Lisa Motley, vice president of sports and special events for the LVCVA was optimistic about the show’s prospects.
“The dates of the event will occur over Easter weekend, which is a typically slow time for Las Vegas… We anticipate more than 180,000 WrestleMania fans will occupy 144,000 incremental room nights over that time period.”
While Las Vegas has paid a fortune for WrestleMania, they expect to make their money back and then some. And with 180,000 expected for WrestleMania, plus many more for non-WWE events hosted in the city, Las Vegas is right to expect a profit on its massive investment.
The Showcase of the Immortals is coming to Las Vegas.
What to Expect
Fans in Las Vegas will get much more than just WrestleMania. The report adds that the WWE World convention will be returning for WrestleMania 41 week. The first WWE World event this year included panels, exhibitions, stores, meet and greets, and an edition of The Pat McAfee Show.
It is believed that WWE SmackDown and WWE Raw will be run at the MGM Resorts venue. A WWE NXT Premium Live Event is also likely to happen if recent years are any indication.
Drew McIntyre had good reason as to why he decided to put fresh ink to WWE paper. It was revealed last month that McIntyre re-signed with WWE after a WrestleMania season that was full of speculation. During a recent chat with the Daily Mail, the thorn in CM Punk’s side gave his reasoning for sticking around with WWE. At the end of the day,
“Being happy, at this point of my life and career all that matters is I’m happy and I can get time with my family that I’ve not had for 20 years.
“When it comes to creative, I can only control the controllable. As we’ve seen, almost for the past couple of years, there’s been a lot more leeway given to talent, a lot more collaboration. It’s been awesome, as you can see across the board. A lot of people breaking out and an opportunity for myself to show what I can truly do.”
Drew McIntyre
McIntyre has worked for WWE from 2007-2014 and 2017 to present day. The company has undergone dramatic changes during those two runs. The Scottish grappler maintains a flexible and optimistic attitude, which has served him well and contributed to his longevity.
“I know with that, it’s always going to be a case of roll with the punches, peaks and valleys, but there’s more to it than just that. We’ll see what the future holds, I just know that I’m in my prime and Drew McIntyre is not going to stop wrestling.”
Creatively, McIntyre is doing some of the best work of his career. He’s leaning into being a insecure villain who is obsessed with colleagues achieving more success than him. Since Royal Rumble, he’s been embroiled in a bitter rivalry with CM Punk. Despite both men being injured an unable to settle their differences in the ring, McIntyre and Punk remain one of the most entertaining conflicts in all of pro wrestling.
In a surprising change of pace, GUNTHER momentarily broke character during his face-off with Jey Uso after WWE RAW this week. Despite his fierce reputation and focus on winning the King of the Ring tournament, the Imperium leader shared a brief light-hearted moment with Uso before swiftly returning to his serious demeanor and delivering a punishing attack.
GUNTHER, known for his no-nonsense approach, had a remarkable run as Intercontinental Champion with a 666-day reign. Currently, he is focused on winning the King of the Ring tournament, with his next opponent being Jey Uso.
Uce advanced in the tournament by defeating Ilja Dragunov, who was recently called up from NXT. Following WWE RAW this week, GUNTHER and Uso had an opportunity to face off. During their encounter, GUNTHER momentarily broke character, sharing a brief light-hearted moment with Jey.
However, GUNTHER quickly returned to his serious demeanor and proceeded to deliver a punishing attack on the former Bloodline member. The Ring General remains determined as he continues his pursuit of the King of the Ring title.
Gunther breaking character and then getting back into character after RAW went off the air ?? pic.twitter.com/cyoRI1XbI6
After Raw went off the air, Jey Uso attempted to make GUNTHER join in on the “yeet.” Even the referee and ring announcer Samantha Irvin participated in the celebration, and it seemed as if GUNTHER might give in.
However, GUNTHER chose to attack his future opponent instead. Despite this, Jey managed to gain the upper hand with a spear and celebrated with the crowd as GUNTHER retreated.
This week’s NXT saw Tony D’Angelo claim the Heritage Cup from Charlie Dempsey. Despite facing a hefty fine from General Manager Ava for past disruptions, D’Angelo triumphed in the main event, emerging as the new Heritage Cup Champion.
Charlie Dempsey entered NXT this week as the Heritage Cup Champion, but his reign came to an end. Tony D’Angelo defeated him, claiming the trophy for himself. To make matters worse for Dempsey, his No Quarter Catch Crew allies, Damon Kemp and Miles Bourne, were not present to support him.
Earlier in the night, General Manager Ava took a firm stance against Tony D’Angelo and the D’Angelo Family for their disruptive behavior during the previous week’s show. Ava addressed the issue of last week’s episode ending in chaos directly.
Rather than canceling Tony D’Angelo’s Heritage Cup Championship match, Ava imposed a penalty of $20,000. Despite the fine, Tony D’Angelo remained unfazed and even offered to pay it in cash.
After a hard-fought battle in the main event of NXT, Tony D’Angelo walked out with the NXT Heritage Cup. After the match, Tony’s Family joined him in the ring to celebrate.
There are indeed physical crowns at stake for this year’s King & Queen Of The Ring event in Saudi Arabia.
For the past week and a half, WWE Superstars have been clashing in tournament matches to see which four fighters will ultimately compete for the throne and be dubbed the 2024 King and Queen Of The Ring.
