Sting gave everything he could during his last run in AEW. He was already a WWE Hall of Famer, but it seems that the company that owns a majority of the footage with his career wasn’t even asked to contribute.
WWE bought WCW in 2001 for a meager fee. $4.2 million got WCW’s brand, intellectual property, and video library. Arguably, this was an amazing deal for Vince McMahon’s company. Even though WWE owns all that Sting footage, Tony Khan didn’t reach out to inquire about using any of it.
Sting’s Final Match Footage
Before the match started at AEW Revolution, a video featuring Sting aired, depicting him alone in an empty movie theater in full ring gear. The video showcased photos and clips from his career, but they were missing a lot of action. After all, footage from Mid South, Crockett Promotions, WCW, and WWE, mostly owned by WWE, was notably absent.
Sting reacted to the clips, displaying shock at some of the recent stunts he had performed. Then Sting uttered, “It’s Showtime for the last time.”
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that WWE wasn’t asked about using any footage of Sting for AEW Revolution. In the past, AEW has let their talent appear as talking heads for a few WWE things, but Tony Khan’s company apparently didn’t even reach out about using footage of Sting for his retirement match.
Many people wondered, given in the past Khan has allowed his talent to appear on WWE television to honor John Cena and at the Hall of Fame ceremonies, if WWE would reciprocate here. The answer is that we don’t know because WWE was never asked. There was also no TNA footage shown.
The report also noted that, “Most of the footage shown was from New Japan Pro Wrestling, as from AEW and his lone appearance in Pro Wrestling NOAH when he & Allin & Great Muta teamed up in the last match Keiji Muto donned the Muta gimmick. Sting made it clear that would be his last time in the ring in Japan.”
AEW has a few stars on the injury list, but it seems that Fenix’s time away from the ring is coming to an end. The Lucha Bro member has been booked for an event in May.
Fenix has been missing from action for AEW since 2023, but he fought through some injuries to make that happen. He needed to take some time off, but he has now been booked for a May 5th event for HOG Wrestling.
Fenix’s Return
House of Glory is gearing up for another event on May 5th with the announcement of Cinco De Mayo at the NYC Arena. A notable addition to the lineup is AEW star Rey Fenix, who is set to grace the HOG stage for the event, streamed live on Fite+.
Fenix’s opponent has not been revelaed for the show yet, but he will apparently be wrestling, which is a good sign for his recovery.
Fenix was dealing with a nagging injury for quite some time, leading to several months of absence from action. He sustained the injury during a four-way tag team match at AEW WrestleDream in Seattle. The match featured The Young Bucks, Lucha Brothers, The Gunns, and Orange Cassidy & Hook.
During the match, Fenix was thrown into the barricades multiple times, prompting ringside medical attention and his subsequent removal from the match. This injury marked the end of his reign as AEW International Champion, which lasted only 20 days. His last match before getting sidelined was against Orange Cassidy on the October 10 episode of AEW Dynamite, where he lost the championship.
HOG’s Upcoming Event
Mark your calendars as tickets for this spectacular event go on sale today, March 8th, at 12 PM EST. HOG’s social media channels will provide additional updates on talent to be revealed in the weeks leading up to the event.
Located in Jamaica, Queens, the NYC Arena, House of Glory will bring a big Cinco De Mayo event to life in New York City. SEScoops will have more updates as they are made available regarding Fenix’s return to the ring.
Dwayne Johnson is one of the busiest men in Hollywood, but The Rock is back with WWE on a full-time basis through WrestleMania 40. The People’s champ has been heavily involved in the main event mix and will wrestle his first full match in a decade.
Although the match has not been finalized as of this writing, the challenge has been issued for The Rock and Roman Reigns to battle Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania XL: Saturday (night one). The match would have implications for the following night’s ultimate showdown: Rhodes vs. Reigns 2.
So, what happens with The Rock after WrestleMania? According to this week’ Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE fans should expect to see The Rock compete at least one more time in the coming months.
WWE Wants The Rock to Wrestle in Saudi Arabia This Year
It’s been a rocky road to WrestleMania (pun indented). From the moment that Roman Reigns’ pinned Cody’s shoulders to the mat last April in Los Angeles, fans have expected the American Nightmare to rise from the ashes and ‘Finish The Story’ at this year’s big event. The Rock’s return changed everything and a lot of the chaos that we saw on television mirrored the changes and uncertainty going on behind the scenes.
The Rock got himself in shape for a WWE run, which is no easy task and there’s still blockbuster money in Rock vs. Reigns. According to the Observer, WWE is optimistic The Rock will wrestle again this year and there is “definitely a push” for this match to take place at one of the Saudi Arabia premium live events.
“When asking if Rock will be working that show, we’re told there are a lot of variables in play and a variety of factors, but obviously the company would like it if he would.
While nothing is set in stone, the belief as of right now is that Mania won’t be his only match in 2024 and there is definitely a push to get him to work at least one Saudi Arabia event this year.”
WWE is scheduled to run the first of this year’s two Saudi shows over Memorial Day weekend on Saturday, May 25, the day before AEW Double or Nothing 2024.
The Rock & WrestleMania 40
The Rock’s original WrestleMania 40 plans were derailed by a negative fan reaction, and he coined the term Cody Crybabies because of it.
