Cody Rhodes’ story may have finished last year at WrestleMania 39, had Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman been unable to influence those in charge at the time.
Reigns retained the Undisputed WWE Championship against Rhodes in the controversial main event inside Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium. The decision was panned by fans at the time as the wrong choice with many blaming McMahon (who’d forced his way back into WWE in January) for the call.
At one time, Rhodes was penciled into dethrone Reigns in SoFi, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports. That was until Reigns and Heyman convinced both McMahon and WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque to change the finish and give Reigns the victory.
The Tribal Chief and his Wise Man were hands-on with the Bloodline’s creative direction
This change of plans wasn’t (entirely) done to benefit Reigns and extend his title run for another year. The belief at the time was that keeping the gold on Reigns would be beneficial in getting other talent over, including Jey Uso and Solo Sikoa. Jey certainly benefitted from his championship program with Reigns over the Summer which helped elevate the former Tag Team Champion to his ‘Main Event Jey’ role fans see today.
Holding off on the title change was also proposed to be in Rhodes’ best interest. The idea was that keeping Cody’s hunt for the gold going for another year would make his title win more special. Sure enough, Rhodes’ emotional victory at WrestleMania 40 has been praised by fans and critics. The new Undisputed WWE Champion’s next title defense will be at WWE Backlash: France against AJ Styles.
Brad Blum resigned as WWE’s Chief Operating Officer on May 1st, according to the Wrestling Observer. As COO, he was in the upper echelon of WWE’s most influential officers alongside Nick Khan and Paul Levesque.
Blum joined WWE in 2006, initially serving as Chief of Staff, a role he held for over a decade. His voice was frequently heard alongside Vince McMahon during the company’s quarterly financial calls.
Over the years, he held various leadership positions and in early 2020, took on responsibility for WWE’s Operations. His duties included overseeing Corporate Strategy, Marketing, Corporate Communications, Creative Services, IT & Technology, Insights & Analytics, Real Estate & Facilities, and Corporate Travel. During the time of his exit, he reported directly to Nick Khan.
In Janel Grant’s 67-page lawsuit, Blum was referred to as Corporate Officer No. 2. The lawsuit mentioned that McMahon, after meeting Grant, arranged for her to meet with Blum. During this meeting, Blum asked few questions before hiring her for a $75,000 per year position in the legal department.
The lawsuit also noted that in February 2020, McMahon mentioned to Grant that Blum had warned him about rumors circulating regarding their relationship, leading to her transfer to another department.
This Year’s WWE Releases & Departures
We’ve updated our WWE Releases & Departures Tracker to include Brad Blum.
It’s Friday, and you know what that means, it’s time for the Daily Drop. Today’s edition should catch you up on everything you need to know before going out into the pro wrestling community today.
Before we get going, probably the biggest story in pro wrestling has to do with Janel Grant’s lawsuit. John Laurinaitis has changed his position in the ongoing legal case involving former WWE executive Vince McMahon. Previously, Laurinaitis had claimed to be a victim but has now filed a motion to support McMahon’s efforts to counter Janel Grant’s allegations. This change is a significant shift in the case. Initially, Laurinaitis distanced himself from McMahon, but his latest legal action aligns him closely with McMahon, forming a united front against Grant’s accusations.
WWE:
WWE SmackDown 5/3 Card:
A-Town Down Under (Grayson Waller & Austin Theory) versus The Street Profits – WWE Tag Team Championship Match
New Catch Republic (Axiom & Nathan Frazer) against Authors of Pain
Cody Rhodes and A.J. Styles face off ahead of their Undisputed WWE Championship match at Backlash
Debut of the RKO Show, hosted by Randy Orton & Kevin Owens
Rollins Isn’t Leaving: On Friday morning, news broke that Seth Rollins has inked a new deal with WWE. The details are not 100% clear at this time, but his new multi-year contract will keep him with WWE into his 40s. The Visionary is currently only 37-years-old.
SmackDown Plans: Tonight’s episode of SmackDown will air on a tape-delay for fans in America. That being said, it will be a rare treat for fans in the UK, as they get to watch a SmackDown show live for once at a decent time, 6:00 PM local time. WWE Backlash is going down tomorrow, May 4, and coverage starts at 1:00 PM EST.
AEW:
Ethan Page Gone: Although he entered AEW with a lot of momentum, coming off a great run with The North and tag team partner Josh Alexander in Impact Wrestling, Page didn’t do a lot in AEW. Now, he is gone from the company, as he had been wanting to leave the Land of All Elite since February.
Julia Hart Injured: The former TBS Champion confirmed that she is injured. She also may need surgery to fix her issue before making a return to the ring.
AEW Viewership: The May 1st edition of AEW Dynamite attracted 703,000 viewers with a 0.24 rating in the 18-49 demographic, showing a slight increase from the previous week’s 683,000 viewers and a 0.23 rating. Following Dynamite, Rampage aired a live episode and drew 431,000 viewers with a 0.15 demographic rating. This was a significant improvement over the last Rampage after Collision, which had 293,000 viewers and a 0.09 rating.
