Rhea Ripley has dominated as WWE Women’s World Champion and now ‘Mami’ has made clear she’s open to winning titles from the men.
Ripley captured the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 39, with a victory over Charlotte Flair. In June, the title was rechristened the Women’s World Champion after Ripley was drafted to Raw, and Asuka (then the Raw Women’s Champion) was placed on SmackDown. The Women’s World Championship shares a similar design to the Men’s World Heavyweight Championship held currently by Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins.
Challenging for the Men’s Gold
In an interview with Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, Ripley was asked about possibly challenging for championships held by men. The Australian Superstar was more than up for the challenge.
“Oh, 100%. I’m always down for a challenge. I love a good challenge. So if that opportunity were to arise, I would 110% be down.”
What’s Next?
When it comes to her own sex, Ripley’s next title match will come in her native Australia. Ripley will face Nia Jax at WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth on February 24. The WWE Women’s World Champion will defend her title against the winner of the Women’s Elimination Chamber match at WWE WrestleMania 40 this April.
Women Holding Men’s Gold
In WWE, there have only been a few examples of women holding gold which was traditionally for male Superstars. During her career, Chyna became a two-time Intercontinental Champion, while Jaqueline captured the Cruiserweight Championship in 2004. From 1998 to 2002, four women held the Hardcore Championship (Molly Holly, Trish Stratus, Terri Runnells, and a ‘ho’ of the Godfather.)
Could Rhea Ripley’s title reign come to an end at WrestleMania 40…
WWE’s NXT brand pre-taped next week’s episode already, and that included a packed night of action for fans. Sadly, one match did not turn out as anyone would have liked, as Shotzi battled Lyra Valkyria for the NXT Women’s Title.
Shotzi sustained a knee injury while attempting her apron DDT during tonight’s taping for next week’s WWE NXT Championship match. She will undergo evaluation to confirm the severity of the injury.
Fightful’s Corey Brennan reported that the NXT Women’s Title match needed to be stopped midway through the contest.
Shotzi and Lyra Valkyria’s NXT Women’s Title match during tonight’s second #WWENXT taping was stopped due to a serious knee injury suffered by Shotzi.
Shotzi and Lyra Valkyria's NXT Women's Title match during tonight's second #WWENXT taping was stopped due to a serious knee injury suffered by Shotzi.
Shotzi had been slated to compete against Tiffany Stratton in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match on this week’s WWE SmackDown, but the status of the match is now uncertain. For what it’s worth, I was able to confirm that Tiffany Stratton is in the Chamber match, so Shotzi was likely losing her qualifying match anyway.
Fightful Select later noted that this is not a work. Shotzi was in a ton of pain backstage, and she wasn’t able to place any weight on her leg.
After speaking to several sources in NXT, Corey Brennan was able to confirm that Shotzi was not able to place weight on her injured knee and was forced to hop to the back with assistance from WWE’s medical team. It was apparent when Shotzi arrived backstage that she was in a large amount of pain. Officials backstage were said to be very concerned for Shotzi and she was immediately taken for medical evaluation.
SE Scoops will provide more updates as information is made available.
Next Week’s WWE NXT
Next week’s episode of NXT promises to be a good episode. Apart from the NXT Women’s Title match, former WWE NXT Women’s champion Roxanne Perez will take on Wren Sinclair.
On the men’s side, NXT will feature a singles bout between Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen, which may finally close the book on their story. Additionally, following their face-to-face confrontation on tonight’s episode, Lexis King will challenge NXT North American champion Oba Femi for his title.
“I think I saw the headline, you know, something like that, and heard a little inside chatter on it.”
Van Dam noted that he and Foley were possibly on tap to have a match while in TNA together, but it never came to fruition. It was around the time when Abyss was answering to someone or somebodies as “they” and that “they” was slated to be Foley. That match never did happen with rumor being that Foley decline to work with Rob.
However, when RVD heard of Mick wanting one more match, Van Dam thought about his history with Mrs. Foley’s Baby Boy.
“My first thought was, ‘Dude, that should be me.’ That’d be a huge draw because we have never wrestled each other and we’re both, you know, kings of hardcore.”
The only time RVD worked with Mick in a ring happened to be in Peach State Wrestling where the two were in a battle royal together.
Not only does RVD and Foley have strong ECW ties, but there’s something else that Mick Foley has which Rob Van Dam thinks should be in his possession.
“This is very relevant. When I was in WWE and I won – well, first, even before I got to WWE, like when I started watching the product before I got there, I was a little insulted by the Hardcore Championship because I felt like they were kind of making fun of ECW. And no offense to Crash [Holly], but he would do things to make them laugh. They would fight in the pit of balls for the kids and knock the taco cart over and fight at weird places. And when I won the WWE Hardcore Championship, I was Rob Van Dam. Just kept being me and, and, uh, and having great f***ing matches, and I loved it.”
WWE Hardcore Championship
RVD goes on to say that he established the Hardcore Championship as a must-see title in WWE, much like he did with the Television Championship in ECW. He made the belt so relevant that he’d main event house shows with it.
“I was f***ing loving it, and then it meant too much. So that wasn’t their plan. So what do they do? They retire it. They retire the f***ing championship while I’m wearing it while I’m having these kick ass matches. Me and Tommy Dreamer had a match I think to retire it.”
