Bruce Prichard has played a part in some of the biggest moment in WWE history, but he was backstage for most of them. Now, the WWE internal heavy-hitter is about to hit the road to recovery once again.
Bruce Prichard Undergoing Surgery Today
WWE will have to do without Bruce Prichard for a bit, because he is going to be recovering from surgery. Odds are, he will be back to work as soon as possible, given his history of dedication to WWE.
Conrad Thompson, who co-hosts Bruce Prichard’s podcast with him, posted on Twitter/X to reveal that the Something to Wrestle With host went under the knife today. They are hoping to record their podcast on Saturday because of Bruce’s surgical situation.
Bruce is having triceps surgery this morning. We hope to record Saturday.
Bruce is having triceps surgery this morning. We hope to record Saturday. https://t.co/07f4wvtxzr
This is not the first time that Prichard has needed to go under the knife. He’s had a couple shoulder surgeries before. Now, he is getting his triceps worked on, but he had quite an experience with shoulder surgeries, as he detailed on a previous podcast.
“Last time I had a shoulder surgery, man, it was like I was in, I was out that day. The next day, I was in a meeting. I never ever had the pain like people talk about shoulder surgery, right? Everybody told me, ‘Oh, this will be the worst thing you ever do.’ So, this time, I was expecting it to be like last time, when I had no pain. This one is like the one where they tell you, ‘Oh, yeah.’ This sucks. Out of all the surgeries that you would want to get, this is why this one is at the bottom of the motherf*cking list.”
Bruce Prichard’s Role in WWE
Along with having a ton of stories and a great podcast, Bruce Prichard still holds a prominent role in WWE.
Prichard presently serves as the executive director of Raw and SmackDown, holding a significant position in WWE’s on-screen creative. This responsibility has been overseen by McMahon’s son-in-law Paul “Triple H” Levesque since the billionaire initiated his six-month “retirement” in June 2022.
The 60-year-old also recently took heat from Ronda Rousey, who called him out as Vince McMahon’s “avatar.” That shot was meant to convey that things in WWE aren’t going to change with this present situation. It remains to be seen how things may transpire until then.
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins has continued to urge the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes to pick him at WrestleMania 40.
Cody has been determined to challenge ‘The Tribal Chief’ at ‘The Show of Shows’ after winning the Royal Rumble for the second time in a row last Saturday night. However, this week on Raw, Rollins challenged ‘The American Nightmare’ and explained why the latter should face him. This gave Rhodes something to think about ahead of his massive opportunity.
During WWE Raw this past Monday, Rollins, who has been Cody’s arch-rival, interrupted the 2024 Royal Rumble winner right before he was going to make an official announcement about facing Reigns. Rollins hails himself as the appropriate opponent for Rhodes. The WWE World Heavyweight Champion has been actively attempting to convince Cody to face him on social media as well.
Seth Rollins wants Cody Rhodes to finish his story
Rollins recently made a short video package for ‘The American Nightmare’. Rollins took to Twitter and posted a video clip addressing Cody Rhodes. In the video, Rollins questions Rhodes about his aspirations. His caption read:
”If your past has been your North Star, then the path to finishing your story is right in front of you.”
This isn’t the first time Rollins has done something like this. While The WWE World Heavyweight Championship doesn’t have a direct link to the original World Heavyweight Title in WCW, it has quite a resemblance. Recently, WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair also got into the fray amid Rollins’ appeal.
It seemed that Cody Rhodes would face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40 but Seth Rollins’ proposal adds a new layer to the storyline and it is to be seen how this pans out.
Damage CTRL member Dakota Kai recently explained why she was without the knee brace on this week’s Monday Night Raw.
Kai has been recovering from a torn ACL since last May. On the May 12, 2023 episode of SmackDown, Dakota Kai and Bayley squared off against Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez in their Women’s Tag Team Championship match. During the match, Kai tore her ACL and has been away from in-ring action ever since.
Kai made her non-wrestling appearance for the first time after injury at SummerSlam and celebrated IYO SKY’s WWE Women’s Championship victory. Kai not only serves as the manager for Damage CTRL but she also pulls some strings for the Damage CTRL members.
Currently, Dakota Kai is only cleared to stand at ringside during matches. Some fans had the belief that she was already cleared for in-ring action.
This week on Raw, Damage CTRL made an appearance and celebrated the Kabuki Warrior’s win in the tag match and Bayley‘s Royal Rumble victory. The fans noted that Dakota Kai wasn’t wearing knee braces as she used to. This led to the fans speculating that she might have been finally cleared to return to the ring.
During her Twitch stream, Dakota Kai said that she is getting closer to her anticipated return to the squared circle. When asked about being spotted without a brace on Raw, she said:
“I actually forgot my brace. That’s why I didn’t have it on on Monday. That doesn’t mean anything because I… you’ve probably seen like someone like Zoey, she still wears her brace. I will have to be wearing it when I wrestle, but I forgot it. Don’t read into it you guys. I literally just forgot it.”
Dakota Kai says she is not cleared yet but is getting closer and she wasn't wearing a knee brace on Raw because she forgot it pic.twitter.com/ubHw6tYtZ1
WWE has been consistently teasing Damage CTRL turning on Bayley. ‘The Role Model’ won this year’s Women’s Royal Rumble match, adding a new layer to the storyline. As we are officially on the Road to WrestleMania, it will be interesting to see when Kai makes her in-ring return.
Kazuchika Okada’s next move in the pro wrestling world will be a very important one for his career. He has left NJPW, as his contract is now officially over. Now, he has to make a decision about where he is going next, and there are two big options on the table for him.