In the end, The Rock decided to concede the main event of WrestleMania 40 to Cody Rhodes. That being said, the story is far from over between the two, especially since The Rock may still want that one-on-one match against Roman Reigns.
We will have to see what WWE can arrange with Dwayne Johnson’s incredibly busy schedule, but he seems to be able to block off time for WWE right now.
SEScoops will have continued coverage of the road to WrestleMania 40, and everything afterward. This could be an exciting time for pro wrestling fans, because The Rock might just get more than one match in this time around.
AEW laid down a suspension for Sammy Guevara when after his botches top rope move on Jeff Hardy went viral. Hardy was injured, and there is a lot to unpack now.
Guevara had plans in place for him in AEW, but that didn’t matter once this incident took place. Now, he is waiting on the sidelines, and that also leaves Chris Jericho without a partner.
The Spanish God’s Suspension
Sammy Guevara’s suspension stemmed from an incident during a match on February 14, where Guevara accidentally broke Jeff Hardy’s nose with a knee strike. Despite Hardy not suffering a concussion, the match continued, contrary to proper protocol, leading to Guevara’s suspension.
During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer discussed the intricacies surrounding a proposed tag team involving Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega, which ultimately didn’t materialize. Omega was taken out of action thanks to diverticulitis, and then Jericho went back to Sammy Guevara as his partner.
Meltzer explained how the plan evolved to include Jericho teaming with Sammy Guevara for a tournament, only for it to be trashed by Guevara’s suspension.
Meltzer noted the dissatisfaction regarding the handling of the situation, emphasizing that medical professionals should have intervened to stop the match rather than leaving it to Guevara. Consequently, the partnership between Jericho and Guevara was abandoned, leaving Jericho to potentially team up with Hook instead.
“In this situation, the doctors should’ve stopped the match, and it should not have been up to Sammy Guevara to take it home. And again, like what he was told, I mean, I guess whatever it was, the fact he did a GT H and nailed the guy with the knee after the concern of concussion was one of the reasons why it went the way it didn’t end up suspended. So anyway, yeah, so that was the deal with the Jericho and Guevara team is now out the window. So I guess it’s going to be Jericho and Hook.”
What’s Next
We will have to see how long Sammy Guevara’s suspension lasts. Since the length of Guevara’s time away from AEW is unclear, we will have to keep a close eye for his return.
Jeff Hardy is trying to get cleared for an in-ring return. His brother, Matt Hardy, commented to say that this will be a slow process.
On another note, Matt’s AEW contract is set to expire soon. The Hardys were supposed to have contracts that ran out at the same time, but Jeff Hardy’s breaks from the company caused Tony Khan to pause his deal.
SEScoops will have more on this story as additional details are made available.
Announcer Kevin Kelly has been fired by All Elite Wrestling following a series of tweets in which he shared frustrations within the company.
This news, as first reported by PWTorch, comes shortly after wrestling fans noticed that his profile was was removed from the roster page of the AEW website.
Kelly was absent from Thursday’s AEW Collision tapings from Atlanta, which was another ominous sign about his ‘All Elite’ status. Tony Schiavone and Nigel McGuiness called the action for the show, which airs Saturday night on TNT.
Kelly’s Twitter Outburst
Kelly Kelly’s posts on social media last weekend cost him his job, sources confirmed. The commentator gained attention for his series of tweets in which he claimed his career was being sabotaged.
He added that ROH announced Ian Riccaboni had libeled him and that he was being “pushed aside” in Tony Khan’s promotion.
You can read all about the ‘Twitter meltdown’ that precipitated the end of his stint working for Tony Khan:
Kevin Kelly
Kelly was brought to AEW last year to serve as the lead commentator for AEW Collision. His start in the company did not go well as he came across as being unfamiliar with AEW’s product and the history of the wrestlers. Within months of his arrival on Collision, Tony Schiavone was brought in to serve as lead play-by-play commentator though Kelly would remain at the desk.
Outside of AEW, Kevin Kelly worked for WWE from 1996 to 2003 and was present for the infamous ‘Pillman’s Got A Gun’ segment that nearly saw Monday Night Raw thrown off the air. Later on, he would be the subject of ridicule from The Rock and has been critical of the company’s corporate policies and creative direction since his release.
He is also known for his work in Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling. His time with both of these promotions earned him a lot of favor prior to his signing with AEW last year.
Welcome to SEScoops: the Daily Drop, your go-to for the latest news and rumors in wrestling for Friday, March 8. We have a lot of stories to get into, so let’s not waste any more time!
I've been told that there is "nothing to read into" Cody Rhodes being absent from the MITB poster.
Also, they are still discussing the MITB winners, but nothing has been nailed down yet. As I said last week, they're just now getting to booking Backlash.
Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta vs Kip Sabian & The Butcher
TBS Championship Match: Julia Hart (c) vs Robyn Renegade
Action Andretti vs Penta el Zero Miedo
Komander & Bryan Keith vs Private Party vs Top Flight
Upcoming Major Pro Wrestling Events:
AEW Dynamite: Big Business will be hosted at Boston’s TD Garden on March 13th.
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 Bash In Berlin is marked for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.
In January, Omega was advertised for upcoming AEW Dynamite tapings that will take place this month in Toronto, Canada. While fans took this as a good sign, Tony Khan made clear that fans shouldn’t expect to see the Cleaner at the tapings when he spoke at the AEW Revolution 2024 media scrum.
