WWE signed Jade Cargill away from AEW after Tony Khan offered her more money than she asked for to stay. Her 2024 Royal Rumble in-ring debut brought here a lot of attention, and WWE certainly noticed that huge pop for her in Tropicana Field. She was expected for the Elimination Chamber, but now that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Jade Cargill’s Elimination Chamber Plans Change
According to PW Insider, as of yesterday, Jade Cargill is no longer slated for the Women’s Elimination Chamber on February 24th in Perth.
I was able to confirm that Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, Naomi, Tiffany Stratton, and Jade Cargill were originally slated for the Women’s Elimnation Chamber match. Now, it appears those plans for Cargill have changed.
As of this writing, I am still awaiting confirmation on Cargill’s Chamber status, and what might have happened to faciliate this change.
WWE has reportedly scrapped plans for Jade Cargill to be involved in the Elimination Chamber match to determine Rhea Ripley's WrestleMania opponent. The original plan would have reportedly seen her win the last chance battle royal on SmackDown.
Elimination Chamber Date, Location, and Start Time
The 2024 Elimination Chamber event is scheduled for Saturday, February 24, 2024, at Optus Stadium in Perth, Western Australia. This marks WWE’s return to Australia since Super Show-Down in October 2018 and is the sole WWE event in the Asia–Pacific region for 2024.
The event will start at 4:30 AM for fans in the Eastern Time Zone. It will certainly be an interesting time for a premium live event, but anything can happen on the road to WrestleMania.
WWE fans are paying attention to Tony D’Angelo new associate, Adriana Rizzo. Her name trended like wildfire after her appearance during the February 13th episode of WWE NXT.
Fans Want Rizzo
After Rizzo’s match with Jaida Parker on NXT this week, fans wanted to know more about her. Her name was a breakout topics on Google’s search engine, and this is a very good thing for her.
WWE pays attention to search trends, and it was pretty impossible to miss the fact that fans wanted to know more about Adriana Rizzo. Odds are, this extra attention will also be great for The Family, even if Tony D’Angelo and Stacks lost the NXT Tag Team Titles to Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin this week as well.
Who Is Adriana Rizzo
Anna Keefer, now known as Adriana Rizzo in WWE, took an unexpected path to signing with a pro wrestling company. As a high school graduate in 2017, she excelled in track and field, securing four individual state outdoor titles. During her time at the University of North Carolina, she achieved first-team All-America honors in the indoor long jump in 2022 and second-team All-America recognition in the 200m event.
Following the conclusion of her collegiate track and field career, Rizzo had aspirations of pursuing a professional athletic career. However, she decided on a whim to attend a WWE SummerSlam Tryout in Nashville. After that tryout, she was offered a contract to join the WWE Performance Center Fall 2022 Rookie Class. Now, she is a regular on NXT television on a consistent basis.
During a recent interview with Denise Salcedo, Allin revealed the two professional goals he’s aiming to reach after he conquers Mount Everest. Given that Allin is already a former TNT Champion, and one-half of the current AEW Tag Team Champions, Allin believes the next step would be to move toward the company’s top prize — the AEW World Championship.
“So to be the face of a company, I believe you have to be World Champion, so that is the next logical step when I get back from Everest because Everest is almost like a vision quest in a way,” Allin said. “I’m going to go dig deep down inside the mountains and find out what it’s really like inside of here.”
Allin Wants ‘The American Dragon’
Outside of his championship aspirations, Allin is also keen on facing ” The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson before his full-time wrestling run ends later this year.
Despite being in the same company for over two years, Danielson and Allin have yet to share a ring together.
“Wrestling-wise, before this man’s career is done: Danielson. That’s the next thing.
It has nothing to do with us being from the northwest, it’s just his work ethic. He’s another man, his career was supposed to be over. He came back and he’s better than ever. So those are my two things that I want to hit in AEW.”
Scott D’Amore clearly had a love for TNA which further fueled the shock as to why the veteran was let go from the company’s top executive.
Last week, the wrestling world was astonished to learn that Anthem decided to terminate D’Amore, who to many, has been the primary factor as to why Impact Wrestling (and now TNA) still exists. Even in just the past six months, D’Amore has been a heavy proponent for change in the company product, complete with bringing in new acts, old faces, and bringing back the three familiar letters in TNA.
Despite all that, Anthem replaced D’Amore with Anthony Ciccone, a longtime Anthem executive. A new report from Fightful Select shines further light on the matter as the plan for D’Amore’s exit was put in place for over a month.
Latest on D’Amore Leaving TNA
Anthem wanted the ending of D’Amore’s run to be a mutual departure, but Scott remained steadfast in keeping his position. The reported reason for D’Amore not agreeing to a mutual departure is because it put him in a better position for future opportunities.
