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Alabama’s Rylan Griffen Lets WWE Fandom Loose With Crimson Tide Title After Final Four Berth

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WWE has fans from all over, and after Alabama won their big Elite Eight game over Clemson, Rylan Griffen celebrated like a champion.

Rylan Griffen was handed a custom WWE Alabama Championship Title during an interview after the Crimson Tide’s big win on March 30. He immediately let his fandom out in bold fashion, and he also reenacted Triple H’s iconic entrance.

Celebrating Like A WWE Champion

The Alabama men’s basketball team achieved a significant milestone on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena, securing the program’s first-ever Final Four berth by defeating No. 6 seed Clemson. Alabama Crimson Tide Guard Rylan Griffen was obviously on-hand for the celebration, and he was blown away by something WWE sent his team.

Griffen commented that the belt was “deadly,” and then he proceeded to pick out the kind of WWE entrance he wants. He decided to go with Triple H, and we’re sure The Game appreciates that. This was certainly a viral moment, and WWE signal blasted the post as well, as they re-posted it on Twitter/X along with the classic eyeballs emoji.

WWE’s Custom Titles

WWE has a new line of cross-promoted titles with a variety of sports. It is very possible to see WWE Title belts pop up at a variety of sporting events from MLB to the NFL with fans sporting their custom championships. You can find more about WWE’s custom title belts here.

The Alabama WWE Championship Title was obviously a big winner for Rylan Griffen. It might be tough for him to make WrestleMania 40, because his team is facing UConn in their Final Four game on April 6.

SEScoops will have more on this story if there are any necessary updates. Keep checking back on a regular basis for more headlines!

WWE Locks Down Several Names Across NXT & Main Roster

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WWE has secured even more trademarks to make sure that nobody else uses their intellectual property. Those new trademarks span Superstars and on-air personalities from WWE and the NXT brand as well.

WWE filed trademark applications for several names on March 29. Now “Andrade,” “Chase U,” “Vic Joseph,” “Alicia Taylor,” “Blake Howard,” and “Erik” are one step closer to being WWE property.

WWE’s New Trademark Filings

On March 29, WWE took legal action by filing trademark applications for several names including “Andrade,” “Chase U,” “Vic Joseph,” “Alicia Taylor,” “Blake Howard,” and “Erik.”

These trademark filings cover a wide array of categories, primarily focusing on entertainment services related to wrestling exhibitions and performances by professional wrestlers. It is the usual language found in those type of trademark filings.

The trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibitions and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer rendered and through broadcast media including television and radio, and via the internet or commercial online service; providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network; providing information in the fields of sports and entertainment via an online community portal; providing a website in the field of sports entertainment information; fan club services, namely, organizing sporting events in the field of wrestling for wrestling fan club members; organizing social entertainment events for entertainment purposes for wrestling fan club members; providing online newsletters in the fields of sports entertainment; online journals, namely blogs, in the field of sports entertainment.

WWE’s History Of Trademarking Names

WWE locking down Andrade’s name is interesting, because he used Andrade el Idolo in AEW. Now, he is back in WWE and they are locking down his name.

The company has a history of trademarking names, and that is why they have a proclivity to change someone’s real name once they enter WWE. They have also been known to alter ring names, just so they can make sure nobody has any claim to a moniker.

SEScoops will keep an eye for any updates, and check back throughout the day for more headlines!

Nic Nemeth Explains Why He Didn’t Sign With AEW

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IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion Nic Nemeth (formerly known as Dolph Ziggler in WWE) has made it clear that he is not looking for any long-term commitments. 

Nemeth ended a 19-year run with WWE in September last year. Several promotions contacted him after his release and wanted to bring him on board. 

Nemeth’s first post WWE appearance was for NJPW where he debuted his ‘Wanted Man gimmick.’ He also started making appearances for TNA Wrestling shortly after. 

In recent times AEW has been the preferred destination for the free agents. Former World Champions like Adam Copeland and Mercedes Mone have decided to join AEW after departing WWE. Nic Nemeth however, chose a different path because he has other plans.

Nic Nemeth doesn’t want to be ‘locked in’

Speaking on Keepin It 100, Nemeth revealed that he had some discussions with AEW but he had some other plans chalked out in mind for his career outside WWE. He claimed that Scott D’Amore insisted him to sign with TNA Wrestling. 

Moreover, one of the locker room members had also reached out to him and he eventually decided to sign a short-term deal with the promotion. However, he has the freedom to compete in other promotions as well. Nemeth said:

“In the past, some [talks] but I had a plan that I’ve been working on for probably the last year and a half. I didn’t want to go anywhere. I appreciate that several companies reached out immediately.

I [said] I have this one plan, I want to do this on my own and even so, Scott D’Amore was so insistent because the locker room was so strong and somebody in the locker room of TNA reached out and I go ‘man you guys are really making this hard.'” 

The former WWE star made it clear that he wouldn’t sign a long-term deal because he didn’t want to be held down by any promotion. He added:

“[I said] let’s do some dates. I’m not gonna sign for 3 years but I said I just wanna bounce around and be a hired gun. I’ll go with anybody and do anything. [I said] I just got out of a long-term relationship, 19 years. I don’t want to sign a paper that says you can’t do this.

I can still represent companies, I am a great brand ambassador. I just don’t want to be locked in. I did it for too long. I stayed a couple extra years to get the good money.”

Nic Nemeth feels that he is in the best shape of his career and reiterated that he wants to ‘bounce around’ for some more time and eventually settle down at a promotion.

In April, huge opportunities are lined up for Nemeth. He will challenge Moose for the TNA World Championship at TNA Rebellion on April 20. 

A week later, on April 27,  Nemeth will battle Alberto El Patron for the AAA Mega Championship at AAA TripleMania XXXII. Nemeth has also issued a challenge to a veteran NJPW star. Find out more below:

Kenny Omega Responds to Criticism For His Promos & Storytelling

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AEW star Kenny Omega has responded to the critics who believe he’s ‘bad’ at delivering promos and storytelling.  

Without question, Kenny Omega is one of the most talented wrestlers. He has showcased impressive in-ring prowess and delivered many instant classics over the years. While the fans have commended his performances inside the squared circle, some critics believe he lacks storytelling abilities and doesn’t have the ‘promo game’ 

Kenny Omega responds

During a recent Twitch Live Stream, Omega took a shot back at the naysayers, saying: 

“Everyone’s wondering, Kenny, ‘Why is Kenny so bad at promos? He doesn’t have promo game. He needs to cut a promo. That’s all I care about.’ Shut the f**k up!… Jesus Christ.”

