The first-ever two-night edition of WWE SummerSlam will take over Minneapolis, Minnesota on August 1 and August 2 in 2026.
The event will take place at the U.S. Bank Stadium which, among other events, is the stadium of the Minnesota Vikings. Taking to Twitter, WWE’s Chief Content Officer Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque shared the news that the Biggest Party of the Summer has just gotten even bigger.
WWE SummerSlam 2026 will be the promotion’s second Premium Live Event to be hosted across two nights and follows in the footsteps of WrestleMania. The first two-night WrestleMania took place in 2020 and was a precaution in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. After fans responded favorably to the idea, WWE has kept WrestleMania as a two-night event despite all Covid-related restrictions being lifted.
WWE in Minneapolis
SummerSlam 2026 will quite literally be the biggest wrestling event in the history of Minneapolis but it won’t be the first. Notable WWE shows to come to the City of Lakes include SummerSlam 1999, Judgment Day 2005, Bragging Rights 2010, and WWE TLC in 2017 and 2019.
The Nation of Domination was a controversial stable when it first appeared on WWE television in the 90s, and it would likely be just as provocative today. WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry, a former member of the original group, has now shared his picks for rebuilding the faction in modern-day WWE.
The group responsible in launching The Rock’s career hasn’t seen a new version, although other groups like The Hurt Business and The Pride have come close. There hasn’t been a new Nation of Domination yet, but the World’s Strongest Man has his eye on a few possible members.
Speaking to K & S WrestleFest, Henry discussed his picks for a new Nation of Domination stable and made a surprising choice by picking Velveteen Dream over Trick Williams. While he praised Trick Williams, he felt Williams was too well-liked for the group’s dynamic. Instead, Henry chose Velveteen Dream, also known as Patrick Clark, as his wildcard pick, believing it’s time for Clark to have a second chance in wrestling.
A New Nation of Domination
Nation of Domination alum Mark Henry would include Patrick Clark (Velveteen Dream) in a new Nation over Trick Williams
Henry acknowledged the significance of cancel culture and its role in accountability but stressed the importance of grace and forgiveness.
“Number one draft pick, (Powerhouse) Hobbs, and then number two, Omos, and then I would go Carmelo Hayes and as much as I love Trick Williams, I think that Trick is — he’s too liked. I want people that people don’t like. I want Bobby Lashley. I want people that you just don’t like ‘em. And there’s a lot of young guys that I think could hold up.”
“But, my wildcard would probably be Velveteen Dream, would be Patrick (Clark). I think it’s time for his second chance. A lot of people in the world of wrestling love the talent. We’re in a cancel culture that is justified as so. We need a cancel culture. But, at some point, you gotta have grace and forgiveness and you gotta see if that person is gonna bury themselves again because habitual line steppers, that’s exactly who they are. Once they get that second chance and they’re out, I ain’t cosigning for you no more. But, everybody needs their second chance.”
Mark Henry’s AEW contract is reportedly up very soon. It will be interesting to see what he does next in his pro wrestling career. Henry made his AEW debut on May 30, 2021, at Double or Nothing, where it was announced that he would join the commentary team for the new show AEW Rampage and also serve as a coach.
Patrick Clark’s Controversies
In April 2020, Patrick Clark faced allegations of sending indecent images to underage boys, which he denied. During the Speaking Out movement in June 2020, further accusations emerged that he had inappropriate communications with underage individuals. WWE investigated but found no evidence of wrongdoing. He couldn’t appear on NXT television without #FireVelveteenDream trending. Velveteen Dream was subsequently released from his WWE contract on May 20, 2021, after five months of inactivity.
Clark’s legal issues persisted in August 2022, with two arrests in Florida: one for first-degree battery and trespassing, and another for possessing drug paraphernalia, though these charges were later dropped. After more than three years out of the wrestling spotlight, he made a return on February 18, 2024, at The Dynasty promotion, debuting under the new ring name Velveteen Man. He is working to rehabilitate his image, but he obviously has a long road to redemption ahead of him.
TKO, the parent company of WWE and UFC has taken another step towards synchronicity with the merging of the Live Event teams of both companies.
WWE and UFC will have their live events overseen by one unit, described in a statement as “one of the strongest live events portfolios in all of sports and entertainment.” Andrew Schleimer, Chief Financial Officer of TKO, shared what this merger hopes to achieve.
“The newly integrated TKO Live Events Strategy Team will focus on creating operational efficiencies and developing strategies to leverage the broader economic benefits we bring to host cities, including partnering with local governments and maximizing revenue opportunities from site fees.”
The merger is just the latest sign of WWE and UFC being connected now that both are under the TKO umbrella. WWE Superstars can often be found at UFC events with CM Punk, Montez Ford, Bianca Belair, Rey Mysterio, and Randy Orton all being spotted since the merger in September 2023. Similarly, UFC fighter Michael Chandler appeared on the February 19 edition of WWE Monday Night Raw and used his time on the show to call out Conor McGregor.
WWE’s search for its next roster of Superstars continued this week but you probably won’t know any of the names who performed at the tryout.
The promotion held a tryout of some kind at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida this week, PW Insider reports. The latest WWE tryout reportedly consisted primarily of athletes from outside of the wrestling industry instead of names from the independent scene.
These athletes were extended an invitation from WWE to attend, a sign that the promotion has already had its eyes on them. At this time it is unknown who tried out for WWE at the Performance Center though it is expected that more information will be known within the coming weeks.
Trying out for WWE can take several days and result in multiple visits to WWE training facilities, as seen in 2019’s Fighting With My Family which chronicled the WWE career of Paige (now All Elite Wrestling’s Saraya.)
