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Tanga Loa Debuts At WWE Backlash As New Bloodline Member

Aaron Varble
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Tanga Loa debuted as the newest member of Roman Reigns’ stable during WWE’s Backlash event in France. The Guerrillas of Destiny are now a part of the Bloodline.

Kevin Owens and Randy Orton took on Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga in the opening match of Backlash. They started the tag team match with chaos, which led SmackDown GM Nick Aldis to declare the contest a No DQ match. During the closing moments, Tanga Loa showed up to make his mark.

Loa’s unexpected debut helped the Bloodline secure a victory. Paul Heyman stood alongside the celebrating stable, but he didn’t have the most confident look on his face.

His appearance was a surprise since there were no prior reports of him signing a deal with WWE. Jacob Fatu has also signed a new deal, and it remains to be seen how he will be integrated into the storyline.

Who is Tanga Loa

Real name Tevita Tu’amoeloa Fetaiakimoeata Fifita, Tanga Loa comes from a prominent wrestling family. He is the son of Haku and the brother of Tama Tonga and Hikuleo.

Guerrillas of dDestiny

Before his WWE debut, Tanga achieved significant success in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He won the IWGP Tag Team Championship seven times alongside Tama Tonga. So, the two have already done a ton prior to Loa’s Backlash debut.

Additionally, Loa captured the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship three times; twice with Bad Luck Fale and Tama Tonga, and once with Taiji Ishimori and Tama Tonga.

The Bloodline’s new incarnation added a seasoned tag team to the mix with Tanga and Tama. Jimmy Uso was ejected from the stable following WrestleMania XL, and it was later revealed that he suffered an injury that required surgery and a long wait until his return to the ring.

Roman Reigns still has a huge hand in the Bloodline’s creative direction, even though his absence. He is still setting the stage for the head of the table’s return, whenever that comes around. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad0wmhhHNLk

Cody Rhodes Notes Of A Historic Moment Taking Place At WWE Backlash

Dominic DeAngelo
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Cody Rhodes isn’t just excited for himself as he defends his WWE Undisputed Title at WWE Backlash, but another person standing in the ring.

Rhodes will be taking on AJ Styles in the main event of the PLE taking place in France on Saturday. It will be Cody’s first world title defense on PLE, but ‘The American Nightmare’ noted someone else has a reason to celebrate too: WWE referee Jessika Carr.

“Wanted to mention this after the contract signing, (and forgive me if I’m wrong but I don’t think I am…) It’ll also be the VERY FIRST PLE Main Event for The Undisputed WWE Title officiated by a woman [Jessika Carr].”

Two Georgia Boys: Cody Rhodes vs. AJ Styles At WWE Backlash

The Rhodes vs. Styles rivarly is a surprisingly fresh one as Cody and AJ have never faced one another, but now the two Georgia boys do it on the big stage. Styles earned his shot at the gold when he defeated LA Knight in a number one contendership match.

The two exchanged words of respect for one another during their contract signing but matters got tense when Styles went for a “from behind” attack on Rhodes after Cody defeated Carmelo Hayes.

The go-home episode of SmackDown that tension was even amped up further when Styles slapped Rhodes after the two talked their history outside of the WWE.

Rhodes and Styles happened to both share time as members of The Bullet Club, so although the two never competed in the ring, their paths are indeed quite similar.  

Austin Theory Wants To Face The Rock At WrestleMania 41, Calls Cody Rhodes ‘Goof’

Bishal Roy
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Austin Theory is already chalking out massive plans for WrestleMania 41. He has not only put The Rock on notice for ‘The Show of Shows’ but also wants to dethrone the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.

Last year, during the September 15 edition of SmackDown, The Rock made his surprise one-off return and things didn’t turn out too well for Theory.

Theory told Lucas Charpiot of Ten Count Media that he believes The Rock interrupted him to be important and famous again. He said that he got better of The Rock but the wrestling legend attacked him as he felt “insecure.” 

“Dwayne showed up, but not to save Pat McAfee. Dwayne showed up because he wanted to be famous again, he wanted to be important in WWE. So who did he interrupt? Austin Theory. Then what happened? I put him in his place. Then I did something that nobody has ever done. I stole his catchphrase, and I hit him with it, and I hit him with it before he could hit me with it. So then what? He got insecure, he started freaking out. He started doing the weird Rock stuff. Then he hit me with an elbow. That’s what happened.”

He eventually stated if ‘The Final Boss’ wants to fight him, he is all set to lock horns with him at WrestleMania 41. He said: 

“So what now? ‘The Final Boss’ wants Austin Theory, and Austin Theory will fight ‘The Final Boss’ at WrestleMania 41. Is that what they want?”

Theory takes a jab at Cody Rhodes

He furthermore took a shot at Cody Rhodes and labeled him “goof.” One half of the WWE Tag Team Champions said that he wants to dethrone ‘The American Nightmare.’ He said:

“I just gotta take this title from this goof [points to picture of Cody Rhodes]? Is that it? I just gotta make a story up? That’s it? Alright, then that’s what I’ll do.”

On this week’s SmackDown, Austin Theory and Grayson Waller successfully defended their tag team titles against The Street Profits in their first televised title defense. 

WWE is set to make a major announcement regarding next year’s WrestleMania and many believe the location of the event will be revealed. 

Matt Cardona Becomes The New GM of GCW

Bishal Roy
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0

Matt Cardona is keeping himself busy in a non-wrestling capacity while recovering from a recent injury. He has announced himself as the new General Manager of Game Changer Wrestling (GCW). 