“I don’t think it would be fair to create the expectation that Kenny Omega would be cleared by then… I don’t know the exact date.”
Latest on Kenny Omega
With that in mind, there is still no timetable as to when fans should expect Kenny Omega, according to Fightful Select. During this week’s AEW Dynamite, Omega was ‘fired’ as a member of The Elite and has been replaced by Kazuchika Okada. Fightful adds that the plan is for Okada’s inclusion in the Elite to set up Omega’s return and feud with the group.
Mercedes Mone has worked hard to prove that you can be a star and make money in other companies since leaving WWE and it’s a message she wants to send to every aspiring wrestler.
Mone was asked about the aspiring wrestlers who set their minds to one company instead of thinking about all the options. The wrestling veteran explained your favorite wrestlers have to compete in many different places to get good and being part of any one company should never be your end goal:
“No, they should never think that. They should never think that there’s one place. I knew that from the beginning because there’s wrestling everywhere. Wrestling is for everybody. I don’t think you should just like one company. You should open your eyes to so many things.
Because your favourite wrestlers come from all different companies. They travel from around the world to gain their craft so much more so they can make it to a top company. They wouldn’t be there without all these different places and all these promotions. Because they need that experience, that growth so they can be the best.'”
Mercedes Mone also discussed the tribalism among fans and how some people only seem to watch certain products to hate it. The former IWGP Women’s Champion questioned how fans can decide what’s right for a talent:
First of all, I think we’re just living too much in our phone, the internet. It’s like – will you just go outside for a little bit and then go back into your room and watch wrestling. [It] is so funny. They watch it just to critique it, to hate it. They hate to love it. That’s the thing – they hate to love it. [They should] just love it.
Have fun. It’s just television. It’s just entertainers putting their bodies on the line to entertain you. And you’re the ones that are getting angry and going ‘Well, they should be in this company because this company [blah blah blah]…..’ What? You’re telling us what company we need to be in? You’re telling us what job we need to take?”
You can watch Mercedes Mone’s full interview where she discusses the term Diva, her memories of Japan, and much more below:
If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription
AEW’s Rush has shared a touching scene in tribute to Akira Toriyama following the manga titan’s death this week at the age of 68.
Toriyama suffered an acute subdural hematoma, which is a type of bleeding near the brain, his studio reported following his death. Toriyama is best known for creating manga hit Dragon Ball, which has spawned shows, movies, video games and more. The main series follows Goku and his efforts to collect the titular Dragon Balls to protect the Earth.
Rush’s Tribute
Taking to Twitter, Rush shared that he had begun re-watching the series, this time with his new-born son. Rush was grateful to Toriyama for making him happy in his childhood and is grateful he can now share Dragon Ball with his son.
TODAY I STARTED WATCHING THE SERIES WITH MY SON AND WE HAVE 7 EPISODES OF DRAGON BALL Z THANK YOU FOR MAKING ME HAPPY IN MY CHILDHOOD AND NOW TO MY SON
Rush is hardly the only professional wrestler to have their life influenced by Toriyama and his hit manga series. For WrestleMania 32, the New Day donned armor similar to the Saiyan alien species from Dragon Ball. In 2020, Rhea Ripley wore a Vegeta-themed attire for her WrestleMania debut against Charlotte Flair in the crowd-less WWE Performance Center.
WWE Money in the Bank 2023 saw not one but two references to Dragon Ball. For her Women’s Tag Team Championship match, Ronda Rousey wore an attire based on Majin Vegeta, the darker version of the series staple. Zelina Vega, who has cosplayed several manga characters in the ring, wore an attire referencing series villain Frieza. The power of the Dragon Balls wasn’t with either Superstar as Rousey would lose her title match while Vega failed to capture the Women’s Money in Bank briefcase.
The veteran broadcaster added that he had been libelled by ‘Ian’, believed to be Ian Riccaboni, a broadcaster for AEW, ROH, and New Japan Pro Wrestling. He later stated that Ian’s attempts to tie Kelly to a”fringe conspiracy theory that everyone knows is bullsh*t” was libellous.
Now, there has been another sign of Kelly’s exit from the company. This week’s episode of AEW Collision was filmed following this past Wednesday’s live edition of Dynamite. Kelly did not appear at the Collision taping, leaving Nigel McGuinness and Tony Schiavone to call the action as a duo. This is particularly alarming given that Kelly was hired to AEW last year with the explicit reason being for him to commentate on Collision.
Kevin Kelly
Outside of AEW, Kevin Kelly worked for WWE from 1996 to 2003 and was present for the infamous ‘Pillman’s Got A Gun’ segment that nearly saw Monday Night Raw thrown off the air. Later on, he would be the subject of ridicule from The Rock and has been critical of the company’s corporate policies and creative direction since his release. He is also known for his work in Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling.
WWE Raw’s Pat McAfee and Stephen A. Smith have seemingly patched things up following a heated exchange between the two.
The New York Post reports that things got heated during a private conversation between the pair from several weeks ago which was described as an “explosive argument.” Things escalated to the point that McAfee branded Smith a “motherf****r.” The Post adds that following the spat, Smith banned McAfee from his ‘First Take’ show on ESPN.
Source of the Issue
Their issues arose from creative differences involving a yet-to-be-announced project that Stephen A. Smith is executive producing. The show will be produced by Mr. SAS Productions and will air on ESPN. A specific airdate is not known at this time.