These latest tryouts are hardly the first time that the Sports Entertainment juggernaut has sought athletes without professional wrestling experience. Some of WWE’s top Superstars today came to the company with backgrounds in athletics but not professional wrestling. These include Charlotte Flair, Braun Strowman, and reigning WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Bianca Belair.
In 2021, WWE introduced its NIL Program which aids young athletes to hone their young careers and understand the value of ownership over their Name, Image, and Likeness. The Next-In-Line program also allows WWE to keep an eye on these young athletes should they consider a future in the ring. WWE’s first NIL signing was Gable Steveson who was released from WWE in May 2024.
Matt Cardona is attached to a movie project that’s currently seeking funding Indiegogo to get made. Down the Long River is described as a grim and violent revenge tale that reimagines the ‘Spaghetti Western‘ genre.
Western is a film genre in which films are set in the American West. Think sheriffs, cowboys, gunslingers, and bounty hunters. Spaghetti Western was a sub-genre of this style. They were produced and directed in Europe primarily by Italians (‘spaghetti’). Their heyday was the mid-late 20th century.
Down the Long River marks Matt Cardona’s feature film debut. The creators commented on him joining the project, saying “his involvement brings a unique charisma and dedicated fanbase to our film.”
Synopsis: In the aftermath of the Civil War, a former Army surgeon, a notorious gang, and a duplicitous Pinkerton agent cross paths in a forgotten river town. With revenge and a fortune in gold at stake, the town is caught in the crossfire.
As for Matt Cardona’s pro wrestling career, he’s currently sidelined with a torn pec injury which he suffered during a match for Reality of Wrestling on April 13. He underwent successful surgery that week. In a message posted on social media, he thanked everyone for their support and made it clear the injury won’t stop him from doing what he was born to do
The team behind Down the Long River call it a mature, thought-provoking film that ‘examines our relationship with violence and antiheroes.’ It reimagines the classic Western movie tropes while delivering the genre’s beloved elements: horses, gunfights, bounty hunters, and a riverboat loaded with gold. At its core, it’s a dark, human story about the aftermath of violence and how it perpetuates further violence.
In an effort to set the project apart from the usual Western landscapes, it’s set in a river town nestled in a lush forest, which offers a striking visual departure.
Randy Orton was told by doctors he should retire during his most recent hiatus.
The Viper is one of the longest-tenured WWE talents in the current roster. He has consistently been wrestling for the company for over 2 decades and he has competed in thousands of matches since his debut in 2000.
This longevity however comes with its own consequences. Orton found this out when he had to take 18 months off from WWE programming due to a serious back injury in May 2022. He finally returned to the company at the Survivor Series PPV in November 2023.
The Legend Killer opened up about his long recovery process during a recent interview with SportsKeeda. Randy Orton revealed that after taking a look at his injury, top neurologists were telling him that he should retire to preserve his body:
“I had top neurologists telling me, ‘You know what? You had a great career, you have a life after wrestling, and you wanna be comfortable. You don’t wanna be in pain the rest of your life. We’re gonna fix your back, but you’re gonna have to stop wrestling’. The first six months that I was out, I had that in the back of my head, and it was tough. It was mentally very challenging.”
While Randy is looking better than ever since his return to the ring, the months away from wrestling have definitely given him a new perspective and forced him to think about the end of his wrestling career.
The former world champion recently stated that he doesn’t want to have to convert to a part-time schedule like we have seen some other legends do. It’s likely that he will retire from active competition when he turns 50.
Randy Orton is currently competing in the ongoing King of The Ring tournament. Gunther has already entered the finals taking place in Saudi Arabia on May 25. Orton will be looking to do the same when he faces Tama Tonga in the semi-final on this Friday’s episode of SmackDown.
Will Ospreay has only one goal in mind – to dethrone Roderick Strong and capture the AEW International Championship at AEW Double Or Nothing pay-per-view.
This week’s AEW Dynamite emanated from Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield, California. The show kicked off with Ospreay teaming up with Orange Cassidy and face Roderick Strong and Trent Beretta. In the final moments of the match, Wardlow interfered in the match and assisted Strong to pick up the win. Following the match, Strong and his Undisputed Kingdom teammates brutally assaulted ‘The Aerial Assassin’. The AEW International Champion hit Ospreay with the title belt as the English wrestler was busted open.
In a AEW Digital Exclusive, Will Ospreay, who was still bleeding, delivered a passionate promo. He sent a stern message to his opponent at AEW Double Or Nothing. Ospreay boasted his endurance and asked if the attack was the best shot that Strong got. He said:
“You think I look pretty bad right now, right? No, this is nothing. Mate, I’ve been on four-day bender, had a bowl of Cocoa Puffs, got on a plane to Japan, called out the toughest guy, and whooped him in front of his wife and kids while I was smiling, bruv. You think this is the end, Messiah? What, you think that this scares me? [Slaps himself] Nah, I live for this, bruv. I flew all the way from England on a ten-hour flight, got transferred over to Bakersfield, and this? This is the best that you’ve got? My Messiah, am I meant to believe in you, man? Am I meant to believe? No, man.”
Ospreay added that he believes in what goes down inside the squared circle when the bell rings. He said Strong’s actions have ‘bonded” him with that championship as his blood is on the title belt. The 31-year-old wrestler further declared that it’s his life mission to win the AEW International Championship at the upcoming pay-per-view this weekend. He said:
“The only thing that I believe in is bell-to-bell, internationally known, no one is better than me inside that ring, and now what you’ve just done, Roderick, what you’ve just done is it’s bonded me with that championship. My blood is on that championship. So now, it is my duty, it is my spirit that is bonded with that championship. So Sunday, in the perfect city to do it in, bet it all. Gamble your life on it, son. Because now, it is my life’s mission to take the International Championship away from you, come hell or high water. Nobody is better than Will Ospreay because I am on another level.”