RVD won that match against Dreamer to become the Intercontinental Champion, putting an end to the Hardcore Title. However, Van Dam made that valuable to the fans and himself, but surprisingly enough it doesn’t sit in his trophy case.
“Did they give me the Hardcore Title? Do I have that hanging in my Rob Van Dam room of outstanding f***ing accomplishments and memorabilia? No. You know who has that Hardcore Championship? Mick Foley.”
That gives RVD further incentive to have a “one of a kind” go-around with Mick Foley.
“So deep inside, there’s a little bit of resentment on my behalf. Not resentment, but I would like to have it.”
Subscribe to RVDTV.com for full episodes and exclusive clips of “1 Of A Kind With RVD.”
Please credit “1 Of A Kind With RVD” and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.
Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin were an unlikely team, but the two have proved that they are quite a pair. Now, they are NXT Tag Team Champions to top it all off.
New NXT Tag Team Champions
The Family, Tony D’Angelo and Stacks, were NXT Tag Team Champions. Then their match against the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic winners was set for this week’s episode.
Breakker and Corbin battled D’Angelo and Stacks in the main event of this week’s show. Fans in the NXT Arena were also pulling for a title change. That finally went down as Breakker scored the pinfall after a spear.
This was a hard-fought match, as The Family was able to create some devastating offense to really slow down their opponents. Breakker also took a table break right before the finish went down, but he was able to make his way to the ring.
Bron Breakker was called up to the WWE main roster as part of his 2024 Royal Rumble entry. He appears to be going to the RAW brand, as I was told, but his time in NXT is obviously not over yet.
WWE has let champions in NXT get their main roster call-ups, only to lose the belts later. Sometimes, a title is relinquished instead of actually dropping it. Either way, Corbin and Breakker are starting a new run as champions.
SE Scoops will have more on this story as more information is made available.
Bully Ray doesn’t believe that Seth Rollins or the WWE World Heavyweight Title was framed in the best light during the WrestleMania Kickoff press event in Las Vegas.
Speaking on Monday’s Busted Open Radio with Mark Henry and co-host Dave LaGreca, The Dudley Boy paid attention to detail when it came to Seth Rollins on stage in Las Vegas.
Not only did Bully believe Roman Reigns disparaged the World Heavyweight Champion, but noticed something between The Visionary and The Rock.
“If you’re gonna talk s*** and now you get to see the guy? You better look him in the eye because Rock was looking right at Seth when he came out and you know how we are, Mark. ‘Go ahead, talk your s*** now. I’m standing on stage, I’m right next to you, talk your s*** now.’ Seth never looked at Rocky, Seth just kept looking ahead at Roman. That’s the moments that I look for.”
Bully puts himself in The Rock’s position and how “The People’s Champ” hypothetically put Rollins in his place.
“’Now our characters are out there in front of the world. Watch what my character does to your character in an instant. If I wanna expose you I can,’ and all Rock needed to do is walk past Seth slowly and spread his wing slowly like a giant, jacked-up peacock. I noticed that and I was like, ‘Oh my God, Seth looks so small and so out of place standing next to Rock.’ Remember, this is just my perception of what I’m seeing.”
Please credit Busted Open Radio and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.
It’s all about positioning in WWE, figuratively and literally, and Mark Henry says The Rock is well aware of that.
During Busted Open Radio on Monday, Henry was chatting with Bully Ray and co-host Dave LaGreca about the WrestleMania Kickoff press conference that took place in Vegas last Thursday. Both WWE Hall of Famers made note of how The Rock pulled the Tony Atlas trick of positioning himself closest to the stage so he would look bigger on camera.
It paid off for Dwayne Johnson, who just by a visual standpoint, made Roman Reigns look smaller than himself. Henry thinks that move was intentional.
“Because The Rock knows better and he would not allow that to happen. He knows that he’s not the second guy in any equation and they have to fix that.”
Bully Ray adds that after the presser during the backstage segment, The Rock was leading while Roman was trailing. Henry said Roman should have flipped that and gave Rock permission to do that.
“Some of that is [WWE] not being able to tell Dwyane no. He’s very persuasive and he wants it the way that he wants it.”
Henry even recalls during his Nation of Domination days where The Rock would tell him to step on the opposite side because “The World’s Strongest Man” looked too big in front of “The Most Electrifying Man.”
“He’s the principal, but just know, that you going to have to tell me not to take the spotlight.”
Please credit Busted Open Radio and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.
LA Knight is tired of hearing of his own hype and wants to put his money where his mouth is.
Before he took on Ivar on WWE Raw in hopes to qualify for Elimination Chamber, LA Knight had gold on his mind, but after Monday, he got one step closer when defeating the Viking Raider.
Knight will join Drew McIntyre, Randy Orton and Bobby Lashley in the Elimination Chamber, but had someone specific in mind when speaking with Cathy Kelley on “Raw Talk” after his win.
However, Knight first made perfectly clear he isn’t looking for praise before Perth. He may have won the Slim Jim battle royal and challenged Roman Reigns, but that amounts to nothing as he looks ahead.
“What do I really have to hang my hat yet on at this point? What do I have to sink my teeth into just yet and I say a big fat goose egg!
