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The Rock Hints At WWE Involvement Beyond WrestleMania 40: We’re Building For The Future

Anutosh Bajpai
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The Rock has hinted that WrestleMania 40 may not be his last program with WWE.

Ever since the Great One joined the TKO board of directors, there have been speculations that we will be seeing him on WWE programming more regularly.

After an amazing performance in the main event of WrestleMania Saturday, The People’s Champion took part in the post-show media scrum. He was asked if we can expect more big matches from him, to which The Rock said that he can’t elaborate on it at the moment:

“There might be. Can’t elaborate that much on that but there might be. I love what I do and I love our business. I was born into our business as you guys know so we’ll see.”

The Rock was later asked what inspired his comeback to the WWE ring after more than a decade. The Hollywood star mentioned how talks of a match between him and Roman Reigns have been going on since before WrestleMania 39. 

Speaking about finally pulling the plug on it, he said that the Endeavor sale was a catalyst for it. The Great One mentioned how he has known both Ari Emanuel and Nick Khan for a long time, and once again talked about building things beyond WrestleMania 40:

“My number one priority was ‘Can I come back and add real value this time around’ and not you know, coming back for hot shots one at a time maybe, making appearance one night. That’s fun. That’s fun for the fans, but I wanted something a little bit more, a lot more substantial. Not only a lot more substantial, but something that we can really build upon.

And so these past two, three months, I think we’ve been laying groundwork nicely, and not only building for WrestleMania this weekend, but also I think beyond that and building for the future and what that could look like.”

A win for The Rock and Roman Reigns tonight means the match between Cody Rhodes and The Tribal Chief tomorrow will be contested under Bloodline rules.

We know that the Hollywood star will have to step away from WWE programming for the time being after this PLE due to his movie commitments. 

The intrigue for a Rock vs Roman Reigns match, however, is still there. After the latest comments from the former champion, it won’t be a surprise if we see the current story extending beyond this year’s edition of The Show of Shows.

You can watch the media scrum below:

If you use the quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

How Did Jason Kelce’s WWE WrestleMania 40 Appearance Come About?

Thomas Lowson
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Jason Kelce’s surprise appearance at WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday had been in the works for some time, it has been reported. 

During the tag-team match pitting Rey Mysterio & Andrade against Santos Escobar & Dominik Mysterio, two masked men helped prevent a steel chair assault on the WWE Hall of Famer. The two men were revealed post-match to be Kelce and Lane Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Kelce and members of his team reached out to Danny Cage and The Monster Factor for training and to document his journey to WrestleMania 40, Fightful Select reports. Kelce and Lane did not take their role at the show lightly as they trained for hours both in and out of the ring. 

The two men were said to be very respectful to everyone they met and the wrestling industry in general. Both also showed interest in returning for further training down the line. WWE and the Philadelphia Eagles posted footage of Lane working out with Seth Rollins during the week. It had also been reported that WWE had reached out to Kelce in the days leading up to WrestleMania. 

Football and WrestleMania

Kelce and Lane aren’t the only names from the NFL to make an impression at WWE’s biggest event of the year. At last year’s event, Pat McAfee, a former punter, won his impromptu match with The Miz thanks to interference from George Kittle. The San Francisco 49er was also in attendance at WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday. 

The biggest NFL involvement at WrestleMania came in 1995. At WrestleMania 11, Lawrence ‘LT’ Taylor defeated Bam Bam Bigelow in the show’s main event. The match had been set up in January of that year with an altercation between Taylor and Bigelow at the Royal Rumble. 

Watch: What Happened With Cody Rhodes After WrestleMania Saturday (4/3) Went Off Air

Anutosh Bajpai
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It appears Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins are still partners despite their disheartening loss at the hands of Roman Reigns and The Rock at WrestleMania: Saturday.

The WrestleMania main event was everything fans expected and more. The match which went over 40 minutes was one of the longest bouts in the history of the Show of Shows.

From the start, The Final Boss used every tactic he could to control the bout. This included threatening the referee in order to stop the tag team rules from being enforced.

Both Cody and Seth showed incredible courage despite the overwhelming odds and managed to get the upper hand a few times, only to be taken out again however.

It looked like Cody might actually win the match for his team when he went for a third back-to-back Cross-Rhodes on Reigns but The Rock introduced the weight belt at the last second and turned the match into their favor.

What Happened After WrestleMania Saturday

Seth Rollins had already been taken out by a spear through the barricades. So after the belt spot, Roman hit the spear. It allowed The Rock to hit Rock Bottom and finally The People’s Elbow for the win.

Both the cousins had an extended celebration after the match while Cody remained in the ring realizing the effect this loss would have on his match with Roman Reigns tomorrow.

Though it appears that the bond between Rhodes and Rollins remains the same despite the change. As seen in the post-show footage below, Cody helped a beat up Seth to the back after the show went off air:

The WrestleMania Sunday main event between Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns will now be contested under Bloodline rules. This means we can expect to see more of all four of these contestants tomorrow night.

As evident from the results of tonight’s show, The American Nightmare will have to do something unprecedented if he has to finish the story tomorrow night and a planned mystery spot may turn out to be the catalyst of it all.

Rhea Ripley: Becky Lynch Is One of the Best, It’s Bloody Fantastic That I Beat Her

Thomas Lowson
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Rhea Ripley feels “bloody fantastic” to have beaten Becky Lynch at WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday and retain the WWE Women’s World Championship. 

