Becky Lynch is on the Road to WrestleMania 40, and paid tribute to a late WWE Hall of Famer inside the Women’s Elimination Chamber match.
Lynch won the match as one of the first two entrants. This match marked Lynch’s first time inside the Elimination Chamber. The Man was able to outlast Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Tiffany Stratton, and Naomi to emerge victorious in Perth.
Becky Lynch’s WWE Hall of Fame Tribute
Lynch rocked a unique attire for the Women’s Elimination Chamber match which featured a red dripping effect. As pointed out on Twitter, Lynch’s attire was reminiscent of the late Scott Hall.
Hall, also known as Razor Ramon in WWE, was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice. The Bad Guy was inducted as a singles Superstar in 2014. Years later, he would be inducted for his pivotal role as part of the New World Order.
In March 2022, Hall was hospitalized after suffering a fall and breaking his hip. During surgery, Hall suffered multiple heart attacks and was later taken off life support after his family were able to say goodbye. WWE announced his death later during that day’s Raw episode with a tribute video.
What’s Next?
With this win, Becky Lynch has earned a Women’s World Championship opportunity at WWE WrestleMania 40. She will face either Rhea Ripley or Nia Jax at the April 2024 event. This year’s two-night event will be the first WrestleMania to see the Women’s World Championship defended, as it was previously recognized as the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship.
WWE has a lot of things going on, but their World Heavyweight Champion has been on the shelf for several weeks. Seth Rollins still plans on making his way to WrestleMania 40 for a big night to defend his title, and he will be cleared sooner than some expected.
Seth Rollins’ Big Injury Announcement
Seth Rollins recently provided WWE fans with an update on his potential return to in-ring action before WrestleMania XL on April 6 and 7. This took place during the Elimination Chamber event in Perth, Australia.
Rollins sustained a torn MCL and partially torn meniscus during a match against Jinder Mahal on the January 15 episode of RAW. Despite making multiple television appearances since the injury, the World Heavyweight Champion has yet to step back into the ring.
During Elimination Chamber, Seth Rollins mentioned that he is “days away” from being medically cleared to compete. Consequently, there’s a possibility of witnessing him wrestle on the journey leading to the main event.
Odds are, Rollins may very well compete on both nights of Mania, with a tag team match with Cody Rhodes against Roman Reigns and The Rock going down on the first night. If that happens, then his World Heavyweight Championship match should be a marquee contest on night one.
It will be interesting to see how Seth Rollins is booked from this point on. Roman Reigns’ recent burial of the World Heavyweight Champion as having a runner-up title wasn’t a great look. Still, he is one of the most beloved babyfaces in the company.
WWE brought the Elimination Chamber to Perth, Australia on February 24th, and the event was graced with a very special Grayson Waller Effect. He also had very special guests for this segment, as Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins joined him to progress a prominent WrestleMania angle.
Road To WrestleMania Backstory
The Rock re-inserted himself into WWE’s picture on the road to WrestleMania, and that brought a big change to everything that they previously had planned. There was a time when it appeared that Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes would collide for the World Heavyweight Championship instead, but then The American Nightmare decided to finish his story.
Now, Cody and Seth are on the same side, and they are in a very interesting situation. The two were in Perth, Australia for the Elimination Chamber event, but neither of them wrestled. Rollins is currently nursing a knee issue, and Rhodes was simply not booked to compete on the show.
The Grayson Waller Effect
Austin Theory had the mic first, and he dissed Australia’s love of Vegemite, and then he said he prefers Outback Steakhouse. Both of those jabs received a heel reaction. Then he introduced Grayson Waller, who came out to a mixed reaction. Waller also did a shoey at ringside.
After doing a chant with the Australian crowd, Waller introduced Seth Rollins, who came out to a big pop. Fans also sang his song in massive numbers, and that is always great to hear in a big stadium. Cody Rhodes received an even bigger pop and his “WOAH” was massive as well. He also got legit fireworks over the stadium during his Kingdom entrance after the second pose in the ring.
Seth Rollins said that he is days away from being medically cleared to compete. He can’t wait to face whoever win the Elimination Chamber match later on.
Then, they were questioned about The Rock coming back. A “Rocky Sucks” chant broke out in the crowd, Cody asked if there are any “Cody crybabies” here tonight? He asked it twice to really rile up the crowd and get them to accept the moniker.
Cody addressed why he stepped out of the Mania main event, just to step back in. Waller called The Rock “The People’s Champion,” but then Cody proposed that to be the People’s Champion, “you have to be around the people.”
This was followed by Cody Rhodes making a bit of an announcement himself. Then he told The Rock that he is “wide open” before the WrestleMania main event match. He said he wants to wrestle The Rock one on one, “any time, any place.”
Seth said that he admires Cody’s hatred toward the Bloodline, so he stepped in. He said that if The Rock takes him up on the challenge, he won’t be fighting the battle alone.
Then Austin Theory got in the middle of things, and he did an impression of The Rock. This was not received well by Cody and Seth, who proceeded to take him out.
WrestleMania 40 Drama
WrestleMania 40 takes place from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on April 6 and 7. The show of shows promises to be a massive two-night spectacle, with massive main event matches on each night. Since Roman vs Cody will main event night two, so Rhodes can finish his story, night one also needs a main event match.