The Indy God recently sustained a torn pec injury while competing for Reality of Wrestling last month. He has also undergone surgery and is not expected to return to in-ring action anytime soon. 

Cardona kept his word and made a major announcement at GCW Rather You Than Me. He delivered a promo at the show and said that he might not wrestle at the promotion ever again. He said that fans don’t need to call him the Internet Champion or Deathmatch King, but they will have to call him the ‘General Manager of GCW.’ 

Cardona made his GCW debut in 2021. He soon became the GCW World Champion (first in any promotion) after defeating Nick Gage in a Deathmatch. His last match for the promotion before injury took place in April at GCW Joey Janela’s Spring Break 8 where he defeated Blue Pain.

While Cardona remains away from in-ring action, he has announced that he will still be available to make appearances and autograph signings. He is expected to be on the sidelines for at least six months and that depends on rehab.

A WWE return looming after recovery?

Matt’s wife Chelsea Green made her return to WWE during the 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble match and has been a part of the roster ever since. She has also enjoyed a tag team title reign. There have been speculation that Green’s comeback could play a role in Cardona’s return to WWE. Even the former WWE wrestler has told his fans to never say never regarding his return.

However, he has made it clear that his old gimmick ‘Zack Ryder’ is dead, and if he ever makes a return he won’t be “just another guy on the roster”. Alongside the fans, Chelsea Green is expecting Cardona to make a return to WWE.

Daily Drop (5/4): NXT Makes Several Cuts, Backlash Preparation, Christian Bashes WWE Hall of Fame

Aaron Varble
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Welcome to the Daily Drop for Saturday, May 4. WWE Backlash is this afternoon, and fans are waiting for that historic event. We have a lot of other things we must mention as well.

WWE released several NXT Superstars from their contracts on Friday. Aside from Drew Gulak, the biggest name that the company cut was Olympic Gold Medalist Gable Steveson. Things just never panned out for him in the company, despite years of trying to get him ready for a massive spot that they wanted to carve out for him.

We have updated our 2024 WWE release and departure tracker, which you can check out here.

Let’s get into today’s Daily Drop!

WWE:

WWE Backlash is upon us, and the show will start much sooner for fans in the United States. The France-based event will start at 1:00 PM EST. You can find the card below.

  • WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships: The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane) (c) vs. Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill
  • Randy Orton & Kevin Owens vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa & Tama Tonga)
  • WWE Women’s Championship: Bayley (c) vs. Naomi vs. Tiffany Stratton
  • World Heavyweight Championship: Damian Priest (c) vs. Jey Uso
  • Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c). vs. AJ Styles

WWE’s Noise Warning: The SmackDown fans received a noise warning in France. We can only imagine how loud it will be for Backlash.

WWE Speed: The company has a new champion after the first WWE Speed tournament is over. In the end, Ricochet pulled down the championship, which earned him a classic point pose photo with Triple H.

WWE COO Steps Down: The company saw several releases on Friday, but news also broke that the company’s Chief Operations Officer, Brad Blum, also submitted his resignation from the company.

AEW:

No Collision: AEW Collision will not air this week due to the playoffs. They will resume their weekly Saturday night schedule next week on May 11.

Christian’s HOF Stance: Christian Cage appeared at the Steel City Comic Con, where he was his trademark self. When asked about whether he wants to get into the WWE Hall of Fame, he replied: “I could give two sh*ts bout the Hall of Fame … when there is a Hall of Fame, let me know.”

Former WWE NXT Superstar Debut: During the recent ROH Honorclub show, Amari Miller debuted under the new ring name Camron Branae. She faced Nyla Rose in her first match for the brand. Although Branae lost the bout, she made a strong impression on the fans.

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C6fVcIQOCh6

Julia Hart Return Timeline: We have an injury update on Julia Hart. She has already gone through a surgery and will be out of action for a few months from now. The earliest one can expect for her to return to the ring would be late Summer or early Fall.

Here are the upcoming major wrestling events

  • Saturday, May 4: WWE Backlash France (PLE)
  • Sunday, May 26: NXT Battleground (PLE)
  • Sunday, May 26: AEW Double or Nothing (PPV)

Report: Olympic Gold Medalist Gable Steveson Released From WWE

Thomas Lowson
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WWE has parted ways with Olympian Gable Steveson, three years after the Gold Medalist signed with the promotion. 

Steveson, who captured gold at the 2021 Tokyo Summer Games, signed with WWE that same year and was drafted to Raw near the end of the year. His release was first reported by F4WOnline and is said to be part of the recent cuts to the WWE NXT roster.

Steveson’s career in WWE had a shaky start after initial reports stated that he had not shown the level of improvement at the Performance Center that higher-ups hoped to see. His debut match came at NXT Great American Bash 2023 and saw the Olympian have a count-out draw with Baron Corbin. Following this, he completed at WWE NXT live events as well as in dark matches before SmackDown.

With Steveson’s WWE career over, questions remain as to his future in the Olympics. Steveson recently qualified for Team USA but it was reported that he wouldn’t be competing due to his WWE commitments. It remains to be seen if Steveson will pursue the upcoming games in Paris, France now he has been released.

SE Scoops will provide more information on Steveson’s release as it becomes available.