Photos have surfaced of what the respective crowns will look like which you can see below. Each one has an ornate appearance and is adorned with the WWE logo
The 2024 Queen Of The Ring crown.The 2024 King Of The Ring crown.
WWE has really made the most of the tournament format on WWE RAW and WWE SmackDown as both the first and second round bouts have been taking place on the programs with several of them also being featured exclusively at WWE live events.
On RAW, GUNTHER advanced to the semi-finals defeating Kofi Kingston and Jey Uso advanced when he defeated Ilja Dragunov. On the women’s side of things, Zoey Stark lost to Lyra Valkyria and Shayna Baszler lost to IYO SKY.
For the SmackDown side of the bracket, the men’s tournament will have Randy Orton will take on Carmelo Hayes while Tama Tonga will battle LA Knight. When it comes to the women, Nia Jax will square off against Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair will go up against Tiffany Stratton.
LA Knight recently made note of how happy he was his opening round match took place at a live event where he defeated Santos Escobar.
Teddy Long started off as a referee, but later became a manager and eventually the most popular SmackDown general manager of all time. During his tenure, he had fellow WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker on his roster and an unofficial catchphrase became Long booking talent in bouts against ‘The Deadman.’
Long revealed on “Insight” with Chris Van Vliet that the bit became so familiar after he recalled a time when Vince McMahon wanted his daughter Stephanie to put more of an emphasis on a star’s name. Long was sure to do that for Taker.
“Vince gave me free reign to say what I wanted to say. But he knew I was gonna say nothing that would get the company in trouble. They’d write stuff. I just add my stuff to it.”
Teddy Long also got “playa” over in WWE and origins of that were even more unexpected.
Long was asked where “playa” came from and instead of it just being a simple term to use, Long made it known “playa” first made its presence by having a dog in the household.
“I had a labrador retriever, his name was Boss. I got him as a puppy but as he got bigger and bigger and started getting in the way. So every time, I’m like ‘Come on Playa. Get out of the way Playa, move.’ I’m just talking to him and one night I went to TV I started using slang, calling people Playa, that’s how I got the Playa started.”
Please credit Insight and h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
Since the departure of Vince McMahon from WWE, and the simultaneous rise of Paul Levesque as the company’s Chief Content Officer, discussions over each man’s differences in the creative process and booking philosophy have been a continuous source of conversation.
The King of King’s nearly 2-year reign as Head of Creative has been met with mostly positive reviews, with critics, fans, and pundits alike citing a more streamlined approach to storytelling, production, and usage of talent.
Current WWE Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn recently sat down for an interview with Daily Mail‘s Alex McCarthy, where he described the staunch differences in how Triple H and Vince McMahon viewed his character. Here’s what he said, as transcribed by WrestleTalk:
“I think Hunter sees me differently from how Vince saw me, especially as a good guy. I think Vince saw me much more as a bad guy, for a number of reasons. He saw my irksome qualities that he thought lent itself to being an irksome character.
This distinction can be seen plainly when you examine Sami Zayn’s booking between WrestleMania 38 and 39. Zayn went from an intolerable heel in a comedic feud with Johnny Knoxville and the entire cast of Jackass, to becoming one of the biggest babyfaces in the company; locked in an intense, emotional, and tangled storyline with The Bloodline and his real-life best friend Kevin Owens.
Furthermore, Zayn spoke on the differences between Triple H and his father-in-law’s philosophy on booking weekly programming. As fans have heard several times before, the former NXT Champion detailed Triple H’s long-term booking strategy, and how that clashed with McMahon’s more haphazard, even at times “chaotic” approach. He would note, however, that there are pros and cons to both.
“Having said that, I think things were a lot more unpredictable because of the nature of Vince’s week to week kind of approach, that sometimes the marble would just fall in the right hole, and now you’re champion, whereas with Hunter, I think it’s much more he has longer-term vision, and if you’re not part of that vision, then the chances of breaking into that vision are much, much slimmer…It’s kind of a double edged sword. He might see me in a way that lends itself more to being in that mix and possibly winning it. But on the other hand, I could have just slipped on a banana peel and won the world title.”
Since Triple H’s take over of the creative process, Sami Zayn has found himself at the center of some of WWE’s biggest storylines and matches. Becoming one of the company’s top babyfaces, proven more so at WrestleMania 40 when he became the first person to pin The Ring General since his call-up from NXT. Winning his fourth International Championship in the process
While Superstars have gone on record to praise the new leadership and overall company direction, some former talent have expressed that changing the guard in WWE had unfortunate consequences.
Take former WWE Superstar Eric Bugenhagen, aka Rick Boogs, as an example. For the better part of 2021 and early 2022, Bugenhagen seemed to be a hot commodity in the eyes of the WWE machine; armed with an impressive physique and strong character.
Unfortunately, Bugenhagen would find himself released by WWE in September of 2023, following a 9-month absence that began due to an injury he sustained at WrestleMania 38.
In the weeks and months that followed, Bugenhagen would express how some in the new regime didn’t quite see what Vince McMahon had seen in him.
While he has never directly implicated Triple H, he stated that his release was due to a “backstagepowerplay“, and noting that before his release, he has only received positive accolades from McMahon and corporate. Bugenhagen went as far as to say that he feels some in the new management had a “grudge” against him.
