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Built to Last! WWE’s Natalya Revels In Unique 20+ Year Accolade

Thomas Lowson
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WWE Superstar Natalya has proven that she’s built to last, considering the impressive streak she’s built for over 20 years. 

Natalya made her WWE TV debut in 2008, making her one of the longest tenured Superstars, regardless of sex, in the company today. She is also the wife of TJ Wilson, a WWE producer who worked under Tyson Kidd until his in-ring career ended due to injury in 2015. 

Natalya’s Unique Record

Given her lengthy tenure in the ring, you’d be surprised to learn that Natalya has been able to avoid long-term injuries throughout her career. On Twitter, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful pointed out that since 2004, the Queen of Harts has never been out of the ring for longer than three months. Responding, Natalya said she’s had luck on her side and has been fortunate enough to work with pros. The veteran added that she’s “built to F’N last” to explain how she’s been able to keep active in the ring. 

Natalya’s Accolades

Natalya is a former WWE Divas Champion, having held the title from November 2010 to January 2011. In 2017 she captured the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship from Naomi. She and Tamina won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships in 2017. 

The self-professed BOAT (Best Of All Time) also holds several Guinness World Records. They include: 

  • Most Matches in WWE History (Female)
  • Most Wins in WWE History (Female)
  • Most WWE Premium Live Event Matches (Female)
  • Most WWE WrestleMania appearances (Female)
  • Most WWE Monday Night Raw Matches
  • Most WWE SmackDown Matches

Health Setback: David Finlay Withdraws from NJPW Tournament

Aaron Varble
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There are a lot of plans in place for NJPW, but they can’t predict everything. Sadly, David Finlay is unable to wrestle as planned, and the company was forced to figure things out.

NJPW announced today that David Finlay will not compete tonight in Nagoya due to illness. He is currently undergoing evaluation at a local hospital. Hirooki Goto will advance to the semifinals via forfeit.

David Finlay is Out

In a recent announcement by NJPW, it was revealed that David Finlay would be absent from the event in Nagoya due to an unexpected illness. This was a bit of a surprise, because fans were expecting to see him.

With Finlay unable to compete, NJPW announced that Hirooki Goto would advance to the semifinals of the tournament by default. While Goto’s advancement was a result of Finlay’s unfortunate circumstance, it provided him with an opportunity to progress in the tournament that he didn’t pass up.

Who is David Finlay

With a rich wrestling lineage as a fourth-generation wrestler, David debuted in NJPW during the 2015 Best of the Super Jr. tournament. He then joined the New Japan Dojo. His road in NJPW included a tag team run with Juice Robinson, but now he is on his own.

After assuming leadership of Bullet Club, Finlay declared that the group was now exclusively for ‘savages,’ as he kicked out El Phantasmo and recruited Clark Connors. He then challenged for the NEVER Openweight Championship, winning over Tama Tonga in a brutal encounter.

Although Finlay lost the title to Tama later that October, he made a significant impact at Power Struggle in Osaka by attacking Will Ospreay and Jon Moxley after their US(UK) Heavyweight Championship match, destroying both belts.

In the aftermath, a new IWGP Global Championship was established, and Finlay claimed the inaugural title at Wrestle Kingdom 18. Now, he is still going strong in NJPW, despite his recent health setback.

SEScoops will have more on this story, and so much more. You never know what will happen next, but we can’t wait to bring you all the headlines you need.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q-Ar6_mKIw

Daily Drop (3/16): Controversial WWE RAW Angle Not Received Well Internally, Mercedes Mone Already Has Heat In AEW

Aaron Varble
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Welcome to SEScoops: the Daily Drop, your go-to for the latest news and rumors in wrestling for Saturday, March 16. A lot of things changed in the past 24 hours, including Mercedes Mone’s AEW debut at Big Business.

Days until WrestleMania 40: 21

First off, it’s 3:16 day, so celebrate by giving someone the Stunner, flipping them the bird, and downing a Steveweiser. Oh, HELL YEAH!

WWE:

– Candice LeRae dissing Maxxine Dupri’s dead brother wasn’t just received poorly by fans. I was told that this was not received well by anyone backstage. Here’s hoping it didn’t do too much damage to anyone involved.

– The report about CM Punk and Booker T having a tiff backstage at NXT was not accurate. Booker T was just being himself and hyping things up, but there was nothing there. So, bets are still on if you have money on how long it will be until CM Punk starts a controversy in WWE this time around.

– Rey Mysterio returned during SmackDown this week. He got right back to business, as he challenged Santos Escobar to a match on the blue brand’s show next week.

– The Rock’s next movie starts shooting in May. Take that for what it’s worth, but it may give us a clue about his availability after WrestleMania 40.

– The Rock also had an epic musical segment on SmackDown in Memphis this week.

– WWE made a ton of additions to the WrestleMania 40 card during SmackDown this week. You may check out the updated card below.

WrestleMania 40 Card:

  • Night 1: The Bloodline (The Rock and Roman Reigns) vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth “Freakin” Rollins
  • Night 2: Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre for the World Heavyweight Championship
  • Night 2: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
  • Logan Paul (c) vs. Kevin Owens vs. Randy Orton – Triple threat match for WWE United Stated Title
  • Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley for the WWE Women’s Championship
  • Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch for the Women’s World Championship
  • Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
  • The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. Legado Del Fantasma (Angel and Berto) vs. Four teams TBD in a Six-Pack Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
  • AJ Styles vs. LA Knight in a Singles match
  • Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso in a Singles match

AEW:

– Some people within the company were pretty upset about Mercedes Mone saying that she will go back to WWE eventually. She’s just getting started in AEW, but to be fair, she said that before her “unannounced” debut for the company.

