The in-ring future of WWE’s Big E remains uncertain, but fans will soon be able to see him as part of the upcoming Peacock comedy series Laid.
Laid follows a woman who learns that her former lovers are dying in strange ways and must go through her ‘sex timeline’ to learn the reason for these grisly scenes. The series is written and executive produced by Nahnatchka Khan (Totally Killer, Young Rock) and Sally Bradford McKenna (Son of Zorn).
Big E has an unspecified role in the show but was not the only name revealed by Deadline this week. Other names attached include Andre Hyland (Barry), Olivia Holt (Totally Killer), David Denman (The Office), Finneas O’Connell (Academy Award and Grammy Winning Singer/Songwriter), Chloe Fineman (SNL), Indya Moore (Pose), Ettore “Big E” Ewen (WWE Superstar) and John Early (Would it Kill You to Laugh).
Big E and the actors confirmed for Peacock comedy series ‘Laid.’
It’s no wonder why Peacock has selected Big E for the upcoming comedy series. As part of The New Day, the former WWE World Champion has been flexing his comedic muscles (in addition to his actual muscles) and he has proven to be a hit with the WWE Universe.
The Future Of Big E
This new show is a huge opportunity for Big E who hasn’t competed in a WWE ring in over two years. A broken neck suffered during a March 2022, edition of WWE SmackDown has derailed Big E’s in-ring career with questions looming as to whether he’ll be able to wrestle again. While Big E isn’t sure what the future holds, he is remaining his usual positive self and is thinking positive.
The Superstars of WWE have been having fun in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia ahead of the WWE King And Queen Of The Ring Premium Live Event.
The May 25 event will be WWE’s latest event in Saudi Arabia as part of the lucrative decade-long deal between the two parties. The show will also serve as the first Premium Live Event bearing the name of the tournament since WWE King of the Ring 2002. In addition to the King And Queen of the Ring event, the May 24, episode of WWE SmackDown will also take place in Jeddah, which will be a first for WWE.
WWE Superstars in Jeddah
With two stacked nights of WWE programming to come, the Superstars have already arrived in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. On Twitter, the official WWE account shared several videos of the Superstars making their arrival.
WWE SmackDown Superstar Chelsea Green shared what her day has been like in Saudi Arabia so far. The former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion will face Bayley at WWE SmackDown.
Woke up this morning in beautiful Riyadh! Ate my high protein breaky, brushed my luxurious extensions & headed for a lift that @itsBayleyWWE could NEVER complete! Life is so good when you’re me ????? See you in 2 days Bad juju Bayley. xo pic.twitter.com/Lhrp1R9IdW
Women’s Tag Team Champions Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair, alongside Liv Morgan and ‘Michin’ Mia Yim were having fun in the sun at Oia Beach ahead of this weekend’s festivities.
WWE’s Chief Content Officer Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque tweeted his excitement for the SmackDown and King And Queen of the Ring shows, alongside a photo of himself boarding the WWE jet.
We here at SE Scoops will have all the news and results from WWE SmackDown and WWE King And Queen Of The Ring so keep checking in for all the latest updates.
Tony Schiavone and Taz have decades of experience in the wrestling business. Their chemistry is evident when they commentate for AEW, but a recent video offers a candid glimpse into their real-life relationship.
In the video recorded at Dynamite, Schiavone playfully mocks Taz by imitating the way he used to wear a towel back in his ECW days. The original FTW Champion was known for taking to the ring with a black towel over his head, and Schiavone couldn’t resist himself.
Tony Schiavone mimicking Taz with his ECW towel on the commentary booth during last week's Dynamite. ?
This lighthearted moment also showed off the genuine camaraderie between the two, a dynamic that fans wouldn’t have imagined prior to AEW. When Taz caught a glimpse of his commentary partner, he had to chuckle.
Taz is a two-time ECW World champion. He competed for the promotion from 1993-1999. His son Hook currently wrestles for AEW.
Adam Copeland is widely known for his accomplishments under the Edge moniker in WWE. As a member of The Brood, the WWE Hall of Famer popularized bloodbaths, and he brought that to AEW for the May 22 Dynamite.
During this week’s Dynamite, Malakai Black faced Roderick Strong in a highly competitive match. In the end, Black emerged victorious, but his night took an unexpected turn.
All rise for the #HouseOfBlack. Malakai Black faces Kyle O’Reilly tonight before his Barbed Wire Steel Cage Match for the #TNT Championship against Adam Copeland at #AEWDoN!
Following his win, the lights in the arena shifted to an ominous red, and music reminiscent of The Brood began playing. Although it wasn’t the exact Brood theme, it sounded strikingly similar. Suddenly, the ceiling opened above Malakai Black, and the House of Black leader was drenched in a crimson bath. While the liquid wasn’t real blood, it was convincingly realistic, leaving Black in a state of shock and anger.
Then the screen revealed Adam Copeland, standing with a look of satisfaction. This dramatic moment set the stage for their upcoming clash at Double or Nothing. The AEW TNT Title will be on the line in a barbed wire steel cage match, with Copeland putting his title on the line.
You can find the card for AEW Double or Nothing below. We will have continued coverage at SEScoops.
