AEW signed a few notable names over the past few months, but they did not re-sign Matt Hardy. The veteran tag team specialist is now a free agent after his deal with Tony Khan’s company expired.
Speaking on The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast, the veteran pro wrestler opened up about his contract situation. He is a free agent right now, but he is still talking to AEW. Hardy also made it clear that he is speaking with “everyone” at this time.
“Yes, I am a free agent now. Just negotiating, talking. I have interacted with everyone, still interacting with AEW, and that’s where we’re at right now. Whenever my deal ended up running out, that gave me the opportunity to negotiate and speak to everyone available, really weigh in my options, and that’s what I’m doing right now.”
Matt Hardy’s AEW Run
Matt Hardy entered AEW on the March 18, 2020, episode of Dynamite. He brought his Broken gimmick to the company, but it was abandoned during those Daily Place episodes. Later on, he transitioned his character into more of his Big Money Matt persona before starting the Hardy Family Office stable.
In 2022, Jeff Hardy finally joined Matt in AEW, and he turned babyface in the process. Although Jeff and Matt’s contracts were initially set to expire at the same time, AEW froze Jeff’s deal due to the time off he took to deal with personal issues.
While the 49-year-old Hardy’s AEW contract was set to expire, there were discussions within the company regarding an extension. The idea was that this extension might last a few weeks past WrestleMania, but no such agreement was arranged.
AEW’s Recent Cuts
Although AEW has signed a few big names recently, including Kazuchika Okada, Mercedes Mone, and Will Ospreay, they also released several names as of late.
The list of released talent includes Anthony Henry, The Tate Twins who are also known as “The Boys,” Stu Grayson, Gravity, Dasha Fuentes, Slim J, Parker Bordeaux, Jose The Assistant, and Jora Johl. Not signing Matt Hardy to a new deal could also be considered a cut as well.
Rossy Ogawa has launched a new Japanese women’s wrestling promotion, as expected. A press conference was held Monday morning to announce the launch of Marigold Dream Star Fighting.
Marigold been a long time in the making, with reports that Rossy was exiting Stardom to start his own project and taking talent with him. The company’s inaugural event, “Marigold Fields Forever,” is set for May 20 at Korakuen Hall. It broadcast live on Wrestle Universe with commentary in Japanese and English.
The will feature a tag team match pitting Giulia and Sareee on opposite sides, with partners to be announced soon.
May 20 Korakuen Hall Inaugural Show!! “Marigold Fields Forever” ?Main Event Giulia & X vs Sareee & X
Rossy has compiled a roster of former stars from STARDOM and Actwres girl’Z featuring these 13 wrestlers at launch:
Giulia
Utami Hayashishita
MIRAI
Nanae Takahashi
Mai Sakurai
Yuzuki (now using the name Victoria Yuzuki)
Nao Ishikawa
Natsumi Sumikawa
Miku Aono
Misa Matsui
CHIAKI
Chika Goto
KOUKI
Giulia, who recently appeared at NXT’s Stand & Deliver event during WrestleMania weekend, is assisting Ogawa with the new promotion before her transition to WWE.
Dream Star Fighting Marigold
Rossy’s Controversial Exit from
Ogawa was dismissed from Stardom in February amid allegations of attempting to poach talent as he exited. He denied these claims but confirmed his plans to start this new promotion.
Many top stars were thought to be leaving Stardom as well, including Utami Hayashishita, MIRAI, Mai Sakurai, and Yuzuki, who all had contracts set to expire at the end of March.
Welcome to the Daily Drop for Monday, April 15, 2024. You never know what will happen every day in the pro wrestling world.
Before we get going, The Rock dropped a video update for fans. After giving a health update and calling Seth Rollins the MVP is WrestleMania 40, The Final Boss made it clear that he has his eyes on a return to the ring: “What an honor it was to share the ring with you three. What an honor it was to for us to break records, and now my sights are set on the next WrestleMania, but that’s conversation down the road.”
– Big E’s Relationship: The New Day Member, who has been historically quiet about his personal life, revealed that he is dating Mia Yim’s sister, Kris Yim. Best of luck to the both of them.
– Redbeard Rumors:Erick Redbeard had to pull out of an indie wrestling gig due to contractual issues. Most assume this means he is on his way back to WWE, because that is a common excuse for cancelling gigs before someone appears on television.
WWE RAW Card (4/15):
Cody Rhodes appears
WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley responds to Liv Morgan’s attack
WWE Intercontinental Championship: Sami Zayn (c) vs. Chad Gable
Finn Balor vs. Jey Uso
Andrade vs. Dominik Mysterio
Sheamus returns
Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell vs. Ivy Nile & Maxxine Dupri
Chelsea Green & Piper Niven vs. Katana Chance & Kayden Carter
– Ricky Starks Defends Tony Khan: Absolute Starks decided to defend Tony Khan from Twitter/X trolls.
– Julia Hart’s Injury Status: Julia Hart experienced a concerning shoulder situation during last week’s Dynamite, and some feared an injury. It has been reported that she’s in the clear. Despite initial worries about her condition, Hart is still scheduled to compete at AEW Dynasty next week.