Seth Rollins has re-signed with WWE, meaning that the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion will be around for a long time to come.
Some were concerned about the ticking clock on Rollins’ WWE deal, but he has agreed to terms on a new contract, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Selectreports.
It was noted that the mindset was that “They’re not going to let him go.” The 37-year-old’s new agreement will keep him in the company until his 40s.
Seth Rollins just lost the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XL as Drew McIntyre ended his 316-day reign. The Scottish Warrior’s championship run lasted just over five minutes when CM Punk attacked him, which opened the door for Damian Priest to successfully cash in his Money in the Bank contract. Rollins has since taken time off to recover from a knee surgery.
Recently, WWE has also secured contracts with Finn Balor, Drew McIntyre, and Damian Priest, underscoring a period of significant re-signings.
Endeavor Handling WWE Contracts
WWE fans are getting their first glimpse of how Endeavor will handle these big-money contracts. They certainly waited a lot longer than the previous regime did to re-sign talent in most cases.
Seth Rollins’ wife, Becky Lynch, has not signed a new deal as of this writing, When Ariel Helwani questioned her about this prior to WrestleMania XL, she did not seem worried about not getting a new deal with WWE. As of April, her contract was expiring in two months’ time.
WWE Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes has only one goal in mind heading into the title defense against AJ Styles at Saturday’s Backlash Premium Live Event.
Rhodes finally finished his story at last month’s WrestleMania 40 when he put an end to Roman Reigns’ historic 1,316-day reign. Now, he has a lot to prove as a champion. Speaking on Cheat Heat with Peter Rosenberg, ‘The American Nightmare’ made it clear that the upcoming match against AJ Styles is not only a ‘must-win’ for him but he also ‘must dominate.’ He said:
“I told AJ Styles, this is a dream match for some people, sure. To me, it’s a legit must win. Not just must win, but must dominate. Must show something.”
Cody wants to let everyone know that he has a lot in store for the fans. He wants to bring out his full potential and this title run is his opportunity to “validate” it. The 38-year-old champion further stated that he is never content and believes that’s the mindset of successful people. Cody Rhodes said:
“I’d like to let people know there is so much more meat on the bone. There is so much more to me and this run is the chance to validate it.
It’s the mindset of ‘you’re never doing enough. Have to keep going.’ Everyone I know who is successful has that mindset and that’s where I’m at.”
Cody Rhodes and AJ Styles’ first showdown
AJ Styles earned the title shot after defeating LA Knight on April 19 edition of SmackDown. ‘The Phenomenal One’ had been in pursuit of the WWE Undisputed Championship for a long time now. He had been in a feud with Roman Reigns but failed to dethrone ‘The Tribal Chief.’ Now, he has yet another shot at the title.
Rhodes and Styles have had illustrious careers across multiple promotions but they never crossed paths. This match will mark the first time they will go head-to-head in the squared circle. On that note, Styles did face WWE legend and Cody’s father, Dusty Rhodes in TNA Wrestling. Styles successfully defended his NWA World Heavyweight title that night and he’ll hope for a similar outcome this Saturday at WWE Backlash France. However, it won’t be an easy task as Cody Rhodes has some long-term plans as the champion.
Catch WWE Backlash 2024 from LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, Lyon Metropolis, France at 1 p.m. ET. The countdown show will air live prior at noon ET.
A new biopic detailing the life and career of WWE and UFC alum Ronda Rousey is coming to Netflix with Rousey herself writing for the project.
Rousey’s deal with Netflix will see her memoir My Fight, Your Fight, and the more recent Our Fight adapted, Variety reports. The project has been cooking since 2015 whenParamount acquired the rights to adapt Rousey’s first memoir but regime changes and delays led to the rights lapsing. They were quickly acquired by Netflix with company exec (and Rousey fan) Michelle Evans championing the project.
Rousey has been steadfast in ensuring that she writes the screenplay for the project, and has been honing her skills as a writer. The former Raw & SmackDown Women’s Champion has been connected with Adam Novak, a veteran of the WME media group to develop her skills. Sources close to the process have said Rousey has been putting in extra effort in the project. Netflix declined to comment.
Netflix will soon put the spotlight on Ronda Rousey
News of Rousey’s Netflix project comes at an interesting time for both herself and the streaming juggernaut. Rousey has been very outspoken against WWE in recent months, especially in the wake of Janel Grant’s lawsuit against ex-CEO Vince McMahon. Rousey has also revealed an experience with Drew Gulak that has resulted in the NXT Superstar being pulled from all plans and written off of TV. True to her MMA career, Rousey doesn’t pull any punches when writing about WWE in her Our Fight memoir.
WWE & Netflix
Netflix investing in the story of UFC/WWE star Ronda Rousey is just one example of the streaming giant’s foray into the world of professional wrestling.
The most notable link is Netflix & WWE’s 10-year, $5 billion deal to bring WWE Raw to the service starting in January 2025, along with other WWE programming outside the Untied States.
