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Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes Appears Alongside Logan Paul On WWE RAW

Aaron Varble
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Monday’s April 29 episode of WWE Raw from Kansas City kicked off with some serious star power. United States Champion Logan Paul showed up in a Rolls Royce and had a special guest in with him: NFL Super Bowl champion quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Mahomes and Logan Paul were enjoying themselves backstage at Raw with their hardware:

Triple H also welcomed the Super Bowl champ to the show:

28-year-old Patrick Mahomes is considered one of the greatest NFL quarterbacks ever. He’s won the Super Bowl three times, including this year’s and he was the MVP for two of those victories. His performance has also earned him the NFL Most Valuable Player award twice, in 2018 and 2022.

Feb 14, 2024; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes embraces tight end Travis Kelce on stage during the celebration of the Kansas City Chiefs winning Super Bowl LVIII. 

Mahomes also released a special edition of Logan Paul’s Prime drink. It dropped just in time for Super Bowl LVIII and featured Kansas City Chiefs colors.

Patrick Mahomes Special Edition Prime Bottles

Patrick Mahomes got involved in the action later on, in a manner of speaking. During Logan Paul’s time in the ring, Jey Uso came down to confront him, and that is when Finn Balor and JD McDonagh surrounded him. 

After Uso was taken down, Mahomes gave Logan a few of his Super Bowl rings to use on his fist against Uce. This didn’t work out as he planned, because Uso ducked and JD took the brunt of the punch.

Braun Strowman made his big return to WWE RAW, as he was drafted in the previous round. After the Monster of all Monsters chased off Judgment Day, he had some words with Mahomes for helping the United States Champion in his heel tactics.

2024 WWE Draft Results Tracker For 4/29 RAW

Aaron Varble
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WWE is mixing up their rosters with another Draft, and now it’s the red brand’s turn to host the festivities. Fans should brace for surprises, as this year promises to be no exception.

The 2024 WWE Draft is scheduled for Friday, April 26 during SmackDown and Monday, April 29 during RAW. We already saw SmackDown’s draft go down last week, and those results can be found here.

We saw Kiana James and Carmelo Hayes get called up from NXT during SmackDown. Still, a concern exists that WWE may pick their developmental brand clean after this year’s draft. Ilja Dragunov’s name hasn’t been called, so we’ll have to see who ends up on which brand this time around.

We are providing live coverage of the 2024 WWE Draft. So, please keep refreshing this article and we will update as picks are made

Round One

Presented by Stephanie McMahon

RAW:

Imperium (GUNTHER & Ludwig Kaiser)

Damage CTRL (IYO Sky, Asuka, Dakota Kai, & Kairi Sane)

SmackDown:

Jade Cargill

Kevin Owens

Round Two

Presented by Logan Paul & IShowSpeed

RAW:

CM Punk

Braun Strowman

SmackDown:

The Pride (Bobby Lashley, Street Profits, B-Fab)

Tiffany Stratton

Round Three

Presented by Ron Simmons & JBL

RAW:

LWO (Rey Mysterio, Dragon Lee, Zelina Vega, Carlito, Cruz Del Toro & Joaquin Wilde)

Drew McIntyre

SmackDown:

Legado Del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Angel, Humberto, & Elektra Lopez)

Shinsuke Nakamura

Round Four

Presented by Teddy Long & Alundra Blayze

RAW:

Judgment Day (Dominik Mysterio, Finn Balor, JD McDonagh)

Ilja Dragunov

SmackDown:

Naomi

Chelsea Green & Piper Niven

Round Five

Presented by Bubba Ray & D-Von Dudley

RAW:

New Day

Lyra Valkyria

SmackDown:

Pretty Deadly

Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell

Round Six

Presented by Nick Aldis & Adam Pearce

Raw:

Final Testament (Karrion Kross, Scarlet, Paul Ellering, AOP)

Bronson Reed

SmackDown:

DIY (Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano)

Blair Davenport

Supplemental Draft

RAW:

Diamond Mine (Brutus Creed, Julius Creed, and Ivy Nile)

Kayden Carter and Katana Chance

Natalya

Dijak

New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate)

Odyssey Jones

SmackDown:

Apollo Crews

Giovanni Vinci

Tegan Nox

WWE NXT Call-Ups:

This installment of the 2024 WWE Draft saw Dijak, Blair Davenport, and Lyra Valkyria have their names called. Of course, the biggest was former NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov, who is going to RAW.

Davenport and Valkyria were legitimately surprised by their call-ups, because WWE doesn’t let anyone know this in advance. This will be Dijak’s second run on the main roster, as his first was as T-Bar, a masked force who lived on long after the Retribution stable disbanded.

Carmelo Hayes and Kiana James were called up during SmackDown to the blue and red brand, respectively.

2024 WWE Draft Rules:

The 2024 WWE Draft will distribute 16 picks across four rounds to SmackDown and 24 picks across six rounds to RAW, based on RAW’s longer airtime. Champions are not included in the draft, except for the Women’s Tag Team Champions who are not part of the Draft Pool.

SmackDown will make its first selection on Friday, and RAW will make its first pick the following Monday. The final rosters will be confirmed by May 6th.

Following new television contracts, SmackDown will move to the USA Network and RAW to Netflix. The impact of RAW’s transition to Netflix will become apparent from October 2025. These rosters will start the new media rights agreements unless there is a change in the roster.

Brandi Rhodes’ Nakedmind Yoga Retreat Announced For September

Tyriece Simon
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Yoga and Pilates enthusiasts are in for a great opportunity, as Brandi Rhodes has announced information for her first Naked Mind Yoga and Pilates Retreat. The former All Elite Wrestling Chief Brand Officer has steadily found success in the yoga business after getting certified as an instructor in 2023. After a month of taking surveys, Rhodes revealed that fans can now join a waitlist for her first yoga and pilates trip.  

Rhodes tweeted on X/Twitter that the retreat will be held from September 17 to September 20 in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. She also shared a link where people can sign up and reserve a spot on the trip early. 