– AEW Collision Viewership: The April 13th episode of AEW Collision attracted an average overnight viewership of 442,000, scoring a 0.1 rating in the 18 to 49 demographic. This marks a decline from the previous episode, which had 463,000 viewers and a 0.15 demographic rating.
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.
Ricky Starks believes it’s not worth it to spend your energy on trolls.
AEW has been struggling with falling TV ratings and low ticket sales in recent months. The under-par performance has made the company a target of online criticism. Being the president of the promotion, Tony Khan has been at the center of this storm, and the billionaire owner has been subjected to some harsh remarks.
The AEW wrestler recently had an interview with SportsKeeda where he talked about things such as Sting’s retirement, Chris Jericho’s pairing with HOOK, and more.
When asked to describe Tony Khan as a boss, Starks claimed that he is a great dude. According to the former FTW Champion, TK is not anything like you’d expect him to be:
“He’s a great dude. He really is. I’ve never met someone as nice as he is. People always assume someone in that position, someone in that tax bracket is going to be a certain way and he isn’t like that. He is a very, very sweet man. I think people need to realise that we are a startup company. We are all just trying to figure this out.”
Ricky Starks Defends Tony Khan
They also talked about the continuous criticism Khan receives from the fans. Ricky Starks explained that you can’t really say anything to trolls because they don’t want to change their mind. The AEW star claimed that they will never know the real Tony Khan who he gets to greet every time he comes back after a match:
“Well, I don’t think you can say anything to internet trolls because even if you presented them with facts and evidence, they still believe what they want to believe. So I think it’s best to just keep the energy to ourselves, right?
Because here’s the thing. They will never experience what we experience, in that the beauty and joy of someone like Tony when you come to the back after your match. It’s a different feeling to experience that with your boss. It could be a hug; it could be a fist bump. It could be anything.”
Ricky Starks was most recently involved in the AEW Tag Team Title Tournament with his partner Big Bill. The team was expected to beat Top Flight and go further into the tournament. An unexpected injury during the match, however, forced the company to call an audible, and Top Flight advanced instead of the former tag champions.
Jon Moxley is riding high after his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship victory and has issued a warning to everybody in New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Moxley captured the title at NJPW Windy City Riot from Tetsuya Naito in a historic victory for the AEW wrestler. With this win, Moxley becomes the first man in history to have won the WWE, AEW, and IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
Speaking after his big win, Moxley said that the air “tastes like f***ing victory” before thanking those who have supported him. Moxley added that title wins mean little to somebody who is able to do whatever they want.
“I don’t really care what three letters or four letters or five letters are on the name… I go where I want. I do whatever the f*ck I want, whenever the f*ck I want, and nobody can stop me.”
Later on, Moxley gave a warning to the entire New Japan roster ahead of his first title defense
“When you see what I do to my next opponent, when you see what I do to Shota, how far I am willing to go, what lengths I am willing to go to, how much I just absolutely show no mercy whatever, even to people that I love, you will see things in a whole different light.”
Check out Jon Moxley's first words after winning the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship!
Moxley’s historic win is another accolade on what has become an epic career for the former WWE Superstar-turned-AEW staple. The New Japan roster will have to seriously step up its game if they hope to dethrone Moxley who is planning on a lengthy title run in the months to come.
The Blackpool Combat Club may be as tough as they come in the ring, but backstage the group likes few things more than settling in with a good book.
Since coming together in 2022, the BCC has forged a path of excellence in AEW which has resulted in several high-profile feuds and many championship wins. Speaking to Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated though, Bryan Danielson explained the faction’s other kind of club.
“There is a BCC book club. We recommend books to each other. Reading is fantastic. Once you open the door to the world of books, there is so much to learn.”
Danielson added that the BCC book club helps the group stay “connected” and that they share the belief that reading can enhance your life. The American Dragon also revealed what he’s currently reading.
“I typically read three books at a time. I’ve been encouraging a lot of Mary Oliver’s Devotions, from a poetry perspective, it’s the best introduction to poetry.”
A New Book Coming?
In 2016, Danielson (then Daniel Bryan) penned Yes: My Improbable Journey to the Main Event of WrestleMania. The book documents Bryan’s unlikely rise in WWE as well as the highs and lows of his time on the independent scene. In the interview, Danielson teased a new book could be coming as he’s been getting back into writing.
“The last year-and-a-half, I’ve really been getting better at writing. I’m doing it as a way to clarify my own thoughts. In this world, where we’re told what our morality is.”
Reading is a great way to relax, boost concentration and memory skills, and increase your imagination and knowledge. If you’ve been inspired to pick up a book then ‘The Man, Not Your Average, Average Girl‘ by Becky Lynch may be for you.
The Rock has provided an update on his condition after the 45-minute WrestleMania 40 main event.
The Great One returned to the ring after almost 8 years to deliver one of the biggest WrestleMania main events in the history of the show. He teamed up with Roman Reigns to face Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins in a grueling match. The Hollywood star delivered the punishment he had promised and finally won the match for his team by pinning The American Nightmare.
Though the People’s Champion didn’t come out unscathed from the Show of Shows. In a Sunday video drop on Instagram, he provided an update on his condition and further teased future WWE plans.
