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Roman Reigns Surpasses Bruno Sammartino In Historic World Championship Reign

Thomas Lowson
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Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns has continued to etch his name in history by surpassing the legendary Bruno Sammartino’s second WWWF title reign. 

Reigns has dominated WWE since capturing the Universal Championship at Payback 2020, in a match that saw him defeat Braun Strowman and the late Bray Wyatt. This week, Reigns’ tenure as champion reached 1,238 days with the Universal title. In doing so, the Head of the Table surpassed Bruno’s second reign with the WWWF title. The WWE Hall of Famer’s second reign saw him hold the gold from December 10, 1973, to April 30, 1977. 

The Longest Reigning Champion Ever? 

By surpassing Bruno’s second World title reign, Reigns now boasts the fourth-longest WWE World Championship reign in the history of the company. Currently, the only reigns ahead of Reigns belong to Hulk Hogan, Bob Backlund and Bruno Sammartino’s first WWWF title reign. 

For Roman to overtake Hogan’s first World title reign, he’ll need to hold the gold until September 12, 2024. To overtake Backlund’s first reign, he will need to remain champion until Sunday, July 5, 2026. Finally, to best Sammartino’s first reign and become the longest-reigning champion in WWE history, Roman Reigns will need to keep the gold until Wednesday, May 3, 2028. 

What’s Next for Roman Reigns? 

Reigns’ next title defense will come at the Royal Rumble 2024 event next week. Reigns will defend in a four-way against AJ Styles, Randy Orton, and LA Knight. Should Reigns retain, WWE is currently deciding between two massive opponents for Reigns at WrestleMania 40.

The Rock wants Roman Reigns, but the Head of the Table isn’t sweating his cousin… 

Tony Khan Announces Return Of AEW Ranking System

Aaron Varble
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AEW promised to present a different kind of pro wrestling when they opened their doors in 2019. One of the more innovative concepts, the rankings system, went away eventually. Now, it is coming back.

The AEW Rankings System Returning

The AEW rankings system used to come out every week, but then they stopped the practice. It became repetitive, and many fans started ignoring it, as did AEW with their storylines. 

Tony Khan sent out a notice on Twitter/X that the AEW rankings system is returning. He was very excited about this announcement, and plans to make it a great 2024 for AEW.

The Rankings are coming back to AEW going forward, starting this month! @AEW is having a very exciting January, and this is only the beginning of an amazing 2024 for AEW and our fans. Thank you all watching Saturday Night #AEWCollision right now on @TNTdrama !

AEW Loves Keeping Records

The AEW ranking system may have gone away, but they still keep track of records. Those numbers can be seen on any star’s name plate as they make their way to the ring.

Since records go year-to-year in AEW, the start of 2024 can mark the return of that ranking system. They may have started at the end of January, but it’s better late than never.

Now, with Tony Khan bringing back the AEW ranking system, a new year can start with a return to that old practice. We will have to see how they utilize it this time around to make it a bigger part of AEW programming. 

Why Top WWE Prospect Was Backstage At AEW Dynamite This Week

Aaron Varble
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AEW has brought in some of the best free agents that they can since their doors opened. The fact that Kamille was backstage at Dynamite this week certainly made a lot of people look her way.

Why Kamille Was Backstage At AEW Dynamite

Kamille is one of the biggest female names in the pro wrestling scene. Her debut for AEW did not happen this week, but she was around. This goes against the previous idea that she was WWE bound. 

Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that Kamille was just around AEW Dynamite to visit friends. She lives in the area, as Dynamite took place at the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, South Carolina. 

Fightful confirmed that even though she was originally just around visiting friends, as she’s local to the area. However, that she did speak with several people of influence at the show.

Kamille’s Current Contract Status

It was also noted that, as of January 19th, Kamille has not signed with any company yet. It was reported that overtures were made over the past couple of weeks to bring Kamille to WWE. However, that didn’t keep her from being backstage at AEW Dynamite on January 17.

Kamille reportedly had a six-month option with NWA that could have extended into the first half of the year. Nevertheless, she chose not to exercise that option.

What’s Next For Kamille?

Kamille’s future is uncertain, but she is a top free agent in the pro wrestling landscape. Wherever she goes next, it is bound to draw headlines.

The former NWA women’s champion is reportedly set to join WWE. The 31-year-old has been a free agent since January 1st, but that might not be the case for very long.

John Cena WWE 2K24 Post Reveals Possible Major Spoiler

Aaron Varble
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WWE 2K24 has gamers excited about their next offering, and we can’t get enough of the teases. As more information is expected soon, John Cena is getting in on the fun.

John Cena’s Big WWE 2K24 Tease

John Cena sent out an Instagram post, and to follow along with his tradition, he didn’t include a caption. Then WWE Games quickly replied to the photo.

The comment only read: “1.22.2024 #WWE2K24.” That certainly sent the message that his photo was released to coincide with the upcoming game.

This post was also interesting because of the photo John Cena picked. The 16x World Champion dropped a photo of an NWO t-shirt hanging on a rack. The hanger on the rack also had the WWE 2K24 logo on it.

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C2U_n7uOEPI

Deeper Possible Meaning Behind This Post

It was previously reported that the upcoming WWE 2K video game will be dedicated to Bray Wyatt’s career. If this is true, then John Cena’s photo makes so much more sense.

When we asked fans on our official Facebook page who should be the cover Superstar for WWE 2K24, Bray Wyatt was the runaway winner.

If Bray Wyatt is picked as the cover Superstar, then this tease from John Cena has a lot more weight to it.