Despite Ciccone taking over for D’Amore, Scott has reportedly held Ciccone in high-regard but still didn’t want to relinquish his position as TNA President. There were rumors of D’Amore attempting to buy the company outright from Anthem, but that was clearly denied if the effort was actually made.
When it comes to budget upgrades for TNA, it only appears that Anthem may be making an effort to do so in the software department. The reported plan is for Anthem to strip back TNA’s budget to even less than what they had for 2023.
While there’s been a clear change of the guard at the top of TNA with Scott D’Amore getting fired, the returning brand may be making an effort to see if a new star could join the promotion.
A new report from Fightful Select shined further light on the exit of D’Amore as TNA President, but also had another interesting tidbit about a certain “Monster Among Men.”
Several TNA sources have confirmed with Fightful that the company actually has had talks with Braun Strowman, who is actually still under contract with WWE. TNA reportedly spoke with Strowman’s lawyer but there was no talk in the “seven-figure” range.
Strowman has been on the shelf due to a severe neck injury, but did make his return to WWE back in 2022 and notably formed an “odd couple” tag team alongside Ricochet.
Braun underwent neck fusion surgery which has sidelined the big man for seven months.
In a recent January interview with “The Ranveer Show,” Strowman said he was on the road to recovery and could start lifting weights, but as of then couldn’t take any bumps or knocks to the head.
“So it’s still going to be another month and two before we start easing back in the ring. But when it’s time to go, we’re going.”
Former WWE Stars in TNA
TNA Wrestling has worked with several high-profile WWE Superstars in recent months. WWE Superstar Naomi (Trinity Fatu) recently returned in the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble after wrapping up a run with TNA that included a reign as Knockouts champion.
Former WWE World Heavyweight champion Dolph Ziggler has ‘crossed’ the line and now competes in TNA as Nic Nemeth.
Mustafa Ali debuts for TNA later this month. He challenges Chris Sabin for the X-Division championship at the TNA No Surrender PPV (2/23).
Please credit “The Ranveer Show” and h/t to Wrestling Inc for the transcription
Fans of The Walking Dead may be thrilled to see the show return with ‘The Ones Who Live‘ but Drew McIntyre isn’t pleased.
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live will see series regulars Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) return to the post-apocalyptic United States that has been ravaged by a zombie apocalypse. The show will serve as a direct sequel to the original The Walking Dead series.
The Ones Who Live will be the sixth spin-off and overall seventh television series in The Walking Dead franchise. The show will premiere with its first episode ‘Years’ on AMC and AMC+ on February 25.
Drew McIntyre Takes On The Walking Dead
This week, the Walking Dead Twitter account shared a promo video featuring Rick Grimes in combat gear. Borrowing a line from the first Scottish-born WWE Champion, those behind the Walking Dead’s Twitter account prayed for the return of Rick and it happened.
Unimpressed, McIntyre shared a prayer of his own, saying he wanted the show to end after its third season in 2013.
The Superstars of WWE are kept plenty busy in the ring, but they also find the time to unwind by binging their favorite Netflix shows.
Last month, it was announced that Raw will move to Netflix as part of a $5 billion deal with the streaming giant. Fans in the U.S. will have access to Monday Night Raw each week, while those outside of the States will receive Raw, SmackDown, WWE NXT, and Premium Live Events. Netflix will not cover monthly PLEs in areas where deals are already in place with other distributors, such as India.
The Superstars’ Favorite Shows
Alpha Academy’s Maxxine Dupri said that she had just finished The Crown, the historical drama series based on the lives of the British Royal Family. The show’s sixth and most recent season addresses 1997 to 2005 and covers the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, the early relationship of Prince William and Kate Middleton, and the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles. Dupri said the show was “so good” and that she was “obsessed.”
‘Big’ Bronson Reed has been enjoying an Australian show called Boy Swallows Universe. The story revolves around Eli Bell, a working-class youth who enters Brisbane’s underworld to save his mother from danger. It is based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by Trent Dalton. When not watching that, the former NXT North American Champion enjoys the relaxed competition of the Great British Bake Off.
Ivy Nile enjoys documentaries but has also been watching You, which the Raw Superstar admits is not her typical kind of show. The four-season show follows Joe Goldberg, a bookstore manager who obsessively follows a woman he becomes infatuated with in the show’s first season.
Nia Jax loves stirring up some drama, so it makes sense that she enjoys Safe. The show focuses on Tom Delaney (played by Dexter’s Michael C. Hall) who uncovers a web of secrets as he frantically searches for his missing 16-year-old daughter. Jax also enjoys Peaky Blinders. the period crime drama about the Birmingham, UK-based gang of the same name and their escapades following World War 1.
Rhea Ripley has dominated as WWE Women’s World Champion and now ‘Mami’ has made clear she’s open to winning titles from the men.
