An overzealous fan breached security and entered the ring during the latest edition of AEW Collision. However, the security personnel were able to get the situation under control.
Last night’s AEW Collision emanated from Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia. A video clip surfaced on social media which captured the whole incident that took place during the show.
Garcia could be seen celebrating after the match against Kevin Matthews as the fan rolled into the ring. While his intentions were not clear, the security personnel and the referee acted promptly to get hold of the intruder. The fans in the arena soon chanted “You f***ed up” while the invader was escorted out of the arena.
Holy shit there was a fan that jumped into the ring here. The crowd chanted "You fucked up" while he was being escorted out lmao #AEWCollisionpic.twitter.com/P1TrHgkHk0
The show was stacked with some amazing matches. Apart from the aforementioned battle, Bryan Danielson teamed up with Claudio Castagnoli and defeated Top Flight. The crowd was enthralled with the proceedings and it featured some spectacular moments. Following the match, ‘The American Dragon’ showered praise on Top Flight before hyping the upcoming ‘Anarchy In The Arena’ match at Double Or Nothing pay-per-view on Sunday, May 26.
During the show, Will Ospreay locked horns with Lee Moriarty. The ‘Aerial Assassin’ emerged victorious after hitting Storm Breaker on his opponent. However, things didn’t turn out too well for Ospreay as he was attacked by The Undisputed Kingdom following the win.
On the other hand, Brian Cage joined forces with Gates of Agony and squashed Evan Rivers and The Voros Twins in a quick match.
Dax Harwood continued to gain momentum by defeating Thomas Billington ahead of his match against Kazuchika Okada for the AEW Continental Championship on next week’s AEW Dynamite.
Speaking about the women’s division, the former AEW Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa picked up a win over Robyn Renegade by trapping her in a Cobra Clutch.
In the main event, Adam Copeland put his TNT Championship on the line against the hometown hero, Kyle O’Reilly. After a back-and-forth affair, ‘The Rated-R Superstar’ successfully retained his title by hitting the spear.
AEW EVPs The Young Bucks (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson) made their surprise return to the promotion during NJPW Resurgence and Eddie Kingston is the latest victim of their brutal assault.
Edde Kingston was unsuccessful in defending his NJPW Strong Openweight title against Gabe Kidd in a No-rope Last Man Standing Match. After the disappointing loss, Jack Perry made his way to the ring and had a staredown with ‘The Mad King.’ The distraction led to Nicholas and Matthew entering the ring and launching a blindsided attack on Kingston. After delivering a promo, they eventually went on to take him out with an EVP trigger.
This marks The Young Bucks’ first appearance in the promotion sinch Wrestle Kingdom 13 where they competed for the IWGP Tag Team titles.
The Young Bucks continue their onslaught
The Young Bucks are abusing their power as EVP and even AEW President Tony Khan has fallen prey to them. After recruiting Kazuchika Okada to The Elite, they recently got Jack Perry on their side to bolster their force. A few weeks back on Dynamite, the Jackson brothers shockingly took out Khan. The Young Bucks have established their control over AEW and they seem to be unstoppable. The duo has also recently attacked a returning Kenny Omega, who was not even medically cleared.
On this week’s Dynamite, AEW EVP Kenny Omega announced that The Young Bucks will join forces with Jack Perry and Kazuchika Okada to take on the team of FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler), Eddie Kingston and Bryan Danielson in a ‘Anarchy In The Arena’ Match at the upcoming AEW Double or Nothing on Sunday, May 26.
Sami Zayn got some serious laughs at his performance at the Netflix Is A Joke festival, despite the presence of his WrestleMania 38 adversary Johnny Knoxville.
The Jackass and Bad Grandpa star went in disguise to the event that has taken over Los Angeles from May 2 to May 12. Knoxville donned a blonde wig and fake mustache to watch Zayn’s set.
Knoxville was in disguise to watch Sami Zayn perform.
Knoxville wasn’t the only notable name to appear during Zayn’s stand-up. WWE Women’s World Champion Becky Lynch was also at the show as well as Cathy Kelly, according to attendee Glenn Rubenstein. Ron Funches, Tony Hinchcliffe, and Wee Man also made cameo appearances.
Knoxville Vs. Zayn
Johnny Knoxville and Sami Zayn became adversaries in 2022 and tensions grew after the actor cost Zayn the WWE Intercontinental Championship. The two did battle at WWE WrestleMania 38 in an ‘Anything Goes’ match that was won by Knoxville.
Even with Zayn now a babyface, the ‘animosity’ between the two continues. Knoxville was seen jeering and booing at WWE WrestleMania 39 when Zayn and Kevin Owens won the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships.
Fans shouldn’t count out one more match between the actor and Zayn, who regained the Intercontinental Championship at WWE WrestleMania 40. On Twitter, Rubenstein suggested that the pair “may have set up a rematch tonight.”
As for Zayn, his next major match will come at WWE King And Queen Of The Ring later this month. The Canadian will defend against both Chad Gable and ‘Big’ Bronson Reed in Saudi Arabia.
Reigning AEW TNT Champion Adam Copeland retained his title on the latest episode of Collision and also made history in the process.
In the main event of the show, Copeland retained the title against Kyle O’Reilly, who was competing in his hometown of Vancouver, British Columbia. Not only did Copeland retain the title, but this marked the 100th title defense of the AEW Championship, a first for any championship in the All-Elite promotion.
It’s main event time! #TNT Champion Adam Copeland defends his title in a landmark 100th defense. A first for ANY championship in #AEW!
Copleand was able to defend his gold against O’Reilly but the story of the match didn’t stop there. After the match, the two Canadian wrestlers embraced and the champion raised the hand of his challenger. Copeland then refused to let go of O’Reilly that led to a tense face-off between the two before the TNT Champion left first.