Issues Quashed
Both sides have told the New York Post that their animosity has been resolved. In a text message, McAfee said that he was unaware of any ban.
“I think I’m still welcome on ‘First Take’? I was scheduled through football season to join on Tuesdays, hopefully next year that’ll happen as well.”
Smith similarly made clear the positive impact McAfee has had on First Take thanks to his experience as a football star.
“We are No.1 and he has absolutely contributed to us remaining No.1. McAfee was asked to come on each Tuesday through the Super Bowl and he did just that, kicking ass each time.”
Mercedes Mone has recovered from her ankle injury and is ready to make big business moves in 2024. This journey however wasn’t so easy for the former champion and it took both mental and physical fortitude to get back up on her feet.
When asked about her recovery from the injury, Mone gave a shout out to the places that have helped her recover before revealing that she was actually told it would be a career ending injury:
“I’ve been posting my training videos. I’ve been training really really hard with Tyler Breeze at Flatbacks and Shawn Spears. Shout out to Hybrid School with [Sho] Funaki in San Antonio, and New Japan Dojo in LA. I’ve been working so hard to get back to this place that I love,
Because little do people know, I was told that this is a career ending injury. And I screamed at my doctor and surgeon. I said, ‘No, it’s not.’ I’m going to come back really soon and I’m going to have just the greatest time, the greatest matches, the greatest career that I’ve had yet, because I see it and I feel it, I know it.”
Mone suffered the injury while competing in a tournament to crown the inaugural Strong Women’s Champion back in May 2023 at NJPW Resurgence. She made it to the finals of the tournament where she lost to Willow Nightingale and also got injured.
The CEO also explained how the injury changed her mindset. According to the former WWE star, she had a lot of trauma and the time off helped her deal with it:
“I’ve spent the past 10 months thinking about how much unfinished business I have in wrestling and how much I was on a hunger tour goal. I was so focused and so ready for my plans to succeed in 2023. For that to happen to me, it taught me so much about life and just taught me that I needed to slow down even more and heal.
Because prior to that a lot happened to me. A lot of hurt happened and a lot of healing needed to happen and I still was just going so fast but ready because I love wrestling so much and I couldn’t be away from it. But I wasn’t healed inside. I think it was just a message being like ‘you got to slow down and figure out what’s next for you and what are your plans.’ Your plans are good, but I think you need to reevaluate them a little bit more.
It’s insane to see how powerful your mind, your body can just overcome and heal something that is just so traumatic, but I feel more ready and more better than ever. I cannot wait to see all my prior plans of 2023 coming to fruition into 2024. I’ve been making some really big moves. Big business moves and big money moves. I think fans are gonna be really excited.”
You can check out Mercedes Mone’s full interview where she talks about her upcoming projects, her past struggles and more below:
If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription
AEW’s Kenny Omega was recently dealt another ‘roadblock’ in his recovery from diverticulitis which required the Canadian wrestler to go under the knife. The former AEW World Champion has been out of action for months, after disclosing in December 2023 that he had been diagnosed with diverticulitis.
“It’s been really touch and go. I was feeling great for a week or two. When you feel terrible, a week or two feels like a long time… For two weeks, I was feeling great.”
Omega then added that after this period of feeling great, he required emergency treatment.
“I ran into a bit of a roadblock and I had to get some emergency treatment again. Well, I wouldn’t say it’s two steps forward, two steps back, but maybe it’s one and a half steps back.”
What’s Next?
While Omega would love to be back in the ring tomorrow, he explained during the stream that he can’t answer as to when he’ll be back in the ring. The former AEW World Champion added that he doesn’t want to get back in the ring until he’s healed and feels he can perform at the high-level fans expect from him.
Belair is one of the cover stars of WWE 2K24 and is featured on the ‘Deluxe Edition’ alongside Rhea Ripley. This week, WWE Games shared a photo of Belair, Ripley, and Cody Rhodes, the latter being the cover star of the standard edition of the game.
While the vast majority of comments were positive, two were hateful in nature. One said that while Rhodes and Ripley deserved to be there, Belair did not, which many took as a racially motivated. A second comment left nothing to interpretation, as the person said that Belair did not deserve a spot on the cover but “gotta have a black.”
Wrestlers Support Bianca Belair
These comments have received backlash from fans as well as those in the wrestling industry. In a series of tweets, Zelina Vega made it clear those racist fans should be ashamed of themselves.
The “fans” that took part in the blatant disrespect and hate towards her and other black men and women should be ashamed and embarrassed. It’s disgusting. But your hate will never EVER dim their shine. We love you B. You continue to be an inspiration to all of us.
TNA Wrestling’s AJ Francis stated that such comments are hardly new when it comes to black athletes.
I told yall over a year ago it was racist how people would always compare B-Fab to Bianca or Jade even though none of the 3 of them are even close to looking alike…
“Ratchet” or “ghetto” are words people loved using to describe actions by all of them. Coded language is…
Rhea Ripley, Belair’s cover co-star expressed her support for the EST and said these ‘fans’ are mad that she’s better than them.
EST ain’t just a nickname… @BiancaBelairWWE is a history maker, a trailblazer, and one of the nicest humans that you would have the privilege to ever meet. Y’all just mad that she’s better than you ????? #EST
Kacy Catanzaro praised Belair as an inspiration to her who has shattered glass ceilings throughout her WWE career.
