WWE Superstar Sami Zayn will be flexing his comedy muscles at the upcoming ‘Netflix is a Joke’ entertainment festival.
Taking to Twitter, Zayn said he is “so excited” to be part of the festival that’ll take place this May in Los Angeles. Zayn’s comedy show ‘Sami Zayn & Friends’ will take place on Saturday, May 11, at 7:30 pm local time in Avalon, Hollywood, CA.
??? So excited about this!
I will be doing a live comedy show as part of @NetflixIsAJoke Festival in LA.
Pre-Sale tickets will go on sale on Thursday, April 4, at 10 am PDT. General Sale tickets will go on sale on Friday, April 5, at 10 am PDT.
It’s hardly a surprise that Zayn is making moves in the world of comedy. The former WWE Intercontinental Champion has often been heralded for his humor which was on full display during his 2022 role as part of The Bloodline. Zayn was even able to make some members of the group ‘corpse,’ meaning they couldn’t help but laugh at what he was doing even when they were supposed to be serious.
Wrestling & Comedy
Zayn isn’t the only wrestler to try his hand in the world of comedy. For years, WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley has hosted stand-up comedy gigs both in the United States and overseas.
TNA Wrestling’s Nic Nemeth has also hosted stand-up comedy shows in the past and was previously in a relationship with Amy Schumer. Nemeth hosted a comedy show with his brother Ryan in November 2023, mere weeks after his WWE release.
Considered one of the best talkers in wrestling, it seemed inevitable that ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper would try his hand at stand-up comedy. The Hot Rod hosted sets after his in-ring career ended and his work was praised by comedians including Ari Shaffir of Comedy Central. He also was in a handful of episodes of the hit comedy series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Raw’s Move to Netflix
WWE Monday Night Raw will move to Netflix in January 2025 in a blockbuster move that’ll take the red brand off traditional broadcast television. The deal is even sweeter for fans outside of the U.S. who will see Raw, SmackDown, WWE NXT, and Premium Live Events all moved to the streaming giant.
During AEW Dynamite this week, Thunder Rosa defeated Mariah May. That means Rosa will now challenge Toni Storm for the AEW women’s championship at Dynasty.
Toni Storm was sitting at ringside during the match. She was a bit shocked by the conclusion, as Thunder Rosa came out on top. Rosa also had some choice words for Storm after the match was over. That match acted as the main event contest for the night
AEW Dynasty will go down on April 21 in Saint Louis. SEScoops will have full coverage of the pay-per-view event, and the events leading to the inaugural show.
The company did not add any more matches to the Dynasty pay-per-view during Dynamite this week. They did conclude the match with a contract signing between Swerve Strickland and Samoa Joe, one that ended in a bloody display as Joe busted Swerve open with a chain wrapped around his first.
In the end, Strickland signed the contract with his own blood after saying that Joe will need to do more than that to beat him at Dynasty.
The Young Bucks also beat The Best Friends to advance to the finals of the AEW Tag Team Title tournament. Then, Trend turned on Orange Cassidy before leaving.
AEW Dynasty Card (So Far)
Will Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson
The Young Bucks vs. TBD for the vacant AEW World Tag Team Championship
Julia Hart (c) vs. Willow Nightingale (with Stokely Hathaway): House Rules match for the AEW TBS Championship
Adam Copeland, Eddie Kingston, and Mark Briscoe vs. House of Black (Malakai Black, Brody King, and Buddy Matthews)
“Timeless” Toni Storm (c) (with Luther) vs. Thunder Rosa for the AEW Women’s World Championship
Samoa Joe (c) vs. Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana) for the AEW World Championship
Mercedes Mone caused a lot of noise when she arrived in AEW. Now, she has called her shot for a title match at Double or Nothing.
During AEW Dynamite this week, Renee Paquette invited Willow Nightingale out to talk about her TBS Title match at AEW Dynasty. She is very pumped about the match, but it didn’t take long for Mercedes Mone to show up.
Mercedes Mone said that she is calling her shot as the next challenger for the TBS Title at AEW Double or Nothing. It doesn’t seem like she cares who she faces, whether it is Julia Hart or Willow.
Mercedes Moné wants to challenge whoever walks out of #AEWDynasty with the #TBS Championship.
Willow Nightingale will take on Julia Hart at AEW Dynasty for the TBS Title. Mone will be paying close attention to that match and has already staked her claim to challenge the winner at Double or Nothing.
Mone has not been booked for a match at AEW Dynasty on April 21, so it looks like her first match will happen at the 6th annual DoN PPV.
AEW Double or Nothing 2024 takes place May 26 from at the iconic MGM Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, Nevada.
Mercedes Mone challenging for the TBS Championship is the first match confirmed for the event.
There are certain tangible milestones a WWE Superstar can hit like winning titles or winning an annual match like a Money in the Bank ladder match. There other accomplishments that are bit fuzzier—ones that not everyone keeps tabs on or that aren’t as easy to notice, but that nonetheless are noteworthy once someone draws attention to them.
Main eventing a PLE is one such milestone, and all the more so main eventing a Big Four event, given the longstanding tradition and name recognition around such shows as the Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, SummerSlam, or Survivor Series. Moreover, having a singles match at all at WrestleMania is a resume-worthy item, as opposed to getting lost in the shuffle of a battle royal, a ladder match with an six-man-plus field, or ten-person tag team bout.
Interestingly, there are those talents who were big enough names to main event a Big Four PLE while never getting a singles spotlight at WrestleMania.
Wade Barrett
Wade Barrett had a huge impact on WWE in 2010, leading The Nexus into a spotlight angle over the summer and still dominated much of Raw programming into the fall. Indeed Barrett was the front man for The Nexus’s seven-on-seven main event at SummerSlam 2010, including being the last man eliminated by no lesser opponent than John Cena. From there, Barrett had a one-on-one Big Four PLE main event at Survivor Series, where he challenged Randy Orton for the WWE Championship.
For all these successes—not to mention garnering multiple other pushes during his tenure—Barrett never got a singles match at WrestleMania. He came into WrestleMania 31 as the Intercontinental Championship but lost his title to Daniel Bryan in a seven-man ladder match. Otherwise, Barrett appeared as part of an eight-man tag team, leading The Corre into battle at WrestleMania 27. His closest call was probably at WrestleMania 29 where he had a singles match with The Miz, but was relegated to the pre-show.
Brian Lee
The name Brian Lee may not ring too many bells with WWE fans, but he had a very respectable career in major indie promotions in the 1990s, not to mention two noteworthy stints with WWE. Lee portrayed the character of Chainz—a part of Crush’s Disciples of Apocalypse faction during the Attitude Era. More important to his resume, though, he played a faux Undertaker, backed by Ted Dibiase to work a one-on-one SummerSlam main event against the real Undertaker in 1994.