Roderick Strong had captured the AEW International title by defeating Orange Cassidy at AEW Revolution in March. This will mark his second PPV title defense. He retained the title over Kyle O’Reilly at AEW Dynasty last month.
At the same pay-per-view, Will Ospreay emerged victorious over Bryan Danielson in a match that was heavily praised. However, there were some concerning scenes following the match as ‘The American Dragon’ looked hurt after being hit with the Tiger Driver 91.
Chris Jericho and Swerve Strickland are joining hands together for a musical night.
AEW announced that Fozzy, the heavy metal band whose lineup consists of vocalist Chris Jericho, will be performing before All In. The convert is set to take place on Friday, August 23, at the O2 Forum Kentish Town in London, England, United Kingdom.
Wrestler Swerve Strickland and musical artist Flash Garments will be joining Fozzy on that night at the show.
You can check out the official performance below:
FOZZY have announced their hugely anticipated return to the UK capital with a date at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town. Promising an explosive Friday evening of rock and rap, the show kickstarts a weekend that culminates in the return of AEW (All Elite Wrestling) to London’s Wembley Stadium on Sunday 25th August.
If it’s not enough for fans to have FOZZY, with their heavy melodic groove and fronted by 8 time World Champion Chris Jericho headlining the night, fans will go crazy knowing that direct support comes from current AEW World Champion: Swerve Strickland. Swerve Strickland & Flash Garments will be performing their first concert as a rap duo in the UK.
Tickets to the show can be purchased from Ticketmaster.
AEW All In is set to take place t the Wembley Stadium in London on August 25, 2024. No matches have been announced for the event yet.
But before that, AEW’s next PPV is going to be the 2024 Double or Nothing, which will take place on May 26, 2024 during the Memorial Day weekend at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, Nevada. Thhe main event will see Swerve Strickland defend his AEW World Championship against Christian Cage. You can check out the full event card here.
Viking Raider Ivar was among a multitude of people unhappy with the ‘Viking Experience’ name but that didn’t matter as “one man” was on board with the name.
Ivar, alongside Erik, had established themselves as War Machine and the War Raiders for years before being called up to the main roster in 2019. The move from WWE NXT to Monday Night Raw saw the pair rechristened the ‘Viking Experience’ which was met with a backlash from fans who felt the name was goofy.
Ivar On The Viking Experience
Shortly after the Viking Experience was revealed, a compromise was reached for the team to be named the Viking Raiders, a nod to their previous name. Speaking on the Insight podcast, Ivar discussed how the name came about.
“Vince [McMahon] loves Vikings. So he found out there was a team in NXT that were Vikings. ‘Yes, I want them.’ And he wanted Viking in our name and they couldn’t pass anything through legal. There’s already a Vikings football team, there’s already a Vikings TV show. So none of the names they were trying, whatever they were, were getting through.
“And then somebody, I won’t say who, it was asked in a meeting ‘What are they? Describe them!’ And somebody describes us as ‘they’re this, they’re that. They’re like a Viking… Experience.’ That’s it! They’re the Viking Experience. And not one person was happy or okay with that except for the one man. So we were stuck.”
Neither fans nor those backstage (except for one) were happy with the name.
WWE changing the name amid fan backlash was an example of the company listening to the fans at a time when it felt like that wasn’t happening. Since then, the Viking Raiders have gone on to hold the Raw Tag Team Championships and have established themselves as one of the top teams on WWE’s main roster.
The Young Bucks felt great dropping Tony Khan on his head.
The AEW EVPs have completely changed the perception about them in many ways since returning to AEW Programming after a short hiatus in January this year. The duo that have always been criticized for focusing on moves, have been doing some of the best character work of their careers.
The decision for them to be the team to wrestle Sting in his retirement match at Revolution was originally criticized by many fans. Not only did the brothers deliver the performance of a lifetime in this bout, but they have also taken the heat from it to become one of the hottest acts in the business.
One defining moment that helped them reach this status was when Matthew and Nicholas Jackson attacked their boss and AEW President Tony Khan during the April 24 episode of Dynamite. They beat Khan up with the help of Jack Perry and then laid him out using the ‘Tony Khan driver’
The AEW stars spoke to Sports Illustrated about this moment and said that it felt ‘dangerous and rebellious.’ Matthew Jackson claimed that he knew they had done the right thing when his phone lit up afterwards:
“The locker room gasped when it went down. Afterward, my phone lit up like a Christmas tree. It was probably the most feedback I’ve ever received for anything I’ve ever done, so I know it worked.”
The AEW EVP declared that it was something he had wanted to do since they first met with the Jacksonville Jaguars Executive:
“It was personally great for me, because I had fantasized many times about dropping Tony Khan on his head ever since I met him. I can remember many times watching him talk during production meetings, and my mind would wander to beating the hell out of him,”
We Kept An Eye On Him: Young Bucks
The Young Bucks also talked about the return of Jack Perry on AEW TV. The 26-year-old had been absent from AEW programming since his infamous All In scuffle with CM Punk in August last year.
When Perry first surfaced back on the wrestling scene in January, it was for NJPW and not AEW. Per the Bucks, they had been keeping an eye on the young star since then and giving him advice:
“We kept an eye on him the entire time he was gone and helped him navigate the situation–a familiar one that we had also gone through. We also talked him down a few times. We gave him advice on how to succeed in Japan.”
Jack Perry became the fourth member to join the new Elite after Kazuchika Okada when he returned to AEW in April. Speaking about taking the former Jungle Boy into their group, Bucks said that they had empathy for the young star for being treated unfairly:
“Jack unfairly ate crap for a very long time. So we had a lot of empathy for him, and we were very excited to help launch his comeback.”