Roderick Strong (c) vs. Will Ospreay – Singles match for the AEW International Championship
“Timeless” Toni Storm (c) (with Luther and Mariah May) vs. Serena Deeb – Singles match for the AEW Women’s World Championship
Adam Copeland (c) vs. Malakai Black – Barbed Wire Steel Cage match for the AEW TNT Championship
Jon Moxley vs. Konosuke Takeshita – IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Eliminator match
Trent Beretta vs. Orange Cassidy – Singles match
Chris Jericho (c) (with Big Bill) vs. HOOK vs Katsuyori Shibata – FTW Rules match for the FTW Championship
Willow Nightingale (c) vs. Mercedes Moné – Singles match for the AEW TBS Championship
The Elite (Kazuchika Okada, Jack Perry, Matthew Jackson, and Nicholas Jackson) vs. Team AEW (Bryan Danielson, Cash Wheeler, Dax Harwood, and Darby Allin) – Anarchy in the Arena match
Swerve Strickland (c) (with Prince Nana) vs. Christian Cage (with Killswitch, Nick Wayne, and Mother Wayne) – Singles match for the AEW World Championship
Time flies and as hard as it might be for long-term fans to reconcile it, the sixth AEW Double or Nothing goes down this Memorial Day weekend. Back in 2019, this was an AEW launch event, a full season ahead of AEW Dynamite debuting on TNT. Once again, the event emanates from Las Vegas, the natural home for a show called Double or Nothing, though this will mark the PPV’s first return to the MGM Grand Garden Arena. (Double or Nothing did also occur at Daily’s Place for two years due to the pandemic.)
The Double or Nothing name paid homage to All In as a precursor to AEW. For that event, Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks, and then-unknown business partner Tony Khan—facilitated an all-time great indie event that drew 10,000 fans to the Sears Centre in Chicago. The affair was framed as a direct response to Dave Meltzer’s claim that no promotion outside WWE could draw 10,000 fans to a North American wrestling show anytime soon.
So it is that fans can now look back at five years of AEW history when they consider the original Double or Nothing.
The Biggest Free Agent Signing In AEW History
Jon Moxley and Chris Jericho
Double or Nothing 2019 drew a very positive reception from fans and critics, but there’s little question that the most iconic part of the show happened after the final bell had run. Immediately after the main event, Jon Moxley made his surprise debut.
While Mox can be a polarizing figure among fans, his debut nonetheless made a major statement. It was possible for fans at the time to dismiss talents like Chris Jericho as over the hill, Cody Rhodes as a WWE also-ran (a take that has aged quite poorly), and talents like MJF as up and comers who hadn’t yet proven themselves. Moxley, however, was a major name who was in his prime, including having reigned as WWE Champion less than three years earlier and having main evented WWE PPVs as part of The Shield earlier in 2019.
Moxley signing with AEW was a genuine surprise and further legitimized the company as a major player. The surprise debut is even more momentous in hindsight. Moxley would go on to be come the first and to date only three- time AEW Champion. Moreover, he has been a vital figure, sliding into the title picture whenever the company needs him, including twice picking up the torch when CM Punk got hurt.
Chris Jericho Took A Step Toward Putting The AEW Championship On The Map
Chris Jericho at the AEW Double or Nothing Rally
At the launch of AEW, there were three men who immediately factored into the world title scene. Hangman Page won a Casino Battle Royale at the top of Double or Nothing to make him one of the two men who’d vie to become the first champion at All Out 2019. On the other end of things stood Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho.
Page was a promising, fresh talent for a lot of American fans and he would wind up champion a couple years down the road. Omega and Jericho were the favorites, though, which is why they garnered the main event nod at Double or Nothing 2019.
Omega had cemented his place in the conversation of the best in-ring workers in the world in New Japan. Jericho was already a bona fide legend as a multi-time world champion in WWE, a WrestleMania main eventer, and certainly the biggest name in AEW going into their first PPV.
Like Page, Omega would find himself a long-reigning AEW champ. Jericho was the right call to win the first AEW PPV main event, though, en route to becoming the first AEW World Champion. It’s come into fashion to hate on Jericho nowadays, and there’s little question he has lost a step in the 2020s. Just the same, he was precisely the credible figure the company needed to immediately legitimize its top title and by extension the whole brand.
The Young Bucks And Lucha Bros. Had A Barnburner
Before AEW had established its own tag team championship, the original Double or Nothing featured an AAA World Tag Team Title match between The Young Bucks and Lucha Bros. It was an early chapter in what would become a defining rivalry for the company’s tag team and later trios division.
This match itself was well-received, but the teams would go on to even more memorable collisions that included a ladder match at All Out 2019 and an absolute classic of a steel cage match at All Out 2021. Down the road, Nick and Matt Jackson would team up with Kenny Omega as The Elite against The Lucha Bros and PAC under the Death Triangle banner to war over the Trios Championship.
The Rhodes Brothers Stole The Show
In the year 2024, Cody Rhodes reigns as WWE Champion. Indeed, his win over Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania 40 seems to have all but cemented The American Nightmare’s place as the top star in the business today.
Five years ago, Rhodes was less sure footed, but was coming off a noteworthy run on the indies and in Japan to arrive as a founding father of AEW. As such, it’s telling that his match with his older brother Dustin positively stole the show at the first AEW PPV.
The Rhodes brothers tore the house down in a hard-hitting twenty-two-minute match that garnered no lesser praise than winning Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Match of the Year Award. The match was a testament to the combination of emotional storytelling and commitment to match quality many came to associate with early AEW. On top of that, it may well have been a harbinger of just how big a star Cody would wind up being.