The Rock started off by saying thank you to the fans. He mentioned that he wanted to help create ‘the biggest WrestleMania of all time’ and they were able to shatter every record because of the fans:
“Okay, so a few things. Number one, let me just start with Thank you. Let me say thank you so, so much. For all the incredible support going into WrestleMania, the build up to WrestleMania, I wanted to help create the biggest WrestleMania of all time, the biggest buildup of all time, make wrestling cool again. Professional wrestling is cool again from the final boss.
I want to say thank you so much for all of your support. We shattered every WrestleMania record this past WrestleMania. We shattered every WWE record, and we did it because of you the fans, and we did it for you, the fans. So thank you, thank you, thank you.”
The Rock Provides Health Update
Speaking about his physical condition coming out of the brutal PLE main event on April 6, The Rock mentioned that he has spent the past week recovering. However, while he is banged up coming out of the tag match, the good news is that there are no injuries to report:
“How my body feels after WrestleMania? Banged up like a son of a bitch. But that’s to be expected. That’s just the world we’re in. Whether it’s pro wrestling, or MMA, UFC, pro boxing, you go into these events, you prepare as best you can. You have your training camps, and you get banged up like a son of a bitch.
Hopefully you come out of it, not injured, doesn’t always happen that way. My body’s banged up. This whole week I spent recovering, getting rid of all the inflammation, lactic acid, but no injuries. So that’s the key.
So anytime you could go through a match like that, whether it’s 45 minutes, like our match, or whatever it is. It’s WrestleMania. You leave it all out in the ring like every woman, like every guy did in that locker room. You get banged up, and hopefully you don’t get injured, so no injuries here to report. My body feels great.”
The former world champion mentioned that he had an intense 12-week training camp before the show. He revealed that he had rings set up in Hawaii, Southern California, and Georgia and wrestlers were flown in to help him get into the ring shape. The Rock noted that he weighed 284lbs at the time the bell rang but still felt fast and athletic.
The MVP Of WrestleMania 40
While the Chapter of WrestleMania 40 has been closed with Cody Rhodes finally defeating Roman Reigns in the night two main event, the story is not finished just yet.
Speaking about the unfavourable outcome for The Bloodline, The Rock first congratulated both Cody and Roman Reigns and acknowledged Seth Rollins as the MVP of the whole arc leading to the PLE:
“I want to say congratulations to the men I was in the ring with. These guys are the best on the planet. Congratulations to Cody Rhodes, the new Universal Champion. As I had said, when the final boss returns, he’s coming back for you. Make you bleed again, boy. Congratulations, Cody Rhodes.
Congratulations to my cousin Roman Reigns on an incredible three-and-a-half-year run, maybe even four years. Just incredible and iconic and historic, very, very proud of you uso. Also congratulations to who I feel is a real MVP of the entire WrestleMania weekend – Seth Rollins. Seth freaking Rollins.”
“What an honour it was to share the ring with you three. What an honor it was to for us to break records and now my sights are set on the next WrestleMania but that’s conversation down the road.”
The Rock is expected to step away from WWE for his other projects for a while. Some major post-WrestleMania developments, however, speak of him not being done with Rhodes, or The Bloodline for that matter by a long shot.
Big E’s future in pro wrestling may remain uncertain but the New Day member will be traversing what’s next in his life with his new partner Kris Yim.
On Instagram, Big E shared the big news, stating “My neck is broken but my heart is whole.” The former WWE World Champion also shared a hilarious photoshoot with Kris, who he also tagged.
In the comments, several names from the world of professional wrestling were excited to see the relationship made official. Mia Yim was pleased to see things “publicly official” while the caption ‘broke’ Mia’s husband Keith Lee. Naomi called the pair “My fav couple” while Renee Paquette said that the pair of Big E and Kris are “perfect” for each other.
Who is Kris Yim?
While best known to WWE fans as the sister of Mia Yim, Kris is also an avid dog lover as seen on her social media profiles. In the bio for her Instagram, Kris has a link to Oakland Animal Services which encourages people to adopt otherwise unwanted dogs instead of shopping for a new puppy.
Kris is also quite the traveler and has made several trips to Europe as well as Jamaica and other destinations. She was the maid of honor to Mia Yim when the SmackDown Superstar married Keith Lee in a ceremony officiated by WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley in February 2022.
This budding romance is great news for Kris and Big E, the latter of whom continues to be out of action after suffering a broken neck in March 2022. Big E recently admitted he’s not sure if he will ever be cleared to wrestle again, but has said that he is happy and living without pain which is very important.
The 2024 WWE Draft will see the Superstars of the main roster be eligible to move to NXT in a break from how the draft usually affects the gold brand.
Sources close to NXT’s creative process told Fightful Select that talent from Raw and SmackDown could be moved to NXT as part of the draft. The WWE Universe recently saw The Final Testament and Viking Raider appear on NXT where they ambushed new tag-team champions Nathan Frazer & Axiom, Viking Raider Ivar also appeared to confront North American Champion Oba Femi.
This is all part of WWE’s efforts to make NXT the third brand of WWE once again. In 2019, WWE attempted to put NXT on the same level as Raw and SmackDown when the gold brand was moved to the USA Network. The next two weeks of NXT programming will focus on the draft in the lead-up to Spring Breakin.
