWE are part of that ongoing strategy.
“In addition, today’s announcement offers a further touchpoint for our fans within the US and beyond to engage with the club, ahead of men’s first team visit this summer.”
WWE Superstar Dijak has announced he is leaving WWE. His last day with the company will be tomorrow, Friday June 28, 2024.
The former NXT Champion released a note on social media detailing his painstaking final months with the company. To his dismay, Dijak says WWE had no interest in negotiating a new deal with him and “stonewalled” his attempts to discuss doing so.
According to Dijak, his performance, dedication and positive attitude only got him so far. He’d get commented for putting on show-stealing performances and constantly pitch creative ideas for his character. He was generally feeling pretty good about things, until it came time to talk business and the chance to continue working together for years to come.
“Here’s the truth, WWE never negotiated with me. We attempted to negotiate and they stonewalled us.” he wrote. “They never made me a single offer, then they informed me they would not renew my contract at the eleventh hour. 2 months ago I was in one of the best matches in NXT history, and a top match of Wrestlemania weekend. On that day, a top executive in WWE told me I was ‘crushing it.’
I was slated to feud for the NXT title but I got called up to RAW instead. I consistently outperformed everyone’s expectations, especially throughout 2023 and early 2024. I never complained about anything or was difficult to work with. I tirelessly pitched ideas to anyone who would listen, as recently as the day before I was notified. I never once missed a booking, and I was injured 1 time in 7 years for 3 months. “
What’s next for Donovan Dijak?
The 6-foot-7 wrestler is understandably disappointed at how his WWE career turned out, but he’s thankful for the experience and excited about what lies ahead. He tagged Tony Khan, AEW, TNA and NJPW in the social media post, letting it be known that we could see him turn up elsewhere very soon.
“I’m thankful, disappointed, but also excited. This has lit a fire under me to relentlessly prove myself to the world. All I ever wanted was a fair shot and now I have the opportunity to go out and take it. That’s enough talk, now it’s time to Do or Dijak.”
Dijak signed with WWE in 2017 and wrestled primarily in NXT during his run, although he did wrestle on the main roster for several years. He’s currently taking bookings at [email protected].
Wrestling World Shocked By Dijak’s Departure
The surprising announcement from the former NXT star has left the wrestling world perplexed. Many people have taken social media, expressing that it’s a rare misstep from the Triple H management.
This includes Dijak’s former sparring partner Keith Lee. The two put on some of the most memorable fights in the history of the Black and Gold era of NXT. Lee warned the wrestling world to be ready for Dijak to showcase what he is truly capable of:
This is quite unfortunate…. but it won't stop that engine. The professional wrestling world should consider tightening its collective seatbelt. https://t.co/vndejbpii9
The 37-year-old is the fourth member of the ill-fated Retribution stable to depart the company. Their former leader Mustafa Ali referenced their past together saying that they should reunite for a match:
— 'UnBreakable' Terry Thatcher (@deThatched) June 27, 2024
With the outpouring support from the fans, Dijak will have no trouble getting booked. Following the footsteps of his Retribution teammate Mustafa Ali, the 6-foot-7 star will be hungry to prove his worth to any company that brings him in.
The combination of it all means fans should get ready for Dijak to hit the ground running and prove his worth as one of the best in-ring talents of the current generation.
WWE’s Rhea Ripley and AEW’s Buddy Matthews have officially tied the knot after marrying in an all-black ceremony this month. Ripley shared a photo of herself and her new husband on social media, announcing they tied the knot on Sunday, June 23. Forgoing tradition, Mami wore a black wedding dress for the ceremony while Matthews’ garb matched this macabre theme. Ripley posted this photo on Instagram with a caption that reads,
This huge news unsurprisingly had the wrestling world talking with several wrestlers offering their best wishes. Matt Cardona offered his congrats in the comments section, as did Samantha Irvin. The WWE Raw ring announcer called the situation, “‘perfect”.
Staying on theme, WWE veteran Natalya shared several black heart emojis. The couple’s Instagram post also spawned over 130,000 likes in the first 30 minutes of it being uploaded to the platform. Meanwhile, Ripley’s close friend Dominik Mysterio dropped a few ‘black heart’ emojis to express his approval.