The Elite have been running the company to their liking in recent weeks after adding both Okada and Perry to the group. Their dominance, however, will be challenged by Team AEW consisting of Bryan Danielson, FTR, and Darby Allin at the upcoming Double or Nothing PPV on May 26 when they meet in an Anarchy in the Arena match.
The Undertaker is one of the most unique characters in the history of pro wrestling. One of the things that made him stand out were the different ring gears he wore through the years as his character progressed.
The Dead Man recently talked about things such as his Hall of Fame speech, the boxing match of Tyson Fury & Oleksandr Usyk and more in a new Q&A on his Patreon page.
The former World Champion also discussed his ring gears. When asked which was was his favorite gear of all time, Taker said that it was his post-American badass set up because it was most comfortable:
“My favorite gear was the singlet with the kind of leather-ish-looking pants. I guess it was the modified Undertaker that I came back after the American badass run where I kept the pants but went back… you know had the singlet, the MMA gloves. It was just the most comfortable to move around. I never really liked the tights but I say that and I see a lot of people what they wear and it’s like…a little decorum please, as far as ring gear. But the leather pants, the singlet, the duster, the hat, MMA gloves, that was probably my favourite.”
Taker later discussed some of the gears that he wasn’t a fan of. This included his python pants from Survivor Series 2000 match against Kurt Angle as well as the bat wings he wore for his match against Mankind in Madison Square Garden at Survivor Series ’96:
“I didn’t like the Python pants and I didn’t like the Undertaker pirate kind of look where I took the bat wings and I descended into the garden. That was so much cooler in my brain. The application wasn’t quite as cool as it was in my brain. In my brain, I was like ‘This is scary. This is gonna be so scary people are gonna freak out’ and then I just kind of looked like a jacked-up Gene Simmons.”
The Undertaker also revealed that he didn’t like changing his gloves, knee pads, and boots very regularly and told a story about Triple H making fun of his worn-out boots.
Drew McIntyre is hoping that the World Heavyweight Championship shot promised to him will take place at a show where the crowd is extremely in his favor.
McIntyre, already a three-time WWE World Champion, lost the title to Damian Priest at WrestleMania after Priest cashed in his Money in the Bank contract. Amid his war of words with CM Punk, McIntyre has insisted on receiving a rematch. On the May 13, episode of Raw, Priest promised the Scottish Warrior a rematch.
McIntyre On WWE Clash At The Castle
Though McIntyre has been promised a title shot neither he nor Priest shared when the match will take place. Sitting down with PW Insider, McIntyre shared his hope that the match will be at WWE Clash At The Castle: Scotland.
“I would love to have that title match if he [Priest] is still the champion in Scotland and finally have that moment with the title and actually keep the title. I could never have imagined it could potentially be in Glasgow. That’s my dream scenario.”
The upcoming June 15, show will be WWE’s second Clash At The Castle show and the first-ever Premium Live Event to come to Scotland. Understandably, McIntyre is excited that his country will soon have the eyes of the WWE Universe upon it.
“This is something beyond a dream, you know, I talked about for years… I’ve been asking since the day I was in WWE and I always heard the logistics excuse, this and this, then suddenly we’re doing shows all across the world places like Australia, they’ve got the craziest time difference.”
McIntyre hopes to face World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest in Glasgow.
A CM Punk Problem
While McIntyre would love nothing more than to dethrone Priest in Glasgow’s OVO Hydro, the Judgment Day member isn’t the only star on Drew’s radar. Since CM Punk’s return to WWE, McIntyre has made clear his issues with the former AEW World Champion who essentially cost McIntyre the title at WrestleMania. Punk has teased showing up in Glasgow (perhaps disguised as a haggis) to confront McIntyre while the Scottish Warrior has made clear what awaits Punk if he tries to interfere at Clash At The Castle: Scotland.
Darby Allin will compete at this weekend’s Double or Nothing 2024 pay-per-view, but his involvement was a very last-minute deal.
The former AEW TNT and World Tag Team Champion will team with Bryan Danielson and FTR to take on The Elite (The Young Bucks, Jack Perry, and Kazucika Okada) at the sixth-annual Double or Nothing pay-per-view. The two sides will meet in the Anarchy In The Arena match in what will be Allin’s first time competing under the stipulation.
Khan told Allin that he had to be cleared to be in the match, a feat easier said than done given Allin’s litany of injuries in recent months. In addition to a foot injury suffered during AEW Big Business, Allin is also nursing a nose injury and was recently struck by a bus in New York City.
Despite his setbacks, Allin was able to get cleared and called Khan while he was at Yellowstone National Park with his dad. Allin added that anyone surprised to see him in the match should be given how last-minute his return to AEW programming has been. The popular wrestler may be cleared, but added that the remains in a lot of pain. He has yet to take a bump since his injury but has been training Steve ‘Son of Sting’ Borden Jr. how to wrestle.
The ongoing QR code mystery that has played out on WWE TV has now turned to WhatsApp with more to be revealed very soon.
Since the Raw after WrestleMania 40, several QR codes have appeared on WWE programming and scanning them has led fans to cryptic videos with clues to decipher. More recently, WWE’s Twitch channel shared an hour-long video inundated with clues and hidden meanings.
WWE’s Mystery On WhatsApp
This mystery recently played out on WWE’s Twitch channel and now it has invaded the official WWE WhatsApp page. A series of cryptic images were shared to WWE’s WhatsApp including the message “Remember Who You Are.” Small text can also be found on the images and when connected, this reads “8 PM EST THURSDAY TWITCH.”
The images from WWE’s WhatsApp account.
Where Is This Going?
