Fans can expect to see much more of Joe Hendry in WWE NXT after the popular TNA Wrestling star was teased in the final seconds of NXT Heatwave.
In the main event, Ethan Page captured the WWE NXT Championship just 40 days after debuting for the gold brand. In the final moments of the show, however, a clip of Hendry from his entrance video played, leaving fans to speculate what this means.
Hendry will play a major role in NXT’s crossover with TNA Wrestling going forward, Corey Brennan of Fightful Select reports. This crossover will play out over the next several weeks and months and WWE is keen to make use of Hendry’s viral appeal. The belief is that even brief teases, such as what was seen at Heatwave, are enough to keep him on the minds of fans.
Despite being teased at Heatwave, Hendry was nowhere near the show. While the NXT roster brought it in Toronto, Hendry was over 3,000 miles away, competing at a show in Glasgow, Scotland.
It’ll be interesting to see how Hendry fits into the NXT picture, as he is also making waves in TNA Wrestling. On last week’s episode of iMPACT!, Hendry defeated Jake Something to earn himself a spot in a TNA World Championship six-man match. The Scottish star will join champion Moose, Josh Alexander, Steve Maclin, Nic Nemeth, and Frankie Kazarian in the match at Slammiversary on July 20.
Joe Hendry in WWE NXT
Hendry debuted last month in WWE NXT as part of a battle royal that also featured fellow TNA wrestler Frankie Kazarian. Despite earning the loudest pop of the night and delivering a pre-match promo, Hendry was the first talent eliminated. A post-match backstage face-to-face with Shawn Michaels suggested that there’d be more for Hendry in NXT and that certainly appears to be the case now.
Hendry is set to make more appearances for WWE NXT, but there are some speculating on whether a full-time move could happen when the time is right. When Brennan asked if WWE would be interested in Hendry after his current TNA deal expires, sources within WWE said “Who wouldn’t?!” Time will tell what’s next for Hendry but expect to see plenty of the Scottish star in both TNA and WWE NXT.
The WWE Universe may see women’s Intercontinental and U.S. titles introduced to the main roster, though an official decision has yet to be made.
Last week, reports circulated that WWE had women’s versions of the Intercontinental and United States Championships in the works. These titles would serve a similar role to their male equivalents and be mid-card titles on Monday Night Raw and SmackDown.
While Fightful Select could not confirm that these titles are in the works, they have been discussed within WWE. The initial report included images of championships (as seen in the image for this article,) though these are examples AI art and not real championship belts. Talent who spoke to Fightful said they’ve not heard news of any upcoming mid-card championships, but it is something that a number of talent have pushed for over several years.
The Case for Women’s Mid-Card Championships
WWE introduced its first Women’s mid-card championship at WWE NXT Battleground when Kelani Jordan won the NXT Women’s North American Title. Since her six-woman ladder match victory, Jordan has retained against Michin, Izzi Dame, and most recently Sol Ruca.
Stephanie Vaquer may have come up short at AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door, but the future looks bright for the now-former NJPW Strong Women’s Champion.
At the June 30, event, Vaquer lost the gold to Mercedes Mone who put her AEW TBS Championship on the line in the match. This title win was a long time coming for Mone, as the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship had been created in 2023 with the CEO in mind. Vaquer had held the title since March after upsetting Giulia, who is expected to join WWE NXT very soon.
Interest In Stephanie Vaquer
Despite the loss, Vaquer’s performance at Forbidden Door has sparked a ton of interest in the Chilean wrestler. Mexican news outlet Recordnotes that Vaquer is set to leave CMLL, where she has competed since 2019. Vaquer is a former CMLL World Women’s Tag Team Champion and is currently in her first reign as CMLL World Women’s Champion.
After Forbidden Door WWE and AEW executives approached Stephanie Vaquer to let her know they were interested in hiring her. Record says that Vaquer will make a decision “in the next few days” as to which company she plans on joining on a multi-year deal.
It’s hardly a surprise that Vaquer’s efforts have caught the attention of both AEW and WWE. Following Forbidden Door, PW Insider noted that there had been praise backstage for the match, with special praise on Vaquer. Despite being less known to the New York City crowd than Mone, Vaquer was able to win over the fans at Forbidden Door in a testament to her skills.
What’s to Come?
Should Vaquer choose AEW, odds are a rematch with Mone won’t be in her immediate future, despite making it clear she wants said match after Forbidden Door. The AEW/NJPW crossover event also saw Britt Baker make her long-awaited return to TV and confronted Mone. On the most recent Dynamite, the two continued to tease a feud that’ll ultimately see Baker challenge for the gold.
The WWE NXT Great American Bash will return this August though the popular event will take place on SyFy instead of the gold brand’s usual home on the USA Network.
During WWE NXT Heatwave, it was confirmed that the show will take place on August 6. Unlike previous years, the show will not take place on USA, which will instead be covering the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France.
The Great American Bash’s history dates back to 1985 with the first six annual events being held under the NWA banner. After WCW split from the NWA in 1991, the show became a WCW exclusive and would remain so until the promotion’s demise in 2000. The show was revived by WWE in 2004 and has been used as an NXT-brand event since 2020. Last year’s event was opened by Cody Rhodes, which was fitting given that it was his father Dusty who headlined the very first Great American Bash in a war for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
WWE’s WCW Terms
The announcement of the NXT Great American Bash 2024 comes at an interesting time as there’s been plenty of talk about WWE reviving other WCW events. Recently, the company filed trademarks for SuperBrawl and New Blood Rising, both of which were once terms for WCW pay-per-views. WWE also filed to trademark ‘The Match Beyond’ a term used in WCW to describe the portion of a WarGames match where all participants have entered the cage.