Being Called Up
While some main roster Superstars could soon call NXT home, fans can expect some call-ups as part of the WWE Draft. , Carmelo Hayes and Ilja Dragunov are said to be “a lock” for RAW or SmackDown. Roxanne Perez’s fate remains uncertain despite her call-up being teased on TV.
Tony D’Angelo’s Family and Baron Corbin have been discussed as possible additions to RAW or SmackDown. Corbin’s tag-team partner Bron Breakker was recently moved to SmackDown and it has been reported in the past that WWE was considering keeping them together.
The Timing of The Draft
The WWE 2024 Draft will kick-off on the April 26, SmackDown and conclude on the April 29, Raw. The timing is no mere coincidence as WWE planned for the week of the NFT draft to capitalize on ‘draft fever’ which they’ve done in the past.
It was noted that WWE will receive input from their media partners, especially the CW (the future home of NXT) and Netflix (the future home of Raw.) One source added that with the Raw-Netflix move being closer to next year’s draft as opposed to this year “that won’t be something we need to worry about for a while.”
WWE will certainly have a different feel to it by the end of the WWE draft with all three brands set to be affected. Keep checking in with SE Scoops for all the latest WWE Draft news and to find out who goes where.
WWE just celebrated the biggest WrestleMania weekend in company history. With over 200,000 fans attending the events in Philly, the company was quickly back to business as they fired some high-profile internal names.
The recent round of “spring cleaning” came as Dan Ventrelle, Sid Scala, Trent Wilfinger, and Sue Aitchison were let go. Each one of those cuts were notable.
Dan Ventrelle
Many fans were surprised to discover that Dan Ventrelle, formerly WWE’s Executive Vice President of Talent Relations, was released on April 11. He had been with WWE for many years, working closely with Nick Khan and Paul Levesque. He entered WWE by way of the NFL, where he joined the Oakland Raiders in 2003, rising to executive vice president and playing a pivotal role in the team’s move to Las Vegas and new stadium construction. After being appointed interim president of the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021, he focused on community integration and initiatives like vaccine verification before his departure in May 2022.
Trent Wilfinger
WWE cut Trent Wilfinger, who was Senior Vice President of Athlete ID & Development. He started his tenure at WWE in the summer of 2021, concentrating on Global Athlete Strategy & Development under Paul Levesque. Prior to WWE, he spent more than ten years at the fitness company EXOS.
Sue Aitchison
WWE Hall of Famers were not immune from the recent releases. Sue Aitchison was the longtime Director of Community Relations at WWE. After joining WWE in 1986, Aitchison had a 38-year tenure. During her time in WWE, she significantly influenced WWE’s community outreach and enhanced the company’s partnership with Make-A-Wish. In recognition of her contributions, she received the Warrior Award at the WWE Hall of Fame in 2019, inducted by Stephanie McMahon.
Sid Scala
Known as the British Superstar for many fans, Sid Scala was released from WWE in the last wave of internal cuts. He had been part of the company since the start of the NXT UK brand in 2017, serving as the Assistant General Manager with Johnny Saint. The NXT UK brand was absorbed by the OG NXT show, with NXT Europe still in the pipeline, but delayed due to the Endeavor takeover.
WWE’s New Era
WWE is entering into a new era under Triple H’s leadership. Vince McMahon is out of the picture, and some notable exits have followed, including long-time WWE executive producer Kevin Dunn in December 2023.
The company went through a major change as Endeavor merged WWE with the UFC. Now as a new company, fans are seeing how things will operate after WrestleMania, and there have already been some notable changes roll out this week.
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is proving to be a champion of the people after agreeing to meet a young fan celebrating their birthday.
On Twitter, a user by the name of Nicole shared a video of a young fan named Brentley who was ecstatic to receive tickets to an upcoming WWE event for his birthday. When Nicole said she and Brentley would love to meet Rhodes, the American Nightmare was confident something could be arranged and wished Brentley a happy birthday.
Cody’s generosity seemingly knows no bounds and he has shown once again why he can be the face of WWE. Fans can expect much more from Cody Rhodes in this new era, both in and out of the ring.
WrestleMania 40 may not have gone well for IShowSpeed, but the popular streamer is ready to get back in the ring for a proposed event.
At the 40th ‘Showcase of the Immortals,’ Speed dressed as a bottle of PRIME Energy and aided WWE U.S. Champion Logan Paul in his title defense against Kevin Owens and Randy Orton. The interference would come back to haunt him as he took an RKO by the Viper.
The Big Idea: Content Creator Mania
Now, IShowSpeed is looking to be part of a brand-new concept for WWE. During a recent stream, the popular streamer proposed a WWE show that’d see content creators face off.
“[How about an] event of content creators, a WWE event? I was thinking about that when I was at the WWE.
What if I set up a wrestling.. a WWE event but with content creators? Let me know if that’s a W [win] or an L [loss.]”
While WWE has never hosted a content creator-exclusive event, the idea has been done before. Creator Clash sees content makers face off against each other or athletes. At Content Creator 2 last April, Harley Morenstein, best known for Epic Meal Time, was beaten handily by AEW’s Johnny TV (John Morrison.)
