Drew McIntyre continues to twist the knife in two of his most recent rivals in CM Punk and Seth Rollins
McIntyre continues to show the manipulative new side of himself with a recent social media post. The Scotsman pulled an old chestnut out of CM Punk’s pocket when stealing a quote from his notorious airing of grievances on Hangman Page during AEW All Out 2022.
During the now-famous press conference, Punk laid out his laments on Hangman for going into business for himself in a promo from AEW Dynamite earlier in the year, however, it is McIntyre who repurposed Punk’s words so he to disparage Rollins for not minding his own business on WWE Raw this Monday.
'What did I ever do in this world to deserve an empty-headed, ******* dumb **** like Seth Rollins to go out on national TV and go into business for himself' pic.twitter.com/4Tecdq4zNf
McIntyre headlined WWE Raw this past Monday against Jey Uso. McIntyre took advantage of a distraction by Jimmy Uso to defeat Jey and get another win to follow up his big WWE Elimination Chamber victory.
Post-match, The Bloodline beat down Jey when Seth Rollins ran past McIntyre to make the save.
Ever the opportunist, McIntyre made the most of Rollins’ run-in to save Jey Uso by catching the WWE World Heavyweight Champion with a Claymore Kick.
Drew is set to challenge Rollins at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia, but the road still has over a month to go.
The Young Bucks are living it up as heels, and this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite was no different. Coming off their loss to Sting and Darby Allin at AEW Revolution, they took credit for retiring Sting. Then they took care of some business on live television.
Hangman Page beat up some referees after he failed to win the AEW World Title at Revolution. Kenny Omega has not been on AEW television for a while due to suffering from a bout with diverticulitis. It seems that the Young Bucks don’t care about their excuses, because they still laid down punishments for their former stablemates.
The Young Bucks Speak
During this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, The Young Bucks seized the spotlight in the ring, stepping up to address the audience in their roles as EVPs. Their purpose was clear: to convey their stance on Hangman Page’s recent altercation with AEW officials during Revolution, and this resulted in his suspension. However, their message extended beyond this initial incident to another one of their old friends: Kenny Omega.
The Young Bucks redirected their attention to Kenny Omega. They raised concerns about his absence from scheduled appearances, attributing it to purportedly baseless reasons. It’s worth noting that Omega is currently in the process of recuperating from diverticulitis. Nevertheless, in a bold move, they proceeded to announce Omega’s termination from his position within The Elite.
It should be noted that The Young Bucks said “The Elite” and not “AEW.” So, this wasn’t a termination from the actual company. Only time will tell how this plays out.
This is when Eddie Kingston came down to play the part of a babyface trying to take on the massive heel EVPs. That didn’t turn out too well for him, and he was jumped.
AEW has their eye on several people who could really do numbers for the company. It was reported last month that Tony Khan beat out WWE’s offer for Kazuchika Okada, and this week finally saw The Rainmaker’s debut, and he has a very Elite role.
Kazuchika Okada made his big return to AEW television, and this time he was not under NJPW contract. Now, Okada is All Elite, and this was a big surprise.
AEW’s Big Debut
During AEW Dynamite this week, The Young Bucks took the microphone in the ring, and they cut a promo as EVPs. They had something to say about Hangman Page assaulting AEW officials at Revolution, and he was suspended. That was only the beginning.
The Young Bucks then turned their focus to Kenny Omega. They said that he has missed all of his dates recently for no reason. Of course, Omega is still recovering from diverticulitis. Then they fired Omega.
Eddie Kingston then came out and he started something with The Bucks. This was followed by Nicholas and Matthew Jackson ganging up on Kingston. Suddenly, Kazuchika Okada’s music hit.
This was a massive shock as The Rainmaker made his way to the ring. Suddenly, it was very clear that he was not a babyface. Okada turned his aggression toward Kingston, and then The Young Bucks announced that he is the newest member of The Elite.
It turns out that Omega is out of The Elite, and Okada is in. The segment ended with a shocked crowd as the newest member of the AEW roster posed in the ring.
The Young Bucks and Okada got to be close friends while they were all being misused in TNA Wrestling years ago. Now, they have a chance to work with each other again.
WWE tried to get Okada, but AEW offered him a better deal. Now, he will get to do his thing in Tony Khan’s company. We will have to see what is next for him after linking up with The Young Bucks.
SEScoops will have more on this story as additional information is available.
AEW has lost a few people in recent memory, and others are reportedly on their way to the company. Now, we know that Jim Ross is not leaving the Land of All Elite.
Jim Ross is not leaving AEW. He signed a brand-new deal with the company. This was not a renewal, but a full new contract, and he seems very pleased with things.
Jim Ross’ New AEW Contract
During the latest episode of Grilling JR, Ross revealed that he has inked a new deal with AEW, as his previous contract was due to expire on February 14. He also commented on how smooth the whole process was.
“We wrote a new deal. We wrote a completely new deal. No extension. New contract. It was probably the quickest and easiest negotiation I have ever done in my career of 50 years. That’s all because of Tony Khan’s commitment to me as a broadcaster. He’s always been a fan of my work, which helps your cause when your boss is a fan of your work. We got a new deal.”