– Darby Allin won’t be climbing Mount Everest after all, because he broke his foot. He was still going to climb the dangerous mountain after cutting his back to ribbons at AEW Revolution.

– AEW Collision will not air on March 23. They are being preempted by NCAA March Madness.

– Mercedes Mone said that she felt like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin during her AEW Dynamite debut at Big Business.

– Kyle O’Reilly would have been okay with retirement after his last injury.

AEW Collision Card for 3/16:

  • AEW TBS Championship Open House Match: Julia Hart vs. Trish Adora
  • Kyle O’Reilly vs. Bryan Keith
  • Bryan Danielson vs. Katsuyori Shibata
  • Komander vs. PAC
  • AEW World Tag Team Tournament kicks off

Upcoming Major Pro Wrestling Events:

  • WWE NXT Stand & Deliver is slated for the afternoon of April 6th, just before the start of WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
  • WrestleMania XL is set to take place on April 6th and 7th at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a two-part event.
  • AEW is coming to St. Louis, MO with AEW: Dynasty LIVE on PPV on Sunday, April 21st at Chaifetz Arena
  • Backlash France is scheduled for May 4th at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.
  • WWE NXT Battleground is booked for May 26th at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, exclusively available on the WWE Network and Peacock.
  • WWE Money in the Bank will be held on July 6th at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, followed by WWE NXT Heatwave on July 7th at the same venue.
  • WWE SummerSlam is taking over Cleveland’s Cleveland Browns Stadium on August 3rd.
  • WWE Bash In Berlin is marked for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.

WWE & GCW: Who Made the Call for Stars to Step Through the Forbidden Door?

Thomas Lowson
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Fans excited to see WWE Superstars make appearances outside the promotion know who exactly who to thank for this huge deal. 

Earlier this week, it was reported that WWE Superstars would be competing at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport, which will be part of the GCW Collective during WrestleMania 40 week. GCW themselves wasted little time in confirming the report by announcing that Shayna Baszler will be part of their Bloodsport show. 

WWE’s Decision Maker

WWE talent working the GCW Collective is a huge deal given the Sports Entertainment juggernauts historic reluctance to work with others. In his Figure-Four daily update, Dave Meltzer revealed that the call for WWE talent to take indie dates around WrestleMania week came from none other than Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque himself. Meltzer added that the Game has a “different view on these things” compared to his father-in-law Vince McMahon. 

Playing Well with Others

While this is a historic move by WWE, it isn’t the first time that Triple H has shown a willingness to work with other promotions. In 2020, WWE brought in then-IMPACT Knockouts Champion Mickie James for that year’s Women’s Royal Rumble. This year’s match saw TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace compete in the match. 

On the men’s side of things, Shinsuke Nakamura was able to compete for Pro Wrestling NOAH last year as part of The Great Muta’s retirement tour. More recently, WWE NXT Superstar Charlie Dempsey challenged for the AJPW Triple Crown Championship this past January. 

Booker T Says Fans Are Making Far Too Much of ‘Run-In’ with CM Punk

Thomas Lowson
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Booker T isn’t quite sure why fans are making such a big deal after claiming he had a ‘run-in’ with CM Punk at the March 12, NXT.

The episode saw the Superstars of the gold brand continue on the road to NXT Stand & Deliver. The upcoming event will take place on Saturday, April 6, mere hours before WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday. 

Booker T’ and CM Punk

CM Punk was present at this week’s episode of WWE NXT but he was acknowledged during the broadcast. On a recent edition of his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker claimed that he had a ‘run-in’ with Punk and teased the pair had an altercation. Booker did not disclose details but said he would share more at a later time. 

Booker T Responds

The reported backstage altercation quickly went viral as fans compared the situation to Punk’s previous issues behind the scenes in AEW. On Twitter, Booker (seemingly unaware of Punk’s prior altercations) questioned why fans were making such a big deal of things. The WWE NXT commentator said their ‘run-in’ could have been over something as simple as a banana, but still stopped short of saying what exactly the issue was. 

Is Booker T Lying? 

There has been scepticism within WWE as to whether this altercation actually took place. No sources within WWE saw any sort of ‘run-in’ between the two. In fact, since Punk’s return to WWE, the former AEW World Champion has been on his best behavior and has been very helpful at past WWE NXT tapings. 

Drew McIntyre Believes Seth Rollins Should Focus On Raw: I Wouldn’t Piss On SmackDown To Put Out A Fire If They Begged Me

Anutosh Bajpai
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Drew McIntyre believes that the top champion of Raw should be focused on their own brand instead of getting involved in stories of other shows.

The Scottish Warrior spoke up about his WrestleMania 40 opponent Seth Rollins in a recent interview with the Gorilla Position podcast. Speaking about Seth and Cody’s partnership, Drew claimed that Rollins should be focused on his own brands while also explaining why Rhodes is a liar:

“I’ve made my feelings pretty clear on the show last week that his focus should be on the World Championship. His focus should be on Raw and he shouldn’t be, one spreading himself so thin but at the same time it seems it’s coming from a selfish place to me.

He was trying to convince Cody to have the match with him, instead of finishing the story which Cody promised everyone he was going to do. The fans were clearly saying ‘We don’t want this. We want Cody to do what he said he was going to do – finish the story’ and I had to physically nudge him in the right direction to make the right decision.

At the same time, he lied to the Rock. He’s wondering why Rock’s being like this. He said you can have this match then he took it away so Cody’s a liar but that’s not my business. Whatever Smackdown, handle it over there.”