With WWE in its new era, we can’t rule out a show like the one IShowSpeed has suggested. Content Creators have millions of fans that WWE would love nothing more to get hooked on professional wrestling. Logan Paul has already proven that a content creator can make it in the world of wrestling so don’t be surprised if this event happens one day.
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
Jade Cargill hasn’t left her cosplay days behind her but the ‘Storm’ is waiting for the right opportunity in WWE to show her costuming skills.
Since joining WWE in September 2023, Cargill has been quite the talking point among fans but has yet to use any of the cosplay costumes that fans saw from her in All Elite Wrestling. Speaking to Evan Mack over WrestleMania week, Cargill suggested that her days cosplaying in the ring are not over just yet.
“I love cosplay. I’m just trying to save it for those phenomenal moments so it can go viral, like all my cosplay that I’ve done for every entrance that I’ve done at AEW, guys.”
Jade Cargill’s Cosplay
During her AEW run, Cargill used cosplay for several prominent matches with the company. At AEW Revolution, Jade would live up to her name by cosplaying as Jade from the Mortal Kombat video game series.
At the now-infamous AEW All Out 2022 show, Cargill cosplayed as She-Hulk from Marvel Comics. She would also cosplay as Cheetara from the Thundercats series and Miruko from My Hero Academia.
Cargill’s biggest inspiration however is Storm, the X-Men character and inspiration behind her ‘The Storm’ moniker. During an interview with ComicBook.com, Cargill said she’d love to play the Goddess of the Weather in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“Yes, I would love to! Guys, Come on guys, like Marvel, do you not see this? We don’t need, what is it called? The enhancement… this is real guys. Come on!”
Cargill is relatively new to her WWE career and the future looks very bright for ‘The Storm.’ With a spotlight on her, expect cosplay from Cargill when the time is right.
Will Ospreay is very open about his learning disabilities, but he does not see it as a deterrent at all. He is rising above his ADHD and dyslexia diagnoses, and he wants to change how those things are perceived while inspiring others.
Speaking to RJ City on Hey! EW, Ospreay’s struggles came up in the conversation. Ospreay was jokingly asked if he is “shaming people without autism.” The Aerial Assassin quickly replied, “f**k yeah, I am.” He continued by discussing some of the challenges he has faced, expressing his desire to serve as a motivation for others.
“I just want to show people that, yeah I have autism. I have ADHD as well. I’m super dyslexic, I can’t read. I had to have someone f**king read my contract out for me. So, it’s like, it’s super embarrassing, man, it really is. But, I feel like I’ve got to the point where I am because of those things that make me who I am, and I wand to inspire people. So, like a lot of people don’t take risks in my area, like autism, and I hope seeing me inspires other people.”
Ospreay Speaks on his Diagnosis
Will Ospreay was diagnosed with ADHD in 2019, having previously discovered he was dyslexic after struggling in school. In his class, Ospreay only managed to pass in drama and physical education, failing the primary subjects that he needed for college admission.
Ospreay has been diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia, but he wasn’t officially called autistic by a doctor as of 2023. In an interview with Renee Paquette on her The Sessions podcast, he said he was seeking answers to his autism questions, but the pandemic interrupted that effort.
“The autism thing, I went through a doctor thing, I think it was the start of 2020, the pandemic kicked in, and I’ve never wrote back. I do feel I’m on the spectrum, but I haven’t had that guarantee. The other two, I got diagnosed, the other one, I’ve still yet to have answers for.
The wait list is f***ing long. Even if I did have it, I don’t see it as a detriment. I see it as a superpower. All of us autistic kids, we’re so much better than regular, normal people. We can lock into sh*t and do it. To all my autism kids out there, we’re top.”
Will Ospreay in AEW
After appearing in AEW a few times in 2022 and 2023, Ospreay officially signed with the company and joined its roster once his NJPW contract ended in February 2024.
Since making his full entrance into AEW, Will Ospreay has captured several headlines. The former IWGP Champion has also been involved in a war of words with Triple H. After The Game seemingly referred to the young star during a media scrum, Ospreay got back at Triple H during a recent Dynamite promo.
The Aerial Assassin is set to take on Bryan Danielson at AEW Dynasty in Saint Louis on April 21.
Erick Redbeard, formerly known as Erick Rowan, has withdrawn from an upcoming East Coast Pro Wrestling event due to new “contractual obligations.” This sudden cancellation ahead of next week’s event adds more fuel to the fire that Redbeard may be gearing up for a return to WWE.
The idea of Uncle Howdy’s return to television has been bolstered by ongoing teases on the company’s television shows since WrestleMania. Someone like Erick Rowan would fit right into that scenario if it came to fruition. Many stars have needed to cancel events after signing with WWE, and “contractual obligations” is a very popular reason given to avoid outright saying they inked that deal.
East Coast Pro Wrestling had a show scheduled with Erick Redbeard, but plans had to change. The former Erick Rowan of the Wyatt Family had to pull out due.Despite this setback, the show will still feature Brian Kendrick and Vanessa Kraven,
WWE Teases That Something Is Coming
The timing of this cancelled appearance for Erick Redbeard with the current string of strange occurrences going on during WWE programming is not lost on us.