Netflix also has a Vince McMahon docu-series in the works from Bill Simmons of The Ringer. This project has been in the works for a few years and naturally has undergone some drastic revisions and updates with everything that’s transpired over the past year regarding McMahon’s departure from WWE and the lawsuit from Janel Grant.
For the latest on where things stand on the Netflix Vince McMahon documentary:
TNA Wrestling’s Joe Hendry took inspiration from rock band Creed for their latest musical barbs aimed at rival AJ ‘Top Dolla’ Francis.
Hendry’s songs have proven to be a hit among wrestling fans with his theme song ‘I Believe in Joe Hendry’ recently reaching #1 on the iTunes charts. Before the latest episode of TNA iMPACT, Hendry insinuated that he would apologize for his previous digs at Francis. Instead, Hendry delivered another scathing performance to the tune of Creed’s ‘Higher.’
Hendry’s final barb of his performance referenced to wanting Francis to be fired and stating that it’s happened twice before. The former WWE Superstar was released in 2021 only to be brought back the next year and was released once again in 2023.
This is hardly the first time that Creed have been brought up in wrestling. During the Attitude Era, WWE produced several promotional videos featuring music from the band, including using ‘Higher’ for one of these videos.
Hendry’s musical skills have endeared him to fan as he proves his talents both in and out of the ring. The Scottish star has been trending on Twitter for days as fans rally behind him and his efforts to get ‘I Believe in Joe Hendry‘ broadcast on the radio. With the success of his most popular track, there’s no doubt that there’s no shortage of people who believe in Joe Hendry.
Ethan Page’s three-year tenure with All Elite Wrestling has come to an end with his exit said to be a “formality” at this juncture in time.
Page was removed from the AEW roster page on Thursday, May 2, fuelling speculation that his time with the company was up. Fightful Select reports that the word both in and out of AEW was that he was no longer there, or that his exit was a “formality.”
The All-Ego talent had been a regular on Ring of Honor programming but had vanished from the show in recent months. The report adds that he’d been looking to leave as early as February and had once been set for a feud with Kyle Fletcher over the ROH World Television Champion. These plans were delayed due to Fletcher’s recent Visa issues.
Amid his absence from ROH, Page had taken on more independent bookings and has been promoting his Alpha-1 Wrestling company. He has not publicly commented on reports of his exit at this time.
Page had been with AEW since 2021 after debuting at that year’s Revolution pay-per-view. He quickly aligned with Scorpio Sky and the pair faced Darby Allin & Sting at that year’s Double or Nothing. The match would be Sting’s second match for AEW and his first in-ring match since 2015. Page was later involved in The Firm and feuded with Matt Hardy. His ROH debut came in September 2023 and he would defeat Tony Nese at that year’s Final Battle.
Former AEW TBS Champion has confirmed reports of an injury that is expected to keep the House of Black member out of action for some time.
Taking to Instagram, Hart shared a selfie of herself in a hospital gown with a protective brace on her left arm. The 22-year-old wrestler also shared a three-word message for her comeback, stating she would ‘Recover. Rebuild. Reclaim.’
Hart’s photo comes after reports over the weekend that she’d suffered an injury that was expected to require surgery. As a result, the former TBS Champion is not scheduled for any upcoming AEW TV tapings. She was also not present for this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite which saw the House of Black continue its program with Adam Copeland.
This is the latest setback for Hart who only recently returned from another injury. An undisclosed injury led to Hart missing close to two months of in-ring time earlier this year before she made her return to competition at AEW Revolution 2024.
More AEW Injuries
Hart is hardly the only name on AEW’s roster which has been sidelined due to an injury. Adam Cole has been appearing on AEW TV with the Undisputed Kingdom but has been dealing with a broken ankle since September 2023. Jamie Hayter’s push was derailed due to a shoulder injury suffered in May 2023 and she has yet to compete since then. Kenny Omega was on this week’s Dynamite but it’s expected that it’ll be many months before he can wrestle as he’s yet to undergo surgery for his diverticulitis.
More from Julia Hart
Here are some recent articles regarding Julia Hart as the youngest champion in AEW history recovers from her latest setback:
Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair is no fan of an upcoming docuseries from The Rock’s Seven Bucks Productions that’ll dive deep into the collapse of WCW.
The project was announced in November 2023 and aims to give a fresh look at the circumstances that led to WCW going out of business in March 2001. The promotion was purchased for around $2 million by the WWF, less than a year a SFX Entertainment had offered $500 million for the promotion.
"Who Killed WCW?" from our @SevenBucksProd & the Co-Creators of @Darksideofring comes a 4-part series about the meteoric rise and spectacular fall of the cultural phenomenon that was World Championship Wrestling.
While the project has intrigued wrestling fans, Ric Flair, a staple of WCW, is not on board with the docuseries. Taking to Twitter, the Nature Boy criticized the project given that he was not asked to participate in the show.
As Usual More Bullshit, No Interview With Ric Flair Who Was WCW, And Who Made Everyone There For 20 Years. Run By The The Same People Who Killed The Company. How Embarrassing!! A Documentary About WCW Without Me! And According To @EBischoff On @83Weeks, I Was The Greatest WCW… pic.twitter.com/qBHDnZCFM4
Flair is indeed synonymous with World Championship Wrestling and was with the promotion until its last day. The main event of the final episode of WCW Monday Nitro saw Flair lose to fellow WCW icon Sting. Flair has since revealed that the match was requested by Vince McMahon who held immense respect for the pair.