Record-Setting WWE Crowd Triggers iOS ‘Hearing Loss’ Warning

Thomas Lowson
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The WWE Universe in Lyon, France certainly delivered at the May 3, episode of SmackDown as the event received a warning due to the noise being made. 

The first SmackDown taping in the history of France saw several top Superstars appear including Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, Jade Cargill, and Tag Team Champions A-Town Down Under. There was also a tease for the return of Bo Dallas in the most direct reference to the former NXT Champion to date. 

The crowd was electric throughout the night, so much so that there was a concern over hearing loss. On Twitter, WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque shared a warning he received due to the “absolutely insane” atmosphere inside the LDLC Arena. The translated warning reads: 

Noisy environment

The sound level has reached 100 dB.

Exposure of just a few minutes at this level can cause temporary hearing loss.

WWE fans in France were so loud that it set of the “Loud Environment” safety warning on some mobile devices

Historic SmackDown

The trend of shattering company records is showing no signs of slowing down. Friday’s WWE SmackDown from Greater Lyon, France was the highest-grossing episode in the show’s 25-year history. The prior record was set just last month for the SmackDown that was held the night before WrestleMania 40. When you’re packing arenas around the world like WWE is these days, you can expect it to get pretty loud inside.

Here’s the warning message that went out to some iOS devices during the show, letting fans know that the noise level exceeded 100 decibels. 

Jey Uso gets some of the loudest reactions from WWE fans during his ring entrance. This video from the dark match that took place after the SmackDown tapings concluded show what the atmosphere was like inside the LDLC Arena.

This response certainly bodes well for Saturday’s WWE Backlash: France Premium Live Event. WWE’s audiences in Europe are often known for being especially loud as fans saw at WWE Clash At the Castle 2022 in Cardiff and WWE Money In The Bank 2023 in London. WWE’s next PLE across the pond will be WWE Clash At The Castle: Scotland this June with WWE Bash In Berlin scheduled for August. 

Bo Dallas Directly Referenced With QR Code Mystery On 5/3 WWE SmackDown

Thomas Lowson
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WWE’s QR code mystery continued during the May 3, episode of SmackDown and featured a direct reference to the man behind Uncle Howdy. 

The code appeared during the entrance for the LWO ahead of Angel’s match with LA Knight. Scanning the code brings fans to what seems to be an error page on WWE.com, as well as a video. The video, at first, appears to be nothing but a promotional video for the SmackDown before WWE Backlash: France before things take a macabre turn. 

The video contains the message ‘He opened his arms. Our pain became his. We were reborn. Because we believed.’ The final word then glitches and reads ‘BOlieved.’ Fans familiar with the early career of Bo Dallas will remember the former NXT Champion’s ‘BOlieve’ gimmick as an obnoxious motivational guru. 

Dallas returned to WWE as Uncle Howdy in 2022, though has yet to be revealed as the man behind the mask on TV. It is believed (or rather, bolieved) that these QR codes are leading to the return of Uncle Howdy, potentially with a stable. Dallas/Howdy was pulled from programming after his brother Bray Wyatt was pulled due to health issues that ultimately claimed Wyatt’s life in August 2023. 

The video also features what appears to be a woman standing alone in a room. Some fans have speculated that this is Alexa Bliss, who has ties to Bray Wyatt dating back to 2020. Bliss has been missing from WWE TV since January 2023 and gave birth to her daughter Hendrix last November. Bliss’ most recent TV appearance saw her be confronted by Uncle Howdy (albeit via Titantron) at the 2023 Royal Rumble PLE. 

With the rehiring of Erick Rowan, it certainly appears that WWE is building quite the collection of talent associated with Bray Wyatt. For now, though, fans will just have to keep deciphering clues as these QR code videos continue to have fans hooked. 

More On WWE’s QR Code Mystery

Here are some recent articles regarding WWE’s QR code mystery as fans await the likely return of Uncle Howdy and others:

WWE Releases Drew Gulak & Several More NXT Superstars

Aaron Varble
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WWE released another ten wrestlers on Friday, most of them from the NXT developmental brand and the Performance Center. The list includes the following names, according to Sean Ross Sapp:

  • Darrell Mason
  • Vlad Pavlenko
  • Ezekiel Balogun
  • Kiyah Saint
  • Emma Diaz
  • Valentina Feroz
  • Keyshawn Leflore
  • Trey Bearhill
  • Julian Baldi 

Drew Gulak was also let go just weeks after being called out by Ronda Rousey for touching the string of her sweatsuit. He hadn’t appeared on WWE television since and his absence was explained in a creative angle.

WWE Chief Operations Officer Brad Blum tendered his resignation earlier this week and Cameron Grimes, Xia Li, Xyon Quin, Jinder Mahal, Sanaga, Veer Mahaan, and Von Wagner were all recently let go, as well. 

We’re sending our best to everyone who lost their jobs with WWE.

Full Spoilers For WWE SmackDown 5/3 Episode From Lyon France

Aaron Varble
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0

Friday’s SmackDown took place at the LDLC Arena in Lyon, France. This episode serves as the final show before tomorrow’s Backlash premium live event, also in Lyon. Since it was pre-taped, we have the spoilers here.

WWE has one more show until Backlash is upon us. The Saturday premium live event will take place on May 4 at 1:00 PM EST. Fans in the United States will get to see that show live.

The company already advertised many segments and matches for this week’s SmackDown.