Rhea Ripley & Buddy Matthews
Ripley and Matthews began dating in 2022, which came after the latter’s exit from WWE. In August 2023, the couple shared that they had gotten engaged. This real-life relationship, however, did not stop WWE’s storyline from tying Ripley to her ‘Dom Dom’ Dominik Mysterio.
Ripley is currently out of action after suffering an injury that forced her to relinquish the WWE Women’s World Champion. Interestingly, Buddy Matthews was recently written off TV with an attack by The Patriarchy, and there have been questions as to whether reports of an injury were real or for the storyline. Either way, the couple will have plenty of time to enjoy their honeymoon period after marrying this month.
McIntyre explains the reasoning behind his attack on Punk.
The ongoing feud between WWE superstars Drew McIntyre and CM Punk continues to get more intense. ‘The Scottish Warrior’ came close to defeating WWE World Heavyweight Champion Damian Preist at Clash At The Castle on June 15. Unfortunately, Punk returned to low-blow McIntyre at the premium live event, allowing the champion to retain his championship.
McIntyre went on X to explain why he felt he needed to assault the fan-favorite superstar. He also warned anyone else on the roster that they could face the same consequences if they cross him.
“…Newton’s third law, for every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction. Drew’s law, for every action, there will be a violent reaction like you’ve never seen if you deserve it,” said McIntyre.
‘The Scottish Warrior’ referenced Punk’s comments at the post-show and shared that he could’ve taken the breath out of him.
“…What I did to him on Smackdown, I could’ve made it a reality. It would’ve been so easy. I could have squeezed all the air out of his stupid, fragile body,” said McIntyre
He believes Punk’s punishment should be watching McIntyre succeed while remaining inactive. However, he sent another threat to the beloved superstar if he interfered in McIntyre’s matches again.
Drew McIntyre Curses Out And Sends Warning To CM Punk
McIntyre continued the video by justifying his actions to attack Punk on the June 21 episode. He also warned Punk that he’s a dangerous man to mess with again.
“…What have I ever deserved in this life for a dumb-headed f*ck like CM Punk to go into business for himself? Now Punk can pretend to push that he is Satan himself. When I’m pushed to this level, I’m a justified monster. Satan’s my b*tch, just like Phil,” said McIntyre. He continued, “…Phil, you took my dreams. Now I’m the nightmare you’re gonna see every time you close those soulless eyes of yours. You might think you’re Satan when pushed. I’m a f*cking psychopath.”
The former WWE Champion ended the video by sharing that he’s never hated someone more than Punk. McIntyre’s comments certainly add more tension to his rivalry with the ‘Straight Edge Superstar.’ Hopefully, Punk can heal soon so fans can finally see both settle their differences in the ring.
MxM could be making an appearance for ROH in the near future.
MxM(Mansoor & Mason Madden) is trying to take the wrestling world by storm after becoming free agents earlier this year. After WWE released the team on September 21, 2023, they have been on a mission to find success on the independent wrestling scene.
Both superstars have thrived, working for several promotions from around the world. A new report shares that MxM could also have their eyes set on competing for Ring of Honor.
Fightful Select reported on June 12 that Mansoor and Madden would be in attendance for the June 15 episode of AEW Collision. Mansoor had also visited backstage for an AEW Dynamite the prior month. Although the report believed they would compete on the show, it ultimately didn’t happen for unclear reasons.
However, a new Fightful Select report gave another update on the team’s potential involvement with the company.
An AEW source shared with Sean Ross Sapp that the charismatic tag team has been in discussion for appearances for ROH. He also noted that nothing is definitive, and it’s unclear if a deal is in place yet. However, there is movement in place that makes their ROH possible in the near future.
Ring of Honor Owner Tony Khan having MxM compete on ROH TV could be a great addition to the tag team division. Mansoor and Madden have shown the Indies they could be competitive on any roster. The move to work for different promotions has allowed them to wrestle more as a team than in WWE.
MxM could be a fun duo on the ROH roster. For now, they are still focused on continuing their success in the Indies.
Madden shared on X that the tag team will appear at three live events in July. MxM’s first appearance will be at Hoodslam on July 5, where they will take on the Stoner Brothers(Rick Scott Stoner & Scott Rick Stoner). Two days later, the popular free agents will compete at Deadlock Pro Wrestling against Sinner & Saints (Judas Icarus & Travis Williams) in the first round of the 2024 Tag Festival Tournament.