It is believed that all of these cryptic messages are building towards the return of Uncle Howdy as portrayed by Bo Dallas. The former WWE NXT Champion was rehired by WWE in 2022 and shared the screen with his brother Bray Wyatt before the latter was pulled from TV due to his health issues. Dallas is expected to return with a faction that will include Joe Gacy, Nikki Cross, Dexter Lumis, and the recently rehired Erick Rowan.
Many have speculated that we are getting close to the big reveal behind this mystery. Thanks to the Twitch and WhatsApp takeovers, teases of what is to come have grown increasingly frequent in recent days. On WWE TV, it’s been teased that answers will be coming sooner rather than later.
The in-ring future of WWE’s Big E remains uncertain, but fans will soon be able to see him as part of the upcoming Peacock comedy series Laid.
Laid follows a woman who learns that her former lovers are dying in strange ways and must go through her ‘sex timeline’ to learn the reason for these grisly scenes. The series is written and executive produced by Nahnatchka Khan (Totally Killer, Young Rock) and Sally Bradford McKenna (Son of Zorn).
Big E has an unspecified role in the show but was not the only name revealed by Deadline this week. Other names attached include Andre Hyland (Barry), Olivia Holt (Totally Killer), David Denman (The Office), Finneas O’Connell (Academy Award and Grammy Winning Singer/Songwriter), Chloe Fineman (SNL), Indya Moore (Pose), Ettore “Big E” Ewen (WWE Superstar) and John Early (Would it Kill You to Laugh).
Big E and the actors confirmed for Peacock comedy series ‘Laid.’
It’s no wonder why Peacock has selected Big E for the upcoming comedy series. As part of The New Day, the former WWE World Champion has been flexing his comedic muscles (in addition to his actual muscles) and he has proven to be a hit with the WWE Universe.
The Future Of Big E
This new show is a huge opportunity for Big E who hasn’t competed in a WWE ring in over two years. A broken neck suffered during a March 2022, edition of WWE SmackDown has derailed Big E’s in-ring career with questions looming as to whether he’ll be able to wrestle again. While Big E isn’t sure what the future holds, he is remaining his usual positive self and is thinking positive.
The Superstars of WWE have been having fun in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia ahead of the WWE King And Queen Of The Ring Premium Live Event.
The May 25 event will be WWE’s latest event in Saudi Arabia as part of the lucrative decade-long deal between the two parties. The show will also serve as the first Premium Live Event bearing the name of the tournament since WWE King of the Ring 2002. In addition to the King And Queen of the Ring event, the May 24, episode of WWE SmackDown will also take place in Jeddah, which will be a first for WWE.
WWE Superstars in Jeddah
With two stacked nights of WWE programming to come, the Superstars have already arrived in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. On Twitter, the official WWE account shared several videos of the Superstars making their arrival.
WWE SmackDown Superstar Chelsea Green shared what her day has been like in Saudi Arabia so far. The former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion will face Bayley at WWE SmackDown.
Woke up this morning in beautiful Riyadh! Ate my high protein breaky, brushed my luxurious extensions & headed for a lift that @itsBayleyWWE could NEVER complete! Life is so good when you’re me ????? See you in 2 days Bad juju Bayley. xo pic.twitter.com/Lhrp1R9IdW
Women’s Tag Team Champions Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair, alongside Liv Morgan and ‘Michin’ Mia Yim were having fun in the sun at Oia Beach ahead of this weekend’s festivities.
WWE’s Chief Content Officer Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque tweeted his excitement for the SmackDown and King And Queen of the Ring shows, alongside a photo of himself boarding the WWE jet.
We here at SE Scoops will have all the news and results from WWE SmackDown and WWE King And Queen Of The Ring so keep checking in for all the latest updates.
Tony Schiavone and Taz have decades of experience in the wrestling business. Their chemistry is evident when they commentate for AEW, but a recent video offers a candid glimpse into their real-life relationship.
In the video recorded at Dynamite, Schiavone playfully mocks Taz by imitating the way he used to wear a towel back in his ECW days. The original FTW Champion was known for taking to the ring with a black towel over his head, and Schiavone couldn’t resist himself.
Tony Schiavone mimicking Taz with his ECW towel on the commentary booth during last week's Dynamite. ?
This lighthearted moment also showed off the genuine camaraderie between the two, a dynamic that fans wouldn’t have imagined prior to AEW. When Taz caught a glimpse of his commentary partner, he had to chuckle.
Taz is a two-time ECW World champion. He competed for the promotion from 1993-1999. His son Hook currently wrestles for AEW.
Adam Copeland is widely known for his accomplishments under the Edge moniker in WWE. As a member of The Brood, the WWE Hall of Famer popularized bloodbaths, and he brought that to AEW for the May 22 Dynamite.
During this week’s Dynamite, Malakai Black faced Roderick Strong in a highly competitive match. In the end, Black emerged victorious, but his night took an unexpected turn.
All rise for the #HouseOfBlack. Malakai Black faces Kyle O’Reilly tonight before his Barbed Wire Steel Cage Match for the #TNT Championship against Adam Copeland at #AEWDoN!
Following his win, the lights in the arena shifted to an ominous red, and music reminiscent of The Brood began playing. Although it wasn’t the exact Brood theme, it sounded strikingly similar. Suddenly, the ceiling opened above Malakai Black, and the House of Black leader was drenched in a crimson bath. While the liquid wasn’t real blood, it was convincingly realistic, leaving Black in a state of shock and anger.
Then the screen revealed Adam Copeland, standing with a look of satisfaction. This dramatic moment set the stage for their upcoming clash at Double or Nothing. The AEW TNT Title will be on the line in a barbed wire steel cage match, with Copeland putting his title on the line.
You can find the card for AEW Double or Nothing below. We will have continued coverage at SEScoops.