“Save the congratulations. Give me the congratulations when I walk out of Elimination Chamber the number one contender for that World Heavyweight Championship and then congratulate me two times when we get to WrestleMania and I take it off of Seth Freakin’ Rollins. Nice middle name ya got there, pal, but what you’re gonna to call yourself after that is ‘former’ Champion because right now you’re looking at the future Champion.”
This past Friday on SmackDown, Knight happened to cost AJ Styles his qualifying match against Drew McIntyre when he interfered and it opened up Styles for a Claymore Kick and a 1-2-3.
The Undertaker revealed his thoughts on The Rock’s return to the WWE as WrestleMania 40 draws near, expressing positive sentiments about The Rock’s comeback. On the latest episode of his Six Feet Under podcast, The Phenom addressed his former rival having such a pivotal role in wrestling’s biggest PPV of the year.
Co-host Matthew Lyda mentioned that some WWE superstars aren’t thrilled about The Rock’s comeback. He’s He’s one of the most famous people in the world and commands lots of attention. It will be great for the financial success of the show, but what about the performers who are getting even less of that spotlight?
The Undertaker admits even he would have mixed feelings, if it was him getting pushed one more spot down the card.
“No one will say that, but it’s in the back of their head,” The Undertaker said. “It’d be in the back of my head. There’d be that side of me that said, ‘Yes, this is good for business. This is the biggest star in the world. But I’m the one that goes out and grinds every weekend of every year.”
The Dead Man says this new dynamic with The Rock in the mix adds a level of realism to things on and off television. At the end of the day, it’s going to make WrestleMania XL even bigger.
“That’s what makes everything so cool,” Undertaker continued. “That’s what makes it real. WrestleMania’s gonna be fire. It is gonna be fire.”
The Rock and WrestleMania XL
The Rock set his sights on the road to WrestleMania by making an appearance on Raw: Day 1 on January 1, where he called out Roman Reigns. It seemed like he would be challenging Reigns at WrestleMania XL.
However, during the WrestleMania XL Kickoff media event in Las Vegas on February 8, it was revealed that Reigns would instead face Cody Rhodes, who asserted his right to choose the main event after winning the Royal Rumble.
Pre-Order WWE 2K24 Now (Amazon)
Rhodes then confronted Reigns, suggesting that his family would be disappointed in him. This confrontation led to The Rock slapping Rhodes across the face, with Seth Rollins siding with Rhodes.
In a later Instagram post, The Rock addressed the confrontation, stating, “Your hero f*cked around and he found out quick what happens when you talk about our family with disrespect. Lines crossed and blurred – bring it. We don’t toe the mark for no one.”
Drew McIntyre could be sticking with WWE for the foreseeable future if the line-up for an upcoming European event is anything to go by.
McIntyre’s future with WWE has been under speculation for some time. Last year, it was reported that his contract was going to expire in early 2024. In September, McIntyre said that has no intentions to work elsewhere. It was also reported that time has been added to Drew’s WWE contract due to his post-WrestleMania 39 hiatus.
McIntyre is reportedly open to letting his current deal lapse if he feels it is right. The first Scottish-born WWE Champion has long stated that he would like to spend some extended time back in Scotland. It has been years since he’s had the chance to have more than a quick visit with his family as these days he lives full-time in the United States.
Drew McIntyre Being Advertised
Drew McIntyre is being advertised for the upcoming WWE live event in Bologna, Italy. That event will take place in May, despite McIntyre’s current deal with WWE being set to expire shortly after WrestleMania 40 in April. Neither McIntyre nor WWE have publicly confirmed whether a new deal has been reached.
WWE in Bologna, Italy
WWE will host its Italy live event on May 1, mere days before WWE Backlash: France on May 4. Other names being advertised include Cody Rhodes, Bianca Belair, Randy Orton, WWE Women’s Champion IYO SKY, LA Knight, Bobby Lashley, Kevin Owens, and Jey Uso.
Ticket and VIP packages are already being advertised for the event. As always, the talent is subject to change. At this time, no matches have been confirmed.
The WWE Universe in Saudi Arabia will soon get to participate in the ‘WWE Experience’ which will open its doors later this week.
The WWE-themed events center can be found at Blvd City and will open on February 16. The WWE Experience is part of the latest Riyadh Season, which is an annual state-funded entertainment and sports festival. Riyadh Season starts in October and ends towards March during winter and spring in the Saudi Arabia capital.
The WWE Experience
The center features several areas for wrestling fans to explore. Attendees can attempt to escape The Undertaker’s graveyard or walk among the Hall of Immortals which features some of WWE’s all-time greats. For those looking to the future, they can participate in the ‘Become a Superstar’ experience which allows them to make their own unique entrance.
Get ready for thrilling moments with the "WWE" experience ? Stay tuned for the grand opening at BlvdCity ??? February 16 ?
In 2018, WWE marked the start of its lengthy deal with the Middle Eastern kingdom with the Greatest Royal Rumble show. At the time, WWE faced heavy criticism for signing a deal with the nation, given the country’s stance against LGBTQ+ people and women’s rights. Many found the deal to be in opposition to WWE’s ‘Women’s Revolution.’
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin has told several stories in the ring during his time with WWE. Although it’s been a while since he laced up his boots, the Texas Rattlesnake isn’t shutting the door on having another match.
