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Dominik Mysterio Pulled From Announced Match On 4/22 Raw Due To Legitimate Injury

Anutosh Bajpai
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Things do not seem to be going Judgement Day’s way and it appears that after Rhea Ripley, Dominik Mysterio has also suffered an injury.

The former NXT North American Champion was expected to work the European Tour last week. Ricochet replaced him on the shows. The unannounced change concerned people. 

The latest episode of Monday Night Raw from Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio further confirmed that Dirty Dom is not 100%. The Judgement Day star was announced to team with JD McDonagh on tonight’s episode of the Red Branded Show. 

He appeared on the screen, however, wearing a sling on his left hand. Santos Escobar then replaced Dominik in the match against Ricochet and Andrade. The faces won the match when Andrade delivered The Message to McDonagh for the pin.

What’s next for Judgement Day

The last couple of weeks have not been good for Judgement Day. It all started when Rhea Ripley had to relinquish her Women’s World Title due to a shoulder injury.

The opening segment of this week’s Raw then saw Damian Priest confronting his Backlash opponent Jey Uso. After a heated exchange between the two, JD McDonagh emerged out of nowhere and tried to blindside the former Bloodline member.

Priest appeared to have no knowledge of the attack. He ended up on the business end of a superkick when he was trying to stop McDonagh from going after Uso.

The World Heavyweight Champion made another appearance on the show after McDonagh’s tag team match. He told both JD and Dominik that he didn’t need either of them.

Elsewhere in the show, a backstage segment also teased a potential collaboration between Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan in the absence of the Mami.

With all the teases of tensions within the Judgement and the new alliance between Morgan and Dom, it won’t be a surprise if we see the group imploding sooner rather than later.

It will also depend on the health of Mysterio. Though considering that the company is keeping him on screen and teasing plans for him it doesn’t seem likely that he will miss a lot of ring time.

We wish a speedy recovery to Dominik Mysterio

Giovanni Vinci Kicked Out of Imperium Upon Gunther’s Return To Raw

Anutosh Bajpai
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Giovanni Vinci has seemingly been kicked out of the Imperium after tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw from Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio.

This week’s episode of the red-branded show saw the first appearance of Gunther after he lost his Intercontinental Championship to Sami Zayn at WrestleMania 40.

The Ring General said that people expected him to talk about his loss but he had something else in mind. The former champion then officially declared himself as the first entrance for the upcoming King of The Ring tournament.

The New Day then made their way to the ring and Xavier Woods talked about being the last King of The Ring winner. The back and forth between the two groups lead to a tag team match featuring Ludwig Kaiser and Vinci taking on Woods and Kofi Kingston.

By The Orders of The Ring General?

The ending of this bout saw Wood delivering a double stomp on Vinci and pinning the Raw star for the victory. Gunther who was at the ringside was seemingly disappointed with this result and he stormed to the back after throwing his chair.

Kaiser helped Vinci get back up at the ringside and hugged him. He followed this up, however, by attacking his tag team partner. Kaiser continued the assault for a while and sent his partner crashing through the ring post and the announce desk before the officials sent him back.

Until this point, it appeared that Kaiser had snapped but as the German star returned to the Gorilla position, he ran into Gunther once again. Both the men smiled upon seeing each other suggesting that it was a pre-planned attack.

Elsewhere in the show, we saw the crowning of the new women’s world champion after Rhea Ripley relinquished her title due to an injury last week. You can click here to know who became the new champion.

QR Code Mystery Continues On 4/22 WWE Monday Night RAW, References Bray Wyatt

Thomas Lowson
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WWE’s ongoing mystery continued on the April 22, episode of Raw but this QR code gave the most concrete tease to date that plans will reference Bray Wyatt. 

Since the post-WrestleMania Raw, glitches and QR codes have been appearing on WWE’s main roster programming, giving clues as to something big that’s in the works. These QR codes have led to videos with fans deciphering hidden messages and clues to figure out what’s really going on. 

This mystery continued on Raw as a QR code appeared ahead of an in-ring segment with Chad Gable and the Alpha Academy. Scanning the code brings you to a binary text prompt that features some hidden easter eggs. Typing ‘BRAY’ into the binary script will give you the response ‘Remembered’ while typing ‘WYATT’ will give you the response ‘Forever.’ 

The QR Code’s Binary Script with Bray Wyatt prompts. 

Inputting the number of sensory organs will bring you to a video that starts with a cheesy ‘Coming Soon’ message. Things take a dark turn as a POV shot shows somebody approaching a house with a message reading ‘REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE.’ The video ends with the imagery of a cave, a raven, and the symbol for the dwarf planet Pluto which have been prevalent in previous videos. 

Many believe this is leading to the return of Uncle Howdy, the character previously portrayed by Bo Dallas who was introduced following Wyatt’s return in 2022. It’s been rumored that a faction could be in the works, especially with Erick Rowan, a Wyatt Family alum, recently re-signing with WWE. 

WWE’s QR Code Mystery

Here are some recent articles about WWE’s previous QR codes and the symbolism behind the eerie videos behind them: 

Promotions Are ‘Foaming At The Mouth’ to Work with Jinder Mahal After WWE Exit

Thomas Lowson
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Jinder Mahal’s release from WWE could prove to be a blessing in disguise for the former World Champion as he’s already garnered significant interest. 

Mahal was part of the first wave of releases in WWE’s new era. Other names cut include Xia Li, Veer Mahaan, Sanga, Xyon Quinn, and Von Wagner. This exit marks Mahal’s second release from WWE as he was previously cut from the promotion in 2014. 

While Mahal’s days in WWE are over, it appears that he won’t struggle to find work elsewhere. Fightful Select reports that Mahal has already received “heavy interest” from promotions eager to work with him now that he is a free agent. Game Changer Wrestling is said to be “foaming at the mouth” to bring him in when his 90-day non-compete clause expires this July. The report adds that eagerness to work with Mahal could be partly down to Matt Cardona being out of action and GCW needing a new heel for its roster. 