It’s main event time! #TNT Champion Adam Copeland defends his title in a landmark 100th defense. A first for ANY championship in #AEW!
Speaking after the match, Copeland said that the match showed exactly why he joined AEW last year.
“Tonight was just an example of why I came to AEW. To get in there with a talent like Kyle O’Reilly in his hometown. 25 years after his dad brought him to see his first wrestling show which I was on. Fast-forward 25 years later and we’re in the main event for the TNT Championship and his dad is here tonight… What an absolute pleasure and a privilege to get into the ring with a talent like that.”
WWE Premium Live Events will eventually return to being hosted on Sunday under TKO Group Holdings, according to UFC President Dana White.
White appeared at the post-show press conference following the UFC Fight Night event in St. Louis. When asked about plans for UFC and his Power Slap promotions to host events over the same weekend, White shared news about the change for WWE’s Premium Live Events.
“We already have those dates set up right now, where Power Slap goes [on] Friday and UFC goes [on] Saturday. And then you’re going to see Friday Power Slap, Saturday UFC, and Sunday WWE. You’ll start seeing that stuff too.”
Dana White: You're gonna see Friday Power Slap, Saturday UFC and Sunday WWE. You'll start seeing that stuff too.#UFCStLouispic.twitter.com/rfc2aJ6OpJ
For decades, WWE hosted PLEs on Sundays. The change came thanks to WWE President Nick Khan who felt that “big sports events were better on Saturday nights.” Speaking on the Recode Media podcast with Peter Kafka, Khan discussed the success of the move.
“We think the ticket sales are reflective of that [success.] We have a big big audience coming out on Saturday and a big gate to go along with it.”
More Changes to WWE PLEs
It’s unclear when WWE will make the move back to Sunday nights, but this isn’t the only change from the normal plans for PLEs. In recent years, the promotion has embraced hosting events outside North America. In addition to the bi-annual Saudi Arabia shows, WWE has hosted events like Clash At The Castle in Cardiff, Wales, Money in the Bank in London, England, and Backlash France. in Lyon. WWE’s next European event will be WWE Clash At The Castle: Scotland in Glasgow this coming June, with WWE Bash In Berlin set for August.
WWE’s search for its next King and Queen of the Ring continued last night with LA Knight and Tiffany Stratton advancing at a live event in Chattanooga.
In the King of the Ring tournament first-round match, Knight qualified for the next round with a victory over Santos Escobar. This is the first KOTR tournament for either man. The crowd in Chattanooga’s McKenzie Arena was unsurprisingly unhappy to see the Megastar get the victory over Escobar.
The May 11, WWE live event happened to take place at ‘Tiffy Time’ as Stratton got the win in her first-round match. The former NXT Women’s Champion earned a victory over ‘Michin’ Mia Yim, who recently set her sights on the new NXT North American Women’s Championship.
With Knight’s victory, the SmackDown portion of the quarter-finals in the King of the Ring tournament has been filled out. The Megastar will face the Bloodline’s Tama Tonga on the May 17, episode of WWE SmackDown. The show will also see Randy Orton take on Carmelo Hayes in the other quarter-final match.
As for Stratton, she will face Bianca Belair on the May 17, SmackDown with a spot in the semi-finals on the line. The show will also see Belair’s fellow Women’s Tag Team Champion Jade Cargill take on Nia Jax. Belair, Cargill, and Jax advanced to the quarter-finals on the May 10, episode of SmackDown with respective wins over Candice LeRae, Piper Niven, and Naomi.
The finals of both tournaments will take place at WWE King And Queen of the Ring on May 25, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The event will be the first tournament-based PLE since 2002 and will also see a huge Champion Vs. Champion match.
Major League Wrestling’s live event schedule continues to roll on with their first collaborative show with CMLL. This Saturday, MLW and CMLL will host Azteca Lucha at the Cicero Stadium in Chicago, Illinois. The pay-per-view event features seven exciting matches, with three title bouts.
For fans looking to get last-minute tickets for Azteca Lucha, MLW has shared that the show is sold out. However, the event will stream live on Triller TV+ for subscribers.
The success of Saturday’s event has also led to the company’s decision to return later this year for Lucha Apocolypto at the Cicero Stadium. Tickets for the second super card with CMLL will go on sale on May 14.
That said, fans are looking forward to this Saturday’s event to see some of the best MLW and CMLL talent compete against each other.
MLW Azteca: Lucha Mistico vs. Barbaro Cavernario
Match Card Preview
In the main event of Azteca Lucha, MLW World Middleweight Champion Mistico, with Cesar Duran in his corner, will defend his title against Barbaro Cavernario. Mistico comes into the matchup aiming to retain his for the second time successfully. He won MLW gold by defeating Rocky Romero at MLW Intimidation Games on February 29.
Although the underdog, Cavernario will try to pull off an upset to end Mistico’s reign as MLW World Middleweight Champion. The odds may not be in his favor, but Cavernario can push Mistico to his limit.
Elsewhere on the card, MLW National Openweight Champion Ricky Shane Page will put his title on the line against Bad Man Tito. Page has held the championship for nearly a year with five successful defenses. However, Tito can present a formidable challenge as he has the strength and speed to get the upper hand on the champion.
Full MLW Azteca Lucha Card
(Match Card Is Subject To Change)
(C) Rickey Shane Page vs. Bad Dude Tito-MLW National Openweight Championship Match
Second Gear Crew (1 Called Manders & Mathew Justice) vs. CozyMAX(Satoshi Kojima & Okumura)-Vacant MLW Tag Team Championship Match
Matt Riddle vs. Josh Bishop with Saint Laurent
Averno & Magnus with Cesar Duran vs. Fuego & Star Jr.