It certainly appears that The Rock and Roman Reigns will team up to take on Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at the show of shows. While this is a big match, it is not the contest that The Rock wanted.
The Rock wanted to face Roman Reigns, and his eyes were set on that match alone. As we previously reported, he called his shot for WrestleMania 40 during the Day 1 episode of WWE RAW. WWE planned an injury angle to take Cody out of the situation, but that was abandoned after the public outcry that Cody received on his behalf.
As I previously reported, The Rock conceded that Cody Rhodes should be in the match. Then things were changed, and we have the current WrestleMania setup.
WWE fans were taken by surprise when superstar Bronson Reed failed to qualify for the Men’s Elimination Chamber match on February 24. The Australian native expressed interest in competing at the premium live event but missed the opportunity. During WWE Elimination Chamber, Reed shared that WWE was initially planned to be on the show.
On Twitter, Reed revealed his original involvement at WWE Elimination Chamber and why he’s thankful he wasn’t on the show.
“…Originally, I was set to be at #WWEChamber. It would have been an incredible moment. Unfortunately, plans changed,” wrote Reed. He added, “But everything happens for a reason. My wife and I have had our baby early, I was supposed to miss the PLE to make sure I’m here for my family. Thank you for all your support. To all my friends and family who have reached out.
To
@TripleH
for guiding me.”
It’s worth noting that Reed didn’t exactly share why plans changed for him not to be competing at the PLE. However, it has allowed him to be around for the birth of his child.
Triple H (and many others) congratulated Big Bronson Reed on the blessing of becoming a parent.
Congratulations @BRONSONISHERE. Family is everything and fatherhood is amazing. I am proud of you for not only your work, but for the journey you’re now embarking on. Enjoy every moment.
Reed lost his opportunity in a match to Bobby Lashley to qualify for the Men’s Elimination Chamber match on the February 12 episode of Monday Night Raw. It’s unclear if WWE may have had another featured match that Reed could’ve been involved in at the event. However, he isn’t involved in a storyline or a feud, so it seems unlikely.
What’s Next For Bronson Reed?
Although Reed has missed out on competing at the PLE in Perth, Australia, he could still be in the picture for a match at WWE WrestleMania 40 in April. The two-night event allows for more opportunities for superstars to be on the card.
WWE also has the annual Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal, which he could be involved with. However, the match has occurred the day before WWE WrestleMania in recent years, so it’s unclear if that will happen again this year.
Despite his current situation, Reed still has a bright career in WWE. Fans may be disappointed that he wasn’t on the WWE Elimination Chamber card. However, thankfully, he was around to be with his wife and newborn child.
On the latest episode of AEW Rampage on February 23, we saw the renaming of the Young Bucks’ Meltzer Driver.
During the event, Matthew and Nicholas Jackson squared off against Jonny Lyons and Cappuccino Jones, executing their signature move, the Meltzer Driver, which has been rebranded as the Tony Khan Driver.
Young Bucks’ finisher is now called the Tony Khan Driver.
The Meltzer Driver, a springboard somersault spike kneeling reverse piledriver, has been a staple move for the team since 2014.
The name of the move pays homage to wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer, whom the Jacksons affectionately refer to as “Uncle Dave.” They share a close relationship with the journalist, which inspired them to name the wrestling move after him.
When Meltzer’s father, Herbert, passed away in 2017, The Young Bucks honored him at the G1 Special in USA by introducing a new version of the Meltzer Driver. They named this move the Herbert Meltzer Driver as a tribute to his memory.
The Young Bucks ‘apologize’ to Tony Schiavone in a hilarious way
On Dynamite last week, the Young Bucks fined Tony Schiavone $1000 for using a tone and asking questions that didn’t sit well with them. This led to a minor altercation that resulted in Schiavone falling down.
To make amends, the brothers wanted to apologize to him on Rampage. The Young Bucks offered Schiavone a $25 Amazon gift card as a gesture of apology.
Young Bucks gave Tony Schiavone a $25 Amazon Gift Card as an apology. ?
In case you’re not aware, this is a reference to CM Punk distributing Starbucks gift cards to the AEW locker room. As per Dax Harwood, Punk purchased Starbucks gift cards for all members of AEW’s women’s division. He also distributed these cards to members of The Pinnacle before working with MJF.
Punk had also delivered a speech about making money together, and his enthusiasm for working with everyone in AEW.
The 2024 Elimination Chamber event kicked off in Perth, Australia with the women’s match. The winner of the contest punched their ticket to WrestleMania in a Women’s World Title match. Now, we know who will go on to battle at the show of shows.
Liv Morgan, Naomi, Tiffany Stratton, Raquel Rodriguez, Becky Lynch, and Bianca Belair battled in the 2024 Women’s Elimination Chamber match. Naomi and Lynch started off the match as the final two competitors who were introduced into the match.
This year’s Elimination Chamber match marked a first for both Becky Lynch and Tiffany Stratton, who was the third woman in the match, as her pod was released first. Stratton got to work immediately with some gymnastics and quick offense.
After trading some moves and some near falls, Lynch, Naomi, and Stratton were joined by Liv Morgan for the 5th Elimination Chamber match of her career. Morgan got right to work by ramming Stratton’s head against chamber pods to take her out for a moment.
Then, in a shocking move, Tiffany Stratton was able to get Naomi with a roll-up pin to take her out of the match, just before Raquel Rodriguez was released into the chamber. Rodriguez came in with a lot of energy, and she took her aggression out on Stratton at first.