While Ric Flair is no fan of the Who Killed WCW docuseries, the project does have some high-profile support. WWE Hall of Famer and former WCW World Champion Kevin Nash has said that the show will feature the real reason WCW collapsed, rather than WWE’s retelling of events. Whatever you may think of the production, the docuseries will prove to be an interesting watch when it premieres on VICE TV in June of 2024.
More on WCW
Here are some recent articles regarding WCW as fans await the docuseries from Seven Bucks Productions:
Janel Grant was madly in love with Vince McMahon and her lawsuit is an act of revenge, a spokesperson for the former WWE Chairman has recently claimed.
McMahon stepped down from WWE in January 2024 due to Grant’s lawsuit in which she claims she was sexually abused and trafficked by the 78-year-old billionaire. One person Grant was allegedly trafficked to is John Laurinaitis.
“John Laurinaitis has filed a Motion today fully joining in and adopting Vince McMahon’s motion to compel arbitration. Mr. Laurinaitis corroborates Mr. McMahon in publicly declaring that Ms. Grant’s allegations of sexual abuse and coercion in her Complaint are completely unfounded. My client will fight these false allegations together with Mr. McMahon in the proper forum, arbitration.”
This statement garnered a response from Jessica T. Rosenburg, who is part of McMahon’s legal team.
“In January 2024, Ms. Grant, a 43-year-old with a law degree, who was in love with Mr. McMahon and devastated by their break-up, filed an outrageous and false lawsuit to ruin Mr. McMahon’s career and reputation.
“Now, her false allegations are slowly unraveling. Today, Mr. Laurinaitis’ attorney confirmed his client will corroborate Mr. McMahon’s account and expose the lies within the Complaint. Despite their intense efforts, Ms. Grant’s attorneys won’t be able to suppress the truth from coming out.”
Vince McMahon & Janel Grant
This is an ongoing story that is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon, though McMahon reportedly believes the matter will be settled out of court. We will continue to provide updates on the lawsuit as they become available.
GUNTHER made quite the promise to the fans at a recent WWE live event in Vienna, Austria: that he will return to his native land as a WWE World Champion.
The Ring General was at the May 2, event in Vienna and unsurprisingly received a warm response from the crowd. In fact, the response was so overwhelming, that it was difficult to hear the introduction for GUNTHER over the roar of the crowd.
After his match, GUNTHER spoke to the fans inside the Wiener Stadthalle. The Ring General addressed his past in NXT UK and his record-shattering 666-day reign as the WWE Intercontinental Champion. Looking to the future, GUNTHER vowed that the next time WWE comes to Austria, he will be a World Champion.
— Maeve Draal ?????????? (@MaeveDraal) May 2, 2024
This event marked WWE’s return to Austria after last hosting a show in the country in 2019. At the time, GUNTHER was competing as WALTER and held the NXT United Kingdom Championship. The Ring General defended on the November night against Jordan Devlin (now JD McDonagh of the Judgment Day.)
Former WWE writer Freddie Prinze Jr. has had some setbacks regarding plans for his wrestling promotion but believes a big break is just around the corner.
Prinze, best known for roles in Scooby-Doo and I Know What You Did Last Summer, announced plans for a promotion in 2022. Prinze had high expectations at the time and planned for a two-hour show to launch within 18 months. Prinze has also sought advice from those who know a thing or two about launching promotions.
Two years on from his announcement and Prinze’s show is yet to hit the air. The former WWE writer recently revealed that he’d been turned down and on his Wrestling With Freddie podcast, gave more information about what happened.
“It was Warner Discovery. They were the first people that I went to… It’s such a roller coaster going up and down, but it’s never fast when you want it to be fast and it’s never slow when you want it to be slow. So yeah, so it was Warner Discovery that, and I’m not saying that to hate on them or anything like that.”
It’s hardly a surprise that Warner Discovery turned Prinze’s promotion down, as they are already the broadcast partner of All Elite Wrestling and hardly need a new show potentially splitting their viewership. Prinze added that he’s confident that another place he approached is going to say no to his promotion, which may be for the best as Prinze questioned whether they even liked wrestling.
Undeterred by these setbacks, Prinze is confident a deal for his show is coming soon
“There’s two places where I think one is a definite yes and it’s coming because they’ve made multiple calls asking all kinds of questions from creative to financial. When they start talking money, that’s when it’s getting serious.
“And the other place is like a dark horse, kind of a, not a long shot, like a weird choice, but it could be really cool. And if they say, I just want to yes, so whichever one says yes, I wanna put wrestling on TV and put more wrestlers on TV because that experience does nothing but help everybody, including the fans. So yeah, so that’s where we stand with that.”
Time will tell if Prinze gets his wrestling company off the ground, but he certainly is optimistic about his chances. Stay tuned for more updates about the actor’s plans to launch his own company.
