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Ex-WWE Diva Claims Higher-Up Encouraged Her to Oil Her Body to Get Vince McMahon’s Attention

Thomas Lowson
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Francine may have portrayed a sex-heavy character in ECW, but there was a line she wouldn’t cross when she arrived in ECW. 

The ECW original joined WWE in 2006 following the relaunch of the extreme promotion as a third brand. After appearing at that year’s One Night Stand event Francine made a handful of appearances, mostly in bikini contests or similar segments. Her in-ring debut would be in an ‘Extreme Catfight’ during the September 26, 2006, edition of ECW on Sci-Fi. She was released from WWE the following month. 

Absolutely Not!

Francine’s time with WWE was underwhelming, but the former ECW ‘vixen’ wasn’t going to degrade herself to get ahead in the company. During a recent edition of her Eyes Up Here podcast, Francine recalled a member of management encouraging her to use oil on her body to get the attention of Vince McMahon. 

“I mean when I worked there were stories floating around. And again, when I worked there I was told by somebody higher up that if you want to be seen, go get a bottle of oil… rubbing oil all over my b**** and knocking on Vince’s door and going in there and leaning on his desk and trying to get noticed. That’s what I was told to do. And, I said absolutely not. I’m not doing that.” 

There has been renewed interest in McMahon’s relationship with women in WWE due to the lawsuit filed against him by Janel Grant. McMahon resigned from TKO and WWE last month after it was alleged that he had been sexually abusive to Miss Grant and trafficked her to other men in WWE. 

McMahon has denied the allegations against him and, via a spokesperson, has claimed the lawsuit is rife with “obscene made-up instances that never occurred.”

Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins To Appear On Grayson Waller Effect At WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth

Thomas Lowson
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Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes will have a unique role at this month’s WWE Elimination Chamber PLE as the guests on the Grayson Waller Effect. 

In a video shared on WWE’s Twitter account, Waller spoke about being sick and tired of hearing about ‘stories.’ Waller also poked fun at Cody for being slapped by The Rock during the WrestleMania 40 kick-off press conference last week. Despite this, Waller recognized Cody’s quest against the Bloodline as “the biggest story in entertainment.” 

The self-professed Prime Minister of Australia then said that he’d bring this story to his home country. Waller then confirmed that he will be giving the ‘Grayson Waller Rub’ to Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins at WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth. 

The Grayson Waller Effect

Waller will no doubt be hoping that this edition of the Grayson Waller effect goes better than the last time he hosted Cody Rhodes. At WWE Payback, Rhodes was the guest on Waller’s show but would introduce Jey Uso as Raw’s newest Superstar. After Waller got in Jey’s face, the ‘Main Event’ talent would attack the Australian.

WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth

Here is the card for WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth as it currently stands: 

  • The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate (Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships)
  • Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair vs. Liv Morgan vs. 3 TBD (Elimination Chamber match for a Women’s World Championship match at WrestleMania XL)
  • Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Nia Jax (WWE Women’s World Championship)
  • Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton vs. Bobby Lashley vs. LA Knight vs 2 TBD (Elimination Chamber match for a World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania XL)

What other events can the WWE Universe look forward to in 2024… 

Jeff Hardy Possibly Injured After Brutal Spot During AEW Rampage Taping

Aaron Varble
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Jeff Hardy recently made headlines when he expressed apparent disappointment about how the Hardys are booked on AEW television. He wrestled on Rampage this week, but that match sadly ended with an apparent injury.

Jeff Hardy Possibly Injured

After the February 14th episode of AEW Dynamite, the company recorded the upcoming Rampage episode airing on February 19th. That match featured Hardy taking Sammy Guevara in singles action.

At the H.E.B. Center in Cedar Park, Texas, where the taping took place, fans captured footage of Sammy Guevara striking Jeff Hardy directly in the face with a knee. This went down as Guevara nailed a top rope move on the Charismatic Enigma.

The match was promptly ended to provide Hardy with immediate medical attention, as he was visibly bleeding from the mouth and appeared disoriented when trying to stand. Fans in attendance also noted that Hardy appeared to be out of it, and Guevara is taking some blame online.

What’s Next

Because of NBA All-Star weekend, Rampage will air this week on February 16th at 7 PM EST. The episode will also feature Anna Jay against Queen Aminata.

The entire staff of SE Scoops is sending our best to Jeff Hardy during this time. Hopefully, he isn’t injured and won’t miss any time.

Will Ospreay’s Opponent Announced For AEW Revolution

Dominic DeAngelo
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Will Ospreay’s first official match as an AEW talent will be against a rising star and he may have the decked stacked against him.

On Wednesday night’s episode of AEW Dynamite, the diabolical Don Callis revealed that Konosuke Takeshita will challenge Ospreay on March 3 at AEW Revolution in Greensboro, NC.

Callis claimed that everyone on the roster was afraid to take on Takeshita or Powerhouse Hobbs and so he had to take it upon himself to facilitate the bout between Konosuke and Ospreay.

Ospreay announced that he signed with AEW all the way back in November, but had several obligations to fufill with New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Ospreay did work for TNA as well during his lame duck period and was greatly praised for his influence on the locker room.