It’s promising for Mahal that companies are already interested in working with him given how his second WWE run ultimately fizzled out. Upon announcing his exit from WWE, Mahal declared that he’d ‘quit’ the promotion, leaving fans to believe that there were some underlying issues between the two sides. Talent in WWE are said to have liked Mahal and believe that he wasn’t given a fair go at things considering he did everything the company asked of him. 

WWE Releases

Here are some more recent articles about wrestlers who were released from WWE and what they have had to say:

Becky Lynch Wins Vacant WWE Women’s World Title In Battle Royal During 4/22 RAW

Aaron Varble
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Rhea Ripley’s sudden injury created a need for a new Women’s World Champion. The April 22 episode of RAW ended with a battle royal to help the company decide a new top female on Monday nights.

After a chaotic battle royal match, Becky Lynch pulled down the win to become WWE Women’s World Champion. The Man now holds the title that she failed to snag at WrestleMania 40.

The 4/22 episode of WWE RAW marked the first occasion in WWE history where a vacant women’s championship was claimed in a battle royal. Previously, the only woman to win a title in a battle royal was Gail Kim, who beat then-champion Jazz and five other women during her WWE RAW debut in 2003.

The next WWE draft is from April 26, 2024 (SmackDown) to April 29, 2024 (RAW). It’s anyone’s guess how the upcoming roster shake-up will mold the women’s division for the red brand.

The Battle Royal Match Finish

The battle royal included several notable spots. Natalya eliminated Chelsea Green, but she got back in without the referee seeing her. Then Becky Lynch was put through the announce table by Nia Jax, leaving her out of commission, but still in the match.

The final five women in the match included Nia Jax, Shayna Baszler, Liv Morgan Zoey Stark and Becky Lynch, who was KOed thanks to that table spot. Then Jax took Stark and Baszler out of the match.

As Nia Jax and Liv Morgan set themselves up to be the last two in the match, Becky Lynch crawled back into the ring. The three of them continued as Liv and Becky tried to take out Nia. Then The Irresistible Force was finally sent to the floor after a collaborative effort.

Becky and Liv made eventually made their way to the apron, where Morgan nailed a Codebreaker, but Lynch reversed Morgan’s follow-up into a Manhandle Slam to win the match.

Why Rhea Ripley Vacated Title

Rhea Ripley looked to be a strong, and unbeatable, Women’s World Champion coming out of WrestleMania 40. Then Liv Morgan jumped her backstage during the RAW after the show of shows, and the Nightmare was injured.

Recent reports suggest that Ripley might need four to six weeks to regain shoulder mobility following a sprained AC joint injury. The incident is considered a “total fluke.” Typically, recovery from such an injury requires up to three months before she can resume ring activities.

Ripley had to make the sad announcement last week on RAW that she was vacating the Women’s World Championship. Before she left, Ripley also made it very clear that she will target whoever is champion when her return comes around.

Jacob Fatu’s WWE Debut Expected Very Soon

Dominic DeAngelo
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The Bloodline may be welcoming a new family member into the mix very soon. Over the past month, there’s been a lot of talk that Jacob Fatu is headed to WWE and may have even inked a deal already. The latest update comes from PWInsider, which states the former MLW World Heavyweight Champion is slated to debut within the week. Unless he turns up on Tuesday’s NXT, Friday’s 4/26 edition of WWE SmackDown would be the setting.

This potential debut would only be around two weeks removed from when Tama Tonga, a longtime keystone in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, made his WWE debut on SmackDown. He and Solo Sikoa viciously attacked Jimmy Uso,  eliminating him from the group. Last week, Sikoa and Tonga set their sights on Kevin Owens, and left the prizefighter a bloody mess.

It would make sense for Jacob Fatu to align himself alongside Sikoa and Tonga as Solo seems to be seeking control of the faction while Roman Reigns is away and that has started with the debut of Tonga.  However, with The Usos having their back against the wall, Fatu could be a family member that Jimmy or Jey align themselves with.

In addition to a lengthy run with MLW’s top title Fatu has been a force on the independent wrestling scene for years. Known as the Samoan Werewolf, Fatu is notorious for having amazing athleticism, a hard-hitting style and a visually impressive leaping top rope moonsault as his finisher. 

Jacob Fatu has spoken about wanting to wrestle for WWE. During an interview with SEScoops correspondent MuscleManMalcolm, he said, “All of my family has been there. If I ever had the chance to go there, absolutely. I would love to go there. My father, my uncle, my cousins, are there, so absolutely. If I had the chance, I would go.”

Finn Balor Signs New Multi-Year Contract With WWE: ‘I Ain’t Going Nowhere!’

Dominic DeAngelo
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Finn Balor is sticking around WWE for years to come. After a decade with the world’s top wrestling organization, the former Universal Champion announced some big news on social media. 

We knew Balor’s WWE contract was up soon and have been watching closely to see how this situation would unfold. He’s been wrestling since 2001 and is 42 years old, so it would make sense for him to at least consider working a lighter schedule with AEW or NJPW. Balor says he gave the decision a lot of thought and sounds confident he made the right choice.

I would like to take this moment to say thank you to WWE for 10 incredible years. And after much thought and consideration, I have decided that now is the right time to say ‘I ain’t going nowhere!’

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C6FQnS4opMd

Sean Ross Sapp notes the multi-year contract is for ‘big money,’ which a star of his caliber can certainly command.

Balor has taken a similar path to his former tag team partner, Damian Priest. Fresh off of winning the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40, the ‘Archer of Infamy’ revealed this past week that he’s also signed a new contract.