Ripley retained the gold against The Man in the opening match of the evening. The event marked one year on from when Ripley won the title, known as the SmackDown Women’s Championship at the time, from Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 39. 

Speaking at the post-WrestleMania 40: Saturday press conference, Ripley reflected on her victory over one of the most decorated women in WWE history. 

“It feels bloody fantastic to say the least. Look, I went out there with one of the best in this federation, Becky Lynch. And to be able to step toe-to-toe with her and bring the fight to her, it meant the absolute world to me. And to be able to have it at the grandest stage of them all, WrestleMania XL, the largest WrestleMania there is, it’s very, very special. And not only that, but to have Motionless in White be there too, everything sort of came together for Mami and I proved once again that Mami is always on top.” 

The Judgment Day’s Mixed Night

While Ripley emerged triumphant against Becky Lynch, the other Judgment Day members did not fare so well. In the six-pack tag-team ladder match, Finn Balor and Damian Priest lost both the Raw and SmackDown Tag Team Championships to the Awesome Truth and A-Town Down Under respectively. This was despite JD McDonagh trying to aid his allies. Later in the show, Dominik Mysterio teamed with Santos Escobar in a losing effort to Rey Mysterio & Andrade. 

For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops. 

The Rock & Roman Reigns Defeat Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins At WrestleMania 40

Aaron Varble
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WrestleMania 40 promoted the main event of night one as the biggest tag team match of all time. It certainly delivered on every level.

Cody Rhodes is set to battle Roman Reigns during night two of WrestleMania 40 for the Undisputed Universal Heavyweight Title. Seth Rollins will defend his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Drew McIntyre tomorrow night as well.

The main event of WrestleMania’s first night included a very special stipulation. If the Bloodline won the match, then it would be Bloodline Rules for Cody Rhodes’ match against Roman Reigns during the second night. If the babyfaces won, then the Bloodline would be banned.

In the end, The Rock pinned Cody Rhodes’ shoulders to the mat at WrestleMania 40 Saturday. This means it will be Bloodline Rules for the title match at the end of WrestleMania Sunday.

The Match Finish

This match got going slowly as fans took in the scene in front of them. The Rock tagged in eventually, where he squared off against Seth Rollins first. It didn’t take much time for Cody to take the tag, where he put some boots to The Great One for making him bleed.

The referee started counting to 10 as they brawled on the outside of the ring. Then The Rock threatened to fire referee Chad Patton if he ended the match via countout. “I don’t f*ck around,” he said. This allowed everyone in the match to brawl throughout the stadium for a while.

They returned to the ring eventually, where Reigns and Rollins battled it out. Roman was able to tag The Rock, but they didn’t let Cody tag in. The beatdown on Rollins continued after that.

Finally, The Rock latched on a sharpshooter, and Cody ran in the ring to slap him in the face. Seth finally landed a Stomp on Rock, but he didn’t pin him. He did finally make it to Cody Rhodes for the tag as Roman tagged in to give a teaser for the WrestleMania Sunday main event.

Roman Reigns’ nose was busted open during the brawl, and Cody avoided a spear. Then Roman kicked out after a splash when Rhodes tagged in Rollins. As they kept going, it all climaxed in Cody Rhodes putting The Rock through the announce table with a Rock Bottom as Roman speared Seth Rollins through the barricade.

Roman and Cody ended up in the ring, where they traded shots. Then, Cody nailed two Crossroads, and as he was going for a third, The Rock nailed him with his weight belt. Then Roman Reigns nailed a spear before tagging in The Rock.

The Rock nailed a Rock Bottom on Cody Rhodes before hitting a People’s Elbow for the clean win.

Special Entrances

Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins received their standard entrances for this match. If they get a special presentation, it will likely be for their title matches tomorrow night. That being said, the “WOAH” during Cody’s entrance was incredible.

The Rock’s entrance included an epic light show with his Final Boss theme. He also came out in the middle of a flaming Brahma Bull logo with the People’s Championship over his shoulder.

WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday Attendance Revealed, Nick Aldis & Adam Pearce Appear

Thomas Lowson
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Over 70,000 fans filled Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field for WrestleMania 40: Saturday, it was confirmed during the broadcast. 

Before the main event tag-team match between The Bloodline against Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins, WWE had a huge segment with Adam Pearce & Nick Aldis. The Raw and SmackDown General Managers thanked the fans for bringing the fire all night long and revealed that 72,543 had filled the stadium for WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday. 

WrestleMania 40’s Attendance

This 72,543 attendance number is a huge win for WWE. This number is the highest attendance for a WrestleMania: Saturday event since the concept was introduced in 2020. This is the highest attendance of any WrestleMania event since WrestleMania 34 in 2018 which saw 78,133 fill the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in New Orleans. 

It’s worth mentioning that these numbers haven’t always been entirely honest in the past. WWE, among other promotions, have often inflated their figures. For example WWE WrestleMania 3, which for decades has been claimed brought in 93,173 fans, is believed to have actually had 78,000 fans inside the Pontiac Silverdome. 

WWE has in the past stated that the attendance figures given during broadcasts are “for entertainment purposes” and may not entirely reflect the actual number. The most recent ticket number shared by WrestleTix before WrestleMania 40: Saturday stated that 68,412 tickets had been distributed for Night One of this year’s two-night mega-show. 

