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Trick Williams Defeats Carmelo Hayes In Historic NXT Stand & Deliver Main Event

Aaron Varble
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WWE brought an action-packed show for NXT Stand & Deliver. The main event match certainly brought it on every level, as Trick Williams sought vengeance on Carmelo Hayes.

Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams battled in the main event of NXT Stand & Deliver. They made history in the process as the first-ever all black main event for an NXT premium live event. In the end, Trick Williams defeated Carmelo Hayes in the middle of the ring.

The crowd was on fire for this match, which included a few notable close call two-counts. Trick Williams and Melo avoided each other’s finishers, but then Melo nailed his Nothing But Net diving ax-kick for a two-count.

Ava told the referee to give the two stars leeway in this match, because she wanted to see a definite winner.

They kept going, and Melo started to use a chair, until Trick Williams landed his trick shot knee to Melo’s face, and he got the clean pinfall after that.

The Wells Fargo Arena crowd chanted “Whoop that trick” loudly as he celebrated during the closing moments of the premium live event. This was a historic win for Williams, as it elevated him in a huge fashion.

Trick Williams & Carmelo Hayes’ History

After the two were a duo for the longest time, Trick started teasing the idea that he wanted to break off on his own while still remaining friends, which he eventually did. Hayes didn’t take the split too well.

Hayes shocked everyone by admitting he was the one who had attacked Williams back in October 2023. The two were enemies from that point on, and things escalated in a hurry.

At NXT: Roadblock on March 5, Tony D’Angelo used Williams’ entrance music to distract Hayes during their match. Tony D won that match to become #1 contender, and then Trick attacked Melo for real after the match.

The conflict between Hayes and Williams intensified the next week on NXT when Williams challenged Hayes to a match at NXT Stand & Deliver. 

Roxanne Perez Defeats Lyra Valkyria For NXT Women’s Title At Stand & Deliver

Aaron Varble
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WWE has focused on this weekend for months now, and we are finally here. Roxanne Perez knew that she had to giver her all to walk out of Philly as champion, and she did just that.

Roxanne Perez battled Lyra Valkyria for the NXT Women’s Title at NXT Stand & Deliver. In the end, Perez won the title in front of a packed Wells Fargo Center crowd.

Roxanne Perez eventually latched on her crossface submission, and Lyra had no choice but to tap out after trying to get out multiple times.

Perez’s Road Back to the NXT Title

This marks Perez’s second reign as NXT Women’s Champion. She will start this reign as the company prepares to debut a new NXT Women’s North American Title as well. It will be interesting to see who steps up to face her next, and who vies for the new title.

Perez’s journey had its highs and lows. She entered her first Royal Rumble match on January 28, 2023 as NXT Women’s Champion. Then, at Vengeance Day, Perez successfully defended her title in a triple threat match against Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne. She then beat Meiko Satomura at Roadblock, but collapsed after the match. She required medical attention and was written off television after that.

Perez declared her intent to defend her title at Stand & Deliver, however, she lost the title to Indi Hartwell in a ladder match at the event.

Following unsuccessful attempts to reclaim the title, including a triple threat match at Spring Breakin’, Perez entered the NXT Women’s Championship Tournament at Battleground. Despite defeating Jacy Jayne in the first round, she was defeated by Stratton in the semifinals.

The 22-year-old Prodigy was distracted from the title chase after that for a while, but she eventually turned back around to focus her eyes on gold once again.

Roxanne Perez’s road back to the NXT Women’s Title took over a year. Since her heel turn, she has showed a brand-new side for her character. Her heel promos have focused on how WWE paid more attention to Becky Lynch as champion instead of her.

Giulia Debuts at NXT Stand & Deliver 2024

Aaron Varble
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WWE has brought in some of the best talent from all over the world, and now we have confirmed that Giulia is one of them.

Giulia was spotted in the audience just before the NXT Women’s Title match featuring Lyra Valkyria and Roxanne Perez. This was the first time she has been seen on screen in NXT.

WWE has historically debuted new Superstars in the crowd during premium live events. They could change Giulia’s name at this point, but they did refer to her as her previous pro wrestling moniker in the nameplate as she stood up to take in the Wells Fargo Center crowd.

Giulia’s STARDOM Exit

Rossy Ogawa was ousted from STARDOM, and Kairi Sane saw the writing on the walls, so she got out early. Rossy’s release was the final nail for some talent in the company to leave. Giulia was one of those stars.

In early February, news surfaced that Giulia opted to postpone her WWE debut in order to honor her commitment to aid STARDOM founder Rossy with his latest venture. Prior to this, Giulia had expressed her intention to address outstanding matters in Japan before transitioning to WWE.

Since arriving in America, she has received props for her attempts to learn English. She will start on NXT, where she will likely be a prominent face for the brand.

With NXT introducing a new Women’s North American Championship soon, Giulia’s arrival might be right in time to get into that mix. 

Bray Wyatt Statues Revealed At WWE World, Uncle Howdy’s Return Teased at Panel

Thomas Lowson
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Two new statues of the late Bray Wyatt have been unveiled at the WWE World convention taking place in Philadelphia, PA ahead of WWE WrestleMania 40. 

Bray Wyatt tragically passed away in August of 2023 after being pulled from programming earlier that year. The three-time WWE World Champion was 36 years old and tributes have poured in for Wyatt ever since. 

At WWE World, WWE unveiled two statues of the late wrestler. One depicts Wyatt from his 2022 return to WWE, holding a lantern and a mask. The second depicts Wyatt during his time as ‘The Fiend’ which was a hit with audiences from 2019 until his WWE release in 2021. It also features a Fiend-inspired lantern. 