. @BiancaBelairWWE is a huge inspiration and has been good to me since the day I walked into the performance center. Thank you for all that you continue to do to shatter glass ceilings. A true legend in and out of the ring. ????
WWE referee Daphanie LeShaunn spoke about her own experience facing racism as a black woman in wrestling.
I never expected the amount of hate and racism I face every single day for existing in this profession. But quitting would be giving them what they want. I can only imagine what Bianca goes through…The hate is strong but our accomplishments are even greater.???? https://t.co/RGkSY6F3EI
— Daphanie LaShaunn???? (@RefBaeDaphWWE) March 7, 2024
Raw Superstar Ivy Nile credited Belair as everything she strives to be in WWE and praised the efforts of all three WWE 2K24 cover stars.
. @BiancaBelairWWE is everything I strive to be in the WWE. All 3 are the hardest working and influential people in my life, and I’m so grateful to know ALL of them. Much love, B ? #TennesseeStronghttps://t.co/6R7ljd55V4
The comments made by these fans are clearly abhorrent and do not reflect the wrestling world or its fanbase. The standard edition of WWE 2K24 hits shelves today.
This week’s episode of AEW Collision was an action-packed show as the promotion continued forward following this week’s season premiere of Dynamite.
AEW Collision was taped following the most recent episode of Dynamite, which served as the season premiere of AEW programming. This marked the debut of a new stage (which marked the return of the tunnels) as well as a new color scheme.
Dynamite saw the debut of Kazuchika Okada who established himself as a heel by attacking Eddie Kingston and aligning himself with the Young Bucks. It had been reported for some time that Okada was going to debut on the show, with Tony Khan promising something huge in the days leading up to Dynamite.
AEW Collision Spoilers [4/9/2024]
Here are the spoiler results for this week’s AEW Collision:
The House of Black defeated Mark Briscoe & Jay Lethal & Jeff Jarrett in a Street Fight
Mistico defeated Angelico
Bryan Danielson defeated Shane Taylor. After the match, Will Ospreay came out to confront Danielson. The American Dragon challenged Ospreay to a match at AEW Dynasty to which Ospreay agreed.
The Young Bucks and Kazuchika Okada defeated Jon Cruz & Liam Gray & Adrian Alonis. Eddie Kingston tried to attack the Bucks and Okada but was overpowered. Penta and then PAC hit the ring, setting up a six-man tag for Big Business on March 13.
Mariah May defeated Trish Adora. Toni Storm came out and awarded May a “Toni Award” but Deonna Purrazzo attacked Storm. May made the save.
Nick Wayne defeated Adam Priest. Christian Cage ripped up a masked fan’s sign. The fan attacked Cage and unmasked as Adam Copeland.
Tony Schiavone interviewed FTR in the ring about the tournament to crown the AEW Tag Team Champions. FTR said they want to be the first-ever three-time AEW World Tag Team Champions. The Infantry came out and said they want to be champions before everyone shook hands.
Lionheart Chris Jericho defeated CMLL’s Titan with the Walls of Jericho. The Gates of Agony attacked Jericho but Hook made the save with a Singapore Cane.
The rising WWE Superstar tied the knot and officially became proud husband of his longtime girlfriend Marie Juliette in a private ceremony on Thursday, March 6.
Several big names from the wrestling world were in attendance, including Damian Priest, who served as a groomsman. Several videos from Dominik Mysterio’s wedding to Marie Juliette have surfaced on social media:
Coming from the lineage of Rey Mysterio and his extended family, Dominik Mysterio always had wrestling in his blood. He started training for a career in the sport from a very young age.
The 26-year-old made appearances for WWE as a child on multiple occasions before becoming a regular on WWE programming in 2019. He officially became a WWE star after his debut match against Seth Rollins at SummerSlam 2020.
Mysterio became a full-time talent for the company from that point on and started competing alongside his father. Things really turned around for him in 2022 at the Clash At The Castle event.
Dominik attacked his father at the show and turned heel in the process. The former NXT North American Champion officially joined The Judgement Day on Raw the next night.
Since then, the young star has seen an incredible transformation. His pairing with Rhea Ripley has allowed the former champion to show a completely new side of him and Dirty Dom has become one of the most entertaining acts not just in WWE but all of sports entertainment.
SEScoops extends warm congratulations to the newlyweds!
AEW is hoping for some big attendence numbers for Big Business next week, but how are sales going in Boston?
WrestleTix on X notoriously keeps tabs on what WWE and AEW are doing at live events and AEW has a whopper of an event next week in place of Dynamite with Big Business.
According to the account, the TD Garden, which is home to the Boston Bruins and Boston Celtcis, is set to hold 7,800 and the tickets currently distributed are 7,004, meaning there are 796 tickets still available.
AEW Dynamite: Big Bu$iness Wed • Mar 13 • 7:30 PM TD Garden, Boston, MA
Available Tickets: 796 Current Setup: 7,800 Tickets Distributed: 7,004
?+108 since the last update (3 days ago) ?Days until show: 6 ?7/19/2023 Dynamite: Blood & Guts 8,956 ?Sections 14 & 145… pic.twitter.com/12HMT9fY9p
For reference, the last time the TD Garden hosted AEW was for Blood & Guts back in July and that set-up was made for a bigger crowd, with 8,956 attending.