Finally, Bianca Belair was the 6th entrant in the match, and she went right to work on Tiffany Stratton first as well. Stratton did some selling outside as the EST of WWE went in the ring to start punishing her competitors.
One spot saw Liv Morgan land a seated senton off the pod. Then Tiffany Stratton and Becky Lynch started battling on top of the pod before Lynch was knocked off. This was followed by Stratton launching herself off the pod to hit a swanton on Bianca, Lynch and Rodriguez for a huge pop and a “This is Awesome” chant.
Stratton was eliminated next by Liv Morgan, and that drew boos from the Australian crowd. They also chanted “bullsh*t” as Stratton left. This was followed by Rodriguez getting trapped in a Dis-Arm-Her from Lynch, but she got out. Then she ate a KOD from Bianca Belair for a pinfall.
Bianca, Liv, and Becky were the final three in the match. They continued this match as a triple threat, with plenty of reversals and some near falls for everyone. Then, Morgan was able to pin Bianca Belair with a roll-up pin. Suddenly, Lynch nailed a Man-Handle Slam on Morgan and won the match.
Now, Becky Lynch will go on to WrestleMania 40 for a Women’s World Championship match. She will either face Rhea Ripley or Nia Jax for the title, depending on who wins the title match later on in the show.
WrestleMania 40 takes place from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on April 6 and 7. Before Elimination Chamber went down, Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes and Bayley vs IYO Sky were the only two confirmed matches for the show of shows.
Tony Khan recently talked about the reason why AEW keeps running larger venues.
The arenas where AEW Dynamite shows are held have a capacity far exceeding the attendance they typically draw. Dynamite typically garners around 3,000-4,000 attendees, with 4,000 being on the higher end. However, the arenas hosting these shows can accommodate up to 10,000 or more spectators.
In the case of the February 21 AEW Dynamite episode held at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, attendance was notably low, with fewer than 3,300 tickets sold. This occurred despite the venue’s capacity to hold over 10,000 spectators, as reported by WrestleTix.
Addressing this in an interview with YouTube channel GV Wire, AEW president Tony Khan revealed why the promotion does this, and it all comes down to marketing.
“It depends on the market and the time. A lot of times, those arenas have a lot of big advantages like email lists and marketing and they are a destination venue for shows. It depends on the market and the timing. Certainly, bigger arenas do have a lot of advantages. They have a lot of sale contacts and really good marketing resources.”
Khan was asked if there is a disadvantage to not using the entire arena for AEW shows, he replied that using a bigger arena is better to reach certain customers.
“It depends. They have a better chance of outreaching to certain customers than other venues.”
AEW’s annual event with NJPW, known as the Forbidden Door, is reportedly scheduled to be held at New York City’s Arthur Ashe Stadium. This would be the company’s third stadium event, despite facing challenges with attendance. However, AEW shows strong performance in terms of pay-per-view sales.
On February 7, TNA Wrestling announced that Scott A’Dmore, the President of the company, had been terminated from his contract. Anthony Cicione was then named as his replacement.
In the wake of this news, several TNA talents came together to compose a letter to their parent company — Anthem Sports & Entertainment — urging them to boast a solution that would bring D’Amore back into the company. While it remains unclear if D’Amore will be reinstated in some capacity, the TNA locker room continues to stand in solidarity. And per the words of Eric Young, it seems there be no surrender any time soon.
Eric Young’s Powerful Speech
Ahead of tonight’s TNA No Surrender event in New Orleans, former TNA World Heavyweight Champion Eric Young delivered a powerful message to the live audience in attendance.
While Young acknowledged that change can be “tricky,” he also recognized the importance of adapting and pivoting with that change. In the case of TNA Wrestling, Young noted that many followers of the company were doubtful that it would stand the test of time. And yet, as Young pointed out, TNA is still alive and thriving.
“This is an amazing place filled with amazing people,” Young said. “And sometimes you lose something. You lose someone, and the next step is grief. And then after that, after a while, the next step is you got one of two choices. You could be lost with them or you can move forward. And that’s what we’re going to do. That’s what we’ve always done. We’re going to move forward because that’s what we need. That’s what they would want. That’s what is necessary.”
“This place, this world, this universe, it’s bigger than all of us. And we all want the same thing. We want this place to thrive. We want it to be seen. We want it to be respected. We wanted to be loved. So I say this: to anybody that stands in our way, to anybody that would oppose us, anybody asking for our unbiased surrender … This place, these people, you guys, TNA — there will be no surrender.”
Following his speech, Young kicked off the main No Surrender card with a number one contenders match victory over Frankie Kazarian. With this win, Young will now move on to challenge for the TNA World Championship at the Sacrifice event on March 8.
Eric Young led the TNA locker room to address the crowd ahead of No Surrender. Here's the full video pic.twitter.com/RzGWMg3c99
Welcome to SEScoops: the Daily Drop, your go-to for the latest news and rumors in wrestling. February 24. The Elimination Chamber started off the day with a very early, and exciting, event. Now, we have a lot to unpack.
– Also, Sylvester Stallone and WWE couldn’t work things out. I was told this is “old news,” because they nixed those plans last month due to a scheduling conflict.
I asked about the Sylvester Stallone story about showing up at WrestleMania.