Kazuchika Okada’s Big Decision Between WWE & AEW
Okada has been on WWE’s radar for a very long time, but AEW also wants him. At this point, it appears that Tony Khan is also offering him a bigger contract.
During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said that the impression is that AEW offered Okada more money than WWE did. It is likely WWE’s opinion at this time that, while their offer may be lower, if the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion wants to join them, then he will.
“The impression I got is AEW has the higher offer, and WWE is going with the idea that if Okada wants to come to WWE, he’ll come to WWE.”
“Basically, it depends on what Okada’s goal is right now in life. If his goal is to have the most worldwide exposure at this point in his career, then WWE’s the place to go. To build up a name, WWE’s the place to go. To make the most money possible, AEW’s the place to go. If it’s to have the best matches possible, AEW’s the place to go. If it’s to have the best schedule, AEW’s the place to go. It’s whatever he wants.
WWE vs AEW for Okada
Okada has a serious choice to make about his future. It was further stated that if his objective is achieving fame, then WWE may be the right way to go. However, if the aim is financial success, then AEW has more money on the table.
When considering the impact on his body and seeking the easiest option, the decision becomes debatable. In the context of AEW, it involves a more demanding wrestling style with potentially fewer matches, making it a challenging prospect, but uncertainties remain. WWE may want Okada to wrestle more often, but they won’t be requiring epic matches from him each time.
There is also the matter of which company would push him more. The decision-making process for Okada is anticipated to conclude shortly.
“If the thing is where you’re likely gonna be pushed more, generally speaking, if one company offers you more than the other, generally that means that they have a higher opinion of you and will probably push you harder. So if you’re looking for where you’re most likely gonna get the best push, probably AEW.
SE Scoops will have more coverage of Okada’s decision about his pro wrestling future. He will sign with another company, because he is years away from considering retirement at this point. The 36-year-old megastar has a huge decision ahead of him.
The 2024 WWE Royal Rumble Premium Live Event was a special night for the American Nightmare Cody Rhodes, both in and out of the ring.
Rhodes won this year’s match from the #15 spot, last eliminating CM Punk to score the hard-earned victory. With this win, Rhodes becomes the fourth man in WWE history to have won back-to-back Royal Rumble matches.
Cody’s Special Royal Rumble Night
Cody was the last man standing in the Men’s Royal Rumble match and also proved to be on top when it comes to merchandise. Fightful Select reports that Rhodes was the top-selling superstar at the WWE Superstore at Tropicana Field. Cody’s ‘Rumble Winner’ shirt was also the top seller on WWEShop.com.
Despite speculation by some fans, Cody was always scheduled to win the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match. This puts to bed any rumors that Punk was going to win but his torn triceps led to the pair calling an ‘audible.’
What’s Next?
Before this year’s Royal Rumble, Cody’s path was obvious: win the Men’s match and dethrone Roman Reigns as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion at WrestleMania 40. On this week’s Raw, however, Seth Rollins confronted Cody and stated Rhodes should challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40. Seth Rollins’ originally scheduled opponent for WrestleMania, CM Punk, will miss this year’s two-night mega show in Philadelphia. Cody told Rollins he’ll think about it.
This segment from Raw was a change of plans for WWE and was specifically caused by CM Punk’s injury. It is unclear when Cody will declare his plan for WrestleMania 40.
Is a victory for Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania written in the stars…
Chelsea Green won’t let herself be a quiet ally of the LGBTQ+ community, as made clear by her Royal Rumble attire.
Green was the #14 entrant in last weekend’s match which was won by Damage CTRL’s Bayley. While Green broke the record for the shortest time in a Women’s Rumble last year, the 2024 match was much better for the Canadian. Though Green didn’t score an elimination, she lasted 17:32, making her the eleventh-longest entrant in this year’s match.
Chelsea Green on Her Attire
Green entered Tropicana Field with an LGBTQ+ themed attire, which Michael Cole described on commentary as “unique.” In an interview with Steve Fall of Wrestling News, Green spoke about the importance of being an outgoing ally of the LGBTQ+ community.
“What can I do to make it obvious? What can I do to really put it in people’s faces? I don’t want to be just a quiet supporter of the community. I want to be out there, supporting on the front lines, you know, with Sonya Deville [who is openly lesbian.] With Piper Niven [who is openly bisexual.] With all the girls that represent the community in WWE.
“So that’s when I decided I was going to get the flag and I was going to put the flag on my skirt. I was going to make sure I didn’t do my regular pose, that I turned around and that I flashed it to the crowd. And even if they didn’t understand in that moment, I know we all look at social media after the Rumble so I made sure I got those photos and that they were ready to be posted once I exited the Rumble.
“I was able to post them and double down on the fact that I was coming to Florida, being in the Rumble and supporting my LGBTQ+ community.”
AEW President Tony Khan will have something big to share with fans during next week’s episode of AEW Dynamite.
On this week’s episode of Dynamite, it was quietly shared that Khan will make a “big announcement” on the upcoming show. No details were given as to what this announcement will entail.
Fans have already been speculating about what Khan’s announcement could be. Some believe it could be confirmation that Mercedes Mone has signed with AEW. Khan is expected to land Mone after talks with WWE broke down over money. Some fans have suggested it will be the announcement of new AEW Women’s Tag Team Titles. Some more cynical fans have suggested the announcement will be that an announcement will be made at AEW Revolution next month, poking fun at Khan’s perchance for announcing plans.