The Return of Uncle Howdy

At WWE World, a panel was hosted highlighting the life and career of Wyatt. The panel included some of the people who knew Bray best, including Big E, Natalya, Seth Rollins, Charlotte Flair, The Undertaker, his widow JoJo Offerman, and Wyatt’s brother Bo Dallas, among others. 

The panel proved to be an emotional event for the guests and the fans and there was a tease at the very end of the festivities. On a screen, a video was shown, teasing the return of Uncle Howdy. 

Dallas played Uncle Howdy on WWE TV shortly after Wyatt’s return to the promotion in 2022. It’s unclear when or how WWE will reintroduce the Howdy character to TV. During the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, Bo and his sister Mika paid tribute to Wyatt during their induction speech for the US Express. 

WWE NXT Women’s North American Title Unveiled During Stand & Deliver

Aaron Varble
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WWE is adding another title to the mix for NXT, and this is a long-awaited addition to the women’s division.

During NXT Stand & Deliver, Ava appeared for a huge announcement after the six-women tag team match. The Rock’s daughter lauded the women’s division before revealing that they will be crowning a new women’s champion soon.

Ava announced they will be crowning a new NXT Women’s North American Title. This announcement was very well-received by the Wells Fargo Center crowd.

They followed this announcement up with Lyra Valkyria’s NXT Women’s Title defense against Roxanne Perez.

Fans have wanted another women’s title in NXT for a long time. Now, they are finally getting their wish. The NXT North American Title has already developed a reputation of producing great matches and elevating its champions. Now, the women’s roster will get a shot.

It was not announced when this new title will be crowned, or how they will determine the first champion. SEScoops will have more updates as they are made available. 

Becky Lynch Fighting A Cold Heading into WrestleMania 40, Special Entrance Planned

Thomas Lowson
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Becky Lynch hopes to stand tall at WWE WrestleMania 40 but The Man is walking into the upcoming two-night mega show a tad under the weather. 

At WWE WrestleMania 40: Sunday, Lynch will challenge WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley. Lynch earned this title shot by winning the Women’s Elimination Chamber match in Perth, Australia last February. 

Unfortunately for Lynch, she won’t be feeling her best when she performs inside Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field. During a Q&A session with the media, Lynch shared that she is under the weather and will be battling a cold when she steps in the ring with the ‘Mami’ of the Judgment Day. 

Lynch isn’t the only WWE Superstar who isn’t facing the best of luck going into WrestleMania 40. The tour bus of Cody Rhodes recently caught fire but everyone involved is thankfully safe and okay. Rhodes will compete on both nights of WWE WrestleMania 40. 

A Special WrestleMania Entrance

During the Q&A, Lynch also disclosed some information about her entrance for WrestleMania 40. The Man said that her new book ‘The Man: Not Your Average, Average Girl‘ will be factored into her entrance somehow. This will be a huge marketing opportunity for Lynch. 

While Lynch will have a special entrance at WrestleMania, the same can’t be said for Bayley. The Role Model had hoped that Paramore would perform as part of her entrance at WrestleMania which lead-singer Hayley Williams was also on-board with. On Twitter, Bayley explained why this wouldn’t be happening and shared a highlight video featuring the band’s hit ‘Simmer.’

The Rock As ‘The Final Boss’ Has Electrifed WrestleMania 40 To The Next Level

Dominic DeAngelo
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It feels like many moons ago when The Rock showed up on RAW in San Diego to hinder Jinder, doesn’t it?

WWE and pro wrestling is far from the pop culture heights that the genre reached in the late 1990s, but The Rock is certainly elevating the modern WWE into its own animal. His reinvention into “The Final Boss” just raised the difficulty level from “medium” to “hard” in the “No Mercy N64” of pro wrestling. If the talent is good enough to answer the call, it should cause everybody in pro wrestling to up their game.

Either way, the fans have greatly benefited from The Rock being back in the fashion that he is. It’s something that shouldn’t be taken for granted. Ironically enough ,thats in credit to the “Cody Crybabies” who lamented for ‘The American Nightmare.’

‘The American Nightmare’ Perpetuated ‘The Final Boss’

Rhodes has revived the long-forgotten role of the “ultimate babyface” where he’s the all-American John Wayne type character that his daddy adored. The fans can easily live vicariously through Cody Rhodes because of his willingness to connect with fans in a matter that hasn’t ever been done before on this type of major platform. Hulk Hogan never was the best man at a fan’s wedding nor did Hulkamania run wild at some random five-year old’s birthday party. Cody is putting those “prayers and vitamins” where his mouth is and he’s created a unique connection to people in a time where people are always connected.

As much as The Rock can cultivate an air of unattainability due to the Hollywood heights he’s reached, Cody can sit down with the father of three living paycheck to paycheck. It creates two ultimate adversaries, both with legacies in the industry and a genuine love for the one true sport.

And that “unattainability” that The Rock has harnessed is what makes this ‘Final Boss’ persona all the more engaging. We thought Dwayne was past the point of consistently showing up on WWE television, yet here he is – furthering a storyline that has him in a heel role where he’s calling fans inbreds and mocking Cody’s dog. ‘The Final Boss’ was nothing anyone expected, yet something the industry benefits from. WrestleMania 40 could have absolutely rolled right along with Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes, but The Rock going ‘Super Shredder’ on his 1998 identity feels every bit of Thanos ready to snap his fingers. That was all the more telling with that entrance Rocky made on Monday before bloodying up Dusty’s youngest boy.

The big complaint of Rock’s involvement is that it hurts Roman, but “The Tribal Chief” is just one manipulative monologue away from turning the table he claims to sit at the head of. Reigns, if he loses, will only be elevated by an extended exit. The same goes for his older cousin, whose involvement had made us all take the scenic route on the road to WrestleMania.

Hope you enjoyed the ride.

