WWE called up a few NXT Superstars over the last twelve months, but few have made an impression like Tiffany Stratton. At this point, fans can’t wait to see her do her thing, and WWE could have big plans for her as well.
Tiffany Stratton’s WWE Main Roster Reception
Sean Ross Sapp noted on Fightful Select that Tiffany Stratton and Naomi were initially allocated two segments for their match but ended up occupying a total of nine minutes, encompassing entrances and the match’s conclusion, including commercial breaks.
We previously reported that this match needed to be trimmed down due to The Rock’s segment going so long. That was not in the plan, but they made things work.
The report also noted that Tiffany Stratton’s reception and reactions have been a topic of conversation within WWE circles. This has certainly been noticed by the office, as Stratton continues receiving great responses.
While her responses have garnered surprise from some, there is an increasing anticipation for them leading into future shows. At this point, they are ready for Stratton’s reception, and it is also somewhat expected.
Tiffany Stratton is a former NXT Women’s Champion, and she only lost that belt because Becky Lynch needed a run with the title. She had a breakthrough performance at the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble, where her #29 entry marked her main roster call-up. She also impressed a ton of fans with her stay in the Elimination Chamber in Perth.
Now that Stratton is on the main roster, it appears that it could be Tiffy Time a lot more often.
SEScoops will have continued coverage of Tiffany Stratton’s career, and everything else in the pro wrestling world. Keep checking back for more updates.
The Rock is back in WWE, and he’s getting a tremendous amount of heat. Never to be beaten, WWE fans also have figured out a new way to let him know how much they care, while bringing back an old favorite chant.
Sean Ross Sapp noted on Fightful Select that, during The Rock and Roman Reigns segments, blackouts and muting occurred due to the presence of “Die Rocky Die” signs and chants. Additionally, a sign referencing “Rock shops at BALCO” was removed. BALCO, a business implicated in a sports steroid scandal in the 2000s, was the subject of this sign.
The Rock’s segment with Roman Reigns exceeded its allotted time by over ten minutes. As a consequence, Naomi’s entrance and other elements were omitted from the broadcast.
Die Rocky Die
As we previously reported, Die Rocky Die also trended on social media. This was quite a shock, and the fact that WWE and FOX censored the sign and chant means that fans will probably just keep doing it.
This fan chant is a throwback, but a lot of things have changed since the late 90s when it was somewhat acceptable to chant that at Dwayne Johnson in WWE.
What’s Next For The Rock
WrestleMania 40 night one will see The Rock and Roman Reigns team up against Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins in tag team action. If the heels win, then it will be Bloodline rules for the Undisputed Universal Title match at WrestleMania’s second night. If Cody and Seth win, then the Bloodline will be barred from ringside.
The Rock is certainly getting a lot of heat, and we are here for it. Hopefully, fans know it’s all in good fun, but any chant that wishes death upon someone could be taken seriously.
SEScoops will keep our eye on this story, and everything else on the road to WrestleMania. Only time will tell what fans come up with next, and how much of it will need to be censored.
During a recent Fightful Select Q&A, Sean Ross Sapp was asked about Strowman’s situation. Sapp was pleased to state that Strowman is doing better than one would anticipate for the SmackDown Superstar.
“Someone in January implied that he would be back soon and I was thinking ‘surely not’ but then I followed up and was told that “he’s doing way better than anticipated.”
The wrestling world lost Virgil earlier this week as the once-bodyguard of Ted DiBiase passed away after being diagnosed with dementia in 2022 and later suffering several strokes, two of which occured in February.
Virgil, real name Michael Jones, was reported to pass away peacefully with family around him but another unfortunate aspect to this loss is that Jones didn’t have life insurance and funeral expenses are beholden to he family.
Mark Charles III, a close friend of Jones, was with Virgil during his passing and happened to set up a GoFundMe to help out the family during a difficult time.
“On February 28, 2024, the world lost our favorite WWE bodyguard, Virgil, after a long and difficult health struggle. Unfortunately, Virgil passed without being covered by life insurance, and the Jones family is asking for financial help to put him to his final rest. The bill is due on March 11, 2024, so if you’d like to donate, Virgil’s family will be forever grateful.
“Whether you were an 80s WWF kid at heart or you’re nWo 4 LIFE, whether you loved him best as Virgil, Vincent, or even Soul Train Jones, let’s send him off with the hero’s farewell he deserves.”
“This fundraiser is organized by Mark Charles III on behalf of Michael Jones’ sister, Toni Jones, and her family.”
Virgil, a Pittsburgh native, was initially reported to have passed away at the age of 61 but conflicting reports out of Pittsburgh have him actually aged at 72.
Higher-ups within WWE are always on the hunt for the next top star, and have been surprised by the reaction to Tiffany Stratton.
The reaction to Stratton has come as a surprise to many within WWE, Fightful Select reports. It is added that WWE is anticipating the vocal response from the fans going forward with their events.
Tiffany Down Under
Stratton’s popularity was hard to ignore during the WWE Elimination Chamber 2024 event from Perth, Australia. The former WWE NXT Women’s Champion competed in her first Chamber match at the event, and the fans were behind her from the get-go.
