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TCW Crowns Inaugural Champions At First TV Tapings (Results)

Rayan Saayed
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Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling made its return this Thursday, marking the revival of the promotion created by the late Dusty Rhodes after a hiatus of 20 years.

The event took place at Cody Rhodes’ Nightmare Factory in McDonough, Georgia, and it was a sold-out affair. Dusty Rhodes’ daughter Teil and QT Marshall were also in attendance.The event was filmed for television.

Turnbuckle Championship TV taping results from February 8

Here are the results from Thursday night’s TCW’ show:

– Kay Jay Impala & Dylan Lesynd defeated Jimmy Wild & Shaun Moore in a match that took place before the tapings began.

– Brady Booker defeated Elijah Drago (with The Diamond Sheik)

– Carlie Bravo (with Shawn Dean) defeated “The Mexican Rockstar” Vary Morales

– Dyland Lesynd defeated Matt Cardona

– The East Coast Outlaws defeated The Supastarz, Nikki Eight & Tommy Mars – TCW Tag Team Championship match

– Angelica Risk defeated Hyena Hera – TCW Women’s Championship match

– Adrian Ward defeated Aaron Solo – Nightmare Factory Championship match

– QT Marshall, Luther Biggs, Scotty Riggs & Glacier defeated Sunny Daze, Owen Knight, Duncan Mitchell & Adam Priest (w/ Matt Griffin) – Eight-man tag team match

In addition to the matches, various promos and vignettes showcased the history of the promotion and introduced some wrestlers to the audience.

Teil Rhodes was introduced as the Executive Vice President (authority figure) of TCW.

About TCW’s return

In December 2023, reports emerged that Cody Rhodes and his Nightmare Factory partner QT Marshall filed a trademark for Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling.

The promotion initially set up its offices in East Cobb County, Georgia, and held its inaugural event in July 2000. It later had its first PPV in 2001 and secured television airtime. Following the closure of WCW and ECW, many notable names such as Scott Hall, ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan, and New Jack competed in the promotion.- 

Current Backstage Morale In AEW Despite Disappointing Dynamite Viewership Turnout

Aaron Varble
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AEW has been through a few peaks and valleys since opening their doors several years ago. As Tony Khan leads his roster through 2024, it appears that he has spirits up at this time.

Backstage Morale In AEW

AEW is still going, and they have a lot of things in the pipeline. Although Kazuchika Okada’s signing is still up in the air, all appearances are that Mercedes Mone is coming into the company.

It was previously reported that Mercedes Mone has actually been on the AEW payroll since last month. For whatever reason, morale seems to be up within the company.

Wednesday night’s episode of AEW Dynamite averaged 805,000 viewers on TBS. It was down 1.6 percent from the previous week and marked the lowest audience total for the show since January 10. 

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that morale has significantly improved within AEW. This is in spite of the low viewership rating this week.

A couple of people have noted that the morale has really picked up and is the best in some time, even if the rating this week was universally disappointing for such a loaded show that was promoted as the biggest Dynamite of the year, with a match to determine the Revolution main event, a title match involving Sting where the expectation was he would win, and a Tony Khan big announcement. I did get that from a big announcement standpoint, people weren’t impressed with the idea of a show and if Okada or Mone were announced that would have been considered like a big announcement

What’s Next For AEW

AEW has a lot of plans in the pipeline, including their Big Business episode of Dynamite in Boston on March 13th. That is expected to be Mercedes Mone’s debut for the company, as Bean Town is her home, and AEW also included “BO$$TON” on the graphic for the upcoming show.

SE Scoops will have continued coverage of AEW Dynamite and whatever else Tony Khan has planned.

Current Expectation For WWE WrestleMania 40 Main Event Matches

Aaron Varble
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WWE fans were left shocked by the press conference in Las Vegas. Although there are a lot of questions left to answer, we now have an idea how the WrestleMania main event matches are taking shape.

WWE’s Expected WrestleMania 40 Main Event Picture

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that The Rock finalized a deal on January 3rd with Ari Emanuel and Nick Khan, not only securing a spot on the Board of Directors but also committing to headline WrestleMania this year. That match was presumably against Reigns. 

Dwayne Johnson mentioned that the storyline had been in the works for years. The Bloodline storyline with Roman Reigns has been going on for that long as well.

Following a non-press conference at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Reigns vs. Rhodes for WrestleMania was announced, with no additional match announcements beyond teasing the Rhea Ripley vs. Becky Lynch matchup. Ripley is set to face the winner of the Elimination Chamber match on February 24th in Australia. 

Although it’s believed that Rollins will defend against the winner of the men’s Chamber match at the same event, no such match has been confirmed. The tease for Rhodes vs. Rollins suggested that an announcement will likely be made in the coming week, but we’re waiting on official confirmation on that.

It was also reported that the current idea is a potential tag team clash between Reigns and Rock versus Rhodes and Rollins, possibly scheduled for day one at WrestleMania, for a main event match. During the conference, Rock turned heel on Rhodes after a dispute about families, siding with Reigns and slapping Rhodes, while Rollins sided with Rhodes during the whole thing.

The press conference also ended with the idea of a Reigns & Rock vs. Rhodes & Rollins tag team match, which could be on day one at Mania. Rock ended up going heel on Rhodes, slapping him in the face after an argument about families, and siding with Reigns. Rollins was out there at the time and ended up backing up Rhodes.

WWE Tried To Book The Rock vs Roman Reigns Before

The matchup between Reigns and Rock had been discussed before the pandemic as a one-time return match, initially considered for WrestleMania in Dallas in 2022. However, Dwayne Johnson aimed for Los Angeles in 2023, later withdrawing due to time constraints, but he left Philadelphia in 2024 as a possibility. 