Their last scheduled appearance next month will be at Prestige Wrestling on July 12. MxM will be involved in a Four Way Match against C4 (Cody Chhun & Guillermo Rosas), Midnight Heat (Eddie Pearl & Ricky Gibson), and Sinner and Saints for the Prestige Tag Team Championship.
MxM could still be booked for more appearances next month, including with ROH. Regardless, they are making the most of their opportunities as free agents and showing that former WWE superstars can thrive in the indies.
Khan has officially welcomed the possibility of McMahon joining AEW.
Conrad Thompson had the internet buzzing after he shared that he heard that Shane McMahon had communicated with someone from All Elite Wrestling. McMahon has been off WWE TV since he suffered a torn quadricep injury in an impromptu match against The Miz at WrestleMania 39 on April 2. Many fans believe it will be for WWE if Shane-o-Mac returns to TV. However, it seems WWE’s competition would welcome him with open arms.
Justin Barrasso recently spoke with AEW President Tony Khan for SI and asked about the possibility of Shane ‘o Mac becoming All Elite. Khan said he’s never met the man, but would welcome him any time.
“I heard the rumor he might be interested,” said Khan. “I’ve never met Shane, but we have a lot of mutual friends.”
“I have a lot of respect for him as an executive and a professional wrestler. Shane is always welcome in AEW.”
It’s unclear if McMahon really has an interest in joining AEW. That said, the possibility has fans wondering how the WWE veteran would fit in another wrestling company. The AEW President also touched on other topics related to the company, including an update on their TV rights deal with Warner Bros. Discovery.
Tony Khan Remains Optimistic About New Deal With Warner Bros. Discovery
The clock is starting to run out on AEW’s current deal with WBD. It’s expected that their current TV deal will expire in the fall. Despite AEW not reaching a new agreement, Khan has remained optimistic about the company’s future.
In the interview, Khan shared a minor update, stating that he has recently spoken with the WBD staff.
“We’re having great discussions with Warner Bros. Discovery,” said Khan. He continued, “I have a great relationship with (WBD CEO) Mr. David Zaslav. We’re fortunate to work with him and his team. It’s a really strong relationship, and I had just a great discussion with their leadership team this week.”
It seems AEW’s future with WBD is still in limbo. Hopefully, both sides can reach a new deal, or Khan can find his company a new home before the fall.
All Elite Wrestling has announced on X an exciting slate of matches for next week’s episode of Dynamite. In celebration of Warner Bros. Discovery Shark Week, AEW Dynamite Beach Break will occur on July 3 at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.
The event is expected to follow the aftermath of AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door, which occurs on June 30. On X, the company also shared that the 2024 Owen Hart Foundation Men’s and Women’s Tournament will continue on the episode.
One of the featured matchups will have Jeff Jarrett taking on a mystery opponent in the tournament’s quarter-finals. The wrestling legend shared an emotional promo about his relationship with Owen and why he needs to win the Owen Hart Cup on the June 22 episode of AEW Collision. It’s unclear who Jarrett will face, but it’s possible fans will get a hint as the episode draws closer.
Another important matchup announced was that Willow Nightingale will finally get a chance at revenge against Kris Statlander in the semi-finals of the tournament. The former AEW TBS Champion was betrayed by Statlander and her former manager Stokely Hathaway at Double Or Nothing on May 25. Nightingale is expected to be extra motivated to win against Statlander and to become a two-time Owen Hart Cup Winner.
PAC Opponent For AEW Dynamite Beach Break To Be Determined
In addition to the two matches announced for next week’s episode, PAC will also be in action in the semi-finals of the men’s tournament. He defeated Claudio Castagnoli on the June 19 episode of Dynamite to move forward in the competition. Unfortunately, he will have to wait until Forbidden Door to find out who the opponent will be.
Bryan Danielson will take on Shingo Takagi in the quarter-finals at the upcoming pay-per-view. The matchup has the potential to be one of the best matches on the card, with both superstars having a hard-hitting style. However, the winner will have the challenging task of facing PAC three days later on the Dynamite episode.