Roderick Strong (c) vs. Will Ospreay – Singles match for the AEW International Championship
“Timeless” Toni Storm (c) (with Luther and Mariah May) vs. Serena Deeb – Singles match for the AEW Women’s World Championship
Adam Copeland (c) vs. Malakai Black – Barbed Wire Steel Cage match for the AEW TNT Championship
Jon Moxley vs. Konosuke Takeshita – IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Eliminator match
Trent Beretta vs. Orange Cassidy – Singles match
Chris Jericho (c) (with Big Bill) vs. HOOK vs Katsuyori Shibata – FTW Rules match for the FTW Championship
Willow Nightingale (c) vs. Mercedes Moné – Singles match for the AEW TBS Championship
The Elite (Kazuchika Okada, Jack Perry, Matthew Jackson, and Nicholas Jackson) vs. Team AEW (Bryan Danielson, Cash Wheeler, Dax Harwood, and Darby Allin) – Anarchy in the Arena match
Swerve Strickland (c) (with Prince Nana) vs. Christian Cage (with Killswitch, Nick Wayne, and Mother Wayne) – Singles match for the AEW World Championship
Time flies and as hard as it might be for long-term fans to reconcile it, the sixth AEW Double or Nothing goes down this Memorial Day weekend. Back in 2019, this was an AEW launch event, a full season ahead of AEW Dynamite debuting on TNT. Once again, the event emanates from Las Vegas, the natural home for a show called Double or Nothing, though this will mark the PPV’s first return to the MGM Grand Garden Arena. (Double or Nothing did also occur at Daily’s Place for two years due to the pandemic.)
The Double or Nothing name paid homage to All In as a precursor to AEW. For that event, Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks, and then-unknown business partner Tony Khan—facilitated an all-time great indie event that drew 10,000 fans to the Sears Centre in Chicago. The affair was framed as a direct response to Dave Meltzer’s claim that no promotion outside WWE could draw 10,000 fans to a North American wrestling show anytime soon.
So it is that fans can now look back at five years of AEW history when they consider the original Double or Nothing.
The Biggest Free Agent Signing In AEW History
Jon Moxley and Chris Jericho
Double or Nothing 2019 drew a very positive reception from fans and critics, but there’s little question that the most iconic part of the show happened after the final bell had run. Immediately after the main event, Jon Moxley made his surprise debut.
While Mox can be a polarizing figure among fans, his debut nonetheless made a major statement. It was possible for fans at the time to dismiss talents like Chris Jericho as over the hill, Cody Rhodes as a WWE also-ran (a take that has aged quite poorly), and talents like MJF as up and comers who hadn’t yet proven themselves. Moxley, however, was a major name who was in his prime, including having reigned as WWE Champion less than three years earlier and having main evented WWE PPVs as part of The Shield earlier in 2019.
Moxley signing with AEW was a genuine surprise and further legitimized the company as a major player. The surprise debut is even more momentous in hindsight. Moxley would go on to be come the first and to date only three- time AEW Champion. Moreover, he has been a vital figure, sliding into the title picture whenever the company needs him, including twice picking up the torch when CM Punk got hurt.
Chris Jericho Took A Step Toward Putting The AEW Championship On The Map
Chris Jericho at the AEW Double or Nothing Rally
At the launch of AEW, there were three men who immediately factored into the world title scene. Hangman Page won a Casino Battle Royale at the top of Double or Nothing to make him one of the two men who’d vie to become the first champion at All Out 2019. On the other end of things stood Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho.
Page was a promising, fresh talent for a lot of American fans and he would wind up champion a couple years down the road. Omega and Jericho were the favorites, though, which is why they garnered the main event nod at Double or Nothing 2019.
Omega had cemented his place in the conversation of the best in-ring workers in the world in New Japan. Jericho was already a bona fide legend as a multi-time world champion in WWE, a WrestleMania main eventer, and certainly the biggest name in AEW going into their first PPV.
Like Page, Omega would find himself a long-reigning AEW champ. Jericho was the right call to win the first AEW PPV main event, though, en route to becoming the first AEW World Champion. It’s come into fashion to hate on Jericho nowadays, and there’s little question he has lost a step in the 2020s. Just the same, he was precisely the credible figure the company needed to immediately legitimize its top title and by extension the whole brand.
The Young Bucks And Lucha Bros. Had A Barnburner
Before AEW had established its own tag team championship, the original Double or Nothing featured an AAA World Tag Team Title match between The Young Bucks and Lucha Bros. It was an early chapter in what would become a defining rivalry for the company’s tag team and later trios division.
This match itself was well-received, but the teams would go on to even more memorable collisions that included a ladder match at All Out 2019 and an absolute classic of a steel cage match at All Out 2021. Down the road, Nick and Matt Jackson would team up with Kenny Omega as The Elite against The Lucha Bros and PAC under the Death Triangle banner to war over the Trios Championship.
The Rhodes Brothers Stole The Show
In the year 2024, Cody Rhodes reigns as WWE Champion. Indeed, his win over Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania 40 seems to have all but cemented The American Nightmare’s place as the top star in the business today.
Five years ago, Rhodes was less sure footed, but was coming off a noteworthy run on the indies and in Japan to arrive as a founding father of AEW. As such, it’s telling that his match with his older brother Dustin positively stole the show at the first AEW PPV.
The Rhodes brothers tore the house down in a hard-hitting twenty-two-minute match that garnered no lesser praise than winning Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Match of the Year Award. The match was a testament to the combination of emotional storytelling and commitment to match quality many came to associate with early AEW. On top of that, it may well have been a harbinger of just how big a star Cody would wind up being.
It’s always difficult to contextualize a wrestling show as its happening. The more years pass by, the more wrestling historians will come to understand and think differently about the original Double or Nothing. Nonetheless, at five years, the show holds up as an incredible launch for the AEW brand, rife with strong in-ring performances and statements about where this company and the wrestling business on the whole were headed.