The choice for Undertaker vs. Undertaker to main event over Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart in a steel cage world title match hasn’t aged very well. Nonetheless, the bout was a spectacle and marked an auspicious return for The Dead Man in an era when he was in the early stages of his WrestleMania undefeated streak. As for Lee, his only WrestleMania match would come at WrestleMania 15, quietly teaming with Bradshaw as one of fifteen tag teams in the opening battle royal.
Zeus
Zeus
Zeus had a brief, memorable run with WWE. He only worked three televised matches, but two out of three were PLE main events, and one of those PLEs was SummerSlam. At that show, the actor teamed with Randy Savage to oppose Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake.
Despite some accounts that Zeus was actually considered to headline WrestleMania 6 against Hogan, cooler heads prevailed and the character didn’t stick around past the promotion of the No Holds Barred movie. His last match was at the PLE by the same name, teaming with Savage again for one more losing effort against Hogan and Beefcake.
Ludvig Borga
WWE featured Ludvig Borga as a monster heel character in 1993, focusing on his Finnish background. Between his strong push and the emphasis on Lex Luger as the patriotic top babyface, the writing was on the wall that Luger would take the WWE Championship off Yokozuna, and Borga would be one of his top challengers in the months to follow.
Plans changed. Though Borga was the last heel standing for this team in the main event of Survivor Series 1993, that performance was less a sign of things to come than the beginning of the end. Luger’s momentum stalled out and he never was crowned champion in WWE. Meanwhile, Borga got injured in early 1994. That, combined with shifting creative and a purported bad attitude backstage meant he never did end up working a WrestleMania match.
R-Truth
(via WWE)
R-Truth has become an institution in WWE. Amidst his early tag team work, his upper mid-card babyface run, and his most recent stretch as a comedic character, he also had a noteworthy run as a paranoid heel opposite John Cena.
Truth actually main evented two Big Four PLEs as part of a seven-man team fighting The Nexus at SummerSlam 2010 and again in a tag team with The Miz against Cena and The Rock at Survivor Series 2011. Truth never really felt like a main event fixture, but for his length of tenure and the respect fans and peers have for him, it is a surprise that he never got a singles match at WrestleMania. To Truth’s credit, he has worked five ‘Mania matches to date, but they were two battle royals, a seven-man ladder match, and a twelve-man tag team bout. (Incidentally, he’s lined up for a twelve-man ladder match this year.) The match for which he drew the brightest spotlight saw him team with John Morrison to challenge ShoMiz for the tag titles at WrestleMania 26.
In the world of professional wrestling, one of the most meaningful ways to push a rising star is for him or her to defeat an established star. That’s especially true when the established star is a former world champion, or better yet a main event fixture.
On paper, beating John Cena should be huge for someone’s career. After all, Cena is a sixteen-time world champion, was the face of WWE for a decade-plus, and is one of those rare wrestlers to successfully crossover to Hollywood and arguably be even a bigger mainstream celebrity now than when he worked full time for WWE.
However, counterintuitively, beating Cena has actually not meant career progress for most of the men who’ve pinned him on TV within the past five years.
Solo Sikoa Has Taken A Backseat Since Decimating John Cena
In the build to Crown Jewel 2023, one point of drama was John Cena emphasizing he hadn’t won a singles match in years. Many fans took this storytelling as a sign Cena was going to get a big win again, but that wasn’t in the cards.
Solo Sikoa didn’t only defeat Cena. In repeatedly bludgeoning Cena with the Samoan Spike, Sikoa positively decimated the former champ, leaving him unable to defend himself in the ring. The youngest member of The Bloodline had already existed in the main event orbit. Many fans read this particular victory as a sign he was in line for a major push, perhaps replacing Roman Reigns as a top heel or turning face to challenge his cousin.
Instead, Sikoa has stalled out. Rather than the Cena match being a launching pad, there’s a subtle truth that that was actually Sikoa’s first ever WWE PLE singles match and his last to date. While he has remained featured as a top sidekick to The Tribal Chief and a proxy for him on house shows, Sikoa hasn’t seen his own career advance nearly a full half-year off the biggest win of his career.
Austin Theory Is In A Weaker Position Than He Was A Year Ago
It’s one thing to beat John Cena one-on-one in a televised match. It’s another to do it at WrestleMania.
Austin Theory accomplished that unlikely feat at WrestleMania 39, pinning Cena in a win that wasn’t entirely clean, but also wasn’t that dirty. This wasn’t a victory that pushed Theory to the main event. Though he’s flirted with that picture here and there, most of that was before the Cena match. Theory wasn’t getting established as a dominant secondary champ the way Gunther has been either. Theory dropped the United States Championship four months later after a largely uneventful remainder of his reign.
One year later, Theory barely earned his way into a twelve-man ladder match with his better-featured tag team partner Grayson Waller. Theory is still only in his mid-20s, so there’s plenty of time for him rise up. Nonetheless, Theory remains at this point the only man to have defeated Cena at WrestleMania who was not a world champion before, after, or at that time.
Bray Wyatt’s Career Trajectory Can’t Be Fairly Assessed Due To Tragedy
Bray Wyatt holds perhaps the most unusual victory over John Cena in having defeated him in a Firefly Fun House Match at WrestleMania 36 (after enjoying some success against Cena in their earlier feud as well).
To be fair, Wyatt did enjoy some successes after his last victory over Cena, including winning a world title. However, it’s worth acknowledging that that third world title reign was the shortest of Wyatt’s career, only lasting one week.
The following WrestleMania would be the last one at which Wyatt worked a match—losing a confusing, disappointing bout to Randy Orton. Wyatt would be on and off television for the year to follow between health and creative issues, including winding up released from the company for a period of months. Finally, after missing significant TV time, the wrestling world was shocked to learn of Wyatt’s passing.
It would be silly to associate winning a match over Cena with the real-life tragedy of losing a human being—let alone such a creative artist and a father. Nonetheless, it stands that Wyatt was on the list of men who didn’t enjoy appreciable career growth from beating the sixteen-time world champion.
Roman Reigns Is The Exception That Proves The Rule
The only man to defeat John Cena in a one-on-one televised match in the last five years and prosper was Roman Reigns. Indeed, Reigns beating Cena at SummerSlam 2021 made a statement as it cemented that WWE meant to go the distance with his title reign, and that Reigns had firmly supplanted Cena as “the guy” in WWE.