Sami Zayn Defeats GUNTHER For Intercontinental Title At WWE WrestleMania 40

Aaron Varble
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WWE uses WrestleMania’s stage to tell the best stories they can every year. WrestleMania 40’s IC Title match was certainly worthy of the historic event.

Sami Zayn defeated GUNTHER at WrestleMania 40 to end his historic reign as Intercontinental Champion.

GUNTHER walked into WrestleMania 40 with 666 days as Intercontinental Champion and counting. He battled Sami Zayn, who was entering as the underdog, but that was nothing different for Zayn.

The Match Finish

No matter what GUNTHER threw at Sami Zayn, he kept kicking out. When Zayn landed a Helluva Kick, GUNTHER kicked out in return.

Sami Zayn’s wife sat at ringside for the match, cheering her husband on the whole time, especially after he kicked out following two powerbombs from GUNTHER. The Ring General continued to assault Zayn, and then he taunted his wife before laying down another powerbomb.

Finally, GUNTHER scaled the top rope, where he hit a big splash, but he didn’t even attempt a cover before he went back to the top rope to hit a second splash. He didn’t even try to pin him the second time.

Zayn started to stir, and he nailed GUNTHER with a Helluva Kick as he climbed to the top rope again. Then Zayn nailed an avalanche brainbuster before hitting another two Helluva Kicks and getting the clean pin to win the title.

Special Entrance

Before the match, they showed Sami Zayn backstage with his wife and son. He asked her to keep his son backstage, so he didn’t see what happened in the ring. Then Chad Gable told him that he’s going out there by himself.

As the camera followed Sami Zayn to the ring, Kevin Owens met him in the gorilla position. Owens slapped Zayn to hype him up before he made his way to the ring.

Jade Cargill, Naomi & Bianca Belair Triumph Over Damage CTRL at WWE WrestleMania 40

Thomas Lowson
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The trio of Jade Cargill, Naomi, and Bianca Belair proved to be a force to be reckoned with by emerging victorious at WWE WrestleMania 40.

In the fifth match of WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday, the trio dispatched of Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai & WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Asuka & Kairi Sane.) The finish of the match saw Asuka accidentally mist Kairi Sane before the Empress of Tomorrow was dispatched of by Bianca Belair. Cargill would then level Dakota Kai to get the win for her team. 

You can check out some highlights from the match below.

The Storm is Here

Going into this six-woman tag-team match, there was a lot of interest in how Jade Cargill would fare at her first WrestleMania. It wasn’t long into the match that “We Want Jade” chants rumbled throughout the massive crowd inside Lincoln Financial Field. Cargill certainly looked like she belonged in the ring at WrestleMania 40 and fans can expect the Storm to be at many WrestleManias and other Premium Live Events to come. 

Cargill signed with WWE in September 2023 and was immediately treated as a massive high-profile acquisition for the company. Before arriving in WWE, Cargill made her name in All Elite Wrestling, where she was the first AEW TBS Champion. Her 508-day reign with the gold remains the longest title reign of any champion in AEW history.

Jey Uso Wins ‘Uso Civil War’ Over Jimmy Uso At WWE WrestleMania 40

Aaron Varble
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WrestleMania usually features high-profile stories, as they reach a climax at the show of shows. This year saw two twin brothers face off in a dream match for a lot of fans.

Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso battled at WrestleMania 40. In the end, Main Event Jey Uso was able to topple his twin brother Jimmy and win at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Match Finish

Near the end of the match, Jimmy Uso got on his knees and begged for forgiveness, and Jey accepted it, only to eat a superkick from Jimmy. This resulted in a near fall, as they also teased an Usos reunion in the process.

Jey nailed a spear after that and climbed up top to nail a splash for the win. This was a clean win, where Michael Cole proclaimed that “Jey Uso wins the Uso Cival War!”

WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi was mentioned several times throughout this match for a reason. He is the father of Jimmy and Jey Uso, along with Solo Sikoa as well.

Jimmy and Jey Uso entered WWE together, and they were inseparable for the longest time. Then, a knee injury in 2020 caused Jimmy to miss a lot of action, but Jey continued as part of Roman Reigns’ Bloodline story. By the time Jimmy returned, fans knew that the twins were destined to throw down. That went down at WrestleMania 40.

Special Entrance

Lil Wayne was a part of Jey Uso’s entrance, but he didn’t do much. He did not debut any new song, and only did around four bars of A Milli before Jey came out. It was still fun to see Weezy on the grandest stage of them all.

Weezy is in the middle of a world tour right now, with a few more dates scheduled out until June. You may find more information about Lil Wayne’s tour schedule here.

Jason Kelce & Lane Johnson Assist Rey Mysterio & Andrade In Getting The Win At WrestleMania 40

Aaron Varble
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WWE usually brings massive names in for WrestleMania events. This tradition was no different for the 40th anniversary of the showcase of the immortals. 

Rey Mysterio and Andrade teamed up at WrestleMania 40 to take on Santos Escobar and Dominik Mysterio. In the end, two unexpected WrestleMania guests got involved. 

During the tag team match, two massive luchadors showed up at ringside. They helped Mr. 6-1-9 and Andrade win the match. Then the two masked men revealed themselves to be Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson.