Ripley captured the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 39, with a victory over Charlotte Flair. In June, the title was rechristened the Women’s World Champion after Ripley was drafted to Raw, and Asuka (then the Raw Women’s Champion) was placed on SmackDown. The Women’s World Championship shares a similar design to the Men’s World Heavyweight Championship held currently by Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins.
Challenging for the Men’s Gold
In an interview with Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, Ripley was asked about possibly challenging for championships held by men. The Australian Superstar was more than up for the challenge.
“Oh, 100%. I’m always down for a challenge. I love a good challenge. So if that opportunity were to arise, I would 110% be down.”
What’s Next?
When it comes to her own sex, Ripley’s next title match will come in her native Australia. Ripley will face Nia Jax at WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth on February 24. The WWE Women’s World Champion will defend her title against the winner of the Women’s Elimination Chamber match at WWE WrestleMania 40 this April.
Women Holding Men’s Gold
In WWE, there have only been a few examples of women holding gold which was traditionally for male Superstars. During her career, Chyna became a two-time Intercontinental Champion, while Jaqueline captured the Cruiserweight Championship in 2004. From 1998 to 2002, four women held the Hardcore Championship (Molly Holly, Trish Stratus, Terri Runnells, and a ‘ho’ of the Godfather.)
Could Rhea Ripley’s title reign come to an end at WrestleMania 40…
WWE’s NXT brand pre-taped next week’s episode already, and that included a packed night of action for fans. Sadly, one match did not turn out as anyone would have liked, as Shotzi battled Lyra Valkyria for the NXT Women’s Title.
Shotzi sustained a knee injury while attempting her apron DDT during tonight’s taping for next week’s WWE NXT Championship match. She will undergo evaluation to confirm the severity of the injury.
Fightful’s Corey Brennan reported that the NXT Women’s Title match needed to be stopped midway through the contest.
Shotzi and Lyra Valkyria’s NXT Women’s Title match during tonight’s second #WWENXT taping was stopped due to a serious knee injury suffered by Shotzi.
Shotzi and Lyra Valkyria's NXT Women's Title match during tonight's second #WWENXT taping was stopped due to a serious knee injury suffered by Shotzi.
Shotzi had been slated to compete against Tiffany Stratton in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match on this week’s WWE SmackDown, but the status of the match is now uncertain. For what it’s worth, I was able to confirm that Tiffany Stratton is in the Chamber match, so Shotzi was likely losing her qualifying match anyway.
Fightful Select later noted that this is not a work. Shotzi was in a ton of pain backstage, and she wasn’t able to place any weight on her leg.
After speaking to several sources in NXT, Corey Brennan was able to confirm that Shotzi was not able to place weight on her injured knee and was forced to hop to the back with assistance from WWE’s medical team. It was apparent when Shotzi arrived backstage that she was in a large amount of pain. Officials backstage were said to be very concerned for Shotzi and she was immediately taken for medical evaluation.
SE Scoops will provide more updates as information is made available.
Next Week’s WWE NXT
Next week’s episode of NXT promises to be a good episode. Apart from the NXT Women’s Title match, former WWE NXT Women’s champion Roxanne Perez will take on Wren Sinclair.
On the men’s side, NXT will feature a singles bout between Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen, which may finally close the book on their story. Additionally, following their face-to-face confrontation on tonight’s episode, Lexis King will challenge NXT North American champion Oba Femi for his title.
“I think I saw the headline, you know, something like that, and heard a little inside chatter on it.”
Van Dam noted that he and Foley were possibly on tap to have a match while in TNA together, but it never came to fruition. It was around the time when Abyss was answering to someone or somebodies as “they” and that “they” was slated to be Foley. That match never did happen with rumor being that Foley decline to work with Rob.
However, when RVD heard of Mick wanting one more match, Van Dam thought about his history with Mrs. Foley’s Baby Boy.
“My first thought was, ‘Dude, that should be me.’ That’d be a huge draw because we have never wrestled each other and we’re both, you know, kings of hardcore.”
The only time RVD worked with Mick in a ring happened to be in Peach State Wrestling where the two were in a battle royal together.
Not only does RVD and Foley have strong ECW ties, but there’s something else that Mick Foley has which Rob Van Dam thinks should be in his possession.
“This is very relevant. When I was in WWE and I won – well, first, even before I got to WWE, like when I started watching the product before I got there, I was a little insulted by the Hardcore Championship because I felt like they were kind of making fun of ECW. And no offense to Crash [Holly], but he would do things to make them laugh. They would fight in the pit of balls for the kids and knock the taco cart over and fight at weird places. And when I won the WWE Hardcore Championship, I was Rob Van Dam. Just kept being me and, and, uh, and having great f***ing matches, and I loved it.”
WWE Hardcore Championship
RVD goes on to say that he established the Hardcore Championship as a must-see title in WWE, much like he did with the Television Championship in ECW. He made the belt so relevant that he’d main event house shows with it.