WWE Superstar Charlotte Flair is set to star in an upcoming independent horror/thriller film in a massive move from the former Women’s Champion.
You Lose You Die follows sociopathic tech expert Mr. Fantastik (Freddy Rodriguez, Six Feet Under), who runs a show on the dark web. Views get to vote on the challengers for prisoners to participate in with a defeat resulting in their grisly demise. Fantasik is aided in these sick broadcasts with the help of Mr. Creep (Anthony Alvarez) and Ms. Perfect (Flair.)
Flair’s upcoming horror/thriller is a huge opportunity for the former WWE Women’s Champion.
This won’t be Flair’s first time working a big production outside WWE. Flair’s film debut came as Heather Rockrear in 2017’s Psych: The Movie, a spin-off of the popular show about a fake psychic investigator. In 2021, she starred as herself in a remake of Punky Brewster alongside fellow WWE Superstar Alexa Bliss.
Flair being involved in the project is a huge score for the second-generation Superstar who has been out of action since December 2023 with a leg injury. In a recent interview, Charlotte’s father Ric said the younger Flair is “so far ahead” in her recovery but will stick with the nine-month recovery window that places her return in the latter half of 2024.
Charlotte Flair won’t be the only WWE name attached to the project. Josh Bredl will appear as Mr. Large, who based on his name also works for Fantasik. Bredl won the 2015 Tough Enough alongside the late Sara Lee and was guaranteed a one-year contract with WWE. After a run at NXT live events under the name Bronson Matthews, he was released in November 2017.
2K continues to roll out updates for WWE 2K24, and the latest 1.08 patch on May 14 introduces a variety of improvements and new features. This update aims to enhance the gaming experience and may entice fans to return to the game to explore the changes.
On May 14, WWE 2K24 launched a new update that brings several enhancements to the game. The general updates include stability improvements and new entrance and victory motions for various Superstars. Audio options have also been expanded, with the Ring Announcer selection now available in Universe match options. In terms of presentation, the timing of Super Finisher Visual Effects has been enhanced, and an issue where the user interface was obscured in ladder matches has been resolved.
They also added light tubes to the new patch update, just in time for the ECW DLC pack, which is available on May 15.
For the Create-A-Arena feature, custom arenas named RAW, SmackDown, or NXT will now appropriately brand the referee. Additionally, the SmackDown movie is now correctly named, and users can add customizations to parts with LED displays; the display will turn off temporarily and reactivate after customization. In the Create-A-Superstar feature, the colorless emboss setting now saves correctly, and logos no longer shrink when editing the first color. These updates aim to improve the overall gameplay experience and address various issues reported by users.
? Patch Notes | May 14
? New Entrance & Victory motions ? Added customizations to CAA, including video billboard and LED Displays ? Ring Announcer selection now available in Universe match options ? Additional stability improvements
Tony D’Angelo & Channing Stacks Lorenzo (non-championship)
AUDIO
Ring Announcer selection now available in Universe match options
PRESENTATION
Enhanced Super Finisher Visual Effects timing
Resolved issue where the user interface was obscured in ladder matches
Improved Blackout payback trigger timing
CREATE-A-ARENA (CAA)
Custom arenas named RAW, SmackDown, or NXT will now brand the referee appropriately
Correctly named SmackDown movie
Fixed issue where the video billboard would lose customizations
Users can now add customizations to parts with LED displays; the display will turn off temporarily and reactivate after customization
CREATE-A-SUPERSTAR (CAS)
Colorless emboss setting now saves correctly
Logos no longer shrink when editing the first color
And Much More to MYFACTION, MYRISE, and Online play.
WWE 2K24 Release & Reception
WWE 2K24 was released on March 8, 2024. The standard edition features Cody Rhodes on the cover, while the special edition, marking the first time female wrestlers have shared the cover, includes Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair. The “40 Years of WrestleMania” special cover originally included Brock Lesnar, but he was later removed.
The game is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Critics have praised the game for its improvements and refinements over previous versions.
WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker isn’t a fan of the idea of being roasted but has some names he’d love to see in the proverbial hot seat.
The recent roast of NFL legend Tom Brady proved to be a huge talking point among sports fans, so it’s hardly a surprise that there’s speculation as to whether the Phenom could find himself on the receiving end of some light-hearted barbs. On his Six Feet Under podcast, the idea was brought up to The Undertaker who was not a fan.
“Will you stop saying that?! [he said in response to his co-host Matt Lida talking about a potential roast.] You know WWE, they monitor this, right?… I’m telling you what, if this somehow miraculously happens, me and you, we’re going to have problems.”
While The Undertaker isn’t interested in being subject to a roast, he did have an idea as to which legends should be roasted.
“There are a lot of guys that come before I did that need to be roasted. Hulk Hogan… [Ric] Flair would be good, but he’s affiliated with the wrong [company.]”
Don’t expect the Phenom to be the subject of a comedy roast.
Lida put forward Tony Hinchcliffe as the Master of Ceremonies for a roast of the Phenom, following on from Lida’s success with the Tom Brady roast. This again was met with resistance from The Undertaker who stated “I don’t know.”