Follow Dominic DeAngelo on X @DominicDeAngelo.

Tiffany Stratton Wants Main Event of WWE WrestleMania 41 In Home State Of Minnesota (Exclusive)

Aaron Varble
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WWE has a lot of plans in the pipeline, but they have not revealed where WrestleMania 41 will be yet. Although it’s rumored to take place in Minneapolis, that hasn’t been confirmed by WWE. Tiffany Stratton certainly heard those rumors, and she wants in.

Tiffany Stratton has attracted a massive amount of attention since debuting on the WWE main roster. She had a standout performance at the Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber, but she is somehow absent from the WrestleMania 40 card. She wants to change that next year.

While speaking to SEScoops‘ Muscle Man Malcolm, Tiffany Stratton stated that she wants to main event WrestleMania 41 in Minnesota. She even called her shot, as the girl from Prior Lake, Minnesota wants Charlotte Flair as her opponent.

“So actually I heard that WrestleMania 41 is going to be in Minnesota, or like it’s rumored to be in Minnesota, and I’m from Minnesota. So, I think night one main event, me against Charlotte Flair.”

Latest on WrestleMania 41 Location

WWE has not yet officially announced the location for their biggest event of 2025, which is a departure from their usual practice.

Recent reports indicate that Minneapolis is the leading candidate to host WrestleMania 41 in 2025. Public statements from city officials strongly suggest this, and an official announcement is anticipated within the next week or two, in line with the customary timeline for this year’s WrestleMania. Minneapolis also reportedly put in a bid to host WrestleMania 41 as well.

Should Minneapolis be selected as the host city, U.S. Bank Stadium would likely serve as the venue for WrestleMania 41. The stadium, which opened in 2016 and is home to the Minnesota Vikings, boasts a maximum capacity of 73,000 attendees.

Triple H: Wrestlers Succeeding Elsewhere Doesn’t Mean They’re Right For WWE

Ella Jay
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As WWE’s Chief Content Officer, Paul “Triple H” Levesque is tasked with completing an abundance of responsibilities. Given this increased workload, though, Levesque has admittedly taken a bit of a backseat in WWE’s recruiting department. often leaning on others, such as William Regal, to primarily scout potential future WWE Superstars. Nevertheless, Levesque asserts that he is still keeping tabs on a number of prospective talents. 

WWE Recruiting

During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Levesque addressed the process of recruiting potential WWE stars. While he may listen to the recommendations and feedback of the company’s scouts, Levesque prefers to formulate his opinion by seeing a talent’s work with his own eyes. Levesque also pointed out that a talent succeeding in one promotion doesn’t necessarily guarantee that they will flourish in WWE.

“I get reports on everybody,” Levesque said. “I know who is out there, I know how good they are, I know what their potential is. I see what’s out there. I don’t subscribe to the ‘Oh, this guy says they are good, that guy says they are good.’ I have to see it and feel it. It’s just keeping track of who is out there, how good they are, and what you think they can do.”

Success In WWE Is Not Guaranteed

Levesque also pointed out that a talent succeeding in one promotion doesn’t necessarily guarantee that they will flourish in WWE.

“Because they succeed someplace else, doesn’t mean they’ll succeed at the big time. How many players go from college football at a high level and fail in the NFL? It’s massive. It’s a different game, it’s a different world. If they are not here to be all in on this — like when I see people coming out of trying to make it, and then they pick a job where they go, ‘Well.’ They work less, the schedule is lighter. Alright, then I’m glad I didn’t get you. If you’re not in it for the grind, at that point early in your career, you have no business being here.” 

Carmelo Hayes Reveals Origin of His Michael Jackson ‘Thriller’ Gimmick (Exclusive)

Aaron Varble
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Everyone has to start somewhere, even HIM. Carmelo Hayes is a breakout star on NXT with a WWE main roster call-up on the horizon, but his current character took a lot of work to find itself.

While speaking to SEScoops‘ Muscle Man Malcolm, Carmelo Hayes dove into his first-ever pro wrestling gimmick, and where it came from.

Melo had a Michael Jackson impersonator persona, and HIM recounted that gimmick as something he did to get his feet wet in the pro wrestling business. He eventually became Christian Casanova, a gimmick that was more true to who he really is.

“The Thriller of New England […] I remember my coach was like, ‘you need something, you need to be something,’ and I was like, ‘I don’t know,’ and he goes, ‘what do you like?’ I was like, ‘I don’t know, I like this, this, Michael Jackson,’ and I did a moonwalk or something, and he goes, ‘yeah, play into that.'”

“I was like, ‘alright I need an identity.’ So, I remember doing that kinda identity and I kinda got stuck in it for a year and some change, and finally I found myself and I broke out. But, it was really to get my feet wet. I used to tell people that all the time. Just to get my feet wet and get comfortable being a character and then after that, I became kinda more true to me.”

Melo also stated that he has his own barber shop now. He kicked Trick Williams out, and now a guard is stationed at the door to make sure he doesn’t come back. We will see the two collide at NXT Stand & Deliver.

Carmelo Hayes’ Main Roster Call-Up

WWE doesn’t want to rush anyone’s call-up to the main roster, especially someone with the potential that Carmelo Hayes has. He is certainly in line for a call-up, but he needs to get Stand & Deliver taken care of as well.

Hayes was selected by Shawn Michaels to represent NXT in SmackDown’s WWE United States Championship #1 Contender Tournament. In his debut match on SmackDown on December 15, he secured a victory over former rival Grayson Waller in the first round of the tournament. However, Hayes lost to Kevin Owens in the semifinals.

There are some within WWE who reportedly want to see Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams take their feud to the main roster. Those two, while they were outstanding partners, are even better enemies, and they will prove it on April 6 at the Wells Fargo Center. 