On February 15, the former AEW Chief Brand Officer posted information about her first trip on social media and asked fans to complete a survey. The purpose she shared was that the feedback would help Rhodes craft the best retreat possible. Less than a month later, she thanked everyone who had responded to the survey in a video and asked for people who hadn’t responded to complete it. 

It seems Rhodes has gathered all the information she needs, as she hasn’t recently promoted fans to take the survey. At this time, it’s unclear if there is a limit to how many people can join or what the cost will be for the trip.

As Rhodes prepares for her company’s first yoga and pilates retreat, she is still celebrating her last career achievement. 

More On Brandi Rhodes’s Success In Yoga & Pilates Business  

Rhodes’s newest career path comes at an excellent time, as My Roswell/Crabapple recently awarded her the title of Best Pilates Studio. She shared the achievement on X/Twitter on March 11. The award is very impressive, as Rhodes opened her studio last October. 

She wrote about how quickly she received the award and encouraged her fans that “A lot can happen in a short period time if you grind!!”

Brandi’s first yoga and pilates trip is another incredible goal she aims to achieve successfully. Fans looking to join may want to sign up now, as it’s unclear how fast the waitlist will fill up. 

Peacock Price Hike Set Before WWE SummerSlam

Tyriece Simon
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This Summer, it will be a little more expensive to be a WWE fan. NBC Universal’s streaming platform Peacock is set to increase its subscribers’ prices. The price hike is expected to start on July 18, ahead of one of WWE’s biggest premium live events of the year, WWE SummerSlam, on August 3. 

Variety’s Todd Spangler has reported that Peacock plans to increase its monthly plans by $2. Peacock Premium (with ads) will increase from $5.99 to $7.99, while Peacock Premium Plus will move from $11.99 to $13.99. The timing of the decision comes not only ahead of WWE SummerSlam but also the 2024 Summer Olympics starting July 26. 

The report states that “The new prices will be effective starting July 18 for new Peacock customers and for existing subscribers with their next billing date on or after Aug. 17.” 

In addition to the monthly fee surge, the yearly plans will increase by $20. Peacock Premium’s annual price jumps to $79.99, and the Premium Plus yearly subscription will be $139.99 for new members after July 18. For subscribers who are currently subscribed to a yearly plan, the increase will not go into effect until it’s time to renew. 

The report notes that Peacock had 34 million subscribers in the United States, with a net gain of 3 million added members in the first quarter of this year. While it’s fewer than competitors like Netflix or Disney+, the NBC Universal streaming service is up 55% year-over-year. 

It’s unclear if the new subscription price will decrease the number of Peacock members. However, WWE fans may stick around for WWE SummerSlam, which occurs two weeks later. 

More On WWE SummerSlam 

WWE’s ‘The Biggest Party of the Summer’ will be held at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. Tickets for WWE SummerSlam will go on sale to the public on May 9. The company is currently accepting requests from fans to receive exclusive pre-sale information on its website. 

Although no matches have been announced yet, Ohio native Logan Paul is expected to be featured at the premium live event. He is currently the WWE United States Champion and has been promoted on the WWE Summerslam poster. 

Paul has already called for some big appearances, like NBA megastar LeBron James being in attendance. While it’s unclear if it will come to fruition,  wrestling fans may want to keep Peacock to avoid missing what WWE has planned for SummerSlam. 

I Believe In Joe Hendry: TNA Wrestling Star’s Viral Song Reaches #1 On iTunes

Thomas Lowson
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There’s no shortage of people who believe in Joe Hendry as the TNA Wrestling star’s song has reached #1 on iTunes in the UK. 

I Believe In Joe Hendry is not just a song by the former Digital Media Champion but also serves as Hendry’s theme song. As seen in the image below, Hendry’s song is #1 on the UK iTunes service. The TNA star was able to surpass the likes of Hozier, Teddy Swims, and even the musical powerhouse tag team of Taylor Swift and Post Malone.

Joe Hendry on top of the iTunes chart for best-selling songs. 

His song dominating on iTunes certainly bodes well for Hendry’s future with TNA Wrestling as he’s been able to attract major attention to the promotion. His musical talents have put Hendry at odds with AJ ‘Top Dolla’ Francis who debuted for TNA at the Hard to Kill relaunch event earlier this year. In February, Hendry teamed with Rich Swann to defeat Francis and Deaner. The following month, Francis got his revenge when he defeated Hendry in singles action. 

I Believe In Joe Hendry isn’t the Scottish wrestler’s only foray into music. 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.

Hendry’s musical skills have endeared him to fan as he proves his talents both in and out of the ring. With the success of his most popular track, there’s no doubt that there’s no shortage of people who believe in Joe Hendry. 

The Undertaker: ‘Cody Rhodes Will Be A Workhorse Champion, Unlike Roman Reigns’

Thomas Lowson
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The Undisputed WWE Championship reign of Cody Rhodes will differ greatly from that of his predecessor Roman Reigns, according to The Undertaker. 

Rhodes won the gold and finished his story at WrestleMania 40 and in doing so ended the 1,316-day reign of the Tribal Chief. While Cody has been a regular on WWE Raw and SmackDown since his monumental win in Philadelphia, Reigns has been absent from programming (but has been working on a non-WWE project.)

Cody Rhodes: The Workhorse Champion

Rhodes’ win at WrestleMania did not come without some help and The Undertaker was part of the group of stars who kept The Bloodline at bay. On his Six Feet Under podcast, the WWE Hall of Famer spoke of what Rhodes has to look forward to. 

“He’s going to work a lot because he wants to, too, if that makes sense. So he’s not going to be a champion that… No offense to Roman, but Roman didn’t have a lot of matches as champion.”

The Undertaker made clear that Reigns’ sporadic in-ring schedule was part of his “story” and helped give the Tribal Chief character an air of dominance. With that said, the Phenom is looking forward to seeing plenty of matches from the American Nightmare. 