Atlantis, Guerrero Maya Jr. with Cesar Duran & Jesus Rodriguez vs. Felino, Villano III Jr. & Virus-Six-Man Tag Team Match
Ultimo Guerrero with Cesar Duran vs. Atlantis Jr.
(C) Mistico with Cesar Duran vs. Barbaro Cavernario-MLW World Middleweight Championship Match
Kenny Omega appreciates the knowledge and work of two legends that have came before him and one of those names is Triple H.
Speaking on his Twitch stream, Kenny Omega was asked about Triple H the wrestler and Paul Levesque the booker. Omega said he couldn’t really comment on him as a booker because he doesn’t specifically know what Triple H inputs creatively, but does like him in particular for his physique. He then compares Levesque to another WWE Hall Of Famer.
“I really like Ravishing Rick Rude. He’s one of my favorites, actually, from the yesteryear era and I think he was a very underrated wrestler. He always had Bobby, Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan so already his promos would be taken care of whether he said much or not, didn’t matter. He had Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan.”
“For Triple H, I kind of look at him in the same light … I liked Triple H as a body guy.”
Omega mentioned how Triple H was influential in his promos and some talent try to replicate that, but Omega knew that he wasn’t able to do that. He and Triple H have different voices.
“I can’t tell you one promo that really hit me off the top of my head, but I’m sure it was effect and his matches, he’s got some great ones.”
Omega notes of Triple H’s memorable matches including his Royal Rumble 2000 match and the triple threat match against Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit at WrestleMania XX.
WWE is enjoying a booming period in their company’s history, and new television rights deals are set to inject a ton of guaranteed money into their coffers. Although SmackDown is moving networks, the WWE Universe will not have to change their weekly schedule to see it.
WWE plans to keep SmackDown on Friday nights when they move to the USA Network in October 2024, according to Dave Meltzer. The move is somewhat surprising, because Friday is a very competitive night and USA has more flexibility to move the show than Fox did.
WWE had the option to schedule SmackDown on any day of the week, such as Wednesday or Thursday, which typically face less sports competition than Fridays. Specifically, moving SmackDown to Wednesdays could have been a strategic move against AEW, which broadcasts its Dynamite show on the same day.
WWE’s New Television Rights Deals
WWE is embarking on new television rights agreements beginning in October 2024. NXT will transition to The CW, while SmackDown shifts to the USA Network.
Friday Night SmackDown is set to air on the USA Network beginning September 13, 2024. NBC has agreed to pay $287 million annually for the U.S. broadcasting rights to SmackDown, totaling over $1.4 billion on a five-year deal. Additionally, NXT has secured a five-year media rights agreement with The CW, valued between $20 million and $25 million each year. This deal represents a 70% increase from its previous contract with NBCUniversal’s USA Network.
WWE RAW is set to move to Netflix starting January 2025, but it will continue airing on the USA Network until the end of 2024, despite the current deal expiring in October. For these additional three months of RAW on the USA Network, WWE will receive $25 million, a significant bargain in light of their forthcoming $500 million annual deal with Netflix, which will span 10 years.
Bryan Danielson’s contract with AEW is due to expire within a matter of months, but the American Dragon is confident he’ll be competing for a long time to come.
The popular wrestler is in the midst of what he intends to be his final year as a full-time wrestler. This has stemmed from a promise Danielson made to be ‘there’ more for his children. During an appearance on Casual Conversations with The Wrestling Classic, Danielson discussed his status with AEW.
“The big one is Wembley [host of AEW All In.] I wanna make it to Wembley. My contract actually expires before Wembley, but I wanna make it to Wembley. I’m not sure if I’ll make it, but one thing that would be a nice way to kind of close everything out for me is to do my last match as a full-time wrestler at WrestleDream at the Tacoma Dome because that’s the first wrestling show I ever saw.”
Bryan hopes to be a part of AEW All In even though his contract will end before the event.
It’s hardly a surprise that Danielson hopes to compete at AEW All In 2024. Not only will the show be AEW’s largest event of the year but Bryan missed out on competing at last year’s event due to an injury. He returned to action days later at the following AEW All Out 2023 pay-per-view.
After WrestleMania weekend in Philadelphia, WWE may have put a cap on the ECW legacy, but that fire did continue to burn on SmackDown.
The show took place in Wilkes-Barre, PA, not too far off from Philadelphia and an ECW original made the trip with his family to see the show live in-person.
ECW’s ultimate underdog Mikey Whipwreck sat at ringside for the event and the former ECW TV Champion was honored by several WWE Superstars while there. Jey Uso actually gave Whipwreck’s son his glasses and after the event, Mikey took to social media to thank WWE, Cody Rhodes and Uso for the one-of-a-kind experience.
“My kids had a great time last night at SmackDown. Thank you for everything Cody Rhodes. And a special shoutout to Jey for giving my son his sunglasses. He said it was the greatest day of his life.”
My kids had a great time last night at #SmackDown. Thank you for everything @CodyRhodes. And a special shoutout to Jey for giving my son his sunglasses @WWEUsos. He said it was the greatest day of his life. @WWEpic.twitter.com/yCLWhFb0Ay
— ?Mikey Whipwreck? (@MikeyWhipwreck_) May 11, 2024
With the induction of Paul Heyman into the WWE Hall Of Fame this year, Dave Meltzer reported that the moment signified WWE “spiritually closing the book” on ECW, but a talent like Mikey Whipwreck was certainly not forgotten.
SmackDown was jam-packed with action as WWE started the first round of the King and Queen of The Ring tournament. Randy Orton advanced against AJ Styles, Jade Cargill defeated Piper Niven, Tama Tonga defeated Angelo Dawkins, Bianca Belair took out Candice LeRae and Carmelo Hayes up-ended Baron Corbin.
From a storyline perspective, Solo Sikoa claimed to Paul Heyman that Roman Reigns has bestowed the interim Tribal Chief role unto him. However, the big takeaway from the episode was that WWE booked Cody Rhodes to take on Logan Paul in the headline match at Saudi Arabia later this month.