Big Match John sported an NWO t-shirt while he was in the Firefly Fun House match against Bray Wyatt. If the new 2K game is dedicated to Wyatt, then perhaps fans may get to re-visit that moment in WWE history at WrestleMania 36.

Other Teases For WWE 2K24

The 2k team also sent out an Instagram post with a photo of a referee shirt. That wasn’t as interesting as the fact that they also tagged “Stone Cold” Steve Austin in the photo.

2K also dropped a very clear Undertaker tease. This got fans excited about whom the next tease will include.

When WWE 2K24 Will Be Released

The release date for WWE 2K24 remains undisclosed at this point, but we might receive this vital information within the next few days. The latest release in the series, WWE 2K23, became available on March 14th, 2023, offering gamers the chance to experience it on various platforms, including PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch. 

TNA Star Reveals Devastating Knee Injury

Aaron Varble
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TNA Wrestling just completed their re-branding, and that brought a new surge of interest for the former Impact Wrestling. Unfortunately, KiLynn King won’t be around for a while to enjoy that.

KiLynn King Makes a Sad Announcement

During the December 17th at the GLOW event hosted by the Florida independent promotion Mayhem on Mills in Sanford, Florida, TNA star KiLynn King sustained an injury.

During that show, KiLynn King defended her Mayhem on Mills Championship against Eli Knight at the event. In the heat of the match, King executed a mid-air kick off the middle rope, but her landing seemed awkward.

Sadly, King took to Instagram nearly one month later, where she had a sad announcement to make. She will be out of action for a while due to a knee injury.

Yes, I’m still with TNA, but unfortunately, about a month ago, I got injured. I temporarily dislocated my knee in the match, which caused damage to my MCL and I tore my ACL. If you know anything about knees, you know no bueno.Why KiLynn King Waited To Tell Fans About Her Injury

https://www.instagram.com/p/reel:C2TGmaIvqC4

Why KiLynn King Waited To Tell Fans About Her Injury

King explained that she did not go public about her injury right away, because she needed to process it. She was in denial about her injury at first.

Several fans were apparently DMing her, to ask if she is still with TNA Wrestling. She is, but she is injured. She is walking again and has surgery scheduled for the first week of February. They are looking at a 9 to 12 month recovery process.

We’re sending out our best to KiLynn King, and we hope that she can get back to the ring soon. She loves pro wrestling, and seems focused to make a headline-grabbing comeback when the day comes.

Which WWE Superstar Made Grayson Waller Swear Off Cake Forever?

Thomas Lowson
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Grayson Waller has a bright future ahead of him in WWE, but don’t expect the Australian to celebrate any future big wins with something sweet. 

Waller has become a regular on SmackDown, despite having yet to hold gold on either the main roster or in NXT. The Australian’s partnership with Theory has been well-received by management, with both men expected to be elevated on the road to WrestleMania. Waller recently made headlines for protecting kayfabe in the face of an Australian morning show host. 

Grayson Waller & The Cake

Waller has an impressive physique fans can see each week on WWE TV but isn’t immune to the occasional treat. During a recent appearance on the Boom Rookies podcast, Waller recalled working during a lengthy tour and intended to celebrate its completion with a delicious chocolate cake. 

”I put the knife into the cake and in walks Bobby Lashley. This man is a physical specimen. Huge human being, jacked to the gills. Me and Bobby hadn’t spoken much, and he walked in and looked at the cake. For like a good 15 seconds, an awkward amount of time. Then, this breaks my heart, he looked up at me and said, ‘Are you really going to have that?’ I kind of went, ‘I had a tour…’ He just walked away.”

Waller’s interaction with Lashley was brief but had a profound effect on the former schoolteacher. 

“I threw the cake in the bin. I haven’t gone for dessert at catering since. When I looked in his eyes, it looked like judgment. It looked like full judgment.”

Grayson Waller recently found out a shocking truth about the United States… 

Charlotte Flair Receives Encouraging News on Her WWE Return Timeline

Bishal Roy
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Fans will be delighted to know that multi-time Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair is ‘crushing it’ in the recovery process after she recently suffered a significant injury. 

‘The Queen’ sustained the injury in a singles match against Damage CTRL’s Asuka on the Tribute to the Troops edition of SmackDown on December 8. 

The injury occurred when Flair tried to hit her signature moonsault outside the ring.  Flair managed to finish the match despite the injury.

It was later announced that Charlotte Flair suffered multiple knee injuries during the incident, including tears to her ACL, MCL, and meniscus. She was even spotted on crutches at the CMLL event ahead of her surgery.

After undergoing surgery, The Queen is pushing herself to the limits to make her highly-anticipated return. She is expected to be out for at least 9 months but it seems Flair wants to make a comeback far sooner. Flair recently posted a video clip on social media to show off her progress. She is already on the treadmill and hopes to return sooner.

Ric Flair shares an update on Charlotte Flair

WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair has shared an update on her recovery. He said:

“I was speaking with Dr. Dugan. He’s been there 30 years. He said Ashley is one of the top three athletes that they have ever done surgery on. Think about that. We’re talking Bo Jackson. We’re talking, I mean, I can go down the list of people.“

“The Tommy John’s. He said we consider her one of the top three athletes, not wrestlers, to ever come through the doors.”

Ric Flair lauded Charlotte Flair’s recuperation and that she’s showcasing her extraordinary abilities. Considering it one of the greatest compliments one could receive, he said that she is recovering beyond expectations and is expected to return sooner than advised. Ric highlighted the special and distinctive attributes of Charlotte Flair and said:

“Her recovery, she’s crushing it. She’s actually going to come back faster than they will ever recommend. That’s unbelievable. I thought that might be one of the biggest compliments.“

“I mean, it’s unfortunate that it had to come from a doctor in a hospital, but I keep telling people, man, she’s a different kind of cat.”

