Gosh! I would have to say, this is going to be controversial. Kenny Omega. When you watch him, he’s hurt right now, he’s one of the most fantastic wrestlers you’ll ever see.
When it was brought up that many will feel Bret Hart is more deserving of the accolade, Bryan was quick to share his respect for the Hit Man.
“It’s going to be controversial. I mean I’m a huge Bret Hart fan. But when you watch Kenny Omega… Love Bret Hart, love the Hart Family… but when you look at Kenny Omega, his best stuff is just incredible.”
Danielson’s appreciation for Omega is hardly a secret. When the former WWE World Champion joined AEW, he wasted no time in selecting Omega as his first opponent. The duo faced off at AEW Grand Slam 2021 to a time-limit draw. The pair have traded wins in multi-man matches since then at AEW Dynamite’s second-anniversary show in 2021 and Double or Nothing 2023.
It remains to be seen if fans will see Danielson face Omega one more time. The American Dragon is currently in his final year as a full-time talent but intends to continue resting after 2024. Omega is currently out of action with diverticulitis and there’s no word on when he’ll be back in the ring.
On Friday, May 10, Strickland showed up at DEFY Here And Now. In a video clip that surfaced on social media, ‘Swerve’ delivered a passionate promo. He said that the Seattle-based promotion played a pivotal role in becoming successful. The Washinton-born wrestler further thanked DEFY Wrestling for providing the platform and said that they are “setting the tone” in the wrestling industry.
Strickland recalled his headlining match against Cody Rhodes at the inaugural DEFY show and gave a shoutout to ‘The American Nightmare.’ The former WWE wrestler then showered praise on the current members of DEFY roster and expressed his gratitude towards the promotion, where his career started to take off.
Swerve Strickland then thanked the fans for their support and revealed his gift to the fans – a free meet-and-greet session following the show. The segment ended with Strickland asking “Whose House?” as the fans responded: “Swerve’s House.”
Strickland parted ways with DEFY wrestling in 2019 and went on to taste success in major promotions such as WWE and AEW. In the past, he has held the DEFY World Championship and has been one-half of the DEFY Tag Team Champions alongside Christopher Daniels.
Igniting a feud with Christian Cage
On this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite, Swerve Strickland was confronted by Christian Cage. They had a verbal exchange which ended in a massive betrayal for the champ. The Gates of Agony (Toa Linoa & Bishop Kaun) and Brian Cage turned on Strickland and launched a gruesome attack. This marks the dissolution of the Mogul Embassy.
With Christian Cage setting his sights on the AEW World Championship, Swerve Strickland now has a huge challenge at his hands.
Braun Strowman has made his triumphant return to the ring after this week’s WWE SmackDown went off the air.
This week’s edition of Friday Night SmackDown emanated from Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, PA. The card was stacked with some huge first-round matches of King & Queen of The Ring and it built towards the highly-anticipated namesake PLE in Saudi Arabia later this month. After the show concluded, ‘The Monster of All Monsters’ faced Shinsuke Nakamura in a dark match and emerged victorious in a short match-up.
This marked his first in-ring performance after being on the sidelines for over a year due to neck issues.
Braun Strowman’s battle with injury
In June last year, Braun Strowman underwent neck fusion surgery and was on the shelf while recuperating from it. It certainly took a mental and physical toll on the heavyweight wrestler and he was candid about the same.
In December, Strowman said that he wouldn’t rule out his return at WWE Royal Rumble 2024 but that did not happen. It wasn’t until April this year that the powerhouse made his return. He made his return after the surgery during the opening night of the 2024 WWE Draft where he was drafted to the Raw.
He came to the aid of Jey Uso, who was getting brutally attacked by Finn Balor and the United States Champion Logan Paul. Strowman also had a brief confrontation with Patrick Mahomes and his teammates before Jey Uso calmed him down.
Major League Wrestling’s willingness to think outside the box has helped make them the ‘Apple’ of professional wrestling, Court Bauer has claimed.
It’s hard to ignore the success of MLW in recent years, as the independent promotion has become one of the most prominent names in North America. The company recently emerged from an antitrust lawsuit with WWE which saw the Sports Entertainment juggernaut down $20 million. MLW has also been enjoying record-breaking toy sales in recent months, a testament to the promotion’s popularity.
Bauer spoke with Alfred Konuwa for Forbes this week to promote Saturday’s MLW: Azteca Lucha 2024 event from Chicago’s Cicero Stadium. You can stream the show live on TrillerTV+. Bauer was asked about his brand. When AEW’s comparison to Pepsi was brought up, Bauer suggested that MLW shares strategies akin to tech giant Apple.
“Steve Jobs had this great mantra when he was doing all his amazing things with Apple, and it was simple: Think Different. So when I think what our mantra is, and what we try do everyday, it’s just “Think Different.” Don’t try to mimic, don’t try to replicate, just Think Different. What if you tried something new?
“I try to look at things in a positive way. It’s so tempting in wrestling to look at the drama, because everything in wrestling is drama, and I just try to think different and stay away from all that stuff, the main thing is the main thing.”
Bauer is pleased that MLW has been able to bring something different to the wrestling industry.
MLW will continue to think differently with its Azteca Lucha event. The event will take place from the Cicero Arena in Chicago, IL on Saturday, May 11. The show has already proved to be historic with Azteca Lucha smashing MLW’s box office record.
Kenny Omega will go under the knife to deal with his ongoing health concerns as the AEW EVP remains on the shelf for the time being.
The former AEW World Champion hasn’t competed since late 2023 due to a battle with diverticulitis and there has been speculation as to whether he’d undergo surgery. While surgery would mean a lower chance of the issues with diverticulitis returning, it would also mean he’d have to spend longer out to recover from the operation.