Rhodes was initially slated for the match against Roman Reigns due to The Rock pulling out last year, as Rhodes and Seth Rollins were reportedly set to create the second world title last year, which was delayed. Now, we find ourselves in a very interesting situation on the road to WrestleMania 40.

Scott D’Amore Attempted To Acquire TNA Prior To Being Fired

Bishal Roy
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Scott D’Amore was recently fired from TNA Wrestling and recent reports suggest that he tried to purchase the promotion before being dismissed.

TNA Wrestling recently got re-branded from IMPACT Wrestling. Scott D’Amore was the driving force behind the company’s recent surge in attention. However, he won’t be there to witness the business enter the subsequent stage.

D’Amore had been with TNA since 2003 and had occupied some important leadership roles while being instrumental in the company’s successful rebranding last month. Meanwhile, Anthony Cicione, who has worked with Anthem for the past 16 years supervising technical operations and managing many cable and digital channels, has taken his place.

The success of The Score was greatly attributed to his work as a sports content producer for the channel WWE before he joined Anthem. Cicione has taken the role of managing TNA Wrestling’s day-to-day operations. His extensive background in executive-level management, spanning over three decades, is certainly a valuable asset to the company.

Scott D’Amore made an attempt to buy TNA

As per a report from Mike Johnson of PWInsider, D’Amore made a bid to buy TNA from Anthem. The former President had backing from a major financial institution but his offer was rebuffed.

In addition to this, the change at the top of TNA had been in the works for several weeks and D’Amore learned around 10 days ago that he would be replaced.

It seems that the massive rebranding leading to Scott’s firing has left the talent shocked. Know more about the situation below:

WWE 2K24’s WrestleMania Showcase Features 21 Matches, Greater Female Representation

Thomas Lowson
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Gamers will be able to enjoy the 40 years of WrestleMania across 21 matches in the upcoming WWE 2K24 video game. 

WWE 2K24 will be the latest game in the 2K series of games that began with the release of WWE 2K14 a decade ago. The Standard Edition of WWE 2K24 will be released on March 8, while the Deluxe and 40 Years of WrestleMania Editions will be released three days earlier on March 5. Earlier this week, fans caught their first glimpse of gameplay footage from WWE 2K24. 

40 Years of WrestleMania Showcase

Much of the buzz around WWE 2K24 surrounds the 40 Years of WrestleMania Showcase mode. Similar to WWE 2K14, this mode will see players work their way through WrestleMania history by reliving some of the show’s most iconic matches. 

In a Q&A session with WCCFTech, WWE 2K gameplay producer Bryan Williams shared some details about the 40 Years of WrestleMania Showcase.

“There are 21 matches from the 80s, the 90s, the 2000s, 2010s, up to the 2020s… the current day. So we have a wide selection, every era is represented.

Williams also spoke about the female representation in the WrestleMania showcase and how, unlike WWE 2K14, this year’s Showcase will feature women’s matches. 

“I will say one of the cool things about this year for Showcase of the Immortals is that there’s a lot more female representation than there was ten years ago when 2K14 hit the shelves. So very excited and happy about that.

“One of the matches there is Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair from WrestleMania 39. That is one of the matches that players will be able to experience in this year’s Showcase.”

Don’t expect to see Brock Lesnar as part of WWE 2K24’s promotional build… 

The Rock and Roman Reigns Show The Bloodline Is Stronger Than Ever At WrestleMania Kickoff Press Conference

Bishal Roy
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The Rock recently grabbed the headlines with his actions at the WrestleMania 40 Kickoff Press event on Thursday evening. Is he allying with his cousin and the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns?

We are less than a couple of months away from WrestleMania 40 which will take place at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 6th and 7th. 

It has been determined that 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes will have an opportunity to ‘finish the story.’ Rhodes previously made the way for The Rock to challenge Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. However, this decision faced a massive fan backlash which might have influenced WWE to alter the decision. Rhodes clarified his choice during the WrestleMania 40 kick-off press conference as he faces Roman Reigns at ‘The Show of Shows.

Roman Reigns and The Rock left the venue together

Following the event, WWE cameras caught Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman leaving the venue alongside The Rock which raised more questions regarding their alliance.

https://www.instagram.com/p/reel:C3HEfFKsc76

During the Las Vegas presser, Reigns said Cody was as irrelevant as his late father, Dusty Rhodes. Cody took a shot back and said if the grandfathers of The Rock and Roman Reigns were alive, they’d be disgusted with “The Tribal Chief.”

The Rock reminded Cody that when he talks about Reigns’ family, he’s talking about his ancestors. ‘The Great One,’ who seemingly turned heel ahead of the event, slapped Cody and both men had to be separated before a brawl could break out.

The Rock entering the fray makes the storyline more interesting and we will have to wait and see how this pans out heading into WrestleMania 40.

Seth Rollins: If the Vince McMahon Allegations Are True, I Hope Everyone Involved Gets What They Deserve

Thomas Lowson
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Seth Rollins hoping that anyone in WWE who knew about Vince McMahon’s activities gets their just desserts if the allegations against the former chairman are accurate. 

McMahon re-signed from TKO and WWE last month, following a lawsuit filed by ex-employee Janel Grant. Miss Grant claims that McMahon was sexually abusive to her and that he trafficked her to others in the company, including a former UFC Heavyweight Champion. McMahon has denied the allegations against him and, via a spokesperson, has claimed the lawsuit is rife with “obscene made-up instances that never occurred.”

Seth Rollins on Vince McMahon

In a recent interview, Rollins described the scandal as a “disgusting situation.” In a more recent interview with Fightful, Rollins referenced his previous comments and argued that if Janel Grant’s claims are true, then anybody who knew should get what they deserve. 

“It’s a crap situation. I said it in that interview on radio row. It sucks. It’s horrible. It’s disgusting. I don’t like hearing about it, reading about it, it’s abhorent.

