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WWE Talent Releases April 2024: Jinder Mahal Among Names Leaving After Latest Shakeup

Anutosh Bajpai
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Jinder Mahal is among the names released by WWE today.

The former WWE Champion posted an ominous message on Twitter today. The Maharaja claimed that he had ‘quit’ implying that he was leaving the company.

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful then provided an update and noted that alongside Mahal, Xyon Quinn and Xia Li have also been let go by the company. You can check out the updated list of talents released in April 2024 below:

  • Jinder Mahal
  • Xyon Quinn
  • Xia Li
  • Veer Mahaan 
  • Sanga

This is the latest WWE shake-up to take place. In the past month, the company has parted ways with major behind-the-scenes names such as Executive Vice President of Talent Relations, Dan Ventrelle and Senior Vice President of Athlete ID & Development Trent Wilfinger.

The release of longtime WWE Director of Community Relations and Hall of Famer Sue Aitchison raised a lot of eyebrows and Artist Rob Schamberger also confirmed his departure from the promotion earlier this week.

Wrestling World Reacts To April 2024 WWE Releases

Veer Mahaan took on his Twitter to write a message in Hindi after the news of his release became public knowledge. His tweet translates to: “When it comes to the honor and respect of Indians, sacrifice comes first. Good Bye WWE”

Xia Li posted a statement on Twitter thanking Triple H and everyone else who helped her through this run. She said that it’s not the end but a new beginning. Kairi Sane who is a close friend of Xia was among the people who reacted to her post:

Latest WWE Releases

This is the second time Jinder Mahal has been released by WWE after his initial release in 2014. He returned to the company in 2016 leading to his WWE Championship reign in 2017. He returned to NXT for a run most recently as well.

Xia Li was signed by the company in 2017 after a tryout in China. She became the first Chinese woman to compete in a WWE ring when she entered the 2018 Mae Young Classic tournament. After an NXT stint she made her main roster debut in 2021.

Xyon Quinn had a somewhat similar WWE experience. He signed a development contract with NXT in 2018. Quinn made his on-screen debut for the company during a SmackDown episode in April 2020 losing to Sheamus in a singles match.

He continued his stint with NXT despite multiple main roster appearances. He was declared a free agent during the 2023 Drafts and made occasional appearances on both of WWE’s premiere shows.

Mahal noted on his Twitter bio that the standard 90 days non compete clause applies to his release and the same should be true for the other departures as well.

Considering the backstage shakeups preceding the latest set of WWE releases, more names leaving the roster can emerge in the next few hours. You can stay tuned to SEScoops for any updates.

Seth Rollins Recovering After Recent Knee Surgery

Thomas Lowson
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Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins will be out for the foreseeable future as he is recovering from knee surgery. 

Rollins hasn’t appeared for WWE since his loss to Drew McIntyre at WWE WrestleMania 40: Sunday. During an appearance on RTE One’s The Late, Late Show, Becky Lynch was asked about how she and Rollins handle wrestling and being parents and disclosed her husband’s recent surgery. 

“So he just got surgery on Tuesday, he had knee surgery. He tore his meniscus a little while before WrestleMania. His rehab, I suppose, is running after a little 3-year-old now. That’ll be great for his knee.”

News of Rollins’ surgery shouldn’t come as a massive surprise to fans. In the weeks leading up to WrestleMania, much had been said about the physical condition of the then-World Heavyweight Champion. Post-WrestleMania, it was reported that Rollins would be taking a break from programming. 

While an initial report said that Rollins wouldn’t miss much time at all, this surgery will have presumably extended the length of his hiatus from the ring. Rollins suffered a partial meniscus tear during a match on Raw in January and opted to rest so that he could still wok both nights of WrestleMania 40. 

After a 316-day reign on top that saw Rollins lead the way in the absence of Roman Reigns, Seth has certainly earned some time off and can hopefully make a full recovery. At this time, it’s unclear when fans can expect him back but we’re wishing him all the best.

Cody Rhodes Vs. AJ Styles Set for WWE Backlash: France in First-Ever Showdown

Thomas Lowson
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Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes will put the title on the line against AJ Stlyes at Backlash: France, in what’ll be a first-time showdown between the two. 

Styles became the number one contender for the title on the April 19, episode of WWE SmackDown with a victory over LA Knight. The previous week, Styles had qualified for the number one contenders match by winning a triple threat that included Kevin Owens and Rey Mysterio. 

Rhodes didn’t appear in person during WWE SmackDown as he has been in the UK as part of his first overseas tour as Undisputed WWE Champion. In a video promo from London’s O2 Arena, Rhodes spoke about Styles and dubbed him the modern-day ‘Excellence of Execution.’ Rhodes added that his fellow ‘Georgia Boy’ rarely misses, but he doesn’t miss either and he’s looking forward to the showdown in Lyon, France.

Despite the lengthy careers of both men, this’ll be the first time that Rhodes and Styles face off in singles action. It would only be a handful of months after Styles joined WWE in January 2016 that Rhodes left the company under the bbeleif that he could become something bigger outside WWE. 

Though AJ and Cody have yet to go one-on-one, Styles knows what it’s like to step into the ring with a Rhodes. In October 2003, Styles faced the American Dream Dusty Rhodes in TNA Wrestling for Styles’ NWA World Heavyweight Championship. The Phenomenal One left with the gold that night and hopes to do the same at Backlash: France when the Undisputed WWE Championship is on the line. 

Nic Nemeth On ‘Getting Serious’ With TNA After 19-Year WWE Relationship, Rebellion (Exclusive)

Dominic DeAngelo
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Nic Nemeth has shown to be quite the rebel so it’s only fitting that ‘The Most Wanted Man’ is challenging for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship at Rebellion. Nemeth with go mono-a-mono with Moose, allowing Nic to potentially achieve his first World Championship outside of WWE.

Nemeth has been a busy man since his WWE exit as he’s competed in high-profile independent matches, but also have already achieved big notoriety in New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

In a SEScoops exclusive, Nemeth gave some details as to how his TNA deal came to be. Nemeth noted what exactly allured him to the company were several components: the talent, the long-term booking plan, the rebrand back to TNA and the company plan all intrigued him. Nemeth felt like he’d just been through the ringer for nearly two decades with WWE and the former World Champ wanted some time to explore his newfound freedom.