Tony Khan’s Big Announcements
This won’t be the first time Khan has had an announcement lined up, and it likely won’t be the last. Previous announcements include the reveal of All In in London, as well as the announcement of the date tickets go on sale for this year’s show.
Khan was also on hand to announce the launch of Collision, and the post-suspension return of CM Punk. The AEW Continental Classic was also announced by Khan, as have other important aspects of the product.
AEW Dynamite – February 7
Khan’s announcement isn’t the only confirmed news for next week’s episode of AEW Dynamite. The show will also see Chris Jericho face off against Don Callis family member Konosuke Takeshita.
Sting and Darby Allin will challenge Ricky Starks & Big Bill for the AEW World Tag Team Championships. With Sting’s career ending at Revolution on March 5, this could likely be the final championship opportunity for the Icon. The February 7, episode of AEW Dynamite will take place in Phoenix, Arizona.
News of this announcement comes mere days after a previous announcement by Tony Khan…
The Undisputed Kingdom’s Wardlow has provided an update after concerns that he suffered an injury during this week’s episode of Dynamite.
Wardlow was accompanied by his faction allies for his match with Komander, and this wasn’t the typical squash match we’ve seen from Mr. Mayhem in the past.
When Wardlow set Komander up for a powerbomb, however, he staggered and it seemed like his right knee had given in. Wardlow was able to hit the move but still seemed to be in pain. Post-match, he appeared bothered by the knee and was slightly limping while muttering to himself.
Taking to Twitter after his match, Wardlow said that while a normal man’s knee would be destroyed by the match, he is anything but normal. Wardlow (who was called Mr. Wardlow by the announcer during Dynamite, added that he remains committed to winning the AEW World Championship, before reiterating that his knee is fine.
A normal man’s knee would be ruined. I’m no normal man. I’m still coming for the heavyweight title. And there’s nothing and no one that can stop me. Knee is just fine ? #AEWDynamite
Wardlow was lucky to avoid a serious injury on this week’s Dynamite, but that hasn’t always been the case for the three-time TNT Champion. In January of last year, it was reported that Wardlow had suffered an injury, though specifics were not given. Due to the injury, Wardlow wouldn’t wrestle on AEW programming for over two months before making his return to the ring at Revolution 2023, where he won the TNT Championship from Samoa Joe. His reign would end days later when he lost the title to Powerhouse Hobbs.
Could Wardlow’s career benefit from a change of scenery when the time is right…
Naomi didn’t win a title match at WrestleMania 40, but she was the sentimental favorite of many fans in Tropicana Field. Speaking on this week’s episode of The Bump, Naomi shared what’s next for her now that she is once again a WWE Superstar.
“Now I got to do it bigger this time in the WWE way bigger than before but the challenge this time is though; I been around and I’m back again it’s like starting all the way over at the bottom but I’m looking forward to that challenge and working my way back up to going against the best of the best. My goal is to be a grand slam champion. That’s my focus. “
Naomi’s Championship Past
Out of the current Women’s Championships in WWE, Naomi has only held the Women’s Tag Team Championships (with Sasha Banks). She is a two-time SmackDown Women’s Champion, which is today known as Rhea Ripley’s Women’s World Championship.
Outside of titles, Naomi was the winner of the 2018 Women’s WrestleMania Battle Royal and won ‘Most Underrated Superstar of the Year’ at 2018’s WWE Year-End Awards. She’s also a one-time Slammy Award winner, taking home 2013’s Best Dance Moves of the Year with Cameron for her role in the Funkadactyls.
Naomi had a strong message after her return in the Women’s Royal Rumble match…
WWE NXT Superstar Dani Palmer will be out of action indefinitely after undergoing hip surgery this week, with a second hip surgery planned for later this year.
Taking to Instagram, Palmer shared the news about her double hip surgery but remained positive about her future. Palmer added that she had already had the first surgery.
“Jeremiah 29:11. This year so far has been chaotic…scary but BEAUTIFUL…and nothing like the plan I had in mind for 2024…but I have a peace that makes no sense because I know the author of my story. I have to have a double hip surgery this year, and God is great because I knocked the first one out this morning and it went fantastic! Thank you everyone for all the prayers.“
For anyone curious about the bible passage Palmer referenced in her post, Jeremiah 29:11 goes like this:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Who is Dani Palmer?
Palmer made her in-ring debut for WWE at an NXT live event in September 2022, where she was on the losing end of a six-woman tag-team match. That November, she would make her TV debut as part of NXT LVL UP, in a losing effort to Chase U’s Thea Hail. It wouldn’t be until a January 2023 edition of LVL UP that she’d score her first win, besting Lola Vice in singles action. Palmer has 33 matches to her name with WWE and boasts an 11-22 win/loss record.
Palmer played a role in a huge NXT storyline at a live event last year…
Logan Paul walked into Tropicana Field for the 2024 Royal Rumble event, and he left as the US Champion. That win came via DQ when Kevin Owens was caught using brass knuckles that were Paul’s to use. The two also had quite a high bar set for them with the Undisputed Universal Title match that came before their battle.
Paul Heyman’s Motivation For Logan Paul
Paul Heyman is more than just The Bloodline’s Wise Man. He is also brimming with useful knowledge and wisdom to impart on anyone he wishes to backstage. It turns out that he had quite the motivation for Logan Paul at the Royal Rumble event.
Logan Paul and Kevin Owens’ United States Title match came after Reigns was able to retain the Undisputed Universal against LA Knight, AJ Styles and Randy Orton in a fatal four-way match. In the end, the Tribal Chief stood tall as he carries on toward WrestleMania 40.