Claudio Castagnoli recently did an interview with Adrian Hernandez where he considered Ospreay’s thought process in signing with AEW.

“I’m sure there was something for Will where it’s like … Tokyo Dome, New Japan, he’s been there for, I believe, it was seven plus years, there’s the same thing of like, ‘okay I’ve done this, I know I can do this, if I want to challenge myself …’ that’s always the scary part,” Castagnoli said. “Do you choose comfort or do you want to challenge yourself and take that leap of faith?” 

On the Valentine’s Day episode of Dynamite, it was also revealed who Sting’s final opponents will be at AEW Revolution.

Please credit Adrian Hernandez and h/t to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.

Sting’s Final Match Set For AEW Revolution

Aaron Varble
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AEW is preparing for Sting’s final match, marking the end of his iconic career. The Stinger has done a lot in his career, and now we know who he will wrestle at the big AEW pay-per-view.

Sting’s Final Match

Sting & Darby Allin will defend the AEW World tag team titles against The Young Bucks at AEW Revolution on March 3, 2024, at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina.

This event will mark AEW’s inaugural Pay-Per-View in North Carolina. It was revealed a while ago that Sting will wrestle for the last time at the event.

Sting and Darby Allin won the AEW Tag Team Titles from Big Bill and Ricky Starks, giving them their first title run in AEW. They will now defend those titles at AEW Revolution, and they have a big match planned.

Nick and Matt Jackson turned heel in a big way, making themselves known to Sting and Darby Allin. This week on AEW Dynamite, they made their upcoming match official.

The Young Bucks confirmed during AEW Dynamite that they will wrestle Sting and Darby Allin at AEW Revolution. That match will be for the AEW Tag Team Titles. The Jackson Brothers seemed very confident about their chances.

What’s Next

Sting impressed many people with performances in AEW. Few saw a flying Stinger in his later years, but he certainly gave his all for Tony Khan’s company. Now, he is set for this one final match, and odds are he will make it an iconic performance.

SE Scoops will have continued coverage of this story, and everything else involving AEW Revolution, as more information is made available. 

QT Marshall Returns To AEW In A New Role

Aaron Varble
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QT Marshall was one of the names that left AEW last year. His departure was due to differences that he had with the job he was given to do. He lost a lot of pull backstage since Cody Rhodes’ departure, and many expected him to seek out another home for his talents. Now, he is back in AEW.

QT Marshall’s AEW Return

According to Sean Ross Sapp on Fightful Select, QT Marshall is set to return to All Elite Wrestling, albeit in a different role. 

It’s been reported that Marshall and AEW have resolved their previous issues, and he will be resuming his former position as vice president. However, there are no plans for him to return to the ring as a wrestler.

Sources familiar with the matter have also reportedly confirmed that an agreement was reached a couple of weeks ago, although Marshall has not yet officially rejoined the company. He is also able to take bookings outside Tony Khan’s company.

We’re told that Marshall is free to wrestle outside of AEW, with the exception of WWE. The 38-year old Marshall hadn’t wrestled since his AEW deal officially ended on December 31 until this past week’s TCW show, but has shown off his physical transformation on Twitter.

What’s Next

In collaboration with Teil Rhodes, Marshall has joined efforts to revive Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling, originally founded by Dusty Rhodes. Their inaugural show took place on February 8 in McDonough, GA, featuring former WWE Superstar Matt Cardona, Scotty Riggs, Glacier, Aaron Solo, and others.

We will have to see if AEW provides any assistance to Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling in the time to come.

Athena Needs That Mercedes Mone Dream Match: “I Don’t Care If I Have To Go To Japan, I Just Have To Get It”

Ella Jay
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Last week, AEW President Tony Khan announced that the company will be heading back to Boston, Massachusetts on March 13 for a special edition of AEW Dynamite.  According to Khan, the show which is titled Big Business, will be “one of the most important nights in AEW.” 

While AEW has yet to reveal further details on the event, recent reports have indicated that “The CEO” Mercedes Mone (formerly known as WWE’s Sasha Banks) is expected to make her AEW debut at Big Business. AEW previously showed Mone in attendance for their August 2023 All In event in London.

Athena Wants “The CEO” 

Given these recent developments, Sunday Night’s Main Event asked the ROH Women’s Champion about the possibility of Mercedes Mone becoming ‘All Elite’ in her hometown of Boston, MA in just a matter of weeks.

Athena is “immensely curious” to see if Mercedes Mone arrives at Big Business. She said she and the entire AEW locker room are hoping it happens, but Tony Khan is keeping things close to the vest and nobody knows for sure.

ROH Women’s Champion Athena

Ember Moon and Sasha Banks crossed paths a few times in WWE, but they never squared off one-one-one. She considers Mercedes Mone a dream opponent and may finally get her wish later this year in an AEW ring.

“I might finally get one of my dream matches,” she said. “That is one of the coolest things because I’ve shared the ring with this person for many times, and whether we were on the same tag team at live events in WWE, to us getting to briefly touch at Money in the Bank, to us briefly touching in this awesome fatal four-way we had on Raw, I just wish the world for this person because she is someone that I think is one of the absolute best wrestlers in the world.” 