Gosh! I would have to say, this is going to be controversial. Kenny Omega. When you watch him, he’s hurt right now, he’s one of the most fantastic wrestlers you’ll ever see.
When it was brought up that many will feel Bret Hart is more deserving of the accolade, Bryan was quick to share his respect for the Hit Man.
“It’s going to be controversial. I mean I’m a huge Bret Hart fan. But when you watch Kenny Omega… Love Bret Hart, love the Hart Family… but when you look at Kenny Omega, his best stuff is just incredible.”
Danielson’s appreciation for Omega is hardly a secret. When the former WWE World Champion joined AEW, he wasted no time in selecting Omega as his first opponent. The duo faced off at AEW Grand Slam 2021 to a time-limit draw. The pair have traded wins in multi-man matches since then at AEW Dynamite’s second-anniversary show in 2021 and Double or Nothing 2023.
It remains to be seen if fans will see Danielson face Omega one more time. The American Dragon is currently in his final year as a full-time talent but intends to continue resting after 2024. Omega is currently out of action with diverticulitis and there’s no word on when he’ll be back in the ring.
On Friday, May 10, Strickland showed up at DEFY Here And Now. In a video clip that surfaced on social media, ‘Swerve’ delivered a passionate promo. He said that the Seattle-based promotion played a pivotal role in becoming successful. The Washinton-born wrestler further thanked DEFY Wrestling for providing the platform and said that they are “setting the tone” in the wrestling industry.
Strickland recalled his headlining match against Cody Rhodes at the inaugural DEFY show and gave a shoutout to ‘The American Nightmare.’ The former WWE wrestler then showered praise on the current members of DEFY roster and expressed his gratitude towards the promotion, where his career started to take off.
Swerve Strickland then thanked the fans for their support and revealed his gift to the fans – a free meet-and-greet session following the show. The segment ended with Strickland asking “Whose House?” as the fans responded: “Swerve’s House.”
Strickland parted ways with DEFY wrestling in 2019 and went on to taste success in major promotions such as WWE and AEW. In the past, he has held the DEFY World Championship and has been one-half of the DEFY Tag Team Champions alongside Christopher Daniels.
Igniting a feud with Christian Cage
On this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite, Swerve Strickland was confronted by Christian Cage. They had a verbal exchange which ended in a massive betrayal for the champ. The Gates of Agony (Toa Linoa & Bishop Kaun) and Brian Cage turned on Strickland and launched a gruesome attack. This marks the dissolution of the Mogul Embassy.
With Christian Cage setting his sights on the AEW World Championship, Swerve Strickland now has a huge challenge at his hands.
Braun Strowman has made his triumphant return to the ring after this week’s WWE SmackDown went off the air.
This week’s edition of Friday Night SmackDown emanated from Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, PA. The card was stacked with some huge first-round matches of King & Queen of The Ring and it built towards the highly-anticipated namesake PLE in Saudi Arabia later this month. After the show concluded, ‘The Monster of All Monsters’ faced Shinsuke Nakamura in a dark match and emerged victorious in a short match-up.
This marked his first in-ring performance after being on the sidelines for over a year due to neck issues.
Braun Strowman’s battle with injury
In June last year, Braun Strowman underwent neck fusion surgery and was on the shelf while recuperating from it. It certainly took a mental and physical toll on the heavyweight wrestler and he was candid about the same.
In December, Strowman said that he wouldn’t rule out his return at WWE Royal Rumble 2024 but that did not happen. It wasn’t until April this year that the powerhouse made his return. He made his return after the surgery during the opening night of the 2024 WWE Draft where he was drafted to the Raw.
He came to the aid of Jey Uso, who was getting brutally attacked by Finn Balor and the United States Champion Logan Paul. Strowman also had a brief confrontation with Patrick Mahomes and his teammates before Jey Uso calmed him down.
Major League Wrestling’s willingness to think outside the box has helped make them the ‘Apple’ of professional wrestling, Court Bauer has claimed.
It’s hard to ignore the success of MLW in recent years, as the independent promotion has become one of the most prominent names in North America. The company recently emerged from an antitrust lawsuit with WWE which saw the Sports Entertainment juggernaut down $20 million. MLW has also been enjoying record-breaking toy sales in recent months, a testament to the promotion’s popularity.
Bauer spoke with Alfred Konuwa for Forbes this week to promote Saturday’s MLW: Azteca Lucha 2024 event from Chicago’s Cicero Stadium. You can stream the show live on TrillerTV+. Bauer was asked about his brand. When AEW’s comparison to Pepsi was brought up, Bauer suggested that MLW shares strategies akin to tech giant Apple.
“Steve Jobs had this great mantra when he was doing all his amazing things with Apple, and it was simple: Think Different. So when I think what our mantra is, and what we try do everyday, it’s just “Think Different.” Don’t try to mimic, don’t try to replicate, just Think Different. What if you tried something new?
“I try to look at things in a positive way. It’s so tempting in wrestling to look at the drama, because everything in wrestling is drama, and I just try to think different and stay away from all that stuff, the main thing is the main thing.”
Bauer is pleased that MLW has been able to bring something different to the wrestling industry.
MLW will continue to think differently with its Azteca Lucha event. The event will take place from the Cicero Arena in Chicago, IL on Saturday, May 11. The show has already proved to be historic with Azteca Lucha smashing MLW’s box office record.
Kenny Omega will go under the knife to deal with his ongoing health concerns as the AEW EVP remains on the shelf for the time being.
The former AEW World Champion hasn’t competed since late 2023 due to a battle with diverticulitis and there has been speculation as to whether he’d undergo surgery. While surgery would mean a lower chance of the issues with diverticulitis returning, it would also mean he’d have to spend longer out to recover from the operation.
