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.
WWE brought the final episode of NXT before Saturday’s PLE. During the broadcast, fans saw even more added to the upcoming premium live event.
NXT: Stand & Deliver 2024 goes down this Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia, just hours before WrestleMania Saturday kicks off. This week’s go-home edition of NXT saw several changes to the card:
The NXT Tag Team Champions now have challengers
Ava added a big six-woman tag team match
Joe Gacy vs Shawn Spears was added as the kickoff show match
Axiom & Nathan Frazer secured their spot to challenge Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin for the NXT Tag Team Championship by defeating LWO’s Joaquin Wilde & Cruz Del Toro and the duo of Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson.
Corbin & Breakker came out next to directly confront their upcoming opponents. That wasn’t the only match that they booked.
After Ava had enough of Jacy Jayne’s feud with Thea Hail, the daughter of WWE’s ‘Final Boss’ finally booked a six-woman tag team match at NXT Stand & Deliver. Now, it will be Thea Hail, Fallon Henley, and Kelani Jordan taking on Jacy Jayne, Kiana James, and Izzi Dame.
Joe Gacy and Shawn Spears’ feud continued this week, and now the two have a match at Stand & Deliver. The two will light up on the card as part of the kickoff show.
Carmelo Hayes vs Trick Williams will headline the show. Although they are not battling for the title, the two received a huge focus from Shawn Michaels’ booking, and the results have showed with the way fans have responded.
Ilja Dragunov and Tony D’Angelo will collide with the NXT Title on the line. The build for that match has felt like more of a Sopranos episode, with moments of ominous dialogue-filled tension.
Oba Femi will also put his North American Title reign to the test as he defends against both Josh Briggs and Dijak. Femi, who won the last Breakout Tournament, has a lot of eyes on him within the company.
Roxanne Perez is a heel now, and she’s taking on Lyra Valkyria for the NXT Women’s Title. Perez has a lot to prove, but so does Valkyria as she continues the reign that was started when she defeated Becky Lynch for the title.
WWE NXT: Stand & Deliver Card:
Make sure to watch this match at NXT Stand & Deliver on Saturday, April 6, streaming live at noon ET/9 a.m. PT on Peacock in the United States and on WWE Network everywhere else. You may check out the card below.
Ilja Dragunov (c) vs. Tony D’Angelo: Singles match for the NXT Championship (Stipulation: Singles match for the NXT Championship)
Baron Corbin and Bron Breakker (c) vs. Nathan Frazer and Axiom: Tag team match for the NXT Tag Team Championship (Stipulation: Tag team match for the NXT Tag Team Championship)
Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Roxanne Perez: Singles match for the NXT Women’s Championship (Stipulation: Singles match for the NXT Women’s Championship)
Oba Femi (c) vs. Dijak vs. Josh Briggs: Triple threat match for the NXT North American Championship (Stipulation: Triple threat match for the NXT North American Championship)
Thea Hail, Fallon Henley, and Kelani Jordan vs. Jacy Jayne, Kiana James, and Izzi Dame: Six-woman tag team match (Stipulation: Six-woman tag team match)
Carmelo Hayes vs. Trick Williams: Singles match (Stipulation: Singles match)
Shawn Spears vs Joe Gacy (Kickoff Show Match)
SEScoops will have full coverage of NXT: Stand & Deliver. We will also have all the updates you need from WrestleMania 40 weekend. Keep checking back throughout the day for more headlines!
WrestleMania will be here before we know it, and a stage proper enough to house the show of shows needs some time for construction. Now, we have an early look at WWE’s plans.
A photo showing the WrestleMania set in Lincoln Financial Field in Philly hit social media. It gives fans a teaser at what the company has in store for them when the show goes live on April 6 and 7th.
First Look At WrestleMania 40 Set
The 40th annual WrestleMania and will take place as a two-night event on April 6 and 7, 2024, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We are a week away from the big event, and they are already building the stage.
So far, we only have one image of the WrestleMania 40 set. It looks like they are going to go big for the grandest show of them all this year.
They have a big WrestleMania logo on top of the stage. Some fans have expressed a bit of disappointment by the design, although the stage is only partly constructed at this point. We can only imagine how it will look once every light on the entrance is turned on.
The WrestleMania set is almost complete at this point. The company is working hard to complete things, and they will certainly have things prepared for their big reveal on Thursday.
— Rajput Ankit (Wrestling is cool again? ) (@ankit_wfn) April 2, 2024
WrestleMania 40 Set Reveal Plans
The actual WrestleMania 40 set reveal will go down on April 4. That will undoubtably be blasted all over the company’s social media profiles. SEScoops will have full coverage of the story whenever that news breaks.
Keep checking back throughout the day for the biggest headlines. You never know what will break next as we round the corner for WrestleMania 40.
There are many ways the “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes’ memory is kept alive. We see it in those who he helped guide before his passing in 2015. It’s also seen through the career of his sons. A future Hall of Famer Dustin Rhodes and his son Cody Rhodes, who is gearing up to headline two nights of WrestleMania 40.
Outside the ring, a lasting legacy continues to be forged through the Dusty Rhodes Foundation. The nonprofit organization was formed by the family in 2022. Their mission is to assist community organizations geared toward youth sports and initiatives across the country. One of the driving forces behind the endeavor is Rhodes’ daughter Teil Rhodes.
“We saw a need,” she said. “There is such a big gap now for kids are getting priced out of sports. Kids from rural areas, and underserved communities…There is a gap there for a lot of kids as things get more and more expensive. We thought it would be an amazing way to honor my dad because it was something he did privately for years. Buy equipment, help pay travel fees to help kids pay for sports. He was an athlete himself and really believed in the skillset kids learn from playing sports.”