In addition to this, ‘The Cleaner’ addressed the critics who compare him with The Rock. ‘The Great One’ has the ability to have arenas sold out but the former AEW World Champion believes he has his own way of storytelling and tries his best. He said:

“You’re trying to talk about a guy who sold 45,000-seaters with my storytelling? You’re trying to tell me I don’t know how to tell stories? Because I don’t have a yelling promo voice? Yeah?

You tell me and then you’re gonna say, oh well, The Rock sold more. Of course he f**king did. He’s The Goddamn Rock and you know what? I’m not f**king bad myself. I try my best.”

Kenny Omega further stressed the fact that he has a particular way of narrating a story and if the critics don’t approve of that, he doesn’t care. He said:

“Honestly though, guys, when I wanna tell a story and I have a way to tell it, I’ll tell it in my ways. That’s all there is to it and maybe if something that I’ve done isn’t exciting or my American-style promos just aren’t doing it for you, well, I got news for ya, because I don’t care.

I don’t care. It sucks. Hey, I got out there feeling like, man, what am I even doing out here? Why am I even wasting my Goddamn time?”

Kenny Omega’s health issues

Omega is currently sidelined for an indefinite period after he was diagnosed with diverticulitis. Amid his absence, he has been fired from The Elite and replaced by his arch-rival Kazuchika Okada. 

AEW President Tony Khan has been optimistic about Omega’s progress but the 40-year-old wrestler will likely have to undergo surgery before he can prepare for his comeback. 

As his pro wrestling future remains up in the air, we at SEScoops wish him a speedy recovery and hope that he is back in action soon.

Personal Tragedy For Tony Schiavone Led To Ian Riccaboni On 3/30 AEW Collision Commentary

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AEW fans were surprised to see Ian Riccaboni on Collision this week. It was a nice change of pace, but there was a deeper reason for this behind the scenes.

Tony Schiavone, who is usually on the AEW Collision commentary table every week, had a big loss in his personal list. His dog passed away, so AEW arranged for Riccaboni to be there as a fill-in for the veteran play-by-play specialist.

Why Riccaboni was on AEW Collision

Ian Riccaboni was on AEW Collision this week, but it doesn’t appear that is a long-time change for the show. Tony Schiavone dealt with a big personal loss as his dog died, so that called for a change of plans for AEW.

During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer explained what happened. It turns out that Tony Schiavone was at Collision anyway, but Riccaboni was brought in just in case.

“So, Ian Riccaboni was there. It’s not a permanent move for him to be there. What happened was, Tony Schiavone’s dog died, and best wishes to Tony Schiavone, really, really hard day for him, but he came, he was there. They didn’t know, but he was there. Tony could have certainly taken the day off and, you know, there would have been no heat. Because of that, they brought Ian up there.”

Meltzer went on to say that, “if Tony didn’t want to work, then Ian would be there, and lead the show.”

https://twitter.com/AEW_Blog/status/1774251113677570510

Kevin Kelly’s AEW Release

Kevin Kelly was released from AEW, but Ian Riccaboni will not be his full-time replacement. He only worked Collision this week because of Tony Schiavone, who is dealing with a terrible personal loss.

Kelly Kelly’s posts on social media several weeks ago cost him his job with AEW. In those posts, he also shaded Ian Riccaboni as he claimed his career was being sabotaged.

Our thoughts are with Tony Schiavone as he deals with the terrible person loss of losing a pet. They call dogs man’s best friend for a reason, and we hope that he can find peace through this difficult time.

WWE Planning Meeting To Discuss Change For WrestleMania 40 Title Match

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WrestleMania 40 will be here before we know it, but the card is always subject to change. It appears that the tag team match for the Undisputed Titles may see an alteration in the next week.

The grandest stage of them all is set to take over Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7, 2024. Some tickets still remain for the show.

Although Grayson Waller and Austin Theory won their match to secure the final two spots in the multi-team ladder match for the Undisputed Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania 40, they might get pulled from the match. WWE is reportedly having a meeting about that this week.

WrestleMania 40 Possible Change

The WWE WrestleMania 40 card is being finalized just a week ahead of the event. The six-pack ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship, is set to feature Finn Balor & Damian Priest, Team #DIY, Awesome Truth, The New Day, Grayson Waller & Austin Theory, and Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate.

During Friday’s SmackDown, the final two spots in the ladder match were secured. Waller and Theory emerged victorious against The Street Profits, earning their place in the match. Similarly, Dunne & Bate defeated Angel & Humberto in a qualifying tournament to secure their spot in the bout.

During his discussion on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer mentioned an upcoming meeting to determine if Waller and Theory will stay in the match at WrestleMania 40. The reasons for their potential removal and the possible replacements remain unclear, but this is apparently something they are discussing.

“By the way, even though Theory and Waller won. It is not necessarily that they’re going to be in that match. They might be. There is a meeting upcoming where they will make a decision on that.”

Additional WrestleMania Festivities

WWE is planning a packed WrestleMania kick off event at the Wells Fargo Center on April 5th. There are also plenty of activities to keep fans engaged throughout the whole weekend.

On April 5, both SmackDown and the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony will also be hosted at the Wells Fargo Center. WrestleMania 40 itself will unfold at the Lincoln Financial Field on April 6 and April 7.

Paul Heyman, Bull Nakano, The U.S. Express (Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda), Muhammad Ali, and Thunderbolt Patterson are among the inductees in this year’s Hall of Fame class.

Additionally, it was announced during SmackDown that Michael Cole, Pat McAfee, CM Punk, Big E, Jackie Redmond, and Wade Barrett will be leading WWE’s Countdown to WrestleMania pre-shows ahead of both nights of WrestleMania 40. These pre-shows will run from 5 to 7 p.m. Eastern time on April 6 and April 7, with the main events kicking off at 7 p.m. Eastern on each night.

WWE WrestleMania 40 Card (So Far):

  • The Bloodline (The Rock and Roman Reigns) vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth “Freakin” Rollins: Tag team match – Night 1
  • Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre: Singles match for the World Heavyweight Championship Night 2
  • Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes: TBD match for the Undisputed WWE Universal ChampionshipNight 2
  • Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley: Singles match for the WWE Women’s Championship
  • Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch: Singles match for the Women’s World Championship
  • Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn: Singles match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
  • The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) vs. The Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) vs. Grayson Waller & Austin Theory: Six-Pack Tag Team Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
  • LA Knight vs. AJ Styles
  • Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso
  • Logan Paul (c) vs. Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens: Triple threat match for the WWE United States Championship

SEScoops will have more on WrestleMania 40, and everything surrounding the big event. Keep checking back throughout the day for more headlines!