On this week’s WWE RAW the other two healthy members of The Judgment Day JD McDonagh and Dominik Mysterio are teaming up to face Andrade and Ricochet in tag action. Priest happened to kick off the show in a segment involving himself and his Backlash opponent, Jey Uso.

Mick Foley Says Rhea Ripley Has Developed Into An ‘Iconic Entity’

Tyriece Simon
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Wrestling fans are still stunned after Rhea Ripley announced that she has been forced to vacate the WWE Women’s World Championship. Ripley’s incredible title reign ended after she injured her AC joint in a backstage brawl with Liv Morgan on the April 8 episode of WWE Monday Night Raw.

It’s believed that the injury occurred when Morgan slammed Ripley’s arm against a wall. WWE fans have noticed that once the champion’s arm hit the wall, she immediately grabbed her arm. She revealed in the following episode that she was injured in the altercation and vowed to return stronger to reclaim the WWE Women’s World Championship. While it’s unclear what Ripley’s timetable is for a return, it could be a few months. 

As she hopes to recover fully, WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley wishes her a swift return. 

Mick Foley Talks About Rhea Ripley’s Injury

Foley shared his thoughts on Ripley’s injury on his YouTube channel. He also spoke positively of WWE booking for Ripley and has been impressed with her since 2019. 

“…We’ve here at the Foley family really thought highly of her since the first time she premiered when we saw her, Royal Rumble 2019. I’d written stories about her saying WWE really had to treat her like the special entity that she is. I’m the first to say, look, I knew she needed special treatment. I didn’t know it would be this good,” said Foley.

‘The Hardcore Legend’ continued to praise Ripley’s growth in WWE and believes she’ll gain more popularity when she returns.  

“…We watched Mami just grow from a superstar into an iconic entity. I have to believe she’s going to come back better than ever and more popular than ever,” said Foley.

Although the injury is unfortunate, WWE is moving forward and ready to crown a new women’s champion. 

New Champion To be Decided On 4/22 Episode of WWE Monday Night Raw

WWE has announced that the vacant women’s world title will be on the line in the next episode of Raw. The championship will be decided in a Battle Royal Match, including Becky Lynch, Nia Jax, and Morgan.

It’s unclear how many participants will compete in the match, but it seems to be exclusively members of the Raw brand. The timing of the title opportunity is also interesting as WWE plans to shake up the rosters with the WWE Draft starting on April 26. 

After injuring Ripley, Morgan has set her sights on becoming the new WWE Women’s World Champion. Fans seem to have picked her as the favorite to win, and she could be in line for a big match with ‘Mami’ when she eventually returns. 

Goldberg No Longer Pursuing A Retirement Match

Ella Jay
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Bill Goldberg may have wrestled his final match. Last year, WWE Hall of Famer revealed that he agreed to wrestle Roman Reigns in February 2022 and put Reigns over  under the condition that he’d receive a proper retirement match afterwards with lots of celebration and fanfare. Unfortunately, that match never took place and Goldberg says Vince McMahon broke his promise.

Following Goldberg’s departure from WWE at the end of that’s year, many fans have wondered if the former WWE Champion would consider holding his final in-ring performance outside the realm of WWE. During a recent interview with 93.7 The Ticket, Goldberg provided an update on his retirement match plans, indicating that they have since been put on the backburner.

“I’ll be perfectly honest with you. I’ve kind of put that on the back burner,” Goldberg said. “Right now, I’ve segued into dad, first and foremost, and husband and car host. I’m just having fun at my garage. So I really don’t have a lot of time right now to dedicate to prepping for a retirement match.”

Fatherly Guidance

As Goldberg noted, much of his focus has been dedicated to helping his son, Gage, make the transition from high school to college football. Earlier this year, Gage announced that he had officially committed to the University of Colorado Boulder with the aim of continuing his football and academic career. 

Goldberg had a similar experience three decades ago when he signed as a defensive tackle for the University of Georgia Bulldogs. As such, Goldberg knows his son’s upcoming transition could be rather challenging. 

“I’m trying to do everything I can in my power 24/7 to get our boy [Gage] prepped for the next phase of his life,” Goldberg said. “And in all honesty, that’s the most important thing I could ever have going. “Whether I was ready to step in the ring right now or not, I’d put it all on the back burner for this boy. It’s going to be tough, man.”

Damian Priest Wants Legendary Metal Band To Play His Entrance At A Future WrestleMania

Ella Jay
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WrestleMania 40 featured appearances from several musical artists and bands, such as Lil Wayne, Coco Jones, The War and Treaty as well as metalcore band Motionless In White as they performed Rhea Ripley’s entrance theme, ‘Demon in Your Dreams'” ahead of her WWE Women’s World Championship match against Becky Lynch.

After seeing his Judgment Day stablemate played out to a live music performance on WWE’s grandest stage, Damian Priest is now envisioning one of his own.

Priest’s Dream WrestleMania Entrance

In a new interview with Metal Hammer, Priest was asked to identify the band he’d like to see introduce him at a future WrestleMania event. In response, Priest pointed toward another band in the metal music genre.

“The mighty Metallica! You know what I mean? Can you imagine Metallica playing me to the ring?” Priest said. “It’d be wild! Hey, maybe I’ve gotta talk to the boss man and be like, ‘Hey? What’s up with Metallica?’ That’d be a whole different dream scenario. I don’t even know if I’m ready for that.”

Growing up, Priest developed a strong affinity for the metal music genre, often listening to the likes of Anthrax, Slayer, In Flames, Soilwork, and the aforementioned Metallica.

Nowadays, Priest has expanded his playlist to include some bands recommended to him by Rhea Ripley, including Motionless In White and Ice Nine Kills.

James Hetfield, lead vocalist of Metallica, and Lars Ulrich, kickoff Metallica’s headline performance at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ  (Sept. 1, 2023)

Priest’s Eventful WrestleMania 40

While he may not have received a special musical entrance this year, Priest’s WrestleMania 40 weekend still turned out to be quite eventful. 