We will now have to wait and see if Charlotte Flair actually makes her return ahead of schedule.

Tama Tonga Bids Emotional Farewell To NJPW After Title Defeat at New Beginning

Bishal Roy
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0

Tama Tonga has bid emotional goodbye to his NJPW fans.

Tonga had dethroned Shingo Takagi to regain the NJPW NEVER Openweight title at Wrestle Kingdom 18 but his title run was short-lived. That night, in a post-match press conference, Tonga had announced that January would be his final month with the promotion. He added that he wants to find work closer to home and that he misses his family.

EVIL dethrones Tama Tonga

At Saturday’s NJPW The New Beginning in Nagoya event, EVIL defeated Tama Tonga in the headlining clash to win the NEVER Openweight Title. The main event originally resulted in a double disqualification after Bullet Club, Guerrillas of Destiny, and Hontai members got involved. 

Tama went on to insist that the match should be restarted but this time as a lumberjack match. At the end, EVIL dethroned Tama in latter’s farewell match.  

Following the match, Tama Tonga, who was quite emotional, cut a promo and expressed his gratitude to the fans. He said:

“Thank you for giving me a chance to know you. I love you.”

Tama Tonga emerged as a significant force in the tag team division alongside his brother Tanga Loa. He tasted success as part of Guerrillas of Destiny and the Bullet Club. Tonga’s journey in NJPW is marked by multiple IWGP Tag Team Championships. He has also held the NEVER Openweight Championship and NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship four times each. He has now decided to depart NJPW and it is needless to mention that the fans will miss him.

Where is Tama Tonga headed? Well, WWE had been interested in signing him. Read more below:

Logan Paul Stunned Upon Learning Stalker Allegedly Took His Own Life

Aaron Varble
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Logan Paul was a massive celebrity even before making his way to WWE. He has also dealt with his fair share of over-zealous fans as well. After hearing a grim update about one fan who went too far, the WWE United States Champion was devastated.

Logan Paul’s Stalker Drama

In 2018, Logan Paul found himself targeted by a man who apparently had an extreme fixation on him, even going so far as to break into his home. Unbeknownst to Logan at the time, this individual later took his own life.

During a conversation with TMZ, they approached this dark chapter of his life when a person named Tahj Deondre Speight allegedly trespassed into Logan’s house without authorization, leading to a confrontation. Paul had no idea what happened to his stalker after that, but the news shook him.

During that scary ordeal, Logan ended up apprehending Speight, who was subsequently arrested, charged, prosecuted, and eventually incarcerated. However, it came to light that Speight had passed away, seemingly by suicide.

Logan Paul Reacts To His Tahj Deondre Speight’s Apparent Suicide

Harvey Levin shared this news with Logan during the TMZ interview, catching him off guard with the revelation. Then the question was posed, asking if the system failed Speight by not providing him with the necessary help or resources.

In response, Logan provided a candid answer, expressing empathy for the man he once subdued. He went on to express his thoughts that the system failed his stalker, because he was not mentally stable, and he didn’t get the help he needed.

“Heavy …. I didn’t know he died. I’d say the system definitely failed him, for sure. I didn’t even know he died, and the first thing I said was, ‘this is obviously an unstable individual, and I’d like to emphasize with him however much I can. Whatever facility, whatever protocol was put in place to try to help this individual obviously failed, and that’s a shame. These aren’t normal individuals. They’re insane, and they need to be treated as such, and they need to be taken care of in a better way.”

How To Watch The Whole Logan Paul Interview

This emotional and heartfelt interview was part of the show titled TMZ Investigates: Obsessed and Dangerous: Hollywood’s Stalker Crisis. The weekly series will begin on FOX Monday at 9/8c.

In times of struggle or crisis, assistance is within reach. Reach out by calling or texting 988, or engage in a chat at 988lifeline.org.

Transcription by SE Scoops

Hiroshi Tanahashi Offers Insight into Kazuchika Okada’s NJPW Departure: “I hope he will spread his wings to the world”

Bishal Roy
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0

NJPW legend Kazuchika Okada is departing the promotion and his rival Hiroshi Tanahashi has best wishes for him.

‘The Rainmaker’ is set to end a 16-year run with NJPW after his contract expires on January 31. Okada will still work on February 11 in Osaka, and February 23 and 24 in Sapporo as part of the New Beginning tour.

Fans will be able to witness a clash between Okada and Tanahashi for one final time on February 11 at The New Beginning at the EDION Arena in Osaka. It was at this same venue where Okada faced Tanahashi at The New Beginning in 2012. Okada had secured a stunning win that night over Tanahashi and captured the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

Hiroshi Tanahashi expresses gratitude to Kazuchika Okada

Kazuchika Okada’s last appearance under the NJPW contract will take place on January 24 in Korakuen Hall. Ahead of Okada’s departure, Tanahashi spoke with Tokyo Sports and shared his thoughts on working with ‘The Rainmaker.’

“I can only express my gratitude in the sense that I have contributed to New Japan for the past 12 years,” Tanahashi said (as translated by Fightful). “Speaking personally, I would have liked to have seen more matches with the new generation (Shota Umino, Ren Narita, Yota Tsuji, and Yuya Uemura).”