This week’s AEW Dynamite featured a custom intro tied in with Warner Bros. Discovery’s new Mad Max movie, Furiosa.
Tony Khan’s company is known for incorporating outside sponsorships, and this week was no exception. Throughout the broadcast, the new Mad Max film was prominently highlighted, creating a unique experience for viewers.
Commercials for Mad Max: Furiosa aired during every break, ensuring that the film stayed top of mind for fans. But the promotion didn’t stop there. Before Dynamite began, a special mash-up video combining elements of AEW Dynamite and Mad Max: Furiosa was released, further hyping the fans for both the show and the movie.
Mad Max: Furiosa is hitting theaters this Friday. Directed by George Miller, this new movie tells the story of young Furiosa who is taken from the Green Place of Many Mothers by a biker horde led by the warlord Dementus.
The events of Furiosa serve as a prequel to those of Mad Max: Fury Road. Despite some timeline inconsistencies with the original Mad Max trilogy, Fury Road is considered a spiritual sequel or reboot of the earlier films.
By integrating the Mad Max: Furiosa campaign into Dynamite, AEW can leverage its audience to create more buzz for the open. This strategic partnership not only entertained fans but also highlighted the synergy between AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery,
We are getting hyped for @MadMaxMovie in theaters this Friday with a special custom Furiosa-themed opening!
AEW has a few key members of their roster on the shelf for one reason or another. This week on AEW Dynamite, the Death Triangle reunited for the first time in months.
The Bang Bang Gang, Jay White and the Gunns, have been enjoying their time in AEW as a heel faction. They needed a wheelbarrow to carry all of their gold to the ring. During the May 22 episode of AEW Dynamite, the trio took the ring.
Their attention soon shifted to Pac, and they began berating the British star. Unexpectedly, Pac appeared on the entrance ramp, but he was not alone. Penta and Fenix were by his side, reuniting the Death Triangle. The faction has been absent as a trio for quite some time.
Fenix’s injury had kept him from competing alongside his brother and their partner, Pac. Now, they are back together. It didn’t take long for the Bang Bang Gang to make it clear that they didn’t want to fight that night.
They instead challenged a match for the AEW Unified Tag Team Titles. This set up a match for this Saturday at Double or Nothing.
It's ON! Death Triangle challenges The Bang Bang Gang for the Unified Trios Championship THIS SUNDAY at Double or Nothing!
The Death Triangle held the AEW Trios Championship for 126 days before losing to The Elite. Their defeat came in an Escalera de la Muerte, which was the seventh and final match in a Best of Seven Series for the championship in January 2023.
Las Vegas will once again host AEW Double or Nothing on Sunday, May 26, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena. You can find the card below.
Roderick Strong (c) vs. Will Ospreay – Singles match for the AEW International Championship
“Timeless” Toni Storm (c) (with Luther and Mariah May) vs. Serena Deeb – Singles match for the AEW Women’s World Championship
Adam Copeland (c) vs. Malakai Black – Barbed Wire Steel Cage match for the AEW TNT Championship
Jon Moxley vs. Konosuke Takeshita – IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Eliminator match
Trent Beretta vs. Orange Cassidy – Singles match
Chris Jericho (c) (with Big Bill) vs. HOOK vs Katsuyori Shibata- FTW Rules match for the FTW Championship
Willow Nightingale (c) vs. Mercedes Moné – Singles match for the AEW TBS Championship
The Elite (Kazuchika Okada, Jack Perry, Matthew Jackson, and Nicholas Jackson) vs. Team AEW (Bryan Danielson, Cash Wheeler, Dax Harwood, and Darby Allin) – Anarchy in the Arena match
Swerve Strickland (c) (with Prince Nana) vs. Christian Cage (with Killswitch, Nick Wayne, and Mother Wayne) – Singles match for the AEW World Championship
Sting and Darby Allin’s bond continues even after the Icon’s unforgettable retirement back at AEW Revolution. Sting has kept a low profile since then, but we may not have seen the last of his bloodline.
During a recent interview with Sean Ross Sapp for Fightful Allin said he’s helping Steve Borden Jr. follow in his father’s footsteps. Sting’s son has spent time at his house learning the basics of wrestling and working out in his ring. The full interview drops this Thursday on Fightful’sYouTube.
Sting’s son was so inspired by his father’s match at Revolution that he wanted to begin his own wrestling journey. Allin noted further that Steve had never considered becoming a professional wrestler before Revolution, but that event provided an intense emotional rush for him. When Sting asked if he’d help train his son, he jumped at the chance.
“Do not shame your dad, do not shame your dad, do not shame your dad”
In March, Steve and his brother Garrett participated in an emotional farewell match for their father Sting. Sting and Darby Allin successfully retained the AEW World tag titles against The Young Bucks in a Tornado Tag match. Sting’s career ended with him celebrating as a champion, a final chapter that was worthy of his legacy.
As part of Sting’s entrance, Steve and Garrett dressed as different versions of Sting that fans had seen throughout the years. Garrett played the part of “Surfer Sting”, the babyface star that Sting portrayed in WCW, with Steve embodied “Wolfpack Sting”, when The Icon joined nWo Wolfpack.
Sting and his sons make a grand entrance at AEW Revolution 2024
Sting’s face-painted sons even got physical in the match, hitting The Young Bucks with a flurry of their dad’s infamous Stinger Splash in the corner.
WWE SummerSlam tickets are selling fast with more than two months to go until the Biggest Party of the Summer.SummerSlam 2024 takes place Saturday, August 3 from Cleveland, Ohio from the historic Cleveland Browns Stadium. United States champion and Cleveland native Logan Paul went into hype mode as soon as the event was announced and called out one of most famous athletes in the world to face him in the ring at SummerSlam.