During his Impaulsive podcast, Logan revealed that Paul Heyman had some great words for him just before his US Title match. It seems that The Maverick was backstage, waiting for his match, when Heyman reminded him who just performed on the show.
The match was difficult. We were after the Women’s Royal Rumble and the fatal four-way with Roman Reigns, where he also retained his championship. And Paul Heyman, after the match, he comes out, everyone has their chest puffed out, they knew they just blew the f*cking roof off with Roman.
Paul Heyman goes, ‘come here, son,’ and he motions me over. I go over and I’m like, ‘What’s up Paul?’ He goes, ‘you want some motivation?’ I go, ‘absolutely!’ He goes, ‘follow that, motherf*cker.’
Logan Paul has re-signed with WWE, extending their incredible profitable and successful relationship. This partnership has also seen WWE get some great exposure with Paul’s massive fan base.
Paul may pull off some publicity nabbing antics, like trading his US Title belt for a Super Bowl ring, but he is all about WWE. It also appears that he will be walking into WrestleMania 40 as United States Champion.
I was told in November last year that “the internal feeling about Logan Paul is that he’s already generated great publicity for the US Title.”
WWE Superstars can use social media to connect with fans, but it seems that Solo Sikoa had enough of that. Now, the Bloodline member has opted to delete his Twitter/X account after old tweets surfaced that he didn’t want to get out there.
Solo Sikoa Axes X
Sikoa faced an unwelcomed reality when old tweets from 2013 resurfaced on his timeline. Some of these posts were a bit embarrassing that he put online when he was 19.
Sikoa’s tweets from his school days garnered attention on social media. The tweets revealed moments from his past, including expressing disdain for mathematics and seeking a ride home from school in one instance.
Sikoa went on a massive blocking spree on social media. However, after throwing quite a block party, the member of the Bloodline ultimately chose to delete his Twitter account entirely.
Screenshot of Solo Sikoa’s deleted Twitter/X account
Solo Sikoa emerged onto the WWE scene in 2021, showcasing formidable strength and making a significant impact. The fact that he is from the Anoa’i Family didn’t hurt his chances at superstardom. Now, as a member of The Bloodline, he has big things in his future.
He has drawn comparisons to Umaga due to his formidable presence in the ring. He is also seemingly earmarked for greatness in WWE, no matter how he feels about math.
Marty Jannetty is a pro wrestling legend who lived quite a life, one worthy of a Dark Side of the Ring season, let alone one episode. Now, the former Rocker has some bad news to report, and this time he had two really terrible updates.
Marty Jannetty’s Sad News
Marty Jannetty has faced significant challenges in the past 24 hours, and he took to Facebook to share distressing news. According to him, doctors have advised amputating his leg, adding to the ongoing ankle issues he has dealt with throughout his wrestling career.
Despite undergoing surgery in 2020 and expressing in June 2021 that he was “all fixed up,” Jannetty now confronts this new medical setback. This is terrible news, but his issues were not corrected, and amputation is apparently his doctor’s current recommendation.
Additionally, Marty revealed the passing of his sister, further contributing to the difficult circumstances he currently faces. In a heartfelt message, Jannetty acknowledged his struggle to articulate his thoughts, expressing deep emotional distress and uncertainty about his podcast show on top of everything else.
I can’t hardly formulate a sentence right now, it’s a tough time in life, yesterday day they told me they want to cut my leg off.. struggling with that my brother called last night and, my sister died in his arms basically. I don’t even know what I’m saying right now. I don’t think I’m doing the podcast show tomorrow night, please forgive me, I do loves y’all..I just can’t. I’m so lost right now
PS- Many of y’all know both my sisters, Diane is still hanging in tough as a mo-fo, Diane STAY STAY STRONG, KEEP BELIEF, YOU TOO GENO!
We’re sending our best to Marty Jannetty, and hope that he can avoid amputation. We are also sending out our best to his entire family after learning of the sad loss of his sister.
You never know who will show up at an AEW event, and this week is no exception. AEW Dynamite is in New Orleans this week, and they had a very special guest around.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard Is Absolutely All Elite
Gypsy Rose Blanchard continues to show off her interest for pro wrestling. An All In poster was spotted at her house, as seen in a Christmas photo, and now it seems that she is getting to know one top star on Tony Khan’s roster.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard is coming to the defense of her hubby Ryan Scott Anderson, calling out all of his detractors for being jealous the two are:
It looks like Gypsy attended AEW Dynamite, and she got a VIP treatment. She posted a photo with Ricky Starks, who had the AEW World Tag Team Title in his hand, as they posed for an Absolute photo-op.
Gypsy was released early from prison on December 28th after serving seven years for the second-degree murder charge of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard. The Gypsy Rose Blanchard case attracted widespread attention due to the complex and unusual circumstances surrounding her mother’s murder. It resulted in several documentaries and an adaptation of her life story as a Hulu miniseries titled “The Act.”
Other Pro Wrestling Connection With Gypsy Rose Blanchard
Following her parole approval earlier this year, Gypsy Rose Blanchard was released from the Chillicothe Correctional Center in Missouri, she had a very interesting ride on her way to freedom.
After she served seven years for her involvement in her mother’s killing, Gypsy Rose was retrieved by her new husband. The car he drove was rocked a wrestling-themed Bret Hart license plate bearing the inscription “HITMAN.”
This Hitman connection made headlines, due to the circumstances around her mother’s death. However, pro wrestling cans can’t help but wonder if the connections inside our bubble will continue as Gypsy starts making more public appearances.
