WWE is not stopping with their mysterious QR codes. Many believe that these are signs that Bo Dallas’ new stable is on the way, and the signs are hard to ignore at this point.
During the IYO SKY vs. Shayna Baszler Queen of the Ring quarterfinal match on WWE RAW this week, a QR code appeared on the screen. For the first time, the code was acknowledged by the commentary team of Pat McAfee and Michael Cole. The seasoned announcer made a mention to the strange code after it flashed on the screen, which could be a sign that we are getting closer to the big reveal.
The code directs fans to a series of picture files, including a photo of a floppy disk labeled ‘5.16.24 4pm + WITCH.’
this is one of the pictures from the QR code this week on raw. i think we need to pay attention to this date and time for two reasons the first one is may 16th which is this thursday, second reason is the time says 4pm plus witch soooo… #WWERawpic.twitter.com/7DxrR6iWzy
Bray Wyatt had many friends in the Firefly Fun House, including Abby the Witch. It has been widely thought that this new stable will be Bray’s “Wyatt 6” stable come to life, which would include the witch character.
New Stable Plans
Currently, four other names are expected to be part of the new faction. Nikki Cross, Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy, and Erick Rowan are all set to join the new Wyatt Family group. Each of these individuals has prior experience as faction members: Cross was part of Sanity, Gacy led The Schism, Lumis was a member of The Way, and Rowan was an original member of The Wyatt Family.
Sadly, Bray Wyatt passed away on August 24 at the age of 36-years-old. Although he may be gone, his creative legacy will live on in the form of this new stable.
WWE 2K24 will be adding new content as they roll out their first of five downloadable content from Season Pass. On May 15, fans who purchased the Season Pass for $39.99 will have access to WWE 2K24’s ECW Punk Pack.
The upcoming DLC will add CM Punk, Terry Funk, The Sandman, and The Dudley Boyz(Bubba Ray Dudley & D-Von Dudley) to the stacked game roster. Fans who bought will also receive new My Faction content, with a pack of cards including an ECW version of Paul Heyman as a Manager.
WWE 2K24’s ECW Punk Pack will mark the first time in a few years that all five characters have been in a WWE game. For The Sandman, it will be the second time he will be playable in a WWE video game since his debut in Smackdown vs. Raw 2008. While fans will appreciate playing with some of their favorite ECW legends, Punk will likely be what many players will look forward to in the game.
Punk hasn’t been in a WWE game since WWE 2K15 in 2014. After he made his return to WWE last year following a turbulent tenure in All Elite Wrestling, fans hoped that he’d be in WWE 2K24. The game’s developers considered fans’ requests to add him for the first DLC swiftly.
Next week will be rewarding for fans who bought the Season Pass as WWE 2K24 has previewed the looks of each new character ahead of the launch.
WWE 2K24 ECW Punk Pack Character Models
In the lead-up to the official release of WWE 2K24’s ECW Punk Pack, fans have been given a sneak peek at how each character looks. The developers have done a great job making each wrestler look realistic to their actual counterparts. It’s noticeable that the developers were also selective in choosing which version of the characters they wanted to use in the game.
— wrestling game attires (@WWEGamesAttires) May 9, 2024
For example, a fan on X/Twitter pointed out that the WWE 2K24 version of Funk may be inspired by his appearances at ECW Barely Legal from 1997. However, The Sandman and The Dudley Boyz character models are from their time in the WWE. It’s unclear why the WWE 2K developers choose not to have each ECW legend be a version of what they were during their time in the company.
That said, each character model looks impressive and shows the evolution of video gaming to make each wrestler look realistic.
Overall Ratings
In addition to sharing a special look at each character in the upcoming DLC, WWE 2K24 has also released their overall ratings. The developers wanted to ensure they gave the correct stats based on wins/losses and championships when making decisions. This new strategy has led to some interesting comparisons as The Sandman (86) has a higher overall than the likes of Booker T(85), Harley Race (84), AJ Styles (85), and others.
— The Pro Wrestling Shoot (@TPWSpodcast) May 10, 2024
Among the ECW Punk Pack characters, Punk has a higher rating at 90. The second highest overall is Funk, with an 87. Unfortunately for D-Von, he was awarded the lowest of the group at 84 overall.
It’s worth noting that the game’s roster still has talent active in WWE below each DLC playable character’s stats.
ECW Punk Pack should be a welcomed addition to the current WWE 2K series installment. The new content may urge fans to jump back into WWE 2K24 to play with Punk or Funk.
Jon Moxley has carved a unique path in pro wrestling. As Dean Ambrose’s Lunatic Fringe in WWE, he dominated with The Shield and later became World Champion. He declined to sign a new deal and later became the Paradigm Shift after leaving the company. Since then, he has thrived, loving the niche he has created.
Moxley recently reflected on his legacy during a chat with Justin Barrasso for SI. He values being remembered for marching to the beat of his own drum and cherishes this aspect of his pro wrestling career. He’s the only Jon Moxley there is and when all is said and done, the multi-time AEW World Champion relishes at the idea that he doesn’t fit into a box or rankings.
You have no idea where to classify me, but you can’t ignore me, so you’re going to have to give me my own space…I like that.”
There’s only one Jon Moxley
Mox’s Inspirational Reading
Jon Moxley may have blazed a trail of bloodshed and sharp foreign objects behind him, but that won’t stop him from picking up a book. Moxley is a member of the BCC book club. He finds constant inspiration in books.
“The line is like, ‘A genius, in the words of Thelonious Monk, is the one most like himself. Genius, in its Latin origin, refers to the attendant spirit present at birth in every person. Each of us is like Aladdin, and our genie–or our genius–is bottled up inside of us waiting to be awakened.’ It’s kind of what I think of when I say there’s only one me.”