Every rule has its exception, but all the more so, one might argue that beating Cena wasn’t all that monumental to The Tribal Chief’s success. Beating Cena was undoubtedly the biggest win of Austin Theory’s career and the same is true for Solo Sikoa. The Firefly Fun House match, so uniquely tailored to Bray Wyatt’s character, could be perceived as the biggest win of his run.
For Reigns, there’s a very reasonable case that the visual of him pinning Edge and Daniel Bryan at the same time at WrestleMania 37, pinning Drew McIntyre in front of a UK stadium crowd, successfully defending against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 39, or any of the times he survived Brock Lesnar were the highlights of this title reign, let alone of his career. As such, The Head of the Table may have withstood the curse of beating John Cena if only because the win wasn’t such a big deal for him in the first place.
Like most patterns in wrestling, the curse of beating John Cena probably doesn’t mean much. Nonetheless, it’s an interesting anomaly to track, and fans will have to wait and see if it continues or something shifts the next time Cena’s back in the WWE mix.
Mercedes Mone has found her new home in AEW and she has disclosed the behind-the-scenes talks leading up to her debut for the promotion at Big Business. The ‘CEO’ tells James Stewart of Stick to Wrestlingthat Tony Khan initially reached out to her about becoming ‘All Elite.’
Mone says they’ve been negotiating for a while, but she wasn’t ready to sign on just yet. She wanted to see what TK was cooking for the Women’s division before getting on board.
“When he called me the first time, I’m like, ‘I’ll think about it TK. We gotta build this relationship. You know, let me keep on watching. Let me keep on seeing this women’s division.’”
The former WWE and IWGP Women’s’ champion is excited to mix it up with AEW’s top stars and has “so many beautiful things in the works.”
“I kept on watching the women’s division and my dreams just became so much bigger and brighter and I knew instantly I wanted AEW to be my home.”
Mercedes Mone is one of the most prominent free agent signings in recent memory and AEW President Tony Khan even spoke highly of Mone and labeled her as a possible face of the company.
She made her long awaited debut on the 3/13 ‘Big Business’ edition of AEW Dynamite. She’s already put former opponent Willow Nightingale on notice ultimate goal and has stated her desire to go after ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm’s AEW Women’s World Championship.
Most fans are excited to see Mercedes Mone back on television, but her close friend Bayley says the move is ‘bitter sweet’:
The Rock is one of the biggest celebrities on the planet, and his name is synonymous with blockbuster moves at this point. So, his addition to the WWE World event captured big time attention.
The Rock will be at WWE World this Thursday at 4:00pm. Odds are, there will be a ton of fans there to see The Final Boss to kick off their WrestleMania weekend.
BREAKING NEWS: The Final Boss @TheRock will be appearing at WWE World this Thursday at 4:00pm.
The Rock doesn’t do many public appearances, especially at fan conventions. This is a rarity for Dwayne Johnson, but he will be on hand at WWE World to cap off his road to WrestleMania with Fanatic’s first-ever WWE event.
What is WWE World
WWE World promises to offer fans several immersive experiences during the event.
These include a central main stage hosting roundtable discussions with top WWE Superstars, a WWE 2K24 gaming tournament, live podcast recordings, memorabilia and autograph sales through Fanatics Live, and the largest WWE Superstore in WrestleMania history.
Additionally, attendees can enjoy meet-and-greets with WWE Superstars and Legends, along with exhibits and memorabilia honoring WrestleMania’s 40-year history.
You may visit the WWE World site for more information. This will certainly be an event that will never be forgotten by those fans who are able to make it.
Ronda Rousey’s days as a WWE Superstar are over, but she’s making lots of news talking about her experiences with the company. Rousey has been ‘naming names’ of men in WWE who she feels helped perpetuate a dysfunctional work environment.
During an appearance on News Nation to promote her new book, Rousey said she was shocked when WWE trainer walked by her at the Performance Center and pulled on the string of her sweatpants.
“But this guy grabs the string of my sweatpants and nobody else reacts as if this is abnormal and he starts going down the hall and I was like, ‘What the f*** was that?’ Why are you grabbing the string of my sweatpants? If my husband was standing here next to me would you feel comfortable like walking up to me and grabbing the string of my sweatpants?
“If this guy is coming up to me and doing this kind of stuff to me when there’s other people around like what’s happening to these other girls when it’s not in a hallway.”
Rousey came to the realization that this was in fact Gulak and she did approach him later on about the alleged incident.
“I went and confronted him later and I was like, ‘If I ever hear about you putting your hands on any other woman like this, or doing anything liek this to me ever again … we’re gonna have a problem. And he was like, ‘No, no, no, I’m glad you said something to me.’ He really like back-pedaled.”
Rousey said that the situation really put a bad taste in her mouth about how the mentality was backstage at WWE.
Drew Gulak Calls it a “Complete Accident”
After Rousey’s allegation made the airwaves, Gulak took to social media to state his side of the story, claiming that the pulling of her sweatpants string was a missed handshake.
“Backstage at a WWE event in 2022, I saw Ronda talking with a group in the hallway. I stopped to say hi and shake all their hands, and in an attempt to shake her hand, I accidentally touched her drawstring. Complete accident, and one that I had apologized to her for the mishap.”
Rousey has accused several WWE executives of inappropriate conduct in recent months, including Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard.
In a stunning development, the former UFC & WWE champion says she was not surprised by any of the horrific allegations laid out by Janel Grant in her lawsuit against WWE, McMahon and others. She’s convinced that other women in the company feel the same way she does, but they’re being “held hostage” and do not speak up because they fear repercussions l.
Could Cody Rhodes have finished his story back in AEW? ‘The American Nightmare’ cleared the air as to if there were any inkling of him going back to AEW before he signed a new contract with WWE.
Joining Ariel Helwani this week on the MMA Hour, Cody Rhodes was asked several questions about his old company AEW before getting into the WrestleMania talk. One of the follows had Helwani asking him if he gave any consideration of going back to AEW while in talks for a new contract with WWE.
“No and it’s not in any way a negative towards them. I know I didn’t win the title at WrestleMania 39, but I was in the spot I always dreamed of, and I know how lucky I am to be in this spot.”
Rhodes said when he sees poster along him amongst all the major stars, plus being on the WWE 2K24 cover was all very validating.
“They didn’t hand me the exact ball and said, ‘Hey, you’re the quarterback,’ but they certainly gave me a lot of responsibility, that being Nick, that being Hunter, I feel that would have been against my being because I was slotted there.”
Rhodes said he thinks he’d be doing a disservice to Khan and Triple H if he were to go against that trust they put on him. He reiterated that isn’t a slight against any other company, that was just his mindset.
Please credit the MMA Hour and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.
Cody Rhodes loved his time in AEW and views his old boss a little differently than CM Punk.