Stacking Up

Athena considers herself to be “immensely” humble, despite the talent and work ethic its taken to establish herself as one of the top wrestlers in the world. As much as she’s accomplished, she’s eager to see how she’d stack up against someone she’s looked up to for so long. Aside from that, she wants to see what they can create together. 

“I’m a firm believer of, when you have two dedicated women, to the cause, it’s going to be money and it’s going to be magic. I just have to have it. I don’t care if I have to go to Japan for it. I just have to get it one time.”

Athena is far from the only AEW wrestler who is eager to mix it up with Mercedes Mone. As you can read about below, former AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker is also on that list. Mone, Baker, WWE Superstars Bayley and Naomi were all spotted together at the Super Bowl this past weekend in Las Vegas.

H/T to Fightful for the transcription

Velveteen Dream Emerges in Surprising Setting to Advocate for New Cause

Aaron Varble
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Velveteen Dream was released from WWE in 2021, and he hasn’t made any noise for another pro wrestling company since. That being said, headlines about the former NXT North American Champion were not hard to come by as arrests and other allegations followed him. Now, he is onto his next venture, and he’s advocating to preserve rural America. 

Velveteen Dream’s Next Phase

According to Star Exponent, Patrick Clark frequently visits Culpeper to reunite with family and appreciates its rural ambiance. Recently settling in the county for three months, he is introduced as the cousin of Don Haight, a Stevensburg farmer advocating for local farmer programs and the preservation of the county’s rural essence.

Although Clark originally hailed from Washington D.C, he has seemingly found a new home in Culpepper, and he loves the vibe there. During the February 6th Culpeper County Board of Supervisors meeting, he urged the board to prioritize the collective desires of the county’s residents and suggested potential drawbacks of implementing large-scale solar power. 

While expressing apprehension about technological and political changes, he cautioned against external influences jeopardizing Culpeper’s distinct identity.

“I’m afraid that there is a technological and a political gentrification that may occur if we allow outside forces to corrupt Culpeper.”

“Culpeper has this sweet nature to it, sweet as black garlic if you will. It’s got this nature that I’m afraid is going to be corrupted if you all let personal interest affect the decisions that affect the citizens of Culpeper.”

Clark also noted the backing the board receives from residents on this issue, drawing a parallel to his own encounter with dwindling support.

“I lost my job because I took for granted the support that was given to me by the people who paid good money to see me perform.”

In May 2017, Clark debuted a new Prince-inspired persona on NXT named Velveteen Dream. He gained traction and clinched the NXT North American Championship once. However, after a lengthy hiatus due to WWE’s investigation into allegations of Clark’s misconduct involving children, he was released from WWE in May 2021.

Allegations Against Patrick Clark

Patrick Clark was making reference to the allegations that surrounded his WWE departure. In April 2020, there were allegations of misconduct involving minors against Clark. He denied these allegations, and the WWE conducted an investigation, which found no evidence supporting the claims. He was never formally charged.

Allegations of drug use and setting up a camera in a bathroom to snap photos of male Superstars without consent were also made. His name has been ripe with controversy, and he has addressed these accusations in the past.

WWE tried to use Velveteen Dream on television after that, with Triple H even saying that they determined that nothing out of line happened after concluding an investiation. Still, #FireVelveteenDream popped up and trended on Twitter every time he made an appearance on television.

Surprising Release: WWE Fires Matt Camp After Years With The Company

Aaron Varble
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WWE has made some surprising moves this year, and they’ve already seen some notable exits. Now, the company has fired another long-time employee in a rather surprising manner.

Matt Camp Was Released By WWE

PW Insider reports that WWE made a decision to release one of their key on-air personalities. Matt Camp, who had been with the company for years, serving as the host of WWE’s The Bump and other roles, was reportedly released last week.

Camp joined WWE in 2019, and he never missed an episode of The Bump during his tenure with the show. Despite his consistent presence, there was no mention of his departure on last week’s episode. 

Prior to his time with WWE, Camp had worked on various WWE shows, including Raw Talk and Smackdown Lowdown. His most recent appearance was on the WWE NXT Vengeance Day Kickoff.

Reaction To Matt Camp’s Release

The reaction to Camp’s release has reportedly been a shock to several people within WWE. As of right now, there is no explanation provided by the company for his release, and there have been no internal statements made regarding the matter.

Before joining WWE, Matt Camp had worked as the lead announcer for Tommy Dreamer’s House of Hardcore promotion and served as the lead Fantasy Football Analyst for Bleacher Report. Odds are, he will land on his feet, and we are wishing him the best in his future moves.

Jade Cargill Nixed: WWE Reportedly Changes Up Elimination Chamber Plans

Aaron Varble
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WWE signed Jade Cargill away from AEW after Tony Khan offered her more money than she asked for to stay. Her 2024 Royal Rumble in-ring debut brought here a lot of attention, and WWE certainly noticed that huge pop for her in Tropicana Field. She was expected for the Elimination Chamber, but now that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Jade Cargill’s Elimination Chamber Plans Change

According to PW Insider, as of yesterday, Jade Cargill is no longer slated for the Women’s Elimination Chamber on February 24th in Perth. 