The July 3 episode of Dynamite has the potential to be a great show. Fans will be sure to tune in to witness how the 2024 Owen Hart Foundation Men’s and Women’s Tournament continues to develop.
In professional wrestling, podcasts covering the industry are as common as clotheslines and headlocks. For those brave explorers seeking to venture into the pro wrestling podcast vortex, we here at SEScoops want to make your journey as easy as possible.
Each week, we update you on the Top 25 most-listened-to wrestling podcast episodes, focusing on the Top 5 (including embeds). This feature is based on data from Apple Podcasts compiled by Chartable.
WWE Hall of Famer Mark Calaway, aka The Undertaker, stands unmatched in the world of pro wrestling podcasts. The Phenom got into the podcasting game in October 2023, and since then, the show has surged to the top of the boards. A reality that doesn’t seem poised to change any time soon.
In the Deadman’s latest episode, he focuses on the The Excellence of Execution, Brett Hart. Together with his co-host, Matt, they discuss what it was like going up against Hart while he was in his prime and how much Calaway learned from working with The Hitman. If you are worried there isn’t enough time for him to cover everything, don’t worry; it’s a two-part episode!
2) Jim Cornette’s Drive-Thru| +
This week, the ever-proud provocateur and wrestling legend found himself in two spots on the Top 5 list, first at the #2 position for his Jim Cornette’s Drive-Thru program.
On the latest edition of the program, Cornette covers AEW Dynamite’s record-low episode (Wednesday, June 19th), the introduction of Uncle Howdy on Monday Night RAW, Episode 3 of “Who Killed WCW?” and more!
3) Insight with Chris Van Vliet | ~
Chris Van Vliet isn’t just one of the most well-respected interviewers in professional wrestling; he’s an internationally recognized media personality. CVV is a 4-time Emmy Winning TV Host, YouTuber, and Inc. 500 entrepreneur who’s interviewed everyone from Anne Hathaway to Hornswoggle.
In the latest episode, Vliet sits down with former WWE Champion Rey Mysterio! Mysterio opens up about many different topics, including being an active competitor, his son Dominik, his thoughts on eventual retirement, the creation of his iconic 619 maneuvers, the late great Eddie Guerrero, and winning the Royal Rumble, to name a few!
4) Jim Cornette Experience |–
Love or hate him, Jim Cornette doesn’t care what you think. His presence in professional wrestling goes back decades, and he is one of the pioneers in producing weekly content on wrestling commentary.
“This week on the Experience, Jim reviews WWE Clash at the Castle, episode two of Who Killed WCW?, and A&E’s Biography of Ricky Steamboat! Also, Jim talks about Ric Flair, WNBA, boots, and more! Plus Jim reviews last week’s WWE Smackdown!”
5) Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard | ~
Rounding out the top 5 this week is the most recent episode of Bruce Prichard’s “Something to Wrestle.”The tell-all show is hosted by Bruce Prichard, who is not only a current WWE executive but also one of the most powerful figures in professional wrestling history.
On this episode of Something To Wrestle, Prichard and co-host pull a Cher and turn back time to discuss The Great American Bash 2004. It quickly becomes apparent that the PPV is NOT something Bruce reflects fondly on.
It’s been ten years since Becky Lynch made her WWE in-ring debut, and an unfortunate start would lay the foundations for one of the biggest stars in all of professional wrestling.
Lynch’s infamous in-ring debut on WWE programming came on the June 26, 2014, edition of WWE NXT where she faced Summer Rae. Lynch’s arrival in WWE played heavily into her Irish roots, complete with green attire and Irish jig during her entrance.
“Turns out, I really do have no shame… My God was it awful. It was possibly the most shameful debut in the history of wrestling, with all due respect to the 1993 WCW debut of The Shockmaster. If mine wasn’t the all-time most humiliating debut, it was at least a contender for top three. And yet, the crowd seemed to like this silly buffoon.”
Despite her character, Lynch would win over the fans and would reach new heights after ditching her shamrock-inspired persona for a heel role with Team BAE (Best At Everything.) From there, Lynch would rise up the ranks and within a year, was moved to the main roster as part of the Women’s Revolution. The rest, as they say, is history, with Lynch becoming one of wrestling’s top stars of her time (regardless of sex) and capturing gold on Raw and SmackDown.