CM Punk’s WrestleMania dream is not happening this year. Sadly, the Second City Savior suffered an injury during the Royal Rumble match and that called for a big change in plans for him. Consequently, WWE also had to make some alterations for RAW this week.
CM Punk’s Injury Situation
There’s ongoing discussion surrounding CM Punk’s triceps injury and its impact on the WWE Royal Rumble event. Fans have speculated that Punk was initially slated to win the Royal Rumble, but due to his injury, a change in plans occurred. However, according to Sean Ross Sapp on Fightful Select, this theory is incorrect, because Cody was always set to win.
The creative direction on WWE Raw saw adjustments from the original plan outlined on Saturday night at the Royal Rumble, directly influenced by CM Punk’s injury. As a result of Punk’s situation, the segment involving Seth Rollins and Cody was added to the storyline.
The creative on WWE Raw adjusted from what was planned as of Saturday night at the WWE Royal Rumble. We’re told that is directly tied to CM Punk’s injury, and that the Seth Rollins/Cody segment was added as a result of Punk’s injury.
What’s Next
The report also noted that Cody Rhodes saw significant success in merchandise sales over the weekend. Internal memos revealed that he was the top-selling Superstar at the WWE Superstore and Tropicana Field. Additionally, the “Rumble Winner” shirt featuring Cody Rhodes was the highest-selling item on WWE Shop.
We will have to see what is next for CM Punk, but he will be off WWE television for a while. In the meantime, it appears that he is wishing the American Nightmare well, as indication from the backstage video that WWE released of the two at RAW.
I previously reported that Triple H and other higher-ups met on the night of the Royal Rumble to discuss the new WrestleMania card. They also had a conference call the next day, where it is believed that they figure out a new card. As of this writing, talent and the creative team have not been given that new card yet.
SE Scoops will have further updates on WrestleMania 40 as we get closer to the big show.
Samoa Joe doesn’t tend to walk away from a fight, but from a high-flyer? Sign him up. During a recent interview with veteran journalist Justin Barrasso for Sports Illustrated, Joe was asked about a notorious spot he’s done in matches since his early days in the ring.
Whenever an opponent climbs the top rope and goes for an aerial assault, he casually walks out of the vicinity of the attack and leaves his foe looking foolish. Joe gave some common sense reasoning as to why he’s implemented such a magical moment in the ring.
“As a small youth in my younger days, if I saw something large or very destructive coming toward me, it was only natural to step aside,” said Joe. “It’s not rocket science.”
Joe says the inspiration behind the fan favorite spot draws from the early days of mankind.
“The cavemen understood this, too,” said Joe. “If you see a rock coming toward you from the top of the hill, move a little to the left.”
While he’s done the “nope” countless times in matches, a recent moment in AEW went viral during a squash match where Joe walked away and the talent was caught mid-air with a “WTF” expression on his face.
It’s not just enhancement talent who falls prey to Joe’s “walk away.” CM Punk became just another victim of Joe’s casual decision-making during his AEW matches with his long-time rival.
Adam Copeland may be at odds with Christian Cage on AEW television, but the former Edge appreciates what his best buddy is doing.
Speaking with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Copeland commented on Cage’s run as an ultimate heel and noted why the current TNT Champion is so good at what he does.
“He does this so well because he wants to be one,” said Copeland. “Somewhere along the way, that’s got lost. Heels became cooler than the babyface. That’s not how it should be. That’s not how he sees it, either. I mean, the man wears a cut-off turtleneck. There’s nothing cool about what he’s doing.
“He’s fully committed to it. He’s a Bond villain and loving it. It’s fun to be involved with.”
Copeland finally crossed pathes with Cage not just on AEW Dynamite but World’s End where the WWE Hall Of Famer actually defeated Cage for the TNT Championship, but quickly lost it back to Killswitch, who won a battle royal earlier in the evening. The belt went back to Cage who continues his heelish run.
Adam Copeland On AEW Being Different: “I Want More Choices”
When it comes to AEW being an alternative than WWE, Copeland pulled from his own fandom as a kid and getting access to different territories in wrestling.
“I remember growing up and dying to be able to get my hands on NWA tapes. It didn’t air where I lived, where there was WWF. I found International Wrestling from Montreal. I found All Star Wrestling from Vancouver. I found all these other shows, and I loved that. I’d get little snippets of guys I’d only seen in magazines. Then the show Pro Wrestling Plus with Ed Whalen, who was the announcer for Stampede, started, and I finally got to see wrestlers from the NWA and Continental. I just thought, give it all to me.”
Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania will host WrestleMania 40 on April 6 and 7, 2024. The show of shows promises to be an amazing experience for WWE fans, with The Weeknd pulling a 5-pete, but the card needed to change.
WWE’s WrestleMania Booking Issues
WWE saw a few issues that they needed to address when it came to their WrestleMania lineup. Two big matches needed to change due to completely different reasons. Now we are in a waiting game before we know what is really planned for the showcase of the immortals this year.
Brock Lesnar was taken out of the WrestleMania equation after his name was associated with the damning lawsuit that Janel Grant filed against Vince McMahon. Those heinous allegations involving Lesnar claimed that a sexual play date with the victim was a part of his contract renewal. It was also alleged that the Beast Incarnate wanted a video of her urinating, so his dream match against GUNTHER at Mania isn’t taking place.
CM Punk, on the other hand, is injured. His planned match against Seth Rollins isn’t going down at WrestleMania now. So, WWE needs to figure out a new direction for the top of the Mania card this year, with Cody Rhodes vs Roman Reigns remaining unaffected.