Jon Moxley is still the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. His last match was on 11.05.2024. Moxley retained his title by defeating Shota Umino at NJPW STRONG Resurgence 2024.
Moxley’s last match for AEW was on March 3 when The Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli and Jon Moxley) defeated FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) at AEW Revolution 2024. Since then, he’s has wrestled in CMLL and NJPW.
Bob Bruggers, a wrestling staple whose career was tragically cut short following a 1975 plane crash, has passed away at the age of 80.
Bruggers entered the wrestling business in 1972 and would quickly make a name for himself in the Minnesota-based AWA as well as other territories. In 1974, Bruggers and Paul Jones won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship after dethroning Gene and Ole Anderson. Their 87-day reign was ended by Rip Hawk and a rookie by the name of Ric Flair.
Outside of the ring, Bruggers played collegiate basketball but made a big name for himself in Football. He would play six seasons in the NFL as part of the Miami Dolphins and San Diego Chargers before entering pro-wrestling.
Bruggers’ Plane Crash
On October 4, 1975, Bruggers’ career in wrestling came to an end due to being part of an infamous plane crash. Bruggers had initially not been scheduled to be on the flight but in need of fast transportation, took Jim Crockett Jr’s invitation to take his place on the Cessna 310 as Crockett was ill. The crash would injure all on board, including David Crockett, Ric Flair, Johnny Valentine, and Tim Woods. The pilot would succumb to his injuries.
Bruggers’ suffered a broken ankle and multiple spinal fractures due to the crash that also ended the career of Valiant. The crash occurred after it was discovered that the plane could not take off given the weight of the passengers. Rather than leave someone behind, the plane was drained of a lot of fuel and ran out of fuel before reaching its North Carolina destination.
Bruggers’ in-ring career ended because of the 1975 plane crash.
Bruggers After Wrestling
After his career in the ring ended, Bruggers worked as a sales manager for a tool company. Upon receiving an insurance settlement related to the plane crash, he moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, and opened a bar. He was inducted into the University of Minnesota’s “M” Club Hall of Fame in 2002 and his accomplishments in football and basketball were recognized.
We at SE Scoops would like to offer our sincere condolences to those who knew Bruggers at this sad time.
The landscape of professional wrestling has changed significantly in recent years. Fans no longer need to stay up until midnight to see the conclusion of a WWE pay-per-view. Premium live events have become more concise, and now they are scheduled to start earlier. WWE will maintain the earlier start time for its events, per PWInsider. This will include NXT Heatwave, SummerSlam, and The Bash at Berlin. The current WWE PLE schedule reflects this decision.
In March, there were discussions about potentially shifting domestic PPVs to an earlier start time, but a final decision had not been made at that time.
Traditionally, WWE has aired its pre-shows at 7 p.m. ET, with the main card starting at 8 p.m. ET. This timing was standard until a few years ago when the start time for the main card was moved to 8 p.m. ET.
CEO Nick Khan recently confirmed WWE’s goal to host its five major PLEs (WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Royal Rumble, Survivor Series, and Money in the Bank) within the United States, while looking to expand their international touring with the PLE’s. Since overseas shows typically begin much earlier for American audiences, the adjustment to earlier start times for these events should not represent a significant change.
Upcoming Schedule
WWE has several stadium shows and international PLE’s in the coming months
Below is the current lineup of events on WWE’s calendar for the remainder of 2024. For the remainder of the year, check out our 2024 WWE/NXTPLE Schedule.
We have a positive medical update on WWE legend Afa Anoa’i after recently going under the knife. One-half of the legendary Wild Samoans underwent his impending surgery and it has come to light that he is recuperating well. posted an update on May 12 revealing Afa’s successful Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedure to replace his Aortic Valve took place on Thursday, May 9. He was released from the hospital on May 11. The Facebook post read:
One-half of the legendary Wild Samoans underwent his impending surgery and it has come to light that he is recuperating well. WXW Wrestling page on Facebook posted an update on May 12 revealing Afa’s successful Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedure to replace his Aortic Valve took place on Thursday, May 9. He was released from the hospital on May 11. The Facebook post read:
“On Thursday, our beloved patriarch Afa the Wild Samoan had a successful TAVR procedure to replace his aortic valve. Yesterday afternoon he was discharged from the hospital! We’re all so grateful that this final hurdle has been passed! Now he has more back rehabilitation to do, but our Pops kicked out again and is one of the strongest human beings in the world! Thank you all for your prayers and concern!”
It has been a stressful year for Afa and his family. Before suffering the fall, the 81-year-old had a battle with pneumonia and also suffered a mild heart attack. Another heart attack impacted his health and it deteriorated considerably. However, the WWE Hall of Famer didn’t give up and overcame the setbacks.
Meanwhile, Afa’s WXW promotion was on the brink of closing amid his health crisis. However, two months later, his son and former WWE wrestler, Afa Anoa’i Jr. (better known as Manu) announced that he is taking charge of the promotion and will continue its operations.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Bianca Belair has shared what was a very bad day for her outside of the ring full of unfortunate situations.
Taking to her Instagram Stories, Belair shared that she dropped her phone in the toilet in what was only the start of her very bad day. From there, Belair’s hair caught on fire after coming in contact with a candle and she was also throw a knife. The EST’s bad luck wouldn’t be confined just to her as Belair would also step on the wedding dress of her sister. Despite all of this, the reigning WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion tried to remain optimistic and said that it had been a good day despite all these unfortunate situations.
Belair shared her very bad day on social media.