  • A-Town Down Under (Grayson Waller & Austin Theory) versus The Street Profits – WWE Tag Team Championship Match
  • New Catch Republic (Axiom & Nathan Frazer) against Authors of Pain
  • Cody Rhodes and A.J. Styles face off ahead of their Undisputed WWE Championship match at Backlash
  • Debut of the RKO Show, hosted by Randy Orton & Kevin Owens

WWE fans in the UK had a rare treat, as SmackDown aired live for them at 6:00 PM local time. Since fans in the United States must wait to see the show on FOX, you can find the spoilers for this week’s show below.

WWE SmackDown Spoilers For 5/3 Episode:

  • Dark match result: Rey Mysterio defeated Carlito
  • Cody Rhodes, AJ Styles, Randy Orton, and Kevin Owens shown arriving at SmackDown.
  • Bayley, Naomi, Bianca Belair, and Jade Cargill defeated Tiffany Stratton & Damage CTRL (Asuka, Kairi Sane & Dakota Kai); tensions noted among winners.
  • Backstage promo by Grayson Waller & Austin Theory.
  • Kayla Braxton interviewed Belair & Cargill about their upcoming title match against Asuka & Sane at Backlash; Bayley and Naomi interrupted, causing tension.
  • Carmelo Hayes expressed his interest in joining the King of the Ring tournament; interaction with Bobby Lashley who offered advice and a warning.
  • AOP defeated Pete Dunne & Tyler Bate.
  • Paul Heyman met with SmackDown GM Nick Aldis; and his request to cancel Owens & Orton vs. Sikoa & Tonga at Backlash was denied.
  • Heyman hinted at controlling Roman Reigns’ draft status; and then a confrontation on The RKO Show led to a brawl involving Sikoa & Tonga.
  • The Street Profits gave a backstage promo.
  • LA Knight defeated Angel and declared for King of the Ring; Santos Escobar also declared.
  • Dragon Lee attacked Carlito during a backstage interview.
  • WWE Tag Team Champions Grayson Waller & Austin Theory retained their titles against The Street Profits.
  • Cody Rhodes and AJ Styles had a confrontational face-to-face before Backlash; Styles slapped Rhodes.
  • Post-show brawl between Sikoa & Tonga and Owens & Orton, with security trying to intervene.

Randy Orton Shares Heartwarming Moment With WWE Fan At Vienna Event

Bishal Roy
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Multi-time World Champion Randy Orton created a special memory for a fan who can cherish it for the rest of his life.

‘The Viper’ recently competed at a WWE Live Event in Vienna, Austria. This marked WWE’s return to the country for the first time since 2019. Following his match, one of the fans dropped his phone while recording. It was Orton himself who picked up the phone and started to record himself with the fans, who continued to cheer. The whole incident was recorded and it emerged on social media afterward.

During the show, Randy Orton teamed up with LA Knight to take on The Bloodline members, Tama Tonga and Solo Sikoa. The Bloodline has been a thorn in the sides of both Orton and Knight. However, things didn’t go well in favor of the babyface team as they suffered a defeat. This marked Orton’s first defeat at a live event in over two years. After the match, Sikoa and Tonga laid out Knight with a brutal assault. However, ‘The Apex Predator’ made the save by hitting the RKO on Tonga while ‘The Megastar’ hit Sikoa with BFT.

Randy Orton set for Backlash

‘The Viper’ will once again compete in a tag-team match at this Saturday’s Backlash Premium Live Event that will take place in France. However, Kevin Owens will be his tag team partner at the show. Orton and Owens have recently formed an ally. Though they competed in a triple threat match for Logan Paul’s US title at WrestleMania 40, the duo has been on great terms.

A few weeks back, KO was on the end of a bloody ambush from Tama Tonga and ‘The Prizefighter’ is now seeking revenge. He will have Orton by his side to even the odds. Kevin Owens and Randy Orton have dealt with The Bloodline in the past and they will once again team up to settle the matter. 

Catch WWE Backlash 2024 from LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, Lyon Metropolis, France at 1 p.m. ET. The countdown show will air live prior at noon ET. 

Ricochet Celebrates WWE Speed Title Win After Becoming First-Ever Champion

Thomas Lowson
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Monday Night Raw’s Ricochet will go down in the WWE history books as the first-ever WWE Speed Champion following his win in the tournament finals. 

The One & Only defeated Johnny Gargano in the tournament finals in a match that was given a five-minute time limit, far longer than the standard three-minute limit for WWE Speed matches. Ricochet defeated Dragon Lee in the first round of the eight-man tournament and JD McDonagh in the semi-finals to make it to his showdown with Gargano. 

On Twitter, WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque congratulated Ricochet and praised the new champion as somebody who defines the term ‘Speed.’

Backstage, Ricochet spoke about how it’s been some time since he’s held a championship. The One & Only added that he is set to be the front-runner of WWE Speed and is ready to take on all challengers in matches of any length. 

This is the latest accolade for Ricochet who is no stranger to holding championship gold. The 35-year-old Superstar is a former United States, Intercontinental, and North American Champion, the only Superstar in history to hold all three mid-card titles. 

More on WWE Speed

WWE Speed is the promotion’s new social media project and will be broadcast exclusively on Twitter/X. The show features Corey Graves as the sole commentator, another first in the promotion’s history as WWE has always favored two or three-man teams. Early tapings included Kevin Patrick before his release in January 2024. 

So far, the only matches aired have been tournament matches and all have featured male Superstars. That’ll change soon enough though as Triple H recently confirmed that WWE Speed will also include women’s division matches. At this time, it’s not been confirmed when the next tapings of WWE Speed matches will take place. 