“I go, ‘Man, I don’t want to be tied down.’ I want to be like a hired gun that bounced around because I just got out of a long term relationship. 19 years, most abusive relationship of my life. I just got out of it.’ So I said, ‘I don’t want to like, put down it like, for the next three years I’m stuck in this deal. Whether I hate you or you hate me or it all works out,’

“I go, ‘Let me just do the dates. I’m not going to screw you guys over. I’m rooting for you and I want to help. So I did a certain amount of dates and then re-up for double dates.’ I go, ‘I believe in this product. Let’s go.’”

Ready For Rebellion

Nic Nemeth may have a great deal of notoriety, but he knows he’s not the big man under the TNA umbrella. Both literally and figuratively, Moose is that man, but Nemeth knows he’s ready to square up against the former NFL star.

“He has that break speed like a linebacker and I’m trying to think I go, What the hell do I have that he doesn’t?’ I’m shorter and maybe I’m faster, but here’s the best part: this jaw right here – I can take a punch. So he’s not ready for someone like me to be able to take a punch or a headbutt or a kick or a driver onto the floor because I never stop coming back up.”

TNA Rebellion 2024 takes place this Saturday, April 20 from Las Vegas and will stream live on TrillerTV pay-per-view ($39.99).

Tiffany Stratton Shares What Made Her First WWE PLE Unforgettable (Exclusive)

Ella Jay
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Tiffany Stratton is one of WWE’s fastest  rising stars. Following an impressive showing in the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble, the former NXT Women’s champion joined the SmackDown brand and has earned victories over Liv Morgan, Naomi, and Zelina Vega. 

Stratton spoke with SEScoops earlier this month during the WWE Media Day in Philadelphia over WrestleMania 40 weekend about wanting to wrestle Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 41 and more. 

A Thunderous Pop In Perth

Ahead of the 2024 Elimination Chamber event, WWE held a special press event before the members of the WWE Universe, as well as the media, in Perth, Australia.

In an effort to hype the Women’s Elimination Chamber match, the likes of Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch, and Tiffany Stratton were brought out onto the stage. Naturally, Belair and Lynch were greeted by their usual round of cheers, but in a surprise turn of events, a heel Tiffany Stratton was as well. She tells SEScoops correspondent MuscleManMalcolm:

“I remember being backstage at the press conference, and I remember Triple H said my name and they popped like crazy. It was like the loudest pop, and then they were chanting ‘Tiffy Time’ before I even came out there. It was just so amazing! It was such a good experience for my first PLE.”

Chants for “Tiffy Time” later extended to the Elimination Chamber event itself, as the people of Perth proudly shouted Stratton’s catchphrase not only during the Women’s Elimination Chamber match, but also during the men’s.

High School Musical Hot Take

The former WWE NXT Women’s Champion has previously credited the character of Sharpay Evans of the “High School Musical” film series as one of the inspirations behind her wrestling persona. As such, Stratton was asked to identify which of the three “High School Musical” films was her favorite.

While she thoroughly enjoys the second iteration, Stratton admits to having a particular affinity for the series’ finale, “High School Musical 3.”

“I’m going to go with two and three, but kind of leaning more to three,” Stratton said. “I just feel like the characters were more grown up and I feel like the the cameras were better quality.”

The Rock Calls WrestleMania 40 ‘Chapter 1’ of His Story As WWE’s Final Boss

Thomas Lowson
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The Rock is ready to do much more as the ‘Final Boss’ of WWE following the historic WrestleMania 40 Premium Live Event. 

WrestleMania 40: Sunday went off the air with Cody Rhodes standing tall as Undisputed WWE Champion, despite the efforts of The Rock and The Bloodline. On the post-WrestleMania Raw, The Rock made clear that he’ll be back one day and that he’s coming for the American Nightmare. 

The Rock is expected back on WWE programming, and his return could happen before 2024 is up, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports. It’s said that there is a chance of The Rock doing a match later this year, with fans speculating that a Saudi Arabia show could be in his future. 

Whether The Rock wrestles again in 2024 or not, his focus remains on Cody Rhodes. The report adds that a match with Rhodes has been tentatively penciled in for WrestleMania, though whether Cody is the champion or not by then will play a factor in booking decisions. 

Whatever comes next, The Rock’s metamorphosis into the Final Boss has been a hit with fans and is seemingly here to stay. Taking to Instagram, The Rock deemed WrestleMania 40 merely the first chapter of what’s to come with this character. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/reel:C582jMOxCOz

With The Rock part of the TKO board of directors, his connection to WWE is arguably the strongest it’s been in decades. There are still some questions remaining, including where the long-rumored showdown with Roman Reigns will take place. The Tribal Chief is also off of WWE programming for the time being, but for The Rock, his return isn’t an if, but when. 

LWO Member Cruz Del Toro Undergoes Surgery

Aaron Varble
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WWE star Cruz Del Toro will be out of action after undergoing surgery for an unspecified arm injury in Birmingham, Alabama on Thursday, April 18.

Cruz’s last televised match took place during the go-home SmackDown before WrestleMania 40, where he participated in the WrestleMania Tag Team title qualifying tournament on SmackDown.

On Thursday he dropped an Instagram post from the Birmingham Surgery Center in Homewood, Alabama, where he underwent a procedure to repair an unspecified injury. In the image, Del Toro is shown with a cast on his left arm.

Cruz Del Toro shared the news of his injury on Instagram, where he thanked everyone for their motivation and kind words. Several WWE talents, including Natalya, Michin, Adam Pearce, and Byron Saxton, commented on Del Toro’s post with messages of support, but he must start a new journey back to the ring now.

A special thank you to Dr. McKeon and the team at Birmingham Surgery Center for their care, the surgery was a success. Thank you for your messages of support and good wishes. I will be back soon and better than ever. Like someone said… #todayisdayone

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C56gn-LPXZg

The LWO member last competed in the ring during the April 5 SmackDown show in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. His partner, Joaquin Wilde participated in a singles match on NXT this week in a losing effort against Ridge Holland.