“I hope, if the allegations are accurate, I hope anybody involved with it gets what’s coming to them. It sucks.

“For me, it’s very difficult because I didn’t see that side of him. I didn’t experience that. When you see stuff like that, it’s jarring and it’s painful. It sucks all around. There is just no other way to say it. It sucks. It really sucks.”

What’s Next? 

While McMahon has resigned from WWE, it is believed he still may have some power in the company. Comments from Grant’s legal representative Ann Callis have indicated that Miss Grant has no intention on settling this matter out of court, and it has been suggested that other women may come forward. 

Both Seth Rollins & CM Punk are currently out with injuries, but that won’t stop the World Heavyweight Champion from taking shots… 

Cody Rhodes Makes Sure Fan Receives Prizes 10 Years After Winning WWE Contest

Thomas Lowson
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Cody Rhodes made sure that a fan who won a WWE contest got prizes from the company, ten years after the promotion didn’t deliver the goods. 

Last month, a Twitter user by the name of Danny marked a whole decade since winning a Tribute to the Troops Holiday giveaway in January 2014. Danny was supposed to receive an event-themed T-shirt and a dog tag set, but never received either of these prizes. 

Danny’s story caught the attention of Cody Rhodes, who told the fan to check his DMs. This week, Danny gave a positive update on his situation, revealing that Rhodes had sent him a T-Shirt, cap, and ‘American Nightmare’ belt. Danny was thrilled to receive the prizes and finish the story and now hopes to see Rhodes finish his at WrestleMania 40. 

Cody Rhodes & The Fans

Danny’s situation is hardly the first time Rhodes has gone the extra mile for a wrestling fan. Last week, Rhodes got up close and personal with a visually impaired fan at a WWE event who held a sign saying they were trying to see him. This heartwarming interaction came about mere weeks after Rhodes agreed to be the Best Man at a fan’s wedding. 

At WWE live events, Cody has been competing in Extreme Rules matches and has been gifting pieces of a broken table to those in the crowd. After the final live Raw of 2023, Rhodes went even further and gifted a Christmas Tree to a fan. Speaking of the Holidays, Rhodes made one young fan’s season extra special by sending a signed Cody Rhodes authentic weight belt.

Becky Lynch: Rhea Ripley Will Learn To “Be A Bottom” When I Face Her at WrestleMania

Thomas Lowson
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Rhea Ripley may claim that ‘Mami’ always comes out on top, but Becky Lynch hopes to give the Women’s World Champion an education on being a ‘bottom’ this April. 

The reigning WWE Women’s World Champion, Rhea Ripley was at last night’s WrestleMania 40 kick-off press conference that took place at Las  Vegas’ T-Mobile arena. Ripley admitted to being surprised that Bayley chose to face IYO SKY at WrestleMania. The 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble winner confirmed her face turn and parted ways with Damage CTRL on last week’s SmackDown. 

Ripley then turned her attention to her own road to WrestleMania and said she has one more stop; the WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth event later this month. This brought out Becky Lynch, who pointed out that she has qualified for the Women’s Elimination Chamber match that will determine who faces the Women’s World Champion at WrestleMania. 

Lynch didn’t hold back in her face-to-face with Ripley, as she said: 

“It doesn’t matter who you face because Mami’s always on top, huh? It does matter Rhea. It does matter who you face. I have made a legendary career out of knocking golden girls out of their top spot. So Mami is gonna learn what it’s like to be a bottom because that’s what happens when The Man comes around.”

What’s Next? 

Lynch will be joined by five other women in the Elimination Chamber match. Next week’s Raw will see either Liv Morgan or Zoey Stark join her as they’ll face off in a qualifier. Rhea Ripley will defend her Women’s World Championship at WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth against Nia Jax. 

Ripley is eager to face The Man at WWE’s biggest show of the year… 

Wrestling World Reacts As Cody Rhodes Makes His Choice For WWE WrestleMania 40

Thomas Lowson
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Cody Rhodes’ choice to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40 has had the wrestling world buzzing after a complicated road to this decision. 

Rhodes made his choice clear during the WrestleMania 40 kick-off press conference. Leading up to this event, there had been a lot of talk about who Cody would pick, especially after Rhodes said last week he wouldn’t be facing Reigns this April. A massive fan backlash may have influenced WWE’s decision, with the ‘We Want Cody’ movement being heard both at WWE events and on social media. 

The Wrestling World Reacts

Triple H was present for Cody’s decision at the WrestleMania 40 kick-off press conference. Taking to Twitter, the WWE’s Chief Content Officer made it clear that the decision has been made. 

WWE U.S Champion Logan Paul had backed Cody Rhodes in the run-up to the press conference. On social media, Paul shared a video of his reaction to Cody’s decision and The Rock slapping him. 

Cody’s fellow AEW alum Amanda Huber spoke highly of Rhodes and is excited to see him finish the story in April. 

TNA Wrestling’s Nic Nemeth used some political satire to explain what’s going on with the Cody Rhodes/Roman Reigns/The Rock dynamic. 

With Cody Rhodes not challenging for the World Heavyweight Championship, Drew McIntyre is pleased that his quest to win the gold became all that much clearer. 

Cody’s wife Brandi used some emojis to share her excitement for the upcoming match. 

And as for the man of the hour himself, Cody Rhodes had a clear message after challenging Roman Reigns. 

“I’ll be happy to stomp out that comeback ” – Seth Rollins Roasts CM Punk At WrestleMania 40 Kickoff Press Conference

Bishal Roy
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WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins has yet again taken a shot at CM Punk. 

With WrestleMania 40 coming up in a matter of months the card continues to get stacked. However, some changes had to be made recently. Seth Rollins and CM Punk were likely to clash at ‘The Show of Shows’ but that had to be nixed after both the superstars suffered injuries.