NXT: Stand & Deliver starts at noon EST. You can check out the updated card below:

  • Singles Match: Trick Williams vs. Carmelo Hayes
  • NXT Championship Match: Ilja Dragunov (c) vs. Tony D’Angelo
  • NXT Women’s Championship Match: Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Roxanne Perez
  • NXT North American Championship Match: Oba Femi (c) vs. Dijak vs. Josh Briggs
  • NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Baron Corbin & Bron Breakker (c) vs. Axiom & Nathan Frazer
  • Thea Hail, Fallon Henley & Kelani Jordan vs. Jacy Jayne, Kiana James & Izzi Dame
  • Pre-Show Match: Shawn Spears vs. Joe Gacy

Rey Mysterio On WrestleMania Rematch With Dominik: ‘I Have to Teach Him a Lesson Again’ (Exclusive)

Thomas Lowson
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Rey Mysterio is ready and willing to teach Dominik Mysterio a lesson that he believes the Judgment Day member should have learned last year at WrestleMania. 

At WrestleMania 39, Rey defeated Dominik in Los Angeles, California, following months of goading by ‘Dirty Dom.’ At WrestleMania 40, the two will face off again in a tag-team match that’ll see Rey team with Andrade to face Dominik and Santos Escobar. Speaking exclusively to SE Scoops, Rey shared his thoughts on being called a ‘deadbeat’ by his son and gave a warning to his opponents. 

“Man, I’m kind of tired and over it. I thought I’d taught him a lesson last year at WrestleMania. Obviously, he didn’t learn his lesson, or he probably did and just somehow got convinced by Santos [Escobar] ‘Hey let’s go beat up on your dad or at least try to beat up on your dad once again.’ They have no idea what’s coming to them.”

Dominik and Santos may have “no idea” what’s coming, but up until the April 5, edition of WWE SmackDown, neither did the fans. During the go-home show before WrestleMania, Dragon Lee was replaced by Andrade as Rey’s WrestleMania partner. 

Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania

WrestleMania 40 will mark the 12th’Mania match for Rey Mysterio, who made his debut at the event back in 2003 on the pre-show against then-Cruiserweight Champion Matt Hardy. Rey often has comic-book-themed costumes at WrestleMania and has worn attires inspired by The Flash, The Joker, Captain America, and Mysterio, among others.

Rey has had some huge victories at WrestleMania, including winning the World Heavyweight Championship in 2006 and the WWE Intercontinental Championship three years later. Despite this, the WWE Hall of Famer currently boasts a less-than-impressive 4-7 win/loss record at the Showcase of the Immortals. 

WWE Signing Top Prospect: Giulia Set to Join NXT Brand

Aaron Varble
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WWE’s NXT brand is likely going to get a new boost of star power, especially on the women’s division. Giulia is close than ever to making her debut for the company, and now we know that she is not main roster bound right away.

Giulia has long been rumored to be on her way to WWE following a brief stint in Rossy Ogawa’s new promotion. SEScoops can confirm Giulia is slated to join the WWE Performance Center and NXT soon.

Giulia is slated to finish up her existing commitments before reporting to Orlando, according to Corey Brennan of Fightful.

Giulia’s Stardom Exit

Rossy Ogawa, a founder of STARDOM, was terminated from the company, sparking speculation that many top stars would depart. Giulia was one of them, and she did leave the company.

Giulia had informed STARDOM officials of her departure in March. This came as no surprise to them, given the months of speculation surrounding her potential exit.

In early February, reports emerged that Giulia would delay her WWE debut to fulfill her commitment to assist STARDOM founder Rossy Ogawa with his new promotion. The STARDOM standout had previously stated that she had unfinished business in Japan.

Now, it appears that she is on her way to NXT soon enough. We do not have any confirmation on when she will be out of her obligations with Rossy, but she is WWE Performance Center bound.

Mark Briscoe Honors Late Brother Jay After ROH World Title Win

Bishal Roy
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Mark Briscoe has secured the ROH World Championship after grinding in the promotion for more than two decades.

In the headlining clash of Friday’s ROH Supercard of Honor, Briscoe dethroned Eddie Kingston and secured his first major singles title. As expected, it was a bloody affair on Friday night. 

During the brutal match, Briscoe’s head was slammed into the announcer’s table and it busted him open. In the final moments of the match, Mark Briscoe hit his finisher Jay Driller for the three count to win the title.

After his triumph, his family and some members of the locker room included ROH veterans such as Jay Lethal, Christopher Daniels, Dalton Castle, and others entered the ring to celebrate his memorable victory. 

It’s quite a special moment for Mark Briscoe, not only for the title win but also because it marks the same day when his brother Jay won the title eleven years back at the same event. That night, Jay Briscoe defeated Kevin Steen (now Kevin Owens) in the main event. 

Mark Briscoe sends a message to Jay Briscoe

During the post-show media scrum, Mark Briscoe was asked to share what he would tell his brother Mark Briscoe, who tragically passed away last year. He said:

“I love you, dog. There’s no words, man. It’s just too many coincidences for it to be a coincidence. I wear my faith on my sleeve, and God is good, man.”

He added that memorable nights like those help him keep going but it’s not an easy task. With his efforts, Mark Briscoe is trying to make his brother proud: 

“Stuff like this, the tragedy that happened, you don’t want to go on, you don’t want to get out of bed…and then nights like tonight…this is what helps you move on. It’s not easy. But nights like tonight make it a whole hell of a lot easier. I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but there are no words. I love you dog, be with me. Until we meet again, just trying to do him proud, man.”

Back in the day, Jay Briscoe held the title for 89 days before relinquishing it due to a storyline injury. Now, we will have to wait and see how Mark’s championship reign pans out.