Drew McIntyre Doesn’t Care About SmackDown’s Problems

Drew McIntyre then targeted The Architect for lack of focus on the red brand. He proclaimed that things will change under his reign. According to the former champion, he would not piss on SmackDown if the show was on fire, because it’s not his problem:

“Seth should be focused on ‘Okay the world title, get myself healthier, the best match possible, Drew McIntyre.’ It is all about Raw but he can’t help himself. It goes back to the Shield days, [he] has to latch on to whatever’s cool, get that extra spotlight.

Be it Cody’s return, be it the Edge stuff, be it Punk’s return or be it The Rock’s return. Always has to stick his nose into the spotlight, wants that little bit more. [He] doesn’t think about what’s best for the roster, thinks about what’s best for him.

That’s what annoys me and I said it last week, when I’m champion in Raw, it’s gonna be all about Raw, all about my roster on Raw. I don’t care if SmackDown is on fire and they’re on their knees begging for help. I will not pee on them to put that fire out because that’s a them problem. I’m focused on Raw responsibilities as he should be.”

Drew McIntyre will be challenging Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40. You can check out his full interview below:

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

Mercedes Moné Felt Like Steve Austin During AEW Debut

Rayan Saayed
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Mercedes Moné, formerly known as Sasha Banks, said that the hometown crowd of Boston made her feel “so cool,” akin to Steve Austin.

Having debuted for All Elite Wrestling the previous Wednesday, Moné received a warm  welcome from fans. Reflecting on the experience with Variety, she described it as “unbelievable.”

Moné stole the spotlight during the Big Business edition of AEW Dynamite with her debut. As she entered the TD Garden, she was greeted with loud cheers and chants of “CEO.”

“I still haven’t gotten to take everything in yet, but my heart was just pounding out of my chest. Once I heard the beat drop in the music and the ‘CEO’ chants were on the screens, and then they revealed the ‘Mercedes Moné’ name, that eruption was so electric. I felt so cool. I felt like Stone Cold Steve Austin, when fans just lift up all their signs and stand up with their arms raised. I felt so cool. It was the best feeling in the world.”

Moné expressed gratitude to fans for their support over the past two years while she was recovering from an ankle injury. Visibly emotional, she conveyed how much their support meant to her, and the importance of wrestling in her life.

She also added that is looking forward to wrestling with the women in the Dynamite locker room, particularly mentioning Willow Nightingale, with whom Moné has unfinished business. The two competed against each other in the final of the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship tournament, after which Moné sustained an injury. Speaking to Variety, she also mentioned her openness to facing someone she has never encountered in the ring before.

“I always feel like it’s best when I’ve never been in the ring with an opponent before just so we can feed off that the natural chemistry and the magic instantly. But to tie up with Willow again when we only had like half a match, to tie it up with Saraya again would be amazing. I’ve never gotten to wrestle [AEW Women’s Champion] Toni Storm. I’ve never wrestled Skye Blue, or Julia Hart. The talent is just endless. I’m looking forward to facing everybody.”

Shane Helms Hits Back At “Lying POS” Buff Bagwell Over Dark Side of the Ring Claims

Thomas Lowson
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Shane ‘Hurricane’ Helms has fired back at the comments made by Buff Bagwell on Dark Side of the Ring, branding his fellow WCW alum a “lying POS.”

Bagwell’s life, career, and struggles were covered in the latest episode of the hit VICE series which documents the darker side of pro-wrestling. The episode looked at Bagwell’s upbringing, time with WCW, his issues with substances, and more from his life. 

Buff Bagwell Accuses Shane Helms

The Dark Side of the Ring episode covers Bagwell’s brief tenure with WWE which saw him fired after his much-panned 2001 main event bout with Booker T. This match was so bad it reportedly led to Vince McMahon nixing any plans for WCW to be revived as its own show. 

In the episode, it is claimed that Bagwell confronted Helms during a training session and that Helms allegedly called Buff a drug addict. Bagwell claims he slapped Helms resulting in Helms using a frozen bottle of water as a weapon, resulting in Buff needing 24 staples for his Monday Night Raw debut. 

In the episode, Bagwell blames his WWE release on the fact that he was blamed for striking Helms first during their confrontation. 

Helms Fires Back

On Twitter, a fan who watched Dark Side of the Ring criticized Helms, blaming the former Cruiserweight Champions on Buff’s release. Helms hit back by claiming that Bagwell is lying and witnesses at the scene would disagree with his claims. 

A different fan also questioned Buff’s story, especially as it’s been believed for years that his mother Judy rung up to say her son should be booked better. Helms noted that Bagwell has a history of blaming others for his lack of WWE success. 

When a fan said that Bagwell seemed like a changed man after being helped by Diamond Dallas Page, Helms said: 

Who’s In? Brackets Revealed for AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament

Thomas Lowson
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The brackets have been revealed for the tournament that will see AEW crown its next pair of World Tag Team Champions. 

At AEW Full Gear, Sting and Darby Allin defeated the Young Bucks to retain the titles, in what was the final match of the Icon’s legendary career. During the post-show media scrum, it was confirmed that the titles had been vacated and a tournament would be held to determine the new champions. 

AEW Tag Tournament Brackets

On the March 15, 2024, edition of AEW Rampage, fans caught their first glimpse at the brackets for the tournament. The first-round matches are as follows: 

  • The Young Bucks Vs. Private Party
  • The Undisputed Kingdom Vs. Wild Card Team #1
  • Best Friends Vs. The Don Callis Family (Wild Card Match)
  • Ricky Starks & Big Bill Vs. Top Flight
  • FTR Vs. Wild Card Team #2
  • Infantry Vs. The House of Black (Wild Card Match)

The tournament will kick off on the March 16, 2024, edition of AEW Collision with the House of Black taking on Infantry in their Wild Card match. The new AEW World Tag Team Champions will be crowned at the first-ever AEW Dynasty pay-per-view next month.