Since its inception, more than $50,000 has been given away to the cause. Funds have been generated through appearances, autograph signings, sales from Pro Wrestling Tees and generous donations. With the Foundation having very little overhead, they can put most of what is raised back into their efforts. Teil says they are looking for corporate sponsors to make a bigger impact.
“It has been a label of love,” she said of the time. “We’ve done everything from giving equipment to the Lahainaluna High School baseball team Maui that lost everything in the fire to wrestling equipment for a team in South Carolina. We’ve had people reach out to us and we’ve reached out to them.”
Through the experience of helping others, the Rhodes family has benefited in strengthening their bond. Lending a hand to someone else can be a powerful conduit.
“My siblings and I and for my mom, it was kind of a healing thing too,” Teil said. “We would ask, ‘How can we make a difference? How can we honor our dad in a way separate from wrestling and the things you see on TV?’ It speaks more to the man he was than the character on TV. Everybody has been involved.
Fans in Downtown Philadelphia at Wrestlecon can contribute to the Foundation in several ways. Dustin Rhodes will be signing on April 5 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. with Ricky Starks appearing April 6 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the convention held at the Sheraton Hotel. Proceeds from the signings go toward the Foundation. They’ll also be raffling off a Cody Rhodes weight belt each day and providing a unique opportunity to take a picture with the “American Nightmare” robe he wore for SummerSlam. You’ll also have a chance to receive Dusty Rhodes Foundation bracelets, the perfect accessory to rock at WrestleMania.
Their ultimate goal is to raise $20,000 for the Foundation’s local recipient Beat the Streets Philadelphia. The sports-based nonprofit helps at-risk kids through amateur wrestling and mentor programming. These programs are so important with schools in the area being some of the most underfunded in the country. To the point where certain high schools don’t have weight rooms.
Teil has been touched by how the pro wrestling community mobilizes for important causes. Even with all the talk of fan tribalism.
“I’ve always had a friendly relationship with Tony Khan,” she said. “He has been generous enough to let us use his talent. Yes, Dustin is a board member of the Foundation, but he didn’t have to let us use Ricky or another talent who has signed for us in the past. That’s never been a problem I’ve encountered [with AEW]…When the wrestling community comes together, it’s so powerful. Pro wrestling I feel is the most loyal of all fandoms.”
As one can surmise from her social media, Teil is also a fan. Ironically enough, now more than ever. She attributes this to the changing landscape of the business with old fans even coming back who haven’t watched in years.
“I feel like that is where I was for a while,” Teil said. “I had a younger family then too, so I wasn’t watching too much TV. You’re seeing amazing matches and storylines across pro wrestling. It’s that feeling you don’t want to miss out. You want to tune in every week. It had been a while for me since I felt like I wanted to watch live.”
I’m sure it helps watching brother Cody Rhodes’ journey to finishing his story while headlining his second WrestleMania. Thanks to the Rhodes to the Top reality show, Teil is more of a public figure. That has her build an even stronger connection with fans.
“I felt a strong connection with a lot of wrestling fans after my dad passed,” Teil said. “They wanted to share things with me. Wrestling Twitter for so long. It boosted me at a time when I felt so low…For me, [being on social media] has been much more positive than I’ve seen negative, even now. That’s why I still enjoy interacting that way.
“I think being more public was born out of all the things Cody did and created and getting things going. I had a hand in the back when we were doing All In. I’ve carried that through working with the Foundation. That has been fulfilling with me.”
Teil has also had a blast with her involvement with Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling, which has undergone a revival. They just had their first event with a pilot for their show to be watched through the Nightmare Family YouTube page.
“We had a great first event,” Teil, the executive vice president, said. “Right now, we are building out the studio at the Nightmare Factory so we can run Turnbuckle hopefully once a month. We’re still looking at distributing and the best way for fans to view the shows. That’s been exciting. It wasn’t anything I thought I would really do. Indie wrestling is so different now. It’s exciting to have a place where the Nightmare students can hone their craft, but we can also bring in the great indie talent and hopefully a TCW legend from the past for a match each show It’s a family show. Our shows are family-friendly, That is what it was before, so I’m trying to continue that. It’s new but exciting.”
The Rhodes family has not only been at the forefront of the story between Cody Rhodes and The Bloodline. The Rock even made things even more personal by including mom Michelle Rubio in the smack talk.
“I think it’s always assumed the Rhodes family is just an extension of Cody because he talks about us so much. That we are required to participate. With my mom, it’s funny because she is really a private person and shy. Yet she gets drawn into this great storytelling in wrestling,” Teil said. “Cody is so much like her. I think of course we are so proud Dusty was our dad, but we’re really proud Michelle Rubio is our mom.
“Her heart for helping others and the things she has done to build people up in the business, I don’t think people will ever know about. Sometimes I feel bad for her. She is just watching Raw or SmackDown, and here comes The Rock talking about my sweet little mom. It’s a wild time for the Rhodes family.”
Teil also has the family trait of having no fear. Not to mention being someone you don’t want on your bad side. She is also open to being included in the story if necessary going as far as to say, “I’m always there if they need me. I can certainly get ready to go.”
Another Rhodes who fans would fantasy book and hope to appear alongside Cody is Dustin, currently contracted to AEW. Will we see him show up?
Teil answered with an, “I don’t know,” Adding that, “Dustin was there in the suite last year…Of course, your brother is main eventing two nights of the
biggest WrestleMania in history. I think Dustin will be there. Will we see Dustin though? That I don’t know.”