WWE RAW saw glitches appear during the show after WrestleMania 40, temporarily disrupting Bronson Reed’s promo. The live crowd also received a sample of a strange song before the event started.
On April 11, the company’s official Twitter/X account posted and deleted a message with “Hello” repeating several times. The post was up long enough to make an impression, and many believe it is tied to Uncle Howdy’s return.
Screenshot of deleted WWE “Hello” tweet
We also can’t forget about the intention tease of Bo Dallas’ in-ring return at the end of the Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal documentary. WWE is cooking something, and it may involve Erick Rowan as a part of that plan.
Kenny Omega has provided an update on his health and it seems surgery remains on the card.
Omega has been on the shelf for four months as he recuperates from diverticulitis. During his latest live video game stream on Twitch, the former AEW World Champion reveals he’s still battling the effects of diverticulitis and diverticulosis.
He’s been focusing on milder treatments for his injury and general wellness, including gut health and healing peptides. Omega says this has helped reduce inflammation but may not be enough for him to be able to avoid surgery.
“With these supplements, a lot of my inflammation has gone down,” he said. “I’m able to eat properly and drink more fluids without feeling discomfort. Aside from feeling sensitive to the touch, for a quick second I thought, ‘Oh my goodness, is it possible I’m able to go back without surgery?’ Nah. The first time I take someone’s double foot stomp, even if it’s Marko Stunt or Riho, something is probably going to blow. Even if Dobby walks on my belly, that’s a 21-pound cat.”
Omega has added that he feels good for day-to-day training but things “get dangerous” when he does heavy lifting. He added:
“As good as I feel right now in my day to day and training, once impact starts to get involved or you have to use your core to do heavy lifts, that’s when things start to get dangerous. I’m going to have to make sure it’s all taken care of.”
Omega was diagnosed with diverticulitis after his match as Ethan Page last year. He went on to miss the AEW Worlds End pay-per-view where he was set to join forces with Chris Jericho to challenge then-AEW World Tag-Team Champions Big Bill and Ricky Starks.
Kenny Omega’s future
There is no timetable for Omega’s return as he remains on the sidelines to recover from the illness. Meanwhile, he was fired from The Elite with his arch-rival Kazuchika Okada being named the replacement.
Though Kenny Omega’s future is up in the air he has teased a potential boxing match:
Welcome to the Daily Drop for Sunday, April 14, 2024. There is a lot going on in the pro wrestling world, so let’s not waste any time.
WWE keeps cutting people internally, as Sue Aitchison, who was a WWE Hall of Famer Warrior Award recipient in 2019, and Sid Scala was the latest to get the axe. This is interesting timing, and has a lot of fans talking about what is next, possibly even roster cuts. You may find a list of all the 2024 WWE releases and departures below.
WWE:
– Big E’s Bad News: Although he feels happy and healthy, Big E is not cleared for a return. He released a statement to fans yesterday, revealing that he may never wrestle again at this point.
– Family Feud: WWE Superstars went to battle on Family Feud. It was quite a special episode, which featured Montez Ford, Angelo Dawkins, Bobby Lashley, SmackDown Tag Team Champion Austin Theory, and LA Knight takingon the team of Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, ‘Michin’ Mia Yim, Sonya Deville, and Zelina Vega.
– HBK vs AJ: Shawn Michaels admitted that AJ Styles is his dream opponent if he ever gets back in the ring. Of course, the Showstopper is long retired at this point.
– Rousey Hid Vital Information:Ronda Rousey admitted that she hid her concussion history from WWE.
– WWE Cutting Down on AR: The company will be doing away with a lot of the augmented reality entrances that we see on a weekly basis.
AEW:
– Dynasty Stipulation: AEW added a ladder match stipulation to the AEW World Tag Team Title match between the Young Bucks and FTR at Dynasty on April 21.
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.
Hikuleo, the 6-foot-8 inch son of wrestling legend Haku, will soon finish up with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). The big man’s deal expires June according to Fightful, and we have reason to believe he’ll soon follow his brother Tama Tonga to WWE.
Hikuleo 33 years old and has been wrestling for NJPW since 2016. You may have also seen him in AEW and TNA. He and Tama negotiated with WWE in late 2023. This was around the time of Vince McMahon’s ill-fated return to the company’s board of directors, which halted a handful of potential signings.
Tama made a surprise debut on Friday’s WWE SmackDown, the first episode following last weekend’s WrestleMania 40 premium live event. In a shocking development, he attacked Jimmy Uso and joined forces with the new and improved Bloodline. Tama Tonga signing with WWE, these new details about Hikuleo and the buzz surrounding Jacob Fatu’s next move indicate we’re in for an exciting few months ahead.
Meanwhile, Hikuleo’s tag team partner El Phantasmo, may also be free to wrestle else. His NJPW contract was set to expire in January. He continues to wrestle for the company (including at Friday’s NJPW Windy City Riot event) but we’ve been unable to get confirmation that he’s currently working on anything beyond a per-appearance deal.
The Superstars of WWE will be able to flex their game-show muscles as part of an upcoming episode of Celebrity Family Feud.
Taking to Twitter, Bianca Belair shared some photos from the taping and revealed that she is the captain of her team which consists of Belair, Jade Cargill, ‘Michin’ Mia Yim, Sonya Deville, and Zelina Vega.