Seth Rollins suffered knee injury during his title defense against Jinder Mahal on RAW. However, he is eyeing to recover by WrestleMania 40. Meanwhile, CM Punk is sidelined with a tricep injury that required him to go under the knife.

Seth Rollins takes a shot at CM Punk

Speaking with Denise Salcedo at WrestleMania 40 Kickoff Press Event, Seth Rollins yet again took a jab at CM Punk and shared his thoughts on their match not happening at the show. He said:

“I mean look one of us is a fragile old man and one of us is a a young stallion so I’ll be back in a couple weeks, he’ll be back in a year or two till his next injury I don’t know. I’d love to kick the crap out of him, I’m sure he’d love to get in there try to do something to me but it’s not going to work. So am I disappointed? I’d say a little bit only because I really thought if we had an opportunity to do it, stomping his head into the mat would be the best at WrestleMania. Like would be the best at WrestleMania in front of the biggest audience so little bummed by that but I I feel like he’s talking about the greatest comeback of all time, I’ll be happy to stomp out that comeback when the time comes.”

Rollins has been unhappy ever since CM Punk made his return to WWE at last year’s Survivor Series: WarGames Premium Live Event. Fans were delighted to witness ‘The Best In The World’ return to Chicago except for Seth Rollins. 

‘The Visionary’ was enraged to see Punk and in a fan-recorded footage, Rollins was even spotted flipping off Punk and had to be held back.

Fans did not forget that, just a few months prior, Rollins called Punk “cancer” and told him to stay away” from WWE. Well, Seth Rollins even spoke about his dislike towards CM Punk.

CM Punk Says We Need To Put Some Respect On Bayley’s Name During Road To WrestleMania

Aaron Varble
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Fans all over are talking about Cody Rhodes’ big decision to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, but CM Punk believes that a lot of people are overlooking Bayley. She won the Women’s Royal Rumble, after all, but she hasn’t received nearly as much attention.

CM Punk Backs Bayley

CM Punk was on hand in the T-Mobile Arena as WWE brought their WrestleMania kickoff press conference. It was quite an event, one that concluded with a huge cliffhanger.

During his time at the event, CM Punk addressed a camera, where he let it be known that Bayley deserves more love. She wasn’t featured on promotional material, nor was she present at the T-Mobile Arena for the big event in Las Vegas. Punk believes that Bayley is more than deserving of a WrestleMania spotlight.

“I really need to, as a broadcast journalist, I really need to talk about Bayley, and how she won the Royal Rumble for the women, and she wasn’t represented on the poster, I felt like she needed a presence there. Got caught up talking about The Rock and Reigns and Cody and Seth and all that, but very much in the mix is Bayley who won the Royal Rumble and you need to put some respect on her name.”

What’s Next for Bayley

Bayley decided to face IYO Sky at WrestleMania 40. Rhea Ripley made reference to this during the WrestleMania kickoff show event, but she actually referenced IYO with the last name Shirai, which hasn’t been the name she’s used since her main roster call-up. We will have to see where Bayley vs IYO falls on the WrestleMania card, but CM Punk is definitely pulling for them to get a good spot.

CM Punk is injured, and he will have to set out this year’s show of shows. This is sad, but at least he is around to provide his two cents on how this year’s event is taking shape.

The Rock Says It’s “Crazy” Ava Received Death Threats Over WWE WrestleMania Build

Thomas Lowson
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WWE NXT General Manager Ava receiving death threats over her father’s return to the company is simply crazy, according to The Rock. 

Ever since The Rock’s return to WWE last week, the fans have made clear that they wanted to see Cody Rhodes challenge Roman Reigns instead of the Great One. Videos of The Rock at WWE events have been booed, while the YouTube video of his comeback has become WWE’s most disliked video of all time. This week’s Raw saw “Rocky sucks” chants so loud that Michael Cole acknowledged them on commentary. 

The Rock on Ava’s Death Threats

The Rock’s daughter Ava has not been spared from the backlash of her father’s comeback. Ava was on the receiving end of death threats from fans which ultimately led to the youngest General Manager in WWE history deactivating her Twitter account. During an episode of the Pat McAfee Show, The Rock said it was crazy to see her daughter receive death threats over WWE’s plans and his return. 

“She’s feeling it too [the fan backlash]… Oh yeah, Cody’s gotta finish his story… By the way, she’s also got death threats. It’s crazy… C’mon guys, we’re all in this thing, and by the way, what happens in the middle of the ring and on these storylines, don’t forget that, again inside baseball, outside the ring, we all talk. We all can figure this thing out while working together.”

What’s Next? 

At the WrestleMania 40 kickoff press conference, Cody Rhodes chose to face Roman Reigns at the two-night event in April. This would infuriate Reigns, who had earlier in the show said that he would be facing The Rock in April. The Rock would also slap Cody during the press conference, with suspicions that all three men could face off at WrestleMania 40. 

WWE Speed Confirmed: New Show Coming to Twitter/X In Spring 2024

Thomas Lowson
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WWE Speed, a new show featuring high-speed matches, is coming to Twitter this year, the company has confirmed. 

During the WWE WrestleMania 40 Kick-Off event, Michael Cole announced that WWE and Twitter have partnered up to launch WWE Speed. The matches will have a five-minute time limit, meaning that Superstars will have to give it their all to score a win in the allotted time limit. WWE Speed will be distributed exclusively on Twitter. 

WWE Speed

Before the December 15, 2023, SmackDown began broadcasting, the fans in attendance were treated to the introduction of the WWE Speed Match. The taping saw ‘Big’ Bronson Reed facing NXT Superstar Nathan Frazer in the first match. Later on, Cedric Alexander faced NXT’s Axiom.