I was able to confirm that Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, Naomi, Tiffany Stratton, and Jade Cargill were originally slated for the Women’s Elimnation Chamber match. Now, it appears those plans for Cargill have changed.

As of this writing, I am still awaiting confirmation on Cargill’s Chamber status, and what might have happened to faciliate this change.

Elimination Chamber Date, Location, and Start Time

The 2024 Elimination Chamber event is scheduled for Saturday, February 24, 2024, at Optus Stadium in Perth, Western Australia. This marks WWE’s return to Australia since Super Show-Down in October 2018 and is the sole WWE event in the Asia–Pacific region for 2024. 

The event will start at 4:30 AM for fans in the Eastern Time Zone. It will certainly be an interesting time for a premium live event, but anything can happen on the road to WrestleMania.

Adriana Rizzo Gets Breakout Attention After February 13th WWE NXT

Aaron Varble
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WWE fans are paying attention to Tony D’Angelo new associate, Adriana Rizzo. Her name trended like wildfire after her appearance during the February 13th episode of WWE NXT.

Fans Want Rizzo

After Rizzo’s match with Jaida Parker on NXT this week, fans wanted to know more about her. Her name was a breakout topics on Google’s search engine, and this is a very good thing for her.

WWE pays attention to search trends, and it was pretty impossible to miss the fact that fans wanted to know more about Adriana Rizzo. Odds are, this extra attention will also be great for The Family, even if Tony D’Angelo and Stacks lost the NXT Tag Team Titles to Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin this week as well.

Who Is Adriana Rizzo

Anna Keefer, now known as Adriana Rizzo in WWE, took an unexpected path to signing with a pro wrestling company. As a high school graduate in 2017, she excelled in track and field, securing four individual state outdoor titles. During her time at the University of North Carolina, she achieved first-team All-America honors in the indoor long jump in 2022 and second-team All-America recognition in the 200m event.

https://www.instagram.com/p/reel:ChIM_D1thBD

Following the conclusion of her collegiate track and field career, Rizzo had aspirations of pursuing a professional athletic career. However, she decided on a whim to attend a WWE SummerSlam Tryout in Nashville. After that tryout, she was offered a contract to join the WWE Performance Center Fall 2022 Rookie Class. Now, she is a regular on NXT television on a consistent basis.

Darby Allin Reveals Two Of His Goals In AEW

Ella Jay
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The ever-fearless Darby Allin will begin his quest to climb Mount Everest this April. Upon his return, though, Allin will be focused on fulfilling a pair of goals in All Elite Wrestling. 

During a recent interview with Denise Salcedo, Allin revealed the two professional goals he’s aiming to reach after he conquers Mount Everest. Given that Allin is already a former TNT Champion, and one-half of the current AEW Tag Team Champions, Allin believes the next step would be to move toward the company’s top prize — the AEW World Championship.  

“So to be the face of a company, I believe you have to be World Champion, so that is the next logical step when I get back from Everest because Everest is almost like a vision quest in a way,” Allin said. “I’m going to go dig deep down inside the mountains and find out what it’s really like inside of here.”

Allin Wants ‘The American Dragon’

Outside of his championship aspirations, Allin is also keen on facing ” The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson before his full-time wrestling run ends later this year. 

Despite being in the same company for over two years, Danielson and Allin have yet to share a ring together.

“Wrestling-wise, before this man’s career is done: Danielson. That’s the next thing.

It has nothing to do with us being from the northwest, it’s just his work ethic. He’s another man, his career was supposed to be over. He came back and he’s better than ever. So those are my two things that I want to hit in AEW.”

Update On Scott D’Amore’s Exit From TNA

Dominic DeAngelo
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Scott D’Amore clearly had a love for TNA which further fueled the shock as to why the veteran was let go from the company’s top executive. 

Last week, the wrestling world was astonished to learn that Anthem decided to terminate D’Amore, who to many, has been the primary factor as to why Impact Wrestling (and now TNA) still exists. Even in just the past six months, D’Amore has been a heavy proponent for change in the company product, complete with bringing in new acts, old faces, and bringing back the three familiar letters in TNA. 

Despite all that, Anthem replaced D’Amore with Anthony Ciccone, a longtime Anthem executive. A new report from Fightful Select shines further light on the matter as the plan for D’Amore’s exit was put in place for over a month.

Latest on D’Amore Leaving TNA

Anthem wanted the ending of D’Amore’s run to be a mutual departure, but Scott remained steadfast in keeping his position. The reported reason for D’Amore not agreeing to a mutual departure is because it put him in a better position for future opportunities.

Despite Ciccone taking over for D’Amore, Scott has reportedly held Ciccone in high-regard but still didn’t want to relinquish his position as TNA President. There were rumors of D’Amore attempting to buy the company outright from Anthem, but that was clearly denied if the effort was actually made.

When it comes to budget upgrades for TNA, it only appears that Anthem may be making an effort to do so in the software department. The reported plan is for Anthem to strip back TNA’s budget to even less than what they had for 2023.

Details on a WrestleMania Main Event Wrestler’s Negotiations with TNA

Dominic DeAngelo
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While there’s been a clear change of the guard at the top of TNA with Scott D’Amore getting fired, the returning brand may be making an effort to see if a new star could join the promotion.