With decades of stories in the wrestling business, a roast of The Undertaker would surely be an entertaining affair. But while the Hall of Famer has left kayfabe behind, the Deadman remains adamant that The Undertaker won’t be subject to a roast anytime soon.
The CW Network had no issue with the infamous ‘cocaine’ spot from NWA Samhain 2023, according to NWA President Billy Corgan.
The controversial spot saw ‘Sinister Minister’ James Mitchell snort a white powder during the October 28 event. While never explicitly stated during the broadcast, many saw this as the (staged) use of cocaine during the broadcast which sparked plenty of negative reactions.
“After the ‘cocaine spot’ where Sinister Minister and his hot minions were snorting sugar off a table in Cleveland, that story took a life of its own… Certainly one of the top people at CW called me and said, ‘What is this all about?’ I said, ‘I don’t know. No one in your world has reached out to me.’ He said, ‘There is no problem over here.'”
Corgan added that rather than be outraged to the point of nixing a deal, The CW found the spot, and the backlash online, to be rather funny. Rather than be on TV, Episodes of NWA Powerrr are now available on The CW app. A new reality show ‘Billy Corgan’s Adventures in Carnyland‘ will also be part of The CW.
The Rock is currently away from WWE, but he vowed to return and face Cody Rhodes. The Rock may be on a hiatus, but he continues to generate buzz from Hollywood to wrestling. The TKO Board Member recently released a new video showcasing his MMA training for the film “The Smashing Machine.”
Dwayne Johnson is training intensely for his next film, “The Smashing Machine.” In this role, he will portray MMA fighter Mark Kerr, requiring him to refine his skills. Johnson is dedicated to preparing for this challenging role. He recently posted a video of his training regimen, showing the effort he is putting in to get in shape for the part. As expected, the post garnered significant attention.
The Final Boss wrote on social media that his MMA training has been the hardest journey he’s ever been on, which is quite a statement considering everything that he’s accomplished.
Every day.
Working hard, learning, respecting and being a student of the game during this training camp.
I’m a hard worker, but this is the hardest journey I’ve ever been on.
Thank you for all your amazing support, it means the world to me.
Fans reacted to The Rock’s post, and many of them were impressed. A fan named Dustin Burham gave Johnson his flowers as he said, “To be doing this at age 52 is insane and awesome.” Another fan commented to say, “Fire on the Rock man.”
Can’t wait to see the movie MMA is definitely tough
One fan named Ramboo said, “Eat Clean and Train Good,” with a heart emoji attached, so fans are very much behind the Brahma Bull.
Japanese mascot Chiitan replied with a video of themselves on a treadmill with a caption reading: “One day, I’ll be able to run at 100 km/h..” Another fan named Calico Jack tweeted back to say, “Wrestling in your undies is wild.”
Dwayne Johnson’s upcoming film,”‘The Smashing Machine’ is a drama based on the story of Mark Kerr, an MMA fighter from the no-holds-barred era of the UFC. At the peak of his career, he faces challenges with addiction, winning, love, and friendship in the year 2000.”
The Rock has wanted to play Kerr for years, and this is a real passion project for him. He is making it happen, and then a return to WWE is always a possibility.
The film starring Dwayne Johnson is set to release in 2025. There is already a 2002 documentary about Kerr’s life called “The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr,” directed by John Hyams.
Set against the backdrop of the squared circle, “The Last Match” seamlessly blends the larger-than-life spectacle of professional wrestling with the electric energy of rock ‘n’ roll and the cinematic storytelling of musical theater – making it a truly one-of-a-kind experience.
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that musical theater isn’t a niche that I generally gravitate toward, but after attending the production’s opening night in Rochester, I emerged with a newfound appreciation for it. Likewise, upon speaking with some non-wrestling fans afterwards, I learned that “The Last Match” opened their eyes to the world of professional wrestling.
Created and directed by Jeremiah James, “The Last Match” follows the story of 30-year veteran Ben Vengeance (played by the singer of 80s tribute band The Reagan Years, Anthony Nuccio), who is preparing to step into the ring for his final match at BTD Wrestling Alliance’s World War V event (set in the year 1989).
Anthony Nuccio as Ben Vengeance in The Last Match
Vengeance’s final match isn’t just a normal retirement match; it’s a title match for the coveted BTD Heavyweight Championship – a title that Vengeance has held a record-setting 12 times. For this occasion, Vengeance is slated to defend his title against the ever-conceited and crude Alexander Swagger (played by British professional wrestler – and in my opinion, the bloody brilliant – Simon Miller), who is looking to position himself as the next top star in BTD.
Fueled by his pure respect and passion for the wrestling business, Vengeance seems inclined to put over (or in layman’s terms – lose to) Swagger on his way out. His girlfriend and fellow professional wrestler, “The Fabulous” Miss Jenny (played by Mikayla Agrella), however, wants to see BTD honor Vengeance’s legacy with a departing title retention.
Ultimately, the outcome of Vengeance’s final match will be decided by The Boss (portrayed by TNA Wrestling commentator Matthew Rehwoldt), who, with his Vince McMahon-inspired strut, reiterates that “nothing in the ring is personal, it’s just business.” With multiple different agendas circulating, the finish to this title match is far from predictable, leading to a rather captivating sequence of events.
Simon Miller (as Alexander Swagger) and Anthony Nuccio (as Ben Vengeance), with McKenzie Mitchell (as Scarlett Sublime) and Jeff Seal (as Jimmy Sutton) on commentary in the background.