WWE already used several WCW terms for its programming, including the Night Of Champions pay-per-view coming from the name of the final episode of WCW Monday Nitro. WWE has also used Starrcade in the past with that term coming from WCW’s biggest annual event. Each October, WWE NXT hosts an annual Halloween Havoc show which like the WCW show of the same name, has a spooky theme.
Ethan Page is riding high after capturing the WWE NXT Championship mere weeks into his debut as part of the gold brand.
At WWE NXT Heatwave, Page captured the title in a fatal four-way that included former champion Trick Williams, Je’Von Evans, and fellow AEW alum Shawn Spears. This win comes just 40 days after Page made his debut in WWE NXT, where he attacked Williams and made his goal to become NXT Champion crystal clear.
Page was understandably pleased with his title win, especially considering what many feel was an underwhelming run in All Elite Wrestling and Ring of Honor. In his first post-match comments, Page spoke of how sure he was that the NXT Title would be his.
“Most people would say it feels amazing, it feels great. But to be honest with you, I mean, I knew this was gonna happen. [Laughs] Six weeks. I walked in the first night, and I attacked who? Oh, that’s right, this bum’s name is still in this belt, and as soon I’m done with this interview, I’m gonna be getting these things changed.”
Page won the title in unusual fashion, as he fell onto Je’Von Evans to get the pinfall. While many would argue this was a lucky break for the Canadian, Page would disagree.
“You’re gonna say I got lucky? I earned everything I have in the last 17 years of my career. Tonight is no different… I’m going to be a fighting champion. I’m going to be the man in NXT, but not to prove it to you, people doubting me, saying things like, ‘Oh, you got lucky.’ No, ‘All Ego’ was born to be champion. Now, I finally have the hardware to prove it.”
What’s to Come?
Page has rapidly reached the top of WWE NXT, but his next challenger may come from outside of the promotion. In the final second of NXT Heatwave, TNA Wrestling’s Joe Hendry was shown. The Scottish wrestler has proven immensely popular and this tease has left many believing that Hendry will have a role in NXT going forward.
Hendry appeared during a May 2024 battle royal for a shot at the NXT title, and both WWE NXT and TNA Wrestling were pleased with his performance on the night. Could the ‘prohibited portal’ see an AEW alum and a TNA star fight for WWE NXT’s richest prize? Only time will tell but right now, the gold brand is all about All-Ego Ethan Page.
Former AEW Women’s Champion Riho has confirmed her injury.
The female star took on Instagram to announce the news. She posted a photo with a sling, and noted that she has fractured her arm.
A number of AEW stars have since replied to the post and people such as the TBS Champion Mercedes Mone, Willow Nightingale and Madison Ryan have wished a speedy recovery to their co-worker:
Riho had only returned to the ring during the July 6 episode of AEW Collision where she defeated Lady Frost. Here’s the spot where she’s believed to have sustained the injury:
The 27-year-old had been out of action for four months before that. Her last match before the Collision debut had taken place at the March 13 episode of Dynamite where she suffered a defeat at the hands of Willow Nightingale.
Riho In AEW
Riho has been a part of the AEW roster since their first show in Double or Nothing 2019. She competed in a six-women tag team match at the event.
Things have not gone Riho’s way since the COVID-19 pandemic. She has had to take multiple long breaks due to travel restrictions as well as injuries and has not held any titles in AEW since then.
One wrestling fan’s efforts to propose to his beloved proved to be in vain after the potential bride decided to turn the proposal into an impromptu wrestling match.
On Twitter, user Lord A Drean, who describes himself as the “HOTTEST INDI WRESTLER RAPPER RIGHT NOW” shared his planned proposal. After popping the question in a mall, Drean’s partner Malicious China popped him with a Canadian Destroyer and an RKO. The pair were joined by a referee. A big boot would seal Drean’s fate and the referee would count the pinfall, leaving it uncertain if the couple actually got engaged.
HOW DID MY MARRIAGE PROPOSAL TURN INTO A WRESTLING MATCH IM NEVER GETTING MARRIED BRO ???????? pic.twitter.com/SH01tyQU2h
Engagement or not, this attempted proposal has gone viral online. At the time of writing, the video has been viewed over 5.6 million times on Twitter and has reached 90,000 likes, in addition to 8,600 retweets and 13,000 bookmarks.
When Wrestling Goes Viral
This couple’s wrestling moves may have gone viral, but it’s hardly the first time something like this has happened. In April of this year, a gender-reveal match went viral that included Tables, Ladders, Chairs, and a nod to WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker. That same month, a video went viral showing playground wrestling in New York City which received the seal of approval from AEW talent.
In March, a WWE fan arrived at his own wedding with a Bloodline-inspired entrance, in which they served as the Roman Reigns of the group. Reigns would even react on Twitter to say that the union had been “acknowledged.” During a wedding a few years ago, the bride arrived to Becky Lynch’s music and set the tone for the ceremony with some kendo stick shots.
You can never be certain what will go viral in wrestling, but Drean and Malicious China certainly did that this week. It remains to be seen if the couple ever tie the knot, but if so, Drean should keep an eye out for an RKO (outta nowhere of course!) on their wedding day.
Ethan Page has won the NXT Championship and you wouldn’t believe what happened afterward. WWE’s development brand presented the Heatwave special from the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada this Sunday. This was WWE’s third consecutive night at the venue, following WWE SmackDown and WWE Money in the Bank.
The show was filled with many hard-hitting bouts which have become a signature of the brand under Shawn Michaels. Wrestling fans were buzzing on social media over the high spots in the tag title match between Axiom & Nathan Frazer.
However, it was the fatal four-way main event for the NXT Championship that stole the conversation. Trick Williams was defending his title against Ethan Page, Shawn Spears, and Je’Von Evans. The bout delivered everything you’d expect from an NXT main event with Evans proving to be the MVP of the match with many notable bumps.