With less than a week remaining, it remains to be seen if AEW will reach it’s goal of sales, but if one were to go by the sales over the past three days, AEW may only sell just over 200 more tickets.
What’s On Tap For AEW Big Business
Whether AEW reaches it’s goal or not for Big Business, the card is becoming quite stacked for the show. Darby Allin will square off against Jay White in singles competition and not only that, but a World Title match is set to go down. Wardlow is cashing in his scramble victory from AEW Revolution to challenge Samoa Joe.
Those may be the only matches announced for the moment, but Tony Khan is basically telegraphing the much-anticipated debut of Mercedes Mone. It’s also likely that we’ll have one or two World Tag Team Title tournament matches.
WWE’s show of shows means an economic boom for any location that hosts the destination event. Next year’s location has not been officially announced yet, but we have a very good idea where they are going.
Thanks to our ability to read between the lines, it appears that WrestleMania 41 is going to Minneapolis’ U.S. Bank Stadium. This was nearly confirmed, but it’s not quite time to reveal the official news yet.
Possible WrestleMania 41 Location Revealed
Minnesota House Bill 3934 was introduced on February 19th, and although the meat of that piece of legislation might not matter for our readers, one important note should. During the process of speaking on this bill, it was said that another massive sporting event is coming to the state that they can’t speak about.
It was said that, “we have a third event, and I hoped that we could announce it today, but we can’t quite yet, but we will be sharing that in the next few weeks. This event will provide an economic impact second only to the Super Bowl.
Minneapolis was reportedly in strong consideration to host WrestleMania 41, with the U.S. Bank Stadium being the venue. Fightful Select was the first to report this news in July 2023.
WrestleMania events historically bring a ton of money to any market that hosts the show of shows. For instance, WrestleMania 39 generated $215 million for the Los Angeles region, while WrestleMania 38 contributed approximately $24.8 million in federal, state, and local taxes to the Dallas region.
Only time will tell when WWE announces the venue for WrestleMania 41. This year’s event will be a massive extravaganza in Philadelphia, and SEScoops will be here with all the updates you need.
The consensus reaction to AEW Revolution was that it was one of the best shows in the history of the promotion. There’s no question the event’s biggest draw and perhaps most satisfying component was Sting’s last match, a fun spectacle that saw him team up with Darby Allin one last time to successfully defend the Tag Team Championship against The Young Bucks.
Fans were in for a surprise in the post-show media scrum when Sting openly discussed his future with AEW. His comments included that he and Tony Khan had discussed some possibilities, but that he was explicitly not interested in the roles of an on-air manager or a behind-the-scenes trainer or agent. While it’s possible The Icon really will ride off into the sunset or only make the most sporadic appearances, there are some interesting spots he could conceivably still fil for the company.
Sting As A Broadcaster
Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross and Excalibur
One of the most obvious routes for Sting to continue his career in wrestling without working matches would be as a broadcaster. AEW has a track record of casting former wrestlers in commentary roles, including Excalibur, Taz, Mark Henry, and Nigel McGuinness.
Sting doesn’t have much experience on commentary, but he does have a big personality and the credibility only a major star brings to the table. It’s unlikely he’d want to commit to this role full time at this stage of life, but having The Icon work PPVs, Battle of the Belts specials, or occasional TV matches to lend them a slightly different aura has a lot of potential if Sting is interested.
Sting As An Authority figure
AEW has mostly avoided the trap of being overly dependent on on-air authority figures. Nonetheless, The Young Bucks have started to flex their real life EVP status more in kayfabe in recent months, hinting at the potential for this element of wrestling storytelling to take a more prominent role.
By virtue of his longevity and legendary status in wrestling, there’s no question Sting would be credible as an authority figure. Additionally, AEW might benefit from casting a babyface in this role to take the place of Tony Khan, whom fans have grown tired of hearing issue “major announcements” over and over. Khan could reserve his own on-air presence for truly huge news while The Stinger could be strike a balance of being an understated authority and more welcome face to announce significant matches or news.
Sting As An Ambassador
There was a longstanding narrative that Vince McMahon sought to have someone serve as “The Babe Ruth of WWE.” Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart were among the figures purportedly pitched the idea, with The Hitman more specifically getting this overture when he signed his infamous twenty-year deal with WWE in the 1990s, which presumably would have carried well past his days in the ring.
The idea of this position is to be an ambassador for the company, showing up on TV here and there, but more so going out in the community to build good will with his public appearances, help market the company, and lend an extra air of gravitas for the product for having such a legend attached to them in retirement. It’s likely Sting will fill this role to some degree in years to come, as long as he remains on good terms with Tony Khan and AEW, but formalizing the relationship could really benefit the company.
Sting As A Panelist
The presentation of pro wrestling has evolved to feel more and more like legitimate sports on a number of levels and that includes WWE leaning into hosting panel discussions, most notably before PLE events. AEW has dabbled in this arena as well, but Sting represents a particularly appealing cornerstone of this kind of enterprise for this company.
Yes, Sting made his name in WCW and worked with TNA for an extended stretch in addition to getting the most eyes on him in WWE during his 2015-2016 run. He also had a substantial AEW career, though, including him choosing to end his in-ring career in their ring. That makes Sting someone the company can present as not only a venerable figure, but someone whom AEW can claim as their own.
Sting As A Creative Consultant
Can Sting and Darby Allin win gold before Sting retires?