Daily Drop (3/31): WWE WrestleMania 40 Set Construction, Bryan Danielson Dream Match Comes True

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Welcome the Daily Drop, your daily roundup of wrestling news and rumors for Sunday, March 31. We are officially less than one week away from WrestleMania 40. Let’s get right into today’s Daily Drop!

First off, we’d like to wish everyone a Happy Easter. There are a lot of Easter eggs to find all over SEScoops, just full of pro wrestling information, all year long. So, let’s get right to it!

Days Until WrestleMania 40: 6

WWE:

Cody’s Contract: Cody Rhodes confirmed that he just inked a new multi-year contract with WWE that will see him with the company past his 40th birthday.

Olympic Debut: US Gold Olympic Medalist Tamyra Mensah-Stock made her in-ring debut at an NXT house show last night.

WrestleMania 40 Set: A photo of the WrestleMania XL set construction leaked. You can check it out here.

No More IC Title: Kevin Owens has stated his reason for never wanting to hold the IC Title again.

Jade Cargill’s Entrance: It took a lot of work to get Jade Cargill’s SmackDown entrance just right.

Surgery for The King: Jerry Lawler recently underwent knee replacement surgery. We’re wishing him a speedy recovery.

AEW:

Cardona on Collision: Matt Cardona surprised fans as he took on Adam Copeland for the TNT Title on AEW Collision as part of the Cope Open Challenge.

Audible Called: AEW changed up the result of the tag team tournament in the middle of the match on Collision this week.

Ricky Starks Health Update: Starks updated fans about his health status after a scary spot on AEW Collision this week.

Bryan Danielson Dream Match: CMLL announced that Danielson will take on Blue Panther on April 5, 2024, in Arena México for their Wrestling Spectacular. This is a dream for Bryan Danielson that has been over 10 years in the making for the match, but he’s wanted to face Blue Panther for decades. It all started with this video, where Bryan received a signed Blue Panther mask and a video message while he was still in WWE.

Upcoming Major Pro Wrestling Events

Looking ahead, here are some of the major upcoming shows that we have in the pipeline:

April 6: NXT Stand & Deliver and WrestleMania XL Saturday from Philadelphia, PA.

April 7: WrestleMania XL Sunday from Philadelphia, PA.

April 21: All Elite Wrestling presents AEW Dynasty live on pay-per-view from St. Louis, Missouri at the Chaifetz Arena.

May 4: WWE Backlash France from Décines-Charpieu, France at the LDLC Arena.

Audible During AEW Collision Changed Outcome of Tag Title Tournament Match

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Ricky Starks appeared to have legitimately gotten hurt on AEW Collision and it led to a change in the outcome of the AEW Tag Team Title tournament match.

According to Fightful Select, Ricky Starks and Big Bill were the planned team to advance in the tournament as they faced Top Flight in the opening round. 

Towards the end of the match, Starks was supposed to kick out of a pinfall attempt but he missed. The referee stopped the count despite Starks’ shoulder being on the mat which led to booing from the crowd. 

Ricky Starks then got up and took a DDT from Darius Martin before finally being pinned. Trainers were seen checking on the AEW star after the bell rang.

Even on the television broadcast, one could tell that Tony Schiavone was preparing to call for a kickout by Starks but sadly that didn’t happen. Big Bill and Starks were penciled in to face FTR in the next round of the tournament, but now it is Top Flight advancing. 

Starks and Big Bill had a credible run as AEW World Tag Team Champions before they dropped the titles to Sting and Darby Allin not long before Sting retired at AEW Revolution. 

So far the teams who have advanced in the tournament apart from Top Flight are The Young Bucks who defeated Private Party, The Best Friends who beat Undisputed Kingdom, and FTR who defeated The Infantry earlier in the evening.

Ricky Starks has since provided an update on his status and noted that he is doing fine. It’s possible that he may be kept away from ring for a while just to be sure. 

The show also featured a surprise appearance from a former IC Champion who answered Adam Copeland’s open challenge. You can check out full details of the segment here

Ricky Starks Gives Health Update After Injury Scare On 3/30 AEW Collision

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AEW’s Ricky Starks has given an update on his condition after a spot on the March 30 episode of Collision had fans fearing something was wrong. 

During the show, Starks and Big Bill teamed up to face Top Flight in the ongoing AEW World Tag Team Championship tournament. The match was the first match for Starks and Bill since losing the titles to Sting and Darby Allin in early February

Towards the end of the match, Starks appeared to suffer a legitimate injury. He stayed down on the mat after Top Flight hit a tandem DDT. There had been no indication that this DDT was part of a finishing sequence but Starks did not kick out after taking the move. The AEW commentary team was also noticeably surprised by the finish. 

Ricky Starks Gives Health Update

Fans were left understandably concerned by what transpired on AEW Collision, but Starks has given a positive update. Via his Instagram Stories, the AEW star gave the following report: 

“I’m all good, everything checked out fine. Was being precautious.”

What’s Next? 

AEW Collision also saw FTR face The Infantry, who was in the midst of a Cinderella story after getting the upset win over the House of Black early in the tournament. Unfortunately, their luck ran out on Collision as FTR advanced to the next round. 

FTR and Top Flight will face off in the semi-finals of the tournament. The winning team will advance to the finals of the AEW World Tag Team Championship tournament, which will take place at AEW Dynasty in April. 

Matt Cardona Makes Surprise Collision Debut To Challenge Adam Copeland

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Matt Cardona sure is “Alwayz Ready” as ‘The Indy God’ just showed up on AEW Collision to face a man he’ll forever have a connection with.

Cardona was the competitor to answer the call of “The Cope Open” in order to challenge for Adam Copeland’s TNT Championship on Saturday night. The former ‘Edgehead’ was ready to take it to his once-mentor many years ago in the WWE

This is Cardona’s first appearance in AEW since he last competed in the company for a short run in 2020. He was an ally to Cody Rhodes.

Copeland and Cardona battled it out, but it was Adam who came out on top retaining his title. Still the fans certainly got an unexpected treat from the former NWA World Champion who has redefined what it means to be an independent wrestler.

What Is Matt Cardona’s Status With AEW?

With Cardona unexpectedly showing up on AEW Collision, it’s logical to speculate if he may have something more in relation with the company.

Fightful Select is reporting that despite the appearance, Cardona is still very much a free agent and hasn’t signed anything with AEW. Plans for Matt making his way to Collision actually unfolded earlier this week. 

Cardona was originally scheduled to defend his Squared Circle Expo Championship on Friday against Ultimo Dragon. To make the Collision appearance happen, he dropped his SCE Title to Nic Nemeth on Friday instead. 