I was told that, "They are months behind on the Stallone 'scoop.' Old news. As of last word, schedules couldn't match up."
– On another note, I was also told that Jade Cargill was never booked for the Elimination Chamber match in the first place. No plans changed for her, and there is nothing wrong with her in the company. Booking her in the Chamber match would have done her no favors, because she wasn’t booked to win. WWE is taking their time and taking care of Cargill.
– Bruce Prichard was back working at Raw on 2/19. He is a Vince McMahon ally, and he received some flack from Ronda Rousey for being McMahon’s “avatar” in the past.
– Rhea Ripley was very impressed by WWE 2K24 throwing in a throwback version of herself in the new game. WWE 2K24 drops on March 7th, and the hype is real.
– Cody Rhodes challenged The Rock to a one-on-one match during an explosive Grayson Waller Effect segment at Elimination Chamber.
– Seth Rollins also announced that he will be medically cleared from his MCL injury in just a few days. So, he may wrestle on the road to WrestleMania.
– Becky Lynch and Drew McIntyre won the 2024 Elimination Chamber matches in Perth, Australia. They will now go onto WrestleMania 40 to battle for the WWE Women’s World Title and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, respectively.
AEW
– Saraya announced during AEW Rampage that her brother, Zak Knight, is now All Elite.
Saraya and Harley Cameron reveal the endgame of their plan of splitting up Ruby Soho and Angelo Parker!
– Malakai Black is set to compete in his initial AEW singles match since June 2022 on February 24th at AEW Collision.
– Sting is scheduled to make his last appearance on AEW Dynamite on February 28th.
– MJF and Alicia Atout celebrated their one-year anniversary as a couple. He famously called her “T*ts McGee from Whore Island” in the past, so they’ve known each other for a very long time. SEScoops is wishing them both the best.
Happy one year anniversary, Maxwell. ? There’s no other asshole in this entire universe that I’d rather have by my side to experience life with. The last twelve months have been — time to get gross — pure magic. ? I love you, ya prick. @The_MJFpic.twitter.com/bIxB21rnvA
– Tony Khan explained why AEW keeps running larger venues with smaller crowds showing up. He kind of skirted the question by replying, “A lot of times, those arenas have a lot of big advantages like email lists and marketing and they are a destination venue for shows. It depends on the market and the timing. Certainly, bigger arenas do have a lot of advantages. They have a lot of sale contacts and really good marketing resources.”
AEW Collision Card for Saturday, February 24
Bryan Danielson vs. Jun Akiyama
No DQ: Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Sammy Guevara (Don Callis Family & Chris Jericho banned from the building)
FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) vs. Shane Taylor & Lee Moriarty
Malakai Black vs. Bryan Keith
Serena Deeb in action
Thunder Rosa in action
The Bang Bang Scissor Gang’s Jay White, Billy Gunn & Austin Gunn in trios action
Upcoming Major Pro Wrestling Events
WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth is scheduled for next Saturday, February 24.
AEW Dynamite: Big Business will be hosted at Boston’s TD Garden on March 13th.
AEW Revolution is planned for the following weekend, on Sunday, March 3.
WWE NXT Stand & Deliver is slated for the afternoon of April 6th, just before the start of WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
WrestleMania XL is set to take place on April 6th and 7th at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a two-part event.
Backlash France is scheduled for May 4th at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.
WWE NXT Battleground is booked for May 26th at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, exclusively available on the WWE Network and Peacock.
WWE Money in the Bank will be held on July 6th at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, followed by WWE NXT Heatwave on July 7th at the same venue.
WWE Bash In Berlin is marked for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.
WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley is glad that she is part of the WWE Women’s division that WWE legend Chyna helped in building.
Late WWE Hall of Famer Chyna was one of the most dominant female superstars of WWE. She had carved the pathway for female wrestlers to compete against men, and surely, Rhea Ripley is carrying on that legacy. ‘The Eradicator’ has been on an unstoppable run as the Women’s World Champion and looks far from stopping anytime soon. It seems that her next aim would be to step into the men’s division. She has been vocal about having more intergender matches in WWE. She has even named her male dream opponents.
In the late 90s, Chyna was part of the iconic faction Degeneration X, alongside Shawn Michaels and Triple H. Similarities can be drawn as Ripley is currently part of The Judgment Day.
Chyna was the first woman to ever participate in the Men’s Royal Rumble and also competed in the men’s King of the Ring tournament. Interestingly, she is the only woman to hold the WWE Intercontinental Championship, a title currently held by Gunther. Will Rhea Ripley achieve a similar feat in the future?
Rhea Ripley comments on leading the women’s division
“To win a men’s title would be absolutely incredible,” Ripley said via ESPN. “Because of my position in The Judgment Day, I get to mingle with the guys a lot more. Obviously, there are so many females in our division that are capable of doing what I’m doing. They just don’t have the opportunities to do it where I get to be the only female in a group of men, which is so wild.
“And to be the muscle for that group as well, it’s absolutely insane. It’s cool to be a part of what Chyna was doing for the women’s division as well. So, I’m glad I can be the Chyna of this generation while still being Rhea Ripley.”
Rhea Ripley is set to defend her title against Nia Jax in the headlining clash at WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth on February 24.
Sytch had been at the Florida Women’s Reception Center in Ocala but has now been moved to Lowell Correctional Institution just a mile away. A new mugshot of Sytch was taken at the center which was obtained by TMZ.