“I was f***ing loving it, and then it meant too much. So that wasn’t their plan. So what do they do? They retire it. They retire the f***ing championship while I’m wearing it while I’m having these kick ass matches. Me and Tommy Dreamer had a match I think to retire it.”
RVD won that match against Dreamer to become the Intercontinental Champion, putting an end to the Hardcore Title. However, Van Dam made that valuable to the fans and himself, but surprisingly enough it doesn’t sit in his trophy case.
“Did they give me the Hardcore Title? Do I have that hanging in my Rob Van Dam room of outstanding f***ing accomplishments and memorabilia? No. You know who has that Hardcore Championship? Mick Foley.”
That gives RVD further incentive to have a “one of a kind” go-around with Mick Foley.
“So deep inside, there’s a little bit of resentment on my behalf. Not resentment, but I would like to have it.”
Subscribe to RVDTV.com for full episodes and exclusive clips of “1 Of A Kind With RVD.”
Please credit “1 Of A Kind With RVD” and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.
Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin were an unlikely team, but the two have proved that they are quite a pair. Now, they are NXT Tag Team Champions to top it all off.
New NXT Tag Team Champions
The Family, Tony D’Angelo and Stacks, were NXT Tag Team Champions. Then their match against the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic winners was set for this week’s episode.
Breakker and Corbin battled D’Angelo and Stacks in the main event of this week’s show. Fans in the NXT Arena were also pulling for a title change. That finally went down as Breakker scored the pinfall after a spear.
This was a hard-fought match, as The Family was able to create some devastating offense to really slow down their opponents. Breakker also took a table break right before the finish went down, but he was able to make his way to the ring.
Bron Breakker was called up to the WWE main roster as part of his 2024 Royal Rumble entry. He appears to be going to the RAW brand, as I was told, but his time in NXT is obviously not over yet.
WWE has let champions in NXT get their main roster call-ups, only to lose the belts later. Sometimes, a title is relinquished instead of actually dropping it. Either way, Corbin and Breakker are starting a new run as champions.
SE Scoops will have more on this story as more information is made available.
Bully Ray doesn’t believe that Seth Rollins or the WWE World Heavyweight Title was framed in the best light during the WrestleMania Kickoff press event in Las Vegas.
Speaking on Monday’s Busted Open Radio with Mark Henry and co-host Dave LaGreca, The Dudley Boy paid attention to detail when it came to Seth Rollins on stage in Las Vegas.
Not only did Bully believe Roman Reigns disparaged the World Heavyweight Champion, but noticed something between The Visionary and The Rock.
“If you’re gonna talk s*** and now you get to see the guy? You better look him in the eye because Rock was looking right at Seth when he came out and you know how we are, Mark. ‘Go ahead, talk your s*** now. I’m standing on stage, I’m right next to you, talk your s*** now.’ Seth never looked at Rocky, Seth just kept looking ahead at Roman. That’s the moments that I look for.”
Bully puts himself in The Rock’s position and how “The People’s Champ” hypothetically put Rollins in his place.
“’Now our characters are out there in front of the world. Watch what my character does to your character in an instant. If I wanna expose you I can,’ and all Rock needed to do is walk past Seth slowly and spread his wing slowly like a giant, jacked-up peacock. I noticed that and I was like, ‘Oh my God, Seth looks so small and so out of place standing next to Rock.’ Remember, this is just my perception of what I’m seeing.”
Please credit Busted Open Radio and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.
It’s all about positioning in WWE, figuratively and literally, and Mark Henry says The Rock is well aware of that.
During Busted Open Radio on Monday, Henry was chatting with Bully Ray and co-host Dave LaGreca about the WrestleMania Kickoff press conference that took place in Vegas last Thursday. Both WWE Hall of Famers made note of how The Rock pulled the Tony Atlas trick of positioning himself closest to the stage so he would look bigger on camera.
It paid off for Dwayne Johnson, who just by a visual standpoint, made Roman Reigns look smaller than himself. Henry thinks that move was intentional.
“Because The Rock knows better and he would not allow that to happen. He knows that he’s not the second guy in any equation and they have to fix that.”
Bully Ray adds that after the presser during the backstage segment, The Rock was leading while Roman was trailing. Henry said Roman should have flipped that and gave Rock permission to do that.
“Some of that is [WWE] not being able to tell Dwyane no. He’s very persuasive and he wants it the way that he wants it.”
Henry even recalls during his Nation of Domination days where The Rock would tell him to step on the opposite side because “The World’s Strongest Man” looked too big in front of “The Most Electrifying Man.”
“He’s the principal, but just know, that you going to have to tell me not to take the spotlight.”
Please credit Busted Open Radio and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.
LA Knight is tired of hearing of his own hype and wants to put his money where his mouth is.
Before he took on Ivar on WWE Raw in hopes to qualify for Elimination Chamber, LA Knight had gold on his mind, but after Monday, he got one step closer when defeating the Viking Raider.