Billie Starkz Fakes Broken Neck Injury to Become First ROH Women’s World TV Champion

Thomas Lowson
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Billie Starkz has entered the history books as the first Ring of Honor Women’s World Television Champion but used some underhanded tactics to get the win. 

At ROH Supercard of Honor 2024, Starkz met Queen Aminata in the finals of a 16-woman tournament that began in February. During the match, Starkz went for a Senton Bomb but Aminata countered by putting her knees up. 

Starkz immediately crumpled in the ring and called for the referee and medical personnel to help her. Aminata was kept away while the commentary team spoke about the injury which they hoped was not a career-ender. 

Aminata held the ropes open for Starkz in a sign of sportsmanship. Starkz grabbed Aminata and hit a suplex before locking in a sleeper, revealing that the neck injury had been a ruse. The referee stopped the match and awarded Starkz the win and the title. 

Billie Starkz’s Road to the Gold

This is certainly an underhanded tactic by Starkz as the crowd were left in a stunned silence when they believed they had seen the end of her wrestling career. Starkz’s first match in the tournament saw her defeat Robyn Renegade by submission before defeating Diamante in the quarterfinals. A win over Mercedes Martinez (a former ROH Women’s World Champion) saw her advance to the finals. 

Aminata also had a tough road to Supercard of Honor. After defeating J-Rod in her first-round match, she bested the veteran Taya Valkyrie in the quarterfinals. She advanced to the finals with a win last month over Red Velvet. 

Jade Cargill Reveals Multiple Factors Behind AEW Departure

Aaron Varble
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Jade Cargill’s departure from AEW surprised a lot of fans. It did not take long for her to sign with WWE, but the company has certainly waited for the right moment to debut her.

Cargill is set to team up with Bianca Belair and Naomi as they take on Damage CTRL at WrestleMania 40. That will mark Cargill’s first-ever actual match in WWE, and it will happen on the grandest stage of them all. As her WWE star shines even brighter every week, many believe that AEW dropped the ball with her.

During an appearance on Busted Open Radio, host Dave LaGreca said that he feels as though AEW didn’t make the most of Jade. When asked if this was a reason for her AEW departure, she confirmed that many factors played into this decision.

“There are a couple of things that made me go to WWE other than the fact that the machine is ridiculous over here, the connections, the history, the legacy, it’s one of one, you know? AEW was a new company, they’re still figuring things out, obviously. That happens with every company, right? You have to figure out what’s good and what’s bad.” “I’m 31. I don’t have time to grow with the company at my age. I have to be in an established company, and I have to go over there and let it be known, because I can’t do this forever.”

She said that fans want to see “20 somethings on TV,” and she knew that her time is limited in the pro wrestling business. Jade went on to say that “time was not on my side, and I knew I had to make the best decision for me, and my family.” So, she decided to join WWE.

Jade Cargill’s AEW Exit

Tony Khan revealed that AEW offered Cargill more money to stay with them than she asked for. She still decided to do what was best for herself and make the jump to WWE.

Jade Cargill remained undefeated for nearly three years and was prominently featured by both AEW and WBD as one of their top talents. She was even showcased as the main athlete at the network’s upfronts for the past two years. Despite achieving everything possible in AEW, Cargill felt that only a move to WWE would allow her to reach the next echelon in the pro wrestling business.

In September 2023, Jade Cargill parted ways with AEW as her contract with the company came to an end. Just days after her departure, WWE secured Cargill with a multi-year contract.

Top WWE Prospect Spotted Backstage At 4/5 SmackDown

Aaron Varble
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WWE is keeping a close watch on the pro wrestling scene, with one major prospect possibly on the horizon. Giulia’s contract with STARDOM reached its end, and she is already on WWE territory for WrestleMania weekend. 

Giulia, who has been a long-time prospect for WWE, departed from STARDOM. As fans wait for her next move, it appears she may have already made it.

PW Insider reported that Former STARDOM owner Rossy Ogawa and GIULIA, who WWE has been wanting to sign, were both backstage at SmackDown in Philadelphia for the April 5 episode. 

Giulia was also spotted at WWE World. So, they aren’t really keeping her necessarily hidden. She has showed interest in WWE for a while, and it appears that she may be getting even closer to that destination. 

Giulia’s STARDOM Exit

The STARDOM standout said in the past that she had unfinished business in Japan. So, her WWE debut didn’t come in a hurry, but it may happen sooner than later at this point.

Rossy Ogawa, one of the founders of STARDOM, was fired, and many top stars were reportedly on the cusp of leaving too. Utami Hayashishita, MIRAI, Mai Sakurai, and Yuzuki’s contracts ended in March, along with Giulia’s deal.

Giulia told STARDOM that she was leaving in March, which wasn’t a surprise as there have been rumors about it for a while. Stephanie Vaquer also won the NJPW Strong Women’s Title from Giulia as she was finishing up her time with the company.

In early February, it was said that Giulia would delay her WWE debut to help Rossy Ogawa with his new promotion. Now, it appears that wait may be over. SEScoops will keep our eye on this story for any further updates.

Daily Drop (4/6): WWE Draft Returning, AEW Called Out For Budget Cuts

Aaron Varble
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Welcome the Daily Drop, your daily roundup of wrestling news and rumors for Saturday, April 6. This is a day that a lot of fans have waited for, because it is officially WrestleMania Saturday. We also have NXT Stand & Deliver to take care of, so let’s get right to it!