Prior to his injury, Del Toro and partner Joaquin Wilde have been active on both the SmackDown and NXT brands. They participated in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic on NXT and the WrestleMania Tag Team title qualifying tournament on SmackDown.

The LWO in WWE

The current members of the LWO are Rey Mysterio, Joaquin Wilde, Cruz Del Toro, Zelina Vega, Carlito, and Dragon Lee. The stable was revived in 2023 as Mysterio was being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

During Rey Mysterio’s US Title match against Logan Paul at WWE Crown Jewel, Escobar appeared at ringside to take brass knuckles from a member of Paul’s entourage, but he left them on the ring apron as he chased off Paul’s’ friends. This allowed Paul to use the brass knuckles on Rey to win the match.

Santos Escobar sealed the deal for his direction by turning on Mysterio during the November 10 episode of SmackDown.

After taking some time off due to injury, Rey Mysterio returned on the March 1 episode of SmackDown to help Carlito defeat Escobar in a street fight. Rey later challenged Escobar to a match on SmackDown, which he lost the following week due to interference from his son, Dominik.

In a surprise that reunited Andrade and Zelina Vega, he stepped in for Dragon Lee to help Mr. 6-1-9 defeat Escobar and Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 40.

Working Agreement Between WWE & Marigold Will See Years of Promotional Crossover

Thomas Lowson
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WWE’s new era will see the company form a working relationship with Rossy Ogawa’s new Marigold wrestling promotion, it has been reported.

Ogawa, the recently-fired founder of STARDOM is hoping to bring stars including IYO SKY and Kairi Sane to a Marigold event expected to take place this summer. Whether that happens or not, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that a working agreement will be in place between the two companies. 

The main star who’ll benefit from this working agreement is Giulia, who is expected to sign with WWE in the near future. The former NJPW Strong Women’s Champion is expected to compete for both WWE and Marigold before an eventual move to the U.S. Giulia, who appeared at NXT Stand & Deliver alongside Ogawa, is expected to appear on a few big Marigold events per year in addition to her full-time WWE commitments. 

Giulia is set to appear at Marigold’s debut event in May 2024 alongside a talented roster of women including NXT alum Sareee. Her WWE in-ring debut is expected to be at July’s NXT Heatwave event, possibly with championship gold on the line. 

WWE forging a working agreement with Marigold, one that’ll seemingly last for multiple years, is a massive change from how the previous administration did business. In stark contrast to Vince McMahon’s ‘don’t play well with others’ approach, WWE is said to be exploring forging working relationships with other companies and Tony Khan has said that he’d be interested in a WWE-AEW partnership, under the right circumstances.

Jack Perry’s AEW Return ‘Imminent’ After 8 Months

Aaron Varble
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Jack Perry is gearing up for a return to AEW following the company’s controversial decision to air footage from his backstage altercation with CM Punk from last year’s All In London PPV from Wembley Stadium.

During the NJPW Windy City Riot pay-per-view event at the Wintrust Arena on April 12, 2024, Shota Umino defeated Perry in a match that lasted just over 15 minutes. This marks the Scapegoat’s final NJPW match for the foreseeable future. 

Jack Perry’s next appearance will be for AEW and it’s expected “imminently,” according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

All Elite Wrestling returns to pay-per-view this Sunday for AEW Dynasty.

Perry’s AEW Hiatus

Jack Perry and CM Punk were both suspended following their All In Brawl last year. Punk was later fired, and he has returned to WWE since then. Perry, whose suspension lapsed some time ago, never returned to AEW television.

Tony Khan was reportedly still irritated with Perry, as he saw him as the reason AEW lost CM Punk. With Perry’s return to AEW on the horizon, it will be interesting to see how Khan works this into the story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeJ6Z-qrWNQ

Jack Perry’s Last NJPW Match

Some notable moments for AEW took place during the 4/12 NJPW Windy City Riot show in Chicago, including Jon Moxely winning the IWGP World Heavyweight Title. That event also marked Jack Perry’s last NJPW match for a while.

The match between Jack Perry and Shota Umino received the strongest crowd reaction. Fans brought signs to the event, both supportive and critical of Perry, and there were many chants directed at him during the contest. Perry embraced the heel role, as the crowd was filled with chants of “scapegoat” and singing “Oh, cry me a river” toward Perry.

He also entered the ring surrounded by security in riot gear, displayed a flag with the Chicago symbol to further provoke the crowd. And he wore a jacket saying “Cry me a River,” for good measure.

Chad Gable and The Creed Brothers Will Soon Be A Dangerous Pairing

Aaron Varble
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WrestleMania and the WWE Draft give the company a chance to shuffle the deck in a number of ways. Fans can look forward to a new pairing that will present fresh matchups wherever they wind up. 

This week’s WWE RAW broadcast from Montreal concluded with Sami Zayn’s hometown hero victory. He retained the Intercontinental Title against Chad Gable, but the Underdog from the Underground’s celebration didn’t last long. Gable attacked him, turning heel in the process. 

WWE is believed have big plans for the Olympian: an alliance with pro wrestling’s most technically capable tag team. According to this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

“The belief going around is that the Creeds are going heel to form a unit with Gable.”

WWE had a handful of factions for this new trio to work against on both Raw and SmackDown, a scenario we are very excited to see play out.

Creed Brothers’ History Before WWE

Julius and Brutus Creed, real names Jacob and Drew Kasper, are brothers with an outstanding background in amateur wrestling.

The siblings from Lexington, Ohio took over amateur wrestling in high school. Julius Creed, 31, attended Duke University, where he graduated in sociology and excelled in wrestling, earning multiple NCAA honors and setting university records. He also competed in the 2016 Olympic Trials and later coached wrestling at Duke.

Brutus Creed, 27, went to Otterbein University, where he studied exercise science and had a notable wrestling career, achieving a 108–13 record and earning NCAA Division III All-American honors twice before his final season was cut short by the pandemic.

WWE obviously wanted the Creed Brothers, as Gerald Briscoe scouted them in 2018. In October 2020, WWE signed Julius Creed, and in February 2021, following a successful try-out, Brutus Creed inked a three-year contract with WWE.

The two stand out performers were aligned with the Diamond Mine stable in NXT for a while, where they had a run as NXT Tag Team Champions.