AEW may lose some people in the coming months, as Matt Hardy’s contract is up. We will have to see how everything pans out, but the landscape of Tony Khan’s company will not be losing JR.
What’s Next
Jim Ross is a WWE Hall of Famer who gave decades of his life to the pro wrestling business. He’s held positions all over the business as well, and now he will continue with AEW as an announcer for a long time to come.
Although Ross is not used as much as he once was with AEW, he seems to be content with what he is given. We know that JR isn’t ready to hang up his hat just yet, and this new deal with AEW will make sure of that.
SEScoops will have additional information on this story if it is made available.
AEW has lost a few people in recent memory, but they are also picking up a few stars as well. It seems that Matt Hardy’s time in AEW may be numbered at this point, as his deal is set to expire this month.
Matt Hardy recently made headlines when he showed his displeasure about how Sammy Guevara injured Jeff Hardy during their match on Rampage. Now, Matt’s contract is set to run out long before Jeff’s.
Matt Hardy’s Contract Situation
Sean Ross Sapp revealed on Fightful Select that Matt Hardy’s current contract with AEW is due to expire in March.
Initially signed in March 2020, Hardy’s deal was originally intended to align with his brother Jeff Hardy’s contract length. However, due to various factors such as injuries and inactivity, adjustments were made, resulting in an extension of Matt’s contract duration.
It was noted that there have been discussions between the two sides about a new deal. At this time, it is unclear how far along those talks are, and how likely it is that a deal will be arranged.
Matt Hardy’s Time in AEW
Despite his lengthy tenure in the wrestling industry, the 49-year-old Hardy has seen limited in-ring action in 2024, with only one match under his belt thus far. However, his involvement in 2023 was more consistent, with over 40 matches both in and out of AEW.
Hardy’s wrestling career spans three decades, dating back to his matches against notable opponents such as Undertaker, IRS, and Razor Ramon in 1994. We will have to see what he does next, but his days in the Land of All Elite may be numbered.
SEScoops will have continued coverage of this story, and so many more, as additional information is made available.
With this being Sting’s final match, there were plenty of talks during the planning process, Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated reports. It is noted that everyone involved, including Tony Khan, felt it was very important for Sting to win the match, though the Icon himself disagreed. During the post-show media scrum, Sting admitted that he had some resistance to winning his last match and ending his career as a champion.
Reasons For the Finish
Sting wanted to lose so that he could give the major moment to the Young Bucks, in a sign of selflessness from the notoriously giving Icon. However, Khan and the Bucks believed that Sting deserved to go out on top and everyone agreed that the show called for a happy ending that would be best for AEW.
The report adds that the commentary team was not told what to expect and only a small group knew of the finish to the match in advance.
Tony Khan has a lot of plans for AEW, and that includes bringing in even more talent. He could have plans to debut someone this week, and it might break the pro wrestling world wide open.
Kazuchika Okada is reportedly on his way to AEW, and that debut may happen tonight. A new report says that he is in the United States, and only time will tell if tonight’s AEW Dynamite is his landing pad.
Major Debut on the Horizon
A major name is expected to make their full-time debut with the company, although details remain undisclosed. Tony Khan has hinted at exciting plans for AEW fans in the coming weeks, suggesting significant developments on the horizon.
According to PW Insider, former IWGP Champion Kazuchika Okada recently traveled to Los Angeles and is currently in the United States. It is widely speculated that Okada will be present at tonight’s Dynamite episode in Atlanta, potentially signaling a significant moment for the promotion.
Additionally, there are expectations for the debut of Mercedes Mone, formerly known as Sasha Banks, in Boston next week for the company’s Big Business special. With these developments on the horizon, anticipation is high for tonight’s Dynamite episode and the future direction of AEW.
AEW Dynamite For 3/6
Tonight’s AEW Dynamite promises to be eventful, with several notable announcements and developments anticipated. Among the highlights are scheduled matches such as Riho vs. Kris Statlander and Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher. Moreover, The Young Bucks have teased a “Huge Announcement,” adding to the intrigue of the evening.
They also added Hook vs Brian Cage for the FTW Title to the show in the afternoon. More matches should be expected as we approach the two-hour program.
SEScoops will have more coverage of AEW Dynamite, and everything else in the pro wrestling world. Check back often for more updates!
The Rock and Cody Rhodes have taken their WrestleMania feud to a whole new level: WWE Shop, pro wrestling’s premiere merchandise store.
At last month’s WrestleMania XL Kickoff event from Las Vegas, the ‘American Nightmare’ announced his intention to challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Championship. The decision enraged The Rock, who envisioned himself battling Reigns in what he saw as the biggest match in WWE history.
Rhodes delivered a scathing message to the Bloodline, claiming their ancestors would be ashamed of them. The Rock responded by slapping the lips off Cody’s face in what Paul Heyman would later dub, The People’s Slap.
Battle of the Shirts
If you’ve been following WWE television as closely as most of our readers, you know things haven’t quieted down since then.
The Rock’ “Slap” T-Shirt
First, The Rock released a new t-shirt mocking Cody Rhodes, his ‘Cody Crybabies’ fanbase and the The People’s Slap. As seen below, the shirt invokes the popular ‘Batman slapping Robin’ meme.