Sytch’s mugshot from Lowell Correctional Institution.
More on Lowell Correctional Institution.
Lowell is the oldest all-women’s facility in the state and holds around 1,000 inmates. LCI features several different programs for inmates, including cosmetology, cooking classes, and operating heavy machinery. The prison also offers aid to inmates battling alcohol addiction, something Sytch has struggled with over the years.
Sytch may also have the opportunity to hold down a job in LCI, though a rep for Lowell told TMZ that she does not yet have a work assignment. Sytch’s release date is listed as January 3, 2040.
What a way to kick off his run in TNA Wrestling! Mustafa Ali made his in-ring debut for the promotion and immediately made a major impact. Mustafa Ali has bagged the X-Division title at TNA No Surrender in New Orleans.
Ali was released from WWE in September 2023 after the launch of TKO Group Holdings. After the 90-day non-compete clause expireed, Ali announced that he had a stacked lineup of bookings in the indies and turned his sights on the rebranded TNA Wrestling.
Ali has been busy competing both domestically and abroad, making appearances for GCW, Defy, RevPro, PROGRESS and others. He is also set to make his NJPW debut in April in a match against Hiroshi Takahashi.
Mustafa Ali defeats Chris Sabin
In a highly-anticipated match, Ali prevailed over Chris Sabin in the main event of No Surrender and it marked the first time an X-Division match headlining one of their specials since 2005’s Unbreakable.
In the final moments of the highly competitive match, Ali evaded an avalanche Cradle Shock attempt and counted by hitting a sunset bomb followed by his finisher 450 splash to pick up the win.
It’s worth noting that this title win marks Ali’s first singles title in a major promotion. With the win, Ali put an end to Sabin’s 10th run with the championship that started at last September’s Impact 1000. During his title reign, he successfully defended his title three times.
Following the show, TNA posted a clip on social media in which Mustafa Ali addressed the crowd. Here is what he said:
“This is my first major championship in 20 years. I mean this, whether you love me or hate me, whether you support the campaign or wish for my demise, it has been a pleasure and an honor to compete inside a TNA ring. I have been all over the world. I have wrestled the very best, the very best wrestlers in the world, and by far, that locker room right there, that show tonight in front of all of you, is by far the best locker room I have ever seen. Thank you, good night, and remember, that in Ali, we trust,” Ali said.
Well, it seems that Mustafa Ali is scheduled with TNA through late-March as part of five additional dates that include March’s Sacrifice streaming special and several TV tapings. It has come to light that he will take on Kevin Knight during Saturday’s TV taping in New Orleans.
We will have to wait and see how his title run pans out.
AEW star Saraya recently made an important announcement during this week’s AEW Rampage. She revealed that her brother Zak Knight has signed with AEW.
Saraya had been endorsing her brother to wrestle in AEW last year. Ahead of the December 20 episode of AEW Dynamite, AEW President Tony Khan gave Knight his opportunity. He went on to make his in-ring debut for ROH in a match that aired on the December 28 Ring of Honor TV episode last year. He also wrestled for the company twice in January, with matches airing on the January 11 show, and the January 25 episode.
Now, he is officially a part of the AEW roster as per Saraya.
Saraya announces signing of Zak Knight
During Friday’s AEW Rampage, the former AEW Women’s World Champion introduced her brother, who is an independent wrestling veteran Zak Knight and stated that he has inked a deal with Tony Khan’s company.
In a backstage promo with Harley Cameron & Renee Paquette, Saraya presented Knight and said that they come from wrestling royalty in the United Kingdom. She stated that she had planned to set Ruby Soho up with her brother before Soho paired up with Angelo Parker. However, Knight did not speak in the promo segment.
Saraya and Harley Cameron reveal the endgame of their plan of splitting up Ruby Soho and Angelo Parker!
On a related note, the movie “Fighting with My Family,” was based on Saraya’s life in pro wrestling. The movie was released in 2019. Also, the 2012 documentary “The Wrestlers: Fighting with My Family,” followed Saraya’s career and journey to WWE while also showing her brother Zak failed to make it to the same level.
We will have to wait and see what’s in store for Zak Knight, now that he has joined AEW.
Cody Rhodes will be a playable character in the WWE 2K24 video game, as both himself and an action figure recreation of the American Nightmare.
On social media, a clip was uploaded featuring the action-figure version of Rhodes making his entrance in the upcoming video game. This figure of Rhodes depicts his WWE Hell in a Cell 2022 attire, complete with torn pectoral injury. Rhodes would compete despite the injury and defeat Seth Rollins inside Hell in a Cell. This figure comes from the WWE Mattel Elite: Defining Moments range of action figures.
In addition to being a playable character, in both flesh and plastic form, Cody Rhodes is one of the cover stars for WWE 2K24. That’s despite Cody being unable to finish the story at WrestleMania 39, a loss that hit the popular Raw Superstar hard. Rhodes has even said that he doesn’t want to be part of the next WWE 2K video game if he is unable to become a WWE World Champion.
Unusual WWE Video Game Characters
Ribbie, a delicious BBQ rib, was a playable character in WWE 2K20.
The action-figure version of Cody Rhodes is hardly the first bizarre entry into a WWE video game. For WrestleMania 2000, fans could play as a Crash Test Dummy, not to be confused with then-Hardcore Champion Crash Holly. Al Snow was a part of WWF Attitude, as was ‘Head’ which for the game had grown hands and feet and hovered at head height above the canvas.