AEW Dynasty 2024

AEW Dynasty 2024 will take place on April 21, 2024, from the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri, the first AEW pay-per-view to be held in the state. Tickets for the show went on sale on March 8. 

The card for AEW Dynasty 2024 so far is as follows: 

  • Will Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson
  • TBD vs. TBD (Tournament final for the vacant AEW World Tag Team Championship)

Drew McIntyre Unknowingly Taught Himself To Lip Read Because Of Hearing Issues

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

Drew McIntyre has revealed that he has hearing problems and he unknowingly taught himself to read lips because of it.

The former world champion recently had an interview with Gorilla Position to promote his upcoming match against Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40. When asked how he’s feeling before the bout, McIntyre mentioned that the effects from the Elimination Chamber match last month have not worn off completely.

Talking about the perforated eardrum he suffered during the extreme bout, McIntyre disclosed that he has had hearing issues going far back. The Scottish Warrior revealed that he actually taught himself lip reading without even realizing, and explained how he finally found out about it:

“I found out about a year and a half ago from an ear specialist, because I have bad hearing in general,” said Drew McIntyre, “that I taught myself to lip read, which I had no idea.

We did a little test, where he was talking. He had me put my fingers in my ears where I could still hear him, [I] was telling him what he was seeing. He slowly slipped up a piece of paper in front of his face and I was like ‘I can’t hear what you’re saying. you’ve lowered your voice.’ My wife was like ‘He hasn’t, it’s the exact same volume.’

He went ‘Yeah, you’re a smart guy. You’ve just taught yourself to lip-read because you’re hearing so bad.’ [I went] ‘Oh, fantastic.’ Then I got perforated. So I wouldn’t say who it was because I don’t want them to feel bad, but it’s very annoying because I can’t hear jack.”

Despite the injury, Drew McIntyre not only completed the match but went on to win the Elimination Chamber. The victory has earned him an opportunity to challenge Seth Rollins for his World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40 from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia next month.

You can learn more about speech and hearing impairment at the official website of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association here

Drew’s full interview can be seen below:

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

WWE Made “Generous Offer” to Mercedes Mone Ahead Of AEW Big Business Dynamite Debut

Thomas Lowson
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Mercedes Mone is officially All-Elite after making her debut this week, but that only came about after a generous offer was made for her to return to WWE. 

Mone arrived in AEW during the Big Business episode of Dynamite, following weeks of speculation that she’d be joining. Mone had hardly been subtle in the run-up to the show, making clear to fans that she was in Boston, MA, her hometown and the host of Big Business, mere hours before the show.

WWE’s Offer to Mercedes Mone

During an appearance on the Heal Squad podcast, Keven Undergaro, an advocate for Mone who helped produce her new theme, spoke about the CEO. Undergo shared how WWE made an offer for Mone to return, close to two years after he and Naomi walked out of the company. 

“A few months ago, we get a call from her old home saying they want her back. They put out a generous offer.”

Undergaro said that a “rival company” to WWE, that being AEW, put out an offer and Mone’s gut instinct was to go with the All-Elite promotion. In the interview, he also shared that AEW’s deal was seen as the better one in terms of opportunity, creativity, and mental help. 

In the interview, Undergaro added that he was pleased that Mone will have the opportunity to thrive in wrestling and entertainment in AEW. 

“They see her for what she is, which is a star. This is a girl that, even just being on Mandalorian in her small role, they made nine action figures for her. They don’t do that out of charity, they do that because they sell.”

What’s Next? 

Mone has said that the women’s division was a major factor in her decision to sign with AEW. The division is home to stars Mone has never faced before. Last year, Britt Baker said she was hoping to see Mone join AEW so that they could eventually have a match. Currently, it is unclear when Mone’s debut match will take place or who her first opponent will be. 

H/T – Fightful

Watch: What Happened With Cody Rhodes After 3/15 SmackDown Went Off Air

Anutosh Bajpai
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Tonight’s episode of SmackDown from FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee started off with a classic segment from The Rock and ended with a post-show traditional Cody Rhodes has established on his road to WrestleMania.

There were two dark matches that took place after tonight’s show went off air. The first match saw Rhea Ripley successfully defending her Women’s World title in a triple-threat match against Natalya and Shayna Baszler.

The second dark match after SmackDown featured Cody Rhodes taking on Drew McIntyre. After the fight, Cody once again gave away a signed table that was apparently used in his bout with The Scottish Warrior.

What Happened During SmackDown

Earlier in the night, The Great One brought back The Rock concert and sang a song for both Cody Rhodes and his WrestleMania tag team partner Seth Rollins.

The main event of the episode was Bayley taking on Damage CTRL’s Dakota Kai. Bayley won this match via disqualification when the other members of the faction got involved. Naomi tried to make the save for Bayley but she was taken out too and Damage CTRL stood tall at the end of the segment.

A new championship triple threat match was also announced for WrestleMania during the match between Randy Orton and Grayson Waller. You can check out the updated card for the show here.

Jimmy Uso Responds To Jey Uso’s Challenge For WrestleMania 40

Dominic DeAngelo
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Jimmy Uso gave his brother Jey an answer for WrestleMania 40.

Uso was fired up backstage at Friday Night Smackdown that it startled forthcoming WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman. However, Jimmy made clear that Jey was the younger brother and always looked up to him. Just a year ago both were main-eventing WrestleMania 39 and now this year they’ll be facing one another. He accepts Jey’s challenge who laid it on the line against Jimmy on Monday’s Raw.