Now, Rhodes has fired back with a shirt of his own. While this one still includes The Rock’s slap last month, the defiant Rhodes makes clear that the Brahma Bull should ‘get ready to learn the lyrics to Kingdom.’
Rhodes’ message is clear: No matter what, his theme will be playing after the main event of WrestleMania 40 with Cody standing tall as the new Undisputed WWE Champion
WWEShop: Cody Rhodes “Slap” T-Shirt
What’s Next?
Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins will be at this Friday’s episode of SmackDown, where they will confront The Rock and Roman Reigns. The show will be the first face-to-face between the four men since the WrestleMania 40 kick-off event. It is believed that Rhodes and Rollins will respond to the challenge laid out last week for a tag match at WrestleMania 40.
WrestleMania 40 is scheduled as a two-night event on April 6 and 7, 2024, to be held at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The show of shows usually brings out the biggest stars the company can get, and this year’s event is no different.
John Cena mentioned WrestleMania 40, and he said “fingers crossed” about appearing. He also made it clear that he will break out the classic jorts for that appearance if it can happen.
Will John Cena be at WrestleMania 40?
I exclusively reported on SEScoops that John Cena is trying to come back to do “something” at WrestleMania 40. Now, that report has been confirmed by the man himself.
I’ve been told that John Cena is “trying to make it in” for WrestleMania “to do something.”
While appearing on ESPN’s First Take, John Cena was asked about a potential WrestleMania 40 appearance. He did not squash the idea at all. In fact, he backed up the idea that he is going to try to make it to the show of shows.
When asked what attire he may go with, Cena said, “it depends, WrestleMania 40, and fingers crossed, it will be the jorts.”
Ryan Clark: 3 Piece or Jorts?
John Cena: It depends. If we’re talking #WrestleMania 40- Crossing my fingers I hope the jorts I don’t care. If we’re talking First Take I will do my best to put on a waistcoat.
— Public Enemies Podcast (@TheEnemiesPE3) March 6, 2024
We will have to see what John Cena is able to do on the grandest stage of them all. His current Hollywood obligations may prohibit him from doing a ton in the ring, but it will be nice to see him anyway.
John Cena’s Most Recent Match
At WWE Crown Jewel 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on April 11, 2023, John Cena faced Solo Sikoa in a match that lasted 16 minutes and 10 seconds. Cena lost that match, and then he needed surgery on both of his arms after that.
Now that Hollywood SAG-AFTRA Strike is over, John Cena returned to work. Only time will tell what he can do at WrestleMania 40, but he isn’t closing the door on that idea at all.
SEScoops will have continued coverage of this story as additional information is made available.
WWE’s Women’s Division consistently earns a spotlight due to the amount of talent on their roster. John Cena has witnessed that division transform over the last decade as well, and he has a top 5 of women who capture his interest in the ring.
John Cena listed his top five women’s wrestlers, stressing that the order didn’t matter. He named Becky Lynch, Bayley, Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley, and Charlotte Flair, praising each for their unique contributions and skills in the ring.
Cena’s Female Top 5
During an interview on ESPN’s First Take, John Cena shared his admiration for women’s wrestling by listing his top five female wrestlers. He emphasized that his list was not in any particular order.
First on Cena’s list was Becky Lynch. Next, he mentioned Bayley. Both Lynch and Bayley are challengers as they walk into their own title matches at WrestleMania against Rhea Ripley and IYO Sky respectively.
Cena also acknowledges Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley on his list. The final name he came up with was Charlotte Flair.
John Cena names his Top 5 Women’s Wrestlers (not in order):
WWE’s Women’s Revolution saw interest in women’s wrestling total revived thanks to the #GiveDivasAChance movement. They are also no longer “Divas,” as they are now Superstars, and that butterly title is also a thing of the past.
There is already a new generation of women’s wrestling from NXT that will help carry the women’s division for years to come. Tiffany Stratton was just the most recent call-up with a ton of potential, because the NXT brand still has names like Fallon Henley, Roxanne Perez, Cora Jade and Blair Davenport who all have amazing potential.
Any Top 5 list is totally subjective, and John Cena certainly has his opinion on things. Keep checking back with SEScoops for more updates on this story, and so many others in the pro wrestling world.
A new era of AEW Dynamite begins tonight on TBS. With Revolution 2024 in the history books, All Elite Wrestling rolls through Duluth, Georgia for two back-to-back nights of action at the Gas South Arena. After Dynamite goes off the air, they’ll take matches for Fridays Rampage. Thursday night, they’ll tape Saturday’s Collision.
The March 6, 2024 edition of Dynamite is being billed as a ‘Season Premiere’ and will feature a new logo, a new stage and new on-screen graphics.
New Logo and Graphics
AEW has been dropping hints about the new look for AEW Dynamite on television and on social media. First, it was the new logo:
At Revolution, they showed an on-screen graphic for tonight’s showdown between Will Ospreay and Kyle Fletcher, featuring the new Dynamite logo:
AEW Dynamite Preview (3/6):
Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher
Kris Statlander vs. Riho
Plus, fallout from Sunday’s AEW Revolution 2024 pay-per-view.