WWE Discussed The Rock Ending Roman Reigns’ Championship Run & Give Up The Title

Thomas Lowson
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There were once discussions for The Rock to end the historic championship reign of Roman Reigns, only for the Final Boss to give up the gold. 

Reigns’ 1,316-day run as champion was actually ended by Cody Rhodes at WWE WrestleMania 40: Sunday. The emotional main event saw Rhodes finally ‘finish the story’ two years after making an emphatic return to WWE as part of WrestleMania 38. 

WWE had plans at one point for Rock, not Rhodes, to end the title reign of the Tribal Chief at WrestleMania 40, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports. This idea was hardly kept a secret, with The Rock teasing challenging the Head of the Table during his return on the Day 1 WWE Raw. On the post-Royal Rumble SmackDown, The Rock came face-to-face with his cousin and teased the match. 

Had it not been for the immense ‘We Want Cody’ movement, the Rock-Reigns match would have gone ahead. The Observer adds that the plan was for The Rock to win the title, only to surrender the gold in order to return to Hollywood. With a new WWE Champion, The Rock would have introduced his own People’s Championship that he’d use for public appearances. Instead, the title was presented to the Final Boss at this year’s WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. 

Ending Reigns’ historic run only for the title to be vacated would likely not have gone down well with fans. Instead, the WWE Universe witnessed Cody Rhodes finish his story and defeat Reigns at WrestleMania 40. Reigns hasn’t been seen since WrestleMania while Rock has vowed to return and come for the new Undisputed WWE Champion. 

Watch The WWE Backlash 2024 Kickoff Show Here

Staff
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A WWE Backlash France Kickoff event was held on Friday just 24 hours before this weekend’s WWE Backlash France premium live event from Lyon-Décines, France.

Thousands of wrestling fans gathered to see Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, AJ Styles and more wrestlers WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque to promote the company’s first-ever PLE from France.

WWE Backlash 2024 Card

The following matches are set for Saturday’s PLE:

  • Cody Rhodes (c) vs. AJ Styles
  • Damian Priest (c) vs. Jey Uso
  • Bayley (c) vs. Tiffany Stratton & Naomi
  • Randy Orton & Kevin Owens vs. The Bloodline
  • Kabuki Warriors (c) vs. Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill
WWE Backlash 2024 Card

Roman Reigns & Paul Heyman Convinced WWE Execs To Postpone Cody Rhodes World Title Win

Thomas Lowson
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Cody Rhodes’ story may have finished last year at WrestleMania 39, had Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman been unable to influence those in charge at the time. 

Reigns retained the Undisputed WWE Championship against Rhodes in the controversial main event inside Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium. The decision was panned by fans at the time as the wrong choice with many blaming McMahon (who’d forced his way back into WWE in January) for the call. 

At one time, Rhodes was penciled into dethrone Reigns in SoFi, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports. That was until Reigns and Heyman convinced both McMahon and WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque to change the finish and give Reigns the victory. 

The Tribal Chief and his Wise Man were hands-on with the Bloodline’s creative direction

This change of plans wasn’t (entirely) done to benefit Reigns and extend his title run for another year. The belief at the time was that keeping the gold on Reigns would be beneficial in getting other talent over, including Jey Uso and Solo Sikoa. Jey certainly benefitted from his championship program with Reigns over the Summer which helped elevate the former Tag Team Champion to his ‘Main Event Jey’ role fans see today. 

Holding off on the title change was also proposed to be in Rhodes’ best interest. The idea was that keeping Cody’s hunt for the gold going for another year would make his title win more special. Sure enough, Rhodes’ emotional victory at WrestleMania 40 has been praised by fans and critics. The new Undisputed WWE Champion’s next title defense will be at WWE Backlash: France against AJ Styles. 

Brad Blum Steps Down as WWE Chief Operating Officer

Aaron Varble
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Brad Blum resigned as WWE’s Chief Operating Officer on May 1st, according to the Wrestling Observer. As COO, he was in the upper echelon of WWE’s most influential officers alongside Nick Khan and Paul Levesque. 

Blum joined WWE in 2006, initially serving as Chief of Staff, a role he held for over a decade. His voice was frequently heard alongside Vince McMahon during the company’s quarterly financial calls.

Over the years, he held various leadership positions and in early 2020, took on responsibility for WWE’s Operations. His duties included overseeing Corporate Strategy, Marketing, Corporate Communications, Creative Services, IT & Technology, Insights & Analytics, Real Estate & Facilities, and Corporate Travel. During the time of his exit, he reported directly to Nick Khan.

In Janel Grant’s 67-page lawsuit, Blum was referred to as Corporate Officer No. 2. The lawsuit mentioned that McMahon, after meeting Grant, arranged for her to meet with Blum. During this meeting, Blum asked few questions before hiring her for a $75,000 per year position in the legal department.

The lawsuit also noted that in February 2020, McMahon mentioned to Grant that Blum had warned him about rumors circulating regarding their relationship, leading to her transfer to another department.

This Year’s WWE Releases & Departures

We’ve updated our WWE Releases & Departures Tracker to include Brad Blum.

Daily Drop (5/3): WWE SmackDown Plans In France, AEW Loses Another Key Player

Aaron Varble
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It’s Friday, and you know what that means, it’s time for the Daily Drop. Today’s edition should catch you up on everything you need to know before going out into the pro wrestling community today.