What’s to Come for Bianca Belair?
While Belair’s day may not have been the best (but still apparently good,) her role on WWE programming is especially high right now. Belair is in her first reign as a WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion. She and Jade Cargill won the titles at WWE Backlash France, in the first taste of any gold for Cargill since she joined WWE last September.
Both champions are part of the ongoing Queen of the Ring tournament and both were successful in their first-round matches. On the May 17, episode of WWE SmackDown, Cargill will face Nia Jax in the quarter-finals while Belair will take on Tiffany Stratton. Should Belair and Cargill win their respective matches, the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions will face each other in the semi-finals on the May 24, episode of WWE SmackDown.
The popularity of Jey Uso at WWE Backlash France did not go unnoticed by higher-ups who aim to capitalize on how ‘over’ he is.
At WWE’s first-ever French Premium Live Event, Jey challenged Damian Priest for the World Heavyweight Championship. This marked Priest’s first title defense at a PLE after capturing the title by cashing in his Money in the Bank contract at WWE WrestleMania: Sunday.
Jey didn’t win the World Heavyweight Championship in Lyon but he was one of the most popular stars at the show, perhaps second only behind Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. The reaction from the crowd to Jey’s entrance at Backlash France has caught the attention of WWE higher-ups, Fightful Select reports.
WWE intends to encourage fans to replicate the Lyon crowd’s reaction during Jey Uso’s entrances in future events. The lighting will continue to be dimmed during his entrance to encourage fans to use their phones as light like what we saw in Lyon. Any time Jey’s theme is played in mainstream media, such as at a recent NBA game, will be highlighted on WWE TV.
WWE’s focus on promoting Jey’s entrance certainly bodes well for his future. After over a decade on WWE TV as a tag-team specialist, Jey is finding his stride as a singles star. And while he may not have become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion in Lyon, there may be more opportunities lined up for ‘Main Event’ Jey.
With less than three weeks until the WWE King and Queen of the Ring premium live event, the tournaments continue with quarterfinal matches tonight on WWE Raw and this Friday on WWE SmackDown.
The latest round of tournament matches were held over the weekend at WWE’s non-televised live events. Kofi Kingston and LA Knight advanced in the King of the Ring, while Shayna Baszler and Tiffany Stratton took steps closer to the throne on the women’s side. A schedule of this week’s tournament matches can be found below.
WWE’s King and Queen of the Ring PLE takes place Saturday, May 25 from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at the Jeddah Super Dome. In addition to crowning a new King and Queen, WWE has also signed three championship matches:
Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Logan Paul (c)
Becky Lynch (c) vs. Liv Morgan
Sami Zayn (c) vs. Chad Gable vs. Bronson Reed
Royal Report: Schedule, Injuries & Footsge
Our King and Queen of the Ring Royal Report
This week’s Raw and SmackDown will each feature 4 tournament matches:
WWE Raw – Monday, May 13
KOTR Quarterfinals:
Jey Uso v Ilja Dragunov
Gunther v Kofi Kingston
QOTR Quarterfinals
IYO SKY v Shayna Baszler
Lyra Valkyria v Zoey Stark
WWE SmackDown – Friday, May 17
KOTR Quarterfinals:
Randy Orton v Carmelo Hayes
Tama Tonga v LA Knight
QOTR Quarterfinals
Bianca Belair v Tiffany Stratton
Jade Cargill v Nia Jax
Weekend Results
Results from King and Queen of the Ring tournament matches held over the weekend at WWE live events:
Saturday (Chattanooga, TN):
LA Knight defeated Santos Escoba to advance and face on SmackDown.
AEW has experienced several injuries that have sidelined key members of their roster. Eddie Kingston is the latest addition to that list.
Kingston suffered an undisclosed injury during NJPW Resurgence, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reports.
Kingston lost the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship to Gabe Kidd at NJPW and sustained injuries during the match. He was hurt during a table suplex spot.
Eddie Kingston in AEW
After the incident, Eddie required assistance but managed to walk backstage with a noticeable limp. The extent of his injury is not fully known, but it was confirmed that he sustained a legitimate injury during the match.
The Openweight Championship match was also significant as it marked the return of the Young Bucks to NJPW. Matthew and Nicholas Jackson made their a surprise return during the NJPW Resurgence event, targeting Eddie Kingston in a brutal assault.
The Elite in NJPW
After Kingston failed to defend his NJPW Strong Openweight title against Gabe Kidd in a No-rope Last Man Standing Match, Jack Perry approached the ring for a staredown with Kingston. This distraction allowed the AEW EVPs to enter the ring and launch a surprise attack on Kingston. After a brief promo, they executed an EVP trigger, effectively taking Kingston down.
This Young Bucks spot during NJPW Resurgence was obviously planned ahead of time, and Kingston went through with it despite his injury. We’re sending out our best to the Mad King for a speedy recovery.
Today is International Mother’s Day where people take time to celebrate the moms that have helped shape those lives. In the world of wrestling, there is no exception, and several names from the squared circle have shared their love for their moms.
On Twitter, WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Jade Cargill gave a shout-out to all her fellow ‘mommies’ in the world.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the fellow mommy’s!!! ?????
The Miz was appreciative of Maryse, his wife and the mother of their two daughters. The couple’s relationship was detailed on their show ‘Miz and Mrs.’
Happy Mother’s Day to the woman who amazes me daily. No matter what life throws at you, you take it on with strength, courage and confidence. Whenever I see you with Monroe and Madison it brings a smile to my face. Your love, patience, and guidance shape them into the incredible… pic.twitter.com/fvbegaSStw
Matt Hardy had plenty of love to his wife Reby Hardy, the mother of the couple’s four children. Matt said he’s lucky to have Reby in his life.