A new report from Fightful Select shined further light on the exit of D’Amore as TNA President, but also had another interesting tidbit about a certain “Monster Among Men.”

Several TNA sources have confirmed with Fightful that the company actually has had talks with Braun Strowman, who is actually still under contract with WWE. TNA reportedly spoke with Strowman’s lawyer but there was no talk in the “seven-figure” range.

Strowman has been on the shelf due to a severe neck injury, but did make his return to WWE back in 2022 and notably formed an “odd couple” tag team alongside Ricochet.

Braun underwent neck fusion surgery which has sidelined the big man for seven months.

In a recent January interview with “The Ranveer Show,” Strowman said he was on the road to recovery and could start lifting weights, but as of then couldn’t take any bumps or knocks to the head.

“So it’s still going to be another month and two before we start easing back in the ring. But when it’s time to go, we’re going.”

Former WWE Stars in TNA

TNA Wrestling has worked with several high-profile WWE Superstars in recent months. WWE Superstar Naomi  (Trinity Fatu) recently returned in the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble after wrapping up a run with TNA that included a reign as Knockouts champion.

Former WWE World Heavyweight champion Dolph Ziggler has ‘crossed’ the line and now competes in TNA as Nic Nemeth.

Mustafa Ali debuts for TNA later this month. He challenges Chris Sabin for the X-Division championship at the TNA No Surrender PPV (2/23).

Please credit “The Ranveer Show” and h/t to Wrestling Inc for the transcription

Drew McIntyre Mocks The Walking Dead After Hit Series Uses His Line to Promote New Show

Thomas Lowson
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Fans of The Walking Dead may be thrilled to see the show return with ‘The Ones Who Live‘ but Drew McIntyre isn’t pleased. 

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live will see series regulars Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) return to the post-apocalyptic United States that has been ravaged by a zombie apocalypse. The show will serve as a direct sequel to the original The Walking Dead series. 

The Ones Who Live will be the sixth spin-off and overall seventh television series in The Walking Dead franchise. The show will premiere with its first episode ‘Years’ on AMC and AMC+ on February 25. 

Drew McIntyre Takes On The Walking Dead

This week, the Walking Dead Twitter account shared a promo video featuring Rick Grimes in combat gear. Borrowing a line from the first Scottish-born WWE Champion, those behind the Walking Dead’s Twitter account prayed for the return of Rick and it happened. 

Unimpressed, McIntyre shared a prayer of his own, saying he wanted the show to end after its third season in 2013. 

WWE and Zombies

No WWE Superstar has appeared in The Walking Dead but the promotion is no stranger to Zombies. In the 2010s, WWE released a series of Zombified action figures, depicting the Superstars of the time as members of the undead. In 2021, zombies would infamously invade the WrestleMania Backlash match between The Miz and Damian Priest, in which Priest was the victor. Despite being devoured by the thronga of the undead, The Miz later told people he was feeling great. 

Netflix & Chill? WWE Superstars Reveal Their Favorite Shows to Binge (Exclusive)

Thomas Lowson
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The Superstars of WWE are kept plenty busy in the ring, but they also find the time to unwind by binging their favorite Netflix shows. 

Last month, it was announced that Raw will move to Netflix as part of a $5 billion deal with the streaming giant. Fans in the U.S. will have access to Monday Night Raw each week, while those outside of the States will receive Raw, SmackDown, WWE NXT, and Premium Live Events. Netflix will not cover monthly PLEs in areas where deals are already in place with other distributors, such as India.

The Superstars’ Favorite Shows 

Alpha Academy’s Maxxine Dupri said that she had just finished The Crown, the historical drama series based on the lives of the British Royal Family. The show’s sixth and most recent season addresses 1997 to 2005 and covers the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, the early relationship of Prince William and Kate Middleton, and the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles. Dupri said the show was “so good” and that she was “obsessed.”

‘Big’ Bronson Reed has been enjoying an Australian show called Boy Swallows Universe. The story revolves around Eli Bell, a working-class youth who enters Brisbane’s underworld to save his mother from danger. It is based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by Trent Dalton. When not watching that, the former NXT North American Champion enjoys the relaxed competition of the Great British Bake Off. 

Ivy Nile enjoys documentaries but has also been watching You, which the Raw Superstar admits is not her typical kind of show. The four-season show follows Joe Goldberg, a bookstore manager who obsessively follows a woman he becomes infatuated with in the show’s first season. 

Nia Jax loves stirring up some drama, so it makes sense that she enjoys Safe. The show focuses on Tom Delaney (played by Dexter’s Michael C. Hall) who uncovers a web of secrets as he frantically searches for his missing 16-year-old daughter. Jax also enjoys Peaky Blinders. the period crime drama about the Birmingham, UK-based gang of the same name and their escapades following World War 1. 

Rhea Ripley Would “110% Be Down” For Challenging For WWE’s Men’s Championships

Thomas Lowson
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Rhea Ripley has dominated as WWE Women’s World Champion and now ‘Mami’ has made clear she’s open to winning titles from the men. 