Corey Graves and Kevin Patrick were on commentary, and the matches were filmed as if they’d be broadcast. Given Kevin Patrick’s release from WWE though, it’s unclear if WWE will dub over the commentary with a more current announce team. 

WWE’s Fastest Matches

Five Minutes may not seem like a lot of time, but there are some matches that more than fit this time limit. On the September 4, 2000, episode of Raw, Chris Jericho and Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler defeated Tazz and Mideon, with Lawler getting the roll-up over Tazz and his team winning in three seconds. 

More recently, Aliyah scored a 3.17-second win over Natalya during a January 2022, edition of SmackDown. WWE would lean heavily into the win, with the now former Superstar receiving an ‘Aliyah 3:17’ shirt to celebrate her victory.

Cody Rhodes Enrages The Rock With His WrestleMania 40 Opponent Choice During Blockbuster Las Vegas Press Conference

Aaron Varble
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WrestleMania 40 will take over Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 6th and 7th. This year’s Mania event will be a massive one, and they set the stage in Las Vegas.

The Stage Is Set

Seth Rollins came out after Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley had time to speak. Becky Lynch also interrupted Ripley to make it known that she wants to face Mami at Mania.

Rollins didn’t want to waste any time, so he invited Cody Rhodes out. However, Roman Reigns made his way out to the stage instead. As Rollins looked at his former Shield brother, the Tribal Chief raised his title for the T-Mobile Arena crowd.

Seth took a shot at Roman for showing up to work for once, but the Head of the Table wanted to talk about Cody Rhodes. Then Roman Reigns said that Cody didn’t make his decision, so he’s choosing The Rock.

The Rock Makes His Presence Known

Suddenly, The Rock made his way out to add even more star power to the situation. The Rock asked the crowd if they think Roman Reigns will beat him at WrestleMania, and there was a mixed response. Then he asked the same question with himself as the winner to the same mixed reaction.

When The Rock asked if fans think his match with Roman Reigns will be the biggest in WWE history, fans were not happy about that either. After Dwayne Johnson said that he loves the fans’ passion, fans stopped him with “We want Cody” and “Cody sucks” chants.

Johnson got even more boos when he introduced the world to the “Cody crybabies.” Then The Rock started getting tons of “what” chants as he introduced an image of the Bloodline family tree. He also said it doesn’t matter what fans think if they don’t believe that the Bloodline is the best family in pro wrestling.

Cody Rhodes Makes His Announcement

The Rock vs Roman Reigns was then hyped for WrestleMania as fans booed the announcement. Suddenly, Cody Rhodes came out and said, “this right here is bullsh*t.” He didn’t like how The Rock and Reigns were calling the shots, because Cody reminded them that he won the Royal Rumble.

Cody said he made his decision, and he will wrestle Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania 40. Fans chanted as Reigns said that Cody must be crazy or stupid. He told Cody to go to the #2’s with Seth Rollins. He also said nobody cares about him finishing the story. Reigns said that Cody is irrelevant, just like his father.

Triple H, Nick Aldis, and Adam Pearce came out for backup as tensions raised. Cody told Roman that his grandfather would be ashamed of him if he was here. Then The Rock told Cody, “let me make something perfectly clear to you, when you talk about his family, you’re talking about my family.” It seems that The Rock wasn’t happy with Cody, and they suddenly had a problem.

The Rock slapped Cody across the face, and they needed to be broken up. Seth Rollins also had to be taken off the stage, but he said “I don’t give a sh*t if you’re on the board, you can’t do whatever you want,” as he left.

Now, it appears that Cody Rhodes vs Roman Reigns is going to happen at WrestleMania, but the story is far from over. Later on, Triple H was interviewed backstage when The Rock walked by, who said, “you’ve got to fix this, let him talk sh*t about our family again, you’ve got to fix this.”

Just this week, a tenured member of the creative team told me, “We have not been told of any change. That doesn’t mean the plan hasn’t changed. Or won’t change. Or this is all a plan anyway. It just means we’re not being told.”

SE Scoops will have continued coverage of the road to WrestleMania. It will likely be a wild ride. Keep checking back for even more updates.

WWE Legend Virgil’s Health Is Not Good After Suffering Several Strokes

Aaron Varble
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Virgil became a meme after his in-ring career ended, as he sat alone waiting to give autographs for fans all over. Now, it appears that he is not doing very well, and this is not a great update to receive at all.

Our thoughts go out to former WWE star Virgil. Apparently, the 61-year-old legend is apparently not doing too well. 

WWE Star Virgil’s Health Issues

Sadly, Virgil hasn’t been doing very well, and things have taken a turn even further down after being diagnosed with dementia.

Tatanka shared on Instagram that Virgil is facing health challenges after experiencing multiple strokes, urging everyone to offer their support through prayer. Here’s what he posted:

Virgil has been battling health issues in recent years. In 2022, he disclosed that he had suffered two strokes and received a dementia diagnosis. A month later, he revealed that he was diagnosed with stage one gastrointestinal cancer. Sending positive thoughts to Virgil during this challenging time.

“Got a message from a friend that Virgil is not doing good and has had several strokes! There is power in prayer! Everyone come together please and say a prayer for Virgil.. if it was u, u would want the same! ?? #LoveOneAnother We’re all imperfect human beings on this journey called life! “

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C3EK7Y6M0HH

Virgil started a GoFundMe for himself in December 2023. The description for the fundraising campaign explained why he needed the money, because he needed clothes and toiletries. 

He also promised an autograph for anyone who donated over $25. In the end, they raised just over $4,600.

Hi, we are trying to help raise at least $400 to help get more clothes and toiletries and with other expenses. As you know Mike was diagnosed with Dementia last may . Any help would be appreciated. Anyone that donates $25 or more we have some autographed pictures we like to send out . I like to say thank you and Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah 

Who is Virgil

Virgil had a notable career in professional wrestling, primarily known for his time in WWE. He started his career in the late 1980s and gained fame as the bodyguard for “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase. 