The ending of the fight saw Page taking his frustration out on Evans for disrupting a pin attempt. Spears pulled Evans down, however, right when Page was about to hit the Ego’s Edge. Trick Williams then joined the action and took out both Shawn Spears and Je’Von Evans with a Trick Shot. He delivered one more to Page. This caused the former AEW star to fall on Evans who was lying in the ring. The referee started counting and he completed the three count before Williams could break the fall. Just like that, the landscape of NXT has been altered dramatically.
Ethan Page Recreates Classic WWE Ending
The finish reminded people of a classic WWE match from Backlash 2007. Notably, the WWE Championship match featuring John Cena, Shawn Michaels, Randy Orton and Edge ended in a similar fashion. Cena had unintentionally pinned Orton to retain the title back then, when he fell on the Viper after taking a Sweet Chin Music from HBK.
Backstage after his big win, Ethan Page clarified that his success has nothing to do with luck. He doesn’t even consider himself a lucky man – he’s just that good.
John Cena and Money In The Bank were indeed the pro wrestling talk of the weekend, but they weren’t exactly the talk of the weekend, at least on social media.
Money In The Bank took place Saturday night, but so did other newsworthy events that it wasn’t a top 15 trending topic for Google in the United States.
John Cena was the only WWE-related topic to surpass over 100,000 searches as Cena made an appearance at the PLE to announce that his final match would take place in 2025. Although he placed sixth, Cena was “knocked out” of trending searches in part by the Jorge Masdival vs. Nick Diaz boxing fight. Diaz ended up getting the W against his longtime UFC rival in a bout of pugilism.
Despite not taking the world by storm Cena should remain a newsworthy topic on social media for days to come considering how impactful Cena’s announcement was. However, the other ongoings at Money In The Bank will likely settle down as the days pass, especially with WWE RAW picking up on Monday.
Other trending topics for July 6 was the unfortunate passing of NFL star Khyree Jackson, England vs. Switzerland in the Euro 2024 semi-finals.
Not only were there other sports topics to contend with, but American wrestling fans had plenty to stay occupied away from their screens as it was Independence Day weekend for the United States of America.
Cena was an unexpected presence at Money In The Bank making his major announcement after being introduced by Trish Stratus. Cena was early to hint at his intentions as he came out with a rally towel stating that “The Last Time Is Now.”
WWE Hall Of Famer Donald Trump is getting some Presidential Campaign help from a familiar face in Linda McMahon.
According to a new article from Forbes that names the top biggest billionaire donors to Trump’s campaign, Linda McMahon is ranked in second place and the numbers are quite astonishing.
In total, Linda McMahon has shelled over $11.1 million to aid Trump in his rematch for Presidential superiority against Joe Biden. Over the course of Trump’s first run as Commander-In-Chief, Linda McMahon was apart of Donald’s cabinet serving as the head of the Small Business Administration. Linda later took the helm to co-chair the primary Trump Super-PAC in his 2020 foray against Biden.
While Donald Trump is aiming to hit the Oval Office once again at the end of 2024, Linda McMahon still remains in the fold by steering the America First Policy Institute, a non-profit that’s associated with Trump. She also is on the Trump Media and Technology group.
A little under two weeks ago, Trump debated against Biden in what was a very polarizing event, but it did take place at a historic wrestling location in Atlanta.
Along with getting inducted into the 2013 WWE Hall Of Fame, Donald Trump has lengthy ties with the McMahon family. Trump played host to WrestleMania IV in Atlantic City. He was notoriously in the corner for Bobby Lashley during WrestleMania 21 as Lashley defeated Umaga, allowing Trump to shave the head of Vince McMahon. We happened to just surpass the 15th anniversary of when Trump “bought” WWE RAW from Vince.
Drew McIntyre has been ‘indefinitely suspended’ from WWE competition due to his highly unprofessional conduct at Saturday’s Money in the Bank premium live event.
The night started strong for McIntyre as the Scottish Warrior captured the Men’s Money in the Bank briefcase. Drew had previously vowed to cash in on the night and true to his word, entered the World Heavyweight Championship match later in the show. CM Punk would once again prove to be a thorn in McIntyre’s side and would for the third time this year, cost the Scottish Warrior the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
Pearce released a breaking news video on Sunday to address the fallout from McIntyre’s conduct, which he called the ‘elephant in the room.’ He announced McIntyre has been indefinitely suspended. He’s also levied financial penalties on Punk and McIntyre (amounts undisclosed).
GM Pearce will address the matter in further detail this coming Monday when WWE Raw takes place from Ottawa, the capital city of Canada.
With McIntyre banished from programming, questions have been raised as to what’s next in his war with CM Punk. The Best in the World has not been advertised for the upcoming episode of Raw. Some have predicted that Punk Vs. McIntyre will at long last take place at SummerSlam 2024 but with McIntyre suspended, that remains to be seen mere weeks ahead of the show.
The WWE Universe is still reeling from the excitement and controversy surrounding WWE Money in the Bank 2024. MITB has become a top 5 Premium Live Event in WWE’s calendar year, as it usually comprises noteworthy matches with significant implications for the rest of the year. This is especially true for the event’s namesake matches.
The sold-out crowd in Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena witnessed moments that will go down in history. While the show was mostly enjoyable for fans, this year’s event may have raised more questions than answers. With this in mind, let’s dive into this author’s 5 Takeaways from Money In The Bank 2024.
5) Making Tiffany Stratton Mrs. Money In The BankWas An Excellent Decision
Tiffany Stratton has been a standout in the women’s division since she was called up this past February, with the WWE Universe having high expectations for the 25-year-old following a strong 3-year stint in NXT.
The former NXT Women’s Champion has shown strong in-ring skills and is a compelling presence on the microphone. Now, Stratton is poised to take the next big step in her WWE career, especially now that she’s armed with a MITB briefcase. One that she’s promised to make pink!