Ripley captured the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 39, with a victory over Charlotte Flair. In June, the title was rechristened the Women’s World Champion after Ripley was drafted to Raw, and Asuka (then the Raw Women’s Champion) was placed on SmackDown. The Women’s World Championship shares a similar design to the Men’s World Heavyweight Championship held currently by Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins.

Challenging for the Men’s Gold

In an interview with Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, Ripley was asked about possibly challenging for championships held by men. The Australian Superstar was more than up for the challenge. 

“Oh, 100%. I’m always down for a challenge. I love a good challenge. So if that opportunity were to arise, I would 110% be down.”

What’s Next? 

When it comes to her own sex, Ripley’s next title match will come in her native Australia. Ripley will face Nia Jax at WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth on February 24. The WWE Women’s World Champion will defend her title against the winner of the Women’s Elimination Chamber match at WWE WrestleMania 40 this April.

Women Holding Men’s Gold

In WWE, there have only been a few examples of women holding gold which was traditionally for male Superstars. During her career, Chyna became a two-time Intercontinental Champion, while Jaqueline captured the Cruiserweight Championship in 2004. From 1998 to 2002, four women held the Hardcore Championship (Molly Holly, Trish Stratus, Terri Runnells, and a ‘ho’ of the Godfather.)

Could Rhea Ripley’s title reign come to an end at WrestleMania 40…

Shotzi Suffers Serious Knee Injury At WWE’s 2/13 NXT TV Tapings

Aaron Varble
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WWE’s NXT brand pre-taped next week’s episode already, and that included a packed night of action for fans. Sadly, one match did not turn out as anyone would have liked, as Shotzi battled Lyra Valkyria for the NXT Women’s Title. 

Shotzi Injured 

Shotzi sustained a knee injury while attempting her apron DDT during tonight’s taping for next week’s WWE NXT Championship match. She will undergo evaluation to confirm the severity of the injury.

Fightful’s Corey Brennan reported that the NXT Women’s Title match needed to be stopped midway through the contest.

Shotzi and Lyra Valkyria’s NXT Women’s Title match during tonight’s second #WWENXT taping was stopped due to a serious knee injury suffered by Shotzi.

Shotzi had been slated to compete against Tiffany Stratton in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match on this week’s WWE SmackDown, but the status of the match is now uncertain. For what it’s worth, I was able to confirm that Tiffany Stratton is in the Chamber match, so Shotzi was likely losing her qualifying match anyway.  

Fightful Select later noted that this is not a work. Shotzi was in a ton of pain backstage, and she wasn’t able to place any weight on her leg.

After speaking to several sources in NXT, Corey Brennan was able to confirm that Shotzi was not able to place weight on her injured knee and was forced to hop to the back with assistance from WWE’s medical team. It was apparent when Shotzi arrived backstage that she was in a large amount of pain. Officials backstage were said to be very concerned for Shotzi and she was immediately taken for medical evaluation. 

SE Scoops will provide more updates as information is made available. 

Next Week’s WWE NXT

Next week’s episode of NXT promises to be a good episode. Apart from the NXT Women’s Title match, former WWE NXT Women’s champion Roxanne Perez will take on Wren Sinclair.

On the men’s side, NXT will feature a singles bout between Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen, which may finally close the book on their story. Additionally, following their face-to-face confrontation on tonight’s episode, Lexis King will challenge NXT North American champion Oba Femi for his title.

Rob Van Dam Makes The Case To Be Mick Foley’s Final Opponent With A Specific Title On The Line

Dominic DeAngelo
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Rob Van Dam can still get it done at a “high” level in the wrestling ring, but can Mick Foley? Mr. Monday Night is intrigued to find out.

On the latest episode of “1 Of A Kind With RVD” Van Dam was asked if he heard about Mick Foley wanting to have one last match as he turns 60 years old in 2024.

“I think I saw the headline, you know, something like that, and heard a little inside chatter on it.”

Van Dam noted that he and Foley were possibly on tap to have a match while in TNA together, but it never came to fruition. It was around the time when Abyss was answering to someone or somebodies as “they” and that “they” was slated to be Foley. That match never did happen with rumor being that Foley decline to work with Rob.

However, when RVD heard of Mick wanting one more match, Van Dam thought about his history with Mrs. Foley’s Baby Boy.

“My first thought was, ‘Dude, that should be me.’ That’d be a huge draw because we have never wrestled each other and we’re both, you know, kings of hardcore.”

The only time RVD worked with Mick in a ring happened to be in Peach State Wrestling where the two were in a battle royal together.

Not only does RVD and Foley have strong ECW ties, but there’s something else that Mick Foley has which Rob Van Dam thinks should be in his possession.

“This is very relevant. When I was in WWE and I won – well, first, even before I got to WWE, like when I started watching the product before I got there, I was a little insulted by the Hardcore Championship because I felt like they were kind of making fun of ECW. And no offense to Crash [Holly], but he would do things to make them laugh. They would fight in the pit of balls for the kids and knock the taco cart over and fight at weird places. And when I won the WWE Hardcore Championship, I was Rob Van Dam. Just kept being me and, and, uh, and having great f***ing matches, and I loved it.”