WrestleMania 40’s Importance For Jason Kelce

This was a big surprise for the Lincoln Financial Field crowd, as the pro football players celebrated with Rey Mysterio and Andrade. In the end, both Kelce and Johnson also tore off their shirts in the midst of the excitement. 

Jason Kelce played 13 seasons in the NFL, and in every one of them, he was the starting center for the Eagles. At 36 years old, he is now retired and he had a great time at Mania.

It was previously reported that WWE had reached out to Jason Kelce about making an appearance at WrestleMania 40. Travis Kelce apparently couldn’t make it, but they were able to land the former Eagles center for the show of shows.

SEScoops will have continued coverage of WWE WrestleMania 40. Keep checking back throughout the show, and afterward for more headlines!

A-Town Down Under Win SmackDown Tag Titles At WrestleMania 40, Awesome Truth Win Raw Tag Gold

Thomas Lowson
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The Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships are no longer thanks to the six-pack tag-team ladder match at WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday. 

The match was the second of the night at WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday and was presented by Wheatley American Vodka. The match began with both the Raw and SmackDown Tag Team Championships being hoisted separately, leaving fans speculating that the titles would be split up. 

This theory was all but confirmed when R-Truth suggested that he and The Miz go for the SmackDown Tag Titles and leave DIY to go for the Raw Tag Tea, Championships. Neither team would be able to grab the gold though. Instead, it was Grayson Waller who captured the SmackDown Tag Team Championships, and Samantha Irvin confirmed that A-Town Down Under officially were the champs of the blue brand. 

This win marks the first Tag Title Championships for A-Town Down Under. It also marks Waller’s first championship victory in WWE and Theory’s first taste of gold since holding the WWE United States Championship in 2022. 

New Raw Tag Team Champions

With the SmackDown Tag Team Titles captured, all attention turned towards the Raw Tag Team Championships. In the end, Awesome Truth captured the gold, ending the reign of the Judgment Day. This win marked the first tag title win for Awesome Truth as a team, though both men have held tag gold with other partners in the past. This was also Truth’s first win at a WrestleMania. 

WrestleMania 40: Rhea Ripley Retains Women’s World Title After Grueling Battle Against Becky Lynch

Aaron Varble
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WWE sold out the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia for WrestleMania 40. This was an epic show, and they kicked things off with a Women’s World Title match.

Rhea Ripley and Becky Lynch opened up WrestleMania 40 with their Women’s World Title match. The crowd was hot and ready to go, and they got an impressive opening match in the process.

After a grueling contest, Rhea Ripley defeated Becky Lynch to retain the WWE Women’s World Title at WrestleMania 40. This will continue her reign as she carries on with over a year as champion.

The Match Finish

At one point, mid-way through the match, Lynch nailed the Man-Handle Slam, but Ripley kicked out at two. Then, Rhea Ripley nailed a Riptide, but Becky Lynch kicked out in return. After they kicked out of each other’s finishers, things picked up even more.

Ripley was eventually caught in the Dis-Arm-Her, but she lifted Lynch up, and they went tumbling over the top rope to the outside with an electric chair drop. Becky kicked out after a massive frog splash from Ripley when they returned to the ring, and the two continued until she nailed Lynch with a Riptide onto the turnbuckle, followed by a second in the middle of the ring for the win.

Becky Lynch won the 2024 Women’s Elimination Chamber match in Perth to get this title shot. Rhea Ripley’s championship reign was at 371 days as she walked into the showcase of the immortals.

Special WrestleMania 40 Entrances

Both Ripley and Lynch received special entrances. The Man’s entrance was themed around her book, “Becky Lynch: The Man: Not Your Average Average Girl.”

The Nightmare received a musical entrance as Motionless In White rocked out before the champion made her way out.

SEScoops will have continued coverage of the WrestleMania 40 event. Keep checking back for more headlines throughout the show, and after.

Trick Williams Defeats Carmelo Hayes In Historic NXT Stand & Deliver Main Event

Aaron Varble
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WWE brought an action-packed show for NXT Stand & Deliver. The main event match certainly brought it on every level, as Trick Williams sought vengeance on Carmelo Hayes.

Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams battled in the main event of NXT Stand & Deliver. They made history in the process as the first-ever all black main event for an NXT premium live event. In the end, Trick Williams defeated Carmelo Hayes in the middle of the ring.

The crowd was on fire for this match, which included a few notable close call two-counts. Trick Williams and Melo avoided each other’s finishers, but then Melo nailed his Nothing But Net diving ax-kick for a two-count.

Ava told the referee to give the two stars leeway in this match, because she wanted to see a definite winner.

They kept going, and Melo started to use a chair, until Trick Williams landed his trick shot knee to Melo’s face, and he got the clean pinfall after that.

The Wells Fargo Arena crowd chanted “Whoop that trick” loudly as he celebrated during the closing moments of the premium live event. This was a historic win for Williams, as it elevated him in a huge fashion.

Trick Williams & Carmelo Hayes’ History

After the two were a duo for the longest time, Trick started teasing the idea that he wanted to break off on his own while still remaining friends, which he eventually did. Hayes didn’t take the split too well.

Hayes shocked everyone by admitting he was the one who had attacked Williams back in October 2023. The two were enemies from that point on, and things escalated in a hurry.

At NXT: Roadblock on March 5, Tony D’Angelo used Williams’ entrance music to distract Hayes during their match. Tony D won that match to become #1 contender, and then Trick attacked Melo for real after the match.