Now, Omega has made his decision. Taking to his Twitch channel, the Cleaner spoke about the surgery he is set to undergo.
“I will actually be getting surgery very very very soon… this guy is top in his field and I feel even though it’s a major surgery, I feel most comfortable with this individual. So even though there’s always worries going into a major surgery, if there’s one person the most confident with, I think it’s this dude.”
Omega did share the bad news to his viewers that this surgery will likely mean he won’t be streaming for a while. With that said, the AEW EVP said he intends to keep fans informed within days after the operation.
Kenny Omega injured
What’s to Come?
While Omega won’t be competing for some time, it’s no secret what the future holds for him in the ring. During his recent appearance on Dynamite, Omega made clear he would face AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada in the future. The two have faced off in a series of highly-acclaimed matches in the past which resulted in Omega ‘breaking’ Dave Meltzer and his star ratings system.
Omega isn’t the only notable name missing from AEW programming. MJF hasn’t competed since losing the World Championship at Worlds End in December 2023. MJF underwent shoulder surgery in April 2024 and there’s no word on when fans can expect him back.
WWE’s QR code mystery continued during the May 10, edition of SmackDown as signs continued to point towards a stable in tribute to Bray Wyatt.
A ‘glitch’ featuring a QR code appeared during the Queen of the Ring tournament first-round match between Nia Jax and Naomi which was won by the irresistible force. Scanning the code takes fans to a video that at first appears to be WWE’s new introductory video, complete with a voice-over by Triple H.
The video then takes a dark tone as a message is shared alongside creepy imagery.
“They put us in a cave together, told us to behold the glory. We watched in awe, consumed by their lies. We were never the chosen ones, left in the cave to rot, to be forgotten. But he set us free. Now we understand. We follow the prophecy. The word of the red. Soon you will understand. The tears we shed watered our antipathy and blossomed a garden of revulsion. There is no safe space. Only my family.”
Like previous videos, this latest video includes rhetoric to caves, which ties to Platoean theory about reality. The use of ‘we’ also hammers home the belief that this will be a stable rather than an individual. Perhaps the biggest clue in this text is the stanza about “the word of the red.” Fans may recognize the reference to ‘red’ as Bray Wyatt had promos in 2014 in which he referred to being red.
“I am the color red, in a world of black and white and if you value your ability to breathe… Don’t get too close.”
All signs are pointing towards a stable led by Uncle Howdy, the character Bray Wyatt portrayed upon his return to WWE in 2022. Howdy was pulled from TV around the same time Wyatt was pulled due to the health issues that would cut his life tragically short in August 2023. It’s also been reported that Howdy won’t be returning to WWE alone. Dallas has also been referenced in previous videos.
AEW EVP Kenny Omega believes that Dave Meltzer was never quite the same after the Cleaner ‘broke’ the wrestling reporter’s much-discussed match ratings system.
For years, Meltzer used a standard five-star ranking, with one representing a terrible encounter and five representing the absolute best a match could be. For Omega’s Wrestle Kingdom 2017 showdown with Kazuchika Okada, Meltzer broke his ratings system and awarded the bout six stars. That same year, Meltzer would go against his own system again, awarding Omega Vs. Okada at Dominion 6.25 stars.
Ever since then, Meltzer has gone beyond his standard five-star rating, which has spawned a debate as to whether his previous five-star matches are now seen as less than perfect. Speaking on his Twitch stream, Omega took the blame (or credit) for breaking the ratings system.
“He’s jumped the f*cking shark so it doesn’t count for much anymore. He has jumped the motherf*cking shark, and guess who is to blame for that? Me. I’m the guy.
“I broke the scale, it f*cked up something in his brain where he doesn’t even know what good match is anymore… I think he just doesn’t understand it anymore, he cant comprehend what’s going on.”
Omega went on to describe his situation as akin to Pandora’s Box; which once opened, cannot be re-sealed. Meltzer’s highest-rated match stands at seven stars and saw Omega defeat Okada in a ‘No time limit two out of three falls’ match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Dominion 6.9 in 2018.
As for when Omega’s next five-star (or more) match will be, that remains to be seen. The Cleaner has been out of action since late 2023 due to a battle with diverticulitis. Despite recently appearing on AEW programming, there’s no timeframe for when fans can expect the former AEW World Champion back in the ring.
New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Gabe Kidd didn’t hold back during a recent appearance for CBS News Los Angeles and took aim at both WWE and AEW.
Kidd was on the show to promote the upcoming NJPW Resurgence 2024 event. The show will take place on May 11 from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, Canada.
When asked what makes New Japan different to other wrestling promotions, the English grappler shared his views on WWE and AEW.
“Listen, I’ll put it in very simple terms. You like theater? Go and watch WWE. If you’re a fat nerd who can’t talk to girls, go and watch AEW. If you want to watch the real stuff, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, this is where it’s at.”
Kidd will be competing in some inter-promotional warfare at NJPW Resurgence later this month. He will challenge AEW’s Eddie Kingston in a No Ropes Last Man Standing match for Kingston’s New Japan Strong Openweight Championship.
Crossover Matches
While Kidd hardly has a favorable take on AEW, NJPW Resurgence will feature plenty of All-Elite talent. AEW staple Jon Moxley will headline the show when he puts the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on the line against Shota Umino.
Lance Archer will challenge Jeff Cobb for the latter’s NJPW World Television Championship. Jack Perry, fresh off his appearance on this week’s AEW Dynamite, will team with Ren Narita & EVIL to face Tomohiro Ishii, Rocky Romero & The DKC. It won’t just be AEW and New Japan talent involved, as TNA Wrestling’s X-Division Champion Mustafa Ali will face Lio Rush on the pre-show.