Outside of the main event storyline between Vengeance and Swagger, viewers are also introduced to a diverse cast of supporting characters who carry forth terrific talent in in-ring, vocal, narration, and theatrical performance. The Ref (played by Trinity Colvin), specifically, covers all four of those departments with enthralling ease. In addition to her duties as the in-ring official and on-stage singer, Colvin provides valuable narration that not only ties several scenes together, but also effectively explains wrestling jargon for the non-wrestling members of the audience.
Mickie James (as The Mother) and Mikayla Agrella (as Miss Jenny), with Trinity Colvin (as The Ref) preparing to officiate their match.
Another stand-out performance stems from that of former TNA Knockouts Mickie James, who plays the over-the-top character of The Mother. Alongside being a multi-decade veteran in the ring, The Mother is known for being exactly that – a mother (of 15 kids, to be specific). James, of course, fits both of these categories in real life, making her a natural fit for the role of The Mother. (James’ vocal abilities also come to the forefront as The Mother delivers a raspy and highly entertaining singing promo ahead of her match against Miss Jenny).
Professional wrestling fans will be treated to some more familiar faces, as the likes of Bull James (slotted as Sam the Barbarian), Afa Anoa’i Jr. (The Surgeon/Son of Stalin), and McKenzie Mitchell (commentator Scarlett Sublime) unleash their own unique personalities in the show.
Aside from the magnificent cast, I also have to give props to Sylvana Joyce and The Moment, the band of “The Last Match,” whose exhilarating performance greatly complements the 80s-themed production. Jason Huza is credited for the musical’s book and lyrics, while Sylvana Joyce and guitarist C. Robert Smith additionally serve as composers and lyricists.
Trinity Colvin (as The Ref) rocking out with the band’s guitarist C. Robert Smith while a mixed tag team match plays out in the background.
Overall, with its gripping narrative, compelling in-ring action, and soul-stirring music, “The Last Match” engages the audience from the beginning to the end, or in this case, the first bell to the final chord. So whether you’re a wrestling enthusiast, a music aficionado, a theater kid, or simply someone looking for a night of entertainment, “The Last Match” promises to be an absolute must-see. 10/10, would (and will) see it again.
“The Last Match” will continue its tour with a few more dates in Winston-Salem, Columbia, and Atlanta.
For more information about “The Last Match” and how to purchase tickets, click here.
CM Punk is set to make his return from injury in the near future. ‘The Second City Savior’ is currently recuperating from a torn tricep injury that he suffered during the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match. He has shown impressive recovery after going under the knife and stopped using the brace just six weeks following surgery.
Punk He is going the extra mile in rehab and there is a huge possibility that he could be back before the time set for this return. An encouraging update comes from Dave Meltzer, who passed along an update on Punk’s recovery this morning on Wrestling Observer Radio.
SummerSlam may be Clobbering Time
Dave Meltzer says he’s expected to be back in the ring this summer, 7-9 months after the surgery.
“Punk’s not that far from being back most likely. If he had his surgery at the end of January, you’re looking at the end of July, August, maybe September. It’s not that far away anymore. He might make SummerSlam. And if he can make SummerSlam, Punk and Drew for the title, that makes a lot of sense. Even if he can’t, you can do it a month after. Punk will be back fairly soon, it’s not as far away as sometimes you think because of that surgery.”
The report certainly keeps the hopes of Punk working WWE SummerSlam alive. The event takes place on August 3.
The feud between Punk and McIntyre is getting more fierce and uglier. There has been blood between the two veteran wrestlers since Royal Rumble 2024. The Chicago legend suffered the aforementioned injury at the hands of ‘The Scottish Warrior and the latter has been boasting it for months.
Punk managed to get even with his arch-nemesis when he cost Drew McIntyre the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40. Punk launched an attack on ‘The Scottish Warrior’ that helped Damian Priest to cash in his Money In The Bank contract. While CM Punk remains away from in-ring action, he has had verbal exchanges with Drew McIntyre. Their feud continues to boil every week and once Punk is back, fans will certainly see them settle the matter in the ring.
CM Punk made his return to WWE last year in November. Now, he is also returning to WWE 2K24 after an absence of ten long years.
Former NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov is seemingly unlocking his fierce side following his loss against Jey Uso on last night’s Raw. ‘The Mad Dragon’ headlined last night’s edition of Monday Night Raw when he competed against Jey Uso in the quarter-final match in the King of The Ring Tournament. Dragunov, who was recently drafted to the red brand, suffered a defeat and this marks his first loss on the main roster.
Ilja Dragunov already making a mark on WWE’s main roster
Dragunov was visibly frustrated when he spoke to Cathy Kelley in a Raw Exclusive. When he was asked about his defeat at the hands of Jey Uso, Dragunov said that though the loss was frustrating there is no shame that he lost to ‘Main Event’ Jey Uso. He revealed that he was “tired” and in “pain”. However, he finds beauty in it as he becomes an entire monster when he is in pain.
“I mean, what should I say? It’s so frustrating, it is. But where is actually the shame to lose to the man the ‘Main Event’, right? All I know right now, I’m tired, I’m in pain, but the beauty of it is that in already very dangerous in this ring. But when I’m pain, I’m an entire monster.”