24 hours after he and Finn Balor lost the Undisputed WWE Tag Team titles in a six-pack ladder match, Priest (with the help of CM Punk) successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to claim the World Heavyweight title. This marked Priest’s first world championship in WWE and solidifies him as one the faces of WWE’s new era. 

Looking ahead, Priest will now be tasked with defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Jey Uso at WWE Backlash, which emanates from Lyons, France on May 4.

Cody Rhodes Joining Liam Neeson & Pamela Anderson In Upcoming Naked Gun Reboot

Thomas Lowson
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Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is set to flex his acting muscles with a role in the reboot of the classic comedy film series ‘Naked Gun.’

Rhodes will make a cameo appearance in the film as himself, according to insiders who spoke to the Daily Mail. It’s noted that Rhodes may be hypnotized in a nod to the original 1988 comedy. Pamela Anderson of Baywatch fame is attached to the film. Liam Neeson will star as incompetent detective Frank Drebin, previously played by the late, great Leslie Nielsen. 

Cody’s Acting Chops

This won’t be Rhodes’ first foray into the world of acting. In 2010, Cody played ‘Kurt Smoller’ on an episode of Warehouse 13, and serves as the romantic interest for the show’s female lead Myka. The couple’s date goes awry when Myka switches bodies with the show’s male lead Pete due to a magic idol, resulting in Pete-in-Myka having to finish the date.

From 2016 to 2018, Rhodes played the near-invulnerable Derek Sampson on Arrow, the CW’s take on the DC Comics character Green Arrow. Rhodes portrayed the character for seven episodes and would appear alongside his Summerslam 2015 opponent and Arrow star Stephen Amell.

Though it’ll be a small role, Cody’s work in the Naked Gun reboot bodes well for the American Nightmare. Several WWE names have gone on to thrive in acting including John Cena, Batista, and Cody’s own nemesis Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. The Final Boss has vowed to return to WWE and confront Cody and now their war will play out in the ring and the world of Hollywood. 

Wrestlers in Films

Here are some more recent articles about wrestlers who are currently working on high-profile movie projects:

Second Generation Wrestler Von Wagner Released From WWE

Aaron Varble
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WWE released several wrestlers this past week and we can add Von Wagner’s name to that list, as Fightful Select reports the 2nd generation star has also been let go. 

Wagner (Calvin Bloom) is the son of Wayne Bloom, who longtime fans may remember as Beau Beverly of the early 90’s Beverly Brothers tag team. Prior to wrestling in NXT, he played as a tight end for UCF from 2012 to 2016. He was long hailed as a top prospect and a favorite of key people in management, but he never seemed to catch on or get much momentum. 

In addition to the latest round of talent releases, including Von Wagner, Jinder Mahal, Xyon Quinn, Veer Mahaan, Sanga, and Xia Li, WWE recently parted ways with several other people, including Dan Ventrelle, Rob Schamberger, Trent Wilfinger, Sue Aitchison, and Sid Scala. Schamberger and AEW already have something in the works together. 

Stay tuned as we track the next moves of Von Wager, Jinder Mahal and the rest of these recently released (former) WWE Superstars.

WWE NXT Battleground Will Take Over UFC Apex For June Premium Live Event

Aaron Varble
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WWE’s NXT brand is always building toward their next big show. We already know that NXT Heatwave is scheduled for July 7, 2024, at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and now they have some big news for Battleground. 

NXT Battleground will take place at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas on Sunday, June 9. This event is notable as the first WWE event to be held at the 130,000-square-foot UFC APEX facility, which regularly hosts UFC Fight Night events.

“We are always exploring new frontiers to showcase NXT and we are excited to bring Battleground to this world-class event and production facility in partnership with UFC,” said WWE Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative Shawn Michaels.

With this move, WWE changed up their previous Battleground plans from Savannah, Georgia hosting the event. It was previously reported in late March that the UFC Apex was being eyed for Battleground’s landing pad.

What is the UFC Apex

The UFC Apex is located in Enterprise, Nevada, and owned by the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which is part of TKO Group Holdings, an Endeavor subsidiary. This facility, a hub for UFC live events and productions, will now also host NXT Deadline.

After opening their doors on June 18, 2019, the Apex became a pivotal location during the COVID-19 pandemic. After hosting three events in Jacksonville, all subsequent U.S.-based UFC events were held at the Apex without spectators. 

The Apex continues to host select Fight Night events and has started allowing limited public attendance. The venue utilized a 25-foot wide Octagon for its events, smaller than the standard 30-foot version.

TKO Group Holdings merged WWE and UFC under the Endeavor umbrella, sparking speculation about hosting simultaneous events in the same city to create a major destination event. The UFC Apex serves as a great location to test out this merger. 

WWE Raw Preview (4/22): Women’s World Title Battle Royal, Gunther Returns, Awesome Truth Defend

Ella Jay
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WWE returns to Columbus, Ohio tonight for WWE RAW at the Schottenstein Center. Nearly 8,000 fans will be in attendance as WWE looks ahead to the 2024 Draft later this week, as well as WWE Backlash: France on Saturday, May 4. Here’s a quick preview, followed by our detailed breakdown of what to look forward to:

Matches:

  • Awesome Truth (c) vs. DIY for the World Tag Team Championships
  • Battle Royal to determine the new WWE Women’s World Champion 
  • Andrade & Ricochet vs. Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh

Segments:

  • Gunther returns

World Tag Team Championships: Awesome Truth (c) vs. DIY

One week after trading in their WWE Raw Tag Team Championships for the newly crafted World Tag Team Championships, The Miz and R-Truth, collectively known as Awesome Truth, are now tasked with defending the titles against Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa (DIY). Gargano and Ciampa earned this title shot after defeating The New Day and Creed Brothers in a triple threat number one contenders match on last week’s episode of WWE Raw.