WWE SmackDown took over Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania’s Mohegan Sun Arena with a sold-out show this week. Those fans witnessed some incredible King and Queen of the Ring Tournament matches take place.
The 2024 King and Queen of the Ring tournaments have begun in WWE, featuring matches on Raw and SmackDown. The finals will go down at a live event in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, May 25. Thirty-two competitors from the roster are vying for the crown, a title previously held by many notable wrestlers.
On WWE SmackDown this week, they continued their road to King & Queen of the Ring. In the first match of the night, Nia Jax defeated Naomi to advance in the tournament.
Carmelo Hayes, the former NXT Champion, won his match against Baron Corbin to advance in the tournament. Hayes secured the victory with a roll-up pin, which didn’t significantly hurt Corbin’s standing, as he was just call-up from NXT during the 2024 WWE Draft along with Hayes.
Additionally, the match featured sponsorship from “The Iron Claw” on Max, with MAX graphics on the barricades and entrance as Corey Graves mentioned the Von Erich Family biopic post-match.
Jade Cargill also advanced toward the 2024 Queen of the Ring crown as she defeated Piper Niven. It’s hard not to see the former TBS Champion as a favorite in the tournament. Cargill impressed throughout the match, executing a blue thunder bomb on Niven, along with perfect splashes in the corner.
Chelsea Green tried to interfere, but there was no stopping the Storm from coming as she won with a Jaded. This win for Cargill also set up a match against Nia Jax next, and that will be another incredible test for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion.
Bianca Belair made her entrance as her tag team partner, Cargill, was leaving. This gave them a chance to pose as WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions before the match kicked off. After a back-and-forth contest, Belair won the match to advance in the tournament.
Tama Tonga picked up the win over Angelo Dawkins to advance this week. Dawkins replaced Bobby Lashley, who had to pull out. Tonga is coming off his brother, Tanga Loa, debuting at WWE Backlash in France, so he wanted to keep that momentum going. Tonga also got to show off his new entrance on SmackDown.
AJ Styles and Randy Orton brought the third and final King of the Ring match of the night. The two veterans continued as Orton developed a leg injury during the match, one he sold to enhance the drama. Orton fought to keep from getting trapped in a Calf Crusher from the Phenomenal One as fans chanted The Viper on.
They fought on, and Orton delivered his signature suspended DDT, but he was unable to capitalize. The Apex Predator was able to kick out of a Phenomenal Forearm and then he hit an RKO outta nowhere to secure the win.
The King and Queen of the Ring tournaments will culminate on May 25 at the Jeddah Super Dome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where the finals for both tournaments will take place.
You may find the results for this year’s tournament (so far) in the space below. We have also listed the announced quarterfinal matches.
King of the Ring:
First Round Results:
Gunther defeated Sheamus
Ilja Dragunov defeated Ricochet
Jey Uso defeated Finn Balor
Kofi Kingston defeated Rey Mysterio
Randy Orton defeated AJ Styles
Tama Tonga defeated Angelo Dawkins
Carmelo Hayes defeated Baron Corbin
LA Knight defeated Santos Escobar
Quarterfinals Scheduled:
Gunther vs. Kofi Kingston
Jey Uso vs. Ilja Dragunov
Tama Tonga vs LA Knight
Carmelo Hayes vs Randy Orton
Queen of the Ring:
First Round Results:
Iyo Sky defeated Natalya
Lyra Valkyria defeated Dakota Kai
Zoey Stark defeated Ivy Nile
Shayna Baszler defeated Maxxine Dupri
Bianca Belair defeated Candice LeRae
Jade Cargill defeated Piper Niven
Nia Jax defeated Naomi
Tiffany Stratton defeated Michin
Quarterfinals Scheduled:
Iyo Sky vs. Shayna Baszler
Lyra Valkyria vs. Zoey Stark
Jade Cargill vs Nia Jax
Bianca Belair vs Tiffany Stratton
WWE King & Queen of the Ring Card:
King of the Ring Tournament Final
Raw bracket winner vs. SmackDown bracket winner
Queen of the Ring Tournament Final
Raw bracket winner vs. SmackDown bracket winner
Women’s World Championship Match
Becky Lynch (c) vs. Liv Morgan (Singles match)
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Sami Zayn (c) vs. Chad Gable vs. Bronson Reed (Triple threat match)
Logan Paul already has the WWE United States Championship around his shoulder, but he is after another title for the other side. The Maverick is now set to take on Cody Rhodes at King and Queen of the Ring on May 25.
WWE SmackDown kicked off this week with Nick Aldis introducing Rhodes. The American Nightmare made his way to the ring to a thunderous reception, and then the SmackDown GM got right down to business.
Aldis congratulated Rhodes for beating AJ Styles at Backlash, but then he said that his next challenger has already been determined. This is when Logan Paul’s music hit, much to the chagrin of fans in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania’s sold-out Mohegan Sun Arena.
Logan and Cody had a back-and-forth on the microphone, one where the YouTuber turned Superstar said that winning the Undisputed WWE Title from Rhodes will help usher in the “Logan Paul Levesque Era.”
After securing the WWE United States Title at WWE Crown Jewel last year, Logan Paul has become the longest-reigning champion in WWE history. With his title reign reaching 188 days and still ongoing, Paul was sure to mention this milestone during his segment with Cody Rhodes.
Then Cody Rhodes brought up the fact that if he won the WWE U.S. Title, that would make him a WWE Grand Slam Champion. He then said that Logan is self-centered, but WWE is a team, and at King and Queen of the Ring, The Maverick will learn where he stands with that team.
Cody Rhodes later tweeted out to simply say: “Two belts.” It seems that he has his eye on Paul’s title as well. This may be a winner take all match if they confirm the stipulation.