During the 2023 WWE Draft, the Creed Brothers and Ivy Nile were called up to the RAW brand, which is where we find ourselves today.

Aligning Chad Gable with the Creed Brothers could be a real recipe for success. They all have similar backgrounds, as Gable is a former state champion in high school. Gable was named as 2012 Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Year by USA Wrestling. He also won the 2012 the U.S. Olympic Trials, which secured him a spot to compete at the London Olympics in the 185-lbs division for Greco-Roman wrestling.

The Undertaker: Steve Austin Could Have Ended My WrestleMania ‘Streak’ A Decade Earlier

Bishal Roy
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The Undertaker never got the opportunity to lock horns with fellow WWE Hall of Famer ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin at WrestleMania. Could Austin break The Phenom’s legendary undefeated streak? Well, Taker thinks so. 

Each month, the ‘Dead Man’ does an exclusive Q&A Session for Patreon members of his Six Feet Under with Mark Calaway show. The fan questions often produce interesting quotes and this show was no exception. One question asked which wrestler could have ended the Streak earlier than 2014, when Brock Lesnar ‘conquered’ it at WrestleMania XXX. The 59-year-old Hall of Famer said it would have to be ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin. 

“It’d have to be Stone Cold. That’s really one of the only guys I didn’t get to work with at Mania. That would have been huge. The Streak may have gotten broken earlier, but still, it would have been nice to work with Steve at Mania.”

The idea of Undertaker vs. Steve Austin at WrestleMania prompted discussion about what the reaction would have been if Austin ended the streak instead of Lesnar. Wrestling fans were furious when WWE’s ‘Best Incarnate’ did the unthinkable, but would Austin get a similar response?

Taker feels that Austin’s popularity was unrivaled, and that would have helped offset some of the backlash, but some fans would have still taken issue with the Streak ending and he could still expect some mixed reactions.

“Steve was over at a level… That was just a whole ‘nother level that he was over at. It would probably be, just like anything else, half the people would love it, half the people would hate it. That’s how it is. Everybody has an opinion but that’s the guy that I would have liked to work with at Mania that I never got a chance to.”

The Streak

The Undertaker is synonymous with WrestleMania. His fabled undefeated “streak” remains to be one of the greatest chapters in WWE. While WrestleMania is a spectacle itself. Every year, the eagle-eyed fans also anticipated ‘The Deadman’ putting his streak on the line against some of the biggest superstars in the company. 

The Undertaker famously ‘claimed the souls’ of some of the all-time greats at Mania over a couple of decades until Brock Lesnar did something unimaginable – ending the streak at WrestleMania XXX. ‘The Phenom’ suffered another loss at ‘The Grandest Stage of Them All’ against Roman Reigns in a No Holds Barred Match at WrestleMania 33. 

WrestleMania 40

The Undertaker was involved at WrestleMania 40 when he hit a chokeslam on The Rock during the headlining match between Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. 

Reports suggest that it was Steve Austin, who was originally in the plans to get involved instead of Taker but that didn’t materialize.  

Daily Drop (4/19): Bloodline Reunion, Cody Rhodes vs. The Rock Update, SmackDown

Aaron Varble
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Welcome to the Daily Drop for Friday, April 19, 2024. Tonight on TV we have WWE SmackDown and AEW Rampage, which will serve as one of the final stops on the road to Sunday’s AEW Dynasty pay-per-view.

There was a lot of news coming out of this week’s ‘World Congress of Sports’ convention from Los Angeles, including Paul Levesque and Nick Khan talking about WWE changing up its approach to WrestleMania locations and dates. We can also look forward to seeing more International premium live events, but not the ‘Big 5.’

Don’t miss SEScoops correspondent Scott Fishman’s write-up of his first visit to the ECW Arena in Philadelphia over WrestleMania 40 weekend. He survived and had a pretty great time visiting the home of ‘extreme’ Here we go:

AEW:

Tonight on Rampage:

  • Jamie Hayter & Dr. Britt Baker vs. Ruby Soho & Toni Storm
  • TNT Championship Match: Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Wardlow
  • Jay White vs. Komander
  • The Acclaimed & Billy Gunn vs. Matt Menard, Angelo Parker & Jake Hager
  • Plus, Chris Jericho confronts Adam Cole and we’ll hear from The Elite and FTR.

Schamberger All Elite? Former WWE ‘artist in residence’ Rob Schamberger appears to be collaborating with AEW. 

Parting Thoughts: Matt Hardy believes AEW’s backstage controversies have damaged the brand and driven away fans. He recently finished up with the company and had been there since 2020.

WWE:

Tonight on SmackDown:

  • AJ Styles vs. LA Knight to determine the #1 contender to Cody Rhodes’ WWE Championship
  • Naomi challenges Bayley for the Women’s Championshi
  • SmackDown Tag Team Title #1 Contender’s Match: The Street Profits vs. Pete Dunne & Tyler Bate vs. Angel & Humberto vs. The Authors of Pain

Cody Rhodes vs. The Rock: On WWE Raw the night after WrestleMania 40, The Rock congratulated Cody Rhodes on finishing his story and assured the new champ they will square off in the ring one day. The ‘American Nightmare’ appeared on Good Morning Britain on Thursday to promote this week’s UK live events tour. He fully expects ‘Final Boss’ to back up his words and has an interesting reason for why.

Fella Fires Back: Sheamus was a recent victim of ‘body shaming’ from online trolls, but responded to one of the trash talkers directly on social media. ** Not that he has to explain his physical appearance to random people on the Internet, but Sheamus said he was expecting to have several more weeks to get in shape before returning to television.

Bloodline Reunion? Jey Uso said on The Bump that he hopes he can one day reunite with Solo Sikoa, Roman Reigns and his brother.

“All in all though, I would like for us to come back together, but as a healed up family. We fighting right now. All families fight, but I want us to come back as the good guys one time and see how works. But if it wasn’t for The Bloodline, I really wouldn’t be Main Event or sitting here with YEET shirts. I had to go through that whole process to help me grow, and I feel like the people watched my story unfold.”