Knight will join Drew McIntyre, Randy Orton and Bobby Lashley in the Elimination Chamber, but had someone specific in mind when speaking with Cathy Kelley on “Raw Talk” after his win.
However, Knight first made perfectly clear he isn’t looking for praise before Perth. He may have won the Slim Jim battle royal and challenged Roman Reigns, but that amounts to nothing as he looks ahead.
“What do I really have to hang my hat yet on at this point? What do I have to sink my teeth into just yet and I say a big fat goose egg!
“Save the congratulations. Give me the congratulations when I walk out of Elimination Chamber the number one contender for that World Heavyweight Championship and then congratulate me two times when we get to WrestleMania and I take it off of Seth Freakin’ Rollins. Nice middle name ya got there, pal, but what you’re gonna to call yourself after that is ‘former’ Champion because right now you’re looking at the future Champion.”
This past Friday on SmackDown, Knight happened to cost AJ Styles his qualifying match against Drew McIntyre when he interfered and it opened up Styles for a Claymore Kick and a 1-2-3.
The Undertaker revealed his thoughts on The Rock’s return to the WWE as WrestleMania 40 draws near, expressing positive sentiments about The Rock’s comeback. On the latest episode of his Six Feet Under podcast, The Phenom addressed his former rival having such a pivotal role in wrestling’s biggest PPV of the year.
Co-host Matthew Lyda mentioned that some WWE superstars aren’t thrilled about The Rock’s comeback. He’s He’s one of the most famous people in the world and commands lots of attention. It will be great for the financial success of the show, but what about the performers who are getting even less of that spotlight?
The Undertaker admits even he would have mixed feelings, if it was him getting pushed one more spot down the card.
“No one will say that, but it’s in the back of their head,” The Undertaker said. “It’d be in the back of my head. There’d be that side of me that said, ‘Yes, this is good for business. This is the biggest star in the world. But I’m the one that goes out and grinds every weekend of every year.”
The Dead Man says this new dynamic with The Rock in the mix adds a level of realism to things on and off television. At the end of the day, it’s going to make WrestleMania XL even bigger.
“That’s what makes everything so cool,” Undertaker continued. “That’s what makes it real. WrestleMania’s gonna be fire. It is gonna be fire.”
The Rock and WrestleMania XL
The Rock set his sights on the road to WrestleMania by making an appearance on Raw: Day 1 on January 1, where he called out Roman Reigns. It seemed like he would be challenging Reigns at WrestleMania XL.
However, during the WrestleMania XL Kickoff media event in Las Vegas on February 8, it was revealed that Reigns would instead face Cody Rhodes, who asserted his right to choose the main event after winning the Royal Rumble.
Pre-Order WWE 2K24 Now (Amazon)
Rhodes then confronted Reigns, suggesting that his family would be disappointed in him. This confrontation led to The Rock slapping Rhodes across the face, with Seth Rollins siding with Rhodes.
In a later Instagram post, The Rock addressed the confrontation, stating, “Your hero f*cked around and he found out quick what happens when you talk about our family with disrespect. Lines crossed and blurred – bring it. We don’t toe the mark for no one.”
Drew McIntyre could be sticking with WWE for the foreseeable future if the line-up for an upcoming European event is anything to go by.
McIntyre’s future with WWE has been under speculation for some time. Last year, it was reported that his contract was going to expire in early 2024. In September, McIntyre said that has no intentions to work elsewhere. It was also reported that time has been added to Drew’s WWE contract due to his post-WrestleMania 39 hiatus.
McIntyre is reportedly open to letting his current deal lapse if he feels it is right. The first Scottish-born WWE Champion has long stated that he would like to spend some extended time back in Scotland. It has been years since he’s had the chance to have more than a quick visit with his family as these days he lives full-time in the United States.
Drew McIntyre Being Advertised
Drew McIntyre is being advertised for the upcoming WWE live event in Bologna, Italy. That event will take place in May, despite McIntyre’s current deal with WWE being set to expire shortly after WrestleMania 40 in April. Neither McIntyre nor WWE have publicly confirmed whether a new deal has been reached.
WWE in Bologna, Italy
WWE will host its Italy live event on May 1, mere days before WWE Backlash: France on May 4. Other names being advertised include Cody Rhodes, Bianca Belair, Randy Orton, WWE Women’s Champion IYO SKY, LA Knight, Bobby Lashley, Kevin Owens, and Jey Uso.
Ticket and VIP packages are already being advertised for the event. As always, the talent is subject to change. At this time, no matches have been confirmed.
The WWE Universe in Saudi Arabia will soon get to participate in the ‘WWE Experience’ which will open its doors later this week.
The WWE-themed events center can be found at Blvd City and will open on February 16. The WWE Experience is part of the latest Riyadh Season, which is an annual state-funded entertainment and sports festival. Riyadh Season starts in October and ends towards March during winter and spring in the Saudi Arabia capital.