For The Miz and R-Truth, tonight will mark their first title defense since claiming tag team gold at WrestleMania 40. For Ciampa and Gargano, tonight marks another chance to secure their first set of tag team gold on WWE’s main roster. The duo previously held the NXT Tag Team Championships from late 2016 until early 2017.

WWE Women’s World Championship Battle Royal 

Fueled by her desire for revenge, Liv Morgan brutally attacked Rhea Ripley at the Wells Fargo Center two weeks ago. Unfortunately for Ripley, that attack proved to not only be rather brutal, but ultimately detrimental to her WWE Women’s World Championship reign.

During the opening segment of last week’s Raw, Ripley revealed the unfortunate news that she had sustained an injury from Morgan’s attack, and as a result, she was forced to vacate her title. Reports later indicated that Ripley suffered an injury to her AC joint after crashing into a wall at the Wells Fargo Center. 

With Ripley expected to be out of action for several months, WWE will now crown a new WWE Women’s World Champion tonight via a battle royal. While WWE has yet to formally announce the complete field of competitors for the battle royal, a promotional video clip for the match included the following faces:

Becky Lynch, Liv Morgan, Nia Jax, Maxxine Dupri, Chelsea Green, Natalya, Katana Chance, Kayden Carter, Indi Hartwell, Zoey Stark, Shayna Baszler, Tegan Nox, Piper Niven, Ivy Nile, and Candice LeRae.

Gunther Returns

WWE fans last saw “The Ring General” Gunther on night one of WrestleMania 40, where his history-making Intercontinental Championship reign was dramatically ended by Sami Zayn. Following his loss to Zayn, Gunther will return to WWE television, likely looking for retribution.

Meanwhile, newly-crowned Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn looks to bounce back from a stunning betrayal at the hands of Chad Gable last week.

Andrade & Ricochet vs. Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh

Last week, Andrade defeated Dominik Mysterio in singles action. Before Andrade could celebrate this victory, Mysterio and his Judgment Day stablemate JD McDonagh ambushed him. Luckily for Andrade, Ricochet rushed down to even the odds, forcing Mysterio and McDonagh to retreat. Now, the pairs will meet in tag team action on tonight’s episode of Raw.

Mark Henry Says Representation Matters, But Swerve Strickland Earned His AEW World Title Because Of His Talent

Michael Shalik
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Swerve Strickland became the eighth man and first African American man to hold the AEW World Championship at Sunday’s AEW Dynasty pay-per-view. Mark Henry discussed the significance of the win the following morning on Busted Open Radio. He says AEW believes in Swerve and even though ‘representation matters,’ his success was earned and he’s got the talent to be in this new position.

As a multi-time World Champion himself, Henry speaks from experience. He knows firsthand what the win says about the company’s faith in Strickland the responsibilities that come with being the new face of a major wrestling promotion. 

“To be a World Champion in pro wrestling and have a company backing you and believe you enough that you’re going to get the job done is big. I mean, you are the guy that’s carrying the torch, and just like the light was on Moxley and the light was on Danielson and the light was on Joe, now the light is going to be shined on Swerve.”

Earned on Merit

The ‘World’s Strongest Man’ said AEW is confident Strickland he can carry the company like Kenny Omega, Hangman Page and MJF did before him. While it’s important for young fans to see people who share their culture achieving success in the ring, Swerve’s success has been earned through his talents and hard work. 

“They didn’t pass up on an opportunity to do the right thing. It’s earned. It wasn’t because he was an African American. It was because he was talented and I feel like that’s a beautiful thing and representation matters and it means everything.”

Representation in Wrestling

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Losing Has Consequences? Solo Sikoa Racks Up Unfortunate Streak In WWE Matches

Thomas Lowson
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Solo Sikoa should take his own advice that losing has consequences as the new leader of the Bloodline has been racking up a significant losing streak as of late. 

Since Roman Reigns’ defeat at WrestleMania 40, Sikoa has taken control of the Bloodline on WWE TV. Sikoa’s regime has seen Tama Tonga brought in to replace Jimmy Uso as a member of the faction. Jimmy was kicked from the group after he lost at WrestleMania 40 and failed to help Roman Reigns retain the Undisputed WWE Championship at the event. Sikoa has made clear that losing has consequences in his Bloodline. 

While losing may have consequences, it seems Sikoa is exempt from the rule. The former NXT North American Champion lost at the April 20, WWE live event to LA Knight in what has become a regular occurrence for him. Sikoa is 0-40 in his last 40 matches with WWE. The bulk of these bouts have happened off of TV with Knight, Cody Rhodes, AJ Styles, and Seth Rollins being among those leaving Sikoa on his back. 

Sikoa’s most recent victory in WWE came back in November of 2023 when he beat John Cena at WWE Crown Jewel. While many at the time saw this as a career-defining victory for Sikoa and the start of bigger things to come, that hasn’t been the case, at least when it comes to his matches. 

What makes this streak even more unfortunate is that Sikoa’s name was once associated with winning streaks on WWE TV. After making his main-roster debut at Clash At The Castle in September 2022, Sikoa would enjoy an undefeated streak in TV matches that wouldn’t end until Cody Rhodes bested him on the March 27, episode of Raw. Now though, fans are left wondering when they’ll next see the man who’s declared that losing has consequences, pick up a victory of his own. 

Tony Khan Details Messaging With Lou Thesz Over AOL

Dominic DeAngelo
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Dial-up be damned, Tony Khan messaged with the legendary Lou Thesz back in the American Online days.

AEW Dynasty took place in the historic wrestling city of St. Louis, MO over the weekend and during the post-event media scrum, Khan was asked about the connections he’s made with St. Louis and the world of pro wrestling. Khan, who has been a rampant pro wrestling fan since he was a kid, recalled a time of yesteryear that consisted of him logging onto message board and amazingly sharing correspondence with some bonafide trailblazers in the one true sport.