He continued:

“However, if I feel for Okada, I know that he has done enough in New Japan. I hope he will spread his wings to the world. If he is going overseas with what he has achieved at the top in New Japan, I hope that he will show (them) Kazuchika Okada. It’s the same feeling I had with Nakamura. I am very proud of him. I think things will get interesting from now on. We have an abundance of talent right now, and there are a lot of young fighters in the dojo. When the rain stops, there will be a rainbow. Who will light up the future of New Japan when the rain of money stops falling?”

Okada’s departure will certainly leave a void that the NJPW fans will feel. The memories of Okada’s legendary matches with Tanahashi will be cherished by the fans for the times to come. 

Darby Allin Recalls Almost Suffering A Horrific Injury On Dynamite: “We don’t play it safe”

Bishal Roy
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0

AEW superstar Darby Allin recently talked about almost suffering a broken neck at AEW Dynamite ‘Homecoming’ edition at Daily’s Place.

Allin has made a name for himself with his breathtaking spots in his matches. He has captivated the fans with his high-risk maneuvers that thrill the fans. However, with it comes a line between a memorable moment and a career-threatening injury. He has managed to escape neck injury, which has put several stars on the shelf for good.

The January 10th episode of AEW Dynamite saw a Texas Tornado Match in the main event, featuring Sting & Darby Allin against Konosuke Takeshita and Powerhouse Hobbs. The babyface pair secured the win but at the expense of some nasty bumps.

A spot during that match saw Takeshita and Cage throw Allin across the ring by his hands and feet. The former TNT Champion hit the mat on the other side of the ring, catching his head under the bottom rope.

Darby Allin comments on his risk moves

Speaking on KSDK to promote AEW in St. Louis, Darby Allin recalled the incident and noted that AEW stars try to deliver the unexpected every week. He further revealed that he almost broke his neck due to the horrific spot.

“The thing with AEW is, you can expect the unexpected. I mean that, I’m not just trying to sell anything. Every week, there is crazy shenanigans going on. Last week, I almost broke my neck. This week, we have so much crazy stuff. Literally, it’s something different every week. We don’t play it safe. I was in town, I saw this arch, and I kind of want to jump off of it.”

Allin is a risk-taker and he looks far from stopping himself from showcasing his daredevillry whether it’s inside or outside the squared circle.

Watch Bret ‘Gift-Man’ Hart Deliver Amazon Packages To Lucky Canadians

Thomas Lowson
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Bret Hart is the Best There Is, the Best There Was, and the Best There Ever Will Be when it comes to delivering gifts to some very lucky Amazon Prime members. 

Hart teamed with the product-delivery giant this week to deliver items to the winners of Amazon’s Giftmania contest. The two-time WWE Hall of Famer personally delivered items to various people who were thrilled to get their gifts and meet the Canadian wrestling legend. The gifts were from Amazon gift lists and recipients received gifts valued up to $300 by the ‘GiftMan’. 

Amazon’s Giftmania contest was created to celebrate ten years of Amazon Prime in Canada. The contest was first announced in November of last year, with the former WWF and WCW World Heavyweight Champion appearing in a promotional video. 

Bret Hart Today

The Hitman’s days in the ring may be behind him, but Bret Hart continues to have an impact on the wrestling world. Last year, it was reported that Drew McIntyre’s heel turn had been inspired by the Hitman’s transformation in 1997. McIntyre slowly turned to the dark side as he was unwilling and unable to forgive Jey Uso for his past transgressions in the Bloodline. 

The change mirrored Hart’s heel turn in 1997 when fans began embracing ruder characters such as Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin to the chagrin of the clean-cut Hitman. More recently, Bret Hart became a grandfather yet again, and it didn’t take Hart long to test his grandchild’s wrestling skills. 

Bret Hart is respected by countless wrestlers, but one top WWE Superstar hasn’t been amazed by the Excellence of Execution… 

Seth Rollins’ Current WWE WrestleMania 40 Status Following Injury

Aaron Varble
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Seth Rollins’ health is the top story in wrestling this weekend. After successfully defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Jinder Mahal in the main event of WWE Raw (January 15), the focus quickly shifted to the champion clutching his knee. 

He underwent an MRI anfter Raw. Fightful later reported Rollins tore his MCL and meniscus. Since then, he’s been pulled from live events as fans wonder about how long this latest knee injury will keep him out of action.

Rollins is expected to address the WWE Universe at the start of Raw this coming Monday. We know he was scheduled to be in a featured match at WrestleMania, but is that still the plan?

Seth Rollins’ Current WrestleMania Status

rollins punk wrestlemania 1

WWE is planning CM Punk vs Seth Rollins for WrestleMania 40. This has been their plan since after Punk was re-inserted into the WWE landscape. The match writes itself, and Triple H wants to put that contest on the grandest stage of them all.

While seeking additional information about Rollins’ status, I inquired about his current WrestleMania situation, and whether they are discussing alternate matches for CM Punk at Mania. I was told by a tenured member of the WWE creative team that as of Friday evening, “Rollins is still on for Mania at this moment.”

That being said, Rollins’ announcement on Monday likely won’t take him out of the road to WrestleMania. The Architect is set to open the January 22nd episode of WWE RAW by addressing his future as WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

Randy Orton will replace Seth Rollins at this weekend’s WWE live events. The WWE World Heavyweight Champion will get some time off, but WrestleMania is still in the cards for him.

Recovery Time From MCL Injury

Seth Rollins suffered a torn MCL and a partially torn meniscus during that match with Jinder Mahal. The recovery time for such an injury certainly gives him room to heal up before the show of shows.