When asked about sharing his predictions for the semi-clash clash, he showered praise on both Jey Uso and Gunther. He also quoted WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels and said:
“Predictions? I mean, they’re both like the absolute bar. The only prediction I can make is for myself, and this prediction is, no one is safe anymore. To quote Shawn Michaels, ‘I’m what the kids call a real problem.”
Jey Uso is now all set to face Gunther in the semi-final clash on next week’s edition of Raw.
Ilja Dragunov had a successful run in WWE’s developmental brand, NXT. He became the NXT Champion and defended the title against some of the top stars on the brand. His reign came to an end when he was dethroned by rising superstar, Trick Williams.
During the fourth round on the Night Two of the 2024 WWE Draft, Raw bagged the signing of Ilja Dragunov which was certainly a massive pick. His performance in NXT was pretty impressive and his main roster call-up opens the door for some huge matches in the future.
Vince McMahon has every intention to continue forward in the business world, which may explain his conduct regarding Janel Grant’s lawsuit.
McMahon’s only business-adjacent actions since his WWE exit in January 2024 have seen the 78-year-old unload stock in TKO Group Holdings. More recently, McMahon filed a motion in which he made a series of claims against Grant that she wishes to see struck from the record. McMahon’s legal team have called Grant’s efforts to strike the claims the “height of hypocrisy.”
On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer discussed McMahon’s claims, in which he states that Grant was a willing participant in their relationship.
“They need to rehabilitate his image enough to where he can do business as a businessman because that’s what he wants to do. Whether it’s wrestling, which apparently from what I’m told it’s not wrestling, but he absolutely wants to do this.”
McMahon hopes to still be in business post-lawsuit, but a return to WWE isn’t expected.
If McMahon is able to re-establish himself in the business world post-Grant, it’s not expected to be as part of WWE. Not only has McMahon listed all his TKO stock for sale, but there is said to be nobody left defending him in the company.
It was added that McMahon hopes to avoid being compared to disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein. AEW President Tony Khan recently claimed that WWE was the Weinstein of wrestling while AEW is the Pepsi of the industry.
“He wants to not have this name, he doesn’t want to be Harvey Weinstein. The only way he can do that is to basically make it look like and portray it as this crazy, lying woman. ‘I absolutely had an affair with her, but all that stuff that she said, every single bit of it, is not true.'”
WWE and John Laurinaitis, who are also named as defendants have sided with McMahon in his efforts to compel arbitration. McMahon is being represented in proceedings by Kasowitz Benson Torres. Ironically, the firm recently settled a lawsuit against WWE that saw Major League Wrestling paid $20 million.
Ryan Nemeth has revealed how Bray Wyatt was exceptionally kind to him during the latter’s second run with WWE’s development territory.
The AEW star recently had an interview with the Developmentally Speaking podcast. He talked about things such as his love for storytelling. Ryan revealed that his AEW contract features a clause that allows him to take off whatever time he needs for his outside projects without being punished for it.
Speaking about his time with rival promotion WWE, the Hollywood Hunk detailed his start with the company. He specifically remembered getting invited to a week-long tryout at FCW, after impressing John Laurinaitis:
“I remember how great to me everyone in that roster was. It was like such a welcoming group of people. In particular, someone at the time who went by the name Husky Harris was so great to me. He would go on to change his name to Bray Wyatt. I loved him. He was great.”
Everyone There Was So Great: Ryan Nemeth
Ryan Nemeth then told a story about the talent that would eventually become Bray Wyatt. He recalled how Wyatt was exceptionally kind to him during one of their interactions:
“I remember doing this really really long grueling endurance drill. It’ll be like one man in the middle and everyone else would switch out every two minutes. I was in there for 37 minutes straight maybe at one point.
But he as we’re locking up just goes ‘Just take it slow, breathe, don’t worry, relax.’ I thought ‘Man this is really nice; I am your competition basically and you can be a dick to me if you want.’ Everyone there was so great.”
The AEW star started his wrestling career with a run in OVW back in 2010. After his tryout with the company, he was offered a WWE development contract for FCW in 2011.
The Eater of Worlds returned to the brand around the same time after his Nexus run. He first adopted the character of hockey mask-wearing Axl Mulligan before developing the much-loved Bray Wyatt persona in 2012.
The roster of Soft Ground Wrestling will compete for the promotion’s newly introduced championship title in the latest big step for the Ugandan company.
On Twitter, SGW Uganda shared the new title belt which comes courtesy of championship title makers Royal Belts and Michael L Ledesma. A tournament will crown the first champion though there is no word on who will participate.
Appreciative thanx @royalbelts to Mr. Micheal L Ledesma for the donation made of a brand new sgw championship belt. May God bless you. We happily received it well packaged. Sgw now has a brand new tittle belt that is undergoing a tournament. pic.twitter.com/Q8Hr8LdJZg
— SGW @soft ground wrestling Uganda (@SGWug) May 13, 2024
What is Soft Ground Wrestling?
Soft Ground Wrestling Uganda has become a hit online in recent months after notable names began sharing the promotion on social media. Both AEW’s Will Ospreay and TNA Wrestling’s Jordynne Grace donated to a GoFundMe fundraiser aimed at providing a standard wrestling ring as well as other operating needs.