WWE’s Current WrestleMania Lineup Plans (Exclusive)
A tenured member of the WWE team told me that Triple H and a number of people, including Bruce Prichard, lead writers, and some high level associates, met at the Royal Rumble to discuss WrestleMania. They also spoke about this on a conference call Sunday, and the lineup has been determined.
I was told, as of last night, that the updated WrestleMania lineup has not distributed to talent or the rest of the creative team yet. Any report saying that there are “card variations” of the lineup is incorrect.
It was reiterated with me that the WWE creative team has not been informed of the re-shuffled Mania lineup yet. They will be informed of that later this week.
Triple H, Bruce Prichard, lead writers, and some high level #WWE associates met at the #RoyalRumble and also on a conference call Sunday to discuss #WrestleMania.
I've been told that the lineup has been determined.
The final word has "Just not distributed to talent or the…
As I previously reported, Bron Breakker did get a main roster call-up with his Royal Rumble appearance. He filled in for Brock Lesnar in the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match, but he isn’t getting the matches that WWE had planned for Lesnar at this time.
The only people who really know what is happening with Rock are the people at the very top of the company, and they are all playing it very close to the vest.
I was told that any plan for The Rock is being kept “very close to the vest,” so, the only people who really know what is going on are kept to a very close circle.
Pat McAfee admits that he didn’t know every name involved with the 2024 Royal Rumble, but the NFL-punter-turned-WWE-commentator was impressed.
Speaking on the Pat McAfee Show, the new WWE Raw color commentator noted that he was unaware of some stars in the respective Rumble matches, one was current TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace, who shocked everybody with her appearance.
“Jordynne Grace. I had no clue who that was. As I was going through Gorilla to get up and out … I see her, and I’m like, because she had a title around her and she was facing away, I’m like, ‘Holy f***. Who is jocked, absolutely jocked?’ Then I come out there, and they’re like, ‘TNA Knockouts Champion.’ It’s like, ‘Holy s***.’”
Pat McAfee Admits to Not Recognizing Jordynne Grace at WWE Royal Rumble:
“There were some people that came out; I had no idea who they were. I had no clue. I was looking over at the trons, and I’m like, ‘What’s the name here? What’s the name here?’ And [Michael] Cole and Corey… pic.twitter.com/MMheEwDx0b
Grace didn’t eliminate anyone in the Women’s Royal Rumble match, but she did last over 20 minutes before being taken out by Bianca Belair. She also had a memorable run-in with Naomi, who just this past month dropped the Knockouts Championship to Grace at TNA Hard To Kill.
It was reported by PWInsider that Grace’s appearance in the match was actually an overture made by WWE to TNA with one source even believing that Triple H was the catalyst behind it all happening.
Grace also recounted the phone call she received from Scott D’Amore asking if she’d be interested in working the match to which Grace was shocked about it all occurring,
McAfee also happened to be an entrant in the men’s Royal Rumble match, but when he realized he was going to have to go up against Omos and Bron Breakker, he swiftly eliminated himself.
All Elite Wrestling superstar Ricky Starks thinks fondly of his highly praised No Disqualification Strap Match with Bryan Danielson at AEW All Out on September 3, 2022. Fans loved the match, and Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer awarded him five stars.
In an interview with Forbes, Starks gives his perspective on his brutal contest against ‘The American Dragon.’ Admittedly, the AEW Tag Team Champion didn’t expect the overwhelmingly positive reaction he received for his match.
Forbes’ Blake Oestriecher transcribed the following quotes.
“It was cool that people reacted the way they did. I was blown away by it because I didn’t expect that type of reaction,” said Starks. He continued, “It was nice that someone thought highly enough to give it that rating. I thought that was pretty cool.”
Starks shared in the interview that he felt unsure of himself ahead of the Danielson match and why his match at AEW All Out was important to him.
“It was really a very therapeutic type of match for me,” said Starks. He explained, “My confidence had wavered up until that point just a little bit, and that really made me think, alright, this is where things start to pick up. Talk about putting the company on my shoulders and wanting to be the man, and I think I proved it.”
Ricky Starks On Being Praised By Bryan Danielson After Their Match
Although fans praised the match, the biggest compliment came from Danielson. After their match at AEW All Out, ‘The American Dragon’ credited Starks for his efforts and called him a star. The comments meant a lot to the AEW Tag Team Champion, and he was honored that Danielson thought highly of his performance.
“…The best part about that was the high compliment that Bryan gave me in that press conference afterward,” said Starks. He added, “Him saying that I’m one of his favorite opponents, that really means a lot. The fact that he said that was a badge of honor. Like, I know I belong.”
Although Starks lost the No Disqualification Strap Match, he earned many fans and Danielson’s respect that night. The stars may currently be involved in different storylines, but it’s possible they will face off in the ring again in the future.
MJF no longer possesses his prized ‘Triple B’ AEW World Championship, but he’s wasting no time building up his resume in Hollywood. Following his work on screen and Executive Producing The Iron Claw, Maxwell Jacob Friedman will be returning to the big screen soon,
Deadline reports the 27-year-old wrestling prodigy will appear in the upcoming comedy film Floaters. The film also stars Jackie Tohn of GLOW, Sarah Podemski of Reservoir Dogs, Steve Guttenberg of Police Academy and former WWE Raw guest host Seth Green.
