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.
EXCLUSIVE: @KORCombat opens up about his journey to recovery, and how he's feeling on the eve of his first match back in two years, against Bryan Keith on #AEWCollision tomorrow night at 8/7c live on @tntdramapic.twitter.com/2pXDojRo2S
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.
Darby Allin broke his foot 2 minutes into the match with Jay White
He was not only able to wrestle 10 more minutes but also deliver a great match against Jay pic.twitter.com/AfcrIQliJJ
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.”
Unfortunately the foots really broke from Wednesdays match.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
— SiriusXM Busted Open (@BustedOpenRadio) March 15, 2024
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.
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.”
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 , @WWENXT , @WWE , @wwr_stardom , and more – to now step into a ring she was made for from the beginning.
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.
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.
TOMORROW, Sat 3/16 Ottawa, ON Saturday Night #AEWCollision TNT 8pm ET/7pm CT
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.
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 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.
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…
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.
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!
AEW fans can’t wait to see what Tony Khan books for the company in the months and years to come. Collision gives the company a prime-time spot on Saturday night, but next week’s show will not air.
The March 23 episode of AEW Collision will be preempted. They are not airing the show next week due to the NCAA Match Madness coverage.
AEW Collision Preempted
The upcoming Men’s NCAA basketball tournament will prompt changes to AEW’s programming schedule next week, with Collision being notably absent.
The Wednesday, March 20th edition of AEW Dynamite, originating from Toronto, Canada, will be followed by a live Rampage episode on Friday due to NCAA coverage. Both shows are slated to air on TBS.
AEW’s official schedule confirmed reports indicate that there will be no Collision airing on Saturday, March 23rd due to the tournament schedule. Things appear to be back to normal for the March 30 episode.
AEW’s Current Canadian Tour
Beginning this Saturday, AEW embarks on a four-show Canadian tour, spanning Ottawa, Toronto, Quebec City, and London, Ontario, over the following two weeks.
Collision’s absence marks a departure from their usual schedule, with the last preempted episode occurring last month during NBA All-Star Weekend. Previous preemptions occurred for Saturday pay-per-views like Full Gear in November and Worlds End in December.
SEScoops will have more on this story, and so much more around the pro wrestling world. Please keep checking back for more of the stories you need.
CM Punk is back in WWE, and he hasn’t been in any big controversial situations yet. Then again, he’s just getting started, and it seems that something happened with Booker T.
CM Punk made a backstage appearance at this week’s NXT, and he adopted a more subdued approach compared to his previous visits to the developmental brand. Earlier in the week, Booker T recounted a story on his Hall Of Fame podcast, alleging a backstage confrontation between himself and Punk during the taping.
However, Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that sources within NXT expressed skepticism regarding Booker’s remarks. These sources were unaware of any confrontation before Booker’s podcast episode. One insider highlighted that Punk has had no backstage issues since his WWE return last year and found it surprising that Booker would make such a claim without providing additional context.
Additionally, security was not alerted to any altercation, nor was there any discussion of such an incident. One would think that security would be notified if there was an incident.
CM Punk’s Backstage Attitude This Time Around
Furthermore, it was reported that Punk has been cooperative and willing to assist whenever he’s backstage at NXT. He’s there to help and soak in the atmosphere, so Punk isn’t being a problem or confrontational.
During the taping, Punk reportedly maintained a positive demeanor and mostly kept to himself, engaging in conversations with Shawn Michaels, Matt Bloom, and a few NXT roster members. One talent flatly refuted the alleged incident, citing Booker’s past claims of friction between him and Corey Graves, which were later proven false.
We will have to see what happens with CM Punk next, but it seems that there was no issue with him and Booker T. It’s very possible that Booker was just creating content for himself, but there was no Jack Perry moment with the Second City Savior.
SEScoops will have more on this story, and so much more in the pro wrestling world, as more information is made known. Keep checking back for more updates on the headlines you need.
AEW is Swerve’s House, but that title also goes to any venue that currently holds his greatness. The top performer for Tony Khan’s company is versatile, and he is about to flex on a totally different stage.
Swerve Strickland is booked for the 2024 Rolling Loud music festival in Los Angeles. The Dates of the show are March 14 through 17, and Swerve is going to be doing his thing on one of the stages.