Along with Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman is getting comparisions to the legendary pairing of Nick Bockwinkel and Bobby Heenan, but ‘The Wiseman’ doesn’t want to hear any of that.
Speaking with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Heyman was asked what he thought about being in that echelon of superstar and manager. Instead of comparing Heyman stated that he’d like to “set the standard” with Reigns so others will be looking at them as the measuring stick.
Heyman went on to talk about his admiration for Bockwinkel, noting that he left WCW just before Nick arrived. However, Paul did recall when their paths briefly crossed all the way back in Verne Gagne’s AWA.
Nick Bockwinkel was on commentary for the broadcast on ESPN and Heyman decided to take the initiative.
“I walked over to the commentary position and said, ‘I know why Greg Gagne gets to commentate on ESPN, but exactly who are you related to?’ It was an off-script, impromptu line.”
After the show, Heyman was approached by Bockwinkel, who told the young mananger what he thought of that move.
“Nick came up to me and said, ‘Young man, it took a lot of balls to challenge my position that way.’ I thought he was really pissed. I said, ‘Yes, sir. Seizing the moment, sir.’ And Nick looked at me and said, ‘I admire the gumption it took to do it.’ And then he walked away. I figured if he walked away without slapping me, it was a victory.”
Bockwinkel never made it to the WWE, but he was inducted into the Hall of Fame back in 2007 as his star really shined in the AWA as a heel champion, feuding with Hulk Hogan and Verne Gagne.
WWE has many talented Superstars of tomorrow in NXT. The thought of Roxanne Perez becoming a big deal on the main roster only seems logical, but there is a process to everything.
Roxanne Perez is back in contention for the NXT Women’s Championship with a new heel persona. While fans clamor for her promotion to the main roster, conflicting opinions within NXT are present regarding the matter.
Current Main Roster Call-Up Situation For Perez
Roxanne Perez is #1 contender for the NXT Women’s Championship once again as she gears up to vie for the title at NXT Stand And Deliver this Friday against Lyra Valkyria. The big question is still out there about her main roster future.
Corey Brennan of Fightful Select has reported various insights within the company regarding Perez’s future within WWE. Amidst fan requests for her main roster call-up, it’s not that simple.
Brennan is told that Perez has impressed major officials in each of her main roster appearances and her callup was described as “only a matter of time.”
That being said, some in NXT would like to see Perez stick around on the brand for the time being to allow her to continue developing her new heel character, which is said to have blown away officials, with some pushing for a Perez title win at Friday’s Premium Live Event.
NXT insiders have refuted the notion that Perez is being slotted into Cora Jade’s former spot, clarifying that plans for Perez’s character arc were distinct from Jade’s circumstances.
Roxanne Perez on the WWE Main Roster So Far
The Prodigy has made notable appearances on the main roster already, particularly in two consecutive Royal Rumble matches in 2023 and 2024. She caught the eye of WWE officails with those appearances as well.
At 22-years-old, Roxanne Perez has plenty of time to make her way to the WWE main roster. They can’t rush the process, but it seems she may have something to take care of in NXT first. The result of her Stand & Deliver match will certainly shed more light on that.
SEScoops will have more on this story, and so much more. Keep checking back throughout the day for more headlines!
Peter Rosenberg will be involved with WrestleMania once again this year, but the tenured NYC radio host should have some additional duties on tap for Philadelphia.
Last year at WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles Rosenberg had the opportunity to give fans an in-depth point-of-view tour of how the backstage area and the stage was laid out for LA’s SoFi Stadium. Rosenberg also was apart of the pre-show but he hinted to SEScoops that he may be apart of some additional duties this year as well.
However, it’s been an interesting road for Rosenberg to find his way into WrestleMania and WWE. He first was given full access backstage to WrestleMania 32 in 2016 by Jonathan Coachman, where basically shadowed the former ESPN personality. That is where he met Chris Chambers, former WWE VP of Television Strategy.
“He has a really illustrious career. He just recently retired and is just a tremendous guy and he was the first person who sort of heard me talk, heard my passion, heard the other places that I was working…
“It was kind of like, you know, to kind of see ‘how you could be useful here,’ you know? And he was like, ‘Do me a favor, reach out to me, you know, when you get back.”
At first, Peter didn’t hear back, but followed up and the gears got into motion. Soon enough he was with Sam Roberts hosting a new show, Bring It To The Table that also featured Corey Graves and JBL.
Now being involved with the company for nearly a decade, Rosenberg still doesn’t look at it as work.
“‘Work’ is probably not the right way to put it. It’s a reprieve for me. It’s something I truly look forward to doing.”
Peter Rosenberg Thinks Seth Rollins Is A-Okay In How He’s Positioned For WrestleMania
Peter Rosenberg will not be the only one pulling double duty at WrestleMania. Seth Rollins, like Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns, will be in two matches over the weekend.
Rosenberg was asked about his thoughts on the incorporation of The Rock as “The Final Boss” a persona he was initially adverse to, but got more invested when realizing he was being heeled by the moniker.
He believes The Rock is such a big name that his brand takes up a lot of space. Ds The Rock, Roman and Cody give Seth Rollins an “odd man out” vibe? An argument could be made for Seth, but Rosenberg feels that the WWE World Heavyweight Champion is still in a very good position.
