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Matt Cardona Unyielding After Pec Surgery

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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

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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

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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

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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’

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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

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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

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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

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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

Daily Drop (4/18): WWE Changing PLE Plans, Nyla Rose Reacts To Controversial Ban

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Welcome to the Daily Drop for Thursday, April 18, 2024. AEW brought a packed episode of Dynamite last night, the go-home episode before Dynasty, as they prepared for Swerve Strickland’s AEW World Title shot against Samoa Joe.

Before we get going, new details about Vince McMahon’s life after WWE were revealed. McMahon has stayed in contact with The Rock and John Cena during his retirement. He has also done a lot of traveling and bought cats.

Let’s get into today’s Daily Drop!

WWE:

WrestleMania 41 Location: Nick Khan stated that WWE is looking at Las Vegas for WrestleMania 41′s host city. People in Minneapolis may not be thrilled about that.

WWE Moving PLEs: The WWE CEO also stated that the company will continue promoting the big four premium live events in the United States, but the plan is to shop all other PLEs, around seven a year, to markets outside America. So, overseas premium live events may become a very common thing from this point on.

Piper Inspires: Piper Niven has spoken about how she wants to be a role model and inspiration for bigger girls.

Drew McIntyre Gets Heat: McIntyre had a lot of fun trolling CM Punk, and the fans, in Birmingham.

Drew Was On Fire: During that same match in Birmingham, McIntyre grabbed the microphone a second time. Drew McIntyre interrupted his match to demand respect, noting he’s a Great British Hero and unlike Wade Barrett and British Bulldog, he has won a world title.

Roman’s Acting Career: Roman Reigns will be in a new movie called ‘Good Fortune’ With Keanu Reeves, Keke Palmer.

Erick Redbeard Situation: After pulling out of an indie wrestling event, it is the general belief that the former Erick Rowan is on his way back to WWE. The idea is that he may be a part of Bo Dallas’ rumored Uncle Howdy stable. Stay tuned…

WWE NXT Viewership: The April 16 episode of NXT drew 625,000 viewers, slightly down from 647,000 on April 9. The April 9 episode’s 18-49 demographic rating was 0.17, a slight decrease from 0.19. NXT faced competition from an NBA Play-In Tournament game between the Lakers and Pelicans, which attracted 1.9 million viewers and a 1.46 rating on TNT.

AEW:

Nyla Rose Ban: The state of Oklahoma has declared that Nyla Rose is not allowed to wrestle cis-gendered females anymore. This controversy sparked a huge response, and the Native Beast responded to her supporters on Twitter/X during AEW Dynamite.

WWE to AEW: Longtime WWE Spanish language commentator Carlos Cabrera has signed with AEW. He started on Dynamite this week.

Ruby Pregnant: Ruby Soho announced during the AEW Rampage taping this week that she is pregnant. This doesn’t seem to a storyline.

Forbidden Door Plans: Bodyslam.net reported that AEW is planning to have Joshi star AZM back for Forbidden Door.

Goodbye Bay-Bay: Adam Cole is off the road with AEW. The travel was getting in the way of his recovery progress, so he’s taking time off to focus on his ankle injury. That is terrible news for The Devil storyline.

Upcoming Major Pro Wrestling Pay-Per-View Events:

  • AEW is coming to St. Louis, MO with AEW: Dynasty LIVE on PPV on Sunday, April 21st at Chaifetz Arena
  • Backlash France is scheduled for May 4th at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.
  • WWE NXT Battleground is booked for May 26th at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, exclusively available on the WWE Network and Peacock.
  • WWE Money in the Bank will be held on July 6th at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, followed by WWE NXT Heatwave on July 7th at the same venue.
  • WWE Bash In Berlin is marked for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.

Details On Roman Reigns Heist Comedy ‘Good Fortune’ With Keanu Reeves, Keke Palmer

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Roman Reigns has his hands full with an acting project during his time away from WWE and will soon sharing the silver screen with some prominent Hollywood stars. The former Undisputed WWE champ generated buzz earlier this week when actress Lauren ‘Keke’ Palmer posted a photo with working with Reigns on a new project.