The conflict between Hayes and Williams intensified the next week on NXT when Williams challenged Hayes to a match at NXT Stand & Deliver. 

Roxanne Perez Defeats Lyra Valkyria For NXT Women’s Title At Stand & Deliver

Aaron Varble
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WWE has focused on this weekend for months now, and we are finally here. Roxanne Perez knew that she had to giver her all to walk out of Philly as champion, and she did just that.

Roxanne Perez battled Lyra Valkyria for the NXT Women’s Title at NXT Stand & Deliver. In the end, Perez won the title in front of a packed Wells Fargo Center crowd.

Roxanne Perez eventually latched on her crossface submission, and Lyra had no choice but to tap out after trying to get out multiple times.

Perez’s Road Back to the NXT Title

This marks Perez’s second reign as NXT Women’s Champion. She will start this reign as the company prepares to debut a new NXT Women’s North American Title as well. It will be interesting to see who steps up to face her next, and who vies for the new title.

Perez’s journey had its highs and lows. She entered her first Royal Rumble match on January 28, 2023 as NXT Women’s Champion. Then, at Vengeance Day, Perez successfully defended her title in a triple threat match against Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne. She then beat Meiko Satomura at Roadblock, but collapsed after the match. She required medical attention and was written off television after that.

Perez declared her intent to defend her title at Stand & Deliver, however, she lost the title to Indi Hartwell in a ladder match at the event.

Following unsuccessful attempts to reclaim the title, including a triple threat match at Spring Breakin’, Perez entered the NXT Women’s Championship Tournament at Battleground. Despite defeating Jacy Jayne in the first round, she was defeated by Stratton in the semifinals.

The 22-year-old Prodigy was distracted from the title chase after that for a while, but she eventually turned back around to focus her eyes on gold once again.

Roxanne Perez’s road back to the NXT Women’s Title took over a year. Since her heel turn, she has showed a brand-new side for her character. Her heel promos have focused on how WWE paid more attention to Becky Lynch as champion instead of her.

Giulia Debuts at NXT Stand & Deliver 2024

Aaron Varble
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WWE has brought in some of the best talent from all over the world, and now we have confirmed that Giulia is one of them.

Giulia was spotted in the audience just before the NXT Women’s Title match featuring Lyra Valkyria and Roxanne Perez. This was the first time she has been seen on screen in NXT.

WWE has historically debuted new Superstars in the crowd during premium live events. They could change Giulia’s name at this point, but they did refer to her as her previous pro wrestling moniker in the nameplate as she stood up to take in the Wells Fargo Center crowd.

Giulia’s STARDOM Exit

Rossy Ogawa was ousted from STARDOM, and Kairi Sane saw the writing on the walls, so she got out early. Rossy’s release was the final nail for some talent in the company to leave. Giulia was one of those stars.

In early February, news surfaced that Giulia opted to postpone her WWE debut in order to honor her commitment to aid STARDOM founder Rossy with his latest venture. Prior to this, Giulia had expressed her intention to address outstanding matters in Japan before transitioning to WWE.

Since arriving in America, she has received props for her attempts to learn English. She will start on NXT, where she will likely be a prominent face for the brand.

With NXT introducing a new Women’s North American Championship soon, Giulia’s arrival might be right in time to get into that mix. 

Bray Wyatt Statues Revealed At WWE World, Uncle Howdy’s Return Teased at Panel

Thomas Lowson
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Two new statues of the late Bray Wyatt have been unveiled at the WWE World convention taking place in Philadelphia, PA ahead of WWE WrestleMania 40. 

Bray Wyatt tragically passed away in August of 2023 after being pulled from programming earlier that year. The three-time WWE World Champion was 36 years old and tributes have poured in for Wyatt ever since. 

At WWE World, WWE unveiled two statues of the late wrestler. One depicts Wyatt from his 2022 return to WWE, holding a lantern and a mask. The second depicts Wyatt during his time as ‘The Fiend’ which was a hit with audiences from 2019 until his WWE release in 2021. It also features a Fiend-inspired lantern. 

The Return of Uncle Howdy

At WWE World, a panel was hosted highlighting the life and career of Wyatt. The panel included some of the people who knew Bray best, including Big E, Natalya, Seth Rollins, Charlotte Flair, The Undertaker, his widow JoJo Offerman, and Wyatt’s brother Bo Dallas, among others. 

The panel proved to be an emotional event for the guests and the fans and there was a tease at the very end of the festivities. On a screen, a video was shown, teasing the return of Uncle Howdy. 

Dallas played Uncle Howdy on WWE TV shortly after Wyatt’s return to the promotion in 2022. It’s unclear when or how WWE will reintroduce the Howdy character to TV. During the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, Bo and his sister Mika paid tribute to Wyatt during their induction speech for the US Express. 

WWE NXT Women’s North American Title Unveiled During Stand & Deliver

Aaron Varble
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WWE is adding another title to the mix for NXT, and this is a long-awaited addition to the women’s division.

During NXT Stand & Deliver, Ava appeared for a huge announcement after the six-women tag team match. The Rock’s daughter lauded the women’s division before revealing that they will be crowning a new women’s champion soon.

Ava announced they will be crowning a new NXT Women’s North American Title. This announcement was very well-received by the Wells Fargo Center crowd.