“It’s okay. Like, okay – Seth is playing second fiddle slightly to Cody Rhodes, who’s having the hottest moment of his career, [and] in my opinion, is the most over babyface in maybe 20 years. The Rock was one of the greatest of all time and is back in a real way for the first time in forever and Roman Reigns, who’s on a historic Hogan like title run. Like let’s not act as if being the fourth player in that story is some horrible thing. I mean, not everyone can be ‘1’ and ‘1A’
“Seth is still I think is still in an incredible spot for Seth, and I think he’s doing great and guess what? I think the story is going to end up being told for him too.”
Before WrestleMania 40 officially fires off on Saturday and Sunday, Rosenberg will host “The Michael Kay Show” live at WrestleMania World on Thursday, April 4 from 3 to 6:30 PM ET. Then, later on that evening he will do a live show of his wrestling podcast, “Cheap Heat” at the Fringe Arts also in Philadelphia. You can tune into our full interview with Rosenberg below.
Please credit SESCoops for the interview and transcription.
CM Punk is known for creating controversy, and it’s a label he wore with pride for a majority of his career. That attitude led to falling out of friendship with a few people, but we are happy to report that things are okay between Punk and Corey Graves now.
Although there was some animosity between Corey Graves and CM Punk for several years, things are okay now. Punk shut out so many of his old WWE friends, and Graves was in that group. Now, things are much better after they mended their broken friendship.
Graves and Punk Patch Things Up
While speaking to the Wrestle Binge podcast, Corey Graves explained that he patched things up with CM Punk on the day of the Royal Rumble event. The two came to a real understanding, and Graves said it feels good to have that friendship back.
“So the day of the Royal Rumble, at Tropicana Field, I actually got to pull him aside for a few minutes, and we cleared the air. Had a nice, long chat. We got apologizes for some things over the years and realized that this is where we both belong, this is where we both want to be, and it’s been a really exciting time for me personally to be able to rekindle a friendship that meant so much to me over the years.”
CM Punk and Corey Graves’ Falling Out
Punk and Graves have known each other for over 20 years. They were once close friends and occasional colleagues in the wrestling ring. Despite not facing each other in WWE due to Graves’ career ending in NXT and Punk’s departure from the company in 2014, they bonded on several things outside pro wrestling.
Despite their previous friendship, Punk cut ties with Graves and other WWE associates after leaving the company, seemingly due to their continued employment there. Graves, in turn, publicly expressed his disappointment and sense of betrayal through Twitter posts following Punk’s departure and subsequent legal victories against WWE.
Now, it’s all water under the bridge for CM Punk and Corey Graves. The Second City Savior has needed to bury a few hatchets since returning to WWE, and things seem to be okay between the two now.
SEScoops will have more on this story, and so many more, in the pro wrestling world if we get any additional information. Keep checking back throughout the day for more headlines!
Endeavor has said that it would not consider a sale of its majority interest in TKO Group Holdings, which consists of both WWE and the UFC. TKO is not party to this transaction and will remain a publicly traded company, the companies said on Tuesday.
While TKO is not expected to be directly involved with this move, the company is seeing a benefit from the change. After news of Endeavor’s privatization was announced, stock in the WWE company rose significantly. It had been trading at $86.66 a share before the news broke and rose to $90.78 a share within 90 minutes of the announcement.
TKO Group Holdings
TKO was officially launched in September 2023. It was announced back in April 2023 that Endeavor was to acquire WWE as part of a historic $9.3 billion deal. The merger of WWE and UFC into TKO did not come without casualties as over 100 employees were let go last year in efforts to synchronize the two sports promotions. WWE would host its first wave of talent releases post-TKO launch that same month.
WrestleMania usually attracts celebrities from outside the usual pro wrestling bubble. This year’s big event in Philly will be no different.
WWE’s WrestleMania 40 event will go down on April 6 and 7 at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles. It appears that the company is interested in bringing in some NFL representation for the show of shows.
WWE has reached out to recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce for a potential appearance at WrestleMania. His NFL star brother Travis Kelce also received an invitation.
WWE Contacted Kelce
According to Fightful Select, WWE has initiated contact with numerous celebrities in anticipation of WrestleMania.
WWE has approached recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce regarding a potential appearance at WrestleMania 40. Kelce, is very popular, particularly in Philadelphia. He also spent the past decade playing in Lincoln Financial Field.
Jason Kelce played 13 seasons in the NFL, and in every one of them, he was the starting center for the Eagles. At 36 years old, Kelce also co-hosts a successful podcast alongside his brother Travis.
Other Celebrities at WrestleMania 40
Lil Wayne was on RAW this week, where he confirmed that he will be at WrestleMania 40. Weezy will debut a new single, and since ThaCarter VI is coming soon, that could draw some mainstream attention.
Drew Barrymore will also be at Mania. That will be a real treat for some fans, but you also never know who will show up in Philly at the show of shows. After all, The Rock has an extensive contact list as well.
SEScoops will have more on this story, and so much more, as we continue monitoring every development concerning WrestleMania 40. Keep checking back throughout the day for more headlines!
CM Punk’s new interview with Ariel Helwani is certainly chock full of newsworthy topics as ‘The Best In The World’ addressed quite a bit in the conversation, including Hangman Page.
Punk was discussing his non-relationship with his former close friend, Colt Cabana, and mentioned that they only very briefly had an interaction while in AEW before Punk told him to go through his lawyer if he ever wants to speak to him again. That prompted Punk to mention how he believes Cabana was the crux for all that unfolded in AEW, including Page “going into business” for himself on AEW Dynamite.
Page and Punk were building to their match for AEW Double Or Nothing and Hangman made inside reference to Punk alienating himself from people backstage. Punk told Helwani he sympathized with Page’s thoughts, but not in front of a packed arena.