WWE is heading to Lyon, France for this weekend’s Backlash 2024 Premium Live Event, and legendary wrestler John Cena could well be making an appearance at the show. A photo of Cena has emerged on social media which has created a buzz among the fans. Many believe that the former 16-time World Champion could be showing up at this Saturday’s Backlash Premium Live Event.
WWE fan @medy.storn on Instagram posted a photo with the man the company has dubbed the ‘Greatest Of All Time,’ who donned a snapback and a sweatshirt outside Copenhagen Coffee Lab. Cena is currently in Nice, France as he is busy filming ‘Heads of State,’ a movie project with Amazon Studios co-starring Idris Elba and Priyanka Chopra Jonas.
It’s worth noting that Copenhagen Coffee Lab has multiple outlets in France and going by the caption, the picture was clicked in Nice, France. Lyon is under 300 miles from Nice, so Cena might as well reach the destination within five hours.
John Cena has a track record of making surprise appearances at the PLEs and the list includes WWE Money In The Bank 2023 that took place in London, England as well as last month’s WrestleMania 40. Thereby, it will be interesting to see if he makes his presence felt at the show.
The 47-year-old legend’s most recent in-ring appearance took place during impromptu match on WWE Raw the night after WrestleMania 40. Cena teamed up with R-Truth and The Miz to defeat the Judgment Day’s Dominik Mysterio, Finn Balor and JD McDonagh.
WWE fans hoping to see John Cena wrestle again are in luck. During a special appearance on the Pat McAfee Show at WWE World that took place just hours before that match, Cena said he’s planning one final run with WWE in 2025. His acting schedule is very busy for the remainder of this year, but he is not retired from WWE just yet.
Catch WWE Backlash 2024 from LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, Lyon Metropolis, France at 1 p.m. ET. The countdown show will air live prior at noon ET.
Jack Perry has made it clear that The Elite no longer needs the services of Kenny Omega. A new era is upon us led by The Elite. They have made it clear that nobody is going to control AEW except for them. Yes, that includes Tony Khan, especially after what went down last week. On last night’s Dynamite, Kenny Omega finally made his return in his hometown, Winnipeg, Canada. However, things didn’t go well for ‘The Cleaner’ as he was brutally assaulted by The Elite members (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson, Kazuchika Okada and Jack Perry). The assault continued backstage, as Omega was being stretchered away on the AEW Rampage that aired immediately following Dynamite.
The Elite sends Kenny Omega packing on AEW Rampage (5/1/2024)
In a Digital Exclusive, Jack Perry sent a stern message to the former AEW World Champion.
‘The Scapegoat’ mocked the Canadian wrestler by saying that it might be the last time he did his old moves in his hometown. Perry said that ‘The Best Bout Machine’ was not the hero they needed and he’s only a “coward”. He concluded his message by saying that The Elite doesn’t need him anymore as they would change the world without him. He said:
“Kenny Omega, is this the best that you got? You know, you’re not as bad as you think you are. But I hope that you had fun, hitting all your old moves in your hometown for what’s probably the last time in your entire life. The thing that hurts me the most, Kenny, is that you were not the hero that we needed you to be. When it came down to it, you were a coward, like everybody else.
The truth is, The Elite doesn’t need you anymore. Neither does AEW. Because we are going to change the world without you. We all have to sacrifice, and you just made yours.”
Fans might be thrilled to witness Kenny Omega back on television, but he’s unlikely to wrestle anytime soon. He has been on the sidelines for several months while recuperating from diverticulitis. While uncertainty looms over surgery, Omega is fighting to make a comeback to the ring. During his promo on Dynamite, ‘The Cleaner’ divulged that his bout with Diverticulitis took a serious turn and the doctor informed him that fortunately, he was hospitalized in time or else he was potentially 24 hours from death.
Kenny Omega will seek revenge on The Elite when he’s healthy to return to AEW
Upon his return, Omega also had a face-off with his NJPW arch-nemesis Kazuchika Omega and told him to give him a few months before he could return. Well, AEW All In: London takes place on August 25 and these two could once again lock horns at the show – if he’s medically cleared by then.
The card for AEW Double or Nothing is taking shape with several matches being confirmed during the May 1, episode of AEW Dynamite.
The show will be the sixth-annual Double of Nothing event and take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The will be a homecoming for the Double or Nothing event, as the first show (which also served as AEW’s first pay-per-view) also took place at the MGM Grand
Added Matches
During the May 1, episode of AEW Dynamite, World Champion Swerve Strickland spoke about his title reign and touched on the previous week’s attack on Tony Khan. This incurred the wrath of the Young Bucks who in addition to fining Strickland revealed his Double or Nothing challenger: Christian Cage.
The two-time former TNT Champion was flanked by the Patriarchy. Despite a valiant effort by Strickland, the AEW World Champion was victim to a three-on-one attack by Cage, Killswitch, and Nick Wayne. The group’s leader held up the AEW World Championship in what could be a precursor to AEW Double or Nothing.