Cardona recently told Fightful that there had been very little communication between him and AEW since that last 2020 run.

You can check out Matt Cardona’s match with Adam Copeland below:

Teddy Hart Has Bench Warrant Rescinded After Giving Reason for Failing to Appear in Court

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Teddy Hart’s trouble with the law are far from over, but the controversial wrestler does have one less issue to deal with after having a warrant rescinded. 

Hart was arrested in July 2023 on charges of possession of MDMA (Ecstacy) and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. Both of these are third-degree felonies in Florida. In December 2023, Hart appeared in a court that often works towards plea deals and attempts to prevent a case from going to a felony trial. 

Teddy Hart Warrant Rescinded

A bench warrant for Hart in the state of Florida has been officially rescinded, PW Insider has reported. The warrant was issued in February after he failed to appear in court in regards to his July 2023 arrest. The court date Hart missed was a mandatory appearance for “Early Resolution.”

On March 13, attorneys representing Hart filed the motion to withdraw the warrant. They claimed that Hart was in hospital at the time of the February hearing and was unable to contact his counsel. The motion was unopposed by the prosecution and was subsequently dropped. 

Hart is now scheduled to appear in court on the morning of April 4. We will continue to follow his case closely as further updates are expected to come next month.

Teddy Hart’s Controversial Past

Hart has had several issues with the law, some of which were documented in the Peacock reality series Dangerous Breed. The series looked at Hart’s toxic relationship with women, one of which being Hart’s ex Samantha Fiddler. 

Fiddler traveled overseas with Hart before he ditched her, reportedly taking her passport with him. To date, she has never been found or heard from and has been missing since 2016. 

Kevin Owens Has Good Reason For Not Winning The IC Title Ever Again

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A wrestling talent is generally always looking forward to winning their next championship. The WWE Intercontinental Championship however is one belt Kevin Owens doesn’t want to win again because of a very good reason.

The Raw star has won the coveted title a total of two times in his career. Owens has held it for a combined 132 days in his two reigns.

KO recently took part in a Fanatics live auction on the UpUpDownDown channel. While signing an IC title replica for the auction, the WWE star mentioned how he doesn’t want to win the championship again because his record is tied with the late Owen Hart:

“This is the main event, it’s the replica championship of the Intercontinental Title I held for the exact same amount of days as Owen Hart. We both had two title runs, they total the exact same amount of days. So I technically don’t ever wanna win this again because I like that.”

Kevin Owens and Owen Hart

The Intercontinental Championship was Kevin Owens’ first singles title on WWE’s main roster. He defeated Ryback at the 2015 Night of Champions event to win the belt. His second title reign came not long after and he defeated Dean Ambrose at the February 21, 2016 episode of Raw for it.

For Owen Hart, his first IC title run came very shortly after the formation of the legendary Hart Foundation in WWE in 1997. He defeated Rocky Maivia for his first title win and Faarooq for his second run with the title. Both times he would drop the championship to Steve Austin.

Kevin Owens is currently in pursuit of another championship in the form of the US title. The belt is held by Logan Paul at the moment. Both Owens and Randy Orton will be looking to dethrone the YouTube star in a triple-threat match at WrestleMania 40.

If you use the quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

Toni Storm Was Very Appreciative of ‘Understudy’ Mariah May On 3/30 AEW Collision

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AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm expressed her appreciation of Mariah May in quite some fashion during the March 30 episode of Collision. 

During a backstage segment, it was noted that the #1 and #2 wrestlers in the women’s division rankings will face each other next week. The winner of this match will earn an AEW Women’s World Championship match with the ‘Timeless’ one. 

Next week’s match will see Thunder Rosa and Storm’s protege Mariah May face off. Storm questioned for how long has May been “plotting” this and seemed angry that May could be in line for a title opportunity. Instead though, Storm kissed May and declared her a “magnificent b***ard”. 

Storm is evidently of the opinion that a victory for May next week will ensure her an easy title defense. May was clearly pleased to have been kissed by Storm, though Luther was far from happy at May and the AEW Women’s World Champion being so closely aligned. 

‘Timeless’ Toni Storm

Toni Storm is in her third reign as AEW Women’s World Champion, a record number that she shares with Hikaru Shida. Her most recent reign began at AEW Full Gear 2023 when she dethroned Shida. She defended the gold at AEW Worlds End against Riho and at AEW Revolution 2024 against Deonna Purrazzo. 

Storm’s ‘Timeless’ character has proven to be a hit with fans and sees the AEW Women’s World Champion often filmed in black and white segments. May is described by Storm as her “understudy,” a term that leans into the notion that Storm is a Golden Age of Hollywood starlet. 

Becky Lynch: Charlotte’s A Huge Part of My Journey, I Love That We’re Friends Again

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Becky Lynch is pleased to have made amends with Charlotte Flair, and has said there’s nothing but love between herself and ‘The Queen.’

Lynch and Flair were once as close as sisters but their relationship soured during their time on the main roster. Lynch and Flair began growing distant when they were sent to different brands during the 2016 draft, and the 2018 feud between them would also cause genuine friction between the two. 

It’s All Love

At WWE Survivor Series 2023, Lynch would return from a hiatus as part of Bianca Belair’s team inside WarGames. Her return would see Lynch team with Flair and the pair would embrace after the match. 

Speaking to TMZ Sports recently, Lynch addressed her relationship with Flair. The Man was pleased that she is currently in a better place with her fellow former WWE Women’s Champion. 

“She’s been a huge part of my journey in every capacity and such an important part. As best friends, then enemies, and the fallout. I talk about that [in my memoir] from my perspective, but also the undercurrent of all of it is love, right?

“It’s always the people that you love the most that maybe hurt you the most. I know I’ve hurt her and it’s been reciprocal but I think when you can come back from all of that, that’s a special thing. I love that.”

The 2021 Title Exchange

In 2021, Lynch and Flair were part of a title exchange that did not go as planned. Rather than the intended exchange, Flair dropped the title she was meant to hand to Lynch, forcing the Man to bend down and pick it up. In her new memoir The Man: Not Your Average, Average Girl, Lynch recalls being furious backstage. 

“I felt she deliberately went off script, leading to me yelling in gorilla that she was a, to use my exact words, “crafty fu*king cu*t” right in front of Vince.”

For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops

Mama Rhodes Is Bringing Her Bear Spray to Deal with The Rock at WWE WrestleMania 40

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Mama Rhodes will be prepared for anything at WrestleMania 40 after her name was brought up by The Rock during the March 25, episode of Monday Night Raw. 