It’s always difficult to contextualize a wrestling show as its happening. The more years pass by, the more wrestling historians will come to understand and think differently about the original Double or Nothing. Nonetheless, at five years, the show holds up as an incredible launch for the AEW brand, rife with strong in-ring performances and statements about where this company and the wrestling business on the whole were headed.
This week’s AEW Dynamite featured a custom intro tied in with Warner Bros. Discovery’s new Mad Max movie, Furiosa.
Tony Khan’s company is known for incorporating outside sponsorships, and this week was no exception. Throughout the broadcast, the new Mad Max film was prominently highlighted, creating a unique experience for viewers.
Commercials for Mad Max: Furiosa aired during every break, ensuring that the film stayed top of mind for fans. But the promotion didn’t stop there. Before Dynamite began, a special mash-up video combining elements of AEW Dynamite and Mad Max: Furiosa was released, further hyping the fans for both the show and the movie.
Mad Max: Furiosa is hitting theaters this Friday. Directed by George Miller, this new movie tells the story of young Furiosa who is taken from the Green Place of Many Mothers by a biker horde led by the warlord Dementus.
The events of Furiosa serve as a prequel to those of Mad Max: Fury Road. Despite some timeline inconsistencies with the original Mad Max trilogy, Fury Road is considered a spiritual sequel or reboot of the earlier films.
By integrating the Mad Max: Furiosa campaign into Dynamite, AEW can leverage its audience to create more buzz for the open. This strategic partnership not only entertained fans but also highlighted the synergy between AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery,
We are getting hyped for @MadMaxMovie in theaters this Friday with a special custom Furiosa-themed opening!
AEW has a few key members of their roster on the shelf for one reason or another. This week on AEW Dynamite, the Death Triangle reunited for the first time in months.
The Bang Bang Gang, Jay White and the Gunns, have been enjoying their time in AEW as a heel faction. They needed a wheelbarrow to carry all of their gold to the ring. During the May 22 episode of AEW Dynamite, the trio took the ring.
Their attention soon shifted to Pac, and they began berating the British star. Unexpectedly, Pac appeared on the entrance ramp, but he was not alone. Penta and Fenix were by his side, reuniting the Death Triangle. The faction has been absent as a trio for quite some time.
Fenix’s injury had kept him from competing alongside his brother and their partner, Pac. Now, they are back together. It didn’t take long for the Bang Bang Gang to make it clear that they didn’t want to fight that night.
They instead challenged a match for the AEW Unified Tag Team Titles. This set up a match for this Saturday at Double or Nothing.
It's ON! Death Triangle challenges The Bang Bang Gang for the Unified Trios Championship THIS SUNDAY at Double or Nothing!
The Death Triangle held the AEW Trios Championship for 126 days before losing to The Elite. Their defeat came in an Escalera de la Muerte, which was the seventh and final match in a Best of Seven Series for the championship in January 2023.
Las Vegas will once again host AEW Double or Nothing on Sunday, May 26, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena. You can find the card below.
Roderick Strong (c) vs. Will Ospreay – Singles match for the AEW International Championship
“Timeless” Toni Storm (c) (with Luther and Mariah May) vs. Serena Deeb – Singles match for the AEW Women’s World Championship
Adam Copeland (c) vs. Malakai Black – Barbed Wire Steel Cage match for the AEW TNT Championship
Jon Moxley vs. Konosuke Takeshita – IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Eliminator match
Trent Beretta vs. Orange Cassidy – Singles match
Chris Jericho (c) (with Big Bill) vs. HOOK vs Katsuyori Shibata- FTW Rules match for the FTW Championship
Willow Nightingale (c) vs. Mercedes Moné – Singles match for the AEW TBS Championship
The Elite (Kazuchika Okada, Jack Perry, Matthew Jackson, and Nicholas Jackson) vs. Team AEW (Bryan Danielson, Cash Wheeler, Dax Harwood, and Darby Allin) – Anarchy in the Arena match
Swerve Strickland (c) (with Prince Nana) vs. Christian Cage (with Killswitch, Nick Wayne, and Mother Wayne) – Singles match for the AEW World Championship
Sting and Darby Allin’s bond continues even after the Icon’s unforgettable retirement back at AEW Revolution. Sting has kept a low profile since then, but we may not have seen the last of his bloodline.
During a recent interview with Sean Ross Sapp for Fightful Allin said he’s helping Steve Borden Jr. follow in his father’s footsteps. Sting’s son has spent time at his house learning the basics of wrestling and working out in his ring. The full interview drops this Thursday on Fightful’sYouTube.
Sting’s son was so inspired by his father’s match at Revolution that he wanted to begin his own wrestling journey. Allin noted further that Steve had never considered becoming a professional wrestler before Revolution, but that event provided an intense emotional rush for him. When Sting asked if he’d help train his son, he jumped at the chance.
“Do not shame your dad, do not shame your dad, do not shame your dad”
In March, Steve and his brother Garrett participated in an emotional farewell match for their father Sting. Sting and Darby Allin successfully retained the AEW World tag titles against The Young Bucks in a Tornado Tag match. Sting’s career ended with him celebrating as a champion, a final chapter that was worthy of his legacy.
As part of Sting’s entrance, Steve and Garrett dressed as different versions of Sting that fans had seen throughout the years. Garrett played the part of “Surfer Sting”, the babyface star that Sting portrayed in WCW, with Steve embodied “Wolfpack Sting”, when The Icon joined nWo Wolfpack.