Despite a slow and clunky start, the Women’s Money In The Bank match proved, by many accounts, to be the match of the evening. Each of the six women involved had moments to shine and put on potentially the best Women’s MITB match to date. One of the match’s biggest stars was its eventual winner, Tiffany Stratton, who showcased her athleticism, craftiness, and opportunistic flair during the bout.
— Tiffany Stratton (@tiffstrattonwwe) July 7, 2024
Stratton is undoubtedly the best choice to win the briefcase. Both in terms of character and ability, Stratton is an ideal Money In The Bank holder.
WWE ultimately decided against going with the safest pick, such as former 2x women’s champion Naomi, or going to an unsuspecting dark horse in Chelsea Green. Instead, the brass used the women’s briefcase to elevate a young and rising star, who truly hasn’t even reached their peak yet.
4) Bron Breakker Lost Clean To Sami Zayn
Bron Breakker could not ask any more of WWE when it comes to their presentation of the recent NXT call up over the last month. Fans have witnessed Breakker become WWE’s modern-day Goldberg, decimating his opposition with a mixture of raw power and inhuman speed inside and outside the ring.
On the June 17th edition of Monday Night RAW, Breakker made his presence known to Sami Zayn, making it clear that Zayn’s Intercontinental Championship was in his crosshairs and he wasn’t planning on missing his mark. While Zayn proved he could outsmart Breaker on the final RAW before the PLE, much of the WWE Universe was convinced that the second-generation star would brutalize The Liberator and walk out of Money In The Bank with his first taste of main roster gold.
Instead, fans were surprised that WWE opted to have Zayn come out as the victor in a fairly standard title defense for the seasoned veteran. Zayn’s strongest character attribute is being “the underdog” in nearly every match he’s in, yet somehow finding a way to “survive”. However, this time, the bout would end after Zayn hit one Halueva Kick and without Zayn being forced to kick out of one of Bron Breakker’s infamously ferocious spears.
This decision leaves some fans scratching their heads, shocked that WWE would have Breakker lose so decisively. Especially as he’s being painted as a completely unstoppable monster, one that even RAW General Manager Adam Pearce has trouble controlling. On the other hand, having an up-and-coming star lose to the reigning Intercontinental Champion, especially one that defeated the likes of Gunther at WrestleMania, isn’t so outrageous.
However, WWE could have had Sami Zayn win in another fashion, which would have ensured he walked out as champion and protected Breakker a bit more. For example, Zayn could successfully execute a quick roll-up to win; the story would be that Zayn used both Breakker’s momentum and impatience against him.
The question now becomes where does Breakker go from here. Successfully “tamed ” by Zaym, Breakker’s aura has taken a bit of a hit. WWE should be very careful about their next moves with Bron Breakker, as the company cannot afford for the former NXT Champion to be nothing more than a flash in the pan.
3) Fans Not Happy WWE Burned the Men’s MITB Contract Within Hours
Drew McIntyre walked into Money In the Bank with two goals: win Money In The Bank and walk out as World Heavyweight Champion. Welp, in the words of Bon Jovi, he was “halfway there”.
The Scottish Psychopath made his intentions clear in the weeks leading up to Money In The Bank on WWE TV, and he did all he could to put his arch-rival CM Punk out of commission and out of sight so he could focus solely on winning his first ever Money In The Bank contract. However, McIntyre’s efforts would ultimately be in vain.
McIntyre’s MITB’s eventual cash-in two matches later would be thwarted by The Second City Saint, with the Archer of Infamy retaining his championship and leadership status with The Judgement Day. Punk’s action not only cost McIntyre dearly but also his old rival Seth Rollins, as The Visionary can now no longer fight for the World Championship until Priest loses it.
McIntyre’s desire for quick results by cashing in MITB the same night he won it was not unprecedented. His decision to do this marked the sixth time in WWE history that a same-night cash-in occurred, following in the footsteps of names such as Kane, Dean Ambrose, and Alexa Bliss. Ironically, it was also the sixth time in WWE history that the briefcase holder could not secure a win.
However, McIntyre now holds his unique statistic in WWE history: the only superstar to win the MITB and lose their cash-in on the same night. A factoid that The Scottish Psychopath would most likely prefer not to be mentioned at his future WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
McIntyre’s decision to win and lose MITB was undoubtedly the most controversial and universally panned decision by WWE at Money In The Bank. While most within the WWE Universe were happy to see McIntyre get a meaningful win, everyone could see the writing on the wall and knew that McIntyre’s time as Mr. Money In The Bank was going to be short-lived. While it’s understandable why WWE Creative went in that direction of Punk costing McIntyre yet again, did McIntyre need to win the case for that to happen? This author would argue no.
At the risk of sounding overly dramatic, WWE’s use of the MITB briefcase as a plot device for McIntyre and Punk’s ongoing feud cheapened the entire match. WWE could have had Punk cost McIntyre during the Men’s MITB match and would have had the same effect, while also giving the briefcase to someone else who could eventually benefit from winning it.
The WWE Universe seemed to echo these sentiments throughout the rest of the Money In the Bank PLE, with fans on social media noting that the clunky failed cash-in felt rushed, predictable, and a waste of time.
Effectively, WWE has made Drew McIntyre the most reasonable heel in the company. While McIntyre injured CM Punk, and trolling him about it for months on end was just pure villainy, Punk has now cost McIntyre the World Championship in various ways on countless occasions. One could argue that Punk’s gone well beyond the scope of vengeance and is now becoming more of the heel than McIntyre. When two men finally meet inside the squared circle, some predicting as soon as SummerSlam, it may be hard for WWE to justify having Punk win.