According to Deadline, the movie “follows struggling musician Nomi (Tohn) who accepts a last-resort job from her overachiever best friend Mara (Podemski): mentoring misfit campers, the “Floaters,” at their childhood Jewish summer camp. As the camp struggles to survive amidst competition with a longtime rival, Nomi, the Floaters, and Mara must overcome their differences to bring the community together and save the camp.”
The film recently finished filming in MJF’s backyard of New York City.
More about Floaters
Director Rachel Israel spoke about how The Floaters made certain to cast people of the Jewish faith.
“We are very proud to say that The Floaters boasts Jewish actors cast in virtually every role – allowing for an authentic portrayal and celebration of the diversity within modern Jewish communities. The Floaters resists tired cliches often attributed in the media to embrace a rich culture and explore multidimensional Jewish characters.”
There is no word as to a release date of the film or the specific role MJF will be playing, but the former champ is fresh off a very brief cameo in “The Iron Claw” as notorious faux Von Erich relative, Lance Von Erich.
MJF last appeared on television at December’s World’s End pay-per-view, where he lost the World Championship to Samoa Joe.
Kazuchika Okada is going to be a free agent on Groundhog’s Day, and if one were to go by the 1993 movie with Bill Murray by that very name, one major wrestling company wants to tell “The Rainmaker” “I got you, babe.”
It was revealed on January 30 that Okada’s merchandise on Pro Wrestling Tees had been removed from the website and it led many to wonder what that could mean for the NJPW legend. Considering that PWTees has a strong relationship with AEW, the initial thought may be this is a sign that Okada is WWE bound, however, a new report from PWInsider thinks otherwise.
According to Mike Johnson, Okada evidently has a strong relationship with Matt and Nick Jackson of The Young Bucks and due to that, his sources lead him to believe that The Rainmaker will eventually become All Elite.
Okada’s agent happens to be pro wrestling super agent Barry Bloom. Bloom also represents The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, Hangman Page and recent AEW signee Will Ospreay. Ospreay didn’t spend long at all on the free agent market and AEW was quick to ink him to a deal.
While Okada will be a free agent on Tuesday, he still has a major obligation to finish up with NJPW. On February 11, he’ll be facing off against long-time rivl and current NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi. Tanahashi has recently stated he wants to become the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion once again and additionally, has big plans for NJPW moving forward.
Seth Rollins further makes his case for Cody Rhodes to challenge him instead of Roman Reigns at WrestleMania and Ric Flair has taken note.
Rollins continued his campaign for Cody on social media as a compelling video package was put together by WWE with Rollins doing the narratiion and asking Rhodes what road he wants to take in finishing his story.
“Cody Rhodes – look in your heart and ask yourself what kind of champion do you want to be? Do you want to be like the Ultimate Warrior or do you want to be like The Nature Boy Ric Flair? Tell me, Cody, what kind of champion do you want to be?”
During the clip, it was highlighted how “The Nature Boy” was a staunch defending champion of the “Big Gold” during his Jim Crockett Promotions prime and although unprompted, Ric Flair looks to be in support of Cody choosing Rollins over Roman.
“The answer to that question is obvious! Just look at how Cody Rhodes styles & profiles! WOOOOO!”
During WWE Raw this past Monday, Rollins interrupted the 2024 Royal Rumble winner right before he was going to stake his claim for the WWE Undisputed Universal Title and pitched himself to The American Nightmare as the appropriate opponent for him at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
While The WWE World Heavyweight Championship doesn’t have direct lineage to the original World Heavyweight Title in WCW, it sure bears a resemblence. Rollins may have invoked Ric Flair’s name during the video package, but he also spoke of Dusty Rhodes as someone whom held the “working man’s” title.
The ending of WrestleMania 39 marked one of the biggest storyline disappointments in recent WWE memory. Cody Rhodes won the Royal Rumble and had a groundswell of fan support behind him as the incumbent top babyface and world champion. However, his main event match with Roman Reigns ended in all too familiar fashion, with The Bloodline offering outside interference and snatching The American Nightmare’s big win from him at the last moment.
One year later, Rhodes has accomplished the unlikely in maintaining his momentum as the top babyface in the company, only to win another Royal Rumble and presumably set up a WrestleMania main event rematch. The history of how back-to-back Rumble winners have fared at ‘Mania suggests Rhodes has a major victory on the way.
Every Man To Win The Royal Rumble In Back-To-Back Years Lost At WrestleMania After The First Win And Won At WrestleMania After The Second
In the years 1990 and 1991, Hulk Hogan became the first person to ever win back-to-back Royal Rumbles. This was before WWE instated any formal WrestleMania or title ramifications for winning the Rumble. Nonetheless, Hogan went on to main event ‘Mania both of those years.
In 1990, Hogan went into both the Rumble and ‘Mania as the reigning WWE Champion, but wound up losing his title to The Ultimate Warrior in the Toronto SkyDome. In 1991, Hogan won the Rumble and went on to successfully challenge WWE Champion Sgt. Slaughter at WrestleMania.
In 1995 and 1996, Shawn Michaels won back-to-back Rumbles. By that point winning the Rumble did, most years, mean challenging for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. HBK came up short in challenging Diesel at WrestleMania 11, but the next year beat Bret Hart in an Iron Man Match to win his first world title.
1997 and 1998 saw Steve Austin win back-to-back Royal Rumbles. 1997’s Rumble had a chaotic finish to kick off a chaotic Road to WrestleMania.
First, Austin was eliminated from the Rumble, but while referees were distracted, allowing him to sneak back into the match and oust Bret Hart for the win. Austin not only didn’t end up getting a title shot at WrestleMania, but lost to The Hitman at that event. One year later, things were more straightforward as Stone Cold won the Rumble then took the title off Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 14.