SEScoops has learned Roman Reigns (Joe Anoa’i) will appear in ‘Good Fortune,’ a heist comedy film due out in late 2024. The cast includes Keanu Reeves, Keke Palmer, Sandra Oh, Seth Rogen, and comedian Aziz Ansari making his directorial debut.

‘Good Fortune’ tells the story of Gabriel (Keanu Reeves) a guardian angel, while Ansari’s character is burdened with taking on the odd jobs of Jeff (Seth Rogen).  

We’re looking into Reigns’ character, but in the photo that surfaced online, he looks right at home sitting on a throne, surrounded by money, gold bars, and beautiful women. 

Reigns’ Future in Hollywood

Reigns’ historic 1,316-day title reign ended at WrestleMania 40. It also marked the conclusion of the most transformative chapter of his career, when he commanded the Acknowledgement of everyone and cemented himself as an all-time great.

He’ll be back, but it’s newsworthy that he’s taking this time off to continue building his acting career. Now in the later stages of his days traveling the world and taking bumps, Reigns has a very clear path to follow for the next phase of his career.

‘Good Fortune’ would mark his fourth film role. In the past, he shared the screen with his cousin, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson in ‘Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw’. Roman Reigns also made an appearance in Netflix’s ‘The Wrong Missy’ and lent his voice to Paramount+’s ‘Rumble.’ 

IMDB has Reigns listed as the lead cast member in ‘Action Force.‘ Limited details are available, but we know it’s in pre-production and will co-star Tom Budgen, better known to our readers as AEW star Malakai Black.

The 38-year-old superstar has had a light WWE schedule and he can’t be grinding inside the ring forever. Thereby, as his wrestling career slows down, a transition to Hollywood seems suited. 

The call from Hollywood has been a long time coming for him, especially the way he has established himself over the past few years. Roman Reigns could soon shift to Hollywood and it wouldn’t come as a surprise given The Rock and John Cena’s influence on him.  

Carlos Cabrera Is All Elite After 27 Years With WWE

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Long-tenured WWE Spanish commentator Carlos Cabrera is now All Elite. 

During this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite, Tony Khan took to his Twitter/X account and announced that Cabrera has signed with All Elite Wrestling and welcomed him to the AEW commentary team.

The veteran served as the Spanish-language commentator in WWE for almost three decades and he will now lend his voice to the action in AEW. He will be on the commentary team on Wednesday nights for AEW Dynamite.

The current AEW Dynamite commentary team features Taz, Tony Schiavone and Excalibur. Schiavone is also a part of AEW Collision alongside, Nigel McGuinness and Jim Ross, who is looking to call it a day.

Carlos Cabrera’s commentary career

The veteran’s voice is familiar in the world of pro wrestling. Before signing with WWE, he worked as a newsman and radio personality. He also bagged the coveted ACE Awards both for radio and TV. Whether it’s Spanish radio or TV in the US, Cabrera has lent his voice in several commercial ads as well.  

Cabrera had been the longest-tenured Spanish language commentator in WWE since he joined the company in 1994. During his run, he called the action with the likes of Ed Trucco, Hugo Savinovich, and eventually Marcelo Rodriguez. He called the action in Spanish for the weekly WWE shows as well as the pay-per-views. 

Hailing from Bogota, Colombia, Cabrera has also served as the host of WWE’s Spanish-language program called, ‘WWE en Espanol.’ The show mainly recapped WWE shows, Raw and SmackDown.

However, his run with the company ended in February 2022 after the 64-year-old was released. Reports had emerged that he was let go due to his age and WWE was seeking services of younger talent. Soon after his departure, he called matches in AAA’s Rey de Reyes event and reunited with Savinovich.

Ruby Soho Announces She’s Pregnant After 4/17 AEW Dynamite (Video)

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AEW’s own Ruby Soho revealed the joyous news that she is pregnant following the April 17, 2024, episode of AEW Dynamite. 

After the go-home Dynamite ahead of AEW Dynasty went off the air, Soho appeared in the ring alongside her real-life partner Angelo Parker. Soho discussed her wrestling career before telling Parker that she is pregnant. The revelation rightly earned a huge ovation from the crowd in attendance. An emotional Soho told Parker that she didn’t know how to tell Parker but was cut off mid-speech with a passionate kiss from the 2point0 member. 

You can check out Ruby’s huge announcement down below. 

This news of course means that Soho will not be competing in the near future as she prepares for the role of being a mother. It’s great to see that, in contrast to years gone by when a pregnancy threatened to derail a wrestler’s career, Ruby and Parker’s news can be celebrated by the wrestlers and fans. 

Wrestling Moms

Ruby Soho will soon join an elite club of wrestlers who prove themselves in the ring while also being incredible moms. In December 2020, Becky Lynch gave birth to her and Seth Rollins’ first child Roux, and returned to TV at SummerSlam 2021. The same year that Lynch returned, her former rival Ronda Rousey had a daughter with Travis Browne. Wanting to be a mom was part of Rousey’s decision to step away from WWE in 2019. 

After previously suffering a miscarriage, Carmella gave birth to her and Corey Graves’ son in November 2023 after a 60-hour labor. Alexa Bliss would welcome her and Ryan Cabrera’s daughter Hendrix into the world that same month. 

We here at SE Scoops would like to send our congratulations to Ruby and Angelo on this incredible news. 

Adam Cole Off The Road, Not Returning From Injury Anytime Soon

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Adam Cole is eager to get back into the ring, but AEW fans shouldn’t expect that to happen any time soon.

According to Fightful Select, the former ROH and NXT Champion has not attended recent AEW events and is reducing his travel schedule so he can recover as quickly as possible.

Cole hasn’t been able to wrestle since September 2023, when he broke his ankle in 3 places at AEW Grand Slam while jumping off the entrance ramp. The injury was undoubtedly painful and disappointing for Adam Cole. It also derailed the company’s top longterm main-event storyline based around his rocky friendship with MJF.

Britt Baker released several photos of Cole’s ankle, including an x-ray showing the breaks. She credited his determination and said his love of wrestling will ensure he gets back to doing what he loves.

A month after the injury and approximately seven months ago, Cole checked in on social media. He thanked everyone who shown him support while he works through the most ‘emotionally challenging’ injury of his career. 

During his time away from wrestling, Cole is keeping busy with another one of his passions: gaming. He and fellow AEW wrestler Evil Uno recently launched the All Elite Arcade Podcast. New episodes are released each week on  YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

Vince McMahon Remains In Contact with The Rock & John Cena Amid WWE Exit

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Vince McMahon’s days in WWE may be a thing of the past, but the former Chairman remains in touch with some huge names from the world of pro wrestling.

McMahon resigned from WWE for the second time in January 2024 and unlike his 2022 retirement, he is not expected to return. WWE has made a concerted effort to distance themselves from McMahon including launching a new ‘era’ with WrestleMania 40, the first ‘Showcase of the Immortals’ without McMahon’s involvement. McMahon recently listed the remainder of his stock in TKO for sale which if all is sold, would give him no shareholder influence over the company.

Loyal Friends

While WWE has avoided referencing McMahon on its programming, the billionaire remains in contact with TKO board member Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, NBC News reports. The Brahma Bull was appointed to the board around the same time that the Janel Grant lawsuit against McMahon that resulted in his resignation came to light. 

The 78-year-old billionaire also remains in contact with John Cena though there’s no word on what either man discusses with McMahon. This isn’t the first time Cena’s name has been linked to McMahon following his resignation. The 16-time World Champion’s recent comments about loving McMahon despite the allegations against him spawned a backlash for the wrestler-turned-actor. 

As the top dog in professional wrestling for decades, McMahon built the careers of countless individuals so it’s hardly a surprise that some remain loyal to the controversial billionaire. While it’s been stated that nobody in WWE is defending McMahon, Ronda Rousey isn’t so sure and recently claimed that as long as Bruce Prichard is involved in WWE, McMahon has a direct line to influence decisions. 

More Exits

McMahon’s departure from WWE is arguably the biggest exit in company history but he isn’t the only veteran to leave the squared circle behind. Kevin Dunn left WWE after over four decades in late 2023 despite hopes within the promotion that he’d stay on until WrestleMania 40. He has been replaced as Head of Production by Lee Fitting. 

Sue Aitchison is another long-time WWE name who has left WWE. Aitchison oversaw WWE’s outreach department and played an intrinsic role in nurturing the company’s relationship with Make-A-Wish. For her efforts, she received the WWE Hall of Fame’s Warrior Award in 2019. 

Right now, it’s hard to ignore the ‘changing of the guard’ atmosphere within WWE as those who ruled the company for decades are no longer in the picture. With that said it’ll still be some time until Vince’s people are fully phased out of the promotion’s internal workings. 

As McMahon prepares for possibly the biggest fight of his life, at least legally speaking, the fact that some of WWE’s top names have kept in touch with him is an interesting development, and suggests that McMahon could indeed have an interest in WWE greater than what those in the promotion are letting on.

Former WWE Star Wants To Enter Adam Copeland’s ‘Cope Open’

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Adam Copeland is taking his TNT Championship run to the “edge” and he has another veteran with his eyes on Cope’s prize.

Since Copeland secured that TNT Title against Christian Cage at AEW Revolution, ‘The Rated R Superstar’ has fired up the “Cope Open” and have gotten an array of challengers, one being an AEW outsider in Matt Cardona. Copeland came out on top in that battle, but now there’s another veteran looking for such an opportunity.

‘Da Black Pope’ Elijah Burke is very busy this week promoting the Shad Gaspard Memorial Cup, honoring the late star with his Love Alive Charity. Burke is based out of Jacksonville and obviously, that is the home base for AEW. Pope has made his pitch on X to enter the “Cope Open.”

“The TNT open challenge has been a hit, here’s my challenge to Adam Copeland: First time ever matchup Adam Copeland vs. Jacksonville’s Favorite Son “The Pope” at Daily’s Place for AEW Dynamite/Collision. An Experience like no other. Tony Khan make it happen!”

The Shad Gaspard Memorial Cup

Pope has been all around the wrestling industry working for WWE, TNA and NWA, but has been a proactive and positive presence for his Love Alive Charity. The Shad Gaspard Memorial Cup will take place this weekend on April 20 and will feature several stars competing in the tournament including JTG, KC Navarro, Kenny King and Thom Latimer. Also set to appear is Danny Davis and current AEW star, Mark Henry. Information to get tickets are below:

WWE’s Piper Niven Hopes to Inspire ‘Bigger Kids’ to Stand Up For Themselves Against Bullying

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WWE Raw Superstar Piper Niven hopes that she can be a role model to ‘bigger kids’ and show them that it’s okay to stand up for yourself against bullying.  

While the Scottish Superstar has made quite a name for herself, her call-up to the main roster saw her be rebranded ‘Doudrop.’ The name has some unfortunate definitions online and Niven has spoken about not being fond of the name in the past. 

Niven got her original WWE name back during the 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble match and the former Women’s Tag Team Champion hasn’t looked back since. Speaking to the Gorilla Position podcast, Niven spoke about what the Piper name means to her. 

“For me, Piper was always the person that I wanted to be when I was younger. I wasn’t allowed to be angry, I wasn’t allowed to fight and stand up for myself. Piper was that person that I always wanted to be.”

Niven added that she hopes that her work on TV can help inspire kids who may be heavier than the norm to realize their own worth in the face of bullying. 

“I know that there’s a lot of kids that are bigger kids, maybe they get picked on. I hope that when they see Piper, she makes them feel that they can stand up for themselves as well.”

Niven’s goal is admirable as there’s no place for bullying in the world. Niven and Chelsea Green scored their first win as a tag team in months on Raw with a victory over Katana Chance & Kayden Carter. 

For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.

NBA Legend Charles Barkley Gives Props to The Rock’s WWE Return Performance

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The Rock’s WWE return on the road to WrestleMania saw a few changes along the way, but Dwayne Johnson’s charisma was turned up to 11 the whole time. Charles Barkley was watching at home, and he noticed how the Great One didn’t lose a step.

Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, Charles Barkley praised The Rock’s recent performance in WWE. The two-time Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer has been paying close attention to WWE programming, and he had to give The People’s Champion his flowers.

“Pat, you know I’ve been watching you guys for a couple of months, and does The Rock have the best personality and charisma on television? Obviously, Roman and Cody and all those guys are fantastic, but The Rock … he’s got that thing, you know when you see a player and go ‘he’s different from everybody else.’ Man, when you see The Rock perform and you go, ‘damn, he’s good.’ His personality, when he’s talking, you’re like ‘oh I gotta watch this.’

Sir Charles said that he loves Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, and everyone else, but The Rock stands alone. He commended Dwayne Johnson for going away for so long and coming back with “the charisma bug,” something that gained a massive amount of attention for The Final Boss as Cody Rhodes fought to finish his story.

Barkley went on to say of The Rock, “I was impressed. I’ve known him, we’re not great friends, but I’ve known him for a long time, and when I saw him, I was like, ‘He has that thing,’ and when he’s working, I want to watch. He plays the heel perfectly. His charisma, it’s an honor.”

The Rock’s Road to WrestleMania 40

The Rock first called his shot for WrestleMania 40 when he showed up during the Day 1 episode of RAW this year. His reference of sitting at the head of the table was not lost on anyone. After Cody Rhodes won the 2024 Royal Rumble match, he brought The Rock out the next night as he seemingly stepped away from an Undisputed WWE World Title match at the show of shows.

Original plans for WrestleMania 40 did not include the card fans saw in Lincoln Financial Field. The Rock wanted a one-on-one match against Roman Reigns, and that would have happened if the “Cody Crybabies” didn’t speak out. The Rock eventually conceded that Cody should have the main event.

The Rock vs Roman Reigns was the original plan for WrestleMania, with Cody Rhodes not wrestling at the event due to a kayfabed injury. Seth Rollins vs CM Punk was also supposed to happen, but that match was changed to Drew McIntyre after Punk’s triceps injury took him out of action.

The main event matches for both nights of WrestleMania 40 were then changed to facilitate the new direction. The Rock teamed with Roman Reigns to take on Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins in the first night, with Cody vs Roman getting to battle it out in a Bloodline rules stipulation on WrestleMania 40 Sunday.

Logan Paul Responds To Samantha Irvin Calling Him A ‘Cringe Overreactor’

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Logan Paul’s fans have watched him for years, looking for his reactions to a variety of subjects. When Samantha Irvin called him a “cringe overreactor” after seeing a video of him in the crowd at WrestleMania 40, he just had to say something.

WrestleMania 40 left many fans swimming in a sea of emotions. Cody Rhodes raised his title at the end of the two-night event as the company embarked on a new era. Logan Paul saw it all go down, and he was admittedly emotional. 

Speaking on the Impaulsive podcast, Logan Paul brought up how Samantha Irvin called him a “cringe overreactor” in response to a video of him watching the WrestleMania 40 main event go down. In the end, The Maverick just saw it as ironic, because it was coming from her.

“I got emotional watching Cody win, and the ring announcer bullied me. The ring announcer, Samantha Irvin, bullied me. The fiancé of Ricochet, who I beat twice, she bullied me on Twitter. She called me a ‘cringe overreactor.’ It got a ton of favorites. I took it as irony, because if you see the video of her announcing Cody, she’s sobbing. It’s a funny way to take a dig at me, because I’m a cringe overreactor, bro, I’m an overreactor as f*ck. But, she reacts too, so I thought it was kinda funny.”

Logan Paul in WWE

As the current WWE United States Champion, Logan Paul has a deep respect for the pro wrestling industry. Logan Paul’s last defense saw him retain in a triple threat match against Kevin Owens and Randy Orton at WrestleMania 40.

Logan Paul made a name for himself outside WWE before making his way to pro wrestling. Triple H had to admit that he even laughed at the thought of the YouTuber turned boxer becoming a WWE Superstar.

After seeing a real dedication to the business, even John Cena sang his praises. He said of Paul, “I wish we had found him years ago and this would be his calling. I’m glad he’s found us, because he fits perfectly in what we do here.”

Samantha Irvin’s WrestleMania 40 Performance

WWE fans noticed Irvin’s voice crack at the end of WrestleMania Sunday as she announced Cody Rhodes as the new Undisputed WWE World Champion. She had to fight through real tears to make that call to the Lincoln Financial Field crowd. 

Samantha Irvin’s name trended during WrestleMania 40 due to her fantastic job as ring announcer. The legendary Michael Buffer even gave her flowers after seeing how she owned the microphone, even through genuine emotions.

Popular Joshi Wrestler Expected To Work This Year’s AEW Forbidden Door PPV

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AEW and NJPW are gearing up for another Forbidden Door pay-per-view this summer. According to Cassidy Haynes of Bodyslam.net, popular Japanese women’s wrestler AZM will return to the US this summer and is scheduled to compete at this year’s crossover event.

Several top NJPW stars have joined All Elite Wrestling in recent months, including Kazuchika Okada and Jay White. AEW star Jon Moxley just won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, a strong indication that the two promotions have a very healthy working relationship.

The inaugural Forbidden Door pay-per-view was held in June 2022 in Chicago. The main event saw Jon Moxley defeat Hiroshi Tanahashi by pin-fall to win the interim AEW World Title.

Last year, Bryan Danielson defeating Kazuchika Okada by submission in a dream match that fans are still talking about until this day. 

Michael Cole Encourages WWE Broadcasters to Find Their Own Voice

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WWE picks their announcers carefully, as they are responsible for providing a soundtrack for the action in the ring. Everyone has their own voice, and Michael Cold has helped the company in significant ways.

Michael Cole entered WWE in 1997, and he has remained a part of the company since then. First as a backstage interviewer, he eventually made his way to the commentary table, where he never left.

WWE NXT commentator Vic Joseph spoke with SEScoops correspondent Scott Fishman for TV insider, where he revealed that Michael Cole wants to help each WWE commentary team member discover who they really are.

“Michael Cole is the greatest of all time. I’ll say it again. He is the greatest of all time. I’ve learned so much from him. Here’s the thing about Michael Cole. He doesn’t want me to be Michael Cole. He doesn’t want Corey Graves to be Michael Cole. We all have our own distinct voices. It’s how you as a listener hear it.”

“When I went to NXT, I didn’t want to be Mauro [Ranallo]. I don’t want to be Michael Cole. I want to be myself. But if you’re the greatest of all time why would you not want to pick a few things from them? There is no quarterback in the world that’s not looking at Tom Brady’s mechanics or Patrick Mahomes’ footwork. If you don’t study people who are the greatest, I think it’s foolish if you don’t. I will take as much as I can from Michael Cole and Corey Graves, for that matter, and mold it into my own. Then hopefully get to their level.”

WWE Commentary Teams

The company has several television shows, with different commentary teams on each program.

  • WWE’s RAW: Michael Cole and Pat McAfee. 
  • WWE SmackDown: Corey Graves and Wade Barrett  
  • NXT: Vic Joseph and Booker T 
  • NXT Level Up: Blake Howard and Byron Saxton 
  • Main Event: Blake Howard and ‘Road Dogg’ Brian James

WWE will switch around their commentary teams occasionally. The last change came when Kevin Patrick was fired, and that caused the change to what we have today.

The WWE Draft is coming on the April 26th episode of Friday Night SmackDown. The draft will then continue on the April 29th episode of Monday Night Raw. We will have to see how the commentary teams look when the next roster shake-up goes down, but each show has a strong team already.

Daily Drop (4/17): WWE Snubs Former NXT Women’s Champions, MJF’s Current AEW Status

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Welcome to the Daily Drop for Wednesday, April 17, 2024. WWE brought a packed episode of WWE NXT last night, as they continue telling their stories past WrestleMania 40 weekend.

Before we get going, Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes threw down in a cage match at the end of NXT this week. After the show, they had a pretty special moment for fans in the NXT Arena.

WWE:

NXT Spring Breakin: WWE added a few top matches to the Spring Breakin special event. You can check out the updated card here.

Rey Mysterio Speaks: SEScoops has an exclusive interview up with Rey Mysterio, where he spoke about his daughter reuniting with CM Punk.

Foley’s Concussion: Mick Foley said that he had a “wake up call” when he had his last concussion while training. That being said, he has positive news to share.

Giulia in WWE: Giulia is still heading to WWE, and they already have some plans for her. We compiled an article with some reported spoilers for you here.

Mandy Rose Snub: Tatum Paxley cut a great promo on WWE NXT this week, where she revealed her love of the NXT Women’s Title. She named off all of the most recent champions, but she did not mention Mandy Rose at all. She also did not bring up how Sasha Banks carried the title.

Drew Gulak’s Disappearance: They finally addressed Gulak vanishing from NXT after Ronda Rousey accused him of grabbing the string on her sweatpants.

Roman’s New Project: Roman Reigns may be taking a hiatus from WWE, but he was spotted filming something new with Kiki Palmer.

AEW:

Tony Khan Defends Himself: Khan stated that airing the CM Punk and Jack Perry fight footage was the best decision. He said it made a lot of sense.

MJF’s Status: Although he is out of action with an injury, MJF recently had a meeting with AEW higher-ups. He’s not gone from the company, despite his removal from their online roster.

Copeland on Retirement: Speaking to Brandon Walker on Mostly Sports, Copeland spoke highly of the acting experience he was able to gain while he was out of the pro wrestling world. He said, “I’ve lived a lot more life. As strange as that sounds, it actually does add to your utility belt out there. As a performer, any kind of performer, they have to dip into a place to pull the character off. It’s the same with wrestling. That, more than anything, is what I’ve noticed coming back. Some of the skillset I got in the acting I did during those nine years off, I did over 100 episodes of television when I was retired.

CM Punk Chants: Footage has emerged from the crowd during AEW Dynamite last week, where you could hear “F*ck CM Punk” chants. It doesn’t seem like this was a chant that was participated in by a ton of people.

AEW Dynamite Card (4/17):

  • Adam Copeland & Willow Nightingale vs. House Of Black (Julia Hart & Brody King)
  • Will Ospreay vs. Claudio Castagnoli
  • Chris Jericho will lead a meeting with HOOK and Taz
  • Jon Moxley returns to AEW Dynamite as IWGP World Heavyweight Champion
  • We’ll hear from Mercedes Moné

Upcoming Major Pro Wrestling Pay-Per-View Events:

  • AEW is coming to St. Louis, MO with AEW: Dynasty LIVE on PPV on Sunday, April 21st at Chaifetz Arena
  • Backlash France is scheduled for May 4th at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.
  • WWE NXT Battleground is booked for May 26th at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, exclusively available on the WWE Network and Peacock.
  • WWE Money in the Bank will be held on July 6th at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, followed by WWE NXT Heatwave on July 7th at the same venue.
  • WWE Bash In Berlin is marked for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.

NXT Spring Breakin’ Night 1 Preview: Title Matches, Updated Card (4/23)

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WWE NXT Spring Breakin’ Night 1 is mere days away and the first night of the gold brand’s annual event is set to have massive ramifications. 

This will be the first major event for WWE NXT of the promotion’s ‘new era’ which launched with WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia, PA. Here is what the fans can look forward to on Night 1 of WWE NXT Spring Breakin’.

No Quarter Catch Crew Vs. The D’Angelo Family

It’ll be faction warfare at NXT Spring Breakin’ Night 1 when the serious trio of Myles Borne, Damon Kemp, and Charlie Dempsey face the ever-resourceful ‘family’ of Tony D’Angelo. The two sides got physical on the April 16, episode of WWE NXT as tensions are boiling to the surface. 

Roxanne Perez (c) Vs. Lyra Valkyria Vs. Tatum Paxley (WWE NXT Women’s Championship)

Tatum Paxley has made clear she’s only interested in the NXT Women’s Championship and will do whatever it takes to possess it. With former champion Lyra Valkyria in the mix, the odds do not look good for two-time/current champion Roxanne Perez mere weeks after she won the title at Stand & Deliver.

Sol Ruca Vs. Blair Davenport (Beach Brawl Match)

It’ll be no peaceful day at the beach for Blair Davenport who as the NXT parking lot attacker cost Sol Ruca months of action. Now, Ruca is back and is ready for revenge on the 2023 Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge winner.

Natalya & Lola Vice Sign Their NXT Underground Contract

Lola Vice’s targeting of Karmen Petrovic has incurred the wrath of Natalya and the WWE veteran is looking to make Vice pay in the hellacious NXT Underground. Seven days before the Hart Dungeon graduate and the 2023 NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament winner collide, they’ll sign the contract for their match. 

Ilja Dragunov (c) Vs. Trick Williams (WWE NXT Championship)

In a rematch from NXT Vengeance Day, Trick Williams hopes to realize his dream and become the new NXT Champion at Spring Breakin’ While the fans are on the side of Trick, reigning champion Ilja Dragunov won’t make this easy. 

SEScoops is your destination for everything pro wrestling and will have plenty of news coverage in the coming days for WWE NXT Spring Breakin’ Night 1.

Mick Foley Gives Positive Update After ‘Wake-Up Call’ Concussion Nixes Planned Final Match

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Mick Foley won’t be wrestling in a final match due to a concussion but the Hardcore Legend and WWE Hall of Famer has been able to see the silver lining in all this.

The three-time WWE World Champion recently revealed that he was calling off plans to have one final match after suffering from the effects of a concussion he couldn’t even recall experiencing. Foley had wanted to compete in one last death match for his 60th birthday and hoped the match would motivate him to lose weight. 

In his latest YouTube video, Mick gave some great news about his current health. 

“When I resumed my work schedule, I was a little out of it. But over the next three days, wow, really felt the fog lifting. It’s kind of like coming to the surface after you’ve been swimming.” 

Mick added that he was happy in a way that this situation has been a ‘wake-up call’ for him to recognize that he isn’t the young man that he once was.

“I am no longer going to be taking on the deadly duo of Father Time and Mother Nature, because they commenced to kicking my butt, and it’s not a rematch I’m looking to have.”

While it would’ve been interesting to see Mick lace up his boots one final time, it wasn’t meant to be. Given the health complications that arose during Ric Flair’s last match, it’s for the best that Mick does not wrestle again if he is to prioritize his health. Nevertheless, Mick had an incredible career in the ring, one that he can be proud of. 

Matt Cardona Pulls From Events After Suffering Torn Pectoral Injury

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Matt Cardona, the self-professed Indy God, will not be competing on the independent scene or elsewhere for the time being after reportedly suffering a torn pectoral.  He’s set to undergo surgery, which will keep him out of action for the remainder of the year.

This is a huge setback for Cardona who has been on fire since being released from WWE in April 15, 2020. With Zack Ryder deemed ‘dead,’ Cardona has had success as a heel in various promotions and is a former GCW and NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion. Cardona recently reflected on the four-year anniversary of his release. 

A Possible WWE Return? 

Cardona has done huge things since leaving WWE but he isn’t against making a return to the promotion, under the right circumstances. Matt has made clear that if he was to return, it wouldn’t be as Zack Ryder, and has told fans to “never say never” to seeing him as a WWE Superstar again.

Matt’s wife Chelsea Green knows all about making a successful return to WWE. After being released in April 2021, Green returned as part of the 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble and had a historic run in the match, albeit for the wrong reasons. Green believes that Cardona will return to WWE one day when the time is right. 

Details On How Rhea Ripley Was Injured

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Rhea Ripley was forced to vacate her Women’s World Championship after she sustained a “freak injury” at the hands of Liv Morgan on last week’s Raw. She will be away from in-ring action and her recovery time is yet to be determined.

It is believed that ‘The Eradicator’ suffered the injury when Liv Morgan attacked her backstage and sent her into the wall. ‘Mami’ injured her AC joint where her collarbone and right shoulder are connected.

Initially, it was believed that the chair shot from Liv Morgan might have caused the injury but the outlet reported that wasn’t the case. 

Rhea Ripley as Women’s World Champion

Rhea Ripley has established herself as one of the top stars of the stacked WWE women’s division. She has had a dominant run as the champion and her latest title defense took place against Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 40

She captured the Women’s World Championship (then known as WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship) after defeating Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 39. Holding the title for 380 days, Rhea eclipsed Bayley’s longest reign of the title (379 days) but her dominating reign has now ended in an unfortunate fashion. 

It has been announced that WWE will crown a new Women’s World Champion on next week’s Raw which takes place in Columbus, OH. It is currently unknown how the new champ will be determined. 

We will keep you updated on the situation when more details emerge. Keep an eye on SEScoops for the latest updates.