New Stage and Theme Music
AEW Dynamite has an all-new look for Spring 2024
Dynamite got a new stage as well, including the return of the “tunnels” that fans loved so much about the original Dynamite set. If AEW is looking to recapture the “feeling” of the company’s best times, this fresh coat of paint is a great start.
Furthermore, we’ve heard talk that AEW composer Mikey Rukus has crafted a rock-based song that could be used as new theme music for the flagship show.
Speaking at the Morgan Stanley conference, TKO’s COO Mark Shapiro addressed McMahon’s departure and his recent offloading of TKO stock. Shapiro made it clear that TKO did not participate in the sale. Shapiro added that McMahon does not work for TKO, does not go to the offices and is not coming back to the company.
Plans for Branding
Over the past year, WWE has seen an increase in branding usage on camera at WWE events. During the conference, Shapiro said that “not to criticize Vince McMahon” but he believes WWE didn’t utilize enough branding opportunities in arenas. UFC, the other half of TKO, uses arguably too many, according to Shapiro, who said that WWE will continue to use sponsors on WWE ring assets.
WWE RAW & Netflix
In January 2025, Monday Night Raw will move to Netflix in a blockbuster deal that will mark the end of WWE’s flagship show on broadcast television. Shapiro said that “not in my wildest dreams” did he expect Netflix for the Raw deal, and that the conversation was originally about WWE NXT. Shapiro credits WWE President Nick Khan and TKO CFO Andrew Schleimer for negotiating the deal.
What’s to Come?
Shapiro was pleasantly surprised by the buzz that this year’s Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber events made. Looking ahead, he said fans can expect celebrities from the William Morris-Endeavor (WME) agency at WrestleMania. Partnering with Fanatics for WWE World is going well, and can be considered a blueprint for future projects.
WWE NXT Superstar Dijak is immensely grateful for the opportunity he’s had in the gold brand after being sure he’d be cut as T-Bar.
Dijak, aka Dominik Dijakovic, was called up to the main roster in 2020 as T-BAR, part of the anarchistic Retribution stable. The group would struggle on WWE TV though with fans finding the gimmick hokey and their masks unintentionally hilarious.
Retribution Ends & Dijak Begins
With the faction’s prospects seemingly dead in the water, Retribution imploded in early 2021 by turning on their leader Mustafa Ali. By late 2021 and throughout 2022, he exclusively competed on WWE Main Event.
In late 2022, he returned to WWE NXT as Dijak, complete with a video promo showing his T-Bar mask being burned in a fire. Since then, Dijak has gone on to become one of the gold brand’s most prominently featured performers and has worked with the show’s top names.
Dijak is Grateful
On this week’s episode of WWE NXT, Dijak defeated Joe Gacy in the Asylum match which saw both men use a plethora of weapons. During the match, Dijak hit a moonsault off the top of the cage in a surprising display of high-flying from the big man.
Taking to Twitter, Dijak spoke about the spot in question and fans who may feel he shouldn’t be leaving his feet. Dijak said that he is making the most of the opportunity afforded him in WWE NXT after being sure he would be cut during his T-Bar run.
People who tell me I shouldn’t do a moonsault off the top of a cage have never been T-Bar barely treading water on Main Event & tearfully staring at my phone waiting to be fired.
This year’s edition of the WWE Hall of Fame is a special year. Triple H will pick his first class of inductees, and now we know the second name on his list.
Paul Heyman was announced this week as the first entrant in the 2024 Class of the WWE Hall of Fame. This was a huge addition to the Philly festivities. Now, Bull Nakano’s name is joining this year’s list of inductees.
An unbelievable talent with an unforgettable look, and a mean streak a mile long.
Bull Nakano isn’t just one of the best Women’s wrestlers of all time – she’s one of the best of all time, period. #WWEHOFpic.twitter.com/ft8JmnUfIw
The 56-year-old Japanese pro wrestling legend spoke about this big honor. She has raked up a lot of championships throughout her career, but she was always missing a Hall of Fame induction.
“During my active years, I was able to get championship belts in Japan, America and Mexico. But just one thing was missing — I didn’t get inducted into the Hall of Fame. I wanted this. Finally, in 2024 in WrestleMania week, I am able to get this.”
Who is Bull Nakano
Nakano entered Japan’s women’s wrestling circuit, known as “joshi,” in the early 1980s. At that time, women’s wrestling experienced significant popularity in Japan, often attracting larger crowds and higher TV ratings than men’s wrestling.
As a formidable heel with face paint, Nakano emerged as a prominent figure in All Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling, becoming one of its top attractions. She claimed victories in the AJW championship and WWWA title matches, engaging in historic encounters alongside and against renowned names like Dump Matsumoto, Kyoko Inoue, Akira Hokuto, and Aja Kong.
In the 1990s, Nakano ventured beyond Japan, taking her talents to Mexico where she secured the CMLL World women’s championship in 1992. Among U.S. audiences, Nakano gained recognition for her feud with Alundra Blayze in WWE. She also beat Blayze for the WWF women’s title at the Tokyo Dome in 1994, an event that was seen by over 42,000 fans in attendance. While it was uncommon for a WWE title to be defended in Japan, Nakano won it there, and she defended it once before relinquishing it back to Blayze in 1995.