“I think he’ll be a working champion. I think he’s going to be a workhorse, actually. I think he’s going to defend the title a lot… He’s going to be wanting to walk out there and show people why he’s the world champion.”

What’s to Come? 

When asked about potential opponents for Rhodes, The Undertaker named Seth Rollins and GUNTHER as dream adversaries for the Undisputed WWE Champion. Before that, however, Rhodes will defend against AJ Styles at WWE Backlash: France. The bout will be part of WWE’s first PLE in the country and will take place on May 4.

More on Cody Rhodes

Here are some recent articles about Cody Rhodes as the Undisputed Champion continues to lead WWE in its new era:

Former Wrestling Champion Kamille Signed With AEW (Report)

Aaron Varble
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Kamille has signed with All Elite Wrestling, adding another notable name to their women’s division. The former NWA Women’s World Champion has inked a deal with Tony Khan’s league and is expected to debut shortly, according to a report by Fightful Select. She  became a free agent on January 1 when her NWA deal expired. 

Her name has been churning in the rumor mill since then regarding her next destination. Most recently, Kamille piqued interest amongst fans after saying she signed somewhere in February, though she did not specify where. She deleted her tweet and clarified that she was talking about autograph signings.

Kamille’s AEW Debut

It is unclear when Kamille will make her AEW debut, but she is on the way. Adding her name to Tony Khan’s women’s division provides them with a real boost. The company recently added Mercedes Mone, and the former Sasha Banks already has a TBS Title shot against Willow Nightingale at AEW Double or Nothing in Las Vegas on May 26.

Kamille held the NWA World Women’s Championship for 812 days. She played a significant role in the promotion during Billy Corgan’s ownership. Kamille has a good chance of replicating that success in AEW if given the proper environment.

Prior to signing with AEW, Kamille told SEScoops in February 2023 that she was hoping to join WWE so she could work with Charlotte Flair. During our interview, she told Scott Fishman, “[Charlotte Flair] is the best in the world. I think we would have a good backstory and story that could lead into it. Getting in there with someone who is so talented could help me learn and grow and and it’s something people would want to see.”

Check out the full interview from the SEScoops YouTube channel:

Kamille Clears The Air On Being ‘Signed’ To A Promotion Since February

Bishal Roy
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Fans had been buzzing on social media after Kamille stated that she was signed to a promotion in February. However, she didn’t mention the name of the particular promotion which led to several speculations. Now, the former NWA star has finally clarified her status.

Earlier, Kamille responded to a fan on X saying that she’s signed with a company since February. It seems that it was only confusion that occurred after she misinterpreted a question. She deleted her previous response and in an updated Tweet, she made it clear that she thought the fan was asking if she had been to any signings (autograph signings).

“Dang yall, I read the original posters tweet wrong. I meant I haven’t been to a signing since Feb” 

Kamille had been a key figure in the women’s division of NWA. She parted ways with the promotion and became a free agent after her contract expired in 2023. It was reported that she had an option to extend her contract for six months. However, she didn’t opt for an extension and decided to depart. 

In her last match with the promotion, she participated in a Mixed Street Fight in which she teamed up with Thom Latimer and faced Looks That Kill (Bryan Idol & Natalia Markova) in a losing effort on the November 18, 2023 edition of NWA Powerrr. 

Kamille was on WWE and AEW’s radar

The former NWA Women’s World Champion had garnered interest from multiple promotions including WWE and AEW. Reports stated that she was backstage at the January 17 edition of AEW Dynamite which led to talks that she would ink a deal with the promotion. However, it was soon reported that she remained a free agent.

Fans are eagerly waiting to know what will be Kamille’s next move as her future remains up in the air.

Trent Beretta Gets Admonished By Mama Sue Following Recent Actions Against The Best Friends

Dominic DeAngelo
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Trent Beretta’s mom Sue will not be carpooling The Best Friends to any AEW events in the near future, and she’s clearly not happy about it.

Beretta took on his longtime partner and (indeed) former best friend Chuck Taylor in a Parking Lot Fight this past weekend on AEW Rampage. It was a brutal battle with Berretta ultimately defeating Taylor, but also not coming out of the fight unscathed.

On social media, Beretta had a bloody picture of himself sitting on the hood of what appears to be his mom’s van. Just like his friendship with Taylor and Orange Cassidy, the windshield was splintered as Berreta basically marked the end of his bond with Taylor.

“Best Friends, 2013-2024, see ya.”

Sue expressed her disappointment in her son’s actions noting that she didn’t raise him to act like that.

Sue was a light-hearted component in the mix of The Best Friends’ friendship, but clearly Beretta has thrown all that aside. Last week’s Dynamite kicked off with Trent beating Orange Cassidy up in the middle of Daily’s Place before prompting Chuck Taylor to come out. Trent forced Taylor to choose between him and Cassidy, citing that it was Orange who stole the spotlight from both of them, stating that he was only meant to be their mascot in AEW. Taylor didn’t agree and took the side of Cassidy, putting the Parking Lot Fight into motion.

Trent defeated Taylor by choking him out, but he wasn’t finished. Beretta set sights on Taylor’s ankle with a wrench, telling Orange Cassidy that this was all his fault.

WWE Raw Preview (4/29): 2024 Draft Continues, Logan Paul Returns

Ella Jay
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WWE returns to Kansas City, Missouri tonight for WWE RAW at the T-Mobile Center. Nearly 9,000 fans will be in attendance as WWE continue the 2024 Draft and looks ahead to WWE Backlash: France on Saturday, May 4. Here’s a quick preview, followed by our detailed breakdown of what to look forward to:

Matches:

  • Judgment Day (Damian Priest, JD McDonagh & Finn Balor) vs. Jey Uso, Andrade & Ricochet

Segments: 

  • United States Champion Logan Paul appears
  • 2024 WWE Draft continues

Six-Man Tag:  Judgment Day vs. Jey Uso, Andrade & Ricochet

Before Jey Uso and Damian Priest battle over the World Heavyweight Championship at WWE Backlash this weekend, the two will share the ring in six-man tag team competition on tonight’s episode of WWE Raw.