Fans chanted for Stratton while she was in her pod and her spots in the match, including a Senton off the top of a pod, were also impressive. Despite this, it was Becky Lynch who won the match, earning a Women’s World Championship match at WrestleMania 40.
Tiffany Stratton in WWE
Stratton signed with WWE in August 2021 as the only woman in her class of recruits to the WWE Performance Center. After debuting on 205 Live in November, she would join WWE NXT the following month.
In May 2023, Stratton captured the NXT Women’s Championship in a tournament that saw her defeat Gigi Dolin, Roxanne Perez, and Lyra Valkyria. That same year, she entered a well-regarded feud with Becky Lynch that saw The Man capture the NXT Women’s title.
After an impressive outing in the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble match, Stratton was signed to SmackDown on the immediate episode of the blue brand. That same night, she defeated ‘Michin’ Mia Yim in her main roster debut.
Jade Cargill made her presence felt on this week’s SmackDown and we may be seeing more of the impressive talent as we get closer to WrestleMania 40.
During this week’s SmackDown, Dakota Kai turned on Bayley and made clear that she was on the side of Damage CTRL. This came after Bayley and Kai challenged the Kabuki Warriors for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships. Kai, Asuka, Kairi Sane, and IYO SKY delivered a sickening four-on-one attack on the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble winner.
Jade Cargill Responds
Jade Cargill was also a part of this week’s SmackDown and came face to face with IYO SKY. The inaugural AEW TBS Champion once again exhumed confidence as she has throughout her wrestling career.
Taking to Twitter after SmackDown, Jade Cargill said what happened on the show was not right and said that someone like IYO SKY shouldn’t be holding a “belt” for acting this way. Moments later, the ex-AEW star corrected herself, stating that the WWE Women’s Champion held by SKY is “MY belt.”
Cargill’s comments certainly imply that she’s supporting Bayley in this feud. It isn’t beyond the realms of possibility that Cargill could get physical and back the Role Model up. It’d certainly be fitting for Cargill to have a role on the road to WrestleMania, given that WWE clearly sees her as a potential top star.
Jade Cargill on SmackDown
Cargill appeared on SmackDown shortly after signing with WWE in 2023. During her segment, she came face-to-face with Charlotte Flair. At the time, it was speculated that a feud was being planned, potentially with a match at WrestleMania. If that was the plan, it’ll have been scrapped as Flair will miss most of 2023 due to a leg injury.
Jeff Hardy and Sammy Guevara’s match on Rampage last week didn’t end the way anyone wanted it to. Guevara accidentally landed on Hardy’s face off a top rope move, and controversy was sparked from there. Now, we have a bit of an update on Jeff’s status.
AEW had to switch around plans for Jeff Hardy after that injury spot. It was reported that he did not sustain a concussion, but that broken nose still wasn’t a great thing at all. Matt Hardy has another look at the situation from his own point of view.
Jeff Hardy Update
During a recent episode of Matt Hardy’s Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast, he opened up about his brother’s condition. He said that Jeff broke his nose, and he’s getting some tests done now.
The process is not a fast one, and Jeff Hardy will be out of action until he gets a green light from the doctor. Now, it is a waiting game at this point.
“Obviously, Jeff’s nose, as I said, it was broken, had a couple little breaks in it. He’s getting some tests done on his sinuses to see how his sinuses are doing. It’s not a fast project. These things move slow, but we’re just trying to make sure his health is first and foremost and putting that above everything else. So that’s the main thing kind of to update on the status of him.”
The Footage Went Viral
That spot went viral, as fan footage of the match spread online in a hurry after Guevara’s knee landed on Hardy’s face. That was not the way that spot was supposed to end at all. Now, Jeff is out of action.
Sadly, AEW issued a bunch of takedown notices for any video that leaked of Jeff Hardy’s injury. They are known to do that, and they struck again with DCMA takedowns.
SEScoops will have continued coverage of this story, and many more in the pro wrestling world. We will have to see how long Jeff Hardy is out of action, but fans are not 100% thrilled about the circumstances.
The throwback entrance on AEW Dynamite was a fitting way for Sting to wrap up his in-ring career. He hadn’t done that stunt for a long time, and greatly nixed it after Owen Hart’s passing when he died doing a similar stunt.
Sting Opens Up About The Stunt
Sting opened up about bringing back that lost entrance as he spoke to ESPN. The 64-year-old Hall of Famer explained to the outlet what went through his head when he did that entrance one final time.
“You climb and step over that rail, and it’s like, ‘It’s time to let go now. I used to say my sphincter muscle gets very tight in those moments. And it does. It can be scary. I had one little pang when I was up there. It was like a 30-second pang when I realized I’m getting ready to do this here again.
“We’re having this casual conversation. ‘All right, you ready to go?’ I’m ready. Let’s go.”
Tony Khan received permission from Dr. Martha Hart before they did this stunt with Sting. Of course, Owen Hart tragically lost his life in 1999 at WWE Over the Edge when a repelling spot from the rafters went wrong.
AEW Revolution 2024 Card
AEW Revolution should be a fantastic night of pro wrestling, and a historic one at that. You may check out the card for the event below.
Julia Hart and Skye Blue vs. Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale (with Stokely Hathaway) – Zero Hour Tag team match
Sting and Darby Allin (c) (with Ric Flair) vs. The Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson and Nicholas Jackson) – Tornado tag team match for the AEW World Tag Team Championship (Note: This will be Sting’s retirement match.)
Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Roderick Strong (with Matt Taven and Mike Bennett) – Singles match for the AEW International Championship
Samoa Joe (c) vs. “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana) – Three-way match for the AEW World Championship
“Timeless” Toni Storm (c) (with Mariah May and Luther) vs. Deonna Purrazzo – Singles match for the AEW Women’s World Championship
Eddie Kingston (c) vs. Bryan Danielson – Singles match for the Continental Crown Championship (Note: If Danielson loses, he has to shake Kingston’s hand.)
Will Ospreay vs. Konosuke Takeshita – Singles match
Christian Cage (c) (with Killswitch, Mother Wayne, and “The Prodigy” Nick Wayne) vs. Daniel Garcia – Singles match for the AEW TNT Championship
FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) vs. Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli) – Tag team match
Chris Jericho vs. Wardlow vs. Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Lance Archer vs. Hook vs. Brian Cage vs. Magnus vs. TBD – All-Star Scramble match (Note: The winner will receive a future AEW World Championship match.)
In late 2020, Sting made his surprise debut in AEW. Despite his advanced age—at that point, 61—his iconic stature meant that the debut generated a lot of buzz. That included speculation about whether he’d work dream matches against the likes Kenny Omega, MJF, or CM Punk.
Be it a shrewd call on the part of Sting himself or AEW management, he actually hasn’t worked any singles matches in his run with the company, despite getting in the ring for 27 bouts to date. Using The Icon in tag team, six-man tag, and other team scenarios has protected him nicely.
These formats have allowed him to give other wrestlers the rub by teaming with or battling against them. Additionally, with a number of other bodies in the mix–including the steady presence of dynamic Darby Allin who is always willing to take big bumps–Sting has had the chance to contribute a key high spot or two each outing that highlight what he’s still capable of without the strain of wrestling at a high level all match long.
Last Fall, Sting announced he’d have his final match at Revolution 2024. Then, on the February 7, 2024 of AEW Dynamite, he and Darby Allin won the Tag Team Championship—a final milestone for The Icon, and also a reinforcement that his rumored last match opposite The Young Bucks was a likely eventuality.
With this final chapter of Sting’s in-ring career so focused on tag team wrestling, it calls attention to the fact that he actually has an underrated legacy specifically as a tag team wrestler, dating back to the mid-1980s.
Sting Launched His Career In A Tag Team With The Ultimate Warrior
Sting got his start in wrestling working with southern and mid-south territorial promotions under the banners of Power Team USA, The Freedom Fighters, and most famously The Blade Runners. His signature partner for these years was the man who’d eventually become known as The Ultimate Warrior.
It’s noteworthy that the team featured two future main eventers who’d come to reign as world champions in WCW and WWE respectively. While neither were necessarily polished in-ring workers, this pairing was foundational to each man’s success in the wrestling business.
Some Of Sting’s Best Work Came Teamed With Lex Luger
Both in real life and on screen, much of Sting’s prime was intertwined with Lex Luger. The two alternated between friendship and rivalry in WCW storylines, including a superb early 1990s tag team match that pitted them against The Steiner Brothers at the original SuperBrawl.
Years later, Sting and Luger had some even more intriguing creative behind them in 1995, when The Total Package returned to WCW at the dawn of the Monday Night War. Sting was at the tail end of his Surfer Sting run that brought him so much acclaim. The worked an ahead-of-its-time angle in which Luger was a tweener, then a full-fledged heel who kept talking his staunch babyface partner into bad situations.
This partnership paid dividends in Sting’s first WCW Tag Team Championship win. More importantly their bond was a key element of Sting feeling betrayed by WCW when fellow babyfaces thought he’d defected to the nWo in 1996. Luger in particular not trusting Sting was a key factor in launching the legendary Crow version of Sting’s character. From there, it’s telling that by 1998, the duo was ready to get back together under the nWo Wolfpac banner.
Sting Won More WCW Tag Team Gold During The Monday Night War
Something interesting happened for WCW’s tag team title and division during the Monday Night War. On one hand, the company had a wealth of iconic teams at different points, like The Road Warriors, The Steiner Brothers, Harlem Heat, Meng and The Barbarian, Kronik, and different permutations of top cruiserweight talents.
On the other hand, particularly when WCW was around the height of its popularity, the tag titles became less of a defined division than a prop for upper card talents who had cycled away from the world title picture. Some of that has to do with the depth of the roster and WCW striving to find a meaningful spot for its top talents. Some of that also has to do with The Outsiders ruling the roost.
Kevin Nash and Scott Hall had main event level heat, but played second fiddle to Hollywood Hogan throughout the original nWo’s hottest periods. On one hand, one might argue they elevated the tag titles on account of their star power. On the other hand, WCW booked itself into a corner in which most traditional tag teams weren’t portrayed as all that credible against them, requiring make shift star teams to assemble to compete, let alone take the titles.
Sting factored heavily into this picture in 1998. First, he and The Giant took the tittles off The Outsiders, only for the partners to turn on each other and feud over who should carry the title forward. The Icon prevailed and wound up seeing through the rest of his reign teamed with Nash.