According to The Cleveland Clinic, a grade 1 (mild) MCL tear usually heals within one to three weeks. After that, a grade 2 (moderate) MCL tear generally takes four to six weeks to heal with treatment. Then, a grade 3 (severe) MCL tear can take six weeks or more to heal with treatment.

As of this writing, WrestleMania 40 is set to take place in 11 weeks. It is unclear how bad Rollins tore his MCL, but it appears that he will have plenty of recovery time unless unforeseen circumstances arise.

R-Truth Nearly Had Leg Amputated Due to Infection After Tearing Quad in 2022

Thomas Lowson
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R-Truth’s work with The Judgment Day has been a runaway success, but this only happened after the veteran nearly lost his leg to infection. 

In November 2022, Truth suffered a torn quad during a WWE NXT match with Grayson Waller. The injury occurred after Truth attempted to dive over the top rope and was later confirmed to be a torn quadriceps. He would undergo surgery later that month and after a lengthy absence, returned to programming during the Survivor Series: WarGames 2023 broadcast. 

R-Truth Nearly Loses His Leg

Since recovering, Truth’s work with The Judgment Day has been a hit with fans and is one of the most popular angles the company currently has going. During a recent appearance on The Ringer Wrestling Show, however, Truth explained how his injury nearly cost him his leg. 

“I had a hole in my knee. I had five different bacteria that caused the infection along with MRSA… It started off as a routine quad tear. I tore my bottom quad. They went in and I guess it could have happened during surgery. I went to get the stitches out and we found out that the bacteria, the infection, was eating from the inside out.”

Despite initial beliefs that the infection would be dealt with quickly, the disease continued to affect Truth’s recovery. In the interview, Truth recalled months of intensive treatments and what the only other option was. 

“I had to have a wound VAC on. It was a VAC on my knee that kept sucking the old blood up and putting the new blood… It was a good four months or five months of just trying to kill the infection, slow it down, stop it, and I’m going mentally crazy because there was a chance, he said, the other option was amputation.”

Thankfully, the infection would clear and Truth would retain the use of his leg. The veteran is a 53-time WWE 24/7 Champion and a two-time WWE U.S. Champion. 

R-Truth had a bit of help becoming an ‘official’ member of The Judgment Day… 

H/T – POST Wrestling

Examining Seth Rollins’ Torn MCL: Will He Miss WrestleMania 40?

Thomas Lowson
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0

Update: SE Scoops’ own Aaron Varble has been able to confirm that Seth Rollins is still slated for WrestleMania. The WWE creative team has not talked about any replacement scenarios yet. 

The fate of Seth Rollins remains to be determined following a reported MCL tear on this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw. 

In the main event of the show, Rollins retained against Jinder Mahal. The match had a big-fight feel, thanks in part to Tony Khan’s outburst about the booking of Mahal. Due to an injury, Mahal was seen limping and had to be helped to the back after the match. It was later confirmed that Rollins suffered a torn MCL and a meniscus injury. 

Will Seth Rollins Miss WWE WrestleMania 40? 

Seth Rollins will address fans about his situation on next week’s episode of Raw, but we already have a notion as to how much time he may miss. If Rollins does miss any time, it will vary based on the severity of the MCL tear. As the Cleveland Clinic notes: 

The time it takes to fully recover from an MCL tear depends on how severe the tear is. A grade 1 (mild) MCL tear usually heals within one to three weeks. A grade 2 (moderate) MCL tear generally takes four to six weeks to heal with treatment.

“A grade 3 (severe) MCL tear can take six weeks or more to heal with treatment. If you undergo surgery to fix your MCL tear, it could take longer.

A grade 1 or grade 2 tear should give Rollins time to heal up before WrestleMania. A grade 3 tear could see WWE pulled from the show, forcing WWE to dramatically change plans. Surgery would likely guarantee that Rollins is pulled from the two-night spectacle in April. 

WWE’s Original Plans

Since CM Punk’s return at Survivor Series, Rollins has taken issue with the Best in the World. WWE’s original plan was for the Rollins and Punk to face off at WrestleMania 40. While that is still seemingly the plan, everything hinges on what Rollins has to say on the upcoming episode of Raw.

There’s another bad sign for the reigning World Heavyweight Champion… 

Bayley Is The ‘Mami-Slayer’ & She’s Coming for Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 40

Thomas Lowson
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0

Damage CTRL’s Bayley has set her sights on the WWE Women’s World Championship and hopes to capture the gold at WrestleMania 40. 

On this week’s SmackDown, Bayley sat on commentary for the Women’s Tag Team Championship bout between champions Katana Chance & Kayden Carter and challengers Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn. During her time behind the table, Bayley dubbed herself the ‘Mami-Slayer’ and vowed to win the Women’s Royal Rumble. 

Given that IYO SKY is the WWE Women’s Champion, Bayley made it clear she plans to challenge Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania. To add insult to injury, Bayley wore one of Ripley’s shirts for the show. 

Bayley Vs. Rhea Ripley

Bayley and Rhea Ripley have shared the ring as opponents a total of four times. To date, their only singles match took place on the March 20, 2023, edition of Raw, and saw Ripley get the win. Their first encounter would be a triple-threat on the December 5, 2022, Raw alongside Asuka that Bayley would win. They have also competed in the 2021 and 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble matches, the latter of which Ripley would win. 

Another Challenger

Bayley isn’t the only Superstar with her sights set on The Judgment Day’s resident Mami. On Raw this week, Becky Lynch confronted Rhea Ripley and made it clear she plans to win the Women’s Rumble and challenge the Eradicator. Ripley, who had previously warned the roster not to waste their Rumble win by challenging her, said she is rooting for Lynch to win the match. 