The quintet of women will be up against Belair’s husband Montez Ford, Angelo Dawkins, Bobby Lashley, SmackDown Tag Team Champion Austin Theory, and LA Knight.
In a tweet of his own, Austin Theory was his usual cocky self at the Celebrity Family Feud taping.
It’s also worth noticing that Sonya Deville was part of the taping and did not need any sort of leg brace. The former Women’s Tag Team Champion has been out of action since June 2023 with an ACL injury, and the fact that she was able to do this taping unimpeded suggests that a return to the ring may be in the near future.
WWE On Game Shows
WWE appearances on Family Feud date as far back as 1992. In 2022, Rey Mysterio led a team of his family against The Miz. Team Mysterio would feature Dominik mere months before he turned on his Hall of Fame father to join The Judgment Day.
WWE Superstars have also appeared on The Weakest Link, with Triple H, Kane, and Xavier Woods proving their mental superiority in separate episodes. Superstars have also appeared on Wheel of Fortune.
The fact that WWE Superstars are set to appear on the show is another sign of the promotion’s ongoing popularity in the mainstream. With WWE firing on all cylinders right now, expect more big moves by the Superstars both in and out of the ring.
Aljamain Sterling could have a future in the world of WWE after the fighter pulled off an impressive piledriver at the milestone UFC 300 event.
At the April 13, 2024 event in Paradise, Nevada, Sterling faced off on the preliminary card against Calvin Kattar. As seen in the clip below, Sterling hit a move resembling a piledriver during their fight.
The pair went to three five-minute rounds. Sterling won the fight via unanimous decision. He is currently #2 in the UFC bantamweight rankings.
WWE & UFC Crossover
Ahead of the show, Triple H promoted UFC 300 as did the official WWE Twitter account in the latest piece of cross-promotion between the two companies who operate under TKO.
WWE featured a big UFC 300 booth at the WWE World convention over WrestleMania weekend in Philadelphia, PA. The exhibit had a punching bag in which attendees could have their power measured.
Several WWE Superstars have competed in both the UFC and WWE. Ronda Rousey and Brock Lesnar both held gold in both promotions and both headlined pay-per-views for each company, including WrestleMania. Shayna Baszler and Matt Riddle also made their names in the Octagon before stepping into the squared circle.
WWE themes and entrances have also been used at UFC events. Israel Adesanya made headlines when he had an Undertaker-inspired entrance at UFC 276 that caught the attention of the WWE Hall of Famer himself. More recently, Adesanya was spotted training with Damage CTRL’s Dakota Kai.
Expect to see more synergy between the two companies this year as the newly formed TKO Group settles in and they explore new opportunities in the world of entertainment.
Shawn Michaels would have loved for the chance to step in the ring with AJ Styles but believes the time for such a dream showdown has come and gone.
Styles didn’t officially join WWE until 2016, at which point Mr. WrestleMania had been retired for close to six years. Speaking recently to Gorilla Position, Michaels was asked about his dream match and set his sights on the Phenomenal One.
“I think the one I really want to see is me and AJ. That’s where I go with. It’s also, as you know, more talent comes along and you start looking at them. I always, I still do it now. I look at them like ‘Oh boy. I could do cool stuff with him.’ But I think AJ, I think AJ and I [have] got similar styles and stuff like that so I always feel that would be what people would want to see. So that would be my go to [answer.]”
When asked if there’s a chance of the match happening or if it’ll remain in WWE 2K24, Michaels admitted that there’s slim chance of either possibility.
“Well [for] one, I couldn’t even play it in the game now. That’s how slow I am. But I think that time has passed. It’s time for generations to move on.”
This match never happened, though not for lack of trying by the Phenomenal One. During a 2019 interview with WWE, Styles revealed that he requested a match with Shawn but Michaels said he couldn’t do anything about it at the time.
Ultimately, the match can’t happen these days, and even if it could, Michaels would not be able to go at the level he did 20+ years ago. Nevertheless, the two men have forged incredible careers in their own rights.
AEW Dynasty pay-per-view is set to go down next week and the card is stacked with some exciting match-ups. At the event, two of the greatest tag-teams – The Young Bucks and FTR will collide to crown the new AEW World Tag Team Champions. Now, the stakes have been raised as they will battle in a ladder match.
During the latest edition of AEW Collision, Tony Schiavone announced that Tony Khan has decided that the tag team match will now be contested under the new stipulation, making it a highly-anticipated bout.
BREAKING: Matthew & Nicholas Jackson will face FTR for the #AEW World Tag Team Titles in a LADDER MATCH next Sunday at #AEWDynasty!
The tag-team titles were vacated as Sting and Darby Allin relinquished them following the former’s retirement. After some high-intensity battles in a tournament, FTR and The Young Bucks remain the last two teams standing toe-to-toe. They will battle to crown the new tag-team champions in the tournament final at AEW Dynasty. This will mark their fourth outing.
New title match announced
Another title match was announced for the AEW Dynasty – Roderick Strong is set to put his AEW International Championship on the line against his former stablemate, Kyle O’Reilly.