The King and Queen of the Ring tournaments are set to return in 2024, marking the first occurrence since 2021. Matches for the tournament are ongoing, and SEScoops will provide in-depth coverage.
Xavier Woods and Zelina Vega are the current reigning King and Queen of the Ring.
The finals for the 2024 tournaments will be held at a live event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 25. The stage for this event was prominently established on SmackDown.
Jim Ross’ iconic voice been part of the soundtrack of professional wrestling for decades. In his latest book Business Is About To Pick Up!, Ross delves deep into his 50 years in the business to recall 50 stories behind some of his most calls. Ross has worn many hats during that time, including referee, announcer, executive and more. His greatest accolades are in the arena of broadcasting and many consider him to be in a class of his own when it comes to heightening the drama of big-time matches.
I recently had a chance to read the book, which is filled with many interesting anecdotes that some fans may not be aware of. Narrowing down the list of 50, here are 5 things I learned from Jim Ross: Business Is About To Pick Up!:
Buy Jim Ross’ New Book (Amazon)
5: The Rock’s Debut Was Also A Test for JR
“Now there’s going to be the man right there. That’s Blue Chipper right there.”
Few names have become bigger in wrestling than The Rock who would infamously debut as Rocky Maivia at Survivor Series 1996. WWE’s first third-generation Superstar, Maivia was thrown in at the proverbial deep end by being booked as the sole survivor for his team.
The classic Survivor Series match inside MSG also proved to be quite the test for Ross. In the book, JR writes about being promoted to VP of Talent Relations around the time, replacing the legendary J.J. Dillon. Ross watched on, hoping that Maivia would thrive in his debut and prove he had an eye for talent. Needless to say, JR’s signing certainly delivered on the night.
4: He Was Sure Mick Foley Had Died At King of the Ring 1998
“As God as my witness, he is broken in half!”
Mick Foley had wrestled for years by the time he entered (or rather climbed) the Hell in a Cell structure at King of the Ring 1998, but this match helped cement his legacy. Mere minutes into the match, the Hardcore Legend was thrown off the side of the cell, momentarily pausing the match as fans worried for Mick’s wellbeing.
JR’s commentary of the match is a collection of some of his greatest lines, as it was this match that also spawned “That killed him! That killed him!” In his book, Ross writes that neither he nor Jerry Lawler had any idea Mick was going to go off the celland had actually advised him shortly before the match to be more cautious with his bumps. Foley’s second cell fall, this one being later in the match through the roof of the structure to the mat, had JR fearing that he’d seen his friend die in the ring.
3: Shawn Michaels Vs. The Undertaker Was An Honor to Call
“I just had an out-of-body experience!”
By 2008, JR had established himself as the voice of WWE (and arguably the voice of pro wrestling) but his career was showing signs of the proverbial downward slope. Ross was moved from Raw to SmackDown in that year’s draft, a move that he was not warned about. As part of the blue brand, JR would also be relegated further with a demotion as lead announcer.
As 2008 rolled into 2009, Ross was feeling pretty numb to his WWE career, until a phone call helped revitalize his spirit. That call was the company requesting him to call the WrestleMania 25 bout between Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker. Ross describes being presented with the match as “one of the greatest gifts I ever received” given how low in the WWE’s pecking order he had landed. It certainly helps that the match was “perfect” in Ross’ eyes, and would put some ‘pep’ in Ross’ step.
2: His Wife’s Passing Played A Role in Joining All Elite Wrestling
Jim Ross and his wife Jan.
In March 2017, Jan Ross was involved in a serious vehicle accident and was put on life support but passed away two days later. The couple had been married for 24 years and understandably, Jan’s death affected Jim in a profound way.
Two years later, JR’s contract would expire with WWE as the two sides opted not to renew. For WWE, they had no plans for Jim in a commentary role, and JR wanted to push himself in a role greater than the part-time appearances WWE had in mind. JR “needed something more engaging, something more scary and risky, to help me not be in my head so much.”
That something would be AEW, who welcomed Ross with open arms that same year. With AEW, Ross was thrust right back into the hustle and bustle he had experienced for years in WWE, and kept him motivated and his mind occupied.
1: He Has No Idea Why Vince McMahon Returned to WWE
Jim Ross and Vince McMahon
In January 2023, less than a year after his ‘retirement’ Vince McMahon forced his way back into WWE. The move came a year after Vince essentially banished his son Shane after chaos at the 2022 Royal Rumble and amid reports that he and Linda had long been separated. Stephanie’s departure from WWE the same time as her father’s return only further demonstrated the McMahon family drama.
Ross worked closely with the McMahon’s for decades and their work on TV often came at his expense. In the book, Ross argues that the McMahon’s seem more divided than ever and has no idea why Vince opted to return, saying it’s perhaps to flame up “all the embarrassment and scrutiny again for his family.” Ross also questions what kind of deal McMahon was seeking that it was worth ripping his family apart.
Editorial Reviews
Publisher Penguin Random House provided these quotes from some of the biggest stars in wrestling whose matches have been voiced by Jim Ross:
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson: “Jim’s masterful play-by-play commentary has always been driven by his passion, deep wrestling knowledge, and most of all, his ability to make the audience feel the action of the wrestling match.”
John Cena: “Through the years, Jim Ross has been not only the voice of some of the greatest stories ever told in sports entertainment, he has identified and helped a great number of successful professionals . . . I’m extremely grateful for all his guidance through the years.”
Bret Hart: “To my memory, Jim Ross was the greatest play-by-play wrestling commentator there is, was, and ever will be . . . He brought TV’s greatest wrestling matches to life, and the many unforgettable memories that come involving each superstar on each telecast, taking you there word-by-word, guiding you carefully to the finish for one more wild ride.”