Sting had a long career that spanned decades and major promotions. In addition to his talent and connection with the fans, a defining element of what allowed him to succeed in wrestling for so long was an ability to reinvent himself. More than going with the flow of a promoter’s whims, Sting leaned into distinctive versions of himself.
Most notably Surfer Sting was one of the most over babyface characters in all of wrestling. As the man beneath the gimmick transitioned out of his physical prime, he somehow found even greater success in his Crow gimmick, a darker character that fit the edgier times of the Monday Night War. Combining these presentations with lower-key successes like his Wolfpac variant or the Joker-inspired character he took on in TNA, Sting demonstrated an ability to adapt at a level few wrestlers have ever matched.
This creativity, character work, and mind for the business bespeak some real potential for Sting to thrive as a creative consultant with AEW. He has articulated that he doesn’t want to train talent or help them map out matches but more of a part-time, big picture role helping to shape the direction of the company could be an invaluable complement to Tony Khan. Khan clearly has passion and has demonstrated some good instincts, but many feel has been exposed for his inexperience telling stories in wrestling.
In the end, Sting is in an enviable position. He’s popular with fans, well-respected by his colleagues, and in all likelihood has the money to retire comfortably. As such, there’s no need for him to do anything he doesn’t want to do, and it will be interesting to see if he and AEW arrive a good arrangement for him to remain a part of the company in the days ahead.
AEW’s quest to present the strongest roster possible took a big step forward on Wednesday in Atlanta when Kazuchika Okada made his debut. He is now a heel alongside The Young Bucks, and he’s making a ton of money for his services.
Tony Khan is known to throw out huge money for people he wants. According to a new report, Okada is making around $4.5 million per year under his new three-year AEW deal.
Okada’s AEW Deal
During the March 6th episode of AEW Dynamite, Kazuchika Okada made a significant appearance, joining a confrontation involving AEW Triple Crown champion Eddie Kingston and the Young Bucks, who also hold executive roles within AEW.
According to reports from Tokyo Sports, Kazuchika Okada has signed a three-year deal with AEW, estimated to be worth two billion yen over the contract’s duration, roughly equivalent to $4.5 million USD per year.
In an unexpected twist, Okada didn’t support Kingston as anticipated. Instead, he surprised the audience by betraying the Triple Crown champion and aligning himself with Nicholas and Matthew Jackson, becoming the latest member of The Elite faction.
What’s Next For Okada in AEW
Okada has been a heel before, and now it appears that he will have some fun with the Young Bucks. As we previously reported, Tony Khan has been planning this for months.
It is also reported that Okada is moving to the United States. He will also be with AEW full time from now on.
Kazuchika Okada will be on a full-time AEW deal and is planning to relocate to the United States, Fightful Select has learned.
— FightfulSelect.com! Exclusive Pro Wrestling News (@FightfulSelect) March 7, 2024
WWE was in the running for Okada, but he picked AEW instead. The money was better in the Land of All Elite. Only time will tell how Tony Khan goes about getting his money’s worth.
SEScoops will have continued coverage of this story, and many more in the pro wrestling world. Keep checking back for more updates.
AEW just had a successful season premiere for Dynamite. They are also bringing in some big names, but it seems that one notable member of the crew is no longer around. Kevin Kelly is no longer listed on the company’s roster.
All Elite Wrestling and one of its announcers seem to have parted ways. This comes not too long after Kevin Kelly went on an unhinged rant on Twitter/X about how he was being sabotaged in the company.
Kevin Kelly’s AEW Status
Fans noticed on Thursday that Kevin Kelly is absent from the AEW roster page. While this could potentially be an error on the promotion’s part, it suggests Kelly’s departure from the company.
It has not been 100% confirmed that he is gone from the company. That being said, being removed from their roster page was a pretty clear hint that this is the case.
Kevin Kelly has been removed from the AEW roster page. We're working to find out more
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) March 7, 2024
Kelly’s AEW Tenure
Kelly began his time with AEW last June as the lead play-by-play announcer for the Collision program on TNT, alongside Nigel McGuinness. He remained a fixture on the program until recently, although he was notably absent from last Sunday’s Revolution pay-per-view.
Before joining AEW, Kelly served as a backstage interviewer for WWE before transitioning to announcing roles for ROH and later NJPW.
Kevin Kelly has been associated with several wrestling promotions, including WWE, ROH, and NJPW. His recent replacement on AEW commentary has led to controversy, with Kelly expressing dissatisfaction and pointing fingers at a specific individual.
In that rant, he shoveled a lot of shade on Ian Riccaboni as he said, “When you go out of your way to intentionally mischaracterize my raising awareness of the global horrors of child trafficking to a fringe conspiracy theory that everyone knows is bullsh*t in order to hurt my career and standing in the industry, that at the very least is libelous.”
Sazerac Brands’ Wheatley Vodka will serve as the official vodka of WrestleMania 40 in a historic first for WWE’s premier annual event.
This deal with Wheatley Vodka marks the first spirits sponsorship in WWE history. addition to WrestleMania, Wheatley will also be the sponsor for a yet-to-be-announced six-part series on WWE social platforms, Sports Business Journal reports. This series will feature Cody Rhodes interviewing other WWE talents and a Wheately-branded tour bus will appear in the series.