Now, Omega has made his decision. Taking to his Twitch channel, the Cleaner spoke about the surgery he is set to undergo.
“I will actually be getting surgery very very very soon… this guy is top in his field and I feel even though it’s a major surgery, I feel most comfortable with this individual. So even though there’s always worries going into a major surgery, if there’s one person the most confident with, I think it’s this dude.”
Omega did share the bad news to his viewers that this surgery will likely mean he won’t be streaming for a while. With that said, the AEW EVP said he intends to keep fans informed within days after the operation.
Kenny Omega injured
What’s to Come?
While Omega won’t be competing for some time, it’s no secret what the future holds for him in the ring. During his recent appearance on Dynamite, Omega made clear he would face AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada in the future. The two have faced off in a series of highly-acclaimed matches in the past which resulted in Omega ‘breaking’ Dave Meltzer and his star ratings system.
Omega isn’t the only notable name missing from AEW programming. MJF hasn’t competed since losing the World Championship at Worlds End in December 2023. MJF underwent shoulder surgery in April 2024 and there’s no word on when fans can expect him back.
WWE’s QR code mystery continued during the May 10, edition of SmackDown as signs continued to point towards a stable in tribute to Bray Wyatt.
A ‘glitch’ featuring a QR code appeared during the Queen of the Ring tournament first-round match between Nia Jax and Naomi which was won by the irresistible force. Scanning the code takes fans to a video that at first appears to be WWE’s new introductory video, complete with a voice-over by Triple H.
The video then takes a dark tone as a message is shared alongside creepy imagery.
“They put us in a cave together, told us to behold the glory. We watched in awe, consumed by their lies. We were never the chosen ones, left in the cave to rot, to be forgotten. But he set us free. Now we understand. We follow the prophecy. The word of the red. Soon you will understand. The tears we shed watered our antipathy and blossomed a garden of revulsion. There is no safe space. Only my family.”
Like previous videos, this latest video includes rhetoric to caves, which ties to Platoean theory about reality. The use of ‘we’ also hammers home the belief that this will be a stable rather than an individual. Perhaps the biggest clue in this text is the stanza about “the word of the red.” Fans may recognize the reference to ‘red’ as Bray Wyatt had promos in 2014 in which he referred to being red.
“I am the color red, in a world of black and white and if you value your ability to breathe… Don’t get too close.”
All signs are pointing towards a stable led by Uncle Howdy, the character Bray Wyatt portrayed upon his return to WWE in 2022. Howdy was pulled from TV around the same time Wyatt was pulled due to the health issues that would cut his life tragically short in August 2023. It’s also been reported that Howdy won’t be returning to WWE alone. Dallas has also been referenced in previous videos.
AEW EVP Kenny Omega believes that Dave Meltzer was never quite the same after the Cleaner ‘broke’ the wrestling reporter’s much-discussed match ratings system.
For years, Meltzer used a standard five-star ranking, with one representing a terrible encounter and five representing the absolute best a match could be. For Omega’s Wrestle Kingdom 2017 showdown with Kazuchika Okada, Meltzer broke his ratings system and awarded the bout six stars. That same year, Meltzer would go against his own system again, awarding Omega Vs. Okada at Dominion 6.25 stars.
Ever since then, Meltzer has gone beyond his standard five-star rating, which has spawned a debate as to whether his previous five-star matches are now seen as less than perfect. Speaking on his Twitch stream, Omega took the blame (or credit) for breaking the ratings system.
“He’s jumped the f*cking shark so it doesn’t count for much anymore. He has jumped the motherf*cking shark, and guess who is to blame for that? Me. I’m the guy.
“I broke the scale, it f*cked up something in his brain where he doesn’t even know what good match is anymore… I think he just doesn’t understand it anymore, he cant comprehend what’s going on.”
Omega went on to describe his situation as akin to Pandora’s Box; which once opened, cannot be re-sealed. Meltzer’s highest-rated match stands at seven stars and saw Omega defeat Okada in a ‘No time limit two out of three falls’ match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Dominion 6.9 in 2018.
As for when Omega’s next five-star (or more) match will be, that remains to be seen. The Cleaner has been out of action since late 2023 due to a battle with diverticulitis. Despite recently appearing on AEW programming, there’s no timeframe for when fans can expect the former AEW World Champion back in the ring.
New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Gabe Kidd didn’t hold back during a recent appearance for CBS News Los Angeles and took aim at both WWE and AEW.
Kidd was on the show to promote the upcoming NJPW Resurgence 2024 event. The show will take place on May 11 from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, Canada.
When asked what makes New Japan different to other wrestling promotions, the English grappler shared his views on WWE and AEW.
“Listen, I’ll put it in very simple terms. You like theater? Go and watch WWE. If you’re a fat nerd who can’t talk to girls, go and watch AEW. If you want to watch the real stuff, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, this is where it’s at.”
Kidd will be competing in some inter-promotional warfare at NJPW Resurgence later this month. He will challenge AEW’s Eddie Kingston in a No Ropes Last Man Standing match for Kingston’s New Japan Strong Openweight Championship.
Crossover Matches
While Kidd hardly has a favorable take on AEW, NJPW Resurgence will feature plenty of All-Elite talent. AEW staple Jon Moxley will headline the show when he puts the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on the line against Shota Umino.
Lance Archer will challenge Jeff Cobb for the latter’s NJPW World Television Championship. Jack Perry, fresh off his appearance on this week’s AEW Dynamite, will team with Ren Narita & EVIL to face Tomohiro Ishii, Rocky Romero & The DKC. It won’t just be AEW and New Japan talent involved, as TNA Wrestling’s X-Division Champion Mustafa Ali will face Lio Rush on the pre-show.