Before we get going, probably the biggest story in pro wrestling has to do with Janel Grant’s lawsuit. John Laurinaitis has changed his position in the ongoing legal case involving former WWE executive Vince McMahon. Previously, Laurinaitis had claimed to be a victim but has now filed a motion to support McMahon’s efforts to counter Janel Grant’s allegations. This change is a significant shift in the case. Initially, Laurinaitis distanced himself from McMahon, but his latest legal action aligns him closely with McMahon, forming a united front against Grant’s accusations.

WWE:

WWE SmackDown 5/3 Card:

  • A-Town Down Under (Grayson Waller & Austin Theory) versus The Street Profits – WWE Tag Team Championship Match
  • New Catch Republic (Axiom & Nathan Frazer) against Authors of Pain
  • Cody Rhodes and A.J. Styles face off ahead of their Undisputed WWE Championship match at Backlash
  • Debut of the RKO Show, hosted by Randy Orton & Kevin Owens

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C6ZWe2Ci4_Y

Rollins Isn’t Leaving: On Friday morning, news broke that Seth Rollins has inked a new deal with WWE. The details are not 100% clear at this time, but his new multi-year contract will keep him with WWE into his 40s. The Visionary is currently only 37-years-old.

SmackDown Plans: Tonight’s episode of SmackDown will air on a tape-delay for fans in America. That being said, it will be a rare treat for fans in the UK, as they get to watch a SmackDown show live for once at a decent time, 6:00 PM local time. WWE Backlash is going down tomorrow, May 4, and coverage starts at 1:00 PM EST.

AEW:

Ethan Page Gone: Although he entered AEW with a lot of momentum, coming off a great run with The North and tag team partner Josh Alexander in Impact Wrestling, Page didn’t do a lot in AEW. Now, he is gone from the company, as he had been wanting to leave the Land of All Elite since February.

Julia Hart Injured: The former TBS Champion confirmed that she is injured. She also may need surgery to fix her issue before making a return to the ring.

AEW Viewership: The May 1st edition of AEW Dynamite attracted 703,000 viewers with a 0.24 rating in the 18-49 demographic, showing a slight increase from the previous week’s 683,000 viewers and a 0.23 rating. Following Dynamite, Rampage aired a live episode and drew 431,000 viewers with a 0.15 demographic rating. This was a significant improvement over the last Rampage after Collision, which had 293,000 viewers and a 0.09 rating.

Here are the upcoming major wrestling events

  • Saturday, May 25: King & Queen of the Ring (PLE)
  • Sunday, May 26: AEW Double or Nothing (PPV)
  • Sunday, June 9: NXT Battleground (PLE)

Seth Rollins Signs New Multi-Year WWE Contract

Aaron Varble
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Seth Rollins has re-signed with WWE, meaning that the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion will be around for a long time to come.

Some were concerned about the ticking clock on Rollins’ WWE deal, but he has agreed to terms on a new contract, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reports.

It was noted that the mindset was that “They’re not going to let him go.” The 37-year-old’s new agreement will keep him in the company until his 40s.

Seth Rollins just lost the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XL as Drew McIntyre ended his 316-day reign. The Scottish Warrior’s championship run lasted just over five minutes when CM Punk attacked him, which opened the door for Damian Priest to successfully cash in his Money in the Bank contract. Rollins has since taken time off to recover from a knee surgery. 

Recently, WWE has also secured contracts with Finn Balor, Drew McIntyre, and Damian Priest, underscoring a period of significant re-signings.

Endeavor Handling WWE Contracts

WWE fans are getting their first glimpse of how Endeavor will handle these big-money contracts. They certainly waited a lot longer than the previous regime did to re-sign talent in most cases.

Seth Rollins’ wife, Becky Lynch, has not signed a new deal as of this writing, When Ariel Helwani questioned her about this prior to WrestleMania XL, she did not seem worried about not getting a new deal with WWE. As of April, her contract was expiring in two months’ time.

Cody Rhodes Says AJ Styles Title Defense At WWE Backlash Is More Than Must-Win: It’s “Must Dominate”

Bishal Roy
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WWE Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes has only one goal in mind heading into the title defense against AJ Styles at Saturday’s Backlash Premium Live Event.

Rhodes finally finished his story at last month’s WrestleMania 40 when he put an end to Roman Reigns’ historic 1,316-day reign. Now, he has a lot to prove as a champion.  Speaking on Cheat Heat with Peter Rosenberg, ‘The American Nightmare’ made it clear that the upcoming match against AJ Styles is not only a ‘must-win’ for him but he also ‘must dominate.’ He said:

“I told AJ Styles, this is a dream match for some people, sure. To me, it’s a legit must win. Not just must win, but must dominate. Must show something.”

Cody wants to let everyone know that he has a lot in store for the fans. He wants to bring out his full potential and this title run is his opportunity to “validate” it. The 38-year-old champion further stated that he is never content and believes that’s the mindset of successful people. Cody Rhodes said:

“I’d like to let people know there is so much more meat on the bone. There is so much more to me and this run is the chance to validate it.
It’s the mindset of ‘you’re never doing enough. Have to keep going.’ Everyone I know who is successful has that mindset and that’s where I’m at.”

Cody Rhodes and AJ Styles’ first showdown

AJ Styles earned the title shot after defeating LA Knight on April 19 edition of SmackDown. ‘The Phenomenal One’ had been in pursuit of the WWE Undisputed Championship for a long time now. He had been in a feud with Roman Reigns but failed to dethrone ‘The Tribal Chief.’ Now, he has yet another shot at the title.