According to WrestleTix, WWE has distributed approximately 46,000 tickets, approaching 90% sold from the current total available (52,679). WWE should have no problem filling another 7,000 seats with 73 days until bell time.
WWE & Cleveland
WWE SummerSlam 2024 is off to a very strong start.
WWE has a rich history of hosting Premium Live Events in the city of Cleveland, Ohio. WWE’s first PLE in the city was the aforementioned SummerSlam 1996 which saw then-WWF Champion Shawn Michaels retain his gold against Big Van Vader. Other WWE events hosted in Cleveland include No Mercy 1999, Survivor Series 2004, Unforgiven 2008, and WWE TLC 2014.
WWE’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view had several big stories going into it. The Shield’s War with a newly reformed Evolution, Bray Wyatt continuously trying to get John Cena to follow the Fireflies, and Daniel Bryan’s first title defense following the Miracle on Bourbon Street at WrestleMania 30.
However, almost no one was talking about the budding feud between 3MB and the Los Matadores. Despite this complete lack of appreciation, it was 10 years ago this month that these teams would clash in what is widely considered one of the greatest “Pre-Show” matches in WWE history: Wee LC.
The bout was built as a punny version of WWE’s Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match (TLC), with Hornswoggle taking on Los Matadores’ El Torito. WWE went all out with smaller ladders, chairs, and tables; even going so far as to bring in other Little People for the roles of ring announcer and even commentary table.
While the match’s construction has middle-school-level humor written all over it, the participants took it very seriously. They wanted to prove that they could turn what could easily be a lemon of a match into delicious lemonade and that they did! During a recent interview on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, former WWE Superstar Hornswoggle spoke about the match, which he describes as the “coolest” match he’s ever done.
“Wee LC. That’s the most talked about match I’ve ever done. I will never top it. I will never do anything cooler have never done anything cooler than that match…
One of those moments where I was like, okay, it was pretty awesome. And then I remember being in my gear literally to like, two matches left and Torito was leaving. He goes ‘You Okay?’ I go I’m okay…I’m still in the moment, man.”
The match was filled with exciting and chaotic moments, as Superstars smashed through tons of tables and ladders, with each competitor’s team members getting involved in the action themselves. Although the former Cruiserweight Champion is proud of the match in hindsight, he admitted that he was very nervous about how it would be received. He feared that the fans would dismiss it or even boo.
“I didn’t know how they would react, it’s two midgets. One a bull, a midget bull and a midget Rockstar going into a match on the pre-show. First thing that crowd sees that night. With mini ladders and mini tables, mini chairs, mini commentary and mini announcer I didn’t know how they’d react. I thought they’re gonna blow the sh*t up. I really did.
And I remember being backstage in my heart knowing we’re going to kill it. In my mind going, if they start booing, we’re done. The coolest moment of my life match of my life, going into it is gonna be the worst thing ever.” – Hornswoggle
As fate would have it, the crowd did just the opposite. Instead, the New Jersey crowd in the Izod Center that night went wild for the Pre-Show Classic. Respecting the innovation, humor, and physical action that came with the match.
Hornswoggle notes that the match was a tremendous source of pride for him, a match where people backstage didn’t just enjoy the match ironically, but sincerely. The former Superstar looked back on the evening as a “shove it” moment, where they got to prove everyone wrong.
“I never thought it would hold up like it has I never thought it would be such a not even talked about thing. [It was] A shove it up the a** moment. I’ll say to the fans, I guarantee the locker room didn’t take it seriously. Shove it up their a**. I get to gorilla and everyone is on their feet clapping for us. One of those moments where I was like, okay, it was pretty awesome.”
For those interested, Dave Meltzer himself awarded the match 3 stars, tied for the second-highest-rated match on the entire 2014 Extreme Rules card, tying with Wade Barrett and Big E’s Intercontinental Championship match. Both though lost out to the epic Shield vs Evolution 6-man-tag match, which gained a 4.75 rating.
Regardless of one’s affinity for “star ratings”, it does reflect how highly people respected and enjoyed the first and only Wee LC match to date. The bout is looked back on incredibly favorably by the WWE Universe and consistently referenced as a gem of a match.
Could we see another Wee LC match in WWE? Most likely not. However, if the company’s new regime has taught its fans anything, it’s “Never Say Never!”
Randy Orton’s devastating RKO may never have come to exist had it not been for a discussion with the matter of the ‘Ace Crusher’ John Laurinaitis.
For over two decades, Orton has put opponents away with the move whose name is crafted from the Viper’s initials (Randy Keith Orton.) The Viper has used the move to capture WWE World Championships and it has taken out top names including The Undertaker, Mick Foley, Triple H, and many more.
Speaking to Bill Apter of WrestleBinge, Orton shared the origins of his iconic maneuver.
“Diamond Dallas Page had the Diamond Cutter, but John Laurinaitis had the Ace Crusher. At the time [the RKO was being invented] he was the Head of Talent Relations and we were trying to think of something that I could do to everybody no matter how big or how small they were. And the RKO was the move.”
While the move has seen countless opponents dispatched of (outta nowhere!) Orton did address the key issue with hitting the RKO.
“Unfortunately it requires me to take a bump every time I give the yeah so yeah, there’s that.”
Orton was interviewed at the St. Louis Hall of Fame ceremony where he inducted his father Bob Orton Jr. The elder Orton had plenty of praise for his son and described the RKO as a “beautiful move.”
What’s to Come?
Randy Orton will look to continue hitting RKOs on this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown where he will face Tama Tonga in the King of the Ring semi-finals. The winner will advance to face GUNTHER for the crown at WWE King And Queen Of The Ring in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