Ariel Helwani played host to CM Punk earlier in the week where Punk mentioned to him that he thinks Tony Khan is a nice guy, but not a boss. Rhodes happened to be Helwani’s guest on Wednesday’s edition of the MMA Hour and asked ‘The American Nightmare’ if he felt the same way.
“That’s his assessment. It is not my assessment. It is always important for me to remind people that I am so proud of what me Matt, Nick, Kenny, Tony, Bernie [Cahill], Brandi, and Dana, and Chris [Harrington], and I name all these people, because I was in those meetings. As much as the Internet will try to spin a narrative one way, if one of those people had not been at that start-up level, the company would not have happened. And I am so proud of what was created. I am so insanely proud of what it does for the industry overall.”
Rhodes says he has an unbelievable love for so many people there. Rhodes reiterated that it was a start-up company and he wishes AEW nothing but the best as it goes forward.
Cody Rhodes Believes The Tension In AEW Was A Misunderstanding
Helwani then followed up by asking if Cody Rhodes can envision Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks getting abrasive with an outsider and established star like CM Punk.
“I just think what happened there was a ton of misunderstanding, a ton of miscommunication, you will see on indies and wrestlers that aren’t properly trained and I’m not talking about bullying etiquette or anything like that, but you do need to have a little ‘old school’ in you to know the collaborativeness of what this is, and I just think they were ships in the night. I know I was Switzerland the last time you asked me, I love Matt, Nick and Kenny and I love CM Punk. I don’t know how, but I do. I’m just happy for everyone involved.”
Several times since leaving AEW, Rhodes has tipped the cap to his former AEW EVPs and they’ve done the same in exchange.
Hold onto your hats and expect 2024 to be the year of the Venus! STARDOM’s Mina Shirakawa electrifies & entertains every audience she performs in front of. After a remarkable 2023 that included a run with the Wonder of STARDOM Championship and leading her own international faction, Shirakawa has made it known that this year she plans to take the entire wrestling world by storm.
On the night of AEW’s Big Business, Shirakawa made a surprise appearance at Ring of Honor tapings to face Anna Jay. Coincidentally she was joined by new STARDOM President, Taro Okada as a new AEW/STARDOM working relationship seemingly became official.
One-third of the current Artist of STARDOM Champions, Mina Shirakawa has a busy next two weeks lined up in America with confirmed appearances at STARDOM American Dream & ROH Supercard of Honor on April 5, Spark Joshi Puro Trailblaze on April 7, and NJPW Windy City Riot on April 12 so far.
I caught up with Mina to chat about her upcoming bookings in America, recent leadership changes in STARDOM, forming Empress Nexus Venus with World of STARDOM champion Maika, and more. Here’s the recap:
Q: You recently made your Ring of Honor debut in Boston facing AEW’s Anna Jay. What was that experience like for you? You seemed to take a liking to Anna Jay. Do you see a potential future where we could see Anna Jay in STARDOM and maybe even EXV?
A: It was a great experience! The moment my entrance music came on and I appeared, the crowd went wild. I heard the [audience yelling] ooo!
It was the best moment. I felt that my name had reached the world. The audience was also excited over my various signature leg attack moves. I was happy to feel that I had not made a mistake in my wrestling.
Anna Jay was tall, glamorous, and beautiful. I tried my best to make myself look big, so I wouldn’t be overpowered by her in the ring. I’m glad I won. It’s also very interesting that her special move is the sleeper hold. It looks like we could do some classical wrestling. EXV is an international unit, and honestly, I wish Anna Jay could join us!
Q: Currently, you’ve been announced for a U.S tour that includes STARDOM American Dream on April 4, Spark Joshi Puro Trailblaze on April 7, and NJPW Windy City Riot on April 12. With the recent partnership between STARDOM and AEW/ROH becoming official, are there any women on the AEW/ROH roster that you’d like to face while you’re in the United States? Would a Rose Gold reunion with your former tag team partner, Mariah May be something you’re interested in?
A: I would love to wrestle Mercedes Moné. We have known each other for 5 years and – believe it or not – we go out to eat and hang out. But… I have never wrestled her. It didn’t happen in a STARDOM ring. So, it’s my dream to wrestle her.
I also want to wrestle SARAYA, Athena, and [Willow] Nightingale! And I’d love to tag team with Mariah again because we were tag team champions together in Japan. I love Mariah… So, I think I need to wrestle Toni Storm, [to learn who] loves Mariah more.
Q: Recently there have been a lot of management and roster changes in STARDOM amidst the exits of Rossy Ogawa and top stars like Utami Hayashishita & Giulia. As the company enters a new era, what are your goals in STARDOM as a leader & as a performer?
A: My goal is to become IWGP Women’s Champion. The name of “IWGP” is very world famous. I want to be a bridge between Japanese rings and international rings. That is why I need this belt. EXV becomes the central unit of STARDOM! We are the best.
Q: At the end of 2023, you and World of STARDOM champion Maika came together to form the superpower faction Empress Nexus Venus (EXV). Going from Club Venus to EXV, what has the transition been like and what do you enjoy most about leading with Maika?
A: By last summer, I had heard many rumors. So I knew that a major change would take place in STARDOM. I really didn’t want to finish Club Venus, but I also had to make a big decision.
DDM was gone, and Maika was alone. I was very lonely then too – it was difficult to obtain more visas for our foreign members of Club Venus,…When I thought about what I should do in the coming turbulent times at STARDOM, I decided that the best thing to do was to start a new unit with Maika from zero.
Q: On social media, you’ve been regularly posting the hashtag #WeWantMina which seems to be a nod towards the international world tour you’ve been embarking on in 2024 and winning the hearts of fans everywhere you go. From Japan to the United States to Thailand to beyond, what type of impact are you looking to make on wrestling worldwide this year?
A: For me, Japanese and overseas fans are equally important. I want my overseas fans to enjoy my social media, so I try to post in English. This year, I would like to visit various states in the United States. It’s also my goal to do microphone performance in the US squared circle.
Q: Years ago, you appeared at a NJPW press conference as a valet for Yujiro Takahashi and fast forward to February 2024, you competed for the IWGP Womens Championship on the main card of NJPW New Beginning in Sapporo. What has the journey been like for you to become one of the best women’s wrestlers in the world today despite being underestimated for so long?
A: Amazing! You know it well! Before becoming a pro-wrestler, I was a gravure idol (like a bikini model). I was a big fan of pro-wrestling, so I was happy to have a job where I could help promote the pro-wrestling world. That’s why I participated in the New Japan Pro-Wrestling press conference with Yujiro-san.