They followed this announcement up with Lyra Valkyria’s NXT Women’s Title defense against Roxanne Perez.

Fans have wanted another women’s title in NXT for a long time. Now, they are finally getting their wish. The NXT North American Title has already developed a reputation of producing great matches and elevating its champions. Now, the women’s roster will get a shot.

It was not announced when this new title will be crowned, or how they will determine the first champion. SEScoops will have more updates as they are made available. 

Becky Lynch Fighting A Cold Heading into WrestleMania 40, Special Entrance Planned

Thomas Lowson
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Becky Lynch hopes to stand tall at WWE WrestleMania 40 but The Man is walking into the upcoming two-night mega show a tad under the weather. 

At WWE WrestleMania 40: Sunday, Lynch will challenge WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley. Lynch earned this title shot by winning the Women’s Elimination Chamber match in Perth, Australia last February. 

Unfortunately for Lynch, she won’t be feeling her best when she performs inside Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field. During a Q&A session with the media, Lynch shared that she is under the weather and will be battling a cold when she steps in the ring with the ‘Mami’ of the Judgment Day. 

Lynch isn’t the only WWE Superstar who isn’t facing the best of luck going into WrestleMania 40. The tour bus of Cody Rhodes recently caught fire but everyone involved is thankfully safe and okay. Rhodes will compete on both nights of WWE WrestleMania 40. 

A Special WrestleMania Entrance

During the Q&A, Lynch also disclosed some information about her entrance for WrestleMania 40. The Man said that her new book ‘The Man: Not Your Average, Average Girl‘ will be factored into her entrance somehow. This will be a huge marketing opportunity for Lynch. 

While Lynch will have a special entrance at WrestleMania, the same can’t be said for Bayley. The Role Model had hoped that Paramore would perform as part of her entrance at WrestleMania which lead-singer Hayley Williams was also on-board with. On Twitter, Bayley explained why this wouldn’t be happening and shared a highlight video featuring the band’s hit ‘Simmer.’

The Rock As ‘The Final Boss’ Has Electrifed WrestleMania 40 To The Next Level

Dominic DeAngelo
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It feels like many moons ago when The Rock showed up on RAW in San Diego to hinder Jinder, doesn’t it?

WWE and pro wrestling is far from the pop culture heights that the genre reached in the late 1990s, but The Rock is certainly elevating the modern WWE into its own animal. His reinvention into “The Final Boss” just raised the difficulty level from “medium” to “hard” in the “No Mercy N64” of pro wrestling. If the talent is good enough to answer the call, it should cause everybody in pro wrestling to up their game.

Either way, the fans have greatly benefited from The Rock being back in the fashion that he is. It’s something that shouldn’t be taken for granted. Ironically enough ,thats in credit to the “Cody Crybabies” who lamented for ‘The American Nightmare.’

‘The American Nightmare’ Perpetuated ‘The Final Boss’

Rhodes has revived the long-forgotten role of the “ultimate babyface” where he’s the all-American John Wayne type character that his daddy adored. The fans can easily live vicariously through Cody Rhodes because of his willingness to connect with fans in a matter that hasn’t ever been done before on this type of major platform. Hulk Hogan never was the best man at a fan’s wedding nor did Hulkamania run wild at some random five-year old’s birthday party. Cody is putting those “prayers and vitamins” where his mouth is and he’s created a unique connection to people in a time where people are always connected.

As much as The Rock can cultivate an air of unattainability due to the Hollywood heights he’s reached, Cody can sit down with the father of three living paycheck to paycheck. It creates two ultimate adversaries, both with legacies in the industry and a genuine love for the one true sport.

And that “unattainability” that The Rock has harnessed is what makes this ‘Final Boss’ persona all the more engaging. We thought Dwayne was past the point of consistently showing up on WWE television, yet here he is – furthering a storyline that has him in a heel role where he’s calling fans inbreds and mocking Cody’s dog. ‘The Final Boss’ was nothing anyone expected, yet something the industry benefits from. WrestleMania 40 could have absolutely rolled right along with Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes, but The Rock going ‘Super Shredder’ on his 1998 identity feels every bit of Thanos ready to snap his fingers. That was all the more telling with that entrance Rocky made on Monday before bloodying up Dusty’s youngest boy.

The big complaint of Rock’s involvement is that it hurts Roman, but “The Tribal Chief” is just one manipulative monologue away from turning the table he claims to sit at the head of. Reigns, if he loses, will only be elevated by an extended exit. The same goes for his older cousin, whose involvement had made us all take the scenic route on the road to WrestleMania.

Hope you enjoyed the ride.

Follow Dominic DeAngelo on X @DominicDeAngelo.

Tiffany Stratton Wants Main Event of WWE WrestleMania 41 In Home State Of Minnesota (Exclusive)

Aaron Varble
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WWE has a lot of plans in the pipeline, but they have not revealed where WrestleMania 41 will be yet. Although it’s rumored to take place in Minneapolis, that hasn’t been confirmed by WWE. Tiffany Stratton certainly heard those rumors, and she wants in.

Tiffany Stratton has attracted a massive amount of attention since debuting on the WWE main roster. She had a standout performance at the Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber, but she is somehow absent from the WrestleMania 40 card. She wants to change that next year.

While speaking to SEScoops‘ Muscle Man Malcolm, Tiffany Stratton stated that she wants to main event WrestleMania 41 in Minnesota. She even called her shot, as the girl from Prior Lake, Minnesota wants Charlotte Flair as her opponent.