The 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble Match

Bayley was the first Superstar to be declared for the Women’s Royal Rumble Match. She is joined by Nia Jax and former Rumble winners Becky Lynch (2019 winner) and Bianca Belair (2021 winner.)

Bayley plans on winning the Women’s Royal Rumble match, unless… 

Trinity Fatu says TNA Changed Her Life in What May Be Her Final Promo (Exclusive)

Thomas Lowson
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0

Trinity has been honored and privileged to be a part of the TNA Knockouts division, amid reports of her upcoming exit from the promotion. 

The former Knockouts Champion is expected to finish with TNA soon and swiftly return to WWE. Trinity (then Naomi) walked out of WWE alongside Mercedes Mone (Sasha Banks) over creative differences in 2022. Trinity was expected to return to WWE in the upcoming Women’s Royal Rumble match, but that is far less certain now. 

Trinity’s TNA Promo

At the most recent tapings of TNA Wrestling, Trinity was scheduled to go one-on-one with Gisele Shaw. The match instead saw Trinity and Jordynne Grace face Shaw and Savannah Evans. Grace dethroned Trinity at Hard to Kill 2024 in a match that took an emotional toll on the former champ. After the tag-team match, Trinity grabbed the mic and addressed the crowd.

“Coming to TNA has been life-changing for me, both inside and outside the ring. I feel honored to work with such a strong division and an incredible group of women. Wow, what a champion we have here on our hands! [gestures to Jordynne Grace, crowd chants ‘Jordan’] And when all of y’all think of TNA, I want you to think of me. Trini-TNA! Thank you for coming out, we love you!” 

Jordynne Grace added that Trinity and her made for one hell of a match and that while they may be in the ring, the fans are the most important part of the show. Grace concluded that they’ll see everyone tomorrow as they ‘Cross the Line’ once more and the crowd chanted TNA to close out the show. 

The show was an especially emotional one for Trinity, whose family were also at the event. 

Jeff Jarrett Praises Samoa Joe For An Innate Ability In The Ring

Dominic DeAngelo
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Jeff Jarrett believes Samoa Joe exemplified an innate ability that few possess, but the WWE Hall of Famer saw Joe’s talent back in TNA.

In the main event of AEW Dynamite in Charleston, SC, Joe choked out HOOK in the main event to retain his AEW World Championship. It happened to be Joe’s first title defense and HOOK gave him a run for his money.

If one were going by the live crowd reaction, Joe was tremendously over to start the fight, but two-thirds into the battle, Joe and HOOK got the audience completely over on the challenger’s side.

Speaking on an episode of “My World,” Jarrett talked about how it takes a rare talent to be able to do that for their opponents. Joe did just as much during his undefeated streak in TNA.

“My default answer was, ‘Joe can win and still help get guys over.’ That’s an art. That was taught to me in many different ways from my dad and Jerry Lawler, but it is so true, and if you can’t really do that, I don’t think you can really get to the next level. It’s easy to win and get yourself over. It’s even more difficult to win and get your opponent over, but Joe could do it.”

How TNA Ended Joe’s Undefeated Streak In TNA

Jarrett admitted there was no end in sight for Samoa Joe to lose to anyone in TNA, but then Kurt Angle came along and signed with the company.

“…then that quick conversation to Orlando from Dave Hawk, who is Kurt’s manager, and said, ‘Hey man. I think you’ve got a shot if you want to have Kurt come on board ‘ and how all that came together, and then the Kurt and Joe trilogy.”

Please credit My World and h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.

More Released WWE Superstars Spotted Backstage At TNA Wrestling Television Taping Event

Aaron Varble
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Impact Wrestling’s re-branding into TNA Wrestling is complete, but they are not finished surprising fans with who they bring into the company. They are taping for television tonight, and three new free agents are backstage.

Who’s Backstage at TNA’s Television Taping 

TNA Wrestling is taping another round of television shows over the next two days in Orlando. The company is looking to carry on with their current momentum, and that could come with a few unexpected additions to their roster.

Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that three free agents are backstage at TNA Wrestling’s television taping event. Two of those are recently released WWE Superstars, and another is a familiar face for NJPW fans.

Fightful Select has learned that Mace & Mansoor, the former Maximum Male Models are backstage at the show. The two were released by WWE in September and are now free agents. In addition, NJPW regular Alex Zayne is backstage at the show.

The report also noted that there is no word on whether Mace, Mansoor or Alex Zayne will be used during the taping, but they are present. They are also, “set to meet with the office at the show.” 

TNA Wrestling’s Plan For Upcoming Television Taping

TNA Wrestling already announced a few matches that they are taping for Friday and Saturday night. It appears that the company has a couple good shows ready for fans.

TNA Wrestling Card For 1/19/24

  • Nic Nemeth vs. Trey MiguelMoose vs. KUSHIDA
  • Alex Shelley vs. Eddie Edwards
  • Trinity vs. Gisele Shaw
  • Chris Sabin vs. Jaon Hotch
  • Josh Alexander vs. Alan Angels

TNA Wrestling Card For 1/20/24

  • TNA Digital Media Championship Match: Crazzy Steve vs. Rhino 
  • Moose, Eddie Edwards & Brian Myers vs. KUSHIDA, Kevin Knight & Alex Shelley
  • Tasha Steelz vs. Xia Brookside
  • Ash by Elegance vs. TBA
  • Jake Something vs. Frankie Kazarian
  • Killer Kelly vs. Dani Luna

Seth Rollins Out Of Action With MCL & Meniscus Injury

Aaron Varble
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Seth Rollins is set to address his future as WWE World Heavyweight Champion on RAW next week. Sadly, it seems that he does not have good news to tell fans. The Visionary is injured, and it is reportedly not good.