A few years later I became a pro-wrestler. At first, no one expected me to do well. I had no particular sports experience, and because of my background as a gravure idol, they made fun of me. I was very frustrated by my doubters, and told myself that I would definitely keep receipts, and use that to fuel my fire. I thought about wrestling more than anyone else and devoted all my time to it. Depending on your willpower, you can become anything, or change your future.
Q: During your time in STARDOM you have held the Future of STARDOM, Artist of STARDOM, Wonder of STARDOM, and Goddess of STARDOM Championships. Are there any championships inside and outside of STARDOM that you have your eye on this year?
A: I held the BBW women’s title in Best Body Japan Pro-Wrestling (where I debuted as a pro wrestler). This year, my goal is to become more famous worldwide, and to become IWGP champion.
Follow Mina Shirakawa on social media at @MinaShirakawa.
Steve Austin still holds one of his WrestleMania matches in the highest regard, and it didn’t happen to have the WWE Title at stake. During an interview with Justin Barrasso, Stone Cold named his classic match against Bret Hart from WrestleMania 13 as an all-time favorite.
“If it wasn’t for Bret Hart, I don’t know that I would be having this interview right now,” said Austin. “My feud with Bret changed everything.”
Two years ago, Hart claimed that him and Austin clashing at WrestleMania 13 were like “two asteroids hitting at the right time.”
“The match with Steve, that’s the greatest song I ever sang. When I watch it back, I wouldn’t change a thing. I still love seeing that spot where I’m punching the daylights out of Steve in the corner and he kicks me in the groin. It was a beautiful, violent piece of art. Working with Steve was easy, it was fun, and it was memorable.”
Austin talked about how he and Hart delivered on arguably the greatest double-turn ever executed in pro wrestling and that was due in great part to what both men did in the ring that evening.
Stone Cold & The Hitman
After 19 years, Austin finally returned to in-ring action at WrestleMania 38 in Los Angeles. He faced Kevin Owens and came out victorious. Steve has some fond memories of that, but it still won’t shake off his number one with Bret.
‘I have a lot of fond memories of WrestleMania, but whenever I have to pick one, it’s always going to WrestleMania 13 with Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart.”
Chelsea Green is instantly recognizable to WWE fans all over the world, but the staff at a New York hotel mistook her for an ‘unwelcome guest’ earlier this week.
The former Women’s Tag Team Champion was in Brooklyn for Monday’s WWE Raw from the Barclays Center, which set several business records including the highest-grossing live gate in the show’s 20+ year history. The following night, things were less-than-celebratory.
She shared her ‘Pretty Woman’ moment with her followers on social media and is keeping a good attitude about the misunderstanding:
Man… one night you’re wrestling at Barclays Center, having the time of your life and the next you’re being kicked out of @FairmontHotels and accused of being an escort because of your outfit??? Life is funny! Maybe next year I won’t celebrate Wrestlemania weekend at The Plaza… pic.twitter.com/U2oDSOfMj7
Green has been one of the most entertaining personalities on the WWE roster since her return to the company in January 2023 . She was part of a wave of Superstars who were released the prior year, but were brought back after Triple H assumed greater influence amid Vince McMahon’s departure.
Green is not currently scheduled to compete at WrestleMania this weekend, but she’s proven to be a bankable act for WWE and should be featured prominently again when the company ‘reshuffles the deck’ after the biggest weekend of the year.
Two Superstars have taken one step closer to being crowned the first-ever WWE Speed Champion with the launch of the new venture on Twitter/X.
The very first match in the history of WWE Speed was fittingly between two of the promotion’s fastest Superstars: Ricochet and the LWO’s Dragon Lee. The match was understandably action-packed. With just three seconds left on the clock, Ricochet got the pin-fall victory after hitting the Recoil.
The second-ever WWE Speed match saw a battle of styles as the colossal ‘Big’ Bronson Reed faced the athletic Cedric Alexander. Reed advanced to the next round of the tournament with 1:09 remaining on the clock.
WWE Speed is a new limited social media series, with original matches premiering exclusively on X. A tournament has been set up with Superstars competing in three-minute matches to advance. The winner will be awarded the prestigious and coveted WWE Speed Championship:
WWE has dabbled in the world of social media-exclusive matches in the past. The company hosted two seasons of Mixed Match Challenge in 2018, won by Team Awe-ska (The Miz & Asuka) and The Fabulous Truth (Carmella and R-Truth.)
WWE Speed matches were first filmed at the December 15, 2023, episode of WWE SmackDown. While Corey Graves and Kevin Patrick recorded commentary at the time, only Graves could be heard during these matches as Patrick was released from WWE in January 2024.
Due to the matches recorded in December, we can confirm that Axiom’s tag-team partner Nathan Frazer is also going to be a part of WWE Speed.
The next WWE Speed match will take place next week and see The Judgment Day’s JD McDonagh take on WWE NXT’s Axiom.
Leati Joe Anoa’I would have never become the dominant Roman Reigns in WWE had his football career not come to a premature end, the Tribal Chief has claimed.
Years before he entered the ring, Reigns played football and made it to both the NFL and the CFL (Canadian Football League.) Speaking to ESPN, Reigns admitted that had his football career not ended, he doesn’t believe he would have tried for pro wrestling. Reigns added that he wanted to be an athlete fans could look up to just as he had looked up to others.
“I wanted to have an impact on young men. I wanted to be the way Emmitt Smith and Michael Jordan and Joe Montana and the stars of when I was a child, the way they made me feel. I wanted to make other young athletes feel that way.
“But no matter what, it was either you’re going to be a wrestler, or you’re going to be a football player.”
Roman Reigns in Football
Reigns played for Pensacola Catholic High School and later at Escambia High School. He would go on to play for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team. In 2007, he was signed to the Minnesota Vikings but was diagnosed with leukemia and swiftly released.
After the Vikings, Reigns signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars but was released less than a week into his deal. In 2008, he played for the Edmonton Eskimos in the CFL and played a handful of games before his release in November 2009. He proceeded to retire from professional football.
The Bloodline & Football
Reigns is hardly the only member of his family to have stepped foot on the gridiron. The Rock played college football for the University of Miami Hurricanes and later played for the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders. He was cut from the team two months into the 1995 season.
Like Reigns, Jimmy and Jey Uso played football at Escambia High School in Pensacola before becoming linebackers for the University of West Alabama. Jimmy played for the 2003 season while Jey played from 2003 to 2005.
The Rock is making waves all over the pro wrestling world. He’s even doing enough that it can drive someone like MJF, who’s been mostly silent during his hiatus, out of his social media dormancy.
WrestleMania 40 will see The Rock and Roman Reigns team up to face Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. In the build to that big match, Dwayne Johnson made The American Nightmare bleed, and that moment inspired some art.