Kenny Omega: “Jim Ross hasn’t just been the narrator guiding us along our journey in pro wrestling—he has become the voice synonymous with wrestling. It’s been the greatest honor to have experienced his work as a fan, and to also have benefitted by working alongside him in AEW.”
Mick Foley: “Jim Ross has the ability to turn a good match into a great match, and a great match into the stuff of legend. For an entire generation of wrestling fans, Jim’s immortal calls were part of the soundtrack of their lives, eclipsing wrestling itself to become an indelible part of popular culture.”
Cinephiles will now be able to appreciate The Iron Claw from home now that the biopic centered on the lives of the Von Erich family has come to MAX.
The Iron Claw tells the tale of the legendary wrestling family and the many tragedies that befall the brothers. An all-star cast includes Zac Efron (The Greatest Showman,) Jeremy Allen-White (The Bear,) and Lily James (Pam And Tommy.) The name of the movie comes from the dreaded ‘Iron Claw’ finisher used by patriarch Fritz Von Erich that was adopted by his sons and others in the family.
Now, the film has come to MAX (formerly HBO MAX) which is the official streaming service of Warner Bros. Discovery. The film hit theaters in December 2023 and grossed $44.2 million worldwide, making it the tenth-highest-grossing movie for acclaimed production studio A24.
The Iron Claw didn’t win any Academy Awards but received praise for its hold-nothing-back approach to the Von Erich family. The New Yorker said that the film is “as exuberant as it is mournful” while The Ringer described it as “a sports movie with genuine existential heft.” Efron’s lead portrayal of Kevin Von Erich has been heralded as arguably the best work of his career.
Check out SE Scoops’ review of The Iron Claw, courtesy of Dominic Deangelo.
The Iron Claw isn’t the first wrestling-themed biopic. In 2019, Fighting With My Family chartered the life and rise of Saraya in WWE, where she worked for years as Paige. In February 2024, it was reported that Dwayne Johnson’s Seven Bucks Production had begun working on a biopic about Ric Flair.
2K has released the last update for the upcoming ECW DLC pack for WWE 2K24, known as the ECW Punk Pack, which will be available on Wednesday, May 15. They have revealed CM Punk’s appearance in the game, accurately capturing his likeness. They even nailed the WWE Universe’s rambunctious “CM Punk” chants.
WWE and 2K recently released previews of the ECW Punk Pack characters, featuring The Sandman, The Dudley Boyz, and Terry Funk. Today, they unveiled a screenshot of CM Punk, the last member of the pack. This release was accompanied by a video showcasing his entrance in the game.
This marks CM Punk’s first official appearance in a WWE game since WWE 2K15. During the interim period, the only way fans could get Punk in the game was via a talented CAW artist in the 2k community.
CM Punk returned to WWE during the closing moments of the 2023 Survivor Series event. That surprise in the Windy City caught everyone off-guard, and 2K also didn’t have him prepared for their upcoming game. They got to work in rapid fashion to correct this omission from the roster.
In case you’re wondering how far WWE video games have come since CM Punk was last featured in a game, you can check out his 2K15 entrance below. The difference is pretty astounding.
Future WWE 2K24 DLC Packs:
June 26: DLC Pack #2 (“Post Malone & Friends Pack”)
Post Malone
Sensational Sherri
Mosh
Thrasher
Honky Tonk Man
Jimmy Hart Manager
MyFACTION Superstar Cards
July 24: DLC Pack #3 (“Pat McAfee Show Pack”)
Pat McAfee
Ty Schmit
Boston Connor
AJ Hawk
Darius Butler
Additional MyFACTION Superstar Cards
September 20: DLC Pack #4 (“Global Superstars Pack”)
Jade Cargill
Nia Jax
Michelle McCool
Carlito
Kairi Sane
Lyra Valkyria
Dragon Lee
MyFACTION Superstar Cards
November 13: DLC Pack #5 (“WCW Pack”)
Diamond Dallas Page
Iron Sheik
Mr. Perfect
Great Muta
Lex Luger
MyFACTION Superstar Cards
WWE 2K24 Release & Reception
WWE 2K24 was released on March 8, 2024. Cody Rhodes is featured on the standard edition of the game. Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair appear on the special edition, the first time females have shared the cover. The 40 Years of WrestleMania special cover was changed to remove Brock Lesnar.
The game is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Critics have noted the game’s improvements and refinements from previous versions.
Big Bill’s new pairing with former AEW World Champion Chris Jericho signifies the end of his previous partnership with Ricky Starks. We’ve seen wrestlers teaming with multiple tag partners and being part of multiple ongoing storylines, but that won’t be the case here. Fightful Selectreports Bill and Starks have officially parted ways and there are no plans for the former AEW tag champs to work together on television. After reaching the top of the mountain together, they’ve decided to go their separate ways.
Chris Jericho and Big Bill in AEW
While Big Bill is sitting under the Learning Tree, Starks is out of action recovering from a leg injury. That process is never fun, but he let his social media followers know he’s doing just fine while off the road.
Big Bill has gone through a lot since his WWE release, and it was well-documented. He has also spoken candidly about overcoming those struggles.
After a run in the NWA and Impact Wrestling, AEW opened their doors to the former Realest Guy in the Room.
Big Bill made his AEW debut on May 4, 2022, as MJF’s pick to face Wardlow in a storyline for their Double or Nothing match. Although Bill lost that debut match to the Warddog, he wasn’t finished in Tony Khan’s company. By August, the 37-year-old signed with AEW, initially as part of Stokely Hathaway’s stable, The Firm.