“St. Louis is an amazing wrestling city with an amazing, amazing history. When I was 12 years old, I used to talk to Lou Thesz on AOL and I picked up stuff from Lou Thesz. Lou Thesz taught me how great Buddy Rodgers was and he was totally right. You go back and watch Buddy Rodgers, one of the best wrestlers of all time, one of the most influential of all time, both of them, two of the most influential of all time.”

Khan went on to say how St. Louis has become one of their great cities to hit and later didn’t rule out the possibility of the promotion coming back for another PPV in 2025.

Khan was all over the wrestling map as a kid even in the Extreme Championship Wrestling realm. He notoriously had his father, Shad Khan, take him to the ECW Arena in Philadelphia where he got to see first-hand the classic stretcher match between Rob Van Dam and Sabu.

Matt Hardy Reveals How TNA Return Deal Came Together

Anutosh Bajpai
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Matt Hardy says his TNA return is a way to showcase that genuine surprises can still be delivered in wrestling even in today’s age.

The Attitude Era star spoke to Busted Open Radio on Sunday where among other things, he also discussed his return to the Anthem owned promotion during the Rebellion PPV on Saturday night.

Hardy first reiterated that he loved working for Tony Khan during his time with All Elite Wrestling and that they are still negotiatiating a potential new deal:

“I will start by saying I love AEW, I loved working with Tony Khan. He’s a great guy. My contract ended up expiring and we hadn’t reached a deal yet. We’re still in the midst of talking. I have literally, in the last week, I have talked to every promoter from every promotion that there is.”

Pro Wrestling Is Best When It’s Unpredictable: Matt Hardy

Speaking about his surprise return at the TNA PPV, Matt Hardy claimed that they started talking about it on Wednesday and the deal only came together within a couple days:

“So last night was me showing that pro wrestling can still be unpredictable. I popped up. This was done in a couple days notice. we kind of started talking about this on Wednesday. Then this kind of materialised over a couple days doing some shots for TNA and a little story arc. Pro Wrestling is at its best when it’s unpredictable.”

The former WWE star also revealed that he hadn’t even told his brother Jeff Hardy about the appearance and Jeff only found out after the show was over.

Matt Hardy confronted TNA World Champion Moose during the PPV event and delivered a Twist of Fate to him. The altercation sets up a match between the two but an official announcement for the same has not been made yet.

Max Caster’s Rhyme Against Jay White Conjures Speculation Of Punishment

Dominic DeAngelo
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AEW Dynasty packed a punch for ardent wrestling fans on Sunday night and per usual Max Caster strived to do the same with his words. However, this one was a little more dicey than others.

Max Caster, Anthony Bowens and Billy Gunn were set to go up against Jay White and The Gunns on the Dynasty Zero Hour and naturally Caster would have his pre-macth rap ready to fire off. Caster thought he had his own verbal bullets for Bullet Club Gold, but his content this time around was a little more controversial than even his usual rhymes.

“Switchblade’s what I switch. I’ll fufill your fantasy and I’ll make you my b****. Yo this dude’s just making me sick. I’ll violate you so bad you’ll have to tell the legal team about the taste of my d***.”

The line sure got a shocked reaction from the live St. Louis crowd, but it also got it’s own share of opinions from fans and critics online. The Wrestling Observer‘s Dave Meltzer mentioned how Caster’s call has the potency to put him in hot water with AEW, simply saying, “I think Max Caster may get in trouble.”

That Time When Max Caster Called Out Dom Mysterio & Rhea Ripley

This is far from the first time Caster’s lyrics has raised eyebrows. Earlier this year, he cross-cut a line about Dom Mysterio and Rhea Ripley when he was about to have a match with Ripley’s real-life fiance, Buddy Matthews. Ripley ended up commenting on the matter, noting that she and Dom are over in two different promotions.

“But I mean, good for me. It’s good for Dom. At the end of the day, it got us trending on Twitter or X, whatever you want to call it these days. It got us trending. And if that’s what you want to do in your match, get two other people in the opposite promotion that you are battling with trending? Then I feel like you did the wrong job because you put us over instead of yourself, so that was a mistake on their part.”

Daily Drop (4/22): History Made At AEW Dynasty, WWE Injuries, The Rock’s MMA Training

Aaron Varble
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Welcome to the Daily Drop for Monday, April 22, 2024. AEW brought a packed Dynasty pay-per-view last night, and there is a lot to unpack.

Last night’s AEW Dynasty PPV is the most popular subject of conversation, capped off by Swerve Strickland being crowned the new AEW World Champion. The TBS Title belongs to Willow Nightingale after she took down and she’ll be the first AEW opponent for Mercedes Mone at Double or Nothing next month.

Chris Jericho got “go away heat” as he beat Hook for the FTW Title. Also, Jack Perry finally returned to AEW. He jumped into the Young Bucks and FTR’s ladder match and helped the Jackson brothers become the first-ever three-time AEW Tag Team Champions. Now, let’s get into the Daily Drop!

AEW:

Bryan Danielson Injury Scare: Danielson vs. Will Ospreay is being hailed as one of the greatest matches in company history. The conclusion saw Ospreay unleash Tiger Driver 91 for the victory. Danielson landed hard and was tended to by medical personnel after the match. He remained unresponsive for a significant period, causing concern among the St. Louis fans. Thankfully, it was later confirmed that Danielson was fine and was selling the effects of the move and the entire match. At the post-show press conference, Ospreay teased retiring Tiger Driver 91 due to how dangerous it is.

Ospreay on Triple H Dig: Ospreay addressed his recent on-camera shot at Triple H, which was actually a receipt, where he mentioned grinding on the boss’ daughter. 