WWE Hall of Fame Date
The 2024 WWE Hall of Fame is an upcoming professional wrestling event created by WWE, marking the induction of the 25th class into the WWE Hall of Fame. The ceremony is scheduled for April 5, 2024, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, occurring the evening prior to WrestleMania 40.
With WWE 2K24 recognizing the promotion’s past, there have been questions as to how WWE would handle McMahon’s presence in important moments. After all, some of WWE’s biggest feuds that led to matches at the Showcase of the Immortals have included the 78-year-old billionaire.
With the game’s Deluxe Edition already out, gamers have been able to get their hands on WWE 2K24. One match in the WrestleMania Showcase mode is the Women’s triple threat that headlined WrestleMania 35 in 2019.
Fans who have played the WrestleMania Showcase mode will have noticed that in archive footage for the WrestleMania 39 match, McMahon appears alongside Charlotte Flair. In the footage of the segment which saw Flair added to the match, McMahon’s face is blurred out. The narration also states WWE replaced Becky Lynch with Flair without mentioning McMahon by name.
Vince McMahon in WWE 2K24’s Showcase mode.
What’s Next?
The regular edition of WWE 2K24 will be released later this week. As for McMahon, the lawsuit against him will continue forward despite his resignation from the promotion. against the former WWE Chairman.
AEW has a packed roster full of talent, but Tony Khan has never announced a hiring freeze. It’s anyone’s guess who TK may bring back next to insert some extra energy into the situation. Lio Rush seems open to the idea of having another run in the Land of All Elite.
Lio Rush, although his AEW exit was sudden and a bit controversial, will not say “no” to the idea of returning to Tony Khan’s company. Things just didn’t pan out the last time around.
Lio Rush in AEW
Lio Rush’s time with the promotion was brief, as he became a free agent following the expiration of his contract with AEW in February 2022. This took place shortly after he voiced his opposition to Tony Khan’s controversial tweet regarding Big Swole.
Rush garnered attention amid AEW’s controversy involving Big Swole. The latter criticized the company’s treatment of Black talent at the forefront and expressed disappointment in the lack of representation of individuals who resemble her among top executives behind the scenes.
He later made it very clear on Twitter/X that his contract was up on February 14, 2022, and he was off to his next venture.
Lio Rush Speaks On Possible AEW Return
While speaking to WrestlingNews.co, Lio Rush clarified that his tenure in AEW ended prematurely because it simply didn’t pan out. Regardless of the specific reasons, he acknowledged that sometimes in life, circumstances don’t align for various individuals and situations.
“It was cut short because it was cut short. I mean, it just didn’t work out. I say this quite often every time that it is brought up. Yeah, it just didn’t work out and it, but regardless of what those reasons are, things just don’t work out. You know, it’s like that in life for many things and for many people. If it was a different time period, if it was a different situation, if it was, yeah, all of these what ifs, but they weren’t what ifs. It was what was going on in the present time and in that time, things just didn’t work out.”
Lio Rush went on to say, “So you know, not to say that you’ll never see me there again or not to say that the relationship is bad or anything like that. I think it was just a period in time that it just didn’t work out for both parties, and we had to split ways.”
What’s Next For Lio Rush
Lio is still working on music, and he’s not retired from the ring either. He continues to impress whenever he’s booked. Hopefully, he can get back on a major television company again someday, because at 29-years-old, he still has plenty of time.
We will have to see if AEW brings Lio Rush back to the company. Tony Khan has a loaded locker room already at this point, but you never know what can happen in pro wrestling.
SEScoops will have more on this story, and many more, as additional updates are available. We also invite you to check out our Daily Drop for all the biggest headlines, tidbits, and other exclusive notes throughout the pro wrestling world!
Vince McMahon’s aggressive control of WWE programming was infamous during his time as Chairman of the Board. Now that he’s gone, things are very different.
Triple H is now in control of WWE’s programming. As Chief Content Officer, he has also decided not to berate his announcers with constant directions. Corey Graves can attest to this fact, because he lived through the transition and is very much enjoying The Game’s time in charge.
Corey Graves Speaks On Triple H
Corey Graves is a prominent figure in WWE, particularly as part of Friday Night SmackDown’s commentary team. He remembers the days when Vince McMahon was in his ear all night, commanding him to hit certain lines on commentary. That is not the case anymore.
With experience both as a wrestler and announcer in NXT, WWE’s developmental brand overseen by Triple H, Graves expressed gratitude for the opportunities provided by Paul “Triple H” Levesque. He sees the King of Kings are one of the primary reasons he was so successful in the company.
While speaking to Short and to the Point podcast, Graves highlighted Triple H’s supportive approach and acknowledged the creative freedom afforded to announcers under his leadership.
“Triple H is another guy I owe a great deal, if not everything in my career, to. He was the one that took a chance on me as a wrestler in NXT. If I need something, I’ve never hesitated to go to him and ask. He’s cool and refreshing in the sense that he gives us [announcers] space.”