In August 2023, Big Bill teamed up with Ricky Starks, who managed him after obtaining a manager’s license. They won the AEW World Tag Team Championship from FTR on October 7 and held it for 123 days before losing it to Sting and Darby Allin.
On April 24, 2024, Big Bill told FTW Champion Chris Jericho he wanted to join his Learning Tree. After assisting Jericho in a match, Jericho welcomed him into the group a week later. All signs point to the fact that Bill’s stories in AEW are far from over.
Fans in the United Kingdom have hit out at the ‘extortionate’ price of tickets for the upcoming WWE Clash At The Castle: Scotland Premium Live Event.
The June 15, event will mark WWE’s first Premium Live Event in Scotland and will be preceded by a SmackDown taping. Both shows will take place at the historic OVO Hydro in Scotland’s largest city of Glasgow.
Much has been said about the price of tickets for Clash At The Castle: Scotland. The event is the most expensive WWE event in company history for a “get-in” price, Dave Meltzer has reported. The obscene prices, which start at £300 ($375) for just one night, has left many fans simply unable to attend.
Mark Dallas is the founder of ICW, a Scottish-based promotion that has hosted Drew McIntyre, Piper Niven, and other top WWE Superstars. When speaking to the BBC, Dallas was pleased about the event, but acknowledged the high price for fans.
“It’s fantastic that finally, WWE are bringing one of their big events to Glasgow – it’s long overdue. I think it’s a real shame that there’s not more affordable tickets towards the back of the venue at least.”
Journalist Ross Brady is among those who have found themselves left out of the show despite it being near to him because of the ticket prices.
“I’ll have to watch it on TV – save myself some money. I am a proper fan of this but I’ll need to miss the one that’s 20 minutes down the road because I’m just not paying extortionate prices.”
Many fans have been forced to miss the upcoming UK show.
A WWE spokesperson was asked for comment on the concern over ticket prices. They noted that cheaper individual tickets had been made available but did not state how many tickets were available at this discounted price.
Clash At The Castle: Scotland isn’t the only European event to feature eye-poppingly high prices. The recent WWE Backlash France event provided WWE with its largest gate for an arena event, thanks in part to the high cost of tickets. Unfortunately, these high prices have left countless fans missing out.
We may indeed never see Chuck Taylor wrestle again, according to a new report.
Dave Meltzer has written in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter that when AEW stated Chuck Taylor will never compete in the ring again, this is reportedly true.
Taylor was taken out by Trent Berreta several weeks ago who hadnotoriously turned heel against The Best Friends as he has had an axe to grind against Orange Cassidy. This eventually boiled over into Beretta’s relationship against Taylor as he made Chuck pick between him and Orange Cassidy.
Taylor sided with Cassidy and this eventually turned into a parking lot fight between Beretta and him. Beretta got the win, but still decided to inflict more pain on “The Kentucky Gentleman” by taking a wrench to his leg. This set up the on-air angle that Taylor’s career was done.
Before his perhaps final match, Taylor has been out on the shelf with injury but did have a previous major injury in a pectoral muscle tear. This put him in an angle with Miro as Taylor served as his “servant” for the time being. He then later suffered another injury with his foot after his ALL IN Stadium Stampede match.
Taylor and Beretta have been with All Elite Wrestling since the very beginning as they were surprise signings at the AEW Double Or Nothing Ticket Announcement Party in 2019. They actually defeated Jack Evans and Angelico at the promotion’s inaugural PPV that following Memorial Day weekend. Beretta just lost to Cassidy in a match on this week’s AEW Dynamite.
The Rock will have a huge role to play at WWE WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas, with reported plans for a showdown with a familiar foe.
The Brahma Bull made his in-ring return at this year’s WrestleMania which saw the Final Boss victorious in a tag-team match during the Saturday show. The Rock didn’t have the same success the following night, as after a chokeslam by The Undertaker took out the Hollywood star, Cody Rhodes defeated Roman Reigns to become Undisputed WWE Championship.
With WrestleMania 40 in the background, fans have been left wondering when they’ll next see the Brahma Bull compete. Though he could wrestle earlier than WrestleMania 41, the plan for the April 2025 event is for Rock to face Rhodes, Dave Meltzer reports. It’s unclear at this time if this will be for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
WWE has big plans for the Final Boss at WrestleMania 41.
With Rock-Rhodes the plan (for the time being) for WrestleMania 41, fans will be left wondering when the long-awaited showdown between The Rock and Roman Reigns will take place. At one point in time, the match was a ‘lock’ for WrestleMania 39 before plans changed. WWE had teased a showdown between the two at this year’s event before the might of the ‘We Want Cody’ movement changed those plans.
While there’s no shortage of fans who’d love to see WrestleMania return to Detroit, that, apparently, won’t be happening just yet. In a statement, to The Detroit News, the Detroit Sports Commission denied that a bid is in the works.
”Contrary to recent speculation, the DSC is not currently in the process of preparing a bid to host WrestleMania in 2027. However, we remain enthusiastic about the prospect of hosting future major WWE events. The Detroit Sports Commission values its strong relationship with WWE and is proud to have hosted some of their premier events across the Metro Detroit region.
“We look forward to continuing our successful partnership with WWE and welcoming more thrilling events to our vibrant city in the years to come.”
The show will apparently not come to Detroit.
While WrestleMania 43 won’t be coming to Detroit (or at least those in the city claim,) the city has hosted plenty of WWE events. The Motor City is one of a select few cities to have hosted the promotion’s ‘Big Four’ events. In addition to WrestleMania, Detroit hosted Survivor Series in 1991 and 1999, the Royal Rumble in 2005 and 2009, and SummerSlam in 2023.
WrestleMania 41 will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 19 and April 20, the latest in a calendar year that the show has taken place. Las Vegas bested Minneapolis for the event, despite the latter city once being considered a favorite for the 2025 event.
