The April 6, edition of AEW Collision will air at a later time than usual to avoid being decimated by the viewing might of WrestleMania 40.
TNT’s programming schedule reveals that the show will air at 11:30pm EST, much later than the usual 8pm EST slot. This will likely prevent it from going head-to-head with WrestleMania 40: Saturday, which is set to start at 7pm EST.
Not only that, but the April 6, edition of Collision will be taped in advance. The show will be taped following the April 3, edition of AEW Dynamite. Both shows will take place at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Currently, no matches have been announced for the April 6, edition of AEW Collision.
A Change from the Norm
This strategy marks a change for AEW Collision. In the past, the show has aired head-to-head with WWE Premium Live Events, including this year’s Royal Rumble that featured AEW alum Cody Rhodes & Jade Cargill. AEW Collision also went head-to-head with WWE Elimination Chamber 2024 last month.
AEW Collision
Collision was launched in 2023 and marked CM Punk’s return to AEW programming following his first suspension. Punk was immediately presented as the focal point of the show and was said to have a say in picking talent for the show. After Punk’s firing from AEW in September 2023, this soft brand split was relaxed.
WWE WrestleMania 40
WrestleMania 40 will be the promotion’s fifth-annual WrestleMania to take place across two nights. Currently, ten matches have been announced for the show. The event will mark the in-ring return of The Rock, who hasn’t wrestled for WWE since 2016.
WWE fans saw CM Punk go out of action with an injury after the Royal Rumble, but he intends on being at WrestleMania 40, whether he’s invited or not. He plans on raising the bar during WWE RAW this week.
CM Punk will be on hand for the March 25 episode of WWE RAW in Chicago. He wants to leave a mark, and he wants to told Rhea Ripley’s recent stinkface activities.
CM Punk is out of action with a triceps injury, but he’s been paying attention. The Second City Savior posted on his Instagram story to make it clear that he’s seen what Ripley has been doing at WWE live event, and he intends on outdoing her.
Punk also included a photo of himself face-to-face with Cody Rhodes. The story also had a soundtrack of “Like A Parasite” by The Queers.
I see what Rhea Ripley has been doing on house shows and I’m prepared to raise the bar. See you tomorrow Chicago!
WWE RAW will be in Chicago this week, and CM Punk won’t miss it. It is unclear what he will do at this point, because he is not involved in any WrestleMania match at this time. He may reply to Drew McIntyre’s barrage of attacks that he’s been shoveling Punk’s direction since his injury hiatus started.
CM Punk was originally slated to face Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40. Cody Rhodes was always going to win the Royal Rumble, but an injury angle was going to take him out of action. The Rock was initially going to take on Roman Reigns in the main event, with Cody waiting until later to cash in his Rumble win. After Punk’s injury and the #WeWantCody reaction from his “Cody Crybabies,” WWE changed the WrestleMania 40 card to what we have today.
CM Punk’s WrestleMania Plans
Punk said that he will be at WrestleMania 40, whether he’s invited or not. He has not been announced for any match or segment during the two-night extravaganza at this time. He will make an appearance during WWE World, Fanatics’ first-ever WWE event.
CM Punk also showed off some gear on Instagram recently that he may use to surprise fans at WrestleMania. You may find that post below.
Swerve Strickland sees unlimited value in Drew McIntyre and would like to see the Scotsman make his way to AEW.
Speaking on “Bootleg Kev” Strickland was asked by one of the hosts if he had to chose a WWE talent to jump ship to AEW, who would he pick. Swerve laid out a big case as to why Drew McIntyre would equal major value for All Elite Wrestling.
“Man, I would love to see a Drew McIntyre over here, you know? Contract status, I don’t know. I can’t speak on it, but I’ve heard it’s not fully [finalized].
“I think Drew McIntyre could work anywhere in the world like he’s proven that before like that’s why WWE wanted him back so badly … the transformation he made he can just work anywhere and do anything with anybody. I think he’d be a major fit in AEW.”
Regarding his own WWE tenure, Swerve made clear that it wasn’t that he was not properly utilized, but just not used to his fullest potential. He said that it could have taken a year to several for that to possibly happening, noting that it took The Usos and Roman Reigns to finally get where they are today.
What Is The Contract Status Of Drew McIntyre?
As of now, Drew McIntyre is not under a new deal with WWE despite the fact that he’s going to be in one of the main event matches at WrestleMania 40 against Seth Rollins. Drew did say that he’s just having fun right now, but a new contract is very important to him. He also added that you’ll see him continue to wrestle for a very long time, whether that be as Drew McIntyre or Drew Galloway, noting “that would get everyone’s attention.”
Please credit “Bootleg Kev” and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.
As the Road to WrestleMania inches closer to the finish line, WWE makes a stop at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.
Here are the 5 matches (and 1 segment) announced for Raw, followed by our detailed preview of each one:
CM Punk Returns
Andrade vs. Ivar
Ricochet vs. JD McDonagh
Ivy Nile vs. Candice LeRae
Sami Zayn vs. Bronson Reed
Jey Uso vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Here’s what you need to know heading into this week’s WWE Raw:
CM Punk Returns
CM Punk returns to WWE programming in his hometown of Chicago.
While he may not be able to compete at WrestleMania 40, CM Punk will make a special appearance on the penultimate WWE Raw on the Road To WrestleMania. Tonight will mark Punk’s first appearance on the red brand since he revealed that he sustained a torn triceps during the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match.