WWE SmackDown took over Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania’s Mohegan Sun Arena with a sold-out show this week. Those fans witnessed some incredible King and Queen of the Ring Tournament matches take place.
The 2024 King and Queen of the Ring tournaments have begun in WWE, featuring matches on Raw and SmackDown. The finals will go down at a live event in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, May 25. Thirty-two competitors from the roster are vying for the crown, a title previously held by many notable wrestlers.
On WWE SmackDown this week, they continued their road to King & Queen of the Ring. In the first match of the night, Nia Jax defeated Naomi to advance in the tournament.
Carmelo Hayes, the former NXT Champion, won his match against Baron Corbin to advance in the tournament. Hayes secured the victory with a roll-up pin, which didn’t significantly hurt Corbin’s standing, as he was just call-up from NXT during the 2024 WWE Draft along with Hayes.
Additionally, the match featured sponsorship from “The Iron Claw” on Max, with MAX graphics on the barricades and entrance as Corey Graves mentioned the Von Erich Family biopic post-match.
Jade Cargill also advanced toward the 2024 Queen of the Ring crown as she defeated Piper Niven. It’s hard not to see the former TBS Champion as a favorite in the tournament. Cargill impressed throughout the match, executing a blue thunder bomb on Niven, along with perfect splashes in the corner.
Chelsea Green tried to interfere, but there was no stopping the Storm from coming as she won with a Jaded. This win for Cargill also set up a match against Nia Jax next, and that will be another incredible test for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion.
Bianca Belair made her entrance as her tag team partner, Cargill, was leaving. This gave them a chance to pose as WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions before the match kicked off. After a back-and-forth contest, Belair won the match to advance in the tournament.
Tama Tonga picked up the win over Angelo Dawkins to advance this week. Dawkins replaced Bobby Lashley, who had to pull out. Tonga is coming off his brother, Tanga Loa, debuting at WWE Backlash in France, so he wanted to keep that momentum going. Tonga also got to show off his new entrance on SmackDown.
AJ Styles and Randy Orton brought the third and final King of the Ring match of the night. The two veterans continued as Orton developed a leg injury during the match, one he sold to enhance the drama. Orton fought to keep from getting trapped in a Calf Crusher from the Phenomenal One as fans chanted The Viper on.
They fought on, and Orton delivered his signature suspended DDT, but he was unable to capitalize. The Apex Predator was able to kick out of a Phenomenal Forearm and then he hit an RKO outta nowhere to secure the win.
The King and Queen of the Ring tournaments will culminate on May 25 at the Jeddah Super Dome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where the finals for both tournaments will take place.
You may find the results for this year’s tournament (so far) in the space below. We have also listed the announced quarterfinal matches.
King of the Ring:
First Round Results:
Gunther defeated Sheamus
Ilja Dragunov defeated Ricochet
Jey Uso defeated Finn Balor
Kofi Kingston defeated Rey Mysterio
Randy Orton defeated AJ Styles
Tama Tonga defeated Angelo Dawkins
Carmelo Hayes defeated Baron Corbin
LA Knight defeated Santos Escobar
Quarterfinals Scheduled:
Gunther vs. Kofi Kingston
Jey Uso vs. Ilja Dragunov
Tama Tonga vs LA Knight
Carmelo Hayes vs Randy Orton
Queen of the Ring:
First Round Results:
Iyo Sky defeated Natalya
Lyra Valkyria defeated Dakota Kai
Zoey Stark defeated Ivy Nile
Shayna Baszler defeated Maxxine Dupri
Bianca Belair defeated Candice LeRae
Jade Cargill defeated Piper Niven
Nia Jax defeated Naomi
Tiffany Stratton defeated Michin
Quarterfinals Scheduled:
Iyo Sky vs. Shayna Baszler
Lyra Valkyria vs. Zoey Stark
Jade Cargill vs Nia Jax
Bianca Belair vs Tiffany Stratton
WWE King & Queen of the Ring Card:
King of the Ring Tournament Final
Raw bracket winner vs. SmackDown bracket winner
Queen of the Ring Tournament Final
Raw bracket winner vs. SmackDown bracket winner
Women’s World Championship Match
Becky Lynch (c) vs. Liv Morgan (Singles match)
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Sami Zayn (c) vs. Chad Gable vs. Bronson Reed (Triple threat match)
Logan Paul already has the WWE United States Championship around his shoulder, but he is after another title for the other side. The Maverick is now set to take on Cody Rhodes at King and Queen of the Ring on May 25.
WWE SmackDown kicked off this week with Nick Aldis introducing Rhodes. The American Nightmare made his way to the ring to a thunderous reception, and then the SmackDown GM got right down to business.
Aldis congratulated Rhodes for beating AJ Styles at Backlash, but then he said that his next challenger has already been determined. This is when Logan Paul’s music hit, much to the chagrin of fans in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania’s sold-out Mohegan Sun Arena.
Logan and Cody had a back-and-forth on the microphone, one where the YouTuber turned Superstar said that winning the Undisputed WWE Title from Rhodes will help usher in the “Logan Paul Levesque Era.”
After securing the WWE United States Title at WWE Crown Jewel last year, Logan Paul has become the longest-reigning champion in WWE history. With his title reign reaching 188 days and still ongoing, Paul was sure to mention this milestone during his segment with Cody Rhodes.
Then Cody Rhodes brought up the fact that if he won the WWE U.S. Title, that would make him a WWE Grand Slam Champion. He then said that Logan is self-centered, but WWE is a team, and at King and Queen of the Ring, The Maverick will learn where he stands with that team.
Cody Rhodes later tweeted out to simply say: “Two belts.” It seems that he has his eye on Paul’s title as well. This may be a winner take all match if they confirm the stipulation.
The King and Queen of the Ring tournaments are set to return in 2024, marking the first occurrence since 2021. Matches for the tournament are ongoing, and SEScoops will provide in-depth coverage.