Last week, Andrade and Ricochet defeated JD McDonagh and Santos Escobar (who replaced an injured Dominik Mysterio) much to the dismay of Priest. Coming off that victory, Andrade and Ricochet will now team up once more as they, alongside Jey Uso, take on The Judgment Day’s JD McDonagh, Damian Priest, and Finn Balor. 

This six-man tag match also comes two weeks after Uso beat Balor in singles competition, and five days before Uso challenges Priest for the aforementioned WWE World Heavyweight Championship. 

Logan Paul Returns

Earlier today, WWE confirmed that tickets for SummerSlam – “The Biggest Party of the Summer” – will go on sale on Thursday, May 9. This premium live event, of course, will take place in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, which stands as the hometown of several WWE Superstars, including The Miz, Johnny Gargano, and United States Champion Logan Paul.

Fresh off this announcement, Logan Paul will return to WWE Raw tonight. What will he have to say?

2024 WWE Draft Continues

The landscape of WWE will continue to change as night two of the 2024 Draft officially commences later tonight. For this occasion, draft picks will span six rounds.  Each brand will make two selections each round for a total of 24 picks (12 for Raw and 12 for SmackDown). The remaining draft picks will then be revealed via social media.

Much like night one of the WWE Draft on SmackDown, tonight’s episode of WWE Raw will feature a select pool of talent (from the main roster and NXT) that are available to be drafted. 

Tonight’s draft pool is as follows:

  • DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa)
  • Apollo Crews 
  • Braun Strowman 
  • Bronson Reed 
  • Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell
  • Chelsea Green and Piper Niven
  • CM Punk
  • The Creed Brothers (Julius Creed, Brutus Creed and Ivy Nile) 
  • Damage CTRL (IYO SKY, Dakota Kai and Kabuki Warriors) 
  • Drew McIntyre
  • Final Testament (Karrion Kross, AOP, Scarlett and Paul Ellering)
  • Giovanni Vinci 
  • Imperium (Gunther and Ludwig Kaiser) 
  • Jade Cargill
  • Judgment Day (Finn Bálor, Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh)
  • Kayden Carter and Katana Chance
  • Kevin Owens
  • Legado del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Angel, Berto and Elektra Lopez)
  • LWO (Rey Mysterio, Carlito, Dragon Lee, Cruz Del Toro, Joaquin Wilde and Zelina Vega)
  • Naomi
  • Natalya
  • New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate)
  • New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods)
  • Odyssey Jones
  • Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince and Kit Wilson)
  • Shinsuke Nakamura
  • Tegan Nox
  • The Pride (Bobby Lashley, Street Profits and B-Fab)
  • Tiffany Stratton

AEW Hires Jeremy Flynn As Director Of Live Events

Dominic DeAngelo
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All Elite Wrestling has hired Jeremy Flynn as the company’s new Director Of Live Events, a position formerly held by Rafael Morffi. Flynn previously worked for the Professional Bull Riders organization as its Senior Director of Marketing and Live Events.

Morffi, who left AEW last year to coordinate live events for the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, endorsed Flynn’s work in a post on his LinkedIn page.

Flynn will have a challenge ahead of him as live attendance for AEW hasn’t necessarily lived up to venue hosting them. Back during Super Bowl week, Tony Khan mentioned how that he still has decided to go with larger venues due to the media contacts and marketing possibilities.

“A lot of times, those arenas have a lot of big advantages like email lists and marketing and they are a destination venue for shows. It depends on the market and the timing. Certainly, bigger arenas do have a lot of advantages.”

Despite the unfilled arenas, Khan said in the pre-AEW Dynasty media call that revenue in Q1 for 2024 is up significantly overall as they have been running more live events, stating that live attendance is actually up in some cities when doing the year-over-year comparison.

The big hope for AEW is that the company secures a new lucrative media deal as the exclusive negotiation period between them and Warner Bros. Discovery has expired. Khan has still spoke to the positive relationship that AEW and WBD shares and has seemed optimistic that a deal will get done between the two parties.

Gunther On Vince McMahon’s WWE: ‘Not What I Enjoyed’

Dominic DeAngelo
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Even if he doesn’t win King Of The Ring, Gunther feels like one in the Paul Levesque Era of WWE.

In a new interview with Gorilla Position, the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion in company history was asked if he thought he’d have that same opportunity to make history under the old Vince McMahon regime.

“I don’t know, but it was one of the reasons why, for a long time I didn’t want to go to the US. The product before Triple H was not what I enjoyed. I just didn’t want to be part of that. I am who I am and that’s what I can do best. A big part of that is I need to have my time in the ring and have that time to put on the matches I can put on. That chance would not be there under the old regime.”

Gunther lost his title to Sami Zayn at WrestleMania 40 and the 4/22 episode of RAW is when he made his return, “thanking” Zayn for freeing him to be “the hunter” instead of “the hunted.” That’s when he staked his claim for the King of The Ring crown.

Gunther Trusts In Triple H

The Intercontinental Title reign has put Gunther in the upper echelon of talent in WWE and he knows that he has Creative Content Officer Triple H to thank for that.

“With Triple H, he always saw that in me, and he always had that vision for me. I got lucky that a lot of things in my career took place at the right time. It was a little bit of a leap of faith when I first made the move over. Everything worked out in the end.” 

What didn’t work out in the end is the Imperium pairing of Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci as Kaiser brutally attacked Vinci after they lost a tag match to New Day on that very same episode of RAW.

Ex-WWE Star Maven Huffman Returns To Wrestling In 30-Man Last Stand Rumble

Bishal Roy
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Former WWE star Maven Huffman made his comeback to pro wrestling over the weekend. The Tough Enough alum competed for Reality of Wrestling in a 30-man Last Stand Rumble match. It was his first time in the ring since July 2023.