The WWE Experience
The center features several areas for wrestling fans to explore. Attendees can attempt to escape The Undertaker’s graveyard or walk among the Hall of Immortals which features some of WWE’s all-time greats. For those looking to the future, they can participate in the ‘Become a Superstar’ experience which allows them to make their own unique entrance.
Get ready for thrilling moments with the "WWE" experience ? Stay tuned for the grand opening at BlvdCity ??? February 16 ?
In 2018, WWE marked the start of its lengthy deal with the Middle Eastern kingdom with the Greatest Royal Rumble show. At the time, WWE faced heavy criticism for signing a deal with the nation, given the country’s stance against LGBTQ+ people and women’s rights. Many found the deal to be in opposition to WWE’s ‘Women’s Revolution.’
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin has told several stories in the ring during his time with WWE. Although it’s been a while since he laced up his boots, the Texas Rattlesnake isn’t shutting the door on having another match.
Steve Austin Speaks on a Return
Steve Austin competed in a No Holds Barred match against Kevin Owens on February 4, 2022, at WrestleMania 38. AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas played host to a historic performance, but it might not be his last.
While speaking to ESPN, Steve Austin spoke on the possibility of having another match. He gave the classic “never say never” approach to things, but this could mean a lot coming from Austin.
“I said I’d never get in a ring again unless all the stars aligned. And for some reason, somehow, they all did. And at the age of 57, I headlined the first night of WrestleMania. I never thought I’d do that. If you’d have told me that when I retired in [2003], I’d have said, ‘You’re crazy.’ So I’m not gonna sit here and say no to anything, because you never say never in this crazy business of sports entertainment.”
Austin also mentioned that a potential match with CM Punk “would be a good one.”
“I like Punk, and I think Punk likes me — so, as long as he can take a [Stone Cold] Stunner,” Austin said with a laugh. “I consider him a great friend, a great guy and a great wrestler who’s had a great career. We’ll see.”
Steve Austin in WWE 2K24
Austin will have a significant role in WWE 2K24’s latest game mode, “Showcase of the Immortals.” This mode lets players experience 21 historic WrestleMania matches, commemorating the 40th anniversary of WWE’s premier event. These matches include iconic showdowns like Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant from WrestleMania 3 and the memorable ladder match between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon from WrestleMania 10, as well as more recent bouts such as the first women’s WrestleMania main event featuring Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, and Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania 35.
In the game, players will be able to replay Steve Austin’s legendary match with Bret Hart at WrestleMania 13 in 1997, a bout that propelled the “Stone Cold” character to new heights. Additionally, Austin’s WrestleMania 17 clash with The Rock in 2001 and his comeback match against Owens will also be available.
What’s Next
The Rock’s recent return to WWE may have sparked interest in Austin to do the same. Only time will tell if he locks up in a WWE ring again, but his match at WrestleMania against Kevin Owens, which Austin won, was a well-produced 13-minute street fight that had fans on their feet the whole time. Odds are, Austin is in good enough shape to give the same performance, or even better, at 59-years-old.
WWE is in a booming period in their history, and they are definitely in a position to offer big compensation if Austin does decide to return. If anything, his comeback will likely be much more well-received than The Rock’s was.
Tony Khan will not comment on the allegations against former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon but is focused on ensuring a safe work environment in AEW.
McMahon re-signed from TKO and WWE last month, following a lawsuit filed by ex-employee Janel Grant. Miss Grant claims that McMahon was sexually abusive to her and that he trafficked her to others in the company, including a former UFC Heavyweight Champion.
Sitting down with Amy Kaplan of Fansided, Khan was asked for his take on the lawsuit but opted not to comment.
“I can’t comment on the terrible allegations against WWE right now. That’s something people are paying a lot of attention to right now, with good reason.”
Khan added that for AEW, their focus remains on creating a safe locker room for everyone and fostering a supportive environment. He’s proud of the AEW locker room and says talent knows they have a support system in place if anything were to arise.
“There are a lot of channels and I think everybody feels very good about having a safe workspace. There are people you can talk to. There are people in the office, but even on the wrestling side. For us, I think that’s the most important thing in any office of any workplace, is just having a lot of people that will listen.”
WWE 2K24 is coming, and there is a lot to unpack already. The new trailer dropped this morning, and a Showcase of the Immortals mode is anticipated to be a big hit.
WWE 2K24 Showcase of the Immortals Mode Information
The latest trailer for WWE 2K24’s 2K Showcase of the Immortals was unveiled today, offering fans a glimpse into five decades of WrestleMania, the pinnacle of sports entertainment. There are many memories to pull from, and 2k promises an exciting experience.