“So actually I heard that WrestleMania 41 is going to be in Minnesota, or like it’s rumored to be in Minnesota, and I’m from Minnesota. So, I think night one main event, me against Charlotte Flair.”

Latest on WrestleMania 41 Location

WWE has not yet officially announced the location for their biggest event of 2025, which is a departure from their usual practice.

Recent reports indicate that Minneapolis is the leading candidate to host WrestleMania 41 in 2025. Public statements from city officials strongly suggest this, and an official announcement is anticipated within the next week or two, in line with the customary timeline for this year’s WrestleMania. Minneapolis also reportedly put in a bid to host WrestleMania 41 as well.

Should Minneapolis be selected as the host city, U.S. Bank Stadium would likely serve as the venue for WrestleMania 41. The stadium, which opened in 2016 and is home to the Minnesota Vikings, boasts a maximum capacity of 73,000 attendees.

Triple H: Wrestlers Succeeding Elsewhere Doesn’t Mean They’re Right For WWE

Ella Jay
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As WWE’s Chief Content Officer, Paul “Triple H” Levesque is tasked with completing an abundance of responsibilities. Given this increased workload, though, Levesque has admittedly taken a bit of a backseat in WWE’s recruiting department. often leaning on others, such as William Regal, to primarily scout potential future WWE Superstars. Nevertheless, Levesque asserts that he is still keeping tabs on a number of prospective talents. 

WWE Recruiting

During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Levesque addressed the process of recruiting potential WWE stars. While he may listen to the recommendations and feedback of the company’s scouts, Levesque prefers to formulate his opinion by seeing a talent’s work with his own eyes. Levesque also pointed out that a talent succeeding in one promotion doesn’t necessarily guarantee that they will flourish in WWE.

“I get reports on everybody,” Levesque said. “I know who is out there, I know how good they are, I know what their potential is. I see what’s out there. I don’t subscribe to the ‘Oh, this guy says they are good, that guy says they are good.’ I have to see it and feel it. It’s just keeping track of who is out there, how good they are, and what you think they can do.”

Success In WWE Is Not Guaranteed

Levesque also pointed out that a talent succeeding in one promotion doesn’t necessarily guarantee that they will flourish in WWE.

“Because they succeed someplace else, doesn’t mean they’ll succeed at the big time. How many players go from college football at a high level and fail in the NFL? It’s massive. It’s a different game, it’s a different world. If they are not here to be all in on this — like when I see people coming out of trying to make it, and then they pick a job where they go, ‘Well.’ They work less, the schedule is lighter. Alright, then I’m glad I didn’t get you. If you’re not in it for the grind, at that point early in your career, you have no business being here.” 

Carmelo Hayes Reveals Origin of His Michael Jackson ‘Thriller’ Gimmick (Exclusive)

Aaron Varble
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Everyone has to start somewhere, even HIM. Carmelo Hayes is a breakout star on NXT with a WWE main roster call-up on the horizon, but his current character took a lot of work to find itself.

While speaking to SEScoops‘ Muscle Man Malcolm, Carmelo Hayes dove into his first-ever pro wrestling gimmick, and where it came from.

Melo had a Michael Jackson impersonator persona, and HIM recounted that gimmick as something he did to get his feet wet in the pro wrestling business. He eventually became Christian Casanova, a gimmick that was more true to who he really is.

“The Thriller of New England […] I remember my coach was like, ‘you need something, you need to be something,’ and I was like, ‘I don’t know,’ and he goes, ‘what do you like?’ I was like, ‘I don’t know, I like this, this, Michael Jackson,’ and I did a moonwalk or something, and he goes, ‘yeah, play into that.'”

“I was like, ‘alright I need an identity.’ So, I remember doing that kinda identity and I kinda got stuck in it for a year and some change, and finally I found myself and I broke out. But, it was really to get my feet wet. I used to tell people that all the time. Just to get my feet wet and get comfortable being a character and then after that, I became kinda more true to me.”

Melo also stated that he has his own barber shop now. He kicked Trick Williams out, and now a guard is stationed at the door to make sure he doesn’t come back. We will see the two collide at NXT Stand & Deliver.

Carmelo Hayes’ Main Roster Call-Up

WWE doesn’t want to rush anyone’s call-up to the main roster, especially someone with the potential that Carmelo Hayes has. He is certainly in line for a call-up, but he needs to get Stand & Deliver taken care of as well.

Hayes was selected by Shawn Michaels to represent NXT in SmackDown’s WWE United States Championship #1 Contender Tournament. In his debut match on SmackDown on December 15, he secured a victory over former rival Grayson Waller in the first round of the tournament. However, Hayes lost to Kevin Owens in the semifinals.

There are some within WWE who reportedly want to see Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams take their feud to the main roster. Those two, while they were outstanding partners, are even better enemies, and they will prove it on April 6 at the Wells Fargo Center. 