Colonel Sanders would bring his finger-lickin’ fury to WWEK 2K18 while WWE 2K20 saw the inclusion of ‘Ribbie’ a BBQ rib brought to life who serves as the mascot for a minor league baseball team referenced in the game’s story mode.
While much of his bookings have been committed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling in recent years, Minoru Suzuki, who remains a freelancer, has exercised his option to extend his reach elsewhere as well. Within the last two months, Suzuki has found himself competing for the likes of AJPW, RevPro, and All Elite Wrestling.
Earlier today, the veteran performer issued a statement about his future in professional wrestling, noting his desire to expand his travels even further. As such, Suzuki said he is giving back the “Strong Style” name back to NJPW, as he and his fellow stablemate El Desperado are no longer in need of it.
“I’m giving back to New Japan the name Strong Style that I borrowed a year ago,” Suzuki wrote (translated).
“Me and Despe don’t need it anymore. I’ve made new friends, had a lot of fun, and a lot of things happened… I’ve been to New Japan Pro Wrestling for quite some time, but my professional wrestling life is still in the middle of a journey. In order to become even stronger… on a journey of freedom… let’s set sail.”
Strong Style, of course, served as the faction name for the trio of Suzuki, El Desperado, and Ren Narita in NJPW.
Earlier this week, Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling revealed that Minoru Suzuki will be making his promotional debut at their upcoming Grand Princess event on March 31. There, Suzuki will take on the “Fired Idol” Maki Itoh in a first-time singles matchup.
Last month, Suzuki made a notable appearance in AEW as he wrestled fellow veteran Adam Copeland in the main event of AEW Dynamite.
R-Truth planned to be at WWE Elimination Chamber in Perth, but there was just a bit of a misunderstanding that at least Gunther would appreciate.
Truth was gung ho about being apart of the Australian experience for Saturday’s big PLE in Perth and shared his enthusiam and eventual despondency that he couldn’t find any of his fellow WWE Superstars – in Austria.
“Welp, I’m here in Austria. Where’s everybody at? I don’t see nobody. Been to the hotel, the arena’s empty. Should I just go back home? Hey good mate, back to the area port!”
Truth may not make it in time for Elimination Chamber, but he was a primary player this past week on WWE Raw, particularly when it comes to Judgment Day.
R-Truth took part in a multi-man tag to take on Damian Priest, Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonafh on Monday, teaming with Team DIY (who he believes to be DX) and The Miz. R-Truth’s team came up short, with Truth evening taking the definitive pinfall against Damian.
However, Priest is likely more than pleased that Truth is not in Perth as he and Balor will have to set their focus on the New Catch Republic on Saturday. The Judgment Day duo will have to defend their WWE Tag Team Title gold against Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne.
R-Truth has had his share of troubles with Judgment Day. Not only did he have a match, but he also had a strong interview segment where he discussed his heartbreak over his issues with the group.
AJ Francis is making the most of his free agency, but he did happen to reconnect with former WWE co-worker Pat McAfee. After being released from WWE the former Hit Row member made mention on the “Oh … You Didn’t Know” podcast that he was going to be everywhere and Francis wasn’t lying.
Speaking with SEScoops, AJ Francis talked about his busy week at the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. Francis was all over Sin City and was doing what he could to promote TNA, including Sacrfice that takes place Friday evening. It so happened that Francis was at Media Row and unexpectedly got invited by Pat McAfee onto the Pat McAfee Show.
“I didn’t go there to get on the show. Like I went there to say ‘what’s up’ to Pat cause Pat’s my homie. I’ve known Pat since we were in the NFL. We were in the NFL at the same time so I’ve known Pat for years. I went there to just say, ‘What’s up?’ And they were like, ‘Nah, nah, nah. We gonna get you on.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, alright, cool.'”
“And then for him to be like, ‘Yo, I see you putting people through tables.’ It’s like, ‘Oh, like he’s putting me over,’ you know what I’m saying? Like, he don’t got to do that. He doesn’t have to do that, but he does cause he’s a real one. And that’s why, like, I use that opportunity to talk about No Surrender, to talk about our shows coming up in Canada and talk about Philly and talk about going back to the Palms for Rebellion on 4/20 So it’s like, these are the things that I’m setting up for people. You know what I’m saying?”
Francis will be apart of the No Surrender meet-and-greet, but has recently been feuding with Joe Hendry in TNA. He also just showed up this past weekend in MLW, appearing to start a feud with former MLW World Heavyweight Champion Alex Kane.
Please credit and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.
Pro wrestling fans fell in love with Dark Side of the Ring’s bold storytelling, as they uncovered many forgotten stories from pro wrestling history. The show has seen tremendous success, and now it’s coming back for its 5th season, and they are kicking things off in a big way.
Dark Side of the Ring Season 5
Dark Side of the Ring Season 5 will begin with the story of Earthquake. The show premieres on Tuesday, March 5, at 10pm ET on Vice TV. The announcement was made official on social media, as the Dark Side of the Ring account posted to hype the news.
Season 5 will kick-off with John “Earthquake” Tenta’s story. A larger-than-life heel in the ring and a die hard family man at home, Tenta’s passing at just 42 years old was an especially cruel ending for a man so universally beloved.