It’s no secret that the UK is eager to host WWE’s first non-North American WrestleMania, an idea endorsed by John Cena, Cody Rhodes, and recently re-elected London Mayor Sadiq Khan. Saudi Arabian officials is also interested in bringing WrestleMania to their nation as part of a revamped deal with WWE. With that said, Nick Khan has said WWE’s Big Four will remain in North America for the time being.
Soft Ground Wrestling (SGW) Uganda is making a mark on the pro wrestling world and one of its wrestlers Sanjuki The Bull is looking for a match against AEW’s Will Ospreay.
SGW, the promotion based in Uganda has gained some massive popularity on social media in recent months and several prominent wrestlers have supported the promotion. They have gone the extra mile as Sanjuki has already inked a contract of honor and has challenged ‘The Aerial Assassin’ for a Forbidden Door Centurion Match.
In a video clip posted on SGW’s X account, Sanjuki delivered a passionate promo and said that Ospreay has no idea what’s coming for him. He made it clear that he’s not afraid of the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and it’s “bad news” for the latter.
Sanjuki Signs a contract of honor for a match against will ospreay of AEW. Forbidden door. Centurion match. pic.twitter.com/ApVs1Q6rWi
— SGW @soft ground wrestling Uganda (@SGWug) May 8, 2024
SGW features a soil ring instead of a traditional pro wrestling ring. They also use string ropes similar to pro wrestling ropes. The steel posts are replaced by bamboo posts at the four corners. This is a unique setup that garnered attraction on social media. SGW Uganda is not only a wrestling promotion but they also train over 180 aspiring wrestlers.
Fans on social media were impressed with the effort of the promotion and set up a GoFundMe campaign to extend support. It soon came to light that the ground where they perform is rented and faced financial issues. Will Ospreay was among the first wrestlers who came across SGW. ‘The Aerial Assassin’ had contributed $2,000 to the promotion.
Will Ospreay is heading to SGW
Last month, during the AEW Dynasty Media Scrum, Ospreay said that he was eager to wrestle in Uganda. Recently, speaking on Swerve City Podcast, the 31-year-old confirmed that he would make an appearance in the Ugandan promotion. He said:
“You have no idea what’s coming lads. Listen I will come. Don’t you worry”
It was recently revealed that wrestlers have been able to raise a whopping amount for SGW which will help them keep the momentum going for the better things to come.
WWE’s search for its next King and Queen of the Ring will continue with an exciting line-up for the May 10, episode of WWE SmackDown.
The two tournaments began on this week’s episode of Raw and will conclude at WWE King and Queen of the Ring 2024 later this month. The show will be the latest event from WWE to take place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the first PLE related to the King of the Ring stipulation since 2002.
Five exciting tournament matches have been confirmed for this week’s SmackDown.
Men’s Matches on SmackDown
Two men’s division matches have been confirmed for the upcoming episode of WWE SmackDown with royal stakes on the line:
In a WrestleMania 35 rematch, AJ Styles will face Randy Orton in what will likely be an epic collision between former WWE World Champions.
New WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Bianca Belair will look to keep her winning ways going when she takes on Candice LeRae.
Belair’s partner will also hope to advance when she faces Piper Niven, who was a finalist in the 2021 Queen’s Crown Tournament but lost to Zelina Vega.
It’ll be a battle of the Anoai-Fatu family when Naomi takes on Nia Jax with a spot in the Queen of the Ring quarter-finals up for grabs.
More from SmackDown
Tonight’s SmackDown will also see Cody Rhodes seek a new challenger for his Undisputed WWE Championship. The American Nightmare retained against AJ Styles at WWE Backlash France. Names advertised for tonight’s show at the Mohegan Sun Arena include U.S. Champion Logan Paul, Women’s Champion Bayley, LA Knight and AJ Styles. As always, the card is subject to change.
Multiple names from Ring of Honor were commended backstage for their conduct during an unfortunate incident at the most recent tapings. ROH tapings took place after the May 8, episode of Dynamite and saw a ‘fan’ act inappropriately during a match between Skye Blue and Rachel Ellering. The man, who had a child with him, made a series of sexual comments at Blue and focused on her appearance. Blue would later tell the man to “not be such a pervert” and later told the man to “f*** off” when the action spilled to the outside, according to one live report from PWInsider.
Skye Blue
While Blue and Ellering were battling on the floor, referee Aubrey Edwards spoke with security who confronted the man who grew increasingly angry. The man was ejected from the show.
Skye Blue was said to be visibly upset as she headed to the backstage area immediately after the match according to a different fan’s account of the situation shared to Reddit. AEW officials praised Skye and Ellering for keeping the match together despite the obvious distraction at ringside.
Support for Skye Blue
The clearly-inappropriate conduct from the fan has spawned a lot of responses on social media. On Twitter, Rachel Ellering said she’d never heard such vulgar comments said about a wrestler and made clear this went beyond mere heckling.
The speed in which @RefAubrey and I got out of the ring last night post match to get this creep kicked out was remarkable. Olympic medalist speeds.
I’ve NEVER in my career heard such vulgar things being said to talent during a match.
Aubrey Edwards made clear she wouldn’t tolerate such comments made at anyone, stating that inappropriate conduct has no place in professional wrestling.
If you yell disgusting, vile, hateful things at my coworkers, I will make sure your ass gets kicked out.
There is no place for that in wrestling.
Heckling is fine, but when you’ve made the performers (me included) feel uncomfortable in their place of work, you’ve gone too far. https://t.co/gvIbH3dV6I
— Aubrey Edwards – AEW Referee (@RefAubrey) May 9, 2024
Skye Blue Reacts
Skye Blue herself was appreciative of the support she received and hopes that there’ll be a time when women in wrestling aren’t treated this way.