Sting and his sons make a grand entrance at AEW Revolution 2024
Sting’s face-painted sons even got physical in the match, hitting The Young Bucks with a flurry of their dad’s infamous Stinger Splash in the corner.
WWE SummerSlam tickets are selling fast with more than two months to go until the Biggest Party of the Summer.SummerSlam 2024 takes place Saturday, August 3 from Cleveland, Ohio from the historic Cleveland Browns Stadium. United States champion and Cleveland native Logan Paul went into hype mode as soon as the event was announced and called out one of most famous athletes in the world to face him in the ring at SummerSlam.
According to WrestleTix, WWE has distributed approximately 46,000 tickets, approaching 90% sold from the current total available (52,679). WWE should have no problem filling another 7,000 seats with 73 days until bell time.
WWE & Cleveland
WWE SummerSlam 2024 is off to a very strong start.
WWE has a rich history of hosting Premium Live Events in the city of Cleveland, Ohio. WWE’s first PLE in the city was the aforementioned SummerSlam 1996 which saw then-WWF Champion Shawn Michaels retain his gold against Big Van Vader. Other WWE events hosted in Cleveland include No Mercy 1999, Survivor Series 2004, Unforgiven 2008, and WWE TLC 2014.
WWE’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view had several big stories going into it. The Shield’s War with a newly reformed Evolution, Bray Wyatt continuously trying to get John Cena to follow the Fireflies, and Daniel Bryan’s first title defense following the Miracle on Bourbon Street at WrestleMania 30.
However, almost no one was talking about the budding feud between 3MB and the Los Matadores. Despite this complete lack of appreciation, it was 10 years ago this month that these teams would clash in what is widely considered one of the greatest “Pre-Show” matches in WWE history: Wee LC.
The bout was built as a punny version of WWE’s Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match (TLC), with Hornswoggle taking on Los Matadores’ El Torito. WWE went all out with smaller ladders, chairs, and tables; even going so far as to bring in other Little People for the roles of ring announcer and even commentary table.
While the match’s construction has middle-school-level humor written all over it, the participants took it very seriously. They wanted to prove that they could turn what could easily be a lemon of a match into delicious lemonade and that they did! During a recent interview on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, former WWE Superstar Hornswoggle spoke about the match, which he describes as the “coolest” match he’s ever done.
“Wee LC. That’s the most talked about match I’ve ever done. I will never top it. I will never do anything cooler have never done anything cooler than that match…
One of those moments where I was like, okay, it was pretty awesome. And then I remember being in my gear literally to like, two matches left and Torito was leaving. He goes ‘You Okay?’ I go I’m okay…I’m still in the moment, man.”
The match was filled with exciting and chaotic moments, as Superstars smashed through tons of tables and ladders, with each competitor’s team members getting involved in the action themselves. Although the former Cruiserweight Champion is proud of the match in hindsight, he admitted that he was very nervous about how it would be received. He feared that the fans would dismiss it or even boo.
“I didn’t know how they would react, it’s two midgets. One a bull, a midget bull and a midget Rockstar going into a match on the pre-show. First thing that crowd sees that night. With mini ladders and mini tables, mini chairs, mini commentary and mini announcer I didn’t know how they’d react. I thought they’re gonna blow the sh*t up. I really did.
And I remember being backstage in my heart knowing we’re going to kill it. In my mind going, if they start booing, we’re done. The coolest moment of my life match of my life, going into it is gonna be the worst thing ever.” – Hornswoggle
As fate would have it, the crowd did just the opposite. Instead, the New Jersey crowd in the Izod Center that night went wild for the Pre-Show Classic. Respecting the innovation, humor, and physical action that came with the match.
Hornswoggle notes that the match was a tremendous source of pride for him, a match where people backstage didn’t just enjoy the match ironically, but sincerely. The former Superstar looked back on the evening as a “shove it” moment, where they got to prove everyone wrong.
“I never thought it would hold up like it has I never thought it would be such a not even talked about thing. [It was] A shove it up the a** moment. I’ll say to the fans, I guarantee the locker room didn’t take it seriously. Shove it up their a**. I get to gorilla and everyone is on their feet clapping for us. One of those moments where I was like, okay, it was pretty awesome.”
For those interested, Dave Meltzer himself awarded the match 3 stars, tied for the second-highest-rated match on the entire 2014 Extreme Rules card, tying with Wade Barrett and Big E’s Intercontinental Championship match. Both though lost out to the epic Shield vs Evolution 6-man-tag match, which gained a 4.75 rating.
Regardless of one’s affinity for “star ratings”, it does reflect how highly people respected and enjoyed the first and only Wee LC match to date. The bout is looked back on incredibly favorably by the WWE Universe and consistently referenced as a gem of a match.
Could we see another Wee LC match in WWE? Most likely not. However, if the company’s new regime has taught its fans anything, it’s “Never Say Never!”
Randy Orton’s devastating RKO may never have come to exist had it not been for a discussion with the matter of the ‘Ace Crusher’ John Laurinaitis.
For over two decades, Orton has put opponents away with the move whose name is crafted from the Viper’s initials (Randy Keith Orton.) The Viper has used the move to capture WWE World Championships and it has taken out top names including The Undertaker, Mick Foley, Triple H, and many more.
Speaking to Bill Apter of WrestleBinge, Orton shared the origins of his iconic maneuver.