During the show, The Rock delivered the beating of a lifetime on Cody Rhodes which did not stop once the show went off the air. The Rock dared the matriarch of the Rhodes family to look at her son and had a weight belt emblazoned with ‘Mama Rhodes.’ The Rock smeared this belt with Cody’s blood, fulfilling a promise made before the show to have a special belt with Cody’s mother. 

Mama Rhodes is Ready

Unlike her son and late husband, Mama Rhodes, whose real name is Michelle, is not a name in the world of professional wrestling. On a recent edition of Busted Open Radio, Cody’s sister Teil shared her mom’s reaction to being thrust into the limelight thanks to being referenced on WWE shows. 

“She gets it, but she doesn’t love it. You know what I mean? She’s up on Tuesday morning and her phone is just blowing up with all these like people, she hasn’t heard from in 25 years.”

While Mama Rhodes isn’t the biggest fan of becoming an internationally-known figure, she’s heard what The Rock has had to say, and is prepared to deal with the Final Boss. 

“‘The Rock’s talking about you on TV’… She’s mad. She said she was going to bring her bear spray to ‘Mania.”

What’s to Come? 

Bear spray or no bear spray, Mama Rhodes will have the chance to watch her son compete twice at WrestleMania 40. Cody will team with Seth Rollins on WrestleMania 40: Saturday to face The Rock & Roman Reigns. The match will determine the stipulation for the next night’s main event. 

On WrestleMania 40: Sunday, Rhodes will challenge Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. This will be Rhodes’ last chance at the Tribal Chief, an edict passed down by The Rock flexing his TKO board member muscles. 

Olympic Gold Medalist Tamyra Mensah-Stock Makes In-Ring Debut At WWE NXT Live Event

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Tamyra Mensah-Stock, who captured gold at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, has officially made her in-ring debut for WWE. 

Mensah-Stock first appeared for WWE at the SummerSlam 2021 Premium Live Event, where she was part of a segment with fellow Olympic champion Gable Steveson. In April 2022, months after Steveson had signed with WWE, it was reported that WWE had its eyes on adding Mensah-Stock to the roster. Sure enough, Mensah-Stock signed with the promotion in May of 2023.

Mensah-Stock’s NXT Debut

Mensah-Stock made her in-ring debut at the NXT live event on March 30. The Olympic Gold Medalist defeated Breanna Covington in singles action. The fact that WWE already trusts Mensah-Stock in singles matches certainly bodes well for her future in the ring. 

WWE’s Olympic Superstars

Mensah-Stock is the third Olympic Gold Medalist under contract. The first was Kurt Angle, who made his on-screen debut in 1999. It would be over two decades later that WWE would sign Gable Steveson following his victory in Tokyo.

It’s not just Gold Medalists who WWE has signed over the years. Bad News Brown captured a Bronze medal for judo in the 1976 Summer Games in Montreal. Mark Henry competed in powerlifting during the 1996 Atlanta Games (the same in which Angle won his gold) but came nowhere close to winning a medal. 

After competing in the 2004 Athens Games, Ronda Rousey won bronze in the 2008 Beijing Games, becoming the first American woman to win a medal in judo. Four years later, Chad Gable would represent Team USA in wrestling at London 2012. 

Karrion Kross Wants to Unleash ‘The Truth’ From R-Truth

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What if R-Truth tried joining The Final Testament? Karrion Kross says he’d bring out a different type of person than the one The Judgment Day is currently dealing with.

A fan proposed the hypothetical to Karrion Kross on X of R-Truth trying to hang with him, AOP, Scarlett and Paul Ellering and the former NXT Champion made it known he’d conjure up a R-Truth that WWE has yet to see.

“What would we do? I remind & show the world about Ron “The Truth” Killings. And you would run for your life. Because Ron doesn’t joke or laugh until he puts you in the hospital. I like Ron. A lot. The world is lucky they’re getting the nice guy right now.”

R-Truth like what he heard out of Kross because he reposted Karrion’s comments.

Before he donned the R-Truth moniker, Ron Killings went by his real name in TNA and became the first African-American NWA Worlds Champion while there.

At the moment, R-Truth is looking to become the new Undisputed Tag Team Champions with The Miz. The two have punched their ticket to WrestleMania 40 to be apart of the six-pack ladder match. Truth and Miz have a score to settle with Judgment Day and they’ll be battling Damian Priest and Finn Balor in the bout, along with four other tag teams.

Funny enough, the first iteration of Awesome Truth did happen to feature a heel version of R-Truth and the two happened to take on The Rock and John Cena in tag action.

Unlikely AEW Tag Team Pairing Bonds After Rampage

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Could we see a new alliance made between Dustin Rhodes and The Butcher?

Dustin Rhodes took on The Butcher in singles action during AEW Rampage after the latter stepped up to the former during an interview segment on AEW Dynamite. Dustin accepted The Butcher’s challenge and ‘The Natural’ came out on top in the battle. Following the fight, The Butcher took to X to tip his cap to Rhodes and offered him a lending hand in the future.

“I thought i had that match last night. I had him in my grips. I was doubting his legendary status. Everyone should know that Dustin Rhodes is every bit of a legend and he humbled me. From this day forward, I’ve got your back, Natural. If you ever need me, I’m here for you.”

Rhodes took note of The Butcher’s offer (which also offered three heart emojis) and replied, “Love you dude.”

The Past “Unlikely Alliances” For Dustin Rhodes

Rhodes is certainly no stranger to “strange bedfellows” as there’s been several occassions where he’s teamed up with someone of a different ilk. Probably the most memorable unlikely alliance took place back in WWE when he as Goldust joined up with Booker T. However, you can even go back further when Dustin was originally ‘The Natural’ in WCW when he teamed with Arn Anderson until ‘The Enforcer’ stabbed him in the back.

However, there has also been names whom Rhodes has had history with and has gotten to tag together. Obviously, him and his brother Cody had found success as a tag team, notoriously beating The Shield at WWE Battleground 2013. He also just recently teamed up with Marshall and Ross Von Erich on a previous episode of AEW Rampage.

WWE Made Several Changes To Jade Cargill’s Entrance Before 3/29 SmackDown Debut

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Jade Cargill is now in WWE, and she’s making a lot of noise. “The Storm is Here,” seems to be more than just a new catchphrase.

A new report states that WWE had Jade Cargill’s entrance figured out well in advance. They also had input from a lot of people to make sure everything looked the best it could for the former TBS Champion.

Jade Cargill’s SmackDown Entrance

During the March 29th episode of Friday Night SmackDown, Jade Cargill debuted on the blue brand with a new entrance. This received a lot of attention from fans.