Differences Between Triple H & Vince McMahon
Graves continued to explained that Triple H recognizes the importance of allowing announcers to express themselves authentically as fans.
“Instead of being directed to adhere to specific instructions or language, Triple H understands that we’re all fans. As the industry progresses, you have to loosen the reins a bit. I still have boundaries, but they feel more flexible now.”
In contrast to Vince McMahon’s notorious habit of shouting at announcers through their headsets, Triple H doesn’t take that tactic at all. Instead, The Game has a much more cerebral approach to things.
“I’ve been on TV for seven years between RAW and SmackDown. In the last few months, communication through my headset has been exceptionally quiet and clear. I only receive feedback if I’m making a significant mistake or if a joke lands. If I say something that resonates, he’ll build on it or enhance the joke in my headset.”
Vince McMahon’s WWE Exit
Vince McMahon initially retired from WWE in 2022, amid allegations of sexual misconduct. At the time, WWE announced a special committee would investigate McMahon. However, his retirement didn’t last long, and he returned to the company to help usher in a sale/merger era for the company.
McMahon made creative adjustments remotely for a long time during that period. The whole time Triple H was still acting COO of the company.
That misconduct for Mr. McMahon was later detailed in gruesome ways with Janel Grant’s earth-shattering lawsuit. After Slim Jim pulled their sponsorship right before the Royal Rumble, Vince had no choice but to totally resign from the company.
In more recent memory, Vince announced his intention to sell over $400 million in TKO stock, leaving him with around 8% of the company in his control, which is not enough to secure his place back in the company once again if he ever tried another return.
WWE Superstars have lives outside the ring, and sadly, one member of the NXT family is dealing with a big personal loss. Andre Chase, who has been around the NXT brand consistently since the 2.0 days, revealed he lost his father.
Andre Chase shared that his father recently passed away over the weekend. He saved this announcement until after his big NXT Tag Team Title match at Roadblock.
Chase’s Sad Announcement
At NXT Roadblock, Chase and Duke Hudson teamed up to challenge Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin for the NXT Tag Team Championship. Despite their efforts, they were unable to secure the title, marking their second unsuccessful attempt. The whole time, the NXT Arena was very much behind Chase U.
After the event, Chase took to social media to announce the passing of his father over the weekend. In a heartfelt message, he reflected on his father’s strength and expressed how he honored his memory by standing up for himself, even in defeat.
As some of you may know, my father unexpectedly passed away over the weekend.My dad had the heart of a lion and never backed down from a fight. Tonight, even in defeat, I hope I honored him by pulling myself up off of the mat even when I thought I had nothing left. #WWENXT
Our thoughts are with Andre Chase as he deals with this great loss in his personal life. He has a ton of fans who are very much behind him, along with everyone at the Performance Center. So, we’re hoping that he has plenty of support during this time.
SEScoops will have more updates on the pro wrestling world, so please keep checking back for additional headlines.
AEW hasn’t seen Jack Perry compete since All In London, where he battled Hook in a controversial Zero Hour match. He may have been suspended due to the fight that broke out with CM Punk after that match, but Perry is now back in the ring.
Jack Perry has finally returned to the wrestling ring after a prolonged absence. This did not happen in an AEW ring, as the former Jungle Boy wrestled for New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
Jack Perry has showed up in mainland NJPW making his debut in the New Japan Cup… as literally a SCAPEGOAT.
Perry’s disappearance from the spotlight followed a highly publicized altercation with CM Punk during the AEW All In event last August. The fallout from the incident led to Perry’s suspension, while Punk was released from the company.
On a somewhat related note, CM Punk has since made a triumphant return to WWE, capturing the entire pro wrestling world’s attention with his historic comeback at Survivor Series. However, Punk’s comeback has been short-lived, as he is currently sidelined due to injury.
Jack Perry’s NJPW Match
Perry’s return to the wrestling scene went down during the NJPW Battle in the Valley event, where he made a dramatic entrance by attacking Shota Umino. In a symbolic gesture, Perry tore up an AEW contract and adorned himself with an armband bearing the word “Scapegoat.”
Making his debut in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Perry faced off against Shota Umino in a match as part of the New Japan Cup Tournament. Perry won that match as well, and now he will continue to make an impact in the tournament.
Following the match, Perry aligned himself with The House of Torture faction, adding another layer of intrigue to his comeback story. We will have to see what Perry does next, but it may not be in AEW.
Despite his successful return to NJPW, it remains uncertain when Perry will step back into the ring for All Elite Wrestling. Reports surfaced last year that his AEW suspension was already over, but he did not come back. Only time will tell what happens in this situation, but we will keep a close eye on his situation here at SEScoops.
Jack Perry took the help of Ren Narita to beat Shooter, EVIL and co. then came out to offer Jack Perry a spot in House of Torture. Jack then accepted the shirt and joined the faction.
Welcome to SEScoops: the Daily Drop, your go-to for the latest news and rumors in wrestling for Wednesday, March 6h. NXT Roadblock was last night. There is a lot of news to get to, so let’s get to it.
– John Cena revealed that WWE had plans for him to turn heel in his WrestleMania 28 program against The Rock. He even had new ring gear and music made for the change.