MJF’s ex is a very talented artist, and she drew the attention of The Rock. Now, MJF is speaking up about the situation, and he’s not ecstatic about the idea of The Great One hitting up his ex on social media, especially after The Rock jacked his idea to whip Cody Rhodes.
The Rock and MJF cross paths
The Rock is back, and he’s the ultimate heel as well. It appears that he might also be after MJF’s ex-girlfriend. This led to an experience on Twitter/X that we didn’t see coming.
MJF’s ex-fiancée, Naomi Rosenblum, is a pretty impressive artist. Her paintings have gone viral a few times, and a recent photo caught The Rock’s attention. She did a new work of art in the likeness of The Rock holding Cody Rhodes’ bloody face to the camera.
Rhodes and MJF’s history is well-known, so fans certainly noticed this interesting connection between The Rock and the former AEW World Champion.
The Rock replied to Rosenblum, complimented her artistic abilities and offered to purchase it as a gift for a ‘special’ mom he knows.
Love this. What an artistic convergence of emotions ???? I’d like to buy this from you, my team will be in touch. I know a special mom who I’m going to gift this to…. #MamaRhodes – Final Boss https://t.co/eSA5tyamgl
MJF wasted no time in replying to this tweet from the People’s Champion. He accused The Rock of stealing his “glorious idea” to whip Cody Rhodes with a belt He respects final Boss, but asked for him to back off.
Friedman is currently in a relationship with wrestling personality Alicia Atout. They recently celebrated one year together.
MJF is no longer listed as a member of the AEW roster on the company website, but he’s still under contract. Friedman was working through multiple injuries prior to losing the AEW World Championship to Samoa Joe at AEW Worlds End in December 2023.
The culture within WWE has received a big spotlight on it in recent memory. Although things like removing Vince McMahon from his position of power may have helped things, there was allegedly a culture infested in concerning workplace behavior.
Ronda Rousey revealed details about her WWE experience, including an incident with Drew Gulak where he allegedly inappropriately pulled the strings of her sweatpants backstage, prompting her to question the normalization of such behavior within the industry.
Rousey’s Accusations About Drew Gulak
Ronda Rousey spoke with NewsNation about her time in WWE. The former WWE Women’s Champion revealed details regarding an incident that allegedly occurred backstage involving Drew Gulak.
She detailed how Gulak inappropriately reached down to her sweatpants and pulled on her strings. Rousey’s account shed light on an uncomfortable encounter within the wrestling industry.
“This guy that I’m barely acquaintances with grabs the strings of my sweatpants while I’m walking by, and like, nobody, I wasn’t even looking at him, you know, I don’t know if I can swear on here, it’s a quote, but this guy grabs the strings of my sweatpants and nobody acts like this is abnormal, and he comes around, and I’m like, ‘what the f*ck was that?'”
“Like, why would you grab on the string of my sweatpants, like, if my husband was here, would you feel comfortable grabbing the sting of my sweatpants, but nobody around me acted like it was abnormal. I’m like, if this guy is coming up to me, and doing this to me, then what’s happening to these other girls when nobody’s around when it’s not in a hallway? So, that really put me on edge to like not only is this behavior prevalent, but it’s prevalent to the point where nobody thinks it’s a problem anymore.”
When asked who the wrestler was, Rousey drew a blank, but then she remembered it was Drew Gulak. Interestingly enough, they had the graphic of Gulak ready to go.
Drew Gulak has responded to the accusations against him. He recounted the event as a complete accident, and he claims he never meant to touch the string on her sweatpants.
Backstage at a WWE event in 2022, I saw Ronda talking with a group in the hallway. I stopped to say hi and shake all their hands, and in an attempt to shake her hand, I accidentally touched her drawstring. Complete accident, and one that I had apologized to her for the mishap.
Vince McMahon was accused of numerous heinous acts in the lawsuit from Janel Grant. He resigned from the company shortly after Slim Jim pulled their sponsorship for the 2024 Royal Rumble event. The company returned to sponsor The Rumble after Vince resigned.
As of this writing, Drew Gulak has not responded to Rousey’s accusations. We will keep our eye on this story for additional updates. Keep checking back with SEScoops throughout the day for more headlines!
Becky Lynch is happy to see Mercedes Mone doing her thing and having a good time in All Elite Wrestling. There’s no hard feelings over the former Sasha Banks jumping to AEW. In fact, Lynch says we could see them back in the ring together one day. She didn’t specify if that would take place in WWE or elsewhere.
Lynch is doing the media rounds this week to promote her championship match against Rhea Ripley this weekend at WrestleMania 40. During a chat with Shakiel Mahjouri for Shak Wrestling, she expressed excitement for her former rival.
“Good for her,” Lynch said of Mone in AEW. “Go on, do your thing and have a good time over there.”
She added, “Maybe one day, we’ll meet back in the ring.”
Lynch and Mone have a fair share of history as they led the famous Women’s Revolution in WWE. They’ve faced each other in handful of matches, most prominently a Hell in A Cell match for the Raw Women’s title back in 2019.
Sasha Banks left WWE in 2022. She reinvented herself as Mercedes Mone, achieved success wrestling in Japan before her recent arrival in AEW.
Lynch’s Future
Becky Lynch’s star has steadily risen over the past several years. She’s cemented herself as one of the top sports entertainers in the world, which puts her in a great position for when her WWE contract expires in the next few months. She could test the waters of free agency.
WWE has been her home, but Tony Khan has shown he’s more than willing to shell out huge money to lure stars like Adam Copeland, Mercedes Mone and Kazuchika Okada to AEW. They’re all making millions working a schedule that requires far less time on the road than WWE requires.
Becky Lynch has “done it all” in WWE, but she will soon have a chance to explore other options.
Welcome the Daily Drop, your daily roundup of wrestling news and rumors for Wednesday, April 3. It’s WRESTLEMANIA WEEK, so that means we are ONE DAY CLOSER to the show of shows. This is going to be a historic week, but we have to get through today first.
– CONCUSSION SCARE: Joe Gacy had a concussion scare during NXT last night, and we’re hoping he’s okay. Wishing him the best as he recovers.
– WWE RAW Go-Home Viewership: Despite heavy college basketball competition, Brandon Thurston of WrestleNomics reported that the episode garnered an average of 1.784 million viewers on the USA Network, an increase from the 1,729,000 viewers of the previous week. In the 18-49 demographic, the average rating was 0.59, showing a rise from the 0.57 rating of the previous week.
– AEW Release Tracker: Tony Khan’s company has seen a few notable exits already in 2024. Since the list is growing, we combined them into a tracker for you, just so we don’t forget any names.