2) WWE Firmly Establishes Solo Sikoa as the Tribal Chief and Jacob Fatu as a dangerous force
One of WWE’s biggest objectives at Money In The Bank 2024 was to establish Solo Sikoa as the biggest threat to Cody Rhodes’ championship reign, and they accomplished that in spades.
In the last few weeks, Sikoa’s tenure as self-proclaimed Tribal Chief in the absence of Roman Reigns has taken a distinct turn. The young star was adamant about asserting his claim to the Bloodline throne, making it clear that he wasn’t just a temporary placeholder but the rightful heir. Things escalated even further in the past two weeks, as Solo both excommunicated The Wise Man Paul Heyman and directly called out his cousin Reigns.
This new and potentially more ruthless version of The Bloodline would face its biggest test at Money In The Bank, as it took on Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and his allies Randy Orton and Kevin Owens.
The bout went just about exactly the way one would expect, with Rhodes’ crew constantly having to account for The Bloodline’s number advantage and propensity to take out WWE officials. In the end, the intense bout would come to a shocking end, with Solo Sikoa taking out and pinning The American Nightmare to secure his team’s win. This marks Rhodes’ first pinfall loss since winning the championship at WrestleMania 40.
The image of Sikoa standing tall above a battered Rhodes will certainly etched into the minds of the WWE Universe leading into SummerSlam, with many asking if Cody Rhodes has once again found himself in front of a Samoan brick wall.
Some viewers, including this author, noticed the resemblance of WWE’s booking of MITB 2024 to the previous year. At last year’s event in London, England, the WWE Universe saw its first glimpse of a Bloodline implosion as Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa, and The Usos competed in a Bloodline Civil War tag team match. When the final bell rang, Jey Uso was pinning Roman Reigns (Regins’ first pinfall loss since 2019), setting up the two for Tribal Combat at SummerSlam that year.
WWE has taken a similar approach with Cody Rhodes and Solo Sikoa, employing a tag team match at Money In The Bank to solidify Sikoa as a legitimate challenger to the champion. While some may perceive this as an unoriginal booking, it could be argued that utilizing a proven formula isn’t necessarily a negative strategy.
Solo Sikoa’s Bloodline is strong and has tangible success to point to, as it’s certainly shaken the snide comments of “Bloodline Light.”
1) John Cena’s (Last) Time is Now
If you missed Money In The Bank and this is the first time you’re learning that the 16-time World Champion is set to retire from WWE from article, we apologize, but it’s sadly true. One of the greatest WWE Superstars of all time is finally ready to call it a career, as Cena detailed to the WWE Universe how and when his final run will take place.
When news of John Cena’s presence in Toronto ahead of Money In The Bank spread online, many assumed that the Leader of the CeNation would find himself in the main event of the show, teaming with Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, and Kevin Owens to help try and even the odds against The Bloodline—a group led by the man who sent Cena packing Crown Jewel last November.
However, WWE fans were shocked to see Cena randomly introduced by the event’s host, Trish Stratus, wearing new ring gear and a new version of his iconic “Never Give Up” towel. Only this time, the phrasing was just a bit different, and by a bit, we mean a LOT different. The revamped towel read “The Last Time Is Now,” and his shirt included the phrases “farewell tour” and “after this, you can’t see me.”
To call the moment shocking would be not just the understatement of the year, but of the century. While Cena has been hinting that his time as an active competitor inside the ring was coming close to an end, no one predicted that his retirement announcement would come in this fashion.
Possibly the most unsurprising element of John Cena’s announcement is how meticulously and methodically planned out his final run seems to be. Short of listing out dates, events, and planned opponents, Cena gave fans a clear road map for what he plans to do for the final stint of his WWE in-ring career.
Cena revealed that he plans to work 30 to 40 dates in 2025 from January through December, starting with the first edition of Monday Night RAW on Netflix. Furthermore, he announced that WrestleMania 41 would be his final WrestleMania appearance as an active competitor. However, it clearly distinguished between his final WrestleMania match and his final match. Making a point to firmly state that these two moments are mutually exclusive.
John Cena goes in-depth about what 2025 will look like for the Greatest of All Time in WWE. pic.twitter.com/dAEnEYyAEP
He would detail even more of his plans for his farewell tour in a lengthy post-event Press Conference, fielding an endless wave of questions regarding dream opponents, aspirations, and specific goals for 2025.
While he hasn’t been a main stay in WWE for sometime, the wrestling world will certainly feel like a different place after John Cena calls it a career for good. Cena has already stated that once he retires he would never be physical inside a WWE ring again, noting that the only time fans will see him is when he’s wearing a suit.
Simply put, there are no words to accurately describe John Cena’s impact on the professional wrestling industry over the past two decades. From cutting down his enemies with nothing more than clever rhymes to being one of the top Make-A-Wish granters in history, John Cena’s name will be carved in stone as one of the greatest to ever step between the ropes. While the WWE Universe’s feelings toward Cena were tumultuous at times, fans always respected the Massachusetts native’s work ethic and love of the game. John Cena’s remarkable journey from rookie to role model has left an unforgettable mark on wrestling history, one that will never be duplicated and one that solidifies him at the top of the list of all-time greats.
Only time will tell what comes next for John Cena. However, as the 47-year-old said during the Money In The Bank Press Conference, “the roster is loaded,” and there is a never-ending list of people Cena would like to face off before he rides out into the sunset.
CM Punk has teased one more match with John Cena before his retirement,
One of the biggest surprises of the Money In The Bank 2024 PPV was the unannounced appearance of John Cena. The Cenation Leader cut a promo during the show and announced that WrestleMania 41 will be his last.
The Straight Edge star who was part of the post-show press conference was asked about the big announcement from his arch-rival. Punk revealed what he told the Peacemaker star when they ran into each other backstage after the segment:
“I know he is busy, he’s filming Peacemaker. So I figured he was leaving right away. I was pleasantly surprised to run into him afterwards, and I told him, I’ll be the guy that drags him out of retirement.