“I applaud and I said this to Hangman, I was like, ‘Man, I get taking up for your friends, I get it. That’s commendable .I do that all the time right or wrong, I’ll stand up for my f***ing friends, but to f***ing go on national television and jeopardize a million dollar house that you ain’t ever drawn before. Now you’re disrespecting me and you’re disrespecting the business. This is my house. I drew that, not you,’ you know? And that’s egos. It is what it is.”
Punk covered plenty of ground in this revealing interview on WrestleMania week including his brief interaction with Vince McMahon, his thoughts on Tony Khan and much more.
Please credit MMA Hour and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.
Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair never went down at WWE WrestleMania VIII, and the Hulkster knows the reasons why.
It was always an obvious omission as to why Hogan never fought Flair, but speaking with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Hogan said that their were several wheels turning as to why ‘The Immortal’ never faced ‘The Nature Boy.’
“Me and Flair had magic in the old WWF,” said Hogan. “But there was more than one agenda there. It wasn’t just that Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan were going to be the guys driving the WWF train. I think Vince was thinking in multiples. We weren’t the only game in town. He got what he needed, then spread us apart.”
Although they wrestled one another at several house shows, the marquee match didn’t happen on the “grandest stage of them all.” From a visual perspective, Sports Illustrated notes that part of that reason was because Flair didn’t fit the bill of Hogan’s typical type of foe. Vince McMahon was lining up monsters for him to slay and Flair was of a different type of feather. Hogan, however, noted that he was always up for challengers of different wrestling styles.
“I always loved wrestling, and I liked the challenge of working with different guys. I loved wrestling The Rock. If you’re going to create magic, there is a formula, a feel, a timing, and a placement. That’s the ‘It Factor’–you need to be able to see it and feel it.”
Something else that was on the table was that WrestleMania VIII was going to be Hogan’s last with WWE. Instead, Hogan took on Sid Vicious and Flair battled Randy Savage.
WWE Superstars have a lot of power to influence others, and Joey Swoll wants them to do better, especially Austin Theory and Grayson Waller. The popular social media influencer, who boasts 7.5 million followers on TikTok, wants to teach them a lesson.
Austin Theory and Grayson Waller found themselves as the target for some very passionate fans. Joey Swoll unleashed his viral army on them, and things took a very drastic turn in a hurry.
How It Started
Joey Swoll has a strong online presence, and he does great work with his influencer status. He is known for showing off videos of people making a fool of themselves in public, most notably at the gym, and he then tells them off after the clip before saying they should “do better” and “mind your business.” He really is worth a follow, because he’s always trying to spread a positive message.
When Swoll saw a video of Grayson Waller and Austin Theory being real punks at the gym, he had to say something. In the video, the WWE duo berate someone for walking into their shot during a workout.
Swoll launched into one of his trademark videos, where he said that even WWE Superstars can get a piece of his stern teachings. It seems that Joey already tried to address this with Theory, and that led to Austin saying he wants to smack the sh*t out of the influencer. Swoll then said that Theory “doesn’t want this smoke.”
In the end, Swoll said that he would be happy to end Theory’s career. He told WWE to make it happen, and we’re really hoping something gets booked.
Grayson Waller’s notifications were apparently bombarded by replies from Joey Swoll’s fan base, even though Swoll’s beef was mostly with Austin Theory. The Swoll Army is passionate about wanting people to do better and mind their business, so they flooded Waller’s DMs with angry messages.
The Grayson Waller Effect host then proceeded to read a ton of those DMs before making a video, where he tore into Joey Swoll’s fans and the buff influencer.
The truth is that Waller and Theory are very good at internetting and using social media to drive home their obnoxious characters. So, there’s a very good chance that the video was staged. Either way, this resulted in an online feud that we didn’t know we needed until it happened.
Stay tuned to see if Joey Swoll has any comment. As of this writing, he has not responded to Grayson Waller burying his Swoll Army. SEScoops will have more updates on this story, and many more, so keep checking back.
The April 1, episode of WWE Raw served as a compelling go-home show before WrestleMania 40 but also had a segment that TNA fans may have found familiar.
Raw saw the Superstars of the red brand try and build momentum ahead of WWE WrestleMania 40. The fifth-annual two-night WrestleMania will kick off on April 6 from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA.
Drew McIntyre’s Funeral for CM Punk
On Monday Night Raw, Drew McIntyre was at a funeral home where he gave a eulogy mocking CM Punk’s ‘dead’ dream of headlining WrestleMania. McIntyre ridiculed Punk as an “out of shape has been” whose “fragile” body failed him in the Royal Rumble match (when Punk got injured) worse than when he was in the UFC. Not done there, McIntyre also gave a eulogy for Seth Rollins title reign that McIntyre hopes to finish at WrestleMania 40.
A Familiar Venue
Funerals in wrestling are not uncommon and fans who watched Raw may have found this segment eerily familiar. As fans on social media pointed out, this funeral home featured on Raw has been used by TNA Wrestling in the past. The same location was used in 2005 when there was a funeral for Team 3-D, known to WWE fans as the Dudley Boyz.
Years later, the same funeral home would be used for a segment in which the Aces & Eights faction was laid to rest.
WWE & TNA segments at the funeral home.
TNA Involvement in WWE
WWE is host to several ex-TNA names, both on-screen and working behind the scenes. In 2018, Jeremy Borash joined WWE and works with the NXT brand. His official role in the company is as Senior Director of Content and Development and he was specifically chosen to help produce the 2020 Boneyard match between AJ Styles and The Undertaker.