Virgil had various storylines and feuds during his tenure in WWE, including a memorable feud with DiBiase after turning against him. He also competed in singles matches and tag team matches, often showcasing his skills in the ring. 

After leaving WWE, Virgil continued to wrestle on the independent circuit, making appearances at various wrestling events and conventions. Throughout his career, he remained a recognizable figure in the world of professional wrestling.

John Laurinaitis Says WWE Knew About Ashley Massaro’s Assault Claim

Dominic DeAngelo
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John Laurinaitis, or at least his attorney, isn’t done with the media despite stating his claims against WWE would be handled in court rather in the public news cycle and the latest invovles the tragedy of Ashley Massaro.

Back in 2019, the attorney of the late Massaro issued a sworn affidavit stating that she was raped by a doctor in Kuwait while on tour with WWE. The accused doctor identifed as someone with the military and both Vince McMahon and Laurinaitis were allegedly aware of the situation.

WWE did release a statement back in 2019 after the affidavit was released denying that McMahon or WWE management were made aware of Massaro’s accusations.

“At no time was Vince McMahon or the management of WWE ever informed by Ashley Massaro or anybody else that she had been sexually assaulted, drugged, raped or sodomized by a military doctor with a nurse standing guard while on a goodwill tour in 2007 to U.S. military bases in Kuwait. 

“At no time was there ever a meeting with Vince McMahon, Kevin Dunn, John Laurinaitis or other company executives in which she told them of such a claim and was instructed to keep it quiet.”

A new report from VICE has Laurinaitius’ lawyer, Edward Brennan, stating that his client was aware, but dismissed anything resembling a cover-up.

“Any allegations that Mr. Laurinaitus helped to cover up an alleged rape allegation is an outright lie. Johnny, like most upper level management at sometime became aware of the allegations and ensured all proper WWE protocols were followed, including privacy for the alleged victim. We object to the use of the term cover up as no such plan or plot ever took place to hide or assist in the alleged rape.”

Massaro unfortunately passed away in 2019 after an apparent suicide. 

If you or a loved one is a victim of sexual assault, you can contact the RAINN hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673).

Steve McMichael Is Headed To The Pro Football Hall Of Fame

Dominic DeAngelo
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Steve McMichael is going to be a Pro Football Hall Of Famer. According to NBC Sports out of Chicago, Mongo will be one of three Chicago Bears announced for Canton during Thursday Night’s NFL Honors ceremony.

McMichael was an undoubted force on the NFL gridiron playing a full 15 NFL seasons with 13 of them being for the Windy City, one of which was for the notorious 1985 Super Bowl-winning Bears, led by their defense to which Mongo was a major player to. He’s second in all-time sacks for Chicago and is a four-time All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler.

Mongo has valiantly been battling ALS since 2021 and he’s had the support of his teammates and fellow wrestling colleagues, most particularly Ric Flair who visits and keeps in touch with the NFL legend. 

McMichael found himself in the pro wrestling fold first with WWE during WrestleMania XI as he, along with other NFL stars, was in the corner of Lawrence Taylor during his main event fight with Bam Bam Bigelow.

However, unlike Taylor, Mongo continued to pursue a pro wrestling career where he really began to cut his teeth in a WCW ring. Soon enough, McMichael became a member of the Four Horsemen and won the United States Championship in a match against Jeff Jarrett. He lost that gold eventually to WWE Hall of Famer to Curt Hennig who infamously turned against the Horsemen after teasing that he’d join their ranks following Arn Anderson’s retirement. It’s actually 24 years ago to the day when Mongo made his final appearance with WCW.

We at SEScoops.com would like to send our congratulations to Mongo and his family for the well-earned honor!

Watch: The Undertaker Appears At Riyadh Season Cup Finals Between Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr

Thomas Lowson
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WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker recently surfaced in Saudi Arabia as part of the festivities for the match between Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr. 

Before the game kicked off, the Phenom, decked in full Undertaker attire, appeared in front of the crowd at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. After his entrance, which included his WWE theme music, The Undertaker held up the Riyadh Season Cup to the sound of lightning and thunder. 

Soccer star Christiano Ronaldo, who plays for Al-Nassr was quite enthralled by the presence of the legend. 

The Undertaker Out of the Ring

While The Undertaker had his final farewell at Survivor Series 2020, that didn’t mark the end of the Phenom. Undertaker has appeared out of character at several ‘1 deadMAN’ events, in which the legend regales stories from his career and answers questions from the audience. The Undertaker has appeared out of character at multiple WWE events since his retirement, including at WrestleMania 38 and at the Raw is XXX show in January of last year. 

Outside of wrestling, The Undertaker appeared (in character) to introduce Pitbull at a concert in Saudi Arabia. The WWE Hall of Famer also appeared in character for Netflix’s interactive special ‘Escape The Undertaker.’ The interactive experience sees the New Day arrive in The Undertaker’s funeral home and need to find a way out before they become trapped forever. 

What moment from is career left The Undertaker shaking in his boots… 

Cody Crybabies: Watch The Rock Cut an Epic Heel Promo On Cody Rhodes Fans

Aaron Varble
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The Rock is in Las Vegas for the WrestleMania kickoff press conference, and fans can’t wait to see what goes down. As #WeWantCody intensifies, it is evident that The Rock’s return to WWE wasn’t a last-minute decision. He also had quite a promo to cut on fans who do not want to see him taking Cody Rhodes’s spot at WrestleMania 40.

Cody won two Royal Rumble matches in a row, and it appeared that he was calling his shot to face Roman Reigns again this year. Then, The Rock returned to re-start a dormant dream match idea, one that he wanted to pull the trigger on this year at WrestleMania. In the meantime, Cody has now said that he landed on a decision for WrestleMania.