Rhodes and Styles have had illustrious careers across multiple promotions but they never crossed paths. This match will mark the first time they will go head-to-head in the squared circle. On that note, Styles did face WWE legend and Cody’s father, Dusty Rhodes in TNA Wrestling. Styles successfully defended his NWA World Heavyweight title that night and he’ll hope for a similar outcome this Saturday at WWE Backlash France. However, it won’t be an easy task as Cody Rhodes has some long-term plans as the champion.

Catch WWE Backlash 2024 from LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, Lyon Metropolis, France at 1 p.m. ET. The countdown show will air live prior at noon ET. 

Ronda Rousey Memoir Adaptation Coming to Netflix, WWE/UFC Icon To Write Screenplay

Thomas Lowson
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A new biopic detailing the life and career of WWE and UFC alum Ronda Rousey is coming to Netflix with Rousey herself writing for the project. 

Rousey’s deal with Netflix will see her memoir My Fight, Your Fight, and the more recent Our Fight adapted, Variety reports. The project has been cooking since 2015 when Paramount acquired the rights to adapt Rousey’s first memoir but regime changes and delays led to the rights lapsing. They were quickly acquired by Netflix with company exec (and Rousey fan) Michelle Evans championing the project.

Rousey has been steadfast in ensuring that she writes the screenplay for the project, and has been honing her skills as a writer. The former Raw & SmackDown Women’s Champion has been connected with Adam Novak, a veteran of the WME media group to develop her skills. Sources close to the process have said Rousey has been putting in extra effort in the project. Netflix declined to comment. 

Netflix will soon put the spotlight on Ronda Rousey

News of Rousey’s Netflix project comes at an interesting time for both herself and the streaming juggernaut. Rousey has been very outspoken against WWE in recent months, especially in the wake of Janel Grant’s lawsuit against ex-CEO Vince McMahon. Rousey has also revealed an experience with Drew Gulak that has resulted in the NXT Superstar being pulled from all plans and written off of TV. True to her MMA career, Rousey doesn’t pull any punches when writing about WWE in her Our Fight memoir. 

WWE & Netflix

Netflix investing in the story of UFC/WWE star Ronda Rousey is just one example of the streaming giant’s foray into the world of professional wrestling.

The most notable link is Netflix & WWE’s 10-year, $5 billion deal to bring WWE Raw to the service starting in January 2025, along with other WWE programming outside the Untied States.

Netflix also has a Vince McMahon docu-series in the works from Bill Simmons of The Ringer. This project has been in the works for a few years and naturally has undergone some drastic revisions and updates with everything that’s transpired over the past year regarding McMahon’s departure from WWE and the lawsuit from Janel Grant. 

For the latest on where things stand on the Netflix Vince McMahon documentary:

Watch: TNA’s Joe Hendry Parodies Creed’s ‘Higher’ For New Song Mocking AJ Francis

Thomas Lowson
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TNA Wrestling’s Joe Hendry took inspiration from rock band Creed for their latest musical barbs aimed at rival AJ ‘Top Dolla’ Francis.

Hendry’s songs have proven to be a hit among wrestling fans with his theme song ‘I Believe in Joe Hendry’ recently reaching #1 on the iTunes charts. Before the latest episode of TNA iMPACT, Hendry insinuated that he would apologize for his previous digs at Francis. Instead, Hendry delivered another scathing performance to the tune of Creed’s ‘Higher.’

Hendry’s final barb of his performance referenced to wanting Francis to be fired and stating that it’s happened twice before. The former WWE Superstar was released in 2021 only to be brought back the next year and was released once again in 2023. 

Hendry also featured some of his previous tracks in which he has mocked Francis. Earlier this year, Hendry produced a song for Francis that featured the TNA theme song for AJ Styles. This song mocked Francis’ infamous, though life-saving botched dive in WWE. Hendry said that the former Top Dolla nullifies TNA Wrestling’s insurance whenever he goes sailing over the top rope.

This is hardly the first time that Creed have been brought up in wrestling. During the Attitude Era, WWE produced several promotional videos featuring music from the band, including using ‘Higher’ for one of these videos. 

Hendry’s musical skills have endeared him to fan as he proves his talents both in and out of the ring. The Scottish star has been trending on Twitter for days as fans rally behind him and his efforts to get ‘I Believe in Joe Hendry‘ broadcast on the radio. With the success of his most popular track, there’s no doubt that there’s no shortage of people who believe in Joe Hendry. 

Ethan Page Done With AEW, Exit From Promotion Is A “Formality”

Thomas Lowson
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Ethan Page’s three-year tenure with All Elite Wrestling has come to an end with his exit said to be a “formality” at this juncture in time. 

Page was removed from the AEW roster page on Thursday, May 2, fuelling speculation that his time with the company was up. Fightful Select reports that the word both in and out of AEW was that he was no longer there, or that his exit was a “formality.”

The All-Ego talent had been a regular on Ring of Honor programming but had vanished from the show in recent months. The report adds that he’d been looking to leave as early as February and had once been set for a feud with Kyle Fletcher over the ROH World Television Champion. These plans were delayed due to Fletcher’s recent Visa issues. 

Amid his absence from ROH, Page had taken on more independent bookings and has been promoting his Alpha-1 Wrestling company. He has not publicly commented on reports of his exit at this time. 