According to Corey Brennan on Fightful Select, Cargill’s entrance underwent extensive planning, with adjustments made over recent weeks. Input on various aspects of the entrance, including angles, lighting, and sound, was provided by “all major producers” within the company. 

Jade Cargill At WrestleMania 40

Although WWE waited until late in the game, Cargill was booked for a WrestleMania 40 match during the March 29 episode of SmackDown.

Cargill will join Naomi and Bianca Belair to take on Damage CTRL’s Asuka, Kairi Sane, and Dakota Kai in a six-woman tag team match. That will also mark Cargill’s second match in the company after her 2024 Royal Rumble debut.

Cargill’s entrance is anticipated to undergo further modifications, possibly even at WrestleMania, although its foundational elements were established during SmackDown. We will have to see how things evolve from this point on.

Cargill has been quite open about her AEW departure. Tony Khan offered her more money to stay with AEW than she asked for, but she left anyway. In the end, Cargill unapologetically says that she did what she had to do.

SEScoops will have more on this story, and many more, as Jade Cargill continues making her mark in WWE. Keep checking back throughout the day for more headlines.

Cody Rhodes Signs New Multi-Year WWE Contract Before WrestleMania 40

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Contracts are always important in pro wrestling, and now it appears that WWE has done everything they could to make sure that Cody Rhodes is locked down.

Cody Rhodes recently confirmed that he signed a new multi-year deal with WWE. This will keep him with the company past his 40th birthday.

Cody Rhodes’ New WWE Contract

Cody Rhodes is riding a wave of momentum, and the WWE Universe can’t wait to see if he finishes his story at WrestleMania 40. No matter how the show of shows turns out, he will be around WWE for a long time to come.

During an interview with Justin Walker, Cody Rhodes confirmed he has signed a new multi-year contract with WWE. He did not confirm exactly how many years he signed on for, but it is certainly more than two. He had planned on retiring by 40, but plans changed for him.

“I can tell you 40 is out of the question just because, not to give you scoop, it was widely reported, but I did sign a new contract with WWE. It extends beyond my 40th birthday.”

“The plan is still, when it’s time to step out, to step out without it being a painful process. Solely because I saw my dad [Dusty Rhodes] as an old man wrestler and he loved it and enjoyed it, but as his son it was hard to see. My daughter is two going on three, there does have a be a time, just like he was with us, where I have to be home all the time and be there with her. It’s not 40 anymore. I’ll update the number. I hit the prime run late in the game. I often forget that I’m nearing 40.”

Cody Rhodes is 38-years-old right now. Since his new deal will extend past his 40th birthday, WWE fans can look forward to a lot more moments from the American Nightmare.

Cody Rhodes’ History of Betting on Himself

Rhodes has a history of betting on himself. He left WWE in May 2016, when he didn’t like Stardust’s creative direction and, and he thought he could do better. That certainly transpired for him in the months following his WWE exit.

After achieving an EVP spot in AEW, and being featured in many high-profile feuds, Cody Rhodes left Tony Khan’s company as he bet on himself once again. He never won the AEW World Title, because an early storyline in the company disqualified Cody from challenging for it in the future after he failed to beat Chris Jericho at Full Gear in 2019. Jericho won that match as MJF threw in the towel for Cody.

Now, Cody Rhodes is back in WWE, and he’s not leaving. We will have to see what stories he helps tell in the future, and how many massive venues end up singing along to his famous Kingdom entrance.

Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40

Cody Rhodes will compete twice during the two-day WrestleMania event on April 6 and 7. He will team with Seth Rollins to take on The Rock and Roman Reigns during the first night of Mania. The second night will feature Cody vs Roman for the Undisputed Universal Title in the main event match.

If Cody and Seth’s team can win during the first night of WrestleMania, then the Bloodline will be barred from ringside during the main event of WrestleMania 40’s second night. If Roman and Rock win, then it will be “Bloodline Rules” for the Undisputed Universal Title match.

SEScoops will have more on this story, and many more. Keep checking back for more updates throughout the day for more headlines!

Bryan Danielson Confirmed For Major CMLL Match WrestleMania Weekend

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Bryan Danielson will continue to check items off his bucket list WrestleMania weekend, but it won’t be anywhere near Philadelphia.

CMLL announced that Danielson will indeed take on the legendary Blue Panther on April 5, 2024 in Arena México for their Wrestling Spectacular. It was just this last Friday where Danielson stood across the ring from Blue Panther as he teamed with Jon Moxley, Claudio Castignoli and Matt Sydal to battle the legend, Volador Jr., Ultimo Guerrero, and MLW World Middleweight Champion Mistico. After the battle, Danielson challenged Blue Dragon to a singles match.

Danielson shared in his excitement for the four-man tag on 3/28 and taking a moment to note that Blue Panther holds a special place in his pro wrestling hiearchy.

“The BCC will be standing across the ring from 4 incredible wrestlers, one of whom, Blue Panther, is my FAVORITE LUCHADOR OF ALL TIME!!! What a life!”

Who Is Blue Panther?

Blue Panther actually started his wrestling career in the late 1970s and is an absolute legend in Mexico. He has won a bevvy of championships under the CMLL banner and really established himself with in a memorable feud with Art Barr in the early 1990s. 

Pro Wrestling Illustrated listed him as #58 in the 1998 edition of the PWI 500 and Panther was just inducted into the Wrestling Observer Hall Of Fame in 2023.

Putting Blue Panther on Danielson’s list of opponents is giving ‘The American Dragon’ a heck of a resume for 2024. He’s faced Shibata weeks ago on AEW Collision and then will tie up with Will Ospreay on April 21 for AEW Dynasty.

Sabu To Be Inducted Into Indie Wrestling Hall Of Fame

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As WWE WrestleMania 40 approaches, many independent wrestling events will occur that weekend. One of the events is Game Changer Wrestling and Orange Crush’s annual Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame. The 2024 class on April 7 will highlight several independent wrestling legends like The Briscoes(Jay & Mark Briscoe) and Trent Acid. 

On Twitter, GCW has shared that their latest inductee will be former ECW superstar Sabu. The high-flying and risk-taking legend had a long career in the defunct company but competed on the independent wrestling scene for many years. GCW and Orange Crush’s decision could also be due to the event occurring in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where ECW held many events. 

Regardless of the decision, Sabu is a great addition to the 2024 Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame class. His style has left an influence in wrestling that has helped inspire others to be as daring as he was in his career. He’s also been honored by GCW over the years and has made appearances for them, including The Wrld On GCW on January 23, 2022

Tickets for the 2024 Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame are still on sale on Eventbrite. The general admission to attend is $25, and the VIP table seating costs $49.99. Both also come with an additional fee for a ticket. GCW has announced that it will stream live at noon ET/9 AM PT on their YouTube Channel for fans who can’t attend. 