The Rock Cuts Promo on Cody Crybabies

The Rock realizes that fans are not happy about this, as he’s noticed his inbox and his mentions on social media. The trends are unavoidable, and WWE fans are blowing up social media with their opinions about this match. It doesn’t seem like The Rock cares, and he’s playing up the heel character.

During an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, The Rock called upset fans “Cody crybabies.” Then he mocked “grown ass men” complaining that Cody can’t finish his story. He did so while taking on a baby voice.

The Great One then made it clear that there are three types of people in this situation, but those Cody crybabies definitely took up a majority of his focus.

“At the end of the day, you’ve got the Cody crybabies, you’ve got the Cody fans, and you’ve got Cody himself. And there’s a clear distinction between the three. But, The Rock says this those Cody crybabies who ever 10 tweets they’re shoving a chicken McNugget in their mouth, for every 20 tweets they’re shoving two McNuggets up their ass, The Rock says this: all you’ve gotta do is sit back, shut your mouth, and enjoy the ride The Rock is gonn take your candy asses on. So hashtag that.”

When The Rock Called His WrestleMania 40 Shot

After asking around days later, I received an additional note that said, “No chance this changes unless The Rock backs out. This has been The Rock calling the shot since January 1st.” That is when Rock showed up on the Day 1 episode of RAW and made his first head of the table comment.

When I asked if any of this fan backlash will change these prospective WrestleMania plans, I was told, “there’s no chance in hell.” The Rock is the only man who can make that change, as this WrestleMania match was also part of his $30 million TKO Board of Directors appointment.

A tenured member of the creative team later told me, “We have not been told of any change. That doesn’t mean the plan hasn’t changed. Or won’t change. Or this is all a plan anyway. It just means we’re not being told.”

What’s Next for The Rock?

Dwayne Johnson is the only man who can change WWE’s WrestleMania booking plan. He promised that the WrestleMania press conference at the T-Mobile Arena will be historic. Only time will tell exactly how it all pans out in the end, but that “Cody crybabies” line isn’t going to win him many fans.

It appears that The Rock doesn’t care about being a heel. The Rock’s character exists in the first place because he let loose and really started to cut promos on fans. That Cody crybabies line is one that might come up on this road to WrestleMania, as The Rock urges fans to #ShutYourMouth.

WWE’s WrestleMania press conference in Las Vegas’s T-Mobile Arena tonight will be quite a show. SE Scoops will have coverage of the event.

Sting Was Against AEW World Tag Team Championship Win

Thomas Lowson
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Sting is a champion in wrestling mere weeks away from the end of his career, but he would have been happy ending his career without this title win. 

The Icon and Darby All won the titles on this week’s Dynamite, ending the reign of Big Bill & Ricky Starks. The former champions had held the titles since the October 7, 2023, edition of AEW Collision, where they dethroned the record-holding two-time champions FTR. 

Sting Against World Tag Title Win

Sting was adamantly against winning the AEW World Tag Team Championships for a long time, Fightful Select reports. The WWE/TNA Hall of Famer was also against the idea of competing for them. Some people in AEW argued that from their point of view, Sting and Allin’s undefeated record as a team meant they had to get a title shot. Tony Khan recently announced they were introducing its ranking system. This system aims to provide a sense of legitimacy to the company’s matches by ensuring those who win the most receive championship opportunities. 

The decision for Sting and Allin to win the AEW World Tag Team Championships “was made well in advance” and Sting went along with it. Sources said that the Icon was “all smiles” after the match backstage. This victory marks Sting’s first championship victory since 2011. 

What’s Next? 

After their victory, Sting and Darby Allin were attacked by the Young Bucks, and the two teams are expected to face off at next month’s Revolution pay-per-view. Fightful adds that The planned Revolution location was changed from the midwest to Greensboro to fit Sting’s send-off. 

Why did the Young Bucks attack Sting and Darby Allin on this week’s Dynamite… 

Cody Rhodes Has Made A Decision About His WWE WrestleMania 40 Match

Aaron Varble
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Cody Rhodes won the 2023 and 2024 Royal Rumble event. He took on Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39, and while it was thought that he would face Reigns again this year, The Rock stepped into the picture in a big way. All this time, Cody has yet to make a decision about his WrestleMania match.

Cody Makes A Decision

Cody Rhodes posted on his Instagram story to reveal that he has made his big WrestleMania decision. Of course, the choice is whether he will face Seth Rollins or Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40.

“I’ve made my decision.”

@AmericanNightmareCody

WWE WrestleMania Press Conference In Las Vegas

WWE has a big press conference event scheduled for tonight at 7:00 PM EST. The show will go down in Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, a location that proves how long the company has had these plans in the works.

During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that WWE actually booked the T-Mobile Arena far in advance. This event wasn’t a late addition to anyone’s schedule.

“They had booked T-Mobile for Thursday with The Rock long ago, like someone there mentioned it in passing. It was, ‘it’s not like you can get T-Mobile Arena four days in advance for something that we’re changing.’ This thing was booked way in advance. This thing was, you know when I mentioned January 3rd, to make a date and have an agreement on January 3rd, there was pretty much an understanding well before that. They kept that one quiet. However it plays out, whatever it is, it’s working.”

Current Status Of WrestleMania 40 Main Event

In case you’re wondering, WWE has not changed their idea about The Rock vs Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. The idea was floated out there by Dave Meltzer that WWE may have Roman Reigns wrestle The Rock on one night and then Cody Rhodes on another night of WrestleMania. I am awaiting confirmation to see whether that option was ever on the table.

I was explicitly told that The Rock acting as a special referee or WWE booking a triple threat match was never on the table for serious consideration. We will have to see what direction they go, but fans should be ready for a wild ride regardless.