NXT: Stand & Deliver starts first today, with the broadcast beginning at noon EST. You can check out the updated card below:

  • Singles Match: Trick Williams vs. Carmelo Hayes
  • NXT Championship Match: Ilja Dragunov (c) vs. Tony D’Angelo
  • NXT Women’s Championship Match: Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Roxanne Perez
  • NXT North American Championship Match: Oba Femi (c) vs. Dijak vs. Josh Briggs
  • NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Baron Corbin & Bron Breakker (c) vs. Axiom & Nathan Frazer
  • Thea Hail, Fallon Henley & Kelani Jordan vs. Jacy Jayne, Kiana James & Izzi Dame
  • Pre-Show Match: Shawn Spears vs. Joe Gacy

WWE:

– WWE World Brawl: AJ Styles and LA Knight threw down at WWE World for a brawl that lasted well over three minutes. It was chaos, and we have the video.

– Stand & Deliver Gate: Shawn Michaels disclosed that Stand & Deliver in Philly is set to become the second highest-grossing event for NXT, following closely behind NXT Brooklyn.

– The Rock’s Training: SEScoops also had an exclusive where Shawn Michaels explained exactly why Gallus was picked to train with The Rock for his WrestleMania 40 match.

– WWE Draft: Triple H confirmed that another WWE Draft is coming, possibly in May.

– Andre Winner: Big Bronson Reed won the 10th annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on SmackDown.

– Cody’s Bus Fire: Cody Rhodes’ bus caught on fire before WrestleMania. That was not a surprise he wanted at all.

– Vince McMahon’s Absence: The fact that Vince McMahon isn’t around for WrestleMania 40 weekend has made a lot of people within the company pretty happy.

– One More Match: Triple H spoke on the idea of wrestling again. He’s happy being retired, but he does train every day.

WrestleMania 40 night one starts at 7:00 PM EST. It will be a loaded show, headlined by a massive tag team match, that is being billed as the biggest ever. You may check out the updated card below:

  • Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch for the Women’s World Championship
  • Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
  • The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) vs. The Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) vs. A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller) vs. New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate) – Six-Pack Tag Team Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
  • Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso
  • Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, and Naomi vs. Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Asuka, and Kairi Sane)
  • Latino World Order (Rey Mysterio and Andrade) vs. Santos Escobar and “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio
  • The Bloodline (The Rock and Roman Reigns) vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth “Freakin” Rollins

AEW:

– Tony Khan Called Out: Brandon Tate of The Boys detailed exactly what happened when it comes to them “no-showing” events to combat Tony Khan’s narrative.

– AEW May Move: AEW and WBD are exiting their window of exclusive talks. We may see AEW programming move if they can’t figure something out.

– AEW At WWE HOF: Keith Lee was accidentally shown on screen during the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. He is married to Michin, so he was there for the ceremony. However, he wasn’t supposed to be seen on camera.

– Forbidden Door: Toni Storm claimed that the Forbidden Door is always open. We will have to see who steps through that door to challenge her next.

Upcoming Wrestling Shows

Looking ahead, here are some of the major upcoming shows that we have in the pipeline:

April 6: NXT Stand & Deliver and WrestleMania XL Saturday from Philadelphia, PA.

April 7: WrestleMania XL Sunday from Philadelphia, PA.

April 21: All Elite Wrestling presents AEW Dynasty live on pay-per-view from St. Louis, Missouri at the Chaifetz Arena.

May 4: WWE Backlash France from Décines-Charpieu, France at the LDLC Arena.

The Rock Explains How His WrestleMania 40 Feud Came Together

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The Rock has been the mastermind behind his recent heel turn that perfectly fits in the storyline involving The Bloodline and Cody Rhodes.

‘The Final Boss’ has been promoting WrestleMania 40 and on the Will Cain Show, he revealed that he decided to become the biggest heel of all time after making his massive return to WWE. 

The Rock discussed WWE fans turning against him when he tried to take Cody’s spot against Roman Reigns. Thereby, he kept the Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes intact but remained involved in the storyline and brought back the iconic ‘Hollywood Rock’ persona.

“Back in January, I called Nick Khan, our friend. And I said, I have an idea. How about this? Why don’t we take care of the people. Give them this story of Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns. And Nick said, great. And I said, however, it’s a little bit of a twist. He said, what’s that? I said, what if I became the greatest bad guy of all time?”

The Rock is set to make his highly-anticipated comeback to the squared circle at WrestleMania 40. On WrestleMania Saturday, he will join forces with Roman Reigns to face the team of Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. 

The outcome of the match will determine the stipulation for Sunday’s main event. If The Bloodline wins then Roman Reigns will defend the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Cody Rhodes under ‘Bloodline Rules’. 

However, if Cody and Seth Rollins win, the next night’s main event will be free of The Bloodline.

The Rock’s future 

The Rock’s involvement in the Road to WrestleMania 40 has certainly helped to garner more attention to the ‘Biggest WrestleMania Ever.’ However, it seems his commitments in Hollywood will prevent him from making appearances in WWE following the ‘Show of Shows.’  

He will soon start filming his next movie, The Smashing Machine which will affect his schedule and he might not be available for WWE dates after the upcoming PLE. 

Watch: Bray Wyatt Acknowledged With Touching Tribute At WWE Hall of Fame 2024

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A heart-touching tribute was rightfully paid to the late WWE Superstar Bray Wyatt (Windham Rotunda) at the WWE Hall of Fame 2024 Induction ceremony.

In an emotional segment, the Rotunda Family honored Bray Wyatt, who tragically passed away in August last year. While Wyatt was not inducted, his father, Mike Rotunda, alongside Barry Windham was inducted as part of the U.S. Express.

Tribute to Bray Wyatt

Wyatt’s real-life brother, Taylor Rotunda (better known as Bo Dallas in WWE) and his sister Mika Rotunda did the honors of inducting the legendary U.S. Express into the Class of 2024. During the segment, they paid homage to Wyatt.