Season 5 will kick-off with John “Earthquake” Tenta’s story.
A larger-than-life heel in the ring and a die hard family man at home, Tenta’s passing at just 42 years old was an especially cruel ending for a man so universally beloved.
Season five of Dark Side of the Ring will feature episodes centered around Chris Adams, Sensational Sherri, Terry Gordy, Black Saturday (Vince McMahon acquiring Georgia Championship Wrestling in 1984 for its TBS time slot), Chris Colt, The Sandman, Harley Race, Buff Bagwell, and Brutus Beefcake.
Dark Side of the Ring Season 4
The average viewership rating for Season 4 of Dark Side of the Ring was approximately 0.181 million viewers per episode. For Season 1 in 2019, the average viewership rating was approximately 0.201 million viewers per episode. For Season 2 in 2020, the average viewership rating was approximately 0.273 million viewers each week. Then, Season 3 in 2021 saw an average viewership rating of approximately 0.195 million viewers.
Season 4 of Dark Side of the Ring aired in 2023, covering a variety of wrestling stories. From the lives of Chris Candido and Tammy Lynn Sytch to the backstage dispute at Bash at the Beach in 2000, each episode delved into different aspects of wrestling history.
Also, “The World According to Marty Jannetty” provided insight into Marty Jannetty’s experiences in the wrestling world. That was a wild ride as well.
WWE has announced ‘greatness returns’ next Friday when Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson returns to SmackDown next Friday, March 1.
The People’s Champion will have Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman, Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso at his side when Friday Night Smackdown heads to Glendale, Arizona at the Desert Diamond Arena.
The Rock’s most recent WWE TV appearance took place last Friday on SmackDown. After cutting a scathing heel promo on the live crowed, he officially joined The Bloodline and made the group stronger than ever.
By next Friday, WrestleMania season will be in full swing and we’ll be just 5 weeks out from WWE’s biggest event of the year.
The Rock is not currently scheduled to compete at WrestleMania 40, but that could all change very quickly. The 51-year-old WWE icon turned Hollywood heavyweight has not competed in a full match since 2013.
He’s not scheduled to be at Elimination Chamber this weekend, but Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins will be. They’re scheduled for a special appearance on the Grayson Waller Show during the Chamber PLE. The Rock has warned them to keep his name out of their mouths, but good luck with that.
In addition to a rare appearance by The Rock, next week’s SmackDown will feature fallout from Elimination Chamber 2024 and continued hype for WrestleMania 40.
WWE 2K24 is set to drop on March 8th, and we just got the whole roster. There are over 200 playable characters, and some of them have variations. Rhea Ripley is very happy about one pre-Nightmare of herself that made it in the game.
Rhea Ripley Reacts To WWE 2K24 Character
2K dropped a screenshot of Rhea Ripley from WWE 2K24, one where she doesn’t look like herself today. They added the WWE NXT UK version of Ripley, a younger version of herself with long blonde hair and far fewer tattoos.
Mami before she was Mami! Exclusive #FirstLook from the Deluxe Edition! #WWE2K24
Rhea Ripley saw this, and she couldn’t contain her excitement. The Judgment Day member re-posted that screenshot and included a caption saying, “Oh. Oh My God…”
WWE Games’ official Twitter/X account also re-posted Ripley’s response. They are obviously very proud of the work they did on that character design.
Brock Lesnar’s WWE 2K24 Status
Although there are going to be multiple playable versions of Rhea Ripley in the new WWE 2K24 game, Brock Lesnar is absent. He was pulled, along with Vince McMahon, after Janel Grant’s lawsuit.
2k couldn’t totally remove Lesnar from the game, so he will still be in the game files. We will have to see how long it takes for a fan to crack that code to get Lesnar in their gameplay.
WWE legend John Cena has become one of the most prominent figures in the world mostly due to his storied career in WWE. His incredible physique and strength have been on display and his accolades make him one of the greatest to ever grace the ring.
Cena, a 16-time World Champion is certainly a powerhouse but he has had the figure while growing up. He has revealed that he was bullied as a child and picked up training to become a muscle man which he is today.
John Cena talks about his weight training journey
Cena had found his passion in workout and it helped him to seek and gain a degree in exercise science and kinesiology from Springfield College in Western Massachusetts. But growing up in his hometown, ‘The Leader of Cenation’ was bullied a lot.
Speaking with Howard Stern, John Cena revealed that he picked up the weights at the age of 13 and never looked back. Over the years he focused on training and during his high school days, he realized that the hard work paid off for him. He said:
“I was getting beat up every day. I didn’t always look like this. I was a small, scrawny kid. I had my dad buy me a weight set to be at home and I just started on my weights at home every day without fail,” Cena recalled. “Because I was getting beat up, I didn’t exactly have a huge social circle, so I had a lot of time to myself.”
He added that the coaches took notice and even wanted him to join the football team. Cena added:
“Three-and-a-half years of working out in the prime of adolescence, and eating well, started to show its yield. It kind of helped me get new pathways in life.”
Though he was all buffed up, Cena never beat up his old bullies and he never will.
“That would be very costly today — that’s a poor management decision,” he said with a laugh.