Happy Mother’s Day to the best Mom I could ever wish for, @RebyHardy! Thank you for sacrificing your body, time, heart & soul to give us this beautiful family & to help me shape them into unique, special & great people. I love you & am so lucky to have you as my wife & partner in… pic.twitter.com/jrG7NjMvOs
WWE NXT Superstar Cora Jade shared her love for ‘her mom’ AJ Lee. The WWE legend was a big inspiration for Jade, who also jokes that CM Punk is her father.
WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus was pleased she was able to celebrate her mom with the rest of her family present.
A once in a lifetime trip! So happy we all got to be together on your birthday last week to celebrate you with all your daughters by your side .. and the Aegean Sea on our other side!
To the best mama in the world, you have shaped each of us into the unique women we are today,… pic.twitter.com/KNjRdI3Qav
Zelina Vega, the current reigning Queen of the Ring, was all set to be in this year’s tournament. Sadly, she will not get to proceed.
WWE SmackDown GM Adam Pearce announced that Vega is out of the tournament. She is not medically cleared, but they did not reveal her injury.
She will be replaced by Maxxine Dupri. The LWO member was set to take on Shayna Baszler in the first round, but now the Alpha Academy representative will take her place at tonight’s WWE live event in Machon, Georgia.
This is not the only change that WWE has been forced to make in this year’s tournament. Xavier Woods, who is the reigning King of the Ring, was replaced by Kofi Kingston in the tournament. Also, Bobby Lashley had to pull out, and he was replaced by Angelo Dawkins.
SEScoops has updated our comprehensive coverage of the King and Queen of the Ring.
Queen of the Ring First Round
In the first round of the Queen of the Ring tournament, several matches concluded with decisive victories. Iyo Sky defeated Natalya, while Lyra Valkyria overcame Dakota Kai. Zoey Stark secured a win against Ivy Nile, and Bianca Belair triumphed over Candice LeRae.
Jade Cargill emerged victorious against Piper Niven, and Nia Jax defeated Naomi. Tiffany Stratton also won her match against Michin.
In the final match of the first round, Shayna Baszler will face Maxxine Dupri after Zelina Vega was replaced by Dupri.
You can check out the quarterfinal matchups for the 2024 Queen of the Ring tournament below.
Iyo Sky vs. the winner of Shayna Baszler vs. Maxxine Dupri
The popularity of Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is proving impossible to ignore with the SmackDown Superstar reaching a high-point with Fanatics.
Rhodes merch is often in high demand at WWE live events and all of those sales have been adding up. The American Nightmare is the only wrestler to appear on Fanatics’ top ten list of overall sellers, Fightful Select reports. This is no small feat for Rhodes as Fanatics carries NBA and NFL products amongst its catalog as well as WWE.
These figures will come as good news to higher-ups in WWE who have selected Rhodes as the face of the ‘new era.’ The report adds that The Undertaker recently did a signing for Fanatics but WWE is looking beyond Fanatics for moving their licensed merch.
A deal between WWE and Fanatics was reached in March 2022, mere days before Rhodes’ return to the promotion at WrestleMania 38. The deal has seen Fanatics sell several items of licensed merch ranging from t-shirts to replica championship title belts. At the time of the agreement’s inception, then-WWE Chairman Vince McMahon described Fanatics as an “industry leader” and Fanatics founder/CEO Michael Rubin as a “visionary.”
The popularity of Cody Rhodes can’t be ignored.
What’s to Come?
Rhodes merch will surely be in high demand at the upcoming WWE King And Queen of the Ring event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The May 25, show will see Rhodes defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against the U.S. Champion Logan Paul. While Rhodes’ title is the only on the line at this time, Cody has teased on social media that the match will see both titles on the line.
Watch the replay of MLW AZTECA Lucha NOW on TrillerTV+
It’s a history-making night in Chicago as MLW made its return to the Windy City after a five-year hiatus from the city. However, the league rings it in big with a sold-out Cicero Stadium and a stacked card as Cesar Duran and Salina de la Renta fight for supremacy. What hangs in the balance, but a literal key that opens the door for one of the two promoters to take power. Trios action starts the battle off!
MATCH 1 Virus, Villano III Jr. & Felino (representing Cesar Duran) vs. Guerrero Maya Jr., Atlantis & Jose Rodriguez (representing Salina de la Renta)
This match rocks Cicero to open the show as both Felino and Maya Jr. show the technical side of lucha libre, but all competitors get physical, including Rodriguez who exchanged a tuxedo for wrestling gear. The tide turns in the favor of Salina when the upstart Villano III Jr. gets caught in a signature torture rack by the legendary Atlantis and has no option but to submit!
WINNERS: Guerrero Maya Jr., Atlantis & Jose Rodriguez (representing Salina de la Renta)
SCORE: Salina de la Renta (1), Cesar Duran (0)
MATCH 2 MLW National Openweight Championship Bad Dude Tito vs. Rickey Shane Page (c)
It’s a different tone for RSP as he no longer has The Calling at his side, but the big man is ready to step up against another big man in Bad Dude Tito. Tito has been a game contender in any match he’s done since coming to MLW and even took Satoshi Kojima to the limit in a World Title Fight.
Tito switched up his style a bit as he not only delivered the strength, but the speed and even dove at Rickey through the ropes to the outside!