The AEW Women’s World Title will also be on the line at Double or Nothing. On Dynamite, Serena Deeb defeated Mariah May after Toni Storm threw in the towel for her understudy. After the match, it was announced that Deeb will challenge Storm for the gold at the pay-per-view.
IT'S OFFICIAL!
Serena Deeb will challenge "Timeless" Toni Storm for the #AEW Women's World Championship!
Few WWE Superstars were closer to Wyatt than his Wyatt Family alum Braun Strowman. Speaking to Insight, Strowman reflected on still feeling Wyatt with him to this day.
“I see him all the time. It’s crazy, it really is crazy. I don’t know how spiritual anyone is, but I had a very deep connection with him. I see him, there’s things that remind me of him constantly. Every day there’s something and I can feel him. He’s still around.”
When asked about how the Wyatt Family changed his career, Strowman was quick to make clear that the group’s impact on him extended past the ring.
“It changed my entire life. I was this kid who was told I was never going to make it. Bullied. Fat kid growing up. And having a group of guys, three talented unbelievable human beings, take me under their wing and show me the ways through this crazy business. Words can’t really explain how grateful I am because I’m not where I am without those guys.”
It’s time for the Daily Drop on Thursday, May 2. Last night saw AEW present a very interesting three-hour block of programming, and there is a lot to unpack.
Kenny Omega made his return to AEW television last night in Winnipeg, but things did not turn out too well for him. After receiving a rousing welcome in his home city, The Elite inserted themselves into the situation to make sure The Cleaner left on a stretcher. Then, the Young Bucks chased that stretcher down and tipped it over like the dastardly heels they are.
Now, let’s get into today’s edition of the Daily Drop!
AEW:
Nyla Fires Back: The Native Beast, Nyla Rose, released a t-shirt to fire back at The Oklahoma State Athletic Commission, who said she cannot wrestle cis gendered females as a transgender woman. That new merchandise will go to help Freedom Oklahoma, a 2SLGBTQ+ advocacy group.
Pressure on Swerve: The new AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland spoke on the pressure that is on him now. He also said that all of his endeavors outside pro wrestling helped prepare him to carry the heavy ball for Tony Khan.
The Bounty Hunter: Bryan Keith confirmed that he inked a multi-year deal with AEW. He will be around for years to come. Keith signed a deal with AEW in February 2024 after competing against Eddie Kingston on an episode of AEW Collision. Since then, he has faced wrestlers like Kyle O’Reilly, Malakai Black, Top Flight, and Private Party on AEW television.
Bryan Danielson Can’t Travel: Brie Garcia revealed on the Nikki and Brie Show that Danielson hurt his neck at AEW Dynasty. She made a point to say that it wasn’t too bad, and it is the kind of bump that comes with being in the ring. Despite Garcia trying to play it down on her podcast, it was announced on AEW Dynamite that Danielson didn’t make the Winnipeg Dynamite because he was not medically cleared to travel.
Taz Gets Bad News: Taz recently visited an orthopedic surgeon due to severe knee issues. After tests and X-rays, he learned that both his shoulders and knees need replacements. He has opted not to undergo surgery immediately and will instead continue with regenerative procedures to manage the pain.
Went to a highly acclaimed orthopedic surgeon yesterday to discuss my knee. It’s been brutal for a couple of years, he did testing & X-rays on me. So, both of my shoulders & knees need to be replaced. 4 joints. I am not doing this right now. I’m gonna keep trying regenerative…
WrestleMania London: Triple H did not throw any kind of wet blanket on the idea of London hosting the show of shows. At this point, The Game stated that all locations are on the table.
Mandy Rose Gets Lips Dissolved: The former NXT Women’s Champion logged onto Instagram to update her fans about a cosmetic procedure that she’s having reversed, her lip filler. In the post, she revealed, “We did some lip dissolving today! I’ve always been a little afraid to do this ngl but it was definitely needed and really wasn’t that bad! Swollen at first but a couple hours later the swelling went down, and honestly with the numbing cream I barely even felt it.”
Drew Brings Up AJ: In a very bold move, Drew McIntyre said that he would steal AJ Mendez from CM Punk if he wasn’t already married. This was a big shot, and it will only add to the rivalry that Punk and McIntyre are destined to have once the Second City Savior returns to the ring. He later tweeted and deleted a quote retweet of that video saying: “It’s a general statement, not specific. Even when comes [sic] to Punk there’s some lines you don’t cross.”
WWE Speed For Women: Triple H confirmed that WWE is looking heavily into featuring women in upcoming versions of WWE Speed. No word on whether they will introduce a WWE Speed Women’s Title as a part of this.
Was The Rock inspired to return to WWE after a series of public setbacks in the world of entertainment? Some within the promotion believe so.
The Brahma Bull was appointed to TKO’s Board of Directors in January 2024 and quickly found himself taking center-stage on WWE programming. After a shaky start given the immense popularity of Cody Rhodes, The Rock found his place as a heel megalomaniac, creating the popular ‘Final Boss’ persona.
On Wrestling Observer Radio, The Rock’s return was discussed in detail. Some in WWE believe The Rock’s comeback stemmed from more than just wanting to give back to wrestling.