More On GCW Plans For WrestleMania Weekend

GCW will host 11 shows as part of their Collective schedule from April 4 to April 6. The popular independent company is still finalizing some of the cards, but it’s looking to be an incredible slate of events. One of the notable shows that fans are excited about is Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X on April 4. 

The event will feature several independent talents engaging in a more grappling and hard-hitting match than fans may see in other shows. WWE has gotten involved in the unique attraction by allowing Shayna Baszler to appear and take on Masha Slamovich. A few outlets reported that more WWE talent could appear for GCW and Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X. However, neither WWE nor GCW has made an official announcement. 

The entire GCW Collective schedule will stream live on TrillerTV+, which fans can watch for a 7.99 subscription. Tickets for most of the event are sold out or close to it on Eventbrite. Fans looking to attend one of the shows will have to buy their ticket now as they all may sell out very soon.  

Updated Plan For Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal On 4/5 SmackDown

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WrestleMania is a week away, and now we know what is set to go down on the go-home edition of SmackDown next week. That will include a very special annual match, where the winner will receive an accolade they can brag about for the rest of their career.

WWE will bring SmackDown to the Wells Fargo Center next week for SmackDown. Directly after the event, they will put on the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame as well.

Next week’s SmackDown will see the return of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. This match has a long history around WrestleMania weekend. Even if it is no longer on the show of show’s card, it will get a featured spot this year on SmackDown. The participants in the match are yet to be determined, but they have the winner figured out.

Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal Return

The WrestleMania 40 go-home episode of WWE SmackDown will feature the annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. During Friday’s SmackDown, WWE disclosed that the 10th edition of this memorial match is slated for the Friday, April 5 episode of SmackDown.

No participants in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal were announced yet. We will have to see who gets in that annual match. Past winners include: Cesaro, Big Show, Baron Corbin, Mojo Rawley, Matt Hardy, Braun Strowman, Jey Uso, Madcap Moss, and Bobby Lashley.

Since its inception in 2014, the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal has been a staple of WrestleMania weekend, except for the year 2020. Initially held at WrestleMania itself from 2014 to 2019, the match has transitioned to the final SmackDown before WrestleMania since 2021.

Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal Plan (Exclusive)

I asked around about the upcoming Andre the Giant Memorial battle royal on SmackDown next week. I was told that the complete participant list for the match is “to be determined.”

So far, Superstars expected for the match include Andrade, Ricochet, Chad Gable, Bronson Reed, Shinsuke Nakamura, Omos, Brutus Creed, Julius Creed, Ivar, Akira Tozawa, Otis, JD McDonagh, Apollo Crews, Veer, Sanga, Cameron Grimes, Kit Wilson, Elton Prince, Ashante Adonis, and Cedric Alexander. Of course, plans can always change in pro wrestling. 

I was, however, told that they have already determined who will win the tenth annual match.

WWE SmackDown Card for 4/5:

  • Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
  • Jey Uso vs. Solo Sikoa
  • The KO Show with Kevin Owens & Randy Orton
  • New Catch Republic’s Pete Dunne & Tyler Bate vs. Grayson Waller & Austin Theory
  • Zelina Vega vs. Elektra Lopez

SEScoops will have full coverage of the road to WrestleMania 40. We never know what can happen with a week until the showcase of the immortals. WWE is certainly booking a loaded go-home SmackDown before the event.

MLW War Chamber Results: Team MLW vs. Team WTF, Matt Riddle Defends NJPW World TV Title

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This recap was originally written by SEScoops’ staff writer Dominic DeAngelo on MLW.com

Watch the replay of MLW War Chamber HERE.

Major League Wrestling is in St. Petersburg, FL and there’s not one, but two rings hoping to contain all the entrants in tonight’s War Chamber as Team MLW will take on the World Titan Federation. The St. Pete Coliseum is packed and they’re ready for action. We’re sure going to get that with a World Featherweight Title fight!

MATCH 1
World Featherweight Championship
Unagi Sayaka vs. Janai Kai (c) (presented by Salina de la Renta)

Janai Kai has had a trend of knocking out her opponents in the first several seconds, but not this tie. Sayaka is just about as even as a fighter you can get to combat the ‘Kick Demon’ and there were some still boots by both women! However, that all changed when Janai caught Sayaka in the corner with a bad roundhouse, stacked her up and got the 1-2-3!

WINNER and STILL MLW World Featherweight Champion: Janai Kai

MATCH 2
AJ Francis vs. Alex Kane

Francis comes out with MSL who joins commentary but AJ also has words in the ring, running down both Alex Kane and Mr. Thomas and disrespecting the BOMAYE Fight Club. Francis keeps running his mouth which finally prompts Kane to cut the BS.

Alex Kane wastes zero time at exacting revenge on Francis, sending the big man to the outside before diving on him! Kane quickly follows up with his patented body splash on the apron! Kane soon splashes Francis into the ring post, but AJ forces him off into the BOMAYE Fight Club who sends their leader back into action. However, Francis pops him up for a massive apron powerbomb!

Francis continues to exude his strength in the ring, and Kane is game to match that, launching Francis up for a big vertical suplex! He then hits a belly-to-back! MSL gets concerned and leaves the booth. When Francis is caught on the ropes, MSL grabs hold of his client and it allows AJ the opportunity to regain momentum and chokeslam Kane! He covers and the ref makes an extremely fast three count!

WINNER: AJ Francis

Post-fight, the BOMAYE Fight Club sans Mr. Thomas is standing in the ring to confront Francis, but instead of attacking they align! Fists are raised and Francis has been backed by BOMAYE! Kane and Thomas are not pleased but definitely have retribution on their minds!

We see AKIRA entering the Coliseum and the first person he sees is Sami Callihan. However, he’s ambushed from behind by RSP and The Calling. This was clearly an orchestrated attack as RSP wraps barbed wire around AKIRA’s face to put him in a crossface! They want to make sure he doesn’t make it to his War Chamber match!

The next match is supposed to involve Devin Diaz, but former bounty hunter Brian Brock attacks him from behind and grabs the mic. He issues an open challenge, but he may have got more than he bargained for in Mads Krule Krugger!

MATCH 3
Bryan Brock vs. Mads Krule Krugger

Krugger doesn’t take long to send Brock to the outside and the brawl begins. Members of the Sentai Death Squad help Krugger in his cause both The Black Hand rules with an iron fist. Kendo sticks, and doors are introduced. Kruger comes charging as Brock but Brock moves and Krugger goes through the door. Brock hits his signature lariat and has to fight off more soldiers. He cracks Krugger with both halves of the door, but it doesn’t phase Mads!