2024 Rolling Loud Los Angeles is Swerve’s House
Swerve Strickland is set to showcase his talents beyond the squared circle at the upcoming Rolling Loud music festival in Los Angeles. Scheduled to perform alongside DJ Five Venoms and Friends from March 14-17, 2024, Swerve will bring his unique flair to the Rolling Loud LA music festival.
Despite his musical endeavors, Swerve Strickland remains focused on his wrestling career, particularly his pursuit of the AEW World Heavyweight Championship. He hasn’t stopped the musical grind, as he still releases music.
Only time will tell if Prince Nana will join Swerve at Rolling Loud, but we can only hope that he will be there. After all, Nana and Swerve have become a regular highlight of AEW television.
Following his loss at AEW Revolution, where Hangman Adam Page submitted to Samoa Joe, Strickland reignited his feud with Samoa Joe. So, he’s not done with the AEW Title chase yet.
Samoa Joe, who is now fresh off a successful title defense against Wardlow at AEW Big Business on March 13, was confronted by Swerve Strickland. This set the stage for a potential showdown between the two down the line. It may have to wait until Rolling Loud is over with at this point.
SEScoops will have more on this story, and so much more. Please keep checking back for more updates on the stories you need.
March 16 or 3:16 has been an unofficial holiday among pro wrestling fans for years on account of its association with Stone Cold Steve Austin.
The word “legend” gets thrown around wrestling circles pretty liberally. Austin is a class of his own, though. He’s the only three-time Royal Rumble winner, a four-time WrestleMania main event winner, and a six-time world champion. Perhaps most importantly, Austin is on an extremely short list of performers who can genuinely argue he was the hottest act wrestling has ever known.
Austin never had haters or doubters like Roman Reigns or John Cena. In contrast to Hulk Hogan, his work as the top babyface in wrestling has aged well for its match quality. While guys like The Undertaker had longer runs at or around the top, they never burned nearly as bright as The Rattlesnake at his peak.
One of the biggest launching pads for Austin’s time on top came when he won the 1996 King of the Ring tournament and, all the more so, when the victory speech to follow arrived as the single greatest promo in wrestling history.
The Austin 3:16 Promo Was A Unique Fit For Stone Cold’s Character
Not just any wrestler can cut any promo. Yes, good talkers are capable of turning lemons into lemonade and making subpar suggestions from the WWE writing team into entertaining, even memorable monologues. The best of the best promos always have a connection to the person delivering it, though, the way CM Punk’s Pipebomb could only have come from The Straight Edge Superstar or the way only The Rock could verbally shred countless opponents on the stick in his unique style.
Austin 3 :16 was the ultimate example of a great wrestling personality channeling everything about himself and his character to make a moment. The victory speech perfectly captured the piss and vinegar of Stone Cold Steve Austin before he was a babyface, before had arrived as a top name, but when he was hungry, a little bitter, and had finally put the pieces together to realize his potential.
The Austin 3:16 Promo Was A Unique Fit For Stone Cold’s Opponent
The phrasing of “Austin 3:16” was a direct knock on Jake Roberts, whose babyface persona in 1996 leaned into both the character and the real person having embraced religion and drawn inspiration from scripture.
Yes, there have been great wrestling promos focused on the man delivering the words at hand. Some of the very best promos, however, like Dusty Rhodes talking about “Hard Times” up against the machine that was Ric Flair and The Four Horsemen or Vince McMahon becoming the heel mastermind Mr. McMahon before our eyes when he declared ‘Bret screwed Bret’ had as much to do with the speaker’s enemy as they did the with person holding the mic. So it was that Austin 3;16 was so good not in spite of, but because it so cuttingly took down Jake Roberts.
The Austin 3:16 Promo Rejected Convention
‘King’ Baron Corbin
Even in 1996, there was a tradition of heels winning the King of the Ring tournament and embracing their version of how a king might behave. Owen Hart did this masterfully in 1994, while Mabel did just OK with it in 1995. Years before them, wrestlers including Randy Savage and Haku had put their own spins on the gimmick. Years later Booker T would use a royal gimmick to reinvent himself and reach new heights, while Baron Corbin would bore fans to tears as King Corbin.
Steve Austin easily could have fit in with this line of arrogant heels who put on airs, maybe a little comedic, but also wearing the gravitas that comes with a crown in the wrestling world. Instead, in delivering a foul-mouthed, heated promo, he embraced the push of winning a major tournament while rejecting the tacky trappings of a king gimmick. Stone Cold would remain Stone Cold, and with this big win on his resume, he was geared up for a run at the top of the card.
The Austin 3:16 Promo Launched A Legendary Run
Obviously, Steve Austin was a respected worker to be signed to WWE in the first place and he’d made some inroads with management and the fans to justify winning the King of the Ring tournament in 1996. Austin was a backup choice as king, though, as Triple H infamously lost the opportunity as punishment for his role in the Curtain Call incident.
Austin delivering the victory speech he did cemented his place as more than someone WWE was trying in a featured spot, but rather someone who had truly captured the imagination of WWE fans. Stone Cold wouldn’t shoot straight to the top (case in point, the following month’s PPV saw him work a forgettable mid-card match with Marc Mero, and he didn’t make it onto the main card for SummerSlam two months later). However, Austin had a concrete accolade to point to and this promo launched arguably the most successful wrestling t-shirt of all time, further highlighting that the fans wanted what Austin was selling.
By late 1996, Austin would be feuding with Bret Hart in a long program that was instrumental in launching him into the stratosphere. This feud included one of the greatest WrestleMania matches of all time in 1997. Fast forward a year later, and The Bionic Redneck would win his first world title, unseating Shawn Michaels in the ‘Mania main event.
Austin 3:16 Embodied The Attitude Era
The face of WWE in different eras is often instrumental in defining that era. Bruno Sammartino was a dominant babyface when he put the brand on the map. Hulk Hogan was a superhero who appealed to kids. John Cena returned WWE to a sense of family-friendly entertainment with a reliable star who always showed up and never got himself into trouble.
Stone Cold Steve Austin was the foul-mouthed antihero who was not only willing but eager to go up against wrestling tradition embodied by Bret Hart, then corporate powers that be represented by Vince McMahon and his Corporation.
The Austin 3:16 promo encapsulated the character and its ethos. While there’s some debate about when the Attitude Era truly started, the earliest point that has any widespread traction is the Austin winning King of the Ring. This night signaled Stone Cold’s chaotic style was no flash in the pan, but rather emblematic of where WWE and the business on the whole were headed for the next five-years-plus—one of the hottest periods in pro wrestling history.
The choice for the greatest wrestling promo of all time will always be subjective. Nonetheless, it stands that Stone Cold Steve Austin’s King of the Ring victory speech is one of the most memorable, game-changing, era-defining pieces of business on the mic wrestling has ever seen. To this day, Austin remains on the short list of the greatest wrestling stars of all time. His signature promo is an indelible part of that legacy.
In late 2022 and again in late 2023, Varnado engaged in negotiations with WWE. On both occasions, she sought a higher compensation than what WWE was offering, with reports indicating she aimed for compensation comparable to Charlotte Flair or Becky Lynch’s paydays. Since they hit a financial roadblock, she moved on. It seems that she still thinks she will return to WWE.
Mercedes Mone recently said on an interview that a WWE return is certainly in her future. This was before her “surprise” AEW debut, even though she wasn’t “officially” announced everyone knew she was going to be at Big Business, but Mone still worked the interview and said a WWE return is in the cards. This apparenlty upset quite a few people, and for good reason.
Mone Causes Controversy
While the specifics of Tony Khan’s offer remain undisclosed, it was noted in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that individuals familiar with the proposal described it as substantial, evidently surpassing WWE’s offer but falling notably short of the rumored $5 million per year figure circulating.
That being said, a controversy arose surrounding a Mercedes Mone interview on the Kick Rocks podcast. Although the interview did not acknowledge her move to AEW, as the intention was to keep it a secretm she did say that she will be back in WWE someday.
Mone remarked on the podcast, “I know I’m gonna be back there one day. Like I said, I have a lot of unfinished business in a lot of places.”
It was noted by Dave Meltzer in the WON that “Boy did this one rub a lot of people the wrong way. Time will tell, and quite frankly she should always have it in her mind the possibility of going to WWE, but saying so days before she’s about to start in AEW wouldn’t be the right time politically to say that.”
The timing of Mone’s comments, just days before her AEW debut, raised eyebrows, as it was deemed politically inappropriate to express intentions of returning to WWE at that juncture. While maintaining the possibility of returning to WWE is prudent, making such remarks before commencing work at AEW was seen as ill-advised.
Mone is Making Money
We previously reported that an unnamed female WWE Superstar said that there were indications the offered amount could potentially elevate Mercedes Mone to the status of the highest-paid female wrestler in the industry. They were also very happy with AEW’s offer and Varnado’s decision to accept it, as it was emphasized that there will be positive implications for top female talent in the wrestling market.
Mercedes Mone is making a ton in AEW, and she will probably be featured promimently on Tony Khan’s television shows for a long time to come. He needs to make his money back on the CEO, but she will also remain true to herself the entire time, so you never know what she’ll say on a live microphone.
SEScoops will have more on Mercedes Mone in AEW, and so much more. We will keep our eye on all of the news to continue providing you with the headlines and stories you need.
Mercedes Mone recently became All Elite but that journey hasn’t been smooth. She has now revealed how she recovered from her ‘career-ending’ ankle injury and finally managed to sign with All Elite Wrestling.
Mone was sidelined with an ankle injury which she sustained during her match against Willow Nightingale at NJPW STRONG Resurgence last year. She had a bad landing which caused major damage to her ankle. At the time, there were plans in the pipeline for her AEW in-ring debut.
However, in an unfortunate turn of events, the injury forced Tony Khan to nix the plans. She went on to make her presence felt at AEW All In in London as she was in attendance at the Wembley Stadium.
Mercedes Mone talks about her road to recovery and signing with AEW
Speaking with Sports Illustrated, Mercedes Mone recalled when she was informed that her ankle injury was labeled career-ending before she made her official AEW debut. The former Sasha Banks fought through the injury and she’s back inside the squared circle.
“I got an MRI in May, and the surgeon told me, ‘This is career-ending,’” said Moné. “That was the biggest shock in my whole life. I’d never really been injured like this before. My worst injury before this was from Hell in a Cell in 2019, when my pelvis was out of place for eight months. This was so much more painful. People thought it was just a broken ankle. I was non-weight bearing for three months. It was a fight every day.
“It was devastating when I was told I was never going to come back. But I always knew I would be back, and I told that to my surgeon. Now I’m healthy and my surgeon is calling his mentor saying, ‘Look at what happened here, it’s incredible.’ I don’t like being told no. I always believed I would be back, and now it’s true.”
Mercedes Mone arrived at AEW Dynamite ‘Big Business’ edition this past Wednesday and delivered a heartwarming promo. She was also involved in a segment with Willow Nightingale with whom she has ‘unfinished business’.
We will have to wait and see how this storyline pans out.
Popular free agent Nic Nemeth has quickly made an impact in TNA Wrestling. He made his shocking debut at TNA Hard To Kill on January 13 and put the roster on notice. Two months later, the company granted him the opportunity to challenge for the TNA World Championship at their next premium live event.
On the March 14 episode of TNA Wrestling, Nemeth was involved in a tag team match alongside Speedball Mountain (‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey & Trent Seven) against The Rascalz (Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz) and Steve Maclin. After Nemeth won the match, TNA World Champion Moose, Eddie Edwards, and Brian Myers attacked the ‘Babyfaces.’
Moose made sure to hit the former WWE talent with his title and celebrated as the show went off the air. After the episode ended, TNA announced on Twitter that Moose would defend the TNA World Championship against Nemeth at TNA Rebellion on April 20.
The upcoming title opportunity will be Nemeth’s second since leaving WWE. On February 23, he defeated David Finlay at New Japan Pro Wrestling The New Beginning in Sapporo to win the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship. A win over Moose would be impressive, as he would win two titles from TNA and NJPW in less than two months.
That said, Moose is still early in his reign, and TNA may not have him lose it this quickly. Nemeth is also not signed exclusively to the company, which may hurt his chances of winning the TNA World Championship. Regardless, the match has the potential to be exciting, and fans will be interested if Nemeth wins.
More Matches Announced For TNA Rebellion
Although TNA announced Moose’s next championship defense, they had another match to make official. On Twitter, TNA shared that Edwards and Myers would defend the TNA World Tag Team Championship against Speedball Mountain at the next PLE.
Speedball Mountain has been building momentum as a team, so it seemed like a matter of time before they earned a title opportunity. Edwards and Myers won their championship at TNA Sacrifice on March 8 by defeating ABC (Ace Austin & Chris Bey). It may be early for another title change, but Speedball Mountain will present an exciting challenge at TNA Rebellion.
The upcoming PLE looks like an interesting show that fans may not want to miss. Nemeth will have a chance to make history by winning his first TNA World Championship.
Mercedes Mone is now All Elite, and pro wrestling fans just got a taste of what she will do in Tony Khan’s company. It also cost him a lot to secure the CEO.
Tony Khan has a lot of money to throw around. After inking a deal with Mercedes Mone, she is now apparently the highest-paid woman in pro wrestling.
Mercedes Mone’s AEW Money
It was reported that WWE and Mercedes Mone came to a financial roadblock when it came to bringing her in. It was noted that she didnt’ want to be paid more than everyone on the women’s roster, but she did want to be paid what top stars are making. Although WWE didn’t bite at that, AEW was certainly game to lay down that massive contract for her.
According to information shared with Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, a female WWE star mentioned that they had heard the amount offered to their colleague was sufficient to establish her as the highest-paid woman in professional wrestling. They expressed gratitude towards AEW for extending the offer and were pleased that their colleague accepted it, seeing it as a positive development for the marketability of top female wrestlers.
One WWE woman star noted to us that they were hearing that the number was enough to make her the highest paid woman in pro wrestling and that they were thrilled at AEW for making the offer and happy for her to have accepted it,
The unnamed WWE Superstar also reportedly emphasized the importance of equitable pay for women in the industry, highlighting their significant contributions in drawing audiences and maintaining substantial social media followings. Additionally, they remarked that the deal represented a significant advancement for women in an industry where they typically earn less than their male counterparts.
What’s Next
We will have to see what is next for Mercedes Mone in AEW. She got off to a good start at Big Business, as she bookended the show as well. Only time will tell if the money Tony Khan is giving the former Sasha Banks will turn into a financially solid decision.
SEScoops will have more on this story as additional information is known. As always, we will have all the updates and headlines that you need to stay up to date on everything going on in the pro wrestling world.
The Rock returned to jump on the road to WrestleMania 40, but when will he be back. It appears that he is leaving irons in the fire, but his Hollywood career keeps going despite the fact that he has settled back into his old WWE persona.
It is not very likely that The Rock will be able to make a trip to Saudi Arabia for the WWE event in May. He is starting a new movie, and that schedule might make SummerSlam very difficult as well.
The Rock’s Move After WrestleMania 40
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that The Rock’s next film, The Smashing Machine, will start filming on May 1st. That being said, he won’t be able to make WWE’s next Saudi Arabian event.
The report also noted that SummerSlam will be tough as well, especially depending on The Rock’s schedule. He is slated to perform at WrestleMania 40, but we may be looking at another situation where Dwayne Johnson has to wait until WrestleMania 41.
Johnson starts filming “The Smashing Machine on 5/1. This rules him out of the May Saudi Arabia show and makes SummerSlam tough depending on the schedule. It could mean the earliest he could do another match would be the second Saudi Arabia show. And I could see him waiting for WrestleMania
What’s Next for The Rock
The Rock is back for a WrestleMania match, but his career in Hollywood certainly needs attention as well. That being said, there isn’t a lot of time for The Rock to do both. So, he will likely head back to his Hollywood commitments as soon as his road to WrestleMania is over.
You never know if The Rock will take Cody Rhodes up on his offer for a one-on-one match. He also wants a battle with Roman Reigns in his future. Only time will tell what The Rock decides to do, but it appears that The Smashing Machine is going to get his full attention on May 1st.
Welcome to SEScoops: the Daily Drop, your go-to for the latest news and rumors in wrestling for Friday, March 15. A lot of things changed in the past 24 hours, including Mercedes Mone’s AEW debut at Big Business.