This retirement that he says he’s going to adhere to, and that’s it. When the final one happens, that’s going to be it. Like 15 years, I’ll drag him out of retirement.”
One More Time: CM Punk
CM Punk discussed what John Cena means to his career and said that he feels proud at being an integral part of Cena’s run. He then teased one final showdown with the 16-time world champion before he calls it a career:
“But Cena, I think to my career means a lot. I don’t think there’s many people up in that rare air where if you talk about my career, I feel you have to talk about John. And makes me feel proud that I think if you talk about John’s career, I think you have to talk about me. We’re married in that respect, so proud of him.
He gets to go out on his terms. I know that’s important. I’m looking forward to what he does. And I told him that if it’s going to be one more time, we gotta do it at least one more time.”
John Cena was also part of the press conference where he provided some more details on his retirement tour. You can check out what he said here.
A former brand ambassador for Hulk Hogan’s new alcoholic beverage line has claimed the wrestling legend fired her after learning she is a black woman.
On TikTok, Essence Jenai made the accusation against the two-time WWE Hall of Famer. In her video, Jenai shared a series of images with Hogan, proving that the two were working together. Jenai also shared images of stacks of Hogan’s new ‘Real American Beer’ beverage.
Hogan has not commented publicly on the accusation against him. Similarly, WWE has not made a public statement on the accusation. The Hulkster’s most recent appearance for WWE came during an episode of Raw earlier this year that celebrated 40 years of Hulkamania.
Real American Beer has given a statement refuting this claim. Click here for more.
Hulk Hogan’s Controversy
In 2015, Hogan was fired from WWE after racist remarks made in 2007 were shared online. In that video, Hogan disapproved of the idea of his daughter Brooke dating a black man and used the N-word during his rant. Hogan added that he is “a racist, to a point.” In addition to being fired from WWE, Hogan was removed from the promotion’s Hall of Fame and gave an apology to People Magazine:
“Eight years ago I used offensive language during a conversation. It was unacceptable for me to have used that offensive language; there is no excuse for it; and I apologize for having done it.”
Hogan’s comments were widely condemned though he did receive some support in the wrestling community. Virgil, Dennis Rodman, and Kamala, all of whom Hogan had worked with at some point or another, gave individual statements suggesting Hogan was not a racist and did not mean harm with his comments.
Hogan was reinstated into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018 and made an appearance at the Extreme Rules kick-off event that same year. Hogan would return in a more prominent role to lead a team of Superstars against Ric Flair’s team at that year’s Crown Jewel event. Hogan has been used sporadically since then and often received mixed responses from crowds, including as the co-host of WrestleMania 37 (alongside Titus O’Neil) in 2021.
Cena’s announcement understandably had the wrestling world abuzz with many taking to social media to share their reactions. On Twitter, Baron Corbin made his claim to face Cena in what will be John’s final match.
‘Filthy’ Tom Lawlor reacted to Cena’s retirement by using the same verbiage that John used to announce the death of Osama Bin Laden after WWE Extreme Rules 2011.
John Cena’s career compromised to a permanent end.
— “Filthy” Tom Lawlor (@FilthyTomLawlor) July 7, 2024
Tiffany Stratton is ready to get in the ring with the GOAT Trish Stratus.
The Money In The Bank 2024 came live from the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada. Hometown star Trish Stratus was announced to host the show. She made multiple appearances during the event. This included one where she introduced John Cena before he made a big career announcement.
A more exciting appearance for the fans of the wrestling legend came later in the show. Stratus was being interviewed backstage but was interrupted by Tiffany Stratton.
The young star asked ‘Trishy’ why she wasn’t talking about her and Trish Stratus in turn told the 2024 Women’s Money In The Bank winner to not get ahead of herself.
Tiffany Stratton Is Ready For The GOAT
In the post-show press conference, Tiffany Stratton was asked about potentially facing Stratus in a match. The 25-year-old claimed that she is ready to get in the ring with her idol:
“Listen, those are two different generations. Trish, Trishy, Trishy Time, she is one of my idols in professional wrestling, and I am ready to get in the ring with the GOAT,”
These developments suggest that WWE is at least planning a future confrontation between the two female stars. It won’t be a surprise if they end up sharing the ring at the upcoming SummerSlam PPV from Cleveland, Ohio on August 4.
You can check out the full Money In The Bank post-show below:
Marko Stunt made a surprise return to All Elite Wrestling this week as the unlikely challenger to AEW TNT Champion Jack Perry.
On the July 6, edition of AEW Collision, Perry put his title on the line in an open challenge. The Elite member certainly didn’t expect his challenge to be answered by Stunt, who previously teamed with Perry (who competed as Jungle Boy) and Killswitch (then known as Luchasaurus) in Jurassic Express.
Former best friend & Jurassic Express team mate MARKO STUNT has answered the challenge!
Despite the loud reaction, Stunt was unable to dethrone Perry, who captured the TNT Championship at the recent AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door event. In a backstage interview later in the show, Stunt’s segment was interrupted by former ally Killswitch.
This match was Stunt’s first bout for AEW since September 2021. He would later be released from the company in June 2022. It remains to be seen if he’ll appear again in AEW but the interactions between himself, Perry, and Killswitch make clear that the past has not been forgotten.
Marko Stunt in All Elite Wrestling
Stunt made his AEW debut as part of a battle royal during the promotion’s inaugural pay-per-view, AEW Double or Nothing, back in May 2019. It wouldn’t be until December of that year that Stunt first tasted victory in an AEW ring when he and Luchasaurus defeated The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds and John Silver) on AEW Dark. Throughout his AEW run, Stunt competed in 49 matches and boasts a somewhat unfortunate 17-32 win/loss record
WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque has lavished praise on John Cena as the WWE Icon-turned-Hollywood A-Lister prepares for his life after the ring.