WWE & Alcohol
At WWE WrestleMania 39, the Intercontinental Championship triple threat between GUNTHER, Sheamus, and Drew McIntyre was sponsored by Mike’s Hard Lemonade. It is reported that the beverage is set to return as a sponsor of this year’s SummerSlam Premium Live Event
WrestleMania Sponsorships
Sazerac Brands’ Wheatley Vodka is just one of the products that will sponsor this year’s WrestleMania event. Last week, it was announced that WWE 2K24 and SNICKERS will serve as the presenting partners of this year’s two-night Premium Live Event. This marks the third consecutive year that WWE 2K and Snickers have teamed up as the Presenting Partners of WWE’s annual supershow.
WrestleMania 40
WWE WrestleMania 40 will be the promotion’s fifth two-night event, a tradition established during the COVID-19 pandemic. The card for the show as it currently stands 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)
Jim Ross can buy all the cowboy hats he wants thanks to his AEW salary, which the Hall of Famer says far surpasses anything he made during his WWE career.
Ross joined AEW in 2019, immediately lending a sense of credability and the upstart promotion a sense of legitimacy. Since then, he has called the action for some of the promotion’s top matches. JR was on hand when Chris Jericho became the first AEW World Champion that same year with his All Out victory over ‘Hangman’ Adam Page. JR recently returned to the desk after an absence caused by health issues to call Sting’s final match.
JR’s Lucrative AEW Deal
Earlier this week, Ross revealed that he had signed a brand new deal with AEW and that his previous one had been set to expire in February. JR didn’t share details of the new deal but admitted it was “probably the quickest and easiest negotiation I have ever done.”
On the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer disclosed more about JR’s new AEW deal. Meltzer explained that Ross is paid very well for his role in AEW and while he commentates less in AEW than he did in WWE, he’s earning much more.
”He’s paid really well. He makes more money in AEW as an announcer than he ever made in WWE. It’s a great, great deal.”
Ross is hoping to commentate more following his return at AEW Revolution. The wrestling legend and WWE Hall of Famer has unfortunately had multiple stints off of TV due to injuries and his battle with skin cancer.
Gamers will have a lot more to do with WWE 2K24. This year’s game is coming soon, and plenty of headlines are popping up for the game as additional details about the release are made available. SEScoops got a hold of a copy early, and you can check out our extensive review here.
The official roster for WWE 2K24 is expansive, and you can check out all the names at this link. This year’s edition of WWE 2K24 will also see a larger focus on certain fan-favorite features. Their Faction Wars mode is going to get a bit more love, and 2k was happy to make this announcement.
WWE 2K24 Faction Wars
Faction Wars return with updated features and a brand-new structure! Assemble your team of four Superstars for battles against A.I.-controlled teams, progressing through various matches and stages until the ultimate Boss showdown.
Better than ever. ?
Introducing, revamped Faction Wars! Take your Faction as far as you can in multiple matches. Each run requires a ticket to enter. Check it out in #WWE2K24! pic.twitter.com/SCqC1BrYb9
The new drop from WWE Games’ Twitter/X account certainly gives gamers a lot of hope that this year’s game will give them a lot more to do. We will have to see what this adds to the game, but fans are excited for what they will find.
Late WWE 2K24 Edits
WWE 2K24 had to see some edits after Janel Grant’s lawsuit accused Vince McMahon of several heinous acts. Brock Lesnar, although he wasn’t named, was also brought into the situation. He was removed from the special Forty Years of WrestleMania edition of the game.
Brock Lesnar is included in the game files, but he is not a playable character. Likewise, Vince McMahon was censored from the game as they made attempts to remove Mr. McMahon after that damning lawsuit.
NXT General Manager Ava is defending WWE Superstar Bianca Belair from racist comments levied at her by a wrestling fan on social media.
Belair, a 3-time Women’s Champion, is one of the cover stars of the new WWE 2K24 video game. She and Rhea Ripley are on the cover of WWE 2K24: Deluxe Edition, while the ‘American Nightmare’ Cody Rhodes is on the cover of the Standard Edition. The ‘WWE Games’ Instagram account posted photos from a recent shoot involving the three cover stars.
One Instagram user replied and said Belair “doesn’t belong” and was only included because of her race.
Ava, who is unfortunately no stranger to online harassment, came to the defense of ‘The EST.’ She offered love and support, sharing in the frustration that this type of behavior is all too common these days.
“Disappointed but not surprised… we [love] you, B.”
Ava is the daughter of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, one of the most famous people in the world. The children of famous parents experience a host of unique challenges, especially when they themselves pursue a career in public life.
Ava’s most recent brush with online trolls came when it was looking like her father would be usurping Cody Rhodes to wrestle Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. Of course, this has absolutely nothing to do with Ava, and she had no involvement in WWE’s WrestleMania booking. However that didn’t stop some fans from literally threatening her life online.
Forget Trolls & Celebrate Greatness
No matter what some fans may think, Ava and Bianca Belair are talented young women pursuing and achieving their dreams.
Belair has established herself as a trailblazer and indeed cover-star worthy as she and Mercedes Mone became the first two African-Americans to main event a match at WrestleMania 37. She nearly won the 2024 Elimination Chamber to meet her 2K24 cover co-star at WrestleMania, but it ended up being Becky Lynch who came out on top.
Belair’s in-ring plans for Philadelphia currently remains unknown as we’re a month away from pro wrestling’s premier event.