What’s Next for Becky Lynch?
Earlier this year, Lynch’s contract with WWE expired and she opted not to re-sign, making her a free agent for the first time in eleven years. Lynch’s final match with WWE saw her lose a steel cage match to Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan, who is glad to have “retired” The Man, according to a recent tweet.
Despite Morgan’s claim, Lynch is expected to return to WWE when the time is right, according to those within the company. While there are fans who would love to see Lynch join AEW, The Man has told those in WWE she doesn’t plan on becoming All-Elite anytime soon.
Baszler is set to return to GCW’s Bloodsport on July 28.
The wrestling world is stunned after Josh Barnett announced that WWE superstar Shayna Baszler will return to Game Changer Wrestling. On April 4, the ‘Queen of Spades’ competed at GCW Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X against Masha Slamovich. After a successful partnership, WWE has allowed Baszler to compete again for GCW for Bloodsport XI.
Barnett broke the news on his X account. The event will occur at the Roulette Intermedium in Brooklyn, New York, on July 28. He also hyped up her return by adding that she is a natural to the bloodsport concept, as she trained under him during her MMA career.
For her, the "debut" in Josh Barnett's Bloodsport was not that but in fact her stepping into the ring she was forged from – the crucible that has made her a champion in MMA and Pro Wrestling.
This July, she returns to her birthplace to once again reign in blood and glory.
The Bloodsport XI match card is still being developed. So far, the company has revealed that current TNA Wrestling superstar Mike Santana will take on wrestling legend Homicide. GCW has also announced that ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey, Slamovich, Akira, and Matt Makowski are set to compete on the show. The addition of Baszler has increased interest in the event, with fans wondering who she will face.
Possible Opponent For Shayna Baszler
Baszler returning for Bloodsport XI has made the possibility of seeing her get a rematch against Slamovich realistic. In their first encounter, both gritty superstars put on a brutal technical match that was well-received by fans. Baszler won after the referee decided that the TNA superstar couldn’t continue due to repeated head strikes. GCW could have them face off again in a rematch to see who is better on July 28.
Another possibility is her ‘Four-Horsewomen of MMA’ ally and friend, Marina Shafir. While Baszler succeeded in her debut at Bloodsport X, Shafir would win the women’s tournament, defeating two opponents on the same card. GCW could make a matchup to pit them against each other for an action-packed showdown.
GCW has plenty of fun options for opponents who can face Baszler. Regardless, the former WWE NXT Women’s Champion’s return to GCW marks another sign that the wrestling world has significantly changed.
Where has Ricky Starks been on AEW? “Absolute” is completely cleared to wrestle but one of the company’s biggest stars on the rise has been nowhere to be seen since being hurt months back on AEW Collision.
Starks took a nasty DDT during Tag Title Tournament match on Collision. He ended up taking a full three count, allowing Top Flight to advance. Reports were that Starks and his partner Big Bill were supposed to advance. However, the potential injury to Ricky prompted an immediate audible.
Of all things, Reddit conjured up the discussion of Starks, and Fightful decided to look into the situation. Some of their AEW sources claim that Starks turned down pitches to be on television. A different source said that the only pitch Starks turned down was breaking up with Big Bill. The plan was to turn Bill full heel and Starks babyface, but Starks reportedly believed a contentious break-up wouldn’t benefit either. Starks reportedly wasn’t particularly happy with the lack of follow-up to his memorable match with Bryan Danielson.
There was also speculation that Starks wasn’t allowed in Calgary due to legal matters, but those rumors have been dispelled. Starks is not in the men’s bracket of The Owen Hart Cup after winning the tournament in 2023. Ricky defeated CM Punk in the finals of the tournament last year.
Regarding Starks’ interest in WWE, Fightful states there is a contingency in AEW who believe WWE is a goal. That notion makes complete sense considering that he’s close friends with Cody Rhodes, Jade Cargill and CM Punk. It was actually Rhodes who brought Starks into the AEW fold. Starks was one of the names during COVID to challenge ‘The American Nightmare’ for the TNT Championship.
MLW is making moves and that includes long-time pro wrestling personality David Marquez.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful is reporting that Major League Wresling has hired Marquez as their new Head of Production. Not only that, but there are plans in place for MLW to hire former WWE and TNA producer, David Sahadi.