– An old WWE legend has been debunked. During A&E’s Biography on Sgt. Slaughter, it was confirmed that WrestleMania 7’s venue move happened because of poor ticket sales. I wasn’t due to more salacious reasons, like Slaughter has said for years.
– Sting’s son, Garrett, commented on playing his role at AEW Revolution. He wrote on his YouTube channel as an update: “Alright, it’s time for an update and a bit of a reveal. Last night, my dad, Sting, retired from his completely legendary pro wrestling career. My brother and I got to play a small part in his final match as younger versions of his character. I’ve got the American outfit, my brother has the red (or, Surfer Sting and Wolfpack Sting for any wrestling fans!) It was absolutely insane, and by far the coolest night of my entire life. The admiration and love from the fans toward my dad made me even more proud of him than I already am. So, this is obviously why I’ve been a bit absent the past month or so. I was largely focused on looking as good as possible for the show, so lots of hours that would have been spent grinding Destiny were instead spent in the gym haha. All that to say, thanks for being patient. I can’t wait to upload again soon, and I’ll for sure try to do a recap video that goes more in-depth on this weekend.”
– Sting’s other son, Steven, also commented on his appearance. He did so with a humorous post on Twitter/X where he expressed his inner thoughts before nailing that Stinger Splash at AEW Revolution.
“Do not shame your dad, do not shame your dad, do not shame your dad”
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.
WWE has come clean about why WrestleMania 7 pay-per-view spectacular was moved from it’s original venue, the Los Angeles Sports Coliseum, to the far-smaller Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.
WrestleMania 7 occurred March 24, 1991 during the waning days of the beloved ‘Golden Era’ of the World Wrestling Federation. The company would look very different in just two years time, but in early 1991, the beloved ‘Hogan Era’ was still in full swing. The card featured a total of 15 matches, including The Undertaker winning his WrestleMania debut, the Ultimate Warrior retiring the Macho Man Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan dethroning Sgt. Slaughter for the WWF Championship.
WrestleMania 7 was initially booked for Los Angeles Sports Coliseum, a historic venue that’s hosted the Summer Olympic games twice. It has a maximum capacity around 77,500. WWE had just run the SkyDome in Toronto the prior year, so it wasn’t a crazy idea to book another big stadium the following year.
WWE Comes Clean
Several months into tickets being on sale, the company made an unprecedented announcement. WrestleMania 7 festivities were being drastically scaled down and would take place in the adjacent Memorial Sports Arena.
The company cited security threats stemming from Sgt. Slaughter’s gimmick at the time, an Iraqi sympathizer who was dear friends with Saddam Hussein. WWE went all-in on Slaughter’s betrayal of America, which certainly got people talking. However, not in the way WWE hoped for. Instead of sparking business and turning around the decline that was starting to take hold, WWE received a lot of negative attention for ‘exploiting’ the military conflict.
WWE has always asserted that WrestleMania 7 was moved due to the heated nature of the Hulk Hogan vs. Sgt. Slaughter feud, but the truth has come out 33 years later.
During the recent A&E’s Biography special on Sgt. Slaughter that aired Sunday night, WWE finally acknowledged WrestleMania 7 changed locations due to poor ticket sales. Just a month before the event, only 12,500 tickets had been sold, nowhere close to filling up the outdoor stadium.
With WWE 2K24 around the corner, excitement for the new game is at a fever pitch, with top stars like Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins all confirmed.
While these three will have some of the highest ratings in the game, not everyone can have great stats, and there’ll always be somebody with the outright worst ranking in the game. In this feature, we look at some of the worst-ranked playable characters in WWE video games.
Eric Bischoff – 52 – SmackDown: Here Comes The Pain
Perhaps it was a battle for brand supremacy that led to then-Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff having the lowest ranking in SmackDown: Here Comes The Pain. Bischoff’s martial arts prowess and all-black gi helped little whenever you played as him in the game.
Ribbie – 60 – WWE 2K20
WWE 2K20 was a disaster of a game but it did give fans their first-ever playable anthropomorphic rack of ribs. Ribbie is the mascot of the Memphis Sliders, a minor baseball team, according to Byron Saxton, and with his BBQ sauce haircut, we imagine wrestlers weren’t eager to face him.
Curt Hawkins – 64 – WWE 2K19
The master of the losing streak, Curt Hawkins’ unfortunate record was replicated with his woeful score in WWE 2K19. Nowadays, Hawkins is faring much better in TNA Wrestling as Brian Myers.
Jimmy Hart – 67 – SmackDown Vs. Raw 2008
It makes sense that the Mouth of the South’s rating would be so low, given he very rarely wrestled. This ranking shows that in SVR ’08, Jimmy was best being kept at ringside.
Bo Dallas – 67- WWE 2K17
All the Bo-lieving in the world couldn’t save Bo Dallas from this dreadful score in WWE 2K17. Good luck winning any titles as the third-generation wrestler! His brother Bray would be well ahead of Bo in the game with a score of 87.
Sawyer Fulton – 69 – WWE 2K18
The forgotten member of Sanity, Sawyer Fulton’s 69 is the worst in the entire WWE 2K18 game. What makes this worse is that this would mark Fulton’s first and only time in a video game.