Featuring a lineup of WWE Superstars and Legends such as Cody Rhodes, The Rock, Hulk Hogan, Roman Reigns, Bianca Belair, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Rhea Ripley, Eddie Guerrero, and many more, the new trailer showcases intense battles inside the squared circle. The trailer also transitions between the most realistic WWE 2K graphics to-date and real-life footage. In a press release from 2k, they touted that this effect was courtesy of cutting-edge Slingshot Technology.
The 2K Showcase of the Immortals experience allows players to relive 21 matches across five decades of WrestleMania history, with each match unlocked by completing the previous one. From iconic showdowns like Hulk Hogan slamming Andre the Giant to modern classics like Becky Lynch vs. Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair, the game offers a comprehensive journey through WrestleMania’s storied past.
Some of the matches included in the WWE 2K24 Showcase of the Immortals mode were mentioned, but there are more to come.
Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat w/ George “The Animal” Steele vs. “Macho Man” Randy Savage w/ Miss Elizabeth – WrestleMania III;
Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant w/ Bobby “The Brain” Heenan – WrestleMania III;
“Ravishing” Rick Rude w/ Bobby “The Brain” Heenan vs. Ultimate Warrior – WrestleMania V;;
Bret “Hitman” Hart vs. “Rowdy” Roddy Piper – WrestleMania VII;
Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania X;
Bret “Hitman” Hart vs. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin – WrestleMania 13;
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs. The Rock – WrestleMania X-Seven;
Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle – WrestleMania XX;
The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania 25;
Seth Rollins vs Randy Orton – WrestleMania 31;
Becky Lynch vs. Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair – WrestleMania 35;
“The Fiend” Bray Wyatt vs. John Cena in a Firefly Funhouse match – WrestleMania 36;
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs. Kevin Owens – WrestleMania 38;
Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair – WrestleMania 39;
Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes – WrestleMania 39;
Bianca Belair vs. Asuka – WrestleMania 39;
Absence of Brock Lesnar
It is interesting that Brock Lesnar is not featured in any matches on this announcement. After all, the Beast Incarnate breaking The Undertaker’s undefeated streak at WrestleMania XX is a strange omission from those amazing matches.
Brock Lesnar’s name did not appear in Janel Grant’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon, WWE, and John Laurinaitis. However, the mention of a former UFC Heavyweight Champion negotiating a new contract with WWE raised concerns for Lesnar. Now, he is being erased.
It will be interesting to see if 2K will be able to take him out of the game completely. That may be hard to do this late in the game’s process. They certainly avoided including him in this announcement, if he is still featured at all.
Three editions of WWE 2K24 will be available, including the Deluxe Edition, Forty Years of WrestleMania Edition, and Standard Edition, with release dates staggered worldwide in March 2024. Stay tuned for additional information on the game’s soundtrack, roster, Superstar ratings, and more.
SE Scoops will have continued coverage of WWE 2K24, and everything else in the pro wrestling world.
Cody Rhodes found out the hard way what happens when you speak ill of the Bloodline at the WrestleMania 40 kick-off event, according to The Rock.
Last week’s event saw some of WWE’s top Superstars in attendance. At the press conference, Roman Reigns made clear he intended to face The Rock at WrestleMania 40 in April. Cody Rhodes threw a wrench into these plans by declaring he would be challenging the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion in Philadelphia
Cody Rhodes Found Out
During his promo against The Rock and Roman Reigns, Cody said that their ancestors would be ashamed to see the two attempts to monopolize the WrestleMania main event scene. This comment drew the ire of The Rock, who slapped the American Nightmare. Rhodes would be backed up by new ally Seth Rollins, though the four men did not come to further blows.
Taking to Instagram, The Rock reflected on slapping Cody with some choice words for “your hero.”
“Your hero f***** around and he found out quick what happens when you talk about our family with disrespect.”
Triple H brought back a lot of Superstars that Vince McMahon decided to release during the pandemic. Bronson Reed is one talent that was re-signed by WWE, but it’s been a very slow start for him. Now, he’s about to snap.
Bronson Reed Is About To Snap
On WWE RAW this week, Reed faced Bobby Lashley in a qualifying match for the men’s Elimination Chamber match at the themed PLE, scheduled for Saturday, February 24, 2024, at the Optus Stadium in Perth, Western Australia. That did not turn out the way he wanted it to for the big man.
Lashley secured his spot alongside Drew McIntyre, Randy Orton, LA Knight, and another star who must qualify in the bout. Needless to say, Bronson Reed, who is from Australia, was pretty torn up about not being in the match.
Reed, who has predominantly played a heel role since returning to WWE, hinted at a potential character shift. During an interview with WWE Digital after RAW, he expressed disappointment in feeling that he let down his family and friends from Australia.
“Super disappointed. This is what I’ve dreamed about my whole life: being able to be on a WWE PLE in my home country of Australia. I feel like I’ve let down my family, I’ve let down the fans, and I’ve let down all of Australia. I couldn’t get the job done tonight…..I don’t know where I go. I planned 2024 to be a big year for Big Bronson Reed, and it’s not going to plan. I’m just at my wits’ end, and eventually, I’m going to snap.”