Interestingly, Sting would enjoy one more tag title reign before his most recent one in AEW. This one occurred in TNA when it was again unconventional circumstances that led him to the gold. He won a four-way match over AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, and Christian Cage to be appointed Kurt Angle’s partner for a two-week reign.
Sting’s In-Ring Career Closes Teaming With Darby Allin
Sting & Darby Allin (Photo: AEW)
The final chapter of Sting’s in-ring career has been all about tag team wrestling in AEW. Every single one of his documented 27 matches to date has occurred with Darby Allin as his partner (and, in some instances, additional partners to make up a three- or four-man team).
So, it’s fitting that Sting would wind up his in-ring career in pro wrestling and AEW alike not only side-by-side with Allin, but reigning as AEW Tag Team Champions. (Incidentally, this title win makes him the only man to have held the tag belts in WCW, TNA, and AEW). This choice not only features Sting while protecting him from too much ring time and physical punishment, but also fits and pays homage to his underrated legacy as a tag team wrestler.
AEW fans will see in the weeks ahead how Sting’s final angle takes shape en route to his final match. Maybe the presumptive angle of Sting and Darby Allin defending the AEW Championship against The Young Bucks will come to fruition, but maybe some more twists in the road lie ahead. Maybe the babyfaces in face paint will drop the titles as Sting “does the honors” in traditional fashion, or maybe he’ll get an ending befitting only a legend of his stature when he retires as champion. One way or another, fans should be in for something memorable in these final stages of one of the greatest careers in pro wrestling history.
Paul “Butcher” Vachon passed away at the age of 86. He was a pivotal figure in the legedary Vachon wrestling dynasty,
Throughout his illustrious career, Vachon left an indelible mark on the wrestling world, both as a competitor and a promoter. His cause of death has not been noted at this time.
Losing The Butcher
The wrestling community mourned Vachon’s loss after pro wrestling journalist Pat Laprade announced his passing on February 29. Laprade, a close friend of Vachon’s, fondly recalled his contributions to the sport and extended condolences to his wife Dee and family.
Sad news. Paul ‘The Butcher’ Vachon died last night at the age of 86 years old. Former AWA tag team champ, Grand Prix Wrestling promoter and WWE wrestler, he had a great career and became a friend of mine over the years. My sympathies to his wife Dee and his family.
Sad news. Paul “The Butcher” Vachon died last night at the age of 86 years old. Former AWA tag team champ, Grand Prix Wrestling promoter and WWE wrestler, he had a great career and became a friend of mine over the years. My sympathies to his wife Dee and his family. pic.twitter.com/r705Ou2Sws
Born in 1937, Vachon hailed from a wrestling lineage that included his sister Vivian Vachon and his adoptive daughter Luna Vachon.
Teaming up with his brother, Maurice “Mad Dog” Vachon, he achieved remarkable success in the ring and behind the scenes, particularly in their native Canada where they promoted Grand Prix Wrestling in Montreal, Quebec.
His life was marked by resilience, as he courageously battled cancer on multiple occasions, undergoing surgery to remove a tumor from his skull in March 2023.
Despite the challenges he faced, Vachon found joy in his personal life, celebrating significant milestones such as his 30th wedding anniversary with his devoted wife Dee in September of the previous year.
As the wrestling community pays tribute to Paul “Butcher” Vachon, his impact on the business as a whole and the lives he touched will continue to be remembered. RIP.
After nearly 40 years in the ring, “The Icon” Sting will finish up his wrestling career at AEW’s upcoming Revolution pay-per-view. There, he and Darby Allin will defend the AEW World Tag Team Championships against The Young Bucks in a tornado tag match.
Before Sting steps in the ring for the final time, though, his son, Steven Borden Jr., has penned a heartwarming tribute to him on Instagram.
“You were Sting before I was born,” Borden wrote. “I’ve never known a life where the possibility of you rappelling from the rafters, diving off high objects, and Scorpion death dropping people doesn’t exist. But now that day has nearly come, and I’ve never had more respect and admiration for you than I do today.”
Building Character
Outside of Sting’s “electric” in-ring contributions, Steven Jr. pointed out that his father also upheld his responsibilities as a parental figure at the same time. Namely, Sting taught his son how to be a man of “character, integrity, and grit.” Sting’s impact has been so profound, that Steven Jr. continues to identify him as his biggest hero.
“I know you remember what my answer was that day as a kid in Central Park when I was asked who my hero was. The answer is still the same,” Steven Jr. wrote. “I’m still convinced you’re the coolest dude to walk the planet.”
Steven Jr. ended his statement by admitting that although he’s not ready to see his father’s journey conclude, he is excited to see Sting finally “enjoy the sunset.”
The Rock knows how to get under fans’ skin, and he went all out with his heel work on the road to WrestleMania 40. Now, it seems that the fan outrage has carried over into bringing an old phrase back for a new era.
Social media buzzed with reactions after the broadcast momentarily blacked out to avoid displaying a fan’s sign bearing the contentious phrase “Die Rocky Die.” Some users speculated it was merely a mistranslation of “The Rocky The” in German, prompting amusement rather than offense. Needless to say, fans were talking.