Cody Rhodes has now joined elite class of two-time Rumble winners. Like his predecessors, he lost in his first world title match at WrestleMania. History suggests that the second time will play out differently.
Similarities Between The Stories Of Cody Rhodes, Shawn Michaels, And Steve Austin
Like Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin after they won their second Royal Rumbles, Cody Rhodes embarks on this Road to WrestleMania as arguably the top babyface in the company and a man who has never won a world title before.
Also, similar to HBK and Stone Cold, The American Nightmare enters WrestleMania 40 as the presumptive champion-in-waiting. Michaels had, by 1996, solidified his place as one of the greatest workers in the world, not to mention a strong talker.
On a similar note, while Austin had a lot of momentum in early 1997, by 1998 there was little question he was the most over wrestler in WWE. Rhodes occupies a similar space a popular star with both the in-ring and promo skills to make him a viable choice to end Roman Reigns’s historic title run.
Rhodes also enjoys some overlap with Austin as a talent who was arguably underappreciated in another national promotion before proving himself in WWE. Austin had been a tag team and mid-card act in WCW for years whom the promotion never really gave a shot on top, only to reinvent himself in WWE and arrive as “the guy.”
Similarly, there’s a sense that AEW took Rhodes for granted, excluding him from the main event picture, only to prove himself as a legit top-level star after he returned to WWE.
Differences Between Cody Rhodes And Other Back-To-Back Royal Rumble Winners
2-time Royal Rumble winner “Stone Cold” Steve Austin
For all the similarities between Cody Rhodes and previous back-to-back Royal Rumble winners, and the suggestion of a pattern that favors him winning at WrestleMania, there are some differences worth paying attention to as well.
Hulk Hogan had the most differences from Rhodes. It wasn’t so much the case that the Royal Rumble legitimized The Hulkster, but rather that Hogan legitimized the Rumble. After Jim Duggan and Big John Studd won the first two iterations of the match, Hogan solidified as an event with main event implications.
By 2023, the Royal Rumble was solidified for decades as one of the most important matches in wrestling, and as such winning the 2023 edition shored up Rhodes as a top guy in a way he arguably wasn’t previously. Moreover, Hogan’s win at WrestleMania 7 marked his third time as WWE Champion, while Rhodes is chasing his first reign.
Both Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin won their first Royal Rumbles as heels and walked into the WrestleMania to follow as underdogs—WWE not ready to supplant Diesel as the new face of the company, while Austin was going up against an ultra-credible Bret Hart. Most fans actually did favor The American Nightmare to “pull the sword from the stone” at WrestleMania 39 and end Roman Reigns’s already-long title run. It was a major disappointment when that didn’t come together, but that only fuels the idea that Rhodes will “finish the story” this year.
If recent years have taught wrestling fans anything, it’s not to take any outcome for granted, as anything may well happen. Nonetheless, Cody Rhodes—the son of the great Dusty Rhodes, whose persona is steeped in wrestling history—has WWE history on his side this year as he broaches his second WrestleMania main event.
Pro wrestling fans are used to outsiders dismissing their fandom by talking down to pre-determined sports entertainment events. When the subject came up for Larry David, he admitted that the moment he figured out the results are prearranged, he became a big detractor.
Larry David Gives His 2 Cents On Pro Wrestling
During a recent interview on the Bill Simmons Podcast, Larry David touched on pro wrestling, but he didn’t have very nice things to say about it, or the fans who show up to watch events in person.
When asked why he still watches pro wrestling, Simmons, who is directing the upcoming Netflix Vince McMahon docuseries, replied that he’s been watching since he was a kid.
“Yeah, I watched when I was a kid too, and then I realized it was fixed, and I stopped watching,” the Curb Your Enthusiasm creator said. “They’re all the same, aren’t they? Every match looks the same.”
Bill Simmons tried to defend the storylines in pro wrestling, and the two-month character arcs that culminate into a big pay-per-view match, but Larry David didn’t seem interested. Instead, he focused on those fans who are under the mindset that it’s still real to them.
You’re watching at home, but the people there … [laughs] they think it’s real! The people there, are you kidding? They go crazy! They wouldn’t go crazy if they didn’t think it was real!
They continued a short debate on pro wrestling, but things didn’t get too heated. “I’m trying to,” Larry David responded when Simmons asked him if he was staging an intervention. This is a subject that David has tackled on his long-running HBO series, that is due to make its return for a 12th season on February 4th.
Simmons then said that he would make David watch the first episode of his six-part upcoming Netflix documentary on Vince McMahon, and he guaranteed that he would want to watch the rest of them. “Is it scripted?” Larry David asked, to which Bill Simmons said, “no.”
Dave Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that the interview with Vince McMahon stood out as the most captivating aspect of the documentary. The project will also dive into Vince’s return and the subsequent merger of WWE and UFC into TKO Group Holdings. It appears that Netflix is fully committed to thoroughly narrating the intricate McMahon tale.
When this documentary started, ordered by Netflix years and years ago, obviously, this was not the end result that anyone imagined. It was going to be something that they did. And Vince told them that he does not want a fake documentary. And Vince was probably the most interesting interview on the documentary. I don’t know all the different people they talk to. I only know what I talked about. And they were told this was anything but meant to be a puff piece if it ends up being, perhaps, much of the documentary.
Simmons’ Vince McMahon docuseries on Netflix may be a massive deal, especially since the streaming service just secured the rights to WWE RAW and every premium live event for non-US subscribers in a massive deal that Larry David called “ridiculous.”