Tonight will also serve as Punk’s official return to the city of Chicago, which, aside from being his hometown, holds an added significance given that his surprise return to WWE emanated from this very same venue.
What will “The Voice of the Voiceless” have to say?
Andrade vs. Ivar
At the 2024 Royal Rumble, Andre made his official return to WWE. As he continues to reacclimate himself with the WWE Raw roster, Andrade has been approached by Dominik Mysterio with the idea of potentially joining The Judgment Day stable.
Earning an entryway into this stable is no easy task, though. As such, Andrade will attempt to gain favor with the Judgment Day as he takes on Ivar on tonight’s episode of Raw.
Ricochet vs. JD McDonagh
On last week’s episode of WWE Raw, Ricochet earned a hard-fought victory against The Judgment Day’s Dominik Mysterio. After the match, Mysterio’s Judgment Day stablemate JD McDonagh attempted to blindside Ricochet with an attack from behind. Unfortunately for McDonagh, Ricochet’s flexes kicked in relatively quickly, allowing him to duck under McDonagh, and eventually, escape him altogether. Now, the two will meet one-on-one inside the ring.
After Candice LeRae launched several unkind remarks toward Maxxine Dupri, Indi Hartwell implored her tag team partner to issue an apology to Dupri. While it seemed like LeRae was headed down the course of making amends, she, instead, double-downed on her previous statements, telling Dupri she was “rotten” at wrestling.
Infuriated by LeRae’s comments, Ivy Nile seized the opportunity to stand up for Dupri, and challenged her to pick on her instead. As such, LeRae and Nile will now settle their differences in the ring.
Sami Zayn vs. Bronson Reed
Sami Zayn has earned the right to challenge Gunther for Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 40. Before he steps onto WWE’s grandest stage, though, he must overcome a giant obstacle, literally.
Two weeks after eliminating “Big” Bronson Reed in a grueling gauntlet match, Sami Zayn is slated to face him again on this week’s episode of WWE Raw. Will Zayn’s wave of momentum continues its course, or will Bronson Reed come crashing through with a thunderous Tsunami?
Jey Uso vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
In less than two weeks, Jey Uso will face off with his own brother, Jimmy Uso, on “The Grandest Stage of Them All.” Tonight, though, he is tasked with taking on the unpredictable Shinsuke Nakamura in what will be their first singles match since January 2021.
Cameron Grimes is a fan of rap music, and he had a burning question for Drake. With the recent beef between Future and Kendrick Lamar heating up, there are a lot of questions to be asked.
During a recent concert, Grimes had a chance to shout some questions in Drake’s direction. Sadly, the atmosphere of the live concert did not allow for Drizzy to hear what he was being asked.
Grimes Wants Answers
Drake just ran two shows in Sunrise, Florida on March 23 and 24. Cameron Grimes was likely’s at one of those shows, and he had a question for Drizzy.
As soon as the former Degrassi star got on stage, the former NXT North American Champion launched into journalism mode as he shouted at the stage.
“Drake, I just want to know what the beef is between you and Future and Kendrick. Drake, let me know what’s going on between you guys, okay?”
Drake did not hear Cameron Grimes’ questions, so there was no immediate answer. Perhaps fans will hear the whole story eventually, but Grimes did his best to get to the bottom of things.
The first to report it.
Here it is the Drake, Future, Kendrick beef first reported by CG.ent. brought to you by the Moon. pic.twitter.com/E6wWhxTGQV
Many fans believe that Future criticized Drake on a new song. Future and Metro Boomin released their joint album “We Don’t Trust You,” which included the controversial track. There’s speculation among fans about a brewing feud between Future, Kendrick and Drake. Kendrick gave Drake and J. Cole a piece of his mind on “Like That.”
In the new drop, Future raps in the intro to the title track, “Fake written all over you/Hate written all over you,”
Kendrick rapped in a feature, “Your best work is a light pack / N***a, Prince outlived Mike Jack / N***a, bum, ‘fore all your dogs get buried / That’s a K with all these nines, he gon’ see Pet Sematary.” He also spit: “Yeah get up with me, f*ck sneak dissing / ‘First Person Shooter,’ I hope they came with three switches. Motherf*ck the big three, n***a, it’s just big me.”
Future’s aggressive context did not come out of nowhere. Drake mentioned an issue with Future involving a woman on For All The Dogs. There have been a few sneak disses in this ongoing beef.
Welcome the Daily Drop, your daily roundup of wrestling news and rumors for Monday, March 25. Monday Night RAW is tonight, and there are a lot of stories to get to, so let’s jump right into it!
Days Until WrestleMania 40: 12
WWE:
– WrestleMania 41 Location: Minneapolis is very confident that they are going to land the location for WrestleMania 41.
Been a couple years, but we finally got one! Buy yours now before Mania so we can make more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Muahahahaahaha https://t.co/orxwpoUN8v
– Baszler Wants Stinkfaced: Rhea Ripley’s stinkface activities got around the roster. Now, Shayna Baszler is begging to receive one from The Nightmare.
– Meek Mill x WrestleMania 40: Triple H sent rapper Meek Mill an invitation to attend WrestleMania 40 in Philly. We will have to see if he is spotted at the show with his sons.
– The Snake is All Elite: While speaking to SEScoops, WWE Hall of Famer Jake “The Snake” Roberts confirmed he inked a new deal with AEW.
– AEW Avoiding WrestleMania Competition: AEW Collision’s April 6 episode will air at 11:30 PM EST. They are being bumped up due to college basketball on the schedule, but this change will also see them avoid direct competition with WWE’s WrestleMania 40 event.
– AEW Dynasty Ticket Sales:WrestleTix reports on their Patreon that AEW Dynasty in St. Louis on April 21st has sold 5,321 tickets, with 783 tickets left out of the current setup of 6,104. This turnout is significant, particularly when compared to AEW’s previous event, which drew 3,109 fans on January 20th for a Collision episode.
AEW Dynasty ticket chart via WrestleTix
Upcoming Major Pro Wrestling Events
Looking ahead, here are some of the major upcoming shows that we have in the pipeline:
April 6:NXT Stand & Deliver and WrestleMania XL Saturday from Philadelphia, PA.
April 7: WrestleMania XL Sunday from Philadelphia, PA.
April 21: All Elite Wrestling presents AEW Dynasty live on pay-per-view from St. Louis, Missouri at the Chaifetz Arena.
May 4: WWE Backlash France from Décines-Charpieu, France at the LDLC Arena.
TNA Wrestling may have its old brand name back, but two originals from the first era of those letters seem to be moving on.
Reports have been made that Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin’s contracts with the company were both set to expire this month and according to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, The Motor City Machine Guns were apparently saying some goodbyes to current TNA colleagues backstage during the TV tapings this weekend in Philadelphia.
“There were some farewells said backstage at the TNA tapings tonight for Sabin and Shelley. Anything can happen but as of now they’re free agents in about a week.”
There were some farewells said backstage at the TNA tapings tonight for Sabin and Shelley. Anything can happen but as of now they're free agents in about a week
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) March 24, 2024
Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin Were Top Stars In Recent TNA Run
Shelley and Sabin both had extremely memorable runs with Impact and TNA this go-around. Shelley had a more than formidable inaugural reign as the World Champion and was such heading into TNA’s first PPV back, Hard To Kill, where he finally dropped the gold to Moose.
Sabin, a former World Champion with the promotion as well, was the X-Division Champion before he lost to Mustafa Ali just recently at TNA Sacrifice, which also served as Ali’s debut with the promotion.
Obviously, Sabin and Shelley are best known for their work as a top tag team, not just in TNA, but all of wrestling. What the future holds for both is currently unknown, but Sabin and Shelley have appeared at AEW All Out 2022 and Shelley even had a cup of coffee in NXT with KUSHIDA, serving as his tag team partner in the 2020 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
The Rock is staying the course to his gameplan heading into WrestleMania 40 and ‘The Final Boss’ made that very clear this weekend.
‘The People’s Champ’ took to social media to hype his upcoming appearance at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn as Rocky makes his road to Philadelphia, making sure he reiterated a few key points he has touched upon these past few appearances on SmackDown.
“The Rock has made pro wrestling cool and exciting – again. The Rock has made pro wrestling unpredictable and he’s changed the game and raised the bar – again. The Rock is THE most electric, disruptive, distinctive, and hottest heel professional wrestling has seen in the last 20 years. You’re Welcome. F*ck off crybabies. Mama Rhodes ~ The Rock has a very special belt being made just for you. Your tears. Cody’s blood. My hands. I’ll see you soon, Mama Rhodes… ~ Final Boss”
The Rock has made pro wrestling cool and exciting – again.
The Rock has made pro wrestling unpredictable and he’s changed the game and raised the bar – again.
The Rock is THE most electric, disruptive, distinctive, and hottest heel professional wrestling has seen in the last… pic.twitter.com/nJWuhRHxxn
What The Rock completely disregarded is all that Cody Rhodes had to say this past Monday on WWE Raw about his ‘Mama Rhodes.’ Cody made quite clear that his mother, Michelle, will not be shaking in fear if she’s approached by The Rock. Rhodes even recounted a story where his mom beat up an undercover cop while at a Willie Nelson concert one time.
The Rock was nowhere to be seen on SmackDown last Friday as Roman Reigns and Cody confronted one another and he’s not scheduled for this week’s Raw or SmackDown either. However, one name who is scheduled for Raw tomorrow is CM Punk as WWE makes its return to Chicago and vows to be at WrestleMania 40 in some capacity.
2-time TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion Killer Kelly is not yet ‘finished up’ with the promotion.
Last week, reports suggested that Killer Kelly was done and would be parting ways with TNA Wrestling. She teamed up with Masha Slamovich and dropped the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championships to Spitfire (Dani Luna and Jody Threat) at the Sacrifice pay-per-view on March 8.
Kelly’s absence from TNA’s television tapings in Philadelphia, which took place on March 22 and 23 led to speculation that she might be leaving. Further reports floated stating that, as Kelly would be leaving TNA, plans were in the pipeline to have a potential new tag team partner for Slamovich.
Killer Kelly’s contract with TNA runs through 2025, according to Fightful, and was at this past weekend’s tapings last weekend. She could be taking some time off, but she has not officially departed the company as is this writing.
Killer Kelly’s recent TNA run
In the summer of 2022, Killer Kelly made her return when she assaulted a couple of local wrestlers. She eventually went to form a team with Slamovich which is known as MK Ultra. They soon tasted success when they captured TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions twice.
We will now have to wait and see what Killer Kelly’s future holds.
WWE WrestleMania 41 will be heading to Minneapolis according to the latest reports, especially if those in the Minnesotan city have their way.
WWE has yet to publicly confirm the location of their biggest event of 2025, in a break from tradition from the norm. In recent years, WWE has given plenty of advance notice regarding the date and location of their annual Showcase of Immortals.
As we’ve been reporting in recent months, Minneapolis has been the front runner to host WrestleMania 41 in 2025. City officials all but confirmed this during public hearings and an official announcement is expected to be made in the next week or two, as is customary with this year’s WrestleMania coming up.
The U.S Bank Stadium would likely be the home of WrestleMania 41 if the show does indeed go to Minneapolis. The home of the Minnesota Vikings, the stadium was opened in 2016 and hosts a max capacity of 73,000.
Political Hints
Minnesota officials have been loose-lipped when it comes to WrestleMania 41 coming to the state. In April 2023, officials let ‘slip’ that they were a finalist for the show. While this has gotten fans talking about the show being in Minneapolis, the report says it’s cost the city ‘leverage’ in discussions rather than create buzz.
Governor Walz said last week that “this is the place to be” and listed several events, including the U.S. Gymnastic Trials and the U.S. Junior Hockey Championships. Walz then mentioned WrestleMania before speaking about a potential $20 million boon to the economy.
Another Option?
While Minneapolis is expected to host the show, there had been reports that Las Vegas could be in line for WrestleMania 41. When Fightful asked their WWE sources. They said that if this was the plan, then the show would’ve been announced at the WrestleMania 40 kick-off event that took place in Las Vegas.
WrestleMania Overseas
Many fans across the pond had hoped for WrestleMania 41 to come to London, England. While John Cena told the crowd at Money in the Bank 2023 that he intends to bring the show to the English capital, there’s no word yet on whether there are any plans for an overseas WrestleMania.
Seth Rollins hasn’t taken kindly to The Rock taking credit for making wrestling cool again, staying the claim is some “dumb s**t ”
Since returning to WWE, the Bloodline member has done all he can to establish himself as a heel, a tall order given his immense popularity both in and out of the world of professional wrestling. Recently, The Rock took credit for making wrestling cool again, and had some strong words for Michelle, the mother of his WWE adversary Cody Rhodes.
The Rock has made pro wrestling cool and exciting – again.
The Rock has made pro wrestling unpredictable and he’s changed the game and raised the bar – again.
The Rock is THE most electric, disruptive, distinctive, and hottest heel professional wrestling has seen in the last… pic.twitter.com/nJWuhRHxxn
At a WWE event in Rockford, Rhodes and Seth Rollins got some practice in ahead of the WrestleMania tag team match when they defeated Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa.
After their main event win, Rollins grabbed the mic and brought up The Rock’s return to WWE to a chorus of boos from the Illinois crowd. The fans punctuated the sentiment with a chant of “Rocky Sucks.”
Rollins then addressed the “dumb s**t” that The Rock has been saying as of late, and argued that the worst comment was that The Rock had made wrestling cool once again. This earned more boos and a “bulls**t” chant from the fans which Rollins would take notice of.
When Rhodes gave his suggestion for who has made wrestling cool again, naming Byron Saxton, Rollins admitted that Saxton was part of the answer. Growing more impassioned, Rollins then said that it’s everybody who has been “busting their ass” for years who should be acknowledged as part of the “revolution” that has made wrestling cool again.
Rollins made sure to acknowledge the role of the fans in this revolution. Seth noted that the fans are just as much a part of this movement and that as the ‘WHOA’ gets louder in Rhodes’ theme each week, it’s got nothing to do with The Rock.
The Rock will make his return to the ring at WrestleMania 40 as part of the main event of Night One. The Great One will team with Roman Reigns to face Rhodes and Rollins. The match will determine the stipulation for the following nights Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match between Reigns and Rhodes.
The Rock may be the ‘Final Boss’ and a villain on WWE programming, but the Great One proved he has a heart of gold in a video to a very young fan.
On Twitter, The Rock shared a video of himself singing ‘You’re Welcome’ from Disney hit film Moana. The Brahma Bull explained that this song was for Naomi, a two-year-old who is currently in hospital fighting a brain disorder.
The Rock spoke about the importance of bringing positive energy into the world at a time when there’s a lot of negativity out there.
Join me in a song ? ??? Naomi is 2yrs old and fighting the fight in the hospital with a brain disorder.
Her wish is for Maui to send her a video of him singing “You’re Welcome” ????
As we know, there’s a lot of noise and negativity out there, but I deeply believe that… pic.twitter.com/kVqbfhwCi8
This is hardly the first example of The Rock showing immense kindness to others. Last month, the TKO board member donated $50,000 to a foundation. The foundation in question was created by a couple called Esperenza and Edwin, whose daughter Lily-Rose had died and aims to help parents struggling with the loss of a child.
In June 2023, The Rock bought a home for WWE Superstar Tamina Snuka. In his social media post at the time, Rock praised the former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion as someone who always makes it through tough times.
Last September, a U.S. Navy serviceman shared some of the signed items they had received from The Rock after losing his leg in combat. The Rock had to break the bad news that these autographs were fake but vowed that he would send him the genuine article.
What’s Next?
The Rock will make his long-awaited return to the ring at WrestleMania 40. On the Saturday portion of the show, The Rock will team with Roman Reigns to face Seth Rollins & Cody Rhodes. The match will determine the stipulation of the following night’s main event for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
Shayna Baszler was hoping to get up close and personal with Rhea Ripley after a stinkface from the WWE Women’s World Champion went viral online.
At an event on March 23 in Springfield, IL, Ripley avoided taking a stinkface from Nia Jax during a title match triple threat that included Baszler. After escaping the corner, Ripley hit a stinkface of her own on the Irresistible Force, much to the delight of the crowd.
Shayna Baszler Wants A Stinkface
The next night, the three women had the same match, as WWE live events often use the same card in different cities. Once again, Ripley was poised to hit Jax with the finishing move of WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi. This time, however, Baszler interjected and placed herself in the corner, eager to be hit by the move.
Unfortunately for Baslzer, who has dated both men and women in the past, it wasn’t meant to be. Nia Jax would interrupt before Shayna’s face got well-acquainted with the buttocks of the Australian Superstar. Ripley would go on to retain the title.
Ripley has some flirty fun in the ring, but she is happily engaged to AEW star Buddy Matthews. After her stinkface on Nia Jax went viral, Matthews said it was a regular occurrence for him.
Rhea Ripley will defend the WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 40 against Becky Lynch. The Man earned the title match by winning the Women’s Elimination Chamber last month. The match will be Ripley’s second time defending a title at WrestleMania. She previously failed to retain the NXT Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 36,
WWE’s biggest show of the year is coming in less than 2 weeks, and celebrities are usually expected. Now, we can add Meek Mill to that list.
Triple H will book his first WrestleMania event this year. This will also be the first Mania after TKO Group Holdings took control of the company. The Game wants to make sure that the event is star-studded.
Meek Mill Receives WrestleMania Invitation
After Meek Mill expressed interest in WrestleMania 40 in Philly, Triple H replied. The WWE Hall of Famer said that Meek Mill should clear his schedule.
When Meek Mill sent out an Instagram post to hype WrestleMania, he tagged Triple H in the process. He also said that his sons want to come to the show of shows, and he’s thinking about bringing them.
Meek Mill is from South Philadelphia, so WrestleMania 40 coming to his city is a big deal. Fans are expected to pack Lincoln Financial Field for both nights on April 6 and 7.
It did not take Triple H very long at all to reply to the famous rapper. He said that WWE is coming to have some fun, and Meek Mill should clear his schedule to attend the show of shows.
I got you, Meek Mill. It’s your city, and WWE is just coming to have some fun. Clear your schedule…
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) March 24, 2024
Sylvester Stallone & WrestleMania 40
Sylvester Stallone was in talks to make an appearance at WrestleMania 40, and that would have been great considering his Philly roots. They could not make that deal work out, but there will likely be plenty of famous faces at the showcase of the immortals this year.
SEScoops will have continued coverage of the road to WrestleMania. Please keep checking back for more on this story and so much more in the pro wrestling world.
WWE is on the road to WrestleMania 40, and they don’t need any top stars out of action. Now, there is one less situation to worry about when it comes to Asuka’s status.
There was some concern that Asuka was out of action with an injury.SEScoops has learned that Asuka is cleared to compete after missing last week’s events. She wrestled during last night’s WWE house show in Springfield, Illinois.
Asuka’s Return
The March 23 WWE event in Springfield, Illinois included a positive update concerning Asuka, as she made her return to the ring.
During the live event, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, and Naomi emerged victorious against Damage CTRL, consisting of Asuka, IYO SKY, and Kairi Sane. Although it was a six-woman tag team match, Asuka still saw action.
This comes following concerns about a potential injury sustained during her recent match on WWE RAW. As a precautionary measure, she was granted time off from last weekend’s live events.
The Kabuki Warriors
Asuka is not booked for a match at WrestleMania 40 yet. She will likely be on hand for IYO Sky’s WWE Women’s Title defense against Bayley.
The Kabuki Warriors reunited after Kairi Sane made her return. She was previously with STARDOM during the interim time between her WWE runs, but the Pirate Princess decided to leave her Japanese pro wrestling home after Rossy Ogawa’s ousting.
They won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions during a January 26th episode of WWE RAW, and the two have remained champions since, as Damage CTRL has been covered with gold on the road to WrestleMania 40.
Jake Roberts remains a hot commodity in pro wrestling and ‘The Snake’ slithered some major news about what he decided to do regarding his future with AEW.
SEScoops can confirm The Master of the DDY has inked a new contract with Tony Khan’s All Elite Wrestling. Roberts addresses the situation on the next episode of his Snake Pit, which has yet to be released publicly. Roberts tells co-host Marcus DeAngelo:
“Well folks, just to let you know, you’re gonna be looking at me on AEW for another year. That’s right, they re-signed me so that’s great news. Looking forward to doing it.”
Roberts has notoriously been a creative mind on screen and behind the scenes in pro wrestling and he revealed that he had a big pitch in mind to make to Khan for this upcoming year.
“Crossing my fingers that – wouldn’t be something if we started the ‘Snake Pit’ back up? Listen, I’d love to talk to Tony about that.
“I’m damn sure gonna pitch it.”
Much like ‘Piper’s Pit,’ ‘The Snake Pit’ was Roberts’ memorable talk show segment in WWE that featured major names such as Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Piper himself and many more.
Roberts signed with AEW back in 2020, confronting Cody Rhodes and teasing further doom to come for ‘The American Nightmare.’ He then became the manager for Lance Archer whom he has been paired with ever since.
Jake Roberts Has Even More Pro Wrestling Related Plans For 2024
In the same breath of breaking the AEW news, Jake Roberts also revealed that like Chris Jericho, ‘The Snake’ plans to set sail like a fellow legendary AEW colleague.
“Everybody’s been on a Jericho Cruise, but have you been on the Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts cruise? That’s on the way so folks get ready, we’re gonna take it out on the middle of the ocean and do what I do.”
Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins honored Bray Wyatt at a recent WWE live event in a touching tribute to the late WWE World Champion.
The event in Springfield, IL saw Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins get some training in a a tag-team ahead of WrestleMania 40. The pair united to defeat The Bloodline’s Solo Sikoa & Jimmy Uso.
After the match, Rhodes pointed out that there were a lot of ‘fireflies’ in the arena, which sparked more fans to join in. Rollins went on to say that while fans love singing his song, he wouldn’t mind if they sang “for Windham.” This led to a rendition of ‘He’s got the Whole World in His Hands’ by the fans.
Pretty cool end to a @wwe Premium Live Event in Springfield, Il. Fireflies make an appearance and Seth Rollins and @CodyRhodes shout out to Bray Wyatt. pic.twitter.com/BgRNe2Nzyq
This tribute to Bray Wyatt was not the first, nor will it be the last celebration of the late wrestler. Last December, Rollins paid tribute to Bray at a WWE live event. He also paid tribute to Brodie Lee, who died in December 2020.
Following Wyatt’s passing in August 2023, Rollins fixed Bray-inspired sideplates to his World Heavyweight Championship. Wyatt became a three-time World Champion before his untimely death.
A new documentary about the life and career of the late wrestler will release next month. You can check out a trailed for what’ll no doubt be a gripping documentary below.
WWE in Springfield, IL
Here’s the results for WWE’s live event in Springfield, Illinois.
Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair & Naomi defeated IYO SKY, Kairi Sane and Dakota Kai
Sami Zayn defeated Shinsuke Nakamura
WWE Intercontinental Title Match – Gunther (c) retains over Jey Uso
Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) defeated Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh via DQ
Awesome Truth and The New Day def. The Judgment Day
Omos defeated Odyssey Jones
WWE Women’s World Title Match – Rhea Ripley (c) retains over Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler in a Triple Threat match
Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes defeated Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso
For many years, John Cena has been involved in many big matches and moments at the ‘Grandest Stage Of Them All.’ He has won championships and even proposed at a WrestleMania. However, Cena has recently shared that he also had a featured match involving him being cut short compared to what was initially planned.
On his TikTok account, Cena shared that his Triple Threat Match against Big Show and Adam Copeland (FKA Edge) for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship was cut short. The match occurred at WWE WrestleMania 25 on April 5, 2009.
Fans may recall that the match before Cena’s was Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker. While Michaels and ‘The Deadman’ put on an all-time classic WrestleMania performance, the Triple Threat Match was cut for time.
Cena reflected on the match on TikTok and spoke about WWE’s decision. He also thanked Big Show and Copeland for their cooperation.
“…Those guys had a long match, which means you got to find the time somewhere, which means they took a lot of time away from this match. Yes, taking time away from your match happens at every level. I want to thank my opponents, Edge and The Big Show, for being so calm and collected and adjusting what we needed to do, and still being able to take some high-risk and give the audience some crazy moments,” said Cena.
One example he remembered was picking up both his opponents at the same time. He also revealed the match was supposed to last 30 minutes and noted how quickly he got out of the ring after his win.
Will John Cena Make An Appearance At WWE WrestleMania 40?
As WWE WrestleMania 40 approaches, fans wonder if Cena will appear. He is not scheduled for a match or a segment at the event.
Cena will likely not be in a match or be limited in how physical he can be with others, but fans will still enjoy seeing the former WWE Champion make a surprise appearance.
Welcome the Daily Drop, your daily roundup of wrestling news and rumors for Sunday, March 24. The weekend is never dull in the pro wrestling world, and with under 2 weeks until WrestleMania XL, things are always likely to heat up.
– Johnny Ace is a Dirtbag:Ronda Rousey had a lot to say about John Laurinaitis. She called him a dirtbag, among other things.
– The Rock Surprise: The Rock surprised customers at a Target in Memphis. He was there to promote his Papatui brand of men’s healthcare products:
– Top WWE Prospect: Giulia announced that she is leaving STARDOM in a matter of days, presumably at the end of March. WWE has been watching her for a while, and it is widely thought that she is coming in.
– WWE Shop Arrival: Ahead of their WrestleMania 40 collision, WWE has dropped a two-pack Usos Funko Pop set. You can click here to see what they have to offer in the WWE Shop.
Pump the music. Pop! WWE Superstar Jey Uso™ & Pop! WWE Superstar Jimmy Uso™ are entering the ring as a Fanatics exclusive 2-pack! Commemorate an iconic WrestleMania® 39 moment today. What’s your favorite WWE WrestleMania moment? #FunkoPop#WWE ?: https://t.co/qIGBpFvlTdpic.twitter.com/cAMWzrMYu6
– AEW Streaming Deal: While speaking to Comicbook Nation, Tony Khan said that AEW is still in talks for a streaming deal with MAX. “We’re actively negotiating right now. Something I would be really excited about would be bringing AEW to Max, and it’s something I think we’ve talked about, it just needs to make sense for everybody,” Khan stated.
– Kota Ibushi Injury Update: Ibushi updated fans with a promising message on Instagram. He posted a clip of him training for a return, with a caption in Japanese that translates to: ”1 year in and out, my ankle is still sprained, but I was able to explode with lab practice since surgery. It doesn’t take a year to come back. It will surely heal in six months. CURE !!”
Ronda Rousey continues to not mince her words when it comes to WWE and has taken aim at former Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis.
“He looked and acted like an entitled sixty-year-old former frat boy… Whereas Triple H looked for talent and potential in NXT prospects, it appeared John Laurinaitis looked for f*ckability.”
Rousey goes on to describe Laurinaitis as an “all-around dirtbag.” The former Raw & SmackDown Women’s Champion is heavily critical of Laurinaitis and Vince McMahon morphing WWE NXT into NXT 2.0 following Triple H’s health scare in 2021.
In the book, Rousey admits that she loves the majority of people in WWE, but that love doesn’t extend to Bruce Prichard & John Laurinaitis. Rousey, in her own words, says the pair can “go f*** themselves.”
This isn’t the only time Rousey has hit out at Prichard. Following Vince McMahon’s resignation in January 2023, Rousey claimed that as long as Prichard was with WWE, McMahon would always have a significant role in decisions.
Rousey on Vince McMahon
Rousey compares Vince McMahon to Emperor Palpatine, the antagonist of the Star Wars franchise, in her book. She adds that it’s hard to differentiate between the evil Mr. McMahon character and the man himself, especially in light of the allegations against McMahon and WWE in Janel Grant’s lawsuit.
Customers who shopped at a Target in Memphis, TN probably didn’t expect to see Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson walking the aisles while they were on the hunt for deals.
The Brahma Bull was at the store to mark the launch of his new Papatui brand of men’s healthcare products. In the caption for the video, The Rock discusses starting his wrestling career in Memphis and being able to come back and see his “big ass head” on every TV in Target.
The line of products includes a collection of hair, body and tattoo care products, and is available on papatui.com as well as at all Target stores.
The name comes from Johnson’s love for his family. The Tui part of the brand comes from a granted him by his grandfather ‘High Chief’ Peter Maivia. The Papa part comes from The Rock’s devotion to his family and children, including WWE NXT General Manager Ava.
The Rock’s Future
When not promoting Papatui, The Rock can be found appearing on WWE programming. At WrestleMania 40: Saturday, The Rock & Roman Reigns will face Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins. If the Bloodline wins, the following night’s Undisputed WWE Universal title match will be under ‘Bloodline Rules.’ Should Rollins and Rhodes win, the title match will be free of Bloodline interference.
Other Ventures
Papatui is hardly the first venture that Johnson has committed to. In addition to his work in WWE and in Hollywood, Johnson also has his own brand of Tequila called Teremana. Johnson also has his own brand of ZOA energy drinks and recently launched his ‘Big Dwayne Energy’s line of flavors.
One of the big names on TNA’s Knockouts roster finished her time with the promotion very recently, it has been reported.
Killer Kelly finished up her run at the recent TNA Sacrifice pay-per-view, PW Insider reports, though news of her exit is only now getting out. At the event, MK Ultra (Kelly and Masha Slamovich) lost the TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Championships to Spitfire (Dani Luna and Jody Threat.)
Killer Kelly in TNA Wrestling
Kelly made her TNA debut in November 2020, back when the promotion was still IMPACT Wrestling. She would team with Renee Michelle in an tournament to crown the new Impact Knockouts Tag Team Champions. The duo were defeated by Jazz and Jordynne Grace in the first round.
In 2022, she returned to the promotion and would compete at that year’s Bound for Glory. At Slammiversary, she and Slamovich won the Knockouts World Tag Team Titles. They’d lose the titles at TNA Hard to Kill in January 2024 but won the gold back a month later.
TNA Exits
Killer Kelly may not be the only name to be leaving TNA Wrestling. It has been reported that Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin, also known as the Motor City Machine Guns, could be leaving soon as their contracts are due to expire. The pair recently filed trademarks for the MCMG name, suggesting that they are ready to take the name outside of TNA.
Killer Kelly Outside of the Ring
It’s unclear what Kelly’s future holds in the ring, but the TNA alum will soon be flexing her acting muscles. She and Matt Rehwoldt are set to appear in the upcoming horror short film Arachnid. Kelly has a starring role in the film, while Rehwoldt plays a therapist in a supporting role. The film will also feature Lacey Creighton, who portrayed Tammy Sytch on an episode of Dark Side of the Ring.
Bayley is mere weeks away from a golden opportunity at WrestleMania 40 and has questioned why the women of WWE can’t headline both nights of the event.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Bayley spoke about her upcoming match with WWE Women’s Champion IYO SKY. In a message to Rhea Ripley, who will be challenged by Becky Lynch next month, Bayley suggested that both Women’s Championships could headline this year’s show.
“You guys can have the first night and I’ll take the second night. You know, we can do that. You never had two women main event both shows at WrestleMania. Why can’t it be this year?”
While Bayley’s aspirations are admirable, it’s unlikely either night will end with a Women’s title match. The Rock’s return to the ring in the tag-match pitting The Bloodline against Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins is virtually guaranteed to headline WrestleMania 40: Saturday. Similarly, Cody Rhodes Vs. Roman Reigns is expected to headline WrestleMania 40: Sunday.
Women at WrestleMania
Currently, two women’s matches have had the honor of closing out WrestleMania. In 2019, Becky Lynch defeated Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey to capture the Raw and SmackDown Women’s Championships. Two years later Bianca Belair would win the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 37: Night One.
Women in the Main Event
While not considered a Premium Live Event, NXT TakeOver: Respect in October 2015 was the promotion’s first major event that saw women in the main event. That event saw Bayley retain the NXT Women’s Championship in an Iron Man match against Sasha Banks.
A year later, WWE Hell in a Cell 2016 saw the first women’s main event on the main roster. The bout saw Charlotte Flair win the Raw Women’s Championship from Sasha Banks.
The 2017 Mae Young Classic and 2018 WWE Evolution event both unsurprisingly saw female main events, given that both were all-female shows. The women would also headline the 2018 Royal Rumble event that saw Asuka win the inaugural Women’s Rumble match (as well as the debut of Ronda Rousey.)
Other events to see women close out the show include WWE TLC 2018 and 2019, as well as Elimination Chamber 2020, which was WWE’s final PLE with a live crowd before the COVID-19 pandemic. WWE’s most recent female main event came last month and saw Rhea Ripley defeat Nia Jax at Elimination Chamber 2024.
WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley decided to take a page out of Nia Jax’s book and hit the popular ‘Stinkface’ move during a recent WWE Live Event.
‘The Eradicator’ has managed to garner a massive fan following with her in-ring prowess and gimmick. She is quite active on social media and her posts are always appreciated by fans.
Sometimes the admiration could go to an extreme extent. One example is a recent incident where a fan made efforts to aquire Rhea Ripley’s chewing gum. Now, a new viral video has got the fans appreciating The Mami all over again.
Rhea Ripley Leads Rikishi Tribute
WWE Road To WrestleMania Live Event took place in Springfield, IL on Saturday, March 23 and a video clip from the event has emerged. Rhea Ripley can be seen applying the ‘Stinkface’ on Nia Jax, who was down in the corner and hyped up the crowd after hitting the move. Check out the video clip below:
The comedic move was part of WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi’s arsenal during the late 90s and early 2000s. The move humiliated his opponents and became quite popular. Hitting the maneuver, he displayed his humorous side.
The move often labeled gross, requires the opponent to be in a seated position in the corner, and the person hitting the move would turn their back and rub their backside on the opponent’s face, humiliating them in the process. Over the years several stars have adopted the moves and it continues to remain an entertaining spot for the fans.
Most recently, on last week’s Raw, Nia Jax hit the move on Becky Lynch during their Last Woman Standing match. The match was ultimately won by ‘The Man.’
We are officially on the Road to WrestleMania 40 and at ‘The Show of Shows,’ Rhea Ripley will defend her title against the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble match winner Becky Lynch.
The Bullet Club’s Alex Coughlin will never compete again after announcing that his time in the ring has come to an abrupt end.
On Twitter, Coughlin confirmed his retirement, adding that it sucks that he has had to hang up his boots. He added that he still has some wrestling merchandise available for purchase.
Coughlin wrestled 197 matches over his career, according to stats from Cagematch. His final match took place on February 24 at NYWC Psycho Circus 21. At the event, he teamed with Sean Wachter to defeat QGTM (Jey Mesias & Pat Fitzpatrick.)
Alex Coughlin
Coughlin made his wrestling debut in April 2018 and entered the NJPW LA Dojo that same year. He trained under Katsuyori Shibata in a class that included Karl Fredericks (WWE NXT’s Eddy Thorpe) and Clark Connors.
Known as ‘The Android’ for his strength-based style, Coughlin’s time in New Japan would see him become part of the Bullet Club. At NJPW Independence Day 2023: Night 1, he and Gabriel Kidd captured the Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships with a win over Bishamon. The pair held the gold until October 2023 when they lost to current champions Guerrillas of Destiny.
Coughlin Outside New Japan
As part of his New Japan run, Coughlin competed a handful of times for ROH in 2019 as part of the ‘War of the Worlds’ shows. In 2023, he teamed with Shibata to defeat the Workhorsemen. He would later challenge Shibata for the ROH Pure Championship in a losing effort.
Careers Cut Short
Coughlin is not the first wrestler to see their in-ring career cut short. Some wrestlers, such as Saraya, Bryan Danielson, and Adam Copeland, were all forced to retire due to injuries, only to receive second chances. All three are now part of AEW.
Others have not been so fortunate. Jason Jordan’s last match took place in early 2018 and he retired due to injuries. The former Tag Champion has since made a name for himself as a WWE producer. Tyson Kidd can also be found backstage as a producer after his career was ended in 2015 due to a botched Muscle Buster.