“If you throw a jab, I throw one back. And although I wasn’t mentioned by name, it was clearly about me.” He went on to admit that shots like that won’t be coming from him anymore, “I don’t wanna do that anymore because I feel like I lowered myself to that standard. I don’t need to do that anymore… that’s the first time I’ve ever experienced true tribalism between the two. It’s not nice. It’s unnecessary.”

Julia Hart’s Condition: The TBS Title match at AEW Dynasty ended with a title change as they planned, but Dave Meltzer confirmed during Wrestling Observer Radio that Julia was injured in the process. Their match only went around six minutes

Jeff Hardy’s AEW Contract Ticking Down: Initial reports suggested that AEW had extended Jeff Hardy’s contract into 2025. This extension was thought to compensate for time he missed due to injuries and a sabbatical following his 2022 DUI arrest. However, Jeff has informed other talent at conventions that his contract is actually set to expire in the spring of this year. Jeff Hardy joined AEW in 2022 and quickly teamed up with his brother. Matt Hardy is now a free agent, and he’s free to speak to anyone he likes. He just returned to TNA Wrestling, but it was under a non-exclusive deal.

Swerve’s Entrance: Strickland’s entrance at AEW Dynasty received a ton of props from fans all over, who really dug his Black Panther tribute.

WWE:

WWE RAW 4/22 Card:

  • New Women’s World Champion will be crowned
  • Andrade & Ricochet vs. Dominik Mysterio & J.D. McDonagh
  • Awesome Truth vs. DIY – World Tag Team Championship match
  • Gunther returns for the first time since losing the IC title at WrestleMania

Drew McIntyre Injured: Add Drew McIntyre to the long list of WWE wrestlers out with injuries, including Rhea Ripley, CM Punk, Seth Rollins to name a few. At WrestleMania, the ‘Scottish Warrior’ defeated Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight title (before dropping it just minutes later to Damian Priest.) It turns out that McIntyre was injured in the match against Rollins and badly hyperextended his elbow. He did work last week’s WWE UK tour as advertised, but will probably take some time off to heal. On a side note, we haven’t heard anything about him signing a new WWE contract, negotiations getting series, or anything to that effect.

The Smashing Machine: The Rock just wrapped up his road to WrestleMania 40. The Final Boss promised that he will return to the company for a match against Cody, but he has an important role coming up that needs his attention. “The Smashing Machine” will chronicle the life of fighter Mark Kerr, exploring his ascent in the world of MMA and his battles with personal issues. Johnson will portray Kerr in the film, and his MMA training will start very soon for that new role.

Bayley Still Sign Ripping: Remember when Bayley went viral practically every week when she ripped up a fan’s sign as part of Damage CTRL? She hasn’t dropped that trend. She spotted a fan holding a sign that said IYO SKY was his champion, and Bayley got to work.

Upcoming PPV’s and PLE’s:

Here are the upcoming major wrestling events

  • Saturday, May 4: WWE Backlash France (PLE)
  • Sunday, May 26: NXT Battleground (PLE)
  • Sunday, May 26: AEW Double or Nothing (PPV)

Blue Meanie Gets An ECW-Themed Tattoo

Dominic DeAngelo
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Blue Meanie has had one heck of an April. Not only did the ECW legend have WrestleMania in his own backyard of south Philadelphia, but he had his own WrestleMania-themed party at his local watering hole, McCusker’s Tavern. However, even that gets better. 

The night of that very party (aptly named “MeanieMania”) Meanie got married to his partner in a ceremony officiated by his trainer and fellow ECW alum, Al Snow. WrestleMania 40 weekend had to feel like a full circle moment for a main born and raised in the City of Brotherly Love and Meanie decided to commemorate such an occassion.

Over this past weekend, Meanie happened to share on his social media that he decided to get some new ink on his leg and it’s in particular tribute to his ECW roots.

Meanie revealed that he got a tattoo of the two street signs of Swanson and Ritner, the very location of where the ECW Arena (now called the 2300 Arena) is located.”

“Been wanting a new tattoo for a while. After Mania week and the love ECW got, this seemed the most appropriate. Thank you to Fredrick Tigerman at Carvin’ Ink for the amazing work!!”

Meanie also shared a time-lapsed video of the process of getting said tattoo.

While Meanie is a stalwart of Philadelphia, another fan happened to get a tattoo that punched his ticket to WrestleMania 40. Across the country in Los Angeles, a fan had The Rock autograph his arm and told ‘The People’s Champion’ that he’d in turn get it tattooed. Sure enough, he did and The Rock gave him and his daughter tickets and a flight to WrestleMania.’

Toni Storm Has Non-PG Response To Nikki Garcia’s AEW Aspirations Post Dynasty

Anutosh Bajpai
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Toni Storm did not hold back on non-PG wrestling references during her appearance on the post Dynasty media scrum.

The AEW Women’s World Champion defeated Thunder Rosa to retain her title at the company’s latest PPV event. At the press conference afterward, she decided that she didn’t wanna answer questions from the reporters. Storm read a pre written statement for everyone instead.

The female star made references to the Cody Rhodes – Bloodline story in her speech and also explained why Nikki Garcia decided not to join the company:

“How long do I have to do this? Week after week, night after night, before you realise that I am the one who is transcending this business? Just because I don’t go out there and say it, doesn’t mean it’s not true. Do I really have to tell you every single night. Are you that thick?

Too busy chasing people blithering about goosebumps and levels and storytelling and cinema, go see a fucking movie. Nicole Garcia thought about joining AEW when she saw Mercedes did. You know why she didn’t? Because then she saw me and realised, she can’t hold a pussy scented candle to what I do.”