The 16-time WWE World Champion made a surprise appearance at Money In The Bank 2024 with some sobering news. In front of the rabid Toronto crowd, John confirmed that he will retire from competition in 2025 and his final match will take place at WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
At the WWE Money in the Bank post-show, Levesque was asked for his thoughts on Cena’s impending retirement from the ring. Levesque, who retired due to health issues in 2022, had nothing but good words for his friend and former rival.
“A lot of people talk about legends and icons and [there’s] so much speculation about who would be on wrestling’s Mt. Rushmore. I don’t care what metric you use, John is on the top of all of them. He’s had an unbelievable career.”
After speaking about Cena being able to call his ‘shot’ given his immense success, Levesque concluded with his personal views on the 16-time WWE World Champion.
“For me personally, I want to say thank you to John for everything he’s done. Everything he’s done for WWE, for all of the Superstars here, and for what he’s done just for sports entertainment and pro wrestling, for all of it in general. Against his will, a while ago he was being called the greatest of all time. But he truly is, I believe that. So thank you to John.”
Little is currently known about John Cena’s final match, though it obviously won’t be in London, England as he previously suggested. Nevertheless, fans can expect a fitting send-off by WWE to a talent whose name is etched in history as one of the all-time greats.
CM Punk says he would love to see AJ Lee return to WWE but it’s a decision she is going to have to make for herself.
The Straight Edge star took part in the post Money In The Bank 2024 media scrum after costing Drew McIntyre yet another opportunity at becoming a world champion earlier in the night.
During the talk, Punk was asked about the chatter of his wife potentially making a comeback to WWE and if we can hope to see the two of them sharing the ring again. The former world champion claimed that he doesn’t want to give false hope to people:
“I appreciate the question. You would have to ask my wife but she’s not here. She’s taking care of Larry. I don’t want to fall in the trap of saying never say never.
I don’t want to give people false hope. I also will not put words in her mouth and say ‘I think this could happen’ I think this is a brave new world. I don’t think a lot of people thought I was going to show up. It’s really all on her.”
She’s Doing Her Own Thing: CM Punk
CM Punk noted how as a fan of AJ Lee, he would love to see the former Divas Champion back in the ring. Though he also mentioned all the projects she is currently involved in, which makes it hard for the female star to make a comeback:
“She’s busy. I’m super proud of her. She’s doing her own thing. She’s got, I don’t even know if I’m allowed to talk about this stuff. She’s got a production company started up, she’s writing TV, movies, all kinds of stuff.
I laughably, I always say I’m a bad husband because I never know what project she’s talking about. ‘Oh, I have a meeting’ and I’m like, ‘With who? Is it Netflix? Is it Hulu? Is it CBS?’ I don’t know. She’s got so many irons in so many different fires. I will say as a fan of hers, would love to see it.”
Bad Blood is back. WWE Bad Blood 2024 will take place from Atlanta, GA at the StateFarm Arena on Saturday, October 5. This date marks the 27-year anniversary of the inaugural WWE In Your House: Bad Blood PPV (October 1997) and the very first Hell in a Cell match.
WWE Bad Blood 2024 tickets go on sale next Friday, July 19 at Ticketmaster. Presale for Bad Blood tickets will begin Tuesday, July 16. Fans can register now to receive an exclusive presale offer by visiting WWE.com/badblood-2024-presale.
WWE Bad Blood
From 1997 to 2004, WWE hosted three Bad Blood events and each one was headlined by a Hell in a Cell match. The inaugural event also saw the inaugural Hell in Cell match as Shawn Michaels defeated The Undertaker (albeit thanks to the interference of the debuting Kane.) Triple H would best Kevin Nash to retain the World Heavyweight Championship in 2003 and the Game would defeat Michaels in Hell in a Cell one year later.
With Triple H’s close association with Bad Blood, it will be interesting to see how he books the show now that he is in charge of WWE’s creative prospects. Time will tell whether the show sees a Hell in a Cell match, which is also close to the Game’s career. One of Triple H’s first acts as Head of Creative was to scrap the Hell in a Cell PLE, believing that the show had lessened the importance of the stipulation. Currently, no matches have been announced for WWE Bad Blood but fans are excited to see what’s to come.
The frustrations of Drew McIntyre boiled to the surface after WWE Money in the Bank 2024, with Raw General Manager Adam Pearce paying the price.
During the show, McIntyre won the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder match, and true to his word, decided to cash in on the very same night. McIntyre inserted himself in the World Heavyweight Championship match between Damian Priest and Seth Rollins. Unfortunately for the Scottish Warrior, CM Punk was around to ruin his cash in and Priest retained the World Heavyweight Championship.
Drew McIntyre Loses It
This is the third PLE that has seen Punk cost McIntyre the title, following on from WrestleMania 40 in April and last month’s Clash At The Castle: Scotland show in Glasgow. At the WWE Money in the Bank post-show, McIntyre was understandably frustrated by this latest setback. In a fiery outburst, McIntyre could be heard yelling “I know where your family lives” as referees tried to stop him from going further.
When Raw GM Adam Pearce tried to get involved, he earned an elbow from the Scottish Warrior. Wade Barrett tried to be the voice of reason as he understood that McIntyre is “pissed” but said hitting Pearce again would ensure McIntyre’s career would be over and he would never get a shot at CM Punk.
All signs are pointing to a match between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre which many have predicted will take place at SummerSlam 2024. If so, it’ll be Punk’s first match since the 2024 Royal Rumble where he suffered a triceps injury Drew has taken credit for. WWE SummerSlam will take place on August 3, from Cleveland, Ohio.
Kevin Owens cut a short but heartfelt promo after WWE Money In The Bank 2024 from the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada went off air.