A recent fundraiser for the company raised over $28,000 to further help with operational costs. Names involved in the charity stream included AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland, TNA X-Division Champion Mustafa Ali, and Tough Enough-winner turned popular wrestling YouTuber Maven Huffman.
Former WWE Superstar Mansoor added that his mother would be personally purchasing a van for SGW Uganda to help the company’s efforts. The incredibly generous offer was made in memory of her father who gifted them a van when Mansoor’s sister was born.
Tammy Sytch’s time in the courtroom isn’t over yet as the disgraced wrestling personality has been called as a witness in a lawsuit regarding the 2022 car crash.
The crash resulted in the death of 75-year-old Julian Lasseter after his vehicle was struck by the vehicle Sytch was driving at the time. Sytch originally entered a not-guilty plea but later changed to no contest, indicating that she did not accept blame but would not fight against a conviction.
Lynch will be back in court soon enough but she won’t be facing trial this time around. This lawsuit has been filed by Jana Olivova, a passenger in another car that was impacted during the incident. Olivvova is seeking in excess of $50,000 in damages and the case is set to go to trial on July 9 in Volusia County, Florida.
Olivova had originally filed a suit against Sytch, Pente, and insurance company Geico but an amended lawsuit filed in July 2023 listed Geico as the sole defendant. Pente was Sytch’s partner at the time of the crash and it was her car that she was driving at the time.
In her original lawsuit, Olivova alleged that she had “suffered bodily injury including a permanent injury to the body as a whole.” It’s also alleged that she suffered physical and mental pain, loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life, loss of earnings, and loss of ability to lead and enjoy a normal life.
Tammy Sytch is serving time at a correctional facility in Florida.
What’s to Come?
Sytch is still facing a civil lawsuit from the estate of Hulian Lasseter. At this time, there are no scheduled hearings. More immediately, Sytch will remain in the Florida Department of Corrections until December 2039 after being sentenced in November 2023.
Teddy Long may have been part of the wrestling business for decades, but some of his most signature traits came from outside of the industry.
During his time as SmackDown’s General Manager, Long would often dance to his theme song which was first used by Rodney Mack, a Superstar Long once managed. Speaking on the Insight podcast, Long shared how his dance came about.
“My grandson, he’s 19 now. Well when he was two years old, we were trying to learn him how to walk. So we bought this walker that we put him in… Every time we put him in this walker, all he would do would bop up and down like that. So I went to TV one night and they’re playing my music but I was just thinking about him. So I was having fun and just started doing the dance.
“One night, I got ready to walk out, and just as I got to the curtain, Vince is standing up. He’s yelling ‘DO THAT DANCE!’ What dance? And he starts doing it! And that’s how the dance started.”
Long’s dance was a hit with the WWE Universe.
Long’s signature dance would often be accompanied by him announcing some match or telling a wrestler ‘Let me tell you something playa.’ In the interview, Long explained how it wasn’t his grandson, but his dog that inspired his signature ‘playa.’
“I had a golden retriever, his name was Boss. I got him as a puppy but as he got bigger and bigger, Boss started getting in the way. So every time, I’m like ‘Come on Playa. Get out of the way Playa.’ I’m just talking to him and one night I went to TV I started using slang, calling people playa.”
Long is no longer a regular on WWE TV but is always met with cheers during appearances on programming. Whenever he does appear, odds are you’ll hear a ‘Playa’ or two and see his dance, a testament to how popular these parts of his character have become.
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
Border City Wrestling will come to Toronto, Ontario this June for the promotion’s first event since the controversial exit of Scott D’Amore from TNA Wrestling.
D’Amore, who served as TNA’s President for years, was let go by Anthem mere weeks after the highly successful relaunch at TNA Hard to Kill. The decision outraged fans as well as those on the roster, with D’Amore’s constant efforts for years being seen as the reason why TNA had not gone out of business or been purchased by WWE long ago. The decision to replace D’Amore with Anthem’s own President Anthony Cicone also did not go over well with wrestling fans.
Now, D’Amore will be part of the upcoming Border City Wrestling event that will take place at the St. Clair College Sportsplex on Saturday, June 15. The show will feature hockey legend and four-time Stanley Cup Champion Darren McCarty in attendance with a statement by BCW teasing that he could step in the ring.
Despite the circumstances surrounding D’Amore’s exit, the BCW show will feature names associated with TNA Wrestling. Bhupinder Gujjar, the recipient of the 2024 St. Clair College Alumni of Distinction Award, will be a part of the event, as will Sheldon Jean.
The show will have free admission. Click here to find out more information about the event.
What’s to Come?
D’Amore will be kept pretty busy with Border City Wrestling but he may soon have another promotion to work with. A recent trademark filing was made for Maple Leaf Wrestling with the address listed being the same as the Border City Wrestling school. Maple Leaf Wrestling dates back to the 1970s when Frank Tunney operated the promotion out of Toronto. The name was later used by the WWF.
Janel Grant wanted to be the best friend of Vince McMahon as well as surgery paid for by the ex-WWE Chairman, a legal representative of McMahon has claimed.
Grant has alleged that she was sexually abused and trafficked by McMahon and was used by others in WWE including John Laurinaitis. McMahon has denied all claims against him but stepped down from WWE in January 2024 due to the lawsuit.