As Cena became more muscular, many questions surrounded him of using potentially using steroids. He recently cleared the air regarding the matter. Read about it below:
WWE’s 2024 Elimination Chamber is going down in Perth, Australia on February 24th, and fans will have to wake up early if they want to catch the show. The Chamber event is set to start at 5:00 AM for fans in the East Coast, and we have so much more information about the event in our official rundown. Logan Paul and Randy Orton are set to take part in the Men’s Chamber match, and they’re already having words.
During the company’s Elimination Chamber conference in Perth prior to the big event, Paul and Orton had a little interaction. The Maverick then jumped on Twitter/X to share that video, along with a little comment to poke The Viper.
The Apex Predator saw this, and he responded to say, “You’ll find out tomorrow, Jake.” One would argue that calling Logan his brother’s name wins this little social media battle for Orton.
The Elimination Chamber will set the stage for Seth Rollins’ opponent at WrestleMania. The Messiah is currently nursing an injury, so he’s likely going to stay out of the ring in any singles action until the show of shows.
I previously reported that there was serious talk of LA Knight challenging Logan Paul for the United States Title at WrestleMania, but you also never know if the company will book another multi-challenger match for that secondary title, and Randy Orton would be a prime contender to find a place in that contest.
Former AEW World Champion MJF and Alicia Atout are celebrating after hitting the one-year mark in their relationship.
Taking to Twitter, Atout made it clear that there is nobody else she’d rather have by her side. Atout also made it clear that she loves MJF, even if her descriptors for the AEW wrestler were hardly complimentary.
Happy one year anniversary, Maxwell. ? There’s no other asshole in this entire universe that I’d rather have by my side to experience life with. The last twelve months have been — time to get gross — pure magic. ? I love you, ya prick. @The_MJFpic.twitter.com/bIxB21rnvA
Atout and MJF met during their respective runs in Major League Wrestling, where Atout worked as a backstage interviewer. The pair would also interact on Atout’s A Music Block Yeah (AMBY) vlog when MJF was active on the independent circuit.
While the pair are celebrating one year of their relationship, much of that time has been kept out of the public eye. It was only when the pair were spotted at a baseball game together in late 2023 that rumors circulated of a relationship. In November 2023, the couple went public with their relationship.
Past Relationships
MJF had previously been engaged to artist Naomi Rosenblum. During a fiery promo segment in early 2023 with Bryan Danielson, MJF said that his fiancé dumped him since he wanted to have kids with her. It was later confirmed that the breakup was legitimate and not an angle for the feud with Danielson.
Atout was previously in a relationship with Richard Holliday. She managed Holliday during their time in MLW. It would appear that Atout and Holliday ended their relationship at some point in 2023.
Shortly before his exit from TNA Wrestling, D’Amore attempted to purchase the company from Anthem. While the figure was not disclosed at the time of his departure, it was said to be a serious offer with the backing of a major financial institution.
D’Amore offered $10 million to acquire TNA Wrestling, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported this week. In addition to this, Scott offered to take on all existing debts. Anthem turned down the offer out-right without a counter offer being made. The D’Amore group believed the company value was between $7 million and $12 million.
With or without D’Amore, TNA will move on ahead with its weekly entertainment. On March 8, the promotion will host its Sacrifice pay-per-view from Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The show will be TNA’s second PPV since relaunching at last month’s Hard to Kill show.
WWE has seen quite a ride on the road to WrestleMania 40 so far. This included The Rock re-entering the fold, and plans changing multiple times. CM Punk’s injury also threw a wrench in WWE’s plans, so there were several things that they needed to address. Their plan to take Cody Rhodes out of the picture was also nixed in the process.
WWE Planned Injury Angle For Cody
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that Cody Rhodes was informed in the fall that he would face Reigns. However, he was not informed about Rock’s involvement in the match until January 3rd. Therefore, any interviews he gave about concluding the story before the Rumble assumed he was part of the match, despite rumors about The Rock.
The report also went on to say that WWE planned an injury angle for Cody to write him out of the WrestleMania 40 main event match once The Rock showed up. Of course, they pivoted from those plans in a big way.
[Cody] was told the day of the Rumble that Rock was facing Reigns even though he was winning the Rumble. He was also told that they would be going to Reigns against him later so all the post-match stuff building that match wasn’t there to swerve people as much a build a later match. But the fact it was not going to be Reigns vs. Rhodes was keep secret from almost everyone (obviously a few knew) because Rock wanted the angle the next Friday a surprise. Even fewer knew the injury angle planned for Rhodes because even people who knew this complete story were not aware of the original idea of how to get Rhodes out of the match and Rock in.
WWE Changed More WrestleMania 40 Plans
The report also noted that Punk’s injury changed plans, but there was still no use for a men’s Elimination Chamber match because Rhodes was going to choose Rollins as his opponent. The Rock was also not wrestling in Australia, at an event that takes place at 5:00 AM on the East Coast.
The angle with Rhodes endorsing Rock, which was reportedly suggested by Triple H, was well-received by the crowd and WWE thought it went well at first. Then social media backlash changed things. Johnson reportedly already considered turning heel if fans booed him, which led the company to push in that direction.
I reported the entire time that The Rock was the only one who could change those plans. In the end, Dwayne Johnson conceded that it should be Cody Rhodes in the main event of WrestleMania 40 against Roman Reigns.
If the Rhodes injury angle was followed through with, they would have likely faced an even greater negative social media reaction. Now, fans have a chance to see Cody finish his story.