However, the incident stirred discussions about censorship and support for The Rock. While many fans expressed disbelief at the sign’s presence, others highlighted the ongoing efforts to stifle such sentiments. As we reported last night, that “Die Rocky Die” sign was the reason why SmackDown was blacked out a few times during the segment.
Overall, the trending topic sparked a mix of confusion, humor, and scrutiny, demonstrating the unpredictable nature of live television and fan interactions. We will have to see if fans will start bringing back that throwback phrase, because it was one of the first negative responses in the 90s that The Rock received from the crowd to really spark his heel turn.
What’s Next For The Rock in WWE
The Rock’s segment on SmackDown this week went way over time. I was told that he went over by “A LOT.” That being said, the company did not include any photos of him on the company’s website for their SmackDown gallery. That is very interesting considering the fact that he was on television for around 20 minutes.
If anything, now that WWE fans know that the company doesn’t want them to say “Die Rocky Die,” it kind of gives them a brand-new reason to dust off that old chant and sign.
Also, The Rock's segment on SmackDown went over time A LOT!!!
Still looking to find out why WWE didn't release any official photos of Dwayne Johnson from SmackDown on their official gallery yet. That … is interesting.
Mercedes Mone is not staying inside as she prepares for her expected AEW debut. She recently made a big splash at the CrunchyRoll Anime Awards, and she was also in great company during the event.
Mone dazzled on the carpet before the show, and she was also a presenter. In the process, the former WWE Superstar was also able to hang out with Megan Thee Stallion for a bit.
Things @MercedesVarnado know how to do…wrestle, get people talking and rock a red carpet. Here she is before presenting at the 2024 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. pic.twitter.com/bRbPzyLrnP
Mercedes Mone’s upcoming AEW debut has stirred discussion, and her next destination could be a big deal for herself and the company. As well as being scheduled to make her AEW debut soon, Mone will also be making an appearance as a presenter at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards. Prior to the event, she revealed a fresh appearance.
Crunchyroll was pleased to announce that Mercedes Mone will serve as a presenter at the 2024 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, generating significant anticipation for the ceremony.
— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) March 2, 2024
Taking to Twitter, Mercedes Mone shared a snapshot of herself on the red carpet ahead of the awards, showcasing her new appearance, which received praise from her fans.
Mone has already been associated with AEW for some time before her debut at AEW Big Business. The thought is that she’s been drawing a paycheck from them for a while. It remains to be seen how she will fare as a presenter at the Awards show.
Mercedes Mone and Megan Thee Stallion Link Up
Mone shared a series of photos on her Twitter account featuring rapper Megan Thee Stallion as well. The encounter wasn’t unexpected, considering both Mone and Stallion are avid Anime enthusiasts.
Mone captioned one of the photos with, “Only for the anime Hotties Krew #animeawards,” showcasing her time with Meg.
— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) March 2, 2024
What’s Next for Megan Thee Stallion and Mercedes Mone
It remains to be seen if Megan Thee Stallion will venture into AEW following Mercedes Mone’s debut. Then again, you never know who Tony Khan will book at this point in an attempt to revive public interest in his company.
The 2024 CrunchyRoll Anime Awards ceremony will be livestreamed on Crunchyroll’s YouTube and Twitch channels, starting at 6 PM JST, with Sally Amaki and Jon Kabira hosting.
Cody Rhodes’ entrance is beloved by pro wrestling fans all over, especially those who are fans of crowd participation. It appears that he may get a fresh coat of paint on that entrance for the grandest stage of them all.
Downstrait, the band behind Cody’s Kingdom entrance, recently teased something in the works. Although we’re not sure what is going on, something is brewing for his adrenaline pumping song.
Teasing Cody Rhodes Song Revamp
The band’s official Twitter/X account posted a little graphic of a skull with a crown. This short video file didn’t have any sound, but it flickered to reveal this iconic symbol.
The caption that Downstrait picked simply said, “Adrenaline…” That is, of course, the first word of Cody Rhodes’ entrance music. We will have to see what they have planned.
WWE will often bring in a live performance, so the actual artist behind a song can perform at the showcase of the immortals. Only time will tell if they have a similar presentation planned, but there are a couple of occasions to get this done.
Cody Rhodes will be double-booked for WrestleMania 40. He will compete alongside Seth Rollins against The Rock and Roman Reigns during the first night of the show of shows, with him capping off the second night against Reigns in a singles match for the Undisputed Universal Title.
The Rock made the stipulation for that tag team match on night one very interesting during SmackDown this week. If the Bloodline wins, then it will be Bloodline rules at Mania for Cody’s match against Roman. However, if the babyfaces can beat The Rock and Roman Reigns in a tag team match, then the Bloodline will be barred from night two of WrestleMania.
SEScoops will have more on this story as additional information is available. Keep checking back for more updates.
Welcome to SEScoops: the Daily Drop, your go-to for the latest news and rumors in wrestling for March 2nd. It’s the beginning of a new month, and we have a lot in store for you here. Let’s get right into things.
Days until WrestleMania XL: 35
WWE:
– WWE had to black out the screen multiple times during The Rock’s SmackDown promo due to a fan sign that said, “Die, Rocky, Die.” Apparently, that is too hot for TV now.