– AEW Double or Nothing Tickets: According to WrestleTix, the ticket sales data for AEW Double or Nothing is promising. After tickets were made available to the general public last week, sales reached 4,905 tickets sold, leaving 2,005 still available in the current setup of 6,910 seats.
AEW Dynamite Card (4/3):
Final Four Elimination Match: Bryan Keith vs. Daniel Garcia vs. Komander vs. Action Andretti
AEW International Championship Eliminator: Roderick Strong vs. London Lightning
Trish Adora vs. Serena Deeb
Malakai Black vs. London Lighting
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.
This AEW Releases & Departures tracker will be updated throughout the year as details are made public.
January 2024
Andrade El Idolo
At the Worlds End Media Scrum, Tony Khan disclosed that El Idolo’s contract ended on January 1st and his match against Miro marked his final appearance with the promotion. On New Year’s Day, El Idolo was taken off the promotion’s roster page, confirming his departure.
March 2024
Mike Santana
Santana’s last appearance on AEW programming was in October when he defeated his former tag partner Ortiz in a No DQ match on Rampage. His departure was confirmed when he was taken off the AEW roster page. Santana and Ortiz debuted for AEW at All Out in 2019 and were part of Chris Jericho’s Inner Circle faction until it disbanded in March 2022. Since then, Santana has been wrestling on the independent circuit.
Kevin Kelly
Kelly was fired by AEW after a public rant related to internal politics concerning his support of a popular film that Hollywood scorned and ignored. In response, Kelly attributed his absence from commentary to “libelous remarks” made by fellow AEW and ROH commentator Ian Riccaboni.
April 2024
The Boys
Primarily recognized as Dalton Castle’s valets, they also appeared on Dark, ROH, and Collision. The brothers, alongside Dalton Castle, held the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship twice. They were released on April 1, along with many other stars.
Dasha Gonzolaz
Dasha Gonzalez became All Elite in 2019, taking on various roles such as ring announcer, interviewer, commentator, and co-host. Additionally, she briefly participated in a tag team match during the AEW Women’s Tag Team Tournament in 2020. Formerly known as Dasha Fuentes in WWE, her release came as a surprise, especially since she was serving as the ring announcer for AEW Collision at the time of her termination.
Jose The Assistant
He joined the promotion in 2021, taking on the role of manager for Andrade El Ídolo and La Facción Ingobernable, which included Rush, Dralístico, and Preston Vance. He was also part of the April 1 releases.
Jora Johl
Joining AEW in 2021, he made multiple appearances on Dark and Dark: Elevation. His final match for the promotion was in ROH in July 2023 before he was released on April 1, 2024.
Anthony Henry
Henry was part of the mass release on April 1. He made his debut in September 2021 on AEW Dark, gaining recognition primarily for his collaboration with JD Drake as The WorkHorsemen. He was also part of the April 1 releases.
Gravity
Gravity made his debut in January 2023 on AEW Dark and later appeared on Dynamite and Collision, where he faced opponents such as PAC and Samoa Joe. Despite showing promise and gaining fan support, he was released on April 1.
Stu Grayson
Grayson initially departed from AEW in 2022 when his contract expired but returned the following year. During his comeback, he predominantly wrestled in ROH while maintaining a regular presence on the independent circuit. Grayson’s name was part of the mass releases on April 1.
Parker Boudreaux
Bordeaux joined AEW in July 2022 following a short tenure in WWE under the name Harland, and he also had a stint in MLW. His AEW debut took place on AEW Dark and Dark: Elevation, where he teamed up with Ari Daivari and Slim J as part of The Trustbusters stable. Later, he aligned himself with Swerve Strickland in the Mogul Affiliates stable. He has appeared for AAA in recent memory, even just before his AEW release on April 1.
Slim J
Slim J made his debut in July 2022 and joined The Trustbusters faction. He had regular appearances on AEW Dark and Dark: Elevation, in addition to performing in ROH. He was also part of the April 1 releases.
Matt Hardy
Fightful Select reported that Matt Hardy became a free agent. His contract with AEW was set to expire in March. However, his deal was not extended as some expected, and his deal ran out.
May
Ethan Page
Page, who was previously a regular on ROH TV, had not appeared on the show in recent months. He had increased his activities in independent wrestling and resumed promoting his Alpha-1 Wrestling events. His removal from the AEW roster page was officially noted on May 2, and his exit was confirmed after that. Page had expressed a desire to leave AEW as early as February. He was initially slated for a feud over the ROH TV Title with Kyle Fletcher, but it was postponed due to Fletcher’s visa issues. Update: Page made his WWE NXT debut on May 28, so he didn’t waste much time in his next career move.
Mark Henry
The WWE Hall of Famer confirmed his exit on Busted Open Radio. He decided to leave AEW in order to focus on his own brand and website, which he is trying to build on his own.
Arn Anderson
The Enforcer announced on The ARN Show that his AEW contract is expiring on May 31, and he will be leaving the company. He expressed gratitude for Tony Khan, acknowledging his significant impact on the wrestling industry by providing talent with new opportunities. Anderson stated that he plans to spend his remaining years in wrestling helping his son Brock Anderson, who is no longer with AEW, develop into a star.
Jake Hager
It was reported on May 28 that Hager decided not to sign a new contract with the company. He is now a free agent, but his exit was said to be a mutual decision.
Paige VanZant
Paige VanZant is no longer with All Elite Wrestling. The former UFC fighter began appearing for AEW in September 2021, alongside Dan Lambert and American Top Team, and signed with the company in March 2022. She made her in-ring debut at AEW Double or Nothing 2022 but has not appeared since, due to three broken bones in her foot. Despite Tony Khan’s openness to her return, VanZant decided not to continue wrestling. It was reported in April that VanZant didn’t want to be a pro wrestler, as she opted to cash in on her OnlyFans instead. AEW officially removed her from their website in June 2024.
Joe Gacy got rocked during his match against Oba Femi on this week’s 4/2 episode of NXT. WWE officials checked him out for a concussion, a serious injury that would have put him out of action and affected plans for Saturday’s NXT Stand and Deliver premium live event.
Femi dominated the match, which ended awkwardly after he delivered a slam that saw Gacy’s head bounce off the mat. The referee intervened and called off the match after determining Gacy was unable to continue.
The official threw up the ‘X’ sign to request immediate medical attention for a potential injury. According to Fightful Select, there was legitimate concern that Gacy may have suffered a concussion. He was able to leave the ringside area on his feet and is still scheduled to compete this weekend.
WWE has extensive concussion protocols and Gacy will likely be undergoing further medical evaluation int he days ahead.