Considering that WrestleMania 40 is in Philadelphia, it’s ironic that Jimmy and Jey will be squaring off against one another in the “City Of Brotherly Love” as there hasn’t been any love-loss between the two twins.

Jimmy hasn’t cost Jey just one WWE title opportunity, but two. It was Jey Uso taking on Roman Reigns for the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship back at SummerSlam 2023 which is where Jimmy first backstabbed Jey. Then a few weeks back on WWE Raw Jey had his shot unseat the unprecedented GUNTHER for the Intercontinental Championship. Jey had GUNTHER down for the three count, but Jimmy rang the ring bell as a distraction.

The History Of “Brother vs. Brother” At WrestleMania 40

Once the fight does become official, Jimmy Uso vs. Jey Uso won’t be the first time brothers go against one another on the grandest stage of them all. 30 years ago, Bret Hart famously took on his younger brother Owen at WrestleMania 10 in Madison Square Garden. Owen Hart ended up getting the 1-2-3 for the surprise victory before Bret won the WWE Championship later in the evening against Yokozuna.

A more less-fondly remembered brother vs. brother bout was Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy at WrestleMania 25, where a heel Matt Hardy got the pinfall victory in an Extreme Rules match.

WrestleMania 40: Logan Paul Faces Triple Threat Trouble For WWE United States Title

Aaron Varble
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0

Logan Paul is a fine WWE US Champion, and he’s a natural heel as well. He will defend his title at WrestleMania 40, but he’s not happy about the match.

During WWE SmackDown this week, LP had something to say to Nick Aldis. He dissed the SmackDown General Manager for not giving him a WrestleMania match. That changed this week as it was announced that Logan will defend his title against Kevin Owens and Randy Orton in a triple threat match.

WrestleMania 40 Set-Up

This week on SmackDown, Randy Orton and Grayson Waller threw down in singles action. Logan Paul was on commentary, and then things took a turn after the match.

Orton was getting ganged up on, and it looked like the Apex Predator was going to be the prey this week. Then Kevin Owens’ music hit. 

Logan Paul knew he was in trouble, and KO helped RKO out. The heels fled, and then Nick Aldis showed up to flex his GM muscle a bit. He booked a Mania triple threat for the US Title where Logan will defend against both Owens and Orton.

Needless to say, Logan Paul wasn’t happy about this. We will have to see if he is able to carry that title out of Philly. 

WrestleMania 40 Card:

  • Night 1: The Bloodline (The Rock and Roman Reigns) vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth “Freakin” Rollins
  • Night 2: Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre for the World Heavyweight Championship
  • Night 2: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
  • Logan Paul (c) vs. Kevin Owens vs. Randy Orton – Triple threat match for WWE United Stated Title
  • Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley for the WWE Women’s Championship
  • Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch for the Women’s World Championship
  • Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
  • The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. Legado Del Fantasma (Angel and Berto) vs. Four teams TBD in a Six-Pack Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
  • AJ Styles vs. LA Knight in a Singles match
  • Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso in a Singles match

2 More WWE Names Join Bronson Reed’s Campaign for ’MeatMania’ At WrestleMania

Dominic DeAngelo
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More WWE men besides Bronson Reed want meat at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia and they aren’t talking cheesesteaks.

There may certainly be a stop at Tony Luke’s for WWE stars when they do hit the City of Brotherly Love for WrestleMania, but Bronson Reed has his own meat agenda in South Philly. The big Aussie implored fellow men on his roster to speak up on getting a Meaty Invitational cooking for WrestleMania in honor of Big E.

“There are some BIG brothers currently not on this year’s #WrestleMania. I think its time for Big E MEATY INVITATIONAL! If you, the WWE universe want it, let your voice be heard!!!”

Sure enough, Reed had several names answering the call. First was Otis, mentioning his past history with Bronson.

“YEAAA as a Matter of FACT.

“Ohhh YEAAA 

“I got sum unfinished business with You Big Daddy Claw…

“As to other BIG MEN on the Roster…

“That’s a lot BIG LOADS in 1 Ring…. 

“OVER SIZE LOADS in the squared circle

“PURE K@RNAGE!”

Ivar was another name to sound off, adding himself to the list after Otis did.

There’s plenty more meat to go around on SmackDown and Raw who could potentially throw their hats in the ring. Omos, Braun Strowman, Bron Breakker, Bobby Lashley, Akam, Rezar, Dijak and Odyssey Jones all have the capability of causing a monster stir in the ring.

Tony Khan had plans for a Meat Madness at AEW Revolution earlier in March, but decided to put that meat on ice when not everyone he wanted was available to compete in the match. Instead, there was a big scramble bout in which Wardlow won.

Kyle O’Reilly Was Okay With Never Wrestling Again Following Surgery Complications

Dominic DeAngelo
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Kyle O’Reilly is set for his big return match this Saturday on AEW Collision and is just thankful he’s able to get back in a wrestling ring.

O’Reilly has been out of action for just under two years after suffering a neck injury which required double fusion surgety. However, he made his AEW return at Revolution and now has his first singles fight back against Bryan Keith. 

While backstage, an AEW camera crew caught up with Kyle to get his reaction about finally being able to put the boots back on. O’Reilly revealed that he lost the ability to use his right arm after a rare complication.

“I really didn’t know if I was ever gonna wrestle again. For a long while I was pretty damn sure that in June of 2022 my match with Jon Moxley was the last of my career and I was okay with that, I really was. If I could just get my arm back and I can brush my teeth again, I can wipe my a** like a normal human again and I can take care of my daughter and be a father that’s really all that I was focused on. That’s all that mattered and it took a long time to get any of that back. I mean I couldn’t move my arm for a damn near ten months.