“We would be remiss not to take a moment not to acknowledge Windham Rotunda, also known as Bray Wyatt. He should also be standing on this stage with us tonight. He may not be on this stage. But we know he’s here.”

After the speech concluded, Mike Rotunda urged the fans to join him and light up their phones like Wyatt’s entrance. This was a fitting tribute to the late superstar.

“I wish that our son Windham could have been here, he would have liked to see his old man go in the Hall of Fame.”

The segment concluded with Mike and the crowd lighting up their phones with Bray Wyatt’s entrance song playing in the background.

This year’s class included Paul Heyman, U.S. Express, Bull Nakano, Muhammed Ali and Thunderbolt Patterson. There had been talks of Bray Wyatt possibly being inducted into this year’s Hall of Fame Class but that didn’t happen.

Bray Wyatt’s legacy

Wyatt gained massive success when he revamped his persona as the leader of the Wyatt Family back in NXT. The character would lead him to great heights after joining the main roster where he won the WWE Championship and WWE Universal Championship. 

Eventually, he debuted his popular ‘Fiend’ gimmick which was widely well-received by the fans. However, he was released by the company in 2021 but would go on to make his comeback the following year.

In his returning match, Wyatt defeated LA Knight in a Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match at Royal Rumble last year. Unfortunately, it was his final match before passing away.

Bray Wyatt is not with us anymore, but his legacy will live on forever. 

The Rock Presented With the ‘People’s Championship’ At WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony

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The Rock may not have the people on his side anymore, but he was presented with a custom ‘People’s Championship’ at the WWE Hall of Fame 2024 ceremony. 

The Final Boss was at the ceremony to posthumously induct his grandmother Lia Maivia into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of this year’s class. Before this induction though, The Rock was invited to the ring by Lonnie Ali, the widow of the legendary Muhammad Ali. Lonnie spoke about The Rock asking for permission to use the term ‘People’s Champion,’ a moniker that had often been associated with the boxing icon. Lonnie then presented The Rock with the People’s Championship which features the Brahma Bull logo. 

Who Has Been Called the People’s Champion? 

While Ali and The Rock have been known as the People’s Champion, they’re not the only individuals to have been bestowed with that moniker. In World Championship Wrestling, ‘Diamond’ Dallas Page was referred to as the People’s Champion before the name was given to The Rock. During an Inside the Ropes event, Page recalled discussing the name with the Brahma Bull. 

“I hear, ‘Hey Diamond’… he says, ‘You know, there’s only one people’s champion’… I just look at him, took that pregnant pause and said, ‘you know, Rock, you’re right… And you, well, you’re looking at him‘.”

There have also been ‘People’s Champions’ outside the world of wrestling. In addition to Ali, boxers Michael Spiknks and Manny Pacquiao have used the moniker. Cricketer Usman Khawaja, Snooker player Alex Higgins, and Basketball player Will Barton have also used the term.

Kevin Owens Doesn’t Care About CM Punk’s Return: ‘We’re Not Each Other’s Type of Person’

Thomas Lowson
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Kevin Owens is “perfectly fine” with CM Punk’s return to WWE as the two do not have any kind of working relationship in the world of professional wrestling. 

Punk returned to WWE at Survivor Series: WarGames 2023 in an act that immediately sparked discussions about whether he could co-exist with the roster. Speaking to the Gorilla Position podcast, Owens was asked for his thoughts on Punk’s return. 

“Well, we have no relationship. No, we’re not each other’s type of people I don’t think. There’s a ten-foot vicinity that if we enter in, then we have to kinda ‘Hey. Hi.’ Otherwise, we just don’t, and it’s fine. It’s perfectly fine.”

Since Punk’s return, there’s been a lot of talk about how the Best in the World has changed since walking out of WWE in 2014, with Triple H making clear Punk had changed during the post-Survivor Series press conference. When asked if he’s noticed a change, Owens was curt with his response.

“I don’t know that and I don’t care, to be honest. I am who I am. He is who he is, and it’s fine that way.”

CM Punk’s Return

While Owens may not care one bit about CM Punk’s return to WWE, his unlikely comeback has had a lot of people talking. So far, reports about Punk’s conduct in WWE have been glowing, with the ex-AEW star being open to ideas and eager to help at the WWE Performance Center.

Last month, Booker T claimed that he and CM Punk had a ‘run-in’ at a WWE NXT taping. Many were skeptical of the claim given that nobody saw the alleged altercation and given Punk’s exemplary track record since returning. Booker quickly said after his initial claim that fans were making too big a deal of things. Booker later admitted that this was his attempt at “clickbait” and he was “just playing around.”

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

The Rock Gets Into Verbal Altercation With Fan At WWE Hall of Fame 2024 Ceremony

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The 2024 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony saw some controversy towards the end as The Rock had a verbal altercation with a fan in attendance. 

The Brahma Bull was on hand to posthumously induct his grandmother Lia Maivia into the WWE Hall of Fame. In the closing moments of the show, however, The Rock could be seen having a tense face-off with a fan who was in the front row. 

The fan told the Final Boss that “Cody’s coming for you,” referencing Cody Rhodes’ efforts to ‘finish the story’ at WWE WrestleMania 40. The Rock told the fan to “watch your f***ing mouth.” 

You can check out another perspective of the altercation in the tweet below: 

Lia Maivia is the third person that The Rock has inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. In 2008, on the eve of WrestleMania 24, The Rock inducted his father Rocky Johnson, and his grandfather (and Lia’s husband) ‘High Chief’ Peter Maivia. 

This interaction with the fan highlights The Rock’s heel persona which has been a hit with audiences since WWE decided to turn him into a villain. The character change has also been praised by those who know the Brahma Bull best. 