Steve Austin Speaks on a Return
Steve Austin competed in a No Holds Barred match against Kevin Owens on February 4, 2022, at WrestleMania 38. AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas played host to a historic performance, but it might not be his last.
While speaking to ESPN, Steve Austin spoke on the possibility of having another match. He gave the classic “never say never” approach to things, but this could mean a lot coming from Austin.
“I said I’d never get in a ring again unless all the stars aligned. And for some reason, somehow, they all did. And at the age of 57, I headlined the first night of WrestleMania. I never thought I’d do that. If you’d have told me that when I retired in [2003], I’d have said, ‘You’re crazy.’ So I’m not gonna sit here and say no to anything, because you never say never in this crazy business of sports entertainment.”
Austin also mentioned that a potential match with CM Punk “would be a good one.”
“I like Punk, and I think Punk likes me — so, as long as he can take a [Stone Cold] Stunner,” Austin said with a laugh. “I consider him a great friend, a great guy and a great wrestler who’s had a great career. We’ll see.”
Steve Austin in WWE 2K24
Austin will have a significant role in WWE 2K24’s latest game mode, “Showcase of the Immortals.” This mode lets players experience 21 historic WrestleMania matches, commemorating the 40th anniversary of WWE’s premier event. These matches include iconic showdowns like Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant from WrestleMania 3 and the memorable ladder match between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon from WrestleMania 10, as well as more recent bouts such as the first women’s WrestleMania main event featuring Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, and Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania 35.
In the game, players will be able to replay Steve Austin’s legendary match with Bret Hart at WrestleMania 13 in 1997, a bout that propelled the “Stone Cold” character to new heights. Additionally, Austin’s WrestleMania 17 clash with The Rock in 2001 and his comeback match against Owens will also be available.
What’s Next
The Rock’s recent return to WWE may have sparked interest in Austin to do the same. Only time will tell if he locks up in a WWE ring again, but his match at WrestleMania against Kevin Owens, which Austin won, was a well-produced 13-minute street fight that had fans on their feet the whole time. Odds are, Austin is in good enough shape to give the same performance, or even better, at 59-years-old.
WWE is in a booming period in their history, and they are definitely in a position to offer big compensation if Austin does decide to return. If anything, his comeback will likely be much more well-received than The Rock’s was.
Tony Khan will not comment on the allegations against former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon but is focused on ensuring a safe work environment in AEW.
McMahon re-signed from TKO and WWE last month, following a lawsuit filed by ex-employee Janel Grant. Miss Grant claims that McMahon was sexually abusive to her and that he trafficked her to others in the company, including a former UFC Heavyweight Champion.
Sitting down with Amy Kaplan of Fansided, Khan was asked for his take on the lawsuit but opted not to comment.
“I can’t comment on the terrible allegations against WWE right now. That’s something people are paying a lot of attention to right now, with good reason.”
Khan added that for AEW, their focus remains on creating a safe locker room for everyone and fostering a supportive environment. He’s proud of the AEW locker room and says talent knows they have a support system in place if anything were to arise.
“There are a lot of channels and I think everybody feels very good about having a safe workspace. There are people you can talk to. There are people in the office, but even on the wrestling side. For us, I think that’s the most important thing in any office of any workplace, is just having a lot of people that will listen.”
WWE 2K24 is coming, and there is a lot to unpack already. The new trailer dropped this morning, and a Showcase of the Immortals mode is anticipated to be a big hit.
WWE 2K24 Showcase of the Immortals Mode Information
The latest trailer for WWE 2K24’s 2K Showcase of the Immortals was unveiled today, offering fans a glimpse into five decades of WrestleMania, the pinnacle of sports entertainment. There are many memories to pull from, and 2k promises an exciting experience.
Featuring a lineup of WWE Superstars and Legends such as Cody Rhodes, The Rock, Hulk Hogan, Roman Reigns, Bianca Belair, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Rhea Ripley, Eddie Guerrero, and many more, the new trailer showcases intense battles inside the squared circle. The trailer also transitions between the most realistic WWE 2K graphics to-date and real-life footage. In a press release from 2k, they touted that this effect was courtesy of cutting-edge Slingshot Technology.
The 2K Showcase of the Immortals experience allows players to relive 21 matches across five decades of WrestleMania history, with each match unlocked by completing the previous one. From iconic showdowns like Hulk Hogan slamming Andre the Giant to modern classics like Becky Lynch vs. Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair, the game offers a comprehensive journey through WrestleMania’s storied past.
Some of the matches included in the WWE 2K24 Showcase of the Immortals mode were mentioned, but there are more to come.
Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat w/ George “The Animal” Steele vs. “Macho Man” Randy Savage w/ Miss Elizabeth – WrestleMania III;
Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant w/ Bobby “The Brain” Heenan – WrestleMania III;
“Ravishing” Rick Rude w/ Bobby “The Brain” Heenan vs. Ultimate Warrior – WrestleMania V;;
Bret “Hitman” Hart vs. “Rowdy” Roddy Piper – WrestleMania VII;
Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania X;
Bret “Hitman” Hart vs. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin – WrestleMania 13;
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs. The Rock – WrestleMania X-Seven;
Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle – WrestleMania XX;
The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania 25;
Seth Rollins vs Randy Orton – WrestleMania 31;
Becky Lynch vs. Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair – WrestleMania 35;
“The Fiend” Bray Wyatt vs. John Cena in a Firefly Funhouse match – WrestleMania 36;
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs. Kevin Owens – WrestleMania 38;
Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair – WrestleMania 39;
Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes – WrestleMania 39;
Bianca Belair vs. Asuka – WrestleMania 39;
Absence of Brock Lesnar
It is interesting that Brock Lesnar is not featured in any matches on this announcement. After all, the Beast Incarnate breaking The Undertaker’s undefeated streak at WrestleMania XX is a strange omission from those amazing matches.