NXT: Stand & Deliver starts at noon EST. You can check out the updated card below:

  • Singles Match: Trick Williams vs. Carmelo Hayes
  • NXT Championship Match: Ilja Dragunov (c) vs. Tony D’Angelo
  • NXT Women’s Championship Match: Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Roxanne Perez
  • NXT North American Championship Match: Oba Femi (c) vs. Dijak vs. Josh Briggs
  • NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Baron Corbin & Bron Breakker (c) vs. Axiom & Nathan Frazer
  • Thea Hail, Fallon Henley & Kelani Jordan vs. Jacy Jayne, Kiana James & Izzi Dame
  • Pre-Show Match: Shawn Spears vs. Joe Gacy

Rey Mysterio On WrestleMania Rematch With Dominik: ‘I Have to Teach Him a Lesson Again’ (Exclusive)

Thomas Lowson
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Rey Mysterio is ready and willing to teach Dominik Mysterio a lesson that he believes the Judgment Day member should have learned last year at WrestleMania. 

At WrestleMania 39, Rey defeated Dominik in Los Angeles, California, following months of goading by ‘Dirty Dom.’ At WrestleMania 40, the two will face off again in a tag-team match that’ll see Rey team with Andrade to face Dominik and Santos Escobar. Speaking exclusively to SE Scoops, Rey shared his thoughts on being called a ‘deadbeat’ by his son and gave a warning to his opponents. 

“Man, I’m kind of tired and over it. I thought I’d taught him a lesson last year at WrestleMania. Obviously, he didn’t learn his lesson, or he probably did and just somehow got convinced by Santos [Escobar] ‘Hey let’s go beat up on your dad or at least try to beat up on your dad once again.’ They have no idea what’s coming to them.”

Dominik and Santos may have “no idea” what’s coming, but up until the April 5, edition of WWE SmackDown, neither did the fans. During the go-home show before WrestleMania, Dragon Lee was replaced by Andrade as Rey’s WrestleMania partner. 

Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania

WrestleMania 40 will mark the 12th’Mania match for Rey Mysterio, who made his debut at the event back in 2003 on the pre-show against then-Cruiserweight Champion Matt Hardy. Rey often has comic-book-themed costumes at WrestleMania and has worn attires inspired by The Flash, The Joker, Captain America, and Mysterio, among others.

Rey has had some huge victories at WrestleMania, including winning the World Heavyweight Championship in 2006 and the WWE Intercontinental Championship three years later. Despite this, the WWE Hall of Famer currently boasts a less-than-impressive 4-7 win/loss record at the Showcase of the Immortals. 

WWE Signing Top Prospect: Giulia Set to Join NXT Brand

Aaron Varble
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WWE’s NXT brand is likely going to get a new boost of star power, especially on the women’s division. Giulia is close than ever to making her debut for the company, and now we know that she is not main roster bound right away.

Giulia has long been rumored to be on her way to WWE following a brief stint in Rossy Ogawa’s new promotion. SEScoops can confirm Giulia is slated to join the WWE Performance Center and NXT soon.

Giulia is slated to finish up her existing commitments before reporting to Orlando, according to Corey Brennan of Fightful.

Giulia’s Stardom Exit

Rossy Ogawa, a founder of STARDOM, was terminated from the company, sparking speculation that many top stars would depart. Giulia was one of them, and she did leave the company.

Giulia had informed STARDOM officials of her departure in March. This came as no surprise to them, given the months of speculation surrounding her potential exit.

In early February, reports emerged that Giulia would delay her WWE debut to fulfill her commitment to assist STARDOM founder Rossy Ogawa with his new promotion. The STARDOM standout had previously stated that she had unfinished business in Japan.

Now, it appears that she is on her way to NXT soon enough. We do not have any confirmation on when she will be out of her obligations with Rossy, but she is WWE Performance Center bound.

Mark Briscoe Honors Late Brother Jay After ROH World Title Win

Bishal Roy
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Mark Briscoe has secured the ROH World Championship after grinding in the promotion for more than two decades.

In the headlining clash of Friday’s ROH Supercard of Honor, Briscoe dethroned Eddie Kingston and secured his first major singles title. As expected, it was a bloody affair on Friday night. 

During the brutal match, Briscoe’s head was slammed into the announcer’s table and it busted him open. In the final moments of the match, Mark Briscoe hit his finisher Jay Driller for the three count to win the title.

After his triumph, his family and some members of the locker room included ROH veterans such as Jay Lethal, Christopher Daniels, Dalton Castle, and others entered the ring to celebrate his memorable victory. 

It’s quite a special moment for Mark Briscoe, not only for the title win but also because it marks the same day when his brother Jay won the title eleven years back at the same event. That night, Jay Briscoe defeated Kevin Steen (now Kevin Owens) in the main event. 

Mark Briscoe sends a message to Jay Briscoe

During the post-show media scrum, Mark Briscoe was asked to share what he would tell his brother Mark Briscoe, who tragically passed away last year. He said:

“I love you, dog. There’s no words, man. It’s just too many coincidences for it to be a coincidence. I wear my faith on my sleeve, and God is good, man.”

He added that memorable nights like those help him keep going but it’s not an easy task. With his efforts, Mark Briscoe is trying to make his brother proud: 

“Stuff like this, the tragedy that happened, you don’t want to go on, you don’t want to get out of bed…and then nights like tonight…this is what helps you move on. It’s not easy. But nights like tonight make it a whole hell of a lot easier. I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but there are no words. I love you dog, be with me. Until we meet again, just trying to do him proud, man.”

Back in the day, Jay Briscoe held the title for 89 days before relinquishing it due to a storyline injury. Now, we will have to wait and see how Mark’s championship reign pans out.

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