Maven’s surprise debut WWE Hall of Famer Booker T’s promotional came when he entered the high-stakes rumble at #21. He received a great ovation from the fans in attendance. Maven threw punches at every wrestler in sight. He also hit a dropkick but in an amusing moment, he lost his shoe. Fans soon showered him with ‘You still got it’ chants and Maven was visibly touched by the warm response. 

He eliminated Inferno Tiger before getting eliminated by Quentin Wynters. 

Maven in WWE

Maven signed with WWE after being a co-winner of the inaugural season of WWE Tough Enough. He went on to have a successful run with the company and had captured the Hardcore Championship three times.

Maven has competed in a handful of battle royals and one of the biggest moments in his career took place during the 2002 Royal Rumble match. That night, he pulled off a shocking upset when he eliminated The Undertaker. 

Post WWE

After parting ways with WWE, he had a short run in other companies and then retired from pro wrestling. The 47-year-old star returned to the indie circuit in 2015 and has been making sporadic appearances ever since.

Maven’s Podcast

Outside of pro wrestling, Maven has a successful YouTube channel that boasts 377K subscribers. On his channel, he talks about WWE, what goes behind the scenes, and much more. 

Maven had a chance to make his return to WWE but he still regrets that the move didn’t materialize. He previously discussed how the pandemic impacted the return.

Watch the full Reality of Wrestling 30 Man Last Stand Rumble:

Kevin Nash Says The Elite Attacking Tony Khan Was AEW’s Finger Poke of Doom

Staff
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Last week’s 4/25 AEW Dynamite from Daily’s Place finished with a a controversial angle that fans are still talking about. Jack Perry made a surprise return and attacked AEW President Tony Khan. The Elite joined in, Perry is now part of the heel faction and there are immediate parallels with the early days of the nWo. After Shad Khan’s son took a microphone shot to the gut followed by a Tony Khan Driver, The Elite stood over their boss in victory. The Young Bucks’ new alliance with Kazuchika Okada and Jack Perry has nWo vibes and the memes have been plentiful on social media.

On this week’s Kliq This podcast, Nash and co-host Sean Oliver reviewed AEW Dynasty and AEW Dynamite, including the controversial angle that led Tony Khan to wear a neck brace for the 2024 NFL Draft. While giving Khan grief for selling a padded microphone shot, Nash compared the segment to WCW’s infamous Finger Poke of Doom (Wikipedia) angle. During a match against Hollywood Hogan on WCW Nitro (January 4, 1999), Nash laid down for Hogan, handing over the WCW title in what’s seen as a low-point for the declining company. 

Dynamite viewership was under 700,000, down from the previous week and the lowest since October 2023. Nash fired, back, “Thank God, because they missed the finger poke of doom at the end of this motherf****r.

Neck Brace

Tony Khan went on to sell that attack during both nights of the NFL Draft by wearing a neck brace. He appeared on the NFL Network, where he compared WWE to Harvey Weinstein. Nash didn’t love everything he saw on AEW television this week, but he credited Khan for selling the injury and keeping kayfabe alive with the neck brace.

“The neck brace. The neck brace the following day at the Jaguars. I got to give a little respect to this because I don’t think the NFL or anyone that watches the NFL and not wrestling is going to give a sh*t, but the attempt to do some crossover, respecting the product where he wore the neck brace the next day, it’s a commitment.”

You Fired CM Punk…

Nash took issue with the fact that CM Punk got fired for roughing up his boss, so how is he going to handle The Elite?

“I just don’t see what it does unless Tony comes back and fires the Executive Vice Presidents for attacking him. He fired.. he got rid of Punk. You can’t have a storyline that shows, a couple weeks earlier, they showed the Punk/Perry altercation, which was nothing.”

Tony Khan and AEW are influenced by pro wrestling history. This new incarnation of The Elite (just one week in) is already drawing comparisons to the nWo, so it was an attention-grabbing segment. Hopefully The Elite sparks a similar level of excitement as Hollywood Hogan, Scott Hall and podcast host Kevin Nash did in 1996. 

Former WWE Personality Charly Arnolt Makes UFC History

Aaron Varble
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Charly Arnolt may be best known for her tenure with WWE, as she hosted segments and shows for WWE. Now, she is making history in the UFC as the company’s female first-ever in-ring announcer.

On April 27, 2024, Chary made history as the first female ring announcer in UFC, stepping in temporarily for Joe Martínez, who was ill.

Charlie owned the microphone as she announced the fighters, and she received praise as well. Many commented on her poise and show well she adapted to the situation.

Charlie Arnolt’s WWE Entry & Departure

Interestingly enough, Arnolt entered WWE thanks to Tony Khan. The AEW President invited her to a WWE SmackDown show in Indianapolis in 2016 to get her foot in the door.

During the event, Arnolt met WWE’s Senior Director of Talent Relations, Mark Carrano, who introduced her to Michael Cole. The rest is history, as they eventually offered her a job with the company.

WWE did offer her a new contract, which she declined in 2021. Following her rejection of that new deal, she was removed from television broadcasts. She eventually left WWE for a full-time position at ESPN.

Some rumors emerged about her having heat in WWE prior to her departure. While speaking to Scott Fishman for TV Insider, Charly stated that she had no issues when she was with the company.

“There is always going to be chatter. The contract was coming up. Instead of renewing, I’m moving on. Everyone is going to have their own opinions regardless. I never had any issues while I was at WWE.”

“Nothing bad happened. As far as I’m concerned, I’m leaving on a positive note and beginning what I believe to be the next step in my career.”

In April 2023, Arnolt announced that she would be leaving ESPN for a position with OutKick. Despite her ESPN departure, Charly continues to appear for the UFC broadcasts on the network. 

Daily Drop (4/29): Drew McIntyre Out With Injury, MJF Spotted In Arm Sling After Surgery

Aaron Varble
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Welcome to the Daily Drop for Monday, April 29. We only have one more day until May, and Spring is already heating up in the pro wrestling world.