“Diamond Dallas Page had the Diamond Cutter, but John Laurinaitis had the Ace Crusher. At the time [the RKO was being invented] he was the Head of Talent Relations and we were trying to think of something that I could do to everybody no matter how big or how small they were. And the RKO was the move.”
While the move has seen countless opponents dispatched of (outta nowhere!) Orton did address the key issue with hitting the RKO.
“Unfortunately it requires me to take a bump every time I give the yeah so yeah, there’s that.”
Orton was interviewed at the St. Louis Hall of Fame ceremony where he inducted his father Bob Orton Jr. The elder Orton had plenty of praise for his son and described the RKO as a “beautiful move.”
What’s to Come?
Randy Orton will look to continue hitting RKOs on this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown where he will face Tama Tonga in the King of the Ring semi-finals. The winner will advance to face GUNTHER for the crown at WWE King And Queen Of The Ring in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Tonight’s edition of AEW Dynamite will be one to watch as the All Elite roster sprints to the finish line at Sunday’s Double or Nothing 2024 PPV from Las Vegas. This go-home show will feature in-ring action from top stars including AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland, ‘birthday boy’ Bryan Danielson and Will Ospreay. Plus, we’ll hear from Mercedes Moné, IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jon Moley and World Trios champions Bullet Club Gold.
AEW Dynamite Preview (May 22, 2024)
Nick Wayne vs. Swerve Strickland
AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland will get a taste of what awaits him at Double or Nothing when he faces off against Nick Wayne on Dynamite. Strickland will put the title on the line this weekend against Christian Cage.
Bryan Danielson vs. Satnam Singh
In a battle of two very different opponents, Bryan Danielson will take on Satnam Singh. Danielson will compete at AEW Double or Nothing in the Anarchy in the Arena match but Singh could get the biggest win of his career tonight.
HOOK vs. Bryan Keith vs. Katsuyori Shibata
With Chris Jericho on commentary, these three wrestlers will face off for a shot at the FTW Championship on the line. The victor will go on to face Jericho at AEW Double or Nothing.
Kyle O’Reilly vs. Malakai Black
Black hopes to gain momentum heading into Double or Nothing when he faces Kyle O’Reilly. This weekend, Black will challenge O’Reilly’s ally AEW TNT Champion Adam Copeland in a barbed wire steel cage match.
Toni Storm & Mariah May vs. Saraya & Harley Cameron
Ahead of her Women’s World Title match with Serena Deeb, ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm will team with Mariah May to face Saraya and Harley Cameron. Storm and Saraya are no strangers as they were part of the Outcasts with Ruby Soho.
Will Ospreay & Orange Cassidy vs. Trent Beretta & Roderick Strong
Ospreay will face Roderick Strong for the AEW International Title at Double or Nothing while Cassidy and Beretta will face off in a “wrestling match.” Tonight, the two sides will be at odds in a tag-team match.
Final Hype for Mercedes Moné vs. Willow Nightingale
In a rematch a year in the making, Mercedes Moné will face AEW TBS Champion Willow Nightingale at Double or Nothing. With tensions at their highest between the two, fans will get a preview of their upcoming match on Dynamite.
Here’s the latest Control Center for a more in-depth look at what we can expert when AEW comes through Bakersfield, California:
SEScoops is your destination for everything pro wrestling. Stay tuned over the next few days for our comprehensive coverage of AEW Double or Nothing 2024.
WWE are hoping to move ahead with the original plans set for their newest signing, Giulia. However, the plans might have to be altered due to her recent injury.
Giulia sustained a fractured right wrist during a match on Monday, May 20 at the Marigold Fields Forever event. She teamed up with Utami Hayashashita and faced former NXT star Sareee and Bozilla in a losing effort. Fightful’s Corey Brennan has reported some new details on Giulia’s status with WWE after the injury.
Brennan reported that WWE are hopeful that Giulia will recover in time for NXT Heatwave which will take place on July 7. There is a belief within NXT that Giulia would face Roxanne Perez for the NXT Women’s Championship at the show. However, it has come to light that “these plans are not set in stone” and might be changed due to Giulia’s current injury.
The Japanese star had to pull out from her upcoming matches, including the Hana Kimura tribute show. However, she’s still scheduled to face Sareee at Marigold’s Summer Destinyevent on July 13. Brennan also confirmed the reports that Giulia will be available to work with the promotion following her arrival in NXT. He reported that “the match with Sareee was expected”, and shouldn’t affect Giulia’s arrival in WWE before that.
It has come to light that Giulia is expected to lead the next class of wrestlers at the Performance Center and the batch is likely to have wrestlers from the recent Australia tryouts.
Character and presentation
It is also reported that Giulia was signed for ‘who she is’, and that WWE are not aiming to “fix something that isn’t broken.”
Giulia made an appearance for WWE for the first time at Stand & Deliver as she was in attendance. She also made her presence felt backstage and was “outgoing and polite to NXT talent and higher-ups alike.” She is also said to have a lengthy conversation with NXT Head Shawn Michaels backstage.
Regarding her English speaking skills, it is said that “the language barrier” isn’t a major issue as IYO Sky, Asuka, Kairi Sane, and more speak in their native language in WWE. However, Giulia’s effort to learn the language has seemingly impressed WWE.
Fans are eager to witness Giulia in NXT but her debut depends on her recovery.
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes has penned a heartfelt tribute for his former rival in AEW, Brodie Lee.