– Miro revealed that he’s been injured since September. He was replying to a tweet claiming that Tony Khan said he was supposed to be in the Meat Madness match, but it didn’t happen. That quite turned out to be fake as well, so Miro didn’t even need to reply at all.
– QT Marshall believes that CM Punk never got to finish his story in AEW. While speaking to Bill Apter, he said, “Yes and no. I don’t think he got to finish his story, even at AEW. That’s become the term now, the phrase, ‘Finish the story.’ I think being in AEW, it kind of gave him his confidence, to know that the people were still there for him and he could still do it. Why not? If you’re gonna do it, and you can’t do it at AEW anymore for whatever the reasons were, go back to WWE, if willing to give him a chance. I always liked him backstage. But I didn’t think it was gonna be out of the realm that he would go back.”
-AEW has one more episode of Collision before Revolution. You can check out the card for tonight’s show below:
Christian Cage, Roderick Strong, Killswitch & Brian Cage vs Orange Cassidy, Daniel Garcia, Trent Beretta & Hook
Revolution All-Star Scramble match qualifier: Dante Martin vs Bryan Keith vs Penta El Zero Miedo in a three-way.
Thunder Rosa vs Cassandra Golden
Private Party’s Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen vs Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal
Mariah May vs Angelica Risk
Max Caster, Anthony Bowens & Colten Gunn of the Bang Bang Scissor Gang vs Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds & John Silver of Dark Order.
Upcoming Major Pro Wrestling Events
AEW Revolution is planned for the following weekend, on Sunday, March 3.
AEW Dynamite: Big Business will be hosted at Boston’s TD Garden on March 13th.
WWE NXT Stand & Deliver is slated for the afternoon of April 6th, just before the start of WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
WrestleMania XL is set to take place on April 6th and 7th at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a two-part event.
Backlash France is scheduled for May 4th at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.
WWE NXT Battleground is booked for May 26th at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, exclusively available on the WWE Network and Peacock.
WWE Money in the Bank will be held on July 6th at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, followed by WWE NXT Heatwave on July 7th at the same venue.
WWE Bash In Berlin is marked for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.
AEW star Rush has revealed that it’s only a matter of time before he makes his return.
‘El Toro Blanco,’ is the leader of La Faccion Ingobernable which consists of Dralistico, Preston Vance, and Jose The Assistant. But, he has missed a good chunk of in-ring action due to an injury and has been on the shelf. However, he has some plans in place to expand the faction this year.
In December last year, Rush participated in the AEW Continental Classic tournament but competed with an injury. He was part of the Gold League where he tallied six points by defeating Mark Briscoe and Jay Lethal. However, he conceded defeats at the hands of Jay White, Jon Moxley, and Swerve Strickland.
Fellow AEW superstar and La Faccion Ingobernable member Dralistico recently revealed that he and Rush were in the process of getting their visas. His comments led to many believing that the visa issue was why he was not on AEW programming.
Rush is ready for his return
Taking to his Twitter/X account, Rush posted a video clip and wrote the following in the caption:
I have my WORK visa with #AEW
I am injury free and cleared to wrestle.
I am ready for everyone to see a REAL LUCHADOR, EL TORO BLANCO RUSH
?
#LFI
The rivalry between The Undertaker and Mick Foley was one of the defining feuds of the Attitude Era. In many ways, the extreme matches between these two helped signify the start of a new era for WWE. With each new stipulation, they took the violence to a new level and gave the fans many memorable moments that are still etched in the minds of people more than two decades later.
The Dead Man reflected on his various extreme encounters with The Hardcore Legend on the latest episode of his Six Feet Under podcast. He mentioned the various stipulations they choose for their matches and explained that the violence made sense because of their characters:
“It was just so violent, for the time period and what they had seen up to that point. I mean, the violence that we projected on each other. There wasn’t anything really that matched that.
I think with Mick and I everything that we did because of our characters it all made sense. You would expect us to be in a Boiler Room Brawl because of his character. You would expect a buried alive, you would expect a body bag. It all made sense to where we were at in our story and what we were doing.”
‘Next Level Commitment’: The Undertaker
The Undertaker explained the motivation of Mick Foley’s character that led him to endure extreme pain in order to take down The Last Outlaw. The former World Champion also praised the wrestling veteran mentioning how it was Mick’s commitment to the craft that made it all possible:
“With Mick and Mankind always, my image and my understanding of it is like, ‘I will do this to myself. Just so that I can do this to you.’ That was Mick’s mentality, right? That was the story that he was telling. I’m going to endure this much pain, which is going to be…it’s going to be monumental pain, just to inflict a little bit of pain on you.
When you started thinking about that kind of mindset, how deranged an individual does he have to be to do those kind of things? I would wear him out. And then he would get on the apron and take a stick or a pencil and jabbing into his leg and he’d pull his hair out. That’s just next-level commitment.
But it all made sense into his tormented mindset and that’s what made it so believable. Then you have this indestructible force called the Undertaker. Like this guy is going to kill himself. This guy will torture himself to torture this person.”
You can check out the full episode of Undertaker’s podcast below:
If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription
Cody Rhodes made an appearance on tonight’s episode of SmackDown from the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona but only after cameras stopped rolling.
Tonight’s show saw some big developments in the ongoing storyline between The Bloodline and The American Nightmare with The Rock’s return to WWE TV.