Xavier Woods and Zelina Vega are the current reigning King and Queen of the Ring.
The finals for the 2024 tournaments will be held at a live event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 25. The stage for this event was prominently established on SmackDown.
Jim Ross’ iconic voice been part of the soundtrack of professional wrestling for decades. In his latest book Business Is About To Pick Up!, Ross delves deep into his 50 years in the business to recall 50 stories behind some of his most calls. Ross has worn many hats during that time, including referee, announcer, executive and more. His greatest accolades are in the arena of broadcasting and many consider him to be in a class of his own when it comes to heightening the drama of big-time matches.
I recently had a chance to read the book, which is filled with many interesting anecdotes that some fans may not be aware of. Narrowing down the list of 50, here are 5 things I learned from Jim Ross: Business Is About To Pick Up!:
Buy Jim Ross’ New Book (Amazon)
5: The Rock’s Debut Was Also A Test for JR
“Now there’s going to be the man right there. That’s Blue Chipper right there.”
Few names have become bigger in wrestling than The Rock who would infamously debut as Rocky Maivia at Survivor Series 1996. WWE’s first third-generation Superstar, Maivia was thrown in at the proverbial deep end by being booked as the sole survivor for his team.
The classic Survivor Series match inside MSG also proved to be quite the test for Ross. In the book, JR writes about being promoted to VP of Talent Relations around the time, replacing the legendary J.J. Dillon. Ross watched on, hoping that Maivia would thrive in his debut and prove he had an eye for talent. Needless to say, JR’s signing certainly delivered on the night.
4: He Was Sure Mick Foley Had Died At King of the Ring 1998
“As God as my witness, he is broken in half!”
Mick Foley had wrestled for years by the time he entered (or rather climbed) the Hell in a Cell structure at King of the Ring 1998, but this match helped cement his legacy. Mere minutes into the match, the Hardcore Legend was thrown off the side of the cell, momentarily pausing the match as fans worried for Mick’s wellbeing.
JR’s commentary of the match is a collection of some of his greatest lines, as it was this match that also spawned “That killed him! That killed him!” In his book, Ross writes that neither he nor Jerry Lawler had any idea Mick was going to go off the celland had actually advised him shortly before the match to be more cautious with his bumps. Foley’s second cell fall, this one being later in the match through the roof of the structure to the mat, had JR fearing that he’d seen his friend die in the ring.
3: Shawn Michaels Vs. The Undertaker Was An Honor to Call
“I just had an out-of-body experience!”
By 2008, JR had established himself as the voice of WWE (and arguably the voice of pro wrestling) but his career was showing signs of the proverbial downward slope. Ross was moved from Raw to SmackDown in that year’s draft, a move that he was not warned about. As part of the blue brand, JR would also be relegated further with a demotion as lead announcer.
As 2008 rolled into 2009, Ross was feeling pretty numb to his WWE career, until a phone call helped revitalize his spirit. That call was the company requesting him to call the WrestleMania 25 bout between Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker. Ross describes being presented with the match as “one of the greatest gifts I ever received” given how low in the WWE’s pecking order he had landed. It certainly helps that the match was “perfect” in Ross’ eyes, and would put some ‘pep’ in Ross’ step.
2: His Wife’s Passing Played A Role in Joining All Elite Wrestling
Jim Ross and his wife Jan.
In March 2017, Jan Ross was involved in a serious vehicle accident and was put on life support but passed away two days later. The couple had been married for 24 years and understandably, Jan’s death affected Jim in a profound way.
Two years later, JR’s contract would expire with WWE as the two sides opted not to renew. For WWE, they had no plans for Jim in a commentary role, and JR wanted to push himself in a role greater than the part-time appearances WWE had in mind. JR “needed something more engaging, something more scary and risky, to help me not be in my head so much.”
That something would be AEW, who welcomed Ross with open arms that same year. With AEW, Ross was thrust right back into the hustle and bustle he had experienced for years in WWE, and kept him motivated and his mind occupied.
1: He Has No Idea Why Vince McMahon Returned to WWE
Jim Ross and Vince McMahon
In January 2023, less than a year after his ‘retirement’ Vince McMahon forced his way back into WWE. The move came a year after Vince essentially banished his son Shane after chaos at the 2022 Royal Rumble and amid reports that he and Linda had long been separated. Stephanie’s departure from WWE the same time as her father’s return only further demonstrated the McMahon family drama.
Ross worked closely with the McMahon’s for decades and their work on TV often came at his expense. In the book, Ross argues that the McMahon’s seem more divided than ever and has no idea why Vince opted to return, saying it’s perhaps to flame up “all the embarrassment and scrutiny again for his family.” Ross also questions what kind of deal McMahon was seeking that it was worth ripping his family apart.
Editorial Reviews
Publisher Penguin Random House provided these quotes from some of the biggest stars in wrestling whose matches have been voiced by Jim Ross:
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson: “Jim’s masterful play-by-play commentary has always been driven by his passion, deep wrestling knowledge, and most of all, his ability to make the audience feel the action of the wrestling match.”
John Cena: “Through the years, Jim Ross has been not only the voice of some of the greatest stories ever told in sports entertainment, he has identified and helped a great number of successful professionals . . . I’m extremely grateful for all his guidance through the years.”
Bret Hart: “To my memory, Jim Ross was the greatest play-by-play wrestling commentator there is, was, and ever will be . . . He brought TV’s greatest wrestling matches to life, and the many unforgettable memories that come involving each superstar on each telecast, taking you there word-by-word, guiding you carefully to the finish for one more wild ride.”
Kenny Omega: “Jim Ross hasn’t just been the narrator guiding us along our journey in pro wrestling—he has become the voice synonymous with wrestling. It’s been the greatest honor to have experienced his work as a fan, and to also have benefitted by working alongside him in AEW.”