Dave Batista Hopes to Make Directorial Debut in 2025

Thomas Lowson
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Dave Batista has made quite the name for himself on the silver screen and now the WWE legend hopes to take a step behind the camera. 

After proving a powerhouse in the ring, Batista has become a powerhouse in Hollywood thanks to roles in major franchises including Guardians of the Galaxy, James Bond, and Dune. The Animal has also taken on smaller projects to critical acclaim, including Glass Onion, and Knock at the Cabin. 

Batista Behind the Camera

Batista’s next major film role will see him reprise the character of Glossu Rabban for Dune: Part Two. Sitting down with Screen Rant to discuss the new film, Batista shared his desire to direct, which has been a goal of him for some time. 

“I’ve wanted to direct for years. For a while, I was looking for a project that I could direct because it’s got to be very contained. I’m not looking to be a blockbuster director. I want to direct what I like.

“As a fan, I really am drawn to indie dramas. I like inspiring stories. I like deep emotional stories. For years I looked for a script, the right one for me, and I finally just came up with my own idea. So now I’m searching for writers but I will. My plan is to sometime in 2025 direct my first film.”

Batista in WWE

The Animal’s final match came at WrestleMania 35 and saw Batista lose to Evolution mentor Triple H. While Batista was named for the 2020 WWE Hall of Fame class, his induction has been postponed. 

Dune: Part Two releases in cinemas next month. 

H/T – Fightful

LA Knight Couldn’t Care Less About WWE WrestleMania 40 Main Event Controversy Because He’s Not In It

Aaron Varble
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WWE fans all over are talking about the WrestleMania main event. The Rock returned to presumably take Cody Rhodes’ spot against Roman Reigns, and people aren’t happy. Trends started as the WWE Universe is crying for Cody Rhodes to get his spot back, but odds are the match won’t change. If you ask LA Knight, he couldn’t care less.

LA Knight drew a ton of attention in 2023, and he sold a lot of merchandise as well. It’s WrestleMania season, and he is concentrated on securing a good match on the showcase of the immortals. That concentration doesn’t allow him to focus on other people’s matters.

LA Knight Speaks On WrestleMania Main Event

Knight said on Wes and Walker that it doesn’t matter to him who is in the WrestleMania main event match. He’s not in that match, and he is focused on his role at the show of shows, and making the biggest impression he can. 

It’s always exciting to have someone like The Rock come back, and fans are engaged. The more eyes that The Rock brings in only means that they will also see Knight in whatever match he lands on the show of shows. 

“Doesn’t really make a difference to me. Doesn’t affect me. I’m not involved in it, I don’t care. If any one of them ends up coming out as WWE Champion, then that’s the guy I’m aiming for. Is it always cool to have a guy like The Rock come in? Sure it is. Now you have a major movie star, a major star just in the world. A pop culture icon, you could say. To bring that in, you’re bringing in brand name recognition to where it might bring in extra eyes from the outside who might not otherwise be there.

If that’s the case, okay, I’m not arguing against that. It means more eyes on me, more eyes on SmackDown, more eyes on everything. In that regard, it’s not a bad thing. Some people are going to look down on it, some people aren’t. It’s not for everybody, but that’s the beauty of what we do, there is a little something for everybody. At the end of the day, in my regard, it really doesn’t make much difference to me. If Cody ends up being the champion, Roman Reigns is the champion, The Rock is champion, I’m still gunning for each and every one on them.”

WWE’s Plan for LA Knight at WrestleMania 40 

LA Knight does not have a match announced for WrestleMania 40 yet. There are several ways to go with him, and I can confirm that a title match has been one of those ideas. That doesn’t guarantee him a spot in a secondary title match, because there are a lot of options for him.

I was told by a tenured member of the creative team that there are “a lot of matches are being discussed for Mania, that’s one idea, but there are many more, too.” The important part is getting on the showcase of the immortals in the first place, which is something LA Knight aims to accomplish. 

WWE has a massive WrestleMania kickoff press conference scheduled for Las Vegas tonight. The event starts at 7:00 PM EST, and we will have full coverage of the show at SE Scoops. Perhaps, LA Knight will be around to jumpstart his own road to WrestleMania 40.

‘Johnny Loves Taya’: AEW Announces New Rom-Com YouTube Series For Valentine’s Day

Bishal Roy
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Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and AEW is introducing a new series on their YouTube channel with the theme of romance and comedy, featuring Johnny TV and Taya Valkyrie.

Johnny TV and Taya Valkyrie’s relationship blossomed in the world of pro wrestling and they are among several other couples whose love stories bloomed in the industry. The couple tied the knot in June 2018 after being in a relationship for two years. The duo has performed in several promotions and currently performing in AEW. 

Johnny TV and Taya Valkyrie to star in new AEW series

The official AEW Twitter/X account made the announcement of the brand new series for their YouTube channel which will star real-life wrestling couple and AEW stars, Johnny TV and Taya Valkyrie. A short teaser has already dropped on the platform which gives a sneak peek for the fans. 

In addition to this, the show has been billed as the debut of first wrestling romantic comedy on Valentine’s Day with new episodes releasing every week. The show will premiere on Valentine’s Day, February 14.

“Coming to #AEW’s YouTube channel on Valentine’s Day, it’s Johnny Loves Taya!
Watch the debut of wrestling’s first romantic comedy on Wednesday, February 14th, with new episodes every week
@TheRealMorrison
@TheTayaValkyrie.”

Recently, Johnny TV accompanied her wife Taya Valkyrie, who squared off against Deonna Purrazzo on Dynamite. Valkyrie endured a defeat against Purrazzo, who has moved one step closer to getting a shot at the AEW Women’s title against former best friend, Toni Storm. In the final moments of the match, Purrazzo executed a double arm lock as Valkyrie submitted. 

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