Chris Park also works for WWE after spending years in TNA as Abyss. Park currently serves as a producer and appeared in a segment with fellow TNA alum AJ Styles on SmackDown in August 2020.
Welcome the Daily Drop, your daily roundup of wrestling news and rumors for Tuesday, April 2. It’s WRESTLEMANIA WEEK and WWE delivered a fun (and historic) ‘go-home’ edition of Monday Night RAW last night from Brooklyn, NY.
Before we get going, with all the WrestleMania hype going around, we want to make sure you know that Triple H revealed the card for each night of WrestleMania 40. You can find those details here.
WrestleMania Countdown: 4 DAYS
Let’s get into today’s wrestling news items you should know about:
WWE
– Vince’s Attorneys Just Got $20MM Out of WWE: On Monday, the NY Post uncovered that the law firm hired to defend Vince McMahon from the lawsuit filed by Janel Grant is the same company that represented Major League Wrestling in its lawsuit against WWE. That suit was recently settled, with WWE paying out $20 million.
– Return of the Clash: WWE Clash at the Castle 2024 has been announced for Saturday, June 15 from Glasgow, Scotland. This is WWE’s first-ever PLE from Drew McIntyre’s home country.
– Heyman Inductor: Roman Reigns will induct Paul Heyman into the WWE Hall of Fame this Friday after SmackDown.
– WWE Breaking Records: The company broke another record this week for RAW, this time it was for the all-time highest gate in the show’s history. It was also the company’s 13th consecutive sold-out televised event, another record.
– Another Injury: Ortiz will be out of action for a while due to a pectoral injury. This came to pass just after his former partner, Mike Santana, left the company.
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.
WWE WrestleMania 40 is set to be chock-full of celebrities and fans can add Drew Barrymore’s name to the guest list for the upcoming Premium Live Event.
Barrymore is expected by WWE to be in attendance at WrestleMania 40, per PWInsider. While most fans may not know about her connections to pro wrestling, she’s hosted several WWE Superstars on her daytime talkshow, including 16-time WWE World Champion John Cena and the New Day (on multiple occasions).
Celebrities at WrestleMania 40
Drew Barrymore won’t be the only notable name from outside the world of pro-wrestling that’ll be at WrestleMania 40.
Rapper Meek Mill, who is from Philadelphia, will also be involved with WrestleMania. His song “Dreams and Nightmares” has become a Philly anthem. He will voice the opening video for WrestleMania 40.
Expect to see many more celebrities and surprise appearances this weekend at WWE WrestleMania 40 from Lincoln Financial Field Philadelphia, PA.
Stay tuned to SEScoops all week long for our wall-to-wall coverage of WrestleMania Week.
Questions remain over Big E’s future in the ring but the former WWE Champion has said that he plans on being smart about whatever may come.
Big E suffered a broken neck injury during a March 2022, edition of WWE SmackDown. The New Day star was able to avoid surgery which at the time led many to believe he would not be out of action for long. Despite being able to avoid going under the knife, Big E has not wrestled since then and questions remains as to whether he will again.
Hobbled & Crippled
In a recent interview with CBS Sports, Big E discussed what’s to come for him. The triple-crown champion and 2021 Men’s MITB winner reiterated previous points that he wants to do what’s right for his health.
“I’ve been doing physical things my entire life, and I never wanted to leave sports hobbled and crippled.
“It’s just a matter of listening to the doctors, taking in enough information, looking at my more recent set of scans and deciding if the gamble is worth it.”
Big E has been able to consult not just with doctors but various wrestlers who have suffered similar neck injuries. Big E was grateful that wrestlers and legends have been willing to answer his questions.
“I’ve been so thankful for so many of the guys I grew up loving and watching as a kid, so many legends who wanted to reach out and share what they went through when they had their neck injuries. I’m so grateful to all of them.”
A Role Outside the Ring
While Big E’s in-ring future remains in question, the charismatic talker was recently part of the WWE WrestleMania 40 kick-off event panel. In the interview, Big E admitted that the role took him by surprise.
“It wasn’t until I boarded the flight to Vegas that I even knew I was doing the panel. That’s the nature of things in WWE. It’s oftentimes, ‘Hey, show up’ and you get things thrown at you.”
AEW star Ortiz recently shared an unfortunate update after suffering an injury. He has revealed that he is set to undergo surgery which will keep him on the shelf for several months.
Ortiz has been away from the programming since last competing on January 20 edition of AEW Collision. On the show, he had joined forces with Eddie Kingston to face Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli in a losing effort. Now, it seems he will once again miss some action.
Making an appearance on Isiah Kassidy’s vlog, Ortiz shared his current status with the promotion. He disclosed that he sustained a torn pec and the injury took place from a clothesline. The 32-year-old star then revealed that he will have his surgery in a couple of weeks and he will be out of action for at least four months.
“I’m injured. I’m about to get surgery in two weeks… It was just from a clothesline. I tore a pec. I tore my pec from a clothesline… Two weeks and four months recovery time, and then I’ll be back.”
Later in the vlog, Ortiz and Kassidy were seen working on commentary for AEW star Ethan Page’s Alpha-1 Wrestling promotion in Hamilton, ON, Canada. Ortiz also worked as a guest referee on that show.
Ortiz and Mike Santana split
Ortiz had been in a tag-team with Mike Santana for more than a decade and they were part of several promotions including AEW where their most prominent run was during their association with Inner Circle.
However, over the years Santana and Ortiz grew apart and they recently decided to split up due to their personal differences. Following the break-up, Ortiz started competing as a singles wrestler. It was only last month that Santana was released by AEW and he went on to shed light on why the duo decided to part ways.