Roman Reigns opened the show with other members of The Bloodline but almost left the arena when the crowd didn’t acknowledge him. He was stopped by Paul Heyman who reminded The Tribal Chief that they had other business to conclude.
The Rock then finally made his entrance. He first called out the fans in the arena and then replying to Cody Rhodes’ Elimination Chamber challenge, made a huge WrestleMania match official.
Elsewhere in the show, we saw the return of Rey Mysterio. He took out the LWO to help Carlito pick up a victory over Santos Escobar in their street fight.
What Happened After SmackDown
The main event of the show featured Randy Orton who defeated Austin Theory in a singles bout. Both Grayson Waller and Kevin Owens who were at the ringside got involved after the match was over. The show ended with Orton and KO standing tall.
The first dark match after SmackDown went off air saw Damian Priest taking on The Miz. ‘We want R Truth’ chants broke out during one point in the match before Priest picked up the victory.
The second dark match of the night featured Cody Rhodes taking on Drew McIntyre. Mid-match Rhodes tried to introduce a table in the mix but he accidentally pulled out a broken table used in the Street Fight earlier in the night.
After the match was over, Cody finally addressed the crowd. He didn’t respond to the challenge for a WrestleMania match but acknowledged Rock’s promo, before hyping up the crowd to send them home happy.
The Rock and Roman Reigns tore up the first forty minutes of SmackDown this week. The crowd in Alabama were also on fire, and their chants were a bit too hot for television.
It seems that they are censoring a lot more than just the F-Bomb. The classic “Die Rocky, Die” sign was blacked out this week on the show.
— Anutosh Bajpai || SEScoops || Wrestling News (@AuthorAnutosh) March 2, 2024
Bleeping Revealed
According to a report from PW Insider, FOX bleeped out “Die Rocky, Die” from the live fans. A lot of fans were really curious to know what was so bad that FOX kept hitting the censor key. Now, we know that it was a wish of death.
The Rock is a great heel, and he riled up the “Meth Head Marys” and “Crack Head Karens” in Alabama. They ate it up, and it seems that their response, although it was exactly what The Rock was looking for, FOX didn’t like to hear such a morbid chant from the fans at home.
For those of you wondering about why there have been random blackouts on tonight’s Smackdown broadcast on FOX, we are told that a fan has a “DIE ROCKY DIE” sign that the network is censoring.
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) March 2, 2024
What’s Next For This
Some may say that they are getting a bit touchy with this decision to edit out, “Die Rocky, Die,” and we have to wonder what they will censor next. In the meantime, it seems that fans have plenty to get riled up about on the road to WrestleMania.
WWE SmackDown is in Dallas next week, where Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins will answer The Rock’s challenge for a tag team match at WrestleMania 40. Only time will tell what those fans will say to get FOX to hit the bleep button, but everything is bigger in Texas.
SEScoops will have more on this story, and many more, from the pro wrestling world. Keep checking back for more updates.
The Rock and Roman Reigns opened up SmackDown this week, and they took up over 40 minutes of the program. This was quite a long segment, but odds are the ratings will prove that The Rock means viewership. Now we have a few new details about how things went down.
Sean Ross Sapp reported a few notes about SmackDown’s opening segment this week on Fightful Select. It seems that they didn’t have the usual producer at the helm.
WWE Made Change to the Usual Situation
Michael Hayes typically oversees the production of Roman Reigns segments, Bloodline-connected segments, and even those involving individuals set to feud with Bloodline. However, it is reported that his name was notably absent from Friday’s run sheet. Instead, lead producer Jason Jordan was credited as the producer for both segments.
Predictably, The Rock’s segment ran significantly over time, prompting immediate adjustments to be made. This may be worth it in the end, because a ton of eyes were on that segment.
Michael Hayes typically produces all of Roman Reigns segments and matches. It will be interesting to see if he starts sharing that big responsibility. If anything, Jason Jordan certainly seemed to do a great job stepping into that slot.
What’s Next For The Rock
The Rock and Roman Reigns will be on SmackDown next week as they roll into Dallas. They will accept Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes’ decision after The Great One laid down a challenge for WrestleMania this week.
SEScoops will have more coverage of this story, and many more, in the pro wrestling world as new information is known.
Rey Mysrerio did not return at the Royal Rumble as many thought he would. The WWE Hall of Famer did make his comeback on the road to WrestleMania, and now he is back on the blue brand after the March 1st episode.
During WWE SmackDown this week, Rey Mysterio returned to action. He did so with a huge pop, and in babyface fashion to help out the LWO, picking up things where he left them months ago prior to his absence.
Rey Mysrterio’s Return
After nearly four months of recovery following knee surgery, Rey Mysterio made his return to WWE on the latest episode of SmackDown. The veteran wrestler wasted no time in reigniting his feud with Santos Escobar, lending his support to Carlito in a heated street fight against Escobar.
During the match, Legado del Fantasma’s Angel and Humberto intervened, prompting Mysterio to intervene. Despite the attempted interference from Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro, Mysterio emerged, albeit on crutches, to confront the heels.
Initially feigning that he wasn’t cleared to compete, Mysterio then turned his crutches into weapons against Angel and Humberto. Following a tense standoff with Escobar, Carlito seized the opportunity to spit an apple in Escobar’s face, setting the stage for a dramatic turn of events.