Days until WrestleMania 40: 22
First off, Scott Hall’s name trended on social media all day yesterday. He passed away two years ago on 3/14. He will never be forgotten, and you may check out a tribute post here.
WWE:
–Brock Lesnar is not any closer to making a return to WWE.He is not being thought of in any creative capacity. After a report of a “movement” within WWE to bring him back, I asked around and was told that there is no movement to bring Brock Lesnar back within WWE. I was told that “No one is going to get involved in that situation. This is a legal issue and until the lawyers decide that Brock is to be brought back, there is no movement at all, or a movement on his behalf.”
Brock Lesnar is not any closer to making a return to WWE than he was when they yanked him from the road to WrestleMania 40.
He is not being thought of in any creative capacity. No stories. No pitches. His name is not being brought up.
Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, and Mike Bennett vs. Top Flight and Action Andretti
Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta vs. Evil Uno & John Silver
Toni Storm & Mariah May vs. TBA
Bracket revealed for AEW World Tag Team Championship tournament
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.
Jake Paul has called out his brother for claiming he was set to fight Mike Tyson first, and has claimed the WWE United States Champion is telling lies.
Jake Paul will face Tyson this July at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the home of WWE WrestleMania 32. The fight will stream on Netflix, in the latest example of the streaming giant’s efforts to get into the world of sports-entertainment broadcasting.
Logan Paul’s Claim
While Jake Paul will be the one to face ‘Iron Mike’ this July, he may have not been the first Paul brother contacted about the fight. On a recent edition of his ImPaulsive podcast, Logan claimed that he was previously approached about fighting Tyson.
“I said no to fighting Mike Tyson. I was offered it, but not on Netflix and not for a big ass bag. It was just like, this could be a real fight.”
Jake Paul Responds
It didn’t take long for Jake to issue a response. On the Betr podcast, Jake refuted the notion that his fight with Tyson only came about after Logan had said no.
“I hate that my brother and I’s relationship sometimes has to be aired out, but it seems as if the court of public opinion is the only thing that steers him in the right direction. It is weird to lie, to blatantly just lie.”
Jake added that he signed a deal with Netflix that would see the money he made depend on what kind of fighter he could find to face him. Jake makes clear that he was the one who brought the fight and Netflix deal to Tyson rather than Tyson’s people approaching him. He later spoke again about Logan’s alleged lies.
“Why is my own brother trying to make me look the second option for Tyson. Like, ‘Oh yeah, I turned down that deal.’ No, you didn’t. That’s a complete lie. Why are you fabricating lies?”
Jake said he’d prefer not to air dirty laundry in public, but that seems to be a recurring problem when it comes to dealing with his brother. Logan is expected to compete at WWE WrestleMania 40.
The Rock will make his long-awaited return to the ring at WrestleMania 40 and will become the second member of a very exclusive club in the process.
At the upcoming two-night show, The Rock will team with Roman Reigns to face Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. Should the Bloodline win, the following nights Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match will be under ‘Bloodline Rules.’ If Rhodes and Reigns are triumphant, then the title match will see no Bloodline involvement.
The Rock’s WrestleMania Accolade
With his match at WrestleMania, The Rock will become the second-ever Superstar to compete at four decades of WrestleMania. The Brahma Bull, as Rocky Maivia, made his Wrestler debut in 1997 and would compete at the event in 1998 and 1999.
The 2000s saw The Rock headline the Showcase of the Immortals twice, at ‘Mania 16 (2000) and X-Seven (2001.) The Great One also competed at WrestleMania 18 and 19 before closing out his run with a handicap loss at WrestleMania 20 in 2004.
The 2010s saw The Rock return to WrestleMania and the main event spot. The Brahma Bull headlined in 2012 with his ‘Once in a Lifetime’ match with John Cena and faced the 16-time World Champion once again the next year.
Joining the Club
The only Superstar to have competed at four decades of WrestleMania is The Undertaker. After making his debut against Jimmy ‘Superfly’ Snuka in 1991, the Phenom’s final match was at WrestleMania 36 in April 2020 in the cinematic Boneyard match.