Eric Bischoff (again) – 69 – WWE 2K22
Things clearly picked up for Easy-E between Here Comes The Pain and WWE 2K22, but that wasn’t enough to save him from having the worst rating once again. Sorry Eric!
Michael Cole & Jim Ross – 71 – WWE ’12
These WWE commentators shared the same woeful rating in WWE ’12, so it’s only fair we lump them together. Frankly though, why anyone would play as either man, especially Cole, is anyone’s guess.
Rhea Ripley has never been afraid to go toe-to-toe with male Superstars in WWE, and now she wants her shot with the Best in the World.
During an interview with the BWGS Podcast, Ripley spoke about growing up watching WWE and being enamored by the likes of Triple H, The Miz, and CM Punk. When asked about which of the three she’d like to face, Ripley set her sights on the Best in the World.
”I would like to face Punk… with the way that he did his promos and the way that he just did everything. It was always entertaining and I feel like if I were to step into a storyline… it would definitely help skyrocket Rhea Ripley to the next level sort of thing.”
Rhea Ripley Vs. The Men
Ripley hasn’t been shy when it comes to taking on male Superstars during her tenure with WWE. Before his inclusion in the Judgment Day, Dominik Mysterio often fell victim to attacks by Ripley in 2022. Superstars who have fallen victim to ‘Mami’ include AJ Styles, Matt Riddle, Akira Tozawa, Rey Mysterio, Kevin Owens, and Luke Gallows, as seen in the video below.
What’s Next for Rhea Ripley?
Ripley won’t face a man at WrestleMania, but rather ‘The Man’ Becky Lynch. The Irish Superstar won the Women’s Elimination Chamber match last month to earn a Women’s World Championship match at WrestleMania 40. This will be the sixth title match for Lynch at WrestleMania, and the fourth for Ripley.
A fourth-generation Superstar who recently joined WWE NXT will not be going by his family name, as confirmed this week.
The March 5, 2024, episode of WWE NXT was the gold brand’s ‘Roadblock’ special and saw the developmental roster continue to build towards NXT Stand & Deliver. In the main event, Tony D’Angelo defeated Carmelo Hayes to earn a shot at NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov at the April event. Hayes was also confronted by the returning Trick Williams, who was betrayed by Melo at NXT Vengeance Day.
A New Name
NXT Roadblock saw the in-ring return of Shawn Spears, following his return to WWE NXT on last week’s show. Spears made quick work of Uriah Connors before attempting to goad Ridge Holland into a fight.
Fans of New Japan Pro Wrestling may have recognised Connors, despite this being his first TV match for WWE NXT. Connor is better known as Brogan Finlay, the son of former WWE United States Champion Dave ‘Fit’ Finlay. The younger Finlay signed with WWE recently and made his in-ring debut at an NXT live event last month.
Uriah Connors legacy in wrestling stretches back past his legendary father. His grandfather, Dave Finlay Sr. was also a wrestler, who received an MBE this year for services to wrestling. His great-grandfather was also a professional wrestler.
More Multi-Generation Events
Uriah Connors wasn’t the only multi-generational star to be on this week’s WWE NXT. Charlie Dempsey was with the No Quarter Catch Crew, one week on from his NXT Heritage Cup win. Dempsey’s promo was interrupted by the returning William Regal, in his first WWE TV appearance since re-signing with the company over a year ago.
Regal spoke of the imporance of defending the NXT Heritage Cup with integrity but Dempsey was not interested in what his father had to say. WWE made no reference to the familial bond between the two
WWE’s NXT brand held their Roadblock special tonight. As the road to WrestleMania 40, and Stand & Deliver, is drawing close, the brand saw a couple big moments. A Superstar returned after being out of action for nearly a year, but that wasn’t the only big comeback during the show.
When William Regal left AEW for an office job with WWE, he had a very interesting clause in this release paperwork. It was stated that Regal couldn’t appear on WWE television for a full year, which is why he wasn’t around to announce WarGames. That clause has now expired, and Regal is back in NXT.
William Regal’s NXT Return
During WWE NXT this week, the No Quarter Catch Crew took the ring with the Heritage Cup. Drew Gulak, Charlie Dempsey, Damon Kemp and Myles Borne looked intense, and they had a message for the rest of the NXT roster.
The stable proclaimed that they will defend the Heritage Cup as a stable, meaning anyone in the faction can put the title on the line. The said that they plan to represent the championship as true athletes.
Suddenly, William Regal’s music stopped everything. Regal then came out to a rousing ovation from the NXT crowd. “Welcome back” chants erupted at Regal. Obviously, fans in the NXT Arena didn’t forget about the former General Manager.
Those chants soon transitioned to “He’s your Father” directed at Dempsey. Regal didn’t have a ton to say, but he did make it very clear that he will have his eye on that Heritage Cup, because of how much it means to him and everyone from the rich European pro wrestling tradition.
We will have to see when William Regal shows up on WWE television again. It was certainly a very nice surprise to see him pop up during NXT Roadblock. He is currently the company’s Vice President of Global Talent Development.
For more on this story, and many more, please keep checking back with us here at SEScoops.