RSP decided to show how fast he was as well, but Tito’s size didn’t phase the champ. He firman tossed Tito like he was a middleweight before dropping an elbow on him. RSP followed that up with his signature gordbuster toss. However, Tito did make the adjustments. He hit RSP with a death valley driver, but Page somehow managed to get a shoulder up! Fatigue kicks in for both fighters but Tito manages to muster up the strength to hit a Thunder Driver for 1-2-3! New champ!
WINNER and NEW MLW National Openweight Champion: Bad Dude Tito
We see Bill Alfonso backstage and he gets ambushed by Mads Krugger and CONTRA Unit! Before he gets knocked out, he warns Krugger that Matthew Justice isn’t gonna be happy!
MATCH 3 Ultimo Guerrero (representing Cesar Duran) vs. Atlantis Jr. (representing Salina de la Renta)
This battle is a clash of styles and experience as the veteran Ultimo Guerrero takes on the legacy youngster in Atlantis Jr. Guerrero has been all too familiar with Atlantis Jr. throughout his whole career and he had the young fighter scouted. Atlantis had UG off his game with an outside attack and then rocked him hard with several kicks. However, Guerrero figured him out. Atlantis went for a top hurricanrana but Ultimo held on and jarred him with a massive powerbomb!
Atlantis managed to keep Guerrero grounded enough to nail one beautiful frog splash for the definitive 1-2-3!
WINNER: Atlantis Jr.
SCORE: Salina de la Renta (2), Cesar Duran (0)
Duran has to be fuming and it’s added salt to the wound when Guerrero exchange handshakes with Atlantis Jr.
MATCH 4 Vacant MLW World Tag Team Championships Second Gear Crew vs. COZYMAX
This match has quite the historic stakes as if Kojima wins, he’ll be the first dual champion in MLW history. However, SGC have their own stakes in the matter as they lost the straps to WTF under nefarious means.
This fight is hard-hitting. SGC really bring out all stops against Kojima, trying to isolate him on the outside, but Okumura reminds them not to take their eyes off him as he does a flipping senton onto both.
SGC does have Okumura dead to rights when they hit a combo spear and lariat! Kojima gets in the ring in just enough time to break it all up.
Justice and Manders go for a corner double team but Okumura pulls Kojima free and it opens him up to nail a LARIATO on the legal man in Manders. He picks Manders up and it allows Okumura to hit a running Cozy Cutter! 1-2-3!
WINNERS and NEW MLW World Tag Team Champions: COZYMAX
History is made in Cicero as KOJIMA is a dual champion!
MATCH 5 Joshua Bishop (with MSL) vs. Matt Riddle
Joshua Bishop doesn’t endear himself to Chicago nor the Mexican fans in the crowd when he snatches a Mexican flag from a fan to disrespect it. That fires them up and they get even more hot when Matt Riddle walks out. The fan whose flag was stolen fill Riddle in who grabbed the flag from MSL and waved it to a huge reaction from Cicero!
The bell rings and Bishop uses his brute strength against Riddle, including a massive fallaway slam akin to Scott Hall and then an extremely impressive blackout slam on Riddle. Riddle was able to show his striking ability. It catches Bishop off his game and he gets laid out after a high knee lift. Riddle swings up top to nail a twisting senton for the pinfall!
Post-fight Riddle hypes up his desire to win Battle Riot this June before being attacked by Sami Callihan! Callihan grabs hold of Joe Dombrowski and says he’s going to win the bout. Riddle breaks up Callihan’s hold on Joe and the two begin brawling big time!
MATCH 6 Averno & Magnus (representing Cesar Duran) vs. Fuego & Star Jr (representing Salina de la Renta)
Star Jr. really sets the tone for the fight when he catches Averno with a leaping stiff shot to the back of the head. Star Jr. shows why he’s one of Salina’s star acquisitions in this fight. His synergy with Fuego.
Fuego shows his skill too with a big spinning headscissor takeover but Magnus catches him with two double knees and gets him down for the pinfall win!
WINNERS: Averno & Magnus
SCORE: Salina de la Renta (2), Cesar Duran (1)
Duran has one more shot to tie Salina and he has to do it with his prize client, MLW World Middleweight Champion Mistico.
MAIN EVENT MLW World Middleweight Championship Bárbaro Cavernario (representing Salina de la Renta) vs. Mistico (c) (representing Cesar Duran)
Mistico makes an epic entrance and even offers a hand in respect for Bárbaro Cavernario, who declines the proposition.
The crowd is absolutely ELECTRIC for Mistico in this match, but Cavernario brings his brawling style to take Mistico off his game. However, the talent of Mistico is clearly unparalleled as the champ kept his focus and hit some of his signature movesets. Cavernario gets a near pinfall after a DVD backbreaker combo. Caverno uses the ropes to splash on top of Mistico.
He continues to wear Mistico down by wrenching the arm of the champion and punches on the right shoulder. Mistico manages to get on the top rope and uses a twisting arm drag to fling Cavernario to the outside, setting him up for a twisting over the top splash!
The war wages on but the finish comes when Mistico catches Cavernario in his signature spinning fujiwa armbar! Barbaro taps and Mistico retains! Duran has tied Salina de la Renta, which means the key stays in Cesar’s possession
WINNER and STILL MLW World Middleweight Champion: Mistico
SCORE: Salina de la Renta (2), Cesar Duran (2)
Post fight, Duran celebrates his tie as Salina says they should have a sudden death match to really determine the winner. In comes MLW CEO Court Bauer to give Duran his payout for Chicago and while that happens, Salina runs off with the key! However, the Azteca henchmen corner Salina and they lock the door behind them! Salina is screaming as we see Duran grinning ear to ear.
Eddie Kingston may have suffered a serious injury during his appearance at NJPW Resurgence which has raised questions about upcoming plans in AEW.