Before we get going, WWE will hold the second night of the 2024 Draft tonight on RAW. We already saw some big names drafted during SmackDown, and the company will take care of the rest of the roster tonight. How many NXT call-ups will we have? How many free agents will WWE have going around the brands this year? We will have all of those answers tonight after the 2024 WWE Draft is over!

Now, let’s get into today’s Daily Drop!

WWE:

WWE RAW Card for 4/29:

  • Night two of the 2024 WWE Draft
  • United States Champion Logan Paul appears
  • Jey Uso, Andrade & Ricochet vs. Damian Priest, Finn Balor & JD McDonagh

Drew McIntyre’s Injury Status: Although he just signed a new contract with WWE, The Scottish Warrior is still recovering from a hyperextended elbow sustained at WrestleMania 40. The Scottish Warrior has been pulled from shows for now.

Don’t Mail The Big Man: Bronson Reed logged onto Twitter and made it very clear that he does not want fans mailing things directly to his home. It is an invasion of privacy the way he sees things, and he was quite nice about it in his post.

Cody Rhodes’ Backlash Gear: Cody Rhodes is set to defend his title for the first time at Backlash against AJ Styles. This will be a special event for the American Nightmare, as he defends his title in France. To hype fans up for his big match, he posted a little teaser for his upcoming gear.

AEW:

DAZN Drops AEW: In a shocking announcement, This is not a good sign for AEW’s future pay-per-view events. DAZN has officially confirmed that their partnership with AEW has ended, just one year after it was initially announced. The decision to discontinue AEW content came into effect on December 31, 2023, following a series of broadcasts that did not meet expected viewership levels. Only a few events managed to achieve the target numbers, such as All In 2023, the initial weeks of AEW Collision, and certain episodes of AEW programming.

Julia Hart Injured: Julia Hart is sidelined again due to an injury, continuing her recent series of health setbacks. Despite her return to the ring, Hart’s injury flared up before AEW Dynasty, leading her to drop the TBS Championship to Willow Nightingale. The specifics of Hart’s injury are still unclear, but initial signs indicate she might need surgery. Hart is not scheduled for upcoming AEW television appearances.

MJF In Sling: The former AEW World Champion reportedly underwent should surgery, and he was recently spotted in a sling. During Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo, the Salt of the Earth recorded a dig at Brock Lesnar’s alleged affinity for urine related videos while rocking an arm sling with the fan everyone knows as Brock Lesnar Guy.

AEW Collision Viewership: The April 27th edition of AEW Collision brought in an average overnight viewership of 499,000, including 193,000 viewers in the 18 to 49 demographic. This marks an increase from the previous episode, which had 461,000 viewers and a 0.13 rating in the same demographic.

Upcoming PPV’s and PLE’s:

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)

DAZN Drops AEW Content One Year Into Multi-Year Deal Due To Underperforming Shows

Thomas Lowson
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Sports streaming service DAZN has nixed its contract with All Elite Wrestling after just one year over what they deemed to be underperforming numbers. 

The two sides agreed on a multi-year deal in early 2023 that would see AEW be broadcast in 42 markets across Europe and Asia. The initial deal included AEW Dynamite, Rampage, Dark, Dark: Elevation, Battle of the Belt events, and four pay-per-views a year. 

Now, this deal is a thing of the past. Speculation grew about AEW’s future on DAZN early into 2024 after fans noticed that All-Elite content had been quietly removed from the platform. At the time, no confirmation was given publicly as to the reason behind the removal.

Steven Muelhausen, who ran the wrestling social media side of things for DAZN has now confirmed that the deal is over just one year after being announced. The decision to drop AEW content was made on December 31, 2023, and was made after a string of broadcasts falling below expectations. Only a handful of events reached the numbers DAZN wanted. These events include All In 2023, the first month or so of AEW Collision, and select episodes of AEW content. 

AEW did all it could for DAZN when the platform requested interviews from talent, Muelhausen adds, despite DAZN never really showing much interest in promoting AEW on its platform. DAZN didn’t give 5% of the budget they spend for boxing and MMA. Muelhausen, found this to be a shame as wrestling had “a real shot” at DAZN but “never got the opportunity it deserved. 

Powerhouse Hobbs & Julia Hart Reportedly Injured

Dominic DeAngelo
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Two of AEW featured stars in Powerhouse Hobbs and Julia Hart are reportedly injured and the initial thought is not promising for the former champions.

According to Fightful Select, Julia Hart has suffered an injury that may require surgery. This is after Hart has ran into a string of recent injuries as of late and the timeframe for her return is currently unknown. She reportedly was injured on the lead-up to AEW Dynasty where she dropped the TBS Championship to Willow Nightingale. Hart is still very early her pro wrestling career and has hit a note with fans since aligning with the House Of Black.

Powerhouse Hobbs Is Also Injured

In the very same update, Fightful Select confirmed that Powerhouse Hobbs is also now out with injury as first reported by Bryan Alvarez of The Wrestling Observer. The injury is said to be significant and the former TNT Champion is not expected back anytime soon.

Hobbs was just featured in the main event match this past Wednesday on AEW Dynamite as he became the first challenger to Jon Moxley as the new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. Hobbs lost to Moxley via technical submission when the Blackpool Combat Club member got Hobbs in a rear-naked choke.

Hart and Hobbs now join a significant list of name talent on the AEW roster out with injury. MJF, Kenny Omega, Adam Cole, Darby Allin, Kota Ibushi, Bandido, Jamie Hayter, Miro, Britt Baker and Jeff Hardy are only a handful of talent on the shelf.

Hit the Pavement: AEW Stars Endorse Viral Asphalt Playground Video

Aaron Varble
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Pro wrestling fans are no strangers to witnessing wild videos appear on their timeline. We’ve seen backyard wrestling before, as it was the genesis for some people’s fandom, but playground wrestling is on another level.