It’s The Greatest Thing That Could Ever Happen To You: Toni Storm

Toni Storm then claimed that she is taking AEW to new heights by just being herself and that her success is her own:

“I am the one taking this company to new heights. And I don’t even try to. I’m just being me and it’s the greatest thing I could ever be. It’s the greatest thing that could happen to all of you too. For every one of you who saw me all those years ago and thought she has potential. You had absolutely no idea it was going to get this good, did you? Tomorrow morning your headlines should read ‘Holy fuck was I wrong?’

And Anthony, I promise you no matter how many matches I win, no matter how many stories I finish. I will never call you into the ring to celebrate with me. Being timeless means I’m not on your watch. My success is my own and [you’re] damn lucky to be a part of it. If any of you have a single question after that you are as stupid as you look.”

Storm was referring to the remarks the former WWE star made while talking about Mercedes Mone’s AEW debut. Nikki had said that she almost called Tony Khan after listening to Mone’s debut promo.

Swerve Strickland Paid Tribute To Late ROH Alum With Epic Marvel-Inspired AEW Dynasty Entrance

Thomas Lowson
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Swerve Strickland arrived to AEW Dynasty in style with an epic entrance that paid tribute to one of the most important names associated with Ring of Honor. 

At Dynasty, Strickland dethroned Samoa Joe to win the AEW World Championship in an emotional main event. The win cemented Strickland as the eighth man to win the gold and the first black wrestler to capture the richest prize in AEW. 

Strickland was dressed to impress in St. Louis and wore a black and gold attire for his entrance. Fans quickly recognized the look as inspired by Kilmonger, the antagonist of 2018’s Black Panther film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

Swerve Strickland and Kilmonger. 

Swerve Strickland’s ROH Tribute

Kilmonger wasn’t the only notable name referenced during Swerve Strickland’s entrance at AEW Dynasty. Prince Nana was on hand to cover Strickland in a robe, which Excalibur noted belonged to Jimmy Rave. 

Rave was part of Ring of Honor during the company’s early days and was part of The Embassy, a stable led by Nana. Rave’s heel work was so strong, that instead of throwing streamers for his entrance as was customary, fans threw toilet paper as he made his way to the ring. The ultimately led to toilet paper being banned from ROH show after Rave tried to attack a fan who threw a roll at him after his match. 

Rave would make returns to ROH in 2009, 2011, and 2013. In November 2020, he announced his retirement after an infection in his left arm required amputation. An MRSA infection would cost Rave both of his legs less than a year later and he would die on December 12, 2021, at the age of 39. 

Will Ospreay Is Done Taking Shots At WWE After ‘Lowering’ Himself With Triple H Jibe

Thomas Lowson
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Will Ospreay doesn’t plan on taking shots at WWE again on AEW programming after recently taking aim at Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque. 

On an episode of AEW Dynamite, Ospreay spoke about the ‘grind’ and said that Triple H only reached the top of WWE due to ‘grinding’ on Stephanie McMahon. The dig was in response to comments made by the Game over WrestleMania week in which he said some wrestlers opt not to sign with WWE due to the ‘grind’ and choose a promotion with a lighter schedule. 

Ospreay’s dig sparked a discussion as to whether he crossed a line given that Triple H hadn’t mentioned him and that his comment took place in front of Renee Paquette, a friend of both Triple H and Stephanie. Speaking on the AEW Dynasty media scrum, Ospreay shared his belief that Triple H’s comment was about him. 

“If you throw a jab, I throw one back. And although I wasn’t mentioned by name, it was clearly about me.”

Ospreay added that he’s finished with taking aim at WWE as he doesn’t feel such ‘tribalism’ is good for anyone involved. 

“I don’t wanna do that anymore because I feel like I lowered myself to that standard. I don’t need to do that anymore… that’s the first time I’ve ever experienced true tribalism between the two. It’s not nice. It’s unnecessary.”

Though Will is done taking aim at WWE, he does not regret what he said as Triple H’s comment did “piss me off.” Ospreay couldn’t help but take one last swipe, however, as he finished speaking on the matter, saying he doesn’t need to “f***ing f*** with guys below me.”

AEW Dynasty saw Ospreay defeat Bryan Danielson in an instant classic that went over 30 minutes. Ospreay got the win after hitting the Tiger Driver 91 which led to a worrying scene after the match. 

Wrestling World Reacts to Swerve Strickand’s AEW World Championship Win At Dynasty

Thomas Lowson
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The wrestling world has shared their support for Swerve Strickland following his AEW World Championship victory at AEW Dynasty. 

Strickland dethroned Samoa Joe in the main event of the show to become the eighth man to have won the gold. The win also made Strickland the first black man to hold the AEW World Championship. 

Wrestling World Reacts to Swerve Strickland’s Win

Strickland’s victory has understandably had the wrestling world abuzz. On Twitter, Matt Hardy gave his congrats to Strickland and others who made an impression at AEW Dynasty. 

WWE’s Cedric Alexander also gave his congrats to the new AEW World Champion. 

Darby Allin made reference to Swerve’s catchphrase shortly after his victory in St. Louis. 

WWE NXT’s Joe Gacy had nothing but love for Swerve Strickland. 

Orange Cassidy was victorious in tag-team action on the All In Zero-Hour pre-show. The freshly squeezed had just one word after AEW Dynasty. 

AEW’s Administration Co-Ordinator shared a photo with Strickland, Prince Nana, AEW COO Kosha Irby, and new AEW TBS Champion Willow Nightingale to celebrate the historic show. 

Kevin Knight was also pleased to see Strickland and Nightingale get the win and the gold at AEW Dynasty. 

And as for Strickland himself, the new AEW World Champion had just a few words to give on social media. 

Strickland’s win clearly means a lot to a lot of people and for good reason. After the setback of his 2021 release from WWE, Strickland has pulled himself up to become one of the hottest acts in professional wrestling. As for how his reign goes remains to be seen but AEW is indeed Swerve’s house after the Dynasty pay-per-view. 

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