Brock Lesnar’s name did not appear in Janel Grant’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon, WWE, and John Laurinaitis. However, the mention of a former UFC Heavyweight Champion negotiating a new contract with WWE raised concerns for Lesnar. Now, he is being erased.
It will be interesting to see if 2K will be able to take him out of the game completely. That may be hard to do this late in the game’s process. They certainly avoided including him in this announcement, if he is still featured at all.
Three editions of WWE 2K24 will be available, including the Deluxe Edition, Forty Years of WrestleMania Edition, and Standard Edition, with release dates staggered worldwide in March 2024. Stay tuned for additional information on the game’s soundtrack, roster, Superstar ratings, and more.
SE Scoops will have continued coverage of WWE 2K24, and everything else in the pro wrestling world.
Cody Rhodes found out the hard way what happens when you speak ill of the Bloodline at the WrestleMania 40 kick-off event, according to The Rock.
Last week’s event saw some of WWE’s top Superstars in attendance. At the press conference, Roman Reigns made clear he intended to face The Rock at WrestleMania 40 in April. Cody Rhodes threw a wrench into these plans by declaring he would be challenging the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion in Philadelphia
Cody Rhodes Found Out
During his promo against The Rock and Roman Reigns, Cody said that their ancestors would be ashamed to see the two attempts to monopolize the WrestleMania main event scene. This comment drew the ire of The Rock, who slapped the American Nightmare. Rhodes would be backed up by new ally Seth Rollins, though the four men did not come to further blows.
Taking to Instagram, The Rock reflected on slapping Cody with some choice words for “your hero.”
“Your hero f***** around and he found out quick what happens when you talk about our family with disrespect.”
Triple H brought back a lot of Superstars that Vince McMahon decided to release during the pandemic. Bronson Reed is one talent that was re-signed by WWE, but it’s been a very slow start for him. Now, he’s about to snap.
Bronson Reed Is About To Snap
On WWE RAW this week, Reed faced Bobby Lashley in a qualifying match for the men’s Elimination Chamber match at the themed PLE, scheduled for Saturday, February 24, 2024, at the Optus Stadium in Perth, Western Australia. That did not turn out the way he wanted it to for the big man.
Lashley secured his spot alongside Drew McIntyre, Randy Orton, LA Knight, and another star who must qualify in the bout. Needless to say, Bronson Reed, who is from Australia, was pretty torn up about not being in the match.
Reed, who has predominantly played a heel role since returning to WWE, hinted at a potential character shift. During an interview with WWE Digital after RAW, he expressed disappointment in feeling that he let down his family and friends from Australia.
“Super disappointed. This is what I’ve dreamed about my whole life: being able to be on a WWE PLE in my home country of Australia. I feel like I’ve let down my family, I’ve let down the fans, and I’ve let down all of Australia. I couldn’t get the job done tonight…..I don’t know where I go. I planned 2024 to be a big year for Big Bronson Reed, and it’s not going to plan. I’m just at my wits’ end, and eventually, I’m going to snap.”
WWE has a few more pieces to put together for the 2024 Elimination Chamber match. In previous years, they have arranged a last-chance match with losers of qualifying matches to determine the final spot. It would be very fitting for Reed to get that spot, especially since this loss added even more fuel to the fire that a change is needed to reach the top of WWE.
SE Scoops will have continued coverage of WWE’s Elimination Chamber build. It would be nice if Bronson Reed is able to get a spot in the big match, but only time will tell what WWE has in store for him.
Matt Riddle is a top free agent, but he hasn’t inked a deal anywhere yet. That being said, it wasn’t for lack of interest, because his name could draw fans from all over.
While speaking to Sunday Night’s Main Event, Matt Riddle mentioned his involvement with several promotions such as TNA, New Japan, and MLW, expressing a preference for pay-per-view events over live TV due to their challenges. While he acknowledged enjoying the pressure, Riddle welcomed a respite from the demanding schedule and frequent script alterations on shows like Monday Night RAW.
After departing from WWE, Matt Riddle expressed that the constant television work, coupled with the demanding travel schedule, became stressful. Despite the lucrative pay and valuable experience, he now desires a hiatus from television commitments. During and after the 90-day period following his departure, Riddle plans to arrange some upcoming dates.
”I talked to some places. I’ve talked to TNA, I’ve worked with New Japan and MLW. You do film for TV, but it’s not the same as Monday Night Raw, three hours live, anything can happen, people are changing the script. You have ten minutes for your match, now you have five minutes. It’s extremely stressful. I like the pressure, but at the same time, I kind of wanted a little break from all that. I’m choosing places more pay-per-view based where I don’t have to worry about going to commercial so we can get that Fritos advertisement.”