David Marquez has recently re-emerged on MLW programming as a backstage interviewer, both while having sold-out shows in Chicago and Atlanta. Previously, Marquez appeared as a personality on NWA and was the promoter of CWF Hollywood in California.
Sapp also noted that the company plans to make production changes that happen to include a TV truck starting this July.
David Marquez Adds To The Evolution Of MLW
MLW has found success hitting the road once again after having extended stays in Philadelphia, a trend that greatly began during the global pandemic. The company has lost big names such as Alex Hammerstone and Jacob Fatu, but has made an effort to build new stars such as Alex Kane, Matthew Justice, One Called Manders, Janai Kai, Rickey Shane Page and AKIRA.
MLW CEO Court Bauer also has brought veteran names into the fold including their first-ever World Champion, Satoshi Kojima and NJPW star Minoru Suzuki. They’ve also brought back Matt Riddle, who notoriously got a lot of his early pro wrestling work under the MLW banner. Riddle was the recent winner of Battle Riot VI and will have a future World Title shot down the line whenever he chooses, but before that he will take on Sami Callihan this July at their next PPV, Blood & Thunder.
Along with Riddle, Major League Wrestling has been the wrestling promotion to introduce big names to the wrestling world. MJF, Swerve Strickland as well as the aforementioned Hammerstone and Fatu all cut a great deal of their teeth under the MLW banner.
Penta El Zero Miedo has an AEW contract reported expire this summer, but would The Lucha Brother go to WWE?
Lucha Libre Online reported this month that Penta’s current AEW deal is done sometime in August or September and that WWE is interested in scooping the luchador up.
Penta was a guest on COMIENDO CARNITAS, and addressed the matter, stating that the WWE interest was only a rumor. Miedo confirmed that his contract did indeed end in August or September (noting his agent had to remind him). Penta makes clear that AEW is currently where his alliegance stands and prefers to focus on the present.
“There isn’t anything tangible. If there was to be anything tangible, we would need to evaluate it, check what is more convenient both financially and in-ring. Someone told me that it was like playing for Barcelona while you should play for Real Madrid. I can see that perspective, but I am not that young and it would be my last big contract.”
Penta makes clear he has no problems with either company and was asked if he’d be interested in going to WWE.
“It would be a good episode in my career, but I do not like to fantasy book. If it happens, it happens. I am focused on AEW and I am happy where I am at right now. Of course there is some complaints like more focus on the projection and rivalries, like it happens with every wrestler and company.”
Penta signed with AEW back in 2019 wrestled on AEW television earlier this month against The Butcher, but hasn’t been in a prominent television storyline in quite some time.
Sika Anoa’, WWE Hall of Famer, has passed away today at the age of 79. Sika’s passing was announced by his nephew, Jahrus Anoa’i. Jahrus took to Instagram to write the following about his beloved uncle.
“It is with profound sadness that I share the news of the passing of Former Hall of Famer, Polaivao Leati Sika Anoa’i. He passed away peacefully on June 25th. Sika was a celebrated figure whose contributions and legacy have left an indelible mark. His memory will live on through his achievements and the many lives he touched.”
“He was many things: a hard working father, a caring brother, a supportive uncle, and a proud grandfather. He was a cherished friend to many, a loving family member whose warmth and kindness knew no bounds, and an inspiration to countless individuals. His legacy will continue to inspire and uplift future generations, reminding us of the impact one person’s life can have on so many. Rest in love Uncle Sika.”
Sika leaves a historic legacy in pro wrestling, not just through his own accomplishments, but his whole family. The nature of his passing is currently undisclosed.
We at SEScoops would like to send our deepest condolences and prayers to the entire Anoa’i family during this time.
The Legacy Of The Wild Samoans
Sika and his brother Afa were notoriously known as The Wild Samoans, as they were a force in the territories. The brothers also became three-time WWE Tag Team Champions under the management services of Captain Lou Albano.
The Wild Samoans were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame back in 2007. Sika’s “bloodline” would continue to carry on through his sons, the late Rosey and Roman Reigns, who the latter is one of pro wrestling biggest stars of the 21st century. Sika and Afa appeared on WWE programming to appoint Reigns as “The Tribal Chief” in 2020.