The Rock at WrestleMania 40

Cody Rhodes hopes to ‘finish the story’ at WrestleMania 40 but The Rock is planning on ruining the American Nightmare’s weekend. On WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday, Rhodes will team with Seth Rollins to face The Rock & Roman Reigns. The match will determine the stipulation for the following night. 

On WWE WrestleMania 40: Sunday, Cody Rhodes will challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. This match will either be under ‘Bloodline Rules’ or see the Bloodline banned from getting involved. No matter the stipulation, this match will be Cody’s final title shot at Reigns, an edict put in place by The Rock. The Final Boss flexed his muscles as part of TKO’s Board of Directors to make this stipulation happen. 

AEW’s Keith Lee Makes Accidental Appearance At WWE Hall of Fame 2024

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It’s been years since Keith Lee was signed to a WWE contract, but the Limitless One was spotted this week during the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. 

The former NXT Champion and current AEW star was in the background of a backstage segment that saw CM Punk being interviewed by Kayla Braxton. It appears that somebody off-screen pointed out to Lee that he was in the shot as the wrestler quickly got out of the way. 

Lee’s real-life wife and WWE star ‘Michin’ Mia Yim was being interviewed across the backstage area by WWE’s Cathy Kelley.

This humorous situation led to Lee’s name trending on X (formerly known as Twitter.) Some fans even compared it to a similar situation where Road Warrior Hawk accidentally appeared during a backstage interview and quickly realized his mistake. 

Keith Lee

In WWE NXT, Lee captured the NXT Championship and NXT North American Championship and is to date the only Superstar to hold both titles simultaneously. Lee had far worse luck on the main roster and after a strong debut, would miss months of programming due to COVID-19 and heart inflammation. He was released from WWE in November 2021. 

Lee joined AEW in March 2022 at that month’s Revolution pay-per-view and captured the AEW World Tag Team Championships with Swerve Strickland that July. Their reign was ended by The Acclaimed that September. A match between Lee and Strickland was scheduled to happen at AEW Worlds End in December 2023. Lee has been out of action since December 2023 and is currently recovering from double surgeries that he underwent in January 2024.

WWE WrestleMania Match Changed During 4/5 Go-Home SmackDown

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WrestleMania kicks off tomorrow, but it’s not too late to change the show of shows. This week’s SmackDown saw a big change for the LWO’s tag team match.

Dragon Lee was supposed to team with Rey Mysterio to take on Santos Escobar and Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 40. Then, this week’s show saw Dragon Lee get taken out with a backstage attack.

Andrade, who initially appeared to align with Dominik and Santos, turned on the heels to join the babyfaces. This was a big moment as it put Zelina Vega and Andrade on the same side once again.

It was later revealed that Dragon Lee will not be able to compete at WrestleMania 40. Since Lee was not medically cleared, Andrade agreed to take his place. Carlito entered the scene after that with the news that Dragon Lee couldn’t compete, but he was already too late to get in the match. Instead, Carlito told Andrade to take out Santos Escobar at WrestleMania 50.

Now, Andrade and Rey Mysterio will take on Santos Escobar and Dominik Mysterio at the showcase of the immortals. 

You can check out the WrestleMania 40 Card below

  • Night 1 Matches:
    1. Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch for the Women’s World Championship
    2. Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
    3. The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) vs. The Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) vs. A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller) vs. New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate) – Six-Pack Tag Team Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
    4. Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso
    5. Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, and Naomi vs. Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Asuka, and Kairi Sane)
    6. Latino World Order (Rey Mysterio and Andrade) vs. Santos Escobar and “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio
    7. The Bloodline (The Rock and Roman Reigns) vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth “Freakin” Rollins
  • Night 2 Matches:
    1. Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre for the World Heavyweight Championship
    2. Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley for the WWE Women’s Championship
    3. LA Knight vs. AJ Styles
    4. Logan Paul (c) vs. Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens – Triple threat match for the WWE United States Championship
    5. The Pride (Bobby Lashley, Angelo Dawkins, and Montez Ford) (with B-Fab) vs. The Final Testament (Karrion Kross, Akam, and Rezar) (with Scarlett and Paul Ellering) – Six-man Tag Team Philadelphia Street Fight
    6. Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship (Stipulation to be determined by the result of Night 1’s main event)

Bronson Reed Wins 10th Annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal On 4/5 WWE SmackDown

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WrestleMania 40 is a loaded show, so they held the annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the go-home SmackDown episode.

The 10th annual Andre the Giant Battle Royal was the first match on this week’s episode of SmackDown. The Wells Fargo Center was pumped to get things going. In the end, Bronson Reed won the big match to kick off WrestleMania weekend the right way from the big man from Australia.

Bronson Reed, Omos and Ricochet received special entrances, while all the other Superstars were in the ring already. Omos made his way to the ring last, and he had MVP with him.

Andrade, Ricochet, Chad Gable, Bronson Reed, Shinsuke Nakamura, Omos, Brutus Creed, Julius Creed, Ivar, Akira Tozawa, Otis, JD McDonagh, Apollo Crews, Veer, Sanga, Cameron Grimes, Kit Wilson, Elton Prince, Ashante Adonis, and Cedric Alexander were some of the participants in the match.

In the end, Bronson Reed and Ivar were the two final contestants. The two battled as fans chanted “meat.” Ivar missed a moonsault from the top rope, and then Reed nailed a rolling senton before clotheslining him over the top rope to secure the win.

Previous Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal Winners

Bronson Reed’s name now joins a list of former winners, some of them are future WWE Hall of Famers.

The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal winner list includes a few notable names. Sadly, the big win doesn’t always translate into a massive push. Past winners include: Cesaro, Big Show, Baron Corbin, Mojo Rawley, Matt Hardy, Braun Strowman, Jey Uso, Madcap Moss, and Bobby Lashley.

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