What’s Next For Matt Riddle
Matt Riddle is also slated to face RVD in an epic first-time ever encounter. On Saturday, March 9th, 2024, “The Reunion 3: Cavalcade of Legends” Super Show will take place in Chillicothe, Ohio, at the OU-Shoemaker Center, and those two icons of 420 inspired wrestling will clash for the first time.
Riddle is also scheduled to compete against Hiroshi Tanahashi for the NJPW World Television Championship at the upcoming New Beginning in Sapporo event on February 23rd. It will be interesting to see how he performs in the match.
Jamie Hayter is a former AEW Women’s Champion, but she is currently out of action. At this time, the AEW Women’s Division is concentrated on Toni Storm and Julia Hart as their champions, but Hayter is apparently nowhere close to a comeback.
Hayter’s Situation
Jamie Hayter held the AEW Women’s Champion title since securing the interim championship at Full Gear in 2022. However, she later relinquished the title last year. Fans are eagerly awaiting her comeback, but her return to the ring remains uncertain.
During AEW Double Or Nothing, Toni Storm defeated Jamie Hayter to claim the AEW Women’s World Champion title. Before the event, there were concerns about Hayter’s condition. It was also reported that Jamie Hayter would not make her ring comeback last year.
During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer spoke on Hayter’s situation. He stated that there is no definite date for her return, but it expected to go down in the next 10 months.
“I have not been given a date on Jamie Hayter though. I just heard early this year, and we’re early in the year, so there you go. But I’ve heard nothing new, I would say, in a couple of months really.”
What’s Next
AEW is about to see the debut of Mercedes Mone for the company. That big moment is expected to go down at AEW’s Big Business episode of Dynamite. Tony Khan made a big reveal that Boston will host their March 13th edition of the show, and fans are expecting the former Sasha Banks.
Things may look very different in the AEW Women’s Division by the time Jamie Hayter is able to make her return to the ring. SE Scoops will have continued updates as more information is made available.
WWE Superstars give their all for fans in the ring. Joe Gacy is an NXT Superstar with a ton of potential. Sadly, he has also experienced a great loss in recent memory, and he shared it with fans as well.
Joe Gacy Shares His Loss
Joe Gacy got on Twitter/X to announce that his beloved cat has died. He let everyone know with a post that included a photo of his feline friend.
The caption was very simple, as Joe just let everyone know the terrible situation he’s going through. He did not include any information about what happened, but it is clear that the former Schism leader is grieving.
We lost our boy today
Joe Gacy received a flood of responses after this sad post. Sympathy was coming in from fans and his coworkers in NXT as well. Obviously, they feel for him during this sad time of loss.
Joe Gacy’s character in NXT has been going through some changes after Schism broke up. He did some strange promos and is now getting involved in angles again on his own. Ava, the only remaining member of the stable, is now GM of the NXT brand.
Our thoughts are with Joe Gacy as he makes it through this terrible incident. For more updates from the pro wrestling world, please keep checking back with SE Scoops.
WWE has a lot of couples on their roster, and they have historically done whatever they could to keep people on the same brand. In recent memory, WWE has made two big exceptions to this rule of thumb, and Tiffany Stratton isn’t loving the arrangement.
Tiffany Stratton Speaks on boyfriend Ludwig Kaiser
Tiffany Stratton was called up to the WWE main roster when she appeared in the #29 spot in the Women’s Royal Rumble match. Now, she is on SmackDown, but there is an issue since her boyfriend is on RAW.
Stratton is dating Imperium’s Ludwig Kaiser, and the two have been together for a while. They share an apartment together, but the couple only sees each other for a couple of days a week with this new arrangement.
The former NXT Women’s Champion dropped a video on TikTok as she got ready for SmackDown. She was in her hotel room before the show, and opened up about her current situation with Kaiser.
“As many of you know, my boyfriend is on RAW, and I’m on SmackDown, which means we have opposite schedules, which freaking sucks. Which means he has the complete opposite schedule, which means he comes in Tuesday morning, and I leave Thursday afternoon, so we only have like two days together, because he’s on the live shows like every single weekend.”
WWE Split Up Another Couple
Charlotte Flair is on SmackDown, but she went down with a knee injury. As soon as she was out, her husband Andrade returned to WWE. The company placed Andrade on RAW, and his wife is on the blue brand.
The general thinking is that this split won’t affect them much, since Flair is not traveling on the road. Only time will tell if WWE places them back on the same brand once The Queen returns.
What’s Next
Tiffany Stratton mentioned that she and her boyfriend were planning to move apartments soon and were looking forward to renting their dream apartment. She expressed excitement about the prospect of having more space, especially since they currently live in a cramped one-bedroom apartment and have accumulated a lot of belongings.
Tiffany emphasized the need for additional storage space for their clothes and other items, indicating a desire for a larger closet and an extra room. She may need more room soon enough, and those main roster checks will help them pay for it.
Tiffany Stratton recently outlined the struggles of being on separate brands to her boyfriend and fellow WWE Superstar Ludwig Kaiser.
The two superstars have been in a relationship for quite some time and they made it public in 2022. Stratton had a remarkable run in NXT and was called up to the main roster after her impactful performance in the Royal Rumble. She signed with SmackDown and has been performing on the blue brand ever since. Meanwhile, Kaiser made it to the main roster as part of Imperium led by Gunther and they are active on Monday Night Raw.