Mick Foley: “Jim Ross has the ability to turn a good match into a great match, and a great match into the stuff of legend. For an entire generation of wrestling fans, Jim’s immortal calls were part of the soundtrack of their lives, eclipsing wrestling itself to become an indelible part of popular culture.”
Cinephiles will now be able to appreciate The Iron Claw from home now that the biopic centered on the lives of the Von Erich family has come to MAX.
The Iron Claw tells the tale of the legendary wrestling family and the many tragedies that befall the brothers. An all-star cast includes Zac Efron (The Greatest Showman,) Jeremy Allen-White (The Bear,) and Lily James (Pam And Tommy.) The name of the movie comes from the dreaded ‘Iron Claw’ finisher used by patriarch Fritz Von Erich that was adopted by his sons and others in the family.
Now, the film has come to MAX (formerly HBO MAX) which is the official streaming service of Warner Bros. Discovery. The film hit theaters in December 2023 and grossed $44.2 million worldwide, making it the tenth-highest-grossing movie for acclaimed production studio A24.
The Iron Claw didn’t win any Academy Awards but received praise for its hold-nothing-back approach to the Von Erich family. The New Yorker said that the film is “as exuberant as it is mournful” while The Ringer described it as “a sports movie with genuine existential heft.” Efron’s lead portrayal of Kevin Von Erich has been heralded as arguably the best work of his career.
Check out SE Scoops’ review of The Iron Claw, courtesy of Dominic Deangelo.
The Iron Claw isn’t the first wrestling-themed biopic. In 2019, Fighting With My Family chartered the life and rise of Saraya in WWE, where she worked for years as Paige. In February 2024, it was reported that Dwayne Johnson’s Seven Bucks Production had begun working on a biopic about Ric Flair.
2K has released the last update for the upcoming ECW DLC pack for WWE 2K24, known as the ECW Punk Pack, which will be available on Wednesday, May 15. They have revealed CM Punk’s appearance in the game, accurately capturing his likeness. They even nailed the WWE Universe’s rambunctious “CM Punk” chants.
WWE and 2K recently released previews of the ECW Punk Pack characters, featuring The Sandman, The Dudley Boyz, and Terry Funk. Today, they unveiled a screenshot of CM Punk, the last member of the pack. This release was accompanied by a video showcasing his entrance in the game.
This marks CM Punk’s first official appearance in a WWE game since WWE 2K15. During the interim period, the only way fans could get Punk in the game was via a talented CAW artist in the 2k community.
CM Punk returned to WWE during the closing moments of the 2023 Survivor Series event. That surprise in the Windy City caught everyone off-guard, and 2K also didn’t have him prepared for their upcoming game. They got to work in rapid fashion to correct this omission from the roster.
In case you’re wondering how far WWE video games have come since CM Punk was last featured in a game, you can check out his 2K15 entrance below. The difference is pretty astounding.
Future WWE 2K24 DLC Packs:
June 26: DLC Pack #2 (“Post Malone & Friends Pack”)
Post Malone
Sensational Sherri
Mosh
Thrasher
Honky Tonk Man
Jimmy Hart Manager
MyFACTION Superstar Cards
July 24: DLC Pack #3 (“Pat McAfee Show Pack”)
Pat McAfee
Ty Schmit
Boston Connor
AJ Hawk
Darius Butler
Additional MyFACTION Superstar Cards
September 20: DLC Pack #4 (“Global Superstars Pack”)
Jade Cargill
Nia Jax
Michelle McCool
Carlito
Kairi Sane
Lyra Valkyria
Dragon Lee
MyFACTION Superstar Cards
November 13: DLC Pack #5 (“WCW Pack”)
Diamond Dallas Page
Iron Sheik
Mr. Perfect
Great Muta
Lex Luger
MyFACTION Superstar Cards
WWE 2K24 Release & Reception
WWE 2K24 was released on March 8, 2024. Cody Rhodes is featured on the standard edition of the game. Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair appear on the special edition, the first time females have shared the cover. The 40 Years of WrestleMania special cover was changed to remove Brock Lesnar.
The game is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Critics have noted the game’s improvements and refinements from previous versions.
Big Bill’s new pairing with former AEW World Champion Chris Jericho signifies the end of his previous partnership with Ricky Starks. We’ve seen wrestlers teaming with multiple tag partners and being part of multiple ongoing storylines, but that won’t be the case here. Fightful Selectreports Bill and Starks have officially parted ways and there are no plans for the former AEW tag champs to work together on television. After reaching the top of the mountain together, they’ve decided to go their separate ways.
Chris Jericho and Big Bill in AEW
While Big Bill is sitting under the Learning Tree, Starks is out of action recovering from a leg injury. That process is never fun, but he let his social media followers know he’s doing just fine while off the road.
Big Bill has gone through a lot since his WWE release, and it was well-documented. He has also spoken candidly about overcoming those struggles.
After a run in the NWA and Impact Wrestling, AEW opened their doors to the former Realest Guy in the Room.
Big Bill made his AEW debut on May 4, 2022, as MJF’s pick to face Wardlow in a storyline for their Double or Nothing match. Although Bill lost that debut match to the Warddog, he wasn’t finished in Tony Khan’s company. By August, the 37-year-old signed with AEW, initially as part of Stokely Hathaway’s stable, The Firm.
In August 2023, Big Bill teamed up with Ricky Starks, who managed him after obtaining a manager’s license. They won the AEW World Tag Team Championship from FTR on October 7 and held it for 123 days before losing it to Sting and Darby Allin.
On April 24, 2024, Big Bill told FTW Champion Chris Jericho he wanted to join his Learning Tree. After assisting Jericho in a match, Jericho welcomed him into the group a week later. All signs point to the fact that Bill’s stories in AEW are far from over.