O’Reilly said he really had a lot support while he was away, both from the fans and his wrestling colleagues. One fan reaching out to him was all the motivation he needed to get back in the ring. Kyle is confident in his ability to still compete, but he’s still uncertain how his body will react to first hitting the mat.

“He’s a good opponent to see if I really do have that beast in me.”

He says Keith is young and hungry to make a name for himself and there’s not better way to test his own meddle against The Bounty Hunter.

Darby Allin Confirms He Suffered Broken Foot, Postpones Mt. Everest Climb

Dominic DeAngelo
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Darby Allin will unfortunately have a different mountain to climb rather than Mt. Everest: a broken foot.

TMZ Sports has confirmed that Allin the injury happened at AEW Big Business during his single match with Jay White. after performing a senton flip to the outside onto Jay White only a few minutes into the match. TMZ had mislabeled the injury as his right foot but the picture shown indicates that it is Allin’s left foot that is broken.

Despite the injury, Allin continued to wrestle with said broken foot for a solid ten minutes before being defeated by Switchblade. Jay and The Gunn Club were going to exact more pain onto Allin post-match, but was stopped by Billy Gunn and The Acclaimed.

Allin had plans to climb Mt. Everest later this month, but due to the injury. Allin had to make the decision to postpone his climb until 2024. After the article was posted, Allin confirmed the disappointing news.

“Unfortunately the foots really broke from Wednesdays match. Everest will have to be next year.”

Darby Allin Making The Most Of His Injury

Allin has to be deflated at the speed bump of a broken foot, but he does plan to make the most of the situation. He told TMZ that one he gets a cast put on his foot, he’s going to have legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk do a stunt off of it for charity.

With all the wild spots Darby is notorious for doing, it’s wild to think that a flip to the outside would have put him on the shelf. We at SEScoops wish Darby a speedy recovery.

WrestleMania 40: LA Knight Lays Down Challenge To Face Former WWE Champion

Aaron Varble
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We are 22 days away from WrestleMania 40, and things are coming together. Now, LA Knight has called his shot for the show of shows, and the challenge was accepted.

LA Knight was a fan favorite in the Elimination Chamber, but he didn’t win the match. AJ Styles jumped him and made it very difficult for him to win the match after assaulting him out of nowhere. This week on SmackDown, LA Knight finally had a chance to talk about it. This resulted in a WrestleMania 40 challenge.

LA Knight Calls His WrestleMania 40 Match

Kayla Braxton introduced LA Knight for an interview during SmackDown this week, and he had a lot to say. He was very over with the Memphis fans as everyone said his catchphrases with him.

Knight brought up how AJ Styles traveled all the way to Australia to screw him out of the Elimination Chamber match. This irritated Knight in a big way, and he carried on with his promo toward the Phenomenal One.

LA Knight said that AJ Styles made a comment about how he walks around like he owns the place. Knight made it clear that he may not do that, but he will own Styles’ ass at WrestleMania.

Suddenly, in the middle of Knight’s catchphrase, Styles attacked him with a steel chair. AJ Styles accepted his WrestleMania challenge after that.

We will have to see how WWE books the rest of WrestleMania 40. At this point, the show of shows if coming together. You can check out the updated card (so far) below.

WrestleMania 40 Card:

  • Night 1: The Bloodline (The Rock and Roman Reigns) vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth “Freakin” Rollins
  • Night 2: Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre for the World Heavyweight Championship
  • Night 2: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
  • Logan Paul (c) vs. Kevin Owens vs. Randy Orton – Triple threat match for WWE United Stated Title
  • Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley for the WWE Women’s Championship
  • Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch for the Women’s World Championship
  • Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
  • The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. Legado Del Fantasma (Angel and Berto) vs. Four teams TBD in a Six-Pack Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
  • AJ Styles vs. LA Knight in a Singles match
  • Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso in a Singles match

The Rock Takes Over WWE SmackDown with Explosive Musical Segment

Aaron Varble
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WWE fans have seen a lot more of The Rock since he returned for his WrestleMania 40 program. This week on the blue brand, Dwayne Johnson showed off his musical side.

The Rock dropped his heel persona in Memphis for SmackDown this week. He opened up the show, without The Bloodline, to sing a few songs on the road to WrestleMania 40.

https://twitter.com/Vick_8122/status/1768794831155794222

The Rock’s Musical Segment

The Rock started out by saying that he normally torches every city he’s in, but Memphis is different. That being said, he just couldn’t be mean to the fans, and they cheered him in a big way for it.

He dropped the heel gimmick, and he spoke about starting his career in Memphis. Then he said “Finally, The Rock has come … home.”

The Rock suggested that he sing a little song for the Memphis fans about what is going to happen to Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40. That song included lyrics that said Rollins is a clown, and Rock may just beat his opponents with his fanny pack.

He brought up Cody Rhodes’ mother in the lyrics as well, and he mentioned how Cody was born. The Rock claimed that the story is historically accurate. During the verse, Rock showed a photo of Stardust on the screen as he said that Dusty Rhodes knew his son was weird.

The Rock also threw some shade at Seth Rollins, because his wife, Becky Lynch, is more popular than he is. This was followed by a verse about the Cody Crybabies.

Then, Dwayne Johnson brought Cody Rhodes’ promo from RAW into thing, and he directed his attention on Cody’s mother. He promised to make Cody bleed at WrestleMania, and when he hands Cody’s mother his bloody weight belt, he will say, “What can I say, except you’re welcome,” as he sang his line from Moana.

What’s Next On The Road to WrestleMania 40

Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins will be on SmackDown this week to answer The Rock’s WrestleMania challenge. A tag team match with Rock and Roman Reigns versus Cody and Seth is in the pipeline, with night two ramifications in play.