It is no secret that WWE superstars have a hectic schedule with weekly TV shows and live events on the weekends. Sometimes it can make an impact on their personal lives. Well, it seems that Tiffany Stratton is facing challenges to spend time with her boyfriend and Imperium member, Ludwig Kaiser. However, they are overcoming the odds and Stratton revealed that they are moving to their ‘dream apartment.’
Tiffany Stratton and Ludwig Kaiser will have a new home
While speaking on TikTok, Tiffany Stratton talked about reaching a huge milestone in their relationship and they will soon move from a one-bedroom apartment to their dream apartment.
“Actually, me and my boyfriend are going to be moving apartments soon and we’re gonna be buying, like, our dream apartment. Not buying, just renting, but you get it. But I’m so excited because we live in a freakin’ one-bedroom apartment and we just have so much stuff.”
“All these suitcases – we practically live out of suitcases, so we just need more room to store everything. I have so much freakin’ clothes, and, so does he, so we need a bigger closet, we need an extra room, we need it all, so I’m so excited.”
‘The Buff Barbie’ also revealed that they are facing challenges as they are on separate brands and the former NXT Women’s Champion noted the little they get to spend with each other. She said:
“As some of you may know, my boyfriend is on Monday Night RAW and I’m on SmackDown, which means we have opposite schedules, which freakin’ sucks. We have the complete opposite of schedules. Like, he comes in Tuesday morning, I leave Thursday afternoon. We only have like two days together really because he’s on the live shows every single weekend. But, it’s okay.”
On last week’s SmackDown Tiffany Stratton defeated Michin. On the other hand, Ludwig Kaiser teamed with Gunther and Giovanni Vinci to take on Jey Uso and New Day in a losing effort on last night’s Raw.
NWA personality Aaron Stevens has spoken about the “virus” of wrestlers who have been thrust into positions they are not properly suited for.
Stevens is best known for his WWE tenure as Damien Sandow and his spin-off character Damien MizDow. During his run with the company, he became a WWE Tag Team Champion and held the Money in the Bank contract in 2013.
A Virus Plaguing Wrestling
A veteran of the industry with over two decades to his name, Stevens has seen plenty in the wrestling business. Speaking on the Insight podcast, Stevens addressed what he sees as a major problem in the business today.
“This is a virus plaguing the wrestling industry today. There are a lot of people who are borderline untrained. There was a basic skeleton of what you had to have at a minimum to be able to get into the business and get opportunities in major companies. And the standard, across the board, has fallen extremely low. There are a few amazing [wrestling] schools out there. OVW’s still there.
Speaking about the NWA’s plans, Stevens made his goals abundantly clear with the promotion.
“We want to help bring the standard up again of what wrestling is.”
Keeping an Audience Engaged
For Stevens, comprehensive skills cover much more than what a wrestler does from bell to bell. On the podcast, Stevens spoke about the importance of keeping fans hooked from the moment they walk in front of an audience.
“How do we keep rooting interest? It’s how we dress when we come through the curtain. What colors do we wear? How do we walk? What do we do when they first see us? These are things that at NWA we’re starting to instill to try and train people to not only be good television wrestlers but really be good professional wrestlers in general.
“Because there’s not much of a difference between working a live crowd and TV. When you work TV, yes, you have to be conscious of where the cameras are. But in terms of your timing, letting people appreciate what you are doing as an artist, there’s that element that’s missing [today.]”
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
WWE Hall of Famer and Reality of Wrestling owner Booker T has responded to claims that he fired a wrestler because she was the victim of stalking.
This week, Raychell Rose spoke about her experiences with ROW, and claimed that a trainee called Shawn Reed stalked her for years. Reed even went as far as to threaten a shoot-up at a ROW event, according to sources close to the situation.
Booker T Responds
Rose claims that after an incident with Reed at a bar that resulted in multiple arrests, she was let go from Reality of Wrestling. This bar was a known hangout for ROW talent after shows, and it is believed Reed deliberately went with the intent of stalking Rose. The wrestler alleges that the blame for Reed’s behavior was put on her as an alleged source of issues.
On his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker addressed the incident at the bar and said he encouraged Rose to not go to the bar despite the tradition.
“I stressed, ‘Raychell Rose, go somewhere else. Go anywhere. So many other places you can go to. Do that for me so we can diffuse the situation.’ I left, went home, next thing you know, I’m getting a phone call from the bar owner, I’m getting a phone call from the police and the boys to come back and figure out what happened. Raychell Rose chose to go to the bar. What happened after that was totally out of my control.”
When asked about Reed reportedly bringing a weapon to a ROW event, Booker denied the notion.
“That’s not true. The place he sat, I made sure he was watched by an armed guard and six other people. I made sure of that. I got instinct. I could have easily let Shawn Reed leave the building that night and he left in a depressed state and something really happened that night, but nothing happened at Reality of Wrestling.”
Not Stalking?
When asked about Reed’s alleged stalking of Rose and if he was aware, Booker said he was more concerned over Reed’s situation.
“Not stalking. He made aware that he did not want to date her. He said, ‘I don’t want to date her, I just want to be part of Reality of Wrestling. This is something I’ve missed for the last four years.’ That’s what my concern was. My concern was the kid. I didn’t know about her issue. Maybe had I been aware of her issue, I would have taken just as much consideration.”