“There were people in WWE who felt like his return to WWE this year was an attempt to turn around a losing streak so to speak. Young Rock got canceled, some of his movies weren’t as successful as hoped for and WWE was an easy win.”
Young Rock’s cancellation came after three seasons of the show, with the final season averaging 1.4 million viewers, under half the 3 million that the show’s initial season brought in. This setback came just one year after Black Adam, a project the Hollywood A-Lister had been attached to for years, flopped at the box office.
What’s to Come for The Rock?
The Rock has almost always succeeded in the world of professional wrestling, so it’s not a surprise that he has returned to the industry he once dominated. On the post-WrestleMania Raw, Rock vowed to return and confront Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.
Here are some recent articles regarding The Rock as the Final Boss continues to make waves in WWE even during his current hiatus:
WWE was right to avoid turning John Cena heel once he became a top star, according to reigning Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.
Despite the occasional tease over the years, WWE never pulled the trigger on a John Cena heel turn after he became the top star of the promotion. On a recent edition of the Cheap Heat Productions podcast with Peter Rosenberg and Statguy Greg, Rhodes discussed a potential heel turn for himself and compared his position to that of ‘Big Match John.’
“I think minimally about [the prospect of turning heel.] And I could…you never say never. John [Cena]’s never happened, and I think rightfully so. I think what we got there, we look back at now and realize [it was right not to turn him.]”
Cena never turned heel as a top star, though WWE did once have plans for such a turn. WWE was so committed to the idea that the promotion had a new attire and theme created for the 16-time WWE World Champion before scrapping the idea.
WWE has struggled in the 21st Century to create babyfaces with Cena and Roman Reigns being heavily booed by fans though WWE did eventually turn Reigns heel. With Rhodes being that rare commodity of a face accepted across all age ranges among fans, WWE would be wise to keep him as a face, but must find the balance between pushing their babyface WWE Champion without over pushing him in a move akin to ‘Super-Cena.’
Rhodes’ next challenge will be against somebody who’s had no problem turning heel in WWE: AJ Styles. The two will face off at WWE Backlash: France on Saturday, May 4.
Scott D’Amore appears poised to return to the world of professional wrestling, mere months after his abrupt departure from TNA Wrestling.
D’Amore was controversially fired as TNA President by parent company Anthem earlier this year, shortly after the highly-praised company relaunch at Hard to Kill 2024. Cutting D’Amore was met with heavy backlash as the Canadian had worked tirelessly for years to rebuild TNA’s standing in the wrestling world and had been an intrinsic part of the relaunch. The decision to replace D’Amore with Anthem’s own President Anthony Cicone also did not go over well with wrestling fans.
D’Amore’s next chapter in the industry could see him play a huge role in his native Canada, according to a new trademark. The Maple Leaf Wrestling promotion has filed to trademark its name, with Michael E. Dockins making the filing. Dockins, the self-professed ‘Gimmick Attorney’ has covered several wrestling-related trademarks in recent years with Sting and FTR benefitting from his services.
The address listed on the filing is the same address as the Border City Wrestling School, which is owned and operated by D’Amore. The filing allows for the use of the Maple Leaf Wrestling term on various pieces of merchandise as well as at wrestling events. At this time, D’Amore hasn’t publicly commented on the filing.
The history of Maple Leaf Wrestling dates back to the 1970s when Frank Tunney operated the promotion out of Toronto. The promotion was initially known as the Queensbury Athletic Club, which started in back in 1930.
The Maple Leaf Wrestling name was acquired by the WWF in 1984. In 1986, the name was used for broadcasts of WWF Superstars in Canada. The name was used by the WWF until 1995 with the final show being held at the Maple Leaf Gardens in September of that year.
More from Scott D’Amore
Here are some recent articles regarding Scott D’Amore as the former TNA President seems poised to return to the world of wrestling in his native land:
Drew McIntyre is holding nothing back in his feud with CM Punk, and now former WWE Superstar AJ Lee has been thrown into the mix.
Punk and McIntyre have been at odds for some time with Drew taking credit for the injury Punk sustained in January that kept him from competing at WrestleMania. At the April 2024 event, Punk attacked McIntyre, giving Damian Priest the opening to cash in his Money in the Bank contract on Drew who’d won the World Heavyweight Championship mere minutes earlier.
Now, McIntyre has brought up Punk’s wife AJ Lee in the latest escalation of their feud. On the Pat McAfee Show, McIntyre shared how much of a ‘troll’ he can be when it comes to the ‘Best in the World.’
“I’ll tear you apart on social media. I’ll step from behind the keyboard and I’ll tear you apart physically and if I wasn’t married I’d take your girl too. That’s the kind of troll I am.”
Punk and AJ married in 2014, mere months after Punk walked out of the promotion following that year’s Royal Rumble event. Punk received his termination papers from WWE on his wedding day, which was a sheer coincidence according to then-WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. After Punk’s return to WWE in November 2023, fans rallied behind the idea that AJ could return as well, though that hasn’t happened yet.