As Ortiz awaits his surgery, we at SEScoops wish him a swift recovery and hope he is back in the squared circle soon.
Former WWE Superstar Ronda Rousey has said her role in the company was simply not sustainable for her once the UFC Hall of Famer became a mother.
Rousey and her husband Travis Browne welcomed their daughter La’akea Makalapuaokalanip? Browne into the world in September 2021. Mere months after the birth, Rousey returned to WWE TV following a near-three-year absence to win the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble match.
Unsustainable
Rousey finished her time with WWE at SummerSlam 2023 with a loss to Shayna Baszler in the first MMA Rules match. Appearing on Good Morning America, Rousey explained how her duty as a mother played a role in her decision to step away from the ring.
“It’s just not a lifestyle that I can continue while being a mom, you know? I was on the road 18 months with my baby and it was just nothing that we could sustain forever.”
A Possible Return
Since her exit from WWE, Rousey has been vocal in her criticism of the company and its former chairman Vince McMahon. Despite the billionaire’s resignation in January of this year, Rousey said she doesn’t see her returning to the company.
“Not unless things drastically change with how things are run there and so I highly doubt it.”
WWE Moms
Ronda Rousey proved to be one of the toughest moms in the world, but she’s not the only Superstar to be a mother. In December 2020, Becky Lynch gave birth to her and Seth Rollins’ first child Roux, and returned to TV at SummerSlam 2021.
After previously suffering a miscarriage, Carmella gave birth to her and Corey Graves’ son in November 2023 after a 60-hour labor. Alexa Bliss would welcome her and Ryan Cabrera’s daughter Hendrix into the world that same month.
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
It has been four years since The Undertaker wrestled his final match against AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36. The bout which was originally supposed to be contested in a ring was changed to a cinematic match due to COVID-19 restrictions. Many fans still believe the Phenom deserved a sendoff in front of an audience but the legend himself seems to be content with it.
The Dead Man discussed the Boneyard match during the most recent episode of his podcast. Speaking about the bout being converted into a cinematic match, Taker said they were lucky to be able to shoot outside in the environment. He noted how due to the style of the match, they were able to tie in his real-life self with the different personas of his career:
“We got lucky in the sense that we got to go out of the Performance Centre. Because all the matches, Edge and I think Randy Orton, they had a hell of a match but it was so sterile because there was no reaction. We weren’t even pumping in noise at that point or didn’t have the virtual audience.
It was just them having a match in the Performance Centre, a killer match but there’s just no emotion to feed off of. That’s the thing that you live for. We were fortunate enough that we got to go off and had this cinematic match. It was cool for me because I got to kind of tie in all the characters in one.
I got to tie myself, the old school Undertaker, the American badass, everything got tied together for that match just due to the fact, the content of the interviews and the stuff that AJ was doing. That match was obviously supposed to be held in the ring. So we got really lucky that we were able to have those kinds of toys and the atmosphere.”
When Undertaker Realized This Was It
The Undertaker’s struggle with his health in the last few years of his career have been well documented. Before WrestleMania 36 there were multiple bouts Taker considered his last, only to be pulled back by the appeal of one more match. According to the Last Outlaw, the realization of the Boneyard match being ‘it’ finally hit him right before they filmed the climax of the fight:
“We were between takes. We were getting ready to, I think getting ready to go to the big finale off the top of the barn there. It was getting cold. We’ve been at it since I think we started filming around dark which was around eight o’clock. So now it’s four in the morning and my back, everything is locking up.
That’s like when I had [the realization], that’s when it finally clicked like ‘This is it dude. You’re not coming back after this one.’ It was just a moment; I was sitting there by myself and just a moment of pure clarity that just said ‘Shit. This is it right here’ Obviously I didn’t share it with anybody. We got through it.”
The WWE Hall of Famer was then asked if he feels content with the Cinematic match being the end of his wrestling journey. Taker mentioned how he always wanted to wrestle AJ Styles. He claimed that he is happy because of how poetic the bout turned out to be:
“I was happy because it was another thing like I was really fortunate enough to be involved in so many innovative matches and these crazy storylines and to be able to do this big cinematic type match which would add different layers to the product. I was happy with all that.
Deep down I always thought AJ was the Shawn Michaels of this generation. I wanted to have that kind of match that I had with Shawn with AJ in a ring, but I don’t think it would have been as poetic as what we were able to do.”
The retired legend later also revealed that AJ wanted to do even more things that would have put the spotlight on Taker in his final match. He refused however, because his body couldn’t handle it.
You can check out the full episode of the podcast below:
If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription
Triple H is okay with changing WWE’s storylines due to the response of fans as he handles the company’s plans differently from Vince McMahon.
The Game serves as WWE’s Chief Content Officer and oversees the company’s creative plans as well as talent relations. Following Vince McMahon’s resignation from WWE, Triple H has been able to book matters fully in line with his creative vision rather than having to appease his father-in-law
Changing Plans
When The Rock returned to WWE, the promotion’s plan was for the Brahma Bull to challenge Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. Immediately, fans rejected the notion of Cody Rhodes ‘handing over’ the spot many have expected for him since WrestleMania 39. The ‘We Want Cody’ movement would lead to WWE changing plans; putting Cody back in the Undisputed WWE Universal Title picture and turning The Rock heel.
Triple H Weighs In
The fact that WWE was willing to change its plans marked a considerable change from the company’s past stance of sticking with its plans even in the face of fan backlash. In a recent interview with ESPN about WWE’s changes in the post-McMahon era, Triple H highlighted how he’s more open to other ideas.