Seth Rollins’ Current Injury Status Revealed

Seth Rollins sustained his injury during the January 15th episode of WWE RAW, where he retained the World Heavyweight Championship against Jinder Mahal. After the match was over, it was obvious that things were not okay with him

Seth Rollins was pulled from this weekend’s WWE live events. 

Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select.that Seth Rollins is currently out of action with an MCL tear. His meniscus is also partially torn.

Unfortunately, the word in WWE and sources near Rollins are that he sustained a torn MCL and a partially torn meniscus. However, it is not known as of yet if he’ll require surgery, though the hope is that he can avoid it. We also aren’t sure how WWE will play things on television, or if the injury will be downplayed or embellished.

Seth Rollins Has A History of Knee Issues

Rollins has a history of knee problems and has worked through many of them in the past. People in WWE reportedly acknowledged Rollins’ toughness and resolve throughout the match and the immediate aftermath.

The report from Fightful also noted that, “Rollins told people backstage that he didn’t think he’d sustained an ACL tear. One WWE higher up we spoke to said, ‘considering he’s powerbombed a 300 pound man on a torn ACL, we think he understands what that might feel like.'”

Rollins injured his knee before at a house show, in a No DQ match, as he was executing a powerbomb through a table onto Kane. 

WWE’s WrestleMania Plan for Seth Rollins

Seth Rollins is set to face CM Punk at WrestleMania 40. With this latest development, it appears that match may have to wait.

Without their World Heavyweight Champion, WWE also has a serious issue to consider. After all, part of Rollins’ announcement on RAW next week may include relinquishing the title.

Seth Rollins Reportedly Set To Address Future As WWE World Heavyweight Champion After Injury

Aaron Varble
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WWE is on the road to WrestleMania at this point, with the Royal Rumble going down on January 27th. Sadly, WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins may not have great news for fans.

Seth Rollins Set To Address His Future

Seth Rollins suffered a knee injury in the main event of the January 15th episode of RAW while successfully defending his title against Jinder Mahal.

Wrestle Votes reports that the current word is that Seth Rollins will be on RAW next week, where he will address the WWE Universe. The subject of his promo will be about his future as World Heavyweight Champion.

”I’m told the plan of as now is for Seth Rollins to address his health & future as World Heavyweight Champion this Monday night on RAW.”

The full extent of The Visionary’s injury is yet to be determined, but it was previously confirmed by PW Insider that he will not be participating in the upcoming weekend’s house show events. It appears he will be at RAW next week.

Seth Rollins has experienced a devastating knee injury in the past. In 2015, he injured his knee while wrestling Kane at a house show. Now, he is dealing with another knee affliction. We’re hoping that the Visionary has good news for fans on RAW.

Internal Thought on Seth Rollins’ Injury

Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that the initial thought is that Rollins did not injury his ACL. Rollins himself reportedly stated the night of that it didn’t feel like he had sustained that injury.

We’re told that the initial hope backstage was that he’d not sustained an ACL injury, and that Rollins at least personally thought it wasn’t that the night of.

Seth Rollins’ WrestleMania Plans

Seth Rollins is set to face CM Punk at WrestleMania 40. At this time, the match is reportedly still part of the plans. Rollins taking some time off the road may contribute to his knee healing. His upcoming announcement on RAW may change everything as well.

The feud between CM Punk and Seth Rollins has a significant history. The storyline developed organically, so losing Rollins on the road to the show of shows is not ideal for Punk at this time.

Butch Returns To Pete Dunne Name With Character Change On WWE SmackDown

Aaron Varble
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WWE fans resisted Pete Dunne’s name change to Butch at first. That one-word name grew on people eventually, but it appears more changes are coming for the former NXT UK Champion.

Changes Coming For Butch

The Brawling Brutes stable, consisting of Sheamus, Ridge Holland, and Butch, are no more. The faction quietly broke up, as Butch made mention of that fact during a promo with Tyler Bate a couple of weeks ago.

Now, Sean Ross Sapp reports on Fightful Select that Butch is in for a presentation change. Those hints were already dropped on SmackDown. 

It was noted that, during that pre-produced vignette on Smackdown where Butch revealed that the Brawling Brutes broke up, he said he had to make a name for himself. Now, a change back to Pete Dunne is being discussed. 

Fightful has confirmed that a change back to Pete Dunne has long been discussed, with one source in WWE telling Corey Brennan “it’s exactly what it looks like.”

Backstage Reaction To Butch’s Initial Name Change

The report further noted that when “Butch’s name was changed from Dunne, it got some of the heaviest pushback in recent WWE memory.”  Fans did not love the name change at first, either.

One source reportedly brought up Bushwhacker Butch as they said, “It wasn’t even that it was a bad name. The name was okay, it was fine. But there was already a Butch. An actual wrestler named Butch already in our Hall of Fame.”

WWE has changed Superstar names for one reason or another throughout the years, for any number of reasons. While Butch did have a good run on the WWE main roster, it appears that Vince McMahon change to Pete Dunne’s character may get swapped back by Triple H.

That segment with Butch and Tyler Bate also represented a big change in WWE’s production after Kevin Dunn’s exit. The company is going through many changes on several levels at this point.

UPDATE: Pete Dunne Returns

Pete Dunne returned this week on SmackDown, under that name, He received a massive pop as he came out to team with Tyler Bate. The team took on Pretty Deadly, and his change back to the Dunne name received a great reaction.