WWE WrestleMania 40
This year’s WrestleMania will be the fifth annual two-night WrestleMania, a tradition that began with the Covid-19 pandemic. The show will also be the first WrestleMania following the launch of TKO Group Holdings last September. The card for the show so far is as follows:
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes (Undisputed WWE Universal Championship)
IYO SKY (c) vs. Bayley (WWE Women’s Championship)
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch (WWE Women’s World Championship)
Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
Seth “Freakin” Rollins & Cody Rhodes Vs. Roman Reigns & The Rock
GUNTHER (c) vs. Sami Zayn (WWE Intercontinental Championship)
The Judgment Day (c) vs. TBA vs. TBA vs. TBA vs. TBA vs.TBA (Six-Pack Ladder Match, Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships)
AEW may have held its ‘Big Business’ edition of Dynamite this week, but their chief competition at WWE is making some very big moves of its own.
Tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown will see the Superstars of the blue brand continue on the road to WrestleMania 40. WWE’s Showcase of the Immortals will take place on April 5, and April 6, from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA.
Another Sold Out Show
With WrestleMania 40 ramping closer, tonight’s edition of SmackDown will be one to watch, both at home and for those in Memphis. As WrestleTix shared, this week’s SmackDown is a sold-out show, with as 12,122 tickets being distributed for the show in Memphis’ FedEx Forum. This marks the 8th consecutive TV sellout for the company.
The last time WWE held a TV event in the FedEx Forum, it was the August 28, 2023, edition of Monday Night Raw. That show saw 7,377 tickets distributed. This means that SmackDown has seen a 64.32% in ticket sales compared to the previous Raw.
WWE SmackDown – March 15
This week’s SmackDown will see The Rock make an appearance as part of his recent heel run. It is believed that the Great One will host a ‘Rock Concert’ during the episode. The show will also mark an appearance by Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler, though it is unclear whether he will appear on the broadcast or solely for the fans in Memphis, TN.
This Friday’s SmackDown will also see Bayley seek to gain a measure of revenge on Dakota Kai. The Kiwi Superstar turned on Bayley last week, reaffirming her role as part of Damage CTRL. Tis week’s show will also see the first of a series of qualifying tag-team matches. The winners will be part of the six-pack Undisputed Tag Title Ladder Match at WrestleMania 40.
Mone caused quite the stir with her appearance at the Big Business edition of AEW Dynamite and her momentum has carried forward to the world of basketball. AEW’s newest signing was spotted at this week’s game pitting the Boston Celtics against the Phoenix Suns. Broadcaster Reggie Miller took the opportunity to highlight her recent signing with AEW and promote upcoming episodes of AEW Dynamite on TBS.
There’s no shortage of talented women she can step in the ring with. Some have speculated that a feud with Saraya could happen given their history. It was a move from Mone (Sasha Banks) at the time, that led to Saraya (Paige) being forced to retire from wrestling due to a neck injury. The Brit would return to the ring at Full Gear 2022.
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.
CM Punk may have attended this week’s episode of WWE NXT, but the Best in the World didn’t make a big deal of being present at the gold brand.
This week’s WWE NXT saw the gold brand Superstars continue on the road to NXT Stand & Deliver. The show saw Roxanne Perez explain her recent heel turn while the show ended with Trick Williams locking lips with Meta Four’s Lash Legend.
CM Punk at WWE NXT
Despite being one of the biggest names in professional wrestling today, Punk didn’t make a spectacle of himself at this week’s WWE NXT. Fightful reports that Punk kept a “much lower profile” compared to his previous visits to the Tuesday night show. In fact many within NXT were not aware of his presence at the show until photos began making the rounds online.
CM Punk is in attendance for WWE NXT on USA Network tonight.
While Punk kept a low profile at the show, he wasn’t covert enough to avoid a run-in with NXT commentator Booker T. The two-time WWE Hall of Famer has claimed that he and Punk “almost got into it” at this week’s taping but has not specified what their altercation was about. Booker has said that he intends to discuss the matter at a later time.
What’s Next?
CM Punk will appear on the March 25, episode of WWE Raw, which will take place in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois. The show will mark Punk’s first time in front of his own people since his stunning return to WWE at Survivor Series: WarGames in November 2023.