As Wilde and Del Toro neutralized Angel and Humberto, Mysterio executed his signature 619 on Escobar, creating an opening for Carlito to drive Escobar through a table for the victory. The LWO, including Carlito, Mysterio, Wilde, Del Toro, and Zelina Vega, celebrated their hard-earned triumph together.
Mysterio’s return marks the culmination of a grueling rehabilitation process from a torn meniscus suffered in November. Despite working through the pain for months before undergoing surgery, Mysterio’s determination has paid off with a faster-than-expected recovery.
In a storyline twist, Mysterio’s injury was attributed to an attack by Escobar, fueling the animosity between the two wrestlers that came to a head in their intense SmackDown showdown.
SEScoops will have more on this story, and many more in the pro wrestling world, so keep checking back for more updates.
The Rock has a new favorite enemy in Cody Crybabies, and he let loose in a 21-minute video today. A ton of people sat down and watched the whole thing, but Cody Rhodes couldn’t be bothered.
Although he was a direct target of this new video drop from The Rock, the American Nightmare had to comment that he didn’t have time to watch the whole thing. He was able to let everyone know what he was thinking with the help of a meme.
Cody Rhodes responded to The Rock’s long video without directly referencing it. This as the kind of post where if you knew what Cody was talking about, then there was no doubt.
The meme that Cody Rhodes dropped simply said that he couldn’t have the time to watch the whole video. That being said, he feels for whatever the subject of the video might be.
A ton of fans caught this passive-aggressive post, and they commented in a big way. It is now making the rounds, and it doesn’t seem that Cody was shaken at all by The Rock’s video. If anything, Cody’s response won a lot of fans over.
Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins received a WrestleMania challenge from The Rock. The Great One proposed that a tag team match should go down on night one of the show of shows, with the stipulation directly influencing the second night’s main event.
We will have to see how this pans out, but the road to WrestleMania has certainly been interestingly so far.
Bayley won the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble match, and then she staked her claim against IYO Sky at the show of shows. It seemed that Bayley would have, at least, one ally for the showcase of the immortals, but that is not the case.
The Kabuki Warriors defended the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles against Bayley and Dakota Kai this week on SmackDown. Many fans wondered if a title change would be in the cards, but they got a lot more. This was not Bayley’s lucky moment, either.
Just as Bayley was crawling to her corner for a hot tag for Kai, she jumped off the apron. This was a big heel turn, and it left Bayley all alone.
It didn’t take much time for Asuka and Kairi Sane to take out Bayley in easy fashion. Then there was a four-on-one attack on Bayley.
It appears that Bayley is going into WrestleMania 40 as a huge underdog. She will have nobody in her corner from the look of it, but she also might thrive in that underdog role.
After the match, Damage CTRL was very happy with themselves backstage. Then Jade Cargill stepped around the corner to confront them. Nothing happened at that time, but that definitely planted the seeds of something big in the future.
The Rock shook up the road to WrestleMania in a huge way when he returned to WWE television to insert himself into the situation. What followed was a turbulent road where The Great One was forced to change his mind on the Mania match he wanted. Now we find ourselves in the situation today,
Roman Reigns and The Rock kicked things off for SmackDown this week on FOX. The Bloodline was in rare fashion, and Dwayne Johnson was already on fire, ready to rip into some candy asses on the blue brand.
Before The Rock even came out, Roman threatened to leave, because he didn’t like how the fans reacted to him. They booed him out of the building instead of acknowledging him. Then Paul Heyman hyped The Rock’s intro, after a commercial break.
The Rock came out to end the commercial break, and he had a lot to say. He started out by asking if the fans were sure that they wanted to boo him. Then The Rock dragged the crowd, because Phoenix is the #1 location for cocaine and meth use. This was a brutal promo, where he said that the fans finally have something worth shooting into their veins.
“Rocky” chants came after he said, “finally The Rock is back in Arizona.” Then he said that pro wrestling is cool again. He followed that by saying that Cody Rhodes is not cool.
The Rock addressed Cody’s challenge to go one-on-one against The Great One. He then gave his answer to Cody’s match, “no.” Everyone, including every woman in the arena wants to go one-on-one against The Rock. This received a response, but he told the “Crack Head Karens” and “Meth Head Marys” that they can’t handle his 22 inches, of course, he was talking about his biceps.
Dwayne Johnson dragged Cody a bit for challenging him with such a big match coming up. Then he laid down a counter-offer. Night One of WrestleMania 40 will be The Rock and Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins.
If the babyfaces win, then The Bloodline will not be at ringside for the Universal Title match on night two. If the heels win, then it will be Bloodline rules for their Universal Title match.
The Rock said that they will be in Dallas next week for SmackDown so they can get their response first-hand.
Before the segment ended, Roman Reigns told The Rock that he needed one thing: “Acknowledge me.” The Rock took a beat, removed his glasses, and he did just that, “Roman Reigns, my family, I acknowledge you as my Tribal Chief.” That drew quite a response from the crowd as they locked hands and hugged. This was followed by massive “You Sold Out” chants from fans.
SEScoops will have continued coverage of the road to WrestleMania, whatever might happen next. For more updates, please keep checking back.