KO had revealed during last night’s episode of SmackDown that his mother had been rushed to the hospital earlier this week and she was currently battling serious health issues. He mentioned how his mother would want him to ‘fight like hell’ and that’s what he was going to do at the PPV.
While the team of Owens, Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton didn’t manage to win their match against The Bloodline at the event, Kevin fulfilled his promise and delivered some serious beatdown on his opponents.
After Money In The Bank went off air, Owens acknowledged the ‘Mama Owens’ chants and said that the fans have helped him get through the hardest week of his life:
What Happened At Money In The Bank 2024
Apart from this, the show featured the Money In The Bank matches which were won by Drew McIntyre and Tiffany Stratton respectively.
Though for Drew, the celebration of the win didn’t last long as he tried to cash in the contract the same night but CM Punk once again cost him the bout.
The biggest surprise of the night was an appearance from John Cena who made a huge career announcement on the show. You can check out more about it here.
The wrestling community is often unfairly burdened with having a “bad” reputation, especially when it comes to online discourse over recent years. However, there are plenty of examples of the community rising to the occasion in times of need. The most recent example of the community’s tendency to step up for social good is wrestling legend Kevin Sullivan’s recent GoFundMe campaign.
Kevin Sullivan has been a prominent figure in the professional wrestling industry for many decades, making a notable impact as a wrestler, manager, and backstage producer in nearly every promotion he’s participated in. Unfortunately, the former WCW Tag Team Champion has recently experienced significant health issues. On July 5th, The 74-year-old’s family created a GoFundMe to assist with medical expenses.
“On May 12th, 2024, while in Florida for autograph signings, Kevin suffered a devastating accident. He underwent emergency surgery that saved his leg and life but faced severe complications, including sepsis and encephalitis. This unforeseen catastrophe has placed an immense financial burden on his family, as Kevin has been in and out of consciousness in the ICU, far from home.”
Kevin Sullivan GoFundMe Page
Nicole Sullivan set up the GoFundMe, which states that the funds raised would help cover medical expenses, transportation costs, occupational and physical therapy, and much-needed at-home nursing care.
Once the news of Sullivan’s situation reached the public, fans and those within the professional wrestling industry rushed to support The Taskmaster. At approximately 5 p.m. EST on July 5th, the campaign had only accumulated about $3,000. However, as of this writing, we’re proud to report that the campaign has well exceeded it’s goal, with over 220 supporters raising nearly $25,000 for the ring veteran.
The Taskmaster Kevin Sullivan needs help. Got news today that my friend of over 50 years needs help. If you can help him out, it would be highly appreciated. Read it all on the GoFund me page set up for him. @WSI_YouTubehttps://t.co/kqFdjaGlv1
Some of the biggest contributors to Kevin Sullivan’s GoFundMe came from top names in the wrestling industry. These included Jim Cornette, WWE Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes, AEW’s FTW Champion Chris Jericho, former TNA Executive Scott D’Amore, and WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page.
We at SEScoops encourage all who can to donate to Kevin Sullivan’s GoFundMe campaign, which can be found here:
In one of the most chaotic Women’s Money in the Bank matches in WWE history, rookie Tiffany Stratton emerged victorious and became the 2024 Mrs. Money in the Bank.
Vegas and the WWE Universe strongly favored Stratton in the weeks before the July 6th PLE. The statistics continue to favor Stratton, as the Women’s MITB holders have maintained a 100% success rate in title cash-ins. Will Tiffy Time ultimately equal a world championship? That remains to be seen.
Following her win, WWE COO Triple H congratulated Stratton backstage with this patented “Finger Point Photo.”
As one may expect, the WWE Universe flooded social media to congratulate Tiffany Straton on her big win and to applaud the five other women for their phenomenal effort in the highly competitive about.
Reactions to Tiffany Stratton Winning Money in the Bank
It remains to be seen which women’s champion Tiffany Stratton ultimately goes after or when she might do so. Both WWE Women’s Champion Bayley and WWE World Women’s Champion Liv Morgan will now need to constantly look over their shoulder, as the young and hungry Tiffany Stratton could strike at any moment.
However, this author speculates that Stratton may look to emulate the first women’s Money In The Bank winner, Carmella, and hold onto her (hopefully Pink) briefcase for a while!
John Cena wants to take fans on a ride they won’t forget next year. In a revealing press conference following Saturday’s WWE’s Money in the Bank show from Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, the wrestling icon shared a lot of details about his upcoming retirement tour, marking the end of his illustrious in-ring career.
Cena announced that his final run will span the entire year. “If everything goes to plan, I’ll be wrestling from January to December,” Cena stated.
He also confirmed that this retirement is definitive. “A lot of sports entertainment retirements are dishonest. I’m done. This is it,” Cena asserted, adding, “If you ever wanted to be part of this, now is the time to get on board.”
Remaining Part of the WWE Family
Cena joked that his iconic ring attire – the jorts and colorful t-shirts that have become synonymous with his character – will be retiring alongside him. He also made it clear that post-retirement, he won’t be involved in physical aspects of the shows, ruling out appearances as a guest referee.
However, fans can take solace in knowing that Cena’s association with WWE isn’t ending completely. He expressed his desire to remain part of the WWE family for years to come, albeit in a different capacity. “I’m passionate about wrestling and still yell at the screen while watching. I have wisdom I want to pass along,” he explained.
Ending on a Historic Note
Cena’s retirement tour isn’t born out of necessity due to injury, as is often the case in professional wrestling. Instead, it’s a conscious decision driven by gratitude. “This is not a bad thing. This is a great thing,” Cena emphasized, highlighting his appreciation for the opportunity to bid farewell on his own terms.
As Cena’s legendary career draws to a close, he’s not content to simply ride off into the sunset. Cena expressed interest in pursing a 17th world championship, indicating his final year will be anything but predictable.