If the Bloodline wins that Mania tag match on night one, then it will be “Bloodline Rules” for Cody vs Roman in the main event of night two. If Cody and Seth win, then the Bloodline will be barred from the event.

SEScoops will have complete coverage of WWE SmackDown this week. Keep checking back for more updates.

Finish The Story? Nic Nemeth Appreciates Cody Rhodes, but, “I just think it’s so funny…”

Dominic DeAngelo
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It didn’t take Nic Nemeth long to cause some buzz in his new broadcasting gig. Just this week, Nemeth was revealed to be one of the new featured hosts of Busted Open Radio and the former Dolph Ziggler got into a conversation with Dave LaGreca about the story unfolding for Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia. 

LaGreca is a self-proclaimed “Cody Crybaby” and has been a major advocate for “The American Nightmare” to be the one to unseat “The Tribal Chief” at WrestleMania, so much that The Rock mocked LaGreca on one of his viral pre-SmackDown social media promos.

“I appreciate this two-year story, I really do, I just think it’s so funny that finishing the story isn’t like the end of the storyline, it’s like ‘No, he has to win cause his dad wasn’t champion.’ That’s the story?:

LaGreca noted that Dusty’s story isn’t the only one, but Cody has had his own journey to get to against WrestleMania. Nemeth believes that’s a story that any star has.

“Has it? Everybody else who wasn’t a legacy in the business had to go through a bunch of stuff too.”

Nemeth then coyly asked LaGreca if Cody got to wrestling on his own merits and when LaGreca emphatically said “yes” Nemeth had quite the pregnant pause that caused LaGreca to laugh as Nemeth put that notion in question.

We’ll likely at least get to see a little more of that “story” told from The Rock and Roman Reigns’ end as The Bloodline is set to be acknowledged Friday night in Memphis for SmackDown.

Shayna Baszler Announced To Participate In GCW: Bloodsport WrestleMania Weekend, More WWE Talent Expected

Dominic DeAngelo
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WWE reportedly will not be the only promotion playing host to its roster WrestleMania 40 weekend in Philadelphia as Shayna Baszler breaks down a wall.

There’s big news on the forefront when it comes to the relationship of WWE and GCW. Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful is reporting that Josh Barnett’s ever-popular Bloodsport event that takes place every WrestleMania will indeed feature multiple talents from WWE. 

One name who has been revealed to participating is Shayna Baszler as Josh Barnett made the announcement Friday afternoon.

“What does it mean when a Queen takes up the sword and marches to war? Blood. Victory. Glory. From battlefields all over the world – MMA & the UFC, WWE NXT, WWE, Stardom, and more – to now step into a ring she was made for from the beginning. The Warmaster’s disciple, “The Queen of Spades” Shayna Baszler, comes to Josh Barnett’s: Bloodsport X.”

The collaboration is significant, considering in the past WWE has been very protective of its territory surrounding WrestleMania and other tentpole PLE events. 

A report and reveal like this further indicates WWE’s willingness to extend an olive branch out to other promotions not under their banner. Triple H and WWE did the same courtesy to TNA in January when they had TNA World Knockouts Champion, Jordynne Grace become a surprise entrant in the women’s Royal Rumble match.

Wildly enough, last year’s Bloodsport featured AEW star Jon Moxley in a featured match against Alex Coughlin.

Keep your eyes out for more potential WWE names being announced for Bloodsport X as we draw closer to WrestleMania weekend.

Roadblock Removed: Katsuyori Shibata Set For AEW Collision After Pressing Visa Issues

Aaron Varble
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AEW has a lot of people on their roster with incredible stories, but few are as dramatic as Katsuyori Shibata. He nearly died in 2017 from a brain injury after wrestling Kazuchika Okada. Shibata collapsed after that match and was taken to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a subdural hematoma. Now, he is gearing up for his return.

Although Shibata was signed to AEW, he hasn’t been around in recent memory. It seems that he had another hurdle to get over this time around. Now, he is gearing up for his return despite having visa issues.

Shibata’s Recent Issues

In a new development, Fightful Select has reported that Katsuyori Shibata is slated to clash with Bryan Danielson in a high-stakes showdown set for AEW Collision. That being said, there was a tough road for Shibata at the end of 2023.

Sources close to the situation have revealed that Shibata faced an unexpected hurdle in November, compelling him to return to Japan due to pressing visa issues. This turn of events led to him relinquishing the ROH Pure Title to Wheeler YUTA. 

What’s Next For Shibata in AEW

Despite these setbacks, it was made clear that AEW President Tony Khan harbored substantial hope for Shibata’s future within the company. Additionally, insiders indicated that Shibata harbored contentment with his tenure in AEW.

Recent developments have seen Shibata’s visa woes resolved. This encouraged the powers-that-be in AEW to seize the opportunity and thrust him into a marquee matchup against Bryan Danielson on the next Collision episode.

SEScoops will have more on this story, and so much more in the pro wrestling world. Please keep checking back for more stories and updates that you need.

Ex WCW Star Psicosis Faces Medical Crisis: GoFundMe Campaign Launched

Aaron Varble
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Psicosis entertained fans for a long time, giving himself in the process. Now, he is in a less than favorable situation. Thankfully, there are those in his life who care and want to help him out.

A new crowdfunding account has been opened on GoFundMe for Psicosis. It is said that he suffered a fall in mid-February, and he had surgery. Now, he needs fans to help him get back on his feet.

Psicosis’ Situation

Ruben Zamora from Masked Republic is reaching out to raise funds for his friend, the original Psicosis. He started a GoFundMe, which you may visit at this link. As of this writing, they have raised about $700 of a $20k goal. 