Upcoming PPV’s and PLE’s:

  • Saturday, April 21: AEW Dynasty (PPV)
  • Saturday, May 4: WWE Backlash France (PLE)
  • Sunday, May 26: NXT Battleground (PLE)

Cody Rhodes Believes WWE’s Success Will Lure The Rock Back Into The Ring

Thomas Lowson
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Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes believes that the success of WWE’s product will help lure The Rock back into the squared circle. 

Rhodes is currently in the UK as part of an ongoing tour by WWE, his first overseas tour as the Undisputed WWE Champion. Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Rhodes was asked about the possibility of a showdown with The Rock. 

“I think it’ll really come down to can I be a good champion or a great champion, Roman Reigns was a great champion, and will that be enough to entice The Rock?”

While Rhodes put a great deal of pressure on himself to be a champion worthy of The Rock’s return, he acknowledged that WWE’s success as a whole would play a factor. 

“This run, it’s a whole new generation, a whole new locker room. Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, myself, Rhea Ripley, all these people. I think the more we keep this, the better we do, the more chances it lures Rock back into the fray.”

The Rock and Rhodes were at odds during the build to WrestleMania 40 including an assault on the American Nightmare that left Cody battered and bloodied in Chicago. On the post-WrestleMania 40 edition of Raw, the Final Boss vowed to return to WWE programming one day and is coming for Cody Rhodes. 

If Cody believes that a successful WWE will bring The Rock back to the ring, then the Great One’s next match is all but guaranteed. WrestleMania 40 broke several records for the promotion and was critically well-received by fans. WWE, by its own admission, is in a ‘new era,’ one without Vince McMahon’s involvement. 

WWE is certainly doing big business right now and that won’t go unnoticed by The Rock who is also a member of TKO’s board of directors. With those in WWE of the opinion that WrestleMania 40: Saturday was not The Rock’s last match, it appears Cody Rhodes will get his wish. 

Cody Rhodes Agrees With John Cena: ‘The United Kingdom Deserves A WrestleMania’

Thomas Lowson
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Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes was left standing tall after WrestleMania 40 went off the air, and now hopes to bring the annual mega-show to the UK. 

Rhodes has been headlining WWE’s recent tour of the UK, which also features Becky Lynch despite rumors of time off. At an event in Birmingham, England, Rhodes marked his first title defense with a victory over Shinsuke Nakamura. 

After the match, Rhodes spoke about keeping his promise to the fans after stating at a previous WWE event that the next time he’s in the UK, he would be a champion. Amid chants of ‘You Deserve It’ from the crowd, Rhodes said that the fans deserve a WrestleMania in the UK. 

“If anybody deserves anything, I’m going to echo John Cena saying the United Kingdom deserves a WrestleMania.”

While Rhodes, John Cena, and countless fans hope to bring WrestleMania to the UK, this monumental feat is easier said than done. The time difference between the UK and the United States would be a huge factor as PLEs in the UK air much earlier in the day States-side. 

Despite WWE bringing more events overseas in recent years, it appears that WrestleMania won’t be making the move just yet. WWE President Nick Khan recently stated that the company’s big four events (WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Survivor Series, and Royal Rumble) will remain in North America for the foreseeable future. 

WrestleMania’s Future

The location of WrestleMania 41 has yet to be publicly confirmed, with Las Vegas and Minneapolis currently the front runners. While the Minnesotan city has been treated as a ‘lock’ for the 2025 event, some believe that WWE will head to Vegas following the chilly conditions of WrestleMania 40. 

Burke Nihill, the President/CEO of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans, has said that WWE has committed to bring WrestleMania 43 to Nashville in 2027. WWE has yet to confirm this. 

Lights Out: Something is Coming to TNA Wrestling At 4/20 Rebellion Event

Thomas Lowson
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Something big is coming to TNA Wrestling, and fans won’t have to wait long to know what this ‘Lights Out’ message is related to. 

During the press conference for the April 20, TNA Rebellion show, a video teaser aired featuring cryptic imagery. The words ‘Lights Out’ were repeatedly shown as was the name of TNA’s upcoming event. For a split second, the video features four silhouettes, possibly suggesting that the upcoming event will mark the launch of a new faction in TNA Wrestling. 

TNA Wrestling also shared the video on their Twitter page. The four silhouettes appear within the first couple of seconds of the video. 

TNA Rebellion 2024

TNA Rebellion 2024 hopes to capitalize on the promotion’s highly successful relaunch that kicked off with TNA Hard to Kill in January. That event marked the debut of Nic Nemeth who confronted Moose following the latter’s TNA World Championship win in the show’s main event. Moose and Nemeth will square off for the gold at TNA Rebellion. 

Ten matches have been confirmed for TNA Rebellion, with three set for the pre-show. The event will see six title matches with the X-Division, World Tag Team, and Knockouts World Championships among those on the line. 

The event will also mark the return of Full Metal Mayhem, which is TNA’s take on the classic Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match. The match will be the 18th Full Metal Mayhem match and will see TNA veterans Eric Young and Frankie Kazarian face off. 

TNA Rebellion will take place on April 20, from the Palms Casino Resort in Paradise, Nevada. Keep checking in with SE Scoops for results and more from the show. 

Matt Hardy Says AEW’s Backstage Issues Have Cost Company “Goodwill” With Fans

Thomas Lowson
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The backstage issues that have cast a dark shadow over AEW in recent years have caused the company to lose goodwill with fans, Matt Hardy believes. 

For its initial years, AEW was virtually untouchable in the eyes of countless fans who appreciated there finally being a major competitor to WWE’s headlock on the wrestling industry. The company’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw wrestlers be a part of the socially-distanced crowd, was praised by fans in contrast to the silent pre-Thunderdome WWE events at the time. 

AEW fans share their support for Tony Khan, AEW Grand Slam: Rampage 2021. 

AEW’s honeymoon period, however, is a thing of the past, with the 2022 ‘Brawl Out’ and AEW All In: London backstage confrontations being seen by many as huge factors in this. Speaking on his Extreme Life podcast, AEW alum Matt Hardy addressed how fan opinion on Tony Khan’s first promotion has changed. 

“I think through some of the stuff with Punk and The Bucks and the fights and the backstage stuff and Jungle Boy all this stuff, this hurt some of that goodwill. I feel like that probably deterred some people from their support of the company at the end of the day.”