A video went viral showing playground wrestling in New York City. This video was incredibly hard, and it is also stirred some fond memories with a lot of people. That being said, it was new to many as they saw it pop up on their feeds.

https://twitter.com/BvDpro/status/1784264029327794219

AEW Stars React

The AEW locker room keeps their pulse on the heart of what’s trending on social media. When Ortiz saw the crazy playground wrestling display, he shared a bit about his own history on Twitter/X. Seeing a video like this brought back fond memories for him.,

“We did this every Saturday rain or shine for years.Kept me out the streets../ Developed friendships I still have to this day.where I developed my love for pro wrestling. Now a decade later it’s catching traction all over social media.we would of killed for this attention back then!”

Will Ospreay is now lighting up the AEW roster after making his way from Japan. He has seen what the pro wrestling world has to offer, and he responded to say the playground wrestling video is fire.

Playground wrestling legend King Tek also chimed in. He had nothing but great memories to share, and one of them included the art of taking a powerbomb in a very unconventional setting.

Unconventional Pro Wrestling Viral Videos

Pro wrestling is very much engrained in popular culture, so you never know when it will pop up in a viral video. We’re getting a lot more gender reveals based around pro wrestling matches. Logan Paul and Nina Agdal just revealed the gender of the upcoming addition to their family with a match.

You also never know when a pro wrestling fan will throw a match into their wedding reception. We’ve also seen fans use pro wrestling themes, like The Bloodline, in their actual ceremony as they make their way to the altar.

Fans have seen wrestling matches break out in public while they were in town for big events. These may be organized in a manner of speaking, but it certainly has a violent avant-garde vibe.

Professional wrestling is a physically demanding sport, performed by trained professionals in controlled environments. Wrestling on asphalt playgrounds increases the risk of injuries in massive fashion. That being said, always prioritize safety and don’t try this at home, or at your local school/park.

Daily Drop (4/28): Carmelo Hayes Predicted First Round Draft Pick, AEW Roster Sees Multiple Injury Setbacks

Aaron Varble
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Welcome to our Daily Drop for Sunday, April 28. There is always something going on in the pro wrestling world, and today is no exception.

Before we get going, Drew McIntyre finally inked a new WWE contract. This is the first round of big contracts to come due since TKO took over the operation, and it is interesting to see how they are waiting until the final moments to lock down these deals.

WWE:

Logan Paul Gender Reveal: Since Logan Paul grew up on the internet, and he created a ton of trends in the process, he got in on one popular activity for expecting parents who are also pro wrestling fans. The WWE United States Champion had a gender reveal wrestling match for all to see. Spoiler: It’s a girl!

Dolph Wins Gold: Nic Nemeth, who performed as Dolph Ziggler in WWE for years, picked up gold in AAA. He is now the company’s Mega Champion.

WWE Rivals: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Booker T’s epic rivalry will be the focus of tonight’s episode of WWE Rivals on A&E. The show starts at 8:00 PM EST.

Melo Don’t Miss: Carmelo Hayes quote re-posted an old tweet from 2021. That old tweet said he would be a first-round draft pick. His updated post said that it took long enough. Melo was picked #2 in the first round by SmackDown in the 2024 WWE Draft, only coming in behind Bianca Belair.

AEW:

MJF’s Surgery: MJF will be out of action for even longer now, as he had shoulder surgery. At this time, there is no return planned for him.

Darby Allin’s Latest Injury: Allin may be out of action with an injured foot, but now he has even more problems. He was hit by a bus in New York City. He seems to be okay, all things considered, but this will not help speed along his in-ring return.

Grizzled Young Vets Aren’t Happy: The Acclaimed beat Grizzled Young Veterans in the former NXT tag team’s first AEW match. James Drake and Zack Gibson are not happy about how that match on Collision turned out, and they let everyone know this with a furious promo.

Upcoming PPV’s and PLE’s:

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)

The Dudley Boyz Reunite Alongside Elias, Tommy Dreamer Becomes Tag Team Champion In Classic ECW Venue

Dominic DeAngelo
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Bully Ray and D-Von Dudley ‘got the tables’ in an old ECW venue this weekend and Tommy Dreamer got hold of some gold to boot.

The pro wrestling legends took part in the IWC Super Showdown V event outside of Pittsburgh at the Rostraver Ice Garden on Saturday as an extreme reunion took place of sorts.

Tommy Dreamer initially squared off against Channing Decker in singles action, but their battle was thwarted when the IWC Tag Team Champions The Frontline invaded the fight. Thankfully, WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long was the matchmaker for the evening and forced Tito Oric and Christiano Argento to put their belts on the line against Decker and Dreamer. Decker found some synergy with Dreamer as the former was decked out in Gangstas gear in homage to New Jack and Mustafa. The two ended up becoming the new IWC World Tag Team Champions with a double DDT. 

The Dudley Boyz Walk With Elias

The main event actually had ties to a previous match on the card as Elias (now known as Elijah) took on the upstart Canaan Kristopher, but that match ended up seeing a disqualification due to outside interference.

Retribution later was served as The Dudleyz were set to take on Wes Barkley and Derek Dillinger in an Extreme Rules tag match. Bully Ray had other ideas as they enlisted Elias to team up for trios tables match against Barkley, Dillinger and Kristopher. Guitar shots were doled out and an adversary was ultimately put through a table courtesy of a three-person 3D.

Post-match, Bully Ray got on the mic and gave away a broken piece of the table to a young fan while D-Von made mentioned that he just recovered from back surgery. This was D-Von’s second match back since the procedure as during WrestleMania weekend in Philadelphia he teamed up with Bully Ray to face Dreamer and Atsushi Onita.

The event happened to also feature another WWE Hall of Famer as Ron Simmons kicked off the show with an opening promo.

Drew McIntyre Set To Miss WWE TV, Latest On Former WWE Champion’s New Contract

Thomas Lowson
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Drew McIntyre will remain with WWE for years to come after signing a new deal, but fans shouldn’t expect him on programming just yet. 

The three-time former WWE World Champion’s new contract deal comes after close to a year of speculation about his future in the ring. News of McIntyre’s new contract was shared by TKO’s Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, who had a special gift in store for the Scottish Warrior. 