At the event, Kingston lost the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship to Gabe Kidd in a No-Ropes Last Man Standing Match. Kingston had held the title since 311 days after winning the title at NJPW Independence Day in July 2023.
Eddie Kingston was seen limping backstage after his match.
Unfortunately, it appears that Kingston may have suffered an injury during the match. As Bryan Alvarez explained, Kidd delivered a suplex to Kingston to the outside of the ring and noted that Kingston’s leg “hit that barricade so hard.” Dave Meltzer agreed, adding that it “scared the hell out of me.”
Alvarez noted that Kingston immediately grabbed his leg after the spot which proved to be the finish of the match. It was also stated that Kingston was “not moving” for minutes after the match but was able to pull himself up for the post-match segment with The Elite.
Kingston was “limping bad backstage” in another worrying sign for the now-former Openweight Champion. There were concerns at the event that the Mad King would not be able to do the post-match angle.
There’s no update on Kingston’s status but this situation could jeopardize plans for AEW Double or Nothing. During the May 8, episode of AEW Dynamite, Kingston was revealed as part of Team AEW that will battle the Elite in Anarchy in the Arena. Kingston will be joined by Bryan Danielson and FTR if this situation doesn’t keep him from the upcoming pay-per-view.
An overzealous fan breached security and entered the ring during the latest edition of AEW Collision. However, the security personnel were able to get the situation under control.
Last night’s AEW Collision emanated from Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia. A video clip surfaced on social media which captured the whole incident that took place during the show.
Garcia could be seen celebrating after the match against Kevin Matthews as the fan rolled into the ring. While his intentions were not clear, the security personnel and the referee acted promptly to get hold of the intruder. The fans in the arena soon chanted “You f***ed up” while the invader was escorted out of the arena.
Holy shit there was a fan that jumped into the ring here. The crowd chanted "You fucked up" while he was being escorted out lmao #AEWCollisionpic.twitter.com/P1TrHgkHk0
The show was stacked with some amazing matches. Apart from the aforementioned battle, Bryan Danielson teamed up with Claudio Castagnoli and defeated Top Flight. The crowd was enthralled with the proceedings and it featured some spectacular moments. Following the match, ‘The American Dragon’ showered praise on Top Flight before hyping the upcoming ‘Anarchy In The Arena’ match at Double Or Nothing pay-per-view on Sunday, May 26.
During the show, Will Ospreay locked horns with Lee Moriarty. The ‘Aerial Assassin’ emerged victorious after hitting Storm Breaker on his opponent. However, things didn’t turn out too well for Ospreay as he was attacked by The Undisputed Kingdom following the win.
On the other hand, Brian Cage joined forces with Gates of Agony and squashed Evan Rivers and The Voros Twins in a quick match.
Dax Harwood continued to gain momentum by defeating Thomas Billington ahead of his match against Kazuchika Okada for the AEW Continental Championship on next week’s AEW Dynamite.
Speaking about the women’s division, the former AEW Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa picked up a win over Robyn Renegade by trapping her in a Cobra Clutch.
In the main event, Adam Copeland put his TNT Championship on the line against the hometown hero, Kyle O’Reilly. After a back-and-forth affair, ‘The Rated-R Superstar’ successfully retained his title by hitting the spear.
AEW EVPs The Young Bucks (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson) made their surprise return to the promotion during NJPW Resurgence and Eddie Kingston is the latest victim of their brutal assault.
Edde Kingston was unsuccessful in defending his NJPW Strong Openweight title against Gabe Kidd in a No-rope Last Man Standing Match. After the disappointing loss, Jack Perry made his way to the ring and had a staredown with ‘The Mad King.’ The distraction led to Nicholas and Matthew entering the ring and launching a blindsided attack on Kingston. After delivering a promo, they eventually went on to take him out with an EVP trigger.
This marks The Young Bucks’ first appearance in the promotion sinch Wrestle Kingdom 13 where they competed for the IWGP Tag Team titles.
The Young Bucks continue their onslaught
The Young Bucks are abusing their power as EVP and even AEW President Tony Khan has fallen prey to them. After recruiting Kazuchika Okada to The Elite, they recently got Jack Perry on their side to bolster their force. A few weeks back on Dynamite, the Jackson brothers shockingly took out Khan. The Young Bucks have established their control over AEW and they seem to be unstoppable. The duo has also recently attacked a returning Kenny Omega, who was not even medically cleared.
On this week’s Dynamite, AEW EVP Kenny Omega announced that The Young Bucks will join forces with Jack Perry and Kazuchika Okada to take on the team of FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler), Eddie Kingston and Bryan Danielson in a ‘Anarchy In The Arena’ Match at the upcoming AEW Double or Nothing on Sunday, May 26.
Sami Zayn got some serious laughs at his performance at the Netflix Is A Joke festival, despite the presence of his WrestleMania 38 adversary Johnny Knoxville.
The Jackass and Bad Grandpa star went in disguise to the event that has taken over Los Angeles from May 2 to May 12. Knoxville donned a blonde wig and fake mustache to watch Zayn’s set.
Knoxville was in disguise to watch Sami Zayn perform.
Knoxville wasn’t the only notable name to appear during Zayn’s stand-up. WWE Women’s World Champion Becky Lynch was also at the show as well as Cathy Kelly, according to attendee Glenn Rubenstein. Ron Funches, Tony Hinchcliffe, and Wee Man also made cameo appearances.
Knoxville Vs. Zayn
Johnny Knoxville and Sami Zayn became adversaries in 2022 and tensions grew after the actor cost Zayn the WWE Intercontinental Championship. The two did battle at WWE WrestleMania 38 in an ‘Anything Goes’ match that was won by Knoxville.