WWE has a few more pieces to put together for the 2024 Elimination Chamber match. In previous years, they have arranged a last-chance match with losers of qualifying matches to determine the final spot. It would be very fitting for Reed to get that spot, especially since this loss added even more fuel to the fire that a change is needed to reach the top of WWE.
SE Scoops will have continued coverage of WWE’s Elimination Chamber build. It would be nice if Bronson Reed is able to get a spot in the big match, but only time will tell what WWE has in store for him.
Matt Riddle is a top free agent, but he hasn’t inked a deal anywhere yet. That being said, it wasn’t for lack of interest, because his name could draw fans from all over.
While speaking to Sunday Night’s Main Event, Matt Riddle mentioned his involvement with several promotions such as TNA, New Japan, and MLW, expressing a preference for pay-per-view events over live TV due to their challenges. While he acknowledged enjoying the pressure, Riddle welcomed a respite from the demanding schedule and frequent script alterations on shows like Monday Night RAW.
After departing from WWE, Matt Riddle expressed that the constant television work, coupled with the demanding travel schedule, became stressful. Despite the lucrative pay and valuable experience, he now desires a hiatus from television commitments. During and after the 90-day period following his departure, Riddle plans to arrange some upcoming dates.
”I talked to some places. I’ve talked to TNA, I’ve worked with New Japan and MLW. You do film for TV, but it’s not the same as Monday Night Raw, three hours live, anything can happen, people are changing the script. You have ten minutes for your match, now you have five minutes. It’s extremely stressful. I like the pressure, but at the same time, I kind of wanted a little break from all that. I’m choosing places more pay-per-view based where I don’t have to worry about going to commercial so we can get that Fritos advertisement.”
What’s Next For Matt Riddle
Matt Riddle is also slated to face RVD in an epic first-time ever encounter. On Saturday, March 9th, 2024, “The Reunion 3: Cavalcade of Legends” Super Show will take place in Chillicothe, Ohio, at the OU-Shoemaker Center, and those two icons of 420 inspired wrestling will clash for the first time.
Riddle is also scheduled to compete against Hiroshi Tanahashi for the NJPW World Television Championship at the upcoming New Beginning in Sapporo event on February 23rd. It will be interesting to see how he performs in the match.
Jamie Hayter is a former AEW Women’s Champion, but she is currently out of action. At this time, the AEW Women’s Division is concentrated on Toni Storm and Julia Hart as their champions, but Hayter is apparently nowhere close to a comeback.
Hayter’s Situation
Jamie Hayter held the AEW Women’s Champion title since securing the interim championship at Full Gear in 2022. However, she later relinquished the title last year. Fans are eagerly awaiting her comeback, but her return to the ring remains uncertain.
During AEW Double Or Nothing, Toni Storm defeated Jamie Hayter to claim the AEW Women’s World Champion title. Before the event, there were concerns about Hayter’s condition. It was also reported that Jamie Hayter would not make her ring comeback last year.
During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer spoke on Hayter’s situation. He stated that there is no definite date for her return, but it expected to go down in the next 10 months.
“I have not been given a date on Jamie Hayter though. I just heard early this year, and we’re early in the year, so there you go. But I’ve heard nothing new, I would say, in a couple of months really.”
What’s Next
AEW is about to see the debut of Mercedes Mone for the company. That big moment is expected to go down at AEW’s Big Business episode of Dynamite. Tony Khan made a big reveal that Boston will host their March 13th edition of the show, and fans are expecting the former Sasha Banks.
Things may look very different in the AEW Women’s Division by the time Jamie Hayter is able to make her return to the ring. SE Scoops will have continued updates as more information is made available.
WWE Superstars give their all for fans in the ring. Joe Gacy is an NXT Superstar with a ton of potential. Sadly, he has also experienced a great loss in recent memory, and he shared it with fans as well.
Joe Gacy Shares His Loss
Joe Gacy got on Twitter/X to announce that his beloved cat has died. He let everyone know with a post that included a photo of his feline friend.
The caption was very simple, as Joe just let everyone know the terrible situation he’s going through. He did not include any information about what happened, but it is clear that the former Schism leader is grieving.
We lost our boy today
Joe Gacy received a flood of responses after this sad post. Sympathy was coming in from fans and his coworkers in NXT as well. Obviously, they feel for him during this sad time of loss.
Joe Gacy’s character in NXT has been going through some changes after Schism broke up. He did some strange promos and is now getting involved in angles again on his own. Ava, the only remaining member of the stable, is now GM of the NXT brand.
Our thoughts are with Joe Gacy as he makes it through this terrible incident. For more updates from the pro wrestling world, please keep checking back with SE Scoops.