‘The American Nightmare’ took to his X account and reminisced his epic battle against ‘The Exalted One.’ He responded to a fan-made video package of his classic Dog Collar Match against Brodie Lee which took place on October 7, 2020 edition of AEW Dynamite. He showered praise for the late wrestler, who showcased a remarkable performance that night. Cody revealed that he kept his collar and the jacket from the match as mementos and labeled Lee as the ultimate family man and pro wrestler. Check out the post below:
Brodie gave me a beating and gave the world an incredible and magnificent final show
(I kept my collar and his jacket) and all the memories I could salvage
Cody Rhodes and Brodie Lee had a fiery feud back in 2020. The pair locked horns over the TNT Championship several times during their time in AEW. The former Dark Order leader defeated Cody for the title in August 2020. However, ‘The American Nightmare’ Rhodes dethroned Lee a few months later in the aforementioned Dog Collar match. Brodie Lee tragically passed away at the age of 41 in 2020 and Cody Rhodes was his final opponent.
Brodie Lee and his family shared a close relationship with Cody Rhodes. ‘The American Nightmare’ has remained close with Lee’s family, who were also present when Cody finished his story at WrestleMania 40.
Cody Rhodes set to defend his title
Cody Rhodes will be putting his Undisputed WWE Championship on the line against the WWE United States Champion Logan Paul at this weekend’s WWE King & Queen of The Ring PLE in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This will mark Cody’s second title defense at a PLE after retaining against AJ Styles at Backlash: France. Meanwhile, this is Paul’s second World title shot after facing the former Universal Champion Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel 2022.
WWE had previously teased a title vs title match between Cody and Logan. But why? Read below:
Sidney Akeem, who was known as Scrypts or Reggie during his time in the WWE, has been announced for his first post-WWE booking. As part of it, Akeem will be making his way to Game Changer Wrestling.
GCW announced on Tuesday that starting June, Sidney Akeem will make his debut for the promotion on three shows. Here is the lineup:
Saturday, June 15: GCW Hit Em Up in Los Angeles
Saturday, June 29: GCW Crime Wave in Dallas
Friday, July 19: GCW So High in St Louis
The now-free agent commented on the GCW announcement, stating that “it’s time.”
Akeem was released from WWE on May 1, 2024. He confirmed his exit from the company with a video on Instagram, confirming that he is a free agent.
Life After WWE
During a recent chat with Sean Ross Sapp for Fightful, Akeem said that he’s “very positive” about the release and he’s been in “really good spirits” about it. Sidney Akeem added that he’s looking forward to the next chapter of his career.
“I am full-on excited for this next chapter in my story. People don’t know this, but I did circus for 16 years. I was ready to lay that career aside and go on the independent circuit if WWE didn’t offer me a contract. I was willing to dive into this head first from the very beginning. But I was fortunate enough to get a contract with WWE, so that didn’t happen.
Now, I’m here, and I’m excited to do that. Lots of companies have hit me up. Lots of projects in the works. The future is very very bright.”
Brandi Rhodes is recovering from Endometriosis surgery and hopes her story can inspire others to listen to their bodies when they know something is wrong.
The former wrestling executive shared details of her personal health journey on social media this week. Rhodes explained that she’s been experiencing painful symptoms for years, but had no idea what exactly was wrong. She was ultimately diagnosed with stage four Endometriosis, a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. She shared a photo of herself after undergoing surgery for the condition and now seeks to help others.
3 years of pain with no answers. @MaryseMizanin 's story encouraged me to press on. Many appts later, we found the answer. Stage 4 endometriosis. Successful surgery today. Ladies, listen to your bodies. We don't have to live with pain. Advocate for yourself. Finally on the road… pic.twitter.com/oQwoLVMz0Y
Endometriosis is a disease where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes. Symptoms include pain in the lower stomach or back, period pain that prevents normal activities, pain when urinating or defecating and pain during or after sex.
Brandi had stage four endometriosis, the most serious level of the condition. Causes of endometriosis can include genetics or a problem with the immune system though it is often a condition caused by a combination of different factors.
Lower versions of endometriosis can be treated with painkillers or hormone medicines but more severe forms can lead to surgery (such as in Rhodes’ case.) While Rhodes just needed the implants removed, the worst cases can result in surgery to remove part or all of the organs affected by endometriosis.
Given Mysterio’s (kayfabe) relationship with Rhea Ripley, many have been highly suspicious of how close he and Liv have seemingly been getting. When confronted about the rumors on the Ringer Wrestling Show, Mysterio took a legal approach to the accusations.
“I think at the end of the day, everyone is innocent till proven guilty. And I’m just… I’m here protecting Mami. And I’m trying to make sure she’s good when she comes back and that everything is all set in order.”
Ripley and Mysterio have been spotted together in recent weeks.
Rhea Ripley has been out of action since April after she suffered an injury at the hands of Morgan during a backstage attack. This injury led to Ripley vacating the WWE Women’s World Championship, a fact that Morgan (the last woman to pin Ripley) has relished in.
Could Morgan’s ‘revenge’ tour see her try and replace Rhea Ripley, not just as Mysterio’s partner but also as a member of The Judgment Day? Time will tell…
During the May 17, edition of SmackDown, Rhodes spoke of his desire to capture the coveted ‘Grand Slam’ and is only missing the U.S. title from his collection. Despite these teases, it was confirmed during the contract signing later in the night that the upcoming match would ONLY be for Rhodes’ Undisputed WWE Championship.