“Now it’s a different time, and the way I do things is slightly different. My career, I learned from being here, but there were things along the way that I always thought I would do differently. In this time now, I get to make those calls and with a large team of people.
“Everything you do is dependent on reactions. That’s what we do as an industry. … The beautiful thing with this group and with Cody and Roman and Rock especially, everybody’s got their ear to the ground. … And then we all just get together and figure the s*** out.”
Cody Rhodes Weighs In
Nobody has benefitted from Triple H willingness to change plans more regarding this situation than Cody Rhodes. The American Nightmare is poised to have another shot at Roman Reigns and the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 40. When Rhodes spoke to ESPN, he addressed why The Rock’s return didn’t go as WWE had intended.
“[Rock] might just have come back at a strange time, which is wild [for] the most popular wrestler of all time and one of the most recognizable faces on Earth… the fact that one person is booing him out there throws me. It means we’re doing something special here.”
Rhodes will team with Seth Rollins to face Roman Reigns and The Rock on WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday, the night before Rhodes Vs. Reigns for the title.
The next WWE Premium Live Event in the United Kingdom will take place this June in Glasgow, Scotland, the promotion has revealed.
WWE Clash At the Castle: Scotland will happen on June 15, from the OVO Hydro. There will also be an episode of WWE SmackDown in the same venue on June 14. WWE Clash At the Castle: Scotland will mark WWE’s first Premium Live Event in the country.
BREAKING: Glasgow will host #SmackDown on Friday, June 14, followed by Clash at the Castle: Scotland, the first-ever WWE Premium Live Event to be held in Scotland, on Saturday, June 15 at the @OVOHydro! #WWECastle
WWE held its first Clash At The Castle event in September 2022 in Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. The event saw Roman Reigns retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Drew McIntyre thanks to the interference of Solo Sikoa. This marked Sikoa’s official call-up to the main roster.
The show also saw Edge & Rey Mysterio defeat The Judgment Day’s Finn Balor and Damian Priest. After the match, Dominik Mysterio turned on his father and aligned himself with The Judgment Day, a faction he has remained with ever since.
WWE PLEs Outside The United States
WWE Clash at the Castle: Scotland is the latest PLE confirmed to be taking place outside of North America. This August, WWE will travel to Germany for their inaugural Bash at Berlin show. WWE recently held Elimination Chamber 2024 in Perth, Australia, the promotion’s first Premium Live Event in the country since 2018.
WWE Money in the Bank 2024 will take place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, after being held in London, England last year. One day after Money in the Bank on July 6, WWE NXT will host its Heatwave event, also from Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena.
The man who will induct Paul Heyman into the WWE Hall of Fame this Friday was revealed during the April 1, episode of WWE Monday Night Raw.
Heyman was the first name announced for this year’s class of Hall of Fame inductees. The honor is richly deserved given Heyman’s success in multiple roles in the world of wrestling. Heyman has served as a manager, a producer, a promoter, and as a member of WWE’s creative team throughout his lengthy career.
Paul Heyman’s WWE Hall of Fame Inductor
During a backstage segment on the April 1, episode of WWE Monday Night Raw, Heyman, The Rock, and Roman Reigns were seen conversing. Reigns had to leave early to work on his ‘speech’ for the Wise Man. Heyman then made clear to anyone who hadn’t figured it out that Reigns would be inducting him into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Heyman is hardly the only notable name to make up this year’s class of WWE Hall of Famers. The US Express will also be inducted this year, the only tag team as part of the 2024 class. Bull Nakano was announced as a WWE Hall of Fame inductee. The Japanese star is a former WWE Women’s Champion and is currently the commissioner for the all-women’s Sukeban promotion.
Thunderbolt Patterson has also been confirmed as an inductee. The late Muhammed Ali will be posthumously inducted for his contributions to the world of Sports Entertainment.
The final inductee is Lia Maivia, one of the first female wrestling promoters and a trailblazer in her own right. Her induction was announced by her grandson The Rock and will come 16 years after her husband ‘High Chief’ Peter Maivia was inducted in 2008.
WWE Hall of Fame Inductors
Here is the known inductors for this year’s WWE Hall of Fame:
The Rock once again didn’t hold back with his choice of words regarding Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins after the April 1, episode of Raw went off the air.
The go-home Raw before WrestleMania 40 saw The Rock opening with some a promo about the beatdown he gave Rhodes the previous week. While The Rock said it broke his heart to see young fans crying when he attacked Rhodes, the American Nightmare had brought the attack upon himself by stepping ‘out of line.’ The segment finished with Roman Reigns, the Bloodline, Cody Rhodes, and Seth Rollins appearing and a Bloodline Rules match being set between Reigns and Solo Sikoa for the main event.
The Rock’s Message
The main event of Raw saw interference by The Bloodline who ambushed Rollins. While Rhodes tried to help the man he’ll team with at WrestleMania 40: Saturday, the pair of babyfaces were unable to overcome the might of the Bloodline. Raw went off the air with the Bloodline standing tall after whipping their upcoming opponents with belts.
After Raw, The Bloodline made their way to the back. The Rock was the final man to go backstage and had two words for his WrestleMania 40: Saturday opponents.
The Rock will make his long-awaited return to the ring at WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday. He will team with Roman Reigns to face Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins. The match will decide the stipulation for the next night’s Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match.
Should Rhodes and Rollins win the tag match, there will be no Bloodline involvement when Rhodes takes on Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40: Sunday. If the Bloodline wins on the Saturday, the following night’s title match will be under ‘Bloodline Rules.’