WWE Hardcore Championship

RVD goes on to say that he established the Hardcore Championship as a must-see title in WWE, much like he did with the Television Championship in ECW. He made the belt so relevant that he’d main event house shows with it.

“I was f***ing loving it, and then it meant too much. So that wasn’t their plan. So what do they do? They retire it. They retire the f***ing championship while I’m wearing it while I’m having these kick ass matches. Me and Tommy Dreamer had a match I think to retire it.”

RVD won that match against Dreamer to become the Intercontinental Champion, putting an end to the Hardcore Title. However, Van Dam made that valuable to the fans and himself, but surprisingly enough it doesn’t sit in his trophy case.

“Did they give me the Hardcore Title? Do I have that hanging in my Rob Van Dam room of outstanding f***ing accomplishments and memorabilia? No. You know who has that Hardcore Championship? Mick Foley.”

That gives RVD further incentive to have a “one of a kind” go-around with Mick Foley.

“So deep inside, there’s a little bit of resentment on my behalf. Not resentment, but I would like to have it.”

Subscribe to RVDTV.com for full episodes and exclusive clips of “1 Of A Kind With RVD.”

Please credit “1 Of A Kind With RVD” and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.

New Champions: Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin Win WWE NXT Tag Team Gold

Aaron Varble
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Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin were an unlikely team, but the two have proved that they are quite a pair. Now, they are NXT Tag Team Champions to top it all off.

New NXT Tag Team Champions

The Family, Tony D’Angelo and Stacks, were NXT Tag Team Champions. Then their match against the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic winners was set for this week’s episode.

Breakker and Corbin battled D’Angelo and Stacks in the main event of this week’s show. Fans in the NXT Arena were also pulling for a title change. That finally went down as Breakker scored the pinfall after a spear.

This was a hard-fought match, as The Family was able to create some devastating offense to really slow down their opponents. Breakker also took a table break right before the finish went down, but he was able to make his way to the ring.

What’s Next

Bron Breakker was called up to the WWE main roster as part of his 2024 Royal Rumble entry. He appears to be going to the RAW brand, as I was told, but his time in NXT is obviously not over yet.

WWE has let champions in NXT get their main roster call-ups, only to lose the belts later. Sometimes, a title is relinquished instead of actually dropping it. Either way, Corbin and Breakker are starting a new run as champions.

SE Scoops will have more on this story as more information is made available. 

Bully Ray Questions If Seth Rollins Can Hang With The Rock

Dominic DeAngelo
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Bully Ray doesn’t believe that Seth Rollins or the WWE World Heavyweight Title was framed in the best light during the WrestleMania Kickoff press event in Las Vegas.

Speaking on Monday’s Busted Open Radio with Mark Henry and co-host Dave LaGreca, The Dudley Boy paid attention to detail when it came to Seth Rollins on stage in Las Vegas.

Not only did Bully believe Roman Reigns disparaged the World Heavyweight Champion, but noticed something between The Visionary and The Rock.

“Seth has had some s*** to say about The Rock lately, hasn’t he? Did you notice when Rock came on stage what Seth did not do? Mark, he didn’t make eye contact with him.

“If you’re gonna talk s*** and now you get to see the guy? You better look him in the eye because Rock was looking right at Seth when he came out and you know how we are, Mark. ‘Go ahead, talk your s*** now. I’m standing on stage, I’m right next to you, talk your s*** now.’ Seth never looked at Rocky, Seth just kept looking ahead at Roman. That’s the moments that I look for.”

Bully puts himself in The Rock’s position and how “The People’s Champ” hypothetically put Rollins in his place.

“’Now our characters are out there in front of the world. Watch what my character does to your character in an instant. If I wanna expose you I can,’ and all Rock needed to do is walk past Seth slowly and spread his wing slowly like a giant, jacked-up peacock. I noticed that and I was like, ‘Oh my God, Seth looks so small and so out of place standing next to Rock.’ Remember, this is just my perception of what I’m seeing.”

Please credit Busted Open Radio and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.

Is Roman Reigns Still Head Of The Table? WWE Vet Says The Rock Plays Second To Nobody

Dominic DeAngelo
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It’s all about positioning in WWE, figuratively and literally, and Mark Henry says The Rock is well aware of that.

During Busted Open Radio on Monday, Henry was chatting with Bully Ray and co-host Dave LaGreca about the WrestleMania Kickoff press conference that took place in Vegas last Thursday. Both WWE Hall of Famers made note of how The Rock pulled the Tony Atlas trick of positioning himself closest to the stage so he would look bigger on camera. 

It paid off for Dwayne Johnson, who just by a visual standpoint, made Roman Reigns look smaller than himself. Henry thinks that move was intentional.

“Because The Rock knows better and he would not allow that to happen. He knows that he’s not the second guy in any equation and they have to fix that.”

Bully Ray adds that after the presser during the backstage segment, The Rock was leading while Roman was trailing. Henry said Roman should have flipped that and gave Rock permission to do that.

“Some of that is [WWE] not being able to tell Dwyane no. He’s very persuasive and he wants it the way that he wants it.”

Henry even recalls during his Nation of Domination days where The Rock would tell him to step on the opposite side because “The World’s Strongest Man” looked too big in front of “The Most Electrifying Man.”