In more recent weeks, McMahon and other defendants have tried to compel arbitration that would see the matter settled outside of court. Grant’s legal team has rejected the notion and has filed for recent comments made by McMahon to be struck from the record. These comments share “vicious falsehoods attacking Janel’s moral character” according to this motion.
In the most recent response from McMahon’s legal team, they claim that Grant’s effort to strike McMahon’s comments are the “height of hypocrisy” given what she has alleged about him. The new memorandum adds that the discovery in this case will show the following:
That she [Grant] was in love with him [McMahon] and he was the love of her life
That he was her best friend
That she wanted to have sex with him and provided graphic detail
That she fantasized about being held down, enjoyed being in pain, and wanted rough sex
That she wanted Defendant to watch her have sex with other people and know about her sex with others
That she wanted Defendant to give her thousands of dollars for clothes, plastic surgery, and other gifts
That she wanted to have a future with Defendant even after signing the Agreement.
That she wanted Defendant to keep living in the same building, so she could continue to see him, even after signing the Agreement
Gunther almost gave in to the temptation of the Yeet after this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw from Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC went off air.
The episode featured 4 quarterfinal matches for King and Queen of The Ring tournaments with both male and female competitors getting two matches each. Lyra Valkyria, Iyo Sky, and Gunther picked up the victories in the first three bouts.
The fourth match between Jey Uso and Ilja Dragunov was the main event of the show. WWE had earlier teased a semi-final between Dragunov and the Ring General but Uso ended up picking the victory in the bout.
This led to a confrontation between the former Bloodline member and Gunther to end the broadcast. After Raw went off air, Jey Uso tried his hardest to make Gunther break and do the yeet.
Even the referee and ring announcer Samantha Irvin joined in on the celebration and it looked as if the former IC Champion may have given up to the temptation.
Gunther however decided against it at the end and he chose to attack his future opponent. Though Jey managed to get the upper hand with a spear and he celebrated with the crowd as the former champion retreated:
Elsewhere in the show we saw The Judgement Day picking up a win in a triple threat tag match. They earned the right to challenge Awesome Truth for the tag titles.
The ongoing QR code mystery continued on Raw with another tease for Uncle Howdy. The code led to a bunch of images with one of them teasing a development in the story later this week.
The King and Queen of the ring tournaments will continue on SmackDown on Friday. You can check out the updated results and the current standings of the same here.
Talks between WWE and Jesse Ventura would not be happening if not for the promotion’s change of regime, the Hall of Famer has claimed.
In April, it was reported that ‘The Body’ was speaking with WWE for the first time in a considerable amount of years. On an edition of Frank Morano’s podcast, Venture gave further details about these talks.
“I am back negotiating with them. We’re in talks right now. I have contracts with my attorney right now with WWE. We don’t know right now fully. They want to bring me back under their Legends [deal].”
Ventura noted that there aren’t many names associated with the first WrestleMania who are left. He named Roddy Piper, Paul Orndorff, Andre the Giant, and Junkyard Dog as some of the many names associated with WrestleMania 1 who are no longer with us.
WWE’s change in direction under Triple H has helped Ventura enter negotiations.
The former Minnesota Governor has had a strained relationship with WWE for years, thanks in part to his successful lawsuit against Vince McMahon. The late 80s suit saw Ventura paid royalties for Home Video releases in which he provided commentary, despite McMahon insisting that only in-ring talent should be paid. On the podcast, Ventura said his ongoing talks only came about now that McMahon is gone.,
“I can only say [negotiations] happened because of the change in direction of the company.”
Despite the lawsuit, Ventura made a return as a guest referee at SummerSlam 1999 (which took place in Minnesota during his time as governor.) He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004 and made an appearance on Raw in 2009. It remains to be seen when fans will next see ‘The Body’ on WWE TV but with a Legends deal in the works, it could be sooner than you’d think.
AEW wrestler Cash Wheeler of FTR will be relieved that the criminal case against him related to an incident from July 2023 has been officially dropped.
The former AEW World Tag Team Champion had been arrested and charged with one count of aggravated assault with a firearm. Wheeler had been in a ‘road rage’ and had flashed his gun to another driver. He had pleaded not guilty to the charge. Despite this situation, Wheeler was allowed to work last August’s All In pay-per-view, where FTR defeated the Young Bucks.
Now, the case against Wheeler has been officially dropped, PW Insider reports. The prosecutor’s office has filed a ‘Nolle Prosequi’, indicating their decision to abandon the case and forego pursuing charges against Wheeler. At this time, it is not stated why the case against him has been dropped. Wheeler had been scheduled to face trial on May 20.
Cash Wheeler after being arrested.
This news will come as a huge relief to Wheeler who has remained active on AEW programming despite his legal situation. Wheeler will be a part of the upcoming Double or Nothing pay-per-view and will compete in the Anarchy in the Arena match. The show will see The Elite (the Bucks, Kazuchika Okada, and Jack Perry) face Team AEW (Wheeler, Dax Harwood, Bryan Danielson and Eddie Kingston.)
Wheeler is fortunate that the case against him has been dropped and will hopefully use this as motivation to stay on the proverbial straight and narrow from here on. With his place as one of AEW’s top tag-team wrestlers cemented, the last thing Wheeler needs is to jeopardize that spot with another legal issue.