Punk’s feud with McIntyre has been a highlight of WWE programming in recent weeks, but the two won’t collide just yet. In addition to Punk’s torn triceps, McIntyre is dealing with an elbow injury he has blamed on Punk. Nevertheless, the pair continue to appear on Raw with anticipation growing towards their eventual collision.
More on Drew McIntyre
Here are some recent articles regarding Drew McIntyre as he continues to hold nothing back in his feud with CM Punk:
Italy could soon be host to an episode of WWE TV if the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes has anything to say about it.
Rhodes was part of a recent WWE live event in Bologna, Italy, and defended his title in the show’s main event against Shinsuke Nakamura. Speaking to the crowd after the match, Rhodes teased bringing an episode of Raw or SmackDown to the country.
“You know we are sold out tonight, this is pretty good showing for Italy. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a RAW, to have a SmackDown?”
WWE has hosted just one episode of TV in Italy throughout the company’s history, that being the April 16, 2007, episode of Monday Night Raw. The show in Milan is best remembered for the WWE debut of Santino Marella who captured the Intercontinental Championship from Umaga (albeit with a big assist from Bobby Lashley.)
Tama Tonga Makes In-Ring Debut
The WWE live event in Bologna, Italy also marked the in-ring debut of Tama Tonga, who debuted on TV as part of Solo Sikoa’s Bloodline very recently. In the third match of the night, Tonga and Sikoa defeated the team of LA Knight and Randy Orton. Despite getting the win, Tonga still fell victim to an RKO from the Viper after the match.
Tonga joined WWE after a nearly-14 year tenure with New Japan Pro Wrestling. This run saw him become a seven-time tag-team champion and four-time NEVER Openweight Champion. It remains to be seen if Tonga will see the same success in WWE but debuting in a high-profile angle like The Bloodline and working with established top stars in his debut certainly bodes well for his future.
Tony Khan rode a wave of attention when he wore a neck brace during the NFL Draft. He had plenty of chances to plug Dynamite this week, as he promised that fans will find out what is next in the obvious power struggle going on within the company.
Tony Khan opened this week’s AEW Dynamite via satellite from Jacksonville, Florida. As he was explaining that he couldn’t be in Winnipeg due to The Elite’s actions last week, his feed got choppy and cut out. Matthew and Nicholas Jackson appeared in a production truck and made it clear they were in charge of the broadcast. They explained Khan can’t fire them due to a ‘founder’s clause’ in their AEW contracts. Since they’re the highest ranking officials at the show, they’re in charge and rolled a customized Dynamite opening video package featuring only The Elite.
Later in the show, Jack Perry explained his actions against Tony Khan last week. He said he did what was best for AEW in this “new era” as the Winnipeg arena filled with “CM Punk” chants.
"We are entering a new era under The Elite" – Jack Perry
Kenny Omega took the ring during the final segment of AEW Dynamite. After explaining his ordeal with diverticulitis, The Cleaner admitted that he couldn’t watch AEW television for the longest time. The former AEW World Champion stated that he’s not done wrestling, and he will do whatever it takes to return.
Then he brought up The Jackson Brothers, saying that they don’t call the shots by themselves in AEW, because the Best Bout Machine is still an EVP of the company. Kazuchika Okada made his way to the ring after that, as fans chanted “holy sh*t” before either of them said a word.
Okada said, “I’m sorry Kenny, I’m the best bout machine now” right before Jack Perry jumped Omega from behind.
Although Omega mounted a bit of a comeback, Perry whacked him in the gut with a steel chair, sending him down to the mat. The Young Bucks soon came down to nail him with an EVP Trigger. FTR ran down for the save, chasing The Elite off, but the damage was done. AEW signed off Dynamite this week with Omega laying in the middle of the ring. When Rampage started immediately afterward, they led Omega off on a stretcher. After the initial assault, The Elite stopped EMTs from loading Omega onto an ambulance. They then tipped over the stretcher while Kenny was strapped in, adding insult to injury.
Kenny Omega will be at AEW Dynamite tonight as the show will hail from his backyard of Winnipeg, Manitoba after an extended absence. While fans will be excited for the return of ‘The Cleaner,’ they will have to wait a bit longer before he’s back in action. According to Fightful Select, Omega has a ways to go before he’s medically cleared after a major health scare with diverticulitis diagnosis. Omega revealed that he was pretty close to death after initially believing his ailment was a hernia. The report adds that Omega is strictly being brought back to help boost ticket sales for AEW Dynamite and add some additional star power to the show as they combat the NBA and NHL playoffs.
AEW can take several routes with Omega’s role on the show as he was recently “fired” from his EVP position by his Elite brethern in The Young Bucks. Omega could have some added aggression as The Bucks are a week removed from rocking AEW President Tony Khan with a Meltzer Driver.
Tony Khan hinted in build to the show that with him on the shelf, there should be a “power struggle” within All Elite Wrestling. Will that involve Omega? From how it seems AEW could get a new authority figure in play while Khan “recuperates” from his injury. Omega being in that new role would make sense from a storyline standpoint, but him also being on television consistently as he literally tries to get healthy may slow his progress down.