Why WWE Teased Title For Title
WWE never had any intention of having both titles on the line, despite what was being teased on TV and social media, Dave Meltzer reports. The reason behind the teases is that it was WWE’s way of getting extra ‘heat’ on Paul. The idea is that after fans were led to believe both titles would be on the line, Paul ‘backtracking’ by ensuring he wouldn’t be at risk of losing his gold would rile up the fans against him. On SmackDown, it was made clear that Paul’s lawyers had drafted the contract that means only Rhodes’ title will be on the line.
What’s Next?
Paul and Rhodes will face off this weekend at the WWE King And Queen of the Ring PLE. The show will be Rhodes’ second title defend his title at a Premium Live Event after defeating AJ Styles at Backlash France. The match will also be Paul’s second World Championship opportunity after facing then-Universal Champion Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel 2022.
The current era of WWE is proving to be better than the much-acclaimed Attitude Era, at least according to WWE Tag Team Champion Austin Theory.
WWE officially launched its ‘new era’ at WrestleMania 40, though this came months after Vince McMahon’s second resignation from the promotion in January 2024. With the 78-year-old billionaire no longer around, production changes have been well-received by fans as have the storylines we see on TV.
Speaking to the Battleground Podcast, Austin Theory had plenty of praise for the current era which he believes has surpassed the Attitude Era.
“We do all these things, and every show is packed. Even when I’m just doing meet-and-greets, like in Australia, I did one where 300 people came to see me in the middle of a mall. WWE is at an all-time high now, and you can’t deny it. I think we’ve surpassed the Attitude Era. This era has solidified a new world of professional wrestling.”
Theory went on to describe Triple H as “The Man” and appreciates the “innovative” ideas of WWE’s Chief Content Officer. The former U.S. Champion also praised the passion of everyone in WWE today and believes that with Triple H ‘”in the pilot seat” that there’s no stopping WWE.
It’s hard to ignore the success of the current era of WWE. In November 2023, it was reported that the average attendance of WWE events have now matched the Attitude Era attendance. WWE is certainly making far more money now than it did during the era of the late 1990s and early 2000s, thanks in part to its lucrative TV deals and relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
This week’s episode of NXT built toward Battleground, with Fallon Henley defeating Thea Hale to secure a spot in the ladder match for the new Women’s North American Title at the PLE.
Joe Coffey replaced Ivar in the North American Title number one contender’s triple threat match. Both Coffey and Wes Lee emerged as the winners in a triple threat match, and that led General Manager Ava to make a big decision. A match featuring Coffey, Lee, and Oba Femi was officially set for NXT Battleground, but the champ wasn’t thrilled about it.
Jaida Parker and Brinley Reece also had a match to qualify for the Women’s North American Title match at Battleground. In the end, Parker pulled down the win to advance into the championship ladder match.
The night ended with Shayna Baszler and Lola Vice losing to Natalya and Karmen Petrovic. After the match was over, Lola and Baszler brawled, and they had to be separated. Ava then made the announcement that they two will throw down at Battleground, and the Queen of Spades made it an NXT Underground match.
NXT Battleground Card
NXT Battleground: Las Vegas – June 9: 2024 from the UFC Apex
Ladder Match for the Inaugural NXT Women’s North American Championship
Sol Ruca vs. Lash Legend vs. Jaida Parker vs. Fallon Henley vs. 2 TBD
Triple Threat Match for the NXT North American Championship
Oba Femi (c) vs. Joe Coffey vs. Wes Lee
NXT Underground Match
Shayna Baszler vs. Lola Vice
NXT Battleground is scheduled to take place on June 9, 2024 from Enterprise, Nevada at the UFC Apex. NXT at the UFC Apex is the latest example in WWE and UFC’s ongoing collaboration following their corporate ‘merger’ under Endeavor’s TKO Group Holdings.
Rapper Sexyy Red has made headlines across the entertainment world and will bring her star power to next week’s episode of NXT.Red has been tuning into NXT and recently expressed her displeasure over about Noam Dar’s attack on Trick Williams. Now, she’ll get the chance to be more than just a spectator when she visits NXT next Tuesda Sexyy for the May 28 episode of NXT.
As NXT moves closer to NXT Battleground on June 9, 2024, at the UFC Apex in Enterprise, Nevada, Sexyy Red’s appearance adds an extra layer of excitement. We will have to see what she gets into next week.
Although Sexyy Red tweeted out to hype her NXT appearance, she didn’t reveal her intentions. She did, however, tease pulling off an RKO outta nowhere.
I can’t wait to go to NXT next week yall I might RKO somebody ?? @WWE#nxt
WWE has a long history of celebrity appearances, and the company’s recent success is attracting personalities from various fields, especially the music industry. NXT is no exception, and next week, a well-known face will grace the show.
The St. Louis rapper’s new EP, “In Sexyy We Trust,” is set to release on May 24, coinciding with the start of Memorial Day weekend.
Eddie Kingston wants to push back against pro wrestling tribalism and did just that on his Instagram profile.
Kingston is notorioiusly out of this weekend’s AEW Double Or Nothing Anarchy In The Arena match with a fractured tibula, and tears in his ACL and meniscus.
The injury has not hampered Kingston’s love for the one true sport, however as he’s clearly an active watcher of all wrestling. That’s all kinds of indicated on his latest Instagram post.