I’m beyond overwhelmed with all the love and support. Thank you everyone you have no idea how much it’s appreciated ? Let’s make sure the future generations of women wrestlers don’t have to deal with this shit.
This unfortunately wasn’t the only time lines were crossed at the taping. During the AEW Dynamite match between Harley Cameron and Mariah May, fans in the front row were heard making vulgar comments at the pair. This was pointed out on the show by Saraya. While it’s unclear if this incident was caused by the same person in Blue’s situation, Saraya made her views clear on social media.
The comments aimed at Blue and others at the taping were highly inappropriate and do not reflect the vast majority of people who attended the tapings of AEW Dynamtie and ROH. Hopefully, this will be the last time Blue, Cameron, Saraya, May, and others have to deal with this individual as his harassment was certainly not wanted at the show.
Fans attending the May 16, episode of TNA iMPACT will more than get their money’s worth as they’ll be witness to the “biggest” main event in the show’s history.
The Champion’s Challenge has been announced by TNA’s resident Director of Authority Santino Marella and will see all champions in TNA Wrestling face their challengers in a colossal 16-person intergender tag-team match. The teams break down as follows
At this time, there’s no word on whether there will be any type of prize for the winning team, and it’s believed that this will be a non-title match. With that said, the winning team will have plenty of bragging rights going forward.
What’s to Come?
This match could have huge ramifications for TNA’s next monthly special event, which will be Against All Odds. The show will take place on June 14, from the Cicero Stadium in Cicero, Illinois. At this time, no matches have been confirmed for the show.
The May 16, episode of TNA iMPACT will also see Ash By Elegance take on second-generation star Xia Brookside. Alan Angels will face off against the high-flying Leon Slater on the show.
WWE SmackDown will return to the USA Network on September 13 after five years on FOX, a press release from NBC Universal has confirmed.
It was last year that it was confirmed that SmackDown will return to the USA Network in 2024, ending the blue brand’s five-year tenure on FOX. In the statement, it is confirmed that the first episode back on the USA Network will come this September.
“Starting in September and through the end of 2024, USA Network will serve as the exclusive linear home of the WWE’s two tentpole franchises, “WWE Monday Night RAW” and “WWE SmackDown,” which returns to the network on Sept. 13 as part of a new multi-year partnership.”
Fans will get just more than WWE SmackDown on the USA Network, as the press release also confirms that a ‘WWE Week’ will commence on September 9. The network will air films from the “Fast and the Furious” franchise starring Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, “Blockers” starring John Cena, and the Peacock documentary “Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal.
SmackDown will return to the USA Network this September.
The Future of WWE’s Broadcasts
WWE SmackDown isn’t the only show that will soon find itself a new home. This year, WWE NXT will move to the CW Network after years as part of the USA Network. The five-year broadcast deal sees NXT become the latest sports show on the CW as the network also broadcasts ACC football and basketball games airing every Saturday throughout the season and LIV Golf.
Fans haven’t seen Wheeler Yuta on AEW television for months and unfortunately, it’s unknown when the young star could be returning.
According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, Yuta is reportedly dealing with concussion symptoms and there is no update as to when he could return.
Yuta hasn’t wrestled since January when he lost to Eddie Kingston for the Triple Crown Championship.
Even despite him being a heel, Yuta has been a fan favorite ever since arriving to AEW. He originally was a babyface as he found himself alongside The Best Friends, but now the group is greatly fractured.
Yuta found a new version of himself once he joined The Blackpool Combat Club. Working alongside the likes of Claudio Castagnoli, Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley and even William Regal, Yuta had his game elevated and in turn, his personality as a wrestler. Danielson noted that he’s really appreciated seeing the growth of Yuta since they joined Blackpool Combat Club forces.
Wheeler was the ROH Pure Champion before getting hurt and was making a memorable run with the title. His last post on X was on January 13 and actually involved his hatred for the aformentioned Kingston as well as some respective New York sports teams.
“I hate Eddie Kingston, the Yankees, and the New York Football Giants.”
I hate Eddie Kingston, the Yankees, and the New York Football Giants
However, Yuta did like a Tweet at the end of April, indicating that he’d like to square off against fellow AEW star Ortiz in singles action, a name who also hasn’t been seen on AEW television in awhile.
Warner Bros. Discovery will be undergoing some financial shifting in 2024 and it’s from the order of their CEO David Zazlov.
Bloomsberg is reporting that Zazlov has told the WBD brass to look for viable cost-cutting opportunities so the company can hit its financial targets over the course of the next couple of years.
This includes the possibilty of layoffs, something in which WBD had done over the last year. The company laid off 2,000 employees through 2023. By the end of the year, WBD was $44.2 billion with $4.3 billion cash-on-hand.
According to sources from Bloomsberg, Warner Bros. Discovery streaming department alone contains a great deal of the budget, adding up to over hundred of millions of dollars. A huge portion of that is focused in the marketing and technology work that’s involved.
Warner Bros. Discovery could be seeing some major changes forthcoming as they were unable to negotiate a new deal with the National Basketball Association within their exclusive window. Being a live sports entity, NBA will be a hot ticket to acquire from competitors with several names mentioned to be in the mix including NBCUniversal and Amazon.
The fact that the NBA could be gone from WBD’s catalogue initially seemed promising for AEW, but if the company lieutenants feel AEW isn’t delivering as a return on investment, “cost-cutting” may be applied. to their weekly pro wrestling product.
NBC will be sitting pretty with a big live sports entity as not only will SmackDown be heading to USA Network in 2025, but RAW will also be sticking around until they make the leap to Netflix.