Page had been with AEW since 2021 after debuting at that year’s Revolution pay-per-view. He quickly aligned with Scorpio Sky and the pair faced Darby Allin & Sting at that year’s Double or Nothing. The match would be Sting’s second match for AEW and his first in-ring match since 2015. Page was later involved in The Firm and feuded with Matt Hardy. His ROH debut came in September 2023 and he would defeat Tony Nese at that year’s Final Battle. 

It’s unclear what’s next for Ethan Page, though WWE may be an option for the Canadian. WWE had been impressed with Page when they saw him in 2022 and perhaps now is the time an offer is made. 

More on Ethan Page

Here are some recent articles regarding Ethan Page as the All-Ego star looks to make his name outside of AEW/ROH: 

AEW’s Julia Hart Confirms Reports of Injury With Surgery Likely

Thomas Lowson
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Former AEW TBS Champion has confirmed reports of an injury that is expected to keep the House of Black member out of action for some time. 

Taking to Instagram, Hart shared a selfie of herself in a hospital gown with a protective brace on her left arm. The 22-year-old wrestler also shared a three-word message for her comeback, stating she would ‘Recover. Rebuild. Reclaim.’

Hart’s photo comes after reports over the weekend that she’d suffered an injury that was expected to require surgery. As a result, the former TBS Champion is not scheduled for any upcoming AEW TV tapings. She was also not present for this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite which saw the House of Black continue its program with Adam Copeland. 

This is the latest setback for Hart who only recently returned from another injury. An undisclosed injury led to Hart missing close to two months of in-ring time earlier this year before she made her return to competition at AEW Revolution 2024. 

More AEW Injuries

Hart is hardly the only name on AEW’s roster which has been sidelined due to an injury. Adam Cole has been appearing on AEW TV with the Undisputed Kingdom but has been dealing with a broken ankle since September 2023. Jamie Hayter’s push was derailed due to a shoulder injury suffered in May 2023 and she has yet to compete since then. Kenny Omega was on this week’s Dynamite but it’s expected that it’ll be many months before he can wrestle as he’s yet to undergo surgery for his diverticulitis. 

More from Julia Hart

Here are some recent articles regarding Julia Hart as the youngest champion in AEW history recovers from her latest setback: 

Ric Flair Rips “Bull***” ‘Who Killed WCW’ Docuseries Produced By The Rock

Thomas Lowson
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Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair is no fan of an upcoming docuseries from The Rock’s Seven Bucks Productions that’ll dive deep into the collapse of WCW. 

The project was announced in November 2023 and aims to give a fresh look at the circumstances that led to WCW going out of business in March 2001. The promotion was purchased for around $2 million by the WWF, less than a year a SFX Entertainment had offered $500 million for the promotion. 

While the project has intrigued wrestling fans, Ric Flair, a staple of WCW, is not on board with the docuseries. Taking to Twitter, the Nature Boy criticized the project given that he was not asked to participate in the show. 

Flair is indeed synonymous with World Championship Wrestling and was with the promotion until its last day. The main event of the final episode of WCW Monday Nitro saw Flair lose to fellow WCW icon Sting. Flair has since revealed that the match was requested by Vince McMahon who held immense respect for the pair. 

While Ric Flair is no fan of the Who Killed WCW docuseries, the project does have some high-profile support. WWE Hall of Famer and former WCW World Champion Kevin Nash has said that the show will feature the real reason WCW collapsed, rather than WWE’s retelling of events. Whatever you may think of the production, the docuseries will prove to be an interesting watch when it premieres on VICE TV in June of 2024. 

More on WCW

Here are some recent articles regarding WCW as fans await the docuseries from Seven Bucks Productions:

Vince McMahon Lawyer: ‘Janel Grant Was In Love, Lawsuit Is Revenge For Breaking Up’

Thomas Lowson
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Janel Grant was madly in love with Vince McMahon and her lawsuit is an act of revenge, a spokesperson for the former WWE Chairman has recently claimed. 

McMahon stepped down from WWE in January 2024 due to Grant’s lawsuit in which she claims she was sexually abused and trafficked by the 78-year-old billionaire. One person Grant was allegedly trafficked to is John Laurinaitis.

 In a statement, Edward Brennan, the attorney for Laurinaitis, supported McMahon’s motion that the case should be moved to arbitration. 

“John Laurinaitis has filed a Motion today fully joining in and adopting Vince McMahon’s motion to compel arbitration. Mr. Laurinaitis corroborates Mr. McMahon in publicly declaring that Ms. Grant’s allegations of sexual abuse and coercion in her Complaint are completely unfounded. My client will fight these false allegations together with Mr. McMahon in the proper forum, arbitration.”

This statement garnered a response from Jessica T. Rosenburg, who is part of McMahon’s legal team. 

“In January 2024, Ms. Grant, a 43-year-old with a law degree, who was in love with Mr. McMahon and devastated by their break-up, filed an outrageous and false lawsuit to ruin Mr. McMahon’s career and reputation.

“Now, her false allegations are slowly unraveling. Today, Mr. Laurinaitis’ attorney confirmed his client will corroborate Mr. McMahon’s account and expose the lies within the Complaint. Despite their intense efforts, Ms. Grant’s attorneys won’t be able to suppress the truth from coming out.”

Vince McMahon & Janel Grant

This is an ongoing story that is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon, though McMahon reportedly believes the matter will be settled out of court. We will continue to provide updates on the lawsuit as they become available. 

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