While on YouTube, Kingston happened to share a screenshot of Asuka, adding the caption that the Damage CTRL member is “One of my modern day favorites.”
Kingston suffered his devastating injury during his unsuccessful NJPW Strong Openweight title defense against Gabe Kidd at Resurgance. The Elite took Kingston out in an attack after the match, which opened up a spot to be filled for Double Or Nothing. The surprise entrant to fill in for Kingston will be Darby Allin, who returned in the closing moments of last week’s AEW Dynamite.
Kingston isn’t the only member of the AEW roster to tip the cap to WWE names. Kenny Omega recently praised Triple H for being a “body guy” and using that physical presence to his advantage.
Although they also worked together, Ricky Starks recently just went to bat for CM Punk, saying that he was sick of the tribalism that continues to go down in pro wrestling.
Transversely, former AEW EVP Cody Rhodes has taken plenty of opportunities to credit some of his former colleagues.
Since their inception, pro wrestling press conferences has been a hot-button issue amongst fans and one former WWE employee stated what his ex-company’s intent is with having them after major PLEs.
Matt Camp, former host of The Bump, started a new daily wrestling news series titled The Wrestling Matt and kicked off his debut episode by talking about those press conferences. Camp was actually a media member of WWE’s first presser after Survivor Series 2022 in Boston. Camp made clear that he was a WWE employee at the time, but did ask to be apart of the media scrum. He asked questions to several names, including Paul Heyman, but did say there’s a matter of intent with WWE at utilizing the press conferences.:
“They want fans in there, they want people that want to be part of the show, that don’t want to mess with their part of the show. The press conference is part of the show … but they want this just to be an addendum to the end of the show, we wrap things up and we let people speak a little bit and show their excitement and for the most part, they want softballs, right?” (h/tAndrew Thompson)
Camp noted that WWE does get some “fans” presented as media in the press conferences, noting that one member member asked him for a photo after the event was over. He also said there are a contingency of media people there to get themselves over.
“I’ve heard people at press conferences for WWE, I’ve heard people at press conferences for AEW use their stage name or use their nickname. You’re killing your credibility doing that kind of stuff. Then you are playing into everything they want.”
Matt Camp was released from WWE in February 2014. He’d been with the company since 2019. WWE sources were surprised by the departure.
Alex Jones went on his soapbox for pro wrestling in a recent social media post. The political commentator known for his polarizing opinions happened to see a clip of a very athletic, yet debatably realistic headscissors takedown being executed. The original poster included the caption, “If wrestling isn’t fake, explain this.”
Jones, who has found himself in hot water before with several of his viewpoints, decided to defend pro wrestling as an artform.
“Wrestling isn’t fake. It’s a choreographed art form. Thinking you need to convince people that wrestling isn’t real means you’re not in on the joke.”
Wrestling isn’t fake. It’s a choreographed art form. Thinking you need to convince people that wrestling isn’t real means you’re not in on the joke. https://t.co/8y2Os1k0Xl
Jones has been very big into conspiracy theories and accrued quite an audience with his Info Wars show, but like pro wrestling, has created some division amongst people, creating some followers and some haters. Much like former President Donald Trump, plenty of people could make an argument that Jones’ on air persona has been patterned greatly off of pro wrestling.
While pro wrestling gets plenty of pop culture support, the genre has had some notable detractors outside of the pro wrestling realm.
Before WWE signed on with FOX, Colin Cowherd notoriously called wrestling fans “booger eaters.”
In 2017, bassist of the band Kings of Leon, Jared Followill, received a great deal of backlash after he Tweeted, “hey, adults. Let’s maybe not watch professional wrestling. Ya know?”
Just this year, Curb Your Enthusiam‘s Larry David pushed back at the appeal of pro wrestling, telling Bill Simmons that he watched wrestling when he was a kid, but stopped when he realized it was fixed. However, David’s co-creator of Seinfeld, Jerry Seinfeld, recently credited WWE for helping fund the first four episodes of the the series.
The rematch against Nightingale marks Moné’s first match since she suffered an ankle injury in their first encounter at New Japan Pro Wrestling Resurgence on May 21, 2023. The former IWGP Women’s Champion has shared that the injury was so severe it could’ve ended her career. Luckily, she recovered and will be motivated to get her revenge at the upcoming AEW pay-per-view.
Ahead this very important matchup, Moné has shared that she’s training with former WWE superstar Sidney Akeem (FKA Scrypts).
— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) May 19, 2024
Mercedes Moné & Sidney Akeem’s History
Longtime WWE fans may recall that Akeem has worked with Moné. He started his WWE career as Reginald, working for Carmella as a sommelier/ ringside manager in 2020. During this time, Carmella was involved in a feud with Moné, and Akeem would get involved in trying to aid his client unsuccessfully.
Akeem also competed against Moné in a losing effort on the January 22, 2021, WWE Friday Night Smackdown episode.
After the feud with Carmella ended, Akeem and Moné teased working together. However, Moné felt she didn’t need him, and they went their separate ways.
WWE recently decided not to renew Akeem’s contract after it expired on June 1. He has since started to look for opportunities on the independent wrestling scene. It’s interesting timing that Akeem and Moné have reunited as he prepares for his next career path, and she looks to avenge her last defeat. Akeem debuts for Game Changer Wrestling next month.
It seems in the end, they’ll need each other to accomplish their next career goals. For Moné, she’ll need to be at her best if she hopes to dethrone Nightingale at AEW Double or Nothing.