Gacy Injury Scare Leads to Changes
WWE intended to announce Gacy vs. Shawn Spears for Stand and Deliver after the Gacy vs. Femi, but changed course due to the unexcited finish. Later in the show, Gacy approached NXT General Manager Ava and demanded a match with Spears, which was granted.
This backstage segment was reportedly rushed and another planned segment involving Femi, Dijak and Josh Briggs was scrapped entirely. These three will battle for Femi’s NXT North American championship on Saturday.
NXT Stand & Deliver 2024 takes place this Saturday, April 6 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA, mere hours before WrestleMania Saturday kicks off from Lincoln Financial Field.
Will Ospreay was approached about performing stunt work for an Assassin’s Creed movie sequel, the All Elite Wrestling star recently revealed.
Ospreay announced at Full Gear 2023 that he was joining the company, but was allowed to finish off his time with New Japan Pro Wrestling. His first official match as an AEW-contracted wrestler took place at AEW Revolution 2024 and saw the Essex-born wrestler defeat Konosuke Takeshita.
Will Ospreay’s Assasin’s Creed Offer
Ospreay has spent years making a name for himself in the ring and nearly had the chance to flex his muscles in the world of stunt work. Speaking with Dale Driver of IGN, Ospreay explained how he was at one time considered for a role in a planned Assassin’s Creed movie sequel.
“I was in New Japan when the Assassin’s Creed film came out [in 2016.] They wanted to use some of my photos from New Japan to help advertise the movie coming over!
“They said if there was going to be an Assassin’s Creed 2, I might be able to do some stunt work in it and I got excited. Nothing ever came of it but I’d love to be a part of Assassin’s Creed.”
An Assassin’s Creed Sequel?
While Ospreay is still holding out some hope, the odds of an Assassin’s Creed movie sequel continue to look slim. Despite a star-studded cast including Michael Fassbender, Maron Cotillard, and Jeremy Irons, the film underperformed at the box office. A sequel was planned but was reportedly canceled by Disney following their 2019 acquisition of FOX.
Will Ospreay and Assassin’s Creed
Ospreay’s love for the popular historical action video game franchise is hardly a secret. At NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18, the Aerial Assasin dressed as Assassin Creed Syndicate’s The Ripper for his entrance. Ospreay had the franchise’s signature hidden wrist blade and entered to official Assassin’s Creed music.
In the interview, Ospreay said it’d be “sick” for him to get a themed skin in the next Assassin’s Creed game. He added that he’s “completely open” to any AC plans, whether it be for a game or movie, that he could be involved in.
In her new memoir Our Fight, Rousey doesn’t hold back in her feelings about Vince McMahon, even comparing him to Star Wars villain Emperor Palpatine. Rousey has also spoken out against former McMahon-ally John Laurinaitis, who she claims acted like a frat boy in WWE.
Sitting down with News Nation, Rousey was asked about McMahon and his exit from WWE. The former Raw & SmackDown Women’s Champion made clear she wasn’t taken aback by the lawsuit.
“It’s not surprising… the reason why nobody else is speaking out is because they know that there will be negative repercussions if they say anything about the company that the company doesn’t like. Everybody is being held hostage.”
Rousey added that her situation is different as with no plans to return unless major changes are made to WWE, she can be more expressive about the promotion.
“I don’t really care if they have me back or not. I can wrestle wherever I want to wrestle and the truth should be told.”
Mick Foley has been impressed by The Rock’s return to WWE as it would’ve been easy for him to have stuck with his popular, if not predictable, face persona.
After the fans rejected The Rock trying to be in the Undisputed WWE Universal title picture over Cody Rhodes, WWE corrected course, turning The Rock heel in the process. On the March 25, episode of WWE Raw, The Rock delivered an emphatic beatdown on Rhodes, leaving him in a pool of blood outside Chicago’s All-State Arena.
Mick Foley on The Rock
In a video shared on YouTube, Foley watched in amazement as The Rock delivered his beatdown to Cody Rhodes. Speaking after watching the end of Raw, Foley noted how easy it would’ve been for the Final Boss to have avoided the risk of this heel turn.
“I like that other side of The Rock. It would have been really easy for him to just lean back into what was comfortable. That’s like an EasyChair for The Rock right? Like a great Barcalounger because he knows that character so well.
“To sort of put a twist on it, come out with a harder edge, a little blood in the right place never heard anybody. I think it was really good and only is going to pique interest. It certainly piqued mine.”
Mick Foley & The Rock
Foley certainly knows all about what’s it like to be on the receiving end of a beatdown from The Rock. At the 1999 Royal Rumble pay-per-view, The Rock beat Foley in an I-Quit match, though Foley would not actually utter the two words (a recording was played instead.) The match is infamous for the beatdown Foley took which was documented in the film Beyond The Mat. To this day, questions remain as to whether The Rock (who did not visit Foley in the hospital after the match) went too far.
What’s Next for The Rock?
The Rock will make his return to the ring at WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday to team with Roman Reigns to face Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes. Those in WWE are of the opinion that this will not be The Rock’s final match and many remain hopeful that a match between The Rock and Reigns will happen one day.
One fan will have a lifetime story to tell with The Rock and he’ll have the ink to prove it.
Last week,’The Final Boss’ was in Target promoting his new skin care brand and a fan by the name of Ruben Rodriguez made an offer to him if Rocky would autograph his arm, he’d get the signature and the original “brahma bull” tattooed underneath it. Sure enough, the fan did just that. Not only that, but Ruben shot his shot at one more potential opportunity.
“Saw The Rock at Target last Friday! Childhood hero of mine! I’ll cherish this moment for the rest of my life & I got to experience it w/my daughter. I told Rock that if he signed my arm, I would get it tatted & I’m a man of my word. Hook us up w/Wrestlemania Tickets.”
Saw @TheRock at Target last Friday! Childhood hero of mine! I’ll cherish this moment for the rest of my life & I got to experience it w/my daughter. I told Rock that if he signed my arm, I would get it tatted & I’m a man of my word. Hook us up w/Wrestlemania Tickets ? #IfYaSmellpic.twitter.com/5FW8rkLQqh
Amazingly, The Rock caught wind of Rodriguez’s post and applauded him for delivering on his promise. In turn, The Rock has big plans this weekend for Rodriguez and his daughter.
“Dude holy s*** you did it!! That’s the authentic real deal signature & bull right there! Looks amazing! You’re a man of your word, and so is the Final Boss… Pack your bags – because you and your daughter are coming to WWE WrestleMania. Your tickets, flight, hotel, transportation and food – are all on me! My team will be reaching out. See you in Philly brother. – Final Boss”
The Rock must have felt bad for making the young Cody Rhodes fan cry so ‘The Final Boss’ sure paid it forward with this move.