During the Battle of The Belts X, Strong emerged victorious over Rocky Romero, who was attacked by Wardlow following the match. O’Reilly wasn’t impressed and confronted Strong. The AEW International Champ then turned on O’Reilly as he laid him out with a jumping knee.
WWE NXT Superstar Je’Von Evans has shared his appreciation for the support shown him following a racist comment by an infamous podcast.
During the April 9, episode of WWE NXT, Evans made his in-ring debut as part of the gold brand with a hard-earned victory over Scrypts. Between this and a promo package that aired during WWE NXT Stand & Deliver, the future looks very bright for the 19-year-old Superstar.
On his podcast, Kevin Scampoli made disgusting comments when watching a post-match interview with Evans. Scampoli said that Evans is a “slave” and was working under “some off-camera Jew.” This comment earned countless responses from fans as well as some in the wrestling industry as you can see below.
He literally just wanted to say that. The quiet parts are being said out loud so confidently these days. Smh disgusting. You’ll never see happiness. https://t.co/QE4vW6SIGK
You are abhorrent. @kevinscampoli, this is racist & disgusting behaviour on so many levels. Using those words for a promo that wasn’t perfect? I can’t imagine how you act in person. Hiding behind a keyboard does terrible things.
Responding to this wave of support, Je’Von tweeted his appreciation, but believes it’s now time to “get back to work.” The young Superstar also promoted an upcoming WWE Live appearance.
I Appreciate Everyone For The Support But Let’s Get Back To Work…VENICE, FL!!! I’ll See Ya’ll Tonight For #WWELIVE!! Ya’ll Pullin Up???
Following this support for Evans, Scampoli also responded, saying that Evans was no longer considered a “slave” but instead a “house n*****” and did not censor his use of the word. Because of the clearly unacceptable language, a clip will not be shared here.
Kevin Scampoli
Scampoli’s comments represent his work attitude and the fact that he can only get attention for being controversial rather than providing constructive insight into the world of professional wrestling. Scampoli previously got attention for himself for mocking Kayla Braxton for being conceived when her mother was the victim of r*pe.
Scampoli was also part of the infamous podcast episode with Sammy Guevara in which the pair discussed wanting to r*pe Mercedes Mone (Sasha Banks at the time.) Guevara would be suspended from AEW, undergo a sensitivity course and would apologize for his comments. There have been no issues between himself and Mone as he, unlike Scampoli, clearly learned from his behavior.
A unique gender reveal party recently went viral as two wrestlers fought to reveal the sex of a couple in attendance at the match.
The match starts with two wrestlers, donned in pink and blue and despite the size disadvantage, blue dominates the early portion of the match. Pink turns the tide by introducing a table and the two competitors would introduce a steel chair and a ladder shortly after.
A glass bottle to the head of Pink saved Blue from being pinned, and he’d muster an Undertaker-inspired comeback to get the win. After the match, the expecting couple celebrated that they were having a boy. While officials tried to stretcher Pink away, his weight proved to be too much for them.
You can check out the hysterical gender reveal match below.
This gender reveal isn’t the first time that the world of professional wrestling has gone viral outside of a traditional wrestling promotion. In March, a fan of WWE arrived to his own wedding with a Bloodline-inspired entrance, in which they served as the Roman Reigns of the group. Reigns would even react on Twitter to say that the union had been “acknowledged.”
Showing your love for wrestling on your big day has happened multiple times over the years. During a wedding a few years ago, the bride arrived to Becky Lynch’s music and set the tone for the ceremony with some kendo stick shots.
Weddings and gender reveals are huge moments in people’s lives and giving them a wrestling twist is a fun play on the traditional. And we imagine that the couple’s future son may be interested in professional wrestling once he arrives in the world.
Jon Moxley is finally set for a return to All Elite Wrestling and it was announced by two of his fellow Blackpool Combat Club members.
On AEW Collision Saturday night, Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli had a backstage segment where the two congratulated Moxley on his historic IWGP World Heavyweight Championship win before calling out The Don Callis Family.
BCC members Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli congratulate fellow member Jon Moxley on his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship victory, but also have a message for the Don Callis Family.
On the 4/17 episode of AEW Dynamite, Castagnoli will be aiming to wear Will Ospreay down ahead of his Dynasty match against Danielson, but the BCC members won’t be alone. Moxley is scheduled to be back in the All Elite fold starting on Wednesday. Moxley defeated Tetsuya Naito at NJPW Windy City Riot to earn that IWGP World Title gold and he’ll likely have words for the fans after his big victory.
What Else Is On Tap For AEW Dynamite
Tony Khan is making certain to stack the go-home episode of AEW Dynamite ahead of Dynasty as plenty of segments and matches are already announced for the program.
In addition to Moxley’s return and Ospreay vs. Castagnoli, Dynamite will feature Chris Jericho sitting down with HOOK and Taz, Adam Copeland & Willow Nightingale vs. House Of Black, Swerve Strickland and Samoa Joe will speak, Mariah May will take on Deonna Purrazzo while The Elite will take on PAC, Penta and Daniel Garcia.
The latest AEW Dynamite will forever go down as a polarizing episode due to Tony Khan deciding to air the backstage CM Punk footage from AEW ALL IN. While it was almost universally panned, Dynamite did receive a nice ratings boost greatly in part to the stunt.