Even with Zayn now a babyface, the ‘animosity’ between the two continues. Knoxville was seen jeering and booing at WWE WrestleMania 39 when Zayn and Kevin Owens won the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships.
Fans shouldn’t count out one more match between the actor and Zayn, who regained the Intercontinental Championship at WWE WrestleMania 40. On Twitter, Rubenstein suggested that the pair “may have set up a rematch tonight.”
As for Zayn, his next major match will come at WWE King And Queen Of The Ring later this month. The Canadian will defend against both Chad Gable and ‘Big’ Bronson Reed in Saudi Arabia.
Reigning AEW TNT Champion Adam Copeland retained his title on the latest episode of Collision and also made history in the process.
In the main event of the show, Copeland retained the title against Kyle O’Reilly, who was competing in his hometown of Vancouver, British Columbia. Not only did Copeland retain the title, but this marked the 100th title defense of the AEW Championship, a first for any championship in the All-Elite promotion.
It’s main event time! #TNT Champion Adam Copeland defends his title in a landmark 100th defense. A first for ANY championship in #AEW!
Copleand was able to defend his gold against O’Reilly but the story of the match didn’t stop there. After the match, the two Canadian wrestlers embraced and the champion raised the hand of his challenger. Copeland then refused to let go of O’Reilly that led to a tense face-off between the two before the TNT Champion left first.
It’s main event time! #TNT Champion Adam Copeland defends his title in a landmark 100th defense. A first for ANY championship in #AEW!
Speaking after the match, Copeland said that the match showed exactly why he joined AEW last year.
“Tonight was just an example of why I came to AEW. To get in there with a talent like Kyle O’Reilly in his hometown. 25 years after his dad brought him to see his first wrestling show which I was on. Fast-forward 25 years later and we’re in the main event for the TNT Championship and his dad is here tonight… What an absolute pleasure and a privilege to get into the ring with a talent like that.”
WWE Premium Live Events will eventually return to being hosted on Sunday under TKO Group Holdings, according to UFC President Dana White.
White appeared at the post-show press conference following the UFC Fight Night event in St. Louis. When asked about plans for UFC and his Power Slap promotions to host events over the same weekend, White shared news about the change for WWE’s Premium Live Events.
“We already have those dates set up right now, where Power Slap goes [on] Friday and UFC goes [on] Saturday. And then you’re going to see Friday Power Slap, Saturday UFC, and Sunday WWE. You’ll start seeing that stuff too.”
Dana White: You're gonna see Friday Power Slap, Saturday UFC and Sunday WWE. You'll start seeing that stuff too.#UFCStLouispic.twitter.com/rfc2aJ6OpJ
For decades, WWE hosted PLEs on Sundays. The change came thanks to WWE President Nick Khan who felt that “big sports events were better on Saturday nights.” Speaking on the Recode Media podcast with Peter Kafka, Khan discussed the success of the move.
“We think the ticket sales are reflective of that [success.] We have a big big audience coming out on Saturday and a big gate to go along with it.”
More Changes to WWE PLEs
It’s unclear when WWE will make the move back to Sunday nights, but this isn’t the only change from the normal plans for PLEs. In recent years, the promotion has embraced hosting events outside North America. In addition to the bi-annual Saudi Arabia shows, WWE has hosted events like Clash At The Castle in Cardiff, Wales, Money in the Bank in London, England, and Backlash France. in Lyon. WWE’s next European event will be WWE Clash At The Castle: Scotland in Glasgow this coming June, with WWE Bash In Berlin set for August.
WWE’s search for its next King and Queen of the Ring continued last night with LA Knight and Tiffany Stratton advancing at a live event in Chattanooga.
In the King of the Ring tournament first-round match, Knight qualified for the next round with a victory over Santos Escobar. This is the first KOTR tournament for either man. The crowd in Chattanooga’s McKenzie Arena was unsurprisingly unhappy to see the Megastar get the victory over Escobar.
The May 11, WWE live event happened to take place at ‘Tiffy Time’ as Stratton got the win in her first-round match. The former NXT Women’s Champion earned a victory over ‘Michin’ Mia Yim, who recently set her sights on the new NXT North American Women’s Championship.
With Knight’s victory, the SmackDown portion of the quarter-finals in the King of the Ring tournament has been filled out. The Megastar will face the Bloodline’s Tama Tonga on the May 17, episode of WWE SmackDown. The show will also see Randy Orton take on Carmelo Hayes in the other quarter-final match.
As for Stratton, she will face Bianca Belair on the May 17, SmackDown with a spot in the semi-finals on the line. The show will also see Belair’s fellow Women’s Tag Team Champion Jade Cargill take on Nia Jax. Belair, Cargill, and Jax advanced to the quarter-finals on the May 10, episode of SmackDown with respective wins over Candice LeRae, Piper Niven, and Naomi.
The finals of both tournaments will take place at WWE King And Queen of the Ring on May 25, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The event will be the first tournament-based PLE since 2002 and will also see a huge Champion Vs. Champion match.
Major League Wrestling’s live event schedule continues to roll on with their first collaborative show with CMLL. This Saturday, MLW and CMLL will host Azteca Lucha at the Cicero Stadium in Chicago, Illinois. The pay-per-view event features seven exciting matches, with three title bouts.
For fans looking to get last-minute tickets for Azteca Lucha, MLW has shared that the show is sold out. However, the event will stream live on Triller TV+ for subscribers.
The success of Saturday’s event has also led to the company’s decision to return later this year for Lucha Apocolypto at the Cicero Stadium. Tickets for the second super card with CMLL will go on sale on May 14.