McIntyre and WWE engaged in “a lot of back and forth” during the negotiation process, PW Insider reports. The deal has been described as a “multi-year, big money” contract that one source believed to be for three years. If so, it’ll keep McIntyre with the promotion until April 2027 unless he is released. 

The video shared by The Rock on Instagram was actually shot well before the deal between McIntyre and WWE was signed. The actual discussions between the two sides wasn’t concluded until a few days ago but WWE wanted the video to be ready to publish as soon as a contract was signed.

Missing From the Ring

While McIntyre will remain with WWE for years to come, he won’t be wrestling just yet. The Scottish Warrior is still recovering from a badly hyperextended elbow he suffered at WrestleMania 40. The Scottish Superstar received “a lot of respect” from those in WWE for his efforts during the recent WWE tour of the UK. 

Hopefully McIntyre will be healed and able to compete in time for WWE Clash At The Castle: Scotland. The June 15 show will be in Glasgow and fans in the country are eager to see the former World Champion on the card. 

More from Drew McIntyre

Here are some recent articles featuring Drew McIntyre as the Scottish Warrior has plans to do big things in WWE in the years to come:

The Last Match 80s Wrestling Rock Musical Going On Tour With All-Star Cast

Thomas Lowson
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Rock & Roll wrestling musical The Last Match is set to go on tour next month with an all-star cast of actors and wrestlers attached to the show. 

News of the tour was shared on Twitter by Simon Miller of WhatCulture fame. The tour will begin on May 7 in Burlington, Vermont, and conclude on May 18 in Atlanta, Georgia. 

The Last Match tells the story of Ben Vengeance, a journeyman wrestler who prepares to step in the ring for what will be his titular last match. Vengeance’s final match sees the veteran face BTD Heavyweight Champion Alexander Swagger (as played by Miller.)

Wrestling productions out of the ring have grown increasingly more popular in recent years. NBC’s Young Rock told the story of Dwayne Johnson’s rise to superstardom and his life growing up in a wrestling dynasty. Starz’s Heels received rave reviews for its portrayal of a small-time wrestling promotion’s efforts to survive and included an impressive cast featuring Stephen Amell and CM Punk. 

2008’s The Wrestler received critical acclaim for its telling of Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson (Mickey Rourke) and his journey as his wrestling career reached its end. The film scored Rourke a BAFTA award, a Golden Globe award, and a Best Actor nomination at the Oscars. 

An All-Star Cast

Miller, who also competed for TNA Wrestling at their Turning Point 2023 event, isn’t the only notable name involved. Former WWE personality McKenzie Mitchell has been cast as BTD interviewer Scarlett Sublime. Matthew Rehwoldt (aka Aiden English in WWE) has been cast as ‘The Boss.’

Wrestling legend Mickie James brings her experience to the show as ‘The Mother.’ Bull James (WWE NXT’s Bull Dempsey) portrays Sam the Barbarian while Afa Anoa’i Jr. is ‘The Surgeon/Son of Stalin.’

For more information about The Last Match and how to purchase tickets, click here. 

Watch: Logan Paul & Nina Agdal Host Wrestling Match Gender Reveal Party

Thomas Lowson
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WWE U.S. Champion Logan Paul and his fiancée Nina Agdal have revealed the gender of their upcoming child in the art form that is pro wrestling. 

Paul and Agdal revealed they were expecting a child in April of 2024. This is the first child for the couple who are set to become parents this fall. Agdal is a Danish supermodel who has appeared on TV and on magazine covers. The couple began dating in 2022 and got engaged in Italy in the summer of 2023. 

Like many couples, Paul and Agdal spared no expense with their elaborate gender reveal party. With their family and friends as attendees, the couple hosted a wrestling match with one competitor in blue and the other in pink. The reigning WWE United States Champion didn’t compete in the match but watched on as the pink wrestler got the win, revealing that Paul and Agdal are expecting a baby girl. 

Both Paul and Agdal wore Pink for the match, indicating that they were hoping for a girl. Now the couple are ready to take their next steps into becoming parents. 

Baby Fever

The Maverick and his fiancee aren’t the only couple to have hosted a wrestling-themed gender reveal party. A recent gender reveal went viral as a pair of wrestling fans told the world that they too are expecting a baby girl. 

There’s ‘baby fever’ among other Superstars in WWE. Luke Gallows recently became a father for the fifth time following the birth of his son Thomas. Erik and Valhalla are set to become parents for the second time after recently revealing that they are expecting. The couple welcomed their first child, a boy, into the world in 2021. 

More from Logan Paul

Here are some recent articles about Logan Paul as the reigning WWE U.S. Champion continues to make headlines in and out of the ring: 

Jinder Mahal’s Trademark Filings May Have Revealed His Post-WWE Name

Thomas Lowson
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Jinder Mahal won’t let his release from WWE prevent him from achieving his goals in the ring and will be competing under a new name. 

Mahal was among those released by WWE earlier this month as part of the first wave of cuts under the promotion’s new era. The former WWE & United States Champion was previously released from the company in 2014 but returned two years later. 

Mahal will have to wait for his non-compete clause to expire in July before he works elsewhere, but the Modern-Day Maharaja has already been making plans. Mahal recently trademarked the term ‘The Maharaja’ for its use on merchandise as well as the name ‘Raj Dhesi.’ It seems the Dhesi name will be what Mahal competes under going forward. These filings were made under Mahal’s real name Yuvraj Dhesi. 

What’s to Come? 

Whatever name Mahal wrestles under from here on, the ex-Superstar seemingly won’t be struggling to find work. Promotions have been very eager to work with Mahal now that he’s out of WWE with Game Changer Wrestling being just one of several interested parties. 

GCW could certainly do with Mahal being a top heel in their company to replace the injured Matt Cardona. Whether Mahal goes to GCW or somewhere else, expect to see plenty more of Raj Dhesi when his non-compete clause with WWE is a thing of the past. 

More from Jinder Mahal

Here are some recent articles about Jinder Mahal as the former WWE Superstar prepares to be a free agent once again: 

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