He catches Brock with a chokeslam then his full nelson faceplant for the 1-2-3!

WINNER: Mads Krule Krugger

Post-fight, it appears that CONTRA aims to zip up Brock in a body bag, but for some reason, Kruger decides against it and instead carries Brock out of the St. Pete Coliseum!

MATCH 4
Richard Adonis vs. Bad Dude Tito (presented by Salina de la Renta)

Adonis is making his Major League debut but this one might be a match he puts in the archives. Bad Dude Tito makes quick work of him, nailing Adonis with a Steiner Screwdriver and getting the pinfall.

WINNER: Bad Dude Tito

Tito gets on the mic and makes his reasons known why his signed with MLW: gold. He doesn’t care if it’s Kojima or Rickey Shane Page, he wants to secure a title. Ringside, you can tell Salina de la Renta couldn’t be happier.

MATCH 5
NJPW World TV Championship:
Kosei Fujita vs. Matt Riddle (c)

Both these fighters are ready to go and you can tell that by their similar gameplans. Mat work starts it all off for these two and several impressive “stalemates” occur. Fujita hits a beautiful hurricanrana that sends Riddle to the outside, but these two want to settle it in the ring.

Fujita eventually catches Riddle in a front face scissors hold that is looking to do Riddle in, but Riddle fights. He tries to break it in the corner but can’t and finds himself back in the center of the ring. Amazingly, Riddle suplexes himself out of it with a fisherman’s buster. He almost gets a pinfall out of it but doesn’t! He calls an audible and picks Fujita back up for a gutbuster GTS and turns it into a German suplex!

Speaking of German suplexes, Fujita nails Riddle with an avalanche German and nearly gets a pinfall but Riddle just grabs hold of the ropes at the witching hour!

Riddle ends up getting the hard-earned W after hitting a Gotch-style piledriver! Still the champ!

WINNER and STILL NJPW World Television Champion: Matt Riddle

Post-fight Joe Dombrowski catches up with Riddle who makes note that it’s been 6 yeaers since he last challenged for the MLW World Heavyweight Championship and he now wants to change that!

As the War Chamber gets set up we get a special look of Mistico successfully defending his MLW World Middleweight gold in CMLL!

We also get words from Cesar Duran as he makes his massive offer to Salina de la Renta. At Azteca Lucha on May 11 in Chicago, she brings her luchadores and he’ll bring his. Whoever gets the most wins, gets the coveted “key” that Duran now holds in his hands. Will she accept?

It’s main event time.

MAIN EVENT
War Chamber Match
Team MLW vs. Team WTF

The first entrant in the match is Josh Bishop with a decked out MSL in war fatigues. This means that WTF will start off with a man-advantage, but Team MLW picked the right man for the job in Matthew Justice as their first entrant. He’s not alone as Bill Alfonso accompanies him to the ring!

The fight begins and you better believe it doesn’t take long for weapons to get introduced. Bishop and Justice exchange chair shots and kendo stick swings as they try to survive one another’s attack for the first five minutes.

The next man out is Tom Lawlor and Justice takes it to him right away! He knows the deck is stacked against him, but he doesn’t let that slow him down as he fends both fighters off until 1 Called Manders enters the fold. The SGC utlize their tag expertise to maximize their minutes before Davey Boy Smith Jr. is the next fighter to roll out. SGC fight on, but a war helmet gets introduced and the World Tag Team Champions in DBS and Lawlor use it to their advantage.

Next out is Okumura who
is a literal one-man wrecking crew as he takes everybody out before wrapping Tom Lawlor in a figure four!

The fight spreads across the two rings before the final entrant for WTF is in: Richard Holliday. Holliday targets Okumura before we get the Bread Winner himself, MLW World Heavyweight Champion Satoshi Kojima!

The match officially begins and it’s absolute chaos as Matthew Justice makes a major momentum change when he leaps off the top of the cage onto everybody!

Doors are busted, bodies are broken and Team MLW looks to make it all in their favor when Manders and Justice put Holliday onto two tables. Lawlor saves him, delivering chair shots in the corner to Justice who is aiming to climb the cage. However, Manders puts Lawlor in an electric chair and Justice comes leaping off with a tornado DDT, sending Lawlor through the table! MSL sees the writing on the wall and hands Holliday a white powder. Holliday tries to utilize it but gets caught by a Lariato! He gets the 1-2-3 and Team MLW wins!

WINNERS: Team MLW

The celebration is set to begin but who interrupts: CONTRA Unit. Soldiers by the dozens come out and fill the ring as Mads Krugger leads the attack. There’s a familiar face in that mix: IKURO KWON! The death pit fighter returns and mists Matthew Justice in the face! It’s an absolute takeover by CONTRA as they drape the flag over the cage, indicating that a takeover is possibly on the horizon!

Details On How Seth Rollins & CM Punk Are Getting Along Backstage

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Seth Rollins has made clear he isn’t a fan of CM Punk, but people change and time can heal all wounds.

CM Punk returned to WWE at Survivor Series in Chicago and an angle was worked where Rollins and Drew McIntyre in particular were “irate” at Punk showing up. All that certainly makes sense in today’s WrestleMania 40 landscape considering that the reported plan was for CM Punk to face Rollins, but Punk’s triceps injury clearly tabled that and Drew McIntyre has seamlessly fit into the role of a true “raw” antagonist who will challenge Rollins in Philadelphia.

Punk made his return to the All State Arena in Chi-town this past Monday on RAW and eventually found himself in the crosshairs of Rollins and McIntyre. Rollins happened to take on a heelish persona as he ran down Punk, making note that he doesn’t even think about him and told him flat-out that would find it appropriate if Punk was on commentary to announce that he retained his World Heavyweight Championship against Drew.

The Reported Dynamic Between CM Punk & Seth Rollins Backstage

Last year, way before CM Punk came back to WWE, Rollins unbashedly called CM Punk a “cancer” when asked of his thoughts regarding ‘The Best In The World,’ making it quite clear he wasn’t exactly fond of Punk.

To substantiate that, earlier this week, Wade Keller of the Pro Wrestling Torch wrote “by all accounts” there was no love loss between Punk and Rollins, but then reports how that dynamic has changed since Punk has been back in the fold.

“While Seth harbored legitimate gripes with Punk, the two are getting along backstage when planning their segments. Punk continues to get all positive reviews from many sources regarding how he is carrying himself amongst colleagues and management.”

CM Punk will indeed be guest commentator during the WrestleMania match between Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre.