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Ex-Divas Champion Wishes She Was A Part Of WWE 2K24 Video Game

Thomas Lowson
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WWE 2K24 will see one of the series’ largest-ever rosters, but one former Superstar wishes that she was a playable character in the new game.

WWE 2K24 will be the latest game in the 2K series of games that began with the release of WWE 2K14 a decade ago. The Standard Edition of WWE 2K24 will be released on March 8, while the Deluxe and 40 Years of WrestleMania Editions will be released three days earlier on March 5. Earlier this week, fans caught their first glimpse of gameplay footage from WWE 2K24. 

Kelly Kelly and WWE 2K24

With 4 decades of WWE being on display in WWE 2K24, not everybody can be featured in the upcoming video game. Recently, Kelly Kelly’s name was trending on social media as fans rallied for her to be included. Responding, Kelly said that she wishes she could be a part of WWE 2K24. 

WWE 2K24 Omissions

When WWE 2K recently revealed its roster for the upcoming game, fans noticed how several notable names were missing. Two-time WWE Champion Drew McIntyre, who will compete for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40, was among those missing. In a statement, 2K said this was a simple error and has since included McIntyre and others in updated rosters. 

Kelly Kelly in Video Games

Kelly appeared in six video games during her run with WWE and made her in-game debut in SmackDown Vs. Raw 2008. From there, she appeared in SVR 2009, 2010, and 2011. After the game series rebranded, she appeared in WWE ’12 and WWE ’13. In Mexico, a videogame store sold an exclusive cover of WWE ’12 featuring Kelly Kelly on the cover. 

Cody Rhodes Has The ‘Perfect’ Response to Shawn Spears’ WWE NXT Return

Thomas Lowson
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Shawn Spears is officially back with WWE as part of the NXT brand, and Cody Rhodes has had the perfect reaction to the return of his fellow AEW alum.

Spears returned to WWE during the February 27, 2024, edition of WWE NXT. Spears was revealed to be the man behind weeks of mysterious vignettes. The former AEW star attacked Ridge Holland with a steel chair, much to the shock of the WWE Universe in Florida. 

Cody Rhodes Reacts to Spears’ Return

During his return, Spears was referred to by the Spears name, as opposed to his previous WWE moniker Tye Dillinger. During his days as Dillinger, Spears was referred to as the ‘Perfect 10.’ Reacting to Spears’ return, Cody Rhodes took to Twitter and gave an appropriate score for his friend’s comeback. 

Other Reactions

In a tweet of his own, Spears confirmed that his appearance on this week’s WWE NXT was not a one-off, and that he is back. 

Cassie Lee, the wife of Spears who competed for years in WWE as Peyton Royce, had her own reaction. The IIconic wrestler made clear that it was pleased to see Spears is back ‘home.’

Cody Rhodes wasn’t the only wrestler who had quite the high score for Spears’ return to WWE, as seen in the tweets below. 

Spears Return to WWE NXT

WWE went to great efforts to keep Shawn Spears’ return a secret ahead of this week’s NXT. During rehearsals for the attack on Holland, NXT head Shawn Michaels filled in for Spears. The Canadian’s name was also kept off of run sheets for this week’s NXT. Spears received a warm welcome backstage after his appearance on the show. 

TKO Gives Statement on Vince McMahon, Says He Has “Significant Portion of the Voting Power”

Thomas Lowson
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TKO has given a clear statement regarding the departure of Vince McMahon who despite his exit, is said to have a significant amount of voting power. 

McMahon stepped down from WWE one month ago due to the shocking allegations made against him in Janel Grant’s lawsuit. McMahon has claimed that the litigation is rife with fabrications and has claimed he is completely innocent. Former WWE executive John Laurinaitis, who is named in the suit, has claimed he is a victim, not a predator, in this situation.

TKO Group Holdings Comments

In the 2023 Earnings filing, TKO Group Holdings had the following to say about McMahon in their “Legal Proceedings” division of the filing: 

“Vincent K. McMahon, who served as Executive Chair of the Company’s Board of Directors until January 26, 2024, controls a significant portion of the voting power of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock. 

Mr. McMahon has agreed to make future payments to certain counterparties personally. In accordance with the SEC’s Staff Accounting Bulletin Topic 5T, Miscellaneous Accounting, Accounting for Expenses or Liabilities Paid by Principal Stockholders (“Topic 5T”), the Company concluded that these amounts should be recognized by the Company as expenses in the period in which they become probable and estimable.

In connection with the acquisition of WWE, the Company assumed $3.5 million of liabilities related to future payments owed by Mr. McMahon to certain counterparties, of which $2.0 million was paid directly by Mr. McMahon during the period of September 12, 2023 through December 31, 2023.

“During the period of September 12, 2023 through December 31, 2023, the Company recorded $3.5 million of expenses associated with payments made directly by Mr. McMahon to certain counterparties. These costs are included within selling, general and administrative expenses in our consolidated statements of operations.

Additionally, during the period of September 12, 2023 through December 31, 2023, the Company recorded $3.5 million of costs associated with payments made directly by Mr. McMahon related to WWE’s global headquarters lease. These costs are included within finance lease right-of-use assets, net in our consolidated balance sheets. These payments are considered non-cash capital contributions and are included as a component of principal stockholder contributions in our consolidated statements of stockholders’/members’ equity.

“As of December 31, 2023, total liabilities of $1.5 million are included within accrued expenses in our consolidated balance sheets related to future payments owed by Mr. McMahon to certain counterparties.

What’s Next for TKO? 

With McMahon gone, Ari Emanuel has replaced the 78-year-old as the Executive Chair of TKO. Emanuel already serves as the company’s CEO. Steven R. Koonin has been appointed the Lead Independent Director of the McMahon allegations and how it relates to TKO. Both appointments came into effect as of February 22. 

How Did WWE Keep Shawn Spears Return A Secret At 2/27 Episode Of NXT?

Thomas Lowson
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Shawn Spears is back with WWE, and fans should get used to hearing that name instead of his previous moniker Tye Dillinger. 

Spears returned to WWE during the February 27, 2024, edition of WWE NXT. Spears was revealed to be the man behind weeks of mysterious vignettes. The former AEW star attacked Ridge Holland with a steel chair, much to the shock of the WWE Universe in Florida. 

What’s In A Name? 

While he previously competed for WWE as Tye Dillinger, the Canadian Superstar will go by Shawn Spears in this run, Fightful Select reports. The veteran began using the Spears name before joining WWE and used it again when he joined AEW in 2019. 

Kept a Secret

Few in WWE NXT were aware of Spears’ return, with one describing it as a “complete shock.” As of 8 pm EST, Spears was not listed on internal documents, nor was anyone else listed for Ridge Holland’s promo. In terms of rehearsals, Shawn Michaels would fill Spears’ role in rehearsals with Holland earlier today. One source told Fightful that Spears was signed to a deal for some time before the first ‘Three Faces’ vignettes began to air.

What WWE Superstars Had To Say About The Vince McMahon Scandal So Far

Dominic DeAngelo
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WWE Superstars are certainly in a tough position when it comes to addressing the Vince McMahon allegations. Not only are they talking about something that came out of left field regarding their former employer, but it was about someone whom many had a personal relationship with and in turn, changed their lives. 

However, it goes without saying that the allegations levied against Vincent Kennedy McMahon are heinous and jaw-dropping. Any person with common sense would hope that the truth of it all comes out. In this case, time is a friend to no one and questions get asked, meaning WWE talent have to wade tough waters on a subject that’s not only personal, but uncomfortable and a cobweb of legalities. At this juncture, many top names in WWE have had to address it and each have come with their varying levels of praise and criticism for how they’ve handled it.

Triple H, Bruce Prichard & Shawn Michaels

Triple H, Bruce Prichard and Shawn Michaels clearly have had a strong working relationship with Vince McMahon, but Paul Levesque has even another layer to his relationship being Vince’s son-in-law. The Game was one of the first names asked about McMahon during the Royal Rumble press conference and chose to not address the Janel Grant allegations, but rather currently look at the positive things WWE was doing that week. When asked specifically if he had read the legal document from Grant’s lawyers, Levesque said he hadn’t at the moment.

Another name asked not long after Hunter was his close friend HBK during the NXT Vengeance Day press conference. Michaels, who leads NXT, mostly focused on the safety and well-being of the talent, and made sure to say that he hopes to continue to cultivate a positive enviroment down in the black and gold.

Bruce Prichard was a third figure in power who addressed it personally on his Something To Wrestle With podcast. Prichard told co-host Conrad Thompson that he’s not at liberty to talk about the matter considering it is a legal situation.

Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens & Becky Lynch

Surprisingly enough, the first major star or WWE figure asked about the Vince McMahon allegations was Cody Rhodes, right after winning the 2024 Royal Rumble nonetheless. Rhodes happened to step up and lay the groundwork as to how a top talent should handle such a polarizing subject by mentioning how it was a “dark cloud” and credited the people behind-the-scenes as to how the situation was handled.

“This crew is very team-based, and perhaps that’s the ingredient. Everyone looking out for everyone. Being accountable.”

Moving forward, WWE has seemingly allowed their Superstars to address the matter as they see fit and Seth Rollins was another name who stepped up, stating it was a “crap situation,” and went on to mention how if the allegations are indeed true, he hopes the appropriate parties get what’s coming to them.

Seth Rollins’ wife, “The Man” Becky Lynch was recently asked about the allegations while in Perth for Elimination Chamber and provided a feminine perspective to the matter, noting that the allegations are hard to reconcile.

Another name asked about Vince in Perth was Kevin Owens who outright condemned the accusations, labeling it “shameful.”

Overall, the modern stars of WWE managed to walk that line of being professional, but also understanding the gravity of the allegations.

Randy Orton & John Cena

Randy Orton is fully an active member of the WWE roster, but he, like John Cena, have had a longer relationship with Vince McMahon than anyone aside from Michaels, Triple H and Bruce Prichard.

When asked about McMahon, Orton credited all that Vince McMahon has done and given to him, but in the same breath mentioned how heinous the accusations were.

“As far as commenting on that, it f*cking hurts my heart. It hurts my heart.” 

While Orton did directly reference the allegations outright, John Cena noted that the situation was super unfortunate and it deals with an entity and a man he loves.. While on Howard Stern, Cena spoke about accountability, but to the public eye, Cena was heavily criticized for his comments. Former WWE head writer Vince Russo even predicted that the star would get killed for his stance and believes his comments missed the mark.

With WrestleMania season picking up, one would have to suspect that several WWE names will still get asked about McMahon, even with the potential of more allegations surfacing against the former WWE Chairman. Many are still waiting to hear from current WWE CEO Nick Khan or even what The Rock may have to say about his one-time boss. One could hope they are handled as well as what many have already done and that justice will be served where warranted.

New AEW Dynamite Logo First Look, New Stage To Debut On 3/6

Dominic DeAngelo
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AEW appears to be fully embracing a new beginning for the company in light of Sting’s retirement.

The company is set to send Sting off in a big way as “The Icon” will be competiting in his final match at AEW Revolution on March 3 in a city he’s very familiar with in Greensboro, NC. However, although Tony Khan and AEW are losing a bonafide legend in the business with Sting’s exit, the company aims to ride that moment right out of Revolution.

Notorious AEW fan Drainmaker on X noted that on Sammy Guevara’s latest video blog that the company is set to reveal a new logo and set for Wednesday night’s AEW Dynamite. 

The logo AEW Dynamite logo has been spotted in the wild for the first time in this ad for an upcoming Dynamite from Winnipeg. Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Podcast says he’s seen a “different color logo” so there may be variations to this logo when it premieres on TV. 

Those changes won’t take place until after Revolution, but Guevara, along with Matt Sydal did note that they saw the new logo ahead of time. Sydal commented on the new logo in time during Sammy’s video.

“It looks good. A good color scheme. It’s kind of Neo.”

New Look AEW Dynamite

This Wednesday will mark the final week for the current look of AEW as they hail out of Huntsville, AL.

My This new look will only be a week away from when AEW presents Big Business from Boston where all signs point to Mercedes Mone making her very long-awaited debut with the company.

As AEW has built towards Revolution, they have been making some significant changes not just externally, but internally. QT Marshall is back in a behind-the-scenes role with the company, but an even more notable move is the hiring of Jennifer Pepperman, former senior writer at WWE and daytime Emmy winner. Pepperman happened to leave her position at WWE not even a week before it was announced she inked a deal with Tony Khan.

WWE Settled MLW Antitrust Lawsuit For Massive $20 Million Price Tag

Aaron Varble
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MLW and WWE were in a legal battle for a long time in an antitrust lawsuit. That ended last year, and then MLW seemed to have a lot more money to spend. Although details of the exact amount of that settlement were not disclosed, that all came to light thanks to TKO’s earnings report.

The financial aspects of the antitrust lawsuit settlement between WWE and MLW have finally come to light, shedding new insights into the resolution reached between the two wrestling promotions. In the end, WWE forked over $20 million.

WWE and MLW’s Legal Battle

The legal dispute originated in January 2022 when MLW initiated legal action against WWE, alleging that the wrestling giant engaged in coercive practices to dissuade third parties from establishing or maintaining partnerships with MLW. Specifically, MLW cited instances where WWE purportedly interfered with potential agreements involving media outlets like Vice TV and the streaming platform Tubi.

After nearly two years of legal proceedings, WWE and MLW reached a settlement agreement in December 2023, bringing an end to the contentious litigation. While the financial terms of the settlement were initially kept confidential, recent revelations have uncovered crucial details regarding WWE’s financial obligation to MLW.

According to TKO Group Holding’s 2023 business report, which was unveiled on Tuesday, WWE has committed to paying a substantial sum of $20 million as part of the settlement agreement. This disclosure marks a significant development in the legal saga, providing clarity on the financial repercussions for WWE resulting from the antitrust lawsuit filed by MLW.

For the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2023, the Company’s consolidated pre-tax results included $34.2 million in costs related to certain litigation matters at UFC and WWE, including the impact of a $20.0 million charge related to the settlement of an antitrust lawsuit at WWE. A reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA for the three and twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 can be found in the supplemental schedule on page 14 of this release.

History of MLW

MLW was established by Court Bauer, who came from WWE roots. Bauer joined WWE in 1999, where he started as a writer for the Smackdown brand. Later on, he transitioned to the RAW brand and also worked on writing for various pay-per-views events. In 2002, Bauer went on to establish MLW.

Following MLW’s initial closure in 2004, Bauer evolved the brand into a radio and podcast network before making a comeback in 2017 as a pro wrestling company.

The promotion is now gearing up for its upcoming event, MLW Intimidation Games 2024, scheduled to take place in Queens, New York, this Thursday, February 29th.

SEScoops will have even more on this story as more news, if more news is available. 

Unmasking Real Identity of NYPD Officers That Attacked Cody Rhodes On Raw

Aaron Varble
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Cody Rhodes had quite a match against Grayson Waller on WWE RAW this week, but then Paul Heyman came out with some reinforcements. While Heyman claimed that his backup was off-duty police, it seems that wasn’t the case at all.

The WWE extra who was brought in to take a brunt of Cody Rhodes’ abuse has now stepped forward. It was indie wrestler Nessy Skylark was the man behind the stunt.

Backstory of Unprotected Chair Shot

Amidst the aftermath of the match, Paul Heyman made an appearance, seeking to dissuade Rhodes from his pursuit of The Rock. Unfazed by Heyman’s attempts at persuasion, Rhodes stood firm, armed with a chair as a defensive measure against Heyman’s men.

Rhodes’ then said that one more step toward him would result in a lot of violence, and Heyman thought this didn’t apply to him at first, but he was mistaken. After Cody destroyed Heyman’s henchmen, that action forced Heyman to retreat, while calling up The Rock and Roman Reigns in the process.

During the melee, Rhodes delivered a devastating blow to one of Heyman’s associates, striking him squarely in the face with a chair before executing a punishing Cross Rhodes maneuver.

Cody Rhodes’ Victim Revealed

The repercussions of Rhodes’ assault were evident as the injured associate, later revealed to be professional wrestler Nessy Skylark, took to social media to showcase the aftermath, revealing a visibly swollen half of his face.

”Only slightly less handsome than before, but we good”

Some fans were a bit shocked that Cody Rhodes whacked this extra with a chair, because unprotected shots to the head are not allowed in today’s WWE. That being said, it seems that everything is okay in the situation.

On another note, right after RAW went off the air, Cody Rhodes also took part in a gender reveal for an expecting couple in the San Jose crowd. It’s a boy, and it was also quite a moment.

SEScoops will have continued coverage of WWE RAW, and Cody Rhodes’ journey as he tries to finish his story at WrestleMania 40.

Drew McIntyre Dunks on Logan Paul For Trying To Cut Down His WWE RAW Promo

Aaron Varble
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Drew McIntyre is never one to hold back his opinions, especially as his current WWE character is prone to let things loose on the mic, and that carries over onto social media as well.

Logan Paul recently tried to mock McIntyre with a video on TikTok, one where he dissected the Scottish Warrior’s promo on WWE RAW this week, but McIntyre knew how to handle things in a big way.

Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul’s Battle on Social Media

Logan Paul dropped a TikTok video where he roasted Drew McIntyre’s promo on RAW. He dismissed McIntyre’s claims that he was standing at the end of the Chamber match, because he ended the match while still selling a high-risk move from Logan.

It didn’t take very long for Drew McItnrye to see that post from Logan Paul. He responded to throw LP under the bus, while referring to Jake Paul as the smarter of the two brothers.

I see your brother got all the talent and the brains. Admittedly, it’s a very low bar.

Interestingly enough, Randy Orton also shaded Logan prior to the Elimination Chamber event by calling him by his brother’s name. In the end, Logan cost The Apex Predator the Chamber match, but they had a little social media battle before the event even started.

Logan Paul and Randy Orton are now set to throw down at WrestleMania 40 with the United States Title on the line.

Logan Paul and Nina Agdal

LP and Nina Adgal were engaged to be married last year, and that brought a storm of insults from Dillon Dannis to hype their fight in Manchester. That fight almost went the distance, and in the end, Paul won after chaos broke out at the end of the boxing match.

Although Logan avenged his fiancé’s pride in that Danis fight, things certainly got ugly online as Danis shared a ton of content to troll the Danish model. Agdal sought and obtained a temporary restraining order instructing Danis to cease posting “sexually explicit photographs” of her “on the internet without her consent.” In her complaint, she further claims that he shared a sexually explicit photograph that was not intended for public dissemination or was “acquired without consent.”

On a related note, Triple H also asked Logan Paul not to do the nasty in his WWE United States Title. It seems that the Maverick has respected this request, and he is still holding onto that title to this day.

Darby Allin Recounts Cody Rhodes First Introducing Him To Sting

Dominic DeAngelo
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Darby Allin is grateful for his three years with Sting and got the opportunity to express as much in the written word.

One of the pillars of AEW was given a platform to speak his mind on “The Player’s Tribune” and starts it off by when he first got paired with “The Man They Call Sting” and how it didn’t click with him at first.

“When I got paired with Sting, I didn’t know what to expect. It’s funny — for weeks they had me up in the rafters, and I wasn’t sure why. You’d think I would’ve put two and two together, but I didn’t. I was just like, ‘Sit in the rafters? OK cool.’ But then at some point someone said, ‘Yo….. you know why we’re doing this, right? Sting’s coming.’ And I just remember thinking how crazy that sounded. Like, I couldn’t process it. STING? And in his first show back…. he’s going to have a staredown with ME? Haha what the f***.”

Allin notes that it was Cody Rhodes who implored Darby to be introduced to Sting before they had a moment in the ring together. He recalled when “The American Nightmare” took him to meet the WWE Hall of Famer.

“He was like, ‘Alright. Sting’s here. I want you to meet him before you go out there.’ Then he walked me over to Sting’s trailer. It happened so fast, I barely had time to remember how nervous I was. But there was nothing to be nervous about. We started talking through the segment, and it was actually wild: there was no ego from him, no big-timing, no This is how it’s gonna happen, kid. None of that. If anything, it was the other way around. He was asking me how it’s gonna happen, and if I was OK with this, this and this, and if everything was cool.

“We’re talking about a guy who’s headlined some of the biggest shows ever, made shitloads of money, been on top longer than I’ve been alive. He’s showing up for this massive return. And his main concern is that I’m feeling comfortable. A 27-year-old nobody who he’s probably thinking jacked half his look. I was just like, WHAT IS HAPPENING. THIS IS INSANE. HOW IS STING SO NICE.”

Sting is not only genuinely a nice person, but he’s been notoriously nice for AEW as a major star. Sting, along with Darby, are set to square off against The Young Bucks in what is more than likely the main event of AEW Revolution on March 3 in Greensboro, NC.

Drew McIntyre WWE Contract Update Heading Into WrestleMania 40

Dominic DeAngelo
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As strong argument can be made that Drew McIntyre is the top heel in WWE heading into WrestleMania 40, but is the Scotsman finally signed to a deal?

According to Alex McCarthy of the Daily Mail, McIntyre has yet to put his name down on the dotted line for WWE despite being in the World Title match against champion Seth Rollins. And although McIntyre is by all accounts having the characer run of his career, it’s being reported that the two parties are still far away from an agreement.

McIntyre shined in Australia as he along with LA Knight were the first two to start the men’s Elimination Chamber match, with the story being that Drew capitalized on every opportunity to get a pinfall in the match. This all culminated in a clash with Randy Orton as the final two men as Drew got added assistance thanks to Logan Paul who slugged Orton with a pair of brass knuckles, soldifying Drew’s path to WrestleMania in Philadelphia.

Despite a busted ear drum, Drew continued to carpe diem his star power as he along with Seth Rollins had a compelling confrontation in the middle of the show (with McIntyre continuing to take digs at CM Punk). Later on,  a match was set up next week between McIntyre and Jey Uso.

Considering the massive push he is getting, it’s hard to fathom that there may not be at least a verbal handshake agreement between McIntyre and Triple H as they head towards WrestleMania, but whether signed or not, McIntyre is proving his worth as a top star in wrestling.

Shake-Up in WWE NXT: Writer Parts Ways with Company

Aaron Varble
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WWE just saw Jennifer Pepperman depart from the company, and now she is VP of Content for AEW. Now, NXT is losing a creative mind from their writers room,

Nick Bonanno, a member of the NXT creative team serving as a writer and producer, has departed WWE following the recent television tapings. It was not noted where he may go next.

WWE NXT Loses Writer

Mike Johnson of PW Insider broke the news of Bonanno’s exit from the company. He actually hadn’t been with the company for an entire 2 years. 

Bonnano joined WWE in April 2022, having previously worked as an executive producer and showrunner for Championship Wrestling from Hollywood. His departure marks a notable change within the NXT creative department.

While the specific reasons for Bonanno’s exit remain undisclosed, SEScoops will update you to provide additional information as it becomes available.

WWE NXT This Week

In other related news, you can check out the lineup for the upcoming episode of NXT scheduled for February 27th below:

  • NXT Heritage Cup Championship: Noam Dar (c) vs. A member of No Quarter Catch Crew (Drew Gulak, Charlie Dempsey, Damon Kemp, or Myles Borne)
  • Carmelo Hayes and Ilja Dragunov confront each other
  • Ridge Holland addresses the WWE NXT Universe
  • Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows vs. Edris Enofe and Malik Blade
  • Lexis King vs. Von Wagner
  • Dijak vs. Luca Crusifino
  • Kelani Jordan vs. Kiana James
  • Roxanne Perez vs. Jakara Jackson

WWE Signing Tama Tonga Out Of Free Agency After NJPW Exit

Aaron Varble
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WWE has had their eye on Tama Tonga for a long time. Now, his time is finally coming to work in the biggest pro wrestling company in the world after taking over NJPW for so many years.

Dave Meltzer has confirmed on F4WOnline that Tama Tonga is on his way to WWE. This will mark a huge step in his pro wrestling journey.

WWE sources have confirmed that Aliopate Aloisio Leone, better known as Tama Tonga, is headed to the company.

Tama Tonga expressed a desire to prioritize family time after spending extended periods away from home on wrestling tours, much like his father did. Despite negotiations with WWE last year following the expiration of his New Japan contract, Tonga ultimately chose to extend his stay in Japan for another year.

More Confirmation

Fightful Select also reported to confirm that it appears WWE landed this big free agent. The report simply backed up Meltzer’s report to say that Tonga is WWE-bound.

Tuesday, Wrestling Observer reported that longtime NJPW wrestler Tama Tonga Is headed to WWE. Fightful was able to confirm that is the expected move, barring unforseen circumstances.

Who is Tama Tonga

Tonga, the nephew and adopted son of professional wrestler Haku, partnered with his cousin and adoptive brother Tanga Loa to create the tag team Guerrillas of Destiny. Their collaboration lasted until Tonga departed NJPW in 2024. He played a pivotal role as a founding member of Bullet Club and remained one of the stable’s longest-serving members until 2022.

Tonga is named after his father Haku, who initially competed under the name Tama Tonga before adopting the monikers King Tonga, Haku, and Meng.

Tonga, alongside his tag team partner Loa, achieved seven IWGP tag team championship reigns. Transitioning to singles competition, Tonga secured the Never Openweight title on four occasions. However, he recently lost the title to Evil on January 22 in Nagoya, coinciding with the expiration of his contract at the end of the month. He returned for a final farewell match on Saturday.

Drew McIntyre Suffered Legitimate Injury During WWE Elimination Chamber

Aaron Varble
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Drew McIntyre gave his all in the 2024 Elimination Chamber match. In the end, he also suffered a bit of an injury. The current #1 contender for Seth Rollins’ title is now dealing with an eardrum injury.

McIntyre already mentioned an eardrum injury, but it wasn’t known if this was legit. Now, a new report has been able to confirm that he did suffer this injury in the chamber.

Drew McIntyre’s Injury Status

PW Insider has reported to confirm that Drew McIntyre’s eardrum injury is 100% legit. He really did suffer that injury during the Elimination Chamber.

The flight back from Australia was a very long one for WWE Superstars. We can only imagine how a busted eardrum made things worse for the Scottish Warrior.

It was all worth it, because McIntyre will battle Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40.

McIntyre Spoke About His Injury Already

We previously reported that Drew McIntyre talked about his possible eardrum injury during an interview after Elimination Chamber. While speaking to The Bump, McIntyre said:

“I can barely hear the words after getting hit in the ear so hard. It’s fine. I said I would do whatever it takes, not just for me but for everybody else. And every superplex, every dive off the cage, every power bomb in the back of my neck was worth it. I said I’d go through any obstacle. Push Cody to finish his story, that’s what the fans wanted. Push Seth to stop being selfish. Some people are like, it’s just so you can get Seth at WrestleMania.”

“Yeah, I just had to beat AJ Styles and I just had to put myself through hell while jet lagged, while this eardrum appears to be burst. Worth it. I did it for each and every one of you. We’re so close, so close. WrestleMania, we finish our own story and I finally get my moment.”

Drew McIntyre has not signed a new contract as of this writing. With his current booking trajectory, it stands to reason that he wouldn’t want to go anywhere, but only time will tell what he decides to do.

We’re hoping that Drew McIntyre will be 100% by WrestleMania. If anything, bot champion and challenger will be going into that match a bit banged, up, as Seth Rollins is overcoming an MCL injury as well.

SEScoops will have ongoing coverage of the road to WrestleMania. Keep checking back for more updates.

WWE’s Rumored Plan For GUNTHER’s IC Title Loss Squashed

Aaron Varble
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GUNTHER’s IC Title reign has been historic so far, and he recently beat Jey Uso to retain his belt. That match helped re-spark Jimmy vs Jey for their WrestleMania match, but there were never any real plans for things to go any other way.

It was noted on Twitter/X prior to the match that some were under the impression that Jey Uso would win the title. It was noted in some circles that talent were thinking that GUNTHER’s reign may end, but that’s not the case.

IC Title Plans Did Not Change

Fightful Select reported that there were never any real plans in place for Jey Uso to win the WWE IC Title from GUNTHER. There were a few rumors going around that he may win the title prior to the match.

Regarding rumors that Jey Uso was to win the IC Title last week, we’re told that info was relayed to a couple of people but it wasn’t actually planned.

I also asked around after the match and was told that there were never any plans for Jey Uso to win the title. The road to WrestleMania is underway, and that will include GUNTHER as IC Champion.

GUNTHER’s Historic IC Title Run

GUNTHER was already the longest-running WWE NXT UK Champion from 2019 to 2022, and he took that dominance to the main roster.

Gunther’s Intercontinental Championship reign reached a new milestone on February 20, as he broke the record for the most cumulative days as champion. This achievement surpasses the previous record-holder, Pedro Morales, who held the title for a total of 619 days across two reigns. Morales had held this record for an impressive 41 years.

SE Scoops will have continued coverage of the road to WrestleMania 40. So, keep checking back for more updates.

WWE Files Complaint Against Texas AG Ken Paxton to Keep San Antonio Bidding Under Wraps

Thomas Lowson
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WWE filed a complaint earlier this month against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to keep the agreement between WWE and the City of San Antonio a secret. 

Wrestlenomics reports that the agreement in question would reveal information including what San Antonio gave WWE in exchange for bringing the 2023 Royal Rumble PLE to the Alamodome. WWE says the agreement is a trade secret and contains proprietary information that fits an exemption in Texas’s public information law.

Various records were requested by Wrestlenomics last year in relation to the event. The records revealed the events ticket sales, as well as the ticket sales for the 2017 Royal Rumble, which was also held in the Alamodome. 

In April 2023, city officials were granted an exemption from the state Attorney General’s office, which allowed them to withhold the bidding contract. That decision was revised in January of this year. At the time, Assistant Attorney General Michelle Garza stated: 

“WWE has failed to provide specific factual evidence demonstrating the information at issue is confidential under [Texas’ public information law.]”

WWE’s Big Money Deals

Various locations have paid big money to WWE to host events in their area, which are often a massive boost to the local economy. Puerto Rico reportedly paid $1.5 million in subsidies for Backlash and SmackDown in San Juan last May. 

In December, TKO COO Mark Shapiro said that TKO would be getting $16 million for a “combination of events” in Australia. That presumably includes last weekend’s Elimination Chamber 2024 event in Perth. 

WWE’s biggest event-based deals come from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Since 2018, WWE has received more than $50 million per event from Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.

WWE 2K24: Full Details for All DLC Packs feat. CM Punk, ECW, WCW & 25 Characters

Michael Shalik
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2K has announced full details for the upcoming WWE 2K24 DLC packs that are set to release this year. Five unique collections will be released from between May and November 2024 offering 25 additional playable characters from the worlds of pro wrestling, sports and pop culture.

WWE fans eager to play as CM Punk won’t have to wait long. The self-proclaimed ‘Best in the World’ and former ECW Champion will be part of the first batch of downloadable content for the game: the ‘ECW Punk Pack’ coming in May. Also included are Dudley Boyz, The Sandman and the late great Terry Funk.

Pat McAfee, Post Malone, Jade Cargill, Mr. Perfect and many more will be will be part of subsequent DLC pack releases.

You don’t have to wait until May to play as CM Punk in WWE 2K24. You can play as Punk and the rest of the ‘DLC Pack 25’ on day one if you buy the WWE 2K24 Deluxe Edition and Forty Years of WrestleMania Editions, or as an add-on to the Standard Edition. Pre-Order WWE 2K24  (Amazon):

WWE 2K24 DLC Packs

ECW Punk Pack – May 2024

  • CM Punk
  • Bubba Ray Dudley
  • D-Von Dudley
  • Sandman
  • Terry Funk
  • MyFACTION Content: ECW Paul Heyman Manager Card and Superstar Cards

Post Malone & Friends Pack – June 2024

  • Post Malone
  • Sensational Sherri
  • Mosh
  • Thrasher
  • Honky Tonk Man
  • Jimmy Hart (Manager)
  • MyFACTION Content

Pat McAfee Show Pack – July 2024

  • Pat McAfee
  • Playable co-hosts – stay tuned for more info
  • MyFACTION Content: Co-Host Manager Cards – stay tuned for more info

Global Superstars Pack – August 2024

  • Jade Cargill
  • Nia Jax
  • Michelle McCool
  • Carlito
  • Kairi Sane
  • Lyra Valkyria
  • Dragon Lee
  • MyFACTION Content

WCW Pack – November 2024

  • Diamond Dallas Page
  • Iron Sheik
  • Mr. Perfect
  • Great Muta
  • Lex Luger
  • MyFACTION Content

WWE 2K24 Release Dates

WWE 2K24 Covers: 3 Editions
  • The Deluxe Edition will be available digitally worldwide, and physically in the US and select territories, on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 and will be available physically for the rest of the world on Friday, March 8, 2024.
  • The Forty Years of WrestleMania Edition will be available – in digital format only – worldwide on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.
  • The Standard Edition and Standard Cross-Gen Digital Edition will be available worldwide on Friday, March 8, 2024.

Jinder Mahal On ‘Feud’ with Tony Khan: He Forgot I’m The Modern-Day Maharajah

Thomas Lowson
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Earlier this year, Tony Khan forgot that a former WWE Champion is always in line for a title shot, at least according to Raw Superstar Jinder Mahal. 

In January of this year, Mahal entered a feud with Seth Rollins which saw the pair headline Raw in a World Heavyweight Championship match. While Rollins would retain, the injury he suffered during the match has kept the Architect out of action ever since.

Tony Khan’s Beef with Jinder Mahal

In the days running up to the match, AEW President Tony Khan gave a barrage of angry posts about the booking of Mahal. Khan’s issue was that Mahal hadn’t won many matches in the run-up to the title match. The AEW President did not take kindly to fans questioning the booking of certain stars on his roster who had been similarly thrust into title opportunities. 

Jinder Mahal on Tony Khan

Khan’s outburst against Mahal made the former WWE Champion the talk of the wrestling world over a handful of says. Speaking to The Gorilla Position, Mahal was asked for his thoughts on the AEW President. 

“I think Tony Khan is forgetting I’m the Modern Day Maharaja, former WWE Champion, and being a former WWE Champion, I should be number one contender anytime I want. The Royal Rumble happened a week after that.If you notice, I wasn’t in it because I didn’t feel there was a need.

“The Modern Day Maharaja wants a title match, he can just get one. It’s okay. Overall, it’s great. It caused a lot of buzz, and I appreciate the competition because it makes everybody better.”

What Came Next? 

After his defeat to Rollins, Mahal has resumed his position on WWE’s totem pole. He has not competed on Raw since the loss. He has traded wins with Ricochet at live events and his only TV appearance over the past month was on an episode of WWE Main Event earlier this month. 

H/T – Fightful

Eric Bischoff Expected ‘A little Bit More’ From WWE Elimination Chamber 2024

Anutosh Bajpai
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Eric Bischoff liked the Elimination Chamber PPV but felt that something was missing from it.

With an announced attendance of 52,590, Elimination Chamber was one of the most successful international shows for WWE in recent times. Apart from the traditional Chamber matches, the show featured a number of very physical bouts alongside stars such as Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins.

However, before the show there were rumors that we might see some surprises at the event which didn’t end up happening. Bischoff talked about this on the latest episode of 83 Weeks and said that he’s excited for the direction of the WrestleMania 40 match card coming out of the PLE. Though he also mentioned that with everything going on, he expected something more from the show:

“I love the direction it’s going and some of the matchups that we have here, particularly after watching Elimination Chamber. I watched it in Detroit in my Hotel room at whatever time that was, six o’clock in the morning or four-thirty, whatever it was, I was up doing it. And I very much enjoyed the show.

I guess I expected a little bit more. Maybe because there’s been so much buzz and so much chatter. Rock showing up, finish the story this, drama [that]. It just felt like there was something bigger that was going to happen at Elimination Chamber.

But I don’t think the fact that…I think the show was a great show, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Really probably only 15 minutes in total throughout the whole show where I got a little bored with what I was watching. It was an entertaining show but just didn’t have that big moment that I guess I was expecting for some reason.”

Eric Bischoff On The Rock’s Absence

Eric Bischoff also discussed the rumors of The Rock making an appearance on the show which didn’t happen. He explained that the most likely reason for it was scheduling conflict and the gruelling travel:

“I’m just guessing, I don’t think it would be that. If I had to guess I would guess that there was a conflict in scheduling. I mean, by the time you get there and recover. You’re talking about a two-and-a-half-day trip.

Maybe a little longer if you’ve got to get there, recuperate a little bit, let your body catch up to the time zone and be ready to get into the ring or performance at whatever level. So I would imagine there just might have been a scheduling conflict that didn’t make that possible, Rock’s got a lot going on recently.”

You can check out the full 83 Weeks episode below:

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

Rob Fee ‘Honored’ To Be WWE’s New Director Of Character Development

Michael Shalik
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Rob Fee says he’s honored to be WWE’s new Director of Character Development. He announced on social media:

Some exciting news! Last year I moved to Florida to be able to work w/ talent directly on every aspect of their characters.

Today my title is officially WWE Director of Character Development!

So honored to work w/ our INCREDIBLE team & the best roster of talent imaginable.

Prior to working at WWE, Fee worked as a writer for Marvel comic books, including Spider-Man, The Avengers and Daredevil.

He joined been WWE in September 2022 as the Director of Longterm Creative, where he helped plotting out storylines.

Fee was a close personal friend of the late Bray Wyatt, and was pushing for to make a feature film around Wyatt’s alter ego, The Fiend.

CM Punk Wants His Dog Larry In The Next WWE 2K Game

Bishal Roy
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CM Punk has an amusing wish involving his pet dog, Larry. 

Fans are aware that WWE 2K24 is available for pre-order now. CM Punk has been missing from WWE video games for nearly a decade. However, things are changing with this year following his return last year. Fans would be eager to buy the season pass as it the DLC content for WWE 2K24 will include not only CM Punk but other stars such as Jade Cargill, Pat McAfee, Post Malone, the Dudley Boyz, DDP, Carlito, Mr. Perfect and Lex Luger.

CM Punk recently spoke about his absence from the WWE 2K24, and said that fans want him in the game as they have been vocal about the matter. WWE 2K24 announced during last night’s Raw that CM Punk will be a part of the downloadable content for the new game.

CM Punk made an appearance in a video in one of 2K’s hype posts about this announcement and said that WWE have heard their voices and now he will be a part of the game. 

CM Punk advocates for Larry to be included in next WWE game

Punk went on to acknowledge the success and also took his Instagram stories to advocate another campaign for his beloved dog, Larry to include him in the next WWE 2K video game installment.

“Next time we will get Larry in the game !!! @wwegames.”

WWE 2K24 includes a playable version of a Cody Rhodes action figure in the game. WWE 2K24 will have three editions: Deluxe, Forty Years of WrestleMania, and Standard. These will release globally on March 8, 2024. 

Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax, Drew McIntyre vs. Jey Uso Set For 3/4 WWE Raw

Tyriece Simon
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WWE superstar Becky Lynch is ready to settle her feud with Nia Jax once and for all. On the February 26 episode of WWE Monday Night Raw, Jax attacked Lynch from behind early in the show. Later that night, Lynch got revenge by attacking Jax during her match against Liv Morgan. The company has decided to solve their issues in a singles match next week. 

The announcement was made during the show to excite fans for the March 4 WWE Monday Night Raw episode. Jax hopes to rebound from her loss against WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley at WWE Elimination Chamber on February 24. Jax’s defeat also has seemingly put her involvement at WWE WrestleMania 40 in doubt, which fueled her attack on Lynch. However, ‘The Man’ looks ready for her big win over Jax next week. 

WWE has booked Lynch as an underdog heading into her title match against Ripley at WWE WrestleMania 40. ‘The Man’ had taken some losses, including a match against Jax on the January 1 episode of WWE Monday Night Raw. Next week’s episode presents an opportunity for Lynch to avenge her loss and continue her momentum heading into the ‘Grandest Stage Of Them All.’

While Lynch and Jax will be in a featured match on the March 4 episode, WWE has announced another big match.

Drew McIntyre vs. Jey Uso Rematch Set For March 4 Episode 

Drew McIntyre will also look to build momentum heading into WWE WrestleMania 40. WWE announced that ‘The Scottish Warrior’ will take on Jey Uso in a rematch in next week’s episode. 

WWE Monday Night Raw: Jey Uso vs. Drew McIntyre

McIntyre won the Men’s Elimination Chamber Match on February 24 to earn an opportunity to face WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins ‘Grandest Stage Of Them All.’ He hopes to keep the momentum going with an impressive win over Uso. However, WWE may also have another surprise heading into next week.

One of the interesting storylines for McIntyre over the last few months was his disdain for the Bloodline(Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, Solo Sikoa & The Rock). However, he accepted their help in a win over Cody Rhodes on the February 19 episode of WWE Monday Night Raw. The company is also seemingly building towards a WWE WrestleMania 40 match between Jey and Jimmy. Jimmy may be involved in next week’s matchup to further the storyline with McIntyre and build toward a match with his brother. 

Next week’s episode looks to be an exciting show as the WWE continues the ‘Road To WrestleMania.’

Update On QT Marshall’s In-Ring Future and Return To AEW

Tyriece Simon
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QT Marshall is officially back with All Elite Wrestling, but he’s working in a slightly different capacity than his role last year. 

Marshall attempted to resign from AEW in the summer of 2023 due to issues with the the company’s creative direction, including his own lack of ring time. Tony Khan convinced him to reconsider, but later wound up announcing his formal resignation.

On Monday, Marshall announced on Twitter that he’s back with the company, but does not plan on wrestling any time soon. He’s back working behind the scenes and will continue wrestling “everywhere else” (except WWE).

“I’m not wrestling at AEW. The fans didn’t like me out there so I’m going to wrestle everywhere else. I’m a man of the people,” wrote Marshall.

He’s already back working with AEW and was backstage at Saturday’s Collision tapings. He posted this new ‘promo’ photo of himself, showing that he’s gotten himself into the best shape of his career. He also included the hashtag #VP, an indication that he’s back in a Vice President capacity.

Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling

QT Marshall recently relaunched Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling, the independent promotion founded by the late Dusty Rhodes.

Marshall competed at TCW’s ‘relaunch’ event earlier this month from McDonough, GA.  He teamed with Glacier, Luther Biggs, and Scotty Riggs in a win against Adam Priest, Duncan Mitchell, Owen Knight, and Sunny Daze.

His next appearance will be at Coastal Championship Wrestling Bash At The Brew on March 2. He will take on Martin Stone for the CCW World Heavyweight Championship at CCW Conquer Kissimmee on March 8. 

AEW in 2024

AEW getting Marshall to return is another move the company has made to prepare for another record-breaking year,

AEW recently signed former WWE senior writer Jennifer Pepperman as the new Vice President of Content Development. She is expected to be involved with Mercedes Moné as a writer when she makes her debut with AEW.

Earlier this week, the company hired a new backstage announcer.

The company is also reportedly looking to host three stadium shows, as AEWxNew Japan Pro Wrestling Forbidden Door will occur at Arthur Ashe Stadium in June. However, AEW has yet to make an official announcement. 

The decision to sign Marshall in a backstage role, as well as other business moves, has the potential to create great results for the company in 2024. 

TNA Wrestling Interested In Changing To Live Television At Full Sail University

Aaron Varble
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TNA Wrestling just re-branded themselves, and then Scott D’Amore was fired a short time later. Through all the changing, the company is also interested in switching up their television presentation.

Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida once hosted NXT every week. Now, TNA officials have their eye on the same venue for their weekly content. It’s not happening in the immediate future, but TNA has already been to Full Sail to check things out.

TNA Interested In Full Sail Arena

During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said that TNA officials are interested in a weekly live show, and they would like Full Sail to be that venue. Things are preliminary right now, but the interest is real.

“You know one of the things that they’ve been looking at, and this isn’t happening any time soon, but they wanna go live. The idea is to go live and have a location where they would go every Thursday, and Full Sail University is one of the places they’ve talked about.”

It was also noted that this might be tough, because Orlando already has NXT running every Tuesday. That being said, when Scott D’Amore was with the company, he, along with other TNA executives, went to Full Sail University to scout things out.

TNA apparently wanted to go to Full Sail, and for many reasons. Not only does the arena have a great look, but they can also save money on production, because students from Full Sail can work on the show for college credit.

WWE’s Full Sail Exit

The pandemic is really what pushed WWE NXT out of Full Sail University. There was nobody on campus, so student workers were no longer in the situation. It didn’t take WWE long to move their operation to the Performance Center, because they could also run the whole situation to their own liking.

Only time will tell if TNA Wrestling ends up in Full Sail, but the company is apparently very interested in the idea. SEScoops will have more on this story as additional information is available. 

Chad Gable Opens Up On Seeking Advice from Randy Orton During Difficult Times in WWE

Bishal Roy
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The Alpha Academy member Chad Gable recently spoke about receiving valuable advice from WWE veteran star Randy Orton during the former’s low points in the company. 

Randy Orton has cemented his status as a seasoned veteran in WWE. Orton’s decorated career has spanned over two decades and has continued to perform at the highest level. Throughout his tenure, he’s performed in various eras, evolving his character and in-ring style over the years. Orton’s longevity speaks volumes about his legacy and ‘The Viper’ has consistently delivered compelling performances and engaging storylines. His several championship reigns and iconic rivalries further solidify his status as a cornerstone of WWE.

The Alpha Academy was involved in a storyline with RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Matt Riddle) back in 2022. Back in the day, Riddle & Randy were WWE Raw Tag Team Champions, while Gable & Otis were aiming to claim the titles. 

Speaking with TV Insider, Chad Gable was asked if he would look for advice, which star he would approach. He revealed that it would be none other than Randy Orton. The Alpha Academy member highlighted that given Orton’s experience, he is the right man to get feedback from. He said:

“I would say, Randy Orton. I don’t try to bother people too much with questions, especially when you know the answer to questions you may ask. But there are a few things I’ve struggled with during my time here and Randy has been a guy I ask to get actual thoughts and feedback from. He has been through it all and knows pretty much anything. I’ve always reached out to him. He gives me the answers that resonate and are truthful.”

With WrestleMania 40 approaching soon, Chad Gable is eyeing to capture the WWE Intercontinental Championship. Last year, Gable had brutal bouts with Gunther, who went on to become a record-breaking champion. However, his pursuit of the title didn’t bring any success.

Now, Gable is trying to get another shot at the title. Last night on Raw, Gable spoke to WWE Raw General Manager Adam Pearce for another shot at the title. Gable clarified that his daughter had cried after last year’s loss and he wants to exact revenge on ‘The Ring General.’

We will have to wait and see if Chad Gable gets an opportunity to face Gunther at WrestleMania 40. 

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