On Thursday, February 15th, 2024, Psicosis experienced a fall while working, the severity of which was initially unknown. It wasn’t until a few days later that fellow luchador Damian persuaded him to seek medical attention, a decision that would later prove critical.

Upon arriving at the hospital, scans revealed that Psicosis had suffered a broken hip, necessitating immediate surgery and a prolonged period of observation and recovery.

Following a successful surgery, Psicosis was discharged from the hospital but faces a lengthy recovery process. He is currently unable to sit up, move, or walk, and is confined to bed rest for several weeks due to severe pain, making it difficult for him to sleep.

Efforts to Help Psicosis

Zamora is spearheading this fundraising effort out of gratitude for Psicosis’ support and loyalty to Masked Republic. Throughout their friendship, Nicho has always been quick to assist Zamora whenever needed, whether it be for bookings, interviews, or promotional activities, never once asking for compensation in return.

These expenses for Psicosis include surgery costs, physical therapy, and future medical bills, as he will be unable to work for the foreseeable future.

Zamora also urged anyone able to contribute to do so, emphasizing that every donation, no matter how small, will make a difference in supporting Psicosis during this challenging time.

We’re sending out our best to Psicosis, and we’re hoping that he is able to get back on his feet very soon. Keep checking back with us here at SEScoops for more on this story and so much more in the pro wrestling world.

Zelina Vega Lays Out Her Dream Match for WrestleMania 40 (Exclusive)

Thomas Lowson
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Zelina Vega knows exactly how she’d book herself at WrestleMania 40 if given the opportunity. 

Vega grew up playing WWE video games and would use the “create a wrestler” mode to construct a grappler bearing her likeness. Today, she’s a featured character in the latest installment of the company’s flagship video game franchise, WWE 2K24.

We recently spoke with the LWO member, who discussed what it’s like to be a trailblazer in WWE and seeing better representation on television and even in the game. She also revealed what she wants to do at WrestleMania.

Zelina Vega’s WrestleMania Dream Scenario

The specifics are not that important, as long as Zelina Vega gets to tag up with Rey Mysterio so they can take out some ‘goons’ together.

“I know what I would want for WrestleMania. In my head, and maybe clip this because I feel like if this ends up happening, I said it here first. I would love to have a match at WrestleMania with me and Rey [Mysterio] and Carlito and Joaquin [Wilde] and Cruz [del Toro] against Santos [Escobar], Elektra [Lopez] and whoever other goons he wants to add to the miss. 

“That match would be incredible, even if it’s just me and Rey against goon #1 and goon #2. I think it’d be really cool to just be able to say ‘Man I was on WrestleMania with Rey Mysterio. That’s my hero, that’d be crazy.’ That’s what I would want.”

Zelina Vega At WrestleMania 

Vega has competed twice at WrestleMania and is yet to pick up a win at WWE’s biggest annual event. On WrestleMania 35’s pre-show, she was one of the entrants in the Women’s Battle Royal that was won by Carmella. 

Three years later, she would team with Carmella and make it to the main card. The pair would lose their WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships to Sasha Banks and Naomi in a fatal four-way Women’s tag-team match. 

Women’s Matches at WrestleMania 40

Currently, two women’s matches have been confirmed for WrestleMania 40. WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley will defend against Becky Lynch. on the SmackDown side of things, 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble winner Bayley will challenge former ally and WWE Women’s Champion IYO SKY. 

Cody Rhodes’ Mom Takes Fire: The Rock Drags The American Nightmare’s Family Into New Promo

Aaron Varble
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The Rock is back in WWE, and he is a heel on the road to WrestleMania. He’s not afraid to throw anyone under the bus, and now Cody Rhodes’ own mother is taking shots from Dwayne Johnson.

Since he returned to WWE, The Rock has been on fire with his social media promos. After all, nobody is going to tell him to wrap it up on a social media video. He can go as long as he wants. This time around, he decided to pay special attention to Cody’s mother.

The Rock’s Latest Promo

The Rock’s latest social media promo targets Cody’s recent actions. Ahead of Friday’s WWE SmackDown, he addresses Cody’s slap from last Friday and his emotional moment on Monday’s WWE Raw.

While acknowledging Cody’s slap, The Rock expressed pride in Cody for his bold move, even smiling at the pain it caused. The whole time, he played with a weight belt, like the one Cody wears to the ring.

The Rock then referenced Cody’s tearful moment on Raw, where Cody spoke about giving the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship to his mother after winning it.

In his promo, The Rock ridicules Cody’s display of emotion and threatens to use his weight belt to make Cody bleed. He also promised to hand the bloody weight belt to Cody’s mother after Cody’s defeat to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. It was quite a vivid picture as Dwayne Johnson kept painting in his heel master brush strokes.

The caption he picked really summed everything up as well, just in case you don’t have nine minutes to watch the whole thing.

A message from the hottest heel pro wrestling has seen since the 80’s. Mama Rhodes, you’re now in the Rock’s crosshairs. Your son’s blood will be on the Rock’s belt, that I will personally deliver to you at WrestleMania. I’m gonna put a whuppin’ on that boy, in front of his…

Road to WrestleMania 40

The Rock and Roman Reigns will team up to take on Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40 during the first night of the show of shows. That big tag team match will be important, because if the heels win the match, then it will be Bloodline rules for the Undisputed Universal Title match between Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes during the second night.

Only time will tell if the Bloodline rules match becomes a bloody occasion. Cody Rhodes is not opposed to bleeding in a big match situation, as he’s worn a crimson mask many times in the past. It seems that The Rock has some bold WrestleMania plans for the American Nightmare.

SEScoops will have more on this story, and so much more, as we approach WrestleMania 40. Keep checking back for more updates and the headlines you need!

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