When asked about how to fix this situation, Hardy said that AEW has to appeal to more ‘casual fans’ which he admitted went against the mentality the promotion was built upon to cater to the hardcore fanbase many felt WWE was ignoring. While Matt believes putting on great matches is still massively important, his mentality is that AEW needs to have stars that a casual viewer can quickly become invested in. 

Tony Khan will run AEW in the way he deems best, though some of his decisions have faced backlash from fans. Even the decision to air the All In fight has been criticized as petty and unnecessary and motivated by Khan wanting to ‘get back’ at CM Punk. Whether AEW adjusts its strategy remains to be seen, but given the massive success of WWE and their historic WrestleMania 40 event, there’s something to be said for trying to appeal to more than just the die-hard fanbase. 

Freddie Prinze Jr’s Promotion Won’t Look Like WWE or AEW But A Beloved Wrestling Show

Thomas Lowson
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Actor and former WWE writer Freddie Prinze Jr. has shared an update on his wrestling promotion, two years after the project was first announced. 

Prinze, best known for roles in Scooby-Doo and I Know What You Did Last Summer, announced plans for a promotion in 2022. Prinze had high expectations at the time, as he had plans for a two-hour show and planned to launch within 18 months. 

Two years later, fans are yet to see a single second of his promotion but Prinze hasn’t given up hope yet. On his Wrestling With Freddie podcast, Prinze shared how the new company will be presented. 

“The look of it will be much different than AEW and WWE. There was a show called Lucha Underground, which utilized space really, really well, which had a cool look to it. I always liked that… it’s going to be the presentation of it that I hope makes it stand out.”

Prinze added that the company would take elements from Lucha Underground, which blended professional wrestling and theatrical drama for its 127 episodes over its four seasons. The former WWE writer added that he’s currently shopping around his promotion with one place “still talking about it.”

Prinze is eager to make something different from what is currently out there and is ready to use his background in the acting world to make things work. Prinze even reached out to Bray Wyatt for the promotion before the late wrestler’s return to WWE in October 2022. Ultimately, a new promotion means more opportunities for talented wrestlers, who’ll be able to show their wrestling skills and flex their theatrical muscles if Prinze’s project ever gets off the ground. 

 

Matt Cardona Unyielding After Pec Surgery

Tyriece Simon
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Matt Cardona will be out of action for quite some time. He suffered a torn pec injury during a match for Reality of Wrestling on April 13 and recently underwent successful surgery. While the operation went well, fans shouldn’t expect to see him in the ring this year. 

‘The Indy God’ shared on Twitter on April 18 that the surgery was a success. He thanked his doctor for repairing him and his wife Chelsea Green for being by his side. Cardona also delivered a defiant message in writing a n 

“Surgery done. The road to recovery starts now. Thanks to all who reached out. Thanks to
@ImChelseaGreen
for being by my side. Thanks to
@DarylOsbahrMD(Daryl C. Osbahr, MD) for fixing me. You can’t kill me… I’m already dead,” wrote Cardona.

Matt Cardona After Surgery

Although fans won’t see Cardona compete, he shared on Instagram that he will be available to make appearances and sign autographs. The expectation for a torn pec recovery is that it could take up to six months, according to WebMD’s Shishira Sreenivas. He could be ready to wrestle by the Fall, but it’s unclear currently and depends on his rehab. It’s also worth noting at 38 years old, Cardona may want to make sure he’s at 100 percent before he decides to step back into a ring. 

Matt Cardona’s Peers Shares Support After Successful Operation

After Cardona revealed that his torn pec surgery was a success, his wrestling peers expressed positivity toward the announcement. One of the notable supporters was Reality of Wrestling Owner Booker T, who wished him well. Cardona responded to the post on Twitter by sharing that he plans to return to the promotion once he’s healed. 

All Elite Wrestling superstar Brian Cage also reacted to Cardona’s successful operation on Instagram and wished he heal well. 

“Just heard. Bummed for ya man, but hope you’re on good spirits and heal fast,”wrote Cage.

After completing his torn pec surgery, ‘The Indy God’ will have to focus on making a full recovery. The hope is that he can return potentially late this year and compete against the best on the independent wrestling scene. 

AEW Teases Collaboration With Rob Schamberger

Tyriece Simon
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Artist Rob Schamberger seems to have a project in the works with All Elite Wrestling. After over a decade of making art for WWE and hosting their YouTube show Canvas 2 Canvas, he announced his exit on April 15. Three days later, AEW has teased working with Schamberger. 

The AEW Shop Twitter account shared a graphic revealing that they have something planned with the famous artist. The graphic also shared the date of April 22, with the expectation that’s when AEW will share what they are working on with Schamberger.

Despite not having more information, fans have reacted positively to Schamberger’s working with AEW. He has done work outside of WWE but gained a following for his art on the Canvas 2 Canvas show. On February 12, his last episode was a portrait of former WWE Women’s Champion Iyo Sky. 

It’s unclear if Schamberger will make portraits of some of AEW’s biggest superstars or if the company has other plans for him. AEW has artist Mel Coleman creating items, including posters and shirts. However, the company may decide to have Schamberger create a unique supply of merchandise for them. 

As of now, it seems fans will have to wait and see what AEW has planned. However, it does create excitement for the possibilities of what Schamberger is doing with them. 

Recent AEW Hires

Several of AEW’s recent hires have been former WWE employees. One notable example is former WWE Senior Writer and Producer Jennifer Pepperman, who left her position on February 15. AEW hired Pepperman on February 21 to become the Vice President of Content Development. SEScoops correspondent Aaron Varble reported that her exit from WWE was unexpected and that the day she left, it was believed she had another job set. 

Another key hire this year from AEW was former WWE Regional Director of Live Events, Kosha Irby. He became ‘All Elite’ on March 26, in the role of Chief Operating Officer. 

Schamberger would be another strong pickup as AEW continues to make strategic moves behind the scenes.

Sheamus Responds to Online Body Shaming

Tyriece Simon
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WWE superstar Sheamus made his highly anticipated return to the company on the April 15 episode of WWE Monday Night Raw. He took on Ivar in a physical matchup that saw him win with his signature Brogue Kick. Although some fans were happy to see him back after neck surgery, he drew criticism over his physique. 

Sheamus appeared noticeably heavier than when he last appeared on WWE TV. While he competed similar to what he had in the past, some fans couldn’t help poking fun at his body. This has led to a debate on social media and memes from fans criticizing ‘The Celtic Warrior’ appearance. 

After his match with Ivar, the WWE superstar noticed the fan reaction and tried to play it off. The following day, he responded to fans’ body-shaming by writing on Twitter that “I’m just big boned.” 

After hearing more complaints from the internet wrestling community, Sheamus took to Twitter again to defend himself. 

Sheamus Comments On Body-Shamming From Fans

On Twitter, the former WWE Champion acknowledged the body shaming he’s received by posting a meme about himself. He also shared that he wasn’t supposed to compete on the April 15 episode while preparing for a return at the WWE Draft. However, he has been working to get back into the shape he desires. 

Unfortunately, some of the WWE fanbase continued to body-shame Sheamus, leading to his supporters coming to his defense online.

Fans Come To Defense Over Sheamus Being Body-Shamed 

In response to the criticism over Sheamus’s physique, wrestlers and wrestling content creators have come to his aid on Twitter. One of the notable support came from Impact Wrestling superstar Jordynne Grace.

“Every single person I’ve seen talking shit either doesn’t have a profile or look like they haven’t lifted a weight in their entire life,” wrote Grace. 

More support has come in for Sheamus. Here are a few. 

The USA Channel Twitter account has also expressed support for ‘The Celtic Warrior’ by posting, “You look great!”

What’s Next For Sheamus?

Although Sheamus is receiving negative backlash, he also has fans who are happy that he is back and ready to speak in his defense. As stated in his tweet, he prepares to make the best of his return. 

The win over Ivar was an excellent showing for his comeback and set up opportunities for the future. Sheamus will be involved in the WWE Draft from April 26 through April 29. It’s unclear what he’ll sign with, but the former WWE Champion will likely want to make his presence felt. If his match with Ivar indicates his condition and motivation, Sheamus could be a force to be reckoned with in WWE.

WWE News: WrestleMania Changes & Locations, More International PLE’s

Aaron Varble
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Cities all over the world compete for the opportunity to host major WWE events. WrestleMania 40 proved to be another financial success for both WWE and Philadelphia, which may see upwards of $200 million added to the local economy. 

WWE President Nick Khan spoke at the World Congress of Sports convention on Wednesday and provided some new details on the company’s outlook for future locations. 

Key takeaways:

  • The location for next year’s WrestleMania 41 has not been finalized, but Las Vegas is one of the finalists under consideration.
  • WWE is looking to run more stadiums that have hosted the Super Bowl, but fewer stadiums on the East coast.
  • WrestleMania will probably move to a different weekend to avoid competition with the NCAA basketball tournament.

WWE Making PLE Travel Plans

The WWE CEO recommitted their plans to hold more International premium live events. Their goal is to have the ‘big five’ shows in the US and all the others in other countries like we’ve seen for Elimination Chamber Perth and Backlash France.

“We sat down together a few years ago and decided, so the big five premium live events … should be in the United States or Canada. All of the other events, the goal is to have them from international locations.”

WWE fans have needed to set their alarms to different times in the past so they can watch a premium live events. Shows in Saudi Arabia air in the afternoon for fans on the East Coast, and Australia’s Elimination Chamber event started at 4:00 AM EST. This will become more of a trend as the company continues announcing more PLEs.

NBCUniversal secured a $1 billion streaming agreement with WWE, designating Peacock as the exclusive platform for all pay-per-views, specials, and library content. Their streaming agreement with Peacock is set to expire in 2026.

With Peacock as the company’s primary streaming partner, it does not matter to them if fans watch the PLEs live. The money is still coming in for WWE, as fans in North America can watch at their leisure whenever they like.

Tony Khan: ‘TBS Told Me “Good Job” After AEW Dynamite With All In Fight Footage’

Thomas Lowson
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The decision to air the infamous All In: London 2023 backstage fight may have been a controversial one but those at TBS seemingly had no problem with the call. 

The footage was broadcast on the April 10, episode of Dynamite, mere days after CM Punk had given what turned out to be a relatively accurate recollection of the events of the day. Though Tony Khan has said airing the footage was solely to create the best show for fans, many believe it was an effort to ‘get back’ at Punk for critical comments made about AEW. 

To many, airing the footage appears to have backfired on Khan and damaged AEW’s reputation more than it did any harm to Punk. Speaking on the AEW Dynasty media call, however, Khan said the show was given a seal of approval from those at TBS. 

“TBS called me and told me ‘good job.’ You have to remember, I’m responsible for everybody’s job in the company. It is really important for us to please the network and TBS was really happy with that show.”

Khan’s eagerness to please those at TBS demonstrates that he is ultimately in the media business just as much as he is in the wrestling business. Whether fans agree with the decision or not, airing the All In fight did result in the April 10, Dynamite seeing an increase in viewers.

With that in mind, AEW won’t be able to rely on airing the backstage footage again to see another boost in the ratings. It’s also unlikely that 2022’s ‘Brawl Out’ will ever see the light of day with reports of lifetime NDAs to those involved (though Punk has claimed he doesn’t have an NDA.) Nevertheless, Khan will have to tread carefully going forward as while TBS may have liked the decision to air the footage, the same can’t be said for many fans AEW relies upon. 

My First Visit to the ECW Arena

Scott Fishman
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Growing up as a young pro wrestling fan in the 1990s, I was lucky to have experienced a magical time when WCW Nitro and WWE Raw were running hot and heavy. I also discovered another renegade, rough-around-the-edges (in the best possible way) company called ECW.

I somehow came across it on a local station that also aired Memphis’ USWA and late at night on Sunshine Network in South Florida.  The atmosphere you could liken to a rowdy rock show or college rager. Beers and blood flowed on the regular. Characters were more grounded and gritty. The show’s biting video packages and overall presentation were accompanied by a killer soundtrack. In fact, I’m pretty sure I was introduced to the likes of Alice & Chains, The Offspring, and Pantera through ECW.

Since ECW produced a more adult-oriented product, it was no surprise that when it ran the War Memorial Auditorium in South Florida I remember you had to be a certain age or be with an adult of 18 and over to attend. Now this could have been what my parents told me, but I do also vaguely recall that being a rule. 

Anyway, since I was a younger teen at the time, I was bummed that I couldn’t find anyone to take me when they were in town. So now decades later, I think about how cool it would have been to go to an ECW event, let alone at the world-famous ECW Arena.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when WrestleMania 40 invaded Philadelphia. With it came your usual cornucopia of shows including at the 2300 Arena. Yes, the beloved ECW Arena. This was my chance to be in, as they say in Hamilton, “the room where it happens.” With the schedule jam-packed, the only opportunity I had to experience the venue in its glory was the Mark Hitchcock Memorial Supershow.

Pulling up to S Swanson Street, you see the big 2300 Arena signage and immediately get goosebumps. Of course, I had to get my photo in front of the building just like Paul Walter Hauser did. He was marking ou as well, and you can’t blame him. 

The award-winning actor would headline the show in a bloody street fight against Sami Callihan. More on that later. Walking into the building, you see the time and care the owners put into updating the place while still respecting the ECW history in the past.

It was certainly surreal to see the banners celebrating the legends, past show posters, and the mural in the men’s bathroom in person. While there is no way you can recapture that lightning in the bottle of ECW, I think there were elements throughout the card that gave you the feeling you were transported back in the day.

Nostalgia could be felt seeing the likes of Rob Van Dam, The Full Blooded Italians, Masato Tanaka, Bill Alfonso, ring announcer Stephen DeAngelis and Jim Molineaux. However, the real icing on the extreme cake was the surprise during the Hauser and Callihan final match with an appearance from THE Sandman! Between the lights going out with the sounds of Metallica beginning to play and his iconic entrance, it was one of those moments that reminds you why you became a fan. What a moment in time.

You could say I finished my own story in a sense with another legendary spot off the bucket list. Insert ECW chant. Gone but never forgotten. 

Fanatics CEO Surprised By ‘Absolutely Insane’ WWE Merchandise Sales

Aaron Varble
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WWE’s merchandising partnership with Fanatics continues to be lucrative for both companies. Executives from both companies, including Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque, Nick Khan and Fanatics’ CEO Michael Rubin were among the business leaders who spoke at SBJ’s CAA World Congress of Sports conference earlier this week in Los Angeles, CA.

Fanatics works with some of the world’s top sports leagues, including NFL, NCAA, MLB NASCAR and many more. Rubin has seen it all, but even he underestimated the insatiable demand for WWE merchandise. 

“The biggest growth sport in my mind Well, are we looking at percents, dollars? What’s wild, I’ll tell you honestly, what’s going on with WWE is insane. If I look at the growth in our WWE business, and it’s a big business already, it’s absolutely insane.”

“NFL is a multi-billion dollar business. Baseball is a multi-billion dollar business. We look collectively within our overall business, if you talk about growth percent, what’s going on with WWE is spectacular.”

Replica Championship Titles at WWE SHOP

When WWE and Fanatics announced their long-term partnership in 2022, Rubin explained it was a great fit. “WWE is one of the most widely admired sports and entertainment properties worldwide, and it made perfect sense to activate many parts of our Fanatics global platform to create a first-of-its-kind, all-in fan experience.” 

Michael Rubin, Fanatics CEO

His statement in the press release continued, “From e-commerce and licensed merchandise to trading cards and more, we’re going to offer up an incredible set of capabilities to help WWE’s passionate fans worldwide celebrate their favorite Superstars, marquee events and the WWE brand overall.”

For more, check out Sports Business Journal’s coverage of the WWE panel at the conference: Levesque, Khan tout WrestleMania, Netflix deal

H/T to Arash Markazi from The Sporting Tribune on his coverage of the World Congress of Sports

Roman Reigns Remaining Involved With The Bloodline’s Creative Direction During WWE Hiatus

Aaron Varble
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Roman Reign is off filming a movie while on ‘indefinite hiatus’ from WWE, but he’s remain a driving force behind The Bloodline both on television and behind the scenes.

Reigns’ world came crashing down at WrestleMania 40. Once thought to be invincible, his historic title reign is finished and The Bloodline has undergone a dramatic shakeup. Jimmy Uso is out, Tama Tonga is in and Solo Sikoa is the group’s new on-screen figurehead.

We later learned Tribal Chief made the call for Jimmy to be removed, a sign of how his character will be kept in the mix while he’s off TV. According to WWE insider Wrestlevotes, Reigns “will still have substantial creative input in the evolving Bloodline storyline over the course of the next few months.

The Bloodline’s Creative Process

Roman Reigns’ creative direction has been closely guarded since his evolution into the Tribal Chief and the rise of The Bloodline. the Bloodline chapter of his career started. Only a select few people have been involved in the Bloodline’s storyline development and that number is even smaller with Vince McMahon’s departure.

The Rock brought in Brian Gewirtz during his road to WrestleMania 40 for the Final Boss storyline. Since the show of shows is in the rearview mirror, Dwayne Johnson and his writer went back to Hollywood. 

The Tribal Chief and the Wise Man

Paul Heyman recently spoke about The Bloodline with Jimmy Traina on the SI Media podcast. The ‘Wise Man’ says one of their keys to success is their ‘collaborative teamwork’ approach.

“You know the old expression, ‘it takes a team?’ It certainly has with us. There are a lot of people who have worked really hard to make this work. It kind of all filters through Roman Reigns’ field. There are several people that come to me to present things to Roman, and then Roman and I will talk about it and comeback with either something that fits into their narrative or something that we would hope, we could perhaps enhance it or put it in our own words, or come back with, ‘that doesn’t work for us, what about this?’ and start a different process and we’re bouncing ideas off of them.”

Heyman said creative rumblings for the Bloodline storyline began under Vince McMahon’s leadership and continued without disruption when Paul “Triple H” Levesque took over. 

He also praised Michael Hayes for his exceptional ability to weave a narrative into wrestling matches, a rare and valuable skill. The SmackDown writing team, led by the often overlooked Ryan Callahan, along with Michael Kirshenbaum, Chad Barbash, and Zach Hyatt, are also involved in these discussions

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