Kazuchika Okada in WWE? Exiting NJPW Star Dreams of WrestleMania Match

Thomas Lowson
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Kazuchika Okada dreams of competing at WrestleMania, and that’s a dream that those in WWE management are well aware of. 

This week, it was confirmed that Okada’s tenure with New Japan Pro Wrestling will finish at the end of this month. While his contract will run out on January 31, Okada will compete at the NJPW New Beginnings events scheduled for February. Okada is a five-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and two-time IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. He is the only person to hold the latter title more than once. 

Is Kazuchika Okada WWE Bound? 

WWE has had interest in Okada for some time and has sought to win him over in recent months. The push of Shinsuke Nakamura in late 2023 was reportedly an effort to show Okada that Japanese talent can thrive in WWE. Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated reports Triple H and Shawn Michaels have “significant interest” in bringing Okada on board. 

Multiple sources close to NJPW revealed that he has always wanted to perform at a WrestleMania, a dream Triple H is aware of. The belief is that should a match happen, AJ Styles or Finn Balor would be the right opponents for Okada’s WrestleMania match. Both men have pre-existing relationships with Okada thanks to their respective NJPW runs. 

Is Okada All-Elite? 

WWE may want Okada, but AEW also has its sights set on the Japanese star. Okada has worked with AEW in the past via the Forbidden Door crossover events with New Japan. He is also close with AEW EVPs Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks. Okada has formed a rivalry and friendship with Bryan Danielson, whom he faced at Forbidden Door II in 2023 and earlier this month at Wrestle Kingdom 18. Okada also competed on an October 2023, edition of Dynamite. 

Reported Episode Topics For Dark Side of the Ring Season 5

Aaron Varble
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Pro wrestling fans got excited the moment it was confirmed that it was confirmed that Dark Side of the Ring is coming back for season five. Now, we are getting even more details about what is in the pipeline.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V7xEp5hGzg

Dark Side of the Ring Season 5 Plans

VICE TV’s Dark Side of the Ring has become a must-watch for wrestling fans, as they dive into sometimes controversial topics from pro wrestling’s past. With its past four seasons generating significant discussion in recent memory, season five has a lot to live up to. 

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that the upcoming fifth season of Dark Side of the Ring is in the works, and a list of episodes has been revealed. 

Season five is set to cover “Black Saturday,” the 1984 moment when Vince McMahon orchestrated a takeover of Georgia Championship Wrestling’s lucrative TBS cable TV timeslot. Additionally, WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle and ECW legend The Sandman will each have episodes dedicated to their life stories. 

Other people slated for featured episodes in season five reportedly include Brutus Beefcake, Buff Bagwell, and Harley Race, who passed away in 2019 due to lung cancer. 

Chris Adams, who is credited for training Stone Cold Steve Austin and popularizing the superkick, will also get a focus for an episode on season five.

For the new season of Dark Side of the Ring, we know of these episodes: Brutus Beefcake, Harley Race, Buff Bagwell, Kurt Angle, Chris Adams, Sandman and Black Saturday (when Vince McMahon purchased Georgia Championship Wrestling to get access to the TBS time slot in 1984. Glenn “Kane” Jacobs was campaigning for Donald Trump in Iowa. 

Dark Side of the Ring Season 5 Air Date

As of right now, there is no information on the air date for season five on VICE TV, as filming is scheduled for later this year. We will keep you updated when an actual date comes out.

The show is unafraid to tackle wrestling’s darker moments, such as The Plane Ride from Hell, the Benoit family tragedy, and Owen Hart’s tragic death. The success of the show also led VICE TV to produce several spinoffs, including Dark Side of the ’90s, Dark Side of Comedy, and Dark Side of Football in recent years. 

Latest Update On Seth Rollins’ Injury & WWE Status

Aaron Varble
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0

Seth Rollins beat Jinder Mahal on RAW to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but the night’s celebration was hindered by an injury for the Visionary. Now, Rollins’ future on the road to WrestleMania is questionable.

Seth Rollins’ Current Injury Status

Seth Rollins’ current injury status is unknown. WWE has not sent out any official word about his status. However, the company’s recent actions paint a picture that things are not okay with him.

It was previously noted that Seth Rollins was pulled from this weekend’s house shows. That was not a good sign. Now, they have removed him from even more shows.

At this time, PW Insider reports that Seth Rollins has been removed from all WWE live event advertising and promotion for the next week. Additionally, WWE is not advertising Rollins for upcoming episodes of WWE RAW. He is not included in the group of advertised superstars for the upcoming shows.

He was scheduled for an MRI following this week’s RAW. As we wait for an update about his status, this makes us worry about his WrestleMania status.

The Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky is promoting Seth Rollins for the February 12th episode of Monday Night RAW. However, this doesn’t guarantee his participation in the show.

Seth Rollins’ WrestleMania Plans

Seth Rollins is set to face CM Punk at WrestleMania 40. At this time, the match is still apparently in the plans. Hopefully, Rollins taking some time off the road will help his knee heal.

CM Punk and Seth Rollins’ feud goes back a long way. The story wrote itself, so losing Rollins on the road to the show of shows is not what Punk needs right now, either.

Seth Rollins’ History With Knee Injuries

Seth Rollins has a history of knee injuries. In 2015, he suffered a terrible knee injury that put him on the shelf for about a year. Hopefully, that is not the case this time.

Rollins injured his knee before at a house show, in a No DQ match, as he was executing a powerbomb through a table onto Kane. You may check out that throwback clip below.

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