Raychell is Fired
Booker added that following the incident at the bar, a phone call happened between himself and Rose in which it was agreed she wouldn’t be returning for ROW events. Booker said that the decision was amicable and that she was not ‘fired.’
“No one ever said to Raychell Rose, ‘You’re fired.’ That’s not a word we use at Reality of Wrestling because we don’t hire people. Raychell Rose, if she would have did what I asked, she says it, ‘I remember him saying go somewhere else, but we have a tradition to go to the bar.’ If we have a tradition to go to the bar, we have a problem. I’m trying to help you and save your life. That was disregarded.”
Booker added that there has not been an incident like this in the 20 years of Reality of Wrestling. He added that even if he could have seen the bar incident coming, he does not believe anything he could have done would have changed the situation.
WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes yet again shared a heartwarming moment with a fan during this week’s Monday Night Raw.
‘The American Nightmare’ has proven several times why he’s a fan favorite. Even though he is a popular name in the pro wrestling industry, he has always tried to establish a personal connection with his fans.
At WWE shows, Cody Rhodes frequently makes time to greet fans, sign autographs, and take pictures. Cody’s modest demeanor has made a lasting impression on fans, regardless of the magnitude of the wrestling shows. He attempts to make every interaction unique and to make sure that his supporters feel valued and appreciated at the end of the day.
Cody Rhodes gifts his weight belt and shoes
The latest edition of WWE Monday Night Raw, emanated from the Kupp Arena in Lexington, KY. After WWE’s flagship show came to a close, Cody Rhodes had an interaction with a fan on birthday.
After the show went off the air, Rhodes delivered a promo for the Lexington crowd. During his promo, he gave away a pair of his shoes to a kid in the audience.
The 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble winner also gave away his weight belt, which he usually gives to the fans during his entrances. Cody went on to take pictures and shook hands with the fans concluding a great night for the fans.
During the show, Cody Rhodes spoke to the WWE Universe for the first time after he decided that he would challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 40. ‘
The American Nightmare’ also made the save for Sami Zayn and helped fend off Drew McIntyre and Shinsuke Nakamura during their post-match assault on Zayn at the end of the show.
It was announced that Rhodes will face Drew McIntyre in a singles match next week.
Meanwhile, the show also featured a six-man tag team match with WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER and fellow Imperium members Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci taking on Jey Uso and The New Day.
There were also three Elimination Chamber qualifying matches on the show as LA Knight and Bobby Lashley qualified for the Men’s Elimination Chamber match while Liv Morgan qualified for the Women’s Elimination Chamber match.
‘The Animal’ Dave Batista would rather see his name among the records of WWE Hall of Famers instead of in the credits of an upcoming James Gunn DC Comics film.
Gunn, the director behind Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy series and 2021’s The Suicide Squad, was named Co-Chairman and co-CEO of DC Studios (alongside Peter Safran) in late 2022. The decision was made for DC Comics’ cinematic universe to have a clearer vision after a messy roll-out since 2013’s Man of Steel.
Batista and the WWE Hall of Fame
In a recent interview with Comicbook.com, Batista was asked whether he’d rather become a WWE Hall of Famer or be part of Gunn’s vision for the DC Universe first.
“I don’t know… I couldn’t give an honest answer to that and I’m only going to say this because we have had conversations over the years … it would be WWE Hall of Fame.”
“I was suppose to go in last year and I was on a film and I just couldn’t travel… I was on a film in South Africa and logistcally we just couldn’t make it happen.”
Gunn and the Animal are no strangers, with Batista playing Drax the Destroyer in all three Guardians films, as well as several other Marvel Cinematic Universe films and projects. Last year, Batista said he’d spoken with Gunn about playing Bane in a future DC project. The masked villain infamously broke the spin of Batman upon his 1993 arrival in the Knightfall storyline and has since become one of the Dark Knight’s most recognized foes.
Seth Rollins isn’t confident he’d thrive in the world of UFC, but the World Heavyweight Champion imagines he’d do better than CM Punk.
Since CM Punk’s return to WWE last year, Seth Rollins has taken issue with the Best in the World. Rollins’ belief is that Punk has spent years putting WWE down and will only cause trouble the longer he’s around (such as what we saw in AEW.)
Seth Rollins Would Do Better Than CM Punk
Last September, WWE and UFC officially merged with the launch of TKO Group Holdings. This merger has led to speculation that fans could see more crossover between the two sides. In an interview with ESPN, Rollins was asked if he’d call out any UFC fighters and couldn’t resist taking a dig at CM Punk.
“I’d call them all out. I don’t care. I can’t do what they do. I’d probably get knocked out and choked in two seconds. Still, I might do better than Punk [CM Punk], but I would likely lose. They can’t come and do what we do either. Same umbrella, but two totally different worlds.”
After walking out of WWE in 2014, Punk signed with UFC that same year. Punk’s first fight came in 2016 at UFC 203 against Mickey Gall. Punk would lose the fight early on, which would be acknowledged by Stephanie McMahon on WWE TV.
Punk’s second fight would also not go well. In his hometown of Chicago, Punk lost to Mike Jackson at 2018’s UFC 225 event. The fight was later ruled a no contest after Jackson failed a drug test.