“He’s the principal, but just know, that you going to have to tell me not to take the spotlight.”

Please credit Busted Open Radio and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.

LA Knight Calls Out Seth Rollins After Qualifying For Elimination Chamber

Dominic DeAngelo
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LA Knight is tired of hearing of his own hype and wants to put his money where his mouth is.

Before he took on Ivar on WWE Raw in hopes to qualify for Elimination Chamber, LA Knight had gold on his mind, but after Monday, he got one step closer when defeating the Viking Raider. 

Knight will join Drew McIntyre, Randy Orton and Bobby Lashley in the Elimination Chamber, but had someone specific in mind when speaking with Cathy Kelley on “Raw Talk” after his win. 

However, Knight first made perfectly clear he isn’t looking for praise before Perth. He may have won the Slim Jim battle royal and challenged Roman Reigns, but that amounts to nothing as he looks ahead.

“What do I really have to hang my hat yet on at this point? What do I have to sink my teeth into just yet and I say a big fat goose egg! 

“Save the congratulations. Give me the congratulations when I walk out of Elimination Chamber the number one contender for that World Heavyweight Championship and then congratulate me two times when we get to WrestleMania and I take it off of Seth Freakin’ Rollins. Nice middle name ya got there, pal, but what you’re gonna to call yourself after that is ‘former’ Champion because right now you’re looking at the future Champion.”

This past Friday on SmackDown, Knight happened to cost AJ Styles his qualifying match against Drew McIntyre when he interfered and it opened up Styles for a Claymore Kick and a 1-2-3.

The Undertaker Says WWE Talent Should Be Happy The Rock Is Back

Rayan Saayed
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The Undertaker revealed his thoughts on The Rock’s return to the WWE as WrestleMania 40 draws near, expressing positive sentiments about The Rock’s comeback. On the  latest episode of his Six Feet Under podcast, The Phenom addressed his former rival having such a pivotal role in wrestling’s biggest PPV of the year.

Co-host Matthew Lyda mentioned that some WWE superstars aren’t thrilled about The Rock’s comeback.  He’s He’s one of the most famous people in the world and commands lots of attention. It will be great for the financial success of the show, but what about the performers who are getting even less of that spotlight?

The Undertaker admits even he would have mixed feelings, if it was him getting pushed one more spot down the card.

“No one will say that, but it’s in the back of their head,” The Undertaker said. “It’d be in the back of my head. There’d be that side of me that said, ‘Yes, this is good for business. This is the biggest star in the world. But I’m the one that goes out and grinds every weekend of every year.” 

The Dead Man says this new dynamic with The Rock in the mix adds a level of realism to things on and off television. At the end of the day, it’s going to make WrestleMania XL even bigger.

“That’s what makes everything so cool,” Undertaker continued. “That’s what makes it real. WrestleMania’s gonna be fire. It is gonna be fire.”

The Rock and WrestleMania XL

The Rock set his sights on the road to WrestleMania by making an appearance on Raw: Day 1 on January 1, where he called out Roman Reigns. It seemed like he would be challenging Reigns at WrestleMania XL. 

However, during the WrestleMania XL Kickoff media event in Las Vegas on February 8, it was revealed that Reigns would instead face Cody Rhodes, who asserted his right to choose the main event after winning the Royal Rumble.

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Rhodes then confronted Reigns, suggesting that his family would be disappointed in him. This confrontation led to The Rock slapping Rhodes across the face, with Seth Rollins siding with Rhodes.

In a later Instagram post, The Rock addressed the confrontation, stating, “Your hero f*cked around and he found out quick what happens when you talk about our family with disrespect. Lines crossed and blurred – bring it. We don’t toe the mark for no one.”

Drew McIntyre Being Advertised For Event Past WWE Contract Expiration Date

Thomas Lowson
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Drew McIntyre could be sticking with WWE for the foreseeable future if the line-up for an upcoming European event is anything to go by. 

McIntyre’s future with WWE has been under speculation for some time. Last year, it was reported that his contract was going to expire in early 2024. In September, McIntyre said that has no intentions to work elsewhere. It was also reported that time has been added to Drew’s WWE contract due to his post-WrestleMania 39 hiatus.

McIntyre is reportedly open to letting his current deal lapse if he feels it is right. The first Scottish-born WWE Champion has long stated that he would like to spend some extended time back in Scotland. It has been years since he’s had the chance to have more than a quick visit with his family as these days he lives full-time in the United States.

Drew McIntyre Being Advertised

Drew McIntyre is being advertised for the upcoming WWE live event in Bologna, Italy. That event will take place in May, despite McIntyre’s current deal with WWE being set to expire shortly after WrestleMania 40 in April. Neither McIntyre nor WWE have publicly confirmed whether a new deal has been reached. 

WWE in Bologna, Italy

WWE will host its Italy live event on May 1, mere days before WWE Backlash: France on May 4. Other names being advertised include Cody Rhodes, Bianca Belair, Randy Orton, WWE Women’s Champion IYO SKY, LA Knight, Bobby Lashley, Kevin Owens, and Jey Uso. 

Ticket and VIP packages are already being advertised for the event. As always, the talent is subject to change. At this time, no matches have been confirmed.

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