That said, fans are looking forward to this Saturday’s event to see some of the best MLW and CMLL talent compete against each other.
MLW Azteca: Lucha Mistico vs. Barbaro Cavernario
Match Card Preview
In the main event of Azteca Lucha, MLW World Middleweight Champion Mistico, with Cesar Duran in his corner, will defend his title against Barbaro Cavernario. Mistico comes into the matchup aiming to retain his for the second time successfully. He won MLW gold by defeating Rocky Romero at MLW Intimidation Games on February 29.
Although the underdog, Cavernario will try to pull off an upset to end Mistico’s reign as MLW World Middleweight Champion. The odds may not be in his favor, but Cavernario can push Mistico to his limit.
Elsewhere on the card, MLW National Openweight Champion Ricky Shane Page will put his title on the line against Bad Man Tito. Page has held the championship for nearly a year with five successful defenses. However, Tito can present a formidable challenge as he has the strength and speed to get the upper hand on the champion.
Full MLW Azteca Lucha Card
(Match Card Is Subject To Change)
(C) Rickey Shane Page vs. Bad Dude Tito-MLW National Openweight Championship Match
Second Gear Crew (1 Called Manders & Mathew Justice) vs. CozyMAX(Satoshi Kojima & Okumura)-Vacant MLW Tag Team Championship Match
Matt Riddle vs. Josh Bishop with Saint Laurent
Averno & Magnus with Cesar Duran vs. Fuego & Star Jr.
Atlantis, Guerrero Maya Jr. with Cesar Duran & Jesus Rodriguez vs. Felino, Villano III Jr. & Virus-Six-Man Tag Team Match
Ultimo Guerrero with Cesar Duran vs. Atlantis Jr.
(C) Mistico with Cesar Duran vs. Barbaro Cavernario-MLW World Middleweight Championship Match
Kenny Omega appreciates the knowledge and work of two legends that have came before him and one of those names is Triple H.
Speaking on his Twitch stream, Kenny Omega was asked about Triple H the wrestler and Paul Levesque the booker. Omega said he couldn’t really comment on him as a booker because he doesn’t specifically know what Triple H inputs creatively, but does like him in particular for his physique. He then compares Levesque to another WWE Hall Of Famer.
“I really like Ravishing Rick Rude. He’s one of my favorites, actually, from the yesteryear era and I think he was a very underrated wrestler. He always had Bobby, Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan so already his promos would be taken care of whether he said much or not, didn’t matter. He had Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan.”
“For Triple H, I kind of look at him in the same light … I liked Triple H as a body guy.”
Omega mentioned how Triple H was influential in his promos and some talent try to replicate that, but Omega knew that he wasn’t able to do that. He and Triple H have different voices.
“I can’t tell you one promo that really hit me off the top of my head, but I’m sure it was effect and his matches, he’s got some great ones.”
Omega notes of Triple H’s memorable matches including his Royal Rumble 2000 match and the triple threat match against Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit at WrestleMania XX.
WWE is enjoying a booming period in their company’s history, and new television rights deals are set to inject a ton of guaranteed money into their coffers. Although SmackDown is moving networks, the WWE Universe will not have to change their weekly schedule to see it.
WWE plans to keep SmackDown on Friday nights when they move to the USA Network in October 2024, according to Dave Meltzer. The move is somewhat surprising, because Friday is a very competitive night and USA has more flexibility to move the show than Fox did.
WWE had the option to schedule SmackDown on any day of the week, such as Wednesday or Thursday, which typically face less sports competition than Fridays. Specifically, moving SmackDown to Wednesdays could have been a strategic move against AEW, which broadcasts its Dynamite show on the same day.
WWE’s New Television Rights Deals
WWE is embarking on new television rights agreements beginning in October 2024. NXT will transition to The CW, while SmackDown shifts to the USA Network.
Friday Night SmackDown is set to air on the USA Network beginning September 13, 2024. NBC has agreed to pay $287 million annually for the U.S. broadcasting rights to SmackDown, totaling over $1.4 billion on a five-year deal. Additionally, NXT has secured a five-year media rights agreement with The CW, valued between $20 million and $25 million each year. This deal represents a 70% increase from its previous contract with NBCUniversal’s USA Network.
WWE RAW is set to move to Netflix starting January 2025, but it will continue airing on the USA Network until the end of 2024, despite the current deal expiring in October. For these additional three months of RAW on the USA Network, WWE will receive $25 million, a significant bargain in light of their forthcoming $500 million annual deal with Netflix, which will span 10 years.
Bryan Danielson’s contract with AEW is due to expire within a matter of months, but the American Dragon is confident he’ll be competing for a long time to come.
The popular wrestler is in the midst of what he intends to be his final year as a full-time wrestler. This has stemmed from a promise Danielson made to be ‘there’ more for his children. During an appearance on Casual Conversations with The Wrestling Classic, Danielson discussed his status with AEW.
“The big one is Wembley [host of AEW All In.] I wanna make it to Wembley. My contract actually expires before Wembley, but I wanna make it to Wembley. I’m not sure if I’ll make it, but one thing that would be a nice way to kind of close everything out for me is to do my last match as a full-time wrestler at WrestleDream at the Tacoma Dome because that’s the first wrestling show I ever saw.”
Bryan hopes to be a part of AEW All In even though his contract will end before the event.
It’s hardly a surprise that Danielson hopes to compete at AEW All In 2024. Not only will the show be AEW’s largest event of the year but Bryan missed out on competing at last year’s event due to an injury. He returned to action days later at the following AEW All Out 2023 pay-per-view.
